May 29, 2022
Bird nest discovered in trees slated for woodchipper
HOLMES BEACH – Some Manatee County commissioners may have given up on the fight to save more than 80 trees planned for destruction at Kingfish Boat Ramp, but city officials and residents hope the dis…
May 23, 2022
Beachgoers unite, sue for access
HOLMES BEACH – With beachgoers filing a lawsuit Friday against the property owners on 78th Street who closed a beach access point, the Real Island Podcast team took to the airwaves Sunday in hopes of…
May 23, 2022
Kingfish renovations make room for water taxi
HOLMES BEACH – City and Manatee County leaders aren’t seeing eye to eye on the county’s renovation plans for the Kingfish Boat Ramp, where one vision includes a water taxi stop.
Responding to alle…
May 16, 2022
Battery victim’s family grateful to AMI
Referring to the incident that happened on Wednesday, March 23, 2022 with Evan Purcell: As horrific and traumatic as it was for everyone, including Evan and the family, we would like to thank everyon…
May 16, 2022
Trees get the ax in Kingfish renovation plans
MANATEE COUNTY – Plans are underway to make significant changes at the Kingfish Boat Ramp in Holmes Beach, but those improvements are coming at a significant cost, namely the removal of a well-used p…
May 9, 2022
Beach parking meeting reaps results
HOLMES BEACH – Leaders from state, county and city governments are coming together to find solutions to ongoing public parking and beach access issues on Anna Maria Island.
Holmes Beach Mayor Judy…
May 9, 2022
Battle at Bali Hai continues
HOLMES BEACH – Special Magistrate Michael Connolly ruled in the city’s favor in two code compliance cases against the owners of the Bali Hai Beach Resort, but attorney Louis Najmy says the fight’s no…
May 8, 2022
Special magistrate postpones rat case
HOLMES BEACH – Residents – one with a rat problem – expressed their disagreement with two of Special Magistrate Michael Connolly’s rulings during a late April code compliance hearing. Lois Huntington…
May 2, 2022
Battle for beach access continues
HOLMES BEACH – As residents on 78th Street fight beachfront property owners for the right to walk a path to the beach, city leaders say that because the path is located on private property, they can’…
May 2, 2022
Ugly Grouper expansion planned
HOLMES BEACH – Commissioners weren’t in agreement on the issue but the Ugly Grouper’s owners will be allowed to increase the restaurant’s seating size.
During an April 26 meeting, attorney Scott R…
April 24, 2022
Neighbors clash over beach access path
HOLMES BEACH – A battle is brewing on 78th Street between a beachfront property owner and neighbors insisting on using a longstanding beach access.
The owners of the beachfront home at 101 78th St…
April 17, 2022
Commissioners reconsider golf cart restrictions
HOLMES BEACH – It looks like residents’ golf cart driving days aren’t numbered after all.
At the first reading of a new golf cart ordinance on April 12, commissioners made a few eleventh hour chan…
April 11, 2022
Farewell, Tour of Homes
ANNA MARIA – After 26 years as an Anna Maria Island tradition, the Tour of Homes is no more, but left behind is a legacy of groups joining together with the common cause of raising money for The Cent…
April 11, 2022
Defendant pleads no contest in hit-and-run case
MANATEE COUNTY – Cierra Shannon, 28, of Holmes Beach, pled no contest today to a first-degree felony charge of leaving the scene of a crash with a death.
Shannon appeared before Manatee County Jud…
March 28, 2022
Building recertification talks resume
HOLMES BEACH – A familiar topic is coming back to the agenda for a future city commission work session.
The 2022 Florida state legislative session came to a close without anything passing the Hous…

















