Marathon Weekly 22-0929

Glittering oceanfront views, attention to detail and modern architecture define this island oasis located in Marathon. Nestled at the end of Man-O-War Drive, new 2019 CBS, 3-story home with metal roof, 8 foot impact windows/doors, 1 car garage, smart home technology, and marble decked concrete pool. This modern beauty features two-bedrooms, two-bathrooms, 1,902 square feet with 37.5 feet of new concrete capped, steel seawall and shore power on recently dredged canal. Be greeted by dazzling ocean views, 10 foot ceilings, plus high gloss custom epoxy flooring and countertops that mirror the ocean's color palette. Chef's open concept state-of-the-art kitchen features corner pantry, center island, high-end stainless GE Monogram appliances. Experience indoor/outdoor living with 8 foot pocket impact sliders on the 2 porches facing due South to enjoy the Atlantic breeze. Be enamored by 300 degree Atlantic Ocean views in the third floor master ensuite. Fall in-love with spectacular sunrises and cotton candy clouds from bed. Wander in wonder, there is truly no place like this in paradise.

Jo Ann Cook, Managing Broker

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NUMBER OF THE WEEK

According to the Associated Press, a NASA spacecraft slammed into an asteroid on Sept. 26 as practice for the day a killer rock tracks toward Earth. The impact on the asteroid occurred 7 million miles away from Earth. The spacecraft named DART (for Double Asteroid Redirection Test) rammed the space rock at 14,000 mph.

On Sept. 21, Marathon High School’s Vaclav “Vance” Bursa claimed his throne as the king of the Keys cross country scene. Bursa took first place in a race featuring all three Keys high schools, finishing nearly two minutes faster than his nearest opponent.

DOUG FINGER/Keys Weekly

IAN FLOODS KEY WEST, DOWNS TREES & CUTS POWER

By Jim McCarthy, Alex Rickert and Mandy Miles

2-day storm brought wind, then surge

Astrengthening Hurricane Ian skirted past the Florida Keys beginning Sept. 27, delivering storm surge and tropical storm — and even some hurricaneforce gusts — to Key West. In the Lower Keys and portions of the Middle Keys, residents woke up to inundated streets and debris.

More than 6,400 Keys Energy customers were without power as of the morning of Sept. 28. Continuing high winds and additional flooding were expected during the afternoon high tide on Sept. 28, hampering some power restoration efforts.

In the Middle Keys, waters pushed in by south winds found many with oceanside residences dealing with up to three feet of water under their homes on Tuesday night. Flooding was even more severe in Key West, with the

worst storm surge on the gulf side of the Lower and Middle Keys expected around this paper’s print deadline on Wednesday afternoon.

Greg Barroso, Key West emergency management chief, told county officials during a coordinating call on Sept. 28 that crews were dealing with everything from a major structure fire on Flagler Avenue to impassable roads blocked by flood waters and fallen trees.

“Our assessments have been bad,” Barroso said. “We’re experiencing and visualizing Wilma-like damage. We definitely have a lot of trees down throughout Key West, downed power lines and low-hanging power lines. Our manhole covers and our sewers have blown off, so standing water is a concern for contaminated water.”

Barroso asked county emergency

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management officials to keep the shelter open at Key West High School, where about 100 people rode out the storm, according to Deputy Superintendent Amber Acevedo. Some were homeless residents who had to leave the Keys Overnight Temporary Shelter when it closed, and others were liveaboard boaters.

City officials requested assistance from the Red Cross to address basic needs as more people come to the shelter. Key West officials were also seeking assistance from Florida Department of Transportation to remove sand and debris from South Roosevelt Boulevard and neighboring fire rescues for equipment and personnel. Monroe County Fire Chief Steve Hudson told county officials that calls were increasing in the Lower Keys and Key West.

See keysweekly.com for further updates.

“We’re experiencing and visualizing Wilma-like damage. We definitely have a lot of trees down throughout Key West, downed power lines and low-hanging power lines. Our manhole covers and our sewers have blown off, so standing water is a concern for contaminated water.”

— Greg Barroso, Key West emergency management chief

Wind and waves crash over the seawall at Marathon’s Sunset Grille as Ian makes its mark on the Keys.

ROBERT KING/Contributed

WHERE ARE WE?

Pivotal Marathon housing lawsuits stuck playing the waiting game

ALEX RICKERT alex@keysweekly.com

DEO. DCA. MOU. ROGO. DOAH. LDR.

Lost track of the acro nyms? You’re not alone.

The City of Marathon remains em broiled in litigation surrounding build ing allocations recognized, received, transferred and awarded by the city in multiple market-rate and afford able developments. With a number of separate, yet at some points related, ongoing cases, Keys Weekly sat down with city attorney Steve Williams, plan ning director Brian Shea and city manager George Garrett to provide our residents with an update on these ongoing cases. Here’s what we learned:

Boatworks Case in Holding Pattern

Developers and homeowners alike were shocked when the Florida Department of Economic Oppor tunity (DEO) in February revoked a long-standing Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the city and state. Previously, Marathon was allowed to review minor build ing permits independently instead of rendering them to the state for review as part of Marathon’s designation as an Area of Critical State Concern (ACSC). The revoked MOU resulted in all permits being rendered to the state, exponentially increasing wait times for projects as small as installing pavers and fences.

The revoked MOU and a related Notice of Violation stem from a resolution unanimously approved by the Marathon City Council in January 2022. As part of the collo quially-named “Boatworks Project” at the end of 39th Street Ocean, a limited number of the 32 live-aboard dwelling units recognized at the property were allowed to be re-developed as landbased market rate units at the same location, as long as the corresponding live-aboards were subsequently re moved. The development decision was appealed by DEO, but in the course of the appeal process, Marathon granted building permits to market rate units within the development whose build ing rights were not related to the liveaboard units in question.

A new MOU that took effect on May 11 returned the city’s ability to

approve some – but not all – of the permits it previously handled inde pendently, and the question of “Can boats become homes?” became the subject of a final two-day hearing with Judge Todd P. Resavage of the Florida Department of Administrative Hear ings on July 13 and 14. The outcome of the hearing could set a highly signifi cant precedent for development in Marathon as it helps to determine the possibilities for live-aboard vessels recognized as dwelling units when Marathon adopted its 2005 compre hensive plan and 2007 land develop ment regulations (LDRs).

Both sides submitted proposed

DEO DCA MOU ROGO DOAH LDR

final orders detailing their desired outcome on Sept. 9. As of Sept. 27, the city awaits a final order handed down from Resavage, required within 60 days (Nov. 8).

300 ROGO Units Case Dives Into Muddy Waters – And Has Major Implications

Though Marathon and DEO may be opponents in the Boatworks case, the two find themselves on the same side of the fence as they attempt to combat a stunning decision from Florida’s Third District Court of Appeals (DCA). Handed down on Aug. 3, the opinion reverses 600 affordable work force housing allocations, given to the City of Marathon and Village of Islamo rada in 2018 and subsequently ap pealed by three Keys residents in Key West, Marathon and Islam orada.

In the eventually success ful appeal, the attorney for the appellants, Richard Grosso, argued that 300 affordable units given to Marathon by DEO on the order of then-Gov. Rick Scott violated the statutes governing Marathon as an ACSC. Tagged as “early evacuation units” whose residents must leave sooner than full-time residents in site-

POLITE AND PRODUCTIVE

Small crowd generates respectful discussion at Marathon’s sanctuary comment session

ALEX RICKERT alex@keysweekly.com

PARASAIL CAPTAIN ARRESTED FOR MANSLAUGHTER IN FATAL CRASH

On Sept. 22, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) arrested Daniel Gavin Couch, 49, of Marathon on a warrant for one charge of man slaughter and five counts of violation of commercial parasailing statutes. These charges are in relation to the May 30 parasailing crash which resulted in the death of Supraja Alaparthi, 33, and injuries sustained by her son Sriakshith Alaparthi,10, and friend Vishant Sadda, 9, all of Schaumburg, Illinois.

The FWC said its investigation into the incident showed that Couch departed from a Marathon marina on May 30 with one crew member and 12 occupants and had not recently checked weather conditions or followed established parasailing regula tions. The three victims were the second group of passengers put into a parasail flight. Strong winds from impending weather prevented the boat’s winch from bringing the victims back to the boat and Couch cut the line attached to the parachute of the three passengers. Ms. Alaparthi and the two children dropped from an unknown height and were pulled through the water by the inflated parasail until they ultimately collided with a con crete pillar at Old Seven Mile Bridge.

Following the impact, the parasail stayed draped over the bridge. Couch did not maneuver his vessel under the bridge to offer aid, FWC said. Good Samaritans John Callion, Eldon Bell and Linda Bell witnessed the crash and provided aid to the victims.

Supraja Alaparthi was pronounced dead at the scene. Vis hant Sadda and Sriakshith Alaparthi were transported to area hospitals with injuries.

“There is no excuse for the negligence and disregard for public safety that was shown in this case,” said South Bravo Regional Commander Major Alberto Maza. “My prayers go out to the families of those involved in this terrible accident. Our in vestigators conducted a thorough investigation, and the charges today hold those responsible for this tragedy accountable.”

A photo provided to the Haggard Law Firm by the family of Supraja Ala parthi shows the weather conditions moments after her parasail flight began with her son and nephew. HAGGARD LAW FIRM/Contributed

Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Superintendent Sarah Fangman, left, and Sanctuary Advisory Council member Bob by Dube listen to input from concerned citizens at the Marathon High School audi torium. ALEX RICKERT/Keys Weekly

‘THE CURSE OF ROBERT THE DOLL’ AIRS SEPT. 30

HAUNTED TOY

airing Friday, Sept. 30 on The Travel Channel and streaming on Discovery+.

“The Curse of Robert the Doll” will kick off Ghostober, the network’s month-long approach to Halloween with specials that explore the inexpli cable and the truly terrifying.

“Robert the Doll lives behind glass in a museum in Key West, Florida, where every year thousands of visi tors who fail to follow his rules find themselves cursed,” states the show’s description. “Victims have experienced illness, injury, accidents and even death. But what makes Robert curse his victims? What evil entity lives inside this doll? This latest Shock Docs install ment explores the true origin of Robert the Doll, uncovers the story of Robert’s first owners in 1905, and seeks to find out why this doll is so nefarious. Now, psychic medium Cindy Kaza steps in to unravel the mystery of his origins and the darkness attached to him.”

MANDY MILES

KeyWest’s oldest resident is 117 years old. He wears an outdated sailor suit and car ries a stuffed animal tucked under his right arm. He spends most of his time staring blankly at those who visit. They approach him cautiously, a mix of intrigue and fear evident on their face and audible in the false bravado that makes their voice louder than necessary.

The Key West legend is featured in books, movies, TV shows, research projects. He’s the main attraction of a gripping tour that explores his Key West roots and the museum he now calls home. He receives hundreds of letters a year — often apologies from past visitors who fear they offended him.

He sends no replies and says not a word. No sound escapes his sewn-on mouth. No smile appears on his strawfilled face.

Robert the Doll is a childhood toy with a chilling reputation as the world’s most haunted doll. He lives at Fort East Martello Museum, where Key West author, researcher and ghost hunter David Sloan offers nightly tours and ghost hunts, introducing intrepid guests to the inexplicable and paranor mal mysteries of Robert.

Those mysteries are the subject of a new two-hour “shock doc”-umentary

The beloved playmate of Eugene Otto, Robert the Doll arrived in Key West in 1904 when the young Otto was 4 or 5 years old. The doll, which was originally dressed as a clown (as if he wasn’t creepy enough) lived for decades in the Otto family home on Eaton Street, now the Artist House guesthouse.

The Key West Art & Historical Society has cared for the antique doll since 1994, when Myrtle Reuter, who had purchased the Otto family home, donated Robert to the Fort East Mar tello Museum, claiming the doll was haunted and had locked her in a room in her house.

Similar tales have surrounded the doll since the young Eugene Otto be gan blaming his best friend, Robert, for childhood mischief and misdeeds, and the accusations continued throughout the doll’s history, growing more sinister than schoolboy pranks.

Robert has been blamed for ruin ing photographs and cameras when museum visitors took his picture with out asking permission. The historical society receives countless letters each year from people apologizing to the doll and asking him to lift a curse that seemed to have befallen them since they visited Robert in his glass case at the Fort East Martello museum.

“The Curse of Robert the Doll” premieres at 8 p.m. Sept. 30 on The Travel Channel, and then is available to stream on Discovery+. Sloan’s Key West Ghost Adventures are available nightly at Fort East Museum with a variety of tour options. Visit ghostfort. com for more information.

’The Curse of Robert the Doll’ will kick off ‘Ghostober’ on The Travel Channel and streaming on Discovery+. CONTRIBUTED

NOTICE OF KEY LARGO FIRE RESCUE AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES DISTRICT MILLAGE ELECTION ON NOVEMBER 8, 2022

On November 8, 2022, the Key Largo Fire Rescue and Emergency Medical Services District will issue a referendum to the voters seeking approval to increase the maximum millage rate in order to cover future costs of providing high-quality fire-rescue and emergency medical services to the residents of Key Largo.

The District Board of Commissioners wishes to make clear to Key Largo voters that the Board does not intend to levy annual millage at the maximum rate permitted under the proposed increase and remains committed to its longstanding policy of providing high quality firefighting, rescue, and emer gency medical services in the most cost-effective manner. The District has adopted a five-year operating plan that contemplates a millage rate less than the proposed maximum of 2.00 mills, however also understands the impor tance of long term planning. The following is the official ballot:

INCREASED MAXIMUM MILLAGE RATE FOR KEY LARGO FIRE RESCUE AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES:

The Key Largo Fire & EMS District may not levy ad valorem taxes exceeding 1.00 mill without voter approval. The District seeks to increase its maximum millage rate to cover future costs of providing high-quality fire-rescue and emergency medical services to the residents of Key Largo.

Shall the maximum millage rate of the District be revised to 2.00 mills, to fund the continued provision of fire rescue and emergency medical services to Key Largo residents?

YES NO Publish: September 29, October 13 & 27, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

MONROE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS APPROVE $519 MILLION BUDGET

JIM McCARTHY jim@keysweekly.com

Monroe County commis sioners unanimously adopted a $519 million spending plan for the up coming fiscal year during a final budget hearing at the Murray Nelson Govern ment Center in Key Largo on Sept. 21. With costs for labor, insurance, utilities, fuel and other materials rising, overall spending in the 2023 budget is up roughly $62 million compared to the adopted 2022 budget.

Commissioners also said “yes” to a slight decrease in the aggregate mill age rate from the previous year.

Forty percent of budget expendi tures, or $208 million, fall within de partments under the board of county commissioners for the 2023 fiscal year. The Tourist Development Council and Monroe County Sheriff’s Office each account for 15% of budget expendi tures, followed by capital projects, including debt service, at 13%. The budget also includes the tax collector, property appraiser, supervisor of elec tions and clerk of the court.

An aggregate millage rate of 3.2326 for the coming 2023 fiscal year is a 4.2% decrease from the previous fiscal year when the millage rate was set at 3.3748. According to county of ficials, it’s the lowest millage rate in the state of Florida.

“While Monroe County makes an effort to adjust their millage to what we actually need that year, a majority of counties either keep their millage rate no matter what happens to the value if it continues to go up,” said Tina Boan, senior director of budget and finance. “They just benefit from the increase. Or you see a couple counties there that actually do some kind of a tweak to it each year.”

A homesteaded residential prop erty owner with an average appraised assessed taxable value of $469,161 in 2022 will see a 66-cent monthly decrease in their property tax for the upcoming fiscal year.

Despite a decrease in the millage, the county will collect roughly $10 mil

lion more in ad valorem taxes, which fund county services, in the 2023 fiscal year. A 2022 adopted budget brought the total ad valorem tax levy to $107 million. In 2023, revenue from ad va lorem taxes is $117 million. An addi tional $1.5 million will go to the county health department. Roughly 71% of ad valorem taxes go to public safety, which include law enforcement, fire rescue and the health department.

Pushing more revenue is the growing gross taxable property in the county. In 2019, the taxable value of property totaled $28.5 billion. In 2022, that number spiked $36.8 billion. Prop erty values have doubled in the last 10 years.

“We’re at an historic high,” Boan said.

County officials are projecting an increase in the 1-cent infrastructure sales surtax of more than $30 million. Fiscal 2021 saw the highest annual 1-cent surtax revenue at $28.6 mil lion. Roughly 60% of the funds go to the county, 28% to Key West, 8.7% to Marathon, 6.2% to Islamorada and small percentages to Key Colony Beach and Layton.

Monroe County is projecting a fund balance totaling $35 million, which includes $10 million in hurricane disaster reserves and roughly four months of operating capital.

As for infrastructure, the budget invests in the Harbor Drive, Seaview Drive and Bimini Drive bridges. Capital funds also include repairs to No Name Key Bridge and Gato Building, various wastewater projects on Duck Key and Big Coppitt and sea level rise projects at Twin Lakes in Key Largo and the Sands Subdivision on Big Pine Key, among others.

In addition, the budget provides more than $2.1 million for 26 commu nity-based nonprofit organizations, as recommended by the county’s Human Services Advisory Committee. Florida Keys Area Health Education Center (AHEC) will receive $198,000. The Florida Keys Children’s Shelter will get $150,000, while Samuel’s House will receive $120,000.

RICHARD TAMBORRINO

Marathon is facing an important election. The Marathon City Council needs strong leadership to guide the city through significant issues like a ordable housing, reigning in vacation rentals and improving several City Depart ment ine ciencies.

My experience as the former Keynoter and Key West Citizen publisher has prepared me well for the issues facing our city. I am well versed on these issues and can ask the right questions to address the problems we face.

• I will provide a strong voice on the Council.

• Endorsed and supported by many local Marathon business leaders.

• Committed to improving the City’s operational e ciency and customer service standards.

• United Way Board Member for over 9 years.

Paid for by Richard Tamborrino for City of Marathon Council

JASON KOLER jason@keysweekly.com

A WALL OF PLAQUES

Repeat winners share thoughts on Best of Marathon

Launched in February 2008 in the old Jaycee Building that has since been demolished, the Best of Marathon has grown from a intimate party featuring one microphone and a banner into a production with pre-recorded videos that employs lighting and sound technicians.

While the beginnings were humble, the criteria for being named “Best of…” adheres to the same standards as today.

THE HAPPY HOUR

Like the Best of Marathon, Sparky’s Landing has evolved over the years into a nationally recognized brand. Their iconic stickers can be found at nearly every corner of the globe and the establishment was recently featured on the nationallysyndicated food show “Triple D Nation.”

Sparky’s Landing chairwoman Carolyn Anthony says she and her husband owe much of their success to their wall of plaques.

“People just like to touch the award,” Anthony said. “I guess that makes them feel like they are touching a piece of history, or maybe they feel like some of the magic will rub off?’

She admitted that most of the plaques were lost in 2017 when Hurricane Irma destroyed the site of the original Sparky’s Landing.

“Losing those plaques was like losing my grandmother’s photo album,” she added.

Sparky’s proprietors Matt and Carolyn Anthony photographed with one of their first awards in 2010. In spite of Hurricane Irma, they should have more than 20 plaques on their walls including consecutive awards for ‘Best Happy Hour’ (since 2008) and numerous others like ‘Best Bar’ (’13 and ’14), ‘Live Music’ (’18), ‘Best Bartender’ (MJ and Holly, 2015-2017), and ‘Best Margarita’ (’19 and ’22).

KEYS WEEKLY FILE PHOTO

Other multi-year winners include:

• Best Bar: Overseas Pub & Grill (2016 - present)

• Best Gift Shop: Marooned in Marathon (2013 - 2014, 2016present)

• Best Healthcare Professional: Dr. John O’Connor (2013present)

• Best Marina: Faro Blanco (2015 - present)

• Best Jewelry Store: Midas Touch (2013 - present)

THE VET

Often referred to as “Doogie,” “Landslide” or “Dr. Kibbles-n-Bits,” Marathon veterinarian Mike Dunn has captured “Best Vet” every single year, by a lot of votes – a LOT. Back in ’08, the good doctor and his wife Catherine only had one kid and two dogs. Today they have four kids, a pig, two dogs, 162 chickens, an Alpaca, a miniature horse and a crocodile who sometimes vacations on their dock. When asked, he often attributes the notoriety of the award with his professional and personal success.

“Since winning our first award our staff, services and the clinic itself have all expanded,” Dunn told the Weekly. “And if it weren’t for the Best of Marathon I don’t think Catherine would still be with me.”

THE EVENT

“People love drinking draft beer from plastic cups,” said Greater Marathon Chamber of Commerce CEO Daniel Samess. Since ’08 the Original Marathon Seafood Festival (2023 marks the 47th anniversary) has won “Best Local Festival” as voted on by the general public.

“The event also features smoothies, vendors, live music, seafood and a play area for kids, but I really do think people come for the draft beer,” he said.

Founded by a group of local commercial fishermen in the mid-’70s, the community event now attracts some 20,000 guests to the Marathon Community Park on the second weekend of March.

Back in ’08 the Chamber of Commerce and Organized Fishermen of Florida (Marathon Chapter) would average about 100 kegs of beer over the two-day event. Today festival attendees consume upwards of 160 kegs.

“I would like to thank the people of Earth for recognizing the Original Marathon Seafood Festival as the ‘Best Local Festival’ in the entire galaxy,” added Samess.

best Happy Hour- sparky’s

best breakfastThe stuffed Pig Carolyn and Matt Anthony

Karen Dennis

Dunn, pictured before his vasectomy, accepting the 2008 plaque from then-Jaycee president Maria Luther. .

MARATHON WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 29, 2022 Page 26 • The Marathon Weekly Mar. 6, 2010 Pictured front row, l-r: Frank Molina, Chef Loe Lopez; second row: Pablo Martinez, Ruben Valenzuela, Victor Lopez, Ely Orozco, Jullisa De La Cruz, Hilda Guzman, Candy Estrada, Margarita Cejas, and owner Penelope De La Cruz; third row: Jarrod Stormy, Alex Lopez, Danny De Le Torre, Samuel De La Cruz, Evelina Lascano, Carlos Lascano, David Lascano and owner Ruddy De La Cruz. Samess pictured with the ‘Best Local Event’ award in 2008.

MARK HEDDEN

... is a photogra pher, 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 Audu bon Society.

THIS IS NOT A BIRD YOU’RE LOOKING AT –MOVE ALONG

Thething I like most about Chuck-will’s-widows is their confidence, which is based largely on their belief that they are invisible to you, that their presence escapes your eye. Which seems at odds with them being a largish, big-headed lump of a bird when perched. It’s not an unfounded confidence, just occasionally misplaced.

They are members of a taxonomic family known as goatsuckers, a name derived from an Aristotelianera belief that they sneaked into barnyards late at night and sucked milk out of goats’ udders. (It was also believed this milk thievery somehow caused the goats to go blind.) Goatsuckers are primarily insectivores, though; actually, the birds were flying around the goats, scarfing up the clouds of insects that tended to follow them around.

Like other members of the goatsucker family, they have cryp tic plumage, or track after track of feathers designed to confuse the brain. One account of the Chuck-will’s-widow I read, in Cornell University’s online “Birds of the World” compendium, describes them thus: “Narrow superciliary stripe mixed Sepia Black and Buff White. Sides of head Dull Tawny Olive mixed with Hair Brown, Sepia and black. Hindcollar of feathers on nape light (ranging from white to Tawny Olive) mottled with dark…”

I’m going to stop quoting there, because I’d like people to read the rest of this column. Also, if someone was to read it aloud to a person driving a car, narcolepsy could ensue, and I don’t want to read about it in a Monroe County Sheriff’s Office press release.

In the author’s defense, there’s no real way to describe these birds without it turning into some kind of dispiriting word salad. But staring at a bird like a Chuck-will’s-widow and trying to parse its parts and patterns kind of feels like that description. Their plumage is all distraction and disruption. You look at them and in most natural situations you don’t really see their shape.

It is hard to distinguish them from leaf piles or shadows on the forest floor. When they sit in trees, they tend to sit parallel to the branches, making them look more like a knot than a bird.

In theory, cryptic means the same as camouflaged, but cam ouflage seems like such a flimsy term compared to how well they can disappear themselves from your brain. It feels closer to a Jedi mind trick – you don’t need to make an identification; this is not a bird you’re looking at; you can go about your business; move along. Nothing to see here.

Oddly, it’s when I move along that I see them most often. As a general rule, birds don’t scare me much (unlike my editor, Mandy, who seems to have a wee bit of ornithophobia). But I don’t think any bird has ever startled me as often as Chuck-will’s-widows have. They leap up from the ground like suddenly animate gob lins, then fly off, meandering through the trees in a Moscow Rules evasive pattern, in case you were somehow physically capable of tailing them.

Their wingtips actually have this very cool rust and black tiger stripe pattern, but it kind of disassembles when they’re perched with their wings folded, and is also hard to catch sight of while they fly through a shady stand of trees. It’s really only displayed during their mating rituals, which not a lot of humans have seen.

The mechanism for the whys of their behavior is pretty easy to suss out. Chuck-will’s-widows are nocturnal. They survive on insects and the occasional small bird or bat. Evolution has convinced them that their best strategy to elude danger from predators and others during the long daylight hours is to just sit tight and blend in, to become one with the branch or the forest floor.

But at a certain point, if someone gets too close, they shift to auxiliary measures – flight, both in terms of getting airborne and of fleeing. (They aren’t much for walking.)

The name, by the way, in onomatopoetic – their call has the same rhythm as saying Chuck-will’s-widow, though why the w in the name will isn’t capitalized – as it has a possessive s and by the rules of English is therefore supposed to be a proper noun – is a mystery of nomenclature.

Chucks breed in Florida, but not in the Keys. We tend to have a few around in the winter. We also get a pulse of them during migra tion, birds on their way south to the Caribbean and South America, or back north in the spring.

We had a small pulse come through last week. I went birding at Fort Zach and managed to flush at least six of them as I walked the berm in the hammock area alone. I don’t think any of them were more than 10 feet away when they materialized and took off.

But even if I hadn’t gone birding at Fort Zach, I would know they were around, since, as a local bird geek, I’ve had a bunch of people reach out through texts, emails and Facebook to send a photo and say, “Hey, what’s this?”

Why are so many people who aren’t prone to wandering around with binoculars, staring into bushes, seeing such an alleg edly-hard-to-see bird? Because while the cryptic plumage works really well in a natural setting, it doesn’t work so well in an environ ment of Floridian vernacular architecture – on, say, porches, fences, tables or the supports of eyebrow house overhangs. They show up really well against the smooth surface of something like lapboard siding or two-by-eight deck boards.

At the same time, they are still confident in their superpower of invisibility, and often, unless something disturbs them, they will spend hours in the same spot in the relative open, resting, waiting for nighttime so they can take off and fly around with their mouths open, gulping down as many bugs as possible.

In 10 years of living in our house, I’ve only seen one in the backyard. But then again, who knows how often I’ve missed what I did not see.

A Chuck-will’s-widow perched on a Key West fence. MARK HEDDEN/ Keys Weekly

ALEX RICKERT alex@keysweekly.com

MARATHON’S FUTURE DEMOGRAPHICS

Marathon City Council candidates weigh in

Inan effort to provide greater familiarity and communication between the nine Marathon City Council candidates and our readers, the Marathon Weekly sent each prospective council member a series of questions concerning their backgrounds and stances on pressing city issues. The Marathon Weekly will continue to print each candidate’s respons es in a Q&A series leading up to the election, where four of the nine candidates will win seats on the city council. Per the referendum passed in August’s primary election, the candidate with the fewest votes who still wins a seat will serve a shorter two-year term, set to expire at the same time as councilman Luis Gonzalez’s. The other three winners will serve three-year terms. Be on the lookout for a candidate forum co-sponsored by the Keys Weekly and Mara thon Chamber of Commerce, set for Tuesday, Oct. 4 at 6 p.m. Readers who have questions they would like to see answered by Marathon City Council, U.S. House or Florida House candi dates may submit them to ceo@floridakeysmarathon.com for potential inclusion.

Answers are printed exactly as submitted by candidates, with responses limited to 100 words.

This week: What do you envision Marathon’s demographics will be in five years? 10 years? 20 years?

JEFF SMITH

My vision for Marathon focuses on preservation of our vibrant and diverse community. I envision continued invest ments in our community to promote Marathon as a wonderful place to raise a family. The “V” shaped population trends over the past 20 years should be a concern of everyone who trea sures our community. The families who moved were replaced with a younger and wealthier demographic. This trend is concerning. We need to balance preservation of Marathon’s close-knit community families with those who invest and withdraw significant capital from our economy without a personal stake in the residents’ quality of life.

ROBYN STILL

Over the last 20 years, Marathon has experienced moderate growth. Go ing forward, I believe we will continue this moderate growth in population. Demographics can also be affected by changes made to hurricane evacua tion standards. If codes changes are allowed at the local level, affordable housing building rights could be better protected and would bring an increase in full-time residents. Public/Private partnerships between businesses and the College of the Florida Keys and the Marathon Fire Department will en courage younger residents to become licensed in a trade while also living and working in the Keys.

RICHARD TAMBORRINO

Marathon has lost much of its smalltown appeal since 2010, which many residents dislike. The middle class, for decades the backbone of this commu nity, is shrinking. However, that shift is similar to what’s occurring across Florida.

Achieving class balance in a highly desir able vacation and investment area will be challenging. Local home ownership will shrink in the next decade, while home values and rents should continue to increase. The poverty rate is ap proaching 10% and while that will likely decrease in the next decade, it’s not because the quality of life is improving for all.

INGRID TYREE

It is extremely obvious that if we contin ue on the path we are on now, we will be in big trouble in 5 years time! With the right people in office and God on our side we can change the direction we are headed in. Paying closer atten tion to our workforce and putting less money into vacation destination and tourist boards, and advertising. That cost could be put towards homes that are attainable for blue collar and work ing force locals to own a home and not just rent. No one knows the future so seeing that far ahead isn’t possible.

LYNN LANDRY

Marathon’s demographics has changed over the past few years. With property values rising and shortage of afford able housing, families have left or sold their property because of rising costs. My goal is to try and keep the family environment in Marathon for years to come.

MIKE LEONARD

If the City remains on its current path local residency will “Shrink”! The outra geous growth has put our locals in a terrible situation. Today we have limited housing stock and many locals have been forced to rent and at the same time annual rents have almost doubled. Therefore, to stop Marathon from becoming the “Weekly Rental Vacation Capital of the World” the City must cre ate a plan that encourages workforce and affordable housings, business ownership and local employment so Marathon does not become a city that models larger resort cities!

KEVIN MACAULAY

This answer depends almost entirely on the actions we take as a city, starting now, through the next 5 years. We are currently losing many talented, produc tive, and well-established residents of Marathon because they can no longer afford to live here. If left unchecked, this trend will have disastrous long-term effects on our economy, environment, and our future. Our current trajectory will leave few opportunities for fami lies or individuals in the workforce to survive here, in turn, crippling small businesses and the larger economic infrastructure of Marathon. We can and we must intervene to change the course we are on.

KENNY MATLOCK

If we continue the path we are on, Marathon will be mostly vacation rent als, second and third homes with very few locals. We need a council that fights for locals instead of out-of-town devel opers. We need to make our way back to a strong family-oriented town. We need employee housing. Council needs to work with local businesses to help them find employee housing instead of working with big developers who do not contribute to the local economy long term. We also need to audit who is rent ing the “affordable homes”.

WAYNE QUARBERG

If steps are not taken immediately, Marathon will rapidly become a city of extremely wealthy land owners/invest ment firms and nothing else. All small business, families and sense of com munity will cease to exist. All goods and services will be provided, to the privi leged, from the mainland. In addition, our already limited health care services will be all but eliminated. It is impos sible to have nurses and health care professionals working our hospital if they cannot afford to live here. This also includes, school teachers, firefighters and law enforcement personal.

THE

Team Sport Opponent Date Result

Marathon Volleyball Palmer 9/19 L, 3-0

Marathon Golf LaSalle 9/20 W, 212-213

Marathon Key West Coral Shores

Cross Country Marathon Key West Coral Shores

9/21 Boys: MHS 1st, CS 2nd, KW 3rd. Girls: MHS 1st, KW 2nd CS 3rd

Coral Shores Volleyball Colonial Christian 9/22 W, 3-0

Marathon Volleyball SoHo 9/22 L, 3-1

Key West Volleyball Port St. Lucie 9/23 W, 2-0

Key West Football Cardinal Gibbons 9/23 L, 63-7

Coral Shores Football Everglades Prep 9/23 W, 37-0

Marathon Football Ransom Everglades 9/23 L, 48-8

Key West Volleyball Sagemont 9/24 W, 2-0

MARATHON WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 29, 202218 THIS WEEK IN KEYS SPORTS For more coverage, listen to the Keys Weekly Sports Wrap Podcast

Volleyball

Shores Volleyball

Classic

Beach) 3:30 p.m.

Carrollton 4 p.m.

3 p.m.

5:30 p.m.

5 p.m.

Thompson Park) 3 p.m.

Sophomore, Cross Country Marathon High School

Sophomore Vance Bursa has been getting consistently faster each week, something difficult to do when you’re already one of the fastest high school runners in South Florida.

“Vance keeps running stronger each week,” said coach Jim Murphy. “He has won three of his four races this season.” Bursa makes running look effortless and fun, and his positive outlook coupled with a rock-solid work ethic motivates his team to be better.

On Sept. 21, Bursa ran a 16:46, well over a minute faster than his closest competitor. The blazing time puts him on track to carry the Dolphins into the postseason for another trip to the state meet in Tallahassee. He is a phenomenal runner, a natural leader, and those around him are affected by his infectious laugh and positive attitude. For these reasons, Vance Bursa is the Keys Weekly Athlete of the Week.

SCOREBOARD VACLAV “VANCE” BURSA TRACY McDONALD www.keysweekly.com Date School Sport Opponent Start Time 9/29 Marathon Volleyball @True North 6:15 p.m. 9/29 Coral Shores Volleyball @SASH 6 p.m. 9/29 Key West & Coral Shores Cross Country @Larry Wooten Invitational (Larry & Penny Thompson Park) 3 p.m. 9/29 Coral Shores Volleyball @SASH (Homestead) 6 p.m. 9/30 Marathon Football @Bridgeprep (Miami) 4 p.m. 9/30 Key West Football Bishop Verot 7 p.m. 9/30 Coral Shores Football Ransom Everglades 7 p.m. 9/30 Key West Volleyball @Florida Christian Tournament TBA 10/1 Key West Swimming Doral (CFK Pool) 12 p.m. 10/3 Key West Golf @Maverick Invitational (Grand Palms CC) 8 a.m. 10/3 Marathon Golf LaSalle & Keys Gate (Florida Keys CC) 3:30 p.m. 10/3 Marathon Volleyball @ Westwood Christian 5 p.m. 10/4 Key West Volleyball Coral Shores 6 p.m. 10/4 Marathon, Key West & Coral Shores Cross Country MHS, KWHS, CSHS (Sombrero — head coach Jim Murphy

TRACY McDONALD

On Sept. 21 all three Keys high school cross country teams met in Key Largo at John Pennekamp State Park to see who was the fastest 5K runner in Monroe County. With a storm threatening all afternoon, the race went on in a narrow window of decent weather, giving the runners a chance to compete in an unusual break in the heat.

It was Marathon’s Vance Bursa who took the title of King of the Keys, running alone for most of the course. Without another runner to pace with, Vance chased the race official’s bicycle and finished in 16:46. The time was Bursa’s fourth personal record in as many races. In second place was Coral Shores’ Simon Gutierrez with a time of 18:29.

AN ALL-KEYS SHOWDOWN

Jakub Bursa of Marathon was third, Bobby Temkin of Coral Shores was fourth, and Marathon’s Tony Bursa was fifth.

The top five finishes by the brothers Bursa, Mason Buxton and Dillon Shelar secured Marathon’s team win on the boys side. The Fins are poised for another trip to the state meet and have been pushing their limits with track workouts and long distance runs in order to peak at the right moment in the coming weeks.

Coral Shores’ boys team took second place overall, with solid finishes from Gutierrez, Temkin, Alaric Rodriguez, Jace Jackson and Jamie Cary.

Key West’s top finisher was Colbin Hill in sixth place overall. The top five Conch finishers were Hill, Daniel Roy, Jervin Louis, Edward Baker and Sebastian Jaroszewicz. Coach Mark Coleman was very pleased with his

team’s efforts, saying, “Every boy runner did their personal best at the race and we had a great showing.” Coming off a hard Monday workout, Coleman had some concerns for his team entering the race, but fatigue and soreness didn’t slow down the Conchs once the gun went off.

The girls race was won by Key West’s Caylaa Makimaa, who finished the 3.1-mile course in 21:55. Makimaa purposefully started her season slow, aiming at peaking in the postseason. Coleman said he expects “some more exceptional performances” out of one of the Lady Conchs’ top harriers in the coming weeks.

Coral Shores’ Kai Guth was second in 22:19, cutting her time by nearly two minutes from her record last season.

After the first two finishers crossed the line in the girls race, it was a school of Dolphins, as Mara-

thon’s entire top five finished within a minute of one another. Madelyn Thornton came in third place in 23:19, followed in quick succession by teammates Ella Dunn, Mikkel Ross, Sara Robinson and Maeve Merryman. The Fins’ team finish was good enough to win the race outright. Key West took second place and the Lady ‘Canes were third.

After Makimaa, the top Key West runners were Laira Anaya, Naima Thomas, Gianna Marchant and Deanna Mercier

Coral Shores was a bit shortstaffed on the girls side, with just three runners on Wednesday: Guth, Jenna Mandozzi and Kacelyn Hollis.

The teams will have another chance to compete against one another on Tuesday, Oct. 4 when they will meet in Marathon. The race starts at 3:30 p.m. at Sombrero Beach.

Male and female runners from Coral Shores, Marathon and Key West compete in a 5K run at John Pennekamp State Park in Key Largo on Sept. 21. DOUG FINGER/Keys Weekly

Marathon High School’s student section had a “rodeo” theme on Sept. 23, and though the commu nity came out in droves, the Fins found themselves at the end of their rope, losing to Ransom Everglades 48-8.

Senior Dylan Globe had the Dol phins’ only touchdown of the evening, scoring on a four-yard team-effort run. Freshman Shamar Wright added two more points on the ground in the conversion run. Malachi Hawkins had 179 yards for the Dolphins, but was denied entrance to the end zone by Ransom. Coach Mac Childress praised Hawkins’ efforts, calling the star back “everything you want in a leader.”

Childress acknowledged that his team has “a lot to clean up”, but still feels positive coming into the second half of the season. “We are a young group, getting better every week,” he said. “I think we can be playing our best ball at the last game of the year.”

The Fins hit the road for the next two weeks, playing the 0-4 Bridgeprep Bulldogs on Friday, Sept. 30 before making the short trip to Coral Shores on Oct. 7.

— Tracy McDonald

1. The 2022 Marathon Dolphins football team.

2. The Dolphins take the field before kickoff against the Ransom Everglades Raiders.

3. Thomas Eubank (32) looks for a hole in the line.

4. Senior Dylan Globe (3) gets off a punt for Marathon.

5 and 8. Malachi Hawkins (2) gains yardage for the Fins.

6. Ninth grader Shamar Wright (13) gets to the edge.

7. The Marathon cheerleaders entertain at halftime.

Photos by BARRY GAUKEL/Keys Weekly. See more game photos at www.shadypalmpho tography.com.

DOLPHINS FALL TO RAIDERS

Neighborhoods, streets and homes flooded. Trees toppled. We sighed dejectedly in the silence of a power outage. But let’s be clear. No hurricane hit the Florida Keys this week. We had a strong tropical storm, and more flooding than many expected.

Ian was ugly. And intimidating. And certainly scary for anyone new to these latitudes.

But no one told us to evacuate, thanks to advancements in forecasting and the incredible work of the National Weather Service in Key West. The hurricane was safely and sufficiently west of us. We were never under a hurricane watch.

And if they had, how would that have gone? Imagine the back lash had we been forced out of the Keys for mere tropical storm conditions.

Weather forecasters and government officials can’t win in these situations. They tell us to go, we’re pissed. They let us stay, we’re pissed.

10. You’d rather risk catastrophic winds and storm surges than get gouged for fuel at every station from Key West to Ocala.

9. Because Gov. Ron DeSantis told you Orlando is the devil’s play ground.

8. The last time you evacuated, you needed a letter from a U.S. con gressman to get back to your own home.

REASONS KEYS

LOCALS DIDN’T EVACUATE FOR HURRICANE IAN

7. Because we don’t evacuate for tropical storms.

6. Why leave when your neighbor’s freezer is full of lobster, yellowtail and weed?

5. Because you’ve lived in the Keys for less than two years and need the “hurricane street cred” for your local status during social media rants.

4. You get your news from the Keys Weekly and they told you schools were closed last Monday. And then they were not. And now you’re not even sure there’s a real storm out there.

3. You’ll happily sacrifice electricity, showers, ice and medical facilities for an epic hurricane party.

2. You’re worried looters will take the random boat engine parts, free weights and your grown son’s baseball gear that has been sitting in your garage for the past decade.

1. The last time you evacuated, you couldn’t find fuel as Irma followed you up the entire I-75 corridor while you and three other families drove 12 screaming kids up the entire east coast.

SPORTS & MORE

MATTINGLY IS OUT AS MARLINS MANAGER

RALPH MORROW

... a veteran sports columnist, says the only sport he doesn’t follow is cricket. That leaves plenty of others to fill his time. ralphmoro1936 @gmail.com

On Sept. 25, Miami Marlins manager Don Mattingly met with the team’s principal owner Bruce Sherman and general manager Kim Ng. We don’t know who spoke first. But the result was clear: Mattingly is out as Miami manager, as of the end of the baseball season, which is next weekend.

Mattingly spoke at length during his press conference later that day. In essence, he said he felt a new voice was needed to run the team. He pointed out that changes had been made during the past year, including Derek Jeter resigning as CEO after 4 1/2 years.

Ng earlier said manage ment had determined that a new contract would not be offered to Mattingly for next season. She said, “All parties agreed it’s time for a change. … The year was very disappointing.”

So there will be a new manag er running the team next season.

I watch most of the Marlins games on television. And lately, I have felt that Mattingly needed to be replaced, not because he was incompetent, but because the players haven’t reacted positively to his leadership. I would not be surprised if he gets another managerial job. And soon.

Mattingly has been the Mar lins’ manager for seven seasons and through Sunday his record was 437 wins and 584 losses. It’s the most of any team manager. Jack McKeon had 281 wins, Fred Gonzalez had 276 and Rene Lachemann 221. Mattingly’s team won 31, lost 29 and advanced to the playoffs during the 2020 pandemic season.

Before getting the Marlins job, he spent five seasons manag ing the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was a first baseman and outfield

Don Mattingly, seen here in 2015, will not return as Miami Marlins manager next season. WIKIPEDIA/ Contributed

er from 1982 through 1995 with the New York Yankees, where he batted .307 with 222 home runs.

I HAVE WONDERED what was happening in Boston that led to the suspension of Celt ics coach Ime Udoka. ESPN writer Adrian Wojnarowski had released some information.

Udoka was suspended for one year, according to the Celt ics, for violation of team policy. One of Udoka’s assistants, Joe Mazzula, has been put in his place. It’s not clear if Udoka will get his job back at the end of the year. This was not a regular suspension.

According to Wojnarowski, Udoka was having an affair with a Celtics staff member. But, according to the New York Post, it was more complicated than that. Udoka was engaged to Nia Long, whom he had been dating since 2010 and engaged to since 2015. The pair have a 10-yearold son. Udoka reportedly was dating the staff member and made “unwanted comments” to her.

She has not been named, but former player and current announcer Matt Barnes said, “It’s messy. It’s 100 times uglier than any of us thought.”

TMZ reporter Amanda Pflu grad has said the Celtics began investigating the coach’s affair in July.

Locals helping locals is as important to us today as it was to our founders over 80 years ago. As a Keys’ not-for-profit credit union, we exist to serve you with FREE CASH BACK Checking, Higher Savings Rates, and Lower Loan Rates.

Everyone who lives or works in the Keys is welcome to join at KeysFCU.org or at any branch from Key West to Tavernier!

SWITLIK

THANKS MASONIC LODGE FOR SCHOOL ENRICHMENT SUPPORT

THE 21ST NIGHT OF SEPTEMBER

Keys Weekly extends our heartfelt congratulations to Adam Kane and Lauren Flaherty on their engagement. Planned for Sept. 21 – described by noted Earth, Wind & Fire fan Kane as “the perfect night to get engaged” – the Dolphin Research Center trainer pro posed to the love of his life, a MedSurg nurse at Mariners Hospital, at Grassy Key’s Grassy Flats Resort. Following the proposal, friends and family gath ered to watch a fully animated video created by the groom-to-be's brother detailing the couple’s origin story: Kane and Flaherty met as part of the Twins burg High School (Ohio) Class of 2015, but never dated until after graduating from Kent State University together in 2019. In the words of the video: “And now here we are, it happened so fast, from where it all started: biology class.” Congratulations to the happy couple!

LEIF CISNEROS/Contributed

On Sept. 19, the Marathon Masonic Lodge No. 323 F&AM hosted Stanley Switlik Elementary School principal Christine Paul and several teachers for dinner and presented them with a check for $1,000 to support school enrichment initiatives. The students and staff of Stanley Switlik are so thankful for the support of the lodge for their school and truly appreciate all the lodge does for the Marathon community. Pictured, from left, are senior deacon Philipp Theune, Paul, teacher Taylor Forgrave, worshipful master Robert Britz, and teachers Gayzel Collins, Heather Hendrix and Christy Meier.

CONTRIBUTED

& MORE

BUBBLE GUM

1-year-old female domestic shorthair.

Looking for: Do you have kids? I love kids. That’s why I’m at the shelter. The last kid in my house was allergic. Turnoffs: I’m new to the shelter, so they’re still getting to know me.

CAT

2-year-old female mixed breed.

Looking for: Lots of long walks and cuddles. Turnoffs: Cats! I’d like to be the only cat in the house.

TAKE ME HOME

Adorable furry faces are waiting for families at the Florida Keys SPCA

Keys Weekly is thrilled each week to showcase some “furever” friends that are ready, waiting and available for their perfect adoption “match” at the Florida Keys SPCA’s Marathon campus – complete with their best qualities, preferences and turnoffs to ensure the best fit.

The SPCA’s Golden Paw program provides special assistance with vet bills and medications for specialneeds and older animals that require a little extra TLC.

See all the animals waiting for a home at fkspca.org. To contact the Marathon campus, call 305-743-4800 or visit the campus at 10550 Aviation Blvd.

Adoption update

OHANA

1-year-old male rabbit.

Looking for: I’m content to be a house bunny, all to myself, with a family to call my own.

Turnoffs: I know it sounds weird, but I just can’t seem to get along with my brother.

Rinty and Haddie, a 13-year-old pair of bonded dogs finally found their furrever home, together!

is an author, speaker, Florida Keys historian and Honorary Conch. His latest book, “Florida Keys History with Brad Bertelli, Volume 1,” shares fascinating glimpses into the rich and sometimes surprising histories of the Florida Keys.

Black Caesar’s pirate story spans three centuries.

What every Black Caesar story has in common, however, is a pirate lair on Elliott Key. Usually, he is either an African chieftain who joined Blackbeard’s crew or an escaped Haitian slave who joined up with Southwest Florida’s legendary pirate, Jose Gaspar.

Other men have been labeled with the Black Caesar moniker. The first known reference to him sees the future pirate arriving on Elliott Key more than 100 years before the African chieftain, who arrived nearly 100 years before the escaped Haitian slave. This one-of-akind Black Caesar tale, written by Bruce Henry, a staff writer for the Miami Daily News, appeared in the April 5, 1936, edition of the newspaper. It is a doozy.

According to Henry, a segment of the local Miami historians believed the pirate was the descendent of the Portuguese naval officer Joao de Castro, who was born in Lisbon on Feb. 7, 1500, and died on June 6, 1548. The story began in the late 16th Century when a Spanish man-o-

Elliott Key provided access to prime hunting grounds

a ship carrying a particularly rich cargo, he would order 10 days of feasting and celebration, and personally lead the orgy of drinking and lust. He had captives roasted over slow fires for his amusement, and his harem is said to have once contained 100 young women.”

For those individuals intent on acts of piracy, Elliott Key provided excellent access to prime hunting grounds. A natural channel ran between the deeper waters offshore and the pass separating the pirate lair at Elliott Key from the next island along the chain, Old Rhodes Key. The channel was the conduit through which Black Caesar and his crew accessed vulnerable ships attempting to navigate the treacherous Straits of Florida.

war attempted to navigate the Straits of Florida. Among other commodities on the vessel was human cargo – including the descendant of Castro. The captain sailed right into a gale. Hurricane-force winds blew the ship off course and drove it against the stony corals of the reef. As they did, waves pounded the hull and crashed over the decks with white, foamy furor until the wood began to splinter, crack and break into pieces.

Not every person on board survived the hurricane, the shipwreck and, in cases, the shackles of slavery. A small group, however, lived through all three. They washed ashore in the Northern Keys – at Elliott Key. After recovering from their ordeal, they banded together and worked to salvage bits and pieces of the wreck, including wood, sails, rigging and barrels of fresh water.

One of the survivors who escaped the shackles was described as having “unusual intelligence”. He asserted his leadership and rose to be their leader. According to the lone account revealing this version of events, the survivors managed to salvage enough materials to create a primitive campsite and a vessel equipped with a mast, rigging and sails. It was not used to escape the island. Instead, the Portuguese leader led his fellow survivors into a life of piracy from their Elliott Key lair. He became known as Black Caesar.

Henry wrote in the Miami Daily News article that the pirate led “a colony of pirates and captives who looked up to him as an emperor; serving either through admiration or fear.”

Henry also wrote that Black Caesar “set a record for murder, torture, wanton destruction and thievery that even better-known pirates like Edward Teach, Sir Henry Morgan, Jean LaFitts [sic] and Captain Kidd could not equal. It is said of Black Caesar when his men had captured

What Black Caesar recognized, as would every Black Caesar who followed in his footsteps, was that the low-lying nature of the island was unable to hide the telltale sign of his mast. For wary captains navigating the pirate-rich Straits of Florida, sailing ships hiding behind an island all but advertised, “Hey, pirates here!”

Understanding the nature of his handicap, Black Caesar ordered a series of steps carved into the coral rock at the edge of the island. The chiseled steps led 9 feet below the channel’s surface. There, 9 feet below the surface, the pirate ordered an iron ring to be hammered down into the limestone substrate. The ring solved the problem of the pirate mast sticking up from behind the tree line of the island’s sub-tropical hammock.

Henry suggests in his newspaper story that the pirates ran a line through the ring to keel the ship over so that the mast was no longer visible from the shipping lanes. He wrote: “By caulking the decks and hatchways of his war vessel he could have run a rope through the eyebolt, fastened the other end to the ship’s mast, and used the leverage thus obtained to pull the boat to its side … effectively hiding it from passing vessels in the ocean beyond.”

What became of the pirate and his crew was not revealed in this legendary Black Caesar tale. It should be noted that the details of this story are eerily similar to every other Black Caesar story. A peek into its veracity becomes apparent when Henry suggests that Parson Jones, a legend in the Northern Keys, was a descendent of Black Caesar.

While the story of Israel “Parson” Jones is one of the great rags to riches stories of the Florida Keys, it is abundantly clear that he was in no way linked to an Elliott Key pirate. The Parson’s story, “Keeping up with the Joneses”, can be found in my new book, “Florida Keys History with Brad Bertelli, Volume 1.” Feel free to pick up a copy and support my efforts to share the histories of this amazing chain of islands.

BRAD BERTELLI

KEYS TOURISM OFFICIALS RELEASE NEW DIVE SAFETY VIDEO

SCUBA EXPERTS OFFER TIPS ON FITNESS, GEAR MAINTENANCE

PREPARATION TIPS

Properly tie boats, store loose items in times of a storm

Diving

conditions were fine leading up to Hurricane Ian earlier last week. But I do think the threat of Ian kept a lot of customers and visitors home until the certainty of this thing was figured out.

Not a lot of diving goes on in the days leading up to a potential weather threat. When there is a threat looming, what we do, and what I recommend others do, is a little storm prep on our boats and business. One of the first things we do is clean up the docks and surrounding area. Make sure there's nothing that could blow around and damage your home or your neigh bor’s.

ERIC BILLIPS

is the owner, captain and instructor at Islamorada Dive Center and Florida Keys Dive Center. He specializes in scuba, rebreather, spearfishing and captaining in the Florida Keys.

If it’s becoming obvious that a storm is heading our way, then shutter up those win dows and doors. Because our shops are on the water, we sandbag the doors. As for the boats, similar concepts as the business. Make sure all loose items are stowed. All tops are down, eisenglass open and secured. Another very important step is to ensure the bilges are work ing properly and your scuppers are clean and no debris will block them.

And finally if you can't haul out, make sure your boat is tied properly. There are many resources to help you with this depend ing on your location and situation. Obviously there are many other steps in preparing for a hurricane; these are but a few important ones. For more information on this check out, www.monroecoun tyem.com or www.cdc.gov/disasters/hurricanes/before.html.

I.CARE

CONSERVATION TIP

Recycle and reuse is the tip for this week.

Less trash, less waste, better for our oceans.

Stay tuned for more information on whether dive boats will be run ning this weekend, and if I.CARE will be planting.

To encourage safe and responsible diving in the Florida Keys Na tional Marine Sanctu ary, the Monroe County Tourist Development Council, the of ficial destination marketing or ganization for the Florida Keys & Key West, has released a new “Dive Safely in the Florida Keys” video.

The new video features health and safety information presented by Keys dive experts and has been posted on TDC social media platforms and on TDC’s website, fla-keys.com/ diving.

Underwater photographer Stephen Frink, a Key Largo resident and publisher of Alert Diver magazine, presents easyto-follow aerobic exercise tips to improve dive fitness, so div ers can prepare for situations that might push them beyond personal limits.

In addition, Keys dive operator Dan Dawson empha sizes the importance of prop

erly maintaining dive equip ment and the need for regular refresher courses to keep safe diving practices top of mind.

“Keys visitors have the op portunity to experience some of the world’s most amazing marine habitats through diving, and we want to do all we can to encourage safe and memo rable experiences for them,” said Stacey Mitchell, director of the tourism council.

The tourism council also encourages divers to foster their connection with the Keys’ underwater world by giving back through activities designed to protect the island chain’s unique environment, such as “voluntourism” dives to assist in coral restoration ef forts with organizations includ ing Coral Restoration Founda tion, Mote Marine Laboratory, I.CARE and Reef Renewal U.S.A.

The “Dive Safely in the Florida Keys” is at YouTube. com/FloridaKeysTV

— Contributed

The Monroe County Tourist Development Council releases a new dive safety video. CONTRIBUTED

SIMPLE BASIC HUMANITY

Simply lacking in certain officials

It’s been all over the news — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis recently shipped 50 migrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard in his attempt to (choose one): a) Make a political statement about immigration; b) Shore up his standing among his base as he prepares to run for president in 2024; c) Own the libs. It was most certainly a grand stunt of political theater, and it made headlines around the world.

MARATHON WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 29, 2022 31 JOHN BARTUS

There is a point, however, that so many missed. The Texas/Venezuela pawns in DeSantis’ game aren’t just chess pieces on a board — these are actual human beings with dreams and families of their own. These migrants are here legally as refugees of a corrupt socialist regime, waiting for their day in American court. Enter DeSantis Airways, whose helpful minions persuaded 50 human beings at a Migrant Resource Center in San Antonio to board a plane, with the promise of housing, jobs and a future in Boston. DeSantis chartered a plane, flew the migrants first to Florida, and then to the vacation island of Martha’s Vineyard, some 100 miles from Boston. While no housing or jobs awaited the arriving Venezuelans, the people of Martha’s Vineyard were welcoming and showed more simple basic humanity than many officials did in their treatment of these people.

It now appears that DeSantis may have violated the law, as the enabling legislation to fund migrant transfers purportedly doesn’t cover transporting migrants from another state. Regardless of the legality, the governor spent $615,000 in Florida taxpayer dollars to take migrants from Texas to Massachusetts under false pretenses — not a nice, Christian thing to do.

This kind of tactic is reminiscent of the Reverse Freedom Rides of the 1960s. In response to the similarities between the Freedom Rides and the DeSantis Vineyard Tours, the John F. Kennedy Library tweeted: “To embarrass Northern liberals and humiliate Black people, southern White Citizens Councils started their so-called ‘Reverse Freedom Rides,’ giving Black people one-way tickets to northern cities with false promises of jobs, housing, and better lives.” Sound familiar, Governor Ron?

Regardless of how one feels about our nation’s immigration policy, it doesn’t give anyone the right to treat other human beings as mere tokens on an immigration game board. There is a small but vocal and virulent number of people who believe that, because they were born here, they are entitled to more and better human rights than those from elsewhere.

is the Mayor of the City of Marathon. He also is a musician who performs around town. For more see johnbartus.

com

While America can’t be the only solution to the suffering that exists around the world, we need real solutions, not irresponsible and expensive political stunts. DeSantis and his cohort, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, seem so proud of themselves, sniggering about their “achievements” at their recent press conferences, and coming off like playground bullies.

Most people would agree that America needs to take a serious look at our immigration policy. One thing for certain: leaders of both political parties have screwed the pooch and kicked this can down the road for decades. At times in our past when we have come close to bipartisan solutions, extremists howl and the compromise falls apart. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) was a vocal proponent of immigration reform for years. As a member of the Gang of Eight, Graham and this bipartisan group of senators championed a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants as well as solutions for reducing visa backlogs. Today, because of political pressure, this senator has totally flip-flopped. He now complains about migrants and opposes everything he used to support. It’s no wonder we can’t ever get anything done in D.C.

It’s sad that many people who approve of the mistreatment of immigrants identify as Christians. For them, and for those who try and live by these principles, I’ll close with a couple of Bible verses that tackle this concept head-on. Leviticus 19:34: “The foreigner who resides with you must be to you like a native citizen among you; so you must love him as yourself, because you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.” And James 2:1-4: “How can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others?”

How indeed, Governor Ron?

(Editor’s note: The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Keys Weekly.)

— John’s Perpetual Island Tour stops every Monday at Boondocks, Tuesday and Wednesday at the Key Colony Inn, and Thursdays at Sparky’s Landing.

COMMERCE CORNER

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4681 Overseas Hwy., Marathon 305-517-1232

oceanviewmarinafl.com oceanviewmarina@suntex.com

CHRIS M cNULTY

is an astrologer, wanderer, bartender and advocate for queer justice. He is a loquacious Gemini with a cozy Cancer rising. Find him at hearthandheraldastrology.com

Venus, the ir resist ibly charming beauty of the planets, has just waltzed from Virgo into Libra.

In the pro cess, she has picked up great dignity, as Virgo is a frustrating place for her to hang out and Libra is her home temple. It feels as though an elegant socialite just entered an opulent party after being stuck at work miserably crunching numbers. Themes of relationship, love, beauty, grace and money can now course through us more freely, so enjoy the flow. Simulta neously, we have cold, authorita tive Saturn in Aquarius helping to constrain impulsive Mars in Gemini, so it is a good time to focus thoughtful action in pursuit of the greater good.

Here are your Venus enter ing Libra horoscopes. Read for your rising and sun signs.

LIBRA

Sept. 23 - Oct. 23

Happy birthday to all of our lovely Libras! You are starting a monthlong journey of blooming into your personal health and beauty, whether it is an actual regimen for enhancing your aesthetic or other folks simply noticing your magnetic charm. Enjoy the at tention, and learn to see yourself through an appreciative lens. You’ve been maturing in your own creative pursuits; use these lessons to determine how you use your drive to learn new skills.

VENUS COMES WALTZING HOME

SCORPIO

Oct. 24 - Nov. 21

You might have been feeling a bit hyperactive when it comes to the way other people rely on you for emotional or material support. It can be tiring to always be the one to step up. In order to provide direction to this energy, focus on what feels like home. If you prioritize a feeling of security and familiarity, you can determine what investments need to be cut out. Also, start to indulge in your solitude and fall in love with your quirks.

SAGITTARIUS

Nov. 22 - Dec. 21

You have been enacting a major review of what brings you joy in the realm of creativity and chil dren – what are the things you must nurture, then release, that spark your happiness? Right now, consider who the people are who will help you succeed in your inventive endeavors. How do they do it, and how can you pull yourself into their orbit? Choose your words carefully with a loved one.

CAPRICORN

Dec. 22 - Jan. 19

You never shy away from hard work, Capricorn, but lately it may feel as thought you are exerting and sweating more than normal. In order to be more efficient in your output, edit your work to the activities that directly meet your needs. Right now, you are developing wisdom around your values. Focus. Find your grace and balance at work. The planets are supporting you.

AQUARIUS

Jan. 20 - Feb. 18

You are in the midst of a multi year process of becoming more conservative or moderate in your external presentation, and the energy you are consolidating is supporting your creativity and

bliss. Turn your focus on what you do that brings you joy, rather than how people perceive you. Also, it is an ideal time to pursue the beauty of a grand adventure or learning project.

PISCES

Feb. 19 - March 20

Are you saving for a big purchase or reevaluating your budget so you can have more money for the fun stuff? It is a good time to invest in other people’s artwork right now because the return will be ample. Taking adequate alone time will help you to resolve any frustrations that you are having at home or with your family; It will let you approach the problem with a tempered coolness.

ARIES

March 21 - April 19

You may have been getting into more arguments than usual, or having some particularly angry or frustrated thoughts. Consolidate the folks around you who really want to see you thrive, and you will be able to train your commu nication and thinking into more productive streams. A significant other will probably show up in your life to provide some muchneeded peace. It will be OK to rely on them.

TAURUS

April 20 - May 20

Your hard work has come into focus recently, and it is about to get a nice boost of harmony. You may discover that you love your daily routines or you may determine how to maximize your earnings from your labor. Maxi mizing your quiet reflection time will only aid this process for you. Look to an elder at work to help you determine how to best use your energy.

GEMINI

May 21 - June 21

Reflecting on what constitutes

home, family and belonging has probably been a persistent activity recently, and your work life may be throwing all of this into some confusion. Imagine your ideal public reputation and let that lead you in the right direction. Let your love for your creative outlets take off right now and immerse yourself in the artis tic process.

CANCER

June 22 - July 22

Let a new beginning with your family, whether blood or chosen, take root right now. This is just the beginning of a new chapter in your personal definition of home and family. Your career is bring ing a lot of YES energy into your life, and this new joy at work can help to create the balance you need for your family-life to be harmonious. Water the seed.

LEO

July 23 - Aug. 22

’Tis the season for you to be shedding a light on your methods of communication, Leo. How are you getting your point across in the most meaningful and impact ful ways? Right now, it is high time for you to find truly pleasing ways to express yourself. Think poetry, visual arts or beautiful music. You have something to say; now figure out how to say it with style.

VIRGO

Aug. 23 - Sept. 22

So you’re reflecting on your health and the perception that others might have of you, and that is quite all right at the mo ment. Get a new wardrobe that reflects yourself better. Try out a new workout routine. Reconsider how your outsides match your insides. There is a dream partner out there who might be spurring this thought process. Let them be an inspiration rather than a mirage.

WHERE ARE WE?

from page 7

built homes in the event of an evacuation, the DCA opinion ruled that comprehensive plan amendments in Marathon required to accept the bestowed units did not “maintain a hurricane evacuation clearance time for permanent residents of no more than 24 hours.”

The catch: DEO and Marathon are now both on the receiving end of DCA’s denial, as the units were handed down by DEO itself and originally upheld by a subsequent hearing with DOAH in December 2019.

The decision could also have an unknown ripple effect for development in Marathon, as since 2013 the city has relied on a multi-day phased evacuation plan, one that requires early departure for groups of individuals many would classify as “permanent residents”: those residing in mobile homes and live-aboard vessels, nursing home residents, and members of the military, among others.

Of the units awarded by Marathon, about 73 are attached to finished projects or repurposed housing believed to be currently occupied. With multiple developers in various stages of construction based on the previously awarded units, the Marathon City Council has already faced debate about how to fairly assist the individuals and businesses affected by the decision.

Though there are several avenues still to be explored in an attempt to remedy the reversal, there is a possibility of severe consequences for housing already constructed on the basis of the awarded units. In 2001, Grosso successfully argued that a $3.3-million luxury apartment complex violated the comprehensive plan for Martin County, Florida and must be demolished.

Following the shocking Aug. 3 opinion, the city filed a motion to have the case re-heard by all nine DCA judges. In an 8-1 vote, with judge Edwin Scales as the lone supporter of Marathon’s motion, the request was denied on Sept. 20.

The next step for the case would be an escalated appeal to the Florida Supreme Court, a decision likely on the agenda for Marathon’s Oct. 11 city council meeting. However, Williams said the odds of success at the Supreme Court level in light of the DCA’s denial are slim, and a more likely avenue of relief could fall on the 2023 session of the Florida legislature.

Changing the statute mandating a 24-hour evacuation of the Keys to 36 hours or more would alleviate Marathon’s violation confirmed in the DCA’s decision. But with a new Regional Evacuation Transportation Analysis – commonly called “the evacuation model” on the way in the coming days or weeks – the exact change required is yet to be determined.

If a legislative fix is unsuccessful, the city may explore the possibility of swapping some of its 300 units with Key West. As its own ACSC separate from Marathon, the principles in the Florida Administrative Code regulating Key West’s evacuations provide only for a plan that “provides an opportunity for residents and visitors to evacuate to a place of safety during a natural disaster.”

The distinction was enough to provide a win for Key West and allow the southernmost city to keep its 300 units from 2018 in the very same case that challenged Marathon’s units. The simple translation: send the “tainted” units with an early evacuation requirement to a place that can legally use them, in a trade for “clean” units to use in Marathon. Although it’s a possibility, it’s one Williams described as a last resort should a legislative fix prove unattainable.

MOOSE CLEAN THE BEACH

On Sept. 17, the Marathon Moose Lodge participated in the International Coastal Cleanup by cleaning Loggerhead Beach at Bahia Honda State Park. Home Depot donated buckets and trash bags, dozens of which were filled with marine debris removed by the club by the end of the day. CONTRIBUTED.

BRIEFLY

Firefighter paramedic arrested in Trauma Star drug case

A Monroe County Fire Rescue Firefighter Paramedic assigned to the Trauma Star helicopter program has been arrested for tampering with evidence and official misconduct. The arrest is the result of an investigation conducted by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Unit.

“Although this is a troubling case, it does not reflect the vast majority of the men and women at Monroe County Fire Rescue,” said Sheriff Rick Ramsay. “That said, anyone who obstructs a criminal investigation under these circumstances will be held accountable.”

Officials said Damian Roberto Suarez, 44, of Miami, lied to detectives about his knowledge of an ongoing investigation into the theft of narcotics from the Trauma Star hangar. Suarez also deleted text messages and pictures from his phone concerning the investigation after he was told not to do so, as the texts could be evidence in a criminal case.

Suarez’s arrest follows the arrest earlier this month of former chief flight nurse Lynda Rusinowski, 56, who was charged with two counts of grand theft of a controlled substance, two counts of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud and two counts of official misconduct.

Kick off October at the Marathon Library

Friday, Sept. 30: Photography: take better pictures, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Arts and Crafts: Slime Time, 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1: Easy Yoga (adults) 10 a.m.; VR and Robots Game Time, 3 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 3: 3D Printing Open Lab, 10 a.m.; Teen Advisory Group, 3 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 4: Art (adults), 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.; MahJong, 10 a.m.; Preschool Storytime fun, 10:30 a.m.; Sketch Workshop (teens) 3 p.m.; Dungeons & Dragons (adults) 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5: Easy Yoga (adults) 10 a.m.; Cosmic Kids Movement & Yoga Adventures 10:30 a.m.; Dungeons & Dragons (teens) 5 p.m.; Dungeons & Dragons (adults) 5 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 6: Homeschool Learning activities, 10:30 a.m.; Dungeons & Dragons (kids), 3:30 p.m.; Family Lego Time, 4 p.m.

LEGAL NOTICES

FICTITIOUS NAME

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of KEYS TEMPORARY SERVICES located at 18 Flamingo Hammock Rd, Islamorada, FL 33036 intends to register said name with the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida.

By: Keys Elite Services, LLC

Publish: September 29, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

FICTITIOUS NAME

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of HIGHENDCIERGE, LLC located at 31 Ocean Reef Drive, Key Largo, Florida 33037 intends to register said name with the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida.

By: Cristina Popescu

Publish: September 29, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE U-HAUL

COMPANY OF MIAMI

Notice is hereby given that on October 10th, 2022, Leonard Richford Jr. Storage Auctioneer, Executive Administrator for U-Haul Company of Miami, 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. U-Haul Company does reserve the right to refuse any bids. The sales will Begin at 8:00 a.m. and continue day by day until all units are sold. The names of whose units will be sold are as follows:

103530 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, FL 33037. Name and Last Known Addresses are as Follows:

Benjamin Capote Unit 1207 $523.85

Kimberley Stewart Unit 1185 $507.80

Cody Merrin Unit 1589 $871.55

Daniel Norton Unit 1775 $1,134.76

Pat Edward Placey Jr Unit 1003 $716.45 Publish: September 22nd & September 29th, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE

Pursuant F.S. 328.17, United American Lien & Recovery as agent w/ power of attorney will sell the following vessel(s) to the highest bidder. Inspect 1 week prior @ marina; cash or cashier check; all auctions are held w/ reserve; any persons interested ph 954-563-1999

Sale Date October 28, 2022 @ 10:00 am 3411 NW 9th Ave #707 Ft Lauderdale FL 33309

V12941 1976 Morgan FL0047RR

Hull ID#: MRY10127M76A

inboard pleasure diesel fiberglass 41ft R/O Erine Edward Harbour & Cynthia Marie Taylor Lienor: Pilot House Marina/Restaurant 13 Seagate Blvd Key Largo

LEGAL NOTICES

Licensed

Publish: September 29 & October 6, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

DISTRICT II ADVISORY COMMITTEE (DAC II)

DAC II – (From the City Limits of Key West to the West End of the Seven Mile Bridge) of the

MONROE COUNTY TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL has an opening for an “At Large” representative - Any resident who is not directly involved in a tourism business and who shall represent the general public, and shall live or work within the tax collection district for which he/she is applying (The operative word within this description is directly. This means no direct involvement by an applicant in a business or economic activity that is dependent upon tourism).

Any person wishing to participate on the District II Advisory Committee of the Monroe County Tourist Development Council within the district so noted above, may request an application from the Administrative Office by calling (305) 296-1552, and then submit an application to the address shown below:

Department DAC Monroe County Tourist Development Council 1201 White Street, Suite 102 Key West, FL 33040

Deadline for receipt of application at the above address is Friday, October 28, 2022, at 5:00 p.m. A resume may be attached to the application.

Publish: September 29, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE

The Monroe County Tourist Development Council will hold their regularly-scheduled meeting on Tuesday, October 18, 2022, at 10:00 A.M., at the Murray Nelson Government Center in Key Largo, Florida.

The Visit Florida Keys Corporation will also convene during this meeting.

All Tourist Development Council Meetings are open to the public, and one or more County Commissioners may be in attendance.

ADA ASSISTANCE: If you are a person with a disability who needs special accommodations in order to participate in this proceeding, please contact the Monroe County Administrator’s Office, by phoning (305) 2924441, 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”.

Publish: September 29, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

Meeting Notice

PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE SOLICITATIONS

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Tuesday, November 1 2022, at 3:00 P.M., the Monroe County Purchasing Office will receive and open sealed responses for the following:

Lift Stations Maintenance and Cleaning – Upper Keys Monroe County, Florida

Pursuant to F.S. 50.0211(3) (a), all published competitive solicitation notices can be viewed at: www.

floridapublicnotices.com, a searchable Statewide repository for all published legal notices.

Requirements for submission and the selection criteria may be requested from DemandStar at www.demandstar.com OR www. monroecounty-fl.gov/bids. The Public Record is available upon request.

Monroe County Purchasing Department receives bids electronically. Please do not mail or attempt to deliver in person any sealed bids. Mailed/ physically delivered bids/ proposals/responses WILL NOT be accepted.

The Monroe County Purchasing Department hereby directs that bids be submitted via email to: OMB-BIDS@monroecounty-fl. gov, no later than 3:00P.M., on November 1, 2022. Please submit your confidential financial information in a SEPARATE EMAIL from your bid and required documents. Your subject line on both emails must read as follows:

Lift Stations Maintenance and Cleaning – Upper Keys 11-1-2022

Files that do not contain this subject line WILL BE REJECTED. Please note that the maximum file size that will be accepted by email is 25MB. Please plan accordingly to ensure that your bid is not rejected due to the file size. Should your bid documents exceed 25MB, in advance of the bid opening, please email: ombpurchasing@monroecounty-fl. gov so accommodations for delivery of your bid can be made prior to the bid opening. Please be advised that it is the bidder’s sole responsibility to ensure delivery of their bid and waiting until the bid opening to address or confirm your bid submission delivery will result in your bid being rejected.

The bid opening for this solicitation will be held virtually, via the internet, at 3:00 P.M., on November 1, 2022. You may call in by phone or internet using the following:

Join Zoom Meeting https://mcbocc.zoom. us/j/4509326156

Meeting ID: 4509326156

One tap mobile: +16465189805,, 4509326156# US (New York)

+16699006833,, 4509326156# US (San Jose)

Dial by your location:

+1 646 518 9805 (New York)

+1 669 900 6833 (San Jose)

Publish:

September 29, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

Monroe County Land Authority

The Monroe County Land Authority Advisory Committee will meet in the Marathon Government Center located at 2798 Overseas Highway, Media Room – 1st floor, Marathon, Florida on October 5, 2022 beginning at 9:30 a.m. The agenda is available online at www.monroecounty-fl.gov or by contacting the Monroe County Land Authority office at 305-295-5180.

ADA ASSISTANCE If you are a person with a disability who needs special accommodations in order to participate in these proceedings, 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”.

LEGAL NOTICES

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 2022-CP-000267-K IN RE: ESTATE OF ARTHUR VINTON MYERS, JR., Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The administration of the estate of Arthur Vinton Myers, Jr., deceased, whose date of death was July 7, 2021, File Number 2022-CP-000267-K, 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 estate is testate. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below.

ALL INTERESTED PERSONS ARE NOTIFIED THAT:

All persons on whom this notice is served who have objections that challenge the validity of the will, the qualifications of the personal representative, venue, or jurisdiction of this Court are required to file their objections with this Court WITHIN THE LATER OF THREE MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR THIRTY DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM.

All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is served within three months after the date of the first publication of this notice must file their claims with this Court WITHIN THE LATER OF THREE MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR THIRTY 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 the decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN THREE MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE.

ALL CLAIMS, DEMANDS AND OBJECTIONS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN SECTION 733.702 OF THE FLORIDA PROBATE CODE 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: September 29, 2022.

Personal Representative: Arthur Vinton Myers, III, a/k/a Vinton Myers, III 29 Dahlgren Road Richmond, VA 23238

Attorney for Personal Representative: Gina Martinez Nyugen Florida Bar No. 0256780

Gina Nyugen, P.A. 7300 North Kendall Drive, Suite 540 Miami, Florida 33156

Telephone: (305) 670-9400

Publish:

September 29 & October 6, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT

FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA

PROBATE DIVISION

FILE NO.: 2022-CP-000110-P

IN RE: ESTATE OF MARY EDNA SMITH A/K/A EDNA M. SMITH Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The administration of the estate of Mary Edna Smith, also known as Edna M. Smith, deceased, whose date of death was May 29, 2022, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 88820 Overseas Highway, Tavernier, FL 33070.

The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s

NOTICES

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 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: September 29, 2022.

Personal Representative: Melissa B. Hemmert 5633 Strand Blvd. Suite 306 Naples, Florida 34110

Attorney for Personal Representative: Jeffrey R. Grant Attorney Florida Bar Number: 63918 Grant, Cottrell & Miller-Meyers, PLLC 5147 Castello Drive Naples, FL 34103 Telephone: (239) 649-4848 Fax: (239) 643-9810 E-Mail: jeff@grantcottrell.com Seconday E-Mail: jennifer@ grantcottrell.com Publish: September 29 & October 6, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION File No. 2022-CP-103-P Division Probate IN RE: ESTATE OF WILLIAM EDWARD FLEMING Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS The administration of the estate of WILLIAM EDWARD FLEMING, deceased, whose date of death was June 13, 2022; is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 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 SECTION 733.702 OF THE FLORIDA PROBATE CODE 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 September 22, 2022.

Personal Representative CHRISTINA L. WHITESEL 3951 Old Rocks Road Street, MD 21154

Attorney for Personal Representative Urban J. W. Patterson, Esq. Email: ujwplaw@gmail.com

NOTICES

Secondary Email: ujwplawfirm@ yahoo.com

Florida Bar No. 382035 Urban J. W. Patterson, P.A. P. O. Box 783 Islamorada, Florida 33036

Telephone: 3056645065 Publish: September 22 & September 29, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION IN RE: ESTATE OF JOSEPHINE FREUND, File No. 22-CP-117-P

Division UPPER KEYS Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The administration of the estate of JOSEPHINE FREUND , de ceased, whose date of death was MAY 1, 2022 is pending in the Circuit Court for MON ROE County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 88820 OVERSEAS HIGHWAY, TAVERNIER, 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 dece dent 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 September 22, 2022 .

Personal Representative: David Rosenwald c/o R.T. McDaniel, Jr., Esq P.O. Box 144555, Coral Gables, FL 33114-4555

Attorney for Personal Represen tative: R. Thornton McDaniel, Jr thornatty@gmail.com Florida Bar No. 855715 P.O. Box 144555 Coral Gables, FL 33114-4555 Telephone: 305/815-3777 Publish: September 22 & 29, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.: 2022-DR-626-K DIVISION: FAMILY IN RE: THE MARRIAGE OF: SLAVENA MOMCHILOVA, Petitioner, and, BRYAN KELEMEN, Respondent.

NOTICE OF ACTION FOR DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE (NO CHILD OR FINANCIAL SUPPORT)

TO: Bryan Kelemen LAST KNOWN ADDRESS: Unknown

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 Slavena Momchilova, whose address is 607 Eaton Street, Key West, FL 33040 on or before October 31, 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 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: September 22, 2022 Kevin Madok, CPA Clerk of the Circuit Court Monroe County, Florida

By: Marissa Lockwood

Deputy Clerk Publish: September 29, October 6, 13 & 20, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

The Weekly NewspapersAUTOS WANTED

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

BOATS FOR SALE

FOR SALE: 2007 Cobia - 19 ft, with T-top, 115hp Yamaha. No trailer. Located in Marathon. $9,900 Text 305-743-6098

SPACE FOR RENT

Boat Trailer Spaces Available. $100 per week. Boat dockage available $100 per week. Easy access to the Atlantic and lighthouse. Boat length 32’ or less! Dockage is eighty feet long with good depth for boats. Phone 336-408-8140 or 336287-3345.

EMPLOYMENT

HELP WANTED -Need sitter for older self-sufficient woman, two or three days at a time. Sombrero Isle, Marathon. Please call 305-662-1916 daytime for details.

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

Sandbar Donuts mobile food trailer located at 102840 Overseas Highway, Key Largo is open Saturdays and Sundays 8am-1pm. We prepare hot fresh donuts daily and are looking for creative and responsible individuals to join our team. Please email sandbardonuts@ gmail.com or stop by to see us if interested in becoming part of our "Sprinkle Squad" or just to place a donut order and experience the Sandbar Donuts crave!

LEGAL NOTICES

CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES

HOUSING FOR RENT

Pancho's Fuel Dock in Marathon is looking for a part-time cashier Thu/Fri/Sat. Please call 305-743-2281.

Marathon Yacht Club is hiring a part-time dishwasher. $14/hr, Private Club & Friendly Atmosphere, Varying Hours Tuesday –Saturday. Call 305-743-6739 to schedule an interview.

NOW HIRING - Full Time Seafood Packers/Graders. Competitive Wage. Apply in person at Keys Fisheries Fish House, 3390 Gulfview Ave, Marathon. EOE DFWP

CDL Drivers needed. Must have a clean record & drug free. We are offering competitive wages. Please apply in person at Discount Rock & Sand, 10500 Aviation Blvd, Unit 2, Marathon

City of Marathon

Current Job Openings: Utilities Maintenance, Recreation Specialist, Right of Way Technician, Parttime Marina Custodian/ Maintenance and Marina Tech/Pump Out Captain. Full Benefits. EOE Please see City website for details www.ci.marathon.fl.us

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@gmail.com

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

NOW HIRING: Sweet Savannah's is now hiring for multiple positions: Cashiermust be 16 yrs or older, Fulltime Baker & Part-time Baker's Assistant. Stop by for an application at 8919 Overseas Highway, Marathon or email: info@sweetsavannahs.com

Serve/Bartend on the ocean! FT/PT Ocean front private swim club is seeking customer service oriented server/bartender. Serve on pool deck, beach and/or bar lounge. Open year round, 10am-7pm daily. Full time/Part time. Small friendly staff. Above average hourly wage plus tips. Apply in person at 425 E. Ocean Dr. Key Colony Beach or call 404219-3359 and ask for Dave.

The Housing Authority of the City of Key West now hiring the following positions: Maintenance Mechanic (Maintenance Worker), Med Tech, Protective Service Aide, Resident Activities Coordinator. To apply, please contact Human Resources at: martinezm@ kwha.org or 305-296-5621. Applications are available at the Administrative Office located at 1400 Kennedy Dr., Key West, FL 33040 or online at www.kwha.orgEOE & Drug Free Work Place. This opportunity is covered under Section 3 of the HUD Act of 1968.

HOUSING FOR RENT LONG TERM

Las Brisa - 2BR/2BA

Unfurnished, great view, W/D, covered parking. Tennis, Swimming Pool & BBQ on property. Across from Smather’s Beach, Key West. $3,900/month + util. F/L/S Owner/Agent Douglas Miller 305-747-1700

STUDIO APT FOR RENT - Furnished Studio Apt w/ patio, like new, W/D, off street parking. Key West. $2,300/month including util. F/L/S Owner/Agent Douglas Miller 305-747-1700

HOUSING FOR RENT SHORT TERM

2BR/2BA Single Family Waterfront Home for rent in Marathon. Fully furnished. 70' dock. $5,000/ month includes all utilities, internet & TV. Available for 3 months - Jan, Feb & March. 727-278-1105

RV FOR SALE

RV FOR SALE - 2017 Thor Citation RV, 24ft Mercedes V6 Diesel, Cummings Diesel Generator, Low Mileage, Many Upgrades, Call Richard 305-363-8021

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!

NOW HIRING

OUTDOOR PRIVATE ESTATE HOUSEMAN

Islamorada | Full Time | $25.00 +/hr

Must have previous houseman or related experience, valid US DL and SSN. Must be able to pass background checks and be a self-starter who can follow directions

ESTAMOS CONTRATANDO

Tiempo completo, mantenimiento de exterior en casa privada. Localizada en Islamorada, a $25.00+/hr. experiencia previa requerida o similar. Licencia valida en EE.UU. y numero de Seguro social. Capaz de pasar verificacion de antecedents y prueba de droga. Emprendedor motivado capaz de seguir instruciones.

Email resume & references to Lnz777@aol.com or mail to:

Resume, c/o Post Net, 88005 Overseas Hwy, Suite 10, Box #162, Islamorada, FL 33036

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

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

HIRING

PROFESSIONALS NEEDED! APPLY TODAY!

NURSE PRACTITIONER/PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT

Keys AHEC Health Centers is seeking a Full Time APRN or PA to join its team. Position follows the Teacher’s School Schedule during the year and has limited Summer Hours. Position o ers a competitive wage, great schedule, Health Insurance and other benefits. Duties will be to provide primary care medical services in a school based se ing for students and sta .

FRONT DESK DENTAL/DRIVER

The Keys AHEC Health Center is looking for a FRONT DESK PROFESSIONAL AND MOBILE UNIT DRIVER to join our oral health care team. This position will work with students who normally do not have access to oral health care and need basic dental treatment and prevention services.

Position is 3 days per week (Tues-Thurs), equaling 24-35 hours per week with occasional Friday opportunities. Position will also work the front desk which will require receiving patients, phone calls, patient scheduling, reporting and general administrative duties. Training is provided for the driving, vehicle upkeep and front desk duties on site. Travel is required as we serve all schools countywide which has some longer days for sites at each end of the county.

Position o ers a competitive salary, mileage reimbursement, travel pay and a limited benefit package. EOE

For more information or to submit your CV, contact Michael Cunningham, CEO at 305 743-7111 ext. 202 or email at michael@keysahec.org

OPEN POSITIONS

TAVERNIER MARINERS HOSPITAL

- Environmental Tech, $5,000 Bonus

- Cook, $5,000 Bonus

- Medical Technologist, $15,000 Bonus

- Multi Modality Imaging Tech

- Occupational Health Registered Nurse, $20,000 Bonus

- Patient Experience Advocate

- Pool Group Exercise Instructor

- Pool Physical Therapist

- Registered Nurse, Emergency

- Registered Nurse, Multispecialty

- Registered Respiratory Therapist, $15,000 Bonus

- Sr Phlebotomist

MARATHON FISHERMEN’S

COMMUNITY HOSPITAL

- Cook, $5,000 Bonus

- Dietitian, $5,000 Bonus

- ED Team Coordinator

- Floor Technician, $5,000 Bonus

- Medical Assistant, $5,000 Bonus

- Medical Technologist, $15,000 Bonus

- Multi Modality Imaging Tech

- Patient Experience Advocate

- Phlebotomist, $10,000 Bonus

- Pool Physical Therapist

- Registered Nurse, Emergency, $20,000 Bonus

- Registered Nurse, Surgery, $20,000 Bonus

- Security Of cer

PHYSICIAN PRACTICE – MARATHON

- Patient Representative, $1,000 Bonus

- Registered Nurse

- Athletic Trainer

APPLY AND LEARN MORE careers.baptisthealth.net or call 786-243-8507

LARGO

WEST

Benefits

401(k)

Full job descriptions available at www.dolphins.org/career_opportunities

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

O/S Hwy - Grassy Key, FL

Teaching... Learning... Caring

DUI EVALUATOR/ INSTRUCTOR

The Advocate DUI Program is hiring for part time positions. DUI instructors and evaluators - 2 days a week, Bachelors or Masters degree in substance abuse eld required. Bilingual preferred, not required. Of ce located in Marathon. Contact Marcia at 305-704-0117.

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

The Turtle Hospital in Marathon

Join our team! Full and part-time Educational Program Guides/Gift Shop Sales. Public speaking & retail sales experience helpful. $16.00/hour to start. Send resume to: TurtleHospitalMarathon@gmail.com

Lead

OPEN POSITIONS

TAVERNIER MARINERS HOSPITAL

- Environmental Tech, $5,000 Bonus

- Cook, $5,000 Bonus

- Medical Technologist, $15,000 Bonus

- Multi Modality Imaging Tech

- Occupational Health Registered Nurse, $20,000 Bonus

- Patient Experience Advocate

- Pool Group Exercise Instructor

- Pool Physical Therapist

- Registered Nurse, Emergency

- Registered Nurse, Multispecialty

- Registered Respiratory Therapist, $15,000 Bonus

- Sr Phlebotomist

MARATHON FISHERMEN’S

COMMUNITY HOSPITAL

- Cook, $5,000 Bonus

- Dietitian, $5,000 Bonus

- ED Team Coordinator

- Floor Technician, $5,000 Bonus

- Medical Assistant, $5,000 Bonus

- Medical Technologist, $15,000 Bonus

- Multi Modality Imaging Tech

- Patient Experience Advocate

- Phlebotomist, $10,000 Bonus

- Pool Physical Therapist

- Registered Nurse, Emergency, $20,000 Bonus

- Registered Nurse, Surgery, $20,000 Bonus

- Security Of cer

PHYSICIAN PRACTICE – MARATHON

- Patient Representative, $1,000 Bonus

- Registered Nurse

- Athletic Trainer

PART TIME / FULL TIME OPPORTUNITIES W/FLEXIBLE SCHEDULES

BELL/VALET

Offering a $500 sign on bonus for applicants hired through 9/30/2022

FRONT DESK AGENT RESERVATIONS AGENT REVENUE ANALYST HOUSEKEEPING PUBLIC AREA AND ROOM ATTENDANT

Offering a $500 sign on bonus for applicants hired through 9/30/2022

F&B: SERVER FOOD RUNNER/BUSSER SERVER ASSISTANT RESTAURANT GREETER COOK

SPA TERRE AT OCEAN KEY: LICENSED MASSAGE THERAPIST LICENSED NAIL TECHNICIAN

WE ARE EXCITED TO OFFER REDUCED-COST EMPLOYEE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES IN OLD TOWN!

SCAN TO VIEW JOB OPENINGS. APPLY TODAY!

APPLY ONLINE AT www.noblehousehotels.com/careers

MARATHON WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 29, 2022 45 • CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES • 305.743.0844• CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES • 305.743.0844 APPLY AND LEARN MORE careers.baptisthealth.net or call 786-243-8507

APPLY IN PERSON AT Zero Duval St. Ocean Key Resort and Spa is EOE.

THE GUIDANCE/CARE CENTER, Inc.

IS HIRING!

GCC offers excellent benefits for full-time employment, but we realize some would prefer part-time to enjoy the Florida Keys lifestyle more. All positions can be considered for full or part-time to meet your needs. Apply and enter your availability.

KEY LARGO

Crisis Counselor

Behavioral Health Counselor (Children)

KEY WEST

Behavioral Health Therapist (Child, Adult)

Care Coordinator

Prevention Specialist

Behavioral Health Counselor (Children)

Peer Support Specialist

Crisis Counselor

Case Managers (Adult, Forensic, Children)

*Advocate

MARATHON

*Support Worker (PT only)

Peer Support Specialist/BHT Care Coordinator

Behavioral Health Therapist (Child, Adult) RNs and LPNs - 3 shifts (also Per Diem)

Maintenance Specialist

*Behavioral Health Technicians 3 shifts (also Per Diem)

Admissions Utilization Specialist

*No experience required for these positions. Will train. A caring heart & helpful hands required.

Background and drug screen req.

COMPETITIVE PAY! EXCEPTIONAL BENEFITS!!!

Check out all available positions at: www.westcare.com (search by zip code) EEOC/DFWP

Liz Samess Interior Designer

305.495.6000

1453791 NMLSConsumerAccess.org

Mortgage www.TewesMortgage.com