37 minute read
improve fl ow
PRIORITY PROJECTS
Village sends road improvement wishes to county
JIM McCARTHY
jim@keysweekly.com
Congestion and crashes are creating problems on the 100-plus miles of road that connect the islands of the Florida Keys. Now, county officials are developing a transportation plan in hopes to move cars more efficiently and reduce incidents on U.S. 1 from Key Largo to Key West.
A transportation plan recently developed with consultants AECOM shows just over 180 proposed projects that could be included in future work plans for the Florida Department of Transportation. They include everything from feasibility studies to examine intersections and possible reconfigurations to bridge repairs and modifying light signal times.
Of the projects, 58 are already included in FDOT’s five-year work program.
Out of the list of proposed studies and improvements come 15 projects that the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners would like FDOT to prioritize for the Florida Keys in the years to come. Of those, several are specifically related to deal with traffic through Islamorada. One proposes a study between MM 77 and MM 83 to determine the need for turn lanes and possible improvements to Old Highway. The study would include review of possible improvements to the highway to “better serve as a frontage road that promotes safety and other modes of transportation through installation of bike lanes and walking paths.”
As a resident on the Old Highway, Councilman Mark Gregg said he doesn’t want to see the road used to spread U.S. 1 traffic during busy weekends and holidays. Gregg said such a move is promoting cars to pull off U.S. 1 onto the Old Road, only to return back onto the main highway.
“It actually slows the traffic down worse than if they had just stayed in line,” Gregg said, adding that he’d promote use of the Old Road as a “local-only road.”
“For those of us who live on the other side, sometimes that’s the only way we can get around on the weekend to get the few little things we need,” he said.
Another proposal seeks to install shelters at designed bus pull-off areas and stops along U.S. 1 in the Keys. Funds were included in Islamorada’s budget for fiscal year 2021-22. Councilman Henry Rosenthal said his list of things to work on this year include comfortable bus stops for workers who are often waiting for the bus in the sun, and at times, in the pouring rain.
“Service is our most important product. We’re very much dependent on the people who serve this community,” he said. “Until it was brought to my attention a year ago, I didn’t pay too much attention to it. But if you really pay attention, it’s a disservice to our workforce coming out of the county.”
Another seeks FDOT to prioritize converting Snake Creek Bridge to a high-level fixed bridge to keep traffic moving. A study on possibly replacing the bascule bridge with a fixed bridge continues, according to FDOT. The project kicked off in 2017. Residents had the chance to review four options and provide public comment during a May 2019 public meeting at Founders Park Community Center.
A project development and environmental study is the next step, according to FDOT spokeswoman Tish Burgher. That study is in FDOT’s five-year work program for fiscal year 2026. The estimated cost for the study is $2 million.
“A PD&E Study takes about two years to complete,” she said. “Subsequent project phases, including final design, right-of-way acquisition and construction are not currently programmed or funded. If the project proceeds beyond PD&E, final design will be programmed and last about two years as well.”
Another project on the county’s list seeks a weigh-in motion upgrade for trucks that need to weigh their load before traveling further south.
Islamorada officials recently weighed in with additional proposals for the county to consider in its list of priority projects. They include moving FDOT’s weigh station by Snake Creek Bridge to an alternate location. Before traversing the bridge, dump trucks and semis are often required to pull off U.S. 1 to weigh their load before getting back onto the highway via a merge lane. The area gets congested with a drawbridge stopping traffic at the hour to let larger boats pass through.
Adding bike paths and walkways on bridges within the village, expanding shared use paths along U.S. 1 to allow for multiple methods of riding through the village and adding raised medians at certain locations like Upper Matecumbe Key were other proposals Islamorada officials are putting on their priority list.
They also acknowledged some projects in the plan that they wished to take out, and that included a study to determine the need for a bypass bridge between Snake Creek and Tea Table Relief Key.
“I don’t think that’s a go,” said Councilman Buddy Pinder.
Councilman David Webb said the village’s “wish list” will require working alongside county and state officials over years in order for such projects to move forward. But he said there isn’t one recommendation in the entire transportation master plan that would reduce the number of cars in Monroe County. Webb proposed language within the village’s approved resolution of desired projects, which states that there needs to be cooperative efforts from all levels of government to determine whether the carrying capacity of the Florida Keys has been reached or breached. Webb’s amendment was approved by the council.
“You can parse the words and change lanes and timing on lights, but the overwhelming problem with traffic in Monroe County is the actual number of cars,” Webb said. “We need to be part of the dialogue with the county and the state to make sure that our residents' interpretation of what carrying capacity means in our community is part of the discussion. I don’t want the county or state to tell me we can take 300 or 400 homes in Islamorada because they determined the carrying capacity can support that.”
Kim Matthews, Monroe County senior director of strategic planning, said the master plan started some 18 months ago. It’s funded by FDOT for use to gather ideas for their five-year work program. Matthews said it’s all part of the process to formalize a relationship with FDOT on an ongoing basis.
“This is a collaborative process with all municipalities so that everyone has a voice,” Matthews said.
Vehicles slowly make their way through Islamorada. JIM McCARTHY/Keys Weekly
Monroe County strategic planner Kimberly Matthews, left, speaks with Islamorada resident Sue Miller before the meeting. JIM McCARTHY/Keys Weekly
COMMISSIONER RACE HEATS UP
Raschein, Peixoto file to fill rest of Forster’s term
CHARLOTTE TWINE
charlotte@keysweekly.com
Upper Keys residents Holly Raschein and Jose Peixoto have both filed to run for County Commissioner, District 5, and serve the remainder of Commissioner Mike Forster’s term.
When Forster passed away from COVID-19 in September, Raschein was chosen by Gov. Ron DeSantis to temporarily fill Forster’s seat.
However, according to Florida statutes, if a vacancy occurs in a county commissioner seat and the remainder of the term is 28 months or longer — as in Forster’s case — then at the next general election a candidate will be elected to fill the term’s remaining time. The election will take place on Nov. 8, 2022.
Republican Jose Peixoto, 61, is originally from Brazil and is a 30-year Key Largo resident who raised three children in the Keys with his wife, Bianca. He provides maintenance for Key Largo and Ocean Reef houses. However, he follows local politics closely, and though he has yet to win an election, he has run for Florida Keys Mosquito Control District 5, Florida State Representative and U.S Congress.
His first campaign was in 2010 for the mosquito district, and he decided to run because he was concerned about the high salary of the staff. The county issues that concern him are affordable housing, the environment and the transparency of the Tourist Development Council’s (TDC’s) budget.
“I think some of the money the TDC has should help the sheriff,” he said. “We live surrounded by water, the Florida Keys are a gateway for drugs, and the sheriff doesn’t have a full marina. I want the county commission to report to voters how the TDC money is used.”
Peixoto is concerned that Raschein, also a Republican, does not follow party lines.
“I get accused of running a negative campaign because I bring up the record of opponents,” he said.
He pointed out that during her time as a state representative, Raschein voted against legislation mandating that parents have to be advised if their child has had an abortion.
“I don’t believe abortion is birth control,” Peixoto said. “That’s the point of being a Republican. We are conservative people, and we vote pro life, all the time.”
Raschein, 41, of Tavernier, is the government relations director for AshBritt. Previously, she was term-limited from the State House in 2020 after serving four terms.
Raschein was born in Anchorage, Alaska, and moved to Florida in 1999 when she attended Florida State University. She graduated with a degree in political science. She also has a master’s in public administration from Florida International University. She has a 9-year-old son enrolled in the Keys school system.
Raschein would like to fight for a clean environment, responsible development and resilient infrastructure.
“I never forget I find myself in a position I never wanted to be in — having to step into the shoes of Mike Forster,” she said. “I will never live up to his legacy, but spend every day trying. But I am honored that our great Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, felt I was the best person in the Keys to pick up his torch. On the other hand, Mr. Peixoto is a perennial candidate, having run in every election cycle since 2010. It would be disrespectful to my constituents to distinguish his comments with a response. My 20 years of service to Monroe County — as a legislative aide, a member of the Florida House, chairman of two House committees dealing with environmental issues, and a member of the Florida House Republican leadership team — stands on its own, and I am excited at how this new challenge as a county commissioner is unfolding. … I am privileged to serve the people of Monroe County.”
Holly Raschein Jose Peixoto
By Mandy Miles and Jim McCarthy
COVID NOT FILLING HOSPITAL BEDS IN KEYS
HOSPITALIZATIONS, NOT CASE COUNTS, BECOMES PREFERRED METRIC FOR SOME
As the highly contagious Omicron variant makes positive COVID tests the rule rather than the exception, experts point to hospitalizations rather than case counts as the most reliable metric to gauge the pandemic’s threat in a community.
The Keys Weekly compiled those numbers from Florida Keys hospitals.
As of Jan. 19, Lower Keys Medical Center had eight patients with COVID, according to LKMC spokeswoman Lynn Corbett-Winn said. That’s down from late last week when 16 COVID patients were being treated.
“We are in yellow status, which denotes a deviation from our normal operations for facilitation of patient transfers to higher levels of care outside of our community,” Lower Keys Medical Center CEO David Clay said. “We have been able to care for our current surge. We have sufficient bed capacity and have the ability to flex up and down with our COVID census. We don’t designate (a specific number of) beds for COVID because we use industry-standard isolation protocol with COVID patients. The hospital continues to perform elective procedures to take care of our community.”
As of Jan. 19 in the Upper Keys, Mariners Hospital reported 12 COVID patients in-house. The number remains the same from last Friday. Across the Baptist Health South Florida system, 646 patients with COVID-19 were being treated.
CEO Drew Grossman said health system officials have been watching it closely since the New Year.
“And we will continue to do so,” he said. “Staff is working really hard and we can all just pray this comes to an end someday.”
Fishermen’s Community Hospital in Marathon typically transports its COVID patients to Mariners, and as of Friday had no COVID-related admissions.
For those still monitoring case counts, the City of Key West is conducting extensive testing in partnership with Keys AHEC (Area Health Education Center). From Dec. 30 to Jan. 12, AHEC conducted 1,918 tests and reported 598 positives, or a 32% positivity rate, City Manager Patti McLauchlin said.
Per a Florida Health Department report, 430,297 new cases of COVID-19 were reported between Jan. 7 and Jan. 13. That’s up 8.5 percent from Dec. 31 to Jan. 7, when 396,353 positive cases were recorded.
In Monroe County, 1,644 new cases of COVID-19 were recorded. Eighty-three percent of the population is vaccinated to put the Keys at second place in Florida. Only Miami-Dade has a higher vaccination rate, 94%.
CHARLOTTE TWINE
www.keysweekly.com
FAMILY OFFERING $25,000 REWARD
JASON HEATH WAS LAST SEEN ABOARD HIS BOAT ON NOV. 22
Heath was last seen on his Panga around Sugarloaf Key on Nov. 22. CONTRIBUTED Heath was wearing a navy blue short sleeve shirt, gray shorts, prescription sunglasses and Keen sandals. He is 5-foot-7-inches tall. CONTRIBUTED
The family of Jason Heath is now offering a $25,000 reward for the return of Jason, his Panga boat or information leading to their return. Jason was last seen taking his 25-foot blue Panga center console boat, with a white Suzuki 150 hp motor, out of Sugarloaf Key at around 2 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 22.
An extensive search was conducted by the U.S. Coast Guard, Florida Fish and Wildlife, Monroe County Sheriff and community volunteers. The Coast Guard’s active search was suspended after six days. But his family is forging on. Per the website findjasonheath.org, which his sister, Allison, created, “we are continuing the search for our son, brother, and uncle.”
“The decision to suspend the search for any missing person is among the hardest the Coast Guard has to make,” said Captain Adam Chamie, commander of the Coast Guard’s Sector Key West. “There are a number of factors that influence that decision and the preceding search, including sea state, currents, temperature, time since distress, and what the person is wearing, among others. We input these factors into our Search And Rescue Optimal Planning System in our Command Center, which helps us determine how best to deploy our small boats, cutters, and helicopters to find the missing person. We work tirelessly during every SAR operation to maximize our probability of success to bring the missing person home.”
Coast Guard crews searched approximately 15,380 square miles, roughly 1 1/2 times the size of Maryland.
According to a Coast Guard press release, Heath’s father, Jim, reported to the Coast Guard on Tuesday, Nov. 22, at about 3:30 p.m. that his son was late in coming back from his boat trip. Jason was last heard from around noon on that day.
A Monroe County Sheriff officer conducted a welfare check at Jason’s home. The family’s 25-foot blue center console was missing, but Jason’s wallet, vehicle and his three dogs were found at the residence.
“Our sincere condolences go out to the family and friends of Jason Heath,” said Capt. Adam Chamie, commanding officer, Sector Key West. “The decision to suspend a search is never easy.”
On that day, 35-year-old Jason was wearing a navy blue short sleeve shirt, gray shorts, prescription sunglasses and Keen sandals. He is 5-foot7-inches tall. After receiving his cell phone data, the Coast Guard and the family deduced from his phone’s last ping from Cudjoe Key Tower at 3:15 p.m. that he was probably on his way home through Bow Channel to Tarpon Creek cut.
However, locals say that there was a squall in the area at about that same time. Allison feels that her brother’s disappearance is related to this squall, though other possibilities do go through her mind.
“The water is shallow,” she pointed out. “We would have found him and the boat pretty quickly at this point. I hate to go speculate on all the possibilities — whether someone stole the boat?”
She said that Jason was in a positive state of mind, looking forward to making the 21-hour road trip to New Jersey to visit the family, and his new niece Stella, for Thanksgiving that week. His car was half-packed for that journey. The family feels that he was just taking his Panga out for a short jaunt before finishing preparing for the road trip.
“My brother loves giving gifts,” Allison said. “He was trying to figure out what to give Stella for Christmas. Now we’ll never know. He asked, ‘What does she like?’ He hasn’t been around many babies before. ‘What do you get a 6-month-old?’”
Allison said that when she first discovered her brother was missing, she was in a state of shock. ”The best way to describe it is, you feel like you’ve had a concussion. You’re disoriented, and you don’t know what’s going on. Now I created the website and keep it updated.”
Allison is savvy with computers since she is a technical director for a children’s hospital in Philadelphia, near where she lives in Hammonton, New Jersey. Her brother, Jason, lived full-time in Sugarloaf and worked remotely for a tech company.
The Heath family is trying to do their best to cope during this time. “I’ve been reading a lot about ambiguous loss,” Allison said. “I’m definitely keeping in mind he’s probably gone, but maybe he’s somewhere disoriented. How much time goes by before you resolve things in your brain? It’s been really hard for my parents. They don’t want to do this stuff — that’s why I’ve talked to reporters.”
Adam Linhardt, director of media relations for the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, declined to discuss the possibility of criminal activity connected to Jason’s disappearance. “I can’t comment on the investigation,” Linhardt said. “Detectives are still looking into it. It wouldn’t be appropriate to make any further statement.”
The Heath family would appreciate any information that can help them fill in the timeline of Jason’s Nov. 22 boat trip or find any physical evidence that would help bring them closure. Please contact them with any leads at 609-380-8147 or FindJasonHeath@gmail.com. Or message his sister, Allison Heath, directly on Facebook.
Contractors at a Key Largo canal restoration project show State Chief Resilience Officer Wes Brooks, Monroe County Administrator Roman Gastesi, and Monroe County’s Chief Resilience Officer Rhonda Haag how silt is removed from poor water-quality canals. KRISTEN LIVENGOOD/Monroe County
STATE OFFICIALS VISIT KEYS
Tours show resiliency work
Wes Brooks, newly appointed state chief resilience officer, and Adam Blalock, Florida Department of Environmental Protection deputy secretary of ecosystem restoration, met with county officials recently to discuss local resilience and water quality restoration efforts.
Monroe County Commissioner Holly Raschein, County Administrator Roman Gastesi, Monroe County Chief Resilience Officer Rhonda Haag, County Engineer Judy Clarke and Legislative Affairs Director Lisa Tennyson thanked Brooks and Blalock for the state’s support in the efforts. The group then toured two Key Largo neighborhoods included in the Statewide Flooding Resilience Plan, Twin Lakes and Stillwright Point, and visited an active canal restoration project funded through the Florida Keys Stewardship Act.
“This allowed staff to give a broad overview of Florida Keys’ environmental and resilience challenges and how the county is proactively meeting the challenges,” said Gastesi. “Monroe County can be a model for other coastal communities in resilience and restoration efforts.”
Brooks and Blalock also spoke to residents, like Stephanie Russo, in the Twin Lakes neighborhood. Russo showed how sea-level rise affects her and her neighbors’ quality of life when the roads are inundated with up to 2 feet of water, at one point, for 90 consecutive days. Brooks, who is familiar with the Florida Keys and its unique challenges, said the Florida Keys are a special place and need to remain special for generations to come.
Haag discussed more than a decade of resilience work the county has been involved with and explained recent updates to the nearly completed Roadway Vulnerability Analysis and Capital Plan. The plan uses environmental and human-use factors in assessing the flooding vulnerability of 300 miles of county roads.
“The vulnerable roads are across the entire Florida Keys; therefore, we will need a united front to move forward on funding and construction alternatives given our preliminary assessments,” she said.
Clarke explained why neighborhood-wide flooding mitigation is not easy nor inexpensive. “Water management, stormwater road runoff, and residential properties all have to be considered,” she said. “We wish it were as simple as raising the road, but it isn’t.”
The Monroe County Board of County Commissioners and Tennyson will continue working with these and other agency officials to advance the county’s legislative priorities, including continued support of the Florida Keys Stewardship Act, which funds water quality projects and conserves environmentally sensitive land, and the legislative approval for funding of county projects on the new Resilient Florida list.
— Contributed
Key Largo resident Stephanie Russo meets with State Chief Resilience Officer Wes Brooks and Florida Department of Environmental Protection Deputy Secretary Adam Blalock to explain the effects of sea-level rise in her neighborhood.
FLORIDIANS FIGHT FOR DESSERT DESIGNATION
MANDY MILES
mandy@keysweekly.com
As if there weren’t enough arguments in the world today, a Florida state senator from the Plant City area wants the Florida Legislature to designate strawberry shortcake as Florida’s official dessert, potentially usurping Key lime pie, which has been the state’s official pie since 2006.
A trio of Key West residents – David Sloan, Paul Menta and Vice Mayor Sam Kaufman – have formed the Conch Republic Key Lime Pie Council and launched a hilarious, and well-researched, online petition titled, “Keep Key Lime Pie As Florida’s Dessert.”
The petition suggests, “Strawberry shortcake shall be designated Florida’s official cake, and Key lime pie shall remain Florida’s official pie. Together they can share the limelight as Florida’s official desserts.
“If Senator Burgess and the residents of Plant City contest this bill, the dispute shall be settled under the official bylaws of the Conch Republic, requiring a duel at high noon between the vice mayors of Key West and Plant City, each armed with only their favorite dessert.”
The pie council members are hoping Florida Keys residents will get behind their initiative and sign the online petition that reads as follows:
WHEREAS: Senator (Danny) Burgess has filed a bill to designate Strawberry Shortcake as Florida’s Official Dessert.
WHEREAS: Key Lime Pie is a native Floridian dessert that originated in the Florida Keys, and Strawberry Shortcake is a non-native dessert that originated in Europe.
WHEREAS: Key Lime Pie was designated the Official State Pie of Florida in 2006 and has served proudly as the de facto State Dessert for 16 years, and Strawberry Shortcake has never received a state designation.
WHEREAS: Florida has prepared at least four world-record Key lime pies and served the mammoth pies in Key West, Boston, Atlanta, the Governor in Tallahassee, and Good Morning America, and Florida has prepared only one world-record Strawberry Shortcake, served only to people in Plant City.
WHEREAS: The current world record Key Lime Pie title is held by Florida. The Philippines holds the world record Strawberry Shortcake title.
WHEREAS: Key Lime Pie reminds people of sun, sand and tropical breezes, and Strawberry Shortcake reminds people of an early 1980s cartoon character owned by a Canadian corporation.
WHEREAS: Key Lime Pie is celebrated in song by Kenny Chesney with the lyric: Big white sail / Red sunset / Lobster tail and don’t forget / My, my, my – my Key Lime Pie, and Strawberry Shortcake is celebrated in song by R. Kelly with the lyrics: Band-Aids for my knees / Girl set the table / Now let me feast / Strawberry Shortcake.
WHEREAS: Key Lime Pie is ingrained in the American presidencies of Taft, Hoover, Truman, Eisenhower, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Clinton, Bush, Obama, and Trump, and Strawberry Shortcake is not.
WHEREAS: Key Lime Pie and Strawberry Shortcake are both delicious.
NOW, THEREFORE: BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA: STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE SHALL BE DESIGNATED FLORIDA’S OFFICIAL CAKE, AND KEY LIME PIE SHALL REMAIN FLORIDA’S OFFICIAL PIE. TOGETHER THEY CAN SHARE THE LIMELIGHT AS FLORIDA’S OFFICIAL DESSERTS.
If Senator Burgess and the residents of Plant City contest this bill, the dispute shall be settled under the official bylaws of the Conch Republic requiring a duel at high noon between the Vice Mayors of Key West and Plant City, each armed with only their favorite dessert.
Prepared by: David L. Sloan, Paul Menta and Vice Mayor Sam Kaufman, Key West, Florida.
Scan the code with a smartphone camera to go to the change. org online petition.
KEYS HISTORY & DISCOVERY CENTER PRESENTS . . . HEMINGWAY AND BIMINI:
Presented by Dr. Ashley Oliphant, Associate Professor of English, Pfeiffer University Sponsored in memory of Robert L. Mitchell Join Dr. Ashley Oliphant for an engaging walk through the 1930s big-game fishing adventures of author Ernest the 1930s big-game fishing adventures of author Ernest Hemingway. Oliphant, a longtime Hemingway Society member and a recently retired Full Professor of English, interviewed the and a recently retired Full Professor of English, interviewed the last living men who fished with Hemingway to put together last living men who fished with Hemingway to put together her groundbreaking 2017 book, “ her groundbreaking 2017 book, “Hemingway and Bimini: The Birth of Sport Fishing at ‘The End of the World.’ Birth of Sport Fishing at ‘The End of the World.’” Her archival research, funded by a grant from the Hemingway Society, took research, funded by a grant from the Hemingway Society, took her to Bimini, Boston and Dania Beach in search of the archival her to Bimini, Boston and Dania Beach in search of the archival evidence that would tell the full story of the years known as evidence that would tell the full story of the years known as “The Camelot of Big-Game Fishing.” Oliphant’s work uncovered “The Camelot of Big-Game Fishing.” Oliphant’s work uncovered evidence that altered the known Hemingway timeline and filled evidence that altered the known Hemingway timeline and filled in the portrait of Hemingway’s happiest years in the crystal blue in the portrait of Hemingway’s happiest years in the crystal blue waters of the Bahamas. waters of the Bahamas. Now Offered In Person and Virtually!
Wednesday, Jan. 26
In-person registration closes Tuesday, Jan. 25. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.; Presentation begins at 6 p.m. Cash bar and light appetizers available. Free for members. Non-members: In person, $10; Virtual only, $5.
NEW THIS SEASON:
Advance online registration is required whether attending in person or participating virtually. To register visit www.KeysDiscovery.com/lectures. Capacity limitations in place. Registration for virtual participants can be made up to one hour before the start of the lecture.
Florida Keys Keys History & Discovery Center at the Islander Resort Conference Center, Islamorada, MM 82, Oceanside
For additional details, e-mail programs@keysdiscovery.com or call 305-922-2237.
Keys History & Discovery Center is operated by Florida Keys History and Discovery Foundation, a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization.
Open Daily 11-11pm 20 Locally y B Brewed d on D Draf ft Ciders, Craft Cocktails, Wine and More! Large Selection Authentic Mexican Food Truck of Brewery Huge Outdoor Beer Garden & Games Merch Brewery Tours Mon. & & Fri. 2pm
Apply for a Keys Visa® Credit Card with NO Annual Fee and 2.9%APR* on new purchases and FREE Balance Transfers for the first 6 months!*
Visit any branch in Key West at 3022 N. Roosevelt Blvd. and 514 Southard St. and in Stock Island, Big Pine, Marathon or Tavernier Towne Center. KeysFCU.org • 305-294-6622
*Subject to credit approval. Restrictions may apply. Limited to balances transferred from other financial institutions within the first 6 months of card issuance. After which a variable APR up to 18% will apply, based on credit history and card selection. Everyone who lives or works in the Florida Keys is invited to join! See us for details.
Rebate Program for Residential Solar Window Tinting up to $200 Credit on bill for FKEC Members!
WHAT A DEED
Irecently spent some quality time in a third-floor room at the public records office on Whitehead Street. The repository holds the documentation of every property deed ever drafted in Monroe County, sans what seems likely to have been a few that slipped through the Bubba cracks, were lost or destroyed by fire, hurricane, or silverfish.
The object of my desire was a needle in a haystack — a property transaction that may have occurred in 1945, 1946 or 1947. At least the property deeds from this period were generally typed, so there was only a little bit of the squinting and headtilting that tends to occur when reading through 19th century handwritten documents.
The room is Spartan with concrete walls and beige, metal shelves lined with old albums. They are filled with the stiff pages of deeds and other official records. The pages are black and white, but it is the page that is black and the writing, typed or handwritten, that is white. The albums, worn with decades of use or disuse, are surprisingly heavy. Also, they have all been copied and are available to view on endless reels of microfilm.
The room has six small desk-sized cubicles, two wide and three deep. Four can be used to examine documents under a modicum of privacy. One desk cubicle houses a computer screen, and the cubicle next door is equipped with the necessary machinery required to project microfilm onto that computer screen.
Closer to the metal shelves holding the deed books are two small tables clearly designed for those shorter legs encountered in grade school classrooms. I prefer to flip through the pages rather than navigate the cumbersome microfilm and start with the physical copies of the deed books, pulling one tired album after another from the shelf and setting them on the child-sized table. Flipping through the pages, scanning each for the hint of a name or location that could be linked to the property in question is an eyeball-blurring experience, especially for someone who eclipsed the half-century mark more than a handful of years ago.
People stream in and out with questions about legal documents in the other room. It is impossible not to listen. At one point, I hear a man with a deep, clear voice say, “I’m looking for a copy of my divorce papers.”
“Okay,” the employee says. “What year was your divorce?”
“I don't know.”
“Okay,” the employee says. “What was your wife’s name?
“I don't know.”
“You don’t know your wife’s name?”
“No.”
My head cocked toward the open door connecting the two rooms. If I’m not careful, I might miss the document I came here to find.
Having looked at each and every Monroe County property deed from 1945 and 1946, a couple of things became apparent. First, an inordinately large number of transactions were for “$10 and other good and valuable considerations.”
I do come across two significant properties that sold for a great deal more than $10. First, there is the property deed from what will become known as North Key Largo’s Ocean Reef, referred to in the deed as the Ocean Reef Camp. The Tropical Isles Club Inc. owned the property, whose trustees were N.W. Jeran, D.K. Miller and Glen C. Mincer. On Sept. 25, 1945, they sold the approximately 113-acre property to Seaboard Properties Inc. of Minneapolis, Minnesota. The purchase price of $20,000 included a galley and dining room, main cottage, two cabins, a toolbox, skiffs and one Nassau sailing dinghy. The second significant sale was detailed in a warranty deed dated March 14, 1946. Taver and Eloise Bayly sold to Berlin and Mary Eloise Felton Lot 1, Square 5 for $30,000. The property is described as “commencing at a point 129 feet from the corner of Front and Simonton streets, and running thence in a Northeasterly direction 273 feet to the waters and harbor of Key West; thence along the waters of said island in a Southeasterly direction 216 feet; thence in a Southwesterly direction 328 feet; thence in a Northwesterly direction 108 feet; thence at right angles in a Northeasterly direction 55 feet; thence at right angles in a Northwesterly direction 108 feet to the point of beginning.” The A & B Lobster House sits on that waterfront property today. The “A” in A & B stands for Alonzo Cothron, and the “B” Berlin Felton. After two trips to Key West and hours of sitting at that child’s desk peering at page after page of documents, I was about to give up any hope of finding the record I was searching for when, lo and behold, the needle in that haystack finally revealed itself.
BRAD BERTELLI is an author, speaker, and Florida Keys historian. His latest book, “The Florida Keys Skunk Ape Files,” is a fun blend of two of his favorite subjects — Florida Keys history and the Skunk Ape.
Inventory list from the Ocean Reef Camp property sale of 1945. CONTRIBUTED
RETIREMENT PARTY HONORS LONGTIME FWC OFFICER
There were plenty of laughs and stories shared as family, friends and fellow officers gathered for the retirement party of Florida Fish & Wildlife Officer Bobby Dube, center with hat and holding plaque, at the Elks Lodge in Tavernier on Jan. 15. Dube, who first worked with Florida Marine Patrol, which was combined with FWC in 1999, retired last November after 32 years. “It was great to see so many friends and family and fellow officers travel long distances to make it to the party in these crazy times,” Dube said. “I am truly humbled. You have no idea what it meant to me and my family.” JOAN SCHOLZ/Contributed
BRIEFLY
The Kennedys to perform at library
Accomplished musical duo, The Kennedys, will perform on Jan. 22 at 2 p.m. at Key Largo Library, 101485 Overseas Highway. The concert is free and open to the public. For more information, visit keyslibraries.org.
Grassy Flats mangrove cleanup and volunteer appreciation party planned
Kick off the New Year with CoastLove and Grassy Flats Adventure Park for a cleanup of the mangroves and coastal areas surrounding the park on Saturday, Jan. 22 from 9 a.m. to noon. Grassy Flats is located at 59300 Overseas Hwy., Marathon.
After the event, Bongos Cafe will be sponsoring a volunteer appreciation party. Organizers say, “You will have to join us to see what they have in store.”
Education vendors will be set up to highlight the ecological wonders of the Keys and educate on the conservation challenges we face. Bongos Cafe and Grassy Flats are leaders in sustainability in the Keys with beautiful natural surroundings.
Please wear comfortable clothes and closedtoe shoes that you don’t mind getting wet and dirty.
Water in coolers will be provided. Volunteers are asked to bring a reusable water bottle. and Bimini: The Birth of Sport Fishing at 'The End of the World'” by Ashley Oliphant, retired professor of English, author and Hemingway scholar. Guests can attend in person or virtually. Advanced registration is required.
Join Oliphant for an engaging walk through the 1930s big-game fishing adventures of author Ernest Hemingway. Oliphant, a longtime Hemingway Society member and a recently retired full professor of English, interviewed the last living men who fished with Hemingway to put together her groundbreaking 2017 book, "Hemingway and Bimini: The Birth of Sport Fishing at 'The End of the World.'" Her archival research, funded by a grant from the Hemingway Society, took her to Bimini, Boston and Dania Beach in search of the evidence that would tell the full story of the years known as "The Camelot of BigGame Fishing." Oliphant's work uncovered evidence that altered the known Hemingway timeline and filled in the portrait of Hemingway's happiest years in the crystal blue waters of the Bahamas. For advanced registration, whether attending in person or virtual, go to www.KeysDiscovery.com/ lectures. Registration for virtual participants can be made up to one hour before the start of the lecture. In-person registration closes on Tuesday, Jan. 25 to ensure adequate seating and appetizers.
Doors to the Discovery Center open at 5:30 p.m., with the presentation beginning at 6 p.m. Cash bar and light appetizers available prior to presentation. Lectures are free for members. For non-members, cost for in-person is $10 and virtual participation is $5.
MARVIN DANIEL BARRETT
Marvin Daniel Barrett was born April 15, 1954 to Carla and Bert Barrett in Hialeah, Florida. The family moved to Key Largo in 1968 where Bert, a contractor, built their home on the basin of Key Largo Fisheries. His father then began a new career in lobster fishing. Marvin attended Coral Shores High School where he excelled in sports, particularly football, where he played defensive end and offensive line for the varsity team. There he earned great respect and friendships from his fellow players and classmates. He graduated from Coral Shores in 1972 and quickly took up the trade of plastering, as well as learning the art of boat building, and lobster fishing, from his father.
In January 1976, Marvin married Linda Iwaniec and began to plan for a family. Providing for a family only strengthened his profound work ethic. He built two homes before starting his own business, Marvin Barrett Plastering. He operated this business for many years, plastering not only residential, but also commercial buildings such as the K-mart-Publix shopping center, Key West Naval facilities and what is now Bakers Cay Resort.
Although the plastering business was very successful, he many times would relay the words, “Once a fisherman, always a fisherman,” as the ocean kept calling him back. With this in mind, he took a break from his perfected "mud slinging" and began intervals of lobster trap fishing, boat building, and home construction, which he continued the rest of his days. In these trades, he was second to none.
Many of you might remember some of his boats, the “Lin Mar,” "Starvin Marvin," and “Ballyhoo” 1 & 2. Marvin also helped any friend needing a hand with their boat build-outs. His good friends could still hear his words, “there's the right way, the wrong way, and the Marvin Barrett way.”
In the early ’80s, Marvin had two daughters. He was a revered father, yet encouraged his daughters to have fun, Keys style, with four-wheelers, boats, snorkeling and fishing. At the same time, he impressed upon them the value of hard work, honesty and community building skills.
Marvin loved to spend time with his friends going to boat races, hot rod car shows, sightseeing at the sand bar, or a good ride on his Boss Hoss. One might say, however, that his most relaxing memories would be made just enjoying the company of a good friend or two on a Sunday morning at Doc’s Diner or lunch at Mrs. Mac’s.
Even though Marvin's life was cut short way too soon, he lived each day to its fullest and accomplished more than most could ever imagine. He will be missed dearly by his daughters and families, Cheryl & Craig McBay, Jocelyn & Brian Tiedemann, and grandchildren Evan, Lana, Ivy, Lacey, Arlo and Rose. Not to mention the love from all his other family members and friends he shared so many special memories with.
Our Dad, Our PaPa, Our Marvin. May you rest in peace and always enjoy the ocean breeze.
Mainstreaming
WHAT TO DO THIS WEEK
Take a deep dive into the herculean efforts to connect all the Keys to the mainland, fly through the air with the champion cheerleaders of Navarro and get reacquainted with Elvis Costello.
READ | LAST TRAIN TO PARADISE
This book is now 20 years old. but it’s an engaging, thorough and stunning history, which reads like a novel, of Henry Flagler’s final major project — the railroad connecting the mainland and the Florida Keys. Weaving the dominant themes of Flagler’s vision and nature’s obstinance, author Les Standiford pulls real drama from a project that should have failed many times over. The Monroe County Library has several copies, in print and ebook format.
WATCH | CHEER
For those living under a rock, Netflix’s docu series “Cheer” saved many Americans from the doldrums at the start of the pandemic, when we were isolating in place and worried about toilet paper. After the debut of “Cheer” in January 2020, many viewers were surprised to be enthralled by the story of national champion cheerleaders at Navarro Junior College in Corsicana, Texas, and their coach, Monica Aldama. The series displayed the athleticism, discipline and sheer charisma of Aldama and her team. Now the series is back with new episodes, and it does not blink as it shows how national fame — and criminal allegations — affected the cheerleaders and their coaches. Riveting television. Stream on Netflix.
LISTEN | ‘THE BOY NAMED IF’ BY ELVIS COSTELLO
Elvis Costello’s new “The Boy Named If” is his purest dose of rock & roll since maybe “Blood & Chocolate.” Where that 1986 album teems with resentment and untrammeled ire, “The Boy Named If” feels exuberant. Costello is playing with familiar building blocks — pumped-up riffs, fleet wordplay, an omnivorous musical appetite — yet often assembling these elements in fresh, unexpected ways.
Angel Romano, tenor, Amy Owens, soprano, Pat Key, FLKCA associate, Norman Werbner, association's program director, Samantha Hankey, mezzo soprano, Weston Hurt, baritone, Richard Fu, piano. ASTA KRASKOUSKAS/Contributed
A NIGHT OF OPERA
FLKCA opens 52nd concert season
ASTA KRASKOUSKAS
www.keysweekly.com
The Florida Keys Concert Association (FLKCA) opened its 52nd season with a phenomenal concert of arias from well-known operas. The concert was sponsored by the Schmitt family in memory of Alan G. Schmitt.
The residents and their visiting guests had an opportunity to spend the night enjoying beautiful sounds of music. As every year, An Evening of Opera Highlights was a hit. Four talented opera singers charmed the audience with their voices and execution.
The evening started with Samantha Hankey, mezzo soprano, and Amy Owens, soprano, singing a duet from Richard Strauss’ “Der Rosenkavalier.” After two women’s solo performances, Weston Hurt, baritone, and Angel Romero, tenor, captured audience’s attention with their amazingly performed duet from Bizet’s “The Pearlfishers,” which is about two friends swearing allegiance to one another. The concert culminated with arias and ensembles from Giuseppe Verdi’s opera “Rigoletto.” Richard Fu was the pianist for the concert.
Sally Bauer, a season ticket holder and a big fan of operas, said, “I thought it was fantastic. An incredible range of voices and everyone played their role well. A nice venue. Norman Werbner (program director) does a fantastic job selecting a program. This season’s production is awesome.”
The next FLKCA concert welcomes Fred Moyer, piano, who will play the much-loved Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No.1. Moyer’s first concert will be Jan. 24 at Marathon High School. His second concert will be Jan. 25 at Coral Shores High School. Both concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. Tickets at the door cost $30 per concert. At Moyer’s concert music lovers will also have a chance to buy a $90 season ticket for the remaining five concerts. For more information visit at floridakeysconcerts.com.
