ANNA MARIA ISLAND – As America makes its 247th successful trip around the sun, many people are expected to celebrate the nation’s birthday on the Island’s white sand beaches.
With July Fourth coming next Tuesday, be prepared for several days of festivities, as many will arrive early for the weekend and crowds are anticipated to be some of the largest AMI has ever seen.
While there has been a slight leveling off after the tourism boom that occurred in 2021 as Florida became one of the few states that opened for business after the COVID-19 lockdown, recent holiday weekends have been busy and there is no reason to expect anything less for this one.
Law enforcement officials have gone on the record saying Memorial Day weekend last month was the busiest weekend ever seen on the Island.
“In my opinion, the Sunday before Memorial Day was the busiest day I’ve ever seen on the Island,” Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said. “We issued more than 100 parking-related tickets, but I drove around our city’s public parking spots and there was never a time there weren’t spots open, people just need to keep a lookout for them.”
A map of available public parking spaces in Holmes Beach can be found on the city’s website.
Beachgoers enjoyed nearly perfect weather on Memorial Day weekend at a very busy Manatee Beach. The July Fourth weekend could see even larger crowds. – Jason Schaffer | Sun
In Bradenton Beach, the parking situation is amplified with the addition of more than 50 new no parking signs on Gulf Drive South, though some motorists don’t seem to care about the new signs.
“Over Memorial Day weekend, our officers wrote more than 400 tickets for illegal parking at Coquina Beach and Cortez Beach, and there were still plenty that probably got away with it,” Bradenton Beach Police Lt. Lenard Diaz said.
Both Tokajer and Diaz believe that some people feel like it’s worth the price of a ticket to just park and get on with their beach day, a sentiment echoed by many people The Sun has spoken to regarding beach parking.
“It costs about the same to park at Disney as it does to get a ticket for illegally parking here,” Britany Hillibold of Bradenton said. “I live less than 10 miles from the Island and it can take two or more hours just to get onto AMI. Then the process of finding a parking spot begins. I get why some people just park and head to the beach knowing they’ll have a ticket on their windshield when they get back to their car. For the price of a couple of grouper sandwiches, you’re good to go.”
While parking will be difficult, restaurant wait times will be excessive and travel to and from the Island will be slow, there will still be plenty of sand, sea and sun to make the Island a great place to wish America a happy birthday. Just keep a few things in mind to have a safe and enjoyable fourth. The following are not permitted on any Island beach:
Motor vehicles,
Fires,
Grills (except where public grills are provided),
Pets,
Alcohol,
Harassment of wildlife (shorebirds and sea turtles are nesting, admire from a distance), and
Fireworks.
“I have three important reminders for the upcoming July Fourth holiday weekend,” Tokajer said. “First, you are vacationing in a residential area, so please keep noise to a minimum. Second, be respectful of your surroundings and leave it cleaner than you found it. Third, always park with all tires off the road. Parallel parking is parking with the flow of traffic. Saying you didn’t see the sign or were not aware will not get a ticket voided.”
Holmes Beach police, along with Bradenton Beach and Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, which patrols the city of Anna Maria, remind the public that local ordinances are strictly enforced, and all three departments plan to increase the number of officers on patrol for the busy holiday weekend.
“Remember to not put yourself in a position to be a victim of a crime of opportunity,” Diaz said. “Lock your car and don’t leave valuables in plain sight on car seats or places that entice criminals. Also, don’t bring valuables to the beach. Just bring what you need so you can relax and enjoy yourself.”
While violent crime is uncommon on AMI, a heavy influx of visitors may bring out a few people with bad intentions. Taking common sense precautions can help assure a fun and safe day at the beach.
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Customers can expect periodic continued disruptions to water services as contractors continue to work to replace a part of a water main after the aging pipe fell off the Anna Maria Island Bridge on June 19.
In a press release, Manatee County officials said the emergency repairs are being completed as quickly as possible but could take up to a few weeks to complete. While residents and businesses are not without water, water pressure is expected to remain lower than usual and service may be interrupted for short periods of time to accommodate the repairs. Currently, the north end of the Island is receiving water through Bradenton Beach.
In addition to water service disruptions, there also are associated traffic issues to contend with.
Boaters are asked to travel only through the channel underneath the bridge to avoid interfering with workers and hitting the construction equipment or pipes.
Vehicular and pedestrian traffic across the bridge is reduced to one lane from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. through Friday, June 30. Access to the sidewalk on the south side of the bridge will be restricted and drivers will have to contend with alternating one-way traffic across the bridge, which is expected to cause traffic jams and extended travel times. To avoid the construction area, motorists are advised to use the Cortez Bridge to access the Island.
Everyone is asked to conserve water as much as possible while repairs are taking place, including taking shorter showers and limiting outdoor watering.
For more information, or to check for updates to the project, visit www.mymanatee.org.
Teaching fly casting has taught me some valuable lessons. Chief among them is the fact that it’s most often easier to learn from scratch using the fundamentals (physics) of the cast than it is to correct bad habits that have been developed over time. That became apparent to me when I gave lessons to someone who had been fly casting for a long time but who had ingrained bad techniques. When I showed them how to properly move the rod tip in a straight line to form a tight, wind penetrating loop, they understood the concept immediately. The eye opener for student and teacher was when they tried to repeat the proper casting stroke and their ingrained bad habit overpowered their new understanding.
This isn’t bad news for long-time casters who have been using improper techniques, but points out the necessity of practice to reteach the brain how to move the rod. The same applies to proficient casters who are learning to cast with their non-dominant hand. Try this and you’ll see what I mean instantly. If you’re a right-handed caster, putting the rod in the left hand is like handing it to your clone where the fundamentals of the cast are understood but the body doesn’t cooperate. The good news is that by learning the fundamentals of the cast and practicing them regularly anyone can become adept.
Besides learning and practicing the essentials of fly casting, it’s important to realize that there is no right or wrong casting style. Casting is governed by physics and there are some essentials that every fly caster must master, no matter what their individual skills or styles. This is the difference between the art (style) and science (physics) of the cast.
Fly fishing legend Joan Wulff demonstrates the casting stroke. – Rusty Chinnis | Sun
Fly casting is a lifelong learning experience that you can practice at 9 or 90. Different people learn at a different pace. Some people pick up casting quickly and then plateau. Others start slow, but when they finally get it, they’ve got it. It can be compared to learning how to ride a bike. To become a good caster you need to practice, but that practice will reward you with a lifetime of pleasure and provide the opportunity of the company of good friends.
Fly casting differs from spin or bait casting where the weight of the lure or bait loads the rod. The rod then transfers the stored energy of the rod to the lure or bait, which carries it to the target. In fly casting, the weight of the line loads the rod, and the line takes the leader and flies to the target.
The basic casting stroke consists of the rod being held in the hand at the base of the fingers with the thumb on top of the cork. The stroke is a combination of moves of the wrist, the forearm and the upper arm. In the ready position with the thumb on the cork, the wrist is straight and the butt of the rod is at a 45 degree angle to the forearm. The wrist travels from this straight position to a 45 degree down angle then returns to straight position. The forearm and the upper arm complete the motion.
There are five basic movements that make up what is referred to as the essentials:
There must be a pause at the end of each casting stroke, which varies in duration with the amount of line beyond the rod tip. This allows the line to straighten for the next cast.
Slack line should be kept to an absolute minimum. Slack line prevents the rod from loading and applying the proper power to the cast. The most common mistake that creates slack line happens when the rod is started too high, forming a belly in the line between the rod tip and the water. To prevent this, start your cast with the rod tip pointing at the water.
To form the most efficient, least air-resistant loops and to direct the energy of the cast toward the target, the rod tip must move in a straight line. Practice tracing a horizontal line like a roof eve.
The length of the casting stroke must vary with the amount of line past the rod tip. If you are making a short cast, there is only a small amount of line needed (which only weighs a small amount). As the length of line increases, the stroke must be increased to load the rod.
Power must be applied in the proper amount at the proper place in the stroke. In general, the power is applied slowly at first, gradually increasing to a peak at the end of the stroke. There should be a crisp stop at the end of the stroke, forcing the rod to come out of its bend. This is commonly referred to as the speed-up and stop.
In my experience, the only way to master fly casting is to practice consistently, preferably committing to two to five minutes every day to train or retrain your brain. Any additional time will, of course, be a bonus, but the importance of a regular practice schedule cannot be over-emphasized. There are lots of resources on the internet to help you perfect your cast and lessons with a caster trained by the Fly Fishers International can be invaluable. Some of the best videos to search for online are those by master casters and instructors Joan Wulff and Lefty Kreh. Locally, anglers can research rods and tackle at AMI Outfitters on Anna Maria Island. There are also some excellent casting videos on YouTube from Orvis and Rio. Learn and apply the fundamentals of fly casting consistently and you’ll be on your way to mastering the cast.
ANNA MARIA – Adult flag football and youth indoor soccer play continued at The Center last week. In the second week of play, two teams rose to the top of the pack.
Luxury Services and Moss Builders look to be the teams to beat this season going into week three play undefeated. Luxury Services had an easy time against the Sandbar Seafood & Spirits crew last Thursday night, winning by 16 points.
In the defensive battle royale, eight total interceptions were recorded in the statistics between both teams, along with more than 25 flag pulls. Leading in the defensive stops for Luxury Services was Derrick Carey with seven pulls.
Jonathan Soultatos, a member of last season’s championship team, along with teammate Ramon Guerrero IV had four flag pulls each, helping the team total 15 stops during the two halves of play.
The wheels of Tim Holly allowed him to get to the Sandbar quarterback with three sacks in the game. On the other side of the football, Soultatos got to the QB once for a big stop.
For the offense and the win, Luxury Services quarterback Chase Richardson hit Alonzo Lemus three times for touchdowns. Two-point conversions by Richardson and Lemus, along with a sack for a safety by Holly, gave the Luxury team 30 points and the win.
Despite the loss, Sandbar scored two touchdowns and Guerrero made a two-point conversion. TDs by Soultatos and Zachary Routh helped to keep the team in the game, but it just was not enough.
In game two Thursday night, Gulf Drive Café dominated the field on both offense and defense against The Banks Home Lending Team with the final score of 41-15. Dominick Otteni threw for four touchdowns and had a rushing TD of his own to help lead his team to the win.
Otteni’s scoring targets were Dallas Buchholz, Jacob Ferda, Steven Pavina and Kiatrell Zachery. Pavina scored for Gulf Drive while on defense, while Zachery, Ferda and Otteni added to the points after conversions.
The Banks Home Lending Team managed to get 15 points up in lights thanks to two nice throws by Cruz Rodriguez leading to 12 points by Juan Vega and Joseph Vigil. Don Uffinger is credited with a sack leading to a safety for two points.
Contributing to the team’s scoring, Sequiel Marintez scored a one-point conversion for The Banks Home Lending Team.
The third game in the adult flag football league was a nailbiter. Salty Printing eked out the win by three points against Cortez Deep Sea Fishing. Zaon Williams led the Salty team with three passing touchdowns and six points on his feet rushing into the end zone.
Joey Carder, Jose Perez and Brandon Rolland each put up six points with nice catches for touchdowns. Andrew Procter scored three critical conversion points in the game, helping to give his team the win.
Scoring his own one-point conversion, Rolland had seven points in the game, with two catches and one flag pull.
Despite the strong efforts of the Cortez Deep Sea Fishing squad, the win eluded them. Matt Manger and Anthony Mannino shared the QB duties. Mannino threw for one TD and scored on a reception from Manger. While playing defense, Mannino was credited with a flag pull, interception and a defensive touchdown.
Flipping roles, Mannino threw a touchdown pass to Manger. Other targets of the night for touchdowns were Johnny Sevier and Jesse Skipper. Skipper found himself in the endzone causing a sack and safety.
Rounding out the scoring for the Cortez Deep Sea Fishing squad, Anthony McCance contributed with a one-point conversion.
In the final game of the night, QB Tuna McCracken just could not find one more scoring opportunity for the Solid Rock Construction team, losing to Moss Builders 20-14.
Despite finding Connor Ludwig and Evelyn Long open for scoring passes and one-point conversions by both, Moss Builders made it into the end zone one more time than Solid Rock.
Veteran player Ryan Moss threw for three touchdowns, hitting cousin Greg Moss twice and Isaiah Lambert once for three touchdowns. G. Moss and Lambert each had a single interception in the game.
Moss rounded out his statistics with a two-point conversion to help the Moss Builders team capture its second win, remaining undefeated along with Luxury Services heading into week three play this Thursday night at The Center.
Youth soccer
In youth indoor soccer action, two games were played in the 11- to 13-year-old league last Monday night. Playing the first game, the Coastline West Team/Wagner Realty left Island Vacation Properties scoreless with a final score of 9-0.
David Zupa scored five goals for Coastline, along with three goals by Cayson Travis and a single by Grady Sandhoff. Blake Brower played goalie for Coastline, making 15 saves.
On the other side of the indoor field, Jimmie Melichar made 16 saves, while teammate Alonso Valle had 13 stops as goalie for Island Vacation Properties.
Winning by two goals, Moss Builders, with Miles Moss in goal, defeated Solid Rock Construction in youth indoor soccer. Moss made 10 stops for his team, with scoring by his brother, Mason Moss, and Magness Rollins for four points.
Solid Rock Construction’s Austin Guess stopped 11 shots as the keeper, while Mckenna Darak and Wes Saxon each had single goals to close out week two of youth indoor soccer action in the gymnasium at the Island’s community center.
PALMETTO – A recent study shows the contaminated water from the 2021 Piney Point spill, which contributed to algae blooms and red tide in Tampa Bay waterways, traveled farther than originally thought.
According to the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program (SBEP), a chemical signature from the spill was found more than 30 miles away, in St. Joseph Sound near Tarpon Springs.
Immediately after the spill in 2021, SBEP partnered with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), the Tampa Bay Estuary Program, Manatee, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the University of Florida and the University of South Florida to set up a series of sites to monitor existing conditions and determine the extent of the spill’s impact, according to the SBEP.
Results of that collaboration among agencies showed evidence of algae blooms and high concentrations of red tide in the months following the spill.
“A chemical signature, unique to the Piney Point effluent, was also found at a location in St. Joseph Sound, originally chosen to be a reference site, as it was assumed to be far enough away from the spill to avoid impact,” according to the SBEP website. “This was not the case as evidence of the Piney Point spill was also found at this location.”
In 2021, FDEP authorized the intentional emergency discharge of 215 million gallons of wastewater from the former phosphate plant into Tampa Bay to avoid a potential flood after a leak was discovered in the waste storage system. Surrounding homes and businesses were evacuated.
From March 30 to April 9, 2021, the wastewater poured into the bay, adding an estimated 186 metric tons of nitrogen, exceeding typical annual nitrogen loads in a matter of days, according to a report released by the Tampa Bay Estuary Program. The nitrogen worsened toxic cyanobacteria blooms that peaked in June, followed by a bloom of toxic red tide algae that caused fish kills, triggering the cleanup of more than 1,600 metric tons of dead fish, according to the report.
Last March, Manatee County Utilities crews began disposal of those waters into a permitted injection well.
The well, drilled to a depth of 3,300 feet below land surface, was completed by Fort Myers-based Youngquist Brothers Inc., working with consultants ASRus of Tampa and Manatee County Utilities staff. By collaboratively working with the FDEP, crews were able to expedite the well work, which was completed in late 2022.
The well holds Piney Point’s process water in a confined saltwater aquifer over a half mile below the surface under the Floridan aquifer, the state’s drinking water source.
The phosphate process water will continue to be drained from the reservoirs atop nearby phosphogypsum stacks as the plant is permanently closed, and will be pre-treated before injection.
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – While it’s common knowledge that house pets are easily spooked by fireworks, local animal advocates remind people about the disruption to wildlife from loud and light-filled Fourth of July celebrations.
Krista Carpenter, a volunteer with Wildlife Inc., said that each year, the Bradenton Beach animal rehabilitation organization sees an influx of animals impacted by fireworks.
“Babies can become separated from their parents as they run from the noise of fireworks,” Carpenter said. “Raptors like the bald eagle can abandon their nests because the noise and lights are considered an attack.”
She said even animals in Wildlife Inc.’s care may become hurt while reacting to the sound of fireworks.
“Animals at the rescue can injure themselves by throwing themselves against the cages out of fear, attempting to escape,” Carpenter said.
Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring Executive Director Kristen Mazzarella said that fireworks can disorient sea turtles and scare nesting shorebirds away.
“Fireworks pose threats to both sea turtles and shorebirds,” Mazzarella said. “The light from fireworks can disorient or confuse nesting sea turtles and hatchlings, preventing them from finding their way to the ocean.”
She said both light and noise can scare nesting shorebirds.
“Fireworks can spook nesting shorebirds from their nests and scatter chicks, leaving them open to predators and being separated from their parents,” Mazzarella said. “The trash from the fireworks can be a danger to all animals on the beach.”
Celebratory fireworks can literally frighten birds to death, according to Audubon Florida.
“Although beachside fireworks shows are entertaining to people, the bursts of color and noise wreak havoc on coastal birds – especially for nesting species. After each fireworks explosion, birds panic and fly from their nests, scattering the chicks and exposing them to predators and heat until their parents return,” according to Audubon Florida. “For this reason, it is better to attend a municipal firework show versus deploying store-bought fireworks on the beach.”
Audubon Florida reminds beachgoers:
Debris left from the fireworks litter beaches and near-shore waters and can be easily mistaken for food by sea turtles and other marine animals. Hungry chicks nibble on plastic refuse, even ingesting some of the smallest pieces.
Give nesting birds at least 100 feet of distance or as much as possible. Signs or people will alert you to these areas, but some birds haven’t settled down to start nesting yet and may just look like they are resting in the sand. Please avoid walking through flocks of birds on the upper beach.
Pets and vehicles are not permitted on Anna Maria Island beaches.
Remove trash and food scraps, which attract predators that will also eat birds’ eggs and/or chicks.
“These disturbances can cause adult birds to abandon their nests or chicks, which can ultimately lead to chicks starving, getting eaten by a predator, or overheating in the sun. This Fourth of July weekend, many birds are re-nesting and will have their final opportunity to successfully raise young this season,” the Audubon website says.
Over the July Fourth weekend, Audubon Florida’s bird stewards will be out at locations across the state where people and beach-nesting birds co-mingle. They will help coastal visitors learn about the birds to better understand what is happening inside posted areas.
The Copeland family would like to express our heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for the remembrance edition dedicated to the life and legacy of Pat Copeland, recently published on June 21, 2023. We are deeply moved by the AMI Sun family’s tribute to her.
The remembrance edition truly captured the essence of Pat’s remarkable life journey and the profound impact she had on our community. The articles, photographs, and personal anecdotes shared within its pages beautifully highlighted her numerous accomplishments, her unwavering dedication as a wife and mother, and her enduring spirit. It was a fitting tribute to someone who touched so many’s lives.
I must commend journalist Joe Hendricks for the love and care he poured into his article, the entire AMI Sun Staff, and the editorial team involved in creating this exceptional tribute. Pat especially loved the weekly cartoons by Steve Borggren, so it was such a nice surprise to see that even the weekly cartoon was in her honor. It was a wonderful portrait for those who knew Pat, and for those who didn’t, they got to know her.
The overwhelming condolences the family has received show the beauty and kindness within the island community that Pat cherished. Thank you to the City of Anna Maria for giving her a stately celebration by lowering the city flags in her honor.
On behalf of everyone who had the privilege of knowing Pat, I extend my deepest gratitude to the entire team at The AMI Sun. Your commitment to honoring her memory with grace, dignity, and authenticity is a testament to the importance of local journalism and its role in preserving the stories that shape our community.
A public memorial service will be held at 9:30 AM on Saturday, July 8, at Roser Memorial Church on Anna Maria, where friends and family will come together to celebrate Patricia’s remarkable life.
Anna Maria is celebrating 100 years of providing exquisite beaches and aqua water to beachgoers and visitors. The celebration started on Memorial Day and will probably go on for several months and rightly so since the Island is something to be celebrated.
Down through the years when I interviewed new business owners or friends who moved to Anna Maria Island, I always asked how they found it. Many of them came as children to visit grandparents and always vowed to return. One drove over the Manatee Avenue bridge because she was early to visit a relative in Bradenton and couldn’t believe what she found, buying a Gulf-front piece of property the same day on a credit card. And one of my favorite stories was when a couple on vacation in their RV drove over the Cortez Bridge and turned right instead of left. They too bought a home the same day and opened a business.
My personal story happened in 1995 when I was visiting a friend in Bradenton and was taken to Anna Maria for dinner. That was the first of many visits to the Island, including the one that sent us home to sell our house. In January of 1997, my husband and I rented a beach house on the Gulf side of North Shore Drive. It turned out to be one of the best vacations I ever had and I knew then this is where I wanted to be.
To say Anna Maria Island has changed since those years would be a vast understatement and the thing that has changed the most is real estate construction and values. May sales statistics released by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee is showing our market is still moving forward.
Single-family closed properties were up 17.2% compared to May of last year. The median sale price for single-family homes was down 6.4% to $515,000 and the average selling price for single-family properties was also down by 4.1% to $686,015. The median time to contract was 32 days, compared to six days last year. Pending inventory was up by 31.8% and the month’s supply of available properties was 2.7 months, compared to last year at 1.2 months.
Condo sales were up 5% when compared to May of last year. The median sale price was up 3.4% to $382,645 and the average sale price was also up by 37.3% to $606,255. The median time to contract was 37 days, compared to 6 days last year, and pending inventory was up 8.9%. The month’s supply of available properties was 3.4 months, compared to one month last year.
Condo sales had the edge this month in both sales and selling price, which in this market could change in a heartbeat. That said, the market is starting to settle down, as stated by the press release issued by the Realtor Association.
“Sarasota-Manatee housing market begins to stabilize but remains a seller’s market,” the press release said.
The summer months have always been the slow time in Island real estate, but don’t bet on that to continue when we’re in a seller’s market.
Anna Maria Island is so much more than its beaches; it’s a lifestyle I fear is slowly eroding just like the beach sand. If there is anything that can be done to slow this progression, I don’t know what it is. I only hope that our little paradise isn’t lost in the name of progress.
ANNA MARIA – As the first official day of summer approaches, the heat of the Island evenings pushes The Center’s youth sports activities inside with indoor soccer’s kickoff games last week. Thursday night started the adult co-ed recreational summer flag football action on the big field with competitive action once again.
Because of ties and forfeits, only one team in each of the youth indoor leagues came out victorious at the end of their games. Teams Solid Rock Construction and Island Vacation Properties won in their respective leagues.
In 8- to 10-year-old league play, Solid Rock Construction hit the gymnasium floor against team Progressive Cabinetry. Strong goal-scoring by the Solid Rock squad gave them the win with the final score 6-4.
Scoring for Solid Rock, Matthew Darak made four goals. Teammate Holden put two points on the scoreboard. At the net, Isaac Roadman protected the goal with skill making five saves in the team’s win week one.
Max McMaster scored the two goals for Progressive Cabinetry, while Vincent Gollamundi miraculously made 15 big stops in the game as goalie for his team.
Island Vacation Properties was the lone victor in the 11- to 13-year-old league due to a forfeit by team Moss Builders.
Indoor soccer action between team Coastline West Team – Wagner Realty and Solid Rock Construction ended in a 3-3 tie. With 11 saves by Austin Guess for Solid Rock, the team held its own against the Coastline West squad thanks to three goals by Wes Saxon.
Coastline’s goals came off the boots of David Zupa with two goals and Grady Sandhoff with a solo goal. Making eight amazing saves, the Coastline West Team’s goalie, Blake Brower, helped his team hold on to the tie, giving each team one point in the season.
After four adult flag football games, four teams came out on top finishing the week with 1-0-0 records. Teams Luxury Services, Moss Builders, Sandbar Seafood & Spirits and Solid Rock Construction each took home a win.
Starting off the season, Salty Printing matched up with last season’s big winners, team Luxury Services. With a slightly different lineup, the Luxury team easily won their first game 35-12. Tim Holly topped the men’s flag-pulling for the week with eight snags.
In another high-scoring game and aerial assault, Moss Builders scored 45 points against the Gulf Drive Café defense. The Gulf Drive team managed to put up 26 points on the scoreboard in their first loss last Thursday night.
Defense was the name of the game in the third game of the adult flag football season with the Solid Rock Construction team winning against team Cortez Deep Sea Fishing 14-7. Evelyn Long made seven amazing stops with flag pulls for the Solid Rock team, just short of Holly.
Ending the night with the closest game of the week, Sandbar Seafood & Spirits barely earned the win against The Banks Home Lending Team. Winning by two points, the Sandbar team came out on top with the final score 28-26.
Playing toward the championship games in August, 16 teams, three leagues, two sports compete at The Center all summer.
In a press release last week, Suncoast Waterkeeper and a coalition of ocean advocates announced their opposition to what they called a bait-and-switch permit application for the Velella Epsilon industrial finfish aquaculture facility 40 miles off the Sarasota coast. The press release explains, “Florida fishermen; homeowner association leaders; business owners; community and clean water advocates; other concerned residents, and visitors to the Gulf coast gathered today to protest a “bait-and-switch” on the terms of an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) permit that was issued for wastewater discharge from the Velella Epsilon industrial finfish aquaculture facility. The open cage fish farm operation is planned for construction about 40 miles off the Sarasota County, Florida coast. Ocean Era, the company that requested the permit, recently informed EPA that it plans to swap out both the kind of fish to be raised and the type of facility to be constructed.”
Groups challenging the permit in ongoing litigation included Food & Water Watch, Center for Food Safety, Healthy Gulf, Recirculating Farms, Sierra Club, Suncoast Waterkeeper and Tampa Bay Waterkeeper. The parties sent a letter to the EPA on June 7 urging the agency to void the existing permit and do an entirely new impact assessment, with a public comment period. The letter states:
“…on May 10, 2023, Ocean Era expressly acknowledged that it does ‘not intend to implement the project as currently permitted (i.e., with almaco jack or a SPM net pen system)’ and instead requested to alter both the species of fish proposed to be raised by Ocean Era (changing from almaco jack to red drum) and the type of net pen system utilized for the facility (changing from a swivel-point mooring system to a grid mooring system).
“Accordingly, we hereby call upon EPA to exert its jurisdiction and authority under the Clean Water Act to revoke NPDES Permit FL0A00001 in its entirety, in light of Ocean Era’s explicit admission that it will not — indeed, as a practical matter, it cannot — implement the project as currently permitted.”
Justin Bloom, founder of Suncoast Waterkeeper, addresses attendees at the fish farm press conference. – Samantha Wassmer | Submitted
Attending the press conference, Justin Bloom, founder and board member of Suncoast Waterkeeper, stated, “Notwithstanding the major changes to the project proposal, this permit is flawed and not adequately protective of the environment and our coastal communities that rely on clean and healthy waters. The new changes are equivalent to an entirely new project and make it clear that the permitting agencies should require a new permit proposal.”
Also present was Dr. Neal Schleifer, vice president of the Siesta Key Condominium Council (SKCC), representing over 90 associations and 7,000 residences.
“The changes should result in revocation of the permit, which is widely opposed by residents and local municipalities as a danger to the environment and local economy,” Schleifer said. “The changes introduce new issues and question the credibility of previous company information. Imagine the potential problems if this facility existed during Hurricane Ian or the subsequent massive red tide outbreak.”
Dr. Larry Allan, Manatee-Sarasota Sierra Club steering committee member and wildlife photographer, repeated what so many in the crowd said in some form or another.
“It’s not aquaculture I oppose in general, but the proposed placement of this project – no matter what kind of fish or what kind of open cage – just offshore from an area plagued with annual red tide blooms makes absolutely no sense for anyone,” Allan said.
While the lawsuit is currently on hold pending an EPA review of the Velella Epsilon project changes, Marianne Cufone, director of recirculating farms, steering committee member of the Don’t Cage Our Oceans coalition and a Florida attorney on the lawsuit, was in Washington, D.C. at the time of the event discussing offshore finfish farming bills.
“EPA should withdraw the permit it issued for the Velella Epsilon industrial finfish aquaculture facility and do a full environmental review of the new plans, including meaningful opportunities for public input, to fully consider all the potential impacts and alternatives,” she said.
If you would like more information on the pending permit and project, contact Justin Bloom at 917-991-7593 or bloomesq1@gmail.com, Casey Streeter at 239-333-8832 or casey@floridawatermen.org, Cris Costello at 941-914-0421 or cris.costello@sierraclub.org and Shane Tan at shane.tan@berlinrosen.com.
In life, sometimes it’s just luck that makes the life-changing decisions we make look genius. In real estate, the importance of the old adage, “location, location, location” is only surpassed by timing – and you can’t plan timing.
The summer of 2020 started the pandemic buying spree and combined with interest rates dropping to 3% it was all-out insanity. Nationally, the median number of days on the market in 2019 pre-pandemic was 30 to 40. In 2020 that number started to drop into the 20s and into the teens in 2021-22.
Florida in general has experienced a longer number of days to get properties into contract. Specifically, Manatee County, as of the last set of statistics released by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee, reports that single-family homes took 28 days to get into contract as opposed to 5 days last year. Most of this is a reflection of the low inventory available, slightly higher than last year but still historically low.
Buyers who were lucky enough to buy when mortgage rates were low and homes were still available will benefit from that decision for decades, affecting every other aspect of their life choices. Those buyers who missed the market blame themselves for taking their eye off the ball and not acting faster or not taking a risk. Some of this may be true, but frankly, no one during those years really knew what was going to happen. The entire population of the country was frozen in place both literally and figuratively, making decision-making difficult, especially for first-time and marginal buyers.
Similarly, the run-up to the financial crisis and the bursting of the housing bubble in 2008 was unpredictable. Buyers and investors were buying anything and everything for overinflated prices. When the bubble exploded, the value of their properties declined so much it took a decade for some of it to come back.
An economics professor at the University of Georgia presented this hypothetical I recently read. A buyer who purchased a house in June of 2020 for $300,000 – about the median for homes at the time – with a 20% down payment and a 3% mortgage rate would pay about $89,000 in interest over the first 15 years of a 30-year loan. By comparison, someone who bought at the same price in June of 2022 with a 6% mortgage rate would pay about $190,000 in interest over 15 years. Two years made an enormous difference.
But this is now and even if you feel you didn’t act three years ago, you can act now. Economists have always believed that homeownership is an important generator of wealth. They focus on moving forward, especially for young first-time buyers who have years ahead of them to create wealth. Americans have more faith in real estate that in any other investment. A recent Gallup survey indicated that 34% of Americans rated real estate the best long-term investment, down from 41% in 2021 and 45% in 2022.
The lesson here is that buying a home is a more important decision than when you buy that home. You have to be in it to win it, you have to be in it to create a family home, and you have to be in it to create the biggest generator of wealth this country has ever consistently had. Timing is important, but action is long-term.
ANNA MARIA – Beloved Anna Maria resident, newspaper reporter and Island historian Pat Copeland passed away on Tuesday, June 13, at the age of 76.
She passed away at Manatee Memorial Hospital in Bradenton from complications associated with the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other respiratory challenges she faced in recent years.
In 2000, Pat joined the newly-formed Anna Maria Island Sun newspaper as a reporter and copy editor. As a Sun reporter, Pat spent many years covering the city of Holmes Beach, the Holmes Beach City Commission and West Manatee Fire Rescue. As the copy editor, she proofread and corrected almost every story that ran in The Sun during her tenure, which ended in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
AMI Sun Publisher Mike Field said, “Pat was the first person I hired for The Sun’s news department when Maggie and I began planning in 1999 to start a weekly community newspaper on the Island. Looking back, that hire was one of the single most important things I ever did as owner and publisher of the paper. Pat’s knowledge of local history and her experience covering Island news brought instant credibility to the upstart Sun.
“Pat knew absolutely everybody and had a deserved reputation for treating the subjects of her stories with respect and honesty. Her accuracy in reporting and attention to detail were phenomenal. She almost never made a mistake. As an editor, she helped many young reporters by deftly catching errors in their copy long before the stories ever made it into print. If you needed to know who to talk to on any given assignment, Pat was the person you asked.
“Personally, I will always remember the wry sense of humor she had, one that often left me in stitches and helped diffuse the mounting pressures of approaching deadlines. It was a pleasure to have worked with Pat Copeland and an even greater one simply to have known her. She will be missed,” he said.
An Island life
Pat was born and raised in Beavercreek, Ohio, just east of Dayton. Her husband of more than 50 years, Doug, hails from the same area. They met while they were both teaching English and language arts at a middle school in Dayton, Ohio.
“We had classrooms next to each other. That’s where we met,” Doug said.
After their first year together, Pat and Doug left their teaching jobs, moved to Celina, Ohio and for a year ran a fishing camp on Grand Lake. At the time, Doug’s parents lived on North Shore Drive in Anna Maria, where in 1972, Doug’s dad presided over Pat and Doug’s wedding during their visit to Florida.
Pat and Doug Copeland were married in Anna Maria and enjoyed more than 50 years of marriage on the Island. – Copeland family | Submitted
When Pat and Doug moved to Bradenton Beach in 1973, Pat went to work at Trader Jack’s and Doug later joined the staff as a bartender.
In 1974, they bought their home in Anna Maria, where Pat would live for the rest of her life.
“Back then, the Island was still a resident-based community. Probably 99% of the people that worked at Trader Jack’s lived on the Island, back when affordable annual rentals were always available. That’s gone away,” Doug said.
Pat left Trader Jack’s in January 1978 when she was pregnant with their first daughter, Layla Copeland.
Island Historian
After giving birth to Layla in 1978 and to Anna Maria Copeland in 1980, Pat spent some time as a stay-at-home mom. In 1981, she became a stringer for the Island Herald. Over the years, she picked up additional freelance duties with several other publications including The Bradenton Herald, Camp-orama magazine and The Weekender. In 1987, she became the editor of the Anna Maria Islander Press, where she also served as a reporter.
When the Islander Press closed, Pat bought all the bound newspaper copies, clip files and other files to prevent them from potentially being destroyed. Anna Maria Mayor Ray Simches put Pat and Island historian and author Carolyne Norwood in touch with each other and in 1990 the two co-founded the Anna Maria Island Historical Society and guided the development of the Anna Maria Island Historical Museum.
Carolyne Norwood and Pat Copeland co-founded the Anna Maria Island Historical Society in 1990. – Submitted
“The first year, they rented the old vet’s office on Crescent Avenue and Ed Chiles paid the rent and the utilities,” Doug said.
A year later, the Historical Society moved to the museum’s current location on Pine Avenue.
“History is important. For the Island, there was no better history than the old newspapers. Pat wrote the Island’s history every week,” Doug said of the news stories that can still be read at the museum.
When asked what Pat loved about being a reporter, Doug said, “The interaction with people. She was honest, had integrity and felt she could present an accurate sense of what was happening on the Island.”
In the 1980s, the Copeland family took a pair of month-long summer camping trips in a Volkswagen bus with family friend and well-known
Little League baseball coach Lou Fiorentino. After Lou died, Pat, Doug and others started an annual fundraiser in Lou’s name to raise money to send Island kids to off-Island summer camps, which they did from 1998 to 2014.
When asked how Pat will be remembered, Doug said, “She was a great wife and mother. Honest, ethical and loved by many. I’ll miss her. She was always willing to have a good time.”
Mother Extraordinaire
“She was a great mom. She welcomed everyone in our house. I could show up with anybody and say, ‘Mom they’re having dinner with us,’ and she’d say, ‘OK, no problem,’ ” Layla said.
“Pat’s philosophy was she’d rather have the girls here with their friends than have them out somewhere else not knowing who they’re with or what they’re doing. That’s a pretty good philosophy,” Doug added.
“The 1960s helped shape my mom’s consciousness and who she was. She was part of the hippie era, adamantly opposed to the Vietnam War. She protested for her beliefs, but she also never lost sight of the American soldiers who were her neighbors, classmates and friends. The music of the 1960s was the soundtrack to our childhood and she shared her love of music, writers and poetry with us,” Layla said.
When asked what she learned from her mom, Layla said, “I learned how to cook, how to sew, how to be a mother and how to be a wife. She gave me my best friend, my sister. When mom’s breathing got bad and it was hard for her to talk, we’d text with her every day.
Pat Copeland showed her whimsical side during a childhood bike ride with her daughter Layla. – Copeland family | Submitted
“She was always really funny, really silly and she always made you laugh. She was really generous and always thinking of others. She loved watching our kids draw and play in the pool. When she could no longer go outside, she’d open the window and sit there to watch them play and still be a part of it. We always had a Sunday or Saturday dinner here. In this family, food is love and she was a great cook,” Layla said.
“We always ate together. Both girls became great cooks because they grew up thinking food was important,” Doug said.
Family was of the utmost importance to Pat Copeland. – Copeland family | Submitted
“When I was 14, I decided I was going to be a vegetarian and my sister later joined me,” Layla said. “Mom taught herself how to cook vegetarian food and she cooked two meals every night: one for her and dad and one for my sister and I. Every day, until we went to college, she packed us a gourmet lunch to take to school. She took the best care of us,” Layla said.
In 2014, the Copeland family traveled to Italy together. – Copeland family | Submitted
Anna Maria Copeland lives in Rockville, Maryland. When asked about her mom, she said, “There was so much about my mom that was wonderful. She always uplifted people. Like a lot of parents, she told Layla and I that we could be and do anything, but she really meant it. Whenever I expressed a doubt about my abilities or qualifications, she would gently explain why whatever I was worrying about wouldn’t stop me from doing the thing I wanted to do if I truly wanted to do it. I saw her do this for other people as well. She had a special way of helping people believe in themselves. Another thing that was truly special about my mom was her open heart. She had love and kindness for anyone who needed it. She welcomed so many people into our home and lives and enriched all of us in the process.
“When my daughter Lily was born, I was surprised by how natural and easy it felt to be a mother. Later, I had the realization that it was easy because I had the best example to follow. I learned how to cook and bake and sew from her. I learned how to navigate the world with an open heart. I learned patience. I will miss her love and understanding. I will miss watching her and Lily goof off together. I will miss sitting up late together talking about life. I will miss cooking and eating together.
“I want people to know how special my mother was. She was funny and smart. She loved rock-n-roll and acting silly. She was kind and thoughtful and creative. She wasn’t afraid to be different and she helped others feel comfortable in spite of their differences,” Anna Maria said.
Anna Hayden and her sister, Pat Copeland, got “framed” in this photo. – Copeland family | Submitted
Pat’s sister, Anna Hayden, said, “Pat had such a positive influence on my life. She opened my eyes to the world and always encouraged me with my art and photography. To see that she also had such a positive impact on her community makes me so very proud to be her sister.”
Community icon
In 2017, Pat was named the city of Anna Maria’s Citizen of the Year. Last week, the flags at the museum, City Pier Park, City Hall and the City Hall annex were flown at half-staff in Pat’s honor.
In 2017, former Anna Maria Mayor Fran Barford presented Pat Copeland with the city of Anna Maria’s Citizen of the Year award. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy said, “The loss of Pat Copeland is a heavy loss for our Island community. Pat blazed a trail that is now her legacy. She was the woman who brought to life the images and tales from our Island’s past. Knowing our history is a key ingredient for a community to remain relevant and instill a sense of pride in its citizens. Pat made us all aware that we are ‘Anna Marians,’ ” he said.
The City Pier Park flags flew at half-staff in Pat Copeland’s honor. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Historical Society Vice President Barbara Murphy said, “The Historical Society has lost a devoted friend. Pat and Carolyne Norwood not only had a passion for the Island history, but the vision and determination to preserve it for generations to come. A year ago, the Historical Society’s annual scholarship awards were named after Pat. Thank you, Pat, for your contribution to preserving our rich Island history.”
Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth said, “Pat was an original. She had a deep connection to the Island and was a talented writer. She will be truly missed. We are fortunate to have the years that she invested in her historical work that helped preserve the Island’s treasures.”
Holmes Beach City Clerk Stacey Johnston said, “Pat was a beautiful person. Her smile was contagious. She absolutely loved her family, community, her job and her friends. She was an excellent writer; one I could always trust. Her perseverance towards the history of Anna Maria Island will allow Pat’s memory to live on forever.”
The Copeland family sometimes gathered at Duffy’s Tavern in Holmes Beach. – Copeland family | Submitted
Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said, “She always gave the police department a fair shot. She reported everything fairly and she mentored other reporters to do the same. She was always a pleasure to speak with. I will miss her.”
Retired WMFR Fire Chief Andy Price said, “As a reporter, she would always ask questions so she could understand the issue – and not just enough to write a story. What she reported was accurate and it told the right story because she understood what was going on. When Pat wrote an article, it was accurate to the T. Pat was one of the best journalists I’ve ever dealt with. Pat was a wonderful person and it showed in her reporting.”
Former Holmes Beach Mayor and County Commissioner Carol Whitmore said, “I met Pat when I first got into Island politics in 1991. Throughout the years we became friends and we still communicated after she left the paper. She was a wonderful person and she had a passion for the Historical Society. I’m happy I got to know her and Doug.”
Pat and Doug Copeland served as “The Bowling Police” during one of the annual O’Connor Bowling Challenge tournaments.- Copeland family | Submitted
Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie said, “Pat was a wonderful lady who really loved the Island community. She was a real giver and she was always there for the community.”
Island resident and business owner Ed Chiles said, “Pat was dedicated to the history and the character of the Island. She was indefatigable, always working on it and never not involved. She was a great citizen of the Island. She will be missed but she will not be forgotten.”
Bradenton resident and longtime family friend Jean Couser said, “I’ve known Pat since the 70s, when she and I were waitresses at Trader Jack’s. Pat and Doug were schoolteachers who escaped the cold for something new, but I don’t think Pat ever strayed very far from educating people, even if she didn’t do it in a classroom. Her family was so important to her and she and Doug created a purposeful life together. They raised two smart, talented women and Pat had a big influence on how successful those girls are.
Pat and Doug Copeland dressed as Lois Lane and Superman for Halloween. – Copeland family | Submitted
“Pat’s talents went way beyond writing. She sewed Halloween costumes and knitted baby blankets. She surrounded herself with creative people and the parties she and Doug hosted were never dull. In many ways, I think Pat was the spirit of Anna Maria. She was always doing research for Historical Society, doing a story for The Sun or collecting books for her Little Free Library. She really loved the community.”
Pat Copeland had the first Little Free Library in Anna Maria. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
AMI Historical Society board chairperson Liz Hager said, “We’re going to miss her. I loved working with Pat and Doug. Doug is a good friend of the museum too. I hope what they did for and on Anna Maria Island for so many years is appreciated. They named their daughter Anna Maria. That shows quite a bit of loyalty to the Island.
“When Pat could no longer stay on as president of the board, I was recruited to take it over. I loved going to talk to her and learning from her. During COVID, she’d leave a chair for me outside on the lawn and she would open the window and she’d stay inside and we could chat that way and have her bring me up to date on all the things that still needed to be done for the museum. My husband, Dennis, and I enjoyed going out to dinner with Pat and Doug. They were great connoisseurs of restaurants in the area. We had dinner together in April,” Hager said.
Bradenton resident Carrie Price was close friends with Layla and Anna while growing up on the Island.
“I was a frequent guest at their house for dinner. I probably ate there 150 times. Pat was a big part of my time on Island. She was so welcoming to me and always a great host. I was just one of many people who frequented their house for dinner and their company. Pat was very warm and inviting. She was a wonderful mom. She was so dedicated to the girls and she ran a very organized household. I have a lot of respect for that now that I have my own kids. She was a great reporter and she was so dedicated to everything she did,” Carrie said.
The Sun staff is remembering Pat Copeland fondly after the news of her passing last week.
Pat was the first reporter hired to staff the Anna Maria Island Sun. Publisher Mike Field remembers hiring her while sitting on paint buckets in the newspaper’s brand-new office.
Pat was working for the Bystander at the time and was a colleague of Tom Vaught, who was writing for the Island Free Press.
“Competition was not Pat’s style, nor mine,” he said. “We met each other in February 1993 at Holmes Beach City Hall. I did not truly know what to expect. Pat volunteered her knowledge of the Island and local city politics. I knew I could trust her with her wealth of Island background expertise.”
The Island Free Press folded and Vaught joined the Bradenton Herald team.
“One evening, Pat called me informing me about her leap to a new Island paper, the Anna Maria Island Sun. She asked me to consider a change along with her. I went to this newly created paper’s co-founding publisher and owner, Mike Field, and became a reporter along with Pat.”
Retired since 2020, Vaught remembers Copeland, then a copy editor, teasing him for his mistakes, like a sibling.
“We never doubted each other’s talents,” he said.
Copeland never aspired to work in a big city, he said. She wanted to cover the Island where she and her husband, Doug, raised their two daughters, and she did.
“She was the queen of Island journalism,” he said, “and above all, a good friend.”
Shown here with West Manatee Fire Rescue Fire Commissioner Randy Cooper, Pat Copeland covered the WMFR meetings for many years. – Submitted
Staff writer and Digital Editor Kristin Swain recalls Copeland taking her under her wing and helping her establish her career on Anna Maria Island and in the news industry.
“By the time I arrived in the area fulltime in 2014, Pat was already established as a long-time Island legend,” she said. “Pat was one of the first people that I have been privileged to know on the Island. She was one of the nicest, most genuine and welcoming people I’ve ever known. Pat was one of those rare people who is impossible to forget and one that I will always be grateful to have had the privilege of knowing.”
Copeland worked diligently to help make her community a better place through her work with The Sun, her volunteerism, her work with the Anna Maria Island Historical Society and other organizations, Swain said.
“Though she’s no longer with us, her legacy in this community will endure for many, many years to come. Her community spirit will continue to radiate through the city of Anna Maria and the Island as a whole,” she said. “My sincerest condolences go out to her family, friends and everyone whose lives she touched. Pat left a little bit of her light with everyone she met. That light will continue to shine.”
Sun Editor Cindy Lane recalls Copeland often breaking from her office demeanor with quick-on-the-uptake jokes, followed by her trademark smile and deep, hearty laugh.
Her coverage of the city of Holmes Beach earned her a reputation of accuracy and trustworthiness, and she covered the arts community and historical stories with enthusiasm, she said.
A model of organization, she archived every edition of The Sun at the Anna Maria Island Historical Society Museum, which she co-founded with Carolyne Norwood.
With her trademark spiral-bound calendar filled out each year in advance with reminders of upcoming events, she never missed a story, and as the “newsroom mom,” never let another reporter miss one of theirs, Lane recalled.
Widely known and appreciated for being detail-oriented as a reporter, Copeland was also an exacting copy editor with an institutional memory that saved everyone on the staff from embarrassment at one time or another. Once, a new reporter mentioned Lawton Chiles in a story without noting that he was a former Florida governor, and Pat caught the omission in time.
“Pat always made sure all the ‘i’s were dotted and all the ‘t’s were crossed,” Lane said. “She set an admirable example and a high bar for The Sun to follow.”
“As the Sun’s longtime copy editor, Pat Copeland caught and corrected many typos and mistakes I made when writing my weekly news stories, thus sparing me the embarrassment of seeing my errors in print,” Sun correspondent Joe Hendricks said.
Each Monday, Pat would go to The Sun office, print out every page of the paper and with her red marker notate all the corrections she’d then make using the computer software used to lay out the paper, he recalled.
“Working closely with editor and publisher Mike Field, Pat’s keen eye and attention to detail made The Sun a better paper, and she made me a better reporter with her historical perspective, factual knowledge, journalistic insights and corrective actions.”
In 2013, Pat took a brief leave of absence and went to Maryland to help care for her first grandchild, Lily.
“At the time, my duties with The Sun were limited to those of a part-time freelance correspondent. During Pat’s time away, I covered her Holmes Beach beat that included city commission meetings and other governmental matters. That assignment led to me later being assigned to cover the cities and city governments of Bradenton Beach and Anna Maria, which I still cover today,” Hendricks said.
“In 2017, I was honored to write about Pat being named the city of Anna Maria’s Citizen of the Year – an award she earned for the community spirit she embodied and the tireless work she did with the Anna Maria Island Historical Society.
I was also fortunate to become friends with Pat, her husband, Doug, and the Copeland family. Pat will be forever appreciated and greatly missed. Thanks, Pat for all you did for me, The Sun and the Anna Maria Island community. The Island is a better place because of you and a lesser place without you.”
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed into law new state legislation that will impact condominium associations and owners.
On June 9, DeSantis signed the legislation recently adopted by the Florida Legislature as Senate Bill 154 and House Bill 1395.
Taking effect on July 1, the new law requires structural inspections of all condominium buildings three or more stories in height and at least 30 years old by Dec. 31, 2024 and again every 10 years thereafter.
In accordance with the Florida Building Code, the inspection requirement includes the most popular type of condominium building on Anna Maria Island – three-story buildings with two elevated living levels and ground-level parking below.
The new law builds upon the state law previously created in 2022 with the adoption of Senate Bill 4-D. The legislation adopted in 2022 and 2023 is in response to the partial collapse of the 12-story Champlain Towers South condominium building in Surfside that killed 98 people in 2021.
The new law applies to all qualifying condominium buildings in Florida regardless of location and it deletes the 25-year inspection requirement adopted last year for condo buildings located within three miles of the coastline.
The new law clarifies that all owners of a condominium building must share the costs of the structural inspections via annual assessments. Condo owners must also share the cost of repairing or remedying any structural distress or weakness identified in a structural inspection.
The law authorizes local governments to enforce the milestone inspection requirements and allows local enforcement agencies to accept an inspection report completed before July 1, 2022, if the inspection and the report comply with the milestone requirements.
The law requires condo associations to provide notice to condo unit owners about the inspection deadlines and inspection findings.
The Fifth Annual Bigfoot Snook Tournament is coming soon to a beach near you. The tournament was the brainchild of Compound Board Shop owner Jacob Shields.
“My idea was to help level the tournament playing field so younger kids and less experienced fly fishers had a good chance of competing against more experienced fly fishers,” Shields said. “The format also allows kids with a bike to be able to get to a spot as easily as someone with an expensive skiff. All our events are free, so there’s no reason not to participate. Many fly-fishing tournaments are about pride and ego, and I guess this one boasts that the main objective is to get the community together. After a fun night at the captains’ meeting, anglers are off to walk the beaches and bays on Saturday. I love the relationships that have been formed through our shop and I feel this event is just another way to become friends with other people that share the same passion.”
Bigfoot Snook Tournament coming in July
The tournament organizers assemble great prizes from their sponsors and will be giving away over $1,000 in cash as well as prizes. There are no boundaries with the tournament, so people from all over can participate in the event. The only requirement for anglers is that they must attend the captains’ meeting as well as the weigh-in event where they will show pictures of their catch.
The mandatory captains’ meeting will be held on Friday, July 7 at 6:30 p.m. at the Compound Board Shop in Sarasota. It’s essential that competing anglers are present to secure their spot in the competition. The challenge is exclusively for those who prefer to go fishing on foot. Vessels can be used to reach a favorite spot, but the catch must be made on foot, no fishing is allowed from a floating craft. The best part may be the fact that there is no entry fee. It won’t cost anglers a dime to participate!
Shields commented, “We believe in spreading the joy of fishing to all passionate souls. Anglers should mark their calendars for Saturday, July 8 when the tournament officially runs from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. It’s a chance to showcase your skills, embrace the camaraderie of fellow anglers, and compete for over $1,000 in cash and prizes for the first-place winner.” To sign up, visit the Compound Board Shop website.
