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Tag: Manatee Public Beach

Kiwanis Club hosting Easter Sunrise Service

Kiwanis Club hosting Easter Sunrise Service

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Entertainment.

HOLMES BEACH – The Kiwanis Club of Anna Maria Island will celebrate its 60th annual Easter Sunrise Service on Sunday, April 20.

The 6:30 a.m. service will be held at Manatee Beach, 4000 Gulf Drive.
The annual Easter service attracts 1,000 to 2,000 worshipers. There will be ample parking in the beach parking lot, the free AMI Trolley will start running at 6 a.m. and the Anna Maria Beach Café will open at 6:30 a.m. Attendees are encouraged to bring chairs or blankets.

“Our Island has been through a lot this year with a tropical storm and two hurricanes but we are ‘Anna Maria Strong’ and proud to be able to come together and celebrate for our 60th anniversary of the Kiwanis of Anna Maria Island Easter Sunrise Service with our Island churches,” according to the Kiwanis press release.

“Come and share this celebration on the beach as we show our gratefulness for this Island we call our paradise. It is truly an uplifting service as the Island churches participate,” the press release says.

Rev. Phillip Schweda of St. Bernard Catholic Church will deliver this year’s sermon. Belinda Strickland of the Episcopal Church of the Annunciation will deliver the invocation. Senior Pastor Dirk Rodgers of the Roser Memorial Community Church will deliver the offertory and the benediction and Rev. Stephen King of Harvey Memorial Community Church will deliver the scripture readings.

Island business owner Morgan Bryant will sing inspirational Easter music and worshipers are invited to sing along.

The offertory collected in association with the Easter Sunrise Service will be divided among the Island churches and the Kiwanis Club of Anna Maria Island. The sunrise service program handout is posted at the Kiwanis Club website, www.amikiwanis.com, and online donations can be made to assist the Island churches and the Kiwanis Club.

Manatee County beaches reopening Monday

Manatee County beaches reopening Monday

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

ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Manatee County’s public beaches will reopen Monday morning.

During today’s emergency county commission meeting, Manatee County Commissioners voted 7-0 in favor of reopening the county beaches on Monday, May 4.

The commission decision means Coquina Beach and Cortez Beach in Bradenton Beach and Manatee Beach in Holmes Beach will reopen Monday morning. It also means the public beach parking lots that were closed on March 20 will be reopened Monday morning.

Parking at the public beaches will be limited to two hours. County Administrator Cheri Coryea said some portions of the beach parking lots will remain closed to limit the number of available parking spaces.

Local law enforcement and county code enforcement officers will have the authority and the ability to issue parking citations to those who extend their beach stays beyond two hours.

Coolers, umbrellas, beach chairs and items of that nature will be allowed. Social distancing guidelines are to be maintained and the public restrooms will be open.

The opening of the beach concession stands will depend on what Gov. Ron DeSantis has in mind for Florida restaurants. His executive order limiting restaurants to takeout and delivery service only expires on Thursday. DeSantis is expected to announce his reopening plans on Wednesday.

During the commission meeting, Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie sent Commissioner Carol Whitmore an email expressing his concerns about enforcing the two-hour parking limit. Chappie questioned the demands the two-hour limit will place on the Bradenton Beach Police Department and law enforcement officers.

Coryea said she and her administration would be working out additional details on Wednesday.