Skip to main content

Tag: Anna Maria

Anna Maria seeks county funds for inlet study

Anna Maria seeks county funds for inlet study

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

ANNA MARIA – City officials are seeking $105,000 in county commission-controlled surplus beach concession funds for a study of the Lake La Vista inlet.

Mayor Dan Murphy presented the funding request to the Anna Maria City Commission on Thursday, Oct. 13.

Murphy said the study would assist the city in its efforts to find a permanent solution that would alleviate the need for the city to pay $250,000-$300,000 every few years to dredge the jetty area that extends into Tampa Bay and connects with the channel that provides access to and from the inland Lake La Vista.

Anna Maria seeks county funds for inlet study
The Lake La Vista area includes the channel that passes under the humpback bridge on North Bay Boulevard. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

The funding request will be made in the form of the city commission-approved resolution to now be forwarded to the Manatee County Tourist Development Council (TDC) advisory board and then the Manatee County Commission will ultimately approve or deny the funding request.

Murphy said the city would contribute $105,000 in matching funds for the Lake La Vista inlet study which he estimated would cost approximately $210,000.

Murphy said the study would also require input from the Army Corps of Engineers and the West Coast Inland Navigation District.

Additional state and county funds would be sought later for the actual construction or implementation of the long-term solution or solutions identified by the study.

Murphy noted the city submitted a jetty/inlet study-related appropriation request to the state earlier this year. That $207,450 request for state funds was supported by the Florida Legislature but later vetoed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Murphy noted the surplus beach concession revenues are generated by the concessionaires that lease space from the county at the county-owned Manatee Public Beach in Holmes Beach and the county-owned Coquina Beach in Bradenton Beach.

Murphy also noted a project funded by surplus beach concession funds is supposed to benefit the entire Island and a city’s request for the use of those county commission-controlled funds requires the support of all three Anna Maria Island cities.

The cities of Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach have or will adopt similar city resolutions for their cities’ individual $105,000 funding requests. Murphy said the county commission can approve or reject any or all of the funding requests sought by the three Island cities.

Island city leaders set sights on beach concession funds

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

HOLMES BEACH – City leaders on Anna Maria Island are planning to present plans to Manatee County commissioners in hopes of using excess beach concession funds for projects in each city.

To access the funds, elected officials in each city have to present projects that benefit tourism and visitors on the Island, the officials in each city must agree to the projects and the projects and funding have to be approved by county commissioners.

Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth said that the fund has grown to more than $300,000. Now, each city is putting forth its own list of projects.

In Anna Maria, city leaders are seeking a 50/50 match in the amount of $115,250
to get an engineered permanent solution to issues causing the Lake LaVista Channel to become unnavigable. The channel provides access to kayak and paddleboard launches, a landing dock for visitors coming to the Anna Maria Island Historical Society Museum, a launching point for commercial nature tours and boater access. City leaders estimate that the development of a design along with permitting will cost $230,500, excluding construction.

In Bradenton Beach, officials are asking for $105,000 for a 50% match to improve public beach and bay access points, including additional pavers, signage, bike racks, benches, trash containers and pedestrian and bicycle path improvements.

Holmes Beach city leaders voted unanimously on Oct. 11 to request $105,000 in funding for low-level LED lighting for trolley shelters along with rebuilding five trolley shelters and replacing two. The total cost of the project is estimated to be $210,000. The concession funds would provide a 50/50 funding match.

Titsworth warned commissioners that “time is of the essence” in requesting funding as Manatee County Administrator Scott Hopes has set his sights on the excess concession funds as a potential source of monies for a proposed water taxi service from downtown Bradenton to Anna Maria Island.

Slim’s Place undefeated in adult soccer action

Slim’s Place undefeated in adult soccer action

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

ANNA MARIA – On the beautiful fall night at The Center, players, friends, family and referees all came together for a night of soccer, grateful to have been spared by Hurricane Ian. Even though the action on the pitch was a bit overshadowed by non-stop conversations of gratefulness on the sidelines and in the stands, the eight adult soccer teams played hard-fought battles.

In the first game last Thursday night, Joey Hutchinson had the hot foot for Slim’s Place. Scoring six of the nine goals in the game for his team, Hutchinson also made an assist in the team’s 9-6 win against Pool America.

Kris Yavalar, for Pool America, lit up the scoreboard scoring the first goal of the game, finishing with four goals and an assist. Yavalar and Hutchinson worked for position on the field throughout the match-up, ending with Hutchinson doubling his scoring record for the season.

At the end of week three, Hutchinson leads the scoring in the league with a total of 12 points and three assists.

Slim’s Place scored three additional goals with a single by Eliza Faillace and two by Eric Pullen. Early in the game, Pullen sailed his strikes over the crossbar. Making the necessary adjustments, Pullen moved into third for scoring. With five goals, Pullen is tied with four other players in the scoring ranks. Amy Ivin, Kevin Roman, Keith Mahoney and Yavalar each closed out the third week of play with five goals.

For Pool America, Gerardo Urbiola Bolano put up two points in the loss. These are the first two points of the season for Bolano.

In the goal, Jack Goodier was credited with two saves in the game. Goodier was relieved by Pool America teammate and captain Chris Klotz, who had an injury in the game. 

Slim’s Place’s P.J. Smargisso made critical saves for his team. Making six stops in the game helped his team to victory.

Ties and close scoring action was the name of the game for the rest of the night. Wash Family Construction tied Servis 1st Bank in game two. The third game of the night ended in a tie between Moss Builders and Sato Real Estate.

Wash Family Construction’s Kevin Roman had a hat trick in the game, while Yuri Pereira made three saves for Servis.

Pereira’s teammates put five goals on the scoreboard with solo goals by Luca Vecchio and Juan Carlo Perez.

Servis 1st Bank’s Ugur “Lucky” Durmaz matched Roman’s hat trick with three goals of his own.

In the keeper position, Mark Long made eight critical saves in the game for Wash Family, keeping them in the game.

Tyler Brewer’s two goals helped to get the Wash Family team to the tie.

Saving 11 shots, Ryan Moss kept the shooting power of Sato Real Estate to six goals. Moss’ team, Moss Builders, made their six shots count, with six points scored in the tie-ending game.

For Moss Builders scoring, Damir Glavan had four goals, with an additional two by Daniel Hampton and Jessica Williams.

Sato Real Estate’s points came at the foot of Danny Anderson with a hat trick and two by Lindsey Styka. Teammate Pedro Gonzalez added a goal in the 6-6 game.

Ending the night, Ross Built Construction matched up against Gulfview Windows & Doors. Gulfview eked out the win with two goals, scored by captain Keith Mahoney and Raul Loera.

In the 2-1 game, Gulfview’s goalie Tuna McCracken supported his team defensively with seven big stops in the game. Steve Oelfke made five critical saves. 

Avoiding the goose egg, off an assist by Raul Castano, Eduardo Schlueter scored Ross Builts’ only goal in the game.

After three games, Slim’s Place is on top with a 3-0-0 record. With more than half the season left to play, can the Slim’s crew stay on top?

Sun Scoreboard

OCT. 4

Youth Soccer

Week 3

U10

LaPensee Plumbing (2-1-0) 2

Solid Rock Construction (0-2-1) 1

 

 

Island Real Estate (3-0-0) 6

Cloud Pest Control (0-3-0) 0

U14

HSH (2-0-1) 4

Progressive Cabinetry (0-2-0) 1

 

 

Mac Parkman (0-0-1) Bye Week

OCT. 6

Youth Soccer

Week 3

U10

Sato Real Estate (1-0-2) 1

AMI Coconuts (1-0-2) 1

Adult Soccer

Week 3

 

Slim’s Place (3-0-0) 9

Pool America (1-2-0) 6

 

 

Wash Family Construction (2-0-1) 5

Servis First Bank (0-2-1) 5

 

 

Sato Real Estate (0-2-1) 6

Moss Builders (1-1-1) 6

 

 

Gulfview Windows and Doors (2-1-0) 2

Ross Built Construction (1-2-0) 1

Center Notes

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

Increase your babysitting skills

For young people who are thinking about starting their own babysitting business or those who want to increase their skill level, The Center of Anna Maria Island is hosting a babysitting class on Saturday, Oct. 22. The class will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and participants will learn skills to help them babysit safely and effectively, including becoming certified in CPR and first aid. Skills covered in the course include getting started with a business, caregiving, working with parents and children and key safety measures. The class is open to young people from 11-17. The cost to attend is $85 for Center members or $100 for non-members. The deadline to register is Friday, Oct. 14. Participants are asked to bring their own lunch. For more information, or to register, call 941-778-1908.

Learn to play canasta

Come out to The Center of Anna Maria Island and learn to play canasta. The nonprofit is hosting a six-week class from Oct. 18-Nov. 22 to teach people of all ages how to play American canasta. Classes take place every Tuesday from 12:30-2:30 p.m. Players will be split into teams of four and will learn strategies and rules of play to help them beat their opponents. The cost for the class series is $90 for Center members and $100 for non-members. All classes take place at The Center, 407 Magnolia Ave. in Anna Maria, and the deadline to register is Friday, Oct. 14. For more information, or to reserve your spot, call 941-778-1908.

Center hosts capoeira classes for beginners

For anyone who’s ever wanted to learn the intricacies of the Brazilian dance fighting martial art, a six-week course on capoeira for beginners is kicking off on Monday, Oct. 17. Classes will meet every week on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6-7:30 p.m. through Nov. 21. Participants will learn the basic movements of capoeira and how to apply them while also exploring some of the art form’s history, and will engage in a capoeira roda. The class is open to all ages; it’s recommended that a parent or guardian accompany students under 10 years old for their first class. The cost is $50 for Center members or $60 for non-members and the deadline to register is Oct. 14. For more information, or to register, call 941-778-1908.

Get CPR certified at The Center

Landes Emergency Training Services is offering an AED/CPR certification class this month at The Center of Anna Maria Island. The class is on Wednesday, Oct. 19 from 6:30-8 p.m. and participants will earn a two-year certification upon completion. The training session is open to all community members with a cost of $90 for Center members and $100 for non-members. Registration is required by Friday, Oct. 14. For more information, or to register, call 941-778-1908.

Learn improv skills at The Center

The Center of Anna Maria Island joins organizations from all around the country in offering GameOn programming, a course designed to help children develop their improv, theatrical, listening and public speaking skills through games. Classes take place every Thursday from Oct. 20-Dec. 15 with kids ages 6-8 meeting at 4 p.m. and children ages 9-11 meeting at 5 p.m. The cost for the series is $200 for Center members or $225 for non-members. All classes are at The Center of Anna Maria Island, 407 Magnolia Ave. in Anna Maria. The deadline to register is Friday, Oct. 14. For more information, or to register your child, call 941-778-1908.

Attract pollinators with seed bombs

Teens in fourth through ninth grades are invited to come to The Center of Anna Maria Island and learn how to make seed bombs on Thursday, Oct. 13 from 6-7 p.m. During the class, created in partnership with the Manatee County Public Library System, students will learn how to create beautiful, functional seed bombs to brighten up their outdoor space and also create a food source for pollinating insects and birds. The cost to attend is $20 for Center members or $25 for non-members. All supplies will be provided. The class takes place at The Center, 407 Magnolia Ave. in Anna Maria. To register, call 941-778-1908.

Tumble Tots classes roll into The Center

Learn to flip, kick and tumble at The Center of Anna Maria this fall with tumbling classes for youth. Classes take place every Thursday from Oct. 20-Nov. 17. Tumble Tots classes for kids ages 2-4 will be held from 3-3:45 p.m., followed by youth tumbling for kids entering kindergarten through fifth grade from 3:35-4:30 p.m. and advanced youth tumbling for students entering kindergarten through fifth grade from 4:30-5 p.m. Students will be placed in the advanced tumbling class based on skill level and at the discretion of the instructor. The cost to participate is $100 for Center members or $125 for non-members. Registration is required by Friday, Oct. 14. To register, call 941-778-1908. All classes will be held at The Center, 407 Magnolia Ave. in Anna Maria.

Anna Maria Island dodges Hurricane Ian’s bullets

Anna Maria Island dodges Hurricane Ian’s bullets

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

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Hurricane Ian inflicted significant damage on some mobile homes in Bradenton Beach, but Anna Maria Island as a whole survived the hurricane without the widespread devastation many feared.

On Monday, Sept. 26, Manatee County ordered a mandatory evacuation of all three Island cities, to be effective the following evening. A drive around the Island just before sundown on Tuesday evening revealed many boarded-up businesses and homes and a mostly deserted and evacuated Island.

Residents, business owners and others were allowed to return to the Island at 10 a.m. on Thursday morning,

Manatee County restored water and sewer service to the Island on Friday morning, but as of late Saturday afternoon, most of the Island remained without electrical power.

In Bradenton Beach, power was restored to the Bridge Street area and the residential area south of Bridge Street on Friday night. The power in those areas went out again Saturday morning and was then restored to some locations.

Bradenton Beach Police Chief John Cosby said the power outage that occurred after the power was initially restored was due to a switching device catching fire and needing to be replaced.

With the power partially restored again, the Drift In bar in Bradenton Beach was the first Bridge Street establishment to reopen late Saturday morning.

“With everything that’s happened in the past few years, including COVID, my team needs to work,” Drift In Manager Doreen Flynn said shortly after the reopening. “I feel sick thinking of all those people who were not as lucky as us.”

As of late Saturday afternoon, several other Bridge Street businesses remained without power or closed for other reasons.

Assistant General Manager Shannon Dunnan said the Bridge Tender Inn & Dockside Bar had power and hoped to reopen early Sunday afternoon.

Island Time General Manager Michael Davis said they did not yet have power as of Saturday afternoon and hoped to have a soft reopening on Monday and be fully reopened on Tuesday.

Bridge Street Bazaar owner Jake Spooner said his business remained closed on Saturday afternoon because there was no power. The Daiquiri Deck also remained closed on Saturday.

Bradenton Beach

On Thursday morning, Bradenton Beach Police Chief John Cosby provided The Sun with a damage assessment.

“We started operations at 3 o’clock this morning and we had the team fully operational by 5 a.m. We did good. The only real damage we had to our city facilities was the police department roof was leaking. The worst damage is in the two trailer parks where some roofs and carports were blown off. We also had some damage to a condo on the 600 block,” Cosby said.

Unlike past storms, none of the live-aboard boats south of the Bridge Street Pier broke free and struck or damaged the pier or floating dock.

“The pier and floating dock did good,” Cosby said. “We’ve got two boats missing, one boat down and one boat – we don’t where it came from – leaning against the bridge. There’s no damage to the bridge and FDOT’s been notified.”

“The cell tower is damaged. It got hit by some flying debris that left some good-sized dents in it. I don’t know if it’s operational or not. Our cell service is terrible right now, so it may have been disrupted,” Cosby said.

Cosby said there was a lot of tree and landscaping debris to clean up, but the main roads had already been cleared by the city’s public works department.

“We had no major power lines down, so that should make it quicker to restore power. Right now, we do not have any power, water or sewer; and we have no idea when those are coming back,” he said Thursday morning.

Cosby noted the county and FPL were dealing with significantly worse damage in eastern Manatee County.

“The east side of the county got destroyed. When the storm went over that way, it was a Cat 2/Cat 3. They were rescuing people off roofs this morning,” he said. “The county’s got a lot to take care of. Hopefully, we can get the utilities up as fast as we can, but I think it’s going to be a while,” he said.

When asked about the city being reopened to those who wished to return, Cosby said, “We’re allowing them to come back. If they want to stay, they can, but there’s no power, no water and no sewer.”

Holmes Beach

When contacted later that morning, Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said, “We had minimal damage – some trees and limbs. Power’s out. We have no water yet. We have no Spectrum connectivity.”

He also said, “Full access to Holmes Beach through Manatee Avenue was opened at 10 o’clock this morning. Once the Island was deemed an evacuation zone, we limited the number of people that returned to public safety personnel, but we never raise the bridges and we never stop people from leaving the Island.”

Tokajer reflected on what could have been had Hurricane Ian not taken an unexpected turn to the south, including catastrophic damage to the Fort Myers/Sanibel Island area.

“We were truly blessed. The damage and devastation we’re seeing to the south is what we were expecting as a direct hit to our area. It’s truly daunting to see the devastation that happened down there – and to see what a true storm surge looks like in real life, instead of just projections,” he said.

On Friday, traffic coming into Holmes Beach on Manatee Avenue was being detoured south on East Bay Drive because a fallen power pole was leaning on the metal pole that holds the traffic signal.

Anna Maria

When visited in his generator-powered city hall office early that afternoon, Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy said, “We did good. We didn’t take a direct hit. If we had, it would have been devastating for our city. We had a lot of trees down and several wires down, but we have most of that cleared. The city’s without power and water. I have no idea when utilities are being restored. People can come back but it’s not real comfortable without water and power.”

The exterior skin of the Anna Maria cell tower had a large tear in it, but Murphy said he wasn’t aware of any significant structural damage that occurred within the city, other than one home having its front door blown off.

“The only significant problem I see is turned over port-a-potties at construction sites. Several contractors picked theirs up, but one contractor didn’t bother to tie them down or pick them up. That’s a problem and a health hazard, and that’s something we put in our construction checklist,” Murphy said.

In 2017, the damage inflicted by Hurricane Irma led to the City Pier being closed and later replaced. When asked how the new pier fared during its first hurricane, Murphy said, “Our new pier held up fine. There’s no structural damage at all. It was built right. I was concerned – like a father whose daughter goes on her first date.”
Anna Maria residents JoAnn and Anthony Manali chose not to evacuate and rode the storm out at their home and business, Captain Anthony’s Stone Crab Store.
“I was scared and I’ll never do it again. It was worse than I could have ever imagined,” JoAnn Manali said of that experience.

On Friday morning, Murphy was advised that it could take another four or five days to restore power in Anna Maria.

On Saturday, Murphy said the storm debris removal efforts were already underway and storm recovery updates and information were available at the city website.

Hurricane Ian, a day at a time

Hurricane Ian, a day at a time

Written by Sun staff on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News, Featured.

Hurricane Ian caused a burst of activity and emotion on and around Anna Maria Island last week.

On Tuesday, it was projected to make landfall here, but by that afternoon, new projections had it veering slightly south, where it made landfall the next day at Cayo Costa.

Local residents were left feeling both relief and distress over the misfortune of their southwest Florida neighbors, and more than a little apprehension about the next storm.

Here’s what happened while thousands prepared to either face or run from the disaster.

 

Sept. 25 – City leaders in Anna Maria declare a local state of emergency in preparation for Hurricane Ian.

Sept. 26 – City leaders in Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach declare a local state of emergency.

Sept. 26, noon – A mandatory evacuation of zone A, including Anna Maria Island, Cortez and sections of unincorporated Manatee County is issued, effective at 8 a.m. on Sept. 27.

Sept. 26, 2 p.m. – Manatee County schools, libraries and The Center of Anna Maria Island announce closures effective at the end of the day. Trash and yard waste collection cease.

Sept. 26, 5 p.m. – The latest Hurricane Ian update from the National Hurricane Center shows the storm taking a turn for Tampa Bay.

Sept. 27, 8 a.m. – Evacuation of zone A goes into effect. Manatee County shelters open at local schools. The projected track of Hurricane Ian takes a turn for a direct hit to Anna Maria Island.

Sept. 27, 11 a.m. – Manatee County leaders issue mandatory evacuation orders for zone A and B with a voluntary evacuation for zone C.

Sept. 27, 5 p.m. – Water and sewer services are turned off to Anna Maria Island. Traffic to the Island is limited with Manatee Avenue and Cortez Road traffic limited to eastbound only. Anna Maria Island is placed under a flash flood warning. The Island, Cortez, Perico Island, Flamingo Cay and parts of coastal unincorporated Manatee County are placed under a storm surge warning. Manatee County is under a hurricane warning. Hurricane Ian is expected to come onshore near Port Charlotte and hit Manatee County around 2 a.m. Sept. 29 as a Category 1 storm.

Sept. 28, 10 a.m. – Hurricane Ian is upgraded to a Category 4 storm. Manatee County is already experiencing high winds and rain from the hurricane.

Sept. 28, 3:10 p.m. – Hurricane Ian makes landfall as a Category 4 storm with sustained winds of 155 mph at Cayo Costa, near Captiva Island and Sanibel. Manatee County is under a flash flood warning and storm surge warning.

Sept. 28, 5 p.m. – Manatee County lift stations have lost power and water treatment facilities are near capacity. Three potable water main breaks have been identified and two have been fixed. Residents are asked to limit water usage.

Sept. 29, 10 a.m. – Manatee County evacuation orders have been lifted and shelters are closing. Utility crews are assessing system damage. Access to Flamingo Cay and Perico Island is reopened.

Sept. 29, 10:20 a.m. – Holmes Beach police announce that Anna Maria Island is reopened to residents.

Sept. 30, 5 p.m. – Water and sewer utilities are returned to Anna Maria Island. The Island is under a 48-hour boil water notice. Some electrical utilities have been restored, then lost again.

Oct. 1, 5 p.m. – Electricity has been returned at 90% to Anna Maria Island, Perico Island, Flamingo Cay and Cortez. The Center of Anna Maria Island is expected to reopen on Oct. 3 along with county beaches, parks, libraries and other amenities. The weather is sunny and cool, with no storm in sight.

Anna Maria Island prepares for Hurricane Ian

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News, Featured.

SEPT. 29, 10:20 A.M. UPDATE: Holmes Beach police have announced that Anna Maria Island is back open for residents.

SEPT. 29, 10 A.M. UPDATE: Manatee County evacuation orders have been lifted and shelters are closing this morning. Utility crews are assessing system damage. Anna Maria Island is still closed to residents with drivers being turned around at the base of the Anna Maria and Cortez bridges while first responders and work crews assess the state of the Island. Residents can access Flamingo Cay and Perico Island on Manatee Avenue. Anyone out driving is asked to be cautious of downed or sagging powerlines, storm debris and standing water.

SEPT. 28, 5 P.M. UPDATE: Manatee County officials have asked that residents who still have water limit what goes down their drains. With lift stations losing power and water treatment facilities at capacity, along with potable water breaks reported, residents are asked to limit toilet flushing, showering, doing dishes and doing laundry.

Hurricane Ian made landfall around 3:10 p.m. near the Captiva Islands and Sanibel as a Category 4 storm. Manatee County is under a flash flood warning until 7 p.m., an extreme wind warning until 6 p.m. and an ongoing storm surge warning for coastal low-lying areas.

SEPT. 28, 10 A.M. UPDATE: Power outages are expected to occur in our area over the next several hours. Hurricane Ian has been upgraded to a Category 4 storm and our area is already experiencing high winds and rain. The storm is expected to make landfall to our south late morning or early afternoon today. The Sun will post updates here and on our Facebook page as we’re able due to internet and power outages. Everyone, stay inside, stay safe and we’ll see you on the other side.

SEPT. 27, 5 P.M. UPDATE: The National Hurricane Center’s latest update is showing that Hurricane Ian is expected to come onshore near Port Charlotte early Wednesday afternoon as a possible major hurricane. If the storm follows the current track, it’s anticipated that it will approach the Manatee County area early Thursday, Sept. 29 around 2 a.m., potentially as a Category 1 storm.

The peak storm surge warning for Anna Maria Island and Cortez has been lowered to an estimated maximum of 4-6 feet. The estimated storm surge for Anna Maria Island and Cortez has been reduced to 1-3 feet above ground level.

Manatee County officials announced that water and sewage lift stations on Anna Maria Island will be turned off at 6 p.m. today, Sept. 27. Water and sewage services will not be restored until after the storm threat has passed. County Administrator Dr. Scott Hopes warned residents that sewage lift stations, needed to operate toilets, will not work if electricity is out.

Westbound traffic on Manatee Avenue and Cortez Road to Anna Maria Island from the mainland became restricted at 4 p.m. today and will be closed by 8 p.m. this evening. Traffic lanes will not reopen to the Island until local law enforcement and first responders determine that it’s safe for residents to return.

SEPT. 27, 11 A.M. UPDATE: Manatee County has issued mandatory evacuation notices for zones A and B with a voluntary evacuation notice in place for zone C. If you’re unsure of your evacuation level, visit the county website for more information.

County officials advise that all residents should be sheltered where they plan to ride out the storm as of 8 p.m. tonight when some of the first effects of Hurricane Ian are expected to be felt in the area. All county shelters are now open. A list of shelters in the area can be found here.

All pet owners are advised to bring their pets inside for the duration of the storm. Manatee County Animal Services will close today and not reopen until safe to do so after Hurricane Ian has passed.

All of Manatee County, including Anna Maria Island, is under a flash flood warning beginning Sept. 28 and continuing through Friday, Sept. 30.

Anna Maria Island, Cortez, Perico Island, Flamingo Cay and parts of coastal unincorporated Manatee County are under a storm surge warning. While most areas can expect storm surge of over 3 feet, some areas of the Island, including in Anna Maria and Holmes Beach, can expect storm surge of over 6 feet during high tide. The National Hurricane Center’s storm surge flood map is consistently being updated online as the storm’s track is updated. Peak storm surge along coastal Manatee County is expected to be between 5-9 feet.

City commission regular and work session meetings in Holmes Beach scheduled for today at 5 p.m. have been canceled. Commissioners will go forward with a final budget hearing and emergency special meeting at 5:01 p.m. today via Zoom. The public is invited to participate online or by telephone.

SEPT. 26, 5 P.M. UPDATE: Manatee County is now under a hurricane warning from the National Weather Service. Anna Maria Island and surrounding low-lying areas in Manatee County also are under a storm surge warning. The storm surge warning is in effect until Friday, Sept. 30 and states that the Island could see waters rise 3 feet or more above sea level. Peak storm surges could exceed 10 feet in some areas if Hurricane Ian arrives in the area at high tide.

SEPT. 26, 2 P.M. UPDATE: Closures have been announced for Manatee County.

Manatee County schools are closed for students and staff beginning tomorrow. Schools will be closed until the threat of Hurricane Ian has passed.

The Center of Anna Maria Island and all Manatee County Libraries will close at end of business today, reopening after the storm threat has passed. The Anna Maria City Pier will close at noon Sept. 27 and remain closed until further notice.

There will be no trash, recycling or yard waste collection on Wednesday until after the storm threat passes. Due to evacuation notices for Anna Maria Island, collection services may end early on Tuesday.

All Manatee County facilities and buildings will close to the public at close of business today with the exception of the county administration building which is scheduled to close to the public after a scheduled county commission meeting the morning of Sept. 27.

Shelters in Manatee County will open tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. Manatee County officials ask that no one go to a shelter prior to the 8 a.m. opening on Sept. 27. A list of shelters is available online. Everyone going to a shelter needs to bring their own cot or sleeping bag and personal items.

Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells has announced that emergency services will be very limited once winds hit a sustained 45 mph. He advises that officers will do their best to respond but may not be able to get to all areas of the county while the effects of Hurricane Ian are being felt in the area. Emergency services in Manatee County, including EMS, fire response and law enforcement will all be limited during the storm event.

Storm surges, high winds and heavy rain are expected to begin as early as 2 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 27 and continue through early morning Friday, Sept. 30. A mandatory evacuation is effective beginning at 8 a.m. Sept. 27 for zone A, which includes Anna Maria Island, and a voluntary evacuation for zone B. Manatee County Administrator Scott Hopes recommends that everyone be where they intend to ride out Hurricane Ian by tomorrow night at 8 p.m. Hurricane Ian is predicted to have a high probability of spinning off tornadoes.

Anna Maria Island will be closed down at sundown tomorrow afternoon, Sept. 27. Water utility services will be shut off one hour after sundown tomorrow afternoon and Hopes said service will not be restored until it can be safely determined that the system has not sustained any significant damage.

SEPT. 26, 12:10 A.M. UPDATE: A mandatory evacuation of zone A, including Anna Maria Island, Perico Island, Cortez and parts of unincorporated Manatee County, has been issued by Manatee County effective at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 27. Evacuation of zone B is advised but not mandatory.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Residents and city leaders in the three Island cities are preparing for potential impacts this week from Hurricane Ian as the storm is projected to pass by to the west in the Gulf of Mexico as a major hurricane.

As of the National Weather Service’s Sept. 26 11 a.m. briefing, the Tampa Bay area, including Manatee County, is under a hurricane watch with the storm expected to rapidly intensify. Hurricane Ian is currently expected to pass by the area as a category 2 or 3 storm. Early forecasts predict 7-10 inches of rain in our area and storm surges of 5-8 feet. Impacts from Hurricane Ian are expected to begin in Manatee County as early as Wednesday evening and continue through Thursday, Sept. 29.

Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer and Mayor Judy Titsworth said the Island is anticipated to be under a mandatory evacuation by 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 27. While residents will not be forced to leave, it is important to note that emergency services, including police, fire response and EMS, will not be available during a storm. West Manatee Fire Rescue personnel will be required to leave the Island once sustained winds exceed 45 mph.

Anna Maria

A state of emergency has been declared by city officials. Residents are advised to prepare for impending impacts from Hurricane Ian. A sandbagging station has been set up for residents at Bayfront Park, however, supplies of sandbags and sand are limited. Reentry tags are available for residents at city hall with proof of residency.

Bradenton Beach

City officials declared a state of emergency during an 11 a.m. meeting this morning. Manatee County staff have delivered pre-filled sandbags to Coquina Beach for residents over the weekend but those supplies have quickly been depleted. Reentry tags for residents are available at the Bradenton Beach Police Department with proof of residency.

Holmes Beach

Titsworth declared a local state of emergency for the city early Monday morning. Sand and sandbags are available as supplies are replenished at the Manatee Beach and by the pickleball courts at city field. Reentry tags are available for residents with one tag being issued per residence at the Holmes Beach Police Department.

The Holmes Beach Code Compliance Special Magistrate hearing scheduled for 10 a.m. Sept. 27 has been canceled. The city commission meeting and work session scheduled to follow the budget hearing at 5:01 p.m. on Sept. 27 have been canceled. Titsworth said she anticipates that the budget hearing also will be canceled due to the mandatory evacuation.

The Sun will continue to update this post as more information becomes available.

City leaders consider food truck regulations

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

HOLMES BEACH – Commissioners are reacting to a recently passed Florida law allowing food trucks to operate within any municipality in the state by creating regulations for those doing business in the city.

Planning and Zoning Administrator Chad Minor said that while city leaders cannot keep food trucks from operating in Holmes Beach, there are certain ways that they can regulate those operations, including limiting hours and where the food trucks can do business.

Some of the rules being considered include limiting operating hours to 7 a.m.-7 p.m. daily and limiting food trucks to spending two days per week at a single location within the city. The hours would be adjusted for any food trucks taking part in a special event with a temporary use permit, such as a festival at the city field complex.

If the proposed ordinance is approved by commissioners, food truck operations would only be able to take place in the C-2 and C-3 commercial districts and on finished surfaces outside of required parking for the primary business at the location and off of the right of way. By limiting which districts food trucks can operate in, commissioners prevent them from setting up in residential neighborhoods, at beach access points, at office buildings or at one of the closed bank properties in the city which are zoned C-1 for low-intensity commercial endeavors.

Operators also would have to meet all applicable fire codes and be open to allowing fire prevention or code compliance officers to inspect the food truck at any time. Oil, water and other waste would be required to be disposed of properly off-site, not dumped in landscaping, on parking lots or in the city’s sewer system.

The selling of items would be limited to food and beverages and operators would not be able to serve any items from a moving vehicle.

Food truck employees would also be required to have access to a restroom facility at a nearby business or other facility.

“You’ve buttoned this up very tight,” Commissioner Terry Schaefer said, applauding Minor’s work on the proposed ordinance.

BIEO members reject TDC funding change

BIEO members reject TDC funding change

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

ANNA MARIA – Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth hasn’t gained a lot of support from leadership in local barrier island cities for her idea to change how tourist development taxes are distributed in Manatee County.

Titsworth brought up the topic during a Coalition of Barrier Island Elected Officials meeting where she was joined by Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy, Longboat Key Mayor Ken Schneier and Longboat Key Town Manager Tom Harmer. She said that although vacation rentals bring in about 30% of the total Manatee County tourist development tax revenues, her city doesn’t see a lot of it returned.

“Tourist development funding is hard for Holmes Beach to qualify for,” she said, noting that the city has only seen about $100,000 of the millions of dollars earned come back to help fund city projects. Titsworth said she’s expecting about $30,000 from the tax this year for Grassy Point Preserve improvements.

The funds are assigned to projects by Manatee County commissioners with advice from the county’s Tourist Development Council. By state law, the funds can only be used for specified projects related to tourism. Titsworth said she’d like to see those funds available for infrastructure improvements or redistributed to local municipalities based on the percentage of the total funds earned by that city. She also said she’d prefer it if the funds could be distributed without the requirement of county commission approval.

In the current fiscal year, Titsworth requested funds for bicycle and sidewalk path improvements and reimbursement for seawall repairs necessary to prevent part of Marina Drive in the city’s commercial district from collapsing. While the project was approved by the members of the TDC, county commissioners voted it down, although they did approve the funds for Grassy Point Preserve. Some county commissioners stated that they didn’t see how the paths and seawall repairs tied into tourism-related spending while others stated that they wouldn’t approve the project because of an ongoing clash between city and county leaders over beach parking in residential neighborhoods. During the BIEO meeting, Titsworth said she doesn’t appreciate how some county leaders are “weaponizing” funding in an attempt to force city officials to meet their demands.

Though Murphy said he understands Titsworth’s predicament, he feels that his city has been getting its fair share of the tax funds. Rather than depend on tourist development tax funds for infrastructure repairs, he suggested making an effort to get a larger cut of sales tax revenue, which is currently disbursed based on population.

Harmer and Schneier agreed that they also don’t have an issue with the way the funding is currently distributed. Harmer said that their city’s tourist development tax dollars were primarily used for beach renourishment and maintenance. Unlike on Anna Maria Island, the small number of public beach accesses on Longboat Key means that beach renourishment and maintenance is funded by that city rather than through outside government funding.

Pine Avenue roundabout rejected

Pine Avenue roundabout rejected

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

ANNA MARIA – The city commission has rejected a proposed roundabout and delivery truck turnaround area at the Pine Avenue/South Bay Boulevard intersection near the City Pier.

Representing the George F. Young engineering firm, Mark Adler presented the requested roundabout plans during a Sept. 12 special city commission meeting.

The commission requested the roundabout plans as part of the ongoing Reimagining Pine Avenue safety improvement efforts. The idea of installing a delivery truck turnaround area near the trolley stop by the pier surfaced earlier this year during discussions that at the time included the possibility of transforming the avenue into a one-way street.

The commission ultimately rejected the one-way concept, but the delivery truck turnaround remained a possibility as a means of discouraging oversized trucks from turning right on South Bay Boulevard and using Spring and Magnolia avenues, which are residential streets, to leave the area.

Mayor Dan Murphy noted the plans that Adler was presenting were based on the commission’s opposition to purchasing any additional land or securing any additional easements to accommodate a roundabout. Murphy said the city leaders also wanted to avoid impacting the city pier pavilions and the City Pier Park property.

Adler said the roundabout designed according to the commissioners’ criteria would accommodate trucks up to 45.5 feet long but would not accommodate 18-wheelers. He said a garbage truck is typically 30 to 40 feet long.

Commissioner Mark Short asked if the city could limit the size of the trucks that travel on Pine Avenue. Murphy said the city could impose a weight limit, but he doubted the city could impose a size limit on delivery trucks. He also noted that prohibiting 18-wheeled delivery trucks could negatively impact many Pine Avenue businesses.

Commissioner Robert Kingan said he couldn’t support a roundabout project that only provides a partial solution to the delivery truck concerns.

“This is not going to fly with me,” he said. “Not as it stands right now.”

Kingan said he wouldn’t support a larger roundabout either.

Commissioner Deanie Sebring said she showed the plans to some of her friends and neighbors and they all opposed the proposed roundabout.

In response to a question from Commissioner Jon Crane, Adler estimated the proposed roundabout would cost between $175,000 and $225,000.

Commission Chair Carol Carter said she envisioned maneuverability problems and she didn’t think the roundabout would be a worthy expenditure of city funds.

Participating by phone, Anna Maria resident Alan Ward said a roundabout in that location might produce additional safety concerns for pedestrians, which Adler acknowledged as a valid concern.

Short said he was disappointed because the proposed roundabout would have allowed the city to recapture some of the city pier parking spaces previously lost to accommodate the trolley stop.

He said he would have liked the city to do more research before abandoning the proposed roundabout, casting the only opposition vote to Kingan’s motion to reject the roundabout plan.

Water taxi plans detailed

Water taxi plans detailed

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

MANATEE COUNTY – The county’s chief tourism official briefed county commissioners on Sept. 13 on plans in the works for a water taxi between Anna Maria Island and Bradenton, including new funding sources.

Revenues generated by the county-controlled Coquina Beach Market will help fund the water taxi, said Elliott Falcione, executive director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. Revenues generated by the 5% tourist development tax levied on vacation rentals, resorts and other lodging establishments in Manatee County could also be used, as could surplus beach concession funds, he said. Falcione is working with Manatee County Public Works Director Chad Butzow and Transit Division Manager Jason Harris to develop the water taxi service under the direction of County Administrator Scott Hopes.

In August, Falcione told the Anna Maria City Commission he hoped to present a formal contract proposal to county commissioners on Sept. 13, but he told county commissioners that day that some final details were still being worked out with the proposed water taxi company.

Falcione said he and Hopes plan to present a formal contract proposal to the county commission on Tuesday, Sept. 27 and he plans to present the tourist development tax funding request to the Manatee County Tourist Development Council (TDC) in October.

Falcione said the water taxis would travel from the day dock in downtown Bradenton to the Anna Maria City Pier, and then to the floating dock at the Bridge Street Pier in Bradenton Beach and then to either the Coquina North or Coquina South boat ramp. The return trip would include stops at the Bridge Street Pier and the Anna Maria City Pier on the way to downtown Bradenton. The inclusion of a Coquina boat ramp destination, located across the street from Coquina Beach, triggers the ability to use tourist development tax proceeds for the water taxis, he said.

More details

Falcione said the water taxi program would feature two 49-passenger pontoon catamaran boats operating simultaneously between downtown Bradenton and Anna Maria Island. He anticipates the service beginning in February or March and initially operating from 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Falcione repeatedly referenced a Clearwater-based company that’s operated a water taxi service since 2015. Falcione did not mention the company’s name, but he later confirmed for The Sun that Clearwater Ferry is the company the county is negotiating with.

Clearwater Ferry currently operates a water taxi service three days a week that includes stops in downtown Clearwater, the Clearwater Beach municipal marina, the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, North Clearwater Beach and Dunedin, according to its website.

Falcione said water taxi passengers would pay $8 for a one-way ride or $10 for an all-day pass, with discounts given for seniors and children. The no-cash operation will accept electronic payments only.

Falcione mentioned the Anna Maria Commission’s request that the Island’s hospitality and service industry employees be allowed to ride the water taxis for free when commuting to work.

“We’re looking at that. We think it’s palatable. There’s some pros and cons to that,” Falcione told county commissioners.

He then noted the water taxi company already has experience and case study data pertaining to employee ridership. County Commissioner Misty Servia said business owners should provide water taxi passes to their employees as an employee benefit.

Citing weather concerns and travel on the Intracoastal Waterway, Commissioner Carol Whitmore expressed concerns about using pontoon boats as water taxis.

Hopes said county funds would be used to subsidize the upfront capital equipment costs
that include the two boats. He said liens would be placed on the boats and the liens would later be removed after enough revenues have been generated to cover those initial costs.

“It’s not as simple as us going out and buying boats,” Hopes said.

Falcione said the county may have to make some county-funded improvements to the proposed water taxi landing locations in Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach and Bradenton.

Commissioners Vanessa Baugh and Reggie Bellamy asked whether the water taxis would accommodate bikes, coolers, beach chairs and other items used by beachgoers.

“We’ll look at all that. The amenities the families want to bring out are really important,” Falcione said.

According to the Clearwater Ferry website, U.S. Coast Guard regulations do not allow bikes on board their vessels. The Clearwater Ferry website also notes their vessels do not have restrooms.

To better serve county residents, Commissioner James Satcher suggested including water taxi stops along SR 64 and US Highway 301.

Regarding future expansion, Falcione said, “This is just the basic infrastructure to get it going. This is what we and the third-party operator feel would give our best chance for short-term success.”

Falcione said future expansion would likely include service to the new hotel being built next to the convention center in Palmetto.

“We see it going to Longboat Key at some point. We see it going to Sarasota. We’re going to focus on Manatee County and get it started. As we learn, we’ll branch out and add partners,” Falcione said.

Season opener ends in tie

Season opener ends in tie

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

ANNA MARIA – With a week of practice under their belt, eight youth soccer teams took to The Center fields for this season’s kickoff games last Tuesday night.

In the U10 league, LaPensee Plumbing’s TJ Hagey and Preston LaPensee each had a hat trick in the game, scoring all six of LaPensee Plumbing’s points in the night.

Cloud Pest Control answered back with a single goal by Gabriel Spann.

Both goalies, Owen Mahoney for LaPensee and Thadeous Daniels for Cloud, had two recorded saves in week one action.

Island Real Estate’s scoring came from Callin Westfall with a solo goal and Oliver Barr with two points. Aidan Guess prevented the shutout with a goal for AMI Coconuts.

In a hard-played week one game, Sato Real Estate and Solid Rock Construction ended their battle royale in a 1-1 tie.

Sato Real Estate’s Gunnar Maize had three big saves in the matchup, while his counterpart on the opposite end of the pitch, Isaac Roadman, made two essential stops for Solid Rock Construction.

Roadman’s brother, Obe Roadman, was credited with an assist with the single Solid Rock goal by Matthew Darak.

Veteran player Dylan Sato stuck with confidence, scoring Sato Real Estate’s only point in the closest matchup of the season opener.

The U14 league saw one game played on the big field at the community center – Progressive Cabinetry struggled against the dominance of team HSH. With no mercy rule in place, HSH won the first game of the season 11-0.

Scoring by Braelyn Curtis, Ava Gitt, Sterling Holiday, Krosby Lamison, Jasmine Sparks, Jack Zaccagnino and Jesse Zaccagnino took the HSH squad to victory.

At the end of week one action, it is too early to tell which teams will top the charts. With an entire season ahead of them, any of the dynamic and hardworking teams could go all the way to the championship games.

 

Sun Scoreboard

Sept. 13

Youth Soccer – Week 1

U10 (8- to 10-year-old league)

 

LaPensee Plumbing 6

Cloud Pest Control 1

 

Solid Rock Construction 1

Sato Real Estate 1

 

Island Real Estate 3

AMI Coconuts 1

 

U14 (11- to 14-year-old league)
HSH 11

Progressive Cabinetry 0

 

Sept. 15

Adult Soccer

 

Wash Family Construction 7

Pool America 5

 

Slim’s Place 5

Ross Built Construction 4

 

Moss Builders 6

Servis First Bank 0

 

Gulfview Windows and Doors 9

Sato Real Estate 1

Players’ season opener a cliffhanger

Players’ season opener a cliffhanger

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

ANNA MARIA – Philosophical boundaries are a constant struggle for a philosophy professor who thinks he knows the obvious difference between right and wrong in Cliffhanger, the Island Players’ season opener.

Rick Kopp is a convincing Professor Henry Lowenthal, whose hero is Socrates, a source of inspiration for him, and a key player in how the plot unfolds. The professor’s wavering moral compass draws laughs from an audience that never knows what he’ll do next.

The professor’s wife, Polly, played by Cathy Hansel-Edgerton, also brings plenty of laughs as she is all about solving the problems at hand with little regard to what Socrates may think of her. Polly simply wants to keep her husband out of jail and their long-term relationship intact regardless of what direction her moral compass may be pointing. Her character is essential to how the plot unfolds, and this Island Players veteran gets the job done.

A visit from rival colleague Edith Wilshire, played by Sue Belvo – who nails her small but important role – unleashes a series of events that challenges the professor to rethink his lifelong ethical ideals, which he not only works hard to impress upon his students but exercise in his own personal life.

The story hinges on a not-so-slightly obnoxious spoiled rich kid, Melvin, played by Colin Brady, who is over the top, and written to be purposely annoying. Brady does an excellent job delivering every line convincingly, but his desire to get a failing grade changed by the professor makes him a constant source of moral struggle for the Lowenthals, who will do anything to make him go away while simultaneously dealing with a local police detective played by Island Players newcomer, Sam DiGiammarino.

Director Mike Lusk does a great job pulling the comedic moments out of his characters in a play that is not strictly a comedy. Stage manager Jeanne Walther and the entire crew do an equally good job of setting the scene and bringing the audience into the show. Lusk went onstage before the Sept. 16 show and dedicated the performance to Jack Abene, who had been the backstage manager and an integral part of the Island Players for more than 25 years. Jack passed away at the age of 91 the morning of the performance.

Cliffhanger runs through Sept. 25, followed by I Ought to be in Pictures (Nov. 3-13), The Odd Couple (Jan. 12-29), The 39 Steps (March 9-26) and How the Other Half Loves (May 4-14). Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at the box office at 10009 Gulf Drive, Anna Maria or by calling 941-778-5755. Performances are Tuesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. with Sunday matinees at 2 p.m.

Island Players ready for 74th season

Island Players ready for 74th season

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

ANNA MARIA – The Island Players are getting in their last few rehearsals before they begin their 2022-23 season on Thursday, Sept. 15 with their production of James Yaffe’s Cliffhanger, which will run through Sunday, Sept. 25.

“This show is written and set in the mid-80s featuring a college professor and his wife who end up in a thriller murder mystery type of story, but it’s not your average thriller,” director Mike Lusk said. “This play is not technically a comedy, but I’m finding comedic moments; I know our audiences enjoy that. Without even changing the script, we’re just punching up those moments.”

The plot involves Professor Henry Lowenthal, who accidentally kills his boss when she ruins his retirement plans. Now Henry and his devoted wife, Polly, must find a foolproof method to dispose of the body despite frequent visits from a persistent student and a suspicious police lieutenant.

The players are Henry Lowenthal (Rick Kopp), Polly Lowenthal (Cathy Hansel-Edgerton), Edith Wilshire (Sue Belvo), Melvin McMullen (Colin Brady) and Dave DeVito (Sam DiGiammarino).

The Island Players often feature familiar faces, and Cliffhanger will be no different. Lusk directed The Savannah Sipping Society last season, and only one cast member, Sam DiGiammarino, hasn’t performed in a previous Island Players production.

This year’s lineup begins with Cliffhanger (Sept. 15-25), I Ought to be in Pictures (Nov. 3-13), The Odd Couple (Jan. 12-29, 2023), The 39 Steps (March 9-26, 2023) and How the Other Half Loves (May 4-14, 2023).

Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at the box office at 10009 Gulf Drive or by calling 941-778-5755. Performances are Tuesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. with Sunday matinees at 2 p.m.

Castles in the Sand

Real estate websites changing our lives

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

In the good old days of the late 1980s when the state of New York told me I was now capable of selling residential real estate, I knew they had no clue. Of course, I also had no clue, but that was part of the challenge.

That was before the internet and cell phones when every real estate office had a receptionist at the front desk who took messages and buyers and sellers had the good manners to wait until you returned their call. In that era, real estate was mostly confined to print advertising and labor-intense manual systems. Picture this: Listings were collected in three-ring binders for potential buyers to look through. Once they found the perfect home at the perfect asking price in the perfect area, it was out to the realtor’s car for an in-person tour of the home.

Once the multiple listing services were created, realtors could access available properties on the computer, assuming the computer was up and running and the little blue-haired lady who was selling real estate for 100 years could learn the process. And then of course, only licensed realtors could access multiple listing services.

That was then and this is now. In the real estate world of today, every available property for sale is at everyone’s fingertips, controlled by websites all competing for your eyeballs. Here’s a breakdown of the top sites:

The number one site and by far the largest real estate website in the country is Zillow. Zillow or “Zillow Surfing” is without a doubt addictive and provides listings from both the multiple listing services and for sale by owner. The site is free to buyers and sellers and at last count averaged 68 million monthly visitors.

The next most popular site is realtor.com (my personal favorite). The app allows you to search for homes, view pictures and video tours, compare neighborhood criteria like noise levels and provides information on flood zones. Listings are in real time and generally reflect all multiple listing properties.

Next up is Trulia, which focuses on local information and allows for personalized alerts with links to pre-qualified financing and financial calculators. Trulia may be a little too technical for the average property surfer but good to use when you have narrowed down your favorite location.

These are the most well-known and the most popular, but there are plenty more like apartments.com, FSBO.com and Homes for Heroes. There are also several home-buying websites that come and go on a regular basis. Zillow tried their hand at this, but their timing was off, starting when home prices were on a sharp rise. They have since dropped out but there are two others who are active – Flyhomes.com and Homelight.com.

Something that just came to my attention is a website called Roofstock.com, which provides listings and data for investors interested in rental properties to buy. Small investors are actively purchasing properties frequently out of state and are becoming “Laptop Landlords.” They claim they’re the number one platform for small and large remote investors looking to purchase rental properties.

The National Association of Realtors reports that approximately 51% of buyers found the home they purchased on the internet, only 28% found their home through their realtor and 4% from yard signs.

The good thing about the 1980s was the pace was considerably slower than today, which made it a lot easier to learn and bluff your way through situations you haven’t yet had the time to learn. Every day was a challenge and a learning experience, and so much more fun. Our lives may be different now, but I still miss those binders.