Top Stories this week: Wednesday, July 11, 2007 Fifth weekly winner: Top Notch 'Sitting pretty' Mary Anne Keenan of Bradenton entered this Top Notch shot taken at Fort DeSoto Park in St. Petersburg in April. The park is on the Great Florida Birding Trail. Keenan is the fifth winner in the six weeks of Top Notch, with prizes including front page placement for her photo and an Islander newspaper "more-than-a-mullet wrapper" T-shirt. Her entry will go into the pool of weekly winners to be eligible for the grand prize of $100 from the newspaper and a bevy of gift certificates and prizes from Islander advertisers. Anna Maria budget preview expected July 12 By Rick Catlin. Islander Reporter Anna Maria city commissioners will have their work cut out for them later this month when they tackle Mayor Fran Barford’s proposed 2007-08 budget - most likely to include some “belt tightening” of services and expenditures. That’s because the Florida Legislature has mandated that municipal expenditures must drop by at least 9 percent for the 2007-08 fiscal year compared with last year’s figures. Full Story... Roof USA wants day in court By Rick Catlin. Islander Reporter Any hopes of a quick settlement in Anna Maria’s lawsuit against Roof USA over water and mold damages from the company’s allegedly shoddy installation of a roof at city hall last summer were dashed last week. Full Story... Employee payback approved by city By Paul Roat Bud Bates is not only back at work with back pay, but his benefits, which were questioned after being terminated from his job in the Bradenton Beach Public Works Department, have been reinstated. Full Story... Garbage fee hike of 30 percent OK'd in Bradenton Beach By Paul Roat Sanitation fees in Bradenton Beach appear to be going up come next calendar year. Full Story... BB record request remains a quagmire The newest release of records by Bradenton Beach city attorney Ricinda Perry to clerk Nora Idso, which in turn was provided to the media, contains only three pages of new documents, but does at least reveal that there was indeed some sort of investigation by Perry into allegations of sexual harassment against former building official Ed McAdam. Full Story... Calling all WWII veterans By Rick Catlin. Islander Reporter Many readers in the Islander circulation area, including many World War II veterans, are now back north in cooler climates. Full Story... No need for reduced bridge speed By Rick Catlin. Islander Reporter The Florida Department of Transportation last week in a letter to the Manatee County Commission stood by an earlier claim (The Islander, May 9) that there is no need to reduce the speed limit on the Anna Maria Island Bridge, despite several recent accidents on the bridge, including a fatality. Full Story... Light shows draw crowds to Island By Lisa Neff. Islander Reporter By the fireworks bursting in air, Islanders celebrated America’s birthday twice last week. Full Story... More pine work to take place on causeway By Lisa Neff. Islander Reporter Work to top Australian pine trees along the Palma Sola Causeway was to begin Tuesday, July 10. Full Story...