Robyn Murrell

Oct 7, 2024 | islander.org | Robyn Murrell

Anna Maria Elementary students and staff temporarily relocated to Stewart Elementary, 7905 15th Ave. NW, Bradenton, after Hurricane Helene. On Sept. 30, 171 AME students attended their first class at Stewart, where they were greeted with welcoming signs in the hallways and on classroom doors. Stewart’s parents provided a welcoming breakfast to ease the transition. By Oct. 2, each grade level was settled into newly designated learning environments at Stewart.

Jul 23, 2024 | islander.org | Robyn Murrell

As his father famously said, “I didn’t come to stay. I came to make a difference,” Ed Chiles, a longtime resident of Anna Maria Island, has followed suit in his endeavors. Chiles, son of the late Gov. Lawton Chiles and the late first lady Rhea, is selling to Beachside Hospitality in St. Petersburg three landmark restaurants that sit on the shores of Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach and Longboat Key. Chiles Hospitality Group announced the sale in a news release July 17.

Apr 23, 2024 | islander.org | Robyn Murrell

Anna Maria Elementary will have a new principal for the 2024-25 school year. The school’s advisory council met April 18 in the Guy Harvey Room at AME, 4700 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, for its final meeting of the 2023-24 school year and learned of principal Mike Masiello’s retirement. At the meeting, they discussed Masiello’s plans as well as the plan to find his replacement.

Mar 26, 2024 | islander.org | Robyn Murrell

Anna Maria Island might hold the money egg this Easter. Meanwhile, tourism in the state exceeds prepandemic numbers, according to Visit Florida research. Florida visitors are spending on food and drink, accommodations, recreation and entertainment, as well as retail, transportation and rentals.

Dec 19, 2023 | islander.org | Robyn Murrell

Some island business people are expecting the holiday season will bring silver and gold. And a cash “ring.”Island businesspeople say they expect to see a surge in customers during the winter break that comes with the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. “The first three weeks of December are the slowest and the busiest time of the year follows right on the heels of the slowest,” said Sean Murphy, owner of The Doctor’s Office cocktail bar, 5312 Holmes Blvd., Holmes Beach.