ANNA MARIA – Team Tidy MD and team Solid Rock Construction took to the 8- to 10-year-old league field last Tuesday night to determine which squad moved on to the semifinal game against The Gitt Team.
After regulation play, six shooters from each team took to the line, one by one, hoping to get one by the opponent’s goalkeeper with each team’s future in jeopardy.
Ending in a 0-0 tie, the game provided nail-biting excitement for players, friends and family.
Solid Rock Construction keeper Isaac Roadman did his best against the firepower of the Tidy MD strikers. Save for save, Braelyn Curtis protected the Tidy MD goal, missing only two of the six shots taken against her.
Curtis’ saves and the perfect placement of penalty kicks by Owen Purcell, Jasmine Sparks, Kirra Quinby and Aiden Guess gave Tidy MD the green light to move forward into the next round of playoff games.
Solid Rock’s players took to the line with determination. Curtis could not stop the shots of David Zupa, Mckenna Darak and Turner Worth. The team’s efforts fell short by one goal, ending Solid Rock’s season.
In addition to the Tidy MD-The Gitt Team match-up, team Flip Flop Shop & Candy Stop faces team Beach Bums. Only two teams will play in the 8- to 10-year-old league championship game.
Four teams remain in the 11- to 14-year-old league. Moss Builders faced HSH this week, while Shady Lady played Miz & Hiz Biz in semifinal action.
The comeback adult soccer team, Salty Printing, lit up the field against Servis First Bank last Thursday night, winning by three goals.
Sato Real Estate secured its place in the semifinals by defeating Shady Lady, 7-4. Team Moss Builders continues go undefeated with a 9-3 win against The Gitt Team.
Gulfview Windows & Doors knocks on the door of the championship game with a big five-point win against Progressive Cabinetry.
Can Salty Printing’s winning streak take them to the finals? Facing Moss Builders will be the ultimate test for the Salty team.
Despite the rocky start to the season, team Sato Real Estate cannot be underestimated.
Gulfview needs the win against Sato Real Estate to find their place on the pitch Thursday, May 26 at 7:30 p.m. in the Paul “Ace” Hayward Championship Cup game.
My April 20 column was titled “The end of an era,” the era being one of ultra-low mortgage interest rates. In that column I reported that the current average mortgage interest rate was 4.72%, a rate that was probably already a week old.
Now, only a month later, the average interest rate is 5.42%, likely hovering just above 6% after the most recent Federal Reserve rate hike of half a percent. When the rate hit 5.27%, it represented a 13-year high.
So far, the country in general has not seen a slowdown of the surge in home prices, according to the National Association of Realtors. Quite the contrary, many buyers are trying to lock in purchases before the rates climb even further, which Realtors can guarantee they will, continuing to push selling prices up and up.
So, what does the average potential home buyer do in this real estate environment? Mortgage interest rates are going up almost weekly. Inventory is being depleted with everyone rushing into the market before the rates go up even more. Sellers are taking advantage of the increase and the anxiety of buyers to do tough negotiating and/or increase their asking price.
Many buyers are just dropping out, renewing their leases, moving in with family and waiting for the insanity to end. Others who can afford it aren’t giving up. Some are opting to pay fees to secure lower rates in the form of rate lock-in agreements. It’s not unusual for the typical 60-day lock-in to expire before the buyer finds a property, putting them in the position to extend the lock-in, costing – of course – more money. Others are adding cash into the transaction so they can qualify for a lower mortgage amount making up for the higher rates.
In addition, adjustable-rate mortgages are starting to come back starting under 4% for now. This new generation of adjustable-rate mortgages are more closely regulated than the ones that helped to create the financial crisis. At that time, low teaser rates attracted buyers and then after a year or two went up so high many homeowners couldn’t afford the increase. Now lenders can’t offer short-term rates and lenders are required to have caps on how much the rates can increase. Nevertheless, borrowers still need to be careful when going into a variable rate mortgage, since not knowing what your mortgage rate will be down the road is still a risk.
Most real estate economists still think that home prices will come down by the end of the year because of the higher mortgage interest rates. However, all real estate is local, and Manatee County is such a specialized area with a high percentage of cash buyers, increasing mortgage rates will have less of an effect.
Even if you’re not in the market for a new home, increasing rates influence the entire real estate market. It’s important to pay attention to the rate increases which could at some point have an impact on the value of your home proving the economists right.
At the end of 2021, the average rate on a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage was 3.1%; by the time this column is in print it could very well be at 6%. It appears mortgage interest rates keep creating new eras every couple of months, enough to make a homebuyer’s head spin.
ANNA MARIA – After their first win of the season last week, Salty Printing walked onto The Center field Thursday night with an air of confidence ready to take on their opponent, team Shady Lady. Despite the fact that their last win was by forfeit, the W was just enough to give the team what they needed to play and earn the 5-2 victory.
Shady Lady came into the game without the striking leg of Eric Pullen and others, leaving Ryan Hogan, Amy Ivin, Adam Mott, Jake Parsons, JD Webb and Nate Welch on the field to play with an empty bench.
The Salty Printing win came with hard work, hustle on the field, strong play, dynamic goalkeeping and a sprinkle of luck. Shady Lady’s offense struck hard and struck often, keeping Tuna McCracken busy in goal for Salty.
McCracken ended the game with 16 recorded saves, with cat-like reflexes making stops left and right. Fortunate for team Salty Printing, several of the Shady Lady shots hit the post or were just slightly off the mark.
The Shady Lady squad did not stop playing hard, fighting for every position and every 50-50 ball. Starting the game in goal, Adam Mott made six important stops for Shady Lady.
Taking his place in goal, teammate Jake Parsons had four saves before the final whistle. With Parsons in goal, Mott came onto the field ready to score. Using his stature and skill, Mott made quick work of his time on the field, scoring one of the two goals for his team.
Nate Welch scored the first point for Shady Lady in the first half of play. Welch’s early goal gave the talented team a spark they needed to stay in the game for a while.
Playing down, as Jaclyn Schlossberg joined the Salty Printing team, Shady Lady just could not stop the scoring efforts of Tyler Brewer and Kevin Roman.
With three goals and an assist, Roman led Salty Printing in scoring. Brewer had two solid goals of his own in the team’s victory. Teammate Nick Cavalluzzi made his mark in the record books with an assist.
As a team, Salty Printing pulled themselves out of the bottom of the league rankings with the win, putting them in seventh place going into the quarter-final round of the playoffs. The team plays second seed Servis First Bank in the 8 p.m. game on Thursday night.
The first game of the playoffs starts with #4 ranked Sato Real Estate facing Shady Lady. Gulfview Windows & Doors meets Progressive Cabinetry in the last game of the night, as the third and sixth seeded teams, respectively.
Undefeated team Moss Builders earned the prime playing time, challenging last place The Gitt Team in the 7 p.m. game at The Center.
Can Moss Builders make their way to the championship game as one of only a few undefeated teams to go all the way? Their worthy opponents will do their best to make their mark in the playoffs, seeking the Paul “Ace” Hayward Cup.
Working hard all season paid off for the 8- to 10-year-old league team Beach Bums last Tuesday night. With the talents of Camden Rudacille in goal, the team finished the game with their first win of the season against Solid Rock Construction, 3-0.
Following the footsteps of his dad, Scott Rudacille, and uncle, Mark Rudacille, the Beach Bum’s goalkeeper made five critical stops in the victory. The tough defense shut out the Solid Rock offense in week three action.
Beach Bum’s Dylan Sato used his power leg to score two points in the game, along with a single goal by Miles Moss.
Isaac Roadman made big stops for Solid Rock Construction as the team’s goalie for the game. Despite best efforts by Roadman and his teammates, they could not capture their second win.
A forfeit gave Salty Printing their first W for the season in the adult co-ed soccer league. Will the win be the burst of momentum the young team needs to make it past the first round of playoffs on Thursday, May 19?
Salty Printing plays the Shady Lady team who won their second game of the season against Servis First Bank 4-2. Servis First rotated goalkeepers through the 40 minutes of official play.
Max Gazzo, Daniel Hampton and Tim Holly finished the game with four, three and two stops, respectively. On the other side of the field, returning to the league this season, Adam Mott made six saves, only allowing two by him.
The two goals scored by Tim Holly and Keith Mahoney for Servis First Bank just was not enough last Thursday night.
Nate Welch had two points for Shady Lady, while Juan Pablo and Jake Parsons each scored solo goals in the game.
Goalies were busy in the final game of the night with the Sato Real Estate versus Progressive Cabinetry match-up. With six official saves for each side, the fire power of Sato Real Estate was too much for the Progressive Cabinetry defense.
Sean Flynn and Ben Sato each shared keeper duty for Sato Real Estate. Flynn made four key stops and Sato saved two Progressive shots.
Two assists and three goals were recorded for Sato Real Estate’s Danny Anderson. Damir Glavan added two more points to his overall season tally. Selena Gonzalez and Will Kretzmann each put a single point on the scoreboard for the victors.
Finishing last week with a 2-4-0 season, Progressive Cabinetry’s Steve Oelfke and Robb Marshall worked hard to keep the point deficit at a minimum. Oelfke finished the game with six stops and Marshall made two saves.
The point scoring for Progressive was spread among four players: Michael Bolognone, Edwin Picardo, Kali Richardson and Timo Vecchio.
This week, Progressive Cabinetry faces the undefeated Moss Builders team, coming into the game with a 6-0 record. This final regular season game will determine the quarterfinal playoff bracket.
The adult soccer league’s playoffs will start on Thursday, May 19 at 6 p.m. One week later, the semifinal games will be played among the final four teams.
All eight teams still have a chance to play for the Paul “Ace” Hayward cup on Thursday, June 2. Can team Moss Builders stay on top?
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Just in time for Mother’s Day, sea turtles that hatched on the Island have begun returning to lay their own nests.
Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring (AMITW) identified and marked six turtle nests in the first week of nesting season, which began May 1 and runs through Oct. 31.
These nests are just the beginning; hundreds more are expected this year, which will result in tens of thousands of hatchlings. The record for nests was 544 in 2019, and 2018 saw a record 35,788 hatchlings. However, the majority of the hatchlings will not survive to maturity, primarily due to predators. To maximize their chances of survival, the best thing to do is eliminate obstacles created by humans.
Hatchling turtles are born with an immediate instinct to crawl directly to the water. Obstacles such as beach chairs, trash or deep holes they cannot crawl out of lower their odds of survival. Light from flashlights or camera flashes can disorient both nesting and hatching sea turtles, leading them away from the water, as can light from beachfront buildings.
Five species of sea turtles swim and feed around Anna Maria Island, the most common being the loggerhead, according to Turtle Watch, and all are an integral part of the local ecosystem.
Turtle Tips
During sea turtle season, May 1 – Oct. 31, follow these tips to help turtles:
Turn off lights visible from the beach and close blinds from sundown to sunrise; lights confuse nesting sea turtles and may cause them to go back to sea and drop their eggs in the water, where they won’t hatch. Light can also attract hatchlings away from the water.
Don’t use flashlights, lanterns or camera flashes on the beach at night.
Remove all beach chairs and other objects from the sand from sundown to sunrise; they can deter sea turtles from nesting and disorient hatchlings.
Fill in the holes you dig in the sand before leaving the beach; they can trap nesting and hatching sea turtles, which cannot live long out of the water.
Deconstruct sandcastles before leaving the beach; they can block hatchlings from the water.
Don’t use balloons, wish lanterns or fireworks; they litter the beach and Gulf, and turtles can ingest the debris.
Do not trim trees and plants that shield the beach from lights.
Never touch a sea turtle; it’s the law. If you see people disturbing turtles, call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Wildlife Alert hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).
Tarpon season is one of the most anticipated times of the year on local waters. While it’s possible to encounter tarpon occasionally most every month of the year, April through July is the time savvy anglers turn their attention to these silver piscatorial gladiators. Their arrival in numbers worth pursuing is generally dependent on water temperature. The magic number is debatable but when water temperatures reach into the 70s, ardent anglers take notice. When that number reaches the high 70s to low 80s, they mobilize.
Locally we have some of the best tarpon fishing in the world. For most anglers this isn’t a numbers game, it’s the pursuit, and it’s the surroundings and the action that keeps them pinned to the bow. Tackle should match the size of the quarry. Most anglers opt for a 20- to 30-pound spin and/or 11- to 12-weight fly outfits. A heavy bite tippet is required because of the size of tarpon and their rasp-like mouth. Fly anglers generally use 60- to 80-pound tippet while spin anglers choose 70- to 100-pound test. While it might seem like a difficult task to land a tarpon on the fly, or any tackle for that matter, an angler who knows the limits of her gear can actually land a tarpon in a surprisingly short period of time. The key is to apply maximum pressure from the hookup and never let up. Too many anglers “baby” their tarpon in a misguided attempt to land them. The truth is that the longer you fight a tarpon the better chance you have of losing it.
Tarpon fishing can be a feast for the eyes. – NO MOTOR ZONE! | Submitted
A properly (IGFA-approved) tied tarpon leader used by fly fishers usually runs between 10-12 feet and is tapered to accurately deliver the fly. The leader includes a class tippet (weakest link) from 16-20 pounds that is doubled at both ends to soften the (shock) impact to the class tippet and bite tippet. Key to the whole equation is to have a very sharp hook as tarpon have extremely tough mouths. Conventional leaders vary from angler to angler, but a doubled standing line tied to a leader and then to the bite “tippet” with a blood knot or Albright Special won’t fail you.
Flies vary from the classic splayed feather “Keys” style to more complex designs like the “Toad,” various baitfish imitations and Paolo worm flies. Some fly anglers are not concerned with landing a tarpon, preferring to just enjoy the hunt, the hook up and the jumps that usually follow the hook set. They use light bite tippets which allows the tarpon to work through the leader with their abrasive mouths. The key to landing tarpon on the fly is accuracy. The fly must be placed perfectly, move in a precise direction relative to the fish and be at the proper (fishes’) depth. Even when all of these factors come together, there’s still about a 50% chance that the tarpon will reject the fly, assuming that the condition of local waters don’t repel them first.
The most important thing I would like for you to take away from this article is to be courteous when tarpon fishing. Don’t try to run down a school of tarpon. If another boat is working a school, find another or hopscotch wide around for a shot. Tarpon fishing is all catch and release unless you’ve purchased a special tarpon tag. It is also illegal to take tarpon over 40” out of the water. Try tarpon fishing on your own, or better yet, hire one of the talented local guides listed in these pages to show you the ropes.
Many years ago, my husband and I were in Athens, Greece, and on our way down from touring the sights at the top of Acropolis Hill, someone stopped us and asked, “Was it worth the walk?” After my initial shock that this question would be asked – considering where we were – I thought, “Isn’t everything worth the walk?”
The thing that is definitely worth the walk now is every single house that comes on the market in your price range, even if it’s not exactly your dream house.
We’re in what appears to be a changing real estate market. This spring seems likely to be less competitive than last spring when homes flew off the market as buyers rushed to take advantage of ultralow interest rates in an appreciating housing market. Some buyers will have to drop out of the market if they were borderline for financing, but there will still be plenty of qualified buyers and plenty with cash. No one expects prices to go down anytime soon, but an increase in inventory is looking promising.
The increase in mortgage rates is slowing home sales. Existing home sales fell 4.5% nationally in March compared to March of last year, according to the National Associations of Realtors. Manatee County’s home sales for March decreased by a lot more than that, falling by 20.2% compared to March of last year. In the opinion of the chief economist for the National Association of Realtors, the frenzy is winding down and the volume of home sales is starting to revert to pre-pandemic levels. That I’ll believe when I see it, especially on Anna Maria Island. There are still multiple buyers for every property that comes on the market, even if there will be more properties available.
As reported last week, Manatee County continues to ride the enormous wave of an appreciating market. Selling prices continue to break records in both Manatee and Sarasota and indeed the entire North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton region, which is reporting a 29.9% increase in single-family homes from last March. Sarasota County also showed a large increase of 28.4% in the sale price for single-family homes, however, Manatee County led the pack with a 32.9% increase in single-family sales prices.
So where does all this great information and opinion leave potential buyers? It leaves them with the hope of more properties to see that may fit what they’re looking for. They shouldn’t expect the prices, certainly in our area, to change much, if at all, but they may get more of what they were looking for in a home.
This goes directly back to my “Is it worth the walk?” scenario and the answer is “Yes.” Every house that comes on the market in your price range and in your desired area should be seriously considered. Forget about the colors on the walls or the lack of interesting landscaping or the clutter on the bathroom counters. It’s time to go back to basic house-hunting principles: If a home has good bones, it should go on your list; if you can qualify for a mortgage for this home, it should go on your list; and if the home is workable, keeping the future in mind for your family or for your investment, it should go on your list.
It’s possible that eventually, prices will level off as the pipeline of buyers waiting for new properties is gradually exhausted, but we have no idea when or if that will happen. Now is the time to take the walk up the hill. You’ll be glad you did.
ANNA MARIA – Water taxi operators aren’t expressing interest in operating a water taxi service between downtown Bradenton and Anna Maria Island.
Wednesday, March 30 was the deadline to submit a proposal to the Manatee County Procurement Division in response to the invitation to negotiate (ITN). No proposals were received.
Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Elliott Falcione is among the staff members Manatee County Administrator Dr. Scott Hopes tasked with bringing a long-anticipated water taxi system to the county.
“As of yesterday, at the end of the day, the Manatee County procurement office did not receive a proposal,” Falcione said. “So, how are they handling it from this point moving forward? They’ve sent an email request to the vendors we previously sent the invitation to negotiate to. We hope to see where we can improve the solicitation process using any feedback they may have. That process has begun.”
“We’re still optimistic that we’re going to pursue a water taxi operation. We have to pursue this for the greater good of enhancing multi-modal transportation in our community. We’re going to interact with vendors who have done charters or similar types of businesses in our community to see what they need to move this thing forward,” he said.
“I don’t look at this as a negative. It’s part of a process and we’re going to do our best to make this happen. The Tourist Development Council embraces this, the board of county commissioners wants to move this forward and we know the municipalities in the county want enhanced multi-modal transportation. This is the best, first step we can take as part of that process,” Falcione said.
The opportunity to submit a proposal ended last Wednesday and has not been extended.
“That process is closed,” Falcione said. “Based on the feedback we receive, we’ll come up with plan B. The procurement office is looking at the law to see if now that we’ve gone out to solicitation with no bids do we have the opportunity to negotiate with vendors who have interest? We want to keep this moving forward. I’m sure I’ll know a lot more next week as to what we can and can’t do, but I know we’re going after feedback from the vendors we know who received the invitation to bid.”
The Sun asked Falcione if he was surprised that no proposals were submitted.
“This is new to me, so I can’t say whether I’m surprised or not. I’m a positive kind of guy and I’m not going to look at this as a negative. We’ve just got to keep on the pedal, communicate well, continue to work for the greater good and do all we can to meet the objective of getting a water taxi system going sooner than later,” he replied.
Does the lack of proposals signal concerns from the private sector about the financial feasibility of a water taxi operation between downtown Bradenton and Anna Maria Island?
“No, because the invitation to negotiate was so open-ended. It was pretty much an opportunity for them to tell us what we need to get an operation going. There weren’t any specifics related to a water taxi operation. We’ll see if we missed something as we try to get feedback from the vendors that are licensed to do what we’re asking them to do and who really know this community. We’re going to take it one step at a time,” he said.
The initial lack of proposals may suggest a water taxi system may need to be operated by Manatee County Area Transit (MCAT) as a county-funded public transportation service that is similar to the bus system.
“I think that’s an obvious option as we go through the process of finding out if this is a public/private partnership or is this a public operation? I think that could be a question at some point, but we’re still looking at this as being a public/private partnership,” he said.
Falcione invites interested people to contact Purchasing Official Jacob Erickson at 941-749-3053 or by email at jacob.erickson@mymanatee.org. Erickson is a member of the Manatee County Procurement Division.
Vendor feedback
Paradise Boat Tours General Manager Sherman Baldwin was among the tour boat operators Erickson spoke with on Thursday.
Paradise Boat Tours operates in a small terminal subleased from the city of Bradenton Beach and uses the public day dock next to the Bradenton Beach Pier to load and unload passengers.
Baldwin previously served as a first officer for Hy-Line Cruises – a Massachusetts-based company that operates a high-speed ferry service with destinations that include Hyannis, Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard.
“I worked with them on the logistics of high-speed ferry travel and I was part of the team that helped make that transportation model viable,” Baldwin said.
After moving to Florida, Baldwin was part of a group that contemplated operating a high-speed ferry service between Sarasota, Bradenton Beach and downtown Bradenton. Those plans were never fully pursued due to a number of contributing factors, including delays with the Bradenton Beach dock replacement project, red tide and the coronavirus pandemic.
“The invitation to negotiate did not accurately reflect the challenges an operator would face in making this a viable commuter option, which is ultimately the goal for this. In my opinion, this looked like a glorified tour boat operation without solving any problems we face with our land-based transportation model that is being squeezed to the limit,” Baldwin said.
“This is a go big or go home venture. You’ve got to change the hearts and minds of people as to how they move around this region and that’s going to take time, money and investment. I talked to Jacob and said we’re talking about big dollars, but let’s not forget a single MCAT bus costs about a million dollars. We’re talking two $3 million boats that operate long hours, seven days a week, plus approximately $4 million a year in operating costs. Then you’re really talking about a program that could take some pressure off our land-based transportation system.”
Baldwin thinks a water taxi service might be even more feasible if pursued collectively by Manatee County and Sarasota County.
Anna Maria discussion
On Thursday, March 24 Falcione provided the Anna Maria City Commission and Mayor Dan Murphy with an update on the county’s efforts. He mentioned the March 30 submission deadline and said the county hoped to have a water taxi service operational by Memorial Day weekend, if possible.
“Let’s do all we can to get cars off the roads,” he said.
Falcione said the ITN process allowed the county to negotiate with multiple potential water taxi operators at the same time. He said the general nature of the process allowed interested people to develop their own plans regarding the types and number of vessels used, trip frequencies, operational hours, costs and more.
“It’s wide open,” he said. “We’re not going to lock ourselves into anything. We believe that maybe the low-hanging fruit is hop-on, hop-off, up and down the Island. When they come off the water, they hopefully either walk, bike or get on the trolley. The other part is downtown Bradenton to Anna Maria Island.”
Falcione said water taxi service between downtown Bradenton and the Island requires connectivity with the free trolley service MCAT already provides on AMI. He said he believes hospitality industry workers who work on the Island and live on the mainland will use the water taxi system if it satisfies their commuting needs.
“What is the cost associated with that? Might somebody need to subsidize a water taxi system? Manatee County knows it would probably need to be subsidized,” Falcione said.
He noted that tourism tax dollars collected from hotels, resorts, vacation rentals and other lodging accommodations cannot be used for transportation, but there may be other ways to use those tax dollars to help sustain a water taxi service.
Potential landing spots
Falcione said Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie has already expressed interest in a water taxi stop at the floating dock next to the Bradenton Beach Pier that is slated for expansion.
City leaders in Bradenton Beach would welcome a water taxi service on the day dock next to the Bradenton Beach Pier. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
He also said that Bradenton Mayor Gene Brown has already expressed interest in a water taxi stop at the city-owned day dock along the Riverwalk, just east of the Green Bridge. Falcione said the city of Bradenton’s dock is located near a city-owned parking garage that has plenty of space for water taxi users.
Falcione said the Anna Maria City Pier could be another potential landing area, but it would be up to the water taxi operator to initiate that request.
“I know you would have to approve an ordinance or a resolution to be able to utilize your pier for a water taxi,” he told Anna Maria commissioners.
In 2021, 3.4 million visitors came to Manatee County, including those who came for a day to visit family or friends, Falcione said, adding that 900,000 of those visitors stayed in short-term vacation rentals and 400,000 of those stayed on the Island. That equates to 1,100 rental guests per day or more than 7,600 short-term rental guests per week.
“One thousand one hundred people per day. Is that the problem? I don’t think so. What’s the problem? It’s the people coming on and off the Island for the day,” Falcione said, noting that about 60% of the people who stay in the downtown Bradenton area take a day trip to the Island.
Commission feedback
Commissioner John Crane mentioned the labor shortage on the Island and said he’d like to see subsidized ridership for those who work in the hospitality industry.
Commission Chair Carol Carter said she talked to one business owner who has 90 employees and none of them live on the Island. Carter also questioned whether beachbound “day-trippers” with families and beach gear would use a water taxi.
Commissioner Mark Short said it’s critical to get workers to and from the Island and some need to arrive early in the morning while others work well into the evening. Short said someone making $15 an hour is not going to spend $30 a day to commute by water taxi.
County or city business owners would have difficulty subsidizing the service, Falcione said.
“We’re going to lean on the proposers to see what they present to us,” he said. “I’m sure the county administrator is figuring out options and I think it’s important to interact with the corporate community and the hospitality industry.”
The Anna Maria City Pier has a landing area that could accommodate water taxis. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Most water taxis would be 35 feet or larger, he said. Murphy noted the city pier already features a landing area near its T-end. He said the water there is 12 feet deep and the pier can accommodate vessels up to 75 feet long.
Murphy said he hopes that the water taxi service providers focus first and foremost on transporting the Island’s workforce.
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Every year at this time, thousands of high school and college students come to the Island to get away, trading tests and quizzes for sunshine and sand. Some come with their families, others with groups of friends, many escaping the still-freezing temperatures in much of the country.
“I’m here with 11 of my girlfriends from Auburn. We have two condos next to each other in Holmes Beach,” said Ashley Coffee, a junior at Auburn University. “Even though we go to school in the south, it’s still pretty cold. My grandparents had a place here, so I grew up coming to the Island, but this is the first time here for most of the girls.”
Ashley says her friends are having a blast, and they all love the more “chill” atmosphere here compared to Panama City or Siesta Key. The Auburn students aren’t alone; many spring breakers share the sentiment.
“We did Fort Lauderdale two years ago and it was awful,” said Hannah Smith, who is enjoying a relaxing spring break with three friends in Bradenton Beach. “We’re just not about the crazy party atmosphere.”
Spring breakers enjoy a game of beach volleyball at Coquina Beach. – Jason Schaffer | Sun
While Miami has enacted a curfew on alcohol sales due to spring breakers fighting and rioting in the streets, things couldn’t be more different here. Law enforcement officials on the Island say that with the exception of a recent attack on a local man, everyone is well behaved, and there has not been an increase in crime due to the increase in visitors.
“The week of March 13 through 19, which was spring break for Manatee, Sarasota and Hillsborough, we averaged 31,900 cars per day in Holmes Beach,” said Chief Bill Tokajer of the Holmes Beach Police Department. “We haven’t seen an increase in crime. We are a very visible department and it seems like we have fewer problems every year.”
Chief Tokajer says that many students who come to Holmes Beach year after year learn that things like drinking alcohol on the beach won’t be tolerated so they just don’t do it. While other destinations are seeing violent outbursts that often spill into the streets, on the Island, it’s rare to even see a fist fight. This seems to be a draw for more students each year who want to relax and unwind.
Bradenton Beach police also see no increase in crime during the spring break season.
“We haven’t seen an uptick in crime, in fact, for the most part we’ve had a great spring break season so far,” said Lieutenant Lenard Diaz of the Bradenton Beach Police Department. “We haven’t had any issues with drinking being a problem. It’s really been a great season.”
With college and university spring breaks spread out over many weeks, the spring break season will continue through the second week of April. While crime may not be a big issue, traffic will, so if you’re planning a trip by car to the Island, be aware that traffic will be heavy and allow plenty of time to get on and off the Island.
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The latest icon to take the stage at The Center of Anna Maria Island will take audience members back to those endless summer nights.
Award-winning singer, songwriter and author Richard Marx takes the stage on Wednesday, March 23 at The Center as part of the Bradenton Gulf Islands Concert Series presented by Bradenton Area Arts and Culture, The Sandbar and Cedar Cove Resort and Cottages.
Marx told The Sun that this would be his first trip to Anna Maria Island, and it’s an experience that he’s looking forward to.
“It’s one of the few places that I haven’t been yet,” Marx said. “First time’s a charm, hopefully.”
After taking a two-year involuntary hiatus from performing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Marx said he’s happy to be able to play for his fans again and form a more personal connection with the audience.
Stepping back up on stage after two years away from playing live was an emotional experience for Marx, who said he was a little nervous before the show began. “It turned into a two-and-a-half-hour party,” he said of the show, something that he hopes to bring to his performance at The Center.
“They’re like my friends,” he said of the audience. “I’ve never enjoyed touring more and I’ve never been more grateful to still be doing it, having people show up.”
In addition to playing some of his best-known hits, including “Endless Summer Nights,” “Right Here Waiting,” “Hazard” and “Should’ve Known Better,” Marx said the audience at The Center can expect a night full of great music, fun stories and just a great time hanging out together for a few hours.
“My goal every night is that people go home feeling like they hung out with me for a couple of hours and that they kind of got to know me a little bit and that they laughed and that we just had fun together,” Marx said. “Now, more than ever, I feel like I have the ability to provide a two-hour escape from the world and reality and that’s a pretty valuable thing to be able to give somebody. I’m giving it to myself as well at the same time.”
While at home during the pandemic, Marx took time to play a few acoustic shows available online. The pandemic also gave him the opportunity to realize a career milestone outside of the music industry – he became a best-selling author.
With his first book, “Stories to Tell,” Marx said it felt like less of a memoir and more like a conversation about some of his more entertaining life experiences that he’s having with friends over a martini. The book illuminates some of the twists and turns in his life that led him to write some of his most popular songs, though Marx said it’s not just about the stories behind the songs. And with one book under his belt, Marx added that he may still have some more entertaining stories to tell that could one day make a second book. For now, he’s focused on making music and getting back out on the road.
His new album, “Songwriter,” is due out in late summer 2022 and is a very different project for the Grammy award-winning singer and songwriter.
“I love that process,” he said of the recording process. “I love making up a song in my head and hearing it come to life.”
After releasing more than a dozen pop studio albums, Marx said this one is a mash-up of four different types of music that he loves – pop, country, rock and ballads spread across a 20-track, two-disc set.
“It’s all over the map and it’s all different kinds of songs,” he said, noting that there are five songs in each genre. “It was really fun to make.”
ANNA MARIA – The Center of Anna Maria Island is changing up its events and its newest entry, a wine tasting with friends, is a hit with attendees.
The inaugural Wine Tasting with Center Friends, an evening featuring the wines, wit and wisdom of Thomas Jefferson, debuted March 19 with a sold-out audience of more than 200 attendees.
This first event, created by the same committee that organized the Tour of Homes for two decades at The Center, paid homage to the Tour while getting attendees excited for the future of new events helping to bring community to the Island while raising funds for the nonprofit Center. While the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the 2020 Tour of Homes and eventually brought the long-standing Tour to an end, the first of an annually planned wine tasting event honored the Tour by raffling off the 20th and final quilt and featured a miniature version of the Tour’s boutique.
The quilt, created by the Eyeland Needlers, was the final one of 20 quilts created to raise funds for The Center. In honor of her years of contribution to the Tour quilt, local artist Joan Pettigrew pulled the winning raffle ticket during the wine tasting event.
The wine tasting also featured one-of-a-kind artwork created by local artists and up for silent auction. Artists who donated a piece of artwork for the silent auction include Joann Taylor Brown, Wooley Dutton, Emerson, Robert Johnson, Janet Kingan, Maro Lorimer, Jean Murray, Cathy Tobias, Barbara Truemper-Green and Joan Voyles.
And while the art on display was a highlight, the real showstoppers of the new event were the seven wines tasted by attendees with sommelier and certified wine educator MaryKate Scott as the host for the evening.
Guests were greeted at the door with a glass of Crement, a sparkling wine. This Brut was an Antoine Muller Blanc de Blanc. As the night progressed, Scott told the story of Thomas Jefferson’s travels and influences as a young man up until he entered the White House and how those influences shaped the wine that he drank. Guests enjoyed three white wines and three red wines while also dining on charcuterie boards. The featured wines included a Les Dauphins Cotes du Rhone white wine, a Borsao Spanish Macabeo Chardonnay, an Affreschi Pinot Grigio, a Domaine de Briante of Brouilly Beaujolais, a Tomaiolo Chianti and a Lewis and Clark Merlot.
All of the featured wines were available for sale at $25 per bottle of $100 for five bottles from the Olive Oil Outpost with half of the proceeds going to The Center.
Kelly Kary and the Olive Oil Outpost served as featured sponsors of the event with Coldwell Banker, Diamond Turf, Beach Bums, Tom Sanger Pool & Spa, Sato Real Estate and Moss Builders as table sponsors.
The final Tour of Homes quilt was raffled off during a wine tasting event at The Center. - Kristin Swain | Sun
Sommelier MaryKate Scott serves as hostess for the Wine Tasting with Friends event at The Center. - Kristin Swain | Sun
More than 200 people attended the inaugural wine tasting event at The Center of Anna Maria Island. - Kristin Swain | Sun
Center Executive Director Chris Culhane and committee member Liz Hager welcome guests to the inaugural wine tasting event at The Center of Anna Maria Island. - Kristin Swain | Sun
Paintings and artwork from local artists were on display for a silent auction. - Kristin Swain | Sun
ANNA MARIA – The rain delay the previous week gave four teams additional time to plan their strategy for the semifinal adult flag football games last Thursday night. In a nail-biter, WTBL narrowly won against TBT with the final score 27-26. In a game that came down to a failed extra point conversion by TBT, the WTBL squad moved on to face a worthy opponent in team Moss Builders.
The Moss Builders team, led by Ryan Moss, defeated the Solid Rock Construction squad by five points, without the sure hands and speed of Jesse Griffin. Their win in the semifinal matchup put Moss in his third flag football final game this season as either a coach or player.
What was anticipated to be a close game ended in a 20-point win by the less experienced, younger squad. Putting the pressure on QB Moss was key to the team’s win, with two sacks by Daniel O’Connor and a single by Tyler Brewer.
The heat on the quarterback forced throws and caused one interception by WTBL’s Brandon Kull. Kull had two receiving touchdowns in the game in addition to his interception.
WTBL teammates Julia King, Dominick Otteni and Jaret Rojas each had a touchdown catch in the championship game to give their team 18 points. Rojas and Brewer helped to seal the deal each with points after conversions.
On the passing side of the game, Otteni had the top statistics of the game with four completed touchdown passes. Rojas, serving as QB, threw for six.
Moss Builders’ quarterback was down critical players in the big game. Missing some of his key targets, JB Shuck and Brandon Holcomb became the marks for Moss’ missiles.
Team WTBL won the big game under the bright lights at The Center Thursday night in the co-ed flag football league. From left, Tyler “Bean” Brewer, Brandon Kull, Julia King, Jaret Rojas, Dominick Otteni and Daniel O’Connor. – Monica Simpson | Sun
Shuck had eight catches for positive yardage and a touchdown. The football hit the hands of Holcomb twice and once for six points.
The defense of WTBL and the skeleton roster widened the scoring gap as the game clock ticked down to the final 31 seconds on the scoreboard clock. In the classic Moss sportsmanship way, the game was called with time on the clock, with the final score 32-12 and WTBL champions.
In The Center’s gym, adult indoor soccer playoff action kicked off, with the Beach Bums team finishing on top against Gulfview Windows & Doors in the championship game.
Gulfview made it to the Big Show after beating Sato Real Estate in semifinal action in a close game. Beach Bums took the victory against Slim’s Place by three goals, putting the team in the final against Gulfview.
In the final game of the night at The Center, Gulfview continued to fight until the last second, but the scoring powerhouse of Beach Bums team was just too much.
Gulfview’s Mark Long and Luca Vecchio each had hat tricks for their team. Julian Rodriguez, Keith Mahoney, and Raul Loera scored a total of five points for their team. Despite this and the 17 total goals saved by Long, Mahoney and Loera, the Gulfview Windows & Doors team could not capture the win.
Lucky Durmaz finished the top scorer of the game with six goals for Beach Bums. Kevin Roman and Mauro Vecchio scored five goals each, with an additional two by teammate David Noval.
Osvaldo Cabello protected the net for his team, making 14 stops for Beach Bums. Vecchio is credited for two saves in the game, along with a save.
After a crazy season of indoor soccer games and forfeits, the season ended with an action-packed final game with Beach Bums champions.
Sun Scoreboard
Thursday, March 17
Adult Co-Ed Flag Football – Semifinal Playoff Games
WTBL 27
TBT 26
Moss Builders 25
Solid Rock Construction 20
Adult Co-Ed Flag Football – Championship Game
WTBL 32
Moss Builders 12
Adult Co-Ed Indoor Soccer – Semifinal Playoff Games
For a while there I thought we would have one more headache to worry about in addition to insurance rates and hurricanes. On March 11, Florida legislators failed to reach an agreement on a bill to improve building structures. So, one less headache but far less oversight.
Therefore, let’s take a quick review of what is going on. Because of the Champlain Towers South collapse on the east coast, everyone woke up to the possibility of older condos, especially those on or adjacent to barrier islands, being in jeopardy. Florida lawmakers attempted to pass legislation that would require specific inspections for condo buildings. However, at the end of the legislative session, they were not able to come to an agreement. Some of the legislators cited hardships on condo owners and associations who are not in a financial position to bear the brunt of the inspection results.
These discussions have been going on for a while and about a month ago the Florida House passed a bill outlining measures to help alleviate the possibility of older condo buildings being neglected. It was passed in the Florida Senate to little avail since they closed the session without any agreement between the two houses. This came as a surprise since most of the legislators and the governor expected something to come out of the negotiations.
The House bill stated that condo buildings that are three stories or taller need to be inspected and recertified at 30 years of age. In addition, those that are within 3 miles of the coast would require recertification at 25 years of age. After that, recertification would be required every 10 years. The Senate bill was similar, changing the benchmark to 20 years for buildings near the coast and inspections every seven years thereafter.
I wouldn’t get too excited about the end of this legislation. First of all, it could easily come back in the next legislative session. In addition, it’s possible that insurance companies and financial institutions may now impose reserve requirements on buildings, stepping in where the state official has been absent.
In spite of what happens or does not happen in Tallahassee, Manatee County’s real estate is still rolling along. These are the February sales statistics published by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee.
Single-family homes closed 4.3% more homes in February this year compared to last February. The median selling price was $478,000, up 25.8% above last February and almost the same as January of this year. The average sale price was $693,229, up 25.3% from last February. The median time for properties to get into contract is six days of being listed.
Condos closed 16.8% fewer units in February compared to last February. The median sales price was $325,000, up 41.3% compared to last February, and the average sale price was $371,367, up 36.1% from last year. The median time for properties to get into contract is five days of being listed.
The primary problem our market faces is low inventory which is resulting in fewer closed sales. With mortgage rates going up, that will put more pressure on the market from buyers looking to purchase before they go up even further. According to the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee, the imbalance of supply and demand contributes to the rapidly increasing prices.
This is Florida, and for all our success in attracting new residents and having improving housing prices, we still have everything related to living on the water to contend with. I predict this isn’t the end of condo recertifications and a review of condo reserves.
BRADENTON BEACH – A couple with a vision to work together is making a living doing what they love on Bridge Street – painting windows.
Married for three years, Christina and Jessica Fonseca of M Lynn Creative realized they have talents that complement each other.
“I’ve always been into art,” Jessica said. “I’ve always joked that I have never met an art medium that I didn’t like. If I don’t like it, it’s probably that I’m just not good at it!”
“I’m the business side of this. I have a degree in business administration. I do the marketing, social media and everything involving the business side of this,” Christina said, adding that despite what Jessica may say, her partner has plenty of artistic aptitude.
M Lynn Creative’s completed work is featured at Back Alley Treasures on Bridge Street in Bradenton Beach. – Jason Schaffer | Sun
The couple is based out of Orlando, but has a special fondness for Anna Maria Island, and has acquired a dozen businesses that utilize their services here on the Island. The Fonsecas admit that despite their marketing skills, a lot of their work comes from word of mouth. Christina Fonseca says despite the rapid growth of their business, they are available for Easter window scenes now, and future holidays have openings as well.
To have M Lynn Creative dress up a window, call 407-259-1450, email marialynn.creative@gmail.com, or follow them on Instagram at mlynn.creative or on Facebook at MLynnCreative.
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – It’s time to get your green on because St. Patrick’s Day is back on the Island.
After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade took to the streets of Holmes Beach and Anna Maria with thousands lining the parade route to watch bagpipe players, marching bands, the Anna Maria Island Privateers and even a few leprechauns strolling by, gifting onlookers with beads, candy and other baubles.
With Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer leading the way, the parade made its way down Marina, Palm and Gulf drives before turning down Pine Avenue to end at The Center of Anna Maria Island.
Previously, the parade was brought to the Island by restaurateur Sean Murphy and The Beach Bistro. Though Murphy walked in this year’s parade, the 2022 St. Patrick’s Day festivities were sponsored by The Center of Anna Maria Island and Darcie Duncan of Duncan Real Estate and Anna Maria Island Homes.
