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Year: 2025

Bolus sends city notice of intent to file suit

Bolus sends city notice of intent to file suit

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – Home­owner Bob Bolus, an outspoken critic of the city government, has delivered a notice of intent to file a $100 million class action lawsuit against the city based on allegations of fraud and favoritism toward developer Shawn Kaleta.

The letter was delivered to the city by certified mail on Aug. 14.

Bolus, who divides his time between his homes in Bradenton Beach and Scranton, Pennsylvania, has been involved in a legal battle with Kaleta since July 2021. Accord­ing to the Manatee County Clerk of Court website, Kaleta has sued Bolus, doing business as Bolus Truck Parts and Towing Service Inc., for breach of contract.

Bolus’ letter reads as follows:

“To Whom It May Concern:

“Please be advised that this is a let­ter of notice of intent to file a lawsuit pursuant to Florida Statutes Section 768.28 (6), as a required condition precedent to maintaining a claim. As per the applicable statute, Florida’s Department of Financial Services is copied on this correspondence.

“Please consider this your oppor­tunity for one-hundred eighty (180) days to investigate the claim and amicably resolve the matter without the need for litigation, as outlined under Florida Statutes 768.28 (6)(d). All of the facts and circumstances relied upon within my claim oc­curred with the previous three (3) years, fulfilling the requirement of Florida Statutes 768.28 (6)(a) and all potential causes of action are within their respective statutes of limitations under the relevant law.

“During the past year, I sent an informal complaint to The Board of Commissioners as an attempt to resolve these issues, and that complaint was ignored, so now, in order to preserve my rights, I believe I’m left with no recourse but to seek redress in Federal District Court in The Southern District of Florida.

“Due to the devastating effects of hurricanes Helene and Milton, which struck Anna Maria Island on September 25, 2024 and October 9, 2024, property owners requested “substantial damage assessments” of their properties. The assessments were largely found to determine that the cost of restoring the structure would equal or exceed fifty percent (50%) of its market value. I have copies of numerous property owners contacts with Bradenton Beach officials.

“Further, I have evidence that through political corruption and graft, Braden (sic) Beach officials have conspired with an individual, Shawn Kaleta, and any number of fictitious entities controlled by Mr. Kaletta (sic) to fraudulently determine that properties are “substantially damaged” at or beyond 50% of their market value in an unlawful agreement wherein Kaletta (sic) would then purchase and develop the properties.

“I also have a witness who is a “whistleblower” with intimate knowledge of these allegations who was dismissed because he refused to go along with what he knew to be morally objectionable.

“I further have reliable evidence of sweeping restrictions imposed on small business owners who were devastated by the 2024 hurricane season that are nothing more than a fraudulent attempt to force them out of business in a conspiracy to benefit Mr. Kaletta (sic), fictitious entities controlled by Mr. Kaleta, and local officials and their associates.

“I plan to consolidate all claims into a class action lawsuit for fraud and any and all other appropriate claims and seek damages, including punitive damages, treble damages, and all other damages allowed by applicable law in a claim for relief of one-hundred million dollars ($100,000,000.00).

“I believe fraud is apparent as there is a knowingly false material misrepresentation, made with intent to deceive, upon injured third parties who relied on that misrepresentation, had a right to rely on that misrepresentation, and were, in fact, injured because of that misrepresentation.

“Lastly, I plan to report graft and political corruption to the Florida Office of Attorney General, as what is happening is criminal, as well as civil.

“Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.

“Sincerely,

Bob Bolus, Sr.

cc: Florida Department of Financial Services.”

Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie declined to comment on the letter.

SUN 3 Pines homeowners settle with park owners

Pines homeowners settle with park owners

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – Dozens of evictions and title surrenders have thinned out the population at the 86-unit Pines Trailer Park, but those who remain participated in a settlement agreement in exchange for dropping a lawsuit against the park’s owners.

The lawsuit was filed on March 28 by the Pines Trailer Park Homeowners Association Inc. against Pines Park Investors LLC in part to stop evic­tions and the park’s closure. Twelfth Judicial Circuit Court Judge Edward Nicholas signed an order on Aug. 8 dismissing the suit pursuant to a confidential settlement agreement.

Pines residents reached by The Sun said they are unable to discuss settle­ment terms or a tentative park closure date as such disclosure risks nullifying the agreement.

“Pines Trailer Park Homeowners Association, Inc. and Pines Park Inves­tors LLC, the owner of Pines Trailer Park, are pleased to announce that they have reached a confidential settlement agreement. This agreement amicably resolves the litigation that was pending in the Manatee County Circuit Court,” HOA attorney David Fredericks wrote in an email to The Sun.

“Both parties have worked diligently to address and resolve their differ­ences, and they are satisfied with the outcome. As the terms of the settlement are confidential, no further details that relate to the terms of the settlement will be disclosed.”

Davie, Florida-based attorney Shawn Arbeiter represented Pines Park Investors.

In January, the park ownership announced that the park would be closed on July 31. At least one Pines owner is advertising a rental through September. The final closure date has not been disclosed.

According to the Manatee County Clerk of Court website, 26 Pines homeowners were evicted from the park for non-payment of lot rental fees. Many homeowners maintained that they withheld lot rental payments due to the disrepair and lack of amenities following Hurricane Helene in 2024. Others turned over title to their mobile homes to park ownership to avoid eviction.

One former owner was not privy to the settlement agreement after having turned over title to multiple units to park owners.

“Unfortunately, we made the tough decision to just turn over all titles to Pines Park Investors, so we’re out of the loop now,” the former owner told The Sun on Aug. 13. “Our biggest heartbreak will be if we see them fixing up all the old units… and begin renting them out. That will be extremely heartbreaking.”

Pine Island Redfish: Sustainable aquaculture

Pine Island Redfish: Sustainable aquaculture

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Fishing, Outdoors, Reel Time.

When I first heard about Pine Island Redfish, I contacted owner Megan Sorby about a tour. I had assumed that the operation was on Pine Island but when I reached out to Megan by phone, she informed me that they were located at the Mote Aquacultural Park in Sarasota, refining their operations while they built out their vision on Pine Island. Check out their excellent video at www.pineisland­redfish.com for an introduction to see the operation and learn about their plans.

Sorby has worked in commercial aquaculture around the world for the past 20 years.

“I actually had my first internship in the field right here at Mote Aquaculture Park and was hooked ever since,” she related. “Together with my partner, Tom, we focus on the development of new species for aquaculture, beginning with broodstock all the way through to harvest. We saw a real need for our sector to communicate our process more with the public so that seafood farming was seen as just that – farming – and something that offers great opportunity for coastal communities, working waterfronts and transparency in food supply. In that, we also wanted to be the model for how all our food systems must be for the future, which is regenerative.”

Pine Island Redfish’s intention is to produce food in harmony with the environ­ment and, when possible, in a way that gives back.

The company was founded in late 2023 by Sorby. They’re developing a land-based Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) on Pine Island, Florida, to sustainably farm a food fish that’s been off limits to com­mercial fishing since 2007 due to severe overfishing rightly or wrongly attributed to the blackened redfish craze of the early 2000s.

Pine Island Redfish is the first company in the U.S. to successfully farm red drum using RAS technology. In March 2025, they achieved their first commercial harvest and now their farmed redfish are available at select Publix supermarkets in Sarasota and in several regional restau­rants, including Indigenous, an elegant and trendy Sarasota eatery. The company uses the waste generated by the fish farm to grow mangroves and halophytic (salt-tolerant) plants like sea purslane that contribute to coastal restoration and ecological health.

Building on their initial success, Pine Island Redfish intends to develop a full-scale facility capable of producing around 800 metric tons of redfish annually, and growing nearly 50,000 mangroves each year.

What instantly excited me about Pine Island Redfish was the fact that their farm­ing method combines sustainable seafood production with habitat restoration, which minimizes their environmental footprint while enhancing coastal ecosystems. If suc­cessful, Pine Island Redfish could serve as a blueprint for climate-conscious aquaculture practices nationwide, eliminating concerns of organizations like Suncoast Waterkeeper with proposed local offshore operations that threaten pollution and potential negative effects on native fish stocks.

To learn firsthand from the people behind this exciting technology and to sample their product (redfish) prepared by proprietor and chef Steve Phelps of Indigenous, come to Mote Marine Labora­tory’s Keating Building on Saturday, Aug. 30 from 2-5 p.m.

Center of Anna Maria Island football, soccer standings

Center Scoreboard: Adult flag football

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Football, Sports.

ADULT FLAG FOOTBALL:

Slim’s Place 37 (5-1)
Salty Printing 27 (5-2)

Moss Builders 47 (3-3)
Edible Cookie Dough Café 31(0-6)

G.I. Bins 32 (2-4)
Reel Coastal Properties 18 (0-7)

Solid Rock Electrical 40 (5-1)
Solid Rock Construction 26 (5-1)

Coaster Continent (W)
Bubble Binz (Forfeit)

TDC supports $750,000 ferry funding request

TDC supports $750,000 ferry funding request

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Anna Maria, Community News, Manatee County.

ANNA MARIA – The Manatee County Tourist Development Council (TDC) recommends county commission approval to spend up to $750,000 in tourist development tax revenues for capital improvements for the county-contracted Gulf Islands Ferry service.

Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Elliott Falcione presented the funding request to TDC members for their preliminary review during the Aug. 18 TDC meeting held at The Center of Anna Maria Island.

If approved by county commis­sioners, some of the funds would be used for the construction of a new standalone ferry landing to be built adjacent to the Anna Maria City Pier walkway when that new walkway is constructed to replace the pier walkway that sustained catastrophic damage during Hurricane Milton last October. In June, Anna Maria Mayor Mark Short told TDC members and other county officials his goal is to have the pier walkway rebuilt and reopened by October 2026.

According to the Aug. 18 TDC meeting agenda packet, the current initiatives to be funded with the requested $750,000 include $228,427 to be put toward the design, permitting and construction of a new City Pier ferry landing to be located between the shoreline and the T-end buildings that currently stand isolated without a walkway.

TDC supports $750,000 ferry funding request
The county-funded ferry landing will be built alongside the new City Pier walkway when the new walkway is constructed. – Manatee County | Submitted

Earlier this year, Manatee County Natural Resources Director Charlie Hunsicker estimated the Anna Maria ferry landing would cost approximately $1 million and include a wave attenuator wall that lessens the impacts that waves and currents have on the ferry boats.

In June, the TDC members recommended still-pending county commission approval of the city of Anna Maria’s request for $2 million in tourist development tax revenues to be used for an anticipated $8 million pier reconstruction project.

Americans on the move

Written by Louise Bolger on . Posted in Business, Castles in the Sand, Real estate | Development.

Americans have always moved around. Going back to the original settlers who first landed on the eastern coast of the country, everyone was looking for adventure and opportunity. Not much has changed; hundreds of years later, we’re all still looking for the golden ring.

According to relocation company Move­Buddha’s 2025 Moving Trends Report, Americans are still on the move, only now they’re looking for affordability, space and a better work-life balance. MoveBuddha analyzed over 55,000 searches on its website to determine where people are planning to move this year to date.

The most popular domestic destination for relocation in the first six months of 2025 is Conway, South Carolina, with four times as many people seeking to move in compared to those wanting to move out. In fact, since 2023, South Carolina has dominated interstate move searches. Conway surpassed its neighbor, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina which topped the list in the first quarter of the year.

South Carolina ranks number one for the move-in compared to move-out numbers, with 206 move-ins compared to 100 move-outs. New Jersey, California and New York have received the highest number of outbound inquiries, indicating that these states are more likely to lose residents in the future.

Moving trends are pointed toward affordability and quality of life, favoring states known for low home prices, less tax burden and Sunbelt climates. Certainly, Florida scores high points for all of these items in addition to a thriving job market and a business-friendly environment and lack of personal income tax.

In 2025, Florida’s population is estimated to be around 23.8 million with a growth rate of 2% annually over the past five years, making it the fastest growing state in the country. Florida is still growing; however, the growth rate may slow down in the coming years primarily because of housing affordability. Because of this, the growth areas could shift, and the infrastructure needs will likely expand.

So how does Manatee County measure up in the ever-changing Florida landscape? In 2024, Manatee County saw a significant influx of new residents, particularly from other parts of Florida and the Northeast, including the New York metropolitan area. This growth has led to increased development and pressure on the county’s infrastructure and resources.

Development has expanded from the coastal areas eastward into the more rural parts of the county – Lakewood Ranch, Parrish, as well as Palmetto and Ellenton. All areas of the county including coastal communities are experiencing rapid growth with new housing communities sprouting out of the ground where farms and ranches previously existed.

Manatee County is actively reviewing and amending its Land Development Code (LDC) and Comprehensive Plan to manage growth and development, particularly concerning future development. I’m skepti­cal how much real change these reviews will achieve since privately-owned land is sacrosanct and will be difficult for the county to control the usage of as long as it is within zoning regulations.

So, there will be some serious fights ahead with developers and government. But in a popular county with a population of 385,571 at last count, 244 sunny days on average and an average temperature of 73 degrees, 150 miles of coastline and of course zero snowfall, it will be hard to keep people away.

Few of us stay living in the same house, on the same street, in the same community and the same state for all of our lives. This movement keeps the economy healthy and the populations creative; it’s in our DNA and not likely to change.

Anna Maria General Store burglary suspect arrested

Anna Maria General Store burglary suspect arrested

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Anna Maria, Community News.

ANNA MARIA – Leonardo J. Tilelli, 24, was arrested on Monday morning and confessed to burglarizing the Anna Maria General Store, 503 Pine Ave. He was charged with unarmed burglary of an unoccupied structure.

According to a report provided by Manatee County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) Anna Maria Unit leader Sgt. Brett Getman, deputies responded to the store at 5:35 a.m. on Aug. 18 and observed that a large rock had been thrown through one of the store’s glass doors. The business was cleared with no suspects located.

Anna Maria General Store burglary suspect arrested
A rock was thrown through one of the Anna Maria General Store doors. – Rebecca Seymour | Submitted

Surveillance video was obtained; the suspect, whose address is undeter­mined, was identified and a BOLO (be on the lookout) warning was issued.

Anna Maria General Store burglary suspect arrested
Surveillance video helped apprehend the burglary suspect. – Rebecca Seymour | Submitted

At 6:55 a.m., Holmes Beach Police Department school resource officer Christine Labranche was driving to Anna Maria Elementary and observed a man match­ing the BOLO description walking on the sidewalk eastbound on Manatee Avenue along the Palma Sola Causeway. LaBranche stopped Tilelli and detained him until additional officers arrived. After being read his Miranda rights, Tilelli confessed to the burglary and some items of evidentiary value were recovered.

“This successful outcome reflects the strong partner­ship between MCSO and HBPD and greatly benefits both the business community and the residents we serve,” Getman stated in the report he provided to The Sun.

As of Monday afternoon, Tilelli remained in custody at the Manatee County Jail. According to court records, he has no prior arrests in Manatee County.

 

Man accused of manslaughter now facing drug charges

Man accused of manslaughter now facing drug charge

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Community News, Cortez.

CORTEZ – Ian Douglas, accused of manslaughter in the July 29 Baypointe Terrace shooting death of his father, Andrew “Drew” Douglas, is now facing a felony drug charge following a search of his home.

The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) reported while executing a search warrant at the home after the shoot­ing that Douglas, 35, was found to be in possession of approximately 12.5 pounds of marijuana.

According to Douglas’s arrest warrant, the crime scene technician stated all the suspected marijuana was in the defendant’s room, which was reportedly confirmed through crime scene photographs. During a search of the room, MSCO reports stated a large black suitcase was located at the foot of the bed, containing the suspected marijuana and additional jars of marijuana were found on a coffee table and in the defendant’s bedroom closet. Multiple items to support that the defendant was selling marijuana included scales, baggies and measur­ing devices, according to the arrest warrant.

The MCSO homicide unit con­ducted an interview with Douglas in which the marijuana was mentioned. MCSO reports stated that at no time did the defendant deny ownership of the marijuana. He reportedly stated it was just marijuana, and he did not smoke on the day of the homicide in question.

He was charged with possession of marijuana with intent to sell or deliver, a second-degree felony. He was released on a $5,000 bond for that charge on Aug. 4.

Related coverage:
Cortez man dies in shooting at home

 

Cities losing authority to regulate artificial turf lawns

Cities losing authority to regulate artificial turf lawns

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – The city’s ability to prohibit artificial turf in front lawns and require artificial turf permits will soon be eliminated by a new state law.

The law was created by the Florida Legislature’s adoption of Senate Bill 712 and House Bill 683. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the legislation into law in June and the new state law will take full effect when the Florida Department of Environmental (FDEP) adopts the specific rules and regula­tions that local governments must follow.

According to Florida Statute 125.572, “synthetic turf means a manufactured product that resembles natural grass and is used as a surface for landscap­ing and recreational areas.”

The new law requires the FDEP to adopt minimum standards for the installation of synthetic turf on single-family residential properties 1 acre or less in size. The standards must take into account material type, color, permeability, stormwater management, potable water conservation, water quality, proximity to trees and other veg­etation and other factors impacting environmental conditions of adjacent properties.

Upon FDEP adoption of the state’s new synthetic turf rules, a local government may not:

  • Adopt or enforce any ordinance, resolution, order, rule or policy that prohibits, or is enforced to prohibit, a property owner from install­ing synthetic turf that com­plies with FDEP standards which apply to single-family residential property; or
  • Adopt or enforce any ordinance, resolution, order, rule, or policy that regulates synthetic turf which is inconsistent with the FDEP standards adopted pursuant to this section which apply to single-family residential property.

Prior to the adoption of city ordinance 22-24 in January 2023, the city of Holmes Beach did not regulate the use of artificial turf. Artificial turf front yards installed before the city ordinance took effect were allowed to remain as legal, non-conforming uses.

Cities losing authority to regulate artificial turf lawns
This duplex in Seaside Gardens has artificial turf in the front yard. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

The city’s current artificial turf regulations apply to all residential zoning districts and also to the C-1, C-2 and C-3 commercial-zoned districts. Artificial turf installations currently require a city-issued permit and a post-installation inspection.

According to current city code:

  • Artificial turf is allowed in rear and side yards, but not to exceed 10% of the total pervious surface area of the lot;
  • Artificial turf shall not be allowed in any front yard areas, unless confined to park­ing and driveway areas and placed between paver blocks or similar items where the artificial turf does not exceed 4 inches in width;
  • Artificial turf shall consist of green lifelike individual blades of grass that simulate the appearance of live turf, organic turf, grass, sod or lawn; and
  • Artificial turf shall be lead free and flame retardant.

FDEP rules

Holmes Beach Director of Development Services Chad Minor discussed the new state law with planning commis­sioners on Aug. 6 and provided them with copies of the FDEP presentation given during the synthetic turf standards public rule-making workshop FDEP conducted the previous day.

The FDEP presentation says, “Per Florida Statute 125.572(2), the FDEP standards must take into account material type, color, permeability, stormwater management, potable water conservation, water quality, proximity to trees and other vegetation and any other factors impacting the environ­mental conditions of adjacent properties. Turf materials must be lead-free, must be disposable under normal conditions at any Florida landfill and rubber materials cannot be used infill.

Public input was taken dur­ing the FDEP workshop and written comments are being accepted through Aug. 19 by email at DWRA.Rulemaking@FloridaDEP.gov.

Minor said he provided the FDEP with a copy of the Holmes Beach ordinance and the city’s contracted lobbyist also communicated with the state agency. Minor said the lobbyist asked the FDEP to “tread carefully” when devel­oping the state’s new artificial turf rules.

“It impacts more than you think,” Minor said.

Minor said FDEP didn’t provide an estimate as to when the new synthetic turf rules will be implemented.

Local impact

“We spent months developing an artificial turf ordinance,” Minor said of the 2022 and 2023 regulatory ef­forts that included insights provided by industry experts and University of Florida experts.

“The Legislature has now adopted rules that preempt the city from requiring a permit for installing artificial turf for single-family homes under 1 acre, which is 90% of the property we have in the city,” Minor said. “As soon as those rules are adopted by FDEP, our ordinance is essentially negated.”

Cities losing authority to regulate artificial turf lawns
Pet owners are asked to keep their pets off this homeowner’s artificial turf lawn. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Minor said a city permit won’t be needed to install artificial turf and he doubts FDEP will require a permit.

“We are not going to be able to ask for anything,” he said, noting the city will still retain some regulatory authority for artificial turf installa­tions at duplexes and other multi-family residential structures.

Planning Commissioner Gale Tedhams wondered why the Depart­ment of Environmental Protection would support these measures.

“Let’s put plastic everywhere,” she lamented.

Minor noted the Legislature imposed the new law and rule making process on the state agency.

Tedhams asked whether the city’s pervious/impervious surface drainage regulations could be used to regulate artificial turf. Minor said the city attorney doesn’t feel there’s much the city can do to offset the new state law.

“Well, that’s sad,” Tedhams said. “That’s why I question the title of ‘Department of Environmental Protection.’ They don’t protect anything.”

According to the Municode website, the cities of Anna Maria and Bradenton Beach do not regu­late artificial turf.

Girl Scout’s project aids turtles, beachgoers

Girl Scout’s project aids turtles, beachgoers

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – Intended to reduce beach debris and assist sea turtle hatchlings, the new “beach toy borrow box” at the 68th Street beach access is the work of 16-year-old Girl Scout, Lakewood Ranch resident and frequent Holmes Beach visitor Zoe Lander.

When embarking on the Gold Award project that earned her the prestigious Gold Award Girl Scout status on Aug. 5, Lander’s goal was to help prevent discarded beach toys from polluting the beach and making it more difficult for sea turtle hatchlings to make their way to the Gulf waters, while also providing beach toys for beachgoers to use, share and return to their proper place.

Girl Scout’s project aids turtles, beachgoers
Zoe Lander’s beach toy borrow box sits at the entrance to the 68th Street beach access in Holmes Beach. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

A visit to the beach toy borrow box on Aug. 7 revealed it was filled with flotation devices, an inflation pump, a wakeboard, pails, shovels and other beach items and toys. Speaking by phone earlier that day, Lander discussed her Gold Award project with The Sun.

Lander is a member of Girl Scout Troop #574, which is part of the Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida. Lander said she joined the Girl Scouts when she was in kindergarten (making her a “daisy”) and she remains a scout as she heads into her junior year at Lakewood Ranch High School on Aug. 11 as a Gold Award Girl Scout at the “ambas­sador” grade level.

“A few years ago, I did a Little Free Library at a park where I live and the concept is ‘Take a book, leave a book.’ That’s kind of the idea I had for this project,” she said, noting that her mom, Alice Lander, helped her further develop her idea.

The sign on the borrow box says:

“City of Holmes Beach

Beach Toy Borrow Box

Need a toy? Take a toy!

Have a toy? Leave a toy!”

The sign bears the “Leave No Trace” motto used by the Holmes Beach-based Island­ers 4 Clean Water initiative and says, “Please use plastic shovels only and fill in your holes when you leave.”

A note at the bottom of the sign says, “A special thanks to Zoe Lander for designing and building our first beach toy borrow box.”

Girl Scout’s project aids turtles, beachgoers
The beach toy borrow box sign shares messages crafted by Zoe Lander and the city of Holmes Beach. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

“We are so fortunate to have conservation-minded young adults in our community,” Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth said. “This young lady saw a problem, came up with a solution and saw it through to completion. She is an inspira­tion to all like-minded kids. I’m so proud of her!”

Golden journey

According to “Your Guide to Going Gold” posted at the GirlScouts.org website, “The Girl Scout Gold Award is a ‘Take Action’ project that must include five elements. Your project must: 1) address a root cause of an issue that you feel passionate about that has a 2) national and/or global link. Through your actions, you must demon­strate 3) leadership while also creating 4) sustainable and 5) measurable impact.”

The guide also says, “Do this for you – not for anyone else! This isn’t your parent’s or troop leader’s project. The Gold Award is an op­portunity to harness your passion and put your ideas into motion. It’s challenging. It’s immensely rewarding. And it’s entirely up to you. As a bonus, the Gold Award opens doors to a variety of scholar­ships, preferred admission tracks for college, strong networking and amazing career opportunities and much more.”

“It’s the highest award you can achieve as a Girl Scout and it shows your accomplish­ment,” Lander said. “The first part of my project was contacting Holmes Beach to find an appropriate location.”

Her first contact with the city was Digital/Media Strate­gist Matt McDonough.

“I emailed him and told him about the Gold Award and what I was trying to do. After that, I went out to the beach access points to look at them and to find which one was the best for the bin,” Lander said.

“She reached out to me and ex­plained what she wanted to do to make some kind of change in the community to earn her Gold Award,” McDonough said. “I ran it by the mayor, we both loved it and we worked out the logis­tics of getting it out there and getting it installed. I think it’s a great idea and it’s really cool to see a kid from the community caring about this.”

Girl Scout’s project aids turtles, beachgoers
Zoe Lander built her beach toy borrow box in the family garage in Lakewood Ranch. – Zoe Lander/Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida | Submitted

Assisted by her dad, Michael, she as­sembled the wooden bin and painted it with Flex Seal paint to make it more weather resistant.

“My dad helped a lot with creating the bin,” Lander said of the construc­tion project that unfolded in the family garage this summer.

“We put it in my mom’s mini-van,” she said of the delivery method that led to the borrow box being installed at the 68th Street beach access on July 10.

Girl Scout’s project aids turtles, beachgoers
Zoe Lander received Islanders4CleanWater swag when she visited Holmes Beach City Hall. – City Of Holmes Beach/Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida | Submitted

Crafting the message for the sign on the borrow box was an important part of Lander’s first experience with a local government.

“I had some ideas for the sign and I reached out to Matt to make sure that it matched the rest of Holmes Beach and fit in with the other signs,” Lander said. “I explained what I wanted and he made it come to life for me. The sign is way to let people know not to leave behind holes and the bin itself helps keep stuff off the sand so the sea turtles can make it to the water.”

Two water-related deaths reported off Anna Maria

Two water-related deaths reported off Anna Maria

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Anna Maria, Community News.

ANNA MARIA – Two men died in separate water-related incidents off Anna Maria on Aug. 9, according to Sgt. Brett Getman, leader of the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) Anna Maria Unit.

When contacted by The Sun on Aug. 11, Getman shared what details he could as authorized reports had not yet been released.

Rescued man dies next day

“The rip current was so bad on Saturday, with the winds out of the east and the incoming tide,” Getman said. “We were on routine patrol, got flagged down and were told there were two people treading water off Bean Point. I radioed for the (MCSO) Marine Unit, the Coast Guard and Beach Patrol to respond.”

According to Getman, at approximately 10:35 a.m., a 45-year-old father and his 15-year-old son were throwing a football around in the water off Bean Point. The ball got away from the son and he went after it but couldn’t reach it. The son got caught in the rip current and swept around the corner of the point. The son was eventually able to get within about 25 yards of the shoreline and Getman entered the water, swam out to him, threw him a life ring and pulled him ashore, but the father remained too far out to reach from the shore.

As two MCSO Marine Unit boats responded to the scene, members of the Manatee County Beach Patrol paddled out to the father and placed him on a rescue board. Getman said the father appeared to suffer some type of cardiac event after being placed on the rescue board. He was transferred into one of the Marine Unit boats, administered CPR, taken to Galati’s Marina and transported by EMS personnel to the hospital, where he died the following day.

Getman said the father and son were Florida residents and were visiting from elsewhere in the state, but as of Monday afternoon he couldn’t provide names or additional details.

 Man drowns off Anna Maria

According to Getman, a man drowned later that day near the Sandbar restaurant in Anna Maria at approximately 4:30 p.m.

“That was a 73-year-old male. He was in the water about 20 yards out. He began having trouble with his footing and went underwater. Bystanders were able to locate him, pull him out and start CPR, but he didn’t make it,” Getman said.

Getman said the waves were high in that area on Saturday afternoon as the weather began to worsen, but generally the currents there aren’t as strong as they are at Bean Point.

Sun staffers earn first place awards

Written by Sun staff on . Posted in Community News.

Two Anna Maria Island Sun staffers brought home first place awards in the 2025 Florida Press Association Weekly Newspaper Contest.

Steve Borggren won first place in the Original Local Editorial Cartoon category for “Fill in the Holes,” about protecting sea turtles on the beach.

Reporter Joe Hendricks won first place in the Editorial category for “Palm trees and other shady endeavors,” about the city of Bradenton Beach’s agreement with local developer Shawn Kaleta on several projects, including planting palms along Bridge Street that kept falling over.

Borggren also won second place in the Original Local Editorial Cartoon category for “Signs,” about confusing road signage in a construction zone.

The awards were made at the Florida Media Conference on Aug. 1 at the Sunseeker Resort in Charlotte Harbor.

CRA members discuss 2025-26 budget

CRA members discuss 2025-26 budget

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – Com­munity Redevelopment Agency members discussed the proposed 2025-26 budget of $2,231,070 at a work meeting on Aug. 6 in prepara­tion for the next steps in the budget process – two public hearings before final approval.

City Treasurer Shayne Thompson introduced the proposed budget.

“We carried some things forward that were in last year’s budget, for example, some undergrounding and pavers,” he said. “Beyond that, it’s kind of placeholders for the projects to come.”

CRA Vice Chair Ralph Cole said he would like to see the underground­ing projects continue.

Thompson said $300,000 for undergrounding from the previous year’s budget was carried forward.

“I don’t want to say placeholder values can change, but direction can change, priorities can change, so what’s in the budget doesn’t necessarily mean it has to stay where it is,” Thompson said. “If during the course of the year, let’s say, for example, undergrounding isn’t something we can accomplish, those funds can remain for a future time or be reallocated to a new priority project.”

Thompson said some projects such as pier improvements became tied to the storms and were funded differently.

“Do we still have to allocate all that money 100% each year?” Cole asked.

“We have to demonstrate the need to use the funds,” Thompson said. “This budget does that.”

Police Chief and Public Works Director John Cosby outlined some proposed projects in the CRA district, particularly on Bridge Street.

“We have an unbelievable amount of foot traffic in the CRA district, and we need to look at widening the sidewalks in the main thoroughfare areas,” Cosby said.

Cosby discussed building projects from the ground up beginning with wiring for lighting, irrigation systems and then moving on to the next level including paving, concrete and sidewalks.

“In the past we’ve put stuff in and had to dig it out and we don’t want to do that,” Cosby said. “We want to revitalize what we have there and try to make it more pedestrian friendly.”

Cosby suggested scheduling a work meeting to get input from residents and businesses.

“The hurricane has taken so much out it does give us the op­portunity to do this,” he said. “You can see the age of the street when you look at how nice the pier is and the docks and the pergola and you look at the rest of the street and that age really comes out.”

Cosby addressed flooding in the district following heavy rains.

“The rain that we had yesterday that lasted 45 minutes, every­thing in the CRA district was underwater and it’s because of the system that was put in. The pipe is clogged, and we’ve got to clear that out. We had a conversation with our stormwater engineer about putting in the baskets to collect the silt. It may not look pretty for a little while because we’ve got to get started from the bottom and work our way up.”

Mayor John Chappie said the CRA board could talk about putting out an RFP (request for proposal) at a future meeting.

“Maybe not all in one year or two years, but we could plan that out in stages,” Chappie said. “In the budget we have $675,000 for the CRA enhancements and another $450,000 for district improvements along with the $300,000 for undergrounding and streetlights. There’s quite a nice amount of money in there.”

Chappie said undergrounding has never been on the back burner.

“It’s always been in the forefront and that’s part of the foundation before you start doing the other work on top of the ground,” he said.

“If we have a project that can’t be completed in the coming fiscal year we can plug it into the budget for the following, so we’re still demonstrating using it at a future time,” Thompson said.

CRA member Deborah Scacci­anoce said that standing water in the district is a problem and she would like to take steps to move forward with repairs.

“Yesterday when it was raining and with the blockages on Bridge Street, the water was bubbling up out of the storm system because it was so overwhelmed,” Cosby said. “Everything that way is blocked and I want to use that money to fix what’s broken before we move forward and put money into other areas.”

He said the standing water will eventually undermine the roads.

“The pipes are good; the main issue is this damming system that was put in to try to force the water to flow slower and percolate into the ground,” Cosby said. “We’re on a barrier island – that’s not going to happen. When we get that fixed that will take care of that.”

Two public hearings will be held in September for the fiscal year 2025-26 CRA budget prior to final approval.

Holmes Beach clarifying dock, mooring regulations

Holmes Beach clarifying dock, mooring regulations

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – Director of Development Services Chad Minor presented planning com­missioners with a draft version of a new docking and mooring ordinance to review during their Aug. 6 meeting.

When presenting the first draft of proposed Ordinance 25-06, Minor said, “Before you today is a completely new draft of the or­dinance. We’ve essentially taken the existing dock code and ripped it apart and put it back together again – much like we did with the sign code, the fence code, the pool code. We essentially deleted everything and started over fresh using some of the concepts in the original code, but making it more readable,” Minor said.

Minor said it’s been challenging for the current city staff, and previous city staffs, to administer the dock ordinance as currently written.

“It’s time to address some of the deficiencies our current code has and create a comprehensive ordinance that addresses not just one of the dock scenarios in the city, but all of the docking scenarios in the city. We have quite a few,” he said.

Holmes Beach clarifying dock, mooring regulations
The wide canal that ends at Marina Drive, across the street from the Gloria Dei Lutheran Church property, is known as the “grand canal.” – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Minor said many provisions included in the draft ordinance were taken from the city’s existing dock and mooring regulations and some were inspired by regulations in effect in the city of Marco Island.

“There’s some really good provisions in here that aren’t in violation of Senate Bill 180. We’re not making things more restrictive. This is just clarifying our standards,” Minor said in reference to a new state law created by the Florida Legislature earlier this year that prohibits hurricane-impacted local governments from enacting more restrictive or burdensome building regulations.

Going page by page, Minor guided Planning Commission Chairperson Gale Tedhams and attending planning commission­ers Richard Brown, Tom Costan­tini, Jim McIntyre and Lisa Pierce through the first draft of the proposed 21-page ordinance that will be subject to additional planning commission and city commission reviews before being presented to city commissioners for final adoption.

Sec. 66-112 of the draft ordinance includes definitions for access dock, boat lift, dock, live-aboard vessel, main access dock, mooring area, per­sonal watercraft, riparian rights, shoreline, shared dock, terminal platform, vessel, watercraft, wet slip and more.

According to Sec. 66-113, “Docks, boat lifts and mooring facilities shall be permitted as an accessory use on any waterway lot for which the boat dock facility is customary and incidental to the proposed use of the property.”

According to Sec. 66-116, “A city building permit must be obtained prior to the construction, installa­tion, modification or replacement of any boat docking facility.”

Sec. 66-117 specifies that an ex­isting docking facility, pier, piling or private slip deemed unsafe by the building official shall be posted as unsafe for use and the user will be notified and given a reasonable time to bring the unsafe conditions into compliance.

According to Sec. 66-119, no vessel shall be docked or anchored adjacent to residential property in a manner that causes it to extend beyond the required setback lines; all docking facilities shall have coinciding house numbers at least 4 inches tall facing outward toward the water; docks in residential districts shall be used only for recreational, non-commercial activities; and no dock projecting into a waterway shall be more than 4 feet above the mean high-water line.

City code does not and will not allow boat houses or dock canopies.

The revised code will continue to limit the length of a dock to 60 feet unless otherwise permitted by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), and a dock with more than 500 square feet of total area requires FDEP approval.

For waterfront properties with more than 65 feet of shoreline frontage, Minor proposes reducing the current 25-foot setback requirement to 20 feet to make it less difficult to install a code-compliant platform, dock and boat lift in the allowed space.

Holmes Beach clarifying dock, mooring regulations
Shared docks might be allowed in the Seaside Gardens community where space is tight for some property owners. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Minor proposed, and the planning commissioners support, allowing shared docks in the Seaside Gardens community where many properties feature duplexes built on small lots that may not provide enough space for two code-compliant separate docks.

The draft ordinance includes aerial photos that illustrate the different and unique docking scenarios that exist throughout the city, including docking in various residential canals and “dead-end canals” and docking at boat slips owned by the city and leased to boat owners.

Holmes Beach clarifying dock, mooring regulations
This stranded sailboat rests near the end of the dead-end canal just north of the Marina Drive and 77th Street intersection. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Minor said he’d make the minor changes proposed by the planning commissioners and bring the draft ordinance back for a second planning commission review on Wednesday, Sept. 3 at 3:30 p.m. The proposed ordinance will then be presented to city commissioners for their preliminary review during a commission work session.

SB 180

On Tuesday, Aug. 26, City At­torney Erica Augello is expected to provide city commissioners with a detailed overview of the potential consequences the city faces due to a new state law that applies for a one-year period to any municipality located entirely or partially within 100 miles of the track of a storm declared to be a hurricane by the National Hurricane Center.

During that one-year period, a local government may not propose or adopt a moratorium on construction, reconstruction or redevelopment of any prop­erty; may not propose or adopt a more restrictive or burdensome amendment to its comprehensive plan or land development regulations; and may not propose or adopt a more restrictive or burdensome procedure concern­ing review, approval or issuance of a site plan, development permit or development order.

Concerns have already been raised about the one-year restrictive period being extended for another year every time the city falls within a hurricane storm track, which has become a frequent occurrence in recent years.

Join the Great Scallop Search

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Environment, Fishing, Outdoors.

Sarasota Bay Watch (SBW) is seeking volunteers for a citizen science event to collect data on shellfish, animals and seagrass in Sarasota Bay.

The Great Scallop Search will be on Saturday, August 23 from 8:30 a.m. to noon. Participation helps scientists assess the health of the bay and is part of a larger effort along Florida’s west coast to gather information on marine life and water quality.

Join the Great Scallop Search
Young volunteers proudly show the scallops they found during an earlier search. – Rusty Chinnis | Sun

Volunteers’ efforts during the search will help identify areas of interest for investigation. Using the provided scallop survey equipment, participants will set up an observation area with buoys and ropes. Volunteers then work in teams to record any sea life found within this perimeter. The event allows snorkelers to survey the study area and report their findings to a volunteer who will stay on the surface and document the observations on a data sheet. Once the observa­tion area has been thoroughly surveyed, the team will retrieve their equipment and proceed to the next site.

Kayakers will focus on very shallow areas near the shore. Working in pairs, one volunteer will snorkel while the other records data. Kayakers will be responsible for transporting their survey equipment to these locations.

Boat captains will cover deeper areas working with their designat­ed crew and snorkelers to record life on the bottom. Boat captains are responsible for transporting their survey equipment to these areas. Crew are volunteers who have a boat captain prior to the event. Snorkelers will be paired with boat captains who have additional space on their vessels, space permitting.

All participants (except boat captains) should be prepared to snorkel and must provide their own snorkeling gear.

Choose between two Scallop Search locations: North (Long­boat Key) or South (Sarasota Sailing Squadron). Upon arrival, volunteers will check in, collect their scallop survey equipment from SBW and join their desig­nated groups. Groups will receive instructions from SBW, then depart to search for scallops and return the equipment afterward. You must return to the Scallop Search location you started at to return your equipment. Lunch will be provided at the south location.

Experienced boat captains, kayakers and swimmers are preferred for this event.

Tips for participants

  • Wear heavy, closed-toed shoes that can get wet like sneakers, water shoes or boots to protect your feet;
  • Opt for clothing that covers your arms and legs to ensure comfort and protection;
  • Bring a reusable water bottle to stay hydrated and reduce waste;
  • Don’t forget essentials like sunglasses, sunscreen and a hat for sun protection;
  • Use a dry bag to safeguard your valuables;
  • Only scallop survey equipment will be provided (clipboards, ropes, buckets, etc.). Volun­teers must provide all other equipment that they need (snorkels, kayaks, fins, etc.).

Launch locations are: North location – Coquina North Boat Ramp: 1507 Gulf Drive S., Bradenton Beach; South location – Sarasota Sailing Squadron: 1717 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota.

The event is one of Sarasota Bay Watch’s longest and most popular events. It is a great family fun/educational event and also a great way to get friends and family together on the water.

According to SBW Executive Director Ronda Ryan, “When people see what is in and under the water, they can relate to the need to protect this habitat. Seeing is believing!”

Scallop searches are held along the west coast of Florida during the summer months when the scallops are the largest. All the information collected during the searches is shared with scientists at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The Scallop Search is a great example of citizen science at work and an opportunity for the public to interact with marine scientists.

Complete your online registra­tion at the event website to secure your spot and stay informed about updates.