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Rotary Club scores again with annual golf tournament

Rotary Club scores again with annual golf tournament

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Golf, Sports.

BRADENTON – The foursome sponsored by LaPensee Plumbing Pools & Air won the Fifth Annual Rotary Club of Anna Maria Island Charity Golf Tournament.

More than 70 golfers participated in the Wednesday, April 3 fundraising tournament held again this year at the IMG Academy Golf Club in Bradenton.

Greg LaPensee, Jason Ghromley, Bryan Meador and Brandon Johnson shot a combined low score of 54 in the best ball style of play tournament co-sponsored by The Anna Maria Island Sun.

While standing in the buffet line at the after-tournament awards dinner, LaPensee Plumbing Pools and Air co-owner and Rotarian Mike LaPensee commented on his son’s team’s victory.

“They did awesome. They have played this thing a few times and they were on the numbers today,” LaPensee said.

LaPensee said the Rotary Club’s charitable efforts tie in nicely with their family businesses’ approach to community service.

“The community supports us and we do our best to support them,” LaPensee said.

When asked about the win, Greg LaPensee said, “This is the second time we won – we won two years ago. This is a fantastic tournament. We support it as a company and the opportunity to give back to the Island is really important to me, especially having grown up on the Island.”

The foursome of Bruce Abramson, Mark Caputo, Lee Anderson and Fred Carvin finished second with a combined score of 57.

“We should’ve played better on the other three holes, but we had a lot of fun,” Carvin said.

Carvin is a member of the Palmetto Rotary Club.

“They send a team over to our tournament and we come over to theirs. We like to support other clubs,” Carvin said.

Chris Staubo, from Norway, traveled the farthest to compete in this year’s tournament. Fourteen-year-old Brennan Decker, from Indianapolis, was this year’s youngest contestant.

Each foursome paid a $400 entry fee. The fundraising activities that continued during the awards dinner in the IMG banquet room included a silent auction and raffles that included Wheel Barrow of Cheer won by Paulie Caputo.

Once again, nobody won the free car Bob Boast Volkswagen offered to the first golfer to score a hole in one on the designated par 3 hole.

New this year was the addition of the air-powered cannon launch players used to tee off on the sixth hole.

“I shot it and the ball went over 400 yards. I got within 15 feet of the green when I tested it,” Rotary Club President Dennis Schuermann said.

On Monday, Schuermann said final numbers weren’t all in yet but this year’s tournament raised more than $12,000.

The tournament proceeds will again support Rotary Club programs at Anna Maria Elementary School, the AMI Rotary’s Learn to Swim Program and the $500 education grants given to the winners of annual Anna Maria Island Concert Chorus and Orchestra Young Solo Artist Competition.

“We’ve got about 20 programs we help every year,” Schuermann said.

Progressive Cabinetry shuts the door on Lancaster Design

Progressive Cabinetry shuts the door on Lancaster Design

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

Three months of adult co-ed flag football came to a close with the top two regular-season finishers meeting once again on The Center main field. What was anticipated by many to be a blowout ended up being an action-filled battle of speed and agility.

In the first play of the game, Progressive Cabinetry brought out the big gun of quarterback Don Purvis. Purvis hit Connor Haughey wide open in the middle of the field who sped down the field for the first touchdown in the game.

Purvis called on the steady hands of team captain Ray Gardner for the point after taking the score to 7-0 in the first minute of the game.

Lancaster Design team captain Tim Shaughnessy, Purvis’ football protégé in high school, was not to be outdone. Shaughnessy took his first snap of the game in much the same way, finding Lane Burnett. Burnett turned on the burners and entered the end zone untouched.

Caleb Roberts, the brother-in-law of Shaughnessy, got the call for the extra point reception to tie the game 7-7.

The Purvis-Gardner combination was once again successful on the field with a quick pitch to Gardner and stop by Lancaster Design’s Karri Stephens on the Progressive Cabinetry’s second game snap.

On second down, Gardner took the football all the way down the field, giving his team a six-point lead after the missed point after attempt.

Six minutes into the game Roberts gained four yards before Progressive Cabinetry’s stop with a Ben Sato flag pull. The Lancaster Design first down came courtesy of Roberts’ catch only to be stopped by Haughey.

Tasting the touchdown, Shaughnessy tried to get the football to his deep receiver, but the throw was short and landed right in the hands of Haughey for the Progressive Cabinetry interception.

The Progressive Cabinetry diverse roster flourished last Thursday night. Sato was Purvis’ next target with a nice catch and stop by Roberts. Gardner secured the first down after a quick pitch.

In the end zone on second down, Progressive Cabinetry’s Jake Parsons and Haughey collided with a thud that could be heard on the other end of the field ending the team’s offensive possession.

Shaughnessy took advantage of an unsuccessful march down the field by Gardner’s team by connecting with Burnett on the first two plays taking the football past midfield for the first down. Progressive Cabinetry’s Lexi Sato, Ben Sato’s sister-in-law, stopped the TD with the flag pull.

Sato’s stop only temporarily prevented the score. Stephens made a beautiful catch in the Progressive Cabinetry end zone, with the extra point by Burnett in the back left corner of the field to give Lancaster Design their first lead of the game 13-14.

With veteran leadership, Purvis steadily moved his team into scoring position nearing half time. Gardner, who has played QB in previous seasons, gave Purvis options offensively.

Gardner took the football from Purvis behind the line of scrimmage only to throw it back to Purvis who stepped out of bounds after the catch seven yards short of the first down. L. Sato quickly gained the first, with Parsons credited with the stop.

Two incomplete passes by Progressive took the game clock down to one minute left in the half and a third and goal situation. With Brianna Roberts covering L. Sato, Gardner trusted the capable hands, arguably the best female player in the league.

After L. Sato’s touchdown catch, Zachary Holder scored the extra point, advancing the score to 20-14.

The six-point deficit ignited the Lancaster Design team, bringing Mike Shaughnessy, father of Tim Shaughnessy and Brianna Roberts, to briefly take over as the quarterback. The former Kent State QB threw the football to his son just short of the first down.

Sato made the critical flag pull after Lancaster Design past midfield. T. Shaughnessy went under center and hit Burnett putting the ball on the Progressive Cabinetry 10-yard line.

On third down and in scoring position, Purvis rushed T. Shaughnessy and got the sack to stop Lancaster from scoring.

In the final play of the half, Gardner took the football more than halfway down the field, weaving in and out of traffic, evading defenders to the cheers of the spectators finally to be stopped by Stephens.

Taking advantage of half time to regroup his team and give words of praise and encouragement, T. Shaughnessy and Lancaster Design came out fighting, scoring a touchdown in three plays, including a 10-yard gain by Parsons and the scoring reception by Burnett. Failing to convert, Progressive got the ball back with the score tied at 20 all.

First play of the half for Progressive Cabinetry was to B. Sato who ran the football down the full length of the field after a short catch. Gardner’s pass to L. Sato was too tall going off her fingers, leaving the score at 26-20.

Keeping the game close catches by Stephens and B. Roberts, including a first down reception Stephens, and a run by Burnett put Lancaster Design in scoring position.

Roberts pulled the football in for a touchdown and followed up with the extra point nab giving his team the lead once again by one point.

With 12 minutes left on the game clock, Purvis found B. Sato for what looked to be a repeat of his early score. Parsons made the stop at the one-yard line.

Sato sealed the deal with a solid TD catch. Going for two points, Purvis took the snap and hit Haughey pushing the score to 34-27.

Lancaster Design could not make anything happen on their next possession, only to give Progressive Cabinetry another chance to score.

In six solid plays, Purvis and Gardner marched the team down the field chipping away at the yardage. Defensively, Chris Culhane put the pressure on Gardner, sacking him in the Progressive backfield.

A 10-yard gain by L. Sato, a first down catch by Haughey, and a long run by Gardner got Progressive to the Lancaster Design six-yard line. Gardner threw to L. Sato at the one-yard line.

On third down, Haughey scored the TD and followed up with the point after to give his team a 14-point lead.

The Progressive Cabinetry offense ate away at the clock leaving only one minute for Lancaster Design to score and hope to get the ball back before time ran out.

Unable to make anything happen on offense, Lancaster Design lost the championship game to Progressive Cabinetry who called the game with 44.9 seconds left on the scoreboard, successfully ending another adult flag football season on the island, with the final score of 41-27.

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Reel Time Homosassa, river of fishes

Reel Time: Homosassa, river of fishes

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

The great American artist Winslow Homer (1836-1910) was enamored with Homosassa. Homer regularly traveled to Florida, the Bahamas and Cuba during the winter months and this wild, spring-fed coast was high on his list of destinations. The name itself is derived from a Seminole Indian name, “river of fishes.” Fortunately, the natural beauty that attracted his artistic talent and the fish that he pursued (another passion) can still be found there. In 1904, Homer painted at least 11 watercolors during a stay. In a letter to his brother Arthur, Homer described Homosassa as, “The best fishing in America as far as I can find.”

More recently the area was known as a fly fishing mecca for anglers who found large numbers of trophy tarpon in the late 60s, 70s and 80s. While the tarpon fishing waned in the latter part of the 1900s (it’s on the rebound again) the region runs deep with redfish, trout, cobia, grouper and hundreds of other species. A quick look at a map makes it clear why this region has been and remains such a magnet for gamefish and the anglers that pursue them. It’s still one of Florida’s most pristine areas with thousands of islands, clear spring-fed rivers and a habitat rich in marine life.

While the upland areas have not been spared the unavoidable development that is changing the face of large portions of Florida, the coastal habitat is protected by the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge. The Refuge comprises about 31,000 acres along the Gulf coast from the Homosassa River south to Raccoon Point, including the mouth of the Chassahowitzka River. Spanning 12 miles along the Gulf of Mexico, it was established in 1943 to protect waterfowl and migratory birds, as well as marine life including the West Indian manatee.

While there are well-marked channels that access the Gulf, the flats that line the Gulf of Mexico are not for the uninitiated or the faint of heart, being studded with limestone outcroppings that can break a motor in half or take the bottom out of a wayward boat. These same hard bottom flats and ledges attract a plethora of gamefish including a surprisingly robust population of snook.

On a recent trip I had the pleasure of fishing with two of the area’s top guides – Captain Jimmy Long whose family has been in the area for six generations, and Captain Jim Farrior a “relative” newcomer from Lakeland who has lived in the area since 1993 and fished and hunted the area since the late 70s. Both Farrior and Long are well-versed in the lore of the “Silver Mermaid.”

During my visit, I stayed at McRae’s on the Homosassa River. Alex “Gator” McRae, my host’s father, was born on the property and the family still lives there in the home (former hotel) where Winslow Homer slept when he visited. McRae’s is the perfect accommodation for visiting anglers, situated right on the river with an adjacent public ramp, restaurant, tackle shop, dock space and downstream from the Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park. The park is a mecca for cold-stressed manatees as well as tourists, divers and sweat and salt drenched anglers who can enjoy a cool dip in the spring’s constant 76-degree water year-round.

On our first day, we encountered large numbers of snook and small schools of redfish that refused to bite. Although the fishing was challenging the natural beauty of the area captivated this angler/photographer. It’s refreshing to find a place less than a three-hour drive from home where you encounter few anglers and miles of natural coastline that’s changed little since Homer’s time.

On our second day, our fortunes changed. While the snook still proved elusive the redfish and trout were eager to take a well-placed fly. During the afternoon we encountered large schools of 10-15-pound jack crevalle that viciously attacked our topwater poppers. The fishing was about as good as it gets as school after school of large jacks crisscrossed the flats. Making it even more exciting, the water was crystal clear allowing us to see and get positioned for the jacks well in advance. We had planned to fish a third day but the weather turned rainy and windy with an approaching front.

The experience left me eager to return and further explore the region’s bounty. The amenities and hospitality of McRae’s provided me with a “home port” for a return trip I’m planning this summer. If you want an experience of the timeless beauty of an area that’s aptly named the Nature Coast, Homosassa should be a top priority! Captain Jimmy Long can be reached at 352-422-1303 or check out his website. Contact Captain Jim Farrior at 352-422-1992. Book your stay at McRae’s of Homosassa by calling 352-628-2602 and check out their website and their live river cam. It’s a trip that you’ll remember and will keep you coming back.

More Reel Time:

Reel Time: Mentors chart course

Reel Time: Clear water hides looming problem

Reel Time: Innovators – Architects of modern saltwater fly tackle, part 2

Chiles Group offers an old-fashioned Easter for all

Chiles Group offers an old-fashioned Easter for all

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

ANNA MARIA – The Chiles Group wants to provide an old-fashioned Easter for kids and adults with three activities on Saturday, April 20. The events are sponsored by the Chiles Group, Pine Avenue Restoration and The Anna Maria Island Sun.

Beginning at 8:30 a.m. in The Sandbar Gazebo, there will be breakfast snacks, coffee and juice for kids age 10 and under and their families who want to participate in the 33rd Annual Easter Egg Hunt. The egg hunt begins at 9 a.m. for kids 10 and younger on the beach in front of the Sandbar Restaurant.

Bring baskets or bags to hold the eggs the kids will collect from the beach.

Parking is available in the Sandbar Restaurant parking lot, in adjacent lots on Gulf Drive and at Anna Maria City Hall. Folks are encouraged to ride the free Island trolley to the event from home or from CrossPointe Fellowship at 8605 Gulf Drive, Anna Maria.

After the Easter Egg Hunt, the Easter Bunny will lead everyone down Pine Avenue to the 10th Annual Easter Egg Roll, featuring fun for the whole family from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Kids can get their faces painted, play games and participate in egg-rolling races. Complimentary framed pictures with the Easter Bunny will be offered with pictures taken by Dara Caudill, owner of IslandPhotography.org. DJ Chuck Caudill will provide music. There will be free food and refreshments.

Easter bonnet contest judging will be at 10:30 a.m. The prize for the first place adult bonnet is a two-night stay at an Anna Maria guest house located on Pine Avenue. There will also be prizes for second and third place. The prize for the best kid’s bonnet is a Sandbar lunch for the winner and three of their friends, complete with hot fudge sundaes. There will also be prizes for second and third place. This is the 17th year The Sun newspaper has been a sponsor for the Sandbar Easter Egg Hunt.

For more information on the Sandbar Easter Egg Hunt and Pine Avenue Easter Egg Roll contact Ashley Chiles at achiles@chilesgroup.com.

Castles in the Sand

Traffic, real estate sales up

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

If you want to know why you’re starting to analyze traffic patterns so you can plan your trips to the supermarket, doctor’s office and Trader Joe’s, here’s the reason. During 2018, Sarasota and Manatee counties had more closed sales, an increase in overall inventory and a rise in median prices compared to 2017.

Sarasota single-family median home prices increased by 5 percent to $282,500, and Manatee single-family median home prices increased by 1.9 percent to $300,475 from 2017. Sarasota median condo prices increased by 3.2 percent to $232,300, while Manatee median condos increased by 5.8 percent to $190,500.

Meanwhile, the volume of single-family home sales in Manatee increased by 7 percent and in Sarasota, the increase was 0.5 percent. Condo sales in both counties as reported by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee, recorded the highest number of sales over the last 10 years. Sarasota increased by 8.1 percent and Manatee increased by 11.1 percent.

These are great numbers especially when you look at them compared to last year’s sales number as reported by the National Association of Realtors. Nationally, last year was the weakest for home sales since 2015 with buyers pulling back because of rising mortgage interest rates, a shortage of starter homes and a volatile stock market. However, the February home sales of previously owned homes nationally were up 11.8 percent, the largest monthly gain since 2015, obviously due to the lowering of mortgage interest down to 4.28 percent in March from 5 percent at the end of last year.

Let’s take a look at Manatee County’s February closed sales reported by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee:

Closed single-family sales were up 4.8 percent, the median sale price was down slightly by 0.5 percent to $298,500 and the average sale price was up 2.6 percent to $389,119. Median time to sell was 97 days up a little from 93 last year and the month’s supply of available properties was 4.5 months – no real change.

Condo sales were down, closed sales were down 14.9 percent, the median sale price was down 11.4 percent to $189,000 and the average sale price was also down by 10.9 percent to $227,849. Median time to sell was up to 101 days from 94 and the number of months supply of available properties was up to five months.

Keep in mind these types of statistics are a snapshot in time and there are a variety of things that can influence sale prices and sale numbers in any given month. It’s the overall picture for a sustained period of time that really tells the story, and the year over year story for Manatee and Sarasota Counties is spectacular.

The months of March and April traditionally experience the most closed sales, so I look forward to when those numbers are compiled before we head into our slower summer season. That said I may have to revise that statement down the road since there doesn’t ever seem to be a slow season anymore.

It goes without saying that Florida’s Gulf Coast is one of the most beautiful areas in the country.

We have beaches, sun, culture, low taxes and great choices when it comes to purchasing a home. And what comes along with all that is more people, more cars and overbooked restaurants, even Sarasota Airport is reporting a 35 percent increase in traffic during February this year, but would you change anything?

It just might take a little better planning.

More Castles in the Sand:

Should you digitally – or actually – renovate?

Technology can’t replace real estate brokers

Female empowerment takes the runway

Female empowerment takes the runway

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Entertainment, Events, Family fun, Food.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Come out to The Center of Anna Maria Island on Thursday, April 11 to see the hottest new fashions for women, men and kids, and support a good cause.

The first-ever Passion for Fashion Show will take center stage beginning at 11 a.m. The event will feature an elegant luncheon by culinary master A.J. Loft of The Loft 5, along with champagne and live steel drum music. Models will strut down the runway wearing the latest in spring and summer styles for women, men and children from Pine Avenue boutiques Bella By The Sea and Pink & Navy. There also will be a silent auction and Barbara Zdravecky will give a talk about her passion for women in business and female empowerment. The event also serves as a way to honor local businessmen Ed Chiles and Mike Thrasher for their work to help revitalize Pine Avenue and The Center while also encouraging local businesses to “go green.”

Pink & Navy owner Amy Fleece said the event has taken almost a year to come together. One of the things she’s most excited about, she said, is the opportunity to support The Center while also spotlighting some of the many female Island business owners and encouraging other women to pursue their passion and goals.

“There are so many women business owners on Pine, which is really neat,” she said.

Bella By The Sea owner Jo-Ann Lefner said that it’s very important for her and the other co-chairs of the event, Fleece, Leigh Thrasher and Karen Harllee, to not only showcase the female-led businesses on the Island and Pine Avenue in particular, but also to shed light on the programs available to the community at The Center.

In asking for silent auction items, Lefner said the goal was to create an “adventure” for the winners. Some of the items up for grabs include a party for 20 people at Bella By The Sea and Pink & Navy, a wine and cheese pairing lesson at Olive Oil Outpost, a luncheon hosted at Shiny Fish Emporium and a makeover at Salon Salon.

“We didn’t just want to do gift certificates,” Lefner said. She added that when asked, local business owners jumped on board to help create the experiences for the silent auction items.

Female empowerment takes the runway
Amy Fleece, owner of Pink & Navy Boutique on Pine Avenue, is joining fellow businesswoman Jo-Ann Lefner in hosting the Passion for Fashion Show at The Center. – Kristin Swain | Sun

The models taking the runway for Bella By The Sea will be showing off the latest in bold colors, particularly yellows and mustards, which Lefner said are very popular this season. She said people can also expect to see great beach hats and bags.

“You’re going to be seeing a full range from sportswear right up to dressy items,” she said.

From Pink & Navy, Fleece said people can expect to see spring and summer styles, including beachwear, for women, children and men. Everything from swimsuits to casual wear and more dressy clothes will be on display. Fleece said to expect lots of bold prints, florals and stripes.

“I want everyone to know that there’s fashion out there to feel good about yourself in, no matter what your size, your age or anything,” she said.

Each attendee will receive a swag bag full of goodies at the end of the show. All proceeds go to help fund The Center’s programs.

Tickets are going fast at $40 each and can be purchased at The Center, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria. Sponsorships are available. For more information, call 941-778-1908.

Marshall Tucker Band rocks The Center

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

ANNA MARIA – It wasn’t an April Fool’s joke – if you weren’t at The Center on April 1, you missed The Marshall Tucker Band’s stop on Anna Maria Island.

Greeted by thunderous applause and shouts from the audience from the moment the members took the stage, the band played for nearly two hours. Many of the concert’s sell-out crowd got to their feet and never sat down.

Known for the wide variety of music they play, spanning from rock to country and gospel with a little of everything in between thrown in, fans were delighted to hear both classic and newer songs. The set kicked off with the hit, “Running Like the Wind” and included other favorites such as “Can’t You See” and “Heard it in a Love Song.”

The Southern rockers are currently on their “Through Hell & High Water… And Back” 2019 tour, which still has many upcoming U.S. stops remaining, including several in Florida if you missed the show in Anna Maria.

Formed in Spartanburg, South Carolina in the early 1970s, The Marshall Tucker Band has been entertaining audiences for more than four decades. Now original member Doug Gray, on lead vocals and tambourine, leads a talented group of musicians including B.B. Borden on drums, Tony Black on bass and vocals, Chris Hicks and Rick Willis, both on vocals and guitar, and Marcus James Henderson on keyboards, flute, saxophone and vocals.

The Cabana Boys opened for The Marshall Tucker Band.

The band played to an energetic, sold-out crowd of around 750 people in an intimate show on The Center’s stage. The concert brought to a close the nonprofit’s first-ever concert series, presented in conjunction with the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and Manatee County Tourist Development Council, along with The Manatee Performing Arts Center, which provided volunteers and ticket sales for the concert series.

Previous acts on the Center’s stage included The Outlaws, Phil Vassar and BJ Thomas. Part of the ticket sales from the concert series will go to help fund The Center’s programs.

The Marshall Tucker Band at The Center of Anna Maria Island - Kristin Swain | Sun

The Marshall Tucker Band at The Center of Anna Maria Island - Kristin Swain | Sun

The Marshall Tucker Band at The Center of Anna Maria Island - Kristin Swain | Sun

The Marshall Tucker Band at The Center of Anna Maria Island - Kristin Swain | Sun

The Marshall Tucker Band at The Center of Anna Maria Island - Kristin Swain | Sun

The Marshall Tucker Band at The Center of Anna Maria Island - Kristin Swain | Sun

The Marshall Tucker Band at The Center of Anna Maria Island - Kristin Swain | Sun

The Marshall Tucker Band at The Center of Anna Maria Island - Kristin Swain | Sun

The Marshall Tucker Band at The Center of Anna Maria Island - Kristin Swain | Sun

The Marshall Tucker Band at The Center of Anna Maria Island - Kristin Swain | Sun

The Marshall Tucker Band at The Center of Anna Maria Island - Kristin Swain | Sun

The Marshall Tucker Band at The Center of Anna Maria Island - Kristin Swain | Sun

The Marshall Tucker Band at The Center of Anna Maria Island - Kristin Swain | Sun

The Marshall Tucker Band at The Center of Anna Maria Island - Kristin Swain | Sun

The Marshall Tucker Band at The Center of Anna Maria Island - Kristin Swain | Sun

The Marshall Tucker Band at The Center of Anna Maria Island - Kristin Swain | Sun

The Marshall Tucker Band at The Center of Anna Maria Island - Kristin Swain | Sun

The Marshall Tucker Band at The Center of Anna Maria Island - Kristin Swain | Sun

The Marshall Tucker Band at The Center of Anna Maria Island - Kristin Swain | Sun

The Marshall Tucker Band at The Center of Anna Maria Island - Kristin Swain | Sun

The Marshall Tucker Band at The Center of Anna Maria Island - Kristin Swain | Sun

The Marshall Tucker Band at The Center of Anna Maria Island - Kristin Swain | Sun

Castles in the Sand

Should you digitally – or actually – renovate?

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

There comes a time in every homeowner’s life when they are faced with the dreaded renovation question. Frequently this question comes about when you’re thinking of putting your home up for sale. There is no doubt that move-in ready homes sell faster and sometimes for more money, but is this a job that you should tackle, or hire professionals?

If you’re convinced that do-it-yourself is the way to go, there are some websites to check out. Old House Online, Young House Love, and How To Sand A Floor will provide more information than any normal DIY project will ever need.

However, know your limits and leave the electrical, plumbing and structural repairs to the experts who will do it within current building codes and not burn the house down. But if you like getting your hands dirty, do your own demo. Naturally, make sure that the wall you’re taking down isn’t structural and doesn’t contain the plumbing to the toilet.

Certainly, the least difficult do-it-yourself job is painting. Exterior painting will be easier and look more professional if you power wash first, removing dirt, mold and peeling paint.

Even if you’re not a carpenter, replacing window and door moldings are pretty straightforward and forgiving of mistakes. Refinishing hardwood floors may be backbreaking but doesn’t require a master craftsman. And finally, know when to give up. If the project is not going well, your spouse isn’t talking to you and the kids are wearing gas masks, it may be time to make that phone call.

There is, of course, another way to go, there always is and with modern computer technology, you can have a virtual renovation if you’re selling your home. Since almost every home search starts with an online search it’s a great way to make your home stand out even if it’s slightly fudged.

Homeowners can take down walls, remove paneling, add swimming pools, garages and even turn your brown lawn green and make your dead plants bloom. This is a long way from the old school marketing of staging homes with rented furniture, pictures and knickknacks. Now all of that can be done digitally making an empty house looked lived in and inviting.

Sounds great right? The problem is when non-digital people come to look at your digitally-enhanced house and want to know why there’s a patio where they thought a pool was and what happened to the hardwood floor.

Needless to say, digital enhancements should be disclosed, and the National Association of Realtors code of ethics requires agents to present a true picture of the property in their advertising and marketing. Problem is since although the technology has been around it is now just starting to be widely used and guidelines for homeowners and agents alike still need to be established. If you watch any of the property renovation shows on HGTV you’ll see exactly what this technology can do to completely change the look and functionality of a home, and why it can be so misleading.

If taking advantage of this type of technology to market your property either personally or through an agent sounds like just the thing for you, full disclosure is a must. I’m not saying don’t to do it, it could bring a lot of eyeballs to the website as long as those eyeballs know what they’re looking at.

On the other hand, doing it yourself or hiring someone to move the wall and install the pool could make life ethically easier. The options are endless.

More Castles in the Sand:

Technology can’t replace real estate brokers

Good news and good news

Are you smarter than a hedge fund manager?

Grace period given for golf cart seatbelts

Grace period given for golf cart seatbelts

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

HOLMES BEACH – If you live in Holmes Beach and drive a regular golf cart around town, you now need seatbelts for yourself and every passenger.

Commissioners voted to approve a final reading of an ordinance requiring all golf carts to have seatbelts for drivers and passengers. The ordinance also requires that all children riding in the golf cart be strapped into a child restraint seat appropriate to their size, just like they are in a car.

To help residents understand the new requirements and implement the necessary changes to their golf carts, Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said that no tickets will be given to golf cart drivers whose vehicles are not equipped with seatbelts for a five-month period. The grace period is to allow owners time to get seatbelts installed and educate the public on just what the new ordinance means for them. The grace period began March 26.

Tokajer noted that residents can get a kit typically for less than $100 to install the seatbelts themselves or take the golf cart to a repair shop where they can be professionally installed.

The ordinance also clarifies language about where golf carts can be driven in the city. Golf carts are only allowed on streets with a speed limit of 25 miles per hour or lower. The regulations for low speed vehicles – those that are registered with the state, have a license plate and insurance – remain unchanged. Low speed vehicles can be driven through the city on streets with a speed limit of 35 miles per hour or lower. A driver’s license is required to operate all golf carts and low speed vehicles in Holmes Beach.

For the purposes of the ordinance, a golf cart is considered a golf cart only if it does not have a license plate and insurance. If a golf cart is registered, it’s considered a low speed vehicle. Holmes Beach is the only Island city that allows unregistered golf carts to be driven on the road.

Related coverage

Letters to the Editor: Where did you go, “Island time?”

Holmes Beach considers golf cart regulations

Divas will be divas

Divas will be divas

Written by Tom Vaught on . Posted in Entertainment, Music.

Three Anna Maria Island Concert Chorus and Orchestra (AMICCO) sopranos entertained at the last concert of the season Sunday at Neel Auditorium in Bradenton, singing from operas in the first half and showtunes in the second half.

Billed as “Diva Wars,” Stella Zambalis, Ashley Thunder Lowe and Michelle Giglio tried to out-sing each other, accompanied by some scowls and faux hair-pulling incidents, as divas will be divas.

Divas will be divas
AMICCO Youth Competition winner for last year, Andrea Guaita, got a standing ovation for her performance. – Tom Vaught | Sun

AMICCO Youth Competition winner for last year, high school senior Andrea Guaita, entertained on the violin.

There was no vote to determine the winning diva, but it was apparent the winners were those who attended the near-sellout concert.

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AMI Garden Club goes Hollywood

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Reel Time: Mentors chart course

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

Fly fishermen and fishermen, in general, are always seeking ways to improve their enjoyment of the sport. And while that ultimately boils down to learning ways to be more successful at catching fish, it’s not really numbers that drive a fly fisher’s passion. It’s more personal than that. If it were a numbers game, we would still be fishing with live bait and waiting for the fish to find us. Our path to success is paved with mentors and milestones that redefine our personal passage through a life of fly-fishing. It’s experiencing and seeking to understand the natural world and the fish that swim its waters that makes the fly fishing journey so special.

I first picked up a fly rod over 30 years ago, and over three decades I’ve had many memorable days on the water. When I look back, some of my fondest memories are not about the fish that I’ve caught but the people I’ve met along the way, the personalities I’ve encountered, and the friendships fostered. Fly fishers seem to possess a quality that attracts, entertains and enlightens us. No matter where you are in your evolution as a fly angler, I’m sure you’ve had or will have the same experiences.  Over my years of fishing, one of the most charismatic individuals I’ve encountered in my time fly-fishing was a Belizean named Lincoln Westby.

I met Westby over a decade ago on a blustery morning in March outside my motel in Hopkins, Belize. Due to a strong cold front that had blown through the day before, my transfer to his Blue Horizon Lodge had been delayed. When he asked if I was going to the lodge, I wasn’t sure if he was a guide, the owner, or merely a taxi driver. Little did I know that this unassuming man would, in less than a week, teach me more about permit fishing than I had assimilated in over 10 years of stalking this “holy grail” of fly fishing.

Westby’s spry demeanor and sparkling eyes belied his six-plus decades. A Belizean by birth, he has fished the coastal waters of Belize since he was a child. He began his fishing career as a commercial diver and fisherman before following his brothers Joel and David as guides to American spin anglers in the late 60s. Except for a stint in the British Army from 1961 to 1967, and two years working on a research ship in Bermuda, he has dedicated his life to learning the ways of the permit, tarpon and bonefish. After working as a guide and manager at nearly every lodge on the Belize coast, Westby had the passion to have his own lodge. With the help and counsel of Will Bauer (now deceased), a longtime permit angler and former Belize lodge owner, the vision of the Blue Horizon Lodge was born.

Reel time Lincoln Westby
Lincoln Westby poses with a permit he enticed to the fly after five refusals. – Rusty Chinnis | Sun

Westby and his common-law wife Pearline leased a small mangrove island from the government with an option to buy. The island was inundated with water on high tides and it took over six months and more than 10,000 boatloads of sawdust and sand to create enough upland to build the first building. Finally, in 1997, Bauer brought the first group of anglers to the lodge and Westby’s dream became a reality.

On my trip to the Blue Horizon, I had the good fortune to pick a week when Bauer was at the Lodge, and I was able to fish with Westby on six consecutive days. Each day, I was immersed in an endless world of multi-dimensional coral patch reefs that hosted school after school of permit. And while there were few spells of more than forty-five minutes between fish, it was Westby’s intimate knowledge of the terrain and the permit that held me spellbound.  I fished four and one-half days, (and spent a day observing and photographing Bauer and Westby) and landed five permit. The number of opportunities was phenomenal, and while these permit were less pressured than in other locations I’ve fished, that didn’t change their basic nature.

Westby fished by the tides (high rising, high and high falling) and not by time. Keen eyes allowed him to slow motor along the edge of flats looking for fish.   A mentor takes you to a new level, reminds you of the complexity of the natural world, and feeds your desire to learn.   On the day I photographed Westby, he left the boat to stalk a school of feeding permit and I was able to experience a master at work. He made a high looping cast that sent the fly softly to the water’s surface just two feet short of the feeding fish. Not once, but five times, the permit rushed the fly only to turn off at the last minute. Each time Westby waited (when I would have attempted to set the hook) until the fish had just turned off the fly, and then gave a three-inch strip that teased the fish back to the fly. On the fifth look, the permit took the fly.

If I had to condense the knowledge I learned in my days with Westby into a short paragraph, it would be that permit are moody, and every presentation and opportunity will be influenced by many factors. The angler must judge the mood of the fish, know where the fly is at all times, and take into account the tides, weather, availability of food, wind, the structure of the bottom, sun angle and much more. Permit fishing is incredibly demanding, and therein lies its appeal. Quantum leaps in fly fishing can be built up with years of experience, or on occasion, by having the good fortune to learn from a mentor. It keeps it fresh and vital and makes us keen for our next adventure.

More Reel Time:

Reel Time: Clear water hides looming problem

Reel Time: Innovators – Architects of modern saltwater fly tackle, part 2

Reel Time: Innovators – The architects of modern saltwater fly tackle

Solid Rock Construction built a solid season

Solid Rock Construction built a solid season

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

The final night of adult co-ed volleyball play for the season took place at The Center of Anna Maria Island Thursday night. All five teams showed why the championship was not in the bag for the first seed team Solid Rock Construction.

After three matches, the final battle ensued between the top two season finishers: Solid Rock Construction and Planet Stone.

The players of Planet Stone came into the season as defending champions. Finishing with an 8-4 record, the four friends who play together on the sand were the best opponents for the new athletes at the community center.

Solid Rock Construction, a family owned and operated HVAC company, brought two players to the flag football gridiron this winter and soon formed their volleyball powerhouse team.

Footballers James Roadman and brother-in-law Zachary Long added volleyball to their weekly sports schedule along with wives Katy Roadman and Evelyn Long. Katy and Evelyn brought sister Christy Raulerson and brother-in-law Brian Raulerson into the mix to form the family-based team.

Teammate Maria Shanks departed the Solid Rock squad mid-season with a family move out-of-state.

Playing six on four, the Planet Stone foursome held their own historically against the top seed. With nearly identical records going into the big match, a close fight for the championship title was anticipated.

The construction company, with the motto “Built right, the first time,” moved their business from Tampa to Anna Maria this past year to raise their family on the Island. The ladies of team Solid Rock Construction are all sisters with volleyball skills that brought out the best in their husbands.

The first game was close until the end. Patrick and Christine Wright, David Deaver and Rusty Clasman of team Planet Stone, coming off the easy win against Ugly Grouper in two games, moved the volleyball well starting the with the service advantage.

Going up early with two points, Planet Stone maintained their lead until the 21st point, with the score 10-11. Spikes by Z. Long scored for Solid Rock.

Planet Stone stayed in the first game with blocked shots by P. Wright and Deaver, as well as smart plays and perfect hits by C. Wright and Clasman.

The two teams gave the spectators a lot of strong volleyball action with long skill-filled rallies and service aces by both teams.

Despite losing the lead, Planet Stone kept fighting. Hitting the ball with perfect placement, the four players squad forced Z. Long to make a diving hit that landed just wide of the far sideline.

The Solid Rock Construction brothers-in-law, including B. Raulerson who also works with the family business, strategically placed themselves at the line at any given time creating a strong defensive barrier.

With the score 18-24 at game point for Solid Rock, J. Roadman took advantage of his location on the front line with a solid hit over the net with blazing velocity whizzing right past the Planet Stone front line player, C. Wright to end the first game.

Looking make quick work of their opponent, Solid Rock Construction started at the line with the serve and big defensive moves, going up by seven points with the score 10-3.

Planet Stone got stuck with five points on the scoreboard, while Solid Rock continued to increase their lead with the rally scoring system.

Mishits and the inability to decide who was going for the return caused a little turmoil among the Planet Stone squad.

After a long rally, P. Wright ended play with a strong finish finally moving Planet Stone’s score to 16-6. Each team went back and forth adding a point here and another there.

Solid Rock Construction continued to widen the scoring gap with a kill by J. Roadman, taking the game to game and match point.

With the win on the line, J. Roadman moved back into position to serve to end the battle. Once again, the volleyball fell to the ground between all of the Planet Stone players.

Much like the company’s guiding principles, the strong foundation of the Solid Rock Construction volleyball team with communications, perfectly placed sets and strong kills by the big guys in front made for a force to be reckoned with, which could not be defeated in the last night of hard court action.

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Spring break is in full swing

Spring break in full swing

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

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Anna Maria Island beaches are busy and business owners are enjoying a banner Spring break season.

A mid-week visit to Manatee Beach in Holmes Beach found a quartet of students from Indianapolis among those enjoying a beautiful beach day.

“We have family that lives down here. It’s a clean beach, the sand feels great and the water’s clean,” said high school senior Brenna Garrard, while sitting on the beach Wednesday afternoon with her twin brother Tyler and their high school friends Alexis Weston and Samara Gephart.

Tyler graduated high school early and is now studying mechanics as a freshman at Indiana University.

“We went over to Siesta Key and we’ve been in Clearwater a few times. I like this beach a lot better. Clearwater is more packed. Here it’s more relaxed,” Tyler said.

On Friday, Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said, “People have been behaving very well. Most of our guests have been families that have had a wonderful time on the Island. We had two groups of unruly college students that were evicted from their rental units for underage drinking, jumping off the roof into the pool and other things they shouldn’t have been doing. The rental agents were notified and they evicted them.

“We’ve also had many well-behaved and respectful groups of college kids on the Island from Ohio, Minnesota, a group from Indianapolis and a couple groups from Tampa. We enjoy having the groups that respect our rules and ordinances and are responsible and understand we have zero tolerance for any alcohol on the beach,” Tokajer said.

“Spring break has been very busy this year, probably the busiest I can remember in the past 10 years,” said DCoy Ducks’ bartender Brad Lisk. “The crowds seem younger this year and there are a lot more college-aged kids. For the most part, they’ve been well-behaved. They’re here to party but they’re being respectful while enjoying the beach, the sun and some drinking.”

Anna Maria

The Pine Avenue business district in Anna Maria is also abuzz with visitors.

“I don’t know if it’s perception or because we went through such a long dry spell with the red tide and the fact that we lost the pier, but it seems to me that we have a bumper crop this year,” Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy said. “It seems to me there’s more families visiting and more younger people. The streets are filled on weekends with young people. I think it’s great for the businesses. I know it’s a little hectic for those who live here full-time, so I ask everybody to be patient, welcoming and kind because it’s good that people are enjoying our city. They’re basking in the sunshine and enjoying themselves.”

Spring break is in full swing
The line was long at the Donut Experiment in Anna Maria Wednesday morning. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Brian Seymour says sales are up at his Anna Maria General Store & Deli.

“The first couple weeks were definitely college kids. This week and next it’s mostly families. It’s nice to see the Island busy again. There’s downsides for the residents with the increased traffic, but people have come back to the Island and they’re supporting the local businesses,” Seymour said.

“We are having a great spring break. We are much busier than last year. That’s good news and we are renting to families, not college kids,” said Duncan Real Estate owner Darcie Duncan.

Bradenton Beach

“We’re having an extremely busy spring break with both vehicular and pedestrian traffic. We’ve got people everywhere,” said Bradenton Beach Police Chief Sam Speciale.

“The schools let out a couple weeks ago and we’ll be seeing a lot of people out here until Easter. We’ve got college kids, high school kids and a lot of families coming down. Everybody’s been really well-behaved and it’s been a nice, quiet spring break. You’ve got to give credit to the kids and the families for coming down here and enjoying themselves without causing any problems. The vacation rentals are all filled. We haven’t had a lot of noise complaints, but we’ve had a few. The few we’ve had quieted right down when our officers went there and we haven’t had to go back,” Speciale said.

Jake Spooner owns the Bridge Street Bazaar and The Fish Hole miniature golf course on Bridge Street.

Spring break is in full swing
The Bridge Tender Inn is among the many Island bars enjoying a boost in Spring break business. Jake Spooner | Submitted

“It’s been a great 2019 and Easter is later this year, so we’ll have a longer season. I’m seeing mostly families – grandparents, parents and kids. Our numbers are up over last year. The Bridge Street bars have been packed too. Everybody seems a lot busier this year,” Spooner said.

Cortez

Business is up in Cortez too.

“I think our crowd might be a little younger this year, but I don’t know if it’s Spring breakers or just families. There just seems to be more people here on Spring break,” Swordfish Grill General Manager Bob Slicker said. “I think there’s more people here too because of what happened in the panhandle with Hurricane Michael. Some people told me they’re here for the first time because they used to go there. We’re up a bit more than normal, which I’m very grateful for. We’re off the beaten path but more people know about Cortez every year.”

Spring break is in full swing
This sandcastle was left as a souvenir of someone’s time at Manatee Beach on Wednesday. Joe Hendricks | Sun

Red tide detected off Manatee County coast

Written by Cindy Lane on . Posted in Outdoors, Red tide.

Updated April 5, 2019 – The April 5 FWC report shows background concentrations of red tide off Hillsborough and Sarasota counties, but none off Manatee County.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – While swimmers enjoyed crystal clear water today at Anna Maria Island beaches, today’s Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) report shows that background concentrations of red tide have returned to nearby waters about two miles southwest of Egmont Key.

Karenia brevis was observed at background concentrations last week in one sample collected offshore of Manatee County, one sample collected offshore of Charlotte County and one sample collected offshore of Lee County.

Respiratory irritation also was reported in Manatee and Sarasota counties over the past week, according to the FWC. NOAA’s latest report predicts no respiratory irritation locally.

No fish kills suspected to be related to red tide were reported this past week.

Background concentrations of the algae that causes Florida red tide, Karenia brevis, have no discernable effects on people or marine life. Higher concentrations of red tide cells emit a neurotoxin when they bloom that is deadly to marine life. It can make shellfish unfit to eat and can cause respiratory irritation in people, especially those with asthma, COPD or emphysema.

The last red tide bloom began in October 2017 in Southwest Florida. It appeared locally in August 2018, lasting until February 2019.

Scientists say that salinity, currents, temperature and light play a part in the formation of blooms, as do nutrients from Florida’s natural phosphate and limestone deposits, Caribbean seawater brought to Florida’s west coast on the Loop Current, the Mississippi River, Saharan dust blown across the Atlantic Ocean to Florida’s waters, and fertilizer and animal waste runoff.