HOLMES BEACH – The city-owned Birdie Tebbetts Field has been re-sodded and is being restored and enhanced.
Once a regulation-size field, the new field is built to Little League dimensions, has new sod, new layers of clay on the base paths and the pitching mound, a new pitcher’s rubber, a new home plate and new bases.
The restoration of the field is another step in the city’s ongoing hurricane recovery efforts that continue more than a year after Hurricanes Helene and Milton struck Anna Maria Island in 2024.
On Nov. 18, Development Services Director Chad Minor and Public Works Department Project Manager Matt Gorman briefly discussed the field restoration with the mayor and city commissioners. Minor said the clay had been ordered and was expected to arrive soon. Gorman said base paths would get about 2 inches of new clay and the elevated pitching mounds would get 6-8 inches of new clay.
Gorman said the backstop fence would be adjusted slightly to correct the field dimensions and some fence repairs would be needed as well. He said he hoped to have the restorations fully completed by Dec. 5.
“All the kids here who play baseball here are very grateful for this,” Commissioner Jessica Patel said.
She noted some of the teams that play at the county-owned G.T. Bray Park in west Bradenton are looking for additional fields to play and practice on.
“Keep in mind it’s not lit,” Mayor Judy Titsworth said.
“This is the type of field I would have loved to play on when I was kid,” Gorman said.
“If you build it, they will come,” Titsworth said in reference to the classic “Field of Dreams” baseball movie starring Kevin Costner.
The city-owned baseball field is named after former Major Leaguer George “Birdie” Tebbetts. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
The field is named after former Major League Baseball player, manager and scout George “Birdie” Tebbetts. From 1936-52, Tebbetts was catcher for the Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians. He then spent 11 years as a manager for the Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Braves and Cleveland Indians.
In 1956, while managing the Reds, Tebbetts was named Manager of the Year by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. He spent 28 years as a Major League scout. He moved to Anna Maria Island in the early 1960s and passed away in Bradenton in 1999 at age 86.
HOLMES BEACH – Erica Augello’s tenure as the Holmes Beach city attorney is coming to an end and a familiar face, Randy Mora, is expected to succeed her.
On Tuesday, Dec. 16, Mayor Judy Titsworth will seek city commission authorization to appoint Mora as Augello’s successor, effective Jan. 1. The city charter requires city commission approval to hire a city attorney, city clerk, city treasurer or police chief.
Augello and Mora are both partners in the Clearwater-based Trask Daigneault law firm that requested the change. On Nov. 13, Augello sent Titsworth a memo that formally requested the proposed change she and the mayor previously discussed.
“It is with great sadness that I must inform you that due to the business needs of my firm, I will no longer be able to serve as the city of Holmes Beach’s appointed city attorney. That being said, I will not be stepping away from the city entirely and will continue to serve as the city’s primary attorney for all code enforcement matters and wherever else I may be needed,” Augello stated in her memo.
“Though I will no longer be the city’s appointed city attorney, I hope that you will appoint and welcome my esteemed partner, Randy Mora, into that role. You, most of the commission, and city staff are well acquainted with Mr. Mora and I have no doubt that he will serve the city well in this role,” Augello wrote.
In October, the Bradenton Beach Commission appointed Augello to serve as that city’s interim city attorney for at least the next six months due to Ricinda Perry’s sudden retirement in September.
When speaking to The Sun on Nov. 21, Augello was asked if the Bradenton Beach assignment played a role in her pending departure as Holmes Beach’s city attorney.
“No, absolutely not. It has everything to do with availability and conflicting schedules with some of our other clients in Pinellas County – specifically with the city of Pinellas Park,” Augello said. “That is the only reason and that’s why I’m staying as code enforcement attorney in Holmes Beach. I truly enjoy serving that community but we are a team at Trask Daigneault and this is something I needed to do for my team. I’ve truly enjoyed my time sitting at the dais and serving the Holmes Beach community,” Augello said.
“The quality of service is not going to go down. The city is familiar with Randy. He was an instrumental part of the team that helped with the (Bert) Harris Act cases. He was also an integral part in successfully bringing the treehouse case to a close for the city. Our firm will continue to serve the city of Holmes Beach in every way we can,” Augello said.
Titsworth expressed a similar sentiment when contacted by The Sun on Nov. 20 and asked if Augello’s departure was related to her new Bradenton Beach assignment.
“Absolutely not. I was perfectly fine with her representing both cities and I think she’ll be great for Bradenton Beach,” Titsworth said.
Regarding the conversations that occurred before Augello formally requested the attorney change in her memo, Titsworth said, “I said we’d OK with Randy. He’s been helping the city for a long time. He’s well known by the city. He was part of the treehouse lawsuit. He also does our ethics training, so most of the commissioners already know him.”
Regarding Augello’s tenure as city attorney, Titsworth said, “She has been a tremendous asset to us and she’ll be a tremendous asset for the city of Bradenton Beach. I wish her well and we’ll still see her representing us at special magistrate hearings.”
Titsworth will present Mora’s appointment to city commissioners on Dec. 16 and Augello and Mora are both expected to attend the commission’s last meeting of 2025.
Augello began her tenure as Holmes Beach city attorney on Jan. 1, 2022, succeeding Patricia Petruff in the role. At the time, Augello already served as the city’s code compliance attorney.
Mora’s background
According to the updated résumé that Mora provided to the city and The Sun on Nov. 20, Mora served as the Indian Rocks Beach city attorney for the past 10 years – an assignment he ended in June when he chose not to renew his contract with the city.
Randy Mora is expected to serve as Holmes Beach’s next city attorney. – Trask Daigneault | Submitted
In recent years, Mora assisted the Indian Rocks Beach city commission with the adoption of an occupancy-based short-term vacation rental ordinance that prompted multiple lawsuits filed by vacation rental owners.
Mora served as the Pinellas Park city attorney from January of this year until November. He previously served as the Belleair Beach city attorney for three years and the Kenneth City town attorney for nearly eight years. He’s served as the town of Indian Shores’ special magistrate since 2020.
Rate increase
In her Nov. 13 memo to Titsworth, Augello also proposed increasing the hourly rate for city attorney services from $200 to $285 per hour.
“This rate not only meets with the current market but also reflects the value of the services that the city is receiving from the firm,” Augello stated in her memo.
HOLMES BEACH – The city will celebrate its 75th anniversary on Friday, Dec. 5 with music, food, shopping and more.
Hosted by the city and co-sponsored by the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and Waste Pro, the anniversary celebration will be held at City Field, 6001 Marina Drive, from 5-9 p.m., next to city hall.
“Holmes Beach Turns 75. Join the celebration. You will not want to miss this event,” according to the city website and Facebook post. “We’re celebrating 75 amazing years of our beautiful Holmes Beach community and you’re invited! Bring your family, friends and Island spirit for a free evening of music, activities, vendors and hometown fun.
Enjoy shopping, treats and displays from your favorite Island businesses and organizations. A variety of delicious food and beverages will be available for purchase from local favorites.”
Jah Movement and Trevor Bystrom will perform the evening’s live music and kids’ activities will include a bounce house and face painting.
Participating businesses and organizations include AMI Health & Fitness, Anna Maria Island Coffee Shack, the Anna Maria Island Historical Society, Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch & Shorebird Monitoring, Boho Beach Escape, Distractions on The Island, Edibles N’ More, the Freckled Fin Irish Pub, Jimmy CakeZ, Keep Manatee Beautiful, Kona Ice of N. Sarasota, Marquis Management, Oliviea Salt Scrubs, Pizzano’s Pizza, Pizza Social, Rodney’s Jamaican Grill, SeaBreeze Vacation, Skinny’s, Waste Pro, West Coast Surf Shop, the West Manatee Fire & Rescue District, World Famous Eggrolls, Aloha Party Experts, AMB Photography, Beckers Car Shows and more.
To help support local families facing food shortages, please consider bringing dry and non-perishable food donations to assist the Anna Maria-based Roser Food Pantry’s efforts to support community members in need during the holiday season.
“Come celebrate our city’s history, our neighbors and the Island community we love. Here’s to 75 years of Holmes Beach – and many more ahead,” according to the city’s message.
City history
According to the history provided at the city website, “Sam and Annie Cobb first homesteaded 160 acres on Anna Maria Island in 1896 in the area now called Holmes Beach. John R. Jones and Jose Casanas soon joined the Cobbs. Jones piloted boats running between Tampa and Cuba. Casanas relocated from the Canary Islands in search of mullet fishing grounds.
“The city derives its name from Jack Holmes, a developer who arrived on the Island after World War II and created a 600-acre community. When the city was incorporated in 1950, Halsey T. Tichenor served as its first mayor,” according to the website.
CORTEZ – A community meeting for residents to learn about Manatee County’s post-hurricane recovery assistance program, Lasting Manatee, is scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 10 from 6-7 p.m. at the Old Cortez Fire Station, 4523 123rd St. Court W.
An open question and answer session with Manatee County staff is planned. Discussions will center around home repairs, replacements and buyouts, infrastructure repair and mitigation projects, eligibility and how to apply for assistance.
The application process for individual assistance is expected to begin in early 2026. At that time, individuals may submit their needs for disaster recovery activities on their property.
Lasting Manatee is the county’s program for the allocation of Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). In January, Manatee County was identified as a direct recipient of $252,711,000 in CDBG-DR funds to address unmet needs from the 2024 hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton.
HUD requires that 70% of all CDBG-DR funds benefit low- and moderate-income populations.
Lasting Manatee is currently accepting suggestions for potential projects from county partners, social service organizations, nonprofits, community groups and business organizations.
“CDBG-DR funds focus on restoring and rebuilding infrastructure, housing and community facilities. Examples include new construction, reconstruction and rehabilitation of housing; public facilities and improvements; economic revitalization; hazard mitigation and resilience projects; and public services (limited to 15% of allocation),” according to the Lasting Manatee website.
Interested individuals may sign up for email notifications and check for updates at the Lasting Manatee website.
For accessibility questions or to request a reasonable accommodation to attend the meeting, contact Carmine DeMilo, ADA compliance coordinator at 941-748-4501 ext. 6016 or carmine.demilo@mymanatee.org at least three business days before the meeting.
When winter arrives with cold winds and plunging water temperatures, it’s time to change your angling strategies. While winter fishing can be challenging, there are opportunities for some excellent action if you use your senses and think like a fish. While there are no “magic bullets,” awareness and persistence really pays dividends when the thermometer begins to plunge.
The most popular species (snook, redfish and trout) will often concentrate in areas where the surrounding waters are more moderate. Snook are most sensitive to the changing water temperature and will migrate to rivers, canals and protected channels. Explore areas where dark bottom absorbs the heat of the sun and warms the surrounding water. Shallow bays and bayous that heat up quickly on sunny days and flush warm water on late afternoon outgoing tides can be particularly productive. Even the seawalls that line residential areas can warm up the water and attract fish on cold days. It doesn’t take much of a temperature difference to attract fish. You’ll know these areas because they’ll feel warm to you as well as to fish.
When fishing a particular area, pay attention to the exposure that receives the most sun during the day. Areas protected from a cold north wind will be more desirable to fish. The wind moves the water, keeping it from absorbing the sun’s rays and warming. A combination of sun exposure, depth and the color of the bottom will all figure into the warm water equation.
When the weather prevents the sun from warming the water, look for deeper pockets to harbor fish. The deeper areas warm more slowly, but they also cool more slowly. Channels, holes under big boats in canals, deep pot holes on the flats and boat basins are all potential refuges for fish during cold weather. Rivers and creeks are also good sanctuaries depending on the conditions.
While many local species are negatively affected by the cold water, many, like trout and redfish, have a high tolerance. Others actually thrive on it. The best example is the sheepshead. These fish, while shunned by some anglers, are hard fighting, challenging to hook and excellent to eat. Target sheepshead around structure where they feed on barnacles. One way to attract sheepshead is to scrape barnacles from pilings on an outgoing or incoming tide. A small live shrimp is hard for them to turn down; fiddler crabs are also prime baits. A small, stout and sharp hook is necessary for their tough mouths and you have to be quick setting the hook. It’s often said that you need to set the hook a split second before they bite!
Once you find the ideal conditions, remember to slow your presentation. Lures and bait fished slowly, and close to the bottom, (low and slow) will generally draw more strikes than a quick retrieve. Use your senses, experiment and be persistent, and you can experience some very good fishing during our cooler winter months.
HOLMES BEACH – Steve Oelfke, Jessica Patel and Terry Schaefer were sworn in to their two-year city commission terms on Nov. 18, followed by the newly-reconfigured commission’s organizational meeting, during which Commissioner Carol Whitmore was elected as chair.
Swearing in
During the city election that concluded Nov. 4, incumbent commissioners Oelfke and Schaefer were reelected and Patel was elected for the first time. After receiving the least number of votes in the city election, longtime commissioner Carol Soustek’s time in office has ended.
From left, Commissioners Terry Schaefer, Jessica Patel and Steve Oelfke were sworn in on Nov. 18. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
City Clerk Stacey Johnston conducted the well-attended afternoon swearing-in ceremony. Johnson provided some background information and her personal appreciation for each commissioner before swearing them in and administering the oath of office.
Whitmore elected chair
The ceremony was followed by the commission’s annual organizational meeting, during which the five commissioners select someone to serve as commission chair and someone to serve as the vice chair for the next 12 months. The chair leads the commission meetings and works with the mayor and the city clerk to set the agendas for the commission meetings and work sessions.
Schaefer nominated current Commission Chair Dan Diggins to serve another one-year term in the position. Taking her first action as a new commissioner, Patel nominated Commissioner Carol Whitmore to chair the commission. Patel, Oelfke and Whitmore voted for Whitmore and Schaefer and Diggins voted for Diggins. The commission then unanimously selected Diggins to serve as vice chair.
Regular meeting
During the regular meeting, the reconfigured commission adopted on second and final reading two previously reviewed and discussed ordinances.
The city commission’s adoption of Ordinance 25-06 updates the city’s regulations for seawalls, bulkheads, docks and piers.
According to the memo that Director of Development Services Chad Minor included in the meeting packet, “The ordinance provisions provide clarity to homeowners and contractors on docks, lifts, mooring areas and structures within Outstanding Florida Waters.”
During the planning commission’s final review of the proposed ordinance on Nov. 5, Minor said during the multi-meeting ordinance review process that the city received several letters from property owners in the Seaside Gardens subdivision.
Minor said a provision requested by Seaside Garden property owners along the Watson’s Bayou shoreline now allows those docks to extend 30 feet from the seawall instead of 25 feet. The ordinance also allows shared docks for Watson’s Bayou shoreline property owners, including duplex owners who face additional space restrictions.
The adopted 18-page ordinance also addresses several other specific docking locations and includes diagrams of many of those locations.
The city commission’s adoption of Ordinance 25-13 brings the city into compliance with a recent state law that requires code-compliant plat and replat requests to be administratively reviewed and approved by city staff without being presented to the city commission.
Minor told city commissioners this was “a necessity ordinance” requested and written by City Attorney Erica Augello in response to the Legislature’s adoption of Senate Bill 784 earlier this year and the ensuing state law that took effect on July 1.
During the recent planning commission meeting, Minor said plat and replat requests are rare in Holmes Beach but the new state law could come into play if the Gloria Dei Lutheran Church property is sold and the new owners want to replat the property for future development.
Traffic signals
The commission voted 5-0 in favor of opting out of a previously reached 20-year agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) that obligates the city to maintain the state-owned traffic signals at the Manatee Avenue/Gulf Drive intersection and the Manatee Avenue/East Bay Drive intersection.
City officials no longer want the maintenance responsibilities for this Manatee Avenue/Gulf Drive traffic signal. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
According to the existing agreement, the city must give FDOT two years notice of the city’s intent to opt out of the agreement. The opt-out will take effect July 1, 2028 unless FDOT wants the opt-out to take effect sooner.
The city’s public works department will continue to maintain the traffic signal at the Gulf Drive/Marina Drive intersection.
HOLMES BEACH – This year’s Rotary Club of Anna Maria Island and Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce annual business awards ceremony was a celebration of community and resiliency in the wake of last year’s devastating hurricanes.
The Rotary and Chamber award winners were announced during the AMI Chamber’s annual members gala at the Key Royale Club in Holmes Beach on Nov. 20.
Anna Maria Island Resorts General Manager Katy Demick won the AMI Rotary Club’s 2026 Business Person of the Year award.
Joann Baker won the Chamber’s new and first-ever Ambassador of the Year award.
The Palma Sola Botanical Park Foundation was named the Chamber’s 2026 Non-Profit of the Year.
The Cool Beans A.M.I. coffee shop in Anna Maria was named the Chamber’s 2026 Small Business of the Year.
The Holmes Beach-based HSH Collective interior design firm was named the Chamber’s 2026 Medium Business of the Year.
The Freckled Fin Irish Pub in Holmes Beach was named the Chamber’s 2026 Large Business of the Year.
Many of the speeches given by the award presenters and the award recipients reflected on the Anna Maria Island business community’s initial and ongoing recovery from Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
The Thursday evening event also included the presentation of the Chamber’s 2026 board members that included four-year chairperson Katy Demick passing the gavel to the board’s new chair, Anna Maria Island Real Estate Corporation owner and broker Bill Romberger.
Rotary award
The award presentations began with Slicker’s Eatery owner, Rotarian and past award winner Bob Slicker presenting the AMI Rotary Club’s Business Person of the Year 2026 award to Anna Maria Island Resort General Manager Katy Demick. Anna Maria Island Beach Resorts operates the Tortuga Beach Resort and the Tradewinds Beach Resort in Bradenton Beach.
Katy Demick received the Rotary Club’s Business Person of the Year award from Rotarian and Slicker’s Eatery owner Bob Slicker. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
When reflecting on the aftermath of the 2024 hurricanes, Slicker said, “We just went through the worst year of lives businesswise.”
He noted the Anna Maria Island Resorts team spent a couple of days in Cortez assisting residents and businesses before they were able to return to the Island to check on their resorts.
When reading aloud a written statement from Anna Maria Island Resorts co-owner Marlene Sobol Masson, Slicker said, “Your dedication to Anna Maria Island Resorts and the pride you take in your work have made a tremendous impact on our success. You’ve always impressed me with your work ethic, your heart, the way you pour yourself into every single task you do. It’s truly been a pleasure having you on my team and watching you grow and achieve so much. We are all incredibly proud of you. This is an honor so well-deserved.”
When accepting the award, Demick said, “Thank you to everybody. I’ve made such great connections through this Chamber and this community. You all are amazing and you all do a great job.”
Chamber awards
When presenting the Ambassador of The Year award to Baker, Chamber President Terri Kinder said, “Your dedication to the Anna Maria Island Chamber and its members is so appreciated.”
Joann Baker received the Chamber’s inaugural Ambassador of the Year award. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
As a Chamber ambassador, Baker follows up with new members and introduces them to other members during the Chamber’s networking events. Baker is a banker with the United Community Bank.
Salon, Salon owner and stylist Nakita Fosmore served as the Chamber’s Business Award Committee chairperson and the panel of judges included SERVPRO of West Bradenton/Anna Maria Account Manager Kellie Spring, Salty Mermaid Real Estate & Vacation Rentals owner and broker Liz Blandford and Cedar Cove Resort Manager Eric Cairns.
Before presenting the business awards, Fosmore said, “The hurricanes last year tested us in ways we could not have imagined. Many of you had to rebuild and we all had to adapt and we kept going – not because it was easy, but because our community depended on it. What we saw, what we witnessed, was resilience, unity and strength, and that was because of you. Thank you for showing up, supporting one another and helping our community rise up.”
Palma Sola Botanical Park Foundation Executive Director Beverly Burdette and Office Manager Jenny Gunter accepted the Chamber’s 2026 Non-Profit of the Year award. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
When presenting Non-Profit of the Year award, Spring said the citizen-led Palma Sola Botanical Park Foundation protects 10 acres of land near Robinson Preserve in west Bradenton and offers interactive educational experiences and a serene environment to explore landscapes, while hosting community events, providing free trees and more.
Executive Director Beverly Burdette and Office Manager Jenny Gunter accepted the award on behalf of the foundation.
“We strive to be a wonderful community resource,” Burdette said. “In December, we have a four-night, free admission fundraiser. The whole park is lit up with Christmas lights. We have Santa, hot cider, vendors, food trucks and live holiday music – all free. We strive to be the premier botanical gardens in Manatee County. We really appreciate this award.”
The Winter Nights Under the Lights event Burdette mentioned is Thursday, Dec. 18 through Sunday, Dec. 21 at the botanical park at 9800 17th Ave. N.W.
Cool Beans A.M.I.
Before presenting the small business of the year award to Cool Beans A.M.I. owner Morgan Bryant, Blandford said, “The vision for this small business began long before it opened its doors. Its owner grew up dreaming of creating a business that captured the warmth, connection and sense of community she felt in the neighborhood coffee shop she loved as a kid. That nostalgia became the foundation for a space built on joy, intention and togetherness. Starting small, they listened closely to their customers and curated a menu focused on quality and wellness, serving only organic coffee and using reverse osmosis water.
“Their impact reaches far beyond great coffee. They provide a supportive, understanding environment for their team, give back to locals whenever possible and serve as a platform for local artists by offering a space to share and sell their work. Even while rebuilding themselves, they continued to show up for their community,” Blandford said.
When accepting the award, Bryant said, “Thank you so much. This is such an honor. We’ve all been through so much this last year. I’m a coffee shop owner. It’s something I wanted to do my whole life. I love health food and to be able to bring organic coffee to the Island and it’s so important what we put in our bodies every single day.”
HSH Collective
Senior Interior Designer Bridgette Latessa accepted the Medium Business of the Year award on behalf of HSH Collective founder and principal interior designer Jessica Holmes Holiday.
When presenting the award, Fosmore said, “This year’s Medium Business of the Year honoree is built on two pillars: exceptional design and deep community connection. Led by a talented interior designer, this business has flourished – not just because of her creative vision, but because of the team that she has built: a collective of moms, wives and creatives who are encouraged to grow both professionally and personally while doing the work they truly love. “Guided by one simple philosophy for the future: keep growing and stay grounded. Their impact goes beyond design. They are strong supporters of The Center, Pace Centers for Girls and they give back to the community whenever possible. What sets them apart is their belief that they’re not just designing houses. They’re helping people create homes, strengthening community and building something larger than themselves,” Fosmore said.
Senior Interior Designer Bridgette Latessa accepted the Medium Business of the Year award given to the HSH Collective. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
When accepting the award, Latessa said, “I work with a beautiful team. We create beautiful spaces. We’re so lucky to have such an incredible collective and be a part of this beautiful community. Thank you.”
Freckled Fin
Before presenting the Large Business of the Year award, Cairns said, “All of you here tonight are survivors of what transpired last year. It was very difficult for all of us I know and I’m so glad to see all of you here this evening. Thank you for being here.”
He then said, “This year’s winner is a place many locals consider they’re home away from home and they extend that same warm welcome to every visitor who walks through their doors. A lively and innovative place to be, they blend the charm of traditional tavern with the released spirit of our Island’s beach culture. Their journey has not been without challenges, relocation, natural disasters, even a pandemic, but time and time again they arise stronger than before.
“They never say no to a fundraiser, they continuously support local causes and they have built a reputation for exceptional food, entertainment, hospitality and heart. The business doesn’t just serve the community, they help make our slice of paradise even better,” Cairns said.
Freckled Fin General Manager Steve Shannon accepted the Chamber’s Large Business of the Year award. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
When accepting the award, Freckled Fin General Manager Steve Shannon said, “This really means a lot. It’s nice to be rewarded for your hard work. Thank you to our great staff. We wouldn’t be here without them and their great dedication. This award doesn’t just go to me; it goes to everybody at the Freckled Fin. Thank you,” Shannon said.
HOLMES BEACH – The Rod & Reel restaurant is now open as a landlocked affiliate of the Rod & Reel Pier in Anna Maria that awaits replacement after its destruction by Hurricane Milton last year.
Within 15 minutes of officially opening on Nov. 21 at 8 a.m., Oliver “Oli” Lemke’s new 60-seat restaurant at 3246 East Bay Drive was more than half full and many patrons were longtime Rod & Reel Pier regulars.
Breakfast is served until 11 a.m. daily. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Offering indoor and outdoor seating and serving breakfast until 11 a.m., The Rod & Reel is open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. The menu is essentially the same as the old Rod & Reel Pier menu and includes fried clam strips ($16), grouper sandwich or grouper Reuben (market price), the Pier Burger ($15), the Oyster Po’ Boy sandwich ($26) the Pier Hot Dog ($9), grouper, garlic grouper and Mexican grouper dinner entrees (market price) and much more.
The new menu closely resembles the old Rod & Reel Pier menu. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Featuring a large mural of the old pier, the iconic Rod & Reel Pier sign, engraved pier planks and artifacts recovered from the hurricane debris and old photos, the restaurant interior pays homage to the Rod & Reel Pier in Anna Maria that was badly damaged by Hurricane Helene and mostly destroyed by Hurricane Milton. Four video screens hanging under the recovered pier planks display live video footage of the remains of the old pier and Tampa Bay.
A large mural of the old pier graces one of the dining room walls. – Joe Hendricks | Su
Lemke said he felt a mixture of excitement and relief as he watched his new restaurant fill with joyful customers.
“It took eight months to get this place ready and it was only possible through the tremendous effort of everybody on the team who helped create this,” he said. “People know The Rod & Reel Pier and we said we’d do this as a substitute for the time being. It will keep us attached to the community and every bite counts. The money you spend here is going toward the rebuild of the pier. Everybody wants the pier back and we’re determined to do that.”
This is what remains of the Rod & Reel Pier in Anna Maria. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Holmes Beach residents Tina and Rich Niemeyer were among the first to arrive Friday morning.
“I had the sausage and cheese omelet. It’s wonderful,” Tina said.
Holmes Beach residents Tina and Rich Niemeyer can resume their Sunday morning breakfast tradition. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
“We’ve been going to The Rod & Reel Pier for Sunday breakfast for 11 years. We were devastated when the pier was lost. We’re glad this open and we’re glad to be here on opening day,” Rich said, noting their Sunday morning tradition will resume.
Holmes Beach residents Dennis and Carole Groh enjoyed their Friday morning breakfast. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Holmes Beach residents Dennis and Carol Groh were also happy to be eating a Rod & Reel breakfast again.
While enjoying an omelet, Dennis said, “It’s great. Just like I remember. We’ve been coming to the pier for 50 years. This is our chance to relive some memories.”
Indiana residents Tom and Lisa Cates have strong family ties to The Rod & Reel Pier. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
While enjoying breakfast, Indiana natives Tom and Lisa Cates discussed their deep family ties to The Rod & Reel Pier. The pier was built in 1947 and Tom’s grandfather purchased a lot on nearby Fern Street in 1948 and built a cottage that housed Tom and his family many times during their visits to Anna Maria.
“The Rod & Reel was a mainstay when we came to the Island,” he said.
After Tom’s grandfather passed away in 2012, the family sold the Anna Maria property but the Island visits continued.
“We’ve been coming here multiple times a year for all my life,” Tom said. “Lisa and I just bought a home in Anna Maria and we’re thrilled that they’re going to rebuild the pier. We’re 100% behind the Rod & Reel. It’s very emotional for us because so many of our relatives came here and it was a dear part of our tradition.”
“We’re just thrilled for the Rod & Reel,” Lisa said. “We counted it up and we’ve brought 14 families here over the years.”
Keith Bomeline and Shirl Hannigan used to ride their bikes to The Rod & Reel Pier.
Cortez resident Shirl Hannigan and Bradenton Beach resident Keith Bomeline enjoyed breakfast while sitting at the new L-shaped bar that’s embedded with old pier photographs.
“I’m excited, and their lunch menu is awesome, too. We used to bicycle to the pier every Saturday and have their chowder and $1 beers,” Hannigan said.
“It’s great to be back. It’s been a long time and the place looks fantastic,” Bomeline added.
Oliver “Oli” Lemke hopes the Holmes Beach restaurant revenues will help build a new pier in Anna Maria. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Lemke owns and operates a brewery and four restaurants in Germany and he bought The Rod & Reel Pier from German businessman Mario Schoenfelder in 2023. After a successful opening weekend in Holmes Beach, he returned to Germany and left The Rod & Reel’s daily operations in the hands of Manager Adina Vasquez.
Suncoast Waterkeeper is calling all residents to stand up for clean water. In just two weeks, communities everywhere will unite for Giving Tuesday, a day built on gratitude, generosity and collective action. At Suncoast Waterkeeper, that spirit fuels the work we do every single day to protect the waters that define our home.
Your support drives real, measurable impact. It helps Suncoast Waterkeeper:
• Test 19 bayfront sites weekly for bacteria;
• Monitor nutrients each month to track pollution trends;
• Expand our PFAS sampling to uncover hidden threats;
• Defend vital habitats like mangroves and seagrass that keep our coast resilient;
• Engage residents to become informed voices for clean water; and
• Take responsible legal action when our waterways and communities are put at risk.
This builds the foundation for safer beaches, healthier ecosystems and a future where our waterways remain places of joy, recreation and connection.
As Giving Tuesday approaches, Suncoast Waterkeeper hopes you will include us in your giving plans. Your gift, no matter the size, helps safeguard the Suncoast and ensures our clean water work stays strong.
Anyone who supports Suncoast Water and makes a donation by midnight on Dec. 2 can enter to win a free copy of Rivers Always Reach The Sea: Angling Stories by New York Times bestselling author Monte Burke, plus a ticket to his talk at Bookstore1 on Tuesday, Dec. 9. Join Burke and Suncoast Waterkeeper for an inspiring evening about angling, conservation and the stories that connect us to our waterways.
Give early, support clean water and don’t miss your chance to win. Suncoast Waterkeeper has become the premier environmental organization in the region and has made a huge impact in protecting our waters and holding polluters accountable. Recent legal action by SCWK has the City of Bradenton under a consent order for the massive amounts of sewage that they have been releasing into the Manatee River due to an aging and failing infrastructure. Rusty Chinnis is chairman of Suncoast Waterkeeper
It’s Thanksgiving, and we in Florida have enjoyed a more than spectacular run of weather somewhere between good and fantastic. However, the most fantastic thing we have to be grateful for is no hurricanes this year after last year’s devastation.
Something else to be grateful for if you’re a condo owner is an update to the laws mandating building milestone inspections. The Florida legislation on mandatory milestone inspections for condominiums, enacted after the 2021 Surfside collapse, provides specific exceptions for certain building types. Subsequent laws have refined these exemptions, mostly notably by using the concept of “habitable stories.”
The “habitable stories” clarification is a 2025 legislative update (HB 913) which clarified that a milestone inspection is required only for buildings with three or more habitable stories. This means that a three-story building where one or more floors are for non-habitable uses like parking may be exempt.
In addition, the Structural Integrity Reserve Study (SIRS) requirement, which mandates that associations fully fund reserves for major repairs, shares similar exemptions.
Also, these dwellings with three or fewer habitable stories above ground are exempt: Single-family homes, two-family dwellings (duplexes), three-family dwellings (triplexes) and four-family dwellings (quadruplexes), as added by 2024 legislation (HB 1021).
When the initial law was passed in 2021 stating that three-story buildings were part of the inspection mandate, there were a lot of questions about condos that were two stories over parking, a popular design on Anna Maria Island and the surrounding areas. Unfortunately, it took the legislation four years to clarify what they really meant with the simple word “habitable.” This omission created extra work and expense for condominiums that were two habitable stories but were considered three stories in the original law.
Let’s see what the Manatee County sales statistics are for the month of October reported by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee. As you read these statistics, keep in mind that in October 2024, Hurricane Milton impacted all of Manatee County.
Single-family homes closed 26.8% more properties this year compared to last year. The median sale price this year was $481,000, an increase of 0.2% from last year, and the average sale price was $616,842, an increase of 1% from last year. The median time to contract was 55 days compared to 60 days last year and there were 42.4% new listings in October this year compared to last year. The month’s supply of available properties was 4.2 months compared to 3.9 months last year.
Condos closed 8.0% more properties this October compared to last year. The median sale price was $292,500, down 10.8% from last year, and the average sale price was $333,774, down 6.9% from last year. The median time to contract was 86 days compared to 75 days last year, and there were 44.4% new listings this year compared to last year. The month’s supply of available properties was 6.3 months compared to 6 months last year.
The strong increase in statistics is nice to see, however, please note that comparisons are skewed by the sharp drop in activity during the October 2024 hurricane season. In reality, the recent trends point to a market that is rebalancing and stabilizing with the help of a mild hurricane season
There are still residents of Manatee County and in particular Anna Maria Island and the coastal communities working on repairs to their homes and roofs from Helene and Milton. Nevertheless, most of us are feeling cautiously happy, and this is really something to be thankful for. Happy Thanksgiving.
Mike Riddick recorded his first hole-in-one on Nov. 19 playing the 8th hole at Key Royale Golf Club. Riddick used a 9-iron to ace the 136-yard-long hole. – Key Royale Golf Club | Submitted
HOLMES BEACH – Due to public opposition, the city of Holmes Beach’s multi-use path enhancement project along Marina Drive will not include a brick paver sidewalk along 65th Street.
According to the initial plans presented to the Manatee County Tourist Development Council (TDC) members in October, the now-discarded brick paver sidewalk would have been at least 5 feet wide and would have extended from the Marina Drive/65th Street intersection to the beach access near the Gulf Drive/65th Street intersection.
The proposed 65th Street sidewalk was intended to enhance pedestrian access between the Marina Drive multi-use path and the 65th Street beach access.
The revised project plan diagram obtained from the city now includes a new sidewalk to instead be installed along 45th Street, between Second Avenue and the 45th Street beach access. The new sidewalk will connect to an existing sidewalk that extends from Second Avenue to Gulf Drive.
The city provided this revised one-page project document that includes a new sidewalk along 45th Street that is highlighted in yellow, toward the bottom of the diagram. – City of Holmes Beach | Submitted
On Oct. 30, the Manatee County Tourist Development Council (TDC) recommended county commission approval of the city request to use $395,011 in tourist development tax revenues to install a section of 8-foot-wide, concrete multi-use path along Marina Drive between 56th and 66th streets. The new section of multi-use path will replace the last remaining section of a narrow sidewalk that connects to the wider and newer multi-use path at either end.
The proposed project calls for the replacement of the last remaining section of narrow sidewalk along Marina Drive. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Holmes Beach resident Julie Andrews was among the residents who sent emails to city officials expressing opposition to a path or sidewalk being installed along 65th Street, where no sidewalks exist.
On Nov. 14, Andrews received an email from Holmes Beach Commissioner Steve Oelfke that stated the 65th Street component was no longer included the plans. In his email, Oelfke stated he was pleased with this outcome and appreciated the efforts of Andrews and others to bring their concerns to the city’s attention.
The new segment of sidewalk now included in the plans will connect to this existing sidewalk along 45th Street. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
When contacted on Nov. 20, Mayor Judy Titsworth confirmed the plan revisions and she said she didn’t expect the changes to impact the city’s TDC-supported funding request that has not yet been presented for final county commission approval.
