Spanish mackerel invade Island-area waters Water temps are on the rise and hungry Spanish mackerel have taken over northern Sarasota Bay as well as the Intracoastal Waterway from Longboat Pass to the Manatee Avenue bridge. Anything from live shrimp to white crappie jigs are producing. Silver spoons and Gotcha plugs are ...

Wednesday, March 2 1:15 p.m. — Author Andy Little will speak to the Gulf Coast Writers at the Island Branch Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Information: 941-778-7631. 3 p.m. — After Hours Book Club discussion of Michelle Richmond’s “The Year of Fog” at the Tingley Memorial Library, 111 Second ...

ITEMS FOR SALE SAMSUNG BLUE-RAY player. New in unopened box, $79 or best offer. 941-779-9470. SOFA: FLORAL PATTERN, two pillows, $99. Love seat, floral, two pillows, $99. 941-778-7948. KOHLER LAWN TRACTOR for sale. 20-hp automatic, double-plate. Two years old. $1,000. Call 941-447-1506. COMPUTER 2 GHz processor, refurbished with Windows XP-PRO, $90, 941-756-6728. CHAIR WITH OTTOMAN: ...

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A rear-end collision that resulted in an SUV jumping the curb onto the sidewalk at about 5:45 p.m. Sunday on the Anna Maria Island Bridge caused traffic to back up in all directions for more than 2 1/2 hours. There were no injuries. Islander Photo: Bonner Joy.

Coquina Beach, much narrower than it was just last year, is due for sand renourishment this spring. Islander Photo: Lisa Neff

A sea of folks focused on seafood, sunshine, music and crafts at the weekend Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival, all wrapped this year around the FISH Preserve, Florida Maritime Museum and the Banyas’ commercial property. Islander Photos: Bonner Joy A handpainted sign welcomes Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival attendees to the main gate, ...

When engineers examined the Historic Bridge Street Pier several years ago, they informed city officials that the structure east of the restaurant must be replaced within five years. The clock has tick-tocked through three years already, Bradenton Beach city commissioners and Mayor Bob Bartelt emphasized last week. The commissioners and mayor, sitting ...

Planning for the May 13-14 Anna Maria City Pier Centennial Celebration is on schedule, with the pier committee now meeting twice monthly until the event. After hearing reports of the planned activities at the committee’s Feb. 14 meeting, committee chair Sissy Quinn said the work required “can be mind-boggling at times, ...

A countdown is under way for Coquina Beach, where a county-directed project to add sand to the shoreline will begin March 1. Manatee County natural resources director Charlie Hunsicker briefed Bradenton Beach commissioners Feb. 17 on the renourishment project. He also reviewed other short-term and long-term plans to deal with the “net ...