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Top Stories this week on Anna Maria Island: Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Stars and stripes salute
Penny Frick of Bradenton is this week's winner in the newspaper's six-week-long Top Notch contest, winning front-page placement of the photo and an islander newspaper "More-Than-A-Mullet wrapper" T-shirt. Frick's entry - a striking red, white and blue-themed photograph taken at New Pass near Mote Marine - will go into a pool of weekly winners eligible for the grand prize of $100 from the newspaper and a bevy of gift certificates and other prizes from islander advertisers.
Top Stories this week on Anna Maria Island: Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009
The Manatee County Health Department has announced Anna Maria Elementary School will be one of seven schools in Manatee County to receive the H1N1 vaccine.
From 3:30 to 7:00 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, students and staff will have the chance to receive a vaccination at the school and the treatment is free.
Incumbent Anna Maria City Commissioners Dale Woodland and John Quam were easily returned to office in the Nov. 3 city election, while political newcomer Harry Stoltzfus took the third seat, defeating incumbent Christine Tollette by 93 votes.
Woodland topped all candidates with 560 votes, while Quam polled 500. Stoltzfus garnered 345 votes, Tollette 379 and David Gryboski finished last with 335.
No one emerged Tingley Memorial Library Nov. 3 with a newly checked out book, but citizens emerged with “I voted” stickers and a candidate emerged with a two-year job as Bradenton Beach mayor.
William “Bill” Shearon took on incumbent Michael Pierce in the race for mayor. The two also ran against one another in 2007.
David Zaccagnino ran away with a win in Tuesday night’s Holmes Beach city commission election, garnering 715 votes.
Filling in the other two commission seats will be newcomer Al Robinson with 530 votes and incumbent Pat Morton with 520. Ballots were cast at the Gloria Dei Lutheran Church.
Rumors flew in Anna Maria last week as voters prepared to head to the polls Nov. 3 to elect three city commissioners.
One rumor concerned a royal poinciana tree at 303 Pine Ave. that was cut down several days prior to the election.
An Anna Maria resident said she was told by a “reliable voter” that the poinciana tree at that location was felled in preparation for a project by Pine Avenue Restoration LLC.
Voters in each Island city will cast ballots Tuesday, Nov. 3, in municipal elections.
In Anna Maria, voters will elect three people to two-year terms on the city commission. The field of five includes incumbents John Quam, Christine Tollette and Dale Woodland, as well as first-time candidates David Gryboski and Harry Stoltzfus.
The five candidates seeking one of the three Anna Maria city commission seats up for election Nov. 3 all said they expect a heavier than normal voter turnout for an off-year election.
The last off-year election in Anna Maria in which city commissioners faced challengers was in November 2005. In that election, 43 percent of the city’s 1,483 registered voters cast ballots.
Political newcomer David Gryboski lead all five Anna Maria city commission candidates in contributions and spending heading into the Nov. 3 election, while incumbent Christine Tollette was a close second in both fundraising and spending.
In his Oct. 30 campaign report to the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office, Gryboski reported he had raised a total of $8,685, including in-kind donations, while spending $7,354.
Mayor Michael Pierce raised $3,249.68 in cash and in-kind contributions in the Nov. 3 race to hold onto his post in Bradenton Beach.
Challenger William “Bill” Shearon, who also faced Pierce in 2007, raised $3,520 in cash and in-kind contributions, according to campaign reports filed with the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Oct. 30.
On Tuesday, Nov. 3, voters will get a rematch between Michael Pierce and William Shearon.
The two men ran for mayor two years ago, with Pierce winning the post with 60 percent of the vote.
Pierce is running on his administrative record, touting a series of improvements in the Island’s southernmost city, from new sidewalks near the Cortez Road and Gulf Drive intersection to the planned installation of solar lighting in the commercial district.
The five candidates in Holmes Beach seeking one of the three commission seats up for election Nov. 3 have raised a combined total of $7,478 for their campaigns.
The city has 3,234 registered voters.
According to figures available at the Manatee County Supervisor Elections Office, the following were amounts of contributions received and expenditures made for the candidates.
Students from Anna Maria Elementary School transformed into witches, vampires and princesses to just name a few Oct. 31.
The annual AME Parent-Teacher Organization Fall Festival attracted a large turnout. A half hour after the start of the festival a line still existed to buy tickets for food and games.
The Florida Attorney General’s office filed court papers last week defending the conviction of a man who two years ago shot Island businesswoman Sue Normand.
The filing countered a defense move to have the Second District Florida Appeals Court declare a mistrial and overturn the conviction of Mark Koenigs.
Florida officials looking to pilot an anchoring and mooring project may steer to Bradenton Beach, where efforts already are under way to establish an official mooring field.
Earlier this year, the Florida Legislature directed the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to work with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to explore options for regulating the anchoring or mooring of non-liveaboard vessels outside legally permitted mooring fields.
The answer is neither yes nor no to the querie on whether the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will hold a public hearing on a proposal by Longboat Key to construct manmade breakwaters near the Longboat Pass entrance to combat beach erosion.
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