- Named Best Florida Newspaper In Its Class -
VOL 22 No. 46
August 24, 2022
Waterkeeper questions mangrove trimming RUSTY CHINNIS | SUN
Aqua fails to meet the deadline to remove mangrove trimming debris from the shoreline, pictured above before the trimming. Page 4
Anna Maria loses business, community icon As part of the PAR project, Mike Coleman helped reshape the Pine Avenue business district. BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com
ANNA MARIA – Businessman and resident Mike Coleman passed away shortly before midnight on Aug. 14. He was 74. “Micheal died at home on our 39th wedding anniversary. He was my best friend and the best thing that ever happened to me,” said his beloved wife, Jane. “He started to not feel well back in January. When he finally went to the hospital, he was diagnosed with stage 4 liver and colon cancer. He came home from the hospital on July 12th or 13th. He was in his bedroom and we took care of him until he passed. For a while, he was getting up in the
morning and sitting out in the living room. There were people he wanted to talk to and people who wanted to talk to him. He was tying up loose ends and saying what he wanted to say. An extreme peace came over Micheal. It was beautiful and amazing to watch. He had a great day on Wednesday, went downhill from there and passed away on Sunday. It was pretty close to midnight and at the end of the day of our anniversary. He got through that day,” Jane said. “Micheal grew up in Pompano Beach. He left when he went into the Air Force and didn’t live in Florida again for many years. One day we were driving through Florida and we literally stumbled upon this Island. We crossed the Cortez Bridge, headed north and when we got to Anna Maria, Micheal said, ‘Janie, this is like the Florida I SEE COLEMAN, PAGE 25
COVID-19 level remains high, new vaccine coming With the community transmission level at its peak for the 10th straight week, COVID-19 is still a serious health threat to the Island and surrounding county. BY JASON SCHAFFER SUN CORRESPONDENT | jschaffer@amisun.com
MANATEE COUNTY - For the 10th consecutive week, the COVID-19 Community Level remains high countywide. COVID-19 Community Levels help individuals and communities decide which prevention actions to take based on the latest information. When the Community Level is high, health officials recommend that anyone at high risk of getting very sick wear a high-quality mask or respirator when indoors in public. Anyone having
JASON SCHAFFER | SUN
A positive COVID-19 home test. household or social contact with someone at high risk for getting very sick is urged to consider self-testing to detect infection before contact and consider wearing a high-quality mask when indoors with them. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), many people in the United States SEE COVID, PAGE 12
BAKE AND BLEND
WHERE’S ESTHER? The new
your bisque with this local recipe. 19
mom is relaxing in the Gulf. 10
Page 25 Anna Maria Island, Florida
NEIGHBORS continue the battle
for beach access. 9 The Island’s award-winning weekly newspaper www.amisun.com