Marathon Weekly 20-0903

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

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Nana? What’s next? Tropical Storm Pop Pop?

SCHOOL START Students trickle back into the classroom | P.4

COVID CASUALTY

Keys Shuttle goes out of business | P.17

BIG INVESTMENT

Middle Keys sees surge of redevelopment | P.20

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KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

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KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

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EDUCATION

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

NUMBER OF THE WEEK

9709 Overseas Hwy. Marathon, FL 33050 Office: 305.743.0844 www.keysweekly.com

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Good news: with working from home, Floridians are “saving” time on their commutes. According to CoPilot Research, workers from this state spend about 4.5 hours in the car every week. Now, working from home, they have regained about 10.7% of their time.

FOR UPDATES, WATCH THE WEB Events related to the coronavirus are changing rapidly as national, state and local governments make decisions aimed at controlling the spread of the virus. For updated information, please see keysweekly.com.

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tarting this week, a small percentage of Monroe County students began filtering back into the classroom. On Sept. 2, the masked students were welcomed by staff, and the children’s hands were spritzed with sanitizer.

The routine is part of a phased reopening that will look like this: The week of Sept. 8-11, students will attend orientation in small groups. By Monday, Sept. 14, all students will be back in school: elementary age students attending Monday through Friday, and middle and high school students on a schedule of alternating days for in-person or virtual instruction.

Also, this week, the district released a 1,500-word document outlining mask and sanitation requirements.

(Spoiler alert: almost always and often, respectively.)

The school district said that in-person instruction is voluntary at this point. However, parents must make a decision whether or not their child will spend the entire semester virtual or go back to a public facility by the end of September.

Superintendent Theresa Axford said this follows the district’s “moderate exposure” plan to safely reopen schools.

“We made this decision because we think we can do it safely.

We also know that parents need us to do this so they can work and support their families, and students need this in order to learn and grow successfully. Virus spread in our community is not at a high level … and after consultation with the health department, we believe as long as we all follow safety

guidelines, students and teachers can remain safe and healthy,” said Axford. “This remains a fluid situation and, while we all want this to work smoothly, circumstances could change and we may have to change with those circumstances.”

According to Monroe County School District spokesperson Becky Herrin, parents of children who started in-person instruction on Aug. 31 were identified and notified individually by staff members at each public school. This includes special needs students or children with learning struggles or even families who have fewer resources to cope with quarantine in the pandemic.

Reopening elementaries The reopening of schools will vary from facility to facility, but all students in Monroe County will attend an orientation session at some point during the week of Sept. 8-11. When fully open, students will be attending in-person Monday through Friday. Elementary students will likely be brought back into the classrooms by grade groups. Also, expect class sizes to be smaller, no larger than 15.

Teachers will visit the small classrooms, rather than having students in the hallways to move, for example, to the art room or library.

Other precautions include: One-way hallways so that students are not passing each other, thus maintaining safe social distancing Recreation times for small groups of students who will stay together.

“Grab and go” lunches they will eat with class groups in classrooms instead of in the cafeteria.

Reopening middle, high schools At Keys high and middle schools, kids will follow an “A/B” plan or alternating day schedule for in-person instruction or virtual learning. Fewer students will allow for social distancing in the classroom, and for fewer students in hallways and other public areas.

One teacher told the Keys Weekly that on days the older students are learning from home, there will be no interaction — even video — with their teacher; instead, they will be completing assignments on their own.

Middle and high school students will also attend an orientation during the week Sept. 8-11.

The students will be summoned to the schools in small groups to get a look at the physical COVID-19 precautions and routines.

The district’s “moderate exposure” plan is available here: mcsdfl.blogspot.com.

Parents are advised to look on the school website, or visit the Facebook page of their students’ school. Public schools are hosting town-hall meetings via digital platforms. Check the school’s Facebook page for more information. The school district has also released a general Q&A regarding COVID-19 and schools. Read more at keysweekly.com.

CORRECTION A letter to the editor in the Aug. 27 edition misstated John Martini’s role within the Safer Cleaner Ships Committee. Martini, who is moderator of the Reimagining Key West Facebook group, is not a spokesman for the committee.

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KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

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KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020 MANDY MILES

Nearly 100 protesters picket outside Key West City Hall before the Sept. 1 city commission meeting, seeking relaxed COVID restrictions to help businesses. MANDY MILES/Keys Weekly

mandy@keysweekly.com

COMMISSIONERS HEAR SHARP CRITICISM Key West business owners question

K

ey West officials got an earful of sharp criticism from local business owners before, during and after the Sept. 1 city commission meeting, which was preceded by a public protest on the steps of City Hall.

A crowd of 100 or so sign-wielding picketers demanded stronger support from city lawmakers, seeking less punitive mask rules, relaxed COVID restrictions and permission to open bar seating in restaurants.

“Give us a break,” “Let us work” and “Protect Workers, Stop Overreach,” read some of the Sharpie-scrawled signs.

When the virtual meeting started an hour later, Mayor Teri Johnston and Commissioners Billy Wardlow and Jimmy Weekley took the oath of office after winning re-election on Aug. 18. Weekley was unopposed.

Commissioners consider rent relief Sparks flew a short time later during a discussion of rent relief for the city’s business tenants at Key West Bight (known as the Historic Seaport) and Charter Boat Row at Garrison Bight.

Several members of the Bight Board, most of whom own or represent waterfront and water-based businesses, urged commissioners to approve their relief proposal, which was significantly more generous than the one approved by four of seven lawmakers. Commissioners Sam Kaufman, Greg Davila and Clayton Lopez dissented in support of the bight businesses.

The tenants requested: Two months free rent for April and May; deferment of June and July rent (meaning they can pay it later); a 50% rent reduction for August and September and a reassessment of the situation for October through December.

The city offered and approved: One

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month free rent for April; deferment of May and June rent; full rent for July and a 25% rent reduction for August and September.

Johnston pointed out during the discussion that recent reports of sales tax collections in the city, surprisingly, were only down by about 10% compared to last year.

“I don’t think there’s any doubt we’ll support these 170 city tenants, but the question we’re wrestling with is what we base these decisions on. All 9,000 businesses in the city are struggling.”

Business owners and Commissioner Kaufman repeatedly reminded the commission that rent relief for the city’s bight tenants will not cost taxpayers a dime, and that the Key West Bight currently has $16 million in its coffers. “These are not taxpayer dollars,” Kaufman said. “They come from the rent that’s paid by these businesses.”

The bight district has also shared its revenues with the city’s general fund, contributing $1 million for the city’s purchase of the former Citizen building and $400,000 to help save Poinciana Gardens assisted-living facility, bight board member Barry Gibson said.

Tenants blast commission decision “Your tenants were closed for 71 days, and you give them a 45-day break. It wouldn’t surprise me if you face legal challenges to this, and the taxpayers will end up paying for that,” Gibson said after the vote, thanking Kaufman, Davila and Lopez for their support.

Bight Board chair Michael Knowles, also a hotel general manager, said the commission’s decision was based on a lack of information, and sales tax collection is the wrong measuring stick to gauge the hospitality industry.

“Has any commissioner looked at a STR (Smith Travel Research) report to see our occupancy

rates? My occupancy was at 92% last August.

Now I’m at 51%. I’d advise you to start using the right economic tools to see how far down tourism is.”

Restaurant owner Joe Walsh dismissed the mayor’s concern about whether other businesses were receiving similar rent relief from their private-sector landlords.

“One of my other restaurant’s private landlords offered me six months rent abatement (free rent), and 30% rent for the balance of the year,” Walsh said. “To my own tenants, I’ve offered three months rent abatement. So the suggestion that private landlords haven’t gotten the message is simply false.”

Lisa Althouse, who owns a business on Caroline Street, reminded officials that former commissioners granted businesses a year’s free rent in 2012, when the Caroline Street Corridor renovation and construction project made Caroline Street impassable and blocked sidewalks for a year.

In other news…

Officials made a concession to restaurant owners throughout the city by agreeing to open bar seating at restaurants. Kaufman reminded those watching the virtual meeting that the closure of stand-alone bars remains a state mandate, and is not a city decision.

The commission ultimately voted unanimously to allow groups of six or fewer to sit at restaurant bars as long as they remain properly distanced from adjacent groups and are ordering food and drinks.

Finally, the commission asked City Attorney Shawn Smith to revisit the city’s mask requirements, perhaps reducing financial penalties and relaxing the mandate when people are outdoors and able to keep proper distance from others.

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CORONAVIRUS

VIRUS CONFINEMENT

Prosecutors seek jail time for alleged quarantine violators MANDY MILES

mandy@keysweekly.com

A

Key West couple accused of violating a quarantine order in late July after testing positive for coronavirus will be arraigned in court Sept. 22.

The two, who have pleaded not guilty to the charges, were originally scheduled for court in late August, but the threat of Tropical Storm Laura forced its postponement.

State Attorney Dennis Ward told Keys Weekly that prosecutor Val Winter will ask Judge Mark Wilson for 60 days jail time for each of the two counts: violating quarantine and violating disaster response regulations.

“This is a serious health issue and public health risk,” Ward said in mid-August. “We want people to know we’re serious about protecting this community.”

The couple, a 24-year-old man and his 26-year-old wife, live on Harris Avenue. The man reportedly was walking his dog near his home when a neighbor began recording him on her cellphone. The police later came knocking with an arrest warrant and took both people to jail.

Officials told ABC News that the couple learned they were infected on July 15, five days after being tested.

“They were advised to wear face masks at home, which is a three-bedroom house the couple shares with at least three other tenants. And they were required to self-isolate for at least 14 days,” ABC News reported. “But the Florida Department of Health determined them to ‘present an immediate danger of harm to others’ when the department learned the couple had gone to the grocery store on July 20 while possibly still infected. A day later, the agency issued a mandatory quarantine order against the couple.”

The two were released from jail within a day after posting bail and expressed disbelief over the misdemeanor charges. They told the media the arrests were the result of a soured relationship with another tenant.

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

VILLAGE CANCELS EVENTS THROUGH OCTOBER Trunk or Treat among notable upcoming festivities JIM McCARTHY

jim@keysweekly.com

L

arge-scale festivities in Islamorada are on hold a little while longer as the village responds to the COVID-19 pandemic, which appears to be improving with new daily cases in the single digits.

Village council voted 4-1 to cancel events through the month of October during its regular meeting held via Zoom on Aug. 20. Among the notable events is the annual Trunk or Treat at Founders Park, which sees hundreds of families and children retrieving candy from the many decorated vehicle trunks. Organizers of the annual Swim for Alligator earlier announced that the Sept. 12 race would be canceled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The swim will resume Sept. 11, 2021.

Councilwoman Deb Gillis, who brought the topic up for discussion, said it’s not fair to cancel activities a week or two before when organizers

Trick-or-treaters walk up to get candy from a vehicle trunk during last year’s Trunk or Treat festivities at Founders Park in Islamorada. KEYS WEEKLY FILE PHOTO

have spent time and money to put the event together.

“We are making headway on this virus of getting it under control, but I think we need to make a decision on special events,” she said. “I suggest we curtail any of the events that require temporary use permits or park events from now until Dec. 31.”

While fellow council members were in consensus with forgoing events for the next few months, they weren’t with Gillis when it came to canceling events through the rest of the year.

“I still think if things clear up in November to December, then they can have an event,” said councilman Chris Sante.

The 5th annual Islamorada Half Marathon & 10K, Baconfest & Art Show, Toys For Tots Poker Run, and Holiday Fest are some of the notable events held in Islamorada during the final two months of the year. Council agreed to leave the decision of November and December events up to the new dais.

“If it’s a decision that needs to be made at end of October, we’ll make it,” said Vice Mayor Ken Davis.

All village council seats are seeing contests this year with four of the five current members either leaving or seeking other offices. Davis is the only current member on the dais seeking reelection.

Acting Village Manger Maria Bassett said the director of parks, Maria Bagiotti, reached out to event organizers and found that none was planning to hold any festivities at the village parks in the months to come.

Reported positive COVID-19 cases in Islamorada total 55 as of Sept.

1. That number hasn’t increased since Aug 14 when the total number went from 54 to 55.

Council has stayed proactive in limiting large gatherings at parks, beaches and the Fills, from MM 77.5 to 79.8, by closing them off to the public through Labor Day. Founders Park remains open to Islamorada residents and homeowners only.

Councilman Jim Mooney acknowledged that while it’s unfortunate people are still passing away from COVID-19, local numbers are dropping quickly. Mooney agreed to leave event cancellations past November up to the next council, as did current Mayor Mike Forster.

Gillis was the only ‘no’ vote due to the fact she wished to see all events canceled through the end of the year.

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KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

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KEYS SCHOOLS

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION Keys charter schools welcome students back

1 1. Cathy Gwilliam, TVM fourthand fifth-grade teacher, with her daughter. JIM McCARTHY/Keys Weekly 2.Sigsbee Charter School in Key West is managing its initial virtual instruction by meeting with individual parents and students to address concerns and answer technology questions. CONTRIBUTED 3. Amanda Phair, TVM office manager, and Kris Sullivan, third-grade teacher, prepare to welcome back students. JIM McCARTHY/Keys Weekly 4. Jessica Harris, second- to thirdgrade teacher at TVM, sits at her desk. JIM McCARTHY/Keys Weekly 5. Key West Mayor Teri Johnston speaks virtually to Somerset Island Prep students in Key West on Aug. 28. Students began returning in person on Aug. 31. MANDY MILES/Keys Weekly 6. First grader Alexander Joy is one of about 16 students who returned Aug. 31 to the physical campus at May Sands Montessori in Key West. CONTRIBUTED 7. Treasure Village Montessori Principal Kelly Mangel with daughter, Hailey. JIM McCARTHY/ Keys Weekly

By JIM McCARTHY and MANDY MILES

S

chool is in full swing throughout the Keys. While a number of students remain home on their laptops, others are being welcomed back into the classroom.

Treasure Village Montessori Donning masks, 150 students entered through the doors at Treasure Village Montessori in Islamorada for their first day of school on Aug. 31.

With much excitement surrounding the new year, the atmosphere and feel is a bit different, with new measures in place to keep children and staff safe through the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Inside the facility, clear partitions are placed at desks and picnic tables to keep elementary and middle school students safe when they’re close to each other. As for the little tykes room, hoops are placed on the floor for sufficient distancing during circle time.

Hallway floors are stickered with messages to keep 6 feet apart, and hand sanitizer stations in each classroom aim to keep germs at bay.

Principal Kelly Mangel is eager to welcome students back to the classroom. Creating a safe and secure environment and maintaining functionality at the school are top priorities for TVM and Mangel.

“I can’t wait to get creative when it

2

comes to greeting each other and talking to them about how we can still see smiling even though they can’t see the smile,” Mangel said. “It’ll be fun and It’s going to be engaging, a little different.”

From their home classrooms, students are split into groups of seven to eight. With individual work space designated for students, TVM still allows for movement and hands-on learning in the classroom.

“On this campus, we don’t utilize textbooks other than math,” Mangel said. “Even in middle school, all labs are hands-on, and that was important for us to maintain that. We have some barriers within the lab tables. Students will be required to wear masks and disinfect when they’re done.”

With 150 students back in class at TVM, Mangel said there are also 70 to

80 students who are participating virtually. She said she anticipates more parents will sign their children up for in-person instruction in the next quarter and semester.

“The goal is to have all 220 students on campus when we return from winter break,” Mangel said.

Somerset Island Prep In Key West, new technology at Somerset Island Prep has enabled students to return to the physical campus two days a week starting Aug. 31.

“We’re beyond excited about our ‘classroom of the future’ at Island Prep,” said headmaster Nick Wright. “As teachers, we can interact with students both in the classroom and in their own living room at the same time. We can ask them questions, check their progress, and they can even chat and pass notes with each other – it’s as close to the high school we all remember as we can get these days.”

Wright added that the technology provides enhanced school-choice options to students throughout the Florida Keys. “Now we can also work with students in Key Largo, Marathon and the Lower Keys,” Wright said.

Principal Tom Rompella said the school’s leaders understand that “circumstances and philosophies exist within many families which surpass the concerns of infection. Students facing abuse, food uncertainty, homelessness, lack of internet capabilities, an unstable home environment or any number of situations may require physical attendance in school to enjoy a safe educational environment.”

“Instruction and assignments for both ‘remote live’ students and ‘physically present’ students will be simultaneous and identical,” Rompella said, adding that parents of students attending school physically must sign a liability waiver acknowledging the risks of attendance and complete a survey about their individual circumstances.

Students attending in person must also have their own transportation to school, as buses from the school district are not yet available.

Island Prep has implemented enhanced safety measures such as wellness checks, face coverings, enhanced cleaning of high-contact areas, social distancing, reduced capacity and frequent handwashing.

May Sands Montessori Classes began Aug. 31 at May Sands Montessori in Key West, where 16 of the school’s 90 students returned to the physical campus for the first day.

“We have limited on-campus in-

KEYS SCHOOLS

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

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3 struction available, having followed the school district’s instructions that we assess our student population and measured our available square footage,” principal Lynn Barras said.

The school identified students whose parents have to work outside the home, or whose home situation isn’t necessarily a stable learning environment.

“We did have some students come in the first day, but then opt to continue remotely due to the face mask requirement on campus,” Barras said, adding that May Sands Montessori, like the rest of the public schools in the county, is “aiming for a Sept. 14 full return to campus, but that will obviously depend on what’s happening with the numbers and whether we’re continuing to do what we have to with regard to social distancing, masks and hand-washing.”

Sigsbee Charter School Sigsbee Charter School started classes remotely on Aug. 17 with the first two days dedicated to orientation and technology assistance getting students logged into their virtual learning platforms, according to the school’s website and blog posts.

The charter school’s teachers each sent emails to families to schedule individual conferences to give each student “an opportunity to have the teacher's undivided attention before launching into a full day of whole group classes,” principal Eli Jannes wrote. “These checkins were created to replicate the individual attention that we make sure to offer each child in a typical year and especially in the first days.

We hope this ‘soft start’ will make every child more comfortable with our unusual first day of school.”

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CORONAVIRUS

COMMERCE CORNER

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

Parents and employees of Dolphin Research Center have created a “microschool” on the Grassy Key campus. Kids are social-distanced, masked and attended by a proctor while their parents work. CONTRIBUTED

MICRO-SCHOOLING Parents find workplace solution for virtual schooling SARA MATTHIS

sara@keysweekly.com

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t the Dolphin Research Center, they call it micro-schooling, which is as good a word as any to describe what others have called flexibility in these unprecedented times. A group of parents at DRC have banded together, appropriated two otherwise empty classrooms, and hired a proctor to oversee the work of about 10 students on any given day.

“We’re doing the best we can,” said Armando “Mandy” Rodriguez, DRC’s co-founder and chief operating officer. His two grandchildren, Rylee, 14, and Bryson, 12, attend. “Until it’s no longer necessary, we’ll be holed up here.”

Most Keys students won’t return to the classroom until Monday, Sept. 14. Then, elementary students will be attending daily, while middle and high school students attend on alternating days for what’s known as an A/B schedule.(See page 4 for more details.)

Rodriguez said it’s been a blessing. He and other parents can keep tabs on their children, while also being able to focus on their work. It’s a needed break from others in the family bubble and a chance to see another group of kids, even if they aren’t exactly peers.

“Sometimes I help the little kids with their stuff,” said Rylee Seligson, Rodriguez’s granddaughter, an eighth grader. “I can help them log on if they need it, or answer questions about their homework.”

At DRC, the parents have hired a proctor to oversee the two classrooms. She is a college graduate who also attended school at DRC. Rodriguez said his grandchildren are thankful.

“This never happens … but they came up to me and said, ‘Pop Pop, thank you for setting up this school,’” he said.

Rylee said she still misses friends and her teachers, but virtual micro-schooling does have an upside: she doesn’t have to primp for school every morning.

“You can turn your camera off,” she said.

As a longtime DRC kid, she glosses over the most important part of micro-school at DRC: recess with the dolphins, sea lion, roosters, peacock, etc. Talk about enrichment.

13

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

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KEYS SCENES

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

“Clarity.” BRENDA BUSH/Contributed

A sea turtle comes up for a breath on an Islamorada reef. TONY TIMPANO/Contributed

Mama and Papa Bear groupers at Looe Key Reef. SHERRI CRILLI/ Contributed

An “uninvited guest at Coffins Patch” in March 2020. Lionfish are invasive species that harm the ecosystem. LAURIE O’LEARY/Contributed

“Real beauty is always below the surface.”

JO-ANNA MARY/Contributed

Tarpon at Robbie's Marina. TRISHA MIHAIU/Contributed

Next month’s assignment: Keys Pets

W

e’re collecting our favorite shots of the Keys and featuring our readers’ photos in the newspaper and on our social media channels. For September, the theme is KEYS PETS. Send us your best pet shots for a chance to be featured!

Photos, captions and photo credit can be emailed to tiffany@keysweekly.com.

Rules, schmules:

All photos must be original work and feature something in the Keys.

Photos can be images that have been published before.

No third party may own or control any materials the photo contains, and the photo must not infringe upon the trademark, copyright, moral rights, intellectual rights, or rights of privacy of any entity or person.

Any person agrees, by submitting photos, that photos submitted can be used by the Keys Weekly for any and all purposes, including but not limited to advertising, charity work, sales, future editorial, print in the newspapers or online or on social media posts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and any other social media platforms as may come about.

15

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

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KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

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CORONAVIRUS

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

Keys Shuttle vans, like the one pictured, provide service locally to and from airports in Miami and Fort Lauderdale. CONTRIBUTED

SHUTTLE SHUTTERED

Local airport transport service closes, citing COVID JIM McCARTHY jim@keysweekly.com

F

urloughs loom as major airline companies respond to low passenger counts from an ongoing pandemic, not to mention federal aid that’s soon to wane for the industry if Congress doesn’t act. Fewer flyers mean less traffic going through major air hubs, and locally, it’s affecting one transportation company so much that the service had to close — its future in limbo.

Keys Shuttle, like many businesses, reopened and resumed service when checkpoints in Key Largo came down on June 1. Between flying fears and positive cases in the Keys exploding, not many were calling the shuttle for pickup. With sales low, Keys Shuttle owner Raul Cisneros was forced to close on Aug. 8.

“People just stopped calling and the numbers dropped,” he told the Keys Weekly. “We were down to under 20% of what we normally do.

The service provides door-to-door shuttle runs from the Florida Keys to Miami and Fort Lauderdale international airports. Cisneros said the number of those calling for reservations was somewhat sufficient to stay open at first. But business wasn’t even half

of what he would normally conduct.

The service also provides transportation in the Keys for dinner outings, weddings and other special events.

Vans usually run to and from the airports six times a day, seven days a week. Cisneros said daily trips were cut back to three once the shuttle service came back online, and even that was too much for the demand.

“I can’t lose that much money for a long period. We’re going into September and October,” he said. “That is just not enough to keep it going.”

Airline passenger statistics from the major South Florida airports show decreases of more than 70% since the pandemic hit. Just over 627,000 passengers flew in and out of the Miami International Airport for the month of June, per the most recent data by the airport. A year before, more than 3.7 million people had arrived and departed from the air hub. It accounts for an 83% drop in passenger numbers between the years.

Domestic flights out of Miami International Airport for June were down 71% while international flights dropped by 96%.

Around 11.4 million passengers have flown in and out of the Miami airport since the start of the year.

Compare that to last year’s count of

23.4 million passengers in that same period, and counts are down 51.4%.

At Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport, around 936,000 passengers arrived and departed in July — a 70% drop from the year before when 3.1 million flew in and out.

June passenger counts totaled 601,140, an 80% drop from the year before, when just over 3 million were arriving and departing from the airport.

Just over 10.3 million have used the Fort Lauderdale airport since the start of the year. That’s down 53% from the year before, when approximately 22.3 million passengers were flying to and from the airport.

With passengers either feeling uneasy flying or finding alternative modes of transportation, services like Keys Shuttle remain in question. Cisneros said he’s hoping to resume the shuttle service sometime toward the end of November near Thanksgiving.

“We’ll see what happens,” he said.

“I’ll have to take a look at how the airlines are doing because they are the ones who feed customers to us. As long as people are not traveling by air, there’s not much we can do.”

17

18

CORONAVIRUS

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

Key West city officials voted Sept. 1 to allow restaurants to open bar seating, such as those at La Trattoria, 524 Duval St., Key West. MANDY MILES/Keys Weekly

COVID COSTS ARE CRIPPLING KEY WEST

City seeks input from business owners MANDY MILES

K

mandy@keysweekly.com

ey West businesses are hurting from the COVID-19 pandemic, capacity restrictions and reduced tourism, but most of them aren’t asking for government assistance.

They want city hall to let them help themselves — by relaxing regulations to allow bar seating inside restaurants, which is permitted in the rest of the Florida Keys. The Key West City Commission responded on Sept. 1 by allowing groups of six people or fewer to sit at restaurants’ bars while ordering food and drinks.

“The TDC is starting a marketing campaign Oct. 1; it’s their job to advertise all of the Florida Keys and it’s worked for many years.”

— Bill Lay

Business owners also want the Keys’ tourism council to launch an advertising campaign targeting visitors who can reach Key West within a day’s drive, typically from North Carolina and states south. And they want local residents to welcome returning tourists with appreciation and hospitality, rather than dread at the possibility of COVID spread, as some groups seem to view them right now, said Kim Works of Pirate Radio.

Shaun McConnell, owner of Irish Kevin’s bar and grill, called for an aggressive marketing campaign by the Monroe County Tourist Development Council.

“We have to aggressively market the island because we’re on life support,” he said. “Rents on Duval were already out of control. Now they’re not survivable. And keep in mind, before we propose anything that’s going to cost the city money, it’s likely about to lose millions of dollars as well if the cruise ship referendums pass.”

Attorney Bart Smith, who also owns Sunset Marina and Key West Golf Course, told the 25 or so roundtable participants his occupancy has dropped to 25% to 30% on weekdays and 60% on weekends.

“Our hotel occupancy rates are abysmal. We canceled all the events that bring people down here. We should be on overdrive, advertising the Keys, encouraging people to come,” Smith said.

Restaurant owner Bill Lay echoed the importance and effectiveness of the TDC’s marketing and advertising efforts.

“The TDC is starting a marketing campaign Oct. 1,” he said.

“It’s their job to advertise all of the Florida Keys and it’s worked for many years.”

City seeks input on economic recovery The discussion occurred during an Aug. 27 roundtable discussion hosted by the Key West Chamber of Commerce.

Local business consultant Elisa Levy facilitated the chamber’s roundtable on Aug. 27.

Levy is hosting dozens of similar talks with various business and community interests: lodging, attractions, restaurants, the arts, Key West mom and pop businesses and so on.

“There are numerous challenges and they are grave,” Levy said, adding that all ideas and concerns from each roundtable will be presented to the city commission on Oct. 1.

Additional suggestions for the city’s economic recovery Levy also shared the following suggestions that came from one or more of the roundtable discussions about the city’s economic recovery: • Free parking downtown for six months to a year.

• Commercial rent reduction, perhaps with the city’s encouragement or incentive.

• Incentives for landlords renting to local workers, and forgoing more profitable shortterm vacation rentals.

• Permission to hold smallerscale, outdoor fairs and events to bring visitors to the island.

• Greet visitors with free, decorative face masks at the airport and ferry terminal.

• Marketing efforts that highlight Key West’s protective safety protocols.

LOWER KEYS

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

19

STOCK ISLAND GROUP APPEALS COUNTY DECISION

The Cow Key Channel Bridge repair crews have installed a new bridge deck and are expected to finish the project in late 2020. FDOT/Contributed

COW KEY BRIDGE WORK IS COMING ALONG New bridge deck installed; project enters final phase

T

he Cow Key Bridge overhaul started in March, just as the COVID pandemic brought Florida Keys tourism, schools — and traffic — to a virtual standstill.

The timeframe offered a silver lining to the coronavirus closures, as the anticipated traffic nightmares were not an issue while visitors were prevented from entering the island chain.

Traffic tie-ups started when the Keys reopened to tourists on June 1, but have remained significantly less of a problem than expected prior to the pandemic.

The Florida Department of Transportation is managing and funding the $6.2 million repairs to and replacement of the bridge that separates Key West from neighboring Stock Island.

According to FDOT’s Aug. 29 update, the project is now in its second and final phase, with work expected to be complete “in late 2020.”

“Crews successfully poured and completed the new bridge deck,” the update states. “Bridge barrier walls and rails are scheduled to be completed in the coming month, although the schedule may change due to bad weather or other unexpected conditions.”

FDOT officials also issue a notice to mariners about vessel access under the bridge.

“Construction crews are working in the water and overhead,” the update states. “Bridge spans 2, 3 and 4 are blocked by barges. For the safety of mariners and the construction crew, mariners should use other spans for passage or consider an alternate route. Please use caution and pay close attention to no-wake zone signs.” .

More information is available from U.S. Coast Guard Sector Key West at 305-292-8727.

— Contributed

The diagram details sidewalk closures to bikes and pedestrians during the current construction phase. FDOT/Contributed

Two Stock Island residents have appealed the county’s roadway abandonment to allow the construction of apartments, and assert the fence shown above is unpermitted. CONTRIBUTED

T

wo Stock Island residents have appealed a recent decision by the Monroe County Commission to abandon Laurel and MacDonald avenues on the island in favor of adjoining landowners Murray Marine Sales and Service, Inc. and Wreckers Cay Apartments at Stock Island LLC. South Florida attorney Ron Strauss filed the petition for writ of certiorari and mandamus on behalf of Diane Beruldsen of the Stock Island Association, and resident Aramis Ikatu.

“The County Commission just gave away the last of the public access to open water on Stock Island to two developers,” Beruldsen said.

“Looks like the commission thinks only tourists and wealthy homeowners with waterfront private property should get to access the water on Stock Island.”

“The county’s vote to abandon the roads is governed by County Code 19-1, which prohibits road abandonment if it ‘provides access to the public to land on open water,’ and/or ‘would preclude a way for the public to maintain access to the water,’” Strauss said. “Abandoning those roads violates both of those provisions.”

Both Laurel and MacDonald Avenue lead to the filled “spits” that extend into Boca Chica Bay, the petition states. The spits are used by the public for swimming, picnicking and family events. Liveaboard boaters dock their dinghies there to access shopping options and get to work.

If the developers close the land to the public, Ikatu won’t be able to access his houseboat residence, states a press release from the filers.

The petitioners also want Murray Marine to remove a fence erected in the Laurel Avenue right-of-way that blocks public access to the water.

They claim Murray Marine also has built unpermitted docks attached to the right of way as well as a shed there, and denies the public access to public property.

“Could you tell me how Murray Marine fenced off a public seawall and built docks and, hence, denied access to the water by the public?

Was that action permitted and approved by you without public input?”

Nancy Hillman, a Stock Island resident, asked the county commission.

According to Friday’s petition, “The faint greyed out lines in the survey sketch clearly show the edge of the open water within the Laurel Avenue right-of-way, with six unpermitted piers extending perpendicularly from the edge of the right-of-way into the water being used by Murray Marine behind the unpermitted fence, along with boat storage racks for its business.”

The petition wants the county’s code enforcement department to remove the fence and encroaching structures, and to require the payment of fines and penalties for the unpermitted commercial use.

“At the hearing, the developers’ attorney Barton Smith told the commissioners that Murray Marine had a permit to build that fence in the right-of-way, but there is no such permit. That was absolutely wrong, and Christine Hurley from the county had to correct him later in the hearing,” Beruldsen said. “Maybe Murray Marine will leave the docks and piers there for the public to use, since they’ve made money for years by using public property and keeping the public out.”

— Contributed

20

OP-ED

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

: N O H T A R A M D OF N I K S ’ T I , H A YE A BIG DEAL

N IN O I L L I 60 M D E RWAY 1 $ T U ABO ENTS UN E KEYS EM DL V O R P IN MID IM

I

rma, COVID-19, dengue fever, murder hornets, and whatever else comes our way has nothing on what’s happening in our islands of Marathon. Marathon has been growing and improving since Wilma, but things have exponentially picked up over the past few years.

There will always be debates on both sides (rightfully so) on our community’s growth, but what is so impressive to me isn’t just the growth, but the improvements. Specifically, replacing old infrastructure with new and improved facilities that will better serve our businesses, community, and visitors; while also hardening our buildings with newer construction that enhances our U.S.1 corridor — truly creating a win-win for all of us.

Our small islands are seeing multiple projects, each of which will have positive effects on multiple levels.

First and foremost is our local Fishermen’s Community Hospital (FCH). Having a hospital is crucial to a community’s health (pun intended). It allows quick access to health care for locals and visitors, many high-paying jobs, as well as sustaining/increasing property values.

Moreover, our FCH is being completely rebuilt by Baptist Health South Florida, along with our local hospital foundation board (chaired by my good friend Mike Leonard). It’s a $40 million investment, with $15 million coming from local philanthropic support via the foundation.

Baptist estimates the construction alone has created more than 500 jobs; and when our new hospital is fully open and operational, it will have created over 100 quality jobs.

Another asset seeing vast improvements: Stanley Switlik Elementary School. A $32 million renovation to improve, enhance and harden the Switlik campus and facility is almost complete. The new buildings will all be well above flood, have category 5 storm wind ratings, and have the latest mandated security measures to better protect our children and school staff. Of course, education is crucial to a community’s success and quality of life.

Next on the list, and adjacent to the school, is the new Marathon library, which is operated and owned by Monroe County. The state-of-the-art library is a $7.2 million investment in Marathon. Again, it puts contractors, sub-contractors, and many other tradesmen to work in our community. Libraries can have a big impact on the economy. A recent return on investment (ROI) study conducted by the Haas Center for Business Research and Economic Development at the University of West Florida, reports that for every $1 Floridians invest into Florida public libraries, they receive $10.18 in economic return. This means the $7.2 million of public/county money invested into Marathon’s new library will yield a ROI of about $73 million to Marathon and Middle Keys residents, students, etc. in economic value.

al y Hospit it n u m en’s Com Fisherm

ry on Libra h t a r a M While Marathon has seen a resurgence in resorts since the recession, some additional units were also recently approved by the City of Marathon Council. The longtime defunct Crystal Cove Resort is finally under construction and will soon feature a 46-room hotel. Our Holiday Inn Express is transitioning to a Fairfield Inn & Suites (part of the Marriott family), and is adding 27 suites on the water side of their property. Lastly, our newest accommodation, Isla Bella Beach Resort, has also received approval to add about 102 rooms onto their property. Build-out costs for just these three additions easily exceed $20 million. The additional visitors also equate to increased visitor spending within our community, benefiting both our local businesses, their staff, as well as our city and county that will derive revenue via sales and bed tax collections.

COMMUNITY NEWS

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

21

BRIEFLY Turkey Point Nuclear Plant to test siren on Friday The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office has been informed there will be a regularly scheduled test of the Turkey Point Nuclear Power Plant’s warning sirens at 1 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 4.

The test will be about 20 minutes from start to finish. The test is a required part of the emergency management alert and notification program.

In the event of a real incident, information and protective action (if necessary) would be communicated via local and social media outlets.

The Friday event is only a test.

nts partme A e v o C Crystal

Last, and arguably most important, are the many workforce housing projects that have been approved by Marathon City Council. We actually have a few that are currently under construction and a few that have been completed (we applaud you St. Columba, Seaward Landing, etc.). One that you cannot miss driving through the center of Marathon is off of 48th Street (gulf side), which will consist of 101 two-bedroom units. In addition, local broker and developer Brian Schmitt has approvals for two more housing developments in the Coco Plum area, which will total 124 units, of which 15 will be reserved for essential personnel (fire fighters, law enforcement, etc.). These three housing projects, as well as the ones by St. Columba and Peter Rosasco’s Seaward Landing, have estimated construction costs totaling about $60 million, and will add about 286 new units for those in our local workforce. That’s quite an accomplishment for our small community that has consistently always had a large workforce housing deficit. Businesses will be able to hire from a bigger pool of applicants, and applicants will be able to enjoy rent-stable housing that encourages them to stay in the area. Eventu-

ally some will move into market rate rentals or purchase homes.

Ultimately we need to reduce the transiency of our workforce; by building new, additional workforce housing we can reduce the turnover that vastly affects our businesses and employers.

Marathon is experiencing a building boom most haven’t seen here in decades, since Phil Sadowski, Allen Schmitt, and other developers and visionaries helped to shape our Middle Keys community.

I choose to embrace these projects as they are injecting hundreds of millions of dollars (est. $159.2 million) in capital, jobs, property tax revenue, housing for our workforce, as well as better construction that meets the latest and greatest building codes. Cheers are due to the City of Marathon. There’s a healthy, successful and bright future ahead.

Respectfully,

of Commerce

Daniel Samess, CEO Greater Marathon Chamber

Locals visit DRC for free until Oct. 15 Love dolphins? Want a break from schooling or isolating at home in an outdoor, open-air space?

Dolphin Research Center is offering free general admission for all Monroe County residents now through Oct. 15. All that’s required is proper photo identification that shows proof of residency. The nonprofit marine mammal research and education facility is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at MM 59, Grassy Key. For more information, visit www.dolphins.org, or call 305-289-0002.

Have a (virtual) cocktail with hurricane author Willie Drye A virtual program, Cocktails with the Curator, being offered by Keys History & Discovery Center on Wednesday, Sept. 9 from 6 to 7 p.m., via Zoom, brings a special guest, Willie Drye.

Drye is a journalist and author who wrote “Storm of the Century: The Labor Day Hurricane of 1935” and “For Sale-American Paradise: How Our Nation Was Sold An Impossible Dream In Florida.” He will join the center’s curator, Brad Bertelli, for this open question-and-answer happy hour about all things Keys history.

The program is free but capacity is limited. Advance registration is required at www.keysdiscovery.com/ curatorconnections. Priority access is for museum members with session seats being assigned exclusively to members until the Monday prior to the event at 9 a.m. When the member priority access window closes, any non-members who have registered will be given remaining slots in the order in which they registered.

Registrants will receive a confirmation e-mail with a link to join the session when the virtual seat is assigned.­­ Cocktails with the Curator and Community Views, another program with Bertelli, resulted from the extended stay-at-home order; they

will continue as part of the regular program offerings by Keys History & Discovery Center.

Cocktails program recordings are available on-demand on the Florida Keys History & Discovery Center YouTube channel.

In addition to Facebook and YouTube, Keys History & Discovery Center can be found on Instagram @flkeyshistorydiscovery and Twitter @keyshistory. More information is at 305-9222237 or info@keysdiscovery.com.

Hazardous waste dropoff resumes in Key West On Saturday, Sept. 5, the City of Key West and Waste Management will be hosting a free household hazardous waste collection. The service, available to Key West residents only, is held at Indigenous Park on White Street from 8 a.m. until noon.

Items accepted will be household chemicals and electronics such as but not limited to: gasoline (in a leakproof container), oil, batteries, acids, poisons, cleaners, fertilizers, pool chemicals , TV’s, microwaves, gaming systems, phones, computer parts and accessories, remote controls, etc.

No household garbage or appliances will be accepted.

Participants are asked to wear a mask, stay in the vehicle, or beside their bicycle in line. Anyone walking up or skipping the line will not be served.

You must have proof of residency and be able to identify unlabeled items.

More information is at 305-8093776 or www.KeyWestRecycles.com.

Islamorada firefighters hold 9/11 ceremony On Friday, Sept. 11, Islamorada Fire Rescue will hold the annual Remembrance Day ceremony virtually.

The ceremony can be viewed after 11 a.m. on the Islamorada Village website islamorada.fl.us or on Facebook at Friends of Islamorada Fire Rescue Department.

22

COMMUNITY NEWS

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

City Council Steven Cook, Mayor Luis Gonzalez, Vice Mayor John Bartus, Councilmember Mark Senmartin, Councilmember Dr. Daniel Zieg, Councilmember

Steele delivers a $2,000 check to Monroe County Stars of Hope President, Major Tim Age. CONTRIBUTED

City Manager Chuck Lindsey

Please note that more than one Marathon City Council/Board/Committee member may participate in the meetings listed. To view the City of Marathon’s full calendar, please visit www.ci.marathon.fl.us/calendar

City Council Meeting

9/08/20 • 5:30pm Virtual – Directions will be posted on www.ci.marathon.fl.us for viewing

Firefighter Pension Board Meeting

9/10/20 • 5:00pm Virtual – Directions will be posted on www.ci.marathon.fl.us for viewing

City Council 1st Budget Hearing

9/10/20 • 5:05pm Virtual – Directions will be posted on www.ci.marathon.fl.us for viewing

Code Compliance Hearing

9/17/20 • 2:00pm Virtual – Directions will be posted on www.ci.marathon.fl.us for viewing

Planning Commission Meeting

9/21/20 • 5:30pm Virtual – Directions will be posted on www.ci.marathon.fl.us for viewing

City Council 2ND Budget Hearing

9/22/20 • 5:05pm Virtual – Directions will be posted on www.ci.marathon.fl.us for viewing Pursuant to Section 286.0105, Florida Statutes, if a person decides to appeal any decision made by the City Council with respect to any matter considered at any meeting or workshop noted herein, he or she will need a record of the proceedings and for such purposes he or she may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made; which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based.

The City of Marathon complies with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you are a disabled person requiring special accommodations or assistance, please notify the City Attorney at (305) 289-4130 of such need at least 72 hours (3 days) in advance. 9/2/20/hp

Pictured, from left, are Lauren, wife; Carter, son; Steele; Audrey, daughter; and Aleida Jacobo, Wesley House CEO. CONTRIBUTED

NEXT TAX COLLECTOR DONATES CAMPAIGN FUNDS TO CHARITIES JIM McCARTHY

jim@keysweekly.com

H THIS WEEK’S ENTERTAINMENT SEPTEMBER 3, THURSDAY

TIM DEE & FRIENDS 2PM SEPTEMBER 4, FRIDAY

MASAI 7PM

SEPTEMBER 5, SATURDAY

THE GYPSY COW POKES 7PM SEPTEMBER 6, SUNDAY

SUNDAY JAM 6PM

SEPTEMBER 7, MONDAY

HAPPY L ABOR DAYWE ARE CLOSED!

SEPTEMBER 8, TUESDAY

COUNTRY JAM BAND 7PM

SEPTEMBER 9, WEDNESDAY

TONY MANFREDI 6:30 PM

S o c ia l d is ta n c in g w it h ta b le s 6’ apar t

ONLY WATERFRONT DIVE BAR IN THE MIDDLE KEYS • COLD BEER, COCKTAILS & INCREDIBLE SPECIALTY DRINKS • DELICIOUS FOOD - TRY OUR FAMOUS CHICKEN POT PIE OR AUTHENTIC STREET TACOS!

OPEN SUN THRU THURSDAY, 11 AM - 11 PM | FRI-SAT 11 AM - MIDNIGHT 35 SOMBRERO BOULEVARD OVERLOOKING BOOT KEY HARBOR

ad there been a challenge this year, Sam Steele would have used his campaign contributions to support his run for Monroe County tax collector. He’s unopposed, however, and it led the next head of the tax office to donate funds to Keys charities.

Steele recently donated a little more than $14,000 to 14 charities, from Key West to Key Largo, in a show of support for various missions from children support services to family assistance. He told the Keys Weekly he gave the funds back to the community, as it was the right move considering the fact he’s running unopposed.

“One of the hardest things about the campaign was raising funds, especially during the pandemic,” Steele said. “I know that a lot of nonprofits are seeking assistance right now. It’s a tough time for them with the amount they give back to the community.”

Steele said several donors requested that he donate funds to charity. He also sent letters to all donors thanking them for their support and letting them know the funds went to charities.

Receiving $2,000 were Monroe County Stars of Hope, Wesley House Family Services, Making Strides Against Breast Cancer in the Florida Keys and

Take Stock in Children (the state matched the $2,000 for a total of $4,000).

Key Largo Lions Club, United Way of Collier and the Keys and Presents in Paradise each received $1,000 in donations from Steele.

Sister Season Fund received just over $980. Sunset Key West Rotary, Fair Insurance Rates of Monroe, Samuel's House Inc., Florida Keys Land & Sea Trust at Crane Point and Habitat for Humanity of the Middle Keys received $500 each.

“There are so many charities out there I wanted to help,” Steele said. “I wanted to give back to the ones I’ve been involved with the past several years and other ones, thinking about families and children and other charities that would help those who might be having financial struggles.”

A Florida State University graduate, Steele was introduced to the Florida Keys by his wife, Lauren, some 10 years ago. Currently serving as tax manger in the Monroe County Tax Collector’s Office, he announced his candidacy in late June of 2019 following Danise “Dee Dee” Henriquez’s plans to enter the county commission race (she’s since backed out of the race and just recently retired as tax collector. Assistant tax collector Angela Hitchcock is managing the office through January unless Gov. Ron DeSantis appoints Steele for the interim).

Steele was set to square off against Aileen Galvan, director of operations at the Monroe County Tax Collectors Office. She dropped out of the race in early June. She’ll continue to serve in her role at the tax office.

Unless Gov. Ron DeSantis appoints Steele as the next tax collector before the end of the year, Steele said he’s ready to get going in his soon-to-be new role.

“I’m very excited,” he said. “I’m truly honored and privileged to serve the county in this capacity. I want everything to run smoothly and efficiently as it has been.”

23

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

For

MONROE COUNTY Paid by Craig Cates, Republican, for Monroe County Commission District 1

500 12th St.

Congratulations to the buyers of this Key Colony Beach lot!

Ready to buy or sell in Paradise?

Let an experienced Realtor® help you find your perfect home.

David Grego

Call David today!

Florida Keys

www.IslandBreezeRealty.com

It’s time to get back to the basics of good recycling 1

2

Empty bottles, cans, paper and cardboard.

3 Keep food and liquid out.

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Purchase one from your local hardware stores, then call the 800 number to set up a pickup.

ROLLOFF CONTAINERS and PORTABLE TOILETS available.

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Recyclables go directly into the cart.

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24

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

Looking to BUY or SELL in the Florida Keys?

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RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED

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isla bella spa and pool package | $450* Enjoy a 60 min Massage and 60 min Facial 2 hour Resort Pool access $50 Food & Beverage credit at Il Postino or The Marketplace *20% gratuity will be added for spa services. Total cost with gratuity will be $516

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Join us Fridays and Sundays from 3-4pm for Mimosas and Fresh Fruit with purchase!

25

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

OUR DOCKS ARE OPEN! Come by Boat, Bike, Foot or Car!

OPEN FOR LUNCH, HAPPY HOUR & DINNER 7 DAYS A WEEK! 11AM – 10PM DAILY VOTED

BEST HAPPY HOUR 11 YEARS IN A ROW! ALSO VOTED

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SATURDAY & SUNDAY Regular Menu Available and BRUNCH items including Chorizo Breakfast Burrito, Guava French Toast, Crab Benedict and BOGO Mimosas & Glasses of Champagne 11am - 4pm

NIGHTLY SPECIALS Monday: BBQ and Brews Tuesday: Jumbo Gumbo Bowls Tacos and Tequila Live Music with Roger Jokela Wednesday: Wine Time Wednesday ($15-$20 bottles) Thursday: Prime Rib Night Abstract Radio

SUNDAY NIGHT!

Friday: LIVE Music with Abstract Radio

DAILY SPECIALS

Sunday: FUNDAY BRUNCH, LUNCH & BOGO Mimosas & Champagne Spaghetti & Meatballs Night

Spaghetti & Meatballs

Saturday: Mini Brunch BOGO Mimosas & Champagne College Football

Happy Hour 4-6pm

DUMPSTER RENTAL

SITE CLEARING

SITE WORK & PAVING

PORTABLES

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26

WEEKLY INTERVIEW

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

SHE’S EVERYWHERE AND INTERESTED IN EVERYTHING Jennifer Powell loves dolphins, Bruce Springsteen, staying busy and synchronized swimming

S

he’s like air — everywhere at once.

She has a brilliant smile, a calm facade and is constantly upbeat.

What else is Jennifer Powell? Well, she’s a Springsteen superfan with an interest in synchronized swimming, and spent a lifetime in corporate America as an organizational and leadership developer before moving to the Keys, specifically to work at Dolphin Research Center.

Probably the best way to describe Powell is to use her life motto: Live a life of adventure. Be courageous, and help others find their courage. Be a light, and help others find their way.

Your full name: Jennifer Joan Powell Where were you born? Erie, Pennsylvania.

What was your first career? After studying at Edinboro University and Slippery Rock University, I received a degree in health and physical science. I spent six years teaching middle school P.E. (Later I would get a masters in applied behavioral science from Johns Hopkins University.)

Then what? For the biggest part of my professional career, I spent time working for Westinghouse Electric, the Weather Channel and Aetna in Baltimore, Atlanta and Philadelphia. I had roles in organizational development and leadership development. Basically I was transitioning those companies to team-based leadership instead of the traditional corporate structure.

What was the hardest part? Often, I was coaching my bosses. That could be daunting. But we also talked about improving business results. It’s not just about the feel-good stuff, it’s about the bottom line. Team leadership doesn’t work unless the bosses embrace it; the practice filters through the company from top to bottom.

What makes a good team leader?

Someone who can accept they don’t have to be an expert in the subject matter, but knows how to get the best out of people.

What makes a good team player?

Someone who understands that everyone needs to play to their strengths, and that it’s good to have different opinions and have different perspectives.

How did you come to the Keys? I discovered the Dolphin Research Center in 1989. In 2000, I made a plan to move to the Florida Keys. In 2005 I moved here. I spent more than 7 years working at DRC in the education department. I was a “Flipper” kid.

Dolphin is definitely my spirit animal.

How many times have you retired?

Twice. My friends tell me they think I don’t

know the meaning. I tell them, I’ll keep doing it until I get it right. Up until COVID-19, I was a tour guide taking groups to places like Cuba.

How are you keeping yourself busy during quarantine? I took some tour operator classes. I am taking other classes to become a certified master naturalist. And playing with my two rescue cats, a brother and sister, named Inky and Amelia.

And now? Well, I work part time at the Turtle Hospital and volunteer as a tour guide at Pigeon Key. Recently, I became involved with the Star of the Sea food pantry, which I connected with through my work with MERC (Monroe Emergency Reserve Corps). It gives me something to do. (No, Jennifer, that gives you ANOTHER thing to do!)

And last but not least, you’re involved as the chair board for the Domestic Abuse Shelter, right? Oh, yes. I’ve been on the board since 2010 and president since 2015, along with all of my other volunteer stuff. Right now, we’re trying to raise the $2 million needed to rebuild our main facility damaged in Hurricane Irma. It’s just a terrible time to raise money.

What 20-second anecdote would you share with Alex Trebek on your first “Jeopardy” appearance? I guess it would be about the summer of 2017 I spent in Alaska as a combination deckhand and naturalist on whale-watching boat excursions. It was very physical work and I had to learn how to tie knots. I was the oldest crew member, 67 at the time, and working 10-12 hours a day alongside 20-somethings.

What do you watch on TV? All the crime shows and documentaries. I recommend “Outcry” on Showtime, about a teenager falsely accused of child molestation.

What’s the most used device in your kitchen? My Magic Bullet blender for making the morning smoothie.

What’s something most people don’t know about you? I am a huge Bruce Springsteen fan and have probably been to more than a dozen concerts. One of those was in Helsinki, Finland. It was a side trip from the 2012 Olympics in London two months after I had heart surgery.

Heart surgery? I kept telling my doctors that I had tickets to the Olympics and that I had to be well by then. And I was.

What did you see at the Olympics? I had tickets to the synchronized swimming event (I competed in college), badminton and volleyball.

What’s left on your bucket list? Scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef.

SARA MATTHIS

sara@keysweekly.com

27

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

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28

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

ALL SOLD! ST D U J OL S

755 101ST ST, MARATHON CONGRATULATIONS TO MY SELLERS! THINKING OF SELLING YOUR PROPERTY? CONTACT ME AND LET’S WORK TOGETHER TO PRICE IT PROPERLY IN TODAY’S MARKET AND GET IT SOLD IN THE TIME FRAME YOU WANT!

ST D U J OL S

CHASE FOSTER, REALTOR®

AMY PUTO, REALTOR

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T S JU OLD S

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CONGRATULATIONS TO MY SELLERS!

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T S JU OLD S

ANNA SCHUTT | TEAM SCHUTT

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CONGRATULATIONS TO MY SELLERS ON THE SALE OF THEIR PROPERTY! GIVE ME A CALL AND LET’S GET TO WORK FINDING YOU YOUR FOREVER HOME. 305.289.6519

LELA ASHKARIAN P.A, CRS, GRI, E-PRO

ST D U J OL S

105 AVE D #101 MARATHON CONGRATULATIONS TO MY BUYERS & MY SELLERS!

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43 SADOWSKI CAUSEWAY KEY COLONY

T S JU OLD S

LET MY PASSION FOR REAL ESTATE AND THE FLORIDA KEYS WORK FOR YOU TOO.

NATALIE ARDIS REALTOR®

MICHELE COOK

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35 SOMBRERO BLVD A10

AMY PRUMO, REALTOR 305.289.6562

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THE PRUMO/CARDEN TEAM JUST SOLD THIS PROPERTY. FOR ALL YOUR REAL ESTATE NEEDS, GIVE US A CALL TODAY!

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CONGRATULATIONS TO BUYERS ON THEIR NEW HOME! PROFESSIONAL, HONEST AND HARD WORKING! I CAN ASSIST YOU IN BUYING OR SELLING YOUR HOME HERE IN PARADISE! LET’S GET IT DONE TOGETHER! CALL ME TODAY!

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T S JU OLD S

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BRIAN JUST LISTED AND SOLD THIS PROPERTY! GIVE ME A CALL AND LET’S GET TO WORK FINDING YOU YOUR FOREVER HOME. BRIAN SCHMITT LICENSED BROKER 305.743.5181

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KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

11050 Overseas Hwy. Marathon ST D U J OL S

27 MARIPOSA RD. RAMROD

AMY PRUMO, REALTOR 305.289.6562

ST D U J OL S

121 CALLE ENSUENO, MARATHON

TOM CARDEN, REALTOR 815.329.5220

THE PRUMO/CARDEN TEAM JUST SOLD THIS PROPERTY. FOR ALL YOUR REAL ESTATE NEEDS, GIVE US A CALL TODAY!

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T S JU OLD S

201 E OCEAN DR 2-103 MARATHON

RICK SERVAIS REALTOR®

ANOTHER LUXURY LISTING SOLD

BY THE BROCK TEAM! Congratulations to my sellers on the sale of this property.

My goal is to conduct business with integrity & honesty while providing you with the best experience for your real estate needs.

305.731.5010 CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR SELLERS! ENERGY & EXPERIENCE SETS OUR TEAM APART. WE GET YOUR PROPERTY SOLD; NOT JUST LISTED. GIVE US A CALL TODAY!

ST D U J OL S

MONICA BARRETT REALTOR®

WANDA BROCK, REALTOR

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330 25TH ST. MARATHON

CONGRATULATIONS TO MY SELLERS! GIVE ME A CALL AND LET'S GET TO WORK FINDING YOU YOUR FOREVER HOME.

T S JU OLD S

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KIM RABITO-SHOW, REALTOR® 305.304.8591 | kimmieinthekeys@gmail.com

T S JU OLD S

AMY PUTO, REALTOR

2600 OVERSEAS HWY #32 MARATHON CONGRATULATIONS TO MY SELLERS! THINKING OF SELLING YOUR PROPERTY? CONTACT ME AND LET’S WORK TOGETHER TO PRICE IT PROPERLY IN TODAY’S MARKET AND GET IT SOLD IN THE TIME FRAME YOU WANT!

305.766.1745 | www.AmyPuto.com

ANOTHER LUXURY PROPERTY SOLD BY BARBARA MCKEE Congratulations to my Sellers on the sale of this property.

Personalized strategy for each Seller and Buyer! Dedicated to your SUCCESS! Guaranteed!

BARBARA MCKEE, REALTOR

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30

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

WE’VE GOT YOU

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DARE I SAY IT

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

THE WEEKLY’S SCHOOLHOUSE EXTRAVAGANZA KIDS TAKE OVER UNUSED OFFICES DURING START OF SCHOOL YEAR

I

have already issued one unexcused absence.

SARA Max Childress, MATTHIS the 12-year-old son of Patti Childress, a thinks commuKeys Weekly sales exnity journalism ecutive, decided not is important, but not serious; likes to come to the office weird and wonone day last week. I derful children texted him about the (she has two). infraction.

Occasionally she You can color me tortures herself with sprint-dissurprised how much tance triathlons, I love the miniature but only if she has virtual school, or a good chance of beating her sister. “micro school” (see page 12 for more) that is taking place at the Keys Weekly office in Marathon. Childress is joined most days by the young Josh Koler, son of publisher Jason Koler. They are, respectively, seventh and sixth graders.

First, it’s a needed injection of boy energy into the predominantly female office. And frankly, we Weekly folks miss having some of our colleagues in the office such as Anneke Patterson, Christina Valdes and Lesley Aaron. Those three are voluntarily working from home, and their offices are empty.

And so, on the first day of school, Aug. 19, the Keys Weekly started its own. Max in one office and Josh in the other. Between classes, they meet in the hall and play with Velma, my dog. Velma adores the boys and it’s a big selling point to getting her into the car every morning. (Some key words she’s learned recently: “office” and “boys.”) On longer breaks, they take her to the dog park next door

to stretch her legs and come back with tales of the new friends she’s met, most notably “Pebbles.”

Frankly, it’s a perfect solution in my mind. The kids get out of the house, and the employees get to see someone new, for goodness sake. The kids enjoy plenty of perks: Javier Reyes is serving as the IT professional dealing with any connectivity issues that arise.

Patti Childress, Velma and I serve as hall monitors, warning the kids to get back in front of their screens at the allotted hour and minute.

Our office manager, Char Hruska, is a bit like the school librarian.

When things get a little rowdy, she delivers a grandmotherly warning which the boys easily forgive because she plies them with Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pies and Hostess Hohos and, on occasion, pizza from Driftwood.

And, I have acquired a new craft buddy. Max and I have big plans and a full Amazon cart to tackle ornaments (again), googlyeyed plaster of Paris birds and papier mache objects featuring the accomplished articles and advertisements of the Keys Weekly.

Sadly, not one person has asked me to edit a single essay.

But I have high hopes it will happen in the next week. Hint, hint.

P.S. My daughter, Rachel?

Does she attend the Keys Weekly School? Unfortunately, no. She has already been subjected to my editing class and feels no need to repeat the experience. Also, she has a hard time getting me to keep quiet when she’s attending a video class.

God, I miss school.

‘BUSY IS BEST FOR BETTY’

B

etty Walker celebrated another birthday recently with a drive-by parade organized by her church. The stylish Marathon resident is an icon, immediately recognizable by the string of pearls around her neck — at the grocery store, when she’s exercising or volunteering. On her birthday, the look was augmented with a tiara. I had the honor of interviewing the nonagenarian (that means someone in their 90s!) six years ago. She told me two things that have stuck in my head: one, her first visit to the Keys was way back when reservations were made through correspondence. She wrote to the former Buccaneer Resort and the hotel wrote back, confirming their stay. Two, she doesn’t complain: “I had a wonderful childhood. I’ve had a wonderful life all the way along. You have to learn to overcome sadness and obstacles because life goes on and you do the best you can with it.”

Happy Birthday, Betty. Photo by LYNN VOIT.

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KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

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33

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

RISE & SHINE

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• Largest Draft Beer Selection in the Keys 1/2 OFF from 3-5 • $2 Pints of Yuengling and Bud Light!

• $7 Happy Hour Menu - 24 Delicious Selections • Sashimi & Nigiri - Bigger Happy Hour Portions!

• Prime Rib • Fri • Sat • Sun only • Cook Your Own Catch • Diver-speared Local Fish • Local Lobster • Great Seafood Selections

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34

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY, SEP 6 1PM - 4PM

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COOL STUFF

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

Mainstreaming

WHAT TO DO THIS WEEK

DRINK | NULU BOURBON According to the distillers at Prohibition Craft Spirits, every barrel of Nulu Straight Single Barrel (MGP Bourbon) is different with a “unique and flavorful” pour. The Kentucky-based distillery, initially known for its tequila, doesn’t always distribute to the masses.

NULU Straight Bourbon is typically only available through private Facebook groups and other clubs — but worth the trouble if you can land a bottle (around $100). For more, check them out at prohibitioncraftspirits.com

WATCH | PERRY MASON The legend of Perry Mason was recently resurrected in an eight-part HBO series capturing the origins of Erle Stanley Gardner’s fictional creation. The plot follows a young Mason battling the psychological traumas suffered in the first World War — grinding out his days as a cynical private detective. Set in the Great Depression, the gritty imagery and dark storyline explores Mason’s moral ascent into one of the world’s greatest defense attorneys. A top-tier cast creates a theatrical playhouse feel throughout the series, with Matthew Rhys shouldering the load of a sure-to-be awarding-winning role.

READ | THE LAST TRIAL Scott Turow’s “The Last Trial” (2020) is the bookend — pun intended — to “Burden of Proof” (1990). In the first book, readers are introduced to legal defense attorney Sandy Stern as he defends a client in a commodities case while simultaneously coping with his wife’s tragic death. In “The Last Trial,” Stern is trying his last case while facing his own mortality. (It occurs to the reader that the books model Turow’s own triumphant professional arc and that in “The Last Trial” he’s contemplating his own swan song.) As always, the book features great characterization (love granddaughter “Pinky”) and a knack for explaining while entertaining in the dry realm of the law.

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HOROSCOPE

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

WHAT THE STARS HAVE IN STORE

REDA WIGLE VIRGO Aug. 23 to Sept. 22 Critic Roger Ebert said of director and fellow Virgo Werner Herzog, “He has never created a single film that is compromised, shameful, made for pragmatic reasons or uninteresting. Even his failures are spectacular.” As you enjoy your solar return this month, Virgo, remember that so long as you create your life in a way that is uncompromising, proud, unreasonable and wholly interesting, you cannot possibly fail in any way that matters. The world waits with bated breath for the spectacle of your success.

Notable Virgo: Albertine Sarrazin/ Sept. 17, 1937

is a middle child and Taurus Fire Tiger named after a stigmatic saint.

She divides her time and affections between New Orleans and Key West.

LIBRA Sept. 23 to Oct. 22 I subscribe to the belief that unless you are a porn star or an astronaut, what you do for a living is secondary to, and far less interesting than, who you are as a person. But Libras are famous for braiding their identities into their careers. What is left when your title is stripped and your business card burned? Remember that while there is sweetness to be found in the fruits of your labor, the treasures of your mind are endlessly more fortifying.

Notable Libra: Thelonious Monk / Oct. 10, 1917 Scorpio Oct. 23 to Nov. 21 Fellow Scorpio and hallucinogen advocate Timothy Leary asked that his death be videotaped for posterity. In his final moments Leary clenched and unclenched his fists, asking, “Why?” and then “Why not?” His dying word was “beautiful.” I imagine you might soon experience a kind of death or ending of your own. Whether

you are releasing a relationship, job, belief or fear, do so with unclenched fists and an eye toward the beauty that exists between what has been and what will be.

Notable Scorpio: Zadie Smith / Oct. 25, 1975 SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22 to Dec. 21 Photographer and fellow Sagittarius Saul Leiter admitted, “I don’t plan things. As a rule I prefer to see what happens.” Apply Leiter’s words to your own life when Mars, planet of momentum and getsh*t-done, goes retrograde this week. Normally plan-driven with an impulse for action, this reversal can leave you feeling either stagnant or serene, depending on your ability to embrace inaction and surrender to seeing what happens. If you let it be, archer, all shall be well.

Notable Sagittarius: Chadwick Boseman / Nov. 29, 1977 CAPRICORN Dec. 22 to Jan. 19 In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s 1843 short story “The Birth-Mark” a scientist goes to unimaginable lengths to remove a small blemish from the cheek of his otherwise perfect wife, killing her in the process. I wonder, sea goat, if a similar obsession with perfection is harming you, or by proxy, someone close to you. Remember that perfection is rarely interesting and always subjective.

Notable Capricorn: Andy Kaufman / Jan. 17, 1949 AQUARIUS Jan. 20 to Feb. 18 The air for you, air sign, is heavy with transformation in the weeks ahead as Virgo season illuminates your eighth house of sex, death and rebirth. You are meant to learn there can be no growth without death, and breakthroughs are born from what is broken. As you navigate these lessons and the change they demand, remember the creed of French chemist

Antoine Lavoisier: “Nothing is lost, nothing is created, everything is transformed.”

Notable Aquarius: Harry Styles / Feb. 1, 1994

within I grew.” Soften your stone, Taurus; you gotta let it out to let it go.

Notable Taurus: Trent Reznor / May 17, 1967

PISCES Feb. 19 to March 20 According to practitioners of Sex Magic, the most potent time for casting spells, manifesting desires or calling on powers is during orgasm. With a fresh full moon in your sign and a general attitude of experimentation, no one is more poised to benefit from this practice than you, Pisces. Whether you’re getting there with a pal or all on your own (recommended), the key to the ceremony is to set a clear intention and conduct your embodied energy toward it. Immediate benefit guaranteed.

Notable Pisces: John Lewis / Feb. 21, 1940

GEMINI May 21 to June 20 You never fail to produce or impress, Gemini, but oftentimes your procrastinating leaves you late to, or breathless at, the finish line.

Hot tip: Avoiding what you want or need to do is a condition of not valuing your time, and by extension, not valuing yourself. Be good to you and by default you’ll be better at the follow-through.

Notable Gemini: Agnès Varda / May 30, 1928

ARIES March 21 to April 19 Mars, your ruling planet, goes retrograde this week, putting a hitch in your giddyup. All too often you are focused on what comes next rather than what happens now; this backspin asks you kindly to slow your roll. Heed the words of fellow ram Tennessee Williams, who asked, “Has it ever struck you that life is all memory, except for the one present moment that goes by you so quick you hardly catch it going?” Practice standing still in these moments between memory.

Notable Aries: Gil Scott-Heron / April 1, 1949 TAURUS April 20 to May 20 You present as a calm, borderline stoic human even, and especially when, you are internalizing rage, hurt, confusion or anxiety. With Mars in retrograde you are being called to find healthy ways to express and exorcise. Consider the confession of fellow bull and OG sad boy Dante Alighieri who wrote, “I wept not, so to stone

CANCER June 21 to July 22 You prioritize partnership more than any other sign in the zodiac, Cancer. Your devotion is admirable but its limitlessness can interfere with professional advancement and your own personal evolution. Consider the sage wisdom of Lady Gaga: “Some women choose to follow men, some women choose to follow their dreams. If you’re wondering which way to go, remember that your career will never wake up and tell you that it doesn’t love you anymore.”

Notable Cancer: Post Malone / July 4, 1995 LEO July 23 to Aug. 22 Surrender to leonine laziness this week. With Mars in retrograde, you’re bound to feel your mane thinning. The only anecdote is to go full Roman dinner party, my dudes: Eat lying down, nap proudly and allow your greatest exertion of energy to be a raised eyebrow or the brushing of a crumb from your high-thread-count toga. You have your work cut out for you in the months ahead, so stock up on down time.

Notable Leo: Philippe Petit / Aug. 13, 1949

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

COMMUNITY NEWS

NEW COURTHOUSE ON PLANTATION KEY PROGRESSING Construction on the new Plantation Key Courthouse and Detention Center in Tavernier is progressing as crews work to erect the second floor. The $35 million project commenced in October 2019 as Monroe County officials put shovels into the ground. When complete, the 48,240-square-foot facility will house judicial and penal

functions. Construction is expected to be complete in early 2022. Tenants of the new space include the 16th Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Clerk of the Court, Monroe County State Attorney, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and Public Works Office. JIM McCARTHY/Keys Weekly

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38

COMMUNITY NEWS

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

W

e at Keys Weekly want to honor the men and women serving in our local military installations. With help and advice from our community members in the armed forces, we’re proud to present our Military Spotlight.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

CRUISE SHIPS HAVE LETHAL IMPACT

Report outlines harm to coral, sea life

D

PAUL SEGURA

BOATSWAIN’S MATE ABOARD USCGC KATHLEEN MOORE Why did you join the military? I love our great nation and wanted to do my part for our citizens and protect our Constitution.

How many years have you been in the military? 17 years Had you ever been to Key West or the Florida Keys before your current assignment? I had been to Key West before for port calls, which was a big reason I wanted to come here.

Did you choose Key West or were you assigned here? I chose to come here.

What were your first thoughts when hearing you were coming to the Keys?

Excitement.

Favorite things to do? Going out to the sandbar with my family and friends and kayaking.

Have you ever attended Fantasy Fest and if so what were your initial thoughts? Yes and it was so much fun!

What do you like most about the Keys? Its beauty and the people here.

What do you like most about your assignment? Getting a chance to be out at sea.

What’s one thing you would change about Key West if you had the power to do so? I would like to see a Chick-fil-A. Any advice for other military personnel seeking assignment here? Do your research and ask yourself if you would be comfortable with island life.

ear Editor, John E. Wells has written two letters recently claiming the Committee for Safer, Cleaner Ships is leading a “hysterical disinformation program” in support of the cruise ship referenda on the Nov. 3 ballot.

Mr. Wells doesn’t dispute the wellknown public health risk posed by large cruise ships, which is the fundamental reason for our campaign. Instead, he says the fact that cruise ships negatively impact marine life is fake news. “Cruise ships in Key West do not harm corals and there is no study that says they do,” Mr. Wells insists. “There is no data or report of cruise ship transits of the main ship channel harming any sea life.”

Mr. Wells embarrasses himself with these absurd claims. Everyone can see the silt plumes caused by large cruise ships with their own eyes. Most people don’t need a study to tell them what is plainly obvious: that the daily fouling of a marine environment is detrimental to the life within it. But in fact, there is a mountain of independent scientific evidence, paid for by the City of Key West and the U.S. Navy, showing cruise ships have a lethal impact on coral and sea life in Key West.

Dr. Thomas J. Murray’s 2005 report, “The Impact of the Cruise Ship Industry on the Quality of Life in Key West,” draws on dozens of scientific studies and explains why negative impacts from large cruise ships are more severe in Key West than in other global cruise ports: “The situation in Key West appears to be unique in that a relatively shallow and narrow main channel and harbor ... exist in close proximity to coral reef ecosystem habitats and communities that depend on clear, clean water.”

Murray notes that the main ship channel runs directly through an important spawning ground for the queen conch, an area so ecologically unique it has been federally designated as a Habitat Area of Particular Concern. He describes a large area of formerly pristine underwater environment that has been “severely impacted” by cruise ships and resembles a “blasted moonscape.”

But worse than this localized devastation is the widespread problem of “chronic turbidity” caused by the world’s

largest cruise ships traveling in and out of Key West. “Turbidity is … the second most important determinant of ecosystem health in the Florida Keys,” according to Murray. While high winds and other natural events also cause turbidity, Murray finds cruise ships cause levels 30 times higher than what is found in the natural environment.

Turbidity interrupts vital processes of coral and other aquatic species, hampering growth and occasionally causing death. “Turbidity levels observed with docking cruise ships greatly exceed state water quality standards and local fishermen … report the direct effect of turbidity plumes on the fish they are targeting.” Marine life that may be killed by ship-generated turbidity include commercially important species like lobster, stone crab, shrimp, snapper, and grouper.

Murray’s report is over 300 pages long, with 100 pages documenting the negative impacts of cruise ships on the marine environment. It is too much to summarize here, but readers may access the entire report at safercleanerships.com/murray-report.

Like others who are opposed to reasonable limits on cruise ships, Mr. Wells has a financial stake in the outcome of the November referenda. He is chairman of the Board of Caribe Nautical Services, which supplies large cruise ships with whatever they need when they call on Key West. The bigger the cruise ship, the bigger the paycheck for Mr. Wells.

His business partners include the Bar Pilots Association and the Walsh family, who operate Pier B and who have sued to block the people of Key West from voting on cruise ships in November.

This small group of powerful men and their surrogates are now telling the people of Key West not to believe their own eyes, and to forget about the science too. We think our voters are smart enough to distinguish facts from selfinterested falsehoods and decide what is best for our community.

Arlo Haskell Treasurer Committee for Safer, Cleaner Ships

39

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

For where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am with them.

- KEYS

TO THE KEY REAL ESTATE (SINCE 1990)

Karen

Bill

THIS WEEK’S SPECIALS !!

Matthew 18:20 We are streaming our Daily Devotions at 8am, Compline at 9pm and Sunday Prayers at 9am on our Facebook page. @stcolumbamarathonfl May the Peace of the Lord be always with you WE OFFER A COMMUNITY OF PEACE, LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING.

St. Columba Episcopal Church

BOOT KEY HARBOR 2BR/2BA, 1,606 sq ft. New metal roof and appliances. 199 ft of deep water dockage. Quick access to ocean or Gulf. 100 X 100 lot. Panoramic view.

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Open 7 Days a Week 5 pm-10 pm Tapas | Cocktails | Live Music 15% Locals Discount Dinner also available at our new waterfront eatery, Chicken Walk www.TavernNTown.com | 305.296.8100 Located at the Key West Marriott Beachside Hotel 3841 N Roosevelt Blvd | Key West

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ENVIRONMENT

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

TIFFANY DUONG

tiffany@keysweekly.com

TIFFANY DUONG

tiffany@keysweekly.com

FUNDED!

NOAA GRANT MONEY RENEWS DEBRIS CLEANUPS

A

fter Hurricane Irma, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reached out to local dive and snorkel operators in the Keys to help with debris removal within the Sanctuary. Through their innovative Goal: Clean Seas Florida Keys partnership, they hoped to tackle underwater marine debris issues by providing funding for operators to educate their staff and customers about marine debris removal and to take them out to do dives to retrieve debris.

During the first year of funding, the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation supported 49 cleanup trips for Blue Star dive operators. Nearly 450 recreational divers and 158 professional divers spent 897 hours underwater removing 14,693 pounds of debris, 78 intact, lost or damaged fishing and lobster traps, hundreds of pieces of trap debris, and 16,369 feet of line.

The funding ran out after a year, but has recently been reupped, and the foundation and its local chapter in the Florida Keys will receive $134,928 to remove underwater marine debris in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

The foundation will use the extra funds to expand upon its successes with the program.

“Marine debris is a significant challenge facing our ocean and marine wildlife, and it is an ongoing challenge in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary,” said Kris Sarri, president and CEO of the foundation.

“NOAA is a great partner in the effort to combat marine debris – working with communities to help sustain a healthy ocean.”

In the Keys, the Florida chapter of the foundation administers the Goal: Clean Seas Florida Keys program and works directly with Blue Star operators to build up community support and assistance with the program.

“Blue Star dive operators know the importance of Florida Keys reefs and are actively working with us to protect and restore it,” said Sara Rankin, chapter director of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Foundation. “We are privileged to work with NOAA to expand the Goal: Clean Seas Florida Keys underwater marine debris cleanup program.”

Sanctuary superintendent Sarah Fangman noted that community involvement was “critical” to address issues like marine debris that threaten not only the natural resource but also the Keys’ economy and very way of life.

LOOK BEFORE YOU BOOK

BLUE STAR PROGRAM ADDS MIDDLE, UPPER KEYS CHARTER BUSINESSES

T

he Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary established the Blue Star program to recognize tour operators committed to promoting responsible and sustainable diving, snorkeling and fishing practices.

The program’s goal is to reduce the impact of recreational activities on ecosystems in the Florida Keys. Through education, Blue Star operators help to keep the reefs and other coastal ecosystems healthy.

Operators become Blue Star recognized by attending annual training on issues affecting coral reefs, sanctuary regulations and coral reef etiquette. In turn, they educate their customers and participate in conservation activities.

“This education is important because the natural resources of the Florida Keys are stressed by a range of daunting factors, including overuse by uninformed or irresponsible visitors,” the program’s introductory webpage says.

The sanctuary has just added new operators in the Middle and Upper Keys: Keys Boat Tours of Ohio Key and KeyZ Charters of Islamorada. Keys Boat Tours is recognized as a Blue Star diving operator and fishing guide. KeyZ Charters offers eco- and historic tours, snorkeling, sunset cruises and more.

More information is at sanctuarybluestar.org or email bluestar.diving@noaa.gov.

41

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

CHARTER FISHING RETAIL

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REPAIR & MORE

THANK YOU KEY WEST!

VOTED BEST CONTRACTOR 5 YEARS IN A ROW! 305.289.0540 1901 OVERSEAS HWY, MARATHON WWW.THETACKLEBOX.COM Facebook: The Tackle Box Marathon Fla Keys Instagram@thetackleboxmarathonflakeys

There is a Cardiologist in the Keys!

Dr. Luis Augsten is now accepting new patients!

Luis E. Augsten MD, FACC, FASE.

BOARD CERTIFIED IN: Internal Medicine Cardiovascular Disease Echocardiography

Dr. Augsten has been treating patients in the Florida Keys since 2008 and has privileges to admit and consult within the Baptist Health Network and leading medical facilities across the nation.

Heart of the Keys Cardiology 11400 Overseas Highway Suite 106, Marathon

KeysCardiology.com 305.453.6316

WE WANT TO SEE YOU!

Please call for a appointment that is convenient for you.

SE HABLA ESPAÑOL

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MIKE GARCIA • 305-304-4188 CONCHROOFING@GMAIL.COM WWW.CONCHCONSTRUCTIONANDROOFING.COM

! e e r F s i w e i V e Th and so is Valet Parking for dining patrons!

BREAKFAST MONDAY–SATURDAY: 7–11AM & SUNDAY: 7–10AM LUNCH MONDAY–SATURDAY: 11:30AM–3PM HAPPY HOUR DAILY: 5:30–6:30PM, ½ OFF ALL ALCOHOL DINNER NIGHTLY: 5:30–9:30PM BRUNCH SUNDAY: 11AM–3PM, For a limited time only, after you join us

for Brunch, we invite you to enjoy unprecedented access to our private pool and beach.

Brunch: 11AM–3PM; Access to Private Pool & Beach for Brunch Guests: 12–6PM.

Scenic • Safe • Socially Distanced Follow us on Facebook @FourMarlins | www.facebook.com/FourMarlins 1435 Simonton St. | reachresort.com | 305 293 6250 | Reservations Recommended Terms and Conditions: For the safety of all guests and team members and in compliance with the City of Key West’s parameters, all dining patrons will be required wear a mask and to have a temperature check prior to being seated.

Social distancing must be maintained. Dine in only. Limited Seating. Not valid for take-out. May not be combined with any other promotion, discount or special offer. Subject to cancellation. Other restrictions may apply. Must be a brunch guest to enjoy access to pool and beach. One pool/beach wristband issued for each paid brunch. Lost wristbands will not be replaced. No coolers, outside food, beverage or beach chairs. Must be 21 or older to consume alcohol.

42

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

LET US DO THE WORK FOR YOU WITH QUALITY AND CARE. CALL US FOR A FREE ESTIMATE

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Congratulations to the New Owners of this gorgeous waterfront home!

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Florida Keys

1984 Bayfield 32 cutter rigged auxiliary sailboat | Yanmar 3YM30 | 27 h.p. diesel | USCG documented for coastwise trade | Keith Douglass, Boy Scout Sea Base, 305.664.5613.

1 Year Anniversary

Labor Day Sale!

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KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

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TH

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44

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

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45

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

City of Marathon City Council Agenda Tuesday, September 8, 2020 5:30 P.M.

(*Denotes Item Is Passed By Consent Upon Approval of Agenda) Public Comments taken on all items and at 6:30pm time certain for items not on the agenda or as soon as possible thereafter or after the last agenda item; whichever comes first.

Pursuant to Executive Order No. 20-69, Monroe County Emergency Directive 20-06 and Center for Disease Control (“CDC”) social distancing guidelines established to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus, this meeting will be held virtually via Zoom Meetings.

Members of the public who wish to view the City Council Meeting may do so by watching local via the web at: www.youtube.com/channel/UCFimq7DjLHNolPgqbKTaftQ/live Members of the public who wish to comment on matters before the City Council may do so by either:

(1) Calling (305) 289-4130, or emailing cityofmarathon@ci.marathon.fl.us with your name, address, and phone number where you can be reached during the meeting on September 8th by 4:00PM; or (2) Calling (301) 715-8592, and upon receiving voice prompt, dialing Meeting ID: 781 088 0141 and Password: 33035.

Members of the public who participate in the meeting through this option must mute themselves until called upon to speak.

City Council Items *A. Approval of Minutes B. Patriot Day Proclamation C. Constitution Week Proclamation City Manager Report A. Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Parade Request, October 24, 2020 B. Park and Recreation Report C. Marina Report D. Donation of floating docks and parts to a non- profit organization (Replaced after Irma) Quasi-Judicial Public Hearings: As the September 8th City Council Meeting will be conducted via videoconference, any person who gives testimony for any Quasi-Judicial Hearing must identify themselves. All persons who wish to give testimony are encouraged to be sworn in advance of the City Council meeting on September 8th at 3:00PM by joining a Zoom call at this link: https://zoom.us/j/94198135746 A.

Resolution 2020-54 Approving Request Of By Grassy Key Resort Group, LLC For A Modification To Their Conditional Use Permit (Resolution 2019-46) Pursuant To Chapter 102, Articles 13 Of The City Of Marathon Land Development Regulations (LDRS); Seeking A Modification To Their Site Plan For The Redevelopment Of An Existing Hotel Resort And Commercial Uses On Property Located At 58070 And 58182 Overseas Highway, Which Is Legally Described As Township 65, Section 24, Range 33; Bk 36 Lts 1-2-3-4, Pt Lts 5-6 (Parcel A) And W’ly 15ft Unnamed St Adj Lot 1 Res B-C-C 8/11/61 And Adj Portion Of Flagler Street And Grassy Key Bay Bottom Adj Lts 1-2-3, Lot 12 And Pt Lot 13 In The Crain’s Subdivision, Grassy Key, Marathon, Florida: Having Real Estate Numbers 00370940-000000 And 00371060. Nearest Mile Marker 58.5.

B.

Resolution 2020-55, Approving A Request Of By Grassy Key Resort Group, LLC For A Modification To Their Development Agreement (Resolution 2019-47) Pursuant To Chapter 102, Articles 8 Of The City Of Marathon Land Development Regulations (LDRS); Seeking A Modification To Their Site Plan For The Redevelopment Of An Existing Hotel Resort And Commercial Uses On Property Located At 58070 And 58182 Overseas Highway, Which Is Legally Described As Township 65, Section 24, Range 33; Bk 36 Lts 1-2-3-4, Pt Lts 5-6 (Parcel A) And W’ly 15ft Unnamed St Adj Lot 1 Res B-C-C 8/11/61 And Adj Portion Of Flagler Street And Grassy Key Bay Bottom Adj Lts 1-2-3, Lot 12 And Pt Lot 13 In The Crain’s Subdivision, Grassy Key, Marathon, Florida; Having Real Estate Numbers 00370940-000000 And 00371060. Nearest Mile Marker 58.5.

C.

Resolution 2020-56 Approving The Request By Knight’s Key Investors, LLC And Knight’s Key Road, LLC For The Expansion Of An Existing Conditional Use Permit (Resolution 2015-94) And Development Agreement (Resolution 2015-96), Pursuant To Chapter 102, Articles 13 8 Respectively Of The City Of Marathon Land Development Regulations (LDRS), Seeking The Addition Of Ninety-Six (96) Transient Residential Units (Hotel Rooms), Restaurant Space, And A Water Feature On An Existing 199 Room Resort Facility With Restaurants, Spas, Retail Space, And Pools; With Existing Densities Of Approximately 9.91 Transient Residential Units Per Acre; Located At 1 Knight’s Key Blvd; Which Is Legally Described As Lot 1 And Part Of Lot 2 And Bay Bottom East Of And Adjacent To Government Lot 2, Section 8 And 17, Township 66 South, Range 32 East, Knights Key, Monroe County, Florida; Having Real Estate Number 00101800-000000, Nearest Mile Marker 47; And Providing For An Effective Date.

D.

Resolution 2020-57 Approving The Request By Knight’s Key Investors, LLC And Knight’s Key Road, LLC For The Expansion Of An Existing Conditional Use Permit (Resolution 2015-94) And Development Agreement (Resolution 2015-96), Pursuant To Chapter 102, Articles 13 8 Respectively Of The City Of Marathon Land Development Regulations (LDRS), Seeking The Addition Of Ninety-Six (96) Transient Residential Units (Hotel Rooms), Restaurant Space, And A Water Feature On An Existing 199 Room Resort Facility With Restaurants, Spas, Retail Space, And Pools; With Existing Densities Of Approximately 9.91 Transient Residential Units Per Acre; Located At 1 Knight’s Key Blvd; Which Is Legally Described As Lot 1 And Part Of Lot 2 And Bay Bottom East Of And Adjacent To Government Lot 2, Section 8 And 17, Township 66 South, Range 32 East, Knights Key, Monroe County, Florida; Having Real Estate Number 00101800-000000, Nearest Mile Marker 47; And Providing For An Effective Date.

E.

Resolution 2020-58 Approving The Ranking And Allocations Of The Market Rate And Affordable Residential Building Permit Allocation System (RBPAS) For Period 1, Year 29 (July 14, 2020 To January 13, 2021); And Providing For An Effective Date.

Ordinances for Second Public Hearing A. Ordinance 2020-04, A Request By Julie Walker (Accepted By Marathon Vacation Properties LLC) To Amend The Future Land Use Map From Residential Low (RL) To Residential Medium (RM) For Lot 8, Block 18; Lot 1, Block 19; Lot 4, Block 19; And Lot 5, Block 19, Coco Plum Beach Subdivision; Having Real Estate Numbers 00365970-000000, 00365980-000000, And Part Of 00366031-000100 (Formerly 00366010-000000 And 00366020-000000), Marathon, Florida, Monroe County, Florida; Nearest Mile Marker 54.

B.

Ordinance 2020-05, A Request By Julie Walker (Accepted By Marathon Vacation Properties LLC) To Amend Land Development Regulations Zoning Map From Residential Low (RL) To Residential Medium (RM) For Lot 8, Block 18; Lot 1, Block 19; Lot 4, Block 19; And Lot 5, Block 19, Coco Plum Beach Subdivision; Having Real Estate Numbers 00365970-000000, 00365980-000000, And Part Of 00366031-000100 (Formerly 00366010-000000 And 00366020-000000), Marathon, Florida, Monroe County, Florida; Nearest Mile Marker 54.

Resolutions For Adoption A. Resolution 2020-59, Approving An Employment Agreement Between Steve Williams And The City Of Marathon, Florida For City Attorney Services; Authorizing The Mayor To Execute The Agreement On Behalf Of The City; And Providing For An Effective Date. *B. Resolution 2020-60, Authorizing The City To Extend The Agreement With Ballard Partners Inc. For Professional Consulting And Lobbying Services Before The Legislature Of The State Of Florida; Authorizing The City Manager To Expend Budgeted Funds, And Execute The Extension Agreement; And Providing An Effective Date. *C. Resolution 2020-61, Approving An Interlocal Agreement Between The City Of Marathon, Florida (Hereinafter, The “City”) And Monroe County, Florida (Hereinafter, The “County”) Providing The Mechanism For The City To Seek And Be Reimbursed For Expenditures Related To The City’s Expenditures Associated With The COVID-19 Pandemic; Acknowledging That Such Funding Is Made Available To The County Through The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act; PL 116-136); Providing For Signature; and Providing For An Effective Date. *D. Resolution 2020-62, Approving Amendment One To The Interlocal Agreement With Monroe County For Receipt Of Local Option Gas Tax Revenues. *E. Resolution 2020-63, Approving A Second Amendment To The Contract Between The City And EssentialNet Solutions. For Information Technology Services In An Amount Not To Exceed $9,253 Per Month; Authorizing The City Manager To Execute The Amendment And Expend Budgeted Funds On Behalf Of The City; And Providing An Effective Date. *F. Resolution 2020-64 Declaring That The City Has No Interest, As A Matter Of Ownership Or Current And Future Use, In A Parcel Severed At Sale From “Tract A” (RE No. 00343500-000000) As Part Of Paraiso Estates Subdivision, A Part Of The S.W. ¼ Of Section 1 And A Part Of Govt. Lot 1, Section 12, All In Township 66 South, Range 32 East, Providing For Signature By The Mayor, Providing For An Effective Date. *G. Resolution 2020-65, Approving An Amendment To The Agreement Between The City Of Marathon And The City Of Key Colony Beach For The Provision Of Emergency Medical And Fire Rescue Services; Authorizing The City Manager To Execute The Amendment; And Providing For An Effective Date. *H. Resolution 2020-66, Authorizing A “Sole-Source” Purchase Pursuant To The City’s Purchasing Policies And Procedures And Approving The Purchase of various Airvac (now the Aqseptance Group) vacuum collection system replacement components and equipment for use in connecting new homes and properties throughout the City, In An Amount Not To Exceed $48,337.00; Authorizing The City Manager To Enter Into Agreements In Connection Therewith, Appropriating And Expending Budgeted Funds; And Providing For An Effective Date.

Pursuant to Section 286.0105, Florida Statutes, if a person decides to appeal any decision made by the City Council with respect to any matter considered at such hearing or meeting, one will need a record of the proceedings and for such purpose that person may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made; such record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based. ADA Assistance: Anyone needing special assistance at the City Council hearing due to disability should contact the City of Marathon City Attorney at (305) 289-4130 at least five days prior thereto. Please contact the City Clerk at clavierd@ci.marathon.fl.us if you would like to receive any of the items on the agenda by email.

46

ENVIRONMENT

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

TIFFANY DUONG

tiffany@keysweekly.com

PROTECTING REEFS, ONE INVASIVE SPECIES AT A TIME LIONFISH DERBY GOES SOCIALLY-DISTANT WITH NEW DIVISIONS, PRIZES

L

ionfish are some of the most iconic invasive species of the Florida Keys.

They’re beautiful, they’re venomous and they’re hungry. Luckily for us humans, they’re also fun to catch and tasty.

Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) has hosted the annual Upper Keys Lionfish Derby every year to catalyze divers and spearfishers to protect the reefs against lionfish. This year, the 11th, will be held as a socially-distant derby from Thursday, Sept. 10 through Sunday, Sept. 13.

“Lionfish are voracious predators and opportunistic,” said Allie Candelmo, REEF’s conservation science manager and resident lionfish expert. “They consume a lot of prey throughout the day and evening, which has led to dramatic declines in biodiversity and abundance of native populations when left unchecked.”

In a short amount of time, lionfish can eat the small benthic fish that help a reef thrive and maintain balance. Because they’re not from here, they also don’t have natural predators to keep their densities low, resulting in crashing populations of native fish, Candelmo said. As if that wasn’t enough, they also have high thermal tolerances and a very wide range, which has allowed them to adapt to live year-round from North Carolina all the way through the southern Caribbean.

“You can find them anywhere from 1 meter to 300 meters in depth,” said Candelmo, and everywhere in that range, they’re busy eating and reproducing.

REEF’s lionfish derbies began in 2009 in the Bahamas and in 2010 in Florida as an effort to get a handle on this prickly problem. Today there are derbies throughout the state.

A recent study by REEF staff in the Bahamas and the Keys found a 50% reduction in lionfish population in popular fishing areas from before and after derbies, Candelmo shared.

“Derbies have been shown to be effective and provide community and motivational push for divers and teams to go out and remove lionfish,” she said. “We hope they will continue to do so throughout the year and have small impacts locally.”

More than 40,000 lionfish have been removed through REEF-supported derbies.

Teams are between two and four people, and can register online. Registration is $75 per team through Sept. 6 and $100/ team through Sept. 10.

Derby participants can hunt lionfish from sunrise to sunset on Friday, Sept. 11 and Saturday, Sept. 12. Following all federal and state fishing regulations, lionfish may be collected by netting or spearing while diving, snorkeling, or free diving. Participants can dive from a private vessel or with a dive operator. Key Dives in Islamorada is offering lionfish hunting charters on Saturday and Sunday. Interested participants should contact dive shops directly to book dives.

A mandatory captains’ meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 10. The meeting will cover lionfish ecology, safe collecting and handling techniques, permits and regulations. Interested teams can schedule an appointment to come into REEF headquarters in Key Largo to get permits and a special lionfish flag.

Two contactless lionfish drop-off stations will be staffed throughout the weekend. Stations are located at the REEF Campus in Key Largo and Mote Marine Laboratory on Summerland Key. All fish must be dropped off no later than 10 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 13. Middle Keys teams wanting to participate can also contact organizers for a potential midway pickup.

Prizes include over $3,100 in cash awards, spears and other lionfish gear. Cash prizes will be awarded to teams who harvest the most, largest and smallest lionfish. The “most lionfish” category will include a com-

petitive “Apex Predators” division and a more casual “Reef Defenders” alternative, she said. Teams may register in either division.

Sponsors include Ocean Reef Conservation Association, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Postcard Inn Beach Resort and Marina, and Mote Marine Laboratory. All activities occur within NOAA Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary under permit.

For more information and to register, visit reef.org/2020derby or call 305-8520030.

Top: Teams have two days to catch as many lionfish as possible to try to win a prize. REEF/ Contributed The 2019 Derby was held at Postcard Inn and included dissections, an educational village, chef’s tastings and more. TIFFANY DUONG/Keys Weekly

OBITUARIES

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

PAUL WORTHINGTON

I

con, visionary, sailor and storyteller Paul Worthington sailed into the horizon on Aug. 23, 2020 in Key West. He was 72.

Born in Weymouth, Massachusetts, Paul grew up in a seafaring family in Cape Cod and never surrendered the skills and passion a life under sail requires.

Before he and his wife, Evalena, first sailed into Key West on a stormy night in 1984 and eventually became the owners of the iconic Schooner Wharf Bar, Worthington had already packed a lifetime of adventure into a few decades.

He attended law school; worked aboard a research vessel with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute; and then, as an entrepre-

neur, he owned a sawmill and a ski lodge in Vermont.

He and Evalena met while delivering sailboats to Puerto Rico and elsewhere.

On one such delivery, Paul asked Evalena to “keep his grandmother’s diamond engagement ring safe. And the rest is history,” Evalena Worthington recalled this week.

The pair had plans to sail the elegant wooden boat, Schooner Defiance — built in 1926 for Joseph Pulitzer — down the U.S. East Coast and eventually to Australia.

But when they docked in Key West, they found themselves at home.

The couple later acquired the Schooner Diamante and moved it to the former Singleton docks at Key West Bight, now known as Key West’s Historic Seaport, thanks largely to the efforts, vision and business acumen of Paul

MELVIN L. JOHNSON

M

elvin L. Johnson was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan to Ernest and Annabelle Johnson on Oct. 27, 1922, almost a century ago. He passed away Aug. 17, 2020 in Whitefish, Montana, from complications of a stroke.

Mel learned how to play guitar and was in a musical group in the area. Also in the group was his wife, Cleo Aldrich, who played guitar and bass. The two started dating right before World War II began. After maybe a year, they decided to marry on Nov. 14, 1941. This was just before Pearl Harbor, and once that happened, Johnson decided to enlist in the Army, looking for a career in what was called the Army Air Force. After three years of training, he qualified to be a pilot, bombardier, or navigator. He chose the latter and trained for a crew on a B-17.

He flew three missions. For the third, there was a large contingent of planes sent to bomb an oil storage facility near Berlin on Jan 14, 1945. The Germans defended heavily, and aircraft losses on the German side were the largest recorded by the Americans, but the B-17 losses were also among the worst of the war.

Johnson’s plane was hit, and as he was putting on his parachute he accidentally pulled the ripcord. He does not remember anything else until he woke up on the ground in snow with a hurt knee and no shoes. He was captured by the German home guard and later found out his plane must have exploded and killed

Worthington. The Worthingtons opened a makeshift floating bar aboard the boat and catered to all manner of rough shrimpers and watermen in the area back then.

“We filled an Igloo cooler with beer and the top drawer of a filing cabinet held the top shelf liquor,” said Evalena. “It quickly became the ‘living room’ of the waterfront community.”

Worthington’s vision was to create a historic seaport district with a focus on classic tall ships and the maritime history of Key West. By 1990, he had attracted the largest fleet of historic schooners on the eastern seaboard and helped redevelop Key West’s working waterfront into the vibrant maritime neighborhood it is today.

Worthington loved to recall the night he had to throw a drunk out of the bar three times. The man kept returning via various

the other nine crewmen, but he was spared because of his open chute. After three months in a prison camp under brutal conditions, he escaped and walked over 50 miles to American lines with five buddies and a sack of potatoes.

After all this, Johnson attended Tri State University (now Trine) in Angola, Indiana, graduating with a degree in chemical engineering. He took a job with the Container Corporation of America plant in Wabash, Indiana. He started as a chemist, supervising the coating of cardboard, but then rose in management.

He worked for about six years in Wabash but received quite a promotion when he was invited to manage a plant in Cali, Colombia. After that year, the family returned to Wabash. A few years later, Johnson was asked to manage a plant in Mexico City and accepted. The family moved there in 1961 and back in 1965.

After a new assignment in Mexico he decided not to go, and instead moved back to Michigan to share a gravel business with his brother-in-law, where he worked for 20 or so years and then retired. Johnson’s wife died and he decided to move to Key Largo.

That move defined the last one third of his life. He loved the Keys, and also loved the woman next door, Daryl Stone. They had all kinds of fun there. He and neighbor Red Henson became perennial local fishing tournament champions.

Daryl and he took numerous foreign trips and apparently visited some 50 countries. In addition, both participated in local Keys activities and hosted numerous visits from both of their families.

entrances. When Worthington finally and firmly told him to return the next day, the perplexed man asked, “How many damn bars do you own in this town?”

“Paul was the love of my life, my guiding light, my greatest supporter, collaborator, cheerleader and my best friend,” his wife said upon his passing. “He and his spirit will be with me forever. There was nothing too crazy for us to pursue, and the two of us did it all together, from beginning to end.”

Longtime friend and fellow sailor Harry Bowman said, “Paul’s influence can be seen here every day. He’s part of everyone he met and will always be part of Schooner Wharf and the Seaport.”

Fair winds and full holds to a visionary, a legend, and a hell of a sailor.

CAYLA TYRE’ JONES

C

ayla Tyre’ Jones passed away peacefully on Aug. 22, 2020.

She attended Beauty Schools of America, finished real estate school and was planning to attend the College of the Florida Keys in the near future.

Cayla was born in Key West. She was a Key West High School graduate. She was a first chair flautist in both junior high and high school. She won Miss Key West numerous times. She was awarded the Sportsmanship of the Year for cheerleading on the junior football league.

Cayla is survived by her mother, Sonja Michalak; her father, Michael Tyre’ Jones; stepfather, Tyrone Guevara; sister, Crystal Nicole Barroso; nephew, Christopher Randolf; and aunt, Theresa Jones Palmer.

She leaves behind many cousins, aunts and uncles. She had many friends, all of whom will truly miss her.

There will be a Celebration of Life at the Coconut Cove Resort, 84801 Old Highway, Islamorada on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020 at 6 p.m. This property is a 7-acre outdoor resort. Social distancing and masks are required due to COVID-19. All are welcome to attend.

In lieu of flowers, donations are greatly appreciated.

47

48

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

• CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES •

305.743.0844

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

FICTITIOUS NAME NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of InfraSolutions

by McFarland Johnson, located at 49 Court Street, Suite 240, Binghamton,NY 13901, intends to register said name with the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida.

By: McFarland-Johnson, Inc. Publish: September 3, 2020 The Weekly Newspapers

MONROE COUNTY TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL has an opening for a TOURIST RELATED BUSINESS REPRESENTATIVE - Shall be persons involved in business which is interdependent upon the tourist industry who have demonstrated an interest in tourist development but who shall not be employed in any position within the lodging industry (motels, hotels, recreational vehicle parks and other tourist accommodations and whose business is in the tax collection district for which they are applying).

Any person wishing to participate on the District I Advisory Committee of the Monroe County Tourist Development Council within the district so noted above, may request an application from the Administrative Office by calling (305) 296-1552 and submit an application to the address shown below: Department DAC Monroe County Tourist Development Council 1201 White Street, Suite 102 Key West, FL 33040 Fax #: (305) 296-0788 Deadline for receipt of application at the above address is Friday, October 2, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. A resume may be attached to the application.

Publish: September 3, 2020 The Weekly Newspapers

monroecounty-fl.gov/ BoccMeetingSeptember16. The County will provide updates on changing directives for Local Government Public Meetings on the County Website at: www.MonroeCounty-FL.Gov. Below are the various options available to the public to view the live meeting and/or to make public comments on certain agenda items during the public portion of the meeting.

The Public is strongly encouraged to watch the meeting on Monroe County’s MCTV on Comcast Channel 76 or AT&T Uverse Channel 99, or listen to audio-only from their phones by dialing (646) 518-9805 or (669) 900-6833 and, when prompted, enter the Webinar ID: 947 5253 9153.

The public can watch the meeting online by visiting the County’s meeting portal @ http://monroecountyfl.iqm2. com/Citizens/Default.aspx and selecting the “Watch Live” banner to view with live closedcaptioning on an integrated page that includes the Meeting Agenda/Agenda backup.

Or, iPhone one-tap: US: +16465189805,,94752539153# or +16699006833,,94752539153# Or, Telephone: Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: +1 646 518 9805 or +1 669 900 6833 Webinar ID: 947 5253 9153 International numbers available: https://mcbocc. zoom.us/u/aeBfhBerlj If a person wishes to comment on a particular item on the public portion of the agenda, when the Zoom Webinar monitor and/or the Mayor calls for speakers on the item on which you wish to comment: a) If phoning in: dial *9 to “raise your hand” to be recognized by the Zoom Webinar monitor; b) If watching the meeting online: click on/open the live Zoom webinar link below: https://www.monroecounty-fl. gov/BoccMeetingSeptember16 that appears in both the published Agenda and Agenda Packet.

When prompted, enter your email address and name to join the Webinar and then select the “raised hand” feature that appears at the bottom of the Zoom Webinar screen to be recognized by the Zoom Webinar monitor.

The Zoom Webinar monitor will request the agenda item # on which you wish to comment and will enable your participation when the Mayor calls for public speakers on your item. To report problems with the broadcast, please call: (305) 872-8831.

A person may submit written or other physical evidence on a particular agenda item for consideration at the BOCC meeting to: Lindsey Ballard, via email to: ballard-lindsey@ monroecounty-fl.gov, or by mail to: County Administrator’s Office, 1100 Simonton Street, Suite 205, Key West, FL 33040. The documents must be received by 3:00 PM on Monday, September 14, 2020, and must include the submitter’s name, address, phone number, email address, and the agenda item number to which the documents refer.

ADA ASSISTANCE: If you are a person with a disability who needs special accommodations in order to participate in this proceeding, please contact the County Administrator’s Office, by phoning (305) 292-4441, between the hours of 8:30 a.m.

– 5:00 p.m., no later than five (5) calendar days prior to the scheduled meeting; if you are

hearing or voice-impaired, call “711”. Live Closed Captioning is available per our web portal @ http://monroecountyfl. iqm2.com for meetings of the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners.

DATED at Key West, Florida, this 1st day of September, 2020 KEVIN MADOK, Clerk of the Court and ex officio Clerk of the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida Publish: September 3, 2020 The Weekly Newspapers

clerk@keycolonybeach.net for further instructions on attending via Zoom Meetings.

Applicant requests a Variance to Land Development Regulations Chapter 101, Section 50 to convert an existing parking space to a house addition.

Interested parties may attend the Hearing and be heard with respect to the requested variance.

If any person decides to appeal any decision made by the Commission with respect to any matter considered at the Variance Hearing, that person will need a record of the proceedings and for such purpose may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based.

If you are unable to attend the Hearing on Wednesday September 16, 2020 but wish to comment, please direct correspondence to: City Commission, P.O. Box 510141, Key Colony Beach, FL 33051, or cityclerk@ keycolonybeach.net and your comments will be entered into the record.

Rebecca Todd, City Clerk CITY OF KEY COLONY BEACH Publish: September 3, 2020 The Weekly Newspapers

Board of the City of Key Colony Beach, Florida, will hold a Public Hearing on Wednesday September 16, 2020 at 9:30 A.M to hear a Variance Request from Seapointe Condominium, owner of 101 East Ocean Dr. Pursuant to Executive Order No. 20-69, Monroe County Emergency Directive 20-06 and Center for Disease control (“CDC”) social distancing guidelines established to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus, this meeting will be held virtually via Zoom Meetings.

Members of the public who wish to attend may join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom. us/j/85182357181. Members of the public who wish to attend may email cityclerk@ keycolonybeach.net for further instructions on attending via Zoom Meetings.

Applicant requests a setback variance to Land Development Regulations Chapter 101, Section 15 for installation of sheeptile retaining wall, pile cap, and stairs to beach.

Interested parties may attend the Hearing and be heard with respect to the requested variance.

If any person decides to appeal any decision made by the Commission with respect to any matter considered at the Variance Hearing, that person will need a record of the proceedings and for such purpose may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based.

If you are unable to attend the Hearing on Wednesday September 16, 2020 but wish to comment, please direct correspondence to: City Commission, P.O. Box 510141, Key Colony Beach, FL 33051, or cityclerk@ keycolonybeach.net and your comments will be entered into the record.

Rebecca Todd, City Clerk CITY OF KEY COLONY BEACH Publish: September 3, 2020 The Weekly Newspapers

BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIOD SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED. The date of first publication of this notice is September 3, 2020.

Personal Representative: Donna Rene Carey Patton Aaron 19531 SW 53rd Street Miramar, FL 33029 Attorney for Personal Representative: David M. Scully E-Mail Addresses: david@lovingscully.com jack@lovingscully.com Florida Bar No. 0122520 Loving Scully Law Group PLLC 1323 S.E. Third Avenue Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316 Telephone: 954-764-1005 Publish: September 3 & 10, 2020 The Weekly Newspapers

FICTITIOUS NAME NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of Russo Law Office & Sealutions Mediation Company located at 91495 Overseas Highway, Suite B, Tavernier, Florida 33070, intends to register said name with the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida.

By: Stephanie A. Russo, P.A. Publish: September 3, 2020 The Weekly Newspapers FICTITIOUS NAME NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of Sealutions Mediation Company located at 91495 Overseas Highway, Suite B, Tavernier, Florida 33070, intends to register said name with the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida.

By: Stephanie A. Russo, P.A. Publish: September 3, 2020 The Weekly Newspapers NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE Wheatons Towing gives Notice of Foreclosure of Lien and intent to sell these vehicles on 09/13/2020, 10:00 am at 101500 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, FL 33037, pursuant to subsection 713.78 of the Florida Statutes. Wheatons Towing reserves the right to accept or reject any and/all bids.

JS1VX51L852100442 2005 SUZUKI Publish: August 27 & September 3, 2020 The Weekly Newspapers NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE U-HAUL COMPANY OF MIAMI Notice is here by given that on September 22nd, 2020, Leonard Richford Jr. Storage Auctioneer, Executive Administrator for U-Haul Company of Miami, Will be offering for sale under the Judicial Lien Process, By Public Auction, the following storage units. The Terms of the sale will be cash only. U-Haul Company does reserve the right to refuse any bids. The sales will Begin at 8:00 a.m. and continue day by day until all units are sold. The names of whose units will be sold are as follows: 103530 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, FL. 33037. Names And Last Known Addresses are as Follows: William Parent Unit 1165 $1,042.86 Les Burke Unit 0024 $721.75 Pamela Brame Unit 1534 $1,203.20 William Parent Unit 1425 $2,273.82 Stacie Clatterbaugh Unit 1578 $1,907.94 Publish: September 3 & 10, 2020 The Weekly Newspapers DISTRICT I ADVISORY COMMITTEE (DAC I) (Encompasses the City Limits of Key West) of the

NOTICE OF INTENTION TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF COUNTY ORDINANCE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN that on September 16, 2020, at 1:30 P.M., or as soon thereafter as may be heard, the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida, intends to consider the adoption of the following County ordinance: AN ORDINANCE OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA, AMENDING SECTION 126-10(f) OF THE MONROE COUNTY CODE PROVIDING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SINGLE ACCOUNT FOR THE FAIR SHARE LIBRARY IMPACT FEES AND FOR PAYMENT OF THE FEES INTO THE ACCOUNT; SETTING FORTH THE DEFINITION OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR THE REPEAL OF ALL ORDINANCES INCONSISTENT HEREWITH; PROVIDING FOR INCORPORATION INTO THE MONROE COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. Pursuant to Section 286.0105, Florida Statutes, notice is given that if a person decides to appeal any decision made by the Board with respect to any matter considered at such hearing or meetings, he will need a record of the proceedings, and that, for such purpose, he may need to ensure that a verbatim record is made of the proceedings, which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based.

Pursuant to the Governor’s Executive Order No. 20-69, extended by Executive Orders No. 20-112, 20-139 and 20-179, and amended by Executive Order No. 20-193, Monroe County Emergency Directives 20-06 and 20-10, and the Center for Disease Control (“CDC”) social-distancing guidelines established to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the September 16, 2020, Public Hearing will be conducted via Communication Media Technology (“CMT”), using a Zoom Webinar platform @ https://www.

CITY OF KEY COLONY BEACH NOTICE OF VARIANCE HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Planning and Zoning Board of the City of Key Colony Beach, Florida, will hold a Public Hearing on Wednesday September 16, 2020 at 9:30 A.M to hear a Variance Request from Edward Perez, owner of 530 4th Street.

Pursuant to Executive Order No. 20-69, Monroe County Emergency Directive 20-06 and Center for Disease control (“CDC”) social distancing guidelines established to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus, this meeting will be held virtually via Zoom Meetings.

Members of the public who wish to attend may join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom. us/j/85182357181. Members of the public who wish to attend may email cityclerk@ keycolonybeach.net for further instructions on attending via Zoom Meetings.

Applicant requests a Variance to Land Development Regulations Chapter 101, Section 12 (8) for a 4’0” height variance for a new two dwelling unit residence.

Current building height is 30’0”.

Interested parties may attend the Hearing and be heard with respect to the requested variance.

If any person decides to appeal any decision made by the Commission with respect to any matter considered at the Variance Hearing, that person will need a record of the proceedings and for such purpose may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based.

If you are unable to attend the Hearing on Wednesday September 16, 2020 but wish to comment, please direct correspondence to: City Commission, P.O. Box 510141, Key Colony Beach, FL 33051, or cityclerk@ keycolonybeach.net and your comments will be entered into the record.

Rebecca Todd, City Clerk CITY OF KEY COLONY BEACH Publish: September 3, 2020 The Weekly Newspapers CITY OF KEY COLONY BEACH NOTICE OF VARIANCE HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Planning and Zoning Board of the City of Key Colony Beach, Florida, will hold a Public Hearing on Wednesday September 16, 2020 at 9:30 A.M to hear a Variance Request from Albert Priest, owner of 38 Sadowski Causeway. Pursuant to Executive Order No. 20-69, Monroe County Emergency Directive 20-06 and Center for Disease control (“CDC”) social distancing guidelines established to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus, this meeting will be held virtually via Zoom Meetings. Members of the public who wish to attend may join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85182357181.

Members of the public who wish to attend may email city-

CITY OF KEY COLONY BEACH NOTICE OF VARIANCE HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Planning and Zoning Board of the City of Key Colony Beach, Florida, will hold a Public Hearing on Wednesday September 16, 2020 at 9:30 A.M to hear a Variance Request from Patricia Day, owner of 69 7th Street.

Pursuant to Executive Order No. 20-69, Monroe County Emergency Directive 20-06 and Center for Disease control (“CDC”) social distancing guidelines established to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus, this meeting will be held virtually via Zoom Meetings.

Members of the public who wish to attend may join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom. us/j/85182357181. Members of the public who wish to attend may email cityclerk@ keycolonybeach.net for further instructions on attending via Zoom Meetings.

Applicant requests a Variance to Land Development Regulations Chapter 101, Section 101-26 for a setback variance for a pool.

Interested parties may attend the Hearing and be heard with respect to the requested variance.

If any person decides to appeal any decision made by the Commission with respect to any matter considered at the Variance Hearing, that person will need a record of the proceedings and for such purpose may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based.

If you are unable to attend the Hearing on Wednesday September 16, 2020 but wish to comment, please direct correspondence to: City Commission, P.O. Box 510141, Key Colony Beach, FL 33051, or cityclerk@ keycolonybeach.net and your comments will be entered into the record.

Rebecca Todd, City Clerk CITY OF KEY COLONY BEACH Publish: September 3, 2020 The Weekly Newspapers CITY OF KEY COLONY BEACH NOTICE OF VARIANCE HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Planning and Zoning

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 20-CP-000203-K IN RE: ESTATE OF DONALD GEORGE CAREY, Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS The administration of the estate of Donald George Carey, deceased, whose date of death was May 5, 2020, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 500 Whitehead Street, Key West, FL 33040. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below.

All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 2020-CP-185-K JUDGE TIMOTHY J. KOENIG IN RE: THE ESTATE OF JEFFREY M. WHITE, Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS The administration of the estate of JEFFREY M. WHITE, deceased, whose date of death was August 4, 2020, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 500 Whitehead Street, Key West, FL 33040. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below.

All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF THREE (3) MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED. The date of first publication of this notice is: September 3, 2020.

Personal Representative: MEAGAN A. WHITE 5456 Newfield Avenue Cincinnati, Ohio 45237 Attorney for Personal Representative: CARA HIGGINS, ESQ. Fla. Bar No. 0734241 Cara Higgins Law 604 Whitehead Street Key West, FL 33040 Telephone (305) 294-6030 Facsimile (305) 292-9911 E-Mail: cara@carahigginslaw. com Publish: September 3 & 10, 2020 The Weekly Newspapers IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION

49

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

• CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES • 305.743.0844 LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

AUTOS WANTED

EMPLOYMENT

FILE NO.: 18-CP-000089-M IN RE: ESTATE OF JOSEPH F. AUCREMANNE, Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS The administration of the estate of Joseph F. Aucremanne, deceased, whose date of death was October 30, 2018, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 3117 Overseas Highway, Marathon, Florida 33050. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below.

All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED. The date of first publication of this notice is: August 27, 2020.

Personal Representative: Joseph F. Aucremanne II3533

Greenbrier Drive Hinton, West Virginia 25951 Attorney for Personal Representative: Robert K. Miller, Esq. Florida Bar Number: 359173 Cunningham Miller Rhyne PA 10075 Overseas Hwy PO Box 500938 Marathon, FL 33050 Telephone: (305) 743-9428 Fax: (305) 743-8800 E-mail: Service@FloridaKeysLaw. com Secondary E-Mail: RMiller@ FloridaKeysLaw.com Publish: August 27 & September 3, 2020 The Weekly Newspapers

Assignee’s attorney on a form they can provide upon request on or before December 23, 2020 (120 days from the date of the filing of the petition).

I HEREBY CERTIFY that a true and correct copy hereof was furnished by email or first class mail to all parties on the attached Service List, this 25TH day of August, 2020.

MICHAEL A. PAASCH Florida Bar Number 852805 Mateer & Harbert, P.A. 225 East Robinson Street, Suite 600 Post Office Box 2854 Orlando, Florida 32802-2854 Telephone: (407) 425-9044 Facsimile: (407) 423-2016 Primary: mpaasch@ mateerharbert.com Secondary: ndarville@ mateerharbert.com Attorneys for Robert H. Ewald, Assignee Publish: August 27, September 3, 10 & 17, 2020 The Weekly Newspapers

written defenses, if any, to it on: LADISLAV KOBLIHA, whose address is 1721 JAMAICA DRIVE, KEY WEST, FL 33040, on or before September 14, 2020 and file the original with the clerk of this Court at 500 Whitehead Street, Key West FL 33040 before service on Petitioner or immediately thereafter. If you fail to do so, a default may be entered against you for the relief demanded in the petition.

The action is asking the court to decide how the following real or personal property should be divided: None Copies of all court documents in this case, including orders, are available at the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s office. You may review these documents upon request.

You must keep the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s office notified of your current address.

(You may file Designation of Current Mailing and E-Mail Address, Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.915.) Future papers in this lawsuit will be mailed or e-mailed to the address(es) on record at the clerk’s office.

WARNING: Rule 12.285, Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure, requires certain automatic disclosure of documents and information. Failure to comply can result in sanctions, including dismissal or striking of pleadings.

Dated: August 7, 2020 Kevin Madok, CPA Clerk of the Circuit Court Monroe County, Florida By: Jaquelyn Fonseca Deputy Clerk Publish: August 13, 20 & 27 and September 3, 2020 The Weekly Newspapers

counsel and pursuant to the provisions of Rule F (4) give notice of filing a Verified Complaint for Exoneration of Liability [D.E. 1] pursuant to Title 46 U.S.C. Appx. §§ §§3050130512, and the Court’s Order issuing Monition, restraining of suits, and approval of Ad Interim Stipulation of Value [D.E. 5].

Notice is hereby given that a Verified Petition/Complaint in Admiralty [DE-1] was filed on or about April 23, 2020 [DE-1] by Petitioners for exoneration from liability or, in the alternative, limitation of liability, pursuant to 46 U.S.C. §30501 et. seq. (formerly 46 App. U.S.C. §183 et seq.) and Rule F of the Supplemental Rules for Certain Admiralty and Maritime Claims of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and Local Admiralty Rule F for any loss, damage, injury or destruction caused by or resulting from an incident regarding the vessel GETAWAY as is more fully described in the Verified Petition/Complaint [DE-1].

The Court has entered an Order [D.E. 5] directing the issuance of this notice, monition, and restraining of suits declaring that all persons having such claims must file their respective claims, as provided in Rule F of the Supplemental Rules for Admiralty and Maritime Claims, with the Clerk of this Court and serve a copy thereof on counsel for the Petitioners, Frank J. Sioli, Sioli Alexander Pino, 9155 S. Dadeland Blvd, Suite 1600, Miami FL 33156, or through CM/ECF on or before October 30, 2020 as ordered by the Court or be defaulted.

If the Claimant desires to contest either the right to exoneration from or limitation of liability, it shall file and serve on the counsel for Petitioner an answer to the Complaint on or before October 30, 2020, the date set by the Court unless its claim has been included in an answer, so designated, or be defaulted.

Respectfully submitted for publication this 31st day of August 2020.

Sioli Alexander Pino Counsel for Petitioner JOHN CRAMER & JTT SEAFOOD INC. 9155 S. Dadeland Blvd, Suite 1600 Miami FL, 33156 305.428.2470 (O) | 305.428.2471 (F) By: Frank J. Sioli, Esq. Florida Bar No: 009652 FSioli@siolilaw.com Publish: September 3, 10, 17 & 24, 2020 The Weekly Newspapers

ALL YEARS! Junk or Used.

Cars - Vans - TrucksRunning or Not. $CASH$ 305-332-0483

Certified Diesel Mechanic and Heavy Equipment Diesel Mechanic needed in Marathon. Pay depending on experience and is negotiable. Apply in person at Discount Rock & Sand, 10500 Aviation Blvd, Unit 2, Marathon or call 305-743-5680.

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE NINTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR ORANGE COUNTY, FLORIDA Case No.: 2020-CA-008520-O IN RE: AMERICAN ROAD OPERATIONS LLC, Assignor, ROBERT H. EWALD, Assignee.

NOTICE OF ASSIGNMENT AND PROOF OF CLAIM DEADLINE TO CREDITORS AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES: PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that on August 25, 2020, a Petition Commencing Proceeding Under Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors pursuant to Chapter 727, Florida Statutes, made by AMERICAN ROAD OPERATIONS LLC, Assignor, with its principal place of business at 3770 37TH St., Orlando, FL 32805, to ROBERT H. EWALD, Assignee, whose address is 502 Hallowell Circle, Orlando, FL 32828.

YOU ARE HEREBY further notified that in order to receive any dividend in this proceeding you must file a proof of claim with the Assignee or the

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA Case No.: 20-DR-348-K Division: Family LADISLAV KOBLIHA, Petitioner and DAKOTA DEWAYNE DODDS Respondent.

NOTICE OF ACTION FOR DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE TO: DAKOTA DEWAYNE DODDS Respondent’s last known address: 311 CHARLESTON STREET, CAVE CITY, AR 72501 YOU ARE NOTIFIED that an action for dissolution of marriage has been filed against you and that you are required to serve a copy of your

READY FOR A CHANGE? A NEW CAREER AWAITS IN AN ESTABLISHED COMPANY.

$50,000 salary plus commission and benefits for qualified candidates.

Send your confidential resume to britt@keysweekly.com.

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA KEY WEST DIVISION IN ADMIRALTY CASE NO.: 4:20-cv-10041-JEM IN THE MATTER OF JOHN CRAMER AND JTT SEAFOOD, INC., AS BENEFICIAL OWNER AND OWNER OF THE 34’ FISHING VESSEL GETAWAY BEARING HULL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER GFYHM068H595, FOR EXONERATION FROM OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY, Petitioners.

PETITIONERS’ NOTICE TO CLAIMANTS OF COMPLAINT FOR EXONERATION FROM OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY COMES NOW, JOHN CRAMER and JTT SEAFOOD INC (hereinafter “Petitioners”) as Beneficial Owner and Owner of the 34’ fishing vessel GETAWAY bearing hull identification number GFYHM068H595 (hereinafter “vessel”), by and through its undersigned

AUTOS FOR SALE 2008 White Dodge Dakota, 2 door w/ extended cab. 111,000 miles, V6 engine, 3.7 ltr, A/C, cruise, power windows. $1,200.00 Call 305-395-0000 For Sale: 2016 Ford Transit Connect, 4 door cargo van. Less than 13k miles, Excellent condition, AC, power windows. $18,000 305-481-1463 BOATS FOR SALE 2007 Angler 30' CC. Well maintained and kept on lift. Repowered in 2015 w/Yamaha 250 four strokes. Warranty until 6/21. Contact for list of upgrades. Located in Marathon. $63,500.

Call Pat 305-942-6434 2014 Parker, CC-2501 - 300hp Yamaha, 378 hrs. Custom fiberglass T-Top. Taco outriggers.

Original owner, excellent condition.

Located in Marathon. $72,000 305-481-6889 2001 Grady White 306 Bimini Center Console with two 2008 Yamaha 250hp engines, 4-stroke, 216 hrs. Full length canvas cover. Has been stored at Shelter Bay Marina in Marathon for 15 years.

Asking $72,500. Call Mike at 713-446-5885 Place your Boat For Sale ad here for only $25.00 per week for up to five lines of copy. Call 305-743-0844 today and Sell Your Boat!

EMPLOYMENT

Full-time laborers needed in Upper Keys.

Must pass background check and have valid driver's license.

Call 305-852-3002 Seeking Security Guard in Middle Keys.

40 hrs/wk $14-$16 Must have security license.

Call Ralons Security 7 8 6 - 6 1 5 - 5 5 2 2 City of Marathon - Job Openings: Wastewater Plant Operator Trainee , Street Maintenance and Temporary Utilities Maintenance Worker.

EOE, FULL BENEFITS www.ci.marathon.fl.us Shelter Bay Marine in Marathon hiring Qualifed Mechanics.

Contact Steve at 305-743-7008.

Come Join Our Family and Have Fun At Work!

Hiring: Host, Hostess & Servers - Full &/or parttime. AM & PM Shifts.

Apply in person at Castaway Restaurant, end of 15th Street, Oceanside, Marathon or email: lobstercrawl@gmail.com.

Key West Dental office looking for Front Desk Receptionist.

Duties include patient scheduling, using practice management software, and insurance submissions.

Position requires excellent social skills, a smile under that mask, and attention to detail/organization.

Please email resume to: Dentalkeywest@ g m a i l . c o m HIRED!!

HOBBIES/COLLECT.

Detention Deputy Trainee: The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office is accepting Preliminary Applications for the Detention Deputy Trainee Academy tentatively starting November 2020. Monroe County Sheriff’s Office will pay for your new career (tuition, books, salary).

Preliminary Applications must be completed and received by October 1, 2020. Starting salary $42,315.00 Apply on line at www.keysso.net or contact Charles Slebodnick at cslebodnick@keysso.net or 305 292-7044. EEO/AAP.

PRIVATE COLLECTOR WANTS Rolex, Dive Watches and Pilot Watches. Old Model Military Clocks & Watches.

Call 305-743-4578 HOUSING FOR RENT 2BR/2BA, Canalfront, Somb. Bch. Rd. Protected parking-NoSmoke/ No Pets.

Annual lease. $2,500/month F/L/S 305-743-2969

50

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

• CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES 305.743.0844 • CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES • •305.743.0844 HOUSING FOR RENT

HOUSING FOR RENT

Cudjoe Key – Long Term, Canal front, 3BR/2BA, $3,700 month, F/L/S Available 9/1.

More info contact: bradbellsouth@ g m a i l . c o m

3BR/2BA Stilt Home for rent on Duck Key. Long term.

Available August 1st.

Call 3 0 5 - 4 8 1 - 1 3 1 6

2BR/2BA Large Apt for rent. 10828 5th Avenue Gulf, Marathon. $1,850/ month plus utilities. F/L/S. Taking applications.

Call (305) 394-4545

Place your Home For Rent ad here for only $25.00 per week for up to five lines of copy. Call 305-743-0844 today!

RV LOT FOR RENT Large RV Lot for rent in Marathon. Full hook up. $800/month plus utilities.

305-204-5601

HELP WANTED Venture Out at Cudjoe Cay, Inc. SECURITY GUARDS

Is in the need of unarmed Security Guards for our gated community. We have an opening for 1 part time and 1 full time position with benefits. Must possess good written and verbal communication skills to inform and assist private community residents and visitors in the compliance of rules.

Full Time Security Officer Benefits: Bi-Weekly pay with Direct Deposit • Holiday Pay • Medical and Dental Vacation Pay/Sick Pay Minimum Requirements: Must be 18 years of age or older • Must have valid driver’s license Authorized to work in the United States • Must be able to pass a background investigation and drug screening Salary: $16.00 /hour Apply within 701 Spanish Main Drive, Cudjoe Key

INVITATION TO BID FKAA-IFB-0017-20 SALE OF SURPLUS VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT Sealed bids will be received by the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority at its Big Coppitt Pump Station located at U.S. Hwy. 1, MM 10.5 Oceanside, on September 3rd and 4th, between the hours of 9 AM and 4 PM. Bids will be opened on September 8th, 2 PM at 7000 Front St., Stock Island, FL 33040, at which time and place they will be publicly read aloud.

Such bids shall be for the sale of the following:

SURPLUS VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT SURPLUS VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT CAN BE VIEWED ON September 3rd & 4th, 9 A.M. – 4 P.M. U.S. Hwy. 1 MM 10.5 Oceanside As contained in documents on file at the office of the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority, Finance Division, Purchasing Department, 7000 Front St., Stock Island, Florida 33040.

Bid packages can also be downloaded from www.FKAA.com as well as Demandstar.com.

Any questions should be directed to David Jackson, Purchasing Manager, in writing via email to djackson@fkaa.com.

Tom G. Walker, Executive Director Publish: August 27 & September 3, 2020 The Weekly Newspapers

CROSSWORD

SOLUTION

NOW HIRING Full or Part Time Guest Services

With Upscale Casual Dining Experience,

Answer phones, take reservations, greet customers with a smile.

Cashier responsibilities, must be able to multi task.

Full or Part Time Photo Tech

Duties include taking photos, printing and selling photo packages & handling of cash. Must be able to multi task. Computer knowledge required. Experience with photo shop and imovie not required, but helpful.

Part Time Café Help

Duties include taking orders from customers, handling cash, cooking and serving. Must be 18 yrs. or older.

Please apply in person at Aquarium Encounters 11710 Overseas Hwy, Marathon

TECHNICAL SUPPORT SPECIALIST Location: Marathon

The Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority is looking for a Technical Support Specialist with outstanding customer service skills, and up-to-date technical knowledge. Employee in this classification installs, upgrades, advises and troubleshoots computer hardware and software. Position reports to the Director of Information Technology. Must have a high school diploma or GED, supplemented by college level course work or Vo Tech training in computer technology; minimum 3 yrs of progressively more responsible computer technical experience, and must possess a Microsoft certification containing software and hardware components for current technologies or ability to obtain certification within 6 months of employment.

Go to: www.fkaa.com/employment to complete our on-line application. Salary range: $57,680 - $91,364 (Salary commensurate with qualifications) EEO, VPE, ADA

SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS NEEDED! Monroe County School District

Salary $17.15 – $24.15/hour Key West, Sugarloaf, Marathon and Upper Keys (4 work locations) No Experience Required, Benefits, CDL Training Provided – work as a Bus Aide while training, Full Time or Flexible, Part Time Hours - 6 to 9 am or 1 or 2 to 5 pm Apply online: www.keysschools.com

MAINTENANCE MANAGER Punctual, organized and dedicated team player with proven track record for part-time position in all aspects of critical periodic maintenance. Experience in A/C, electrical, general building maintenance and basic housekeeping skills is preferred.

Offering medical, dental, vision, 401K, Aflac, personal time off and paid vacations.

1316 Duval Street open daily 9:00 am to 5:00 pm

51

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

Due to safety issues we're running at 50% capacity and have raised our prices $10 per person.

MARATHON LADY DOCKS U.S.1 at Vaca Cut Bridge Mile Marker 53, Marathon

305.743.5580

Morning trip 9:30am-1:30pm Night trip 6:30pm-midnight

Marathon Lady • 73’ Party Boat Please make sure to call ahead for reservations and face coverings are required. Thank you!

www.MARATHONLADY.net

Sharing the Water with Sea Turtles • Watch out for sea turtles on the surface • Avoid trap ropes that may be floating • Stay alert and obey speed limits

If you see a Sea Turtle in Distress: Call our 24 hr Hotline 305-481-7669 or Call FWC 888-404-FWCC or Radio Coast Guard VHF Ch. 16

www.turtlehospital.org

52

STUDENT OF THE WEEK

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020 ELLA HALL www.keysweekly.com

The Keys Weekly is proud to partner with Key West High School faculty and students in choosing “The Student of the Week.” Recipients are chosen on qualifications including academic standing, athletics, outstanding achievements, community involvement, individuality and moral fortitude. We thank our future leaders and KWHS for allowing us to share in a regular dose of “Conch Pride,” and for giving us a glimpse into their world.

MAX RYAN

Lower your payments with No Balance Transfer Fee and 0%APR* on Balance Transfers for 7 months with a Keys Visa Credit Card.

SENIOR, KWHS How long have you lived in Key West/the Florida Keys? I have lived here all my life.

Everyone who lives or works in the Florida Keys is invited to join us!

Call 305-294-6622

Go to KeysFCU.org

Visit any branch in Key West at 3022 N. Roosevelt Blvd. or 514 Southard St., in Big Pine at MM30, or in Marathon at MM53.5 Gulfside Restrictions may apply. Subject to credit approval.

What You’ve Been Waiting For Is Finally Here…

Tavern N Town Is Reopening This FRIDAY!!!

OPEN DAILY 5 PM-10 PM

Enjoy your choice of over 25 different wines by the glass

Happy Hour Daily 5-7pm

NEW MENU Hand crafted by Executive Chef James Jernigan.

Featuring your favorite Prime Rib, Conch Chowder, French Onion Soup, Tavern Salad and more!

Live Music Mike Emerson

Limited Seating Available, Reservations Recommended 15% Locals Discount with Monroe County ID

For Reservations, call 305.296.8100 Reserve Online at OpenTable

www.TavernNTown.com

Join us on Facebook for our Daily Specials

Reservations 305.296.8100

www.facebook.com/TavernNTown

Clubs/athletics/community service? Wrestling and football.

What KWHS teacher has had the most influence on you?

Mrs. Wood and Mrs. Tadesco have had a really good impact on me. Mrs. Wood helped me a lot and would always give me extra time on every assignment.

Mrs. Tadesco taught my class so well, that I was able to understand everything right away.

What class, so far, has best prepared you for life after high school? I’d say Learning Strategies has prepared me for life, mainly because of the things it’s taught. It showed me how to tip at a restaurant, how to do taxes, and so much more.

What was the biggest challenge of online learning for you during the pandemic?

The hardest thing about online learning is having to wake up on time and not accidentally miss class.

What’s one piece of advice you’d give incoming freshmen? Don’t be nervous; you’ll fit in right away. The students here are really friendly and as long as you respect your teachers, high school will be a breeze.

What are your plans/goals after graduation? My plan is to go straight into college for Divi-

sion 1 football after high school.

I’m still trying to figure out what I want to major in, but I’m swaying towards business.

What three things would you like to have accomplished by your 10-year high school reunion? In 10 years, I would like to have a bachelor’s degree, complete college football, and have an amazing job and house.

What social media app do you use most often? I mostly use Twitter and Instagram.

What local, national or global issue concerns you most?

COVID-19 spreading concerns me. We were about to go back to school and it infected more people, which ended up pushing us back again.

Do you plan to make the Keys your permanent home after high school or college? I don’t really know where I want to live after college, but the Keys is definitely a great choice.

Who has influenced you the most in your life? My coaches and teachers, Hughes, Chaz, Flanagan, Jason and J.P. have pushed me to be the best I can be, making them a part of who I am now. My friends, Roosevelt, Ty Torez, Seth Torez, Stervenz Dor, Hugo Tisayco, and a lot more, have pushed me in the weight room and out on the field to get stronger.

53

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

• CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC && LEGAL NOTICES • • 305.743.0844 • CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC LEGAL NOTICES 305.743.0844 The Guidance/Care Center, Inc. a division of

“Uplifting the human spirit since 1973”

NOW HIRING RESTAURANT HOST SERVERS BARTENDERS FOOD RUNNER PUBLIC AREA ATTENDANT LAUNDRY ATTENDANT ROOM ATTENDANTS BELLMEN LINE COOK SOUS CHEF BAKER APPLY AT: bungalowskeylargo.com/careers

Bungalows Key Largo is an EOE

THE GUIDANCE/CARE CENTER, Inc.

IS HIRING! KEY LARGO

Advocate (bilingual a plus)

KEY WEST

Case Manager (Forensic) Substance Abuse Counselor Behavioral Health Therapist (Children) Behavioral Health Therapist (Adult) FL LCSW only Front Desk Specialist Engagement Specialist (Suicide Prevention)

MARATHON Care Coordinator

Behavioral Health Therapist (Children) RNs and LPNs (3 shifts) (PT& FT) Peer Support Specialist Drop In Technician (PT) Research Assistant (2) Driver (CDL preferred) Engagement Specialist (Suicide Prevention) *Assisted Living Night Monitor (FREE HOUSING!) *Assisted Living Direct Care Worker (PT/FT) *Behavioral Health Technicians (3 shifts) (PT/FT) *No experience necessary. Will train.

A caring heart & helpful hands required.

Ability to work some evening or weekend shifts a plus.

If you’ve wanted to get into the medical field but don’t have the education, this is the job for you!

Background and drug screen req.

GREAT BENEFITS! Check out all available positions at: www.westcare.com EEOC/DFWP

THEME: FALL FUN ACROSS 1. Domenikos Theotokopoulos, a.k.a. El _____ 6. Org. striving to attain “the highest possible level of health” for all 9. Faculty member, for short 13. Rekindled 14. Western omelet ingredient 15. Trailblazer Daniel 16. Not a minor 17. Spud bud 18. Nonsense 19. *Colorful autumn attraction 21. *Popular fall decor item, pl.

23. Leave speechless 24. Thailand money 25. Belfry dweller 28. Dwarf buffalo 30. Eccentric one 35. 2nd word in fairytale?

37. Overnight lodgings 39. Marilyn Monroe’s given name 40. Between a trot and a gallop 41. *Pressed beverage 43. ____ Blanc 44. Type of saltwater fish 46. Like a broken horse 47. Larger-than-life 48. Sound setup 50. “CliffsNotes,” e.g.

52. Fifth note 53. Genuflecting joint 55. “____ he drove out of sight...”

57. *Back to what?

60. *____ weather 64. Cell dweller 65. Tokyo, pre-1868 67. Out of the way 68. Be needy 69. Sticky stuff 70. Conical dwelling 71. Heidi’s shoe 72. Asian capital 73. Move furtively

DOWN 1. Famous Steffi 2. Do over 3. Twelfth month of Jewish year 4. Locomotive hair 5. Canadian capital 6. Cry of glee 7. *Wagon “cushion” 8. Last letter, to Homer 9. Standard’s partner 10. Crucifix 11. Change for a five 12. Funny Poehler’s funny friend 15. Himalayan kingdom 20. Relating to genes 22. Unit of electrical resistance 24. Boo-boo wrap 25. *Next spring’s flowers 26. To the left, on a boat 27. Safari hat 29. Fonzie: “Sit ____ ____!”

31. Top of the Capitol 32. *Fall bounty 33. Prenatal test, for short 34. *Pumpkin garden 36. Not far 38. Big rig 42. Stitch again 45. Vietnam river 49. Lennon’s widow 51. *Celebrant’s bagful 54. Lament for the dead 56. Artist’s tripod 57. Exchange for money 58. Greek muse of history 59. Before Kong 60. Any time now 61. #70 Across, alt. sp.

62. Biblical paradise 63. Stink to high heaven 64. Broadband access overseer 66. Unidentified John

MARATHON GARBAGE SERVICE We are now hiring for the following positions:

Diesel Mechanic Truck Helpers CDL Drivers Applicants must apply in person to be considered.

4290 Overseas Hwy, Marathon

NOW HIRING

Marathon, Big Pine Key & Stock Island Locations $15 per hour to start

Immediate opening for a HVAC Service Technician Upper & Middle Keys.

Great Pay • Paid Holidays • Sick Pay • Medical Insurance • Paid Vacation

Apply in person 171 Hood Ave • MM 91.5 • Tavernier p 305-852-2960 • f 305-852-0656

FT Employees are eligible to participate in our health, dental, vision, Life Insurance. PTO and Profit Sharing is available to every member of our team (conditions apply).

HOW TO APPLY: Go to mytomthumb.com or call Cleveland (786) 295-5307.

54

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

LET’S DO BUSINESS - 305.743-0844 Licensed & Insured Contractor # CACO53827

ARTIC TEMP, INC. Air Conditioning & Refrigeration

Residential, Commercial & Marine Ice Machine - Sales - Service Phone: (305) 743-5288

SOLAR DONE RIGHT! CALL US FOR A FREE HOME ESTIMATE

We also service and sell: Marine A/C, Refrigeration, Watermakers, Batteries, Solar Systems, Anything Electrical!

305-289-1150

Florida Solar Contractor CVC 56734

Fax: (305) 743-6887

305-481-3259

Keys Fisheries Market & Marina Mile Marker 48.5, Marathon End of 35th Street Bayside

Manicures • Pedicures Acrylics • Gelish • Facials • Waxing

Brian Tewes

5177 Overseas Highway

President

Marathon, FL 33050 305-289-1631

www.TewesMortgage.com

www.marathonhairandnailsalon.com

REAL Wood Cabinets at Particle Board Prices KitchenKorner/Fred's Beds 1333 O/S Hwy, MM 53.5 • 305-743-7277

The Weekly Newspapers www.KeysWeekly.com

305-743-0844

5177 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050

305-289-1631 www.marathonhairandnailsalon.com

Liz Samess Interiors

Design, Decorating, Drafting, & More…

Interior Designer

P.E. Lic. No: 79269 5800 Overseas Hwy. Unit 32 Marathon, FL. 33050

Specializing in Color and Highlights Haircuts Keratin Treatments (Between Office Depot and Main Post Office)

Liz Samess Cell: 305-363-8330 Office: 305-735-4626 will@cecflk.com www.CECFLK.com

(Between Office Depot & Main Post Office)

NMLS# 375025 Tewes Mortgage NMLS# 1453791 NMLSConsumerAccess.org

Kitchen Cabinets Sales

fkes2011@gmail.com floridakeysexpressshuttle.com

Will Campbell

Nails by Ivis

Call 305.495.6000 Customer service is my strength Brian@tewesmortgage.com

Serving Key Largo to Key West

Excellent References Upon Request

305-766-0819 305-924-0179

for a FREE Consultation

305-743-7454

“We Clean Your Place, Like it Was Our Place”

info@johnnymaddoxcharters.com

Your local, residential lending expert!

Including Airports & Ports.

SUV, Van & Limousine options available Call us for special events.

Home & Offices Expertly Cleaned Fast Dependable Service

Dolphin-Tuna-Wahoo-Billfish-Snapper-Grouper-Shark Deep Sea –Off Shore-Reef-Wrecks-Gulf

Tewes Mortgage

Serving Monroe, Dade & Broward

Barbara Sanchez

Sportfishing Adventures

• SINCE 1989 • www.saltenergy.net www.saltservice.net 2992 Overseas Highway Marathon, FL 33050

Only $50 Puts Your Business Card Here

(954) 801-7883 Email: interiordesignbyliz@gmail.com CELL:

Marathon, FL 33050

Floor & Wall Tiles Porcelain/Planks Marble Carpets Quartz & Granite Countertops

Lic#SP-3562

We Do Installations!

Licensed & Insured

FREE ESTIMATES U.S.1 & 109th St, Marathon (Across from Beall’s Outlet)

289-3019

55

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

LET’S DO BUSINESS - 305.743.0844 Petersen Repair & Maintenance

MARATHON • KEY COLONY OWNERS

START EARNING

• Flooring • Inside Trim Work • Door Replacement • Landscaping • Fencing

305 3902315

WWW.KEYSRENTALSONLINE.COM OFFER YOUR ENJOY EXPERT MAXIMIZE GUESTS A VIP PROPERTY YOUR INCOME EXPERIENCE MAINTENANCE POTENTIAL

• Plastering & Stucco • Masonry & Spalling Repair • Waterproof & Roof Painting • Interior & Exterior Painting • Parking Lot Striping

Karen Raspe

SP# 4434, 4435, 4436, 4437, 4438. 4439. 4448, 4449, 4450, 4451

Charlie Petersen 920-371-3107 | PetersenRepair@yahoo.com

Realtor 305-393-9010 karenraspe@bellsouth.net

9141 Overseas Highway Marathon, FL 33050 www.karenraspe.com

Licensed & Insured #SP33799

ALL KEYS GLASS

RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL Windows • Doors

305-743-7800

Authorized Dealer

Sales & Installation • Tub & Shower Enclosures Safety & Tempered Glass • Mirror & Mirror Walls Plexi-Glass & Lexan

Clear Cut Trees Plus Serving all of the Florida Keys RAS JL WHITE - owner ISA CERTIFIES ARBORIST MI-4398A

786.490.3073 replacm@gmail.com

y’s www.KeysSlidingGlassDoorRepair.com And Sliding Glass Door Repair Roller Maintenance Track Maintenance Door Alignment Security Pins Safety Locks Handles

We Also Repair & Replace Patio Door Screens

When It Rains It Pours!

Need 7” Gutters? We have 6” & 7” Seamless • Copper Specialists

305-998-8953

MARATHON

Insured • Professional • Reliable

Rachel Sanderson Rachellynnes94@gmail.com 305.393.3076

SALES

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

305-394-5530 bnbfishing@comcast.net 3900 Overseas Hwy, Marathon FL 33050

Lic# ENG II 305E

Butch and Barbara Hewlett

305-743-0506 KEY LARGO 305-852-5356 rainsavergutters@gmail.com

Only $50 Puts Your Business Card Here QUICK & RELIABLE OPEN WATER MARINE SERVICES JARED FRANK

OWNER

(305) 289-1551 towboatusmarathon.com

GENERAL CONTRACTORS & ENGINEERS

SPALLING EXPERTS

Proud member of:

INTERNATIONAL

CONCRETE REPAIR INSTITUTE

56

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

305-481-6887

Gailinthekeys@gmail.com 1919 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050

800 12th Street Key Colony Beach 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, pool tiki hut and beautiful waterside patio. 112 foot of sea walled dockage with boat lift. 4th lot in from the open water of Shelter Bay and close proximity to Gulf or Ocean access for world famous fishing. $1,950,000

Key Colony Beach Home for Sale 3 bedrooms 4.5 baths. Pool, elevator and tiki concrete construction and balconies overlooking the large dock. $2,600,000

The Residences Key Colony Beach 3 Bedroom, 4 bath condo. Private elevator, brand new impact doors & windows. Solid concrete and travertine marble floors. $1,275,000

1025 West Ocean Drive, Key Colony Beach

Coming Soon...Key Colony Beach

460 5th Street, Key Colony Beach

All of the view that is most appreciated in the Florida Keys right here in a Penthouse 6 unit, stilted Oceanfront dream condo! 2 bedrooms - on site bathrooms - very well appointed. 2 Penthouse units available - own the entire top floor of this private luxurious beach front! $849,000 - West Unit $745,000 - East Unit

4 bedroom 3 bath. Stilted waterfront Luxury half duplex (LEFT SIDE) with 37.5 foot of deeded dockage. High ceilings, Fabulous kitchen with elegant and fine touches everywhere. 4th bedroom is private and away from the main living area. $870,000

2 bedroom, 2 bath. Large Dock $839,000