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More vaccine appointments open tomorrow

More vaccine appointments open

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Health.

Updated 1/4/21 – Manatee County Public Safety Director Jake Saur announced that 1,400 vaccine doses had been received by the county for distribution to seniors age 65 and older and front line healthcare workers. Of those doses, 1,200 will be available to seniors to book appointments online for Jan. 5 and 6 at 2 p.m. on Jan. 4. Seniors without computer access can also dial 311 ext. 1 to book over the phone with a county operator. Saur warns that 311 staff is limited so it’s better to try to book vaccine appointments online if possible.

Anyone with medical questions concerning the vaccine should contact their primary care physician or the Manatee County Health Department.

Front line healthcare workers seeking a vaccine can go to the Bennett Park site on Jan. 5 and 6 between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. to receive their first COVID-19 vaccination. Workers must have a copy of their state healthcare license and be able to prove that they work in direct contact with patients in order to receive a vaccine.

MANATEE COUNTY – More than 1,000 seniors age 65 and older in the county have received COVID-19 vaccinations as of Jan. 2, according to the county’s social media page. Any senior who didn’t receive a vaccination appointment in the first round will have another chance to try for an appointment beginning at 2 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 2.

In a Dec. 29 briefing, Manatee County officials discussed receiving 3,500 doses of the Moderna vaccine to be distributed beginning on Dec. 30 and continuing through Jan. 4 to seniors, first at the Manatee County Department of Public Safety and then at Bennett Park. Those appointments filled up within minutes, leaving many seniors wondering when they could receive the vaccine. Information Outreach Manager Nicholas Azzara said that as available vaccine numbers dwindle to 500 or less, more shipments of the vaccine will come to Manatee County for distribution.

To sign up for one of the vaccine appointments released Jan. 2, visit the county website to fill out the Department of Health COVID-19 screening and consent form. Both forms can be filled out in advance and need to be printed and taken to your vaccine appointment. Visit the site at 2 p.m. on Jan. 2 to book your vaccine appointment.

Vaccine appointments are available to anyone age 65 and older. There is no residency requirement, however, the Moderna vaccine requires two doses with the second one to be received 28 days after the first one. Anyone receiving the first vaccine dose in Manatee County must also receive the second dose in Manatee County. Vaccine records do not transfer.

To receive the vaccine, patients must provide photo ID, present their screening results and provide a copy of their appointment reservation. All vaccinations provided by Manatee County are given free of charge.

Currently, vaccines are being distributed in a drive-thru location at Bennett Park, 280 Kay Road in Bradenton. When getting a vaccine, patients are advised to not leave their vehicle unless requested to by onsite medical personnel.

If unable to get a vaccine appointment on Monday, Azzara asks people to be patient and continue to monitor the county’s website for the release of upcoming appointments. You can also sign up for email alerts.

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COVID-19 vaccines open up to ages 65 and older

Person of the Year: Kathy Smart

Kathy Smart shares Sun Person of the Year honors

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Featured, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – When you walk into Minnie’s Beach Café you’re not just walking into another of Anna Maria Island’s amazing restaurants, you’re walking into a family’s home. And that family is helmed by Kathy Smart.

The staff at Minnie’s treats everyone coming in, from local regulars to vacation first-timers, as family, while the staff really is extended and chosen family. That is something Smart says is especially important when bringing someone new onboard. She’s been working with some of the same people since before she, her spouse Mary and other business partners, who’ve since retired, bought the café when it was Brian’s Sunny Side Up many years ago.

Sun Persons of the Year

2020 – Jack Brennan, Roser Memorial Community Church and Kathy Smart, Minnie’s Beach Cafe

2019 – Doug Copeland, Anna Maria commissioner

2018 – Dan Murphy, Anna Maria mayor

2017 – Bob Slicker, Swordfish Grille manager

2016 – Rev. Ed Moss, CrossPointe Fellowship

2015 – Kenneth A. (Andy) Price Jr., chief, West Manatee Fire Rescue

2014 – Gail and Ed Straight, Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation Inc.

2013 – Charlie Hunsicker, director, Manatee County Parks and Natural Resources Dept., and Rick Spadoni, Coastal Planning

2012 – Mike Selby, Anna Maria mayor

2011 – Roser Food Pantry

2010 – Rex Hagen, Hagen Family Foundation

2009 – Charlie Hunsicker, director, Manatee County Parks and Natural Resources Dept.

2008 – Cindi Harrison, Anna Maria Elementary School

2007 – The Legacy III – Emily Anne Smith, Lea Ann Bessonette, John Chappie

2006 – Suzi Fox, director, Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch

2005 – Cindy Thompson, Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce

2004 – Gene and Elizabeth Moss, Roser Memorial Community Church

2003 – Officer Pete Lannon, Holmes Beach Police Dept.

2002 – Sean Murphy, Beach Bistro

2001 – Carol Whitmore, Manatee County Commissioner; former Holmes Beach mayor

Smart moved to Florida in 1989 from Cape Cod and when she came to check on a friend’s house on the Island, it was love at first sight. She relocated from Holiday a few days later in 1991 and never looked back. Smart first started working at the local restaurant, now known as Minnie’s Beach Café, back when it was Brian’s Sunny Side Up in 1995. Though she’s moved from the Island to West Bradenton, Smart’s commitment and dedication to the Island community remains as strong as ever, something that really shines through the darkness of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It all happened so fast,” she said of watching the effects of the pandemic on her restaurant, which Smart said was packed on St. Patrick’s Day, the day restrictions on restaurants and bars were announced in Florida. Immediately afterward, she said restrictions kicked in quickly with occupancy dropping to 50%, then 25% and then to nothing as dining establishments were forced to close their doors to customers. The closure of the restaurant didn’t stop Smart and her staff from trying to reach the community, however.

During the pandemic, Minnie’s was open for takeout customers. It was also open to anyone in the community who needed food or some grocery items and couldn’t get to the store or afford to pay for food.

Smart offered free breakfast and lunch to children, no questions asked, noting that parents would otherwise have to take their children to King Middle School, the closest pickup location for food from Manatee County Schools, for “a sack lunch with a sandwich. They weren’t going to do that. I have a restaurant. Why not help?”

She also offered free meals to local seniors and grocery items for sale through the restaurant for anyone who didn’t want to take their chances in a local grocery store. And when someone needed something and wasn’t able to get to Minnie’s to pick it up, Smart and her staff made sure that person got what they needed.

“I don’t think I did anything that anyone else wouldn’t do,” she said.

And while Smart was working to help the community, when Minnie’s was in financial trouble over the summer due to the pandemic shut down and restrictions, the community reached out and helped the restaurant and its staff in return.

Smart said the outpouring of support and love from the community was both overwhelming and wonderful.

“Without the community, we would’ve shut down in August,” she said. “You do what you can do. Maybe I did help some people out but they help me out a lot.”

Now, though the restaurant is open for dine-in and takeout customers, Smart said things are still tough financially but she hopes for a better future for herself, her staff and the restaurant that she loves.

“It’s scary. It’s very scary,” she said of the ongoing pandemic. She added that when the shutdowns and restrictions began in March, she thought it would only be a month or so before things were under control and went back to normal. Now, nearly 10 months later, she hopes that the COVID-19 vaccines will help bring things back to a semblance of how they were.

“I hope that by spring the Island can go back to the way it was,” Smart said, adding that she also hopes that people will soon be able to visit without fear of catching the virus and that her staff will be able to work without having the same fear.

For right now, she said the restaurant is doing more takeout business than it used to and her plan is to “go with the flow and hope that things work out for the best for everyone.”

Smart’s hope going into the new year is that the pandemic will bring people closer together rather than pushing them apart, that she can keep Minnie’s Beach Café going, that the virus goes away and that everyone will finally be safe.

To the community that has embraced her and her business, Smart simply said, “Thank you so much.”

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Treehouse owners clash with city over VRC renewals

Treehouse owners clash with city over VRC renewals

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Holmes Beach.

HOLMES BEACH – The beachfront treehouse built by Lynn Tran and Richard Hazen is the story that just keeps on giving.

While the owners are still appealing a court ruling ordering the destruction of the treehouse, they now have a new issue – they can’t renew their vacation rental certificates.

Code Compliance Officer James Thomas said that he’s been working with the owners of Angelinos Sea Lodge – the home of the controversial treehouse – to get the issues resolved between them and the city so that they can get the VRCs, which allow them to rent the four short-term vacation rental units on their property.

While Angelinos previously had VRCs for the units, Thomas said that city code prevents him or his fellow officers from renewing the certificates due to the outstanding code violations and fines on the property related to the treehouse, which is under a court order to be torn down. He added that the code compliance department has been advised by the attorney handling the treehouse case for the city, Randy Mora, to not issue any VRC renewals on the property until the code issues are cleared up.

Thomas said that Tran and Hazen will have to work with the city’s building department to make the treehouse a legal structure on the property, which is unlikely, since they tried to get after-the-fact permits for the structure a few years ago and were given a long list of reasons why former Building Official Jim McGuinness denied those permits. Some of those issues are that the supporting posts are not buried far enough in the sand to appropriately support the treehouse structure according to code, the treehouse is not accessible to the disabled and it’s located too close to the erosion control line to be legally permitted. Holmes Beach Building Official Neal Schwartz did not return a request for comment from The Sun.

Thomas said their other option is to pay the code compliance fines and remove the treehouse to clear the code issues on the property.

If the treehouse is either made legal under city permits or torn down, he said the VRC renewals for the four vacation rental units can be processed. Until those renewals are granted, Thomas said that the units have to remain closed to visitors.

As of Oct. 15, the daily accrued code fine against the treehouse owners was $95,600. With fines accruing at $50 per day, that adds about another $3,650 through Dec. 27. As of Dec. 22, City Treasurer Lori Hill said the treehouse owners owe the city $184,914 in legal fees.

In response to the city’s Oct. 16 denial of the renewal of the VRCs, Tran and Hazen submitted a letter to the city Oct. 19 stating that they had received a legal opinion on the renewal denials and believe they were issued in error for several reasons. One of those reasons is that there are still three pending appeals in Manatee County Circuit Court, and the owners also are appealing to the United States Supreme Court for a second time to review the case.

Another reason is that the treehouse isn’t a habitable structure on the property and is for the personal use of the owners, not vacationers at the property. The other listed reasons are the loss of income due to lost reservations on the property with the VRCs not renewed on time and the fact that the VRCs were both initially issued and renewed once by the city during the time that the treehouse has been standing on the property. The owners’ legal opinion came from attorney David Levin.

Thomas said that he’s found both Tran and Hazen to be receptive to efforts to resolve the situation but until a resolution is reached, the Angelinos Sea Lodge remains closed to guests.

Tran and Hazen did not return requests for comment from The Sun.

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Reel Time: Make your New Year’s resolutions

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Fishing, Outdoors, Reel Time.

New Year’s resolutions have spawned more jokes than life changes. Still, it’s a good idea to look back on the past year and reflect on what worked and what didn’t.

An example might be remembering a fish lost to a failed knot. Resolve to always carefully tie knots, wetting them and carefully tightening them. The same applies to sharpening hooks, checking the drag and inspecting line for nicks and abrasions.

Tackle and organization are certainly places to start, but extend that same thinking to other equipment like your boat and motor, waders, push pole, trolling motor and wading boots. As experience teaches us, it’s the little things that we overlook that come back to haunt us. On the water, consider thinking out of the proverbial “box” by altering your routine strategy. Many anglers go fishing with a plan and never deviate from it. They start at one spot and hit all the usual “holes” during the day. A different option? Try planning to fish only places you’ve never explored before. I’ve done this and been amazed at how many unique areas and new opportunities I’ve found. Make a note of the moon phase, tide stage, wind direction and water temperature. Looking at the same places with this information and “new eyes” can be revealing.

Mark McBride, Bobby Lopez and Dan Madole found these impressive grouper in Tampa Bay. – Rusty Chinnis | Sun

Also consider trying a new place altogether. There are lots of beautiful and productive destinations within a few hours north and south of Anna Maria. Drive two hours north and you can explore the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge and just north of there, Homosassa, Crystal River, and Yankeetown.  Less than two hours south and you’re in Charlotte Harbor and adjacent to Pine Island Sound. Too far? Anyone with a boat can leave Anna Maria and be fishing in fresh water in less than an hour. The Manatee and Braden rivers provide anglers with a variety of fish from tarpon to catfish, redfish to bass. Both rivers also have numerous launch sites for boats, kayaks and paddleboards.

It might even prove useful to review how you approach fishing. If you’re a fly caster, look at ways you might improve your casting and consider learning how to cast with your non-dominant hand and tie flies. Anglers who use conventional tackle might want to try artificial lures instead of always relying on live bait.

I have a final suggestion that might be the most important. Get involved in working to keep our waters fishable and swimmable. Join with like-minded individuals, write letters to policymakers, attend commission meetings and lobby state officials to protect our water quality, habitat and fisheries. All the well-intended resolutions won’t amount to much if we don’t. No matter how long you’ve been fishing or what your level of competency, there’s always room for improvement. Environmental advocacy, a general review of your tackle, technique and the opportunities available to you can only improve your enjoyment of fishing moving into 2021 and beyond. Happy New Year!

Castles in the Sand

Real estate sales surge continues

Written by Louise Bolger on . Posted in Business, Castles in the Sand.

Happy New Year, are we all just about done with this year? I certainly am. Nevertheless, Anna Maria’s real estate market is not done, and this year has been an immensely successful one in spite of the pandemic.

Anna Maria’s popularity has exploded during the last 10 years, much of it fueled by newspaper and magazine articles about our “Florida Postcard, Old Florida” island. The latest love affair with Anna Maria is in Coastal Living Magazine’s end-of-year issue, just in time for tourist season, if we indeed have one this year. Coastal Living has written before about Anna Maria, but this particular version has to be the purple prose of Anna Maria stories.

The writing is so elaborately infused with the glory of our beaches, “near-dizzying,” the lure of Pine Avenue “hums with the old and the new simultaneously,” with restored homes that are now galleries, restaurants, bakeries, museums and bike rental shops.

Now, to be fair, all of this is true, but if I were reading this right now in snowy shut-down New York City, I would be fighting my way down I-95 to get here. In fact, I might just fight my way over the Cortez Bridge to see what I’m missing. I think it’s great that all of the businesses mentioned in the piece are getting credit and exposure for making Anna Maria such a sought-after island, but “double-decker building of delights” – please. I’ll let you figure out which restaurant they mean.

Practically every month this year, when I review the closed sales numbers in Manatee County, I get excited, and this month is no exception. So, let’s look at the November Manatee County closed sales reported by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee.

Single-family homes closed 40.3% more properties in November this year compared to last year. Cash sales were up 52%, the median sale price was $350,500, up 7.2%, and the average sale price was $463,015, up 15.6%. The median time to contract was 19 days, up 55.8% and the month’s supply of properties was only 1.6 months, down 51.5%.

Condos closed 58.9% more properties in November this year compared to last year. Cash sales were up 77.4%, the median sale price was $237,250, up 10.3%, and the average sale price was $265,013, up 5.3%. The median time to contract was 34 days (no change from last year) and the month’s supply of properties was only 2.3 months, down 45.2%.

The month’s supply of available properties hit a new low, meaning if you’re looking for a single-family home or a condo, you will have slim pickings. Because of this, the median and average sale prices continue to push up with no end in sight. Fortunately, with mortgage rates also at an all-time low, buyers can qualify for a higher amount of financing. In addition, the percentage of cash transactions is extraordinary. Cash continues to be king and will easily make or break a deal. I expect December’s numbers will be slightly lower based on the surge of COVID-19 infections combined with the holidays, but we’ll see if that’s true.

Finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the recent Longboat Key sale of $16.5 million – the highest registered sale in the history of Sarasota and Manatee.

Even if my writer’s critical eye has taken some exception to Coastal Living, I’m still happy they wrote about Anna Maria. It’s good for business and great for real estate. I just wonder what George Emerson Bean and Charles Roser would have thought. Happy New Year and stay safe.

Island Players return to the virtual stage

Island Players virtual “Christmas Carol” a hit

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Entertainment, Theater.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The Island Players were a hit with their online, two-night limited engagement of an original version of “A Christmas Carol,” their holiday gift to the community.

The hour-long performances took place on Dec. 18 and 20 with both the audience and the actors on Zoom. The virtual performances kept everyone safely socially distant, but provided the community with a much-needed return to the theater even though the Island Players’ Theater stage technically remained dark during the limited engagement.

Updated to reflect some of the issues of current times by director and writer Jeffrey Steiger, the play told the age-old story of Ebenezer Scrooge rediscovering his love of Christmas and humanity as he’s visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future through a Zoom feed. The longer the night goes on, the more Scrooge, played by Heiko Knipfelberg, realizes the errors of his way and rushes to make the Christmas wishes of those near and dear to him come true before time runs out.

Heiko Knipfelberg stars as Ebenezer Scrooge in “A Christmas Carol.” – Submitted

Despite the challenges of not having a cast in the same location and performing on a virtual platform, the cast and crew behind “A Christmas Carol” put their all into the two performances and it was reflected in the joyous reception by virtual audience members.

As Scrooge, Knipfelberg was magnetizing, even through a computer screen. Joining him were James Thaggard as the Narrator, Dane Oldham as Fred, Mary Selke as Mrs. Lamb, Mikey Lynch as Bob Cratchit, Jay Poppe as the Ghost of Jacob Marley, Dianne Brin as the Ghost of Christmas Past, Judy Glynn as the Ghost of Christmas Present, Joanie Anton as the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, Pamela Hopkins as Belle, Alice Cotman as Mrs. Cratchit and Joshua Hanley-White as the Boy.

Every member of the cast turned in a marvelous performance. Selke turned in a particularly loveable performance as Mrs. Lamb while Thaggard was a picture-perfect narrator sitting in his virtual library.

The special effects used by the cast were especially engaging, helping to bring the world of the theater into viewers’ homes. And while some of the effects were computer-generated, others, such as some of the backgrounds used, were the work of local artists engaged to help illustrate Dickens’ world. Visual effects for the limited engagement were managed by Steiger with stage management and soundboard services provided by Denise Handley. In addition to starring in the play, Thaggard also designed and edited the playbill delivered virtually to audience members.

While the play was provided as the theater’s free gift to the community, donations to the Island Players are always welcomed to help keep local theater alive during the pandemic. To donate to the Island Players, contact Peg Faarup at 941-778-7374. For more information on the theater, visit the Island Players website.

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Tourism is rebounding in Manatee County

Tourism rebounding in Manatee County

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Business, Tourism.

MANATEE COUNTY – Tourist Development Council members received some encouraging news just before Christmas.

During this morning’s meeting, held at the Bradenton Area Convention Center, representatives from Visit Florida and Research Data Services gave TDC members updates, and the news was good – tourism numbers are going up despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Jen Carlisle with Visit Florida said that while the numbers they’re seeing are an overall 37% decrease in tourism from the same time last year and a 57% decrease in tourism from Canada, travel increased in the second and third quarters of the year by 71%. Carlisle attributed the increase in numbers to the Visit Florida-led marketing efforts.

Beginning in September, she said the organization targeted Florida residents, urging them through marketing to take a trip in their own state. In October, the target area of that effort increased to include drivable markets within a 700-mile radius, such as Atlanta, Charlotte and Nashville.

From these rebound advertising campaigns, Carlisle said that Visit Florida has had 300 million impressions and that 70% of people who saw the marketing spots were more likely to visit the state than they were beforehand. And while international travel is still largely on hold due to travel restrictions, she said that Visit Florida is still marketing in other countries to keep the destination at the forefront of potential visitors’ minds when restrictions are lifted. Elliott Falcione, director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, said that his organization also is making sure that they continue marketing in other countries, particularly in Europe and Canada, to make sure that the Bradenton area is on visitors’ minds when they’re ready to book future travel plans.

Speaking on behalf of the central European market from Germany via Zoom, Dorothea Hohn said that her research has found that people are ready to travel to the United States again, particularly to beach and outdoor destinations like the Bradenton and Gulf Islands area, however, she added that those visitors are pinning their plans on the availability of a COVID-19 vaccine and the lifting of international travel bans and restrictions.

Anne Wittine of Tampa-based Research Data Services, the county’s tourism consultant, gave a presentation on the current state of tourism in the area, noting that the number of visitors is down only 10.3% for the year so far from 2019. The economic impact of tourism, – the amount of money put into the local economy by tourists – is down 13.2% from the previous year. And while occupancy is down 14.3% from the previous year, Wittine said that may largely be due to a lack of reporting from privately-managed vacation rental properties. She said that the majority of the occupancy numbers received come from hotels, motels and professionally-managed vacation rental units, and that it’s hard to get numbers from individual vacation rental owners or those rented through services such as Airbnb.

Some of the challenges facing the local tourism industry, Wittine said, are that visitors are waiting until the last minute, often one to seven days out from their expected travel time, to book vacations and that visitation from Canada and Europe, where travel restrictions are in place, is too small to count at this time. Another issue is that cancellations of trips are going up as the number of locally-reported COVID-19 cases increases.

And while the number of people feeling more confident and safe about traveling is steadily increasing, Wittine said one key element for the local tourism businesses is to provide good information on what is open and what kind of experience travelers can expect when they arrive at their destination, information that is often difficult to come by online.

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Problems on the pickleball court

Problems on the pickleball court

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Pickleball, Sports.

HOLMES BEACH – Players at the new city pickleball courts aren’t happy with the geogrid playing surface, and city officials are looking into solutions.

Mayor Judy Titsworth said she’s received complaints that players are slipping on the surface when trying to play and that balls aren’t bouncing as well as they should. Titsworth and Commissioners Terry Schaefer and Jayne Christenson said they’ve all spoken to players who are concerned about the safety of the pickleball courts’ surface, a geogrid that’s supposed to reduce slips and last longer than a typical court surface.

Christenson added that she’s been out to the courts to observe the players firsthand and also walked with them over to the tennis courts, which have a paved surface, to see the difference between playing on the pickleball courts and the tennis courts. She said that she can see why players are concerned about slipping and falling on the new courts.

Titsworth said she understands the concerns and has been speaking to the manufacturer to see what can be done. She added that she believes the issues at the pickleball court are caused by shoes and balls getting wet. When a ball rolls off the court into the surrounding grassy area, Titsworth said that both the ball and the player’s shoes can get wet during retrieval, leading to issues on the geogrid court.

The city’s basketball court is covered with the same material but completely fenced in. Titsworth said that no issues with slipping have been reported there.

In addition to working with the manufacturer to find an answer to players’ concerns, a mat has been laid out for players to dry their shoes on to help reduce slips. Titsworth said that she’s also working with public works employees and Director of Development Services Eran Wasserman to find a different kind of surface to surround the courts with, such as pavers, that wouldn’t retain moisture as grass does.

Titsworth said that the attempts to find a remedy are in the early stages and urged players to be careful in the meantime.

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AMI COVID-19 cases climb to 166

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – COVID-19 has reached a new high on Anna Maria Island – 166 cases have been reported since March, according to the Sunday, Dec. 6 Florida Division of Emergency Management report.

Of those, 86 cases were in Holmes Beach, with 50 cases in Bradenton Beach and 30 cases in Anna Maria.

The numbers are up from 145 cases reported on the Island as of Sunday, Nov. 29, when there were 77 cases in Holmes Beach, 42 in Bradenton Beach and 26 in Anna Maria.

Numbers are also up in Cortez, with 11 cases reported, and the Manatee County portion of Longboat Key, with 88 cases reported.

According to the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) COVID-19 Dashboard as of early Monday afternoon, 17,474 Manatee County residents have tested positive for COVID-19 since March, in addition to 239 non-county residents.

Between Nov. 29 and Dec. 5, an additional 984 people tested positive for COVID-19 in Manatee County.

As of Monday, 995 people in Manatee County had been hospitalized with COVID-19 to date and there had been 391 reported COVID-19-related deaths.

According to FDOH, 64 patients were currently hospitalized in Manatee County with a primary diagnosis of COVID-19 as of Monday. Statewide, 1,040,727 residents and 17,347 non-residents had tested positive since March, with 56,547 COVID-19 hospitalizations and 19,423 COVID-19-related deaths.

A positive COVID-19 test is reported and attributed to the person’s home address and zip code; for example, a person who works on Anna Maria Island but lives in Bradenton is reported as a Bradenton case. An out-of-county visitor is reported as a non-resident.

Local soccer player goes pro

Local soccer player goes pro

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Soccer, Sports.

Bradenton native Spencer Moeller is a long way from his early days of playing indoor soccer at The Center of Anna Maria Island. Now the 26-year-old is playing soccer professionally with the Los Angeles Force.

Taking a few moments to speak with The Sun about his career, Moeller said he credits his time at The Center as the reason he keeps playing soccer. Evolving from his time playing locally at the YMCA, G.T. Bray and IMG Academy, Moeller’s not just passionate about playing soccer, it’s what he’s worked for his entire life.

While playing soccer throughout his school-age years, Moeller said he dreamed of playing professionally. Those plans were slightly derailed when he broke his arm, pushing him toward college soccer instead of the professional leagues.

After playing his freshman year in Memphis, he transferred to a school in New Jersey where he played for a year and a half before getting injured in 2015 and cut in the spring of 2016. Due to league rules, Moeller said he had to sit out for a year before transferring to a Kentucky school, Lindsey Wilson College, where he played for two seasons and graduated in May of 2018. After college, Moeller traveled to Europe to play with international teams before returning to the United States and being signed by the Force in August 2020, a feat he said is basically unheard of at age 26; he said most players are signed to professional teams for the first time in their late teens or early 20s.

Local soccer player Spencer Moeller has moved up to the big leagues, playing professional soccer with the Los Angeles Force. – Submitted

While he was working toward playing in professional soccer, Moeller was also spending time working on another project – sharing his story online with other soccer hopefuls.

Moeller started a video blog in 2007 that he uses to help other soccer players see the reality behind the dream. His more than 34,000 followers have watched him grow up in the game, suffer injuries, recover, get past stumbling blocks and more, all while he continues to portray a positive message of continuing to fight for your dreams.

“My story is about persistence and refusing to be denied,” he said.

For him, Moeller said the pressure to succeed in the sport is a lot higher and he wants to give back by helping younger players create a plan of action and not give up on their dreams due to a setback, excuses or being told “no.”

“I thrive on pressure,” he said. “I thrive when people are against me.”

In addition to the YouTube channel where he shares his personal journey, Moeller also has a website where he shares training videos for soccer players. All of his content is provided for free because he said the point is to give back and help others, not to monetize his experience.

Right now, Moeller is living his dream, despite COVID-19 precautions slowing the team’s game schedule and preventing fans from being in the stadium. In the next phase of his life, he said he envisions several different opportunities, but one that he’d like to see become reality is a professional soccer team for his hometown of Bradenton.

“I just want to be able to give back and help kids get into the game,” he said.

To follow along with Moeller’s life and career, follow him online at his website and on his YouTube channel.

New dining experience comes to Waterline

New dining experience comes to Waterline

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Business, Restaurants | Bars.

HOLMES BEACH – A new dining experience is set to open on Dec. 20 with the French cuisine of The Chateau Anna Maria.

The new restaurant, helmed by Edward “Buddy” Foy Jr. and his wife, Jennifer, will open at the Waterline Marina Resort and Beach Club, 5325 Marina Drive, taking the space formerly occupied by Eliza Ann’s Coastal Kitchen.

Speaking with The Sun, Foy said that the new restaurant has been a dream of his and his staff’s since starring on the Food Network show, “Summer Rush” last year. After visiting his parents in Holmes Beach earlier in the year and staying for several months due to COVID-19 shutdowns, Foy said he knew that Anna Maria Island is the perfect place for his family’s new venture. If the show is renewed by Food Network for a second season, he said it’s possible that some of it could be shot at The Chateau Anna Maria, though Foy said there’s no guarantee.

After beating out several other applicants for the space, renovations began on the restaurant to help transform the space into the signature European/French countryside-inspired design created by Jennifer Foy that makes dining a special treat at the couple’s flagship restaurant, The Chateau On The Lake in Bolton Landing, New York.

Foy said that the goal for his family and staff is to provide a white tablecloth, five-star dining experience that makes guests feel more like they’re being entertained at someone’s elegant home rather than dining in a restaurant, a goal that he said his wife’s design of the space brings to life.

Plans are also underway to renovate the outdoor dining area in a phase two opening tentatively planned for late spring/summer.

Thanks to Foy’s upbringing in the restaurant business and his wife’s Italian heritage, he said that guests can expect a spin on French cuisine served in Italian-sized portions. The Chateau Anna Maria will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week with more casual dining taking place during the day. In the evening, Foy said the plan is to transform the restaurant into more of a fine dining experience that guests can enjoy on a special occasion or every day. He added that for guests desiring a more casual evening, casual dining favorites such as burgers will be served at the bar.

Foy said that one of his daughters plans to attend IMG Academy this coming fall while he and his wife plan to spend at least half the year on Anna Maria Island, returning to New York to operate their flagship restaurant during the summer months.

Those familiar with the Foy’s show, “Summer Rush,” know that while The Chateau On The Lake is a destination restaurant, the time that guests have to dine there every year is extremely limited. While tourists flock to the area over the summer, Foy said his family, which owns three restaurants in the area, has only 60 days of season to put in the work normally done in an entire year.

The restaurant has received more than 30 Diner’s Choice awards and was named a Top 100 Most Romantic and a Top 100 Most Scenic restaurant in America.

With the new restaurant opening in Holmes Beach, Foy brought along 15 of his Bolton Landing employees to help get the new restaurant started, including chefs. Currently, his existing staff is working to help train the new staff members in the restaurant’s policies and procedures. At the New York location, Foy said that during this year’s season, his restaurant staff greeted more than 100,000 guests without a COVID-19 case among his staff or linked back to dining at the restaurant, a streak of safe dining he plans to continue at The Chateau Anna Maria.

While the new restaurant opens for a VIP dining experience on Dec. 19, it officially opens to the public on Dec. 20. Foy said that guests staying on the Island for the holidays also can join them for dining on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

To follow along with The Chateau Anna Maria, visit the restaurant’s website, follow on Instagram or go on Facebook to follow The Chateau On The Lake where you can see video of some of the renovations taking place.

Island Chamber starts the holiday season

Island Chamber starts the holiday season

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Featured.

HOLMES BEACH – It’s beginning to look a lot more like Christmas, with the holiday decorations up and the Christmas tree of lights shimmering at the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce.

Despite a rainy night, dozens of people gathered in front of the Chamber in Holmes Beach on Dec. 4 to take part in the annual tree lighting, which featured music and a visit from Santa Claus courtesy of his pirate elves, the Anna Maria Island Privateers. Hot apple cider and individually-wrapped sweet treats were provided by the members of CrossPointe Fellowship Church. The tree, sponsored by Anthony’s Cooling, Heating and Electrical, lit up the night sky right on time at 6 p.m., drawing cheers from the masked crowd in attendance.

In addition to the festivities at the Chamber, local businesses also were welcoming visitors with treats of their own.

At Sun and Surf Beach Shop, visitors were greeted by the shop’s birds and a table full of individually-wrapped treats. A little further down at the Artists’ Guild Gallery, shoppers were invited to shop right from the gallery’s Christmas trees, choosing from a selection of handmade ornaments. At RE/MAX, the ladies of the realty company greeted passersby with sweet treats. Both Irene’s clothing boutique and The Original Sand Dollar were open for business, with children able to make their own Christmas ornaments at the Sand Dollar while parents were serenaded by violinist Danae Tran.

And while this year’s festivities were somewhat more subdued than in years past, it didn’t stop anyone in attendance from enjoying a festive start to the holiday season.

Delighted by the lights, a little child enjoys playing in the Christmas tree. - Kristin Swain | Sun

Delighted by the lights, a little child enjoys playing in the Christmas tree. - Kristin Swain | Sun

A game of chase breaks out in the Chamber parking lot before the Dec. 4 tree lighting. - Kristin Swain | Sun

A game of chase breaks out in the Chamber parking lot before the Dec. 4 tree lighting. - Kristin Swain | Sun

While kids couldn’t climb in the sleigh with Santa this year, they were able to tell him what they wanted and take a socially distanced photo with the big guy. - Kristin Swain | Sun

While kids couldn’t climb in the sleigh with Santa this year, they were able to tell him what they wanted and take a socially distanced photo with the big guy. - Kristin Swain | Sun

In lieu of elves, Santa brought along some of his favorite pirates from the Anna Maria Island Privateers. - Kristin Swain | Sun

In lieu of elves, Santa brought along some of his favorite pirates from the Anna Maria Island Privateers. - Kristin Swain | Sun

The ladies of RE/MAX greet passersby with a smile and a selection of sweet treats. - Kristin Swain

The ladies of RE/MAX greet passersby with a smile and a selection of sweet treats. - Kristin Swain

Children wanting to add a little sparkle to their family’s tree were invited to make their own ornaments using seashells at The Sand Dollar. - Kristin Swain | Sun

Children wanting to add a little sparkle to their family’s tree were invited to make their own ornaments using seashells at The Sand Dollar. - Kristin Swain | Sun

Violinist Danae Tran enchants visitors to The Sand Dollar with a selection of holiday tunes. - Kristin Swain | Sun

Violinist Danae Tran enchants visitors to The Sand Dollar with a selection of holiday tunes. - Kristin Swain | Sun

Santa greets a bashful little Santa in training. - Kristin Swain | Sun

Santa greets a bashful little Santa in training. - Kristin Swain | Sun

Volunteers from the Chamber and CrossPointe Fellowship Church hand out cups of hot apple cider and individually-wrapped treats to attendees at the tree lighting ceremony. - Kristin Swain | Sun

Volunteers from the Chamber and CrossPointe Fellowship Church hand out cups of hot apple cider and individually-wrapped treats to attendees at the tree lighting ceremony. - Kristin Swain | Sun

Castles in the Sand

National real estate markets better than ever

Written by Louise Bolger on . Posted in Business, Castles in the Sand.

The first big holiday of the holiday season is behind us. We’ll find out soon if it results in more COVID-19 infections and will be thankful if we all came through it healthy. What we also need to be thankful for is the health of the nation’s real estate market, which is shockingly better than anyone would have thought in March.

National home sales rose to a 14-year high in October, representing the fifth straight monthly increase. Economists credit this phenomenon to both the super low cost of mortgage borrowing and the shift in lifestyle preferences resulting from the pandemic. This is one of the best stretches for the housing market in several years, accelerating what was an already good market before the pandemic.

Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s, commented that “In the pandemic, nothing has been more positively surprising than single-family housing.” He goes on to say, “This is a fundamental shift in housing preferences.” Families and singles are leaving large cities and purchasing single-family homes despite soaring home prices.

According to the National Association of Realtors, existing home sales rose 4.3% in October from September, and 26.6% from October this year compared to October last year. As a comparison, Manatee County single-family home sales increased by 48.4% from last October to this October as reported in last week’s column, almost double the national average.

In addition to a shift in lifestyles because of the pandemic, buyers are aided by mortgage rates now at their lowest level since Freddie Mac began tracking them in 1971. However, low interest rates are being somewhat offset by an increase in home prices and shortage of inventory making it very challenging for first-time buyers to get into the market. This shortage of inventory could worsen in the coming months as COVID-19 cases increase, since some sellers will not place their homes on the market for fear of infection. This is especially true for older homeowners who may be ready to downsize but will not allow buyers or realtors in their homes.

New home construction is also benefiting from the busy real estate market. The S&P Homebuilders Select Industry index is up 24.2% this year. In addition, single-family home rentals are also increasing quickly, with families wanting a way out of crowded areas quickly. Overall, a good real estate market always increases consumer spending in general. Appliances, furniture, landscaping and a variety of decorative and other home goods benefit from people moving from one location to another and purchasing or renting new properties.

Like all new events in our collective lives, the pandemic has produced unique contingencies to real estate contracts and buyers desperate for homes are going for it. Some of the more unusual contingencies I’ve read about include people who want to leave their pets with the house when they either can’t take them to their new location or they just feel it’s better for their pet to remain in familiar surroundings. Surprisingly, some buyers will agree to this especially if they’re pet lovers to begin with. Also, there’s crazy stuff like outdoor decorations and loved one’s ashes that can’t be removed, and home visits to pet graves in the yard the sellers are leaving. Most of these requests can be worked through without becoming part of the actual sales contract but it is just another oddity of what may well become the year none of us will ever forget.

As we look forward to Christmas and try to find a way to navigate through a reduction of festivities, we can at least be encouraged by the flourishing real estate market. But be prepared if the seller you’re negotiating with wants Santa on the front porch as a permanent contingency. Stay safe.

WMFR welcomes new commissioner

WMFR welcomes new commissioner

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News, West Manatee Fire Rescue.

BRADENTON – West Manatee Fire Rescue district commissioners had their hands full at their final meeting of the calendar year.

Commissioners welcomed Commissioner Larry Jennis back to the dais for another four-year term along with new Commissioner Robert Bennett. Both were sworn in during the district’s Nov. 17 meeting.

Board officers for 2021 also were selected during the meeting, with Jennis receiving a unanimous vote to serve as chair. Commissioner George Harris was unanimously selected to serve as vice-chair and Bennett received the support of his fellow commissioners to serve as secretary/treasurer.

The first shovels are in the ground at the site of the new West Manatee Fire Rescue administration building. – Submitted | WMFR

In other business, Chief Ben Rigney told commissioners that a small groundbreaking ceremony had been held at the site of the district’s new administration building at 701 63rd St. W. in Bradenton. With permits in hand, he said that footer construction had begun and the building is projected to be completed by April or May 2021.

Jennis volunteered to be the new board liaison on the project, a position previously held by former Commissioner Randy Cooper.

Commissioner Al Robinson took the opportunity during commissioner comments to again express his displeasure that his fellow commissioners voted to construct a new administration building rather than stay in the district’s temporary administrative offices at Palma Sola Presbyterian Church, located just across the street from the district’s previous administration building.

With the December meeting canceled due to the holidays, WMFR commissioners will next meet in January 2021.

Related coverage

 

WMFR has a new commissioner

 

WMFR hosts first budget hearing

 

WMFR commissioners vote on assessment increase

Anna Maria Island reaches 100 COVID-19 cases

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Featured.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The number of COVID-19 cases reported on the Island has reached 100.

The cases date back to the beginning of the pandemic in March through Monday, Nov. 16, according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management daily COVID-19 data report, which reports cases according to patients’ home zip codes.

2020 COVID-19 cases on

Anna Maria Island by month

 

March 0

April 2

May 2

June 16

July 36

August 52

September 59

October 76

November (to date) 100

As of Monday, there were 52 COVID-19 cases reporting in Holmes Beach, 36 in Bradenton Beach and 12 in Anna Maria since the pandemic began.

As of Nov. 9, there had been 84 COVID-19 cases reported on Anna Maria Island – with 41 cases reported in Holmes Beach, 34 cases reported in Bradenton Beach and nine cases reported in Anna Maria.

Between Nov. 9 and Nov. 16, 11 new cases were reported in Holmes Beach, two in Bradenton Beach and three in Anna Maria.

As of Monday, there had also been 50 total COVID-19 cases reported in the Manatee County portion of Longboat Key and eight in Cortez.

On Saturday, Nov. 14, 202 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Manatee County, according to the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) COVID-19 dashboard. As of Monday morning, 14,593 Manatee County residents and 179 nonresidents tested positive for COVID-19 since March.

According to the Nov. 14 Manatee County COVID-19 update shared by County Commissioner Misty Servia, 34 patients were currently hospitalized for COVID-19 as of Saturday, with 945 total COVID-19 hospitalizations to date, and 346 COVID-19 related deaths to date.

The most recent daily percent positive rate for those tested in Manatee County in one day was 7.81%.