Skip to main content
Joe Hendricks

Joe Hendricks

February 11, 2017
Joe Hendricks is 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 governments. He also covers Island-related matters at the county and state levels, breaking Island news, events and entertainment and more.
Email Joe Hendricks
April 24, 2018
By Joe Hendricks
Bradenton Beach Parking Garage

Commissioners discuss parking garages, more

BRADENTON BEACH – City Commissioners want to prohibit parking garages citywide, but they don’t feel amending the city charter is the way to do it. In other charter-related business, the commission…
April 20, 2018
By Joe Hendricks
Anna Maria Beach Use Dispute

Beach dispute predates new law

ANNA MARIA – When discussing a new state law taking effect July 1 regarding beach access and private property rights, Anna Maria commissioners heard about an existing dispute. On April 12, the may…
April 17, 2018
By Joe Hendricks
Doo-Shots

Doo-Shots head to Vegas

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Ted Stevens and the Doo-Shots’ next gig will be in Las Vegas at the 21st annual Viva Las Vegas rockabilly weekend. On Saturday, April 21, the well-known local band will play a…
April 10, 2018
By Joe Hendricks
Rotary golf

Team Swordfish wins Golf Classic

BRADENTON – The foursome sponsored by the Swordfish Grill won the Rotary Club of Anna Maria Island’s fourth annual Golf Classic. Collectively, David Woods, Lewis Woods, Marty Lee and Chris Osborne…
April 10, 2018
By Joe Hendricks
Chiles Earth Day

Culinary Celebration to help build oyster reefs

ANNA MARIA – Tickets are now on sale for the START (Solutions to Avoid Red Tide) Culinary Celebration at The Studio at Gulf and Pine in Anna Maria on Sunday, April 22. The public is invited to att…
April 10, 2018
By Joe Hendricks
Deb Wing

Wing facing child abuse charge

HOLMES BEACH – Former Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce President Deborah Kay Wing is facing a charge of third degree felony child abuse without great bodily harm. According to the Holmes Beac…
April 3, 2018
By Joe Hendricks
Holmes Beach Right of Way

Alternate 57 stone used for right of way restoration

HOLMES BEACH – The 57 stone that Westra Construction is placing in Holmes Beach rights of way is not the same white, jagged lime rock previously used Island-wide for city-initiated drainage projects…
April 3, 2018
By Joe Hendricks
Kebony selected as siding for Anna Maria's pier buildings

Kebony selected as siding for pier buildings

Updated April 4, 2018 ANNA MARIA – City Commissioners voted Tuesday, April 3 that the exteriors of the restaurant and bait shop/bar built at the end of the new Anna Maria City Pier will feature br…
April 3, 2018
By Joe Hendricks
Anna Maria Bert Harris

Bert Harris counteroffers made

ANNA MARIA – City commissioners recently approved three more Bert Harris claim settlement offers, including one for a beachfront home at 107 Elm St. owned by Graham and Hazel Hansen. The Hansens r…
March 31, 2018
By Joe Hendricks
drowning Bradenton Beach

Liveaboard boater dies after water rescue

BRADENTON BEACH – Liveaboard boater and anchorage resident Brandon Nieuwkoop, 52, died the afternoon of Saturday, March 31 after being pulled from Anna Maria Sound waters near the historic Bradenton…
March 27, 2018
By Joe Hendricks
Side yard trash pickup

New rental regulations in effect

BRADENTON BEACH – City staff is now implementing, enforcing and working out the kinks in the city’s new vacation rental regulations and registration program that took effect March 19. The new rent…
March 27, 2018
By Joe Hendricks
Rotary Golf tourney car

Get a hole in one, win a car

BRADENTON – Golfers competing in the fourth annual Anna Maria Island Rotary Club Golf Classic on Wednesday, April 4, will have the chance to win a new Volkswagen SE Jetta Sport. A hole-in-one on t…
March 27, 2018
By Joe Hendricks
Farmer's market

Farmer’s market on today

Week two of the new Anna Maria Farmer’s Market is underway today until 5 p.m. This week’s market features a second produce vendor and a larger variety of produce offerings than the limited sup…
March 20, 2018
By Joe Hendricks

County voters adopt one-mill school tax

MANATEE COUNTY – By a slim margin, Manatee County voters passed the proposed one-mill school tax in the county election that concluded this evening. As a result, Manatee County property owners, fo…
March 20, 2018
By Joe Hendricks
Farmer's market

Farmer’s market debuts ‘in the round’

ANNA MARIA – Anna Maria’s new farmer’s market got off to an excellent, albeit abbreviated start Tuesday morning. Positioned in a semi-circle around the edge of the shade sail structure in City Pie…