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Best wishes. Anna Maria 1"-0& and prosperity for all in the new year. Lander; spo)ts .stories, 1.)"e 18. "The Best News on Anna Maria Island Since 1992" www.islander.org Volume 15, No. 8 Dec. 27, 2006 FREE Boat carries 25 from Cuba to Longboat Key By Lisa Neff Islander Reporter The nature of the complaint was simply recorded as "suspicious circumstance," but the arrival last week of 25 Cuban migrants to Beer Can Island was no routine call. Early Dec. 18, at about 5 a.m., Dennis Holden, of Brooksville, was driving along Gulf of Mexico Drive near North Shore Road in Longboat Key when he saw a large group of people standing in the roadway. The shrimp delivery driver called the Longboat Key Police Department, which dispatched several officers. The officers, according to a police report, found "That people would travel all that way, under such conditions, to come here says so much. I think that should make us proud and grateful, not hateful." Norm Farrell, Bradenton Beach resident 25 people, three of them suffering symptoms of hypo- thermia and dehydration. They said they had traveled by boat from Cuba and were left on the northern tip of Longboat Key at Beer Can Island. Sky view of the construction progress at the Anna Maria Island Community Center. Islander Photo: Jack Elka Deadline looms for Center building fund, bank loan By Diana Bogan Islander Reporter The Anna Maria Island Community Center has until Jan. 8 to raise the required money to pay off its Northern Trust bank loan. The bank extended the Center a loan after the cost of construction for the new Center rose to $4.1 million, almost twice the original $2.5 million budget and twice the amount raised and pledged for the project. According to Center executive director Pierrette Kell', Northern Trust provided the bridge financing to allow construction to begin while the Center raises the remaining funds. Kelly said the Center must come up with $500.000 in cash and $600,000 in pledges by Janu- ary. Of that debt, she said, nearly $580,000 still needs to be raised. . "We're hopeful that we will still meet our dead- line," said Kelly. "Plans will continue to move for- ,ward." Kelly said that the Center has applied for grants that are still outstanding and that it still needs a ground- swell of support from the community. Similar to a family on a tight holiday budget, Kelly said the Center is trying to do its best, even though she isn't sure how they'll make it happen. "I do believe in miracles," Kelly said. "And I do believe we will raise the funds needed, it may just come a little late. I don't think it will be an issue." Kelly said construction will continue to move for- ward, and that so far the project is slightly ahead of schedule. "If we continue to move at this rate, we could be in our new facility by the summer," she said. Kelly cautions that in addition to the Northern Trust loan, there is still a capital campaign to raise the remaining $1.1 million. Plans for the building and ball field remain the same, with the facility's space doubling thanks to the addition of a second-story. Kelly said that sports activities will resume at the Center once construction is completed. However, some thought has been given to hosting soccer events at both the Center and the Holmes Beach city field. For more information and to contribute call the Center at 778-1908. All donations to the building fund from $1 and up made by Dec. 31 are being matched up to a total of $50,000 by Chuck and Joey Lester of Holmes Beach, thanks to a community challenge sponsored by The Islander newspaper. "I've been here coming up on 26 years and I never in my wildest dreams thought I'd get such a call," said Longboat Key Deputy Police Chief Martin Sharkey. Still, Sharkey said officers responded quickly, treat- ing the incident as a rescue operation. Longboat Key police called out Longboat Key Fire Rescue. Calls also quickly went out to the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, with agents arriving within an hour. Officers from the Bradenton Beach Police Department and the Manatee County Sheriff's Office also responded. "It really all worked well," Sharkey said. "It was PLEASE SEE CUBANS, PAGE 3 Christmas night robbery, chase, crash Staff and customers at CVS/pharmacy in Holmes Beach were shocked Christmas night, Monday at about 6 p.m., when an armed robber confronted them. Holmes Beach police, along with deputies from the Manatee County Sheriff's Office and Bradenton police were involved in a high-speed pursuit of the robber on Manatee Avenue when a crash occurred. The suspect and police, including vehicles from the three respond- ing agencies, were involved in the crash. The suspect was apprehended at the crash scene, requested treatment and was transported to a hospitaI_ The suspect is John Butler, 45, of no known address. HBPD Chief Jay Romine said that just before 6 p.m. they received a call about a suspicious person at CVS, at the corner of Manatee Avenue and East Bay PLEASE SEE CRASH, NEXT PAGE Perico businesses to close By Rick Catlin Islander Reporter Boat owners who rent dry storage space at the- Perico Harbor Marina along with.the accompanying businesses at the marina have been given the boot by the owner: the St. Joe Co. of Jacksonville. Rudy Kratz, who owns Perico Island Boat Sales, said he was originally told he had to vacate the prem- ises by Jan. 15, but last week got a 30-day extension. Boat owners, however, say they have been given notice to remove their boats by Jan. 15. For Kratz, it looks like the end of the line for his longtime business. "We can't get another waterfront location, so it looks like we're going out of business," he said. - Kratz was formerly at the Island Marina on Pine Avenue in Anna Maria for six years, but was forced out of that location when the owners elected to tear down the marina and sell off the individual lots. He's been at Perico Harbor for the past four years. "I've been in the business 25 years," said Kratz, "but without a waterfront location, we're going to close up shop for good. There just aren't a lot of waterfront PLEASE SEE PERICO, NEXT PAGE 2006 EAR N REIEW' 2 E DEC. 27. 2006 E THE ISLANDER Perico businesses to close CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 locations left in the area for our business." The good news for boaters is that Kratz has more than 50 boats in his inventory, ranging in size from 12 feet to 36 feet and they've all got to be sold. "We're going to have a gigantic clearance sale start- ing Jan. 1," said Kratz. "Basically, we're going to be discounting the boats down to the factory price." The sale also includes trailers, parts, batteries, other boating accessories and new Yamaha outboard engines. Kratz sells new Triumph, Pro Sport and Nautico Star boats, but will have some used boats with inboard engines for sale. "I think it's fair to say there will be some pretty good package prices for boaters," he added. "We've got to clear out everything." According to staff at the Dalia Deli convenience store located in front of the marina, that business has not been given any notice and will remain in operation. The eviction notices were not unexpected. St. Joe, the largest private landowner in Florida, bought the marina, the former Leverocks Restaurant and the convenience store several years ago as part of its plans for the Seven Shores condominium project located on the land adjacent to the marina. The company has a Florida Department of Envi- ronmental Protection dredging permit for the boat basin at the marina and plans to build 180 wet-slips spaces for deep-draft boats, presumably for use by the condo owners. At the time it purchased the marina, St. Joe sub- mitted plans for a retail-office complex on the site of the marina, along with a restaurant. Efforts to reach St. Joe spokesperson Jerry Ray in Jacksonville for an update on the company's plans for the marina and retail space have been unsuccessful. St. Joe's Seven Shores project calls for 686 condominium units in 12 structures to be built in several phases around the complex. Last year, the company announced it was getting out of the home construction business, leaving that to local builders, but would continue to develop the infrastructure of its many projects. Although infrastructure development at Seven Boat and business owners at the Perico Harbor Marina have been given notice to vacate the premises as the pres- ent structure will be torn down as part of the Seven Shores condominium development. Islander Photo: Rick Catlin Shores has been ongoing for the past two years, the start of actual construction of Phase I could well be in the distant future. Sources close to the project say only nine units have been sold since St. Joe opened its sales office in January 2006. Efforts to confirm the number of sales at Seven Shores were unsuccessful. Seven Shores is actually located in Bradenton, which annexed the property nearly seven years ago after St. Joe discovered it would have to pay Manatee County impact fees for its condo units, but could avoid the problem by being part of Bradenton. A bitter legal struggle developed with the county along with the three Island cities, ManaSota-88 and several private individuals, claiming that Bradenton's actions were contrary to its own comprehensive plan. The suit was settled several years ago, allowing St. Joe to proceed with its Seven Shores plans. Unfortunately for the company, the condominium market, particularly on or near Anna Maria Island, began to fizzle in mid-2006. St. Joe has declined to indicate the price range of its Seven Shores units, but sources indicate the least expensive unit is around $600,000, with the asking price of some of the larger units selling in excess of $1 million. Crash CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Drive. Meanwhile, Butler re-entered the store and robbed the clerk at gunpoint. He then fled on foot and car-jacked a 2006 Toyota at Westbay Cove condominiums just moments before the owner loaded family members into the car. He took off eastbound, crossed the Anna Maria Island Bridge and stopped momentarily just long enough for offi- cers to begin a felony arrest stop. But Butler took off in the car, making it to the Palma Sola Bridge in the 9500 block of Manatee Avenue before he lost control of the vehicle, hit the bridge, spun out and bailed out of the car. At that point, HBPD officer Mike Leonard was stopped in the road and had exited his vehicle. The Bradenton Beach police car then slammed into Leonard's patrol truck, and the MCSO car slammed into the Bradenton Beach patrol car. The suspect stripped his clothes, and was about to jump off the bridge when he was apprehended by Leonard. Butler faces "multiple charges," according to Romine, and Sarasota police were en route to the jail to interview the suspect about a bank robbery. Exceptional Cuisine Worldkllass Wine ni Lagers & Ales ur Monday Friday 4:30pm to 6:30pm aHors D'oeuvres Now accepting r inside seating. RE -bDISCOVER J mom, 4(4L4 ~O1VM jb1~,jj~IIY M EJ5' Lu V..1--MO ovama_;* gulq, at~ T"~ RE-S T AU R AN T 111 South Bay Boulevard Anna Maria Island : 941-778-1515 Northern Tip Of Anna Maria Island : Across From The City Pier Lunch: Every Day 1 1:30am-4:30pm Dinner: Sun-Thurs 4:30pm-9pm : Fri & Sat 4:30pm-10pm www.thewaterfrontrestaurant.net Continental Bistro You'll love our Potato-Crusted Grouper. Tender fresh grouper is sauteed and crusted with flaky potato and served with Pommery mustard sauce..,Mmmm. Reserve now for New Year's Eve! DINNER nightly from 5 p.m. SUNDAY BRUNCH 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. LIVE JAZZ featuring the Herb Harris Trio Thursday nights, Island Shopping Center 5406 Marina Drive ~ Holmes Beach 941 7785320 I----1L~--- ~- --- ~- IWATERFROu mjjjjjjrjjjjj NOV t- 'FTIE ISLANDER M DEC. 27. 2006 M 3 ('Id'w,1% I/~ltcd lo 'tin jl' a'hl, ladaaitiaih ItIta ip 1 l Ir Ic '1 n ha/I 1ilt rc (15( I"A u' .n ican fti cnld% and taI'uiil.. Is/UII/CI Phcvs 'L Coa tculic L' iN~bcu'aI K, Y POlk L .Clucf.l H-,,,H /L Cubans make key landfall CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 very smooth." By sunrise Dec. 18, Longboat Key Police Depart- inent served.as a wait station for Emilia Zonaida Vazquez Sevilla, Jorge Luis Gonzalez Morejon,-Yuniel Esteus Consepcion, William Perodin Gongova, Yusimi Carrillo Gomez, Carlos Ivan Suarez Rodriguez, Fernando Mar- tinez Sanchez, Alfredo Gutierrez Prieto, Diosvany Guti- errrez Barredo, Estevan Torres Lieva, Ignasio Estevan Torres, Denet Imas Valdes, Jaidelys Hernandez Cruz, Sonia De La Pena Hernandez, Miladys Garcia Castro, Luis Alberto Diaz Rodriguez, Ismael Suarez Medina, Ditzan Vegas Diaz, Odalis Carmona Mena, Victor Alva- rez Cano, Armando Otero Leon, Rafael Salgado Vaez, Freddy Cruz Garcia, Dennis Alan Duran Morales and an unnamed person. Odalis Mena, 19, was the youngest on the trip and Estevan Lieva, 60, the oldest. Cuban Dennis Morales, with the help of a translator and Longboat resident Luis Ortez, provided authorities the details of how he and the others came to Longboat Key. Each passenger apparently paid $2,000 about 50,000 Cuban pesos to be transported by a 30-foot boat from.Cuba to the Miami area. The passengers told authorities they crowded into the boat's cabin on the night of Dec. 15 and left Cuba- for the United States, making their way through storm weather and traveling without %% after. food or a bath- room. They arrived three days later, hungry and cold, at Beer Can Island instead of Miami at about 4:30 a.m. Dec. 18. A Sarasota County Area Transit bus, flagged do% n by a police officer, took them to the police department. -where they received blankets, clothing, water and food. Longboat Police Capt. Steve Roehl drove to nearby Publix for sandwich fixings, fruit and be% erages and the breakfast was spread out on a dining table. "We started slapping sandwiches together," Shar- key said. - The Cubans gathered in a fenced area behind the police department while waiting for transportation to Tampa. "We never closed the gate," Sharkey said. "That, I think, m\ would have certainly added to their anxiety. We wanted them to know,.we were friends, here to help. The\ \\ere jo\ ous when they left. happy in their dream. The\ 'd come to America." MTeanwhile. the U.S. Coast Guard. % ith boats and aircraft, searched the Gulf \\aters for the smugglers and their boat and U.S. Customs and Border Protec- tion officials took o\ er the investigation into how the Cubans came to America. About mid-morning, the Cubans \\ere taken to the border patrol office in Tampa. \\here the \\ ere inter- Sie\\ed b\ authorities and then released, most of them leaving with family\ and friends from the Miami area. T he United States and Cuba have an agreement in S\hich Cubans interdicted at sea are returned to Cuba. Those "\ho reach U.S. soil, however, can remain and apply for residents. The Cubans %\ ho made posh Longboat Ke\ their port of entrn into America must take several steps to- remain in the States. They must obtain work authori- zation and Social Security numbers. And, after a year, they can apply for permanent residency. Officials said Beer Canisland. mighfibe the north- ernmost point on the Gulf coast that smugglers have brought Cuban migrants, but trips to the West Coast are not unheard of. "I don't think we're going to be looking at droves and droves of people, but we're prepared," said Dave Bristow, MCSO spokesperson. "You make sure the people are cared for and you call the federal authorities." "You prepare to handle any situation that comes up," said Holmes Beach Police Chief Jay Romine. "And this is something that certainly bears watching. It was not a coincidence that they ended up there." Two other trips from Cuba to Florida's West Coast occurred in the past two months-29 Cubans arrived in Naples Nov. 13 and 17 Cubans arrived on Sanibel Island Nov. 12. Crewmembers from Coast Guard Station Fort Myers Beach detained two people suspected of smug- gling the Nov. 13 arrivals 12 men, four women and a child from Cuba to Sanibel Island. The alleged smugglers were found in a boat near the Caloosahatchee River. Their 33-foot boat contained several extra fuel tanks and both men had been previ- ously arrested for human smuggling. "Smuggling human beings into the United States can sometimes be dangerous, but it is always illegal," said Pettn Officer 1st Class Tasha Tully, Coast Guard spokesperson. "This doesn't surprise me really," said Longboat's Sharkey. "It's hot down there on the East Coast. So coming this way, that doesn't surprise me. I think now we'll see this for a while until law enforcement assets are diverted to here and it gets hot." The Coast Guard searched most of Dec. 18 for a boat that might have brought the Cubans to Long- boat Key but failed to find a vessel, said spokesperson Sondra-Kay Kneen. The search was called off late that afternoon, she said. But the incident remains under investigation. "Anytime vke get an arrival of undocumented people who have been smuggled here, we try to look into the facts," said special agent and U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesperson Zachary Mann. He declined to say whether federal officials were following any leads in the incident or pursuing certain suspects. The thought of smugglers in the waters near Long- boat Key and Anna MariaIsland thrilled beachgoers days after the incident. "I'm both appalled and kind of vowed by this," said Longboat Key resident Charlene Smeltzer. "It's like modern-daN pirates. I might know these people, but probably not." People visiting Beer Can Island last week also reflected on freedom and country. "I think sometimes I take this country and what it guarantees us for granted," said Norm Farrell, of Bradenton Beach. "That people would travel all that way, under such conditions, to come here says so much. I think that should make us proud and grateful, not hateful." Former developer gets Island boot By Rick Catlin Islander Reporter The man who once bragged that he and his company would change the face of Island real estate and develop- ment has been evicted from a Bradenton Beach condo- minium following a mortgage foreclosure suit brought by Carol and Mel Yudofsky of Holmes Beach. Steve Noriega of financially troubled GSR Devel- opment LLC was served with eviction papers at the Capri Condominiums at 300 Gulf Drive S.,-Unit B, in Bradenton Beach last week after the Yudofskys won a mortgage foreclosure action in civil court. The Yudofskys allege they are still owed $191,000 by Noriega and his GSR partner, Robert Byrne, and have filed a claim with the U.S. bankruptcy court in Tampa that is handling the GSR bankruptcy case. Noriega does not live at the condominium and, apparently, no longer lives on Anna Maria Island. Sources familiar with Noriega say he now lives in Tampa and rarely ventures to the GSR office on Mana- tee Avenue or to the Island to oversee GSR's crumbling real estate fortunes. Noriega and Byrne did win a small victory in bank- ruptcy courtlas-t week. Judge K. Rodney May extended GSR's allowed time frame as the exclusive agent to file a company reorganization plan until Jan. 9, preventing any of the major creditors in the case from presenting their own reorganization plan. GSR's original filing date was Nov. 13, but May allowed an extension of that date following a motion by GSR lawyer Richard Prosser. The company also has to list all its financial assets and transactions on that date, a requirement that has likely sent Noriega and Byrne scrambling to piece together the details of their failed real estate empire following the boom years of Island real estate sales and development. Some of the major creditor banks in the GSR case, along with the unsecured creditors committee, are lob- bying May to have all GSR assets sold and the proceeds distributed to all creditors, secured and unsecured, before any funds are given to GSR. GSR has retained the services of William Malo- ney to piece together its financial picture along with a reorganization plan and present that to the court for approval. Maloney will receive a $125,000 bonus if he can reorganize the company in order that all creditors, secured and unsecured, are paid back. At the same time, the unsecured creditors commit- tee is asking the court to hire its own forensic accoun- tant to trace GSR's money and assets. Sources close to the bankruptcy case say GSR has received approximately\ $74 million in-loans during the past four years. When it filed for bankruptcy on July 13, GSR listed assets of $47 million against debts of just $33 million, including about $6 million owed to unsecured creditors. Byrne and Noriega have presented personal net worth financial statements of $33 million and $22 mil- lion respectively. Meetings Anna Maria City None scheduled. Anna Maria City Hall, 10005 Gulf Drive, 708-6130 www.cityofannamaria.com Bradenton Beach Jan. 4, 7 p.m., city commission meeting. Bradenton Beach City Hall, 107 Gulf Drive N., 778-1005 www.cityofbradentonbeach.org Holmes Beach None scheduled. Holmes Beach City Hqll, 5801 Marina Drive, 708-580P www.holmesbeachfl.org Holidays City offices in Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach, Ho1- mes Beach and Longboat Key will be closed Mon- day, Jan. 1, for the New Year's holiday. Garbage, trash or recyclable collection regularly sched- uled for Jan. 1 in Anna Maria, Holmes Beach and Long- boat Key will take place on Saturday, Dec. 30. There will be no service interruption in Bradenton Beaci.\: 4 M DEC. 27. 2006 U THE ISLANDER New year brings new resolve By Lisa Neff Islander Reporter ." Snowbird offers a novel resolution for the new year probably because she works in novelties. Snowbird is a clown with a red nose who performs at Island events, most recently the Anna Maria Island Historical Society's social with Santa. Her resolution is "to learn how to make more balloons, because that's what clowns do." Snowbird's friend at AMIHS, administrator Sissy' Quinn, also plans to ring in 2007 with a resolution. "Resolutions, to me, mean that there is something that I need to work on. That being said, I resolve to be more thoughtful of our volunteers, benefactors, mem- bers, chamber associates, and friends both here and on the mainland who continue to support us as we enter 2007," said Quinn. . The new year is marked in different ways and "' at different times around the world, but one shared .B ." tradition is the making of resolutions. The tradition "My new year's resolution? To learn how to make dates back at least to the early Babylonians, whose more balloons," says Snowbird the Clown. Islander most common resolution was to return borrowed farm Photos: Lisa Neff equipment, according to the free Internet encyclopedia Wikipedia. Last week, Island residents, workers and visi- tors shared their resolutions and wishes with The Islander. Some resolutions involved personal accomplish- ments. "Of course, I'd like to lose 20 pounds," said Holmes Beach resident Mary Kramer. "I always want to lose 20 pounds." "To get tolthe beach more than I do," Perico Island resident Jean Ehlis said, offering a goal for 2007. "One thing that I'm going to do is be more posi- tive;" said Erin Beal, a Bradenton Beach resident who works at Two Scoops in Anna Maria. Sheila Hurst, the president of Save Anna Maria Inc., resolved to "spend more time on myself by myself' and "make sure my kids are happy." Hurst also resolved to "stay active as a community activist and hug as many dolphins as possible at Mote", marine laboratory, where she volunteers. Hugging dolphins, saving trees, rescuing manatees I and other environmental goals are increasingly popular "One thing that I'm going to do is be more positive," resolutions, according to national surveys conducted by says Bradenton Beach resident Erin Beal. Simmons Market Research over the past five years. On the Island, such.resolutions are widespread. I'm going to pay more attention to the issues of the Holmes Beach resident and artist Barbara Hines day." said her resolution is "to do more to protect our fragile "I have a wish for peace and my new year's resolu- environment so that our children and grandchildren will tion is to extend it to everyone," said Nancy Morrelle,a be able to see manatees and sea turtles and have safe Bradenton resident who works at Two Sides of Nature water to drink and to enjoy." in Anna Maria. "When you have peace, it becomes con- Simmons Market also has documented since 2001 tagious." a decrease in the number of people who resolve to diet With the holiday season at hand, Holmes Beachd and better manage their finances and an increase in the City Commissioner Sandy Haas-Martens considered number of people who resolve to be more patriotic and service members away from home and family as she work for peace. made a new year's wish rather than resolution. "I'm going to put my flag out each and every day," "I usually don't do resolutions," she said. "But] said Todd Wayans, a vacationer from St. Louis. "And have a wish that our troops come home safely." Happy new year! It isn't unusual on Anna Maria Island to hear many languages spoken, especially during the holiday season when the Island welcomes an influx of visitors from around the world. So how do you say "Happy new year" in Chinese? "Chu Shen Tan." You can also say: Arabic: "Kul 'aam u antum salimoun" Dutch: "Niuw Jaar" Finnish: "Onnellista Uutta Vuotta" French: "Bonne Annee" German: "Prosit Neujahr" Greek: "Eftecheezmaenos o Kaenooryos hronos" Hebrew: "L'Shannah Tovah Tikatevu" Hindi: "-Niya Saa Moobaarak" Irish (Gaelic): "Bliain nua fe mhaise dhuit" Polish: "Szczesliwego Nowego Roku" Portuguese: "Feliz Ano Novo" Spanish: "Feliz Ano Neuvo" Turkish: "Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun" Vietnamese: "Cung-Chuc Tan-Xuan" And on Anna Maria Island: "Happy new year, y'all!" Source: U.S. State Department Other local officials shared service-oriented and civic-minded resolutions. "My resolutions would be to continue to provide the best possible fire and rescue services to our citi- zens," said West Manatee Fire Rescue District Deputy Chief Brett Pollock. I resolve to be more thoughtful of our volunteers, benefactors, members, chamber associates, and friends both here and on the mainland who continue to support us as we enter the New Year 2007," says Sissy Quinn, of Anna Maria Island Historical Society. "I have a wish for peace and my new year's reso- lution is to extend it to everyone, says Nancy Mbrrelle; of Bradenton. "When you have peace, it becomes contagious." He added several other resolutions "to further develop our personnel to be the most effective firefight- ers in Manatee County; to ensure the citizens of the district and state understand the importance of having a disaster plan in place and be prepared to act when asked to do so; and to make sure all my firefighters go home from work to their families after their shift." Surveys consistently show that about 35 percent of Americans make resolutions for the new year and that women are far more likely to make them than men. Those who make resolutions for personal growth or change to lose weight or save money have the hardest time keeping their resolutions. Less than a third adhere to a resolution for the year. Kramer said she traditionally makes resolutions and she traditionally breaks them. "I'll stay with it for about a month," Kramer said. So, like many, she's made a resolution to stick with her resolution. Two boys, 9 and 10, from Michigan, playing on "razor- style" scooters were struck by a vehicle Saturday Fourth Avenue and Gulf Drive and both were transported to Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg for treatment. The younger boy was discharged with stitches Sunday and the older of the boys has seri- ous injuries and is awaiting surgery, according to Lt. Dale AStephenson of the Holmes Beach Police Department. Michael Fetzek, 21, of Bra- denton, was the driver of the vehicle. He was not cited for I the accident. Islander Photo: F f1 Courtesy Barry Gould - I TIE ISLANDER M D)EC. 27. 20006 5 By Lisa Neff Islander Reporter January Sand and rust: Sunbathers, shoreline strollers and surfers found a familiar site on the sand in Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach with the start of the new year the pipes and bulldozers for the beach renourish- ment project. The project was halted in the fall of 2005 so as not to interfere with the tourist season. But the idle equipment, specifically the rusty pipes, remained a bother to beachgoers and an economic hazard to Island businesses. First homicide: On Jan. 2, Manatee County Sher- iff's Office deputies were called to a mobile home in Cortez's Sunny Shores and there they found Mimi Pace, 42, dead. Tammy Lynn George, 44, allegedly killed Pace, of 3707 115th St. Ct. W. Pace's death was the first homicide in the county in 2006. Back to class: Anna Maria Elementary School students returned from their winter break Jan. 4 to end an old semester and settle into a new school. Teachers had spent part of their holiday unpacking and preparing their classrooms for students. Key Royale IOU: Looking at a spring construction date for a new Key Royale Bridge, the Florida Depart- ment of Transportation "tentatively" pledged $2.95 mil- lion in its 2007-08 budget to pay for the project. The pledge was something of an IOU to Holmes Beach, which agreed to borrow construction funds in anticipa- tion of the reimbursement from DOT. By the end of the month bids on the project had come in and were higher than anticipated the low bid was $3.5 million. A farewell: On Jan. 16, Jim Taylor, the man who sparked so much joy and color on the Island, died. Taylor, of Taylor-Made Marine Construction and Taylor-Made Pyrotechnics of Holmes Beach, died in Orlando. On the Island he was renowned for his holi- day fireworks shows. Taylor was survived by his wife, Pidge, and his children, Courtney, Nick and Kelsey. Holiday Cove plans: Manatee County received a proposal from Federal Resort Properties Inc. of Sara- otAi to convert the Holiday Cove RV Resort in Cortez January: Back from break, new class Orderly chaos prevailed outside the new Anna Maria Elementary on the first day back from winter break. The first day back brought the first day of class in the new building. Islander Photo: Else Hellem-Brusso into a condominium community with two 39-unit build- ings, a clubhouse, a pool, a play area, boat docks and a ramp. Federal indicated two other options for the prop- erty selling the 112 RV sites to individual buyers or selling the property to the county for public use. Kingfish conflict: Manatee Couini 's plans for the Kingfish Boat Ramp bi..uighi residents of nearby West- bay Cove in Holmes Beach out en masse to a Jan. 24 city commission meeting. The plans for the state-owned property called for added parking, remo al of Brazilian pepper trees and the construction of a permanent rest room. Re sident stid no. So did the comniii.siun. The i iuLle \\ :Ould come again and a2.-in i 2111(21 . Ready. And action: T-he Br.ddeInton Beach C \. Commission- gave Islande; WA. I Teenkins the OK to tilm some scenes for his low-budget -VAnipire Biker Babes" at the Bradenton Beach Police Station. The pro ducer said the feature film wouldbe "well N thin ja PG' rating and there will be no nudity." John Chiappie dissented on the vote, saying, "I'm just not comfortable with the title and the image it could give our city." More headlines and highlights: The Anna Maria Island Privateers started the new year as the Islander(s) of the Year, christened such by The Islander. o Anna Maria Elementary auctioned off the old - as in the contents of 35 classrooms and the cafeteria. The Island Players performed "Murder by Misad- venture," directed by Phyllis Elfenbein, and got strong reviews. St. Bernard Catholic Church celebrated 50 years. The Anna Maria Island Rotary Club held its 2006 Casino Night and Extravaganza Jan. 21. Collectors and browsers enjoyed the offering at the annual Anna Maria Island Arts and Crafts Show in Holmes Beach. PLEASE SEE YEAR IN REVIEW, PAGE 8 s50,O00 Matching-Fund Challenge BUILDING OIR FUTURE! Holmes Beach residents Charles and JoAnn Lester are offering up to $50,000 in matching funds for contributions made by Dec. 31,2006, to the Anna Maria Island Community Center Capital Campaign. And your contribution is tax deductible. The Center provides a critical human service need on the Island and provided more than 1.5 million hours of service to more than 3,400 Island residents last year. Please send donations to the Anna Maria FL 34216, pAj Challenge, P.O. Box 253, (Capital Campaign. The Islander This advertisement is sponsored as a community service and partnership with the Lesters by The Islander. r---- ------- -- --- I YES, COUNT ME IN FOR THE LESTER-ISLANDER CHALLENGE! Name Address Phone Q Amount $ l I would like my gift in honor of: U I would like my gift to be in memory of: U Please bill me for my pledge amount. Please make checks payable to the AMICC Capital Campaign and mail your matching-fund contribution to P.O. Box 253, Anna Maria FL 34216.- L---rn--r ----------J ._-P..i. a~a~: f~E I~ARC~ ~VIAl 6 M DEC. 27. 2006 M THE ISLANDER Wow! The story of smuggled Cubans landing on the north end of Longboat Key at Beer Can Island last week was so exciting and amazing that we were left wishing that the 25 immigrants had made it just a little farther north to Anna Maria Island. Just imagine the welcome we could have provided had they come on shore at the Manatee Public Beach and Cafe on the Beach the celebration might be ongoing still. We are awestruck at the peril they were willing to risk, spending three days crowded onto a boat at sea with no water and no food only each other to cling to and the dream that they would soon walk in the sand to freedom. More than 30 years ago at Far Horizons Resort on Longboat Key in my new-to-Florida hotel career, I came to know some of the Cuban employees who demon- strated a drive to succeed in their lives and a willingness to please everyone in their service at the hotel. Alfredo, Jesus, Manuel and others each day brought with them a work ethic that stays with me to this day. I call it "whistle while you work," and I learned about. it when Rafael, who spoke almost no English and then in his 70s, came to bus tables in the dining room with broken ribs from a fall the previous day and he whistled and encouraged everyone to smile. These Cubans came to work without complaint, no matter that they were separated from family and homeland by communism and the Caribbean. There was hardly a hint of the crisis they and other Cubans had endured and still do in their country and in their hearts. Welcome to Florida and the United States to our newest immigrants, wherever you are. Mullet anyone? Fried or smoked, mullet is a delicacy to many folks. Yet, it remains so inexpensive that it is more common to the dinner table of low-income families.: But this time of year, mullet amounts to dollars for many commercial fishers, some who lost their liveli- hood when gill nets were banned. The spawning mullet roe is highly desired in Asian markets and the fish are ours to enjoy. Wish the fishers well. The sea has plenty of mullet for you and me! As always, thanks Thanks to you again on behalf of the staff and con- tributors to The Islander for a great 2006. Thanks to our advertisers, %% ho make it-possible to publish and distrib- ute a free community newspaper. And thanks to all in the Island community who cofifribute to our good news.. We're in our 15th year and proudly looking forward to another. Happy new year and thanks for reading The Islander. The Islander DEC. 27, 2006 Vol. 15, No. 8 V. Publisher and Editor Bonner Joy, bonner@islander.org V Editorial Paul Roat, News Editor,-paul@islander.org Diana Bogan, diana@islander.org Rick Catlin, rick@islander.org J ,. Ei-i . Jim Hanson Lisa Neff, lisaneff@islander.org V Contributors Kevin Cas'sidy, kevin@islander.org Jesse Brisson Don Maloney Edna Tiemann V Advertising Sales Nancy Ambrose, nancy@islander.org V .A,::.:,urfrj Services Melissa Burkett, melissa@islander.org V Production Graphics Kelly McCormick, ads@islander.org V Classifieds & Subscriptions Lisa.W illiam s, I',-1 ,.. r .r,: r.r . V Distribution Urbane Bouchet Ross Roberts Lisa Williams (All others: news@islander.org) single copies free. Quantities of five or more: 25 cents each. 1992-2006 Editorial, sales and production offices: Island Shopping Center, 5404 Marina Drive Holmes Beach FL 34217 WEB SITE: islander.org FAX 941 778-9392 PHONE 94-1 7,78-7978 SLICK By Egan S-0 S-. - Thanks for the help The members of the Cortez Village Historical Society, Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage and the Florida Maritime Museum at Cortez would like to bring to your attention the special and generous assis- tance that has been rendered to the village's historic preservation efforts over the past year. Renovation of the 1912 Cortez schoolhouse has been completed and the interior shines with the gleam of fresh paint and varnish. The first exhibitions of the new Florida Maritime Museum at Cortez are being installed over the next few months. The long-awaited move-of the 1890 Cortez water- front store has been completed under the expert care of Brett Johnson, his sons and the rest of their crew, without any loss of historic fabric. Renovation that will bring life back to this great old building will be ongoing over the new year. These have been big projects for a small village and none of this meaningful work could have been undertaken without the financial support of the Manatee County Board of County Commissioners, the William G. and Marie Selby Foundation, Brighthouse Network, Verizon, Manatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court Chips Shore, Florida Communities Trust and the Florida Department of State Department of Historic Preservation.. We want to offer our very sincere thanks to them and our neighbors in Manatee County for making this work possible to the benefit of us all. Mary Fulford Green, treasurer, Cortez Village His- torical Society Family Fun Day A very successful holiday fun day at Coquina Park was hosted by Anna Maria Island Community-Center supporters Chuck and Joey Lester and sponsored by The. Islander. The Center combined its efforts for a day of family fun with the Anna Maria Island Privateers. There was Santa's awesome arrival by pirate ship, face painting, cookie decorating, crafts, a fish pond, bean bag toss, and so much more. Don't forget the wintry white snow. But most of all there was a feeling of good old-fashioned fun. The Island Community Center would like to extend a heartfelt thanks again to Chuck and Joey Lester, whose continued support over the years has been just incredible, and to The Islander for its wonderful full-page coverage of the event and for donating three awesome raffle prizes. We would alo like to acknowledge and.thank the Privateers for letting us participate in their event due to ,the fact that we have no building this year. The much- needed reconstruction of our new Center will allow us to bring the Lester Family Fun Day back to Magnolia Avenue next December. Pierrette Kelly, executive director, AMICC Many thanks, good wishes The Anna Maria Island Privateers would like to express their appreciation to everyone in the commu- nity for their tremendous support of our recent Christ- mas Parade and Community Fun Day. It was a super turnout and lots of children left with smiles and full of Christmas spirit. The Privateers would also like to thank everyone. who supported our many events throughout 2006. Your sponsorship and support enabled the Privateers to con- tinue and increase our efforts to support the activities of the youth in our community and your generosity helped our scholarship fund grow. Each year the Privateers strive to increase the number of scholarships given to students so that they can achieve their educational and career goals. We hope you know how much you have helped the organization to achieve this goal. The Privateers hope that you will continue to sup- port our mission statement of "Pirates for Kids and Community." We hope to see many of you in our upcoming events scheduled for 2007. We count on your participation and support. A blessed and happy holiday season and the very best in the New Year to all. A hearty AARRRG to each and every one of you. The Anna Maria Island Privateers THE ISLANDER 1DEC. 27, 2006 7 ngWay you I rmr r.-: r I rI ir Clon r. - It's still 'Merry' Well, I've made it through Christmas 2006 without even once dashing through any snow on a one-horse open sleigh, or even hearing bells on a bob tail ringing. In fact, the more I think of it, in my 78 past Christ- mases, I only dashed through snow in some of them while in Plattsburgh. And since I never did even figure out what a bob tail was, chances are I have heard bells on one or more of them someplace. However, at Publix last week, I did see a Bob from o u r Island Kiwanis Kiwanis rinmgiin bells, but not from his tail, so it doe-n't -- count. Other than a few nervous moments Christmas eve, the holiday was as "Merry" as promised. That eve's nerves came when I suddenly thought that, since occasionally confusions develop because the family d o e s n t always understand exactly what I mean to say, chances were that the next morning I could be opening pack- ages of BVDs instead of the DVDs I wanted. Thank heaven, my concern was unnecessary because I got a selection of 4 1/2-inch DVDs rather than a new supply of 50-inch BVDs. I calmed down from being more than somewhat upset after hearing Midnight Mass was to be celebrated at 10 p.m. (calm required because to me, that's like having a football game end at three quarters instead of four), I got involved on Christmas morning with of all things icicles. It was my fault, because I happened to mention to the family how Wife Sarah decided not to hang icicles on our tree this year. Now with grandchildren around - all born and brought up in Florida I challenge anyone to try to clearly explain to them exactly what an icicle is and why it might be on a tree. It would have been much simpler to explain what manatees are to the other grandchildren native to Minnesota and California. Speaking of children reminds me that I did face some disappointments this Christmas. For one thing, not one of our 12 grandchildren asked for what was always my main wish when I was a kid an electric train probably because trains mean no more than icicles do to them. Interestingly, I learned while shopping for toy trains that I could have bought them a real locomo- tive and caboose at the very least for what it would cost to supply them with their wishes for some itmes like "PlayStations," which are priced at about the same figure as real train stations used to be on the New York Central. 1-F c c.r. tliose electronic toys I learned weren't Ith e onl: c\pcn'iN e thmins the kids wanted. A man next to me at the WalMart check- out counter told me he had to buy his kids real leather shoes because he- couldn't afford the kind of sneakers they wanted. Anyway, Christmas 2006is WIover and all the "Merry" that went with it, and now it's time to get going on new year's resolutions. All I've decided so far, the one's for 2007 will in no way be like my 2006 mistakes. If you are thinking of any I should consider, please let me know. This year, anybody who didn't like the gift I sent them will have to keep it anyway because I lost my Dis- cover card receipts they would need to bring it back. And Wife Sarah's sister Ann came up with the best "sorry-no-gift" excuse I ever heard. She fle\' do% n from Hartford to spend the holidai\ s with us and announced that Delta Airlines lost her luggage which incl uded the gifts she bought for us. In the meantime, here's wishing you the Merriest of Happy New Years. In the Dec. 25, 1996, issue of The Islander, headlines announced: The Anna Maria and Westside Fire Districts are considering an interlocal agreement that would merge the two districts into one organization, Anna Maria Fire Chief Andy Price said. Holmes Beach Mayor Bob VanWagoner said there will be a delay in getting a safety inspection performed on the Key Royale Bridge because the Sarasota-Mana- tee Metropolitan Planning Organization won't pay for the study until the city provides a deterioration model on the bridge. Florida Department of Transportation officials have indicated a new Key Royale Bridge could cost as much as $900,000. Anna Maria planning and zoning board chairman Tom Turner proposed amending the building code to allow homeowners to perform minor repairs of less than $500 without having to pay a design professional to draw up plans for submission to the city building department. Date Low High'Rainfal Dec. 17 67 76 0 Dec. 18 67 76 0 Dec. 19 66 76 0 Dec. 20 68 78 0 Dec. 21 69 79 0 Dec. 22 70 77 0 Dec. 23 69 74 .20 Average Gulf water temperature 690 24-hour rainfall accumulation with reading at approximately 5 p.m. daily: PRemembr ...s lwys FEE0 Rtoor0w Special menu! Noisemakers! ) Champagne at midnight! No cover charge! Reserve now 778-3953. Hurry! It's limg up fast! MUSICAL ENTERTAINMENT JAY CRPAWFORD JAY'S ALSO HERE FRI &SAT, DEC. 29 & 30 11 ROTTEN RALPH'S WATERFRONT DINING LUNCH & DINNER 7 DAYS FULL BAR SERVICE 902 S. Bay Blvd. Anna Maria Located at Galati Marina 778-3953 SG.ulf o _ex co- _____2 -__ Gulf of Mexico 0 IIS, CIPIALDA -EVR DY!$89 Umm..m... *aUa Em-ai mmamiailimamemai amimimm Ememm We'd love to mail you the news! . We mail The Ihlander ,,eekI) for a nominal $36 per year. It's the per- I fect way to stay in touch with what's happening on Anna Maria Island. More f R than 1,400 happy, eager-for-Island-news paid subscribers are already receiving j * The Islander where they live ... from Alaska to Germany and California to- " Canada. . * We bring you all the ne\ s bout three city governments, community hap- g openings people features and special events ... even the latest real estate trans- I actions ... everything you need if ; our "heart is on the Island." We're the only U newspaper that gives you all the news of Anna Maria Island. | The Islander is distributed free locally. But if you don't live here year-round, u .or if you want to mail the paper to a friend or relative, please use this form or I log on to islander.org for secure e-mail transmission. I BULK MAIL U.S. SUBSCRIPTIONS (allow 2 weeks for delivery) j 0[] One Year: $36 J 6 Months: .$28 J 3 Months: $18 U.S. FIRST CLASS AND CANADIAN SUBSCRIPTIONS " ) 0 L One Year:,$140 [L 6 Months: $87.50 LI 3 Months: $52 j Single Issue: $3.50 FIRST CLASS MAIL, U.S. ONLY, Maximum Four Weeks I Call for mail rates to Europe or other countries. I MAILTO: 9 ADDRESS --CITY- STATE- ZIP U Credit card payment: Q-L ]LI0. No. U Exp, Date Name shown on card: U .MAIL START DATE:. ' The6 Islander U Island Shopping Center 5404 Marina Drive Holmes Beach F. 34217 U UI CHARGE IT BY PHONE: (941) 778-7978 , U OR ONLINE AT islander.org E l.fl m U lfl- U ua mia D iD EUaa U'a IuE fllUiiE i n IN EnEm mU Im.E. W WN' , 8 0 DEC. 27. 2006 TIIE ISLANDER Year in review CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 February Sacked Shack project: The Manatee County Com- mission voted against purchasing the Seafood Shack property in Cortez for a maritime museum and boat ramps. In the unanimous vote, the commissioners cited a lack of funds the property appraisal came in at $9.7 million. There was also opposition to the project from property owners-to the north of Cortez Road. Heat wave: The Union of Concerned Scientists released findings on global warming that made for dire predictions for Florida's coastline. Half of Anna Maria Island could be submerged in the Gulf of Mexico in 100 years. Piping hot: Numbers for the first month of 2006 showed tourism off by about 22 percent on the Island compared with January 2005. The rusting pipes on the beach bore much of the blame. "We've heard about a number of cancellations because of the pipes," said Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce president Mary Ann Brockman. "It's ridiculous." Building up: Island officials learned Feb. 16 that the Anna Maria Island Community Center had success- fully raised $2 million in private donations mostly from Island residents for an expanded Center. But with the spike in construction costs, the price tag for the project had gone to $3 million and might go even higher. So might the Island cities budget for the Center in 2006-07, said the Center's executive director, Pier- rette Kelly. Cortez celebration: The two-day Cortez Commer- February: Fishing r festivities - Thousands of " people celebrated . Cortez's past and . present at the annual Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival. I' Blue Fulford spent the week- ;'u end at the festival working on cast nets and talking , with festivalgo- ers about his W career in fishing. .. Islander Photo: " Paul Roat - cial Fishing Festival drew thousands to the historic vil- lage for mullet, mangoes, music and memorabilia. Survey says: A survey completed by Anna Maria City Commission Chairperson John Quam found that a super-majority of the city's voters oppose any con- solidation with Holmes Beach or Bradenton Beach. Quam and survey volunteers did find voters inter- ested in studying the possibility of consolidating some city services. Commissioner struggles with health issue: Anna Maria City residents learned that one of their representatives, Commissioner Linda Cramer, was struggling with polycystic kidney disease, a genetic condition. "The last few months have been tough," she told The Islander. Border issues: Holmes Beach commissioned an engineering survey of city limits, specifically an area between 56th Street and Sunrise Lane where some pilings were installed, the area near the Kingfish Boat Ramp and the city's south end. The survey would seek to answer questions about where Holmes Beach ends. "We just felt it was time to clear the air on all these boundary issues," said then Holmes Beach Mayor Carol Whitmore. GSR legal battle: New Jersey resident Ed Furfey, claiming an equal partnership with Robert Byrne and Steve Noriega in GSR Development LLC, filed a law- suit over the matter Feb. 17. Furfey claimed GSR's $6.4 million sale of the Villa Rosa .property in Anna Maria was "well below market value" and that he was unaware of the sale. Consolidation call: A conference call in late February between then Holmes Beach Mayor Carol U! .!- .l -; March: Heritage happening Annie Hecker, of Palmetto, takes the steering wheel of an 87-year-old Tin Lizzy during Anna Maria Island Heritage Days. Islander Photo: Diana Bogan Whitmore, Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie and a representative from the University of Georgia's Carl Vinson Institute of Government, resulted in the announcement that the institute would create a consoli- dation proposal for the two cities. The announcement came months after citizens, in a non-binding referen- dum in the two cities, voted to look at consolidation. Anna Maria citizens didn't vote on the issue the city commission declined to put a question on the ballot. T'd off: Residents from the T-end canal section of Holmes Beach threatened legal action if the city commission amended an ordinance on dock use in the canal. Residents called the city's proposed "tweak" to the ordinance, specifically a provision against transfer- ring dock use with the sale of property, an infringement on their rights. City Commissioner Roger Lutz said, "The only reason we're doing this is because we've been told it [the canal bottom] is our property." Pipe plans: Through late winter, Islanders watched and waited for the temporary removal of beach renour- ishment pipes. Then, in late February, Manatee County Ecosystems Manager Charlie Hunsicker asked that the pipes stay put because renourishment would be resum- ing in about a month. Polite with pistol: A hold-up began with a pleas- antry rather than the usual "stick 'em up." The man now .known as the "gentleman gunman" approached two people on Gulf Drive South and said, "I'm sorry to bother you." He continued, "I don't want no one to get hurt. I got a gun. I want your cash and your jewelry. I don't want your wallet." The robber got $44 from the pair. He got $5 from another couple after asking for $100. More headlines and highlights The death of a green sea turtle in the intake of the Longboat Key beach renourishment dredge called attention to the measures needed to protect marine life. PLEASE SEE YEAR IN REVIEW, PAGE 12 WILLS TRUSTS ESTATES JAY HILL Attorney-at-Law 778-4745 Anna Maria, Florida AVEDA lifestyle salon , spa store experience the difference hoir nails skin body 531 1 gulf drive anna maria island _ p778.5400 co www.A2salon and spa.comn 1THE IS\LANDERI 0 DEC. 27. 2006 0 9 Authors, apanese art, news business library topics The Island Branch Library will start the new year with a full calendar in January, a roomful of authors one day and a newspaper publisher the next, with Japanese Manga art and world politics thrown in-. Opening the month's activities will be "Manga and Japanese Culture" for mostly young people - teens from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesday, Jan. 2. Manga is a Japanese-developed art form of images of young people with huge eyes, and it will be discussed by Ken Griffith and Paul Stonebridge of the Pasco County Library System. Japanese snack foods will be served, too. Jan 16 starting at 2 p.m. the library's local author series will bring seven authors to the library for the afternoon. They will speak briefly and be avail- able for individual chats, said the library. Authors will be Wayne Barcomb, H. Terrell Griffin, Ruth Heck- inger, Echo Heron, James Macomber, Kate Holmes and Wendy Howell Mills. Jan. 17, the local business series will feature pub- lisher Bonner Joy discussing the 15th anniversary of The Islander at 2 p.m. Other events on the library's calendar: Jan. 2, family story hour, 10 a.m. Jan. 8 and 22, Internet for beginners, 8:30 a.m., with advance registration required at 778-6341. Jan. 9, Friends of the Island Branch Library lecture series with political correspondent James McCartney discussing "Iraq and Beyond: Can Amer- ica Rule the World?" in two appearances. at 10:30 a.m. and noon. Jan. 10, Friends Book Club, 10:30 a.m. Jan. 13, family origami with Judy Pruitt, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Also Friends travel series, "China" with Diana Molesko at 2 p.m. Jan. 19, Friends board meeting, 9:30 a.m. Jan. 22, Jim Davis discusses his display of brass rubbings and leads hands-on rubbings, 6 p.m. The library is at 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. It opens at 8 a.m. daily except Sunday, closes at 8 p.m. Monday and Wednes- day, 6 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday. ISLAND D BOAT SALES 3QC I I I _ AERIAL PHOTOS OF ANNA MARIA ISLAND & LONGBOAT KEY wwELKA PHOTOGRAPHIC 941-778-2711 www.jackelka.com .I-M Am P ,_ - THE wlR~n~fl -1 H~seAIS. ,.- ... ... -,_ .. .. ... ..: .o .. o ,. .:, .-, .. : :-:-: -':.. ':' ; ,. : ) -- :': :.- :i .,.i:...i:- : :.g i .:i.4 :i ;!i -; -:-..... .. .. ,:=.._... :.:.. ,. .. .. .. _:. ,_ $8,200 AND UP TO7$9 BOATS AT INVOICE AND iUUU BELOW Everyone loves i! Everyone reads iM Well, almost everyone ,.. Anna Maria Island's longest-running, most award-winning newspaper ever is favored by Islanders and visitors at newsstands and by mail-order subscribers, ,--.,.i '_ by -.',an Talucci of Holmes Beach highly recommends reading The Islander every week, Anna Mriar The Islander SINCE 1992 Web site: www,islander.org EBmumT'u iI fl iEEJ WI, * :'_ '^v- K'_ _,- '1- B -, -' .- : -",. r,-r-d 941-795-3014 12310 Manatee Ave, Bradenton I 10 M DEC. 27, 2006 U THE ISLANDER Invitations Postcards Stationary 795-5131 Brochures Newsletters F 795.5134 Fax 795-5134 Business Cards Forms Flyers sales@baileyprint.com Menus Programs Labels Mon-Thurs 8:30-5:00 B/W to Full Color Fridays by appointment fLfP /5347 Gulf Dr. #6 Holmes Beach Holmes Business Center G ILL S TO RE (acrosstromhe Island Animal Clinic) TUES. FRI 1 AM- 4 PM SAT* 10 AM- 1 PM 779-9594 KAY TH15AUT J: ~ MASTER STYLIST AND S1r" ,is excited to announce her new location The Hideaway i5109 Manatee Avenue W. (In Fairway Center) 9+1--71)3-722 Pawsitively Pets & Property Services Inc. P.O. Box 265, Bradenton Beach, FL 34217 0- Quality Pet Sitting Bonded Insured 761-7511 l 7 6 Tw-75 11A Pet sitters, INTERNATIONAL NOWIOPEN ,S Full Liquor Store Liquor Beer Wine 4 9G41-779-BIEE S 5344 Gulf Drive Holmes Beach First-class operation A number of firefighters of the West Manatee Fire and Rescue received their promotion to firefighter first class at the WMFR board meeting Dec. 21 in Holmes Beach. Pictured are WMFR Chief Andy Price along with Brian Mikolay, Nate Bergbom, Dan Tackett, Jim Leigh, John Stump, Chris O'Kelly and Greg Wigeri Von Edema. Other promoted firefighters absent from the ceremony due to illness are Ryan Moore and Mike Bugel. Islander Photo: Rick Catlin Cortez killing set for trial By Lisa Neff Islander Reporter Tammy Lynn George is scheduled to be the first person tried for murder in Manatee County in 2007. George is accused of murder in the first homicide of 2006. George, 44, is charged with second-degree murder in the stabbing death of Mimi Marie Pace, 42, who was found lying in a pool of blood in her Sunny Shores mobile home on Jan. 2, 2006. A trial date has been set for exactly one year to that date Jan. 2, 2007, before Judge Janette Dun- nigan. A docket sounding to review the status of the case is scheduled for Dec. 20. Public Defender Steven A. Schaefer is representing George. George was arrested at the scene of the killing and allegedly before she was given her Miranda warn- ing confessed. "I stuck her and twisted it all. around," George allegedly told law enforcement officers, accord- ing to court records in the case. Court documents detail the morning of Pace's death, beginning with Pace and her boyfriend, Scott Conklin, moving from another residence at Sunny Shores into George's home in the 3700 block of 115th Street Court West. Pace and Conklin apparently had been evicted from Pace's place, ordered to move out by Jan. 1. Pace, Conklin and George were in George's home on Jan. 2 arranging possessions. Conklin left at about 10 a.m. to retrieve some items from the previous resi- dence, leaving Pace and George alone. Conklin was sent back to George's home, having been alerted by a neighbor who reported hearing screams. "Scott, help, she is trying to kill me," Pace was heard shouting, according to a probable-cause affidavit at the courthouse. Conklin tried to get into the home, then looked through the bedroom window and saw Pace on the floor. He entered through the window and called Pace's name, but she didn't respond. In the bedroom, authorities found blood scattered and beside Pace's body, a kitchen knife and aluminum bat. Authorities maintain that George grabbed a knife and stabbed Pace multiple times. An autopsy report indicated Pace suffered 75 stab wounds caused by at least two weapons. One witness said George, her clothing soaked with blood, smoked a cigarette in the kitchen as Pace lay on the floor in the bedroom. Sunny Shores residents said both Pace and George were involved in crack cocaine, but authorities have not revealed a motive in the case. In addition to the knife and the bat, authorities col- lected blood samples, Pace's wallet and bloody pillow- cases from the mobile home for evidence. Additional evidence, according to court records, includes reports from the investigation, a search warrant, lab-analysis findings, crime-scene photo- graphs, the criminal history for George and a fin- gerprint analysis. Potential witnesses for the prosecution include detectives and investigators with the Manatee'County Sheriff's Office, a lab expert with the University of Florida, representatives with the medical examiner's office, Bradenton Beach police officers, and acquain- tances of both Pace and George. -/ '-J Justask forme- I'll be the bag behind the counter No need to go street S poppingg in New York City... I ve all the famous designer names! ', h". I...: I Le.atlief Mletallic i.dLJ d 1I *: i 1. 11 1 Aeessoeies eemelf Mention this ad, get 10% off 412 10th Ave. W. Palmetto 722-9916 7604 Cortez Rd. Bradenton 761-0607 Commissioner rebuffs Galati meeting request By Rick Catlin Islander Reporter Anna Maria City Commissioner Duke Miller has politely declined a request by Galati Marine to discuss the 27-foot height limitation for new construction in a commercial district in the revised comprehensive plan recently forwarded to the Florida Department of Com- munity Affairs for approval. Miller told Mike Eiffert of Galati Marine that he had to decline an individual meeting with "Team Galati" because "I think it is important for 'John' and 'Jane' AnnaMarian to hear why you and your colleagues think we should allow 37-foot-high commercial buildings. It's no less important that they have the opportunity to express their views about your points." Miller also noted that the entire three years- plus comprehensive-plan revision process has been "completely in the sunshine and I think it should remain so." He suggested that the proper venue for a presenta- tion by Galati would be at the next public hearing on the comprehensive, plan, which will take place after the plan is returned to the city by the DCA with any revisions and suggested changes. Eiffert, however, said Galati Marine's concern is that limiting new commercial construction to just 27 feet takes away an entire floor of potential business space. "It's expensive to do business on the Island with the taxes and insurance we pay. Our new building would be two stories over parking. Building one story over parking is a real hardship," he said. No plans for any new structure at Galati Marine have yet been submitted to the city. Team Galati and other interested business owners simply wanted to make a presentation to the city com- mission about their concerns, Eiffert said, noting that a new home can still be built to the 37-foot height limit, but not a new business. Eiffert said he will meet with the Galati broth- ers during the holidays to discuss a possible course of action. Commissioner Christine Tollette said she also received a letter from Galati and responded that, while she wasn't clear on what they wanted, she would meet with them to discuss the issue. Commissioner Dale Woodland, however, said he has not yet received a request from Galati for a meeting, but has seen Miller's response to them. Code board concludes 2006 business THE ISLANDER M DEC. 27. 2006 11 Island Florist You Know Why! By Lisa Neff Islander Reporter The Holmes Beach Code Enforcement Board swiftly concluded its last business of 2006, ruling Dec. 19 that a property owner had improperly parked a boat and trailer. The unanimous board decision, made on the advice of the city's code enforcement officer and an attorney, resulted in a finding of a violation but no fine. The point of the finding would be that if there's a repeat offense the fine could be $500 instead of $250, said Nancy Hall, the city's code enforcement officer. Hall told the board that in late June she observed a boat and trailer parked in a front yard of a home owned by Jason and Lauren Sato in the 600 block of Emerald Lane. Hall said she informed the property owners that the boat and trailer were illegally parked and must be moved. The vehicles were moved, but later returned to the yard, prompting Hall to notify the owners again. At the board meeting Dec. 19, Hall said the boat and trailer had been removed after about 50 days on Dec. 18, bringing the property owners into compliance. Still, she asked the board to find that there had been a code violation in the event the boat and trailer are returned. Jason Sato attended the hearing and did not dis- pute Hall's explanation. He said he initially thought 'Island History' to be topic of Island Kiwanis club Jeff Asbury will discuss "Island History" for the Anna Maria Island Kiwanis Club when it meets at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 30. ' It will be the regular breakfast meeting of the club at the Cafe on the Beach, 4000 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach. Details may be obtained by calling 778-4865., Pastel artists, demonstrations set by Artists Guild Pastels by Donna Bednarz and Peggy Potter will be featured by the Artists Guild of Anna Maria Island during January. The guild's gallery is in the Island Shopping Center, 5413 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. The exhibit's opening reception will be there from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 5. Two demonstrations are on the gallery's schedule during the month. Roger Rockefeller will show the use of mixed media from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 11, and Paula Schoenwether will demonstrate use of a digital camera and printer from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 19. Further details may be obtained by calling 778- 6694. he needed only to move the boat and trailer away from the front of the home, not to the driveway or another location. "I'm sorry about the misunderstanding," he said. After the hearing, the board heard from Hall that problems at a condominium in the 5400 block of Gulf Drive were corrected. The board in October had taken up the case of the rented condominium owned by David H. and Betty Wieland of Grand Rapids, Mich. At that initial hearing, Hall presented testimony and evidence showing that some renovation work in the condo occurred without a permit and the work resulted in electrical problems in the kitchen. Board members gave the Wielands a Nov. 8 dead- -line to comply with permit requirements and correct the electrical problems or face a $250-per-day fine. Hall told the board that the Wielands corrected the problems by their November deadline and "this case is closed." The meeting concluded after about 30 minutes. The board's next meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. Jan. 18 at city hall. Streetlife Island police reports Anna Maria Dec. 15, 400 block of North Bay Boulevard, dis- turbance. According to the report, two tenants argued over parking issues. Both parties agreed to contact the landlord to resolve the issue. Bradenton Beach No reports available. Holmes Beach Dec. 16, 700 block of Manatee Avenue, driver's license. A man was cited for driving with a suspended license. Dec. 17,2700 block of Gulf Drive, driver's license. A man was cited for operating a motorcycle without the proper endorsement on his driver's license. He was also cited for not registering his vehicle. Dec. 17, 200 block of 77th Street, theft. A woman reported the theft of an earthbox containing tomato plants. Dec. 17, 200 block of North Harbor Drive, distur- bance. Officers reported to a party where guests rariging in age from-18 to 20 were reportedly consuming alco- holic beverages. Guests reportedly cooperated with the officers and the parents of the teen host were notified. Dec. 18, 2700 block of Avenue C, theft. A woman reported that her prescription medication had been stolen from her home. 941-778-4751 800-771-7163 5312 Marina Dr. Holmes Beach www.island-florist.com RflDER'5 REEF ShIELLS JEWELRY GIFTS e areas lar est selection o handmacde shell 0o iday ornaments 5508 Marina Drive Holmes Beach 778-3211 [Across from the library] -* New & Custom Jewelry Remounts E Appraisals Repairs Estate Jewelry _ 1 40% OFF SELECTEDCITIZENWATCHES) 17,,: i'. f ~ - and Watch Repair ^ 7358 Cortez Rd. W.* (941) 798-9585 Tues.-Fri. 10-6, Sat. 10-4 Dean Brown, Master Jeweler and Accepting major credit cards & ATM Card Watchmaker for 24 years k J- h'a 14111LAW'I ihJ 'l4'11 ',MiU -.December s - Honey~e-R offthe Mo9ftLhj-3 Nikky Toler Age: 6 months Son of Kathy and Kelly Toler of Bradenton. Nikky is a very happy and cheerful baby who : loves hugs. S JII' r, r. 1:. an n, m-6p 9L." tL." "' DAYCARE 5382 Gulf Diive Ho", l, B eh 778-2967 L" d % DAYCARE 5382 Gulf DWve*- Holmes Beach* 778-2967 Gigantic SFlea, IMarket Monday New Year's Day Starts at 9am! 'We wish you a merry ...' Carolers from the after-school/holiday program of the Anna Maria Island Community Center caravanned around the Island, calling on several Island businesses last week, including The Islander newspaper, spread- ing holiday, cheer and sharing Christmas carols. They performed three songs before returning to Anna Maria Elementary School for their holiday party. Islander Photo: Bonner Joy Ginny's Antiques & Art 5602 Marina Drive Holmes Beach (Please park at the library) 12 I DEC. 27. 2006 M THEIR ISLANDER Year in review CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8 The 14th annual Island Kiwanis Valentine's dance drew some 240 people to the Anna Maria Island Com- munity Center. March Road work: Anna Maria City commissioners on March 16 authorized an engineering firm to prepare bid packets for more than $700,000 in road improvements and two drainage/stormwater improvement projects. The projects would be funded by a $1 million line of credit authorized by the commission. Seaweed by the seashore: Seaweed invaded Anna Maria's beaches from Bean Point to the Sandbar Res- taurant in mid-March. A scientist from Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota suggested the growth of a sand- bar in the area kept the smelly seaweed concentrated to the Anna Maria beaches. Bumper to bumper: "We're not about to four-lane State Road 789. What's left?" Carol Whitmore, at the time the mayor of Holmes Beach, asked other members of the Coalition of Barrier Elected Officials gathered March 21 to discuss traffic problems on the Island. All agreed there's a problem but there's no easy solution. March merrymaking: Islanders and visitors hon- ored old St. Patrick with more than a day. The celebrat- ing included a breakfast, a dinner and a parade. The month also brought the Anna Maria Island Heritage Days, which included a bike parade, historical museum tours and festival treats. On hold: Holmes Beach city commissioners April: In memory of Friends and family gather on the Anna Maria Island Bridge after a late-night accident on the bridge left one young man dead and another was injured. Zane Zavadil died and Ryan Costello was seriously injured when the SUV they were in went off the bridge and into the water. Islander Photo: Rick Catlin r-~'~- )j~2 r~ ~"* 'Ke; decided they needed more information before acting on a request from Metro PCS to add a fourth antenna to a cell tower at the Smith Realtors building on Marina Drive. One question: Could the tower, with an added antenna, withstand 141-mph winds? Commercial limits: The Anna Maria Planning and Zoning Board voted at a March 27 meeting to put on hold plans for extending the city's retail-office-residen- tial district from Pine Avenue south on Gulf Drive to Palmetto Avenue. The extension came up in an effort , to revise the city's future land-use map. The vote didn't bring an end to discussion. In her name: Christine Olson urged Florida law enforcement officers and lawmakers to consider her ideas to link emergency contact numbers with driv- er's licenses. Olson's campaign was in memory of her daughter, Tiffiany, who was killed along with friend Dustin Wilder in a motorcycle accident in December 2005. Christine Olson didn't hear about the accident until seven hours after it occurred. More headlines and highlights Mr. Bones BBQ learned that the March issue of Family Circle magazine would highlight the restau- rant's chocolate pecan bread pudding as a readers' poll best-loved desert. West Manatee Fire and Rescue District com- missioners approved the purchase of a new 100-foot ladder truck to replace a truck at Station No. 1 in Holmes Beach. John Bacon of Bradenton Beach marked his 80th birthday in March and to celebrate his daughter, Debbie, decorated dad's corner lot with dozens of pink plastic pigs. Get it? Bacon... The maritime museum organized in Cortez became a statewide entity -.the Florida State Mari- time Museum. May: Dedicated to education The ribbon is cut at the official dedication and grand open- ing of Anna Maria Elementary School in Holmes Beach. Students started classes in the new school in January, but a dedication was held in the spring, with all of Anna Maria Island invited to the festivi- ties. Islander Photo: Bonner Joy April Ill wind: A brutal U.S. hurricane season brought catastrophe to the Gulf states in 2005. The hard wind in 2006 came in the form of soaring insurance costs. The owners of Island property beyond 1,000 feet of the Gulf of Mexico found themselves in an especially tough spot facing sky-high premiums, outright refusals of coverage and no option to seek help through the state- operated Citizens Property Insurance Corp., which only issues wind insurance policies for Island property within the 1,000-foot perimeter. The Legislature would defeat a bill by state Rep. Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, to provide some remedy. Bradenton Beach bust: A sting operation con- ducted by Bradenton Beach police resulted in the arrest of three men on narcotics charges. An under- cover officer called the three suspects from a pay phone at the Circle K on Gulf Drive and arranged to buy about $100 in crack cocaine. Twenty minutes later the deal went down, followed by a car chase, a crash and arrests at gunpoint. Opt out: Bradenton Beach city commissioners decided they didn't want to help pay for a consoli- dation study, bringing to some conclusion another round of talks on the issue. Commissioners said why bother studying consolidation if Anna Maria City isn't interested. Island tragedy: Zane Zavadil, 19, died and Ryan Costello, 19, suffered serious injuries when the Toyota SUV they were in went off the Anna Maria Island Bridge. Rescue workers quickly arrived to the scene to find the SUV submerged in water and the young men, both graduates of Manatee High, trapped inside. For months after, friends and family made a pilgrimage to PLEASE SEE YEAR IN REVIEW, NEXT PAGE Reach more than 20,000 people weekly with your ad for as little as $20! Call Nancy, 778-7978 Tlihe Islan-der I9 7L S7,8- C U 941.7778-9 18* V ]':LAIOE. IORECKVACUUM' ALL 3 PIECES FREE13Vae FULL 3-YEAR WARRANTY! S 199 VALUE FREE ___ 8 Attachments m wi Weighs 8 Ibs. Strong enough to pick i Tll Hotel Strength up a 16 lb. bowling ball. REPAIRS 7 DAYS A WEEK FATOCAT Carpet & Upholstery Tile and Grout Cleaning Cleaning and Stain Control! 778-2882 or 387-0607 LARRY & NANCY HOUSE, OWNERS ' S.. gotocarpetcleaning.com S www.ethicalservlces.com 100%SATIS CI I. - I I .5, Vacuums of Sarasota 4892 S. Tamiami Trail, in the Landings Plaza Hours: Mon.-Fri, 10-6, Sat, 10-5, Sun, 12-5 1 L 941-924-1841 AMII L Year in review CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12 the bridge to leave cards and flowers, stuffed animals and prayers. A wooden cross still remains in the water, marking the site where Zavadil died. Protest signs: Enforcement of measures tighten- ing restrictions on signs in Holmes Beach brought protesting property owners and property sellers to city hall April 6. Holmes Beach officials had confis- cated illegally placed or non-conforming signs. The action triggered complaints from real estate agents who said they never received notice of the stepped- up enforcement. City officials defended the action, pointing out that Holmes Beach's sign ordinance was adopted in 1998. Showdown averted: The Anna Maria City Com- mission seemed to have resolved concerns about a proposed sign ordinance, heading off an anticipated showdown between city officials and real estate agents over the measure. The commission removed from the proposal restrictions that some said went too far, such as limits on colors and words. More headlines and highlights Islander Tom Sprenger got named Hernando de Soto for the De Soto Heritage Festival, the area's rival to Mardi Gras. The Anna Maria Island Woman's Club celebrated more than 60 years of service as it said goodbye.. The club that formed in the 1940s disbanded. The Kiwanis Club of Anna Maria Island cele- brated Easter with its 42nd sunrise serve at the Manatee, Public Beach. A "green" sidewalk was installed at Cortez Beach in Bradenton Beach to test a material made of old tires. A creative vision process continued in Bradenton Beach as city officials and volunteers set their sights on preserving and improving the waterfront. The Anna Maria City Commission agreed to amend its permit fee schedule to help out the Anna Maria Island Community Center. The move saved the Center, as it readied for a major construction project, about $36,000. May Turtles come home to...: The marine turtle nest- ing season began with a corps of volunteers trained to protect the adult turtles and their offspring and encouragements to residents to keep waterfront lights off at night. School celebration: The new Anna Maria Ele- mentary School opened to students after the winter break but the school dedication didn't take place until May 1, when all of Anna Maria-was invited to join in a celebration. Time trial: The U.S. Coast Guard agreed to a trial 2005 SMALL BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR Island 1 hiropratfe Centat Dr. Kathleen Goerg Now Offering Thai Massage! Lic# MA33390 778-0722 3612 East Bay Drive Holmes Beach, FL 34217 Visit our Web site: www.Islandchiro.com program to open the Anna Maria Island and Cortez bridges twice an hour and by request during season. The test was to determine if the change would help alleviate traffic tie-ups. SAM's goal: Spring ushered in a reorganization of Save Anna Maria, Inc. and a setting of priorities. The top priority? Tackling the wind insurance crisis. 'Party mansion': A posting on a Web site adver- tised sex parties at a "party mansion" at 5601 Flotilla Drive in Holmes Beach. Property owners Scott and Deanne Hopp rented out the home on a weekly basis. Neighbors noticed that some visitors to the rental liked to party naked. Asked by The Islander about the par- ties, Scott Hopp said, "I'm shocked. I had no idea. I'm going to go down there and evict them right away. It's supposed to be for families only." The situation would lead to a discussion on ordinances related to rentals, as well as much gossip. Foreclosure filed: GSR Development LLC contin- ued to struggle with legal problems. The development company got hit with a foreclosure action by Synovus Bank of Tampa. The bank claimed in May that a note for $2.1 million due from GSR in January was not paid. The company was already facing four lawsuits over uncompleted projects in Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach and Longboat Key. Motel matters: The state Legislature failed to provide wind insurance relief for the Island, but state lawmakers did take action that allows counties to defer property taxes for hotel and motel owners. The legislation authorized county government to desig- nate a "working waterfront" zone where taxes could be deferred. Heavy hammerhead: A giant hammerhead shark caught on tackle off Boca Grande arrived by truck to Cortez's A.P. Bell Fish Co., before being shipped - frozen to Mote Marine Laboratory. The shark weighed in at 1,280 pounds and was the biggest ham- merhead ever caught on tackle. The record had been Happy e 'e* a a ^ the bet in 2007 -Carol Greer Siemaszko- ( 4 B.A. Ed., M.A. Psych / CERTIFIED COUNSELOR \ AND, LIFE COACH ^ 941-794-1492 .-.. ) Perico Island Bradenton . ?V11MI I II Nll LUTZ, BOBO & TELFAIR, P.A. Lawyers Roger Lutz and Allen Bobo areI luhind residents 951-1800, L.1ut7. Bobo &Telfair, PA., is rated "AV" by Martindale-Hubbell, the notur, ll. eo..-- prized law firm rating service. The hiringrda c t .'is; jr. im 1u -,ani.L-cicn iji & h. ud ,re'l tC s- .J ... L. u' ..-d.. r i-im.n.,rL Beforeyou d..d., J4 W 1L, ) .... ..u tr.- tL mic n ..1 ..... ..i v -i or .i i,:r.i .n . ..p.-n.r.c. THE ISLANDER DEC. 27, 2006 13 held by a 991-pounder caught off Sarasota in 1982. Sales at SevenShores: St. Joe Co. opened its sales office for the planned 686-unit Perico Island condo project, SevenShores, in early May. The developer also confirmed its plans that the property where Leverock's Restaurant operated, along with the convenience/gas market and marina there, would be used for a retail- office complex. More headlines and highlights Anna Maria Elementary's third-graders went into their last month of classes in the 2005-06 school year celebrating a FCAT success. The entire grade- level, according to the Manatee County School Dis- trict, scored 100 percent on the reading portion of the required test. County officials reported that Goodloe Marine wouldn't meet a June 1 deadline to complete a beach renourishment project. A home at 102 79th St. in Holmes Beach sold for $3.45 million, a record for a single-family home on Anna Maria Island. Anna Maria Elementary teacher Deborah Thomas retired after educating Island students for more than 30 years. The Holmes Beach skateboard complex was the site of the Holmes Beach Skateboard Contest. June Be prepared: Hurricane season arrived with experts predicting an above average season and Island officials encouraging preparedness. Application withdrawn: Bradenton Beach Marina owner Allan Bazzy withdrew an application for a boatel a hotel for boaters a week before the Bradenton Beach Planning and Zoning Board was to review the project. Anticipating some concerns about the plan, Bazzy said he'd withdraw and "make it an early evening." PLEASE SEE YEAR IN REVIEW, NEXT PAGE UREN ARECETE t a S OPEII Moin-Fri. 7",am-7prpm S' Sat Sun.. Holidaysz '7-'aram-5pm WALK-INS WELCOME We're available to Lend to ,-our urgent care needs F '.-er [r e.:r.i:on.: Miror L c ratiri :. Smpie Fractaur.e Sprains PINNACLE MEDICAL CENTER 315 75th Street West Bradenton 941-761-1616 HOLIDAY GARBAGE AND - RECYCLING PICKUP SCHEDULE Waste Management of Manatee County will niot be pick- ing up garbage or recycling on New Year's Day, Monday, January 1, 2007. Monday's garbage and recycling will be picked up on Saturday, December 30. T Thank you and enjoy a safe weekend WASTE MANAGEMENT of Manatee County For more information, call 753-7591 June: Turtle trip A sea turtle comes ashore at Coquina Beach and lays a nest of about 100 eggs. She covers the nest with sand and then returns to the Gulf in high surf due to tropical storm Alberto. Islander Photos: Jo Ann Meilner 14 M DEC. 27. 2006 T TIIE ISLANDER Year in Review CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 Church coverage canceled: Some Island churches were forced to brave the hurricane season with pro- tection from some authority higher than corporate America or the state. Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Holmes Beach and Roser Memorial Community Church in Anna Maria both learned of canceled wind insurance policies. Chilly reception: A hip-hop concert and picnic planned for Coquina Beach didn't happen after county and Bradenton Beach officials gave a chilly recep- tion to "Chill" Johnson's plans for a festival. More than 20 Manatee County Sheriff's office patrol cars, four mounted units and other law enforcement units patrolled the beach to make sure the show didn't go on. The festival plans came up as county and Island officials raised concerns about crime and public safety at Coquina. Homicide arrest: Frank Reposh, 42, went miss- ing in October 2005. Reposh's bones were found in early June in a wooded area in the 3600 block of Palma Sola Boulevard. Bradenton Beach resident Merle Zei- gler, 53, was arrested June 7 and charged with murder- ing Reposh. She allegedly confessed to first stabbing Reposh and later shooting him in the head. Her son, Josh Zeigler, was also arrested in the case and is sched- uled to go to ti~al in February 2007 on a second-degree murder charge. Parking problems: Carol Whitmore, as mayor of Holmes Beach, sent a dispatch to other Island mayors Here are some "NO COST" Q Investments to save you money on your heating/cooling bills: 1.. Replace or cleanyour system's filter on a monthly basis. Pirty filters restrict airflow. forcing your system o2 tlemoveobjc from in front pf your supply and return vents, 3. Make sure your windows and doors are completely closed while your. ) system is operating. FOR MORE INFO PLEASE CALL OR CHECK OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.WESTCOASTAC.COM .-----. -WEST COAST AIR CONDITIONING & HEATING INC i 7771.-22 5347 Gulf Drive, No. 4, -T> -'- HMmesrBeachtrBsinEss-Center, Holmes Beach CACO4435 FPL PARTICIPATING CONTRACTOR s\ . and Manatee County Commission Chairman Joe McClash raising concerns about parking and traffic trouble related to the county's facilities on the Island. Whitmore wrote that with the "tremendous amount of growth in Manatee County, our 7-mile stretch of beach is finally starting to feel the stress of growth." Nest numbers: With the sea turtle nesting season under way, the Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch local protectors of the species --identified 38 nests by mid- June, more than the year before at the same time. Charitable campaign: A two-day all-Island blood drive brought in 270 donors, 225 units of blood for Florida Blood Services and $22,500 for Island charities. Sandbar stipulations: Anna Maria city commis- sioners unanimously approved a site plan for expanding the Sandbar Restaurant. Owner Ed Chiles had spent more than two years developing the plan. The vote didn't come easy. It followed more than three hours of arguments, mostly from lawyers representing property owners opposed to the plan. And it came with stipula- tions on restaurant service, maintenance and parking. Citing skateboarders: Holmes Beach Commis- sioner Pat Morton proposed measures to curb skate- boarders riding without permission on public and pri- vate property. The proposal followed complaints about some skateboarders using public facilities and shopping centers, causing property damage., Morton proposed citing the skateboarders for trespassing when they ride without permission. Pier closed: Damage to pilings at the Bradenton Dreams. COAS'r ,- 477COA S ffL H ti.i - "Tropical Bugs Need A Tropical Service" CALL US FOR A FREE ESTIMATE Beaches Bradenton Sarasota Parrish 778-1337 794-1005 365-2893 776-0779 p Full Service Exterior and Interior Now Accepting Visa ____,__ and Mastercard Island Pest Control Inc. SERVING. THE ISLANDS MORE THAN 20 YEARS State Certified/Licensed and Insured Locally owned and operated 1 ^ Watercolorist featured Watercolor artist Dee Pasto- rius is to be Artist of the Month at the Island Gallery West in Holmes Beach. Vacationing in Florida since the late 1960s, .. .. she retired-with her husband to Florida and now has time to devote herself to painting. She loves to paint people, she says, especially little people at the beach. Selected works by Pas- torius will be displayed Jan. 2-31 at the artist cooperative located at 5368 Gulf Drive, .- Holmes Beach. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday- S Saturday. Beach City Pier forced officials to close the historic structure to the public. Hurricane Frances damaged the pier in 2004. More headlines and highlights Arthur Bussey reported that after a thunderstorm hit the Island, a shower of fish rained down on his Holmes Beach backyard. "Fish were pelting down on me and my yard and maybe 50 feet out from shore," he said. A threat of litigation in a property/right-of-way dispute was enough to prompt Anna Maria City Attor- ney Jim Dye to advise city officials against talking with Craig Colburn, attorney for the Olesen family. Next week: The year in review, part 2 Red tide research to be outlined for Rotarians The Rotary Club of Anna Mafia Island on Tuesday, Jan. 2, will hear Dwight Davis of Mote Marine Aquarium discuss the progress of research into the Gulf of Mexico red tide blooms that have plagued the area for years. The club's first meeting of the year will be a noon luncheon at the BeachHouse Restaurant, 200 Gulf Drive N., Bradenton Beach. Further informa- tion may be obtained by calling 524-0984. Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, ELCA Pastor Rosemary W. Backer 5rpm Saturday, Dec. 30 rvice of Celebration ~ Lesson & Carols 10am Sunday. Dec. 31 .. r Lesson & Carols *. ,,lori3' uireron corn 6608 Manrina Drive Holmes Beach 778-1813 AN INTERDENOMINATIONAL COMMUNITY CHURCH HARVEY MEMORIAL - " PASTOR STEPHEN KING Sunday 9:30am 779-1912 www.harveymemorial.org 300 CHURCH AVE. BRADENTON BEACH 2 BLOCKS NORTH OF BRIDGE ST. CLOCK TOWER Mature drivers, it's our policy to save you money. Shen you insure your car with us, through Auto-Owners Insurance Company, we'll save you money! Statistics show that mature drivers experience fewer, less-costly accidents, allowing us to pass the savings on to you. Contact us today, and let us earn r. , your loyalty through our quality / service and products at ll l A "No Problem" prices. i4uto.wners InsuranceV Jim Mixon Insurance Inc. 5412 Marina Dr., Island Shopping Center, Holmes Beach (941) 778-2253 jim.mixon2@verizon.net OUR OFFICE IS CLOSED FOR LUNCH NOON-1 DAILY. Islander goes dista By Lisa Neff Islander Reporter Thirty years ago, free fried chicken was given away to pack the Philadelphia Arena for the heavyweight title fight between Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed. Admission to the main event in the sixth "Rocky" film, "Rocky Balboa," was more difficult to come by, but Islander Bridget Gennett sat ringside for the exhibi- tion bout between the Italian Stallion and the Mason "The Line" Dixon. Gennett, a Holmes Beach resident and agent with Wagner Realty who grew up in Philadelphia, worked as an extra in the newest "Rocky" film that opened Dec. 20. In the forum at the Las Vegas Mandalay Bay Resort, she sat in the first row behind Rocky's corner. For five days 12 hours a day she watched the slug-fest. She even exchanged a "yo" with Sylvester Stallone. "It was awesome," Gennett said of being involved in the filming. "This whole thing, it has nothing to do with celebrity or stardom. It's about inspiration, to me." To get her seat in Las Vegas, Gennett entered and won an essay contest in which she wrote about why she wanted to see Rocky go the distance one more time. She wrote about determination and living out one's dreams. Gennett had been struggling with a mid-life crisis and searching for some guidance when the opportunity to go to Vegas came along. "It was like a lightning bolt," she said. "I felt it was like an answered prayer. I know that sounds cheesy, but that's how I feel." Gennett has been a fan of the rags-to-riches "Rocky" saga for three decades. The first film, made for a low budget of $1.1 million and shot in less than a month, was an Oscar-winning sleeper about an underdog southpaw from South Philly who wanted to make something of himself, who wanted to "go the distance." The film launched Stallone's career and spawned sequels. It also celebrated the City of Brotherly Love and inspired the Nouth of the 1970s today's fifty- somethings and fortysomethings. "I was a senior in high school. I was running up the steps to the art museum just like everyone else." Gen- nett said, referring to the first film's climactic training scene outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art. In "Rocky Balboa," Stallone's character has retired from boxing. He's a widower running a small restau- rant in South Philly. Yearning for something more, he eventually finds himself in the ring with Mason "The Line" Dixon for an exhibition fight to air on Home Box Office. Gennett, who also served as an extra in some Phila- delphia scenes, couldn't say how the film ends. "TheN filmed four endings," she said, adding that she signed a contract promising not to reveal the film's surprises. THE ISLANDER M DEC. 27, 2006 15 since for 'Rocky' film )s 3 Writer, actor and director Sylvester Stallone poses with Bridget Gennett of Holmes Beach during a break in filming "Rocky Balboa" in Las Vegas. Gen- nett worked as an extra in the film. Gennett, who in addition to working in real estate sales, sings regularly at the BeachHouse with John Rinell, also couldn't say how much screen time she has. She's seen herself "for a second" in preview commer- cial airing on television, but at the time of her interview didn't know how she faired in the editing process. "I don't even really care about that," she said. "What matters is that I got to be there to see him go the distance." Bridge, line dancing liven Friday lineup for Center Bridge lessons and line dancing will keep Anna Maria Island Community Center patrons busy Friday mornings for a couple of months in the new year at the Center's temporary quarters at St. Bernard Catholic Church, 248 S. Harbor Drive, Holmes Beach. Professional bridge player Larry Auerbach will teach his craft from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. every Friday from Jan. 5 to Feb. 25. And line dancing will hold forth from 10:30 a.m. until noon Fridays from Jan. 5 through March, with instructor Bunny Burton. Fees apply in both instances. Additional information may be obtained by calling 778-1908. Oops Susan Thomas was the photographer of the picture of mullet fishers that appeared in the Dec. 20 edition of The Islander. She took the picture from her home at the bay end of Tarpon Avenue. The photographer was mis-identified in the newspaper. Saturday, Dec. 30 ?- 30 a.m.- Kiwanis Club breakfast meeting with guest speaker Jt A nrbury presenting "Island History" at Cafe on the Beach, Mana- Pue Fulic Beach, 4700 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach. 1'. a.m. to noon Barbara Orear demonstrates the use of vira.r, color in watercolor at the Island Gallery West, 5368 Gulf Drive, Hoime'-. Beach. Information: 792-7039. Tuesday, Jan. 2 10 a.m. Family story hour at the Island Branch Library, 5701 Mlanri. Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 778-6341. --10- a.m. to noon --Manga and Japanese Pop Culture presen- lations for teens at the Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 778-6341. Noon Rotary Club of Anna Maria Island presents red tide research with Dwight Davis of Mote Marine Laboratory at the Beach- House Restaurant, 200 Gulf Drive N., Bradenton Beach. Information: 350-4326. Wednesday, Jan. 3 7 to 8 a.m. Pier Regulars meeting at the Anna Maria City Pier, 100 S. Bay Blvd., Anna Maria. Information: 778-7062. 6 to 7:30 p.m. "Parenting with Love and Logic" with Anna Maria Island Community Center counselor Shirley Rohmberger at the School for Constructive Play, 305 Pine Ave., Anna Maria. Information: 778-1908. Fee applies. Ongoing: "Fishing in Paradise" art exhibit by Harvey Gaunt at the Arts Council Gallery, 926012th St. W., Bradenton, through Dec. 28. Infor- mation: 746-2223. Photography exhibit of work by Paula Schoenwether at the Artists Guild Gallery, 5413 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, through Dec. 31. Information: 778-6694. Old-fashioned holiday display at Belle Haven Cottage and Anna Maria Island Historical Museum, 402 Pine Ave., Anna Maria, through Dec. 31. Information: 778-0492. _hro --Photography exhibit by John Bonser at Island Gallery West, 5368 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, through Dec. 31. Information: 792- 1039. S'"The Blue Briny: Mermaids & More" at the Village of the Arts, along 12th Avenue West, downtown Bradenton, through Jan. 6. Infor- mation: 747-0823. Art by Peggy Potter at the Artists Guild Gallery, 5413 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, through Jan. 31. Coming up: Sew for Fun at Roser Memorial Community Church Jan. 4. Bridge lessons at Anna Maria Island Community Center/St. Bernard Catholic Church Jan. 5. Opening reception for Peggy Potter at the Artists' Guild Gallery Jan. 5. Food for Life presentation "Discovering Dairy Alternatives" at Anna Maria Island Community Center/St. Bernard Catholic Church Jan. 5. American Legion Cancer Society Benefit Jan. 6. S+ EMQNU+ Monday-Wednesday, Jan. 1-3 No School Thursday, Jan. 4 e Breakfast: French Toast Sticks, Cereal, Toast, Bagels, Fruit Lunch: Breaded Chicken Pieces or Mini Corn Dogs. Broccoli with Cheese Sauce, Chips, e Bananas and Strawberries C Friday, Jan. 5 Breakfast: Cinnamon Roll, Graham Crackers, Cereal, Toast, Fruit Lunch: Pizza or Max Sticks with Sauce, Corn, Veggie Cup, Fruit Cup Juice and milk are served with every meal. Episcopal Church of the Annunciation Holy Eucharists Sun. 8am and 10am -- Thurs. 9:30 am (Healing) S' Call for Holy Days 4408 Gulf Dr. Holmes Beach 941-778-1638 www.annunciationami.org All are welcome! for more information ALLERGY AFFILIATES Board Certified, Experienced Doctors Adults and Children John Cella, M.D. Elaine Waters, M.D. Allergies* Asthma Sinus Call 792-4151 SERVING TWO AREAS Tanglewood Professional Center Health Park East 5701 21 st Ave. W., Bradenton 6040 SR70, Bradenton Convenient to W. Bradenton & the Beaches Convenient to Lakewood Ranch I .. I 16 0 DEC. 27, 2006 0 THE ISLANDER ATTENTION INVESTMENT --.- o *&~~~ *^ ^,#^* dlL** Real Coffoc & Realty COTTi E OR CAPPL CCINO BEACHROP NT OR BREAkF. ,T.. LET US HELP YOIU 9906 Gulf Drive Anna Maria I (941) 779-0034 -- T- T NT RT LC% ^ (^ ^ fl cf ^ 1-^ ^ S ^ < a LL w .- . (.)rm in co c i'-~ ,m 4 CO, ca : o -Z0 MOM IC CJ It Open 11 a.' daiy. for lunch. and- dinner .. Bay Blvd., Anna Maria 7791667 0U'B'J;$ -_ -<---- ,', 4 ., OPEN 6 DAYS REGGAE --, CLOSED TUNES 'L'' -' 1L MONDAY Across from Manatee Public Beach 3901 Gulf Dr., Holmes Beach [B 941-778-7769 www.floridasecrets.com BRING THIS AD FOR -1 OFF PURCHASE OF $10 OR MORE BANANA 'AOSAMA CARIBBEAN RESTAURANT AND LATIN CUISINE HOME OF THE MANGO-MACADAMIA ENCRUSTED GROUPER WORLD-FAMOUS PAELLA MANGO CRAB. CAKES WITH ROASTED RED PEPPER AIOLI Coconut Shrimp Coconut Encrusted Grouper Barbados-style Ribs Curry Ginger Shrimp *St. Croix Shrimp Scampi 'Steaks *Sushi-grade Tuna with Tropical Fruit Topping * Stir-fry Sweet Pepper Chicken Jamaican Conch Chowder * Conch Fritters Cracked Conch ; Homemade Caribbean-style Rice with Pigeon Peas Live music Friday and Saturday nights Where the locals and the stars love to dine! Denzel Washington said: 'Great food! CA LL FOR RESERVATIONS Et 103 Gull Drive Bradenton Beach-779-1930 i.- "I -;,-794 77 79 PROIIn i Y OWNERS Contact Judy Karkhoff for Professional Property Management Services 401 Manatee Avenue Holmes Beach 941-778-7777 or [F 866-266-9911 www.gulfstreamfirst.com ~-'- ~**~ 0 100 -- --I_--- :6.1..__-~--~ - f- ' ^ f THE ISLANDER U DEC. 27. 2006 U 17 -c Ssj Pun .ARTISAN GALLERY E*E'E MOVED A.ND EXPANDED INTO THE SUiRFING WORLD D LOCATION! Come -ee our unique le Srejlu' enate ,our furnirurl', PLUS GREAT NEW ADIIDFIIONS: "1* On-snie jewelry du-uian CI. Aonne d, il turriture Grif nd unique trueasuret -for ,or home F '. artists and more SHOP 941-795-4788 CELL 941-962-0567 MON-SAT 10-6 SUN 12-5 SURFING WORLD PLAZA 11904 CORTEZ RD. W., CORTEZ .(.. f... l .i. "Fresh Fish Specials Doii,y Ice-Cola Beer & Wine 4---- it "C ,;*-*t. .-. t.Z~~A.ft~'.wd~ i-LU II .- ., 5l l - ED co 4041, .-M a .4 > -~Z :55o -S m< z 4 Z C I :D 0u z0-r Zj IC0 H H1 r1 -T 0j '.7. -Z I", c 0i'j - S* U j 0 t E,. 0 n" -- O. <, cc _ > < >'zi- z"' a -J _i < -IQ L M M <- < 4 LU in *fl C i C, CS ,-" t- 1C i C S i M L, -r.71 *44LL,>>L < 4 Z < < w < Iwwi o ,-o w mmm0 :um a:m z NCJD- Cm -CnOOLarM>~ U :~~~~r <:Zt< r- 7 CM 00.I co m C) Cl n c Co CM mm ZC0CQ lm O CCnrn0a: mo IZNZU z DJ:)OZO WLua. 0000u00000000 W ouuuuoooou c <0 <0 'T M3 :11 U- LL- i i -cl Itc)C) 0 :) m M -. 0Q>LLLL -j <<<- -.4~jJ N; l in inCN v-7: - Qr GZU) n- HU cU r < > 1m ~cn :- m Z Y- D1<1I111 ir 0 oP4J F-0 COT I fli 0"1 RO-,-.- 7E -J 2 r.~t.................. ...........l. . ...C. For Reservations call 782-1122 www.thesunhouserestaurant.com ... at the traffic circle in Bradenton Beach Windows and Doors am tr Weatherside LLC Based in Holmes BedTh LUI LEO0 M < :0 LT Li i j I< _ 4C, < .o _,) _ _l, , o-0 '_v ,7 .7 0, << .z0 fcc^ -- E--i- Z mm ~4C >4 LUG H -J U C O AST Mt. Vernon Office 9819 Cortez Road West BAN K Bradenton, FL 34210 OF FLORIDA Direct: 941-345-1496 Tel: 941-795-3885 Ellen P. Aquilina Fax: 941-795-3882 Vice President 1-877-COASTFL Branch Manager www.coastfl.com eaquilina@coastfl.com NASDAQ: CFHI 18 M DEC. 27, 2006 U THE ISLANDER TOP 10 ISLAND SPORTS STORIES By Kevin Cassidy Islander Reporter It is hard to believe another year has passed, much less another year of Island sports. This means it's time now to reflect on the past year's sports stories in order to put together another top-10 list of sporting events. Since this column primarily focuses on youth sports, it's hard to put one story or one kid ahead of another while knowing how important each effort is for every child. With that said, these choices are based on a number of variables, none of which are too scientific. So please don't be offended by the omission of many great per- formances in 2006. There are times during the year when there are no leagues playing and sports stories are a bit harder to come by. So here's a big thanks to everyone who calls or e-mails with sports news, like Bill Bartlett from the horseshoe crew and Sue Hookem, Mary Pat Swamy and Bob Kral who provide golf news for the Key Royale Club. Also a big thank you to the Anna Maria Island Community Center's sports director, Andy Jonatzke, and the rest of the crew at the Center for all of their help in keeping us up to date on the happenings at the Center. I want to wish everyone who reads my column a Merry Christmas and a safe and happy new year. Fol- lowing are my top-10 sports stories for 2006. Enjoy! 1. Skateboarders see 'big air' The second-annual Holmes Beach skateboard con- test, held May 20 at the Holmes Beach skate park, drew approximately 50 participants and a large throng of skateboard enthusiasts who cheered on their favorite skaters. Chase Lewis captured the 8-and-under division - with Neil Carper coming in second. Five-year-old Christian Daniels came in third place followed by Henrik Brusso. First place in the 9-11 age group was won by Jacob Blue, who narrowly came out on top over second-place finisher Giorgio Gomez and Luke Shackelford at third place. Travis Belsito came in fourth place in what turned out to be the most competitive division. Cory Wash got huge air to win the 12-14 age group over Jeff Ray. Michael Harrington finished in third place, while Islander Billy Annis took fourth. Ray also captured the "best trick" contest after the regular com- petition had concluded. The 15-17 age division had only three competitors, but they all had mad skating skills. Islander Christian Chamberlain grabbed first place over Davey Gabbard and Corbin Kitchen. 2. Islanders excel in soccer at different levels 2006 has been a great year for Islanders play- ing soccer at varying levels. Many of them got their * start playing in the Center's recreational youth soccer leagues. In late December, Joey Hutchinson, who got his start in soccer at the Center, was featured along with his U13 Manatee Magic teammates for winning three out of four tournaments and climbing to No. 5 in the GotSoccer.com soccer rankings. Joey is one of the lead- ing scorers on the team at his left forward position. In early December and in March, another Mana- tee Magic soccer team was featured that boasted four Island girls, including Center products Ally Titsworth and Martine Miller along with more recent Island resi- dents Christina Papazian and Erin Mulrine. All four girls play prominent roles on their U13 girls team. Miller is one of the leading scorers from her forward position, while Titsworth and Mulrine help anchor the midfield. Papazian is the last line of defense in goal for the team, which is currently tied for first place in its division. -, Papazian was also in the news in late November for her stellar play in goal for the Manatee High School all-girls Her-icanes varsity soccer team. Also featured then were center products Amber Wright, who starts at right defender for the varsity team, and Sean Edwards, a starter at right midfield for the girls' junior varsity soccer team. Last, but certainly not least, another Islander and Center product- Stephen Thomas of Anna Maria was West Manatee Fire Rescue third-baseman Daniel Pimental dives to make the tag on Duncan Real Estate's Alex Burgess, who tried to take an extra base after a play at the plate in April Little League action. Five-year-old Christian Daniels flies over the ramp during action at the Holmes Beach Skateboard Con- test in May. featured in a story after he and his U14 IMG Soccer Academy teammates captured the Region C Cup in Tampa in March. On May 9, Thomas was again in the news after being named MVP of his team at IMG's season-ending awards banquet at El Conquistador Country Club. Thomas was the starting central midfielder and led his team in assists. 3. Skimmers entertain big crowd at BeachHouse For the fifth consecutive year, the Back-to-School Skimboard Bash on the beach at the BeachHouse Res- taurant in August entertained a crowd of 200 or so onlookers with great skimming, good music and "col- orful" commentary. Local winners included Blaine Jenefsky in the minis (8-and-under) division and Giorgio Gomez in the menehune (9-11) division. Neil Carper and Izzy Gomez finished in second and third place respectively in the minis, while Luke Shakelford took second and Bradenton's Bryce Hamilton grabbed third place in the menehune. Blake Tyre claimed first place in the men's 18-21 division, while Joey Mattay grabbed second place. Islanders represented themselves well in the 15- 17 division with Spencer Carper, Kevin Kim and Josh Riccio taking second- through fourth-places. 4. Veteran's Day tourney climaxes soccer season, The Center's first annual Veteran's Day soccer tour- nament in November was a resounding success \\ ith a day full of exciting mini-soccer games that included the instructional division with a 6-7 all-star game and a 7-up all-star game ftor players that are graduating toi play the big field next season. Spectators enjoyed a day full of soccer and conces- sions good chili donated b) Hurricane Hanks and cheeseburgers donated b) Rotten Ralph's Restaurant. Congratulations to Ooh La La! Bistro in Division III, Sun in Division II and RelMa.\ Realty in Division I for winning their respective divisions. 5. Four champions crowned in basketball Four championship teams were crowned in Feb- ruary to close out the 2006 youth basketball season at the Community Center. Though there were no sur- prise champions, there were two dramatic endings in the Division III and Division I championship games. Dips Ice Cream overcame a 13-11 deficit in the last minute of its championship game to defeat Beach Bistro 14-13 and win the Division III title thanks to some clutch foul-shooting by Johnny Mattay. Homes of Distinction edged Danziger Allergy & Sinus 41-40 to win the Division I championship. With one second remaining on the clock, Homes of Distinc- tion ran an inbounds play underneath its basket to per- fection, resulting in a game-winning layup by Blake Wilson. Congratulations to the players, coaches and fans of Island Real Estate, Homes of Distinction, Island Family Physicians and Dips Ice Cream for their championship seasons and congratulations to all of the participants in the league for another great season of basketball. 6. Duncan dominates Little League Though the 2006 Little League baseball season lacked drama, mostly due to Duncan Real Estate running away with the title, it still was a memorable season. The season kicked off with a parade of players, coaches and parents that started at Island Baptist Church and finished at the Center's Benji Scanio Stadium. The parade was followed by a series of mini-games, team photos and plenty of hamburgers and hot dogs grilled up by Mark Howard. Sunday afternoon, Anna Maria Island Little Leagu- ers descended upon McKechnie Field in Bradenton to PLEASE SEE SPORTS, NEXT PAGE THE ISLANDER U DEC. 27, 2006 19 Sports CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18 catch the spring-training game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and our very own Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The regular season was dominated by Duncan, which played its home games at the Longboat Key Recreational Center field. Duncan lost only one game all season to easily win the league title. West Manatee Fire Rescue's Tommy Price had a season to remember. He was the league's most-feared hitter, posting a .600 batting average that included eight home runs and earned him the league's MVP award, while Blake Wilson led the league in hitting with a .683 average. Chris Pate captured the rookie of the year and Jake Rappe was awarded the sportsmanship trophy., 7. Surfers catch first waves Approximately 40 Island youths caught their first waves and rode them to the beach during the Bluewa- ter School of Surfing's camp held in July at the White Avenue Beach in Anna Maria. Bluewater owner William Kimball and his staff of local surf instructors, Kevin Kirn, Joey Mattay, Tommy Rudek, Brandi Brady and Cameo Ewing, start out the camper's education with the surfing basics, including how to choose an appropriate nickname while also emphasizing ocean safety. Having fun is a requirement of the Bluewater School. According to its Web site, "The best surfer is the one who's having the most fun." Dips Ice Cream's Johnny Mattay is a picture of concentration as he prepares to shoot a free throw in the closing moments of I1le Division III championship game in March. 1,A...4.~ C. ~ t -n. .4. Maddie Valadie goes backside on a nice wave during the Bluewater School of Surfing's camp in July. 8. Key Royale golf news The Key Royale Club held its match-play cham- pionships in May. Ernie Hauser defeated Web Cutting one-up on the 19th hole to bring home the top prize. Women's champion was Penny Williams, who defeated Joy Kaiser one-up. Women's nine-hole championship went to Mary Selby, who defeated Mary Pat Swamy two-up. Del Reppenhagen teamed up with Merritt Fineout to win the mixed couples' championship over Duke and Cindy Miller. In other notable club news; 13-year-old Connor Perez, a seventh-grade student at Wakefield School in Gainesville, Va., got his first hole-in-one at the club's 196-yard hole No. 3 on April 10. Perez, a lefty and a member of the varsity golf team at Wakefield, finished with a 37 to beat out his grandfather, Bob Squier. Also witnessing the shot were grandmother Jud\ Squier and mom Aim Perez. Connor used a di\ er to putl the ball in the hole in one shot. No w ord on whether r he %\ as able to bu\ e er\ one in their clubhouse a drink as is the custom for anyone who gets a hole-ih-one. 9. Experience overcomes youth The kids on the block ga\ e it a valiant try, but in the' end, the Islander junior league baseball players came out on the \\ rong end of a 6-1 score against coaches and other adult players during the inaugural "Spring Fling" baseball game in April at Birdie Tebbetts Field n Holmes Beach. 'Fantastic Fish & Chips* Seafood TMH -f~ An evening of smooth jazz 7:30pm ,N f1PA'i F'oker 7prn mt H= f British Night with singer Robert 6 pm R IMl A ~ Gulf Drive Eand 5:30-7:30 pm SFlW -NMil ~ Kao adke 85pm NEW YEAR'S EVE KARAOKE PARTY S RESERVATIONS REQUIRED | -Open daily 4-til late 12012 Cortez Rd. W. *792-4822 Capalbo's HOUSE OF PIZZA LUNCH PIZZA BUFFET $4.99 *DINNER PIZZA BUFFET- $6.29 Dinner buffet includes pizza, soup and salad bar! 792-5300 10519 Cortez Rd. W. Mon-Sat 11 am-10 Opm Sunday noon-9 Once again, Ben Valdivieso pitched solidly to keep the game close until the final stanza. The old, er, expe- rienced guys took an early 3-1 lead before tacking on three more runs in the top of the seventh inning. Oldies pitcher Scott May retired the Islander juniors in order to close out the game. Bob Gurskis, Greg Ross and Jim Dudevoir shared mound duties with May and all pitched effectively. Ross provided the lone offensive excitement when he ripped a triple- that one-hopped to the fence. Other members of the Islander Oldies were Chris Moneuse, Mike Brusso, Dave Pate, Steve Titsworth, Mike Field, Andy Jonatzke, Phelps Tracy, Tim Tedesco and Dawn Wash. 10. Islander inducted in hall of fame Mickey .Hooke, 45, former Islander and longtime staff member at Galati Marine in Anna Maria, was recently inducted into the Bayshore High School Ath- letic Hall of Fame. Hooke received his award in October at half time of the Bruins' homecoming football game. Hooke, who graduated Bayshore in 1979, was an all- state track and cross country runner for the Bruins, earn- ing a seventh overall finish in the 1977 3A cross country meet with a time of 15:18 over the three-mile course. Hooke also earned a fourth-place finish in the 1978 state 880 run in track and field. Hooke's time of 1:55.4 in the 880 run remains a record at Bayshore today. Hooke now has an official plaque in the Hall of Fame display case at the entrance to the school's gym- nasium. SHARKY'S ON ANNA MARIA ISLAND. ^ -. .S , * w ..- --* NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY (No Cover) Fine Dining Live Entertainment Dancing Surf & Turf Seafood Steaks Prime Rib & More Full Bar and Fine Wines Complementary Party Favors and Midnight Champagne Toast 2519 Gulf Drive North Reservations 941-779-9151 a.p. BeLL fiSH compaNyyiNc. Fresh Seafood Since 1910 Great selection of locally caught Groupier, Snapper, Shrimp, Panfish and much more. Planning a fishing trip?.Call about our big selection of frozen bait! DISCOUNT PRICES EVERYDAY',, See you at our docks! 941-794-1249 .4600 124th St. W. Cortez, Florida& ..: ,--- -&_-/- '" -- --- P- ?:,, .-; _, 20 0 DEC. 27, 2006 U THE ISLANDER Zeigler murder trial delayed By Lisa Neff Islander Reporter A judge pushed back until at least February 2007 the trial of a 53-year-old Bradenton Beach woman accused of killing her boyfriend. Frank Ray Reposh, 41, died at his home, a duplex at 7818 40th Ave. Drive W., sometime in September or October 2005, but his body was not discovered until June 7, 2006. The remains were found in a shallow grave near Reposh's home in a wooded area on Palma Sola Boulevard. Merle Zeigler was arrested in connection with the killing. Her address at the time was on Third Street South in Bradenton Beach. She has remained in the Manatee County jail without bond since then. Zeigler is charged with second-degree murder with a firearm, a capital felony charge that with a conviction could bring life in prison. Zeigler's attorney, Jeffrey Haynes, declined to com- ment on the open case. The state prosecutor, Eduardo Brodsky, could not be reached for comment. Zeigler's trial had been scheduled to begin the week of Dec. 18 at the Manatee County Courthouse before Judge Edward Nicholas. But because more time is needed to prepare for the trial, the case was continued until February 2007. Zeigler's son, Joshua Phillip, also is charged with second-degree murder with a firearm in connection with Reposh's death. The 26-year-old is scheduled to go to trial the week of Feb. 12. A probable cause affidavit in the case against Merle Zeigler states that she said Reposh had gotten high on drugs and angered her so she stabbed him in the ribs with a kitchen knife and then bound his hands and feet. She said she took $600 from him, which she used to buy drugs and rent a handgun. Then she returned to the duplex she was sharing with Reposh, got high, shot the man twice, wrapped him NEW YEAR'S DAY CEL BRATION NEW YEAR'SDAY DINNER NOON 5 PM Featuring: Pork and Sauerkraut with Homemade s$ 95 Potato Pancakes 0 per person Full Menu Also Available All-you-can-eat Pancakes & Sausage 95 Mon-Fri 7am-noon .-_, I Sat-Sun 7am-lpm Monday Italian Night "- ,_Jo All-you- $795 7-, can-eat 4.8pm TACO & FrjIlArT Every Wednesday l JSy All-You- $ 95 " Can-Eat 79f '----f, FR FRY ~ 2-8 pm S > .. 3, with fries and slaw / ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT Evening entertainment! 4-8pm OPEN 7 AM 7 DAYS A WEEK BEER & WINE 4000 Gulf Drive Holmes Beach 778-0784 Pilgrims in the Old World St. Bernard Catholic Church parishioners made a pilgrimage to Medjugorje and Dubrovnik with the Rev. Bernie Evanofski, a former assistant pastor at the Holmes Beach church. Pilgrims include Rita Total, Dick Fleming, Peter Klosky, Dolly Klosky, Barbara Murphy, Evanofski, Dorothy DeGenaro, Sally Zdybel, Beat- riz Broomes, Noemi Fouces, Joanie Riordan, Pat Webster, Lisa Salvi, Kim DeMaio, Barb Fleming, Margaret Keenan, Kathleen Thompson and Jane DePaolo. Medugorje is a small Catholic Parish in Bosnia-Hercegovina where the Virgin Mary has been reportedly appearing since 1981. Dubrovnik is an old city on the Adriatic Sea coast in south Croatia. in a shower curtain and borrowed a van to take the body to the burial site. Court papers filed in the case against Joshua Zei- gler allege that Merle Zeigler fired a shot that wounded DISCOUNT LIQUOR COCKTAIL LOUNGE -. CQUPON GOOD DEC. 27-JAN. 2, 2007 Smirnoff Vodka [MANATEE COUNTY'S Ten High Bourbon $1 99 9 1 1 NEPE[AiT 99 75 BEVERA R $ 9 175 ~1e~a4 4a~t~Iarfami & ~ e#? M rN - Reposh and that her son fired the fatal shot. The papers, based on jail conversations involving Joshua Zei- gler, also allege that the son stabbed Reposh, not the mother. tresci Continental 0 46 BistroA / tfCopy fur ntgt@, 5-6:Oci at te wine 'ar, an /S ejazz T ursaoy -, r Hurry reserve for New Years Eve now! 5406 Marina Dr. Holmes Beach 778-5320 OLD SCINITZELIIAUS The Best German Restaurant on Florida's West Coast Happy New Year-- S, OVEN-FRESH DUCKLING - -:- 'OW SERVED EVERY DAY - '- LEASE CALL AHEAD ONE DAY FOR DUCKLING -, FRIDAY'SPECIAL: BAVARIAN HAXEN PLEASE CALL AHEAD ONE DAY FOR HAXEN ' HOURS: TUES-SAT 5-9:30PM 778-1320 Anna Maria Island Centre 3246 E. Bay Drive Holmes Beach * Gourmet Food Champagne Fireworks (weather permitting) Music by Chuck Caudill Party favors and tons of fun! reserve uovr table vow riradenton Beach .-=, -2 ?, -_-WQ - THE ISLANDER D1)EC. 27. 2006 3 21 HL~oj ao "-- By Lisa Neff Islander reporter Holmes Beach city commissioners last week received their liaison assignments from Mayor Rich Bohnenberger. Bohnenberger, at a city commission meeting Dec. 12, briefly explained the assignments and duties. The mayor said he reviewed the Legislative Proce- dures Act and identified five official liaison positions for the commission. That's probably because there are five commissioners, he added. Commissioner Sandy Haas-Martens, the chair, was appointed to be the legislative liaison responsible for reviewing and initiating resolutions and ordinances. Haas-Martens will also serve as the liaison to the code enforcement officer. Commissioner Pat Morton's focus again will be recycling and solid waste, which involves working with the mayor and public works superintendent and exam- ining policy and legislation. Morton will also serve as the liaison to the Island Emergency Operations Center and public works in rela- tion to emergency operations. Pat Geyer is the liaison on.building and grounds, with a focus on planning and building projects for the city. She will also serve as the liaison to the police department. David Zaccagnino again will work on recreation, beautification and parks. He will also serve as liaison to the police pension board. John Monetti will serve as the liaison on roads. bridges, drainage, canals and erosion. Monetti also will be the liaison to the Anna Maria Island Community Center. Zaccagnino asked whether, as in the past, the com missioners would also be appointed as liaisons to othe entities, such as the Anna Maria Elementary School the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce and th Sarasota Bay Estuary Program. Bohnenberger said no, adding that he was "reluc tant to obligate someone" to such posts and that h made his appointments based on where the city ha certain financial concerns. The mayor did, however, encourage commissioner to be involved. Water winner Sela Zaccagnino and her mom Janine hold the win- ning raffle ticket for a rain barrel painted by Anna Maria Elementary School kindergartners. Proceeds from the raffle will be donated to help build water wells through a program sponsored by the Rotary Club of Anna Maria Island. Islander Photo: Chris- tine Callahan Rainmakers Katie Boesen's kindergarten students at Anna Maria Elementary School painted a rain barrel that was raffled to raise money for its water-wise project. The class is raising money through art projects made available on the class Web site, www.watersavus.com, to provide fresh water wells in developing countries. The winner of this rain barrel is AME kindergartner Sela Zaccagnino, pictured center. Islander Photo: Christine Callahan , hfilolihi~kIilWaj OPEN FOR LUNCH ALL WEEK. (99 TO7 yesStone CHILDREN 4 ( 3, LARGE Est 1967 PAREE 64 e W/ate~ trff WELCOME %te wat er O ONE CRABS ARE HERE IN mE HISTORIC VILLAGE ON THE O/f NORTHERN END OF LONGBOAT KEY. S11:30AM-9:30PM DAILY PHONE 383-1748 800 BROADWAY ST., 1 (941) 778-6641 5606 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach Hours: Mon-Thurs 4pm-11pm Fri-Sat 11am-12am % Sun 11am-11pm S- WE DELIVER a--- i I- -- - III Two Pizzas with up to Three Toppings plus I 1 Pizza With 3-Toppings Plus Order Of ten Wings and Domino's Buffalo Chicken Wings Or Cinna Stix Dessert Sticks Domino's Pizza Buffalo Chicken Kickers Medium Large Medium Large $21 99 o 24 99 $13 99 $1599 Deep Dish extra. Deep dish extra. DeLimited time offer. ge may applyLimited time offer. Delivery charge may apply. Delivery charge may apply. 4 --C- I' -- F AI a a0 IL a-W-Al Ot w I[ II AA! ffr fl %"M-lit %ROWAl I 22 0 DEC. 27, 2006 M THE ISLANDER Nation's first ship monitoring system comes to Tampa Bay Here's a general, no-nonsense rule of thumb that has worked well for generations: If a new law or pro- posal is offered, and your first thought is "gee, I thought we already did that," then it's probably a pretty good idea. Ships entering and exiting Tampa Bay will have what amounts to an air-traffic controller system acti- vated starting next month that will monitor exactly where, what kind and at what course vessel traffic is undergoing in the busy waterway. Gee, they don't have that already? Apparently not. Harbor pilots keep in contact with each other through radio, radar and some other more elaborate monitoring systems. However, there hasn't been a central command center established to act as a "Big Brother" over the ships. That command post, located at the Port of Tampa, will be up and running in early 2007 with oversight by the U.S. Coast Guard and port authorities. Six civil- ian employees will peer through big computer monitor screens to track vessels in real time. The displays will include ship size, speed and heading, according to the St. Petersburg Times. Command central will also monitor radio traffic between the ships. If there appears to be a problem brewing, the command office can intervene and order course or speed changes. Ships have.been required to have transponders installed that relay much of that information since 1997. However, there doesn't seem to be much in the way of oversight to keep track of the information. Tampa Bay has the first such system in Florida, and there are only a dozen or so similar setups in the country. As one Coast Guard official put it, most ports mimic the systems that are in place at small rural air- ports aircraft pretty much regulate themselves. With the new Tampa Bay system, "We're moving to an air w traffic control system," he said. Considering the massive amount of material that flows in and out of the ports of Tampa Bay, it sure seems to make sense. Especially considering some of the problems that ships have caused in the bay during the past few decades. Remember the Skyway disaster in 1989? The 608- foot-long freighter "Summit Venture" rammed into the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, taking out one of the spans. Thirty-five people died as a bus and some vehicles dropped into the bay. Remember the tanker fire in 1993? A freighter was outward bound when it collided with a pair of tugs pushing barges of fuel. The accident caused a fireball easily seenfrom Anna Maria Island. About 330,000 gallons of crude oil were spilled in the bay, the biggest fuel spill in Tampa Bay's history. Enough said about the need for some sort of central command for ships and shipping into and out of Tampa Bay. And about another monitoring program ... I readily admit to being of two minds on the com- mercial fishing monitoring proposal. The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council has ordered all reef-fish vessels those that go after UN8,LE PETE WANTS YOU 24-hour self-serve car wash *Complete auto detailing Quick lube AMERICAN CAR WASH 5804 Marina Dr. *-Holmes Beach 778-1617 MAJOR ': REOIT CAPC'S ..' DESIT CARI-c ACCEPTED ". P`. -^- HI~flUWF~lK~~il~fA~lfl!di&, '.1*: ... . pi i Beach PURE. iGos and Service Station '- . Certified Full Autoniotive Repair 5333 Gulf Dive Holmes Beachn 779-0487 [at the corner of Gulf and.Marina Drive] !-4 3By Paul RoaR'Of/' , grouper or snapper to have a Vessel Monitoring System installed on board. The $3,000-plus electron- ics send out a signal that allows officials to keep-track of where the boats are located and if they are in areas that are closed for fishing. Rabbit Brooks of Cortez is opposed to the matter,' citing another act of Big Brother butting into the lives of commercial fishers. He's also opposed to the recur- ring costs of keeping the gear up and running. Julie Morris, who is a member of the council, argues that the VMS system is needed the same way that the highway patrol is needed to keep cars at speed along interstates. Something is needed to keep the fish- ery stock at fishable levels, she said, and the electronics are just another tool in that attempt. Both are good arguments. On the one hand, I dislike the idea of Big Brother as much as anyone. On the other, I'm afraid that if some- thing like the VMS system isn't installed, the remaining management tools to protect the grouper and snapper fisheries could be outright bans on harvest. Remember how lawmakers dithered about how to control mullet harvests until the only solution offered was an outright ban on nearshore gillnet fishing? We sure don't want something like that happening again. Underwater smellavision Star-nosed moles have a couple distinctions in the animal kingdom. The little critters have been ranked by the Guinness Book of World Records as being the fastest eaters in the world. And scientists now believe they are the only mammal that can smell underwater. The moles are active swimmers in the swamps they inhabit in eastern Canada. And the mole gets its star- nosed name because of a weird snout that has feelers that help it find food, since moles traditionally can't see worth a darn. Scientists now believe that the little water rats actually blow out and snuff in bubbles as they swim underwater. They do that a lot up to 10 times a second and in the midst of the snorting they're able to detect smells as they swim, according to the journal Nature. According to the author. of the study, "If you go through the literature on the historical ideas of olfac- tion, there's a lot of statements to the effect that 'Obvi- ously, it's impossible for a mammal to smell underwa- ter.'" However, after watching the sniffing action of a mole in a tank, he started to lay down some earthworm tracks oh the bottom. Sure enough, the moles tracked the earthworm scent most of the time. The scientist has found similar activities in fresh- water shrews, but not to the level that star-nosed moles exhibit. Sandscript factoid As lobsters wave their antennae around, biologists believe they are allowing specialized hairs to sweep through the surrounding water and pick up passing scent molecules. Full steam ahead at Cortez school By Jim Hanson Islander Reporter Some $190,000 worth of final touches for the Cortez schoolhouse resurrection have been assured by Manatee County. The action at last week's meeting of the county commissioners will pay for stripping the stucco from the bricks that form the front the 1912-built school, and a host'of other details. "We don't know how far it will go around the building," said Roger Allen, Cortez historic sites manager in charge of the school's renovation. "It will take care of removing the stucco from the front and will include restoring the brick face and the pointing," the spaces between the bricks. The work will be done by TriTech Co. of Bradenton, which has done much of the school restoration work. As for the rest of the stucco, removal work, the school project's sponsor, Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage, will reapply for a second grant from the Selby Foundation. The foundation has been generous to the project and no hangups are anticipated. . The county's money. also will complete landscap-. ing, build a parking lot, make trails there and into the- FISH Preserve next door, put in pads for the historic Pillsbury Boat Works building, and provide security for ,, '-" .. : '-. i : ' the entire project. The Pillsbury building was built in the early 20th century at what is no,\ Snead Island Boat Works in Pal- metto. The yard was operated b:i the PillsburN family and for decades turned out boats for fishermen and others. It was donated by Jim Alderman to the Florida Maritime Museum. which will occupy much of the old school building, and willbe moved to the site N hen the foundation pads are completed. Its neighbor %ill be the historic Burton Store, recently mo\ ed from the est end of Cortez to the east- end school grounds. Daughters arranging honor for Culbreaths Saturday Cortez community leaders Richard and Jeri Culbreath will be honored at a 50th wedding anniversary celebration Saturday, Dec. 30, at the historic school building in whose resurrection they played a prominent part. The party is being arranged by the couple's daugh- ters, Carolyn Doig, Laurie Duncan and Anita Jenkins, who welcome friends of the family and "your atten- dance is the only gift required." It will be from 3' to 7 p.m. in the renovated 1912- built school at 119th Street and Cortez Road. i EARLY RISER 3$4 SPECIAL + TAX Tues-Fri 7-7:56 am $55 8:04-12:52 pm 45x 1-1:56 pm +TAX S $25a o er 2pm +x TA Charter Boat "MAGIC" Backwater Near Shore Up - to 7 miles out in the Gulf Snook Redflsh Trout Flounder Mackerel Snapper Light Tackle Fishing Reservations a Must! Tackle, bait, ice, fishing license provided! 723-1107 Capt. Mike Heistand USCG Licensed * ,,.. 4 ;' - '..".' I **4~* -4 ElE IEKLIEYI Get your mail the old-fashioned way. Call 778-7978 for FREE home delivery on Anna Maria Island, Perico Island and Flamingo Cay. T416 Islander THE ISLANDER 0 DEC. 27, 2006 M 23 Grouper, snapper good offshore; reds, sheepies in bays By Capt. Mike Heistand Fishing is a bit slow in the backwater perhaps the fish are busy with the last-minute holiday planning or the crowd of boats looking for the big mullet payoff 0 has them spooked. The mullet fishers all done now by castnetting - are reporting a good fall season, and at least one . caller said they're grateful to be putting lots of food on `. ....... the table and for a good holiday.. . The mullet are fat with roe now, which provides ".. .- a good income for the fishers and exports for the fish houses, and puts mullet on the table for lots of low- '- . income folks who can't always afford fresh grouper or snapper. If you're out with a hook and line, look for lots of sheepshead in the bays, plus a few redfish and black .'F- drum in the weeks ahead. 4-. Offshore action for grouper and snapper is excel- lent in the Gulf of Mexico. Best catches are coming " from the 50- to 100-foot depths, with the fish expected to move closer to shore as the water cools. Bill Lowman at Island Discount Tackle at Catch- ers Marina in Holmes Beach said sheepshead are the. best bet for any inshore anglers, but there are still some_.- good reports of redfish and catch-and-release snook-- coming out of the canals along the bays. Offshore grou- ...;--. per action is hot and heavy right now, with most of the '" - fish caught in less than 100 feet of water. There are -.-- .... --, also good reports of lane and mangrove snapper in the Gulf. Happy fishers At Corky's Live Bait, Tackle and Snack Shop on Cortez Road, customers are catching redfish to 16 inches, flounder, sheepshead, black drum and snook and using live shrimp as bait, catch-and-release trout from the Manatee River. Offshore fishing is also good, with nice-sized catches of pompano, grouper, flounder and redfish, most caught with shrimp, pinfish or squid. idm- -, . Definitely a keeper Rusty Feth caught this nice-sized pompano while fish- ing with Capt. Terry Frankford on the Reelin & Chillin. ;1 '% r' -* -. ( Moon Dale AM HIGH AM LOW PM HIGH PM LOW F(-.) Dec 4 1 4 I -1 it 411 I - S [), : lI I I I -. 4 I I I . S .1 - Sir I 4 : I' - Daniel and Carrie Hatford caught a big bull redfish while fishing with Capt. Larry McGuire on Show Me The Fish Charters. The monthly fishing tournament at Paradise Bay Estates Boat Club saw only sheepshead in the boat. First place honors went to Frank Chan with an 18 3/4- inch fish; Don Vogel came in second with an 18 1/8- incher: and Jerry Kozminski took third place with his 16 3/4-inch sheepie. Bob Kilb at the Rod & Reel Pier said fishers there are catching a few sheepshead and bluefish. He noted that mullet are thick around the pier, too. Jesus Rosario at the Anna Maria City Pier said fishing has been a bit slow, but there have been a few catches of black drum, yellowtail jacks, sheepshead and small snook. At Annie's Bait & Tackle in Cortez, Capt. Mark Johnston said he's putting his charters onto lots of red- fish, some good-sized sheepshead and catch-and-release snook on the moving tides. Capt. Sam Kimball said his offshore charters are producing mangrove snapper as their No. 1-choice, with some fish tipping the scales at better than 8 pounds. He's also bringing home gag grouper to 10 pounds on his longer trip's. Dave Johnson at Snead Island Crab House said black drum are in the cut and seem to be hungry. Big yellowtail.jacks are also moving around, but the snook seem to have moved out for the winter. He's seeing lots of sheepshead being caught, though. At Skyway Bait and Tackle, reports-include DOCKS-N-DECKS Specializing in docks and decks Maintenance Cleaning , Painting Repair (941) 779-1839 docksndecks@verizon.net Licensed and insured -" 1 I r FISH TALES WELCOME We'd love to hearyour fish stories, and pictures are welcome, too. Just give us a call at 778-7978 or stop by our office in the Island Shop- ping Center, Holmes Beach. TIe Islander sheepshead and redfish, with good catches coming out of Terra Ceia Bay and the Manatee River. Capt. Zach Zacharias on the Dee-Jay II out of Parrot Cove Marina said he's finding fishing action to be running hot and cold. "The beaches have still been producing some Spanish mackerel, bluefish and bonito," he said. "On the inshore side, it has been small- to medium-sized reds, nice-sized catch-and-release trout, sheepshead, black drum to 8 pounds and scattered pompano. Most of the inshore action has been around docks and structures, and fishing live shrimp deep over dark bottom in northern Sarasota Bay, Palma Sola Bay and Anna Maria Sound." On my boat Magic, we've been catching lots of small redfish as well as a few big ones, plenty of sheepshead, black drum, whiting and catch-and-release trout to 20 inches. Good luck and good fishing. Capt. Mike Heistand is a 30-year-plus fishing guide. Call him at 723-1107 to provide a fishing report. Prints and digital images of your catch are also wel- come and may be dropped off at The Islander, 5404 'Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, or e-mailed to news@ islander.org. Please include identification for persons in the picture along with information on the catch and a name and phone number for more information. Snap- shots may be retrieved once they appear in the paper. IN0< CHARTER BOAT JAN MARIE Illmwol ( FISHING LICENSE* LIVE & FROZEN BAIT 1 TERMINAL TACKLE SUNGLASSES & HATS *PENN*SHIMANO ST. CROIX*FALCONJ Every thing You Need For Florida Fishing ISLAND DISCOUNT TACKLE .-- 7 5503 MARINA DRIVE at CATCHER'S MARINA S... : (by Holmes Beach boat basin) ISLAND DISCOUNT OPEN DAILY 779-2838 STACKLE V1i- (major credit cards accepted), Visit usat.... slandDiscountTackle.com I- - S 24 I DEC(.. 27. 2006 TIHE ISLANDER Biz Island doctor for allergies Anna Maria resident Dr. John Cella, M.D., now has two locations for his Allergy Affiliates medical services. The nearest location for Island resi- dents is in the Tanglewood Professional Center at 5701 21 st Ave. W. in Bradenton, while the address in west Manatee County is 6040 State Road 70 (53rd Avenue East) in the Health Park East Center. Allergy Affiliates treats allergies, asthma and sinus conditions, among other medical situations and accepts both adult and children for treatment. Allergy shots are available for winter visitors. To make an appointment, call 792- 4151. RE/MAX for sale The office building that houses the Island branch of RE/MAX Gulfstream Real Estate is up for sale at an asking price of $1.795 million. The structure is located 401 Manatee Ave. in Holmes Beach. Efforts to learn if RE/MAX planned to relocate elsewhere on the Island or was closing its Island opera- tion were unsuccessful. Realty raves Wedebrock Real Estate Co., with offices at 3224 E. Bay Drive in Holmes Beach and at 6350 Gulf of Mexico Drive on Longboat Key, has named Tina Rudek as its top listing agent for November at the Longboat Key office, while Wayne Harris took home the same honor at the Holmes Beach office. The top selling agents were .Henry Floyd at the Longboat Key office and Jo Anne Lanza in Holmes Beach office. Mike Norman Realty at 3101 Gulf Dri\ e in Holmes Beach has named Mari- anne Noi-man Ellis as its top listing agent for November, while Rochelle Bowers took honors as the compjn\ 's top selling agent. . Judy Kepecz-Hays of the Coldwell Banker residential real estate office at 201 Gulf of Mexico Drive on Longboat Key has been included in Luxuryreales- tate.com. The Web site is the largest real estate Web site dedicated to luxury prop- erties,. a company press release said. SLiui,,., Real Estate owner and pub- liher Johni Losh extends membership invitations to brokers and firms through- out the world ilitat demonm.u jie expertise. in the nmrrketing of luxury properties. There are currently more than 875 mem- bers from 62 countries at the Web site, micludinn members from every state. \\ .gni Realty, with offices at 2217 Gull Drive N. in Bradenton Beach and 5360 Gulf of Mexico Drive on Longboat Ke\ has named Harold Small as its top Slisti g a-en t on the Island for November, Featured sale: This Sea Pirate condo at 3301 Gulf Drive, Unit 8, Holmes Beach, sold in August 2000 for $114,900 andin December 2006 for $329,000. The cost per square foot is $470. Islander Photo: Jesse Brisson while Cathy Meldahl took the honor on Longboat Key. The sales leader on Anna Maria Island was Karen Day, while Dorothy Cook garnered-the award at the Long- boat Key office. In the closed volume category, Mel- dahl grabbed the award for the Longboat Key office. New chamber members The Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce recently welcomed the fol- lowing new members: Allstate, 3370 S. Tamiami Trail, No. 156, Sarasota, 926-2.800. Shuttle Service AMI, P.O. Box 1813, Anna Maria, 580-5777. Chamber Publishing, 217 S.W. 32nd Terrace, Cape Coral., 239-945- Champagne Wishes, Adventures in Paradise Weddings, P.O. Box 603, Braii- don, 813-690-4448. ' Bella By the Sea, 1107 Gulf Drive- N.. Bradentoni Beach, 800-847-0358. The Anna Maria Iland CliLanbei of Commerce also welcomed the follow- ing new members: A Victorian Bride Hair & Makeup Design Team, 4411 Bee Ridge Road., No. 121, Sarasota, 928-3651, cosmetol- ogy and makeup. Apex Holiday Tent and Bleachers, 902 Manatee Ave. E., Suite D, Braden- ton, 723-1822, rental supplies. Boys and Girls Club of .'itinlt : County, 521 1 Manatee Ave. W., 761- 5280, non-profit. Chi Photography, 702 51st St. E., Bradenton, 727-481-5737, plh .t,.-ra- phers. Exquisite Events, 5009 45th St. W., Bradenton, 727-7960, event planning. Flutterby Gardens of Manatee Inc., 1512 22nd St. W., Bradenton, 708-0586, wedding services. Melinda's Cafe and Catering, 5315 Gulf Drive., Holmes Beach, 778-0411, restaurants and catering. Miller Electric, 6223 29th St. E., Suite 4, Bradenton, 383-1008, builders services, contractors.- Robin String Quartet, 808 31 st W., Bradenton, 758-5886, musicians. Sato Real Estate, P.O. Box 928, Anna Maria, 778-7200, real estate. Shortcut to Fitness, 6737 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton, 798-9993, fitness. Sol Wedding Consultants, P.O. Box 2056, Anna Maria, 812-0699, wedding cc,-rdinaiolis \ild Monke) Gourmet Inc., 5789 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton, 761-4466, catering and banquet needs. www.rentalcarmomma.com, 4499 W. Highway 192, Kissimmee, 407-396- 4009, rental car discounts. Ready renovator correction The telephone number for Tom Lass of Resilient Properties Renovations was incorrectly listed in the Nov. 8 issue of The Islander. Tom's phone number for home reno- vations and repairs is 782-7313. He can also be readied by e-mail atresilient0O @ aol.com Honey-do list gets done If you're :seeing that "Honey do" lik aroud \ our home growing week by \ eek. Jeff Brat ten of On Time Handy- man has the answer. His company handles all types of handyman jobs around the home, par- ticularly those you'll find on the familiar "Honey-do" list. Jeff and his crew can handle win- dows and doors, trim and crown mold- ing, paint work, kitchens and baths,' concrete, tile and wood flooring, iepl.ceinment of rotted-wood, pressure cleaning, drywall repair, litwn sprinkler repair, landscaping and many more ser- vices. With more than 20 years experience in the field of home repairs, Jeff is well- versed in eliminating that "Honey-do" list, turning it into a "done" list. On Time Handyman provides free estimates. For more information, call Jeff at 524-2677. Neal communities selling well While other single-family home projects in Manatee County may not be meeting sales projections, Neal Commu- nities is surpassing its 2006 sales goal, according to a company press release. New homes sold in November at the Country Club at Lakewood Ranch, along with sales at Forest Creek and Wisteria Park, totaled $7.173 million, bringing the year-to-date totalto $70.814 million, the company said. "We are pleased with this year's continued activity and busy sales," said Neal Communities president -Pat Neal. "However," he added, "we are also determined to look ahead. We will con- tinue to implement a growth strategy within our current communities and will be announcing the opening of several upcoming communities shortly." Neal also praised the company sales staff, noting that the "highly skilled team of professionals has worked hard this year to ensure our success, and our associates have certainly hit the mark." An essential part of the company's -success, Neal said, has been its "commit- ment to the preservation of environmen- tal elements in the landscape through designating large sections to open or recreational space, which helps retain as much of Florida's intrinsic beauty as possible." For more information on Neal Com- munities, call 907-8440. Island real estate sales 216 69th St, Holmes Beach, a 2,320 sfla / 4,694 sfur a 4bedl4bath/2car duplex with pool built in 1984 on a 90x107 lot was sold 12/06/06, Kollar to Paulk for $749,000; list $799,000. 206 66th St., Unit A, Gulf Breeze, Holmes Beach, a 2,650 sfla / 4,152 sfur 3bed/2bath/2car land condo built in 2006 on a 90x52 lot was sold 12/05/06, RCB Properties LLC to Hollifield for $592,087. - 3704 Sixth Ave., Unit 5, Beach View, Holmes Beach, a 1,157 sfla / 1,430 sfur 2bed/2bath condo with pool built in 1984.was sold 12/05/06, Ehrhart to Elliott for $370,000; list $389,000. 3301 Gulf Drive, Unit 8, Sea Pirate, Ho1lmes Beach, a 700 sfur 2bed/lbalh coido with poo! built in 1969 was old 12/05/06, Ca.vo to Reynolds for esse Brisswo,i brakel/associale at GI,/ B. \ Realty of Anna Maria, can be reached at (941) 713-4755. Current 'Island real estate transac- tions may also be viewed online at www. islander.org. Copyright 2006. Got a new business going up in Anna Maria Island, Cortez, Perico, Palma Sola or Longboat Key? How about a new product or service, an anniversary, a new hire, or an award-winning staff member? Call Island Biz at 778-7978, fax your news to 778-9392, or e-mail us at news@islander.org. EARLY CLASSIFIED DEADLINE: )for ads that will appear in the Jan. 3 edition of The Islander Our office will be closed Dec. 30-Jan. 1 in observance of New Years. We wish y'all a very happy holiday. THE ISLANDER U DEC. 27. 2006 25 F D D S GAS GENERATOR: NEVER used, still in box. McCullough 5,700 watts. $400. Call 941-778-7770, 941-518-7760 or 941-779-9082. DELUXE, NORDIC TRACK Treadmill C2000. Folds up for easy storage. Barely used, like-new condition. Paid $1,000. $500 or best offer. 941-792-9899. AERIAL PHOTOS of Anna Maria Island. View and purchase online: www.jackelka.com. FREE DELIVERY to your home or condo: Shrimp, crabs, native fish. Prompt delivery to your door. Call James Lee, 941-795-1112 or 704-8421. SELL it fast with an ad in The Islander. KINGSFIELD LAKES 4BR/2BA, 3-car garage. .$340600 $299,900. SABAL HARBOUR 4BR/2BA, 3-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 941-704-3708 MLS Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate, Inc ANNA MARIA SuhCoast REAL ESTATE LLC 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 loverslook 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. 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. SHOREWALK CONDOS 2BR/2BA turnkey from $175,000. TRADEWINDS RESORT VILLA- 1BR/1BA, Pool. $329,900. KEY ROYALE 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 Gulfview. $799,900. WATERS EDGE CONDO 2BR/2BA Direct Gulffront. $959,900. ANNUAL and SEASONAL RENTALS 779-0202 (800) 732-6434 ANNA MARIA .. MLS S n..ast REAL ESTATE LLC Island Shopping Center 5402 Marina Drive Holmes Beach, Florida 34217 www.suncoastinc.com LONGBOAT KEY HISTORY "From Calusas to Con- dominiums" by Ralph B. Hunter. Signed copies avail- able at The Islander, 5404 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. 941-778-7978. ROSER THRIFT SHOP: Open 9:30am-2pm Tues- days, Thursdays, 9am-noon Saturdays. Porch clothing sale. $1. 941-779-2733. 511 Pine Ave., Anna Maria. VILLAGE GREEN HOUSEHOLD sale. 8 am-2 pm Saturday, Dec. 30. Loads of stuff. Family treasures and furnishings. 609 10th Ave. W., Bradenton. (C)LIN I RN L.\KE" lI IL P3lm A~r Toul,rI rernoad~led 4PR Cic,~e to BrAdEMCo. and 5,3r3 r'-U P:*i ovErlooks p-ri.atEEbwk, 3rd $479.000' fit 6200 FLOTILLA, #268. WESTBAY POINT MOORINGS. All new carpet and paint, 2nd floor end unit with water view. Great deal, least expensive unit offered! $390,000 SALE:. AFTER CHRISTMAS, hurry! Niki's Gifts, Jewelry and Antiques. Xmas gifts 75 percent off. Dolls, shirts, salt and pepper sets 75 percent off. All sterling jewelry 50-75 percent off. Vintage jew- elry, antiques, beach oil paintings, desks, lamps, jewelry, depression glass 30-90 percent off. Open seven days, 9:30am-5pm. 941-779-0729.5351 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach. LOST DOCUMENTS: 31 pages left in copy machine. Friday, Dec. 15. Reward for return. Home True Value Hardware in Holmes Beach. Call 941-778-3329. CHECK US OUT AT www.islander.org ! 1 .-_ _'.-,'A _. _. . 1207 N. GULF DR. #300 Darling, turnkey furnished top floor 2BR/2BA with den, offers spectacular views in prime rental location. $879,000. "40I 1 IENNINW-S I ,1F) Be ajutiful h,.,n.,- or. 6-'- ,:rE: .p~rk '1.1 ,E SEED-sJ~ri-CEI,, .-r. BRAD\[ENT(.)N- l~nilloE[1;TA TE RC) 11 64 EPICUJPEAkJS TAKME NOTE' 0-i Mir *i. a r.J r,'q4,'Ehoern :r20 acre ~ I, v hmawr, graes r-d prnsircig e:cream $1.374.000 Sj 1 I3 'T H 'T HolmE! Be ch Warerirora full bay-j w. .%ih c'- :[..n', doc"k ;rnd lft F 3ue abo:)Ec sr;aFie'$989.000) THE [)E".CTOGRANDE 20"INGLLF DlRIVE Al'-.PEIIND I r 3D LE; 'JL4PV'ImaIn, .,lEarc.r,5.,c at 95 000 f,:,r c ...,.a.c~ Szuo 5 IVERnKVWvv DLVD I.3a acres on Manatee River with 250 linear feet on the river. Two buildable lots or one magnificent estate. Dock in place, bring the boat. $3,300,000 >I-i tLf1A "11L,'. Exqui~itn lu.ll tt ,E. ir.:,.-T, c ,rc,.:,f- hi. 5(11-10 '5q rn ,.'ls.:'1..or, ~ .tr.'c~n F'.1 r..3 milft'S-.41 E[Crn- '.' LoL *pacz I,,r raml, Sr-d enterta-r,,ne $2.9994'900 7516 MARSH ORCHID, TARA PRESERVE GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB lovely 2BR/ 2BA ground floor unit with screened lanai and attached garage. The open plan is light, bright and has fabulous lake views from all rooms. Fabulous golf and country club community. $249,900 I........_.._. t:94 1/308-6494 www.skysothebys.com Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated. i:uimtq .uiir-~lruuiruru~u*i -.~ I -.~' ~"~~"";"Plrs""s""^~Yi""T""" ;" ""~F"~"i"rr.Pii.-.I~ii~*i~PiL~.X-.il ~-i;;-r-~-*i-~3i-~iisira~ii;iiiiiirr^~ I I , I mma- wltmmwti ma I S26 DEC. 27. 2006 THE ISLANDER 4 9 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 94.1-587-6328. KARATE ON THE Island: Ages four through adult. Call 941-807-1734 or visitwww.islanddojo.cmasdi- rect.com. BAYSIDE BANQUET HALL Affordable waterfront patio and tiki bar available for events. Bring your own food, drinks and grill. 941-798-2035. www.bay- sidebanquethall.com. BUTTERFLY PARK BENEFIT: Purchase a per- ,r .sonalized brick in the Anna Maria Island Butterfly Park. Two lines, $40. Three lines, $50. Forms at The Islander or call 941-518-4431 for more information. FREE GUN LOCK. Yes, free. Just for the asking. Cour- tesy of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Com- mission. Free at The Islander newspaper office, 5404 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Don't be sorry, be safe. GUARDIAN AD LITEM volunteers needed: A guard- ian ad litem is a trained volunteer appointed by the court to represent and advocate for the best interest of children who have been abused, abandoned or neglected. Make a positive impact! Call 941-744- 9473 or visit www.12circuitgal.org. NEED A MEETING place? Try the conference room, Tingley Memorial Library. Eveann Adams, 941-779- 1208.111 Second St. N., Bradenton Beach. AKC MALE AND female English Bulldog puppies available. 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 information please contact: evanswalter1 110@yahoo.com. BANm ilsR 0 RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE INC. Pam Dial, PA (941) 704-4962 I OLD FLORIDA LIFESTYLE and Key West feel. Newer elevated homein quaint Cortez Village. Full wrap-around porch, French doors, huge down- stairs bonus room, wood cabinets, and newer tile.. h" m :,-, n1,ji r,,:r,: j,,,n l bn 1[ ih@ h u[I [ ,,]t l n'nTIII .,n,i h TI r i, ,r' ,, L)I. ,, n,' r.i n ,nh: r i; 1" 1*.11) "BUY OF A LIFETIME! Tr,,: 28 2BnA ,rAiird Ill i, o n n [ r :1 J : )in 'd i .' l .:I .' nI,| nH III I ,l 13. ,: JiN'lJ '11 (JII,i d "l J J lj s j '". I, ) I.) 'I e uwAll,,). K I0 l, ,- .o i:n access. Turnkey Ilui rr ii uinii '.I iin j ,,,r.,ble beachy furni- IEiAiS FS CRASflTA AY ,,,, i.i ADORABLE 2BR/2BA condo in established complex right off of 75th St. W. Walk to shopping and great restaurants. Extra-large screened lanai for outdoor Florida living at it's best. Neutral colors make this unit ready for wn ton mon rinht inl $1I0Q 0nn like a model. lurnKey Turnisnea wtn La-L-ZSoy furniture. Bright ceramic tile throughout, laun- dry room, open kitchen with breakfast bar, covered parking, heated pool and a gorgeous stretch of deeded beach access. $547,700. Al''8"!ffH ^ T^nTM IAN- CI EPAUC hl^ 1 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. 2003 SILVER PT CRUISER. Like-new condition. Under 11,000 miles. Excellent maintenance and condition. $11,000. Service contract included. 941 - 792-9892. 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 Restau- rant, 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, computer proficiency (Excel, Word, etc.), Competent oral, written and interpersonal commu- nication 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 NEEDED FOR west Bradenton CPA firm. Experienced, top pay. Fax resume to 941-778-6230. NURSES: PRIVATE DUTY. Long-term home care assisting quadriplegic' Morning, 8am-1pm and over- night; 10pm-8am, shifts available. Travel opportunity. 941-383-6953. PART-TIME HOUSEKEEPER for local area motel. Flexible hours. 941-778-2780. BONUS! CLASSIFIED ADS are posted early online at www.islander.org. S" Prudential Palms Realty Michelle Musto, PA Realior 941-809-3714 - .., www.mihellemusto.com X ,/ Holmes Beach: 305 63rd Street, A NEW HOME! 3BR/3.5 BA, 2,386 sf, elevator, den and pool. Short scroll Io Gulf! $849,000. email: mi(hellemuslo@ptudenlialpalmsrealty.(om s !s ea/& 'tate, SALES & RENTALS 419 Pine Ave., Anna Maria FL 34216 PO Box 2150 (941) 778-2291 EVENINGS 778-2632 FAX (941) 778-2294 www.betsyhills.com NEW LISTING FOR THE NEW YEAR! _ TOP ADVERTISING sales position open at The Islander newspaper. Great territory, commissions. Previous outside 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@ islansler.org. BEACHFRONT RESTAURANT BUSINESS, $299,000. Buy building alone for $1,600,000or buy both for $1,690,000. Confidentiality agree- ment required. Longview Realty, 941-383-6112. For more great business and realty buys: www. longviewrealty.com. PAW SPA: PROFITABLE pet-grooming business. Loyal customer base in great Holmes Beach loca- tion. $59,000. Longview Realty, 941-383-6112. MEALS AND MORE: 50-seat restaurant with great ambience 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. Enchanting 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. 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, 14-YEAR-OLD needs work. Willing to babysit, clean, etc. Red Cross trained in first aid and babysitting. Call Alexandra, 941-778-5352. LOOKING FOR A.babysitter, pet sitter, dog walker or somebody to do odd jobs? Call Kendall, 14- year-old, ninth-grader. Certified in first aid! 941- 779-9783. 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. FIND IT! BUY IT! SELL IT FAST! In The Islander. Kathy Geeraerts, Realtor 778-0455 ,r Qeen i REAL ESTATE OF ANNA MARIA www.greenreal.com ih,,r,,) ',,e ';[r tj 1j,, .u Ariiiii': ii, ,luwl Sarasota Bay. Solid glass wall of water views, ,'h:i.ji:.r htr~-,uiiii)ml O .'t,'unt:ri [li)o-i totally renovated. Hardwood floors, vaulted' 3iiu ,jr, uriri j,,, Ii r up I,:, :. r, ceilings, custom cabinetryand built-ins, granite , r ii,, ,- ,-ir., T ,, ,, [,: n.2 n. countertops, private elevator, plantation shut- ters, and fireplace. $1,195,000, OVER 20 YEARS EXPERIENCE SPECIAUZING N WATERFRONT & BOATING PROPERTIES WWW.FLORIDAMOVES.COM/PAMELA.DIALPA PAMELA.DIAL@FLORIDAMOVES.COM IWW This spacious 5BR/3.5BA post and beam cedar home is the perfect place to raise family! Features include vaulted ceilings, skylights, oak and tile floors, fireplace, and many breezy sundecks with views of the sparkling water. The I deep, navigable channel with boat dock is fully sea walled and offersthe ideal placeto mooryour boat and sail off into the sunset! Cheerful Caribbean colors and new bathrooms enhance this whimsical Island hideaway! Reasonably priced at $1,100,000. Don't miss it! THE ISLANDER U DEC. 27. 2006 27 , ISLA~w NDE- S S- I FmI- W N CAREGIVER WILLING TO provide care for your loved ones in her home 24 hours, seven days a week. 18 years of experience. Call 941-792-0148. MAN WITH SHOVEL: Plantings, natives, patio gar- dens, trimming, cleanup, edging, maintenance. Hard-working and responsible. Excellent references. Edward 941-778-3222. LET US DRIVE YOU! Shopping, medical appoint- ments, airports, cruise ports. Flat rates. Sunshine Car Service. Serving the Islands. 941-778-5476. COMPUTER OBEDIENCE TRAINING. Is your com- puter misbehaving? Certified computer service and private lessons. Special $40/hour. Free advice. 941 - 545-7508. ISLAND PRESSURE CLEANING for great results, wash away mildew, dirt, salt. Thorough, reason- able, reliable. Free estimates, licensed, insured. 941-778-0944. CONNECT-ICON Your local computer specialist. Experienced certified technician for communica- tion electronics offers wireless and cable networks, upgrades, maintenance, repairs, tutoring and train- ing. Call Robert, 941-778-3620. ROOFING REPAIRS and replacements. Remod- eling, repairs, additions,.screen rooms, kitchens, baths. Free estimates. License #CGC061519, #CCC057977, #PE0020374. Insured. Accepting MasterCard/Visa. 941-720-0794. PROFESSIONAL I.T. SERVICES: Complete com- puter solutions for business and home. Installation, repairs, upgrades, networking, Web services, wire- less services. Richard Ardabell, network engineer, 941-778-5708, or cell 216-5.09-1945. CUCCIO TILE: Many Island references. Free esti- mates. Licensed and insured. 941-730-2137. HANDYMAN SERVICES: PAINTING caulking, interior carpentry, custom mirror and other interior/ exterior general household repairs. Offering quality services since 1994. Reliable. Call Colin at 941- 376-0541. AAA CONFIDENCE CLEANING. Housecleaning, office cleaning and window cleaning. Good refer- ences, reasonable rates. Licensed and insured. Family owned and operated. 941-812-0499. TUTOR: READING SPECIALIST-Learning Con- sultant. 30 years experience. Certifications: B.A. in elementary education, M.A. in reading specializa- tion, M.A. in learning disabilities, Ed.D in education. Diagnostic, remedial. Call 941-778-0349, 4-6pm. X-TREME MAKEOVER HAIR and Nails: Walk-ins welcome or call 941-792-3127. www.myspace.com/ xtrememakeover. 4330 101St. W., Bradenton. CAREGIVER, COMPANION: 15 years experience. Reliable, compassionate, honest. References. 941- 524-0567. POOL CLEANING SERVICE: Reliable pool clean- ing service, all chemicals included. Now accepting new accounts with great monthly rates. Please call Chris, 941-266-7500 or Kimberly, 941-447-9988. MUSIC LESSONS! Flute, saxophone, clarinet. Beginning to advanced. Contact Koko Ray, 941- 758-0395. BEACH SERVICE air conditioning, heat, refrigera- tion. Commercial and residential service, repair and/or replacement. 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 cre- ates a portrait. I want to be at your wedding! wwiw. jackelka.com. 941-778-2711. NADIA'S EUROSAGE Relaxing, healing mas- sage in the comfort of your home. Call today for an appointment, 941-795-0887. MA#0017550. TILE AND MOSAIC custom installation, 20 years experience. References available. For a reasonable price, call Sebastian, 941-704-6719. CONNIE'S LANDSCAPING INC. Residential and commercial. Full-service lawn maintenance, land- scaping, 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. CLOUD NINE LANDSCAPING: Now accepting new maintenance 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 esti- mates. 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 installation. Tropical landscape, specialist. Residential and commercial. 30-years experience. 941-729-9381. STRAIGHT SHOT LANDSCAPE: Complete clean- ups, installations, native plants, palms, aquascapes, rock and patios. Shell installed $42/yard. Shark Mark 941-727-5066. CANALFRONT HOME witri WATERFRONTCONDO LOn; SHOREWALK .BFk.2r,, 12Ao, .1,1 bri I.)I GIPa ,ll ,IIVI 1'i,_F ,rI rr rur,1 ::r R P 2n'A lu ,' jrr .r,,.r, Tw,,n p.: i. n ". i l.; ari lr,,: h) i rN 1 -1 '. i lu i .r i : u*l l-h '1, poI o ,:" i-r r, ',,:i lk 'l'-'i J ,I-hri ,:hur l.: [,Ij.- inr:,n ppin:i, jni] ria :li r.inl'i : ,:n r i:hi'.3,.1" l,:, Il'." b, i,:ri 3l. I1.jll,* : ,i ] i ],1I ub- t ).1'1 OuU rIu-:,u- i. -7 'r. i : 9 Pairc'.:.Kc'3 Pl,i nc l S u n &o ast For information, call Pirosk.j Plancl'. IREALESTATE -LL 91 -7.30-9667 or e-mail pirn)s:a"'veiifon.neI. REALTORS S -ISLAND CANAL HOME REDUCED. 3BR/2.5BA with fireplace. S i Corner lot on canal with new dock and caged-pool. New kitchen cabinets and granite countertops. New metal roof. $580,000. Call Carleen Weise, Realtor, 941-224-6521 evenings. KEY ROYALE 3BR/2BA Single-family on deep, large .canal. Kitchen updated. Large caged pool, great dock, boat lift. Turnkey furnished. $1,100.000. Call Michel Cerene, Broker-Associate, 941-545-9591 evenings. KEY ROYALE This outstanding 3BR/3BAcanalfront home has been renovated; updated, and added on. Extensive pavers, brickwalkand patios, new barrel roof 2004, 75-foot seawall, 50-foot dock with 13,000 lb. boatlift. This home is lovely inside and out. A 27-foot Sport Craft with twin 150s will stay with full price offer. Offered at $1,650,000. Call Zee Catanese, Realtor, 941-742-0148 evenings. GULFVIEW CONDO 2BR/2BA full Gulf view condo, second floor, corner unit. Offered at $825,000. Call Michel Cerene, Broker- Associate, 941-545-9591 evenings. CANALFRONTHOME 2,920sf3BR/3BAcanalfront, cagedpool home can expand to 5 bedrooms. Enjoythe mastersuite getawayequipped with its own kitchenette. Meticulously maintained. $974,900. Call Michel Cerene, Broker-Associate, 941-545-9591 evenings. SABAL PALM Turnkeyfurniished1 BR/1.5BAcondo, Large enclosed S. | lanai, ground-floor unit, heated pool. Close to beaches and stores. $136,000. Call Susan Klement, Realtor 941-720-4107 eves. PINEBROOK CONDO Northwest Bradenton 2BR/2BAfifth floorcondo "with view of fairway. $255,00b. Please call Michel Cerene, Broker- T 1?'I. TaI t gAssociate 941-545-9591 eves or Smith Realtors, .941-778-0777 K 5910 Marina.Drive Holmes Beach'FL 34217 Call (941) 778-0777 or Rentals 778-0770 1-800-741-3772- nWews.it: m r,;r, .:imr Web site: www.smithrealtors.com 2 WAGNER REALTY .- Y ou -ou... ?heIe c2tapiest &^{&oUoid ! To see all of our listings in your area, visit wwwWagnerRealty. corn 6 11 .- .- '_ ,, .' . 1"C"~ ~ ~I -- 28 H DEC. 27.. 2006 B THE ISLANDER SSandy's Lawn Service inc. Sandy's Established in 1983 Lawn Celebrating 23 Years of S ric5 Quality & Dependable Service. ervic Call us for your landscape 778-1345 and hardscape needs. t & Licensed & Insured Paradise Improvements 778-4173 Kitchen and Bath Remodeling Specialist Replacement Doors and Windows .. 1 Steven Kaluza Andrew Chennault o Fully Licensed and Insured Island References Lic#CBC056755 SWACNEQ REALTY l l 9 2217 CUII" DRIVE NO TII BliADENTON IEMACII. It, HAQOLD (SMALL REALTOR. Office: (941) 778-2246- (941) 792- 8628 ... E-mail: haroldsmall@wagnerrealty.com '- SU juALL USA FENCE KINDS Specializing WHITE VINYL FENCE 0RC016172 94S -750-9300Z 0 - HAUL-AWAY Removal of all types of trash, debris and junk. 720-2217 WASH FAMILY INC* Since 1988 LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED 941.725.0073 DARRIN J. WASH WE OFFER LIFE TIME PAINTS Junior's Landscape & Maintenance Lawn care PLUS native plants,, - mulch, trip, hauling and cleanup. -. Call Junior, 807-1015 i. , Thanks forsaying "Isaw itin S..The Islander ,In HOW TO RELAX n ON AN ISLAND... - Y-oz-w p cei, you-r co-vwe4qe4/ce. Massage by Nadia 941.795.0887 Gill Certificates Available Anyone can take a picture. A professional a'". "' creates a portrait. ELKA yPHOTOGlRAPHIC 941-778-271 1 www.jackelka. comin VAN-GO PAINTING residential/commercial, inte- rior/exterior, pressure cleaning, wallpaper. Island references. Bill, 941-795-5100. JOE UNGVARSKY CONSTRUCTION Remodeling contractors. In-house plan designs. State licensed and insured. Many Island references. 941-778-2993. License #CRC 035261. INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR PAINTING free esti- mates. 35-year Island resident. Call Jim Bickal at 941-778-1730. CHRISTIE'S PLUMBING Island and off-Island ser- vice 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 estimates, prompt service. Steve Allen Floor Coverings. 941-792-1367, or 726-1802. JERRY'S HOME.REPAIR: Carpentry work, handy- man, light plumbing, electrical, light hauling, pres- sure washing and tree trimming. Call 941-778-6170 or 447-2198,. WINDOW SHADES, BLINDS, shutters and more. Lifetime warranty. Call Keith Barnett for a free in- home consultation. 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 dis- tributor: Weatherside LLC on Holmes Beach. Free, courteous estimates. Jeld-wen Windows and Doors. Lic.# CBC1253145. 941-730-5045. THIRTY-SIX YEARS craftsman experience. Interior, exterior, doors, stairs, windows, trim. Pressure wash. Driveway paint. Dan Michael, master carpenter. Call 941-518-3316. TUB AND TILE 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, tex- ture, paint, tile, wall and ceiling repairs, Fred Wein- gartner, 941-586-3656. LICENSED AND INSURED building contractor ready to help you renovate all aspects of your exist- ing 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. E&N PAINTING: INTERIOR, exterior. Island refer- ences. Quality paint. Call for free estimates. Sched- ule soon,.season is coming! 941-756-9595 or 941- 518-3054. RESILIENT PROPERTIES AND renovations: Kitch- ens, bathrooms, tile work, decks, sheetrock, paint- ing and more. Reliable work start-to-finish. What does your home need? Free estimates. Call Thomas P. Lass, 941-782-7313. GUARANTEED A-1 PAINTING service. Island refer- ence.Licensed. Call Nick, 941-727-1448. CEILING TEXTURE AND blow-in insulation, fix- tures, backsplashes, light carpentry, etc. Licensed and insured. Drew Hudson, conscientious handy- man. 941-812-5073. RENTALS available weekly, monthly, seasonal. Wedebrock 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. GULFFRONT CONDOS: 3BR/2BA, 2BR/2BA, 1 BR/1BA 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 unfur- nished, $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 balcony and view of mountains. Weekly or monthly rental. Call Paige at 941-798-3448. WEEKLY/MONTHLY/ANNUAL rentals: wide vari- ety, 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, quaintvillage. $975-$2,375/week9 941-713- 0034 or beachdreams@tampabay.rr.com. JANUARY SPECIAL, HOLMES Beach: 1BR/1BA fully furnished, all utilities included, washer and dryer, one block to Gulf. $350/week, $1,200/month. 941-721-6090. MANATEE RIVERFRONT: 2BR/2BA, spectacu- lar 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. Ten minutes to beach. Near shops and medi- cal. 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, covered 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. New Construction Charlie Woehle Remodels 3 941-761-3363 WOEHLE CONSTRUCTION, INC. I P.O. BOX 14070, BRADENTON, FL 34280-4070 So OVER 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE 8 - 0: -q S "Copyrighted Material SSyndicated Content, Available from Commercial News Providers" '^ <* 4 D D WATERFRONT: DOCK WITH davits. Short walk to beach, washer and dryer, carport, storage Quiet loca- tion. $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.franmax- onrealestate.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. 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 toothbrush and enjoy. www.apalm- breeze.com. 941-730-5126. ANNUAL HOLMES BEACH: Large 2BR/2BA, with downstairs office. Recently renovated, new appli- ances, granite 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., Bradenton Beach. Efficiency, $750/month includes utilities. $700 deposit, $50 application fee. 112, 52nd St., No.1, Holmes Beach. Season- ally, 1BR Gulf view, cute and clean, $900/week or $2,400/month. Call 941-746-8666. 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. ANNUAL LARGE 1BR/1 BA. Screened lanai, laun- dry room, garage. No pets, no smoking. $950/month plus utilities. 941-778-9710 or 847-530-8833. SUNNY SHORES MOBILE home: 1BR/1BA near beach, clubhouse. Very nice. Turnkey. $1,200/month. 941-730-4078. WINTER GETAWAY: 1 BR 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. Available January and April. $2,000/month. 941-778-5445. SEASONAL RENTAL: Westbay Point and Moorings. Bayfront 2BR/2BA, all amenities, close to beach, shopping and trolley. Sharon, Old Florida Realty, 941-713-9096. ANNUAL WATERFRONT: 2BR/2BA ground-floor at Westbay Cove. Tennis, pool, cable, water included. Sharon, Old Florida Realty, 941-713-9096. 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: JANUARY, FEBRUARY. Clean 2BR elevated unit, one block to beach. Newly remod- eled with laundry. $575/weekly, $1,975/monthly. 941-807-5449. ANNUAL RENTALS: 2BR/2BA home, Anna Maria, $1,350/month. 2BR/2BA home, Holmes Beach, $1,200/month. 2BR/2BA apartment, Anna Maria, $875/month. 1BR/1BA, new tile and paint, $775/ month. Fran Maxon Real Estate, 941-778-2307. www.franmaxonrealestate.com. GULFFRONT: QUAINT 2BR/1 BA, ground level. Enjoy breathtaking sunsets. Walk to restaurants, shops, grocery, 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 underneath. Call 813-245-0428. DEEP DISCOUNT FOR last-minute travel to beauti- ful town of Anna Maria. Quaint Island cottage steps to beach. 203-454-0573. ANNUAL RENTAL: BRADENTON Beach. 1 BR/1 BA, furnished condo, across from beach, heated pool. $1,200/month. 941-773-1552. ISLAND CASTLE: FABULOUS French Normandy home. 4BR/3BA on best beach and quiet street in Anna Maria. 941-794-8202. SEASONAL RENTAL: 1 BR/1 BA Gulf view, cute and clean. $2,450/rmonth. 941-746-8666. , ANNUAL: FIRST-FLOOR efficiency. $600/month. 112 (#1) 52nd St., Holmes Beach. $600/month. 941- 746-8666. SEASONAL: HOLMES BEACH rental. 2BR/2BA, luxury, furnished, air conditioning, washer and dryer, dishwasher, cable, Internet access avail- able. Gulf view. Available until Jan 2. $750/week. 941-778-7741. 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. 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. FIND GREAT DEALS on wheels and everything else in The Islander, 778-7978. NHOW TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD I 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 bv ri.-' *tl f org. Office hours: 9 to 5, Monday-Friday, (Saturday 10 to 2 as needed). e g CLASSIFIED RATES BUSINESS OR INDIVIDUAL: Minimum rate is l ....nda word over 20 is 50 cents, Box: $3, One- or two-line headlines, line rate p,'"- .. O f WE ACCEPT MASTERCARD AND "" ,-..ui or by phone. We are sorry, but due to the high volume of calls we can n+ "'f ,OO ad by phone, please be prepared to FAX or e-mail your copy with your --e A t with your -..<.i-NCE: One word per blank space for minimum charge- 20 words. ^a de ------------____ ------- 21 I 2 3 Run issue date(s) Amt. pd Date Please indicate: Ck. No. or Cash For credit card payment: ML l No. Exp. Date Name shown on card: Billing address zip code: House no. or post office box no. on bill E-Mail address: ... [for renewal purposes only] The Islander '- I Fax: 941 778-9392 5404 Marina Drive I Phone: 941 778-7978 Holmes Beach FL 34217 E-mail classifieds@islander.org -.------------------------------------------------------ I LDE --I .D Impact Hurricane Windows & Doors ..... ,,,Are you storm ready? ,FREE COURTEOUs EsTimTEs ., 941-730-5045 LIC# CBC1253145 RESILIENT zl-LV PROPERTIES y-= RENOVATIONSL 'I Kitchens Bathrooms Tilework Decks Sheetrock Painting & More ... FREE What Does Your Home Need? ESTIMATES Thomas P. Lass 941-782-7313 Resilient01 @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 THE ISLANDER 1 DEC. 27, 2006 0 29 LONGBOAT KEY PAINTING & DESIGN, INC. I Faux painting Cabinet refinishing Furniture restoration Custom painting Jackson Holmes, owner (941) 812-3809 HANNA PAVEMENT SERVICES INC. 941-761-8546 A.E, 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 Ah Creative Vistas Flm l" Landscape Services Co w Specializing in landscape 941 design & installation Cell 941.807.1035 Office 941.721.9655 www.CreativeVistas.com JI oRPSWEi4 3- 30 M DEC. 27. 2006 T THE ISLANDER L AN9DE -- A 9L FIE SMITH REALTORS, 941-778-0770. Seasonal rent- als: 2BR/1BA condo with pool, three-month mini- mum, $1,850/month. 1BR/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 bome 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 Real- tors, 941-778-0770. 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 trolley 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. WINTER RENTAL: BRADENTON Beach. 1 BR/1 BA condo on bay, across Gulf Drive to beach. Walk to downtown Bradenton Beach. Heated pool, turnkey, cable, dishwasher, and utilities. Three-month mini- mum, $1,500/month. No pets or smoking; 407-877- 7866, or mokie7@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. SANDPIPER MOBILE RESORT: 55-plus, 2BR/1 BA, $500 deposit, $650/month, annual, $1,100 sea- sonal, plus tax. Upgraded, turnkey furnished, car- port, laundry and clubhouse. No smoking, no pets. Bay view. 941-778-9504 or 941-545-8923. LAKEFRONT, FISHING, ONE bock to beach. Elevated duplex, enormous 1BR2BA, two-car garage, laundry area, Sub-Zero refrigerator, Jen- naire stove, extra, extra nice. $1,595/month, yearly. 941-962-4933. ACTIVE 55-PLUS 2BR/2BA annual rental. Heated pool, clubhouse. $850/month plus utilities. Call Ursula Stemrn'of Century 21 Alliance, 941-778-5352. SALES 419 Pine Ave.* PO Box 2150 Anna Maria FL 34216 4 ~Pi 1 HISTORIC ANNA MARIA home. Short walk to beach, restaurants. 4BR/2BA. Available January through May. $2,000/month, including utilities. 813- 748-2519. ANNA MARIA: VERY attractive remodeled house. 150 feet from Gulf. Several weeks available. Call 941-778-7933. GULFFRONT: 1BR, second-floor condo on the beach, walk to shopping and restaurants. $650/ week, $2,400/month. 941-713-1983. SEASONAL OR WEEKLY cottage-style rentals. 1 BR/1 BA or 2BR/1 BA with pool. Walk to beach, shopping, restaurants. 941-778-3426. Web site 2spinnakers.com. WATERFRONT PROPERTY 2BR/2BA open-plan with great views of Tampa Bay. Canalfront, walk- ing 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, new windows, updated baths and more. Two blocks from beach. $615,000. 941-778-8677. 406 Bay Palms Drive, Holmes Beach. 3BR/2BA: One bedroom used as a den/office/ playroom, enclosed lanai, tiled with carpeted bed- rooms. 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 prop- erties to rent: E-mail: suzanne@coastalproperties- realty.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. 50x100 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 Intra- coastal Waterway with new marina and boat ramp. Land ,owned. Home owner's association optional. $159,900.:941-224-6521. SELL it-fast with an ad in The Islander. S.*Saes Rentals ..... Ca no fr y. "Property owners-' ; ' Call us to 778-2307 *.1-800-306-9666 rent your www.franmaxonrealestate.com properties! fe. 1$ Unbeatable . service for over 35 FRAN v- 1.X years! ".- SERVNG THE AREA SINCE970 1970 Anna arive , S.. .SERVING THE AREA SINCE 1970 MLS Anna Marie 32 Years ofProfssional Service EXPERIENCE REPUTATION RESULTS LUXURY WATERFRONT VILLA with boat dock. 3BR/2BA, immaculate and completely updated. Designer kitchen, glassed lanai, tennis, pools, covered parking. $689,900. SUNBOW 2BR/2BA bayfront end unit, turnkey furnished. $449,000. MARTINIQUE NORTH Direct Gulf, corner, garage/storage. Updated, shows beautifully. $859,000. BAYVIEW 4-5BR/4BA includes guest quarters, large master suite. $1,150,000. BEST BUYS: ADULT COMMUNITY from $60,000, heated pool, near shopping, dining and transportation. HARBOUR VILLA CLUB 2BR/2BA, turnkey, boat dock. $794,900. PINEBROOK AND IRONWOOD $139,000 to $263,900. DESOTO SQUARE VILLA 2BR/2BA, gated, pool clubhouse. $175,000. RENTALS: Cottages to luxury villas. Vacation and annual. 5508C MARINA DRIVE 778-0807 800-956-0807 yrealty3@aol.com www.tdollyyoungrealestate.com TRIPLEX: IDEAL LOCATION WITH great appeal. Beautifully updated and maintained, new roof, turnkey furnished. 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, pri- vate three-bedroom upgraded condo with two-car garage, new lanai. Call for details, 941-792-0763. $309,900.5605 Whipporwill Ct. off-59th Street West, Tanglewood. OPEN HOUSE: 1-4pm Sunday: New home, 3,746 sf 3-4BR/3BA, granite/cherry kitchen, three screened verandas. $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 river- front condo, 2BR/2BA, beautiful views, pool, gated, covered parking, 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. Immediate occupancy. Turnkey, only bring your toothbrush. Condo in pristine condition. Sale by owner, seller will carry mortgage to qualified buyers. Low down payment, low fixed interest rate. Huge price reduction. Phone 315-733-0851. NEW LAKEFRONT CONDOS: Low $300s. Minutes to beach, no flood, evacuation zone. Hidden Lake Real Estate, 941-761-0444. www.HiddenLakeCon- dominiums.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 parking. View of bay from large covered porch. Only two blocks to Gulf, great neighborhood. $350,000. 941-778-3875. FOR SALE BY OWNER ..k 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. P7 k ~ ~~L gqudffay taftiy ofAnna Maria, Inc. Jesse Brisson (Bro0frA associate, 64 (941) 713 4755 (800) 771 6043 S ANDYPOINTE: Impeccably maintained 2BR 2BA condo in central Holmes Beach Ih within walking distance to shops, re- taurants, and the beach! No rental retr'iciions make this condo an instant inco me producer. Heated pool, covered parking, storage, washer dryer, and new %k after heater! Don't wait come see this astefiully done unit today! $329,900. 149 CRESCENT Great * -- floor plan, new windows, S kitchen was redone recently, private back yard with many fruit trees and room for a pool. Just a short walk to the bay or beach! Can join HOA for dockage. $ 569,000. THE ISLANDER M DEC. 27, 2006 M 31 " BY OWNER: 2BR/1.5BA condo. Bath and kitchen need update. $399,999. 863-412-2612. www.cflre- alestateonline.com/condo. 5400 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach. FOR SALE BY owner: Deep-water canal ranch, $550,000. Nicely remodeled with granite counter- tops, tile flooring, and more. Call Scott Wheeler at 614-207-7878, or e-mail scott@scottincolum- bus.com. 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 balconies. Amenities include boat docks, tennis court, pool with spa. $629,000. 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. DIRECT WATERFRONT: Latchkey. 65A Cortez Park, Avenue D. 941-779-CAIN. BRADENTON BEACH MOBILE home: Bay view updated, cozy 1BR in the Pines Park. Turnkey furnished, boat slip included. $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 appliances 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 carpeted, screened lanai. $297,000.941- 794-1640. GULFFRONT CONDOS: 3BR/2BA, 2BR/2BA, 1BR/1BA 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. UNBLOCKABLE GULF-VIEW cottage: Across from beach. Has permission to rebuild new. Bra- denton Beach. $50,000 down, assume $238,000. 941-866-0224. ISLAND HOME REDUCED: For sale by owner. Holmes Beach 3BR, deep-water canal, pool, boat dock, many upgrades. $799,000. Call 941- 778-6474. BY OWNER: 2BR/2BA turnkey second-floor condo. Pristine condition, beautiful water view. $570,000. 941-366-0066. BEAUTIFUL NORTH CAROLINA: Must see beauti- ful and colorful fall foliage! Western North Carolina mountains, homes, cabins, acreage and invest- ments. Cherokee 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. NORTH CAROLINA: GATED lakefront community. Pleasantly 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. WYOMING RANCH DISPERSAL: 35 acres, $49,900, 75 acres $95,900. Snow-capped moun- tain views. Surrounded by government land. Abun- dant wildlife. Recreational paradise. Low taxes. E-Z terms. Call Utah Ranches LLC. 888-541-5263. GREAT FLORIDA REAL estate auction: 38-plus properties at auction. Many selling absolute, regardless of price. Houses, condos, farms, acre- age, commercial, health food store, marina, build- ing lots, duplexes! All to be sold Jan. 13-17. Visit www.CampenAuctions.com for details, or call Ben Campen Auctioneers, 352-505-0560, or 866-633- 4460. Licensed real estate broker. AU201 AB2118. VIRGINIA MOUNTAINS: LARGE five-acre tract along very wide trout stream with private elevated homesite, secluded, great view, trees, nearby river. $59,500. Owner, 866-789-8535. NO STATE INCOME tax! Low property taxes, four seasons, southern hospitality, Tennessee lakefronts. Starting under $100,000. Views, properties from $25,000. Lakeside Realty, 888-291-5253. www. lakesiderealty-tn.com. NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS: 3.5 acres on the headwaters of Valley River! Drive and house pad cleared. High elevation. $119,500. valleytownrealty@ verizon.net. 800-632-2212. valleytownrealty.com. HOW TO ADVERTISE in the Islander Classifieds: DEADLINE: MONDAY NOON for Wednesday publi- cation. CLASSIFIED RATES for business or individ- ual: Minimum $10 for up 20 words. Each additional word over 20 words is 50o. Box: $3. Ads must be paid in advance. Classified ads may be submit- ted 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 Shop- ping Center. More information:(941) 778-7978. a- w p *0 - I "Copyrighte( Syndicated Available from Commerc meW- 0 " p/ w I Ma trial Content a ial News*Prov a ii I iders" 40 0 I WN S32 0 DEC. 27, 2006 T THE ISLANDER 1 S Wisteria Park is a new neighborhood in Northwest Bradc i'i.:n offered by Neal Communities. There is something for evei :.n, with maintenance-free and traditional single-family home- - twelve floor plans with two-story options, ranging from 2 I 5 to 3,341 a/c square feet. Visit Wisteria Park today and tour :'ii four beautiful new models. * .~8Cr5 ,. I *' 'J.C:' 4 :1 I -I ~rL:'I... JC I '.L" r-2 ~ C. A.lm.-- ---. --. - . : --.. -.. .-** .. -- .-- : -;,: ,i :. -B ;: A ... : .- "- : -- ..- : :' : :- -- ,. "L' ." ..' I. Perico Harbor 2. Anna Maria Island & Gulf Beaches Robinson's Preserve Botanical Garden Park S Rivertown Marina Stewart Elementary School 7, Geraldson Farms Produce King Middle School 9. U.S. Post Office Urgent Care Medical Center NIMCOMML\A S Building. Home. Life. www. nealcommunities.com CGCA 17845 I- |