Marathon Weekly 22-1215

6.3M

9709 Overseas Hwy. Marathon, FL 33050 Office: 305.743.0844 www.keysweekly.com

Publisher Jason Koler jason@keysweekly.com

Publishing Partner Britt Myers britt@keysweekly.com

Marathon Editor Alex Rickert alex@keysweekly.com

Staff Writers Jim McCarthy jim@keysweekly.com Mandy Miles mandy@keysweekly.com

Copy Editor Mike Howie mike@keysweekly.com

Director of Sales Manuela Carrillo Mobley manuela@keysweekly.com

Business Development

Patti Childress patti@keysweekly.com

Production Manager Anneke Patterson anneke@keysweekly.com

Executive Administrator Charlotte Hruska char@keysweekly.com

Design / Pre-Press

Javier Reyes javier@keysweekly.com Irene de Bruijn irene@keysweekly.com

Design / Web Master

Travis Cready travis@keysweekly.com

Classifieds

Anneke Patterson anneke@keysweekly.com 305.743.0844

Se habla español

THE MARATHON WEEKLY (ISSN 1944-0812) IS PUBLISHED WEEKLY FOR $125 PER YEAR BY WEEKLY NEWSPAPERS, INC., 9709 OVERSEAS HIGHWAY, MARATHON FL 33050. APPLICATION TO MAIL AT PERIODICALS POSTAGE RATES IS PENDING AT FORT LAUDERDALE FL AND ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES.

All stories, photos, and graphics are copyrighted materials.

POSTMASTER:

SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO THE KEYS WEEKLY, 9709 OVERSEAS HIGHWAY, MARATHON FL 33050

News Deadline Tuesday Noon Advertising Deadline Tuesday 2 p.m.

‘Tis the season for traveling. According to AAA, roughly 6.3 million Floridians will journey 50 miles or more away from home between Dec. 23 and Jan.

2. That’s an increase of nearly 108,000 people over the last year and a new record-high for the year-end holiday travel period in Florida.

Captain Bud Fernandes and “Izzy Rose” bested nearly 20 entrants to claim top honors in the 2022 Key Colony Beach Lighted Boat Parade on Dec. 11. See page 32. ALEX RICKERT/Keys Weekly

ACTION PACKED

BPAS, vacation rental workarounds headline Marathon City Council meeting; many topics tabled

ALEX RICKERT alex@keysweekly.com

What began with attempts to move forward on several campaign promises from new councilman Jeff Smith eventually turned to a frustrated outburst from a Coco Plum resident as the Marathon City Council convened for its monthly meeting on Dec. 13 with a packed discussion agenda.

effective way to test the survival of a regulatory ordinance. … We can get what Mr. Smith would say is a favorable opinion from the Attorney General’s office. That will not stop a citizen or DEO or someone else from attacking (a new ordinance).”

After discussion, no other council member would second Smith’s motion.

Second Meeting Gets Green Light

proved in theory but currently unable to proceed with permitting.

Opinion

on Vacation Rental Changes Is a No-Go

Citing the ever-present concern of the growing vacation rental stock in Marathon, Smith urged the council to pursue an attorney general’s opinion regarding unclear language in Florida statute 509.032(7). The statute as currently interpreted prevents Marathon from placing any additional limits on vacation rentals without forfeiting the grandfather status of its existing vacation rental ordinance – the only ordinance preventing nightly rentals for any home in the city. Smith noted that Islamorada has previously been able to restrict rentals using property value thresholds, a provision that appears permissible in the final clause of the statute.

“It is not a recommendation to do anything to our ordinance at this time,” said Smith. “I do believe it’s appropriate to ask for that (clarification) because we assure our constituents that we’re doing everything in our power to attempt to address their concerns regarding the impact of vacation rentals.”

“I agree that there is very little inherent danger in seeking an attorney general’s opinion,” said city attorney Steve Williams. “However, there is no

Marathon residents will now have two opportunities each month to officially interact with city council members, with a second monthly meeting set for the fourth Tuesday of each month. Suggested by Smith as a fulfillment of a campaign promise by numerous council candidates and enacted by Mayor Luis Gonzalez, the second meeting will feature no action items. Rather, it will serve as a roundtable to discuss pressing issues with experts and residents in compliance with Florida’s Sunshine Law. The meetings are scheduled to begin in January.

Coco Plum Development Eyes BPAS Workaround

Following a 2-1 vote recommending approval from the Marathon Planning Commission at its Oct. 17 meeting, the council voted 4-1 to approve a modified version of the conditional use permits for the upcoming 60- and 64-unit affordable housing developments at the bend in Coco Plum Drive, commonly known as Seaview Commons. Councilman Kenny Matlock was the lone “nay” vote.

Initially the beneficiary of a large portion of the 300 affordable housing allocations revoked in an Aug. 3 opinion by Miami’s Third District Court of Appeals, the development is ap-

In addition to adding a new emergency exit driveway, new language added to the conditional use permits states that the developments “must obtain … affordable residential allocations to be transferred via the Transfer of Building Rights (TBRs), Building Permit Allocation System (BPAS) process, or any other legally established process, including statutory, prior to building permit issuance.”

Speaking on behalf of the developer, attorney Bart Smith indicated in both the planning commission and city council meetings that the development may look to “utilize certain statutory exemptions” in order to complete the development without securing traditional building allocations required in the Keys.

The statute in question is Florida state statute 166.04151(1), which provides the ability of a municipality to adopt “an ordinance, rule or other measure that is adopted for the purpose of increasing the supply of affordable housing.”

A later section in the same statute (166.04151(5)) indicates that certain sections of the statute do not apply in areas of critical state concern – including Marathon – but does not include section 1 in that clarification, raising the question of whether the statute’s first section could be used to develop additional affordable housing in Marathon outside of the typical ROGO/BPAS system. Language from the statute is included in the conditional use permit to be read by the state.

HAVANA JACK’S RINGS IN THE HOLIDAYS

lighting

Havana Jack’s Oceanside Restaurant celebrated a tree lighting of its own, complete with an ugly sweater contest and visit from Santa Claus, on Dec.

With a raffle benefiting Presents in Paradise during its busiest time of year, the evening also included a cookie decorating station for little ones, an assortment of holiday drinks to imbibe and live music from former mayor John Bartus.

— Alex Rickert 1. Members of Leadership Monroe County’s Class XXX stop by to lend their support. 2. Emily Cooper dishes her wish list to Santa. We hear Santa has picked up more than a few city managerial skills from the North Pole. 3. Steven Schluter, left, Kris Schluter and Sheryl Schwab claim top prizes in the ugly sweater contest. 4. The evening’s ugly sweater contest judges included Paul Davis, left, Kevin Macaulay, Cara O’Neill and Robyn Still.

Photos by ALEX RICKERT/Keys Weekly

By Alex Rickert and Jim McCarthy

SANCTUARY ADVISORY COUNCIL BEGINS FINAL RESTORATION BLUEPRINT RECOMMENDATION

Day one of a two-day December meeting of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council (SAC) was mostly filled with support from the council for regulatory changes included in the Restoration Blueprint, a wide-ranging document proposing the most significant sanctuary regulatory changes in more than 20 years.

Gathering arguably the most diverse array of Keys scientists, business owners and industry experts to offer input on the proposed document, the Dec. 13-14 meeting served as the SAC’s last chance to offer recommendations to sanctuary staff.

Though council leaders initially considered a three-day meeting to discuss the dozens of changes outlined in the blueprint that have thus far drawn vocal support and criticism from different scientific and business factions, the meeting’s opening act moved much quicker than anticipated, with the group moving ahead to tackle a large chunk of items earmarked for day two.

According to sanctuary superintendent Sarah Fangman, the pace was made possible by a review process developed by SAC chair George Garrett and vice chair Ben Daughtry, along with full buy-in from council members tasked with “doing their homework” since the council’s Oct. 18 meeting.

Garrett and Daughtry used a previous survey of SAC members’ discussion priorities to identify nearly 30 points of interest, challenging council members to draft preliminary shareable statements of support and topics of concern for each issue. Working through each issue, the group added necessary language and amended problematic phrases, taking votes when necessary to craft an overall statement of support or lack thereof.

“I give George and Ben an enormous amount of credit for developing a very well thought-out process to help a diverse group of people with lots of different views come to some decisions about a lot of complex issues,” Fangman told the Weekly. “These are our oceans; we can’t screw this up.”

Daughtry reminded the council that their goal was to come up with collaborative statements of support and concern, rather than a simple vote on each proposed rule change.

“We’re voting on, ‘Hey, this is a proposal that’s out there. Make sure that if it goes forward, these are the things that we see as a group that are positive, and these are the things that we want you to take into consideration,’” he said.

Proposed changes receiving near-unanimous support included: all proposed expansions of

Sanctuary Advisory Council vice chair Ben Daughtry, left, and chair George Garrett deliver opening remarks at the start of Tuesday’s meeting. ALEX RICKERT/Keys Weekly

turned down by the sanctuary council. Many in favor of keeping the Rock Key SPA noted the coral restoration work completed in the past. In addition, it’s an area where several large fish species, like black grouper, find shelter. As for French Reef, those concerned with giving away protections said there are natural populations of elkhorn coral. Allowing anchoring, fishing and trapping could harm the threatened coral species. Sanctuary council members agreed there should be further justification and the ability to implement a monitoring study before eliminating the SPAs.

Members of the council supported proposals for the newly-created nursery restoration areas, which would be regulated similar to conservation areas in order to protect sensitive corals and other organisms while they are being propagated. Fishing, anchoring and a requirement that vessels remain in transit through the area are among the regulations for the nursery restoration areas.

A proposal to create a new sanctuary preservation area off the Upper Keys saw support from the council. Known as Turtle Rocks, the proposed SPA would protect one of the only known patches of fused staghorn coral in the Keys. It would also safeguard a well-developed mid-channel reef system that contains several threatened coral species. Members on the sanctuary advisory council requested changes to the location and size of the newly-proposed Turtle Shoal SPA off Marathon to reflect protection of corals in the area.

the sanctuary’s existing boundary; prohibition of discharges of any kind except cooling water from cruise ships; clarification of the purposes and expansion of the possible time frame for temporary regulations from 60 to 180 days; establishment of a single “archaeological research” permit category for historical resources; strengthening the sanctuary’s regulations governing at-risk or derelict vessels to more closely align with state regulations; requiring single or rafted vessels with a total length of 65 feet or more to use designated “large vessel” mooring buoys; and expansion of the Tennessee Reef, Western Sambo and Tortugas South conservation zones.

A proposed prohibition on the feeding and attracting of fish, including sharks, from vessels or while diving was met with more criticism, with several council members expressing concern that the drafted rule did not provide a clear enough exclusion for chumming during traditional fishing.

Proponents of the rule highlighted the safety risks created when predators come to associate divers and boats with hand-delivered food, while others questioned the exclusion of dock-based feeding activities in the proposal or the overarching impacts of behavioral changes brought about by feedings. The council also noted a need for regulatory consistency between state and federal waters, as the practice is already theoretically prohibited in the former.

In what the council eventually adopted as its summary statement on the proposal, charter captain Will Benson said he “supported safety concerns, particularly, within this rule, but wanted to be careful of overstepping into fisheries management or impacts to traditional fishing.”

Proposals to eliminate existing sanctuary preservation areas (SPA) at French Reef in the Upper Keys and Rock Key in the Lower Keys were

Expanding existing SPAs at Carysfort Reef and Alligator Reef were supported by the council to protect deeper coral reef habitat. But not all were on board with expanding the Sombrero Key SPA. While the expansion of Sombrero Key is slight, those concerned with the proposal felt the expansion would be taking in sand and very low grass. The current closure protects some hard bottom and a diverse group of coral. Members of the council believed the expansion should be more strategic and based on science.

A new no-anchor regulation at SPAs in the Keys was supported by the sanctuary council in an effort to safeguard corals. But not all council members were on board with a proposal to eliminate catch and release trolling at four SPAs at Conch Reef, Sombrero Key, Alligator Reef and Sand Key. Those supporting the measure noted that SPAs already disallow fishing within the boundaries. Therefore, any trolling with the explicit intent of catch and release should be not allowed. But those concerned with the idea said there’s been little evidence of any problems over the years as far as complaints. The sanctuary council didn’t take a stance on the proposal as the first meeting concluded.

The modified document of support statements and concern topics will be rendered to sanctuary staff as a collectively endorsed recommendation from the council. The Restoration Blueprint then will undergo an 18- to 20-month review by sanctuary staff, including consultation with stakeholder agencies, before a final review at the state and federal levels.

A report on the second day of the council’s meeting will be at keysweekly.com and in the Dec. 22 print editions of the Keys Weekly newspapers.

More information about the proposed Restoration Blueprint is at https://floridakeys.noaa.gov/ blueprint/.

Facilitator Chris Ellis provides an outline of the day’s review process.

Upper Keys Weekly 91760 O/S Hwy, Ste 3 Tavernier, FL 33070 305.363.2957

Marathon Weekly 9709 O/S Hwy Marathon, FL 33050 305.743.0844

Key West Weekly 5450 MacDonald Ave, Ste 5 Key West, FL 33040 305.453.6928

Established in 2022, Marathon Boat Trailer Storage specializes in valet-style boat trailer storage on a locked and secure lot with surveillance.Owner Brandi Card says her key to success is their friendly and helpful service, plus they like to have fun, even when working! "We are centrally located in Marathon, offering easy trailer drop off and pick up. Our valet-style service ensures that whoever drops the trailer doesn't even have to back it up. We tow the trailer to its place and bring it back to the pick-up lane when it's time. We also offer online booking for people who want to book at midnight or don't want to talk to another human" said Card.

JIM McCARTHY jim@keysweekly.com

Florida legislators are examining an array of reforms to the state’s crumbling homeowner’s insurance industry during a special session in Tallahassee that began Dec. 12. It’s the second time this year that state senators and House members were called back to the state’s capital to address the insurance market that’s seen seven carriers going insolvent and no longer conducting business, leaving many policyholders in a bind.

Republican leaders who helped draft the bill, which was submitted to the House and Senate on Dec. 9, say it builds on the consumer-friendly property insurance market that offers homeowners the opportunity to shop for insurance that meets their budget. Reforms in the bill also address the amount of money that flows into the pockets of attorneys, while another sets new eligibility requirements to move policyholders off an insurance carrier of last resort, Citizens, to the private market.

Both legislative chambers are expected to vote on the bill during a Dec. 14 session (a final vote wasn’t available before press time).

Bills propose new eligibility requirements to acquire a policy through Citizens, which writes policies for residential properties and commercial structures. Citizens covers eligible Florida property owners who are unable to find insurance coverage in the private market.

Citizens’ eligibility examines the value of property insured and location of the property. Per legislation, commercial or residential policyholders with Citizens wouldn’t be able to renew their policies if a private insurer offers them a premium that’s within 20% of their Citizens premium.

“If you’re with Citizens and you pay $100 for a premium, if a private insurer comes and says, ‘We can do that for $119,’ you have to move to the private option,” said state Sen. Jim Boyd, who presented the bill.

Citizens’ rates were frozen at the level established in 2006 between 2007 and 2010. By 2010, a glidepath set by the legislature saw annual rate increases that didn’t exceed 10% above the previous year for any individual policyholder. State officials said the glidepath didn't close the gap between Citizens and private market rates. Instead, the rate cap and increasing private property insurance rates created a growing gap, making Citizens a competitor in the private market as opposed to being an insurer of last resort. By 2021, state legislators revised the glidepath to increase it 1 percent per year to 15% by 2026 and following years.

Boyd said Citizens rates are typically 30% lower than private market rates. More than 1 million homeowners in Florida are insured through Citizens. That’s up from the 474,000 policies written by Citizens in June 2020.

Current law doesn’t force Citizens residential policyholders to obtain flood insurance as a condition of coverage. But that’ll change under the new proposal, which requires Citizens policyholders to acquire flood insurance that is at least equivalent to National Flood Insurance Policy coverage.

New Citizens policyholders with prop-

FLORIDA LEGISLATORS EYE PROPERTY INSURANCE REFORMS

Bill seeks to move policyholders off Citizens

Legislation also creates a $1-billion program for property insurers to purchase optional hurricane reinsurance at near market rates. Funds for the program, known as the Florida Optional Reinsurance Assistance (FORA), would come out of the 2023-2024 budget and premiums paid by insurers. Boyd said a shrinking reinsurance market puts pressure on carriers that provide coverage to residents.

Proponents of the bill point to litigation as a key factor in rising premiums. The proposal eliminates incentive to file suit unnecessarily in an effort to seek attorney fees. Supporters say it could result in a decrease in litigation and costs related to property insurance claims.

“Recognizing that in 2021, 76% of the nationwide homeowners’ lawsuits were opened in Florida, while we accounted for only 6.91% of total nationwide claims, the bill makes further efforts to reduce frivolous litigation that raises costs, and increases insurer transparency to improve the marketplace for consumers,” Republican Senate President Kathleen Passidomo stated in a memo to fellow senators.

erty located in the special flood hazard area must have flood coverage by April 2023, while renewals must have flood coverage by June 2023. All other policyholders must have flood coverage for policies by the following dates: Jan. 1, 2024 for property valued at $600,000 or more; Jan. 1, 2025 for property valued $500,000 or more; Jan. 1, 2026 for property valued at $400,000 or more and Jan. 1, 2027 for all other personal lines property insured by Citizens.

Issues over insurance companies going insolvent drew Gov. Ron DeSantis to call a special session in May. In two days, legislators in the House and Senate approved a bill that cracked down on fraudulent roof claims and created a $2-billion program for insurers to purchase insurance to insulate them from risk. Legislators who were opposed to the bill believed Florida policyholders weren’t getting the necessary relief, but rather insurance industries. Those in favor, including Rep. Jim Mooney, said it was only the first step to stabilize the market.

A series of changes in the latest bill encourage property insurers to settle claims in a timely fashion. Per the bill, insurers would need to acknowledge a claim or respond to communication within seven days. Insurers currently have 14 days. Insurers would also need to conduct a physical inspection for all claims, including those unrelated to hurricanes, within 30 days as opposed to the current 45 days.

Insurers would need to pay or deny a claim in 60 days as opposed to the current 90 days. There is an exception, however, if the state Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) issues an order finding the delay is caused by factors beyond the insurer’s control.

“If there’s a state of emergency and the carrier goes through OIR and OIR approves, there's an opportunity to extend that another 30 days,” said Boyd, who discussed the bill on the Senate floor on Dec. 13.

Speaking in favor of the bill, Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis told House Appropriations Committee members that the state cannot have a normal functioning insurance market with that amount of litigation.

“It makes it hard for insurance companies to remain in Florida,” he said.

State Sen. Jason Pizzo said the main drive behind legislation revolves around attorney fees which are driving up rate premiums. But he criticized Boyd for not having specific, independent information on the number of claims that led to lawsuits.

“This entire bill is based on things told to us and to you that aren’t verifiable,” Pizzo said. “What data have you been provided that lawsuits are rampant and they’re driving up premium costs? What data do you have that the public can see?”

Boyd referred to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, which states that nearly 77% of lawsuits come from Florida.

“That’s pretty telling,” he said.

While many point to fraud and litigation as some of the main reasons for rate increases and losses, the American Policyholder Association found a number of property insurance companies in Florida pay their executives in the tens of millions of dollars. In some instances, Florida insurance CEOs were paid more than the top executives at AllState, Progressive and Travelers.

David Altmaier, insurance commissioner, said he believes the proposal brought forth by Republicans will lower rate increases for policyholders, but he acknowledged that it will take some time.

State Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez, who represents the Keys and portions of Miami-Dade, told the Keys Weekly that she supports the bill.

“This legislation is absolutely essential if we are going to start attracting private insurance and reinsurance capital back to Florida, which will give consumers more property insurance choices and access to more competitive rates,” she said.

PIXABAY/Contributed

NEW HIGH SCHOOL STADIUM PITS FOOTBALL AGAINST BASEBALL

Football stadium construction will cost baseball its offseason facilities

MANDY MILES mandy@keysweekly.com

Aschool board discussion of Key West High School’s new $17 million football stadium turned testy on Dec. 13, pitting football against baseball as baseball players learned recently that they will be unable to access their facilities — fields, batting cages and weight rooms — throughout the off-season.

The Rex Weech baseball complex on Glynn Archer Drive backs into Tommy Roberts Memorial football stadium on Kennedy Drive and will necessarily be affected by construction.

Initially, construction schedules called for a complete cancellation of the 2023 baseball season due to the stadium construction. An uproar prompted the school board instead to delay the start of construction until after the 2023 baseball season.

The football team has a new field in what’s known as The Backyard behind Key West High School, where the school has played home games for the past two seasons. The baseball team has no such alternative location and no municipal ballfields are large enough to accommodate a high school outfield.

School board members on Dec. 13 heard from several baseball players, parents and supporters about the importance of their off-season training programs to athletes’ college scholarship potential.

“It’s not my intention to make this a football vs. baseball issue, but now it has become one,” baseball supporter Jill Burnham told the school board. “Your facilities director (Pat Lefere) told us it was not his responsibility to provide access to the baseball facilities in the off-season. He said the baseball boosters have enough money to figure something out. You have an obligation to provide fair and equitable resources to all students and all sports. Are you upholding the same Conch Pride qualities that you demand from your students?”

Key West High School baseball player Felix Ong tells the school board that the team’s off-season training facilities enabled h im to play next year for the University of Florida. CONTRIBUTED

Senior baseball player Felix Ong told the board that he has been invited to play college baseball for University of Florida, and then hopes to be drafted into the major leagues. He said none of his accomplishments would have been possible without the off-season training programs.

“Please figure something out for us,” he said. Board member Mindy Conn began questioning Lefere, the district’s director of facilities and operations, about why Ajax, the stadium contractor, can't install construction fences around the active construction site and continue to allow access to other areas.

“We build entire schools all the time and still give students access to other areas of the campus,” Conn told Lefere during a heated exchange that prompted chairman Andy Griffiths to reprimand Conn and direct her comments to the chair, rather than Lefere.

“You can’t tell me where to address my comments,” Conn retorted.

“I don’t like you two going back and forth and getting elevated,” Griffiths said.

“I’ll take my elevation down, but I still want answers,” Conn said.

Lefere repeatedly told the board the construction plans required the use and closure of the baseball facilities in the off-season, but Conn and other board members said they’d like to hear that from Ajax, the construction company, directly.

Upper Keys board member Sue Woltanski said she hadn’t realized how long the baseball facilities would be off-limits during the football stadium construction.

The board ultimately approved the agenda items to allow the stadium construction to proceed, but did not close the door on further discussions with Ajax to help the baseball team and potential changes to the timing and/or the staging area during construction.

NOMINATE NONPROFIT VOLUNTEERS BY JAN. 2

COMMUNITY FOUNDATION TO HONOR UNSUNG HEROES

The Community Foundation of the Florida Keys is accepting nominations for its 23rd annual Unsung Heroes Celebration, recognizing the tremendous efforts of our community’s volunteers.

Every charitable nonprofit or faith-based organization in the Florida Keys is invited to nominate one volunteer to be honored.

The online nomination form is at cffk.org/unsung. Organizations that submit their nominations by Monday, Jan. 2, 2023 will have their honorees featured in a special insert in all three editions of the Keys Weekly. They will also receive two complimentary tickets to the celebration on Friday, Feb. 3, 2023, at noon, at the Key West Marriott Beachside.

“On behalf of the board, medical staff and employees of Lower Keys Medical Center, we are so proud to support the Unsung Heroes celebration again. It is certainly our pleasure to honor the individuals and organizations who work tirelessly to help those in need and to improve our beautiful and unique Keys communities,” said Lower Keys Medical Center CEO David Clay.

More than 1,500 volunteers have been recognized since the event was started 22 years ago. More information is at 305-292-1502. — Contributed

HEALTH AND THE HOLIDAYS, A TALE OF TWO FOES FRIENDS

It’s not uncommon for this time of year to feel like a battle, both mentally and physically. It may be coined “the most wonderful time of the year” but for many, if not most, the holidays can be stressful. I come to you with a decade of health and wellness experience to tell you, it doesn’t have to be. In fact, the holidays can be the most perfect time to remember that true health is not only the greatest gift but also all about balance.

Cookies, cake, chocolate dipped pretzels, candy canes, Hot Toddy, eggnog, holiday parties, office parties, fudge, festivals, gingerbread houses, Advent calendars – this was just the list I could come up with off the top of my head. The holiday season screams overindulgence, and we aren’t hardened criminals for wanting to enjoy it. However, there are some tips I’m going to offer you when tackling the holidays while keeping your health in mind.

Don’t go all day without eating because you’re going to a holiday party later.

Starving yourself all day is a surefire way to overindulge when it comes time for your festive gathering. Eat your normal meals throughout the day and have a smart snack before you head out to party. An apple or a yogurt to help you avoid feeling ravenous when you walk by the bacon-wrapped scallops and fresh baked cookies will always help.

Water, water, water.

If you are going to enjoy an adult beverage or two, you’d better make sure you are staying hydrated. Not only does alcohol contain empty calories, which add up quicker than a cheetah chasing down an antelope, it also slows down the processing and information centers of our brain. This means we are more likely to go to the buffet line for seconds, thirds or fourths – not because we are hungry, but because our brains aren’t signaling clearly. For every alcoholic drink you have, chase it with a tall glass of water. Your present and future self will thank you.

Stay moving.

Just because relatives are visiting or you’re enjoying Hanukkah in Hawaii doesn’t mean you completely

become a slug and stop moving.

from

BPAS, vacation rental workarounds headline Marathon City Council meeting; many topics

tabled

As is the case with all significant developments in an Area of Critical State Concern (ACSC), building via this statute would require approval by the state Department of Economic Opportunity. There is a chance the March 2023 session of the state legislature may restore the development’s ability to build as planned with the return of the currently-revoked allocations. But if not, Bart Smith said his clients –Coco Vista Community LTD and VC Seaview LTD – are willing to pay his legal fees for any lawsuits that may result from the workaround.

JENNIFER BOLTZ HARVEY

...is a Marathonbased ACSMcertified personal trainer and precision nutrition coach who owns and operates Highly Motivated Functionally Caffeinated LLC.

Sure, your normal exercise routine may look different, and maybe your hotel gym doesn’t have a Peloton, but that is no excuse not to exercise. Look at this as an opportunity to try something new or a chance to invite your dear old aunt out for a walk or a kayak trip. The point is, keep being active every day. Not only will it help keep the extra calories off, but it also means that the first day back to your normal exercise routine won’t cripple you for the next three weeks.

The pressure of perfect isn’t worth it.

I don’t know where or when the holiday season became synonymous with perfection but I can tell you it’s a crock. You do not have to be perfect, have the perfect present, make the perfect dinner, perfect the art of icing cookies or have the perfect tree to enjoy the holidays. Stressing over things that you cannot control is not only unhelpful, it also can lead to feelings of anxiety and depression. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), 44% of women and 31% of men report increased anxiety and depression around the holidays. Here are three simple tools you can use/do when you start to feel overwhelmed:

• Go for a walk. Exercise releases dopamine and other feel-good chemicals.

• Breathe. Deep breathing has been shown to help regulate heart rate and nervous system response.

• Write down your thoughts and feelings. Sometimes just getting them on paper helps.

Start enjoying the holidays without fear and guilt because it really can be the most wonderful time of the year. For more tips or info please email me at Jenniferlynnboltz@gmail. com. I hope you all enjoy every bit and bite of this holiday season.

The proposed change drew a handful of Coco Plum residents who again spoke against the development, one of whom brought a brief recess in the meeting when resident Mike Millard approached the podium outside of a public comment period to accuse the council of “papering over” the proposed change. However, as noted by Bart Smith and city staff, a vote to reject the proposed permit would simply revert back to the development’s original 2018 permit still in effect, and progress could still continue using traditional allocations.

Should the new conditional use permit pass through the state without appeal, the decision to grant building permits based on the statutory exemption would fall on city staff. Depending on how quickly the permit is transferred to the state and whether DEO takes its full 45 days allowed for review, the end of the appeal period would fall near the beginning of the state legislative session.

“At that point, the city is in a conundrum,” Williams told the council. “If we don’t issue those permits, at that time I assume Mr. Smith’s client is going to get quite angry and try to get Mr. Smith to sue us. If we do … there are going to be other people around the state, including folks in Tallahassee itself, who are going to come to the city and say, ‘What the heck are you doing issuing permits for units you don’t have yet?’ I don’t like either option. … You’re facing potential liability from either direction.”

When asked by Jeff Smith if the city would receive an indemnification or hold harmless agreement as well as a conflict waiver from Bart Smith, Williams replied that he would pursue “anything (he) can get.”

In Other News

• Public works director Carlos Solis reported that the Coco Plum Bridge is scheduled for repaving on Thursday, Dec. 22, with both sides of the bridge scheduled to open by the end of December. Solis also indicated that a contract for the redevelopment of the Quay property will be available for the council’s consideration at its January 2023 meeting, and that equipment will be installed and ready to collect fees for boat ramp and beach parking shortly after the start of the new year.

• A discussion brought by Vice Mayor Robyn Still on the regulation of houseboats used as vacation rentals, as well as the possible adoption of an existing county ordinance regarding the use of floating structures, was tabled for discussion at the council’s February meeting.

• In anticipation of a potential fee reduction, the council asked city staff to return to the January council meeting with data to substantiate the fees associated with obtaining BPAS units. The potential reduction would be an attempt to help local residents currently in the BPAS system who are unable to purchase additional points to secure higher priority in the system and the right to build a home.

• With a unanimous vote, the council voted to table a discussion of providing grant funding to local nonprofits on a yearly basis. The city in the past awarded $90,000 per year raised from ad valorem taxes, but the program ceased following Hurricane Irma and concerns from former council members in deciding how taxpayers’ money should be donated.

• A potential temporary reduction of building permit fees was pushed to the council’s January meeting, with some council members indicating that they had only received supporting documents for the potential change that morning.

Asecond iteration of the City of Marathon’s Tropical Holiday Fun Fest drew its largest crowd yet as hundreds of children and families made their way to the Marathon Community Park on Dec. 9. With bounce houses, face painting and multiple free food options provided by local organizations, a show by the young performers from Prodigy Dance Center headlined the evening before a visit from Santa Claus.

— Alex Rickert

1. Every performer deserves flowers. Just ask Isla Wohlers. CONTRIBUTED

2. Prodigy co-owner and director Lisa Scobba, right, and Juliet Robleto. CONTRIBUTED

3. Routines from Prodigy Dance Center’s young stars were the highlight of the evening. ALEX RICKERT/Keys Weekly

4. From left, Amelia Palma, Angela Palma, Arabella Palma, Mema and Pap greet Kris Kringle. ALEX RICKERT/Keys Weekly.

5. Prodigy Dance Center’s performers gather for a group photo. CONTRIBUTED

6. From left, Hazel Valerdi and Jennifer and Jocelyn Lopez say hello to Santa. ALEX RICKERT/Keys Weekly.

7. From left, Marathon Community Church pastor Mary Ashcraft, Jimmy Ashcraft, Margo Murray and Jeanette Shannon keep the popcorn flowing. ALEX RICKERT/Keys Weekly

8. The Turtle Hospital’s Chrissy Watt, left, and Belle Zirkelbach staff a photo booth for Tina the Turtle. ALEX RICKERT/Keys Weekly

9. A lit walkway welcomes visitors to the park. ALEX RICKERT/Keys Weekly

10-14. Areas decorated by the Marathon New Life Church, the Turtle Hospital, Houston Air, the Marathon Community United Methodist Church and the Marathon Veterinary Hospital line the ‘Pathways to Christmas’ at the community park. ALEX RICKERT/Keys Weekly

NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM Switlik fifth graders take a look through history

Stanley Switlik fifth graders brought history to life as they geared up to present a “Living Wax Museum” at the school’s Parent To Kid night on Nov. 30. After research conducted in the school and public libraries on a famous historical figure, each student created a unique backdrop with information and pictures from his or her findings before dressing as the chosen figure with the help of Riet Steinmetz and the Marathon Community Theatre costume loft. Presentations to parents and fellow students were the centerpiece of the monthly event that brings families to the school for food and drinks, free books and take home activities.

— Alex Rickert

Mason Sydlo as Abraham Lincoln.

Analia Perez Hernandez as Amelia Earhart.

Sutton Sayer as Anne Frank.

Maleeya Abraham as Annie Oakley.

Katherine Medina as Cleopatra.

Clara Bartnik as Queen Elizabeth.

Mia Williams as Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Bruno Martinez as Porfirio Diaz.

Cesar Teo Diesen as Davy Crockett.

Dylan Gordon as Christopher Columbus.

Photos by Stanley Switlik Elementary/Contributed.

HUMOR

Earlier this week a major news story broke that scientists have made historic strides in the long-anticipated uses of nuclear fusion, which could (in theory) replace fossil fuels and other energy sources with clean alternatives for the planet. So unless you were a fan of Val Kilmer and the hit 1997 movie “The Saint,” you likely haven’t discussed the uses of nuclear fusion since high school, but the possibilities could eventually prove to be one of the modern era’s biggest scientific and technological breakthroughs.

Always here to help, we at the Weekly have already begun discussing the most likely advantages of nuclear fusion in modern society. And while this advancement has the ability to offer affordable, clean energy to replace fossil fuels and power grids across the globe, we are fairly certain humans will find “alternative opportunities” to capitalize on fusion’s offerings. Here are…

WAYS NUCLEAR FUSION WILL CHANGE THE PLANET

10 years we’ll find out that nuclear fusion causes E.D. — and everyone will go back to fossil fuels.

new LIV Golf League will file for bankruptcy faster than FTX.

oil will purchase the patent to nuclear fusion and use it to endlessly power oil rigs across the planet. 1. Texas will go from a land of rich guys in cowboy hats to just a bunch of dipshits in cowboy hats.

Children’s shelter submits holiday wishes

Dear Santa: Can you help us make some wishes come true this holiday season?

Our kiddos could use some everyday items as well as some fun, “shoot-for-the-moon” gifts. We’ve put together a list, checked it twice, and hope that you can help us spread the word.

Clothing — for ages 10-17; all children and teen sizes. Pants, shirts, jackets, undergarments, swimsuits (one piece for girls,) pj's, shoes, sandals, and socks.

Toys & electronics — Gaming systems & virtual reality headsets, board games, 3-D games, MP3 players, speakers, earbuds, and phone chargers.

Outdoor & sports equipment — BBQ grill, firepit, bike lights, bike locks, skateboards, snorkeling & water gear, roller blades, helmets, basketballs, footballs, baseballs, and soccer balls.

Miscellaneous — Musical instruments, camera/video equipment, acrylic paints, brushes, drawing pads, canvases, craft supplies, screen printing supplies, toiletries, and cosmetics.

Gift cards — Theme parks, sporting events, restaurants, & movie theaters.

Folks can shop directly on Amazon with our Wish List at https://a.co/ctIBytr, donate on Facebook @keysshelter, or donate online at fkcs.org. If you have any questions, contact Nathaly at 305906-2060 Karen at 305-849-3808 or Lynda at 305.775.9920. You know our address, Santa, but for those who don’t, we’re located at 73 High Point Road in Tavernier.

Thank you so much for all your help, Santa.

Always feeling grateful,

The Florida Keys Children’s Shelter Team

SHELF HELP

Staff from your Monroe County Public Library recommend some of their favorites from the collection.

What: “Magyk” by Angie Sage

Why: This is just a wonderful fantasy book. While labeled as a kids book, it very easily lends itself to middle grade readers as well. And any adult reading this with a child can easily enjoy the story, too. The story is well thought-out and fully develops the world and characters. There are also fantastic quirks and bits of humor throughout the book. Sage doesn’t write in a belittling way, often using words a child might not understand but can easily figure out in context. Honestly, this is a great timeless book of magic and found family for all ages.

Where: This is available as a print and ebook from the Monroe County Library system.

How: You can request books online by logging in to www. keyslibraries.org and get ebooks and e-audiobooks 24/7 at www. estuff.keyslibraries.org. If you don’t have a card, you can visit your local branch or register online to get one. Questions? info@ keyslibraries.org

Recommended by: Haley Kilgour, library assistant, Key Largo branch

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

SPORTS & MORE

HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH FOR AN ATHLETE TO BE PAID?

We don’t know how Brittany Griner is being treated now, but we assume it’s better in a U.S. Army hospital in San Antonio, Texas, than any of the time she spent as a prisoner in Russia.

I have thought a lot about her transition lately from prisoner to homebound American athlete following the swap of a Soviet prisoner the U.S. was holding.

I’ve also thought about Aaron Judge, who plays right field and hits home runs for the New York Yankees. Judge signed a new contract that will pay him $40 million a year for up to nine years.

Only two baseball pitchers top that figure; no on-field players.

Are athletes in general getting paid too much? I’ll let you decide. I’ve tried to come up with a formula. I can’t do it. Professional athletes generally have to maintain two residences: One for wherever they play and one where their family resides.

Before Griner was arrested, having played several seasons for a Russian team, she had signed a three-year contract with her WNBA team, the Phoenix Mercury, that paid her $221,515 a year. That contract runs out next year. If she chooses to play again, she and the Mercury will need to negotiate another.

I assume she received her Phoenix salary as well as what she had negotiated from her Moscow team. Brittany has a listed wealth of $5 million. Meanwhile she has a second wife, Cherelle, whom she married in 2019 following her divorce in 2016. Cherelle, who is 30, teaches math and earns $63,000 a year. She graduated from North Carolina Central College of Law.

It has been pointed out that Rocky, the mascot for the Denver Nuggets of the NBA, makes $625,000 a year, compared to $228,000, which is the most paid to WNBA players Diana Taurasi (who joked, “I can learn to be a mascot”), Jewell Lloyd and Brianna Stewart. The women’s salaries are the reason many WNBA players play in Europe after their U.S. seasons are completed.

The highest NBA salary plus offfield earnings without taxes goes to Lebron James at $121.1 million, which is second to Lionel Messi’s soccer earnings of $130 million in world earnings,

WNBA player Brittney Griner, seen here in 2019, was recently released from a Russian prison following a prisoner exchange. She was arrested in February in a Moscow airport for having a small amount of hash oil in her luggage. WIKIPEDIA/Contributed

according to Forbes, which compiled all figures in this article.

Next on Forbes’ list are Cristiano Ronaldo, soccer, $115 million; Neymar, soccer, $95 million; Stephen Curry, basketball, $92.8 million; Kevin Durant, basketball, $92.1 million; Roger Federer, tennis, $90.7 million; Canelo Alvarez, boxing, $90 million; Tom Brady, pro football, $82.9 million, and 10th, Giannis Antetokounmpo, basketball, $80.9 million.

The highest paid baseball player for 2022 is No. 23, Mike Trout, $49.5 million. Judge will be on that list next year, as it runs from May 1 to May 1.

From basketball’s Miami Heat is Jimmy Butler, at No. 26, $48 million.

Auto racing has Formula 1’s Lewis Hamilton at No. 17 with $65 million.

There are no hockey players in the top 25.

From tennis and the top women are No.19, Naomi Osaka, $52.5 million, and No. 31, Serena Williams, $45.3 million.

Gone from 2021 is that year’s No. 1, Conor McGregor, who is listed as a UFC fighter and earned $150 million of his $180 million from Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey. This year, he dropped to No. 35 as he earned $43 million.

Comparing athletes to actors is no contest. Johnny Depp was paid $10 million for his role in Pirates of the Caribbean, a movie that brought in $300 million just for its distribution in the United States.

But the disparity between men’s and women’s basketball makes it clear why American women play abroad in the off-season.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

By:

THE SCOREBOARD

Team Sport Opponent Date Result

Coral Shores Boys Basketball @ Silver Palms 12/5 L, 52-46

Marathon Girls Basketball Florida Christian 12/5 W, 61-27

Coral Shores Girls Basketball @ Westminster 12/5 L, 40-15

Key West Boys Soccer @ Doral Academy 12/5 T, 1-1

Marathon Girls Soccer SLAM 12/5 W, 4-2

Key West Girls Soccer @ Mater Academy 12/5 W, 8-0

Coral Shores Girls Soccer Keys Gate 12/6 W, 3-0

Marathon Boys Basketball @ Horeb 12/6 W, 62-25

Coral Shores Boys Soccer @ Silver Palms 12/6 L, 1-0

Key West Boys Soccer @ iMater Charter 12/7 W, 9-0

Marathon Girls Soccer South Homestead 12/7 L, 7-1

Marathon Boys Soccer South Homestead 12/7 W, 8-1

Key West Girls Soccer Westminster Christian 12/7 L, 3-2

Coral Shores Girls Soccer Monsignor Pace 12/8 W, 8-0

Coral Shores Boys Soccer Monsignor Pace 12/8 W, 8-0

Marathon Boys Basketball @ Posnak 12/8 L, 54-17

Coral Shores BoysBasketball @ Mast Academy 12/8 W, 66-54

Coral Shores Boys Basketball Palm Glades 12/9 W, 63-49

Coral Shores Girls Basketball Keys Gate 12/9 W, 55-5

Key West Boys Soccer @ Coral Reef 12/9 W, 2-0

Key West Girls Basketball @ Marathon 12/9 L, 61-43

Key West Boys Basketball @ Marathon 12/9 W, 50-36

Marathon Girls Soccer Westwood 12/9 W, Forfeit

Marathon Boys Soccer Westwood 12/9 W, Forfeit

Key West Girls Basketball Barron Collier 12/10 L, 50-17

Key West Boys Basketball Boyd Anderson 12/10 L, 53-23

Coral Shores Girls Basketball @ FL Christian 12/12 W, 44-25

Marathon Girls Basketball Gulliver 12/12 L, 41-37

THIS WEEK IN KEYS SPORTS

Date School Sport Opponent Start Time

Coral Shores Senior Basketball

MATT ST. AUBIN

12/15

Coral Shores Boys Soccer St. Brendan 3:30 p.m. 12/15

Marathon Girls/Boys Basketball Coral Shores 5/6:30 p.m 12/16 Key West Girls Soccer Orangewood Christian 7 p.m. 12/16 Key West Wrestling Coral Shores 2 p.m. 12/16 Key West Boys Soccer @ Ransom 6 p.m. 12/20

Coral Shores Boys Basketball Cathedral Prep (PA) @ Orlando 10 a.m. 12/21

Coral Shores Boys Basketball Salem (Mass) @ Orlando 4 p.m. 12/22

Coral Shores Boys Basketball Southern (KY) @ Orlando 4 p.m. 12/28

Coral Shores Boys Basketball Gig Harbor, WA 5 p.m. 12/29 Key West Boys Basketball Gig Harbor, WA 2 p.m.

Senior captain Matt St. Aubin started his season tearing up the court for Coral Shores. Over the last two games, he averaged 16 points, 8 rebounds and 2 steals per game. He’s 50% from the free throw line and has a deadly three-point shot to boot. During a recent game against LaSalle, St. Aubin put up 10 points while going against a 6-foot-9-inch opponent who hailed from the Estonian 18U national team. Hurricane coach Jarrod Mandozzi called St. Aubin “a tremendous leader and teammate” who is always ready to attack defenders and impose his will. This fearlessness inspires his coaches and fellow players to be their best as well. For his leadership, relentlessness and exceptional game play, Coral Shores’ Matt St. Aubin is the Keys Weekly Athlete of the Week.

Tracy and Sean McDonald

“He’s playing with such a passion. He’s having fun and it is infectious for the entire team.”

– CSHS head coach Jarrod Mandozzi

By: Tracy and Sean McDonald

HALFWAY INTO SEASON, SOCCER TEAMS LOOK STRONG

All three Keys girls soccer teams boast winning records a week prior to the halfway point of the season. As of Dec. 12, the Lady Conchs are 5-3, Marathon is 5-2 and Coral Shores is 4-2. Marathon’s girls scrapped it out with SLAM Academy for a win on Dec. 5 but lost a district matchup with Somerset South Homestead two days later. Their game against Coral Shores was postponed indefinitely due to a familiar issue plaguing Keys sports: a lack of referees. Coral Shores added two wins to their record with a 3-0 victory against Keys Gate on Dec. 6 and an 8-0 mercy rule victory over Monsignor Pace two days later. Key West beat Mater Academy Charter 8-0 on Dec. 5, but lost by one goal to Westminster Christian 3-2 in a home game that was moved to Marathon’s campus due to the referee shortage. The Conchs will take the field for the final time before the holiday break on Friday, Dec. 16 against Orangewood Christian.

In boys soccer, the Conchs look strong at the halfway point in their season. A tie with Doral Academy and two wins against Mater Academy and Coral Reef put them at an impressive 6-1-1 record with one game to go before winter break (Friday, Dec. 16 at Ransom Everglades). Marathon improved to 4-4 with an 8-1 win against Somerset South Homestead and a forfeit by Westwood. The Fins played Cushman on Tuesday and will face off against SLAM Academy on Thursday, Dec. 15 on the road before a two-week break for the holidays.

Coral Shores is at 4-2 thus far this season after a loss against Silver Palms then a win against Pace last week. A game against St. Brendan on Thursday, Dec. 15 is all that stands between the ’Canes and their vacation.

PRE-BREAK PREP BASKETBALL HEATS UP

Conchs

and Dolphins Trade Victories with County Bragging Rights on the Line

A senior-heavy girls Dolphin squad was too much for a younger, less experienced Conch team on Dec. 15 when Marathon played Key West at home for their first of two meetups this season. Marathon won the game 61-43, giving them a two-game win streak and a spark going into the final week before the holiday break.

Fins coach Andra Garvey called it “a very exciting win for the girls.”

Abrianna Marshall had a strong showing for Marathon, scoring 21 points in the win. Elena Eubank added 18 to the score. An early lead provided some valuable experience for Garvey’s deep bench, and their efforts did not go unnoticed, with the coach noting that “the younger girls came out to play tonight.”

The Conchs have yet to add a win to their season, but Key West coach Shonta Mcleod found a lot of positivity in the loss, noting that her team “is heading in the right direction.” The young squad has just two seniors, and the Conchs are growing and learning with each game, putting up their highest point total of the season in Friday’s game.

season but with Butler at the helm, things seem to be smoothing out. Their starting lineup includes two freshmen, both of whom were high scorers Friday night. James Osborne led the team with 15 points and Leandro Batista had 11. Senior Kevon Mills added 11 points, and his 6 steals helped keep the ball in the hands of the Conchs for the better part of the second half.

Marathon plays Coral Shores at home on Thursday, Dec. 15 before retiring for the winter break. Key West closes out the calendar year with Keys Gate on Dec. 17 and Gig Harbor on Dec. 29. Gig Harbor is located in Washington state, more than 3,400 miles from Key West – about as far from the Southernmost high school as one can get.

Coral Shores Triumphs after Trials

The Lady ’Canes were without two starters against Westminster on Dec. 5. Despite the disadvantage, coach Danielle Thomas worked some magic with her bench in the first half, keeping Coral Shores in the game. The team fought to a 4-4 tie at the end of the first quarter, a gap which grew to 10 by the end of the half and continued to grow. At the final buzzer, the score was a 40-15 loss to the Warriors.

Four days later, the ’Canes were back on track with a lopsided win against Keys Gate. Starter and leading point scorer Brooke Mandozzi was back in the Coral Shores lineup, scoring 14 points in the 55-5 victory. Alondra Apolinario had a hot hand at the three-point line, sinking two and adding to her 9-point total on the night. Lea Castellanos had 8, Grace Leffler scored 7, Makayla Hahn added 6 and Kacelyn Hollis put up 4 in a win that provided a lot of play time for the entire team.

Marathon is scheduled to play three games prior to the holiday break, culminating in a showdown with Coral Shores on Thursday, Dec. 15. Last season, the ’Canes topped the Fins by 6 points in their first contest, and the Fins narrowed it to 3 in the second. The Conchs and Hurricanes will not face off until January.

Momentum in the gym shifted quickly when the boys tipped off the second game of the in-county doubleheader. First-year coach Dexter Butler’s Conchs put pressure on Marathon from the start, something he says his team lacked in their earlier matches. That pressure continued until a late firsthalf run narrowed the Conch lead to just 6 points. Key West held onto the lead and secured its first win of the season, defeating the Dolphins 50-36.

The Conchs have faced an uphill battle this

The boys team played Somerset Silver Palms on Dec. 5. Matt St. Aubin scored 12 points and pulled down 12 rebounds in the 52-46 loss. Allen Perez was 3-for-8 on 3-pointers, scoring 11, and Eddy Espinosa had 8 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists in the hardfought game.

They turned the week around on Dec. 8 and 9, winning back-to-back contests against Mast Academy and Palm Glades Prep. Isaac Holmes had the high score against Mast, putting up 19 points, 8 rebounds, 5 steals and 3 assists. Espinosa scored 14 and Ayden Lane had 9 points with 6 rebounds. In their Palm Glades matchup, Holmes had another monster game, scoring 18 points with 13 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 steals. St. Aubin had 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists and Perez had 12 points with 8 rebounds.

Coral Shores’ boys and girls will head down the road to Marathon on Dec. 15 for their final games before school is out for the holidays. Tipoff is 5 p.m. for the girls and 6:30 for the boys.

There was a good crowd on hand for the rivalry doubleheader Friday night. BARRY GAUKEL/Keys Weekly

By:

1. Fin Daeshawn Holmes (30) splits the defenders.

2. The Hurricanes’ Brooke Mandozzi goes up for the layup against Keys Gate.

3. Marathon and Key West players scramble for a rebound.

4. Hurricanes forward Grace Leffler (30) prepares to defend.

5. Key West’s Jalia Hicks (5) puts one up from the three-point line.

6. The Lady Fins celebrate a victory over Key West.

7. Marathon’s Adrian Cruz (2) is surrounded by a sea of Conchs.

Photos by Barry Gaukel and Joy Smith. See more game photos at shadypalmphotography.com.

GIRLS/BOYS BASKETBALL CORAL SHORES MARATHON

Tracy and Sean McDonald

JOIN THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF ONE OF FLORIDA’S LARGEST EDUCATION FOCUSED NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS

The Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade/Monroe, Inc., is seeking a private sector and Early Head Start/Head Start director to ll vacant board seats. To qualify members must meet the statutory requirements, as de ned in Chapter 1002.83, Florida statutes.

Governor appointed private sector business members, either for-pro t or nonpro t, who do not (or any relatives as de ned in s. 112.3143) have a substantial nancial interest in the design or delivery of the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program (1002.51 – 79, Florida Statutes) or the School Readiness Program (1002.81 – 995, Florida Statutes).

To apply for this position go to https://www. gov.com/appointments/ and ll out the application.

Early Head Start or Head Start director, candidate must reside in Florida and be the director of an early care and education program o ering Early Head Start and/or Head Start and conducting business in Miami-Dade or Monroe County.

To apply for this position go to https://bit.ly/ELCMDM_BOD or scan the QR code for the application.

MM 1 - Inez Martin Child Care Center (C16M0012)

1100 Varela St., Key West, FL 33040

Contact: Christine Patterson • 305-809-5055 • christine.patterson@wesleyhouse.org Vacancies: 3 teachers

MM 2 - Sunbeam Christian School (C16MO0034)

1311 5th St., Key West, FL 33040 Contact: Jerlyn Matthews • 305-2946018 • sunbeam@fsbckw.org Vacancies: 3 teachers

MM 5 - Lighthouse Christian Academy (C16MO0014) 5580 MacDonald Ave, Key West, FL 33040 Jennifer Sisco • 305-292-5582 • lcaoffice@cwckw.org Vacancies: 1 floater

MM 22.9 - Banana Cabanna Academy Inc. (C16MO0054) 22673 Pieces of Eight Rd, Cudjoe Key, FL 33042

Contact: Roxanne Rosado • 305-745-1400 • banana.cabanna@att.net Vacancies: 2 teachers

MM 47 - Kreative Kids Christian Academy (X16MO0001) 4711 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 33050

Contact: Maria Vaillant • 305-743-7165 Kreativekidsca@bellsouth.net • vaillantmaria@yahoo.com Vacancies: 2 teachers

MM 49 - Grace Jones Community Center, Inc. (C16MO0048) 230 41st Street Gulf, Marathon, FL 33050 Kelly Ullrich • 305-743-6064 • gjcckids@gmail.com Vacancies: 3 teachers

MM 87.5 - St. James Children’s Center (C16MO0033) 87500 Overseas Hwy, I slamorada, FL 33036

Contact: Sue Ellen Bennett • 305-852-2161 • childrenscenter@stjamesthefisherman.org Vacancies: 1 teacher

MM 92 - Burton Memorial CDC (C16MO0018) 93001 Overseas Hwy, Tavernier, FL 33070

Contact: Nilda Bernaldez • 305-852-0250 • acabar11@yahoo.com Vacancies: 2 part-time floaters

MM 99 - First Baptist Church Jack Hill Child Care (C16MO0021) 99001 Overseas Hwy, Key Largo, FL 33037

Contact: Leeanna Woods • 305-451-2125 • fbcjhccc@yahoo.com Vacancies: 1 teacher

counties. Board members include: a Department of Children and Families regional administrator or his or her permanent designee who is authorized to make decisions on behalf of the department; a district superintendent of schools or his or her permanent designee who is authorized to make decisions on behalf of the district; a local workforce development board executive director or his or her permanent designee; a county health department director or his or her designee; a children’s services council or juvenile welfare board chair or executive director from each county, if applicable; a Department of Children and Families child care regulation representative or an agency head of a local licensing agency as defined in s. 402.302, where applicable; a president of a Florida College System institution or his or her permanent designee; one member appointed by a board of county commissioners or the governing board of a municipality; a Head Start/Early Head Start director; a representative of private for-profit child care providers, including private for-profit family day care homes; a representative of faith-based child care providers; a representative of programs for children with disabilities under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; additional members who must be private sector business members, either for-profit or nonprofit. The Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade/Monroe is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring high-quality early education for children in Miami-Dade and Monroe. Through a community-based collaborative approach, we are committed to promoting high-quality early learning, advocating on behalf of children, and preparing every child for success in both school and life.

This publication was made possible by Grant Number 90TP0068-02-00 from the O ce of Child Care, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

GLOWING REFLECTIONS

Key Colony Beach boat parade is a hit once again

As dusk fell on Key Colony Beach’s 7th Street canal, a line of nearly 20 boats lit the night as they processed down Sadowski Causeway in the city’s annual boat parade on Dec. 11. From a festive kayak pelting judges and spectators with “snowballs” to large cabin cruisers and commercial pontoons, all sizes of vessels competed for top honors in one of the Middle Keys’ most anticipated events of the holiday season.

“It was simply spectacular,” said parade organizer Ted Fischer, who extended special thanks to the Key Colony Beach police department and United States Coast Guard for their support in managing the parade.

— Alex Rickert

1. John and Angela Tizzano’s ‘Marathon Mermaid.’ 2. Two Conchs Island Touring’s pontoon.

3. Rudolph guides Lynne and Mark Benton’s aquatic sleigh.

4. ‘Most Spirited’ winner Sydney Owen pelts judges and spectators with snowballs from her jellyfish kayak.

5. Capt. Jay Ward maneuvers the Key Colony Beach Marina pontoon.

6. If you thought it would be impossible to put a laser show on the side of your own boat, ‘Izzy Rose’ will prove you wrong.

7. Coco’s Boat Rentals’ entry is lit from bow to outboard.

8. Jim Stewart captains ‘Snowflake.’

9. Donnie and Carla Madaris’ ‘Finest.’

10. Ilene B. Clark’s ‘New Beginnings.’

11. Gail Cortelyou’s Boston Whaler.

Photos

A line of lighted reflections fills the 7th Street canal in Key Colony Beach.

AND THE WINNERS ARE…

Best Overall - “Izzy

Class Awards - 30 Feet and Under

Best in

“Holiday

Most Creative - Coco’s Boat Rentals

Most Spirited - “Jelly Fish Kayak”

Class Awards - 30 Feet and Over

Best in Class - “New Beginnings”

Brightest - “Vicious Cycle”

Most Creative - Two Conchs Island Touring

Most Spirited - Marathon Mermaid

Rose” by Bud Fernandes

Class -

Time” by Steve and Denise Decrow

Brightest - Key Colony Beach Marina - Capt. Jay Ward

by Sydney Owen

by Ilene B. Clark

by Paul Lebo

by ALEX RICKERT/ Keys Weekly

HANDMADE FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Patients and staff at Chapters Health Hospice received a heavy infusion of holiday cheer as artists at Stanley Switlik Elementary School created hand-painted watercolor cards to share with Chapters’ “angels on earth” and those in their care. Students in Shannon Wiley’s kindergarten through fifth grade art classes received a visit from Chapters Health Hospice’s executive director Vivian Dodge to learn about the services provided in hospice care before crafting around 100 unique cards to share as a holiday mission.

“This was an excellent opportunity for our students at Switlik to learn the importance of kindness and caring for others,” said Wiley. “I can think of no better time of year to share our talents and offer the gift of love to those who may need it the most.”

“The holiday cards made by the students are extraordinary,” said Dodge. “What a wonderful gift and surprise it will be for our hospice patients and my staff.”

Pictured are Wiley, right, Dodge, back row with green scarf, and faculty and students in one of many classes invited to collaborate in the project. CONTRIBUTED.

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.

From cats and dogs to Guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits, reptiles and birds, the perfect addition to your family is waiting for you at one of the SPCA’s two campuses, in Key West and Marathon. The SPCA’s knowledgeable staff will help with advice and care tips while working to ensure a good fit between each pet and its people. The SPCA’s Golden Paw program also provides special assistance with vet bills and medications for special-needs 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.

WINSTON

9-month-old male domestic shorthair.

Looking for: Fun and adventure! I’m an outgoing, playful dude.

Turnoffs: None so far. I get along great with the other cats and all the nice people at the shelter.

KITTENS!

3-month-old

Looking for: There are currently 15 kittens at the Marathon campus looking for you.

Turnoffs: None. We are happy, social, playful, bouncing, purring, loving kittens.

THANOS

3-year-old male mixed breed.

Looking for: Hi! I’m new and so shy. I’m still learning what I like and am looking for someone to get to know me.

Turnoffs: Everything is just so different now, so ask me later.

domestic shorthair.

HEDDEN

... is a photographer, writer, and semi-professional birdwatcher. He has lived in Key West for more than 25 years and may no longer be employable in the real world. He is also executive director of the Florida Keys Audubon Society.

KLEE

The thing that rocked me back on my heels most in recent years, avian taxonomy-wise, is the fact that falcons are not closely related to hawks and eagles. Using DNA analysis, avian taxonomists – the people who figure out which bird species are related to which, and where they all fit in the evolutionary tree – have learned that falcons are actually most closely related to parrots. They just happen to do many of the same things to survive as the other birds of prey – most obviously eating other birds, as well as the occasional reptile, insect or small mammal. (This is an example of convergent evolution.)

Basically, falcons and parrots shared a common ancestor species, and over the millennia some of that species’ descendants embraced the role of colorful, loud, (mostly) vegetarians with serious mimicry skills, and some of that species’ descendants became speedy, carnivorous assassins. (This is an example of divergent evolution.)

We tend to think of parrots as tropical exotic creatures from distant lands, despite the names of some Keys hotels, but we did once have a species of parrots in the United States – the Carolina parakeet. Unfortunately we hunted it to extinction – a process exacerbated by their tendency, when one of their members went down, to return and see what happened.

We nearly wiped out the falcons in the U.S. in the 1960s and 1970s, but fortunately banned DDT and other organochlorine pesticides, enabling their numbers to rebound somewhat over the decades.

We regularly get three species of falcons here in the Keys. The largest (and fastest) are the peregrine falcons, standing an average of 16 inches tall and weighing in at a pound-and-a-quarter, which tend mostly to migrate through in September and October.

Next in size are the merlins, standing an average of 10 inches tall and weighing an average of .4 pounds. They tend to keep a similar schedule as the peregrines in the Keys.

Smallest are the American kestrels, standing an average of 9 inches tall and weighing in at a quarter-pound. They, too, come into the Keys in the fall, but a good number decide to stay for the winter. In Key West it can be difficult to travel a few blocks without seeing one perched on a wire. In the past week two of them worked out a turf battle in my backyard mahogany tree. And while writing the above paragraphs I heard one calling several times while flying around Bayview Park.

While most falcons tend to not make a lot of noise unless they’re in distress or seeking the attention of a mate, American kestrels are chatty little beasts with a distinctive klee klee klee call that prompted generations of Conchs to refer to them as klee klee hawks. There was even a kids’ game called 1-2-3 Klee Klee — basically an aggressive version of tag, in which the person who’s “it” has to catch the shirt of another player and hold on long enough to say, “1-2-3 Klee Klee.” Jordan Holtkamp once explained the rules to me when he grabbed my shirt and shook me like a rag doll in the aisles of Strunk Ace Hardware.

Conch lore also says that if you hear the klee klee call in the late fall, it’s safe to take your storm shutters down, though Hurricane Wilma (Oct. 24, 2005) disproved that theory.

Most falcons have what is called a malar stripe, a dark streak below the eye that absorbs glare, much like the eye-black paint

football players wear for the same reason. American kestrels actually have two streaks below each eye.

Females are a streaked whiskey brown that skews towards tiger orange. Males have similar coloring, but with a silky cerulean blue in the wings and on top of their head.

There are 15 species of kestrel in the world. The name comes from the Eurasian kestrel, which most Eurasians just refer to as the kestrel, and is probably derived from their call, which apparently sounded, to the Old World ear, something like a noisy bell or a “leper’s clicket.”

The first definition of “clicket” I found defined it as copulation, generally among foxes or hares, which didn’t make sense, but a further definition was a noisemaker beggars once used to gain attention in crowded public spaces. That made more sense.

One of the marked traits of kestrels is their ability to hover-flap in the air, or ride wind currents, usually over open fields, for long periods, before swooping down to strike their prey – usually a small bird, mouse or cricket. (Lenny Carey, who used to teach at Key West High School, apparently had trained a neighborhood American kestrel to come and take crickets from his hand.)

It’s amazing to see, as their whole body tends to be in motion, adjusting to the air currents around them, while their heads stay stock still, as if attached to some invisible mount. More often in the Keys, where we don’t have a lot of updrafts or open fields, they tend to sit on wires or lampposts, waiting to fall on unsuspecting prey.

They are so good at the wind-riding thing, one of their names in England in the 1600s was “the windf*cker.” The name, sadly, is not used as often in modern times, though it may be worth an attempted resurgence. Apparently “f*ckwind” was also in vogue briefly in the 1800s.

The American kestrel is the only kestrel found in the New World. Genetic analysis of different species has done a good bit to unravel and then re-ravel what we think we know about the world. And the current thinking is that the American kestrel, despite its wind-riding abilities, may not taxonomically be a true kestrel, like the 14 other species of kestrel, but rather more closely related to western North American falcons, such as the Aplomado falcon. (There’s that convergent evolution again.)

All of this is a long walk to explain why a klee klee hawk may not actually be a windf*cker. But if they decide to rename the American kestrel due to this new knowledge, maybe they’ll give serious consideration to klee klee falcon.

A KLEE

MAY NOT BE A F*CKWIND ( WE’RE TALKING BIRDS, AND WE DIDN’T NAME IT )

An American kestrel perched in the Middle Keys.

MARK HEDDEN/ Keys Weekly

MARK

pening with water management in Everglades National Park is critical to the future of Florida Keys fisheries. Panelist and Ocean Conservancy’s director of Florida conservation J.P. Brooker said, “Anyone who’s stepped foot in the Keys knows we’re suffering from depleted freshwater – and depleted fisheries. People don’t necessarily make the connection between a drop of water originating in Kissimmee, getting sent east and west from Okeechobee instead of going south as it traditionally would have and how that affects the health of the reef here in the Keys and the fish that live there.”

SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD

Films and panel discussion feature Keys locals

Sereia Films, a local production company focused on seafood education, partnered with the Florida Keys chapter of the Surfrider Foundation to host a lively night dedicated to sustainable seafood. The goal was to explore what exactly that means and to better understand what goes into our local seafood.

Globally, the seafood industry was estimated to be worth a whopping $270.3 billion in 2022 and is estimated to continue growing at a steady pace. However, with increased pollution, poor water quality, overfishing and warming and acidifying oceans, environmentalists say the bounty from our ocean is not boundless.

So, what is actually sustainable?

In places like the Keys, we know that our environment and our economy are inextricably tied. So, we must ensure that the seafood we catch is done in a way that is truly sustainable for our waters – that it is coming from sustainable sources and is caught using sustainable methods that will allow our ocean to continue to thrive.

“For Sereia Films, making sustainable seafood choices means being a curious and informed consumer,” said panel moderator and Sereia founder Sarah Curry. “It also means being a consumer that values the work that goes into all parts of getting seafood on our plates – from harvesting, growing, processing, transportation and cooking that seafood.”

Before the panel, Curry showed two episodes of her upcoming PBS series showing how to get sustainable seafood “from tide to table.” Consumer tips included choosing locally-caught or -grown seafood, eating what’s in season and diversifying the species that end up on your plate. “Eating lower on the food chain is great,” Curry said, “and getting to know where your seafood is caught or farmed and how it’s caught or farmed is key.”

“Not only is fishing the backbone of our economy here, so is seafood and many ocean livelihoods in the Keys rely on it,” said Surfrider Florida Keys Chair Whitney Wemett. “It’s so im-

portant for people to understand what goes into their food and who’s bringing food to their table.

“Take Gary Nichols, panelist and owner of Nichols Seafood in Conch Key. He reminded us that even on days when it’s blowing and you think no one’s going out, that he and his family are – because their livelihoods depend on it,” Wemett added. During the panel, Nichols also lamented the many commercial traps that get caught on boat props each year and dragged away. These losses cost Keys fishing families, staff and small businesses. “That was a big takeaway for me personally during the panel,” Wemett said.

Audience member Austin Armstrong lamented how some fishermen throw back fish carcasses with tons of meat on them. He asked the panel, “How do we change the culture to not waste so much – to use more of the fish?”

Panelist and chef at Islamorada’s Chef Michael’s Christian Ledwith answered. He said, “My dad (chef Michael Ledwith) would get so upset about this. He showed me how to scrape the carcasses, and we’d make these tasty little tacos.” Ledwith’s memory echoed the message from one of Curry’s films, wherein a Miami chef also scraped the bones on a fish, using that meat and fresh vegetables from his garden to make ceviche.

The panelists also touched on policy changes that encourage more sustainability within the seafood industry. For example, panelist and Florida Keys Fishing Guides Association’s Capt. Steve Friedman described how he encourages clients to release some of their catch and not to take too much. For those looking to “fill their coolers,” Friedman says, “I’m not your guide.” Moreover, he and other guides follow a voluntary moratorium by practicing catch and release within Everglades National Park. He continued, “I’ve never lost a charter from releasing fish. In fact, I’ve maybe gained some. We need to educate people why this is better in the long run.”

The panel emphasized that what’s hap-

He added, “The issues are apolitical in nature. It doesn’t matter if you’re Democratic or Republican; we need to act now. People should listen to Gary (Nichols, from the panel), think about where seafood comes from, think about how compromised your water is, think about that when you go to the ballot box.”

Despite the diversity of panelists and their roles within the seafood industry, they all agreed that clean water and a thriving ocean were worth fighting for, Wemett said. They all just do it a little differently, so bringing them together for an event like this allows for new, important conversations to take place, added Curry. Wemett concluded, “Hopefully, this is how change begins – with community, curiosity and knowledge sharing.”

Whitney Wemett, Surfrider Foundation Florida Keys chapter chair, introduces the sustainable seafood panel. TIFFANY DUONG/Keys Weekly

Seafood panelists included fishing guide Capt. Steve Friedman, Ocean Conservancy’s J.P. Brooker, Chef Michael’s’ Christian Ledwith, Conch Key’s Capt. Gary Nichols, Sereia Film’s Sarah Curry and NOAA’s Adriane Michaelis. VINH PHAM/Contributed

Surfrider’s Emily Becker and conservationist JD Reinbott hang out at the Surfrider table during the seafood panel. Surfrider Foundation co-hosted the event.

Panelists and audience members watched films by Sereia Films and the Ocean Conservancy on sustainable seafood options.

BOOMING BUSINESS

Marathon celebrates three business openings in one week

It was a phenomenal week for new businesses in Marathon as city officials, business owners and friends gathered with the Marathon Chamber of Commerce to celebrate three openings around town within the last week.

Established in 1990, Key Largo-based Florida Bay Outfitters has made its way down the Keys to open a second location in Marathon at 1825 Overseas Hwy. on Dec.

7. In addition to serving as a fully-stocked paddle sports center, the store is home to a large apparel and accessories collection focused around a day on the water.

Those looking for a sweet treat around Marathon now have another option with the opening of Ron and Kelly Judd’s Conch Custard at 11524 Overseas Hwy. on Dec.

10. Offering hard scoop ice cream, rich soft serve and Italian water ice and gelati, the new shop celebrated its opening with free treat samples for all visitors after its ribbon cutting and a raffle for early attendees.

Finally, Brutus Seafood Restaurant made its contribution to the Keys’ unofficial — yet totally official – pastime with the opening of its long-awaited outdoor bar and additional seating area. Now furnished with a full complement of liquors and 50 additional seats, the restaurant looks forward to inviting more guests with live music and all-day happy hour specials.

“This is exciting. We’re welcoming new business with new products, new services and new jobs into our community,” said chamber CEO Daniel Samess. “This is what it’s all about.”

From top: Conch Custard celebrates its opening day. From left: Daniel Samess, Robyn Still, Claire Segard, Madison Judd, Aiden Judd, Ron Judd, Kelly Judd, Sandra Bradshaw, Alexia Mann, Mike Puto, Lavarski Smith.

Brutus Seafood debuts its new outdoor bar.

From left: Candice Grostefon, Alexia Mann, Elise Mucha, Mike Martone, Grimi Betancourt, Robyn Still.

Bay Outfitters

Bobby Stoky and Marathon Mayor Luis Gonzalez cut the ribbon to celebrate the paddle sports center’s new Marathon location with city dignitaries, chamber officials and local supporters.

Florida

owner

Photos by Patti Childress and Alex Rickert

DEAR SANTA…

A curmudgeon’s Christmas wishes…

It’s that time of year when kids of all ages make out Christmas lists — things they want, things they want to get for others. I remember with fondness the Christmases of my youth, eager in anticipation of what Santa would bring. I remember some of my famous Christmas toys: a GI Joe astronaut set with a full size GI Joe in a Mercury astronaut suit complete with a scale model Mercury capsule the GI Joe would fit in, the really cool fire truck with lights that would also squirt small amounts of actual water, the Major Matt Mason moon station set, HO train sets, bicycles, a lot of cool stuff for a kid growing up in the 1960s. My parents really enjoyed making Christmas a big deal for us kids.

As I got older, Christmas changed. Not that I ever got out of the Christmas spirit, but the gifts became a bit more personal and consequential — like my first guitar back in 1976. My perception of Christmas also changed as awareness of people in other situations increased. Not everyone was as fortunate as I was; the Christmas experience was a lot different for other kids.

And the true meaning of Christmas revealed itself with the understanding that giving is far better than receiving. That being said, here are some things I’d like to receive:

1. Civility in our political discourse. Identity politics has become a game of extremes, with the vast majority of us who reside somewhere in the middle increasingly left out of the discussion. I’ve written thousands of words about this over the years, and seen those words come to life via reams of paper and gallons of ink as well as digital characters portrayed on a CRT/LCD screen. Moderation and compromise have become dirty words to “true believers,” and politics is a dirty word by itself. True statesmen and stateswomen may help us find our way back into the light, provided they can rise above the uber-partisanship that exists today.

2. Good will toward our fellow humans. Headlines about the tragedies that befall us every day put calluses around our hearts, diminishing our capacity for empathy and feeling. If anything, we may briefly admit that we were glad it wasn’t us, and then forget about it as we go about our lives. Not many put in the time and effort to act upon their feelings and work to make our world a better place. The old Christmas quote promises peace on Earth to men of good will. It would be wonderful if we got a little closer to that goal every year.

3. Actual windstorm and flood insurance reform. The Florida legislature is having another special session designed to deal with the question of how to reform hazard insurance — specifically, windstorm insurance as provided by state-run Citizens Insurance. For far too many years, the Keys have been a huge donor community to Citizens, providing them an average of $50 million a year clear profit from Keys policyholders’ premiums, even considering administrative costs and damage payouts. That adds up to more than $1 billion in profits since the year 2000. FIRM and Mel Montagne have made the same common-sense points to the legislature about how we are being penalized unfairly, especially considering our stricter building codes. Those arguments keep falling on deaf ears as windstorm losses in other parts of the state build. Not only that, Citizens insurance rates are cheaper in areas that don’t have our building codes. I’m not holding my breath that there will be an actual equitable solution, but a boy can dream.

‘COLD-STUNNED’ TURTLES WARMING UP AT MARATHON HOSPITAL

JOHN BARTUS

4. Not losing any more of my musical inspirations and heroes. Over the past three years, we have lost far too many musicians and artists who made significant contributions to the musical art form. People like Tom Petty, Prince, David Bowie, Aretha Franklin, Glenn Frey, Keith Emerson, Greg Lake, Gregg Allman, Maurice White, Merle Haggard, Walter Becker, George Martin, Neal Peart, Taylor Hawkins and many more. Many of these were still in their prime, with a lot left to say. Let’s take a few years off from the In Memoriam lists.

5. Happiness. Life can be a struggle, for some more than others. Try to find joy in the small day-to-day things (the big things as well), and hope the remnant joy carries us through the tough times.

That’s it for this year, Santa. I’m not asking for too much, am I?

— Catch John each Monday at Boondocks, Tuesdays and Wednesdays at the Key Colony Inn, and Thursdays at Sparky’s Landing. Find his music anywhere you download or stream your music. www.johnbartus.com

Twenty endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtles arrived in the subtropical Florida Keys on Dec. 9 to warm up and receive treatment after suffering “cold stunning” in the waters off Massachusetts.

Found stranded around Cape Cod Bay as a result of the condition, the turtles were rescued and flown to Marathon.

“We are warming these turtles up, just like the visitors that come to the Keys,” said Turtle Hospital manager Bette Zirkelbach.

“Cold stunning” occurs when sea turtles are exposed to cold water for a prolonged time. It typically causes them to stop eating and swimming, Zirkelbach said.

A group of private pilots, dubbed “Turtles Fly Too,” donated their aircraft, fuel and time, trans-

porting the turtles in towel-lined banana boxes.

The most critically ill turtles will need additional testing to discover whether they have pneumonia, infections or other ailments, according to Zirkelbach. Treatment will be determined accordingly, as will the length of the rehabilitation period.

“The turtles that respond to treatment and aren’t as critical, we hope to get them back in the ocean within two to three months, and some of them may take a little longer and be with us here in the Keys for 10 to 12 months,” Zirkelbach said.

Kemp’s ridley sea turtles are the most endangered of turtle species, according to Zirkelbach.

A cold-stunned Kemp’s ridley sea turtle gets an antibiotic injection from a rehabilitation specialist. FLORIDA KEYS NEWS BUREAU/Contributed

Left: Turtle hospital manager Bette Zirkelbach, right, and rehab specialist Krista Breshears record the temperatures of cold-stunned Kemp’s ridley sea turtles. Right: Zirkelbach administers a swim test to a cold-stunned Kemp’s ridley sea turtle.

John Bartus is a singer-songwriter and the former mayor of Marathon.

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

EAT. DRINK. READ MERRY.

AS THE SEASON GETS INTO FULL SWING, GIVE YOURSELF ONE OF THESE STRESS - FREE HAPPILY- EVER- AFTERS THAT ARE SURE TO GET YOU IN THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT.

HOLIDAY ROMANCE

By Catherine Walsh

HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

By Courtney Cole

After Piper McCauley’s parents were tragically lost in a plane crash, she spent years helping her grandmother run their lodge, offering trophy hunters exclusive treks into the remote wilderness. Now she has officially inherited Great Expectations in Wander, Alaska. One day Piper is caught in a blizzard searching for guests who have meandered too far. She is rescued by a group of men who take her in until the weather subsides. They bring her back to Great Expectations –where she is greeted by a young version of her grandmother Marina in the year 1945. As confusing as it appears, Piper cannot reveal she is from the future. She doesn’t know how she got there, but she knows these people would think she was crazy, not to mention the priceless opportunity to spend time with Gran. Borrowing Marina’s clothing and curling each other’s hair, their friendship flourishes, helping Piper better understand her painful loss. When an unexpected romance blossoms with a local war hero, Piper questions if she was meant to stay in this alternate reality. Past, present or future, she is determined to celebrate Christmas with a full heart. Fast-paced holiday fun with a time travel twist.

Chicago is a long way from Dublin for Molly. Studying abroad was her chance for independence from her identical twin and suffocating life in Ireland. It’s Christmas break and Molly’s flight is full. In the seat next to her is none other than Andrew, her roommate’s soon-to-be exboyfriend. To soften the blow she knows is coming, Molly is extra nice to her adorable seatmate. For 10 years Andrew and Molly become travel buddies. They drink bad wine, exchange silly gifts and catch up on their latest hookups – or lack thereof. Their transatlantic flight becomes a same-time-next-year tradition. A decade later, it’s their “flightaversary” and Molly, now a successful lawyer, secretly purchases first class upgrades. The pair fight through one delay after another as the weather devolves into blizzard conditions. Molly is stressed, but Andrew is devastated. Holidays with his large family in Ireland are something he looks forward to all year. Molly cannot bear to disappoint him and vows she will do whatever it takes to get him home in time for Christmas. Through laugh-out-loud travel mishaps, the two Irish darlings make their way home. This delicious holiday friends-to-lovers rom-com is the perfect stocking stuffer.

WATCH TIP: “Christmas With You” on Netflix. A pop star grants a young girl’s wish and sparks fly between the pop star and the girl’s dad, Freddie Prinze Jr. Rom-com vibes and fun holiday music.

MEET ME UNDER THE MISTLETOE

By Jenny Bayliss

One of Nory’s closest school friends is getting married just before Christmas. The wedding will be a weeklong event at a castle near the private school they all attended, a sort of reunion. It is also in the small, unassuming village Nory grew up in. Always an excellent student, Nory was on a scholarship at a very posh school outside London. Some people – namely her older brother – never got over the rift created when Nory’s friend group included a bunch of extremely wealthy, entitled and outspoken classmates. After leaving a high-paying job, she opened up a bookshop called Serendipitous Seconds filled with collectibles and rarities and now leads a quiet, bookish life. Arriving at the castle, Nory recognizes the gardener, Isaac, and tries to steer clear of any potential conflict with her brother’s longtime friend and her childhood tormenter. As the festivities get underway, she accidentally crosses paths with Isaac. Suffice to say, Isaac is handsome, charming and no longer a boy. As Nory reconsiders her past relationships and rather lonely foreseeable future, she runs into this hottie right under the mistletoe.

KAREN NEWFIELD

GinnyBarr,RN

Over the course of many years, Dr. Troxel has been patching my teethtogetherwhen Ineededacompleteoverhaul.Itwasall mydoingasto why it took so longto doitright Maybe it's because my nursing mentality makes me very methodical, or ifI just love going to his office so much. He and his staff are so warm and friendly. It's like visiting family or close friends. IknowItookmytime, but it wasdefinitely worth it. My teeth are spectacular now. IwishIwouldhavedoneit yearsago.

Upper Keys Weekly 91760 O/S Hwy, Ste 3 Tavernier, FL 33070 305.363.2957

Marathon Weekly 9709 O/S Hwy Marathon, FL 33050 305.743.0844

Key West Weekly 5450 MacDonald Ave, Ste 5 Key West, FL 33040 305.453.6928

TREE TIME

Twelfth annual Festival of Trees shifts to Marathon Garden Club

AChristmas forest graced the Marathon Garden Club with the 12th annual Zonta Festival of Trees on Dec. 7-10. Dozens of trees strung with adornments ranging from lottery tickets to flip flops –even one with an 8-foot stuffed giraffe – vied for the affections, and votes, of visitors to the four-day festival. A Lunch with the Grinch and Cookies with Santa event for children and families closed out the festival.

“This year was an excellent venue that we will be returning to next year with a stellar amount of decadently and creatively decorated trees,” said Zonta president Erin Arnett. Winners of the decorating contest included First Horizon Bank West Branch’s “Country Christmas” (first), First Horizon Main Branch’s “Movie Night” (second) and the Daughters of the American Revolution’s “’Tis the Season for Reading.”

Though entrance to the festival was free, visitors were offered the opportunity to buy raffle tickets in the hopes of winning a donated tree. Proceeds raised will go to furthering Zonta’s mission of empowering women and children in the Marathon community through service.

— Alex Rickert

1. Simply IOA’s ‘A Baker’s Delight.’

2. Katrina Wiatt, left, and Tara Morris pose with their masterpiece: ‘FAO Schwarz Since 1862.’

3. ‘’Tis the Season for Reading’ by the Florida Keys Daughters of the American Revolution.

4. First Horizon Bank West Branch’s ‘Country Christmas.’

5. ‘Hasi Chanchetas’ by Sandy Palm Vacations.

6. Michelle Franck, Lisa Ziels and Cathy Walters teamed up for ‘Keysey White Christmas.’

7. ‘Know Your Worth’ by the Marathon High School Z Club.

8. Marathon Garbage Service’s ‘Sea Shells by the Sea.’

9. First Horizon Bank Main Branch’s ‘Movie Night.’

10. ‘Santa’s Home at His Tropical Throne’ by D’Asign Source.

11. ‘Squishmellos in Candy Land’ by Flowers by J&J.

12. Crane Point Museum and Nature Center’s ‘Sweet Treats.’

Photos by PATTI CHILDRESS/Keys Weekly.

THE BLACK CAESAR'S CREEK CONUNDRUM

“M

aps of East and West Florida” was published in 1775. Among the features identified in this collection is a map of the Northern Keys that identifies a body of water flowing between Elliott Key and Old Rhodes Key. The mapmaker chose a legendary name for it.

The man who did it was Bernard Romans, and he plays an interesting role in the history of piracy in the Florida Keys. Bernard Romans was born in 1720, just two years after the death of perhaps the most notorious pirate to have ever lorded over the West Indies, the one and only Captain Edward Teach. He was better known as Blackbeard.

While Romans is perhaps best remembered for his maps, it was not the only way he had historically made a buck. He was also a professional sailor. In 1761, Romans gained employment as a commodore in service of the king of England. Romans did not serve the government in the sole capacity of a commodore. He was also issued a letter of marque that allowed him to work as a privateer under the British flag.

Letters of marque were issued to sanction privateering. Working as a privateer was very much like working as a pirate. They essentially performed the same job and did so in the same

conquering manner. A pirate attacked whom they wanted, and the captain and crew retained the entire prize. Pirates did what they wanted to do to whomever they wanted. They also kept everything they could wrap their fingers around for themselves.

On the other hand, a privateer was bound by government stipulations. For instance, privateers were only allowed to attack ships flying flags from countries where the host country was at war. The privateer captain working under the proclamation of a letter of marque was responsible for hiring and paying his crew out of his pocket. Also, the government issued a pirate tax for the right to act as privateers. Under the rules of the letter, in exchange for the right to attack ships at sea, a percentage of any prize the privateer was able to secure was given to the sponsoring government.

Privateering was not the only act of “piracy” Bernard Romans would commit. He also profited from the illegal transport of human cargo. By 1768, he had left his privateering days behind him and, it might be assumed, his days of smuggling human chattel. The English government appointed Romans as the deputy surveyor for the Southern District of the newly acquired Florida Territory.

The former Spanish property was

deeded to the English under the 1763 Treaty of Paris, which signified the end of the French and Indian War. During this period, the territory was divided into eastern and western parts. West Florida consisted of the territory west of the Apalachicola River, and East Florida comprised the land east of the river and included the peninsula and the Florida Keys.

In the years following the transaction, Bernard Romans was hired to survey the coasts outlining both sides of the Southern District. Between 1770 and 1771, he was busy surveying the waters around South Florida. During this time, he charted Elliott Key, Old Rhodes Key, and the creek flowing between them. Romans decided to use the name Black Caesars Creek to identify it. Not satisfied with labeling just one feature with the Black Caesar name, he identified two. In addition to the creek flowing between the two islands, he named the rocky islet rising out in the middle of it Black Caesars Rock.

Black Caesar references the legendary pirate said to have lorded over the Straits of Florida from his Elliott Key lair for a decade, and what makes Romans’ declaration extraordinary is that it is not just that it is the first time that that piratical name was connected to the Florida Keys, but also it appears

BRAD BERTELLI

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.

to be the first documented case of the name Black Caesar being memorialized in print.

The big question is why Romans chose that particular name. After all, one of the things that set Romans apart from other royally appointed surveyors was that most chose to mark their maps with proper English names or names of British origins. Romans, on the other hand, favored the use of colloquial identifiers.

It might have been that the locals he encountered during his survey called the creek, and the rock, Black Caesars, and that is why he chose the name and put it down in print. Based on his experience in the field of piracy, a pirate story would have likely interested him.

In next week’s column, we will explore the possible reasons the name Black Caesars Creek was chosen, its significance, and the role Romans’ choice has played in the history of piracy in the Florida Keys.

First documented case of legendary pirate is memorialized in print

REGISTRATION OPENS FOR YOUTH BASEBALL, SOFTBALL AND TEE BALL

Registration is now open for the Marathon Youth Club’s 2023 spring season of youth baseball, softball and tee ball. Children ranging in age from 4.5 (birth date on or before May 31, 2018) to 12 can register to play. Tee ball is free and sponsored by the Miami Marlins. Baseball and softball are $55 per child (plus a $3 transaction service fee). Registration closes on Saturday, Jan. 28. Evaluations will be held the week of Feb. 6 at the community park baseball fields. Practices will begin Monday, Feb. 13 with games starting the week of March 6. Register at MYC’s new online registration link by scanning the QR code here. Follow MYC on Facebook at “Marathon Youth Sports” or send questions via email to marathonyouthclub305@gmail.com. Photo by BARRY GAUKEL/Keys Weekly

Marathon Friends of the Library to hold book sale

Marathon Friends of the Library is hosting a book sale at the Marathon Library. New, like new and gently treated books, including children's books, will be available for prices ranging between $1 and $5. All proceeds benefit programs offered at Marathon’s beautiful new library. Hours for the sale are Thursday, Dec. 15 from 3 to 7 p.m., Friday, Dec. 16 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 17 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. For book donations, contact Bruce Rumage at 912-634-6277.

Habitat for Humanity to hold applicant info sessions

Habitat for Humanity of the Middle Keys will be holding meetings for residents of the Middle Keys interested in applying for the new homes at Bell Haven. The meetings are Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023 from 6 to 7 p.m. and Saturday, Jan. 7 from 9 to 10 a.m., at Marathon Garden Club, 5270 Overseas Hwy. Applicants are highly encouraged to attend one of these two meetings before applying for the homes. The application period for these homes will open on Tuesday, Jan. 3. Contact 305-743-9828 or email fsm@habitatmiddlekeys.org with questions. Spanish translators will be at the meetings. Equal Housing Opportunity.

Come take a class at the Marathon Library

The Marathon Library has a wide variety of class offerings, ranging from photography to book clubs, robots, virtual reality and more. Scan the QR code here to see the schedule and get involved.

MASONIC LODGE, LAW ENFORCEMENT TEAM UP IN SUPPORT OF SPECIAL OLYMPICS

On Dec. 5, the Marathon Masonic Lodge 323 presented representatives from the Special Olympics in Monroe County with a check for $4,205 in support of athletes with special needs throughout the Keys. The donation was made possible through the profits of an annual yard sale conducted as a joint effort of the lodge, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and the Key West Police Department. Pictured, from left: lodge members Steve Smiley and Robert Britz, Special Olympics’ Bruce Troutman and Scott Hart, Sheriff Rick Ramsay, Capt. Randy Smith, lodge member JR Jones. CONTRIBUTED

BRIEFLY

LEGAL NOTICES

FICTITIOUS NAME

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of GYOTAKU BY LISA LEE, located at 126 Lowe Street, in the County of Monroe, in the City of Tavernier, FL 33070, intends to register the said name with the Division of Corporations of the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida.

By: Lisa Lee Artist, LLC

Owner Publish: December 15, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

FICTITIOUS NAME

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of Shannon Smeltzer, APRN located at 1010 Kennedy Drive,

LEGAL NOTICES

Suite 203B, Key West, FL 33040 intends to register said name with the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida.

By: Lowbush Company Publish: December 15, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

FICTITIOUS NAME

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of JAMES VIEGAS located at 17 S. Sherwood Gln., Monument, CO 80132 intends to register said name with the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida.

By: James Viegas Publish: December 15, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

LEGAL NOTICES

FICTITIOUS NAME

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of WAV Alliance located at 19 Atlantic Drive, Key Largo, FL 33037 intends to register said name with the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida.

By: Green Diver Initiative Publish: December 15, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

PUBLIC SALE PUBLIC NOTICE TO SELL

Please take notice that in accordance with Florida Statutes 328.17, 713.78, 715.109, Tavernier Mini Storage Inc, claims a Notice of Possessory Lien, Foreclosure of Lien on the following Trailer described as a 2004 Pace American Trailer VIN

LEGAL NOTICES

#4FPFB10104G081186

to accept or reject any and/ all bids.

Publish: December 8 & 15, 2022

PUBLIC SALE PUBLIC NOTICE TO SELL

Wheatons Towing gives notice that on 12/29/2022 at 10:00 am, the following vehicle(s) may be sold by public sale at 101500 Overseas Hwy, Key Largo, FL 33037 to satisfy the lien for the amount owed on each vehicle for any recovery, towing, or storage services charges and administrative fees allowed pursuant to Florida statute 713.78. Wheatons Towing

LEGAL NOTICES

reserves the right to accept or reject any and/or all bids.

1GTEC14V3YE185331 2000 GMC Publish: December 15 & 22, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE

Florida Keys Council of the Arts Notice of Upcoming Meetings

The Florida Keys Council of the Arts will hold the following meetings via Communications Media Technology using a ZOOM webinar platform. The access points to view the meeting or for members of the public to provide public input will be: JOIN ZOOM via the Zoom app and use each meeting ID and password listed. Meetings are open to the public, and all are invited to attend. Questions, or to RSVP,

LEGAL NOTICES

please email Liz Young at director@keysarts.com

Executive Committee Meeting

Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022 10:00 AM

Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 856 2845 0037  Passcode: 587504

Art in Public Places Committee Meeting Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2022 12:00 PM

Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 878 0515 5367 Passcode: 412487 Publish: December 15, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

LEGAL NOTICE

LOST TITLE APPLICATION NO: 2431504

OFFICE OF TITLES

NOTICE PURSUANT TO SECTION 82 OF THE REGISTRATION OF TITLES ACT (RTA)

WHEREAS the applicant(s) in the above state application has/ have declared that the following duplicate Certificate of Title has been lost, I HEREBY GIVE NOTICE that I intend to cancel the said Certificate of Title and issue a new one in duplicate fourteen days after the last publication of the advertisement.

Volume: 1448 Folio: 868

Lot: 8 Place: Part of Bluefields Parish: Westmoreland Registered proprietor(s): John McSherry Dated: November 14, 2022

L. Dunbar

Deputy Registrar of Titles

To publish in the Daily Gleaner/ Jamaica Observer for two consecutive weeks and Publish: December 15 & 22, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF COMPANY REBAC ENTERPRISES LTD. Business Company Number 313342

IN VOLUNTARY LIQUIDATION Notice is hereby given that in accordance with the BVI Business Companies Act, 2004 (as amended 2005), the voluntary liquidation of REBAC ENTERPRISES LTD. Commence on November 28th, 2022 and that Michael J. Freeman with domicile in 153 Sevilla Avenue, Coral Gables, Fl 22134-6006 has been appointed as liquidator. Dated November 28th, 2022.

Publish: December 15, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE

SOLICITATIONS

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Tuesday, January 31, 2023, at 3:00 P.M., the Monroe County Purchasing Office will receive and open sealed responses for the following:

Monroe County Detention Center Window Replacement 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 Tuesday, January 31, 2023. 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: Monroe County Detention Center Window Replacement 1-31-2023

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 Tuesday, January 31, 2023. 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: December 15, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE SOLICITATIONS

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Wednesday, March 15 2023, at 3:00 P.M., the Monroe County Purchasing Office will receive and open sealed responses for the following: 2023-2026 Pollution Liability Insurance Program 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 Wednesday, March 15. 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: 2023-2026 Pollution Liability Insurance Program 3-15-2023 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: omb-

owned by Zachary O’Donnell. Vessel & trailer to be sold on 12/26/22 at 10:00 am at Tavernier Mini Storage Inc, 135 Hood Avenue, Tavernier, FL 33070. Tavernier Mini Storage Inc. reserves the right

purchasing@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 March 15, 2023. 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: December 15, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE SOLICITATIONS

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Thursday, March 16, 2023, at 3:00 P.M., the Monroe County Purchasing Office will receive and open sealed responses for the following:

2023/2024 Property and Boiler and Machinery Insurance Program

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 Thursday, March 16, 2023. 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:

2023/2024 Property and Boiler and Machinery Insurance Program 3-16-2023

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 March 16, 2023. 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: December 15, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE SOLICITATIONS

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Thursday, March 23, 2023, at 3:00 P.M., the Monroe County Purchasing Office will receive and open sealed responses for the following:

Public Adjusting Claim Services

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 Thursday, March 23, 2023. 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: Public Adjusting Claim Services 3-23-2023

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 Thursday, March 23, 2023. 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: December 15, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA

PROBATE DIVISION

FILE NO.: 22-CP-93-M

DIVISION: MIDDLE KEYS

LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICES

IN RE: ESTATE OF PATRICIA A. GROHN Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The administration of the estate of Patricia A. Grohn, deceased, whose date of death was July 11, 2022, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 3117 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below.

All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM.

All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE.

ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED.

NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED.

The date of first publication of this notice is: December 15, 2022.

Personal Representative: Christine McClellan 1280 W. Indian Trail, Unit 5 Aurora, Illinois 60506

Attorney for Personal Representative: Robert K. Miller, Esq.

Attorney Florida Bar Number: 359173 Cunningham Miller Rhyne PA 10075 Overseas Hwy PO Box 500938 Marathon, FL 33050 Telephone: (305) 743-9428 Fax: (305) 743-8800

E-Mail: service@floridakeyslaw.

com

Secondary E-Mail: rmiller@ floridakeyslaw.com Publish: December 15 & 22, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA

PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 2022-CP-043-M IN RE: ESTATE OF DONALD H. BEETSCHEN, Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The administration of the estate of DONALD H. BEETSCHEN, deceased, whose date of death was April 12, 2011, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 3117 Overseas Highway, Marathon, Florida 33050. The estate is testate and the date of the decedent’s Will and any codicils are June 21, 2017. 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 WITHIN 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 the 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

The date of first publication of this Notice is: December 15, 2022.

Personal Representative: Donna M. Hoffman, CPA 428 80th Street Marathon, FL 33050

Attorney for Personal Representative: James J. Dorl, Esq. Florida Bar No. 618403

JAMES J. DORL, P.A. Suite 12 First Professional Centre 5701 Overseas Highway Marathon, FL 33050 Telephone: (305) 743-6565 Facsimile: (305) 743-4143 e-mail: jjdorl@yahoo.com Publish: December 15 & 22, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA

PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 2022-CP-340-K IN RE: ESTATE OF JERRY MAGGARD LAWSON, Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The administration of the estate of JERRY MAGGARD LAWSON, deceased, whose date of death was January 25, 2022, 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 and the date of the decedent’s Will and any codicils are March 22, 2002. 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 WITHIN 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 the 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 PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED. The date of first publication of this Notice is: December 15, 2022.

Ancillary Personal Representative: Cynthia Diane Van Vynckt 5051 Highway 162 South Covington, GA 30016

Attorney for Ancillary Personal Representative: James J. Dorl, Esq. Florida Bar No. 618403 JAMES J. DORL, P.A. Suite 12 First Professional Centre 5701 Overseas Highway Marathon, FL 33050 Telephone: (305) 743-6565 Facsimile: (305) 743-4143 e-mail: jjdorl@yahoo.com Publish: December 15 & 22, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO. 22-CP-000091-P IN RE: ESTATE OF DOUGLAS FREDERICK PEEL, A/K/A DOUGLAS F. PEEL DECEASED.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The administration of the

All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's Estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this Court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM.

All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's Estate must file their claims with this Court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE.

ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED.

NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT'S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED. The date of first publication of this notice is December 15, 2022.

Personal Representative: Tina D. Peel 234 Atlantic Boulevard Key Largo, Florida 33037

Attorney for Personal Representative: Cyrus Malhotra, Esq. Florida Bar Number: 0022751

THE MALHOTRA LAW FIRM, P.A. 3903 Northdale Blvd., Suite 100E Tampa, FL 33624 Telephone: (813) 902-2119 Fax: (727) 290-4044 E-Mail: filings@ flprobatesolutions.com Secondary E-Mail: ryan@ flprobatesolutions.com Publish: December 15 & 22, 2022 The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA

PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 22-CP-000144-P IN RE: ESTATE OF MARTIN G. LANE, JR., Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The administration of the estate of Martin G. Lane, Jr., deceased, whose date of death was October 28, 2022, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 88770 Overseas Highway, Suite 2, Tavernier, Florida 33070. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below.

All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM.

All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate, must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE.

ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED.

NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED. The date of first publication of this notice is: December 15, 2022.

Personal Representative: Sheri Phillips Lane c/o Dunwody White & Landon, P.A. 4001 Tamiami Trail North, Suite 200 Naples, FL 34103

Attorney for Personal Representative: DUNWODY WHITE & LANDON, P.A.

Alfred J. Stashis, Jr., Esq. Florida Bar Number: 14772

Jonathan T. Baker, Esq. Florida Bar Number: 97793 4001 Tamiami Trail North, Suite 200 Naples, FL 34103 Telephone: (239) 263-5885 Fax: (239) 262-1442 Publish: December 15 & 22, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 2022-CP-103-M

IN RE: ESTATE OF DOMENIC R. LOPARDO, Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The administration of the estate of DOMENIC R. LOPARDO, deceased, whose date of death was July 30, 2022, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 3117 Overseas Highway, Marathon, Florida 33050. The estate is intestate. 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 WITHIN 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 the 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 PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED.

The date of first publication of this Notice is: December 8, 2022.

Personal Representative: Carol E. Blake 53 Horseshoe Drive West Boylston, MA 01583

Attorney for Personal Representative: James J. Dorl, Esq. Florida Bar No. 618403

JAMES J. DORL, P.A. Suite 12 First Professional Centre

Telephone: (305) 743-6565 Facsimile: (305) 743-4143 e-mail: jjdorl@yahoo.com Publish: December 8 & 15, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 22-CP-000244-K IN RE: ESTATE OF TRACY COX A/K/A TRACY A. COX, Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The administration of the estate of TRACY COX A/K/A TRACY A. COX, deceased, whose date of death was February 16, 2022, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 500 Whitehead Street, Key West, FL 33040. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below.

All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this Court WITHIN THE LATER OF THREE (3) MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR THIRTY (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 the decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN THREE (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 STATUTES 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 the first publication of this Notice is: December 8, 2022.

Personal Representative: PHILIP TENNEY 629 William Street Key West, FL 33040

Attorney for Personal Representative: KARLEEN A. GRANT, ESQUIRE Fla. Bar No: 324531 Law Offices of Karleen A. Grant 1033 Flagler Avenue Key West, FL 33040

Telephone: (305) 292-4929

Publish: December 8 & 15, 2022 The Weekly Newspapers

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.

Estate of Douglas Frederick Peel, deceased, whose date of death was February 17, 2022, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 88820 Overseas Highway, Tavernier, Florida 33070. The names and addresses of the Personal Representative and the Personal Representative’s attorney are set forth below.

AUTOS WANTED

ALL YEARS!

Cars - Vans - TrucksRunning or Not.

$CASH$ 305-332-0483

BOAT SLIP/TRAILER

STORAGE 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 336-4088140 or 336-287-3345.

EMPLOYMENT

CARETAKER COUPLE

WANTED at small Abaco, Bahamas beach resort having $500-$1000/ night accommodations in exchange for Security and Supervision of the Landscaper. Call or text 305-439-9991.

Night Monitor – FREE Private Room in exchange for overnight coverage at an Assisted Living Facility. 5 nights on, 5 nights off 10pm8am with weekly stipend Drug and background screen required. Apply at www.westcare.com

Join the Ocean Dayz Team! We are accepting applications for a Sales Associate in Islamorada. Must be outgoing, detail oriented and willing to work weekends. Experience a plus. Starting pay dependent upon qualifications. Apply in person at Island Dreamz, 84001 Overseas Highway, Islamorada or submit resume to: csteele@ oceandayz.com

Marathon Yacht Club is hiring a part-time server. $12/hr + Guaranteed tip pool, employee meals, private club & friendly atmosphere. Weeknight and Saturday evening availability. Call 305-743-6739 to schedule an interview.

Place your EMPLOYMENT ad here for $25.00/week for up to 5 lines of copy. Call 305-743-0844 today!

EMPLOYMENT

The Cabana Club, an ocean front private swim club is seeking a Customer-Service Oriented Server for the pool deck, beach and/ or bar lounge. Open year round, 10am-7pm daily. Small friendly staff. Above average hourly wage plus tips. Apply in person at 425 E. Ocean Dr. Key Colony Beach or call 404-2193359 and ask for Dave.

The Cabana Club, an ocean front private swim club is seeking a Part-Time Line Cook. Open year round, 10am-7pm daily. Small friendly staff. Hourly pay commensurate with experience. Apply in person at 425 E. Ocean Dr. Key Colony Beach or call 404-2193359 and ask for Dave.

SS Wreck and Galley Grill on Grassy Key is looking for line cooks, full or part time. Please call Nicole at 305-4330515, or email nicole@ themoongroupfl.com.

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

Coast to Coast Pizza Company in Marathon is looking for an Assistant Manager for the front of the house, full time either Monday - Friday 10-6 or Wed. through Sunday 10-6. Must be outgoing with leadership traits and must be organized, self-motivated, and have a passion for customer service. Salary commensurate with experience and includes tips and 401k. Please call Nicole at 305-4330515, or email nicole@ themoongroupfl.com.

Boat rental company in Marathon needs an Outboard Mechanic. Some general marina work, and boat experience a plus. Call 305-481-7006

Place your EMPLOYMENT ad here for $25.00/week for up to 5 lines of copy. Call 305-743-0844 today!

EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENT

All Keys Yamaha hiring a Technician Marine Repair specializing in Yamaha outboard engines. Hours M-F 8a-5p. Apply in person at 2001 Overseas Highway, Marathon. 305-743-3530

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 positions at the Grassy Key Marina. Under new ownership and looking for smiling faces. Full-time or parttime available. Pay rates are commensurate with experience but we are willing to interview those with no experience who have an interest in working in a marina environment. Please call Randall Glass to schedule an interview at 305-465-1491.

City of Marathon

Current Job Openings: WW Operator/ Controls Trainee, Support Services/ Logistics, Paralegal, Utilities Maintenance, Recreation Specialist, Right of Way Technician, and Marina Tech/ Pump Out Captain. Full Benefits. EOE Please see City website for details www.ci.marathon.fl.us

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: Cashier - must be 16 yrs or older, Full-time Baker & Part-time Baker's Assistant. Stop by for an application at 8919 Overseas Highway, Marathon or email: info@ sweetsavannahs.com

The Housing Authority of the City of Key West now hiring the following positions: Maintenance Mechanic (Maintenance Worker), Med Tech, Resident Activities Coordinator. To apply, please contact Human Resources at: martinezm@kwha. org or 305-2965621. Applications are available at the Administrative Office located at 1400 Kennedy Dr., Key West, FL 33040 or online at www. kwha.org - EOE & Drug Free Work Place. This opportunity is covered under Section 3 of the HUD Act of 1968.

HOBBIES/COLLECT.

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

HOUSING FOR RENT

Key Largo - 2BR/2BA Spacious Doublewide, 1400 sq ft modular on canal w/40’ dock, direct ocean access. Very nice community $3200/ month 786-258-3127

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

Place your HOUSING FOR RENT ad here for $25.00/week for up to 5 lines of copy. Call 305-743-0844 today!

RV LOT FOR RENT

Large RV Waterfront Lot with Dockage for rent in Marathon. Full hook up. $2000.00/ month plus utilities. 305-731-5042

Place your RV LOT FOR RENT ad here for $25.00/week for up to 5 lines of copy. Call 305-743-0844 today!

YARD SALES

Place your YARD SALE ad here for $25.00/week for up to 5 lines of copy. Call 305-743-0844 today!

The City of Marathon, City Attorney’s Office is seeking a motivated LEGAL ASSISTANT/PARALEGAL with relevant experience to support the City Attorney’s Office.

Please visit the City of Marathon Job Openings webpage at: ci.marathon.fl.us for further details and to complete an application.

EOE, Drug Free Workplace. Veteran preference given.

Dynasty Marine Associates, Inc.

FRONT OFFICE ASSISTANT- FULLTIME

Benefits

Keys Energy Services, in Key West, Florida, is accepting applications for the following position in its Customer Services Department:

CUSTOMER SERVICES REPRESENTATIVE I

Starting pay rate for this position, depending on qualifications and experience: $19.82/hr. - $22.20/hr. For more information, including job duties and required qualifications, and to apply for the job, please visit their website at www.KeysEnergy.com.

KEYS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

KEYS promotes a Drug-Free Workplace.

Certain service members, veterans, the spouses and family members of service members and veterans, receive preference and priority in employment, and are encouraged to apply for positions being filled.

Keys Energy Services, in Key West, is accepting applications for the following position in its Fleets & Facilities Section:

AUTO DIESEL VEHICLE TECHNICIAN

Starting pay rate for this position, depending on qualifications and experience: $27.17/hr. - $30.43/hr.

For more information, including job duties and required qualifications, and to apply for the job, please visit their website at www.KeysEnergy.com.

KEYS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

KEYS promotes a Drug-Free Workplace.

Certain service members, veterans, the spouses and family members of service members and veterans, receive preference and priority in employment, and are encouraged to apply for positions being filled.

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

Monroe County is seeking an energetic multi-tasker with excellent computer skills to join our Benefits Team! Great customer service skills and a working knowledge of MS Office required. Coordinator works in a fluid, fast paced environment maintaining benefits records, data, and reports, as well as Group Health Plan eligibility. Position also supports the County’s Wellness program.

To apply, please contact Human Resources at careers@monroecounty-fl.gov.

Applications available at www.monroecounty-fl.gov. 305-292-4557. Veteran’s Preference Available; E.O.E.

TurtleHospitalMarathon@gmail.com

KEY LARGO

KEY WEST