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Tag: Anna Maria Island

Adrian Griffin Interiors bests Moss Builders

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

ANNA MARIA – With no adult indoor soccer play last week, the sports focus on Anna Maria Island was flag football. Ending February with youth gridiron action and starting the month of March with adult flag football play, the Island’s community center moves into round one of the playoffs this week.

In the 8- to 10-year-old league, team Sato Real Estate had a smooth game against AMI Coconuts, winning 34-6. Brandon Sato made his mark with two throwing touchdowns and running himself for two.

Teammate Grayson Cohen scored 14 points, catching for two TDs from Sato and successfully finding the end zone for a one- and a two-point conversion against the AMI Coconuts defense.

Bodhi Silenzi put his mark on the game with a big point after, adding to the Sato Real Estate scoring.

For AMI Coconuts, Paul ten Haaf threw for a touchdown to Camden Rudacille. Ten Haaf finished the game with three flag pulls and an interception. Rudacille added to his game stats with two defensive stops.

In a surprising loss to Adrian Griffin Interiors, the younger Moss Builders team had their first loss of the season by a single touchdown. Jordan Steele hit Silas deWitt for the single team score for six points. Steele and DeWitt had three big interceptions to stop the Moss offense.

Moss’ offense just could not click and did not find the endzone in the regular season closer.

In the third game of the week, the Cheesecake Cuties team defeated the Beach House Waterfront Restaurant squad by a touchdown. QB Jermaine Goode threw two touchdowns for Beach House, with the ball finding Leo Tyler and Asher Patel. Defensively, Aiden Guess and Tyler each read the play of the Cheesecake Cuties QB for interceptions.

Patel put five flag pulls into the record books for Beach House, helping to keep the game close despite the loss.

Team Chick-fil-A eked out the three-point win against Solid Rock Construction. Quarterback Prince Izear threw for two touchdowns, both to Ruby Kesten.

Parker Svoboda and Kesten each added one point to the scoreboard with a point after the team’s TD.

Nolan Anderson scored on the ground for Chick-fil-A finding the endzone.

Rushing the football for 18 points, Matthew Darak and Carson Long ran for three touchdowns, two by Darak. Jedi Smith had a one-point conversion, contributing to the Solid Rock scoring.

Defensively, the Solid Rock crew held their own and kept the team solidly in the game with a total of 20 flag pulls. Stops by Eligh Roadman, Darak, Long and Smith helped make it a three-point win for the Chick-fil-A team.

The middle schoolers in the 11- to 14-year-old league had four high-scoring games with plenty of action to close the regular season. With the final score of 38-37, HSH Design beat Progressive Cabinetry.

Tanner Miller threw for six touchdowns, splitting the catches between Landyn Dowell and Kaleb Romagnino. Dowell and Romagnino each had a point after conversion for a total of two points.

On defense, in addition to the team’s 17 stops, Daniel Lukens sacked Kellan Hunt, Progressive Cabinetry QB. Teammate Sterling Holiday broke up the opponent’s offensive drive with a beautiful interception.

On the other side of the football, the Progressive Cabinetry team played hard and held their own. Hunt finished the game with five touchdown passes, splitting them between Braxton Anderson, Jackson Goodhue and Jack McCarthy.

Scoring one point for his team after a critical touchdown, Theo Aupelle was Hunt’s successful target. McCarthy and Hunt each had two interceptions against the HSH offense, along with one for six points by McCarthy.

Turner Worth was the offensive option for Moss Builders, throwing for one TD, mixing up the plays along with QB Mason Moss. Moss added an interception to his game status. Also working on defense, Solid Rock Electrical’s Estella Long had an amazing game. Long finished with four catches and three defensive stops. In addition, Long had her own pick six of an interception of a Moss Builders’ throw.

The Solid Rock scoring included a touchdown from Charlie Serra to Dominik Zupa, as well as an additional one-point conversion by Elijah Casciani.

With solid flag football action in the three leagues, the semifinal games next week should continue to entertain players, friends and families at The Center.

 

 

SUN SCOREBOARD

 

FEB. 26

 

YOUTH FLAG FOOTBALL

8- TO 10-YEAR-OLD LEAGUE – WEEK 7

 

 

#3 Sato Real Estate (5-2) 34

#8 AMI Coconuts (1-6) 6

 

 

#4 Adrian Griffin Interiors (5-2) 6

#1 Moss Builders (6-1) 0

 

 

#2 Cheesecake Cuties (6-1) 18

#7 Beach House Waterfront Restaurant (1-6) 12

 

 

#5 Chick-fil-A (2-5) 22

#6 Solid Rock Construction (2-5) 19

 

 

FEB. 27

YOUTH FLAG FOOTBALL

11- TO 14-YEAR-OLD LEAGUE – WEEK 7

 

 

#5 HSH Design (3-4) 38

#6 Progressive Cabinetry (2-5) 37

 

 

#1 Moss Builders (7-0) 35

#4 Solid Rock Electrical (4-3) 14

 

 

#3 Solid Rock Air Conditioning (5-2) 24

#7 Wings N Things (2-5) 22

 

 

#2 Shady Lady Horticultural Services (5-2) 52

#8 Freckled Fin (0-7) 6

 

 

FEB. 29

ADULT CO-ED FLAG FOOTBALL – WEEK 7

 

 

#7 Gulf Drive Café (2-5) 27

#3 Sandbar Seafood & Spirits (4-3) 14

 

 

#2 Moss Builders (5-2) 34

#5 Solid Rock Construction (4-3) 29

 

 

#1 Floridian Mortgage (6-1) 32

#4 Salty Printing (4-3) 13

 

 

#6 Slim’s Place (3-4) 57

#8 Edible Cookie Dough Café (0-7) 33

Winter of the big freeze

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

You should have warmed up from the unusually cold Florida winter. Now the question is, has the housing market unfrozen? The entire country has been gripped in an exceptionally cold and stormy winter, including sections of the south like Texas, Tennessee, Georgia and, of course, Florida. In January, more than 93 million people across the country were under windchill advisories as low temperatures stretched both north and south.

We don’t know yet what effect the cold Florida weather has had on the tourist season; it could work both ways. However, make no mistake about it, weather during the winter in the northern states has a profound effect not only on our tourist market but also on our real estate market.

The success of the Florida real estate market depends to a good degree on the northern markets and their ability to sell their homes. True, falling mortgage rates have encouraged home shopping activity in January, bringing buyers back in the market, but first they must get here, and many of our buyers are frozen in place.

Since last year was the worst year for existing home sales since 1995, anything will look good. It’s predicted that home purchases won’t return to normal levels unless mortgage rates fall further. A rate below 6% is a key level to attract more buyers and, despite the recent increase in activity, we are far from a healthy housing market. A lower mortgage rate will also likely attract current homeowners who want to move up or down but feel frozen, that word again, at their ultra-low mortgage rates.

On Anna Maria Island, the number of available listings compared to those pending are as follows as of this writing:

Anna Maria has 112 properties available and six pending. Listing prices range from a low of $895,000 to a high of $12,000,000.

The combined cities of Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach have 217 properties available and 40 pending. Listing prices range from $100,000 to $31,750,000.

Cortez has 19 properties available and seven pending. The listing prices range from $595,000 to $1,900,000.

Keep in mind available and pending properties are just a snapshot in time. The figures can change daily and frequently do, nevertheless, it’s still interesting to see the movement of the real estate market.

The above numbers represent properties ranging from building lots, boat slips, mobile homes, condos, single-family homes and duplexes. And it clearly explains what a diverse area we’re living in with a wide range of price points and the choice of lifestyles available.

Listings are up and we’ve been waiting for that to happen so that’s the good news. Let’s hope when the thaw comes, so will the buyers. I’ll leave it to you to interpret these numbers however you like. Typically, the busy selling months are March, April and May before the real buyers go back north, so let’s assume our market is only experiencing a temporary pause.

The country is thawing out and we certainly are too. In our typically strong selling season, the time when lookers turn into buyers is still ahead. After the thaw, the statistics will tell the real story about the effects of the winter of 2024.

Garden Club named Distinguished Citizens of the Year

Garden Club named Distinguished Citizens of the Year

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

ANNA MARIA – The Anna Maria Island Garden Club is the winner of the city’s Distinguished Citizens of the Year award.

The club will receive its award during the March 14 city commission meeting that begins at 2 p.m.

The annual award selection process is guided by a 2010 city resolution that states, “The purpose of this committee is to recognize citizens of the city of Anna Maria who have made outstanding contributions to the community of Anna Maria.”

Each year, the mayor and commission appoint a Citizens Recognition Committee that considers the nominations and declares a winner.

On Feb. 29, the two-member committee consisting of Duncan Real Estate owner Darcie Duncan and former Anna Maria Commissioner Doug Copeland met for the first and only time, joined by Mayor Dan Murphy, Deputy Clerk Fran Berrios and semi-retired city employee Debbie Haynes.

The nominees also included To Inform Families First (TIFF) founder Christine Olson and a joint nomination of the Island’s two weekly newspapers, The Anna Maria Island Sun and The Islander.

City Commission Chair Mark Short nominated the Garden Club, where his wife, Pat, is an active member. The nomination form notes the AMI Garden Club has 120 members, focuses on beautification and education projects throughout the Island, and has improved City Pier Park in Anna Maria by co-funding the installation of two wind sculptures. The club recently initiated a similar wind sculpture installation in Holmes Beach and has another planned for Bradenton Beach.

Garden Club named Distinguished Citizens of the Year
The AMI Garden Club recently assisted with a wind sculpture installation in Holmes Beach. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Bradenton resident Amy Hill nominated Olson, who in 2005 lost her 22-year-old daughter, Tiffany, in a motorcycle accident. The accident occurred 15 minutes from Olson’s home, but it took law enforcement more than six hours to notify her of the fatal accident. This inspired her to create the To Inform Families First (TIFF) emergency contact system that utilizes emergency contacts associated with a person’s driver’s license or state identification card. First implemented in Florida, the TIFF program is now in place in more than a dozen states. Olson also spent many years working at the Rod & Reel Pier while living in Anna Maria.

Garden Club named Distinguished Citizens of the Year
To Inform Families First founder Christine Olson was among the nominees. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

“Christine used the personal tragedy of the death of her daughter to create TIFF. Christine worked hard to create a solution that allows families to receive more timely notification in an emergency,” the nomination form says.

In their nomination of the two Island newspapers, John Kolojeski and Suzanne Seiter stated, “In this era when over 2,500 weekly publications have gone out of business around the U.S. over the last 20 years, our little community here on Anna Maria Island has not one, but two, thriving weekly publications filling all the needs of the community. Both papers have excellent journalists who should be working at major publications. We get opinions on the important political issues affecting the Island, as well as current events, sports, entertainment and environmental updates. People tend to take a newspaper for granted until it’s gone someday.”

SELECTION PROCESS

Before reviewing the nominations and selecting this year’s winner, Copeland and Duncan questioned the inclusion of organizations and businesses as nominees.

“On first reading, I said none of these people qualify. I think the resolution should be changed if we’re going to include businesses and organizations,” Copeland said.

“That’s exactly what I thought,” Duncan said.

Copeland said he was okay selecting a winner that day, but he and Duncan agreed the city commission should amend the resolution and clarify the eligibility requirements before appointing next year’s selection committee.

“That’s a good point and we can clear it up and rewrite the resolution,” Murphy said of the 2010 document that dates back to Mike Selby’s time as mayor.

Murphy noted the resolution doesn’t define what a citizen is and he said Roser Church and The Anna Maria Island Sun are among the five organizations or non-residents that previously won the award.

“Recognizing them for the work they’ve done for this city is what this is all about,” Murphy said.

Murphy noted the Garden Club is based in the city and many Anna Maria residents are members, including club president Kathleen Morgan, who also serves as a city commissioner.

Regarding the newspaper nominations, Copeland said, “I would lean more towards a club than a business, especially since both are located in the city of Holmes Beach – even though they do a good job for the citizens of Anna Maria.”

After noting Olson no longer lives on the Island or works at the Rod & Reel Pier, Copeland said, “That leaves the Garden Club. That would be my choice.”

Garden Club named Distinguished Citizens of the Year
Darcie Duncan, Mayor Dan Murphy, Doug Copeland and Debbie Haynes discussed the Distinguished Citizens of the Year selection process. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Duncan praised all the nominees and agreed the club best meets the criteria outlined in the resolution. After noting that the Garden Club hosted its annual fundraising fashion show at The Center the previous day, Duncan said a lot of people don’t realize how much the Garden Club does for the city. Copeland said the club’s members made landscaping improvements to City Pier Park and Murphy said the club has advised the city about landscape maintenance, pruning and native vegetation.

After declaring the Garden Club as this year’s winner, Copeland said, “Personally, I’d like to see more citizens receive it. We’ve got so few citizens. It would be nice to recognize them.”

Editorial: Strange changes

Written by Sun staff on . Posted in Editorial, Opinion.

Anna Maria Island beachgoers lost their beloved fishing pier at Manatee Beach in 2009. There were some good reasons; principally, it was a safety hazard due to its deteriorating condition, lifeguards said. But for those who remember learning to surf there, it was like a death.

Within the next three months, the Island is about to lose the beloved treehouse at Angelino’s Sea Lodge. There are some good reasons for that too – for one, the owners never got a permit from the city of Holmes Beach before building it. But fans who come back year after year always ask the same thing: “Is the treehouse still here?”

Last week, we lost the beloved red train caboose at Anna Maria Elementary School, which for nearly 40 years was the school’s unofficial mascot (the official mascot is the dolphin). There was again a good reason; it was deteriorating due to the salt air.

Old Australian pines were recently removed on Coquina Beach, leaving pedestrians in the sun instead of the shade, but the good reason was that their roots were buckling the sidewalk.

Pines Trailer Park residents in Bradenton Beach – and many islanders – fear losing the old-Florida-style park now that new, development-minded owners have purchased it. Progress may be a good reason to some, but not so good to others.

Losing the Gregg Allman-era vibe on Bridge Street in Bradenton Beach with the recent demolition of the historic Magnolia Inn and several other buildings soon to be replaced with a bigger, better hotel – ditto.

When they got rid of the automobile ferry to Anna Maria Island after the first bridge to the island was built – which happened within the lifetime of some elders who are still with us – those folks shook their heads, but they faced the strange changes.

Y’all, listen up.

The only constant in life is change.

Sometimes, it’s for a good reason. Sometimes, a bad one. Sometimes, it’s for an anguished but necessary reason, like using the nuclear bomb to end WWII. Sometimes, it’s for a selfish reason. Sometimes, a greedy reason. Sometimes, for no apparent reason at all.

Back in the day, Anna Maria Island used to be pronounced Anna “Mar-eye-ah” Island. That changed too.

Love AMI now, because – like everything else in life – we will eventually lose what we thought it was to the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. And again and again, we will have to let it go.

Ferry service now includes Thursdays

Ferry service now includes Thursdays

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

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The Gulf Islands Ferry service that features stops in Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach and downtown Bradenton now operates on Thursdays too, as of Thursday, Feb. 29. The ferries now run Thursday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., weather permitting.

“As we press forward with the Gulf Islands Ferry service, it’s imperative we increase the availability to accommodate our residents and visitors during peak season,” Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Elliott Falcione said in a county-issued press release.

“Adding Thursdays allows those in the Bradenton area to have four days per week to enjoy our stops in downtown Bradenton, the Anna Maria City Pier and the historic Bridge Street Pier in Bradenton Beach,” Falcione said.

Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge said, “This is part of our continued commitment to boost multi-modal transportation in our community, helping families spend less time in traffic and more time together.”

For information on times, tickets and scheduling, call 941-357-2587, text 727-200-6487 or visit the Gulf Islands Ferry website.

Jewfish seeks fewer restrictions

Jewfish seeks fewer restrictions

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

JEWFISH KEY – The proposed de-annexation from the Town of Longboat Key of homes on Jewfish Key could potentially open the door there for the less restrictive short-term rental policies of unincorporated Manatee County.

Jewfish Key is currently zoned for residential use.

“In general, unless a property is zoned for tourism uses, minimum stays are required to be for a month or more,” Allen Parsons, director of the Longboat Key Planning, Zoning and Building Department wrote in an email to The Sun.

Manatee County has no short-term residential or vacation rental ordinances.

Parsons said that 22 properties would be impacted by de-annexation.

The town is conducting a feasibility study, which Parsons defined: “Per the Florida Statutes, a “feasibility study” means an analysis conducted by qualified staff or consultants of the economic, market, technical, financial and management feasibility of the proposed de-annexation.”

The Jewfish Key Preservation Collective (JKPC) presented the de-annexation petition to the town on Dec. 19, 2023 with the goal of disengaging from the town’s boundaries.

Attorney Aaron Thomas, of the Bradenton-based Najmy Thompson law firm, is representing the applicants. An email request from The Sun for comment was answered with the response that Thomas had no comment. JKPC President Michael Mincberg is listed as a principal in Sight Development, a Tampa-based multi-family development company. Mincberg did not respond to The Sun’s email request for comment.

City settles Kaleta lawsuits

City settles Kaleta lawsuits

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

HOLMES BEACH – City leaders may not be completely happy with the terms, but a settlement agreement has been reached between them and developer Shawn Kaleta concerning the Bali Hai Beach Resort, Islands West and the developer’s properties at the Coconuts Beach Resort.

Commissioners voted unanimously on Feb. 27 to approve the agreement reached during a recent shade (private) meeting, bringing to an end several different lawsuits. As a part of the agreement, each party is responsible for their own legal fees.

“Our position as a city is compliance,” Mayor Judy Titsworth said. “We felt really strongly on our side that regardless of where this took us, we didn’t have a site plan on Bali Hai. That’s why it was so important to me number one, to move on, but also to address all the different properties and have closure and compliance and something to move forward with.”

“It’s a fresh start and I think it’s good for both of us,” Commissioner Terry Schaefer said.

BALI HAI

In resolving the code compliance and permitting issues with the Bali Hai, the settlement agreement states that city leaders will cancel any outstanding fines and refund any fines already paid. In return, Kaleta agreed to submit a site plan for the property at 6900 Gulf Drive to the city’s building department within seven days to be processed as a minor site plan review.

City leaders also agree to review and sign off on any liquor license request for the hotel.

The hotel’s ownership also agrees to obtain any necessary after-the-fact permits needed for construction on the property.

Titsworth said that she was happy that the city will finally have a full site plan on file for the hotel.

COCONUTS BEACH RESORT

Regarding three units at the Coconuts Beach Resort, both parties agree to disagree on length of stay, however they agree that the units are allowed to be legally rented on a nightly basis. In return for Kaleta dismissing related lawsuits, city leaders agree to refund all code enforcement fines and administrative costs paid due to code compliance special magistrate hearings.

ISLANDS WEST

The Islands West property at 3605 Gulf Drive received legally nonconforming status as a result of the settlement, allowing the eight units on the property to be rented on a nightly basis. City leaders agreed to refund all fines and waive any unpaid fines incurred for renting the units on a nightly basis.

Kaleta and city leaders also agreed to issue a joint statement to be printed in both Anna Maria Island newspapers at the city’s expense. The statement, bearing both Kaleta’s and Titsworth’s names, states, “The city of Holmes Beach and Mr. Shawn T. Kaleta wish to publicly express their shared regret concerning any real or perceived animosity or ill-will between them. Although the current mayor and commissioners do not believe they have personally acted in this regard, no favor is gained by any city employee or official treating Mr. Kaleta or his partners and related entities differently than anyone else or unequally and targeting Mr. Kaleta and his properties will not be permitted as may have happened in the past. No benefit is gained by violating the city’s ordinances or performing work without appropriate permits. Compliance with all applicable statues, ordinances and regulations is expected of every citizen, property owner, business, visitor and the city. The city and Mr. Kaleta are committed to moving forward to working together to balance and advance the interests of all the city’s residents, visitors, tourists, businesses, property owners and stakeholders.”

Attorney Jay Diagnault, representing the city, said his office would monitor the actionable items in the agreement to make sure all of the terms of the settlement are properly executed.

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