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Center of Anna Maria Island

Center ends year on a high note

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Center of Anna Maria Island, Community News.

ANNA MARIA – The Center of Anna Maria Island’s fiscal year ended with cause for celebration. After years of financial struggles, the nonprofit ended another year in the black with $91,479.35 in the bank.

The Center’s fiscal year ended June 30. The end of year financials show net ordinary income from programs and fundraising at $166,222 before $99,743 in capital expenses and $25,000 in capital income from the surplus concession stand fund overseen by Manatee County commissioners, ending the year with $91,479.

For the entire fiscal year, July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019, the financials show $1,057,445 in total revenue and $965,965 in total expenses.

Program revenue, before $293,844 in direct expenses, ended the year with $600,938, coming in at 10% over budget. Included in this category are membership fees, Island Fitness membership fees, registration fees, sponsorship donations, merchandise sales and donations from the three Island cities.

Program income, including income from camps, personal training, CrossFit and other specialty programming came in at $307,094.

Fundraising revenue ended the year at $431,507 with $110,817 in direct costs to end the year with $320,690 in income. Changes to the fundraising category for the 2018-19 fiscal year include moving the funds received from the three Island cities, budgeted at $46,000, from the fundraising column to the programs that the cities designated the funds for. Also noted are $130,000 in donations that were budgeted for and not received. Fundraising revenue came in at 14.2% less than the $502,715 budgeted.

The Center’s board of directors hopes to increase fundraising revenue in the 2019-20 fiscal year with the addition of new Director of Development Jim McDaniel. The board is expected to confirm the hiring of a new operations director and event coordinator.

Though the fiscal year ended more than a month ago, the end of year financial statements and a new budget have yet to be reviewed and confirmed by board members. Due to the summer months, the board has not met in two months because a quorum could not be reached. The budget for the 2019-20 fiscal year, which began July 1, and the 2018-19 end of year financials are expected to be discussed at an August board meeting. To view The Center’s financials, visit www.centerami.org.

Related coverage:

Anna Maria provides ongoing Center support

McDaniel joins Center team

Aubry files ADA complaint about pier railings

Aubry files ADA complaint about pier railings

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Featured.

ANNA MARIA – Former City Commissioner Eugene “Gene” Aubry has filed a complaint with the United States Justice Department regarding the commission’s 2018 decision to not install handrails on the new city pier currently under construction.

The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division received Aubry’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) complaint on July 29.

Atop the copy of the complaint form sent to Mayor Dan Murphy is a handwritten note that says, “Mayor – For your info,” followed by Aubry’s initials. The complaint lists Aubry’s Palmetto address.

In his handwritten response to the question asking who’s being discriminated against, Aubry wrote, “All future visitors.”

In response to who has discriminated, Aubry wrote, “The mayor and entire city council.”

As for when the alleged discrimination occurred, Aubry wrote, “Present. Under construction.”

He described the discriminatory act as “Refusal to install handrails on pier.”

Chapter 6.4 of the United States Access Board’s ADA Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) says, “Most fishing piers and platforms are fixed structures and must comply with the accessible route requirements in ADAAG. Railings are not required. However, where railings are provided, at least 25 percent of the railings must be 34 inches maximum above the ground or deck surface in order not to interfere with fishing by individuals with disabilities.”

The original pier, built in 1911, had railings that were removed decades ago. Aubry served as a commissioner from 2010 to 2013. During that time, the pier did not have railings.

When demolished in 2018, the pier did not have railings. Instead, it had wooden toe rail curbing that ran the length of the pier walkway and T-end platform. The design for the new pier calls for higher toe rail curbing.

In his complaint, Aubry checked “yes” as to whether efforts were made to resolve this complaint through an internal grievance procedure. As for the grievance status, Aubry wrote: “Was presented to city council by E. Aubry with no response.”

As to whether the complainant intends to file with another agency or court. Aubry checked “Yes” and wrote, “If ADA does not respond.”

In the additional answers space, Aubry wrote: “At the end of the pier, the city will be constructing a restaurant, bait shop, retail and bathrooms – all to be accessed over pier that has no handrails over the water. Where the handicapped (is) concerned, especially the blind, this is a major problem and should not be allowed.”

Aubry’s complaint ends with his suggestion that the engraved planks removed from the old pier be used to build railings on the new pier.

Previous discussion

In February, Aubry made his pitch for pier railings. He told the commission he’s been an architect for 60-plus years and he referenced the ADA but did not claim the new pier would be non-compliant without handrails.

“The original pier had railings on it. The fact that we’re not building handrails is personally beyond my imagination. It has to do with safety and liability,” he said then.

In March 2018, Mayor Dan Murphy and the City Commission discussed whether to include railings on the new pier. Murphy told the commission he received several emails on that topic and public opinion was evenly divided.

City resident and Anna Maria Preservation Trust founder Sissy Quinn told the commission she preferred no railings because that maintains the look pier visitors have become accustomed to over the past 30 years.

The commission voted 5-0 to not include railings. The commission felt the increased height of the toe rail curbing would provide adequate protection for those using strollers, wheelchairs and walkers.

Additional comments

When asked about the complaint, Murphy said he does not expect it to impact the construction of the new pier as planned.

He noted the new pier is designed to maintain its historic use as a place where boats can be docked and said, “Boat docks don’t have to have railings.”

When contacted, Aubry said he never expressed concerns about pier railings while in office because there was no talk then of repairing or replacing the pier.

Aubry said city code requires a railing around a deck that’s more than 18 inches off the ground and he questions why that same standard isn’t applied to a structure built six to eight feet over the water.

Aubry could not cite a specific state or federal law or regulation that requires pier railings, but he fears the commission’s decision exposes the city to potential liability and litigation.

“A toe rail will not keep you from falling off the pier,” Aubry said. “It’s like Disney World out there and adults today do not take control of their kids.”

The ADA website notes that it cannot investigate or litigate every complaint and it can take three months to complete a review.

Related coverage:

Pier lease talks gain momentum

HardiePlank selected for pier building exteriors

Mason Martin Builders selected to build pier restaurant and bait shop

‘SoulJourn’ shakes up Roser services

‘SoulJourn’ shakes up Roser services

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Entertainment.

ANNA MARIA – The pastoral staff at Roser Memorial Community Church is shaking things up, first with the addition of new Praise and Worship Leader Derrick Williams and second with the addition of a new contemporary service on Sunday evenings beginning Oct. 6.

SoulJourn, a casual contemporary service, will be held Sunday evenings at 5:30 p.m. beginning Oct. 6, though a preview of the new service will be held in place of the regular 10 a.m. service on Sunday, Sept. 15.

“We’re very excited,” Rev. Neil Crowell said of the new worship service. “This is something that we’ve worked on for two and a half years. I think it’s just a blessing to have Derrick here.”

Williams joins Roser part-time. In addition to his new position, he’s also the host, creative director and musical director of the weekly music television show “The Gospel Voice” on The Christian Television Network and performs on Sunday’s Soulful Supper. He currently holds the title of Best of the Bay winner for Best Vocalist, Pianist, Singer/Songwriter and Jazz Ensemble.

Williams, who lives in Brandon with his wife Julie and daughter Jordan, said that of all the opportunities offered to him, he felt led through prayer by the Lord to come to Roser and help lead the new worship service.

“I prayed a lot about this,” he said, adding that his wife helped him explore the option of working at Roser and supports his decision. “I’ve learned to listen to my wife.”

“I come from the Baptist south where there was a church on every block,” he said, adding that as a preacher’s son he was brought up both in the church and surrounded by musicians. After joining the military, he said he returned and became a family man. Previously, he’s also been a teacher at a Catholic school, award-winning musician and performer. Williams said he’s been entertaining audiences for more than 30 years. One of his favorite ways to teach and to entertain is through his love of music and his talent of playing the piano, something he hopes to bring to the new Roser service with the help of some talented vocalists and musicians in the community.

The music for the service will be led by Williams while the teachings will be done by Rev. Dr. Bob O’Keef and associate pastor Crowell.

“Roser has done a spectacular job through the years of celebrating traditional worship and we do a really good job of it and it’s a ministry that reaches a lot of people but we’re aware that a contemporary style of worship would attract a whole ‘nother group of people that we’re not reaching. And so, we wanted to offer that new style at the same time that we’re keeping what has worked so well for us,” O’Keef said. “A lot of churches have made the mistake of abandoning their traditional and going all contemporary. We don’t want to do that. We want to do both. We want to offer both and we want to celebrate both styles. The new style of worship will certainly be dramatically different. One of the things, of course, is the style of music. That’s one of the major differences.”

In addition to well-known hymns, Williams said people can also expect to hear gospel, funk, acoustic, jazz, rock and other types of music. He’s really hoping for horn players to join the musicians at Roser. He said he’s really looking for local musicians who want to come share their gifts with the community.

“I think what we can promise folks who come is a really powerful music experience and a really powerful biblical experience,” O’Keef said. “We’re not going to make the mistake that some churches have made of dumbing down the faith. We want our service to be very biblical and one that is also very contemporary in terms of how we experience God’s presence. I think that’ll be really good stuff.”

Roser is looking for volunteers for the new service including musicians, vocalists and anyone willing to work behind the scenes, such as a stage manager. In a talk with The Sun, Williams said he’s open to anyone who wants to share their gifts with the community, including actors, dancers and other individuals. For more information, call 941-778-0414, email info@roserchurch.com or visit www.roserchurch.com/souljourn. Roser is at 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria.

Cloud Pest Control overshadows Solid Rock Construction

Cloud Pest Control overshadows Solid Rock Construction

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

The first playoff game of the youth indoor soccer season was last Thursday night, with the winner of the game going on to the semifinal round.

The Long-Roadman family team, along with Emma Raulerson, fought the good fight against Team Cloud Pest Control on the indoor arena at The Center for the final playoff spot.

Team Solid Rock Construction had a strong defensive force well into the first six minutes of play with Stella Long and cousin Eli Roadman on the court.

Cyrus Ryan proved to be a force to be reckoned with on offense for Cloud Pest Control, scoring his first goal near the seventh minute of the game.

With the score 1-0, Long tried to tie up the game 12 minutes into the match-up only to have her shot go just to the right of the post.

Isabella Roadman took her own shot for Team Solid Rock Construction. Ryan made the block to prevent the score.

Isabella made another beautiful scoring attempt that went off the post, as players and spectators gasped in anticipation and disappointment.

Cyrus’ sister, Calla, scored the second goal for Cloud with less than four minutes in the first half, advancing the score to 2-0.

Three minutes into the second half of play, Braelyn Curtis took a hard shot that went off of the foot of a Solid Rock player for an own goal giving Team Cloud Pest Control a three-point lead.

The three-line penalty against Team Cloud Pest Control gave the soccer ball to Solid Rock, which showed great passing on the hard indoor pitch.

Ryan made a shot that went just wide in the 26th minute of play. Cloud’s free-kick a few minutes later was met by a wall of Solid Rock players to prevent their opponent’s fourth goal.

All alone right in front of the net was C. Ryan, who received a beautiful pass from his teammate, giving Cloud Pest Control a 4-0 lead with 10 minutes left in the game.

Isaac Roadman played a fierce second half in front of the goal.

Another great stop by Isaac Roadman was followed by a fantastic goal by Cloud’s Brady Thompson to finish the scoring for his team with a total of five goals.

The Cloud Pest Control crew, including Josiah Hunsader, Riley Koehler and Owen Purcell solidly won their place in the next round of play.

All of the Solid Rock Construction cousins, including Carson Long, finished the season playing strong, learning new skills and having fun at The Center.

Related coverage:

Summer sports heat up at The Center

Youth indoor soccer heats up the summer

Moss Builders shut out Island Vacation Properties

Reel Time: Grant boosts SBW clam restoration effort

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

On Monday, Aug. 5, Sarasota Bay Watch received an award letter and grant agreement from the Sarasota based Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation. The $106,000 grant will support SBW’s efforts to continue restoring water cleaning southern hard-shell clams to Sarasota Bay. The population of these clams, traditional residents of the bay ecosystem, are at historic lows. The restoration’s goal is to help create a self-sustaining population into the future.

The grant provides funds for SBW to acquire 1,000,000 clam seeds (4 mm size/3 months old) from the Bay Shellfish Company shellfish hatchery, hire a professional clam farmer’s services to grow the clam seed for about two and a half months before flipping them into larger grow out gear before executing approximately 25 harvests. Each batch will consist of about 150 bushels weighing about 14,000 pounds (approximately 30,000 clams/harvest).

The grant also covers the costs to transport clam harvests to Sarasota Bay from Pine Island. Expenses include truck rental, ice and gasoline. Clam growing equipment including mesh bags, cover nets, stakes and underwater equipment needed for local clam grow out is also covered as well as webmaster services, social media, community education, outreach, engagement, and the marine stewardship and conservation awareness that supports the program.

Sarasota Bay Watch also received funds as part of the grant to hire a professional clam farmer as a consultant and project leader to seek a submerged lease from the state of Florida so Sarasota Bay Watch can grow clams locally. This would significantly lower costs and improve efficiency.

Sarasota Bay Watch former President Larry Stults, who headed the grant request for SBW, clearly sees the connection between the grant funds and a healthy bay.

“Clams live up to 30 years and can filter up to 24 gallons of water a day,” says Stults. “Do the math and you can clearly see the connection. That’s over a quarter of a million gallons of water over one clam’s lifetime.”

Sarasota Bay Watch began its clam restoration in 2016 by collecting adult native southern hard-shell clams for the spawn it needed to launch the effort. Once plentiful in local waters, the clams proved difficult to locate and that’s one of the reasons the program was launched.

Sarasota Bay Watch had entered into a partnership with Bay Shellfish Company, a commercial shellfish hatchery in Terra Ceia Bay on the southern shore of Tampa Bay, in 2008. Bay Shellfish owner Curt Hemmel had developed a method to grow algae allowing him to spawn and condition bivalves, including the scallops that Sarasota Bay Watch had been seeding into Sarasota Bay for the past decade.

Sarasota Bay Watch added Southern hard-shell clams to its restoration efforts in 2016 for several reasons. Like scallops, their numbers are critically low from historical averages. Unlike scallops that live only 1.5 years, clams can thrive for up to three decades. In addition, clams are more resistant to red tide and can actually eat low levels of the harmful algae.

Sarasota Bay Watch began its clam restoration project on March 1, 2017, when it purchased 330,000 seed clams from Bay Shellfish, each about the size of a little fingernail.  Aaron Welch, a commercial Tampa Bay clam farmer, was hired to do the first round of what is called grow out in fine mesh bags anchored to seagrass beds. After 70 days they were transferred to larger mesh bags on the bay bottom and overlaid with a protective cover net.

Sarasota Bay Watch has partnered with Mote Marine Laboratory Senior Scientist and Benthic Ecology Program Manager Jim Culter to create a series of experimental plots alongside SBW’s clam release areas to test a range of variables – hand planting the clams vs. dropping them on the bottom without planting, cover netting vs. none, soft sand bottom vs. hard-packed sediment, grassy vs. sandy bottoms, etc. From these experiments, the partners hope to learn how to make future restoration cycles more successful.

With the help of the Barancik Foundation Grant, Sarasota Bay Watch can now scale up the operation and advance plans to introduce clams to Manatee County and Sarasota County waters in 2020 and beyond. Ultimately, it is Sarasota Bay Watch’s hope that the program can become self-sustaining and self-funding. In the end, Stults can clearly see the link between the clam restoration effort and a vibrant Sarasota Bay.

Check out Sarasota Bay Watch’s website for videos of the clam releases. Learn about the good works the Barancik Foundation does in Sarasota and beyond online.

More Reel Time:

Reel Time: Cameras – catch and release digitally

Reel Time: Success – opportunity meets preparedness

Reel Time: Line and leaders

Castles in the Sand

It’s all about the kitchen

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

You may not want to do a kitchen renovation in August, but August is the perfect time to start planning one. Sitting on the patio with your iPad or on the beach with a home decorating magazine is an easy way to start planning that new kitchen. Add a cool coconut drink and you’ll soon forget that it’s 95 degrees.

Kitchen trends change almost as fast as fashion trends. What’s in now will undoubtedly be out in three years. It’s impossible to keep up and most of us don’t even try, but if you’re one of those who must have the latest, here’s where you should be looking:

In spite of the fact that we’re told white kitchen cabinets are out, according to Houzz, it’s still the most popular color at 43% of remodels. Second place is wood cabinets at 25%, followed by gray at 11%.

The trendy colors are now bold – deep blue, red and, ready for this, black. Now over 30 years ago when my sister-in-law was choosing kitchen cabinets for their new home, she picked black. She was always a trendy gal, but at the time I had never seen black kitchen cabinets before and was definitely taken aback. Little did I know she was decades ahead of her time. Today’s black is designed to provide a quiet soulful balance in the kitchen, combining cabinets, matte black appliances and black backsplashes.

Completely the opposite of black, a color that is also new and trending is mint green. Certainly, in my opinion, mint green is a better choice for beach living if you must give up white. Finally, two-tone cabinets, different color uppers and lowers are so in. I expect they’ll be out soon. Nevertheless it is a nice look. If you can’t bear to give up your white cabinets, you can make them trendy with dark lower cabinets.

As far as countertops, stone is and probably always will be the choice of most homeowners. Granite lost its first-place position a long time ago, replaced by quartz, but the trend now is to use concrete counters and natural stone. Backsplashes are also being invaded by natural stone with edges. I wonder how you keep that clean, with it installed right up to the ceiling?

The most popular cabinet style, according to Houzz, is holding with the ubiquitous shaker cabinets chosen by 57% of homeowners. Open shelving instead of all upper cabinets are also trending. They create a more uncluttered feeling, especially with an interesting backsplash. But if you do have upper cabinets, they must go to the ceiling.

And high tech is all over new kitchens – appliances that talk to you and your iPhone and charging stations are a must just as are hoodless ventilation systems. Thankfully rose color hardware and appliances are gone after their 15 minutes of fame.

So is doing an expensive kitchen renovation worth it in dollars? Maybe or maybe not, depending on what you do. Eighty percent of buyers place a nice kitchen in their list of the top three most important spaces in a home. Nationally, the average cost of a kitchen renovation is $35,000 but you could spend three times that.

Most kitchen renovations do add value to a home but most will also not be fully reimbursed in actual dollars. The benefit of a nice kitchen, however, will be in reduced selling time, which is generally reflected in actual dollar savings. Don’t forget, if you’re renovating before putting your home on the market, minor renovations can make a huge difference in appearance and get you the bigger bang for your buck.

It’s easy to dream about your dream kitchen during a hazy summer afternoon, just don’t let the heat and coconut drink give you delusions of grandeur, especially if you’re thinking black cabinets.

More Castles in the Sand:

Calming waters

The condo dance

The suburbs and the millennials

George Wilson Jr. celebrated

George Wilson Jr. celebrated

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

ANNA MARIA – Hundreds of friends and family members showed up at the Anna Maria General Store on Monday, July 22 to celebrate the life of George Wilson Jr.

Wilson passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on Monday, July 8.

“One simple man brought all this,” Wilson’s friend, Bill Dye, said as he stood on the patio stage looking at the crowd that filled the patio and courtyard outside the General Store where Wilson worked for many years.

Concrete Edgar vocalist and guitarist, Mikey Silbaugh, provided the musical entertainment, joined by Morgan Bryant on vocals.

General Store owner Brian Seymour addressed the crowd and said, “I’m at a loss for words. I just want to thank you. George would have been so honored to look out and see this. He meant the world to me and my team and I know he meant the world to all of you. Rest easy buddy.”

D Coy Ducks bartender Brad Lisk then read a prayer that began with him saying, “Dear God, we remember with love and gratitude a life that touched us all,” and concluded with him saying, “Remember to bless each day and to live it to the full in honor of life itself and of George Wilson.”

Dee Brady traveled from Mexico to attend the celebration. She read aloud a tribute called “From Me to You, From Us to You,” written by Wilson’s close friend, Lou Ross. The tribute was filled with lyrical references from Wilson’s favorite band, The Beatles.

“I heard the news today, oh boy, what a hard day’s night. A day in the life no more. Hello, goodbye my friend, and a friend to all. As I went into a dream, I could see the majesty leaning over a Norwegian bed whispering let it be. Drifting off into the golden slumber you see the long and winding road, beginning your journey free as a bird. I’ve got a feeling you are on the ultimate magical mystery tour across the universe, heading down Penny Lane to Abbey Road … ” Brady said during her reading.

After the reading, a projection screen was set up and a video tribute compiled by David Huggins was shown.

Wilson’s friend, Phil Cruz, was the only attendee who wore a suit and tie.

“I know if I had passed away George would’ve come to my funeral dressed up in a suit and looking his best for me,” Cruz said.

Around 8:30 p.m., dozens of attendees walked down Pine Avenue, gathered along the Tampa Bay shoreline near the new City Pier and threw white carnations and roses into the bay.

The celebration then continued at D Coy Ducks in Holmes Beach and featured an all-star band led by guitarist R.J. Howson that included members of the Charlie Daniels Band and Dickey Betts’ band.

Related coverage

George Wilson Jr. – a legendary life

Center of Anna Maria Island

Summer sports heat up at The Center

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

The Center summer sports returns to the gridiron with adult co-ed flag football. With the teams mixing up the rosters and new faces in the league, the games leading to the final championship game are sure to heat up the field.

In the first game of the night last Thursday, Team Ugly Grouper’s captain Matthew Manger saw his team take a beating on the field against a veteran squad.

Team captain Ray Gardner, for Moss Builders, threw for two touchdowns and made a touchdown of his own along with eight receptions.

Mike Gillum and Chad Woods each had touchdown catches to add to the duo of touchdowns by Jon Moss and Lexi Sato.

Game two also ended in a runaway game with underdogs Team Hashmark Sports the victors. With each team playing with four on the field, due to the absence of key player Brianna Roberts for Lancaster Designs.

Karri Stephens, receiver for Lancaster Design, was the lone scorer with two touchdowns.

Hashmark Sports creator and team captain Tim Holly scored a touchdown in the game with teammates Chase Richardson, Matthew Briley and Corey Banks each finding the end zone twice.

The final game put Progressive Cabinetry against Gulfview Windows and Doors. In the closest game of the night, Progressive took the win against team captain Ryan Moss and his squad.

Brandin Holcomb, Dina Calvary and Jordan DeMers each scored touchdowns for Gulfview Windows and Doors. Connor Haughey, Brandon Kull, Vincent Paraspolo and Jaret Rojas took the football to the end zone for Progressive Cabinetry in their victory.

Youth indoor soccer action continued with action in the gym at both the intermediate and advanced levels.

In the intermediate league, Moss Builders took the win against Ugly Grouper with goals for Moss by Dylan Sato, Mason Moss and three by Jackson Titen.

The Zaccagnino siblings, Jack and Jesse, each found the net with two goals by Jesse.

Solid Rock Construction denied Cloud Pest Control a goal. Cousins Isabella Roadman and Carson Long each made a goal for their team.

In the two games at the advanced level, G&G Yardscaping and Ugly Grouper each took the W.

Dalton Fox scored the only goal for AMI Locals, while Hudson Green, Ryan Joseph, and Connor Samblis got the soccer ball past the AMI Locals defense for their team.

AMI Locals had the doubleheader of the night, taking on Ugly Grouper in the last game of the evening. With fresh legs, Angelina Albrecht, Jackson Long, Jayden Sparks and Will Wright each scored a point in the week’s final game.

Related coverage

Youth indoor soccer heats up the summer

Moss Builders shut out Island Vacation Properties

Youth indoor soccer teams battle at The Center

Reel Time: Cameras – catch and release digitally

Reel Time: Cameras – catch and release digitally

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

The world of digital photography and videography continues to evolve, and anglers have never had more options to explore. Whether you’re capturing a picture or a video clip to remind you of your catch, to share with friends and family or to post on social media, digital cameras allow us to capture images of our catches, making a catch and release all that much more rewarding.

Photography has never been easier and anglers can enjoy this amazing technology no matter what their level of expertise. Most digital cameras and most smartphones also come with software or apps that let you enhance the image, crop the size and share the final product in a number of ways. You can send the images via e-mail or as a text straight from a phone, download them, edit, and print them out to frame and display.

Even though taking a picture may be easy, there are a few basic rules that will help you capture a better image:

  • Before ever leaving the dock, be sure you have fresh batteries, a charged phone, memory cards with enough space to record your images, a clean lens and a cleaning cloth.
  • There is almost always a certain amount of chaos associated with a catching a memorable fish, so get an idea in advance of where you’ll compose your image.
  • Check the background through the viewfinder carefully for distracting and cluttered backgrounds. Make sure you don’t have any unwanted objects, like a rod appearing to stick out of someone’s head.
  • Look to capture photographs that aren’t posed, and remember that the sooner you get your picture the more vibrant the colors of a fish will be. First and foremost, fill the frame with the subject, eliminating anything that doesn’t add to the composition.
  • Since you’re filming on the water, check that the horizon is straight. Most cameras and many phones have the option of putting a grid on the screen.
  • Preset your exposure and check it as lighting conditions change.
  • For most shots, I set my camera to aperture (F8) priority.
  • When trying to catch a jumping fish make sure you stop the action with an ISO of at least 1,000th of a second. Many digital cameras can capture up to 10 frames a second, so set the camera for a rapid burst.
  • Many photographs taken on the water are exposed in bright light. A camera’s light meter averages light over the scene, so an angler’s face, especially if shaded by a cap, will often be dark and lack detail. Make sure you expose your shots with fill flash.
  • Take a number of shots from different angles and get the angler excited and talking to you. One of the really great advantages of digital is that you can take lots of pictures and edit them on the go to make sure you have the shot you want.
  • When possible, use a polarizing filter during the daylight hours. It helps cut the glare on the water and saturate colors.
  • If you have photo editing software, like Lightroom or Photoshop, you can lighten the shadows in post-production. This can sometimes eliminate the need for fill flash, if the contrast isn’t too great, and prevents a flash from creating unwanted reflections on fish. Since lighting is almost always challenging, shoot and then review important shots. If you have a more advanced camera, you can bracket important shots in difficult lighting situations. Expose at least three images: one slightly (one-stop) underexposed, one slightly (one-stop) overexposed and one at the setting suggested by the light meter.

There are a lot of excellent digital cameras on the market today. The new generation of Smart Phones can take amazing images, but they have their limitations (lack of a polarizing filter).

If you’re really interested in photography, I would suggest getting a camera that meets your needs. Most come with a trial version of an image editing software like Adobe Elements. There are many cameras on the market from a few hundred to thousands of dollars.

Taking the time to capture the moments of life pays dividends that you can continue to relive by sharing them through your images.

For more information on the right camera for you, check with a professional at your local camera shop like Johnson Photo Imaging or go to www.bhphoto.com. Software demos (Check out Lightroom CC 2019) can be downloaded online.

More Reel Time:

Reel Time: Success – opportunity meets preparedness

Reel Time: Line and leaders

Reel Time: Waterkeeper Alliance holding polluters accountable

A merry Christmas in July

A merry Christmas in July

Written by Tom Vaught on . Posted in Entertainment, Events, Family fun.

BRADENTON BEACH – Kids on Bridge Street got a surprise Saturday night, a visit from Santa Claus at the Anna Maria Island Privateers’ Christmas in July on Bridge Street at the Drift In. The Privateers and Drift In raised $2,500 for next year’s scholarships by holding raffles and serving a potluck dinner inside the bar. In the parking lot, people enjoyed cool refreshments while listening to live music from Dos Max.

Bridge Tender Inn and Dockside Bar employees Dana Coty and Carlee Griffin paired up and purchased the winning ticket for the liquor basket. Bridge Tender employee Denise Hendricks purchased the winning ticket for the Lotto Board that contained $320 in lottery tickets and two $50 bills.

Drift In manager Doreen Flynn said she was happy that some local employees won those raffle prizes. She also noted that Santa Claus took a break from his summer vacation and made an appearance at the annual fundraiser. She also thanked Privateer Shelly “Fireball” Hill and Pines Trailer Park resident Ellen Scott for making this year’s Lotto Board and assisting with the fundraising efforts.

Privateer Tim “Hammer” Thompson said the first $1,000 raised Saturday night will go toward the purchase of Christmas gifts for this year’s adopted Christmas family or families. The remaining $1,500 will be placed in the Privateer’s scholarship fund.

“It all ends up going to kids one way or another,” Thompson said, noting that a similar fundraiser will take place in December.

lost pets fundraiser Gulf Drive Cafe

Pup & Cat Crawl helps lost pets

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Entertainment, Events.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Benefitting the Lost Pet Services Inc. organization that helps reunite lost pets with their owners, the inaugural Pup & Cat Crawl fundraiser on Friday, July 26 raised $2,050 after expenses.

Friday evening’s four-stop fundraiser began at the Seafood Shack. Seventy pre-ticketed participants then boarded two Siesta Key trolleys and made their way to the Sandbar restaurant in Anna Maria, the Gulf Drive Café in Bradenton Beach and the Swordfish Grill in Cortez.

Each stop featured pet-themed drink specials, raffle drawings and 50-50 drawings. Some of the drink specials featured Tito’s Vodka because Tito’s is known as a dog-friendly company. Tito’s and several local businesses donated raffle prizes and some of the participating restaurants also served special appetizers.

Lost Pet Services Inc. board member Debbie Capobianco organized the event, working with organization founder and president Patty Giarrusso. Capobianco is a Realtor for Michael Saunders & Company and works out of the firm’s Holmes Beach office.

“It was a great event. The bars we visited were very generous, and they donated prizes for us to give away in our raffles too. We had so many raffle prizes donated that it took us over an hour to give them all out,” Capobianco said on Saturday.

lost pets fundraiser
Bill Capobianco assisted with Friday’s fundraising efforts. – Debbie Capobianco | Submitted

“We also gave away our free microchips, as it is so important to have your dog or cat chipped in case they are ever lost,” Capobianco said.

Lost Pet Services Inc. provides location chips, name tags, missing pet flyers and helps spread the word about missing dogs and cats through its website and the Lost and Found Pets 941 Facebook group.

The organization also provides medical assistance for pets and assists in finding foster homes and/or new permanent homes for unclaimed pets.

“It’s a great organization. Patty started it all by herself, and I help with the fundraising,” Capobianco said, noting that Lost Pet Services Inc. has helped locate thousands of lost pets since it was founded in 2013.

You can report a missing pet, search for a missing pet, support the cause or learn more about Lost Pet Services Inc. at www.lostfoundpets941.com.

City seeks reimbursement for Sunshine lawsuit expenses

City seeks reimbursement for Sunshine lawsuit expenses

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – The city will try to recover some or all of the estimated $450,000 in attorney fees and legal costs city taxpayers incurred in the Sunshine Law lawsuit filed two years ago by the city and co-plaintiff Jack Clarke.

On July 19, Circuit Court Judge Edward Nicholas ruled former city advisory board members Reed Mapes, Tjet Martin, John Metz, Patty Shay, Bill Vincent and Rose Vincent violated the Florida Sunshine Law when they discussed their advisory board business at Concerned Neighbors of Bradenton Beach meetings in 2017.

These matters were discussed at two city meetings on Friday, July 26.

At 1 p.m., city commissioners participated in a special meeting that provided for public discussion on the judge’s ruling and the recovery of attorney fees and legal costs.

At approximately 2 p.m., the commission and City Attorney Ricinda Perry convened a non-public shade meeting that allowed for a private discussion on the city’s legal strategies regarding attorney fees, legal costs and a possible appeal filed by some or all of the defendants.

After emerging from their private discussion, the commission voted 4-0 to pursue any and all available remedies to recover the city’s fees and costs

Mayor John Chappie and commissioners Ralph Cole, Marilyn Maro and Jake Spooner supported this course of action. Commission Randy White did not attend Friday’s meetings.

Earlier that day, attorney Robert Watrous filed a motion notifying Metz and his attorney, Thomas Shults, of the city’s intent to recover its attorney fees according to Florida Statute 57.105.

Judge Nicholas will preside over a post-trial hearing in the next few months and decide what, if any, reimbursements the defendants must make to the city.

Legal insight

During Friday’s first meeting, Perry addressed the pursuit of attorney fees according to state statute.

“It has not been a secret that attorney fees are something that would be considered at the conclusion of the judge issuing his order. You have an obligation and a responsibility to your constituency to fully discharge all of the rights they own in that statute, and those rights include healing the city treasury,” Perry told the commission.

Perry noted the defendants rejected a settlement offer in March that sought $500 from each defendant and a collective acknowledgment that errors were made regarding Sunshine Law compliance.

In May, the defendants proposed individual settlement offers that collectively sought $60,902 from the city and $24,444 from Clarke. Some of those settlement offers stated the defendants’ financial demands would increase if the case went to trial and the city lost.

“It was not lost on these defendants that there was a lot at stake financially. It was not lost on this commission, because repeatedly you attempted to settle with them. They took the gamble, they lost,” Perry said.

Paralegal and Sunshine Law expert Michael Barfield assisted Watrous and Perry with this case. He also addressed the commission.

“Thank you for doing your job and making sure the Government in the Sunshine Law was upheld. While I thought all along that it was an easy case, the bills that you see before you don’t reflect that. They reflect work that was done unnecessarily because of the defenses that were mounted in the case. They were tenacious,” Barfield said.

Barfield noted Nicholas used the words “contrived, after the fact, not credible,” when addressing the defenses unsuccessfully presented to him.

“Those, we believe, are the magic words for sanctions that will be imposed by the court when the court is fully aware of the efforts of the city to try and resolve this case pre-trial,” Barfield said. “We think we are well-positioned to recover, if not all, a significant portion of the city’s fees.”

Between meetings, Barfield said he thinks the judge will likely award the city approximately $30,000 to cover the legal costs that included a court reporter’s transcription services, copying fees and other non-attorney expenses.

Barfield said the defendants have 30 days to file an appeal.

Commission comments

“We’re not giving high-fives here. This is pretty simple stuff: it’s about the Sunshine Law. What price do you put on defending people’s constitutional right to open and fair and transparent government? This commission made a tough decision, and we stuck with it. And it was the right decision,” Chappie said.

Cole said the judge’s ruling can serve as a learning tool for others who serve on city boards. “If you’re ever in doubt, the first thing you should do is ask the city attorney.”

Maro said, “I know we’ve taken a lot of flack for this. It was hard, but nobody gave up.”

Spooner said, “I’m a little surprised that we’re here a week later, and there’s still no apology from the defendants to our taxpayers.”

After the meetings, Spooner said, “I understand some people’s concerns about the city seeking reimbursement from our former advisory board members, but whatever money we don’t recover from the defendants is money our citizens and taxpayers are going to be responsible for.”

Related coverage

Judge rules CNOBB members violated Sunshine Law

Sunshine trial gets underway

City prevails in preliminary Sunshine case hearing

Copeland will not seek reelection

Copeland will not seek re-election

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

ANNA MARIA – City Commissioner Doug Copeland will not next seek re-election in the upcoming city elections that will conclude on Tuesday, Nov. 5.

Copeland made this announcement from the dais toward the end of the Thursday, July 25, City Commission meeting.

“Candidate qualifying is the middle of next month, and at this time I’d like to announce that I will not be seeking re-election. I would like to encourage some of our very talented citizens to seek that seat,” Copeland said.

Copeland’s surprise announcement produced a brief period of silence as his fellow commissioners and others in the room processed the news.

While giving his commissioner’s report a few minutes later, commission chair Brian Seymour turned to Copeland and said, “After that bombshell, thank you for your service. You’ve obviously made this decision and you served the city so well for so many years.”

Seymour said he was shocked but happy that Copeland made a decision he feels is right for him at this time.

“Same here, Doug,” Commissioner Carol Carter added.

In addition to serving multiple terms as a city commissioner, Copeland also represents Anna Maria Island on the Manatee County Tourist Development Council. Before becoming a commissioner, Copeland spent two decades as a member of the city’s Planning and Zoning Board.

Carter and Dale Woodland’s current two-year terms also expire in November. Both said they will seek re-election.

Qualifying info

Anna Maria’s two-week candidate qualifying period will open at noon on Monday, Aug. 19 and close at noon on Friday, Aug. 30. Those seeking office must pay a qualifying fee and submit the signatures of 10 registered city voters. They must also sign a candidate’s residency affidavit stating they have been a city resident for at least two years.

For more information, visit www.votemanatee.com, call 941-741-3823 or e-mail info@votemanatee.com.

Grassy Point expansion plans stall

Grassy Point expansion plans stall

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

HOLMES BEACH – Commissioners are concerned about what a potential donation of 26 acres to Grassy Point Preserve in exchange for road access along a city-owned right of way might mean for a 28th Street neighborhood.

The property is controlled by Nora Scholan who inherited the property and is executor of the will governing it. During a June meeting, she appeared before commissioners to offer the 26 acres to the city in exchange for access along a city right of way to buildable lots located off of 28th Street that otherwise would have no direct access to a street. While commissioners were at first enthusiastic about the trade, they now want to know exactly what they would be allowing to happen in that residential neighborhood before they sign on the dotted line, particularly what buildable lots would be opened up for development and how the surrounding mangroves and sea grapes would be affected.

City Engineer Lynn Burnett spoke to commissioners during a July 23 work session to give them a brief update on the project. She said that she had met with ecological professionals, walked the upland areas and was working on concept plans to be presented to commissioners in August for how the lower areas could be protected from flooding which she said could also have a positive impact for surrounding residences. She added that there was the potential to put in barriers that would be nearly invisible and minimally invasive in the area to hold back king tides and other high water events.

Burnett said the due diligence period for the land acquisition had been extended by 120 days to allow for more research. She said that she would have more information for commissioners when they reconvene Aug. 27.

Commissioner Carol Soustek said that she visited the site and saw the upland areas. After the visit, she said she wants a better idea of what the city is giving up and what the impact on the environment and surrounding homes would be if the city agrees to the deal.

If city leaders do agree, in exchange for the property, the city will create and finance the building of a road along city right of way to give access to the buildable lots that would still be owned by the Hames family and available for the building of residential properties or sale to new owners for development. The size and number of lots that would have access along the road are expected to be discussed at a future meeting.

Related coverage

Progress made on park improvements

No plans made for future Grassy Point development

Letters: Horses on the causeway

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Letter to the Editor, Opinion.

I appreciate your article in the Anna Maria Island Sun dealing with potential health concerns of horse fecal matter on the Palma Sola Causeway. In fact, your article also brought up for me another concern in addition to horse poop. I initially expressed my concerns by written letter to Bradenton City Councilman, Ward One, Gene Gallo in February. He sent me a short reply basically saying “tough luck ol’ boy,” the horse folks are on state right of way, and no one around here has any jurisdiction.

These horses have become a real problem for those of us who wish to fish on the north side of the causeway. At 76 years old, my wife Lucy, and I enjoy only a few activities, and wade fishing on the causeway is fun for us, for we are also catching food for the dinner table. Unfortunately, due to red tide and bans on keeping our fish of choice, we’ve retired the rods until the ban is lifted.

My concerns/gripes follow: What started as a one-horse trailer some time ago has expanded to three trailers, meaning more horses in the water, or so it seems. Lucy and I were fishing one day a few hundred yards west of the trailers, i.e., towards the island, with about 20 yards or so of line in the water. I saw several horses coming our way, and as they were getting closer, I tried to wave them off for obvious reasons. The lady in the lead was starting to invade our space and I told her we were fishing. She smiled, turned around towards the others, and made an arm gesture to continue forward. They started to run over our lines. I screamed at them, took another rod and tried to cast a plug at them and it hung up in the rod (thank goodness…I didn’t want to hurt anyone but I was angry). When they realized my anger, they turned around and went back the way they came, and the seagrasses that the horses trod over, perhaps 20 feet from the shoreline, broke loose and the surface of the water was filled with grass cuttings. The water no longer looked pristine, it was a mess. It was a horrible mess…no apology from the lead horsewoman was forthcoming, it was like she owned the place!

And yes, there is horse poop in the water.

It’s getting to where folks have to fish only on the south side of the causeway when the horses are there. I feel like these farmers/ranchers with horses are increasingly taking advantage of the situation, and I’d like to see their enterprise kept within a minimum area… truly I’d like to see them gone. If anything, they could be more respectful of their surroundings and the other folks that also want to enjoy the north side of the causeway. It’s hard to fish on the north side when you see the horses several hundred yards from the trailer along the road. Who wants to stop and wade out in the water with potential horse crap in it and knowing the horses have trodded over the area cutting the grasses, and causing the fish to leave their grass surroundings and seek other areas.

Only very seldom do you see families parked on the north side with kids playing in the water. The news is out… it’s probably not safe! Is the one or two ranchers and some tourists more important than the multitudes who enjoy the causeway. The north side is basically dead to us who live here, as well as the tourists who spend their vacation monies in several neighboring businesses. The horse folks make money from the tourists, I assume. Yes, some tourists are obviously happy about that, BUT you don’t see them swimming in that water!

We all had better start taking more of an action-related stand towards our water resources in these days of uncertain climates. Simply waiting for bacterial samples to reach an acceptable level while continuing to indulge in the practices that likely resulted in high bacterial counts should be unacceptable for all folks who genuinely care about our environment.

Edward (Ed) Segerson, Bradenton

My wife and I noticed recently “50 fun things to do in Manatee and Sarasota, one of which is horseback riding in Palma Sola Bay. We have lived adjacent to the bay since 2000, and have enjoyed swimming, fishing and boating in the bay since 1974.

When we first heard that a business providing horseback riding in the bay, primarily on the north side, was going to be allowed, I called several elected officials of the county and city and noted my concerns regarding the potential water quality issues. I was familiar with the fact that individual horse owners, over the years, had ridden their horses in the bay, but never as a business.

The officials were helpful and explained the jurisdiction issues on the causeway, but it appeared that businesses would be allowed to operate. I understand free enterprise and as a small business owner, I had mixed feelings about objecting to the business,  that was, until just after the businesses started, and I was fishing off my dock, and saw the horse turds floating by.

Numerous riding businesses now have many horses in the bay on the north side. I know that they are being responsible for any droppings on the shore, and I respect that. It’s clearly not stopping the amount of horse urine and feces in that area of the bay, when the horses are walking along the shoreline and in the bay along the east shoreline.

What we all need to consider is the total effect of these private business operations on the public. I have seen a decline in the use of the north shore since the horseback riding businesses were allowed. I know I wouldn’t want to be lounging along that shoreline or have a small child there when horses are walking in the same area.

With all the horses now using the east shoreline and proceeding north along that area, well in the water, what if any effect has the walking in that water had to the seagrasses in that area. I don’t see how the horses have not obliterated the grasses by now.

So I ask the appropriate elected officials, should we continue to ignore the negative impact on the public from the private businesses operating the horseback riding in the bay, including any negative impacts to the horses themselves, or after several years of allowing these businesses to, once and for all, look into the possible negative impacts, to the bay and the public that enjoys the bay.

Robert Lombardo, Bradenton

https://amisun.com/2019/07/06/concerns-raised-over-horse-waste-in-bay/

https://amisun.com/2019/07/18/horses-not-allowed-on-gulf-beaches/