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VOL 24 No. 28
March 6, 2024
After 11 years of fighting, treehouse owners Lynn Tran and Richard Hazen are reaching out to the city to obtain demolition permits for the structure. BY KRISTIN SWAIN SUN STAFF WRITER | kswain@amisun.com
HOLMES BEACH – The battle over the fate of the treehouse is finished with 12th Judicial Circuit Court Judge Edward Nicholas dealing the final blow in court. In the final hearing of the last court case in Manatee County, Nicholas ruled in favor of the city’s request for a court order to have the treehouse removed from its Australian pine perch on the beach in front of Angelinos Sea Lodge. While he said that owners Richard Hazen and Lynn Tran could appeal his decision to the Second District Court of Appeal, the only way to stop the demolition of the treehouse is an order staying the removal order. In speaking with The Sun on Feb. 29, Tran said she’d already submitted the engineering plans for the treehouse to the city for evaluation and requested applications for demolition permits.
Judge orders demolition of treehouse FILE PHOTO
The beachfront treehouse at Angelinos Sea Lodge has to come down in the next 90 days by court order or the city can step in and remove it.
Spring Break is underway Spring break season has begun on Anna Maria Island, with many Michigan students among the first spring breakers in the country. BY JASON SCHAFFER SUN CORRESPONDENT | jschaffer@amisun.com
ANNA MARIA ISLAND - While recent temperatures on Anna Maria Island have been in the 80s, many college students north of Florida are cold and in need of some island time to reset, refresh, then finish out the 2023-24 school year. While most students get seven to 10 days of spring break, for the Island, spring break is six weeks long. The reason is that different states and regions of the U.S. have spring break during different times. Spring breakers will be on the Island from now through the second week of April, depending on where they’re coming from.
All the students The Sun found last week during the Island’s first week of spring break were from Michigan. “We’re Michigan Wolverines, we’re national champs and we’re here to keep the party going,” Shawn Martin said. “I’m here with a bunch of my friends and we’re staying at a house owned by a relative. We’re here to have fun, but if we wanted the crazy party club scene we’d be in Daytona Beach or Miami. We actually like the vibe of AMI, it’s a chill place and the cops aren’t breaking up riots in the streets every night. Not all spring breakers are crazy; we have a heavy course load and we just want a vacation like everybody else.” Martin’s sentiment was echoed by a pair of sorority sisters from Ferris State University, also in Michigan. “Yesterday (March 1) was our first day of spring break, and we’re off until the 10th,” Grace Westenfeld said. “I
SEE SPRING BREAK, PAGE 21
Wastewater dumped into Manatee River
The City of Bradenton water reclamation facility failed, according to the Department of Environmental Protection. BY LESLIE LAKE SUN CORRESPONDENT | llake@amisun.com
BRADENTON - Shortly after noon on Feb. 28, the City of Bradenton’s water reclamation facility experienced an operational failure, causing 1.2 million gallons of partially treated wastewater to be discharged into the Manatee River, according to a Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) pollution notice. The mouth of the Manatee River flows into the Intracoastal Waterway and the Gulf of Mexico at the north end of Anna Maria Island.
AME CABOOSE rolls on down the line to the Florida Railroad Museum. Page 23
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Anna Maria Island, Florida
SEE TREEHOUSE, PAGE 27
The Island’s award-winning weekly newspaper
According to FDEP, the filter system at the facility at 1810 First St. W. had a blockage, causing the bypass of the water into the river. The bypass was closed at 5:10 p.m. and river water sampling was started. City staff cleaned the areas affected and normal operation resumed, according to FDEP. A Feb. 29 City of Bradenton Instagram post stated: “City of Bradenton’s Wastewater Treatment Facility faced an operational failure, leading to a 90-minute tank overflow due to blockages. A seized bypass valve was manually reopened, and the surrounding curb and gutter area on 17th Avenue, approximately 200 yards, swiftly returned to normal after cleaning and treatment. The city is investigating the system
SEE WASTEWATER, PAGE 13
DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME:
Spring forward one hour on Sunday. GARDEN CLUB voted Anna Maria's
Distinguished Citizen of the Year. 9
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