Month: May 2023

Almost anyone that you might see walking around the Bradenton area could be a few paychecks away from homelessness.

Angie Gore, 52, knows from personal experience.

“I will never forget that day last year when I came home and saw a big sign taped to our door that said ‘eviction notice,’” Gore said.

“I fell to my knees and cried like a baby! I prayed for God to help me through this. I knew I had to get up and find the strength and courage for my family,” she said.

There are many other Manatee County households facing similar struggles, according to United Way Suncoast’s newest ALICE Report — Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed households. It’s a broader way to look at the number of people struggling financially, beyond those who meet the Federal Poverty Level.

The number of Manatee households living below the ALICE threshold has risen 16% since 2019, from 57,768 households to 66,818.

In total, 31% of households in Manatee County are below the ALICE threshold, and 10% are in poverty. In more rural counties like DeSoto, the ALICE number is as high as 65%.

One paycheck away from the streets

Gore, 52, the sole breadwinner for her family, had always been a good, reliable tenant who faithfully paid her rent and other bills.

Gore and her family moved out of one apartment after the landlord raised the rent from $1,350 to $2,200 a month.

Things were looking good in the new apartment before the bottom fell out.

“COVID-19 swept through our home. I missed three weeks of work. All I could think of was how am I gonna come up with the rent?” she said.

With the rising price of everything, Gore had been unable to save money for a rainy day.

Turning Points helped keep the family from going homeless. With $2,000 of assistance, the family was able to keep a roof over their heads.

“I was so relieved. Turning Points and this community really came through for us. I am so grateful for this help for my family. Thank you Turning Points,” Gore said.

The housing crisis

Requests for help have surged at Turning Points, which assists the homeless as well as ALICE families in the Bradenton area seeking to avoid homelessness.

“For us, it’s about the cost of rent. We saw a 29% increase in 2022 in requests for rent and utility assistance applications. We have some of the highest increases in rent in the country,” said Kathleen Cramer, executive director of Turning Points.

“Many of our clients have been good renters,” Cramer said, but rent increases are forcing them to look for new homes.

“We have grant money for housing, mostly from HUD, but the rent here goes above the fair market value that the grant allows,” Cramer said.

In the Bradenton area, 25% of families with children are classified as ALICE and 12% live in poverty.

For single and cohabiting adults in Manatee County, 30% were identified as ALICE and 11% were living in poverty.

More than a third of seniors — 35% — were in the ALICE group and 8% were living in poverty, according to United Way Suncoast.

For seniors on fixed incomes, being forces out of their home because of rising rents is heartbreaking, Cramer said.

Survival budget

In Manatee County, a household survival budget for a single adult working full-time in 2021 was $29,412. A survival budget of $72,252 was needed for a family of four, including two adults, an infant and a preschooler, the United Way Suncoast report said.

Those numbers exceeded the federal poverty level of $12,880 for a single adult and $26,500 for a family of four, according to the latest ALICE report.

In the Bradenton Census County Division, there were 105,621 households with 48% of those identified as ALICE or living in poverty.

A CCD is a subdivision of a county used by the United States Census Bureau to present statistical data. It’s an area delineated cooperatively by the Census Bureau and state and local government.

In the Palmetto CCD, there were 13,280 households and 51% of the population was identified as ALICE or living in poverty.

Those living in poverty or identified as ALICE in the Myakka City CCD and Parrish CCD were 25% and 24%, respectively.

Race and ethnicity

The Suncoast United Way report said that household financial health varied by race and ethnicity:

▪ Half of Black households were identified as ALICE and 14% were identified as living in poverty.

▪ Among Hispanic households, 42% were identified as ALICE and 10% were living in poverty.

▪ Among Asian households, 34% were identified as ALICE and 11% were living in poverty.

▪ Among white households, 32% were identified as ALICE and 7% were living in poverty.

After the pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic had a major impact on household finances.

During the pandemic, Florida saw a large migration into the state along with increasing cost of living.

The pandemic set off a home buying spree that raised home prices to record levels, and put even more pressure on struggling households.

In April, the Bradenton market set a record for existing single family houses with a median of $570,000.

The ranks of Florida households unable to afford the basics grew by more than 227,000 during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in a total of 3,866,606 households or 45% struggling to afford the basics by 2021, United Way Suncoast said.

Florida’s consistent increase in the number of ALICE households dates back to the Great Recession of 2008.

In the wake of the pandemic, the Suncoast region saw an additional 28,000 ALICE households struggling to make ends meet. Today, over two in five households in the Suncoast region are ALICE.

“It could have been so much worse for these families, whose struggle to feed their families, afford health care and access quality education was often hidden in plain sight until the pandemic,” Jessica Muroff, United Way Suncoast CEO, said in a press release.

Tax credits, stimulus payments and rental assistance were available for ALICE households and provided strong relief during the pandemic, said Stephanie Hoopes, United For ALICE National Director.

“However, as some of these supports come to an end, growing food insufficiency and other indicators reveal continued stress. Ignoring these warning signs places ALICE, our economy and the well-being of our communities at great risk,” Hoopes said.

For more information about the ALICE report visit http://www.unitedforalice.org/florida.

Reaction to the crisis

The Bradenton area housing crisis has been coming more to the forefront in government and business offices in recent years.

At a Manatee Chamber of Commerce discussion earlier this month, panelists discussed having having the corporate world chip in to provide housing for their workers, local government providing property tax exemptions for workforce housing and a community finding shelter for the homeless.

The Stronger Together Reaching Equality Across Manatee (STREAM) group says affordable housing remains its top priority in Manatee County.

Earlier this month, STREAM wants Manatee County Commissioners to “support policies and practices to ensure that the county creates at least 1,000 new units of affordable housing” in the next fiscal year.

At that meeting, Commissioner George Kruse announced his support of a plan that would ensure 1,000 more housing units within the next year. STREAM estimates that the county is short 11,000 affordable housing units.

In March, Lincoln Avenue Capital broke ground on the largest affordable housing development in Manatee County at at 4498 12th St. Ct. E. in Oneco.

The project includes The Savoy at 301, providing 324 units of affordable housing for families and individuals, and The 301 Flats, providing 248 units for seniors. Altogether, 572 units of multi-family affordable housing are planned.

Source: ca.style.yahoo.com

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MANATEE COUNTY, FL — U.S. Coast Guard Station Cortez had a busy Memorial Day weekend. Rescue crews saved seven people in two different cases within 24 hours in Manatee County, according to a news release.

Four people, who were wearing life jackets, were rescued Saturday morning from a capsized boat about 40 miles west of Egmont Key. (Watch a video from the rescue below.)

An emergency position indicating radio beacon activated around 8 a.m., alerting Coast Guard watchstanders about the situation, the agency said. An Air Station Clearwater air crew also launched.

Find out what’s happening in Bradentonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

That night, around 11 p.m., three people wearing life jackets were rescued after their boat took on water and capsized near Woody’s River Roo on the Manatee River, the Coast Guard said.

All people rescued were “in good health,” the Coast Guard said.

Find out what’s happening in Bradentonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“Everyone rescued within … (these) 24 hours had all the necessary safety equipment aboard for a successful rescue,” Zachary Smith, boatswain’s mate for Station Cortez, said. “These people didn’t have the best time on the water, but they all went home safe and sound to their loved ones.”

Watch a video from the rescue off Egmont Key:

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Source: patch.com

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The Mixon family isn’t done with business in Bradenton just yet.

Though Mixon Fruit Farms will be closing its doors on July 29, Janet Mixon said she and her husband, Dean Mixon, who both own the farm, plan to keep the Mixon name alive by opening a food truck this October.

Similar to the recipe for keeping Mixon Fruit Farms thriving for 84 years, Janet said the reasoning behind the decision was because of two things — community and family.

Given the strong and sentimental response from the community following the announcement of the farm’s closure, Janet said she still wanted to work and be involved with the Bradenton area — meaning a food truck would be an effective way to do so.

She also said continuing to sell a lot of ice cream will help keep their title as their grandchildren’s “favorite grandparents.”

Where and when will it be seen?

The food truck will travel to areas in the community that request its presence, which Janet said could include spring games at LECOM Park, school events and parking lots like Crowder Bros.

“I’m looking forward to seeing the people that we usually see in the spring when they come down for the Pittsburgh Pirates games and that are just here for spring. Being able to tell them that we’re going to have a food truck with the ice cream… it makes them happier.”

Once the pair hit the road this fall with Dean in the driver seat, Janet said she expects them to serve from the truck roughly three to four days per week.

Completely retiring didn’t seem like a feasible option for her, she said.

Menu items

Janet said the truck will serve many Mixon fan-favorites, such as ice cream, pressed Cuban sandwiches and different kinds of grilled cheeses.

The truck will also tailor its menu to the different locations it caters to.

Nighttime events for adults could add Mixon wine to the menu, but catering to areas like schools would serve only ice cream, according to Janet.

Logistics

Ice cream will be the main menu item offered at all locations, but Janet said the biggest difficulty was getting the right machine for the truck that could produce a lot of ice cream without issues. They also had to find a quiet generator that could handle the energy required to run it smoothly.

However, she said Orlando-based company One Fat Frog was able to figure the issue out and has begun constructing their truck.

Janet said she and Dean still have to go through standard practices like licensing processes before they can open for business.

Although a name for the food truck has not been confirmed, Janet said “The Mixon Swirl” and “The Swirl and More” are a couple of ideas she has.

Opening the truck means more than turning a profit — for Janet, it represents freedom to serve the community in more accessible ways.

“We don’t want to lose money, but we are looking to do enough that makes people happy,” she said. “We don’t want to be totally gone. It’s just that we can’t keep this going and we’re ready for something new and different. It’s an adventure.”

Source: news.yahoo.com

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Reader Comments

william e. moore
MAY 31, 2023  •  the one’s to blame for the politicians decisions are the voters. they keep voting for the developers darlings in every election. Voters wake up & take charge of your own destiny & your way of life. these politicians do not care about you they are beholden to their big campaign doners. in the next election vote for the man not the party.
Russell Owens
MAY 31, 2023  •  Polluting the lake and pumping the aquifer dry are of no concern for these commissioners. m
Carol Felts
MAY 31, 2023  •  This isn’t an opinion piece. It’s facts. The only solution is in the voters hands in 2024. We are all responsible for our own cognitive dissonance, cowardice and fear as we listen to the same solution-less dribble from our parties and politicos dealing with the same. We will probably have almost 300,000 voting residents in 2024. Will only 6000 again vote for a grassroots candidate with no ties to the status quo as many others have tried as well before me or are we going to continue to blame others for our own ignorance and complacency? 300,000 of us. 7 of them. As Pogo said, “We have met the enemy and he is us.” Remember in November, “If it is to be, it is up to me” and you have the power to change things by being an educated, informed and involved citizen, and I choose to believe we can.
SAMMY POZIER
MAY 31, 2023  •  The most costly “word salad”, a waste of public comment by the people; a waste of our tax dollars, and yet no entity can stop this total corruption! Most of the commis love their photo opts and full bellies. Their pockets are as full as their lack of adherence to the position they hold nor the respect for the area they are supposed to protect! How do they sleep at night, doesn’t the evil they have done poke them somewhere!?
Richard Correnti
MAY 31, 2023  •  Look folks, we can knash our teeth and wring our hands all day long, but what can we do to turn this ship around? Beoruff and Neal care little about Manatee County,…they care only about the millions they will make. We’ve got to make a difference with our feet,…and that means vote the clowns out! It’s the only way anything will change!
Christopher Gilbert
MAY 31, 2023  •  Long-term property tax burdens for the entire county were on the agenda, as commissioners filled another unsustainable order for a developer. Of course, commissioners were desperate to change the focus to the ‘lack of respect’ on the part of residents, instead of future water shortages. The water supply, once adequate, is probably now threatened, or even past the breaking point, if developers follow through on their plans. Vanessa Baugh called herself an advocate for the environment in one of her campaign mailers in 2020. Where was environmental advocacy in this vote–and all the chats with the developer leading up to it? But there was no remorse on the part of commissioners. Only outright hostility to public comment, which discourages hope for, not only a sustainable Manatee County, but the very idea of representative government. The current board is a failed institution, which is highly ironic, since they all campaigned on a platform based on widespread disappointment with failed institutions. The legacy of this board will be that they overdeveloped the county. That won’t be the story Vanessa, Kevin, James, and Amanda tell, however. It will be up to voters to look at our roads, our tax bills, and dwindling water supply and vanishing green spaces to tell the story. In short, it will be up to voters to see reality. For all our sakes, I hope voters take the time to become aware of how this board has sold us out and taken away our voice in government.
Amy Hibberd
MAY 31, 2023  •  God Bless you for telling the truth–and telling it clearly, factually and avoiding a baseless rant. Faced with these facts, how can these shameless “public servants” sleep at night?? And, more pressingly, where on Earth will they shit?
WTF
MAY 31, 2023  •  It just never ends…..ever
Jim
MAY 31, 2023  •  I am measuring my modest condo to see how much bottled water I can hoard therein. There will be no flushing of toilets. Will I have to pick up after myself? Welcome to Beruff’s Paradise.
Jon M
MAY 31, 2023  •  Thank all the Bought and Paid for puppets for destroying Manatee County. BERUFF should be sent back to Cuba!! Nothing but a a Greedy Money grabbing developer!’!

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Source: thebradentontimes.com

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A home in the Concession topped all transactions in this week’s real estate. Richard and RuthAnn Baesman, trustees, sold the home at 18820 Ganton Ave. to John Deluca and Terese Deluca, trustees, of Bradenton, for $5.45 million. Built in 2008, it has four bedrooms, four-and–a-half baths, a pool and 7,355 square feet of living area.

The Lake Club

Constance Anne Bertuca, trustee, and Theodore Bertuca, of Sarasota, sold the home at 8016 Bowspirit Way to Rod and Ashley Stuckey, of Lakewood Ranch, for $3,375,000. Built in 2017, it has four bedrooms, four-and–a-half baths, a pool and 4,398 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,799,400 in 2017.

Esplanade

Daniel and Kathy Jimenez Silva, of Bradenton, sold their home at 13309 Malachite Drive to Darshak and Babita Patel, of Bradenton, for $1.43 million. Built in 2015, it has three bedrooms, three-and–a-half baths, a pool and 2,875 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,289,000 in 2022.

Waterlefe Golf and River Club

Alfred Sanfilippo, trustee, of Bradenton, sold the home at 811 Maritime Court to Daniel Jimenez, of Bradenton, for $1,275,000. Built in 2003, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 4,177 square feet of living area. It sold for $808,700 in 2003.

Woodleaf Hammock

Agustin and Erica Cavazos, of Manvel, Texas, sold their home at 2210 Woodleaf Hammock Court to Keith and Laura Neiman, of Lakewood Ranch, for $1.19 million. Built in 2020, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,639 square feet of living area. It sold for $552,200 in 2020.

Edward and Jocelyn Maya, of Lakewood Ranch, sold their home at 2004 Woodleaf Hammock Court to Dennis Colletti, of Bradenton, for $745,000. Built in 2019, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,299 square feet of living area. It sold for $469,400 in 2019.

Rosedale Addition

Janelle and Enrique Martins, of Bradenton, sold their home at 9810 Carnoustie Place to 18735 Honey Tree LLC for $1.15 million. Built in 2020, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,448 square feet of living area. It sold for $408,700 in 2020.

James and Vicki Reichert, of Bradenton, sold their home at 10311 Marbella Drive to Brian Donovan and Sue Koh Donovan, of Bradenton, for $620,000. Built in 2016, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,832 square feet of living area. It sold for $355,000 in 2019.

Rye Wilderness Estates

Dwain and Lisa Dehmlow sold their home at 16623 Sixth Ave. E. to Brandon and Kelly Sallee, of Bradenton, for $1 million. Built in 2018, it has four bedrooms, four baths, a pool and 3,138 square feet of living area. It sold for $680,000 in 2021.

Watercress

Euguene Rose and Kristina Skepton, of Bradenton, sold their Unit 302 condominium at 6458 Watercrest Way to Leo and Elaine Tedesco, of Lakewood Ranch, for $940,000. Built in 2005, it has three bedrooms, three baths and 2,376 square feet of living area. It sold for $535,000 in 2019.

Savanna

Ryan and Sara Marranca, of Blasdell, New York, sold their home at 13812 American Prairie Place to Mario Ferraro, of Bradenton, for $935,000. Built in 2018, it has four bedrooms, three-and–a-half baths, a pool and 3,607 square feet of living area. It sold for $500,000 in 2020.

Douglas Tyler Carbol and Stacey Marie Carbol, of Lakewood Ranch, sold their home at 13714 Saw Palm Creek Trail to Charles Ira Wheeler III and Kami Odum Wheeler, of Bradenton, for $740,000. Built in 2021, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,192 square feet of living area. It sold for $413,900 in 2021.

Mill Creek

Tony and Sarah Ragle, of Ellenton, sold their home at 14554 17th Ave. E. to Matthew Lee Essig and Kelly Susan Essig, of Bradenton, for $920,000. Built in 2015, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,811 square feet of living area. It sold for $549,900 in 2018.

Arbor Grande

Salvatore and Jennifer Zatkowski, of Seaford, New York, sold their home at 11930 Perennial Place to Michael Regan, of Bradenton, for $915,000. Built in 2018, it has four bedrooms, three-and–a-half baths, a pool and 2,826 square feet of living area. It sold for $614,900 in 2021.

Riverdale Revised

ASC Global Inc. sold the home at 302 Americas Cup Blvd. to Jeff Starkey and Michelle Smith, of Bradenton, for $910,000. Built in 1995, it has three bedrooms, two-and–a-half baths, a pool and 2,371 square feet of living area. It sold for $590,000 in 2020.

Quest Painting LLC sold the home at 4512 Third Ave. E. to Dalton and Kelsey Mimbs, of Bradenton, for $385,000. Built in 1976, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,292 square feet of living area. It sold for $329,900 in 2022.

Country Club East

Donna and David Yother, of Palmetto, sold their home at 14432 Stirling Drive to Larry Benton, trustee, of Caledonia, Michigan, for $875,000. Built in 2012, it has three bedrooms, two-and–a-half baths, a pool and 2,176 square feet of living area. It sold for $455,000 in 2019.

Michael and Michelle Lusnia, of Bradenton, sold their home at 14330 Stirling Drive to Denis and Jean Durkin, of Bradenton, for $750,000. Built in 2012, it has two bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,977 square feet of living area. It sold for $385,000 in 2019.

Tidewater Preserve

David and Melanie Harris, of Bradenton, sold their home at 5713 Tidewater Preserve Blvd. to Sean Carter, of Bradenton, for $850,000. Built in 2016, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,412 square feet of living area. It sold for $412,500 in 2019.

Central Park

Matthew and Lisa Slater, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, sold their home at 4723 Seneca Park Trail to Robert and Sarah Puls, of Bradenton, for $828,000. Built in 2013, it has three bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,553 square feet of living area. It sold for $422,000 in 2016.

Dzenis Softic, of Bradenton, sold the home at 12137 Forest Park Circle to Christopher and Lisa Previti, of Bradenton, for $625,000. Built in 2015, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,131 square feet of living area. It sold for $373,000 in 2017.

Michael and Mary Rivers, of New Berlin, Wisconsin, sold their home at 4938 Newport News Circle to Louis Cirrotta, of Bradenton, for $385,000. Built in 2011, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,161 square feet of living area. It sold for $162,200 in 2011.

River Wind

Bobby Lavender and Wendi Murray, of Lake City, sold their home at 971 River Wind Circle to Ralph and Nancy Lustri, of Bradenton, for $812,500. Built in 2017, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,391 square feet of living area.

Country Meadows

Andre and Constance Lewis sold their home at 722 147th Court N.E. to Kasey and Alexandria Spivey, of Bradenton, for $785,000. Built in 2012, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 2,742 square feet of living area. It sold for $392,100 in 2012.

Windsong Acres

Debra Richard and Jennifer Blake sold their home at 1205 111th St. E. to Marcelo Garcia and Mary Ann Bailey, of Bradenton, for $735,000. Built in 1993, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,782 square feet of living area. It sold for $518,000 in 2021.

Coach Homes at Lakewood National

Thomas and Cynthia McDavitt sold their Unit 1521 condominium at 5904 Wake Forest Run to Kyle Yamashiro, trustee, of Murieta, California, for $700,000. Built in 2018, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,108 square feet of living area. It sold for $380,000 in 2020.

GreyHawk Landing

Peter Vrinios, of Bradenton, and Jamie Carol and Charles Githler, of Sarasota, sold their home at 12614 Cara Cara Loop to Erika and Laith Charles, of Dunkirk, Maryland, for $699,000. Built in 2004, it has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and 3,527 square feet of living area. It sold for $330,000 in 2001.

Arbor Lakes

Gavin and Sharyn Litwiller, of Sarasota, sold their home at 7204 Spur Court to Theodore Thomas Edginton and Vilma Lorie Edginton, of Bloomfield, Hills, Michigan, for $685,000. Built in 1996, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,557 square feet of living area. It sold for $655,000 in 2022.

Serenity Creek

Vassilios Lazaridis and Ludmila Boritchi, of Bradenton, sold their home at 13019 Utopia Loop to Mark Hajduk, of Bradenton, for $660,000. Built in 2018, it has four bedrooms, three-and–a-half baths and 2,671 square feet of living area. It sold for $700,000 in 2022.

Woodbrook

Jeffrey and Mary Jenson, of Traverse City, Michigan, sold their home at 4507 Cedar Brush Terrace to Russell and Joan Denton, of Sarasota, for $654,500. Built in 2014, it has three bedrooms, two-and–a-half baths, a pool and 2,222 square feet of living area. It sold for $655,000 in 2022.

Braden Woods

Vicky Lee Long, of Palmetto, sold her home at 6423 95th St. E. to RPMK FL LLC for $625,000. Built in 1989, it has four bedrooms, three baths and 2,232 square feet of living area.

Carlyle at the Village of Palm Aire

Peter Collins and Priscilla Vanduzee-Collins, of Lewes, Delaware, sold their home at 5123 Creekside Trail to Harvey Michael Hincker and Alice Hincker, of Sarasota, for $619,900. Built in 2002, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,989 square feet of living area. It sold for $370,000 in 2020.

Cham Ngoc Guilmette, trustee, of Vienna, Virginia, sold the home at 5009 Creekside Trail to Jeff and Denise McClard, of Mokena, Illinois, for $600,000. Built in 2002, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,927 square feet of living area. It sold for $285,000 in 2012.

Stoneybrook at Heritage Harbour

Lefe Ventures LLC sold the home at 316 Heritage Isles Way to Osmani Rodriguez Gomez, of Bradenton, for $600,000. Built in 2003, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,226 square feet of living area. It sold for $315,000 in 2015.

Coach Homes at River Strand

John and Catherine Moscon, of Bradenton, sold their Unit 7302 condominium at 7014 Grand Estuary Trail to Thomas and Laurette Fitzpatrick, of Christian, Tennessee, for $575,000. Built in 2014, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,108 square feet of living area. It sold for $285,000 in 2016.

Mirabella at Village Green

Deborah Cassidy, trustee, of Bradenton, sold the home at 7005 Playa Bella Drive to James and Nancy Long, of Bradenton, for $575,000. Built in 2017, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,525 square feet of living area. It sold for $409,500 in 2017.

Riverwalk

John and Julia Gallo, of Bradenton, sold their home at 7324 Loblolly Bay Trail to Scott and Emily Semmelroth, of Lakewood Ranch, for $549,000. Built in 2000, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 2,015 square feet of living area. It sold for $437,500 in 2006.

Avaunce

Bruno and Genowefa Kowalczyk, of Lakewood Ranch, sold their home at14246 59th Circle E. to Yu Lien Hsiao and Han Ming Hsu, of Renton, Washington, for $538,500. Built in 2020, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,340 square feet of living area. It sold for $355,700 in 2020.

River Club South

James and Josephine Dill, trustees, of Bradenton, sold the home at 10110 Glenmore Ave. to William and Michele Costanzo, of Bradenton, for $510,000. Built in 1999, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,971 square feet of living area. It sold for $343,000 in 2019.

Rosedale

James Schumacher, of Bradenton, sold his home at 8607 54th Ave. Circle E. to John Noble and Holly Harger, of Bradenton, for $510,000. Built in 2000, it has two bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,656 square feet of living area. It sold for $272,000 in 2017.

Bacciano at Esplanade

Kevin Zaleski and Lisa Michele Zaleski, of White Lake, Michigan, sold their Unit 203 condominium at 13714 Messina Loop to Frank Giordano, of Brooklyn, New York, for $500,000. Built in 2019, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,528 square feet of living area. It sold for $220,000 in 2019.

Tara

Doreen Hazzard, trustee, of Bradenton, sold the home at 7161 Drewrys Bluff to Monica Brazeau, of Franklin, Wisconsin, for $495,000. Built in 1997, it has two bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,890 square feet of living area. It sold for $510,000 in 2022.

Del Webb

Karen Sue Bahr, trustee, of Ballwin, Missouri, sold the home at 7570 Summerland Cove to Debra Lynn Hedgecock, of Lakewood Ranch, for $480,000. Built in 2022, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,458 square feet of living area. It sold for $400,600 in 2022.

Del Tierra

Chrissy Schechter, of Ocala, sold her home at 15527 Rose Grove Drive to Michael Morgan Penn and Donna Malizia, of Bradenton, for $474,900. Built in 2016, it has four bedrooms, two baths and 1,767 square feet of living area. It sold for $245,000 in 2016.

Heritage Harbour

Andrew Stoll and Juanita Miller, trustees, of Parrish, sold the home at 6646 Willowshire Way to Janice Pellecchia, of Bradenton, for $446,000. Built in 2017, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,545 square feet of living area. It sold for $275,000 in 2020.

Magnolia Manor

Casey Ryan Ringley and Darcy Jane Klements, of Tampa, sold their home at 2108 70th St. Court E. to James and Sarah Clerval, of Bradenton, for $439,000. Built in 1972, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 2,186 square feet of living area. It sold for $79,000 in 1987.

Pinehurst Estates

George Strong, of Knoxville, Tennessee, sold his Unit 185 condominium at 7387 Eleanor Circle to Donald Moore and Teresinha Tratch, of Ontario, Canada, for $425,000. Built in 2002, it has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,526 square feet of living area. It sold for $270,000 in 2020.

Miramar Lagoons

Gale Furtak, trustee, of Lakewood Ranch, sold the Unit 101 condominium at 8237 Miramar Way to Paul and Florence Caiano, of Sun City Center, for $420,000. Built in 2006, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,626 square feet of living area. It sold for $233,000 in 2019.

Gates Creek

Belinda Humphreys, of St. Petersburg, sold the home at 324 112th St. E. to Champery Real Estate 2015 LLC for $405,000. Built in 1997, it has three bedrooms, two baths, a pool and 1,812 square feet of living area. It sold for $250,000 in 2016.

Veranda at River Strand

Larry Buseck and Victor Provenzano, of Clifton Park, New York, sold their Unit 1222 condominium at 7225 River Hammock Drive to Gary and Pavla Krawchuk, of Ontario, Canada, for $405,000. Built in 2013, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,561 square feet of living area. It sold for $220,000 in 2017.

Lofts on Main

Thomas Schmidt, of Sarasota, sold his Unit 209 condominium at 8111 Lakewood Main St. to Robert and Marianne Picinich, of Malvern, Pennsylvania, for $400,000. Built in 2006, it has two bedrooms, two baths and 1,580 square feet of living area. It sold for $285,000 in 2020.

Source: yourobserver.com

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Source: patch.com

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A second waterfront hotel on the Manatee River is coming to Ellenton.

After approving a similar development in February, the Manatee County Commission last week cleared the way for an 85,000-square-foot SpringHill Suites hotel. The chain, which is owned by Marriott, also has hotels in downtown Bradenton and near the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport.

Manatee County’s latest SpringHill Suites is set to offer scenic views of the river at 6115 18th St. E., Ellenton, according to Kara Koenig, a planner with ZNS Engineering.

The six-story hotel, planned for a vacant 2.1-acre site, will have 119 hotel rooms and 124 parking spaces.

Building design renderings show five stories of the hotel positioned over the ground-level parking area. The SpringHill Suites, located south of U.S. 301 and east of 60th Avenue East, will also have a pool area, according to the rendering.

Commissioners approved the preliminary site plan for the hotel with little discussion during the recent Land Use meeting. During February’s hearing for a Holiday Inn Express down the street, Commissioner George Kruse expressed support for both planned hotels.

“This is a great opportunity to use that land for what it should be used for,” Kruse said at the time. “I think it’s going to be very successful and I thank you for bringing it to us.”

Board members voted 6-0 to approve the hotel. Commissioner Jason Bearden was absent and did not vote.

Construction on the SpringHill Suites is expected to begin in about 10 months. An expected opening date for the hotel has not been announced.

Source: ca.sports.yahoo.com

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Source: heraldtribune.com

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BRADENTON, FL — A Bradenton realtor faces charges after stealing more than $200,000 from Lululemon in a return-fraud scheme, authorities said.

Mark Tilley, 55, was charged with grand theft over $100,000, according to a probable cause affidavit from the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office.

The case was investigated by the SCSO Economic Crimes Unit. In this multistate investigation, detectives found Tilley had defrauded the company of $200,000 over the past year, the agency said. “This type of crime causes retail prices to increase, which sooner or later fall on the consumer.”

Find out what’s happening in Bradentonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Tilley made online orders from the company using many credit cards in several names, including his own, dating back to May 22, 2022, his probable cause affidavit said. He made similar online orders using a gift card. He used different names and email addresses for each order, though they all listed the same phone number.

“These are tactics used to circumvent … (the company’s) fraud detection system,” the affidavit said.

Find out what’s happening in Bradentonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

After making the purchase, he had the items shipped to several addresses within the Magnolia Estates apartment complex in Bradenton, where Tilley lives, the sheriff’s office said. When they were set to be delivered, he would update the delivery address and have the packages sent to the community clubhouse/leasing office, where he would pick them up.

He would then fast-track returns, receiving an e-gift card after scanning the return parcels as a U.S. Postal Service self-serve kiosk. He would keep the items, but send back empty packages, the affidavit said.

Tilley then took the items that he allegedly shipped back to the company and returned them to stores in multiple states. There, he’d receive a full refund on his credit or debit card, in addition to the e-gift card, giving him double credit for the online orders he purchased.

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To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.

Source: patch.com

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BRADENTON, Fla. — A Bradenton couple say their love of beach and travel inspired them to combine their passions into a new coastal brand called SeaMonkey Apparel.

“It’s a huge part of our relationship. It’s a part of our lifestyle,” said 32-year-old co-owner Alexandra Lowe-Mains. “We wanted to embrace that and put it into a brand.”

Alexandra and her husband, James Mains, 33, said they came up with the idea to start a new apparel company while hanging out at Whitney Beach on Longboat Key in Manatee County.

“What we’re trying to capture with the brand is secluded different locations,” James said. “Whitney Beach is the perfect place for that.”  

The Mains launched SeaMonkey Apparel from their Bradenton home last October — selling stickers, hats and 40 different styles of T-shirts, with each design inspired by a real coastal location.

“Every print that we have is somewhere that we’ve traveled to.” James said. “There’s a latitude and longitude that’s associated with the print on the shirt.”

The couple estimate they’ve traveled to more than 50 beaches around the world. They feel so confident about their new business that they’ve pledged to donate $1 from every sale to Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium in Sarasota.

“Key components to our brand is community and taking care of the environment,” Alexandra said. “We see Mote Marine firsthand doing good things. They’re very reputable. They’re known globally, and it just felt like a natural relationship to partner with them.”

Frank Vella, CEO of Constant Contact, a firm that helps small businesses market effectively against larger counterparts, said new data shows people see optimism and opportunity in starting a small business, much like they did at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“For the first three months of the pandemic — in April, May and June of 2020 — new business inceptions were up 137%,” Vella said. “We’re seeing that same sort of optimism for what adversity brings in terms of opportunity, again, all over right now.”

The Mains said their goal with the brand is to create a community of like-minded individuals with a passion for living life from sand to sea, and they plan to host coastal cleanups in the coming months.

“If you look around us, what we have is so beautiful,” Alexandra said. “We all need to do our part to try to maintain and preserve that.”

SeaMonkey Apparel will have a booth at the Fire Charity Fishing Tournament on June 10-11, and at SharkCon hosted by National Geographic at the Florida State Fairgrounds on July 15-16.

Source: baynews9.com

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