Top Stories this week: Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2005 The Anna Maria Island Privateers led their Christmas Parade 2005 in their ship and Santa brought up the rear. The parade ended at Coquina Beach where several hundred kids had visits with Santa and received gifts. And the winner is ... The top prize winner of The Islander Lighted Holiday Boat Parade is Everything Under the Sun Garden Center owners Nicole Heslop and Jon Westergard. Their boat "It's Only Money" was decorated with a flashy pink "moving" flamingo, green and gold palm trees, loads of lights and twinkling snowflakes and lots of folks aboard having a great time, prompting judges to declare it a "Florida Christmas." Full Story... No loophole in Pine Avenue construction By Rick Catlin. Islander Reporter It may have taken just a bit more than four years, but as Verizon promised in 2001, the company is back in Anna Maria, this time with a proposal for a 125-foot-high cell tower in the city. Full Story... Island real estate in transition By Rick Catlin. Islander Reporter Real estate buyers who think Anna Maria Island is like the mainland and in a buyers market with a glut of homes for sale should think again. Island real estate agents agree the Island real estate market bears little resemblance to its mainland counterpart. Full Story... Boat 'rackominium' accepted in Cortez By Jim Hanson. Islander Reporter The 330-boat dry-storage complex in Cortez gained acceptance, though often grudging, in the historic fishing village following the developer's explanation at a village meeting last week. Full Story... Old junk slows Cortez dredge job By Jim Hanson. Islander Reporter Thick layers of junk, some of it decades old, have slowed dredging of the boat channel along the Cortez waterfront. Full Story... Thanksgiving fire investigation continues, help sought By Paul Roat. Islander Reporter The investigation into five suspicious fires on Thanksgiving in Bradenton Beach and Cortez is continuing. Full Story... Beach burglar busted By Mike Quinn - Special to the Islander Holmes Beach Police, assisted by the Manatee County Sheriff's Office, arrested a 47-year-old man on a charge of burglary after he was discovered in a vacant apartment Sunday. Full Story... 'Tis the season for more Island scams By Rick Catlin. Islander Reporter There must be something about Anna Maria Island in winter that seems to draw scam artists from around the globe. Full Story... Norwood ready to pass historical society torch By Diana Bogan. Islander Reporter Carolyne Norwood is passing the torch after 15 years as head of the Anna Maria Island Historical Society. Full Story... Bradenton expected to approve St. Joe/Perico Harbor plan today By Diana Bogan. Islander Reporter The Bradenton City Council at its Dec. 14 meeting was expected to approve the preliminary site plan by Paradise Pointe LLC - a company owned by the St. Joe Company, formerly the Arvida Corp. - for a retail-office-restaurant complex at the east end of the Anna Maria Island Bridge. The St. Joe Company already has approval from Bradenton for a 686-unit condominium project adjacent to Perico Harbor Marina on the north side of Manatee Avenue. Full Story...