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Tag: Anna Maria Island

March tourism numbers soar

March tourism numbers soar

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Business, Featured, Tourism.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – March tourism numbers are up from last year in all three Island cities, significantly so in the City of Anna Maria.

Each month, the Manatee County Tax Collector’s Office reports how much income the county’s 5% tourist tax produces. The tax is collected from owners of accommodations rented for six months or less who charge the tax to their renters, who are mostly tourists. The amount of the tourist tax taken in each month is a gauge of how many people are coming to the Island in a given month, and for March, that was a big number.

While Bradenton Beach was up 1% compared to 2023 and Holmes Beach was up an impressive 19% during the same period, Anna Maria showed a staggering increase of 58% over March 2023.

The Sun reached out to Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) Executive Director Elliott Falcione to make sense of the significant increase.

“I’m not sure without further research, but what might have happened in the City of Anna Maria is more of the homes went into the short-term rental pool,” Falcione said. “I’d be curious if there’s any real estate transactions from homeowners that used that as their homestead then made it a short-term rental and had a management firm operate it.”

Falcione also said his department does not promote spring break, saying the Island is busy enough and doesn’t need further promotion during the busiest time of year. He says there has to be a balance between the huge influx of tourists during the busy spring season and the quality of life for the residents who live here. This attitude falls in line with other, more popular, Florida spring break destinations such as Miami and Panama City, who have essentially told spring breakers to find somewhere else to party. Miami officials went so far as to publicly “break up” with spring breakers, saying the relationship is over and they need to move on. No one in Manatee County has gone as far as that to echo that sentiment, since AMI has not been a “party” destination with the riots and violent crime Miami and Panama City have experienced. Nonetheless, the number of people coming is plenty, and the CVB sees no reason for advertising the Island as a spring break destination.

Falcione said the tourist tax is a very good thing for Island residents, because it benefits the residents without any money coming out of their pockets.

The tax is used for things such as boat ramps, piers, beach parking lots, the new water taxi, and perhaps most importantly, 20% goes to beach renourishment.

As far as how to alleviate some of the problems with traffic and congestion, Falcione says a lot of it comes down to parking. He says if there was a solution to the limited parking on the Island, traffic would flow more smoothly and residents would be able to travel during the busy spring season without spending a frustrating amount of time stuck in traffic.

While many Island residents are opposed to a proposed parking garage at Manatee Beach, Falcione says he supports it.

“The parking garage would need to be designed to not look like a parking garage, and would need to be designed to integrate into the look of the Island,” Falcione said. “Once people coming to the Island realized that they could just come to the Island on Manatee Avenue and pull right into a place to park, then what it does is get people off Gulf Drive. Right now the traffic isn’t just the demand for the beaches, it’s cars going up and down Gulf Drive searching for a parking spot and causing traffic problems.”

Falcione says he doesn’t believe the garage will bring more tourists, but rather mitigate traffic on the Island. When asked if he was worried about voicing his support for the controversial parking garage, Falcione said, “I am who I am and I speak from the heart. We all drive cars, and if I’m going from point A to point B, and I want to park that car as fast as I can and know there’s a parking spot as soon as I get on the Island, I’m going to take it. Most importantly, it gets my car off the road and I’m not a part of traffic. I’m not that smart, to me it just seems to be common sense.”

Water quality advisory in effect at Palma Sola

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Featured, Outdoors, Water Quality.

PALMA SOLA – The Florida Department of Health in Manatee County (DOH-Manatee) has issued a water quality advisory for Palma Sola South due to high bacteria levels.

Tests on May 6 and 8 indicate that the water quality at Palma Sola South does not meet the recreational water quality criteria for Enterococcus bacteria recommended by the Florida Department of Health.

Palma Sola South is at the east end of the Palma Sola Causeway and the north side of Manatee Avenue West.

DOH-Manatee advises against any water-related activities at this location due to an increased risk of illness in swimmers. Sampling conducted during water quality monitoring showed that the level of bacteria exceeds the level established by state guidelines.

Water testing on May 6 also showed a bacterial water quality level of “poor” at Coquina Beach North, but no advisory was issued. Test results on May 8 show a “moderate” level of the bacteria at both Coquina Beach North and South, one step below “good.”

Enterococci are enteric bacteria that normally inhabit the intestinal tract of humans and animals. According to DOH-Manatee, “The presence of enteric bacteria can be an indication of fecal pollution, which may come from stormwater runoff, pets and wildlife and human sewage. If they are present in high concentrations in recreational waters and are ingested while swimming or enter the skin through a cut or sore, they may cause human disease, infections or rashes.”

The advisory at Palma Sola South will continue until bacteria levels are below the accepted health level. Test results are available at FloridaHealth.gov/HealthyBeaches. For more information, call 941-714-7596 or visit Manatee.FloridaHealth.gov.

Moss Builders wins mid-season tourney

Moss Builders wins mid-season tourney

Written by Monica Simpson on . Posted in Soccer, Sports.

ANNA MARIA – Youth soccer on the Island goes into the month of May with playoff games on the horizon.

In the 8- to 10-year-old league, The Intuitive Foundation team is holding on to the first-place position over team Solid Rock Construction. With their one-point win against Isola Bella Italian Eatery, the Intuitive squad has a 4-1-0 record.

Parker Svoboda put the two points on the scoreboard for The Intuitive Foundation. Teammates Sawyer Leibfried and Silas Whitehead had three total saves in the game to help with the win.

Isola Bella Italian Eatery’s Carson Long worked hard as goalkeeper, keeping his team solidly in the game for two halves of play. Long had four saves against the Intuitive offense.

Scoring the only goal for his team, Asher Patel had a solo goal in the fifth game of the season.

Phoenix Harwood scored two goals against the Emily Moss Design goalies, helping to give AMI Coconuts their second win of the season. Harwood’s brother, Andre, made four solid stops, and teammate Owen Serra had two saves as goalie for the Coconuts team.

Defensively, Miles Moss and Wesley Bekkerus showed solid goalkeeping skills for Emily Moss Design. Bekkerus made two saves, adding to the five stops by Moss.

Shutting out Shady Lady Horticultural Services in the third game of the night, team Solid Rock Construction won 2-0. With goals by Everly Chaplinsky and Lucas Urbiola, the team put up its fourth win, keeping them hot on the heels of team The Intuitive Foundation.

With three saves each, Simon Messenger and Karlan Mohib worked the goal for team Shady Lady. Solid Rock’s keepers Samuel Raulerson and Elijah Roadman each had four stops against their worthy opponent in the league’s final game of the week.

The 11- to 14-year-old league teams pressed pause on regular season match-ups with a mid-season tournament. Playing on smaller fields for quick, fast-paced action in the double-elimination tournament, the teens played hard against their normal opponents in the fun format.

Team Moss Builders came back to win the tournament after an early loss. Moss’ win against the Westfall’s Lawn Care & Pest Control team earned the squad three points in the league standing. Two points were awarded to the Westfall team for their second-place finish.

With the youth soccer championship games scheduled for Tuesday, May 28, the two leagues go into the playoffs with the big game in focus.

 

 

SUN SCOREBOARD

 

 

APRIL 30

YOUTH SOCCER – WEEK 5

8- TO 10-YEAR-OLD LEAGUE

 

 

The Intuitive Foundation (4-1-0) 2

Isola Bella Italian Eatery (1-1-3) 1

 

 

AMI Coconuts (2-2-1) 2

Emily Moss Design (1-3-1) 0

 

 

Solid Rock Construction (4-0-1) 2

Shady Lady Horticultural Services (0-5-0) 0

 

 

MAY 2

ADULT CO-ED SOCCER – WEEK 6

 

 

Solid Rock Construction (1-2-3) 5

Salty Printing (3-3-0) 3

 

 

Language Services Association (2-2-2) 3

Progressive Cabinetry (4-1-1) 3

 

 

Moss Builders (3-2-1) 2

Diamond Turf (1-4-1) 1

 

 

Ross Built Custom Homes (3-1-2) 4

Pool America (3-1-2) 2

 

 

Sato Real Estate (3-3-0) 3

Beach House Waterfront Restaurant (1-5-0) 0

Boomers continue to boom

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

Just when you think they’re too old to influence the smart, better-educated and computer-savvy younger generations, they raise their grey and balding heads again to remind their kids and grandkids they are still alive and influential.

For years, the prediction would be that boomers would start to sell off their big houses, flooding the market with properties. Instead, just the opposite is happening. Many aren’t even considering selling their large family homes, and for good reason.

Boomers own half of all of the $32 trillion in home equity in the country, according to a Redfin analysis of Federal Reserve data. In addition, nearly 80% of boomers own their primary residence and about a quarter own an investment property. More than half of them have retirement accounts with a median balance of $191,200, as well as 27% owning stocks and bonds outside of retirement accounts with a median amount of $201,800. These statistics come from a data scientist for the St. Louis Fed who researches wealth.

And it gets better. Not selling their properties has helped boomers accumulate a level of wealth greater than any other living generation. The median prices of existing single-family homes have increased more than tenfold since the early 1970s, when the oldest boomers were buying their first homes.

Even though boomers have a big financial incentive to stay in their homes with either no mortgage or very low-rate mortgages, some are moving on. Boomers made up 31% of home buyers, while millennials made up 38% in 2023, as reported by the National Association of Realtors. They frequently buy with cash, avoiding the higher interest rates in today’s market.

The boomers have had a major influence on the current real estate market. Mortgage rates topped 7% after the Federal Reserve’s last meeting when they held rates at their current level. That has pushed up the yield on 10-year treasuries, which mortgage rates tend to track. They also didn’t give any indication of lowering the rate any time soon based on the level of inflation, however, many economists still expect rates to decline later this year.

Even though new properties have been listed, there is a continuing low supply of homes for sale nationally. This continues to push prices higher with the national median existing-home price going up 4.8% in March from a year earlier to $393,500, as reported by the National Association of Realtors. The Manatee County median sale price for March by comparison was $498,805, 1.4% higher than last year.

Homebuyers are also confused about coming changes to the rules governing how real estate agents get paid and how this will affect their overall costs. And let’s not forget it’s a presidential election year, as well as one with several worldwide military conflicts bubbling up. All this influences home shoppers and sellers to perhaps pause until there is more clarity and less stress in the market.

The lack of boomer activity is, to a large degree, another byproduct of COVID-19, the pandemic that keeps on giving. As bad as COVID-19 was, it has worked to the advantage of boomers, increasing their equity tremendously and allowing them to refinance existing mortgages to a historic low rate.

The baby boomer generation has influenced everything that has gone on in this country since 1946, when the oldest of them were born, and they’re not going away. Whether it’s housing or the price of milk, boomers continue leaving their mark.

Egmont, Passage keys prove enchanting

Egmont, Passage keys prove enchanting

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

Extending approximately 5 miles from Anna Maria Island to St. Petersburg, the mouth of Tampa Bay is fronted by the barrier islands of Egmont Key and Passage Key. The surrounding waters are beautiful, ecologically important and provide anglers with some excellent fishing opportunities. The history surrounding the islands is rich and, in the case of Egmont, goes back some 2,000 years. They seasonally hold some of angling’s prized species, including tarpon, snook and permit.

Egmont Key is a Florida State Park and a National Wildlife Refuge. Steeped in history, the entire island is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Artifacts and pottery dating back two millennia have been found on the island. The first recorded landing there dates back to a Spanish explorer in 1757 and its recent history spans from the Spanish-American War to World War II. The island is home to the Tampa Bay Pilots and has miles of old brick roads, a holdover from a time when there were over 70 buildings and 300 people living there. It has a functioning lighthouse, rebuilt in 1857 after a hurricane destroyed the original structure. Ever changing, Egmont Key was once 50% larger than it is today.

Passage Key, the southernmost island, is uninhabited and also a National Wildlife Refuge. It was first established as a bird sanctuary in 1905 by President Theodore Roosevelt. At the time, it was a 60-acre island and had a freshwater lake. That all changed in 1921 when it was decimated by a hurricane and has never been the same. Over the past decade, Passage Key has been little more than a constantly changing sandbar but is building back. In the 1970s, the island was designated as a wilderness area. Together the islands hold nesting colonies of all Florida seabirds including the largest concentration of royal and sandwich terns in Florida.

In the spring and summer, schools of tarpon and permit can be sight fished on the vast clear white sand flats that surround Passage Key. During the warm months of the year, there are also schools of sharks and large houndfish on the flats. In the cooler months, trout, redfish and pompano can be found on the edges of the flats and the grass beds to the east side of the key. Houndfish, which resemble large needlefish, gather in schools and, while they are not often pursued by anglers, they’re great sport on flies and light tackle. Small white clousers and lures that resemble baitfish can elicit some explosive strikes.

Egmont Key has a much more varied habitat and also has excellent fishing for tarpon, snook, permit and sharks. Old structures, vestiges of the Spanish-American War, can be seen along the western side of the Key, many of which are submerged. They provide a perfect habitat for species including pompano, trout and sheepshead as well as other pelagic species that swim these waters. On the east side, the pilot’s dock holds sheepshead, black drum, trout and redfish. Extensive grass flats there are home to trout, pompano, Spanish mackerel and redfish. A ship’s channel north of the key provides access to Port Manatee and the Port of Tampa. This deep waterway holds a plethora of gamefish including kingfish, Spanish mackerel and little tunny. The exposed ledges along the channel are also home to mangrove snapper, grouper and sheepshead.

If you haven’t explored these historical islands, a trip there will be eye-opening, and, whether you’re swimming in the clear Gulf waters, exploring the rich history or angling for a trophy, you’ll find these islands enchanting.

Island Players produce thrilling ‘Woman in Black’

Island Players produce thrilling ‘Woman in Black’

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Entertainment, Theater.

ANNA MARIA – Anyone who regularly attends performances by the Island Players is used to lighthearted comedies that have the audience in hysterics for a great deal of the time they are in their seats.

With performances of “Later Life,” “Farce of Nature,” “The Mousetrap” and “Communicating Doors,” the Players’ historic 75th season has offered plenty of what audiences are used to, until now.

The play that closed the season was definitely not a comedy, and was actually scary at times.

When telling ghost stories, Arthur Kipps’ (Tom Horton) children ask him to tell one of his own. Pushing him by saying, “Everybody knows at least one ghost story,” Kipps knows if he shares the tale he has to offer, it won’t be a story they want to hear, and he has no desire to share it at the time.

What Kipps does decide to do is share his horrific encounter with the supernatural with his friends and family on a theater stage, so he hires a professional actor to help him. While Kipps isn’t much of an actor in the beginning, the Actor (Mark Lennox) convinces him to play all of the characters besides himself in the story, while the Actor plays Kipps.

The play was adapted by Stephen Mattatratt from a novel by Susan Hill and directed by veteran director Kelly Wynn Woodland, who has well over 100 plays under her belt. While it wouldn’t fall under the horror genre, “The Woman in Black” is a fantastic ghost story that takes place in a creepy English manner that is only accessible at low tide due to its remote location just outside a small town, whose residents won’t go anywhere near it. Add in plenty of fog, deadly quicksand, some strange characters and a terrifying ghost (Tahlia Chinault) who manages to make the audience jump despite not having a single line of dialogue in the entire play, the audience was much quieter than at a typical Island Players production.

The show started almost lighthearted, but as it progressed, it became obvious things were turning darker by the minute, eventually leading to an ending that left the entire audience literally speechless. Even as the audience filed out of the final performance, the lobby was much more quiet than the average Players’ play, as guests were still processing what had just happened moments earlier.

There’s still time to catch one of the last shows of the season. “The Woman in Black” runs through May 12 with nightly performances at 7:30 p.m. and a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. Both online and box office ticket sales are available at www.theislandplayers.org and 941-778-5755. Box office hours are Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and one hour before curtain on Sundays for will call tickets only.

County pushes for fire district mergers

County pushes for fire district mergers

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Manatee County, West Manatee Fire Rescue.

MANATEE COUNTY – County commissioners asked the county’s seven fire chiefs to consider merging their districts at an April 23 meeting.

Commissioners said they would support doing a study to look into the benefits of consolidating fire districts, adding that they would bring state leaders and the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Governmental Accountability into the conversation if needed.

Manatee County Administrator Charlie Bishop reminded commissioners that they have no authority over fire districts, which are special districts and governed by the state of Florida.

The conversation was brought to the dais by District Four Commissioner Mike Rahn as a result of the volunteer Duette Fire Department seeking a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (COPCN) for non-transport advanced life support capabilities from the county. Receiving a COPCN is one of the many steps for district firefighters to be certified to provide the same care as an EMS first responder. Non-transport ALS means that the firefighters can provide the same medical care as EMS workers but cannot transport patients to the hospital or other care facility. West Manatee Fire Rescue, the department that covers Anna Maria Island, Cortez and the west side of unincorporated Manatee County, is a non-transport ALS provider in addition to having fire response, water rescue and dive team capabilities, among others.

During the meeting, Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge said that Duette does not meet the minimum capabilities to provide non-transport ALS service to its residents and encouraged the fire chiefs to consider merging districts.

Duette Fire Chief Rocky Parker took to social media to dispute Van Ostenbridge’s claim. Parker said that he believes the district meets the requirements to provide the service to residents and will continue to seek COPCN approval, despite the county commission’s argument that the Duette fire department doesn’t meet the requirements because its firefighters are volunteers.

Van Ostenbridge said that there are positives and negatives to living “out in the country” with one of the negatives being that there is less access to emergency services. He suggested that Duette and Parrish fire districts consider consolidating with North River Fire District to provide more services to residents and property owners.

While fire districts are allowed to consolidate, they can only merge with ones contiguous to their established boundaries within the county.

During the discussion, Van Ostenbridge singled out WMFR as a fire district that would be interested in merging with another district. While Chief Ben Rigney said that the district is always willing to keep its options open to better serve residents and property owners, he doesn’t see a merger coming any time soon.

“It seems to come up every five to 10 years or so,” Rigney said of the talk of fire district consolidation in Manatee County. “I did not feel that West Manatee was being targeted or threatened by the discussion from the Manatee County commission meeting. The commissioners are trying to ensure that the fire districts remain fiscally responsible to their communities. I feel that our district has continued to be responsible with taxpayer monies and are always open to working with them on providing a better service.”

Van Ostenbridge said he doesn’t want to see services reduced but would like to see administrative costs reduced.

Commissioner George Kruse said he thinks it’s important to continually look at opportunities but he’s not sure what the opportunity would be. He said he doesn’t want to see residents have different kinds of safety services based on where they live. He said he would rather see fire safety capabilities standardized across Manatee County. Kruse added that he doesn’t want safety services dictated by where people can afford to live.

“I would just encourage people to have that conversation,” Kruse said. “I would like this to be a bigger discussion. Maybe the (state) delegation needs to get involved in it. We seemingly can get free OPPAGA studies at a snap of a finger. It doesn’t commit to anything, but it can support data for future discussion.”

“I want you guys to keep control of all of this, keep control of your own destiny,” Van Ostenbridge said. When the state delegation and OPPAGA studies are involved, he said that the fire districts would start to lose control of their futures.

Jewfish Key could become part of county

Jewfish Key could become part of county

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Community News, Manatee County.

MANATEE COUNTY – County commissioners and officials from the Town of Longboat Key discussed a petition from the Jewfish Key Preservation Association to de-annex Jewfish Key from the town at a joint April 30 meeting.

If the de-annexation is successful, Jewfish Key will become part of unincorporated Manatee County.

“This is a little unusual and I just wanted to place it on your radar,” Longboat Key Town Manager Howard Tipton said to the commission at the April 30 meeting. “There is a possibility you may have an unusual enclave for county services within the Town of Longboat Key.”

“On Jan. 16, 2024, the Town of Longboat Key received a voluntary petition from the Jewfish Key Preservation Association Inc. for the contraction of the island (Jewfish Key) from the municipal boundaries of the town,” Tipton read from a prepared statement. “The homeowners association submitted the request to examine the town’s levels of municipal service and because the town has land use controls that are more restrictive than Manatee County’s. Specifically, the town has a longstanding grandfathered-in land use regulation that restricts the duration of short-term rentals of residential properties for less than 30 days.

“While there is no role for Manatee County in the statutory contraction process, this information is being shared to create awareness of the pending request and the upcoming Town Commission discussion relating to the future of Jewfish Key within the town’s boundaries or as part of unincorporated Manatee County,” Tipton read further.

“I was a little surprised by the name – the Jewfish Key Preservation Association,” County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge said. “What is it they’re trying to preserve? It seems like a disingenuous name that’s misleading.”

Tipton said he didn’t have an answer to that question and said there has been no communication between the association and the town outside of the petition.

“It does present a challenge,” Van Ostenbridge. “The island has slowly built up over time. There’s no fire hydrant there.”

“There are no utilities that serve the Island,” Tipton said. “It is a well and septic enclave.”

Jewfish Key is the only part of the Town of Longboat Key that is without water and sewer service and any increased density would raise concerns, he said.

“I think there’s a concern for the property owner for any future commercial use which would be their lack of sewer, their lack of potable water, the fact that they’re on well and septic,” Van Ostenbridge said. “I don’t know that the county would be eager or even willing to run sewer. The expense would be exorbitant. They may want to do it at their own expense.”

Florida Statutes require the town to undertake and evaluate a feasibility study within six months of receipt of the petition. The anticipated presentation of the completed feasibility study to the Town Commission is at a public meeting on Monday, June 3 at 1 p.m., Tipton said.

Pool America, Diamond Turf tie

Pool America, Diamond Turf tie

Written by Monica Simpson on . Posted in Soccer, Sports.

ANNA MARIA – With warmer weather in the air, the adult soccer league took the pitch last Thursday night for the fifth week of regular season play.

The Pool America team played without their captain, Chris Klotz, and other key players.

Also playing without a full roster, team Diamond Turf narrowly escaped a loss, tying the game against Pool America 3-3.

Samuel Romero started the game in goal for Diamond Turf. Romero made four big saves to help his team in the first half of action.

Sharing the keeper’s responsibility, team captain Yuri Pereira managed the Diamond defense. The position change allowed Romero to score one of the three team goals.

The Diamond Turf offense scored off the foot of Curtis Bickler and Gerardo Urbiola Bolanos. Teammate Stephen Adair was credited with an assist.

Nate Welch and Hakan Toka put the points on the scoreboard for Pool America. Welch added to his scoring total with two goals to help his team earn a point going into week six.

Pool America sits in second place, while Diamond Turf is ranked eighth. With four weeks of the regular season left to be played, there is ample time for the standings to shift.

Third-ranked Salty Printing shut out the Beach House Waterfront Restaurant squad. Team captain Kevin Roman scored two goals with an additional point scored by Tyler “Bean” Brewer.

Brewer had two assists in the game, adding to teammate Erica Nielsen’s single assist and solo goal.

The strong Salty defense, including Charles “Tuna” McCracken in goal, stopped the Beach House offense. McCracken had seven saves in the 4-0 victory.

The Beach House team, playing without all of their players, worked hard, staying in the game at any given time. Ultimately, the lack of time on the clock and the inability to score made the loss inevitable for the team captained by Jake Parsons.

Parsons started in goal for his team, making five saves. Aaron Frech relieved him and saved four goals during his time at the net.

In the third game of the night, team captain Ryan Moss had 10 stops in two halves of soccer action for Moss Builders. On the other side of the field, playing for team Progressive Cabinetry, The Center’s Operations Director Tyler Bekkerus saved nine shots.

Moss Builders’ goals by Kali Richardson and Karri Stephens, along with an assist by Ed Moss, just were not enough to pull out the win against the number-one-ranked team in the league.

Progressive Cabinetry’s scoring came from team captain Keith Mahoney, with two goals, and Junior Martines. Martines had a single goal and assist in the match.

Team Ross Built Custom Homes won by three goals against Sato Real Estate. Ross kept Paul Jennison busy in the goal for Sato recording 14 saves. Dean Hinterstoisser had eight saves letting one by off the boot of Matthew Darak.

Scoring a hat trick, Helio Gomez ensured his team’s win. Ted Hurst added a point toward the 4-1 final score.

Ending in a tie, the final game of the night once again denied the Solid Rock Construction team a W. The team is going into the final games of the regular season on the cusp of its first victory, with three tied games.

Solid Rock’s opponent was team Language Service Associates, a team right in the middle of the pack. The team’s three goals were scored by Murat Akay, Selana Gonzalez-Salinas and Austin Nutting.

Ethan Hampton added to his statistics with an assist in the final week five game.

Holding down the goalkeeper position, Steve Oelfke solidly stopped 10 shots by Solid Rock. Mark Long commanded his post as keeper for Solid Rock with seven saves.

Long’s teammates Timo Vecchio and Jana Whitehead did the scoring for Solid Rock. Vecchio’s single assist added to his two-game goals.

The top team at the end of the regular season is anyone’s to predict. With full rosters on the field and sidelines, all 10 teams in the league are capable of championship game-level play.

 

SUN SCOREBOARD

 

 

APRIL 23

 

YOUTH SOCCER – WEEK 4

8- TO 10-YEAR-OLD LEAGUE

 

 

The Intuitive Foundation (3-1-0) 2

Emily Moss Design (1-2-1) 1

 

 

AMI Coconuts (1-2-1) 2

Shady Lady Horticultural Services (0-4-0) 0

 

 

Isola Bella Italian Eatery (1-0-3) 0

Solid Rock Construction (3-0-1) 0

 

 

11- TO 14-YEAR-OLD LEAGUE – WEEK 3

 

 

Solid Rock Construction (1-1-1) 1

Westfall’s Lawn Care & Pest Control (0-2-0) 0

 

 

The Gitt Team (1-0-1) 3

HSH Design (1-2-0) 0

 

 

APRIL 25

ADULT CO-ED SOCCER – WEEK 51

 

 

Pool America (3-0-2) 3

Diamond Turf (1-3-1) 3

 

 

Salty Printing (3-2-0) 4

Beach House Waterfront Restaurant (1-4-0) 0

 

 

Progressive Cabinetry (4-1-0) 3

Moss Builders (2-2-1) 2

 

 

Ross Built Custom Homes (2-1-2) 4

Sato Real Estate (2-3-0) 1

 

 

Solid Rock Construction (0-2-3) 3

Language Services Association (2-2-1) 3

Stone crab season closes

Stone crab season closes

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Fishing, Outdoors.

Fresh stone crabs will be available just a little while longer as the harvesting season is about to end.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), stone crab season closes on May 2 with the last day of harvest being May 1 for the state’s recreational and commercial stone crab seasons in state and federal waters.

The annual season closure is intended to increase the stone crab population and build resiliency in the fishery, according to the FWC.

The only part of the crab that is harvested is the claw.

“Stone crabs are known for their powerful claws, which account for more than half of the crab’s total weight. These crabs use their two claws – a crushing claw and a tearing claw – to eat and defend themselves,” according to the University of Florida IFAS Extension Service. “Unlike other fisheries, the claws are also the only parts of the crab harvested – live stone crabs must be returned to the water where they can regenerate new claws.”

Commercially harvested stone crab claws may be possessed and sold during the closed season but only if they have been placed in inventory prior to May 2 by a licensed wholesale or retail dealer.

Stone crab traps must be removed from the water within five days after the close of the stone crab season. Stone crab claws may not be harvested from traps pulled after the season closes.

The harvesting season will begin again on Oct. 15.

For more information on harvesting stone crab traps for recreation, commercial stone crab regulations, trap specifications and licensing information, go online to MYFWC.com/Marine.

Florida insurance ground zero

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

We are on the brink of hurricane season and this year promises to be an active one, so what goes hand in hand with hurricanes? Insurance.

We’re talking here about homeowners’ insurance, although flood insurance is also slated to have increases over the next few years. FEMA is changing the way they calculate flood insurance and revising the factors used to determine their premiums.

High insurance premiums aren’t anything new to Florida. During the 2004 hurricane season, there were five named storms, bringing billions of dollars in damage to the state within a six-week period. After that, many private insurance companies left the state, leaving Citizens Property Insurance Corp., the state-sponsored insurer, as one of the few options.

Homeowners with mortgages, which is about 60% of all owners, are required to purchase property insurance. There are homeowners who have opted to go without insurance if they own their home free and clear or to self-insure. The average annual home insurance cost rose about 20% between 2021 and 2023 according to an insurance shopping site called Insurify, and they are projecting another 6% increase this year.

Why is this happening? Obviously, storms and the higher number of storms that appear in the Atlantic basin are increasing. However, the primary cause is the amount of fraud that has been going on in the state in recent years. In April of 2022, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called a special session of the Florida Legislature to address the issue of insurance fraud. At that time according to the Office of Insurance Regulation, Florida accounted for 79% of the nation’s homeowner’s insurance lawsuits.

Insurance companies reported $1 billion in underwriting losses in Florida in each of the last two years, much of it due to lawsuits that resulted when homeowners transferred their rights through the “Assignment of Benefits” form. Homeowners would sign a form transferring the full rights of the policy from the policyholder to the contractor, who was working with an attorney.

Once the rights are transferred, the attorneys pay the contractors, usually for roof replacements or repairs, then file a lawsuit against the insurance company, adding up to three times their standard rate. This type of fraud resulted in insurance companies reporting $1 billion in underwriting losses in Florida for the past two years.

The other generator of increased homeowners’ insurance costs is the increase in reinsurance. Insurance companies require their own insurance in order to write policies assuming some of the risk. Reinsurance has increased rates in recent years because of COVID-19, inflation and climate change.

On the positive side, Florida Senate Bill 2022-D has reined in the litigation of this fraud by 20%. This opened the door for private insurers to come back into the state and start stabilizing rates through competition and lower future premiums. In addition, Citizens Insurance has started the process of “depopulation” of their customers, who are starting to go over to private insurers.

Florida may have the largest hurricane risk in the world but we’re not alone. Homeowner’s insurance has gone up along with everything else all over the country. California in particular has issues because of the wildfire threat, and Louisiana is also one of the major targets for hurricanes coming up the Gulf of Mexico.

Ground Zero and our insurance problems may be overstated, but we are certainly volatile and subject to the whims of the weather. Again, the price we all pay for living on a sub-tropical coast.

Bed tax increase to be decided by voters

Voters to decide tourist tax increase

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Business, Featured, Taxes.

MANATEE COUNTY – County commissioners were set to vote on whether to increase the county’s tourist tax, also known as the bed tax, from 5% to 6% at their April 23 meeting, but the item was removed from the agenda due to a recent change in state law.

The Manatee County Tourist Development Council (TDC) unanimously recommended that the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) increase the tax at its April 15 meeting, but neither body was aware of 2023 legislation that gave voters the power to levy an increase in the tax.

“So, what happened was we met the revenue criteria for calendar year 2023” to increase the tax, Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director (CVB) and TDC member Elliott Falcione said. “The short-term rental tax has to generate $30 million and we generated $30,091,000, making us eligible to increase the tax from 5% to 6%, which is the maximum allowed in Florida.”

Falcione said after meeting the criteria, a request was sent through the county’s Office of Financial Management to the Florida Department of Revenue, which issued a letter certifying that the county had met the required criteria. The county attorney’s office then drew up a new ordinance to reflect the increase to 6%.

“On the Friday before the Tuesday, April 23 BCC meeting, the Department of Revenue notified the county that the Florida statute on tourism changed in 2023,” Falcione said. “It now requires any additional bed tax levy to go through a referendum process and can no longer be voted on by the BCC. It took the vote out of the hands of the BCC and now requires the residents to make the decision by a vote.”

Once the county was made aware of this change, the vote was removed from the BCC’s April 23 agenda. Falcione said without being notified of the change, it would be difficult to find it without reading every section and subsection of Florida Statute 125.01.04, which is more than 8,000 words long.

“I really wish the state would have notified at least the tourism director, the BCC, or the county administrator when this law passed in 2023,” Falcione said. “Unless I missed an email, this was the first we were made aware of the change, so therefore the county administrator made a prudent move to remove the vote from the agenda until we sort things out.”

Falcione also said that Manatee County would be the first county in Florida to be subjected to the new law, as no other county has reached the required criteria to increase the tax since the change was made. He believes had another county hit this roadblock before Manatee, word would have reached his office and the TDC would not have moved forward with a recommendation to the BCC.

How and when the voter referendum will take place has not yet been decided.

“We’re still trying to sort through everything,” Falcione said. “The attorney’s office is gathering information and we’re going through our protocol. When we get with the county commissioners, we want to make sure we are 100% accurate with the steps required and the options they have to consider this.”

Currently, neighboring counties of Sarasota, Hillsborough and Pinellas are all at the 6% maximum tourist tax. Falcione stresses that none of this tax is paid by residents of the county, but residents benefit from the tax, which goes to maintaining, upgrading and marketing attractions such as city piers, the new water taxi, beach parking lots and Anna Maria Bayfront Park, with a large portion going to beach renourishment.

Falcione says the TDC will not spend tax proceeds to promote the area during the busy spring season.

Nobody loves lovebugs but other lovebugs

Nobody loves lovebugs but other lovebugs

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Twice a year the area is invaded by a tiny flying pest known as plecia nearctica, better known to Floridians as the lovebug, and once again, they are back.

Car washes love them, but most everyone else finds them to be a nuisance.

Often called the double-headed bug or honeymoon fly, lovebugs don’t actually have two heads, although at first glance it certainly appears so. During mating season, lovebugs can remain attached to each other for many days after mating, causing observers to see them as one creature. Lovebugs are harmless, don’t bite or sting, and are not a health risk to humans. Their sizable numbers do cause real problems during mating season, which occurs from late April into May, then again in late August into September.

There has been an urban legend since the 1950s that an experiment at the University of Florida went wrong and produced the annoying lovebugs. The legend says they managed to escape a UF laboratory resulting in the havoc they wreak on cars and Floridians. While this story is interesting, it has no basis in truth, according to Thomas Fasulo, an extension entomologist with UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

“I started hearing this story in 1979, my first year as an entomologist in Florida, but other entomologists told me they heard the same story long before that,” Fasulo said. “How it got started we just don’t know.”

The plecia nearctica is actually a fly believed to have migrated through the Gulf coast from Texas through southern states and eventually to Florida. While they annoy just about everyone in their path, the good news is that they only mate twice a year and don’t cause many issues in the remaining months.

Lovebugs’ acidity drops to around 4.5pH, making them very acidic. This means that if left on a car’s surface, they can cause paint damage and also be difficult to remove after only a few hours. Lovebugs can also clog filters and intake systems on cars, so it’s best to wash them off as soon as possible.

Some seasons are worse than others and some areas see higher concentrations than others. There is little that can be done to predict exactly when and where lovebugs will appear in the highest concentrations. Since they only live a few days after breeding, the only certainty is that they will be gone by summer.

Turtle Watch volunteers find season’s first sea turtle nest

Turtle Watch volunteers find season’s first sea turtle nest

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Featured, Outdoors, Sea turtles.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Volunteers with Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring have found and marked the first loggerhead sea turtle nest of the season on the Island.

“We are excited to start the nesting season on Anna Maria Island and look forward to a productive season protecting nests and educating the public,” Turtle Watch Executive Director Kristen Mazzarella said in a statement.

Under a directive from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), Turtle Watch volunteers began patrolling local beaches on April 15, although the official start of sea turtle nesting season is May 1.

Beginning early in the morning, volunteers monitor beaches daily for sea turtle activity.

Turtle Watch breaks down nesting data into three geographical sections. The first is from the Longboat Key Bridge north to Manatee Beach, the second is from Manatee Beach north to Bean Point, and the third covers bayside beaches.

Turtle Watch reminds residents and visitors of the following dos and don’ts:

DO:

• Shield or turn off outdoor lights that are visible on the beach and close drapes after dark;

• Remove all beach furniture and toys from the beach at night;

• Fill in holes and knock down sandcastles that may impede hatchlings on their way to the water;

• Place trash in its proper place;

• Keep your distance from posted nest sites;

• If you encounter a nesting turtle, remain quiet and observe from a distance;

• Call AMITW at 941-301-8434 or FWC at 888-404-3922 if you find a turtle (adult or hatchling) in distress; and

• Notify local law enforcement if you see anyone disturbing a turtle, hatchlings or nest site.

DO NOT:

• Use flashlights, cellphones, flash photography or fishing lamps on the beach;

• Encourage a turtle to move while nesting or pick up hatchlings that have emerged;

• Use fireworks on the beach; or

• Approach nesting turtles or emerging hatchlings, make noise, or shine lights at turtles.

For more information on ways to help protect sea turtles, visit islandturtlewatch.com.

Anna Maria Island community remembers philanthropist

Anna Maria Island community remembers philanthropist

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News, Featured.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Charles “Chuck” Lester’s legacy of philanthropy and friendship is being remembered on Anna Maria Island following his passing on April 19 at the age of 92.

“I have nothing but great feelings for Chuck. I have such admiration and respect for a life well-lived,” Island businessman Ed Chiles said. “It’s a life and legacy that needs to be celebrated, not mourned.”

Lester passed away at HCA Florida Blake Hospital.

Holmes Beach resident Chuck and his wife, Joann “Joey” Lester, led philanthropic efforts, particularly for The Center of Anna Maria Island.

“He was half of the most wonderful couple in my history of being in business on Anna Maria Island,” Chiles said. “Joey was the love of his life; you never saw one without the other.”

Christopher Culhane, executive director of The Center, wrote in an email to The Sun:

“For almost 50 years, Chuck Lester touched the lives of many Anna Maria Island residents. The Center of Anna Maria Island will greatly miss Chuck Lester’s jovial and smiling face at this year’s upcoming 22nd Annual Lester Family Fun Day,” he wrote. “The Center and the Island community will be forever grateful for the lifetime support of Chuck and Joey Lester.”

Culhane wrote that the couple created an unparalleled legacy of giving both on Anna Maria Island and in Wisconsin.

“Their legacy will live on forever at The Center through the AMICC Endowment Fund, which was established through the generous support of Chuck and Joey Lester’s unrivaled philanthropy.”

Pierrette Kelly, executive director of The Center from 1989 through 2012, said Chuck started the Giving Challenge on the Island.

“He was a wise man. He said if you put a challenge out there, people will step up,” Kelly said. “They leveraged us to go outside our comfort zones to do more for the community.”

The Giving Challenge ended in November each year and the annual Lester Family Fun Day followed in December, bringing the community together to celebrate the holidays, philanthropy, kindness and generosity, Kelly said.

The free community event hosted by the Lesters at The Center included such activities as pony rides, games, food, crafts, a helicopter golf ball drop and a visit from Santa Claus.

Staff at Duffy’s Tavern in Holmes Beach took part in the Lester Family Fun Days.

“It was great to be a part of that. He gave so much back to the community and that’s what it’s all about,” Duffy’s owner Peggi Davenport said. “They were the sweetest couple. He will be greatly missed.”

Along with supporting charitable organizations he supported local businesses, Chiles said.

“He was a cheerleader for a lot of us, through good times and bad,” said Chiles, the owner of the Beach House, Mar Vista and Sandbar restaurants. “He was someone you could go to for advice.”

“They went north to their home in Wisconsin in the summers, but the Island always felt their presence,” Chiles said. “They didn’t just come here and take and drink from the bounty, they gave so much back.”

Chiles said Chuck Lester was known for his contagious laugh and easy-going manner.

“Everybody loved Chuck,” said John Horne, longtime friend of the Lesters. “He always had a smile on his face, you just wanted to be around him.”

“They touched so many lives. What a huge loss for our community,” Horne said. “My heart goes out to Joey right now.”

Horne, the owner of Anna Maria Oyster Bar, had served on the board of The Center of Anna Maria Island.

“For many years they were so instrumental in the community center,” Horne said. “They did more than just write a check, although they wrote many of those, but they put their lives behind their commitments.”

Horne said education and literacy was important to the Lesters and the couple started libraries in Wisconsin.

“He knew the ripple effect of supporting young children and literacy,” longtime friend of the Lesters, Darcie Duncan, said. “They started four libraries in Wisconsin. All of the things they did were done silently. They were passionate about what they supported.”

Duncan has known the couple for more than 40 years.

“Chuck always brought the room to life. Everyone wanted to be with Lesters,” she said.

Over the years, Lester gave Duncan advice for her real estate business.

“There are not many Chuck Lesters left,” Duncan said. “He was a gift.”