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VOL 25 No. 20
January 8, 2025
AMI Christmas Bird Count reveals some surprises BY LESLIE LAKE SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com
BILL PELLETIER | SUBMITTED
A bald eagle that lost its mate during Hurricanes Helene and Milton was identified during the Christmas Bird Count in Anna Maria.
Owner closes Pines Trailer Park
The park owner blames, in part, residents still recovering from two hurricanes for being delinquent in their lot rental payments. BY LESLIE LAKE SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com
BRADENTON BEACH - Pines Trailer Park residents who recently received city approval to repair their hurricane-damaged mobile homes received a letter on Jan. 4 from Pines Park Investors LLC stating that the park will be closed. The letter from Pines Park Investors, whose manager is Shawn Kaleta, was received by Pines homeowners on Jan. 4 and reads in part: “Over the past months, we have conducted extensive financial modeling and assessments to determine
the viability of maintaining the park,” according to the letter. “Unfortunately, we have come to the difficult conclusion that Pines Park is no longer sustainable as a trailer park and must be closed.” The letter does not make it clear what the plans are for the park but states that one option being considered, pending city of Bradenton Beach approval, is allowing continued month-to-month tenancy for some residents, possibly extending up to a couple of years, depending on the overall timeline for vacating the property. Several Pines residents contacted by The Sun on Jan. 4 chose to reserve comment on the letter. The letter goes on to state that formal notices will be distributed in
SEE PINES, PAGE 19
SEE BIRD COUNT, PAGE 15
Commissioners to hear update on Seafood Shack purchase Two hurricanes delayed the sale of the property on the Intracoastal Waterway. BY LESLIE LAKE SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com
CORTEZ – The Manatee County Board of Commissioners is scheduled to hear an update at its Wednesday, Jan. 8 meeting on the county’s stalled acquisition of the Seafood Shack and Marina. On Sept. 5, 2024, commissioners executed a contract for the Seafood Shack for $13 million with seller Vandyk 1st Gulf Coast-Marina LLC. The anticipated use of the property was a public boating access facility with a boat ramp, dry storage and marina. The property, which consists of seven upland parcels of approximate-
SEYMOUR LEAVES Anna Maria commission race. 4 Page 18 Anna Maria Island, Florida
ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The 125th Annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count on Anna Maria Island was completed on Dec. 29 and counters found a few surprises. “We were interested in what impact the hurricanes would have on this year’s numbers, but we actually logged more species than last year,” counter Bill Pelletier wrote in an email to The Sun. Counters viewed 54 species of birds on the north end of the Island, including a new addition - a wild turkey. “We had an unexpected addition of a wild turkey on the island,” Pelletier wrote. “Kitty (counter Kitty O’Neil) found it back in April and it is still around. This is the only one ever reported out here, in the wild.” Pelletier wrote that one of a pair of nesting bald eagles didn’t make it through the storms.
The Island’s award-winning weekly newspaper
ly 5.9 acres and two submerged land leases of 2.9 acres, was appraised at $12.55 million, assuming the two expired submerged land leases will be renewed. According to the sales contract, the closing of the transaction was to occur on or before Oct. 7, 2024. “Property Acquisition and American Government Services, the county’s closing agent, worked on closing this transaction per terms and conditions of the contract,” according to the meeting agenda. “Property Acquisition completed a site visit on Sept. 10, 2024 to walk the property and talk with seller’s representatives in charge of all operations as part of the due diligence of the contract.”
SEE SEAFOOD SHACK, PAGE 23
ELECTRICAL ACCIDENT takes life of
Jason Edwards. 5
FARMERS MARKET moves to Center
field. 11
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