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VOL 25 No. 15
December 4, 2024
Octogenarians survive Hurricane Helene ordeal
After experiencing a nightmarish hurricane scenario, the two storm survivors encountered several acts of random kindness. BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com
BRADENTON BEACH – Ohio residents and childhood friends Dick Kuhlman and Nancy Schrier, both in their early 80s, are thankful they survived the Hurricane Helene storm surge that destroyed Kuhlman’s beachfront cottage while they were in it. In 2023, Kuhlman’s wife, Judy, passed away and he and Schrier, a widow, later reconnected and began spending time together. In the late 1940s, Judy’s grandparents, Floyd and Florence Myers, had purchased a 29-foot Airstream trailer, towed it to Bradenton Beach and parked it on a vacant beachfront lot they owned at 2214 Gulf Drive N. JOE HENDRICKS | SUN
The Hurricane Helene storm surge ripped apart the street side of Dick Kuhlman’s historic beachfront cottage.
Beach horse trailer involved in collision
One horse died in the accident and seven others were injured. BY LESLIE LAKE
Christmas comes to Bridge Street on Saturday The street party will celebrate the city’s recovery from two hurricanes.
SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com
BRADENTON – A Nov. 29 collision involving a Florida Beach Horses trailer left two people and seven horses injured and one horse dead. Florida Beach Horses posted the following on its Facebook page: “With the heaviest heart we come to share that our truck and trailer was involved in a wreck where it was t-boned and flipped last night after the beach rides. All horses are injured and we lost our beloved Hoss.” Hoss, also known as Big Boy Hoss, was described on the Florida Beach Horses website as a “Jaw-dropping buckskin draft with long flowing curly locks and little feathers on his ankles. And a big boy with a toddler personality.”
BY LESLIE LAKE SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com
FLORIDA BEACH HORSES | SUBMITTED
Hoss died in the Nov. 29 accident. Florida Beach Horses provides horseback rides in and along Palma Sola Bay. “Many of our horses are rescues from all different types of environments all over the country. We take pride in being able to offer them the
SEE BEACH HORSE, PAGE 11
BRADENTON BEACH –Christmas on Bridge Street on Saturday, Dec. 7 will bring food, music and a celebration of the city’s hurricane recovery to its main shopping district. “We’re having Christmas on Bridge Street like we’ve not had Christmas on Bridge Street,” City Attorney Ricinda Perry said at a Nov. 21 city commission meeting. The city is partnering with the Bridge Street Merchants for the event. “The merchant’s group said we’re overwhelmed, financially we’re
GIVING THANKS for the Thanksgiving memories. 5 Page 18 Anna Maria Island, Florida
SEE SURVIVORS, PAGE 8
The Island’s award-winning weekly newspaper
tapped out. We’re just trying to stand back up and move ourselves forward,” Perry said. “And so we are making it happen.” Budweiser will sponsor the event with a stage and alcoholic beverages. Perry is reaching out to local bands to provide music. A lineup of activities has not yet been announced. “I’m still planning on having the Table of Hope,” she said. “We’re having a video where people can submit pictures of things they have seen or have experienced and we’re going to be playing that on a loop for people to see what we’ve done; we’re going to get that banner signed by anybody who wants to write anything they want on it.” Perry said there will be limited free food offerings and attendees are also
SEE CHRISTMAS, PAGE 11
WHO'S OPEN for business? 14 BEACH RENOURISHMENT is at least
a year away. 3
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