Red tide is forecast to be high in the air and water around Anna Maria Island through at least Saturday, Nov. 3, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) reports today.
The Oct. 31 report shows high concentrations of red tide in water samples collected on Oct. 29 at Cortez Beach and Longboat Pass boat ramp, both in Bradenton Beach, with medium concentrations at the Rod and Reel Pier in Anna Maria and at Perico Island.
Water samples taken on Monday, Oct. 29 show high and medium levels of red tide around Anna Maria Island.
Gov. Rick Scott announced today that $765,000 will go toward funding additional FWC scientists and field and laboratory equipment to support efforts to mitigate the impacts of red tide, and that the Florida Department of Environmental Protection has committed nearly $1.3 million in grant funding to Atlantic coast communities to support efforts to mitigate the impacts of red tide.
Respiratory irritation was reported Oct. 18-23 and Oct. 25 at Coquina Beach (Bradenton Beach) and Oct. 18, Oct. 20-21 and Oct. 23-25 at Manatee Beach (Holmes Beach).
Fish kills also were reported in Manatee County over the past week.
Background concentrations of red tide cause no anticipated effects. Low levels can cause respiratory irritation, shellfish harvesting closures and possible fish kills. Medium levels can cause respiratory irritation, shellfish harvesting closures and probable fish kills. High levels can cause all of the above, plus water discoloration.
Red tide is a type of algae that emits a neurotoxin when it blooms. Deadly to fish, sea turtles, marine mammals and shorebirds that feed on affected fish, red tide makes shellfish unfit to eat, and can cause respiratory irritation in people, especially those with asthma, COPD or other respiratory diseases.
The toxic algae bloom has been spreading in the southwest Gulf of Mexico for the past year, reaching Anna Maria Island in early August. It was detected in Florida’s east coast waters early this month.
CORTEZ – Newfoundland residents Pat Mooney and Cathy Tucker visit Florida every year and their first stay in the Cortez and Anna Maria Island area is coming to an end.
The couple of 14 years has spent the past month at the Holiday Cove RV Resort in Cortez. Staying there has allowed them to explore Cortez and Anna Maria Island by bicycle, which is their preferred mode of transportation while vacationing in the Sunshine State.
For the past 10-12 years, the couple has vacationed each spring at a rented condominium in Siesta Key. Now retired, they decided to try something new this fall in anticipation of a longer stay next spring.
The couple left Whitbourne – in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador – on Sept. 24 with their 29-foot Springdale travel trailer in tow. On the way down they stopped in Maine, Massachusetts (so they could bicycle around Martha’s Vineyard), Virginia and Savannah, Ga. Three thousand miles later, they arrived in Cortez on Oct. 1.
Newfoundlanders Pat Mooney and Cathy Tucker have everything they need at their space at Holiday Cove. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Mooney and Tucker discovered Anna Maria Island and the nearby Holiday Cove RV resort about five years ago during a day trip on a rented scooter they rode from Siesta Key.
“We kept coming back to check it out and last year we brought the motorcycle,” Mooney said of their past explorations.
“We wanted to try out this beautiful park,” Tucker said of their current excursion.
Mooney said he loves Holiday Cove’s cleanliness, amenities, pool, lush vegetation and the canal behind their rented space.
“We’ll be back,” he said.
“It’s our home away from home,” Tucker said of the travel trailer that also served as their home while their new house in Newfoundland was being built.
“It’s nice to sleep in your own bed and have your own space,” Mooney said.
“There are lots of great restaurants here that we haven’t experienced yet because we can cook and grill here,” Tucker added.
“Siesta Key is beautiful, but I love the beachy feel here with the lower buildings and the Island vibe.”
– Cathy Tucker, Newfoundland resident
“Another thing we like about this park is it’s a short ride to the beach,” Mooney said. “We ride our bikes almost daily. We enjoy riding up and down the streets we haven’t seen before, watching the families enjoy the Island and the Island life. And the homes are beautiful – nicely taken care of and nicely painted.”
Mooney and Tucker were asked how Cortez and Anna Maria compare to Siesta Key. They both said they appreciate that there’s only one high-rise on the Island – the Martinique condominiums in Holmes Beach.
“Siesta Key has taller buildings and it seems really touristy, but it’s a beautiful area,” Mooney said.
“Siesta Key is beautiful, but I love the beachy feel here with the lower buildings and the Island vibe. The beaches here are beautiful and the sunsets too,” Tucker said.
“The beaches are spectacular, and of course the weather too,” Mooney said.
“It feels very safe here. We feel safe wherever we go and the people are very helpful,” Tucker said.
“People are super-friendly. Island people have a certain feel and you have that here, so it feels familiar to us. We went from one island to another. Newfoundland is an island in the North Atlantic. The winters can be long and unpredictable, but it’s a beautiful place to live and visit,” Mooney said.
During the month-long stay that will end on Thursday, Nov. 1, the couple rode their bikes from one end of the Island to the other – from Pine Avenue to Coquina Beach. They participated in the NASCRAB races at the Swordfish Grill and met friends at the Bridge Tender Inn who introduced them to the Drift In too.
They enjoyed happy hour at the Beach House restaurant, attended Bayfest, dressed as hippies for Su and Brian Cooney’s annual Halloween party in Bradenton, listened to live music at Island Time and drove their truck out to the Old Packinghouse Cafe in Sarasota to see a friend’s rockabilly band.
One day, they bought two used high-top tables at a garage sale in Anna Maria and are bringing them back to Newfoundland.
“We’re bringing a little bit of Anna Maria Island back with us. We also bought an old school desk for our niece,” Mooney said.
Pat Mooney found this high-top table at a garage sale in Anna Maria. – Joe Hendricks
The couple went to see “First Man” at the Oakmont movie theater and next spring they’d like to take a day trip over to the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral.
They plan to store their travel trailer near Cortez so they can trailer their personal watercraft down next spring, with their motorcycle in the back of the truck.
“We’re looking forward to having the motorcycle here and on the Jet-Ski we’ll also get to see what the Island looks like from the water,” Mooney said.
“We already booked our spot here for April and May,” Tucker said.
Bicycles are Cathy Tucker and Pat Mooney’s favorite mode of vacation transportation. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
After two weeks of play in the fall adult co-ed soccer season, Team Sato Real Estate remains on the top of the leaderboard, despite the challenges of a new squad. Lead by team captain Josh Sato, the current Hayward Cup champions easily defeated Ross Built Construction Thursday night.
Ross Built Construction, without its leader Greg Ross, struggled to take shots and stop offensive powerhouse of the Sato team.
Sato Real Estate’s roster proved to be too much for the Ross Built defense, with Eric Pullen, Mark Rudacille, Francisco Oliviera and Sato all scoring for the team in purple, along with assists by Andrew Schmidt and Matthew Staggs.
Pullen started the offensive challenge with a pass to Oliviera. Oliviera’s shot was stopped by Ross Built Construction goalkeeper Robb Marshall, who returned to the team after a couple of seasons out of the league.
Less than a minute later, Schmidt got his first assist to Sato, who scored in the first minute of the game. Pullen struck with a beautiful arching shot just over the head of Marshall for the Sato Real Estate second goal taking the score to 2-0.
Four minutes into the game, Ross Built’s lone female player, who predominately plays defense, found a scoring opportunity to put her team’s first point on the scoreboard.
Defender Alta Bujarski showed her skills against Schmidt. Schmidt pulled away from Bujarski finding Pullen in striking position to score his second goal for Sato Real Estate, once again giving the team a two-point lead.
Ross Built Construction worked well on the Sato Real Estate side of the field but could not get the ball in the net. Ten minutes into play, Max Gazzo took the corner kick getting the ball to Vince Circharo, whose strong leg sailed the ball over the crossbar.
The Ross Built defense and Marshall’s goalie skills shut down the Sato Real Estate offense for a solid 10 minutes. In that time, Gazzo made a nice slide to the soccer ball to keep it in bounds, getting it to Chris Circharo for the second Ross Built Construction goal, narrowing the gap with the score 3-2.
To end the first half of the game, Team Sato scored its fourth goal of the game with a shot by Oliviera.
Coming onto the field with a two-point deficit, Ross Built Construction tried to build the momentum to keep up with its opponent. Gazzo’s pass to Felipe alone in front of the goal outside of the box just missed the net.
Marshall proved to be a force to be reckoned with a shot by Mark Rudacille that ricocheted off of the goalie’s hands, giving Sato Real Estate a corner shot. The corner taken by Sato put the soccer ball to Pullen’s feet in a swarm of defenders.
Working the ball out of traffic, Sato was finally able to take a shot that hit hard into the side of the net.
At minute 30, a rocket shot by Pullen bounced off the hands of Marshall and into the goal at the right post.
With the biggest lead of the game and the score 5-2, Sato Real Estate found itself on the defense for the better portion of six minutes, with only a few shot attempts.
After keeping the ball from going out of bounds, V. Circharo nailed a beautiful shot attempt that curved just short of the goal.
On a penalty on Sato that put C. Circharo flying in the air, V. Circharo took the free kick. Leaning back on the kick, V. Circharo’s goal attempt landed in the nearby tennis courts.
Rudacille finally found his footing and scored his first goal of the game after several attempts. Seconds later he scored his second point with a shot that went above Marshall’s head, increasing the Sato Real Estate lead to 7-2.
Once again running across the field at full speed, V. Circharo sent a missile right to the hands of Marshall. The shot was too hard for Marshall to handle, sending the soccer ball into the net for the third and final Ross Built goal, and the final goal of the game.
The last three games of the night were close battles once again showing the parity in the league.
After 90 minutes of play, Ryan Moss’ Moss Builders tied Jiffy Lube, captained by Danny Anderson, with six goals each. Going into week three, Moss Builders finds itself in a three-way tie for fifth place with Slim’s Place and AMI Locals.
Lancaster Design walked away with a two-point victory in game three of the night against Slim’s Place. Its win currently puts Team Lancaster Design tied with Sato Real Estate in the first place position.
The third game with AMI Locals against Eason Builders Group was a close game during both halves of play. The come from behind victory by Eason Builders put it in fourth place in the league with a 1-1 record.
With four teams that have yet to capture a victory, Ross Built Construction starts this season much like the last at the bottom of the rankings with five more regular season games to play.
You might find her a little creepy or kooky, maybe a bit mysterious or spooky, but one title it’s hard to deny Liz Reed is the queen of the local paranormal.
Local author and paranormal investigator Liz Reed signs copies of her new book “Haunted Manatee County.” – Liz Reed | Submitted
With her leadership of the Paranormal Society of Bradenton, a group which she founded with her husband, Ron, in 2013, a new book and a burgeoning ghost tour business, Reed is closer than ever to realizing her dream of studying the paranormal on a full-time basis.
“I love doing what I do,” she said. “I wish I could do it full time.”
In her new book, “Haunted Manatee County,” Reed explores the ghosts and history of what was historically Manatee County, including De Soto, Glades and Hardee counties. She said the book took about three years to research, including the research she did for The Original Downtown Bradenton Ghost Tour and it’s Bradenton Beach counterpart, and two years to write.
The hardest part, she said, was finding period-specific photographs of the places she and her team encountered paranormal activity for inclusion in the book. She said writing it and using many of her own photographs in the book helped realize two of her lifelong goals – to be a professional author and photographer.
Rather than reaching out herself, Reed said she was contacted by publishers Arcadia Publishing and The History Press to write the book based on her popular ghost tours. Soon she’ll have a second book published on the haunted history of Sarasota County.
In her Manatee County book, Reed uncovers the stories of the ghost of famous mobster Al Capone, who occasionally rides the elevators at the Hampton Inn, the history of the Cortez Village and the fishermen who lost their lives at sea, the ghosts of a woman and girl who play hostess at The Sign of the Mermaid and the shades seen frolicking on Bridge Street.
Visitors to Coquina Beach may encounter glowing spirit orbs or see the ghost dubbed the Black Phantom wandering the path and through the picnic area. – Kristin Swain | Sun
One of her most active Anna Maria Island ghosts, she says, is the spirit of George Bean Sr. whom she said likes to flirt with some of the ladies on the ghost tour, going so far as to mischievously take one lady’s glove, which was never recovered. Reed said Bean likes to follow along with the ghost tours, and she believes he roams the Island to keep a watchful eye on things.
On the downtown ghost tour, she said her favorite areas to explore are the Hampton Inn and the old location of the Manatee Players theater, now a construction site for a new hotel. She said that site is very active due partially to the Native American burial grounds that were used as fill in the area.
When the new hotel opens, Reed said she hopes to be one of the first to check in.
The information for Reed’s book and ghost tours comes from various sources including the spirits themselves. Her paranormal investigation team has several ways of communicating with the ghosts. While some members of her team are especially sensitive to the spirits and can see and communicate with them just like they’re talking with the living, others rely on the electronic equipment they bring with them on paranormal investigations including video cameras, digital voice recorders, voice boxes, K-2 meters and other devices.
Sometimes, she said they find nothing on these investigations. Other times they may think they haven’t found anything but get home and hear voices on recordings and see orbs of light and fully developed spirits walking past their cameras as they record. When they record evidence of spirits, Reed often posts the recordings on the group’s social media or website for the public to see for themselves.
When told a legend of a haunted place, encountering a new spirit or preparing for an investigation, Reed says she attempts to verify stories through historical documents. When the investigators know they’re going to a new place, Reed studies the history of the building to help better prepare for what might be found there.
Her fascination with the spirit world is born of her own experiences and attempting to find an answer to the age-old question of what happens when we die.
“We’re all made of energy so where does that energy go after we die?” she asked.
Reed said she believes that some of that energy stays here, some of it crosses over to whatever lies beyond this life and she’s fascinated by all of it.
“There’s no explanation for what we have found,” she said of the paranormal investigations, adding that she loves being able to explore the history of the area and verify stories from the past. For the naysayers, she offers guests on her ghost tours the opportunity to use some of the equipment that her paranormal group uses on investigations to allow them to experience the spirit activity for themselves.
“They just want to be known, that they’re still here,” she said of the ghosts she encounters.
As for the book, she said it was an interesting project and she hopes that readers will enjoy it.
“I want five ghosts, not five stars,” she said.
“Haunted Manatee County” is available through local retailers, Barnes and Noble and Amazon.
To schedule a ghost tour or to follow Reed’s paranormal investigations, visit the Paranormal Society of Bradenton online and on social media, or call 941-704-0621.
HOLMES BEACH – If you drive a golf cart in Holmes Beach, new regulations may be on the way that affect where you can go.
During the Oct. 23 work session, commissioners considered a draft ordinance brought forth by Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer concerning the use of golf carts and low-speed vehicles in the city. Tokajer said that Holmes Beach is the only one of the three Island cities currently allowing golf carts that are not street legal to be driven on all city streets by a licensed driver. With the new ordinance, he hopes to make the city’s streets safer for golf cart users and motorists by taking the slowest of the vehicles off main thoroughfares.
Tokajer suggested either requiring golf carts to be retrofitted to be street legal and registered with the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles or confining their use to Key Royale where a golf course is located. He estimates it would cost $1,300-2,000 to make a standard golf cart street legal with the biggest costs being the registration and installation of a windshield.
Commissioners recognized the need for increased safety on golf carts operated within the city but balked at the idea of restricting their use to the Key Royale neighborhood.
Commissioner Judy Titsworth said she agrees that seeing golf carts carrying children with no safety belts scares her, but she doesn’t want to take rights away from responsible residents who depend on their golf carts for local transportation and might not have funds to make an investment in making the golf carts street legal.
Commissioner Carol Soutek, a golf cart owner, said she also was concerned with the idea of taking away a mode of transportation that many Holmes Beach seniors depend on.
“The residents are pretty responsible with their golf carts because they appreciate having it,” she said. “I would like to leave the residents’ golf carts alone.”
In lieu of banning golf carts all together, Tokajer suggested commissioners consider requiring them to be retrofitted with seat belts, and any children of an appropriate age or size are required to ride in a car seat, just as they would be in a vehicle. He also presented a color-coded map with a suggested golf cart route through town focusing on back streets rather than main thoroughfares where traffic is more intense. He suggested disallowing low-speed vehicles and golf carts on city streets with a speed limit of 35 miles per hour.
Commissioners agreed to consider the implementation of seat belts and restricting the use of the vehicles in higher speed limit areas. They asked Tokajer to come back with ideas for a city golf cart registration program.
MANATEE COUNTY – The winner of the District 6, at-large County Commission race between incumbent Carol Whitmore and challenger Candace Luther will help represent Anna Maria Island and Cortez at the county level.
Whitmore
How should County Commission-controlled Tourist Development Council funds be used on Anna Maria Island in terms of projects versus promotion?
Luther: I would focus on projects. Make things better for visitors and residents by making improvements that didn’t have funding previously. Give Visit Florida something to promote.
Whitmore: It’s very strict on how those funds can be spent. We’re still trying to open it up for law enforcement, lifeguards and other things that make life better for Island residents. We need to push for the state not to interfere with our city and county home rule.
What has/can the County Commission do to benefit Island and Cortez residents and businesses?
Luther: Impose a moratorium on phosphate mining, the use of fertilizers containing phosphate for non-farming uses and the use of Roundup and similar glyphosate weed killers. Stop overdeveloping and adding to the traffic and sewage problems we already have. Get the bike trails built so people have alternative transportation.
Whitmore: The red tide cleanup. I worked with Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy and pushed for $750,000 in state funding and up to $1.5 million in county funding for the pier replacement. I worked with all three Island mayors to acquire $1 million in surplus beach concession funds and worked with The Center on its $100,000 request for concession funds. We have not raised the millage rate since 2009.
Luther
What has/can the county do to assist the Island’s city governments?
Luther Create an Environmental Science Department to assess all things environmental – whether it be building, infrastructure, runoff drainage and sewers, roadways, chemical use, disposal methods, business operations and the transport of products.
Whitmore: Listen and stay involved. I routinely copy the Island cities’ elected officials on upcoming agenda items and anything related to the Island, so they’re informed of issues that affect them.
What percentage of your campaign contributions have come from the development and real estate communities?
Luther: Zero, not a single dollar. I have done most of this by myself without funding. That proves my dedication and that I am doing this because I truly care about my county and want to make it better.
Whitmore: My supporters are mainly the farming community, medical community and family businesses. Last year I had one fundraiser by the so-called developers that represent thousands of jobs and I have not had one since. I don’t accept contributions from Carlos Beruff or Mosaic, as they are so controversial.
What has the County Commission done to protect the county’s environment and natural resources and what more needs to be done in the next four years?
Luther: Stop phosphate mining in the watersheds of Lake Manatee, the Myakka River and the Peace River. Lake Manatee tested positive for cyanobacteria over a year ago, yet they continue to pollute with weed killer all around the county and residents were never notified of this bacteria in the water supply to my knowledge.
Whitmore: With the help of Swiftmud and other state agencies, the county has been restoring properties along the bays, lakes, rivers and natural shorelines. Manatee County was awarded as the first platinum green government in Florida last month. Manatee County has had a ban on fertilizer for five to seven years now, seagrasses are their healthiest since the 1950s, and we require developers to treat their run-off and hold 150 percent before it hits the bays.
Why should Anna Maria Island and Cortez voters vote for you instead of your opponent?
Luther: I have been out assessing the red tide situation and collecting samples trying to get something done to clean up this mess. Once I get the test results, I can identify the sources and start working on solutions. As an elected official, I should be able to finally get something done. A lot of citizens feel they have been ignored and have not had a voice. That is why I am running for the at-large seat, so I can help anyone in the county. It is time our government starts working for the people again.
Whitmore: My opponent does not know the Island’s politics, elected officials and what’s important to Island residents. My opponent does not know what it’s like to live in a tourism community and the toll it takes on residents. Many years ago, the county would not even visit the Island cites. That changed due to former commissioner John Chappie and myself.
HOLMES BEACH – A new plan is on the table for the city field complex and commissioners are ready to start seeing progress made on the planned renovations.
After going through a few different attempts, City Engineer Lynn Burnett, with the help of commissioners and public input, finally hit on a layout for the complex that meets the needs of users and helps to better utilize the space.
With the newly approved layout, the large dog park will expand to .86 acres and take over much of the current baseball diamond and outfield leading to the fence separating the field with the small dog park. The small dog park is staying in its current location. During construction on the park complex, planned for the current and 2019-2020 fiscal years, Burnett said the large dog park will remain open for users until the new one can be completed.
Bocce ball courts, horseshoe pits and shuffleboard courts will be relocated to part of the area currently used as the large dog park. The construction staging area on the northeast side of the park will be relocated to the current skate park area, adjacent to public works. Parking will take up the current staging area. The tot lot is planned for relocation near the existing gazebo, where it can be expanded in the future, and the skate park is planned for expansion along Marina Drive. Burnett also suggested ringing the complex with a jogging track with exercise stations and utilizing the area in front of public works as a future overflow parking area. She said the Anna Maria Island Privateer’s Skullywag land-bound ship would not have to be relocated.
The remaining park area is planned as a multipurpose field that can be used for festivals, community events, or bases can be laid down for a pickup baseball game.
A memorial tree with dedication plaque located in the Marina Drive facing area of the park complex will remain in its current location.
Commissioners agreed unanimously to move forward with the proposed plan. Burnett said that while the tot lot can be relocated in-house using public works employees, she will have to come back before commissioners with contracts to be approved for the other work to be done.
“I like it,” Commissioner Pat Morton said of the project.
“I think it’s great,” Commissioner Rick Hurst said, congratulating Burnett on a job well-done.
Hurricane Hank’s owner Brian Mathae had a rude awakening in June when he checked the payroll records and now his former manager, Benjamin Conlon, faces a fraud charge.
Mathae said it began when he checked the manager’s computer for earnings and allegedly found duplicate paychecks to Conlon.
He called the police and Holmes Beach Detective Sgt. Brian Hall started an investigation. He found Conlon had allegedly taken $13,680 more than was allowed. Mathae found out Conlon was the only person to have access to the payroll.
Hall sent a report to the state attorney’s office, and Conlon was arrested. He was bailed out and faces an arraignment on Nov. 9.
Mathae said he was disappointed, and his priority is to get back the money that was lost.
“The profit margin is tight in the restaurant business,” he said. “This happened while tourism took a hit because of red tide.”
The days for the current Longboat Pass Bridge may be numbered, but the bridge’s number isn’t up quite yet.
During the October Island Transportation Planning Organization meeting, representatives from the Sarasota Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Florida Department of Transportation gave an update on the planned repairs for the existing drawbridge. Repairs are planned to begin May 1, 2019, but FDOT representative Jim Jacobsen said there would be limited disruption to vehicular traffic during construction.
Jacobsen said the bridge, built in 1957, is functionally obsolete, having served past it’s expected 50-year lifespan by 11 years. The bridge is rated by FDOT as fair, and the project development and environment study to determine if it should ultimately be repaired or replaced will begin in 2020. In the meantime, major repairs estimated at $3.7 million will begin in mid-2019. Jacobsen said the contractor has been given a $160,000 incentive to finish the repairs before Thanksgiving 2019.
Repairs will be made to the sidewalks and traffic lanes to cover potholes and cracks, along with repairs to the steel span to combat rust, correct mechanical issues, repair the supporting concrete beams and protect the undersides of the bridge from erosion. One of the primary goals with these repairs is to correct issues caused by exposure to the harsh environmental elements in the pass and seal the bridge to reduce the effects of rust and erosion in the future.
What motorists can expect, Jacobsen said, is to see nighttime lane closures between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. with 15-minute-long temporary bridge closures allowed between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. to move equipment. Detours where the bridge will be completely closed to traffic from midnight to 5 a.m. for two nights only, have already been mapped out. Jacobsen said the United States Coast Guard has already approved the bridge closures.
Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie requested that FDOT keep Bradenton Beach and Longboat Key police in the loop regarding lane and bridge closures. Jacobsen agreed, adding that the lane closures will be optimized to allow emergency vehicles through the construction area if necessary. He said lane closures are not allowed for Friday and Saturday nights. Prior to the start of construction Jacobsen said an environmental review of the area will be done to ensure that lighting for the project does not adversely affect nesting sea turtles on the beaches.
BRADENTON – The trial of a Holmes Beach man accused of burglarizing a Holmes Beach house and beating the female owner has been set for April 15, 2019, in circuit court.
Mark L. Snyder, 56, faces charges of burglary, assault or battery, aggravated battery (with great bodily harm – victim 65 years of age or older) and second-degree grand theft in the June 28 crime.
A trial date has been set for Mark Snyder, accused of attacking a Holmes beach woman and burglarizing her home. – File Photo | Sun
Snyder was arrested July 3 after a neighbor tipped police that he appeared to match a surveillance video’s description of the suspect, and he drove a vehicle that also matched the suspect’s vehicle.
According to the Holmes Beach Police report, the victim returned home to find a man in her bedroom in the process of stealing her property. She told police she screamed, and he hit her a number of times, causing her to fall and bleed. He then fled the residence carrying bags of stolen jewelry.
The victim, who does not want to be identified, was taken to Blake Hospital with a broken bone in her face and lacerations to her head.
Snyder is still incarcerated after his bail was revoked.
HOLMES BEACH – Commissioners are considering enacting an aircraft nuisance ordinance that will carry hefty fines for violations.
During the Oct. 23 commission work session, Police Chief Bill Tokajer presented the proposed ordinance to commissioners, saying there have been complaints about the pilot of a two-person aircraft that flies along the Palma Sola Causeway and Anna Maria Island. Tokajer said the pilot’s intent to pick up and drop off passengers from the Manatee Public Beach also is a cause for concern because it creates a liability issue for the city.
If the new ordinance is approved, ultralights and other aircraft cannot be piloted over congested areas and places of open-air assembly. Under the ordinance, beaches, parking lots, waterways, and water areas surrounding the city would be included. Commissioners also agreed to include parks in the proposed ordinance. To fly over these areas, the pilot must fly no lower than 1,000 feet over the highest obstacle within a horizontal radius of 2,000 feet of the aircraft at any time.
Violation of the ordinance constitutes a nuisance, and offenders can be charged $500 for the first violation, $1,000 for the second violations, $2,000 for the third violation and a fourth violation would amount to the highest fine allowable by law. City Attorney Patricia Petruff said she would research to determine what the options for the actual maximum fine could be. Commissioner Jim Kihm suggested also adding a provision that if the recipient chooses to contest the fine and go to a special magistrate, the recipient should pay all fines plus the cost of special magistrate administrative fees if the fine is upheld.
Though the ordinance was scheduled for a first reading at the regular commission meeting immediately following the work session, Petruff said too many changes had been made, and a first reading would need to be scheduled for a future meeting.
BRADENTON BEACH – The Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) authorized member Jake Spooner’s proposal to spend $12,000 to $32,000 to decorate Bridge Street for the Christmas holidays using decorative elements purchased from Christmas Designers – the firm that decorates University Boulevard and the University Town Center mall in Sarasota.
Christmas Designers has been used in the past by Bridge Street Merchants Association which, in recent years, spent $20,000 to purchase holiday decorations.
When purchased, the decorations will be installed, removed, stored, maintained, insured and reused in future years for approximately $2,400 to $4,400 a year, depending on what is purchased. The most expensive components are the elevated skylines that would hang over Bridge Street.
“We’re in a tight time frame, and they’re super busy right now, so we’re not sure if we’ll get the skylines this year,” Spooner said last week.
The CRA members recently directed Spooner to get three price quotes or, as an alternative, obtain a written partnership agreement from the merchants’ association that serves as a continuation of the merchants’ pre-existing relationship with Christmas Designers.
As of Friday, Spooner was still waiting on an itemized invoice to present to city staff. He and Christmas Designers Joe Campbell were still researching the cost and requirements for the poles needed to mount the elevated skylines. Spooner said if the entire decorative concept can’t be finalized this year, the skylines can be purchased and added next year.
What do people do when they have everything they can possibly need? A safe and secure place to live, plenty of good quality food and access to modern health care. You know what they do, they pay to be locked in a spooky room and challenged to find a way out.
One of the hottest forms of entertainment in our privileged country is called an escape room. In it, you are literally locked in for an hour with a group of other people and look for clues while the ghost of a recently departed leaves hints to help you find an exit.
Crazy as this may sound, it’s not nearly as crazy as selling properties where there is a belief of hauntings or a death in the property. In September I wrote a column about property disclosure and discussed that the state of Florida holds sellers responsible to disclose defects in a property. Although this disclosure does not have to be in writing, it is recommended for the seller’s protection that it is.
The state’s guidelines indicate that disclosure does not have to be made if the property was inhabited by a person infected with HIV or AIDS or that a murder or suicide has occurred or is suspected to have occurred on the property. Likewise, disclosure does not have to be made if the house is known to be haunted since there is no way to authenticate a haunted house; it’s all subjective.
However, the guideline also states that disclosure must be made if there is a potential impact on the value or desirability of the property. This is a little bit of a conflict and a gaping gray area in an already ambiguous zone of the disclosure. Most real estate professionals would advise full disclosure for rumors about hauntings as well as unusual deaths in the property just as you would disclose foundation cracks hidden behind walls particularly if you’re asked.
Even though sellers are not obligated to do so and would not have a financial obligation after a closing, why make a buyer feel he/she has been duped? Since some buyers are sensitive to previous activity in a property, the disclosure is the best course of action, as silly as it may sound. Even Bernie Madoff’s New York City condo had a problem selling because buyers didn’t want to be associated with the bad energy that may be lurking in the property.
But what about future developments adjacent to properties or bridges? Manatee County is exploding with construction – some very big that will change the lifestyle of nearby residents, not to mention the rebuilding of both bridges out to Anna Maria Island, both of which could impact existing properties.
These are projects that have been approved, on the books but not begun and would not be obvious to a potential buyer. Are sellers obligated to disclose future approved projects that could have a substantial financial impact on properties? Don’t look to me for an answer, but if it were me and I knew something on the books would financially or aesthetically impact property I was selling, I would have a sit down with an attorney.
In the spirit of full disclosure, you should disclose the spirits if you have any. Have a happy Halloween and watch out for the ghosts – even the friendly ones.
High levels of red tide are back in the air and water around Anna Maria Island, and forecasters predict high levels will continue through Monday, Oct. 29, according to today’s Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) report.
The red tide forecast through Monday, Oct. 29 is mostly high for Anna Maria Island. – University of South Florida/Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Collaboration for Prediction of Red Tides.
Between 5 percent and 25 percent more water samples showed medium or high levels of red tide than the previous week, according to the Oct. 26 report, which shows high concentrations of red tide in water samples collected on Oct. 22 at Cortez Beach in Bradenton Beach, and medium concentrations at the Rod and Reel Pier in Anna Maria and Longboat Pass boat ramp in Bradenton Beach.
Respiratory irritation was reported Oct. 18-23 and Oct. 25 at Coquina Beach (Bradenton Beach) and Oct. 18, Oct. 20-21 and Oct. 23-25 at Manatee Beach (Holmes Beach).
Fish kills also were reported in Manatee County over the previous week.
Background concentrations of red tide cause no anticipated effects. Low levels can cause respiratory irritation, shellfish harvesting closures and possible fish kills. Medium levels can cause respiratory irritation, shellfish harvesting closures and probable fish kills. High levels can cause all of the above, plus water discoloration.
Red tide is a type of algae that emits a neurotoxin when it blooms. Deadly to fish, sea turtles, marine mammals and shorebirds that feed on affected fish, red tide makes shellfish unfit to eat, and can cause respiratory irritation in people, especially those with asthma, COPD or other respiratory diseases.
The toxic algae bloom has been spreading in the southwest Gulf of Mexico for the past year, reaching Anna Maria Island in early August. It was detected in Florida’s east coast waters early this month.
Even though it addresses two entirely unrelated subjects – prohibiting oil drilling and indoor vaping – Florida Constitutional Amendment 9 will be included on the 2018 General Election ballot in November, the Florida Supreme Court has ruled.
The decision reverses a Leon County Circuit judge’s decision to remove the proposal and two others from the ballot because they combine unrelated issues in single proposed amendments.
In its Oct. 17 opinion, the state’s high court ruled that the Florida Constitution Revision Commission (CRC) can include multiple issues in single amendments, a practice criticized by opponents as a political ploy to defeat popular proposals by pairing them with unpopular proposals.
First Place
Environmental Writing
2018
Three justices, R. Fred Lewis, Barbara Pariente and Peggy Quince, agreed with the ruling but criticized the practice.
“When amending our Florida Constitution, voters should not be forced to vote ‘yes’ on a proposal they disfavor in order to also vote ‘yes’ on a proposal they support because of how the Constitution Revision Commission has unilaterally decided to bundle multiple, independent and unrelated proposals,” Pariente wrote.
“Bundling multiple, independent and unrelated proposals in this way makes the task of voting significantly more difficult for Florida’s citizens, requiring them to decide – in addition to weighing the independent merits of each proposal – whether voting in favor of one proposal they approve of is worth also approving a proposal they do not favor.”
Earlier this year, the CRC approved the proposal, which would prohibit drilling for exploration or extraction of oil or natural gas beneath all state waters between the mean high-water line and the outermost boundaries of the state’s territorial seas, about nine miles off the western and southern coastlines and at least three miles off the eastern coastline.
It also adds the use of vapor-generating electronic devices to the current prohibition of tobacco smoking in enclosed indoor workplaces.
Passing the amendment might signal to a federal government that advocates drilling in federal waters that Floridians oppose offshore drilling, according to the League of Women Voters, which supports the amendment along with the Florida Wildlife Federation, Gulf Restoration Network, American Cancer Society, Florida Policy Institute, Progress Florida, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy and Earthjustice.
The amendment is one of 12 that Florida voters will decide Nov. 6. Constitutional amendments require at least 60 percent of the vote to become law.
