Upper Keys Weekly 24-0328

Nothing compares to Buccaneer Point Estates

Situated directly on the bay, this solid concrete home is tucked away on a private street, offering unparalleled privacy and the sought-after allure of waterfront living. Experience a modern masterpiece built to incorporate and withstand nature's elements. Interior features draw on the natural backdrop, fusing coastal design with modern architecture. Upon entering the residence and ascending the stairs, panoramic waterfront views unfold across the entire home through floor-to-ceiling windows. This home offers five bedrooms, three full bathrooms, and two half bathrooms. Two spacious bedrooms share a bathroom on the main living level with an additional half bathroom in the hallway and two additional bedrooms located on the third floor share an adjoining bathroom. The primary suite features floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the bay, two private balconies, an office nook, and a resort-style bathroom. Notable features in the primary suite include a custom walk-in closet, a dual entry rain shower, a stand alone jet tub, and marble tile throughout. Continue up the stairs to access the rooftop terrace where you can enjoy 360 degree sunset views, soak in the hot tub, entertain guests, and serve drinks from the enclosed wet bar! Complete with an elevator accessing each floor up to the third story. Outdoor amenities include an in-ground pool, artificial turf grass, mature landscaping, covered entertaining space, a two-car carport, and a pier dock offering deepwater dockage for all your vessels including a 20,000 pound lift and jet ski lift. This location offers unparalleled boating access with close proximity to Adam's Cut and Tavernier Creek to venture oceanside.

89240 Overseas Hwy. Suite 2 Tavernier, FL 33070

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Se habla español THE UPPER KEYS WEEKLY (ISSN 1944-0812) IS PUBLISHED WEEKLY FOR $125 PER YEAR BY WEEKLY NEWSPAPERS, INC., 9709 OVERSEAS HIGHWAY, MARATHON

According to the Associated Press, there have been 35 major bridge collapses worldwide due to ship or barge collisions. On March 26, a ship container lost power and collided with Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, collapsing and sending vehicles into the water. A search for six construction workers was called off and they were presumed dead on March 27.

Children run to grab eggs at the start of the Spring Fest Easter egg hunt at Founders Park in Islamorada on April 8, 2023.

Live stream lifts the veil on ‘most promising leads’ behind spinning fish, sawfish deaths

ALEX RICKERT alex@keysweekly.com

Scientists hot on the trail of the root cause behind unprecedented sawfish deaths and spinning fish throughout the Florida Keys say they don’t have all the answers yet. But thanks to new information unearthed in a massive collaborative effort over the last three months, they could be on the right path.

An hour-long March 20 live stream conducted by the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust (BTT), one of several organizations on the front lines in combating the strange phenomena, provided arguably the most substantial public update so far, pairing BTT biologist Ross Boucek and vice president Kellie Ralston with Michael Parsons, director of Florida Gulf Coast University’s Vester Field Station, and the University of South Alabama’s Alison Robertson. Other leading collaborators include the Lower Keys Guides Association (LKGA), Florida International University, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).

Boucek outlined four “lines of inquiry” that began in January 2024 after reports of spinning fish began in October 2023 and seemed to intensify in December: potential contamination from human-generated sources, such as wastewater effluent or pesticides; evidence of degrading fish health metrics, possibly indicating long-term illnesses or high loads of pathogens or parasites; contaminants stemming from the water column, including red tide; or toxins stemming from the sea floor.

So far, Boucek said, 25 research missions since mid-January including 30 biologists and 12 fishing guides have yielded 150 fish samples, 200 water samples and more than 200 substrate samples, along with more than 200 reports of symptomatic fish

– all but two of which originated from inshore waters.

“The reports cover 35 different species from forage fish to game fish, sharks, rays and everything else in between,” he said. “Whatever this is, it does not discriminate based on species size, migratory pathways or behavior.”

Narrowing the focus

While some were quick to point to human waste or pesticides as news of the event spread, Boucek said that at the time of the live stream, partners including DEP had yet to identify any elevated levels of human-generated contaminants in Keys waters. Similarly, fish health metrics from assessed samples are normal, and water chemistry parameters including salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH and temperatures show nothing out of the ordinary. FWC scientists have yet to find elevated levels of the algae causing red tide in Florida (Karenia brevis), or the toxins associated with this algae, in the collected water samples, Boucek and Robertson said.

So what’s unusual?

The team’s first lead, Parsons said, came from elevated levels of a family of algae known as Gambierdiscus detected in the water column in areas with affected fish, as well as in the gut contents of some affected animals.

“It’s a benthic species, so seeing it in the water is a little unusual,” said Parsons, who added that abundances of the organisms were “anywhere from five times higher to about 30 times above averages we’ve seen over the past 10 years” near seagrass beds with fish exhibiting the erratic behavior.

“The maximum numbers we saw were below 10,000 cells per liter of water,” Parsons added. In that concentration, he said, the algae won’t trigger a visible color change in the water, as commonly observed with red tide. “That (number) is a lot for Gambierdiscus, but it’s not a lot in terms of our typical blooming species. So that’s one reason why Gambierdiscus was kind of under the radar here.”

An umbrella term for a genus that includes more than a dozen indi-

Continued on page 20

TOURISM BOARD FIRES MARKETING DIRECTOR IN UNANIMOUS DECISION

Stacey Mitchell’s lawyer blames political payback for criticism & ouster

GWEN FILOSA gwen@keysweekly.com

The Monroe County Tourism Development Council Board fired its top employee, marketing director Stacey Mitchell, in a unanimous vote on March 26, five months after a county audit questioned her job performance and ethics.

County Mayor Holly Raschein, who sits on the TDC board as an elected official, made the motion during a regular meeting of the TDC board, which is Mitchell’s employer, at the DoubleTree Resort in Key West.

“Our community is craving some accountability,” Raschein said. “This is not personal. We’re a small community, a very close-knit community. Tourism is our No. 1 industry. After a lot of conversations and reflection, I wanted to bring this item forward.”

Mitchell had been on paid suspension since November 2023. She was promoted to the marketing director job in 2017, after 18 years of working as the TDC’s director of sales.

She took over the TDC in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, which devastated parts of the Lower Keys as a massive Category 4 storm.

On Tuesday, George Fernandez was the first TDC board member called to vote during the roll call. He paused for a moment and with a solemn expression said, “Yes.”

The rest of the board, which is largely made up of professionals who work in various tourism industries, followed suit, making an 11-0 vote to fire Mitchell without cause.

Mitchell didn’t appear at the meeting but her attorney Zachary Z. Zermay, of Coral Gables, told the board she is being “thrown under the bus” because she became a political target over TDC funding for Monroe County’s recent 200th anniversary celebration.

“It’s an election year,” Zermay said.

In the audience at the TDC board meeting once again was Monroe County State Attorney Dennis Ward, who since November 2023 said his office is taking a hard look at the TDC. Ward hired the Miami-based Berkowitz Pollack Brant Advisors (BPB) to conduct a forensic audit, which is still pending.

Mitchell’s attorney: Politics is behind the criticism

The ongoing series of critical audits of the TDC’s finances arose out of political payback, according to Zermay, who in a March 22 letter to LimbertBarrows auditors directed county staff to only speak with him and not Mitchell in the future.

The TDC’s Key West Area District Advisory Council last year denied a request from Commissioner Craig Cates for $150,000 to put on a special drone show for the bicentennial, after the county’s own application for the funding request was late, Zermay said.

Monroe County did eventually receive funding by going over the TDC’s head and getting approval from the county commission. The drone lights display at the Truman Waterfront in Key West took place in March 2023 for the bicentennial, with 250 drones lighting the sky in various celebratory patterns as an alternative to fireworks.

“That may be the pretext for the animosity that we’re getting directed to Ms. Mitchell,” said Zermay, of the Zermay Law Firm, whose Florida Bar profile lists his practice areas as consumer and personal injury law.

Board members on Tuesday did not respond to Zermay’s comments. Instead, they took the advice of Assistant County Attorney Christine Limbert-Barrows.

“It’s not worth debating whether there is cause or not,” Limbert-Barrows told the board before the 11-0 vote removing Mitchell from the top job. “Proceed without cause is my recommendation. That is the path of least resistance.”

Zermay told Keys Weekly after the vote that Mitchell’s firing amounts to wrongful termination.

The county’s scrutiny of the TDC began Oct. 31, 2023, when County Clerk Kevin Madok released an audit criticizing TDC’s financial management, after his office found noncompliance with county policies along with ethical concerns.

“Ms. Mitchell is marketing director of the TDC,” Zermay said. “She’s not the comptroller. There’s a separate constitutional office to deal with this sort of thing.”

Mitchell, as marketing director, was in charge of the TDC, which currently has no chief financial officer or comptroller overseeing the accounting and financial reporting.

Managing the various TDC budgets was Mitchell’s job, along with managing the in-house staff and the outsourced advertising, public relations and website agencies. She was also the primary liaison to the TDC board and five district advisory committees.

BOCC expressed frustration with Mitchell

The unanimous vote comes a month after the same members stuck up for Mitchell and rejected a motion by Commissioner Cates to fire her, and a week after the Board of County Commissioners expressed frustration that she hadn’t yet met with Cherry Bekaert, the accounting firm they hired last year to review the TDC’s financial management.

“Interviewing Ms. Mitchell is the last interview, then they just need to finalize their report,” County Attorney Bob Shillinger told the BOCC at its regular meeting March 20. “We’re getting to the end of the audit. Time to make decisions is coming near.”

Commissioner Michelle Lincoln asked the county attorney what it would take to end the contract with Visit Florida Keys, the not-for-profit corporation that is the TDC’s executive office.

Shillinger called that move a “nuclear option.”

“I am extremely disappointed that this is the response that Ms. Mitchell is making as a person on paid leave to

not cooperate with the audit that our county is paying for to get clarification,” Lincoln said. “It’s a vote of lack of confidence in Stacey to even remain in this position and be paying her any more. It’s mind-boggling.”

“I thought the last two audits were very clear they needed to change directors because of insufficiencies in several places,” Cates said. “We are paying that director I believe $17,000 a month on administrative leave, taxpayers’ money that the TDC funds. If she’s not cooperating, I think it’s time to move forward.”

Commissioner Jim Scholl said, “There’s no excuse for delays. You should be audit ready, you should be inspection ready, you should be investigative ready every day.”

Zermay on Tuesday said Mitchell wasn’t refusing to meet with auditors at all.

“We requested that the auditors go ahead and submit their questions in writing to us,” he said. “They declined to do so. I said, ‘OK, well I’d like to be present with Ms. Mitchell.’ They said that’s not required.”

The auditors weren’t cooperative with the requests, Zermay told the TDC board.

“They were taking the, ‘it’s our way or the highway,’ he said.

The Clerk of Court’s Office has released separate audits of the TDC, NewmanPR and Tinsely Advertising.

Only Tinsley received a favorable review. Auditors ripped NewmanPR – which has had a 40–year business relationship with Monroe County – on multiple business practices they said amounted to “fiscal arrogance.”

Andy Newman, president of the PR firm his father Stuart Newman originally started in Miami in 1946, and his attorney called the clerk’s audit on NewmanPR biased. The audit accused NewmanPR of double-billing, having put in reimbursement requests for photography services separate from the firm’s monthly fee. But County Attorney Shillinger had previously announced that he found no evidence of double-billing by NewmanPR.

“The clerk’s office is free to have a different view,” Shillinger told the BOCC on Nov. 8, 2023.

One county audit remains in progress. Two Oceans Digital, which handles the TDC website and digital media, is being reviewed.

Stacey Mitchell worked for the Tourist Development Council since 1999. FILE PHOTO

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GOVERNOR SIGNS SOCIAL MEDIA BAN FOR MINORS

Bill changed to lower age limit & give parents a say

On March 25, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 3, which restricts those who are 14 and younger from having certain social media accounts. PIXABAY

JIM McCARTHY

jim@keysweekly.com

Abill prohibiting children from accessing certain social media platforms was signed into law by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis during a March 25 press conference in Jacksonville.

The original legislation — passed with overwhelming support from Democrats and Republicans — aimed to restrict those 16 and younger from holding certain social media accounts. DeSantis vetoed that bill on March 1, citing the lack of parental power over allowing their kids on social media and the opportunity for Floridians to remain anonymous online.

A new bill proposed barring those younger than 14 from becoming a social media account holder. Language was also added to allow parents to decide whether their 14- and 15-yearolds can have a social media account. The new measure, House Bill 3, received House and Senate approval on March 6.

Under House Bill 3, social media companies will be forced to delete existing accounts of those who are under 14. Companies failing to comply could be hit with financial penalties up to $50,000 per violation, in addition to attorney fees and court costs. The bill aims to keep minors off social media platforms that allow them to upload or view content from other users, have addictive features like infinite scrolling, and use algorithms that analyze users’ data to select content for them. The bill doesn’t identify any specific social media companies.

DeSantis alluded to the threat of predators using social media to reach kids who are seemingly safe at home.

“You can do everything right, but they know how to manipulate these different platforms. It’s created huge problems,” DeSantis said.

Republican House Speaker Paul Renner said the bill is focused on the addiction associated with social media platforms and how that harms children, not the First Amendment right to speech. Renner said the bill addresses addictive features that give a dopamine hit to keep users online longer.

“Children are not set up to handle the addiction that some of us as adults had to face and step away from,” Renner said during the March 25 press conference. “Unlike an adult who can make an adult decision and say, ‘I drank too much last night, I need to drink less or stop drinking altogether’ … a child in their brain development doesn’t have the ability to know they’re being sucked into these addictive technologies and to see the harm and step away from that. Because of that, we have to step in and help them.”

The new law, which takes effect Jan. 1, 2025, could face a legal battle. NetChoice, in a March 8 statement, said House Bill 3 is an “unconstitutional law that will protect exactly zero Floridians.” NetChoice is a trade association of online businesses that advocates for free expression and free enterprise on the internet. Association members include X (formerly Twitter), Google, Etsy and Pinterest, to name a few.

“HB 3 is also bad policy because of the data collection on Floridians by online services it will in effect require. This will put their private data at risk of breach,” said Carl Szabo, vice president and general counsel for NetChoice.

Renner said the law will withstand scrutiny in the federal courts on First Amendment grounds because it zeroed in on addictive technology and not content.

REALITY CHECK: KEYS HAVE 3K BUILDABLE LOTS LEFT

County has legal defenses in potential takings cases

For years, the number of remaining vacant, buildable lots floating across the Florida Keys was just under 8,000.

People across the island chain would ballpark the number of privately-owned parcels still available at 7,900 when talking about development and real estate deals or concerns over quality of life and environmental health.

But realistically the number is less than half, hovering around 3,000, according to new findings by the county planner released to the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners on March 20.

The new estimated total of 3,000 in the Keys is based on applying zoning requirements that would allow construction on the lots, such as removing those that are essentially submerged land. It’s not a final tally, but rather a far more realistic take than the longstanding 7,900 figure.

“It is approximate; I probably missed some,” said Emily Schemper, the county’s planning and environmental resources director.

After two months of sifting through data and applying zoning laws to each parcel, Schemper found 2,200 lots in unincorporated Monroe that could potentially support development. The city of Marathon reported having about 550 while Islamorada clocked its total at 200.

At the very least, Monroe could put the new 3,000 number into hurricane evacuation models used by the state, Schemper said.

“I am not suggesting or proposing that that becomes the preferred number for proposed ROGO allocations,” she told the BOCC.

Many people have been focused on FloridaCommerce’s use of the 7,900 available lots to come up with various evacuation models that they released late last year.

Key Colony Beach doesn’t participate in ROGO and doesn’t appear interested in starting now, Schemper said. Ocean Reef also wasn’t included.

The city of Key West reported having 84 lots but has likely already assigned allocations for them, county staff said.

When the Florida state department rebranded as FloridaCommerce released hurricane evacuation models, linked to the number of new building permits made available to the Keys, it used a maximum figure of 7,954 – including some 6,000 in unincorporated Monroe.

The BOCC has the rest of the year to respond to the state with a request for Rate-of-Growth allocations and a hurricane evacuation plan. So they’ve assigned themselves a crash course in their available options.

In 2020, the county adopted ordinances to extend remaining allocations through 2026.

At the same time, people in the Keys say it’s time to stop encouraging development of an already fragile environment where traffic on U.S. 1 has become routinely nightmarish in the Upper Keys and the water pipeline is under construction due to failings.

“We need to take as few ROGOs as possible,” Dottie Moses, president of the Island of Key Largo Federation of Homeowner Associations. “Our future is at stake.”

Bracing for potential lawsuits

When it comes to limiting development, looming over Keys officials is the vision of having to fend off a crush of new lawsuits seeking millions upon millions in compensation.

Monroe County leaders and staff are studying takings case law, or the liability the government has for being accused of depriving people of property, in this case rendering it undevelopable, and how to fend off such suits.

The county could explore putting a moratorium on property development as it works on a response to the state on building permits, according to its legal team.

“A moratorium would be appropriate and would be defensible,” Assistant County Attorney Derek Howard told the BOCC at a special ROGO workshop in Key Largo on March 20.

“It’s not a permanent ban on development,” Howard said. “Just for the time being while we figure out how to proceed in the face of the shortage of allocations while we decide what we want to ask for from the state.”

GWEN FILOSA gwen@keysweekly.com

HELICOPTER CRASH INJURES TWO PEOPLE IN TAVERNIER

JIM McCARTHY jim@keysweekly.com

Two people were transported to the hospital with injuries after a two-seat helicopter crashed on takeoff in the Upper Keys on March 24.

First responders rushed to the scene before 2:15 p.m. just outside Tavernaero Airport, a small airstrip on Sunshine Boulevard on Plantation Key, where they found a damaged Autogyro helicopter with an 80-yearold Key Largo man and 60-year-old man from Canada. Both occupants were transported via Islamorada Fire Rescue to Mariners Hospital in Tavernier. According to Florida Highway Patrol, the men were in stable condition as of March 24.

Plantation Key on March 24. MCSO/ Contributed

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation and Safety Board were notified of the incident.

TWO CRASHES DELAY ENTRY INTO THE KEYS

SNAPCHAT DEATH THREAT PROMPTS KWHS LOCKDOWN

Police charge Isaac Holmes, 18, for threat to kill Key West student

GWEN FILOSA gwen@keysweekly.com

An 18-year-old Upper Keys student is in jail on a half-million-dollar bond after deputies said he threatened to kill a Key West teen in a Snapchat post that prompted a March 12 lockdown at Key West High School.

Incidents on Card Sound and U.S. 1 overlapped by an hour

Card Sound Road was blocked for roughly two hours on March 22 after a

Apair of crashes stopped motorists from entering the Florida Keys via the 18-Mile Stretch and Card Sound Road on March 22.

First responders were first called to the Stretch at MM 115 around 8:20 a.m. for a crash involving a sanitation truck and a van. According to Florida Highway Patrol, a 33-year-old Miami man behind the truck’s wheel was traveling south on U.S. 1 behind a van, operated by a 69-year-old Miami man. FHP said the truck lost control and struck the van. The truck overturned, blocking all southbound lanes for roughly three hours. No injuries were reported. Traffic was rerouted to Card Sound Road.

Roughly two hours later, troopers and deputies were alerted to a crash involving a heavy duty truck pulling a trailer and a sport utility vehicle on Card Sound Road. According to troopers, a vehicle traveling in front of the truck stopped for traffic. The driver of the truck, a 39-old Homestead man, lost control and struck the SUV. The accident blocked both lanes of Card Sound Road for two hours as troopers investigated the crash. A 60-year-old Sunrise man operating the SUV suffered minor injuries.

The road closures overlapped one another by about an hour, resulting in no vehicles being able to enter the Keys.

— Keys Weekly staff report

Isaac Rodney Holmes, 18, a senior standout football player at Coral Shores High School, was arrested March 18 on a felony charge of intimidation, which Florida law defines as sending “written or electronic threats to kill, do bodily injury or conduct a mass shooting or an act of terrorism.”

A week before his arrest, Holmes posted a video on his Snapchat account that tagged a Key West teen with the sentence, “w8 for u gon see cheeto.”

“Cheeto” was the nickname of Garrett Hughes, the 21-year-old Key West man and former KWHS athlete, who was fatally shot behind the former Conch Town bar on North Roosevelt Boulevard in the early hours of Feb. 13, 2023, after the Super Bowl.

It was more than the words in the Snapchat video deputies were concerned about. In the video, Holmes appeared to have a gun concealed in his pants, Monroe County Sheriff’s deputies said.

Holmes said he had a BB gun in his pants during the video, but added that he threw it away because he was afraid Key West students would screenshot the Snapchat video and call the police, according to the arrest warrant.

On March 12, school officials and police feared Holmes, having threatened to kill the 17-year-old Key West student, was headed to KWHS on a bus with a sports team coming from Coral Shores High School for an event.

Locking down the high school at 2100 Flagler Ave. took about 30 police officers along with school staff, “which resulted in a high number of resources due to Holmes making the threat,” the arrest warrant said.

The victim, whom Keys Weekly is not identifying, told deputies he saw the video with the threat on the night of March 11.

Deputies obtained an arrest warrant for Holmes on March 14, two days after the KWHS lockdown.

Key West police spokeswoman Alyson Crean said the lockdown ended with “no reason to believe a suspect was on the scene” at KWHS.

Crean said that at 1:30 p.m. on March 12, police dispatch took a call from a male who said he was sitting in a car in front of KWHS and was going to shoot people. While police were responding to the call, they learned of the social media threat, she said, describing the threats as separate instances.

Crean said the phone call was likely an act of swatting – a hoax call threatening dangerous crimes, made to send a large police presence with SWAT teams to a location. Often, the caller makes it appear as if the call is coming from a victim at the location.

Holmes has had prior trouble

At press time, Holmes remained locked up at the county jail on Stock Island on a $500,000 bond. His arraignment is set for 9 a.m. on April 9 before Monroe County Judge Mark Wilson at the courthouse in Key West.

Holmes is under a no-contact order that forbids him from contacting the juvenile victim in any way, or coming within 500 feet of the victim’s home or Key West High School.

“Holmes has been involved in several altercations at Key West High athletic events,” MCSO’s arrest warrant states, and school officials across the Keys are familiar with him.

This isn’t Holmes’ first brush with law enforcement.

On Oct. 23, 2023, Holmes was arrested on a burglary charge and misdemeanor theft, but the case record is sealed as a juvenile case.

Holmes was charged as a juvenile because he was 17 at the time of the crime, Monroe County State Attorney’s Office spokesman Steve Torrence told Keys Weekly.

A small helicopter carrying two men crashed outside the small airport on

Isaac Rodney Holmes. MCSO/ contributed

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VILLAGE ATTEMPTING TO RESOLVE GULIZIO DISPUTE

Former development services director seeking unpaid severance

JIM McCARTHY jim@keysweekly.com

Islamorada village officials and representatives of Dan Gulizio, the former development services director, are seeking a resolution to a complaint from last November that the village never paid severance.

In addition, the complaint states that the former village manager made false statements regarding Gulizio’s termination in May 2023. Gulizio is seeking unpaid severance plus damages in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

On March 20, counsel for Gulizio filed a motion for an extension to serve the complaint to the village by May 21. The plaintiff’s initial deadline was March 21.

According to court documents, the parties are conducting ongoing talks of possible settlement, and request additional time in an attempt to resolve the matter.

Two executive sessions to discuss the case were held among village council members, special counsel Brian Koji and the village attorney John Quick, of Weiss, Serota, Helfman, Cole + Bierman, on Jan. 9 and Feb. 15. Proceedings were recorded by a certified court reporter present in the room and will be made part of the public record at the litigation’s conclusion.

Documents show the village paid a little more than $2,000 for counsel services between November and December in the Gulizio matter.

According to a Nov. 6, 2023 demand letter, the village failed to pay severance to Gulizio after he was let go by Ted Yates, former village manager, on May 30. And with damages he’s also seeking following his dismissal, Gulizio believes he’s owed $317,000. Per the complaint by Gulizio’s attorney, Robert Bernstein, of the Coral Gables firm Annesser Armenteros, Gulizio wished to receive his severance in lump sum, which he was entitled to per the agreement to receive within 30 days of termination.

In October 2021, the village hired Gulizio as director of planning and development. Gulizio was brought in by Greg Oravec, who was hired as

village manager in June 2021 before leaving in January 2022. Gulizio succeeded Ty Harris, who resigned from the post in July 2021.

Dec. 1, 2021 was Gulizio’s first day on the job. A year later, his job title changed to development services director. While Gulizio agreed to the title change, his compensation and duties stayed the same.

Gulizio received a $130,000 salary with a 5% increase at his one-year anniversary, as well as a $2,000 per month housing allowance if he lived in the village or $1,500 if he lived outside the incorporated boundaries. Gulizio’s contract also included 12 weeks of severance pay, plus unused sick and vacation time and paid holidays if terminated from the job without cause.

During a May 18 council meeting, Gulizio took to the microphone and discussed the threats he received of being fired. He also shared concerns with the hostile nature of the workplace. Gulizio was let go days after issuing the statements. It came as Gulizio and his staff were undertaking a larger effort to analyze and address inconsistencies and gaps in the village code. Gulizio ultimately crafted a list of items that the council could address to fix the village’s complicated code, which ranged from smaller “housekeeping” items to larger overhauls.

Gulizio now works as a senior planner with the Key West Planning Department.

NEW EOC TAKING SHAPE WITH FINISHING TOUCHES

On March 22, the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Florida presented and certified the cornerstone at the Monroe County Emergency Operations and Public Safety Center being built at the Marathon airport. Monroe County Mayor Holly Raschein, commissioners Michelle Lincoln and David Rice, and acting County Administrator Kevin Wilson joined them in the ceremony. The new emergency operations center should be opening in April and will house 911 communications, fire rescue administration, and emergency management as well as be used during emergency events. Pictured,

BRIEFLY

Literacy volunteer tutors sought in the Upper Keys

If you have two hours a week to help an adult in your community learn to read, write, speak, understand and better communicate in English, please contact the Literacy Volunteers of America (LVA) and Upper Keys coordinator Raymond Reigadas. There is no charge for training and every volunteer gets to choose his or her own student or students. Please reach out to Maria Triana at 305-393-6064 or trianamaria@comcast.net or Reigadas at 305-338-8067 or rrrr6491@gmail. com.

Society to present history of John Pennekamp park

The Historical Preservation Society of the Upper Keys (HPSUK) presents “A History of John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park” on Monday, April 8 at 6 p.m. at Coral Isles Church on Plantation Key. Elena Muratori, park services specialist, will delve into the evolution of the first designated undersea park in the U.S. It will include the names of people who were vital in the park’s development, which extends 3 miles into the Atlantic Ocean.

County names Janet Gunderson

Employee of the Year

Monroe County’s Janet Gunderson was named Employee of the Year during a March 20 Board of County Commissioners meeting in Key Largo. She started working for the county in June 2016, and was recognized as the Employee of the Second Quarter in 2023. Rhonda Haag, county chief resilience officer, nominated Gunderson for the award, adding that she went above and beyond when the resilience office was overwhelmed with an unprecedented number of contracts, invoices and grants in the department.

“Janet was able to step in and not only help process the tremendous workload but also fix outstanding financial issues,” Haag said. “Without Janet’s help, there would be fewer grants to the county, slower processing of millions of dollars in invoices, and potential late grant reports.”

In early 2023, Gunderson also fulfilled her job responsibilities in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), trained another person to take on her previous workload in OMB, and carried out the duties of both the OMB and Resilience departments. During late 2023, she also helped Legislative Affairs with Restore Act grant funding.

from left, are Rice, Grand Master Glen Bishop, Raschein and Lincoln. MONROE COUNTY BOCC/Contributed

Dan Gulizio. KEYS WEEKLY FILE PHOTO

Think affordable housing might be a good option for you and your family?

Habitat for Humanity of the Upper Keys is accepting Program Screenings for the Homebuyer Program now through Friday, March 29th at 4:00 p.m.

To access the screening form and the FAQ list, scan the QR code

Visit www.habitatupperkeys.org to view and complete the screening.

WHO WOULDN’T WANT TO ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE?

Fundraiser benefits Key Players’ upcoming musical

KELLIE BUTLER FARRELL www.keysweekly.com

The highly anticipated new musical, “Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville,” may not open until the middle of April, but fans of the Key Players need not wait that long to soak up a sneak peak of the show.

On Friday, March 29, the theatrical troupe will hold a fundraiser for their nonprofit organization and its latest production at the Village Square in Islamorada.

“We’re going to have a cash bar and some silent auction items, the cast is going to be here performing a selection of songs from the show to give a little preview, and we’ll have our tickets on sale also,” said show director Brock Mills.

When not acting or directing shows for the Key Players, Mills works as the merchandising manager at Miss Monroe Boutique, located in the Village Square at MM 82. Recently his employer, boutique owner Liz Huddleston, a fan of the arts and a community theater supporter, offered to sponsor a fundraiser for the Key Players and its production of “Escape to Margaritaville.”

“I said, ‘Look, Jimmy Buffett is wildly popular and people are going to want to be involved in bringing this production here,’” recalled Huddleston of her recent conversation with Mills.

“I think if we do a fun fundraising party that’s 5 o’clock somewhere, I guarantee you people will love to come and spend money and support the show.”

And with that, the first Key Players fundraiser of its kind was born.

Jonelle Kop, the Key Players executive producer, says the nonprofit is always looking for ways to raise money, whether through grants or sponsorships, in order to keep ticket prices as low as possible.

“We want people to come and see the show and we can’t do that if we raise our prices so much that people can’t afford it,” Kop said. “We recognize that people are struggling, especially our locals.”

A lot of time, sweat and money go into putting on a theater production. Many times, box office sales alone do not cover the expenses.

“We have to pay for the rights to the show, we have to pay for the music, we have to pay for the scripts, and the scores, and we have to pay for the forum. We have to pay for sets, we have to pay for storage and all of the regular overhead that we have,” said Kop.

The cast for “Escape to Margaritaville” is 15 members strong, made up of Key Players veterans and some amateur actors who have never taken to the stage before, like Key Largo resident and retired

elevator technician, 70-year-old John Pettit.

Pettit’s daughter read about the upcoming show and encouraged her dad to audition.

“Here’s a part that’s perfect for you: they need an old guy that is losing his vision and hearing and won’t admit it, that’s you, always taking notes, that’s you, always wearing a T-shirt and flip flops and shorts, that’s you. You don’t have to do nothing, just show up,” recalled Pettit of the conversation with his daughter.

Besides acting in the show, Pettit has also been working diligently on sets, even building a huge 4-foot-wide cheeseburger in paradise made out of old tires. He would be lying if he said he wasn’t a little jittery about opening night.

“I know I will be as nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs,” said Pettit with a laugh.

Huddleston believes community theater has a way of uniting and finding common ground for people who otherwise may never connect.

“It’s very multi-generational; it gets the different age groups together doing something. There’s not many things that do that, that will bring teenagers and 70-year-olds together to work on the same thing,” Huddleston said.

The fundraiser and upcoming show come as the Key Players mourn one of their cherished longtime members. Brad Shank was considered the go-to guy, involved with the nonprofit for as long as most can remember. He acted, directed, produced, built sets –you name it, he was there for the Key Players. Shank recently passed away after a yearlong illness.

“He must have done 30 or 40 productions over the years. It was a real fun time for him,” recalled his lifelong partner Susan Bazin.

“We are going to miss him very, very, very, very much,” Kop said.

For this upcoming fundraiser, Bazin is pledging $100 to the Key Players in Shank’s memory, and she hopes others donate as well so the bright lights of this community theater never dim.

The fundraiser takes place Friday, March 29 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Village Square, located at 81868 Overseas Highway. There will be a cash bar – serving margaritas, of course – a silent auction and live performances by the cast.

The musical opens April 18 at the Murray Nelson Government & Cultural Center and there will be seven performances.

For more information on tickets or to make a donation to the Key Players, visit www.thekeyplayers. org.

From top: The cast of ‘Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville’ has been rehearsing many hours a week ahead of the show’s opening night on April 18. CONTRIBUTED. Brock Mills stands in front of the Village Square in Islamorada. On Friday, March 29 a fundraiser for the Key Players will be held here. KELLIE BUTLER FARRELL/Keys Weekly. John Pettit, 70, seen here rehearsing with Bee Stubbs, is acting in his first-ever Key Players production. CONTRIBUTED. DJ Mills and Luana Peixoto rehearse a number from ‘Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville.’

“I’m going to leave it Jack’s, like an old bar in a neighborhood.”

— Erik Budman, new Jack’s Bikes owner

KEY LARGO BIKE SHOP IN BUSINESS 35 YEARS CHANGES HANDS

New owner to keep old name, add merchandise

KELLIE BUTLER FARRELL

www.keysweekly.com

Jack’s Bikes is more than just a bicycle rental, sales and repair shop. To many, it’s a Key Largo institution. In business for over three decades at the U-Haul in Key Largo at MM 103.5, the modest shop has welcomed repeat customers year after year. Including customers like Erik Budman, a bicycle enthusiast whose grandfather introduced him to Jack’s Bikes when he was a teenager.

“I was coming here for parts and he said, ‘I can’t do it any more,’” said Budman of a recent conversation he had with Jack Dewein, the 91-year-old founder of Jack’s Bikes. Recently Dewein realized it was time to step away from his beloved business.

“He just said, ‘Hey, how about buying me out?’” recalled Budman.

Budman, who also works as a property man-

lection of new and used bikes and loads of bicycle parts, tools and accessories.

“The stuff was stacked everywhere,” said Budman. “There was no organization.”

Over the next few months, Budman and his friends rolled up their sleeves and got to work, meticulously sifting through inventory that was piled up to the ceiling.

Budman’s priorities for the business include updating the marketing strategy and adding more sought-after accessories.

“I’m good with marketing and sales, that’s my background, so I knew that I needed certain things here and I got them and they’re just selling; like headlights, for instance. Jack had no lighting here,” Budman said.

He also plans to expand the hours of operation and is striving to be open seven days a week.

“It’s nice to know that the doors will still be open,” said longtime customer Joey Hernandez. Hernandez has been visiting Key Largo from Kentucky for nine years and has always relied on Jack’s

Bikes for all of his bicycle needs.

“I do appreciate the extra hours,” added Hernandez.

As for Dewein, after selling his business he moved to Iowa to be closer to his grandson. We spoke with him by phone and he told us he misses working and really misses his customers.

“I miss it like the devil but I can’t do it any more,” Dewein said. “I’m past 90 and I’m getting old.”

Even though the business has changed hands, Budman says Dewein will always have a special place here. Budman has no intention of changing the name or the fair business practices that endeared Jack’s Bikes to so many residents and visitors alike over the last 35 years.

“I’m going to leave it Jack’s, like an old bar in a neighborhood, “ Budman said. “You leave it the same, people keep coming and you keep treating them the same way and helping them out.”

For more information on Jack’s Bikes including sales, rentals and repairs, call 305- 582-3239.

1. Erik Budman and Jack Dewein shake hands after Budman purchases Jack’s Bikes in Key Largo. CONTRIBUTED. 2. Jack’s Bikes operates out of the Key Largo UHaul located at MM 103 on the bayside. KELLIE BUTLER FARRELL/Keys Weekly. 3. Erik Budman grew up going to Jack’s Bikes in Key Largo. When Jack Dewein asked him if he would be interested in buying the business, Budman agreed.

Many in the public do not realize the myriad duties and effort it takes to accomplish what it is each person does to serve, produce, persuade, write, repair, advocate for, document, research, fundraise or build. In the Florida Keys, there are many who quietly work behind the scenes, and no one is the wiser of what it takes to be a lactation consultant.

The first “Mile Maker” is an international board-certified lactation consultant (IBCLC). The only IBCLC in the Upper Keys — and one of only two in Monroe County — Alanna Dixon is a dynamic woman with a sparkle in her eyes, which speaks of the passion for her profession. She helps moms who have questions and issues with breastfeeding their babies. The Keys Weekly sat down

CAROLYN DEPAULA www.keysweekly.com

What is the name of your business? Upper Keys Lactation.

How does one become an IBCLC? Each candidate must meet certain health science requirements, as well as lactation-specific education. There are, however, three pathways that candidates can choose from to meet the lactation-specific clinical practice requirement.

How many hours do you devote to your craft on a weekly basis? Some weeks I will be doing lactationspecific work up to 20 hours; other weeks, as little as 2-3 (hours). There are waves of assistance needed.

What do your day-to-day duties look like? When a family reaches out to me to ask for breastfeeding assistance, I typically get a quick rundown on what is happening as to ensure the urgency of the situation. Once the breastfeeding history paperwork is complete (think full history but about the mom/their pregnancy and the baby), I schedule the appointment.

I see families in the comfort of their home. I will do a full history, go over all paperwork and discuss the issue(s) the mom is having with breastfeeding. Then I will do an evaluation on the baby. We then move forward with nursing at the breast, if mom is comfortable doing so. I will assist with making adjustments to relieve any discomfort she is having.

We then come up with a plan to help the mom move forward with her breastfeeding goals, whatever those may be. After the appointment I then type up a report of the visit, send it to the baby’s health care provider, to keep them in the loop about our care

with current research, by watching webinars or attending conferences when I am able.

In your opinion, what’s the reason your job is important? Most women plan on breastfeeding when they have their baby; however, interventions in birth or early days of a notso-successful latch can be painful and deter that goal. I want to help more women meet those goals, whether it be to breastfeed for a month or 1 year.

Did you always know you wanted to be an IBCLC? How did you get introduced to your career? After I had my first child, I needed the assistance of an IBCLC to help with his latch. We then went on to breastfeed for 18 months, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Friends would ask me for advice or support, and it felt right for me. I already had my bachelor’s degree, but learned there’s a master’s degree in this field that could help meet the requirements to be an IBCLC, so I took

for sure. If a mom needs a pump, or a pump part, we don’t have anywhere to purchase items. Also, the distance of being able to see families can be tough. I live in Key Largo and get calls from families in Marathon or Key West needing help.

What is your favorite part of the job? The favorite part of my job is definitely helping moms meet their goals and supporting them wherever they are. If a mom tells me she wants to breastfeed for 3 months, then switch to formula, I will help her get there. I am a good listener and, so many times, a new mom needs someone to listen.

How far do you travel to visit moms who need your help? Do you do phone consultations? My primary area is the Upper Keys; however, I have traveled to the Homestead area, as well as Marathon to see a family. I do offer phone consultations as well.

What would you advise an aspiring IBCLC? Don’t give up! I know getting the requirements to sit for the exam can be difficult, but can be done. The reward of helping families makes it all worth it.

What is the one aspect about your work/career that you wish people knew? That I support families without judgment. There can be a stigma that people in the lactation world believe that breastfeeding is the only option. I am not like that and support all families and their choice to feed. As long as the baby is getting fed and mom is supported, and happy, I am happy. Also, if someone calls themselves a lactation consultant, it doesn’t mean they are an IBCLC. The term is not trademarked, and anyone can call

To contact Alanna Dixon, visit www.

Alanna Dixon is an international boardcertified lactation consultant. CAROLYN DePAULA/Keys Weekly

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ON THE ROAD TO ANSWERS

vidual species, Gambierdiscus abundance has historically been linked to recently-impacted areas of coral reefs through an increase in ciguatera poisoning. Caused by potent toxins known as ciguatoxin and maitotoxin, both of which can be produced by Gambierdiscus species, the acute illness can include symptoms of diarrhea, vomiting, numbness, dizziness and weakness for those who ingest fish with accumulated toxins.

“The higher-than-normal water temperatures that we saw down in the Keys (last summer) could have perturbed the system in such a way that Gambierdiscus is now at an advantage,” Parsons said. “We’re trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together there and looking for clues at the scene of the crime.”

Ironically, Parsons said, the thing that may have put the harmful algae at such an advantage may also be the thing to eventually suppress it, as Gambierdiscus numbers tend to peak in the fall and winter months before dropping in the heat of the summer.

“The irony here is, did the hot summer cause what we’re seeing now? But this coming summer may actually suppress the Gambierdiscus population,” Parsons said.

Localized origins give clues about toxins

Though reports of affected fish have now spread throughout the Keys, “(the symptoms) have lingered in the central spots for a while,” said Robertson. “That gives us some information that whatever this issue is, it may have been on the bottom.”

So far, toxins produced by Gambierdiscus have been detected in “reef-associated” fish samples and bottom-dwelling algal samples studied by Robertson and her team. Also detected were levels of okidaic acid, a toxin produced by another dinoflagellate that’s more commonly associated with shellfish in northern latitudes, and a few other “novel compounds” still under study. While the presence of these toxins themselves aren’t the “smoking gun” that researchers have been searching for, she said, “we could be looking at the fact that those background levels (of toxins) might make fish more susceptible to whatever is causing the spinning.”

Though seldom mentioned in coverage of the event thus far, spinning fish have been shown to recover in

some cases when moved to clean water, supporting the idea that whatever causes the spinning behavior is in the water column and crossing the gills of affected fish, Robertson said. The symptoms reported in these fish, she said, are consistent with neurotoxins produced by algae.

Robertson’s team has been working “seven days a week, 12 to 14 hours a day” to grow neuronal cells and expose them to any possible chemical extracted from Keys water samples, algal samples or fish tissues, searching for evidence of cellular disruption or death.

Is it safe to eat fish and swim in the Keys?

Both BTT and FWC’s online dashboards to address the abnormal event recommend avoiding eating symptomatic or already-deceased fish, as well as fish harvested from areas where other affected fish are observed. Both say to avoid swimming in areas with dead fish.

What’s next?

Boucek, Parsons and Robertson all stressed that while investigators are following “the strongest lead” while avoiding “cold dead ends” in ongoing research, a definitive causeand-effect relationship has yet to be established.

“We haven’t solved this,” said Parsons. “(Gambierdiscus) seems to be the most promising lead, so that’s where we’re putting in a lot of effort.”

Upcoming experiments, Parsons and Robertson said, will continue to identify species of Gambierdiscus present in Keys water samples, as well as investigate sediment samples to try and identify biological or chemical markers of past disturbances in the Keys’ marine ecosystem. Expanded sampling through time outside of known affected areas should help in better understanding the spread and boundaries, if any, of the phenomenon. Meanwhile, controlled experiments exposing fish from unaffected regions to Keys water samples or individual toxins will attempt to reproduce the behaviors seen in the wild.

“As we look at these samples, we’re trying to be open-minded about what the cause might be,” Robertson said. “Mike and I have a lot of very focused individuals, and we’re not going to give up.”

What can we do?

Turn off the lights. While many on social media have been eager to venture out at night in search of symptomatic fish, “shining a flashlight on a fish that’s seemingly healthy before the light hits it can cause this seemingly erratic behavior.” Boucek said. Avoid shining flashlights in the water, especially in regions known for symptomatic fish.

If the fish are spinning, keep moving. Catch-and-release fishing seems to trigger symptoms in affected fish, Boucek said. If caught fish are spinning after they’re released, move to a new area. Investigators’ initial work has shown that distances of less than a mile can yield vastly different fish behavior.

Make official reports of affected fish or discolored water. While social media posts have helped to spread awareness, if fish are spinning or distressed or anglers see areas of discolored water, researchers need to hear through official channels. Scan the attached QR codes to make an official report through the Lower Keys Guides Association or FWC’s Fish Kill Hotline (800636-0511). To report sawfish in distress, call 844-472-9347.

Watch the live stream. Scan the QR code to watch BTT’s full March 20 live stream.

Donate to continued research. Initial event response funding provided by NOAA, along with $2 million included as a lastminute addition in Florida’s state budget set to take effect July 1, have aided in funding a continuous research response. Additional donations to fund immediate continuation of research may be made at www.bonefishtarpontrust.org/donate/.

FWC BTT LKGA

TO

CAPTURING THE NATURAL WORLD

Hale Gallery features art works

by T. David Downs

The Hale Gallery in Islamorada presents “Reflections on Defiance: Survival at the Margins of Humanity,” an exhibit by artist T. David Downs.

Drawing inspiration from the rugged landscapes of South Georgia and Florida, Downs’ collection of classical realist oil paintings invites viewers to contemplate humanity’s relationship with nature and the resilience of life in challenging environments. The exhibit runs through May 4 at the gallery, located at 81888 Overseas Highway, Unit 2 in Islamorada.

“Reflections on Defiance: Survival at the Margins of Humanity” showcases Downs’ mastery of narrative naturalism, a style that captures the essence of the natural world while conveying compelling narratives. Through his meticulous brushwork and keen attention to detail, Downs brings to life the untamed beauty of landscapes and the tenacity of the flora and fauna that inhabit them.

“We are thrilled to share such a special collection of paintings by a truly talented painter,” said gallery owner and artist Taylor Hale. “David and I initially connected on Instagram last year, and we’ve been sharing ideas about making art and honoring nature since then.”

“The imagery in these paintings is influenced by time I have spent in the

MARINELAB MAKES A SPLASH

Funding boost aids hands-on marine science education

wild,” said Downs, “encountering the scenery and its occupants first-hand. I am influenced by a sense of humility knowing all of this exists and functions independently of my presence or observation.”

Accompanying the exhibit is an artist talk Saturday, May 4, at 10:30 a.m. Downs will delve into his creative process and share insights into his journey as an artist. From his formative years studying under esteemed mentors to his explorations of different styles and subjects, Downs’ artistic evolution reflects a deep commitment to authenticity and expression.

“I see my paintings as more than just visual representations; they are windows into the interconnectedness of all things,” Downs said. “Through my art, I aim to inspire contemplation and dialogue about our place in the natural world and our responsibility to protect it.”

“David has a gift and talent that he is sharing with everyone who sees his work. You don’t want to miss seeing these pieces in person. In each piece you’ll experience the wide range of emotions that are part of life on this planet,” said gallery owner Kelly Hale.

More information is at www. thehalegallery.com.

— Contributed

MarineLab announced donations totaling $37,000 from organizations dedicated to environmental stewardship and marine education. This funding, made possible through the collaborative efforts of Johnny Morris Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s Outdoor Fund, Triad Foundation, Marathon Rotary Club and Ocean Reef Conservation Association, aims to support various scholarships at MarineLab.

The contributions are specifically designated to provide opportunities for Title I socioeconomically underserved Florida students to participate in MarineLab programs at no cost through the Art Mitchell Scholarship Fund. Additionally, funds allocated by the Marathon Rotary Club will enable Marathon students to attend MarineLab free of charge with MarineLab’s Saltwater Superheroes Fund. The funding will also support the Mangrove Ecology program for Upper Keys

fifth graders and the Coral Reef classroom program for Upper Keys seventh graders.

“We are immensely grateful to Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s Outdoor Fund, Triad Foundation, Marathon Rotary Club and Ocean Reef Conservation Association for their generous support,” said Ginette Hughes, MarineLab CEO. “These contributions will allow us to continue providing hands-on marine science education to students who may not have had access otherwise.”

MarineLab, located at 51 Shoreland Drive in Key Largo, remains committed to fostering a love for marine science and ocean stewardship among students, and this funding will play a crucial role in furthering that mission.

More information about the Marine Resources Development Foundation and MarineLab is at www.mrdf.org or www.marinelab. org.

— Contributed

Above: The MarineLab vessel Nari takes students to the reef in May 2023. MARINELAB/Contributed. Inset: Key Largo’s Ocean Studies Charter School students examine microplastics.

Taylor Hale, left, owner of Islamorada’s Hale Gallery, with artist T. David Downs, whose collection ‘Reflections on Defiance: Survival at the Margins of Humanity’ will be featured through May 4. CONTRIBUTED

KEYS CONGRESSMAN PROPOSES BILL TO HONOR JIMMY BUFFETT

U.S. Rep. Carlos Gimenez wants to rename Key West post office in musician’s honor

U.S. Rep. Carlos Giménez, whose district includes the Florida Keys, this week introduced legislation to rename Key West’s main post office at 400 Whitehead St. the Jimmy Buffett Post Office Building.

“Jimmy Buffett will always be an icon and champion for our beloved Florida Keys,” Gimenez said. “His music, vision and entrepreneurship produced a lasting legacy in our community and introduced the world to the Florida Keys. With songs like ‘Margaritaville’ and ‘Cheeseburger in Paradise,’ Buffett became an icon to millions of fans and embodied the lifestyle of island escapism. He loved Florida and the Keys and dedicated many efforts to protecting the manatees, supporting the Everglades and safeguarding the island waterways. It is my privilege to represent the Florida Keys in Congress, and I am proud to memorialize this true legend of our community and rename Key West’s post office in his honor.”

Original co-sponsors of the bill, all from Florida, include Reps. Neal Dunn, Kat Cammack, Bill Posey, Daniel Webster, Gus Bilirakis, Scott Franklin, Brian Mast, Mario Diaz-Balar and Maria Elvira Salazar.

— Contributed

U.S. Rep. Carlos Gimenez, whose district includes the Florida Keys, has proposed a bill in Congress that would honor the legacy of Jimmy Buffett and rename the main Key West post office at 400 Whitehead St. the Jimmy Buffett Post Office Building. FLORIDA KEYS NEWS BUREAU/ Contributed

7-MILE OFFSHORE GRAND PRIX TO SPEED INTO MARATHON APRIL 26-28

More than 60 offshore racing powerboats registered for the 7-Mile Offshore Grand Prix in 2023. BARRY GAUKEL/Keys Weekly

High-octane spectacle allows for up-close viewer experience

Powerful offshore boats racing at high speeds near the world-famous Seven Mile Bridge will show their muscle Friday through Sunday, April 26-28, when the 7-Mile Offshore Grand Prix roars into the Middle Keys.

The challenge is the second annual Race World Offshore (RWO) powerboat race to take place in Marathon as part of the American Power Boat Association’s Offshore National Championship Series. It serves as the opening event for RWO’s 2024 season.

Race teams are coming from around the United States, Bermuda and as far away as the United Kingdom to compete in Marathon.

Eleven classes of boats will participate in the challenge, with the largest classes racing Sunday – including the Super Cat that can achieve speeds of up to 140 mph – on a course that provides spectators a close-up viewing experience.

A free opening event set for Friday, April 26, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Florida Keys Aquarium Encounters will welcome race teams and fans.

Races will take place Saturday from 1:30 to 4 p.m. with the smaller-class vessel race brackets taking to the water. Sunday will feature four races, beginning at 9:30 a.m. and ending with the 3:30 p.m. Super Cat competition.

The pedestrian-friendly Old Seven Mile Bridge will be the primary viewing area for spectators, with 90% of the 5.6-mile counterclockwise race course viewable from the span that parallels the contemporary bridge. According to race organizers, the old bridge will be open to the public with free admission, with one section reserved for VIP viewing.

Race World Offshore plans to set up its VIP hospitality areas on and below the Marathon end of the Old Seven Mile Bridge. VIP guests will be allowed to park at the nearby Sunset Grille and walk under the bridge.

Free general-admission parking will be available at Marathon Community Park with shuttle service to Sunset Grille. There will be no general-admission parking at Sunset Grille or on-site at the entrance to the Old Seven Mile Bridge. VIP ticket holders will receive a parking pass at will call.

Race fans can enjoy free admission to the dry pit area at San Pablo Catholic Church to view highspeed boats and meet race teams and crew Friday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. .

Wet pits, located at Suntex Faro Blanco Marina, will be open to the public Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Events culminate Sunday evening with an award ceremony and an after-party, with the final location to be determined.

Race schedules, VIP tickets and information are at raceworldoffshore.com/marathon.

The Key West Post Office, 400 Whitehead St., could soon be renamed the Jimmy Buffett Post Office Building. MANDY MILES/Keys Weekly

• Serving pediatric + adult

• Medical exam & vaccination

• Local medical transportation

MON-FRI 9AM-5PM, SAT 9AM-1PM

91461 Overseas Highway, Tavernier, 305-780-7730 advmedsupplies3@gmail.com

April Meetings

Tuesday, April 2, 4 p.m. • Tuesday, April 16, 4 p.m. 103355 Overseas Highway, Key Largo

The full agenda is available on the Friday prior to the Tuesday meeting at www.klwtd.com or scan here

To provide public comment prior to the meeting, send an email to clerk@klwtd.com.

ST. JAMES THE FISHERMAN EPISCOPAL CHURCH

HOLY WEEK SERVICES

SUNDAY, March 24, 10 a.m. The Liturgy of Palm Sunday and Procession of Palms

THURSDAY, March 28, 6 p.m. Maundy (Holy) Thursday Liturgy including Stripping of the Altar followed by Meditation

FRIDAY, March 29, Good Friday Services 1 p.m. Stations of the Cross and 6 p.m. Good Friday Liturgy

SUNDAY, March 31, 10 a.m. Easter Sunday Service. Easter Egg Hunt and Reception to follow.

87500 Overseas Highway, Islamorada | 305.852.8468

sandbar party? You’ll find it at Florida Bay Outfi ers. Looking for kids clothes or some cool resort wear? Visit Florida Bay Outfi ers. Same for paddleboards and paddles.

“We started out as a kayak outfi er and have evolved into so much more,” said owner Robert Stoky. “We really focus on our customers' wants and needs, and if we don’t have what they are looking for, we go out of our way to find the product.”

With eight employees, the business is involved in the community through events and sponsorships as well as through memberships with the Key Largo and Marathon chambers of commerce. “We love the Florida Keys and our way of life down here,” said Stoky. “As locals, we support local e orts. There is no be er place on Earth to live than right here in the Florida Keys.”

104050 Overseas Highway, Key Largo

It’s the bright pink building in front of the Caribbean Club.

305-451-3018

info@floridabayoutfi ers.com

The Mission of the Key Largo Wastewater Treatment District is to preserve and protect the delicate ecosystem of the Florida Keys while providing exceptional customer service.

HOP OVER TO THESE EASTER EVENTS

Sunrise services & egg hunts make for ‘eggcellent’ holiday

JIM McCARTHY jim@keysweekly.com

Easter services will take to the beaches as the sun rises on the morning of Sunday, March 31. Brunches and egg hunts for the little tykes will follow services at local churches in what will be a busy holiday weekend in Key Largo, Tavernier and Islamorada. Don’t forget pictures with the Easter bunny and fun, family activities at Spring Fest at Founders Park on Saturday, March 30.

Services at the beach & pews

• Pearl Christian Church’s Easter Sunday service will begin at 9 a.m. Located at 161 Pearl Ave., Tavernier, the service will be followed by a brunch in the fellowship hall.

• Beachurch Key Largo, 104700 Overseas Highway, will have Easter services at 8:30 and 10:30 a.m.

• Island Community Church will hold its sunrise service at 6:45 a.m. at Whale Harbor beach, 83413 Overseas, Islamorada. An Easter service will follow at 10 a.m. at Island Community Church, 83250 Overseas Highway, Islamorada.

• St. James the Fisherman Episcopal Church will hold a Holy Thursday Liturgy, including a stripping of the altar and meditation, at 6 p.m. at 87500 Overseas Highway, Islamorada. A Good Friday service will take place at

1 p.m. Easter service begins at 10 a.m.; an egg hunt and reception will follow.

• First Baptist Islamorada will hold an Easter sunrise service on the beach at Coconut Cove Resort, 84810 Overseas Highway, Islamorada at 7 a.m. A service will also be held at 11 a.m. at MM 81, just south of the Green Turtle Inn. Visit fbcislamorada.org.

Egg hunts & photo ops

• The Islamorada Parks and Recreation Department will host 2024 Spring Fest from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 30 at Founders Park. For kids 12 and under, activities include airbrush tattoos, face painting, kid’s coloring, bounce houses, a DJ and dancing and more. Snow cones from Polar Ice, donuts from Joey Bag O’ Donuts, popcorn and drinks will also be available for purchase. The bunny will

8, 2023. DOUG FINGER/Keys Weekly

arrive at 9:30 a.m. for pictures near the amphitheater. An egg hunt will begin at 11:30 a.m. on the great lawn. Children will be split into age groups, including an infant area. Admission is free, but parking is $10. For more information, contact the parks and recreation office at 305-853-1685.

Easter Brunch

• The Islander Resort in Islamorada will host a brunch at The Elements from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Enjoy eggs benedict, applewood smoked bacon, sliced tropical fruit, breakfast potato, assorted pastries, carved prime rib, herb-crusted chicken, sautéed mahi mahi and other food items and drinks. $65 per person and $25 for children ages 5-12. Reservations are available at OpenTable.

Children participate in an Easter egg hunt during Spring Fest at Founders Park in Islamorada Saturday, April

FILTER & ABSORB

Sponges are more than a cleaning staple

Sponges are animals that are incredibly important for improving water quality. Ounce for ounce, the amount of water they filter per day is astounding. A basketballsized sheepswool sponge can filter over 500 gallons of water per hour, which is over 12,000 gallons per day. Since sponges do not have tissues or organs, all of this is happening at a microscopic level with tens of thousands of tiny flagella waving water in through thousands of tiny pores called ostia and out through the larger oscula.

is the University of Florida, IFAS Monroe County Extension Florida Sea Grant Agent.  Krueger is a marine biologist and provides sciencebased education about coastal environments.

Sponges are the dominant filter feeders in the Florida Keys and they are eating phytoplankton, bacteria and viruses. They are essential fish habitat for juvenile spiny lobsters, stone crabs and bonefish. These sponges are important places to hide from predators and provide a buffet of tasty invertebrate snacks.

In the Florida Keys, these three species generate more than $150 million to the economy from seafood, fishing and tourism. There is also a commercial sponge fishery and Monroe County leads the state in the number of sponges landed. Unlike most commercially-fished species, sponge landings are recorded by the piece and not by the pound.

From 2020 to 2023, there was an annual average of 135,000 sponge pieces landed in Key West and Marathon. The average price per sponge piece was less than $2, with an estimated average annual value of $262,935.

The city of Key West has a very long history with sponges. Until the early 20th century, sponges were a major export from Key West, second only to hand-rolled cigars. Before DuPont created synthetic cellulose sponges in the 1940s, these wild harvested sponges were a household staple for bathing and cleaning. When most people think about sponges, they probably picture a bath sponge. Yet out of the nearly 9,000 sponge species, only a couple of dozen

worldwide are the types suitable for harvest because they stay soft and spongy when processed and dried.

In the Florida Keys, these are the species with the common names sheepswool, yellow, grass, mountain, hardhead and basket sponges which inhabit the shallow nearshore waters associated with seagrasses and hardbottom.

Sponges are also incredibly important in the search for new human medicines. Since sponges cannot bite, pinch or swim away, they have developed complex chemical defenses to ward off would-be predators. It turns out many of these chemicals have very potent anti-viral and anti-cancer properties. In fact, we have a very famous sponge located in just a few feet of water all over the Florida Keys. The scientific name is Tectitethya crypta, commonly called the volcano sponge because of the volcanic-shape and a single large, raised oscula usually covered in algae and sediments and it is very well camouflaged.

In 1969 this was the first human medication from the ocean, and it was used to treat leukemia and now synthesized to make medications for herpes, HIV and ebola. Next time you snorkel or dive, take a moment to admire these magnificent animals.

own one of the most well-known, iconic storefronts in all of South Florida with a loyal client base. All you have to do is make it your own, open the doors, turn the music up and have fun! $295,000. For more information, call 305-393-4445 today!

SHELLY KRUEGER

Sheepswool sponge in the Florida Keys. SHELLY KRUEGER/Contributed.

Spiny lobster hiding in a loggerhead sponge.

FOUR YEARS OF FOXES

Pawsitive Beginnings to build ‘Healing Den’

Hi friends!

Reef the fox here with your weekly “Reef’s Report.”

REEF THE FOX

MARSHALL

Handsome Marshall is an affectionate, 4-year-old blue heeler-pit mix. He is definitely “only dog in the house” material, but is an amazing companion. If you would like to meet this young boy, please complete an application at www.mprescues.org. MarrVelous Pet Rescues and Adoptions is a foster-based animal rescue and adoption organization serving the Florida Keys.

Thursday, March 28

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

Last week, Pawsitive Beginnings celebrated its fouryear anniversary as a nonprofit. My mom, founder Nicole Navarro, had some exciting news to share on our social media pages, and if you missed it, I am just going to let mom take over on this report. I guess she deserves the spotlight once a year.

Four years ago, I had an idea that one day I would be able to provide a permanent sanctuary to foxes that were being saved from fur farms here in the United States. Today, that idea has grown into a mission that goes far beyond advocating against the fur trade.

Much like the movie, “Field of Dreams,” which happens to be one of my all-time favorites, over the past four years, out of nowhere, an idea will come into my mind that seems so far-fetched it couldn’t possibly work, but I trust my gut and go with it; and it works.

I recently had the idea to cre-

ate a space at the sanctuary that therapists and counselors could use for off-site sessions with their clients either before or after visiting with the foxes as part of our animal-assisted therapy program. I had no idea how I was going to fund this project, but I just knew I had to do it.

A few weekends ago, we were visited by someone from out of town who believes in this idea as much as I do, and Pawsitive Beginnings was given a very generous donation that will pay for the full construction of this space. While there will still be more funds needed to outfit the office once completed, I have no doubt that those funds will come. We will begin transforming and remodeling an existing room at the sanctuary into this special “Healing Den” next month.

On this very special anniversary for the foxes and me, I want to say thank you for helping to make my dreams become a reality. We would not be where we are today without the unwavering support we have received from this incredible community.

So there you have it friends. Pawsitive Beginnings is doing big things, some of which have never been done before. If you would like to donate to this Healing Den project, you can do so right on our website at pawsitivebeginnings.org

Until next time, Reef, over and out!

• Discussion on food waste and how to compost by Melody Tuschel, Monroe County recycling coordinator, from noon to 2 p.m. at Key Largo library.

• Nature lecture series welcomes Jennifer Possley, of the Fairchild Botanic Tropical Garden, at 7:30 p.m. at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, Key Largo.

• Conversation & Canvas, an ocean-themed paint and sip, with artist Cassandra Clark from 6 to 8 p.m. at the REEF campus, 98300 Overseas Highway, Key Largo. Visit reef.org to sign up.

Friday, March 29

• Dive Into Art & Music from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at Safe Harbor Angler House. Musical performance by Rainbow Full of Sound and guests. Proceeds benefit History of Diving Museum programs.

Saturday, March 30

• Islamorada Parks & Recreation presents Spring Fest from 9:30 to 11:30 at Founders Park. For youth ages 12 and under. $10 parking fee. Egg hunt begins at 11:30 a.m. The bunny arrives at 9:30 a.m.

• Keys Community Concert Band’s Pops in the Park, “March Madness”

performance at 4 p.m. at Founders Park amphitheater.

Tuesday, April 2

• Lego Club meets at 4 p.m. at Key Largo library. For kids ages 6-11.

Wednesday, April 3

• Master gardener volunteers help with plant identification, disease diagnosis and more from 9 a.m. to noon at Key Largo library.

• JOY classes from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at St. James the Fisherman Episcopal Church, MM 87.5, bayside, Islamorada. Visit justolderyouthinc.org to view the full schedule of activities.

Thursday, April 4

• Foreign Policy Association’s Great Decisions: Science Across Borders discussion at 2 p.m. at Key Largo library.

• MarrVelous Pet Rescue’s “Yappy Hour” from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Sharkey’s Pub, Key Largo. Dogs must be vaccinated, leashed and wellsocialized.

Saturday, April 6

• Islamorada Firefighters Benevolent Association’s Givin’ It Back Barbecue from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Founders Park beach. Free for Islamorada residents and $15 for nonresidents.

Louie lounges inside his pen in Key Largo while Libby positions herself on a bed above. The two foxes were saved from a Minnesota fur farm in 2020.

STORIES OF SOUTHERNMOST SKUNK APE

Tales tell of sightings in Key Largo

When you write a book about a local cryptid called the Skunk Ape, stories find you.

The Skunk Ape is Florida’s Bigfoot and a legendary presence in South Florida and the Everglades. Occasionally, it makes an appearance in the Florida Keys, too. My book, “The Florida Keys Skunk Ape Files,” is based on a 1977 event that occurred on Key Largo in July. The sighting garnered local and national attention and scared one family out of the Keys. After a particularly terrifying incident, the police interviewed the wife of the family experiencing the phenomenon. She was awakened at 3 a.m. when she “could hear limbs ‘snapping and breaking’ as if something big was walking through them. Through a gap in the jalousie window, from where I was lying in bed, I saw these bright, colorless eyes. They must have been reflecting the backyard light, like a cat’s would. They were evil-staring. I could see the silhouette of its huge shoulder and head above an 8-foot bush, 30 feet from the bedroom window.”

Deputy Bill Haase from the sheriff’s substation on Plantation Key was the first to respond to the bizarre call. After arriving on the scene and investigating, Haase reported no sign of the creature.

It may have been hiding; it had not disappeared, as Haase was not the only officer who investigated what became a series of sightings. Sgt. Rondoll Chinn of the sheriff’s office and Capt. Jack Gillan from the marine patrol also arrived at the family’s home when the creature was seen again. “There is definitely a problem there,” reported Chinn. “These people are truly scared to death. It’s unlikely that someone is pulling a practical joke

FLORIDA KEYS HISTORY WITH BRAD BERTELLI

Brad is a local historian, author, speaker and Honorary Conch who loves sharing the history of the Florida Keys.

because it would require a great deal of effort. If it is a joke, someone’s liable to get hurt.”

Beyond the Key Largo sighting, which occurred in the area of what is today Snappers Restaurant, the book I wrote is primarily fiction. Whether or not you believe in this sort of thing, strange things happen all over the world all the time — they certainly do in the Florida Keys. However, in the last several months, people have told me a few unusual stories. Shared as personal experiences, they smell a little like Skunk Ape events.

One occurred at Jewfish Creek. Two men from Miami were fishing in the creek one day when they observed something large, bipedal and covered in fur come out of the mangroves. They called it la criatura, the creature. When I heard the story, my wife and I were standing in line at a local fish market, waiting to buy some hogfish filets. When it happened, the person who told us was living on a houseboat at a marina on Jewfish Creek.

La criatura reportedly walked through the shallows before stepping back up into the mangroves and out of sight. When more closely examined, reportedly, there were signs that something large had moved through the area — broken branches, for instance, were observed.

Another interesting story I recently heard dates back to the 1990s. The strange and interesting event occurred on Key Largo, too, and not too far from where the Jewfish Creek story is said to have played out. This time, it was night, and inside the stilt house bordering the mangroves between Dusenbury Creek and Blackwater Sound, the family dog was barking. It was not a small dog, not a terrier or a collie, but 135 pounds of riled-up dog. When the owner of the house opened up the back door, two things happened. First, the dog raced out, but quickly had a change of heart and hid beneath the house. The second thing that happened was that the owner was hit with a pungent and overwhelming smell described as extreme body odor and dead fish.

My initial response was what I usually say when the topic of the cryptid’s smell comes up. “If you lived in a swamp, wore a fur coat, and never bathed, you’d smell, too!”

The third story I wanted to share I cannot because I don’t know it. Some time ago, someone left a comment

about the Skunk Ape on one of my social media posts. I don’t remember his name or what he was commenting on, but he said that if I ever wrote another Skunk Ape book, he had a story about something that happened in the Lower Keys. I responded immediately because I love so many facets of the local history. I never heard anything else. Maybe, when he reads this, he will reach back out and share his story.

Trust me when I say that I have heard 100 stories about the Skunk Ape, and most come with a punch line about some late night at the Caribbean Club, Brass Monkey or any number of drinking establishments in Key West.

Truthfully, some things I hear are more interesting than others and perhaps more interesting to me than others. The thing is, at least for me, I embrace them all because all of them, the stories about wrecking, sponges, the railroad, Key lime pie or even the Skunk Ape are all threads in this glorious fabric that is Florida Keys history.

The Southernmost Skunk Ape Society was established in 1977. CONTRIBUTED

ART GUILD ANNOUNCES SHOW WINNERS

‘High Tide’ takes Best of Show

Paintings, mixed media and other artful works were on display — and up for judging — during the Art Guild of the Purple Isles’ 58th Members Judged Show. Judges George and Stacy Sass awarded the following pieces in eight categories.

First-place winners include John David Hawver, ink/pencil/pastel; Carol Ubben, oil; David Bader, plein air; Louise Lindsay, photography; Kelly Walkotten, digital art; MaryEllen Cassata Holler, water media; Monica Bankowski, acrylic; Louise Lindsay, photography; and Diane Smith, mixed media.

Best in Show was awarded to Jackie Campa for an acrylic painting, “High Tide.”

— Contributed

1. This acrylic painting titled ‘High Tide’ by Jackie Campa won Best of Show.

2. This digital photograph ‘Golden Everglades’ by Kelly Walkotten won first place for digital art. 3. ‘Flower Girls of Havana’ by Diane Smith won first place in the mixed media category.