The Sunshine Gazette

11/07/2025

To prevent future flooding, this large home at 514 72nd Street in Holmes Beach was elevated and was at this point in the elevation process on Friday, Oct. 31.

By Joe Hendricks

11/06/2025

City Pier reconstruction beginning

Tampa Bay Marine Inc. arrived with a barge and crane today, (Thursday, Nov. 6) to begin installing the solid concrete pilings upon which the new Anna Maria City Pier walkway will be built.

City of Anna Maria | Submitted

11/06/2025

Over the next few days, Manatee County Public Safety will be monitoring possible higher-than-normal tides associated with the Supermoon (also known as the Beaver Moon).

Tide levels are expected to reach around 2.5 feet on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings, with the highest tides occurring near midnight.

While significant flooding is not anticipated, brief or minor water coverage may be possible in low-lying coastal areas such as Anna Maria Island, Longboat Key, Cortez Village, Palmetto, Rubonia, and Terra Ceia Island.

Please use caution when traveling near the water, and remember, never drive through flooded roadways.

11/05/2025

Manatee County enacts burn ban

Manatee County has enacted a temporary burn ban due to dry, drought and windy conditions. Expected to remain in effect through Nov. 11, the ban pertains to all outdoor open burning, including campfires. It also pertains to the discharge of fireworks and the use of sparklers countywide (including Anna Maria Island). “It’s been a very dry season,” Manatee County Public Safety Director Jodie Fiske stated in the county’s Nov. 4 press release. “Our Emergency Management Division regularly talks with our Fire Chiefs Association and Forestry, and they are all in agreement that we need to enact a burn ban.”
The following activities are still allowed: outdoor cookers and grills; agricultural, silvicultural or land-clearing burns authorized by the Florida Forest Service, with sufficient fire-suppression equipment and personnel on site; properly permitted public fireworks displays with adequate fire-suppression equipment and personnel on site; and flares discharged over the Gulf.
The burn ban will remain in effect until 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 11 unless extended.

Photo by Joe Hendricks

05/12/2025

A boat washed ashore and broke apart this morning (May 12) in Anna Maria, near the Beach Avenue beach access, on the Gulf side of the Island. Sgt. Brett Getman, from the Manatee County Sheriff's Office, said the city is working on get the boat removed.

Manatee County Sheriff's Office | Submitted

01/29/2025

City Commission discusses Cushing, Drift In and restructuring building department

Here's the video of the two-and-a-half-hour Bradenton Beach City Commission work meeting held Jan. 28 regarding the potential restructuring of the city’s building department and the possible discontinuation of the contracted building official services provided by Darin Cushing. Due to a technical issue, the video switches to audio only at the 18:52 mark and the video returns for the remainder of the meeting at the 24:40 mark. Public comment began at the 1:31:43 mark.

Video by Joe Hendricks

This is the video of the two-hour Bradenton Beach City Commission work meeting held Jan. 28 regarding the potential restructuring of the city’s building depa...

01/25/2025

Shawn Kaleta seeks appointment to Tourist Development Council on Tuesday.
https://amisun.com/kaleta-seeks-appointment-to-tourist-development-council/

01/17/2025

Traffic heavy and at times at a standstll at Causeway when leaving Anna Maria via Manatee Avenue. After passing through I did not see what caused the delay.

01/13/2025

The new farmers market taking place at The Center in Anna Maria begins Tuesday Jan. 14.

01/13/2025

The Anna Maria Island consolidation study has been released.

The Anna Maria Island mayors have been provided copies of the completed OPPAGA Anna Maria Island consolidation study.