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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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February 9, 2020
By Joe Hendricks
County commission eliminates Aqua by the Bay stipulation

Commission eliminates Aqua by the Bay stipulation

BRADENTON – Manatee County commissioners have deleted a 2017 development stipulation that gave the commission and the public the ability to review the Aqua by the Bay development plans after the firs…
February 4, 2020
By Joe Hendricks
Aqua by the Bay hearing is Thursday

Aqua by the Bay hearing Thursday

BRADENTON – On Thursday, Feb. 6, Manatee County Commissioners will discuss Aqua by the Bay developer Carlos Beruff’s request to delete a development stipulation included in the initial development ap…
February 3, 2020
By Joe Hendricks

Vacation rental bills progressing

TALLAHASSEE – Two bills filed by Florida legislators during the 2020 legislative session seek to strip local governments of their ability to regulate vacation rentals. As was the case in recent ye…
January 27, 2020
By Joe Hendricks
Carter and York named Citizens of the Year

Carter and York named Citizens of the Year

ANNA MARIA – Bob Carter and Dick York are the city of Anna Maria’s Citizens of the Year for 2019. Carter and York were selected by the Citizen Recognition Committee that consisted of Deputy City C…
January 24, 2020
By Joe Hendricks
Starship lifts off at The Center

Starship lifts off at The Center

ANNA MARIA – Featuring Mickey Thomas on lead vocals, Starship put on a stellar concert at The Center of Anna Maria Island. Taking place inside The Center’s spacious gymnasium, Starship’s Thursday…
January 21, 2020
By Joe Hendricks
Artists’ Guild erases boundaries with new exhibit

Artists’ Guild erases boundaries with new exhibit

BRADENTON – The Artists’ Guild of Anna Maria Island’s 11th annual juried art exhibition, “Boundaries Erased,” is on display at ArtCenter Manatee in downtown Bradenton through Friday, Feb. 7. The e…
January 21, 2020
By Joe Hendricks
Water line broken during undergrounding work

Water line broken during undergrounding work

BRADENTON BEACH – The Wilco construction crew doing the boring for burying the Bridge Street utility lines accidentally broke a water line Saturday afternoon on Bay Drive South. The accident happe…
January 15, 2020
By Joe Hendricks
Carolyne Norwood was Anna Maria’s preeminent historian

Carolyne Norwood was Anna Maria’s preeminent historian

ANNA MARIA – Carolyne Norwood played a vital role in preserving the history of Anna Maria Island. She also made a lot of friends during her decades on the Island. Norwood, who passed away on J…
January 14, 2020
By Joe Hendricks
Fire & Stone preparing to reopen

Fire & Stone preparing to reopen

CORTEZ – The owners of the Fire & Stone pizzeria on Cortez Road hope to reopen their restaurant as early as this week. When reopened, the renovated Fire & Stone restaurant will feature the…
January 12, 2020
By Joe Hendricks
Commission rejects Schoenfelder's pier lease offer

Commission rejects Schoenfelder’s pier lease offer

ANNA MARIA – The Anna Maria City Commission has rejected Mario Schoenfelder’s final offer to lease the restaurant and bait shop buildings at the end of the new Anna Maria City Pier. The commission…
January 7, 2020
By Joe Hendricks
Pier lease offer to be discussed Friday

Pier lease offer to be discussed Friday

ANNA MARIA – On Friday, Jan. 10, Mayor Dan Murphy and the Anna Maria City Commission will discuss Mario Schoenfelder’s final offer to lease the restaurant and bait shop buildings being built on the n…
January 7, 2020
By Joe Hendricks
Did a meteorite hit AMI?

Did a meteorite hit AMI?

HOLMES BEACH – Part-time Holmes Beach residents Dorene Collier and AJ LeBlanc wonder if a small meteorite or some other falling object started a small fire in the backyard of Collier’s home on 84th S…
January 4, 2020
By Joe Hendricks
A sailor’s life cut short

A sailor’s life cut short

BRADENTON BEACH – The liveaboard boating community in Bradenton Beach lost a friend and fellow sailor with the recent passing of 59-year-old Octavio Utrera. Utrera previously owned and operated An…
January 2, 2020
By Joe Hendricks
Kyle Shell celebration raises funds for daughter

Kyle Shell celebration raises funds for daughter

BRADENTON BEACH – Kyle Shell’s Saturday, Dec. 28 fundraising celebration of life raised $6,074 to help his 17-year-old daughter, Kaya Sage Shell, attend college in hopes of becoming a doctor. Addi…
January 1, 2020
By Joe Hendricks
Doug Copeland named Sun’s Person of the Year

Doug Copeland named Sun’s Person of the Year

ANNA MARIA – Longtime Anna Maria Commissioner Doug Copeland is The Sun’s Person of the Year for 2019. In December, Copeland finished his final term as a city commissioner and ended his decades of…