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The proposed extension of a multiuse path along Gulf Drive in Anna Maria had some business owners concerned about the elimination of parking.
But a recent vote eased those concerns.
City commissioners voted 4-1 March 28 to move forward with plans to extend a multiuse path along Gulf Drive from its current terminus at Willow Avenue to Magnolia Avenue without eliminating parking.
Commissioner Gary McMullen voted “no,” saying he did not want to establish such a restriction for potential improvements.
The city requested a $250,000 state appropriation to extend the path and the request made it into the state’s proposed $117.46 billion budget for fiscal 2024-25.
By now, only Gov. Ron DeSantis has the power to line-item veto the appropriation request.
Paul Foster, co-owner of Ginny’s and Jane E’s Cafe and Gift Store, 9807 Gulf Drive, became concerned with the potential loss of parking along the stretch, which runs into the city’s commercial district and in front of his business.
Foster filed a petition the week of March 18 with DeSantis, state Rep. Will Robinson Jr., R-Bradenton, state Sen. Jim Boyd, R-Bradenton, and Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge, R-District 3.
The petition argued that the creation of a multiuse path along the stretch would necessitate the elimination of parallel parking in the area and hurt local businesses.
It asked DeSantis to use his line-item veto authority to put a stop to the project funding.
The petition was signed by Foster and the owners of six businesses, including The Porch Restaurant, Robinhood Rentals, Snips Hair, Harry’s Grill, AMI Beach Hut and Body & Sol Spa and Wellness, as well as one property owner.
Mayor Dan Murphy said March 28 that the city had no intent to eliminate parking as part of the project and would have appreciated a call from Foster so he could have clarified the city’s stance on the issue.
“The intent never was, nor is it now, to destroy the parking,” Murphy said. “I would aggressively fight the elimination of any parking. … We don’t have enough.”
He listed three potential options for extending the path without reducing parking:
Ed’s Tavern, a sports bar and restaurant that opened in 2009 on Lakewood Ranch Main Street, now has a second location at 1305 108th St. E., in the Warner Crossing shopping center.
The new restaurant, on the northwest corner of State Road 64 and Upper Manatee River Road, seats about 180 and has sidings that retract from the floor into the ceiling, giving guests an inside-outside view.
Partners Albert Myara, Adam Myara and Bob Bender bought Manatee County’s first Ed’s Tavern in 2014 from founder John Breiner and have carried on the tradition of offering a friendly place to relax and enjoy good food, a drink and a game on a large screen TV.
The new restaurant has 36 TVs, which makes it all but impossible not to get a good look at a March Madness game or another sport on the screen.
Opinion: How to spot fear-mongering click-bait propaganda? The use of words like..."EXPLOSIVE"..."BRACE YOURSELF"..."NERVOUS"..."SEVERE"..."HYPERACTIVE".. ."CRISIS"
Here's a dose of reality. Insurance rates in FLA are always higher because its in a tropical storm zone. Does that surprise anyone?
Insurors are trying to recoup their recent losses from Ian...does that surprise anyone?
Cumulative inflation over the past 4 yrs is ~30%, so the cost to repair any potential damage is also up ~30%. Does insurance rates going up enough to cover inflation surprise anyone?
In the past 4 years, our homeowners insurance bill went from $1,700/yr to $2,200/yr., $500/yr. or ~30%...same as inflation. Nothing extraordinary.
BUT, our home value has increased $100,000/yr for the past 4 years, or $400,000...that is extraordinary.
The article fails to mention 3 bills recently passed by the State to contain property insurance costs:
Every year we see fear-mongering "the-sky's-falling" articles like this. A few times, they were right, but most of the time, they were wrong.
In the past 60 yrs, only 5 major tropical storms (Cat 4 or 5) struck FLA. The other 55 yrs., no major storms hit, so articles like this were wrong 91.7% of the time:
Lastly, homes are built much stronger now, & they're built upon higher ground, which makes them safer, & less damage prone.
Nobody knows what this tropical storm season will bring, but EVERY year, we see articles like this one; forecasting doom. They use fear to sell advertising, which is dispicable imho, & I own an advertising company.
Quote:
Originally Posted by wondermint2
Florida tops US for home insurance rates. What's ahead as 'explosive' hurricane season nears
Home insurance rates are expected, on average, to increase 6 percent in 2024 but could jump as high as 23 percent in states with severe weather, according to a home insurance projection report from Insurify.
That's making 30 percent of Americans nervous.
With Florida property owners already paying more than four times the national average for home insurance, there is good reason to be nervous.
Early forecasts for a hyperactive 2024 Atlantic hurricane season could bring even more rate increases in 2025, something no Florida residents wants to hear. AccuWeather is predicting an "explosive" hurricane season that has the potential to break the all-time record of 30 named storms in a season.
"A 'hurricane season from hell' could pile crisis upon crisis," said Betsy Stella, vice president of carrier management and operations at Insurify, America’s highest-rated digital insurance agent and comparison platform.
"The financial solvency of all insurance companies will be tested. Perhaps especially newer providers who have stepped into the market recently. Citizens (Florida's insurer of last resort), too will be tested."
Here's a look at home insurance prices in Florida and the U.S. and what is projected to come.
Manatee County Government leaders are planning to create an emergency homeless shelter to connect people with social services and comply with a new Florida law.
The Fresh Start Manatee proposal would offer a supportive path for those who want to get off the streets. The 90-day shelter would include services that connect them with job opportunities, educational courses and financial guidance, a county official said.
Gov. Ron DeSantis recently signed a law banning people from sleeping on streets, sidewalks and parks. The law, which goes into effect on Oct. 1, requires local governments to move them into shelters or camps.
“We believe in giving people a hand up,” said Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge.
“We can’t force them to take the hand up,” he added. “But we want to at least be able to sleep at night, knowing that if there’s a person who’s down on their luck, there’s somewhere in this county where they can go.”
According to Van Ostenbridge, Fresh Start Manatee would be modeled off of a similar homeless outreach program in Pinellas County that connects unhoused residents with community resources in an effort to put them back in a home.
Further information about Fresh Start Manatee was not immediately available. Key details about the project, such as the location and the exact resources it will offer, are subject to approval by the Manatee Board of County Commissioners at a later date.
Manatee plans new homeless shelter
One local resident without a home, Kelly Teel, has slept behind a pizza restaurant in Bradenton. Sometimes the restaurant workers offered him a blanket and a slice of pizza. He felt safer there than anywhere else.
“I got so used to being outside,” said Teel, 66, who got divorced and went to live on the streets in 1998. “I thought it was romantic. It’s not.”
Teel, like others without a home to call their own, hoped to find a spot at a shelter.
“I would be the first one there,” Teel said.
There were 567 homeless people last year in Manatee County, according to the latest available data . Of those, 339 lived in parks, cars or abandoned buildings.
Will Florida law end homelessness?
Homeless advocates have criticized the new law and pushed for more affordable housing options in Manatee County.
“We also believe our neighbors should not be sleeping on the street, but this law does not solve homelessness in our community,” said Katie Ross, CEO of the Suncoast Partnership to End Homelessness .
Kathleen Cramer, executive director of Turning Points , also said the new law creates a problem for the local unhoused population because there are not enough shelter beds to house them all.
“There’s going to be a lot of unknowns until decisions are made,” Cramer said.
As county leaders plan to build the 90-day shelter, homeless advocates pointed out that there are many older people and families without the means to pay for rent.
“We think everyone experiencing homelessness is a middle-aged man. That is not at all the face of homelessness in our community,” Cramer said. “Many people have just had a bad situation that snowballed and ended up being evicted.”
Resources strained in Manatee County
As more homeless people search for a place to go, pressure will fall on the Salvation Army in Bradenton, the only shelter in the county.
“We’re going to be turning people away,” said Paul Fowler, director of social services for the Salvation Army of Manatee County . “That’s all we can do.”
A new problem outside of the Salvation Army property highlights Manatee County’s struggle with homelessness. Tents have popped up on the sidewalk because the shelter doesn’t have space to accept everyone.
“It breaks my heart because they’re out there in a tent, but it’s not a campground,” said Maj. Thomas Richmond, corps officer for the Salvation Army of Manatee County.
They haven't determined a location yet. Good luck with that.
Manatee County to start new emergency shelter to keep homeless off the street (Video)
Opinion: How to spot fear-mongering click-bait propaganda? The use of words like..."EXPLOSIVE"..."BRACE YOURSELF"..."NERVOUS"..."SEVERE"..."HYPERACTIVE".. ."CRISIS"
Here's a dose of reality. Insurance rates in FLA are always higher because its in a tropical storm zone. Does that surprise anyone?
Insurors are trying to recoup their recent losses from Ian...does that surprise anyone?
Cumulative inflation over the past 4 yrs is ~30%, so the cost to repair any potential damage is also up ~30%. Does insurance rates going up enough to cover inflation surprise anyone?
In the past 4 years, our homeowners insurance bill went from $1,700/yr to $2,200/yr., $500/yr. or ~30%...same as inflation. Nothing extraordinary.
BUT, our home value has increased $100,000/yr for the past 4 years, or $400,000...that is extraordinary.
The article fails to mention 3 bills recently passed by the State to contain property insurance costs:
Every year we see fear-mongering "the-sky's-falling" articles like this. A few times, they were right, but most of the time, they were wrong.
In the past 60 yrs, only 5 major tropical storms (Cat 4 or 5) struck FLA. The other 55 yrs., no major storms hit, so articles like this were wrong 91.7% of the time:
Lastly, homes are built much stronger now, & they're built upon higher ground, which makes them safer, & less damage prone.
Nobody knows what this tropical storm season will bring, but EVERY year, we see articles like this one; forecasting doom. They use fear to sell advertising, which is dispicable imho, & I own an advertising company.
I agree the headlines try to generate clicks.
However a lot lot of these predictions are based on the fact that there is a very high probability that we will transition from El Nino to La Nina this season. It is a proven fact that there are more hurricanes during La Nina seasons in the Atlantic basin.
It does not mean that our area will see an explosive hurricane. Some will make land and miss us and some will stay out to sea. The odds are we won't get one locally - but anything is possible
Last edited by wondermint2; 04-02-2024 at 07:24 AM..
Leashed dogs will soon be allowed in City Pier Park, including during some special events held in the park.
The city of Anna Maria’s code of ordinances currently prohibits dogs and other domestic animals on beaches and in city parks.
On March 28, City Attorney Becky Vose presented the city commission with the first reading of Ordinance 24-924, which contained the proposed addition of the following language: “Provided, however, dogs on leashes shall be allowed in parks that are not on the beach or which have coastal barrier sand dunes, as long as no special event is occurring at such park, and as long as the person accompany*ing such dog shall promptly remove any feces deposited by such dog and properly dispose of such feces.”
Trading Spaces with Terry Connor | School Resource Officer
Join Superintendent Connor as he walks the beat alongside Booker High School SRO Jose Castellos in the latest episode of "Trading Spaces." In this series, Mr. Connor gains firsthand experience in various roles within Sarasota County Schools. For SROs like Officer Castellanos, it's all about fostering connections, ensuring the safety of students and staff, and covering a lot of ground, one step at a time.
Notable policies set to be voted on include adding AIDS instruction to a policy that allows parents to opt out of sexual health instruction under Florida Statute and clarifying guidelines on the use of artificial intelligence in classrooms. In the revised policies, the district states that "students shall not use artificial intelligence platforms to avoid doing their own work," and that AI, "should only be used as a supplement when authorized by a teacher."
The Sarasota School Board will convene Tuesday afternoon to approve 21 revised school district policies, ranging from the use of artificial intelligence in schools to school safety regulations and updating the rules for time-out punishments for ESE students. Exceptional Student Education, or ESE, refers to the education of children with disabilities who need specially designed instruction, according to the Florida Department of Education.
School boards periodically update policies to comply with changes in law from the Florida Legislature. Board members discussed policy updates at past workshops, and policy updates were approved for advertisement at a March 5 board meeting.
Below are brief descriptions of each policy update the school board was set to approve at Tuesday's meeting based on the posted board agenda.
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