Just so you know, the rehabilitation construction work on the Anna Maria Bridge will be suspended during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Officials with Quinn Construction Inc, the Florida Department of Transportation contractor hired to do the project, said there will be no construction activity until Monday.
Until then, the south sidewalk will be closed but the north sidewalk will remain accessible.
If you have any questions, contact Audrey Clarke, AMI Bridge Rehabilitation Public Information Officer, at (941) 792-0369.
Friday, 28 November 2008
Wednesday, 26 November 2008
We're still talking turkey on Anna Maria
The economy may be going cold but Anna Maria Island, Florida, is still as hot as ever for Thanksgiving – and we’re not just talking about the weather. With fewer travelers expected this year by most traditional US vacation destinations as the effects of the economic downturn hit home, it seems many families are finding it hard to break the habit of a Thanksgiving stay on their favourite vacation island.
Director of island rental company Anna Maria Vacations, Bob Perryman, says that occupancy rates for Thanksgiving are as high as ever – it seems there are some things we just won't give up for the holiday.
"We haven't noticed anything like a drop-off in people wanting to stay over Thanksgiving compared with previous years," said Perryman. "If anything we're busier this year than in the past. The people who are contacting us are those who return to Anna Maria year after year and they seem determined not to give up their family traditions, despite the worrying signs of the economy."
Anna Maria Island, with its seven miles of continuous beach and famous sunsets over the Gulf of Mexico, has long been an open secret among US and international travelers. But being popular should not make businesses on the island complacent, and Perryman admits they will all have to work hard to ensure a vacation on Anna Maria remains affordable amid the prevailing economic gloom.
Many of those return visitors have taken advantage of some of the special web-only rates on http://www.annamaria.com a concession Perryman believes is vital in meeting halfway those customers worried about finances but in need of a vacation.
"We can't just sit back and expect the people to arrive like they always have, just because they always have," says Perryman. "Any downturn in the economy is going to affect us all, so we have to make sure that when people think about returning to Anna Maria, or maybe coming here for the first time, that they continue to see it as the best option. There is a lot of competition out there, but anyone who has ever been here knows there is nowhere quite like Anna Maria Island."
To take advantage of some of the special web-only rates and last-minute seasonal special offers visit http://www.annamaria.com
Director of island rental company Anna Maria Vacations, Bob Perryman, says that occupancy rates for Thanksgiving are as high as ever – it seems there are some things we just won't give up for the holiday.
"We haven't noticed anything like a drop-off in people wanting to stay over Thanksgiving compared with previous years," said Perryman. "If anything we're busier this year than in the past. The people who are contacting us are those who return to Anna Maria year after year and they seem determined not to give up their family traditions, despite the worrying signs of the economy."
Anna Maria Island, with its seven miles of continuous beach and famous sunsets over the Gulf of Mexico, has long been an open secret among US and international travelers. But being popular should not make businesses on the island complacent, and Perryman admits they will all have to work hard to ensure a vacation on Anna Maria remains affordable amid the prevailing economic gloom.
Many of those return visitors have taken advantage of some of the special web-only rates on http://www.annamaria.com a concession Perryman believes is vital in meeting halfway those customers worried about finances but in need of a vacation.
"We can't just sit back and expect the people to arrive like they always have, just because they always have," says Perryman. "Any downturn in the economy is going to affect us all, so we have to make sure that when people think about returning to Anna Maria, or maybe coming here for the first time, that they continue to see it as the best option. There is a lot of competition out there, but anyone who has ever been here knows there is nowhere quite like Anna Maria Island."
To take advantage of some of the special web-only rates and last-minute seasonal special offers visit http://www.annamaria.com
Monday, 24 November 2008
Take the stress out of travel
We are expecting a large influx of visitors to Anna Maria Island over the holiday period, for what they hope will be a relaxing vacation away from the stresses of everyday life. Ideally, you would want to get that break off to the perfect start, which means getting through the airport as easily and quickly as possible.
Thankfully, this Thanksgiving season — traditionally the busiest travel time of the year — there are designated security lanes for families.
The Transportation Security Administration is opening these "family lanes" at virtually every airport — including the three major airports in South Florida — to make things easier for parents with children and inexperienced travelers, and maybe make the whole process a bit smoother for all security lanes. By cutting down on the numbers of those needing special assistance and carrying above the allowed amount of gels and liquids in reguar lines, there will be shorter queues for those regular travelers.
At least that's the theory.
However you get here, don't forget to check out the offers on annamaria.com
Thankfully, this Thanksgiving season — traditionally the busiest travel time of the year — there are designated security lanes for families.
The Transportation Security Administration is opening these "family lanes" at virtually every airport — including the three major airports in South Florida — to make things easier for parents with children and inexperienced travelers, and maybe make the whole process a bit smoother for all security lanes. By cutting down on the numbers of those needing special assistance and carrying above the allowed amount of gels and liquids in reguar lines, there will be shorter queues for those regular travelers.
At least that's the theory.
However you get here, don't forget to check out the offers on annamaria.com
Thursday, 20 November 2008
Worldwide audience
Anna Maria Island is getting global attention, thanks to the success of a website run from Bradenton Beach. The Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau launched a new website last January, and industry insiders are now comparing it to McDonald's and Nikon's websites because of its success.
Take a look at this video from ABC7 news.
Florida Gulf Islands brand marketing will be awarded five industry awards at a gala in New York City in January. Check out their website here
Take a look at this video from ABC7 news.
Florida Gulf Islands brand marketing will be awarded five industry awards at a gala in New York City in January. Check out their website here
Tuesday, 18 November 2008
Thanksgiving present from Bush
Anyone travelling to Florida, and Anna Maria Island, for Thanksgiving this year may be in for a nice surprise in the airport terminal. Travelers may recall a surprisingly trouble-free experience last holiday season when military air space was freed up to help reduce crowding at airports and prevent flight delays.
Hoping to repeat that success, President Bush yesterday announced the Pentagon once again will open two corridors of airspace from Florida to Maine, normally used for military exercises, to create a 'Thanksgiving express lane' for commercial flights.
Sounds like one less thing to worry about over the holiday season at least.
Bush’s action last year followed consumer protests from Floridians and others who objected to long delays at airports.
A White House summary of steps taken to ease travel also includes an unprecedented effort to reduce air congestion by boosting flight capacity at some of America's busiest airports, working with the Federal Aviation Administration and Transportation Security Administration to make more staff available to speed up check-in and boarding and to help passengers affected by cancellations and delays and advancing a regulation to hold airlines accountable for how they treat passengers during long delays.
Hoping to repeat that success, President Bush yesterday announced the Pentagon once again will open two corridors of airspace from Florida to Maine, normally used for military exercises, to create a 'Thanksgiving express lane' for commercial flights.
Sounds like one less thing to worry about over the holiday season at least.
Bush’s action last year followed consumer protests from Floridians and others who objected to long delays at airports.
A White House summary of steps taken to ease travel also includes an unprecedented effort to reduce air congestion by boosting flight capacity at some of America's busiest airports, working with the Federal Aviation Administration and Transportation Security Administration to make more staff available to speed up check-in and boarding and to help passengers affected by cancellations and delays and advancing a regulation to hold airlines accountable for how they treat passengers during long delays.
Monday, 17 November 2008
Blaze at Haley's Motel
The cause of Sunday night's fire at Haley's Motel is still being investigated by fire officials. A duplex at the motel co-owned by Sabine Musil-Buehler, who has been missing since November 4, became fully engulfed but the fire did not damage the motel’s main structure.
The disappearance of Ms Musil-Buehler and the blaze are not currently being linked, according to chief Jay Romine of the Holmes Beach Police Department at a press conference Monday.
"Although speculation has taken place to connect these two incidents, at this time it is simply speculation - while it is a possibility, nothing has been determined at this point to confirm that," he said.
An entire building burned down at the motel in the 8100 block of Gulf Drive on Holmes Beach at around 7:20 p.m. and took 20 firefighters from West Manatee and Longboat Key Fire Departments to extinguish. There were no injuries.
Musil-Buehler, 49, who co-owns the motel with her husband, Thomas Buehler, has been missing since election day.
Manatee County Sheriff's Spokesman Dave Bristow said: "You know, when we got the call last night obviously we were quite interested so the detectives were out here last night and that's kind of where we are. We still don't have any concrete information as to where she might be."
The disappearance of Ms Musil-Buehler and the blaze are not currently being linked, according to chief Jay Romine of the Holmes Beach Police Department at a press conference Monday.
"Although speculation has taken place to connect these two incidents, at this time it is simply speculation - while it is a possibility, nothing has been determined at this point to confirm that," he said.
An entire building burned down at the motel in the 8100 block of Gulf Drive on Holmes Beach at around 7:20 p.m. and took 20 firefighters from West Manatee and Longboat Key Fire Departments to extinguish. There were no injuries.
Musil-Buehler, 49, who co-owns the motel with her husband, Thomas Buehler, has been missing since election day.
Manatee County Sheriff's Spokesman Dave Bristow said: "You know, when we got the call last night obviously we were quite interested so the detectives were out here last night and that's kind of where we are. We still don't have any concrete information as to where she might be."
Friday, 14 November 2008
Sand for signs...
Anna Maria city officials have taken the first step in getting on board an extensive beach nourishment program - putting up signs telling visitors where to park.
State officials visited the city a few months ago and one of the suggested improvements they advised were the placement of new signs directing drivers to parking lots.The fear was that Anna Maria would be excluded from the island-wide project to spread extra sand on all reaches because they were not meeting requirements on parking spots and signs leading to them.
In February, Anna Maria city commissioners were warned that Manatee County might not have the money to give the city for the 2011 project because of belts being tightened across the state in anticipation of economic downturn.But Anna Maria public works director, George McKay, took Florida Department of Environmental Protection representatives on a tour of the town a few months ago, during which they made suggestions on how to improve their chances of obtaining money. “We’ve put up signs showing you where the parking is; it’s more explanatory,” he said. “The number of parking spots is well over the number we need. There’s no doubt in my mind we’ve met the requirements.”In February officials said the city needs about $3million in state funding to be included in the renourishment project, although it is unclear yet how much is in the pipeline. The total cost to restock the entire island is almost $40million.The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has allocated dollars only for the central beach project that stretches from Holmes Beach to Cortez Beach — areas that had been eroded by hurricanes in previous years.
Anna Maria Mayor Fran Barford said: “We knew we had the parking, that really wasn’t an issue for us. They determined we have enough, so that is not a reason not to renourish our beaches. We don’t generate the bed tax dollars the other cities do, but people come here to our beaches.”
County and city officials are meeting on December 2 to discuss further the plans for restocking the island's beaches.
State officials visited the city a few months ago and one of the suggested improvements they advised were the placement of new signs directing drivers to parking lots.The fear was that Anna Maria would be excluded from the island-wide project to spread extra sand on all reaches because they were not meeting requirements on parking spots and signs leading to them.
In February, Anna Maria city commissioners were warned that Manatee County might not have the money to give the city for the 2011 project because of belts being tightened across the state in anticipation of economic downturn.But Anna Maria public works director, George McKay, took Florida Department of Environmental Protection representatives on a tour of the town a few months ago, during which they made suggestions on how to improve their chances of obtaining money. “We’ve put up signs showing you where the parking is; it’s more explanatory,” he said. “The number of parking spots is well over the number we need. There’s no doubt in my mind we’ve met the requirements.”In February officials said the city needs about $3million in state funding to be included in the renourishment project, although it is unclear yet how much is in the pipeline. The total cost to restock the entire island is almost $40million.The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has allocated dollars only for the central beach project that stretches from Holmes Beach to Cortez Beach — areas that had been eroded by hurricanes in previous years.
Anna Maria Mayor Fran Barford said: “We knew we had the parking, that really wasn’t an issue for us. They determined we have enough, so that is not a reason not to renourish our beaches. We don’t generate the bed tax dollars the other cities do, but people come here to our beaches.”
County and city officials are meeting on December 2 to discuss further the plans for restocking the island's beaches.
Welcome to my blog
Hello and welcome to a brand new blog on all that's going on in Anna Maria Island, a jewel of a place on Florida's gulf coast. I will be keeping you up to date with the news, what's going on, where to go when you come visit, providing details of attractions and what you should see when you're here.
I hope you enjoy it, do let me know if you think there is something missing or just give us a shout to say hello!
I hope you enjoy it, do let me know if you think there is something missing or just give us a shout to say hello!
Thursday, 13 November 2008
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