OCT. 9, 2024 FREE
VOLUME 32, NO. 51
THE BEST NEWS ON ANNA MARIA ISLAND SINCE 1992 Astheworldterns 6
Q&A 100924 3 r&r Pier owner shares recovery plan. 3 evacuations ordered for milton. 3 Longboat looks to recovery. 4
2024 elections 5 fires sparked by Helene. 5
Opinions 6
10-30 YEARS AGO
Looking back. 7
recovery underway in cortez. 8
get in the game. 9
Save the date. 10-11
Happenings community events. 11
Gathering. 12
After Helene: AMI unites for recovery AM digs into debris BB launches titanic removal, restoration recovery effort
HB applies brakes to vacation rentals
By ryan Paice islander reporter
By ryan Paice islander reporter
debris removal was a big part of the Hurricane Helene recovery for the city of anna maria. mayor dan murphy said Oct. 1 that the municipality had 16 trucks on rotation to collect and remove curbside debris until everything was gone, regardless of how many passes it takes. “It’s not just a one-time brush. We’re going to hang with it until we get it all,” he said. “We’re attacking it very vigorously.” The city was ahead of the curve with some recovery processes, such as restoring utilities and clearing its roadways following the storm. While Gulf drive was inundated with sand, it was removed within days after the municipality hired three road-clearing companies that put front-loaders and plows to work on the streets, according to murphy. The city also brought in two streetsweepers to help clean the roadways. “We’re getting that all cleared as quickly as we can,” murphy said. “We need to keep the pressure on.” He said the city had taken a similar route for debris removal and had three companies PLeASe, See ANNA MArIA, PAge 16
femA help. 12
School news. 13
Where’s Tuna Street?
14-15
August tourist tax dollars. 16
Streetlife 18 cocktail bar expansion approved. 20 fishing guides go extra miles to help. 21 Nesting ends. 22 Helene’s toll. 23
CLASSIFIEDS. 24-25 Businesses come back. 26
explore the islander archive dating to 1992 at ufdc.ufl.edu.
ISLANDER.ORG
By robert Anderson islander reporter
Bradenton Beach was still working through the aftermath of Hurricane Helene the week of Sept. 30 — and will be for some time. Though the storm made landfall late Sept. 26 near perry, Bradenton Beach was hit hard and deemed a “catastrophic area.” a state emergency response team determined 90%-95% of the city was destroyed in extensive flooding — the result of storm surge. city officials, including emergency manager and police chief John cosby, mayor John chappie and city attorney ricinda perry, were coordinating recovery efforts. cosby, a 30-year veteran of the city emergency management program, was leading the charge. “We’ve been very fortunate. cooperation has been immense,” said cosby. “We have not been told ‘no’ on anything we have requested or asked for.” chappie emphasized the resiliency of the community in an Oct. 2 interview with The Islander. “We go hit pretty bad,” chappie said. “But we will get through it. We will be back PLeASe, See BrD BeAcH, PAge 17
capt. Louis Hinds of the fWc is among the volunteers who assisted in cleanup efforts at Bradenton Beach’s Wildlife inc. animal rescue after Hurricane Helene. islander Photo: courtesy gail Straight
Rescue floods, faces recovery challenges By robert Anderson islander reporter
Wildlife Inc., a nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation center at 2207 avenue B, Bradenton Beach, was left reeling after Hurricane Helene brought in a flood of water and sand. The storm passed about 150 miles from the island in the Gulf of mexico Sept. 26
before making landfall near perry as a category 4 hurricane. On amI, it brought storm surge and sand intrusion, causing damage to the rescue facility. Gail and Ed Straight, who have run Wildlife Inc. rescue 54 years from their home, weathered the surge and now face recovery. PLeASe, See rescue, PAge 2
Holmes Beach city officials hope to ensure there are not too many people roaming the neighborhoods as the municipality continues to recover from Hurricane Helene. city commissioners voted 4-0 Oct. 2 to enact a 45-day moratorium on the use and occupancy of vacation rentals within municipal limits. commissioner carol Soustek was absent with excuse. The moratorium immediately went into effect following the vote, banning vacation rentals until Nov. 16. The moratorium can be terminated at any point before the end of the 45-day timeline and city officials have expressed hope to do so. On the other hand, extending the moratorium would require the municipality to issue public notice, hold two hearings and secure a vote of the commission. The adopted ordinance also establishes the city’s abeyance of the review, issuance and renewal of municipal vacation rental certificates during the moratorium. The ban does not impact anyone who may be displaced due to the hurricane. Motivation The city’s recovery management organization initially recommended the enactment of a 60-day moratorium. The rmO is comprised of mayor Judy Titsworth, public works superintendent Sage Kamiya, city attorney Erica augello, as well as other department heads, and is responsible for implementing recovery plans during states of emergency. rmO members told commissioners a vacation rental moratorium would help limit the number of people in the city and allow the municipality to efficiently and safely recover from the storm. much of the island remained in disrepair following Hurricane Helene and did not resemble the tourist destination it has been for years. The island’s beaches remained closed to the public as of Oct. 4 due to hazardous materials littered throughout the shores and in the water due to the storm. The city remained under a 7 p.m.-7 a.m. daily curfew and only residents with re-entry tags were allowed to enter the city during those hours. Only residents, business owners, employPLeASe, See HOLMes BeAcH, PAge 16
open daily at 5:30.