Tag: Anna Maria

Green sea turtle released

Written by Leslie Lake on July 11, 2022. Posted in Outdoors, Sea turtles.

ANNA MARIA – Five months after an apparent collision with a boat left him with multiple injuries, a rehabilitated green sea turtle nicknamed “Pierre” by Mote Aquarium staff was released back into the wild on July 5.

Pierre had been found on Jan. 31 floating on the water’s surface near the Anna Maria City Pier. He had suffered multiple fractures and a large piece of his carapace – or upper shell – was damaged, but there was no neurologic damage.

“Veterinary Surgery Center of Sarasota was kind enough to do a CT scan for us to determine the extent of the trauma,” Mote Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Hospital Aquarist Weston Spoon said.

Pierre had numerous fibropapilloma tumors, which were surgically removed. After a second surgery to remove a tumor on his eye in May, he continued to gain weight and eat well.

Following his successful recovery, workers from the facility released Pierre into the waters off Bayfront Park, a short distance from where he had been found.

“He was found stranded near the City Pier, so it’s best to release them near where they’re stranded,” Spoon said, adding that Pierre is expected to acclimate easily back into his watery environment.

“Studies have been done that show they will go about their lives just as before,” Spoon said.

Mote’s Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Hospital has admitted more than 650 sick and injured sea turtles since 1995.

“We aim to help all our turtle patients return to the wild and contribute to their populations for years to come,” according to the Mote website. “This matters greatly: All sea turtle species are threatened or endangered.”

While it was difficult to determine Pierre’s age, Spoon said he was a juvenile less than 10 years old. Green sea turtles have a life expectancy of up to 80 years, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. They are far less common in the waters off Anna Maria Island than loggerheads, but both nest on area beaches from May through October.

Public works manager bidding farewell to Anna Maria

Written by Joe Hendricks on July 11, 2022. Posted in Anna Maria, Community News.

ANNA MARIA – Public Works Manager Dean Jones has accepted a position as the new assistant director of Public Works and Utilities for the city of Bradenton.

Mayor Dan Murphy announced Jones’ pending departure in an email sent to city commissioners and others on July 5.

“Please join me in wishing Dean Jones well in his new position as Assistant Director of Public Works and Utilities with the city of Bradenton. His resignation is effective July 16. Dean has served as public works manager for the city of Anna Maria since 2015. Effective immediately, Ryan Wieland, assistant public works manager, will assume Dean’s responsibilities as public works manager on a temporary basis. Ryan began his career with our city in 2018 and was appointed assistant manager of public works in 2019. A permanent replacement for Dean will be named in the near future.”

When contacted later in the week, Murphy said, “I’m happy for Dean and I think this is a great opportunity for him. I know he’ll do well working for the city of Bradenton. They are getting a well-trained guy who gets things done. Ryan is taking Dean’s place on a temporary basis for right now, until a permanent appointment can be made, which I expect to get done in the next week or so.”

Jones has worked in Anna Maria’s Public Works Department for the past seven years and he served as public works manager for most of his tenure. His last day on the job will be Friday, July 15.

“I started out as one of the guys, got promoted to assistant manager and shortly thereafter I was promoted to manager. I love the city of Anna Maria. The mayor and the rest of the staff are incredible. I’m sure my assistant, Ryan Wieland, will do very well. I just hope I did a good job and I hope I helped,” Jones said.

“It’s been a wonderful life experience. While working for the mayor, I developed a completely new set of skills than I had when I started. Dan’s an incredible and amazing person to work for and I can’t thank him enough for all the experience he’s given me. He helped me elevate myself to this next position,” Jones said.

Regarding his new position with the city of Bradenton, Jones said, “I’ll be overseeing the golf course, the ball fields, G.T. Bray Park and the water plants – pretty much everything in the city of Bradenton. And like I did in Anna Maria, I’ll try to make it a better place.”

July Fourth weekend crowds return to Anna Maria Island

Written by Jason Schaffer on July 4, 2022. Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News, Featured.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The Island was packed and traffic stretched for more than a mile to get onto the Island most of the weekend as everyone from international visitors to local Floridians flocked to AMI beaches to soak up the sun for the Fourth of July holiday.

Major holidays are always a big draw as visitors look to beat the summer heat.

“We came from Orlando. The traffic was insane, but it’s worth it to be on one of the most beautiful beaches in the world,” said Carlos Ramirez, who was visiting Coquina Beach with his wife and four children. “It took forever to get a parking spot, and now that we have one, we’re not leaving. We brought food to grill and we’re here until the sun sets.”

Ramirez was fortunate to get a parking spot. On Monday, July 4, cars were lined up bumper to bumper, with drivers hoping a parking space would become available at the beaches.

After the sun set on Saturday night, visitors continued to flock to the Island for the return of the Sandbar Restaurant’s annual fireworks display after a sabbatical due to COVID-19.

And the Anna Maria Island Privateers’ Fourth of July parade both delighted beachgoers and further slowed traffic on the Island’s two main roads on Monday.

“The beaches are incredibly crowded. We barely have room to drive our ATVs because there are so many people out there,” Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said.

Tokajer also addressed the use of Anna Maria Elementary’s parking lot for overflow parking. The lot was free to use July 2, 3 and 4, but not without controversy.

“The school was open for parking Saturday, Sunday and Monday, but in reality it shouldn’t have been,” Tokajer said. “County Administrator Scott Hopes told Superintendent Cynthia Saunders that he would have the flashing beacon for the crosswalk installed before the July Fourth weekend and it was not. It was a dangerous situation with people crossing the road with their families carrying beach gear in an area without a proper crosswalk.”

Leslie Lake | Sun

Anne Yarbrough | Sun

Kristin Swain | Sun

Fire district to reallocate taxpayer funds

Written by SUN contributor on June 28, 2022. Posted in Community News, West Manatee Fire Rescue.

MANATEE COUNTY – Property owners who are confused by a six-page letter arriving from West Manatee Fire Rescue District staff are not alone.

The letter, legally required to be mailed to every property owner in the district, covers two separate topics – that the district’s staff is reallocating some taxpayer funds to cover non-transport advanced life support service and that the district’s non-ad valorem assessment will increase for the 2022-23 tax year beginning Oct. 1.

The non-transport ALS service is not new to WMFR or the people it serves in the district, and the assessment rate increase isn’t happening because of the increase in service. In fact, WMFR’s non-transport ALS service has been ongoing for the last few years. Now that it’s fully launched at all three fire stations and the majority of the district’s first responders have been fully trained as paramedics, attorney Maggie Mooney said it’s time for staff to send out a letter informing taxpayers that some of the funds the district receives are being spent to provide the service.

With the non-transport ALS service, WMFR firefighters provide the same critical care service that EMS provides except that they cannot transport patients to the hospital. And the cost of the enhanced service has been factored into the district’s budget for more than three years, meaning that the increase in the assessment rate isn’t directly related to the increase in service.

Reasons for the assessment rate increase include a jump in the personal income growth number used to determine how much a special district like WMFR can increase rates each year, rising costs due to insurance and a new contract with the firefighters’ union, and an attempt to build reserve funds for future large purchases, such as replacement fire engines.

Assessment rates are planned to increase 4% for the new fiscal year over the current rates. For a residential property owner with a home of 2,000 square feet, the rate will increase to $336.22, a $12.94 increase over the 2021-22 fiscal year.

Commercial property owners also will see a 4% increase with the rate increasing to $753.19 for a 2,000-square-foot property, an increase of $28.96.

Anyone who has questions about the non-transport ALS service and how it affects the assessment rate or who wishes to dispute the assessment rate increase
is invited to attend a public hearing on Tuesday, July 19 at 6 p.m. at the district’s administration building at 701 63rd St. W. in Bradenton.

Youth beat the heat with indoor soccer

Written by Monica Simpson on June 21, 2022. Posted in Soccer, Sports.

ANNA MARIA – With the weather heating up going into the summer, the youth indoor soccer action is heating up the hardcourt at the Island’s community center.

Island area kids will not be playing traditional center indoor soccer this season. Instead, the young ballers will play a modified version of micro soccer intended to give the players more opportunities for touches on the ball in the fast-paced sport.

Unlike the original micro soccer, The Center’s league will continue to bang the boards with the soccer ball, a key skill in indoor soccer, elevating the fan excitement.

Testing out a new league configuration, two youth indoor soccer leagues will play this summer in recreational competition: U9 and U13. In general, the U9 league will include players 9 and younger, while the U13 league will roster youth between 10 and 13 years of age.

Despite the league name changes, The Center’s goal with the recreational youth sports leagues remains to help ensure all children are playing in the league that best fits their age and level of play.

In the first official game of the season, Solid Rock Construction beat Blalock Walters 5-1 in the new U9 league. Playing seven-minute quarters in three-on-three action, Solid Rock put three points on the scoreboard thanks to the offensive skills of Tess Bolognone, Mckenna Darak and Aidan Guess.

Each of their single goals contributed to the team’s first win of the season. The team effort was fortified by two goals by Solid Rock Construction’s Matthew Darak, who also had two assists in the game.

On the other side of the ball, Parker Svoboda, for Blalock Walters, scored the team’s only goal in the season opener. Teammate Gavin Angel precisely fed the soccer ball to Svoboda, making the goal possible.

With a strong lineup, Angel and Svoboda are joined by Olive Bannick, Evita Moyer, Olivia Wyatt, Brendan Gerrish, Camden Rudacille and Owen Purcell. The season is early and Blalock Walters knows the win is in reach.

The Solid Rock Construction team goes into week two with a 1-0-0 record. Turner Worth, Isaac Roadman, Eli Roadman and Obie Roadman round out the squad with five more regular season games to play.

Adding a twist to the game, both leagues will be playing without goalies this season, making overall defensive play critical.

In the second U9 game, Bridgetender Inn lost to Ugly Grouper 6-3. Landon Leach and Beau Sanson each had a hat trick for Ugly Grouper.

Bridgetender Inn’s Paul ten Haaf was high scorer, making two goals to keep his team in the game. Madeline Kimmons added a goal to the scoreboard as her team played hard until the final game whistle.

The final two games played last Tuesday night brought U13 teams to the indoor pitch. Moss Builders lost their first game of the season against Shady Lady by one goal.

The single goals by Mason Moss and Elisabeth ten Haaf just were not enough against the three goals by Shady Lady’s Jack Zaccagnino, Jesse Zaccagnino and Alex Monserrate.

High-scoring action proved to be just the way to end a night of indoor soccer at The Center. Scoring 8 points, team Progressive Cabinetry outscored team Freckled Fin for the victory.

With five goals, Barrett Raina started week one on the top of the leaderboard for points scored. Raina’s teammates Walker and Jason Wyatt each had solo goals, as well as Alonso Valle, to keep the point spread comfortable for the Progressive Cabinetry squad.

Showing they will be contenders this season, Freckled Fin scored four goals in the game. David Zupa got past the Progressive defense for two goals. The McRaes, Chandler and Tucker, each tucked a shot in for two additional Progressive Cabinetry points.

The road to the playoffs is promising for all of the teams playing indoor soccer at The Center this summer. The U9 finals are scheduled for Tuesday, July 26 at 6 p.m., while the U13 championship game schedule has yet to be determined.

Sun Scoreboard

June 14

Youth Indoor Soccer

U9

Solid Rock Construction 5

Blalock Walters 1

Ugly Grouper 6

Bridgetender Inn 3

U13

Moss Builders 2

Shady Lady 3

Progressive Cabinetry 8

Freckled Fin 4

Prepare your house, pool and yard

Written by Sun staff on May 31, 2022. Posted in Hurricane Guide Archives.

Here’s how to secure your home, pool and yard before a storm.

Home preparation

Install shutters on all openings, including windows, doors, sliding glass doors, French doors and garage doors
If using plywood, purchase 5/8″ thick plywood well before a storm arrives, pre-measure, pre-drill and label each piece, or buy clips to attach plywood to window frames
Install impact resistant windows
Caulk or install weather stripping around windows
Install three door hinges on outside doors
Install deadbolts that extend one inch into the door jamb on outside doors
Repair loose or missing roof shingles
Inspect soffits for adequate fasteners
Replace loose or missing soffits
Outside, seal openings from air conditioning refrigerant lines, water heater pressure relief lines, water pipes, cable and satellite TV wires, telephone wires, Internet wires and exhaust fan vents from bathroom, kitchen, clothes dryer
Inside, seal around electrical boxes and circuit breaker panels, electrical outlets, exhaust fan vents
Bring loose items inside, including garbage cans, lawn furniture, decorations, hoses, hanging plants, grills
Turn off or disconnect electric, gas, water and sewer before evacuating

Mobile home preparation

Inspect, repair or add tie-down straps and anchors according to Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles standards
Make sure straps are properly aligned and not on an angle
Check to be sure the proper number of tie-downs have been installed properly
Verify that ground anchors and stabilizer plates have been installed properly
Be sure support piers are in contact with the frame
Replace straps or ground anchors that show signs of corrosion or damage.
Inspect and repair wood rot and termite damage in wall-to-floor connections, wall-to-roof connections, perimeter joists and trusses
Inspect fasteners if home has a roof-over
Close shutters
Secure loose outdoor objects
Turn off or disconnect electricity, gas, water and sewer
Establish a community evacuation plan for your mobile home park
Make a list of residents’ phone numbers, altern ate addresses
Assign each neighbor a partner to help them evacuate

Swimming pool preparation

Lower the water level to reduce flooding potential
Do not empty the pool, it could pop out of the ground
Turn off electrical power to the pool
Store filter pump motor indoors to keep it dry
Store loose items indoors, not in pool, to protect from chemicals
Add extra chlorine to use pool water for washing and flushing
Inspect and repair or replace pool screen hardware
Remove two opposite pool screen panels to allow wind to blow through

Yard preparation

Trim weak branches
Hire licensed trimmers to trim near power lines
Trim early enough before storm to allow branches to be removed from property to keep them from becoming projectiles.

Are you noticing the mortgage interest rates?

Written by Louise Bolger on May 16, 2022. Posted in Business, Castles in the Sand.

My April 20 column was titled “The end of an era,” the era being one of ultra-low mortgage interest rates. In that column I reported that the current average mortgage interest rate was 4.72%, a rate that was probably already a week old.

Now, only a month later, the average interest rate is 5.42%, likely hovering just above 6% after the most recent Federal Reserve rate hike of half a percent. When the rate hit 5.27%, it represented a 13-year high.

So far, the country in general has not seen a slowdown of the surge in home prices, according to the National Association of Realtors. Quite the contrary, many buyers are trying to lock in purchases before the rates climb even further, which Realtors can guarantee they will, continuing to push selling prices up and up.

So, what does the average potential home buyer do in this real estate environment? Mortgage interest rates are going up almost weekly. Inventory is being depleted with everyone rushing into the market before the rates go up even more. Sellers are taking advantage of the increase and the anxiety of buyers to do tough negotiating and/or increase their asking price.

Many buyers are just dropping out, renewing their leases, moving in with family and waiting for the insanity to end. Others who can afford it aren’t giving up. Some are opting to pay fees to secure lower rates in the form of rate lock-in agreements. It’s not unusual for the typical 60-day lock-in to expire before the buyer finds a property, putting them in the position to extend the lock-in, costing – of course – more money. Others are adding cash into the transaction so they can qualify for a lower mortgage amount making up for the higher rates.

In addition, adjustable-rate mortgages are starting to come back starting under 4% for now. This new generation of adjustable-rate mortgages are more closely regulated than the ones that helped to create the financial crisis. At that time, low teaser rates attracted buyers and then after a year or two went up so high many homeowners couldn’t afford the increase. Now lenders can’t offer short-term rates and lenders are required to have caps on how much the rates can increase. Nevertheless, borrowers still need to be careful when going into a variable rate mortgage, since not knowing what your mortgage rate will be down the road is still a risk.

Most real estate economists still think that home prices will come down by the end of the year because of the higher mortgage interest rates. However, all real estate is local, and Manatee County is such a specialized area with a high percentage of cash buyers, increasing mortgage rates will have less of an effect.

Even if you’re not in the market for a new home, increasing rates influence the entire real estate market. It’s important to pay attention to the rate increases which could at some point have an impact on the value of your home proving the economists right.

At the end of 2021, the average rate on a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage was 3.1%; by the time this column is in print it could very well be at 6%. It appears mortgage interest rates keep creating new eras every couple of months, enough to make a homebuyer’s head spin.

Team Salty Printing wins

Written by Monica Simpson on May 16, 2022. Posted in Soccer, Sports.

ANNA MARIA – After their first win of the season last week, Salty Printing walked onto The Center field Thursday night with an air of confidence ready to take on their opponent, team Shady Lady. Despite the fact that their last win was by forfeit, the W was just enough to give the team what they needed to play and earn the 5-2 victory.

Shady Lady came into the game without the striking leg of Eric Pullen and others, leaving Ryan Hogan, Amy Ivin, Adam Mott, Jake Parsons, JD Webb and Nate Welch on the field to play with an empty bench.

The Salty Printing win came with hard work, hustle on the field, strong play, dynamic goalkeeping and a sprinkle of luck. Shady Lady’s offense struck hard and struck often, keeping Tuna McCracken busy in goal for Salty.

McCracken ended the game with 16 recorded saves, with cat-like reflexes making stops left and right. Fortunate for team Salty Printing, several of the Shady Lady shots hit the post or were just slightly off the mark.

The Shady Lady squad did not stop playing hard, fighting for every position and every 50-50 ball. Starting the game in goal, Adam Mott made six important stops for Shady Lady.

Taking his place in goal, teammate Jake Parsons had four saves before the final whistle. With Parsons in goal, Mott came onto the field ready to score. Using his stature and skill, Mott made quick work of his time on the field, scoring one of the two goals for his team.

Nate Welch scored the first point for Shady Lady in the first half of play. Welch’s early goal gave the talented team a spark they needed to stay in the game for a while.

Playing down, as Jaclyn Schlossberg joined the Salty Printing team, Shady Lady just could not stop the scoring efforts of Tyler Brewer and Kevin Roman.

With three goals and an assist, Roman led Salty Printing in scoring. Brewer had two solid goals of his own in the team’s victory. Teammate Nick Cavalluzzi made his mark in the record books with an assist.

As a team, Salty Printing pulled themselves out of the bottom of the league rankings with the win, putting them in seventh place going into the quarter-final round of the playoffs. The team plays second seed Servis First Bank in the 8 p.m. game on Thursday night.

The first game of the playoffs starts with #4 ranked Sato Real Estate facing Shady Lady. Gulfview Windows & Doors meets Progressive Cabinetry in the last game of the night, as the third and sixth seeded teams, respectively.

Undefeated team Moss Builders earned the prime playing time, challenging last place The Gitt Team in the 7 p.m. game at The Center.

Can Moss Builders make their way to the championship game as one of only a few undefeated teams to go all the way? Their worthy opponents will do their best to make their mark in the playoffs, seeking the Paul “Ace” Hayward Cup.

Sun Scoreboard

Tuesday, May 10

8- to 10-Year-Old League Week 4

Flip Flop Candy Shop (2-0-1) 1

Solid Rock Construction (1-1-1) 1

Tidy MD (0-2-1) 1

Beach Bums (1-2-1) 1

The Gitt Team (2-1-0) Bye week

11- to 14-Year-Old League Week 4

HSH (1-2-1) 5

Moss Builders (3-0-1) 5

Miz & Hiz Biz (1-3-0) 3

Shady Lady (2-2-0) 2

Thursday, May 12

Adult Co-Ed Soccer Week 7

Shady Lady (2-3-2) 2

Salty Printing (2-5-0) 5

Gulfview Windows & Doors (4-2-1) 9

The Gitt Team (1-4-1) 1

Servis First Bank (5-2-0) Win by forfeit

Sato Real Estate (3-4-0) L

Progressive Cabinetry (2-5-0) 0

Moss Builders (7-0-0) 8

Anna Maria requiring pool alarms at rental properties

Anna Maria to require pool alarms at rental properties

Written by Joe Hendricks on April 18, 2022. Posted in Anna Maria, Community News.

ANNA MARIA – The city is in the process of adopting a new pool safety ordinance that will require pool alarms at all residential rental properties.

“We’ve had some near tragedies with regard to pools and little children,” City Commission Chair Carol Carter said before City Attorney Becky Vose presented the first reading of proposed ordinance 22-900 on April 14.

Carter was referring in part to a recent incident at a vacation rental in the 100 block of Crescent Drive.

“The child was in the pool maybe 30 seconds to a minute. His uncle saw him in the water and pulled him out. He was throwing up water and out of precaution was Bayflited to the hospital,” Manatee County Sheriff Office Sgt. Brett Getman said after the meeting.

Carter was also referring to an incident in February when a 2-year-old boy nearly drowned before being rescued from a vacation rental swimming pool in the 200 block of South Bay Boulevard.

“The victim was observed in the pool, pulled out and EMS performed life-saving measures. The victim was flown to a nearby hospital and he was alive,” Getman told The Sun soon after the February incident occurred.

Getman told the commission that both vacation rental homes now have functioning pool alarms.

Pool alarms can be attached as door sensors that alert adults of a door being opened that leads to a swimming pool. Other pool alarm/motion sensors sound an alert when someone enters the pool water.

Door sensor alarms can be purchased at Amazon.com for as little as $24 and water motion sensors range in price from $120 to $635.

The ordinance Vose originally presented on April 14 proposed requiring pool alarms at all properties with swimming pools. Based on pushback and feedback from the commission and concerns about targeting short-term rentals only, Vose was asked to revise the ordinance so it applies to short-term, long-term and annual rental properties, but not to permanent residences and other non-rental properties.

Regarding enforcement, Mayor Dan Murphy said short-term vacation rentals are inspected every year as part of the city’s annual vacation rental licensing process and pool alarms will now be included in those annual inspections. He noted long-term and annual rentals are not inspected by the city.

According to the proposed ordinance, “Where a portion of a building acts as part of the barrier for a pool, all doors and windows forming such barrier shall have an alarm installed with its actuator at least 54 inches above the standing surface immediately adjacent to the window or door. All doors must be self-closing and latching.

“In lieu of the window and door alarms mentioned above, a floating alarm may be used. This alarm must be audible to the occupants inside of the residence as well as the adjacent properties. In addition, a ‘Kiddie Fence’ may be used in lieu of the previously mentioned items. All of the items may also be used in connection with each other,” the ordinance notes.

“If a violation of this article is found at any location that rents real property to the public, no rentals shall take place at such location during the period between five business days after a notice of violation was issued and the date the violation was cured. If rentals take place during the period of time when such rentals are prohibited, each day of such rental shall be deemed a separate offense, punishable by a fine of $500 per day,” according to the proposed ordinance.

Commissioner Jon Crane opposes the ordinance.

“The responsibility is the parents and I hate to get into the business of regulating how parents deal with their kids,” he told the commission.

The commission voted 4-1 in favor of Vose revising the ordinance to address rental properties only and bringing it back for second and final reading and adoption on Thursday, April 28.

Egg hunt brings hundreds to Anna Maria

Written by Jason Schaffer on April 17, 2022. Posted in Anna Maria, Entertainment, Featured, Holiday.

ANNA MARIA – The 34th Annual Easter Egg Hunt at the Sandbar Restaurant drew hundreds of children and their excited parents to the white sands of Anna Maria Island on April 16.

This annual event is not only a treat for local children, but kids from around the world. There were families from across the United States, as well as Germany, the UK, Argentina, Canada, Australia and many more countries.

“We are here from England. We saw this on one of the local Facebook groups we follow and knew the kids would love it,” said Linus Davies, whose three children scrambled for eggs in the hunt. “It was over so quickly, we were only able to get one quality photograph before the eggs were gone. Much more competitive than we anticipated.”

Eggs had treats hidden inside for the children to enjoy after the bring your own basket event. There was also a bonnet contest with prizes including lunch for four at the Sandbar, a gift certificate to Anna Maria Rocks and a chocolate bunny. For the adults, there was a Sandy Toes picnic experience, Sea-Renity Beach Spa massage and lunch for two at the Sandbar up for grabs. For most people, it seemed that just spending time on the beach as a family was the big prize.

“It’s our first time on the Island,” Emily Roth said. “We’ve been to Siesta Key twice and we’ve done Destin, but we really like the feel around here. We saw this event on the AMI Chamber of Commerce’s website.”

The Roths and their friends, the Cowgills, who have vacationed on the Island previously, said they enjoy the laid-back charm of Anna Maria Island and its family-friendly atmosphere.

Sponsors of this year’s egg hunt include the Sandbar, The Anna Maria Island Sun, Anna Maria Rocks, Sea-Renity Beach Spa and Courtesy Cleaners.

Pop icon readies to take Center stage

Written by SUN contributor on March 21, 2022. Posted in Entertainment, Music.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The latest icon to take the stage at The Center of Anna Maria Island will take audience members back to those endless summer nights.

Award-winning singer, songwriter and author Richard Marx takes the stage on Wednesday, March 23 at The Center as part of the Bradenton Gulf Islands Concert Series presented by Bradenton Area Arts and Culture, The Sandbar and Cedar Cove Resort and Cottages.

Marx told The Sun that this would be his first trip to Anna Maria Island, and it’s an experience that he’s looking forward to.

“It’s one of the few places that I haven’t been yet,” Marx said. “First time’s a charm, hopefully.”

After taking a two-year involuntary hiatus from performing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Marx said he’s happy to be able to play for his fans again and form a more personal connection with the audience.

Stepping back up on stage after two years away from playing live was an emotional experience for Marx, who said he was a little nervous before the show began. “It turned into a two-and-a-half-hour party,” he said of the show, something that he hopes to bring to his performance at The Center.

“They’re like my friends,” he said of the audience. “I’ve never enjoyed touring more and I’ve never been more grateful to still be doing it, having people show up.”

In addition to playing some of his best-known hits, including “Endless Summer Nights,” “Right Here Waiting,” “Hazard” and “Should’ve Known Better,” Marx said the audience at The Center can expect a night full of great music, fun stories and just a great time hanging out together for a few hours.

“My goal every night is that people go home feeling like they hung out with me for a couple of hours and that they kind of got to know me a little bit and that they laughed and that we just had fun together,” Marx said. “Now, more than ever, I feel like I have the ability to provide a two-hour escape from the world and reality and that’s a pretty valuable thing to be able to give somebody. I’m giving it to myself as well at the same time.”

While at home during the pandemic, Marx took time to play a few acoustic shows available online. The pandemic also gave him the opportunity to realize a career milestone outside of the music industry – he became a best-selling author.

With his first book, “Stories to Tell,” Marx said it felt like less of a memoir and more like a conversation about some of his more entertaining life experiences that he’s having with friends over a martini. The book illuminates some of the twists and turns in his life that led him to write some of his most popular songs, though Marx said it’s not just about the stories behind the songs. And with one book under his belt, Marx added that he may still have some more entertaining stories to tell that could one day make a second book. For now, he’s focused on making music and getting back out on the road.

His new album, “Songwriter,” is due out in late summer 2022 and is a very different project for the Grammy award-winning singer and songwriter.

“I love that process,” he said of the recording process. “I love making up a song in my head and hearing it come to life.”

After releasing more than a dozen pop studio albums, Marx said this one is a mash-up of four different types of music that he loves – pop, country, rock and ballads spread across a 20-track, two-disc set.

“It’s all over the map and it’s all different kinds of songs,” he said, noting that there are five songs in each genre. “It was really fun to make.”

To see Marx live, visit The Center online to purchase tickets.

Related coverage

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Classic rock icon shares stage with local choir

The Wailers jumpstart new Center concert series

Wit, wisdom and wine shine at Center event

Written by SUN contributor on March 20, 2022. Posted in Entertainment, Events.

ANNA MARIA – The Center of Anna Maria Island is changing up its events and its newest entry, a wine tasting with friends, is a hit with attendees.

The inaugural Wine Tasting with Center Friends, an evening featuring the wines, wit and wisdom of Thomas Jefferson, debuted March 19 with a sold-out audience of more than 200 attendees.

This first event, created by the same committee that organized the Tour of Homes for two decades at The Center, paid homage to the Tour while getting attendees excited for the future of new events helping to bring community to the Island while raising funds for the nonprofit Center. While the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the 2020 Tour of Homes and eventually brought the long-standing Tour to an end, the first of an annually planned wine tasting event honored the Tour by raffling off the 20th and final quilt and featured a miniature version of the Tour’s boutique.

The quilt, created by the Eyeland Needlers, was the final one of 20 quilts created to raise funds for The Center. In honor of her years of contribution to the Tour quilt, local artist Joan Pettigrew pulled the winning raffle ticket during the wine tasting event.

The wine tasting also featured one-of-a-kind artwork created by local artists and up for silent auction. Artists who donated a piece of artwork for the silent auction include Joann Taylor Brown, Wooley Dutton, Emerson, Robert Johnson, Janet Kingan, Maro Lorimer, Jean Murray, Cathy Tobias, Barbara Truemper-Green and Joan Voyles.

And while the art on display was a highlight, the real showstoppers of the new event were the seven wines tasted by attendees with sommelier and certified wine educator MaryKate Scott as the host for the evening.

Guests were greeted at the door with a glass of Crement, a sparkling wine. This Brut was an Antoine Muller Blanc de Blanc. As the night progressed, Scott told the story of Thomas Jefferson’s travels and influences as a young man up until he entered the White House and how those influences shaped the wine that he drank. Guests enjoyed three white wines and three red wines while also dining on charcuterie boards. The featured wines included a Les Dauphins Cotes du Rhone white wine, a Borsao Spanish Macabeo Chardonnay, an Affreschi Pinot Grigio, a Domaine de Briante of Brouilly Beaujolais, a Tomaiolo Chianti and a Lewis and Clark Merlot.

All of the featured wines were available for sale at $25 per bottle of $100 for five bottles from the Olive Oil Outpost with half of the proceeds going to The Center.

Kelly Kary and the Olive Oil Outpost served as featured sponsors of the event with Coldwell Banker, Diamond Turf, Beach Bums, Tom Sanger Pool & Spa, Sato Real Estate and Moss Builders as table sponsors.

The final Tour of Homes quilt was raffled off during a wine tasting event at The Center. - Kristin Swain | Sun

Sommelier MaryKate Scott serves as hostess for the Wine Tasting with Friends event at The Center. - Kristin Swain | Sun

More than 200 people attended the inaugural wine tasting event at The Center of Anna Maria Island. - Kristin Swain | Sun

Center Executive Director Chris Culhane and committee member Liz Hager welcome guests to the inaugural wine tasting event at The Center of Anna Maria Island. - Kristin Swain | Sun

Paintings and artwork from local artists were on display for a silent auction. - Kristin Swain | Sun

Beach Bums, WTBL end season as champions

Written by Monica Simpson on March 20, 2022. Posted in Football, Soccer, Sports.

ANNA MARIA – The rain delay the previous week gave four teams additional time to plan their strategy for the semifinal adult flag football games last Thursday night. In a nail-biter, WTBL narrowly won against TBT with the final score 27-26. In a game that came down to a failed extra point conversion by TBT, the WTBL squad moved on to face a worthy opponent in team Moss Builders.

The Moss Builders team, led by Ryan Moss, defeated the Solid Rock Construction squad by five points, without the sure hands and speed of Jesse Griffin. Their win in the semifinal matchup put Moss in his third flag football final game this season as either a coach or player.

What was anticipated to be a close game ended in a 20-point win by the less experienced, younger squad. Putting the pressure on QB Moss was key to the team’s win, with two sacks by Daniel O’Connor and a single by Tyler Brewer.

The heat on the quarterback forced throws and caused one interception by WTBL’s Brandon Kull. Kull had two receiving touchdowns in the game in addition to his interception.

WTBL teammates Julia King, Dominick Otteni and Jaret Rojas each had a touchdown catch in the championship game to give their team 18 points. Rojas and Brewer helped to seal the deal each with points after conversions.

On the passing side of the game, Otteni had the top statistics of the game with four completed touchdown passes. Rojas, serving as QB, threw for six.

Moss Builders’ quarterback was down critical players in the big game. Missing some of his key targets, JB Shuck and Brandon Holcomb became the marks for Moss’ missiles.

Team WTBL won the big game under the bright lights at The Center Thursday night in the co-ed flag football league. From left, Tyler “Bean” Brewer, Brandon Kull, Julia King, Jaret Rojas, Dominick Otteni and Daniel O’Connor. – Monica Simpson | Sun

Shuck had eight catches for positive yardage and a touchdown. The football hit the hands of Holcomb twice and once for six points.

The defense of WTBL and the skeleton roster widened the scoring gap as the game clock ticked down to the final 31 seconds on the scoreboard clock. In the classic Moss sportsmanship way, the game was called with time on the clock, with the final score 32-12 and WTBL champions.

In The Center’s gym, adult indoor soccer playoff action kicked off, with the Beach Bums team finishing on top against Gulfview Windows & Doors in the championship game.

Gulfview made it to the Big Show after beating Sato Real Estate in semifinal action in a close game. Beach Bums took the victory against Slim’s Place by three goals, putting the team in the final against Gulfview.

In the final game of the night at The Center, Gulfview continued to fight until the last second, but the scoring powerhouse of Beach Bums team was just too much.

Gulfview’s Mark Long and Luca Vecchio each had hat tricks for their team. Julian Rodriguez, Keith Mahoney, and Raul Loera scored a total of five points for their team. Despite this and the 17 total goals saved by Long, Mahoney and Loera, the Gulfview Windows & Doors team could not capture the win.

Lucky Durmaz finished the top scorer of the game with six goals for Beach Bums. Kevin Roman and Mauro Vecchio scored five goals each, with an additional two by teammate David Noval.

Osvaldo Cabello protected the net for his team, making 14 stops for Beach Bums. Vecchio is credited for two saves in the game, along with a save.

After a crazy season of indoor soccer games and forfeits, the season ended with an action-packed final game with Beach Bums champions.

Sun Scoreboard

Thursday, March 17

Adult Co-Ed Flag Football – Semifinal Playoff Games

WTBL 27

TBT 26

Moss Builders 25

Solid Rock Construction 20

Adult Co-Ed Flag Football – Championship Game

WTBL 32

Moss Builders 12

Adult Co-Ed Indoor Soccer – Semifinal Playoff Games

Gulfview Windows & Doors 5

Sato Real Estate 4

Beach Bums 7

Slim’s Place 4

Adult Co-Ed Indoor Soccer – Championship

Beach Bums 18

Gulfview Windows & Doors 11

Related coverage

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Finally, baseball

Team TBT reaches adult flag football semifinals

Stepping out in style

Written by SUN contributor on March 14, 2022. Posted in Churches, Community News.

ANNA MARIA – Showing off their head-to-toe outfits from the Roser Guild Thrift Shop, models displayed just a few of the possibilities for having a stellar fashion closet without designer prices during the annual style show and Guild luncheon.

The sold-out event began with a homemade luncheon provided by some of the ladies of Roser Memorial Community Church. The menu included a French-style roasted garlic chicken sandwich with a lemon pasta salad, arugula wrapped in prosciutto and mini raspberry tuxedo cheesecakes with chocolate ganache. As diners enjoyed their food and listened to the musical stylings of Brandon Kouri on the piano, models took the runway to show off styles selected from the offerings at the Roser Guild Thrift Shop.

All of the outfits, from hats and earrings to clothing and shoes, were chosen by each of the models with each model having first dibs on any of the items from the thrift store they wished to take home.

Some of the items displayed during the fashion show included a Coach handbag, Calvin Klein dress and other designer offerings available for purchase at bargain prices, along with jewelry and other items.

Once the show concluded, attendees were treated to an exclusive opportunity to purchase garments from the fashion show before traveling across Pine Avenue to peruse the thrift shop.

All proceeds from the style show and the thrift shop go to help fund the Roser Guild’s scholarships, programs and other community outreach missions.

Diners look on and applaud as models take a turn down the runway to show off their selections from the Roser Guild Thrift Shop. - Kristin Swain | Sun

Kurt Huhn takes a stroll down the runway in a dapper golfing outfit. - Kristin Swain | Sun

The lovely Lillian Chen twirls to show off the movement of her full skirt during the style show. - Kristin Swain | Sun

Host Ginger Huhn strikes a pose with Roser church members who served as models for the Roser Guild’s annual Style Show. - Kristin Swain | Sun

Rev. Dirk Rodgers made his style show debut in an outfit perfect for Anna Maria Island life. - Kristin Swain | Sun

It wasn’t just modern styles that made it down the runway. One fabulous fashion evoked the 1920s flapper style. - Kristin Swain | Sun

Roser Robics instructor Ann Bodger shows off one of her outfit selections chosen from the offerings at the Roser Guild Thrift Shop. - Kristin Swain | Sun

Taking it easy with Don Felder

Written by SUN contributor on February 21, 2022. Posted in Entertainment, Music.

ANNA MARIA – The Center of Anna Maria Island brought a star-studded weekend to a close with a bang Sunday when legendary musician Don Felder took the stage.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame singer/songwriter/guitarist appeared on Feb. 20 as a part of the Bradenton Gulf Islands Concert Series, playing all of his greatest hits from his time with The Eagles and his solo outings, as well as a few covers, including a rocking rendition of Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Pride and Joy.”

Kicking off the show with “Already Gone,” Felder and his band kept up the audience’s energy despite a cool night on the field at The Center, playing “One of These Nights,” Felder’s solo hit “American Rock and Roll” and “Victim of Love,” a Hotel California album B-side track. The hits kept coming with performances of crowd favorites including “Peaceful Easy Feeling,” “Tequila Sunrise,” “Witchy Woman,” “Life in the Fast Lane,” “The Long Run,” “Heartache Tonight” and, of course, “Hotel California.”

Opening for Felder and his band was the multi-talented Johnny Jensen, whose album is due out soon.

The Bradenton Gulf Islands Concert Series is brought to the Island’s stage by sponsors Bradenton Area Arts & Culture, Cedar Cove Resort & Cottages and The Sandbar.

Next on The Center’s concert schedule is Richard Marx on March 23 followed by Felix Cavaliere’s Rascals on April 2. Tickets are on sale now at www.centerami.org/events.

Don Felder belts out “Witchy Woman” on guitar during a Feb. 20 appearance at The Center. - Kristin Swain | Sun

In between songs, the legendary Don Felder tells some of the stories of his life on the road with The Eagles. - Kristin Swain | Sun

Don Felder brings the crowd to their feet as he launches into The Eagles classic “Take It Easy.” - Kristin Swain | Sun

The talented Johnny Jensen opens for Don Felder at The Center as a part of the Bradenton Gulf Islands Concert Series. - Kristin Swain | Sun

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame musician Don Felder plays a guitar solo during a rendition of the Stevie Ray Vaughan classic “Pride and Joy.” - Kristin Swain | Sun

Don Felder is joined by another guitarist for a dueling guitar solo. - Kristin Swain | Sun

Don Felder and his band take to the Island’s stage to play “One of These Nights.” - Kristin Swain | Sun

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8- to 10-Year-Old League Week 4

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Thursday, March 17

Adult Co-Ed Flag Football – Semifinal Playoff Games

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Adult Co-Ed Indoor Soccer – Championship