HOLIDAY HALTS PIPE PROJECT FIXING THE PLUMBING

PLUS, A CAT CAFE NEARS OPENING IN KEY LARGO

Hi friends!

roof on the back part of our enclosure and installed a new door for Libby and Louie that is much more secure if they ever need to be kept indoors for safety. So, at the end of the day things got done. But let’s not do it again, ever.

Construction crews continue to lay new water pipes into the ground in Islamorada. The work will stop during the busy Fourth of July, however, with heavy congestion expected on U.S. 1 in the village.

On June 26, the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority stated that crews will halt work on the transmission main replacement project and suspend the rolling lane closure near MM 82 on Tuesday, July 4. Between 1,000- and 1,500-foot sections of U.S. 1 have been closed off to motorists to allow crews to install the new 36-inch pipe into the ground. Two lanes of traffic remain open despite the rolling lane closure.

Workers have installed more than 8,000 feet of new pipe as of June 22. The work began in April as crews installed about 900 feet of 42-inch pipe under the seabed at the Tea Table crossing to mitigate any wear from high winds and storm surge. The roughly 4 miles of new pipe being placed between MM 80 and MM 84 in the village is protected against corrosion and climate effects, according to FKAA. Project costs are around $42 million.

Installation of the new pipe is expected to last through February 2025, but FKAA said traffic issues will be lessened by March 2024. Work will halt for upcoming major holidays and events, including lobster mini-season, from July 26-27, and Labor Day weekend, Sept. 1-4.

— Keys Weekly staff report

Reef The Fox

Reef is a red fox that was saved from a fur farm. He now lives in Key Largo with his human, Nicole Navarro.

Reef the fox here with your weekly “Reef’s Report.” This past week has been an eventful one — not necessarily in a good way. We had a major plumbing disaster in our house, so that meant that the other foxes and I had to be locked out of our bedroom while the plumbing company came in and worked their magic.

Apparently, cast iron pipes have a shelf life – who knew? I mean, how would I know that? It’s just been a major inconvenience for me personally. I am used to my routine and when that routine gets interrupted I can get extremely cranky. Shocking, I know. I would like to give a huge shoutout to Townsend Plumbing, though. They have been extremely respectful of the house and of the foxes specifically. Little Coral fox even made a new friend with Daniel the plumber. She likes to score brownie points.

Needless to say, everyone has been a little on edge with all of the unexpected chaos but it is all coming to an end and things are getting cleaned up around here. Our friends at HR Carpenters had to come back over the weekend and fix part of the porch that was dug up. They even put a new

Little Ridley fox is growing up quickly. Mom thought it was a good idea to introduce him and me last week. I did not like the idea but I was as nice as I could possibly be, and that means I didn’t hurt him. I’m slowly warming up to the idea that he is here to stay. I chased him around the other morning until we were both exhausted. See, with me, your favorite fox, it’s all about timing.

There are certain times of the day where I am more approachable and since my mother knows me so well, she is skilled at bringing the baby fox back when I am in a good mood. I would imagine in the next few weeks he will be living with us foxes full-time in the back, so I will just enjoy the time I have left before that happens, I suppose.

Some exciting news for the Upper Keys: The Upper Keys Humane Society is getting ready to open the only cat cafe in Monroe County. The newly renovated “old” building where residents are used to walking in and being greeted by staff and the front office has been transformed into a cat cafe. Colorful paintings on the walls with enrichment ramps, platforms and perches have been set up for the variety of cats and kittens that are all available for adoption. Be sure to stay up to date on when the grand opening will be and make sure to head over and support them when it does. Anywho, that’s all for this week. Stay up-to-date with all-things-fox by heading to our website at pawstivebeginnings.org

Until next time, Reef, over and out!