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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.
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December 19, 2017
By Joe Hendricks
Copeland Citizen of Year

Copeland named Citizen of the Year

ANNA MARIA – Longtime city resident and retired Anna Maria Island reporter Pat Copeland is the city of Anna Maria’s 2017 Citizen of the Year. Copeland was presented with the award and honored with…
December 19, 2017
By Joe Hendricks
Hunters Point aerial rendering

Hunters Point plans revealed

CORTEZ – In its first review of the proposed Hunters Point Resort and Marina, the Manatee County Planning Commission praised developer Marshall Gobuty for its green design, but raised concerns about…
December 12, 2017
By Joe Hendricks

Shark dragging charges detailed

Updated Dec. 15, 2017 MANATEE COUNTY – The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office have charged Manatee County residents Robert…
December 12, 2017
By Joe Hendricks
Ricinda Perry

Bar complaint against Perry dismissed

BRADENTON BEACH – The Florida Bar has dismissed a complaint that Bradenton Beach resident and former Planning and Zoning Board member John Metz filed against City Attorney Ricinda Perry. In the co…
December 12, 2017
By Joe Hendricks
Day dock delivery

Day dock to open in early 2018

BRADENTON BEACH – The $119,980 floating public day dock is now scheduled to arrive in late January and be installed in February. Prefabricated off-site in sections, the new dock will be installed…
December 12, 2017
By Joe Hendricks
Building official

Anna Maria hires new building official

ANNA MARIA – Less than a week after terminating Building Official Jimmy Strickland, Mayor Dan Murphy and the City Commission had his replacement on deck. Effective Jan. 1, David Greenbaum will bec…
December 9, 2017
By Joe Hendricks
Cole Appointed

Cole appointed to commission

BRADENTON BEACH – Ralph Cole is back on the City Commission. Cole, who lost his Ward 3 reelection bid to Randy White in November, was appointed to the commission by a 3-1 vote during a special com…
December 5, 2017
By Joe Hendricks
Anna Maria City Pier closed

Grateful on Thanksgiving

I spent a couple of hours on Thanksgiving morning at Bayfront Park in Anna Maria with the former employees of the City Pier Restaurant and bait shop. The time provided me with a deeper understanding…
December 5, 2017
By Joe Hendricks
Island Real Estate sale

Island Real Estate sells vacation rental operation

HOLMES BEACH – Island Real Estate owner Larry Chatt has sold the vacation rental portion of his Island Real Estate business operation to Vacasa, an Oregon-based vacation rental management company…
December 5, 2017
By Joe Hendricks

Body identified not missing fisherman

Updated Dec. 5, 2017 CORTEZ – The Manatee County Coroner’ Office has identified a body found near Egmont Key last weekend, but it is not that of Fraser Horne, a Canadian who winters in Cortez…
December 5, 2017
By Joe Hendricks

Waterline Marina Resort opens

Updated Dec. 5, 2017  HOLMES BEACH – The Waterline Marina Resort & Beach Club is open and the first guests have arrived. “We’re thrilled. It’s been a long time coming and we’ve had a lot of…
December 2, 2017
By Joe Hendricks
Strickland fired

Flood insurance discounts jeopardized

ANNA MARIA – Building Official Jimmy Strickland has been terminated for inactions that could result in higher flood insurance premiums for property owners in the city of Anna Maria. City officials…
November 29, 2017
By Joe Hendricks
Pier reunion

Pier closing leaves lasting impact

ANNA MARIA – The former employees of the restaurant and adjoining bait shop on the Anna Maria City Pier gathered Thanksgiving morning at the nearby Bayfront Park. The group of about 40 people also…
November 28, 2017
By Joe Hendricks
Chuck Webb suspension

Webb facing Florida Bar suspension

HOLMES BEACH – Attorney Charles “Chuck” Webb is facing a 60-day suspension from his ability to practice law in Florida. On Oct. 10, Webb entered a conditional guilty plea for consent judgment with…
November 28, 2017
By Joe Hendricks
Cortez Bridge

Bridges to open less frequently

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The Cortez and Manatee Avenue bridges are now to be opened twice an hour instead of three times an hour from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m. The Coast Guard-approved changes to the drawbri…