At the end of three weeks of adult co-ed soccer at The Center, Slim’s Place remains undefeated with a shut-out game against Ugly Grouper in the third game of the night.
Seven shots got past Ugly Grouper’s goalkeeper Robb Marshall, in addition to the eight stops he made in the game.
Ryan Moss had two saves for the Slim’s Place team in the 7-0 win.
Four of the Slim’s Place’s squad put points up on the scoreboard. Nick Bouchard had a hat trick and Kevin Roman scored twice, while Brent Moss and Andy Thomson each had single points.
The lead-up games included a 4-3 win for Sato Real Estate against Blalock Walters. With the loss, Blalock closed out week three with a 1-1-1 record.
Signature Granite’s team put another win in the record books with their victory against Solid Rock Construction. Olsin Crean had three goals, with additional points by Zach Leib and Zoran Kolega.
Connor Bystrom had the lone goal for Solid Rock in the team’s loss.
Progressive Cabinetry’s Danial Adan and Skinny’s Jonathan Aragon both had four goals for their teams in the last game of the night. Progressive pulled out the win with additional goals by Keith Mahoney and Andrew Sullivan.
AJ Colagiovanni put the soccer ball in the goal for an additional point for Skinny’s. The win was the first of the season for Progressive to close out another night of Island soccer.
Sun Scoreboard
Tuesday, October 6
Youth Co-Ed Soccer – 8- to 10-Year-Old League Week #5
Beach Bums (2-0-2) 0
Progressive Cabinetry (2-0-2) 0
Moss Builders (2-1-1) 2
HSH (1-3) 0
Youth Co-Ed Soccer – 11- to 14-Year-Old League Week #5
ANNA MARIA – Barring any unforeseen circumstances, The City Pier Grill is still on track to open on Friday, Nov. 20.
Also featuring a bait shop, The City Pier Grill will be operated by GSM Partners LLC, which consists of Brian Seymour, Nick Graham and Vic Mattay.
During the Thursday, Oct. 8 commission meeting, Seymour provided Mayor Dan Murphy and the city commissioners with an update on the interior buildout and equipment installations to come and a two-page printout of the working plan and timeline for the work taking place.
“While you don’t physically see much going on right yet, there is a lot of work being done behind the scenes to shorten our buildout time,” Seymour told the commission.
Seymour said the group is in the process of selecting a contractor to complete the interior buildout of the city-owned building the group is leasing.
Seymour said the selected contractor will then produce the mechanical drawings needed to obtain city-issued building permits that allow the buildout work to begin.
“I envision that within the next week or two that we would be submitting permit requests,” Seymour said.
Seymour said GSM Partners would like to use the currently vacant primary pier building as the staging area for the equipment to be installed in the smaller grill and bait shop building to the west, which he said would help shorten the construction timeline.
Murphy said he preferred this approach rather than hauling things out to the T-end of the pier on a daily basis and suggested storing all equipment, material and supplies in the primary building while the interior buildout of the City Pier Grill building takes place.
“I think it’s a good plan,” Murphy said.
“It does sound like a very reasonable solution to the wear and tear on people and equipment,” Commission Chair Carol Carter added later in the discussion.
Commissioner Mark Short said the staging area would alleviate the need for the contractor’s crew to set up and tear down each day, which in turn would make the process more efficient.
Looking further ahead, Seymour said when the time comes, GSM Partners will need the city planner to sign off on the group’s beer and wine sales license application – a use allowed by city code.
Seymour said GSM Partners anticipates hiring its general manager this week and has at least four qualified candidates to choose from. The general manager will then assist with the rest of the staffing decisions.
Seymour told the commission he’s heard from many people who are interested in working on the pier.
“We’re still shooting for Nov. 20,” Seymour said regarding the anticipated opening date for the City Pier Grill.
Seymour provided the commission with a draft version of The City Pier logo that also references the bait shop. The logo incorporates several birds, a dolphin and the latitude and longitude of the pier.
“The birds certainly are appropriate,” Murphy said.
Commissioner Jon Crane asked Seymour about the wi-fi installation scheduled for the following evening. Seymore said there would be a public wi-fi connection for the public to use and a private and secure connection for business purposes.
In conclusion, Seymour said, “We appreciate all your support and we’re looking forward to getting it done. We’re still working hard every day to make it happen.”
When The City Pier Grill opens, the new pier will be open seven days a week for the first time since the newly-built pier opened in June. The pier is currently open to the public on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only.
As we keep moving along down this never-ending pandemic road, hardly a day goes by when there isn’t another major hit to our nervous system. Buried in all of this bad news and extraordinary events there have been a few government programs that are helpful to citizens and homeowners. Mortgage forbearance is one of those things, assuming you can work your way through the system.
The COVID-19 pandemic has made it harder for millions of homeowners to pay their mortgages. To reduce the risk of widespread foreclosures, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES) in March. The CARES Act gives some borrowers temporary protection from foreclosure both by establishing a foreclosure moratorium and offering homeowners forbearance of mortgage payments.
Forbearance allows homeowners to suspend their monthly payments for 180 days with another 180-day extension for qualified homeowners who are impacted directly by the virus. The Cares Act is now extending the foreclosure moratorium at least until the end of 2020. New mortgage servicing guidelines also contain other changes to existing foreclosure and forbearance practices.
Unfortunately, about a third of all borrowers are not covered by the act. Those covered must have home mortgages backed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) or the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). Therefore, about 1 million homeowners have fallen through the safety net that the CARES Act provides.
According to the mortgage-data firm Black Knight Inc., about 1.06 million borrowers are past due by at least 30 days on their mortgages and are not in a forbearance program. Out of this number, about 680,000 borrowers have federally-guaranteed mortgages and would qualify under the CARES Act. The balance has loans that aren’t backed by a government program and do not qualify for forbearance, though many of the lenders are attempting to work with these homeowners.
Navigating the waters of mortgage lending is never easy and some qualified homeowners either aren’t aware of the forbearance program or just can’t face the complex nature of what needs to be done. And they’re sometimes right, contacting mortgage servicers, which is the first step alone, is a challenge. Frequently you can’t get through, calls are dropped and/or sent to voice mail and no response is forthcoming. And frequently, just like applying for an original loan, the lenders will keep asking for additional documents and the merry-go-round keeps going.
There are government agencies that have set up websites to help educate borrowers about their rights and procedures as well as consumer advocates and housing-policy experts looking into a national campaign to make borrowers aware of available benefits. However, more needs to be done to help homeowners before they fall into foreclosure or have accumulated so many back payments and fees that they will never catch up until the property is eventually sold, cutting into the equity that most Americans consider their biggest asset.
Even after a safe and effective vaccine is created and distributed, we’ll have years of financial hardship ahead of us, and for some homeowners and business owners, it could be devastating. Congress needs to take an additional look at the millions of homeowners both with government-backed loans and others who will need help. If nothing is done to help and advise these people, we could have a serious flood of foreclosures down the road, hurting both the real estate market and the financial markets.
CORTEZ – The Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage (FISH) board decided unanimously tonight to cancel the 39th annual Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival next February due to COVID-19.
The two-day festival, a fundraiser for FISH and its primary project, the FISH Preserve, draws thousands of people each year to the snug north end of the historic fishing village of Cortez.
“Due to the uncertainties, we feel we have to be responsible, however, we’re going to work on a possible scaled-down alternative,” said John Stevely, one of the founders of the festival.
John Stevely, one of the festival’s original organizers, was among those deciding to cancel the 2021 fishing festival Monday night. – Cindy Lane | Sun
The entrance to the festival is at the Florida Maritime Museum on 119th Street, which leads to a fish house and restaurant complex on Sarasota Bay with one main route in and out.
Once inside, people line up to sample seafood from dozens of food vendors, a challenge for social distancing, as is the possibility of monitoring whether only family groups are sitting together to eat at tables for eight to 10 people. In addition, “There are so many who would refuse to wear a mask outdoors,” Stevely said.
Other considerations were whether FISH could obtain a permit for the event, the health risk to 200 or so volunteers in their 60s, and whether the event could turn a profit if the number of participants was limited. The FISH board has historically been reluctant to raise the original $2 entrance fee, which, after 38 years, is now $5.
“We’ll come back with enthusiasm and we will get through these times,” Stevely said. “2022 will be bigger and better.”
Seafood is the main event at the Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival. – Cindy Lane | Sun
A team can’t score if it can’t get past the goalie. That was reaffirmed Tuesday night at The Center with four youth soccer games, all with total goals less than four and the largest point spread at two goals.
In the first 8- to 10-year-old age group game of the night, Beach Bums bested Moss Builders 1-0 on a goal scored by Hayden Eurice. Eurice also made two critical saves toward his team’s win. Teammate Ryan Cyrus also had two saves in the game.
Moss Builders’ Austin Guess had two saves in the matchup, along with a single stop by Xane Flores.
Goalies Liam Nunez and Jack Zaccagnino each had six saves for the Miz & Hiz Biz and Progressive Cabinetry soccer squads, respectively, in a 3-1 win for Progressive. The two goals by Jack McCarthy and solo score off the foot of Jesse Zaccagnino earned Progressive Cabinetry the win.
Nixon Conner, for Miz & Hiz Biz, scored the lone goal for his team. At the net in the keeper position, Bam Gartmen had three saves of his own for the Biz team.
Tidy MD won the first game in the older age group battles on the pitch. In the game, Slim’s Place’s Elek Brisson had one save and one recorded assist. Teammate Madison Ferrari had the only goal for the team in the 3-1 loss.
Three players protected the net for the victors. Tidy’s Victor Albrecht showed his strength in the goal with three saves. Albrecht also had a hat trick in the game, scoring all three points for team Tidy MD.
Both Frankie Coleman and Jayden Sparks prevented a score.
The final matchup of the night finished in a 0-0 score. The lack of points on the scoreboard does not mean shots were not taken, however.
With the shots, goalkeeper Benjamin Young had eight stops for Ugly Grouper, while Gulf Drive Café’s Dennis Gallager had four of his own. Evan Talucci had four saves in the game, giving the Gulf Drive squad a total of eight saves as well to end another night of youth soccer on the Island.
Sun Scoreboard
Tuesday, September 29
Youth Co-Ed Soccer – 8- to 10-Year-Old League Week #4
Moss Builders (1-1-1) 0
Beach Bums (2-0-1) 1
Miz & Hiz Biz (0-3-1) 1
Progressive Cabinetry (2-0-1) 3
Youth Co-Ed Soccer – 11- to 14-Year-Old League Week #4
As you present the facts about the mesh sizes of the gill net that releases the juvenile fish compared to the cast net that catches them, thus reducing the fresh from Florida fish being harvested; as you plead for the right of fishermen to make a living fishing full time as so many want to do, also consider this:
Before the net ban, mullet was 45¢ a pound in the round and today it sells for $3 a pound. Before the ban, twice a week a truck full of fish on ice – not just mullet but pompano, grouper, sheepshead, trout, mackerel, redfish – went by road to fish markets in Plant City, Riverview, Brandon, Live Oak, Lakeland, Orlando and many others. They were bringing fresh from Florida fish for working people to eat.
This does not exist today. Many shop for fish at the supermarkets. Are these fish fresh from Florida? For the past 20 years, much of these fish came from an island off the coast of Bangladesh where fishermen were kept as slaves. This was written up by The Associated Press. One man had not seen his mother for 20 years. There is a cemetery with 70 bodies. The companies were identified that bought the fish harvested for over 20 years by slaves. The fish were sold in our supermarkets. Look at the source of shrimp sold at Walmart. It is China. As one writer asked: Are your shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico or the Gulf of Thailand? Not Fresh From Florida.
It is reported that 77% of what is sold in the restaurants as redfish is not redfish. How much of what is sold in our supermarkets is raised in ponds polluted with mercury or lead?
In Cortez, there are 12 places where one can buy fresh or cooked seafood. About 5,000 people come every day to eat at the restaurants. Most of them are tourists – people who can afford to pay the price. These are not the people who live in Florida and work in our hospitals, our 7/11s, our hotels, grocery stores and our auto repair shops. Most folks cannot afford to eat fresh from Florida seafood.
Repealing the net ban will give Floridians the opportunity to again eat fresh fish. The trucks will ride to fish markets. Fish with the Omega 3 is good brain food. I am convinced we could use some.
BRADENTON BEACH – With vote-by-mail ballots already being cast, Bradenton Beach voters have begun deciding whether the city charter will prohibit or allow parking garages.
The Bradenton Beach ballot for the general election that concludes Tuesday, Nov. 3 includes two separate charter amendment questions pertaining to parking garages. City voters are being asked to vote yes or no on each proposed parking garage-related amendment to the city charter.
In August 2018, the city commission amended the city’s comprehensive plan and land development code in a manner that currently prohibits the construction of stand-alone or multi-level parking garages anywhere in the city. Those existing prohibitions could be lifted by a future city commission.
Amending the city’s comprehensive plan to allow for a parking garage would require the four-fifths supermajority support of a five-member city commission. Amending the land development code would require the simple-majority support of at least three commissioners. Both documents would have to be amended to allow for the construction of a parking garage. Currently, there are no plans or proposals to build a parking garage in Bradenton Beach.
Ballot Question 1
After a two-year legal battle, Bradenton Beach Ballot Question 1 was placed on the ballot at the request of the Keep Our Residential Neighborhoods (KORN) political action committee formed in 2018 by Reed Mapes and John Metz. Mapes has since moved and is no longer a Bradenton Beach resident.
The ballot language for Bradenton Beach Ballot Question 1 reads as follows:
“Amendment 1 to city of Bradenton Beach charter.
“Prohibition of multi-level parking garages only.
“Should the charter of Bradenton Beach be amended to prohibit the building of any multi-level parking garages within the city of Bradenton Beach? All other parking garages, facilities and structures are allowed as permitted by local law.”
According to City Attorney Ricinda Perry, the adoption of Ballot Question 1 would add language to the city charter that would prohibit the future construction of a multi-level parking garage anywhere within the city limits. Perry has previously stated the adoption of this proposed charter amendment would not prohibit the construction of single-level parking garages or parking facilities.
Similar to the existing height restriction placed in the charter many years ago, a parking garage prohibition added to the city charter could only be reversed by a future charter amendment approved by Bradenton Beach voters. If this amendment is adopted, the city commission would not have the authority to allow for the construction of a multi-level parking garage. That authority would lie solely with a future vote of Bradenton Beach voters.
Ballot Question 2
Suggested by Perry in response to KORN’s proposed amendment, and supported by the city commission earlier this year, Bradenton Beach Ballot Question 2 reads as follows:
“Amendment 1 to city of Bradenton Beach Charter.
“Prohibition of multi-level parking garages and mandated citywide voter referendum to increase its density.
“Should the city amend its charter to: (1) Prohibit the approval, development and building of any stand-alone parking garage structures in all residential zoning districts; (2) Prohibit any multi-level parking garage, structure, or facility exceeding a total density of one multi-level parking garage within the entire municipal limits; and (3) Establish a mandatory citywide voter referendum to increase the multi-level parking garage density?
Voter approval of this amendment would allow for the potential construction of a single multi-level parking garage in Bradenton Beach should any government and private entity choose to pursue such an endeavor.
According to Perry, if city voters approve both proposed charter amendments, neither amendment would be adopted and neither would be placed in the city charter because they would be in conflict with one another.
If city voters reject both proposed amendments, parking garages will remain prohibited according to the comp plan and land development code.
ANNA MARIA – Mayor Dan Murphy is frustrated with the lack of action regarding the removal of a derelict sailboat southeast of the new City Pier.
The large, multi-hulled, partially sunken sailboat has been grounded in that location since mid-December.
On Thursday, Oct. 1, Murphy sent city commissioners and County Administrator Cheri Coryea an email update on the removal process that involves the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the West Coast Inland Navigation District (WCIND).
“We still do not have a date for removal of the derelict vessel in the water near South Bay (Boulevard) and the pier. I have asked our lobbyist (Chip Case) to escalate this issue to Gov. DeSantis’ office for resolution. I feel an inquiry from his office is necessary to clear up a bureaucratic mess of no one being responsible for removal, and no sense of urgency among any of the officials involved,” Murphy’s email said.
Earlier that day, Murphy emailed FWC Public Information Officer Adam Brown in response to a phone conversation they had the previous day.
“Per our discussion, it is my understanding that although money has been allocated for this project, FWC still does not have a firm date as to when the derelict vessel can be removed. Please be advised and pass on to those involved in this process that this is a very serious matter and the vessel, since December of 2019, has continued to pose a threat to our pier and our beaches in the city of Anna Maria. It would appear that the vessel is now leaking oil and fuel into Tampa Bay and contaminating our beach. Please provide us with a firm date of removal,” Murphy said in his email to Brown.
The city of Anna Maria is still trying to get this abandoned sailboat removed. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
When contacted by The Sun via email late Thursday afternoon, Brown wrote, “I received notification yesterday from the West Coast Inland Navigation District that a removal bid was accepted and approved by the FWC Division of Boating Waterways. A final approval from the FWC legal office is needed to allow WCIND to remove the vessel. Once we receive that approval, WCIND will contact us with a date and time of removal.
“Regarding the derelict vessel investigation, the FWC does not remove derelict vessels from area waterways. After a law enforcement investigation involving the FWC’s Division of Law Enforcement or local law enforcement agency is complete, we work with municipalities and navigational districts to assist them with derelict vessel removal grant funding, but removal is ultimately performed by the area municipality or district, if they so choose, and if the vessel owner does not remove it themselves,” Brown’s email to The Sun said.
“The derelict vessel adjudication and removal process can be lengthy and can include multiple court hearings and court orders in order to finally remove a vessel from state waters. The FWC makes every effort to work with the vessel owners to have them either remove the vessel from state waters themselves or return it to non-derelict status to minimize the cost to taxpayers,” Brown wrote.
When previously contacted by The Sun on Sept. 16, Brown said, “I’ve reached out to our derelict vessel coordinator and was told the required 35-day waiting period necessary to give the registered owner an opportunity to remove the vessel will have elapsed on Friday, Sept. 18. With that being the case, we have also reached out to staff with WCIND (West Coast Inland Navigation District) and confirmed that they too are aware of this timeframe and are taking the proper steps to proceed with removal if the registered owners have not taken action before Friday. Sometimes the bidding process for removal and the removal itself can take some time, but I feel confident this is something that will take priority and I hope you will see movement beginning next week.”
When I moved to Florida 23 years ago, I honestly thought I was at the end of the world. During my dog’s 11 o’clock walk, the brightness of the stars was so overwhelming, I would ask the dog, “Where have we moved to?” Since he had no opinion, I just needed to move on and get to know this new foreign place with its laid-back culture and clean air.
Now after all of these years, I not only appreciate where I am but love it as well, and apparently many others are also. In September, it was reported by the Miami Herald that approximately 950 people a day are moving into the state of Florida, a startling number. Most are from the Northeast and other congested COVID-19 hotspots around the country, and for many, this is not a second temporary home to escape to; it’s permanent.
Florida is not alone with the influx of new residents – many small cities and towns are being overwhelmed with new, well-heeled residents buying up any and all available properties, pushing up values and depleting inventory. Most of them are looking for wide-open spaces, larger homes and a safe and friendly environment. Even younger people who have been forced to leave big cities because of COVID-19 or job loss are reconsidering a more peaceful lifestyle from the high life they originally moved to the cities for, most of which has been eliminated for the foreseeable future.
Home sales in Manatee County are at an all-time high, as well as in the rest of the country. Nationally home sales rose 2.4% in August from a month earlier, increasing the 24.7% surge in July which was the strongest monthly gain ever recorded going back to 1968, according to the National Association of Realtors. None of this is expected to change soon. The Federal Reserve says it expects to hold rates low for at least three more years. Large numbers of Americans will continue to work from home even after a vaccine is developed, and even if sales volume begins to taper off in late 2020, it’s unlikely to diminish too much, according to economists at Zillow.
The end result of this is a shortage of homes which we’ve been talking about for some time, pushing up competition and increasing housing prices. Even with the historic low mortgage rates, the increase in sale prices is canceling out the purchasing power of buyers trying to keep up. Some buyers and their representatives are offering an escalation clause in their purchase agreements. This protects a buyer’s offer in the event another potential buyer comes in over their offer by automatically adding an agreed-upon percentage over the new offer.
It sure looks like people are still pouring into our state, and why not? The Northeastern cities are having serious financial problems and high unemployment with smaller populations and much higher budgets and taxes. Florida’s unemployment rate in August was 7.4% – incredible progress considering April’s was 13.8%. Now with the state opening up almost completely, that number will likely be lower going forward.
Florida is looking more and more like a utopia every day. Certainly gone is my end of the world view. So, watch out for those out-of-state plates and listen to your canine friends; they get it. Stay safe.
I have been blessed to live on a barrier island in Manatee County since 1980. I was drawn to the area by family but moved here because of my love of fishing and the natural world. I realized I’d found what I loved most in one place. After almost 40 years, I am now focused on giving back. I want to help assure that future generations have some of the same opportunities that have made my life both rich in nature and profitable in business.
Seen firsthand
The combination of my love for fishing and my business has, over the years, made me aware of critical connections between the health of our local environment and the health of the businesses that sustain all of us on the Suncoast. You don’t have to look any farther than the broad negative effect of all-too-frequent red tide events on our tourist economy.
Unfortunately, as soon as red tide events pass, that awareness fades as waters clear and people assume everything is “back to normal.” Being a waterman, I have witnessed the changes in our bays and estuaries over almost four decades. In the first 20 years, there were some notable successes as awareness of water quality led to a dramatic increase in seagrass coverage in Tampa and Sarasota Bay.
Excess nitrogen leads to lyngbya blooms like this recent one in a Holmes Beach boat basin. – Rusty Chinnis | Sun
Changes
That has all changed, and now, seagrass meadows are disappearing at an alarming rate. The loss of seagrass (and fish) is fueled by excess nitrogen that encourages the growth of algae. The cause? Habitat loss, sewage releases (primarily a result of inadequate infrastructure), stormwater runoff (exacerbated by rampant development) and myriad other minor insults result in elevated nitrogen levels. This threatens not only the natural beauty of the region, the fish, birds and mammals, but the very foundation of our economy. Whether you’re a restaurant owner on the water or a carpenter hammering nails at Lakewood Ranch, everyone will be impacted.
What we can do
But we can do something about it. On Nov. 3, voters in Manatee County have the opportunity to approve a referendum voteforwaterandland.org. The referendum, if approved, will establish dedicated funding to protect water quality, water resources, and fish and wildlife habitat. The need has never been greater. If we don’t act soon and decisively, I fear our children and future generations will never have the opportunity to experience the natural wonderland that we all often take for granted. The cost? The average homeowner will pay the equivalent of two fast-food burgers a month. Please vote YES on the Manatee County Bond Referendum and encourage your neighbors and friends to do the same. The kids will thank you and remember you for it.
ANNA MARIA – Mayor Dan Murphy issued two new emergency orders today regarding COVID-19 and face coverings.
One order serves notice that an individual who refuses to wear a face mask or face covering inside a business or at a special event can be cited for trespassing on that property. Another order makes masks or face coverings mandatory in or at certain city properties.
Order #86 includes the title: “Granting businesses and special events the right to require face mask use and with trespass enforcement for non-compliance.”
The order notes it was issued pursuant to the authority Murphy has as the mayor of Anna Maria.
The order took effect the same day.
“I hereby declare that every business or special event held in the city of Anna Maria may, at the business’s or special event designee’s discretion, require the wearing of a facemask as a condition of being in/at the business’s or special event premises,” Order #86 says.
Murphy issued the order one week after Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order, EO 20-244, that now prohibits local governments from fining or otherwise penalizing an individual who violates a local COVID-19 mandate or order – including those pertaining to masks and face coverings.
Murphy’s order provides for an alternate means of enforcement in the wake of DeSantis’ order.
“At the request of a business/special event representative or designee, a law enforcement officer of the city of Anna Maria may trespass a person who refuses to wear a face mask at that business/special event premises and enforce that trespass order as to complaining business/special event,” Order #86 says.
“This order shall be reviewed by the undersigned to determine whether it is needed to protect the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of Anna Maria no less often than once every seven days, if deemed to be still needed, shall be extended for additional periods of no more than seven days at a time,” the order says.
Second order requires masks
On Wednesday, Sept. 30, Murphy issued order #85, which includes the title, “Requiring face mask use and social distancing at certain city facilities.”
The order took effect the following day.
“In a further effort to reduce the potential spread of the deadly COVID-19, I hereby declare that every person, when in the following city locations – Anna Maria City Hall, City Hall Annex, City Pier Park – during a city-sponsored event, such as the farmers market, shall properly wear a face covering and maintain social distancing from other persons, excluding family members or companions,” Order #85 says.
The order makes no reference to the new City Pier across the street from City Pier Park.
According to Order #85, facial coverings are not required at city facilities for persons under the age of 2 years old, persons for whom a face covering would cause impairment due to an existing health condition, persons working in a city location who do not have interactions with other persons and persons working in a city location when all interactions with others is done with social distancing as recommended by the CDC.”
Regarding enforcement, Order #85 says, “Persons violating this order shall be subject to removal from the city location.”
The order notes it shall be reviewed and renewed or allowed to expire every seven days.
Murphy issued Order #85 one day after Manatee County commissioners repealed the county face-covering mandate that did not apply in Anna Maria because the mayor issued an emergency order in late June that required face masks inside many Anna Maria businesses.
The city’s mask order carried a $50 fine until DeSantis issued his Phase 3 reopening order on Friday, Sept. 25 – an order Murphy said rendered the city’s original face-covering order unenforceable.
MANATEE COUNTY – The mandatory face-covering requirement in Manatee County is no longer in effect as of today.
Manatee County recommends, but no longer requires, face coverings to be worn inside businesses when proper social distancing cannot be maintained.
During today’s county commission meeting, commissioners voted 4-3 to repeal the face-covering mandate adopted by emergency resolution on July 27.
The commission then unanimously adopted a non-binding proclamation proposed by Commission Chair Betsy Benac that strongly encourages people to continue wearing face coverings on a voluntary basis.
After two full pages of supporting “whereas” clauses, the adopted proclamation says, “Be it proclaimed by the Board of County Commissioners of Manatee County, that in the best interest of the county and the furtherance of public health, safety and welfare of the county, the board strongly encourages individuals who cannot socially distance to wear face coverings and supports businesses displaying signs requiring face masks to be worn in business establishments to reduce the spread of COVID-19.”
Today’s action means the county no longer requires face coverings to be worn inside Bradenton Beach businesses. The county mandate applied in Bradenton Beach because the city commission has not adopted its own mask mandate.
When contacted this afternoon, Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy said the Anna Maria City Commission will vote on repealing its mask order next week and he plans to issue a separate emergency order pertaining to masks being worn on city property.
Resolution repealed
Commissioner Priscilla Trace made the motion to rescind and repeal the county’s face-covering resolution and commissioners Benac, Vanessa Baugh and Steve Jonsson supported her motion. Commissioners Reggie Bellamy, Misty Servia and Carol Whitmore opposed rescinding and repealing the face-covering resolution.
These actions came in response to the Phase 3 reopening order, EO 20-244, that Gov. Ron DeSantis issued on Friday, Sept. 25. In addition to allowing restaurants and bars to operate at 100% capacity, DeSantis’ order suspended locally-imposed fines or penalties for violations of COVID-19 regulations or restrictions, including face-covering mandates.
Chief Assistant County Attorney Bill Clague addressed DeSantis’ order.
Chief Assistant County Attorney Bill Clague said the governor’s recent order rendered the county resolution unenforceable. – YouTube | Submitted
“His emergency orders basically supersede ours. Our face-coverings resolution imposes mandatory requirements to wear face-coverings and imposes fines on individuals who don’t comply. Under the executive order, that is no longer enforceable.”
Clague said the Manatee County School Board still retains the sole authority to determine whether face-coverings remain mandatory at public schools. Clague also said businesses and governments can still require face coverings inside their buildings and facilities.
Public comment
Palmetto Pastor Joel Tillis was among those who supported the repeal of the face-covering mandate. Tillis recently dropped a lawsuit he filed in opposition to the mandate. He dismissed his lawsuit after the face-covering resolution was amended in a manner that exempts houses of worship.
“I believe that you intended the best for our community. I believe you did what was best for the physical healing of our community at the time. Now, I am here asking you for the emotional healing of our community. This issue of the mask mandate has divided us. It has hurt us and caused our community to be filled with anger and confusion. I am asking you to begin to heal a divided county – because masks may help, but mandates have hurt. Trust your constituents to decide for themselves. It is not the mask, but the mandate, that has divided us,” Tillis said.
County resident Andra Griffin said, “I haven’t worn a mask before. I will not wear a mask going forward. I didn’t wear a mask coming in here. I refuse to wear a mask because it’s not your decision what I should be doing with my body.”
Joining the meeting by phone, Swordfish Grill General Manager Bob Slicker offered another perspective.
“I have 70 employees and I just want to thank the commission for the mask mandate,” he said.
Regarding some of the previous comments made, Slicker said, “You have the right not to wear a mask. Please don’t come to my restaurant. You need to wear a mask in my restaurant because we care about everybody.
“Scientific studies have shown that masks work. Not wearing a mask is not kind. Not wearing a mask is not patriotic. Our parents would wear masks. Past generations would wear masks. This is about taking care of people.
“Unfortunately, without the mandate, I have 16-year-old hostesses and 18- and-19-year-old servers that are harassed daily by people who don’t want to wear a mask. My business picked up because you passed that mandate and made it easier for us all to do our job. Thank you for following science and listening to business owners. Having a mandate really helps us,” Slicker said.
Joining by phone, school board member Charlie Kennedy encouraged the commission to continue the face-covering mandate or least continue to recommend face coverings.
“There’s a lot of peer pressure around masks. When a business owner has a customer come into their establishment, or a school principal has a parent walk onto their school campus, that person can just say I am mandated to do this because this is what my local government is telling me I have to do. It takes a lot of pressure off our community and I think it sends a signal that we believe in science, that we believe in data. The vast majority of us know that masks are a positive step in the direction of suppressing COVID,” Kennedy said.
Commission comments
“I agree. It’s not the wearing of masks but the mandate itself that was the issue,” Baugh said.
In response to Slicker’s comment, Baugh noted that she, too, is a small business owner.
“The majority of people wear a mask – and not because of the mandate, but because they know it’s the right thing to do. I don’t think the mandate really made a big difference. It’s really up to each individual business as to whether they want to enforce the wearing of masks or not,” Baugh said.
Whitmore then said, “I respectfully don’t agree. I know masks make a difference. I’m looking at this graph here from the Department of Health.”
She was referring to 60 new positive COVID-19 cases discovered in Manatee County on Saturday and reported on Sunday.
Commissioner Carol Whitmore opposed rescinding and repealing the face-covering mandate. – YouTube | Submitted
Benac was the only commissioner who voted to rescind the face-covering resolution after previously supporting it.
After Jonsson made the motion to adopt Benac’s proclamation, Benac said, “It was an extremely tough decision for me, but I wanted to make it clear that my position has not changed. Everybody is saying you need to keep wearing a mask to slow the transmission.”
BRADENTON BEACH – Daiquiri Deck manager and Sarasota resident Tabatha Lynne Dondanville, 27, has entered a plea of not guilty to a felony charge of grand theft.
According to Manatee County Court records, Dondanville is accused of stealing $20,000 from a purse left behind by Daiquiri Deck customer Jasmine Bryant on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 7.
Tabatha Lynne Dondanville, 27, was arrested on Sept. 8 and charged with grand theft. – Manatee County Sheriff’s Office | Submitted
According to the probable cause affidavit that arresting officer, Bradenton Beach Police Sgt. Lenard Diaz, filed with the Manatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court, “The victim, Bryant, and her girlfriend were at the Daiquiri Deck on Bridge Street. While eating, Bryant laid her purse containing $20,000 cash on the chair beside her. Upon finishing their meal, they got up and forgot the purse on the chair.”
The original complaint arrest affidavit – a separate document obtained directly from the Bradenton Beach Police Department – refers to Bryant’s girlfriend as her fiancé, Emmanuella Saintcyr. That document notes the couple was staying nearby when the incident occurred.
According to the probable cause affidavit, “The cameras showed an employee picking up the purse then later giving it to the defendant. It was placed in the manager’s office, where the money was (allegedly) stolen by the defendant.”
According to the arrest affidavit, “The victim stated she called the restaurant and was told the victim did not leave a purse there. The victim went to the restaurant the next morning. The victim stated she talked to the opening manager, Samantha Mitchell, and that Samantha told her the purse was not found and she had to contact the closing manager.
“The victim advised that’s when she called the police and suddenly her purse appeared from the manager Samantha, but the purse was empty and the money was gone. The victim advised there was a note in the bag that said, ‘Found in the bathroom,’ ” according to the arrest affidavit.
“The video showed the hostess finding the purse on the chair and placing behind a computer near the hostess station. The purse sat on the counter for approximately 20-30 minutes until the male waiter grabbed the purse and walked into the kitchen where the night manager, Dondanville, was at.”
Money returned
“Later in the day, the girlfriend called the manager, Samantha Mitchell, and spoke with her. Samantha admitted to the victim that they did find the money and that it was on its way back to the restaurant as they spoke. The victim decided not to wait and walked over to the restaurant and recorded their conversation with Samantha. On the recording you can hear Samantha stating the money is coming back from Sarasota. Approximately 15 minutes later, Samantha brought a plastic bag with all of the victim’s money in it,” according to the arrest affidavit.
At approximately 3:45 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 8, Diaz noticed he had a voice message on his phone.
“It was the victim that had left me a message stating that she got her money back from the manager. The victim stated that approximately 1316 hours (1:16 p.m.) she received a call from the manager, Samantha, that she knew where her money was and that if they did not get the police involved that would get her the money back,” according to the arrest affidavit.
Diaz then returned to the restaurant to speak with Samantha Mitchell.
According to the arrest affidavit, “I asked who took the money and Samantha stated, ‘Do I have to tell you?’ I asked Samantha if she wanted to be a witness or an arrestee, because she was more involved than I thought at first. Samantha responded with hesitance and answered, ‘I guess a witness.’ I asked her if she was sure because I could arrest her because of her accessory to the crime. Samantha stated she would rather be a witness. I advised her that I was going to need her to write an affidavit of involvement and she agreed. I asked Samantha again who took the money. She hesitated and said, ‘Tabatha.’ ”
Arrest made
“I asked Samantha to please go get Dondanville. Samantha and Dondanville entered the office a short time later and at this time I began to read Dondanville her Miranda rights. I asked Dondanville who took the money and Dondanville stated, ‘I did.’ Dondanville stated that she had taken the money right after myself and Lt. Cosby left the office the morning the victim called the police, and the reason she took it was because nobody had claimed the money. At this time, I advised Dondanville that she was under arrest for grand theft of $20,000,” according to the arrest affidavit.
“I took Dondanville to the police department. While at the station, Dondanville stated she didn’t understand why she was being arrested because she brought the money back. I advised Dondanville that the statute for grand theft reads: ‘If you temporarily or permanently deprived the owner of their property (money) you have committed a crime.’ I advised Dondanville that she only did bring the money back when they made a deal with the victim that the police would not be involved,” according to the arrest affidavit.
Dondanville was transported to the county jail and later released on a $7,500 bond.
According to Manatee County court records, attorney Ronald Filipkowski filed a not guilty plea on behalf of Dondanville on Sept. 14. An arraignment before Judge Gilbert Smith Jr. is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 2.
When contacted on Monday, Sept. 28, a manager at the Bradenton Beach Daiquiri Deck declined to comment on the incident and whether Dondanville and Mitchell were still employed there.
According to Sarasota County court records, Dondanville entered a plea of nolo contendere (no contest) in 2011 after being charged with petit theft.
According to the notice to appear dated May 20, 2011, “The defendant (Dondanville) placed a shirt, skirt and necklace in her purse then attempted to leave without paying for the items. Security stopped her and retrieved the items. The defendant admitted post-Miranda to the crime.”
MANATEE COUNTY – The Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office has begun sending out vote-by-mail ballots to those who requested them, and returning a ballot by mail will require additional postage.
For the general election that concludes Tuesday, Nov. 3, the return postage rate is 70 cents to mail a completed vote-by-mail ballot to the Supervisor of Elections Office. The additional postage is required because the general election ballot consists of multiple pages.
According to the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections website, returning a completed general election 2020 ballot by mail requires two Forever stamps or 70 cents worth of postage.
“If returning your vote-by-mail ballot by mail, the U.S. Postal Service suggests returning your ballot no later than one week prior to election day. The return postage is $.70.,” according to the Supervisor of Elections website.
Supervisor of Elections Mike Bennett examines 124 vote-by-mail ballots postmarked the same day as the Aug. 18 primary election. – Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office | Submitted
A single 55-cent Forever stamp will not provide adequate postage and the front side of the return envelope notes, “Post Office will not deliver without proper postage.”
You must also sign the back of the return envelope before sending it to the Supervisor of Elections Office.
Mail ballots can currently be delivered in person, without postage, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to the elections drop box at the Supervisor of Elections Office at 600 301 Blvd. W., Suite 108, in Bradenton.
From Monday, Oct. 19 through Sunday, Nov. 1, vote-by-mail ballots can be delivered in person, without postage, to any of the early voting locations in Manatee County from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Those locations are:
The Florida DOT administration office at 14000 S.R. 64 E. in Bradenton;
The Manatee County utilities administration office at 4410 66th St. W. in Bradenton;
Lakewood Ranch Town Hall, 8175 Lakewood Ranch Blvd. in Lakewood Ranch;
The Palmetto Library, 923 Sixth St. W. in Palmetto;
The Rocky Bluff Library, 6750 U.S. Hwy. 301 N. in Ellenton.
Late arriving ballots
On Aug. 21, the Supervisor of Elections Office distributed an email containing a message from Supervisor of Elections Mike Bennett regarding vote-by-mail ballots returned too late to be counted for the primary election that concluded Tuesday, Aug. 18.
“With all the talk about the post office and vote-by-mail ballots arriving late or not at all, Michael Bennett, Manatee County Supervisor of Elections, wants to make sure everyone is aware of the voter’s responsibility,” the elections office email said.
Voters must sign the rear of the envelope before returning it to the Supervisor of Elections Office. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“It’s not the post office that made these ballots late, the voter waited until Election Day to mail their ballot,” Bennett said in the email.
“Some voters may be under the impression that it is the postmark date that enables their vote to be counted. Supervisor Bennett wants everyone to know, that’s not true. Per Florida Statute, ballots are accepted at the secure ballot drop box located outside of my office up to 7 p.m. on Election Day, not postmarked Election Day,” the email said.
The email noted more than 300 vote-by-mail ballots had arrived late as of Aug. 21 and 124 of those were postmarked Aug. 18.
“None of them are eligible to be counted. Voters whose ballots were received after Election Day that were postmarked the 18th – or even within a few days of that date – cannot blame the delay on the post office. It’s very disappointing that voters did not mail their ballots in time to be counted. So please, don’t blame the post office,” Bennett said in the Aug. 21 email.
According to Chief Deputy Sharon Stief, Saturday, Oct. 24 is the deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot to be mailed to you. Monday, Oct. 5 is the deadline to register to vote in this year’s general election.
More information is available at the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections website.
With the conclusion of the adult co-ed soccer recreational league season and the awarding of the Hayward Cup, The Center field lights are lit three nights a week with youth soccer, adult flag football and another season of adult soccer.
The kiddos start the week on Tuesday nights with soccer players as young as 3 years old getting touches on the ball. Two youth soccer age groups field nine teams sponsored by local businesses whose financial contribution helps to ensure that every child in the community stays active playing sports.
Looking at two more regular season weeks of play, the records are tight with Beach Bums, Moss Builders and Progressive Cabinetry, all with a 1-0-1 record in the 8-to 10-year-old league. HSH enters Week 4 with one win and two losses.
Team Miz & Hiz Biz, a new sponsor of the league, is still seeking its first win going into the next game with a 0-2-1 record.
The older kids have two teams on top with a 2-0-1 record. Both Tidy MD and Gulf Drive Café are being chased by team Ugly Grouper and Slim’s Place.
Scoring for Progressive Cabinetry in their win against HSH was Jack McCarthy with two goals and Jesse Zaccagnino with a single.
In the tied ballgame, Nixon Conner scored a solo goal for Miz & Hiz Biz only to be matched by Beach Bums’ Ryan Cyrus.
Hammish Robertson was the first to score in the older youth league for Ugly Grouper against Slim’s Place, which was scoreless.
Youth soccer action ended in another tie with Gulf Drive Café’s Carter Eurice scoring the team’s only goal. Tidy MD’s Victor Albrecht scored the single point for his team.
Wednesday night, the adults lit up the field with flag football action.
Fresh at the end of the last season, these tried and true players took to the pitch without missing a beat.
The first game of the night started with a Signature Granite blowout against Sato Real Estate, ending with the score 9-1. Sato’s scoring was spread among the roster. Zach Leib and Ugur Durmaz both had a hat trick in the match, with two for Kris Yavalar and a single by Olsin Crean.
The other three were close matchups.
Solid Rock Construction took the second win of the night by a single point against Skinny’s Place. Blalock Walters followed suit with its victory against Ugly Grouper. Slim’s Place did not waver from the pattern with their W in the game against Progressive Cabinetry.
Thursday night lights came on for week two of adult flag football play at The Center. The outcomes of the games were close until the last game of the night and the last matchup of the week at the community center.
The ladies of the league brought study hands to the field. Moss Builders’ Evelyn Long scored a receiving touchdown in the 35-25 game against Gulfview Windows and Doors.
Despite the loss, McKenna Ainger put up statistics as the quarterback for a touchdown for her Sandbar team. In the win against Sandbar, league veteran Dina DeJesus showed why she is a force on the field with seven catches, one for six points, in addition to extra point scoring.
In the following game, Bri Roberts had three receptions in the game for the Solid Rock Construction’s one-point win against Slim’s Place. Roberts is credited with a critical one-point conversion.
Ugly Grouper’s Avory Lavalliere, the team’s required female player, scored two touchdowns and had an extra point in the blowout win against Progressive Cabinetry to end the night’s action.
