PALMETTO – Prompted by a 2021 lawsuit by multiple conservation groups, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) has agreed to allow more oversight of discharges from the Piney Point phosphate facility.
The settlement agreement also establishes enforceable limits on pollution discharged into Tampa Bay and provides for taxpayer funding to monitor Piney Point’s impacts on Tampa Bay’s water quality.
“The Piney Point phosphogypsum stack is a mountainous heap of toxic waste topped by an impoundment of hundreds of millions of gallons of process wastewater, stormwater and tons of dredged spoil from Port Manatee,” according to a press release from the plaintiffs, The Center for Biological Diversity, Tampa Bay Waterkeeper, Suncoast Waterkeeper, ManaSota-88 and Our Children’s Earth Foundation.
Three years ago, after discovering a leak in the facility’s reservoir liner, regulators ordered the discharge of 215 million gallons of wastewater from the gypsum stack into Tampa Bay to avert a collapse and flooding.
“During the 2021 wastewater release, Tampa Bay received more nitrogen – nearly 200 tons – than it usually receives from all other sources in an entire year. The red tides that have plagued Florida are fueled by nitrogen,” according to the press release. “Following the release, Tampa Bay experienced a deadly red tide that killed more than 600 tons of marine life in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties.”
After the spill, the owner of the site, HRK Holdings LLC, filed bankruptcy and proceedings began to permanently remove the wastewater from the facility and close it. Treated wastewater from the site is currently being pumped into a deep well in eastern Manatee County.
The conservation groups requested that U.S. District Court Judge William Jung hold HRK responsible for violating the Clean Water Act by discharging pollutants into Tampa Bay without a lawfully issued permit.
“The settlement establishes a new standard of transparency for the water quality exiting the plant, a crucial step in safeguarding the well-being of our community,” Suncoast Waterkeeper Executive Director Dr. Abbey Tyrna said. “Additionally, it imposes critical restrictions on key pollutants, ensuring a more sustainable and healthier future for our bay.”
“The Piney Point disaster shook the Tampa Bay community to its core. It wasn’t too long ago that shorelines once teeming with life were littered with all kinds of dead fish for months. If you had previously found it swimming in Tampa Bay, it was likely dead after Piney Point,” said Justin Tramble, executive director of Tampa Bay Waterkeeper. “This brings some closure to the past and shifts the focus to making sure mechanisms are in place to prevent even more tragedy in the future.”
The wastewater discharged in 2021 into Tampa Bay continues to spread throughout the estuary and into Sarasota Bay, according to the press release.
“The gyp stacks at Piney Point represent the true legacy the phosphate industry will leave behind in Florida – perpetual spending of taxpayer monies and risks to the public’s health and the environment,” said Glenn Compton, chairman of ManaSota-88 Inc. “There is no economically feasible or environmentally sound way to close an abandoned phosphogypsum stack.”
“A strong, enforceable Clean Water Act permit for Tampa Bay’s most problematic polluter is long overdue,” said Ragan Whitlock, a Florida-based attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity. “It shouldn’t have taken a disastrous pollution event and legal action to prompt our state regulators to do their job, but we’re hopeful this permit is a step toward eliminating the looming threat this site has posed for decades.”
MANATEE COUNTY – During a recent Supervisor of Elections debate, candidate James Satcher refused to acknowledge he’s using Anthony Pedicini as his political consultant.
Manatee County Commission candidates Kevin Van Ostenbridge and Ray Turner are also utilizing the campaign consulting services of Pedicini and his Tampa-based Strategic Image Management (SIMWINS) consulting firm.
Political consultant Anthony Pedicini has become a major figure in Manatee County politics. – Facebook | Submitted
In 2020, Pedicini helped Satcher, Van Ostenbridge, George Kruse and Vanessa Baugh win their respective Manatee County Commission races and he remains actively involved in Manatee County politics.
Supervisor’s race
On April 12, Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Satcher, then the District 1 county commissioner, to serve the remaining months of the four-year term that Supervisor of Elections Mike Bennett vacated when he retired in March.
Bennett’s longtime Chief of Staff Scott Farrington also sought the gubernatorial appointment and he resigned after DeSantis appointed Satcher, who had no previous experience working in an elections office or supervising an election.Farrington and Satcher now face each other in the Republican primary race that concludes on Aug. 20. With no Democratic candidate in the general election, the primary will determine who serves as Manatee County’s Supervisor of Elections for the next four years.
On June 19, the Lakewood Ranch Republican Club hosted a debate between Farrington and Satcher. The first question posed by the moderator sought the names of the political consultants and the consulting firms being utilized by the two candidates.
“I’m tempted not to answer that question. I don’t know what it has to do with my performance as the Supervisor of Elections. Sure, I have a political consultant,” Satcher responded without disclosing the name of his consultant or consulting firm.
After noting that Satcher didn’t answer the question, Farrington said he’s received informal consultation from Bennett and one of Bennett’s past associates. According to Farrington’s campaign treasurer’s reports, he had spent no money on political consulting services as of July 13.
According to Satcher’s campaign treasurer’s reports, Satcher has paid Pedicini’s SIMWINS consulting firm $41,445 during the current 2024 election cycle. On June 21, two days after the debate, Satcher’s Supervisor of Elections campaign paid SIMWINS $40,000 for media services. On Feb. 6, Satcher’s now-suspended District 1 county commission campaign paid SIMWINS $1,250 for consulting services. On March 15, Satcher’s District 1 campaign paid SIMWINS $195 for a WebElect subscription.
Additional clients
In late May, Van Ostenbridge suspended his District 3 reelection bid and decided instead to run against Kruse in the countywide District 7 race that now pits two sitting commissioners against each other.
Kevin Van Ostenbridge’s campaign recently spent $83,500 for campaign-related media services provided by SIMWINS. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
According to campaign treasurer’s reports, Van Ostenbridge’s campaign paid SIMWINS $98,420 for consulting services as of June 28. On June 24, Van Ostenbridge’s District 7 campaign paid SIMWINS $83,500 for media services. On Nov. 2, Van Ostenbridge’s District 1 campaign paid SIMWINS $3,915 for campaign consulting services. On Feb. 26, Van Ostenbridge’s District 1 campaign paid SIMWINS $3,950 for advertising and consulting services.
Appointed county commissioner Ray Turner is using Anthony Pedicini’s SIMWINS consulting firm for his current election campaign. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
To date, Turner’s District 1 campaign has paid SIMWINS $17,510. On June 17, Turner’s campaign paid SIMWINS $11,565 for services related to a petition mailer. On Jan. 31, April 23 and May 18, Turner’s campaign paid SIMWINS $1,250 for consulting services on each of those occasions.
On Dec. 26, Turner’s campaign paid SIMWINS $750 for campaign notecards. On Dec. 7, Turner’s campaign paid SIMWINS $1,250 for consulting services. On Nov. 7, Turner’s campaign paid SIMWINS $195 for an online subscription.
Satcher, Van Ostenbridge and Turner each list Wendy White as their campaign treasurer, as do District 1 county commission candidate Steve Metallo, District 3 county commission candidate April Culbreath and District 3 Manatee County School Board candidate Jonathan Lynch. White’s Campaign Accounting Services LLC lists the same Tampa address as Pedicini’s SIMWINS firm. According to their campaign treasurer’s reports, Metallo, Culbreath and Lynch did not list any campaign expenditures made to Pedicini or SIMWINS as of June 28.
KVO attack ad
Van Ostenbridge’s campaign is currently airing a TV campaign ad that makes the following claims about Kruse: “When radical environmentalists backed by George Soros attacked our property rights, spineless Kruse sided with Soros. When the liberal media called DeSantis the village idiot for securing our elections, Kruse sided with the liberal media. Spineless George Kruse, so liberal he’s basically a Democrat.”
On July 8, Kruse published a lengthy written rebuttal at his Substack website.
“Before qualifying even ended, over $50,000 of airtime was bought to run an attack ad entirely devoid of facts,” Kruse wrote. “As he (Van Ostenbridge) can’t run on any fact-based record, the assumption is the baseless attacks will continue until Aug. 20. The broadest of their attacks is that I’m a liberal, communist, Democrat, RINO (Republican in Name Only), whatever term they have on hand at that time. Their definition of ‘conservative’ is so warped at this point that it’s lost all meaning. They have fought tax cuts, spent your hard-earned money freely on pork projects they can campaign on, grown government to stratospheric levels and weaponized their power against their residents and your voice. No self-respecting Republican would want to be associated with whatever brand of ‘conservative’ these people are.
“They further try to claim that any news (agency) is liberal if they don’t bow down to their corrupt and destructive actions. Even The Observer, by far the most conservative paper in town, was called the ‘liberal media’ in their pathetic TV ad for daring to have an opinion different than theirs,” Kruse wrote.
George Kruse seeks re-election to the at-large District 7 county commission seat. – George Kruse | Submitted
Regarding the ad’s claim about his views on DeSantis, Kruse wrote, “I’m not a member of a cult and I don’t blindly believe every single thing a politician does is correct. I fully believe the governor made a huge mistake appointing our current Supervisor of Elections (Satcher) over a far more experienced and qualified candidate in Scott Farrington. I would venture to guess 99% of informed Manatee County residents feel the same way. These are non-partisan issues that need the voice of the entire electorate.”
Regarding non-Republicans switching their party affiliation to Republicans to vote in the Republican primary, Kruse wrote, “The other side has no problem filing fake ghost candidates as write-ins to lock down primaries so they can use their ‘more conservative than you’ playbook.”
During the recent debate, Satcher referred to the completely legal practice of changing party affiliation as “election interference.”
“When we recommend non-Republicans change their party to have a voice in the governing of their county, it’s called election interference,” Kruse wrote. “Their playbook only works if they can con the furthest right of the base. If others start paying attention, they have no counter for that.”
Kruse noted July 22 is the deadline for voters to change their party affiliation at registertovoteflorida.gov.
ANNA MARIA – The Anna Maria Island community is coming out in support of Mackenzie Morgan, Jonathan Anasis, their 3 1/2-month-old son, River Anasis, and their young daughter, Vayda Anasis.
On July 13, the Rise Up for River Benefit: A Community Rally for Hope and Healing event took place at The Center of Anna Maria Island. Co-hosted by the Anna Maria-based Waterfront Restaurant, Rise Up for River served as a fundraiser for River’s ongoing battle with Primary HLH (Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis), an extremely rare genetic immune deficiency disorder.
The fundraising activities included live and silent auctions and raffles featuring items donated by the greater Anna Maria Island business community. The event also included live music by Trevor Bystrom and guests, Caribbean food and more.
The Anna Maria Island Privateers joined the Morgan-Anasis family at the Rise Up for River fundraiser. – AMI Privateers | SubmittedThe Crewe of Hernando de Soto and the Anna Maria Island Privateers participated in the Rise Up for River fundraiser. – AMI Privateers | Submitted
When contacted on Sunday, Center Executive Director Chris Culhane said he probably wouldn’t have a final fundraising total until Tuesday.
According to the family’s GoFundMe page, “Support River’s Fight Against Primary HLH,” River was born “healthy, happy and normal” on March 30. He later developed a 103.5-degree fever and was taken to Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, where he was tested for sepsis and acute liver failure. River tested positive for rhinovirus and enterovirus, was placed on antibiotics, steroids and other medications and later diagnosed with Primary HLH.
Since then, River has had a bone marrow aspiration, a lumbar puncture/spinal tap and blood, platelet and plasma transfusions and he’ll need a bone marrow transplant and chemotherapy to survive.
“Our family is down to one income and beginning to struggle with expenses. Any donation is greatly appreciated by our family,” Morgan stated on the GoFundMe page.
As of Sunday afternoon, the GoFundMe page had raised $22,659 of the original $25,000 fundraising goal.
Jonathan Anasis, Mackenzie Morgan and their son, River Anasis, attended the Rise Up for River fundraiser. – Mackenzie Morgan | Submitted
Sunday morning, Morgan shared this message on Facebook: “Huge thank you for everyone involved in making the #riseupforriver benefit. Thank you for all the continued love and support! Was a great turnout yesterday.”
When contacted later in the day, she said, “The event was great. So much love and support from the community.”
She also expressed her thanks to The Center, The Waterfront Restaurant, Slim’s Place, Karen Place, Dee Munn, A.J. Latteri and everyone else who assisted with and attended the Rise Up for River fundraiser.
If you’d like to help, please visit the “Support River’s Fight Against Primary HLH” GoFundMe page.
HOLMES BEACH – City elected officials are discussing with Manatee County tourism officials whether to add a Gulf Island Ferry stop in Holmes Beach.
Currently, Manatee County’s contracted ferry service stops in downtown Bradenton, the Anna Maria City Pier and the Bradenton Beach Pier, with an additional stop in Palmetto being planned.
On June 10, the Manatee County Tourist Development Council (TDC) recommended county commission approval of the city of Holmes Beach’s $500,000 request to help fund the installation of multi-use paths along portions of Marina Drive and 65th Street. At the recommendation of Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Elliott Falcione, the TDC members included in their recommendation a stipulation that to receive those funds, the city must also negotiate in good faith with the county regarding a Holmes Beach ferry stop.
Tying funding for improvements to public safety with adding a ferry stop in Holmes Beach “is disheartening,” Mayor Judy Titsworth said, noting that a pedestrian-vehicular accident on Marina Drive recently took the life of a pedestrian. “That alone warrants approval (of the funding request).”
At the request of Titsworth, Commissioner Dan Diggins attended the TDC meeting in place of Commissioner Greg Kerchner, who serves as the city commission’s TDC liaison.
When called upon by TDC member Gene Brown, Diggins expressed his support for a ferry stop in Holmes Beach.
Falcione and Diggins agree that the privately-owned bayside docking area at the Waterline Resort is the ideal spot for a ferry stop, but that would require the property owners’ support.
“We should have a landing in Holmes Beach. I think it’s absurd we don’t,” Diggins told the TDC members. “It’s common sense. We live on an Island. Why should we not have a ferry landing there?”
The Waterline resort’s bayside seawall might be considered as a Holmes Beach ferry stop location. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
On June 17, Diggins and Falcione were present for a trial ferry docking session along the Waterline Resort’s bayside seawall. Diggins told The Sun the trial docking session went well.
On June 25, the Holmes Beach commission discussed a possible ferry stop and Diggins currently remains the only commission member fully supportive of that endeavor.
Diggins letter
The Sun’s reporting of the June 25 meeting mistakenly attributed to Diggins ferry-related safety concerns that were expressed by Commissioner Greg Kerchner, which prompted Diggins to send a letter to the editor that appeared in the July 10 issue.
In his letter, Diggins said, “I have never spoken to Elliott Falcione about my ‘concerns regarding the safety of the pontoon boats currently used for service.’ I want to make it clear that I support the county’s initiative to establish a robust water taxi service to the Island, including a Holmes Beach landing.
“The county has a long way to go to make that a functioning reality, but we have to start. And the current fleet of two pontoon boats gives us that start. It’s up to the county to shepherd through a viable plan that will provide another public transportation method for travel to/ from our city. We, as city leaders, have to be willing partners with the county on any water taxi initiative. I am committed to the water taxi initiative because I believe the future for travel to the island has to include a water option,” Diggins’s letter said, in part.
Mayor’s email
On July 11, Titsworth sent a ferry stop-related email to Diggins, Kerchner and Falcione.
Titsworth’s email first addressed Diggins’ letter to The Sun.
“I read your letter to the editor in the newspaper this week and I find it necessary to respond as I feel there could be some confusion as to your liaison role. Greg Kerchner is the acting liaison for the TDC. He had asked someone to cover for him at a meeting as he was going to be out of town and could not attend. This in no way means that you were to assume the liaison role for the TDC.
“Liaisons are merely to attend meetings and to inform the mayor and city commission of any pertinent information gained while attending these meetings. This attendance does not give liaisons the authority to speak on behalf of the mayor or city commission,” Titsworth stated in her email.
Titsworth’s email also included a statement addressed to Falcione. “Please feel free to reach out to our director of development services for assistance and in scheduling your pre-site plan application with the property owner and our city staff once you have established a proposed docking location. If there is anything I can do to help, don’t hesitate to ask.”
Additional comments
When commenting on Titsworth’s email, Diggins said, “My number one goal is to improve relations with the county. We really do need each other and it just seems we are a few agreements away from having a better relationship. A water taxi stop may be the first step. It means a lot to the county.”
On July 14, Titsworth emailed some additional comments to The Sun.
“For years, I have been accused by the city of Bradenton and the county that I am against a ferry stop in the city. This isn’t at all true. I have told Elliott (Falcione) for years to bring us a plan. We do not have a pier in our city; therefore, it won’t be as easy as adding stops in the other cities,” she wrote.
“I told them (the county) that if they find a property then the procedure is to have the owner make a site plan application to the city with the planning department and that I would make certain that it got to the commission for consideration. They have never brought a plan forward. Being that this site plan application may be coming before them, commissioners are to stay neutral on this application until staff has had a chance to report on the application and a public hearing is had.”
For information on Learn more about Gulf Island Ferry tickets, schedules and more, please visit the ferry service website.
Realtor.com is part of my everyday life. I check it for new listings, sold listings, open houses and sometimes just to look at the pictures on what may be an otherwise slow day.
Sometimes I even learn something I didn’t know, like their recent story about the 10 most affordable beach towns.
Before you get all excited, all three cities on Anna Maria are not on this list. In fact, they are so far off the list that the median list price for number 10 on Realtor.com’s list couldn’t buy you a garage on Anna Maria Island. Nevertheless, knowing there are other beach towns and barrier islands in the country where properties are available within walking distance of the water will give you a new or continued appreciation of this country’s real estate diversity.
So, let’s start with Realtor.com’s list. Number 1 is Pascagoula, Mississippi on the Gulf coast, with a median list price of $164,900. Number 2 is Atlantic City, New Jersey, with a median list price of $239,000. Number 3 is Deerfield Beach, Florida, with a median list price of $239,950. Number 4 is Dennis Port, Massachusetts on Cape Cod, with a median list price of $277,500. Number 5 is Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, with a median list price of $299,500. Number 6 is Corpus Christi, Texas on the Gulf coast, with a median list price of $315,000. Number 7 is Sunset Beach, North Carolina, with a median list price of $340,000. Number 8 is Grand Isle, Louisiana, a barrier island in the Gulf, with a median list price of $375,000. Number 9 is Newport, Oregon, with a median list price of $399,950. And finally, number 10 is Ocean Shores, Washington, with a median list price of $425,000.
I find these numbers fascinating and some of them surprising. If I could, I would take a field trip to each of them to understand how their sand and water differs from Anna Maria’s. Anna Maria Island is a 7-mile-long barrier island with pristine beaches and aqua Gulf of Mexico water – we all know that. We also have retained a quaint beach community vibe despite the increase of visitors and developers building mega homes, all of which have brought in more high-quality restaurants and upscale shops. The flurry of annual street fairs, parades and entertainment on the Island continues the small-town feel. The annual Easter egg hunt on the beach behind the Sandbar Restaurant is something to be seen, as well as the fishing boats coming in to unload the day’s catch at the Cortez docks.
Anna Maria Island is a stone’s throw away from the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, which is expanding and adding flights almost daily. We’re also within 10 miles of some of the best professional live theatres in the state. Let’s not forget access to the city of Sarasota with its fabulous waterfront, high-end restaurants and more shops and museums. Even little old downtown Bradenton is starting to shine with new hotels, a farmers market and street fairs.
Anna Maria Island, for all the changes it has gone through this century, is still a special place we have to protect at any cost. When people cross the bridge for the first time and wonder what it would be like to live here, we can all tell them, it’s great.
Taking care when we release fish we don’t intend to keep has never been more important. While most anglers are aware that fish populations are vulnerable and not the endless resource we once thought them to be, shrinking habitats and fish populations make the process all the more important. Fishermen who fish mostly for fun have been criticized because many see catching and releasing fish as playing with fish. Anglers, unlike hunters, can pursue their passion and release their prey. Both hunters and anglers are generally great champions of their respective passions and invest their time and money in protecting the habitat and well-being of fish and animals.
Most anglers I know who practice catch and release have no problem with taking an occasional fish home for dinner. It’s more about enjoying the sport and trying to be proactive in helping it to remain healthy and viable. There are many species, notable among them, tarpon, that anglers seldom, if ever, kill. Catch and release is not just about releasing fish that you don’t want, it’s also about safety releasing undersized fish or species that aren’t valued at the table. Catch and release in any form is a wise use of the resource, but unfortunately, many anglers don’t know how to properly handle fish.
When we get cut, bruised or battered, we can head for the local drug store or in more extreme cases, the emergency room. Not so for fish. For them, it’s heal or die, and in their world, it’s the sick and wounded that first fall prey to predators. What a shame to do the right thing, releasing a big, speckled trout full of roe, only to have it eaten by a shark, barracuda or other predator because it wasn’t handled properly.
The first step I would suggest is to make sure you match your tackle to the fish you are pursuing. Trying to land a big tarpon on a 20-pound tackle might be okay if you’re experienced, but to the uninitiated, it’s like announcing a free meal to the sharks that ply local waters looking for weak or injured quarry. Enjoy the action but land the fish as quickly as possible. Once you have the fish subdued, the best course is to never take them out of the water. If you’ve been fighting them for a long time (think tarpon) make sure you revive them properly. If you can reach the water over the gunwale, slowly move the boat forward while holding the fish firmly but lightly. This forces water and oxygen through their gills and helps them recover from oxygen depletion. They’ll let you know when they’re ready to go.
It’s illegal and bad practice to remove big tarpon from the water. Here Andy Mill measures a tournament fish as his guide, Doug Kilpatrick, holds it by the jaw before releasing it. – Rusty Chinnis | Sun
The hook is probably the next most important consideration. Either a circle hook or a barbless hook is usually best for anglers and their fish. The key to keeping fish on a barbless hook is to keep the line tight. Circle hooks are recommended for inexperienced anglers and on fish that tend to swallow the hook, like speckled trout. When you do handle a fish, understand and respect their vulnerabilities. Fish secrete a protective coating that covers their scales and skin. This slime coat acts as a defense against invasion by bacterial, parasitic and fungal pathogens. Whatever hook you use, a de-hooker will keep your hands safe and clean, preventing you from inadvertently harming the fish’s protective slime coat and protecting hands from sharp gills and teeth. De-hookers come in various shapes depending on how they’re used. The simplest is J-shaped and removes hooks in or near the jaw. A circular-shaped longer version allows anglers to remove hooks that are deep in the throat of a fish or the jays of a big fish like a barracuda. Anglers who fish for reef fish like snapper and grouper need to learn how to “vent” fish with inflated swim bladders. Bringing the fish up from deep depths fast bloats the bladder, which must be punctured to allow the fish to reach the bottom. A good presentation of the process is available online.
Anglers that release a trophy-sized fish may want to take home a picture. Here are a few tips that will help you record your catch. Set your exposure in advance and have an idea where in the boat you want to take the picture. The best picture for the fish would be when it’s still in the water, but if you do remove the fish, hold it horizontally with one hand near the head and the other hand under the fish’s belly to support its weight. Holding a fish vertically puts a strain on the internal organs and can potentially dislocate its jaw. This is particularly important with large fish. Lastly, eliminate any extraneous objects like rods and focus on the subject.
By being prepared we can get the fish back in the water fast, thus ensuring its chances of survival. Taking the time and having the tools and knowledge to release fish mindfully is a great way to help ensure we have a healthy population of fish now and into the future.
ANNA MARIA – More than 100 beachgoers saw an uncommon sight when a nesting loggerhead sea turtle laid her eggs during the day on June 26, the second daytime nesting in a week.
Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring volunteers posted photos and the following on its Facebook page: “What an awesome afternoon in Anna Maria Wednesday! We had a day nester loggerhead! She remained on the beach for approximately one hour. Around 100 people of all ages were very respectful and gave her space. Everyone cheered as she returned to the Gulf!”
“It is not very common to see daytime nesting turtles and we did have two in one week,” Executive Director Kristen Mazzarella wrote in a July 3 email to The Sun. “I do not know what would cause them to nest during the day either. I just know that it is a rare occurrence.”
Mazzarella speculated that with this being a record year for sea turtle nests on the Island, it may just be a matter of numbers or a reaction to disturbances during typical night nesting.
“If you have that many nests, you may see a few daytime nesters,” she wrote. “If a turtle is disturbed and leaves the beach without nesting, she will have to return another time to lay her nest and that might mean nesting at a time that finds her on the beach in the morning or having to come up during the day.”
She reminded visitors to leave the beach to the turtles at night so that people don’t inadvertently disturb a turtle coming ashore or nesting on the beach. Cell phone lights are especially disruptive to sea turtles.
TURTLE TIPS
During sea turtle season, May 1 – Oct. 31, follow these tips to help turtles:
• 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 beach chairs and other 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. You might also accidentally dig into an unmarked nest. To report large holes or other turtle obstacles, call:
• City of Anna Maria code enforcement — 941-708-6130, ext. 111.
• City of Bradenton Beach code enforcement — 941-778-1005, ext. 227.
• City of Holmes Beach code enforcement — 941-778-0331, ext. 260.
• Level sandcastles before leaving the beach; they can block hatchlings from the water.
• Don’t use balloons, wish lanterns or fireworks; they litter the beach and Gulf, and turtles can ingest the debris.
• 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).
HOLMES BEACH – Some businesses have had a hard few years with a lot of it due to ongoing construction at and around their locations.
Businesses in the S&S Plaza on Gulf Drive and along Holmes Boulevard have faced construction woes for well over a year as city and Manatee County projects have obstructed the roads around several businesses.
The city center project to enhance the intersection at Gulf and Marina drives closed primary access to the S&S Plaza and the Island Shopping Center for several months while work was completed.
Prior to, during and after that project, the Manatee County force main replacement also closed access to businesses behind the Island Shopping Center along Holmes Boulevard and to the S&S Plaza, particularly the western section.
That smaller section is where Just 4 Fun Rentals, Minnie’s Beach Café, AMI Health and Fitness and Edibles N More are located. For part of the time during construction, Minnie’s co-owner, Kathy Smart, said that some days, her restaurant was inaccessible due to the ongoing construction, particularly the force main replacement project that took several months longer to complete than it was initially projected to take and resulted in sections of Holmes Boulevard being repeatedly torn up and repaved.
Sean Murphy, owner of The Doctor’s Office, a restaurant and bar, sent out newsletters during the construction encouraging patrons to visit the establishment, noting that it remained open during the roadway construction.
Construction on the city center project was completed in the fall of 2023 with construction on the force main project completed in spring 2024.
Though the roadway construction is done and all the entrances to businesses are open, currently all the businesses in both sides of the S&S Plaza are struggling with ongoing construction related to the facade of the buildings being updated. Despite ongoing construction on the facade, all the businesses are open with normal business hours.
One of those businesses, Minnie’s, recently made headlines when owners Smart and Mary Doub took to GoFundMe to ask the community for help. After suffering business losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic and long-term construction, the couple asked the public to help with needed funding to assist in saving the café. The community, including visitors and locals who love Minnie’s and its staff, exceeded the $20,000 fundraising goal in less than 48 hours with a total of $26,850 raised at press time for The Sun.
HOLMES BEACH – The treehouse had its last holiday over the July Fourth weekend.
Owner Lynn Tran opened the property at Angelinos Sea Lodge to fans of the structure to allow them a chance to take photographs and say their goodbyes before the treehouse is demolished.
Tran said the holiday was a fitting way to say goodbye to the treehouse.
Its first appearance in The Sun was in the 2011 July Fourth issue.
The treehouse was constructed in an Australian pine, supported by pilings wrapped in a material resembling tree trunks.
Tran and co-owner Richard Hazen maintain they contacted the Holmes Beach Building Department to inquire if they needed a permit to construct a treehouse before building the structure and were told they did not. However, once the structure was completed, code enforcement officers cited the owners for building without a permit.
The city’s building official at the time said the initial inquiry was for a platform supported by a tree, not the elaborate, two-story structure supported by pilings and featuring windows that was eventually constructed.
The city denied Tran and Hazen’s after-the-fact permit application due to the structure being unlawfully built too close to the erosion control line.
After fighting the city and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) in court since 2011, a final ruling from 12th Judicial Circuit Court Judge Edward Nicholas in February mandated the removal of the treehouse.
Tran and Hazen made a preliminary move to appeal the decision in Florida’s Second District Court of Appeal, but ultimately dropped the appeal, with their attorney stating during a June case status conference with Nicholas that they agreed to tear down the treehouse.
While demolition of the treehouse has not yet been scheduled, the structure is planned for removal by the end of July in line with a DEP permit that expires on July 31.
MEMORIES
Fans of the treehouse and community members, along with a few curious onlookers, took the opportunity July 4-5 to visit the treehouse and reflect on their happy memories of the structure and express their feelings on the pending demolition. Some also expressed their treehouse memories on social media.
“My husband proposed at the benches to the right of the treehouse,” Misty Turcotte said.
“Always enjoyed walking and checking out the treehouse,” Jan Fitzgerald said. “I loved all the animals in it.”
Over the years, the owners added quirky accents to the treehouse, including several animal statues, such as a leopard lounging above a window, a monkey swinging from a vine, a snake and spider on the outside and other assorted creatures.
One couple said that they were married on the beach in front of the treehouse. Another said they had come to visit because they were curious about the treehouse and why it was being removed.
“It will seem weird on our next visit not to see it there,” Anne Douglas Johnson said on The Sun’s Facebook page. “It is sad because it isn’t hurting anything where it is.”
Several people stated their dismay that the treehouse was being torn down though they were thankful for the opportunity to see it one final time.
“It’s such a shame they have to demolish this beautiful treehouse,” Beverley Thomas said.
“It’s such a cool spot,” Michelle Rose-Castillo said. “Too bad they couldn’t have worked something out.”
“That was a long fight,” Brandy Orlando said. “I wish it didn’t come to this; many fought for it to stay.”
“They fought a good fight,” Ali Spaid said of the treehouse owners. “It’s truly a shame the city wouldn’t work out a way for it to remain. It’s become an Island staple for the last 13 years, lasted through major storms and this discrepancy is what is taking it down… so much for our unique Island. I hope the owners find comfort knowing how many locals are with them.”
MANATEE COUNTY – Manatee County Supervisor of Elections candidates Scott Farrington and James Satcher squared off in a June 19 debate hosted by the Lakewood Ranch Republican Club. After the debate, both candidates issued debate-related campaign messages.
In April, Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Satcher to serve the remaining months of the four-year Supervisor of Elections term that Mike Bennett vacated when he retired in March. Satcher was serving as the District 1 county commissioner at the time. Farrington, then the Supervisor of Elections Chief of Staff, also sought the gubernatorial appointment and resigned from office the day it was awarded to Satcher.
With no Democratic candidate entered in the race, the winner of the Aug. 20 Republican primary election will serve as Supervisor of Elections for the next four years.
When non-party-affiliated candidate Thomas Dell joined the race as a write-in, the Supervisor of Elections primary race became closed to all but registered Republican voters. Because of Dell’s actions, Democrat and non-party-affiliated voters can’t vote in the closed primary. Dell also served as a primary-closing write-in candidate in 2020 and 2012.
Opening remarks
Lakewood Ranch Republican Club Vice President Bruce Stamm moderated the debate, asking questions club members submitted in advance.
During his opening remarks, Satcher said, “I came into politics kicking and screaming. My background is in ministry and that’s not something I’m ashamed of.”
Satcher noted he received 66% of the District 1 votes cast in the 2020 election and was one of the county commission’s most conservative leaders during his time in office.
“On April 12th, the governor of Florida appointed me the Supervisor of Elections and I’m proud to serve in that capacity,” he added.
Farrington said he worked in the Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections office for 10 years before spending the past 11 years working in the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections office and serving as Bennett’s chief of staff.
“I’m going to venture a guess that most of you voted in Manatee County before and I’m also going to say you had a good experience in that process and you trusted that when you cast that ballot, that ballot was counted the way you intended. Mike Bennett, myself and the staff at the elections office did that for 11 years with the highest level of integrity, the highest level of security and that’s what experience gets you. It also gets it to you on a budget, without cutting corners.”
Debate topics
The first question Stamm posed sought the name of the candidates’ campaign consultants and consulting firms.
Satcher refused to divulge the name of his campaign consultant and said, “I’m tempted not to answer that question. I don’t know what it has to do with my performance as the Supervisor of Elections. Sure, I have a political consultant.”
Satcher’s Appointment of Campaign Treasurer form lists Wendy White as his campaign treasurer. White shares the same Tampa address as political consultant Anthony Pedicini’s Strategic Image Management (SIMWINS) consulting firm. According to Satcher’s June 15 campaign treasurer’s report, his campaign paid Pedicini’s SIMWINS consulting firm $40,000 on June 1.
James Satcher’s campaign paid Anthony Pedicini’s SIMWINS consulting firm $40,000 on June 1. – Manatee County Supervisor of Elections | Submitted
Satcher, Kevin Van Ostenbridge, George Kruse and Vanessa Baugh utilized Pedicini’s services during their successful 2020 county commission campaigns and White is currently serving as campaign treasurer for Van Ostenbridge, fellow county commission candidates April Culbreath, Ray Turner and Steve Metallo and school board candidate Jonathan Lynch.
After noting that Satcher didn’t answer the question, Farrington said Bennett and one of Bennett’s past associates have provided consultation in an unofficial capacity.
When asked about the experience they’d bring to the elections office, Satcher said, “My experience was in ministry. My experience after that was the county commission.”
Supervisor of Elections appointee James Satcher hopes to retain that position for the next four years. – LWRRC.com | Submitted
Farrington said while working in the Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections office he earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in information systems management from the University of South Florida. He’s also received a Master Florida Election Certified Professional certificate from the state of Florida and a Certified Election Registrar and Administrator certificate from The National Association of Election Professionals.
The candidates were asked what single change they’d make to the voting process if given total autonomy to do so.
Farrington said he would extend early voting through Election Day rather than ending it the weekend before Election Day.
“If you vote on Election Day, you have to go to your precinct, whether it’s convenient for you or not on that day. I would like to extend it through Election Day and then you could go to whatever precinct was most convenient,” Farrington said.
“I believe we should have a national holiday on Election Day and we should go back to everyone voting on Election Day,” Satcher said, noting that overseas military personnel and those with illnesses and other circumstances could still use absentee ballots.
“I think we’d be better off if we were all voting in person,” Satcher said.
Lakewood Ranch Republican Club Vice President Bruce Stamm moderated the debate. – LWRRC.com | Submitted
Stamm noted the Florida Division of Elections recently presented a report to the Florida Legislature that stated there were very few issues and complaints associated with the 2020 and 2016 general elections in Manatee County. Stamm also mentioned Satcher’s recent request to the county commission to increase the elections office budget and his desire to implement the Clear Ballot ballot imagery system prior to the November election.
Stamm asked what, if any, election issues need to be addressed.
“No system that requires human input is perfect,” Farrington said. “I’ve always said elections would be great if we could take the voters out of it. They would be perfect, ”Farrington joked, prompting laughter from the crowd.
“But I am unaware of any circumstance or issue that garnered the scrutiny that would require security measures beyond what we have in place,” he added.
Regarding the Clear Ballot system, Satcher said, “If we have systems in place that the liberals can’t come against and can’t argue there’s anything wrong with them, what’s wrong with having a picture of every single ballot that’s cast? We need to have confidence in this election.”
Closing remarks
During closing remarks, Satcher said, “The Supervisor of Elections office is really the area that we need to be safeguarding across the state, across the nation and obviously here in Manatee County.”
Regarding the closed primary race, Satcher said, “Every left-wing journalist across Manatee County, they’re only putting out one side of the story and then at the end they say if you want to switch your registration, you can. They want liberals to vote in my election to skew my election the other way. Over and over and over again they’re encouraging election interference, telling Democrats to swap parties and then saying you can still vote however you want in November.”
Former SOE Chief of Staff Scott Farrington hopes to serve as Manatee County’s next Supervisor of Elections. – LWRRC.com | Submitted
Farrington then said, “This race is a primary race and it’s a primary race because a write-in filed. That write-in closed the primary, so that means only Republicans can vote. I believe the Supervisor of Elections represents all voters. Elections are not Republican. They are not Democrat. They do not belong to either party. They belong to all voters. If you want to be able to trust your election, you need to be able to trust that the Supervisor of Elections is not bent one way or the other. Every voter, despite party, should have had an opportunity to vote on who they want their supervisor to be.”
Post-debate comments
On June 24 and 25, the Satcher campaign distributed a campaign message focused on a single comment Farrington made during the debate: “Elections would be great if we could take the voters out of it.”
Satcher’s campaign message said, “You read that right. Big government bureaucrat Scott Farrington believes you are the problem with our elections. Scott Farrington thinks your vote shouldn’t count. He’s just like the liberals. Don’t let Scott Farrington steal your vote.”
On June 25, Farrington posted a response at his campaign Facebook page: “I hesitate to even acknowledge the negative ‘ads’ sent via text and email to voters in Manatee County. Many of you have reached out with your own thoughts on these types of campaigns and misleading tactics.
“I have served voters in Manatee County for over a decade. And I have done that with integrity and transparency – always with the voter in mind. I said from the beginning that I would run my campaign based on my experience and ability to do the job. This kind of negative campaigning does not change that.
“I encourage you to watch the entire debate. You can determine for yourself who has the competence, the integrity and the knowledge to protect your elections and your vote.
“The debate starts at the 26-minute mark and the specific question and answer section that was taken entirely out of context for an attack ad starts at the 1:07 mark,” Farrington stated.
Non-Republican voters who wish to vote in the Aug. 20 Republican primary that will also determine or help determine the winners of multiple county commission races can legally and easily change their party affiliation at the state-run Register To Vote Florida website before the July 22 deadline.
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – A 42-year record for sea turtle nests was shattered on July 2 when Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring volunteers counted 2024’s 546th nest, exceeding the 2019 record of 544 nests for the whole season.
“We broke our all-time annual nest number count this week, and considering turtles should be nesting through late August/early September, we will be breaking it by quite a bit by the end of the nesting season,” Executive Director Kristen Mazzarella wrote in a July 5 email. “We are very excited about this.”
The sea turtle nesting season extends from May 1 to Oct. 31, but began early.
Mazzarella said that Turtle Watch volunteers have been putting in extra hours on the beach and painting nest stakes to mark the new nests.
“We are excited that so many sea turtles have decided to nest on Anna Maria,” she said. “We can thank the conservation efforts of patrollers that protected nests 25 years ago for producing the hatchlings that are coming ashore (as adults) to nest in such high numbers this year.”
Loggerhead sea turtles take 25-35 years to reach maturity.
Turtle Watch recorded the first nest hatch of this season on June 29 in Anna Maria, and, as of July 5, there have been seven nest hatches.
“When they emerge from the sand, baby turtles (hatchlings) follow the brightest horizon to find their way to the water. Artificial lighting that can be seen from the beach can draw hatchlings away from the Gulf and into harm’s way,” according to Mazzarella. “In order to ensure that this incredible number of nests results in a record number of hatchlings making it to the water, we need to do our best to provide a turtle-friendly beach.”
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – LaPensee Plumbing, Pools and Air co-founder, LaPensee family patriarch and beloved community member Mike LaPensee passed away on June 22. He was 79.
A celebration of life will be held on Sunday, July 14 from 4:30-7:30 p.m. at The Key Royale Club, 700 Key Royale Drive in Holmes Beach. The LaPensee family invites those who knew Mike to drop in, have a rum and Coke and share some memories.
Life and love
After graduating high school in Wayne, Michigan, Mike worked as a baggage handler at the Metropolitan Wayne County Airport. Mike, his first wife, Sandra, and their son, Michael, moved to Anna Maria in 1967 and their daughter, Michele, was born in 1969. Sandra’s grandfather, Raymond Schuchard, owned Schuchard Plumbing in Holmes Beach and that’s where’s Mike got his start as a plumber.
After he and Sandra divorced, Mike met his second wife, Karen, in December 1976. They married three months later and raised their son, Greg, and daughter, Shawn, in their Anna Maria home, with Michael and Michele visiting regularly. They were married for 47 years.
Mike and Karen founded LaPensee Plumbing in 1985, operating the business from their Anna Maria home for a couple of years before moving it to 401 Manatee Ave. in Holmes Beach.
LaPensee Plumbing, Pools and Air is located on Manatee Avenue in Holmes Beach. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“It’s hard to put into words a lifetime of loving and living with Mike,” Karen said. “We got married 90 days from the day we met. We did a lot along the way, having these gorgeous kids and grandchildren that are still very close to us. We’re very thankful for that.
“Mike leaves a big hole in this community. He was an outstanding figure. He didn’t know a stranger. He met people very easily. He was very outgoing and had a love of life that you could see all the time in his big old smile. He’s going to be greatly missed professionally, community-wise and in our family. He meant a lot to each and every one of us so we will try to keep him in our love, thoughts and legacy as long as we can,” Karen said.
Mike LaPensee was a beloved and respected figure on Anna Maria Island. – Submitted | Facebook/LaPensee family
According to Karen, Mike died after suffering a major stroke. He had his first cardiac arrest incident shortly before his 46th birthday and from that point on he took heart medications and monitored his cardiovascular system.
“He overcame considerable medical issues and every day he was out there striving to do the best he could and feel as good as he could. I give him a lot of credit for each and every day that he just put one foot forward,” she said.
“He retired in 2009. After his retirement, I ran the business with our son, Greg, before he passed away in 2021. I’m stepping back a bit now and our daughter, Shawn Shields, and Chad Schweitzer are running it now,” Karen said.
When asked what she loved most about her husband, Karen said, “His outgoing personality. He never met a stranger. He was always asking people where they were from and who they were. He was always engaging and he just wanted to make new acquaintances and learn new things.”
As for what she’ll miss most, Karen said, “Everyday living. We had our children together and our business together so we were together all the time. It was quite a bond. He really grew into this grandfather role and he truly loved bragging about his grandkids.”
The LaPensee family annually hosts The Greg LaPensee Bowling Tournament that assists The Center. – Submitted | Facebook/LaPensee family
Mike and Karen have a long history of community involvement and assisting others. For many years they’ve hosted The LaPensee Bowling Tournament (now The Greg LaPensee Bowling Tournament) that benefits The Center of Anna Maria Island. Mike was a member of the Rotary Club of Anna Maria Island and part of an informal coffee club that met at Ginny’s and Jane E’s Café in Anna Maria every Tuesday and Thursday morning.
“Mike was always willing to lend a hand and it was an honor to give back to our community through the years,” Karen said. “Not only did he love his profession as a plumber but he loved where he lived and all the people here.”
Speaking by phone while visiting Reno, Nevada, Mike’s daughter, Michele Crouthamel, now a Texas resident, said, “He was a great dad. He taught me whatever I wanted to learn. He taught me how to clean my first car, fix a toilet and change a tire. You do it the right way, you put pride in everything you do and your work ethic matters. He also taught me about life.
This LaPensee family photo was taken facing Egmont Key. – Submitted | Michele Crouthamel
“When my husband, Jereme, and I were raising our two sons, Nathan and Corey, and living in the Virgin Islands, we’d come home every summer and stay with Dad and Karen. We have great summer memories – our boys going to the shop and being part of LaPensee Plumbing, being part of the Island, riding the Island Trolley and all those summer memories our boys have too. We have a wonderful family unit and we had great dinners around the dinner table when we came to visit. Losing Greg was hard. Losing dad will be hard. There’s so many good memories I’m thankful for.”
Nathan and Corey were the little kids shown in the old LaPensee Plumbing ads when the shop was next to Minnie’s Café.
Community figure
Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth said, “I was so sorry to hear about Mike’s unexpected passing. Mike loved the community and has been a passionate advocate for
our Island community. I spoke with him during our sleigh bell social event and he couldn’t say enough as to just how special the event was and how much it meant to him to see all the families enjoying time together. He was a true family man and truly loved the Island.”
Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said, “Mike was a great man and a blessing to the Island community and the police department. He was loved by many. He will be missed by all.”
Rotarians Ed Misner and Mike LaPensee, right, helped raise money for others in need. – Submitted | Facebook/LaPensee family
Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy said, “Anna Maria has lost one its most kind and thoughtful residents. Mike was a valued citizen of our city and our entire Island community. His generosity and kindness helped so many not-for-profit organizations and those less fortunate. He will be missed but not forgotten.”
Anna Maria Oyster Bar CEO John Horne said, “We so loved Mike. He epitomized the love for Anna Maria Island. He was a fabulous family man, businessman and community man. He loved Anna Maria Island and the Island people loved Michael.”
Island restaurateur and businessman Ed Chiles said, “Mike LaPensee was a great citizen of our Island. He and Karen built a business that was one of the pillars of our community. They supported every community cause and project. His presence will be sorely missed but his legacy of service will live on.”
Duncan Real Estate owner Darcie Duncan said, “Mike was part of the fiber of the Island. He was passionate about our community and ‘no’ was not in his vocabulary. He was a generous man, always willing to give of his time and talents. He had an infectious smile and laughed a lot, although he had his spunky side too. I had the pleasure of him being my ‘pseudo Island dad’ over my lifetime and I will miss him dearly. Someday I’ll see him again at the ice luge. If you know you know.”
Sato Real Estate owner Barbara Sato said, “Mike is Island legend. He embodied the character of a true islander. He started a great honest hardworking family business on the Island that always gave back and continues to give back to the community it serves. Mike always had a smile on his face and made us laugh. The Island has lost another great one.”
Ginny’s and Jane E’s owner Paul Foster said, “Mike was a regular at Ginny’s with the local coffee group that comes in. The group is made up of long-time islanders and Mike fit right in. Mike was a gentleman. I always looked forward to seeing him. He always had something positive to say. He loved Karen and his family and loved talking about them. Mike leaves a huge legacy behind. If a life is measured by how many friends and loved ones you leave behind when you go, Mike was incredibly wealthy.”
Former Holmes Beach Mayor Carol Whitmore said, “Mike and Karen have been close friends of our family since the 70s. Mike was a good, honest man who loved this Island. He always supported our community center and the local issues affecting those who lived here. Many here will never forget him.”
Mike LaPensee loved model ships and planes. – Submitted | Facebook/LaPensee Family
Jim McDaniel, former director of development for The Center, said, “I feel privileged to have known Mike LaPensee. Even more so that he invited me to see his work room where he painstakingly assembled incredibly detailed model ships. ‘Not just anyone gets to see that,’ I was later informed. Mike was generous with his time and wisdom and he and Karen generously supported The Center and the Rotary Club. I’ll miss Mike’s smile, reverence and the care he had for others. He was a person of action and doing ‘the good’ where he saw the need. Godspeed, my friend.”
Mike LaPensee loved and appreciated vintage cars. – Submitted | Facebook/LaPensee family
Wash Family Construction owner Darrin Wash said, “I met Michael in the late 80s at a construction site on Anna Maria Island. I drew an instant liking to him as he spoke construction like he knew everything about it. In a short amount of time, I figured out he actually did know everything. I always looked up to him. He was one of my mentors and a huge supporter of the Wash Family. Michael and Karen always had great business advice for Dawn and I and they helped us grow into the company we are today. He was always proud of LaPensee Plumbing. He loved his family, his home on Anna Maria and he was a good role model.”
Longtime Anna Maria Island resident Tom Aposporos said, “In recent times, our meetings were occasional and accidental. I never left one of those visits without feeling good about seeing him.”
ANNA MARIA – The gymnasium at The Center of Anna Maria Island was filled with excitement as the summer sports season started on the Island last Tuesday night. Getting out of the heat, youth indoor soccer kicked off the season on the inside pitch while the adults heated up the field with flag football action.
The youngest players, ages 3-7, played scrimmages as part of their developmental work with the older kids playing in head-to-head matches. Four of the five 8- to 10-year-old league teams played with Shady Lady Horticultural Services sitting out the first week.
Team Positive Waves beat the Progressive Cabinetry team by three goals. With the final score at 5-2, Ryan Greenberg had the hot foot for the Positive Waves squad. Hitting three shots, Greenberg’s scoring was joined by solo goals by Sebastian Cordova and Silas Whitehead.
In the win, Parker Svoboda was credited with an assist. Goalie Kellen Reed had five saves in the game against the Progressive Cabinetry offense.
Assists by Jackson Griffin, Ellison Maynard and Rafa Price helped keep the Progressive team in the game for two halves of fast-paced action.
With an arsenal of shots coming their way, Wesley Bekkerus worked hard, successfully saving seven of the Positive Wave shots in the first half of the game. Griffin relieved Bekkerus, making 11 nice stops.
Ending the second game in a tie, teams Gulf Drive Café and Solid Rock Construction each scored 10 points in their first game of the indoor season. Gulf Drive’s points were scored by Dallas Biggers, Joseph Caballero and Leo Burns, with six, three and a single goal, respectively.
Game statistics note two assists by Biggers and three for Burns.
Both teams put two goalkeepers in goal during the tied ballgame. On the Gulf Drive side, Everett Hood made nine saves and Titus Moss stopped eight shots. Solid Rock’s Elijah Roadman had 13 strong stops, while Carson Long saved six shots on goal.
Solid Rock’s scoring came off the boots of two players. Samuel Raulerson scored his solo goal. Teammate Matthew Darak used his skills and the boards to put nine points on the scoreboard.
With only four teams, the teams will get to know their competition well. Week one play matched up Jiffy Lube and AMI Outfitters. Finishing the game in another tie, each team scored eight goals.
Jiffy Lube’s Callin Westfall scored half of the points for his team. Hudson West and Gunnar Maize split the remaining four goals. Assist credits went to Maize with three and West with a single.
Putting three players at the net, Jiffy Lube’s Nolan Anderson had five stops, while Parker Svoboda made three and Maize saved one. AMI Outfitters followed suit with their five-person defensive attack in goal.
Sharing the responsibility, Jordan Tobey led the pack with six saves in the game. With three stops, Grayson Cohen helped his team with the 8-8 tie. Mackenzie Cohen, Mackenna Darak and Maggie Neidzwick each had a single save in the final game of the night.
Offensively, Wes Saxon scored six points. G. Cohen got the soccer ball past the goalie once, along with Matthew Darak, each claiming one point. Assisting with the scoring for AMI Outfitters, G. Cohen was credited with two passes that led to the successful shot.
Matthew Darak and Neidzwick each had assists in the game, adding to their game accomplishments.
In what looks to prove to be an exciting adult co-ed flag football season, eight teams took to the gridiron last Thursday night. The four high-scoring games showed the skills of the players this season.
Team Floridian Mortgage earned a win against Moss Builders 26-25. Also scoring 26 points, Fishing with Salty beat the Solid Rock Air Conditioning team by five points in the second game of the season.
Prosper Bradenton beat Salty Printing 27-25. The Salty team played without their quarterback, Charles “Tuna” McCracken. In the week’s blowout, Solid Rock Electrical scored 41 points against team Slim’s Place. Slim’s Place finished the game by putting 25 points on the board, ending week one flag football action on the Island.
HOLMES BEACH – City leaders are willing to consider a water taxi stop in Anna Maria Island’s largest municipality. But they say it will be up to Manatee County leaders to put forth a site plan change for their consideration.
The discussion began during commissioner comments at a June 25 city commission meeting following comments from Commissioner Greg Kerchner concerning a recent Manatee County Tourist Development Council meeting held at The Center of Anna Maria Island. During the TDC meeting, a proposal was reviewed from the city of Holmes Beach requesting funding for a multi-use path to enhance safety for pedestrians and cyclists along the Marina/Gulf Drive corridor. TDC members deviated in their conversation from the requested path to the Gulf Island Ferry service which currently operates from a dock in downtown Bradenton to the Anna Maria City Pier and the Bradenton Beach Pier. They voted to recommend the multi-use path funding to Manatee County commissioners, who make the final decision, on the condition that city leaders provide a space for the ferry to dock. During their discussion, city commissioners said it’s up to the county to approach them if they want a ferry dock in Holmes Beach.
Kerchner said he’d spoken with Bradenton Area Convention Center and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Elliott Falcione about the ferry and suggested, in his personal opinion, that the county-owned Kingfish Boat Ramp at the entrance to the city on Manatee Avenue would be the best place in Holmes Beach for a ferry stop due to the large amount of parking and easy access to Island trolley stops and the beach.
Kerchner also said he’d spoken with Falcione about his concerns regarding the safety of the pontoon boats currently used for the service. When he lived in Baltimore, he said a similar style of ferry had been capsized, leading to the deaths of five people, including a child. With how fast storms blow up in the area, he said he feels the pontoon boats are not a reliable form of transportation to and from the Island on the Manatee River. Another point of concern is that the ferry service currently can only operate in fair weather, leading him and other commissioners to question how it can reliably be used by patrons and workers if they could get stuck out on the Island due to a storm without transportation back to downtown. Commissioners stated that in the event of ferry service cancellation, riders’ only means of transportation would be hiring a car ride service or waiting for a Manatee County Area Transit bus to take them back downtown.
At Kingfish, Kerchner said the county would be able to build the infrastructure to handle a larger boat than the pontoon boats instead of the limited access provided by the Waterline Marina in the center of the city.
While commissioners said they certainly are not opposed to considering site plan approval for a ferry stop in the city, they agreed that it would be up to county officials to bring those plans to them for consideration, not for them to present a plan to the county.
“If they’re going forward, and the city has made it very clear through numerous opportunities, we’re more than willing to accept and review a proposal. But it’s incumbent upon them, not us, to both locate and then to pursue a site plan for that location,” Commissioner Terry Schaefer said. He said he believes the best location would be Kingfish, if county leaders want to move forward, but it’s up to the county to bring the issue forward to the city commission “like anyone else who wants to build something in our city.”
City Attorney Erica Augello stated that she was aware the county had approached the owners of the marina at Waterline Marina Resort & Villas about hosting a ferry stop in that location. She noted that trials had already been conducted to see if the current pontoon boats were able to access and move around the marina. If that plan moves forward, she said it would likely come before the city commission for site plan approval in a quasi-judicial format. She encouraged commissioners to keep records of all of their communications regarding the water taxi service and to stay out of the discussion when possible.
“At this point, the city doesn’t have a dog in that fight,” Augello said.
