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Tag: Anna Maria Island

Wastewater dumped into Manatee River

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Environment, Featured, Outdoors.

BRADENTON – Shortly after noon on Feb. 28, the City of Bradenton’s water reclamation facility experienced an operational failure, causing 1.2 million gallons of partially treated wastewater to be discharged into the Manatee River, according to a Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) pollution notice.

The mouth of the Manatee River flows into the Intracoastal Waterway and the Gulf of Mexico at the north end of Anna Maria Island.

According to FDEP, the filter system at the facility at 1810 First St. W. had a blockage, causing the bypass of the water into the river. The bypass was closed at 5:10 p.m. and river water sampling was started.

City staff cleaned the areas affected and normal operation resumed, according to FDEP.

A Feb. 29 City of Bradenton Instagram post stated: “City of Bradenton’s Wastewater Treatment Facility faced an operational failure, leading to a 90-minute tank overflow due to blockages. A seized bypass valve was manually reopened, and the surrounding curb and gutter area on 17th Avenue, approximately 200 yards, swiftly returned to normal after cleaning and treatment. The city is investigating the system malfunction and collaborating with environmental agencies on discharge and drainage issues.”

“At a time when cities are working to reduce nitrogen overflow into the waters to curb red tide and algae blooms, this spill of partially treated wastewater is high nitrogen water filled with bacteria entering a public water body,” Suncoast Waterkeeper Executive Director Anney Tyrna said.

In 2022, Suncoast Waterkeeper and other environmental groups sued the City of Bradenton following a prior spill. The settlement stipulated that the city improve the wastewater treatment system.

“The city is working toward improving the infrastructure so this doesn’t happen again,” Tyrna said. “The infrastructure is old and in need of repair. Repairs are long overdue, but it takes time to make these repairs.”

Tyrna said with the latest spill, and based on the 2022 settlement terms of the lawsuit, there may be stipulated penalties due from the city to the Tampa Bay Estuary Program.

Spring Break is underway

Spring Break is underway

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

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – While recent temperatures on Anna Maria Island have been in the 80s, many college students north of Florida are cold and in need of some island time to reset, refresh, then finish out the 2023-24 school year.

While most students get seven to 10 days of spring break, for the Island, spring break is six weeks long. The reason is that different states and regions of the U.S. have spring break during different times. Spring breakers will be on the Island from now through the second week of April, depending on where they’re coming from.

All the students The Sun found last week during the Island’s first week of spring break were from Michigan.

“We’re Michigan Wolverines, we’re national champs and we’re here to keep the party going,” Shawn Martin said. “I’m here with a bunch of my friends and we’re staying at a house owned by a relative. We’re here to have fun, but if we wanted the crazy party club scene we’d be in Daytona Beach or Miami. We actually like the vibe of AMI, it’s a chill place and the cops aren’t breaking up riots in the streets every night. Not all spring breakers are crazy; we have a heavy course load and we just want a vacation like everybody else.”

Martin’s sentiment was echoed by a pair of sorority sisters from Ferris State University, also in Michigan.

“Yesterday (March 1) was our first day of spring break, and we’re off until the 10th,” Grace Westenfeld said. “I have family that lives here and I have a free place to stay. I love the Island and it’s just a great place to be. I don’t like the big giant party places, this is kind of mellow and I like it.”

“I also have grandparents that live in Ellenton, which is not far,” said Westenfeld’s friend and sorority sister, Samantha Stanek. “I like that when you’re here, you get to know people more personally than if you’re in a big club jumping up and down to the loud music.”

Just because AMI is not known as a party place like Miami or even nearby Siesta Key, it doesn’t mean there aren’t problems this time of year. Any time a large number of people descend on the Island, there are issues that arise and precautions that should be taken.

“As usual, we’ll have extra patrol day and night during the spring break season,” Bradenton Beach Police Lt. Lenard Diaz said. “We’ve been pretty lucky throughout the past few years. We haven’t really had any serious problems, and most of the issues we have had have been taken care of then and there and not become a bigger issue.”

Diaz did say his department will be watching for people publicly intoxicated, and said most of the crimes during the busy times of year, such as spring break, are crimes of opportunity, and simply using common sense like walking in groups and securing valuables while enjoying beach time will prevent most problems before they begin.

Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer offered a list of concerns and issues:

• Allow extra time when coming onto the Island. There’s already been a lot of traffic, so be patient;

• Park in designated spaces, and always parallel park with all four tires off the road in spaces where that is required;

• If you want to park at the public beach, get there early;

• Pay attention to signs. The city has worked hard to make it obvious where parking is permitted;

• When you go to the beach, don’t leave valuables visible in your car. Also, secure items in your trunk before you arrive at beach parking so you’re not showing people where you’ve secured your belongings;

• Don’t leave valuables under or on your towel at the beach. If you go for a walk, take them with you.

“We will be monitoring the beach for illegal activities such as alcohol, pets and grills,” Tokajer said. “We want everyone to know that this is a family atmosphere and that’s the way we intend to keep it. We will be monitoring parking and enforcing all parking violations.”

Island police departments also agree that oftentimes, visitors see how beautiful and laid back AMI is and sometimes let their guard down. While violent crime is not common among strangers on AMI, even in paradise, it’s important to remain aware of one’s surroundings and use the same common sense as if visiting a major city. Most problems are preventable, police say, with a bit of vigilance and awareness of the surroundings.

Reel Time: Take a kid fishing

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

Reflecting back on the importance fishing has had on my life, I’d like to pass on some of the things I’ve learned over the years about how to introduce children to the marine world and fishing.

Those first experiences on the water leave indelible memories, so we should work to make them uncomplicated and as much fun as possible. Creating unrealistic expectations can discourage young anglers and be the difference between the kindling of a passion or a dislike for the activity. The basics of fishing are not complicated to learn, are easy to teach children and don’t require expensive equipment. If there’s a cardinal rule to getting kids interested in fishing, it’s to make sure and keep them engaged.

Children are naturally curious, they love to play in and on the water and are fascinated by the creatures that inhabit the water. Catching fish isn’t their main objective and you shouldn’t make it the focus of an outing. It’s important to plan a trip that includes other activities such as swimming, wildlife identification and snorkeling, as well as fishing. Being on the water provides an excellent opportunity to teach kids about their environment and boating safety skills. You could also make a game out of learning basic nautical terms such as port, starboard, bow and stern. Every child I’ve ever had on the boat wants to drive, so let them, even if it’s just sitting on your lap with their hands on the wheel!

Take a kid fishing
By being sensitive to what interests children, it’s possible to foster a lifetime passion. – Rusty Chinnis | Sun

It’s important let kids be a part of the adventure, and getting them involved is a great way to interject a stealth lesson in responsibility in children. Give them things to be in charge of such as making sure everyone knows where the safety equipment is. Don’t start children out with cheap fishing rods and reels. Provide them with decent equipment that’s light and manageable. An ultra-light rig with 6-pound test line is a great way to start. Try and think like a kid when fishing. Children would rather catch a dozen pinfish in a half hour than wait a half hour for a chance at a bigger or better fish. Try tying on a bait-catching sabiki rig and watch their excitement and boasting about catching so many fish. Action is paramount; kids are easily bored and distracted.

Consider starting kids fishing with a small popping cork that they can watch for signs of action. If you can start teaching kids that the enjoyment of the adventure isn’t measured by the number or size of fish you catch, you’ll teach them an important lesson that many fishermen never learn.

Local shops like AMI Outfitters can suggest the right tackle and the fish to pursue. If you can make the experience interesting and educational for them, even if there’s no hook-ups, they are more likely to want to do it again. Kids might be more interested in collecting shells, counting crabs or looking for manatees or dolphins than fishing, so be sensitive to what’s bringing them pleasure. It’s a good strategy to have children involved in other activities while you search for the fish. When the action gets hot, get them involved. That is a much better way to make a day of “fishing” more memorable and one they’ll want to repeat. It’s also important to emphasize safety, bending down barbs and making them aware of fish with sharp teeth and barbs like catfish and stingrays. This is also an excellent time to teach them to carefully handle and release any fish that’s not going to be kept. The first experiences on the water are very important and you should consider a plan of action in advance in case the fishing isn’t great. The last thing you want to do is bore kids by sitting on a spot too long. Keep your eyes and ears open and you might learn a lesson or two from them!

Oysters, past and future

Oysters, past and future

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

ANNA MARIA – Damon Moore outlined his vision for local oyster habitat restoration during a Feb. 21 presentation at The Center of Anna Maria Island.

Moore, the founder and executive director of Oyster River Ecology Inc., began with the historical abundance of oysters in local waters and their subsequent decline.

“The oldest reference I could find to the Manatee River was in 1792,” Moore said, when explorers referred to the river as the “River of Oysters.”

From 1876 to 1897, he said the waters went from “oysters, oysters, everywhere to totally depleted” due to the commercial oyster trade.

“It gets worse. A lot worse. Manatee Avenue was originally a sandy road which was paved with oyster shells which were taken from the river,” Moore said. “For several months after, the oyster meat rotted and Manatee Avenue was the most odiferous street in the whole United States.”

From 1931 to 1962 the Bradenton Dredging and Shell Company removed more than 650,000 cubic yards of shell from the Manatee River, he said.

Moore said the current decline in the oyster population is due to water quality issues including water pollution, altered freshwater flows and increased erosion and sedimentation.

“When you put a big dam on the Manatee River that changes how much fresh water comes in, I call it the Goldilocks zone of salinity,” Moore said. “When you’re an oyster, if it’s too fresh, you close up and you don’t open, you will starve to death. If it’s too salty, you’re fine with that but so are all of your predators.”

Moore said the problem locally was overharvesting of hard material that oysters need to thrive and create oyster beds.

“What restoration projects generally consist of is returning that hard material into the water column to allow them to grow,” Moore said. “We don’t have to seed them. We’re lucky there’s enough of an existing population growing in mangrove roots. There’s plenty of larval oysters.”

“When I’m talking about restoration I’m talking about restoring a population of oysters that existed in the Manatee River,” he said, adding that restoration can take place through both community-driven and contract-driven projects.

“Vertical oyster gardens are very popular,” he said. “This is something you can do on your own dock. The docks on Anna Maria Island, you’re in really high salinity waters. If on docks or seawalls, the predators can’t jump which gives the oysters an extra level of protection.”

A vertical oyster garden is typically a string of recycled shell which can be hung from a dock where oysters can grow. Once they’ve reached a certain size, they will fall off into the water and coalesce into an oyster reef, Moore said.

He compared barge and backhoe placement of 6 inches of limerock at a per acre cost of $635,000 to the $216,000-per-acre cost of 12-inch metal pin vertical oyster gardens.

“That’s a significant savings,” Moore said.

“Restoration targets are 300 acres by 2050 for Tampa Bay in the 2020 Tampa Bay Estuary Habitat Management Plan,” he said. “For 300 acres, the cost is $190,680,000 for barge and backhoe compared to $64,947,960 for 12-inch metal.”

Manatee mortality down

Manatee mortality down

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Featured, Manatees, Outdoors.

MANATEE COUNTY – The recently released manatee mortality report for 2023 from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) shows that statewide deaths for manatees are well below the five-year annual average of 793.

The total number of deaths statewide last year was 556 and is the lowest since 2017 when 538 manatee deaths were recorded. The FWC’s estimate of the state’s manatee population in 2021-22 was between 8,350 and 11,730 manatees.

The leading cause of death last year was watercraft-related, according to the FWC report, which also noted that approximately 20% of the total statewide mortality last year was attributed to a significant red tide bloom in southwest Florida earlier in the year.

In Manatee County there were 19 total deaths recorded – four from watercraft, two perinatal, three natural and 10 not necropsied. The watercraft deaths occurred in the Braden River, Manatee River and Sarasota Bay.

“Population models identify both watercraft collisions and red tide blooms as one of the most significant threats to manatees long-term,” the FWC report stated. “In contrast with the Gulf coast, a high proportion (81%) of Atlantic coast carcasses was fully necropsied for the ongoing health investigation in the Unusual Mortality Event from starvation, but starvation-related mortality was very low (3% of Atlantic coast carcasses) in 2023,” according to FWC.

No mortalities were definitively attributed to Hurricane Idalia, but FWC staff and partners rescued 10 manatees across southwest Florida that had become entrapped after storm-related floodwaters receded.

Manatee Tips

 

• Obey posted signs for manatee slow-speed zones.

• Wear polarized sunglasses to see manatees in your path.

• If you observe a manatee mating herd – several manatees gathered as males vie to mate with a female – watch from at least 100 feet away. Coming any closer might disrupt the mating or endanger you; adult manatees typically weigh more than 1,000 pounds.

• Look, but don’t touch manatees. Keep your distance when boating, even if you are steering a canoe, kayak or paddleboard.

• Never feed or water manatees as they will become habituated to people, which could put them at risk of injury.

• Stow trash and line when underway. Marine debris that blows overboard can become ingested by or entangled around manatees.

• Report stranded or dead manatees to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Wildlife Alert hotline at 1-888-404-FWCC (3922).

Holmes Beach logo

Mayor responds to OPPAGA study changes

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

HOLMES BEACH – Mayor Judy Titsworth is reacting to the state’s decision to include a fourth option in the ongoing Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability study – eliminating the three Anna Maria Island cities and folding the Island into unincorporated Manatee County.

“It’s concerning that none of the mayors were told this was an option,” Titsworth said. “That’s concerning, why there’s no dialogue between us and our state representatives who represent us. Our citizens want to be informed so it’s important that we continue to make ourselves available.”

In an effort to help keep the public informed about the ongoing study, which is expected to conclude in late summer/early fall, Titsworth said the city has purchased the domain saveannamariaisland.com and is in the process of building a website containing facts on the three Island cities and the study as well as information for residents and concerned members of the public who want to reach out to their state representatives. Though consolidation of the three Island cities isn’t up for discussion during the current state legislative session, it’s expected that it will be addressed in 2024. Titsworth says if that happens, she fears an approval for consolidation could go through at the state level quickly and without the input of Island residents similar to the bill to construct a parking garage at Manatee Beach that was approved in 2023 without resident input and against local building regulations. She said she urges everyone who has an opinion on the potential for consolidation to reach out to their state representatives now rather than wait for it to be brought up in bill form for consideration at the state level.

The option joins three other considerations including allowing the three cities to remain as-is, consolidating the cities into one new city or eliminating the three city governments and folding the Island into the city of Bradenton.

The ongoing study, conducted by the state of Florida, is the result of a request from the five-member Manatee County Legislative Delegation and is not being done at the request of the three Island mayors. While the mayors said they would support the study insofar as it looks at potential ways for the three cities to share costs and reduce the burden on taxpayers, they’re not in favor of consolidation. Bradenton Mayor Gene Brown previously stated that he also has no interest in consolidating Anna Maria Island into his city.

If the Anna Maria Island cities are forced into consolidation or elimination by the state, Titsworth said there’s nothing protecting any other Florida municipality from suffering the same fate, including other Manatee County cities.

“If you get on the wrong side of state leaders, it’s no

Cortez founded on mullet

Cortez founded on mullet

Written by Cindy Lane on . Posted in Community News, Cortez.

CORTEZ – A visit by Dr. Angela Collins to the Cortez Cultural Center furthered the organization’s mission to “preserve the past and protect the future.”

The University of Florida Sea Grant marine extension agent told visitors last Thursday all about mullet, the reason Cortez was founded in the late 1880s, and still its most profitable crop.

Fisheries are part of Florida’s second-largest economic driver, agriculture, Collins told a group of about 25 visitors, many of them tourists, supporting the state’s largest industry.

Collins quizzed visitors about why mullet jump. It could be to rid themselves of parasites, or because they like it, people ventured. Scientifically, no answer has been discovered, but scientists have learned that when you see a fish jump in Florida, nine times out of 10, it’s a mullet, she said.

The fish can live to be 13 years old, are scavengers, and it’s tough to catch them with hook and line.

As a result, ancient tribes in Florida used gill nets to catch the fish, using coconuts as floats and shells to weigh them down, and herding them into dead-end canals to have fresh fish close at hand, Collins said.

Cuban fishermen traveled to Cortez to catch mullet, especially during Lent in February and March, when demand was particularly high since many Catholics eat fish on Fridays in Lent when other meat is forbidden.

In the late 1960s, the mullet fishery shifted more to roe – fish eggs – than the fish itself, due to the high prices it brought in foreign markets. Mullet became known as “Gulf of Mexico gold,” Collins said.

“Sailfish is the state fish of Florida,” she said. “It should be mullet.”

Gill nets continued to be used until 1995, when voters passed a state Constitutional Amendment banning them, believing mullet fishing was depleting mullet and other bycatch species caught in mullet nets. Mullet fishermen now rely on different types of smaller nets, she said.

Cortez is special, Collins said, with its status on the National Register of Historic Places, its 95-acre FISH Preserve on Sarasota Bay and some descendants of original settlers from Carteret County, North Carolina still living in the village.

As a working waterfront on very valuable Florida property, Collins said, “There is no place left like Cortez in Florida.”

Reel Time: Waterman tournament challenging

Reel Time: Waterman tournament challenging

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

The fourth annual Waterman Fly Fishing Tournament was held this past weekend. The two-day, fly-only redfish tournament with a snook calcutta was a sellout with a total of 145 anglers registered. The fishing boundaries were wide-ranging, including the west coast of Florida from Crystal River to the southernmost tip of Sanibel Island. The photo submission format and the iAngler Tournament app made it possible for fishermen in this entire range to participate. The tournament culminated in an awards banquet and prize-rich raffle at the Bradenton Yacht Club on Saturday evening that was made possible by many generous sponsors. All proceeds from the fly fishing tournament benefited Tampa Bay Waterkeeper, a non-profit organization that is dedicated to the protection, preservation and improvement of the Tampa Bay watershed.

The two-angler teams received a collared long-sleeve tournament shirt, Tampa Bay Waterkeeper hats, dinner for two at the awards ceremony and one raffle ticket for each angler. The target species were redfish and snook. Scoring was done by the highest combination of the two longest redfish caught over the two days. If a tie had occurred in any of the three top places, it would have been decided by a casting competition based on distance and accuracy.

Dr. Jennifer Rehage was the guest speaker at this year’s banquet. Rehage is a coastal ecologist and professor at the Institute of the Environment at Florida International University in Miami. In her presentation, she explained how water management decisions, water quality and climate affect fish and the quality of recreational fisheries throughout Florida. Her work involves tapping into angler’s local ecological knowledge and knowledge co-production with fishing guides. Her recent work has focused on the presence of pharmaceuticals in our fisheries and the implications for wastewater management, the health of Floridians and Florida’s valuable estuaries.

This year’s anglers faced tough competition from the weather including cloud cover that made sight fishing challenging. To give an idea of the degree of difficulty between the fish and the weather, only 17 teams out of 76 caught at least two redfish to fill their card. Only 34 teams out of 76 caught at least one redfish. The winner of the tournament was Team Juice consisting of Capt. Greg Peterson and Christopher Dierlam with a total of 68.75 inches. Second place was awarded to Trip Saunders and Sean Kersting of Team TBS Beverage with a total of 63.5 inches. In third place was Tim Metcalf and Marlin Marshall, Team The Other Line with 59.6 inches.

I spoke with Team Juice member Peterson after the tournament awards and he offered this commentary.

“The weather was pretty tough for sight fishing and we never got good visibility once in two days,” Peterson said. “We had a ton of tailing fish pre-fishing on Thursday before the tournament, but they were gone Friday morning probably due to higher water and a south wind pattern. We found one small group of really big fish that were in a couple of potholes and we just had to go super slow. You’re never going to get two of these big, wary fish in a day, but we got one of them each morning. We only caught three fish in two days, but two were the right ones. We were in second after Friday but got our second big fish at 7:05 a.m. Saturday.”

Contact AMI Outfitters locally to book Peterson and many other excellent local guides.

Sponsors were pivotal to this event and the fishing community stepped up to support Tampa Bay Waterkeeper’s mission.

Organizations like Tampa Bay Waterkeeper are on the front line of the defense of our coastal environment and deserve the support of anglers and all those who appreciate the threatened coastal environment. As last year’s guest speaker, Bill Horn, mentioned in his closing statement, “If we don’t do this, we might be the last generation of anglers to have this opportunity.”

Please support these men, women and companies that step up to protect our local waters:

Antonio Castellvi and family

Northeast Marine

Bonefish Tarpon Trust

Ocean Conservancy

MRIC Spatial

Skinny Water Culture

Captains for Clean Water

Costa Del Mar

Carbon Marine

Taylor Freezer

Terracon

Varner Wakefield Equity Partners

East Cape Skiffs

Cayo Boatworks

Borrell Electric

Hells Bay Boatworks

Beavertail Skiff

Floyd Skiff

Chittum Skiffs

Letter to the Editor: Parking lot raises question

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

Reading about the idea of having 90 parking spaces (for 12 months at least) instead of building a hotel might sound weird – but if you can charge $15 per hour for each space – it multiplies!

It raises the question: why not start building? The landowner is normally pretty fast in going forward.

But – this is obviously pure theory – but owning the trailer park on a much better location for a hotel and the fact that the rents were doubled almost immediately after the purchase, could it hypothetically be possible that the plan for the location of the hotel has changed? Could it be possible that the renters of the trailer park will be “friendly forced out?” And that a hotel or another hotel will grow there?

Who knows – the future will show!

 

Daniel Lamprecht

Holmes Beach

Island Players prep for new play

Island Players prep for new play

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

ANNA MARIA – It’s been a historic year for the Island Players. The theater troupe has sold out every performance of their first three plays of the 75th season, a first for Manatee County’s oldest community theater. They hope this trend will continue as preparations begin for the fourth play of the season.

Nails are being hammered and scripts are being rehearsed as the set is under construction and the cast is learning their lines for “Communicating Doors” by Alan Ayckbourn. The play, directed by Players veteran director Preston Boyd, runs from March 7-24.

Jennifer Kwiatkowski (Jessica) and Rick Kopp (Harold) return to the stage after appearing in the season opener, “Farce of Nature.” Joseph Smith, who appeared in this season’s “Later Life,” is back in the role of Julian. The role of Reece is played by Dan Coppinger, who appeared in “The Mousetrap.” New to the Players stage are Kathi Faulkner (Ruella) and Morgan Powis (Phoebe aka Poopay). The two newcomers bring their own special experience in theater to the Island stage. Faulkner has appeared in several area theaters, including Venice and Lemon Bay, and Powis holds a BA in Theater Arts from Flagler College.

In addition to preparing for the next play, the Island Players are once again offering a scholarship of $2,000 each to four graduating seniors in the Manatee County School District who have demonstrated excellence in art, dance or theater who plan to continue to develop these talents at a higher level of education. Anyone interested should download the application form from www.theislandplayers.com. The deadline to apply is Friday, March 15.

Email questions to scholarshipcommittee@theislandplayers.org.

Sato Real Estate dominates gridiron

Sato Real Estate dominates gridiron

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

ANNA MARIA – Despite the rain and chill, the Island area youth had fun playing flag football at The Center of Anna Maria Island on Friday. Kicking off the night’s action, team Sato Real Estate took the Solid Rock Construction squad to task, winning 30-6.

Solid Rock’s loss was not without effort by the skilled squad, but the plays just were not going the team’s way.

Sato Real Estate’s quarterback, Brandon Sato, smartly led his team down the football field to score 24 offensive points. Sato threw for three touchdowns to Grayson Cohen and had a rushing TD of his own.

Undoubtedly the game’s standout player, Sato also made his mark on the other side of the football with nine flag pulls. Teammate Grayson Cohen had three flag pulls on the Solid Rock offense.

Defensively, Silas Whitehead and Will Breslin each had a stop. Whitehead added to his game stats with a pick-six, taking his interception into the Solid Rock endzone.

Team Solid Rock Construction scored their six points on a rushing touchdown by Matthew Darak. To add to his TD, Darak had one reception and a single flag pull.

Jedi “JJ” Smith had the hot hands for Solid Rock with seven catches. He helped on defense with a critical stop.

Teammate Elijah Roadman had a flag pull and reception against the tough Sato Real Estate team.

Rounding out the 8- to 10-year-old flag football action, team Adrian Griffin Interiors defeated Beach House Waterfront Restaurant 39-6. In closer match-ups, the Moss Builders squad earned their seven-point touchdown against Cheesecake Cuties winning 19-12.

Closing out last Monday night’s action, team AMI Coconuts’ 7-6 win kept the Chick-fil-A team looking for their first victory. Moss Builders remained undefeated, with three teams chasing them with a 3-1 record.

Heading toward the playoffs, the top seed is still up for grabs.

SUN SCOREBOARD

FEB. 5

YOUTH FLAG FOOTBALL

8- TO 10-YEAR-OLD LEAGUE – WEEK 4

Adrian Griffin Interiors (3-1) 39

Beach House Waterfront Restaurant (1-3) 6

 

 

Moss Builders (4-0) 19

Cheesecake Cuties (3-1) 12

 

 

Sato Real Estate (3-1) 30

Solid Rock Construction (1-3) 6

 

 

AMI Coconuts (1-3) 7

Chick-fil-A (0-4) 6

 

 

FEB. 6

YOUTH FLAG FOOTBALL

11- TO 14-YEAR-OLD LEAGUE – WEEK 4

 

Wings N Things (1-3) 35

HSH Design (1-3) 12

 

 

Solid Rock Air Conditioning (3-1) 38

Progressive Cabinetry (2-2) 24

 

 

Moss Builders (4-0) 43

Freckled Fin (0-4) 20

 

 

Solid Rock Electrical (3-1) 34

Shady Lady Horticultural Services (2-2) 21

 

FEB. 8

ADULT CO-ED INDOOR SOCCER – WEEK 2

 

Sato Real Estate 7

Servis 1st Bank 6

 

 

Pool America 7

Mi-Box 7

 

 

Bucky Construction 11

Slim’s Place 9

 

 

ADULT CO-ED FLAG FOOTBALL – WEEK 4

 

Solid Rock Construction (3-1) 21

Edible Cookie Dough Café (0-4) 14

 

 

Slim’s Place (2-2) 32

Moss Builders (2-2) 23

 

 

Floridian Mortgage (3-1) 54

Gulf Drive Café (1-3) 22

 

 

Sandbar Seafood & Spirits (3-1) 32

Salty Printing (2-2) 14

NFL bucket list accomplished

NFL bucket list accomplished

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

Super Bowl LVIII last Sunday marks the close of another National Football League season, a big day for professional football fans everywhere. For Anna Maria Island resident Tom Curtin, the season checked the final boxes on his journey to professional football stadiums everywhere.

On Jan. 7, Curtin achieved his goal of attending a home team game for each of the 32 teams in the NFL. Bank of America Stadium was the setting of the Carolina Panthers-Tampa Bay Buccaneers game where Curtin completed his daunting mission.

As an avid traveler and Bucs fan, the January game in Charlotte, accompanied by his girlfriend, Laura Fri, was the 13th stadium for Curtin in the 2023-2024 season.

Growing up in Boston, Curtin’s first NFL game was a New England Patriots game played at Harvard Stadium in 1970.

NFL bucket list accomplished
Attending the 13th and final game in the Bank of America Stadium, Curtin accomplished his bucket list goal accompanied by Laura Fri on Jan. 7, when the Tampa Bay Bucs defeated the Carolina Panthers. – Submitted

Curtin’s destiny was set in 2007 when he started visiting different NFL stadiums, attending several games a year.

Owning his Island condo since the mid-80s, retirement allowed Curtin to become a full-time resident this past June. His April 2023 retirement was a game changer for him, allowing him to map out his plan to accomplish his goal at the Bucs-Panthers match-up.

The road to accomplishing his goal this year was not without its scheduling challenges. Attending a game in San Francisco on Sept. 21 followed by the Seattle Seahawks game on Sept. 24, only to fly home for the Monday night Bucs game on Sept. 25 was Curtin’s biggest logistical challenge.

A similar itinerary put him in Buffalo, New York on Oct. 26, traveling to watch the Colts on Oct. 29, then to Detroit for the Lions game the following night.

A schedule not for the faint of heart, crazy travel planning made Curtin’s bucket list accomplishment possible.

When asked which of the 30 stadiums is his favorite, other than Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, and Raymond James Stadium, home of the Bucs, Tom said, “Allegiant Stadium in Vegas… a first-class stadium all-around.”

With fond memories, Lambeau Field, home to the Green Bay Packers, is also one of his favorite stadiums because of its rich history and memories of a stadium tour with his oldest son.

Among his other travel and sports event experiences, Curtin completed his goal of attending a professional baseball game in every Major League Baseball stadium in 2015 at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas.

Despite attending big sporting events around the world, attending the NBA All-Stars game is one of the few things still left on his list of things to do.

North Carolina may have been where Curtin watched the Bucs defeat the Panthers 9-0 and put a cap on this mission, but it certainly will not be his last big travel plan or goal.

‘Gulf, The Making of an American Sea’

Reel Time: ‘Gulf, The Making of an American Sea’

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

This article originally appeared in Reel Time in 2018. It’s republished here, (with revisions) because I think the message it imparts has never been more relevant. Respect and action to protect this amazing marine biosphere that surrounds us have never been more necessary or compelling. This formative work of history made me see this land where I have lived for over four decades with new eyes. I wanted to share it again.

“The real voyage of discovery consists not of seeking new lands but of seeing with new eyes.” – Marcel Proust

As I read Jack Davis’s new novel, “Gulf, The Making of An American Sea,” the quote by the seminal French novelist Marcel Proust came to mind.

Having lived on Florida’s Gulf Coast for close to 40 years and been privileged to explore its rivers, bays and enigmatic estuaries, I have been captivated by its beauty and the fish that swim in its waters. Being immersed in this wonderland had to some extent clouded my sensibilities by a familiarity of place. Reading “Gulf” shined a clearer light on what we have, what we’ve lost and the importance of protecting its treasures for future generations.

Davis’s novel begins 150 million years ago when the geological forces of an evolving earth began shaping the Gulf we know today.In part one, he introduces us to the Calusa in Florida and the Karankawa who inhabited present-day Texas, original natives of “one of the largest estuarine regions in the world, encompassing more than 200 estuaries and occupying nearly 8 million acres.”

The book then traces the impact of the early Spanish explorers who led the way for the French and British. The descriptions of the vast schools of fish and flocks of birds that would “blacken the sky” hint at the incredible diversity and density of marine life and wildlife that once inhabited the Gulf and its estuaries.

In a chapter entitled, “The Wild Fish That Tamed the Coast,” Davis recounts how the tarpon, not warm weather and white sand beaches, brought the first tourists to Florida. The records are unclear about who took the first tarpon with a rod and reel. Some say it was New York Architect William Halsey Wood fishing in Pine Island Sound in 1885. Others claim it was Anthony Weston Dimock with a fish he caught at the mouth of the Homosassa River.

Whoever the angler, that first tarpon was the impetus that introduced wealthy adventurers, artists and, indirectly, a wave of tourists to the Gulf Coast.

In subsequent chapters, the influx of humans into the Gulf region begins a period of intense exploitation in the 1800s that continues to this day. Davis recounts records of armed tourist passengers on the Ocklawaha River that shot birds and wildlife indiscriminately for sport. At the same time, the plume trade was responsible for the killing of huge numbers of birds Gulf-wide. In 1902, one trade house reported an inventory of 50,000 ounces of feathers. At about that time, ornithologist Frank Chapman spent two afternoons walking Manhattan’s retail district counting 542 feathered hats representing 174 species of birds. During this same period, the harvesting of eggs from seabird nests exacerbated the decline of the once vast flocks of birds. Davis paints a picture with words that make it hard to overstate the effects of this dark period. Fortunately, this gloomy picture was illuminated by the outcry from conservationists and birders. As a result, bird sanctuaries were set aside by an executive order from President Theodore Roosevelt for the protection of birds and chapters of the National Audubon Society were born, including the Florida chapter in 1900. During that period, TR fostered the creation of 51 bird reservations, including Passage Key at the mouth of Tampa Bay.

As the history of the Gulf unfolded, the exploitation moved from birds to oil and then chemicals that devastated the coastal estuaries of Louisiana and Mississippi. Davis then recounts the effects of pulp mills, oil spills and hurricanes before the rush of development that resulted in massive dredge and fill operations. This rush to the Gulf’s coastal areas scoured seagrasses from bay bottoms and leveled thousands of acres of marshes and mangroves to create the islands and communities we know today as Marco Island, Cape Coral, Bird Key and Tierra Verde.

While much of the book centers on the degradation of the Gulf and its bays, estuaries and barrier islands, it also points out its resilience and serves as a cautionary tale of the importance of protecting, preserving and enhancing it today. “Gulf, The Making of an American Sea” opened my eyes to a paradise that still surrounds us, a paradise that’s beckoning us to see it with new eyes.

In love with luxury

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

Happy Valentine’s Day! Every year this day is put aside for the lovers of the world and the greeting card companies. But this year, deep-pocket lovers have even more to be in love with, since luxury real estate has a new benchmark of an outrageous $100 million.

Granted, this number isn’t for everyone. In fact, only 5% of the overall housing market is defined as luxury, but we can all dream, can’t we? Based on how quickly Anna Maria properties have increased in value over the past three years, why shouldn’t $100 million be the new norm for a narrow percentage of the population?

According to The Wall Street Journal, since 2020, at least 24 homes nationwide have traded for $100 million and up. Florida has had a dramatic increase in nine-figure transactions in recent years. Since 2020, three homes over $100 million have changed hands in New York City compared with six in and around Palm Beach. Tampa is also benefiting from the ultrarich due to the lack of available luxury properties in the Miami area. Tampa’s sales have been boosted by 35.8% in the luxury market during the third quarter of 2023 compared with the same period last year, bringing in buyers who were disappointed with the availability of high-end homes on the east coast of Florida.

In 2023, there was a record set for a sale in Florida of $170 million. A broker selling high-end properties in Palm Beach said there are more billionaires than there are oceanfront estates to sell them. Don’t get too comfortable with the $100 million benchmark, $200 million is waiting in the wings as the number of billionaires around the world grows. There were 3,194 billionaires in 2023, up from 2,170 in 2013, according to the wealth research firm Wealth X.

The ultra-rich aren’t much different from any buyer. Not comfortable with the higher interest rates, especially for jumbo loans, they’re using cash to buy their estates. These cash buyers are propping up the overall real estate market, shifting from a downturn in late 2021. According to Redfin, the median luxury sale price during the third quarter of 2023 rose 9% year-over-year to $1.1 million, almost three times the annual jump for nonluxury homes, which rose only 3.3% during the same period. The median price is the mid-point of sale prices; half of the sales are above and half are below.

Redfin also reports that 42.5% of luxury buyers paid cash during the third quarter of 2023 compared to 34.6% during the same period the previous year. In the third quarter of 2023, only 28% of nonluxury homes sold for cash. In addition, inventory of luxury homes rose 2.9% during the third quarter of 2023 compared to a decline of 20.8% for nonluxury homes nationwide.

If there’s a lesson to be learned here, it’s that wealthy people watch their money the same as the rest of us and use cash if the numbers make sense. It also means that it’s far better to be rich and have the option of an all-cash offer on a property.

Be careful, the ultrarich will be coming for your home when the inventory of appropriate billionaire estates runs out, and Anna Maria Island is prime for their next stop. Nevertheless, the Gulf of Mexico that we all love is the same whether your home is a cottage for $1 million or a sprawling estate for $100 million. Luxury is in the eye of the beholder.

Year in Review: Tourism

Tourist tax collections reveal mixed results in AMI’s cities

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

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Tourism in the city of Anna Maria was up in all 12 months of 2023 over 2022, according to tourist tax collection statistics from the Manatee County Tax Collector’s Office.

The Island’s other two cities did not experience the same boon.

Bradenton Beach tourist tax collections were down in every month but August, which showed approximately a 3% increase from August 2022.

In Holmes Beach, tourist tax collections were down in every month but September, which showed no change, and October, which showed approximately an 8% increase from October 2022.

Anna Maria brought in $3,070,039 in tourist tax collections in 2023, up 20.3% from $2,552,183 in 2022.

Bradenton Beach tourist tax collections totaled $1,620,837 in 2023, down 6% from $1,724,637 in 2022.

Holmes Beach brought in the lion’s share at $7,816,520 last year, down 13.6% from $9,045,714 in 2022.

The tourist tax is one of the most accurate indicators of whether tourism has increased, decreased, or remained steady from year to year.

Each month, Manatee County’s 5% tourist tax is collected from owners of accommodations rented for six months or less who charge the tax to their renters, in most cases, tourists.

About 50% of the tax proceeds are allocated to Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau tourism marketing efforts, with 20% allocated to beach renourishment. The tax also partially funds tourism-related attractions such as the Bradenton Beach and Anna Maria piers.

2023 Manatee County tourist tax collections compared to 2022

 

JANUARY

Anna Maria up 12%

Bradenton Beach down 3%

Holmes Beach down 24%

Manatee County up 27%

FEBRUARY

Anna Maria up 36%

Bradenton Beach down 2%

Holmes Beach down 7%

Manatee County up 19%

MARCH

Anna Maria up 26%

Bradenton Beach down 6%

Holmes Beach down 5%

Manatee County up 21%

APRIL

Anna Maria up 29%

Bradenton Beach down 3%

Holmes Beach down 10%

Manatee County up 12%

MAY

Anna Maria up 18%

Bradenton Beach down 6%

Holmes Beach down 11%

Manatee County up 8%

JUNE

Anna Maria up 18%

Bradenton Beach down 4%

Holmes Beach down 11%

Manatee County up 11%

JULY

Anna Maria up 21%

Bradenton Beach down 17%

Holmes Beach down 14%

Manatee County down 2%

AUGUST

Anna Maria up 33%

Bradenton Beach up 3%

Holmes Beach down 5%

Manatee County up 11%

SEPTEMBER

Anna Maria up 16%

Bradenton Beach down 3%

Holmes Beach 0%

Manatee County down 10%

OCTOBER

Anna Maria up 10%

Bradenton Beach down 14%

Holmes Beach up 8%

Manatee County down 30%

NOVEMBER

Anna Maria up 15%

Bradenton Beach down 1%

Holmes Beach down 1%

Manatee County down 16%

DECEMBER

Anna Maria up 6%

Bradenton Beach down 15%

Holmes Beach down 14%

Manatee County down 12%

 

Source: Manatee County Tax Collector’s Office