Over and over, 2008 left Manatee County feeling vulnerable.
The slumping economy left us worrying about our jobs and our homes.
A crash on Interstate 75 left us stuck in traffic.
An outbreak of salmonella left us afraid of our tomatoes.
A polluted neighborhood’s residents were left wondering when their homes would be safe.
The mystery of a missing motel owner left us mystified.
There was some relief. One of our escape routes from the doom and gloom, the Anna Maria Bridge, reopened sooner than expected after being closed for repairs, making a day at the beach — the perfect respite in times of trouble — that much easier for all.
1. ELECTIONS
The 2008 local elections in Manatee County saw two former mayors replace two veterans on the county commission. perhaps signaling a shift in the commission’s approach to growth and development.
In District 1, former Palmetto Mayor Larry Bustle defeated Amy Stein Fucini; and in District 3, former Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie beat Jan Von Hahmann.
Both challengers drew financial and political support from some of the county’s most prominent real estate developers previously upset by restrictions the county had placed on their business.
Their electoral victories, however, were not absolute. Joe McClash, perhaps the commission’s leading voice on the need for limits, was re-elected to at-large seat.
Donna Hayes also was re-elected in District 5.
The other major local election was for mayor of Palmetto.
Former city commission Shirley Groover Bryant defeated City Commissioner Eric Ball and city public works director Chris Lukowiak.
2. I-75 CRASH
A fiery crash on Interstate 75 at one of its busiest interchanges in Manatee brought all traffic in the county almost to a halt for several days, and exposed how vulnerable the region is to a transportation disaster.
The June 4 crash, which left dead the driver of a fuel tanker truck, closed the southbound lanes of I-75 at the U.S. 301 overpass. The ensuing detours lead to traffic jams throughout the area, most memorably through Palmetto and into downtown Bradenton. A drive from the Sunshine Skyway bridge into downtown that used to take 10 or 15 minutes took two hours or longer as motorists tried to make their way around the crash site.
The congestion eased only after transportation officials on June 8 were able to open temporary lanes on the northbound side of the interstate.
As a sign of how important I-75 is to the state transportation network and the inconvenience facing motorists, the Florida Department of Transportation kicked the rebuilding of the 200-foot-long overpass into high gear. Crews from a Fort Myers construction firm began rebuilding the span on June 8, working around the clock to rebuild beams and other support structures and pour concrete.
The bridge, which cost more than $1.7 million to rebuild, was reopened to traffic on June 20, some three weeks ahead of schedule.
3. SCHOOL CHANGES
After spending 5 1/2 years leading Manatee schools and 38 years in public education, Superintendent Roger Dearing retired. In January, he will start work as executive director of the Florida High School Athletic Association.
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