KEY LARGO LIBRARY CLOSES MONDAYS DUE TO STAFF SHORTAGE

STUDIO SPOTLIGHT

The Monroe County Public Library Key Largo branch will temporarily close on Mondays, starting May 8, due to a staffing shortage. The temporary change will last only until new employees are hired and trained. The library, at 101485 Overseas Highway in the Tradewinds Shopping Plaza, will be open: Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Thursday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Friday from 9 a.m.to 6 p.m.; and Saturday from 9 a.m to 5 p.m.

Library books and DVDs are available 24/7 from the lending machine at Monroe County’s Murray Nelson Government Center, 102050 Overseas Highway, Key Largo. There is also a pickup locker outside the library branch, so patrons can request items to be held there and pick them up any time.

Village staff met with representatives from its disaster response and recovery contractors on May 1 to discuss current contract provisions and preparations for the 2023 hurricane season.

Ashbritt Inc. is the village’s debris management contractor, and Tetra Tech Inc. is the village’s debris monitoring contractor with capabilities to provide financial recovery assistance. Both contractors provided a high level of service to the village in response to Hurricane Irma, and they have extensive experience through contracts with local and state government agencies throughout the United States.

Meeting attendees included Ted Yates, village manager; A. J. Engelmeyer, public works director; Fire Chief Terry Abel; Maria Bassett; finance director; Holly Raschein, Ashbritt government relations director; Randal Perkins, founder and chairman of Ashbritt; Richard Bensh, Ashbritt operations manager; and Kim Bowyer, Tetra Tech senior project manager.

Abel, Engelmeyer and Bassett gained valuable experience from Hurricane Irma and shared insights on improving the response and recovery process from first push debris clearing, to debris site staging, to submitting for cost reimbursement. Ashbritt and TetraTech confirmed record keeping processes have improved since Hurricane Irma, and they are prepared to provide a variety of resources and support to the village should the area be affected by a hurricane this year.

Hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.

— Contributed

In addition, e-books, e-audiobooks, streaming films and more are available 24/7 via the library website, www.keyslibraries.org. More information is at 305451-2396 or info@keyslibraries.org. — Contributed

Gas prices lower as fuel supplies stabilize

Florida gas prices are moving lower again, now that the fuel supplies have largely recovered from the record flooding that caused widespread outages in South Florida.

On April 30, Florida gas prices averaged $3.65 cents per gallon. That’s 6 cents less than last week and 7 cents less than the 2023 high.

“In addition to stabilizing fuel supplies in Florida, the fuel market has cooled off in recent weeks,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA - The Auto Club Group. “Oil prices are on a twoweek streak of declines which should enable gas prices to steadily decline through the week.”

AARP hosts smart drivers course

Are you over 50 years old and want to save some money on car insurance? This class could be for you. This one-day AARP drivers course will be held Wednesday, May 24 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Roth Building on Plantation Key, 50 High Point Road, Tavernier. Registrants will need to bring lunch. The cost of the class is $20 for AARP members (need to have your card number) if not $25. The savings are good for three years. Call your car insurance company to see how much of a savings. Call Mary Lou Wilkinson at 305-394-3878, (leave a message) to reserve a seat or put your name down for the next class offered.