Top Stories this week: Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2007 Allie Connelly hugs her mom Holly before she begins her first day of kindergarten in teacher Maureen Loveland's class at Anna Maria Elementary School, 4700 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach. Islander Photos: Joanie Mills Maya and Lauren Sapienza arrive to the AME campus Monday morning for the first day of the new school year. AME kindergarten teacher Maureen Loveland leads her students to their room after an orientation in the school auditorium Monday. AME opens for 2007-08 term Islander report Anna Maria Elementary School and other Manatee County School District students headed for the classrooms Monday to begin the 2007-08 term. Full Story... Anna Maria junkyard cited By Rick Catlin. Islander Reporter Property owners in Anna Maria who don’t want to clean up their lands and get rid of trash and debris take note. Full Story... Tip takes another turn of ownership By Rick Catlin. Islander Reporter The Tip of the Island restaurant/pub in Anna Maria has been sold to brothers from Bradenton who plan to convert the establishment into a pastry shop with a limited lunch and dinner menu. Full Story... Renters report problem, landlord gives them boot By Rick Catlin. Islander Reporter Sometimes, it doesn’t pay to give public praise. Full Story... Island property values up and down By Rick Catlin, Islander Reporter Owners of non-homesteaded property on Anna Maria Island were either pleasantly surprised or flaming mad when they received their Manatee County Truth in Millage notice last week from property appraiser Charles Hackney. Full Story... Boat lifts, pools, setbacks produce contention by planners By Paul Roat Planners are pondering how and what should be tweaked in the Bradenton Beach codes that allow construction and reconstruction in the city. Full Story... Rip-rap be gone A long-standing policy by the city of Bradenton Beach of placing 'clean' concrete and other material along the shore to avert erosion at Herb Dolan North Park has been halted. The city's public works director, Tom Woodard, said his crews dropped off some material recently, but further placement was stopped by city officials, who approved an environmental approach through the planting of marsh grasses fronting the park, off 25th Street on Anna Maria Sound. The grass planting effort will take place Sept. 15, and volunteers who would like to aid the effort should call 941-778-4619 for further information. Islander Photo: Paul Roat For FISH: One down, two to go for Preserve By Paul Roat FISH folks are a happy bunch in the wake of last week’s notice that a parcel of land within the preserve is being donated to the not-for-profit group. Full Story... Bridge to be dedicated to military vets Holmes Beach Mayor Rich Bohnenberger plans to dedicate the reconstructed Key Royale Bridge to military service members and veterans on Friday, Aug. 24. Full Story... Palma Sola group to seek bids on landscaping By Lisa Neff. Islander Reporter A major beautification project for the Palma Sola Scenic Highway may soon be put out for bids, according to members of the group charged with protecting, enhancing and promoting the corridor linking the mainland to Anna Maria Island, Perico Island and Flamingo Cay. Full Story... Holmes Beach Police nab burglars Holmes Beach Police Officer Michael Pilato apprehended three people after they attempted to burglarize a car in the parking lot of the Manatee Public Beach Aug. 16. Full Story... Red tide report: much work done, more needed By Paul Roat A comprehensive study of red tide that details the environmental, scientific, economic and social impacts of the water-borne problem has been released by Mote Marine Laboratory’s fledgling Marine Policy Institute. Full Story... Airborne sneaks just a prank, police say By Rick Catlin. Islander Reporter Motorists traveling along Gulf Drive last week who happened to glance up might have been surprised to see pairs of sneakers wrapped around electrical lines crossing over the road in a number of locations. Full Story... Turtle watch assists with DNA research By Lisa Neff. Islander Reporter Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch is partnering with a University of Georgia researcher to create a DNA analysis of the sea turtles that nest on the Island’s beaches. Full Story... Fire commission accepts 2007-08 budget By Lisa Neff. Islander Reporter The West Manatee Fire Rescue District Commission accepted a 2007-08 budget following little public comment on Aug. 16. Full Story... Winner Top Notch: Dog greets crab Tom Thomas of Holmes Beach won the grand prize in The Islander's annual Top Notch contest for this photo of a 2 1/2-year-old Labrador retriever named Taylor greeting a blue crab on a sandbar near Longboat Pass Bridge. Thomas won $100 from the newspaper, plus a bevy of gifts from Islander advertisers, including Cafe on the Beach, Creations by L, The Sea Hagg, Subway and Walgreens. Five other photographers were weekly winners in the Top Notch contest - Robert L. Brown, Kim Klement, John Barker, Lori Kee and Mary Anne Keenan. The weekly winners received Islander "more-than-a-mullet wrapper" T-shirts and page 1 placement of their photos.