Key West Weekly 23-1012

1¢

AI is on a writers’ strike this week. Forced to use local journalists.

October 12, 2023

READING THE ROOM KEYS PARENTS DON’T WANT BOOKS BANNED IN LOCAL SCHOOLS | P. 10

KEY WEST OFFICIALS TALK NUDITY — AGAIN FANTASY FEST BODY-PAINT ZONE TOPS COMMISSION AGENDA | P. 4

DO THE TIME WARP AT WATERFRONT PLAYHOUSE

‘THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW’ RETURNS TO THE KEY WEST STAGE | P. 14

G

BETTER HEARIN

SO GOOD IT’S

SCARY! Let us help you ‘scare’ up a little excitement in your life with better conversations and easier listening!

Scan this on your phone to connect directly with Two trusted names.

One easy solution.

hear4uaudiology.com

MIAMI 17670 NW 78th Avenue #201 KEY WEST 1010 Kennedy Drive, Suite 305 In the Kennedy Center TAVERNIER 93911 Overseas Hwy., Ste. 5 (2nd Floor) Tavernier, FL 33070

MARATHON 11400 Overseas Highway - Suite 209 Town Square Mall HOMESTEAD Towers Professional Plaza 151 NW 11th St., Ste. W-301

CALL TODAY TO START YOUR JOURNEY! heardrmichelle.com

(305) 247-8227

2

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 12, 2023

ROYAL FURNITURE & DESIGN

FALL HOME FURNITURE

CLEARANCE HUNDREDS OF ITEMS!

Save UP TO

50

% OFF

STOREWIDE

★ DISCONTINUED ITEMS ★ SCRATCH ‘N’ DENTS ★ OVERSTOCKS

SHOP EARLY FOR BEST SELECTIONS! www.RoyalFurnitureAndDesign.com

KEY LARGO

MARATHON

KEY WEST

305-451-5700

305-743-4397

305-295-6400

MM 99 Median

MM 50 Oceanside

Searstown by Publix

3

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 12, 2023

KEY WEST PARADISE

An exquisite two-story home in the Meadows was newly built in 2017. The custom craftsmanship and attention to every detail will satisfy the most discerning buyer. This four bedroom three and a half-bath home has all the modern high-end finishes while maintaining its old Key West charm. A large corner lot with off-street parking boasts lush landscaping in a private setting with a heated/cooled saltwater pool and waterfall.

All hurricane-impact windows and doors, along with a whole house generator. The home is soundproof, being it's fully insulated. This is a very rare opportunity to own something new in Old Town with all the current building standards met. The property has its Monroe County rental permit in place. This home is being offered completely furnished, including the artwork throughout.

KEY WEST | $3,800,000 | Listing ID: 604993

1075 Duval Street, Suite 15C, Key West | 305.294.1117 | oceansir.com Each office is independently owned and operated.

4

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 12, 2023

KEYS

NEWSPAPERS

5450 MacDonald Ave. No.5 Key West, FL 33040 Office: 305.453.6928 www.keysweekly.com Publisher / Britt Myers britt@keysweekly.com Publishing Partner / Jason Koler jason@keysweekly.com Editor / Mandy Miles mandy@keysweekly.com Digital Editor / Gwen Filosa gwen@keysweekly.com Director of Sales Manuela Carrillo Mobley manuela@keysweekly.com Account Executive Stephanie Mitchell stephanie@keysweekly.com Staff Writers Jim McCarthy jim@keysweekly.com Alex Rickert alex@keysweekly.com

0

NUMBER OF THE WEEK That’s the number of books that have been pulled from school libraries in Monroe County, compared to 403 books pulled from Clay County schools. As of this week, no parental complaints have prompted the formal review process in Monroe County, said Superintendent of School Theresa Axford. See page 10.

mandy@keysweekly.com

KEY WEST OFFICIALS DISCUSS PAINTED BOOBS — AGAIN DECISION ON ‘FANTASY ZONE’ TOPS AGENDA

Production Manager Anneke Patterson anneke@keysweekly.com Executive Administrator Charlotte Hruska char@keysweekly.com Design / Pre-Press Irene de Bruijn irene@keysweekly.com Javier Reyes javier@keysweekly.com Diana Striker www.keysweekly.com Web Master / Travis Cready travis@keysweekly.com Classifieds / Anneke Patterson anneke@keysweekly.com 305.743.0844

All stories, photos, and graphics are copyrighted materials.

Postmaster SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO THE KEYS WEEKLY, 9709 OVERSEAS HIGHWAY, MARATHON FL 33050 News Deadline Monday Noon Advertising Deadline Tuesday 2 p.m.

@KeysWeekly @theWeekly

Members of

‘The Rocky Horror Show’ live stage performance returns to Waterfront Playhouse Oct. 14-29, complete with prop bags available for audience participation. See page 14.

MANDY MILES

Copy Editor / Mike Howie mike@keysweekly.com

Se habla español THE KEY WEST 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.

ON THE COVER

Key West officials will discuss the establishment of a Fantasy Zone during Fantasy Fest, where women may be topless as long as their breasts are covered with body paint. CONTRIBUTED

B

ring some popcorn for the Key West City Commission meeting on Thursday, Oct. 12. It’s time again for the city’s elected officials to discuss, debate and define nudity as it relates to Fantasy Fest.

Specifically, officials will decide whether to re-establish, for the Friday and Saturday of Fantasy Fest, a “Fantasy Zone,” where females can be topless as long as their breasts are painted.

But pay attention, as this year’s Fantasy Zone decision is currently scheduled as the last agenda item for the morning session of the splitshift commission meeting, which starts at 9 a.m., adjourns around lunchtime and then reconvenes to finish the agenda at 5 p.m.

The zone for decades included Duval Street, usually from the Gulf of Mexico to Truman Avenue and the included side streets that connect Duval with Simonton and Whitehead. It was marked with barricades and signs reminding revelers to cover up when rejoining society and venturing back to hotels, grocery stores and residential neighborhoods.

But when the commission last year gave festival producers a threeyear contract to run Fantasy Fest, there was no provision for a Fantasy Zone.

That poses a problem, according to City Attorney Ron Ramsingh.

“If that geographical boundary is not spelled out … the city stands to be exposed if someone were to be arrested for nudity for painted breasts — especially in an area that has historically been considered the Fantasy Zone,” Ramsingh writes in a summary of the Oct. 12 agenda item. “Additionally, you will recall that at that July 2022 meeting, Police Chief Sean Brandenburg, Code Compliance Director Jim Young and Fire Marshal Jason Barroso all urged you to keep the zone due to enforcement issues.”

Ramsingh then clarifies the city’s existing nudity prohibitions and the narrow exemption given to painted breasts within the Fantasy Zone.

“To be clear, nudity in any form is not permitted anywhere in the city at any time, no matter the time of the year. … Genitals, the pubic area and buttocks cannot be exposed regardless if they are painted or not. The only consideration that is given is regarding female breasts in the ‘Fantasy Zone.’ Specifically … body painting will be considered

an exception to clothing in this ordinance, only within the Fantasy Zone … and only for certain days of Fantasy Fest. Therefore, under no circumstances can a female be outside of that zone with painted breasts if her breasts are not covered from the top of her nipple down, with an opaque covering (clothes). A pastie in that circumstance that only covers the areola and nipple would not qualify as an exemption to the nudity rule if she were outside of the zone,” Ramsingh writes.

So yeah, buckle up — and keep your genitalia covered at all times, everywhere.

The day’s agenda also includes plenty of less titillating city business. In addition to the Fantasy Zone, the morning session will include, among other things: • The mayor’s proposals to appoint Thaddeus Cohen and Robert Cintron to the Key West Housing Authority Board.

• Special event permits.

• A funding request of $900,000 from the Monroe County Land Authority for The Lofts workforce housing development at Truman Waterfront.

The evening session, which starts at 5 p.m. includes, among other things: • Potential changes to the membership requirements for various city advisory boards whose members are appointed by the mayor and commissioners.

Stay tuned to keysweekly.com for a full report from the commission meeting, which takes place after the paper’s print deadline.

The full agenda is available at cityofkeywest-fl.gov.

5

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 12, 2023

GOING ON NOW!

TRUCKLOAD

MATTRESS CLEARANCE

SINCE 1997

“United Suspiro” FIRM Twin Set $595 $349 Full Set $695 $449 Queen Set $795 $499 King Set $995 $699

THE LARGEST & MOST TRUSTED PROFESSIONALLY CONDUCTED ESTATE & MOVING SALES IN THE FLORIDA KEYS

“United SENZIL” PLUSH Twin Set $795 $479 Full Set $895 $599 Queen Set $1195 $699 King Set $1495 $999

FRI OCT. 13 & SAT OCT. 14 9AM - NOON 910 EMMA STREET | KEY WEST

LIMITED STOCK — HURRY IN! www.RoyalFurnitureAndDesign.com

KEY LARGO

MARATHON

KEY WEST

305-451-5700

305-743-4397

305-295-6400

MM 99 Median

MM 50 Oceanside

Searstown by Publix

Home filled with amazing original works of art by beloved local artist Jim Lehmkuhl, art book collection, antiques, sculptures, appliances, furniture, decor and so much more!

For more information and pictures of this sale, check out our website SusiesKeyWestEstateSales.net

A Screaming G r e e n Ha l l o we e n

Saturday October 28th 10 AM - 2 PM

THE ANNUAL

PUMPKIN PATCH 2023

OCTOBER 1ST - 31ST (OR UNTIL WE RUN OUT OF PUMPKINS) 1401 SEMINARY ST | 305-296-9556

7 DAYS A WEEK 10AM-7PM

FOR REMARCABLE PLANTS, ACCESSORIES & GIFTS

Join us for the 15th Annual Safe Halloween!

The Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden

5210 College Road Ͳ Mile Marker 4.5 www.keywest.garden  (305) 296Ͳ1504 Tricks, treats, crafts, games and recycle ideas will be throughout the Garden Two age group costume contest: Ages 5 and Under 12:15 PM  Ages 6 and Older 1:15 PM Thank you to our sponsors:

6

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 12, 2023

Book your holiday party and receive

Amazing Rewards

7’S ARE WILD! Join us 7 days a week as the best Happy Hour in town just got Better!

7 Tapas for $7 each 2-4-1 Happy Hour Drinks 5pm to 7pm, 9pm to 11pm

Choose from two holiday themed menu packages.

Plus, Event Planners earn exciting rewards including a 2-night stay and more.

Live Music: 5pm to 9pm

Contact us today to book your holiday party 305.293.6217 | EYWQQ-SALESADM@hilton.com 1435 Simonton Street, Key West, Florida, 33040 ReachResort.com *

Minimum spend required. Other restrictions apply.

3841 North Roosevelt Boulevard | Key West, Florida 33040

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 12, 2023

Welcome to Compassionate Cancer Care.

Knowledge and Compassion meet Courage and Innovation.

“You need support, a helping hand along the journey. Everyone at Baptist Health Cancer Care was that for me.

The greatest gift I received from this team was the opportunity to live. More years with my family and friends, that’s the most important thing of all.”

— Noga, Breast Cancer Survivor Learn more about our cancer services: BaptistHealth.net/CancerCare

7

8

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 12, 2023 GWEN FILOSA

SAVE THE DATE

gwen@keysweekly.com

RAPIST GETS 10 YEARS FOR ATTACK BEHIND SOUTHERNMOST POINT BUOY

WOMAN WAS SEXUALLY ASSAULTED TWICE IN PUBLIC IN 2021; 2ND DEFENDANT AWAITS TRIAL

A

Key West man who raped a tourist behind Key West’s most iconic landmark – after earlier stopping a man who was assaulting her – pleaded guilty as charged and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Kerry Calvin Gasag, 39, who never left jail after his arrest on Sept.

11, 2021, agreed to plead guilty on Oct. 5 to sexual battery, false imKerry Calvin prisonment and Gasag pleaded evidence tamguilty to charges pering, to avoid related to a 2021 a trial on sexual rape. MCSO/Conassault charges. tributed Monroe County Judge Mark Wilson sentenced Gasag to a decade in prison plus five years of probation after his release.

The plea Jorge Calderon means the victim Nunez awaits doesn’t have to trial on a charge appear in court of sexual assault. and recount on the witness stand the horrors she survived in Key West, or answer lawyers’ questions about how she was raped twice within an hour.

“That was part of why the plea was handled this way,” said Monroe County State Attorney Dennis Ward.

“She was very happy about that.”

Gasag’s prison sentence ends one of two cases at the Monroe County Courthouse connected to the woman’s nightmare.

Ward said she hasn’t had to appear in court yet.

Gasag told police he was with the woman but that she wanted to have sex with him behind the buoy.

She wasn’t screaming or fighting like someone being raped, he repeatedly told police, “the way they do in movies,” he added.

But video from the webcam that’s pointed 24-7 at the famous

tourist attraction shows Gasag dragging her from his SUV – his hand over her mouth – to behind the buoy while she is clearly trying to get away from him, police said.

A man in Boston, who works as a dispatcher, was watching the webcam at the time. He called Key West police and said he believed he was watching “a rape in progress.”

In the early hours of Sept. 10, Gasag told police he was driving his silver SUV when he heard a woman screaming in the 300 block of Fleming Street. He found her “having sex” with a man, he told police, and she asked for a ride to the Casa Marina resort.

Gasag said he pulled over at the Southernmost Point buoy, at Whitehead and South streets, and the two went behind the landmark.

Several minutes later, the woman appears from behind the buoy, only partially dressed, and starts running away. Gasag walks into the camera’s view and walks toward his Nissan Rogue. A few minutes later, he is seen at the buoy again. He picks up a pair of jean shorts, gets back into his vehicle and drives off.

The victim’s iPhone held the clues Key West police pieced together the anguished account while speaking with the woman in her room at the Casa Marina resort.

She told police that she had walked from her hotel to Duval Street to have dinner and several glasses of wine. She then went to a sports bar.

At the bar, she was talking to a man and left with him in a small SUV. She soon realized she was in “a bad situation,” and wanted to get out, but the man sexually assaulted her.

But “a large portion” of her memory was missing, detectives reported.

Police had found the woman’s iPhone discarded at the intersection of Waddell and Alberta streets, near the Casa Marina.

As she looked through her phone, she discovered a sevenminute video she had somehow recorded earlier. The video revealed she hadn’t only been raped

by Gasag.

The video begins with the sound of her “crying hysterically” as a man who identifies himself as Calvin telling another man to “stop,” according to an arrest affidavit.

Police confirmed the video was taken in the 300 block of Fleming Street, beside the Monroe County courthouse.

“Stop means stop,” the man, later identified as Gasag, says before telling the woman to get up.

A second man, who police said is Jorge Calderon Nunez, can be heard on the video saying, “This is my chica. Don’t look at her.”

Video from a Duval Street restaurant’s security camera shows the woman walking with Calderon Nunez 17 minutes before he attacked her on Fleming Street, police said.

The woman’s iPhone video continues with the woman appearing convinced Gasag had rescued her from Calderon Nunez.

But Gasag starts talking about the incident on Fleming Street and asks her, with a vulgar word, if she wants to have sex with him, too. She “adamantly” tells him no and tells him to pull over so she can get out. He tells her he could have had sex with her “back in the bushes,” and asks why she doesn’t want to.

The woman “panics,” police said, and the video ends as she gets out of the SUV. After Gasag raped her at the buoy, the woman was found running in the street wearing only a top. Police took her to Lower Keys Medical Center and then back to her hotel room.

Calderon Nunez, 32, awaits trial on sexual assault. He remains remains locked up at the county jail on Stock Island on $225,000 bond and charged with sexual assault, false imprisonment and evidence tampering. He was arrested Sept. 17, 2021, on the charges.

Friday, Oct. 13 • Florida Keys Wildlife Society hosts a guided bird/nature walk on Long Beach Road, Big Pine Key. 8 to 9:30 a.m.

RSVP to keydeer@fws.gov.

• Singer-songwriter Sarah McQuaid performs, 4 p.m., at the Key West branch of the Monroe County Library, 700 Fleming St. The concert is free, but seating is limited on a first come, first served basis.

Saturday, Oct. 14 • Coastlove Stock Island Cleanup & Community Celebration, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Bernstein Park. Following the community cleanup, Coastlove will host a picnic at the park. Visit coastlove.org/ stockisland for more information and to register volunteer groups of 8 to 10 people for the cleanup.

• Native Plant Giveaway at the Florida Keys National Wildlife Refuge Nature Center, 30587 Overseas Hwy., Big Pine Key. 10 a.m. to noon.

Sunday, Oct. 15 • Fall Family Day takes place from 1 to 6 p.m. at Seacamp on Big Pine Key, 1300 Big Pine Ave. The event includes a costume contest, concessions, kayak tours, a touch tank, bounce house, pumpkin crafts and more. Adult admission is $5. Kids are free. No pets, please. Call 305-872-2331 or email info@ seacamp.org for more information.

• Join local supporters on the Rooftop of The Studios of Key West, 533 Eaton St., for entertainment and information on the petition initiative to place an amendment on the Florida 2024 ballot to limit interference in women’s health choices. 6 to 8:30 p.m. Hosted by Heather Carruthers, Mayor Teri Johnston, Natalia Duke, Darlene Thomas, and Key West NOW. Oct. 18-27 • Waterfront Playhouse presents ‘Rocky Horror Show’ at 8 p.m. each night.

Tickets on sale at waterfrontplayhouse. org.

Thursday, Oct. 19 • Cori Convertito, curator and historian of Key West Art & Historical Society, will host Happy Hour with the Historian from 5 to 6 p.m. at Comedy Key West, 218 Whitehead St. Convertito will discuss, “Collecting Key West: The Sketches of Mario Sanchez,” exploring the techniques, places and recurring characters in the Cuban American artist’s works.

Oct. 20-29 • Fantasy Fest 2023, with the theme “Uniforms & Unicorns — 200 Years of Sailing into Fantasy” takes place all over Key West. Visit fantasyfest.com for a full schedule and information.

9

$4 0 N

EA

CH

SO

FO DI N AD R N D IT 4 IO | $ ER N AL 16 PE R 0

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 12, 2023

GREAT EVENTS IS CREATING A THANKSGIVING FEAST • ROTISSERIE STYLE OVEN ROASTED

CARVED TURKEY

• TRADITIONAL GIBLET GRAVY • ROASTED GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE WITH

WILD MUSHROOM GRAVY & CRISPY ONIONS

• HOME MADE CRANBERRY ORANGE CHUTNEY • GARLIC MASHED POTATOES • CORNBREAD ROASTED APPLE SAGE STUFFING • HERB MONKEY BREAD

1/

L A H ) N AC GS IO E VIN IT 5 R D $3 8 SE D A ES N (6 D SI 2 PA

• CLASSIC SCALLOPED POTATOES

• GARLIC HERB ROASTED VEGETABLES WITH MATRE D BUTTER • ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH BACON, HONEY AND BALSAMIC

• CORN CASSEROLE WITH WHITE CHEDDAR • WHITE CHEDDAR MAC AND CHEESE, PARMESAN BUTTERED BREAD CRUMBS • LOBSTER & PUMPKIN BISQUE WITH AGED SHERRY

305.294.2252

www.greateventscatering.com info@greateventscatering.com Order by Monday, Nov. 20, 2022, 5pm.

Pick up 10am-3pm on Thanksgiving Day 925 Truman Ave (side entrance on Packer street)

10

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 12, 2023

MANDY MILES mandy@keysweekly.com

KEYS SCHOOLS ARE NOT ON THE BANNED BOOKS LIST

MONROE COUNTY PARENTS HAVE NOT COMPLAINED ABOUT READING MATERIALS

F

These books are four of nearly 400 titles that have been banned from Clay County and Brevard County schools in Florida. CONTRIBUTED

lorida received a dubious distinction this year when it surpassed Texas as the state with the most book bans in its public schools.

Last month, PEN America, a nonprofit group formed in 1922 that protects free expression through the advancement of literature, released a list of all Florida school districts that have removed books from its classroom and/or school library shelves.

Brevard County schools pulled 153 titles from its classrooms and school libraries. Clay County had banned 403 books.

Brevard County’s list of banned books includes, “Johann Gutenberg and the Printing Press” by Kay Melchisedech Olson, “Poisonous, Smelly, and Amazing Plants” by Zonderkidz. com and “The Backyard Bird Feeders’ Bible: The A-Z Guide to Feeders, Seed Mixes, Projects, and Treats” by Sally Roth.

PEN America’s list of Florida school districts and the books that have been banned in those districts jumps from Miami-Dade Public Schools (8 titles banned) to Okaloosa County School District (22 titles banned).

The good news?

Monroe County isn’t on the list.

“I feel really fortunate,” local Schools Superintendent Theresa Axford told the Keys Weekly on Oct. 9. “If a parent complained about a book, then we’d pull it initially and run it through a review committee, but no one has done that. Our books are chosen carefully, and I appreciate that parents are in our schools so much and trust our staff.”

She explained that the school district has a form available on its website, where parents can complain about a book.

“They have to cite the specific passages from the book,” Axford said. “In fact, one parent recently commended the school district at a school board meeting because she had not found anything objectionable in our school media centers.”

Axford was an English major during her undergraduate studies, and she completed her master’s thesis on “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck.

“I don’t want to get to the point of pulling books like ‘Of Mice and Men,’ and other literature. I believe in reading. I love reading

and I don’t want to have the kind of stuff going on in our schools that is happening elsewhere in Florida.”

Axford added that all Monroe County school media centers recently received new furniture, so some videos circulating among parents and the press showing empty bookshelves inside school libraries are not empty because books were banned. Rather, they are surplus furniture being removed, Axford said.

“We have not been purging books from libraries,” Axford said. “Our media specialists have all received the state’s training. They didn’t remove anything, other than the usual review of outdated books. Now, they did, on a few occasions, move some titles from, say, the section for kids in K-2 to the shelves for kids in grades 3-4, just to keep things age-appropriate.”

Axford said Sigsbee Charter School in Key West, a charter school located on a Navy base that serves an equal number of military and civilian families, has received some interest from parents about library materials.

“In terms of our school library, the state provided guidelines and created formal procedures to provide access, handle concerns and vet resources,” Sigsbee Principal Eli Jannes told the Keys Weekly on Oct. 11. “The procedure provides an opportunity for parents to voice a concern, but it also ensures that a book is not removed based on one person’s opinion — that it is carefully reviewed by a certified panel.

“For example, we had a situation that emanated from an individual who did not thoroughly read or comprehend the legislation.

The individual also did not read the book,” Jannes said. “Honestly, we have yet to receive any requests for consideration that follow the protocol set forth by the state.

“In the end, what matters is that all children feel like they belong and feel safe and supported so that they can learn. I would much prefer that parents encourage their children to read rather than limit their access to books. If you want to really keep them safe, control their access to social media — there are way more hidden dangers on TikTok than in the school library,” Jannes said, adding that Sigsbee also has recategorized some materials in the library based on age-appropriateness.

11

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 12, 2023

KEY WEST LEADER ROOSEVELT SANDS JR. DIES AT 93 MENTOR FOR GENERATIONS WAS A ‘WALKING HISTORY’ OF THE ISLAND

VISITING POET EVENT FEATURES JAMES DAVIS MAY

GWEN FILOSA

gwen@keysweekly.com

R

oosevelt Sands Jr., who served as a devoted mentor, church leader and civil rights activist across generations in Key West, died Oct. 9 at a Miami-area hospital, with his wife and daughters at his side. He was 93.

Sands spent his life serving others, from his tour of duty in the Korean War, his tenure as a counselor at Key West High School and decades on the Key West Housing Authority’s volunteer board.

He was a tireless advocate for civil rights, housing, healthcare and job opportunities for the Black community and the Bahama Village neighborhood.

“An icon passed this morning and so did an era in Key West history,” said Sands’ nephew, Key West City Commissioner Clayton Lopez, in a Facebook post.

Sands was with his wife Dorothy and daughters Rosita Sands and Salome McIntosh in his last moments.

Funeral arrangements were not available at press time.

“There is no question of the love he had for his hometown and the love that our hometown has for him,” Lopez said.

In 2022, the Key West City Commission honored Sands as a local hero by proclaiming Oct. 1, his birthday, as Roosevelt Sands Jr. Day. “With the example of Mr. Sands and the Sands family, several generations of Conchs have grown to become educators and legislators, striving to make the world a safer and more just place,” the city’s proclamation stated.

Roosevelt Charles Sands Jr. was born Oct. 1, 1930 in Key West, into a family of community leaders.

His job title at Key West High School was occupational specialist, helping students in job training. But he was remembered as a mentor, always willing to guide and motivate.

Into his 90s, Sands was known to many locals as “Sarge,” a reference to his years as a sergeant in the Army Reserve for many years after he served in Korea.

Sands, known as “Uncle Junior” to his nephews and nieces, lived up to the legend of his namesake father, Roosevelt Sands Sr., who died in 1997 at 96. His

COLLEGE INVITES COMMUNITY TO CFK POETICS

Roosevelt Sands Jr. is celebrated by the Key West City Commission when the city proclaimed Oct. 1, 2022, his birthday, as “Roosevelt Sands Jr. Day.” He accepted the honor surrounded by family and city leaders. CITY OF KEY WEST/contributed

gravestone reads, “His living was not in vain.”

“He was an individual who made himself accessible and who was always willing to help in whatever way to help make this city a better city in which to live,” Sands Jr. said of his father in 2020.

John Welsh, the longtime Key West High School principal, recalled that Sands had a gift for connecting with people while working as a teacher and counselor.

“It was a privilege working with him,” Welsh said. “He was always available for anybody. He would befriend people really easily. Even the most unlikely student, he would befriend him.”

Welsh said his own son while in high school considered Sands his mentor.

“Mr. Sands always had a calming effect on students,” said Welsh, who retired as principal in 2012. “No matter how outraged the student was.”

Sands shared wisdom with the students, who knew they could depend on him to listen and help.

“They actually sought out his advice,” Welsh said. “He was walking history.”

Sands had a keen sense for what young people needed: a friendly chat, encouragement or even a lunchtime meal.

“I used to tease him all the time,” Welsh said. “I’d tell him nobody has bought more student lunches than him.

If there was a student who didn’t have money for lunch, Mr. Sands had his wallet open.”

In 2022, as he received the city’s proclamation of Roosevelt Sands Jr. Day, Sands thanked the community for standing by him.

“Thank each and every one of you for helping me grow and defend this wonderful city of ours,” Sands said. “I only hope that I have done something for someone to say ‘I hope my son’ or ‘I hope my daughter will be just like him.’ Thank you so much, Key West. I love you.”

T

he College of the Florida Keys (CFK) invites the community to attend its CFK Poetics event on Thursday, Oct. 12 at 6 p.m. at the Tennessee Williams Theatre on the Key West Campus. The annual visiting poets activity will feature a live reading from James Davis May. He will read some of his works and take questions from the audience. The event is free.

May is the author of two poetry collections, both published by Louisiana State University Press. “Unquiet Things” was released in 2016 and “Unusually Grand Ideas” was released in 2023. His poems and essays have appeared in 32 Poems, The Georgia Review, Literary Hub, New England Review, The Southern Review, The Sun and other journals.

May has received fellowships from the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Sewanee Writers’ Conference. Originally from Pittsburgh, he now lives in Macon, Georgia, where he directs the creative writing program at Mercer University.

CFK Poetics 2023 will feature poet James Davis May on Oct. 12 at 6 p.m. CONTRIBUTED

CFK Poetics aims to develop awareness of and immersion in the humanities by connecting students and the community with poetry on the national level in a way that is immediate to their own experiences.

Since 2019, visiting poets have come to CFK or appeared virtually to share their work and have conversations with the student body as well as the community at large. Previously featured poets include B.H. Fairchild, Chelsea Rathburn, Richard Blanco, and Ross Gay. — Contributed

12

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 12, 2023 CAROL TEDESCO www.keysweekly.com

MEET THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE PARADE PAMELA CONNOLLY’S PASIÓN PROJECT DANCES DOWN DUVAL

1

P

amela Connolly moved to Key West in 2016 with her family and a spectacularly diverse package of professional bona fides. She added the titles founder and director to her resume when she launched the Pasión Project, a Key West-based boutique dance studio, an international teaching and performance troupe, and one of the entrants in the 2023 Bud Light Fantasy Fest Parade. Keys Weekly recently caught up with Connolly to get some behind-the-scenes scoop on her group and what it takes to bring their art to the street on parade night, Saturday, Oct. 28.

You have such a multifarious professional background: author, actress, television show host, comedian, doctor of psychology, advice columnist, co-founder of a sexuality health center, and dancer. How did you come to dance, or how did dance come to you? I had polio when I was a small child and was enrolled in a ballet school to strengthen my limbs. I performed on stage and TV throughout my childhood, becoming a professional dancer in London at 12 years old.

Later, I fell in love with all types of dance, especially Brazilian lambada.

As an adult I sailed around the world and it was in Ecuador that I first found salsa and Latin dance.

What was the first year your group entered the Fantasy Fest parade and what inspired you to do so?

We first decided to perform in the parade in 2019. I created a show involving classic convertible cars out of which teams of dancers emerged in death-defying, ‘straight-arm’ lifts (think of that famous ‘Dirty Dancing’ lift, but add several revolutions) while other teams danced as alluring female mechanics, working on the cars.

The dance routines were cheeky hip hop/lambada/reggaeton style.

Any memorable mishaps from your first parade experience that you can share? As my troupe was performing full throttle in front of the judges at the Truman/Duval stop, an emergency vehicle started plowing straight towards them.

Those dancers who saw it coming managed to pull the others out of harm’s way, but it was very hairy.

Nevertheless, we were thrilled to win ‘Best In Entertainment.’

Can you tell us a little about this year’s entry – what it might look like and how many people/ performers will be involved? This year’s Fantasy Fest theme is ‘Uniforms and Unicorns.’ Our entry will involve 10 exceptionally talented unicorns, including some musicians, plus 12 urban dancers — teachers and students from Pasión Project Studio on Southard Street.

Is it top-secret, or can you tell us something about this year’s costumes and props? Hmmm. If I told you I’d have to kill you. But, I will say they will be fun and startling and will follow this year’s ‘Uniforms and Unicorns’ theme.

Can only Pasión Project performers and students participate in your entry or can non-members audition? If yes, how? Come along to our Monday night urban dance class at 8 p.m., taught by Juju, and let us know you are interested. We have classes in different dance styles during the week, and will be looking for Latin dancers for future performances.

2

3 What particular challenges are inherent in bringing a performance team like yours to a street event like the Fantasy Fest Parade?

Safety is a top issue. It is challenging to perform in the street, especially since the ground becomes littered with beads. There is also the stopstart aspect, which means we have two types of performances — one traveling number, plus the big number for the main stopping points. So everyone has to be alert and aware of the changes. But it’s great fun to participate, and my entire team is really looking forward to it.

The final deadline for individuals and groups to apply to walk or roll in this year’s parade is Saturday, Oct. 14. To fill out a parade application, see a full schedule of events, and download the mobile app, visit fantasyfest.com.

4 1. Pasión Project studio founder Pamela Connolly displays a model she made to plan this year’s parade entry. CAROL TEDESCO/FantasyFest.com 2. Pasión Project dancers Ronny Dutra, left, and Lívia Cristina, right, perform in front of the Duval Street media stand during the 2019 Bud Light Fantasy Fest Parade. CONTRIBUTED 3. Pasión Project dancers in the 2019 Bud Light Fantasy Fest Parade. CONTRIBUTED 4. Pasión Project studio founder Pamela Connolly, right, works with performers rehearsing for this year’s Bud Light Fantasy Fest Parade. Front to back: Catalina Cardozo, Raquel Cecil and Romina Hidalgo. CAROL TEDESCO/FantasyFest.com

5

5. Pasión Project team members strike a pose with a classic Oldsmobile 442 in the parade staging grounds ahead of the 2019 Bud Light Fantasy Fest Parade.

NICK DOLL/Contributed

13

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 12, 2023

NOTICE

SAM STEELE, MONROE COUNTY TAX COLLECTOR, ANNOUNCES THE OPENING OF THE 2023 PROPERTY TAX ROLL. BOTH REAL PROPERTY AND TANGIBLE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES ARE PAYABLE. Taxpayers are encouraged to pay online through the Tax Collector’s secure and convenient website, MonroeTaxCollector.com.

Online payments made using your bank account (e-check) are FREE and no additional fees are charged.

Early payment discounts are available as follows: 4% if paid in November 3% if paid in December 2% if paid in January 1% if paid in February No discount is available if paid in March. As of April 1, 2024, the 2023 taxes become delinquent, and any payment must be made in certified funds. If payment is not received by May 31, 2024, a tax certificate will be sold no later than June 1, 2024.

Ownership and current address information are received and certified by the Monroe County Property Appraiser. If you do not receive your tax bill within two weeks, or need additional information regarding property taxes, please call our office at 305-295-5044.

COME WORSHIP WITH US ‘‘The churches of Christ greet you.’’ Romans 16:16 NKJV ENGLISH SERVICE Sunday Bible Study 10am Service 11am Wednesday Bible Study 7:30pm Evangelist Rodrigue Aleandre Cell 305.296.3331

KREYOL SEVIS Dimanch Klas Biblik 7:30pm Adorasyon 8:30pm Madi Klas Biblik 7:30pm Minis Rodrigue Aleandre Cell 305.296.3331

SERVICIO ESPAÑOL Domingo Estudio Biblico a las 4:30pm Servicio de Adoración a las 5pm Jueves Estudio Biblico a las 7pm Ministro Pedro Ruiz Celda 347.430.2263

1700 VON PHISTER ST, KEY WEST SAM C. STEELE, CFC CONSTITUTIONAL TAX COLLECTOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA

“Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the Lord.’’ ‒ Psalms 31:24 NKJV

14

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 12, 2023

‘LET’S DO THE TIME WARP AGAIN’ Book Your Holiday Party and Receive Amazing Rewards

I

Choose from two holiday themed menu packages. Plus, Event Planners earn exciting rewards including a 2-night stay and more.

Contact us today to book your holiday party.

305.293.6217 | EYWCM-SALESADM@hilton.com 1500 Reynolds Street | Key West, Florida 33040 CasaMarinaResort.com *

Minimum spend required. Other restrictions apply.

FRESH AUTHENTIC ITALIAN CUISINE

‘THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW’ RETURNS TO WATERFRONT PLAYHOUSE OCT. 18-27

t’s back. “The Rocky Horror Show” musical is back at the Waterfront Playhouse for a 10-performance run.

Playing at 8 p.m. Oct. 18-27, audience members will join the revelry and do “the time warp again.”

Tickets are on sale at waterfrontplayhouse.org.

“The Rocky Horror Show” is a musical with music, lyrics and book

by Richard O’Brien. A humorous tribute to the science fiction and B horror movies of the1930s through early ’60s, the musical tells the story of a newly engaged couple, Brad and Janet, getting caught in a storm and coming to the home of a mad transvestite scientist, Dr. Frank-N-Furter. The doctor unveils his new creation, Rocky, a sort of Frankenstein-style monster in the form of an artificially made, fully grown, physically perfect muscleman complete “with blond hair and a tan.”

The original London production of the musical premiered at the Royal Court Theatre (Upstairs) in June 1973. It later moved to several other locations in London and closed on Sept.13, 1980. The show ran for 2,960 performances and won the 1973 Evening Standard’s Theatre Award for Best Musical.

Audience participation bags will be available for $10 and will include a boa, party hat, noise maker, card, newspaper, flashlight and instructions on how to join the cast for “The Time Warp.” Audience participation through call-backs and costumes is welcomed.

The cast features Christopher Peterson as Dr. Frank-N-Furter, who is taking on this role for the third time. He played Miss Tracey Mills in “The Legend of Georgia McBride,” Miss Bette Davis in “Me and Jezebel,” Judy Garland in “Typhoon Judy,” a bio musical on the late great Judy Garland, and as

Christopher Peterson plays Dr. FrankN-Furter in the Waterfront Playhouse’s performances of ‘The Rocky Horror Show’ Oct. 18-27. CONTRIBUTED

Bernadette in “Priscilla Queen of the Desert.”

Jack D’Emilio and Jillian Todd appear as Brad and Janet. Last season Todd was seen in “An Inspector Calls,” “Escape to Margaritaville” and “Rock of Ages,” while D’Emilio debuted in “Rock of Ages” and “Kinky Boots.”

Lauren Thompson, Ray West and Carolyn Cooper will play Magenta, Riff Raff and Columbia.

Riley Vogel will play Rocky. Mathias Maloff is Eddie. John McDonald is Dr. Scott and John Swann is the Narrator.

Tom Thayer will direct, Michael Boyer will design, Kim Hanson will design the lights and Roberta Jacyshyn will direct the live band.

— Contributed

Waterfront Playhouse presents ‘The Rocky Horror Show’ at 8 p.m. Oct. 18-27.

For tickets, visit waterfrontplayhouse.org

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 12, 2023

CASUAL WATERFRONT DINING

COME FOR THE FOOD. STAY FOR THE VIEW.

WORLD FAMOUS LOBSTER PIZZA TOP RATED GLUTEN-FREE PIZZA AND VEGETARIAN MENU

WE LOVE KIDS & DOGS

1400 DUVAL ST, KEY WEST OPEN DAILY 11:30A - 8P | SEASIDECAFEKW.COM

15

16

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 12, 2023

MIND ALTERING LUBRICANTS FOR SOCIAL INTERCOURSE

DINNER COCKTAILS MUSIC MONDAY - SATURDAY | 6P - LATE 524 DUVAL ST. | 305.296.1075

Local discount at The Perry

NOW through Oct. 12th!

WE ARE SHOWING LOCALS THE LOVE MONDAYWEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FOOD & DRINK

FOOD & DRINK

20% OFF 40% OFF

7001 Shrimp Road perrykeywest.com

17

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 12, 2023

ATTENTION JIMMY BUFFETT FANS…

COUNTY HISTORIAN TRACES TROUBADOUR’S FIRST DAYS IN KEY WEST

Note: This was written by Corey Malcom, lead historian in the Monroe County Library’s Florida Keys History Center, as part of his monthly “Island Chronicles.” It is republished here with permission of the library, and has been lightly edited for space.

ISLAND CHRONICLES, VOL. 5: JIMMY BUFFETT AT CRAZY OPHELIA’S – THE DAWNING OF MARGARITAVILLE

By Corey Malcom

W

ith the recent death of musician Jimmy Buffett, we at the Florida Keys History Center have been inspired to look back at his beginnings in Key West.

While going through old issues of the local newspaper we recently came across an account of one of Buffett’s earliest performances on the island. The review of the show,

by William (Bill) Huckel, founder of the Solares Hill newspaper and a leader of Key West’s counterculture community, details a two-set show Buffett gave at Crazy Ophelia’s Café on Jan. 27, 1972. Considering that the generally agreed-upon date of Buffett’s first arrival to Key West is the end of 1971, this would have been one of his first shows on the island. And, indeed, in a January 2022 interview, Buffett said his first performance in the Keys was at Crazy Ophelia’s; from there he got gigs at Howie’s Lounge and the Chart Room. It is not clear if the 1972 show (at Crazy Ophelia’s) was his very first in Key West, but it was certainly one of them.

Crazy Ophelia’s Café, at 615 Duval St. (now Antonia’s restaurant), was new to Key West when Buffett played there, having opened in December 1971. It was described in a newspaper article as “a delightfully intoxicating (but non-alcoholic) café and dance palace” that served “assorted wiggy head food, espresso, exotic drinks and magic.”

Aside from its being a restaurant, the owners John J. Young and

Hank Villate created Ophelia’s to serve as a community center for Key West’s youth, the local hippie scene and the transient “freak” population that was then drifting to the island. At Ophelia’s, young people could find food, a safe retreat and social services such as free medical care, drug counseling and job placement.

The owners of Crazy Ophelia’s also made music a large part of the café’s mission, and amateur performers, professionals and multiplayer “hootenanny” jam sessions all graced its stage. … The venue also hosted seminars and lectures on subjects as diverse as civil rights, the logistics of bail-bonding, voter registration and even local marine biology.

As for Buffett’s January 1972 performance, Huckel’s review makes it clear there was already some buzz on the island about the “young Nashville folk gypsy.” As Huckel noted, Crazy Ophelia’s was “jammed and filled with anticipation” for his performance.

The 25-year-old Buffett had been a working musician since his college days, and had recorded two albums in Nashville (albeit unsuccessful ones) by the time he arrived in Key West. Buffett was not a novice guitar-slinger wandering the island. He had come to Key West with a repertoire, seasoned performing skills and a growing reputation.

Huckel’s praise for the performance was high. Buffett, he wrote, “picked and plucked at the strings of his guitar and the hearts of a hushed crowd…” Huckel was even impressed enough to dub the musician “a spokesman for this generation.” Ultimately, he said of Buffett, “This guy made everyone feel like one big, happy family.”

A working musician, ‘quite vigorously on the road’ Buffett’s warm reception at Crazy Ophelia’s heralded the Key West phase of his career, which would come to define his persona and tie him to the island forever,

Crazy Ophelia’s Cafe, 615 Duval St., as seen in the 1970s, when it was one of the first music venues that welcomed a singer-songwriter named Jimmy Buffett.

EDWIN O. SWIFT III/Contributed

but he was still frequently on the road. An article in Billboard magazine from May 20, 1972, noted he had just played multiple dates in Mississippi and Louisiana. … Buffett stressed the importance of all this touring in a 1981 interview: “A lot of people have the misconception that when I came here, I stayed in a house in a rented room and stayed drunk for 10 years and became a star. That’s absolutely not true. … I was quite vigorously on the road, doing concerts. The only way for me to survive was to do concerts.”

Despite spending much of his time on the road, Key West was home to Buffett through much of the 1970s and ’80s, and he wrote many of his most beloved songs on or about the island. In 2023, when his biggest hit “Margaritaville” was added to the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry, he reminisced about its Keys roots.

“Somebody had broken down on the Seven-Mile Bridge. And we were stuck there for an hour, and I just sat … looking out, and I finished the song there, and I got to Key West.

And I was working in a little club on Duval Street called Crazy Ophelia’s, and I went in, and I had to work that night, and I played the song.

People liked it. I went, ‘Wow, this is pretty good.’ And, you know, it was,

it was fresh. It was probably six hours old. Maybe even four years before it got recorded.”

As 1972 progressed, Crazy Ophelia’s and its owners became enmeshed in legal disputes involving loitering laws enacted to harass the young people who hung out outside the café. The ACLU intervened, and the laws were rescinded when it was proved they were being selectively enforced. Later, in the fall of 1972, the café became a headquarters of sorts for the local Democratic party, and 11 of 12 candidates supported from there won their contests. With those successes and the fading of the hippie movement, John Young said, “We had achieved our purposes. It was time to move along.” By 1973, Crazy Ophelia’s was gone.

However short-lived, the café was influential, both as a center for Key West’s anti-establishment community and as the place where a young Jimmy Buffett got his start on the island. Ophelia’s stage was the birthplace for the popular stereotype of modern Key West.

We are grateful that Bill Huckel was at the café that January night with a pen in his hand to document how it happened. Through his words, we can see that the opening-day hype about Crazy Ophelia’s was true – magic was indeed on the menu.

18

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 12, 2023

ALL CREATURES GREAT & SMALL

BASILICA SCHOOL HOSTS ANNUAL BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS

STADIUM REPLACEMENT

KEY WEST HIGH’S $20M ATHLETIC COMPLEX TAKES SHAPE

Father John Baker, pastor of the Basilica of St. Mary Star of the Sea, blesses a young boy’s pet lizard during the annual Blessing of the Animals on Oct. 4. BRITT MYERS/Keys Weekly

Key West High School’s new $20 million football stadium and baseball complex takes shape on Kennedy Drive. The new buildings that will be under the bleachers are coming together, and the new football bleachers are expected later this month. MANDY MILES/Keys Weekl

MANDY MILES A student at The Basilica School totes her pet bird to the Blessing of the Animals on Oct. 4.

Tristan Dean Myers gets his dog, Boomer, blessed by Father John Baker.

he Basilica School of St. Mary Star of the Sea celebrated the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, Italy’s animal-loving patron saint, on Oct. 4 with the traditional Blessing of the Animals.

Father John Baker bestowed blessings of health, protection and happiness on dozens of local pets.

From birds and lizards to puppies, cats and hamsters, all came away with the blessings in honor of the

Catholic saint, who founded the order of the Franciscans and was known for calling all creatures his brothers and sisters.

“In the most endearing stories about him, St. Francis preached to the birds and persuaded a wolf to stop attacking the people of the town of Gubbio and their livestock if the townspeople agreed to feed the wolf,” according to Brittanica. com.

— Mandy Miles

T

I

mandy@keysweekly.com

f you haven’t driven past Tommy Roberts Memorial Stadium on Kennedy Drive lately, check out the hive of activity.

Key West High School’s new $20 million football and baseball complex is taking shape, with dozens of workers from Ajax Building Co. on site daily.

Members of the Monroe County School Board members on Oct. 10 heard an update on the project from Pat Lefere, the school district’s executive director of operations and planning.

According to Lefere’s stadium presentation, work started this past May. As of this week, parts of the underbleacher buildings have been erected and the concrete slabs for football locker rooms have been poured. The actual bleachers, which were deemed unsafe for use years ago and finally removed at the start of construction, will be replaced later this month. An irrigation system and sod are expected in November and December, with substantial completion of the football side scheduled for January 2024.

19

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 12, 2023

WE SPECIALIZE IN BACK TO SCHOOL SMILES From left to right: Dr. Hector Guzman D.D.S, Dr. David McDonald D.M.D and Dr. Oscar Rodriguez D.M.D

2758 N. Roosevelt Blvd. (in the Overseas Market) • Key West 305.294.9914 • doc@docguzman.com • www.docguzman.com

PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY AVAILABLE IN KEY WEST AVOID THE LONG DRIVE TO MIAMI AND HAVE ALL YOUR CHILDREN’S NEEDS MET RIGHT HERE IN THE FLORIDA KEYS. Dr. Christina Smith DDS is now accepting new patients and is thrilled to be part of the 7-time Bubba Award-winning Doc Guzman’s office.

2758 N. Roosevelt Blvd. (in the Overseas Market) • Key West 305.294.9914 • doc@docguzman.com • www.docguzman.com

20

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 12, 2023

21

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 12, 2023

ROYAL KING & QUEEN FUNDRAISERS

NOW BENEFITTING THE FLORIDA KEYS SPCA

ROYAL CORONATION FRIDAY OCTOBER 20TH

COFFEE BUTLER AMPHITHEATER TICKETS AT KEYSTIX.COM. GENERAL ADMISSION WITH LAWN SEATING IS FREE!

CANDIDATES FOR 2023 FANTASY FEST KING Donations & tickets

SHAWN MONTGOMERY Tuesday 10/17 American Legion Disco Party 6-8pm @ American Legion 803 Emma St. $40 entrance fee includes discounted food and beverages, music by DJ Sanaris. Costumes for costume contest encouraged.

Thursday 10/19 Crazy Penguin Party 6-8pm @ Donald Dotzauer's 821 Southard St. $75 entrance fee includes light fare and drinks. Costumes for contest encouraged.

Donations & tickets

DONALD WELLS Saturday 10/14 Key West Ultimate Bark Crawl 12pm @ Hank's Hair of the Dog Saloon, 409 Caroline St.

Donations & tickets

BEN HENNINGTON Big Ben's Online Auction Go to Ben4king.com to access giant silent auction with staycations, trips, gift certificates and more with something for everyone.

CANDIDATES FOR 2023 FANTASY FEST QUEEN Donations & tickets

TANGELA TORRES Friday 10/13 Barbie and Ken Party 5-9pm @ The Woman's Club 319 Duval St. $20 entrance fee Saturday 10/14 Pawfect Orchid & Art Auction 6-9pm @ Kate Miano’s Home, 618 Freeschool Lane. $20 entrance fee Thursday 10/19 Vibrator Races 6pm @ Mary Ellen's Bar 420 Appelrouth St. Purchase tickets at maryellensbar.com

Donations & tickets

VICKY ROWDEN Bike Raffle and Hotel Package Raffle. Tickets can be purchased by scanning the QR code!

fkspca.org/donate/royal-campaign

22

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 12, 2023 INDOOR & OUTDOOR DINING

WE

Prana Spa

OUR

LOCALS!

25% OFF

Sacred, tropical, tranquility for the mind, body & soul

WITH LOCAL ID

5-10PM THROUGH 10/19/2023 OPEN TUESDAY-SUNDAY 5-10PM

BOOK THROUGH OPENTABLE, YELP OR CALL 305.294.0230

1029 SOUTHARD (CORNER OF FRANCES) | WWW.CAFESOLE.COM

Coldwell Banker Schmitt Real Estate Co invites you to

SCHMITTY THE SKELETON'S SPOOKY SHIN-DIG Be there if you dare

Celebrating 20 years!

TO SHOW OUR APPRECIATION FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT,

LOCALS GET $20 OFF! 625 Whitehead St | Key West | 305-295-0100 pranaspakeywest.com | info@pranaspakeywest.com

Children 12 and under, Come Trick or Treat at our Haunted Parking Lot! October 31st 6:00pm - 8:00PM

@pranaspakeywest

A view so pretty you can almost

Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner Weekend Brunch Happy Hour • Live Music

1201 White Street Key West, FL 33040 305-296-7727

SCAN FOR MENU

Reservations: 305 293 6250 or OpenTable.com Locals Discount & Free Valet Located at The Reach Key West 1435 Simonton St.

23

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 12, 2023

Run the Bridge!

Watch the Sunrise!

SIGN UP AT KEYLARGOBRIDGERUN.COM

HAPPY HOUR

MONDAY-SATURDAY 4PM-6PM ROOSTICA WOOD-FIRE PIZZERIA 5620 MACDONALD AV. KEY WEST | 305.296.4999

SCAN THE QR CODE TO READ ALL ABOUT IT

FIRST STATE BANK

KEY LARGO BRIDGE RUN 5K RUN/WALK

FRESH SEAFOOD, STRONG DRINKS, PANORAMIC WATERFRONT VIEWS, OUTDOOR DINING AND PLENTY OF LOCAL CHARACTERS. HOGFISH BAR & GRILL 6810 FRONT ST. STOCK ISLAND 305-293-4041

TUCKED AWAY IN SAFE HARBOR, STOCK ISLAND, THE HOGFISH BAR & GRILL IS A TRUE “LOCALS” SPOT

SATURDAY DEC. 2

7:30 A.M. STARTING AT GILBERT'S RESORT ACCESS ROAD

24

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 12, 2023

NEW RELATIONSHIP PATTERNS Welcome to the threshold of eclipse is an astrologer, season. Eclipse wanderer, barseasons occur tender and roughly every advocate for six months, and queer justice. He astrologically is a loquacious Gemini with a they represent cozy Cancer powerful shifts: rising. Find him at beginnings, hearthandheraldendings, transiastrology.com tions, decisions, realizations, etc. Every eclipse has its own flavor due to its unique position in the sky and the positions of the other planetary bodies, but eclipses are always deeply impactful phenomena because they involve our two luminaries, the sun and the moon. Think of eclipses as amped-up or supercharged new moons and full moons. This Saturday, Oct. 14, we will experience an annular solar eclipse, also known as a “ring of fire” eclipse, in the sign of Libra. For all of us, this eclipse will be a harbinger for new ways of relating and creating balance with other people due to its placement in Libra, the sign of social stability. We can expect a new perspective on how we have used communication in the past and how we might practice vulnerability in the future. Hold on tight.

In eclipse season, things change quickly and have a lasting impact.

Here are your horoscopes for the Libra solar eclipse. Read for your rising and sun signs.

CHRIS McNULTY

LIBRA Sept. 23 - Oct. 23 How does your partner help or hinder your core issues? We’ve all got them, no matter how much we like to pretend we’ve got it all figured out. Under this eclipse, you have a powerful opportunity to think objectively about your own identity and to practice some vulnerability with a partner in your life. The process is the practice, so don’t try to address it all out at once, but do start speaking your truth.

SCORPIO Oct. 24 - Nov. 21 How do you integrate your mental-emotional wellbeing and your physical wellbeing? Perhaps one is given precedence over the other. Under this eclipse, you are being given the opportunity to change the way you orient yourself to your own mental health by getting real about your physical routines and practices. Let the shift happen over time, though.

We’re talking marathon, not sprint.

SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22 - Dec. 21 Is doing your own thing making you feel a little tender-hearted?

Striking a balance between sociability and individualism is your theme for this eclipse. Practice new forms of communication with your friends and networks, perhaps even share something creative that you’ve been working on but keeping to yourself. Letting your guard down a little bit at a time will prove fruitful.

CAPRICORN Dec. 22 - Jan. 19 A major change is underfoot at work, and it just might affect your home and family in some raw ways. To be honest, honesty is not always the best policy, but in this instance it is. Open up to the people you call “home” and let them know how your life at work or in public is changing. Take your time, because there is no benefit to rushing.

AQUARIUS Jan. 20 - Feb. 18 You’re probably feeling a need to change things up with journeys to faraway places and adventures in new ways of thinking. Everyone needs a holiday. However, this eclipse is asking you to look at what you might be running away from in your everyday, familiar world. There’s something calling you to authenticity with siblings, your local neighborhood, or your

method of communication. See if you can uncover that over time.

PISCES Feb. 19 - March 20 Do you ever find yourself doing so much for other people that you struggle to find time for yourself? We all know this experience, but I think you might be feeling this somewhat acutely under this eclipse. Objectively decide what group projects are important to you and cut the rest because it is about time to look into why you avoid addressing your own needs in favor of others.

ARIES March 21 - April 19 A partner in your life, whether in romance or business or friendship, may begin to communicate with you differently. If this opens up some discomfort for you, that is exactly what you are being called to investigate. We all have issues, but you have an opportunity to look clearly at a vulnerability that sits at the center of your personality. How does your partner shine a light on that?

TAURUS April 20 - May 20 Have you been keeping busy?

Being active and productive is healthy, for sure, unless you are doing it to avoid something that needs attention. Spending time in quiet reflection might be something you are avoiding. There is a wound that comes up when you are alone, but the only way to heal it is to look at it and accept it. You have your projects to fall back on when things get to real, and you have plenty of time.

GEMINI May 21 - June 21 You have been tending to your creativity and your “children” (these can be literal or figurative children) in really powerful ways.

How is all of this focus on what you nurture changing the way you

interact with people socially? Have you been feeling some vulnerability in social settings or with friends when you are not actively working on your projects? Start to investigate that and see what you learn.

CANCER June 22 - July 22 Home has really been coming together for you, and you can see very objectively how your needs are being fulfilled there. Work, on the other hand, might be holding some discomfort, tension or uncertainty. What’s that about? I imagine at the moment the frustrations at work might be somewhat unclear, but you are at the beginning of figuring that out and healing the wound.

LEO July 23 - Aug. 22 Have you been sticking close to home and holding on to the people and places that feel familiar? Ain’t nothing wrong with that.

Unless, of course, you are avoiding new experiences because of a fear of the unknown. You are beginning a journey of understanding to get clear on the vulnerability you feel when faced with new places and ideas. One step at a time, Leo. VIRGO Aug. 23 - Sept. 22 You have been paying attention to your material needs and your system of values, getting really clear about how to take care of yourself. No person is an island, however, and we all need to invest in other people and community projects. Are you afraid to lose your own stability if you put yourself out there? Are you already invested in projects but afraid to go all in? Take a step away from your stuff, it will be there when you get back.

25

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 12, 2023

Expert Urology Care in Key West Affiliated with Columbia University

3401 Northside Drive, Key West

305.674.CARE

Specialty Care Key West *Physician and location subject to availability.

HAPPY HOUR DAILY 3-5PM ALWAYS A LOCAL DISCOUNT WITH LOCAL ID

5950 Peninsular Ave, Stock Island oceansedgekeywest.com

LIVE DJ SATURDAYS 12-3PM

26

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 12, 2023 CHARLOTTE TWINE www.keysweekly.com

SPEAK HER NAME

MONROE COUNTY HAS HIGH NUMBERS OF DOMESTIC ABUSE OFFENSES WHILE VICTIMS CONTINUE TO SUFFER

D

aniella Marie Blackburn. It’s important to “speak her name,” Sheryl Schwab, the CEO of Marathon’s Domestic Abuse Shelter, told Keys

Weekly.

And no, it’s not Daniela with one “L.” The misspelling was in Monroe County’s arrest warrant for her alleged murderer, who was charged with shooting her in the head on July 14, 2022.

Blackburn was a bartender and artist who lived on Big Pine Key. On her Instagram page — which has the tagline “Being Weird Since 83” — the 38-year-old posted pictures of herself doing backbends on the beach and posing with flowers in her hair. She wrote about missing her family and going “through a lot of drama this year.”

But now Blackburn is a grim statistic in the overwhelming amount of domestic violence offenses in Monroe County — a number that is “significantly higher” than the rest of the state.

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Schwab wants to bring attention to Blackburn and other victims like her. She is not just an uncomfortable statistic.

“She was a person who had a name,” Schwab said. “She was doing what she needed to do. She was in the shelter. She had gone to the state attorney’s office. She had gotten a no-contact order. And her perpetrator was stalking and following her. He kidnapped her, took her to a storage unit in Marathon and killed her.”

The domestic violence offense numbers in Monroe County are “statistically significantly higher than (the rest of) the state since 2013,” said Alison Kerr, a director for the Florida Department of Health in Monroe County.

“In 2022, the rate per 100,000 of domestic violence offenses in Monroe County was 497.9, compared to Florida at 305,” a state survey reported. “There are less domestic violence offenses in about three quarters of the counties.”

Sheriff Rick Ramsay said he was not surprised at all by the high numbers over the past decade — and it’s probably much more than we think, due to unreported incidents.

“I’ve been doing this for 36 years. We see a high number of domestic violence cases every year,” Ramsay said. “A couple months ago in the Upper Keys, we responded to a call where the male threw a knife at the female, and it went through her foot. It was a very violent situation. There was blood all around — a chaotic situation with yelling and screaming.”

Daniella Blackburn was a bartender and artist who was killed in Marathon on July 14, 2022; Monroe County has charged her significant other for the murder. Blackburn’s death is just one in a high number of domestic violence offenses in Monroe County. CONTRIBUTED

As for why the numbers are so high in the Keys specifically, he said domestic violence is everywhere, with alcohol abuse, anger management and mental illness being triggering factors.

According to a CDC survey, nearly 3 in 10 women and 1 in 10 men in the country “have experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner.” And as family members, children and animals are affected as well.

Ramsay said the victims themselves make prosecuting the offenders difficult.

In Blackburn’s case, according to county records, police had responded to other incidents involving her and her abuser. But she had “stated she did not wish to pursue charges … because ‘he has a beautiful side to him.’”

Her statement was in spite of the fact that he had once used “both of his hands to grab her by the hair and drag (her) off of the couch and onto the floor.”

“People start on good behavior, then they get deep in with a child and can’t financially (leave),” said Ramsay about victims who stay in abusive relationships.

Schwab expressed frustration at the lack of prosecution by law enforcement.

“In my opinion, all cases that should be prosecuted are not,” she said, explaining that responding officers see evidence of the victim’s struggle, and yet nothing is done about it.

Schwab said that for the man who allegedly shot Blackburn, “many hearings have been set and they keep getting continued.

He can afford a lawyer — he’s avoiding jail time.”

The Domestic Abuse Shelter in the Middle Keys, seen here in a photo from 2022, is still in need of funds to rebuild after Hurricane Irma in 2017; the shelter offers safety for the high numbers of abuse survivors in Monroe County. KEYS WEEKLY FILE PHOTO

She would like to see more prevention outreach done within the county — for example, with events at schools — but the shelter only has the funding for “half” of an employee to devote to such programming.

Besides, she said, her focus is on rebuilding the Middle Keys shelter. It was destroyed during Hurricane Irma.

“We’re trying desperately to rebuild — we’re $5 million away. That’s seven years down the road. We only have 15 beds now, and we keep them full.”

Anyone suffering from any form of domestic violence or in need of confidential support is encouraged to call the shelter’s 24-hour hotline at 305-743-4440.

For those who would like to make a donation to or volunteer for the shelter, call 305-743-5452 or go to domesticabuseshelter.org.

27

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 12, 2023

DON’T HIDE YOURSELF, ENHANCE YOURSELF!

A KEY WEST FAMILY TRADITION IN FINE FOODS SINCE 1926

LASH EXTENSIONS | LASH LIFT & TINT BROW WAX & TINTS | COSMETIC MAKEUP 305.509.9031 | 2510 N ROOSEVELT BLVD #102 (IN THE BACK) ENVYLASHANDBROWBAR.COM

Your partner in Human Resources Hiring Payroll Management Talent Management Training & Development

DELIVERY & GIFT CARDS AVAILABLE 522 FLEMING STREET 1105 WHITE STREET WWW.FAUSTOS.COM

WE TAKE CARE OF ALL YOUR DAY TO DAY HR NEEDS WITH OVER 10 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE 305 780 9837 | www.coralconsultingflorida.com

PROMOTING CONCH PRIDE SINCE 1971 VOTED BEST FAMILY OWNED BUSINESS IN 2021

Family owned and operated by Damien, Cathy, Tiffany & Nikki.

VOTED BEST OVERALL BUSINESS IN 2022

CUSTOM EMBROIDERY AND T-SHIRT PRINTING 3255 FLAGLER AVE. | STE. 301 | KEY WEST 305-296-9962 | MON - FRI 10AM-5:30PM

28

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 12, 2023

WOMANKIND HOPES TO FIGHT FLOODING WITH FUNDING

TAKE A NEW LOOK AT LAST STAND KEYS ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP REBRANDS ITSELF, SEEKS NEW MEMBERS

WOMEN’S HEALTH CENTER LAUNCHES CAPITAL CAMPAIGN FOR BUILDING REPAIRS A recent king tide event floods Truman Avenue and Eisenhower Drive, sending water into the building at Womankind. CONTRIBUTED

W

omankind, the Keys’ only provider of primary and gynecological health for many low- and middle-income women and girls, announced a capital resiliency campaign on Oct. 5 at its BraZibit event held at the Studios of Key West. Early major donors were recognized and thanked as a part of the public kickoff.

“Our Key West facility on Truman Avenue requires capital improvements to create a more storm-resilient building,” said Cali Roberts, executive director. “Every king tide and tropical storm/hurricane brings flooding that interrupts patient care and creates safety and sanitation issues. We’ve always had tremendous support from the community, and I am grateful for the help. Fortifying our building will allow us to continue serving 2,500 locals a year in a secure and dependable environment.

As part of its capital improvement campaign, Womankind plans to increase storm resiliency (new windows, doors, shutters and structural exterior changes) and to make some enhancements to improve patients’ experiences (new equipment and modifications for privacy and comfort.)

The capital improvements campaign cost is $250,000. Donors jumpstarted the campaign, including the Dogwood Foundation, Edward B. and Joan T. Knight Foundation, Marion and Jules Levin,and Michelle’s Foundation/Michael Halpern.

“Those generous early major donors brought us nearly 50% of the goal,” said Roberts. “Now, we are asking for support from the Lower Keys community, in recognition of our 20-plus years of service.

A gift in any amount is appreciated.

Gifts of $3,000 or more have specific options for naming opportunities. All donors will be recognized in the renovated space.”

Established in 2001, Womankind, 1511 Truman Avenue, is a medical center providing family planning, gynecological and primary care to people of all income levels. For many women and girls, the sliding fee scale and free care offered by Womankind ensures access to necessary care. More information is at 305-294-4004 or womankindkeywest.com.

— Contributed

K

eys Last Stand is launching a new membership drive in response to recent unprecedented environmental crises in the Florida Keys. Devastating coral bleaching aggravated by poor nearshore water quality, insufficient hurricane evacuation modeling and the lack of affordable workplace housing are behind the urgent call to action to the community.

Alongside the drive for new members, Last Stand is launching a new website, updating branding and logos and reinvesting in its commitment to the protection and sustainability of the Florida Keys and Key West.

“This rebranding isn’t merely a fresh coat of paint; it’s our reinvigorated commitment to our foundational values,” said Ann Olsen, president of Keys Last Stand. “As a community, we face urgent pressing challenges and this membership drive is an example of much-needed collective community action.”

On Oct. 11, Keys Last Stand unveiled a community-wide

“digital takeover.” Members, supporters and residents are urged to share the new logo on their social media profiles, symbolizing a unified stance in raising environmental awareness and showcasing their pride and support.

Since 1987, Keys Last Stand has dedicated itself to safeguarding and enhancing the unique quality of life in the Florida Keys. Through advocacy for responsible land development, commitment to water quality improvement, and efforts to promote affordable workforce housing, Last Stand has played a pivotal role in nurturing community progress and environmental preservation.

The iconic name “Last Stand” coupled with its bugle logo has consistently represented the organization’s resilience and tenacity. With this rejuvenated branding and community engagement, Keys Last Stand renews its pledge to advocate for, preserve and protect the Florida Keys. More information is at keyslaststand. org.

— Contributed

29

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 12, 2023

MM 93 BAYSIDE 305-853-5370 WWW.UNIQUEMARINE.COM LIKE US ON FACEBOOK!

DEMO A CAT SEE THE FULL LINEUP!

WORLDCAT DEMO DAY NOVEMBER 10 & 11

POSTCARD INN | MM 84 FRIDAY & SATURDAY 10 A.M.-5 P.M.

30

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 12, 2023

AVOCADOS COME TO NORTH AMERICA

DOCUMENTS SHOW MEXICAN FRUIT FIRST ARRIVED IN THE KEYS

P

ersea Americana is commonly called the avocado. Consumption of the ancient Mexican fruit dates back 10,000 years. The Aztecs called it ahuacatl, a name still used in some parts of Mexico.

Ahuacatl loosely translates to testicle, which makes sense as the Aztecs considered it an FLORIDA aphrodisiac and felt that eating it KEYS promoted fertility in both sexes.

HISTORY Also, avocados do have a bit of a WITH sagging, ball-like shape.

BRAD Once discovered by Spanish BERTELLI conquistadors, the green fruit An author, with the reptilian skin became speaker, Florida a favorite. They shared it, introKeys historian and duced it to new arrivals, and, Honorary Conch. by 1521, had introduced it into His latest book, Central Mexico and Colombia, at “Florida Keys History with Brad the crown of South America. The Bertelli, Volume buttery, yummy Persea Americana 1,” shares fasciwas also brought back to the Old nating glimpses World, where European palates into the rich and shared and celebrated it. sometimes surprising histories of In the late 16th century, the Florida Keys. an English merchant named Hawkes traveled to the New World. In 1589, portions of his story were documented, including the observation that he used the word “alvacata” to identify the famous Mexican fruit. In 1696, the naturalist Sir Hans Sloane published a catalog of Jamaican plants that identified this particular fruit-bearing tree in his publication as: “The Avocado or Alligator-Pear Tree. It grows in gardens and fields throughout Jamaica.”

The Florida Keys have an interesting history with the avocado. In those days, the trees were referred to as alligator pears — a name based not on the origin story, but a reference to the color and texture of its skin.

How does the alligator pear fit into Florida Keys’ history? Well, according to many stories about its history, including some earlier work I shared, Dr. Henry Perrine is credited with introducing the fruit to North America in the 1830s.

The story of Perrine and the alligator pear began in 1827 when he entered his 10year post as a U.S. consul stationed on the Yucatan Peninsula. The primary responsibility of the medical doctor, who had a lifelong interest in the curative properties of botanicals, while he was stationed at Tabasco, Mexico, was checking cargo being imported from or exported to the United States. President John Quincy Adams sent a letter to each of the newly appointed consuls requesting

they document any plants that might benefit the United States. Perrine was the one in 100 who took the directive seriously.

Not only did Perrine compile copious notes about the local flora, but he also noted seasonal weather patterns. He also shipped seeds and samples to horticulturally-minded friends in America, including the Florida Territory’s John Dubose and Charles Howe.

Dubose, the lighthouse keeper at Key Biscayne’s Cape Florida Lighthouse, was sent more than 100 boxes of botanical samples.

As he had done with Dubose at Cape Florida, Perrine sent crates of botanicals to Charles Howe at Indian Key. He is credited with shipping some 72 species of plants to the United States. Two of the botanicals on that list are Citrus aurantiifolia, commonly called the Key lime, and Persea Americana, the avocado or alligator pear. Perhaps because of the copious notes about each plant he shipped, it has been assumed that he was the first to do it, as Perrine is often credited with introducing both species to American soil.

Last week, I was contacted by a writer in California working on a book about the history of the avocado. He asked about the credit often given to Perrine for introducing it to the U.S. in the 1830s. It did not take long to find documentation of the presence of avocados in Florida and the Keys predating Perrine’s time as a U.S. consul.

As has been the case with previous research, the observations of Dr. Benjamin Strobel proved illuminating. Strobel graduated from the Medical College of South Carolina in 1826.

Having heard that there was a need for medical professionals in Key West, he arrived on the island in the late summer days of 1828.

Strobel’s voyage to the West Indies, to Key West, began on Sept. 5, 1828, when the doctor boarded the schooner Jane.

In addition to being a physician, Strobel was a writer who documented his trip from Charleston to Key West. When stopping at Indian Key, Strobel wrote about a dance party held on the island. Also, he remarked about several fruit trees and bushes growing on the island, including the lime, mulberry, lemons, papayas, flowering shrubs, and alligator pears. 1828 clearly predates the time when Perrine began sending botanical samples to the U.S. And then there is an excerpt from the Account of East Florida, published by Dr. Stork, London, 1766, which definitively places Persea Americana in what is today the Sunshine State before Perrine was born. “The tenderest plants of the West Indies, such as the plantain, the alligator pear tree, the banana, the pine apple, or ananas, the sugar-cane & c. remain unhurt during the winter, in the gardens of St. Augustine.”

While the avocado was one of the 72 species of plants Perrine sent to the U.S. in the 1830s, he had not been the first to do so. Why, then, do so many sources attribute him as being the first? It is a classic parroting case that I have been guilty of in the past. A piece of information is shared over and over until it is presumed to be the truth. In the case of the avocado, or my preferred name for it, the alligator pear, the Spanish introduced it to the Old World, and, more than likely, the Spanish introduced it to what became American soil.

The alligator pear. UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IFAS/Contributed

31

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 12, 2023

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

SHELF HELP

LONGTIME PHYSICIAN WEIGHS IN ON HEALTH CARE CHALLENGES

S

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

What: Yerba Buena by Nina LaCour Why: A place can crawl beneath your skin and become a part of you, leaving scars. LaCour weaves the story of Sara Foster and Emilie DuBois and the ways their homes of origin pull and push them back and forth. Sara moves to southern California, escaping the anguish of her best friend’s death. Meeting Emilie, a romance blossoms. After Sara’s father dies, her brother moves in with her, bringing a bag full of clothes, memories and an inherited drug trade. Pulled back to her hometown, Sara exists in two worlds: her anguished past and hopeful present.

Where: This is available in print and large print, audiobook on CD, e-book and e-audiobook from the Monroe County Library system.

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

Dear Editor, The cancer center went broke.

I nearly did. Others in health care are adapting as they can to survive here. A national health care crisis is amplified by our island chain’s uniqueness.

I saw the city commission’s concerns about our recent, progressive “physician deficit” and service challenges directed to our hospital’s chief executive officer last month. I would like to give my own perspective as a long term Keys health care worker.

Absolutely, Lower Keys Medical Center has 4 out of 5 stars for quality and performance as rated by Medicare. The much larger Mount Sinai of South Florida has only 3 stars. Baptist Miami ties Lower Keys at 4 stars. All three are quality institutions, with their communities feeling that each has one star too many. We are not alone there. I share links to sources below.

Our community has an advantage rarely discussed. Our community is very small. Health care personnel often know their patients before the person needs care. It’s a very personal bond to be there for a neighbor in need. This has been a powerful tool for leadership to drive our quality scores up. I would like to share my perspective as a health care worker in the Keys who has been an elected, unpaid chief of staff of Lower Keys Medical Center during the pandemic, and why I had to evolve my practice or leave Key West. To be clear: I speak for myself, only.

Housing prices are the greatest challenge in keeping and recruiting talented personnel in all walks of Keys life. Lower Keys Medical Center leadership started at 1 quality star years ago and has brought our hospital to 4 stars. Blaming the leadership in our workforce crisis would be ridiculous. Hospital leaders are our primary talent recruiters. We live in the most expensive county housing market in the state.

Our workforce needs affordable homes.

Locals caring for locals has been our workforce reality. What business is not complaining about our thinning workforce? Many in

our workforce have been leaving to financially survive, they have told me. This is an old story, some say. But it is an undeniable market shaper now. Plus, health care needs a workforce with educational certificates in specific areas. A committed workforce that stands the watch no matter pandemic or storm, to be specific.

Recruiting is the challenge leadership faces. It is a difficult job anywhere. It can cost tens of thousands of dollars recruiting each nurse. Physicians do cost significantly more to recruit than nurses on average. It takes a war chest to fund recruiting, which can take months under good conditions.

Several candidates might come to visit the site before committing.

Health care workers are more burnt out after the pandemic than at any time I can remember. It’s a national problem that frustrates pandemic deniers and recognizers alike. Burnout and denial are poor confidence companions. Solo physician practices are few now.

How many of our local physicians, full or part time, now work for some type of corporate medical group to make ends meet? Can you count the number of independent primary care physicians here in 2019 compared to now? One physician who left told me I was crazy to stay. Take the profit from my home and run, he advised. He said he could not afford to buy into our area now, if he was not selling out.

Even I had to evolve to stay here.

Giving away hundreds of visits over the pandemic, then this workforce/ housing crisis saw me lose so much money, I had to take money from my retirement and home.

Housing is our fundamental challenge, always. Burnout and finance are what they are. Recruiting is all the much harder because of it, is my experience. Our recruiter should not be the scapegoat for our situation.

My wife and I stayed because we want to raise our two teenage daughters in this community. It takes a village to raise a child. This is the village we choose. Kathryn and I evolved so we could face it with all of you here. Face it and not go broke.

I am a proud member of Keys health care. There are many more.

This is another storm we will get through as the community we are.

But it’s at least a category 4.

Sincerely, John W Norris III, MD FACP

DON’T BE ANTISOCIAL OVERSEAS MEDIA GROUP PRESENTS SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIES

Thirty people attend the recent social media marketing seminar presented by Overseas Media Group for the Marathon Chamber of Commerce. CONTRIBUTED

T

he digital marketing experts at Overseas Media Group (OMG) recently shared tips and tools with the Marathon business community, empowering entrepreneurs with cutting-edge strategies. Organized by the Marathon Chamber of Commerce, the event took place at the Marathon branch of the library and drew a sold-out crowd of 30 people.

If your organization seeks a tailored presentation in the Florida Keys, contact the OMG team at omg@overseasmediagroup.com for a private consultation that promises to elevate your marketing game.

— Contributed

32

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 12, 2023

RECREATIONAL CANNABIS IN KEY WEST

Beyond "Dispensary Strength" THC Products 100% Money Back Guarantee 21+

$10 GIFT CARD

OFF ENTIRE ORDER

No Restrictions!!!

No Restrictions!!!

Coupon has no cash value. No change given. Cannot be combined with any other discounts or promotions.

Expires 1/31/24

Coupon has no cash value. No change given. Cannot be combined with any other discounts or promotions.

Expires 1/31/24

keysweekly Flower

Pre-Rolls

Vapes

Cartridges

Tinctures

30 %

TUESDAY THRU SATURDAY | LUNCH 11-2:30 | DINNER 5 -10

TUESDAY THRU SATURDAY 4:20 -11

keysweekly Topicals

Chocolates

Gummies

Pet Products

532 Duval St ∙ Key West ∙ 305-735-4380 431 Front St. Unit 4 ∙ Key West ∙ 305-257-9351 211-A Duval St. ∙ Key West ∙ 305-735-4230

Open 7 Days a Week | 10am - Midnight

10875 Overseas Hwy Suite 110 ∙ Marathon ∙ 305-453-6597 82751 Overseas Hwy ∙ Islamorada ∙ 305-257-9351

99304 Overseas Hwy. ∙ Key Largo ∙ 305-257-9351

Keys Weekly 4.9" x 6.125"

Serving Ipswich Whole Bellied Clams & Maine Lobster Featured on Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives.

(305) 294-0102 11:30 AM – 10 PM 629 Duval St, Key West When you’re on Long Island be sure to visit our new location in Wantagh.

Call ahead for Daily Specials 516-900-1400.

WEDNESDAY THRU SUNDAY | LUNCH 11- 2:30 | DINNER 5 -10 BRUNCH SATURDAY & SUNDAY 11- 2:30

WEDNESDAY THRU SUNDAY 4:20 - 11

33

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 12, 2023

HELP KEEP KEY WEST CLEAN

IN BUSINESS

YEARS

IM#26 - MC450645 | DOT966624

JOIN A 1-HOUR CLEANUP FRIDAY MORNINGS

CELEBRATING PROUDLY SERVING THE FLORIDA KEYS AND BEYOND!

CONTACT US TO DETERMINE YOUR INDIVIDUAL MOVING AND/OR STORAGE NEEDS

305.295.6683

305.295.6683 | 1.877.344.6683 | WWW.DRNMOVING.COM

STOP BEING BUGGED

An impressive group of 50 volunteers participated in the Ploggers’ weekly Friday cleanup on Oct. 6. at Mallory Square. In one hour they collected 106 pounds of trash, 17 pounds of recycling and 3 gallons of cigarette butts. That many people and only 123 pounds of trash and recycling? Well, the city of Key West does a great job collecting the large items, but the volunteers focus on the small stuff stuck in the bricks, or hidden in the rocks and bushes that take the most time to collect. Special thanks to Ocean Key Resort and Spa for hosting breakfast for all the volunteers after their work. CONTRIBUTED

“Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they have the heart.”

— Elizabeth Andrew

O

ne hour a week makes a huge difference, and volunteers are welcome every Friday and some Saturday mornings, from 8 to 9 a.m., when the Key West Ploggers clean up a designated area of the island.

Gloves, pickers, buckets, vests, hand sanitizer and a parking pass are provided to all volunteers.

A troubling number of cigarette butts and plastic bags have been included in recent hauls.

Please remember your reusable bags when shopping so we can keep the plastic off the streets, parking lots and, most importantly, out of the water. And dispose of cigarette butts in any receptacle rather than the street or sidewalk, as from there, they easily end up in the ocean.

The city of Key West and its residents ask everyone to do their part to help keep Key West beautiful. With simple steps like making sure you bag your trash before putting it in your Waste Management trash cans or Dumpsters, and making sure the lids on Dumpsters are closed, will keep a lot of trash from blowing into the streets. Call Waste Management at 305-296-8297 for any furniture items left on the city right of way.

Please pick up around your home or apartment complex.

Every piece of trash picked up is one less that may end up in the ocean that surrounds and sustains our island community.

It is not just the large items you can see easily when you are walking, but the smaller items such as bottle caps and cigarette butts that are collected by the volunteers that make the biggest difference.

It takes committed community involvement to keep Key West beautiful and we are making progress with every cleanup event and every spot that’s adopted. Call Dorian Patton at 305-809-3782 to find out how your business, nonprofit or club can help.

— Contributed

Join the Ploggers for 1-hour cleanup from 8 to 9 a.m. on Friday: Oct. 13: Southard, Thomas & Whitehead streets: Meet in the parking lot behind the Courthouse.

Oct. 20: Duval and Eaton streets: Meet next to Berkshire Hathaway real estate office.

Oct. 27: North Roosevelt Boulevard: Meet in the Denny’s parking lot.

TOUGH ON BUGS - SAFE FOR PETS!

OVER 10 YEARS OF LOCAL EXPERIENCE & TRUST RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL LICENSED & INSURED

CALL TODAY TO SET UP AN APPOINTMENT AND PUT THOSE BUGS ON THE MARCH! PAULA BARRY • 305.304.1119 • paulaspestcontrol1@gmail.com

NICOLE NAVARRO PAWSITIVE BEGINNINGS

WANT TO HELP OUR KEYS COMMUNITY? FIND OUT HOW AT VOLUNTEERKEYS.COM

IN PARADISE FOR GOOD

VOLUNTEER OF THE WEEK

34

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 12, 2023 GWEN FILOSA

gwen@keysweekly.com

E

lizabeth Devries landed in Key West in 1980. She didn’t have much to her name or much of a plan, having arrived in the U.S. from her native Liverpool, England. But quickly, her life took one of those only-in-Key West turns.

She was working at a bar, serving the local shrimpers, and met someone who invited her to move into his house on Fleming Street.

He was restoring the house and offered her some work. She’d never even held a hammer, let alone knew anything about woodworking.

“I took to it like you wouldn’t believe,” said Devries, 70. “I loved it.”

That relationship didn’t last. But Devries’ life as a woodworker and craftswoman is still thriving, some 34 years later.

She fell in love with the Dade County pine flooring and walls, the cypress trim and windows with the old glass.

She began to learn about wooden house shutters in particular. “I learned from the bottom up,” she said. “I fell in love with how they looked and it gave me a profession.”

Over the years, she worked on shutters across the historic neighborhoods in Old Town, including working on the island’s most famous architecture.

About 10 years ago, her work inspired her to create art with the virgin cypress wood salvaged from historic homes.

“Key West Shutter Stories: The Artwork of Elizabeth Devries,” opens Thursday with a reception from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Key West Museum of Art and History, 281 Front St. The exhibit runs until Jan. 1, 2024.

You’ll see pieces of Key West history in these 40 art pieces – the dioramas and boxed scenes Devries crafts from old discarded shutters.

Lime green means it came from the Ernest Hemingway home. Red means

The Green Parrot Bar, captured in pieces of wooden shutters salvaged in Key West by Elizabeth Devries.

GWEN FILOSA/Keys Weekly

KEY WEST SHUTTER STORIES

ELIZABETH DEVRIES TURNS AGING WOODEN PANELS INTO ART

Artist and shutter restoration expert Elizabeth Devries stands in front of her wooden sculpture that depicts a scene from the Mariel Boatlift, the mass emigration of Cubans to Florida in 1980.

Tennessee Williams’ house. Purple wood means the Artist House.

“It’s in me, it’s my blood,” Devries said.

“I still love doing shutters.”

The exhibit reflects her life’s work.

“I’ve probably done almost all of the shutters in Old Town Key West,” she said, during an interview surrounded by her pieces in the exhibit. “On my bike with a little doctor’s bag I would go to people and fix the screw eyes, until I created my own business.”

Devries has crafted more than 100 diorama scenes, including detailed snapshots that take place at Sloppy Joe’s Bar, the Southernmost Point, Blue Heaven, Pepe’s and Rick’s Bar. There is one of Kermit the Key Lime Pie man and a scene from the Paradise Dental practice.

From individual books lining shelves to the people dining or dancing in various slices of Key West life, every piece is from a shutter that once protected an old island home.

One of her most emotional works depicts an image from the Mariel Boatlift, the abrupt mass emigration of Cubans to Florida in 1980 that turned into a life-saving mission for locals, who helped the refugees make it to shore.

“It took a year to make,” she said, pointing out the figures of people, including children, clinging to the boat.

Devries’ wooden sculptures of Key West scenes, made from salvaged house shutters from across the island, are a perfect match for the art and history museum, said the nonprofit center’s curator and historian Cori Convertito.

“Her scenes embody a carefree spirit that is synonymous with the island’s blithe ambiance,” Convertito said. “Devries’ beautiful and intimate portrayals deliver a unique glimpse of her both as a person and artist.”

35

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 12, 2023

FRESH NEW MENU SERVING BREAKFAST, LUNCH & DINNER

Les Steele

THANK YOU

to all our loyal Locals and Snowbirds for making this such a wonderful season!

WHERE DUVAL MEETS THE ATLANTIC! 1405 Duval Street, Key West | 305.295.6550 southernmostbeachresort.com | #somolife

It is so great that we can finally get back to looking and feeling BEAUTIFUL! a hair salon for women + men at southernmost nail bar • 3229 flagler avenue• 305-731-6557

Florida Women's Freedom Coalition's

KEY WEST FUNDRAISER Financial Strength is PARAMOUNT. Financial strength is a pillar to a successful company. Having a strong financial partner in an uncertain economy is paramount to success.

Centennial Bank’s patience, perseverance, commitment, and resilience have created a fortress balance sheet.

LET US BE YOUR PARTNER, TODAY AND TOMORROW

Mary Beth Harris

VP, Sr. Business Development Officer

305-676-3124 MY100BANK.COM

A Home BancShares Company (NYSE: HOMB)

36

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 12, 2023

LIC# CCC1329991

LIC# CGC032862

It’s time to get back to the basics of good recycling

BEST CONTRACTOR NOMINATIONS

1

VOTED BEST CONTRACTOR 5 YEARS IN A ROW

Second Annual

MIKE GARCIA 305.304.4188 CONCHROOFING@GMAIL.COM WWW.CONCHCONSTRUCTIONANDROOFING.COM

2

Empty bottles, cans, paper and cardboard.

3 Keep food and liquid out.

Recyclables go directly into the cart.

NEED A BAGGSTER?

Purchase one from your local hardware stores, then call the 800 number to set up a pickup.

ROLLOFF CONTAINERS and PORTABLE TOILETS available.

Call us at 305.296.8297.

From our retail line NEVER FULLY DRESSED

Voted BEST LOCAL RETAILER by the Key West Peoples Choice Awards 2023 & mentioned in Forbes magazine!

Private shopping parties and styling services available Visit kirbyscloset.com to book or for more info Follow us on Instagram @kirbysclosetkw

Serving up Tropical Glam!

218 WHITEHEAD STREET #4 | KEY WEST | 305.847.9977 | PAID PARKING GARAGE NEXT TO OPAL KEY RESORT & MARINA

37

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 12, 2023

TAKE ME HOME? FIND A FRIEND AT THE FLORIDA KEYS SPCA

T

he Keys Weekly family loves animals as much as our friends at the Florida Keys SPCA do, and we’re honored each week to showcase some “furever” friends that are ready, waiting and available for adoption at the organization’s Key West campus.

From cats and dogs to Guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits, reptiles and birds, the perfect addition to your family is waiting for you. 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. Check these pages each week for just a few of the animals waiting for a home and see them all at fkspca.org.

KEYS LOCALS BENEFIT FROM SLOPPY JOE’S FUND COMMUNITY FOUNDATION ADMINISTERS CHARITABLE GIFT FROM LANDMARK

W

Two-year-old Poppie enjoys shopping, classic cars and freestyle jazz, as well as other bunny activities.

They say no man is an island, and that applies to some cats as well. Gasparilla is a 1-½-year- old male looking for a playmate and a forever home.

We have taken Liam Neeson, and he’s hanging out in our Key West cattery.

This young guy has a very particular set of skills: You will fall in love with him immediately.

At 2½ years old Mozzy Mozzarella needs to be your only pet, and he’s OK with that. He’s not here to accentuate any other animals. He’s got a flavor all his own.

This 3-year-old cat’s name isn’t Ron Solo, nor is it LeRon James. It’s not even Rondoleeza Rice. It’s just Ron, and he’s waiting for a family to call his own.

hen you think of Sloppy Joe’s, the Duval Street landmark known around the world, it may bring to mind fun, live music and street-packed events. Now the owners of Sloppy Joe’s are making history in 2023 as philanthropists, with the establishment of the Sloppy Joe’s Foundation Fund at the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys.

The organization’s commitment to giving back to the residents of Key West and the Florida Keys will include grantmaking to benefit local youth, individuals and families, civic organizations, art, culture and environmental preservation.

“Since 1937, the Sloppy Joe’s legacy has been a cornerstone built on tradition and giving back by supporting our island community,” said Jeffrey E. Allen, chief executive officer of Sloppy Joe’s Enterprises.

“When creating a formal giving program, it made sense to partner with the Community Foundation so we can leverage the foundation’s 27 years of established processes, knowledge of local nonprofit needs, and connections within the community.”

Community Foundation board chair Will Langley said the Sloppy Joe’s Foundation Fund will empower Sloppy Joe’s to take a more strategic and impactful approach to its

philanthropy. “By consolidating its giving and having the foundation’s help in identifying and addressing pressing needs, Sloppy Joe’s will have a lasting and substantial impact on the Key West community,” he said.

“Visitors are drawn to destinations that emphasize community involvement and sustainability. A well-publicized partnership can set a business apart, attracting tourists who want to support local businesses that contribute to the wellbeing of the community they are visiting,” added Jodi Weinhofer, Community Foundation board member and president of The Lodging Association of the Florida Keys and Key West.

Sloppy Joe’s and the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys have partnered for decades on the Hemingway Look-Alike Society Fund. The 42nd annual Look-Alike contest held at Sloppy Joe’s in July was a record-breaker, and more than $400,000 has been awarded for scholarships for Key West High School graduating seniors and College of the Florida Keys students.

Over the coming season, Sloppy Joe’s will be rolling out giving opportunities for its patrons from around the world and launching special perks to recognize donors. More information is at cffk.org/sloppyjoes.

— Contributed

38

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 12, 2023

CGC1523838 LET’S DO BUSINESS - 305.453.6928 Licensed & Insured #SP33799

CGC1523838

SPALLING

ALL KEYS GLASS

RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL Windows • Doors

30 5 -7 4 3 - 7 80 0

Authorized Dealer

Sales & Installation • Tub & Shower Enclosures Safety & Tempered Glass • Mirror & Mirror Walls Plexi-Glass & Lexan

EXPERTS

2728 North Roosevelt Blvd.

Overseas Market Key West

y’s www.KeysSlidingGlassDoorRepair.com d n A Sliding Glass Door Repair Roller Maintenance Track Maintenance Door Alignment Security Pins Safety Locks Handles

GENERAL CONTRACTORS & ENGINEERS

- Full Hooks Ups - Waterfront Camping - Marina & Boat Slips

- RV & Tent Camping - Pool & Tiki Hut - Kayak Rentals

www.boydscampground.com info@boydscampground.com Instagram: @boydscampground

305-998-8953 Insured • Professional • Reliable

Sales - Service - Installation

1706 N. Roosevelt Blvd, Key West 305-294-0090 • www.kolhages.com

Snowbird Pet Sitting KITCHEN & BATH

st We Key

305-339-8092

813-334-0584 snowbird.petsitting@gmail.com

Judy Noone & Florie Burke

Danny Ocampo 1708 N. Roosevelt Blvd Key West, FL 33040 Dannygandarakitchen@gmail.com

Co-owners and Pet Enthusiasts Insured and Certified in Pet CPR

"Loving care when you're not there"

Sportfishing Adventures

Lic No. SP1481

info@johnnymaddoxcharters.com

Keys Fisheries Market & Marina Mile Marker 48.5, Marathon End of 35th Street Bayside

When It Rains It Pours!

Need 7” Gutters? We have 6” & 7” Seamless • Copper Specialists

Key West 305-292-2666

MARATHON 305-743-0506

KEY LARGO 305-852-5356

rainsavergutters@gmail.com

WILLIAM JONES HOME INSPECTOR 305-619-2754 wjones2@terminix.com 625 U.S. Hwy 1, Ste. 101 * Key West, FL 33040

REPAIR INSTITUTE

WE SELL EVERYTHING FOR YOUR HOME

Serving Monroe, Dade & Broward Including Airports & Ports.

SUV, Van & Limousine options available Call us for special events.

OVERSEAS MARKET - 2730 N. ROOSEVELT BLVD KEY WEST - 305.296.4066 Mon-Fri 9am-7pm - Sat 9am-2pm - Sun Closed

MOVING TO ST. AUGUSTINE, PALM COAST, JACKSONVILLE, PONTE VEDRA, VILANO BEACH? CALL US! 305.395.8711

CAPT. JIM SHARPE, JR BEATA K. SHARPE, REALTOR®

bsharpe13@gmail.com

www.AnotherSharpeProperty.com

Tewes Mortgage

Your local, residential lending expert!

Call 305.495.6000 for a FREE Consultation

Brian Tewes

Customer service is my strength Brian@tewesmortgage.com

NMLS# 375025 Tewes Mortgage NMLS# 1453791 NMLSConsumerAccess.org

www.TewesMortgage.com

Dolphin-Tuna-Wahoo-Billfish-Snapper-Grouper-Shark Deep Sea –Off Shore-Reef-Wrecks-Gulf

305-481-3259

INTERNATIONAL

CONCRETE

Mile Marker 5, US Hwy1 6401 Maloney Ave, Key West 305-294-1465

We Also Repair & Replace Patio Door Screens

Manufacturing & Installation

Proud member of:

305-743-7454

fkes2011@gmail.com floridakeysexpressshuttle.com

39

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 12, 2023

UPCOMING EVENTS

DEANA CARTER

KEY WEST THEATER OCT. 30TH

COLIN QUINN

KEY WEST THEATER DEC. 7TH

REVEREND PEYTON’S BIG DAMN BAND

KEY WEST THEATER JAN. 20

TH

2024

THE GARCIA PROJECT

KEY WEST THEATER NOV. 18+19TH

CHUCK CANNON

KEY WEST THEATER JAN. 5TH 2024

JEFFREY STEELE

KEY WEST THEATER DEC. 1ST

DAVID NIHILL

KEY WEST THEATER JAN. 10TH 2024

ENJOY 10% OFF AT RAMS HEAD SOUTHERNMOST BEFORE A CONCERT OR AT BRUNCH THE FOLLOWING DAY! *MUST PRESENT PROOF OF PURCHASE OF CONCERT TICKET.

THEKEYWESTAMP.COM | THEKEYWESTTHEATER.COM

40

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 12, 2023

October 12, 2023

FEARSOME FORESOME Keys golfers swap wins ahead of postseason | P.6

THE REGAN ROTH TEAM IS HERE TO PROTECT YOU...

YOUR FAMILY, YOUR LIFESTYLE, YOUR HOME!

Family owned and operated since 1958 ADMINISTRATION

Joseph H. Roth III President 25 years

Lorie Head Office Manager 34 years

Jennifer Miller Assistant Manager 2 years

ACCOUNTING

Sara Roth Executive Assistant/Agent 1 year

SALES

Linda Griswold Agent/Sales 17 years

Holly Redding Agent/Sales 21 years

Maria Bell Receptionist 1 year

Aileen Joiner Accounting/ Automation 17 years

Irma Guerra Accounting 4 years

COMMERCIAL LINES

Grimi Betancourt Manager/Sales Agent-Marathon 4 years

Lilliam Reyes Supervisor 18 years

Lisa Maguire Account Manager 14 years

Remorna Pottinger Kyra Beyer Account Processor Ochoa 2 years Account Processor 15 years

PERSONAL LINES

Paula Sachs Supervisor 18 years

Vianey Diaz Account Manager 1 year

Jennifer Paul Account Manager 20 years

Miriam Marin Account Manager 19 years

Elizabeth Kubishen Renee Sebastian Account Processor Account Processor 5 years 7 years

Kayla Soriano Account Processor 1 year

Home, wind and flood. All lines of commercial/business insurance.

Boats, autos, golf carts and recreational vehicles

REST ASSURED, WE ARE ALWAYS HERE TO HELP YOU WEATHER ANY STORM! 305.852.3234 90144 Overseas Hwy. Tavernier

305.743.3414 8065 Overseas Hwy. Marathon

www.ReganRoth.com | Response@ReganRoth.com

3

OCTOBER 12, 2023 / KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

THIS WEEK

OCT. 12

THE SCOREBOARD

Team

Sport

Opponent

Date

Result

Key West

Volleyball

Marathon

10/3

W, 3-0

Marathon

Volleyball

Palmer Trinity

10/5

L, 3-0

Marathon

Volleyball

Westwood Christian

10/6

L, 3-0

Coral Shores

Volleyball

Vero Beach

10/6

L, 2-0

Coral Shores

Volleyball

Lake Howell

10/6

L, 2-0

Coral Shores

Football

Marathon

10/6

W, 42-7

Key West

Football

South Fork

10/6

W, 35-2

Coral Shores

Volleyball

Manatee

10/7

L, 2-0

Coral Shores

Volleyball

Victory Charter

10/7

L, 2-0

Coral Shores

Volleyball

Wekiva

10/7

W, 2-0

THIS WEEK IN KEYS SPORTS

OCT. 12

Date

School

Sport

Opponent

Start Time

10/12

Key West

Swimming

@ South Dade High

3 p.m.

10/12

Key West

Volleyball

@ Mater Lakes

5 p.m.

10/12

Marathon

Volleyball

Coral Shores

4:30 p.m.

10/12

All Keys Schools

Golf

@ Key West

2:30 p.m.

10/13

Coral Shores

Football

Archbishop Carroll

7 p.m.

10/13

Key West

Football

@ Estero

7 p.m.

10/14

Key West

Swimming

Doral High School

12 p.m.

10/16

Coral Shores & Marathon

Volleyball

@ Districts

TBA

10/18

Marathon

Cross Country

@ Miami Country Day

TBA

10/18

Key West

Swimming

@ Districts

9 a.m.

10/19

Coral Shores

Swimming

@ Districts

9 a.m.

10/19

Coral Shores

Football

@ Tradition Prep

7 p.m.

ON THE COVER With district competition just weeks away, top Keys golfers like Marathon’s Summer Haines (top), Key West’s Claudia Steling (left), Coral Shores’ Preston Carroll (right) and Marathon’s Mason Thornton continue to trade wins in Monroe County’s friendliest rivalries. Photos by Barry Gaukel, Doug Finger and Alex Behler.

Alexander

“AJ” SMITH

Senior, Key West Swimming

AJ is one of the hardest working athletes you’ll find at Key West High School. He isn’t the school record holder in the 50 free by accident.”

– Key West Athletic Director Justin Martin

1

st

50 yard freestyle

21.73S broke the fiveyear-old school record

On Oct. 4, sprint swimmer Alexander “AJ” Smith raced to a first place finish in the 50 yard freestyle race at Wellington High School. Smith’s time of 21.37 seconds was not only good enough for a win and a personal best; he broke the five-year-old school record as well. In what head coach Lori Bosco described as a phenomenal race, Smith laid the groundwork for a late season dash to states, a feat he achieved last season and hopes to repeat this November.

For his remarkable performance in the pool and his dedication to improvement for himself and the Conchs’ swimming program, AJ Smith is the Keys Weekly Athlete of the Week.

Photos by GRACE ANDREW and MARK HEDDEN/Keys Weekly

4

KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP / OCTOBER 12, 2023 SPORTS WRITER

The Keys Weekly Sports Wrap is proud to be the only locally-owned publication providing prep sports coverage from Key Largo to Key West.

Together with our writers and photographers, we are committed to providing a comprehensive overview of the world of Keys sports with photography that allows our readers to immerse themselves in game action.

tracy mcdonald fled to the Keys from the frozen mountains of Pennsylvania hours after graduating from college and never looked back. She is a second-generation coach and educator, and has taught in the public school system for over 25 years. She and her husband met at a beginning teacher meeting in 1997 and have three children born and raised in Monroe County. In her free time, McDonald loves flea markets, historical fiction and long runs in the heat.

PODCAST HOST

Publisher / Jason Koler jason@keysweekly.com

Publishing Partner / Britt Myers britt@keysweekly.com

Managing Editor / Alex Rickert alex@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 Jill Miranda Baker jill@keysweekly.com Stephanie Mitchell stephanie@keysweekly.com

Production Manager

Anneke Patterson anneke@keysweekly.com

Executive Administrator Charlotte Hruska char@keysweekly.com

Graphic Design

Javier Reyes javier@keysweekly.com

sean mcdonald grew up in Miami and moved to the Keys in 1997. He has spent the last 25 years teaching physical education and coaching virtually every sport for Florida Keys kids ages 4 to 18. If you are reading this and live or lived in the Florida Keys, he has probably taught, coached, or coached against someone you know.

MARKET EDITORS

Marathon - Alex Rickert alex@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. All stories, photos, and graphics are copyrighted materials.

Upper Keys - Jim McCarthy jim@keysweekly.com Key West - Mandy Miles mandy@keysweekly.com

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

O

n Oct. 5, Keys runners met at Larry & Penny Thompson Park in Miami for the annual Larry Wooten Invitational. Marathon’s Vance Bursa won the event, finishing the 5K course in 16:53.

Eighth grader Tony Bursa was the next Keys runner to cross the finish line with a season-best 18:32, earning 17th place overall. The next Keys finisher was Key West’s Colbin Hill with a time of 19:04, good enough for 31st place in a field of more than 200 runners.

VANCE BURSA FI WOOTEN INVITAT CONCHS CONQUER HILLY FLORIDA RUNNERS INVITE Marathon’s boys had one more sub-20 finish with Jakub Bursa, who ran the race in 19:05. The Bursa brothers’ times, plus solid finishes from Dillon Shelar and Allan Taylor, placed the Fins fifth out of 30 teams participating. Key West had success from Andrew Fedor with a 20:42 finish. Fedor and Hill combined with Jerven Louis, Sebastian Jaroszewicz and William Forester for 20th place overall. The top Coral Shores runner of the meet was Nathaniel Shugarman, who finished in 21:50. Rounding out the ’Canes’ top five were Jamie Cary, Connor Daniels, Sean Andrews and Tristan Sanchez.

Marathon and Coral Shores were well-represented at Wooten. Marathon’s girls were third overall in the meet with the top time from senior Mikkel Ross, who crossed the line 15th overall in a time of 22:46. Ella Dunn, Maeve Merryman, Rain Banks and Sara Robinson completed Marathon’s top five.

Lady Cane Kai Guth was first for Coral Shores. The Hurricanes had solid finishes from Julia Rush and Hayden Teal as well.

With just three runners, the ’Canes did not count toward team standings, but the competition gave Coral Shores some race experience heading into districts.

The Lady Conchs opted out of Wooten to compete at the Florida Runners Invitational at Holloway Park in Lakeland.

There, they experienced a hilly, challenging course, something head coach Keara McGraw acknowledged is nearly impossible to mimic on a flat island like Key West. The grueling course was an unpleasant surprise for the runners, but the experience will benefit them greatly should they qualify for the state meet course, which has similar conditions. Caylaa Makimaa was first for Key West, finishing in fifth place overall in a phenomenal 20:52. Naima Thomas was next, crossing the line in 22:30, a nearly 20-second personal best time. Laira Anaya, Violet Jangraw, Ava Gonzalez, Mia Steer and Deanna Mercier also completed the race.

5

OCTOBER 12, 2023 / KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP

Left: Vance Bursa. BARRY GAUKEL/Keys Weekly Bottom: Key West’s Caylaa Makimaa earned a fifth-place medal last weekend at the Florida Runners Invitational in Lakeland.

KEARA MCGRAW/Contributed Right: Naima Thomas. MARK HEDDEN/Keys Weekly

IRST AT LARRY TIONAL

20:52

first for Key West

22:30

a nearly 20-second personal best time

6

KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP / OCTOBER 12, 2023

Monroe County athletes are ready for the links in Districts

K

ALL SYSTEMS GO FOR KEYS GOLFERS

Tanel Irons. DOUG FINGER/Keys Weekly

eys golfers participated in nine holes of competition in Key West on Oct. 5 in one of their final opportunities to sharpen their skills prior to district play. On the ladies’ end, Claudia Steling registered the lowest score of the day, shooting a 48.

Her consistency has been notable for the Conchs, giving her a solid opportunity to advance through the postseason.

Marathon’s Summer Haines shot a 50, placing second at the match. “Summer has been consistently scoring low 50s and this is encouraging heading into district play, since she will be competing for an individual spot for a regional berth,” said coach Mary Coleman-Sayer. Haines will likely be Marathon’s solo female golfer to tee off in the postseason.

For Coral Shores, top female golfer Gabby Thomas shot a 53, placing her third. Thomas will be the ’Canes’ best shot at sending an athlete to the next round. Thomas, Haines and Steling have consistently traded the top three places against one another throughout this season.

Key West’s Peyton Zubieta won first overall for the gentlemen, shooting a 42. Teammate Jackson Barroso was one shot behind in second place. Dolphins Dylan Ziels and Roco Piscetello tied the Conchs’ Ty Hill for third place in the match with 44 strokes each. Michael Merryman of Marathon and Preston Carroll of Coral Shores both shot a 46, tying for sixth place. Tanel Irons of Coral Shores came in eighth with a 50, with Marathon’s Mason Thornton one stroke behind him in ninth place. Aiden Richard of Marathon and Ryan Kight of Key West tied for 10th place, scoring 55.

In preparation for districts, Coral Shores coach Danielle Thomas says her team “has been working really hard on their short game, and it shows with their scores.

“Definitely keep an eye out for Preston Carroll. He has been consistent with his shots and score,” she said. She also has high hopes for Irons and Brock Bynum. Irons has been a staple for the ’Canes for the past two seasons and Bynum, a relatively new golfer, has shown tremendous improvement this season.

Marathon is peaking right on time, according to Coleman-Sayer.

Merryman, Thornton, Piscetello, Ziels and Leo Mendez “have (all) netted scores in the 40s recently, which is exciting and a first for our program,” she said. “As our season is coming to an end, there has been so much improvement, and I am so appreciative of the hard work that these athletes are putting in.”

Conchs head coach Josh Bassett was disappointed in the weather at the Maverick Invitational on Oct. 12 but certainly cannot be disappointed in his team’s play.

“I was really hoping to use the Maverick Invitational as a litmus test for the boys to see how they would do against some of our district teams, but the weather was not in our favor up there,” he said.

Bassett has full boys and girls teams for districts, and the play of his athletes has been steady all season long. The only inconsistency is who is on top each match.

“I couldn’t tell you to look at just one player – they have all had some pretty awesome moments this year,” he said. “We are a team, we are in this together, and we will win or lose as a team.”

Zubieta, Barroso, Hill, Kight and Smith Switzer have all had tremendous matches this season, and if the regular season is any indicator, the Conchs look good to move on to regionals. District matches are set for Oct. 23, with regionals occurring the following week for qualifying golfers.

7

OCTOBER 12, 2023 / KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP Seen here in a meet earlier this year, senior AJ Smith is the new 50 freestyle record holder at Key West High School. Photo by GRACE ANDREW/Keys Weekly

FKAA EMERGENCY WATER PLAN STORE WATER

FILL BATHTUB AND LARGE CONTAINERS WITH WATER FOR WASHING AND FLUSHING ONLY. FOR DRINKING AND COOKING WATER, STORE IN CONTAINERS FOR 7-10 DAYS. 1 GALLON PER PERSON PER DAY IS RECOMMENDED.

KEY WEST’S AJ SMITH BREAKS SCHOOL RECORD

K

ey West’s swimmers traveled to Wellington on Oct. 4 to swim against a team they knew was both deep and talented. The Conchs held their own against the Wolverines, bringing home five first-place finishes, multiple individual personal records and a new school record for senior AJ Smith.

The Conchs’ lone state-qualifying swimmer in 2022 proved his prowess last season was no fluke by breaking the school record in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 21.37 seconds. Smith was the only dual event winner, taking first in both the 50 and 100 freestyle events, while Jeffery Hoyt took first place in the 200 IM, setting personal records in that event and the 500 free.

Eli Morris placed first in the 100 backstroke, breaking his own personal best time in the event. Key West also saw personal bests from Hugo Blinckmann (200 free), Charlie Doerfel (100 fly), Jason Frankel (50 and 100 free), Santiago Gonzalez (200 free), Cash Hopper (50 free) and Jacob Perez (500 free).

The girls team picked up a win against Santulces High School at the meet but fell short of sweeping the tri-meet. Hadley Bardoni set a new personal record with her first place finish in the 200 IM. Teammate Aly Camargo won first place in the 50 free event. The team’s hard work in the pool was evident with a bevy of personal records as the Conchs move closer to districts. Swimming their best times of the season were Reeghan Davis (50 and 100 freestyle), Teaghan Hoyt (100 breaststroke), Savannah Murray (100 backstroke), Samantha O’Brien (200 IM and 500 freestyle), Mary Searcy (100 back) and Colby Turner (100 fly).

Key West hits the water two more times for regular season meets, Thursday, Oct. 12 at South Dade High and at home two days later. Their dropping times will be put to the test Wednesday, Oct. 18 at Gulliver for the FHSAA 2A championships. Coral Shores will participate in the 1A meet Thursday, Oct. 19 with their divers competing the following day.

There’s a new 50 yard freestyle champ in town

FOLLOW PRECAUTIONARY/ MANDATORY BOIL WATER NOTICES IF A NOTICE IS ISSUED, DISINFECT YOUR WATER BY EITHER BOILING FOR 1 MINUTE, OR ADDING 1/8 TEASPOON OF BLEACH, OR USING PURIFICATION TABLETS.

EVACUATING? HERE'S WHAT TO DO SHUT OFF THE HOME'S WATER VALVE (TYPICALLY FOUND ON THE EXTERIOR WALL OF THE HOME). SOME WATER HEATERS MAY ALSO NEED TO BE SHUT OFF. CHECK WITH THE MANUFACTURER.

Should you require assistance in turning off your water, FKAA will be happy to come out and turn it off for you, as a courtesy (time permitting).

CUSTOMERS WITH LOW PRESSURE SEWER PUMP ON THEIR PROPERTY ARE ASKED TO SHUT OFF THE BREAKER TO THEIR GRINDER PUMP (LOCATED IN THE DEDICATED ELECTRIC BOX OUTSIDE OF THEIR HOME).

STAY INFORMED REGISTER FOR "PRIORITY CALL" @FKAA.COM TO RECEIVE NOTICES VIA PHONE, TEXT, & EMAIL. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK, FKAA.COM AND THE RADIO CALL US @ 305.296.2454

8

KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP / OCTOBER 12, 2023

CORAL SHORES S IN ‘BATTLE OF TH Conchs make light work of South Fork

Top: Marathon tight end Josh Koler (3) hauls in a pass.

Left: Coral Shores quarterback Yemcel Moreno (5) powers through the Marathon defense.

Right: Coral Shores’ Dantay Diorio.

Photos by BARRY GAUKEL/Keys Weekly.

Right page: The Key West Conchs dispatch the South Fork Bulldogs on Oct. 6, 35-12.

Photos by GRACE ANDREW/Keys See more game photos at keysweekly.com

OCTOBER 12, 2023 / KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP

U

nder Friday night lights in a packed Marathon stadium, the Coral Shores Hurricanes emerged victorious in the 54th annual Battle of the Keys. The ’Canes now have a 29-25 edge in wins over the Dolphins after a resounding 42-7 victory in Marathon.

“Any time the two schools play it’s an exciting contest,” head coach Ed Holly said of the game, explaining that the longest-running rivalry in Keys sports history is a game in which he can count on a zealous Coral Shores squad.

It took Coral Shores exactly one play to get onto the scoreboard, on a Dantay Diorio 40-yard run. A Yoan Garcia sack put an end to any chance the Fins had of putting points of their own on the board in quarter one. AJ Putetti added two touchdowns on back-to-back possessions for the ’Canes, putting them ahead 21-0 at the end of quarter one.

Marathon answered back with a 25-yard sprint into the end zone by Shamar Wright early in quarter two. The Fins then held the ’Canes on defense as they gained momentum in the matchup.

RJ Dube put an end to that with a blocked punt and on their next possession, Coral Shores quarterback Yemcel Moreno connected with Isaac Holmes for an 11-yard touchdown pass. Marathon’s defense stood strong with a goal-line stand that would end the first half with Coral Shores ahead 28-7 at halftime. Moreno and Holmes had another touchdown each, both on the ground, in the second half to seal the victory for Coral Shores.

STRETCHES LEAD HE KEYS’ Coral Shores hosts a powerful Archbishop Carroll team on Friday, Oct. 13. The Hurricanes will honor nine players on Senior Night in a game which will test their skills on both sides of the ball.

“They’re a well-coached team, huge up front,” Holly said. “They run the ball at will. It’s going to be a tremendous challenge.” After their game last week, it is clear that Holly and his Hurricanes are up for it.

Marathon has this week off, then returns to action in its homecoming game against Gateway Charter on Oct. 20.

“I’m proud of the way our players fought until the final whistle,” Fins coach Sean McDonald said. “They left it all on the field.

Monday, we hit the weight room to prepare for the next Battle of the Keys.”

A lengthy bus ride to Stuart did not deter the Key West Conchs on Oct. 6 when they traveled to South Fork High School in the second of three consecutive five-hour road trips. Key West got off to a slow start in the matchup, stalling on their first two possessions, but Walson Morin took matters into his own hands on drive number three, sparking the Conchs’ offense with an incredible 90-yard touchdown run. He would have two more on the night for 19 and 55 yards.

Conchs coach Johnny Hughes praised Morin’s gameplay, saying, “He adapted well. When he hits open space, he has another gear. He is really developing into a football player.” (A star for Key West’s basketball team, Morin is new to high school football this year.) Morin racked up over 200 yards running for Key West, but he didn’t spoil the Bulldogs’ homecoming single-handedly.

Quarterback Adrian Mira carried the ball 63 yards into the end zone, showing glimpses of “the Matador,” George Mira, his great-great-uncle known at the University of Miami and in the NFL for his amazing feats on the gridiron. The younger Mira also connected with Cole Jackson for a touchdown pass en route to a 35-12 Key West win.

Key West hits the road again this week with a trip to Estero High before a bye week, then a much-needed homecoming game against Gateway High. Their final regular season game is another road trip, albeit a bit shorter, to Archbishop McCarthy in Fort Lauderdale.

9

10

KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP / OCTOBER 12, 2023

LADY CONCHS TACK ON TWO WINS BEFORE DISTRICTS Hurricanes test their mettle against state powerhouses

T

he Lady Conchs improved to 6-16 last week, defeating Reagan High School 2-1 before taking a short trip over the Seven Mile Bridge to take on Marathon on Oct. 3. Key West won the match 3-0, giving it some momentum heading into the postseason. The 4A Conchs will see their first district matchup on Oct. 17 or 19 depending on bracket seeding, which has not yet been determined. Key West has yet to encounter a district opponent during regular season play, but its strength of schedule may just give it a first-round bye for the playoffs.

Marathon put up a valiant effort at home against Key West, but the hard-hitting Conchs outplayed the Fins. The Lady Fins lost their next two games against Palmer and Westwood as well, giving them a 2-12 record. 3A Marathon will face the same district bracket as Coral Shores beginning Oct. 17.

The Hurricanes made a bold choice to face some of the highest level of play Florida has to offer.

The ’Canes entered the Bishop Moore Swing for the Cure Tournament in Orlando, opting to participate in the Varsity Elite Division against 6A and 7A powerhouses Vero Beach, Lake Howell, Manatee and Wekiva High School. The level of play the Hurricanes experienced undoubtedly prepared them for the next step on their quest through the postseason brackets.

The team lost its first four tournament matches, but held its own against the larger schools and rallied to win the final match against Wekiva 2-0. Coral Shores remains undefeated in district play and stands with a 10-6 record in the regular season. The 3A Hurricanes are likely to receive a bye in district quarterfinals next week due to their 4-0 district record and their strength of schedule.

Seen in game action earlier this year, Elise Warwick and the Key West Lady Conchs added two wins to their record last week as they prepare for district playoffs.

BERT BUDDE/Contributed

THE SERVICE YOU DESERVE DEREK EPPERLY, P.A. PRINCIPAL BROKER Derek@KeysAtlanticRealty.com KeyWestRealEstate.info

305-923-4833 FOR ALL OF YOUR RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE NEEDS

GGOOCCHHSS!!

N N O O CC

11

OCTOBER 12, 2023 / KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP

• CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES •

Effective September 29, 2023, Luis Geada, M.D., is no longer practicing with Baptist Health General Surgery at the following location: 5701 Overseas Highway, Suite 17, Marathon, FL 33050.

Patients who wish to receive copies of their medical records may call 305-271-9777 or fax 786-260-0516 to request a records release.

Publish: September 28, October 5, 12 & 19, 2023 The Weekly Newspapers

Effective September 29, 2023, Luis Geada, M.D., is no longer practicing with Baptist Health General Surgery at the following location: 91550 Overseas Highway, Suite 214, Tavernier, FL 33070.

Patients who wish to receive copies of their medical records may call 305-271-9777 or fax 786-260-0510 to request a records release.

Publish: September 28, October 5, 12 & 19, 2023 The Weekly Newspapers

305.743.0844

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

FICTITIOUS NAME NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of Key West Shave Ice & Frozen Tap located at 718 Duval Street, Key West, FL 33040 intends to register said name with the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida.

By: KEY WEST SHAVE ICE AND FROZEN TAP, LLC Publish: October 12, 2023 The Weekly Newspapers

you are a person with a disability who needs special accommodations in order to participate in this proceeding, please contact the Monroe County Administrator’s Office, by phoning (305) 292-4441, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., no later than five (5) calendar days prior to the scheduled meeting. If you are hearing or voice impaired, call “711”.

Publish: October 12, 2023 The Weekly Newspapers

NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE Wheatons Towing gives notice that on 10/27/2023 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.

1G1BE5SM7J7244589 2018 CHEV 1N4AA6AP9GC411704 2016 NISS 2GCEC19X331129488 2003 CHEV WBACD3323VAV21521 1997 BMW Publish: October 12 & 19, 2023 The Weekly Newspapers

PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE Notice of Meeting/Workshop Hearing BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT TRUST FUND The Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection announces a public meeting to which all persons are invited.

DATE AND TIME: Tuesday, October 17, 2023, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

PLACE: Marathon City Council, 9805 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050 GENERAL SUBJECT MATTER TO BE CONSIDERED: The Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection is presenting the draft Coupon Bight Aquatic Preserve Management Plan Meeting as an item during the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council Meeting, of which Coupon Bight Aquatic Preserve is completely within the boundaries of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Members of the public are invited to review the management plan and provide feedback. The management plan is available at https://publicfiles.dep.state. fl.us/CAMA/Coupon-Bight-APManagement-Plan-DRAFT.pdf.

In addition to the Sanctuary Advisory Council, members of the Coupon Bight Aquatic Preserve Management Plan Advisory Committee have also been invited to attend and listen to comments, and they may also participate in the discussion.

A copy of the agenda may be obtained by contacting: Dr. Nicholas Parr at Nicholas.

Parr@FloridaDEP.gov.

Pursuant to the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, any person requiring special accommodations to participate in this workshop/ meeting is asked to advise the agency at least 48 hours before the workshop/ meeting by contacting: Dr. Nicholas Parr at Nicholas.

Parr@FloridaDEP.gov. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact the agency using the Florida Relay Service, 1(800)955-8771 (TDD) or 1(800)955-8770 (Voice).

Publish: October 5 & 12, 2023 The Weekly Newspapers

Government Center, 2798 Overseas Highway, Marathon, Florida, the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida, intends to consider adopting the following ordinance: AN ORDINANCE OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA, MODIFYING MONROE COUNTY CODES SECTION 18-27(h) TO AMEND THE BOAT RAMP AND ADMISSION FEES FOR NON-COUNTY RESIDENTS ON WEEKENDS, HOLIDAYS, AND DURING THE ANNUAL TWO-DAY LOBSTER MINISEASON; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR THE REPEAL OF ALL ORDINANCES INCONSISTENT HEREWITH; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. The proposed ordinance may be inspected by the public at the Monroe County website by viewing the agenda packet for the October 18, 2023 meeting, which will be posted beginning on October 13, 2023 at: http:// monroecountyfl.iqm2.com/ citizens/default.aspx. The proposed ordinance may also be viewed at the Monroe County Attorney’s office at 1111 12th St. Ste. 408 Key West, FL 33040.

The public can participate in the October 18, 2023 meeting of the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, FL by attending in person or via Zoom. The Zoom link can be found in the agenda at http:// monroecountyfl.iqm2.com/ citizens/default.aspx.

ADA ASSISTANCE: If you are a person with a disability who needs special accommodations in order to participate in this proceeding, please contact the County Administrator’s Office, by phoning (305) 292-4441, between the hours of 8:30a.m.—5:00p.m., prior to the scheduled meeting; if you are hearing or voiceimpaired, call “711”. Live Closed-Captioning is available via our web portal @ http:// monroecountyfl.iqm2.com/ Citizens/Default.aspx for meetings of the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners.

Dated at Key West, Florida, this 3rd day of October, 2023.

KEVIN MADOK, Clerk of the Circuit Court and Ex Officio Clerk of the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida Publish: October 12, 2023 The Weekly Newspapers

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 SECTION 733.702 OF THE FLORIDA PROBATE CODE WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIOD 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: October 12, 2023.

Personal Representative: KELLEY ANNE McMANN 1027 Gilbraltar Rd. Key Largo, FL 33037 Attorney for Personal Representatives: URBAN J. W. PATTERSON, ESQ. Email: ujwplaw@gmail.com Secondary Email: ujwplawfirm@yahoo.com Florida Bar No. 382035 Urban J. W. Patterson, P.A. P.O. Box 783 Islamorada, Florida 33036 Telephone: 305-664-5065 Publish: October 12 & 19, 2023 The Weekly Newspapers

PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE Florida Keys Council of the Arts Notice of Upcoming Meeting The Florida Keys Council of the Arts will hold the following meetings via Communications Media Technology using a ZOOM webinar platform. The access points to view the meeting or for members of the public to provide public input will be: JOIN ZOOM via the Zoom app and use each meeting ID and password listed.

Meetings are open to the public, and all are invited to attend. Questions, or to RSVP, please email Liz Young at director@keysarts.com Art in Public Places Committee Meeting Time: Oct 17, 2023 12:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 876 1776 0038 Passcode: 791513 Membership Committee Meeting Time: Oct 26, 2023 10:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 819 4245 3591 Passcode: 263387 Publish: October 12, 2023 The Weekly Newspapers PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE The Monroe County Tourist Development Council will hold their regularly-scheduled meeting on Tuesday, October 31, 2023, at 10:00 A.M., at the Islander Resort, 82100 Overseas Highway, Islamorada, Florida 33036.

The Visit Florida Keys Corporation will also convene during this meeting.

All Tourist Development Council Meetings are open to the public, and one or more County Commissioners may be in attendance.

ADA ASSISTANCE: If

NOTICE OF INTENTION TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF COUNTY ORDINANCE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN that on October 18, 2023, at 9:00 A.M. or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard, at the Marathon

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 2023-CP-113-P IN RE: ESTATE OF LARRY ALLEN McMANN Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS The administration of the estate of LARRY ALLEN McMANN, deceased, whose date of death was April 4, 2023, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 88820 Overseas Highway, Plantation Key, FL 33070. The names and addresses of the

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 23-CP-240-K IN RE: ESTATE OF JOHN E. IMBUS Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS The administration of the estate of JOHN E. IMBUS, deceased, whose date of death was December 11, 2021, is pending in the Monroe County Courthouse - Key West, Probate Division, the address of which is 500 Whitehead Street, Key West, FL 33040. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below.

All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court 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

12

KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP / OCTOBER 12, 2023

• CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES •

305.743.0844

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

AUTOS WANTED

EMPLOYMENT

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: October 12, 2023.

Personal Representative: STEPHEN C. GINN 5517 NE 31 Avenue Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308 Attorney for Personal Representative: SHARON QUINN DIXON Florida Bar No. 350311 Stearns Weaver Miller Weissler Alhadeff & Sitterson, P.A. Attorneys for Personal Representative 2200 Museum Tower 150 West Flagler Street Miami, Florida 33130 Telephone: 305-789-3200 E-mail: sdixon@stearnsweaver. com Publish: October 12 & 19, 2023 The Weekly Newspapers

PATRICIA KEYES Florida Bar No. 61663 Law Office of Patricia Keyes, P.A. 111 N Pine Island Road Plantation, FL 33324 Telephone: 954-233-0682 E-mail Addresses: patty@mypklaw.org jodi@mypklaw.org Publish: October 12 & 19, 2023 The Weekly Newspapers

Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS The administration of the estate of BRUCE ALAN YORK, deceased, whose date of death was March 3, 2023, Case: 23-CP-153-K, is pending in the Circuit Court, Probate Division, the address of which is 500 Whitehead Street, Key West, FL 33040. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below.

All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate, including unmatured, contingent or unliquidated claims, on whom a copy of this notice is served must file their claims with this court WITHIN THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE 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, including unmatured, contingent or unliquidated claims, must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT SO FILED WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. The date of first publication of this Notice is: October 12, 2023.

Personal Representative: ALLEN LEVINE c/o Samuel J. Kaufman Law Offices of Samuel J. Kaufman, P.A. 3130 Northside Drive Key West, Florida 33040 Attorney for Personal Representative: Samuel J. Kaufman, Esq. Florida Bar No. 0144304 Law Offices of Samuel J. Kaufman, P.A. 3130 Northside Drive Key West, Florida 33040 Email designation for service: Service.Probate@ samkaufmanlaw.com Telephone: (305) 292-3926 Fax: (305) 295-7947 Publish: October 12 & 19, 2023 The Weekly Newspapers

Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS The administration of the estate of LISA JANE DIGBY, deceased, whose date of death was May 14, 2023, is pending in the Circuit Court for MONROE County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 500 Whitehead Street, Key West, FL 33040. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below.

All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court 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: October 5, 2023.

Personal Representative: STEVEN JAMES DIGBY Duval House, 4 Mount View Ilfracombe, N. Devon EX34 9PD, UNITED KINGDOM Attorney for Personal Representative: Heather C. Kirson Attorney Florida Bar Number: 0044359 The Elder Law Center of Kirson & Fuller 1407 E. Robinson Street Orlando, FL 32081 Telephone: (407) 422-3017 Fax: (407) 730-7101 E-mail: hwilson@kirsonfuller. com Secondary E-Mail: kwakeman@kirsonfuller.com Publish: October 5 & 12, 2023 The Weekly Newspapers

NOTICE TO CREDITORS The administration of the estate of CYNTHIA PAIGE O. SHRIVER, deceased, whose date of death was July 15, 2023, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 3117 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050. The estate is testate and the date of the decedent’s Will and any codicils are July 11, 2023. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below.

All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court WITHIN THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against the decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN SECTION 733.702 OF THE FLORIDA PROBATE CODE WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED. The date of first publication of this Notice is: October 5, 2023.

Personal Representative: Kristen E. Shriver 72 Michener Court North Chesterfield, VA 23234 Attorney for Personal Representative: James J. Dorl, Esq. Florida Bar No. 618403 JAMES J. DORL, P.A. Suite 12 First Professional Centre 5701 Overseas Highway Marathon, FL 33050 Telephone: (305) 743-6565 Facsimile: (305) 743-4143 e-mail: jjdorl@yahoo.com Publish: October 5 & 12, 2023 The Weekly Newspapers

AUTOS ALL YEARS! Junk or Used Cars, Vans, Trucks.

Runs or Not. $CASH 305-332-0483

Hiring: Lead Gutter Installer - EXPERIENCE REQUIRED – valid Driver’s License must be comfortable with heights - located in Tavernier. To apply, please call or text Jay 305-587-1581.

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 2023-CP-000201-K IN RE: ESTATE OF LISA JANE DIGBY

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 2023-CP-065-M IN RE: ESTATE OF CYNTHIA PAIGE O. SHRIVER, Deceased.

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 23-CP-000143-K IN RE: ESTATE OF ANN STELLA a/k/a ANNA STELLA Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS The administration of the estate of ANN STELLA a/k/a ANNA STELLA, deceased, whose date of death was September 4, 2022, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 500 Whitehead Street, Key West, FL 33040. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below.

All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court 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 PERIOD 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: October 12, 2023.

Personal Representative: PATRICIA A. FREDERICK 9315 NW 1 ST CORAL SPRINGS, FL 33071 Attorney for Personal Representative:

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 23-CP-000144-K IN RE: ESTATE OF PETER PAUL STELLA, Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS The administration of the estate of PETER PAUL STELLA, deceased, whose date of death was April 26, 2022, is pending in the Circuit Court for MONROE County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 500 Whitehead Street, Key West, FL 33040. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below.

All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court 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 PERIOD 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: October 12, 2023.

Personal Representative: PATRICIA A. FREDERICK 9315 NW 1 ST CORAL SPRINGS, FL 33071 Attorney for Personal Representative: PATRICIA KEYES Florida Bar No. 61663 Law Offices of Patricia Keyes, P.A. 111 N Pine Island Road Plantation, FL 33324 Telephone: 954-233-0682 E-mail Addresses: patty@mypklaw.org jodi@mypklaw.org Publish: October 12 & 19, 2023 The Weekly Newspapers IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION CASE NO.: 23-CP-153-K IN RE: THE ESTATE OF BRUCE ALAN YORK,

CROSSWORD SOLUTION

EMPLOYMENT

Frank’s Grill - NOW HIRING: SERVERS Apply in person at 11400 Overseas Highway, Marathon 305-289-7772 Dolphins Plus Marine Mammal Responder now hiring Guest Service Representative responsibilities include assisting guests at our Key Largo and Islamorada locations, making reservations and/or answering questions over phone and inperson, taking and processing photos, and checking-in and out guests visiting our facility. To apply, please send your resume to andreaw@ d p m m r . o r g .

Boat rental company in Marathon needs an Outboard Mechanic.

Some general marina work, and boat experience a plus.

Call 305-481-7006 Now Hiring in Marathon – Part time office position, needs to have prior office experience, Mon-Fri 8am-1pm.

Starting at $17/hour. Please apply in person at Discount Rock & Sand, 10500 Aviation Blvd, Unit 2, Marathon.

SUDOKU SOLUTION

The Housing Authority of the City of Key West now hiring the following positions: Housing ManagerMiddle Keys, Resident Activities Coordinator, Housekeeper, HVAC Maintenance M e c h a n i c , Maintenance M e c h a n i c (Maintenance Worker) and Grounds Caretaker. To apply, please contact Human Resources at: martinezm@ k w h a . o r g 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 o p p o r t u n i t y is covered under Section 3 of the HUD Act of 1968.

City of Marathon Current Job Openings: Administrative Asst.

Fire Department and Right of Way Technician.

Full Benefits. EOE Please see City website for details www. ci.marathon.fl.us Immediate openings for experienced plumbers and helpers (with or without experience - we will train the right person).

Must have a valid driver's license & clean driving record. Please apply in person at 10700 5th Avenue Gulf, Marathon or email resume to: eerpinc@gmail.com Place your Help Wanted ad here for $25.00/week for up to 5 lines of copy. Call 305-743-0844 today!

13

OCTOBER 12, 2023 / KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP

• CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES • EMPLOYMENT

HOUSING FOR RENT

Marathon Yacht Club is hiring a part-time line cook. Responsible for food and kitchen prep.

Competitive pay at a private club, opportunities to advance.

Flexible afternoon/evening hours Wednesday – Saturday.

Call 305-743-6739 to schedule an interview

HARRY HARRIS PARK, MM93 3BR/2BA Central Air, No Pets, Long Term Lease. $3000/ mo F/L/S Call 786-493-7829

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

HOBBIES/COLLECT.

P R I V A T E C O L L E C T O R WANTS Rolex, Dive Watches and Pilot Watches. Old Model Military Clocks & Watches.

Call 305-743-4578 MISC. FOR SALE

Nice sturdy E-Bike Radcity 5+ stepthru regular tires essentially new (10mi) 30+ range 20mph.

Located in Tavernier. $1500. 305-522-2846 Place your Misc.

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

MISC. WANTED

WANTED: 2500 gallon water cistern for underground installation.

650224-6294 camper@ sbcglobal.net HOUSING FOR RENT

2 Bedroom 1 Bath house in Marathon.

Tile floor, appliances, gated property. No pets. $2,700/mo. including electric, water, & sewer.

305-610-8002 Large One Bedroom Suite, Conch House, carpet, tile, appliances, fully furnished in Marathon. $2,000/ month includes electric, water, sewer, cable, internet. No Pets. 305-610-8002

Islamorada: Very Large 2BR Apt for rent in beautiful White Marlin Beach on the water. Yearly lease. $2,000/monthly - all utilities included .

F/L/S 305-522-2702 Leave message.

Place your Housing For Rent ad here. $25.00/week for up to 5 lines of copy.

Call 305-743-0844 .

YARD SALES

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

305.743.0844

NOW HIRING IN ISLAMORADA

HEAVY DIESEL MECHANIC We are hiring a heavy diesel mechanic with experience working on John Deere, Caterpillar, Kubota, etc.

Monday-Friday with some overtime available.

Please apply at Charley Toppino & Sons, Inc. 129 Toppino Industrial Dr, Key West – ask for Cheryl 305-296-5606 extension 126

MARATHON GARBAGE SERVICE We are now hiring for the following positions:

Diesel Mechanic Truck Helpers CDL Drivers Applicants must apply in person to be considered.

4290 Overseas Hwy, Marathon

MARINA CASHIER Must have customer service experience working in a retail environment and using a point of sale system. Additional duties include restocking, completing purchase orders, daily ordering of basic items in the store, and maintaining a clean appearance in the store. This is an hourly position and compensation is based on experience. Work hours are flexible and we try to maintain a set weekly schedule.

Please respond by email (Matt at islamarinamatt@gmail.com) with any relevant previous experience and at least two references.

NOW HIRING IN ISLAMORADA

BOAT RENTAL STAFF

FLEXIBLE HOURS & COMPETITIVE WAGES 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.

Email Matt at eliteboatrentalsmatt@gmail.com.

Please include contact information and any relevant experience.

NOW HIRING FT FRONT OFFICE ASSISTANT MARATHON, FL 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.

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. dynastymarine.net

WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT OPERATOR A LOCATION: CUDJOE KEY

The Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority’s WASTEWATER DIVISION is looking for a WWTP Operator with a Florida “A” license. You will perform skilled/technical work involving the operation and maintenance of a wastewater treatment plant. This requires technical knowledge and independent judgment to make treatment process adjustments and perform maintenance on plant equipment, machinery, and related control apparatus in accordance with established standards and procedures. Annual salary $90,000. Benefit package is extremely competitive!

Apply online at www.fkaa.com/employment

EEO, VPE, ADA, DFW

14

KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP / OCTOBER 12, 2023

• CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES 305.743.0844 • CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES • •305.743.0844

Work with the BEST!

• Health, Dental, Vision & Life Insurance • Tuition Reimbursement • Paid Holidays, Vacation & Sick Time • 401K Employer Match • Quarterly Cash Profit Sharing • Fun, Fast-Paced Environment • Great Hours

Voted Best Bank 2014 - 2023 Key West Accountant III/Regulatory & Financial Reporting Facilities & Grounds Maintenance Technician

Frank’s Grill Now Hiring SERVERS Apply in person at 11400 Overseas Highway, Marathon 305-289-7772

Full Time Floating Teller

IS HIRING IN THE UPPER KEYS

FULL TIME PROJECT MANAGER EXPERIENCED TRIM CARPENTER CONTRACT ADMINISTRATOR – WILL TRAIN Send resume to: admin@cbtconstruction.com Or call: 305-852-3002

Lower Keys Customer Service Representative/Branch Lobby

NOW HIRING DIVE INSTRUCTOR

Middle Keys Assistant Branch Operations Manager

Apply Online at KeysBank.com/Careers

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

11710 OVERSEAS HWY, MARATHON

Member FDIC

EOE-M/F/V/D

Equal Housing Lender

Full-time, split-shift, In-Home Support Coach/Trainer to provide companionship and assist clients with training/ support. HSD/GED & 1 yr. exp in a related field. 1 year of college can substitute for experience. Must be able to use a tablet for documentation purposes. The shift for this job is split shift 7-9 AM then 3-9 PM. We can be flexible. English language, speaking and writing, proficiency is a must.

FL driver’s license w/good driving record, references and background screening required. This is a rewarding position for the right person.

Apply at 1401 Seminary St., Key West or online at www.marchouse.org. For more information, please contact hr@marchouse.org, phone: 305.294.9526 *32 , fax 305.292.0078 1401 Seminary St, Key West, www.marchouse.org Come join our family! EOE

IS HIRING! SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT JOB COACH UPPER KEYS (TAVERNIER) P/T This position works with our clients in obtaining and retaining employment in the local community.

Minimum requirements: a bachelor’s degree OR 4 years of experience with DD individuals; a combination of formal education and experience are accepted.

Good computer skills utilizing multiple applications.

Florida driver’s license with a clean driving record required. English language, speaking and writing, proficiency is a must. Pre-hire coursework is required and ability to pass a Level 2 background check.

Apply at 1401 Seminary St., Key West or online at www.marchouse.org For more information, please contact hr@marchouse.org, phone: 305-294-9526 *32, fax: 305-292-0078 Come join our family! EOE

SUNSET GRILLE IS HIRING

• Bussers • Hosts • Line Cooks • Waitstaff • Bartenders • Dishwashers • Bar Backs Apply in person at Sunset Grille & Raw Bar, 7 Knight’s Key Blvd, Marathon

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

TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION T&D ELECTRICAL ENGINEER Starting pay rate for this position, depending on qualifications and experience: $108,332/annually $111,365/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 qualifications and experience: $40.35/hr. - $45.19/hr.

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

KEYS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

KEYS promotes a Drug-Free Workplace.

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

15

OCTOBER 12, 2023 / KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP

• CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC && LEGAL NOTICES • • 305.743.0844 • CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC LEGAL NOTICES 305.743.0844 The Guidance/Care Center, Inc. a division of

“Uplifting the human spirit since 1973”

THE GUIDANCE/CARE CENTER, Inc.

IS HIRING!

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

Advocate Behavioral Health Therapist (Child) Case Manager (Child)

KEY WEST

Peer Support Specialist Prevention Specialist Advocate Behavioral Health Therapist (Child, Adult) Behavioral Health Counselor (Children) Case Manager (Adult)

MARATHON

EXPERIENCED ELECTRICIANS AND HELPERS NEEDED Experience is required.

Must have a valid driver’s license.

We offer 401K, medical insurance, paid holidays and paid vacation.

Positions available in Key West and Marathon. 305-292-3369

Driver Care Coordinator Behavioral Health Therapist (Child, Adult) RNs/LPNs - 3 shifts (also Per Diem) Maintenance Specialist *Behavioral Health Technicians 3 shifts (also Per Diem) Peer Support Specialist *Support Worker – Assisted Living *No experience required for these positions.

Will train. A caring heart & helpful hands required.

Background and drug screen req.

COMPETITIVE PAY! EXCEPTIONAL BENEFITS!!!

Check out all available positions at: www.westcare.com (search by zip code) EEOC/DFWP

THEME: HEALTH & FITNESS

DUI EVALUATOR/ INSTRUCTOR

DOLPHIN RESEARCH CENTER

The Advocate DUI Program is hiring for part time positions.

DUI instructors and evaluators - 2 days a week, Bachelors or Masters degree in substance abuse field required. Bilingual preferred, not required. Office located in Marathon. Contact Marcia at 305-704-0117.

IS HIRING! Volunteer Resources Administrative Assistant (Full-Time, Permanent)

Accounting Director (Full-Time, Permanent)

Facilities Maintenance Apprentice (Full-Time, Permanent)

Education Program Host (Full-Time, Permanent)

MARATHON GARBAGE SERVICE We are now hiring for the following positions:

Diesel Mechanic Truck Helpers CDL Drivers Applicants must apply in person to be considered.

4290 Overseas Hwy, Marathon

Medical Technician (Full-Time, Permanent)

Benefits include medical, life & disability insurance, 401(k) plan, paid vacation, sick time & holidays.

Full job descriptions available at www.dolphins.org/career_opportunities Email cover letter, DRC application & resume to drc-hr@dolphins.org EOE

DOLPHIN RESEARCH CENTER 58901 O/S Hwy - Grassy Key, FL Teaching... Learning... Caring

ACROSS 1. Century Gothic, e.g.

5. Good times 8. Pi times radius squared 12. D’Artagnan’s sword 13. Before “saw” and “conquered” 14. Honeybunch 15. *Contagious skin bump 16. Centers of activity 17. One of a duo on “Sesame Street” 18. *Estrogen and testosterone 20. Tiny piece of anything 21. *Pertaining to ear 22. Pocket watch chain 23. Bed “on the tree top” 26. Home ground 30. Yankee’s foe 31. Heart-to-heart 34. First Nation nation 35. Clumsy 37. Summer mo.

38. Boris Godunov and Nicholas Romanov 39. ____ 1 jet speed 40. Last in octad 42. Intelligent humor 43. Win or go home competition 45. Actor Snipes 47. Not stood 48. Knitter’s unit 50. *Eye part 52. *Vitamins’ partners 55. Old-time calculators 56. Port of Yemen 57. Memorization method 59. Greek Bs 60. Bank on 61. Crazy one 62. Yamaguchi or Hamill’s jump 63. *”Bad” cholesterol, acr.

64. Rudolph, e.g.

DOWN 1. Like proud marines 2. Moonfish 3. Infamous Roman Emperor 4. Between triad and pentad 5. Flora’s partner 6. Umbrella-like inflorescence 7. “The Untouchables” leader 8. *Richard Simmons’ workout 9. Deliver a tirade 10. Lake north of Cleveland 11. Sailor’s assent 13. *Uncontrollable movement disorder 14. Retire from military 19. Deprive by deceit 22. *”All the rage” diet, e.g.

23. Way to curl hair 24. *Pertaining to kidneys 25. Manila hemp 26. *H in HIIT 27. Type of fishing net 28. Eagle’s nest 29. Easily irritated 32. Naive, alt. spelling 33. Excavated 36. *Annual exam 38. Not our 40. Young newt 41. Maid to a maid 44. Desert mirage 46. L. Carroll’s and J. Heller’s characters 48. Chose between competitors 49. Funereal bell sound 50. Wild goat 51. Loan attribute 52. Lime-rich soil 53. Dirty money 54. Greek portico 55. Legal grp.

58. *Heart test acronym