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VOL 24 No. 44
June 26, 2024
Sea turtle release attracts crowds Monday Loggerhead sea turtle Henrietta was outfitted with a satellite monitor and will be tracked in the annual Tour de Turtles race. BY LESLIE LAKE SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com
Terns return to AMI
KATHY DODDRIDGE | SUBMITTED
Least terns, a threatened species, are nesting and hatching on Anna Maria Island. See Page 8.
Vacation rental bill transmitted to DeSantis
The proposed state legislation would severely hamper local governments’ ability to regulate short-term vacation rentals. BY JOE HENDRICKS SUN CORRESPONDENT | jhendricks@amisun.com
TALLAHASSEE – The fate of the Florida Legislature’s latest attempt to reserve the regulation of vacation rentals to the state lies in the hands of Gov. Ron DeSantis. On June 17, DeSantis received the vacation rental preemption bill proposed by the Florida Legislature in the form of Senate Bill 280 and its matching House bill. The proposed legislation seeks to assign vacation rental regulation and vacation rental advertising regulation to the state and take those regula-
tory rights away from local city and county governments. As of June 23, DeSantis had not yet signed the bill into law or vetoed it. He also has the option to allow the bill to become a new state law without his signature. As part of its ongoing efforts to maintain the right to regulate shortterm vacation rentals and advertising at the local level, the city of Anna Maria immediately initiated an opposition campaign directed at the governor. The campaign uses the city-owned Home Rule Florida website, www. HomeRuleFl.com, which has more than 2,000 subscribers statewide. On June 17, Home Rule Florida issued an email to subscribers encouraging them to express their opposition to the proposed legislation by emailing DeSantis or calling his office.
SEE BILL, PAGE 37
SEE TURTLE, PAGE 16
Local candidates meet and greet potential constituents Five local candidates gathered in Cortez to meet voters and talk politics on Sunday. BY LESLIE LAKE SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com
CORTEZ – Karen Bell hosted five candidates running in local political races at a meet and greet event at the Star Fish Co. dock on Sunday evening. Invited candidates were Scott Farrington (R) for Manatee County Supervisor of Elections; Charlie Hackney (R) for Manatee County Property Appraiser; George Kruse (R) for Manatee County Commission District 7 at large; Tal Siddique (R) for Manatee County Commission District 3; and Carol Whitmore (R) for Holmes Beach City Commission.
READERS' CHOICE: Find all your favorites here! 17-30 Page 37 Anna Maria Island, Florida
BRADENTON BEACH – To the delight of hundreds of spectators at Coquina Beach on Monday morning for a publicized turtle release, loggerhead sea turtle Henrietta stopped several times as she made her way down the sand toward the water. Once she hit the Gulf of Mexico, cheers erupted among onlookers as she took off swimming. Commenting on the turtle’s slow walk to the water, one spectator said, “She’s tired because she just had babies.” Henrietta was chosen for the release after having just laid her nest on the beach. The turtle release was sponsored by the Sea Turtle Conservancy, Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring and Hurricane Hanks.
The Island’s award-winning weekly newspaper
“I decided to do this because I am concerned about the current state of our local government and thought it would be good for people to have an opportunity to meet these candidates who I know personally and respect,” Bell said. Farrington, who has more than 20 years of experience in the Manatee County Supervisor of Elections Office as chief of staff, spoke first. “This election is important to make sure there are accurate and secure elections,” Farrington said. “I believe that experience matters, doubly so, when it comes to elections. I have 20-plus years in elections, in Sarasota County for 10 and in Manatee County. That experience gives me the ability to run the elections office and in a way you expect the elections office to work.”
SEE CANDIDATES, PAGE 16
OSSO BUCO? Yes, please! In Food and
Wine. 31
SEA TURTLE killed on Gulf Drive after
nesting in dunes. 9
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