18 minute read
Martinez steps down following arrest
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U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said a person found 69 pounds of cocaine in the Florida Keys waters over the weekend. The drugs were wrapped in several packages. As to the value of the cocaine, officials say the packages totaled more than $1 million. Border Patrol agents recovered the drugs with assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard.
Mo the Sloth with Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Farmer Jeanne Selander. Mo passed away at the age of 18, having lived on the farm for 13 years. An open house was held at the Animal Farm on Dec. 5 in tribute to Mo. RALPH DEPALMA/ Contributed
JIM McCARTHY
jim@keysweekly.com
Citing health issues, Eddie Martinez resigned from the Monroe County Commission on Dec. 7. An official resignation letter was sent to Gov. Ron DeSantis, according to a county press release. A representative serving the west end of Key West, Martinez informed officials late last week that he’d be taking a voluntary leave of absence for 30 days. It all comes following his domestic violence-related arrest on Nov. 30 at a family home in Hialeah, where he allegedly threw boxes, a drawer and a pill box at his wife during an argument. According to arrest reports, Martinez and his wife were at a bar the night before, when an argument ensued. She ended up driving herself back home, and Martinez arrived moments later. According to the arrest report, Martinez woke up the next morning “in a rage about the incident at the bar” when he started to throw things. Martinez’s daughter ended up hiding in the bathroom and called 911 to report that her parents were loudly arguing and things were being tossed. She told police her father struggles with prescription drug abuse and becomes “regularly violent.” Speaking to police, the arrest report states that Martinez admitted that he struggles with his prescription drug abuse, but denies throwing or hitting his wife. The police report states that minor bruises were observed on the victim’s legs and right arm. Martinez is scheduled to be arraigned in court on Dec. 21, according to the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office. The Weekly reached out on Dec. 7 to Martinez for comment, but his voicemail said his inbox was full and he did not return a call. Martinez’s resignation comes a day after news that a resolution was being crafted by Commissioner Michelle Coldiron asking him to step away from the seat. “It is my utmost desire for Eddie Martinez to receive the help he needs to overcome his current health problems. I wish the best for him and his family,” Coldiron told the Weekly shortly after the news of Martinez’s resignation. “It is imperative for the residents of Monroe County to have five commissioners devoting their full attention to the important issues confronting us, and I look forward to working with whoever the governor appoints to replace Mr. Martinez.” Commissioner Holly Raschein told the Weekly that she’s grateful to Martinez for sparing Monroe County the turmoil and doing the right thing by resigning. “I hope this incident reminds us all that domestic violence and substance abuse remains an endemic problem in our community and that we must redouble our efforts to address it,” she said. “I wish Eddie and his family the best in finding peace in their lives.” Monroe County mayor David Rice indicated that he was relieved to avoid the impending conversation at the Dec. 8 BOCC meeting. “I’m very glad that Eddie made this decision. It takes him and us away from a discussion that I would rather have not had,” said Rice. “I believe he made the right decision, and I wish him well in his personal endeavors.” The latest occurrence isn’t the first time police were called to a domestic incident involving Martinez. On Jan. 12, Key West police responded to a 1009 Simonton St. apartment for a family dispute between stepdaughter Natalie Guerra, 24, and Martinez. Martinez told officers he had gotten into an argument with his stepdaughter, who had driven down from her home in Homestead to pick up her younger sisters. Guerra told police her younger sisters had called her because their parents had been fighting for two days and the two younger girls wanted Guerra to come get them, reports state. Guerra told police Eddie Martinez was “kicking her mother, Maria Martinez, out,” and she had driven down with her fiance to collect her mother and two sisters. But when she arrived, Eddie and Maria Martinez were reportedly getting along better, and Eddie Martinez was refusing to let Guerra take her sisters to Homestead, reports state. That’s when the arguing and a physical altercation ensued.
Eddie Martinez
Guerra’s fiance then reportedly “bear-hugged” Eddie Martinez from behind, pinning his arms down. Guerra said she intervened to separate her stepfather and her fiance by “smacking them away,” reports state. No charges were filed by Martinez against his stepdaughter, but she was still arrested on misdemeanor battery charges. Martinez was elected following a November 2020 victory over Democrat incumbent Heather Carruthers. Carruthers later filed a legal challenge that claims Martinez, who’s a land surveyor with an office in Key West, did not live in District 3 at the time he was elected. Per state statute, Gov. Ron DeSantis can appoint an interim commissioner to serve until a special election, which can be held in 2022 as part of the regular election cycle next year (August primary, November general). The special election winner will serve the remaining two years of Martinez’s term, until November 2024. In the 2022 election, four of the five county commission seats will be up for election. By statute, Districts 2 and 4 are normally up for election in gubernatorial election years. The winners of those races will serve until November 2026. In addition to District 3, District 5 will be up for a special election, following the death of Commissioner Mike Forster in early September. DeSantis appointed former State Rep. Holly Merrill Raschein to serve as the interim appointment. The District 3 and District 5 special election winners will serve until November 2024. If constituents in District 3 have any questions or issues that need immediate attention, they can reach out to Monroe County staff or another commissioner. Martinez was a member of the South Florida Planning Council. According to Coldiron, Martinez missed six straight meetings while he was commissioner. During a Dec. 15 county commission meeting, Commissioner Craig Cates was approved as a member of the council. As for other appointments for the upcoming year, County Attorney Bob Shillinger said “We’ll talk about that next month when we are hopefully full strength.”
CALL OF DUTY?
Jim Scholl enjoys a laugh at his own expense during the Keys Weekly’s 2019 Bubba Awards Gala. NICK DOLL/Contributed
MANDY MILES
mandy@keysweekly.com
The Dec. 7 resignation of County Commissioner Eddie Martinez, a week after his arrest in Hialeah on domestic violence charges, leaves a hole for the governor to fill on the county commission dais. Jim Scholl, former commander of Naval Air Station Key West and a two-time Key West city manager, has let the governor know that he is willing to fill the seat. “This is a bad situation for Monroe County. They’re going to need an eligible appointee who lives in the district, and I just feel like you should always give back if you have the skill sets and if it’s needed,” Scholl told the Keys Weekly on Tuesday, Dec. 7, the same day Martinez submitted his resignation to Governor Ron DeSantis. “All I did through the local Republican folks was say that I live in the district and I’d be willing to fill in,” Scholl said. “I just said, ‘Look, this is a really unfortunate situation and if you need a legally eligible candidate, I’d be willing to fill in.’ Some folks down here have passed my bio to the governor. “The Navy base has great relationships with the county and the city of Key West, and I’d like to think I had something to do with that,” Scholl said. “I think I could jump in and be up to speed pretty quickly.”
LIMITED NUMBER OF COVID VACCINES FOR KIDS IN KEYS
Also discussed at BOCC: KW airport redesign cost, KL park filled with tourists
CHARLOTTE TWINE
charlotte@keysweekly.com
At the Dec. 8 Board of County Commissioners meeting, the emergency management department’s director, Shannon Weiner, said that only a limited number of COVID vaccines for children ages 5 and up are available in the Keys. But she had encouraging news about Omicron, the new COVID variant. Also discussed: Key West Airport repairs and tourist congestion at two small Key Largo parks. Bob Eadie of the Florida Department of Health for the county was ill, so Weiner gave his report in his absence. The Omicron variant of COVID, which has made national headlines, is now in 15 states across the U.S. Though Weiner said there is not a lot of info on Omicron yet, she said that individuals seem to not be getting seriously ill, “which is a good thing.” Weiner also announced that COVID vaccines for children ages 5 and up are “still coming through the federal pharmacy program...and (they are) very limited in the Keys.” She said Eadie plans to conduct a survey with the school board about the demand for the children’s vaccine and then make a plan going forward. Richard Strickland, director of Monroe County airports, gave an update on Key West International Airport improvements, which have a targeted completion date of October 2024. Some of the pricier repairs in this phase of the design, which is at 30 percent completion: a project to connect the U.S. Customs Building and Concourse A, with an estimated cost of $3 million; a glass curtain wall to withstand 200 mph winds, estimated to cost $3 million; terminal flooring upgrade to terrazzo at $750,000; and an aquarium for $400,000. One option to avoid the cost and maintenance of the aquarium is to provide a less-pricey fully virtual “Passenger Entry Bridge Experience” into the terminal. Strickland is also concerned about the higher cost of steel for future construction. Steel has gone up 40 percent in the U.S. since the start of the COVID pandemic. But Strickland emphasized that none of the money for the new concourse, estimated to have a final cost of around $80 million, will come from Monroe County taxpayers. The money will all be provided by user fees, and grants from the FAA and FDOT. Next week, Strickland will receive updated cost estimates during a meeting with stakeholders. Also discussed: solutions for continued tourist congestion at two small Key Largo parks within the Bay Harbor and Sunset Point subdivisions. The North Bay Drive park had no-parking signs with $200 fines installed up and down streets to lessen traffic. A resident who lives in the area on Sunset Road said at the meeting that “we would tell (a driver) about the noparking signs and she said, ‘I don’t care — go ahead and fine me.’” A land-use attorney named Ty Harris, who said he was speaking for homeowners in the area, said the two parks were donated to the county in the late 1940s specifically to be used as roads to access the water, not as a park. Harris suggested giving the land back to the county, otherwise known as a “replat,” since it was not being used only as a road, per the original donations’ specifications. A handful of residents from the neighborhood then called or stood up to say, “I support the replat.” County attorney Bob Shillinger disagreed that the land was not being used properly, and was reluctant to prevent the public from accessing the water. He said one solution, among others, was to hire a tow service for vehicles parked in front of the signs. “We will need to revisit this and discuss in another meeting,” said Commissioner Holly Raschein.
COVID vaccines for children ages 5 and up are still coming through the federal pharmacy program and are very limited in the Keys. CONTRIBUTED
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The Florida Bay Eco-Center, located inside the historic Russell Cottage at Green Turtle Hammock Preserve in Islamorada, opened to the public on Dec. 7. CONTRIBUTED
FLORIDA BAY CENTER OPEN AT GREEN TURTLE HAMMOCK
After nearly a year since signing off on a contract with the Village of Islamorada, Florida Bay Forever has announced the Florida Bay Eco-Center in the historic Russell Cottage, located at the Green Turtle Hammock Nature Preserve, opened on Dec. 7. The site will house Florida Bay-focused information and exhibits, retail space with unique gifts, and an office for the Islamorada-based environmental nonprofit. “We are over the moon to be opening the doors to our local community and many visitors to the Florida Keys,” said Emma Haydocy, Florida Bay Forever executive director. “We wanted to create an inviting space where the public can gather to learn about the biodiversity of the Florida Keys, the perils facing Florida Bay, and what each and every one of us can do to ensure we have a thriving and resilient bay for generations to come.” The center will be open to the public Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Green Turtle Hammock Nature Preserve remains open to the public seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The public is invited to attend a holiday open house at Green Turtle Hammock on Thursday, Dec. 30, from 1 to 5 p.m. The event will feature a book signing with seasonal resident, and Florida Bay advocate, Daniel Burkhardt. Florida Bay Forever will kick off eco-tours, bird walks, sunset paddle tours, and other educational programs in January. “The Village of Islamorada is thrilled to be able to offer the Green Turtle Hammock Preserve as a site where Florida Bay Forever can carry out their mission of conservation and environmental stewardship within the Florida Keys community,” said Pete Frezza, environmental resources manager with the Village of Islamorada. “Located along the shores of Florida Bay, we feel this is a perfect location. We look forward to the years of environmental education, interpretation and advocacy that will result from this partnership.” More information is at floridabayforever.org or 305563-7970.
Schools, Americorps partner for preschool literacy
Florida Reading Corps is currently seeking 10 individuals to serve as preschool literacy tutors in schools in Key Largo and Tavernier. The Preschool Literacy Program places tutors in classrooms, where they serve alongside teachers to help children build skills and get ready for kindergarten. “Forty percent of kindergartners in Florida are not ready for school,” said Britney Matthews, director of Florida Programs. “Studies also show that as much as 90 percent of a child’s brain development happens up to the age of 5. Reading Corps helps kids make a strong start and sets them up to be successful learners in kindergarten and beyond.” The 2021-22 school year marks the sixth year for Reading Corps in Florida. The program is a research-based initiative designed to help every student become a successful reader by the end of third grade. Full-time tutors are needed to serve 35 hours per week. All tutors receive a stipend every two weeks, plus extra money to pay for college tuition or student loans. Those who are 55 or older may choose to gift their education award to their child, grandchild, stepchild or foster child. Many tutors also qualify for additional benefits like free health insurance and child care assistance. No tutoring experience is required, and AmeriCorps provides the necessary training to get started as well as ongoing coaching throughout the year. The application deadline is Dec. 15, 2021 to start in January. Anyone interested is encouraged to apply now at http://join.readingandmath.org/.
Keyswide mobile pumpout resumes for anchored vessels
On The Hook Marine Services LLC began providing free mobile pump-out service to vessels anchored throughout the Florida Keys on Dec. 1 in specific service areas from Key West to Key Largo. This service is being provided with funding and management by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection through at least June 2022. Sewage discharges from vessels are prohibited within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Participation in this free service assists anchored boaters in complying with the no-discharge regulation and the Monroe County Proof of Pump-Out requirement. Boaters can register at www.onthehookmarine.com or call 305-833-1978. In addition, several shoreside pump-out stations are also available throughout Monroe County. A list of available facilities can be found at www.monroecounty-fl.gov/ pumpout.
Dec. 10-11
• Household hazardous waste drop-off day from 9 a.m. to noon at Founders Park.
Saturday, Dec. 11
• Florida Keys Toys for Tots Poker Run at 9 a.m. beginning at Florida Boy Bar & Grill, MM 68.5, bayside, and ending at OceanView Pub, MM 84.5, bayside. • Pops in the Park concert at 4 p.m. at ICE Amphitheater, Founders Park, Islamorada. • Kids Night Out for kids ages 6-12 from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Founders Park, Islamorada. • Key Largo Boat parade at 7:30 p.m. on Blackwater Sound, Key Largo.
Sunday, Dec. 12
• Islamorada Half Marathon & 10K from 8 a.m. to noon at Postcard Inn, Islamorada. • Santa Claus and carolers parade the streets with fire rescuers at 5:30 p.m. in Islamorada.
Wednesday, Dec. 15
• History of Diving Museum’s Immerse Yourself lecture with underwater explorer and author Jill Heinerth from 7 to 8 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 16
• Islamorada Village Council meeting at 5:30 p.m. at Founders Park Community Center.
Saturday, Dec. 18
• Christmas with Coral from 10 to 11 a.m. at One Grind KL, Key Largo.
Monday, Dec. 20
• Send It South Challenge concludes.
Tuesday, Dec. 21
• Islamorada Nature Walks from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at Anne’s Beach, Islamorada.
Saturday, Dec. 25
• Christmas Day
Saturday, Jan. 1 • New Year’s Day
Jan. 14-16
• Baygrass Bluegrass concert series at Florida Keys Brewing Co., Islamorada.
Jan. 21-23
• Island Boat Show at Hawk’s Cay Island Resort, Marathon.
MONROE COUNTY SCHOOLS TO RECEIVE $13M IN FEDERAL MONEY
Florida was last to apply for Biden’s American Rescue Plan funds
The American Rescue Plan Act’s funding for schools is intended to mitigate learning loss from the pandemic. CONTRIBUTED
CHARLOTTE TWINE
charlotte@keysweekly.com
Beverly Anders, Monroe County School District’s executive director of finance, announced in the most recent school board meeting that $13 million in federal funds will soon hit their coffers from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act. The district will use the money as ARP intended for schools: to mitigate learning loss from the pandemic. Anders has until Dec. 17 to submit a proposal with the specific details of how the funds will be spent. Anders told Keys Weekly that she knew back in March that federal money was coming when President Joe Biden signed ARP into law. But time passed by, and the state did not apply for the funds. “The state of Florida was the last state in the whole nation to apply for these funds,” she pointed out. But the state finally applied, and it received its slice of ARP’s pie. Florida’s cut for the schools? $6.4 billion. Anders said the amount each county got depended upon enrollment in the schools. “Dade County got a billion dollars. That gives some perspective,” she said. Once Anders learned that Monroe County was getting the $13 million, she had to submit a formal proposal that listed how its money would be used. But because Florida had applied for ARP funds very late, the state gave Anders a tight deadline for the proposal. “Luckily, they extended that to Dec. 17,” she said. “But at first they gave us two weeks.” The items on her proposal all have a unified purpose: “We are going to be diligent and responsible for how we use this money and provide resources to students for social, emotional and educational purposes to overcome what they went through during the pandemic,” Anders said. Proposed allocations include: $8 million toward 66 newly created positions, such as social workers, reading interventionists, nurse techs and guidance techs; $1.5 million toward charter schools; $2 million for furniture to provide educational spaces and media centers for collaborative learning and social distancing; $200,000 for technology such as additional Chromebooks and hotspots to allow kids to work remotely. The next step for the proposal after it is submitted? Public input from the community about how the money will be spent. The district is allowed to make changes to the proposal depending upon input. To get this feedback from the community, Superintendent Theresa Axford will hold town hall meetings throughout winter and spring. “The town hall meeting schedule is coming out before we leave for winter break,” said Amber Archer Acevedo, coordinator of community relations for the school district.
