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MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

It's time to repeat the whole "New Year, New Me" thing.

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The best, worst, and wackiest news of 2021 all in one place | Coverage begins P.5

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MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

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MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

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MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

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POUNDS

That’s the weight of the famous New Year’s Eve ball that will signal the start of 2022 with its descent in Times Square in New York on Friday night. The 12-foot geodesic sphere dwarfs the version of the ball that made the original drop in 1907 (5 feet, 700 pounds). Source: timessquarenyc.org

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Happy New Year from Keys Weekly! Take a journey through these pages to relive the most important news stories of 2021 from Key Largo to Key West. And here’s to an even better 2022.

SHERIFF BELIEVES NAVY SAILORS WERE AGGRESSORS IN FIGHT

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ON THE COVER

Deputy Connor Curry, left, and Deputy Trevor Pike. CONTRIBUTED

wo off-duty Monroe County Sheriff’s deputies were arrested by Key West Police around 2 a.m. on Dec. 18 following a fight with U.S. Navy sailors in the 500 block of Duval Street that resulted in one sailor being airlifted to a Miami hospital. As of Dec. 22, Sheriff Rick Ramsay said, the sailor was released from the Intensive Care Unit and was in a regular Sheriff Rick Ramhospital room say. CONTRIBUTED in Miami. Deputies Connor Scott Curry, 23, and Trevor Dawson Pike, 25, along with the three Navy sailors, were charged with disorderly conduct. Pike faces an additional charge of battery. Curry and Pike were placed on unpaid leave by the sheriff’s office pending the criminal investigation as well as an internal affairs investigation. But after reviewing cell phone video recorded by independent witnesses — five women who were downtown for a birthday party — Ramsay told the Keys Weekly on Wednesday, “I believe the criminal charges against my deputies are

unjust. And I’ve asked Key West Police Chief Sean Brandenburg and State Attorney Dennis Ward to review the videos before proceeding with criminal charges. The video shows my deputies were defending themselves, and the Navy sailors were the aggressors in the fight.” Ramsay added, “Having reviewed the video footage, I am returning my deputies to duty. I believe the charges against them will be dropped. But they’re not out of the woods and will still face an internal affairs investigation into their actions that night.” Ramsay questioned the actions of a Key West police supervisor who was called to the scene after the fight “because policy dictates that an incident involving law enforcement officers requires a supervisor to be present.” Ramsay said the five women who were downtown repeatedly offered Key West police their cell phone video that shows the entire incident between the two off-duty deputies and three visiting Navy personnel. “The Key West police officers had body-cam footage, and there were independent witnesses who kept pointing to the Navy sailors as the aggressor,” Ramsay said. “The video clearly shows a Navy sailor in a white shirt charging one of the deputies. He swings and hits him in the upper cheek. My deputy grabbed him and took him to the ground while the other deputy stood by and did not engage. “Then the other sailors come into the fight and charge the deputy,” Ramsay told the Keys Weekly on Wednesday. “As soon as my deputy hit one of the Navy guys, who immediately fell to the ground, my deputy stepped back and did nothing more than defend himself.

“This was close to 2 a.m., and the street was nearly empty, but there was not a lot of investigating going on by Key West Police,” Ramsay said. “But early on, the first Key West police officer on the scene believed the deputies were a victim and a witness, and the Navy personnel were the suspects.” Ramsay said the five women with the video told Key West Police they had seen and recorded the whole scenario. “The police told the women to stand across the street and wait,” Ramsay said. “The women waited 10 or 15 minutes and then a Key West police officer said, ‘Nah, I don’t need to see the video.’” “When the women saw on the news the next day that the deputies were facing charges, they emailed the sheriff’s office with their statements, contact info and the video they recorded. “But,” Ramsay continued, “When the police supervisory sergeant arrived on scene, he decides, ‘Everyone, all five of them, goes to jail for disorderly conduct.’ “This was despite the first police officer on the scene telling the supervisory sergeant that the deputies were a witness and a victim. He tells the sergeant he doesn’t have anything to charge the deputies with,” Ramsay said. “The Key West police officers clearly did not agree with their sergeant,” the sheriff said. “Then, when the ladies emailed their information to the sheriff’s office — and shared their video with a Fox News TV affiliate — I expressed my concern to Chief Brandenburg of Key West Police. “I asked Chief Brandenburg to review the videos and draw his own conclusions. I asked the same thing of our state attorney, not to do my guys a favor, but to ensure we know who the aggressors are. “I believe this is an injustice and that these criminal charges will be dropped against my deputies,” Ramsay said. Chief Brandenburg told Keys Weekly on Wednesday evening that he is “still reviewing the video footage” and declined to comment further until he had done so.

MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

ALEX RICKERT

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FAITH IN HUMANITY RESTORED 2021’s stories that reminded us: Most people are good

It's a little bit blurry, but one staff member snapped a shot of the credit card receipt. CONTRIBUTED

To say that good news has been in short supply over the past two years might be the ultimate understatement. But mixed in with all the COVID debates, regulation rhetoric and political divides have been some genuinely heartwarming tales that remind us of the basic goodness of humanity. Among many “feel good” stories throughout 2021, we proudly present four of Marathon’s finest.

‘ARE YOU KIDDING ME?’

Patron leaves staff a $10,000 tip on $193 meal at Castaway in Marathon This happens sometimes, but never here, never to “us.” On March 16, a woman named Pam left a $10,000 tip on a $193 breakfast bill at Castaway Waterfront Restaurant and Sushi Bar in Marathon. “It was a party of 10, and they were waiting on a few more guests to arrive,” said waitress Khara Wilson. “It was a busy morning, but I had a little time so I chitchatted a little bit — where they were from, when they were leaving. I got the impression that she was visiting with her kids and grandkids.” Wilson said the benefactress said she was from Oklahoma and mentioned she would be flying out of the Florida Keys Marathon International Airport on a private plane. Later, the woman approached Wilson and asked how many people were working in the kitchen. “She could see how many people were working on the floor. I asked her why she wanted to know, and she told me it would be a surprise,” Wilson said, “but that I needed to share with all the staff.” It was. The credit card slip ended up being handed to a trainee. Wilson said she handed over the receipt with big eyes. “I said, ‘Are you kidding me?’”

DEPUTIES SAVE STOWAWAY KITTEN

‘Pawficer Lucky’ is getting TLC at Marathon SPCA Middle Keys sheriff’s deputies saved a kitten recently after they found it hitching a ride under Deputy Jonathan Rodriguez’s patrol car. The story began at 9:08 a.m. on May 10 when deputies received reports that a kitten was running close to southbound traffic near Mile Marker 47 on the Seven Mile Bridge. Rodriguez responded to find a deceased adult cat — suspected to be the kitten’s mother — in the road at the base of the bridge. Rodriguez stopped. He saw the kitten run toward his patrol car and apparently leave the bridge, back to safety. He continued to look for the kitten near the base of the bridge to no avail. Hours later toward the end of shift, at about 6 p.m., Sgt. Joel Slough heard a cat meowing from under Rodriguez’s patrol car. After several minutes, Deputy Frank Westerband was able to see that the kitten was sitting on the rear axle.

“Pawficer Lucky” certainly earned the name after a lucky rescue by Middle Keys deputies. CONTRIBUTED

A call went out throughout the Sheriff’s Office Marathon Substation as both day and night shift deputies went to work trying to rescue the kitten. Both rear tires were removed from the car as the kitten kept retreating to a small void between the rear axle and the fuel tank. Finally, Animal Control Officer Aryel Del Cueto was able to safely remove the kitten. The kitten — nicknamed “Pawficer Lucky” — ended the day resting comfortably at the FKSPCA in Marathon.

one of the bridge pilings. Though the little boy was safe, aside from some scrapes and scratches from the rough concrete, Doug was unable to boost himself to safety and was losing his grip. Landy got to the ring buoy first and threw it. Doug passed it to his son, Jackson, and together Landy, Ricky Locklear, his brother Josh Locklear and Willy Arrazola pulled the father and son to safety. “This is why we love the Keys and why we keep coming back,” Erin Clark, Jackson’s mom, said. “The people are so incredible.” “If the life ring didn’t work, we would have thrown ourselves into the water. A little boy’s life was at stake,” said Landy, a Marathon native. “It is what anybody would do.”

7 MILE BRIDGE WORKERS SAVE BOY, 10

Lost flip-flop ends in quick-thinking save When Jackson Clark’s flip-flop fell in the water near Sunset Grille on March 25, he jumped in after it. Unfortunately, the 10-year-old underestimated the force of the current next to the 7 Mile Bridge. He was swept away, along with his father Doug Clark, who dove in after him. “We were alerted to the problem by a man that came running along the sidewalk under the 7 Mile Bridge,” said Landy Rodriguez Perez, who works for a subcontractor on the restoration of the Old Seven Mile Bridge. Doug had managed to get his son up onto

Jackson Clark, 10, and his father Doug Clark were pulled out of the water by Landy Rodriguez Perez, left, and Ricky Locklear, second from right, as well as Josh Locklear and Willy Arrazola (not pictured). SARA MATTHIS/Keys Weekly

STOP TRASHING MARATHON!

“A tire? Really!?” The tire made famous in Landry’s original video petition is finally removed from the bushes and disposed of. ALEX RICKERT/Keys Weekly

The first Landry Sayer Clean the Curb Day unites volunteers in city-wide cleanup effort In May, 6-year-old Landry Sayer petitioned the Marathon City Council to “Stop Trashing Marathon!” Sick of seeing litter piled up on the side of the road during her daily walks with her dog, Landry filmed a video demonstrating the extent of the problem to present at the council meeting. Mayor Luis Gonzalez pledged to organize a city-wide cleanup, and on Sept. 25, the community helped Gonzalez follow through on his promise during the inaugural Landry Sayer Clean the Curb day. Teaming up with Sheriff Rick Ramsay, Marathon Fire Chief John Johnson and their respective staffs, dozens of volunteers began at Coco Plum beach at 7:30 a.m. before moving to the neighborhoods behind Bealls Outlet and the east end of Aviation Boulevard. From run-of-the-mill litter like single-use plastics and paper waste to larger items such as electrical boxes and intact tires, the sheriff’s office trucks were piled high with trash collected by the cleanup task force.

MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021 JIM McCARTHY

jim@keysweekly.com

There’s a community in the Keys that cares. With continuing challenges from COVID-19 in 2021 also came obstacles for many to overcome. Thanks to members within the island chain’s small-knit communities, the challenges-turned-triumphs made for a good story to tell. Not only that, Keys Weekly had the chance to interview some people who embodied public service. Here are some of the heartwarming stories in the Upper Keys the past year.

REPORTING ON THE GOOD

Stories of people and community responding in a time of need ‘BLESSING IN DISGUISE’ Lost artwork draws community response

In April, Keys Weekly’s Charlotte Twine reported on Gallery of the Arts Owner Lisa Lee Herman’s lost paintings. A gyotaku artist, Herman sent a number of her pieces to Gigi Sireyjol-Horsley, the owner of Paysage Home, a gallery space in Wilmington, North Carolina. Herman shipped Artist Lisa Lee Herman one tube of all 12 paintings from PostNet in Islamorada, then watched the shipment every day using the FedEx online tracking. FedEx’s site said the paintings were delivered to Paysage on Friday, March 4. So Herman expected to call the gallery on Monday, March 7, to firm up details. No dice. To Herman’s dismay, the gallery told her that they never got her paintings. Not to be deterred from fulfilling her agreement to Paysage, Herman emptied out her gallery of the rest of her gyotaku paintings, drove to Wilmington from the Keys with her fiancé and delivered them safely during a whirlwind 24-hour trip. After posting a call for fish on social media, friends including the Postcard Inn tackle center, Yabba Dabba Doo Charters, Charisma Sportfishing, Capt. Perry Scuderi, Capt. Matt Bellinger, Capt. Tony Young and many more beckoned her when they had a fish for her to print. “I want everyone to know how appreciative I am of the community rallying together,” Herman said. “Literally, my walls went from blank to stocked in a few weeks. Just mind-blowing.”

SAYING GOODBYE

Sheriff’s captain, FWC officer and local nurse retire Several longtime public servants called it a career in 2021. Florida Fish & Wildlife Officer Bobby Dube concluded his journey in November following a 32-year career patrolling the Florida Keys waters, which brought everything from large drug busts to the arrests of lobster mobsters. “A good friend of mine who’s retired has a little saying and I love to use it: “I won’t miss the circus, but I'll miss the clowns,” Dube said. As for Monroe County Sheriff’s Capt. Don Fanelli, September marked the end to a career that spanned 35 years. Fanelli’s one of the first K9 officers in the Keys, and he’s also the one who spent most, if not all, of his time overseeing the checkpoint in Key Largo during the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic. “There’s nothing that I dislike or hate. Part of me comes to work and says, ‘I don’t want to leave this yet.’ This is what I've known since I was 18 years old,” Fanelli said. At the age of 70, Mariners and Fishermen’s nurse Cheryl Cottrell retired on Dec. 18. Growing up in the Upper Keys and graduating from

Marine officer Bobby Dube measures lobster in this photo from the early 1990s. CONTRIBUTED

Nurse Cheryl Cottrell just after she graduated nursing school, circa 1973, when wearing a white cap and uniform was the norm. CONTRIBUTED

Lt. Chuck Kellenberger holds the American flag next to Capt. Don Fanelli following the removal of the checkpoint last year. CONTRIBUTED

Coral Shores High School, Cottrell studied to be a nurse and followed her calling, practically in her own childhood backyard in the Keys. “I love what I do, I love being a nurse and a nurse administrator. I work with a great bunch of people. I think we have the best nurses in all of South Florida,” Cottrell said.

High school graduate Brent Johnson received a combined $2,500 in scholarship money from the late Monroe County Commissioner Mike Forster and Alexis Alba, the chief operating officer of Tiki Water Sports. From left: Forster; Brent’s mother, Priscilla Johnson; Brent; and Alba. CHARLOTTE TWINE/Keys Weekly

‘BE YOURSELF’

Transgender student receives support A small scholarship ceremony took place on June 2 at the beginning of Pride month. This was not an unusual occurrence, considering that Florida Keys’ high schools held similar celebrations a few days prior. But this gathering at Keys Weekly’s Tavernier office was intimate, with little fanfare and just four attendees: scholarship recipient and Coral Shores High School graduate Brent Johnson; his mother Priscilla Johnson; the late Monroe County Commissioner Mike Forster; and Alexis Alba, chief operating officer of Tiki Water Sports. Brent, 18, was born as a girl named Brianna and is currently transitioning to become a man. Brent, who was adopted into Priscilla Johnson’s family, said, “I’m extremely lucky I grew up around here, where it is extremely accepting.” Brent said he knows about five other kids in the Upper Keys who are wrestling with their gender identity, and they have come to him for advice on how to physically resemble a boy, such as lowering their voices or flattening their breasts. “I’m an open book,” Brent said. “I absolutely don’t mind answering any type of questions.” Brent’s goal is to fly planes, whether for the Navy or a commercial airline. He does not see his transgender identity as an impediment, though the road in front of him may not be a smooth one, and future surroundings may not always be as accepting as that of the Florida Keys.

MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

OH, SNAP

Best pictures of 2021

Keys Weekly photographers had plenty to capture in 2021. Everything from high school sports and local 5Ks to underwater and aerial scenes.

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1. Coral Shores third baseman Tyler Rodriguez leaps for the ball but is unable to get the out on South Dade during their game at Founders Park on April 9, 2021. The photo was taken by Doug Finger. 2. An aerial of a man dressed as Beetlejuice crosses the finish line during the 11th annual Key Largo Bridge Run in Key Largo on Nov. 14. The photo was taken by David Gross.

3. A young Cuban holds a sign in support of Cuban freedom along U.S. 1 in Key Largo on the evening of July 14. Some 30-plus vehicles drove from Waldorf Plaza in Key Largo south to Southernmost Point. The photo was taken by Jim McCarthy 4. A drone shot showing crews assembling the College of the Florida Keys sign outside the new facility in Key Largo. The photo was taken by David Gross.

MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

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JIM McCARTHY

jim@keysweekly.com

TOP STORIES OF 2021 College, governor visit and Kmart closure among highlights in the Upper Keys Construction of new facilities, acquisition of an iconic lighthouse off the Islamorada shores and the closure of one of the Keys’ only remaining box stores highlighted a busy 2021 in the upper island chain. The year also saw a visit from Florida’s governor, the death of a local businessman/county commissioner and the return of major Keys events following their cancellation the year before due to COVID-19.

DAVID GROSS/Keys Weekly

JANUARY

FEBRUARY

A NEW ERA FOR HIGHER EDUCATION College construction begins in Key Largo Walls began to stand at the site of the new College of the Florida Keys along U.S. 1 in Key Largo at the beginning of 2020. With the razing of the old Shell World complete, construction of a twostory, 38,000-square-foot building on roughly two acres commenced. Completed in time for students in August, the $20 million Upper Keys Center is one of the first structures travelers see as they make their way into the Florida Keys. The facility accommodates students in programs like nursing, emergency medical technology, public safety, marine environmental technology and construction apprenticeships. The Category 5 facility can also be used as an emergency operations center in the event of a storm. Officials celebrated completion of the facility in August.

‘OVER IT’ Multimillion-dollar bridge canceled in Islamorada An elevated walkway over U.S. 1 neared construction next to Islamorada’s Founders Park. A village dais united in opposition to the project and public outcry, however, led to the cancellation of the $4.68-million state project to construct the Keys’ first pedestrian bridge on the Overseas Highway. A letter issued by the Florida Department of Transportation District 6 Secretary James Wolfe on Feb. 5 informed Mayor Buddy Pinder of the department’s decision to cancel the Founders Park Pedestrian Bridge. Action by FDOT to end the project swiftly — just weeks before installing foundations — came following a letter from Pinder on behalf of the village council on Jan. 20 that urged the Florida governor to instruct FDOT to cease any further construction. Wolfe’s letter stated the change of position is “unfortunately timed” and “causing a loss of public funds.” According to state transportation officials, a total of $1,616,848 was spent by the department on the project. “I guess they found out we were serious and we were going to continue on, and we got the job done,” said Henry Rosenthal, who led the push.

TOP OFFICIAL IN THE KEYS Governor’s visit delivers good news Flanked by state and Monroe County officials at Key Largo’s Murray Nelson Government Center in early January, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced $16.7 million would be making its way to the island chain to address flooding and enhance stormwater systems, among other projects. It’s part of $100 million in Rebuild Florida funds being doled out by the state to 24 communities affected by storms. Of the funds allotted locally, $1.3 million will assist homeowners in Key Largo vulnerable to storm surge. Monroe County will get just over $10.4 million for sea level rise and flood prevention projects. “Controlling water has been a challenge that Florida has faced throughout the entire history of the state, and it’s one we’ll continue to face. But it’s one we’re going to deal with head on,” DeSantis said. “We feel excited to be able to do it, and we’re excited to help out the good folks of Monroe County. The folks here are resilient. They understand, unfortunately, storms are part of life. When it happens we want to be there to be able to offer our support.”

DAVID GROSS/Keys Weekly

HABITAT HOUSING Windley Key Condos complete When six families moved into their new homes at the Windley Key Condominiums in Islamorada in February, it also marked completion of the biggest project undertaken by Habitat for Humanity of the Upper Keys so far. Habitat board members, local subcon-

tractors, village officials and community members watched as Lindsay Fast, new Habitat executive director, cut the red ribbon alongside several families. With a groundbreaking in August 2018, work was completed in early 2021. Of the 16 units, eight are designated for ownership and eight for rentals. They’re two-bed, two-and-half-bath units with balconies and views of the oceanside. “We’re super excited with the completion of this project,” Fast said. “It’s life-changing for hardworking families who work here in Monroe County. MARCH

COMMUNITY SUPPORT Boy gets swing A special-needs swing at the park gained momentum following a post by Rebecca Rowe to a local Facebook community page, known as the Real Locals of the Florida Keys, that told young Blake Pera’s story. On March 14, Monroe County and Robert Glassmer, administrator of buildings, parks and beaches, had installed a swing for Blake, who has cerebral palsy, at Key Largo Park. Above the swing is a name plate with Blake’s name. With March being Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month, Blake’s mother, Jessica, said she couldn’t be more thankful to the community for allowing her son to have some fun at the park. “Everybody from this community came in to help. We’re blown away and grateful to be part of this community,” she said.

MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

DAVID GROSS/Keys Weekly

NEW MARINA OWNERS Smugglers Cove, Angler House sell Miami-based Integra Marinas announced in March the sale of Islamorada and Angler House marinas to Safe Harbor Marinas for $18 million. Integra Marinas said it spent millions for improvements that included overhauling docks and wet slips to the building of a large tiki and resort-style pool. Amenities were also upgraded, including the addition of Islamorada Square Grouper to Islamorada Marina in 2019. Smuggler’s Cove Marina and adjacent property at MM 85, bayside, were recently acquired by Chief Marine Group. Located next to the only drawbridge in the Florida Keys, Chief Marine Group and its partners say they’re dedicated to developing a waterfront destination that includes marina fuel, boat sales, services, nightly accommodations and a variety of dining options. APRIL ‘SO LONG’ BOX STORE

JIM McCARTHY/Keys Weekly

Kmart closes in Key Largo The Keys’ largest box store closed shops in Key Largo and Marathon in April following temporary job postings for a “store closing.” Inside the Key Largo store, blocked-off areas shrunk the store. The toy and clothes departments remained, but the seasonal section, electronics area and outdoors department were barricaded. Remaining supplies from those departments were placed on racks in other aisles. The Marathon store reportedly opened in 1977 and the Key Largo store in 1987, according to Michael Lisicky, a self-described department store historian.

NEW MAN IN CHARGE Mariners, Fishermen’s has new CEO The departure of the hospitals’ longtime leader, Rick Freeburg, left Baptist searching for a successor to lead the two Keys hospitals. Following a search, in came Drew Grossman as the next chief executive officer. In his time with various hospital networks, Grossman said his vision always centered around “compassionate and quality care.” Carrying that to the Keys, Grossman said, it’s not always about how nice the facility looks from outside — it’s the care patients experience inside. “These will be known as top-notch hospitals,” he said. “I’m all about creating a process here that we all know how to do it right from start to finish.” MAY

JIM McCARTHY/Keys Weekly

FOX FINDS HOME …. IN THE KEYS? Local starts nonprofit for furry friends Saved from a fur farm and finding a new island home: a 6-week-old fox with blemishes is safe in the Keys. In early May, Key Largo resident and founder of Pawsitive Beginnings Inc., Nicole Navarro, received word that several baby foxes were being rescued from a Minnesota fur farm. Navarro couldn’t say “no” to taking one of them, having given four older foxes sanctuary at her home last year. She flew with a friend to Save A Fox sanctuary in Minnesota, which safeguards foxes with injuries and fur flaws. The nonprofit saves the furry animals, which are deemed “no good” by fur farmers and left to be killed. On May 6, Navarro retrieved the tiny fox she calls “Reef.” “I was driving one day before I got him, and it popped into my head,” said Navarro, who started her nonprofit to raise awareness about fur farming. “I thought it was very fitting.”

JUNE ‘OVERCROWDED’ Small Key Largo park shuts down A small county-owned park in a Key Largo residential neighborhood closed to the public following complaints surrounding its overuse. Sunset Point Park stayed closed for the Fourth of July and beyond as county officials worked on a management plan that addresses parking, among other issues. The once hidden gem in Sunset Point Park has become a popular spot for visitors and daytrippers. Park users frequently exceed the limited parking for the neighborhood park by parking vehicles and boat trailers on the shoulder of the narrow neighborhood roads. Eventually the park opened up, but on a limited basis. NEW MANAGER TAKES HELM Islamorada Council selects former Port St. Lucie Mayor June 28 marked the final meeting and June 30 the final day for Port St. Lucie Mayor Greg Oravec. He packed his belongings and fit in final interviews with city media before making his way to the Keys for his next journey as manager for the village of Islamorada. A decision to leave Port St. Lucie, where he served for some 20 years, was not easy for Oravec and his family. He wrote to city residents in early June following Islamorada Village Council’s decision to pick him as the next village manager. In reading the recruitment for the position, Oravec said, he felt that the position was calling his name — the closing date for applications was the same day as his mom’s birthday. His mom, who passed away in 2013, always enjoyed visiting Oravec when he lived in the Keys in the late ’90s. JULY A SECOND STORY School adds another floor Construction of a second-story, middle-school wing at Key Largo’s Ocean Studies Charter School commenced in July. At the corners of the facility’s second floor, four classrooms will be constructed for ELA, math, civics and multi-purpose use. A courtyard with seating in the middle will give students the ability to eat and learn in the open air. “The changes have all taken place so quickly, but it’s so much fun,” said Principal Trisha Woods. “The biggest thing for me is being able to see our fifth graders be able to continue with us through eighth grade. For me, that’s the biggest thing — not losing them.”

MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

AUGUST LOCAL VETS REACT TO AFGHANISTAN EXIT ‘Tough to stomach’ Those who served in Afghanistan agreed that the end of America's departure was ill-planned and potentially lethal to Afghan allies — soldiers' interpreters and friends who are left behind. The speed with which the Taliban reclaimed Afghanistan cities was alarming to many, but not surprising to those who had been there, including those who had warned the politicians of the Taliban's continuing presence and increasing strength, as well as the vulnerabilities of the Afghan military and government. “It’s tough to stomach. I lost a couple classmates over there. I actually put one in Arlington in 2007. It’s unfortunate we spent 20 years with loss of life to American soldiers, and as soon as we pulled out, the trained Afghani National Army, the police and other agencies there lasted 10 days,” said Nick Hodge, of Islamorada, who served in the U.S. Army, First Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division. SEPTEMBER

DAVID GROSS/Keys Weekly

LIGHTHOUSE ACQUIRED Pair of locals ready to reinvigorate Alligator Organizers of the annual swim out to Alligator Lighthouse, Rob Dixon and Larry “Lighthouse” Herlth, received news of a lifetime when a letter arrived that gave the final stamp of approval that granted ownership of the lighthouse to their nonprofit. Efforts to secure Alligator Lighthouse go back more than two years, when the U.S. Coast Guard and Department of Homeland Security determined there was no need for them to own and operate it. That announcement also brought an end to lighthouse maintenance, which propelled several groups to apply to the National Parks Service to secure the lighthouse and initiate restoration. “This is our Statue of Liberty. A lot of our activities focus around Alligator Lighthouse. It’s our place to go and it would be tragic if it ever fell,” Dixon said. OCTOBER

MIKE FORSTER PASSES AWAY FROM COVID-19 An animal lover whose nirvana was fishing in the Everglades, Mike Forster inspired many people by his many causes, from a student’s education to shoes for Ugandan children. Forster passed away on Sept. 6 after a battle with COVID-19. Forster spent most of his years living in Islamorada yet served those in need throughout the Upper Keys and eventually throughout the Florida Keys. One of his most cherished and celebrated missions involved traveling with a group of locals led by Pastor Tony Hammon to Uganda, Africa, to serve the hundreds of children living in orphanages, making annual treks from 2016 through 2018.

CRAB SUPPLIES LOW As one commercial fisherman colorfully put it, “I could catch more crabs on Duval Street right now than in the Florida Bay.” Understandably, Bill Kelly, the executive director of the Florida Keys Commercial Fishermen's Association, expressed himself in a more understated way. “It’s not overwhelming, I can tell you that,” he told Keys Weekly about the 2021 stone crab harvest’s first weekend in October. Gary Graves, vice president at Marathon’s Keys Fisheries Market & Marina, which buys stone crabs from the commercial fishermen then sells them to the public, is a little more blunt. “The catch is way off in our area,” he said. “It’s very slow. But it’s the second day of season. It’s hard to predict.”

NOVEMBER APPLE FILMING IN THE KEYS Show based on ‘Bad Monkey,’ a Hiaasen novel A prestige series with major Hollywood players is set to film in the Keys in 2022. Per the Hollywood Reporter, the production has been ordered by Apple and is based on the 2013 Carl Hiaasen novel “Bad Monkey.” The series will be 10 episodes to start and executive produced and starring Vince Vaughn of “Wedding Crashers” fame. The showrunner? Bill Lawrence, who just swept the Emmys with the series “Ted Lasso” and created the sitcom “Scrubs.” “A show like this would be really great for the Keys,” said Florida Keys film commissioner Chad Newman, who confirmed that the production company has been in touch with him. “Production is starting to ramp up and look for locations. It will be produced by Warner Bros. TV and start mid next year.” DECEMBER COMMISSIONER RESIGNS Decision comes following domestic violence arrest Citing health issues, Monroe County Commissioner Eddie Martinez resigned from the Monroe County Commission in December. 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. 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

MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

MANDY MILES mandy@keysweekly.com

COVID CLAIMS ANOTHER YEAR 2021 BRINGS VACCINES, DELTA, OMICRON, MASK DEBATES AND SCHOOL CONCERNS

e had thought this all would be over, or that the end would be in sight. Remember when we all said good riddance to 2020, thinking it had been “the year of COVID,” the one and only year of COVID? Instead, by January 2021, our smartphones were predicting words like Pfizer, Moderna, even hydroxychloroquine. Who knew that the light we were seeing at the end of the tunnel was a train called Delta careening toward us? In 2020, masks were largely considered a protective measure. By 2021 they had become a political statement with the anti-vaccine movement soon to follow. In September, the virus would claim the life of yet another devoted Florida Keys resident and representative in County Commissioner Mike Forster. As we prepare to enter and embrace 2022, the Keys Weekly pored through our 2021 coverage of the COVID pandemic in the Florida Keys to bring you a month-by-month digest of COVID in the Keys, lest we forget where we’ve been and where we’re going.

Monroe County received its first 1,300 doses of the Moderna vaccine on Jan. 5. Weekly file photo

JANUARY The Monroe County Health Department received its first 1,300 vaccine doses mainly for health care personnel. Also in January: • Second round of stimulus checks are showing up • Publix gets vaccine doses • Frustration mounts over vaccine accessibility and online appointments FEBRUARY By February, many parents were growing frustrated and wondering whether school buildings would reopen before summer. Vaccines were still being offered in phases. But eager anticipation was mounting, as the Keys prepared for a reliable supply of vaccine doses to reach the island chain. Also in February: • Nurses at College of the Florida Keys help with large-scale vaccine rollout • All Publix stores and two WinnDixies in the Keys get vaccine doses • COVID cases in Florida dropped by 55% the first two weeks of February MARCH March 20, 2021, marked the oneyear anniversary of the announcement that closed Florida Keys hotels, bars and non-essential businesses. By then, the Florida Keys seemed to be holding their own against COVID. In Monroe County, elementary school students were back in the classroom full time, but students in sixth through 12th grade were still attending every other day on an A/B schedule, which frustrated many parents. Also in March: • Third round of federal stimulus checks go out • State education commissioner orders Monroe County schools to reopen full time • Governor Ron DeSantis prohibits local COVID restrictions and cancels fines • Vaccines still limited to people 50 and older

APRIL • Vaccine eligibility opens to anyone 18 and older on April 5 • Monroe County schools are open full-time for all students, with most attending in person while wearing masks • County libraries reopen • Social distancing becomes problem for schools, quarantine rules increase absenteeism MAY • Governor ends mask mandates & local COVID restrictions • Businesses respond differently to mask rules • Anti-vaccine sentiment increases • Monroe County Health Department stops issuing daily COVID case counts due to decrease JUNE • Keys tourism flourishes as COVID counts drop JULY • COVID creeps back due to Delta variant, but Keys hospitalizations remain low • Delta not yet a local concern • Monroe County has third-highest percentage of vaccinated people in Florida AUGUST August saw the hospitalization of County Commissioner Mike Forster due to COVID as the Delta variant began to take its toll on the Keys and the country. Also in August: • Schools reopen and require masks, but offer opt-out • Mask debate divides parents and political parties • COVID cases increase for fifth consecutive week • Delta variant brings masks back • County Commissioner Mike Forster is hospitalized with COVID • Masks are once again required in Monroe County and Key West government buildings • KW reconsiders special events in light of COVID uptick • School board upholds mask opt-out

SEPTEMBER The Florida Keys mourned the loss of County Commissioner Mike Forster, who died of COVID on Sept. 6. The month also brought back event cancellations throughout the Keys. In Key West, city officials canceled the Goombay festival, the Royal Coronation, Zombie Bike Ride and Fantasy Fest parade and street fair. Also in September: • Keys report 63 COVID deaths thus far • Schools uphold mask opt-out after tense exchange OCTOBER COVID cases again started to subside in October, and in-school infections were not a significant concern to Health Department Administrator Bob Eadie. The county commission once again canceled its mask mandate inside government buildings. NOVEMBER By November, the Keys’ COVID case count was once again low, and vaccinations were high. Health Department Administrator Bob Eadie told the county commissioners that COVID was likely to stay, and people have to learn to manage it and its risks. DECEMBER Enter Omicron, the latest coronavirus variant to raise its ugly, spiked head across the globe. While most fully vaccinated individuals remain protected from serious illness and death, the variant’s quick transmission remains a growing concern. On Dec. 29, the health department reported the community level of COVID transmission had returned to “high” for Monroe County with an average of 71 new daily cases over the last seven days with 13 hospital admissions that included adult and pediatric patients. “Omicron doesn’t seem to be as dangerous as Delta was, but it sure is contagious,” said Bob Eadie, Monroe County Health Department administrator. “You need to be aware of it and take precautions. If you’re not vaccinated you’re still at great risk for serious illness.”

MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

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Large crowds gather to ring in 2020 outside Key West’s Sloppy Joe’s.

RING IN THE NEW YEAR Celebrations throughout the island chain are set From the “Red Shoe Drop” to live music, there are plenty of ways to ring in the New Year throughout the island chain. KEY WEST • At the Bourbon St. Pub/New Orleans House complex, 724 Duval St., renowned female impersonator Sushi stars in the “Red Shoe Drop” for the 24th year. • Party people on lower Duval Street can watch the “drop” of a gigantic manmade conch shell, the symbol of the Florida Keys, to the roof of Sloppy Joe's Bar, 201 Duval St. • At the Key West Historic Seaport, New Year’s Eve centers around the Schooner Wharf Bar, 202 William St., and celebrates the island’s colorful seafaring heritage. Just before midnight a swashbuckling “pirate wench” swings from the mast of a tall ship — completing her descent as the clock strikes and cannons boom to welcome 2022. MARATHON • Ring in 2022 with an anchor drop from the Faro Blanco lighthouse at Lighthouse Grill’s New Year’s Eve party. Dinner reservations are currently fully booked, but are not required to join the afterparty with a DJ, dancing, photo booth and more from 9 p.m. to midnight. • Visit Havana Jack’s Oceanside Restaurant and Bar for their Black and White Party. The event features entertainment from Lady A Band and DJ Tre as well as a midnight toast and cocktail and dinner specials. Call 305-743-4849 for reservations. • DJ FIJI will spin the tunes for a musical journey across the decades at Overseas Pub and Grill’s NYE party. Starting at 9 p.m., the party will feature a champagne toast and balloon drop at midnight. UPPER KEYS • Join Sundowners in Key Largo for the countdown with live music featuring Taylor Davis from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Vintage Band from 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Visit Sundowners — Key Largo Facebook page for more information. • Stop by Caribbean Club in Key Largo for a New Year’s Eve Celebration with live music on the outdoor stage by Koty James and The Keybillies from 8 p.m. to midnight. G’s Tacos and Joey’s Doughnut Truck will have food available in the backyard. New Year’s Eve crowns and hats will be handed out while supplies last.

COMMERCE CORNER Established in 2013, Apex One Home Inspections provide residential- and commercial-property inspections throughout Monroe County for real estate and/or insurance purposes. The company also conducts sea wall inspections, termite inspections and mold assessments. Office manager Cindy Garcia says, “We take time to provide each client with full details on their home inspection report. Our office staff and home inspectors are trained to assist with questions anyone may have regarding their new purchase or homeowners insurance.” With three locations and a staff of 11, the office is open seven days a week with quick turnaround times in order to give you the best quality customer service. Home inspection reports are extremely detailed. Location: 955 SW 122 Avenue Miami FL 33183 Phone Number: 305-390-0440 Website: Apexoneinspections.com Email: Info@apexoneinspections.com

MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021 CHARLOTTE TWINE

charlotte@keysweekly.com

A YEAR OF LOSS AND STRUGGLE, LOVE AND RESILIENCE

2021 IN MONROE COUNTY

right now, not because they are positive for COVID but because of contact tracing.”

Cudjoe Key resident Cindy Dreson was one of many impassioned speakers at the Aug. 10 school board meeting about the mask mandate. ‘More people die on U.S. 1 every year than will ever die of COVID,’ she claimed incorrectly. CONTRIBUTED

Christopher Massicotte, left, with fiance Eric Ault, prove that dating in the Keys isn’t a complete hot mess. CONTRIBUTED

LOVE IN PARADISE: KEYS LOCALS HAVE SMALL-TOWN DATING CHALLENGES, BUT REASON TO HOPE Feb. 11, 2021 edition When Keys Weekly asked locals what the dating scene is like, they kept repeating a popular saying: “In the Keys you don’t lose your girl, you just lose your turn.” In other words, it’s slim pickin’s out there. But don’t worry, singles: There is hope. We all need to remember that we are fortunate to live in paradise. Christopher Massicotte, 45, told us, “I met my fiance in a hotel bar in Orlando, on March 6, just before lockdown. He is a flight attendant for American and was on a layover, and I was there for work. I invited him to come visit, and he never left. Nine months later, we were engaged. I proposed to him at the Dry Tortugas. But if it wasn’t for Key West, we wouldn’t be together. Someone asked him if I’d said, ‘I live in Columbus, Ohio,’ would he have come to visit, and he said, ‘Probably not.’” SCHOOLS SUPER: SOCIAL DISTANCING ‘HAS BECOME A PROBLEM’ April 29, 2021, edition At the April 27 Monroe County School District board meeting, Superintendent Theresa Axford announced that more than 100 Key West High School students have been quarantined in just the fourth week of the school district’s reopening to five days of in-person instruction. “The social distancing at 3 feet, which is what we’re able to do now with more students returned to school, has become a problem when there is a positive case and contact tracing goes on,” she told the assembled board members. “There are 126 students who are out at Key West High School

‘HEATED ISSUE? AN UNDERSTATEMENT’: SCHOOL BOARD VOTES UNANIMOUSLY TO MANDATE MASKS; PARENTS MAY OPT OUT Aug. 12, 2021 edition The Aug. 10 school board meeting saw at least a half-dozen emotional public speakers expressing their opinion — both pro and con — about a mask mandate, as well as board members under pressure to explain their thought processes before they voted and an impassioned plea from well-known pediatrician Stan Zuba to “defy the governor.” In the end, the board unanimously approved a mask mandate for anyone on school property. An opt-out option will be made available for parents who sign an official document, a disclaimer prepared by the legal department.

As of April 29, pet owners have 90 days to apply for a no-cost permit and identify their pets with a microchip, and they must meet new outdoor caging requirements by Oct. 26, 2021. If iguanas are found chipless in the wild after Oct. 26, the circumstances are dire. KEY WEST MAN CHANGED HIS LIFE IN MONROE COUNTY’S JAIL REHAB July 8, 2021, edition “It’s been a heck of a long journey for me, and thanks to this program I feel like I found a missing piece of the puzzle. I just celebrated 32 months clean. I just turned 57. Since I was 19 years old, I haven’t had this much sobriety in my life,” said a participant in JIP, Monroe County’s Jail In-House Drug Abuse Treatment Program. In a grant application for the program, Monroe County staff said the county has “drug abuse rates higher than both the state and national averages.” REMEMBERING MIKE FORSTER: A MAN WITH A HEART AND A WILL TO TACKLE VARIOUS CAUSES Sept. 16, 2021 edition Blown-out windows from Hurricane Irma didn’t stop Mike Forster from opening his cafe to feed the many who responded to the disaster. A complete closure of the Keys to visitors during the early stages of the COVID-19 affected businesses and paychecks, propelling the Mangrove Mike’s Cafe owner to step up and help out in a time of need. Ask Forster’s close friends what made him special to a tight-knit Upper Keys community, and they’ll say it was his heart. County Commissioner Mike Forster died from COVID-19 on Sept. 6, 2021. APPLE FILMING 10-EPISODE SERIES IN KEYS: SHOW BASED ON HIAASEN NOVEL; VINCE VAUGHN PRODUCING, STARRING November 18, 2021 edition So residents should keep an eye out in 2022 — maybe Vince Vaughn will be ordering a brew next to you at your favorite watering hole.

The FWC has created rules to control the exploding iguana population and other invasive reptiles. FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION/Contributed

FWC WILL EXTERMINATE IGUANAS CAUGHT IN THE WILD WITHOUT MICROCHIPS AFTER OCTOBER May 20, 2021 edition The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) announced in February that residents who currently keep iguanas as pets have to microchip the animals, apply for permits and cage them during a scheduled grace period.

MONROE COUNTY COMMISSIONER EDDIE MARTINEZ RESIGNS ONE WEEK AFTER DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ARREST Dec. 7, 2021 at keysweekly.com County Commissioner Eddie Martinez resigned from the commission a week after he was arrested in Miami following a domestic dispute. Commissioner Holly Raschein said she’s grateful to Commissioner 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.”

MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

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Thank You! Thank you to all those who helped make Crane Point’s Winter Wonderland a huge success for those attending. Thank you so much Santa & Mrs. Claus came from the North Pole. Special thank you to Marathon Community Theatre for the entertainment and Joanne Zimmerman for directing the show. Thank you to Prodigy Dance Center & Lisa Scobba. Special thank you to Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority, Keys Weekly Newspapers, City of Marathon & Hammer Runyon, Florida Keys Electric Co-op & TJ Patterson, Marathon Liquor & Deli & Ralph Lucignano, Cynthia & Walter Florimont, Dockside & Simone Mullis, Islamorada Publix & Chuck Buttner, Sleigh Drivers, Peter, Pam, Art, Dave & Allen.

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MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

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MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

2021: THE REARVIEW MIRROR Looking back on Marathon’s most important 2021 stories

As Marathon continued to battle through the COVID-19 pandemic with a strong start to vaccinations, the city also saw the birth of a brand-new hospital and library, the closure of its only department store and some semblance of normalcy with the return of highly anticipated old and new yearly events. Take a stroll through 2021’s top Weekly headlines.

ALEX RICKERT

alex@keysweekly.com

JANUARY VACCINATIONS UNDERWAY IN MONROE COUNTY, BY APPOINTMENT ONLY Frontline workers the first to be inoculated At long last, the light at the end of the proverbial COVID-19 tunnel arrived in Monroe County in the form of vaccinations, beginning with doses for frontline workers. If Keys residents didn’t have enough to discuss and debate, the jabs from Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson, and the shortage of necessary doses, would continue to dominate conversations for the rest of the year (and, if we’re being honest, probably well into 2022). Within three weeks, doses would make their way to Publix pharmacies with appointments available to the public. OLD CAR, NEW LIFE Restored train car anchors Marathon museum The restoration of Crane Point’s vintage train car was a labor of love for Lynn Voit. Although she doesn’t have any formal ties to Crane Point Museum, she does have tons of panache and a love for Marathon. Voit and Crane Point Museum’s Charlotte Quinn hatched a plan to transform the vintage train car’s presence on U.S.1 to highlight the attraction’s entrance — landscaping, a new coat of paint and dramatic lighting. For many years, the train car was located on Pigeon Key. In December of 2018, it was relocated to its current location which is in the exact same spot of Marathon’s original train station, circa 1908. The train car will serve as museum office space and a boardroom. MHS IS NUMBER ONE Keys weightlifters head to regional competition

The Marathon High School girls weightlifting team placed first in districts on Jan. 23. Every member of the team who qualified for districts also advanced to the regional competition. SARA MATTHIS/Keys Weekly

Marathon High School hosted the girls weightlifting district competition in the gym on Jan. 23. All 20 girls who competed in districts continued to regionals the following weekend. “Just to compete, well, that was amazing,” said MHS coach Jesse Schubert. The MHS gym was staged with four stations, each serving a different weight class. About 100 girls came to compete. FEBRUARY DISTRICT CHAMPS! MHS boys soccer team advances to regionals Marathon High School soccer coach Arno Silva said the high school team has been dreaming about a championship trophy for three years. “We felt this year it was our time to win a title,” Silva said. Henry Herrera scored four goals, and Anthony Machado scored another on a penalty kick to defeat Keys Gate, last year’s district champions. MARCH COUNCIL PUTS BAPTIST ON NOTICE Marathon might withdraw support for hospital taxing district On March 9, the Marathon City Council directed staff to bring two ordinances back for the April meeting — one for the special taxing district in support of Fishermen’s Hospital, and one in opposition. Councilman Dan Zieg said the council had asked for a more detailed accounting last year, when it was time to renew support for the taxing district that it has yet to receive, and also that it has no updated information for this year. The taxing district was conceived in 2018 when it was clear that Fishermen’s Community Hospital was completely destroyed by Hurricane Irma and needed to be rebuilt from the ground up. Mayor Luis Gonzalez, Councilmen John Bartus and Steve Cook urged patience. “I share the frustration that we were not provided the financials we wanted to see, but I would like to give (Baptist) the benefit of the doubt,” said Bartus. Patience was well rewarded, as the requested financial reports were provided within 24 hours, and Baptist executives returned to the City Council at its April meeting to encourage the council to renew the special taxing district.

STATE EDUCATION CHIEF ORDERS MCSD TO FULLY OPEN SCHOOLS Schools, students, parents react to state mandate The state’s top education official ordered Florida Keys schools to offer full-time, face-toface instruction for all students by the end of the month, despite the school district’s and the health department’s continuing concerns about community spread of the COVID virus. In an email, superintendent Theresa Axford apologized to teachers. “It is with a heavy heart that I write to you this afternoon,” Axford wrote. “I received a letter from the Commissioner of Education, which requires us to offer five days of in-person instruction to all students who want it. We have been aware of a group of parents who have been pursuing this option, but we believed that we were working with them to resolve their concerns. Apparently the commissioner does not believe that the level of community spread of the virus is an acceptable reason to not offer five days of face to face instruction. (Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran) has sent a clear directive that indicates there will be significant financial penalties if we do not comply with his order.” APRIL GOODBYE, KMART Job sites advertise positions in Marathon, Key Largo for ‘store closing’ There are no signs on the doors or goingout-of-business sales, but the Kmart stores in Marathon and Key Largo appear to be on the way toward closure. Ads have been posted to various job sites with titles like “temporary customer service, apparel — up to 40 hrs/ week, store closing.” For months, there have been unsubstantiated rumors that the stores in the Keys were closing. According to Forbes, the two Keys locations and a Kmart store in California were all put on the chopping block quietly on a Friday evening, March 26. As news of the closings spread, locals began commenting on social media with replacement options ranging from a roller rink to Target to Walmart, although some decried the idea of another big box store.

BARRY GAUKEL/Keys Weekly

40TH RACE IN THE BOOKS Locals take second, third place Giving some needed normalcy in 2021, the 40th annual 7 Mile Bridge Run returned on April 17 after a hiatus in 2020. This year’s race was only open to those who successfully registered for the canceled 2020 run. Despite the heat, it was a “fast” race. Collin Wainwright of Pennsylvania, 25, finished first with a time of 37:46. Marathon’s Jonathan and Owen Pitchford, 18-year-old twin brothers, were right behind, finishing in 38:03 and 40:17.

MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

JUNE

OXITEC TO BEGIN PLACEMENTS IN KEYS Company announces 6 locations for mosquitocontrol experiment The Florida Keys Mosquito Control District and Oxitec Ltd. released an advisory outlining some of the plans for its Florida Keys pilot project. Project managers anticipate that during the last week of April and first week of May, release boxes, non-release boxes and netted quality-control boxes will be placed in six locations on Cudjoe, Ramrod and Vaca Key. Oxitec’s non-biting male mosquitoes will emerge from the boxes to mate with the local, biting female mosquitoes. The female offspring of these encounters cannot survive, and the population of Aedes aegypti is subsequently controlled. The Aedes aegypti mosquito makes up about 4% of the mosquito population in the Keys but is responsible for virtually all mosquito-borne diseases transmitted to humans.

NEW NOOKS FOR BOOKS New facility features so many high-tech, wonderful details The amount of high-tech, thoughtful detail in the new Marathon branch of Monroe County Public Libraries is stunning. The $7.5 million facility opened to the public on Saturday, June 26, with a special ribbon cutting. The county’s hope is that the library will become the “community’s living room.” To that end, there are multiple meeting spaces — four small, private conference rooms; a ground floor meeting space that can be sectioned off from the larger space for presentations; an activities center upstairs for yoga or science lab or Dungeon and Dragons games; and a teen center equipped with video games. At the same time, the library offers plenty of nooks and crannies where patrons can be “alone, together,” whether that’s seated on the couch with USB ports or in a futuristic desk/chair. JULY

STUFFED & SATED Brew BQ a win-win The first Florida Keys Brew BQ attracted a great-size crowd at the Marathon Community Park July 17-18. Quaffing craft brews kept core temperatures down, and the crowds were entertained by live music, shopping fun, kids games and lots of good food. Festival-goers thronged the “big rig” barbecue joints, as well as local favorites like the Kaiyo Catering, La Isla and Bongos tents. Only the judges (lucky devils) got tastes of the amateur competition and the stakes were very high (bragging rights!) and rivalry fierce. The locals’ tents were filled with supporters and family. AUGUST

MAY

DOUG FINGER/Keys Weekly

AN ANCHOR FOR THE HEART OF THE KEYS Fishermen’s Hospital opens in early June On Monday, June 7, the brand new Fishermen’s Community Hospital will open to the public. The 37,000-square-foot, $43.7 million facility is nearing completion and the Keys Weekly recently received an exclusive first look. “I am unbelievably grateful to the Marathon community for supporting the hospital and raising the funds needed to get this hospital built,” said Jay Hershoff, chairman of the Fishermen’s Community Hospital and Mariners Hospital boards and vice chairman of Baptist Health South Florida, the parent company. “Baptist Health South Florida is proud to have built perhaps the only new critical access, or rural hospital, in the entire United States during the past decade,” said Drew Grossman, the leader of both Fishermen’s Community Hospital and Mariners Hospital. The new hospital eventually held a ribbon-cutting on July 1, and Dr. Derek Papp successfully completed the facility’s first surgeries — two shoulder arthroscopies — on October 4.

shortages in Cuba. In addition, regular outages of electricity and water supply predated the protests. “We need to be free,” said Yaimara Perez, a U.S. citizen who fled Cuba more than five years ago. “We have to continue, we have to keep going. I don’t want this to just be about July 11. I want to see July 12 and July 13 and July 14 so that we can see change in Cuba.”

GINA REYES/Contributed

#SOSCUBA Cubans in the Keys tell of the struggle 90 miles away On July 11, thousands of protestors in Cuba took to the streets in at least five cities and were joined by thousands more in South Florida on July 12. This is the largest protest in memory since 1956. The hashtag “#SOSCuba” is trending on Twitter and everyone from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to entertainers Gloria Estefan and Pitbull is voicing support for Cuban people. Locals, many with immediate family members in Cuba, say the situation in the island nation has deteriorated. The pressures of COVID — as an illness rampant in Cuba as well as the decline it prompted in the Cuban economy that relies on international tourism blocked by the pandemic — have resulted in very reduced medical care and food

FIRSTHAND ACCOUNTS FROM AFGHANISTAN VETERANS Keys veterans respond to America’s crude exit They were there. On the ground. In Afghanistan. The veterans and active duty service members saw what was happening in real life, in real time, a half a world away. They knew what was going wrong — and what was going well. But folks in Washington rarely asked them. They befriended many Afghans. They buried best friends. They woke many mornings covered in three inches of dust, dirt and sand. They heard the horrors of prior Taliban rule and fought to resist its return. For 20 years, American military personnel — and other foreign soldiers — fought a war in, but not against, Afghanistan. Many agree, the end of America's involvement over the past month was ill-planned and potentially lethal to Afghan allies — soldiers' interpreters and friends who are left behind. The speed with which the Taliban reclaimed Afghanistan cities was alarming to many, but not surprising to those who had been there. SEPTEMBER OUR DREAM CAME TRUE At last, local school officials and other Monroe County dignitaries gathered together with students and faculty to celebrate the ribbon-cutting and official opening of the all-new Stanley Switlik Elementary School on Sept. 21. Completion of the new facility after breaking ground in 2018 was certainly a cause for celebration. Former principal Brett Unke excitedly asked the crowd, “Did our dream come true?” The deafening answer from adults and children alike was, “Yes!”

MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

Gonzalez finished as the top vote-getter with 1,282 votes (41% of all votes submitted). Wofsey ended the night with 879 votes (28.1%). Jody “Lynny” Del Gaizo received 648 votes (20.7%), while Greg Coldiron finished with 319 votes (10.2%). DECEMBER

Weekly File Photo

EVERYONE WINS AT THE BEST OF MARATHON Annual event brings community together for a purpose The excitement of the Best of Marathon reached its crescendo this past Saturday night when the winners of the 2021 people’s choice awards were announced at the Marathon Community Park. For the first time ever, the Best of Marathon was held al fresco — under bistro lighting where a crowd of more than 200 business leaders, elected officials and Marathon Rotarians celebrated the recent accomplishments of our community. Since 2013, the Best of Marathon has served as a fundraiser for the Marathon Rotary Club, where 100% of sponsorships, tickets, drink and raffle sales goes directly to the club to support scholarships for local youth and other community projects. This year’s haul for the Marathon Rotary Club looks to be north of $12,000. “The Best of Marathon is a great example of what makes a small town great — the people,” said Rotary president Duane Webster.

rounded out the top three in the girls’ race as Mikkel Ross and Maeve Merryman took 2nd and 3rd place, respectively. After strong showings at the county and district meets, Marathon sent both boys and girls runners to compete at the state championships for the third straight season. NOVEMBER

ALEX RICKERT/Keys Weekly

(ALMOST) READY AND WAITING Old Seven Mile Bridge renovations enter final stages

OCTOBER

ALEX RICKERT/Keys Weekly

MARATHON HAS SPOKEN Luis Gonzalez and Trevor Wofsey win two open seats on Marathon City Council

BARRY GAUKEL/Keys Weekly

RUNNIN’ DOWN A DREAM Marathon’s Pedro Zapata wins All-County cross country meet On Tuesday, Oct. 19, Sombrero Beach Road became the course for the All-County cross country showdown between Marathon, Key West and Coral Shores high schools. Marathon’s Pedro Zapata took home the gold medal for the boys, while Marathon runners

When results of early voting came rolling in, Luis Gonzalez had a good feeling about his early lead. And yet, it was still too early to call. “Elections are trends,” he said as he waited outside the Marathon Elks Lodge with his family, refreshing the election results on their phones every few seconds. When all five precincts added their tallies to the early and absentee numbers, however, the trend would prove true, as Gonzalez and Trevor Wofsey won the two available seats on the Marathon City Council. Out of 1,848 ballots cast, with voters able to choose one or two candidates,

We’re almost there. Seriously. The long-awaited completion of the Old 7 Mile Bridge project is just around the corner. Originally scheduled as a four-year $41 million project, October 2022 would mark the end of the estimated project timeline from when bridge work actually commenced. The estimated completion eventually moved up to a March-through-May 2022 target date, and as it stands now, Pigeon Key executive director Kelly McKinnon said the new timeline should open the bridge “shortly after the new year.” And while most may not realize the full scope of the project beyond the new paint job visible from the active 7 Mile Bridge, the work done to the old bridge was enormous. In addition to three separate coats of paint, the construction crew used hydraulic jacks to lift the entire bridge, one 10-foot section at a time, to replace structural I-beams and replace rusted metal plates. A new aluminum rail system was also installed inside the old railings to bring the bridge up to code and ensure pedestrian safety.

MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

ALEX RICKERT

alex@keysweekly.com

2021 WAS STILL WEIRD… About 25% of the U.S. shipping fleet is parked because of a shortage of drivers. CONTRIBUTED.

SHORTAGES

What we’re missing in the pandemic Move over, toilet paper and make room for pepper. Really. Pepper. The pandemic just keeps giving … or in this case, taking away. In the spring of 2020 we collectively lost our minds about toilet paper and hand sanitizer and bought everything on the shelf. Well, the global crisis is winding down, only to pour salt in our wounds with continued shortages. Some of the shortages are being caused by supply chain disruptions — i.e., manufacturers that closed or scaled back during the pandemic and underestimated demand, such as the lumber and steel industries. Other markets are being affected by shipping; according to one industry report about 25% of the U.S. fleet is parked because there are not enough drivers. So, what else? We polled business owners and managers and here’s what’s missing in the Keys: Kate Koler: Cake cones. Carolyn Anthony: Ketchup, horseradish. Rachel Bowman: Liquor. (“Last week I couldn’t order Crown Royal. This week, it’s Patron. And Hennessy shortage is a big issue too.”) Chef “Flavor” Stanton: Nitrile gloves (“The prices have gone from $7 a box to $34!”) Dion Watson: Roofing supplies (“Some are not available for 60 to 90 days”). Leanys Carlson: Yetis, fishing boots. Mark Senmartin: Guns and ammo. Rachel Daniels: Paint, fiberglass filters, AC filters, kitchen appliances. Aaron Osters: Trap wire, aluminum, watersports gear, fish hooks, chlorine. Scott Newton: Amplifiers, speakers, routers, cameras. Todd Childress: PVC pipe. Blair Shiver: Black pepper. Chelsey Torres: Chlorine and rubber gloves. Chris Bryk: Electrical meter cans. Tiffany Duong: Dive regulator parts. (“Dive shops in the Keys couldn't get parts to do regulator service for months.”) Nicole Grego: Tires. Shannon Gershowitz Silva: Boxes. Elise Mucha Reid: Old Bay spice. The takeaway here is that we should kiss all the truckers and share and amp up our kindness and understanding.

Some of the year’s biggest head-scratchers

By the start of 2021, most of the things that shocked Keys residents in 2020 had become the “new normal” we’re so tired of hearing about. But even still, there were a few stories that just made us shake our heads and say, “What?” From social media challenges that were more like criminal offenses to a decision to unexpectedly bulldoze an island in broad daylight, here are some of the year’s oddities.

TIK TOK TERROR Schools, state attorney will prosecute online dares

“There will be no leniency.” That’s the message Monroe County school officials are sending when it comes to criminal behavior associated with social media dares and stunts. The latest round of “TikTok Challenges,” which circulate on the popular smartphone app, dare students — typically in middle and high school — to commit certain offenses, including “smack a school staff member” and “jab a boob.” The challenge for December states, “Deck the halls and show your b*&ls in the school halls.” “Slap a teacher, go to jail. Pretty simple,” State Attorney Dennis Ward told the Keys Weekly. “I’ll keep you in there for as long as I can keep you in there.” In schools across the country, TikTok bathroom challenges have left floor tiles smashed, urinals stolen and soap dispensers missing. But there is a bright side… Sigsbee Charter School in Key West was the site of two bathroom vandalism incidents in the past month. But the school has turned the negativity and criminality of the TikTok challenges into a positive initiative while making parents aware of the concerns and potential consequences. School officials spoke to students how the vandalism sends a hurtful message to members of the maintenance staff who work hard to keep the school clean and safe. “The students then wrote notes, drew pictures or created banners to support and appreciate these staff members,” said Sigsbee Principal Eli Jannes.

BARE FANNY

Vegetation removal from West Fanny Key sparks residents’ outcry When Marathon resident Bob Williams set out on Sept. 19 for his daily swim around East and West Fanny Key, two small islands on the gulf side just off the south end of Marathon, he was met by a surprising and unavoidable obstacle: a barge and backhoe clearing vegetation off the center of the island. “I’ve seen many examples of fringe clearing to improve a water view for new homes, but this incident was particularly egregious because of the density of birds,” Williams said. “Egrets, herons, frigate birds, pelicans and cormorants were all nesting there. This is devastating to a healthy and viable rookery.” Upon learning of the incident, City Manager George Garrett contacted both the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to establish separate but cooperative investigations and issue citations. “They absolutely needed, and did not seek, a building or clearing permit,” Garrett confirmed. “That’s a permit that would have been difficult, or nearly impossible, to obtain. It was absolutely a violation of our code.” According to Williams, he and many others fear that the fines resulting from the clearing may not be enough to deter similar actions in the future. “After three decades of being here in the Keys, I’ve seen similar stuff on a much smaller scale. I’m tired of seeing the fines become a cost of doing business,” he said.

The bulldozing of Fanny Key has destroyed what was once a thriving rookery for seabirds. CONTRIBUTED.

MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

By Alex Rickert and Jim McCarthy

PROTECTING MOTHER OCEAN

TRIUMPHS AND TROUBLES FOR THE KEYS’ PRECIOUS ECOSYSTEM IN 2021

f offered a choice of places to ride out a global pandemic, an island chain with Listerine-blue waters just might top the list. The Keys’ grass beds and reef ecosystems are iconic, and 2021 saw many efforts mounted to make sure they remain as such. From the potential harvest of a previously protected fish to growing concern for a beloved mammal, and everything in between, here is a small sample of the dozens of noteworthy environmental headlines from the past year.

Local fishing family Mimi and Dylan Stafford participate in Day 1 of the Ghost Trap Rodeo. DANIELLE DAWLEY/ Contributed Over 1,000 manatees — more than 10% of Florida’s estimated population — have died since the start of 2021. CONTRIBUTED.

The FWC may lift the 30-year ban on fishing for the goliath grouper. FLORIDA FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION/Contributed

PROTECTING THE MANATEES FWC, U.S. Fish and Wildlife aim to curb rising deaths The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) are working to address a manatee unusual mortality event (UME) along Florida’s Atlantic coast. The agencies are standing up a joint team under the emergency response Incident Command System (ICS). The announcement of the joint incident management team underscores the commitment the Service and FWC share in addressing threats to manatees, especially in light of an FWC announcement on Nov. 17, indicating 1,003 manatees — more than 10% of Florida’s estimated population — have died since the start of 2021. Researchers have attributed the UME to starvation due to the lack of forage in the Indian River Lagoon. Historically, the lagoon has provided essential habitat to manatees year-round, and during the colder winter months many manatees depend on warm-water refuges in this area.

PROTECTED SPECIES OR EATING MACHINES? FWC proposal to relax goliath grouper ban outside most of the Keys prompts debate An abundance of goliath grouper in Florida has prompted state wildlife officials to consider allowing a limited harvest of the giant protected fish in state waters. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission recently approved a proposed draft rule to provide access to goliath in certain areas, but it’s not a done deal. The draft rule approved earlier this month would allow the recreational harvest of up to 200 goliath grouper per open season from March 1 to May 31. An angler would need a recreational goliath grouper harvest permit and tag that would be issued via a random-draw lottery. Lottery winners would be allowed one fish per person, per open season and would pay a fee of $500. Harvested goliath would need to measure within a slot limit of 20 to 36 inches total length. With initial approval by FWC, staff will gather public feedback on the draft rule and return for a final public hearing at the March 2022 commission meeting.

Michael Crosby, Mote president and CEO, gives opening remarks during a gathering with area leaders and Mote’s scientists and staff workers at Cheeca Lodge. JIM McCARTHY/Keys Weekly MOTE EXPANDS Coral nursery in Islamorada aims to restore reef In Islamorada, Mote is building a land-based coral nursery, the first of its kind in Islamorada, on the beach at Bud N’ Mary’s Marina. The new coral nursery will supplement Mote’s in-water Looe Key and landbased Summerland Key nurseries. The goal is to bring the coral reefs back to healthy coral coverage through targeted restoration efforts. “It’s going to be incredibly impactful, and that wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for Richard Stanczyk (owner and operator at Bud N’ Marys),” said Michael Crosby, Mote president and CEO. “That’s going to be able to help us target the coral reefs up here, not just in the Lower Keys.” The expansion was celebrated with local leaders at Cheeca Lodge in May.

HUGE HAUL Local captains rid waters of 32,600 pounds of marine debris Eleven 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. One boat even rescued a sea turtle that had become stuck in a ghost trap and suffered an injured flipper. Ghost traps are abandoned stone crab or lobster traps that are lost when their floating buoy marker is dislodged from the trap and the owner can no longer locate it due to a storm or a boat propeller cutting the trap line. Such traps continue to catch and kill marine life despite no longer being checked by an angler (called ghost fishing). They endanger vessels and marine mammals that may tangle in the gear.

MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

MANDY MILES

mandy@keysweekly.com

KEYS WEEKLY’S NEWS TRAVELS FAST TOP ONLINE STORIES AND SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS OF 2021

ost. Share. Like. Comment. Follow. The words have acquired new significance in the past digital decade, spreading news, information, rumors, photos, opinions, jokes and cat videos faster than Omicron. With help from our digital marketing strategist Maison Benitez at OMG (Overseas Media Group), the Keys Weekly analyzed a year’s worth of online news and social media posts to see which ones got the most attention. Here are three of our top performers from keysweekly.com, Facebook and Instagram:

WEBSITE — keysweekly.com

FACEBOOK — @The Weekly Newspapers

INSTAGRAM — @keysweekly

“Key West to redesign Duval Street” — Feb. 12, 2021

Gymnast Mia Puig: Key West’s 11-year-old Olympic hopeful — June 26, 2021

Cuban chug: Cubans risk death crossing Florida Straits to freedom

“Key West building officials fear condo is unsafe for habitation” — Sept. 2, 2021

Key West’s cruise ship limits overturned by state senate — April 22, 2021

Underwater photo: Dive into Keys Weekly’s new issue of OnBoard magazine

“Customer leaves $10,000 tip at Castaway in Marathon” — March 16, 2021

Iguana Invasion: State wildlife officers control reptile population — May 18, 2021

Scenic Alligator Lighthouse: National Parks Service gives Upper Keys lighthouse to Local nonprofit

MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

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Wisdom, a Laysan albatross, the oldest known living wild bird, and one of her chicks. JOHN KLAVITTER/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE WITH AGED COCKATOOS AND ALBATROSSES MARK HEDDEN ... is a photographer, writer, and semi-professional birdwatcher. He has lived in Key West for more than 25 years and may no longer be employable in the real world. He is also executive director of the Florida Keys Audubon Society.

went down a weird internet rabbit hole the other day, trying to ascertain whether a certain Australian cockatoo was dead or alive. The sulphur-crested cockatoo in question was named Fred and was alleged to be 100 years old. Impressive. Fred was a resident at the Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary in Southern Australia, where folks had made a big to-do about him reaching the century mark. One newspaper report said the celebration involved not just a party with face painting and something called a “sausage sizzle,” but also a message from Queen Elizabeth herself congratulating the bird on its longevity. But that story was from 2014, and there has been nary a peep or squawk about Fred the Cockatoo since then. You’d think if the bird — thought to be the oldest of any in captivity — was still alive they’d celebrate his longevity on a regular basis, perhaps with an annual party, or occasional press release with a cute photo. If not annually, maybe every five years, which would have been in 2019. I mean, how often does a bird that lives in one of your cages turn 105? On the other hand, if he was dead, how could no one have mentioned it? How could they have not held a wake where the bird lay in state and people’s tears ruined their face paint? I did further research, by which I mean Googling versions of “Fred the Cockatoo” several different ways, and found a 1990 story about how Fred the Cockatoo had been one of the three birds that sat on the shoulder of actor and future-accused-wifekiller Robert Blake in the 1970s tough-guy cop drama “Baretta,” and how it had been kidnapped by some ne’er-do-wells who expected to get a big fat ransom. But the birdnapping attracted too much press, so the suspects released Fred in a park in Escondido, California. I also found a 2015 story about how Fred the Cockatoo one day escaped from his cage and was seen roaming around the Carlsbad, California, countryside with a flock of American crows. It turns out those were two totally different cockatoos named Fred, and Fred is just a popular name for high-profile and newsworthy cockatoos. The Google trail went cold after that, the Bing trail even colder. And I’m not sure whether Fred the Centenary Cockatoo is still with us or if, as John Cleese said, he has gone to join the choir invisible. But I vow, as soon as the tightwads who control the purse strings at Key West Weekly approve my travel budget, I will fly down to Australia, find out exactly what the hell is going on with Fred the Cockatoo, and report back. I’d gone down the Fred the Cockatoo rabbit hole while thinking about some animals’ life expectancy. I read a few weeks ago

that mourning doves only live about a year on average. That just seems so short. No wonder they’re constantly in mourning. It seemed so sad when you compared it to, say, Johnathan, the Seychelles giant tortoise who is 188 years old, or to bowhead whales who are thought to live up to 200 years, or to Greenland sharks, who are thought to live up to 400 years. The bird that really got me thinking about these things was a Laysan albatross named Wisdom. Wisdom’s recent press includes stories in the New York Times and on National Public Radio. Her claim to fame is that she is the oldest known living wild bird. Captive animals tend to live much longer than those in the wild, where the risks are much greater — predators, pollution, starvation, inclement weather and just the bodily wear and tear of surviving all that. A typical long-lived Laysan albatross will live 40 years. Wisdom just hit 70. She was banded on the nest on Midway Island in the middle of the Pacific in 1956 by ornithologist Chandler Robbins, who banded over 150,000 birds in his lifetime. He’s also famous in the birder world for having written “Birds of North America: A Guide To Field Identification,” which is more commonly referred to as the Golden Guide. (Bands are light metal or plastic bracelets with numbers on them that are attached loosely around birds’ legs so people can identify individuals. Wisdom’s band reads Z333.) Wisdom may actually be older than 70. Most Laysan albatrosses reach sexual maturity around 8 or 9, but some reach it as early as 5, so the researchers went with that number. If you’re one of those people who think it’s not the years, but the mileage that defines a life, it should be noted that Laysan albatrosses can fly up to 350 miles in a day — largely without flapping — and that Wisdom is estimated, conservatively, to have flown at least 3 million miles in her lifetime — to the moon and back six times. She has also raised somewhere between 30 and 36 chicks. Laysan albatrosses tend to mate for life, but Wisdom has outlived several mates. She has been with her most recent beau — Akeakamai — since 2012. She gathered a great deal of recent media attention because she laid an egg in December 2020 and hatched it with Akeakamai on Feb. 1 of this year. The chick was named Kūkini, which means “messenger,” and now wears its own band.

MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

Reef enjoys some Christmas presents from Mom Nicole Navarro. CONTRIBUTED

JIM McCARTHY

jim@keysweekly.com

VILLAGE GETS FAMILIAR FACE Former aide to Coldiron now the assistant to Islamorada manager

familiar face in Florida Keys government has landed a new job with the village of Islamorada. A former executive aide to Michelle Coldiron, Katie Atkins was hired to become the public information officer for the village, formerly held by Mary Swaney, and the assistant to Village Manager Greg Oravec. Atkins is a former journalist from Western New York who came to the Keys in 2016 for a job with the Keynoter. She then became a reporter with the Keys Weekly before taking a job in government in 2018 with Coldiron following her election victory for Monroe County Commissioner District 2, which serves the Lower Keys and Marathon. Atkins served as the legislative assistant through Coldiron’s mayorship. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to work at the village and feel my county experience is helping with the transition,” said Atkins, who resides in the Upper Keys. Atkins’ first day was Nov. 29. Oravec said Atkins’ professional experience and education were a good fit for the position, as well as her enthusiasm and commitment. “We are very excited to have Katie onboard,” Oravec said. “I am looking forward to watching Katie flourish in her new role and for Team Islamorada to be even better as a result.” The addition of Atkins to the village staff is one in a few that have occurred since Oravec was picked to serve as village manager in June. Last month, Oravec announced the hiring of Daniel Gulizio as director of planning. The former deputy director of planning in Suffolk County, New York, Gulizio began his new job Dec. 1. His hiring came following the resignation of Ty Harris, then planning director, in July.

Katie Atkins is the new Islamorada public information officer and assistant to Village Manager Greg Oravec. JIM McCARTHY/ Keys Weekly

TERRIFIC 2021 Reef looks back on a memorable year

i friends! Reef the fox here with your weekly “Reef’s Report.” So how was everyone’s holiday weekend? I heard traffic and sirens and horns outside and — boy, oh, boy — it disturbed my nap time. We all got tons of presents from mom and from nice people who sent them from our Amazon Wishlist. Coral and I fought over presents (even though mom said there was enough for everyone). I also wanted to thank everyone who showed up for the “Christmas With Coral” event at One Grind coffee truck in Key Largo on Dec. 18. A total of $255 was donated to help all of us here, and I am so grateful. That means more toys and treats for me! I mean us. I also wanted to take the time to think back on all of the cool things that have happened this year. Of course, me coming to live here in Key Largo is at the top of the list. Making the front page of the Upper Keys Weekly back in May when I arrived was so fun. Getting to meet so many people when I was a baby was amazing, like Farmer Jeanne, Sheriff Ramsay, K9’s Coral and Mako, and of course my BFF and my all-time favorite reporter, Jimmy McCarthy! Then little sis, Coral, came home to us, and she went through some rough times getting over being sick from the fur farm. It was scary and sad, but she’s doing so much better now. My mom went on trips to speak out against fur farms and fur being used in fashion. Me getting this column was a highlight this year. It’s been a good year, my friends, and I’m happy to be able to share the good fox word with you every single week. I hope you keep reading and keep tuning in to our social media pages to keep up with the daily photos and videos that Mom

posts. We have some fun animal-related events coming up, so I want to make sure to share those with you. Join MarrVelous Pet Rescue for the first Yappy REEF Hour of the New THE FOX Year on Jan. 6, from Reef is a red fox 5 to 7 p.m. Everythat was saved one is invited to from a fur farm. attend this event at He now lives in Baker's Cay Resort Key Largo with Key Largo. They his human, Nicole Navarro. will have drink specials, sponsored by Tito’s. For a $5 donation, you will receive a special Tito's “Puptail!" There will be raffles and retail items available, as well as some of our adorable adoptable pups. Bring your four-legged friends for a Yappy good time. Plan ahead for the Upper Keys Humane Society’s annual Gala. This year’s gala is to raise funds to help them "raise the roof" for the new addition and expansion of our shelter. After three-and-a-half years of negotiating with the county, we are finally approved to move forward. We are looking forward to being able to provide more space to house and assist animals in our care. Tickets available now. $100 per person includes two drink tickets, dinner, auctions and entertainment. Contact 305-522-0260 to get your tickets today! Well, that’s all for this week. Feel free to email me at reef@pawsitivebeginnings.org and check us out at pawsitivebeginnings.org. Thanks for a great 2021, and here’s to an even better 2022. Reef, over and out!

MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

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MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

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OH, SNAP

Best pictures of 2021

1. Tavernier resident Nola Acker places a flower arrangement into the bayside waters during a memorial service for Mike Forster on Oct. 23. The photo was taken by Jim McCarthy. 2. Capt. Craig’s lunch favorite is the Key Largo fish tacos. Inside the corn tortillas are slaw, shredded cheese, baja sauce and pico de gallo. The photo was taken by Doug Finger. 3. This incredible photo taken by Eric Billips, of Islamorada Dive Company, shows a goliath grouper during a training dive. 4. Swimmers make the turn around Alligator Lighthouse during the annual race on Sept. 11. The photo was contributed.

MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021 SPONSORED BY: Jack Fishman, of PADI Aware, shows us how a Dive Against Debris can help with conservation. JACK FISHMAN/PADI Aware

DIVES AGAINST DEBRIS Removing trash and beneﬁtting coral restoration efforts

CONSERVATION TIP THIS WEEK’S DIVE REPORT The holidays have come and gone here in the Keys, but conditions have remained favorable — especially for December. Low winds and great visibility made for a very merry Christmas, for us! Thanks to this stellar situation, we hosted another successful Dive Against Debris. If you’ve never been on one, these are marine debris cleanup dives. In our Dive Against Debris Certification Dives, we teach our ERIC divers how to safely clean up marine debris and why BILLIPS this matters for conservation of our precious coral reef. Then we take them to a local spot where we’ve is the owner, seen debris, and they help collect it using best praccaptain and tices. Each participant receives a Dive Against Debris instructor at Islamorada Dive certification from PADI and the peace of mind that Center and Florida they helped clean up the Florida Keys reef with their Keys Dive Center. own two hands. He specializes in We provide the bags for collection as part of the scuba, rebreather, Dive Against Debris class, and, back at the dock, we spearfishing and captaining in the sort, measure and weigh everything. Everything colFlorida Keys. lected gets recorded into the PADI Aware database. This global resource helps to track what marine debris is found where and is used by scientists to inform ocean policy. Because of all this, these dives are one of the most immersive, rewarding ways to participate in conservation. NEXT WEEK’S DIVE REPORT Conditions continue to be in our favor throughout next week, with lower winds and warm temperatures. Take advantage of this and book a trip.

PROUD SPONSORS OF I.CARE Islamorada Conservation and Restoration Education 305.664.0077 | CoastalFloridaKeys.com

CONSERVATION UPDATE As you may remember, we have our coral restoration dives every Saturday, alternating between Islamorada Dive Center and Key Dives. These are the hands-on training and planting dives done in partnership with I.CARE. In addition, every Sunday, Islamorada Dive Center and Florida Keys Dive Center alternate hosting a marine debris cleanup dive. So, every Sunday of the month, we can take divers out to help clean up the reefs. Call us to join the next one!

Marine debris removed in the Florida Keys often includes derelict traps and fishing gear that Hurricane Irma and other storms have wrapped around sensitive habitats. ERIC BILLIPS/Contributed

If you can’t help dive to clean up the reef, start by preventing trash from falling off your boat or washing down drains and rivers to the sea.

Dives Against Debris clean up the reefs to provide safe habitat for newly restored coral babies to grow! They work hand-in-hand with coral restoration dives to regrow our reef!

MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

KEY WEST / MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / JANUARY 21, 2021

1¢

Publix vaccine appointment: more competitive than getting a 7 Mile Bridge Run bib.

COMPARISON A back-to-back look at Moderna, Pfizer vaccine | P.12

1 1¢

Worse-kept secret in town: Guy Fieri

1 1¢

The Marathon Seafood Festival would have been this weekend. We miss it.

Tell me more.

SHOTS 4 SHUT-INS

Some seniors get vaccine at home | P.4

HOUSE CALLS

Concierge doctor practices here | P.36

VACCINE FRUSTRATION Citizens’ rumblings about lack of info, shots | P. 13

MHS performs ‘Grease’ this weekend | P.6 Soccer players sign for SUNY | P.16

YAY! PUBLIX!

Do Your Hearing Aids Need Some Love & Attention?

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NOTES

Eligibility continues to evolve | P.12

Team off to a good start | P.26

SHOTS TO BE OFFERED AT GROCERY | P.4

11500 Overseas Hwy, Marathon | MM 53 305-743-7130 | DAsignSource.com |

HOSPITAL TAX

MHS BASEBALL

Summer school plans in the works | P.18

BACK TO SCHOOL

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1 1¢

Please stop panic-buying gas. Thank you.

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Get him a goat for Father’s Day | P.15

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1¢

T-minus a week until school, kids.

JACK & JETSURF

Local talks about teaching new sport | P.15

THE BIG REVEAL

HOROSCOPE What’s in the stars for your sign | P.39

An exclusive look The hospital’s State-of-the-art diagnostic inside Fishermen’s | P.12 historical timeline | P. 16 capabilities | P.17

Marathon’s Ivan Aldama Jr. soars | P.36

YES 2 VALHALLA

Special Ops team helps with research | P.24

New resort planned for Crawl Key | P.4

OUR OFFICE IN MARATHON IS MOVING! We begin services at the new location June! 11400 Overseas Highway Town Square Mall Suite #209 (second floor- take the elevator next to Frank’s grill up to the second floor)

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MARATHON WEEKLY / OCTOBER 7, 2021

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KEY WEST 513 Fleming Street, Suite 11 (2nd floor accessible via elevator)

(305) 809-6041

(305) 809-7663

TAVERNIER 93911 Overseas Hwy., Ste. 5 (2nd Floor) Tavernier, FL 33070

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1¢

Bare Fanny causes outrage.

alex@keysweekly.com

WE’VE GOT MARATHON COVERED

Marathon Weekly’s best 2021 covers

1¢

Thank goodness we invested in Dogecoin.

1 1¢

This paper’s ink is body paint.

SURVIVOR STORIES

PAGE THE DOC: FISHERMEN’S PERFORMS FIRST SURGERY POST IRMA | P.4

Let’s face it: No one wants to pick up a paper with a boring cover — or none at all. Each edition of the Marathon Weekly would be incomplete without an eye-catching introduction to the week’s issue. Here are some of our favorites from 2021.

Improving your hearing doesn’t have to feel

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SCARY

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MIAMI 17670 NW 78th Avenue #201

(305) 403-9325

www.hear4uaudiology.com www.heardrmichelle.com

KEY WEST 513 Fleming Street, Suite 11 (2nd floor accessible via elevator)

(305) 809-6041

MARATHON 11400 Overseas Highway - Suite 209 Town Square Mall

(305) 747-7750

HOMESTEAD Towers Professional Plaza 151 NW 11th St., Ste. W-301

(305) 809-7663

TAVERNIER 93911 Overseas Hwy., Ste. 5 (2nd Floor) Tavernier, FL 33070

(305) 247-8227

1 1¢

Too old for Snapchat, too young for Life Alert

Honoring breast cancer patients and their caretakers | P.16

(ALMOST) READY AND WAITING

Old 7 Mile Bridge nears completion | P.4

FUNDRAISING RUNNERS

Two teams collect $25k | P.10

LIONFISH CHAMPS Local brings home title for 3rd time | P.36

Also, is the invader on the decline? | P.36

THIS IS OUR HOUSE

YOUR GUIDE TO THE SEASON

Luis Gonzalez Area's of Focus Workforce Housing Renovation of parks and completion of a splash pad Increased community engagement, Enhanced city activities and

BaptistHealth.net/Fishermens

Proudly endorsed by the Professional Firefighters of Marathon - Local 4396

For Marathon City Council

Resident needs as a top priority

The care you deserve, right in your neighborhood.

Marathon hosts bevy of holiday events | P.10

Dolphins earn homecoming win | P.34

t lec -E Re

Anchored to your health and our community.

EYES IN THE SKY

Coast Guard drone pilots train in Islamorada | P.8

Encouraging volunteerism

Community Involvement Marathon Youth Club

Mid-Keys Booster Club

Past President

President and founding member

Stanley Switlik and Marathon High SAC

Past trustee & current member

Marathon Elks Lodge #2139

Past Chairman

Marathon Jaycees

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Past President

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Monroe County Schools District Advisory Council

Paid for and approved by Luis Gonzalez for Marathon City Council.

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Scan this on your phone to connect directly with CALL TO START YOUR HEARING JOURNEY! MIAMI 17670 NW 78th Avenue #201

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KEY WEST 513 Fleming Street, Suite 11 (2nd floor accessible via elevator)

(305) 809-6041

MARATHON 11400 Overseas Highway - Suite 209 Town Square Mall

(305) 747-7750

HOMESTEAD Towers Professional Plaza 151 NW 11th St., Ste. W-301

(305) 809-7663

TAVERNIER 93911 Overseas Hwy., Ste. 5 (2nd Floor) Tavernier, FL 33070

(305) 247-8227

MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021 1¢

Florida is not participating in winter. Nope, not today.

1¢

There’s only one Earth. Respect it.

INSIDE

TROPICAL LIVING IN THE FLORIDA KEYS - SPRING/SUMMER 2021

KEYS WOMAN

Boho Vibes

PUT A KEYS SPIN ON THIS TIMELY LOOK

FOR KEYS WOMEN BY KEYS WOMEN

RAFTING

ROAD TRIPS

EARTH DAY EXCITEMENT

PINK COLLAR

PANDEMIC

RECESSION POP QUIZ

LOVE TO LOVE YOU, BABY

Cleanups, coral plantings and more

KEYS WEEKLY | VOLUME 3 | NO 4 | SPRING 2021

FISHY ART DELIVERY

KEEPING COMPETITIVE

Lost work draws response | P. 16

KEY BILLS

A funding push in Tally | P. 4

INSPIRED DESIGN. UNPARALLELED SERVICE. FINEST MATERIALS.

Former MLB player turned captain | P. 16

88511 Overseas Hwy | Tavernier 305.852.4302 | kbspecialists.com

CABINETRY | COUNTERTOPS | TILE | HARDWARE PLUMBING FIXTURES & ACCESSORIES | DECORATIVE LIGHTS & MIRRORS

LOCATED AT MM 88.5 ON PLANTATION KEY

LATE-INNING RALLY Home opener ends in dramatic fashion | P. 26

COOL COVERS The shots that swept papers from the stands

Home Is More Important Than Ever

Covers are the dressy window that draws the reader to open the box and grab the paper. From underwater scenes to sports action, here are the top pictures that graced the covers of the Upper Keys Weekly in 2021.

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ATHLETES RETURN GOING OUT IN CLASS ’Canes graduates celebrate | P. 19

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BAR LEGEND REMEMBERED

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MISSING MIKE Cafe staff speaks | P. 7 LOOKING BACK 2021 Islamorada Council | P. 4

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MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

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MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

By Mandy Miles and Jim McCarthy

BIG TIME INTERVIEWS Pan Am, World Series champ and eco warrior among Weekly features The Keys Weekly had no shortage of interviews with some bigtimers. Here are a few of the heavy hitters staff had the chance to speak to in 2021.

t. Gov. Jeanette Nunez: Florida’s second-in-charge, Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez, spoke with Upper Keys Weekly Editor Jim McCarthy in May about an election bill and recent COVID actions, which included invalidating mandates imposed by local governments. As for the state session, Nuñez called it “strange” because people weren’t allowed inside the capitol building due to COVID. “As we get more and more vaccinated, you can’t have it both ways. You can't say, ‘Get vaccinated, do your part, be a good American, but oh, it doesn’t really work so you have to keep your mask on and keep your distance and still have people shut out of business,’” she said. Nuñez, who enjoys downtime in Islamorada, stopped by to participate in the Memorial Day ceremony. Photo taken by Jim McCarthy. Pan Am reunion: Keys Weekly Senior Staff Writer Charlotte Twine joined a reunion among former Pan Am employees in Tavernier in June. Since 2013, Tavernier resident Hedy

Menendez has been organizing an annual National/Pan Am reunion in the Florida Keys for about 40 to 90 friends. “It’s my great joy being able to bring everyone together,” she told Keys Weekly. The location is fitting, since the birthplace of Pan Am was in the Keys — Key West, to be exact. Billy Rosenbalm, who flew for Pan Am from 1977 to 1991, said his appointed maximum weight was 155 pounds. “And I was always 165,” he said, laughing. “They told me to jog around before I weighed myself.” In the picture, Pan Am employee Sherry Chandler poses with sports icon Muhammed Ali back in the day. Photo was contributed.

Doug Mientkiewicz: Upper Keys Weekly Editor Jim McCarthy had the chance to meet up with former major league first baseman, now Islamorada resident and captain, Doug Mientkiewicz in February. He remembers the days riding with his dad to his office next to the Tom Thumb in Key Largo. Stuck in the tape player was Kenny Rogers, and on would come “The Gambler.”

Mientkiewicz hasn’t forgotten a key line in the song that his dad would emphasize: “If you’re gonna play the game, boy, you gotta learn to play it right.” Today, Mientkiewicz spends time on his 45-foot Seahunter chasing sailfish alongside his co-captain Willie Nelson (the dog, not the musician), girlfriend Madison Wright and fellow fishers. He’s also starting his charter business, Olympic Gold Fishing — the name stemming from the gold medal he won with the USA baseball team during the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. Photo by Doug Finger.

Fabian Cousteau: Keys Weekly’s Tiffany Duong joined Fabien Cousteau in May to remove marine debris in the Florida Keys and to talk about the future of the oceans. The grandson of famed underwater explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau, he builds upon the family legacy in ocean exploration and conservation with local efforts and initiatives like the cleanup dives that brought him to the Florida Keys. “We're all responsible for what we see today, so the solution isn't from one source like myself or an individual doing their best, it's all of us pitching in,” he said. Photo by Tiffany Duong.

MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

Sylvia Earle & Mireya Mayor: Keys Weekly’s Tiffany Duong sat down with Sylvia Earle and Mireya Mayor in November to share their insights from lives spent in the field as well as their hope and advice for the Florida Keys. Sylvia Earle, famed oceanographer and National Geographic Explorer in Residence, is better known as “Her Deepness.” The living legend has led hundreds of research expeditions and spent more than 7,000 hours underwater. She was also NOAA’s first female chief scientist. Mireya Mayor, the terrestrial counterpart lovingly called “Her Wildness,” is also no stranger to exploration. A primatologist and explorer, she co-discovered the world’s smallest primate: a species of mouse lemur in Madagascar. She served as National Geographic’s first female and first female Hispanic wildlife correspondent. Photos were contributed.

Brian Kelley of Florida Georgia Line: Country music superstar Brian “BK” Kelley, “the Florida half” of top-selling country duo Florida Georgia Line, released his first solo album, “Sunshine State of Mind,” in 2021. Three or four of the songs were recorded in Key West at Jimmy Buffett’s Shrimp Boat Sound studio along Key West Harbor and Kelley joined Key West Editor Mandy Miles for an interview in July. Kelley and friends had a big time while “working” in Key West: fishing, writing songs, drinking, recording songs, fishing, drinking, writing songs. And there are plenty of recognizable Keys references in the songs, including Hemingway, Key lime pie and a shout-out to Shrimp Boat Sound. Photo by Ben Christensen.

Black Pumas: The huge Grammy-winning duo who played at President Barack Obama’s inauguration christened the newly improved Parade Grounds at Key West’s Civil War-era Fort East Martello in early December as part of the COAST is Clear Music & Arts Festival.

But before they came to Key West, Eric Burton and Adrian Quesada joined Key West Weekly’s own Britt Myers on the Florida Keys Weekly Podcast. The interview also appeared in our print edition and online at keysweekly.com. Photo by Jackie Lee Young.

John Waters: Filmmaker, comedian, author and proud bearer of the moniker “Pope of Trash” brought his one-man Christmas comedy show to Key West Theater in December. But before that, he spent some hilariously charming time with Key West Weekly Editor Mandy Miles. Photo by Greg Norman. Derek Trucks of Tedeschi Trucks: Guitar legend Derek Trucks, a well-publicized child prodigy who joined his uncle Butch’s famed band, The Allman Brothers, in 1999, has toured or played alongside legends throughout his career — B.B. King, Bob Dylan, Joe Walsh, Eric Clapton and Stephen Stills. And yet perhaps the greatest talent to perform with Trucks has been his wife, Susan Tedeschi. Together, the famed pair created The Tedeschi Trucks Band in 2010. Trucks joined Key West Weekly’s Britt Myers on the Florida Keys Weekly Podcast in November 2021 before the duo’s show at Key West’s Coffee Butler Amphitheater. Photo by Larry Blackburn.

MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

GIVING IT OUR BEST SHOT

2021’s Top Photos

ALEX RICKERT

alex@keysweekly.com

Keys Weekly is honored to collaborate with a stacked lineup of talented photographers who bring our stories to life. A single perfect shot can often accomplish what may take a writer 1,000 words of text (or more). With that in mind, here is a tiny fraction of the Marathon Weekly’s most beautiful photos of 2021. 1. Nine-year-old Cub Scout Alex Joya launches his lure into the Atlantic Ocean off Scout Key. FLORIDA KEYS NEWS BUREAU/Contributed 2. Monroe County Commissioner Michelle Coldiron names each of her outplants as she joins a coalition of volunteers who combined forces to plant more than 1,000 red mangrove seedlings on Pigeon Key in July. This one was “Seymour,” and she wished for him to “Grow, grow, grow.” TIFFANY DUONG/Keys Weekly. 3. The MHS Class of 2021’s high school graduation ceremony ended in a shower of confetti and fireworks on May 27. The event was held on the football field, just as the sun was setting, on a perfect, breezy night. Seventy-seven students crossed the stage to receive their high school diploma. MAGGIE SAYER PHOTOGRAPHY/Contributed

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4. Sea cucumber Amanda Quasunella plays a colorful guitar at the Underwater Music Festival at Looe Key Reef in September. ASHLEY SCHMIDT/Keys Weekly

5. Capt. Rob Helzer has been planning, plotting, saving and scheming for two years for this day. He’s pictured here with the 488-pound swordfish he landed with friends on May 2. CONTRIBUTED. 6. Acclaimed artist and conservationist Wyland works with Gypsi, a female dolphin at Dolphin Research Center, to create a one-of-a-kind masterpiece. Wyland collaborates with dolphin artists by allowing them to add the very first brush strokes to a canvas before he adds his own. SAMANTHA MERRELL/Dolphin Research Center. 7. From left, Brody Vandervoort, MHS varsity football coach Mac Childress and Malachi Hawkins enjoy the moment as Marathon protects home turf with a 7-0 Homecoming win over Palm Glades. BARRY GAUKEL/Keys Weekly.

MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

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MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021 MANDY MILES

mandy@keysweekly.com

ruise ships and COVID snagged more Key West headlines in 2021 than any other topics (surprise, surprise). But there was plenty of other news — good and bad — to fill the rest of the year’s 52 papers with local people, places, issues, events and opinions. The following is a month-by-month rundown of some of the top Key West headlines, events and issues from the past year. Digital versions of the stories referenced below are available at keysweekly.com. (Note: We have included some of the biggest COVID-related headlines below, but see page 9 for a more complete Florida Keys COVID timeline.)

HEADLINES IN HINDSIGHT

COVID, CRUISE SHIPS & CONTROVERSY COMMAND KEY WEST’S ATTENTION

Florida Keys seniors welcome the COVID vaccine when they arrive in January 2021. All photos are Keys Weekly file photos. JANUARY Remember when the new year was still in its infancy, and we expected to be looking back at COVID in 2021? That clearly didn’t happen. But the news did get better for a bit when vaccines and stimulus checks made their way to the Florida Keys. Of course, relief over vaccine availability for senior citizens quickly gave way to frustration with Florida’s inadequate online appointment portal. Then Florida Sen. Jim Boyd filed a bill to void the island city’s voter-approved cruise ship reductions and so began Key West’s Great Cruise Ship Debate. Also in January: • Sam Steele sworn in as county’s youngest tax collector • U.S. Rep. Carlos Gimenez speaks with Keys Weekly during Jan. 6 Capitol Hill riot • Former County Commissioner Heather Carruthers, who was narrowly defeated by Republican Eddie Martinez, continues her legal challenge of Martinez’s residency in District 3 and thus his eligibility to hold the seat. • Key West police are called to the Simonton Street home of newly elected County Commissioner Eddie Martinez for a domestic disturbance.

Oxitec prepares to release its genetically modified mosquitoes in the Florida Keys. FEBRUARY By February, COVID vaccines were still being made available based on age and vulnerability. School buildings remained closed and Florida Keys parents were getting agitated, wanting to know if their kids could return to the classrooms before the summer break. Also in February: • Debate begins about the name of the public housing complex formerly known as Porter Place Apartments in Key West and its namesake J.Y. Porter’s ties to the Ku Klux Klan. • Oxitec prepares for its genetically modified mosquito control trial in the Keys despite concerns and opposition from residents and community groups. • Monroe County School District is cleared in a lawsuit involving the arrest and attempt by Key West police to handcuff a troubled 8-yearold boy.

Key West singer/songwriter Nick Norman signs with Pump House Records label. MARCH By springtime, Key West’s cruise ship debate continued to divide the island as Sen. Jim Boyd’s bill to overturn the city’s new ship limits looked likely to pass in the Florida Legislature, having survived three committee votes. Safer Cleaner Ships representatives, along with Mayor Teri Johnston, flew to Tallahassee in a private plane to oppose the bill and picket the governor’s mansion. Meanwhile, back on the home front, Key West welcomed college spring break visitors back to its beaches, boats and bars, and the city’s hugely popular bocce league was able to resume play with new COVID protocols in place. Also in March: • Country music star Lee Brice signs Key West music man Nick Norman to his Pump House Records label • A bill regulating liveaboard boaters prompts debate in Tallahassee and Key West that continues today • Residency questions continue for County Commissioner Eddie Martinez; stepdaughter swears in affidavit that Martinez does not live in District 3 • Keys Weekly welcomes Charlotte Twine as senior staff writer

Enhancements planned for Key West International Airport are scheduled for completion in late 2024. APRIL The city of Key West was in need of a new city manager by April, when then-City Manager Greg Veliz announced he would leave City Hall at the end of May to work for the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority. City commissioners appointed Assistant City Manager Patti McLauchlin to serve as interim manager upon Veliz’s departure while they decided how to find a permanent replacement. Also in April: • Keys tourism and bed tax revenues bounce back • Sen. Jim Boyd’s bill to overturn Key West’s cruise ship referendum falters in Tallahassee but is added to a larger transportation bill that awaits the governor’s approval

MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

• Statewide news reports reveal a $995,000 political donation from Mark Walsh, operator of Key West’s Pier B cruise ship dock, to Gov. Ron DeSantis • Rams Head brings big music back to Key West Amphitheater with Sammy Hagar concert • Local musicians play benefit concert for legendary musician Bill Blue • John Spottswood inducted into Florida Law Enforcement Hall of Fame • Worker shortages reach epidemic levels in the Florida Keys • Porter Place public housing complex is renamed to Lang Milian Apartments due to J.Y. Porter’s KKK connections • Key West International Airport reveals plans for a new concourse, covered jetways and an expanded departure lounge • College of the Florida Keys introduces new tortuga (turtle) mascot — Shel the Tuga

Patti McLauchlin becomes Key West’s first official female city manager. JUNE A few good things have come from the coronavirus pandemic, including Key West’s approval of outdoor dining at sidewalk cafes. After initial backlash from restaurants over the proposed fees that would have been the most expensive in the state, city management sat down with restaurant owners to devise a workable plan. Also in June: • Patti McLauchlin becomes Key West’s first official female city manager • School district again talks about employee housing at Trumbo Road headquarters • Keys tourism flourishes in face of COVID • County Commissioner Craig Cates proposes plan to save Poinciana Gardens assistedliving facility — and money — by closing the smaller Bayshore Manor • Larry Schmiegel named Key West High School principal

Poinciana Gardens assisted-living facility on Duck Avenue faced financial trouble in May 2021. MAY While Key West’s interim City Manager Patti McLauchlin settled into the big office at City Hall and took the (supposedly) temporary reins, the city commission hired a consultant to conduct a statewide or national search. And here at the Key West Weekly, The Bubbas: Key West People’s Choice Awards returned with a vengeance following a modified version in 2020 due to COVID restrictions and closures. Also in May: • State transportation bill officially voids Key West’s cruise ship referendums • Monroe County School Board pumps the brakes on employee housing at Sugarloaf School after developer reveals disappointingly high rent prices • Poinciana Gardens assisted-living facility needs financial assistance to stay afloat • Keys hotels, though shorthanded, enjoy some of the highest room rates in the nation • Key West High School’s Class of 2021 graduates at Key West’s Coffee Butler Amphitheater

Radio personality Bill Hoebee (with Carolyn Guarini) narrowly defeats Key West Weekly Editor Mandy Miles for the Bubba Award for Best Local Celebrity. JULY The Key West city commission on July 15 directed City Manager Patti McLauchlin to tell large cruise ships they’re not welcome in Key West. Mayor Teri Johnston and the Key West Committee for Safer Cleaner Ships were adamant that the voter-approved limits should apply to all three port facilities despite City Attorney Shawn Smith’s repeated warnings about the legal ramifications of restricting private business and violating the city’s 27-year contract with Pier B, which pays the city 25% of its cruise ship revenues. Meanwhile, 90 miles south of Key West, COVID concerns prompt rare public protests in Cuba that garnered widespread support from the Keys island chain and launched the #soscuba hashtag.

Also in July: • Key West’s legendary piano man Barry Cuda pushes his last piano across Duval Street • Dan Dombroski, former executive director of the Southernmost Boys & Girls Club, is arrested for allegedly stealing $41,000 from the nonprofit • Country star Brian Kelley of Florida Georgia Line sits down with the Key West Weekly to discuss his new solo album • Welcome back, gold friend: Divers find gold coin on 1622 shipwreck of the Spanish galleon Nuestra Senora de Atocha • Voting reaches fever pitch for The Bubbas: Key West People’s Choice Awards • The Bubbas Awards gala returns to Key West Theater following a 2020 COVID hiatus • Sublime rocks Key West Amphitheater

Local veterans who served in Afghanistan, like Nick Hodge, shared their heartbreak during the United States’ withdrawal. AUGUST August 2021 saw the United States’ tragically inelegant withdrawal from Afghanistan as the extremist Taliban returned to power after 20 years of American protection and improvements in the country. The Keys Weekly spent time speaking with local veterans who had served in Afghanistan, many of whom were gravely concerned about their Afghan friends, drivers and translators who were left behind. Also in August: • Key West seeks outside attorney for cruise ship defense; Safer Cleaner Ships committee claims one law firm has a conflict of interest • Tentative deal struck among Key West, Monroe County and Key West Housing Authority to save Poinciana Gardens assisted-living facility • Air travel hits turbulence at Key West International Airport due to long delays, staffing shortages and an overcrowded departure area • School district breaks ground on new Sugarloaf School • Salary study shows City of Key West pays 12% to 17% less than Monroe County and local utilities • Keys hotels lose staff to labor investigation • Trapper the rescued sea turtle returns to the ocean • Census shows population rise of nearly 10,000 people in 10 years

MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

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Key West’s chief building official held a hearing to determine whether Santa Clara Condominiums on Northside Drive in Key West are safe for habitation. SEPTEMBER In September, Key West shifted its attention, temporarily, from COVID and cruise ships to a condominium with structural concerns. Key West’s chief building official demanded proof that the Santa Clara Condominiums building was safe for habitation in light of significant structural concerns. The 110-unit building on Northside Drive received a reprieve from condemnation but had to agree to submit a repair time line and frequent updates from the building’s engineer. Also in September: • Keys Weekly reveals Florida’s voting laws fail to define any residency requirements • Underwater 9/11 memorial installed on Vandenberg shipwreck off Key West • 13 KWHS students chosen for NYC film festival • 2 men arrested for alleged sexual assault on same woman in separate attacks • Key West passes 5.5% tax hike (budget does not include cruise ship attorney fees) • Governor appoints Holly Raschein to fill the late Mike Forster’s county commission seat

The nonprofit group Families Against Youth Violence dedicates several benches at Nelson English Park in Key West to victims of violence. OCTOBER Key West’s cruise ship conversation changed course a bit in October, when some elected officials started using words like “compromise” once the city learned that Safer Cleaner Ships’ preferred lawyer, Joe Jacquot, had a conflict and could not help represent the city. Commissioner Sam Kaufman suggested formal mediation among the main stakeholders, including Safer Cleaner Ships and private business interests, such as Pier B marina, the Key West Harbor pilots and Caribe Nautical ships’ agent.

Also in October: • School district and state attorney warn that TikTok challenges will be aggressively prosecuted • Keys Weekly welcomes Alex Rickert as editor of the Marathon edition • Twisted Tinsel year-round Christmas store opens in The Shops at Mallory • Grieving parents dedicate park benches in Bahama Village to young lives lost to violence • Key West moves ahead with housing on College Road • Keys women share their breast cancer battles • Schools worry about truancy numbers in light of COVID • Casey Arnold releases Key West Monopoly game • Fantasy Fest returns, minus parade and other events • Traffic crash claims two lives: SUV driver kills woman on moped, then shoots himself

The first two cruise ships since March 2020 returned to Key West on Nov. 27. NOVEMBER November brought all manner of news to the island city — good, bad and bizarre. On Nov. 27, two cruise ships visited Key West for the first time since March 2020, one at Mallory Pier, one at Pier B. And in a disconcerting legislative stunt, an unnamed Florida politician filed an anonymous bill to abolish the City of Key West and transfer all of its assets to Monroe County. (The proposed legislation has gone nowhere but did set the city’s simmering pot of cruise ship contention to a rolling boil.) On a lighter note, Key West Weekly’s fearless leader Britt Myers scored interviews with two of the hottest bands around, Black Pumas and Tedeschi Trucks Band, both of whom played sold-out concerts at local venues in November. Key West Weekly Editor Mandy Miles introduced readers to VFC-111, Naval Air Station Key West’s resident fighter jet squadron whose pilots get to play the bad guys during training exercises. We saluted local veterans on Nov. 11, welcomed the powerboat races back to town and broke the news that the Spottswood family would buy the historic Curry Mansion from the Amsterdam family.

Also in November: • Legendary Pepe’s Cafe passes the torch to new owners Danny and Maura Hughes • Bayshore Manor assisted-living residents move into much newer Poinciana Gardens • ZZ Top rocks Key West Amphitheater; Kid Rock makes surprise guest appearance

Safer Cleaner Ships organizes a protest to oppose the arrival of a cruise ship at Pier B that exceeded the size limits that voters approved but that the state overturned. DECEMBER In more recent history, ’twas the holiday season in Key West and all was merry and bright — provided one didn’t mention cruise ships, masks or national politics. On Dec. 9, Safer Cleaner Ships organized a large demonstration on land and sea to oppose the arrival of a cruise ship at Pier B that exceeded the capacity limits that voters approved but state lawmakers overturned. Key West celebrated the long-awaited opening of the new Community Health Inc. (CHI) health care center in Bahama Village, and officials are currently encouraging local voters to support the Jan. 18 referendum that will allow affordable housing to be built at Truman Waterfront. The Key West holiday parade made a spectacular return after COVID canceled the 2020 event. And a full calendar of holiday performances, tours, boat parades, tree lighting and Santa photos filled Key Westers’ dance cards. Also in December: • Key West pays tribute to World AIDS Day • Friends and relatives honor the lost lives of three Key West icons: Cheryl Cates, Paul Worthington and Jon Allen • Black Pumas christen renewed Parade Grounds at Fort East Martello during COAST Is Clear Music & Arts Festival • “Pope of Trash” John Waters sits down with the Keys Weekly before his Christmas show at Key West Theater • Deputies arrested for fighting with Navy sailors on Duval • Manuel Cabeza’s family thanks Key West 100 years after his death at the hands of the KKK

MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

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AN A & B STORY COTHRON FAMILY INVESTED IN THE KEYS

his column appears weekly because the Florida Keys have more to offer than great is an author, fishing and diving, fantastic speaker, and Florida Keys historian. weather, spectacular sunsets His latest book, and world-famous drinking “The Florida Keys establishments. Skunk Ape Files,” Monroe County and the is a fun blend of Florida Keys are also home to two of his favorite subjects — Florida an incredible and surprising Keys history and breadth of history. Historically the Skunk Ape. speaking, the islands represent an embarrassment of riches, and the more time that is spent admiring all the facets of their stories, two things become increasingly apparent. First, the more time you spend with the history, the more you come to appreciate the full spectrum of the Florida Keys’ story. The scope is extraordinary. The second thing is that you understand the connections shared between the islands. None of the best Florida Keys stories are strictly Key West, Key Vaca, Matecumbe, or Key Largo stories but are, in fact, Florida Keys stories. This is partly because the islands are built atop the skeletal remains of an ancient barrier reef system with a relatively shallow layer of natural “soil” and humus. As a result, the island chain’s flora has learned to spread its roots wide to create a strong footprint rather than digging down into the island. The perfect place to see this demonstrated is in Islamorada, at the Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park. The park is home to several limestone quarries that operated before, during and after Henry Flagler built the Key West Extension of his Florida East Coast Railway. Flagler used the quarry site when he built his train to Key West. In fact, the small railroad town of Quarry developed across what is today the Overseas Highway and in the general area of the parking lot at the roadside attraction called Theater of the Sea.

BRAD BERTELLI

The A & B Docks at Upper Matecumbe Key. JERRY WILKINSON COLLECTION/Contributed

In 1909, one of the railroad superintendents working at Windley Key’s Quarry Station was Reynolds Cothron. The Cothrons arrived in the Florida Keys in the early summer months of 1909 when the family boarded a stern-wheeled paddleboat and moved from the Miami area to the Lower Keys. The patriarch, Reynolds Cothron, was employed by the Florida East Coast Railway and assigned to the Niles Channel Bridge project during the construction of the Over-Sea Railroad. The bridge connected Ramrod to Sugarloaf Key. When an October hurricane blew through, the Cothrons left the bridge project and moved to the Upper Keys. The 1910 census shows the Cothrons living on Upper Matecumbe Key, and by 1920 they were identified as farmers growing Key limes, tomatoes and cantaloupes. The Cothrons, Reynolds and Mary, had nine children. None would leave a more significant impression on the island chain than their firstborn, Edwin Alonzo Cothron. Born June 7, 1904, he would grow up to be a builder who left his mark up and down the island chain and beyond. With his father, he helped construct the coral rock Matheson House on Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park and the trails on the island that are still used on ranger-led tours. Alonzo would later go into business with Berlin Felton. Berlin was born in 1908. His father, Thomas Felton, had arrived in the Key Largo community of Tavernier circa 1905. Berlin graduated from the only high school in the Florida Keys back in those days, Key West High School, and grew up to be something of a jack-of-severaltrades. Twenty-one years later, in 1929, Berlin was building a six-room house north of Tavernier, in Rock Harbor, along the Overseas Highway, where he would move with his new wife, Eloise Carey.

In the early 1930s, he invested in building what became Upper Matecumbe Key’s Rustic Inn. The inn offered clean beds and home-cooked meals as well as cold beverages and gas pumps for those traveling along the Overseas Highway. The inn reportedly served drinks stronger than the law allowed during the Prohibition era. Games of chance were also available. In the wake of the devastating 1935 Labor Day Hurricane, the Rustic Inn was one of the few structures that remained somewhat upright and where members of the local community gathered. After the National Guard moved into the area, it was observed that National Guardsmen were seen attempting to break open slot machines at the inn. Three months after the storm, on December 15, the following advertisement appeared in the Miami Herald: “Rustic Inn, Matecumbe: 5 bedrooms, large dining room, fully equipped. Lease. Owner Berlin Felton.” Alonzo Cothron and Berlin Felton would join forces and create the A & B Fish Company in 1936. A & B, the “A” representing Alonzo and the “B” representing Berlin, would cover a number of businesses up and down the Florida Keys. Among their endeavors, the two raised stone crabs in the abandoned railroad quarry where Theater of the Sea’s dolphins perform today. Their Upper Matecumbe complex was also home to the A & B grocery store, ice house and charter boat docks that offered gas, too. In 1947, they opened the iconic Key West waterfront restaurant A & B Lobster House. Today, it is home to Alonzo’s Oyster Bar and Berlin’s, a speakeasy-styled cocktail bar. Also in 1947, the Rustic Inn was sold and reopened as Islamorada’s worldfamous Green Turtle Inn.

MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

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City of Marathon’s Parks and Recreation Director Anthony Davis demonstrates a pushup on the new Fitness Court. The court features workouts for every fitness level. CITY OF MARATHON/CONTRIBUTED

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he City of Marathon has another tool for residents and visitors who want to maintain or improve their fitness. On Dec. 29, the Parks and Recreation Department opened its new Fitness Court, developed in partnership with the National Fitness Campaign. “If you can’t afford a gym or can’t go for whatever reason, this new court gives you an opportunity to do something on your own time,” said Marathon Parks and Recreation Director Anthony Davis. “It is an all-access pass to come get fit at your own pace, for free.” The court features seven “stations” such as core work, squats, lunges, agility, etc. Users download the free smartphone Fitness Court app using a QR code that is incorporated into the court’s signage. The app features a variety of 7-minute videos of structured workouts tailored to fitness levels from beginner to advanced. The court features seven stations such as core and agility. It’s located at Marathon The Fitness Court is loCommunity Park and open from dawn to 9 cated between the Community p.m. CITY OF MARATHON/CONTRIBUTED Park pavilion and basketball court and is open during park hours, currently dawn to 9 p.m. In the New Year, Parks and Recreation employees will be scheduling group classes to familiarize residents with the facility and its use. In the meantime, residents are free to use the court for self-directed workouts. The Fitness Court was made possible with a donation from Baptist Health Foundation. Stay tuned for details about the ribbon cutting. —Contributed

MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

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MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

KAREN NEWFIELD ... a reader and now a writer, has hundreds of book reviews at: www. readingandeating.com. For questions and comments, email karen@newfield. org.

RESOLUTION READING

FIND MORE TIME FOR READING, TRY A NEW GENRE, RENEW YOUR LIBRARY CARD, LISTEN TO AN AUDIOBOOK, JOIN A BOOK CLUB AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, DON’T MISS THESE THREE FABULOUS NEW MYSTERIES COMING OUT IN 2022.

BEAUTIFUL LITTLE FOOLS By Jillian Cantor In August 1922, Jay Gatsby is found dead in his swimming pool. The lead detective refuses to be fooled by three charming suspects. Daisy Buchanan is beautiful, smart and was raised as a proper Southern Belle. Many years ago, Gatsby was her very first love. Now she hides behind her cheating and lying husband Tom Buchanan. Jordan Baker is Daisy’s lifelong best friend and confidant. She has become a golf sensation and is secretly having a love affair with another player on the team. Jordan would do anything for Daisy, but the question is whether she will sacrifice herself for the truth. Catherine McCoy fled to New York City in hopes of starting a brand new life fighting for women’s equal rights and freedoms, both voting and sexual. She must protect her sister from an abusive marriage and will stop at nothing to transform her future. In this reimagining of the literary classic The Great Gatsby, it is the women who finally take center stage. Filled with the swanky jazz age, romance gone wrong and the women’s suffrage movement, Beautiful Little Fools brings every detail back to life. This original delightful reinvention of our favorite characters is absolutely impossible to put down.

RECKLESS GIRLS By Rachel Hawkins Lux McAllister and super hot Nico appear to be the golden couple. The truth is Lux finds herself frustrated cleaning hotel rooms while Nico spends his days doing odd jobs at the marina. All this work to fix up Susannah, Nico’s sailboat. Life in Hawaii is not exactly what she expected. Meeting sun-kissed Nico brightened her life — it was a no brainer to follow him hoping for the start of their own romantic adventure. When two pretty girls hire Nico and his boat for a ridiculous amount of money, it is too good to pass up. A two week stint to Meroe Island will provide enough cash for Nico and Lux to be free. The foursome meet up with Jake and Eliza — a much too beautiful couple sailing a huge catamaran and only too happy to share expensive food, wine and whatever else may follow. They learn this idyllic location has an eerie history filled with murder and tales of cannibalism. By the time another sailor anchors up in the cove, Lux is on edge. Something is not right and her mind begins to unravel. Romance, sailing and mystery…in this modern day “Lord of the Flies,” no one can be trusted.

THE LAST HOUSE ON THE STREET By Diane Chamberlain Kayla and her daughter finally move into their house at the end of the street. The gorgeous home is located against the dark, dense forest. Both architects, Kayla and her late husband designed every inch with thoughtful loving detail. Sadly, a horrific accident took his life months before completion. Kayla is determined to love their home despite the sadness she feels every time she enters the door. A strange woman with bright red hair stops by her office warning Kayla that no one should ever live in that house. Initially brushing it off as an odd nosey neighbor, Kayla soon becomes seriously frightened when her daughter is found alone in the tree house and garbage is strewn on her lawn. She befriends Ellie Hockley, an older woman who moved away long ago. Back home for the first time in decades, Ellie is nursing her brother and mother, and she too suggests Kayla will never be happy living on that land. Secrets slowly unravel revealing KKK meetings, a forbidden friendship and violence that can never be forgiven. Narrated through history and the ghosts of justice, this thriller will have you on the edge of your seat.

MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

Mainstreaming

WHAT TO DO THIS WEEK

From fictional crime fighters to a Colombian Disney cartoon and a new Star Wars series, we bring you some of the latest releases in the world of books, music, film and TV.

BO’s new show “And Just Like That…” is the next chapter of its age-old hit “Sex and the City.” Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis return as Carrie, Miranda and Charlotte, whereas Samantha has moved to London since Kim Cattrall chose not to reprise her role. In case you’ve been living under a rock this week, the show has spawned controversy and criticism, but a devoted following (what doesn’t these days?). So we bring you…

LISTEN | ENCANTO Following the success of 2016’s “Moana,” Lin-Manuel Miranda reunites with Disney as chief songwriter for “Encanto,” a celebration of family that also pays tribute to Colombia’s rich and diverse musical tradition. There’s another name on the bill that’s exciting and noteworthy: Germaine Franco, the first female-identifying composer to score a Disney animated feature-length film. Listen now on Apple Music.

WATCH | THE BOOK OF BOBA FETT On the sands of Tatooine, bounty hunter Boba Fett and mercenary Fennec Shand navigate the Galaxy’s underworld and fight for Jabba the Hutt’s old territory. Temuera Morrison reprises his role as the galaxy’s most famous bounty hunter after returning to the Star Wars universe in “The Mandalorian.” The seven-episode Star Wars series premiered on Disney Plus on Dec. 29.

READ | CRIMINAL MISCHIEF Best-selling author Stuart Woods, who has owned a home in Key West, just released his latest Stone Barrington thriller, “Criminal Mischief.” After yet another dangerous adventure, Stone Barrington is looking forward to some downtime at his Manhattan abode. But when an acquaintance alerts him to a hinky plot being hatched across the city, he finds himself eager to pursue justice. He sets out on an international chase to catch an enemy more unpredictable than he has ever faced. Buy on Amazon.

REVELATIONS AFTER WATCHING HBO’S “AND JUST LIKE THAT” 10. You can’t believe a show about wealthy white women in NYC isn’t socially relatable in 2021. 9. You just realized it was a show about Karens before you knew what a Karen was. 8. You have no idea what the Nasdaq is, but you’ve been really upset about the future of Peloton stock over the past two weeks. 7. You watched HBO’s “Sopranos” sequel and still thought, “I bet they get it right this time.” 6. You can’t believe a guy who calls himself “Mr. Big” could be accused of sexual assault in 2021. 5. You watched the 2008 “Sex and the City” movie and thought, “I bet they get it right this time.”

4. You just realized Samantha Jones was the only character worth watching, and she bailed out years ago. 3. A Peloton commercial and “And Just Like That…” killed off Mr. Big after one week — but Peloton actually did it because he’s an alleged predator. 2. You watched this show and totally skipped “American Rust” with Jeff Daniels on Showtime. You clearly can’t be trusted with the remote. 1. You are disappointed that a show about the day-to-day social interactions among elite, fashionable white women can be so socially irresponsible, yet you can quote the last six seasons of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.”

MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

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MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

COVID-19 TESTING IN THE MIDDLE AND UPPER KEYS

A surge in COVID cases has strained available testing resources. CONTRIBUTED.

ith a recent surge in COVID-19 testing, the Florida Department of Health in Monroe County has compiled an updated list of PCR and rapid testing sites in the Keys. At this time, the department of health is not among the locations providing any COVID-19 testing. MIDDLE KEYS • Advanced Urgent Care: 13365 Overseas Hwy. #102, Marathon. Patients can preregister for testing and download the antibody screening form at www.urgentcarefloridakeys.com, or call 305-294-0011. • + CHI: Free testing following screening. 305-252-4820 or email KeysCovid19@chisouthfl. org. Make an appointment online at www.chisouthfl.org. 2805 Overseas Highway, Marathon. Drive through Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5 p.m.-6 p.m. • + Good Health Clinic provides diagnostic testing at their Marathon Office: 305-853-1788 at Bayview Medical Building, 13365 Overseas Hwy. #101, Marathon, Tuesdays 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Free testing for current patients and those who qualify. • R AHEC: 305-743-7111 Ext. 210. Testing provided only to students, staff, and limited family members of Monroe County Schools at all school sites. Rapid and PCR tests provided. • + Walgreens; 5271 and 10870 Overseas Hwy. Appointments at www.walgreens.com.

UPPER KEYS • Curative: Appointments at www.curative.com. Free PCR testing, self-collected at Founder’s Park, 87000 Overseas Hwy., Islamorada. Open daily from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. • Advanced Urgent Care: 100460 Overseas Hwy., Key Largo. Patients can pre-register for testing and download the antibody screening form at www.urgentcarefloridakeys. com, or call 305-294-0011. • Islamorada Medical Center: 305-852-9300, 90130 Old Highway, 2nd floor, Tavernier. • + Good Health Clinic provides diagnostic testing at their Tavernier offices: 305-8531788. 91555 Overseas Hwy. #2, Tavernier, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free testing for current patients and those who qualify. • CVS Pharmacy Minute Clinic: 888-300-4419. 99434 Overseas Highway, Key Largo. Drive-Up tests limited, appointments available to patients who qualify. Make an appointment at Minute Clinic. • R AHEC: 305-743-7111 Ext. 210. Testing provided only to students, staff, and limited family members of Monroe County Schools at all school sites. Rapid and PCR tests provided. • R Ocean Reef Medical Center: for Ocean Reef Club members only. 305-367-2600. 50 Barracuda Ln., Key Largo. • + Walgreens: 99501 Overseas Hwy, Key Largo. Appointments at www.walgreens.com.

R Rapid testing also available. + Free testing offered.

— Contributed

BRIEFLY Sheriff’s Office asks not to call 911 for fireworks The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office 911 line is intended for residents to report immediate emergencies, not to report the use of fireworks. Sheriff’s Office 911 Communicators are routinely overwhelmed by non-emergency fireworks calls during holidays, which inundate Deputies on patrol and impact response times on more serious calls. Please only call 911 if there is an immediate safety issue or injured person. Note: A law signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2018 states that shooting fireworks is not a state crime on the following days: Dec. 31, Jan. 1 and July 4. Nonetheless, it’s best to leave the fireworks to professionals. Have a safe and fun New Year’s Eve! Please help keep the Keys clean and safe for everyone. Health Department appoints Fry as nursing director The Florida Department of Health in Monroe County recently announced the appointment of Dr. Carla Fry as its new nursing director. Prior to her appointment, Fry was the director of nursing and health sciences at the College of the Florida Keys. She served as a director of nursing in academic settings for 10 years with 20 years of supervisory experience in her career. Fry is a veteran that served in the U.S. Army as a Sergeant. She received her Ph.D. in nursing from the University of Florida in 2012 and her MSN in nursing and education in 2009 from Jacksonville University. “We are so excited to welcome Dr. Fry into the fold as we continue our efforts in protecting the health of residents and visitors in the Florida Keys,” said Bob Eadie, administrator and health officer for the department. “Dr. Fry was one of the lead coordinators in partnership with the department during the initial roll out of the COVID-19 vaccination events in Monroe County. Florida Keys Day set for Feb. 10 Florida Keys Day is set for Feb. 10, 2022 at the Capitol Courtyard in Tallahassee. Free and open to the public, enjoy seafood and happy hour beginning at 5 p.m. The menu includes conch chowder, fish dip, conch salad, mahi fingers, Key lime pie on a stick and more. Beer and rum punch will also be available thanks to Islamorada Brewery & Distillery. Volunteers sought for tree takedown What goes up must come down. Volunteers are being sought to assist in the take down of the Christmas tree outside the Murray Nelson Government Center in Key Largo.

Stop by on Saturday, Jan. 8 beginning at 9 a.m. Snacks, lunch and drinks will be provided. Students needing community hours are also welcome. Register in advance by calling 305-451-1414 and ask for Bethany. Key Largo library concert series welcomes Feder The Key Largo Library’s Friday Concert Series continues in January with local musician Dave Feder. Set for Friday, Jan. 7 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., Feder will provide his signature blend of Flamenco-infused folk music and laid-back style disguises. Feder plays from his heart, showcasing his talent and influence of island life in the Florida Keys. The series is put on by the Friends of the Key Largo Library. Save the date for Carnivale in the Keys Mark your calendars for Carnivale in the Keys, an evening to benefit Fishermen’s Community Hospital. On Feb. 26 from 6 to 9 p.m., attendees will enjoy an evening of Caribbean food and cocktails, samba music and both live and silent auctions at Oceanfront Park. Tickets are $125. Details and purchase information to follow. Florida Keys Watercolor Society offers January workshop The Florida Keys Watercolor Society proudly announces a three day workshop with renowned Watercolor Artist and Instructor Judi Betts from Baton Rouge, LA. Betts’ use of fragments and snippets of color throughout her work bring an exciting kaleidoscope of color and movement. She has won numerous awards all across America. Workshop dates are Jan. 19-21 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at San Pablo Catholic Church Hall in Marathon. Cost is $350 per artist (bring your own watercolor supplies). All students must show proof of vaccination and masks are required during class. If interested contact Julie Joyce at 305-731-3046 or juliejoyce2@yahoo.com. The society will also hold a new members welcome event at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 12 at the Marathon Community Theatre. Sara Matthis hired as City of Marathon PIO Sara Matthis is the new public information officer for the City of Marathon. “The City is pleased to announce that it has entered into a contract with Sara Matthis to provide service as the City’s new Public Information Officer. Sara’s commitment as a long-time resident of Marathon is evident,” said Marathon’s City Manager George Garrett regarding the part-time position. Matthis has lived in the Middle Keys for almost 30 years. She is married to Mark Matthis and they have two grown daughters, Rachel and Audrey. “I am very excited and proud to serve my hometown of Marathon and spread the word about the City’s good works,” she said. You can email matthiss@ci.marathon.fl.us

MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

11AM TO CLOSE - MON • THURS • FRI CLOSED - TUES • WED 10AM TO CLOSE - SAT • SUN

MLKAR AIDS WESLEY HOUSE FAMILIES

Thanks to the support of their sponsors, the Marathon and Lower Keys Association of Realtors were able to raise $20,000 to assist local Wesley House families. Pictured are MLKAR members with one of the many families adopted by the organization in 2021. As a 501(c)3 not-for-profit since the 1940s, Wesley House Family Services is a nationally accredited organization dedicated to protecting and nurturing children and strengthening families with services spanning Monroe County.

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MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

• CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES •

305.743.0844

PUBLIC NOTICE PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners adopted the following 475- 2021 Resolution on December 8, 2021: A RESOLUTION OF THE MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, FIXING AND DELINEATING THE BOUNDARIES OF THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS’ DISTRICTS NUMBERED ONE TO FIVE INCLUSIVE IN MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA, TO BECOME EFFECTIVE FOR THE 2022 ELECTION CYCLE. Per Florida Statute 124.02 a certified copy of the Resolution is below. A link to the maps can be found @ www.monroecounty-fl.gov/publicnotices. Dated at Key West, Florida, this 16th day of December 2021. KEVIN MADOK, Clerk of the Circuit Court and ex officio Clerk of the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida WHEREAS, it is necessary and required by law to change the present boundaries of County Commissioners' Districts in Monroe County, Florida, pursuant to the requirements of Article VIII, Section 1 (e), of the Constitution of the State of Florida and F.S. 124.01; and WHEREAS, the Board finds that according to the 2020 data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau, there have been sufficient population changes in the Districts established by Resolution 336-2011 to warrant adjusting the District Boundaries; and WHEREAS, County staff has presented the Board with proposed maps demarcating the boundaries for the five commission districts with a maximum deviation of census population of 3.29% between the least and most populous districts; and WHEREAS, the County Attorney has advised the Board that the proposed maps satisfy the constitutional maximum deviation requirements necessary to comply with the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution, see, Evenwel v. Abbott, 578 U.S. 54 (2016) citing Brown v. Thomson, 462 U.S. 835 (1983); NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MONROE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, that, effective for the 2022 election cycle, the County Commissioners' Districts in Monroe County Florida shall be numbered, from west to east, as 3, 1, 2, 4, and 5 and as more specifically described below and shown graphically on the maps attached as Exhibit "A", which is attached hereto and incorporated herein, and shall be designated numerically as is stated hereinafter: SECTION 1. District No. 3 of the County Commission shall comprise a portion of the City of Key West, and an unincorporated area of the County, and shall be more particularly described as follows: That area within the City of Key West and unincorporated Monroe County lying generally westerly of a line described as follows: Commencing at a point on the centerline of 17th Street where it intersects with North Roosevelt Boulevard, a.k.a. U.S. 1, projecting northerly for nine nautical miles into the Gulf of Mexico; and from that same point of commencement thence in a southerly direction along the centerline of 17th Street until it intersects with Northside Drive, thence westerly along the centerline of Northside Drive until it intersects with Kennedy Drive, thence southeasterly for two blocks until the 1100 Block of Kennedy Drive where it intersects with a private road belonging to the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority, thence turning Southwesterly along the centerline of that private road until it intersects with 12th Street, thence southeasterly for one block, where in intersects with Patterson Avenue, thence southwesterly along the centerline of Patterson Avenue until Patterson Avenue intersects with 10th Street, thence southeasterly along the center line of 10th Street until it intersects with Harris Avenue, thence southwesterly along the centerline of Harris Avenue until it intersects with Sunset Drive, thence southeasterly along the centerline of Sunset Drive until it intersects with the Staples Avenue, thence southwesterly along the centerline of Staples Avenue until it intersects with a canal that connects Salt Run Channel to Riveria Canal, thence proceeding southeasterly along the center line of that canal until the canal intersects with the centerline of Flagler Avenue, thence southwesterly down the centerline of Flagler Avenue until it intersects with Government Road, thence turning south down the centerline of Government Road towards the Key West International Airport, until Government Road is parallel to the westernmost edge of the upland portion of the Key West International Airport, thence following the shoreline of the Key West International Airport to the southeast until it intersects with an easement described in Resolution 399-1996, recorded at book 1525, page 1254 of the official records of Monroe County, thence turning south down the centerline of said easement until it intersects with South Roosevelt Boulevard, aka U.S. Route A1A, thence turning westerly down the centerline of South Roosevelt Boulevard aka U.S. Route A 1A until it intersects with Bertha Street, then turning south out into the Atlantic Ocean down the centerline extending from Bertha Street for three geographic miles into the Atlantic Ocean or to the edge of the Gulf Stream, whichever is the greater distance. The area also includes all of Dredgers Key, all islands to the west of Key West including the area known as the Dry Tortugas. SECTION 2. District No. 1 of the County Commission shall comprise a portion of the City of Key West and the unincorporated area of Monroe County and shall be more particularly described as follows: That area within the City of Key West and unincorporated Monroe County, known as Stock Island, Raccoon Key (AK.A. Key Haven), Rockland Key, and Geiger Key lying generally easterly of a line described as follows: Commencing at a point on the centerline of 17th Street where it intersects with North Roosevelt Boulevard, a.k.a. U.S. 1, projecting northerly nine nautical miles into the Gulf of Mexico; and from that same point of commencement thence in a southerly direction along the centerline of 17th Street until it intersects with Northside Drive, thence westerly along the centerline of Northside Drive until it intersects with Kennedy Drive, thence southeasterly for two blocks until the 1100 Block of Kennedy Drive where it intersects with a private road belonging to the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority, thence turning Southwesterly along the centerline of that private road until it intersects with 12th Street, thence southeasterly for one block, where in intersects with Patterson Avenue, thence southwesterly along the centerline of Patterson Avenue until Patterson Avenue intersects with 10th Street, thence southeasterly along the center line of 10th Street until it intersects with Harris Avenue, thence southwesterly along the centerline of Harris Avenue until it intersects with Sunset Drive, thence southeasterly along the centerline of Sunset Drive until it intersects with the Staples Avenue, thence southwesterly along the centerline of Staples Avenue until it intersects with a canal that connects Salt Run Channel to Riveria Canal, thence proceeding southeasterly along the center line of that canal until the canal intersects with the centerline of Flagler Avenue, thence southwesterly down the centerline of Flagler Avenue until it intersects with Government Road, thence turning south down the centerline of Government Road towards the Key West International Airport, until Government Road is parallel to the westernmost edge of the upland portion of the Key West International Airport, thence following the shoreline of the Key West International Airport to the southeast until it intersects with an easement described in Resolution 399-1996, recorded at book 1525, page 1254 of the official records of Monroe County, thence turning south down the centerline of said easement until it intersects with South Roosevelt Boulevard, aka U.S. Route A1A, thence turning westerly down the centerline of South Roosevelt Boulevard aka U.S. Route A 1A until it intersects with Bertha Street, then turning south out into the Atlantic Ocean down the centerline extending from Bertha Street for three geographic miles into the Atlantic Ocean or to the edge of the Gulf Stream, whichever is the greater distance.

And extending east to include all of Stock Island on both sides of U.S.1 and Raccoon Key (AKA Key Haven), until the western end of the Boca Chica Bridge at which point, the district shall only include that territory south of the centerline of U.S. 1 on the Boca Chica Bridge, Rockland and Geiger Keys, ending at a point on the centerline of U.S. Highway No. 1 at the intersection of U.S. 1 and Boca Chica Road, thence heading south easterly down the centerline of Boca Chica Road until it intersects with Geiger Road, then heading easterly along the center line of Geiger Road until it meets the water, then Southeasterly three geographic miles into the Atlantic Ocean or to the edge of the Gulf Stream, whichever is the greater distance; and the boundary shall also extend perpendicularly from the center line of U.S. 1 at the western end of the Boca Chica Bridge out into the Gulf of Mexico for nine nautical miles. SECTION 3. District No. 2 of the County Commission shall comprise a portion of the City of Marathon and the unincorporated area of the Lower Keys of Monroe County and shall be more particularly described as follows: All of the territory lying generally easterly of a point on the centerline of U.S. 1 at the western end of the Boca Chica Bridge with a line extending perpendicular to U.S. 1, Northwesterly nine nautical miles into the Gulf of Mexico and easterly along the northern side of the centerline of U.S. 1 until it intersects with Boca Chica Road, then south easterly down the center line of Boca Chica Road until it intersects with Geiger road, then heading easterly along the center line of Geiger Road until it meets the water, then southeasterly three geographic miles into the Atlantic Ocean or to the edge of the Gulf Stream, whichever is the greater distance, to a point on the Centerline of U.S. 1 at the North end of the Seven Mile Bridge (South shoreline of the City of Marathon) to a line being perpendicular to U.S. Highway No. 1 and extending Southeasterly three geographic miles into the Atlantic Ocean or to the edge of the Gulf Stream, whichever is the greater distance; also the territory lying Northerly of the centerline of U.S. 1 in the City of Marathon, commencing at the North end of the Seven Mile Bridge and extending Northeasterly along the centerline of U.S. Highway No. 1 to a point that intersects the centerline of Aviation Boulevard thence following the center line of Aviation Boulevard until it intersects with Peter Jay Street, then southeasterly along the western edge of Peter Jay Street along the eastern perimeter of the Florida Key Marathon International Airport until the end of Peter Jay Street and continuing in along the eastern perimeter of the Florida Keys Marathon International Airport in a straight line until that line intersects with the centerline of U.S. 1 thence continuing northeasterly for approximately 55 feet until U.S. 1 intersects with 107th Street, Gulf Side, then proceeding northerly along the centerline of 107th Street Gulfside until the canal at end of 107th Street, Gulfside, then proceeding east along the southernmost edge of that canal until it ends at open water, then proceeding from that point due north into the Gulf of Mexico for nine nautical miles. SECTION 4. District No. 4 of the County Commission shall comprise a portion of the City of Marathon, a portion of lslamorada, Village of Islands, all of the City of Key Colony Beach, all of the City of Layton and a portion of the unincorporated area of Monroe County and shall be more particularly described as follows: All of the territory in the City of Marathon that is located east of the Seven Mile Bridge that is South of the centerline of U.S. 1 to the point where it intersects with Aviation Boulevard, then following the centerline of Aviation Boulevard until it intersects with Peter Jay Street, then following the western edge of Peter Jay Street along the eastern perimeter of the Florida Key Marathon International Airport until the end of Peter Jay Street and continuing in along the eastern perimeter of the Florida Keys Marathon International Airport in a straight line until that line intersects with the centerline of U.S. 1 thence continuing northeasterly for approximately 55 feet until U.S. 1 intersects with 107th Street, Gulf Side, then proceeding northerly along the centerline of 107th Street Gulfside until the canal at end of 107th Street, Gulfside, then proceeding east along the southernmost edge of that canal until it ends at open water, then proceeding from that point due north into the Gulf of Mexico for nine nautical miles, and continuing from that point to include the remaining territory of the City of Marathon, inclusive of the Marathon Airport property, and all of the territory Northeasterly of the City of Marathon, inclusive of the City of Key Colony Beach and the City of Layton and extending through most of lslamorada, Village of Island to a point on U.S. 1 where it intersects with the centerline of Sunshine Boulevard in lslamorada, and extending northerly up the centerline of Sunshine Boulevard until Sunshine Boulevard terminates on Tavernier Creek, then extending along the centerline of Tavernier Creek until it meets open water in Florida Bay, then Northerly into Florida Bay for nine nautical miles; also the territory lying Southerly of U.S. 1 to the centerline of Tavernier Creek; thence Southerly along the centerline of Tavernier Creek to the Atlantic Ocean and then to a line extending Easterly three geographic miles into the Atlantic Ocean or to the edge of the Gulf Stream, whichever is the greater distance. SECTION 5. District No. 5 of the County Commission shall comprise the following more particularly described territory of Monroe County: All of the territory lying Northerly of the centerline of U.S. Highway No. 1 where it intersects the centerline of Sunshine Boulevard in lslamorada; thence in a Northerly direction along the eastern side of the centerline of Sunshine Boulevard until Sunshine Boulevard terminates on Tavernier Creek, then extending along the eastern side of the centerline of Tavernier Creek until it meets open water in Florida Bay, then the Northerly into Florida Bay for nine nautical miles; also the territory lying southerly of U.S. 1 commencing on the eastern side of the centerline of Tavernier Creek then to a line extending south three geographic miles into the Atlantic Ocean or to the edge of the Gulf Stream, whichever is the greater distance; plus said area to the east extending to the Monroe County border with Miami Dade County and the area known as the Florida mainland and Everglades. SECTION 6. This resolution with boundary descriptions shall be entered into the minutes of the Board of County Commissioners and, pursuant to F.S.124.02 a certified copy of the minutes shall be published once each week for two weeks in a newspaper published in Monroe County. The Clerk shall send a certified copy of the minutes reflecting the boundaries of the districts as changed to the Department of State. SECTION 7. Interpretation. Any discrepancy between the maps depicted in Exhibit A and the narrative form set forth in this resolution shall be resolved in favor of the maps if clearly depicted on the maps but in favor of the narrative if not clearly depicted on the maps. In the event of any ambiguity regarding the boundaries described herein, this resolution's boundary descriptions shall be interpreted in harmony with the county jurisdictional boundaries set forth at Article II, Section 1(a) of the Constitution of the State of Florida and F.S. 7.44. Exhibit B is a County-wide map showing the districts in general form and is incorporated herein for illustrative purposes only. PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County. Florida at a regular meeting held on the 8th day of December 2021 .

PUBLISH: DECEMBER 23 & 30, 2021 THE WEEKLY NEWSPAPERS

MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

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MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

• CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES • LEGAL NOTICES FICTITIOUS NAME NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of SSS HOMEMAKER AND COMPANION SERVICES located at 15 Diamond Dr, Monroe County in the City of Key West, Florida 33040-5633 intends to register the said name with the Division of Corporations of the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida. Dated at Key Largo, Florida this 17th day of December, 2021. By: William Kyros Saunders Publish: December 30, 2021 The Weekly Newspapers FICTITIOUS NAME NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of SUMMER BREEZE OXYGEN BAR located at 3831 Duck Ave, Monroe County in the City of Key West, Florida 33040-4522 intends to register the said name with the Division of Corporations of the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida. Dated at Key Largo, Florida this 17th day of December, 2021. By: Keys IV Health & Hydration LLC Publish: December 30, 2021 The Weekly Newspapers NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE 11TH STREET OCEAN MINI STORAGE Notice is here by given that on January 8th, 2022 at 10:00 a.m., 11th Street Ocean Mini Storage will be offering for sale under the Judicial Lien Process, By Public Auction, the following storage units. The Terms of the sale will be cash only. 11th Street Ocean Mini Storage does reserve the right to refuse any bids. The sales will be held at 200 11th Street, Ocean, Marathon, Florida 33050. Units to be sold: Unit #1 Unit #2 Unit #5 Unit #24 Unit #27 Publish: December 23 & 30, 2021 The Weekly Newspapers NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING Florida Keys Council of the Arts Notice of Upcoming Meetings The Florida Keys Council of the Arts will hold the following meeting via Communications Media Technology using a ZOOM webinar platform. The access points to view the meeting or for members of the public to provide public input will be: JOIN ZOOM via the Zoom app and use each meeting ID and password listed. Meetings are open to the public, and all are invited to attend. Questions, or to RSVP, please email Liz Young at director@ keysarts.com Grant Panel Review Session January 12, 2022, 10:00 AM Eastern Time Join Zoom Meeting: Meeting ID: 827 8437 6005 Passcode: 331728 Board of Directors & Annual Meeting January 20, 2022, 3:00 PM Eastern Time CRANE POINT HAMMOCK – MARATHON 5550 Overseas Highway

LEGAL NOTICES or Join Zoom Meeting: Meeting ID: 858 8731 6505 Passcode: 422873 Publish: December 30, 2021 The Weekly Newspapers NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING CITY OF KEY COLONY BEACH NOTICE OF CODE AMENDMENT HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the CITY COMMISSION of the City of Key Colony Beach, Florida will hold a Public Hearing on Thursday, January 13th, 2022, at 9:30 a.m., Key Colony Beach City Hall Commission Room, to hear amendments to the City’s Code of Ordinances. The proposed Ordinance to be heard by the City Commission is titled [Ordinance No.: 2021-471], AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF KEY COLONY BEACH FLORIDA, AMENDING LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATION ARTICLE XII – OTHER DEVELOPMENT REVIEW PROCEDURE, SECTION 101172, REQUIRING A MINIMUM THIRTY (30)-TEN (10) DAY WAIT PERIOD BETWEEN THE APPROVAL OF PROPOSED CODE AMENDMENTS BROUGHT BEFORE THE PLANNING & ZONING BOARD AND CONSIDERATION OF THE MATTER BY THE CITY COMMISSION FOR ACTION; REPEALING CONFLICTING ORDINANCES; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR INCLUSION IN THE CODE OF ORDINANCE AND LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. Interested parties may appear at the meeting and be heard with respect to the proposed ordinance. This meeting will be available virtually via ZOOM Meetings. Members of the public who wish to attend virtually may join the Zoom Meeting [https://us02web. zoom.us/j/89770204139]. Copies of the proposed Ordinance are available for inspection at the City Hall of Key Colony Beach. The City Commission requests an amendment to the City’s Code of Ordinances requiring a minimum thirty (30) ten (10)-day wait period between the approval of proposed code amendments brought before the Planning & Zoning board and consideration of the matter by the City Commission for action. Interested parties may attend the Hearing and be heard with respect to the requested code amendment. If any person decides to appeal any decision made by the Commission with respect to any matter considered at the Code Amendment Hearing, that person will need a record of the proceeding and for such purpose may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based. If you are unable to attend the Hearing on Thursday, January 13th, 2022, but wish to comment, please direct correspondence to: City Commission, P.O. Box. 510141, Key Colony Beach, FL 33051, or cityclerk@keycolonybeach.net and your comments will be entered into the record. Silvia Gransee, City Clerk CITY OF KEY COLONY BEACH

LEGAL NOTICES Publish: December 30, 2021 The Weekly Newspapers NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING MONROE COUNTY CONSTRUCTION BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT & APPEALS MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA Notice is Hereby Given to Whom it May Concern that on January 18, 2022, the Monroe County Construction Board of Adjustment & Appeals (CBAA) will hold a special meeting at 9:30AM at the Marathon Government Center, 2798 Overseas Highway, Second Floor, BOCC Room, Marathon, Florida. Communication Media Technology (“CMT”) using Zoom Webinar platform will be available during the scheduled meeting. Zoom Webinar information will be made available on the Monroe County Web Calendar. This meeting is to hear the following: Sandy Esterle, Doug Stitgen & William Clemens, 100 Coral Way, Key Largo: An appeal by the property owner to the CBAA concerning an administrative decision of the Building Official dated 1/29/21 denying the After the Fact building permit application for a homemade cargo lift installed without permits. The subject property is legally described as: The Southerly 51 feet of Lot 28 and the Northerly 39 feet of Lot 29, Less and Except the Northerly 4 feet of Lot 28, THE HARBORAGE, according to the map or plat thereof as recorded in Plat Book 6, Page 46, of the Public Records of Monroe County, Florida. (RE00555011-002800). PURSUANT TO FLORIDA STATUTE SECTION 286.0105, be advised that, if a person decides to appeal the decision made by the Contractors’ Examining Board with respect to any matter considered at today’s hearing, that person will need a record of the proceedings, and that, for such purpose, he or she may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based. ADA ASSISTANCE: If you are a person with a disability who needs special recommendations in order to participate in this proceeding, please contact the County Administrator's Office, by phoning (305) 292-4441, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., no later than five (5) calendar days prior to the scheduled meeting; if you are hearing or voice impaired, call “711”. NOTICE: It shall be the responsibility of each Respondent or other person addressing the Board to bring an interpreter if the party is not able to understand or speak the English language. Rick Griffin, Building Official/ Board Secretary Maria Partington, Senior Coordinator – CEB Board Monroe County Building Department Publish: December 30, 2021 The Weekly Newspapers NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING MONROE COUNTY CONTRACTORS EXAMINING BOARD

305.743.0844

LEGAL NOTICES

MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA Notice is Hereby Given To Whom it may concern, that on Tuesday, January 18, 2022 the Monroe County Contractors Examining Board (CEB) will hold a scheduled meeting at the Marathon Government Center, 2798 Overseas Highway, Second Floor, BOCC Room, Marathon, Florida immediately following the CBAA scheduled meeting which will be commencing at 9:30 A.M. This meeting is to hear the following: any person(s) to come before the board; any reports from Monroe County Assistant Attorney; any reports from Monroe County Building Official; any reports from Staff. The Monroe County Contractors Examining Board (“CEB”) will review Certificate of Competency Trade Applications and public participation in this meeting may be conducted via Communication Media Technology (“CMT”) using Zoom Webinar platform, during the scheduled meeting. Zoom Webinar information will be made available on the Monroe County Web Calendar. PURSUANT TO FLORIDA STATUTE SECTION 286.0105, be advised that, if a person decides to appeal the decision made by the Contractors’ Examining Board with respect to any matter considered at today’s hearing, that person will need a record of the proceedings, and that, for such purpose, he or she may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based. ADA ASSISTANCE: If you are a person with a disability who needs special recommendations in order to participate in this proceeding, please contact the County Administrator's Office, by phoning (305) 292-4441, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., no later than five (5) calendar days prior to the scheduled meeting; if you are hearing or voice impaired, call “711”. NOTICE: It shall be the responsibility of each Respondent or other person addressing the Board to have an interpreter if the party is not able to understand or speak the English language. Rick Griffin, Building Official/ Board Secretary Maria Partington, Senior Coordinator – CEB Board Monroe County Building Department Publish: December 30, 2021 The Weekly Newspapers

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: December 30, 2021. Personal Representative: Eugene O. Ehrenkaufer, Jr. 2888 Spring Dr. Middleburg, FL 32068 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; and 88539 Overseas Highway Tavernier, FL 33070 Publish: December 30, 2021 & January 6, 2022 The Weekly Newspapers

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 PERIOD SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED. The date of first publication of this notice is: December 23, 2021. Signed on this 13th day of December, 2021. Personal Representative: BRENDA J. PASCOTTI 47 Sunset Key Drive Key West, Florida 33050 Attorney for Personal Representative: Lawrence M. Ploucha Attorney for Petitioner Florida Bar No. 296694 BUCHANAN INGERSOLL & ROONEY PC 401 East Las Olas Blvd., Suite 2250 Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33301 Telephone: (954) 335-1592 Email: lawrence.ploucha@ bipc.com Email: terry.hernandez@bipc. com Email: sara.miller@bipc.com Publish: December 23 & 30, 2021 The Weekly Newspapers

Current Mailing and E-Mail Address, Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.915.) Future papers in this lawsuit will be mailed or e-mailed to the address(es) on record at the clerk’s office. WARNING: Rule 12.285, Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure, requires certain automatic disclosure of documents and information. Failure to comply can result in sanctions, including dismissal or striking of pleadings. Dated: December 23, 2021 Kevin Madok, CPA Clerk of the Circuit Court Monroe County, Florida By: Riza Hall Deputy Clerk Publish: December 23 & 30, 2021 and January 6 & 13, 2022 The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION CASE NO.: 21-CP-000076-P IN RE: ESTATE OF EUGENE O. EHRENKAUFER, Deceased. NOTICE TO CREDITORS The administration of the estate of EUGENE O. EHRENKAUFER, deceased, whose date of death was January 24, 2021, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION File No.: 21-CP-000314-K IN RE: ESTATE OF ANTHONY A. PASCOTTI Deceased. NOTICE TO CREDITORS The administration of the estate of ANTHONY A. PASCOTTI, deceased, whose date of death was July 4, 2021, 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

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.: 21-DR-000538-K DIVISION: FAMILY IN RE: THE MARRIAGE OF: NANCY INGRAM, Petitioner/Wife, and, ABRAHAM PERETZ, Respondent/Husband. NOTICE OF ACTION FOR DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE (NO CHILD OR FINANCIAL SUPPORT) TO: ABRAHAM PERETZ LAST KNOWN ADDRESS: SUNSET MARINA, 5555 COLLEGE ROAD, LOBSTER 16 DOCK KEY WEST, FLORIDA 33040 YOU ARE NOTIFIED that an action for dissolution of marriage has been filed against you and that you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to it on Samuel J. Kaufman, Esq., Law Offices of Samuel J. Kaufman, P.A., whose address is 3130 Northside Drive, Key West, Florida 33040 on or before January 24, 2022, and file the original with the clerk of this Court at: 500 Whitehead Street, Key West, FL 33040, before service on Petitioner or immediately thereafter. If you fail to do so, a default may be entered against you for the relief demanded in the petition. The action is asking the court to decide how the following real or personal property should be divided: NONE Copies of all court documents in this case, including orders, are available at the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s office. You may review these documents upon request. You must keep the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s office notified of your current address. (You may file Designation of

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.: 21-DR-000305-K DIVISION: FAMILY IN RE: THE MATTER OF: GUSTAVO PEREZ RAMIREZ Petitioner, And, DELIA MARIBEL URIZAR OXOM, Respondent. NOTICE OF ACTION FOR PUBLICATION TO: DELIA MARIBEL URIZAR OXOM ADDRESS UNKNOWN YOU ARE NOTIFIED that an action for Petition for Dissolution of Marriage has been filed against you and that you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to it on, Attorney for Petitioner, Ashley Benitez, Esq., and the Law Office of Alex Hanna, P.A., 8700 West Flagler Street, Suite 380, Miami, Florida 33174, on or before January 17, 2022, and file the original with the clerk of this Court at: 500 Whitehead Street, Key West, FL 33040, before service on Respondent or immediately thereafter. If you fail to do so, a default may be entered against you for the relief demanded in the petition. Copies of all court documents in this case, including orders, are available at the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s office. You may review these documents upon request. You must keep the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s office notified of your current address. (You may file Designation of Current Mailing and E-Mail Address, Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.915.) Future papers in this lawsuit will be mailed or e-mailed to the address(es) on record at the clerk’s office. WARNING: Rule 12.285, Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure, requires certain automatic disclosure of documents and information. Failure to comply can result in sanctions, including dismissal or striking of pleadings. Dated: December 10, 2021 Kevin Madok, CPA Clerk of the Circuit Court Monroe County, Florida By: Riza Hall Deputy Clerk Publish: December 16, 23, 30, 2021 and January 6, 2022 The Weekly Newspapers

MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

• CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES •

305.743.0844

AUTOS WANTED

EMPLOYMENT

HOMES FOR SALE

MISC. FOR SALE

OFFICE/COMMERC.

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

at 8919 Overseas Highway in Marathon

MARATHON - DUPLEX FOR SALE: 2nd Avenue Gulf, Marathon, FL Call 305-481-1316

FREE - Endless Pool Motor. Pick up in Marathon. Call 305-7314566

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

BOATS FOR SALE

Place your BOAT FOR SALE ad here. Only $25.00/week for up to five lines of copy. Call 305-743-0844 today! EMPLOYMENT

The Marathon Yacht Club is looking to hire a FOH Manager. Friendly atmosphere. Private club. Salary + share in tip pool. Responsible for managing wait and bar staff, ordering and inventorying bar supplies and serving at times.Call 305-743-6739 to schedule an interview.

Immediate job opening for parttime Housekeeper in Key Colony Beach. Mostly weekends. Will offer top pay for right person. Call Continental Inn Beachside Michelle 952-208-2850 Cheryl 305-505-8747

The Marathon Yacht Club is looking to hire a part-time Bookkeeper 16-20 hours per week. Bookkeeping experience required. Additional office duties required. Call 305-743-6739 to schedule an interview.

Help Wanted Big Time Discount Bait and Tackle in Marathoncompetitive wages and working 30-40 hrs a week. Contact George 305-289-0199

The Marathon Yacht Club is looking to hire a Dishwasher. $13/ hr - 30-36 hrs/week. Call 305-743-6739 to schedule an interview.

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 City of Marathon Current Job Openings: Public Works Fleet Mechanic, Utilities Field Engineer and Marina Technician/Pump Out Captain. Full Benefits. EOE Please see City website for details www. ci.marathon.fl.us Food for Thought in Marathon is hiring! FT and PT positions available, customer service, retail and kitchen prep. Healthy lifestyle and good sense of humor preferred. Call (305) 743-3297 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 NOW HIRING: Sweet Savannah's is now hiring for all shifts. Please apply in person

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 Fl Keys Diesel Marathon now hiring: Diesel Technician - C o m p e t i t i v e 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.. Place your EMPLOYMENT ad here for only $25.00/ week for up to five lines of copy. Call 305-743-0844 today !

LOT FOR SALE

OFFICE/COMMERC.

DUCK KEY - DRY LOT For Sale: 106 S. Bahama Drive, Duck Key, FL. Call 305-481-1316 MISC. FOR SALE

SPACE FOR RENT

1,082 SF office space. Renovated Corner Unit for rent in Islamorada. $3,000/month Call 305.712.8888

Place your OFFICE/ COMMERCIAL SPACE FOR RENT ad here for only $25.00/week for up to five lines of copy. Call 305-743-0844 today YARD SALES

Place your YARD SALE ad here for only $25.00/week for up to five lines of copy. Call 305-743-0844 today

MODESTO A. MAIDIQUE CAMPUS FULL-TIME Provide administrative, technical, mechanical and research support to Florida International University's Field Operations Center (FOC). The FOC includes marine and freshwater vessels and trucks on the Modesto Maidique Campus (MMC), Biscayne Bay Campus (BBC) and in the Florida Keys (including Aquarius Reef Base). Apply at careers.fiu.edu (job ID 525568) Questions? Contact Catherine Guinovart at cguinova@fiu.edu

DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM OPERATOR LOCATION: MIDDLE KEYS

The Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority is looking for two (2) D.S.O.s to perform entry-level, semi-skilled work, involving the repair and maintenance of FKAA water distribution and transmission systems. Employee must ensure safe work practices, maintain water flow, and test the water supply. Qualifications: H.S. diploma or GED; supplemented by 1 yr previous experience and/or training as a pipefi‫מּ‬er with a public utility, construction comp, or plumbing company. Must have a valid FL CDL “A” license w/in 12 mos of hire date. Must obtain a FDEP Level 3 license w/in 18 mos of hire date. Salary: $20.52/hr. with excellent benefits. Apply online at: www.﬍aa.com/employment

EEO, VPE, ADA

TEMPORARY DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM OPERATOR LOCATION: MIDDLE KEYS

The Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority is looking for four (4) temporary D.S.O. to perform entry-level, semi-skilled work, involving the repair and maintenance of FKAA water distribution and transmission systems. This position could lead to a regular, benefited position in the future. Employee must ensure safe work practices. Qualifications: H.S. diploma or GED; supplemented by 1 yr previous experience and/or training as a pipefi‫מּ‬er with a public utility, construction comp, or plumbing company. Salary: $25.00/hr. Apply online at: www.﬍aa.com/employment

EEO, VPE, ADA

Shell World Key Largo, seeking engaging, dependable, experienced person(s) to work with the team at Mile Marker 97.5, Full-time and part-time opportunities available, some weekend and evening hours. Opportunities for advancement, great benefits, competitive salary and flexible hours. Please stop by and fill out application or Fax resume to 305-852-9639.

DUI Evaluator Part-time – Marathon

The Advocate DUI Program is hiring for a part time position. DUI evaluator - 2 days a week, Bachelors or Masters degree with experience in substance abuse field required. Bilingual preferred, not required. Office located in Marathon. Contact Marcia at (305) 704-0117.

Busy Key Largo Dive Center has immediate openings for

BOAT CAPTAINS $1,500 SIGNING BONUS

HOBBIES/COLLECT.

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

FLEET OPERATIONS & MARINE MECHANICAL SUPERVISOR

SECURITY GUARD W/ LICENSE Duck Key

Experience Required. Paid per trip plus tips & sales commission.

$20/hr / PT / 8pm to 4am

Send resume to resumes@rainbowreef.com

786-615-5522

Ralons Security Lic# B1500167

MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

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

FULL TIME OPENING CUS TOMER S ERV I CE RE PRE S ENT A T I V E Coordinate aircraft transactions with customers and the line service technicians Professional customer service skills and the ability to work a flexible schedule, including weekends and overtime as needed, are required Pay rate $17-$19/hr depending on experience, excellent beneﬁts, and a fun work environment

Contact Will Zimdars will@marathonaviation.com

The Turtle Hospital in Marathon IMMEDIATE OPENINGS:

FULL or PART-TIME EDUCATION PROGRAM GUIDES GIFT SHOP SALES

FULL or PART-TIME OFFICE ASSISTANT

EOE/Drug-free workplace

Send resume to: turtlehospitalmarathon@gmail.com

New Year, New Career! Positions Available In: Branch • Accounting • Maintenance Administrative Support • Underwriting

EOE/Drug-free workplace

The Guidance/Care Center, Inc. a division of

THE GUIDANCE/CARE CENTER, Inc.

IS HIRING! KEY LARGO

Behavioral Health Therapist (Children) Behavioral Health Counselor, FT (Children) Substance Abuse Counselor, PT (Adult) Driver PT/per diem

KEY WEST

Behavioral Health Therapist, FT (Children, Adult) Behavioral Health Counselor (Children) Peer Support Specialist Crisis Counselor Case Managers (Adult, Forensic, Children ) Motivational Support Specialist Substance Abuse Counselor Driver PT/per diem

Greet and fuel aircraft Prior aviation experience preferred Clean driving record required

Contact Will Zimdars will@marathonaviation.com

Apply online at mytomthumb.com/employment

“Uplifting the human spirit since 1973”

L I NE SERV I CE P E RSONNE L

Pay rate $17-$19/hr depending on experience, excellent beneﬁts, and a fun work environment

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Hands-on experience with spreadsheets and accounting software, proficiency in English, MS office and QuickBooks

Public Speaking & Retail/Sales Experience Helpful

FULL TIME OPENING

TEXT “MYTOMTHUMB” TO

MARATHON Admissions Specialist

Salaries Starting at $18/hr

Health, Dental, Vision & Life Insurance

Fun, Fast-Paced Environment

Tuition Reimbursement

Quarterly Cash Proﬁt Sharing

Paid Holidays, Vacation & Sick Time

Great Hours

401K Employer Match

Apply Online! KeysBank.com/Careers

Care Coordinator Maintenance Specialist Housekeeper Behavioral Health Therapist (Children) RNs and LPNs (3 shifts) (PT/FT & per diem) Advocate (PT) Driver PT/per diem *Assisted Living Support Worker (PT) *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 have the education, this is the job for you!

Background and drug screen req.

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

Member FDIC

EOE-M/F/V/D

Equal Housing Lender

MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

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

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

Dolphin Research Center is Hiring! Media & Marketing Staff Member (Full-Time, Permanent)

Education Program Host (Full-Time, Permanent)

IT Technical Specialist (Part Time, Permanent)

Visual Communications Staff (Full-Time, Permanent)

Human Resources Assistant (Part-Time, Permanent)

Guest Services Staff

(Full-Time/Part-Time, Temporary/Permanent)

Facilities Maintenance Apprentice (Full-Time, Permanent)

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 & resume to drc-hr@dolphins.org EOE

MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Pigeon Key is seeking dedicated professionals seeking to make a positive impact in their community. Those individuals who wish to work on a uniquely beautiful island , while promoting our cultural history and preserving the natural Keys environment are encouraged to apply. Competitive wages based on ability and experience. Applicants will be subject to criminal background check and drug screening. Positions include: Trolley Operator (CDL licensing course provided for qualified applicant) Tour Guides, Sales Associates, Customer Relations Reps, Maintenance, Rental Associates and more. Application online at pigeonkey.net - under the Staff icon. Or apply in person at the Pigeon Key Gift Shop, 2010 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL. Questions and completed applications can be emailed to pigeonkey@aol.com

TRANSFER STATION OPERATOR PART TIME AND FULL TIME OPPORTUNITIES W/FLEXIBLE SCHEDULES HOUSEKEEPING ALL POSITIONS, GREAT PAY AND INCENTIVES CULINARY ALL POSITIONS AND LEVELS OF EXPERIENCE WELCOME F&B SOUS CHEF, SERVERS AND FOOD RUNNERS/BARBACKS FRONT OFFICE BELL/VALET, RELIEF NIGHT AUDIT RESERVATIONS OFFICE RESERVATIONS AGENT SPA TERRE SPA COORDINATOR NAIL TECHS AND LMT’S SALES CATERING SALES MANAGER SCAN TO VIEW JOB OPENINGS.

APPLY TODAY! APPLY ONLINE AT www.noblehousehotels.com/careers APPLY IN PERSON AT Zero Duval St. Ocean Key Resort and Spa is EOE.

Monroe County Solid Waste Management is looking for a responsible applicant for the Cudjoe Key Transfer Station, MM 21.5. The primary function of this position is to weigh vehicles in and out of transfer station and maintain transfer station property. Qualifications: High School Diploma or GED, working knowledge of computers and other office equipment, and a Florida Driver’s License Class B CDL within 6 months of hire. This position is designated as a safety sensitive position. An employee in this position is subject to the mandatory Department of Transportation drug testing program which involves random drug testing. Starting salary: $37,559.76 plus benefits. For more information, contact Human Resources at: Careers@monroecounty-fl.gov or call 305-394-4966. APPLICATION AVAILABLE AT: www.monroecounty-fl.gov via the position link on our employment page. Veteran’s Preference Available; E.O.E.

TRANSFER STATION OPERATOR

in Marathon

full -time Educational Program Guide /Gift Shop Sales. Public speaking & retail sales experience helpful. 4 Send resume to: Turtlehospitalmarathon@gmail.com

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

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

Diesel Mechanic Truck Helpers CDL Drivers Applicants must apply in person to be considered. 4290 Overseas Hwy, Marathon

SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS NEEDED! Monroe County School District

Monroe County Solid Waste Management is looking for a responsible applicant for the Long Key Transfer Station, MM 21.5. The primary function of this position is to weigh vehicles in and out of transfer station and maintain transfer station property. Qualifications: High School Diploma or GED, working knowledge of computers and other office equipment, and a Florida Driver’s License Class B CDL within 6 months of hire. This position is designated as a safety sensitive position. An employee in this position is subject to the mandatory Department of Transportation drug testing program which involves random drug testing. Starting salary: $37,559.76 plus benefits. For more information, contact Human Resources at: Careers@monroecounty-fl.gov or call 305-394-4966. APPLICATION AVAILABLE AT: www.monroecounty-fl.gov via the position link on our employment page. Veteran’s Preference Available; E.O.E.

Salary $18.00 - $25.80/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

MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

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Key West

SOLAR DONE RIGHT! CALL US FOR A FREE HOME ESTIMATE

When it comes to solar and power storage for your home in the Florida Keys, turn to the Florida Keys Local Experts at SALT Energy. A division of SALT Service, serving The Keys since 1989

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305.896.3599

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SP3102

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When It Rains It Pours!

CGC1523838

MARATHON

KEY LARGO

GENERAL CONTRACTORS & ENGINEERS

SPALLING EXPERTS

Proud member of:

INTERNATIONAL

CONCRETE REPAIR INSTITUTE

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

Tewes ewes Mortgage

Your local, residential lending expert!

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Liz Samess Interiors

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Liz Samess

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NMLS# 375025 Tewes Mortgage NMLS# 1453791 NMLSConsumerAccess.org

www.TewesMortgage.com

Interior Designer

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(954) 801-7883 interiordesignbyliz@gmail.com

Marathon, FL 33050

Sportfishing Adventures

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info@johnnymaddoxcharters.com

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305-743-7454

fkes2011@gmail.com floridakeysexpressshuttle.com

305-481-3259

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

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

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

Lic#SP-3562

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We Do Installations! Licensed & Insured

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MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

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

Petersen Repair & Maintenance • Flooring • Inside Trim Work • Door Replacement • Landscaping • Fencing

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

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

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

Karen Raspe

Realtor 305-393-9010 karenraspe@bellsouth.net

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

Licensed & Insured #SP33799

ALL KEYS GLASS

We Also Repair & Replace Patio Door Screens

RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL Windows • Doors

305-998-8953 Insured • Professional • Reliable

305-743-7800

Authorized Dealer

Tracy Chacksfield Realtor

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

CGC1523838 312-350-4601 tracy@thebeautifulkeys.com

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

Lic No. SP1481

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SPALLING

When It Rains It Pours!

EXPERTS

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

Key West 305-292-2666

MARATHON

305-743-0506

KEY LARGO

305-852-5356

rainsavergutters@gmail.com

I come to you!

Helping Paws Grooming Services

330.727.6264 Janet White

Professional Groomer

George Cannon • 410-598-1913 cannonstage@gmail.com

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

Lic#SP-3562

Rachel Sanderson Rachellynnes94@gmail.com 305.393.3076

SALES

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

GENERAL CONTRACTORS & ENGINEERS

We Do Installations! Licensed & Insured

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

289-3019

Michael Kiraly

Mortgage Lender Supervisor NMLS# 675432 MKiraly@My100Bank.com Direct: (305) 942-1756 Office: (305) 676-3019 11400 Overseas Hwy, Suite 214 & 215 Marathon, FL 33050 MY100BANK.COM | Centennial Bank

The Weekly Newspapers www.KeysWeekly.com

305-743-0844

2728 North Roosevelt Blvd. Overseas Market Key West

Proud member of:

INTERNATIONAL

CONCRETE REPAIR INSTITUTE

MARATHON / UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / DECEMBER 30, 2021

UPCOMING EVENTS

PETER MAYER

STARS & PROMISES CHRISTMAS TOUR AT KEY WEST THEATER

MARC BROUSSARD

JUDY COLLINS

AT KEY WEST THEATER

JAN 8 & 9 2022

JAN 12TH 2022

RODNEY CROWELL

GAELIC STORM

AT KEY WEST THEATER

DEC 27TH 2021

KETCH SECOR (OF OLD CROW MEDICINE SHOW) & MOLLY TUTTLE AT KEY WEST THEATER

JAN 22

2022

JAN 23RD 2022

JAN 16TH 2022

KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD

& CHRISTONE “KINGFISH” INGRAM AT COFFEE BUTLER AMPHITHEATER

PRICE IS RIGHT LIVE

REBELUTION

AT COFFEE BUTLER AMPHITHEATER

MARCH 26 2022

JUNE 5TH 2022

FEB 5TH 2022

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