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Tag: Longboat Key

AMI’s sewage pipe in good shape, county official says

AMI’s sewage pipe in good shape, county official says

Written by Cindy Lane on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News, Featured.

Could Anna Maria Island find itself in the same situation as Longboat Key, with a sewer pipe leak in the Intracoastal Waterway?

The sole sewer line serving Longboat Key, which runs under Sarasota Bay, broke in mid-June, causing a sewage spill that collected in the mangroves on Long Bar Pointe.

A sole 20-inch sewer pipe leads from Anna Maria Island to the mainland under Sarasota Bay, part of the Intracoastal Waterway, according to Jeff Goodwin, deputy director of the Manatee County Utilities Department.

The pipe, called a “force main,” is between 40 and 70 feet deep, immediately north of the Cortez Bridge, and is made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) that was fused to create one long pipe, eliminating joints to minimize compromises in the integrity of the pipe, he said.

Installed in 2008, the force main has a life span of 70 years, but the county would replace it if routine evaluations determine that replacement is necessary before then, Goodwin said.

Manatee County, not the three island cities, is responsible for the pipe, according to the county Utilities Department Director Mike Gore.

The pipe requires minimal maintenance, but essential components are on regular preventive maintenance schedules ranging from bi-monthly to yearly, according to Goodwin. County force mains and associated valves are evaluated by staff and consulting engineers every five years to determine replacement schedules based on critical risk factors. Projects are then programmed into the utility department’s capital improvement plan, he said.

The Florida Department of Transportation plan to replace the Cortez Bridge could necessitate the replacement of the pipe, he added.

The force main could have been suspended from the Cortez Bridge, but that option could have affected the integrity of the pipe and made it difficult to maintain, according to Goodwin, adding that portions of the pipe would still have had to be underwater where the drawbridge raises.

Should a leak similar to the one that occurred in the Longboat Key pipe happen, Manatee County workers would respond to the leak as soon as it was identified, he said, procuring tanker trucks to maintain the lift stations on the Island and isolate the section of compromised pipe in order to stop the leak. Workers would then begin the repair or replacement of the pipe and possibly temporarily bypass the breached section of pipe.

The county maintains an inventory of emergency repair parts and essential equipment to expedite response times, Goodwin said, adding that staff receives requisite training on how to properly respond.

Local businesses lend a hand to the community

Local businesses lend a hand to the community

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Business, Restaurants | Bars.

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Local businesses are reaching out a helping hand to community members amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Minnie’s Beach Café, at 5360 Gulf Drive in Holmes Beach, is offering free breakfasts and lunches to local kids in need. In addition, if anyone is having trouble finding fresh eggs, produce or any items other than paper goods, the staff at the café is willing to help. Call the restaurant with what you’re looking for and, if they have it, the staff is willing to sell supplies to the public. And if you need something but can’t get out and live locally, they’ll deliver your order to you. The restaurant also is offering freshly prepared food to-go. Minnie’s Beach Café can be reached at 941-778-4140. The restaurant is open for pick up from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily.

The Sandbar Restaurant and Mar Vista are both offering farm fresh organic produce boxes to the public. Each box of vegetables comes straight from Worden Farms and features an assortment of salad greens, root vegetables, culinary herbs, cooking greens and other organic veggies. Each box is $30 with orders delivered to The Sandbar on Thursdays for pick up after 1 p.m. and to Mar Vista on Thursdays for pick up after 2 p.m. The vegetable boxes are the farmer’s choice and cannot be customized.

Both restaurants also have a menu of freshly prepared dishes for pick up along with a selection of grocery items including eggs, cheese, fresh meat and seafood, pasta, fresh vegetables and bottles of wine, beer and liquor. For more information, or to place your order, visit Mar Vista online to order or The Sandbar online to order. Pickup from both locations is available daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Mar Vista is located at 760 Broadway St. on Longboat Key. The Sandbar is at 100 Spring Ave. in Anna Maria.

Over in Cortez, the Swordfish Grill and Tiki Bar also is offering not only some of the restaurant’s most popular dishes to-go but groceries, bait, ice, deli supplies and sandwiches, beer, wine and liquor for pick up by land or by boat. The food menu and available groceries change daily as do the groceries available which range from fresh vegetables to milk and eggs, seafood, deli meats and cheeses, fresh bread and even a few paper goods. The restaurant, located at 4628 119th St. W. or at mile marker 49 by boat, is accepting orders online or by phone at 941-798-2035.

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Sculpture illustrates local trash problem

Sculpture illustrates local trash problem

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in First Place, Special Sections.

BRADENTON – Locals know that trash gets left behind on local beaches and washes up onshore, but artist Wendell Graham has completed a new sculpture that she hopes will be a teaching tool to illustrate just how much stuff is abandoned on our shorelines.

Trash the Turtle, a sculpture of a loggerhead turtle, was created by Graham using trash and abandoned items left on Longboat Key beaches.

“He’s a plastic-back,” Graham joked while discussing the species of her turtle sculpture. “He has his own personality.”

 

First Place

Light Features

2020

 

Artist Wendell Graham talks about her sculpture “Trash the Turtle” and how she hopes it will help shed light on the trash left behind on local beaches. – Kristin Swain | Sun

It took more than two months for Graham to create Trash from items collected on the beach by volunteers from the Longboat Key Turtle Watch. Items were collected from the start of sea turtle nesting season in May through September and Graham said after Trash was created, she still had pounds of collected items leftover to recycle.

Items used to create Trash include bottle caps, plastic bottles, detergent bottles, flip flops, a sun hat, baseball caps, cigarette butts, plastic bags, snack wrappers, beer cans, fishing lures, shoes, Styrofoam pieces, rubber gloves, a towel, football, masks, goggles, clothes, beach toys and buoys, among other items. Graham said that about 200 plastic bottles were used to create Trash’s plastron, or underside. Once completed, the Trash sculpture weighs about 20 pounds.

Trash the Turtle’s plastron is made up primarily of plastic bottles. – Kristin Swain | Sun

To create Trash, Graham said she would take buckets of items collected off of the beach by volunteers, soak them in bleach for a few days to sanitize them and then put the turtle together like a jigsaw puzzle. She said she began putting the turtle sculpture together on September 1 and finished it in November. He was debuted at a Longboat Key Turtle Watch event in late November 2019.

“People don’t intentionally leave trash, some do, but very few. They need to be more aware,” Graham said. “There’s no reason why parents can’t pick up children’s toys.”

“It’s just amazing,” she said of the items left behind that were used to help build Trash.

Now, Graham says Trash is ready to be put on display and used as a teaching tool for the public. Any proceeds that she earns from the display of the sculpture she said she plans to donate to Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring and Longboat Key Turtle Watch to help fund their continued efforts to protect local wildlife.

Trash the Turtle’s face is made from an abandoned sun hat while his jellyfish snack is made of plastic left on the beach. – Kristin Swain | Sun

“I’d like to do a Tour de Trash,” she said. Graham added that she would like to see the sculpture shown to children in a learning environment where they can discuss what items they can identify on the turtle sculpture. Her hope is that Trash the Turtle will start a discussion among viewers young and old and help make people more aware of what they’re leaving behind when they leave the water or the beach.

“He’s a great teaching tool,” she said. “To see him in a picture is nothing like seeing him in person.”

Her hope, Graham said, is that when people see the sculpture, they’ll not only see the art but also the trash that was used to create him and take away something positive from the experience.

“He’s an ambassador, a turtle ambassador, a trash ambassador. That’s Trash,” she said.

To inquire about viewing or displaying Trash the Turtle, contact Graham at turtletrashartsculpture@gmail.com. Trash the Turtle’s adventures continue online in his blog.

TDC members consider Mote funding request

TDC members consider Mote funding request

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Longboat Key, Manatee County.

MANATEE COUNTY – Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium’s leadership is hoping for some funds from the Manatee County Tourist Development Council but TDC members are unsure that they can meet the $5 million request.

Dan Bebak, vice president of Aquarium, Education and Outreach at Mote, appeared before TDC members during a Sept. 16 meeting to ask for $5 million in funding spread over three years. The request includes $2 million in fiscal year 2020, $1.75 million in fiscal year 2021 and $1.25 million in fiscal year 2022.

If TDC members vote to approve the funding, followed by a vote of approval from Manatee County Commissioners and the potential approval of a budget amendment for the TDC, Bebak said the funds would go toward proposed expenditures at the Mote City Island campus. The City Island campus is expected to become a science and learning center when the new Mote aquarium is built adjacent to Nathan Benderson Park near the University Town Center Mall in Sarasota.

Proposed expenditures include estuary excursions, environmental kayaking experiences, behind-the-scenes science education opportunities, classroom technology, digital learning access, the development of an augmented reality aquarium tour, animal and exhibit care, guest experience enhancement and other upgrades at Mote.

Manatee County Commissioner Carol Whitmore said she doesn’t believe that Manatee County has ever had much of a brand or advertising presence with Mote and it’s something that she’d like to see happen in the future. Before it does though, she said she’d like to see more detail from Mote concerning where the funds would be going. She also said that she’d like to see Manatee County represented in both the City Island science center on Longboat Key and in the new aquarium when it’s built.

TDC funds must be spent on specific endeavors to encourage tourism to Manatee County. One way in which funds can be spent is to buy advertising and another is to create an exhibit or event that drives people to the area. Either way, the TDC needs to see a return on the funds in the form of economic impact to Manatee County.

TDC member and Anna Maria Commissioner Doug Copeland said he questions spending $5 million on advertising to a group of people who are already in the area.

Bebak said that of Mote’s annual memberships, 58% come from Manatee and Sarasota counties with the remainder from other areas. Of the total attendance numbers, 13% come from Manatee County, 18% come from Sarasota County and 69% come from other areas. Of that 69%, 12% come from a drivable range of eight surrounding counties and 88% come from outside of that drivable area.

“In my heart, I support the cause,” Whitmore said, adding that she needs to see how the funds will benefit Manatee County to help her and other county commissioners to justify the expense to residents.

Bradenton Mayor Wayne Poston said he was also not prepared to vote on the funding request at the Sept. 16 meeting.

“I love the concept. We have a lot of asks right now,” he said. “The devil’s in the details and we need the details. Convince me.”

TDC members voted to have representatives from Mote come back at a future meeting to present a budget of how funds would be used and ideas on how those funds would benefit Manatee County tourism.

Bicyclist loses life in Longboat Key accident

Bicyclist loses life in Longboat Key accident

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Community News, Featured, Longboat Key.

Updated April 28, 2019 – LONGBOAT KEY – A bicyclist died Monday, April 22 after being involved in a fatal accident on Gulf of Mexico Drive.

Ridgley Harrison III, 67, of New York died in the accident, according to Sarasota Police Department Public Information Officer Genevieve Judge.

The accident happened in the 5800 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive around 10:30 a.m. The 5800 block is south of Cannon’s Marina and north of Harry’s Corner Store.

“We’re working in partnership with Longboat Key Police Department right now. Our traffic unit is conducting this investigation for the Longboat Key Police Department because they currently do not have any traffic homicide investigators,” Judge said Monday evening.

“Preliminary information is that this is a bicycle versus vehicle fatality crash. The bicyclist, an adult male, was transported from the scene to Blake Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. The crash remains under investigation,” Judge said.

The accident and the ensuing investigation rendered that section of Gulf of Mexico Drive impassable to vehicular traffic for more than an hour.

Bradenton Beach Police Officer Eric Hill said he responded to a followup call to retrieve a paramedic’s laptop computer that was left behind at the crash scene.

On May 8, 2018, a pedestrian was struck and killed while crossing Gulf of Mexico Drive near the Whitney Plaza at the north end of Longboat Key.

Island bridges, roundabouts on DOT radar

Island bridges, roundabouts on DOT radar

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

BRADENTON BEACH – The members of the Coalition of Barrier Island Elected Officials had a lot to think about when Florida Department of Transportation representative Albert Rosenstein appeared before them to give an update on ongoing projects.

Roundabouts

Rosenstein said the two roundabouts planned for Manatee Avenue in Holmes Beach are almost through the department’s approval process. A planned roundabout for Manatee Avenue at East Bay Drive is in the last of three stages of approval. He said that no right of way acquisition is needed for the project, but it will wait for construction until the accompanying roundabout at Manatee Avenue and Gulf Drive can be built.

The roundabout at Manatee Avenue and Gulf Drive, at the main entrance to Manatee Beach, is in the second stage of approval. Rosenstein said this roundabout does require a right of way purchase. Construction on the roundabouts is expected to take place at the same time and is currently not funded. An extension of the northbound turn lane from Manatee Avenue to Gulf Drive is currently funded in the fifth year of the DOT’s current funding cycle.

How to Navigate a Roundabout
To navigate a single-lane roundabout, vehicles are required to reduce speed to 10 to 15 miles per hour when approaching the roundabout. Drivers must look for and yield to bicyclists and pedestrians. The two roundabouts planned for Holmes Beach will have pedestrian crosswalks at each of the four entrances to the roundabout. All vehicles circle the roundabout to the right. Drivers entering the roundabout must yield to the vehicles already in the roundabout. Enter the roundabout when there is a gap in traffic and do not stop or attempt to pass other vehicles. Use a turn signal to indicate when exiting the roundabout.
Drivers should never stop once in the roundabout but can slow down to allow another vehicle to enter. If an emergency vehicle comes through the roundabout, drive to the nearest exit and then move over beyond the splitter island. – FDOT

Anna Maria Island Bridge

Design plans are expected to be complete in late 2019 for the new high-span Anna Maria Island Bridge on Manatee Avenue. The bridge will have a 65-foot navigational clearance with a 74-foot maximum height and a 4 percent grade. A new bridge is planned to lift off and set down in the footprint of the current bridge and be constructed just to the south of the existing drawbridge. Though the new bridge is on the DOT’s advanced project list, Rosenstein said it’s currently unfunded.

Cortez Bridge

Though Rosenstein didn’t know if the plans were still negotiable, he said that the favored replacement for the aging Cortez Bridge is a high-span bridge also with 65 feet of navigable space underneath the bridge. Because the bridge would have to be slightly shorter than the Anna Maria Bridge, Rosenstein said the current projections show the bridge with a 5 percent grade. Currently, the bridge is awaiting the design phase and construction is unfunded. Rosenstein said he expects the concept for the replacement bridge to be officially approved in October. With the Cortez Bridge, he said there will be right of way acquisitions or imposition of eminent domain by the department. The new bridge is planned to be constructed just to the north of the existing drawbridge.

Longboat Pass Bridge

Beginning June 10, Rosenstein said that repair work will begin on the Longboat Pass Bridge. Construction is expected to take approximately 80 days to complete. Lane closures will occur Mondays through Thursdays from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. with no closures planned on the weekends. Lanes could be closed for up to 15 minutes periodically from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. during the week for testing with no detours planned. Two days of detours for machinery to be brought on or removed from the bridge are planned from midnight to 5 a.m. The days of those detours and the path of the detours are not yet known.

Related coverage

New details emerge for high-span bridge

A wake up call on the proposed Cortez Bridge

Reel Time: Clams restored to Manatee County waters

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Fishing, Outdoors, Red tide, Reel Time.

Sarasota Bay Watch capped a two-year clam restoration effort in January. Despite windy conditions and a choppy bay, board members and volunteers placed 7,000 pounds, or about 52,000 clams, at two sites in Manatee County. This brings the total to just over 250,000 clams placed as a part of the restoration project.

At one of the sites, the water was crystal clear and Al Jeffrey and diver Ian Kayea, an underwater videographer and Scuba Quest employee, got excellent footage of the clams in their new home.

Sarasota Bay Watch has a second round of about 750,000 clams growing as we speak under the watchful eye of Curt at the Bay Shellfish hatchery.

While much of the restoration has been focused on sites in Sarasota County, SBW President Steve Martin made it clear that the nonprofit is dedicated to restoring clams to all the waters of Sarasota Bay.

“Sarasota Bay extends to all of Manatee County’s bay waters from mid-Longboat Key to Tampa Bay. In 2019, we’ll be introducing more clams to Manatee County waters and holding events there like the Sister Keys clean up and island invasive plant control in conjunction with Longboat Key Public Works,” Martin said.

“Sarasota Bay Watch is a grassroots, nonprofit, citizen-based organization dedicated to preserving and restoring Sarasota Bay’s ecosystem through education and citizen participation. SBW would like to thank Reef Innovations, Gold Coast Eagle Distributing, Sarasota Sailing Squadron, and their many wonderful volunteers for making the restoration effort possible,” he added.

Sarasota Bay Watch works with a set of core values to guide their activities. Their goal is to initiate innovative and effective action grounded in selfless and comprehensive planning to assure the sustainability of Sarasota Bay, its stakeholders and all its inhabitants.

Action

It is our objective to establish collaborative relationships with other environmental organizations, scientists and NGOs. We strive to forge partnerships that allow Sarasota Bay Watch to accomplish its goals while enhancing the effectiveness of every person and group that benefits from the natural assets of the Bay system.

Commitment

We are committed to accomplishing our mission because of a shared love of the estuarine environment, knowing full well that it supports our economy, our health and an ineffable legacy for future generations. It is our belief that sustainable ecosystems are essential for the well-being of human communities, and that our goals can be accomplished through citizen action that is guided by sound science.

Integrity

Sarasota Bay Watch is committed to openness and honesty, fostering a culture of sincerity and trust. We strive to attain tangible and measurable results through relationships and methods that hold to the highest ethical and financial standards.

Respect

We vow to respect the opinions of our members, volunteers, donors and co-workers.  We will also respect the views of those with whom we may disagree, and strive to reach consensus through dialogue, transparency and collaboration.

Sustainability

We believe a sustainable ecosystem to be one that most closely resembles its natural state absent of human influences and, to the greatest extent possible, one that maintains its balance of species and habitat quality in harmony with human communities. This requires both the education and active stewardship of our human communities.

You can become an active participant by joining as a member and volunteering in Sarasota Bay Watch’s on-going effort to protect and restore this valuable natural resource. Donate your time or help fund our efforts at our website.

More Reel Time:

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Reel Time: The miracle of Matlacha

itpo longboat pass bridge

Longboat Pass Bridge work to begin in 2019

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Bradenton Beach, Community News, Longboat Key.

The days for the current Longboat Pass Bridge may be numbered, but the bridge’s number isn’t up quite yet.

During the October Island Transportation Planning Organization meeting, representatives from the Sarasota Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Florida Department of Transportation gave an update on the planned repairs for the existing drawbridge. Repairs are planned to begin May 1, 2019, but FDOT representative Jim Jacobsen said there would be limited disruption to vehicular traffic during construction.

Jacobsen said the bridge, built in 1957, is functionally obsolete, having served past it’s expected 50-year lifespan by 11 years. The bridge is rated by FDOT as fair, and the project development and environment study to determine if it should ultimately be repaired or replaced will begin in 2020. In the meantime, major repairs estimated at $3.7 million will begin in mid-2019. Jacobsen said the contractor has been given a $160,000 incentive to finish the repairs before Thanksgiving 2019.

Repairs will be made to the sidewalks and traffic lanes to cover potholes and cracks, along with repairs to the steel span to combat rust, correct mechanical issues, repair the supporting concrete beams and protect the undersides of the bridge from erosion. One of the primary goals with these repairs is to correct issues caused by exposure to the harsh environmental elements in the pass and seal the bridge to reduce the effects of rust and erosion in the future.

What motorists can expect, Jacobsen said, is to see nighttime lane closures between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. with 15-minute-long temporary bridge closures allowed between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. to move equipment. Detours where the bridge will be completely closed to traffic from midnight to 5 a.m. for two nights only, have already been mapped out. Jacobsen said the United States Coast Guard has already approved the bridge closures.

Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie requested that FDOT keep Bradenton Beach and Longboat Key police in the loop regarding lane and bridge closures. Jacobsen agreed, adding that the lane closures will be optimized to allow emergency vehicles through the construction area if necessary. He said lane closures are not allowed for Friday and Saturday nights. Prior to the start of construction Jacobsen said an environmental review of the area will be done to ensure that lighting for the project does not adversely affect nesting sea turtles on the beaches.

Fire damages Shore restaurant

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Community News, Longboat Key.

LONGBOAT KEY – The Shore restaurant under construction at 800 Broadway sustained damage in a fire the night of Wednesday, Oct. 24. No injuries were reported, and the cause remains unknown.

The interior of the building appears badly damaged, but the exterior appears intact with charring to some surfaces, and some hurricane windows melted or blown out.

The building is on the site of the former Moore’s Stone Crab restaurant, which closed three years ago.

Longboat Key Fire Rescue was on scene this morning, joined by the State Fire Marshal, who is now investigating the fire.

“At 2202 hours (10:02 p.m.) on Wednesday, Oct. 24, Longboat Key, West Manatee, and Sarasota County Fire Departments responded with 20 firefighters to 800 Broadway for a reported commercial structure fire. Upon arrival of the first units, they encountered heavy fire showing from the entrance of a large structure, under construction,” according to a Longboat Key Fire Rescue press release.

“The initial crews stretched two hose lines, quickly extinguishing the body of fire at the entrance and extended rooms. The fire was under control within 30 minutes. There were no reports of any injuries,” the press release said.

“The State Fire Marshal was called to the scene and secured the site overnight. The investigation continued this morning where the State Fire Marshal had their arson dog called to the scene, as normal operating procedure, to assist with locating any accelerants. Samples have been taken and will be sent to the state lab for analysis. The results may take up to four weeks to receive.

“This does not indicate the fire was arson, rather it provides further evidence to assist with a complete investigation. The scene is continuing to be investigated and once complete will be turned back over to the owners,” according to the press release.

At 8:30 a.m. this morning, co-owner Tom Leonard was standing outside the building, talking on his cell phone and still waiting to be let inside to examine the damage.

When asked, he said the construction project was approximately six to eight weeks from completion when the fire occurred. He estimated the fire would add an additional two months to complete the project. He said this timetable would depend in part on how long it takes for the insurance company to settle the claim.

At 4 p.m. this afternoon, Longboat Key Fire Rescue spokesperson Tina Adams said she believed the construction site had been turned back over to the owners.

When construction is completed, the 185-seat, coastal-style eatery will join its sister establishment, Shore, on St. Armands Key.

- Joe Hendricks | Sun

- Joe Hendricks | Sun

The Shore on Longboat Key burned last night. - Joe Hendricks | Sun

The Shore on Longboat Key burned last night. - Joe Hendricks | Sun

- Joe Hendricks | Sun

- Joe Hendricks | Sun

- Brian Hollinger | Submitted

- Brian Hollinger | Submitted

Local first responders help with hurricane recovery

Written by SUN contributor on . Posted in Community News, Featured, Manatee County.

BRADENTON – Manatee County first responders don’t only answer the call of duty locally, they also answer when other people need their help, including those affected by Hurricane Michael in the Florida Panhandle.

West Manatee Fire Rescue Chief Tom Sousa said that when the call came in for assistance in the aftermath of the Category 4 storm, five strike teams of firefighters and emergency medical service workers from region six, stretching from Manatee to Collier County, assembled including 25 fire engines with around 100 firefighters and five ambulance teams with 25 ambulances and about 50 medical personnel.

Sousa said the region’s six strike teams assembled first in Tallahassee before traveling to Marianna, Fla., where they helped to clear debris, treat injuries using the WMFR advanced life support engine, distribute supplies and run emergency calls with local first responders.

He said the team, including firefighters from WMFR, Longboat Key, Cedar Hammock, Southern Manatee, the City of Bradenton, East Manatee and North River fire districts, was redeployed Oct. 15 to Port St. Joe and Port St. Joe Beach to provide hurricane recovery assistance.

WMFR Battalion Chief Ben Rigney served as the leader for an engine strike team of five engines and around 30 personnel. The City of Bradenton Urban Search and Rescue team also responded, sending six personnel to the region along with Manatee County EMS workers.

Sousa said the teams were expected to return home after nearly two weeks in the region early this week.

Reel Time: Reflections

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Outdoors, Reel Time.

While fishing might seem challenging to the average angler, there are definitely some bright spots in what has been a perplexing season. Seasoned guides like Captains Scott and Justin Moore and Captain Rick Grassett have been catching fish consistently but having to move with the whims of the red tide.

The only areas consistently free of the red tide are regions where low salinity inhibits the formation. Late last week, clear water made an appearance on the beaches of north Longboat Key only to disappear the next morning.  While there are some encouraging signs, everything is still in flux.

This past weekend I participated in the Sarasota Bay Watch Ninth Annual Monofilament Cleanup. I launched at the north end of Longboat with Michael Dolan of Cortez, and Nancy Greenwood and Casey Lamb from the Longbeach Village. We spent the morning removing discarded fishing line, tackle, lures, trash and flotsam from a small rookery at the mouth of Bishop’s Bayou before moving to the Bridge Street Fishing Pier on Bradenton Beach and then Kitchen Key near Cortez.

Reel Time mono team
Nancy Greenhouse, Michael Dolan and Casey Lamb offload the fishing line, tackle and recyclable items they removed from area bird rookeries during Sarasota Bay Watch’s Ninth Annual Monofilament Cleanup this past weekend. – Rusty Chinnis | Sun

After cleaning the bridge fenders at Longboat Pass, we decided to head south along the beach to assess the conditions. We finished in the cove bordering the Longboat Key Club in New Pass. At our last stop, we were greeted by three manatees. Considering what these gentle creatures have been through with the red tide they were a welcome sight! We had lunch at the Sarasota Sailing Squadron with other volunteers before heading back north in the bay.

The ride was a mixed bag of excitement and disappointment. While there were areas that looked healthy with bait and jumping mullet we also crossed water that looked bad, smelled bad and even had us coughing for a brief period.

One thing I do know from experience is that this episode will end, and clean water and life will return to the Gulf and bays.

Having said that, I can’t stress enough the importance of learning the lesson this experience is posing. While red tide is natural, the frequency of occurrence and intensity is not. Man-made nutrients are worsening the effects. It’s critical we don’t forget and elect politicians that vote for common sense policies that protect our waters.

Recently you may have noticed full-page ads in local newspapers paid for by Big Sugar. In the ads, they are dodging responsibility for the nutrient loads and releases of water that are spawning green algae blooms and fueling red tide. While it’s true that they may have been getting more of the blame than they deserve they definitely are part of the problem.

They lobby to have water levels kept artificially high during the dry season to assure they have water to accommodate their agricultural lands. This becomes a problem during wet seasons when excess water cannot be stored and must be sent east and west into the Indian River Lagoon and Pine Island Sound.

Expect more of the same and worse if we don’t address the root causes of the problem. They are understood, and a draft plan is already available that would help alleviate much of the problem. The only thing missing is the political will. That’s where we come in.  Like the old saw says, we’re either part of the solution or part of the problem.

More Reel Time

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Reel Time on the road: Fishing the South Georgia coast

Reel Time: On the road to St. Marys and Cumberland Island, Ga.

Reel Time: The good, the bad and the ugly

Bradenton Beach roundabout

LBK mayor wants Bradenton Beach roundabout gone

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

HOLMES BEACH – The Coalition of Barrier Islands Elected Officials meeting is a time for the mayors of the four neighboring Island cities to get together to discuss common issues. Sometimes those discussions don’t go quite the way they planned.

While discussing the options that Longboat Key city leaders are considering to help improve vehicular traffic and keep pedestrians safe from drivers, Mayor George Spoll said he’d like Bradenton Beach city leaders to remove the roundabout at Bridge Street, which he believes causes traffic jams for drivers traveling north through his city.

“It’s an abomination,” Spoll said of the roundabout.

Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie said the roundabout needs to stay in place to help keep pedestrians and motorists safe in his city. He said the roundabout, with its yield signs and four crosswalks, helps to separate pedestrians from motorists, preventing accidents.

“We matter, too, in Bradenton Beach and on Anna Maria Island,” Chappie said. “It’s not just about Longboat Key.”

Chappie added that, as far as he’s concerned, Bradenton Beach city leaders wouldn’t entertain restructuring the intersection with Gulf Drive solely in an attempt to alleviate traffic on Longboat Key.

Spoll said he’d like to push to have the intersection restructured.

Chappie added that he wants his city to be a good neighbor to the one to the south, however, there is more to consider concerning safety at the congested intersection before potential traffic slowdowns are addressed.

“I don’t want to start a conversation by throwing down the gauntlet,” Chappie said.

He took a summary of the conversation with Spoll at the BIEO meeting to a Bradenton Beach commission meeting. Commissioners thanked Chappie for the information but did not discuss the matter further.

Longboat Key resident killed crossing Gulf of Mexico Drive

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

LONGBOAT KEY – Longboat Key resident Warren Roberts, 85, was killed the morning of Tuesday, May 8 after being struck by two northbound vehicles as he attempted to cross Gulf of Mexico Drive, near the Whitney Beach Plaza, south of Cedar Street.

The accident and ensuing investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol resulted in Gulf of Mexico Drive being closed for more than six hours at the north end of Longboat Key.

Southbound motorists leaving Anna Maria Island via the Longboat Pass Bridge were diverted back toward Bradenton Beach by Bradenton Beach Police and Longboat Key Police as they neared the shopping plaza.

According to the press release issued by the Florida Highway Patrol on Tuesday afternoon, a 2016 Hyundai Tucson driven by Palmetto resident Richard Sullo, 71, and a 2000 Mercedes Benz ML 350 driven by Longboat Key resident Cheri Zupa, 41, were both northbound on State Road 789/Gulf of Mexico Drive at 6 a.m. Tuesday morning, with Sullo’s vehicle traveling ahead of Zupa’s vehicle.

Roberts was on the east side of the road and began to walk westbound across Gulf of Mexico Drive, moving into the path of Sullo’s vehicle. The front of Sullo’s vehicle then collided with Roberts. Roberts was propelled onto the roadway north of the point of collision and was subsequently struck by the undercarriage of Zupa’s vehicle. Roberts’ injuries were fatal.

No charges are pending against either driver and Sullo was transported to Blake Medical Center after the collision due to a medical condition.

“That’s so sad. All the turtle patrol walkers for that zone would see him walking the beach every morning. We are all saddened by the news,” part-time Bradenton Beach resident Betsy Sillars said.

The south end of the accident scene was closed to traffic while awaiting the arrival of Florida Highway Patrol investigators. - Joe Hendricks | Sun

The south end of the accident scene was closed to traffic while awaiting the arrival of Florida Highway Patrol investigators. - Joe Hendricks | Sun

Longboat Key Police blocked Gulf of Mexico Drive near the accident scene and diverted southbound traffic back toward Bradenton Beach - Joe Hendricks | Sun

Longboat Key Police blocked Gulf of Mexico Drive near the accident scene and diverted southbound traffic back toward Bradenton Beach - Joe Hendricks | Sun

A damaged vehicle sits along the roadside on Gulf of Mexico Drive where a pedestrian was fatally struck. - Joe Hendricks | Sun

A damaged vehicle sits along the roadside on Gulf of Mexico Drive where a pedestrian was fatally struck. - Joe Hendricks | Sun

Cleaning up the Sister Keys

Written by Rusty Chinnis on . Posted in Outdoors, Reel Time.

Sarasota Bay Watch (SBW) conducted its annual Sister Keys Clean Up on Saturday, April 28. The event was hosted by the Chiles Group and held on the beach at the Mar Vista Dockside restaurant. On this beautiful morning, 80 volunteers organized by SBW Events Coordinator Ronda Ryan worked for four hours on the island and around the mangrove fringes collecting 1,300 pounds of trash and 80 recyclable items.

At the start of the event, I, as Sarasota Bay Watch Chairman Emeritus, gave the volunteers a brief history of the Sister Keys. The islands were originally slated for development in the early 60s and were once again threatened in 1989 when they went on sale for $1 million. That spurred a group of citizens to form the Sister Keys Conservancy in an attempt to buy and preserve the islands as a nature preserve.

After three years of lobbying, bake sales and two music in the park events, the group had only raised $50,000 towards the $1 million sale price. They then went to the town of Longboat Key, which needed additional open space for its comprehensive plan. The town consummated the sale in 1994, assuring the keys would not be developed.

The islands underwent a million-dollar mitigation in 2007 that removed all invasive species, planted native flora and created a two-acre wetland. In the last decade, 6-foot mangroves have grown from seeds recruited naturally from the waterways. The rest of the uplands have matured, making the islands one of the best examples of a thriving native marine environment in coastal Florida.

The cleanup would not have been possible without the support of The Chiles Group, Mar Vista and the town of Longboat Key. Longboat Key Manager Tom Harmer and his wife, Dee, attended and participated in the cleanup, and Longboat Key Marine Officer Nick Renno patrolled the Intracoastal Waterway to slow boaters.

There were many kayakers present and shore-bound volunteers were ferried to the island by local fishing guide Capt. Casey Lamb and village resident Mark McBride as well as SBW board members Al Jeffery, John Ryan and Steve Martin. Larry Beggs with Reef Innovations brought a barge where volunteers could offload their trash.

Back at the Mar Vista, volunteers created a human chain to load the debris into a truck provided by the town of Longboat Key. One of the people pivotal to the event’s success, James Linkogle, wasn’t able to attend. Linkogle and public works employees cleared and marked trails in the days leading up to the cleanup. Linkogle is projects manager for the Longboat Key Public Works Department.

Volunteers found a wide range of debris including a bed frame, boat cushions, umbrellas, life vests, a boat hull, a tackle box, multiple buckets, crab pots, fishing poles and buoys. All plastics and cans were collected in separate green bags and recycled.

At 11:30 a.m., everyone headed back to the Mar Vista where they were treated to a complimentary lunch of hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, Caesar salad and all the trimmings. Before everyone left, SBW Co-President Larry Stults explained the mission of Sarasota Bay Watch, the motto of which is “A Healthy Bay Is Everybody’s Business.”

SBW has been conducting a scallop restoration project for many years and this year will be releasing 200,000 Southern hard-shell clams into bay waters. The clams are being raised by a clam farmer in Pine Island Sound and will, hopefully, kick-start the return of clams, which have been disappearing from bay waters.

At the end of the day, volunteers expressed their enthusiasm for a day of camaraderie, good deeds and a new appreciation for the importance of working to create a healthy bay.

Building official

Anna Maria hires new building official

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

ANNA MARIA – Less than a week after terminating Building Official Jimmy Strickland, Mayor Dan Murphy and the City Commission had his replacement on deck.

Effective Jan. 1, David Greenbaum will become the city of Anna Maria’s next building official. He’s now winding down his tenure as the building official for the Town of Longboat Key, a position he’s held since June.

Murphy presented the proposed hiring to City Commissioners during an emergency commission meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 6. The commission unanimously authorized the hiring.

Greenbaum will also serve as the city’s floodplain manager. Last week he took the certification exam as part of his efforts to become a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)-certified floodplain manager. Strickland was not FEMA-certified.

The commission terminated Strickland on Nov. 30 for failing to comply with FEMA reporting requirements regarding the city’s participation in the Community Rating System (CRS) that is part of FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program.

Strickland’s failures resulted in the city receiving notification on Oct. 30 that CRS reviewer Craig Carpenter was recommending that FEMA reduce the city’s CRS rating from a class 5 to a class 10. If enacted as recommended, the rating retrograde would result in the loss of the 25 percent flood insurance rate discount currently given to policy holders in Anna Maria. The city has been part of the CRS program for more than 20 years.

In response to Carpenter’s email, city staff was given 20 days to provide the documents requested to verify the city’s CRS compliance.

Last week, Murphy told commissioners no final determination had been made yet regarding the jeopardized flood insurance discounts. He said he hoped to have those answers in a week or two.

Greenbaum’s career path

Murphy told the commission Greenbaum’s willingness to leave his Longboat Key position was due to the transition taking place due to Town Manager Dave Bullock’s retirement at year’s end. Bullock hired Greenbaum, but Bullock’s replacement is bringing in his own people to fill key positions.

“He comes highly recommended by the town manager of Longboat Key, who couldn’t say enough good things about him,” Murphy said of Greenbaum.

Murphy said Greenbaum’s extensive background check came back completely clean.

Commissioner Nancy Yetter also interviewed Greenbaum before last week’s meeting.

“I was very impressed. He had a career in the military and I think that’s going to bode well for this position. He has a strong leadership quality about him, and authoritative, so I don’t think he’s going to be a pushover,” she said.

Greenbaum served in the Marine Corps from 1983-1990.

“I stressed to him the problems that we had in past, and that we could not allow anything like that to occur again,” Yetter added.

Commissioner Carol Carter asked Murphy if he had any concerns about Greenbaum only being with the Town of Longboat Key for six months. He also had two short stints of employment in New York from 2015 until his hiring in Longboat Key. Commissioners Brian Seymour and Doug Copeland said they also had preliminary concerns about that.

Murphy said Greenbaum’s New York jobs were necessitated by family matters and he cited Greenbaum’s service as chief building official for the Seminole Tribe of Florida from 2007 to 2015.

Greenbaum will be a city employee and report directly to Murphy, whereas Strickland was a contracted employee of the M.T. Causley firm. Murphy plans to reorganize the building department and the firm will continue to assist the building department while awaiting Greenbaum’s arrival.

When contacted Friday, Greenbaum said he would know the results of his certification test results in January. He said much of the certification training pertained to the recordkeeping and documentation required of CRS participants.

“It’s something that demands attention all the time,” he said.

Regarding his new job in Anna Maria, Greenbaum said, “I look forward to it and I appreciate the opportunity to serve the public health, safety and welfare for the city.”