Issuu

VOLUME 31, NO. 8

Merry Christmas, y’all

DEC. 14, 2022

The Best News on Anna Maria Island Since 1992 Astheworldterns 6

Q&A 121422 3

Santa loves a party

Vincent Zonio, 3, of Ohio, laughs Dec. 10, seated in Santa claus’ lap, as Opinions 6 brother, Oliver, 18 months, focuses 10-20 YEARS AGO on protecting his Looking back. 7 new toy truck during the Anna HB planners OK new rules for city lots. 8 Maria Island Privateers postcounty project sidelines parade christBB tram changes. 9 mas party for Meetings 9 kids at Holmes Beach city field. Kids received presents and a Save the date. 10-11 lunch — and fun times with the Privateers! More photos, page 12. Holiday events ahead, Islander Photos: Santa bound for Bridge Ryan Paice Street. 12 HB parks committee talks garden sculptures; BB Scenic Waves, too. 4

Get in the game. 13

Watch out Santa! Grinch onboard!

Obituaries 14 GoodDeeds 15 Santa stops over, patrons stroll Pine Avenue. 15

Treehouse owners-DEP in settlement talks

By Ryan Paice Islander Reporter

After nine years, it’s unclear if there is an end in sight for the dispute over a Holmes Beach treehouse. But with indications of settlement discussions in one of several cases, one never knows. Holmes Beach residents Richard Hazen and Lynn Tran and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection filed a joint stipulation Nov. 19 to abate — or pause — one of three lawsuits over the controversial treehouse at the Hazen-Tran beachfront property while they discuss a potential settlement. The case began in December 2018, when the property owners sued Holmes Beach and the DEP, seeking a temporary injunction to stop the accumulation of fines against them and to prevent the forced removal of the treehouse. Tran and Hazen built the treehouse in 2011 behind their home at 2818 Ave. E, Holmes Beach, where they also operate four vacation rental units as the Angelinos Sea Lodge. The two-story structure has been in contention since the city learned in November 2011 of the construction, which lacked a

HB detour shifts, end in sight By Ryan Paice Islander Reporter

FISH caters to potluck crowd. 18

Cops & Courts 19 Good sports. 20 cortez celebration. 22 Hooke runs to victory. 22 ‘How to’ find success on the water. 23

CLASSIFIEDS. 24-25

Isl Biz: 26 Burger pride.

Find The Islander archive dating to November 1992 online at the University of Florida Digital Newspaper collection at ufdc.ufl.edu.

islander.org

TURN TO TREEHOUSE, PAGe 3

Book fair bedazzles, STeM night inspires. 16-17

NYT puzzle. 27

FREE

The Grinch appears with all the “tender sweetness of a seasick crocodile” Dec. 10 while hitching a ride in Santa’s sleigh during the annual Anna Maria Island Privateers christmas Parade. Santa and his sleigh were the final float in the parade, following the lead of the Privateers’ ship, the Skullywag, and community-based floats, cars, ATVs, golf carts, LSVs, bicyclists, church, business and city participants — all tossing candy and beads to crowds lining the streets from the starting mark at coquina Beach, traveling north along Gulf Drive to Pine Avenue, winding up at city Pier Park.

There may be a light at the end of the tunnel for Holmes Beach motorists. City engineer Sage Kamiya told The Islander Dec. 6 that Sarasota-based C-Squared CGC Inc. shifted traffic detours the day prior to accommodate some of the final stages of construction on long-awaited city center improvements. The project involves improvements to drainage infrastructure and adding roadway markings, bicycle lanes, sidewalks, crosswalks, street lighting and landscaping to the stretch of city roadway from the intersection of Gulf and Marina drives to the 5600 block of Marina Drive. The city hired C-Squared to complete the project for $2,753,784.55 and two additions for work in the area brought the total to $3,001,460.85. When construction began in September, Marina Drive was closed from the 5600 block to its intersection with Gulf Drive, and

annamaria.com TURN TO DETOUR, PAGe 2