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April 21, 2010 on Anna Maria Island:

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By Rick Catlin
islander Reporter

The 2nd District Court of Appeal has ordered that the recall election of Anna Maria Commissioner Harry Stoltzfus be confirmed by the city’s canvassing board.

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Long-awaited results, Stoltzfus out, Aubry in

By Rick Catlin
islander Reporter

Voters had their say Sept. 7 in the special election to recall Anna Maria Commissioner Harry Stoltzfus, but the results were only announced Monday, Sept. 13. Anna Maria voters chose 362 to 331 votes to remove Stoltzfus from office.

On the choice of who should serve his remaining term, Gene Aubry won the balloting with 363 votes to 333 votes for Stoltzfus.

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Demand for public ballot succeeds, results announced Monday

By Rick Catlin
islander Reporter

By 10 a.m. Monday, all involved parties in the special election had filed either motions or responses demanding the immediate release of the voting results from the Sept. 7 election on the recall of Anna Maria Commissioner Harry Stoltzfus.

At 1:52 p.m., the notice came from the Second District Court of Appeal that “all ballots, including absentee ballots, cast in the recall election of Sept. 7, shall be unsealed and open for public inspection.”

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Budget hearing attracts little interest

By Rick Catlin
islander Reporter

Anna Maria taxpayers appear pleased with the city’s proposed $2.1 million budget for 2010-11, and with the city commission’s decision to retain the current 1.7882 ad valorem tax rate.

Only one member of the public, planning and zoning board member and mayoral candidate Sandy Mattick, showed up for the Sept. 8 hearing on the 2010-11 budget.

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Lean and mean budget reviewed Sept. 14

By Nick Walter
islander Reporter

The first Holmes Beach hearing on the proposed 2010-11 budget was to be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 14, at Holmes Beach City Hall, 5801 Marina Drive.

Mayor Rich Bohnenberger called the budget, in which there is no proposed tax increase and a 9.64 percent reduction in tax revenue to the city, “lean and mean.”

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BB commission acts on budget

By Lisa Neff
islander Reporter

Bradenton Beach commissioners voted last week to move forward with a $2.66 million spending plan for 2010-11 and likely will adopt the budget this week.

The commission, meeting Sept. 7 at city hall, 107 Gulf Drive N., also unanimously adopted a resolution setting the proposed millage rate — the rate used to collect property taxes for the city — at 2.1539 mills.

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Viens’ disappearance becomes homicide case

By Lisa Neff
islander Reporter

The disappearance of a former Anna Maria Island woman nearly a year ago is now being investigated as a homicide.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department began searching for ex-islander Dawn Marie Viens, 37, of Lomita, Calif., after she was reported missing Oct. 18, 2009.

The case, for close to a year, has been pursued as a missing person investigation by a detective in that division of the department.

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Bradenton Beach couple avoids scam

By Nick Walter
islander Reporter

The excitement, Nancy Eastman said, lasted about 5 minutes.

Then the Bradenton Beach resident began to suspect the prize award — a $3,980 check she received — was a fake.

Island residents should make sure they are not victims of a scam.

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