Marathon Weekly 23-0216

Helping Keys Residents since 2002. The Coldwell Banker Schmitt Charitable Foundation was created in April 2002, and is dedicated to helping Keys’ residents whose critical needs are not being met through other means. The funds are donated to the Foundation through the generous hearts of the Coldwell Banker Schmitt Real Estate agents, staff, associates, business partners, and the public. www.gooddeedsinthekeys.org

20 YEARS THAN THE NEXT FOUR COMPANIES COMBINED CALL US

FALL IN LOVE WITH THE OCEAN BLUE

Authentic island living! A tranquil sandy beach, natural Florida Keys landscape and mesmerizing open water views are the setting for this fantastically private oceanfront pool home located on the leeward tip of Cook Island, off the Atlantic shores of the lower Florida Keys. Accessible by an approximately 10-minute boat ride from Big Pine Key, Cook Island is home to about 15 residences, peacefully remote yet only 30 miles from Key West and 2.5 hours from Miami. This island home is updated with new stainless appliances, new kitchen cabinetry and quartz counters, new bathrooms, new insulation, drywall and baseboards, new luxury vinyl flooring on first level, three new A/C split units, and fresh paint inside and out. Solar power, propane, cistern, septic tank and generator keep you comfortably self-sufficient, and trusty internet keeps you connected if you choose to be. This Florida Keys island home is an out of the ordinary, light-filled, serene escape from the busy life. It's just a few minutes away from ''real'' life, but a world apart! Store your boat and car at a nearby Big Pine Key marina (reasonable rental fee applies) when you're not in town!

COOK ISLAND | $1,250,000 | Listing ID: 603869

Ann Cook, Managing Broker

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 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.

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According to Forbes, around 118.7 million viewers watched the Super Bowl halftime performance by Rihanna on Feb. 12. That’s up from the 2022 Super Bowl halftime show featuring Dr. Dre, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Snoop Dogg, which had 103.4 million viewers.

SETTLEMENTS & DEVELOPMENTS

Marathon City Council puts a bow on some legal challenges, weighs new Vaca Cut project

ALEX RICKERT alex@keysweekly.com

The Marathon City Council’s Valentine’s Day meeting was peppered with a series of short conversations that should prove consequential for working families and nonprofits in Marathon.

The longest discussion items for the night included a current and future development, both put forward by Guillermo Torres, discussed at length and recommended for approval in split votes at the Jan. 23 Marathon Planning Commission meeting.

The first concerned the creation of divided lots for Torres’ existing La Palma development, a complex between 101st and 104th streets containing three market-rate singlefamily homes along with three deedrestricted affordable duplexes. The development was put under the microscope in November 2022 when the city council voted 4-1 to award six administrative relief building allocations to allow completion of the duplexes. The homes’ original building rights were revoked in the now-infamous Aug. 3 Third DCA opinion that also retracted nearly 300 other affordable allocations in Marathon.

Though the administrative relief allocations don’t carry an affordable designation on their own, the council voluntarily elected to award them as deed-restricted affordable units. The divided lots, eventually approved in a unanimous vote, will now allow Torres to sell the duplexes individually for up to the maximum allowed amount for affordable homes ($482,400 in 2022).

Torres may rent the units at rates determined by affordable housing guidelines, but stated his intent to sell

them to members of the Marathon community. As the units are now deeded affordable, the city will be able to review applicants to verify their qualifications prior to each sale.

The council also approved a conditional use permit and site plan for another upcoming development planned by Torres in the cleared land on Vaca Cut’s southeast edge next to San Pablo Catholic Church. As currently submitted, the site plan includes 11 residential homes and a clubhouse with a gym, meeting room, office space and possible commercial space.

The development, which will feature a new deceleration lane – and possible acceleration lane, pending FDOT approval – after the Vaca Cut Bridge for cars approaching from the west on U.S. 1, was met with many traffic concerns at both the planning commission and council meeting before its eventual approval. As part of the approval, Torres must continue his pursuit of an acceleration lane, a “No U-Turn” sign on the southbound side of U.S. 1 as it passes 117th Street, and additional signs to warn northbound and southbound travelers about the impending turns into the development.

For more details on both approved resolutions, scan the attached QR code: Settlements announced in Boatworks, FOLKs litigation

The council unanimously approved a settlement agreement with environmental group Friends of the Lower Keys (FOLKs). On Jan. 11, 2022, the

group sued Marathon in the Southern District Court for alleged violations of the Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act. The lawsuit challenged the city’s practice of discharging treated wastewater in injection wells 60 to 120 feet underground, a depth FOLKs said was inadequate to prevent polluted water from making its way through porous limestone and into nearshore waters.

The settlement will prevent further legal action until February 2024 if the city agrees to a series of actions on a specific timeline. Most notably, the city is required to hire an outside firm to conduct a feasibility study of changes to Marathon’s wastewater system, including the possible development of water reuse plants.

In a similar vein, with increasing development in Marathon placing additional burdens on the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority for clean water, the council also approved a resolution in support of FKAA’s efforts to develop a reverse osmosis plant in or near Marathon.

The council also unanimously approved a settlement agreement with the state Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) regarding an ongoing appeal of the Boatworks development on 39th Street. The settlement provides for the development of 22 market-rate waterfront homes and 52 affordable homes at the property, but does not allow the upland transfer of eight live-aboard units initially approved by the city.

Though the settlement will allow completion of the development’s market-rate homes, the fate of the

continued on page 17

A proposed northwest runway shift at the Marathon airport, shown in yellow, would require removal of about 40 feet of vegetation from the airport’s northern buffer along Aviation Boulevard. CONTRIBUTED

Gavin Leal and the Marathon Dolphins, fresh off a conference championship appearance in 2022, are eager to begin their season on Monday. See page 24. BARRY GAUKEL/Keys Weekly

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FATAL SHOOTING OUTSIDE A KEY WEST BAR ROCKS COMMUNITY

PROSECUTORS SAY VIDEO EVIDENCE WOULD NOT SUPPORT SELF - DEFENSE CLAIM

MANDY MILES

mandy@keysweekly.com

Key West Police are investigating a fatal shooting involving two well-known residents that occurred just after midnight Monday in the parking between Conch Town Bar and the Wendy’s on North Roosevelt Boulevard.

Lloyd “Preston “ Brewer, 57, was arrested in the fatal shooting of Garrett Hughes, 21, and faces two felony charges of homicide and a felony “weapon offense,” according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.

late Sunday night, or early Monday morning. MANDY MILES/Keys Weekly

JIM McCARTHY jim@keysweekly.com

PEDESTRIAN KILLED AFTER BEING REPORTEDLY STRUCK BY FHP VEHICLE

Key West resident Lloyd Preston Brewer, 57, faces charges of felony homicide and a felony weapons offense.

MONROE COUNTY

Hughes is a well-known Key West High School athlete who played football and ran track before graduating in 2020. Brewer owns the building that houses Conch Town Bar, where Hughes and friends were reportedly drinking.

Traffic along U.S. 1 near Mile Marker 98 was at a standstill for a period of time on Feb. 13 after a Florida Highway Patrol vehicle hit and killed a pedestrian near Ballyhoo’s restaurant.

SHERIFF’S OFFICE/ Contributed

Prosecutors with the State Attorney’s Office told the Keys Weekly that they have reviewed video evidence from the bar’s security cameras. The video shows a drunk and shirtless Hughes outside the bar, urinating on the side of the building.

The video shows Brewer arriving in his car and “exchanging words” with Hughes, said Joe Mansfield, chief assistant state attorney.

“The shirtless victim was clearly intoxicated and urinating on the wall when the suspect approaches,” Mansfield said. “I suspect the shooter was annoyed by what he saw, confronted the kid, then pulls a gun and shoots him in the stomach, which proved fatal. There are no weapons on or near the victim, nor is the victim seen reaching for anything. Now, I’d bet my 401(k) that the suspect will file a self-defense, Stand Your Ground defense, but the allegation that he was justified in using deadly force is not substantiated by the video evidence in this case.”

“In its simplest form,” says the website of Hussein & Webber, a Florida law firm, “Florida’s Stand Your Ground law provides that a person is justified in the use of deadly force and has no duty to retreat if either:

“The person reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself, or another, or to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony; or

“The person acts under and according to the circumstances set forth in Section 776.013 (presuming a reasonable belief as to the necessity of force in the context of ‘dwellings,’ residences, or vehicles).”

CONTRIBUTED

Eyewitness statements were also taken from Hughes’ two friends at the bar that night, Mansfield said, acknowledging that a defense attorney will point out their potential bias toward the victim.

Mansfield obtained a search warrant early Monday morning for a blood sample to test Brewer’s toxicology. Those results are pending, he said.

Police received a 911 call at 12:28 a.m. Monday, Feb. 13.

“Upon arrival, police encountered a subject who was lying in the parking lot and had been shot,” states the police press release. “While the subject was being treated for his injuries, officers immediately detained the suspect who was still on scene and recovered the gun. The victim was transported to the Lower Keys Medical Center, where he was pronounced deceased shortly after. The scene was secured for several hours while KWPD detectives responded and took over the investigation. The suspect was transported to the police station, interviewed and arrested; charges are pending as the investigation is still ongoing.”

Police officers left the crime scene at 10:15 a.m. Monday, and no crime scene tape remained.

According to FHP, a trooper was traveling south on U.S. 1 around 12:30 p.m. when his marked car hit an adult female who was attempting to cross the highway. FHP Lt. Alex Camacho said both southbound lanes were closed throughout the afternoon as investigators pieced together the events that led to the crash. Traffic was backed up in the northbound and southbound lanes in what was a busy day on the road with Valentine’s Day approaching.

"The pedestrian died on scene as a result of her injuries," said Camacho in a statement.

As a result of the crash, buses were unable to transport students from Coral Shores High School to their homes. The southbound lanes opened four hours later, but heavy traffic remained on U.S. 1.

The names of the female and the trooper involved in the crash haven’t been released. Camacho said an investigation is ongoing.

Key West Police are investigating a shooting that occurred outside of Conch Town Bar on North Roosevelt Boulevard

Key West resident Garrett Hughes, 21, died of a gunshot wound to the stomach the morning of Feb. 13 at Lower Keys Medical Center.

top: Maverick the manatee receives a veterinary checkup.

Aquarium Encounters’ 26-foot, 12,000-gallon pool allows rehabbing manatees to gain weight in a controlled environment where staff can perform regular checkups.

Florida Keys Aquarium Encounters and Miami Seaquarium staff team up for critical manatee transports.

ADDING THE THIRD ‘R’

After rescue and on-site rehab, Florida Keys Aquarium Encounters celebrates two manatee releases

ABIGAIL HADDOCK www.keysweekly.com

Florida Keys Aquarium Encounters (FKAE) has successfully completed the rehabilitation of two orphaned manatees –dubbed Lil Peep and Maverick. Now a member of the Manatee Rescue and Rehabilitation Partnership (MRP), FKAE provides a manatee rescue team and the only manatee rehabilitation center in the Florida Keys. With the young manatees arriving just last year, their release marks a massive milestone for the aquarium’s on-site rehab program.

“We knew even before we opened the aquarium that this was something needed here, and that we were interested in being a part of it,” said founder Ben Daughtry.

Lil Peep arrived at Aquarium Encounters with another manatee named Heavy Falcon on Jan. 4, 2022. Both were rescued by SeaWorld after they were found emaciated in central Florida.

After 104 days of rehab, Heavy Falcon made weight criteria and was released in Crystal River on April 28. Since manatees are social animals, Maverick, a rescue from Marco Island, was sent down from his critical care facility at ZooTampa on April 27 to finish his rehab and be a companion for Lil Peep.

Orphaned manatees like Lil Peep and Maverick need to be more than 2 years old, and weigh more than 600 pounds, to be ready for release back into the wild. Now that they have met that criteria, they are two of 13 manatees returning to the wild this week with the help of Brevard Zoo providing transportation.

Aquarium Encounters already has two more manatees coming in for long-term rehab, named Mettwurst and Plunk. Now stable after their res-

cues, but in need of some weight gain, both will make the trip from SeaWorld Orlando on Feb. 23.

SeaWorld currently has 38 manatees in its rehabilitation facility, so Aquarium Encounters plays a vital role by providing space for stable animals who still need to pack on the pounds while allowing critical care facilities like SeaWorld to free up space and staff for more incoming rescues. Mettwurst originally was found orphaned in Crystal River, and Plunk was rescued from cold stress in Captiva.

Here in the Keys, manatees’ main risks come from boat strikes and entanglements. One of the best ways to protect them is to watch out for manatees while boating. Another way to help is by simply leaving them alone, and not trying to feed or water wild manatees.

“Hose watering is a learned behavior,” said FKAE senior marine biologist Kee Bligh. “So don’t teach it to them!”

“Hoses mean docks, and docks mean boats,” added Daughtry. “They don’t need that.”

In order to reduce their dependence on humans and give the manatees the best chance at successfully being reintroduced to the wild, the team is very hands-off in the rehabilitation process.

“They aren’t hand-fed,” said Daughtry. “Staff spend 30 to 40 hours a week caring for them, but hands-on contact is kept to a bare minimum.

“Each manatee eats around 100 pounds of lettuce every week, high quality romaine, and that’s the biggest issue for us,” he continued. “Aquarium Encounters provides 100% of that cost out of our budget. There is no government funding for rehab centers that aren’t critical care, and it’s over $500 a day to feed our animals.”

Donations to Aquarium Encounters’ charity organization, R3EACH, help provide care for rehabilitating manatees and assist in other conservation projects. Those wishing to donate to the organization’s mission may visit floridakeysaquariumencounters.com/ product/donation/.

If you see an injured, tagged or deceased manatee, always call FWC at 1-888-404-3922.

From

Photos by FLORIDA KEYS AQUARIUM ENCOUNTERS/Contributed

GREAT WHITE SIGHT

JUVENILE WHITE SHARK SPOTTED OFF DUCK KEY

ALEX RICKERT alex@keysweekly.com

Bulls, hammerheads and reef sharks are common culprits known to fishermen trying to reel their catches past the “tax men” in the Florida Keys.

A great white? Not so much.

Mikki McComb-Kobza, executive director of the Ocean First Institute with a shark lab in Key Largo, was surprised to receive a call from College of the Florida Keys student Travis Ellington. Sending over a bevy of photos and videos, Ellington reported a juvenile white shark hanging out off the stern of family friend Tom Eacobacci’s boat while fishing off Duck Key on Jan. 21.

“He was just losing his mind,” said McComb-Kobza. “They found our institute and were like, ‘Hey, can you guys confirm what we’re seeing?’”

“We were just yellowtailing, normal reef fishing, and it just came up next to the boat,” Ellington told the Weekly. “It stayed around for a while, probably five or 10 minutes, but it actually didn’t try to snag any of our fish. It kept looking at the chum bag, but it never tried to bite it or anything.”

McComb-Kobza has more than 20 years of experience researching endangered species, including worldwide studies of white sharks with baited remote underwater cameras from the northeast Atlantic down to Florida. From her own experience, and after conferring with four colleagues, Ellington’s pictures were a dead giveaway.

The researchers confirmed the sixor seven-foot shark as a juvenile white, likely less than a year old by their estimation, as newborn white sharks are already five feet long.

White sharks are known as a highly migratory species, frequently traveling from Canada all the way to the Gulf of Mexico and back throughout the year.

“They are cruising by the Keys, there’s no doubt; it’s just that we don’t know exactly when and why,” said McComb-Kobza. “But to find a juvenile is interesting. What we do know is that white sharks have a temperature preference, and 55 degrees is kind of their sweet spot. … The Keys have had some cold snaps, so that water is kind of conducive to those guys being there.”

The juvenile sighting marks the second publicized visit of a “snowbird” shark in 2023 as “Sable,” another juvenile white shark tagged by research

SHELF HELP

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

What: “Dickens and Prince: A Particular Kind of Genius” by Nick Hornby

group OCEARCH, “pinged” in the waters off Layton on Jan. 3. Named after Sable Island National Park Reserve, she was originally tagged in Nova Scotia but last “pinged” on Jan. 27 in the gulf waters off the Florida panhandle – a perfect example of the migration patterns McComb-Kobza described to the Weekly.

The long journeys aren’t unique to sharks in the western Atlantic, either, as McComb-Kobza described her trip in November to tag white sharks being chased away by killer whales in South Africa.

“It’s amazing to see where they’re going,” she said. “We think that those sharks in South Africa might be going all the way over to Australia.”

For all the trepidation a white shark sighting might trigger in most, Ellington and McComb-Kobza agreed: this was awesome.

“I’ve been in the ocean my whole life,” Ellington said. “It’s kind of crazy that in all the hours I’ve been on the water, I’ve only seen one.”

“It’s great news to be able to say that we’re seeing juvenile white sharks off the Florida Keys,” McComb-Kobza added. “It’s a good thing. And it’s indicating to us that management strategies that have been employed in the U.S. are working. In the ’80s, sharks really went down in numbers, and we’re starting to see those numbers rebounding.”

To view a live, interactive shark tracker with current and historical data for tagged animals like Sable, visit ocearch.com/tracker.

Why: Charles Dickens was a white guy who lived in 19th century England and was famous for writing novels. Prince was a black guy who lived in 20th and 21st century America and was famous for making music. On the face of it, they would appear to have little in common. Yet novelist and screenwriter Nick Hornby has written a lovely extended essay about how both were incredible examples of creativity and productivity. They did have a few things in common – both were raised in poverty, with family trauma shaping their lives and art. Both produced their greatest works as relatively young men. And sadly, both died at 58. This book isn’t just compare-and-contrast; it’s a readable profile of each man as an artist, with a dash of personal reflection from Hornby thrown in. And, at 159 (narrow) pages, it’s a quick read – the nonfiction equivalent of a novella. Thank you, Nick Hornby, for recognizing not every work of nonfiction has to double as a doorstop.

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

How: You can request books online by logging in to www.keyslibraries.org and get ebooks and eaudiobooks 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: Nancy Klingener, community affairs manager, Monroe County Public Library

A photo taken by Travis Ellington shows a juvenile white shark behind his friend’s recreational fishing boat off Duck Key on Jan. 21. TRAVIS ELLINGTON/Contributed

MORE THAN 100 HAITIAN MIGRANTS LAND IN THE KEYS

DILAPIDATED SAILBOAT GROUNDED NEAR TAVERNIER

JIM McCARTHY jim@keysweekly.com

Oleander Drive resident Mike Diaz took out his phone and went to his balcony to videorecord a breathtaking Florida Keys sunrise the morning of Feb. 9. He slowly panned his camera to the left and noticed a surprise off the Tavernier shore.

As Diaz took a closer look, he noticed a large sailboat carrying what appeared to be migrants. The boat grounded just off the shore of Tavernier around 7 a.m. A total of 114 Haitian migrants jumped ship and swam to a private residence at the end of Oleander Drive.

Diaz’s video captured the moment they reached land, shouting for joy following a lengthy journey from a country that’s been afflicted by gang violence.

“They were super happy,” Diaz said.

A Haitian appearing in front of Diaz’s camera expressed his excitement after touching U.S. soil. Diaz said the event happened quite fast.

“I stepped out for two seconds right when I woke up, and I saw this big sailboat coming,” Diaz said. “And I was like, what?”

Diaz said it’s the second time the Tavernier neighborhood has witnessed a migrant landing. Not long ago, a Cuban chug arrived in the same vicinity.

U.S. Customs & Border Protection agents were assisted at the scene by the U.S. Coast Guard, a number of Florida Highway Patrol troopers, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation officers and Monroe County Sheriff’s deputies. By 9 a.m., a U.S. Homeland Security bus arrived to load the Haitian migrants, a majority of them being males, for processing. Migrants walked from the property to the bus as they smiled and put the thumbs up as neighborhood residents watched from the side.

It’s the first major landing since Gov. Ron DeSantis activated the Florida National Guard on Jan. 6 following an influx of migrants from Cuba and Haiti to start 2023. The move by DeSantis came after federal, state and local resources were overwhelmed by the arrival of roughly 300 migrants at

Dry Tortugas National Park located 70 miles west of Key West. Since August 2022, federal, state and local law enforcement agencies have encountered more than 8,000 migrants in the Florida waters.

Various law enforcement agencies, from Florida Highway Patrol to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, were deployed to respond to migrant landings in the Keys. DeSantis said he activated more resources due to what he called President Joe Biden’s “lawless immigration policies” that burdened local law enforcement. Personnel, airplanes and helicopters were deployed, as well as more marine patrols by Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Last month, the Biden administration shifted its immigration policy in an attempt to slow the flow of migrants from the southern border and the Florida shores. New rules detail the expedited removal of migrants who illegally enter the U.S. They would also be subject to a five-year ban from attempting to reenter the U.S.

Haitians and Cubans seeking to legally enter the country would need to pass health and background checks, have someone in the U.S. to sponsor them and arrange their own air travel.

On Feb. 10, the Florida Legislature approved a measure, Senate Bill 6B, to give DeSantis the ability to relocate migrants who arrive in the state wherever he sees fit. Legislation, which is expected to be signed by the governor, allocates $10 million for the state Division of Emergency Management for what’s known as the Unauthorized Alien Transport Program. State Rep. John Snyder, a Republican from Stuart, sponsored the bill. He said he wanted to give the administration as much flexibility as possible to relocate the migrants.

“I trust the folks in the Department of Emergency Management to continue to exemplify the Florida way,” he said on the floor. “We’re giving them the flexibility to address each scenario on a case-by-case basis.”

DeSantis has until Feb. 25 to sign the bill.

A dilapidated wooden vessel transported 114 Haitian migrants, the majority of them men, from their home country to Tavernier. JIM McCARTHY/Keys Weekly

Haitian migrants who swam to shore after their boat grounded off the Upper Keys shore on Feb. 9 walk to a U.S. Homeland Security bus.

I think it is wonderful that our city council has agreed to have a second meeting each month to discuss issues or ideas with the residents of Marathon. The first meeting on vacation rentals was a sellout with standing room only. However, I believe we can improve the format to make the meetings even more productive.

These workshops were designed for the council to interact with the residents, and more importantly, with each other. These meetings should be a forum for open discussion between the council members as opposed to how the first meeting was arranged. That meeting was run by our city manager and city attorney and not by our mayor.

A few days ago, Vice Mayor Still told me she took notes for reference at the meeting and informed me that the city hired two part-time individuals to work for code enforcement on the weekends. That is a wonderful first step! In fact, a giant first step! However, I believe it is just the first as we still have miles to walk before these issues are resolved.

In the future, I suggest the mayor consider running these meetings like he runs the monthly council meetings, and the issues raised should be discussed by both our locals and council members so council can discuss and suggest the next steps. After all, aren't we better off having the council collaborate with each other twice a month to set policies instead of once a month? To me, that is a big win.

In reading the next agenda, it appears the open discussion on vacation rentals will soon be finished. I trust that is not the case. The issues with how the city regulates vacation rentals, licensing and the issuance of fines need to be thoroughly vetted by the council so we have a chance to improve and update these important issues.

I urge our council to take a positive step forward by henceforth having the mayor chair the meetings and begin collaborative discussions with other council members. In this way, they can efficiently discuss the issues among council members in the sunshine, explore solutions and focus on improving the way things are accomplished in Marathon.

Mayor Gonzalez promised action as the last meeting closed. That is a powerful statement! We are all for that!

Sincerely,

Michael Leonard

Full-time Marathon resident

SUSPECT ARRESTED, CHARGED WITH MURDER

IN 2022 DRUG-RELATED DEATH

Second suspect still wanted

A39-year-old former Marathon resident has been arrested in Beaufort, South Carolina for what police say was his role in the drugrelated death of 42-year-old Brandon Marr of Grassy Key, while the Monroe County Sheriff ’s Office continues to search for another suspect.

“I want to thank the men and women of the Sheriff ’s Office and the State Attorney’s Office as well as our law enforcement partners out of state for their hard work on this case,” said Sheriff Rick Ramsay. “This is the second time within a year the Sheriff ’s Office has arrested a drug dealer in connection with a drug-related death and we will continue to hold these criminals accountable for their actions.”

Ronald Meyers III was charged with murder and the use of a two-way communications device to facilitate a felony.

Arrest warrants have been obtained for Meyers’ former Marathon roommate, Jeremiah Judson Johnson, 42, who remains at large, also on charges of murder and the use of a two-way communications device to facilitate a felony.

The Sheriff ’s Office responded to the scene of an overdose death on Grassy Key in February 2022, where Marr was discovered at a friend’s apartment. His death was caused by a combination of alcohol and cocaine use.

Major crimes unit and special operations detectives worked with members of the Office of the State Attorney and discovered Marr had contacted Meyers several times to purchase cocaine in the hours before his death.

Meyers was unable to facilitate the transaction but made arrangements for Johnson to sell Marr the cocaine on his behalf. Detectives executed a search warrant at the suspects’ residence and said they obtained evidence of that communication between Meyers and Johnson. Meyers and Johnson also removed evidence from their residence upon learning Marr died, officials said.

Anyone with information about Johnson’s location is asked to contact the Sheriff ’s Office Special Investigations Division at 305-289-2410.

Ronald Meyers III was arrested and charged with murder in Beaufort, South Carolina. MCSO/Contributed

Workshops a good first step, but format needs tweaks

from page 4

52-unit building is still unclear. Marketrate building allocations were initially used to build the structure, but were eventually transferred to other sites when the development was awarded 52 affordable allocations – a portion of the 300 units eventually revoked by the August DCA opinion.

The origin and existence of the market-rate units initially used on the building have become a bone of contention between the city and DEO, although the same DCA opinion that revoked the development’s affordable allocations acknowledged the existence of the original market-rate units. The transfer of the market-rate units to several other sites is still under appeal.

In other news…

• Following the council’s Jan. 24 vacation rental workshop, city code director Ted Lozier reported that city staff in other departments are temporarily assisting the code department with vacation rental code compliance investigations. With Mayor Luis Gonzalez’s pledge to pursue hiring of code enforcement officers to work shifts that include nights and weekends, Lozier reported the city has received applications for the open full-time positions.

• Public works director Carlos Solis informed the council that pay stations for parking at Sombrero Beach and Marathon’s public boat ramps should be installed this week. The department will use a database of license plates for vehicles registered in Marathon to exempt residents’ cars from parking and ramp fees, but permanent residents with vehicles registered elsewhere will need to use an online system to prove their residence and add their vehicles to the exempt list. The start date for enforcement has yet to be announced.

• On the recommendation of City Manager George Garrett after reviewing the city’s applicable ordinances, the council unanimously voted to reinstate a program awarding $100,000 per year in grants to local nonprofits.

The practice is a return to a previous city program discontinued after Hurricane Irma that awarded $90,000 per year raised from ad valorem taxes.

With an unbudgeted refund expected by the city from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office that should be returned to Marathon’s general fund, Finance Director Jennifer Johnson said the surplus could be used to fund this year’s program.

Eligible nonprofits will apply through an online system, and council members will be tasked with evaluating each application on a number of criteria before ranking and submitting their desired award amounts. Final awards will be calculated by averaging council members’ evaluations.

• Finally, the council unanimously approved an ordinance to amend Marathon’s comprehensive plan and mirror language used by Monroe County as it prepares for updates to the Marathon airport.

In an effort to increase Marathon’s viability for commercial air traffic, the airport runway will eventually be moved roughly 40 feet to the northwest to comply with current FAA regulations. As a result, about 40 feet of the vegetative buffer on the airport’s north edge bordering Aviation Boulevard will be removed to create a new Runway Object-Free Area (ROFA).

Though the airport is within Marathon’s city limits, Florida’s Airport Law of 1945 gives Monroe County regulatory authority over the site, rendering the runway move possible regardless of Marathon’s decision to change its comprehensive plan language. Adopting the proposed change would also allow a request that vegetation removed would be replanted with native species in a mitigation effort in a 3:1 ratio, not the county’s 2:1 ratio. The proposed ordinance also requires removal of all invasive exotic vegetation in the development area.

In its initial reading at the Marathon Planning Commission’s Jan. 23 meeting, Planning Director Brian Shea confirmed that the altered comprehensive plan language would have no impact on developments outside the airport.

CALLING ALL HIGH ROLLERS

‘Keysino Royale’ is this weekend

Break out the black tie attire and practice your best “shaken, not stirred.”

“Keysino Royale” is this weekend.

The always-enjoyable annual fundraiser for the Marathon Business and Professional Women’s Foundation (BPW) will take on a James Bond twist for 2023. With last year’s venue unavailable at the last minute due to an ongoing military presence at the Marathon Airport, this year’s attendees will dress to kill as they enjoy casino games at Marathon City Hall on Saturday, Feb. 18.

A cocktail hour from 6 to 7 p.m. will serve as the prelude for three hours of games, food catered by Brutus Seafood, drinks and fun until 10 p.m. At the end of the night, participants will be able to cash in their hard-earned tickets for raffle entries to win heavy-hitting prizes – ranging from Billy Joel tickets at Madison Square Garden to a week-long vacation stay in Nashville, Tennessee.

Proceeds from the event will go to support the BPW’s Stacy Kidwell Memorial Scholarship, awarded each year to a Marathon High School senior, along with adult scholarships for women furthering their education.

“I think it’s absolutely fantastic fun, and I love that we’re doing a fancier theme,” said event organizer Mallory Pinto.

“I’ve heard rumblings from the community that some local men were not super happy about my black tie dress code, and potentially ordered tuxedo T-shirts,” she added with a laugh. “But I won’t be turning people away for not dressing to the dress code. Come as you are, but feel free to dress up!”

Tickets are $100 and include heavy hors d'oeuvres and 2,500 gaming chips. To purchase tickets, scan the attached QR code.

BPW’s

From left, Doug Bell, John Keller, Jon Crane, Trish Hintze, Kristin Carlson and Michelle Lincoln celebrate a dealer bust at 2022’s Kuban Keysino. ALEX RICKERT/ Keys Weekly

ALEX RICKERT alex@keysweekly.com

A proposed site plan for 11 new homes and a clubhouse built by developer Guillermo Torres on the eastern oceanside edge of Vaca Cut. CONTRIBUTED

CHANGING OF THE GUARD

Sean McDonald takes over as Marathon’s next football coach

ALEX RICKERT alex@keysweekly.com

When the Marathon Dolphins football team takes the field for Friday Night Lights this fall, a new – but familiar –face will be calling the shots from the sideline.

On Feb. 7, the high school finalized the hire of 2022 offensive coordinator – and extraordinarily talented Keys Weekly Sports Wrap Podcast host –Sean McDonald as its new head coach. McDonald will take the reins from Mac Childress, who elected to step down after helming the program since 2018 as his family prepares for the birth of his third child.

“Being the head coach for the Marathon Dolphins was an absolute honor,” Childress told the Weekly. “(Sean and I) have coached together for several years. … He and his staff definitely have the potential and skill to take this program to the next level.”

McDonald is tasked with continuing the rise of a program that’s shown marked improvement under Childress’ tutelage. Following two winless seasons, the team posted a 3-6 record in 2021 before securing its first winning season since 2017 last fall with a 5-4 mark.

“Every coach wants to put their stamp on a program and wants to have the ability to have a vision and see if that vision can become a reality,” McDonald told the Weekly. “You have the ability to mold (the team) into what you think is going to be a successful program, and it’s going to help the players not only become successful during football season but also successful citizens in Monroe County.”

McDonald has deep roots in the coaching fraternity throughout the island chain, beginning in 1997 when then-Sugarloaf School principal and current Superintendent Theresa Axford hired him as a physical education teacher. Within two years, he took his talents a little farther south, coaching junior varsity football at Key West High School under coach Pat Freeman before assisting with the varsity squad under Greg Kramer. He also credits longtime Key West coaches Judd Wise and Robert James as “huge mentors” who supported his ever-evolving early career.

Realizing there was a void in organized football in the Lower Keys, McDonald and his wife Tracy began a 10-year partnership with the Key West Junior Football League to establish four teams that practiced in the Lower Keys before competing in the southernmost city.

Both Sean and Tracy made the move to Marathon in 2013, and Sean has been a mainstay with the middle school, JV and varsity football teams ever since, including a two-year stint as the middle school coach in which he guided his squad to an undefeated 12-0 season and a 20-2 overall record. After taking three years off starting in 2019 to watch his son Jackson, a former MHS star quarterback, play at FIU, the elder McDonald returned to the sidelines on Childress’ staff in 2022.

With a uniquely integrated middle school campus, McDonald said he’s excited to streamline a unified development program for players from sixth grade through senior year. It’s a pipeline that he hopes will build consistency and discipline, two of his teams’ hallmarks, among young players as his staff “helps them transition from sixth graders to becoming adults, in the classroom, on the field and in the community.”

It’s a vision that Childress echoed as he handed over the mantle, touting the “foundation we laid of good character and strong work ethic” over the last five years.

“We ultimately tried to build men, not just football players,” he told the Weekly.

“We really want to encourage as many middle school players to come out and play, even if they’ve never played football before,” McDonald added. “We’re gonna welcome them with open arms. The vision that we have … is working with these guys for seven years to become the best possible people that they can become.”

Sean McDonald is the new head football coach for the Marathon Dolphins. ALEX RICKERT/Keys Weekly

... 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

SUPER ENDING FOR SUPER BOWL LVII

At halftime of Sunday’s Super Bowl, my friend, Jerry, asked me what I thought of the game. I said I thought it was rather boring.

At that point, we had two quarterbacks getting ready to collapse, Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes from his bad ankle and Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts from his sore shoulder.

If I had written my column at that point, I would have praised the people at Fox who put together the pregame program that seemed to go on for hours (and did). It was entirely enjoyable, however.

In the second half, both QBs seem to find some energy reserves that would have carried either team to victory.

But in the end it was Kansas City that got the boost for the win.

Rihanna probably got the energy boost, too. I’m not a fan of hers, but, already pregnant with another child, she put on quite a show, performing high above the crowd, mostly on platforms that put her in the stratosphere. Most people, including the 20 or so watching with me, seemed to enjoy it. I thought the hype overwhelmed the performance.

Meanwhile, back to one of the best of the 57 Super Bowls in history. Early in the fourth quarter, Kansas City took a 35-27 lead. But with 5:15 left, Philadelphia caught up with a touchdown and a two-point conversion. Getting the ball back, the Chiefs were having difficulty moving it back down the field, needing only a field goal and the elimination of time.

They got part of the first when Eagles cornerback James Bradberry was caught holding. It put the ball easily within field-goal distance and allowed Kansas City time to play around with the ball as the clock counted down.

Finally, with eight seconds left, Kansas City lined up in field goal position with Harrison Butker in the kicker position.

With an estimated 100 million people watching worldwide and holding their breath, Butker kicked it straight through the uprights.

As the noise of celebration settled down, Bradberry was asked if he had really committed holding in the end zone in the final minutes. The Eagle defensive back admitted he had, hoping the official wouldn’t see it. The player easily could have said he didn’t. His coach and his teammates were just as honorable, praising the Chiefs as the better team.

The commentators went even further, wondering whether coach Andy Reid, quarterback Mahomes, and tight end Travis Kelce were the best of all time.

Maybe they hadn’t watched Bill Belichick. There was a period when it seemed he was coaching the New England Patriots to the Super Bowl every year with quarterback Tom Brady, who then collected another Super Bowl ring with his next team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Regardless, though, the ending of Super Bowl LVII was nothing short of super.

RALPH MORROW

BRITT MYERS britt@keysweekly.com

COVERING THE BASES — FROM HALL OF FAME SNUB TO HIS ROLE AS ‘SKID MARK’ IN THE MOVIE ‘KINGPIN’

CATCHING UP WITH LEGENDARY PITCHER ROGER CLEMENS

Former major league pitcher Roger Clemens’ career legacy is regularly debated in baseball circles. On one hand, the right-handed Clemens, nicknamed “Rocket” on account of his commanding fastball and untouchable breaking ball, is widely considered one of (if not the) greatest pitchers in the storied history of the game. On the other hand, his place in baseball lore is marred, like many from his era, by allegations of performanceenhancing drugs — none of which, to this day, has ever been substantiated by a failed drug test or admission.

Regardless of the swirling debates around Clemens’ place in baseball history and his looming absence in the Baseball Hall of Fame, “Rocket” is seemingly content with the fruits of his 24-season career, which includes seven Cy Young Awards, over 350 career wins, 4,762 strikeouts, an American League MVP award, a back-to-back triple crown win – wins, strikeouts and ERA – an 11-time All-Star, two-time World Series champion and dozens of other accolades fans may never witness from a single pitcher again.

So when Clemens visited Key West this past weekend to serve as the master of ceremonies at a charity golf tournament, he did much more than simply show his face and go through the motions of the typical celebrity visit. He made stops at the newly renovated Key West baseball and softball fields to sign autographs and chat with local players, kids and parents. He was spotted on stage singing and performing at the Smokin’ Tuna, and when he showed up at the Key West Golf Club, he graciously posed for selfies and chatted with media – including me.

I grew up immersed in an era of baseball cards, player stats and memorabilia. But to this day, Roger Clemens remains one of the most accomplished and recognized figures in all of sports. So when I was given the opportunity to interview him, I had no idea what to expect. Can we talk about the Hall of Fame Snub? Will he be as domineering and to the point as his

on-screen personality suggests? All of these things were going through my head leading up to the interview.

But what I found was a man who remains extremely proud of his career and secure in the legitimacy of his feats. Clemens has come to peace with the doubters, trolls and snubs, and has tuned out the debates. Instead, Clemens focuses on the current chapter of his life, which includes his enduring love of family, his appreciation for what the game has afforded him and his charities that support children through the Roger Clemens Foundation.

I was blown away by how gracious and engaged Clemens was with our questions. Regardless of anyone’s opinion of him, this was clearly a man of sincere resolve — proud of his playing days, but more importantly, proud of who he is as a husband, father, grandfather and friend.

For the full-length video interview with Roger Clemens, visit keysweekly.com.

Below are some of the memorable moments and quotes from the Keys Weekly’s interview with Roger Clemens.

On who else, outside of himself, is the all-time foursome of baseball pitchers he would pick to play with…

Clemens: Obviously I have a soft place in my heart for Cy Young because I was able to win his award a number of times. When you pass some of the guys like Walter Johnson and guys like that you have great respect for players like him and I watched guys like Nolan Ryan and Tom Seaver growing up. So those guys come to mind when you ask a question like that.”

On being snubbed by the Hall of Fame… Clemens: “I didn’t play the game to make the Hall of Fame. I played the game for the first couple of years to reset my mom’s life and my family’s life and then to win playoffs and championships.”

On claims that Clemens would have never been as aggressive had he played in the National League and taken regular at-bats…

Clemens: “You pitch inside to make a 17-inch plate a 24-inch plate. You don’t pitch inside to hit players. I think in 24 years I pitched around someone’s shoulder three times. I learned from Don Drysdale and Nolan and they told me you don’t have to intimidate batters when you throw 100 mph. My mechanics in general intimidated players.”

On the most common thing fans still say to him today…

Clemens: “The fans are why we play the game. But the funny thing my boys love to give me grief over is when someone comes to me for an autograph, and it’s not, ‘Can you sign this for my dad?’ It’s, ‘Can you sign this for my grandfather?’ (laughing) My boys love that.”

On his favorite shows and his personal moments in Hollywood…

Clemens: “Two of my favorite movies are ‘The Family Man’ with Nicolas Cage and I love ‘Molly’s Game.’ I still have my Screen Actors Guild card and we’re shooting a movie this summer about a guy breaking out of prison while a prison baseball game is going on. I’ve done about seven movies. I got to play in the movie ‘Cobb’ with Tommy Lee Jones and I got the opportunity to work with the Farrelly brothers. I was originally supposed to be in ‘Dumb and Dumber,’ but couldn’t do it, but ended up in ‘Kingpin.’ Of course my character’s name was Skid Mark.”

Roger Clemens visited Key West on Feb. 11 to support Toughest Kids and the David Maus Foundation. For more on Toughest Kids and how to support, including children who have lost a military parent, visit toughestkids.com. And for more on the Roger Clemens Foundation visit rogerclemensfoundation.org.

Roger Clemens pitches at Fenway Park for the Boston Red Sox in 1996. JERRY REUSS/Wikipedia

KEYS WEEKLY

By: Tracy and Sean McDonald

THE SCOREBOARD

THIS WEEK IN KEYS SPORTS

Senior, Key West Soccer

Key West’s soccer squad has made most of its wins this year in undeniable fashion, outscoing opponents 63-24 throughout the season. But when the Conchs won an at-large bid in the playoffs against top teams in the state, they knew their typical high-scoring victories would be unlikely.

“Karel’s contribution in the playoff run was crucial. He came up clutch in the PK shootout vs. MAST and kept us in the game with numerous big saves vs. Gulliver.”

– Key West athletic director Justin Martin

That’s where senior Karel Bublak came in. In multiple sudden-death scenarios with the season on the line, Bublak made valiant saves to keep the Conchs alive in the FHSAA District 4A tournament, most notably against MAST Academy. When the game went unresolved in double overtime, triggering a shootout, Bublak toed the line in goal and made the saves that sent Key West into the next round and ended the season for their opponent.

The Key West keeper puts in the work and leads by example. “Karel guides the defense into their proper positions,” said Key West coach Marc Pierre. “He also encourages his teammates to keep working hard.” For his leadership on the pitch and amazing saves in the net, Karel Bublak is this week’s Keys Weekly Athlete of the Week.

By: Tracy and Sean McDonald

BOYS WEIGHTLIFTING SEASON OPENS

Marathon and Coral Shores making early gains

Coral Shores and Gulliver High School visited the Middle Keys on Feb. 8 to open their boys weightlifting season against Marathon. Many athletes are still working on figuring out their weight classes and opening lifts, making the meet a great opportunity to see what works and what needs to be tweaked.

Coral Shores’ Xavyer Arrington won the unlimited class by nearly 100 pounds at the meet, but it was more like a warmup for the defending state snatch champion. Arrington has the potential to put up some huge numbers this year in his quest to return to the state meet on April 15.

Other notable performances from Hurricanes include one from Julian Juvier, who won the 238-pound division with the help of a big 265-pound bench press. Keegan White (169), Daniel Warrington (129), and Sebastian Mollineda (154) also all had strong performances for an early season meet.

For the Dolphins, Yuni De Leon, a state qualifier in 2022, had good lifts in the 219-pound class, and Matthias Martinez (139) and Jesus Oquendo (129) performed well at the meet.

All athletes will have a couple of months to make gains and perfect their form prior to districts. The teams meet again five more times this season, alternating among Marathon, Coral Shores, and Gulliver until they face one another at districts at the end of March.

TENNIS SWINGS INTO ACTION

’Canes and Fins face off on Opening Day

Prep tennis season officially opened on Feb. 8 when two Keys teams met in Tavernier to begin with a friendly in-county match. Coral Shores was the big winner on opening day, but Marathon will have a chance to improve with three more matchups throughout the season.

The Lady ’Canes swept past the Fins, winning all their singles and doubles matchups. Coral Shores’ Olivia Hughes, Kai Guth, Macy Cakans and Guadalupe Guerrero outmatched the Dolphins in singles, then the teams of Hughes/Guth and Cakans/Guerrero partnered up to win their doubles matches.

For the gentlemen, Marathon’s Adrien Holdinga won his singles match, then teamed up with Hunter Claflin to win a doubles match as well. Coral Shores’ Aiden Althouse and Johan Smith started their seasons off with victories in singles play.

See more game photos at keysweekly.com

Weekly

Left: Marathon’s Yuni De Leon was a state qualifier in the snatch competition in 2022. BARRY GAUKEL/Keys Weekly

Right: Coral Shores state weightlifting champion Xavyer Arrington poses during the 2022 state championships at Port St. Joe High School. CONTRIBUTED

Members of the Marathon Dolphins and Coral Shores Hurricanes tennis teams square off in a season-opening matchup in the Upper Keys on Feb. 8. DOUG FINGER/Keys

By: Tracy and Sean McDonald

VS BASEBALL EVERGLADES PREP MARATHON

FEBRUARY

20 | 5 p.m.

Marathon traveled to Key West on Feb. 10 for a preseason track meet under the tutelage of coach Darby Sheehan. Sheehan has been the Fins’ pole vault coach for several years, but has stepped up to the head coach position this season. Marathon used the preseason meet to give athletes an opportunity to try out some new events.

Monroe County rivals meet for preseason showdown

Key West outscored Marathon 56-30. The Conchs swept the relay events, winning the 4x100m with Clerf Alexandre, Jacob Lavallee, Shane Lavallee and James Reynolds. Shane Lavallee was also a member of the winning 4x400m team with fellow Conchs Jacob Nicholsen, Te’Von Watson and Suharevskis Niks-Davis. Colbin Hill, Jerven Louis and Lucas and Marcos Montiel won the 4x800m relay.

Niks-Davis took first in the 110m hurdles and Nicholsen won the 400m. In field events, Brondson Etienne won high jump, Josh Canterbury won pole vault and discus and Benndy Ambrose won the shot put event.

The Dolphins had quite a few standouts of their own. Marathon’s Mikail “Jay” Marshall had big wins in the 100m and 200m sprinting events, while Vance Bursa swept the distance and middle distance events, winning the 800m, 1600m and 3200m. Fab Louis Jeune placed first in long and triple jump, and Mason Buxton had a personal best javelin toss that was good enough for first place.

The Lady Conchs had a slightly more decisive win, outscoring the Fins 66-30. Key West’s girls also swept the relays. The first-place 4x100m team consisted of Dazmine Jenkins, Savannah Chadic, Lilia Mook and Rodemaelle Cineus. Chadic and Jenkins teamed up with Naima Thomas and Nikole Tomita in the 4x400m and Alicia Bahri, Rose Detwiler, Laira Anaya and Caylaa Makimaa ran the 4x800m relay.

Chadic crossed the line first in the 200m, giving her three top finishes for the meet. Other first-place finishers for the Lady Conchs were Naima Thomas (400m), Laira Anaya (800m), Jenesis Perloff (100m hurdles), Grace Andrew (400m hurdles) and Caylaa Makimaa, who won both the 1600m and 3200m runs.

In the field, Abby Collins had the winning javelin toss, Anabel Portuondo was tops in pole vault and Abigail Cowen won the long and triple jump events.

The Lady Fins did well in the field with wins in the high jump by Caylie Globe, discus by Janiya Pyfrom and shot put by Nicole Merryman. Abrianna Marshall was the lone Lady Fin runner with a first-place finish in the 100m.

The regulation season for track and field opens Thursday, Feb. 16 and Marathon and Coral Shores will not be wasting any time, meeting at Coral Shores on that date. Key West opens its regular season at Palmer on Friday, Feb. 17.

Key West’s Suharevskis Niks-Davis. ELLA HALL/Keys Weekly. See more meet photos at keysweekly.com.

REVENGE TOUR 2023

Marathon Dolphins baseball set to cleanse ‘bad taste’ from championship loss

Coming up short in a championship game is bound to leave a bad t in a team’s mouth. Add in one-run loss in a game cut artificial Mother Nature? Pass the Listerine.

After claiming a regular-season South Florida Baseball Conferen (SFBC) title in 2022, the Marathon Dolphins advanced all the wa conference playoff bracket to make the team’s first appearance ence championship game since 2012. Springing out to an early 7Ransom Everglades, the Fins eventually trailed the Raiders by j the top of the seventh inning before lightning strikes triggere delays, eventually cementing the score as it stood.

In four days, the new-look 2023 squad will begin its quest for “That taste of being so close to lifting up that trophy for the our school’s history, that continues to stick out in all our re head coach Joey Gonzalez as his team prepares to take the field Feb. 20 in their season opener against Everglades Prep Academy. much more hunger for it this year.”

“(The 2022 season) didn’t end. It was actually the starting poi opinion, for what Marathon baseball is becoming and our identit forward.”

This year’s squad, as always, will look a bit different as it l by graduating seniors – most notably slugger Delvin Solis and 2 SFBC Player of the Year Ben Hiller, described by Gonzalez as “t heart and soul of our team” as he led the Fins in most offensiv metrics last season.

But with several of the team’s core studs returning from last spring’s 13-12 squad, including pitching aces Dylan Ziels (3.5 ERA in 2022, with a fastball now clocking in around 85 mph) and Ryan Yablon (4.10 ERA), Gonzalez has every reason to believe another deep postseason run is on the table.

“We’re definitely not taking a step back,” he said. “My core group of guys have done nothing but commit themselves and they’ve gotten bigger, faster, stronger all across the board. … If anything, (the graduating seniors) gave our younger guys the opportunity to work even harder, and now we’ve got a true battle for our starting outfield spots

Gonzalez noted lofty expectations for his sophomore class, including twins Gavin and Gabe Leal – the team’s expected short catcher, respectively – along with projected second baseman Bry and first baseman Mason Thornton.

With a talented core of young players returning, the coach is t have his entire staff – including his father and brother, Luis Jr. – back by his side as he looks to follow up his SFBC Coach season. And though his team’s end goal was already set nearly 10 months ago –earn a 15-win season for the first time since before Gonzalez himself played for the Fins, and secure another postseason push – his staff is well aware that they still need to approach the spring one game at a time.

“I think the message as a coach to my staff and my players is, don’t get too far ahead of yourselves,” he said. “Live in the moment, play for the day, play for each other, and if we can do that every single day, I think the wins are gonna accumulate.

“We’ve got a group of guys that have literally been working their butts off, grinding on the field and in the weight room since we fell just short. … We’re out there putting in three-and-a-half-hour days and these kids stay for an extra hour after practice just to get more work in on their own. There’s no doubt with the heart that we have out there that we’re gonna be able to accomplish that.”

The Dolphins will open their season on Monday, Feb. 20 at 5 p.m. at home. From the entire staff at Keys Weekly, as always, Go Fins.

“We’re definitely not taking a step back. My core group of guys have done nothing but commit themselves and they’ve gotten bigger, faster, stronger all across the board.”

— head coach Joey Gonzalez

Gabe Leal.

BARRY GAUKEL/Keys Weekly

ALEX RICKERT alex@keysweekly.com

WHEN A PLAN COMES TOGETHER… County

Emergency Operations Center begins to take shape

On Feb. 14, Keys Weekly was treated to a tour of the construction site for the all-new Monroe County Emergency Operations Center by project management director Cary Knight.

The upcoming 28,321-square-foot building at the west end of the Marathon airport will include Monroe County’s Emergency Management, Fire Rescue administration and a countywide 911 center. Its $38 million price tag is slated to be paid entirely by grants and state appropriations.

Built to withstand a direct hit from a Category 5 hurricane, the design of the building is based on a 500-year storm – although it’s technically just a one-story stilted building, the finished product will be 43 feet tall, with its lowest structural member resting at 17 feet above sea level. Once completed, the facility will be self-sustaining for 72 hours for up to 150 emergency response staff, including food, drinking water, electric power and wastewater storage.

Helmed by Ajax Building Company, the construction site currently sees 40 to 50 workers on a daily basis, with many local subcontractors contributing to the build. Completion is scheduled prior to the 2024 hurricane season.

From top: Quality control and safety project manager Steven Sanders, left, project management director Cary Knight and construction project manager Cary Vick are the watchful eyes on scene at the construction site.

Concrete walls are framed and poured on the ground before eventually being tilted and hoisted by cranes, greatly reducing the need for vertical concrete molding.

As one would expect from a building designed to withstand 220-mph winds, each beam contains hundreds of pounds of thick rebar.

With many vertical columns already set, the time is fast approaching for the concrete pour on the EOC’s bottom floor.

Photos by ALEX RICKERT/Keys Weekly Elevator shafts, considered important structural anchors in the building’s design, are some of the first components completed.

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HEART SMART

Keeping the blood pumping during Heart Health Month

February was proclaimed Heart Health Month in 1964 by President Lyndon B. Johnson, but heart disease has been the leading cause of death in the United States since 1950.

Major risk factors that contribute to heart disease are high blood pressure, high cholesterol (specifically LDL and triglycerides), smoking, diabetes, excess body fat, a diet high in processed foods and saturated fats, physical inactivity and excessive alcohol use. Most, if not all, of them are what a health professional would call “modifiable risk factors,” meaning that the individual has the ability to make healthy changes to reduce and in some cases eliminate the risk factor completely.

Some of the risk factors can be confusing if you don’t know what you should be looking for. For example, what is considered high blood pressure? What should LDL cholesterol levels be? What is “enough” physical activity? Below are some recommendations, but remember: always consult with a physician before making any medical changes.

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is split into two categories. Stage 1 hypertension is when the systolic (top number) reaches 130139 mm Hg or diastolic (bottom number) reaches 80-89 mmHg. Stage 2 is when the systolic is 140 mm Hg or greater or diastolic is 90 or greater.

Hypertension can be situational (i.e. stress, grief, anxiety, etc.) and in most cases can be controlled by nutrition and exercise. In some cases, hypertension may be caused by genetics or underlying disease, but only a physician can make a diagnosis, so it is very important to see your general practitioner to discuss your specific cause.

High LDL cholesterol (low density lipoprotein), a.k.a. “bad cholesterol,” has been shown in many studies to increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. When your body has too much LDL, it can build up along the artery walls, creating plaques. Plaques lead to obstruction, decreased blood flow to the heart muscle and, ultimately, a heart attack. Eating too many processed foods that have saturated fats have been linked to an increase in LDL numbers. Red meat and many full fat dairy products also have high levels of saturated fats. Try to keep your consumption of saturated fats to less than 7 percent of your total calorie intake – doing so will help keep your LDL levels within normal range. Smoking is an addiction, and like any addiction should be managed with the help of a professional. There are no “better cigarettes” than others, nor is there an “okay” amount of cigarettes to smoke. Studies show that male smokers are 46% more likely to be at risk of

heart disease and/or a stroke by having just one cigarette a day (women are 34% more likely).

The number of Type Two diabetes mellitus (DM II) diagnoses has steadily been increasing year after year. Currently, one in 10 Americans have DM, with 95% of those being Type Two. DM II (unlike Type I, a genetic disorder) is caused by lifestyle choices, particularly physical inactivity and regular excessive caloric intake. Socioeconomic status and education have also been shown to be factors in DM II development. Diagnosis can only be done by a series of blood tests ordered by a physician. A healthy fasting blood glucose level should be less than 100 mg/dL. Over time, DM II puts extra stress on vital organs, including the heart. High levels of glucose can weaken blood vessel walls and damage the nerves which help control the heart.

Physical activity is my favorite subject to write about. As technology has changed, we as a species have become less and less active. With more automation, fewer physical labor jobs and with more drive-through options than ever, we don’t have to move as much as our ancestors did, and we are paying for it. From a health standpoint – not aesthetic – the human body needs a minimum of about 150 minutes of moderately intense exercise a week to help ward off conditions like hypertension and DM II. If you are not currently exercising, I highly recommend chatting with your physician about doing so. I also highly recommend learning how to exercise properly from an exercise specialist who is certified and will listen to you. Starting a new program can be daunting, but done properly will be rewarding and will help keep your body and your mind working like a well-oiled machine.

Hearts aren’t just for Valentine’s Day in February, which was named Heart Health Month in 1964. CONTRIBUTED

Excessive alcohol use is not something many think about being a heart issue, but rather a liver issue. Well, it’s both. First, let’s define excessive alcohol use. Researchers from the American Health Association have categorized heavy drinking as: having six or more drinks on one occasion, feeling hungover the next day no matter the amount of alcohol consumed, needing to drink first thing in the morning, and/or allowing drinking to disrupt your life. Many studies have been done on those who imbibe excessively, and the most interesting findings are a 31.5% increase in stretching of the heart walls, high levels of inflammation markers, higher levels of fat found in the bloodstream and decreased heart pumping action. Those who consume three or fewer drinks per week are at the lowest risk for developing any heart disease-related issues and cancer compared to those who drink more than that. If you or a loved one have shown signs of using alcohol in excess, please find a professional to help. Breaking this addiction shouldn’t be done alone.

Be good to yourself and take care of your heart this month and every month that follows. If you want to start a new or change up a current exercise plan, reach out to me. I would love to help! Jenniferlynnboltz@gmail.com

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

JENNIFER BOLTZ HARVEY

ATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE HORRORS

SPANISH SHIP SET FOR CUBA

HITS KEYS REEF TRYING TO OUTRUN BRITISH SCHOONER

By the end of the 17th century, the capture of men and women for colonial distribution in European markets was in full swing. The Atlantic slave trade operated from about 1525 to 1866.

During that period, roughly 12.5 million Africans were captured and shipped off the continent for New World harbors.

Human cargo was generally shipped in one of two ways, and the business model incorporated a mortality factor. If a “tight pack” was used, every inch mattered, and the objective was to squeeze every human being possible into the least amount of space. For the trade’s practitioners, it was a numbers game. Every square foot equaled a dollar figure, and the goal was to successfully transport as much viable product as possible for the least amount of dollars.

The other way to transport the enslaved people was a “loose pack” where fewer people were transported in the same space and, subsequently, fewer deaths theoretically occurred during the transAtlantic crossing because of the “improved” travel conditions. For the slavers, all that mattered was the total number of viable bodies that were ultimately delivered.

The trip across the Atlantic Ocean from Africa’s west coast is historically referred to as the Middle Passage. Of the 12.5 million people transported from Africa, nearly 2 million suffered unspeakable deaths during the Middle Passage and were tossed overboard like chum.

By 1827, the international slave trade had been illegal in Spain for seven years, the United States for 19 years, and Great Britain for 20. However, Spanish-held Cuba paid little heed to the prohibition, as evidenced in a letter written from a British officer in Havana to one in London dated July 31, 1827. It read, in part, “The illicit slave trader from this port … appears to be about to resume its former activity, no less than four Spanish vessels having during the present month sailed are the brigs Guerrero. … She is well armed, and has a crew of ninety men; and there can be little doubt that her purpose is to plunder their cargoes of slaves any weaker vessels that she may fall in within the coast of Africa.”

The Guerrero was just over 110 feet long with a beam of 27 feet, 5 inches. When the ship left the west coast of Africa to make the over 4,000-mile voyage to Havana, 561 enslaved people were held on board. On Dec. 19, 1827, Lt. Edward Holland and the 56man crew aboard the schooner H.B.M. (His Britannic Majesty) Nimble was patrolling the Florida Straits 250 miles north of Havana. The Guerrero was spotted off the coast of Orange Cay, Bahamas. The noon entry into the Nimble’s log read, “Observed stranger to be a suspicious looking brig. I set topsail, cleared (the deck) for action and fired two guns to bring strangers to whom we observed hauling up to avoid us; made more sail.”

By 6:15 p.m., the brig was firing her cannons at the gaining Nimble, and for the next 30 minutes, the two ships exchanged cannon and musket fire until the brig feigned surrender by firing a blank and flashing a conciliatory light. The Nimble ceased fire, and the brig made another run when she did. In its attempt to outrun the Nimble, the Guerrero slammed into Carysfort Reef off of Key Largo at full sail.

According to an 1831 edition of the United States Service Magazine, “The masts of the chase were heard to fall with a tremendous crash, followed with a horrid yell from those on board, which left no doubt of her being a Guineaman.” The ship’s hull split open and when the Guerrero filled with water, 41 Africans shackled in the ship’s hold drowned where they were chained. The Niles Weekly Register reported, “The cries of 561 slaves and crew were appalling beyond description.”

The following morning, wreckers aboard the Thorn, Florida and Surprize arrived on the scene. Approximately 20 Spaniards and 142 Africans boarded Captain Austin Packer’s 39-foot schooner. Aboard Captain Charles Grover’s schooner Thorn, 246 Africans and 54 Spaniards were boarded. The two ships set sail for Key West but were hijacked by the Spanish and redirected to Santa Cruz, Cuba, where the human cargo was sold to sugar field plantation owners.

The remaining 121 Africans were boarded onto the Nimble and delivered to Key West. One person died in transit. The Africans were clothed, fed and housed for 75 days. Four additional Africans died during that period. At Key West, rumors began to circulate around the island that Spanish warships would be sailing for the island, and it was decided that for everyone’s safety, it was best to transfer the surviving 117 people to the St. Augustine area.

A letter written by the U.S. Marshal in St. Augustine to Richard Rush, Secretary of the U.S. Treasury, stated, “While they were in Key West, attempts were made to take them from the possession of my deputy, by force, and by bribery; and, the night before I removed them from the island, an attempt was made to carry off a part of them.”

Unable to support the enslaved, the U.S. Marshal rented the Africans out to St. Augustine area plantation owners. During their time in St. Augustine, 17 Africans either died or escaped. In the end, of the original 561 Africans pirated away from their homeland, 100 people were attempted to be repatriated to Africa. Nine more Africans died during the Atlantic crossing.

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.

FLORIDA KEYS HISTORY WITH BRAD BERTELLI

Slaves aboard the bark Wildfire from Harper’s Weekly June 2, 1860. MONROE COUNTY LIBRARY COLLECTION/Contributed

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Bill “Scotty” Scott, who resided in Marathon with his wife Lissa from 2000-2019, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Sunday, Feb. 5 after a brief bout of pneumonia. Since 2020, the couple has resided in Boynton Beach.

Born and raised in Royal Oak, Michigan, Scotty graduated from the Cleveland Institute of Art with a degree in graphic design in 1966. While teaching at the Cooper School of Art he met and fell in love with his soul mate, Lissa. The couple married in 1972, and after working for a larger advertising agency, he founded Scott Design in Cleveland.

He grew the company to include 11 full-time illustrators, designers, typesetters and media buyers who handled a wide range of clients like Greater Cleveland Growth Association, the Lake County Visitors Bureau, Parker Hannifin, General Electric and the Cleveland Clinic.

His studio was reminiscent of the “Mad Men” era of advertising, and Scotty relished telling stories of three-martini lunches and box seats for major Cleveland sporting events. He never stopped cheering for the Browns, Indians and Cavaliers, nor did he ever retire from his passion, advertising and marketing.

After semi-retiring to the Keys, Scotty enjoyed spending time on his pontoon boat, dining and entertaining guests at his home with his cooking skills. He also continued with his work, creating logos and brochures for numerous local businesses like Paver Dave, Boyd’s Campground and A Deep Blue Dive along with iconic advertising campaigns for Summerland Wine and Spirits and celebrated orthodontist Charles Troxel.

A private service will be held with his remains to be scattered across the Keys, Cleveland and northern Michigan. In lieu of flowers, his family is asking for donations in his name for the American Cancer Society.

Joanne Weber Carlson, age 78, of Marathon, passed away peacefully at her home on Jan. 6 after a battle with cancer. Joanne was born in 1945 in Rockford, Illinois to the late James Patrick and Emma Darline.

Joanne moved from Rockford to the Washington, D.C. area in the mid1960s and worked as an X-ray technician at Georgetown University Hospital. In the early 1970s, Joanne moved to suburban Maryland and made a career change. She started a career in real estate and served as the president of the Montgomery County Board of Realtors during that time. While living in Maryland, she traveled frequently to a second home in the Florida Keys, ultimately making her permanent home in the Florida paradise.

Joanne is survived by her husband Carl, whom she met in Marathon in 2013. Together, they spent the last 10 years enjoying life in the Keys by boating, golfing and singing karaoke, as well as being known for dancing the night away. Joanne was a vibrant, generous and colorful woman. She enjoyed tap dancing and teaching water aerobics, was quite the mahjong competitor, and was a hardworking member of the Marathon Yacht Club.

Joanne is survived by her brothers, Thomas and Gerald; by her son Stephan; and by her grandchildren Shane and Brooke. Joanne often had her granddaughter Brooke come to visit in the Keys, where she learned to scuba dive, and those visits helped inspire Brooke to become a marine biologist.

Joanne’s family will fondly remember the way she would comically mispronounce certain brand names or foods, and will be left to wonder whether she always did so intentionally just to get a laugh out of them.

Joanne will be missed and will be well remembered as a fun-loving, kind and good friend, mother and wife whose joyfulness was contagious.

A celebration of life for Joanne will be offered by her husband and family on Sunday, March 12 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Marathon Yacht Club. Family and friends are invited to pay their last respects.

YOUR ISLAND BOUTIQUE DESTINATION

CORNER

The New Home Spot has been helping buyers and sellers for nearly ten years. Lisa Baez is proud of their team of seasoned professionals who know the Keys, from Key Largo to Key West. “We know real estate, we know how to get deals done and we know the ever-changing local market. We also know the biggest need of our real estate customers is to be welcomed and informed. We take hospitality and intellect to the next level of excellence. Our industry is not known for greatness, yet this is what we deliver” said Lisa.

BILL ‘SCOTTY’ SCOTT 1944-2023 JOANNE CARLSON 1945-2023

3. Mark Belile shares a smile and a fun moment with his son, Little Mark and buddy Luke Blanton. The Marathon library was another supporter of the party.

4. Keys Weekly designer Javier Reyes brought his brood to the park for some fun including his wife Viviana and kids Amy and Ian. The fun-filled evening was supported by several local churches including Marathon Community Church, New Life Church and Keys Vineyard Church.

cot-

CUPID STRIKES AT CITY PARK

Marathon’s Parks and Rec Department held a family-friendly Valentine’s Day celebration on Feb. 10 at Marathon Community Park. Hundreds of residents showed up to enjoy cotton candy, crafts and treats.

— Keys Weekly sta report

1. Janice Scheel (left) brought the loves of her life to the park this past week including her kids Jessica Borracino and Tierce Scheel and grandkids Benjamin (1) and Isla (5), pictured with friends Blair Shiver and her daughter Amelia (6).

2. Keanna and Tia Hawkins, both 10 years old, sample the pizza provided by Driftwood Pizza.

5. Mikey Mejias, his buddy Joe Koler and brother Matthew take down some

ton candy with Parks & Rec specialist Ali Adams. Island Town Events and DJ Trey Holmes brought the music and games for the kids.

THE BIRD IS THE WORD

WHERE MUSIC TAKES FLIGHT…

Florida Keys Audubon Society executive director (and fellow Keys Weekly columnist)

Mark Hedden spoke at a recent Marathon Rotary Club meeting. The topic? Peregrine falcons, their recovery as a species and the importance of the Middle Keys to their migratory journey. Mark is an entertaining and informative speaker, not to be missed if you get the chance. It got Sarah and me thinking — Mark knows birds, I know music. Let’s explore where the two meet in song!

Let’s take it as a given that some bird songs are great; some, not so much. Perhaps the song that most exemplifies a fairly horrible song that borders on greatness is “Surfin’ Bird” by the Trashmen from 1963. The only take-away from that is simply, “The bird is the word.”

In a similar vein, the song (and dance) known as “The Bird” from Morris Day and the Time hasn’t a bit of profound in it, yet is great fun. Released in Prince’s “Purple Rain” movie in 1984, this song gave Morris Day his real star turn.

Another bird song from that movie does rise to greatness: “When Doves Cry” by the Purple One himself. Prince played all the instruments and sang all the vocals, and — unusually for an R&B song at the time — the song had no bass part. It didn’t seem to matter much, as the song spent five weeks at #1 and was the biggest selling single of 1984.

A song we heard way too much of last week was the Steve Miller Band’s “Fly Like an Eagle” (1976). It’s a really good song that never went away, thanks to incessant repetition by classic rock radio stations.

“The Eagle and the Hawk” by John Denver (1971) is probably the bird song most totally about birds in this bunch. Denver’s 12-string guitar eventually turns into an orchestral piece celebrating these raptors and their flights over the Rocky Mountains.

Lovers of calypso will remember “Yellow Bird.” The most popular recording was Arthur Lyman’s version, released in 1961. Moving along…

Right up there with the yellow bird is the 1957 Bobby Day hit, “Rockin’ Robin.” Redone by the Jackson 5 in the 1970s, it’s the only song that ever got anyone singing, “Tweedle-e-deedle-e-deet.”

Carly Simon and James Taylor’s duet “Mockingbird” took a nursery rhyme and turned it into a big 1974 hit. Sarah and I attempt to sing this song now and again (safely at home), but it often collapses midway through because she won’t stay in her lane.

Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds” (1977) is often called “Don’t Worry.” But it’s the birds that pass along their “message to you” that “every little thing’s gonna be alright.”

The Beatles’ “Blackbird” (mostly solo Paul, 1968) was inspired by both the call of the blackbird and the struggle for civil rights for African American women in the late 1960s in America.

The surviving Beatles reunited in 1994 to record two new (mostly) John Lennon songs. One of these was the aptly titled “Free as a Bird.” This song combined John’s vocal and piano from a cassette demo with new studio tracks from Paul, George and Ringo. ELO’s Jeff Lynne produced, and the result was a hit for the Beatles 30 years after their Ed Sullivan debut.

“Free Bird.” The less said about this one, the better.

There are more, and there are more than a few groups that have birds in their group name. While this little exercise has been fun, the Florida Keys Audubon Society does serious work right here in our islands. In the Middle Keys at Curry Hammock State Park, they organize Florida Keys Hawk Watch, the southernmost hawk counting site in the continental United States. They do good work protecting and educating us about our feathered friends, and we are lucky to have them here. For more information, go to keysaudubon.org or floridakeyshawkwatch.com.

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

HURRICANE ISLAND OUTWARD BOUND SCHOOL RESUMES SPRING SAILING PROGRAMS

PROGRAM’S BOATS

Hurricane Island Outward Bound School (HIOBS), an organization that focuses on experiential learning through outdoor expeditions, recently returned to its Florida base camp in Big Pine Key to run its winter and spring sailing programs.

From November to March, HIOBS offers six- to nine-day sailing programs in the Keys for adults and veterans as well as gap year and semester courses that encompass expeditions like whitewater rafting, canyoneering, kayaking and surfing. On the sailing courses, a 30-foot open sailboat becomes both home and classroom for participants. Students build connections with their crew and are taught skills such as beginning, intermediate and advanced chart and compass navigation, small boat seamanship, weather observation and anchoring.

Part of the Florida Keys community since 1978, HIOBS is one of 10 independent Outward Bound schools in the U.S. and serves people of all ages and backgrounds through active learning expeditions that inspire character development, self-discovery and service. The programs use unfamiliar settings as a way for participants across the country to experience adventure and challenge in a way that helps

them realize they can do more than they thought possible.

During the summer and fall seasons, the nonprofit operates from its two base camps in Maine — providing sailing, sea kayaking and rock climbing expeditions on the Maine coast as well as backpacking, climbing and canoeing programs out of its mountain base in Newry, Maine. Expeditions range in length from one week to semester-long courses and serve middle and high school students, college students and adults. The organization also provides customized programming for educators, business professionals and veterans.

“Our hope is to increase community awareness of our sailing programs and vessels in the Florida Keys and help alleviate any potential concerns from residents or local law enforcement when they see our boats and students on the water,” said HIOBS marketing manager Kim Ratner. “The images here provide visual representation of our boats in the backcountry as well as what the sleeping setup looks like.

“While we have a good working relationship with the Coast Guard and they are aware of our presence, we have recently had some recurring issues with our boats getting mistaken for refugee boats and community members notifying local law enforcement.”

More information is at hiobs. org

SHOULD NOT BE CONFUSED WITH REFUGEE CRAFTS

Sailing vessels used by the Hurricane Island Outward Bound School are both a home and classroom for the school’s students and should not be confused with refugee boats in the Florida Keys. CONTRIBUTED.

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

JOHN BARTUS

Love life again with better hearing!

If you’re struggling to hear, you may be missing out on some of life’s greatest sounds, including priceless conversations with the one you love. Fall in love with life again through better hearing. Let Dr. Michelle help.

Greg Keifer

BROWNIE

1-year-old male mixed breed.

Looking for: Fun, training and more fun!

Turnoffs: If you don’t have time for me.

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.

SEA OF LOVE

REHABILITATED TURTLE PAIR RETURNS TO THE OCEAN ON VALENTINE’S DAY

BLONDI

5-year-old female domestic shorthair.

Looking for: My real furever. I’ve had too many homes.

Turnoffs: I can be spicy, but I have a sweet side too.

CLEO

4-month-old female domestic shorthair.

Looking for: Playmates!

I’m just a lone kitten.

Turnoffs: Nothing!

I’m happy, sweet and purrrfect.

ADOPTION UPDATE

PC was the purrfect addition for Abbey and her family. He’s loving his new life as a lap cat. Way to go, PC!

Valentine’s Day in Key West was celebrated with the release of a rehabilitated sea turtle duo back to the Atlantic Ocean by experts from the Florida Keys-based Turtle Hospital.

Dubbed “Port” and “Starboard,” the two juvenile green sea turtles were rescued together some three months ago in Lower Keys waters and treated at the Turtle Hospital in Marathon. Now weighing 20 pounds and 50 pounds, respectively, they were recently deemed to be in good health and ready for release together.

“We have ‘Port’ and ‘Starboard,’ two juvenile green sea turtles that were rescued together in November, and how awesome is this — we were able to put them back in their ocean home today on Valentine’s Day,” said Turtle Hospital manager Bette Zirkelbach.

After their rescue, both turtles were diagnosed with fibropapillomatosis — a debilitating tumor-causing disease that affects sea turtle species around the world. Treatment included tumor removal surgeries, broad-spectrum antibiotics, fluids, vitamins and a healthy diet of greens and mixed seafood.

Several hundred people watched from Key West’s Higgs Beach as “Port” and “Starboard” were carried from the Turtle Hospital’s ambulance to the water’s edge. The crowd applauded as the pair swam away together to spend Valentine’s Day in their saltwater home.

Since it opened over 35 years ago, the Turtle Hospital has treated and rehabilitated more than 2,000 injured sea turtles.

— Contributed

Experts from the Turtle Hospital release two juvenile green sea turtles that were rehabilitated at the hospital on Valentine’s Day in Key West. FLORIDA KEYS NEWS BUREAU/Contributed

JIMMY BUFFETT’S

‘SECOND WIND’ BLOWS INTO KEY WEST

BAREFOOT TROUBADOUR PLAYS 4 SHOWS ON THE ISLAND

Unless you were living under a rock instead of “on the rock,” you’re fully aware that Jimmy Buffett was in Key West last week, performing four shows and giving local residents plenty of face time and photo opportunities around town.

Rams Head Presents coordinated the two shows, Feb. 9 and 11, at the Key West Amphitheater as well as two intimate shows at the Key West Theater.

The Southernmost City was added as a stop on Jimmy Buffett & The Coral Reefer Band’s Second Wind Tour.

Social media exploded last week, with show photos, favorite song lyrics and sightings around town.

The Second Wind Tour name is based on the band’s 1976 song, “Kick It in Second Wind,” from their Havana Daydreamin’ album.

“So won’t you kick it in second wind / We got two more hours to go / Is there any more hope of scoring any more coke / And we’ve still got to do another show.”

1. The man, the myth, the legend: Jimmy Buffett thrills Key West audiences at four shows last week.

2. Vocalist Nadirah Shakoor performs with Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band Feb. 9 at the Key West Amphitheater.

Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band at the Key West Amphitheater. LARRY BLACKBURN/Keys Weekly

NURTURING NATURE THROUGH A LENS

KEY WEST BOTANICAL GARDEN COMBINES ART & NATURE

“My whole idea is to inspire folks to get back out into nature and to engage by taking photos while doing that.”

So says Kristie Killam, a photographer and former U.S Fish and Wildlife park ranger. Her focus these days is documenting the vast variety of marsh birds, reptiles and complex meshwork of creatures and foliage that make up the integral, humming and living ecosystem that is the Florida Keys.

Killam will host a photography presentation and workshop starting at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 25 at the Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden.

Visitors will be treated to Killam’s technicolor — often breathtaking — images of the wildlife she encounters as a self-described “nature nerd.” The digital shots tell compelling stories about the animals and plants native to this area of vast and quietly unseen diverse species.

Organized in collaboration with the garden’s executive director Misha McRae, Killam will begin a three-part speaker series and hands-on photography workshop kicking off at 1 p.m. “The program is going to include inspiring stories about nature,” Killam said last week. “I’m going to show practical ways in which to engage or re-engage with photography as a way of connecting to the natural world that’s all around us.”

Preservation of those natural resources, Killam added, is crucially integrated with her digitally captured works of art.

“I’ve always had conservation as my top priority while doing this,” she said.“I’d like to share this type of storytelling — through photography — with others. It’s all about what you can do to

help and at the same time learn a new skill or develop advanced ways of using a camera to capture the beauty of the wildlife in the Keys.”

McRae agreed, saying he came up with the idea of adding such events to the garden’s calendar with an eye toward bringing more visitors to the nature retreat on College Road.

“This last year we decided we wanted to do more involved, extensive programs. Kristie’s presentation is part of our continuing plan to bring art and nature together,” McRae said.

He added that Killam is “known throughout the Keys for her wildlife photography. Especially for her shots of the marsh birds and the marshlands and the sunsets. She knows the camera and how to pick a subject. She’s an expert who can turn a photo into a piece of art.”

The Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden is special in many ways, one of which is its status as the only “frost-free” vegetation and bird sanctuary in the continental U.S., McRae noted. “We’ve been designated as a wildlife refuge as far back as 1914 by the government. We have both flora and fauna species that exist nowhere else in the world.”

Though now retired from her ranger career, Killam’s decades of local experience have given her, she says, a unique perspective that helps snare her subjects in the lens.

While she does use sophisticated equipment like a Sony mirrorless digital camera, the “nature nerd” emphasizes that a simple phone will do. “Some people might not be able to afford a more expensive camera or lens, but that’s OK. You can do cool stuff with light and perspective and be imaginative and creative. All you need is a way to record those images.”

Simply put, Killam said, “The best camera in the world is the one you happen to have on you.”

Her photography program on Feb. 25 is free for visitors and will be the first of three presentations offered this spring, with the next one scheduled for March 11. More information is at keywest.garden.

1. A Key deer and her fawn by wildlife photographer Kristie Killam, who will lead a workshop at the Key West Botanical Gardens beginning Feb. 25. KRISTIE KILLAM/Contributed

2. Keys wildlife photographer Kristie Killam at work. AMY PATTON/Keys Weekly

3. The Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden is a natural oasis on College Road with walkways, ponds and an abundance of wildlife. MANDY MILES/ Keys Weekly

Suspected Pagan gang members arrested in Marathon and Big Pine Key

On Jan. 9, two suspected members of the Pagans motorcycle gang were arrested in separate incidents, one in Marathon and another on Big Pine Key.

Nicole Marie Fortier, 45, Spring Hill, Florida, was arrested for possession of methamphetamine (0.4 grams), possession of a concealed weapon without a permit (a 9mm pistol) and possession of drug paraphernalia following a traffic stop on U.S. 1 near 17 Court in Marathon. The driver of the vehicle she was a passenger in, Nicholas Joseph La Bella, 69, also of Spring Hill, Florida, was cited for traveling 60 mph in a 35 mph zone and for not wearing a seatbelt. Police say La Bella admitted to speeding in order to keep up with a group of motorcyclists also affiliated with the Pagans.

Brandon Orlando Ebbs, 43, of Bayville, New Jersey, was charged with violation of probation for a DUI out of Monroe County following a traffic stop while riding a motorcycle on Big Pine Key.

Black history celebration set for Jesse Hobbs Park

On Saturday, Feb. 25, Marathon’s St. Paul AME Church will host a “Black History in the Park” celebration at Jesse Hobbs Park, located at 4104 Overseas Highway. From noon to 5 p.m. attendees will enjoy food, fun and games. Come by and celebrate Black History Month with the Marathon community.

Weiner elected as president of emergency preparedness group Monroe County Emergency Management Director Shannon Weiner was recently elected Florida Emergency Preparedness Association president. In this capacity, Weiner will lead concerns, support initiatives, facilitate communications and share best practices throughout the emergency management community, helping professional emergency managers throughout the state. Weiner became a certified emergency manager in 2005 and has been a member of the association since 2003. The position is a one-year term.

Weiner joined Monroe County Emergency Management in 2016. She was deputy incident commander during the county’s response to Hurricane Irma and became director two weeks before the county’s response to COVID-19 in 2020. She has 20 years of experience in public safety, with 16 years as a professional emergency manager.

Marathon Library to host sponge restoration lecture

Florida Sea Grant biologist Shelly Krueger will discuss sponge restoration at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 23 as part of the Marathon library’s “Coffee, Cookies & Conversation” Speaker Series. The talk is free and open to all.

Sponges are among the most visible residents of the hard-bottom habitats typical in the nearshore waters of the Florida Keys. They are essential for healthy ecosystems because they continuously filter large volumes of water while feeding on phytoplankton, viruses and bacteria. Sponges also transform water chemistry by cycling nutrients and provide essential nursery habitat for important fisheries species such as spiny lobster, stone crab and bonefish. The loss of such an important component of nearshore habitats, especially in Florida Bay, has prompted calls for sponge restoration.

Krueger is a marine biologist with the Monroe County Extension office and the Florida Sea Grant agent in the Florida Keys since 2013.

Marathon Garden Club to hold House and Garden Tour

The Marathon Garden Club will host its annual House and Garden Tour on Saturday, March 4 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The tour will feature four unique homes and gardens plus one exceptional garden with live music. Tickets are $35 and may be purchased at the Garden Club, 5270 Overseas Highway (10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday), from the Marathon Chamber of Commerce, or at DK’s Beach Boutique in Key Colony Beach. Call the Garden Club at 305-743-4971 for more information or visit www.marathongardenclub.org.

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.

Marathon Shrine Club to conduct annual charity drive

The Marathon Shrine Club will hold its charity drive on Saturday, Feb. 18. Collected funds go to the support of Shriners Hospitals and the Transportation Fund at Mahi Temple. These funds are used exclusively to transport Keys and South Florida children to the Shrine Hospital in Tampa or to one of the other Shrine Hospitals around the country. At these hospitals, children are given free state-of-the-art orthopedic care and burn treatment. The Transportation Fund ensures that the children are able to get to the hospitals for their care and follow-up treatment without any cost.

Those who know any child under the age of 18 who could benefit from orthopedic, spinal cord or burn treatment are encouraged to call the organization at 800-237-5055 and get the ball rolling.

MHS Champions for Change to host benefit barbecue dinner

On Saturday, Feb. 25, the Marathon High School Champions for Change club will host a barbecue dinner to benefit MHS students and families facing special circumstances from 4-9 p.m. at the Marathon Elks Lodge. The evening’s meal will feature creations from award-winning pit masters Ryan Fredrick, Spook Roussin and Chris Still. Pork, beef, beef brisket, beans, Coleslaw, rolls and a dessert are included with a $15 ticket. Live music by Tony Manfredi and the 79th Street Band will begin at 5 p.m., and there will be a cash bar, 50/50 raffle and silent auction. Take out is available. Call 305-731-0771 for more information and pre-sale tickets.

LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICES

FICTITIOUS NAME NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of SAWYER PERMITTING SERVICES located at 21 Aster Terrace, Monroe County in the City of Key West, Florida 33040-6205, intends to register the said name with the Division of Corporations of the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida.

Dated at Tavernier, Florida this 8th day of February, 2023.

By: Marissa Carol Sawyer

Publish:

February 16, 2023

The Weekly Newspapers

FICTITIOUS NAME NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of The Fun House located at 419 Caroline Street, Key West, FL 33040 intends to register said name with the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida.

By: KW Boardwalk, LLC

Publish:

February 16, 2023

The Weekly Newspapers

NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE

U-HAUL COMPANY OF MIAMI

Notice is hereby given that on

March 6th, 2023, Leonard Richford

Jr. Storage Auctioneer, Executive Administrator for U-Haul Company of Miami, Will be offering for sale under the Judicial Lien Process, By Public Auction, the following storage units. The Terms of the sale will be cash only. U-Haul Company does reserve the right to refuse any bids. The sales will Begin at 8:00 a.m. and continue day by day until all units are sold. The names of whose units will be sold are as follows:

103530 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, FL 33037

Michael Harrington

Unit 1223

$476.74

Todd Nichols Unit 1449

$600.15

Elizabeth Nowarah Unit 1028

$529.20

Geno Gotti Unit 1632

$852.25

Lois Morgan Unit 1219

$529.20

Brian Long Unit 1504-51

$1,300.60

Michael Heit

Unit 1403

$1,556.30

Publish:

February 16 & 23, 2023

The Weekly Newspapers

NOTICE OF 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

#4FPFB10104G081186 owned by Harry Richard Daniels. Trailer to be sold on 2/27/23 at 10:00 am at Tavernier Mini Storage Inc, 135 Hood Avenue, Tavernier, FL 33070. Tavernier Mini Storage Inc. reserves the right to accept or reject any and/all bids.

Publish:

February 9 & 16, 2023

The Weekly Newspapers

NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE

Wheatons Towing gives notice that on 02/24/2023 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 reserves the right to accept or reject any and/or all bids.

1N4AL2AP0CN540030 2012

NISSAN

Publish:

February 9 & 16, 2023

The Weekly Newspapers

MEETING NOTICE

QUARTERLY MEETING NOTICE:

LOCAL COORDINATING BOARD FOR THE TRANSPORTATION

DISADVANTAGED

The Monroe County Local Coordinating Board (LCB) will be holding its regularly scheduled quarterly meeting on Friday, March 3, 2022 from 10:00 am – 11:00 am at the Marathon Government Center, BOCC Room, 2798 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050.

The primary purpose of the Coordinating Board is to provide information and advice to the Community Transportation Coordinator on the coordination of services provided to the transportation disadvantaged population of Monroe County, pursuant to Chapter 427.0157, Florida Statutes. Pursuant to the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), any person requiring special accommodations at this meeting due to a disability or physical impairment, and any related questions or inquiries concerning this meeting should be directed to Tiffany Albury at the Health Council of South Florida, Inc. at (305)592-1452 ext. 121 at least 72 hours prior to the date of the meeting.

Publish:

February 16 & 23 and March 2, 2023

The Weekly Newspapers

PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE

LOCAL COORDINATING BOARD FOR THE TRANSPORTATION

DISADVANTAGED

The Monroe County Local Coordinating Board (LCB) will be hosting a public hearing on Friday, March 3, 2022 from 11:00 am – 12:00 pm at the Marathon Government Center, BOCC Room, 2798 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050. This public hearing is open to community members who would like to present or discuss any comments related to the transportation disadvantaged. We welcome you to attend! Persons should contact the HCSF staff 48 hours in advance if they are interested in commenting. The primary purpose of the Coordinating Board is to provide information and advice to the Community Transportation Coordinator on the coordination of services provided to the transportation disadvantaged population of Monroe County, pursuant to Chapter 427.0157, Florida Statutes. Pursuant to the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), any person requiring special accommodations at this meeting due to a disability or physical impairment. Any related questions or inquiries concerning this meeting should be directed to Tiffany Albury at the Health Council of South Florida, Inc. at (305) 592-1452 ext. 121 at least 72 hours prior to the date of the meeting.

Publish:

February 16 & 23 and March 2, 2023

The Weekly Newspapers

NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE SOLICITATIONS

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Wednesday, April 5, 2023, at 3:00 P.M., the Monroe County Purchasing Office will receive and open sealed responses for the following:

Monroe County, Layton, Marathon, and Key Colony Beach watershed management plans and vulnerability assessment 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.

BOAT SLIP FOR RENT

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 April 5, 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, Layton, Marathon, and Key Colony Beach watershed management plans and vulnerability assessments 4-5-2023 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 April 5, 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:

February 16, 2023

The Weekly Newspapers

NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE SOLICITATIONS

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Wednesday, March 22, 2023, at 3:00 P.M., the Monroe County Purchasing Office will receive and open sealed responses for the following:

Big Pine Community Park Flood Panels

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 22, 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:

Big Pine Community Park Flood Panels 3-22-2023 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

LEGAL NOTICES

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 22, 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:

February 16, 2023

The Weekly Newspapers

NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE SOLICITATIONS

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Thursday, April 6, 2023, at 3:00 P.M., the Monroe County Purchasing Office will receive and open sealed responses for the following:

Design/Build of New Land Authority Offices on Big Pine Key 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, April 6, 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: Design/Build of New Land Authority Offices on Big Pine Key 4-6-2023 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 April 6, 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:

February 16, 2023

The Weekly Newspapers

OF WISCONSIN

LEGAL NOTICES

SUMMONS

(PUBLICATION)

CASE NO. 23CV14 CASE CODE: 30303

LISA MILLER and DAVID J. WING 23225 188th Street, N.W.

Big Lake, MN 55309 Plaintiff, v. WEINEGER ENTERPRISES TRUST 132 North Indies Drive Marathon, FL 33050 Defendants. THE STATE OF WISCONSIN, to each person named above as a Defendant: You are hereby notified that the plaintiff named above has filed a lawsuit or other legal action against you.

Within 45 days after February 16, 2023, you must respond with a written demand for a copy of the complaint. The demand must be sent or delivered to the court, whose address is: Clerk of Court Polk County Courthouse 1005 W. Main Street, Suite 300 Balsam Lake, WI 54810 and to Plaintiffs’ attorney, whose address is: Barry C. Lundeen Mudge, Porter, Lundeen & Seguin, SC 110 Second Street Hudson, WI 54016 You may have an attorney represent you.

If you do not demand a copy of the complaint within 45 days, the court may grant judgment against you for the award of money or other legal action requested in the complaint, and you may lose your right to object to anything that is or may be incorrect in the complaint. A judgment may be enforced as provided by law. A judgment awarding money may become a lien against any real estate you own now or in the future, and may also be enforced by garnishment or seizure of property.

Dated this 10th day of February, 2023. MUDGE, PORTER, LUNDEEN & SEGUIN, S.C.

Attorneys for Plaintiffs

By: Barry C. Lundeen State Bar No. 1011860

Barry.lundeen@mpl-s.com

110 Second Street P.O. Box 469 Hudson, WI 54016 (715) 386-3200

Publish: February 16 & 23 and March 2, 2023

The Weekly Newspapers IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA

PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 23-CP-09-P DIVISION: UPPER KEYS IN RE: ESTATE OF GEORGE M. FRERICHS Deceased. NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The administration of the estate of George M. Frerichs, deceased, whose date of death was December 7, 2022, is pending in the Circuit Court for MONROE County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 88870 Overseas Highway, Tavernier,

LEGAL NOTICES

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: February 16, 2023.

Personal Representative:

Carl Frerichs 9229 Babbit Way Charlotte, North Carolina 28216

Attorney for Personal

Representative:

Richard E. Warner

Attorney Florida Bar Number: 283134

RICHARD E. WARNER, P.A. 12221 Overseas Highway MARATHON, FL 33050

Telephone: (305) 743-6022

Fax: (305) 743-6216

E-mail: richard@rewarnerlaw.com

Secondary E-Mail: pamela2@ rewarnerlaw.com

Publish: February 16 & 23, 2023

The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE COUNTY COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA

DIVISION: PROBATE STATE OF FLORIDA

FILE NO.: 44-2022-CP-000366-

A001-KW

IN RE: THE ESTATE OF JUDITH LYNNE SMITH, a/k/a JUDITH L. SMITH

Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The administration of the estate of JUDITH LYNNE SMITH a/k/a

JUDITH L. SMITH, deceased, whose date of death was April 18, 2022, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 302 Fleming Street, Key West, FL 33040. The names and addresses of the personal representative and her attorney are set forth below.

All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against the 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 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 FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOT WITHSTANDING 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 February 16, 2023. Signed on this 8th day of February, 2023.

Personal Representative:

KAREN L. SMITH

256 Horseneck Road Westport, MA 02790

Attorney for Personal

Representative:

DARAH L. SCHOFIELD Marshall Law Offices, Ltd Florida Bar No. 109259 300 Centerville Road, Suite 204W Warwick, RI 02886 Telephone: 401-732-8070 / Fax” 401-732-8073

Primary Email: Darah@jmarshalllaw.com

Secondary Email: Kristin@ jmarshall-law.com

Publish: February 16 & 23, 2023

The Weekly Newspapers IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA

FILE NO.: 2022-CP-114-P DIVISION: PROBATE IN RE: ESTATE OF LANE MORGAN CAVINESS, Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The administration of the estate of Lane Morgan Caviness, deceased, whose date of death was August 10, 2022, is pending in the Circuit Court for MONROE County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 88770 Overseas Highway, 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

NOW HIRING IN ISLAMORADA

PART TIME MORNING DOCKHANDS

BOAT RENTAL STAFF

FLEXIBLE HOURS & COMPETITIVE WAGES

DOCKHAND DUTIES include customer service, helping customers with bait and ice and helping cashiers with restocking.

BOAT RENTAL APPLICANTS need to have experience driving boats and a working knowledge of the Islamorada area by water. Duties include taking reservations, giving captains lessons and routine boat maintenance.

Applicants can email Ma at eliteboatrentalsma @gmail.com. Please include contact information and any relevant experience.

LEGAL NOTICES

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: February 9, 2023.

Personal Representative:

Susan E. Klock

2555 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Suite 600 Coral Gables, FL 33134

Attorney for Personal

Representative:

Susan E. Klock, Esq. Florida Bar No. 41294

Rosco Klock Perez Nieto 2555 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Suite 600 Coral Gables, Florida 33134

Telephone: 305-476-7113

Email Address: sklock@ rascoklock.com

Publish:

February 9 & 16, 2023

The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA

PROBATE DIVISION

FILE NO.: 23-CP-03-M

DIVISION: MIDDLE KEYS

IN RE: ESTATE OF DONALD G. ARNESON

Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The administration of the estate of Donald G. Arneson, deceased, whose date of death was December 21, 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 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: February 9, 2023.

Personal Representative:

Dayna M. Arneson

50 Holt Ridge Rd.

Bigfork, Montana 59911

Attorney for Personal

Representative:

Richard E. Warner

Attorney Florida Bar Number: 283134

RICHARD E. WARNER, P.A.

12221 Overseas Highway MARATHON, FL 33050

Telephone: (305) 743-6022

Fax: (305) 743-6216

E-mail: richard@rewarnerlaw.com

Secondary E-Mail: pamela2@ rewarnerlaw.com

Publish: February 9 & 16, 2023

The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 23-CP-06-P

UPPER KEYS

W. ADAMS III Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The administration of the estate of Howard W. Adams III, deceased, whose date of death was October 22, 2022, is pending in the Circuit Court for MONROE County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 88870 Overseas Highway, 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: February 9, 2023.

Personal Representative:

David P. Adams 5501 Sweet Air Road Baldwin, Maryland 21013

Attorney for Personal

Representative: Richard E. Warner

Attorney Florida Bar Number: 283134

RICHARD E. WARNER, P.A. 12221 Overseas Highway MARATHON, FL 33050

Telephone: (305) 743-6022

Fax: (305) 743-6216

E-mail: richard@rewarnerlaw.com

Secondary E-Mail: pamela2@ rewarnerlaw.com

Publish:

February 9 & 16, 2023

The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA

CASE NO.: 23-DR-31-K

DIVISION: FAMILY IN RE: THE MARRIAGE OF: TERRY LEE HASHLEY, Petitioner, and, PAULA NICOLE HASHLEY, Respondent. NOTICE OF ACTION FOR DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE (NO CHILD OR FINANCIAL SUPPORT)

TO: PAULA NICOLE HASHLEY

LAST KNOWN ADDRESS: 31127

AVENUE F, BIG PINE KEY, FL 33043

YOU ARE NOTIFIED that an action for dissolution of marriage has been filed against you and that you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to it on TERRY LEE HASHLEY, whose address is 31127 AVENUE

F, BIG PINE KEY, FL 33043 on or before February 27, 2023, and file the original with the clerk of this Court at 500 Whitehead Street, Key West, FL 33040, before service on Petitioner or immediately thereafter. If you fail to do so, a default may be entered against you for the relief demanded in the petition.

The action is asking the court to decide how the following real or personal property should be divided: NONE

Copies of all court documents in this case, including orders, are available at the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s office. You may review these documents upon request.

You must keep the Clerk of the

LEGAL NOTICES

Circuit Court’s office notified of your current address. (You may file Designation of Current Mailing and E-Mail Address, Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.915.)

Future papers in this lawsuit will be mailed or e-mailed to the address(es) on record at the clerk’s office.

WARNING: Rule 12.285, Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure, requires certain automatic disclosure of documents and information. Failure to comply can result in sanctions, including dismissal or striking of pleadings.

Dated: January 17, 2023

Kevin Madok, CPA Clerk of the Circuit Court Monroe County, Florida

By: Riza Hall Deputy Clerk Publish:

January 26, February 2, 9 & 16, 2023

The Weekly Newspapers

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA IN ADMIRALITY CASE NO. 23-10002-CIV-MOORE IN THE MATTER OF THE COMPLAINT OF SBY KEY WEST, LLC, AS OWNER OF A 2015 23’ HURRICANE FUN DECK 226 MOTOR VESSEL, BEARING HULL INDENTIFICATION NUMBER GDY29341B515, FOR EXONERATION FROM OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY. NOTICE TO CLAIMANTS OF COMPLAINT FOR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY (“MONITION”)

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to Rule F of the Supplemental Rules for Certain Admiralty and Maritime Claims of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and the United States District Court for the Southern District Local Rule F(1) that the Petitioner, SBY KEY WEST, LLC d/b/a SPENCER’S BOAT YARD, as Owner of the 2015 23’ Hurricane Fun Deck 226 motor vessel, bearing hull identification

number GDY29341B515 (the “Vessel”) have caused to be filed a Complaint for Limitation of Liability, pursuant to 46 U.S.C. Section 30501 et seq., for all claims against them or the aforementioned vessel which arose on or about July 15, 2022, on the navigable waterways of Monroe County, Florida as otherwise described in the Complaint (D.E. 1). All persons having claims against Petitioners or the Subject Vessel regarding the events described above must file them, as provided in Supplemental Rule F, with the United States District Court Clerk’s Office, 400 North Miami Avenue, Miami, FL 33128 and serve a copy upon the attorneys for the Petitioner, Alexander Koffler, Esq., Fertig & Gramling, 200 S.E. 13th Street, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33316, on or before March 13, 2023 or be defaulted. Personal attendance is not required. Any claimant desiring to contest the claims of the Petitioner must file an Answer to the Complaint, as required by Supplemental Rule F and mail a copy to Petitioner’s attorneys by the same deadline above. DATED this 20th day of January, 2023.

BY: J Adams

2003 Mustang GT Convertible, Manual 5 Speed, Metallic Grey, 40,000 miles, Great Condition, $16,500. Located in Marathon. Call 305-481-3067

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

EMPLOYMENT

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

EMPLOYMENT

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

City of Marathon Current Job Openings: WW Operator/Controls Trainee, Utilities Maintenance, and Right of Way Technician. Full Benefits. EOE Please see City website for details www.ci.marathon.fl.us

For details and to RSVP, visit: www.baptisthires.com

Clerk Angela E. Noble CLERK OF

Deputy

COURT United States District Court Southern District of Florida

Publish: January 26, February 2, 9 & 16, 2023

The Weekly Newspapers

AUTOS WANTED

ALL YEARS!

Cars - Vans - TrucksRunning or Not. $CASH$ 305-332-0483

The Cabana Club, an ocean front private swim club is seeking a CustomerService 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 404219-3359 and ask for Dave.

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

MUST SPEAK ENGLISH BIG PINE & BIG COPPITT KEY IMMEDIATE OPENING CALL: 7862340786 OR

DIVE INSTRUCTOR TOUCH TANK ATTENDANT GUEST SERVICES MARKETING COORDINATOR PART-TIME LAWN MAINTENANCE

Please contact April at 305.407.3262 or april@floridakeysaquariumencounters.com for more information.

EMPLOYMENT

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

Place your EMPLOYMENT ad here for $25. 00 /week for up to 5 lines of copy. Call 305-743-0844 today!

HOBBIES/COLLECT.

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

BASEBALL AND SPORTS MEMORABILIA WANTED. Private collector buying sports cards, old programs, pennants, autographs, photographs, ticket stubs, bobbin’ head dolls, etc. Call Alan 503-481-0719

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

HOUSING FOR RENT

HOUSING FOR RENT LONG TERM 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

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

RV FOR SALE

RV FOR SALE - 2017 Thor

Citation RV, 24ft Mercedes V6 Diesel, 2 slides, Cummings Diesel Generator, Low Mileage, Many Upgrades, Call Richard 305-363-8021

16th Judicial Circuit is hiring

CASE MANAGER – FAMILY COURT

The 16th Judicial Circuit is seeking applicants for a full-time Court Program Specialist II (Case Manager–Family Court) in KEY WEST. This position assists judges and magistrates with the timely disposition of cases through case management, case monitoring, and program implementation. The position also serves as the point of contact for the public seeking to represent themselves in Family Court cases.

Salary is $38,058.32 annually, plus State of Florida benefit package. See complete job description at www.Keyscourts.net.

Interested applicants should submit a resume, cover letter and State of Florida Application to Personnel@Keyscourts.net or Personnel, 302 Fleming Street, Key West, Florida 33040. State of Florida applications can be found at www.Keyscourts.net.

The successful applicant will be required to pass a complete background check. Applications are being accepted until position is filled. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sex, age, disability or sexual orientation. EOE. If you need an accommodation to participate in the application/selection process, please notify us in at advance at 305-292-3423; to make call through the Florida Relay Center, you can dial 7-1-1.

16th Judicial Circuit is hiring

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COORDINATOR

The 16th Judicial Circuit is seeking applicants for a Full-time Court Program Specialist II (Domestic Violence Coordinator) in KEY WEST.

The primary purpose of this position is to coordinate both civil and criminal domestic violence cases in order to facilitate judicial decision making and to ensure that cases move in a timely and effective manner from filing to disposition.

Salary is $38,058.32 annually, plus State of Florida benefit package. See complete job description at www.Keyscourts.net.

Interested applicants should submit a resume, cover letter and State of Florida Application to Personnel@Keyscourts.net or Personnel, 302 Fleming Street, Key West, Florida 33040. State of Florida applications can be found at www.Keyscourts.net.

The successful applicant will be required to pass a complete background check. Applications are being accepted until position is filled. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sex, age, disability or sexual orientation. EOE. If you need an accommodation to participate in the application/selection process, please notify us in at advance at 305-292-3423; to make call through the Florida Relay Center, you can dial 7-1-1.

16th Judicial Circuit is hiring

Probation Of cer

The 16th Judicial Circuit is seeking applicants for a full-time Probation Officer in KEY WEST.

This is responsible and professional work that attends court hearings and ensures the effective supervision of defendants placed on misdemeanor probation and diversionary programs.

Salary is $40,000 annually, plus Monroe County benefit package. See complete job description at www.Keyscourts.net.

Interested applicants should submit a resume, cover letter and State of Florida Application to Personnel@Keyscourts.net or Personnel, 302 Fleming Street, Key West, Florida 33040. State of Florida applications can be found at www.Keyscourts.net.

The successful applicant will be required to pass a complete background check. Applications are being accepted until position is filled. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sex, age, disability or sexual orientation. EOE. If you need an accommodation to participate in the application/selection process, please notify us in at advance at 305-292-3423; to make call through the Florida Relay Center, you can dial 7-1-1.

16th Judicial Circuit is hiring

MALE LABORATORY TECHNICIAN

The 16th Judicial Circuit is seeking applicants for a Full-time Male Laboratory Technician in KEY WEST.

The primary functions of this position include the observation and collection of urine samples, data input, analyzer maintenance, and analysis of client samples.

Salary is $35,000 annually, plus Monroe County benefit package. See complete job description at www.Keyscourts.net.

Interested applicants should submit a resume, cover letter and State of Florida Application to Personnel@Keyscourts.net or Personnel, 302 Fleming Street, Key West, Florida 33040. State of Florida applications can be found at www.Keyscourts.net.

The successful applicant will be required to pass a complete background check. Applications are being accepted until position is filled. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sex, age, disability or sexual orientation. EOE. If you need an accommodation to participate in the application/selection process, please notify us in at advance at 305-292-3423; to make call through the Florida Relay Center, you can dial 7-1-1.

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

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

TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION (T&D) PROJECT ENGINEER

Starting pay rate for this position, depending on qualifications and experience: $103,172/annually$106,061/annually.

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, Florida, is accepting applications for the following position in its Transmission & Distribution Department:

SUBSTATION ELECTRICIAN

Starting pay rate for this position, depending on quali cations and experience: $38.43/hr. - $43.04/hr. For more information, including job duties and required quali cations, 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 lled.

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

SCADA/RELAY TECHNICIAN

Starting pay rate for this position, depending on quali cations and experience: $30.64/hr. - $34.32/hr. For more information, including job duties and required quali cations, 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 lled.

(GENDER SPECIFIC DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE JOB)

Tired of your boring job?

Looking for an exciting new challenge?

If so, we are offering an opportunity to join our team in a very fast paced, exciting and dynamic role that is structured with details varying on each project.

Dynasty Marine Associates, Inc. www.dynastymarine.net

Located in the Florida Keys, is a highly-respected supplier of Caribbean marine life to public aquariums and zoos throughout the world

OFFICE ASSISTANT FULLTIME

Duties to include invoice and inventory entry, booking airline shipments, creating and filing paperwork for international shipments, scheduling inspections needed for international shipments, customer communication and tracking, creating and maintaining customer accounts and some customer service.

Must be proficient in Microsoft Word, Outlook and Excel. This position requires high attention to detail and the ability to multitask. Compensation will be dependent on experience with performance-based incentive program.

Benefits package including vacation, sick days, holidays and 401K PSP retirement plan. Please send cover letter and resume to sales@dynastymarine.net for consideration. No phone calls please.

JOURNEYMAN ELECTRICIAN

LOCATION:

MIDDLE KEYS

MUST HAVE an active Journeyman Electrician License. Duties: Install, inspect, test, repair, and maintain all new and existing generators, motors, transformers, motor controllers, and associated equipment throughout our system, with base location in the middle keys. Minimum qualifications: Journeyman’s License, emphasis on electronics, industrial electrical, pneumatics, controls, building automation, fire alarm and HVAC systems, load calculations, conduit requirements, thorough knowledge of NEC requirements. Must be able to operate and use computers with various so ware applications, including Microso O ce Suite. Must have a valid Florida driver’s license. Must be able to communicate and comprehend the English language. Salary Range: $62,155.44 - $98,454.90. DOQ Apply online at www. aa.com/employment EEO, VPE, ADA, DFW

Oceanside Safari Restaurant & Lounge in Islamorada is getting ready for a GRAND OPENING and we're looking to hire for all restaurant positions!

Open interviews Monday – Friday from 11am to 4pm at Oceanside Safari. Located at MM 73.5 right on the ocean at Caloosa Cove Marina, 73814 Overseas Highway, Islamorada.

HIRING: FOH: HOSTS, SERVERS, BARTENDERS, BUSSERS, RUNNERS. BOH: LINE COOKS, PREP COOKS, DISHWASHERS.

Great pay, benefits and perks. We offer a stable 40 hrs-per-week to our hourly employees, and more hours if you want! Part-time positions available if you are looking for a second job, or after-school job.

We also offer a $1,000 Sign-On Bonus to all new hires, and a $500 Referral Bonus for employees who help us build up our team!

No Inglés. No Problema. Lo importante es que trabajes bien. Pa gen angle. Pa gen pwoblèm.

Tout sa ki enpòtan se ke ou travay byen.

We are re-opening as a brand new full-service restaurant & bar, with a full kitchen with all brand new equipment, a beautiful bar, indoor and outdoor seating, and a beachfront lounge on our own private beach. We’re currently in the final stages of renovation of the building and property, and we’re planning on opening the end of February. We need to start assembling and training our team now! Come join us!

**We are an Equal Opportunity Employer**

Oceanside Safari Restaurant & Lounge, 786-626-6124 73814 Overseas Highway, Islamorada, FL 33036

16th Judicial Circuit is hiring

Probation Of cer

The 16th Judicial Circuit is seeking applicants for a full-time Probation Officer in MARATHON

This is responsible and professional work that ensures the effective supervision of defendants placed on misdemeanor probation and diversionary programs.

Salary is $45,000 annually, plus Monroe County benefit package. See complete job description at www.Keyscourts.net.

Interested applicants should submit a resume, cover letter and State of Florida Application to Personnel@Keyscourts.net or Personnel, 302 Fleming Street, Key West, Florida 33040. State of Florida applications can be found at www.Keyscourts.net.

The successful applicant will be required to pass a complete background check. Applications are being accepted until position is filled. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sex, age, disability or sexual orientation. EOE. If you need an accommodation to participate in the application/selection process, please notify us in at advance at 305-292-3423; to make call through the Florida Relay Center, you can dial 7-1-1.

ONCE

ARE CENTER, Inc.

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

KEY LARGO

Behavioral Health Counselor (Children) Crisis Counselor

KEY WEST

Behavioral Health Therapist (Child, Adult) Care Coordinator

Behavioral Health Counselor (Children)

Crisis Counselor

Case Managers (Adult, Forensic, Children)

*Advocate (PT only)

MARATHON

Prevention Specialist (or KW) Admissions Utilization Specialist Care Coordinator

Behavioral Health Therapist (Child, Adult)

RNs and LPNs - 3 shifts (also Per Diem)

Maintenance Specialist

*Behavioral Health Technicians

3 shifts (also Per Diem)

*Support Worker – Assisted Living (PT only)

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

Corporation specializing in education, research and rescue of marine mammals. We are looking to hire a full-time VICE PRESIDENT OF FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION, responsible for the company’s financial, accounting and administrative functions. Essential duties and responsibilities include the following:

• Policy development and implementation

• Liaison with Insurance agents, bankers, audit firm, 401(k) administrator, attorneys and financial management systems

• Internal and external financial reporting

• Member of Executive Steering Committee

• Management of Human Resources, Information Technology, Retail Gift Shop and Guest Services

• Facilitation and coordination of payment reimbursements for all Grants

• Oversight of all Insurance policies

• Fixed Asset Management

• Budget Administration

• Cash Management

• Recruitment and training of accounting staff and direct report department heads

The successful applicant will possess a bachelor’s degree in business or accounting and have 8-10 years of progressively responsible experience in not-for-profit finance/accounting roles. The applicant must have excellent oral, written, analytical, interpersonal, management and organizational skills coupled with the ability to meet organizational goals, handle competing priorities, take initiative, and think creatively and strategically. CPA preferred. Must live in the area.

DRC seeks to provide for the well-being of its employees by offering a competitive total compensation package. DRC currently offers a 401k retirement plan, medical benefits with the option of adding an HSA account, paid holidays, vacation, sick and an employee assistance program. DRC also provides life and disability insurance at no cost to the employee.

To apply please send your resume to Human Resources, Attention Jeanne Welever, 58901 Overseas Hwy, Grassy Key, FL 33050, fax to 305-289-8902 or email drc-hr@dolphins.org.

February 25th 10K/5K A BENEFIT FOR KAIR