Lisa Neff

4 days ago | islander.org | Lisa Neff

Cortez Bridge utility relocation project: State Road 684/Cortez Road. The Manatee County Public Works Department is relocating a water main and force main at the Intracoastal Waterway crossing. The work requires shoulder, sidewalk and bike lane closures in the area, as well as road detours and flagging operations. Through early summer, the contractor will be installing pipe on the north and south sides of Cortez Road on both landings on the Cortez Bridge.

1 week ago | islander.org | Lisa Neff

The federal outlook for the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season predicts a 60% chance of above-normal activity. Chances are 30% for a near-normal season and 10% for a below-normal season, according to an outlook released May 22 by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration during a news conference held at the Jefferson Parish Emergency Operations Center in Gretna, Louisiana, and virtually. NOAA is forecasting a range of 13 to 19 total named storms with winds of 39 mph or higher.

3 weeks ago | islander.org | Lisa Neff

The city of Holmes Beach will host Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring for weekly talks about sea turtle and shorebird nesting. Sea Turtle Tracks and Shorebird Facts talks continue Mondays at 10 a.m. through August at city hall, 5801 Marina Drive. For more information, call turtle watch at 941-301-8434 or go to www.islandturtlewatch.com.

3 weeks ago | islander.org | Lisa Neff

Cortez Bridge utility relocation project: State Road 684/Cortez Road. The Manatee County Public Works Department is relocating a water main and force main at the Intracoastal Waterway crossing. The work requires shoulder, sidewalk and bike lane closures in the area, as well as road detours and flagging operations. Through early summer, the contractor will be installing pipe between the north and south sides of Cortez Road on the eastern and western sides of Cortez Bridge.

1 month ago | islander.org | Lisa Neff

Tourism roared through March, generating more than $5 million in tourist development tax revenue in Manatee County for the first time this fiscal year. The county collected $5,396,781, in bed tax revenue for the month, compared to $5,303,173 in March 2024 and $4,647,968 in March 2023, according to a May 1 report from the county tax collector’s office. The increase in March 2025 over March 2024 was 1.77%, mainly due to a voter-approved a 1% increase in the levy.