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Surf Shop reopens
Business, Retail

Surf Shop reopens

Feb 14, 2019 – Tom Vaught
February 1, 2019
By Cindy Lane
Beach umbrella

Tourist tax collections 2018

The local 5 percent tourist tax is collected from owners of accommodations rented for six months or less who charge the tax to their renters, in most cases, tourists. About 50 percent of the tax p…
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January 30, 2019
By Tom Vaught
Surf shop reopening soon

Surf shop reopening soon

HOLMES BEACH – The surf is up for the reopening of the West Coast Surf Shop, 3902 Gulf Drive, after a fire heavily damaged it on April 15, 2018. Owner Jim Brady was notified Tuesday that the shop’…
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January 29, 2019
By Joe Hendricks
Sato and Duncan county’s top Realtors

Sato and Duncan county’s top Realtors

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Jason Sato was Manatee County’s top Realtor for the fourth consecutive year and Darcie Duncan was the county’s number two Realtor in 2018. The sales and listing figures are con…
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January 29, 2019
By Louise Bolger
Castles in the Sand

Sunshine State population growth

There’s a reason that Florida is called the Sunshine State and it has nothing to do with sunshine. What it does have to do with is people – people from other states – and here’s why. According…
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January 22, 2019
By Louise Bolger
Castles in the Sand

2019 tax nightmare

The Christmas tree is put away, the leftover food and holiday cookies are hopefully gone, and the gifts have been returned to the mall – so what’s next? The day has arrived, the day that some America…
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December 29, 2018
By Louise Bolger
Castles in the Sand

New Year, new appraisals, new problems

Welcome to 2019, which promises to bring even more far-reaching technology into our lives. The personal touch and simply interacting with other humans are eroding away on a daily basis. Shopping onli…
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December 22, 2018
By Louise Bolger
Castles in the Sand

Cooling temps cooling market

It’s a little chilly outside as I write this, however, it is December and even Florida starts to cool down a little. But is the cool weather a harbinger of our real estate market cooling off? It’s po…
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December 15, 2018
By Cindy Lane
Bradenton Anna Maria Island Longboat Key

New tourism initiatives address red tide challenges

ANNA MARIA – Despite red tide in area waters since early August, tourism grew in Manatee County during the fiscal year October 2017 through September 2018, according to the county’s tourism consultan…
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December 11, 2018
By Louise Bolger
Castles in the Sand

No Christmas gifts for foreign buyers

Almost a year ago, I wrote a column about the proliferation of buyers from other countries coming into the state of Florida. Florida at that time was the national leader for international buyers at 2…
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December 4, 2018
By Louise Bolger
Castles in the Sand

Tax overhaul saved one thing

It’s the holiday season and time to concentrate on family, friends and good cheer for all. There’s also one more thing that starts working its way into the deeper recesses of our brains in December –…
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Upcoming Events

April 9, 2025
11:45 am

The Off-Stage Ladies of the Island Players, April luncheon meeting