Since the middle of March, we have been filling our freezers to overflowing and our pantries with enough paper products to grow a forest in an effort to abide by social distancing and reduce visits to the market. But starting June 1, that is all about to change because on that date through Nov. 30, our annual hurricane season is upon us.
During hurricane season we reduce what we have in our freezer and refrigerator and stock up on non-perishable goods in the event of a power outage. These two preparedness events appear to be in direct conflict with each other and to a degree they are, but this is what we’re living through at the moment.
This Florida season is predicted to be more active than normal with 16 named storms, above the average of 12.1, and eight hurricanes, above the 6.4 average. In addition, four of these hurricanes are considered to be major, somewhere between a Category 3 and a Category 5; the average is 2.7.
A weak La Nina is allowing storms to form more easily in the tropical Atlantic which is warmer than normal while the subtropical Atlantic is very warm. This analysis will be updated on June 4, so we can hope it will be better.
As always, getting your home ready for hurricane season is important. Adequate window and door coverings should be at the top of your list now. If a storm is coming your way, remove any outdoor objects which can become airborne like furniture, plants, bikes, toys and small boats. Boats that are in the water ideally should go to dry storage, but if that’s not possible, secure the vessels with double lines and extra tie downs for boats on lifts.
Mymanatee.org is a wealth of information and recommendations on what you and your family should do in the event of an oncoming hurricane. Some of the highlights on their website are disaster planning – know where your family is at all times; disaster kit – take important papers like insurance policies, licenses, passports and birth and marriage certificates; know where the emergency shelters are for your location; and, if you are responsible for a special needs person, there is a Special Needs Registry where you can be provided with transportation or assistance.
Also know what your evacuation level is in the event your home is in an area where the county is mandating an evacuation.
And something I read on the Manatee County website which I never thought about before pertains to gated communities. There are many gated communities in the county with single-family homes, villas and condos. Make sure your association maintains the proper access system code allowing EMS, fire departments and police entry to your property in the event of an emergency.
Finally, flood insurance in our waterfront communities is imperative. If you have a mortgage on your property, you will be required to purchase it as a condition of your mortgage, but even if you are not required it is something you should do. Flood insurance is administered through FEMA as part of the National Flood Insurance Program and sold through insurance agents authorized by FEMA. Remember, if there is a hurricane or tropical storm threatening our area, you cannot buy either homeowners or flood insurance during that time, so be careful with your closing date if you are purchasing a new home.
It’s been a difficult year so far and with an active hurricane season predicted, it could become even more difficult. The best you can do is keep you and your family safe, prepare your home now and clean out the freezer.
Manatee County officials today announced details to manage crowds amidst several ongoing construction projects on Anna Maria Island ahead of public beaches opening on Monday.
“There are multiple construction projects ongoing at public beaches, but we’re doing our best to open other areas for parking while these parking spots are unavailable,” Beach Patrol Chief Joe Westerman said. “We want people to come and enjoy themselves at our lifeguarded beaches, but they need to remember social distancing guidelines and they should be respectful of other people who want to visit the beach.”
Public parking spots at the county’s three public beaches will be open from 10 a.m. – 9 p.m., seven days a week beginning Monday, May 4. There will be approximately 400 parking spots at Coquina Beach, 200 at Cortez Beach and space for 250 vehicles at Manatee Beach. Drivers will be allowed an available space on a first-come, first-served basis.
Beachgoers will have two hours of free parking each day to enjoy the beach with minimal restrictions. The limit will allow visitors to enjoy the sun, sand and water for a reasonable amount of time while allowing others to visit the beach throughout the day.
When they arrive, drivers will be given a two-hour parking pass and a reminder to remain a safe distance from others. Vehicles parked beyond the two-hour time limit will be subject to a parking citation and fine.
Typical beach activities are allowed.
As always, animals, alcohol, fires, glass bottles and vehicles are not allowed on county beaches anytime. Other beach gear is allowed and sunscreen is encouraged, especially for anyone who hasn’t been in the sun for several weeks.
County officials remind beachgoers that sea turtle nesting season begins May 1 and it’s against the law to touch or disturb nesting sea turtles, hatchlings, or their nests.
TALLAHASSEE – Vacation rentals must remain shuttered while restaurants and retail stores can partially open under phase one of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ new plan to reopen Florida’s economy.
Set forth in Executive Order 20-112, the first phase of the governor’s “Safe. Smart. Step-by-Step. Plan for Florida’s Recovery” takes effect Monday, May 4 and does not have an expiration date.
DeSantis’ executive order does not yet apply to Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, but he said those three counties at the epicenter of Florida’s coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic are making good progress on flattening their curves.
Before presenting the plan details during his Wednesday evening press conference, DeSantis said, “It’s been a tough two months for our country. The coronavirus is a formidable enemy, especially for our elderly and our medically vulnerable populations. We have lost Floridians, which is never an easy thing.”
The Rod & Reel Pier is one of many Anna Maria Island restaurants that closed during the coronavirus pandemic. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“The unprecedented national shutdown has thrown the lives of millions of Americans into economic and social turmoil. Floridians have lost jobs through no fault of their own and many are fearful of what may come next. Others have seen small businesses that represent their life’s work devastated practically overnight. This current crisis has impacted in one way or another 21 and a half million Floridians in life-changing ways. Today, Florida will take a step towards a more hopeful future,” DeSantis said.
Governor Ron DeSantis says he will reopen Florida in a manner that is “Safe. Smart. Step-by-Step.” – Florida Channel | Submitted
DeSantis said he received input and advice from physicians, health care system executives, small business owners, elected officials, unemployed Floridians and law enforcement officials. He also convened the Re-Open Florida Task Force that produced a report and recommendations.
DeSantis said Florida’s reopening plan resembles the three-phase recovery plan guidelines recently released by the federal government. He said the plan will be reviewed daily and decisions pertaining to the implementation of future phases will also be based on data and input from medical professionals and others.
According to DeSantis’ reopening plan:
“Vulnerable individuals should avoid close contact with people outside the home;
“All individuals, when in public, should maximize physical distance from others;
“Avoid socializing in groups of more than 10 people in circumstances that do not readily allow for physical distancing;
Face masks are recommended for all those in face-to-face interactions and where you can’t social distance.”
Restaurants, retail and more
Under the reopening plan beginning on Monday:
Florida restaurants can resume indoor dining at 25% of their normal seating capacity. Outdoor dining can also resume with tables spaced at least 6 feet apart. While dining inside or out, no more than 10 people are allowed in a group.
Bars, pubs and nightclubs that derive more than 50% of their gross revenue from alcohol sales will remain closed.
Retail stores can operate at no more than 25% of their capacity and must abide by CDC and OSHA safety guidelines.
Gyms and fitness centers will remain closed. DeSantis said hair salons, nail salons and other personal service providers cannot yet provide those services but can sell their retail products.
Libraries and museums can reopen at 25% capacity.
Elective surgeries and medical procedures can resume.
Florida schools will continue to operate with distance learning.
Visitors remain prohibited at nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.
During press inquiries, DeSantis was asked about businesses that are allowed to be open and businesses that are not.
“There’s no gray area. The order continues the essential business framework, so anyone under that framework is good to go. And then it allows responsible activity to include these new things like the retail. If you were good before, you’re good now,” DeSantis said.
Vacation rentals
During Wednesday’s press conference, DeSantis was silent on vacation rentals and whether he planned to extend Executive Order 20-87, an order that prohibited vacation rental operations through Thursday, April 30.
But the reopening plan executive order released later that evening says, “The prohibition on vacation rentals in Executive Order 20-87 remains in effect for the duration of the new order.”
The first phase of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ reopening plan continues his suspension of vacation rental operations. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
On Wednesday, DeSantis also issued Executive Order 20-111, an order that fills a gap by extending until Monday his vacation rental order (EO 20-87) and his essential businesses/stay-at-home order (EO 20-91).
The Anna Maria City Commission will conduct an emergency meeting at 10 a.m. on Friday to discuss parking restrictions and whether to continue the mayor’s local emergency order that prohibits new vacation rental reservations for guest arrivals through June 30.
The city of Holmes Beach also has local emergency vacation rental restrictions in place.
Local reaction
Soon after DeSantis’ conference ended, local restaurant operators and employees were already making their response plans.
Bartender Staci Wilkinson said Tide Tables in Cortez would be ready to go on Monday.
“We’ve moved all our picnic tables six feet apart. The majority of our seating is outside, so this is great news for us. We still expect a lot of takeout orders too, because not everyone will feel comfortable going out to eat right away. We’re prepared for anything and everything,” she said.
In Bradenton Beach, Bridge Tender Inn owner Fred Bartizal said, “It’ll be nice that people can actually sit in the restaurant with an open container, so it will definitely help. I certainly don’t want to be too quick to open it up completely.”
Drift In manager Doreen Flynn acknowledged social distancing would be a challenge inside the Bradenton Beach bar.
“It’s good that all those employees are getting their jobs back. I just wish we were included. I look forward to seeing Bridge Street open again. I watch the camera at the bar and it’s a ghost town,” Flynn said.
The Drift In in Bradenton Beach has been closed since St. Patrick’s Day. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Drift In bartender Sharon Bell worked her last bar shift on St. Patrick’s Day – the day Florida’s bars closed in accordance with DeSantis’ executive order.
“I don’t understand how having a kitchen makes anyone safer? I feel like if we’re safe, we’re safe; and if it’s still dangerous, it’s still dangerous. I don’t understand how this is an apples-to-oranges situation,” Bell said.
Sports Lounge bartender Courtney McGough somewhat sarcastically said, “I’m glad they (restaurants) can serve alcohol while I wait for another month. I really hope this isn’t too early.”
Swordfish Grill General Manager Bob Slicker said he’s not ready to resume sit down dining yet in the Cortez restaurant.
“For us to open, we must have everything in place. If one of my employees gets sick and I have to shut down for two weeks what good is that? I don’t feel comfortable with it,” Slicker said.
COVID-19 in Manatee County
As of Wednesday evening, Florida had 33,193 reported COVID-19 cases, 5,419 hospitalizations and 1,218 COVID-19-connected deaths, according to the Florida Department of Health’s COVID-19 Data and Surveillance Dashboard.
As of Wednesday, there were still no reported COVID-19 cases in the city of Anna Maria. Since the pandemic began in the United States there has been one reported case in Holmes Beach and one reported case in Bradenton Beach.
The Holmes Beach case was reported on April 2. The Bradenton Beach case involved 68-year-old Bradenton Beach resident Tom Sheehan, who died at a Sarasota hospital in late March while being treated for COVID-19 upon his return from a cruise ship vacation.
The FDOH Dashboard is updated at least twice a day. – FDOH | Submitted
As of Wednesday, Manatee County had 564 reported COVID-19 cases, 142 hospitalizations and 49 COVID-19-connected deaths. Of those reported cases, 394 were in Bradenton and 162 were in the 34208 zip code that contains portions of Bradenton, Ellenton and Samoset, making it the zip code with the most reported cases in the Tampa Bay region.
Also as of Wednesday, there were 24 reported COVID-19 deaths associated with nursing homes, assisted living facilities and other long-term care facility residents or staff members in Manatee County. There were 21 such deaths in Sarasota County. Manatee County ranks fourth-highest in the state in that category and Sarasota County ranks fifth-highest.
Ten long-term care facilities in Manatee County listed a total of 97 COVID-19-positive cases among residents and transferred residents and 81 reported cases among staff members.
Regularly updated county-by-county and zip code specific COVID-19 data can be found at the FDOH COVID-19 Dashboard.
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Manatee County’s public beaches will reopen Monday morning.
During today’s emergency county commission meeting, Manatee County Commissioners voted 7-0 in favor of reopening the county beaches on Monday, May 4.
The commission decision means Coquina Beach and Cortez Beach in Bradenton Beach and Manatee Beach in Holmes Beach will reopen Monday morning. It also means the public beach parking lots that were closed on March 20 will be reopened Monday morning.
Parking at the public beaches will be limited to two hours. County Administrator Cheri Coryea said some portions of the beach parking lots will remain closed to limit the number of available parking spaces.
Local law enforcement and county code enforcement officers will have the authority and the ability to issue parking citations to those who extend their beach stays beyond two hours.
Coolers, umbrellas, beach chairs and items of that nature will be allowed. Social distancing guidelines are to be maintained and the public restrooms will be open.
The opening of the beach concession stands will depend on what Gov. Ron DeSantis has in mind for Florida restaurants. His executive order limiting restaurants to takeout and delivery service only expires on Thursday. DeSantis is expected to announce his reopening plans on Wednesday.
During the commission meeting, Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie sent Commissioner Carol Whitmore an email expressing his concerns about enforcing the two-hour parking limit. Chappie questioned the demands the two-hour limit will place on the Bradenton Beach Police Department and law enforcement officers.
Coryea said she and her administration would be working out additional details on Wednesday.
ANNA MARIA – The details contained in the two pier lease bid proposals opened in early April are expected to be made public at a special city commission meeting on Wednesday, May 6 at 2 p.m.
Thad Treadwell and Mike Ross from the Ugly Grouper and Sean Murphy, owner of the Beach Bistro and Eat Here, submitted the two bids the city received in response to the request for proposals (RFP) issued in January seeking a tenant for the new pier buildings.
The new pier tenant is also responsible at their own expense to complete the interior buildouts of the city-owned pier buildings.
When the sealed bid proposals were opened in the commission chambers on April 8, Mayor Dan Murphy said the city had 30 days to make the proposals available to the public and the media and that he expected to provide his initial evaluation of the bid proposals to city commissioners on Thursday, April 23 and then to the public.
During the April 23 meeting, Murphy told the commission he needed some additional information from the bidders before he could make his recommendation as to which of the two bidders he recommends negotiating with first.
“As you know there were two bidders. Both were contacted to provide more information as to who would be the responsible party for the lease, on the buildout, as well as us knowing what the financial responsibility pieces are on the bid itself,” Murphy told the commission on Thursday.
Murphy said he expected to have that information by the close of business on Friday.
“I want to incorporate that into the bid and then make sure the commission understands who it is that we’re doing business with. Once that’s received, I’m going to gather more information, do more research on what we have with these bids, spend a little more time with our consultant. I will then discuss with the commission some of my findings,” Murphy said.
The consultant Murphy referred to is former Sandbar general manager and long-time restaurant CEO Doug Sullivan.
Murphy requested a special city commission meeting be scheduled to discuss the bid proposals, at which time he will bring options and a recommendation to the commission for a decision.
Murphy also said he would meet individually with each commissioner provide them with an update before the formal public discussion takes place.
“We have until May 8th to make a decision and make a vote,” Murphy said.
With city hall still closed to the public, restaurateur Sean Murphy attended Thursday’s meeting via telephone.
“I’m listening and open to any and all suggestions,” he told the commission.
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the opening date for the new pier has not yet been announced. As of Monday, the pier remained closed.
ANNA MARIA – The 60-day emergency building moratorium enacted on March 4 will expire on Wednesday, May 6.
The Anna Maria City Commission reached this decision with a 3-2 vote during the commission meeting conducted telephonically on Thursday, April 23.
Commissioners Joe Muscatello, Mark Short and Amy Tripp opposed extending the emergency moratorium for another 60 days. Commissioners Carol Carter and Jon Crane supported the extension.
After Crane’s first motion to extend was voted down, he made a second motion proposing a 30-day emergency moratorium instead, which failed by the same 3-2 vote.
The commission currently has no plans to implement a previously discussed six-month moratorium.
Why the moratorium?
Adopted before the coronavirus pandemic impacted Florida, the emergency temporary building moratorium was enacted to slow what was then perceived as a boom in the construction of single-family residences, including vacation rental homes.
The moratorium was enacted to provide the building department time to conduct a comprehensive review of the city’s building codes, and to suggest code revisions and new codes to better address drainage and flooding, construction staging and parking and more.
During Thursday’s meeting, City Planner Chad Minor said he and Building Official Luke Curtis have made significant progress in reviewing those codes.
During a previous commission meeting, Mayor Dan Murphy said he did not expect the building boom to continue due to the financial impact the pandemic would have on those who invest in vacation rental homes.
The emergency moratorium also provided Murphy time to research the implementation of a new impact fee program to be applied to the construction of new single-family residences.
During Thursday’s meeting, Murphy said he expects to have that program in place as early as August. He said impact fees will help pay for stormwater and drainage improvements, street and road improvements, recreational improvements and improvements that address sea-level rise.
After lifting the moratorium, the commission unanimously authorized Murphy to enter into a $39,100 professional services agreement with Raftelis Financial Consultants. That firm will assist in the creation and implementation of an impact fees program. Murphy said the consulting fees can be recovered through that program.
Commission comments
“It seems like we’ve got a good handle on this. I am for not continuing it,” Tripp said regarding the moratorium.
Muscatello asked Murphy if he was satisfied with the progress made.
“We’re a lot further ahead than what I thought we would be,” Murphy said.
Crane mentioned the continued volatility that surrounds the pandemic and the pending recovery process.
“It seems to me, with the governor and the county commission relaxing social distancing and other coronavirus communication measures, we may well go back into if not a boom, a quasi-boom,” Crane said regarding the potential demand for new construction.
“If we let the permitting go forward without impact fees, we’re missing out on the impact fees. We’ve been missing out on impact fees for years and it hurts us. There’s potholes everywhere you turn and there’s flooded streets everywhere you turn. I would like to see the moratorium continue – not just for the rest of the work that Chad’s doing, but also until the impact fees that we decide upon are in effect as well,” Crane said.
“I don’t disagree with what Commissioner Crane said regarding the impact that construction is having on the infrastructure of the Island, but I don’t believe there is a need to continue any type of moratorium with respect to new construction,” Short said.
Carter said she wanted to continue the moratorium for another 60 days because she agreed with Crane’s comments and she wants the building department to have more time to catch up on its backlog of work.
“I would imagine as soon as we stop any sort of moratorium, we will have a great flood of additional applications that would be made,” Carter said.
Public comments
Mason Martin Builders’ owner Frank Agnelli and Duncan Real Estate owner Darcie Duncan implored the commission to end the moratorium.
“Clearly we’ve had an issue with this pandemic. Our phones have stopped ringing. Therefore, we are still working on what we’ve already had going,” Agnelli said.
He noted the efforts to “jump-start the economy” would start soon and extending the moratorium would add confusion and uncertainty to that process.
“We’re already on our knees. We’re at the point where we are going to be running out of work. People aren’t jumping to buy or build or do any kind of renovations. There’s a lot of people out of work and I don’t think this is going to help. Half the houses on the Island were taken off the market because everybody knows nobody’s buying. I think this would really hurt us to push this thing another 60 days,” Agnelli said.
“From the real estate sales side of things there is no business going on whatsoever – and being on our knees is an understatement,” Duncan said.
“Regardless of what the governor is going to do, we see no one coming back. I think extending the 60 days does nothing except almost put a bullet in our heads. Our businesses are completely stalled. To think the faucet is just going to turn on with a flood of business is absurd. I just can’t stress enough how devasting this would be to extend it,” Duncan said of the moratorium.
Manatee County Libraries presents its Creative Writing Workshop Series on Mondays, May 4, 11 and 18, from 10 to 11 a.m.
The schedule is: How to Read a Short Story on May 4; Introduction to Flash Fiction on May 11; and Writing with Prompts on May 18.
The class is facilitated by Julieanna Blackwell via Zoom (video and audio conferencing). Blackwell is a writer of short stories and essays appearing in Lunch Ticket, Ragazine CC, Slippery Elm Literary Journal and elsewhere. Her stories have been featured in SCENE Magazine’s yearly beach read issues. The Naples Daily News published her humorous column of personal essays. She is also an editor for 805 Lit+Arts Journal (published by Manatee County Libraries), the first literary journal published by a public library in the country. Through the library, she developed and leads the Elements and Arcs series of writing classes and workshops.
Join the Virtual Books on Tap Club to read and review “Wilder Girls” on Wednesday, May 6 at 7 p.m. via Zoom to discuss the book by Rory Power. This virtual Books on Tap is limited to 20 people. Participants must preregister. Email kimberly.barbour@mymanatee.org to reserve your space.
A Virtual Book discussion of “The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle” by Stuart Turton is scheduled for Thursday, May 7 from 10 to 11 a.m. The event is limited to 20 people. Pre-registration is required. Email callie.hutchison@mymanatee.org to reserve your space.
“The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald is the topic for Wednesday, June 3 at 7 p.m. This virtual Books on Tap is limited to 20 people. Participants must preregister. Email kimberly.barbour@mymanatee.org to reserve your space.
We are so living during a time when creativity can make the difference between just getting through it or getting through it with a bit of flair, and real estate purchasing is opting for the latter.
Back in mid-March just six weeks ago, I read about a couple of real estate financing startups. Since that time, the startups, as well as our lives and the lives of all real estate professionals, have changed drastically. Nevertheless, someday it will all be back, so I thought it was worth taking a look at.
Homebuyers who are unable to get traditional financing frequently lack the 20% down payment, don’t qualify based on income and assets or are being shut out of the market by cash buyers. As an alternative, one San Francisco startup created a system where buyers can put down only 10% and the company provides the rest of the purchase price in cash. A deed of trust is established, and the buyer is mandated to pay the taxes and insurance and gives the company a monthly payment used to build equity and ultimately buy out the house.
Another startup also based in San Francisco is using what was previously called “rent with an option to buy,” where an individual homeowner rents to a buyer and a portion of the rent goes towards the ultimate purchase of the home. The company buys the house, assesses a $10,000 nonrefundable fee and sets up a program of monthly payments designed to build equity even allowing for some credit if the home is not purchased.
This is a very short version of more complicated plans, and like any type of creative financing this can either fill a need for housing for individuals who don’t have the cash or qualifications, or it can be a dicey arrangement. However, it’s still nice to keep your options open.
Well now it’s time for the March sales numbers in Manatee County reported by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee comparing March of this year to March of last year:
Single-family properties are as follows: Median sale price $319,500, up 2.4%, average sale price $390,674, down 0.5%. New pending properties down 33.4%, new listings down 3.3%, pending inventory down 21.7%, active inventory down 14.1% and month’s supply of properties down 19% to 3.4 months.
Condos are as follows: Median sale price $215,000, up 5.7%, average sale price $251,136, up 4.2%. New pending properties down 32.5%, new listings down 5.2%, pending inventory down 26%, active inventory down 3.8% and month’s supply of properties down 8.3% to 4.4 months.
The numbers are much as has been predicted since basically all business is at a standstill. Closings are still in positive territory, but they reflect transactions that have been in the pipeline for a while. Unfortunately, we can expect more of this in the months ahead.
And as a reminder, Florida is the third most populated state in the country based on July 2019 records. We make up 6.47% of the population of the United States coming in at 21.5 million and are only surpassed by California and Texas. We have passed New York state in population by 2 million and currently have the same number of congressional representatives making Florida one of the major political players. This gives me encouragement for the future of our real estate market.
As always, stay safe and be creative in these stressful times.
Who hasn’t been stirred by the sight or song of a bird? The haunting sound of a nightingale signaling the arrival of spring, the flamboyant plumage of a spoonbill or egret and the elaborate rituals of herons, terns and other sea birds in breeding season. Have you ever marveled at the graceful flight of a formation of black skimmers, their bills tracing paths across the water’s surface at sunset? Birds not only inspire and uplift us, they also provide a significant boost to Florida’s economy and are a major reason the state ranks as one as the nation’s top wildlife viewing destinations.
With all that birds provide us, it’s alarming to learn that specieswide, we’ve lost the equivalent of one in four birds in the last 50 years. The major reason is loss of habitat and the seabirds we treasure are particularly vulnerable due to the loss of mangroves for nesting and the practice of many seabirds to lay their eggs and raise their young just above a barrier island’s high-water line.
Birds need our help and there are specific things that anglers and outdoor enthusiasts alike can do to help them. One of the most heartbreaking things anyone can experience is a dead or dying bird garroted in the mangroves by an unsuspecting fisherman’s line. Anglers who fish the coastal waters of Florida will invariably come into contact with the seabirds that inhabit the estuaries of our state. Often that encounter is deadly to seabirds if anglers don’t know the basics of avoiding contact with or caring for hooked birds. Birds live here, it’s their home, and they aid savvy anglers as they search for food. The birds get into trouble when they come in contact with discarded fishing line in the mangroves, or they take line to their roosts after becoming hooked.
The incidence of anglers hooking birds can be reduced or eliminated by following a few simple rules. First, never feed birds. This trains birds to look for a handout and leads them to often unsuspecting anglers. Secondly, while you’re fishing, be aware of birds that might be eyeing your bait or lure. It’s easy to pull it out of harm’s way at the last second before a bird dives on it.
If you do hook a bird make sure that you fight them just like you would a trophy fish to prevent them from breaking the line. Trailing line can be a death sentence for the birds when they return to their roost at night. Care should be taken when handling birds due to their fragile, hollow bones and sharp beaks. First, place a towel over the bird’s head. This will calm them and protect the angler from sharp bills. You can then cautiously remove hooks and unwind line before releasing them.
During nesting season (peaking here May through June) birds are particularly vulnerable, especially those that nest on the beaches of our barrier islands. It’s crucial that humans avoid breeding colonies on public beaches and especially the few places designated as off-limits because of their critical nesting potential. Locally protected areas like Egmont Key and Passage Key are often threatened by unsuspecting and careless beachgoers who endanger eggs and young hatchlings. The birds don’t have a voice and it’s left to those of us who appreciate and benefit from them to be their advocates.
If while fishing you see a hooked or tangled bird in an active rookery, don’t approach them during nesting season. Our well-meaning intentions can cause more harm than good by causing startled young birds to fall from the nest.
Taking care of the environment that feeds our passion is everyone’s responsibility. Follow these simple guidelines: be aware of the presence of seabirds, take care in handling them, and never feed birds. If you see a bird in distress and it’s not nesting season, you can free them. If they swim or fly away on their own that’s all you’ll need to do. If you believe they are too weak to recover on their own, contact one of the local organizations that rescue and rehabilitate sea birds. On Anna Maria Island you can call Wildlife Inc. at 941-778-6324. To our south call Save Our Seabirds on City Island in Sarasota at 941-388-3010. Audubon’s Coastal Island Sanctuaries has an informative web site and can be reached at 813-794-3784. You can also join Sarasota Bay Watch’s Annual Fishing Line Cleanup in the fall.
Birds of all kinds are a critical component and bellwether of a healthy environment. Let’s all work together to create a vibrant and safe place – for the birds.
My name is Jan Labriola and I own Harry’s Grill with my husband, Mark Labriola. We bought Harry’s six years ago without having any experience in the business, only common sense and good work ethic. Over these years I have worked the back of house long hard hours lifting 60 lb. boxes of burger, 40 lb. boxes of pork and sweated an infinite amount of blood, sweat and tears. I have watched my husband work every single day long hours working out payrolls, schedules, advertising, marketing, specials, menus, planning remodels and securing funding to pay for it, responding to reviews, tracking our projections, dealing with never-ending trivial issues and dozens of other tasks that are necessary to a successful restaurant.
We are both hardworking people who just want to earn enough to live a regular ole life here on the Island. We are Christians… that means we love us some Jesus. We have the best staff we have ever had. A real family. I am known as Mama Jan, Mississippi Mama and Ms. Jan. Don’t mess with my staff or my husband. Which brings me to the point of my letter…
To the Idiot who recently sent us a scathing email. Please never darken our door again! You called in an order and complained to Tyler for five minutes about having to pay a $5 delivery fee. Tyler is a young man who served six years in the Army. He is currently supporting himself by going to school to be a marine service technician.
After you finished with him, you lit into Steven, one of our cooks. Steven lives with his family and works at Harry’s to help support his mom and dad. Steven used his car and gas to deliver your food. The $5 delivery fee went to him for his gas and car. You berated him for not using a mask or gloves. Then you complained that the food you ate was bad and too salty. Why would you eat food if you had even one thought that it might be contaminated? Do you realize that we are keeping Harry’s open suffering a loss to enable our servers and cooks to make tips and a small paycheck? You should be ashamed of yourself for being so hateful and mean during a pandemic! By the way, you seem to need that $5 bill more than Steven or Tyler – you should have kept it. So please do us a favor and stay away from our place! Do not pick on my employees.
Let’s take the gloves first. You do realize that gloves are just like skin. If you have on gloves to open your car door, touch the latch on the gate, or anything else it’s the same as skin. Gloves are used in our kitchen when picking up raw proteins from the fridge container to the grill to prevent cross-contamination with other foods. Our cooks and servers constantly wash their hands. We constantly use sanitizer solution to wipe down our tables, chairs, bar, doors, knobs, counters, etc. The myth that is circulating about using gloves is only to make people feel better. It is a much safer precaution to constantly wash hands and sanitize surfaces rather than wear gloves and touch everything!
Secondly, the mask. First, we all heard that only infected people should wear a mask and that it was unsafe for others and worse for uninfected people to wear a mask. Then we heard that unless it was the 3M N95 mask that they were useless. Then we heard that the masks may help and you can make them at home. Blah Blah Blah!
In the beginning, Mark and I were happy to comply. Mark spent hours and hours filling out every loan application there was the moment they were available. To date, we have not gotten one penny either personally or for our employees! The thing that really bothers me is this: Did you hear that Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse was funded $20 million on day four! Yet, my husband who is working tirelessly trying to save Harry’s has to realize that the big fish are getting the money, not small businesses!
My friend Amanda, who has adopted two kids and has a house payment, has not gotten any money to help with her two small businesses (spas) on the Island. I heard that Brian, the local small grocer on the north end, requested a measly $35,000 for his employees and the fund is dry!
I am no longer putting much stock into what I hear our government is doing for us. At Harry’s, we are using good ole God-given common sense and depending on the Lord going forward. We will separate our tables, wash our hands (like we always have anyway), wipe down our surfaces with sanitizer (like we always have) but that’s it!
If you are expecting to see us all “Hazmatted Up” you will be disappointed. We want our customers to love us like you always have and come when you feel it is safe to do that, but for those few troublemakers out there, if you are looking to go out and find all the faults you can with all the small businesses who, for no fault of their own, are simply trying to keep their employees in a paycheck and the doors open without a penny of government-promised funding, then please do not come to our place.
Yesterday, I went in to help one of my employees deal with her mortgage servicing company to get some payment assistance. As I was leaving, Rachael, one of my servers (she is also working to support herself while she studies for her degree) thanked me for staying open. That is when I realized how much it meant. My staff is so loyal and so grateful to us for just keeping the doors open so they have a shot at tips and a small paycheck. We are so grateful to them for keeping their chin up and coming to work with a great attitude! Let me thank those of you who have been so sweet and so generous with your emotional support and monetary support of our staff. Thank you to all our loyal customers! We are going to fight the best we can to keep Harry’s open and going! We love our Island, our tight-knit community, our employees and our customers.
MANATEE COUNTY – Two nursing homes in Manatee County owned by the same company accounted for more than 100 reported COVID-19 cases as of Tuesday, April 21, according to Dr. Jennifer Bencie.
Bencie is the County Health Officer for the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) in Manatee County and she shared this information with county commissioners on Tuesday.
During Tuesday’s meeting, Bencie said 14 of Manatee County’s 33 COVID-19 deaths at that time were “directly related to the nursing homes.”
She also said there were eight nursing homes in the county at the time that reported at least one COVID-19 case with a resident or staff member.
As of Saturday morning, nine long-term care facilities in Manatee County reported 179 COVID-19 cases and 18 COVID-19-connected deaths. Manatee County ranked fourth highest in the state in long-term care facility cases and deaths. Only Miami-Dade County, Broward County and Palm Beach County had more. Sarasota County ranked 13th, with 56 reported cases and 14 reported long-term care facility deaths.
“To date, there have been 356 long-term care facilities associated with positive cases of COVID-19. Of the 2,748 cases of residents or staff in long-term care facilities, 299 have died,” according to FDOH’s Saturday morning email update.
Saturday’s FDOH update included a link to an updated eight-page list of COVID-19 positive long-term care facilities in Florida. That list now includes a ninth facility in Manatee County: The Cottages of Bradenton, an assisted living and memory care center that was not among the first eight facilities in Manatee County named in the initial list released Saturday, April 18.
The facilities list does not distinguish among residents, patients and staff members and does not specify how many cases are associated with any particular facility.
Bencie’s report
On Tuesday, Bencie said about three weeks ago she became aware of two large nursing homes in Manatee County that were owned by the same company, had a shared capacity of 328 beds and had 103 residents and staff members who tested positive for COVID-19.
“They were owned by the same company. The company took it upon themselves to test all of the staff and clients when they started seeing the uptick. Getting those tests back in the last week, 66 residents and 37 staff in those two facilities were positive,” Bencie said.
“Not only were those staff members working in both facilities, but also going out into other facilities where we’ve since learned other persons have been testing positive. We had actually had to serve a forced (quarantine) order against one of the employees who knowingly went to another facility and persons became positive,” Bencie said.
Bencie said because those two facilities saw so much COVID-19 activity, the health department immediately submitted a mission request to the state that resulted in the arrival of a three-nurse assessment team.
“Unfortunately, they were only here for three days because they were pushed to the east coast. We received eight nurses on Easter morning and they have been with us ever since, going initially into these two facilities, doing assessments, making recommendations, making changes and also moving into the other six facilities that we know have at least one case,” Bencie said.
“Visitors were not allowed to come into these facilities for more than a month now. So, we need to keep an eye on the staff. They’re the ones who are bringing it in. We have made sure they take temperatures every morning of all the employees coming in. We’re hoping we’re catching people who do develop symptoms before they get in and start assisting with the patients,” Bencie said.
Bencie said she also refers to nursing homes and other similar facilities as skilled nursing facilities or SNFs.
“Because there are 321 SNFs in Florida currently with at least one positive case, the governor has allowed us to have the National Guard come in and test in SNFs that need further attention. We have put a request in for National Guard to come and test the six sites and many others. We have about 45 facilities we’re tracking in the county to do testing. We hope that they will come in soon,” Bencie said.
Bencie said she has seven nurses who were previously working in schools that now make daily calls to nursing homes, assisted living facilities, Hospice facilities and dialysis centers to monitor those case numbers and needs.
On Thursday, The Sun emailed Bencie and several Manatee County officials seeking the names of the two facilities that Bencie said produced 103 positive test results, and the name of the individual she said received an involuntary order.
Later that day, The Sun received an email from the county records division that said, “The Department of Health is the appropriate entity to respond to this request.” That email recommended contacting Beverly Diehr, who serves as chief counsel for the FDOH.
As of Saturday afternoon, Diehr and Bencie had not acknowledged or responded to The Sun’s requests for information. The Sun also left a voicemail at Diehr’s cell phone number on Saturday afternoon.
Facility ownership
According to The Sun’s research, two of the nine long-term care facilities in Manatee County that reported COVID-19 cases list ownership by LLCs that share the same mailing address and registered agent.
The Braden River Rehabilitation Center in Bradenton is one of nine long-term care facilities in Manatee County to report COVID-19 cases and/or deaths among residents or staff members. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
According to www.medicare.gov, Braden River Rehabilitation Center at 2010 Manatee Ave. E. in Bradenton is owned by Braden River Rehabilitation Center LLC.
According to the Florida Division of Corporations, Braden River Rehabilitation Center LLC lists 101 Sunnytown Road, Suite 201, in Casselberry as its mailing address and Tallahassee-based Cogency Global Inc. as its registered agent.
According to www.medicare.gov, Riviera Palms Rehabilitation Center at 926 Haben Blvd. in Palmetto is owned by Sovereign Healthcare of Palmetto LLC – an LLC that lists the same Casselberry mailing address and registered agent as Braden River Rehabilitation Center.
The Riviera Palms Rehabilitation Center in Palmetto is one of nine long-term care facilities in Manatee County to report COVID-19 cases and/or deaths among residents or staff members. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
None of the other seven facilities that reported COVID-19 cases share a common mailing address or registered agent.
According to www.medicare.gov, Bradenton Health Care at 6305 Cortez Road W. in Bradenton is owned by 6305 Cortez Road West Operations LLC.
Casa Mora Rehabilitation and Extended Care at 1902 59th St. W. in Bradenton is owned by FI-Casa Mora LLC.
Manatee Springs Rehabilitation and Nursing Center at 5627 Ninth St. E. in Bradenton is owned by Manatee Operating LLC.
Residence at Bay Vue at 105 15th St. E. in Bradenton is owned by Riverfront Acquisition I LLC.
Westminster Point Pleasant, 1700 Third Ave. W. in Bradenton is owned by Presbyterian Retirement Communities Inc.
Brookdale Bradenton Gardens and The Cottages of Bradenton are not listed at Medicare.gov.
According to Manatee County Property Appraiser records, the Brookdale Bradenton Gardens property at 5612 26th St. W. in Bradenton is owned by Emerifrat LLC. The Cottages of Bradenton property at 5700 24th St. E. in Bradenton is owned by Louisa Holding LLC.
MANATEE COUNTY – Manatee County residents now have access to six COVID-19 test sites and more test kits are now available.
On Tuesday, county commissioners authorized County Administrator Cheri Coryea to spend up to $100,000 to purchase COVID-19 test kits and the personal protective equipment needed to administer the tests.
On Thursday, the county issued a press release that said nearly 800 testing kits had already been obtained.
According to the press release, county leaders worked with MCR Health to purchase 500 test kits. This means county residents can now get tested at five of MCR Health’s locations in Manatee County.
On Thursday, the Manatee County Department of Health announced a second round of drive-thru testing will take place at the Bradenton Area Convention Center next week. The convention center is located at 1 Haben Blvd. in Palmetto.
Serving up to 80 patients per day, the drive-thru testing will take place Wednesday, April 29 through Friday, May 1.
“I want our residents to know that much more is being done to secure additional testing for coming weeks. We will continue to do all it takes to get as many people tested as necessary to see a decrease in COVID-19 cases in our community,” Coryea said in Thursday’s press release.
Additional testing is now available to those who meet the testing criteria. – Manatee County | Submitted
MCR Health testing
MCR Health is offering COVID-19 collection kits at five Manatee County locations. According to the press release, patient fees for the testing and any associated costs will be determined at the time of the visit.
On Tuesday, Coryea said it costs $107 to get tested at a local MCR Health facility. Coryea said there is a co-pay for those with health insurance and a sliding fee scale for those without insurance.
The five MCR Health locations in Manatee County are:
East Manatee Health and Wellness Center 1312 Manatee Ave. E., Bradenton, 941-708-8700;
Southeast Family Healthcare Center, 919 53rd Ave. E., Bradenton, 941-751-8100;
Southwest Health Center, 5325 26th St. W., Bradenton, 941-752-7173;
Lawton Chiles Pediatrics, 1515 26th Ave. E., Bradenton, 941-708-8600;
Edgar H. Price Family & Children Healthcare Center, 12271 U.S. Hwy. 301 N., Parrish, 941-776-4050.
According to Thursday’s press release, Public Safety Director Jake Saur said MCR Health locations are ideal for younger people who are not typically sick and who may not have a primary care physician, and also for the uninsured or under-insured who might have difficulty finding a physician to provide them with a prescription to get tested.
Drive-thru testing
In response to requests from county officials, the state has provided COVID-19 specimen collection kits to the Department of Health (DOH) in Manatee County. These test kits will be used for drive-through testing at the Bradenton Area Convention Center in Palmetto.
The drive-thru testing site will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Wednesday, April 29 through Friday, May 1.
The Department of Health has 240 specimen collection kits available for the three-day drive-thru testing session and the department will schedule up to 80 testing appointments per day.
An additional 60 test kits will be withheld for contact tracing or to test those at higher risk due to potential exposure.
Visitors to the drive-thru testing site must have a prescription to be tested for COVID-19. They must also make a testing appointment in advance by calling the Manatee County Health Department at 941-748-0747.
Those who seek testing at the drive-thru location must:
Be in a vehicle. No walk-up patients will be seen;
Drivers must remain in their vehicle at all times;
Drivers must present a photo ID and a prescription for specimen collection that is written by their health care provider – and the name on the ID or proof of address and the name on the prescription must match.
During Tuesday’s meeting, Public Safety Director Jake Saur said testing conducted by the health department using test kits received from the state must be done at no cost to the patient. On Friday, Manatee County Information Outreach Manager Nick Azzara confirmed that next week’s drive-thru testing will be conducted free of charge.
Anyone in Manatee County who believes they may have COVID-19 should call the Manatee Health Line at (941) 242-6649 before calling 911 or visiting a hospital emergency room.
ANNA MARIA – A loggerhead sea turtle jumped the gun and laid the first nest of the 2020 season on Anna Maria Island’s north end sometime the night of Sunday, April 19, nearly two weeks before the official start of turtle season on May 1.
Suzi Fox, director of Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring, said the turtle appeared to have made a false crawl first in the same area, meaning she came ashore to nest but did not do so right away.
“It’s the earliest a turtle has ever come in here, I think,” said Fox, who began monitoring local beaches early, on April 1.
A vastly reduced crew of Turtle Watch staff is monitoring the beaches by ATV this season – for their own safety, no beach walkers will be allowed to volunteer to spot nests on foot due to the coronavirus pandemic, much to the dismay of some volunteers, Fox said.
Turtle Tips
During sea turtle season, May 1 – Oct. 31, please follow these tips:
– Turn off lights visible from the beach and close blinds from sundown to sunrise; lights confuse nesting sea turtles and may cause them to go back to sea and drop their eggs in the water, where they won’t hatch. Light can also attract hatchlings away from the water.
– Don’t use flashlights, lanterns or camera flashes on the beach at night.
– Remove all objects from the sand from sundown to sunrise; they can deter sea turtles from nesting and disorient hatchlings.
– Fill in the holes you dig in the sand before leaving the beach; they can trap nesting and hatching sea turtles, which cannot live long out of the water.
– Don’t use wish lanterns or fireworks; they litter the beach and Gulf.
– Do not trim trees and plants that shield the beach from lights.
– Never touch a sea turtle; it’s the law. If you see people disturbing turtles, call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Wildlife Alert hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).
Every volunteer on an ATV has a mask, Fox said adding, “We are using hand sanitizer and wipes. We want as few volunteers as possible on the beach for their safety.”
Due to social distancing concerns, Fox requests that if anyone sees a Turtle Watch ATV, please do not flag down the driver to chat. Instead, call 941-778-5638, email Fox or visit the organization’s new website or its Facebook page.
Fox also asks that people observe turtle lighting regulations to keep turtles and people safe – light sources should not be able to be seen from the beach – and that people don’t leave their beach chairs on the beach after sunset because they can entrap nesting sea turtles – and, in a few months, their hatchlings.
Beach chairs should not be an issue because beaches remain closed in Manatee County due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to Manatee County Information Outreach Manager Nicholas Azzara.
Beach renourishment is still planned for this summer, and Turtle Watch will work around the project, which turtles need as much as people do as beaches erode, leaving less room to nest, Fox said.
Last year, a record number of turtle nests was laid on the Island – 544, beating the 2018 record of 534.
Turtle Trail scavenger hunt is on
Just in time for the beginning of the sea turtle nesting season on Anna Maria Island on May 1, the Turtle Trail scavenger hunt has begun.
The Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) is launching the Turtle Trail to provide residents and their families with a safe and enjoyable activity to take part in while socially distancing.
In partnership with Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring, the CVB is encouraging residents and business owners to put stuffed animals, figurines, statues, photos or illustrations of sea turtles in windows, on mailboxes or in other visible places for families to search for while out on walks together. For those in need of a turtle to display, the CVB has created a printable coloring page that can be downloaded here.
Those who take part by putting a sea turtle on display or heading out with family to follow the trail are also encouraged to share images of their turtles or those they find on Instagram using #BradentonAreaTurtleTrail.
MANATEE COUNTY – County officials and the Manatee County Health Department are trying to address a critical shortage of (COVID-19) specimen collection kits.
On Tuesday, Manatee County Commissioners authorized County Administrator Cheri Coryea to spend up to $100,000 to purchase up to 1,200 COVID-19 test kits and the personal protective equipment needed to administer those tests.
Using $100,000 of the county’s $6.5 million emergency disaster fund, Manatee County is now trying to directly purchase coronavirus test kits without going through the state government.
Public Safety Director Jake Saur said the county had already submitted a request to the state for 600 testing kits, in addition to the 1,200 test kits Coryea is now authorized to purchase.
While Tuesday’s meeting was in progress, Commissioner Carol Whitmore reached out to Florida Sen. Bill Galvano.
“I texted Bill Galvano while we were sitting here and told him that we can’t get testing kits. He told me he was on it. He called with the EOC Director (Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Jared Moskowitz) on conference call and asked what we were missing. I told him we needed collection kits. He said the collection kits are on their way,” Whitmore said while participating in the virtual meeting from her home.
Commission Chair Betsy Benac said she recently emailed Galvano as well.
“Great job Carol. That’s great news,” Commissioner Misty Servia said.
Later in the meeting it was learned that 300 test kits would be coming from the state that day and they would likely be used for a second round of drive-thru testing at the Bradenton Area Convention Center in Palmetto.
“Our goal today is to get to the state level of 1% tested over the next seven days. Another 1,200 tests will get us to that goal and continue to raise that percentage locally,” Coryea said.
Benac said she was concerned that Manatee County has the fourth-highest mortality rate in Florida.
“We know local numbers are going to keep going up. People have got to respect the fact that we cannot be together. We cannot congregate yet. The advice is clear. We need to do more testing,” she said.
Saur said COVID-19 cases and deaths are flattening statewide but still trending upward in Manatee County.
“The state of Florida currently has 823 fatalities and of those, 33 have been within Manatee County. This compares to 686 for all of Florida and 20 for Manatee on Friday afternoon, which results in an increase of fatalities of 65% for Manatee County since Friday,” Saur said.
Saur said Manatee County had 312 positive reported COVID-19 cases on Friday afternoon and 431 positive cases as of Monday evening, which he noted was a 38% percent increase during that short span.
Mixed messaging
Servia asked Saur about the messaging coming from the federal government.
“I watch the President’s press conference every single night and last night I heard Vice President Pence say we have enough tests, the state governors have plenty of tests and we can begin phase one reopening the country. I’m confused. Why are we hearing that message? I talked to Kevin DiLallo this morning, from Manatee Memorial Hospital. I said do you have enough tests? He said absolutely not, we are so short on tests. He said the labs are also very short on tests. They cannot properly test people, including the frontline people. I’m just trying to understand why there are two different messages,” Servia said.
In response, Saur said, “We placed an order today for 600 testing kits within the state, but the overall message from the state Emergency Management Office is there’s no tests. I can’t speak for the federal government at all. I can only speak for our dealings within the state government, and no, we are not getting ample tests.”
Testing shortages
Saur said about 1% of Florida’s population has been tested and approximately one-sixth of 1% (.006%) of Manatee County’s population has been tested.
During Friday’s emergency county commission meeting, Saur was asked about reaching a 10% testing threshold in Manatee County.
“I can tell you 10% for our county would be about 46,000 tests. That is not going to be possible prior to beginning to open up and getting back to work,” Saur said.
Servia asked Saur why Manatee County has had so many fewer tests than Sarasota County.
“We know the state of Florida has run out of tests. Since we last saw our 200 tests we used for our drive-thru (testing) the State of Florida has sent us more tests. However, we were told we could not use them and all of the information on all those tests were in Chinese,” Saur said.
Saur said the tests marked with Chinese language were not FDA-approved.
On Friday, Saur said MCR Health in Manatee County has purchased its own tests and is providing COVID-19 testing for those who meet the testing criteria. He said those with a prescription from their personal health care provider and those without a prescription can be tested at an MCR Health facility.
“MCR has plenty of tests,” Saur said.
On Tuesday, Coryea said it costs $107 to get tested at a local MCR Health facility and part of that amount covers the lab fees. She said there is a co-pay for those with health insurance and a sliding cost scale for those without insurance. It was also noted that it costs between $50-$60 to purchase each test.
Saur said tests conducted with test kits received from the state must be done at no cost to the person being tested – including those conducted at the county’s drive-through testing facility.
Dr. Jennifer Bencie, of the Manatee County Health Department, said the health department returned to the state the 150 unusable test kits marked with Chinese language.
MANATEE COUNTY – Former County Commissioner Gwendolyn Brown passed away last week due to COVID-19.
Brown was Manatee County’s first black county commissioner and the county’s first black commission chairperson. She was also an early childhood education teacher at the State College of Florida (SCF).
According to Vicki Tessmer, supervisor of board records for the county’s Clerk of the Circuit Court, Brown was elected to the commission in November 1994 and left office in November 2010. She served as the commission chairwoman in 2008.
County Commissioner Carol Whitmore announced Brown’s passing during a Friday afternoon emergency county commission meeting.
“I have some very bad news. Commissioner Gwen Brown died at 2:49 (p.m.) from this terrible disease. She was at home. She wasn’t in a nursing home. She wasn’t able to drive, so somebody brought it (the virus) to her. Her family asked me to announce this and to please pray for her. So, for those of you who say you don’t know anybody and can’t put a name to this, Commissioner Gwen Brown, rest in peace,” Whitmore said.
Reggie Bellamy serves as the District 2 commissioner and is currently the only African American member of the current county commission.
“I extend my condolences to the Brown family. Commissioner Brown was the first African American Commissioner in District 2. She has a legacy in our community and my heart goes out to her and her family. I know her family and I’m very close to some people in her family. From the county commission office to the Brown family, we extend our deepest condolences,” Bellamy said.
“What this does is bring reality to what we’re dealing with, and you have an individual that was at home and then came down with COVID-19. District 2 makes up about 70% of the COVID-19 cases that we’re currently talking about, along with Oneco – and I share a little bit of that with Misty (Servia),” Bellamy said.
Commission Chair Betsy Benac said, “I’ve known Gwen Brown for a very long time. I worked very closely with Gwen Brown and I know the heart she had for her community.”
Commissioner Vanessa Baugh said, “Losing Gwen Brown is very sad. I know that she has had for quite a while now a lot of serious health issues. God bless her, she will be missed. She was the first black commissioner in Manatee County and that is a phenomenal thing that she did.”
Commissioner Misty Servia said, “I loved Gwen. I’ve known her for a long, long time. I worked with her and she just was a lovely woman. I’m really sad that she’s gone.”
Later in the week, Whitmore said, “She was a good friend. I talked to her about three weeks ago and she was doing good.”
The educator
According to a 2009 news release posted at the SCF website, Brown helped students earn Early Childhood Education degrees, a degree that had not previously been offered in Florida.
“Dr. Gwen Brown worked to develop the local Head Start Program in Manatee County. The demand for qualified, educated teachers has evolved throughout the years as research has shown the importance of early childhood development in preparing children to learn how to read, write and relate to others,” the SCF website says.
“She was my Early Childhood Education professor at SCF. Gwen had a strong passion for children and her community,” former student Amy Hendricks said when she learned of Brown’s passing.
