Top Stories this week: Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2004 Sand-ta Claus comes to the beach Dillon Young, 9, and Danny Peters, 10, greeted Santa Claus on the beach as he made his way to the Anna Maria Island Moose Lodge Christmas Party in Bradenton Beach. Media prompts emergency parking ordinance in Anna Maria By Rick Catlin. Islander Reporter Blame it on the media, said Anna Maria Mayor SueLynn at the Dec. 16 city commission meeting when she presented an emergency traffic regulation ordinance that would officially make the current parking restrictions in the city legal. Full Story... Commissioners table habitable floors ordinance By Rick Catlin. Islander Reporter Faced with mounting opposition to a proposed ordinance to limit the number of habitable floors of new construction in the residential-office-retail zone, Anna Maria city commissioners Dec. 16 voted to table further discussion of the ordinance until they receive and review the first draft of the city's new comprehensive plan expected in February or March 2005. Full Story... All quiet on the Anna Maria waterfront By Rick Catlin. Islander Reporter It's been a "long and painful process," said Waterfront Restaurant owner Jason Suzor after the Anna Maria City Commission Dec. 14 approved site-plan changes that will allow him to begin rebuilding his fire-damaged restaurant - nine months after the fire. Full Story... 10 fine points for $50,000 challenge By Jim Hanson. Islander Reporter The challenge season is more than half over and the challenge itself is halfway over the top, but there are only two weeks left for Islanders to hit the $50,000 mark. Full Story... Holmes Beach commission passes rezone amendment The Holmes Beach City Commission unanimously approved a proposed small-scale development amendment to change the land-use designation in the city's comprehensive plan for two properties, despite objections from environmental watchdogs ManaSota-88 and Save Anna Maria. Full Story... Maloney, mayor spat over strategic planning By Rick Catlin. Islander Reporter Holmes Beach Commissioner Don Maloney's effort to introduce strategic planning to the city at the commission's Dec. 14 meeting seems to have rubbed Mayor Carol Whitmore the wrong way. Full Story... Chiles tries again, but efforts on hold By Rick Catlin. Islander Reporter More than 11 years after first being denied a variance - and several requests since - Sandbar restaurant owner Ed Chiles will have to wait a little longer before learning if his request to swap alleyways with the city to allow him to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act is successful. Full Story... Fire district merger talks set for Jan. 7 By Rick Catlin. Islander Reporter State Sen. Mike Bennett told the West Manatee Fire and Rescue District board at its Dec. 16 meeting that after three election defeats in 2004 for a district-wide ad valorem tax for additional revenues, it's "only a matter of time" before the district is faced with a budget crisis. Full Story...