GARRETT HUGHES’ FAMILY FILES WRONGFUL DEATH LAWSUIT

Murder Suspect Preston Brewer Has Bond Hearing On April 26

No one at the April 11 school board meeting questioned Key West High School’s need for a new football stadium.

But as the price tag approaches $20 million of taxpayer money, some school board members — and loads of baseball supporters — would rather pump the brakes than complete a project that doesn’t adequately serve the school’s football and baseball programs, whose fields back into each other.

“I feel like we’re pushing this down people’s throats,” board member Mindy Conn said at the meeting in Key West. “If we push the entire project to next May, we’ll have time to ensure that some of the baseball program’s concerns are addressed. We just had a meeting with the superintendent, baseball coach Ralph Henriquez (and other baseball supporters). If we’re going to include some of the additions that baseball wants, then it behooves us to review the entire plan.”

Community member Sam Holland agreed.

“It’s not about baseball versus football. Football needs a new stadium without delay. Meanwhile baseball is number three in the state. With this kind of budget, everyone should be on board.”

One of the main concerns from baseball fans is the proposed replacement of the iconic “11-Time Conch Cafe” concession stand with a portable food truck rather than a permanent building. The design and location of a new baseball press box are also a concern.

Meanwhile, the football side of Tommy Roberts Memorial Stadium, which backs into baseball’s Rex Weech Field, is slated to get new bleachers for 3,140 people,

Community member and Key West High graduate Scott Atwell told the school board on April 11, “Both sides of the field are not being recognized in this proposal.” He pointed out that the baseball improvements account for just 3% of the overall budget. “Three percent doesn’t acknowledge the history of baseball that gave us the privilege of 12 state championships. Acknowledge that history with fairness.”

Former Monroe County tax collector Dee Dee Henriquez, who’s married to baseball coach Ralph Henriquez, told the board, “My concern is what the taxpayers are getting in return for their $19.4 million. The proposed food wagon for a concession stand, to me, is a joke. Conch baseball deserves better and I hope you realize how we need to revisit this project until the proposal is fair.”

Board member Conn agreed, and Upper Keys board member Sue Woltanski said she would be OK with postponing the project. Her primary concerns involved safety, as the new plans include no warning track between the new baseball outfield and the new football bleachers.

“I would never have designed an outfield like that, with those sharp corners and bleacher steps coming down so close to the baseball outfield,” Woltanski said.

In the end, board members sent Pat Lefere, the district’s director of operations and planning, back to meet with the team at Ajax Building Co. to determine the cost, feasibility and timeline of adding some of baseball’s requests into the project.

The board agreed to move its April 25 meeting from the Upper Keys to Key West to continue the discussion and determine how to proceed.

While relatives, friends and supporters prepare to celebrate the life of the late Garrett Hughes with a benefit concert on Saturday, April 8 at the Coffee Butler Amphitheater, Hughes’ accused killer, Lloyd Preston Brewer III, is preparing for a bond hearing on Wednesday, April 26 at 9 a.m. in the county courthouse.

Brewer, 57, has been in jail since the Feb. 13 shooting death of Hughes, who was 21 when he was shot in the parking lot of Conch Town Liquor & Lounge on North Roosevelt Boulevard in Key West, a few hours after the Super Bowl had ended.

Brewer, whose family owns the building that houses the bar, faces felony murder and firearms charges.

While the criminal case works its way through the courts, Hughes’ father, John Hughes, has filed a civil suit against Brewer; his father, Bud Brewer; the family’s trust; and the property it owns.

In the civil suit, John Hughes’ attorney, Stuart Grossman, states that Brewer and the other defendants had a duty to maintain a safe and secure premises, and to warn people of any reasonably foreseeable dangers and risks.

Grossman claims the defendants were derelict in this duty given their knowledge of Lloyd Preston Brewer’s “history of violence and weapons possession.”

In addition, the suit states, “The (defendants) furnished alcohol to defendant Brewer III, who became intoxicated. At the time of the incident, defendant Brewer III was habitually addicted to alcohol.”

Grossman told the Keys Weekly on April 6, “The Hughes family wishes to express to the entire Key West community its deep appreciation for the outpouring of love, kindness and sympathy it has received over the senseless loss of their beloved son Garrett. We will work tirelessly as their lawyers to bring Preston Brewer to justice and we know the State Attorney’s office will do the same.”

No bond was granted upon Brewer’s arrest, and he has pleaded not guilty.

Prosecutor Joe Mansfield has said he fully expects some type of self-defense or mental deficiency argument from Brewer’s defense attorneys, but added that the bar’s security video from that night does not support any self-defense claim.

Hughes, his brother and friends were reportedly drinking at the bar on Super Bowl Sunday, as was Brewer. After midnight, Brewer reportedly exited the bar and saw a shirtless and intoxicated Hughes allegedly urinating outside on the building. A short verbal exchange ended when Brewer allegedly pulled a gun and shot Hughes in his abdomen. He died later at Lower Keys Medical Center.

2023 AQUA IDOL RAISES MORE THAN $50K FOR WATERFRONT PLAYHOUSE

I hopefully will be one of many people in Key West taking the time to thank (and give a standing “O”) to Lynda Frechette for all the tireless and amazing work she put toward this year’s Aqua Idol fundraiser for the Waterfront Playhouse in Key West.

She began by asking various talented singers she’d either heard personally around town, or had been told of their talent by others in the community, if they’d like to participate in the 2023 Aqua Idol, modeled after the long-standing TV vocal competition, “American Idol.”

It should be noted that this was the first year, since COVID hit, that Aqua Idol was brought back by the Waterfront Playhouse.

Lynda was able to assemble 17 talented vocalists from Key West who were up to the challenge. The competition ran weekly from Feb. 20 to April 10. Each week challenged the singers with a different theme, like Broadway, country, duets, etc.

Most contestants donned costumes and had choreography in their performances. Some invited others up on stage to perform small skits and dance moves. Laurie Thibaud was the emcee, Jimmy Harcup was the sound and lighting technician, and each week featured celebrity guest judges. It was standing-roomonly every week by Waterfront Playhouse supporters and fans of the vocalists.

While each singer performs, audience members place money in their tip buckets to show their support of a favorite singer. Each week the vocalist raising the least amount of money is eliminated. On April 10, after eight weeks, the six finalists were Dominic Paollilo, Jessica Miano-Kruel, Richard Carraway, Jordan Upchurch, Jess Wachs and Samuel Costilow.

Each sang two songs, one of their own choosing and one song that was made famous in the movies. At the end of the evening, the finalists were called onstage. All six were presented with cash and substantial prize packages valued at over $44,000.

Jessica Miano-Kruel took first place and won the coveted title of 2023 Waterfront Playhouse Aqua Idol.

It takes a village to orchestrate an event such as this. Congratulations and thanks to everyone involved in this original and fun fundraiser. Thanks to MichaeL Ingram, owner of Aqua Nightclub and manager, Tyler McNab, for the hosting venue for this long-running fundraiser and for the staff. Thanks to Bunnie Smith who was in charge of money counting every week. And thanks to the audience members who supported this event right from the start.

Rarely has something like this gained traction and been as successful as the Waterfront’s Aqua Idol. Why? Because of Lynda Frechette; her husband, Bob Frechette; and even their daughter, Melissa Lang, who got involved as part of Bunnie’s team of money counters.

Lucky that Lynda has been front and center in making this one of the best fundraisers in Key West, bar none. Thank you to everyone who worked so hard either performing in, contributing funds to, and/or donating to this fundraising lollapalooza event.

At the end of the night on April 10, over $28,000 was raised at the finale alone ... and in total for the entire event, over $54,380. It takes a village.

Very sincerely,

JImmy Olson Key West