July-December
In a flashback to July 2021, islanders shared hopes for a return to normalcy with the accessibility of the coronavirus vaccine.
But then came the spikes associated with the Delta variant of the novel coronavirus, followed near the year’s end by the Omicron variant.
Throughout the year, a local artist continued to add ribbons — each representing lives lost — to her COVID-19 memorial.
Some island nonprofits canceled events while others adapted pandemic protocols or returned to pre-pandemic operations.
Tax dollars and business revenues showed a record year for the island, despite some restrictions on travel and public health concerns.
While there were plenty of #AMIparadise posts about white sand beaches and clear blue waters, locals in government, working on the water and living on the coastline raised alarms and expressed environmental concerns, especially about pollution and water quality.
The Dec. 29 edition of The Islander reviewed the first half of 2021.
Now, a look at the second half of the year:
July
Tropical Storm Elsa prompts states of emergency: Ahead of TS Elsa, local and Florida officials declared states of emergency and opened sandbagging stations.
Worker falls, dies in BB: An investigation began in the death of a 49-year-old man who fell from scaffolding at a residential construction site in Bradenton Beach.
DOT plays hardball with Bradenton Beach: Bradenton Beach city attorney Ricinda Perry talked via phone with Florida Department of Transportation officials about the city’s requests for infrastructure improvements related to the proposed high-rise bridge linking the city to the mainland in Cortez. The DOT questioned their appropriateness.
Island restaurant employee faces child porn charges: Manatee County sheriff’s deputies arrested a Bradenton resident and Island Grill employee on 26 counts associated with possessing child pornography.
Elsa, the hurricane that wasn’t: Islanders were ready with sandbags, generators and libations but Elsa merely waved as it passed the coastline in the Gulf of Mexico.
Treehouse owners open door, HB agrees to mediate: Holmes Beach officials and the owners of an illegal “Swiss-family Robinson” treehouse on the beach showed an interest in moving the long-running dispute into mediation.
AM seats ‘new’ commissioner: Doug Copeland returned to the dais in Anna Maria, taking a seat on the city commission vacated by Joe Muscatello.
State OKs LBK wastewater projects: Plans to improve Longboat Key’s wastewater collection got a lift from the state about a year after a rupture in a sewage line that traversed Sarasota Bay.
Stilt-house changes hands, expands: Raymond “Junior” Guthrie confirmed that he transferred ownership of his Sarasota Bay stilt-house to the nonprofit Cortez Core Inc. A court has ordered the structure removed.
New principal takes reins at AME: Anna Maria Elementary school welcomed a new principal for the 2021-22 school year. Mike Masiello succeeded Jackie Featherston.
County OKs funding to counter red tide: Manatee County commissioners approved $500,000 in tourist tax dollars to counter the impact of red tide, including paying boat captains to remove detritus before it reached shores.
HB commissioners push for stricter noise regs: HB commissioners agreed to a first reading on an ordinance allowing police to cite people for “plainly audible” noise at night from a distance of 100 feet.
August
FISH joins activists in fight to halt megabridge: The Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage voted to become the fifth complainant in a federal suit challenging the state plan to build a high, fixed-span bridge connecting Cortez and Bradenton Beach.
AME school year begins: Anna Maria Elementary School started classes Aug. 10, with the first bell at 8:25 a.m. The year began with 195 enrolled students and a new principal.
Rainfall monitored at Piney Point: The defunct Piney Point phosphate fertilizer plant received nearly 3 inches of rain Aug. 3 and more rain Aug. 4, raising concerns again that nutrient-rich wastewater would flow into Tampa Bay.
AM commission asked to back clam project: Anna Maria resident and businessman Ed Chiles pitched All Clams on Deck to the city of Anna Maria, asking the commission to invest $50,000 in a clean water project.
COVID spikes, govs ramp up: Some local governments ramped up COVID-19 countermeasures as the number of confirmed cases increased to make the largest wave yet in the state.
Anna Maria commissioners greenlight Bayfest: The Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce received unanimous approval for its signature event, Bayfest, which had not been held on Pine Avenue for two years.
Improvements detailed for Kingfish Boat Ramp: Manatee County presented plans to redevelop the Kingfish Boat Ramp in Holmes Beach, including restrooms, paved parking, new launch lanes, docks and seawalls.
Judge dismisses HB from treehouse suit: A circuit court judge issued an order dismissing the city of Holmes Beach from one of three lawsuits related to an illegally built treehouse on the beach.
HBPD shifts posts, promotes: Three Holmes Beach police officers switched roles as one — Brian Hall — took the spot of second-in-command to the chief.
Boaters tossed into bay rescued: Emergency responders rescued boaters tossed into the water after their vessel capsized near Anna Maria’s Rod and Reel Pier.
Cortez Bridge mediation unproductive: Anti-megabridge complainants and the Florida Department of Transportation failed to reach a settlement agreement during a mediation hearing. The impasse meant a federal magistrate likely would hear the case.
HB halts new golf cart rentals: Holmes Beach commissioners voted to approve a moratorium on new businesses offering golf cart and LSV rentals to provide time to brainstorm new regulations.
September
BB names ‘acting’ chief of police: Bradenton Beach commissioners authorized an agreement putting into action their plan to promote John Cosby from lieutenant to police chief.
AM increases stormwater, property taxes: Anna Maria commissioners voted to raise stormwater fees and to raise property taxes for the fiscal 2021-22 budget. Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach also raised property taxes for the new budget year.
Judge’s ruling prompts refined bridge complaint: Attorneys for those challenging the state plan to build a high, fixed-span bridge to replace the Cortez drawbridge were changing their amended complaint to remove a Cortez village nonprofit from the suit.
Anna Maria put vacation-rental owners on notice: An amendment to Anna Maria’s vacation rental ordinance allowed for the cancellation of registrations for unpaid citations, fees or fines.
Island Players return to stage: The Island Players returned to the stage after canceling productions in March 2020 due to the pandemic. The first play of the 73rd season was “The Savannah Sipping Society.”
‘Yes’ to Mote pier lease: Anna Maria commissioners voted 4-1 to approve the lease for a Mote Marine Laboratory education center on the Anna Maria City Pier T-end. Commissioner Mark Short voted no.
October
HB attorney to step down: Holmes Beach city attorney Patricia Petruff announced plans to step down in January 2022, after three decades at city hall.
USPS plans to close Cortez Post Office: The U.S. Postal Service placed a notice on the door to the Cortez Post Office announcing it would close Oct. 24. That did not happen, as a new lease was negotiated for the site.
Island voters head to polls: On Nov. 2, voters on Anna Maria Island went to the polls to cast ballots for city commissioners in Holmes Beach and mayor in Bradenton Beach, as well as on referendum questions.
Islander marks anniversary: The Islander’s Oct. 27 issue marked a new year. It was Vol. 30, No. 1, for the newspaper that first published in November 1992.
It’s a wrap on a season: Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring ended its season on the beach. AMITW marked 422 sea turtle nests and reported that approximately 15,725 hatchlings emerged from 226 nests.
BB receives $92K for shoreline resiliency: Bradenton Beach received a $92,000 grant from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for shoreline resiliency along Bay Drive South, from Bridge Street to Fifth Street South.
AM reshapes Pine Avenue: Anna Maria commissioners reached a consensus on an outline for changes to Pine Avenue, including adding bike paths, crosswalks and street lights.
November
Voters make choices in HB: Holmes Beach voters decided to gave Commissioners Carol Soustek and Terry Shaefer two more years of service and returned former Commissioner Pat Morton to the dais in the Nov. 2 vote.
BB voters reelect Chappie: Bradenton Beach voters reelected John Chappie as mayor. The longtime officeholder defeated challenger David Galuszka with 69.45% of the vote. Voters also decided to keep term limits for Bradenton Beach officials.
AM commissioners retain seats: Two Anna Maria commissioners — Carol Carter and Jonathan Crane — faced no opposition on Election Day. A third seat was left vacant, with no candidate in the running.
Stamp to salute shark lady: The U.S. Postal Service announced that a Forever stamp in 2022 would honor Eugenie “the Shark Lady” Clark, a pioneering scientist and founding director of Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota.
Fall Fest falls short: The AME PTO announced the Fall Festival raised just $956 after expenses. The event was about $8,000 over budget.
New AM commissioner selected: Anna Maria commissioners appointed Robert Kingan to succeed Doug Copeland on the commission. Copeland had been appointed earlier in 2021 to take the seat of Joe Muscatello.
AM OKs $125K for Pine Ave. engineering: Anna Maria commissioners voted to approve up to $125,000 for design and engineer improvements to advance the “Reimagining Pine Avenue” project.
December
USPS confirms done deal on post office: The U.S. Postal Service confirmed the village post office in a strip mall on Cortez Road would remain open until July 31, 2026. “The U.S. Postal Service is pleased to announce it has signed a new five-year lease on the Cortez Post Office,” read a statement provided to The Islander Dec. 9 by USPS central Florida spokesman David Walton.
Bay dolphins birth a record in 2021: The Chicago Zoological Society’s Sarasota Dolphin Research Program documented 22 dolphin births in 2021 to the long-term bottlenose dolphin community in Sarasota Bay. The number broke the record of 21 set in 2017.
Labor Dept. cites companies after fatal fall: A federal investigation into the death of a worker and the injury of another at a construction site in Bradenton Beach resulted in citations and proposed fines.
HB water committee sworn: Holmes Beach launched its new advisory board to improve and protect one of Anna Maria Island’s most valuable resources: its waters.
1st mullet run of season begins: Wind and rain brought in by a cold front broke up a lingering stretch of warm, stable weather Dec. 21, prompting schools of mullet in estuarial waters to migrate toward the Gulf of Mexico and fishers to chase them.
