Skip to main content

Tag: Anna Maria Island

Hayward Cup champions crowned

Hayward Cup champions crowned

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

The spring 2019 adult co-ed soccer season came to a close last Thursday night June 27 with three spectator-pleasing games. With the inevitable back-to-back games leading to the battle for the Hayward Cup, all four teams in the semifinals had to give it their all hoping to have enough left to win the final game of the season.

In the first game of the night, first seed Team Gulfview Windows and Doors met up against Jiffy Lube, the fourth seed coming into the playoffs. The play in regulation time ended with the score at 6-6, taking the game to a shootout.

With Sean Flynn in the goal for Team Jiffy Lube, Gulfview’s Keith Mahoney made the first shot. Omar Polar followed with a goal of his own against Jordan DeMers for Gulfview.

Team Captain Ryan Moss’s shot went wide of the post giving Jiffy Jube a chance to make the go-ahead shot. Ricky Anderson’s laser focus strike hit the net.

Aaron Parkin made Flynn go the wrong way, making easy work of his shot, tying the goal count. Looking for the go-ahead point, Jiffy Lube’s Emily Argeros missed her shot opening the door for Jose Urbiola Bolanos of Gulfview.

Bolanos’ shot sailed into the goal after hitting the hands of keeper Flynn. Jiffy Lube’s captain Danny Anderson drilled his shot into the post missing the shot.

A late addition to the Gulfview team, PJ Smargisso sealed the deal for his team with a successful strike, putting the team into the first championship slot.

Although with less scoring, the second semifinal game also finished in a shootout with the score after 50 minutes of play 1-1. Fifth seed Team Flynn Law, playing without Sean Flynn, started on defense with Mark Rudacille at the net attempting to stop the shot of Team Beach House Real Estate’s team captain Kris Yavalar. Yavalar started the final shots off with a goal.

Flynn Law’s Tyler Robinson took his position to make his strike against Cliff Powell. Robinson’s shot soared away from the goal.

David Greene, for Beach House, and Flynn Law’s Lexi Sato both made their shots. Ryley Moore missed the next shot for Team Beach House, and Flynn Law’s captain, Kevin Roman, made his tying goal.

Nick Bouchard had perfect placement with his shot and Olaf Krause’s shot went off of Powell’s hand right into the net.

With even goals, Beach House Real Estate’s Adam Bujarski put in the winning shot, despite Rudacille’s goal attempt, moving his team to the final match-up for the league title.

The game for the cup started with 23 minutes on the scoreboard and Beach House Real Estate with the first touch of the soccer ball. Six minutes into the game, Parkin found Moss down the field providing the opportunity for a cross to Ashley Friszman, who scored the first goal of the game.

After a misstep on the field leading to a penalty kick, Yavalar took and made the shot, tying the soccer game.

Moss made a beautiful shot with eight minutes left in the first half that went right into the arms of goalie Powell. Moore hit his shot for Beach House starting the back and forth scoring battle.

Gulfview Windows and Doors’ Mahoney tied the game with a free kick with less than one minute on the scoreboard.

The scoring of the second half of the game started with Beach House’s Bouchard with a little more than 16 minutes on the clock. Parkin’s tying shot, making the score 3-3, brought excitement to the crowd that was looking for another shootout finish.

Gulfview prevented that outcome with a strong run by Parkin to move the soccer ball to the Beach House end of the field, giving Mahoney another scoring opportunity.

Mahoney’s goal was soon followed by teammate Parkin’s score, giving their team a two-goal lead.

A strong defense kept Beach House from taking a shot, earning Gulfview Windows and Doors the ultimate league prize, the Paul “Ace” Hayward Cup, giving Moss his first championship in several years.

Related coverage

Jiffy Lube dominates on the pitch

Rain delays season’s end, adult soccer on schedule

Flynn Law for the win, Blalock Walters wallows in defeat

Castles in the Sand

Real independence

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

July 4 is Independence Day, representing this country’s desire to be independent of not only the British but also to be self-sufficient, able to make to our own decisions and to live in freedom. We’re a lucky people living in the United States and we’re also lucky to be living in Florida, especially if you own property here.

Manatee County real estate values and activity continue to grow practically every month, and May was no exception. These are the May sales statistics reported by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee, which reflect the multiple listing services recorded sales numbers.

Single-family home sales in May compared to May of last year increased by 13.3%. The median sale price, half above and half below, increased by 4.9% to $319,995. This is the highest median price in 10 years. In addition, since December of 2017, the median sale price for single-family sales in Manatee County has been at or above $300,000 for 12 of those months.

The average sale price for single-family homes compared to May of last year was $388,672, down by 4%. The median time to sell was 97 days, down 1%, and the month’s supply of properties was down 11.6% to 3.8 months. As a side note for single-family properties, cash sales were up 10.8%.

Sarasota County’s numbers are also good for single-family sales. The median sale price for May compared to May of last year was $305,305, up 8.7%, and the average was $411,199, up 8%.

Condo sales in Manatee County were up 6.1% and the median sale price was up 14.3% to $210,000 compared to last May. The average for May was up 5.2% to $246,381, the median time to sell was up 15.1% to 107 days and the month’s supply was down 6.7% to 4.2 months. By comparison, Sarasota’s median condo sale price was $238,000, up 1.4%, and the average sale price was up 5.5% to $361,732.

These are fabulous numbers for both Manatee County and our close neighbor Sarasota County. It was reported that these are the highest post-recession sales numbers for single-family properties for both counties. It’s hard to imagine things getting much better, but it is expected they will, based on the stable interest rates below 4% and the fact that the Federal Reserve has indicated it could cut interest rates further in the months ahead.

The state of Florida is also experiencing upward mobility in the sales of both single-family homes and condo sales. Statewide in May compared to last May there were 9.6% more closed single-family homes with a median sale price of $266,000, up 4.3%. Condo sales in the state in May closed 1.6% more properties with a median sale price of $195,000 up 3.7%.

Nationally, existing single-family home sales increased by 2.5% in May as reported by the National Association of Realtors. It also points to falling mortgage interest rates being beneficial to the housing market and is optimistic that the spring selling season will give the somewhat sluggish national housing market a well-needed push.

The national median sale price for single-family homes was $277,700, up 4.8% for last year and the strongest monthly pace of growth since last August. The National Association of Realtors also reported that there have been 87 straight months of year-over-year gains in the national housing market.

So, enjoy your holiday and the good news about the real estate market. We are indeed lucky in so many ways. Happy Independence Day.

More Castles in the Sand:

The buyer’s best buddy

Real estate selling for the smartphone generation

What’s in a color

Florida flotsam washes up on European beaches

Florida flotsam washes up on European beaches

Written by Cindy Lane on . Posted in Awards, Awards 2020, Coast Lines, Environment, Featured, Outdoors, Second Place, Special Sections.

Updated July 5, 2019 – ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Visitors to this resort island say it all the time when meeting folks from far-flung hometowns – “Small world!”

Second Place
Humorous Column
2020

How small is it?

A blue plastic cup from the Anna Maria Island Beach Café in Coquina Beach washed up 3,350 miles away in Sao Miguel, an island in the Azores, and was discovered in December 2018 by a man named Elio.

Not to be outdone, a red plastic cup from the Anna Maria Island Beach Café washed up 4,199 miles away in Cascais, Portugal, and was discovered in February 2019 by Miguel Lacerda.

A cup of an unknown color from the Anna Maria Island Beach Café went farther still, washing up 4,250 miles away in Cornwall, England, and was discovered in June 2019.

And the winner – a green plastic cup from the Anna Maria Island Beach Café washed up 4,299 miles away on a beach in Brest, France, and was discovered in March 2019 by Gilbert Mellaza.

Four cups, four destinations, seven months, 16,098 miles.

 

The Florida flotsam has European beachcombers hypothesizing all over social media.

Third Place
That is so… Florida
2020

The plastic tumblers could have tumbled off a cruise ship. They could be victims of Hurricane Irma. They could have been left on the beach and grabbed by a high tide. They could have been bought as souvenirs by European tourists who dropped them back home on European beaches.

The buzz, an inadvertent European advertising campaign for the restaurant, has made it back to the café managers on email and social media.

Florida flotsam washes up on European beaches
This blue plastic cup from the Anna Maria Island Beach Café in Coquina Beach may have floated 3,350 miles to Sao Miguel, an island in the Azores, discovered in December 2018 by a man named Elio.

Miguel Lacerda posted a video on Facebook, tracking the red cup he found in Portugal back to the Anna Maria Island restaurant “to encourage them to respect the environment.”

Manager Maria Steffens said that the café does respect the environment, and doesn’t even allow straws in drinks, to protect wildlife.

“The whole purpose of the cups is that they’re reusable and environmentally friendly,” said Tanner Enoch, the general manager of the Anna Maria Island Beach Café, which has two locations at Manatee Beach and Coquina Beach on Anna Maria Island. “We encourage people to reuse them by giving them a discount.”

Melazza, who has been in touch with two other recipients of the flotsam on his Facebook page, says it’s not about placing blame, “It’s more about how it happened.”

How did it happen?

You may not have heard of Dr. Curt Ebbesmeyer, formerly a Mobil Oil oceanographer, but you probably know the term he coined – “The Great Pacific Garbage Patch” – defining the plastic and other trash floating in the Pacific Ocean.

Dr. Ebbesmeyer tracks flotsam in ocean currents, and became famous for documenting sightings of rubber duckies and other toys that spilled into the Pacific Ocean in 1992, and for tracking a 1990 container spill of thousands of Nike sneakers into the Pacific that washed up a year later on North America’s west coast.

“We rarely get flotsam reported in Europe from the Gulf of Mexico,” he told The Sun. “We had a duck decoy and a channel marker, but this will go in the newsletter (beachcombersalert.org).”

He estimates it took about a year for the cups to get from Florida to their destinations.

But did they really come from Florida?

“Finding three cups from the same little island is almost beyond coincidence,” Ebbesmeyer agreed. “It boggles the imagination. It’s the same pattern as the lost Nikes. Maybe they were lost in shipping.”

He suggested checking the bottom of the cups for any stamped information, and after a couple of Facebook messages from The Sun, the answers came back from Portugal and France.

“Hand Wash Only.”

“Made in China.”

“Plainville USA.”

“Progressive Glass.”

Dean Rosow, owner of Plainville, Connecticut-based Progressive Glass, which has factories in Pennsylvania and Nevada as well as overseas, did not confirm any shipping difficulties.

Florida flotsam washes up on European beaches
This red plastic cup from the Anna Maria Island Beach Café may have floated 4,199 miles to Cascais, Portugal, discovered in February 2019 by Miguel Lacerda.

But back on Anna Maria Island, Enoch remembered something.

“We lost a container last year, in March of 2018, in rough weather between Charleston and Norfolk,” he said.

Tom Pitchford, another ocean plastic tracker on social media, says that was the Maersk Shanghai, based in Liberia, which lost more than 70 containers in early March, including one containing sulfuric acid.

The BBC reported last month that Nike sneakers (again) from the spill were being found in the Azores, England and France.

The Virginian-Pilot reported in April that among the lost containers of the Maersk Shanghai were flip-flops with “Outer Banks NC” stamped on them that are washing ashore in England, France and Ireland, apparently the same route as AMI’s plastic cups took – which means that Europeans might be getting more of the free souvenirs any day now.

The good news is that if they bring them to either café on Anna Maria Island, they will get a drink discount.

The better news is that people like Ebbesmeyer are keeping an eye on plastics in the sea.

“It’s up to us to save the ocean,” Ebbesmeyer said.

Reel Time: Dog days strategies

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

Dog days (Latin: diēs caniculārēs) are the hottest, most sultry days of summer. In the Northern Hemisphere, the dog days of summer are most commonly experienced in the months of July and August, which typically observe the warmest summer temperatures. The name comes from the ancient belief that Sirius, also called the Dog Star, in close proximity to the sun was responsible for the hot weather.

Dog days on the west coast of Florida can run through September and into October, with the spell being broken by the shorter days more than the easing of daytime temperatures. While the temperatures create challenging conditions, savvy anglers know to change their strategies, tailoring their efforts to maximize their comfort and opportunities.

One of the prime times to fish during the dog days is before the sun crests the horizon. The myriad dock and bridge lights that illuminate the waterways from Bradenton to Venice are prime targets. These areas hold schools of snook as well as trout and a host of other species.

Docks with water depths in excess of 6 feet are best. Tidal flow is another indication of action. Lights on the up-tide side of a structure are best, allowing you more latitude when making a presentation, preventing hang-ups and allowing flies, lures and bait to swing to the fish naturally. With a little attention to detail, it’s possible to target some docks on the incoming tide and others on the outgoing tide.

The presence of hard bottom near a bridge or dock is another indicator of good fish habitat. The presence of bait is directly related to structures like ledges, oyster bars and seawalls. These areas attract the bait that lures the fish.

The type of light on the dock can also influence the action. Lights that sit low to the water seem to have a more distinctive shadow line, an area where feeding fish concentrate. In all cases, the bigger fish seem to hang on the dark edges of the shadow lines.

When the rising sun lightens the horizon, anglers can move to the flats to target redfish, snook and trout. By concentrating your efforts around flats with good grass cover, defined edges, potholes, sandbars and oyster bars you’ll find fish in much the same pattern as during other times of the year. The key is to find water temperatures that attract bait and are tolerable to gamefish. The addition of a strong incoming tide will increase your odds as well.

In the hottest months, from July to September, most of the early morning tides are from 1 to 1 1/2 feet, so anglers will seldom see pushes or tails. Instead, concentrate on scattering bait, working birds and schools of mullet. One of the most productive strategies is to fish seams, demarcation lines that separate grass, sand and other structure.

While pre-dawn or early morning is generally the best time during sweltering weather, there is one exception. The late afternoon outgoing tides that correspond to the full and new moons provide some fast action with a variety of species. Areas to concentrate on include the slues and channels that drain the inshore flats and the passes where the funneling effect concentrates game fish and their prey.

Passes that have flanking seawalls and rock groins can be particularly productive. These areas attract and concentrate the baitfish on which the predators feed. Work lures and flies close to the structure.

Fishing the doldrums can be productive no matter where you fish as long as you follow a few rules. First and foremost you must find conditions that are acceptable to the species you seek. Snook and redfish are much more tolerant of high water temperatures than trout. In general, water temperatures must not be excessive and you can count on early mornings and deeper water to moderate conditions

The exception to the rule will be those areas and times where the presence of food overrides the fishes desire to locate comfortable conditions. Fishing the summer doldrums can be challenging, but master the rules and you’ll have a lot of productive fishing to yourself.

More Reel Time:

Reel Time: Tarpon primer

Reel Time: The morning run

Reel Time: Cleanup celebrates World Ocean Day

Bradenton Beach to receive $2 million in state funds

Bradenton Beach to receive $3 million in state funds

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

Updated June 26, 2019 – BRADENTON BEACH – Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has signed off on more than $3 million in state funds for the city.

The Florida Legislature supported the funding requests earlier this year and DeSantis gave them his blessing on Friday, June 21.

DeSantis vetoed Bradenton Beach’s third request for $2 million to assist with increasing the city’s multi-modal and alternative transportation capacities.

The city will receive $2.6 million for stormwater projects and improvements and an additional $500,000 for seagrass mitigation. City officials hope to use the seagrass mitigation money to move forward with a long-desired plan to dredge the shallow navigation channel that runs along the Bradenton Beach shoreline between the Bridge Street Pier and the North Coquina Boat Ramp. In order for that long-dormant dredging project to take place, the city must mitigate any seagrass impacted by the dredging.

City Attorney Ricinda Perry, City Engineer Lynn Burnett and the city’s contracted lobbyist, Dave Ramba, spearheaded the city’s funding request efforts.

Two or three years ago, Vice Mayor Jake Spooner suggested using Ramba and his team to pursue state funds in addition to utilizing the lobbying firm to help combat vacation rental deregulation and other attacks on the city’s home rule rights.

“I’d like to thank everyone involved. Our City Attorney Ricinda Perry, our City Engineer Lynn Burnett, State Rep. Will Robinson Jr. and Florida Senate President Bill Galvano for getting this past the finish line. This is going to make a huge difference to the timeframe of our stormwater improvements and will save our taxpayers a great amount of money,” Spooner said on Friday.

“I’m also very pleased to hear the governor signed our seagrass mitigation bill, which had been holding up the opening of the channel south of Bridge Street to the North Coquina Boat Ramp. Boating is very important to Floridians for both enjoyment and the economy, and navigation channels are crucial for access,” Spooner said.

“We’re blessed,” Mayor John Chappie recently said.

Chappie also praised the efforts of Ramba, Perry and Burnett and expressed gratitude for the support provided by Galvano, Robinson, DeSantis and the Florida Legislature.

Perry recently praised Galvano and Robinson for their assistance and support.

Strong man competition, holidays cause traffic concerns

Strong man competition, holidays cause traffic concerns

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Bradenton Beach, Community News, Holmes Beach.

LONGBOAT KEY – When officials met for the Coalition of Barrier Island Elected Officials meeting June 18, the topic of discussion turned toward traffic related to holidays and special events.

The previous weekend saw three of the four days of The World’s Strongest Man Competition held on Anna Maria Island with one day at Coquina Beach in Bradenton Beach and two days, including the finals, at Manatee Beach in Holmes Beach.

During the day of competition at Coquina Beach, Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie said things went smoothly, both with traffic and crowd control, though he said there was some traffic congestion due to the competition. He said that the Bradenton Beach Police Department provided two officers in addition to the security hired by the event coordinators. In the future, he said it would be appreciated if more advance warning was given to the Island city leaders before large events such as the strong man competition were held.

Commissioner Carol Soustek, representing Holmes Beach, agreed. She said the competition was way more popular with fans than city leaders had anticipated and that parking was a major issue during the two days the competition was held in Holmes Beach. She said more planning would be needed for the next time something like that was held on the Island.

Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said he felt the event was very successful.

“It actually went pretty good,” he said of the event, adding that there was one minor fight that officers broke up and just over 100 parking tickets written over the two-day period.

On Saturday, June 15, he said there were 16 law enforcement officials on-hand, including nine from HBPD, three from Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, and four mounted sheriff’s officers. On Sunday he said there were 15 law enforcement officials present for the finals of the competition. Over the two-day period, he said there were around 34,000 cars counted coming onto the Island at Manatee Avenue.

During the event, he said event coordinators were overwhelmed by the crowds that came out to see the athletes compete, saying that this was the largest crowd to attend one of their events.

Though there were no tickets handed out for the event, leaving officials with no real way to count the number of attendees, Tokajer said he estimates that 5,000 to 10,000 people attended the two days of competition in Holmes Beach.

For the future, he suggested that event coordinators designate off-site parking for attendees to cut down on the amount of traffic and confusion with finding parking spaces that he observed during the strong man competition. He also suggested having additional food vendors to help meet the needs of such a large crowd.

At the BIEO meeting, Chappie also brought up a need to discuss the ongoing traffic issues related to holiday weekends on the Island. Over the recent Memorial Day weekend, he said Bradenton Beach police officers experienced issues with crowd control at the beaches and with illegal parking. Soustek said Holmes Beach officers had similar experiences and suggested the Island cities try to work with Manatee County officials to find a balance between celebrating the holidays and special events on the Island with locals and visitors and experiencing overcrowding situations.

Chappie agreed as well as Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy. Chappie said a meeting had been scheduled with law enforcement leaders and Manatee County officials to discuss how traffic and crowds related to holidays and special events could be better handled in the future.

Related coverage

Muscle up! Strong men hit the beach

Holiday crowds, traffic overwhelming

Board accepts new fire chief contract

Board accepts new fire chief contract

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

BRADENTON – West Manatee Fire Rescue’s soon-to-be Chief Ben Rigney’s employment contract is approved and ready to go into effect when current Chief Tom Sousa retires from the fire service in October.

WMFR’s board of commissioners voted unanimously June 18 to accept the terms of the contract negotiated by board Chair David Bishop. Once the vote was taken, Sousa and the five fire commissioners each took a turn congratulating Rigney on his promotion and the acceptance of the contract.

The contract is for five years and requires Rigney to reside in the district for the entirety of the term. The fire chief position is the only one with WMFR that carries a residency requirement. Until October, Rigney will continue in his current position as battalion chief.

Bishop said that during negotiations he also argued for the chief’s salary to be raised somewhat to come up to current standards and bring it more in line with other Florida fire districts. He said he tried to negotiate a raise for Sousa during his three years as chief, but that Sousa refused.

“When you have talent, you pay for talent, and you have high expectations for results,” Bishop said.

Rigney, a career WMFR firefighter, was selected by commissioners in March to succeed Sousa. He was the only candidate to emerge from a three-month internal selection process and received recommendations not only from commissioners but also from his fellow firefighters.

The candidate selection committee was headed by Commissioner Larry Jennis, who gave Rigney a positive recommendation during the March meeting.

In addition to taking on the mantle of fire chief, Rigney also will be undertaking a two-year training program to achieve the top certification for a fire service officer with the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer program. Rigney said the program, previously a four-year endeavor, is undergoing some restructuring and that he hopes to start sometime in the next year. He was accepted in the program in mid-2018.

Related coverage

WMFR 2019-20 assessment rates set

WMFR chooses a new chief

WMFR board members plan for the future

Jiffy Lube dominates on the pitch

Jiffy Lube dominates on the pitch

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

The last game of the regular season last Wednesday night, June 19, was just the beginning of the dominating soccer play by Team Jiffy Lube. In a shocking defeat against the number one ranked team, Gulfview Windows and Doors, Danny Anderson’s Jiffy Lube squad paved its way to the quarterfinal games to be played Thursday night.

Despite its nearly flawless record, Gulfview, lead by Ryan Moss, could only put one goal on the scoreboard.

Jiffy Lube started quick out of the gates with the one-two punch of Anderson and Omar Polar. Anderson’s pass to Polar was right on the money, allowing Polar to hammer the shot less than five minutes into the game.

Three minutes later, Anderson got his first goal after several shots were taken and saved by Gulfview goalkeeper Jordan DeMers, who was credited with nine saves in the game.

Veteran player Ed Moss scored the one and only point for his son’s team in the ninth minute of play, taking the score to 2-1.

Flawless play by Jiffy Lube and unforced errors by Gulfview allowed Anderson to hit the net for the second time in the game.

With a two-goal lead, the game became a defensive battle leading up to the half. Jiffy Lube keeper Robb Marshall worked hard to keep the soccer ball out of his net with eight saves in the game.

To start the second half of play, Ricky Anderson scored his team’s fourth goal only to be followed by another goal by teammate Anil Akbulut, advancing the score to 5-1.

Moss took over in goal, putting DeMers on the field. Jiffy Lube’s Eliza Falliace took her shot only to be saved by R. Moss.

Taking the ball the full length of the pitch at The Center, D. Anderson found a scoring opportunity and took the shot for his team’s sixth goal.

Falliace took another shot against R. Moss that went just left of the post. R. Anderson fired a cannon that was just over the crossbar.

With less than eight minutes left in the game, Falliace hit the net for a goal of her own, widening the Jiffy Lube lead with a score of 7-1 to finish the game.

In a season with 10 teams, wild card games between the bottom four teams had to be played to determine the quarterfinal contenders. Moss Builders, lead by Diego Felipe, took the field against defending champions Sato Real Estate with team captain Josh Sato.

After 50 minutes of play, the regulation play ended with the score of 3-3, leading to a shootout. Sato Real Estate came out on top despite rocket shots by Amy Ivin and Jake Parsons. Goalkeeper Jason Sato’s skillful saves gave his brother’s team the opportunity to finish on top critical goals by Josh Sato, Murat Akay, and Steve Wertovitch.

The last quarterfinal game played Thursday night ended in another nailbiter. Once again, fifth seed Team Jiffy Lube prevailed, but this time in a shoot out after regulation play ended with the score 3-3 against the fourth seed Blalock Walters squad.

Missed shots by Matt Plumber and Stephen Perry, against Jiffy Lube keeper Sean Flynn, cost the team of lawyers the game. The netted shots by Greg DeMeuse and Matt Staggs just were not enough against the skillful strikes of O. Polar, Emily Taylor, R. Anderson and D. Anderson. Blalock goalie Scott Rudacille’s agility and talent just was not enough Thursday night.

The stage is set for this Thursday’s semifinal match-ups and the championship game. Gulfview Windows and Doors will face Jiffy Lube June 27 at 6 p.m., while Flynn Law will take on Beach House Real Estate at 7 p.m. The championship game for the Paul “Ace” Hayward cup will be played at 8:30 p.m. with the winners of the two earlier games to end another season of adult co-ed soccer at The Center.

Related coverage

Rain delays season’s end, adult soccer on schedule

Flynn Law for the win, Blalock Walters wallows in defeat

Leah Purvis – simply one of the best

Reel Time: Tarpon primer

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

Tarpon are one of the premier gamefish that swim local waters and are a noble adversary on any tackle. The fish that frequent our beaches during the months of May through August can weigh over 200 pounds and average from 80 to 100 pounds.

We are blessed with some of the best tarpon fishing in the world, and the local bars and inshore waters host some of the finest fly and spin fishing to be found anywhere. This isn’t a game of numbers and, to the anglers who pursue tarpon, it’s the hunt and the action that keeps them on the bow for hours in the hot summer sun.

Tackle should match the size of the quarry and most anglers opt for a 20- to 30-pound spin outfit and an 11- to a 12-weight fly rod, line and reel. A heavy bite tippet is required because of the size of tarpon and their rasp-like mouth. Fly anglers generally use 60- to 80-pound tippet, while spin anglers choose 80- to 100-pound test.

While it might seem like a difficult task to land a tarpon on the fly, or any tackle for that matter, an angler who knows the limits of his/her tackle can actually land a tarpon in a surprisingly short time. The key is to apply maximum pressure from the hookup and never let up.

Too many anglers baby their tarpon in a misguided attempt to land them. The truth is that the longer you fight a tarpon the better chance you have of losing it.

A properly (IGFA approved) tied tarpon leader used by fly fishers usually runs between 10 and 12 feet and is tapered to properly deliver the fly. The leader includes a class tippet (weakest link) from 16 to 20 pounds that is doubled at both ends to soften the (shock) impact to the class tippet and bite tippet.

Key to the whole equation is to have a very sharp hook as tarpon have extremely tough mouths. Conventional leaders vary from angler to angler, but a doubled standing line tied to a leader and then to the bite tippet with a blood knot or Albright Special is recommended.

Flies vary from the classic splayed feather Key’s style to more complex designs like the Toad, and various baitfish imitations. Some fly anglers are not concerned with actually landing a tarpon, preferring to just enjoy the hunt, the hookup and the jumps that usually follow the hook set. They use light bite tippets, which allow the tarpon to work through the leader with their abrasive mouths.

The key to landing tarpon on the fly is accuracy. The fly must be placed perfectly, move in a precise direction relative to the fish and be at the proper (fishes’) depth. Even when all of these factors come together, there’s still about a 50% chance that the tarpon will reject the fly.

The go-to bait for spin anglers is a live crab. Small blue crabs can be purchased from many bait shops and pass crabs can be dipped from the local passes on a falling tide. Other effective baits include pinfish, threadfin herring and pilchards. Artificial lures like the DOA Bait Buster and the 4 and six-inch shrimp, jigs and even topwater plug can be effective.

Patience is a critical factor when fishing for tarpon, especially when fly fishing. The most successful anglers find the edge of a sandbar or other underwater feature that tarpon track, anchor in casting range and wait. Sometimes tarpon come at a steady rate, but just as often there are long periods of time when the only thing to look at is the water and the bottom. This really separates the great anglers from the good anglers. There are times when you need to move, but knowing when and where is a skill that is developed if never mastered.

Once set up, the angler must be able to make a 40- to 50-foot cast to a location the size of a dinner plate. Placement of the fly cannot be overemphasized because tarpon will seldom vary a foot or two from their path to eat a fly. Although there is always the rare exception, a fly must never travel in a path towards the intended target. A tarpon’s prey species wouldn’t survive long if it moved towards its aggressor and tarpon know it.

Besides moving away from the fish, the fly must move at the proper pace, be at the proper depth and never slow down when a tarpon is tracking it. Conversely, you can’t move the fly too fast, taking it out of a tarpon’s range. If all this wasn’t demanding enough, once a tarpon decides to eat the fly an angler’s mettle is really tested.

Reel Time: Tarpon primer
From left, Hunter Parrish prepares to release a tarpon he caught with his dad, Benny Parrish, in Longboat Pass. – Rusty Chinnis | Sun

Conventional anglers usually look for rolling fish in the near-shore Gulf and motor well ahead of them to intercept their path. Trolling motors can be effective for following a school in deep water but will spook them in the shallows. One thing that all tarpon anglers should practice is courtesy. Often a boat has been working long and hard to get properly set up for a shot and a boat running up on the fish will spoil the day for everyone.

Tarpon are not trout and attempting to raise the rod to set the hook is a cardinal mistake. Fortunately, once a tarpon decides to eat the fly there’s no need to make a lightning fast hook set. The right set is called a strip strike, which involves letting the line come tight and immediately setting the hook with a combination of the line hand and the rod. Conventional anglers should also have the patience to let the line come tight before attempting to hook the fish. Then the angler must at once work to set the hook in the cement-like jaw while being ready for the fish to bolt away from the boat.

After the fly angler’s initial hook set, attention must go immediately to clearing the line, getting the loose line off the deck. In most cases, the angler has been stripping in line when the fish bites and the hook is set. That line can easily foul on the angler, the rod or the reel. The discipline is to take your attention from the fish to the line at your feet.

Hold the rod away from your body and let the excess line pass through your stripping hand in a circle made with the thumb and the forefinger. Once the line is on the reel, set the hook with several more strip strikes using the rod. Conventional anglers often use circle hooks which don’t require a hook set. They just need to let the line come tight and enjoy the action. In any case, the tarpon cannot be aware of the angler on the other end until the hook set.

While it’s important to exert maximum pressure on the tarpon during the fight, anglers must yield on jumps. On the jump, the standard maneuver is to thrust the rod forward to relieve pressure on the line. This prevents the tarpon from breaking off if it lands on a taut line. This maneuver is known as bowing to the king.

It’s customary to start the engine and get as close to the tarpon as possible after the initial and subsequent long runs. This allows the angler to apply maximum pressure. If a tarpon is 100 yards from the boat the stretch of the line makes it impossible to apply any real pressure.

If you’re looking for a good jump shot, here’s a great tip: when a tarpon makes any long run, motor close to it, applying only enough pressure to make sure the hook doesn’t dislodge. As soon as you are in place, frame the shot you want and then have the angler apply maximum pressure. Most times the tarpon will make a jump that’s close enough to the boat to get the angler and the fish in the shot. It’s not a sure thing, but when it works it can present an awesome photographic opportunity. Finally, don’t try and rush the tarpon when it gets near the end of the fight. Keep the pressure on, but don’t clamp down and try to force the fish to the boat.

Tarpon fishing was excellent in the early season but has proven challenging so far in June due to finicky fish and persistent west winds. As of this writing, conditions have improved, and anglers report some spectacular days interspersed with slow action. My experience has proven the old adage, “The best time to go fishing is whenever you can.” Every time I think I’ve discerned a pattern the tarpon teach me a new lesson.

Good action can be found right through July for fly anglers, while the best month for conventional anglers is June. Tarpon fishing is a challenging endeavor but it’s well worth the effort when you finally get that first scale-rattling jump.

More Reel Time:

Reel Time: The morning run

Reel Time: Cleanup celebrates World Ocean Day

Reel Time: The elephant in the bay

Castles in the Sand

The buyer’s best buddy

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

I love learning new words, and I love applying those new words to anything in real estate. My new word is chimera, which is from Greek mythology and is a fire-breathing female monster. Now before you start with the female jokes, chimera is also a thing that is hoped or wished for but, in fact, is illusory or impossible to achieve.

There was a time in this country when mortgages were not easy to come by. Typically, if you wanted a mortgage to finance a home, they were short term loans with very large down payments, balloon payments and floating rates. The creation of the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage came about after the Great Depression and was part of The New Deal which established the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), setting up 15- and 30-year mortgages. Subsequent to that in 1938, Fannie Mae was launched as a way to free up mortgage money making it more available to Americans.

Fannie Mae and then Freddie Mac were created to encourage banks to make more home loans by backing the loans with federal guarantees, thus removing almost all of the home lending risk. These mortgages were then packaged into securities and sold to investors.

This was a great system until it wasn’t. A major part of why the financial crisis happened is because non-conforming loans were given to buyers who were essentially not qualified by lending institutions that were not verifying their ability to repay the loan. All of these subprime mortgages were sold as securities to investors who knew that Freddie and Fannie were assuming the risk backed by the federal government.

When the house of cards finally fell down, Fannie and Freddie were put under government conservatorship in 2008, fundamentally using your tax dollars to bail them out. So here we are now with about half of the home loans today still being backed by Fannie and Freddie.

There’s no question that these government-backed agencies have done their part in creating the American lifestyle and dream of home ownership, but is it time for an overhaul of the system? In favor of keeping the status quo, lawmakers point out that that government has a responsibility to keep housing affordable for both individuals’ ability to build wealth and allowing businesses that depend on homeownership to thrive. Also, they point out that banks don’t want to keep loans on their books and, if Fannie and Freddie are dismantled, banks would rethink making loans if the economy starts to slow down drying up available mortgage funds.

On the other hand, some say the government shouldn’t assume the risk associated with home ownership and more competition in the form of private equity would be a better mix. No one wants a replay of 2008.

Over the last 10 years, there have been innumerable arguments between lawmakers and government officials about how to proceed going forward and how big Fannie and Freddie should be allowed to become. Some say part of their business should be returned to private institutions, and some say they should not exist at all. None of this will be resolved anytime soon.

However, if your chimera is owning your home, it’s actually a good time to buy. Interest rates have dropped below 4 percent for the first time since early last year, and the Federal Reserve is holding steady with the prime rate for now.

Whatever happens between the federal government and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac isn’t your problem right now; embrace the illusion and buy a house.

More Castles in the Sand:

Real estate selling for the smartphone generation

What’s in a color

We may be getting older, but we’re not stupid

Muscle up! Strong men hit the beach

Muscle up! Strong men hit the beach

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Sports.

MANATEE COUNTY – The 2019 Tachi Palace World’s Strongest Man Competition began in downtown Bradenton on Thursday, June 13, shifted to Coquina Beach in Bradenton Beach on Friday and concluded at Manatee Beach in Holmes Beach on Saturday and Sunday.

Strong man winner
Martins “The Dragon” Licis competing for the World’s Strongest Man title in Holmes Beach. – Submitted

Twenty-eight-year-old Martins “The Dragon” Licis claimed the 2019 World’s Strongest Man title.

Licis is an American competitor who was born in the European country of Latvia.

Poland’s Mateusz Kieliszkowski finished second and defending champion and former “Game of Thrones” cast member Hafthor “Thor” Bjornsson, from Iceland, finished third.

strong man Game of Thrones
Iceland’s Hafthor “Thor” Bjornsson finished in third place. – Submitted

Competitors and fans traveled from around the world and the United States for this year’s competition. Sponsored by the Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino in California and organized by the International Management Group (IMG), this year’s competition took place in Manatee County for the first time since the international event was conceived in 1977.

– Sun correspondent Monica Simpson contributed to this story

Rain delays season’s end, adult soccer on schedule

Rain delays season’s end, adult soccer on schedule

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

The rain flooded the fields at The Center Thursday night, but not before the adult soccer players took to the pitch the night before. Nearing the end of the regular season, two games were played Wednesday night, with Blalock Waters and Ross Built Construction emerging as the victors.

Finding redemption after its loss to Team Flynn Law last week, Team Blalock Waters handily defeated the young skill-filled team sponsored by Duncan Real Estate.

Center adult soccer Gardner
Duncan Real Estate’s Raymond Gardner watches as veteran Blalock Walters keeper Scott Rudacille saves the goal. – Monica Simpson | Sun

With new players on the roster, Blalock took the early lead after 11 minutes of play with two goals. The single goal for Duncan Real Estate hit the net on a strike by Joey Hutchinson during that time despite numerous shots taken by Hutchinson and Clancy Vaughan.

Blalock struck gold again with less than three minutes left in the half, advancing the score to 3-1.

Four minutes into the second half, Matt Staggs score the last Blalock Walters goal.

Skaggs’ goal added cushion to the goals by Greg DeMeuse, Matt Plummer and newcomer Dan VanEtten.

Neither team could score a goal in the last 19 minutes of the match-up. Misstrikes and a strong defense left the score 4-1, with 12 saves by Trey Horne for Duncan Real Estate and nine for Blalock Walters’ own Scott Rudacille.

A minor tweak of the schedule keeps the Paul “Ace” Hayward Cup championship game on track for a Thursday, June 27, at 8:30 p.m.

Related coverage

Flynn Law for the win, Blalock Walters wallows in defeat

Youth soccer champions crowned

Ross Built Construction builds solid win

Reel Time: The morning run

Reel Time: The morning run

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

The surroundings flooded my senses as the morning dawned, a receding thunderstorm having just ionized the air with a freshness that only served to enhance the fragrance of white stopper blooms that wafted from the island. The sun had just crested the horizon throwing a golden light on the sinuous shoreline of Smokehouse Bay, while black clouds on the western horizon added a surreal aura to the scene. As we wound our way through the twisting labyrinth of mangroves, I was suddenly struck with the promise of the morning run.

I was fishing a few days with my good friend and guide Captain Joe Harley in Pine Island Sound. We had planned this outing for a month and unfortunately, the weather gods weren’t with us when it came to catching. Catching aside, we managed to find a place to fish out of the wind each day and dodged the frequent thunderstorms that dotted the four corners of the compass. We knew that the conditions were going to make things challenging at best, but we also knew from experience that sometimes you can turn a game to your favor in the bottom of the ninth.

For years I judged the success of the day by the numbers of fish I caught. Over time I realized all the other gifts that a day on the water provided me. I learned from experience that it’s possible to have an unforgettable day, even when the fish refuse to cooperate. That has been a good thing, especially since I settled on fly fishing as a way to pursue my passion. Don’t get me wrong, I like to catch fish as much as anyone, but this realization has kept me coming back. Without this attitude, I fear fishing would have long ago lost its appeal.

Time spent on the water in Pine Island Sound is always a treat. It’s one of only a few places in Florida where you can lose yourself in the beauty of the natural world. It’s a place filled with thousands of acres of mangrove-lined channels, labyrinths filled with manatees, dolphins, sea birds, turtles and most every species that swim Florida waters. The biggest draw for me is the abundance of tarpon, large and small, twelve months of the year.

The tarpon were there this trip too, but conditions conspired to keep them from feeding. The day on the water may have been the highlight of the visit, but there was a lot to like about three days in Matlacha, Pine Island and unique communities like Pineland, St. James City and Bokeelia. I stayed at the Angler’s Inn in Matlacha, a friendly accommodation with boat dockage and just a short walk from a great breakfast at The Perfect Cup or dinner at the Blue Dog restaurant.

I’ve been fishing the waters of Pine Island Sound and Matlacha Pass for close to two decades, a destination that feels a world apart but is easily accessible (1½ hour drive) from Anna Maria. I highly recommend a visit to the area for fishermen but also birders and nature lovers of all stripes. Captain Joe Harley can be reached at 239- 443-7412. Contact the Angler’s Inn at 239-898-2121. Wherever you go, sit back and enjoy the morning run. Even if the fish don’t bite there are lessons to be learned and experiences to savor. If you’re lucky, the fish might just smile on you too.

More Reel Time:

Reel Time: Cleanup celebrates World Ocean Day

Reel Time: The elephant in the bay

Reel Time: Dragonfly on the Soque

Anna Maria provides ongoing Center support

Anna Maria provides ongoing Center support

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

ANNA MARIA – In response to its annual funding request, The Center of Anna Maria Island will receive $21,000 from the city of Anna Maria.

Center officials sought $28,000, but during the Thursday, June 13, city commission meeting Mayor Dan Murphy recommended $21,000 instead. Murphy said that’s what remains in the city’s recreation fund for the current fiscal year.

The city’s contribution will help support The Center’s youth programs. There was some discussion about earmarking some of the money for senior programs, but that idea remains on hold for another year while those additional programs are developed.

When addressing the commission, Executive Director Chris Culhane introduced The Center’s new director of development, Jim McDaniel.

“He’s going to be a huge part of The Center moving forward,” Culhane said.

Culhane then reviewed the financial figures provided to the commission.

“We had a good year. In the past 18 months we’ve had a dramatic turnaround,” Culhane said.

“In addition to the significant revenue increase, we’ve also cut operating expenses by $120,000,” he said.

Culhane said fundraising increased by about $30,000, due in part to the new concert series The Center and the Manatee County Tourist Development Council initiated this year. Culhane said six more concerts are planned for the coming year.

“We’re not going to do anything outrageous,” Center board of directors’ chairman David Zaccagnino added. “As much as I like Van Halen, we’re not going to bring Van Halen out here.”

Zaccagnino addressed The Center’s current financial position and the financial challenges it faced in recent years.

“The numbers are fabulous, but this has been working with a skeleton crew for most of the year. We plan on hiring people,” Zaccagnino said, noting that Culhane’s former position, director of operations, still needs to be filled.

“We have 3,000 members. It’s not just kids anymore, it’s the whole gamut – people from four to 95. The confidence is back in the community. Two years ago, we were on the ropes and you gave us a chance,” Zaccagnino said.

He also noted that Anna Maria Elementary School is the only school in the county school system that doesn’t provide after-school care. He said The Center providing this service allows parents to continue working.

At one point, Culhane held seven-year-old Dylan Sato in his arms as the youngster expressed his support for The Center.

“Hi, my name is Dylan. I’ve been going to The Center ever since I was one. Last year I started playing, soccer, T-ball and I also watch my dad (Jason Sato) play sports,” he said, getting very emotional as he spoke.

“He’s a fourth generation Island resident,” Culhane added.

When recommending the $21,000 contribution, Murphy said, “You’re to be commended for what you’ve done, and I look forward to you doing more in the future.”

Commissioner Dale Woodland revisited an idea he’s proposed in the past as a potential means to address the Island’s changing demographics and shift toward a more tourist-oriented community. He suggested the Island’s real estate and vacation rental companies add a half-percent fee to their rental rates and donate that money to The Center. Their guests would then gain access to The Center in exchange.

“We’re working on that,” Zaccagnino said of those efforts that remain in a very early stage of development.

“You guys have done an outstanding job. You guys have really focused on turning around your financials,” Commission chair Brian Seymour said.

Seymour praised the concert series and said they provide an opportunity for people to get together and see each other again. The inaugural concert series included performances by The Marshall Tucker Band, The Outlaws B.J. Thomas and others.

“People talk about those concerts,” Seymour said.

Related coverage

McDaniel joins Center team

Marshall Tucker Band rocks The Center

Center starts new year on solid financial footing

Commissioners approve election changes

Commissioners approve election changes

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

HOLMES BEACH – City commissioners had a full agenda when they met June 11.

The first thing commissioners tackled was the second and final reading of an ordinance altering the city’s election procedures. They voted unanimously to pass the ordinance which changes how candidates are validated to run for office. Now, rather than applying with the city clerk’s office and turning in paperwork to City Clerk Stacey Johnston, candidates will have to submit their candidate paperwork to the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office. While Johnston will still serve as the Holmes Beach election official, she will no longer qualify candidates.

Commissioners also took a first vote on the ballot questions recommended by members of the city’s elected Charter Review Commission. The questions passed their first reading with a unanimous vote. Commissioners said they were considering either a workshop for residents to help them better understand the ballot language or sending out a letter explaining the ballot questions in more detail.

Commissioners also voted unanimously to approve the extension of two moratoriums currently in place.

A moratorium preventing permit-to-permit construction on non-FEMA compliant homes, those built below the base flood elevation and including ground-level homes, will now end on Sept. 11.

While the moratorium doesn’t prevent applying for a permit to improve a structure, it does require homeowners to adhere to the FEMA 50 percent rule which allows for improvements up to 50 percent of the property’s assessed value. Once the 50 percent is reached, homeowners must wait to apply for another permit. City officials are considering a one year waiting period from receipt of a certificate of completion. The moratorium does not apply to involuntary damage to a home that needs to be repaired, such as damage from a storm.

The second moratorium extension approved applies to the alternative transportation share moratorium which prevents business owners from coming to the city and setting up bicycle, scooter and other docked and dockless sharing services. The mobility services moratorium is now set to expire on Sept. 30. Commissioners are considering implementing a carefully controlled pilot program with a single docked bicycle share service with the docks placed on private property.

Related coverage

Biz tax changes take shape

Planning commissioners talk future flooding

Bicycle share on hold in Holmes Beach