Skip to main content
Joe Hendricks

Joe Hendricks

February 11, 2017
Joe Hendricks the editor of the Anna Maria Island Sun. As a Sun reporter, Joe primarily covers the cities of Anna Maria and Holmes Beach, including those two city goverments. He also covers Island-related matters at the county and state levels.
Email Joe Hendricks
March 2, 2018
By Joe Hendricks
Moratorium expiring

Building moratorium will expire soon

BRADENTON BEACH – Despite an appeal from a city commissioner, Bradenton Beach’s voter-initiated building moratorium will expire on Wednesday, March 7. On behalf of some of her constituents, Commis…
February 27, 2018
By Joe Hendricks
Chip Case

Vacation rental bills in peril

TALLAHASSEE – Behind the scenes maneuvering by lobbyist Chip Case, Anna Maria City Attorney Becky Vose and her son, attorney Wade Vose, may have helped derail two vacation rentals bills being debated…
February 27, 2018
By Joe Hendricks
AM pier firings

Pier plank firings reversed

ANNA MARIA – Peter Piir and Taylor Mannhart are once again working for the city of Anna Maria. They returned to work on Friday, Feb. 23, after being reinstated by Mayor Dan Murphy. They were fired…
February 26, 2018
By Joe Hendricks
Commissioner Amy Tripp

Tripp joins Anna Maria commission

ANNA MARIA – Amy Tripp has been appointed to fill the City Commission seat recently vacated by Nancy Yetter. The commission appointment occurred at the Thursday, Feb. 22 commission meeting. Tripp…
February 20, 2018
By Joe Hendricks
Bradenton Beach driveway disturbed

Driveway restoration discussed

BRADENTON BEACH – Commissioner Jake Spooner initiated a follow-up discussion on driveway restoration during last week’s City Commission meeting. Portions of several driveways along Avenue C have b…
February 20, 2018
By Joe Hendricks
Bradenton Beach undergound utilities

CRA discussing underground utility lines

BRADENTON BEACH – The city’s Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) is ramping up its conversations on putting utility lines along Bridge Street underground. CRA chair Ralph Cole has been advocating…
February 14, 2018
By Joe Hendricks
AMI Pier Pilings

Commission chooses concrete pier pilings

Updated Feb. 15, 2018 ANNA MARIA – The new Anna Maria City Pier will be built with concrete pilings. In March, the Anna Maria City Commission will decide if the pier will be feature hardwood de…
February 13, 2018
By Joe Hendricks
Anna Maria City Pier

Mayor optimistic about state funds for new pier

Updated Feb. 15, 2018 ANNA MARIA – The city’s request for $750,000 in state funds to help build a new pier has cleared another hurdle. According to Mayor Dan Murphy, the bills containing the mo…
February 13, 2018
By Joe Hendricks
Senate Vacation Rental Bill

Vacation rental bill favored by second Senate committee

Watch the meeting here at 3 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 13. TALLAHASSEE – The vacation rental legislation now known as CS/SB 1400 has been further amended and reported favorable by the Florida Senate’s Regul…
February 11, 2018
By Joe Hendricks
Driveway restoration concerns

Commission concerned about driveway damage, restoration

BRADENTON BEACH – A Feb. 8 commission discussion on bike and pedestrian improvements produced a parallel conversation about who might pay to restore driveways disturbed by Manatee County’s water and…
February 6, 2018
By Joe Hendricks

Quinn helping raise funds for pier

ANNA MARIA – Resident Sissy Quinn is trying to raise $100,000 or more to help build a new city pier. Quinn has set up a GoFundMe page that is affiliated with her Anna Maria Island Preservation Tru…
February 6, 2018
By Joe Hendricks
Darcie Duncan

Duncan named Manatee Chamber chair

MANATEE COUNTY – Duncan Real Estate owner Darcie Duncan is the new chair of the Manatee Chamber of Commerce. The honor was bestowed on the Anna Maria businesswoman during a Chamber event at the Br…
February 6, 2018
By Joe Hendricks
Vacation Rental bills

Compromise sought on competing rental bills

TALLAHASSEE – An amended version of a vacation rental bill filed by Sen. Greg Steube (R-Sarasota) passed through its first Senate committee minus the amendments that Sen. David Simmons (R-Longwood) p…
January 30, 2018
By Joe Hendricks
Happiest city

City sitting out ‘happiest town’ vote

ANNA MARIA – The city of Anna Maria will not be assisting in any “get out the vote” efforts regarding Anna Maria being named one of Coastal Living magazine’s Top 10 “America’s Happiest Seaside Towns…
January 30, 2018
By Joe Hendricks
AM Pier Firing

Plank removal leads to firings

ANNA MARIA – A family’s concerns about an engraved pier plank and a friend’s efforts to help cost two Anna Maria Public Works Department employees their jobs. Last week, Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murph…