Top Stories this week: Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2005 2004 Islander of the year: Jeff Croley Jeff Croley of Holmes Beach symbolizes all the good qualities we could ask for in a volunteer - and he symbolizes for Anna Maria Island all the good folks who quietly went about doing anything and everything they could to aid those in need after Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne. Full Story... The Islander's 2004 year in review, part 1 Murder in Bradenton Beach, land use squabbles in Holmes Beach, parking woes going on and on and on in Anna Maria, plus beach erosion-accretion, soaring property values, rising poverty ... 2004 was quite a year, and this week's wrapup only covers the first six months. Full Story... The Islander's 2004 year in review, part 2 Four hurricanes hitting Florida in six weeks more than ruled the second half of 2004's new events. Fortunately for Islanders, the storms for the most part spared homes and businesses on Anna Maria Island, but there was significant beach erosion. Full Story... FEMA failure creates Anna Maria rush By Rick Catlin. Islander Reporter After weeks of searching through the Federal Emergency Management Agency bureaucracy to find the completed forms that give emergency approval to construct a berm along a severely eroded beach area of North Shore Drive in Anna Maria, Mayor SueLynn finally located the appropriate documents in a FEMA office in Orlando. The documents were completed in mid-October, the mayor said, but never forwarded to Anna Maria by FEMA. Full Story... Hall named to replace Wunderlich By Rick Catlin. Islander Reporter Holmes Beach Code Enforcement Clerk Nancy Hall has been named by Mayor Carol Whitmore to replace current Code Enforcement Officer Walter Wunderlich, who is retiring Jan. 21. Full Story... Lester-Islander challenge meets, beats goal The match has been met, and then some. Islanders stepped up to match fellow Islanders Joey and Chuck Lester's challenge of $50,000 to benefit the Anna Maria Island Community Center to the tune of $52,550 as of Monday, bringing the total benevolence to the Center to $102,550 this year. Full Story... Tidemark asks for court decision on parking spaces By Rick Catlin. Islander Reporter While the future looks a bit rosy for the formerly bankrupt - but now reorganized and refinanced - Tidemark hotel and condominium project in Holmes Beach, former Tidemark partner Southstar SSHB of Coral Gables has refused to hand over a lease it holds with Wachovia for 20 parking spaces that are planned to be part of the development. Full Story...