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Permanent Link: http://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00074389/00103
 Material Information
Title: Islander (Anna Maria, Fla. : 1992)
Uniform Title: Islander (Anna Maria, Fla. : 1992)
Physical Description: Newspaper
Creator: Islander
Publisher: Bonner Joy
Publication Date: December 20, 2006
 Subjects
Genre: newspaper   ( sobekcm )
newspaper   ( marcgt )
Spatial Coverage: United States -- Florida -- Manatee -- Anna Maria
Coordinates: 27.530278 x -82.734444 ( Place of Publication )
 Record Information
Source Institution: University of Florida
Rights Management: All rights reserved by the source institution and holding location.
System ID: UF00074389:00103

Table of Contents
    Main
        page 1
        page 2
        page 3
        page 4
        page 5
    Main: Opinion
        page 6
    Main continued
        page 7
        page 8
        page 9
        page 10
        page 11
        page 12
        page 13
        page 14
        page 15
        page 16
        page 17
        page 18
        page 19
        page 20
        page 21
        page 22
        page 23
    Main: Islander Classifieds
        page 24
        page 25
        page 26
        page 27
        page 28
        page 29
        page 30
        page 31
        page 32
Full Text





Have a very, very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!


SAnna Maria,


I' ~i ^ c I^ iMi i ir'


Birdl coutInt coming, pagce 19).


"The Best News on Anna Maria Island Since 1992" wvW


org Volume 15, No. 7 Dec. 20, 2006 FREE
'Roser walk
celebrates 'real'
Christmas
Roser Memorial Commiu-
nity C/hmiL h's Bethlehem
Walk celebrates the first
Christmas, recreating
the night when Joseph
and Mary searched for a
room. The Saturday night
walk began and ended
at the church oh Pitie
Avenue in Anna Maria.
J.D. Willmott Hook,
center, played the role
of the infant Jesus in the
first Bethlehem Walk. On
Saturday night, J.D., now
10, portrayed a shepherd
Aboy and joined with other
celebrants in singing a
carol. Islander Photo:
Lisa Neff


New bridge schedules delayed until April


By Rick Catlin
Islander Reporter
Islanders and Longboat Key residents hoping to
see implementation of new bridge-opening times for
the Cortez Bridge and Anna Maria Island Bridge by
mid-January will have to wait a little longer, perhaps
even until after the winter tourist season ends.
U.S. Coast Guard bridge opening specialist Michael
Lieberum in Miami said publication of the final ruling
is taking longer than expected. Earlier this month, he
was hopeful of having the new opening times in place

Exotic tree removal
By Lisa Neff
Islander Reporter
Manatee County's chief conservationist went before
the Holmes Beach City Commission Dec. 12 seeking
to create some comfort and joy over the Kingfish Boat
Ramp project.
Charlie Hunsicker, director of the county's con-
servation lands management division, told the com-
missioners that the effort to clear out some non-native
trees from the county-operated Kingfish would begin
the second week in January.
Hunsicker, accompanied by new County Commis-
sioner Carol Whitmore, also told city commissioners
that two other boat ramp projects might some day alle-
viate some problems at Kingfish, which is on Manatee
Avenue adjacent to the Anna Maria Island Bridge.
County and'city-officials have been discussing


by the end of January, but it now appears that April is
the likely implementation date.
That means Island motorists willhave another winter
"traffic season" of 20-minute on-demand bridge openings,
instead of the-30-minute intervals in the new order.
Before the new times can begin, the Coast Guard
has to post the new rules in an edition of "Local Notice
to Mariners," Lieberum said, and that might not be pos-,
sible until March.
Anna Maria Mayor Fran Barford and Manatee
County Commissioner Carol Whitmore said that the April

to begin at Kingfish
plans for Kingfish for much of the past year. Conflict
over a county proposal to expand parking there led to a
survey of the area that e % e n tual 11 re \ ea led that Kingfish
is not within city limits, as long belie\ ed.
That news led Holmes Beach officials to propose
an annexation of the area, primarily so Holmes Beach
police could patrol the zone. But the county in early
November nixed annexation.
Hunsicker did not discuss annexation the word
didn't even come up during his presentation. Instead.
he and the commission covered grounds %\ here there's
some agreement between the cit) and count. plans
to spruce up Kingfish by remo\ ing e\otics and bringing
in Florida native trees.
The county has plans to remote all of the pepper
PLEASE SEE KINGFISH. NEXT PAGE


start of the new opening times was confirmed by Mana-
tee-Sarasota Metropolitan Planning Organization director
Mike Howe at the recent December MPO meeting.
The Coast Guard proposal is that from Jan. 15 to
May 15, the two bridges would open on demand every
30 minutes between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. From May 16
through Jan. 14, the bridge opening times would be
every 20 minutes, as needed.
The USCG proposal also includes a "curfew" time,
no openings, between 7:35 a.m. and 8:29 a.m. daily and
4:35 to 5:29 p.m. daily.
Members of the Barrier Island Elected Officials,
particularly those on Longboat Key, have campaigned
for the past five years to have the drawbridge times
changed during the winter tourist season. Longboat Key
Town Commissioner Jeremy Whatmough and other
officials have claimed that the traffic backup at the
Cortez Road-Gulf Drive intersection when the Cortez
:Bridge is raised during the season often extends south
along Gulf Drive and across the Longboat Pass Bridge,
making a-routine 10-minute drive from Longboat Key
to Bradenton Beach a one-hour crawl.

* .' [ -.


Cubans land on LBK's Beer Can Island


SIslander staff report
T\enit\ -five Cubans reached shore on Beer Can
Island at the north end of Longboat Key just before
dawn MondaN.
The\ apparently were dropped offby a boat, accord-
in to the U.S. Coast Guard, which received notification
of the incident at about 5:20 a.m. from the Longboat
Key Police Department. -
Early Monday, the Coast Guard searched for
a vessel that brought the Cubans ashore, said Coast
Guard spokeswoman Sonda-Kay Kneen. She said three
"assets" were deployed in the search.
One of the assets was a boat from the Coast Guard
Station Cortez, where Petty Officer David Anderson was
working as the officer of the day when the call came.
"At this time it's not 100 percent known how they
got there," Anderson said. "We patrolled north and


south, boats from Fort Myers to here."
Anderson said in his five years at the station lie
hadn't seen a similar incident.
Bradenton Beach Police Chief Sam Speciale said it
was the first time in his 20-year hisitorn as a police offi-
cer in the area that any Cubans landed this tar north.
- Special said his officers were patrolling the cirN beach
based on reports that more immigrants ma\ make landfall.
I At press time Monday, the Cubans w ere being held
at the Longboat Key Police Department as U.S. Cus-
toms officials investigated their arrival.
U.S. immigration policy known as the "wet-foot,
dry-foot" rule states that Cuban exiles who make it
to shore are not immediately deported and could qualify
for expedited legal residency.
A Customs spokeswoman declined to comment on
the investigation or the Cubans' well being.


Rockin' Christmas Eve
Anna Maria Elementary School fifth-graders pre-
sented a Rock 'n'Roll evening at the North Pole
Tuesday, Dec. 12, following a Parent-Teacher Orga-
nization dinner hosted by Moore's Stone Crab res-
taurant. The evening musical featured solos by Alexis
Achor and Grant Bower, plus a surprise visit from
Santa Claus. Islander Photo: The Rev. Jim Meena






2 E DEC. 20. 2006 THE ISLANDER

Kingfish exotics to be removed
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
trees and some of the pines at Kingfish.
"The second week in January we will begin the
process of removing the Brazilian peppers," Hunsicker
said, adding that the work would begin on the south
side of the causeway and move east. "Over a period of
a week, most of the Brazilian peppers on that side will
be removed."
Work will then shift to the north side of the cause-
way, where the project also involves "selective removal"
of Australian pines. "We're not going to take out the
pines that shelter the picnic tables," he added.
Hunsicker said some pines might be replaced with
sea grape trees and coconut and sabal palms.
Regarding the boat ramp and parking lot, Hunsicker
said, "We're going to bring back to you a design ... to
make it more efficient for everybody and safer, too."
He also told commissioners of an effort to construct
a boat ramp at the south end of the Sunshine Skyway
Bridge and one on the Manatee River.
"Both of those will take considerable pressure off
Kingfish," Hunsicker said.
The meeting was the second of the new commis-
sion and the last of 2006.
In other business at the meeting, commissioners:
Accepted Mayor Rich Bohnenberger's appoint-
ments of Michael B. Snyder to the planning commis-
sion and Robert A. Engel to the citizen's advisory
committee to the Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan
Planning Organization.
Snyder is a retired IT manager who is a member of
the Island Kiwanis Club, an amateur radio enthusiast
and volunteer with the Guardian ad-Litem program.
Engel is a civil engineering consultant with Wilson
Miller Inc. He is a member of the American Society
of Civil Engineers and a volunteer with Big Brothers
Big Sisters.
Voted unanimously to.reappoint the city law firm
Dye, Deitrich, Prather, Petruff and St. Paul at an
hourly rate of $170 for basic city matters and $175 for
litigation. The rates for the new year represent $10 per
hour increases.
In a work session that:followed, commissioners
discussed a draft resolution correcting the city's salary
step program that provides employee bonuses. The


$50,000 challenge time short


The challenge posed by Islanders Chuck and Joey
Lester to raise $50,000 which they will match has
reached $20,996, with only the rest of the year to go.
Donations will go to the Anna Maria Island Com-
munity Center, and the Lesters will match anything up
to $50,000 in donations from Islanders and other friends.
That means up to $100,000 altogether for the Center.
The near $21,000 is some $6,000 more than the
campaign had brought in at a comparable time last year,
according to the co-sponsoring Islander.


resolution will be voted on in January.
Another draft resolution, also to be voted on in
January, was discussed. This resolution would schedule
cost-of-living adjustments for police pension recipients
in October rather than throughout the year.
The commissioners briefly discussed Zaccagnino's
suggestion that they investigate placing low-level lights
on the basketball courts alongside the baseball field
near city hall.
"It would be nice if they could be on 'til 7," he said,


Unlike previous challenges which went into the
endowment fund, this year the drive goes to the capital
fund to help pay for construction of the new Center, now
under way on the Anna Maria site. Costs have risen mark-
edly there, a spokesperson noted, and the overall capital
campaign is $2 million short of its $4.8 million goal.
Donations may be mailed to the Center at P.O.
Box 253, Anna Maria FL 34216, or arranged by talk-
ing with the staff at the Center at 778-1908 or The
Islander at 778-7978.


Charlie Hun-
sicke,, director
,,of Manatee
County's
S conservation
lands manage-
s ment division,
discusses the
7 "removal of
non-native
trees at the
Kingfish Boat
Ramp with the
Holmes Beach
..... City Com-
mission Dec.
12. Islander
Photo:
Lisa Neff


emphasizing that darkness falls early in the winter.
Haas-Martens warned about complaints from resi-
dents and, along with Bohnenberger, expressed a con-
cern for money.
Pat Geyer said if the city put lights on the basketball
court it would get requests for lights on the field for
soccer. The commission has denied past requests for
lights at the athletic field.
The next commission meeting is scheduled for Jan.
9 at 7 p.m. at city hall.


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I I






THIE ISLANDER 0 DEC. 20. 2006 3 3


County seeks trolley connection to St. Armands


By Rick Catlin
Islander Reporter
Manatee County is putting the pressure on Sarasota
County to allow the Island trolley service to extend all
the way from Coquina Beach to St. Armands Circle
and back.
Speaking at the Dec. 13 Coalition of Barrier Island
Elected Officials meeting, Manatee County Commis-
sioner Carol Whitmore said Sarasota County officials
have already begun bus service from St. Armands to
Coquina Beach on an hourly basis, but the proposed
trolley service would operate every 20 minutes.
The grants awarded to Manatee and Sarasota
counties to fund the trolley service are for only one
year, at present, and not enough, said Whitmore.
Manatee County is trying to get the City of Sarasota
to use the estimated $190,000 it has to operate the
bus service from St. Armands to Coquina Beach for
the trolley.
"They are hot 100 percent supportive of this," said
Whitmore about the City of Sarasota.

Skyway boat ramps
Whitmore also asked BIEO members to go to their
respective commissions and ask for a letter of sup-
port for the countycommission's efforts to build a
boat ramp on the Manatee County side of the Sunshine


Skyway Bridge.
She said studies have shown that the No. 1 destina-
tion of boaters traveling from the Skyway to Manatee
County is Egmont Key, and most of those boaters uti-
lize the Kingfish Boat Ramp.

Kingfish Boat Ramp
Like it or not, said Whitmore, Manatee County
owns the Kingfish Boat Ramp.
In January, the county plans to remove the Bra-
zilian pepper trees at the ramp, beautify the area and
improve the portable toilet facility. While the county
has no plans to add parking on the south side of Mana-
tee Avenue across from the boat r.im-p. it already has
plans to expand parking on the north side.

Veterans monument
The idea of a veterans monument and flagpole near
Leffis Key is being discussed again, said Whitmore, and
many former opponents of the plan are now in favor of
a new location just south of Leffis Key.
The old plan died in 2001 when members of the
Audubon Society objected that the proposed location
of the flagpole could threaten migrating birds. Veterans
in favoi of the monument opposed ani nie\\ location,
but have apparently\ changed their minds. .-


"It won't be the same exact position," Whitmore
said, but very close.
She also noted that the county plans a lifeguard
station and boat ramp for the Florida Marine Patrol
and the Manatee County Sheriff's Office on the east
side of State Road 789 across from Coquina Beach.
The proposed veterans monument would be near
that facility.

Longboat Key traffic study
The Town of Longboat Key will begin a traffic
study starting in January that will extend north from
the Longboat Pass Bridge to the Cortez Road-Gulf
Drive intersection.
The $35,000 study is being done by the Univer-
sity of South Florida Center for Urban Transport and
Research, and will take about six months to complete,
Longboat Key Mayor Joan Webster said.
The study will focus on the winter season particu-
larly because that's when the traffic problems exist..
Traffic analysts will likely be at the Longboat Pass
Bridge studying traffic and asking motorists heading
north and south where their drive originated from and
where they are headed.
Longboat Key will share its findings with Anna
Maria, Holmes Beach and Bradenton Beach, Web-
ster said.


Island power outage apparently yacht.induced


The lights went out for up to four hours in parts of
Anna Maria Island Dec- 9.
The outage was apparently) caused b\ a pretty big
boat and a pretty low tide coming together with an
underwater power cable.
According to Manatee County Sheriff's Office
deputies, the outage took place at about 11 a.m. in the
City of Anna Maria. Florida Power and Light workers
determined the cause to be a failure in a main feeder
power cable under Bimini Bay.
Galati Marine dockmaster Daniel Brito said that a
56-foot Carver Voyager, "Quality Time," captained by
Raymond Gill of Destin, Fla., had run aground near
the main channel at the marina's entrance. The yacht
was freed from the bottom, but suffered damage to the
propellers in the mishap.
Gill's employer had called to make sure he could
get the boat into the marina due to unusually lo]\ tides
in the Gulf. according to deputies, and the employer


was told it wouldn't be a problem.
W\heil the deputy ad\ ised him that he m'ay have cut
a po\\ ei line. Gill said he \\ as unam\ are of a submerged
power line and the channel lacks markings.
FPL spokesman Mel Klein said automated alarms
indicated a major circuit had been tripped, so FPL
resources were dispatched. Since that Saturday had a
host of events on the Island a parade, art show and
street festivals traffic was snarled and the response
a bit slow.
"We learned from a customer call that their lights
had gone out on Key Royale about the same time that
a yacht was passing a cable section near the key during
low tide." Klein said.
"It became apparent thatt our cable, located in a pro-
tected ti ench, had been cut somehow by a boat and that in
order to restore service \\ e % would ha\ e to begin a series -
of manual s\\ itching operations. Our people had a ma.ior
portion of the Island back in sern ice \\ within t\\o hours.


and the remainder in about four hours. That's longer than
anyone would like, including us, but we did deal with a
number of challenges to get the work done."
FPL restored power to a large part of the Island,
pending repair of the underwater cable. By 3:30 p.m.,
FPL reported that 2,850 customers were still without
power but repairs were progressing.
Klein said a $500,000 project last year replaced the
cable supplying power to the Island just south of the
Anna Maria Island Bridge.

Monday become Saturdays

for holiday trash pickup
For residents of two of the Island's cities, Saturday
will replace Monday for garbage collections during
the holidays.
Holmes Beach and Anna Maria have Monday and
Thursday as trash-collection days, but Waste.Manage'-
ment Inc. will switch its pickup from Monday to the
preceding Saturda3 to give its staff the holidays off.
Thus, for those two cities, trash will be collected Sat-
urdaN, Dec. 23 and Dec. 30, instead of Monda\, Dec.
25 and Jan. 1.
The schedule does not affect Bradenton Beach resi-
dents. l\\hoe city workers, not Waste Management, will
collect trash on their regular schedule.


Meetings

Anna Maria City
None scheduled.
Anna Maria City Hall, 10005 Gulf Drive,
708-6130 www.cityofannamaria.com

Bradenton Beach
Dec. 22, noon, Christmas party for all employees,
board members and media, city hall.
Bradenton Beach City Hall, 107 Gulf Drive N.,
778-1005 www.cityofbradentonbeach.org

Holmes Beach
None scheduled.
Holmes Beach City Hall, 5801 Marina Drive,
708-5800 www.holmesbeachfl.org


Steel and concrete
.4- crew works to remove the vellown steel framens and plywood "form iiwork" in construction jargon that had
been used to mold concrete for the new Key Royale Bridge. The concrete on the north side of the bridge 1 as
poured and, once the concrete dried, the crews used a crane to remove the frames. Some concrete broke away
during the process of pulling the center frame, but it was described as residue like the extra that's knocked
away in making ceramic pottery. The bridge project, overseen by the Florida Department of Transportation, is
estimated to cost $3.4 million. The project,.funded by Holmes Beach in anticipation of reimbursement from the
state, is scheduled to be complete by the end of June 2007. Islander Photo: Lisa Neff


Holidays
City offices in Brade.
and Longboat Key will
Christmas holiday. Anna
will be closed Dec. 22 and
Garbage, trash or recyclal
scheduled for Dec. 25 in t
and Longboat Key will tal
23. There will be no servi(
ton Beach.


'" ch, Holmes Beach
25-26 for the
Mai- "fices
d Dec
le c( y
Ann Beach
ke i y, Dec.
ce ii. B3raden-






4 M DEC. 20. 2006 0 THE ISLANDER


Anna Maria to rvs rejected ordinance


By Rick Catlin
Islander Reporter
Anna Maria city commissioners at their Dec. 14
meeting agreed to revisit a controversial flood damage
prevention ordinance that was rejected 3-2 at the com-
mission's November meeting.
Commissioner Dale Woodland, who had voted against
the measure, said he had reconsidered because there were
some elements of the ordinance that should be discussed.
"It's not that I've changed my mind," he said, "but
some portions of this ordinance are valid."
City building official Kevin Donohue said that the
two controversial sections of the ordinance have been
deleted, prompting the commission to put the ordinance
on the agenda for its Jan. 11 meeting, where it will
undergo a first reading.
The deleted sections pertain to improvements to a
structure of at least 38 percent of the value of the building
and that city and FEMA officials could enter a structure
to determine if the 38 percent rule was being followed.
The ordinance to be reconsidered would revert to
the previous 50 percent improvement rule.
Mayor Fran Barford was supportive of the revised
ordinance. Many remodeling projects are on hold until
this ordinance is in place, she noted.

Lot-split ordinance
The commission continued the public hearing on
this ordinance to its Jan. 24 meeting to allow the public
more time to consider its implications.
The ordinance would require any lot split to undergo
the formal subdivision plat process.
Commissioner Jo Ann Mattick said she was
opposed to the ordinance. In her opinion, it is "de facto
taking of private property rights," and she requested a
postponement in order for the public to become better
acquainted with the proposal.
The commission agreed to discuss the ordinance at
its Jan. 11 worksession.

Site plan procedures
Barford and the commission agreed that the city's site
plan procedures need revision, and the commission gave
the mayor approval to form a five-person ad hoc committee
to come up with some recommendations on changes.


"We need to update the process," said the mayor,
and the commission quickly agreed.
The mayor along with one city commissioner,
Donohue, and one or two members of the public will
comprise the committee. Barford said she will appoint
the members as soon as possible and report back at the
commission's Jan. 11 worksession.

City hall mold
Barford also updated the commission on the prog-
ress of resolving the mold issue at city hall.
The city has a $15,000 mold insurance policy
through the Florida League of Cities. The FLC is pur-
suing remuneration by the insurance carrier for the
roofing contractor that caused the initial damage, but
the city needs to spend some money to fix the problem
before that takes place.
The city has already spent $2,250 on inspection ser-
vices and needs to spend another $2,850 for inspections and
mold remediation. In addition, the city needs to get bids to
repair the mold problem, with $9,000 the maximum bid,


Barford said. "That will keep us under the $15,000 cap."
Commissioners agreed and Barford will begin the
bid process as soon as possible.
In old business, Woodland said he would like to see
the commission revisit the issue of anonymous com-
plaints on code enforcement violations.
The current commission policy is that anonymous
complaints are allowed and the code enforcement offi-
cer is not pro-active on code issues, but only responds
to complaints.

City engineer
Barford said that she will begin looking at other engi-
neering firms as possible competition for Baskerville-
Donovan Inc., the city's contracted engineering firm.
Although the commission approved a new BDI rate
structure, several commissioners and members of the
public have said they are not happy with some of BDI's
drainage efforts on North Shore Drive.
"We will look at other firms," said Barford. "We're
not bound to BDI."


The concert features a visit from. a Christmas angel, Julia Mounts, who played
"Up on the House Top" and "Jolly Old St. Nicholas" on the violin.


'~B$B~~






THE ISLANDER M DEC. 20. 2006 U 5


Interpretation of code order causes decision delay


By Rick Catlin
Islander Reporter
Just about everyone has seen the segment of Amer-
ica's Funniest Animals on television where the cat
chases it tale around in circles until it's too exhausted

Court agrees with Nallys,
city must 'show cause'
William and Barbara Nally of Spring Avenue in
Anna Maria appear to have won Round 1 of their law-
suit against the city for approval of the site plan of the
Sandbar Restaurant.
The Manatee County Circuit Court has issued an
order to Anna Maria stating that the Nallys "have dem-
onstrated a preliminary basis for relief," and is requir-
ing the city to "show cause as to why relief should not
be granted."
Anna Maria is being defended by attorneys for the
Florida League of Cities.
The Nallys filed a suit against the city for its June 29
final approval of the Sandbar Restaurant's site plan.
The suit was filed by attorney Dan Lobeck, repre-
senting the Nallys, and asked the court to review the
decision by the city commission to grant final site-plan
approval to the restaurant.
In their complaint, the Nallys allege that as adja-
cent landowners, they are an "aggrieved party,": that
- they were denied "due process" and that there is no
"substantial competent evidence" to support approval
of the plan.

Center-sponsored blood
drawing is Thursday
Anna Maria Island Community Center will spon-
sor a blood drive at the St. Bernard Catholic Church
from 9 a.m. to noon Thursday, Dec. 21. The Center is
operating from the church property during construction
of Center facilities in Anna Maria. The church is ai 2-48
S. Harbor Drive, Holmes Beach. Details aie \ ailable
at 778-1908.


to keep running.
At times during the Dec. 11 Anna Maria code
enforcement board hearing for Frank Almeda of 415
Pine Ave., it might have seemed like the meeting was
like the cat chasing its tail, going around in circles but
never getting anywhere.
In November, the board had given Almeda an order
to bring his home into compliance with city code by
converting it from a fourplex back to a duplex, which
was an allowable use of the structure when Almeda
built his house in the mid-1970s. The deadline for com-
pliance was Dec. 5.
The board ordered code enforcement officer Gerry
Rathvon to inspect the property for compliance and
report back at its Dec. 11 meeting.
Sounds simple, right?
In Anna Maria, however, not many issues are
ever "simple."
City attorney Jim Dye told the board that in the
city's view, the structure has not been brought into com-
pliance. Almeda was supposed to go to the building
department and get a permit and because he had not
done so, the city still considers his structure to be out
of compliance.
Rathvon said she didn't inspect die proper for com-
pliance because Almeda had not gotten an, permit.
Almeda's attorneN. Chuck \\ebb. responded that the
board's Nov. 14 order made no mention of permits. ust
to bring the property into compliance b\ eliminating.
the fourplex and makin,- it a duple\. The board left the
issue of whether or not a duple\ '\ as allow able up to
the city commission.
Almeda has changed the structure back to a duplex,
but Rath\ on has not inspected the property. Webb said,
as the board had requested.
That's because Almeda never ort a permit,
responded Dye. If he had changed the property from
a fourplex to a duplex without a permit, he did so
without authorization.
Then the board can't make a decision on \\ whether
or not Almeda did or did not comply \ ith the order
because the city has not inspected the property coun--
tered \\ebb.-


"The first step was that you ordered an inspection
and [Rathvon] didn't do it, so the board has no evi-
dence" on compliance or non-compliance, Webb told
the board.
The burden of proof on Almeda's compliance or
non-compliance is on the city, Webb maintained.
Rathvon said she wasn't qualified to determine
if the structure was a duplex or not. That should be
done by building official Kevin Donohue. However,
she added, he would only have inspected the property
if Almeda had applied for a permit.
Since Almeda never applied for a permit, the
city never inspected and it considers Almeda to not
be in compliance with the board's order, observed
Dye again.
But the board's order was for Rathvon to inspect
the property, countered Webb again. "There's been no
official determination."
Furthermore, any question of permits or work per-
formed without permits at 415 Pine Ave. is a separate
issue that the board would have to address in a different
hearing, not this one, Webb contended.
He also noted that there is no "mechanism" in
the city codes for the city commission to determine
if a non-conforming structure such as a duplex on
Pine Avenue can be allowed because of prior usage
before codes and zones were changed. Without
such a provision in the code, the issue of usage for
an existing structure because of previous zoning
is an administrative matter that can be handled by
the mayor.
Exasperated board member Jeff Murray said that
it appeared the board was back to the beginning.
With the discussion still going in circles after nearly
two hours, board chairman Bill Iseman suggested a
meeting with Almeda, Webb, Donohue and Mayor Fran.
Barford to determine if the structure is now a duplex
or not, and whether or not a duplex is a legal structure
on Pine Avenue.
Webb agreed, and the board continued the hear-
ing until Jan. 9, by which time the parties involved
are to have met and Rathvon will bring a decision to
the board.


50,00O Mathing-Fund Challenge


BUILDING OUR FUTURE!


Holmes Beach residents Charles and JoAnn Lester are offering up to $50,00
matching funds for contributions made by Dec. 31, 2006, to the Anna Maria I
Community Center Capital Campaign. And your contribution is tax deductib
SThe Center provides a critical human service need on the Island and provided more th
1.5 million hours of service to more than 3,400 Island residents last year.

Please send donations to the Le slander Challenge, P.O. Box 253,
Anna Maria FL 34216, p Capital Campaign.


WE'REtU U.

The Islander
This advertisement is sponsored as a community service and partnership with the Lesters by The Islander.


---- -- -- U. IIIIII II


Din YES, COUNT ME IN FOR

de. THE LESTER-ISLANDER CHALLENGE!
Name
an I Address

Phone
Q Amount $
I Q. I would like my gift in honor of: -

Q I would like my gift to be in memory of:

I U Please bill me for my pledge amount. I
Please make checks payable to the
II AMICC Capital Campaign and I
mail your matching-fund contribution to
P.O. Box 253, Anna Maria FL 34216. I
L- ----J---------J






6 0 DEC. 20, 2006 T THE ISLANDER


Mullet massacre
Our family is blessed to live on Bimini Bay. The
red tide has been harsh over the last few years and we
have noticed a big decline in fish off our seawall.
So what a surprise to awaken to thousands of mullet
in Bimini Bay. They looked healthy and appeared to
be spawning. Unfortunately, this event triggered an
onslaught of boats that quickly appeared in Bimini Bay.
They descended on the mullet like locusts, greedily haul-
ing in hundreds of fish per tiny fishing boat. It is clear that
they were knowingly disregarding legal limitations.
The "mullet marauders" savagely netted entire
schools by the thousands per day and throughout the
night. This massacre lasted for days until few mullet
now remain.
There should be greater enforcement of this law
to protect our important species. So this holiday savor
your delicious smoked mullet and spreads. It may be
your last taste.
R.N. Danziger, Holmes Beach


Volunteers report
The West Manatee Fire Rescue volunteers would like
to thank all of you for your support. The volunteer organi-
zation has annually asked the citizens of the West Manatee
district to help raise funds to support its heroes with equip-
ment and upkeep of the training and meeting facility.
While the district has been able to purchase large
required items, the volunteers have provided an invalu-
able link with service to the community. Since our last
annual fund drive, your support has effected the pur-
chase of extrication equipment for motor vehicle acci-
dent victims, $5,000; open house presentation, $500;
AMI Little League, $1,000; appreciation dinner awards,
$1,000; volunteer station floor repairs, $4,000; fence
repairs, $1,500; flood insurance, $1,883; hurricane
shutters, $2,503; and systems for accelerant detection
canine transportation, $2,421.
In addition, a quarterly newsletter has been initi-
ated for the fire commissioners. Future plans include
upkeep and painting of the station and maintenance
of our pride and joy, the 1951 ladder truck. All the
efforts have allowed organizations such as the Commu-
nity Center to schedule classes at the station during the"
Center's construction, and preservation of the history
of our fire service equipment.
It is our sincere hope that all will continue to sup-
port our nonprofit organization with a tax-deductible
contribution. With the reality of today's world, the
everyday heroes of our fire district need our continued
support.
Rhoda D'Ambra, volunteer board president


Christmas serenade,
My husband and I are Canadians who have been
vacationing on beautiful Anna Maria.Island for 25
years. Since retiring 16 years ago, we have been fortu-
nate to spend the entire winter here in paradise .
This is the second Christmas we have been unable
to go home to the cold north for Christmas for health
reasons. As Christmas approaches, we miss our children
and 10 grandchildren, and feel a bit lonely, although we
have wonderful friends here.
This evening as we were watching TV, the sound of
beautiful young voices singing Christmas carols wafted
in from the porch. When we opened the door we saw a
sea of wonderful children's faces, ranging in. age from a
baby in its mother's arms to about 12. They were sing-
ing carols, smiling broadly and having a great time. A
handsome young father accompanied them on guitar,
and we were entertained with several more carols.
When the concert ended and they wished us a
Merry Christmas, we asked if they were collecting for
some special charity, but they said no, they were just.
singing for the fun of it.
What a heart-warming experience. The spirit of.
Christmas is alive and well in Holmes Beach. We
promised them that the money we had offered and they
refused would immediately go to the Salvation Army.
God bless thatt) oung couple and those great children,
and merry Christmas to all in this wonderful community.
a Sylia and Jack ahmio,.z, Holnes Beach ., s s


SLICK Happy Holidays



The Twelve Days of Ann


Maria Island Christmas,


On the first day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
A parrot in an orange tree.,

On the second daiN of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Two s Inmiing turtles.
And a parrot in an orange tree.

On the third da\ of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Three margaritas,
Two swimming turtles,.
And a parrot in an orange tree.

On the fourth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Four beach towels,
Three margaritas,
Two swimming turtles,
And a parrot in an orange tree.

On the fifth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Five sandy shells,
Four beach toU els.
Three margaritas,
Two swimming turtles,
And a parrot in an orange tree.

Oi the sixth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Six fish a-jumping,
Five sandy shells,-
Four beach towels,
Three margaritas,
Two swimming turtles,
And a parrot in an orange tree.

a a a s a a -


On the seventh day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Seven rays a-schooling,
Six fish a-jumping,
Five sandy shells,
Four beach towels,
Three margaritas,
Two swimming turtles,
And a parrot in an orange tree.

On the eighth day of Christmas,
- my true love sent to me
Eight boats a-sailing,
Seven rays a-schooling,
Six fish a-jumping,
Five sandy shells,
Four beach towels,
Three margaritas,
Two swimming turtles,
And a parrot in an orange tree.

On the ninth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Nine birds a-skimming,
Eight boats a-sailing,
Seven rays a-schooling,
Six fish a-jumping,
Five sandy shells,
Four beach towels,
Three margaritas,
Two -swimming turtles,
And a parrot in an orange tree.

On the tenth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Ten surfers riding,
Nine birds a-skimming,
Eight boats a-sailing,
Seven rays a-schooling,
Six fish a-jumping,


Five san llk
Four beach lw
Three margaritas,
Two swimming turtles,
And a parrot in an orange tree.

On the eleventh day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Eleven dolphins leaping,
Ten surfers riding,
Nine birds a-skimming,
Eight boats a-sailing,
Seven rays a-schooling,
Six fish a-jumping,
Five sandy shells,
Four beach towels,
Three margaritas,
Two swimming turtles,
And a parrot in an orange tree.

On the twelfth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Twelve Islanders lounging,
Eleven dolphins leaping,
Ten surfers riding,
Nine birds a-skimming,
Eight boats a-sailing,
Seven rays a-schooling,
Six fish a-jumping,
Five sandy shells,
Four beach towels,
Three margaritas,
Two swimming turtles,
And a green parrot in an orange
tree.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holi-
days to all, from all your friends at
The Islander.






TII ISLANDER I DEC. 20. 2006 3 7


AME principal selection


committee chosen


By Diana Bogan
Islander Reporter
The Anna Maria Elementary School new principal
selection committee members have been chosen and
will meet with Manatee County School District mem-
bers in January to~begin reviewing candidates to replace
Kathy Hayes as principal. Hayes will be transferring to
Gullet Elementary School in February.
Manatee County Director of Elementary Schools
and former AME Principal Tim Kolbe said that the
interview process is normally conducted by a commit-
tee comprising one teacher, person from the school's
support staff and a parent representative from the
school, in addition to district human resources director
Darcy Hopko, coordinator of school leadership devel-


Club Christmas
Marilyn and Jim Shirley of Holmes Beach perform
for the Anna Maria Garden Club at the group's holi-
day party Dec. 13. The party, held at Roser Memo-
rial Community Church in Anna Maria, brought
out dozens of people many of them in festive red.
There 11 eius a raffle for a poinsettia and a luncheon
with lots of Christmas cookies for dessert. Member
Geri Cannon provided holiday-themed inspiration.
The garden club meets the third Wednesday of each
month. Islander Photo: Lisa Neff


opment Anthony DiBello, and himself, representing
the school district.
AME teacher Kathy Granstad and AME cafeteria
manager Rene Harper have been elected by their peers
to represent school staff.
The AME Parent-Teacher Organization gathered
nominations and organized a vote among parents and
guardians to elect a third member. Nominees were
required to have children presently attending the school.
Several were nominated, but only Lynda Hicks and
Julie Krokroskia accepted.
Parents cast ballots throughout the week and
Krokroskia was elected.
Kolbe noted that a seventh committee member
representing the community at large someone
without a student at AME may also be included
when a school has strong ties within the community
such as AME does.
In this case, Kolbe said, it is difficult to have an
election process in which the community gathers to
choose a representative. Hayes said that based on
conversations she has had with Kolbe and Manatee
School District Superintendent Dr. Roger Dearing, she
has extended an invitation to Don Schroder to join the
selection committee as the community representative.
Hayes said Schroder was contacted because he
has been a longstanding member of AME's School
Advisory Committee and has participated in the selec-
tion process twice before resulting in the hiring of
Kolbe and herself.
Kolbe noted that the goal is to have a new prin-
cipal approved by the school board by Jan. 22. He
added that Dearing retains the right to administra-
tively appoint a replacement or transfer a principal
from another school, which would effectively elimi-
nate the selection committee.
Dearing told The Islander that this occurs when
only one of the- applicants is an existing district princi-,
pal in good standing, as is the case with Hayes' appoint-
ment to Gullet.


We wish you a Merry Christmas

While preparing Christmas dinner, Ralph
accidentally opened up a can of whoopass...


...






ROTTEN RALPH'S
WATERFRONT DINING
LUNCH & DINNER 7 DAYS FULL BAR SERVICE
902 S. Bay Blvd. Anna Maria
Located at Galati Marina 778-3953


In the Dec. 10, 1996, issue of
The Islander, headlines announced:

Holmes Beach Mayor Bob VanWagoner
resigned from the Island Transportation and Planning
Organization following a failed attempt to unseat
Anna Maria Mayor Chuck Shumard as chairman of
the organization.
Work on the pedestrian bridge over the Lake
LaVista inlet in Anna Maria has been halted by the
Florida Department of Transportation, which is funding
the project, because a $7,000 guardrail doesn't fit the
engineering design.
More than 90 Holmes Beach residents packed
a meeting at the Key Royale Club to demand the
Florida Department of Transportation begin work as
soon as possible on a new Key Royale Bridge. The
DOT has said it doesn't have the estimated $970,000
cost, but admitted the bridge's efficiency rating is
below 10, which is the minimum safety standard for
a DOT bridge.


Date Low High Rainfall
Dec. 10 60 76 0
Dec. 11 60 76 0
Dec. 12 64 78 0
Dec. 13 64 77 .20
Dec. 14 69 79 .10
Dec. 15 60 71 0
Dec. 16 67 76 0
Average Gulf water temperature 670
24-hour rainfall accumulation with reading at approximately 5 p.m. daily.


SWed love to mail


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8 M DEC. 20. 2006 T THE ISLANDER


Insurance: Marketing games on Anna Maria Island


By Molly McCartney
Islander Reporter
Anna Maria Islanders are learning that in the
wild and weird Florida insurance industry, compa-
nies have developed subtle ways to raise prices while
cutting coverage.
They can do this, it seems, without bothering to ask
state regulators for permission to raise rates.
Consider how Universal Property and Casualty
has marketed its homeowner policies to Carol and
Edward Kerr.
The Kerrs took out a standard homeowner's policy
with Universal six years ago when they bought a retire-
ment home on Key Royale in Holmes Beach. They've
had no damage and no claims. But a few weeks ago they
received a notice that their policy was being canceled.
Carol Kerr, who has a marketing background,
immediately began to make phone calls to figure out
what had happened and .what to do about insurance
coverage. She talked to insurance agents on and off the
Island and to the customer service section of Universal,
which-is based in Fort Lauderdale.
"What Universal told me was that they are trim-
ming up to 5 percent a year of their policyholders," Kerr
said. She concluded that the company wanted to leave
Anna Maria Island and the hurricane risk here.
"Then I found out that Universal would take us
back ... but give us less coverage for more money,"
she said.
The difference, she said, was that Universal had
two kinds of policies for single-family homeowners: an
H03 form like the one that the Kerrs previously had in
effect, and a more expensive H08 form that includes
less coverage.
Kerr was baffled by the distinction that Universal
made between her former H03 policy and the H08,
which Universal was offering. To get more facts, she dug
deeper into the story she was getting from the company.
Eventually she managed to get through to the head
of customer service at Universal.
"I asked a lot of questions. I asked what would
happen if we sold our house.... What options would
the new owner have, and I was told that the new owner
would be eligible for an H03. That's when I went bal-
listic. Because they would penalize me, after being a
good customer for six years, restrict me to an H08, and
they would reward a new customer with an H03. This
is not right. I don't,get it."

No response
Universal officials, including its president, Bradley


Meier, failed to return The Islander's phone calls.
The company insures about 49,000 policyholders
in Florida, including many on Anna Maria Island. But
A.M. Best, which reports on the condition of insurance
companies and rates them for consumers, does not for-
mally track Universal's operations. And a spokesman
for the Florida Insurance Council, which represents
about 250 companies, said that Universal does not
belong to that organization and he had no information
on their operations or policies.
Local insurance agents who are familiar with
Universal and its various homeowners policies
were also puzzled by the company's handling of
the Kerr matter.
"Honestly, that doesn't make sense," according
to the personal lines manager of one insurance office.
"Why would they non-renew a policy and then allow
them to come back on a different policy form?"
John Laurie, a Braderiton agent who serves as a
technical advisor to the governor's select task force
on insurance reform, did offer one clue that he thought
might explain the Universal offer to switch the Kerrs
to an H08 policy after canceling their H03.
"Be aware, more and more companies are going to
an H08, especially for older homes in order to reduce
their exposure," Laurie said.

How old is this old house?
Exactly what is the basis that companies use to
decide which homes are too old to qualify for an H03
but eligible for an H08?
That's up to each company to decide, according
to the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation. "Each
company can file its own underwriting guidelines, and


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JAY HILL
Attorney-at-Law

778-4745
Anna Maria, Florida


After Carol and
Ed Kerr's stan-
dard homeown
her's insurance on
their Key Royale
home, pictured
above, was can-
celed in Decem-
ber, they were
offered a policy
with less cover-
age at a higher
rate. Islander
Photo: Molly
McCartney


the guidelines can vary from one to another," a depart-
ment spokesperson said.
Local insurance agents say the insurance industry
traditionally' has been willing to write an H03 hom-
eowner's policy for a house built during the past 40
years. If the house is older than 40 years, it is insured
with an HO8 policy that includes less coverage for a
higher premium.
One agent said that Universal used the 40-year rule
until about two months ago. "Universal guidelines now
require that the house can't be more than 30 years old
to qualify for an H03," the agent said.
The Kerrs' home was built 34 years ago.
The age of the house is listed on the policy that the
Kerrs had with Universal. But the couple said that no
one mentioned that as an issue in any of the conversa-
tions they have had with Universal or with the various
agents they have questioned.
In the final bizarre twist to the Kerrs' story, they
found that they qualified for an HO3 homeowners
policy from Citizens Property Insurance Corp, the
state's insurer of last resort, because their H03 policy
with Universal had been canceled. The couple bought
Citizens because it was the best deal for the best pos-
sible coverage.

The price of Florida sunshine
"You can only speculate about what is going
on," says Ed Kerr, a retired retail store owner from
South Carolina.
"But I do know this," he added. "We had a big
house in South Carolina with 3.5 acres and the insur-
ance cost about $800 a year about one-fourth of
PLEASE SEE INSURANCE, NEXT PAGE






THE ISLANDER M DEC. 20. 2006 0 9


Holmes Beach committee to revisit tree program


By Lisa Neff
Islander Reporter
Holmes Beach Mayor Rich Bohnenberger has
changed the city's tree-planting policy, expressing con-
cern about dedicating public money for private memori-
als on public land.
Bohnenberger discussed the issue with the Holmes
Beach Parks and Beautification Committee during the
advisory group's meeting Dec. 13 at city hall.
The discussion with the mayor, which also included
a roundtable talk about the committee's composition
and responsibilities, topped the agenda.
Former Mayor Carol Whitmore, working with
the beautification committee, had established the tree
policy to encourage citizens to help replace and add
trees in the city.
Under the policy, the city was to contribute up to
$200 toward the purchase of a tree that would stand as
a memorial to an individual, group or event.
Bohnenberger cut the city's financial contribution

Insurance marketing games
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8
what we are paying here for this house'with only about
1,600 square feet. And that is a heck of a price to pay
for Florida sunshine."
Kerr said that he couldn't understand why there had
not been more of a public outcry over the Florida insur-
ance crisis, the shrinking coverage and the skyrocketing
premiums for homeowners as well as businesses.
"Everyone complains but it keeps on going
on.... I'm surprised that this isn't like the Boston
Tea Party."

Available insurance forms
According to Wikipedia, the Internet's free encyclo-
pedia,-a private New Jersey company called the Insur-
ance Services Office developed eight standard forms
for home insurance in the early 1970s. The forms have
been amended over the years.
Wikipedia says the most common policy form
today i, the H03, for home>. follow ed b\ the H04 for
renters and the H05 for condo owners. The H08 policy
is described as "older home" insurance.
For more information about these policy forms,
go to Wikipedia on the Internet at wikipedia.org/wiki/
Home_insurance..


toward the purchase of memorial trees, although he said
the city would care for and maintain the memorials.
He brought up the matter at the committee meeting,
saying, "You're probably wondering why I changed the
tree procedure."
He said he didn't think the policy would "stand
legal muster."
Committee members had hoped people seeking to
plant trees as living memorials could share the cost with
the city.
"Our hope was that it would be a matching thing,
up to $200 and no more, so that you would get a decent
canopy," committee chair Jim Dunne said.
Committee member John Molyneux said the match-
ing funds program was intended to encourage private
investment in the city's be.mtific.ntion prir01,In
"Clearly," he said, "the town and taxpayers are not
obligated to memorialize families."
But Bohnenberger said that's what would have hap-
pened had he not changed the policy.
Committee members agreed that they want to revisit
.the issue and see if they can propose a program that
grows donations and builds private interest in planting
trees and beautifying the city.
"I would like to suggest that we go away and think
about this, make some notes-and come back with a
series of recommendations," said Molyneux, who
stressed the need for a formal program to replace trees
the city is losing.
Bohnenberger and committee members, as well as
public works superintendent Joe Duennes and Com-
missioner David Zaccagnino, also discussed the com-
mittee's status.
The mayor, who reviewed city policies and regula-
tions in his first weeks in office, said there's a problem
with language establishing the beautification committee
in the city's comprehensive plan.


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HOLIDAY GARBAGE AND

RECYCLING PICKUP SCHEDULE

Waste Management of Manatee County will not be picking
up garbage or recycling on Christmas Day, Monday,
December 25, 2006. Monday's garbage and recycling will be
picked up on Saturday, December 23.


The paragraph reads, "By June 1998, coordination
between public and private recreation providers shall be
assured through the creation of a Parks and Beautifica-
tion Advisory Board. Membership in the board shall
include individuals from the public works department,
business community, condominium associationss,
neighborhood associations(s), Anna Maria Island Com-
munity Center, city commission's park and beautifica-
tion liaison and the general population."
The "shall" creates a problem, the mayor said.
For one thing, the mayor said the "shall" mandates
that the committee include a city employee and a city
commissioner, which conflicts with other rules.
"What we have here is a situation we can't live
with," Bohnenberger said, adding that the passage
should be eliminated or amended and that "a better
description of what the committee does" is needed.
He added, however, "let's let things ride until I can
consult with our city attorney and chair on how best to
approach this."
The mayor also clarified for the committee that it
reports to the city commission rather than his office.
In other business, the committee re-elected Dunne
as chairman for 2007 and discussed the presentation of
a seminar in February and the recent outdoor presenta-
tion of the movie "It's a Wonderful Life."
Committee members agreed the outdoor movie
showing was a success, thanks in part to-the contri-
butions of the Beach Bistro and AMI Video. Already
preparations are under way for next year, with commit-
tee member Pam Leckie agreeing to chair the event.
More immediate is the presentation of a seminar Feb.
20 at 7 p.m. at city hall on native Florida plants. The
event, chaired by committee member Kathy King, will
feature three presenters, including a plant wholesaler.
The committee's next meeting is at 5 p.m. Jan. 10
at city hall.


j Teaching writing course
Prize-winning author/journalist Helena Bachmann Milligan will teach a course,
S'Write What You Feel, Feel What You Write," open to writers and potential
writers on Mondays from Jan. 8 through 28. It will be at St. Bernard Catholic
Chi ( i,'248 S. Harbor Drive, Holmes Beach, from 10:30 a.m. to noon, spon-
.- t, .'r" by the Anna Maria Island Community Center. Details and course fee
.,. information are available at 778-1908.
-.-


WASTE MANAGEMENT
of Manatee County
For more information, call 753-7591






10 0 DEC. 20. 2006 6 THE ISLANDER



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Investors admit too much trust


in Anna Maria purchase


By Rick Catlin
Islander Reporter
Everyone's heard the old saying that when you
purchase something without a guarantee, "Let the
buyer beware."
That's exactly the case for Larry Herrig and Jim
Klauer of LBK Realty when they purchased the six lots
on North Bay Boulevard in Anna Maria across from the
city pier two years ago with the intention of building
retail-office-residential units.
"We were too trustworthy," said Herrig. "It appears
that we were misled."
Herrig purchased the property with the understand-
ing from attorney David Wilcox and the real estate
agent that although the land was zoned commercial,
the city would be supportive of a land-use change to
residential or retail-office-residential.
"Because we are trustworthy individuals, we took
them at their word," said Harrig, who hails from Iowa
but is now a Longboat Key resident.
"We were told it. was a 'no-brainer' and it would
only take 30 to 90 days to get the zoning changed."
What a surprise when Harrig discovered that the
city's comprehensive land-use plan designated that
property for commercial usage and the city commis-
sion was not interested in changing the lots to retail-
office-residential.
Then, said Harrig, he learned that Wilcox had pre-
viously attempted to get the property re-zoned to resi-
dential but had failed.
"We didn't know that when we purchased the prop-
erty. I guess it's our fault for being trustworthy, but
we believed Wilcox. Knowing what we know now, we
never would have paid that much for the property."
Now, Hai ri2 and Klauer are stuck with a commer-


cial property with limited uses. According to the city's
land development codes for commercial property, they
can only build such structures as a strip mall, antique
shop, marina or restaurant.
"But we don't want to build commercially. We
thought the city wanted residential structures that fit the
character of the city. The comprehensive plan even says
that the city wants to preserve the residential character
of Anna Maria."
Harrig said his construction partners, Peter
Petres and Curt Vilt of Centurion Homes, had been
to several planning and zoning board meetings on
the comprehensive plan to request a land-use change,
but to no avail.
Vilt noted that the ad hoc comprehensive plan com-
mittee's report indicated the city needs more residential
land-use areas
"I thought this was great. This is just what we need,"
said Vilt. He was surprised, then, when his request to
the P&Z board for a land-use change was rejected.
Harrig also said he asked former Mayor SueLynn
for a meeting to discuss the property with the city com-
mission long before the comp-plan public hearing of
Nov. 30, but that meeting never materialized.
"We were never told the correct procedures for a
comprehensive plan change or rezoning," he said.
For now, Harrig is not sure of his next course
of action.
"We are looking at our options. We have a group
of other property owners in a similar situation and will
discuss what we can do with our attorney."
Harrig did note that one option is to build a marina
on the property, which is an allowable use in the city's
C- 1 (commercial) zone. "Or, we could put in a restau-
rant," he added.


Commission upholds expansion denial


.. .... .. .. .. B y L is a N e ff 1
lhid tr Reporter
The Holmes Beach Cia Commisision c oted 4-
1 to uphold its buildirt~g department's denial of a
permit for an addition to a home in the 4900 block
of Gulf Drie.
Discussion ox er the permit and whether r ttie
structure should be considered half of a duple\ or a
A single-familbi residence took up much of the com-r
lnssion neenni Dec. I12 at ct5l hall.
A Ol.orne\ Scott Rudacille filed the appeal on behalf
D ST.C ERof proper o% ners Gordon and Sharon Burgess.
The Burgesses purchased the residence in 1996 and
'" i'7'" invested in the property o er the ears, adding a s%% im-

The Burgesses also added to their family and
in 2004 decided. they wanted to build an addition toh
llery W e st their home.
ery, W The Burgesses made plans to add on as if their
witn original, affordable art residence was part of a duplex, according to Rudac-
(across from Sterling Anvil) ille. He claimed the property and other duplexes on the
ww.islandgallery.infol block were approved as such in the early 1980s, split
U 3 into separate parcels by party wall agreements and then
-* grandfathered when the city changed its policy regard-
S ,ing duplexes around 1990.
i The advantage of building an addition under the
guidelines for a duplex is that there is no need for a
setback because "it is considered the same structuree"
ery Sat. Dec-Mar 10-12AM Rudacille said. "You can't have a setback from your-
self. When you have a structure that is a duplex, it is a
zero-lot-line structure."
Rudacille said the Burgesses had already moved
forward with the design phase when their neighbor
]'-'i-' objected. He had already taken action to create the
appearance of two single-family homes by severing
FEATURING roof and catwalk connections between the units.
-, Solid Gold City building official Bill Saunders called the
SeInnova -ess property a single-family residence and denied the
Pinnacle building permit because the addition didn't meet
:. Cal. Natural setback requirements.
Avo "I find nothing that says this is a duplex," Saunders
S Canidae told the commission.
Frozen Raw Food When Sandy Haas-Martens, chair of the commis-
sion, invited city attorney Patricia Petuff to comment,
Petruff began, "Just when you.think you've seen every-
Cortez Road W.. Bradenton thing in Holmes Beach."


The Holmes Beach City Commission last week denied
an appeal to add an addition to the home on the left,
finding that ithe home is a single-family residence
rather than a duplex, as the owners argued. Debate
over the type of structure focused on fixtures that
had once attached the home to its neighbor. Islander
Photo: Lisa Neff
Petruff said the original city records for the con-
struction of the property can't be found, complicating
the matter.
"From a historical context we have very limited
information," she said.
However, Petruff told the commission, "there's
nothing in our codes that would allow you to waive
a setback.... There doesn't seem to be any manner in
which to allow encroachment into that setback area."
Rudacille continued to try to persuade the com-
mission that the property and other structures in the
neighborhood were developed as duplexes and some
of the structures have been treated as such by the city.
"I don't think it is fair to say this isn't a real
duplex.... It is not our fault that the city doesn't have
records," Rudacille said. "It is safe to assume that it
was approved as a duplex.... All we're asking is to be
treated the same."
Petruff said that even if the residence were treated
as a duplex, the adjoining property owner would need
to agree to the addition.

"I don't see how this city can issue a permit allow-
ing encroachment ... without the adjacent owner's per-
PLEASE SEE EXPANSION, NEXT PAGE










Churches set


Christmas


services
By Jim Hanson
Islander Reporter
Anna Maria Island churches will have special ser-
vices Christmas Eve Sunday, Dec. 24, most of them
working the regular Sabbath worship around the special
services celebrating Christ's birth.
The Episcopal Church of the Annunciation will
have its Holy Eucharist Rite I with Christmas carols
at 10 a.m. Sunday. The First Mass of Christmas will
be at 5 p.m. and then carol singing at 10:30 p.m., fol-
lowed by the Solemn Holy Eucharist of the Nativity.
The church is at 4408 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach. The
Rev. Harry Parsell is rector. Details may be obtained
by calling 778-1638.
St. Bernard Catholic Church will celebrate its
Vigil Mass at 4 p.m. Saturday. The Sunday Masses
will be at 8 and 10:30 a.m., with a Children's Mass
at 4 p.m., the church choir will present a Christmas
program at 9:30 p.m., and Midnight Mass will be at
10 p.m. On Christmas Day Monday, Masses will be
at 8 and 10:30 a.m. The Rev. Robert Mongiello is
pastor of the church at 248 S. Harbor Drive, Holmes
Beach, 778-4769.
Harvey Memorial Community Church will have a
candlelight service at 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve, with
regular Sunday service at 9:30 a.m. The Rev. Stephen
King is pastor. The church is at 300 Church Ave., Bra-
denton Beach. 778-1912.
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church will have worship
services at 10 a.m., then festival workshops with com-
munion and candlelight ceremony at 4:30 and 8 p.m.
The Rev. John Bonser is pastor of the church at 6608
Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. 778-1813.
Roser Memorial Community Church will have
Chapel Communion at 10 a.m. Jesus' birth will be cel-
ebrated % ith a family walk and Nativity pageant, "Child
of the Light," at 5:30 p.m., and a traditional candlelight
service with the Chancel Choir and guest musicians at
9 p.m. The Rev; Gary Batey is pastor and the church is
at 512 Pine A\e.. Anna Maria. 778-0414.
The Island Baptist Church will have an evening
ser% ice. "Santa Claus Theology," with special music
SundaN at 6 p.m. The Rex. Dale La% son is pastor of the
church at 8605 Gulf Dri\e. Anna NMaria. 77S-0719.


All I want for

Christmas at AME
Anna Maria Elementar) School second-grad-
ers penned letters to Santa Claus wishing for every-
thing from Lego systems to Barbie dolls. Here are
a few letters Toni Lashway's students wrote.
Dear Santa,
What I want for Christmas is: Star Wars
Battlefront, Lego Star Wars 2+, Lego Star Wars,
Star War Lego sand crawler and all the Star Wars.
Legos.
Your Friend,
Devon Straight
Dear Santa,
What I would want for Christmas is a real light
saber. I deserve it because I saw the "nice" list.
Your Friend,
Gavin
Dear Santa,
This is what I want for Christmas: a weaving kit, a
marble-run,-Tomagoti, a $50 gift card and a snake.
Love,
Valerie Kreisol
Dear Santa,
I'm hoping you will get me a puppy. I've
wanted one all my life.'-
And a High School Musical locket and Barbie
12 Dancing Princesses movie.
The end. Thank you.
To: Parents
From: Angelique


Streetlife

Island police reports
Anna Maria City
Dec. 8, 900 S. Bay Blvd., Bimini Bay channel,
power outage. Power was disrupted to the city when a
56-foot yacht ran aground in the channel, cutting a sub-
merged power line. According to the report, the captain
was attempting to bring the yacht to Galati Marine for
maintenance and ran into trouble because the tide was
unusually low.

Bradenton Beach
Dec. 12,120 Bridge St., Drift In parking lot, battery
of a law enforcement officer. An officer was dispatched
to the parking lot in reference to a domestic dispute in
which a male suspect was allegedly beating a woman
with his hands and fists. When the officer arrived on
the scene, the male suspect was gone, but the officer
reportedly observed a female staggering near a car.
According to the report, when she was asked if she
had been involved in a fight, she began yelling at the
officer. She then came toward the officer and punched
him in the chest. At this time, she was arrested. She
reportedly remained combative until pepper spray was
administered to subdue her.

Holmes Beach
Dec. 11, 200 block of 35th Street, trespass warn-
ing. A resident requested a trespass warning be issued
to a man who had caused a disturbance at his home.
According to the report, the trespasser.admitted he was
angry with the resident, blaming him in part for the
death of his son.
Dec. 11, 600 block Foxworth Lane, theft. An
eight-foot inflatable Christmas tree lawn ornament was
reportedly stolen.


THE ISLANDER E DEC. 20, 2006 E 11




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Spreading holiday wishes
Holmes Beach Police Officer Pete Lannon video-
taped a special holiday greeting for Anna Maria
Elementary School students that aired last week as a
surprise segment during the televised morning news
show. Lannon, on leave of absence from his duties as
AME's school resource officer, thanked everyone for
their generosity, e-mails and cards as he undergoes
cancer treatment. On behalf of himself and his family,
he wished everyone a happy holiday season. Islander
Photo: Diana Bogan

Expansion denial upheld
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10
mission," she said.
Eventually Commissioner John Monetti made a
motion to deny the appeal and Pat Morton offered a
second. Monetti, Morton, Haas-Martens and Pat Geyer
voted for the motion.
"To me it meets all the requirements of a single-
family residence," Geyer said.
David Zaccagnino voted against the motion.
"I think everybody needed more information," Zac-
cagnino said later, adding that the vote may have an
impact on other structures in the neighborhood.
Rudacille had said that by treating the Burgess
home as a single-family residence, the city would be
creating a situation in which other homes in the neigh-
borhood must be treated as single-family residences
instead of duplexes.
"What are they going to do if they have to tear
down and rebuild?" he said.






12 M DEC. 20. 2006 U THE ISLANDER


AME Dolphin Dash

training planned,

T-shirt unveiled
By Diana Bogan
Islander Reporter
The Anna Maria Elementary School Parent-Teacher
Organization unveiled the winning T-shirt design for
its upcoming Dolphin Dash 5k Fun Run. Fifth-grader
Gabby Fenton is the featured artist for the shirts that
will be given to all runners.
The run is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 20, and is
a PTO fundraiser with proceeds generated from the
registration fee: $20 per adult and $10 for participants
under age 16.
The run will start at the school, 4700 Gulf Drive, and
will loop through Holmes Beach to end at the school.
Event co-chair Becky Walter said the route is still being
finalized with the help of the Holmes Beach Police
Department. There will also be a one-mile fun run.
Parents and community members are invited to par-
ticipate. Walter said students have been given a "train-
ing sheet" to log practice runs. Students who run 12
practice miles before race day will earn AME Dolphin
Dash shoelaces to wear the day of the event.
To help students meet the practice goal, AME Prin-
cipal Kathy Hayes said that training sessions will be
offered at 8 a.m. at the ball field behind the school every
Thursday beginning Jan. 4 until race day.
Walter added that Mickey Hooke is donating a clinic
for students, parents and interested runners at 6:30 p.m.
Jan. 10 at the school. Hooke is a five-time master Florida
State Champion and 2003 U.S. Association for Track
and Field "Master Long Distance Runner of the Year."
He hosts a running Web site at grassrootsrunning.com.
For more event information, call Walter at
383-9675.
Gallery West hosting Fletcher,
Orear demonstrations
Joe Fletcher will demonstrate "Ink Sublimation
of Art Work on Tile" from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday,
Dec. 23, at the Island Gallery West, 5368 Gulf Drive,
Holmes Beach.
Next in the Saturday demonstration series will be
Barbara Orear showing "The Use of Vibrant Colors in
Watercolor" from 10 a.m. to noon Dec. 30.
Further details may be obtained by. calling
778-6648.

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Pelican Man's Bird
By Jim Hanson
Islander Reporter
The Pelican Man's Bird Sanctuary, a popular fixture
here for 25 years, has closed amid disappointment, tears
and more than a little anger.
It shut its gates to the public last week, and unless
a small miracle comes along it will cease operations
entirely in about a month. That's how long it will take
to close everything out.
That was the goodbye word from Jeffrey Dering,
executive director, who said rising costs and dwindling
donations piled up a $200,000 deficit that a desperate
last-minute fund drive failed to eliminate.
"If we get enough donations from somewhere out of
the blue, we could turn it around almost immediately and
be operating again," he said. But he held out little hope for
any such windfall he and his staff worked frantically
for the past few months, but sources had dried up.
"I can't believe this community has not responded,
when it supports so many other causes," he said dis-
gustedly. "The staff and I have perhaps 200 years expe-
rience between us, arind we've never seen anything like
it. It's disappointing and frustrating."

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Dashing
dolphins
Gabby Fenton,
A a fifth-grader in
Anne Kinnan's
AME class, is
pp ^the artist whose
contest entry will
be printed on
T-shirts for the
Parent-Teacher
: Organization's
first Dolphin
Dash 5k Fun Run
scheduled for Jan.
20. All AME stu-
dents were invited
to submit T-shirt
design entries,
and sponsorship
opportunities are
available to com-
munity members
and businesses.


Sanctuary closed
The nonprofit sanctuary is not accepting any new
injured or ailing birds, referring such calls for help to
other rescuers in the area, including Wildlife Education
and Rehabilitation Inc. on Anna Maria Island.
The sanctuary was founded in 1981 by the late
Dale Shields when he found an injured pelican while
he was fishing and found there was nowhere to take
it for treatment. So he took the bird to his home on
Golden Gate Point, named it George and housed it
in his bathtub. George became Shields' companion
as he made his rescue rounds, riding in his pickup's
passenger seat.
The city of Sarasota leased him two acres of land on
City Island, off the south ramp of the New Pass Bridge,
and he gradually developed the sprawling complex
there next door to Mote Marino Laboratory. Shields
died of a heart attack in 2003.
What will replace the sanctuary on the land is not
known. That will be up to city officials.
Donations are still very % welcome. During said.
They may be sent'to the Pelican Man's Bird Sanctu-
ary, 1708 Ken Thompson, Pkwy., Sarnsoia FL 34234,
orby calling 388-4444.















all the best in 2007
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B.A. Ed., M.A. Psych
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16i-- -a d U







THE ISLANDER U DEC. 20. 2006 M 13


Obituaries


Damian A. Costanzo
Damian A. Costanzo, 48, of Holmes Beach, died
Nov. 27.
Born in Englewood, N.J., Mr. Costanzo moved to
Holmes Beach from Belmar, N.J., six years ago. He was
a bartender. He loved the ocean, the beach and boating,
and was a graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary
Boating Skills and Seamanship course.
Funeral Mass was Dec. 5 at St. Thomas More R.C.
Church, Fairfield, N.J. Memorial contributions may be
made to Community Action Spouse Abuse, P.O. Box
414, St. Petersburg FL 33731. Ippolito-Stellato Funeral
Home, Fairfield, was in charge of arrangements.
He is survived by son Andrew; sisters Susanne Gir-
ouard and her husband James, and Lisa Venezia and
her husband Kevin; inmlier Sylvia; nieces Kristah and
Clarrah Venezia; nephews Tyler James Girouard and
Jarrett Venezia; and his canine companion Annie, a Jack
Russell terrier.

Ruth G. Crayton
Ruth G. Crayton, 82, of Bradenton, died Dec. 7.
Born in Princeton, N.C., Mrs. Crayton was a home-
maker. She was a member of Harvey Memorial Com-
munity Church, Bradenton Beach.
Funeral services were Dec. 15 in Pennsylvania.
Kegel Funeral Home, Finleyville, Pa., was in charge
of arrangements.
She is survived by husband Charles "Scotty"; son
Mark Hannah of Kansas City, Mo.; daughter Gayle Raby
of Lawton, Ok.; stepsons Scotty and his wife Janet of
Cranberry, Pa., and Jack of Lawrence, Pa.; stepdaughter
Judy Martes and her husband Tom of Coraopolis, Pa.;
sister Myrtle Lawson of Newport News, Va.; daugh-
ter-in-law Marian of Finleyville; 12 grandchildren; six
great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

Phyllis W. Lesko
Phyllis W. Lesko, 70, of Holmes Beach, died Dec. 9.
Memorial services were Dec. 16 at St. Bernard
Catholic Church, Holmes Beach. Kicliter Funeral
Home %\ as in charge of arrangements.

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She is survived by son John E. II; daughters Nancy
Guerrieri and Lisa Cortazzo; sister Laura Siegal; and
seven grandchildren.

Armond 'Tony' Mione
Armond "Tony" Mione, 46, of Holmes Beach, died
Dec. 13.
Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Mr. Mione moved to
Manatee County from Bedford Heights, Ohio, in 1989.
He was an employee of the
-town,of Longboat Key and
owner of Gulf Coast Con-
struction. He was president
of the Coast Racing Team,
and affiliated with Rosse-
Si ter's Racing Team. He was
a member of ISDA-Mione
Gulf Coast No. 274 and All
Harley Drag Racing Asso-
ciation. He Was a member
Mione of the Moose Lodge. In
2004, he was ranked ninth in the United States in racing
Harley Davidson dragsters. He was active in teaching
youth the finer points of the sport.
Memorial services were Dec. 17 at Manasota
Memorial Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may
be made to Tina Jajo, P.O. Box743, Cortez FL 34215.
Online condolences may be made at www.mem.com.
He is survived by sister Tina Jajo and her hus-
band Roger of Bradenton; brothers Richard and his
wife Teri of Rumplik, Henrico, N.C., Joseph Rumplik
and his wife Linda of South Euclid, Ohio, and Geno
and Michael Rumplik of Fort Myers; 12 nieces and
nephews; seven great-nieces and nephews; and several
aunts, uncles and cousins.

Margaret H. Golden Tritt
Margaret H. Golden Tritt, 92, of Anna Maria Island,
died Dec. 11.
Born near Athens, Ohio, Mrs. Tritt was a graduate
of Ohio University in 1936.
Memorial services will be held in January. Pri-


pATRiCIA STAEblER
STATE CERTifiEd GENERAl AppRAiSER
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vate interment will be at Roser Memorial Community
Church, Anna Maria. Memorial contributions may be
made to the church, P.O. Box 247, Anna Maria FL
34216. Griffith-Cline Funeral Home is in charge of
arrangements.
She is survived by children Kelly, Tom and Peter
and their families, as well as sons Jim and his wife
Susan of Jacksonville, and Greer and his wife Susan
of Columbus, Ohio; three grandchildren; and three
great-grandchildren.
great


Social with Santa
With just nine days before the big ride of 2006, Santa
stopped over at Belle Haven Cottage on the grounds
of the Anna Maria Island Historical Museum. His
first visit is with Emily Sackett, 4, of Anna Maria.
Islander Photos: Lisa Neff

I"i










Not only did the historical society decorate Belle
Haven cottage for the holidays, it also decorated the
open air Anna Maria City Jail.








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14 0 DEC. 20, 2006 M THE ISLANDER


Costellos benefit from teen's generosity, hard work


By Diana Bogan
Islander Reporter
Sometimes the greatest gifts especially the
kind that embody the true spirit of the holiday season
don't come wrapped up in a pretty package. This
season, Monica Costello and her family found the holi-
day spirit wrapped up in a 16-year-old "fireball" named
Linsey Patton.
"She is my Christmas Angel," says Costello.
Until two weeks ago, Patton was a stranger to the
Costello family. Both have Island ties, but their paths
never crossed. Patton lived on the Island, graduating

Maria Elementary School
in 2001. She and her mom
later moved off-Island.
Costello's youngest
son, Cory, was an original
member of the band Magic
| Tree Conspiracy, but it's her
oldest son Ryan's story that
struck a chord with Patton.
The evening of April
Patton 8, 2006, Ryan was critically
injured when the car he was riding in drove off the Anna
Maria Island Bridge, becoming submerged in water. His
friend and the driver of the SUV, Zane Zavadil, was
killed in the accident.
Patton was with a group of her friends that night
and although she didn't know Zavadil or Costello, some
of her friends did. "When we heard about the accident,
we went down to the bridge. Being there," she said,
"felt like it took a piece of me, too."
Soon after Patton said she began thinking about
what she could do to help. "I felt bad for the family."
Ryan spent five months following the accident at
the Atlanta Brain Injury Unit, where his mom, already
a nurse, learned to care for him in his minimally con-
scious state. "It's not the type of nursing I had done
before. I'm still learning," she said. He requires a high
level of rehabilitation.
Costello is able to breathe on his own and swal-
low. Since coming home in August, he's made progress
through physical therapy\ and is now also able to move
his head voluntarily.. From the neck down, however hlie
is unable to control his imol events.
Every patient is different, of course, and mom sa\
she can't give a definitive prognosis on ho' much prog-
ress Ryan could potentially make. There are so marn\
variables, she said, from age to the temperature of the
water, which make a difference.
Monica explains that he is coming back from a near,
driow ning, graduall\ emerging and. therefore., progress is
slow\. With the help of physical therapy\ his muscles are
rela\ine. "The\ %kere enr stiff and riid. and before the\
are ableto work again, the\ ha e to rela\." she said.
MoInc-i cares for her son at home nith the support
ot son Co'r\ and her 22-\ear-old niece. Nicole Red-,'
-bum, who moved here from Nevada to study nursing. A

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enil t .. i -, m mm
Costello family
The Costello fiwiil' has banded together, supporting each other and caring for Ryan since his near drowning
after a car accident on the Manatee Avenue-Anna .hia ,ii,1iniul Bridge in April. Pictured are, from left, Rui-nt
cousin Nicole Redburn, ,w/im l :onica Costello, brother Cory and canine "nurse" Sandy. Islander Photos:


Courtesy ;I,. Cosr ilt.s.

physical therapist also visits Ryan three times a week.
In the four months Ryan has been home, the Costel-
los have paid out-of-pocket for his care. "We are on-a
waiting list for government funding," Monica confided.
"The government would spend $90,000 a year caring
for Ryan in an institution. If a famnl chooses to pro% ide
care at home, there arc supposed to be funds a\ ailable
to help none of which I hai\e recei %ed."
Costello has held a garage sale to raise money, and
Orban's Nursery of Bradenton raised $3,000 in poinsettia
sales on the family's 'elhilf. It's been eihti months since,
the accident and Monica is just no\ re-entering the job
market, taking on part-i umn work with the same company
that provides in-home physical therapy ) tor R\ an.
"We're all adjusting to. life % ith someone who is
disabled," said Costello. "It's hard to do it by yourself,
almost impossible."
Patton had been thinking about w hat she could do
for the family and decided to host a benefit concert at
Bradenton's Rossi Park, which took place Dec. 9. The
Manatee High School junior organized the entire, event
herself. First she acquired appro\ al from the Bradenton
CityCouncil to use the park and then raised funds to
pa\ for insurance and liability. Four high school rock
. bands volunteered to perform. .
"It as a lot of \ ork. more than I thought," Patton
said. "Plus I had school. ,o it was o\erihelmning the
% eek before the et ent."
Even more surprising is that the Costello family





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had no idea so much work was being undertaken on
their behalf. The family had moved to a new home in
Pine Bay Forest and Patton was having trouble con-
tacting them she had the wrong phone number."
Costello said that when Patton did reach her, about
a % eek before the event, she thought the teen had the
Sroni, number. "I didn't even know her and she knew
nothing about us, but still felt like we needed help.
I'm just amazed she did all this something purely)
not self-serving."
Pauon sold $ 10 tickets to the concert. and although
lhe had hoped to raise $5.0i--I. the concert drei in oncl
little more than $410II
"I'm not sure \ hiat I did \\ rong. I definitely\ didn't.
leach mn overall goal and it \\as a perfect day." Patton
said. "I'm disappointed."
Patton said that after the holidays she will begin
planning another event. "My purpose wasn't to throw
a concert. I still want to reach my $5,000 goal."
Costello said the funds will go into the Ryan
Costello Trust Fund at SunTrust Bank at Manatee
Avenue and 75th Street. And Monica plans to utilize
Sthe findd' for R an's stem-cell treatments early next
year. She said she has been follow ing the research and
belie\ es it holds the most promise for her son.
"In theory, stem cells are basically not identified cells
they ha-ven't linked to anything yet," Costello said.
"Given intravenously, the cells open the bl-od brain bar-
PLEASE SEE COSTELLO, NEXT PAGE


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TIHE ISLANDER U DEC. 20. 2006 E 15


Costello angel & i 7
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15
rier, attracted to weak areas forming new cells."
Costello plans to take Ryan to a facility outside the ,..,.
United States in February for his first treatment. She --
noted that the cells used are obtained from an American "
lab and are cord cells donated from healthy moms and ."
babies that have been appropriately screened.
"There is no guarantee, but I feel it is something I
have to try," she said. .--
Costello believes Ryan is gradually emerging.
"There are times I talk to him and feel he really knows "
- there's just a look in his eyes. And there are times
that are harder than others.
"We take one day at a time,"' she continued. "A Il
lot of people pray for him and that's one of the nicest
things. We're not giving up on him he is a strong,
stubborn boy."
Costello has agreed to team up with Patton to speak
to high school students before prom night about making Garden club's golden anniversary
smart choices. "Kids think it will never happen to them, The members of the Sunny Shores Garden Club celebrated the group's 50th anniversary at the Sun House
but stuff happens." restaurant in Bradenton Beach Dec. 14. The group gathered for a meeting, followed by a luncheon marking
As for Patton, Costello can't say enough to express the golden anniversary. In the front row, from left to right, are Edna Waidner, Grace Rice, Dawn Olson, Faye
how she feels. "She is proof that there are good things Warner, Nancy Minshall, Billie Jean Hurt, Irene Scroggie and Carol Councilman. In the back row, from left, ar
happening out there." Henrietta Hoffman, Kay Weist, Sharon France, Dixie Mixon, Holly Ostneberg, Fay McFatter and Ruth Mayer.
Patton said she is open to advice on how to make The club, dedicated to beautifying the park at 115th Street West and contributing to botanical parks, meets on
her next fundraising event a bigger success. She can be the second Thursday of each month from November through April.
reached at 807-5239. Islander Photo: Lisa Neff




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16 0 DEC. 20, 2006 E THE ISLANDER





Thursday, Dec. 21
9 a.m. to noon Bloodmobile at St. Bernard Cath-
olic Church, 248 S. Harbor Drive, Holmes Beach.
Saturday, Dec. 23
8:30 a.m. Kiwanis Club breakfast meeting with
guest speaker Bob Lamasdro discussing "Modern
China" at Cafe on the Beach, Manatee Public Beach,
4700 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach.
10 a.m. to noon Joe Fletcher will be demonstrat-
ing "Ink Sublimation of Art Work on Tile" at the Island
Gallery West, 5368 Gulf Drive W., Holmes Beach. Infor-
mation: 792-7039.
Sunday, Dec. 24
6 p.m. Christmas Eve celebration at Island Bap-
tist Church, 8605 Gulf Drive, Anna Maria. Information:
778-0719.
Ongoing:
"Seussical" at the Manatee Players Riverfront
Theatre, 102 Old Main St., Bradenton, through Dec.
23. Information: 748-5875. Fee applies.
"Fishing in Paradise" exhibit by Harvey Gaunt at
the Arts Council Gallery, 9260 12th St. W., Bradenton,
through Dec. 28. Information: 746-2223.


Photography exhibit of work by Paula Schoen-
wether at the Artists Guild Gallery, 5413 Marina
Drive, Holmes Beach, through Dec. 31. Information:
778-6694.
Old-fashioned holiday display at Belle Haven Cot-
tage and Anna Maria Island Historical Museum, 402
Pine Ave., Anna Maria, through Dec. 31. Information:
778-0492.
Photography exhibit by John Bonser at Island Gal-
lery West, 5368 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, through
Dec. 31. Information: 792-1039.
"The Blue Briny: Mermaids & More" at the Vil-
lage of the Arts, along 12th Avenue West, Bradenton,
through Jan. 6. Information: 747-0823.

Coming up:
"The Use of Vibrant Color with Watercolor" at
Island Gallery West Dec. 30.
Family story hour at the Island Branch Library
Jan. 2..
Manga and Japanese Pop Culture presentation
for teens at the Island Branch Library Jan. 2.
Still life oil painting workshop at the Longboat Key
Center for the Arts Jan. 3-4.

Save the Date:
Anna Maria Elementary School Dolphin Dash 5k
Fun Run Jan. 20.
Anna Maria Island Community Chorus and
Orchestra Young Artists Competition Jan. 20.
Anna Maria Island Rotary Club Casino Night
Jan. 27.


Sidewalk art
Laura Pieper of St. Petersburg offers prints of her
artwork at a table in the "Where's Woody? art sale
sponsored by The Islander at the Island Shopping
Center, 5404 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. The
event, held outside The Islander newspaper office
and on tie sidewalks of the shopping center, provided
holiday, gift-minded shoppers an opportunity to buy
works by area artists at deep discounts prints for
as little as $5. Islander Photo: Lisa Neff


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THE ISLANDER M DEC. 20. 2006 M 17


By Lisa Neff
Islander Reporter
A wave of holiday spirit is predicted to hit Anna
Maria's City Pier Saturday with the Pier Regular's
annual Christmas party.
The club plans to hold the party Dec. 23 from 9
to 11 a.m. at the Anna Maria City Pier Restaurant,
100 S. Bay Blvd., Anna Maria.
The event is for club members and their family
and friends, as well as those interested in becom-
ing Pier Regulars, a loosely formed group of fre-
quent visitors to the Island fixture the historic
Anna Maria Pier. '
The club is led by Frank Almeda, a World
War II veteran who first came to Anna Maria
Island when he was a child on a day ferry from
Tampa to the Anna Maria pier where he is now
a Regular.
Over the years, the Pier Regulars has consisted
mostly of men, many of them military veterans and
retired from a variety of careers to the Island.
"There's a group of people who generally have
been coming out years and years," said City Pier


Restaurant manager David Sork, who went to work
on the pier in December 1983 and has gotten to
know many of the Pier Regulars. "They come out
and fish and kibitz. They're good people."
During the party, more than 100 donated gifts
- dining certificates, fishing gear, tools, T-shirts,
discount vouchers and more will be distributed
in the club's annual raffle.
Also, the City Pier Restaurant will serve a holi-
day brunch.
"They've been doing this party for years," Sork
said. "We all have a good time and wish each other
Merry Christmas."
Glad tidings are common at the pier, where
Islanders and vacationers alike gather with food and
drinks or fishing poles.
"It's the first place I come to when I return for
the season," said Nancy Andersen, of Joliet, Ill.
"There's something special about the pier. It's like
everyone here even the year-round residents
- are on vacation, relaxing in Margaritaville."
For more information about the club or the
party, call Almeda at 941-778-7062.


Pier Regulars plan Christmas party


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Musician competition starts
The Anna Maria Island Chorus and Orchestra is
launching a young artists competition for musicians 12 to
18 years of age, with cash and concert as prizes.
To enter this inaugural competition, a young musi-
cian must live in Manatee or Sarasota county and com-
plete an application. Forms are available now from
James Stoltie, vice president of the AMICCO board of
directors. He may be contacted at stoltir@verizon.net,
or phone 727-9886.
The application must be signed by either the young
artist's school music teacher or private teacher. Candi-
dates must be participating in their school music pro-
gram, except for pianists and home-schooled students.
Deadline for applying is Jan. 10.
A $500 cash prize will go to the winner, who also
will perform at the orchestra's spring concert, March
25, at the Island Baptist Church.
The competition will begin at 1:30 pm. Saturday,
Jan. 20, at the Roser Memorial Community Church,
512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria.

Modern China to be topic
Bob Lamasdro will discuss "Modem China" when
the Kiwanis Club of Anna Maria Island meets at 7:30
a.m. Saturday, Dec. 23. It will be the regular weekly
breakfast meeting at the Cafe on the Beach, 4000 Gulf
Drive, Holmes Beach.





- ~ -


I& 'Oval. Ab







18 M DEC. 20. 2006 T THE ISLANDER


Spanish-speaking ability saved

Anna Maria man during WWII
Anna Maria resident Frank "Frankie" Almeda was
working in a Tampa shipyard just after Dec. 7, 1941,
when he got his draft notice for the U.S. Army.
Just 18 years old and a native of Tampa, Frankie
tried to join the Merchant Marine, but "they turned
me down because I already had my induction
papers," he said.
Luckily for Frankie, the Army placed him in the
31 st Dixie Division, which was made up almost entirely
of Tampa boys. "I knew a lot of the guys, or I knew
somebody who knew them, so it was almost like being
among your friends."
Frankie was pretty handy with a radio and spent
three months at radio operators school. Upon comple-
tion, the Army wanted to promote him to sergeant, but
Frankie rejected that idea.
"I told them I didn't want any promotion, that I
came in this Army to fight for my country. So they
shipped me out of the radio section and put me with
the infantry."
By early 1944, the division had completed train-
ing and sent to Hampton Roads, Va., in anticipation of
heading to England for the invasion of Europe.
But a funny thing happened on the way to the war.
"Because we were all from the south, the gener-
als decided we could stand the heat in the Pacific
better than them northern boys. McArthur got our
orders changed. We got on the ship in Virginia,.
but headed to the Caribbean and then through the
Panama Canal."
The division landed in New Guinea in the south
Pacific and became part of the 6th U.S. Army under
Gen. Krueger. Frankie was put on guard duty that
same day.
"The Japanese came over and bombed us that night.
Welcome to the war," he said %ith a laugh.
Luckily, the Nex\ Guinea operation didn't last long
and the Japanese were soon eliminated from the island.
After that, the 31 st went into reserve for several months,
preparing for the invasion of Morati Island off the coast
of Borneo.
Frankie was assigned as a company\ radio opera-
tor, carrying a 90-pound radio strapped to his 125-
pound body.
Landing on the beach at Morati, Frankie was
surprised to discover legendary war correspondent
Ernie Pyle already on the beach, filming the invasion.
Unknown to Frankie, Pyle happened to capture a shot
of Frankie and some other guys and had that picture
published in Yank Magazine.
"My brother was in the Marines in Virginia and sa\%
the film taken by Pyle and recognized me. That's ho"


Frank -
Almeda
was-
wounded -
three times
during
World .i
War II,
but never
received
a Purple
Heartfor 'a
any of his
injuries.
Islander
Photo:
Rick Catlin .7-


Anna Maria resident Frank Almeda as a private in
the U.S. Army during World War II.
he knew I was still alive."
On Morati, Frankie was sent with the forward
observers, who went ahead of the company to spot tar-
gets for the artillery.
"One time, we got about 28 miles ahead of our
infantry and out of range of our guns. Then, we found
we were surrounded by the Japanese. There was only
about five or six of us against a couple a hundred Japa-
nese, but we ordered up a few tanks and got rescued
out of there."-
Frankie's next invasion was the Philippines, where
the 31st landed on Mindanao Island in October 1944.
His unit got trapped in a rice paddy by Japanese
artillery fire. Frankie remembers that someone yelled
for him to get over to company commander. Frankie
took off running and a Japanese bullet took a piece out
of his ear.
"But I didn't get no purple heart for that," he said.
"We lost a lot of guys on Mindanao and we had
a lot of replacements who tried to run away when the
Japanese started shooting. We had to knock them down
to get them to stay."
Mindanao was no picnic, but the lives of Frankie
and his company were likely saved by Frank's Span-
ish-speaking ability.
Grow ing up in Tampa, Frankie spoke Spanish at
home w ith his parents and grandparents.
"When we got to the Philippines, their language,
Tagalog, had a lot of Spanish phrases because they used to
be under Spain. Managed to pick up some Tagalog."
One day. some Filipinos came up to Frankie's unit
and said they would lead them to where the Japanese
were hidden.
"We started following them, but I heard them
talking in Tagalog. I understood that they were
leading us to an ambush. I started talking to them
in Tagalog and asked them to stop and tell me what
,-. .- -


was going on. They were amazed. They said 'white
man speaks our language.' That's when they told
me that the Japs had captured all their wives and
said if they didn't lead us into an ambush, they'd
kill the women."
The 31st then turned the tables on the Japanese,
ambushing them and rescuing the Filipino women.
"And that was all because I could speak their
language. Man, we got real lucky that day," Frankie
remembered.
How lucky was Frankie?
One day on patrol, he was looking through a
pair of field binoculars for a sniper in the trees. The
men changed positions every five minutes. After his
five-minute shift, Frankie gave the glasses to the
next man, who promptly got a bullet right through
his head.
"If I had waited five more seconds, I wouldn't be
here today. I was just lucky. That bullet was meant
for me."
Another time, Frankie was unloading a ship along-
side a pier at a Filipino harbor when a Japanese Zero
dive-bombed and attacked.
"He came along about three inches above the
deck and let loose a phosphorous bomb on me.
My arm caught fire, so I jumped in the water. He
turned around and came back for me and machines
gunned me again. I swam ashore, got in the woods
and hid. He missed me the third time around, sb
again I got lucky."
On another mission, Frankie was climbing a coco-
nut tree, stringing communication lines for the unit,
when his Filipino guide suddenly took off running.
"I started to yell at him, but I quickly realized
why he took off." A Japanese patrol was coming
down the trail. Frankie camouflaged himself among
the palm fronds and watched as the patrol passed
directly under the tree. h
"I counted 17 of them on the patrol. If the had
looked up, all I had was a hand grenade, because my
rifle was down beside the tree." Luck again was with
Frankie. He had placed his M-1 on the side of the tree
away from the trail. The Japs never saw the rifle and
never looked up.
He waited until they had disappeared, then climbed
down, grabbed his weapon and headed off in another
direction toward his unit.
"I'm just one of the lucky guys," said Frankie qui-
etly. "So many guys didn't come back. I think about
them every day and it's hard. The guys who didn't come
back are the real heroes. I've seen guys jump on a hand
grenade and get blown apart just to save their buddies.
I was no hero. I just did my job.
"I left a lot of good friends over there. The good
Lord was just with me, that's why I came back,"
Frankie said.
After the war, he returned to Tampa where he
entered plumbing school and got married in 1945. He
was a plumber for 55 years in Tampa.
He first came to Anna Maria Island when he was
about 7 or 8 years old, he remembers.
"My dad would bring us over on the ferry from
Tampa to the Anna Maria pier. I loved this place. I bought
my property in 1968 and built my house in 1972.
In mid-1980s, -Frankie did something highly
unusual. He wen back to high school to get his degree.
and graduated frm Manatee High School in 1987 as
the valedictorian of his class, He gave a speech to the
graduating seni rs on what his life had been like and
what theirs could be.
"I was 65 years old and graduated at the ltop and
got to give a speech to all the kids. Yqu don't see that
too often," he sd. /
It's been a/good life on Anna Maria and Fr"nkie
has no regrets except for all the gocd friends he lost
during the wa. /
"I'd do again. I was just so lucky. The only thing
is that I got wounded three times and never got nothing.
I don't wa t to bother anybody too much, but it would
be nice to get something for that while I'm still here.
Still, I hav no regrets. I'd do it all again if I could go
with the s me guys."
Just another member of the Greatest Generation.

"The greatest Generation" column isfor Island,
Longboat Key, Perico Island and Cortez veterans,
man or woman, who served in the armed forces of
any allied country (U.S., Canada, Britain, Holland,
Norway, Frace, Poland, Australia, New Zealand, the
Philippines,1 etc.) during World War II. We'd like to
hear from you. Please call Rick Catlin at 778-7978.






THE ISLANDER U DEC. 20. 2006 19


Christmas census charts bird populations


By Lisa Neff
Islander Reporter
In Christmas counts past, no one reported a par-
tridge in a pear tree.
But participants in the Christmas Bird Count on Anna
Maria Island have counted dozens of other birds from
the American Crow to the Yellow-Throated Warbler.
The Gulf Circle count takes place Thursday, Dec.
28, and is part of the Audubon Society's North Ameri-
can effort to take a census of early winter bird popula-
tions. The Gulf Circle includes north Longboat Key,
Anna Maria Island, Cortez and Perico.
Other counts across the country take place until
Jan. 5.
Birders took an inventory in Bradenton, conducting
their "Christmas count" on Saturday, Dec. 16.
The local efforts are coordinated by the Manatee
County Audubon Society, which meets at 7:30 p.m. the
third Thursdays, October to April, at the First Presby-
terian Church, 1402 Manatee Ave. W, Bradenton.
"It's very important," said Tom Heitzman,
MCAS president. "It gives a real status of how bird
species are doing in the overall picture, with our
shrinking environment."
Audubon has been conducting Christmas Bird
Counts since 1900, a tradition proposed by ornitholo-
gist Frank Chapman, who sought to encourage people
to join a Christmas bird count rather than a Christmas
"side hunt."
The count is something birders say they look for-
ward to as much as or more than finding presents
underfthe Christmas tree. Where will the winter rap-
tors or finches be found? What late-lingering migrants
will remain to the north? How many white pelicans
will be seen?
Each year more than 50,000 people participate


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in North America, building one of the longest run-
ning databases in ornithology. The data, combined
with other surveys, such as the Breeding Bird Survey,
help provide a picture of how the continent's bird
populations have changed in the past 100 years. The
information also helps conservationists identify local
trends and threats.
"We realize this count is not 100 percent accurate
-because birds are not stationary," said Manatee coor-
dinator David Williamson. "But there are trends we
are trying to measure through the years. The health of
populations can be determined."
Last year, the Gulf Circle counted 3,717 birds and
79 species.
The 16 counters -covered a total of 63 miles by


S Can you identify
this bird photo-
graphed on the
beach in Bra-
denton Beach?
Volunteers with the
Manatee County
Audubon Society
will count birds
-.- on the Island Dec.
h.e 28 as part of the
North American
T" Christmas Bird
Count. For infor-
mation about the
I count, call coor-
dinator David
Williamson at 941-
378-9920. Islander
Photo: Lisa Neff

car and nine miles on foot and spotted crows, anhin-
gas, kingfishers, black skimmers, vultures, pelicans,
herons, blue jays, parakeets, gnatcatchers, terns,
egrets, loons, hawks, doves, sparrows, mockingbirds,
warblers and woodpeckers.
This year's Gulf Circle count may take as little
as half a day, with groups of four or less assigned to
certain areas.
Participants need not be ornithologists, said Wil-
liamson. Beginners can help in a number of ways,
including driving the vehicle and keeping the inven-
tory lists.
"We are by no means under-mannedfor this c6unt,"
Williamson said. "'We have 15 to 20 people. But any
new birders are welcome, very welcome."


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20 M DEC. 20. 2006 T THE ISLANDER


'Magic' soccer highlights week in sports


By Kevin Cassidy
Islander Reporter
Joey Hutchinson and his U 13 Manatee Magic team-
mates have been on quite a roll for the 2006 soccer
season. They've climbed to No. 5 in the state on the
GotSoccer.com rankings, which is largely based on
tournament results.
The Magic youths won three out of the four tour-
naments they've entered, including the Magic Kickoff
Classic in September, the West Pines Kickoff Clas-
sic held in Miami in October, and the Clearwater
Chargers Puma Challenge held at the Sarasota Polo
Grounds in November.
In between, the team finished in second place at
the October Gator Showcase held in Gainesville. There
they dropped a heartbreaking 3-2 decision to a powerful
East Broward team.
The Magic's record in tournaments is now
16-1-1 with 77 goals scored while only giving up
13 goals on defense. The Magic boys, playing a
Division I schedule, have compiled a 5-0-1 record,
which puts them five points ahead of second-place
Largo in the standings. Combined,. their record is
now 21-1-2.
What is the key to the Magic's success? Coach
Doug Goodman quickly points to the team's will-
ingness to work together and their commitment to
his defensive philosophy. "The key statistic is our
two goals against after six regular season games.
A team is going to win a lot of games with a 0.3
goals against average, following the old saying that
championships are won with defense. But it reflects
our full-field 'suffocating. press' where every player
immediately picks up an opponent and presses until
we get the ball back."
A team can't have a strong defense without a
strong keeper and in Gus Pederson, the Magic has
just that. He is ably fronted by speedy defenders
Hunter Barcomb, Thomas Hritz, Brendan O'Connor
and Austin Garraus.
The team is loaded in the midfield as well, led by
central midfielder; Andrew Chlebina and Bakie Good-
man. Chlebina is the defensive stalwart who comes
through with strong tackles that quickly turn into Magic
counter attacks. Goodman is one of the Magic playmak-
ers who often sets up his teammates for scores and,








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Justin O'Connor, Mitchell Howard, Federico Brokate, Stephen Taylor and Luis Rivera pose in front of Conwy
Castle Wales: They went to Manchester, England, in the summer to play in the Umbro International Tourna-


ment and they defeated several highly rated teams.
along with fellow midfielder Fernando Calderon, leads
the team in assists. Other tireless midfielders include
Zach Reda, Mitchell Howard, Federico Brokate and
Stephen Taylor.
Up front, the Magic are strong as well, led by Joey,
who, along with Goodman, leads all goal scorers on the
team. Hutchinson possesses great speed and a lethal left
foot and also serves as one of the team captains along
with Chlebina, Hritz and Goodman. Other forwards
include Luis Rivera and Dylan Maggio, while Justin
O'Connor effectively plays every position on the field
when called upon by Coach Goodman.
With a 3-0 win over Players Club and a 5-0 win over
Braden River last weekend, the Magic have opened up
a comfortable lead in Division I. They have a chance to
be one of the few teams that has won Division II and





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then advanced to the higher division and captured first
place there as well.
Congratulations to Joey and his Magic teammates.

Key Royale golf news
Gloria Doudera's one-over-par 33 was good enough
to capture first place in Flight AA during Key Royale
Club women's golf action on Dec. 12. Cindy Miller,
Bobbi Lindstrom and Penny Williams tied for second
with net scores of 36. Flight A winner was Phyllis Lam,
who fired a two-under-par 30 to finish two shots ahead
of Dorothy McKinna and three shots better than third-
place finisher Pat Townsend.
Markie Ksiazek's 31 placed her atop Flight B, two
shots ahead of second-place finisher Judy Ward, while
Jan Turner's 35 earned her third place. Terry Westby
fired an even-par 32 to win Flight C. Cherrie Kinerk
took second place with a 33, while Dolores Jorgensen
finished a shot back in third place. There was a three-
way tie for first place in Flight D between Marilyn
Hayes, Erma McMullen and Sylvia Price, who all shot
a one-over 33.
Marilyn Hayes and Mary Pat Swamy each had.
chip-ins on hole No. 1, while Marj Petring chipped in
on No. 5. Meredith Slavin birdied No. 6 to round out
PLEASE SEE SPORTS, NEXT PAGE



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TIHE ISLANDER U DEC. 20. 2006 21


Christmas
wish -
comes true
The Bizzy Bees
Daycare in
Holmes Beach .. -
receiveda
one-year .
extension -.
on its lease
recently and i
will not be
closing its S- .
doors on Jan. ..
1, 2007, as .yJl
previously I -
reported. --
Islander
Photo: Rick .
Catlin


Sports
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 20
women's golf news.
The men were rained out on Dec. 18, but did get
in a nine-hole, two-best-balls-of-foursome tournament
on Dec. 11.
Russ Olson, Charlie Knopp, Larry Fowler and
Matt Behan fired an 11-under-par 53 to claim first
place, two shots ahead of the second-place team of
Dan Hayes, Ralph Bassett, Bob Dickinson and Omar
Trolard. The team of Bob Sayles, Bob Lamp, Chuck
Boes and Tom Warda fired a 56, good for third place,
while two teams shot 57 to finish in a tie for fourth.
Al Kaiser, Wade Ladue, Art Hibbs and Tom Steele
shared fourth place with Jim Krumme, Pieter Thom-
assen and the Proxies.

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CARE I~IC Cit.-27


,1


Gulf Coast Senior Games upcoming
Senior athletes can now sign up for the 2007 Gulf
Coast Senior Games, which take place Feb. 19-25 at
a variety of locations in and around Bradenton, The
Senior Games, which is entering it's 18th year of pro-
viding sporting competition in 20 events for "young"
athletes 50 years old and up.
Seniors can choose among archery, basketball
shooting, billiards, bocce, bowling, bridge, cribbage,
cycling, golf, horseshoes, lawn bowling, punt-pass-
kick, racquetball, 5k road race, shuffleboard, swim-
ming, table tennis, Texas hold-em and track and field.
The cost to register is $12 with every entrant receiv-
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Bizzy Bees


staying put for


another year
By Rick Catlin
Islander Reporter
The Bizzy Bees Daycare at 5382 Gulf Drive in
Holmes Beach is staying put, at least for another
year.
Owner Shelagh Riches had been faced with finding
a new location after the owner County Commis-
sioner Joe McClash sent her a notice last year that
her lease would terminate on Dec. 31, 2006.
"Thankfully, the matter has been resolved and
we've extended the lease for another year," said
Shelaygh.
"I'll be looking for another location during the next
12 months, but for now, we're staying here in Holmes
Beach," she added.
Riches thanked all the parents who had supported
her efforts to remain at her current location, where she's
been for the past five years. "The parents have been
wonderful and very supportive and I want to thank them
very much," she said.
Riches has spent her life in the business of caring
for kids.
She owned a day care center in Great Britain for 15
years and received numerous professional certifications
and awards before coming to Holmes Beach five years
ago and buying Bizzy Bees.
At that time, the school was called Dolphins and
the building was owned by Anna Maria resident Shirley
McNulty, who sold the property to McClash several
years ago.


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22 0 DEC. 20, 2006 M THE ISLANDER


Tampa Bay history, plus shopping thoughts


Tampa Bay was created 7 to 10 million years ago
when a limestone crust over the surface of the earth
collapsed and water rushed into the void. However, the
void is pitted with caverns and cracks that have been
described as similar to a deformed colander.
That's the description and history of the waterbody
as offered by University of Florida geologist Albert C.
Hine, who, with other scientists and the benefit of a
grant from the U.S. Geological Survey, did rock bor-
ings and sonar scans to figure out just what happened
to create the big bay.
As described in the St. Petersburg Times, Hines and
associates have decided that "there was a time when
"rocks, limestones at depth, were dissolved. This period
of time lasted several million years. And the overlying
rocks collapsed down into it, creating a shallow depres-
sion. The depression became infilled with sediments
and it's almost completely infilled, but not quite. If it
were completely infilled, it would be land and we could
walk from St. Petersburg to Apollo Beach."
A goodly amount of that sedimentation is fine
quartz, what we call our sugar-fine sand. Hines has
offered a description of that sand source, too.
He said that "300 million years ago, in the Paleo-
zoic, during the assembly of the supercontinent [called
Gondwana, which included Antarctica, South America,
Africa, Madagascar, Australia-New Guinea, and New
Zealand, as well as Arabia and the Indian subcontinent,
which are in the Northern Hemisphere], the Appala-
chian Mountains were formed as a result of collision
with northwest Africa. And so the Appalachians at one
time were Himalayan in size. The mountains yielded
quartz-rich sediments which were transported away
from the mountains and built the coastal plan, and
those quartz sediments made their way by rivers and
longshore transport down, shorelines all the way down
on top of the Florida platform.
"Florida, you can visualize it as a limestone cake,
a thick limestone cake with a thin quartz sand frosting
on top. And the limestone dissolves and creates sink-
holes.
"Actually all of Florida ... except for the Florida
Keys it's the remnants of the early Appalachian
Mountains," Hines said.
Welcome, y'all.


Diamant's Kafka book

expands into French
Sometime Islander Kathi Diamant's book on
the girlfriend of tormented German-Jewish intel-.
lectual Franz Kafka is newly. translated into French,
and the author is inParis to introduce it.
She is the daughter of Peggy and Bill Diamant
of Anna Maria and is a university professor in San
Diego, but returns to the Island often enough to call
it an off-and-on home, said her father.
The book is "Kafka's Last Love, the Mystery of
Dora Diamant'" In addition to the original Ameri-
can edition, there is an American paperback edition,
a British hardco er and paperback. a Spanish edi-
tion and now the French issue. A Chinese edition
is scheduled for mid-2007, her father said.


Critter tale: happy...


It took the tallest man in the world to save two
dolphins in China last week.
According to the Associated Press, two captive
dolphins had somehow swallowed some plastic, which
had blocked their stomachs and endangered their lives.
Biologists tried to snag the material out with some kind
of a tube contraption, but the stomach muscles tight-
ened and they couldn't snake the little hooks down to
reach the foreign matter.
So the services of Bao Xishun, a 7-foot-9-inch herds-
man from Inner Mongolia with 41.7-inch-long arms,
and confirmed last year by the Guinness Book of World
Records as the world's tallest living man, were requested
in a low-tech approach to help the marine mammals.
He sort of cut right to the chase. Veterinarians
opened the dolphin jaws, and Bao reached his long,
long arm down the throat of each dolphin and fished
out the plastic. The "operation" was a success.
I wonder if Bao could only come by my place and
replace a couple lightbulbs in my ceiling?

Critter tale: sad
A manatee that traveled more than 700 miles up
the Mississippi River has been found dead just south
of Memphis, Tenn.
The wayward sea cow had made the trek last

summer. Biologists were afraid harm would come to
the critter, and attempted in October to net it to trans-
port it back to warmer water, but were unsuccessful.
Manatees don't handle water temperatures when
it drops into the 60s. Exact cause of death is not yet
known, but hypothermia seems a good bet.
No word on the fate of the other manatee that made
it as far as Cape Cod last summer.

Critter tale: under review
The lowly but tasty blue crab is the current focus
of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commis-
sion's Fish and Wildlife Research Institute.
Officials at the St. Petersburg-based center are
conducting a "health- assessment to determine levels
of parasites, disease and toxins in blue crabs in Tampa
Ba\," according to the agency.
The study was prompted by. blue crabbers, who had
noticed high blue crab mortality rates in recent years
and wondered why.
"Blue crab health conditions and toxin concentra-
tions will be monitored throughout the year to observe
seasonal changes in parasites, diseases and toxicity
in relation to water temperature, salinity, dissolved
oxygen. pH and the spreading of harmful algal bloom


__I


Sandscript factoid
Have a happy and safe holiday season.


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or red tide distribution," according to biologists. "A
result of this health study will be to develop a standard-
ized protocol for reporting blue crab health conditions
that will later be used by FWRI monitoring groups
throughout Florida."
The results of the study will be published in 2007.
However, there are some preliminary findings that may
be of interest to crabbers.
"Preliminary data indicates that the presence of
some parasites can be observed in blue crabs in the
wild," the agency said. "For example, a crab with pink
coloring on the underside of its shell may be infected
with the parasite Hematodinium sp. While this parasite
is not harmful to humans, the infected crab meat has a
bitter taste (leading to the name of the condition, "bitter
crab") and is generally inedible."

Last-minute shopping thoughts
There seems to be some sort of journalism rule that
calls for the publishing this time. of year of a shopping
list for last-minute procrastinators. Since I'm something
of a reader and book, here's some of my suggestions.
They should all be available at your local bookseller.
And I'm pretty much sticking to Florida authors. The
Sunshine State'has suddenly become something of a mecca
for mystery writers, and most are very, very good.
Top of my hit parade is, of course, my buddy Terry
Griffin's new book, "Murder Key." It takes place almost
entirely on Longboat Key, and is filled with all sorts of
bodies and intrigue and plot twists.
Also just out is Claire Maturo's newest, "Bone
Valley." It's a Sarasota-based story of attorney Lilly
Cleary and her dealings with eco-freaks.
And don't forget Tom Corcoran. He's got about five
books out now, and although they take place mostly in
the Florida Keys, his ties to our part of the state are strong
- his sister lives in Lakeland and he's no stranger to
Southwest Florida. "Air Dance Iguana" is his newest.
Although not quite in the mainstream, Sarasota-
author Blaize Clement has done a superb job in her Siesta
Key-based mystery, "Curiosity Killed the Cat Sitter." It's
one of those books that has been given an unfortunate
dust jacket, which turned me off for a while until I got
into what is a hard-boiled novel and a wonder first book,
and her second in the series is due out early next year.
Don't forget that Carl Hiaasen has a new novel out,
too. "Nature Girl" is a Ten Thousand Islands/Everglades
mystery that allows his usual and wonderful rant about
how development and growth is spoiling this special
place we call home.
Manatee County resident Ward Larsen has writ-
ten a superb first novel, "The Perfect Assassin," which
has the almost unprecedented repute of first Ieing pub-
lished as a print-on-demand volume, then picked up by
a major publisher. It' a good spy thriller with lots of
sailing thrown into th mix.
And, pf course, dIn't forget Tim Dorsey, Randy
Wayne White. James porn. Bob Morris, JeffLindsay,
Jim Swain and all the rest of the "usual suspects" in
Florida mystery circles.
Enjoy!






THE ISLANDER U DEC. 20, 200(0 N 23

Whiting thick near beaches, but grouper, snapper best bets offshore


By Capt. Mike Heistand
It's best offshore right now for fishing, as grou-
per and snapper catches are excellent in water depths
around 100 feet in the Gulf of Mexico.
Backwater fishing is spotty. There are reports of
redfish, flounder and pompano, plus lots of sheepshead.
Catch-and-release trout and snook are also a good way
to spend the day on the water, and whiting are thick near
the beaches off the Island.
At Corky's Bait & Tackle on Cortez Road, Vin and
Brian reported catching lots of redfish, trout, grouper,
flounder, sheepshead and pompano. Sylvester reported
catching trout and redfish one after the other, and he
also caught black drum, flounder, sheepshead and pom-
pano. In the local canals, lots of fishermen are reporting
catching snook, grouper, redfish, sheepshead and trout.
As the weather kept getting better as the week passed,
so did the fishing. Live shrimp and pinfish seem to be
the best bait to catch all kinds of fish.
Bill Lowman at Island Discount Tackle at Catchers
Marina in Holmes Beach said offshore fishing is excel-
lent for grouper and snapper in upwards of 100 feet of
water in the Gulf. Inshore fishing is a bit slow, Bill said,
with a few whiting being caught off the beaches, sheeps-
head by the bridges and piers and a few redfish coming
out of the canals and near the docks around the Island.
Capt. Sam Kimball at Annie's Bait and Tackle
in Cortez said his offshore trips are producing lots of
grouper, snapper, banded rudderfish, Key West grunts
and a few porgies and bonito. Capt. Marco said he's
getting his backwater charters into lots of catch-and
release trout and snook, plus sheepshead.
At the Rod & Reel Pier, reports include a few
sheepshead caught on fiddler crabs, plus a few small
flounder.
Jesus Rosario at the Anna Maria City Pier said
anglers there were reeling in bonito, pompano and a
few sheepshead. There are also a lot of mullet running
past the pier.
Dave Johnson at Snead Island Crab House said
shrimp are huge right now in his tanks, and fishers are
taking advantage of their size to catch some big drum,
redfish, sheepshead and catch-and-release snook from
the Manatee River.
At Skyway Bait and Tackle, reports include a few
mackerel hookups, some sheepshead, lots of small red-
fih near the docks in Terra Ceia Bay and mangrove
snapper near the ship channels in Tampa Bay.
Capt. Zach Zacharias on the Dee-Jay II out of
Parrot Cove Marina said he took Alan Burdick and
his nephew Kenny from Bradenton out last week and
brought back a mixed bag of redfish,'sheepshead and
mangro\ e snapper. "The trout topped out at 18 inches
and were dutifully released," he said, "and the redfish
ran the size gamut from 16-inchers to a 28-inch beauty.
Our recent weather pattern has not been conducive to
really great fishing action. Either really cold or unsea-
sonably warm periods have the water temperature on
a roller coaster and it is difficult to nail down a solid
feeding pattern. A prolonged spell of colder weather at


-.


this juncture would go a long way to improve angling
action right now and make the spring fishing more pre-
dictable." Capt. Zach added that most of the fish he's
catching are coming out of deep water near seawalls
or docks, with shrimp working the best as live bait, but
artificial are producing some action as well.


Mullet run
Fishers
converged on
-_ Bimini Bay
last week
as mullet
thronged the
waterway.
10 aThe tradi-
tional run of
mullet lasts
from Thanks-
giving to the
end of the
Go year. Islander
Photo:
Courtesy R.N.
Danziger


On my boat Magic, we caught all the whiting
anyone could want, plus lots of keeper-size sheeps-
head and a few biggies. Keeper-size reds were also a
mainstay, as were some mangrove snapper to 14 inches
and lots of black drum to 24 inches in length.
Good luck and good fishing.


Cortez funding request goes to county


By Jim Hanson
Islander Reporter
A large step toward dressing up the old Cortez
school in its final plumage is in the hands of the Mana-
tee County Commission for action this week.
It is a request for $160,000 to complete landscaping,
a parking lot, trails into the adjoining FISH Preserve,
pads for the historic Pillsbury Boat Works building, and
security for the grounds.
That will go a long way toward completing the
project that began six years ago when Manatee County
and the state bought the 1912-built building from the
estate of the late artist Robert Sailors.
Renovation has progressed step by slow step until
it now is restored from the ground up and ready to
become the Florida Maritime Museum. The financial
support came from the county, the state and grants from
several sources, including the Selby Foundation.
The historic Burton Store is on the grounds now,
and the Pillsbury building will be moved from Snead
Island when its pad is completed.
That is a part of the funding being sought from the
county, said Roger Allen, Cortez historic sites manager
in charge of the school's renovation and the maritime
museum.
"What we're doing is asking for money to complete
implementation of the original site plan," he said. "We
got part of the money, for the engineering part, and now
we need to get on with the rest of it."
Commissioners put it on their agenda for consid-


DOCKS-N-DECKS
Specializing in docks and decks

Maintenance Painting
Cleaning Repair



(941) 779-1839 docksndecks@verizon.net
Licensed and insured


eration Tuesday afternoon, and Allen and the Florida
Institute for Saltwater Heritage, sponsor of this proj-
ect and most of the rest of keeping the historic village
-going, were to testify and explain the entire situation
to the commission.



Power Squadron schedules
-two 'Boat Smart' classes
Two "Boat Smart" classes are scheduled in
January by the Anna Maria Island Power Squad-
ron, the boating organization has announced.
One is from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday evenings, Jan.
9, 16, 23 and 30, and the other is from 8:30 a.m. to
1:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 6 and 13. Cost is $25.
Three separate free seminars are planned from
7 to 9 p.m. on consecutive Mondays, on GPS Jan.
8, Chart Smart Jan, 15, and Knots Jan. 22.
The Boat Smart course "provides an overview
of various aspects of boating safety, state boating
laws, weather, types of boats, rules of the road,
boat handling and distress signals," said the power
squadron.
All classes will be at the squadron's building
at 1200 71st St. N.W., Bradenton. Boaters may
register and obtain further information by calling
714-0449.



INSHORE SPORTFISHING CHARTER BOAT


OIleat A





Captain Steven Salgado
Owner/Operator
Lifetime experience in local waters


Full & Half Day Trips
Custom Trips Available
U.S.C.G. Licensed
Custom-built Privateer
Fishing License, Ice, Bait &
Tackle Furnished
Anna Maria Island
Florida.
778-9712


FISH TALES
WELCOME
We'd love to hear your
fish stories, and pictures
Share welcome, too.
Just give usa call at
778-7978 or stop by our
office in the Island Shop-
ping Center, Holmes Beach.

THe Islander


o o io Z s -.

41Moon Dare AM HIGH AM LOW PM HIGH PM LOW

11 Dec 221 -- n~1 I, Ii 2
De~c I)2:' 424Al 44 3 i5 I

Dec 26 : 5 i 1114 11 1 it.] ( ii 5'6 I
Fy ,Dec -t 4' 1 -t "1411.1 1)4 I -


CHARTER BOAT JAN MARIE
Ia I fINI e"r i i n'ft=A-m,= ,in,


I~
~


''







24 M DEC. 20, 2006 0 THE ISLANDER

ISLA-N.9 -R C A SSIFIE


SOFA, LOVESEAT, CHAIR, two lamps and picture, all
matching. Excellent condition. All for $400. 941-795-0601.
GAS GENERATOR: NEVER used, still in box. McCullough
5,700 watts. $400. Call 941-778-7770, 941-518-7760 or
941-779-9082.


ROSERTHRIFT SHOP: Open 9:30am-2pm Tuesdays, Thurs-
days, 9am-noon Saturdays. Christmas decorations, half-price
clothing. 941-779-2733.511 Pine Ave., Anna Maria.
YARD SALE: 9am-noon Friday, Dec. 22. Furniture,
sewing machine, grill, futon, full bed, misc. 112 52nd
St., Holmes Beach.


NIKI'S ISLAND TREASURES wishes a Merry Christmas
and Happy New Year to our customers and friends and
prayers for our brave military in Iraq. Stop in for our Xmas
bargains, gifts, Xmas shirts, dolls, jewelry 50-75 percent
off. All sterling jewelry 50-75 percent off. Open seven
days, closed Xmas. 941-779-0729. 5351 Gulf Drive,
Holmes Beach.
LOST: BLACK AND white cat. Name is Zeus, he is 5 years
old. Please call 941-778-1746. Last seen on Guava Street
between 58th Street and Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach.
MISSING DOG! OLD black Labrador wandered away
from yard at 509 Pine Ave., Anna Maria. His name is
Heck, wearing a blue and orange "Life is-Good" collar,
very deaf, nearly blind and senile. Please call Adele at
941-587-6328.


SEARCH OPEN HOUSES ONLINE
SWith our all new Online Open House Search, you can
search by area, price range, property type or number of
bedrooms and baths. Then you can map out the open
houses to plan your Sunday cpet.. 1.n u e tour.
WWW.MICHAELSAUNDERS.COM
A Complete List Of Open Houses Is Also Available At Your
Bradenton Michael Saunders & Company Sales Office.


EXOUISITECUSTOMCONTEMPORARYr.:,, V RIVIERA DUNES n- ,.i ;,- iri,'r ir r,,:,ri.i,
|ilr, -ir h ..-l o, ,"f4 in 0F Pi, j,1 1 ..t 'y f, I i [ ,: ir ,ji ). I_15) r ,iwi
l '-,f' : l-n ,Q C,.i1ii-ij .) : 3i-ii l :,,1-1 L 1 i 111 i-1 ,,, j l-u l l i '. 'l, ,i rilj i':.
[i, l i-:,iir-i ij i,-:iL."rhiTIuIj'.T i l 1 '.) II)I) "cc,: r in _, .l i .,I, [E ,'j,4 :1 i PA i'i l-T r [, '. lli
-j 'i- '-)- | ir,, F1.. ,-l.o 7 A 7 l 1).l 1:11, ,-, ,, ,-:li ,il I 'Ic.l''1)I)I Tr,," 1.Ie ir i

M A N A T E E R I V E R F R O N T F r ,o n i v I r ; i:,t ,: l j ,i _i .*; l ,; r ,r.- 1 .7 r [ I,:,,: | "
1,11 : ,' Il l. ,-j.: r, ,inr. iiir~..h-, .,,l jr,: .arfl : J T,,T, ,i I. r,,: r ,i; I 1 ) r, '.I ,-ii"r,
748-6300 or 685-6767. 542961
IMMACULATE CUSTOM BUILT WATERFRONT HOME. Recently remodeled with coral.
stone gas fireplace. New windows, boat lift, pavers & screened lanai. Minutes to
Gulf/Bay by boat. $949,900. 748-6300. Kathy Marcinko, 713-1100 or Sandy Drapala,
725-0781. 519732
LOCATION, LOCATION. ISLAND RETREAT. 3/4 BR furnished .home 1 block to gulf
beaches.fenced yard, room forapool. Two spacious balconies, enjoy breezes w/partial
bay views. $729,000. Jody Shinn, 748-6300 or 705-5704. 543606
4BR HOME on corner lot in Palma Sola Bay area. Beautifully remodeled w/custom
li.'rnr. ,,iiJ ut i ',,rjt L';,:l i ,] .) -i ',hu ,i ,-,riJ fni, pl l 'i, ,:,i i,'' r,,-'i.l, r h- ,ir i -d I:,,ii|,
'o ri,, p t f,,,': }(.'c .' ')0 7ll -, '.'.)lU, l,- r.: i.) l) r ,.y .-t. t.'. t.J i, '.
START LIVING THE FLORIDA LIFESTYLE n r: hi ii ,:, : ? r,:,,,, .,- : n ,l.
J',i dra -: .:. 1,h : i u ll I'I.i I .i ll,"., :i i -r I i.lj-ii i i i -r i ,- i .i .1 M,.) :iT-lAn W jrr ,iily
15r0 ...l.,,] '[r.-';, I'ill) lHi75 i, : : "fi,', u i '.:,:, -('0H..:. ,) .1I 7lJ _'").l s u, "' "
DELIGHTFUL ISLANDI COTTAGE i' .I,:, lr -: i. i, i: ,', 'i il, .: ,:,:. un-t
i re:. Tr. i h,-,. ini, or. ... -. no;i m-i, ':: T. in i ur .i:r:i n: ivale .in ,rl rily
,]-',.r,] Ann, ., 3 '.- ':.(1 1: P gg ,il ,.aJ'ro1,. J r6.:'.in ,: r 'i-. 1'r Vi;' 6: 42
FABULOUS GULF OF MEXICO VIEWS. Spacious 2 BR, 1331 SF,turnkey condo. Beach
. access. PrivateheatedpoolandpanoramicBaymandGulfviewsfromprivateobservation
sun deck. $549,900. Leah Secondo, 748-6300 or 545-4430. 537725
SUNRISE TO SUNSET views overlooking Regatta Pt. Marina & across river to down-
town Bradenton off huge balcony. Totally renovated, w/hardwdood floors, Corian
counters, hurricane-shutters & more. No bridges to Bay & Gulf. $549;900. Cindy
P.eiro 9_'q 0.".Si8 541785 .
4400MANTEE VENE WST eBRAENTN, F 3409 941748630


KARATE ON THE Island: Ages four through adult. Call
941-807-1734 or visitwww.islanddojo.cmasdirect.com.

BAYSIDE BANQUET HALL Affordable waterfront patio and
tiki bar available for events. Bring your own food, drinks
and grill. 941-798-2035. www.baysidebanquethall.com.
RITUAL LEADER: BUDDHIST foundation. Position avail-
able to lead prayer, blessings and rituals. 941-779-9074.
NIKI'S ISLAND TREASURES wishes a Merry Christmas and
Happy New Year to our customers and friends and prayers
for our brave military in Iraq. Stop in for our Xmas bargains,
gifts, Xmas shirts, dolls, jewelry 50-75 percent off. All sterling
jewelry 50-75 percent off. Open seven days, closed Xmas.
941-779-0729.5351 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach.


AKC MALE AND female English Bulldog puppies avail-
able. These puppies are AKC-registered with champion
bloodlines and will come with a pedigree, microchip,
vet check with health certificate, a one-year guarantee
against congenital defects, and all shots and wormer. The
puppies available now are $500 each. For more informa-
tion please contact: evanswalter_110@yahoo.com.
FOSTER PARENTS NEEDED for loving homes to foster
puppies and kittens until they are old enough for adoption.
All food and medical provided. Julie, 941-720-1411.
ADULT CATS in desperate need of loving homes. All are
current on vaccines. All applicants screened. Please, call
941-922-0774.


BEAUTIFUL TORTUGA INN 2BR unit has GORGEOUS 2BR HOME IN, TARA
a full kitchen and furniture. Garden view PRESERVE. Turnkey home offers' 2, car
and steps to the private beach, pools, bay, garage, living/dining room, den and main-
and j....: FiF ;h.i: rir,-idl ,:,,, :i.- r i,.. ih:,nance free yard. Plenty of-time to enjoy
rn..-..r I i .i1.11: ir.,! pool,-tennis and golf. $374,900.
Homeowners and \ Bi
investors take ill J ay
advantage while rates .il r
are still lower. 941-315-0908
New loans or j i/ i -n I i


refinance and improve
cash flows.


Horizon
SRealty


FOR SALE OR RENT TROPICAL BAYFRONT HIDEAWAY
Magnilicent 3BR/3BA secluded retreat on Anna Mar ia
Sound. Dock with 10,000 Ib boat lilt, 20<15 heated pool,
split bedroom design, oak doors, French doors, oversized
1-4413.4 ft master bath wJacuzzi and double headed
shower. Domed kitchen ceiling w/ breakfast bar and maple
cabinets. Enjoy spectacular sunrises and breezes from
bavside lanaiand sundeck. Much, much more! $1.398,500
or $19.500 bi-annually rental.


FL9214JP: If this is yours, call 941-778-4232. White,
eight-foot homemade boat. Bring title for claim.


NOW HIRING'ALL positions. Rotten hours, rotten pay.
Apply at Rotten Ralph's Waterfront Restaurant, 902 S.
Bay Blvd., Anna Maria, or call 941-778-3953.
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT: LONGBOAT Key church.
Part-time hourly, three days a week, 15 hours total.
Requires professional phone etiquette, key entry, com-
puter proficiency (Excel, Word, etc.), Competent oral, writ-
ten and interpersonal communication skills. Send resume
to PO. Box 10185, Longboat Key FL 34228.
HOUSEKEEPER, NONSMOKER: 10-15 hours in off-
season, 20-30 hours in season. Apply at Haley's Motel,
8102 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, or call 941-778-5405.
BOOKKEEPER NEE DED FOR west Bradenton CPA firm.
Experienced, top pay. Fax resume to 941-778-6230.
NURSES: PRIVATE DUTY. Long-term home care assist-
ing quadriplegic. Morning, 8am-1pm and overnight, 10pm-
8am, shifts available. Travel opportunity. 941-383-6953.
PART-TIME HOUSEKEEPER for local area motel. Flex-
ible hours. 941-778-2780.
HOUSEKEEPERS NEEDED: PART-time and full-time.
Must have own transportation. Great per job rate. Call
Rhonda, 941-920-3882 after 5pm.
SELL it fast with an ad in The Islander.


Cindy M. Jones

S G CRS, Sales Associate



,.Re al Est 't. [ nc

f779-0304
773-9770 .
310 Pine Avpnue a Anna M.rifa,

y Prudential Palms Realty
Michelle Musto, PA Reoalor
941-809-3714
www.michellemusto.(om

6301 Holmes Blvd., Holmes Beach:
S3BR/2.5BA, built 2005, 1,895 sf,
Hardwood floors, pool. Short stroll
GO J"Bo"s t -- | t to beach! S749,000


Altirdable ground level28R 3BA canal homE .n We:I Biadriun large updated 3BR '2BA condo
a quiet and desirable Anna Maria neighborhood in a super location near the beaches boosts new-
close to the bay. Very open and appealing floor tile in the living, dining, kitchen,& den areas.
plan with an updated kitchen, newer AC and Freshly painted w/new carpeting in the master
roof, and a Taylor-Mode 6,000 lb. boat lift and suite, 2nd bedroom & screened porch. Overlooks
dock. Offered at $649,000. Call Goyle Schulz, the new pool. Ready to move in. Offered at.
(941) 812-6489. $160,000. Call Gayle Schulz, (941) 812-6489.
AVAILABLE VACATION RENTALS IN HOLMES BEACH
2BR/2BA Gulffront condo with pool. $3,000/month.
2BR/2BA home close to the beach. S2,900/month.
2BR/2BA Gulffront condo with pool at the Martinique. $3,000/month.


EARLY CLASSIFIED DEADLINE:


NOON FRIDAY DEC 22

- for ads that will appear in the Dec. 27 edition of THe Islander

Our office will be closed Dec. 23-25 in observance of Christmas.
We wish y'all a very merry and safe holiday.







THE ISLANDER N DEC. 20, 2006 25


TOP ADVERTISING sales position open at The Islander
newspaper. Great territory, commissions. Previous out-
side sales helpful. If you possess a willingness for strong
community involvement, positive outlook and drive to
succeed, fax or e-mail a letter and/or resume to 941-
778-9392, sales@ islander.org.



BEACHFRONT RESTAURANT BUSINESS, $299,000.
Buy building alone for $1,600,000or buy both for
$1,690,000. Confidentiality agreement required. Longview
Realty, 941-383-6112. For more great business and realty
buys: www.longviewrealty.com.

CHECK US OUT AT www.islander.org I



Mike

Norman

Realty INC
3101 Gulf Drive,
Holmes Beach, FL 34217
(941) 778-6696 Office
Vic Caserta (941) 778-4364 Fax
Realtor, fluent in 1-800-367-1617 Toll-Free
Italian, Spanish and English (941) 778-6943 Home
(941) 730-1062 Cell_.


ANNA MARIA




REAL ESTATE LLC
ANNA MARIA CONTEMPORARY
4BR/2BA open plan, vaulted ceiling, elevator, four-car garage.
Bamboo flooring, turnkey furnished. Near beach. $1,350,000.
BAY PALMS WATERFRONT HOME.
3BR/2BA canalfront. Private dock. Direct access to Tampa Bay
and Intracoastal Waterway. $619,000.
OLD FLORIDA ANNA MARIA NEAR BEACH,
3BR/1.5BA Cracker cottage plus separate studio apartment.
West of Gulf Dr. Just steps to finest beach! $875,000.
PLAYA ENCANTADA TOWNHOUSE
2BR/2.5BA turnkey furnished with direct view of Gulf. New
kitchen; tile, heated pool, tennis, garage. $899,900.
HOLMES BEACH POOL HOME
2BR/2BA open plan. Vaulted ceiling, wet bar, deck, large lot,
fenced yard, pool and hot tub. $559,000.
RIVERVIEW BOULEVARD PRIZE
2 or 3BR/2BA Cape Cod with charm and warmth, fabulous
trees, terraced patios and more. $529,900.
WATERFRONT PARADISE
3BR/2.5BA with fabulous, direct Sarasota bay views. Nature
lovers look only if you plan to buy. $1,124,900.
WESTBAY POINT & MOORINGS CONDO
2BR/2BA turnkey furnished, tennis, heated pool, water view, near
shopping, library and restaurants. $389,000.
FLAMINGO CAYWATERFRONT POOL HOME
3BR/2BA plus den, heated pool, new roof and landscaping,
dock and boatlift, direct access to Intracoastal. $859,000.
HOLMES BEACH WATERFRONT
3BR/2BA home. Tile, pavers, fence, room for pool, new dock,
direct access to Tampa Bay. $759,900.
GULF PLACE CONDOS
3BR/2BA turnkey furnished, tennis, heated pool, beautiful
beach, on-site management, excellent rental. From $969,900.
KEY ROYALE WATERFRONT POOL HOME
3BR/4BA plus den/office. Outstanding contemporary home. Vaulted
ceiling, fireplace, 55-foot dockage. Four-car garage. $1,695,000.
SHOREWALK CONDOS 2BR/2BA turnkey from $175,000.
TRADEWINDS RESORT VILLA- 1BR/1BA, Pool. $329,900.
KEYROYALE BAYFRONT 3BR/2.5BA, Dock. $2,400,000.
WILDEWOOD SPRINGS CONDO 2BR/2BA, Patio, $349,900.
SUN PLAZAWEST CONDOS 2BR/2BA. From $675,000.
PERIWINKLE COTTAGE 2BR, Close to Beach. $649.900.
RUNAWAY BAY CONDO 1BR/1BA Water view. $349,000.-
SEASIDE BEACH HOUSE CONDO Direct Gulf view. $799,900.
WATERS EDGE CONDO 2BR/2BA Direct Gulfront. $959,900.

ANNUAL and SEASONAL
RENTALS
779-0202 (800) 732-6434
ANNA MARIA

.MLSS1 a
REAL ESTATE LLC
Island Shopping Center 5402 Marina Drive
Holmes Beach, Florida 34217 www.suncoastinc.com


PAW SPA: PROFITABLE pet-grooming business. Loyal
customer base in great Holmes Beach location. $59,000.
Longview Realty, 941-383-6112.

MEALS AND MORE: 50-seat restaurant with great ambi-
ence also retails select items. Beer and wine license. Any
menu OK. $120,000. Confidentiality agreement required
for details. Longview Realty, 941-383-6112. For more great
business and realty buys: www.longviewrealty.com.

GIFTS/DECOR FOR patio, home and garden. Enchant-
ing shop, fun items in good resort area location. $99,000.
Confidentiality agreement required for details. Longview
Realty, 941-383-6112. For more great business and realty
buys: www.longviewrealty.com.

FIND IT! BUY IT! SELL IT FAST! In The Islander.


CHARTER BOAT SERVICE: Eco-tours, sightseeing, more
in Cortez. Assets include 26-foot cat, 150-hp outboard.
$70,000. Longview Realty, 941-383-6112. For more great
business and realty buys: www.longviewrealty.com.



KIDS FOR HIRE ads are FREE for Island youths under 16
looking for work. Ads must be placed in person at The Islander
newspaper office, 5404 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach.



MAN WITH SHOVEL: Plantings, natives, patio gardens,
trimming, cleanup, edging, maintenance. Hard-work-
ing and responsible. Excellent references. Edward 941-
778-3222.


1207 N. GULF DR. #300 Darling, turnkey furnished top floor 2BR/2BA with den, offers spectacular views
in prime rental location. $879.000.


41 Il ~N~ I~~, ~I i'Bea.u(IfuI homji.

L~ike Minr.EE$899.000


PALM AIRE COUNTRY CLUB 5523
COUNTRY LAKES TRAIL Palm Aire. Totally
remodeled 4BR.Close to Bradenton and Sarasota.
Pool overlooks private backyard. $479,000


BRADEFO N 1o.190'E L T.NTE ROAD)
,,4 EPICUREANS TAKE NOTE, Ol1-i, r
vire,arrdi iunquE honi c, 20 icre ; V.h rn[uria
ernpes ,r~d spring-fcd Eream $1.374.000


i 3 5tTH ST Ho~lmes Be 3ch W~tc.rror.:. fulIl
a ..iv .iha:[.:,rrn dc,.-k r,d lift F-,r~ure:
qU31C EFlorida COfLL32eVIh clh ,rlirig sue ILp
aboE j..irge $989.000


THE DESOTO GRANDE 200 S GULF DRIVE
MORE SAND...LESS DOLLARS! Imagine owning a
private, luxury beachfront home for a fraction
of the cost. Fractional ownership opportunity.
Starting at $195,000 for one fraction.


2716 PALMA SOLA Exquisite full bay views
from every room of this 5,000 sq. ft, custom on
over half an acre. Features 5BR,4 car garage, library,
great room, pool and multilevel terrace. Lots of
space for family and entertaining. $2,999,900


x^ r"ZI~ c~P~I I


1 t:'4 I / 3U0 -6494I4 www.skysothebys.com
Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated.


SIC -- -.____ ___


I --





26 0 DEC. 20. 2006 N THE ISLANDER

L- A 4


LET US DRIVE YOU! Shopping, medical appointments,
airports, cruise ports. Flat rates. Sunshine Car Service.
Serving the Islands. 941-778-5476.
COMPUTER OBEDIENCE TRAINING. Is your computer
misbehaving? Certified computer service and private les-
sons. Special $40/hour. Free advice. 941-545-7508.

ISLAND PRESSURE CLEANING for great results, wash
away mildew, dirt, salt. Thorough, reasonable, reliable.
Free estimates, licensed, insured. 941-778-0944.

CONNECT-ICON Your local computer specialist. Experi-
enced certified technician for communication electronics
offers wireless and cable networks, upgrades, maintenance,
repairs, tutoring and training. Call Robert, 941-778-3620.

ROOFING REPAIRS and replacements. Remodeling,
repairs, additions, screen rooms, kitchens, baths. Free esti-
mates. License #CGC061519, #CCC057977, #PE0020374.
Insured. Accepting MasterCard/Visa. 941-720-0794.

PROFESSIONAL I.T. SERVICES: Complete computer
solutions for business and home. Installation, repairs,
upgrades, networking, Web services, wireless services.
Richard Ardabell, network engineer, 941-778-5708, or
-cell 216-509-1945.

CUCCIO TILE: Many Island references. Free estimates.
Licensed and insured. 941-730-2137.


One of the biggest names
in mortgages is right in
your own backyard.
W V _u~~hen :i I _(... ...s h u ,
ofprioducr; o:fecred b,, oi ,t [he |
nit;,n;'n top morr.a.q e !icr'd r. "''
P'lu [h k! o'. Icdcc o, loirn
.-1fficr hl,t Ron Hayes h-
1 1, l, 1.r r, h ni d i Ic D ,d a
S [ ur l un,

Ron.:.. -.ec I,,.ur mr .: .r a r
ned- Fi..e. i ",:- idiu r ib!,: 1 ,Hri: lun',-o ,, i rinr .r B

19411 61-9808 124- hours or 18001 559-8025.

j CHASE




Tom Nelson 6
941.778.6066
,.; I S LA N D 6101 Marina Drive. .
.", R ..i T.i. r Holmes Beach

All of Tom's Properties Include
One-Year Home Warranty!
CONDOS
VILLAGE GREEN 6522 I 1I Ave.W.- Large 2/2,
two-car garage, greenbelt... $229,900
PERICO BAY CLUB Lease/Option to buy, 2/2
water view furnishedl........$325.000
PERICO ISLAND 2/2, garage, water view, large
deck and lanai................$365,000
NAUTILUS, #218 poolside, 2/2, updated, great
rental and great Beach.........$669,000
TIFFANY PLACE, #117 Direct Gulffront, 2/2,
updated, gorgeous views.......$969,000
SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES
6925 HOLMES BLVD. -Attached villa, 2/1.5, fur-
nished and garage.........$389,000
502 BAYVIEW DR. 3/2, canalfront, large lot, newer
roof and A/C............$679,000 .
729 EMERALD LANE 2/2/ canalfront, pool, dock,
tropical landscaping......$729,000
524 BAYVIEW PL.- 2/2, canalfront, cocktail pool,
tropical setting. dock...$779,000
609 EMERALD LANE 3/2, dock, caged pool,-all
tiled rooms, two-car garage...$799,000
LOTS
159 CRESCENT DR. 50' x 119', zoned R I ,house
plans, steps to beach......$419,000
208 72ND ST. 59' x 105, build your dream home,
close to beach............ $539,000
414 PINE AVE. 52' x 10', waterfront, dock, close to
everything...... ...$695,000


HANDYMAN SERVICES: PAINTING caulking, interior
carpentry, custom mirror and other interior/exterior gen-
eral household repairs. Offering quality services since
1994. Reliable. Call Colin at 941-376-0541.

AAA CONFIDENCE CLEANING. Housecleaning, office
cleaning and window cleaning. Good references, reason-
able rates. Licensed and insured. Family owned and oper-
ated. 941-812-0499.

TUTOR: READING SPECIALIST-Learning Consultant.
30 years experience. Certifications: B.A. in elementary
education, M.A. in reading specialization, M.A. in learning
disabilities, Ed.D in education. Diagnostic, remedial. Call
941-778-0349, 4-6pm.
GUARANTEED A-1 PAINTING service. Island reference.
Licensed. Call Nick, 941-727-1448.
LEWIS MOBILE CAR wash service at your home, office,
anywhere inside or outside. Wash, vacuuming, detailing.
Henry Lewis. Cell (941) 465-6963.
FOR A SUPERIOR auto wash and affordable prices, call
941-720-6130.
EDWIN'S MOBILE DETAILS: We come to you! For a supe-
rior auto wash and affordable prices, call 941-720-6130.
MUSIC LESSONS! Flute, saxophone, clarinet. Beginning
to advanced. Contact Koko Ray, 941-758-0395.
BEACH SERVICE air conditioning, heat, refrigeration.
Commercial and residential service, repair and/or replace-
ment. Serving Manatee County and the Island since 1987.
For dependable, honest and personalized service, call
William Eller, 941-795-7411. CAC184228.
ANYONE CAN TAKE a picture. A professional creates a
portrait. I want to be at your wedding! www.jackelka.com.
941-778-2711.
NADIA'S EUROSAGE Relaxing, healing massage in the
comfort of your home. Call today for an appointment, 941-
795-0887. MA#0017550,.

KINGSFIELD LAKES 4BR/2BA three-car garage. $340,000.
SABAL HARBOUR 4BR/2BA three-car garage. $384,500.
VILLAGER APARTMENTS 2BR/2BA with carport. $125,900.
MARINERS COVE 3BR/2BA with 35-foot slip. $760,000.
ISLAND BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY! $82,900.
SOLD! 531 Harbor Point Road, Longboat Key. $1,595,000.,
Call Laura McGeary
1 941-704-3708
MLS Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate, Inc


FOR SALE BY OWNER







ACROSS FROM BEACH on Gulf Drive in
Bradenton Beach. Three-unit commercial block
building. 12 parking spaces. Stunning perma-
nent Gulf views possible from a second or third
floor. 716-983-5648 or 941-866-0242.


Fveryarte, tta t.A. I, lj d' Ptal-& ea WelY
411 P'wiAve.'tu&, AnMa-ricl

pweftcjil'ho~c~d~v seasovu ct-st New Yeixr!
941-779-9320
411 Pih iJrrue v Ann3 Maria -* www Islandplacerealry cami


TILE AND MOSAIC custom installation, 20 years experi-
ence. References available. For a reasonable price, call
Sebastian, 941-704-6719.


CONNIE'S LANDSCAPING INC. Residential and com-
mercial. Full-service lawn maintenance, landscaping,
cleanup, hauling and more! Insured. 941-778-5294.
ISLAND LAWN SPRINKLER service and repair. Monthly
and quarterly accounts available. If it is broken, we can
fix it. Call 941-778-2581.
JR'S LANDSCAPING AND MAINTENANCE Lawns,
native plants, mulching, trimming, hauling, cleanup.
Island resident 25 years. Call 941-807-1015.

GULF SHORE LANDSCAPING: Lawn care, pressure
washing, landscaping. owner operated by Island resident.
Exceptional value! Licensed and insured. Call 941-726-
7070. www.gulfshorelandscaping.com.

CLOUD NINE LANDSCAPING: Now accepting new main-
tenance accounts at great rates. Mulching, sod plantings.
Insured, references. Please call 941-778-2335 or 941-
284-1568.


SHELL DELIVERED and spread. $42/yard. Hauling: all
kinds of gravel, mulch, top soil with free estimates. Call
Larry at 941-795-7775, "shell phone" 941-720-0770.

KARAZ LANDSCAPE Lawn Service. Mulch, clean-ups,
power washing, tree trimming and more. City of Anna
Maria resident. Cell 941-448-3857.

NATURE'S DESIGN LANDSCAPING. Design and instal-
lation. Tropical landscape specialist. Residential and com-
mercial. 30-years experience. 941-729-9381.

STRAIGHT SHOT LANDSCAPE: Complete cleanup,
installations, native plants, palms, aquascapes, rock
and patios. Shell installed $42/yard. Shark Mark 941-
727-5066.


Kathy GeeraertS, Realtor
.778-0455
^ "* C" -




REAL ESTATE
4 OF ANNA MARIA
www.greenreal.comrn








owners. .... '. i. ...
Call us to 78-2307 1-800-306-9666
rent your www.franmaxonrealestate.com
properties! "L n
UnbeatableA' -'
service for
over 35 FR5A A, .
- years!
SERVING THE AREA SINCE 1070 MLS Anna Maria

^pJ u BfSay Saaty ofAnnaWaia, Inc.
Jesse Brisson Brosr.issociatev SJ
(941) 713 4755 (800) 771 6043

SANDYPOINTE: Impeccably maintained
2BR/2BA condo in central Holmes
Beach within walking distance to shops,
restaurants, and the beach! No rental
_'^ restrictions make this condo an instant
S. income producer. Heated pool, covered
parking, storage, washer dryer, and new
water heater! Don't wait come see this


HUGE LOT
101x112 lot in
Holmes Beach
zoned R2. Build
one or two units on

offers. $589,000.






THE ISLANDER 0 DEC. 20, 2006 0 27


I~~~~~~~~~ E WD N; S~W~U N Wi


LANDSCAPE BEAUTIFICATION: LET me help you sell,
rent or just enjoy your home with beautiful curb appeal.
Call Colin at 941-376-0541.


VAN-GO PAINTING residential/commercial, interior/exte-
rior, pressure cleaning, wallpaper. Island references. Bill,
941-795-5100.
JOE UNGVARSKY CONSTRUCTION Remodeling contrac-
tors. In-house plan designs. State licensed and insured. Many
Island references. 941-778-2993. License #CRC 035261.
INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR PAINTING free estimates. 35-
year Island resident. Call Jim Bickal at 941-778-1730.
CHRISTIE'S PLUMBING Island and off-Island service
since 1975. Repairs and new construction. Free estimates,
no overtime charges. Now certifying back flow at water
meters. FL#RF0038118-941-778-3924 or 778-4461.

TILE -TILE -TILE. All variations of ceramic tile supplied
and installed. Quality workmanship, prompt, reliable,
many Island references. Call Neil, 941-726-3077.

CUSTOM RENOVATION/RESTORATION expert. All
phases of carpentry, repairs and painting. Thirty years
experience. Insured. Meticulous, clean, sober and prompt.
Paul Beauregard, 941-779-2294.

KEN & TINA DBA Griffin's Home Improvements Inc.
Handyman, fine woodwork, countertops, cabinets and
shutters. Insured and licensed, 941-748-4711.

TILE, CARPET, LAMINATE supplied and installed. Why
pay retail? Island resident, many references. Free esti-
.mates, prompt service. Steve Allen-Floor Coverings. 941-
792-1367, or 726-1802.

JERRY'S HOME REPAIR: Carpentry work, handyman,
light plumbing, electrical, light hauling, pressure washing
and tree trimming. Call 941-778-6170 or 447-2198.
-WIN DOW SHADES, BLINDS, shutters and more. Lifetime
warranty. Call Keith Barnett for a free in-home consulta-
tion. Island references, 15 years experience. 941-778-
3526 or 730-0516.
HANDYMAN- SERVICE: Winton's Home-Buddy Inc.
Retired banker, Island resident, converting life-long hobby
-to business. Call 941-705-0275 for free estimates.

IMPACT WINDOWS AND doors. Exclusive distributor:
Weatherside LLC on Holmes Beach. Free, courteous esti-
mates. Jeld-wen Windows and Doors. Lic.# CBC1253145:
941-730-5045.


THIRTY-SIX YEARS craftsman experience. Interior, exte-
rior, doors, stairs, windows, trim. Pressure wash. Driveway
paint. Dan Michael, master carpenter. Call 941-518-3316.

TUB ANDTILE refinishing: A division of D.J. Murphy Painting
Inc. Save up to 80 percent over traditional remodeling costs.
Call us with your kitchen and bath needs. Don't buy new -
redo! 941-751-1245. Licensed, certified and insured.

HOME REPAIRS AND improvements: General repairs and
quality renovation, including carpentry, drywall, tile, paint,
even landscaping. Please call Chris, 941-266-7500.
INTERIOR SURFACE RENOVATION: Drywall, texture,
paint, tile, wall and ceiling repairs, Fred Weingartner, 941-
586-3656.
LICENSED AND INSURED building contractor ready to
help you renovate all aspects of your existing home, add
extensions or build a new home on your lot. We only do
high quality work and are very prompt with our customers.
Call Daniel DeBaun at 941-518-3916.
NEW DOOR SHOP now open. Steel, fiberglass, fire-rated,
commercial, residential, thousands of glass options. All
code-approved, impact available. Retail, wholesale. Metro
Door Shop, 941-758-5828.

E&N PAINTING: INTERIOR, exterior. Island references.
Quality paint. Call for free estimates. Schedule soon,
season is coming! 941-756-9595 or 941-518-3054.

ISLAND HOME REMODEL Inc.: Kitchen, bath, deck and
complete home remodeling. Call 941-795-1968. E-mail:
islandhomeremodel @ hotmail.com.
RESILIENT PROPERTIES AND renovations; Kitchens,
bathrooms, tile work, decks, sheetrock, painting and more.
Reliable work start-to-finish. What does your home need?.
Free estimates. Call Thomas P. Lass, 941-782-7313.
CEILING TEXTURE AND blow-in insulation, fixtures,
backsplashes, light carpentry, etc. Licensed and insured.
Drew Hudson, conscientious handyman. 941-812-5073.


RENTALS available weekly, monthly, seasonal. Wede-
brock Real Estate Co., 941-778-6665 or 800-749-6665.

SEASONAL RENTAL: Holmes Beach, 4BR two master
suites-/3BA, house on canal. Two minutes to beach.
Heated pool, dock, cable TV, washer/dryer, garage,
designer furnished with tropical yard setting. One of the
finest rentals on Island. $1,600/weekly. Call 941-713-0034
or e-mail: beachdreams@tampabay.rr.com.
MORE CLASSIFIEDS equals more readers.


GULFFRONT CONDOS: 3BR/2BA, 2BR/2BA, 1 BR/1 BA
with breathtaking views. Pools, Jacuzzi, walk to shops
and restaurants. Available weekly, monthly, seasonal.
901-301-8299 or e-mail captko462@aol.com.
FOR RENT: 2BR/2BA annual, ground floor unfurnished,
$900/month. Seasonals available starting at $1,800/
month. Please call Kim Fisher, Wagner Realty, 941-778-
2246. www.wagnerrealty.com.
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, townhouse: 2BR/2BA with bal-
cony and view of mountains. Weekly or monthly rental.
Call Paige at 941-798-3448.

WEEKLY/MONTHLY/ANNUAL rentals: wide variety,
changes daily. SunCoast Real Estate, 941-779-0202, or [
1-800-732-6434. www.suncoastinc.com.

1-4BR DIRECT BEACHFRONT, gorgeous views, designer
furnished, cable, DVD/VCR, dishwasher, phone, quaint
village. $975-$2,375/week9 941-713-0034 or beach-
dreams@tampabay.rr.com.

JANUARY SPECIAL, HOLMES Beach: 1 BR/1 BA fully fur-
nished, all utilities included, washer and dryer, one block
to Gulf. $350/week, $1,200/month. 941-721-6090.

MANATEE RIVERFRONT: 2BR/2BA, spectacular views!
Gated, pool, covered parking, security, fitness center.
$1,050/month.annual. Call Maria, 941-720-1712.
HERON'S WATCH: 3BR/2BA two-car garage, like new.
STen minutes to beach. Near shops and medical. Available
Dec. 15. $1,400/month. 941-773-6581 or 941-794-9921.
ANNUAL OR MONTH-to-month: 4BR Island family home ,
in quiet residential area. Bayfront with direct water view.
Perfect for family with children. Extra large balcony, cov-
ered parking, laundry room with washer and dryer. Park
setting, two blocks to Gulf beaches. Fully furnished.
$2,500/month annual, $3,200 month-to-month. Pets
considered. Call 941-704-2993.

WATERFRONT: DOCK WITH davits. Short walk to beach,
washer and dryer, carport, storage Quiet location. $1,000/
month. 727-784-1. Bradenton Beach.

WINTER RENTALS AVAILABLE: Monthly starting at $2,000/
month. Weekly starting at $625/week. Fran Maxon Real
Estate, 941-778-2307. www.franmaxonrealestate.com.
ANNUAL 2BR/1 BA: AIR conditioning; washer and dryer,
water, large pool, cable. Parking only 200 steps to beach.
First and deposit. $950/month. 941-779-1586.
CORTEZ COTTAGE: QUIET area. Fully furnished, walk
to water. Two people only, no smokers. $1,700/month
includes utilities. 941-794-5980. www.divefish.com.


AYRONT PROPERTY
Panrairmic -s'-,t Sl 5k%.a, Fridtj- rid


Enlir.=I, updnf-d Larq -airm :jicrF- acl-ddd
a .nd kim h'nri- I.Ftop..:) h, ihc Ir~- in '. ~ ,
6% hrrt %jll: t-:- [hr G ulffl u.Ii: c.t r.-
ate. Lious o eta,; $. 2395,00(l.Virtua~l touiir .o
w'.v..'tire3ilc-ur corn018 23m. I~
SCall John Zirzow. Agent/Owner


CANALFRONT HOME wiin WATERFRONT CONDO LiIll SHOREWALK2BR,2BAcondo, l
ic0 Orldge, I, Gull. Wjalring briril,grrunrd floor 2BR/28A lurnkey lurnishea Two pools
dailijncE e i e. ri n Cloe.ie end unii. Healea pOo. lenn-i:.s itwo l]gned tennis courln bas-
to shopping and restaurants. court. 'Close to the beach. 'elb.all. shulleboaird and club-
$619,000 $389,000. hou $175,000-179,900 Piroska Pl
S 3 For information, call Piroska Planck,
-RAL ESA'E'c -:-- 941-730-9667 or e-mail piroska@verizon.rret.


Countrywide Home Loans is close by and ready
to help you get the home of your dreams.
I Competitive rates.
ei Local experts with the power to say "YES" to
your home loan..
f Up-front approval* at the time of application.
Bi As little as no-to-low down payment options
available to make qualifying easier.
If Loan amounts to $6 million.
of Construction financing available.

PamVoorhees
Home Loan Consultant
401 Manatee Ave.W. Holmes Beach
pam._voorhees @ countirywide.com
www.pamvoorhees.com
LCountrywide
HOME LOANS
(941) 586-8079
EQUAL HOUSING LENDER 2003 CouiTRYWIDE HOME LoANs, INc. TRADE/SERVICE MARKS ARE THE PROPERTY OF COUN-
TRYWDE FINANCIAL CORPORATION AND/OR ITS SUBSIDiARIES. ADO APPROPRIAAT TE, LEGAL: UP-FRONT APPROVAL SUBJECT
TO SATISFACTORY PROPERTY REVIEW AND NO CHANGE IN FINANCIAL CONDITION. SOME PRODUCTS MAY OT BE AVAILABLE IN ALL
STATES. PRICES AND GUIDELINES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. RESTRICTIONS APPLY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.


WINTER RENTALS
We still have rentals available for 2007. Many premium units to
choose from. Monthly rentals now available, starting at $2,200.
Call your friends up North!
L "CASUAL ISLAND
HLj ELEGANCE This
Scustom-built home -
3B .. hm was designed with fro t
attention to every .-.o
detail. Offering
over 2,600 sf of
living area with
.I F "PJ, e. : soaring ceilings,
red oak hardwood
R A Efloors, designer
kitchen and -
dumbwaiter. This WEST OF GULF DRIVE This excelle
3BR/3.5BA home is located on the prestigious north end in from the beach access and situat
of Anna Maria. Expansive white sandy beach with easy in the future. This motivated seller
access is directly across the street. Must be viewed to be wants an offer! Priced below recent
appreciated! Offered at $1,350,000. 941 778-0455 www.gr
9906 Gulf Drive An
r Ken Jackson, 778-6986 Marilyn
REAL ESTATE Kathy Geeraerts, 778-0072 Maurei
OF ANNA MARIA -Kate Eiseler, 778-5115 Evelyn N
S. Kristine Key, 592-88


ent rental is just one house
ted on two lots. Invest
s ready to move on and
t appraisal at $995,000.
'eenreal.com
na Maria
Klemish, 778-7627
en Dahms, 778-0542
litchell, 778-1952
831


- ----- ------------:-


0=RW -Auk


. S. TIM
MAI I


b
lanck






S28 DEC. 20. 2006 T THE ISLANDER


IISLAN DE9 ASSI 9IEDS]


Paradise Improvements 778-4173
Kitchen and Bath Remodeling Specialist
--- Replacement Doors and Windows
Fu.' Steven Kaluza Andrew Chennault
-" -HI: Fully Licensed and Insured Island References
Lic#CBC056755


k WAGNED REALTY
&INC: 1939 2217 cULF DRIVE NOUOTlliD BADEION MNIVACII IL
HADOLD SMALL REALTOR ...
Office: (941) 778-2246 (941) 792- 8628 j '
E-mail: haroldsmall@wagnerrealty.com


US A FENCE KDS
Specializing
WHITE VINYL FENCE
CR0016172 941 -750-9300


HAUL-AWAY
Removal of all types of trash, debris and junk.
720-2217



WASH FAMILY INC* since 1988
S' LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED
941.725.0073
DARRIN J. WASH WE OFFER LIFE TIME PAINTS







Junior's Landscape & Maintenance
Lawn care PLUS native plinrt. .
mulch, trip, hauling and cleanup. .-'".
Cal Junior, 807-101. I s


The Paver Brick Store
8208 Cortez Road W. Bradenton 34210 (941) 794-6504
9:00 AM til Noon, or by Appointment
Pool Deck, Patio and Driveway Renovations
Design Build

S9 Don't suffer
c 7.r1 0 j C Relief is a phone call away
CHizi -'P R AC TPA C 792-3777
n *---556607 3rd Ave. W. Bradenton



HOW TOIRELAX ,
ON AN ISLAND... ,
yom.u" c prA4p cel, -.


Massage by Nadia
941.795.0887
Gift Cerlificates Available


PARADISE IN COMFORT at Palm Breeze rentals in
Holmes Beach. Two beautifully furnished units in a Key
West-style home on a large corner lot. Each unit has
3BR/2BA, washer, dryer and fully equipped kitchen. Heated
pool, bikes, grill, etc. Just bring your clothes and a tooth-
brush and enjoy. www.apalmbreeze.com. 941-730-5126.
ANNUAL HOLMES BEACH: Large 2BR/2BA, with down-
stairs office. Recently renovated, new appliances, gran-
ite counters, balcony. Large garage. Walk to beach. Call
owner, 941-545-6118.
FOR RENT: 2BR/2BA balcony, Gulf view. $950/month,
$900 deposit, $50 application fee. 2411 Ave. C., Braden-
ton Beach. Efficiency, $750/month includes utilities. $700
deposit, $50 application fee. 112, 52nd St., No.1, Holmes
Beach. Seasonally, 1 BR Gulf view, cute and clean, $900/
week or $2,400/month. Call 941-746-8666.
ANNUAL LARGE 1BR/1BA. Screened lanai, laundry
room, garage. No pets, no smoking. $950/month plus
utilities. 941-778-9710 or 847-530-8833.
ANNUAL RENTAL: HOLMES Beach triplex. 3BR/1BA,
deck and close to all! Washer and dryer on the premises.
$1,400/month, utilities included! Call 646-842-0096.
SUNNY SHORES MOBILE home: 1BR/1BA near beach,
clubhouse. Very nice. Turnkey. $1,200/month. 941-730-4078.
WINTER GETAWAY: 1BR across from beach, newly
remodeled, all appliances, screened porch, internet,
cable. For pictures, look on www.beachesndreams.net.
Call 1-513-236-5091.
SEASONAL RENTAL: PALMA Sola Park.3BR/2BA, like
new, fresh and clean. Small pet OK, close to beaches. Avail-
able January and April. $2,000/month. 941-778-5445.

SEASONAL RENTAL: Westbay Point and Moorings. Bay-
front 2BR/2BA, all amenities, close to beach, shopping
and trolley. Sharon, Old Florida Realty, 941-713-9096.

ANNUAL WATERFRONT: 2BR/2BA ground-floor at West-
bay Cove. Tennis, pool, cable, water included. Sharon, Old
Florida Realty, 941-713-9096.
ANNUAL 2BR/2BA LARGE, enclosed porch. One block
to beach. No pets. $900/month. 941-778-9378. 5611-B
Guava, Holmes Beach.

ANNUAL 3BR/2BA: TROPICAL duplex, one block to
beach, washer and dryer, some utilities included. No
Smoking or pets. $950/month and $700 deposit. 941-
798-9765. Responsible persons only.

SEASONAL: HOLMES BEACH rental. 2BR/2BA, luxury,
furnished, air conditioning, washer and dryer, dishwasher,
cable, Internet access available. Gulf view. Available until
Jan 2. $750/week. 941-778-7741.

SEASONAL: JANUARY, FEBRUARY. Clean 2BR elevated
unit, one block to beach. Newly remodeled with laundry.
$575/weekly, $1,975/monthly. 941-807-5449.
HOME FOR THE holidays? Attractive 2BR/2BA, Florida
room, washer and dryer hook-up, dishwasher, close to
beach. Duplex, $1,000/month. No pets. Dolores M. Baker
Realty, 941-778-7500.
GULFFRONT: QUAINT 2BR/1BA, ground level. Enjoy
breathtaking sunsets. Walk to restaurants, shops, gro-
cery, trolley. Winter-summer, $2,400/month, $650/week.
352-592-5870 or 813-728-2590.
OFFICE/RETAIL SPACE: 1,200 sf, available Jan.1, 2007.
Former Wicked Candle. 8819 Cortez Road. 1-800-952-1206.
ANNUAL 'RENTAL: BRADENTON Beach. 2BR/2BA
condo located south of Bridge Street. The unit has
upstairs and downstairs living area with parking under-
neath. Call 813-245-0428.
DEEP DISCOUNT F.OR last-minute travel to beautiful
town of Anna Maria. Quaint Island cottage steps to beach.
203-454-0573.
DUPLEX AVAILABLE: 1BR/1BA, greatroom with kitchen-
ette. Private yard and patio, short walk to Gulf. Available
Dec. 15 through March 30. $1,350/month. 516-526-5628.
ANNUAL RENTAL: BRADENTON Beach. 1BR/1BA, fur-
nished- condo, across from beach, heated pool. $1,200/
month. 941-773-1552.

MIRROR LAKE 2BR/2BA condo: Next to IMG Academy.
Sensational lake views-form every room, tasteful furnishings.
Available seasonally: January $1,500, February $2,300,
March $2,000. Minimum two months. 941-587-1456.

ANNUAL HOLMES BEACH: Elevated 2BR/2BA house.
New decor. Enclosed garage. Two blocks to beach.
$1,800/month. Call 941-713-2150.


ISLAND CASTLE: FABULOUS French Normandy home.
4BR/3BA on best beach and quiet street in Anna Maria.
941-794-8202.
SEASONAL RENTAL: 1BR/1BA Gulf view, cute and
clean. $2,450/month. 941-746-8666.
ANNUAL: FIRST-FLOOR efficiency. $600/month. 112 (#1)
52nd St., Holmes Beach. $600/month. 941-746-8666.
ANNUAL: TWO-STORY 2BR/2BA duplex. Gulf view, 2411
Ave C., Bradenton Beach. $950/month. 941-746-8666.
SMITH REALTORS: LONGBOAT Key 2BR/12BA
duplex on canal. Newly renovated. 941-778-0770. www.
smithrealtors.com.

SMITH REALTORS, 941-778-0770..Seasonal rent-
als: 2BR/1BA condo with pool, three-month minimum,
$1,850/month. 1 BR/1BA condo with pool, $1,950/month.
2BR/2BA condo with pool on bay, $3,800/month. 3BR/2BA
condo on Gulf, $3,700/month. 2BR/1BA condo on canal,
$2,450/month. 4BR/2BA home with pool, $3,800/month.
3BR/2BA home on canal, $3,000/month. 2BR/2BA home,
close to beach, $3,100/month. 3BR/2BA home, one block
from beach, $4,400/month. 2BR/2BA home, Jacuzzi, on
golf course, $3,400/month. 3BR/2BA home with pool on
golf course, $3,800/month. 2BR/1BA duplex, two.blocks
from beach, $1,800/month. 2BR/2BA duplex, $2,900/
month. 2BR/1BA duplex, Gulffront, $2,850/month. Call
Smith Realtors, 941-778-0770.

NORTH-END DUPLEX: Seasonal or monthly. 2BR/2BA,
washer and dryer, two blocks from Gulf. Sleeps six.
$1,800/month. 941-778-7167 or 941-705-0275.
HOLMES BEACH -ANNUAL or seasonal elevated
2BR/2BA. $1,600/month annual, $2,100/month seasonal.
Quiet area, furnished, 1.5 blocks to quiet beach, go see!
304 63rd St. 941-356-0334.
BRADENTON BEACH ANNUAL rental: 1 BR, 50 feet from
beach, back yard. Washer and dryer. $795/month. 2204
Ave. C. 216-469-2857.
SEASONAL RENTAL: HOLMES Beach. 3BR, two master
suites/3BA. Six houses to beach. Cable TV, washer
and dryer, back patio with grill and loungers. On trol-
ley route. $1,200/weekly. Call 941-448-6042, or e-mail
dwhall2000@yahoo.com.
SEASONAL: BRADENTON BEACH. 1BR/1BA, steps to
beach and bay. Close to shopping and trolley. $550/weekly
or $1,800/month plus tax. Call 941-778-7199.
ANNUAL HOLMES BEACH large 3BR/2BA duplex.
$1,000/month. First, last and security. 941-778-7812.
WATERFRONT AND WATER view: 1, 2 and 3BR/2BA
houses and apartments for rent, January and April 2007
only. 941-779-9074 or 703-587-4675.
LOVELY HOME: GULF views, 300 feet from Gulf.
3BR/3BA, furnished including utilities. Available Janu-
ary, February, March and April. $2,900/month plus tax.
813-832-5899.
WINTER RENTAL: BRADENTON Beach. 1BR/1 BA condo
on bay, across Gulf Drive to beach..Walk to downtown Bra-
denton Beach. Heated pool, turnkey, cable, dishwasher,
and utilities. Three-month minimum, $1,500/month. No
pets or smoking. 407-877-7866, or mrokie7@yahoo.com.
NORTHWEST BRADENTON annual rental: Great
2BR/2BA home, one block from Palma Sola Bay. Minutes
to beaches. $1,300/month plus utilities. Call Maureen at
941-778-0542 or 941-778-0455.
ANNUAL: COMPLETELY REMODELED 1 BR/1 BA apart-
ment on Avenue E, Holmes Beach. Nonsmoker, no pets,
$850/month includes all utilities First, last and security
deposit. 941-779-0470


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TIE ISLANDER M DEC. 20. 2006 0 29


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SANDPIPER MOBILE RESORT: 55-plus, 2BR/1BA, $500
deposit, $4,600/month, annual, $1,100 seasonal, plus
tax. Upgraded, turnkey furnished, carport, laundry and
clubhouse. No smoking, no pets. Bay view. 941-778-9504
or 941-545-8923.

DECEMBER HOLIDAY SPECIAL: Across from beach.
Spacious 1BR/2BA, fully furnished apartment. Washer
and dryer, internet. $495/week. 941-778-1098. www.gulf-
driveapartments.com.
SEASONAL OR WEEKLY cottage-style rentals. 1 BR/1 BA
or 2BR/1 BA with pool. Walk to beach, shopping, restau-
rants. 941-778-3426. Web site 2spinnakers.com.


WATERFRONT PROPERTY 2BR/2BA open-plan with
great views of Tampa Bay. Canalfront, walking distance
to beach and restaurants. $739,000. 941-779-1512.
FOR SALE BY owner: Best value on the Island! 2BR/ 2BA,
one-car garage, gourmet kitchen, rrew windows, updated
baths and more. Two blocks from beach. $615,000. 941-
778-8677T.406 Bay Palms Drive, Holmes Beach.
3BR/2BA: One bedroom used as a den/office/playroom,
enclosed lanai, tiled with carpeted bedrooms. 1,400 sf,
county water/sewer, citrus trees, near Brentwood school
in Sarasota. Reduced to $274,900. 941-379-4196 or
941-954-7474.
CPR: COASTAL PROPERTIES Realty needs properties
to rent: E-mail: suzanne@coastalpropertiesrealty.com,
or call 941-794-1515.

BAYVIEW AND CANALFRONT with pool. 2BR/2BA open
plan, new kitchen. Totally upgraded. Dock, three davits.
Owner motivated. Not a drive-by, must see inside! By
owner. Call Herb Dolan, 941-705-4454. 404 21st Place.
Bradenton Beach.

LOT FOR SALE: One block to Gulf. 50x10.0 feet, cleared.
$539,000. 215 71st St., Holmes Beach. (941) 778-4036.
ALMOST ISLAND HOME: Adorable 1BR/1BA. Brand
new furnished, bay windows with water view. Hurricane
Force-3 manufactured home. One mile from Anna Maria
Island and one block from Intracoastal Waterway with
new marina and boat ramp. Land owned. Home owner's
association optional. $159,900. 941-224-6521.
-TRIPLEX: IDEAL LOCATION WITH great appeal. Beau-
lifully updated and maintained, new roof, turnkey fur-
nished. Beach access just steps away, bay views, boat
dock, ample parking, great income rental. Room for a
pool. Convenient to restaurants and shopping. $875,000.
111 8th St. S., Bradenton Beach. Bridget Spies, ReMax
Properties, 941-308-6763. MSL# 313022.

WEST BRADENTON: OPEN noon-4pm Sunday. Six
months condo fees paid! Free-standing, private thfree-
bedroom upgraded condo with two-car garage, new lanai.
Call for details, 941-792-0763. $309,900. 5605 Whippor-
will Ct. off 59th Street West, Tanglewood.

OPEN HOUSE: 1-4pm Sunday: New home, 3,746 sf 3-
4BR/3BA, granite/cherry kitchen, three screened veran-
das. $829,000. Horizon Realty, 941-725-7000. 303 58th
St., Holmes Beach.


UPDATED 3BR/2BA: 1,560 sf, tastefully furnished and
decorated, sold turnkey. For sale by owner. Buyer's
agents, 3 percent. Reduced to $585,000. 813-818-8314. -
8104 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. www.bohnenberger.
homesindeed.com.
BY OWNER, PURCHASE or lease: Manatee riverfront
condo, 2BR/2BA, beautiful views, pool, gated, covered park-
ing, fitness. $325,000 or $1,050/month. 941-720-0092.
DUPLEX ON LARGE lot, 90x108 feet. Second lot east
of Gulf Drive in north Holmes Beach resort area. Annual
tenants in place, includes well-known Island architect's
plans for complete remodel. $885,000. 941-704-7729.

WESTBAY POINT CONDO: Beautiful water view. immedi-
ate occupancy. Turnkey, only bring your toothbrush. Condo
in pristine condition. Sale by owner, seller will carry mort-
gage to qualified buyers. Low down payment, low fixed
interest rate. Huge price reduction. Phone 315-733-0851.

TROPIC ISLES, PALMETTO, Fla. Turnkey furnished, spa-
cious 2BR/2BA mobile with deep-water slip, dock and
davits, no bridges to Gulf. Share owned. $203,000. Many
amenities. 218-728-3690.
NEW LAKEFRONT CONDOS: Low $300s. Minutes to
beach, no flood, evacuation zone. Hidden Lake Real Estate,
941-761-0444. www.HiddenLakeCondominiums.com.
ISLAND CANAL LOT: 75x100 feet, new dock, priced to
sell quickly. Below market and appraised value, $550,000.
Call Jake, 941-544-7786. 108 Gull Drive, Anna Maria.
BRADENTON BEACH: 2BR/2BA elevated with covered park-
ing. View of bay from large covered porch. Only two blocks to
Gulf, great neighborhood. $350,000.941-778-3875.
BY OWNER: 2BR/1.5BA condo. Bath and kitchen need
update. $399,999. 863-412-2612. www.cflrealestateon-
line.com/condo. 5400 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach.
FOR SALE BY owner: Deep-water canal ranch, $550,000.
Nicely remodeled with granite countertops, tile flooring,
and more. Call Scott Wheeler at 614-207-7878, or e-mail
scott@scottincolumbus.com.
LOT: ONE BLOCK from beach. 57.75x1 14 feet. $520,000.
941-779-4505 or 941-778-4246. 125 Neptune Lane,.
Holmes Beach.

BAY POINTE CONDOMINIUMS: Low maintenance fee,
low Insurance, low taxes! Minutes to beaches. 1-2-3-4 BR
condos now available. New in 2005. Models open daily
2-4pm. Keller Williams Realty, 941-932-1288.

BRADENTON BEACH BY owner: 2BR/2BA end unit with
full Gulf views. Kitchen has stainless-steel appliances,
granite counters, nice turnkey furnished. Two large bal-
conies. Amenities include boat docks, tennis court, pool
with spa. $649,000. 941-388-5238.
LOT FOR SALE: 126 50th Street. 100x100 feet. Zoned
R2. $650,000. 941-746-7423.
ISLAND TOWNHOME: WATERFRONT 3BR/3 full baths.
Rare opportunity at SunBow Bay. Small boat OK and
great fishing out your back door. 150-yard private pier,
lush landscaping, two heated pools, tennis and a great
living experience. Walk the grounds, walk to beach. Save
thousands at $599,000. Call owner, 941-228-3489.
SELL it fast with an ad in The Islander.


- HOW TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD'
DEADLINE: NOON MONDAY EVERY WEEK for WEDNESDAY'S PAPER: Classified advertising must be paid in adv --
by fax with credit card information, 778-9392, at our Web site (secure server) www.islander.org, and bvyrii--"' ,
org. Office hours: 9 to 5, Monday-Friday, (Saturday 10 to 2 as needed).
CLASSIFIED RATES BUSINESS OR INDIVIDUAL: Minimum rate i ..... word over
20 is 50 cents, Box: $3, One- or two-line headlines, line rate "' to o,% t
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1 The Islander s-'"- y Fax: 941 778-9392
5404 Marina Drive a Phone: 941 778-7978
Hol0mesBeach FL 34217 E-mail classifieds@islander.org
L -_. -.


LONGBOAT KEY PAINTING & DESIGN, INC.
Faux painting Cabinet refinishing
Furniture restoration Custom painting
Jackson Holmes, owner (941) 812-3809

HANNA PAVEMENT SERVICES INC.
941-761-8546

k Asphalt* Seal Coating Repair Striping







BOAT, RV & TRAILER STORAGE
Wash Down Easy Access Clean Security Cameras
941-232-9208 Rates starting at $40
Centrally located off Cortez Road 4523 30th St. W.
Warehouse/Workshops also available


WASH FAMILY INC Since 1988
COMPLETING OVER 2,000 JOBS ON ANNA MARIA
941.725.0073
DARRIN. J. WASH









Landscape Services
Specializing in landscape
'- -design & installation
Cell 941 .807. 1035 Office 941,721.9655 -
www.CreativeVistas.com

IJELB WEN.
WINDOWS & DOORS

Impact Hurricane
Windows & Doors

^.',, Are you storm ready?
FREE COURTEOUS ESTIMATES
1941-730-5045_



RESILIENT U/ LV
PROPERTIES I,
RENOVATION'L j
Kitchens Bathrooms Tilework Decks
Sheetrock Painting & More ... FR EE
What Does Your, Home Need? ESTIMATES
Thomas P. Lass 941-782-731 3
ResilientO 1 @aol.com Fax 941-792-8293


GET RID OF THAT

HONEY-DO LIST
Professional courteous service Free estimates
Windows and doors *Trim and crown molding
Paint work Kitchens and baths Concrete work
Tile and wood flooring Replace rotted wood
Pressure cleaning Drywall repair
Lawn sprinkler repair/landscaping
And many more services offered



524-2677






30 0 DEC. 20, 2006 M THE ISLANDER


I SLA N- 4fM 9BAS S.SJS ICEDS:


DIRECT WATERFRONT: Latchkey. 65A Cortez Park,
Avenue D. 941-779-CAIN.

BRADENTON BEACH MOBILE home: Bay view updated,
cozy 1 BR in the Pines Park. Turnkey furnished, boat slip
available. $45,000. 941-962-8220.

FOR SALE BY owner: Bradenton Beach, 2BR/2BA condo.
Fully remodeled, furnished with washer and dryer in unit.
View Gulf from balcony, steps to Gulf and Intracoastal.
Living area is upstairs/downstairs over covered parking.
$400,000. Will consider financing. Call 813-245-0428.
FOR SALE BY owner: Anna Maria north-end canal home.
Totally refurbished both inside and out. Walk to the beach
and also have easy boating access to Gulf. New appli-
ances and kitchen cabinets. Dock and boat lift ready to
go. Great location. Call 813-245-0428.

FOR SALE BY owner: 3BR/3BA townhouse. 2.5-car
garage, exercise room, plus loft. Across street, Gulf views.
Two pools and tennis. $580,000. 941-779-2008.

NON-EVACUATION/NON-flood area: 3BR/2BA, two-car
garage. Village Green, quiet street, minutes to beaches,
shopping, doctors, hospitals. Tile floors, bedrooms car-
peted, screened lanai. $297,000. 941-794-1640.

GULFFRONT CONDOS: 3BR/2BA, 2BR/2BA, 1 BR/1 BA
with breathtaking views. Pools, Jacuzzi, walk to shops
and restaurants. Available weekly, monthly, seasonal.
901-301-8299, or e-mail captko462@aol.com:

REAL ESTATE SWAP? My decent canalfront house at
215 Chilson, Anna Maria, plus appropriate cash for your
nicer canalfront house? Makes sense if you remodel for
profit. Call Jeff at 941-778-3396.


ISLAND HOME REDUCED: For sale by owner. Holmes
Beach 3BR, deep-water canal, pool, boat dock, many
upgrades. $799,000. Call 941-778-6474.

HOLMES BEACH GULFFRONT: 2BR/2BA condo, totally
renovated. Turnkey furnished, all new. $695,000. 941-
755-0033.

BY OWNER: 2BR/2BA turnkey second-floor condo.
Pristine condition, beautiful water view. $570,000.
941-366-0066.


BEAUTIFUL NORTH CAROLINA: Must see beautiful
and colorful fall foliage! Western North Carolina moun-
tains homes, cabins, acreage and investments. Cher-
okee Mountain Realty, GMAC Real Estate, Murphy.
cherokeemountainrealty.com. Call for free brochure,
800-841-5868.
GULFFRONT LOTS: $595,000. Homes starting mid-
$300s. New master-planned oceanfront community on
beautiful Mustang Island, near Corpus Christi, Texas.
www.cinnamonshore.com, 866-891-5163.
WYOMING RANCH DISPERSAL: 35 acres, 49,900;
70 acres, $89,900; 11D acres, $132,900. Snow-capped
mountain views. Surrounded by government land. Abun-
dant wildlife. Recreational paradise. Low taxes. E-Z terms.
Call Utah Ranches LLC. 8.88-541-5263.
NORTH CAROLINA: BEAUTIFUL Blue Ridge Mountain
views. 3.2-acre mountain estate. Heavily wooded with
stream. E-Z financing, $29,900. 800-230-6380, ext.620.
ONLINE SERVICE: Did you know you can place classified
ads and subscribe online with our secure server? Check-
it out at www.islander.org.


TENNESSEE AFFORDABLE LAKE and mountain prop-
erties. Low property taxes. No state income tax. Four
seasons. Southern hospitality. For more information, call
Lakeside Realty, 888-291-5253. www.Iakesiderealty-
tn.com.
NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS: Log cabin shell on
mountain top, view, trees, waterfall and large public
lake nearby, paved private access, gated community.
$139,500. 866-789-8535.
COASTAL GEORGIA; NEW pre-construction golf commu-
nity. Large lots and condos with deep water, marsh, golf,
nature views. Gated, golf, fitness center, tennis, trails, docks.
$70s-$300,000.877-266-7376. www.cooperspoint.com.
NORTH CAROLINA GATED lakefront community. Pleas-
antly mild climate 1.5 acres, 90 miles of shoreline. Never
offered before with 20 percent pre-development discounts,
90 percent financing. Call 800-709-5253.
NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS: 3.5 acres on the head-
waters of Valley River! Drive and house pad cleared. High
elevation. $119,500. valleytownrealty@verizon.net. 800-
632-2212. valleytownrealty.com.
TAX DEED, TITLE insurance without a quiet title action
faster and cheaper. Dave Schumacher, president, Tax
Title Services. 949-798-1180. www.taxtitleservices.com.
HOW TO ADVERTISE in the Islander Classifieds: DEAD-
LINE: MONDAY NOON for Wednesday publication. CLAS-
SIFIED RATES for business or individual: Minimum $10
for up 20 words. Each additional word over 20 words
is 500. Box: $3. Ads must be paid in advance. Classi-
fied ads may be submitted through our secure Web site:
www.islander.org or faxed to (941) 778-9392 or delivered/
mailed to 5404 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach FL 34217.
We are located next to Ooh La La! in the Island Shopping
Center. More information:(941) 778-7978.


Simply the Best








GULF SANDS CONDOMINIUM To unit- I.
2BR. 2BA dii :t GiulHr.:.n ti urn heated I l, ..' i p. ..:h-
to enjoy sunsets-and a great location! Turnkey furnished.
From $745,000 .


WESTBAY COVE SOUTH Direct bai.frc:nt 2BR 2BA
end unit with'exceptional views. Only. twenty units in
complex. Heated pool and tennis. $535,000:


p a^ -', -- -* & .s .', ;ie :": -: ..
PALMA SOLA PARK E..cepti..onal 1950'- clas-ic Huge
3BR 2BA. upen plan Beautiful terrazzo floor-s Thirti.
foot Florida room. Light pours through lots of windows.
Spectacular, move-in condition. $435,000.


ISLAND VILLAGE CONDO 3BR 2BA turrikey fur-
n shed one block to beach. Large screeoed porch and
pools. $439,000.
Mike 800-367-1617.
Norman 941-778-6696
NOrmaIn fV 3101OGULFDRIVE

Realty N HOLMESBEACH
Ofrecemos servicio de ventas en espanIl
www.mikenormanrealty:com
,-I,


EXPERIENCE REPUTATION RESULTS
LUXURY WATERFRONT VILLA with boao dock 3BR 2BA immaoulale
and (ompleiely updaled Designer kitchen glossed lanai ilnnri pools
coveredd parking S689.900
SUNBOW 28R. 28A boyfioni end until. lurnkey furnished S449.000.
MARTINIQUE NORTH Dniea Gulf, corner, garage, storage. Updaled,
shows beaulifully. S859 000.
BAYVIEW 4-5BR,/4BA includes gueil quarters, large mosler suire. SI. 150000
BEST BUYS: ADULT COMMUNITY from S60,000, healed pool, near
shopping. dining and Ironsporlalion.
HARBOUR VILLA CLUB 2BR. 2BA. lurnkey. bool dock. S794 900.
PINEBROOK AND IRONWOOD S139 00010 S263.900.
DESOTO SQUARE VILLA 2BR' 2BA galed, pool clubhouse S175 000.
RENTALS. Collages lo luxury villas. Vacalion and annual.
5508C MARINA DRIVE 778-0807 800-956-0807
yrealty3Z@aol.com www.Idollyyoungrealestale.com





SALES
419 Pine Ave.* PO Box 2150 Anna Maria FL 34216
-, .


LBuy a home for your boal. 2BR2BA
With a40v19-fool dock and 19 000
lb. Deal I,. $837.500

..^ HKt W
BBE-.... **.;; ICA Kiyl i-.4't Al Si i ^','


'A
3BR3BR A bafront home, north
. end of Anna Maria complelely v
" renovjaledl $1,895,000 fumished.


Build your dream home on very BR2BA canaiome itsalt-
large lot, 100x223 sf. Panoramic water pool, north end. Two boat
bay view! docks. $849,000.
al Sm ore i0mation


REALTORS
SINGLE FAMILY Cenhirallv located, nre block to beach 2BR/2BA
spacious home on corner lot $620.000 Call Joy Murphy, Realtor,
941-730-2820 evenings.
BAYFRONT CONDO NEW LISTING 2BR/2BA updated waterfront
condo~lithamazing view. Glasslanai, breakfast bar Owner motivated
$444,900. Call Carlene Weise. Realtor. 941-224-6521 evenings
AZALEA PARK4BR/28A. in Bradeniorn Open floor plan. fireplace,
family room, plus Florida room, roof November 2002, steps to
community pool. $384,900. Call Zee Catanese, Realtor, 941-742-
0148 evenings..
WEST BRADENTON Adorable 3BR/2BA home in a great Westside
neighborhood, updated kitchen. Corian countertops, hardwood
floors, freshly painted, new wallpaper, ready to move into.
Spacious backyard with room for pool. Offered at $245,900. Call
Zee Catanese, Realtor, 941-742-0148 evenings.
SAN REMO SHORES REDUCED Situated on deep-water canal,
2-3BR/2BA, den, ceramic tile, new kitchen 2005, two-car garage,
barrel tile roof, privately situated $499,900. Call Marion Ragni,
Realtor, 941-720-7046 evenings.
PERICO BAY CLUB Florida condo living at its best, waterfront, security,
pools, spa, tennis courts, 2BR and den. Immediate possession.
$409,900. Call Marion Ragni, Realtor, 941-761-1415 evenings.


5910 Marina Drive Holmes Beach FL 34217
Call (941) 778-0777 or Rentals 778-0770
1-800-741-3772 info@smithrealtors.com
Web site: www.smithrealtors.com


2


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\




THE ISLANDER M DEC. 20, 2006 M 31


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wanftto keep in touch? Subscribe to the "best news!" Call 941778-7978 and charge itto Visa or MasterCard.


WAGNER
WOgin Pwop[l HIm~ Sine 1939


REALTY
~v**T~ill wORID


2217 GULF DR. N.
BRADENTON BEACH
(941) 778-2246
(800) 211-2323
e-mail: ami@wagnerrealty.com
www.wagnerrealty.com


TFeatu red'T rope rtiejf thle l eek


ESCAPETOVILLASCARISSA! injoy thliic iouiOui
private enclave with the lirreles. iropjical :ehint'
rhat ci Anna Ma a island Each residerice ha a3n
elevatjr, private pool and umrnmer I.ilhen too00 Gina
and Peter Uliano/Thre Royal eami, 941- 761..3i1
MLSn533139. f1 249-1)10


ENCHANTING V*aleirorl hrove in he siigriit dyer
rivpr dictr,: I Englishi CofagE ar.,,hIij~cure er~irne
tbciv:M2,9.35 ci Old orfld ambiance : rnire ri
updaled kitruy amenites,. edpureol $75i,000 bieloh
September appraical FKaren s 41-. 41 2i0
NIL 'J.7,?9975.001-1


ISLAND DUPLEX Bradecloil Bo~ OItr c~ice blod. EXCELLENT WATER VIEW! k -is 2BtRl2SA A MUST SEE! 'rivale tropiCal senirii, norlhtrihv
cluple, 23R2Bl2A aXr we cm iC~~urrash~d. in H-ClrImeS BE marlin a d;Pp car3ialcloz.e t.)the Bradenixi immaculate .IBR/38A evecuive homep
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2ot, 91 J42~o.ML~5~333 6a.9O) $1900.Irnmacjlaieand~nour Clear Ch-,CE~progracn. Turn-
ey package available El, Starren BekPy Smlim,
941. 778.22,46 MLS*,543rJ3? $499 900


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FABULOUS GULF VIEWS Prme end lurrllmhed ABSOLUTE DOLLHOUSE! Throu.uqhly mi:ider-' LUXURY ABOUNDS in rhiv t-jUlilully decorai.ld END UNIT Li,.h hltr Ihi ,n3i .P' '2, A Hiadden
uni onlerin, rspaC.IOus ilc ,rplairr ih n I ra i hen m ".0Fil ordh ,atId Flortna h.r mi. :Irlan d na hd jh il. i t ;iludiu ErijCly ijunl.T turiT your tb31' V whril ard La 1 C n. iT -ul I l m i r e-j:ri vaullid iiliring:
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MLS0.7333 '.49)7,500 MLS#"404-9 $3l'90i ,I aail rental pF.,yprrny 'areni Oay. 94t. 82-46 1 t.- 24 ILS#,34.5 '''..00
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RUNAWAY BAY CONDOS No*.)vadal~be -evteral
BP r 2 B : baylfro~. poul 4de, and other
vieVV: OTie urldjkld O~ i? rertul MPrAiToien
Phci kr CL3,S. i t-I78 .246 Pii~d 1314 (100
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Wisteria Park is a new neighbori-::ho d i- t N rii .. -, L E,.Id: ..:rtri1
offered by Neal Communities TI.- h: -i .'rih l .: -,
with maintenance-free and trarl iiir,.:ii -ik-lrtnLi, L m-i. .I
twelve floor plans with two-si .,'-'li in'.' l- l. 11 i n r l -i
to 3,341 a/c square feet. Visit i i r.. "l, r ,i i ,. ind tou'-i .r ''ii
four beautiful new models.


family v.' .'... .. ..
friends will ;, '.. |
and private mome.: ;. : .. ., .







'-. ,L ; / .ti...nt ..-- :' -.. c- -,2
*'7 *'-


r id h ida I. .. I I .. I/.. .L.77.. I


1 Perico Harbor
Anna Maria Island & Gulf Beaches-
3. Robinson's Preserve
4. Botanical Garden Park
Rivertown Marina,


Stewart Elementary School
7. Geraldson Farms Produce
8. King Middle School
9. U.S. Post Office
Urgent Care Medical Center


NEALCOMMUNITIES
Building. Home. Life.
www.nealcommunities.com


32 U DEC. 20. 2006 U THE ISLANDER




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CGCA 17845