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Leslie Lake

Leslie Lake

July 11, 2022
Leslie Lake covers Bradenton Beach, Cortez, the environment and Anna Maria Elementary School.
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September 10, 2024
By Leslie Lake
City reduces sidewalk requirement for parking lots

City reduces sidewalk requirement for parking lots

BRADENTON BEACH – City commissioners approved a request last week to remove one of the requirements for two paid parking lots owned by developer Shawn Kaleta. Sam Negrin, manager of Beach to Bay Inv…
September 9, 2024
By Leslie Lake
Bradenton Beach logo

CRA shifts from recommending to governing body

BRADENTON BEACH – City commissioners voted unanimously at the Sept. 5 meeting to modify the makeup of the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) board from a seven-member to a five-member board. The f…
September 9, 2024
By Leslie Lake
Suspect arrested after high speed chase that began in Holmes Beach

Cortez man to be arraigned on June 6 shooting

BRADENTON – A Cortez man will be arraigned on Friday, Sept. 13 in connection with a June 6 shooting during which a Cortez woman sustained a gunshot wound to the chest. Kevin Armstrong, 48, was origi…
September 9, 2024
By Leslie Lake
County to purchase Seafood Shack for $13 million

County to purchase Seafood Shack for $13 million

CORTEZ – Ending speculation about the identity of the new owner of the Seafood Shack Restaurant and Marina, the Manatee Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved its $13 million purchase at…
September 3, 2024
By Leslie Lake
Homeowners’ property erroneously named in Kaleta lawsuit

Homeowners’ property erroneously named in Kaleta lawsuit

BRADENTON BEACH – Two city homeowners were surprised to see their property erroneously identified in a July lawsuit filed by Easy Parking Group (EPG) against developer Shawn Kaleta. “I’ve never had…
September 2, 2024
By Leslie Lake
Despite tropical storm, Turtle Watch reports successful year

Despite tropical storm, Turtle Watch reports successful year

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Despite the loss of 200 loggerhead sea turtle nests due to flooding caused by Debby, which passed by Anna Maria Island as a tropical storm on Aug. 4-5, it has been a successful ne…
August 31, 2024
By Leslie Lake

Teen shot, killed near causeway Saturday

BRADENTON – The Bradenton Police Department (BPD) and the Manatee County Homicide Task Force are investigating the shooting death of a teenager near the Palma Sola Causeway early Saturday morning…
August 26, 2024
By Leslie Lake
Loggerhead killed by car leaves behind 84 hatchlings

Loggerhead killed by car leaves behind 84 hatchlings

BRADENTON BEACH – The nest laid by a loggerhead sea turtle that was struck and killed by a car on Gulf Drive in June hatched earlier this week, producing 84 hatchlings. “When we conducted the nest e…
August 26, 2024
By Leslie Lake
Cortez bridgetender booth on preservation list

Cortez bridgetender booth on preservation list

CORTEZ – When the new 65-foot-high Cortez Bridge is constructed, it won’t be a drawbridge, so a bridgetender will no longer be needed, and a Cortez group wants to save the bridgetender’s booth at the…
August 26, 2024
By Leslie Lake

Tourism visitation flat, room rates up

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Visitor numbers are down slightly in the Bradenton area from last year, but higher room rates are pointing to confidence in the market, Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bure…
August 26, 2024
By Leslie Lake
TDC members explain benefits of tourist tax increase

TDC members explain benefits of tourist tax increase

ANNA MARIA – A referendum to raise the Manatee County tourist tax from 5% to 6% will be on the November ballot, and the county’s chief tourism official spoke about the benefits and misperceptions of…
August 26, 2024
By Leslie Lake
Kaleta gets three extra days to fix parking lots

Kaleta gets three extra days to fix parking lots

BRADENTON BEACH – City building official Darin Cushing has given an extension of time to developer Shawn Kaleta to complete all city commission-required stipulations for temporary use permits for fou…
August 20, 2024
By Leslie Lake
Turtle Watch completes post-storm assessment

Turtle Watch completes post-storm assessment

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring has completed a post-storm assessment of the turtle nests remaining on the beach after what was then Tropical Storm Debby p…
August 19, 2024
By Leslie Lake
Piney Point 2024

Piney Point withstands Debby

PALMETTO – Severe weather associated with then-Tropical Storm Debby passed over the Piney Point site on Aug. 4-5, producing high winds and more than 9 inches of rain, according to the Florida Departm…
August 12, 2024
By Leslie Lake
Storm washes out more than 160 turtle nests

Storm washes out more than 160 turtle nests

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Following Hurricane Debby, Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring volunteers have been assessing the damage to turtle nests on local beaches. Of the 479 nests th…