Lobster mini season day 1

Sam Lapinsky, Monroe County Sheriff’s reserve deputy, measures a lobster during a stop. JIM McCARTHY/Keys Weekly Two men are stopped along the shore at Indian Key Fill. Monroe County Sheriff’s marine deputy Nelson Sanchez measures 12 undersized lobsters during a stop at Indian Key Fill. All lobsters were returned to the water.

TWO MEN DEAD ON FIRST DAY OF MINI-SEASON

Incidents earlier in week claim two more lives

JIM McCARTHY

jim@keysweekly.com

Issuance of warnings, citations and some advice were among several steps Monroe County Sheriff’s marine deputy Nelson Sanchez took during the start of a two-day lobster mini-season in the Upper Keys on July 27. In the Lower Keys, law enforcement said two men died while on the water.

Even before lobster mini-season, law enforcement reported two separate onthe-water incidents this week that resulted in the deaths of a 53-year-old man and 27-year-old man.

The sheriff’s office reported two deaths that occured in the Lower Keys on July 27. A 51-year-old Tampa man died after losing consciousness in the water Wednesday just north of Key West. The incident happened around 12:30 p.m. after the man was reported unresponsive in the water near Bluefish Channel. CPR was initiated on the man and continued by the U.S. Coast Guard. The man was pronounced dead at Lower Keys Medical center. An investigation is ongoing and autopsy results are pending.

A 64-year old Garland, Texas man died on July 27 after collapsing in a boat on the gulfside just north of MM 3. The sheriff’s office said Gregg Leon Dietz was standing in a 32-foot rental vessel when he collapsed around 12:30 p.m. Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation officers took Dietz to the U.S. Coast Guard Station Key West. He was transported to Lower Keys Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. An investigation is ongoing and autopsy results are pending.

Less than ideal conditions on the oceanside of the Upper Keys pushed a majority of boats to the bayside. Lobster hunters packed the waters just beyond Plantation Yacht Harbor and around Channel 2 Bridge in Islamorada.

“I’ve never seen so many boats out here,” said Pastor Tony Hammon as he came into Plantation Yacht Harbor marina from a successful lobster trip with his grandson, Sawyer.

In the Upper Keys, morning stops by Sanchez and Sam Lapinsky, reserve deputy who spent 15 years with the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, came with some education on the rules, including the need for a diver-down flag when diving and measuring lobster while in the water, not on the boat.

But one stop by Sanchez led to citations against some Georgia men fishing near Indian Key Fill. Sanchez spotted some lobster hunters under the bridge when he noticed two undersized lobsters in a bag. He directed three men back to the boat where three other men were hanging out.

A search of the boat well found that of 30 lobsters, 12 were undersized. Sanchez told the group a large number were “grossly undersized.”

“The law states you must measure them in the water. You can’t put them on your boat and then measure them. That’s not how it works.”

Catching undersized lobster is a misdemeanor. Three men will come back in August to face the judge.

“You guys gotta play by the rules,” Sanchez said. “I don’t like all this paperwork, and I’ve got more that I have to do after this.”

No arrests were made during the first day of the lobster mini-season. Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission issued several resource tickets.

“It’s been steady, lots of stops,” said Jason Rafter, FWC public information officer.

Before the two-day lobster sport season even began, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation reported on July 25 that they were checking two vessels near Stock Island when an officer was advised that a snorkeler hadn’t surfaced. Search efforts were initiated by FWC units and aircraft and the Coast Guard and went several hours before they recovered the body of a 27-year-old man from Port Orange, Florida. FWC said preliminary information indicated head trauma from a possible vessel strike. An investigation is ongoing into the incident.

On July 26, a 53-year-old Englewood, Florida man died during a snorkel trip in the Lower Keys. According to the sheriff’s office, Kale Dailey was snorkeling in Sawyer Channel with a group around 11:24 a.m. when he told others he wasn’t feeling well. He returned to the vessel, but his conditions worsened as others helped him onto the boat.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission responded and brought Dailey ashore to Blimp Road on Cudjoe Key. Dailey was pronounced dead at the scene. The sheriff’s office said foul play is not expected to be a factor. The investigation is ongoing and autopsy results are pending.

The two-day lobster mini season concludes Thursday, July 28 at midnight. Commercial lobster season begins Aug. 6.

REFRAMING HOSPICE

New program provides better quality of life for local residents

MELINDA VAN FLEET

www.keysweekly.com

What do you think of when you hear the word hospice? The Keys Weekly recently sat down with Vivian Dodge, executive director of Chapter’s Health Hospice for Monroe County, to learn about the history and all the incredible ways hospice can help an end-oflife patient and their family.

There was a hospice in the Florida Keys for well over 30 years and it folded in early 2018. That not-for-profit license was set idle, and the state of Florida realized that the residents of Monroe were not being served well without a hospice program—it was an unmet need here. So, Chapters Health System contacted the state and applied for that license, and we are honored to have been awarded that license.

We are a community-based not-forprofit hospice. Our parent company is Chapters Health System, one of the largest notfor-profit healthcare organizations in Florida and lower Georgia. The Keys affiliate is one of the newest hospice programs, and we were awarded our license In December of 2020 by the agency for health care administration in the state of Florida. Since then, we've been operational and have met with wonderfully warm reception from the residents and other visitors to the Keys about our services.

I have been a registered nurse for nearly 40 years and have been working in the hospice environment for the last 20 years. Chapters Health contacted me to be the executive director and help us get started. Since I love to start new programs and problemsolve, having the opportunity to create a brand new hospice from ground zero was very exciting.

Our team has a lot of experience and all work throughout Monroe County. Our medical director, Dr. Joanne Mahoney, has been in hospice for 32 years and has her own private practice in Key Largo and a clinical manager who has worked in hospice for about eight years. Our chaplain has been working in hospice for almost six years. We also have nurses who've been with us a couple of years, a social worker, and a bereavement coordinator. Altogether, it's a phenomenal team that gives our patients and families stellar quality care.

The care they receive depends on the patient needs and what visit frequency they like. So, it varies depending on the individual patient and what the family puts together. The hospice philosophy is patient-centric for people with a terminal illness and their families and individuals facing the end-of-life issues. So a focus of hospice is on comfort care, pain management, symptom management and the emotional aspects of one's disease within the context of maintaining the quality of life for that dying patient and their family.

This model of care where the team provides care is unique to hospice. Patients' and their families' wishes are honored with support, guidance and heart-felt concern. We believe there is a lot of living to do in the last chapter of life. But, the end of life is as important as the beginning of life.

Many people think that hospice is just for cancer patients or the elderly, but hospice care is for anyone with a life-limiting illness and all ages. There is also ongoing support, such as coping mechanisms, for the family for up to 13 months.

We provide the personal care and medical management of the disease— pain or symptom management, medical equipment, oxygen, hospital bed, bedtime commode, wheelchair, walker, medical supplies and more. We also help with those difficult conversations about their mortality and funeral arrangements.

A not-for-profit mission and philosophy are to care for individuals who need us regardless of their socio-economic or financial status. In the past year, Chapters Health System as a whole has provided over $5 million in charity care. That's the distinction about being a not-for-profit; the profit we make goes back into programs and services versus paying out shareholders.

We care for patients wherever they reside — private homes, condos, boats. We help with in-home safety suggestions and can help with various agencies such as Meals on Wheels and provide some extra supplements. We find a way to make it happen.

We also offer a few other special programs. One is a legacy program where my team will work with the hospice individual and ascertain if there is anything they would like to be remembered for in their life and leave a legacy for their family. Another is a valor program in which we honor veterans and first responders who are under our program with a special recognition ceremony. And one of our favorite team members is a basset hound named Elvis, and it's just amazing to see the bond between animals and humans. Even those individuals who may have Alzheimer's or severe dementia, when this dog is next to them, you see their eyes light, creating a calming effect.

Our families become part of our circle, so we try to promote and encourage our hospice team to do self-care. Whatever it is they like to do — fishing, boating, running. Whatever resonates with our team members, so they rejuvenate their spirit, and we try to tell the family members as well. You have to take care of yourself.

One of our challenges in hospice is late referrals. Many individuals in our society feel or believe that hospice is just for your last few days of life, and that's a myth. Hospice is a very rich benefit, and the patient and the family can benefit if they're on hospice for months. Someone can be admitted to hospice if their physician feels they have a six-month prognosis or less, but patients can live longer and have a better quality of life under hospice.

What's important to know is that hospice allows the natural progression of the body to happen, so we affirm life and neither postpone nor hasten life. We are another option of health care for people with a life-limiting illness. I would love to change the mindset and society's viewpoint around hospice.

We hear all the time from family members after the fact, "I wish we would have known about hospice sooner; we would have benefited much more if we knew about hospice months ago."

More information is at chaptershealth.org/ and on Facebook @ChaptersHealth.

Front row, from left, Vivian Dodge, executive director; Elvis, pet support dog; and Livia LaPradd, clinical manager. Back row, from left, Kerry Foote, chaplain; Darla Applegarth, registered nurse; Krista Edwards, social worker; Paige Clem, registered nurse; and Monica Pettegrow, registered nurse. Missing from the photo are Dr. Joanne Mahoney and Jennifer Pema, hospice representative. CONTRIBUTED

Now Open!

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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

KeysBank.com

Established in 1955, First State Bank offers banking and lending services to fit the needs of our Keys customers. We started out with a single branch and a handful of employees. As the Keys community grew, so did the bank, steadily adding more services and branches. We’ve grown and changed in a lot of good ways. But our core values remain the same – we’re a proud, locally owned institution operated for the benefit of the people of Monroe County with a long history of serving, reaching out, and connecting in the Florida Keys.

We are continually expanding our line-up of products, services and delivery systems offered in our offices from Key Largo to Key West. Although the oldest bank headquartered in Monroe County, our technology, security, and customer service are state of the art, allowing customers to feel confident whether they bank in-person, online, or in their mobile app.

First State Bank gives you the best of both worlds - employees who know you and a local name you trust with digital services and modern technology you demand.

Upper Keys contacts are Regional Manager Laura Brown, Market Lending Leader Lori Bailey, and Assistant Branch Managers Candice Brown and Danya Herzberg. Key Largo locations: 97670 Overseas Highway and 101433 Overseas Highway, Tradewinds Plaza. 305-296-8535.

THE KEYS’ HOMETOWN BANK SINCE 1955

LEGENDARY KEY LARGO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & FLORIDA KEYS VISITOR CENTER

CAMPAIGN SPENDING GROWS AS PRIMARY LOOMS

Republican incumbent for state representative leads fundraising

Candidates for Florida House District 120 are spending campaign dollars as an Aug. 23 primary approaches. MIRIAM DOERR MARTIN FROMMHERZ/Shutterstock

JIM McCARTHY

jim@keysweekly.com

Less than a month remains before registered Republican and Democratic voters select a Florida House candidate to represent their party in the Nov. 8 election. With an Aug. 23 primary approaching, candidates are collecting and spending money as they make their names and platforms known through mailers, advertisements and more.

Republican incumbent Jim Mooney’s campaign leads the way in contributions among all candidates vying for the District 120 seat with a total of $219,800. His contribution account received a boost when the Florida House Republican Campaign Committee provided $56,000 in late April and the Republican Party of Florida funneled $43,450 dating back to May. In-kind contributions total $54,670.

Since June, Mooney’s campaign has gathered $25,500 in contributions and spent $65,664. During July, his campaign spent $33,300 on advertising, promotional materials, finance consulting and other event supplies.

Since he announced his reelection for state representative, Mooney’s campaign has spent $101,000.

Republican challenger Rhonda Rebman Lopez, who lost by only 148 votes in the 2020 Republican primary, garnered contributions totaling a little more than $99,800 for her campaign. A majority of her contributions have come from residents within the district. They include Islamorada fishing guide Steve Friedman, commodore of the Florida Keys Fishing Guides Association; Jim McCarthy, vice president of sales and operations for Tom Thumb; and former Monroe County Mayor Mario Di Gennaro. On July 1, Rebman Lopez took out a $10,100 loan.

Since announcing her candidacy, Rebman Lopez has spent $64,749 on her campaign. Since June, she’s spent $43,390 on various things, including consulting and direct mailers from Dark Horse Strategies marketing firm in Miami, advertising and media, campaign work and campaign staff.

The third Republican challenger in the race, Robert Allen, has received $150 in campaign contributions so far, of which $50 come from him and $100 from Rose Dell, of Big Pine Key. On June 13, Allen took out a $3,200 loan.

A house painter from Big Pine Key, Allen spent $2,064 on his campaign to date, of which $1,781 was paid to the division of elections in order to qualify.

On the Democratic side, lawyer and Big Coppitt Key resident Adam Gentle has gathered a little over $100,000 between his campaign and affiliated political committee since announcing his bid to run in early January. Contributions to his campaign come from as far west as Los Angeles, as far north as New York and south to Key West.

Since June, he’s received $7,600 in contributions and has spent $31,050 on web management, consulting, mailers, digital ads, the qualifying fee, database management and other things.

So far, Gentle’s campaign has spent $52,037 on the campaign. He’s received in kind contributions totaling $4,491.

Lawyer and Cutler Bay resident Daniel Horton-Diaz has received $61,100 in campaign contributions since he announced his candidacy at the beginning of the year. Since June, he’s received $6,600 in contributions.

In that same time, he’s spent $28,000 for things such as campaign consulting, printing, website maintenance and digital media, among other things. He’s taken out $16,000 in loans. In-kind contributions total $1,120.

Winners of the Democratic and Republican primaries on Aug. 23 will face one another in the Nov. 8 election for the opportunity to represent constituents in the Florida Keys and south Miami-Dade county.

On tour with the not-for-profit Active Disabled Americans. BRAD BERTELLI/Contributed

ONES FOR THE BOOK

Reviving old columns and spreading local history

While it is hard to believe, I have been writing a history column in one of the local newspapers for a decade. Since 2018, my work has appeared in The Keys Weekly Newspapers, and I could not be more grateful for the opportunity to share my stories up and down the island chain.

The column is a fantastic outlet for what have become my two greatest habits: history and writing. Thankfully, it is not my only outlet because apparently, I have a lot to say. If you have not visited my Facebook group Florida Keys History with Brad Bertelli, consider yourself officially invited to take a look. I post daily history nuggets and share some great pictures of how the islands used to be. The page has proved extraordinary and surprisingly popular. One of the best things that happen there are the memories and stories shared by, among others, many longtime and lifetime Conchs. While I love sharing what I have learned over the years, it is wonderful to have created a space where the history and the stories are shared back and forth in the comments. I learn a ton from the page.

One of the things the group has inspired me to do is revisit some of the old columns. I went back and picked out some of my favorite pieces and then spent time reimagining and enhancing them to create versions of their stories that have been allowed to step outside of their 800-word constraints and stretch their legs a bit. The result has been a collection about Ben Baker and the wrecking industry, pineapples, Key lime pie, the Overseas Highway, Fern Butters, and more called “Florida Keys History with Brad Bertelli, Volume 1.” If everything goes according to plan, the book should be out by the Labor Day weekend. It should be noted, of course, that things rarely go as planned.

Though writing is my preferred means of sharing local history, it is not the only way I am able to share it with the public. On the first Monday of every month, the Islamorada Moose Lodge invites me in to talk about some aspect of the local history. This free event is open to the public. The program starts at 6 p.m.

For the Monday, Aug. 1 program, I will be talking about William J. Krome, the 60-foot Schooner Island Home, the Purple Isles and how legends and myths have colored the Islamorada story. The Purple Isles is a fun topic, and people in the community can be passionate about the story. When I give this talk or write a story about the legend of the Purple Isles, it is the only time I receive less than flattering emails in return.

One of the projects I am most excited to be a part of is the not-for-profit Active Disabled Americans’ latest Live Unbound project. Executive Director Ken Ostebo asked me to come aboard with Captain Mick and spend a few hours on Sunday mornings talking about the local history. According to Ostebo, “Our initiative is committed to inclusion. It is our belief that the water and all it has to offer is a place of healing, reflection, and joy. Our goal is to normalize ‘normal’ for everyone.”

Active Disabled Americans opened the Live Unbound program to the public, in association with Bass Pro/World Wide Sportsman, on July 17. The boat excursion is free of charge and offers a complimentary tour around some of the storied waters surrounding Islamorada. Ostebo says, “We set sail from the Biscayne Marina facility every Sunday at 8 a.m. and travel in and around Islamorada and its scenic coastline. These trips will be offered on a first-come, firstserve basis.” Trips can be booked through their website at www.activedisabledamericans.org.

During the threehour tour, I spend more than two hours talking about the amazing local history and a little about the environment. In addition to spending some quality time out on the water, we do a little bird watching. On the inaugural trip, we saw an Atlantic yellow-nosed albatross sitting up in the bushy green branches of a red mangrove tree. I had no idea that there were albatrosses in the Keys. They are considered rare visitors, so I learned something, too.

To help subsidize my history and writing habit, I am also spending a couple of days a week bartending at the worldfamous Robbie’s Marina. The best part is that, from the bar, I can see Indian Key. If you are in the neighborhood, stop by, feed the tarpon and have a frosty beverage at one of the great Florida Keys’ roadside attractions. Also, please stop by my Facebook group Florida Keys History with Brad Bertelli, and be sure to check out the great work being done by Active Disabled Americans at their website www.activedisabledamericans.org. If you are free on Monday evening, Aug. 1, come by the Islamorada Moose Lodge and listen while I tell the true tale of Islamorada. Hope to see you there.

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.

MARINELAB KEY LARGO HOSTS TEACHERS FROM SEVEN CARIBBEAN NATIONS

Teachers plan to take what they learned in Key Largo back to their countries

KELLIE BUTLER FARRELL

www.keysweekly.com

The ocean was the classroom and the lessons learned were invaluable. "Honestly, this has been one of the best experiences I've ever had," said Sherma Prince, a geography teacher from Dominica.

From July 18 to July 22, nine educators from seven Caribbean countries found themselves immersed in workshops at MarineLab Key Largo. The curriculum focused on learning how to preserve ecosystems; including sea grasses, mangroves and coral reefs. "What I really loved about it was the fact that we went out into the ocean and got that practical, handson experience," said St. Lucia science teacher Ansha Mitchell. "A lot of our people back home, children as well, they are unaware of the importance of our marine ecosystems."

This was the first year for the Caribbean Teacher Initiative at MarineLab. It was made possible thanks to a generous donation from the Ocean Conservation Exploration and Education Foundation. The goal is for teachers to take what they learn back to students in their home countries. "I am going to share the fact that we humans, we cause a lot of distress in the environment," said Jervaughn Charles, a fourth grade teacher from St. Lucia. "One of the labs that really spoke to me was the micro plastics lab," added Charles. "The water that we take for granted in the ocean is filled with plastics that are killing the food that we eat and it's hurting the animals that we love so much."

Joseph Wells teaches marine mechanics and engine repair to college students in the British Virgin Islands. He plans to talk to students about what happens if oil is not disposed of properly, consequences of overfishing and global damage caused by degrading the environment. "The whole goal is to ensure that we can continue enjoying the water, make a living with it, and still ensure that we don't damage the environment that we're in," said Wells.

Ocean trips and classroom work were packed into the marine ecology workshop. The days started at 8 a.m. with breakfast and finished up around 9 p.m. There were two field trips with a day out into the coral reefs, mangroves or sea grasses. Discussions, labs and lectures followed.

"It was very long days, but we got to cover a lot of information," said Leslie Hickerson. Hickerson works for the Nature Foundation of St. Maarten. "There are lots of new things that have come out since I left school ages ago. It's really nice to be refreshed on information from younger scientists and educators about the different ecosystems," said Hickerson.

Cassandra MacDowell is with the Mangrove Education Project in the Cayman Islands. She said the workshop was an excellent opportunity to network and brainstorm with other Caribbean educators.

"As a region, sometimes we're a bit further away from each other so it's great to come together here to be able to see different teaching techniques, what other Caribbean countries are doing and how we could possibly implement those same techniques where we are," said MacDowell.

British Virgin Islands science teacher Jian Jeffers, like several of the Caribbean teachers, had never snorkeled before this trip. "The most interesting part was the snorkeling; that was the newest thing for me, partly the scariest as well. Going under the ocean, having all these fish coming toward you, so that was definitely different," said Jeffers. Mitchell says the snorkeling experience helped her conquer her fear of sharks. "We went far out into the pelagic waters and it was scary but at the same time fulfilling and exciting. I can definitely say that I came out alive, " said Mitchell with a laugh. "The Caribbean Teacher Initiative is the latest program in our ongoing effort to promote universal awareness of the importance of marine conservation," said MarineLab CEO Ginette Hughes. If funding is secured, teachers from the Caribbean will be invited back next year. MarineLab was founded in 1970 in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The non-profit conservation program came to the Upper Keys in 1984. Now roughly 5,000 students and teachers pass through its onsite programs every year. The coastal campus on Shoreland Drive in Key Largo has dorms that can sleep up to 100 students. There is a full cafeteria, serving up breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. Five boats take students on field trips twice a day and provide an interactive experience. Hughes says MarineLab's education model of discussion, exploration and concept reinforcement works well. "It's really important because you're not going to save something unless you have that emotional connection to it," said Hughes. "Having that emotional connection to the ocean makes them want to save it, want to work toward changing their lifestyle, supporting policies that will help save the ocean because, it's all we've got."

More information is at www.marinelab.

Top: Educators from the Caribbean examine a bucket of invertebrates collected during a MarineLab field trip. CONTRIBUTED

Bottom: Holding up fun signs, Caribbean educators mark the last day of their MarineLab workshop with a group photo. CONTRIBUTED