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Cindy Lane

Cindy Lane

September 15, 2015
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March 22, 2020
By Cindy Lane
Coronavirus affecting turtle, bird monitoring

Coronavirus affecting turtle, bird monitoring

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – COVID-19 will keep most Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring volunteers off the beaches as sea turtle and bird nesting seasons begin, according to Director Suzi…
March 16, 2020
By Cindy Lane
DAR recognizes Cortez women with awards

DAR recognizes Cortez women with awards

CORTEZ – Three Cortez women, local historian Dr. Mary Fulford Green, artist Linda Molto and former Manatee County Commissioner Jane von Hahmann, were honored on Friday by the Manatee Chapter of the D…
March 15, 2020
By Cindy Lane
Beach Rafts 2

Coronavirus may be increasing tourism

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – While COVID-19 is causing canceled cruises, the shutdown of Disney World and widespread anxiety about venturing far from home, it may also be causing an unexpected uptick in Islan…
March 2, 2020
By Cindy Lane

Commission pledges $5 million in tourist funds to Mote

BRADENTON – Manatee County commissioners have committed $5 million in Manatee County tourist tax funds to Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota County for marketing over the next five years. Mote, wh…
March 2, 2020
By Cindy Lane
Shorebird survey marks start of season

Shorebird survey marks start of season

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Shorebird nesting season is beginning, and a three-day survey of shorebirds on Anna Maria Island beaches shows 38 black skimmers – a threatened species in Florida – preparing to n…
March 2, 2020
By Cindy Lane
Maria Wirries to sing in Sarasota

Maria Wirries to sing in Sarasota

SARASOTA – Broadway actress Maria Wirries, who entertained Anna Maria Island audiences as a child performer, will perform with the Sarasota Orchestra in “My Favorite Things” in three shows March 6-7…
February 17, 2020
By Cindy Lane
Author delights historical society

Author delights historical society

ANNA MARIA – Anna Maria Island Historical Society members were treated to a presentation at Roser Church on Friday about Patrick D. Smith’s well-known book, “A Land Remembered,” the story of a fictio…
February 17, 2020
By Cindy Lane
Fishing festival fun

Fishing festival fun

CORTEZ – The 38th Annual Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival was filled with fun last weekend, from live music to pony rides to seafood any way you like it. Warm, sunny weather attracted a large cr…
February 11, 2020
By Cindy Lane
Coquina Beach lifeguard stand

Lifeguards recognized for excellence

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Manatee County Beach Patrol employees Joey Garcia and Steven Cherello are the recipients of the 2019 Lifeguard of the Year Award and the 2019 Chief’s Award. The awards recogniz…
February 11, 2020
By Cindy Lane

Mote request trimmed

BRADENTON – Mote Marine Laboratory’s request for $5 million in Manatee County tourist tax funds was met on Monday with a recommendation to spend $1.25 million over 25 years instead. The Manatee Co…
February 11, 2020
By Cindy Lane
Wish You Were Here

New tourism campaign: ‘You’ll be back’

BRADENTON – “You’ll be back.” That’s the new message that Manatee County tourism officials will be sending to visitors, the Tourist Development Council (TDC) learned Monday. The county’s curren…
February 11, 2020
By Cindy Lane
Catch the Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival

Catch the Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival

CORTEZ – Besides enjoying fresh seafood, live music and everything else that the 38th Annual Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival will offer this weekend, you could win a handmade kayak. The kayak…
February 3, 2020
By Cindy Lane

Catch the Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival

CORTEZ – There’s something old and something new at the 38th Annual Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival, Feb. 15-16, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the historic fishing village. If you go Who: Flor…
February 3, 2020
By Cindy Lane
Beach umbrella

Tourist tax collections 2019

Here’s a look at tourist tax collections in Anna Maria Island’s three cities. Numbers reflect the approximate change from the same month in the previous year. 2019 tourist tax collections compared t…
January 28, 2020
By Cindy Lane
Charlie Hunsicker

Beach renourishment delayed until April

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The beach renourishment project originally slated to begin in February has been pushed back to April, according to Charlie Hunsicker, director of the Manatee County Parks and Natu…