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Tag: Bradenton Beach

Bradenton Beach bust yields funny money, meth

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News, Featured.

BRADENTON BEACH – Police officers Eric Hill and Charles Marose got more than they bargained for when they responded to a burglary call on Nov. 5. At 4:30 p.m., the officers were dispatched to 1202 Gulf Drive N. where they met the property manager, who said the house was being occupied despite the fact it hadn’t been booked for rent and nobody had permission to be in the home at the time.

Hill and Marose went up the stairs to the unit, making contact with a male suspect identified as Kevin Downes of Sarasota. Downes told the officers he had rented the home from an Airbnb website and offered to show Hill his receipt, which he said was on his phone inside the home.

When Hill asked him if there were any other people or weapons in the house, the suspect said there was a pistol and a woman inside.

Both officers and a Holmes Beach officer who had responded as backup entered the home to secure the pistol, make contact with the other occupant and see the receipt the suspect claimed to have for the rental.

Upon entering the home, the officers made contact with a female suspect later identified as Christine Cicco who was standing near a glass pipe commonly used to smoke narcotics. They also saw a steel wool pad that had been taken apart, likely to clean the pipe, and an open vitamin bottle containing a white substance that later tested positive for methamphetamine. Within minutes the officers had enough evidence for felony arrests, but what they found next would make this one of the biggest busts in recent memory.

According to Marose’s report, laying on the same table as the drugs and paraphernalia were several sheets of freshly printed counterfeit U.S. $20 bills. Downes told the officers the currency was part of an art project he was working on, also saying he could not provide a receipt for the rental contract he claimed to have because his phone had died.

“I observed a laptop computer wired to a printer sitting in a chair next to the table, which was being used to print counterfeit money, along with the paper used to print the money,” Marose wrote in his report. “It was evident that Downes was set up for a counterfeit money operation, which is against Florida state statute.”

Downes was detained while Hill spoke to the female suspect who claimed to have no identification, and gave a false name and date of birth when asked to identify herself. A warrants check came back to Christine Cicco who had an open warrant out of Sarasota for violation of drug court. When presented with this information, Cicco confirmed that was her correct identity. She was then placed into custody and asked about the meth, which she said belonged to Downes and was not hers.

Both suspects were arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance and paraphernalia. They were also charged with armed burglary, smuggling contraband (for bringing forged bank notes into the home) and possession of tools for forgery/counterfeiting. All of the charges are felonies under Florida law. Police seized the firearm, drugs, paraphernalia, counterfeiting supplies and the counterfeit currency, which was booked into evidence.

The is a Bradenton Beach police arrest and investigation, but the U.S. Secret Service is the government agency in charge of counterfeit currency investigations. According to Bradenton Beach Police Lt. Lenard Diaz, in cases such as these where there is a relatively small amount of currency, the Secret Service does not investigate the case, rather having the department that made the arrest destroy the money after it is no longer needed for evidence in prosecution.

Both suspects were taken to Manatee County Jail and are in custody. Cicco is being held on $31,000 bond; Downes’ bond amount was not available.

Castles in the Sand

The death of old Florida

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

Florida’s changed a lot in the over 20 years I’ve lived on the Gulf coast, and it’s changed even more as a result of COVID-19. But the biggest change to southwest Florida and the entire coastline south of Tampa may come as a result of Hurricane Ian.

Now that the flood waters are receding and everyone is assessing the damage from the storm, we’re starting to get a feel for the damage to real estate values. Feedback from brokers is that the investors and buyers are now out in force looking for properties to buy in as-is condition. One broker from Englewood predicts that home prices will increase for at least another 12 to 18 months because of the additional demand.

Buyers from out of state have not changed their minds and are motivated to buy before prices increase further because of the anticipated additional shortage of properties to buy in the aftermath of the storm. In addition, they have not been discouraged by the increased costs associated with fortifying homes against wind and flooding.

The fallout from the insurance companies is still unknown, but anyone purchasing a coastal home now is calculating that additional cost into their affordability factor.

Of course, Anna Maria Island and other barrier islands on the coast that did not have major damage will be looked at by buyers and seasonal renters. This could prove to be an even busier rental season for Anna Maria Island with higher price tags for rentals and purchases alike.

Assuming all of the above, where does that leave the average buyer who wants to live on the coast? Unfortunately, many will be forever priced out of coastal living because of a combination of building codes and the increased costs of flood and homeowners’ insurance.

The most recent update to Florida building codes from 2020 includes provisions to seal roof decks, as well as longer standing requirements to install impact-resistant windows or shutters and an update to stronger connections between the roof, walls and foundation.

As previously stated, homeowner’s insurance companies are requiring condos and single-family homes to install new roofs before they will provide an insurance policy. This is happening even if there are currently no leaks or damage to existing roofs, if they are over a certain age.

According to a recent report by CoreLogic, there are nearly 33 million homes at risk of hurricane-force wind damage along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts in Florida, so the amount of property updating required is substantial.

When Hurricane Michael hit the Panhandle town of Mexico Beach, it didn’t take long for the area to recover with high-end homes, gated communities and beachfront condos supplanting the original old Florida cottage nature of the area. This is certainly going to happen in parts of southwest Florida where many homeowners do not have flood and/or homeowner’s insurance and are planning not to return. Just to prove that “deep pocket” money isn’t afraid of storms, The Ritz Carlton Residences on Estero Bay, located just south of Fort Myers Beach, is breaking ground next year with units starting at $2.8 million.

I still have my crystal ball handy from Halloween and it’s telling me Florida’s real estate values are strong and may actually get stronger because of Hurricane Ian. The downside is will “old Florida” be gone forever? The crystal ball is saying, “Why are you asking that question? You know the answer.” Unfortunately, I do.

Castles in the Sand

Mortgage rates scary

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

“Boo!” all you ghosts and goblins. If you’re afraid of what’s lurking behind those Halloween masks, I’ll give you something to really be scared of – the 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate has cracked 7%. I bet I have your attention now.

According to Realtor.com, as higher mortgage rates have thinned out the competition for homes, properties are now sitting on the market longer. That has led to a 26.9% national increase in inventory in September. However, that doesn’t mean buyers will have an easier time finding a property.

The housing shortage, which caused home prices to spike, isn’t even close to being filled. The nation still has 42.6% fewer homes for sale than in 2019 and it doesn’t look like the situation will get much better anytime soon. Even builders are spooked during the month of Halloween and are slowing down construction.

However, not much of this applies to Florida where real estate prices are holding their own. The state emerged as a housing hot spot during the pandemic, attracting retirees, remote workers, as well as those looking to leave more expensive parts of the country. Home prices in Miami increased the most among the nation’s 50 largest metropolitan areas in September, jumping 28.3% year over year. Home prices also were up 18.2% in Orlando and 17.2% in Tampa.

Time to see what Manatee County’s sales statistics are for the month of September as recorded by the Realtor Association of Sarasota and Manatee:

Single-family closed sales are down 37.5% from last September. The median sale price is $517,193, up 20.3% from last year, and the average sale price is $624,142, up 7.6% from last year. The median time to sale is 62 days. Last year it was 48 days. The month’s supply of inventory is 2.7 months.

Condos closed 35.9% fewer properties when compared to last year. The median sale price was $337,000, up 18.2%, and the average sale price was $401,183, up 24.7%. The median time to sale was 57 days compared to 41 last year, and the month’s supply of inventory is 1.9 months.

The trend of fewer sales is continuing, and prices are leveling off somewhat every month. However, prices continue to be strong compared to last year and inventory has not significantly increased. We’re still in a sellers’ market, although it appears that everyone is having a wait-and-see attitude regarding the economy.

Gone are the days of bidding wars and multiple offers on a property as soon as it comes on the market. Realtor.com reported that nationally 19.5% of sellers cut the price of their home in September. As previously stated, some buyers can no longer qualify for loans and others have thrown up their hands and given up or are switching to adjustable-rate mortgages.

As of Oct. 20, the average 30-year fixed rate mortgage was 7.25% per Forbes, the average 15-year fixed rate mortgage was 6.47% and the average 5/1 ARM was 5.42%. A 5/1ARM means the rate is fixed for 5 years and then can adjust each year after that. With a lower rate offered for an ARM, buyers have a better chance of qualifying for a loan but have to worry about the rate readjusting in 5 years to one they may not be able to afford. There are no good choices for the average buyer.

Hoping you have a fun Halloween in spite of soaring interest rates. Relax, some things you can’t control, so drink the witches’ brew and steal the kids’ candy. I guarantee you’ll feel better.

BB seal

Bradenton Beach formalizes beach concession fund request

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – The City Commission has adopted city resolution 22-961, which formalizes the city’s pursuit of $105,000 in Manatee County Commission-controlled surplus beach concession funds.

The city seeks the funds to make improvements to public beach and bay access points located throughout the city.

According to the exhibit that accompanied the resolution in the Oct. 20 meeting packet, the city’s proposal may include, but is not limited to vegetation removal to utilize city rights of way for additional beach parking, installing Geocell grid pavers for parking surfaces, adding ADA-compliant parking spaces, installing additional parking and beach access identification signs, installing trash containers, benches and bike racks, creating a bay overlook at the end of Bridge Street and making pedestrian and bikeway improvements. As required by the county, the city will provide $105,000 in matching funds and/or in-kind services for the project.

The city of Anna Maria seeks $105,000 in surplus beach concession funds for a study of the Lake La Vista inlet. The city of Holmes Beach seeks $105,000 to rebuild or replace trolley stops and to install low-level LED lights in 26 trolley shelters.

According to Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie, the county commission will decide whether to approve or deny any or all of the proposed city projects after the reconfigured county commission is seated following the general election that concludes on Nov. 8.

Chappie noted the county also plans to use surplus beach concession funds to help fund a water taxi service between Anna Maria Island and downtown Bradenton.

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.

Coquina Beach Market opening delayed

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Community News, Manatee County.

BRADENTON BEACH – The Coquina Beach Market has hit a hurricane-sized snag and its projected Nov. 1 opening will be delayed, according to Manatee County officials.

“As crews have been deployed around the county to clean up and repair other parks properties, the site prep and rehab work to get the new site (further south on Coquina Beach) ready have been put on hold temporarily,” according to a Manatee County press release. “The official opening date has been delayed from the originally planned Nov. 1.”

Elliott Falcione, executive director of Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, had previously said the county-run market would begin on Nov. 1 and run through July 27, 2023 and would be open on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and on Thursdays from 3 to 8 p.m. He said there will be about 100 vendors, with a different set of vendors each of the two days.

The discussion about the market began when on Aug. 2, the county announced in a press release that it would take over the beach market from Nancy Ambrose, its director for the past decade. The release stated in part: “Artisans and other vendors will be back along the Coquina Beach South promenade, once again, when the 2022-23 seasons opens in November as oversight for the market shifts to Manatee County.”

Ambrose has been moving forward on her plans for a new market in a yet- unannounced venue according to comments on her “Where’s the Market?” Facebook page: “Update on markets – it looks like we will have a Wednesday market – every Wed. from Dec. – May. I will be able to send apps on Nov. 15. I am still working on other things – hopefully, some November dates included.”

Since the county-run market has not been formally approved by county commissioners, it was once again a topic for debate at a recent commission land use meeting.

“I still don’t have any information whatsoever,” said Commissioner George Kruse at the Oct. 6 meeting. “We’re getting half information and saying please vote on this based on half information and trust… (We’re being told) the estimated annual revenue is $225,000. That’s not showing net income or expenses.”

The wheels to change hands for the market began in June when County Administrator Dr. Scott Hopes said that he had been invited to take a tour of the beach area by the director of public safety.

“There was an access barrier to Coquina Beach because of the layout of the beach market,” he said. “Number two, according to the mayor of Braden- ton Beach, the parking for the vendors was interfering with the parking for the beachgoers. Number three, the concessions had expanded the area beyond their contract and they wanted me to see the conditions of the beach firsthand.”

Hopes said the beach market was clearly interfering with access to the public beach.

He said after pulling financials, “Then I discussed with staff what we were investing into the beach market, with maintenance and staff and security. Then I realized this individual (Ambrose) was pulling in $270,000 to $325,000 a year net on public property and was not engaging with staff to ensure that the operations of the market did not interfere with our tourism.”

Hopes told the commission that with their approval, there could be a beach market in November as there has been for the past 10 years.

Now on the sidelines, Ambrose commented on the meeting via the Facebook page:

“Man, I wish the market made that much – the numbers are all wrong. I never even paid myself until the last two years. Even though the numbers are not truthful – that doesn’t even matter as I feel the market will probably gross $150,000 a year max for the county this year. Net may not be much less as Elliott (Falcione) said that there would be about $20k in expenses since they would be using staff,” she wrote.

County Commissioner Carol Whitmore, who is on record as being opposed to the county taking over the market, was the lone “no” vote on a motion by Commissioner James Satcher to table the discussion and vote on the county running the market until a later date, well into November.

Whitmore, who lost her primary seat to Jason Beardon, will not be on the board for the vote.

Wildlife Inc. cares for animals during, after hurricane

Wildlife Inc. cares for animals during, after hurricane

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Environment, Outdoors, Sea turtles.

BRADENTON BEACH – With crates full of hungry adult and baby rescue animals at Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation Inc., it was business as usual following Hurricane Ian, despite the power outages.

The non-profit found itself with more than 140 new animals after the storm.

“Without power, we had generators going,” Wildlife Inc. volunteer Krista Carpenter said. “We were able to keep our refrigeration needed to keep the formulas cold and other items frozen.”

Carpenter said the microwave was used to heat rice bags, heating pads and bags full of water to keep the babies warm.

“We had several volunteers that stayed on the Island,” Carpenter said. “Gail (Wildlife Inc. co-director Gail Straight) kept vigil for the babies, keeping the generators running. Basically, she was a one-person show with some help from her husband, Ed.”

“We are working hard to do the very best we can for every single one of them, while still working with limited resources,” according to the Wildlife Inc. Facebook page, where donations are accepted.

Wildlife Inc. is a fully-equipped clinic with incubators and cages needed to house, feed and rehabilitate wildlife. Founded by Ed and Gail Straight in 1988, the operation is run out of their Bradenton Beach home.

“We have professional staff and volunteers who manage the feeding and care of the thousands of animals each year. Our ultimate goal is to release native wildlife back into the wild,” according to the Wildlife Inc. website. “We also receive calls from the public about injured animals and send trained staff out to assist and transport wildlife to our facility when necessary. This is currently a “free” service to the public and is supported, like all of our other services, through generous charitable donations.”

One animal, recently released after a three-month rehab at the facility, was a gopher tortoise that had been hit by a car in the Lakewood Ranch area.

“Shannon Warren called the facility on July 3 about an injured gopher tortoise that lived in the hedges near her house and it had been hit by a car,” Carpenter said. “Shannon arrived with the tortoise (nicknamed Trixie) and it had a rather large shell crack… the (shell) pieces were carefully and as closely matched as possible.”

After three months of treatment and healing at Wildlife Inc., Trixie was ready to be released.

“On Oct. 4, Trixie was ready,” Carpenter said. “Her shell was stable, her appetite good and her playfulness returned. Back to Lakewood Ranch she went to live out her life under the neighborhood hedges.”

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.

Commission declines paid parking proposal

Commission declines paid parking proposal

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News.

BRADENTON BEACH – The city commission has rejected a paid parking proposal that city staff negotiated with Easy Parking Group owner Josh LaRose.

After two and a half hours of discussion on Sept. 15, commissioners unanimously supported Commissioner Ralph Cole’s suggestion to schedule a future work meeting to continue the discussion and decision-making process that may include soliciting bids from additional operators.

Public input from Bridge Street business owners and employees helped convince the city commission and staff to slow their efforts to implement a paid parking program. All parties involved agreed that it’s crucial to address employee parking as part of any paid parking plan.

Commission declines paid parking proposal
Paid parking is being considered for the unpaved parking lot near the Bradenton Beach cell tower. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Thursday’s well-attended discussion began with City Attorney Ricinda Perry providing an overview of paid parking discussions to date. She said the goal is to provide more revenues for the city without placing that financial burden on taxpayers and permanent residents who already pay the highest millage rate on the Island.

Perry said paid parking revenues would be used for three primary reasons – to increase funding for the police department; to replace, maintain or upgrade the aging city buildings, including city hall; and to improve the city’s existing parking areas.

Parking proposal

On Aug. 30, the commission discussed soliciting additional paid parking proposals but then authorized Perry and a team of city staff members to engage in direct negotiations with LaRose, whose Easy Parking Group already operates the Community Redevelopment Agency-funded Old Town Tram program.

The publicly noticed negotiations occurred at city hall on Sept. 6 and produced the proposal that Perry and LaRose presented on Sept. 15.

Perry said paid parking in 56 city-owned spaces at $3.50 per hour would generate an estimated $744,902 in revenue with the city would receiving 63%, or $469,288, and the Easy Parking Group receiving 37%, or $275,614.

The 56 parking spaces are located in the public parking lot along First Street North, behind the BridgeWalk resort, and near the police station, public works building and cell tower at the end of Highland and Church avenues.

Commission declines paid parking proposal
This diagram was included in the paid parking proposal. – City of Bradenton Beach | Submitted

Public parking spaces along Bridge Street were not included in LaRose’s proposal and it was noted that not including them would result in those free parking spots being used by employees and beachgoers.

LaRose said the city would incur no upfront or ongoing costs and his company would provide all the equipment and personnel needed to implement, support and enforce a paid parking operation that would require users to enter their license plate number and pay with a credit or debit card.

Public input

During public input, Bradenton Beach Marina owner Mike Bazzy said he had some reservations about paid parking and the unintended consequences that could include more visitors and employees parking in residential areas.

“If you’re going to do paid parking, do it everywhere, not just in a few locations,” he suggested.

Commission declines paid parking proposal
Bridge Street Jewelers employee Brandt Clark opposes paid parking. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Bridge Street Jewelers employee Brandt Clark presented a petition containing the signatures of 360 people who oppose paid parking. Clark asked where the employees would park and he noted those who begin working earlier in the day can’t park at Cortez Beach or Coquina Beach and ride the Old Town Tram because they don’t start running until 11 a.m. Clark said paid parking would take money out of the pockets of the employees the Bridge Street businesses depend on.

Paradise Boat Tours General Manager Sherman Baldwin said the business owners he spoke with oppose Bradenton Beach becoming the first city on the Island to implement paid parking. He said paid parking would create additional revenues for the city but wouldn’t address the lack of parking.

Mermaid Haven owner Deb Myers said the proposed plan wouldn’t resolve the issue of employees parking in spaces that could be used by customers.

Commissioner Jake Spooner said paid parking would create turnover of the existing parking spaces and allow more people to visit Bridge Street. He agreed that employee parking must be addressed, but if done right, paid parking could be a win for everybody.

BridgeWalk resort owner Angela Rodocker provides parking for her guests and employees, but she said she supports paid parking if it addresses employee parking.

Rodocker has been critical of LaRose’s operation of the Old Town Trams. She suggested the city implement paid parking on its own and not give up a significant percentage of the revenue.

Perry said a competitive bidding process might be a better route and Mayor John Chappie noted that wouldn’t prevent LaRose from submitting another proposal.

Sea-renity Beach Spa owner Amanda Escobio agreed with Rodocker’s comments and cautioned that paid parking could result in some employees deciding not to work in Bradenton Beach, which would further exacerbate the ongoing labor shortage. Island Time restaurant co-owner Ron

Fuller said he witnessed the paid parking implementation in St. Armands Circle and the initial implementation was “an absolute disaster.”

Commissioner Jan Vosburgh said, “I don’t think it’s up to the city to supply parking for businesses. You have a business and it’s up to you.”

Police Chief John Cosby agreed that employee parking is a problem, but he noted city code allows Bridge Street establishments and businesses to be built and operated without any parking requirements. Cosby said he supports paid parking but is concerned that the city is moving too fast. He also said a lot of people don’t feel comfortable with LaRose as the project operator. Some of Cosby’s other concerns are a lack of enough officers to enforce paid parking and that the city doesn’t have the staff or the experience to implement a paid parking program on its own.

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.

Paid parking plans taking shape

Paid parking coming to Bradenton Beach

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News, Featured.

BRADENTON BEACH – City officials soon will begin negotiating with Easy Parking Group owner Josh LaRose to create a paid parking program on city-owned lots.

The commission unanimously authorized City Attorney Ricinda Perry, Police Chief John Cosby and other members of the city team on Aug. 30 to enter into direct contract negotiations with LaRose to implement a paid parking pilot program that provides the city the ability to evaluate the effectiveness of the initial program before entering into a long-term contract.

“I figured I’d put it on the agenda and see what everyone else’s thoughts are,” Commissioner Jake Spooner said when initiating the paid parking discussion.

“Paid parking can give us a nice stream of revenue without raising the millage or doing other things to raise the funds that are needed,” he added, noting that paid parking revenues could help subsidize the city’s police department.

Paid parking plans taking shape
Commissioner Jake Spooner requested the paid parking discussion. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

As part of his research, Spooner engaged in preliminary discussions with LaRose, who for the past two years has provided the trams and drivers for the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA)-funded Old Town Tram parking shuttle program.

LaRose’s Sarasota-based company provides and manages the paid parking kiosk located in one of the Sandbar restaurant’s overflow parking lots in Anna Maria. He also provides and manages paid parking systems in downtown Sarasota, St. Armands Circle and Venice.

Paid parking plans taking shape
Easy Parking Group owner Josh LaRose presented his paid parking proposal to the city commission. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Spooner said paid parking would help create more turnover and make more parking spaces available to those who visit the CRA district, which includes Bridge Street.

Agreeing with Spooner’s statement, LaRose said a paid parking program would also encourage those who don’t want to pay for parking to park in the nearby Cortez Beach parking lot and use the free Old Town Trams to get to their destinations in the CRA district.

LaRose proposed a pilot program creating paid parking in the city-owned portion of the lot located between First Street North and the backside of the BridgeWalk resort, and the city-owned spaces near the police station and public works building along Highland Avenue.

Paid parking plans taking shape
The city-owned parking spaces near the police station are included in the paid parking proposal. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Spooner suggested the public parking spaces along Bridge Street could also be used for paid parking to help discourage employee parking in those spaces. That option might be presented for future discussion.

Private parking lots generally charge $4.50 to $5 an hour, LaRose said. For Bradenton Beach, he proposed charging $3.50 an hour, which could be increased, decreased or waived as needed with users paying using onsite payment kiosks or their cell phones. Cosby said he liked the idea of potentially increasing the parking rate on certain holidays to help control the number of visitors coming to the city.

LaRose suggested allowing Bradenton Beach residents to park for free or at a discounted rate using their city-issued hurricane re-entry tags or a parking decal to be issued by the city.

“We’re really only taxing the visitors that come here,” he said.

Paid parking plans taking shape
This payment kiosk in the Sandbar restaurant’s overflow parking lot in Anna Maria provides paid public parking for beachgoers and others. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Using a conservative estimate, LaRose said the proposed 56 parking spaces would generate between $240,000 to $343,000 in net revenues per year, depending on whether his company provides a full-time parking ambassador who’s paid an hourly rate to enforce the paid parking.

LaRose said his company uses the same parking enforcement technology that’s used by police departments. He said his company’s enforcement aimed primarily at educating users but can result in boots being placed on vehicles if needed.

The enforcement costs will depend on whether his company receives 100% of the revenues generated by the parking citations issued by his employees, LaRose said. A typical enforcement period is 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., but his company enforces parking in downtown Sarasota until 2 a.m. and in some parking lots, enforcement begins at 8 a.m.

LaRose said there would be no start-up costs or out-of-pocket expenses for the city. He proposes a 50-50 split of the net parking revenues that remain after equipment, signs, enforcement and other expenses are deducted. The city commission favors a 60-40 split. LaRose said the revenue sharing can be further negotiated before an agreement is finalized.

Cosby said it’s important to designate in advance how the paid parking revenues will be spent. He suggested using some of those revenues to replace the aging city hall building. Commissioner Ralph Cole said some of the revenue needs to be used to for additional funding of the city police department that has to deal with the increased enforcement needs created by the large number of visitors coming to Bradenton Beach.

Mayor John Chappie asked if the city is required to put the paid parking services out to bid so other companies can submit proposals. Perry said the city’s procurement policy allows the municipality to enter into direct negotiations with LaRose because he already serves as the CRA’s contracted parking tram provider, adding that the discussions must be conducted in a public setting in accordance with Florida’s Government in the Sunshine Law. Cosby noted the Easy Parking Group is a local company and said he and city staff already have a good working relationship with LaRose.

Family fun happens on Bridge Street

Family fun happens on Bridge Street

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Entertainment, Events, Family fun.

BRADENTON BEACH – Art, crafts, food and live music are just some of the things that make the free Thursdays in Paradise a great event for anyone visiting historic Bridge Street on a Thursday evening.

The weekly event features late closing hours for area retail shops and a laid-back vibe that will put visitors and locals alike in an island state of mind.

“There’re 25 local artists, maybe more, who feature their work in here,” Coring Finnie said of Cove Gallery and Boutique on Bridge Street, one of the retail stops open late during the weekly event. Finnie is one of the gallery’s staff and featured artists. “The ones who are really local work in the shop behind the counter and stuff.”

Cove is just one of the many shops that participate in Thursdays in Paradise. Other participants include the Back Alley, Sea-renity Beach Spa and Bou-Tiki, Bridge Street Interiors, Island Donut Company, The Fudge Factory and more.

Thursdays in Paradise also features live music with something everyone can tap their feet to.

“We rotate every week,” musician Luke Andrews said. “I used to do it every Thursday for a year solid, but they wanted to bring in new people, so I got some friends that come.”

“Tonight is Zack’s night, but I like to get up and play with him; he used to stop by and play with me,” Andrews said of fellow musician Zack Lieb. “It’s great to have him here.”

Andrews organizes and books the musicians who play Thursdays in Paradise, playing about once a month himself. He says one of their favorite things to do is invite children to join them and play a set of bongo drums. He added that they always have a couple of drums ready. On Aug. 25, Quinn Gersch, who was watching the show with her father, jammed for an entire song, keeping the beat with the onstage musicians.

“We had no idea this was going on,” Tiffani Smith said. Smith commented that she and her family stumbled across the event while on a tour of Anna Maria Island. “It really is a beautiful place, and this street is really cool.”

Thursdays in Paradise takes place every week from 5 p.m. to at least 8 p.m.