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May 27, 2021

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KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

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KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

NUMBER OF THE WEEK

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The number of New Yorkers who exchanged their New York drivers licenses for Florida credentials between September 2020 and March 2021, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. That’s a 19% increase from the same period between 2019 and 2020. New Yorkers are migrating mostly to Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties.

ON THE COVER

Congratulations, graduates. The Key West High School graduation takes place at 8 p.m. Friday, June 2 at the Coffee Butler Amphitheater.

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PIER PRESSURE

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A large cruise ship docks at the privately owned Pier B, which is adjacent to the city’s pier at Mallory Square. The city pier cannot accommodate large cruise ships. CONTRIBUTED

KEY WEST OFFICIALS DEBATE, THEN POSTPONE, DECISION ON MALLORY EXPANSION MANDY MILES mandy@keysweekly.com

ey West city officials firmly stated on May 19 that they have no intention of bringing more or larger cruise ships to the pier at Mallory Square. Commissioners and city managers emphasized their intent to honor Key West voters’ decision to prohibit large-capacity ships at city-owned facilities. But that doesn’t change the fact that the Mallory pier is in need of significant repairs and stabilization — even to accommodate smaller cruise ships. But how big does the pier need to be? What message would enlarging it by 85 feet send with regard to the cruise ship referendums? And would changing the proposed plans anger state officials and make it more difficult to obtain state funding for future projects? The commissioners, along with Ports Director Doug Bradshaw, City Manager Patti McLauchin and several residents, debated those and other questions at their May 19 meeting. The discussion centered around whether the commission would approve a grant agreement with the

Florida Department of Transportation, which would fund 75% of the expansion with state money. The project currently being proposed would enlarge the existing pier from 115 to 200 feet, and representatives from the Key West Committee for Safer Cleaner Ships told the commissioners that the optics of such an expansion would be incongruous with the voter referendums. “The summary you’ve been presented doesn’t reflect the history of this project, which was proposed explicitly to bring more and larger Arlo Haskell cruise ships to Mallory, long before the referendums were ever considered,” said Arlo Haskell, treasurer and co-founder of Safer Cleaner Ships. “That’s why FDOT authorized the project in the first place. I think the commission needs to know whether FDOT would still consider this a fundable project if the intent is not to bring in more and larger ships.” Bradshaw emphasized that the pier needs to be enlarged not to ac-

commodate larger ships, but even to allow safe dockage for the smaller ships that would still be welcome there. “Even at 200 feet, you’re still a small pier for small ships,” Bradshaw said. Commissioner Jimmy Weekley asked Bradshaw if the city could simply replace the parts that need repair, but keep the pier the same size as it is today. “If you’re going to have even smaller ships dock at Mallory, that is not currently an appropriately sized pier, according to the engineering consultants who study how ships dock and the space they need,” Bradsha said. The commission ultimately postponed any decisions until their June 2 meeting, and directed Bradshaw to contact FDOT and see if a compromise is possible with regard to the size of the new pier. “I think the first step is for you to go back and ask FDOT if we have the flexibility to modify the scope of this project,” Mayor Teri Johnston said. That question should be answered at the June 2 commission meeting.

KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

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KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

PIPE BREAKS CUT WATER TO KEYS RESIDENTS Water inundated the Old Highway in Islamorada on the morning of May 21 following a water main break near MM 88. JIM McCARTHY/Keys Weekly

JIM McCARTHY

jim@keysweekly.com

ipe breaks over the last week left residents from the Upper Keys south to Big Pine Key with low water pressure or no water at all. An advisory issued by the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority on the morning of May 21 detailed a leak involving a 30-inch transmission line on the Old Highway in Islamorada, near Coral Harbour Club at MM 88. The break occurred around 6 a.m. as water spurted up from the location of the break, inundating a portion of the road in front of the condo club. FKAA trucks arrived roughly an hour later for repairs on the transmission line, which continued into the morning of May 22. An alert went out around 6 a.m. on May 22 urging residents to conserve water following the report of a second leak on the transmission line, located at the north end of the weigh station MM 86, that further reduced water storage tanks. FKAA crews completed repairs roughly two-and-a-half hours later around 9 a.m., but noted that restoration of water service to the Keys would take several more hours. On May 25, FKAA crews were repairing road shoulder and pavement damage caused by the leak at MM 86. Major leaks witnessed over the last week, notably the break on Old Highway, were among the few seen since the early 2000s. “The last time we had similar, critical circumstances was in 2006,” said Julie Cheon, FKAA spokeswoman. “We have some aging pipe in that area and we are expanding our capital improvement plan to include this area.” FKAA is the water service provider for the Florida Keys, while providing reclaimed water and wastewater services in select areas. About 17 million gallons of drinking water are supplied daily through 1,086 miles of pipe, 26 pumping stations and 45 bridge crossings. The primary water supply for FKAA is the Biscayne Aquifer. Supplementing it is the Floridan Aquifer, which is a deeper, more brackish aquifer. In emergency situations, the FKAA has the capability of using two seawater plants, one in Marathon and one on Stock Island. Leak issues weren’t only seen in Islamorada. FKAA issued another water advisory on May 25 at MM 112 in Key Largo, as crews repaired a 4-inch main leak. Repairs took two to three hours. Residents on Hazel Street, Morris Avenue and Morris Lane experience low water pressure or none at all.

CONGRATULATIONS, GRADUATES

It is my distinct pleasure to congratulate and to thank you for your hard work and for the many sacrifices that you have made to get to this point in your life. It has been our joy to help you along the way. For the past year and a half, the nation and the world have been thrown into the path of a pandemic which affected all of us. In spite of all, you have achieved this admirable goal; you have graduated from high school despite all the drawbacks and pitfalls of these past months and there have been many of them, too numerous to name. In truth, it takes both guts and commitment to graduate in a typical year. This year has been beyond typical and yet you have prevailed. Failure could have defined you at this time, but you did not allow that to happen. You have risen above the obstacles and have soared into a future where dreams can be realized and happiness achieved. Strength comes from facing adversity and conquering it and I believe that the class of 2021 has done that and more. As you move beyond the Monroe County School District, remember that many changes will occur based on the pandemic; the world about us is going to look different in so many ways. Stay connected and stand up to be part of the solution as our society creates new practices going forward. Use your voice and your vote to insist on policies that create a better future for everyone. There are great things awaiting you in the future and you have shown that you are more than up to the task of making this world a better place to work and live in. In closing, the future is always uncertain, but in celebrating you for your accomplishments, I am certain of one thing. The class of 2021 will not let us down! Congratulations once again. Theresa Axford, Superintendent, Monroe County School District

KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021 By Mandy Miles, Sara Matthis and Jim McCarthy

Americans are desperate to travel beyond their COVID bubble — and they’re willing to pay top dollar for hotels in the Florida Keys, where staffing shortages are worse than usual. PIXABAY/ Contributed

EXPENSIVE ESCAPE KEYS VISITORS PAY SKY-HIGH PRICES AT SHORTHANDED HOTELS

This list shows the 20 priciest destinations for U.S. hotels this spring, according to cheaphotels.org. The rates shown reflect the average price for each destination’s most affordable double room available between May 1-31, 2021. Key West (FL) $299 Islamorada (FL) $295 Marathon (FL) $285 Poipu (HI) $245 Sanibel Isl. (FL) $243 Sedona (AZ) $235 Tybee Isl.(GA) $224 Wailea (HI) $212 Lahaina (HI) $194 Waikoloa (HI) $192 Anna Maria Isl. (FL) $187 Napa (CA) $185 Calistoga (CA) $175 Sarasota (CA) $172 Santa Monica (CA) $170 Newport (RI) $165 Fort Myers Beach (FL) $165 Key Largo (FL) $164 St. Pete Beach (FL) $157 Charleston (SC) $156

$1,416. $1,143. $1,398. Those aren’t monthly rents or mortgage payments. They’re nightly room rates at Key West hotels such as the Casa Marina Resort, Pier House Resort and Opal Key Resort for the Memorial Day weekend, according to prices listed this week on Expedia.com, which don’t include the additional daily resort and parking fees that typically add about $40 per night to published room rates. As of May 6, Key West hotel prices were the highest in the country, with Islamorada and Marathon filling the No. 2 and 3 slots, according to a survey by cheaphotels.org that included all hotels rated three or more stars in destinations all over the country that were either near a beach or an urban center. In Islamorada, prices for weekend stays were as high as $1,009 a night at Cheeca Lodge. Rooms at La Siesta Resort & Marina were $1,003 a night, while Postcard Inn Beach Resort & Marina was around $766. In Marathon, hotel room rates have increased by nearly 50% based on a Google search of accommodations in the Middle Keys when compared to tourist reports from 2019 during the month of May. In 2019, the average room rate in the Middle Keys was $230; now it’s up to about $336; that’s an increase of 46%. On holiday weekends, the prices are even higher. Isla Bella Beach Resort & Spa and Hawks Cay Resort — both waterfront, luxury resorts — are advertising rooms for Saturday, May 29 for $935 and $829 respectively. National brand, midlevel hotels are going for about $650 for one night over the Memorial Day weekend.

And yes, plenty of people are paying those prices. “Our occupancy is way beyond where it should be right now,” Jodi Weinhofer, president of the Lodging Association of the Florida Keys & Key West, told the Keys Weekly on Tuesday. “But as soon as occupancy drops, hotels will lower their rates. For now, they’re riding this wave and trying to recoup what they lost during the pandemic closures. It’s not that they’re being greedy, but as a business you don’t want to leave money on the table when people are willing to pay it, and are filling these rooms.” The entire Florida Keys island chain is experiencing an unprecedented number of visitors, demand for lodging and willingness to pay the equivalent of a month’s rent in most cities for a single night in Key West or Islamorada.

“There’s no doubt that throughout Florida and nationally, the travel and tourism industry is struggling to meet the needs of this sudden and unprecedented boom in business.” — Stacey Mitchell, director, Monroe County Tourist Development Council.

KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

Rooms at Postcard Inn, located in Islamorada, were going for around $766 a night for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend. CONTRIBUTED

A recent survey reveals that Key West, Islamorada and Marathon hotels are the top three most expensive in the country for the month of May. PIXABAY/ Contributed

But throughout the state and nation, staffing shortages are also unprecedented, prompting many in the hospitality and leisure industries to ask: What do these visitors get when they arrive? And could the sky-high hotel rates backfire on a destination when visitors don’t get the service they expect for the price they paid to be here? Stacey Mitchell, director of the Monroe County Tourist Development Council (TDC), is asking — and trying to answer — the same questions. “There is such pent-up demand for people to get away, wherever they can go, and a lot of people have an unparalleled amount of savings right now, whether it’s from stimulus money, or from not spending it on other trips for the past year and a half,” Mitchell said. “Visitors are willing to overlook many shortcomings in terms of service and places being short-staffed,” Mitchell said. “That tolerance will only last so long. We are forecasting a future where value for price paid, and services commensurate with the price point, will be instrumental in maintaining our market share and the integrity of our brand,” Mitchell wrote in a recent report to Keys tourism officials. In other words, people won’t always be willing to overlook our shortcomings in service, in a location for which they’ve paid dearly, and will soon expect to get what they paid for. “There’s no doubt that throughout Florida and nationally, the travel and tourism industry is struggling to meet the needs of this sudden and unprecedented boom in business,” said Mitchell, who just returned from a tourism conference at a hotel in St. Augustine Beach. The host hotel, whose brand is known for its included breakfasts and nightly manager’s happy hour, was not offering those services.

“They just don’t have the staff,” she said. Jodi Weinhofer, president of the Lodging Association of the Florida Keys & Key West, has heard of all the same staffing challenges — and the same disbelief about exorbitant room rates. “We have general managers cleaning rooms so they can check people in,” Weinhofer said. “And I’ve had general managers and front desk managers say they’re embarrassed to tell people their nightly room rates. “But they’ve all been warned, and they already knew, this won’t last,” Weinhofer said, adding that once the Caribbean, Mexico and Europe reopen and once cruise ships start sailing again throughout the world, the demand, and prices, will drop significantly. “The hotel industry is second only to the airline industry when it comes to reacting quickly to the marketplace,” she said. “The minute their occupancy drops, their rates will drop. But right now, our occupancy numbers are way beyond where they should be. And it’s not just Key West. For the first time ever, Islamorada’s average daily hotel room rate was higher than Key West’s last week. “I think everyone figures this will be over by the end of summer, and they’re just riding the wave now, while people are willing to pay these rates, to get out of the hole they were in at the height of the pandemic, when no one was going anywhere,” Weinhofer said. But are visitors complaining when they pay $800 per night at a chain hotel that’s usually affordable, and then don’t get daily housekeeping service in their room, or the free hot breakfast in the lobby? “I won’t lie. I think there are definitely some complaints, and I’m sure some brands are getting hammered, especially by their VIP members who accumulate points each stay,” Weinhofer said. “But the same things are happening everywhere, and I do think most properties are doing a good job of letting people know they’re short-staffed and explaining the situation.”

Where are the workers? The staffing shortages prompt yet another question: Why? Why is it so much more difficult to find workers now than it was before COVID struck? There are many theories and targets. Earlier this week, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Florida will end its participation in the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program, the $300 per week supplemental payment, effective June 26. Many business owners are blaming the government’s unemployment benefits for making it more profitable for many workers to stay home than go to work. And that is the case in many situations. “Why would you expose yourself to the risks of working in close quarters, serving people food and drinks, when you could just make more money on unemployment?” one longtime restaurant employee, who asked that his name not be used, for fear of hurting his future employment prospects, told NPR for a May 5 article about the national worker shortages. But Daniel Costa, an immigration researcher at the Economic Policy Institute, a liberal-leaning think tank, said in the same article, “if people are doing better on unemployment, it only means they were underpaid to start with.” “I think we should take what (businesses) say with a grain of salt,” Costa told NPR. “Every time you hear ‘I can’t find any workers,’ you should add to the end of that – ‘at the wage I want to pay,’ because you’re talking about some very low-wage jobs.” Travel restrictions and visa processing delays for seasonal foreign workers also are contributing to the staffing shortages, especially in summer resort towns that depend on such workers. “Work at U.S. embassies and consulates is still ‘severely’ slow, because of pandemic restrictions, according to a State Department official, and J-1 and H-2B visas are at the bottom of the priority list,” NPR reports.

KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021 BRITT MYERS

britt@keysweekly.com

The 2019 Bubbas Awards Banquet packed the Key West Theater for a night of awards, charity and plenty of irreverent humor.

THE BUBBAS ARE BACK A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO THE KEY WEST PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS

he Bubbas: Key West People’s Choice Awards began in the summer of 2014 with one goal in mind: Create a signature event to celebrate the vibrant culture of Key West while raising funds to support some of the most essential nonprofit organizations in the Southernmost City. Seven years later, as we embark on our eighth annual Bubba Awards contest, over $100,000 has been raised for local charities since 2014 — and the Key West People’s Choice Awards banquet has become one of the most anticipated evenings of the year. On July 24, the Bubbas: Key West People’s Choice Awards banquet will return to the Key West Theater for an inevitable soldout crowd. The event has evolved into much more than an awards show — raising vital funds for community partners, while roasting and jabbing everyone in attendance, all in the name of fun and philanthropy. Moreover, the event has taken on an identity of its own. And while some of the most memorable moments have occurred on stage with dance-offs and lip sync battles between public officials (from U.S. congressmen to our favorite local sheriff, to name

but a few), our proudest achievement is the evolution of the Bubbas into an event that now belongs to the community through your votes, national exposure for Key West businesses and of course, local support for our nonprofits, such as Wesley House Family Services, Bahama Village Music Program and Samuel’s House. This year’s Bubbas promises to be bigger than ever, with almost 90 categories to vote on here in Key West and the surrounding areas. From your favorite slice of Key lime pie to your favorite local celebrity, you will find a category for nearly every facet of life in the Southernmost City. So without further ado, we are proud to announce the 2021 Bubbas: Key West People’s Choice Awards are upon us. The nomination voting period begins online on Friday, June 4, with sample ballots available in all upcoming Key West Weekly editions, along with our radio partners at Florida Keys Media. And then our final voting period, to determine the winners among the top three nominations in each category, runs from June 24 to July 15. For more, here is a comprehensive guideline to the 2021 Bubbas Awards.

THE VOTING Due to the magnitude and growing popularity of the Bubbas, all voting has been moved online. The voting is broken down into two stages: — Nominee Voting: June 4-18. Voters are allowed to enter one choice or entry in each ballot category ONCE PER WEEK. Ballots that contain any duplicated emails and/or IP addresses will be discarded and voters must fill out the minimum requirements to cast a valid ballot. After June 18, all votes will be counted to determine the top 3 in each category. Ballots will be located at keysweekly.com. — Final Voting: June 24-July 15. The top three nominees in each category will be placed on the final ballot. During this phase, voters will select from the top three in each category. Voters can cast a new vote EVERY DAY during this phase. Voting will end at 5 p.m. ET on July 15. The categories are broken down into three groups: Food & Drink (such as Best Martini); Our Community (such as Best Place to Take the Kids) and Business (such as Best Bank). While most of the categories have remained consistent over the past seven years, we do encourage residents and supporters to submit any ideas for additional categories for consideration. These can be emailed to Britt@Keysweekly.com by June 1.

KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

Key West radio personality Bill Hoebee joins the irreverent fun, while Realtor Martha Robinson and her guest enjoy the best seats in the house.

THE AWARDS BANQUET: JULY 24 AT THE KEY WEST THEATER The annual Bubbas awards banquet has become one of the hottest tickets in town. This year the event takes place on July 24 at the Key West Theater. With almost 90 winners, tons of dignitaries and other community supporters looking to attend, the invite list remains selective due to seating capacity. However, there will be ticket opportunities a few days before the event and more information will be provided as the date nears. The event has become much more than your typical awards banquet. While winners and nominees enter by red carpet, previous attendees can attest that the absurd has become the expected norm. From humorous roasts (aimed at anyone and everyone in attendance) to outlandish skits (that have involved elected officials and other hesitant community leaders), the evening promises to offer a much-needed break from partisan politics and petty differences. The night embodies One Human Family — and everyone is asked to check their ego at the door. THE BUBBAS THEME The Bubbas theme was created to encapsulate the local feel of the event and the importance of locals choosing whom and what they love most in the community. The Bubbas theme was originally hatched with humorous intentions. However, one of our favorite moments of the awards banquet is a traditional opening that includes one of our trademark Top 10s — “You Might Be a Bubba If…” This is significant because true locals (or Conchs) have supported this bit with submissions over the past seven years — magnifying the humor and fun of the evening with homegrown anecdotes about our friends and neighbors.

Everyone in the audience is fair game when Keys Weekly owners Jason Koler, left, and Britt Myers take the stage at Key West Theater. Photos by NICK DOLL and LARRY BLACKBURN

Here are a few examples of this fun installment from the 2018 Bubbas: You might be a Bubba if… 10. You complained about the Marriott Beachside’s chardonnay selection during Hurricane Irma. 9. You lost your virginity to Virginia Panico. 8. Your Corvette’s vanity license plate reads “FEMA” 7. One of your children was conceived on the backseat of a golf cart or during a conjugal visit on College Road. 6. In keeping with the times, the Breathalyzer you use to start your car features a biodegradable straw. 5. You have been driving without a license since 1966. 4. You are one of the 1,735 people who voted for the City of Key West as Best Family Business. 3. You have at least 700 pounds of free weights in your driveway. 2. You refer to out-of-season lobster as “spring shrimp.” 1. You’re a 10th-generation fisherman whose boat hasn’t left the driveway in eight years because you are “waiting on a part.”

GIVING BACK All proceeds raised at the Bubbas are donated to one of three rotating nonprofits. The Bubbas continues to support The Bahama Village Music Program, Wesley House and Samuel’s House. This year’s beneficiary will be Wesley House Family Services. Over the past seven years the Bubbas has raised over $100,000 for these vital community organizations. Money is raised through ticket sales and sponsors, which have included First State Bank, Waste Management, Niles Sales & Service, Lower Keys Medical Center, Horan Law, The Key West Butterfly Conservatory and our partners at the Key West Theater have graciously donated their location to the Bubbas for an eighth year — adding additional funds to the selected nonprofit. We thank the community and supporters for participating as we embark upon another incredible year. And we look forward to your votes.

KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

NEW PRINCIPALS TAKE HELM AT 2 KEYS HIGH SCHOOLS Key West and Coral Shores see leadership change

wo of the Florida Keys’ three public high schools will have a new principal in the fall. Christina McPherson is leaving Key West High School for an administrative job as the school district’s executive director of teaching & learning. And Laura Lietaert has been promoted to principal of Coral Shores High School. McPherson’s replacement at KWHS has not been named. “The KWHS position will be advertised and will be selected in the coming weeks,” school district spokeswoman Amber Acevedo told the Keys Weekly. “I know change always causes speculation, but all are committed to a smooth transition.” McPherson is no stranger to district administration, having served as MCSD’s director of assessment and accountability from 20112014. “Christina’s breadth of experience will be an asset in this Christine McPherson, current Key West prin- role,” Superintendent Thecipal who’s leaving to take an administrative resa Axford said. job with the school “As a former district’s executive elementary, director of teaching K-8 and high & learning. CONTRIBschool principal, UTED she is uniquely qualified to understand the needs of students and administrators.” “I have the honor of working with amazing educators who work tirelessly to provide our students with the best possible educational experiences that lead to growth and future opportunities,” McPherson said. At the other end of the island chain, Axford announced, Coral Shores graduate Lietaert, principal at the K-8 Key Largo School, will be the next Coral Shores principal. Lietaert grew up in the Upper Keys. “The foundations provided to me by the teachers at Key Largo School, Plantation Key School and Coral Shores set me up for success,” Lietaert said. “This is my opportunity to give back to a school and community that has given me so much. I’m proud to be a Hurricane once again.”

Blake Fry, retiring Coral Shores principal. WEEKLY FILE PHOTO

Lietaert will take over for retiring principal Blake Fry when the new school year begins. “We are thrilled to have Ms. Lietaert lead Coral Shores High School,” Axford said. “Her years of innovative leadership and dedication will continue to propel them. I appreciate Laura’s work in building relationships at Key Largo School and I know she will use these same skills to support Coral Shores High.” Lietaert’s many assets include her approachability, Axford said, noting she welcomes input from students, parents and the community members who are part of the school system where her four children attended. Her daughter, Stephanie, is a teacher at Plantation Key School. Sons Robert, John and Bernie are serving in the U. S. Coast Guard. No word yet on her replacement as principal of Key Largo School. Laura Lietart, current Fry served Key Largo School prin- as Coral Shores cipal and new Coral principal for 10 Shores principal. years. He told CONTRIBUTED the Keys Weekly that his wife, Mary Jo, and he decided it was time to retire and enjoy family time. “We have always planned to spend half the year in Michigan, then when the snow flies return to Key Largo,” he said. “Right now the time just seems right,” noting their daughters “both relocated to southern Michigan and just finished graduate school and are planning their futures in Michigan. “ Fry said his time teaching, coaching and working with “outstanding educators at every level has been a dream come true.” “Coral Shores has been a major part of our lives for decades and we are grateful for the opportunity we have had here,” he said. — Keys Weekly staff

BRIEFLY

KEY WEST EVENTS MARK MEMORIAL DAY Key West’s city offices will be closed on Monday, May 31 in honor of Memorial Day. During the day, there will be several services honoring the men and women who have died serving our country in the U.S. military. The Navy League will host a ceremony at 9 a.m. at the Key West Cemetery. The guest speaker will be Capt. Mark Sohaney, commander of the Naval Air Station Key West. At 10 a.m., a ceremonial laying of the wreaths will be held at the Veterans Memorial at Bayview Park, followed at 10:30 a.m. by a dedication of the monument honoring the Montford Point Marines and the unveiling of the names of the 13 Key Westers who, during World War II, joined this first Black Marine Corps.

HURLEY SIGNS ON WITH CHRIS-TEL CONSTRUCTION Chris-Tel Construction has opened a new branch office in Marathon to serve the Florida Keys. The office is located at 11400 Overseas Highway, Suite 208, Marathon. Steve Hurley was hired as general manager of the Florida Keys to facilitate the firm’s new geographic growth. Hurley has over 30 years of experience in the construction industry, more specifically in public/ private infrastructure, project management and land planning. Throughout his career, he has also provided permitting services through the governmental agencies, including final close-out and certifications. Hurley has been in the Marathon area for over 10 years.

The company touts Hurley’s presence in the Florida Keys market, experience in the industry, and education as he promotes the firm’s brand in a business development capacity. His responsibilities at Chris-Tel Construction will include client relations, project coordination, and management of the day-to-day business operations at the Marathon office. Hurley is active in the community as well. Recently, he was chairperson for the Greater Marathon Chamber of Commerce and is an active volunteer at many local functions. Chris-Tel Construction is a licensed general contractor and construction management firm with offices in Fort Myers and Marathon. The company specializes in commercial construction, site/civil construction and special projects. For more information on Chris-Tel Construction visit www.christelconstruction.com. To reach Hurley, call 305-735-4623 or email shurley@ christelconstruction.com. LIBRARY SUMMER PROGRAMS PROVIDE KIDS’ ACTIVITIES The Monroe County Public Library’s Summer Reading Program for children starts June 5, with virtual programs and videos to be presented on Saturdays. The summer session is free and open to the public. This year’s theme is “Tails and Tales.” Events will include Highlights Bingo, “Take and Make” crafts and animal-themed storytimes. While some of the summer programming is virtual, all county library branches are open to the public Monday through Saturday. For more information, go to keyslibraries.org or contact your local branch. Key West Library can be reached at 305-292-3595 and facebook.com/ KeyWestLibraryYouth. SENATOR TO SPEAK AT REPUBLICAN CLUB MEETING State Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez, whose district includes the Florida Keys, will be the guest speaker at the Middle Keys Republican Club meet-and-greet at 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 2 at the Marathon Yacht Club, 825 33rd St., Marathon.

KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

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Only the name has changed at Genesis Care cancer treatment center, formerly 21st Century Oncology on North Roosevelt Boulevard. The staff continues to offer radiation, chemotherapy and immunotherapies to treat cancer and blood diseases. CONTRIBUTED

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he cancer treatment center on Key West’s North Roosevelt Boulevard has a new name and a new sign out front, but inside, the service and commitment to caring for the Keys community are the same as they’ve been for 27 years. The former 21st Century Oncology cancer treatment center is now part of Genesis Care, a worldwide network of medical providers. A year ago, Genesis Care acquired all 21st Century Oncology centers in the United States, including the Key West location. The center still offers compassionate cancer treatment through radiation therapies, chemotherapy and the newest developments in immunotherapies, which uses a body’s own immune system to fight cancer. “It’s been amazing to see what’s happening with immunotherapies,” said Mercy Hiller, administrator at Genesis Care, who became a radiation technician more than 20 years ago after her mother had to leave the Keys to receive her treatments. Formerly a pediatric nurse, Hiller changed gears and became a radiation technician to ensure

that no other Keys resident would have to travel to the mainland for radiation treatment. When Hiller’s mother, Marta Gonzalez, lost her battle, the building that houses the Key West cancer center was named in her honor. Hiller also founded the nonprofit Cancer Foundation of the Florida Keys, which raises money to help cancer patients pay their rent, mortgage, utilities and other expenses while undergoing cancer treatment. “Even though people see a different name on the door, our staff is still the same,” Hiller said. “They truly make cancer treatments as compassionate and comfortable as possible. And we’re proud to now be affiliated with one of the world’s largest medical care and cancer treatment providers.” Despite Key West’s small size, its partnership with a global leader like Genesis Care helps connect patients to world-class care, said company spokesman Angharad Bhardwaj. “We’re committed to investing in high-qualify care and world-class technology while growing our research and clinical trials, all to help patients get back to living their best possible lives,” Bhardwaj said.

KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

FEATURED LISTING

1075 Duval St R15 | Key West Fantastic opportunity to own this 4 bed/4 ½ bath Transient Licensed penthouse condo just steps away from Duval Street. The unit has undergone an extensive remodeling approx. 2 years ago. The main floor has a soaring two story living/ dining room with an adjacent family room and fully equipped eat-in kitchen. Up the circular staircase and are three additional bedrooms each with their own private baths. Great rental history. The home is offered fully turnkey. $2,195,000 SHAD KNAPP REALTOR® Office: 305.294.8433 Cell: 603.715.4698 shadknapp@gmail.com

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617 Fleming Street #4 | Key West No. 4 is two levels, 2 bedrooms, 1½ baths, wooden floors throughout, recently renovated with contemporary kitchen and baths, French doors opening to a private balcony looking out over the Historic District. Windows on three sides and all of this in the X Zone! $825,000 DAWN THORNBURGH BROKER ASSOCIATE Office: 305.294.8433 Cell: 305.304.1067 info@kwreal.com

KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

COMING (BACK) OUT

The cast of the 2021 Pride Follies variety show celebrates a smash show of song, dance, comedy and drag presented by the Key West Business Guild. LARRY BLACKBURN/Keys Weekly

PRIDE FOLLIES VARIETY SHOW IS LOUD AND PROUD

Key West singer and 2017 Fantasy Fest queen Destiny Montgomery emcees the 2021 Pride Follies variety show May 22 at Key West Theater.

he 2021 Pride Follies was anything but a run-of-the-mill variety show. Styled after the iconic Ed Sullivan Show, the May 22 kickoff event to Key West Pride (June 2-6) at Key West Theater celebrated the island’s talented residents — and the return of live events after more than a year of COVID. The twice-canceled show, presented by the Key West Business Guild, returned with a colorful and irreverent vengeance featuring song, dance, acrobatics, comedy and yes, drag queens. “The variety show is infamous for having the best of our local performing arts community (and some I hope aren’t giving up their day jobs!)” said Greg Tromba of the event. “Don’t get me wrong, Key Westers love to attend professional performances, but also can’t resist a bit of humor and camp to mix it up a bit.” — Mandy Miles/Keys Weekly

The Island Holistic Trainer COMPLEMENTARY CONSULTATIONS

Key West characters Rude Girl and JT Thompson rejoin the One Human Family at Pride Follies after more than a year of COVID cancellations and separation.

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KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

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KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

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‘YOU CAN AND YOU WILL’ SARAH BIBEAU CHANGES LIVES WITH FOOD, FITNESS

arah Bibeau may be fresh to our island but she’s well versed in wellness. An accomplished personal trainer, nutrition counselor and Pilates instructor, Bibeau relocated from Boston, in the midst of the pandemic, with her husband and youngest daughter. Here at the end of the road, she has established herself as The Island Holistic Trainer, offering one-on-one personal training sessions, nutrition counseling and small-group Pilates classes at her intimate Eaton Street Studio. Bibeau also offers virtual services — a pandemic adaptation that enables her to continue operating her Massachusetts-based studio while planting new roots and sowing health in the Keys. Bibeau’s wellness career has been something of an evolutionary path toward whole-body integration. After working as an EMT, she became a conventional trainer and sports nutritionist. “I worked with bodybuilders, who looked amazing, physically. But there was something missing,” she said. “They weren’t vibrant and they weren’t healthy. Something wasn’t resonating. Slowly but surely I started moving toward a natural path. It was as if someone just turned the lights on for me.” That path led her to an advanced degree in holistic nutrition and a radical restructuring of her own relationship with food. “Physically speaking, food truly is medicine. But a lot of the foods we eat as part of the standard American diet are so bad for us, it’s scary.” Bibeau applies this knowledge to the programming she designs for clients. “I want them to use nutrition as a means to get well. I love to dive in deep and do a total reboot of people’s diets so they can experience and feel what a difference it makes.” Bibeau’s experience and expertise are accessible through a wide range of programming, but her Clean

to Lean Challenge is among the most popular. It’s a six-week group challenge that removes processed foods and incorporates online support, daily recipes and body composition reporting to give clients an improved sense of well-being. “Clients are usually driven from a vanity standpoint. They want to look good, and they want their jeans to fit. At the end of the challenge, people are blown away. Not only have their bodies changed, but they’re sleeping better, their digestion is better, their hair is healthier, their mood is better. They feel as if their whole life has been overhauled.” Bibeau believes that overhaul can and should be felt beyond the body. “Nothing is just physical. You have to address the physical nature, the emotional, the mental, the spiritual; it all has to go together.” In order to braid those needs and natures, Bibeau is dedicated to fostering a space that encourages wholeness. “When you walk in here, I want you to feel different. I want you to feel special. When somebody comes in my door, they are the center of the universe.” She, in turn, gets to witness a healing transformation. “To go through these journeys with people is life-changing. To be able to be a part of that is what fuels me every day.” In the orbit of her clients, Bibeau delivers a simple but powerful message: “All of us are in control of our bodies. Everybody can feel good, everybody can feel better. It’s a matter of taking the time and putting in the effort to learn how. My motto is ‘I can and I will’ and that’s true for everybody.” Key West has proven to be a place that Bibeau can and will make her home and leave her mark. “There’s just a feeling of freedom that you get here. You’re surrounded by creativity and whatever you want to do, you can do it here.”

KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

COLOR ME PROUD

KEY WEST BUSINESS GUILD PRESENTS ISLAND PRIDE CELEBRATION

In addition to freedom and creativity, Bibeau and her family have found unparalleled support in their new community. “We fully anticipated that it would take us a little while to be accepted. It’s a small island and everyone knows each other. We moved into our neighborhood and immediately our neighbors surrounded and supported us like we were family. We’ve not even been here a year, and we’re closer to this community than we ever were in the community where we grew up.” To learn more about Bibeau and her programming, visit islandholistictrainer.com Full Name? Nickname? Sarah Haines Bibeau. Sarah Jeanne is my nickname. What is your astrological sign, and do you match its description? I am a Pisces … to the tee. Do you have a life credo or motto? “I can and I will.” What is your greatest fear? Failure, snakes. What’s on your bucket list? Travel with my husband, swim with a manatee, get my captain’s license, train a service dog, play my ukulele with Zac Brown (learn to play my ukulele better before I jam with Zac), snorkel at the Dry Tortugas, determine who makes the best pizza in Key West, write a bestseller (or two or three). What is your idea of perfect happiness? Hanging out by the water, snuggled up with my husband. I’m a simple soul. Do you consider yourself an introvert or an extrovert? Introvert. Which TV, movie or superhero character is your alter ego? Mother Teresa.

What would your last meal be and who would cook it? Pizza from Oasis. What is your greatest extravagance? Workout clothes from Free People, Chuck Taylors, Key West baseball caps and hats. What would you do if you were invisible? Stay at Fort Zach after sunset. What landscape most inspires you? The ocean. Favorite guilty pleasure? Pizza. What is your most marked characteristic? Kindness and love. If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, who or what would it be? My dog Lunch with one famous person, whom would you choose? Zac Brown Finish these sentences… My perfect day in Key West would include … Sunrise meditation on the water; a run with my dog Bear; brunch at Date and Thyme with my daughter Sami; spend all day reading, writing, swimming and maybe napping at Ft. Zach; dinner at the Cafe with my husband Dennis; sunset and a cocktail on the water with friends, and snuggled in bed by 8:30 p.m. My autobiography would be titled … “The Transformation of a Trainer.” I can never refuse … Pizza. When I go, I will go … Home, of course.

ance cards are quickly filling, as Key West readies for a community comeback from COVID and a colorful Pride celebration. Here’s the event schedule, so you can plan accordingly. For more information, visit gaykeywestfl. com/pride/. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2 • Noon — Pride kickoff luncheon at Marriott Beachside Hotel • 5 p.m. — Kickoff Party at Island House, 1129 Fleming St. All welcome until 8 p.m. THURSDAY, JUNE 3 • 1 p.m. — Naked Pool Party at Equator Resort, 822 Fleming St. (Men only) • 4-6 p.m. — Wine Tasting at D’vine Wine Gallery at The Gardens Hotel, 526 Angela St. • 6:30 p.m. — Fury Sunset Sail “Tea on the Sea,” check in at 6 p.m. at Opal Resort, 245 Front St. Limited tickets. • 8 p.m. — Key West Local Bartender Competition at Bourbon Street Pub, 724 Duval St. • 9 p.m. — “ThursGays” at SideBar, 504 Angela St. Key West. FRIDAY, JUNE 4 • Noon — Singles, Couples, & Thruples — Oh my! Naked pool party at Island House, 1129 Fleming St. (men only) • Noon — Bartending Class at 22&Co at 504 Angela St. $60 per person. • 8 p.m. — “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” party at AquaPlex, 711 Duval St. (all welcome). • 9 p.m. — Fetish Ball at Saloon One, 504 Petronia St. (men only) • 10 p.m. — Glow Party at 801 Bourbon, 801 Duval St. (all welcome). • 10 p.m. to midnight — Late Show at Marylin’s, Pride edition, featuring two winners of RuPaul’s Drag Race SATURDAY, JUNE 5 • 10 a.m.-7 p.m. — Pride Street Fair in the 700-900 blocks of Duval Street • Noon — Pride Pool Party at Bourbon Street Pub, 724 Duval St. (all welcome).

• Noon — Kat’s “Are You Wet Yet Pool Party” at Alexander’s Guesthouse, 1118 Fleming St. (all welcome) • Noon to 2 p.m. — Drag brunch at Marylin’s, 320 Grinnell St. • 9 p.m. — “Rainbow is my Favorite Color” party at AquaPlex, 711 Duval St. (all welcome) • 10 p.m. — Purgatory Party at Bourbon Street Pub, 724 Duval St. (men only). • 10 p.m. to midnight — The Late Show, Pride edition, drag show featuring two RuPaul’s Drag Race winners at Marylin’s Restaurant and Pub, 320 Grinnell St. SUNDAY, JUNE 6 • 10 a.m. — Metropolitan Community Church Pride service, 1215 Petronia St. • 11 a.m. — Unity of the Keys Pride service, 1011 Virginia St. • Noon — Hot Naked Pool Party at Island House, 1129 Fleming St. (men only) • Noon-5 p.m. — Pride Drag Brunch at Mangoes and Drag After Party, 700 Duval St. $40 per person. • 3-5 p.m. — Drag Brunch After-Party at Mangoes, 700 Duval St. • 4-6 p.m. — Famous Tea Dance at La Te Da, 1125 Duval St. • 6-10 p.m. — “Rainbow Roast — Everybody gets Porked” at AquaPlex, 711 Duval St. Featuring traditional Hawaiian luau fare with nontraditional entertainment. Pride Hawaiian attire/apparel encouraged. $100 per person. (all welcome)

KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

WORKING ON THE WATER FEDERAL MARITIME AGENCY RECOGNIZES CFK AS NEW CENTER OF EXCELLENCE

he College of the Florida Keys (CFK) has been designated as a Center of Excellence (CoE) for domestic maritime workforce training and education by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD). The CoE designation recognizes colleges and training institutions that prepare students for careers in our nation’s maritime industry. Twenty-seven institutions have been designated, in 16 states and one U.S. territory. CFK is one of two organizations in Florida, and the only college, to receive the designation. With the CoE designation, CFK can work with MARAD to enhance programs and services for students and faculty, upgrade facilities, award credit for military service, and potentially to receive assistance in the form of surplus equipment or temporary use of MARAD vessels. “This honor is a testament to the caliber of CFK’s maritime education and career training programs. It speaks to our dedication and effectiveness as a premier workforce provider,” said Jonathan Gueverra, CFK president and CEO. “The CoE designation is an important stamp of approval that CFK’s reputation and relationships with industry partners is among the best. Our students and faculty can be proud of the programs’ quality, and our partners now have additional validation of our efforts.” “Our collaboration with these institutions represents an important expansion of MARAD’s role in supporting maritime education and will help form pathways to good-paying American jobs in our nation’s maritime industry,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in a press release from MARAD. “The Center of Excellence designation from MARAD is verification that CFK’s Marine Science and Technology programs and esteemed faculty are training well-prepared, highly skilled, and qualified graduates for the growing industry of maritime professionals,” said Jack Seubert, CFK dean of marine science and technology. Seubert is looking forward to working with MARAD. “CoE designation opens the door for cooperative agreements that increase student and faculty recruitment, training opportunities, and expansion of programs and facilities, ultimately contributing to an innovative and resilient maritime workforce.”

BABIES GO FOR A BOAT RIDE

College of the Florida Keys students Md Shams Khan and Kenneth Nicoll work on an outboard boat engine in a marine technology lab on the Key West campus. CONTRIBUTED

Authorized under the National Defense Authorization Act of 2018, the CoE program is designed to assist the maritime industry in gaining and sustaining a well-trained labor force while enhancing diversity and inclusion in the industry. For over 50 years, CFK has supported local and regional maritime industries with education and training opportunities at its waterfront Key West Campus. Programs include an associate degree in applied science in marine engineering, management, and seamanship, certificates in marine propulsion and welding, as well as non-credit courses. Through these opportunities and others, the college provides professional training for careers in many maritime sectors, including gasoline and diesel engine repair and maintenance, welding, fiberglass boat building and repair, small boat handling and operations training, diving business and technology, marine environmental technology, and ecotourism and hospitality. CFK has active partnerships with industry and workforce education providers such as Yamaha Motor Corporation, Bombardier Recreation Products (BRP), the National Maritime Workforce Alliance, and the Professional Association of Dive Instructors (PADI). The college is a member of the Marine League of Schools with the American Boating and Yacht Council (ABYC), the American Welding Association, the American Academy of Underwater Science (AAUS), and Diver Alert Network (DAN). — Contributed

our lucky baby sea turtles representing four species got a boat ride 40 miles offshore of the Florida Keys recently to be released into a healthy patch of sargassum weed in the Gulf current, where they have the best chance of catching the current that takes them to the North Atlantic Gyre. The four small juveniles were rehabilitated at the Turtle Hospital over the past five months. The turtles are: • “Jeff,” a hawksbill discovered by a ranger at Bahia Honda State Park when she was doing a nest inventory last fall. The hawksbill had not come completely out of the egg when hatching. • “Henry,” a juvenile Kemp’s ridley. • “Sky Lynn,” a beautiful post-hatchling green. • “Turkel,” a post-hatchling loggerhead washed back into shore during storms in the Keys. — Contributed

Four turtles were released far offshore recently. CONTRIBUTED

Richie Moretti is the founder and director of the Turtle Hospital in Marathon.

KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

CHRISTINA MATTHEESSEN THE BASILICA SCHOOL OF ST. MARY STAR OF THE SEA

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KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

A nursing student from the College of the Florida Keys administers a COVID-19 vaccine to a female resident during a clinic in Key Largo in March. WEEKLY FILE PHOTO

LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT ISSUES FINAL CASE COUNT JIM McCARTHY

jim@keysweekly.com

aily reports detailing new COVID-19 cases in the Keys will no longer be issued by the Monroe County Department of Health. Those wishing to monitor new daily cases can still do so, however, by visiting the state health department’s website. A report issued May 21 marked the last case count update by the local health department to recipients who signed up to keep track of new infections. Health officials in Monroe County began monitoring new daily cases in the county on March 20, 2020 when the Keys saw its first positive case of COVID-19, in a 72-year-old female resident. The second case came three days later, involving a 54-yearold female resident. In late March of last year, local health department officials began issuing reports that specified new cases by area. The March 29, 2020 report showed 23 total cases in the Keys, with 13 cases in Key West and four in Key Largo. Deaths were tracked following the first COVID-related death on April 2 of a 55-year-old male. Not long after that, local health officials added hospitalizations to the daily report. With cases decreasing in past months, reports went from seven days a week to five — a Monday report detailing cases over the weekend.

A final report prepared by the Monroe County Department of Health on May 21 reported two new cases in Monroe County, with one in Key Largo and another in Marathon. Total cases were just over 7,000. A total of 50 residents, or 1% of all cases, have died from COVID-19. Of those, 76% were residents 65 years and older. COVID-related hospitalizations in Monroe County total 274 since the pandemic began. That’s 4% of all cases in the county. New daily cases between May 14 and May 21 averaged around four. In a statement, the local health department acknowledged relatively low case numbers in the county — a positive rate of less than 3%. As of a May 24 report, 41,700 county residents were vaccinated. Residents can still monitor daily new cases in Monroe County by visiting flhealthcovid19.gov. The Florida Department of Health’s website offers a variety of reports, from vaccine counts to long-term care facilities with positive COVID-19 cases. With local daily reports ending, the Monroe County Department of Health said it has also returned to in-person operations and services. “This is a huge step in the right direction,” the health department said.

Testing is ongoing in Monroe County through Curative, urgent cares and doctors’ offices, and vaccinations are available at pharmacies up and down the Keys. Bob Eadie, top health officer in Monroe County, said residents receiving the one-shot Johnson & Johnson or two-shot Moderna or Pfizer vaccines are “pretty good to resume normal life.” He said, however, that it’s still recommended to wear facial coverings on buses and airplanes. “The health department is still wearing masks and we require people seeking services to wear masks,” he told Islamorada council members during a May 23 meeting. “That’s to protect those not vaccinated yet whose immune systems could be compromised.” Eadie said those who aren’t vaccinated should continue to wear a mask, social distance and avoid crowds.

KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

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KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

SEAWORTHY CEREMONY KEY WEST CELEBRATES NATIONAL MARITIME DAY WENDY TUCKER

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“O

n this National Maritime Day 2021, let us please remember and support those in our maritime community who are suffering right now, either from sickness or loss of work,” said Chip Kasper, president of the Propeller Club, Port of Key West #154. Kasper was speaking at a ceremony aboard the USCGC Ingham Maritime Museum at Key West Harbor. The Propeller Club is a non-profit organization dedicated to the enhancement and well-being of all interests of the maritime community on a national and international basis. “It is only appropriate that we in Key West commemorate National Maritime Day. Our way of life is firmly rooted in the maritime world, and our island communities would not be what they are today without the efforts and sacrifice of those who have taken to the sea,” said Corey Malcom, archaeology director at the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum and president of the Key West Maritime Historical Society. “National Maritime Day honors the efforts of the Merchant Marines, who have worked and sacrificed to ensure steady national maritime connections in peace and war. But here in the Keys, we can go much deeper. We also honor all those many people who, over centuries, have plied our waters to improve the quality of life, and those who continue to do so today: explorers, wreckers, surveyors, fishermen, cargo carriers, those in marine tourism, the military and, of course, marine scientists. “All these people, and more, turned to the water as their way of improving our economy, our security, and our understanding of the world. It is an honor to remember and acknowledge them with this ceremony today.” On May 20, 1933, Congress designated May 22 as National Maritime Day, to commemorate the first transoceanic voyage under steam power in 1819 by the S.S. Savannah, Kasper said.

Corey Malcom, marine archaeologist and president of the Key West Maritime Historical Society, reflects on Key West’s crucial and defining maritime influences at a National Maritime Day ceremony on May 22 aboard the USCGC Ingham floating museum.

Chip Kasper, president of the Key West Propeller Club, a national maritime organization, speaks at a National Maritime Day ceremony in Key West. WENDY TUCKER/Contributed

“On National Maritime Day, we honor the men and women who, through our history, have served with professionalism, dedication and patriotism in the U.S. Merchant Marine. We recognize these seafaring merchant mariners for helping to fuel our economy, maintain our sea power and support our national security. Maritime Day is a time-honored tradition that recognizes the maritime industry, a bastion of prosperity and security for both the Port of Key West and the United States. He noted that beyond facilitating the import and export of billions of dollars of goods, including fuel, agricultural products and raw materials, “they also are among the first to respond to help their fellow citizens in the wake of national disasters. “During times of war, merchant mariners courageously sail into combat zones to provide sealift for the Department of Defense, carrying weapons and supplies to America’s fighting forces. In every conflict, U.S. citizen mariners have answered the call to duty and risked their lives. Sadly, some have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. On this National Maritime Day 2021, let us please remember and support those in our maritime community who are suffering right now, either from sickness, or loss of work.”

During World War II, more than 250,000 members of the American Merchant Marine served their country, with more than 6,700 giving their lives, hundreds being detained as prisoners of war and more than 800 ships sunk or damaged. Aboard the Ingham on May 22, there was a ceremony that included the laying of a large wreath on the harbor waters beside the Ingham. Then, in the following silence, there was the firing of five separate rounds that commemorate each of the five great oceans of the world. Participants in the ceremony also included Conch Republic Navy Admiral Bill Grosscup, and new First Sea Lord and Conch Republic Navy Admiral Finbar Gittelman. Both men are long-serving, iconic figures on the Key West and Keys waters. Grosscup has a distinguished military career in the U.S. Marine Corps, and, with Gittelman, has spent years in service in the merchant marine at Key West and the Keys. Among the volunteers from the Ingham who participated in the service Saturday night was Michael Charavell, executive director of the Ingham maritime museum ship, who worked the gun for all five oceans. He was joined in the casting of the large wreath on the Key West harbor waters by Ingham volunteers Robert Crow and his wife Tracy. Also participating was Bill Verge, retired Coast Guardsman, former city commissioner and CEO of the USCGC Ingham, and Ron Demes, a civilian site manager for U.S. Navy Atlantic Targets and Marine Operations (ATMO), who has worked with the Navy in Key West for decades.

KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021 A red-winged blackbird mobs a young bald eagle on Boca Chica Key. MARK HEDDEN/Keys Weekly

MOB RULES OVER KEY WEST

was up at Hugh’s View a few weeks ago, on the roof of The Studios of Key West, making small talk about art and stuff, when a broad-winged hawk flew over. It glided slowly on a long, flat flight path, maybe 30 feet above the treetops. It looked a little haggard, largely because it was molting and had lost some primary feathers — the avian equivalent of someone who’s missing a few teeth. Somewhere between the federal courthouse and MARK the Methodist church, a pair of northern mockingHEDDEN birds rose up like F-18s intercepting an enemy bomber. They came up behind him and started screaming ... is a photograin their ratchety manner, diving at him, snapping their pher, writer, and bills at his feathers, doing everything they could to semi-professional harass him, sometimes taking turns, sometimes going birdwatcher. He at it together. has lived in Key West for more If there were subtitles to this skirmish, they would than 25 years and have read like: “Hyah!” and “Nothing to see here!” and may no longer “Move along, you Sterno bum!” be employable in I imagine there would have also been more than the real world. He a dram of profanity. is also executive director of the It seemed a brave move – two songbirds picking Florida Keys Audu- a fight with an alpha predator, a bird-eating bird that bon Society. sometimes consumes mockingbirds for actual lunch. It was your basic David vs. Goliath scenario, but with the pair of Davids acting like punks, and with a good chance that things would not turn out as they do in the biblical parable. The hawk, though, did not fight back. It flapped a couple of times to speed up, but held its line. Somewhere near the square tower of Key West Theater the mockingbirds broke off their assault. One of them dropped from view. The other circled back and landed on a railing, eyeing the small group of people with cocktails in their hands. Was it catching its breath? Showing off? Debating whether to attack us next? Hard to say. All were possibilities, but birds can be inscrutable. After a few seconds the mocker leaped off the railing without ceremony and dropped from view. Over near Duval Street a gray kingbird came up and took over where the mockingbirds left off, harassing the broad-wing until it disappeared behind the La Concha. Mobbing is one of the ancient fighting tactics. Older than stabbing people with swords, or even with sharpened stones. Older, probably, than punching people in the face. Mobbing is basically when a smaller bird, or often a bunch of smaller birds, gangs up on a larger predator. The intent typically is to kick them out of their turf. It usually happens during nesting season, when vulnerable eggs and chicks need protection and everybody’s hormones are ramped up. It’s one of those many behaviors — both avian and human — that shouldn’t work, but does. What, exactly, can a 1.7-ounce bird do to a creature with 10 times its body mass, not to mention a pair of skin-piercing talons and a flesh-tearing bill? For all the Sturm und Drang that comes with mobbing, the understanding of its root causes and intentions are mostly speculative. It may be to annoy a predator into leaving an area. It may be to distract them from noticing the defenseless chicks and eggs. It may be to teach other, younger birds what a predator is and how they are not to be tolerated. It may be a way to alert other birds that something dangerous is coming their way. And it may be a combination of some or all of those things. How does one even study such fleeting and unpredictable behavior?

There is also some debate as to whether this counts as altruistic behavior, i.e. a bird risking its own safety to help others, or selfish behavior, i.e. a bird really just trying to make sure its DNA gets passed along to future generations. But honestly, that sounds more like a philosophical debate than a scientific one. In these parts, the predators you see getting mobbed are mostly hawks and the occasional eagle. The mobbers tend to be northern mockingbirds, red-winged blackbirds, gray kingbirds and common grackles. In the summer, it’s pretty common to see an osprey getting mobbed, which I always find a little sad. Ospreys only eat fish. They’re no threat to songbirds. You’d think after a few millennia they could all work out a truce. And while mobbing is a risky behavior, it may not be as dangerous as it seems. Most predators rely on a combination of stealth, surprise and speed to capture their prey. That advantage is greatly diminished when a bird is close behind you, and acting all spastic and aggressive. Mobbing does not just happen to birds. I received a message through Florida Keys Audubon Society’s website (keysaudubon.org) a few weeks ago from a woman in Marathon. She said every time she left the house with her dog, some bird kept attacking them and she wanted to know what gives. The short version? Whatever bird it was — most likely a northern mockingbird or gray kingbird — probably considered them predators. They were getting mobbed. Birds have mobbed my German short-haired pointer more than once. For a long time she flatly refused to walk down certain blocks of Duval Street because mockingbirds had mobbed her. Despite my best efforts to calmly explain that there was nothing they could really do to her, she yanked on her leash to turn the corner. It didn’t help my case when, one night a couple of summers ago, I had her trotting next to my bike as I rode through Bayview Park. A gray kingbird came out of nowhere and nipped her in the butt. She bolted. Unfortunately I had the leash wrapped around the hand on the side with the good brake and we were heading for an intersection. I had to drag a foot the length of a tennis court to stop us. We both stood there for a minute, breathing heavily, waiting for something to come at us fast and unseen in the dark.

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KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

Congratulations to All 57 New 2021 Graduates in Monroe County! KEY WEST HIGH SCHOOL

MARATHON HIGH SCHOOL

CORAL SHORES HIGH SCHOOL

ISLAND PREP HIGH SCHOOL

Ashley Rodriguez Joy Brown Taylor

E'Lisha Reese Lindsay Moore

Arwyn Leslie Nancy Funt

Antonio Font Bridget Flores

Amy Guzman Samantha Farist

Deonza Ayala Brian Barroso

Blondine Conserve Tricia King

Atia Yasmin Peary Fowler

Jemima Jean Baptiste Susan Hill

James Vakilpour Jonathan Ingham

Ila Ruth Hake-Creighton Peter Bennett

Emmily Cassis Joelle Keane

Kersha Duvain Anita Garcia

Kayenne Spainhower Chuck Licis-Masson

Justice Winemiller Camille Wiley

Jillyan Holcomb Kristina Shephard

Marie Willy Ranae Moore

Malik Hunter Lindsay Moore

MaeCee Rengiil Ranya Cooke

Lee'Asia Adams Denise Schwarz

Michael Chandler Eric Mealus

Michael Alfonso Kevin Pribramsky

Marsella Munoz Ruth Reiter

Reese James Lewis II Matt Merriman

Ramond Brogli Bill Goldner

Phalandine Noel Janet Sneath

Nataly Sanchez Hannah Johannes

Yanessa Camejo Karine Leroy

Spencer Lannigan David Dornseif

Karolina Gomez Lucia DeRuvo

Edian Hernandez Katrina Wiatt

Dailianys Gonzalez Cathy Walters

Anne Kreshpane Ashley Keeney

Yilena Roque Ramos Julie Johnson

Shahed Shuvo Elliot Hart

Samantha Roiz Tammie Anderson

Kelly Salazar Liz Logan

Erick Clark Alvarez Bruce Franck

Jilliana McGuire Mallory Jones

Isabella Kingsley Stanford Hancock

Alex Gutierrez Raymond Jansen

August Borski Bette Brown

Andrea Galvan Carolyn Wightman

Angel Martin-Santos Maritza Perez

Zareska Mazola Ortega Loretta MacKay

Yoendry Ferro Matthew Johnson

Sokrates Zapsas Michael Ferrari

Noemi Quezada Kirsten Walsh

KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

Mariah Bell Javier Saltero Brown

Liyiccia Torres Irevi Troncoso

Lisney Pardo-Figueroa Ana Beaty

LeeKrystal Cruz Veronica Ornelas

Giovanni Torres Tom Hoyne

Damaris Rego Holly Padgett

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OUR WONDERFUL 2021 DONORS Mary Smith Keys Children's Foundation Spottswood Companies Ocean Reef Community Tim & Anne Sullivan Foundation The Kids Fund Upper Keys Rotary Dr. Bill & Beverly M. Pat Miller Goldner Foundation Joy Brown Taylor Blake Hunter Mary Chambers Robert & Christa Larry Abramovitz Murray Bender & Assoc. Clark & Jean Architects, P.A. Shannon Jean Carper Linda Downs & Angie Majors Karen Kamfjord John Padget Jackson Kaufelt Scott George Jane Packard Sam Steele Vista Foundation Clements Family Key West Sunrise Charitable Trust Rotary Club of the Lynn Kaufelt & Conch Republic Team Kaufelt American Legion Phyllis Rose Post 145 Neal Ruchman Golden Fleece Russell B. & Louise Foundation C. Smith Fund The Lookout Monroe County Foundation School District Bryan Green Margo Alexander Bruce Cohen Clayton Beattie Evan & Barbara Bergstrom Corns Foundation Brad & Hume Gile Holmes Family Foundation Nancy Friday Foundation Dr. Jeffrey Leeds Adelaide Skoglund Gregory Long & Scott Newman The Pantano Family Foundation Manley deBoer Lumber Company The Stentzel Foundation Melamed Foundation Wilson Media Group Lawrence Plummer & Prudence Churchill Andy Griffiths Preferred Properties Denny & Elena Key West Ellerman Redbox Employee Frederick Marcus Giving William Regardie Celeste Schettig The Kirby Family Gwenn Smith Foundation The Sexton Family Edwin & Linda Swift Foundation Thibos Family Alina Davis Doing Good Fund Thomas Vetter Susan Henshaw Philip Wheeler Jones Brian Wruble Kruse Properties Stanley & Judith Frances McKenzie Zabar Patrice Miller Truman & Co.

Strunk Ace Hardware Elks Key West Lodge 551 Dale--Allen Dr. Michael Berman Ross Claiborne Mike Downer Frederick Eberstadt Mark & Jean Porter Denny Howley Mark Laskow Padget Dekker Fund Robert N. Alfandre Foundation Naomi Rosenfeld Vera Schiff Wilma Garrison Dr. Shirley Freeman Anne Padget Todd German Robert Hesse Keys Contracting Services Maloney-Maykut Family Gift Fund Joelna Marcus Louis Martin Betty Rubenstein Marguerite Whitney Bill & Katrina Wiatt Ricky's Blue Heaven Walter Schmida Alan Teitelbaum Raymond Ruzek Dr. Sidney & Deborah Goldman Warren Abbey M. Gordon Keiser Joyce Laufle James McCulloch Daniel Metzler Theresa Raven Mary Sheerin Robert Simpson Damian & Lynne Vantriglia Jim Hall Lillian Luning Pamela Mayer Noreen Collins Wellings Automotive Key West KIA

Marie Adams Daunte Aguilar Sherry Alana Suzanne Alexander Peter Amendola Colette Anderson Vicky Lynn Anthony Susan Archer Luis Arguez Ashley Arrabal Jermy Ashby Andrea Ayala Vega Jill Baker Daniel Ballon Ashley Baron Syndi Barrera John Bartus Miriam Bedrick Robin Beede Christina Belotti Alvin Bentley Paige Bethel Erika Biddle Christina Boilini Benjamin Bortner Mike Bourcier Sarah Brawer Thomas Bray Rebecca Bray Lisa Brown Spenser Bryan Javier Burga Jack Butler Colton Butler Regan Butler Meggin Cabot Ian Callaghan Gabriel Campa Raymond Casamayor Kim Caton Elizabeth Chamberlain Jacqueline Cholewczynski Mona Clark Daniel Clark Michelle Coldiron Amanda Coleman Kerry Cosme Alyson Crean Diane Culver Spencer Curry Joseph Don Darsey III Anthony Paul Davis Alexandra Davis Michael deBettencourt Karen DeMaria Winnie Dement Trice Denny Frank Derfler John DeWald Kathy Diaz Josefina Diaz Sarah Dolson Darlene Eslick Peggie Fabel Deanna Ferrari Phyllis Foster Michelle Franck Mark Funt Patricia Forbes Gallagher Fitima Garcia Lori Gaukel Dave Geller Yaniuska Gilmore Charmaine Gittens Esneider Gomez Lauren Gonzales John Griffin Cody Griffin Lorraine Grobarek Angela Gruetzmann Erica Hadaric James Hager Eva Hamilton Mary Harris Doris Hawkins Zully Hemeyer

Lance Hernandez Jose Hernandez Alison Higgins Allison Hill Christopher Hinkle Celia Hitchins Monroe Holloway III James Hottman Courtney Howard Brenda Huebscher Alex Hughes Ollie Iarrobino Arthur Jansik Debra Jiovenetta Sharon Jones William Jones Brandi Jordan Jackson Kaufelt Lori Kelly Michael Klitenick William Knetge Robert Kurz Carol Kurz Laura Kyer David LaRochelle Peg Laron Jim Leenhouts Joan Leggett Judy Leggett Martin Lehmann Victoria Leigh Victoria Leonard James Mike Leonard Jerry Lieberman Tanya Litz Kristen Livengood Martin Liz Elizabeth Liz Soraya Lloren Wilmarie Lopez Wilhemina Lopez-Martin Linda Louchheim Thad Lovell Jessica Lugo Amy Lynch Rashon Lyons Tim Maloney Kelly Mangel Jo Marcus Efrain Marin Nancy Masry Teodora Masters Kerry Maxwell Kathleen McCarthy Nicole McCoy Gordon McIntosh Christopher Mendez Lopez Enrique Menendez Hedy Menendez Michael Millard Steve Miller Pamela Molinaro Donna Moore Yanaiz Morales Vivian Morrison Billy Muehlhauser Maureen Mueller Robert Murray Mary Anne Napier Kathryn Norris Sheila Novak Joy Nulisch Robin Nyberg

Victor Odoh Madalyn Opalsky Carlos Ornelas Spencer Oyster Patricia Patten Luana Peixoto James Peterson Devon Pharo Margaret Pinkus Matthew Pitcher Tedra Poitier Helen Purciello Steve Purciello Sue Puskedra Florence Quenin Elvin Quinones Jason Rafter Christopher Ramos Vyviana Rapozo Mardee Rath-Eamilao Jean Reed Colleen Reed John Rhode Nichole Ricardo Felix Patrick Rice Michael Ridgewell Tray-Ci Roberts Christine Robertson Darryl Robinson Mark Roby Millie Rodriguez April Ross Mary Roth Raymond Ruzek Diane Saleeby Gardner Charles Schottland Erin Shattuck Kristina Shearin Linda Signorelli Sharon Smith Larry Smith Jeffrey Smith David Smith Kawana Staffney Mary Steele Sam Steele Cheryl Sullivan Persephone Summers Ethan Swinehart Joy Swinehart M.J. Taylor Krystal Thomas Devin Tolpin Irevi Troncoso Christine Trovato Nicholas Trovato Damian Vantriglia Emilio Vasquez Karen Vaught Amanda Velazquez Genesis Villatoro George vonHilsheimer Marika Weber Tom Wentz Frank Westerband Thelma Whyms Helen Williams Kristen Winters Patricia Witchel Joseph Wolkowsky Tim Wonderlin Joanne Zimmerman

KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

MANDY MILES

mandy@keysweekly.com

HUGE HAUL

LOCAL CAPTAINS RID WATERS OF 32,600 POUNDS OF MARINE DEBRIS

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leven fishing captains from Key West and the Lower Keys spent three days on the water May 24-26 removing not fish, but abandoned or derelict traps, line and marine debris from local waters. By the end of the second day, they had rid the ocean of 32,680 pounds of debris, including 694 abandoned traps. And those totals were still growing as of press time on Wednesday. One boat even rescued a sea turtle that had become stuck in a ghost trap and Capt. Neill Holland created the rosuffered an injured flipper. The team deos in 2017 with his partner Danielle brought the turtle to shore and conDawley. The events now take place tacted the Turtle Hospital in Marathon. throughout Florida and are funded Ghost traps are abandoned stone crab or lobster traps that are lost when through grants from NOAA’s Marine Debris Program, the National Fish and their floating buoy marker is dislodged Wildlife Foundation and the angler-led from the trap and the owner can no nonprofit Grassy Creek Foundation, longer locate it due to a storm or a which provides the funding to pay boat propeller cutting the trap line. each participating charter captain $500 Such traps continue to catch and per four-hour day. kill marine life despite no longer being Before this week’s results, Ocean checked by an angler (called ghost Aid 360’s Ghost Trap Rodeos had colfishing). They endanger vessels and lected 45,000 pounds of marine debris marine mammals that may tangle in and more than 750 ghost traps, said the gear. Holland and Dawley. Animals die in the trap and then In addition to their daily pay, become the bait for the next batch of participating captains — being the doomed fish. competitive bunch that they are — Event organizers from the noncompete for prizes donated by tackle profit Ocean Aid 360 were overand gear companies to see which boat whelmed by the Keys’ response and brings in the biggest haul. haul during both events. MF_KWWeeklyAd_1.pdf 1 2/24/21 1:50 PM

3 1. Ocean Aid 360 volunteer Adam Welch jumps into the second Key West and Lower Keys Ghost Trap Rodeo. DANIELLE DAWLEY/Contributed 2. A local commercial fishing boat helps remove lost and abandoned marine gear, lobster traps and discarded line during Day 1 of the Ghost Trap Rodeo. CAPT. VINCE ALMEDA/Contributed 3. Ocean Aid 360 Rodeo organizers, Amy Losoya and Danielle Dawley, with about a third of one day’s haul. Photo by Capt. Neill Holland 4. Local fishing family Mimi and Dylan Stafford participate in Day 1 of the Ghost Trap Rodeo. DANIELLE DAWLEY/Contributed 5. Ghost traps, gone. These derelict and abandoned traps were removed from Lower Keys waters by 10 local captains who participated in Ocean Aid 360’s second Ghost Trap Rodeo this week. CAPT. NEILL HOLLAND/Contributed

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KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

WHAT THE STARS HAVE IN STORE

REDA WIGLE Welcome to the twin-forthe-win season of Gemini. Gemini is ruled by Mercury, messenger demigod and planet of communication. Gemini energy is curious, anxious, enthusiastic and extreme. At best, Gemini is investigative, expansive, with a mind as wide open as the many roads they seek to travel. At worst, Gemini is erratic, incessant and prone to gossip.

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.

Mercury goes retrograde from May 29 through June 22. Mercury influences all conversation, transaction and communication. In retrograde it heralds a time of contemplation rather than initiation. Weigh words and appreciate their capacity to build or burn bridges. Speak with care, and listen with compassion. GEMINI May 21 to June 20 My friend Aine, a Gemini of the highest order, admitted, “I’ll do anything, sometimes.” The ability to entertain all possibilities and discern when and how you engage them is the magic of your constellation. As your ruling planet goes retrograde for the next few weeks, know that no is not forever and yes is not a standing commitment. Notable Gemini: Bucky Sinister/ June 13, 1969 CANCER June 21 to July 22 There is no valor in suffering, moon children. The word “care” derives from the Old English caru, meaning “anxiety caused by the weight of many burdens.” Consider this: “A burden shared is a burden lifted.” Please, allow yourself that levity and those who love you the grace of your need. Notable Cancer: Benazir Bhutto/ June 21, 1953

LEO July 23 to Aug. 22 My sister, a regal Leo, discussing heartbreak and starting over, imparted this hard-won knowledge: “Relationships, and our pursuit of them, are the hope that lightning can strike twice.” As you move through doubt and recovery, may these words be medicine and may the lightning of surprise light your way back to believing. Notable Leo: Carl Jung/July 26, 1875 VIRGO Aug. 23 to Sept. 22 At 6 years old, after the death of her grandmother, poet and fellow Virgo Sonia Sanchez developed a terrible stutter, a source of great pain and great introspection. She spoke less and read more, paying acute attention to language and sounds. Pay respect to silence and speech by taking your time in cultivating both. Notable Virgo: Kwame Nkrumah/Sept. 21, 1909 LIBRA Sept. 23 to Oct. 22 In his analysis of the paintings of Hans Holbein, Ford Max Ford writes, “the eyes look at you as if to say: ‘I do not know exactly what manner of man you are, but I am very sure that being a man you are no hero.’ This is not a condemnation, but acceptance of the fact that from pope to peasant, poor humanity can never be more than poor humanity.” You don’t have to save anyone, but you would be better for humbly and truly revering everyone. Notable Libra: Mae Jemison/Oct. 17, 1956 SCORPIO Oct. 23 to Nov. 21 Writer and fellow Scorpio D.A. Levy burned bright but brief, publishing renegade and obscene works of literature throughout his short tenure on earth. When he died by his own hand at 26, he asked an artist friend to turn his

ashes into a calligraphic painting of Levy’s own words. May you too reconstitute the remains of what you were into the star-dusted letters of who you are becoming. Notable Scorpio: Phillip Lamantia/Oct. 23, 1927 SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22 to Dec. 21 Fellow Sagittarius and leatherclad lizard king Jim Morrison never learned to play an instrument. He formed a band because he couldn’t silence “the concert being played in my skull.” Musicians were ambassadors to the sounds in his head. In answering his call, they gave the world sonic sustenance. Imagine what would have gone to waste if Morrison hadn’t asked for support. Notable Sagittarius: Crazy Horse/Dec. 4, 1840 CAPRICORN Dec. 22 to Jan. 19 Writer, outlaw, professional pervert and fellow Capricorn Henry Miller writes, “Every man, when he gets quiet, when he becomes desperately honest with himself, is capable of uttering profound truths. We all derive from the same source, there is no mystery about the origin of things. We are all part of creation, all kings, all poets, all musicians; we have only to open up, only to discover what is already there.” There’s nothing you can’t do, you either will or you won’t. I hope you will. Notable Capricorn: Alice Mary Robertson/Jan. 2, 1854 AQUARIUS Jan. 20 to Feb. 18 In her poem “Which Side Are You On?” poet and fellow Aquarius Janine Pommy Vega asks, “How many times will you enter a room and leave it vacant: in and out, in and out, visiting a temple of possibility and never leaving anything on the altar?” You often operate from emotional distance, preferring observation to participation. In the weeks ahead offer the gift

of your present, vulnerable self to the altar of another. Notable Aquarius: Manuel Noriega/Feb. 11, 1934 PISCES Feb. 19 to March 20 In 2010, writer and fellow Pisces S.A. Griffin gathered 900 poems and adapted a Vietnam War-era practice bomb to house words rather than explosives. Griffin dubbed his “Poetry Bomb” a “weapon of mass discussion” and invited folks to add their own poems to its interior. May he and it inspire you to disarm one of your own defenses and repurpose it as a home for communion. Notable Pisces: Ray Bremser/ Feb. 22, 1934 ARIES March 21 to April 19 Aristocrat essayist Marcel Proust writes, “Creative acts originate not from a knowledge of their laws, but from an incomprehensible and obscure power that is not fortified by being explained. A woman does not need knowledge of medicine to give birth to a child; a man need not understand the psychology of love in order to love.” I hope Proust’s observation frees you from the need to grasp the mechanics of your making before you begin. Notable Aries: Marvin Gaye/April 2, 1939 TAURUS April 20 to May 20 The Greek root for the word enthusiasm translates to “divine possession.” You, Taurus, more than any other zodiac sign, are prone to enthusiasm and exhaustion in equal measure. To honor the divinity that enthusiasm stirs, it is not enough to be inspired, you must also be intrepid in your follow-through. Notable Taurus: Harper Lee/ April 28, 1926

KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

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KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

RAISE THE CURTAIN WATERFRONT PLAYHOUSE REVEALS UPCOMING SEASON

n April 23, friends and patrons gathered in the courtyard of the historic Waterfront Playhouse to celebrate the announcement of its 2021-2022 season. Celebrating 82 years of live theater in Key West, the Waterfront Playhouse will welcome back audiences on Oct. 14 with the hit musical “The Rocky Horror Show.” Starring Christopher Peterson, Arthur Crocker, Belle Jampol, Kelsey Lakeman, Donovan Pavlicek, Carolyn Cooper, Ross Pipkin, Tony Konrath, John McDonald and introducing Joshua Lawson as Rocky, this cult favorite will play through Oct. 28. Tickets are on sale now. Then, for four nights only, Jessica Miano Kruel, Stephanie Sander, Kelsey Lakeman, Jillian Todd and Belle Jampol will take you back to the hip-swinging ’60s with “Shout, The Mod Musical.” Featuring such classic tunes as “To Sir with Love,” “Downtown,” “Son of a Preacher Man” and “Goldfinger,” ”Shout” will play Nov. 17-20. Waterfront On the Edge will continue this season with Arthur Crocker in “Every Brilliant Thing,” Nov. 21, 22, 28 and 29. With poignant humor and joy, the show takes us on a journey (re)discovering all that life has to give. December will bring “All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914.” Playing Dec. 8 through Dec. 25, this extraordinary night of camaraderie, music and peace is a true story, told in the words and songs of the men who lived it.

The hit musical based on Roald Dahl’s novel, “Matilda the Musical” will run Jan. 12-29, 2022. Sponsored in part by the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys, “Matilda the Musical” is the story of a precocious girl with the gift of telekinesis, who loves reading, overcomes obstacles caused by her family and school, and helps her teacher reclaim her life. The show stars Samara MacDonald as Matilda, David Black as the evil Miss Trunchbull, Jessica Miano Kruel as Miss Honey, Carolyn Cooper and Donovan Pavlicek as Mr. and Mrs. Wormwood and an ensemble of 20 young people from Key West. Then a comedy whodunit will leave both cult-fans and newcomers in stitches as they try to figure out who did it, where, and with what. “Clue” will play Feb. 16 through March 5, with Michael Aaglan as Wadsworth the butler, Susannah Wells as Miss Scarlet, Ross Pipkin as Col. Mustard, Erin McKenna as Mrs. White, Matthias Maloff as Mr. Green, Barbara Mundy as Mrs. Peacock, John McDonald as Professor Plum, Carolyn Cooper as the Cook, Jillian Todd as Yvette and Zachary Francini as Mr. Boody. The On The Edge series will also present Tennessee Williams’ “This Property is Condemned.” Featuring Kelci Grooms and Ervin Tumm, the dates are to be announced. The musical “Something Rotten!” will open for a run March 22 through April 16.

Then the third installment of “Trunk Material” will play for one performance only on Sunday, April 3. This revue will feature performers from this season performing songs they love. David Mamet’s valentine to acting, “A Life in the Theatre,” will play May 4-21. This gentle comedy follows two actors as they rehearse, perform and live a life in the theatre. Also in May will be a onenight-only reading of Ernest Hemingway’s “The Fifth Column.” This will be performed at 8 p.m. on Sunday, May 8. After pivoting this past season to performing live radio classics, the Waterfront will keep the tradition going, presenting a season full of classic radio plays, including a rebroadcast of “The War of the Worlds” and “A Christmas Carol.” Tickets are on sale for “The Rocky Horror Show” as well as memberships for the season. More information is at waterfrontplayhouse.org or from the box office at 305-294-5015. — Contributed

KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021 Three young Marathon Spaseball players put on their game face: from left, Maverick McDonald, Cordell Qualls and Raydel De Armas. CHARLOTTE TWINE/Keys Weekly

CHARLOTTE TWINE

charlotte@keysweekly.com

HOME RUN NATION MARATHON PARKS AND REC MAKES HISTORY DEBUTING SPASEBALL, A ‘REVOLUTIONARY’ LIGHTWEIGHT BALL AND BAT

Dave Soderquist is the inventor of Spaseball, a new lightweight ball and bat.

Paul Davis is the director of Marathon Parks and Recreation Department and said kids love Spaseball “because it takes the fear factor out of it.”

Spaseball inventor Dave Soderquist couldn’t resist jumping in and coaching a young player at bat.

here were you on the afternoon of May 24, 2021? In Marathon Community Park, six kids were making history. They were the first children to play a game of softball at a parks and recreation facility in this country using Spaseball, a new lightweight softball and bat — similar to Wiffle Ball, if you will. Dave Soderquist is the founder of Sweetspot Baseball and the inventor of the patent-holding Spaseball. He stood on the sidelines of the game, giving pep talks to the kids at bat. The teammates were all between the ages of 9 and 11 years old. Whiff! One child swung and missed the softball by a mile. “Choke up a little bit on that softball bat,” Soderquist said encouragingly, walking over to coach the young player a bit. “All you have to do is keep your eye on the ball,” he said. Next pitch: Crack! The ball connected with the bat and flew down the first-base line. The child smiled in triumph. “See? Now he’s building confidence,” Soderquist said. “If you don’t hit the ball, your confidence goes down and eventually, you give up on the game,” he said, explaining that the light weight of the baseballs, softballs and bat allows kids to crush ’em when they swing, sparking joy in the game. “We’re a home run nation. People love home runs,” said Soderquist. “Even in Grandma’s backyard. With Spaseball, you

won’t knock your brother’s tooth out and break windows. But you’ll have a lot of fun.” Paul Davis, director of Marathon parks and rec, said, “His stuff is revolutionary. It looks like a regular baseball with the lacing and covering. You would never know it’s like a Wiffle Ball or Bat until you pick it up. It’s no longer the old-school big yellow bat. It takes away the fear factor for kids — that’s the biggest thing.” “I’ve been in the sporting goods business forever,” Soderquist said. “In a previous life, I developed in-line skates.” In fact, Soderquist did so well with producing in-line skates that he sold his company in 2001 after making $100 million in sales. He retired to Layton and worked on an idea that he’d had on his mind for 30 years — a lightweight ball that looked like a normal baseball with the covering and lacings, but weighed 1 ounce versus the usual 5.25 ounces. Though a Spaseball is similar in concept to the trademarked Wiffle Ball, Soderquist makes an important distinction: a Spaseball is a ball, not a toy. “When everyone said, ‘You’ve lost your mind,’ I knew I was dead right on,” Soderquist said with glee. He created all three products from his home in Layton — the lightweight baseball, softball and bat. His inspiration was to get children outside and off the video games, but also to “take away the fear factor,” as Davis said. Many

children, especially girls, Soderquist explained, get scared to hit or catch a regular sized ball. Also, at $29.99 or $19.99 for a senior- or junior-sized set of a bat and ball, Spaseball is much cheaper than standard softball and baseball equipment, where players also need gloves and cleats. Soderquist wants to make the game as accessible to as many children as possible. And he wanted to honor his hometown of 30 years by introducing Spaseball to the Marathon Parks and Recreational facility first. Back at the game, Davis’ kids were smiling, with nary a glove in sight. They were able to catch the balls easily as they hurtled toward them. “This feels very good, I like it. It goes very far when I hit it,” one child said. Soderquist has spokespeople lined up to represent Spaseball, including All-American and future Olympian softball player Sierra Romero and L.A. Dodger Walker Buehler. So the future is looking up and up, much like a Spaseball being hit over Grandma’s house. And Marathon parks and rec was one of the first facilities to play a game with it. “Months from now, they won’t be saying, ‘I played in a baseball tournament,’” said Soderquist,with a smile and a wink. “They’ll all be saying, ‘I played in a Spaseball tournment.’” For more information on Spaseball or to place an order, go to sweetspotbaseball.com.

KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

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KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

THE OVERSEAS HIGHWAY 3.0

BRAD BERTELLI ... is the curator for Islamorada’s Keys History & Discovery Center. A published author of six books, his favorite subjects are Indian Key and skunk apes.

ecessity inspired the first version of the Overseas Highway. It opened in 1928. The Category 5 Labor Day Hurricane forced a reimagining of the second version of the highway. It reopened in 1938. The third incarnation, the Overseas Highway 3.0, was influenced by World War II and the U.S. Navy. The newly improved route opened to the public in 1944. As World War II intensified, two things became apparent. First, the Navy needed access to an additional freshwater source, a pipeline that connected the mainland to Key West. The project was shared by the State of Florida and the Navy. The Navy footed two-thirds of the bill. When it was completed, the 18-inch pipeline from the mainland to Key West followed the right-of-way of Henry Flagler’s Over-Sea Railroad. (Fun fact: it takes anywhere from 10 days to two weeks for a drop of water to travel from the mainland to Key West.) The Navy also needed to transport heavy equipment to its base at Key West. The current version of the highway was unable to handle the load. The road had some tight turns that were fine for cars and trucks and even Greyhound buses but were a little too tight to accommodate the Navy’s equipment. Also, some of the wooden bridges connecting the islands could not bear the extra weight of the military loads. To ensure the wooden-trestle bridges were structurally sound, the Navy upgraded them. Also, the path was redirected to follow the right-ofway established by Flagler’s Over-Sea Railroad. This improvement shortened

Toll booths being removed from the “Florida Freeway” in 1954. KEYS HISTORY & DISCOVERY CENTER, JERRY WILKINSON COLLECTION/Contributed

and straightened the highway. Up to this point in the highway’s history, it entered Key Largo via what is today called Card Sound Road and the Card Sound Bridge. When version 3.0 of the Overseas Highway opened to traffic, 17 miles of the highway had been eliminated. The 18-Mile Stretch was incorporated into the highway, a route that cut 14 miles off the road to Key West. The new and improved highway also bypassed the coastal route along Sugarloaf Key, shaving off another three miles from the highway. Florida Governor Spessard Holland was among a cavalcade of participants in an automobile caravan that, on May 16, 1944, departed Key West at 10 a.m. and arrived at Florida City at 3:30 p.m. The official ribbon-cutting ceremony was held nearly two months later, on July 2, 1944, atop the scenic Bahia Honda Bridge. The Overseas Highway, at this point, also became part of U.S. 1 and linked Key West not just to the mainland but to Fort Kent, Maine. In 1944, the Overseas Highway was still operating as a toll road. When the second version of the highway opened in 1938, two toll booths occupied small sections of the road. One was located at Lower Matecumbe Key; the other, on Big Pine. At $1 for the driver and a quarter for every passenger, the price was not cheap. The cost, in terms of 2021 dollars, would be in the neighborhood of $18.

When tolls were collected, they were brought to the Overseas Road and Toll Bridge District headquarters at Pigeon Key. On Pigeon Key, however, shenanigans were afoot. Though created to repay a $3.6 million federal loan used in highway improvements completed in 1938, toll monies were being used to lavish district headquarters with expensive food and drink. In addition to a host of other fraudulent schemes uncovered by investigative reporters at the Miami Daily News, a $60,000 swimming pool was built at Pigeon Key. Additionally, the district manager was provided with a luxury cabin cruiser for fishing and other entertainment purposes. In 1954, the Overseas Road and Toll Bridge District closed. On April 15, 1954, all tolls were lifted, and the booths were picked up and hauled away. Signs popped along the side of the road that declared the highway was now the “Florida Freeway.” The Florida Keys communities protested this “renaming” of their road. Their voices were heard, the signs were removed, and the road once again became known as the Overseas Highway. The road would continue to see improvements. In 1969, the 65-foot high Card Sound Bridge was constructed. 1972 would see the completion of the modern Bahia Honda Bridge. The new Seven Mile Bridge opened in 1982. The Overseas Highway, by the way, begins or ends, depending on your perspective, at the Monroe County line near Mile Marker 112. Once the road crosses into Dade County, it becomes the Dixie Highway.

KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

CHARLOTTE TWINE

charlotte@keysweekly.com

BASEBALL STAR RETURNS TO MARATHON

KEYS BASEBALL TALENT HAS HIS EYE ON THE PROS AND HIS HEART ON GIVING BACK

ineteen-year-old second baseman Mason Neller already has the precise good manners of a professional baseball player who’s been coached by a big league public relations department, with a firm handshake and a “Yes, ma’am” or a “No, ma’am” to politely answer every question. This past Tuesday, when Neller arrived at Marathon Community Park to conduct a private baseball lesson at 4 p.m., he meant 4 p.m. on the dot. At 4:01 p.m., he was already giving instructions to 9-year-old Reef Rella: first, 10-minutes to warm-up with throwing and catching, then a half-hour at the plate for soft-toss batting instruction that focuses on mechanics. Rella told Keys Weekly that Neller is “amazing. He’s really helpful. He’s pretty much the reason why I can hit a ball.” Pete Chapman, a financial advisor and champion of youth baseball in Marathon says Neller “is the real deal.” “The kids look up to him because he is an active player on his way up,” Chapman said. “He’s wicked energetic and knows the game because he’s been coached at a very high level.” This coming Tuesday, Neller will kick-off a baseball clinic for players age 8 and up who aspire to fine tune the basics they learned in the Marathon rec league by learning from one of the best baseball players to come out of Marathon in the past decade. “It’s pretty simple for me,” he explained. “I love kids, and I love baseball. I was surrounded my entire life by baseball. I’m either training or training someone else. I want to give back.” Ralph Henriquez is Neller’s former high school coach who has seen a generation of baseball players rise through the ranks of the Key West programs - some of whom reached the major league.

“For a high school kid he handled himself very well,” Henriquez said. “Mason was a leader. … He wanted to excel at baseball, so he transferred from Marathon High School to Key West. He never gave up. He had a period where he was learning and getting comfortable with excelling here, and it’s a shame the season got cut due to COVID. But it worked out well. We got him a scholarship at Daytona State. And now he's chosen to help kids in Marathon.” Henriquez pointed out that Neller is also guided in his efforts to coach youth baseball by his own son, Ralphie Henriquez Jr., who played 12 years of professional baseball and coached one year with the Atlanta Braves. “Ralphie would get Mason to come out and coach the young kids. He fell in love with giving back to the community.” Neller agreed. “My good friend Ralphie Henriquez in Key West and Jack Niles have really taught me how to organize something like this (clinic), and do it at a successful level.” But, like any baseball player worth his salt, Neller also said that, in addition to his baseball cohorts, his parents were a huge influence on him. “My mom — both my parents — helped me develop all these traits,” Neller said. Henriquez senior said Neller has already drawn interest from pro scouts. “Mason had a couple of scouts who contacted me and wanted to follow his progress,” Henriquez said. “But unfortunately, our season got cut off early because of COVID. A lot of kids got snubbed and the draft was very abbreviated. But Mason had a very good season this year in junior college.” Meanwhile, for the summer, Neller is keeping his focus on developing the next group of baseball talent in Marathon. He dubbed his clinic, “For the Future.”

Mason Neller, left, coaches 9-year-old Reef Rella during a private hitting clinic. CHARLOTTE TWINE/ Keys Weekly

Mason Neller has returned to his hometown to develop the next generation of baseball talent. KEY WEST CONCH BASEBALL FACEBOOK/Contributed

Mason Neller played for the Key West Conchs for two years, then got a full scholarship to attend Daytona State College. CONTRIBUTED

“A lot of these kids don’t touch a baseball until the baseball season,” Neller explained. “My goal is to develop them now, so they’ll have more of a sense of the game and be more prepared for high school or the next level.” For the group lessons, the clinic has three levels for three age groups: 8 years and up is twice a week for one hour; 10 years and up is twice a week for two hours each; and 12 years and up is three times a week for two hours each. For pricing and for information about the “For the Future” baseball clinic or private lessons, text or call Mason Neller at 305-7310981.

KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Dear Editor, Who in this world could possibly have predicted that wages couldn’t keep up with the cost of living in Key West? Has the cost of living decreased for any residents or property owners? Current published polls show that Key West has the highest lodging rates in the country, with occupancy rates over 100%. Yet business owners say they are making so little profit that they can’t stay in business if they have to pay employees a living wage. I find it hard to believe that – $2,500 a week (commonly charged for lodging) doesn’t generate an acceptable profit margin. Is there any bar or club in Key West that charges less than $6 to $15 for a cocktail? Don’t even get me started on the profit on a glass or bottle of beer. Are restaurants, shows, boat trips, watersports or city services easily affordable for locals? Now Key West doesn’t have enough employees to go around. So, what is there to do? The most common solution is to lower the cost of living for workers by trying to force property owners to abandon vacation rentals (a measure surely lobbied into law by the lodging industry), and reduce rentals to pre-World War II rates so business profits remain high with no attendant cost. Not that the city doesn’t collect enough money to put business above any other concern. Raising costs to all property owners while mandating lower incomes seems contradictory, if not criminal. Let’s talk hypocrisy: like workforce housing that will never happen, because what builder, corporate entity or city government wants to accept the absolute minimum on their

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

investment rather than the maximum? So pass the cost of workers to individual property owners. Considering how much city or state government has done for residents, it’s easy to assume that local government considers residents a detriment to tourism. All our complaining about bicycle traffic, congestion, prices and parking must have angered local governments. If not for property taxes and other taxes and fees, I’m certain residents would be asked to leave. So what is the reasonable solution to our staffing shortages? Quit talking baloney about workforce housing and get on with it. All businesses pay license fees. Some pay a little and some pay a lot, out of their profits. Some businesses don’t employ anybody but the owners, fine. But if a business needs one employee or multiple employees, they likely can afford something more in licensing fees. Raise those fees on a graduated scale and start a continuing building program on city property (already proposed). For a reasonable investment, businesses that need employees can house them and everybody wins. The housing doesn’t have to be fancy. Workers shouldn’t want to expand their family and stay for the rest of their lives. So, something safe and secure, with the private necessities will be fine. Licensing fees can likely be augmented by local, city, state or federal funds. After all, do we really need another sixfigure consultant? Sincerely, Frank Antonowich Key West

Dear Editor, Who will take their bucket list road trip to the iconic Florida Keys when they are driving through swarms of genetically modified mosquitoes (GMMs)? How many travelers may fear getting bitten by a GMM? This largely untested and relatively unknown technology is a big risk to our continued recovery. So if you are not already asking why release this technology, let’s start asking it now. We all know hurricanes deeply affect us in the Keys and the memories and impacts of Hurricane Irma in 2017 are still felt today. In 2019, Fodors placed the Florida Keys on its “No” list for 2020, advising people not to visit the Keys because of our “sickly coral reefs,” a fragile ecosystem already in need of help. Before our inclusion on that list could affect us, we faced another challenge as the world entered a global pandemic in 2020 and shutdowns cut off our tourism. Many tourists didn’t travel to the Florida Keys initially, but that has changed. April was a record month for tourism, but we now face a new and self-imposed threat: the recent release of genetically modified mosquitoes. Why release 500+ million genetically modified mosquitoes into an already fragile ecosystem and a recovering tourism economy? Why release these largely untested, unnecessary and risky experiments when we are finally open and anticipating a robust 2021? Why release them when one bad story or event involving these mosquitoes can go viral and negatively alter the already fragile Florida Keys forever? We’ve all been hit with enough in the last few years. Let’s not inflict another potential disaster upon ourselves. Let’s ask our elected Mosquito Control Board and our local government assemblies to stop the genetically modified mosquito experiment before it becomes too late. Even those who believe in the technology’s potential, surely can agree to say NO to continuing this experiment when many questions still exist and while the Florida Keys are a top destination to visit. Let’s not risk the future of the Florida Keys on an unneeded, unproven and untested new technology at this critical time. Let’s wait until we know more about them and their safety in our environment. Tell your elected government to stop this genetically modified mosquito release in our fragile Florida Keys. Visit StopGMM.com to learn more. Sincerely, Craig Zabransky Islamorada

KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

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KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

BIG MUSIC IS BACK

Rams Head Presents offers a refreshing return to live music concerts with a May 23 performance by Sammy Hagar and The Circle at the Key West Coffee Butler Amphitheater.

SAMMY HAGAR & THE CIRCLE ROCK A SUNSET SHOW IN KEY WEST

ammy Hagar can’t drive 55, but he can move a crowd that hasn’t been to a big music concert — or any sort of show, really — since March 2020. Rams Head Presents brought Hagar and his band, The Circle, to the Key West Coffee Butler Amphitheater for a May 23 concert that signaled the return of live music and life in general in the post-COVID world. As the sun set on Sunday, the band got loud — so did the appreciative Key West crowd. Hagar performed some favorites by Van Halen, with whom he performed for years. The guys also turned up the sound for “I Can’t Drive 55” and a host of other hits people didn’t think they knew until they found themselves singing along and dancing past dark. — Weekly staff report

1 2

LARRY BLACKBURN/Keys Weekly 1. Rams Head Presents welcomes big music back to Key West with a May 23 concert by legendary rocker Sammy Hagar at the Key West Coffee Butler Amphitheater. 2. Guitarist Vic Johnson wows the outdoor audience during the Sammy Hagar and The Circle show.

3. Drummer Jason Bonham performs with Sammy Hagar and The Circle at one of Key West’s first big shows since March 2020. 4. Bassist Michael Anthony jams at the Sammy Hagar concert May 23 in Key West.

KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

arlier this week it was reported that Jeff Bezos and Amazon are “primed” (get it?) to buy MGM Studios for a measly $8.45 billion, which comes with the rights to the iconic James Bond movie franchise. If you’re like most living humans with a pulse, you have a favorite Bond actor — Sean Connery, David Niven, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and most recently Daniel Craig, who will star in his last installment this October. Who will be the next James Bond? Rumors have circulated that English actor Tom Hardy is slated to be the seventh 007. But with Bezos now calling the shots, he may have other plans. Always here to help with insider info and b.s. speculation, we offer… 10. Jeff Bezos: Sure, the world’s richest man could cast himself in the next Bond film. But something about a bald, aging American dude who is recently divorced just doesn’t jive with the “shaken, not stirred” mystique.

WORST CHOICES FOR THE NEXT JAMES BOND

9. Dr. Anthony Fauci: It’s one thing to accuse the Chinese of leaking a virus from a lab. It’s another thing to infiltrate a Wuhan lab, steal their secrets, sleep with the most beautiful woman in the city and then ride out like a boss back to London. 8. Jake and/or Logan Paul: No one likes those YouTube dudes. 7. Charlie Sheen: We’ll let you determine why this isn’t a good fit, starting with finding the next “Bond Girl.” 6. Gilbert Gottfried: Say, “Bond, James Bond,” five times in your best Gottfried voice.

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5. Blake Shelton: “Awww, shucks. I just saved the world.” 4. The Geico gecko: Perfect Bond accent, but a bit too short, even by Hollywood standards. 3. Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay: Could be the perfect James Bond, but will never accept terms requiring him to cut his trademark flat-top hairstyle for the role. 2. Chrissy Teigen: James Bond has been battling bullies since 1963. 1. Prince Harry: He gets Bond points for going rogue against the crown. (But Bond would never air his dirty laundry to Oprah.) Note: Our top 10 best picks for the next James Bond: 1-10: Idris Elba (Do it, Bezos.)

5620 MACDONALD AVE KEY WEST | 305.296.4999

KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

BRINGING FANTASY TO LIFE

KEYS ARTIST USES ANCIENT ASIAN TECHNIQUE

aku firing is a Japanese ceramics technique dating back centuries. This process, originally used to create a unique finish to wares, was first used to make vessels for serving tea and broth. It involves removing the clay object from the kiln SHANNON P. at the height of the firing and WILEY causing it to cool rapidly. There are many variaShannon Wiley is tions to raku, after hundreds a native Floridian of years of experimentation born in Hialeah, Florida. He’s an by artists the world over. And artist, muralist, there is an undeniable beauty graphic designer, to many of the crackled and teacher and coach. pitted effects achieved with He currently lives glaze and underglaze, and with in Marathon with his two children. additives like sticks, leaves and Besides painting, paper. he enjoys all the This fascinating primitive wonders of the process is even more attracFlorida Keys. HIs tive when we see it applied to work is for sale at Guild Hall Gallery the captivating and whimsical in Key West and at characters from the mind (and Shady Palm Galstudio) of sculptor-ceramicist lery in Marathon. Paola Effio of Key West. From concept to creation, from molten-hot firing to the reduction and smoking, Effio’s subjects are as inspired as the process she uses to bring her work to life. Effio designs and forms everything from small hand-built sculptures to largerthan-life installations found in public spaces right here in the Florida Keys. Many of her subjects are a combination of species, conveying mixed emotions and evoking fairy tale moments. From her signature feline mermaids, to wacky fish and even salsa-dancing bananas, her work inspires feelings of joy and excitement, but especially movement. She constructs bubbly swine as lovable as Wilbur himself piloted by determined rabbits seemingly out of Lewis Carroll’s Wonderland. Her imaginative characters could not be more lovable.

Paola Effio’s ‘Intrigue,’ below, was awarded 5th place in the National Ceramics Art Competition 2021. The exhibition will be held at the National Art Center in Tokyo. CONTRIBUTED

Of her work, she says, “Imagine your own story as you see each unique piece I create.” Effio is from Lima, Peru and found her way to the Keys in 2005. She is self-taught as an artist and, like many artists, she is always advancing her style. She started by creating edible pieces and even designing sculptural cakes (she owns and operates Amazing Cakes and Creations in Key West). She later gravitated to both ceramics and concrete as her chosen media – making for some original works not quite as tasty but certainly just as beautiful. Effio has received worldwide recognition, even showing her work in Japan where she was honored in the National Ceramics Art Competition. She plans to open her own studio in Key West, but her works are currently shown at Key West Art Center and the Guild Hall Gallery. To learn more about the artist, visit www. paolaeffioart.com.

KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

OPINION: CONSERVING OUR VITAL SHALLOW WATER HABITATS THROUGH EDUCATION AND ETIQUETTE BILL HORN

www.keysweekly.com

ecord numbers of Keys visitors and an explosion of new boaters and Jet Skiers, unfamiliar with navigating our shallow waters, are wreaking havoc on vital flats habitats. The same “newbies” are all too often unaware of on-the-water etiquette, right of way rules, and navigation markers also creating safety issues while simultaneously infuriating anglers, divers, snorkelers and other veteran boaters. Better boating education and a healthy dose of courtesy are absolutely necessary to cure a growing problem. Our aquatic habitats are unique. The Keys are perched on ancient coral reefs and countless banks and seagrass flats create highly productive shallow water habitats for myriad species. Healthy flats are irreplaceable nurseries for juvenile snappers, forage fish, conchs, lobsters, and blue and stone crabs in addition to high-profile species like bonefish, permit and tarpon. The federal and state governments recognize the value of these habitats via an array of special land and water designations to conserve and protect them: national parks (Florida Bay and Dry Tortugas), national wildlife refuges, national marine sanctuary, Florida Area of Critical Concern, and multiple state parks and preserves. Saving the flats isn’t just environmentalism – it’s good business. Fishing the flats for bonefish, permit and tarpon (and its 99% catch and release) brings over $450 million annually into the Keys. And the value provided via commercial fishing, other recreational fishing, and diving and snorkeling tops $1 billion. Destruction of nursery habitats for fish, lobsters and crabs threatens these sustainable local industries. Yet every day on the water reveals unparalleled adverse impacts on shallow water habitats caused by boaters and Jet Skiers who are apparently clueless about the need to avoid such waters. Groundings on banks and flats are a daily occurrence. Boats and Jet Skis running too shallow chew up the sea grass, churn up long mud trails, and turn clear waters into a murky mess. Propeller scars proliferate daily, criss-cross every nearshore flat from Key Largo to Key West and take years to heal. Rental vessels – boats and Jet Skis - are major culprits. Besides this environmental carnage, the lack of courtesy and etiquette is almost as infuriating. A flats fisher spends 20 minutes silently poling a skiff onto a flat in search of shy bonefish, only to be overrun by half a dozen Jet Skis churning by in 12 inches of water. Adios, bonefish. Or a set of boats are staked out in a few feet of water waiting for the migrating tarpon to swim by. Into their midst comes a

A Florida Keys bonefish guide, right. puts his fly-fishing angler on a bonefish off Islamorada. BOB KRIST/Florida Keys News Bureau

boat that treats the anglers like slalom poles on a ski course and runs an “S,” frightening away any tarpon in the neighborhood. Flats anglers (usually in small skiffs with an angler standing on the bow and a guide standing on the stern poling platform) are hunting for swimming fish, not just dropping a baited hook next to the boat. Courtesy means determining which way the distinctive flats boat is moving, or looking, and simply choosing to not run in front of them. If you see two or three such boats in a line this time of the year, you can bet the tarpon are swimming a line that connects them – simply stay a few hundred yards outside (or inside) that line. I know too the diving/snorkeling community can chime in with plenty of horror stories about vessel operators who simply ignore dive flags putting people in danger. Boat and Jet Ski rental businesses must get aggressive in providing better education about avoiding our shallows. Driving home that a vessel should not be run where there are wading birds, or make the renter repeat the mantra “brown, brown run around” (or aground) should help. Throwing in “red right returning” wouldn’t hurt either – we see plenty of boats trying to run on the wrong side of channel markers with predictably bad results. Emphasizing that running in a straight line from A to B rarely works here and it is essential to consult a good chart or the GPS to figure out how to get into, or out of, marked channels are other crucial facts. And when a mistake happens, stop the boat and try to gently back off or out of the shallows; the normal response appears to be more power which makes matters worse. Add rigorous enforcement of Florida’s boater education requirement (which should be expanded

to everyone, not just those born since 1988) and things might get better. Similarly, providing the renters with some information about giving anglers some room AND avoiding boats flying dive flags should be mandatory. Reaching the renters is easy; the rental companies just need to step up in the interests of the environment (and the broader community). Dealing with the visitors from farther up U.S. 1, who bring their own boats, is harder. A blanket boater education/license requirement makes the most sense. In fact, Everglades National Park has blazed this path, mandating that anyone operating a boat within Florida Bay must pass an on-line boater ed course and carry the “I Passed” certificate. If such a common-sense rule is in place for the Bay, shouldn’t a similar rule in place for the marine sanctuary, the wildlife refuge waters, and the state’s Area of Critical Concern? We recently celebrated the 51st anniversary of Earth Day. For the first one in 1970, the then-celebrated cartoon “Pogo” depicted its character observing, “we have met the enemy and he is us.” The Keys’ shallow water habitats are on the verge of being loved to death by a lot of people new to our waters. A bit of education and etiquette can go a long way toward conservation and harmony. — Marathon resident Bill Horn has been visiting, fishing or living in the Keys for 60 years. He was assistant secretary of the interior for fish & wildlife under President Reagan, served on multiple National Academy of Sciences environmental committees, and is author of “Seasons on the Flats: An Angler’s Year in the Florida Keys.”

KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

• CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES • ISLAMORADA, VILLAGE OF ISLANDS NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Thursday, June 10, 2021 at 5:30 P.M., the Village Council of Islamorada, Village of Islands will hold a public hearing at Founders Park Community Center located at 87000 Overseas Highway, Islamorada, Florida and via Communications Media Technology. Pursuant to Executive Order No. 20-69 and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) social distancing guidelines established to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the June 10, 2021 Village Council Meeting will also be conducted utilizing Communication Media Technology (CMT) via a Zoom video conferencing application. For additional information regarding options for viewing the meeting and participation through public comment please contact the Village Clerk at 305-664-6412 or via email at clerk@islamorada.fl.us The purpose of the public hearing is to consider the following items: SECOND READINGS AN ORDINANCE OF ISLAMORADA, VILLAGE OF ISLANDS, FLORIDA, AMENDING CHAPTER 30, LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS; AMENDING ARTICLE V “SCHEDULE OF DISTRICT USE AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS”, DIVISION 6 “LANDSCAPE STANDARDS”, SECTION 30-815 TO SPECIFICALLY AMEND AND ADD BUFFERYARD STANDARDS RELATING TO DRIVEWAYS; PROVIDING FOR PENALTIES; PROVIDING FOR THE REPEAL OF ALL CODE PROVISIONS AND ORDINANCES INCONSISTENT WITH THIS ORDINANCE; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR INCLUSION IN THE CODE; PROVIDING FOR THE TRANSMITTAL OF THIS ORDINANCE TO THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE UPON APPROVAL OF THIS ORDINANCE BY THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. AN ORDINANCE OF ISLAMORADA, VILLAGE OF ISLANDS, FLORIDA, AMENDING CHAPTER 34 “NATURAL RESOURCES,” ARTICLE II “WATER CONSERVATION” SECTION 34-31 “PURPOSE” SECTION 34-33 “DEFINITIONS” SECTION 34-34 “HOURS OF IRRIGATION; AUTOMATIC IRRIGATION SYSTEMS” SECTION 34-35 “PROHIBITIONS” SECTION 34-36 “EXEMPTIONS” OF THE VILLAGE CODE TO REVISE LANDSCAPE IRRIGATION RESTRICTIONS; PROVIDING FOR THE REPEAL OF ALL CODE PROVISIONS AND ORDINANCES INCONSISTENT WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ORDINANCE; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR INCLUSION IN THE CODE; PROVIDING FOR THE TRANSMITTAL OF THIS ORDINANCE TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE UPON THE APPROVAL OF THIS ORDINANCE BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. AN ORDINANCE OF ISLAMORADA, VILLAGE OF ISLANDS, FLORIDA, AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. 20-02 RELATED TO TRANSFERS OF RESIDENTIAL DENSITY; AMENDING CHAPTER 30, “LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS,” ARTICLE IV “ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES,” DIVISION 12 “TRANSFERS OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS” OF THE VILLAGE CODE OF ORDINANCES BY SPECIFICALLY AMENDING 30-503 TO CLARIFY AREAS ELIGIBLE FOR TRANSFER OF RESIDENTIAL DENSITY WITHIN THE VILLAGE; PROVIDING FOR THE REPEAL OF ALL CODE PROVISIONS AND ORDINANCES INCONSISTENT WITH THIS ORDINANCE; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR INCLUSION IN THE CODE; PROVIDING FOR THE TRANSMITTAL OF THIS ORDINANCE TO THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE UPON APPROVAL OF THIS ORDINANCE BY THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. A copy of the items may be reviewed at the Village Administrative Center and Public Safety Headquarters, 86800 Overseas Highway, Islamorada, Florida. Affected parties may appear at the public hearing via the Zoom video conferencing tool for the public hearing, be heard and submit evidence with respect to the application. Pursuant to Section 286.0105, Florida Statutes, anyone wishing to appeal any decision made by the Islamorada Village Council with respect to any matter considered at such meeting or hearing will need a record of the proceedings and, for such purpose, may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceeding is made, prepared by a court reporter at the appellant’s expense; such record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based. ADA Assistance: In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, all persons who are disabled and who need special accommodations to participate in this meeting because of that disability should contact the office of the Village ADA Coordinator at (305) 664-6448 (TTY 664-8890) at least three days prior thereto. Two or more committee members from various committees may be present at this meeting.

Ty Harris, Development Services Director

305.743.0844

LEGAL NOTICES

FICTITIOUS NAME NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of Salty Dog Pet Grooming, LLC located at 11400 Overseas Highway, Suite 101, Marathon, Florida 33050, intends to register said name with the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida. By: Salty Dog Pet Grooming II, LLC a Florida limited liability company Publish: May 27, 2021 The Weekly Newspapers

which are subject to bed tax in the tax collection district for which they are applying. Any person wishing to participate on the District V 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, June 25, 2021 at 5:00pm. A resume may be attached to the application. Publish: May 27, 2021 The Weekly Newspapers

the Monroe County Board of Commissioners may attend the meeting and discuss items that may come before the Commission. 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., prior to the scheduled meeting; if you are hearing or voice impaired, call “711”. Live Closed Captioning is available via our web portal @ http://monroecountyfl. Iqm2.com/Citizens/Default. aspx for meetings of the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners Publish: May 27, 2021 The Weekly Newspapers

purchasing@monroecounty-fl. gov so accommodations for delivery of your bid can be made prior to the bid opening. Please be advised that it is the bidder’s sole responsibility to ensure delivery of their bid and waiting until the bid opening to address or confirm your bid submission delivery will result in your bid being rejected. The bid opening for this solicitation will be held virtually, via the internet, at 3:00 P.M., on June 30, 2021. You may call in by phone or internet using the following: Join Zoom Meeting https://mcbocc.zoom. us/j/4509326156 Meeting ID: 4509326156 One tap mobile: +16465189805,, 4509326156# US (New York) +16699006833,, 4509326156# US (San Jose) Dial by your location: +1 646 518 9805 US (New York) +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) Publish: May 27, 2021 The Weekly Newspapers

FICTITIOUS NAME NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of Fenix Cigars located at 700 Front Street, Key West, FL 33040, intends to register said name with the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida. By: Martha Ramirez Publish: May 27, 2021 The Weekly Newspapers NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE Wheatons Towing gives Notice of Foreclosure of Lien and intent to sell these vehicles on 06/18/2021, 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. 1FMFU18L6VLC03074 1997 FORD 2FTRF17294CA22158 2004 FORD 2GKALUEK5D6180610 2013 GENERAL MOTORS CORP 3FAFP31331R191338 2001 FORD 5JWTD1223B1038254 2011 SURE TRA WDDWJ4KB2JF689850 2018 MERCEDES-BENZ Publish: May 27 & June 3, 2021 The Weekly Newspapers NOTICE OF NONJUDICIAL SALE COVE MARINA GROUP, LLC GIVES NOTICE OF THE INTENT TO SELL OR DISPOSE OF THE FOLLOWING VESSEL ON JULY 26, 2021, 10:00 AM AT 73501 OVERSEAS HIGHWAY, ISLAMORADA, FLORIDA 33036. Pursuant to Florida Statute 328.17, Cove Marina Group, LLC reserves the right to remove vessel from auction prior to auction date. Cove Marina Group, LLC reserves the right to accept or reject any and/or all bids. Vessel Name: N/A Hull Number: SXE500841899 Florida Registration: 4412 LG 1999 Release Owner: Russell J. Moore Publish: May 27 & June 3, 2021 The Weekly Newspapers DISTRICT V ADVISORY COMMITTEE (DAC V) (From Mile Marker 90.940 to the Dade/Monroe County Line and any Mainland portions of Monroe County) of the MONROE COUNTY TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL has an opening for a LODGING INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVE – shall be owners or operating/general managers of motels, hotels, recreational vehicle parks or other tourist accommodations

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING Public Meeting Announcement – Monroe County Human Services Advisory Board (HSAB)/ Monroe County Board of County Commissioners The Human Services Advisory Board (HSAB) will meet Wednesday, June 2, 2021 at 9:00 AM in the Marathon Government Center, BOCC Meeting Room, on the 2nd Floor, 2798 Overseas Highway. The Board will make recommendations on the County Fiscal Year 2022 funding for human services. The meeting will be a hybrid format with the HSAB meeting live at the Marathon Government Center. The public will be able to participate in-person or via Communication Media Technology (“CMT”) using a Zoom Webinar platform. The HSAB meeting will begin at 9:00 A.M., on Wednesday, June 2, 2021. The webinar will begin at 8:30 A.M., ½ hour before the meeting, to allow time for people to join and test connections. 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. Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://mcbocc.zoom. us/j/95228254230 Or iPhone one-tap: US: +16465189805,, 95228254230# or +16699006833,, 95228254230# 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: 952 2825 4230 International numbers available: https://mcbocc. zoom.us/u/avHHhHzEO For a copy of the agenda or other information, contact Janet Gunderson, Grants Coordinator, in writing at 1100 Simonton St., Room 2-213, Key West, FL 33040; by phone at 305-292-4470; or by email at GundersonJanet@monroecounty-fl. gov. If members of the public wish to submit written documentation, the documentation must be submitted to Janet Gunderson prior to the meeting and no later than May 28, 2021 by 5:00 P.M. The public is advised that some or all the members of

NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE SOLICITATIONS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Wednesday, June 30, 2021, at 3:00 P.M., the Monroe County Purchasing Office will receive and open sealed responses for the following: CONSTRUCTION MANAGER AT RISK SERVICES FOR MONROE COUNTY KEY WEST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT CONCOURSE A AND TERMINAL IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM Pursuant to F.S. § 50.0211(3) (a), all published competitive solicitation notices can be viewed at: www. floridapublicnotices.com, a searchable Statewide repository for all published legal notices. Requirements for submission and the selection criteria may be requested from DemandStar by Onvia at www. demandstar.com OR www. monroecountybids.com. The Public Record is available upon request. In response to Covid-19, the Monroe County Purchasing Department has implemented a new electronic process for reviewing and opening sealed bids. Monroe County is committed to continuing to receive and process competitive solicitations while maintaining the health and safety of our employees and those who attend bid openings. Please do not mail or attempt to deliver in person any sealed bids. Mailed/physically delivered bids/proposal/responses WILL NOT be accepted. The Monroe County Purchasing Department hereby directs that bids be submitted via email to: OMB-BIDS@monroecounty-fl. gov, no later than 3:00 P.M. on June 30, 2021. Please submit your confidential financial information in a SEPARATE EMAIL from your bid and required documents. Your subject line on both emails must read as follows: CMAR Services KWIA Airport Concourse A & Terminal Improvements 06/30/2021 Files that do not contain this subject line WILL BE REJECTED. Please note that the maximum file size that will be accepted by email is 25MB. Please plan accordingly to ensure that your bid is not rejected due to the file size. Should your bid documents exceed 25MB or otherwise be rejected or undeliverable to OMB-BIDS@monroecounty-fl. gov, in advance of the bid opening, please email: omb-

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 21-CP-000044-P IN RE: ESTATE OF CHARLOTTE FEUILLAN Deceased. NOTICE TO CREDITORS The administration of the estate of Charlotte Feuillan, deceased, whose date of death was March 18, 2021, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 88820 Overseas Highway, Plantation Key, Florida 33070. The names and addresses of the personal representatives 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: May 27, 2021. Personal Representative: Danielle Feuillan 3146 Patterson Street NW Washington, D.C. 20015 Attorney for Personal Representative: Ashley T. Steffen Attorney Florida Bar Number: 111238 SNYDER & SNYDER, P.A. 7931 Orange Drive Davie, Florida 33328 Telephone: (954) 475-1139 Fax: (954) 475-2634 E-Mail: Ashley@snyderlawpa.

KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

• CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES • LEGAL NOTICES com Secondary E-Mail: eservice@ snyderlawpa.com Publish: May 27 & June 3, 2021 The Weekly Newspapers IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 21-CP-38-M IN RE: ESTATE OF JAMES MARK DAVIS, Deceased. NOTICE TO CREDITORS The administration of the estate of James Mark Davis, deceased, whose date of death was February 13, 2021, 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: May 27, 2021. Personal Representative: Christian Davis 11109 NW 39th Street Apt. 204, Building 12 Sunrise, Florida 33351 Attorney for Personal Representative: Robert K. Miller Attorney 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: May 27 & June 3, 2021 The Weekly Newspapers IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 21-CP-000040-P IN RE: ESTATE OF ETTA LEA PERDOK, Deceased. NOTICE TO CREDITORS The administration of the estate of Etta Lea Perdok, deceased, whose date of death was March 12, 2021, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is

LEGAL NOTICES

88820 Overseas Highway, Tavernier, Florida 33070. 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: May 27, 2021. Attorney for Personal Representative: Horacio Sosa, Esq. Email Address: hsosa@ sosalegal.com Florida Bar No. 584029 Horacio Sosa, P.A. 2924 Davie Road, Suite 102 Davie, Florida 33314 Personal Representative: Beverly Paul 915 Cultural Park Blvd. Cape Coral, Florida 33990 Publish: May 27 & June 3, 2021 The Weekly Newspapers

SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER 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 the first publication of this notice: May 20, 2021. Personal Representative: Laura Kain Hart 1915 S. Westgate Ave Los Angeles, CA 90025 Attorney for Personal Representative: Kimberlee J. De Biase, Esq. Florida Bar No. 67987 Breger De Biase, PLLC 1200 N. Federal Hwy, Suite 200 Boca Raton, FL 33432 Telephone: (561) 225-2676 Email: kim@bdblawyers.com Secondary Email: admin@ bdblawyers.com Publish: May 20 & 27, 2021 The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 21-CP-000032-P IN RE: THE ESTATE OF NINA HART GRIFFITHS, Deceased. NOTICE TO CREDITORS The administration of the estate of NINA HART GRIFFITHS, deceased, whose date of death was December 23, 2020, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 88820 Overseas Hwy, Plantation Key, Florida 33070. 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

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 2021-CP-88-K IN RE: ESTATE OF JAMES L. CONLEY Deceased. NOTICE TO CREDITORS The administration of the estate of JAMES L. CONLEY, deceased, whose date of death was December 12, 2020, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 500 Whitehead Street, Key West, Florida 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 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: May 20, 2021. Personal Representative: Bonnie Sims 1816 Tacoma Point Dr. E Lake Tapps, Washington 98391 Attorney for Personal Representative: COLLEEN M. DURIS, B.C.S. Attorney Florida Bar Number: 975140 500 NE 8th Avenue Ocala, FL 34470 Telephone: (352) 732-7020 Fax: (352) 867-5111 E-mail: service@ocalaelderlaw. com E-Mail: angie@ocalaelderlaw. com Publish: May 20 & 27, 2021 The Weekly Newspapers

LEGAL NOTICES

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION CASE NO.: 21-CP-000033-P IN RE: ESTATE OF ELIZABETH A. WINGET A/K/A, BETTY WULSTEIN, Deceased. NOTICE TO CREDITORS The administration of the estate of Elizabeth A. Winget, a/k/a Betty Wulstein, deceased, whose date of death was December 10, 2020, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is Plantation Key Government Center, 88820 Overseas Highway, Plantation Key, FL 33070. 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: May 20, 2021. Personal Representative: Dr. Katherine Winget P.O. Box 226 Tavernier, FL 33070 Attorney for Personal Representative: VICTORIA MIRANDA, ESQUIRE Florida Bar No. 1015363 E-Mail: VMiranda@HLYlaw.com JAMES S. LUPINO, ESQUIRE Florida Bar No. 244481 E-Mail: JLupino@HLYlaw.com HERSHOFF, LUPINO & YAGEL, LLP 9350 S Dixie Highway, Suite 1470 Miami, FL 33156 Publish: May 20 & 27, 2021 The Weekly Newspapers IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION CASE NO.: 21-CP-000031-P IN RE: ESTATE OF LINDA MARGARET CARVILL, Deceased. NOTICE TO CREDITORS The administration of the estate of Linda Margaret Carvill, deceased, whose date of death was May 21, 2020, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is Plantation Key Government Center,

305.743.0844

LEGAL NOTICES

BOAT SLIP FOR SALE

EMPLOYMENT

88820 Overseas Highway, Plantation Key, FL 33070. 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: May 20, 2021. Personal Representative: Andrew Kerr Carvill 7 Seckford Street Woodbridge, Suffolk, IP12 4LY, United Kingdom Attorney for Personal Representative: VICTORIA MIRANDA, ESQUIRE Florida Bar No. 1015363 E-Mail: VMiranda@HLYlaw.com JAMES S. LUPINO, ESQUIRE Florida Bar No. 244481 E-Mail: JLupino@HLYlaw.com HERSHOFF, LUPINO & YAGEL, LLP 9350 S Dixie Highway, Suite 1470 Miami, FL 33156 Publish: May 20 & 27, 2021 The Weekly Newspapers

Indoor / Dry Boat Storage Rack / 155 Wind Code The Boat House Marina Condo - Marathon, FL. 36.5L X 12.7W X 16.2H Max Boat Size. $225K / FSBO/ No Realtors / Avail. Now. RGC2RGC@yahoo. com (M) 412-848-1272

Experienced Electric & Low voltage Techs wanted i m m e d i a t e l y 4 0 1 k / i n s u r a n c e / P TO Email: admin@ c h e c k e l e c t r i c l l c. co m Call: 305-292-3369

AUTOS WANTED

ALL YEARS! Junk or Used. Cars - Vans - TrucksRunning or Not. $CASH$ 305-332-0483 BOATS FOR SALE

1993 Hewes Redfish 18' - 115 hp - newly rewired Yamaha 2-stroke, Lowrance HDS8 Chart Plotter, Minn Kota remote trolling motor and Trailer. Located in Marathon. $14,000 OBO 970-331-4511 1999 World Cat 27' with twin 175 Suzuki motors. Runs good. Dual stations. Located on Duck Key. $40,000 OBO 305-481-1316 Place your Boat For Sale ad here. Only $25.00/ week for up to five lines of copy. Call 305-743-0844 today and Sell Your Boat!

BOAT TRAILER STORAGE

Boat Trailer Storage available at MM103 Bayside. Up to 100' Call 305-394-1684 DAY LABOR NEEDED

Need help moving furniture, appliances & boxes from 2 BR Home with stairs in Marathon. Tuesday, June 1. $25/ hour (approx. 4-6 hrs) Raul 305-793-9998 EMPLOYMENT

Help WantedLawn Maintenance Drug-Free, Apply in Person at Dot Palm 5200 Overseas Hwy, Marathon FL 33050 3 0 5 - 7 4 3 - 3 0 9 0 Help wanted - Big Time Discount Bait and Tackle in Marathon- competitive wages and working 2535 hrs a week. Contact George 305-289-0199 The Marathon Yacht Club is looking to hire a Sous Chef to assist our Executive Chef. Please call us at 305-743-6739 to schedule an interview. The Marathon Yacht Club is looking to hire someone for serving and bartending. The position pays $12/hr and a guaranteed 20% gratuity in our tip pool. Hours are approximately 3pm to 9pm Tuesday through Saturday and the occasional Sunday. Please apply in person at 825 33rd Street, Gulf, Marathon, FL from 11am2pm Tuesday-Friday. Immediate openings for experienced plumbers and helpers (with or without experience - we will train the right person). Must have a valid driver's license & clean driving record. Please apply in person at 10700 5th Avenue Gulf, Marathon or email resume to: eerpinc@gmail.com

The Cabana Club, an ocean front private swim club, is seeking a part time line cook. Club is open 10am - 7pm daily. Located in Key Colony Beach. Hourly pay commensurate with experience. Beautiful environment, small friendly staff, open year round. Apply in person, email resume or call 305 393-0631 ask for April Charter Captain/Mate Busy fishing charter business in Marathon looking for experienced fishing Captain/Mate. Busy boats and location. Offshore, Inshore, Reef/ Wreck. Also part-time Boat Cleaner needed for afternoons. Send text or call 305-481-3259 LPS Contracting NOW HIRING: StateLicensed Land Surveyor & Field Techs. Located in Marathon, FL. Email: info@LPSContracting.com Call: 305-240-9882 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@ g m a i l . c o m . Full or part-time litigation paralegal needed in Tavernier. Bilingual a plus. Salary is commensurate with experience. Email resume to Jeff Vastola at jvastola@ vastolalegal.com. NOW HIRING: Sweet Savannah's is now hiring for all shifts. Please apply in person at 8919 Overseas Highway in Marathon.

KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

• CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES • EMPLOYMENT Full-time Construction Workers needed. Superintendents, Carpenters, Painters and Laborers. Top dollar for the right individuals. Start tomorrow. Apply in person, Dooley Construction, MM 88.5 Oceanside or call 305-852-8000 Fl Keys Diesel - Marathon now hiring: Diesel Technician -Competitive compensation package. Exp in the marine field preferred but not necessary. Exp w/ Caterpillar and Cummins Marine Engines a plus. Diesel Mechanic Assistant position available. Motivated candidate willing to learn a new trade or expand current skills. Company willing to train. Qualified applicants please call 305-2892070 or email resume to neil@allkeysdiesel.com . Drug Free and valid Drivers License a must.

Serve/Bartend on the ocean FT/PT Ocean front private swim club is seeking customer service oriented Server/ Bartender. Serve on pool deck, beach and/ or bar lounge. Open year round, 10am-7pm daily. Full time/Part time. Small friendly staff. Above average hourly wage plus tips. Apply in person at Cabana Club, 425 E. Ocean Dr. Key Colony Beach or call April (305) 393-0631. Marathon Elks Lodge looking for Bartender. Please call Rose at 305-393-9889 HIRED IN LESS THAN 1 MONTH!! Property Manager, Part Time -Two Days per week, 12 hours per week, KCB, Sea Isle Condo, Hourly Rate of $23. Resume to HardingThomasL@ aol.com, 734-476-0531, 1101 West Ocean Drive,

CROSSWORD

EMPLOYMENT

OFFICE SPACE

Colony Beach HIRED IN LESS THAN THREE WEEKS!!

Beautiful Office Space available for rent now on US1 in Tavernier @MM92. Call 305-394-0530

Pool service hiring PT 4/days a week cleaning pools & water testing. Marathon area. Call 305-395-0000 HIRED IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS!!

1,082 SF office space. Renovated Corner Unit for rent in Islamorada. $ 3 , 0 0 0 / m o nt h Call 305.712.8888

Key

Place your Employment ad here. Only $25.00/ week for up to five lines of copy. Call 305-743-0844 today and get the job filled!

SERVICES OFFERED

Mobile Boat Detailing from Key Largo to Key West - Chauffeur Tim 305-902-9135

305.743.0844

NOW HIRING! SIGN ON BONUS UP TO $ 1,500 NEEDED: INSTALLERS, APPRENTICES AND SERVICE TECHNICIANS PAY RANGE: $15  $30 PER HOUR BASED ON EXPERIENCE LOOKING FOR A LONGTERM CAREER? COME JOIN OUR TEAM, WE OFFER THE FOLLOWING: Competitive pay | Work Life Balance Continued Training | Opportunity for advancement Paid time off | Medical | 401K Apply via email: Joey@ellingtonac .com Call to schedule a meeting for employment 321.482.3158

Wastewater Utility Technician-Key West Hiring reliable, hardworking, adaptable, trainable Tech. Trade exp in AC, electric, utility, plumbing a PLUS. Paid pension, vacation, sick, holiday 40hr M-F 7-3:30PM+OT Benefits=Health, dental, vision Pay corr w, exp $48K-$69K hiring@kwru.com

HOBBIES/COLLECT.

PRIVATE COLLECTOR WANTS Rolex, Dive Watches and Pilot Watches. Old Model Military Clocks & Watches. Call 305-743-4578 HOUSING FOR RENT

MM96 Buttonwood Bay 2BR/2.5BA furn. townhome. $2750/mo F/L/S app fee $60. No pets/smoking. Tropic Homes year lease. Debbie Taylor 305-394-9787

NOW HIRING: Housekeeping Room Attendants – wages vary Cooks – wages vary

***Sign on bonus of $500 after 30 days of full-time employment & an additional $500 after 90 days Please apply online for our positions: islabellabeachresort.oasisrecruit.com or call # 786 638-8046 and ask for Human Resources 1 Knight’s Key Blvd (MM 47) Marathon, FL 33050

EOE • M/F/Vet/Disability

HIRING SERVER PREP COOK

Apply at S.S. Wreck 58835 Overseas Hwy. Grassy Key Or call for appt. 305-481-3067

LOT FOR SALE

LOT FOR SALE 100' x 100' - Venetian Shores, MM 86, Snake Creek Bridge views. Asking $1.3 Million. Call 561-579-8399

SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS NEEDED! Monroe County School District

MISC. FOR SALE

FloridaKeysTravel.com can now be yours! Go to FloridaKeysTravel. com for details on how to purchase this exceptional domain name immediately for $499 or to make an offer. OFFICE SPACE

SOLUTION

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

KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

• CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES •

305.743.0844

NOW HIRING

KeysBank.com

Join Our Team! Key West

D’Asign Source is seeking the following professionals. Overtime and benefits are available. For full details & additional openings, please visit DAsignSource.com/careers

Flooring Installer

Information Technology Technician Maintenance Technician Full Time Teller

11 pm - 7 am

Previous hotel experience required. Great Pay and Benefits

Apply in person at Courtyard Marriott Marathon, 2146 Overseas Hwy or email resume to jtyson@shanercorp.com • 305-289-2100

Warehouse & Delivery Crew Must have reliable transportation, be on time and organized. Must have a valid driver’s license. CDL a plus.

Part Time Floating Teller - Key West/Big Pine Interior Designer

Marathon

FT Night Audit Supervisor

NOW HIRING

Assistant Front Office Manager

Finish Carpenter

Branch Management Full Time Teller Full Time Floating Teller - Marathon/Islamorada

Key Largo

Framing & drywall repairs, kitchen & bath remodeling, etc. Must present high attention to detail; workmanship must be very high quality.

Evening Shift FT Salaried Position Hotel Front Desk Supervisory Experience Required Great Pay and Benefits

Landscape Designer

Apply in person at Courtyard Marriott Marathon, 2146 Overseas Hwy or email resume to jtyson@shanercorp.com • 305-289-2100

Lead Teller

Apply Online at KeysBank.com/Careers

NOW HIRING:

We offer 401k, profit sharing, educational reimbursement, health/dental plans, life insurance, holidays and paid time off for full time employees. Member FDIC

EOE-M/F/V/D

Equal Housing Lender

The Turtle Hospital in Marathon IMMEDIATE OPENINGS: FULL/PART-TIME EDUCATION PROGRAM GUIDES/GIFT SHOP SALES

TEMPORARY MARINE PUMPOUT WORKER  KEY WEST

Public Speaking & Retail Sales Experience Helpful

40 hours per week • $27.00 per hour

FULL/PART-TIME OFFICE ASSISTANT

Monroe County BOCC is seeking an applicant with a dynamic personality and who is quick to adapt, a competent multi-tasker, and can communicate effectively for a new temporary position. Primary function is to assist marine captains with pump-out services for anchored vessels. Qualifications: Florida driver’s license, fluent in English (Spanish fluency helpful), and 1 to 2 years boating experience (USCG Captain’s License helpful). Must be able to swim. To apply, please contact Monroe County HR at: Careers@monroecounty-fl.gov. APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE AT: WWW.MONROECOUNTY-FL.GOV. 305-292-4557. Veteran’s Preference Available; E.O.E

Send resume to: turtlehospitalmarathon@gmail.com

F/T and PT Bartenders for BlueWaters Pool Bar and Wedding Event Bartenders $10/hour Great Tips Health Benefits & Room Discounts Sign-on bonus Poolside setting with Gulf View Apply in Person, Start Today! Courtyard Marriott Marathon 2146 Overseas Hwy • 305-289-2100

NOW HIRING: Hosts Waitstaff Bartenders Bar Backs Bussers Line Cooks Dishwashers

Apply in person at Sunset Grille & Raw Bar, 7 Knight’s Key Blvd, Marathon

KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

• CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES 305.743.0844 • CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES • •305.743.0844 JOURNEYMAN ELECTRICIAN Location: Middle Keys – Lower Keys

OPEN POSITIONS AT MARINERS AND FISHERMEN'S COMMUNITY HOSPITAL • Clinical Partner (CNA), Up to $3K Sign-On Bonus • Environmental Tech (Housekeeping), Up to $5K Sign-On Bonus • Fitness Center Manager • Line Cook, Dietary • Medical Staff Asst • Medical Technologist, Up to $10K Sign-On Bonus • Nurse Supervisor • Multi-Modality Imaging Tech, CT Scan • Multiplace Hyperbaric Tech • Patient Scheduler • Physical Therapist • Polysomnographic Tech • Security Officer • Sr Phlebotomist • First Cook, Dietary, Up to $2.5K Sign-On Bonus • Floor Technician, Up to $5K Sign-On Bonus • Food Service Worker (Diet Concierge), Up to $5K Sign-On Bonus • Mechanic, Facility Operations • Nurse Practitioner • Patient Experience Advocate • Phlebotomist, Up to $2K Sign-On Bonus • Pool Clinical Pharmacist • Radiology Technologist • Registered Nurse, Up to $20K Sign-On Bonus • RN Case Manager

Apply at careers.baptisthealth.net Learn more: 786-243-8507

Join the winning Technical Services Dept team at the FKAA for future growth opportunities and an excellent working environment

MUST HAVE an active Journeyman Electrician License. Duties: Install, inspect, test, repair, and maintain all new and existing generators, motors, transformers, motor controllers, and associated equipment throughout our system, with base location in the middle keys. Minimum qualifications: Journeyman’s License, emphasis on electronics, industrial electrical, pneumatics, controls, building automation, fire alarm and HVAC systems, load calculations, conduit requirements, thorough knowledge of NEC requirements, minimum 6 yrs experience. Must be able to operate and use computers with various software applications, including Microsoft Office Suite. Must have a valid Florida driver’s license. Must be able to communicate and comprehend the English language. $55,876. - $88,506. DOQ On-line app: http://www.fkaa.com/employment.htm Deadline: Open until filled. EEO, VPE, ADA

FIELD INSPECTORS Lower Keys Full-Time Middle Keys Full-Time

For more information visit Current Openings at: keysmosquito.org/current-openings/ Deadline to apply June 1, 2021

FACILITIES MAINTENANCE MECHANIC Salary Range: $46,347.98 – $70,968.11 Location: Middle Keys

The Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority is looking for a fulltime Maintenance Mechanic to perform skilled maintenance and repair of buildings, grounds, equipment, and pumps. MUST HAVE: high school diploma or GED; and at least two (2) years of experience and/or training that include construction trades, such as carpentry, masonry, plumbing, or electrical. Must have a valid FL driver’s license. Must be able to obtain an FDEP Level III Distribution License within 18 mos. of hire date. Great benefits like retirement, paid health, dental, vision & life insurance and much more! Must complete on-line application found at: http://www.fkaa.com/employment.htm EEO, VPE, ADA

Floor Manager Daytime Host Experienced Servers Experienced Bartenders High volume restaurant in Key Largo. Apply in person at Snooks Bayside, 99470 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, FL

Valet Parking Attendant Front Desk Agent Guest Services Manager Front Office Line Cooks Server- am and pm opportunity Engineer-General Maintenance F & B Supervisor-Manager LMT, Nail Tech, Esthetician Sign on Bonus Offered!

Apply online at: www.noblehousehotels.com/careers Apply in person at: Zero Duval St.

Great pay, amazing benefits, & an awesome team!

JOB FAIR

Thursday, June 3, 2021 – 10am-2pm Zero Duval St. Key West, FL 33040

MARATHON GARBAGE SERVICE Key Largo Wastewater Treatment District is accepting applications for a full-time, entry level, Field Operations System Technician. Must have HS Diploma or equivalent and a valid Florida Driver’s License. Must currently live within 25 miles of KLWTD Treatment Plant (100301 Overseas Highway, Key Largo). Hourly starting pay rate of $16.72/hr plus benefits. EOE Email your resume to: hr@klwtd.com

Busy Key Largo Dive Center has immediate openings for

NOW HIRING

Housekeepers

Night Auditor/Night Security

FLORIDA KEYS MOSQUITO CONTROL DISTRICT

is accepting applications for the following position:

Part time & Full time Opportunities!

BOAT CAPTAINS $1,500 SIGNING BONUS

Experience Required. Paid per trip plus tips & sales commission. Send resume to resumes@rainbowreef.com

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

SUDOKU

SOLUTION

KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

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

3 FRESH NEW MENU

Empty bottles, cans, paper and cardboard.

Keep food and liquid out.

Recyclables go directly into the cart.

NEED A BAGGSTER?

NEW PATIO DINING

Purchase one from your local hardware stores, then call the 800 number to set up a pickup. ROLLOFF CONTAINERS and PORTABLE TOILETS available. Call us at 305.296.8297.

1405 Duval Street, Key West // 305.295.6550

Serving Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

southernmostbeachresort.com #somolife

OPEN TUESDAY THRU SATURDAY! 11AM-4PM

KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

An osprey mama looking out for her baby with those “eagle eyes.” SUSAN SORENSEN/Contributed Me and my trouble-making mama, telling secrets and painting the town red. TIFFANY DUONG/Contributed

My favorite part of watching my wife Julia be a mom with our new little guy, Andrew, is the love in her eyes as she looks at him, and how she tries to involve our older son Drake so he doesn’t feel left out. DEREK HAGEN/Contributed

My favorite thing about being a mom is witnessing my children’s empathy and compassion for all living things. It gives me hope for the future of our planet. BETTE ZIRKELBACH/Contributed My mom, Helen, and me at the Tipsy Rooster in Key West before COVID hit. My goal is to grow up like my mom. CLAIRE HILLER/Contributed

I’m a mom, stepmom and a grammy. What an incredible journey. As a mom, I just want everyone to be safe and happy. I hope, no matter what, that they always remember I have always been their cheerleader, hoping for their brightest futures. They’re all pretty darn good people. I’m so proud of them. CAROL AUSTIN/Contributed

When my kids (Ali and Zack) were born, I remember thinking “No one ever says ‘I wish I had spent less time with my kids when they were young.’” Now that they are almost grown, I am so grateful for all the time we were able to spend together. SUE WOLTANSKI/Contributed

Key West’s finest and her babies. QUANG NGUYEN/Contributed

TIFFANY DUONG

tiffany@keysweekly.com

ur theme for MAY is MOMS. In JUNE, we’re all about PAPAS and PRIDE. June is Pride Month, so show us what it means to have pride in the Keys (we’re looking at you, Key West). Father’s Day is June 20. Send a tribute to the dad in your life, or tell us what your favorite thing about being a dad is!

Rules, schmules: • All photos must be original work and feature something or someone related to 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.

KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

• CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC && LEGAL NOTICES • • 305.743.0844 • CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC LEGAL NOTICES 305.743.0844

NOW HIRING RESTAURANT HOST

DOLPHIN RESEARCH CENTER 58901 O/S Hwy - Grassy Key, FL Teaching... Learning...Caring

SERVERS BARTENDERS FOOD RUNNER PUBLIC AREA ATTENDANT LAUNDRY ATTENDANT ROOM ATTENDANTS BELLMEN LINE COOKS SOUS CHEF BAKER

WATERSPORTS MAINTENANCE APPLY AT: bungalowskeylargo.com/careers Bungalows Key Largo is an EOE

Dolphin Research Center is Hiring! • Facilities Maintenance Apprentice • Education Program Host Benefits include medical, life & disability insurance, 401(k) plan, paid vacation, sick time & holidays. Full job descriptions available at www.dolphins.org/career_opportunities

Email cover letter, DRC application and & resume to drc-hr@dolphins.org EOE

THEME: 1970s LYRICS The Guidance/Care Center, Inc. a division of

“Uplifting the human spirit since 1973”

THE GUIDANCE/CARE CENTER, Inc.

IS HIRING! KEY LARGO

Behavioral Health Counselor Substance Abuse Counselor (PT)

KEY WEST

Behavioral Health Therapist (Children) Housekeeper (PT) Peer Support Specialist Crisis Counselor Case Manager (Adult, Forensic) Motivational Support Specialist (base location flexible) Substance Abuse Counselor Behavioral Health Counselor (Children) Engagement Specialist (Suicide Prevention) Behavioral Health Therapist (Adult) FL LCSW,LMHC, LMFT

MARATHON

Maintenance Specialist Research Assistant Housekeeper Engagement Specialist (Suicide Prevention) Driver (CDL required) (FT Temporary) Behavioral Health Therapist (Children) RNs and LPNs (3 shifts) (PT/FT & per diem) Advocate (PT) *Assisted Living Direct Care Worker (PT/FT) *Behavioral Health Technicians (3 shifts) (PT/FT & per diem) *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

Background and drug screen req.

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

NOW HIRING

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

ACROSS 1. *Carole King: “But you’re ____ ____ away” 6. “I Thee ____” 9. Ring practice 13. Hacienda brick 14. *Billy Joel: “I love you just the way you ____” 15. What speakers do 16. Leg of lamb 17. Styling goo 18. Spooky 19. *Rod Stewart: “Oh, Maggie, I couldn’t have tried ____ ____” 21. *Stevie Wonder: “Very superstitious, writing’s on ____ ____” 23. Type of constrictor 24. Can of worms 25. *”____ Cola, what a beautiful drink” 28. Capital of Peru 30. *Carly Simon: “I had some dreams, they were ____ in my coffee” 35. Bad luck precursor 37. Swing seat, possibly 39. Macaroni shape 40. Capital on the Baltic Sea 41. Figure with vertex and rays 43. Venetian magistrate 44. Not fitting 46. Sealed with a handshake 47. Wise man 48. Annotator and commentator 50. Facts and figures 52. Bambino 53. Chinese monetary unit 55. International Labor Organization 57. *The Knack: “M M M My ____” 61. *Sister Sledge: “We are family, get up everybody ____ ____” 65. Last European colony in China 66. Pastrami’s partner 68. Sheik’s bevy 69. Movie premiere, e.g. 70. Gunk 71. Ancient assembly area 72. Used to be wild? 73. Attila, e.g. 74. Part of mortise joint

DOWN 1. Long story 2. War god in Norse mythology 3. Same as fogey 4. J. Robert Oppenheimer’s project 5. Reorganize or modify 6. $7.25/hour, e.g. 7. Old fashioned ‘before’ 8. Nile’s mouth 9. Boatload 10. What paralegal and parachute have in common 11. Seed covering 12. Angler’s spool 15. Punch buggy car 20. Indian cuisine yogurt staple 22. Drunkard’s sound? 24. Enter uninvited (2 words) 25. *Bruce Springsteen: “Tramps like us, baby we were born ____ ____” 26. ____ acid 27. “And Seth.... ____ Enos” 29. *Eric Clapton: “Darling, won’t you ease my worried ____” 31. Oldsmobile founder 32. Lusitania’s destroyer 33. Grown-up pupper, in social media 34. *ABBA: “Dancing queen, young and ____, only seventeen” 36. Back of the neck 38. Dashing style 42. Spritelike 45. Test (2 words) 49. *Terry Jacks: “We had seasons in the ____” 51. One tritely familiar 54. Frustration, in print 56. Missouri River tributary 57. Old World duck 58. *Creedence Clearwater Revival: “____ you ever seen the rain?” 59. They’re hidden up a sleeve? 60. Goes with rave 61. Eon, alt. sp. 62. *Black Sabbath: “I am ____ man” 63. Infamous Roman emperor 64. J. Edgar Hoover’s man 67.*Queen:“Scaramouch, Scaramouch, will ___ do the Fandango”

KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

LET’S DO BUSINESS - 305.453.6928 Licensed & Insured #SP33799

GENERAL CONTRACTORS & ENGINEERS

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

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Sportfishing Adventures

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

Tewes Mortgage

Your local, residential lending expert!

Call 305.495.6000

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Customer service is my strength Brian@tewesmortgage.com

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When It Rains It Pours! Need 7” Gutters? We have 6” & 7” Seamless • Copper Specialists

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MARATHON

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305-852-5356

rainsavergutters@gmail.com

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

www.saltenergy.net 2992 Overseas Highway Marathon, FL 33050

Will Campbell President

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

KEY WEST WEEKLY / MAY 27, 2021

FAMILY, FOOD & FUN

DELIVERY AVAILABLE TO KEY WEST & STOCK ISLAND

Join us daily 4-6pm for $3 small plates, domestic drafts, wine & liquor!

And don’t miss our Live Music! Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday 5-8pm