‘COME ON DOWN’
YOU COULD BE THE NEXT CONTESTANT ON ‘THE PRICE IS RIGHT’ | P. 30
KEY WEST TO STUDY ANNEXATION OPTIONS
COULD STOCK ISLAND & KEY HAVEN BECOME PART OF THE CITY? | P. 4
Free Shade Trees for Keys Energy Services Customers
to beautify your property and conserve energy!
Saturday, April 20 @ 8:30 AM
KEYS’ Service Building (1001 James St., Key West) and Blimp Road (755 Blimp Rd., Cudjoe)
HOW: First come, first served
For a listing of tree species that will be available this year, visit: KeysEnergy.com
When you plant a tree, KEYS asks that you consider the presence of power lines, once trees mature. If any tree limbs are striking electrical lines, do not attempt to trim them yourself. Instead, call KEYS so a trained tree trimmer can safely trim the limbs away from electrical lines — free of charge.
You may call KEYS at (305) 295-1010 to submit a free tree trimming request, or visit KeysEnergy.com to submit a request online.
Make the moment last forever with the perfect ring.
Irene de Bruijn irene@keysweekly.com
Javier Reyes javier@keysweekly.com
Sawfish mortalities in the Florida Keys reached 40 as of April 17. The rising death count was discussed at a recent Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council meeting. The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission is partnering with NOAA and other marine organizations to recover and analyze an already endangered species.
Waterfront Playhouse presents Neil Simon’s ‘Lost in Yonkers’ April 24 to May 11. Visit waterfrontplayhouse.org for tickets and information.
See page 19.
Commissioner Sam Kaufman:
‘We don’t know what we don’t know’
mandy@keysweekly.com
Key West officials have no idea what annexation of Stock Island and Key Haven would entail, nor whether the residents of those areas even want to become part of the city. But they’re prepared to find out, to some degree.
“I’d support a maximum allocation of $25,000 for the study to start at the bare minimum,” Commissioner Sam Kaufman said at the April 11 city commission meeting. “The next commission can decide if they want to go further.”
Kaufman was acknowledging that a majority of lawmakers will be replaced in the coming election, as Commissioners JImmy Weekley, Billy Wardliow and Clayton Lopez are term-limited out of office, and Mayor Teri Johnston is not seeking reelection.
“This is a vastly complex issue,” Kaufman said. “There are pros and cons involving city services, facilities, voting districts, taxes and more.”
The authorization of a study to explore the idea of annexation was on the April 11 city commission agenda, following a planning board vote in February that suggested it.
The planning board was acting on a provision in the city’s Comprehensive Plan, which regulates development in the city and “specifies that by 2017, the city was supposed to prepare an annexation study for Key Haven and by 2020 was sup-
posed to prepare a study for the south side of Stock Island,” assistant city attorney Larry Erskine told the planning board in February.
The north side of Stock Island, which includes College Road, the hospital and golf course, is already part of Key West. Those residents and entities pay city taxes and can vote in city elections. Stock Island on the other side of U.S. 1, as well as Key Haven, are part of unincorporated Monroe County.
But that could change if studies show that annexation would be beneficial.
Weekly told the commission that he had heard that residents of Key Haven had formed a committee to look at the same thing.
“I do think it’s something we need to look into,” Weekley said.
Commissioner Mary Lou Hoover said she wants to know what role the county would play in an annexation discussion as well.
City Attorney Ron Ramsingh told the commission he would mention the matter to the county attorney during their weekly phone call. The commission also directed the city manager and staff to perhaps reach out to the Key Haven committee and others to get more information about a potential study.
Weekley suggested perhaps a Florida university urban planning class could assist with such a study rather than the city hiring a professional consulting firm for up to $100,000.
City manager marks 1 year
This month marks the oneyear anniversary of city manager Al Childress’s first day on the job. Each commissioner completed an evaluation of the manager, and all of those were attached to the April 11 agenda, but not discussed at all.
Reviews were mixed, with the highest marks coming from Johnston, Kaufman and Hoover and the lowest coming from Wardlow, Lopez and Commissioner Lissette Cuervo Carey, who told the Keys Weekly last week, “We’ve all had different experiences with Mr. Childress.”
Childress’s overall score, averaged among all seven lawmakers, was a 3.71 out of a possible 5.
“I have worked with six city managers, and Al Childress is the most qualified, transparent, equitable, efficient and principled city manager I have had the pleasure of working with,” Johnston wrote in her evaluation.
“The city manager needs to work on a better understanding of the needs of the Keys community and the will of the residents,” Carey wrote. “While his previous experience in Miami provides him with relevant experience in municipal government, the initiatives he is attempting to duplicate in Key West are out of touch with what our citizens want.”
All seven of the evaluations urged Childress to forge a better working relationship with the city attorney.
The evaluations were approved in bulk as part of the consent agenda on April 11, with no discussion by the commissions or the city manager.
On April 5, Mote Marine Laboratory and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission responded to a distressed smalltooth sawfish after a member of the public called the sawfish hotline and reported the animal swimming in circles in Cudjoe Bay in the Lower Keys. During the effort, a joint FWC-Mote team of skilled and trained scientists and veterinary staff completed a quick field assessment that included taking samples, measurements and tagging.
The 11.15-foot male sawfish was loaded onto a vessel and provided respiratory assistance during the short boat ride to a temporary holding tank at a Mote facility in the Lower Keys, where it was under around-the-clock observation by qualified personnel, as requested by and under the guidance of FWC and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries.
The interim holding tank at Mote’s Lower Keys facility gave the team an area where they could stabilize the animal, though it remained in critical condition. After several days of treatment and monitoring, the team decided that the animal appeared capable of withstanding the seven-hour drive to another Mote quarantine facility designed to provide more extensive rehabilitation treatment for sawfish.
On April 11, biologists carefully loaded the sawfish into a transport trailer operated by Ripley’s Aquariums. Ripley’s Aquariums conservation team monitored the sawfish and water quality conditions throughout the transport to Mote’s facility.
Now at Mote’s more extensive quarantine facility, the sawfish will continue to be monitored 24 hours a day and treated in hopes of fully rehabilitating its health before releasing it.
“The Mote, NOAA, FWC, and Ripley’s staff exhibited tremendous dedication, compassion, partnership, and skill in providing vital care to this animal in need, and are to be commended for their efforts,” said Michael P. Crosby, president & CEO of Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium. “Without hesitation
Rescue team
ment
a distressed
and veterinary
ing at a Mote Marine Lab quarantine facility on the mainland. FWC/Contributed or any identified source of funding support, Mote remains committed to providing FWC and NOAA with significant ongoing assistance and support of our expert scientists across diverse disciplines, veterinary and animal husbandry staff, along with our significant specialized marine species quarantine facilities for the rescue and rehabilitation of distressed smalltooth sawfish.”
“Led by NOAA, our biologists and partners have taken an unprecedented step to rescue an adult smalltooth sawfish in the Keys. This has not been attempted before, but this unusual mortality event made this necessary,” said Gil McRae, director of FWC’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute. “We are hopeful this rescue and rehabilitation of an adult smalltooth sawfish will bring us one step closer to understanding the cause of this event.”
Over the past few months, sightings of “spinning” fish across multiple species have been reported in the Florida Keys. Along with this abnormal behavior, there have also been reports of fish deaths, including 38 smalltooth sawfish to date.
Staff from your Monroe County Public Library recommend some of their favorites from the collection.
What: “We Loved It All: A Memory of Life” by Lydia Millet
Why: Lydia Millet’s new memoir is a meditation on nature and the things we’ve lost, or are about to lose. There’s a lot of intriguing information about animals entwined with Millet’s own memories. Her elegant prose and sly humor sustain the reader as she unabashedly considers the future of her own children in a collapsing world.
There have also been reports of small-scale fish kills.
Scientists do not yet know what is causing the erratic behavior. NOAA Fisheries has initiated an emergency response effort with FWC, Mote Marine Laboratory and other partners including Havenworth Coastal Conservation, Dynasty Marine Associates Inc., and Ripley’s Aquariums, to possibly rescue, rehabilitate and release smalltooth sawfish affected by this event. Investigations into the abnormal behavior and mortalities by FWC are ongoing.
Continue reporting all sawfish observations (healthy, sick, injured or dead) to 844-472-9347 or sawfish@myfwc.com. Report abnormal fish behavior and fish kills to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Fish Kill Hotline at 800-636-0511 or MyFWC.com/ReportFishKill. To support the Sawfish Rescue Initiative, visit www.mote. org/sawfish.
— Contributed
Millet’s fiction has been widely acclaimed over the years, including 2020’s “A Children’s Bible,” which was shortlisted for the National Book Award, and her 2009 story collection, “Love in Infant Monkeys,” a Pulitzer Prize finalist. Millet will be in Key West discussing the memoir later this month at Books & Books at the Studios of Key West.
Where: This is available as a print book, e-book and e-audiobook from the Monroe County Public Library system.
How: You can request books online by logging in to your account keyslibraries.org and get e-books and e-audiobooks 24/7 at 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: Michael Nelson, assistant director of public services
See previous recommendations at keyslibraries.org/shelf-help.
The Fishermen’s Community Hospital campus has expanded.
Our new 10,000-square-foot Medical Arts Building will bring multiple services under one roof:
• Primary care
• Physical, occupational and speech therapy
• Oncology infusion for Baptist Health Cancer Care patients
• Physician offices for orthopedics, general surgery and gastroenterology
At Baptist Health, we’ve got the Middle Keys covered — from emergency care and surgery, to wellness appointments and cancer care. Welcome to expert, compassionate care, all on one campus.
Last Friday night, 1,500 runners headed to bed praying for a northern shift in the winds forecast for the following morning.
Instead, harriers in the 43rd annual 7 Mile Bridge Run put forth a grueling effort as they battled 20-plusmph headwinds to “Beat the Bus” in one of the most challenging races in recent memory.
Leading the pack were familiar faces, as 28-year-old Pennsylvania native Collin Wainwright broke the tape in 40 minutes, 33 seconds to claim his third bridge run win in four years. Marathon High distance phenom Vance Bursa, the only runner to best Wainwright on the bridge since 2019, crossed the line a mere four seconds later. Twenty-nine-year-old Christian Vazquez rounded out the overall medal podium, crossing in 41:13.
Dallas native Joanna Stevens was first across the line for the ladies in 43 minutes, 13 seconds, but Keys locals formed the rest of the top three, with Tavernier’s Anne Denotter finishing in 43:52 and Key Largo’s Holly Smith finishing third in 44:43.
“That wind was pretty intense. It’s probably the strongest wind that I’ve ever ran into,” Wainwright told the Weekly. “In the first half mile, the lead group had already whittled down to about five of us, and it was pretty much me and Vance for the last three miles.”
The race’s top finisher had nothing but praise for his competition, saying he keeps in touch sporadically with
other top-ranking runners who return to the bridge each year. Currently in training for an Ironman, he said a powerlifting regimen incorporated into his routine was advantageous in the face of the high winds, although finishing times across the board were slower than in 2023.
“I think overall the conditions benefited me, because typically by mile four or five I’m starting to believe I might have a heat stroke,” he laughed. “This year, not once can I say I even felt hot, so the main focus was just running through the wind.”
1. Spectators line the Old Seven Mile Bridge to watch the finish line of the 7 Mile Bridge Run on Saturday. ANDY NEWMAN/ Florida Keys News Bureau
2. Hundreds of runners battle a constant headwind north of 20 mph as they complete the 6.8-mile race. ANDY NEWMAN/ Florida Keys News Bureau
3. In a growing tradition, firefighters including William Wright (1767) complete the daunting race in full gear. ANDY NEWMAN/Florida Keys News Bureau
4. Overall winner Collin Wainwright breaks the tape in 40 minutes, 33 seconds. BARRY GAUKEL/Keys Weekly
5. Top female finishers include Joanna Stevens (first, right), Anne Denotter (second, middle) and Holly Smith. BARRY GAUKEL/ Keys Weekly
6. Kelly Hausler, 57, finishes as the top Grand Master female in 56 minutes, 4 seconds. BARRY GAUKEL/Keys Weekly
See more winners’ ceremony photos at keysweekly.com and shadypalmphotography.com.
Along with an army of volunteers and local law enforcement partners that make the bridge run a reality every year, finishers will tell you that one of the best parts of the race is the camaraderie of local runners celebrating the annual accomplishment together. This year, the Keys Weekly is proud to spotlight Keys residents who finished the race, from the front of the pack to the back.
1. 11-year-old Dominick Whiteman from Marathon wins the boys 9-12 age division.
2. Marathon’s Hugh Chandler crosses the line.
3. Marathon’s Jena Anderson, right, and Mark Vander Lee hit the finish.
4. 11-year-olds Joseph Guaron, left, and Max Pluciennik represent Key West.
5. Key West’s Jessica Blass, left, and Melanie Youschak are in it together.
6. There’s no rule saying you have to cross the finish line upright. Kristen Livengood takes full advantage.
Our bright and and airy space is a treasure trove of carefully curated clothing & accessories that embrace the island lifestyle.
Offering fabulous brands such as Farm Rio, Trina Turk, Oliphant and more, stop by and check out our island inspired collections.
The ReMARCable Dance Project features MARC clients with varying developmental abilities to write poetry and choreograph dances to their own words. JOHNNY WHITE/Mile 0 Key West
MANDY MILES
mandy@keysweekly.com
Kyla Piscopink has danced professionally on some of the country’s most esteemed stages. She has collaborated and choreographed with top artists and defied gravity acrobatically on the sidelines of NFL games as a Buffalo Bills cheerleader.
But ask the founder of Dance Key West about some of her favorite projects and she beams without hesitation while describing the ReMARCable Dance Project, an outreach program that partners with the Monroe Association of Remarkable Citizens (MARC), a local nonprofit that supports adults with developmental disabilities.
Now in its fifth year, the ReMARCable Dance Project invites MARC clients, all with varying abilities, to explore the arts through poetry, music and dance, and then perform their works in front of an audience on Saturday, April 20 at 4 p.m. at a recital entitled “Poetry in Motion” at The Studios of Key West.
“This year we have 17 MARC clients involved,” Piscopink told the Keys Weekly. “They each write their own poem with the help of local artists Cricket Desmarais and B. Lucy Stevens, and then I work with them to choreograph a dance that exemplifies their poem.”
At the ReMARCable Dance performance, the poems will be
read by the Emmy-nominated actor Steve Burns, who hosted the popular kids’ show “Blue’s Clues” from 1996 to 2002 and has appeared recently in “Young Sheldon” as Star Trek enthusiast Nathan. He’s a longtime friend of Piscopink.
“All the clients’ poems are different lengths, from several stanzas to just a few lines,” Piscopink said. “But they’ll each have about two to three minutes to perform their dance in concert with their words. And God, they love to dance. They’d each be on stage for 10 minutes if time permitted. There’s such an amazing innocence and authenticity with these clients. This is absolutely one of my all-time favorite projects.”
There’s no hesitation, no fear and no self-consciousness with the MARC clients when they get on stage, she said.
“Throughout the process, while they’re writing their poems and then choreographing their dances, I try to teach them some of the basic vocabulary of ballet and jazz dance. I had one client who wanted to learn tap, so I brought in a tap teacher, and now that client is a tap dancer, with her own shoes and steps and everything,” said Piscopink, who’s grateful to The Studios of Key West for providing the performance venue.
Admission is a $15 donation to MARC, but MARC staff, clients and their families get in free.
This three-panel image shows a boulder star coral in St.
The world is experiencing a global coral bleaching event, according to NOAA scientists. This is the fourth global event on record and the second in the last 10 years.
Bleaching-level heat stress, as remotely monitored and predicted by NOAA’s Coral Reef Watch (CRW), has been — and continues to be — extensive across the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Ocean basins. CRW’s heat-stress monitoring is based on sea surface temperature data, from 1985 to the present, from a blend of NOAA and partner satellites.
“From February 2023 to April 2024, significant coral bleaching has been documented in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres of each major ocean basin,” said Derek Manzello, NOAA CRW coordinator.
Since early 2023, mass bleaching of coral reefs has been confirmed throughout the tropics, including in Florida in the U.S.; the Caribbean; Brazil; the eastern Tropical Pacific (including Mexico, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia); Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and beyond.
“As the world’s oceans continue to warm, coral bleaching is becoming more frequent and severe,” Manzello said.
Coral bleaching, especially on a widespread scale, affects economies, livelihoods, food security and more, but it does not necessarily mean corals will die. If the stress driving the bleaching diminishes, corals can recover and reefs can continue to provide the ecosystem services we all rely on.
“Climate model predictions for coral reefs have been suggesting for years that bleaching impacts would increase in frequency and magnitude as the ocean warms,” said Jennifer Koss,
director of NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP).
Because of this, the CRCP incorporated resilience-based management practices and increased the emphasis on coral restoration in its 2018 strategic plan, and funded a National Academies of Sciences study, which led to the publication of the 2019 Interventions to Increase the Resilience of Coral Reefs.
Koss said, “We are on the front lines of coral reef research, management and restoration, and are actively and aggressively implementing the recommendations of the 2019 interventions report.”
The 2023 heatwave in Florida was unprecedented. It started earlier, lasted longer and was more severe than any previous event in that region.
During the bleaching event, NOAA learned a great deal while engaging in interventions to mitigate harm to corals. Through its Mission: Iconic Reefs program, NOAA made significant strides to offset some of the negative effects of global climate change and local stressors on Florida’s corals, including moving coral nurseries to deeper, cooler waters and deploying sunshades to protect corals in other areas.
The International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI), which NOAA co-chairs, and its international members are sharing and already applying actions and lessons from the 2023 marine heatwaves in Florida and the Caribbean. ICRI and its members are helping to advance coral interventions and restoration in the face of climate change by funding scientific research on best management practices and implementing its Plan of Action. NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program is a partnership across multiple NOAA offices and programs, for a multidisciplinary approach to understanding and conserving coral reef ecosystems.
An outline of the future for Monroe County’s artificial reef program was met with a mixture of anticipation, caution and debate at the April 16 meeting of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council (SAC).
Advisory council members gathered in Marathon listened to the highly-anticipated presentation from newly-hired artificial reefs director Hanna Koch, who began her new post this month after six years with Mote Marine Lab as a staff scientist and coral reproduction research program manager. The program she’s tasked with directing was made possible with an August 2023 award of $10 million from the state explicitly for the purpose of establishing artificial reefs. An additional award of $5 million, awaiting Gov. Ron DeSantis’ signature, will extend the program from its initial 2028 time frame to 2029 if signed.
Koch aims to provide artificial support structures to help combat habitat deficits for fish and invertebrate species throughout the Keys, acknowledging that grant language directly states an intent to provide additional recreational fishing and diving locations, reducing conflicts among user groups and alleviating pressures on natural reefs.
“I realize that there will probably be a variety of projects and structures with different intentions,” she said. “We need to consider sustainability on all levels, whether it’s the materials we’re using or how our work and our structures impact fisheries and resources and how we manage them.
“I’m well aware that this is a conversation that’s been going on well before I arrived on the scene, and I want to assure everyone that my arrival is not a reset button,” she concluded.
A robust comment period from council members followed, praising Koch’s hire and adding appreciable debate on balancing the program’s environmental benefits with clear recreational and economic implications.
“My concern is that we use this system to enhance the environment, and not to increase extraction,” said council member Mimi Stafford. “My training and my view is that we aren’t really going to increase biomass, we’re just going to concentrate it and make it easier to harvest. … There is a place for this, because we’re losing our reefs – I’ve seen them collapsing, and that’s a great concern because of increased wave action.”
“I’m really happy that finally this tool is completing our toolbox,” said charter captain Will Benson. “Speaking as a fisherman, when you look
FWC’s CJ Sweetman delivers an update to the Sanctuary Advisory Council on continuing efforts to explain unusual fish behavior and sawfish mortalities throughout the Florida Keys. ALEX RICKERT/Keys Weekly back to the world records … we had an entire fishery that was created by structure that is no longer there. It’s my belief, and the belief of a lot of other captains, that over the years as we’ve watched that structure decline, we’ve seen a corresponding decline in our fish.”
“Anything we can do to give these divers an option other than to go to a different reef … I think that would just pull so many more people off our reefs and (decrease) the pressure,” said Gary Jennings, from the American Sportfishing Association. “Our reef tract down here, we’re just loving it to death unfortunately, and I don’t know how much more it can sustain.”
“I think my biggest concern is that I’m not sure how throwing some stuff out there improves an ecology that’s going downhill now,” said SAC chair George Garrett. “It’s the milieu that this is all sitting in that is somehow, I’m going to say, a bit sick right now. That needs to be changed, and that’s a much bigger playing field.”
Tuesday’s discussion did not include any specific projects, though one of the program’s first moves is expected to involve a series of decommissioned power poles acquired by the county last summer from the Florida Keys Electric Coop. Koch said that while other specific projects are in early stages of development, preliminary discussions have supported networks of habitat structures to support fish at various life stages, with some locations of reef installations possibly remaining undisclosed.
“We’re already thinking about doing this in a sustainable way – not just putting things out there where everyone can go and everyone can take,” she said.
Tuesday’s session closed with updates from partner organizations working to diagnose and combat the root causes of unusual “spinning fish” behavior and a mortality event that has claimed the lives of at least 40 critically endangered smalltooth sawfish to date since late 2023.
FWC’s CJ Sweetman confirmed that working groups continue to evaluate the role of toxins produced by benthic microalgae, multiple of which have been identified in collected water samples and symptomatic fish. Species in the Gambierdiscus algae family, mentioned for weeks as a prime suspect in producing the harmful toxins, continue to test at elevated levels in areas with affected fish.
Sweetman said more than 430 abnormal behavior reports have documented impacts to more than 50 species of fish. Oxygen levels, salinity, pH and water temperatures have yet to show cause for concern, and necropsy data has not yielded signs of communicable pathogens or bacterial infections. Affected fish appear to be targeted through their gills, he said, an idea supported
director Hanna Koch outlines a ‘holistic, science-based approach’ to creating artificial reef structures for fish at various life stages.
by investigators’ findings that quickly-afflicted animals can recover nearly as fast when placed in clean water.
“Preliminary fish bioassays show swimming abnormalities within 20 minutes of exposure to this waterborne microalgae extract, and then recovery of that fish within 28 minutes when placed in clean water,” he said.
“Basically, we have tested for every humanmade chemical pollutant that we can,” added DEP sanctuary liaison Nicholas Parr. “It doesn’t appear that what is affecting the fish directly is of human origin … but we’re going to continue to look at anything we can to make sure we’re not missing something.”
“It’s possible, but we’re not certain, that the abnormal fish behavior and the sawfish mortality are related based on fish necropsy data and what we’re seeing from the sawfish,” Sweetman concluded, acknowledging that the end of the unprecedented mortality event’s timeline, or a deadline to identify the cause, are still both unknown.
“I assure you that we’re working around the clock tirelessly on this,” he said. “If you don’t know what you’re looking for, it’s a little challenging to get to the bottom of this. … So many people are dropping everything to focus on this and try and get some answers.”
Reports of unusual fish behavior, complete with detailed locations, are still critical for agencies’ understanding of this unprecedented event. To report sightings of healthy, sick, injured or dead sawfish, contact FWC’s Sawfish Hotline at 844-472-9347 or sawfish@myfwc.com. Report sightings of other abnormal fish behavior or fish kills to the Fish Kill Hotline at 800-636-0511.
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
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Madi Klas Biblik 7:30pm
Minis Rodrigue Aleandre Cell 305.296.3331
SERVICIO ESPAÑOL
Domingo Estudio Biblico a las 5pm
Servicio de Adoración a las 6pm
Jueves Estudio Biblico a las 7pm
Ministro Pedro Ruiz Celda 347.430.2263
‘‘The churches of Christ greet you.’’ Romans 16:16 NKJV 1700 VON PHISTER ST, KEY WEST
‘‘But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, ...’’ I Peter
Woman reportedly had a blood-alcohol level of .310 the night of the crash
GWEN FILOSA gwen@keysweekly.com
AMonroe County Sheriff’s Office deputy was seriously injured April 9 while he was handling a traffic stop on U.S. 1, after a drunk driver struck his patrol cruiser as he was walking between his car and the one he had pulled over, the sheriff’s office said.
The crash left the 26-year-old deputy Julian Garcia pinned between both vehicles.
Deputies freed the deputy from the two cars that were on the side of the road near MM 87, and he was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital with injuries to his lower body. He was in stable condition the day after, according to MCSO spokesman Adam Linhardt. Garcia underwent a series of surgeries and remains in the hospital.
The driver who struck the deputy’s patrol car was identified as Alexandra Marlene Baraga, 26, of Shoreview, Minnesota, who is currently living in the Keys. She had a blood alcohol level of .310 — nearly four times the legal limit — while behind the wheel of a 2014 Toyota Prius, Linhardt said, and was not injured.
The Florida Highway Patrol took Baraga to the county jail and charged her with multiple DUIrelated crimes.
Baraga, whose occupation is listed as animal care, was released from the jail on Stock Island on
April 10 after posting a $95,000 bond, according to MCSO online jail records.
Her arraignment is set for 9 a.m. Tuesday, April 23 before Judge Luis Garcia at the Plantation Key Government Center in Tavernier.
Baraga couldn’t be reached for comment on April 11 and it wasn’t immediately clear whether she has legal representation.
The driver the deputy had stopped, Andrew James Gibson, 20, of Homestead, was taken to Mariners Hospital in Tavernier with nonlife-threatening injuries. Gibson was later taken to jail on a warrant for failure to appear in court.
Sheriff Rick Ramsay said it was a difficult time for everyone at the sheriff’s office.
“One of our brave deputies has been seriously injured in the line of duty because of the thoughtless actions of a drunk driver,” Ramsay said in a statement. “For the cost of a taxi or ride share, she jeopardized the lives of everyone on the road.”
The injured deputy has been with the sheriff’s office since February 2022. The sheriff’s office is supporting Garcia as he continues to face a challenging medical situation, which has included multiple surgeries and an extended hospitalization ahead.
Those wishing to support Garcia can donate via Venmo and search Maugarcia, Cashapp and search Mauricioga or Zelle to Mauricio Garcia at 786-602-3280.
Michael Franti and Spearhead spread their ‘Big Big Love’ tour and attitude to fans at the Coffee Butler Amphitheater
Michael Franti and Spearhead on April 12 enveloped the Coffee Butler Amphitheater in a sea of positivity that has come to define Franti’s life and music.
The American singer, poet, documentarian and activist devotes his life to spreading “big big love” and remaining positive at every turn.
The performer traded one island for another when he performed in Key West, a stop on his U.S. tour that took him thousands of miles from his home in Bali, where he owns and operates Soulshine, a sustainable yoga retreat.
The receptive crowd embraced Franti as he mingled with fans and performed their favorite songs.
— Keys Weekly staff report
three cash prizes per age group!
1st - $150 2nd - $75 3rd - $50
FoR kids (6-12) and teens (13-18) submissions due: tuesday, aPRil 30 open to monroe county, FL onLy up to 3 poems per entry in engLish or spanish emaiL poetry@tskw.org / drop oFF 533 eaton.
ABBIE GARDNER
OLD TOWN NEW FOLK CONCERT SERIES
TUE APRIL 23, 7PM - THEATER
$75 front row, $50, $40 mbrs
WED APRIL 24, 8PM - ROOFTOP
$100 front row, $60, $50 mbrs. A show-stopping songwriter, captivating vocalist, and worldclass lap style dobro guitar player.
KING TIDE by Michael Marrero
FRI & SAT APR 26-27, 8PM
$35, $30 mbrs.
In a future where the climate crisis has left their hometown perpetually flooded, residents Ash and Ezra navigate survival with a blend of dark humor and stark reality, as they grapple with the choice of leaving or fighting for their submerged existence. sponsored by 7 Artists & Friends
BOX OFFICE HOURS: TUE-SUN, 10AM-4PM
533 EATON ST.
305-296-0458
TSKW.ORG
The College of the Florida Keys
SUMMER ADVENTURE CAMPS
Learn, explore, & have fun!
• Jr. Tropical Hobbyist (Ages 7-10)
June 3-7, June 10-14
• Tropical Hobbyist (Ages 11-14)
June 17-21
• Creative Writing (Ages 11-14)
June 3-7
• Future Heroes (Ages 7-14)
June 24-28
• Art Camp (Ages 7-14)
July 15-19, July 22-26,
July 29-Aug 2
• Young Writers (Ages 10-14)
July 8-12
• Code Breakers (Ages 11-14)
July 15 - 19
Key West Campus
5901 College Rd.
Space is limited. Register today!
cfk.edu/summer-camps
DJ’s Clam Shack is a casual Keys vibe
is a Keys native who has a passion for all things food. She runs the local food blog, “Florida Keys Eats.”
Did you know Maine is a few hours south of Key Largo? That’s what my taste buds think at least.
DJ’s Clam Shack sits right on a piece of prime property on Duval Street in Key West. Their mantra is “Where northern and southern seafood meet,” and that couldn’t be more on point. I’ve personally eaten my way through the northeast multiple times. I’ve spent weeks on the road eating lobster … ahem … I mean “lobstah” rolls, one after another from Montauk to Mystic Seaport, through Cape Cod all the way to Maine.
My point is, I’ll go ahead and dub myself an unofficial Northeast seafood connoisseur of sorts. Now being born and raised here in the Keys, I obviously love our local crustacean selection. However, northern seafood has this succulent sweet tenderness that is hard to beat. DJ’s Clam Shack is in the top three lobster rolls I’ve ever had in my life. They start with a classic top split hot dog bun all buttered up and grilled to perfection to bring a warm doughiness to a cool lunch. The inside is then stuffed with top quality claw and knuckle meat which is the ideal choice for a lobster roll, given the soft and luxurious texture.
I assume like most lobster rolls, the meat is prepared by steaming or boiling, but I can swear the flavor runs so deep in this flaky meat that it tastes like it was poached in butter. The lobster is then tossed in the lightest coating of mayo and seasoning with a little bit of chopped celery to add some crunch and color. It is accompanied by a vibrant scoop of coleslaw and the mandatory lemon wedge.
I’m a big fan of always squeezing a little citrus on any dish; I feel as if it wakes up the flavors. You can’t go wrong adding an Islamorada Brewing’s Sandbar Sunday to the order. That particular beer really pairs well with any seafood.
DJ’s Clam Shack’s lobster roll.
DJ’s Clam Shack isn’t only a lunch spot; they reopen for the dinner crowd as well. When visiting around that time I actually opt for a warm lobster roll, drizzled with hot butter, and a glass of wine. You might notice on their menu they have an option for an overstuffed lobster roll. Seeing that cracks me up because I can’t help but think, where? Their original lobster roll is filled to the absolute brim; they definitely don’t cheap out.
In fact, the first time I visited DJ’s Clam Shack, I actually had to pull out my receipt and double check that I didn’t order the overstuffed lobster roll because that’s how filled the original looks. The shack has plenty of seating around the back, but I prefer to sit on the bar ledge right up against Duval Street.
Living full-time in the Upper Keys, we don’t have many spots for people to watch and see actual pedestrians, so I really enjoy this little extra when visiting Key West. There is just such a casual Keys vibe at DJ’s Clam Shack that I love, you order at the window and they bring the food to your table, and when you’re done, you simply get up and leave. It’s the perfect opportunity to eat something last-minute, fast or slow, whatever your pace, and not have to sacrifice food flavor or quality.
I can’t wait to head back to DJ’s Clam Shack to try all their other menu items I haven’t gotten around to. Plan your next lunch or dinner there, or don’t plan anything and just randomly walk up. Either way, don’t fear, you’re in good claws.
Island city has been home to dozens of important poets
From left, commissioners Lissette Carey and Jimmy Weekley honor Key West’s 2024 poet laureate Emily Schulten Weekley, who was joined by her husband Dakin Weekley and their son, Otis. Mayor Teri Johnston and Vice Mayor Sam Kaufman joined in the proclamation and congratulations. (Commissioners Clayton Lopez and Mary Lou Hoover attended via Zoom.) ALYSON
CREAN/City of Key West
The Key West city commission on April 11 named Emily Schulten Weekley the 2024 poet laureate of Key West.
Key West has been home to some of the most important poets of the past century, including Robert Frost, Elizabeth Bishop and Richard Wilbur. American literature has been enriched by poetic descriptions of Key West’s history, environment and culture; and the Key West poet laureate is the official poet of Key West.
Key West poet Nance Boylan created the honor in 2012, and since then, every two years, a new poet laureate for the island city is chosen by an independent board composed of all past poet laureates and Boylan.
Schulten Weekley is a nationally recognized poet and author of three collections of poetry. Her work has been published widely in prominent literary journals.
Her accolades include the 2023 White Pine Press Poetry Prize and the 2023 Geri DiGiorno Prize. She was a finalist for a 2023 Eric Hoffer Award, the recipient of a 2017 Tennessee Williams Scholarship from the Sewanee Writers Conference, and winner of the 2016 Erskine J. Prize for Poetry.
Schulten Weekley is a professor at the College of the Florida Keys, where she teaches poetry and creative
The Key West city commission on April 11 named Emily Schulten Weekley the 2024 Key West poet laureate. ROMI BURIANOVA/ Contributed
writing. She works with students in an extracurricular capacity on projects like student poetry prizes, literary journals, open mic readings and a creative writing club. She also created and is director of CFK Poetics, a visiting poet series at the college that since 2019 has brought poets of national acclaim to Key West for readings and lectures that are open to the community.
Schulten Weekley follows in the footsteps of several other well-known poets who have served as the city’s official poet including Kirby Congdon, Flower Conroy and Arlo Haskell.
She accepted the proclamation with her husband Dakin Weekley and son Otis.
“I was told by my father-in-law here,” she said, referring to commissioner Jimmy Weekley, “that I might be in big trouble if I don’t read a poem.”
And so, she treated the audience to a selection from her upcoming collection, “Island of Bones.”
— Contributed
The Waterfront Playhouse, now in its 85th season in Key West, will present Neil Simon’s “Lost in Yonkers” April 24 to May 11.
The play is one of Simon’s classics, as it showcases his talent for dramatic and comedic narratives and dialogue. The play was later adapted into a film starring Richard Dreyfuss.
In Brooklyn in 1942, Evelyn Kurnitz has just died following a lengthy illness. Her husband, Eddie Kurnitz, needs to take a job as a traveling salesman to pay the medical bills incurred, so he decides to ask his stern and straight-talking mother (from whom he is slightly estranged) if his two early-teen sons, Jay and Arty (whom she insists on calling by their full given names, Jacob and Arthur, which she pronounces “Yakob” and “Artur”), can live with her and their Aunt Bella Kurnitz in Yonkers. She refuses. After a threat by Bella, she lets them stay without ever saying they could stay. Despite their grandmother owning and operating a candy store, Jay and Arty do not like their new living situation. They are afraid of their grandmother and find it difficult to relate to their crazy Aunt Bella, whose slow mental state is manifested by perpetual excitability and a short attention span, which outwardly comes across as a childlike demeanor.
Into their collective lives returns one of Eddie and Bella’s other siblings, Louie Kurnitz, a
Waterfront Playhouse presents Neil Simon’s ‘Lost in Yonkers’ April 24 to May 11. Visit waterfrontplayhouse.org for tickets and information. WIKIPEDIA/Contributed
henchman for some gangsters. He is hiding out from Hollywood Harry, who wants what Louie stole and is hiding in his small black bag. Jay and Arty’s mission becomes how to make money fast so that they can help their father and move back in together, which may entail stealing the $15,000 their grandmother has hidden somewhere. Bella’s mission is to find a way to tell the family that she wants to marry Johnny, her equally slow movie theater usher boyfriend; the two could also use $5,000 of Grandma’s hidden money to open their dream restaurant. And Louie’s mission is to survive the next couple of days.
— Contributed
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Dear Editor,
At the last Stock Island Association (SIA) meeting, members discussed the prospect of annexing Stock Island and Key Haven to make them part of the city of Key West.
Let me make clear, SIA has not endorsed in favor or not, but we would like Monroe County and the city of Key West to offer more information about how annexation would affect us all.
1. Stock Islanders can easily travel to city meetings compared to county meetings.
Having to travel up to Marathon or Key Largo is a challenge of time and expense. We’ve had county commission agenda items, specifically related to Stock Island, voted on in the Upper Keys, making public input from Stock Island residents difficult. To be annexed with Key West, traveling to their city meetings would be much easier and allow us to be more engaged in local politics.
2. Attention to citizens during public meetings in Key West vs. county
Many SIA members felt that the city commissioners of Key West listen more intently to citizens when they speak at public meetings. For example, when the issue to evacuate liveaboard boaters came up at a Key West city commission meeting, many liveaboards showed up and spoke about how difficult it is to re-anchor every 90 days. Key West city commissioners were thoughtful and ensured that at least 300 permanent, managed moorings were built before enforcing the 90-day rule. On the same issue, the county commission did the opposite. Instead of protecting the liveaboards, county commissioners voted to knock down the number of moorings to be built from 300 to 100, which would displace hundreds of people looking for a place to live. We don’t feel the BOCC listens to the little guy, but instead represents and benefits developers and large companies.
3. Single-district elections
This was a big one. Some members tried last year to get enough signatures to put single-
district elections on the ballot with regard to electing our county commissioners. To travel 107 miles to gather enough signatures for a vote proved impossible, so the effort failed. However, if we were annexed with Key West, we would have single-district elections for our area, meaning commissioners are elected only by the voters in their respective districts and not by the whole city, whereas county commissioners are elected countywide. The majority of Stock Islanders want only the residents who live in our district to choose our commissioner. Why should Key Largo residents, who know little of what is going on in Stock Island, vote for our commissioner and representative?
4. Maintenance of public property
The bicycle path on U.S. 1 is maintained by Key West and the county. The southern end is Key West’s side and maintained nicely, but on the county side, we make numerous phone calls to trim overgrown foliage, often because the maintenance crew is up in Marathon. The city of Key West could complete maintenance tasks more quickly and efficiently.
5. Looking at a map
A look at a map shows that Stock Island and Key Haven should have been included with the rest of Key West. We were split up awkwardly. These three areas have more in common with each other and can work together to address common issues versus the challenges of working together with communities as far away as the Upper Keys.
6. Taxes
We don’t know how much more in taxes we would have to pay, and this may not be the deciding factor whether to annex the three regions. We want a good local government that works for us, the people who live here.
We respectfully request more information from both Monroe County and Key West. It’s time we stop talking about this, and bring it to a vote.
Sincerely,
Diane Beruldsen President, Stock Island Associationoffers nighttime celestial sails
MANDY MILES
mandy@keysweekly.com
If you haven’t seen the night sky from the deck of a stately wooden schooner, then you haven’t experienced all that the night has to offer while drenching the waters around Key West in moonlight and dappling the inky blackness with stars.
Every few months, when the stars align, so to speak, and the skies are clear, the stately and speedy Schooner America 2.0 slips into the night for Stargazer Sails featuring an academic discussion and guided tour of the constellations and any visible planets by Key West astronomer Kevin Gallagher, who is also a NASA solar system ambassador.
Upcoming Stargazer Sails are scheduled for Friday and Saturday, April 26 and 27 and Saturday and Sunday, May 4 and 5. All Stargazer Sails take place from 9:15 to 11 p.m. Tickets are $76 plus tax. Gallagher uses a high-powered laser light beam that shines brilliantly against the dark sky and is able to pinpoint a specific star, cluster or constellation so everyone on board can be assured they’re all looking at the same celestial body.
Gallagher answers questions and provides an in-depth look at the stars, the history of the
constellations’ names and the science behind some cosmic activity, all while the giant sails fill with a light breeze and friendly stewards serve snacks and drinks.
The schooner offers beer, wine and a full bar, as well as snacks available for purchase.
“There hadn’t been a guided stargazing sail offered in Key West since the Schooner Western Union was still sailing,” said Heather Slivko-Bathurst, general manager of Classic Harbor Line, which operates Schooner America 2.0. “We’ve had many people ask for it over the years, and are so excited to collaborate with Kevin Gallagher to be able to bring it back. It’s an incredible opportunity for locals and visitors to connect with the universe while enjoying the beauty of Key West’s waters at night.”
With its spacious decks and unobstructed views, Schooner America 2.0 offers the ideal setting to witness the splendor of the night sky.
Space for the sail is limited, and reservations are required. Tickets can be purchased through the Schooner America 2.0 website or by contacting their reservation team directly.
For more information and to reserve your spot, call 305293-7245, visit sail-keywest.com or email the reservation team at info@keywest.com.
... is a photographer, writer, and semi-professional birdwatcher. He has lived in Key West for more than 25 years and may no longer be employable in the real world. He is also executive director of the Florida Keys Audubon Society.
Iguess I’ve seen flycatchers that you could call swashbuckling. The gray kingbirds that will be returning over the next few weeks to stake out their territories and perch on utility wires for the summer have shown themselves to be fearless adventurers on innumerable occasions, chasing off anything they think might be a threat. Among the many recipients of their aggression are hawks, kestrels, mockingbirds and cats. They have also been known to throw themselves at the occasional dog on a leash trotting next to a newspaper wildlife columnist riding a bicycle, nipping said dog on the butt and sending the dog, trailed by the leashattached newspaper wildlife columnist, rushing in a full speed panic toward a busy intersection while the attached newspaper wildlife columnist frantically tried to use the badly-in-need-oftightening hand brake to stop them. (They all survived.)
The similarly swashbuckling, closely related eastern kingbird has been known to have a go at a similar list of encroachers, as well as such offending interlopers as bald men with especially shiny pates and small airplanes flying too low for their liking.
I’d never had a chance to see a kingbird with piratic tendencies in North America, though, until this weekend, when I saw a piratic flycatcher at the Key West Botanical Garden.
The piratic flycatcher is an inhabitant of Central America and northern South America, though there are just short of a dozen records of it north of the Mexico line, making it a Category 4 on the American Birding Associations rarity code. This one was found by a visiting birder named Juli DeGrummond.
Oddly enough, a different piratic kingbird was reported at the same time higher up the Florida peninsula at Fort De Soto Park on the Gulf coast. Which perhaps isn’t odd. As noted Florida ornithologist Andy Kratter pointed out, “In Florida we like our vagrants in bunches,” with multiple far-flung, near-simultaneous sightings in recent years of rare species like red-legged honeycreeper, large-billed tern, American flamingo, Cuban pewee, black-faced grassquit, and red-legged thrush.
For some of these rarities – the American flamingos and the red-legged honeycreepers – their arrival can be tied to storms and other weather patterns with a high degree of confidence. But in most cases, it is usually more ambiguous.
Whenever a rare bird shows up, birders generally ask the same questions, the first one being: is it an escaped pet? If the species is sold in pet shops or popular in the illegal bird trade, a state records committee might not accept a sighting. For instance, sightings of two red-
legged honeycreepers seen in Key West and at the Dry Tortugas in 2003 were rejected because it was possible to buy a red-legged honeycreeper in a pet store. It didn’t matter that the nearest pet store that sold them was on the mainland, over 150 miles away, and that they could be found in their natural habitat in Cuba only 90 miles away. (Interestingly, after multiple red-legged honeycreepers came into multiple spots in Florida, Louisiana and Texas in 2022, the 2003 records were retroactively accepted.)
Nobody really worried about the piratic being a caged bird. Like the gray kingbird and the eastern kingbird it is a member of the tyrant kingbird family, and would most likely be too aggressive to do well, or even survive, in a cage. Also, though the species has a distinctive thick black eyestripe across its mostly white face, it’s not a particularly beautiful or exotic looking bird, not the kind of bird that people look at and think, Ooh, I need to keep that one in my living room.
It’s a little bit of a letdown that the piratic flycatcher’s name does not derive from any physical attribute. There is, sadly, no eye patch or red bandana. And its call sounds nothing like “arrgggh” or “matey,” or anything remotely nautical. The name comes from the fact that they don’t build their own nests, but instead abuse and harass other birds into leaving theirs, and then move in, tossing out any eggs the previous tenants may have left behind.
The other main question birders ask when a rarity from across a large body of water appears is, was it ship-aided? Did it ride rather than fly? It’s almost a purely academic question, largely because there is no real way to know, and even if it was known, the ABA considers a ship-aided bird to be a countable bird on the checklists of those who keep score.
When I made it to the Botanical Garden on Sunday it was almost, at first, a repeat of the scene with the pearly-eyed thrasher two weeks before. I once again ran into Mark Whiteside in the parking lot, and inside the gates, we once again ran into Matthew Jolley, who told us he’d just seen the bird in the gumbo limbo tree on
a branch over the pond. But then he left. Mark and I walked around for a bit before we realized there were at least three gumbo limbos with branches out over the pond. I didn’t have Matthew’s number, so I sent a message through a mutual friend asking which gumbo limbo it might be. Five minutes later Matthew showed up and showed us exactly which tree he meant. Which was very nice of him.
The piratic wasn’t in the tree, though. Instead we watched a half-dozen gray catbirds come in and out, some of them softly singing songs they would belt out in full voice in a few weeks once they made it back to their breeding territories. There was also a trio of indigo buntings and a warbler or two.
A trio of broad-winged hawks drifted overhead. Then a trio of short-tailed hawks.
We kept vigil on the gumbo limbo, but then noticed some movement in the tree next door. And boom, there it was, perched as inauspiciously as any tyrant flycatcher I have ever seen.
It gave us a nice long look until Ellen Westbrook texted she was on the way, then it disappeared again. Ellen had missed the pearlyeyed thrasher, so I was slightly worried about a jinx. Amy Grimm arrived from Big Pine and saw it, and a birder from, I think, Texas also saw it while we waited for Ellen.
When Ellen did arrive we all stood there for a while, staring into the gumbo limbo and the neighboring tree, trying to will the flycatcher into appearing. After it didn’t, we spread out, searching through other adjacent bits of foliage without much luck.
I walked up to the front to get a drink from the water fountain and the woman working the desk mentioned they’d be closing in half an hour, so now there was deadline pressure, too.
Occasionally one of us would spot it, but by the time Ellen got there it moved. This happened three or four times. But then I heard Ellen’s voice from the next path over say she got it, and felt a sizable relief.
The micro-jinx was broken. High fives all around. Another rare bird seen in the Florida Keys.
1. Show you care about their health, wellness, wellbeing, and success.
2. Express your disapproval of underage drinking and other drug use.
3. Set clear expectations about substance use to discourage risky behaviors.
4. Tell them to never drink alcohol or use other drugs and drive or get in a car if the driver has been drinking or using other drugs.
5. Empower them with the skills and strategies they need to avoid substance use.
6. Reinforce you’re a good source of information about alcohol and other drugs
Peer pressure is a leading risk factor for underage drinking and other drug use, so it’s important that kids be equipped with information and ways to say “no.” As a parent or caregiver, you have the power to help your child understand the risks and dangers of drinking alcohol and using other drugs, as well as how to deal with offers from their friends or peers.
Sponsored by Monroe County Coalition, Inc., Thriving Mind South Florida and the State of Florida, Department of Children and Families
is an astrologer, wanderer, bartender and advocate for queer justice. He is a loquacious Gemini with a cozy Cancer rising. Find him at hearthandheraldastrology.com
We are in the last few days of Aries season, and the sun is about to waltz right into the verdant and peaceful garden of Taurus. When the sun is in the sign of Taurus we are offered the time and space to simply appreciate the world for what it is. Taurus season compels us to take a step back, to lounge in a chaise, and to breathe in the sensuous beauty that we tend to background in our usual hustle and bustle. On Friday, retrograde Mercury forms an exact conjunction with Venus, asking us to revisit, reconsider and rethink some of our relationships. Is there a discussion that needs to be had with a significant other? Are there different ways of communicating that need to be tried? Use this time to try having THAT conversation again. Also, this Saturday, arguably the most potent planetary aspect of 2024 is going to be perfect. Jupiter the Joyful is meeting up with Uranus the Unexpected to bring forth gigantic surprises, big leaps forward, abundant freedom and expansive shockwaves. Whenever there is a transit featuring Uranus, the one thing we know is to expect the unexpected. Jupiter makes everything bigger. So practice being open to what will be sparked this weekend without trying to control the outcome.
Here are your horoscopes for the Mercury-Venus conjunction and the Jupiter-Uranus conjunction. Read for your rising and sun signs.
March 21 - April 19
There’s an important conversation with yourself that you are able to revisit. In order to communicate clearly with the people in your life, you need to start by having open and honest discussions with your-
self. Now is the time to sit down and have that chat. Expect some big financial surprises coming your way, either a big unexpected purchase or a big ol’ deposit.
April 20 - May 20
If something has been holding you back, get ready for that to release in a major way this weekend. You are being offered an opportunity to explode onto the scene as a free bird. Whether it is a release of chains or a ticket to ride, it’s yours to feel the lightness of being you deserve. Rethink relationships in solitude right now. Your meditations will get you farther than any interpersonal conversations.
May 21 - June 21
You are being given a chance to revisit the love that friends and supportive networks bring to your life. Look back and remember how you have been held by those that want you to succeed. Then take it one step further and let them know. A big secret surprise is coming your way, and it appears to be meant for you and for you alone. Hold your unexpected joy close to your heart.
June 22 - July 22
Your hopes and dreams are about to get a big boost from an unexpected network of support. Keep your eyes on your prize, but accept the help that comes from left field and let it sky-rocket you to your goals. In the workspace, use a critical eye to analyze your methods of communication with your colleagues and coworkers. Perhaps there are other ways.
LEO
July 23 - Aug. 22
Your public reputation is about to explode in ways that you simply cannot foresee. Don’t go looking for paparazzi, but do not be surprised when you receive acknowledgement for something you might
have forgotten about or didn’t even realize you did. Also, do not be surprised if someone you met out on a great trip or big vacation reaches out to you.
Aug. 23 - Sept. 22
You have an opportunity to mend a relationship that has been wounded, particularly a relationship that was burned by shared resources or financial matters. Try a different tack at communicating during this go-around and see how that offers new solutions. Big surprises are around the corner that will open new vistas for exploration – you won the showcase showdown!
Sept. 23 - Oct. 23
Time to revisit a conversation with a significant other. Attempt new ways of addressing a past issue and see if you can come to an understanding, even if moving forward isn’t in the cards right now. That step will probably happen in June anyway. A big, unexpected return on investment seems imminent as well, especially if it’s something you forgot about.
SCORPIO
Oct. 24 - Nov. 21
An important relationship in your life has a major breakthrough on the horizon. Perhaps you will find an unexpected solution to your problems or you will find an unforeseen partner who will bring abundance to your life. You are also being granted a chance to revisit and rethink your creative habits such as rehearsing in a different way or altering your artistic routine.
SAGITTARIUS
Nov. 22 - Dec. 21
Contemplate the relationships in your life that bring you bliss, Sag. Perhaps it’s time to reconsider who you spend your time with or it’s high time that you sat in quiet gratitude for your creative compadres. You are on the verge of surprising yourself when it comes to your
methods of getting things done. Get excited about switching up your routines, and listen to advice from unusual places.
Dec. 22 - Jan. 19
You are being offered the opportunity to rethink the relationships you have with your family, particularly your parents. How do you communicate with parental figures and how do you understand your boundaries? Consider your words. Expect an unexpected opportunity to share your creative self-expression in a big way. Trust the process.
AQUARIUS
Jan. 20 - Feb. 18
Perhaps you’ve been a bit wistful lately, and you would be right on time if so. Let your mind ruminate on friends and lovers from the past, and get real reflective about it. What we learned about relationships years ago still permeates who we are now, so go ahead and study up. A gigantic shift is taking place in the world where you plant your roots. Dig deep and hold on tight.
PISCES
Feb. 19 - March 20
It appears to be time to reconsider your relationship to some of the material items in your life. Perhaps a purge of the house is due or a redetermination about how you spend your money is needed. Take some time to reflect on how your values are made material. Some really unexpected news is coming your way, and it is highly likely to be favorable. Keep your ears open.
In its 23rd year of touring North America, “The Price is Right Live” returns to the Coffee Butler Amphitheater in Key West on Sunday, April 28 at 8 p.m.
The iconic game show’s tour host is Todd Newton, whose mentor was the show’s OG host, Bob Barker.
Originally from St. Louis, Newton, 53, is a seasoned TV host who has worked in the industry for 30 years. Newton has maintained a strong connection to Key West since he was a kid.
“I took my first steps as a baby on the beaches of Key West,” Newton told Keys Weekly. “I went there throughout my entire childhood. In my 20s, I started going alone and having the kind of fun a young man in his 20s can have in Key West. It’s gonna be a homecoming for me.”
Newton had an apartment in Old Town in his 30s and spent most of the pandemic lockdown in the Keys.
“Once the Keys enter your soul, it never leaves,” Newton said. “It’s something I take with me no matter where we are in the United States. It’s a spirit.”
At the show, ticket holders who have registered in advance will be randomly selected as contestants.
They’ll be called by name and asked to “Come on down,” as the show’s legendary announcement goes.
VIP ticket packages, which include official “The Price is Right” merchandise, access to fast check-in and a chance to spin the famous Big Wheel, are also available.
“These games are not designed to trick you or to trip you up in any way,” Newton said. “I mean, we want to see you win. I’m not buying these cars or paying for these trips out of my own pocket. I want you to walk away happy and I want to make this memory with you.”
“The Price is Right” is a family tradition for generations of TV viewers.
“We meet people at the shows whose mother or grandmother or grandfather had been on ‘The Price is Right’ with Bob Barker 25 years ago,” Newton said. “I grew up watching it with my grandmother and I watched it in college, and watched it with my children when they were younger. I say ‘The Price is Right’ is right up there with apple pie and baseball.”
Anyone who’s ever shopped for groceries has the skills to win, he said. His tips for winning big: watch the show and learn how the games work.
“It’s several different games in one,” Newton said. “It’s Plinko, the
Ticket holders at ‘The Price is Right Live,’ game show have a chance to become contestants on April 28 at the Coffee Butler Amphitheater. LARRY BLACKBURN/Keys Weekly
SAVE THE DATE
April 19-28
• Key West and the Conch Republic celebrate the offbeat “nation’s” 42nd birthday April 19-28 in Key West, offering more than 20 colorful activities, ranging from a pirate bash and quirky races to a “sea-to-sea” parade. Visit conchrepublic.com for a complete schedule.
Saturday, April 20
• The 3rd annual Stock Island Earth Day Cleanup, 8 a.m. to noon. All supplies will be provided. Meet at Bernstein Park. Come for an hour or more. All are welcome and families with children are encouraged. A workshop on creating musical Instruments from recycled materials will also take place. For more information, contact Jo Anne at 917-680-2079 or joanneellis242@aol.com.
• Mote Marine presents the family-friendly Ocean Fest, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Truman Waterfront Park, Key West. The event features crafts, games, music, food, local brews (for ages 21+) and shopping among dozens of vendors. Informationals booths showcase the fragile marine environment while raising money for coral reef research, restoration and conservation.
Barker taught Newton to always play the game through the eyes of the contestants.
“I get to spin the wheel every night,” he said. “But for the contestant, it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. It’s kind of like when you have kids – all of a sudden, Christmas is really cool and fun again. Birthdays are exciting again, when you see it through their eyes. So that’s how I host the show.”
‘The Price is Right Live’ host Todd Newton joins the Florida Keys Weekly Podcast to discuss the game show’s April 28 return to Key West. Scan the QR code to hear his interview with Gwen Filosa. Big Wheel, the Showcase and the Golden Road – all of these games that we all practice for unknowingly. Just going grocery shopping, you’re practicing.”
• ReMARCable Dance Project performance featuring MARC clients performing dance moves to their own poems, 4 p.m at The Studios of Key West.
Thursday, April 25
• Acclaimed author Mark Powell will discuss his new novel, “The Late Rebellion,” a southern family saga, 4 p.m. at the Key West library, 700 Fleming St. This free event is open to the public and books will be available for purchase.
Friday, April 26
• Join your friends from the Key West Weekly and Keep Key West Beautiful committee for an Arbor Day cleanup, 8 to 9 a.m. Meet at the Dion’s on Stock Island to clean the surrounding area along US 1, followed by a light breakfast.
• Shop at Lilly Pulitzer, 600 Front St., Key West, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and the store will donate 10% of all sales to A Positive Step of Monroe County’s Idle Hands Summer Jobs program that puts at-risk kids to work throughout Key West.
• 6-week courses (May 14-June 25)
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Earn credits quickly and of virtual learning.
• Summer Kickstart program (June 3- Aug. 8)
Eight-week term for new students:
- English Composition I
- Preparing for Student Success. On-campus, online, and hybrid courses Questions? Contact Marissa Owens at recruiter@cfk.edu. www.cfk.edu/futurestudents
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The Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, an all-male dance troupe performing in oversized tutus and toe shoes, will appear at Key West’s Tennessee Williams Theatre, 5901 College Road, on Thursday, April 25 at 8 p.m.
The revue presents a playful view of traditional ballet through parodies of iconic productions like “Swan Lake.” Modern dance and original works also are featured.
Professional male dancers perform all the roles.
Since the troupe’s founding in 1974, “the Trocks” have participated in international dance festivals, appeared on numerous network television shows and performed in some 43 countries.
The troupe’s Key West performance is presented in part by the island city’s Aquaplex drag and entertainment club. Tickets are priced from $35 to $145 per person depending on seat location and are available at keystix.com.
— Contributed
emergency response. Plans are also in place to install new northbound and southbound bicycle lanes.
Resurfacing work will begin later this summer on a rough stretch of highway between Jewfish Creek Bridge in Key Largo and the MiamiDade County line.
Between the growing number of potholes and patch jobs, daily work commuters and frequent travelers to and from the mainland are all too familiar with some bumpy sections on the 18-Mile Stretch near the Keys. It’s one of two arteries into the Florida Keys, the other being Card Sound Road.
“It’s one of the worst sections on the Stretch, said State Rep. Jim Mooney, who has been in touch with FDOT District 6 director Stacy Miller about the deteriorating section of the highway. “It isn’t a safe section and I made a point of that.”
Temporary lane closures are expected during non-peak hours, and detours could affect traffic. Access to businesses and neighborhoods will be maintained.
While the Florida Department of Transportation isn’t scheduled to resurface the entire 18-Mile Stretch this year, work will begin later this summer on a 4.4-mile section from the Jewfish Creek Bridge at MM 108.4 to the Miami-Dade County line at MM 112.8. Paulette Summers, community outreach specialist for FDOT, told Keys Weekly a milling and resurfacing on both sides of the highway will begin the week of June 3.
“This project will cost an estimated $19 million and will take approximately 15 months to complete,” Summers said.
In addition, FDOT is planning to replace guardrail, improve pavement markings and signs, add riprap for shoreline protection and provide a service patrol area for
FDOT is also developing a design for a $1.2 million landscape project between MM 108 and MM 112, which includes a portion of the stretch near what’s known as Bikini Beach. In February 2022, Sheriff Rick Ramsay went before the county commission to discuss his request for FDOT to install fencing or foliage near MM 109 on the stretch. It’s an area where vehicles tend to slow down and cause more than a mile of traffic congestion, especially on weekends, to view boats, jet skis and swimmers at the small sandbar.
A fabric screen was installed along the existing fence at MM 109 with mixed reviews from locals. Battering winds whipped the screen to the point where it no longer exists.
Last September, FDOT provided two illustrations predicting what the landscape barrier would look like either way. Discussion by county commissioners revolved around which entity, Monroe County or FDOT, would maintain the landscaping.
One 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.
The 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.
Lucy is an energetic 8-year-old mixed breed. Due to her age, Lucy’s adoption fee is waived, but she still has so much life left in her and so much love to give.
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.
Chuck is the man. He was adopted, then found a few months later abandoned on Stock Island. So he’s back and once again looking for his forever home. Due to his age of 11, Chuck’s adoption fee is waived.
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 a Friday morning cleanup each week from 8 to 9 a.m.
April 19: White Street & Atlantic Blvd. Meet at the bocce courts, 1301 Atlantic Blvd. (Joint cleanup with the Green Ops of the Conch Republic)
April 26: US 1 between both entrances of College Road. Meet on the bike path across U.S. 1 from Dion’s, just past Maloney Avenue. Park along College Road. (Hosted by Keys Weekly)
Meet Captain America! He is our true last avenger as he’s seen his fellow mates get adopted. Captain America is 2 years old and looking for a home where he can play, and relax in the sunshine.
Meet Luigi, a cute little hamster. Just like Luigi in the popular video games, he enjoys jumping into tubes and defeating Bowser.
Willie, aka ‘the Godfather,’ is king of the cats at the FKSPCA. He is 9 years young, and enjoys pets, head butts and all the treats in the world.
Stumbling upon an old story of buried treasure is always a thrill. Stumbling upon a real buried treasure would be super cool, but that requires a different kind of hunting and digging than I do.
The heaviest tool I operate, at least daily, is a keyboard. Still, when I dig up some historical nugget I have seen for the first time, it feels like gold and always makes my breath catch for one second, sometimes two.
One of my favorite stories occurred on Plantation Key in the 1970s when the island still had a sandy ridge built up over hundreds of years on the Atlantic side. This treasure story involved a bulldozer working to clear away a 75-foot section of the ridge. After the bulldozer’s operator cleared about 10 inches off the top, he stepped off the machine to inspect his work.
While walking over the area, he noticed several blackened pieces of metal and bent over to pick one up. It was about the size of a quarter. He rolled it over in his hand and scratched its surface with a finger. It was a coin, an old Spanish coin. According to a story published in 1975 and written by Art McKee, who inspected the coin, “Then they saw what proved to be the mint mark, O/M, and the assayer’s ‘F’ mark, as well as the Spanish coatof-arms consisting of lions and castles and a cross. The pieces were eight-reale Spanish silver coins –actual pieces of eight!”
According to McKee, the bulldozer operator and a work associate picked up 74 coins over a 10-by-15-foot area. While most coins were undated, some were marked 1732 and 1733. How did the treasure end up on Plantation Key? McKee’s theory was that the coins were contraband smuggled aboard one of the 1733 treasure fleet shipwrecks. The sailor tried to swim for shore but drowned in the process, and after his body washed ashore, it became covered over time.
Brad is a local historian, author, speaker and Honorary Conch who loves sharing the history of the Florida Keys.
McKee added credence to the story by saying, “A small portion of a human skull was found on the beach.” The story does not explain what happened to the rest of the body.
The Plantation Key story was documented, and Art McKee, who is considered the father of modern treasure hunting, adds additional authenticity. McKee, too, had his Museum of Sunken Treasure on the same island. However, other stories just make you want to scratch your head. For instance, there is a story about buried treasure uncovered on Key Largo that is nothing short of unbelievable.
The story was printed in as many as 200 newspapers nationwide, including the Omaha Daily News on Dec. 19, 1925. The headline read: “25-Year Hunt Yields Buried Treasure – Weatherbeaten Mariner Unearths Cache of Doublooms and Pieces of Eight Near Key Largo, Florida.”
The story, written by Ben Hecht, was fascinating. Hecht wrote that “Captain Bill Lofton came whooping into Key Largo this evening aboard a fivver loaded to the gunnels with doblooms [sic] and pieces of eight.” A fivver is an old junker car. “The old captain conveyed the treasure, pail by pail, into the kitchen of the strange looking house which he has built out of ships gone down off Key Largo.”
According to the story, Lofton discovered the treasure on the bank of Angelfish Creek. The Spanish coins, estimated to be worth $250,000, were buried 6 feet down in 25 “huge earthen jars.”
Hecht wrote that when Lofton came barreling into town that day, he spoke to the crowd who gathered around his vehicle to see the treasures: “You all been calling me ‘Crazy Bill Lofton,’ he declared, on account of my spending all my life hunting for pirate treasure. Well, I just found it right where I knew it was, and right where the chart said it was. I want you folks to remember that I’m the deputy sheriff of Monroe County, and that I ain’t going to stand for no disorders on account of this treasure lying in my kitchen now.”
Allegedly, the discovery of buried Spanish treasure on Key Largo had a curious, if not reasonable, effect on the area. Hecht, who crafted the article, said, “Captain Lofton’s story has thrown Key Largo into an excitement reminiscent of the Klondike gold rush. According to telephone calls and telegrams received here, numerous craft are pulling out of the cities along the coast, fitted with shovels, diving suits and ‘treasure experts.’”
There was a follow-up to the story published in the Jan. 8, 1926 edition of the Kansas City Star — among other papers. The headline read: “Cap’n Bill Seeks a Guide.” According to the story, Lofton had traveled to New York City and sought someone to guide him around and show him a good time. “Captain Bill arrived here from Key Largo today prepared to interview his ‘guides.’ He was all dressed up in a silk hat and swallow tail coat.”
When asked what he was going to do in the city, “the ancient mariner replied he was going to scatter his pirate dublooms [sic] up and down New York City’s gay white way by the bucketful.”
Next week, we will dig deeper into the Captain Lofton story, Hecht, and how the pirate treasure came to be discovered. Hecht, by the way, was an Oscar-winning Hollywood screenwriter and author. Stay tuned for the rest of this one-of-a-kind buried treasure tale.
THURSDAY, May 2, 6:15-7:30 p.m., Bud N' Mary's Marina Mandatory Team Leader meeting (in-person and virtual), gear pick-up and Mote coral nursery tour.
Free beer from Florida Keys Brewing Co.
FRIDAY, May 3 and SATURDAY, May 4, Sunrise to Sunset Debris clean-up Key Largo through Key West.
SUNDAY, May 5, 12 noon-6 p.m. I.CARE Trash Derby Festival & Awards Ceremony at Founders Park Islamorada.
Food, Vendors, Raffle, Silent Auction and Awards. Performances by the well-known singer songwriter Leah Sutter and Southern Stampede, a touring rock band with amazing vocals and incredible guitar work. www.icaretrashderby.com www.icareaboutcoral.org
• Reserve a spot with your favorite dive shop
• Register your own team on your own boat
• Register your own team for a shore-based cleanup
While late April and early May have typically been the times when Key deer start giving birth to fawns, staff with the National Key Deer Refuge have already seen their first fawn of the season. Newborn Key deer fawns are very small – two to four pounds – and can be easily recognized by their spotted coat patterns.
Fawning season will continue to peak into the summer, with some fawns born as late as October and November. For those lucky enough to see one, please do not approach a fawn. Give mothers (does) and fawns plenty of distance, and avoid interacting with them during this important period of maternal bonding and care.
Mothers will also commonly leave their fawns alone for long periods of time after birth, sometimes up to 12 hours. This does not mean the fawn has been abandoned or orphaned. This is a strategy to protect the young from predators at a time when they are not able to keep up with their mother.
The period after birth is critical to the survival of a young fawn. During this time, fawns are still bonding and imprinting with their mothers. Movement of the fawn can disrupt this important process.
Please resist the urge to touch, pet, or feed the deer. If a fawn is found alone, it is best to walk away to allow the mother time to locate the baby.
Key deer are protected under the Endangered Species Act, and it is against the law for a person to intervene in these situations. Please also be on the lookout for Key deer and their fawns as you drive on Lower Keys roads. Fawns, especially newborns, are unpredictable and will run in any direction when scared. Please follow posted speed limits and pay attention while driving.
Finally, please keep dogs leashed in Key deer habitat to help keep fawns safe during this vulnerable time.
As a reminder, it is illegal to touch, feed or transport Key deer. If you spot an injured, distressed or dead Key deer, make your first call to FWC Dispatch at 888-404-3922, Ext. 1.
For more information, contact Chris Eggleston at 305-780-7509 or Greg Boling at 305-780-7526. Follow refuge updates online at www.fws.gov/refuge/key-west or on Facebook at facebook.com/floridakeysrefuges.
Recycling events scheduled at local transfer stations
We don’t think about our tires very often, unless one goes flat or you have skins on your car and need to replace them. And have you ever wondered where all that tire tread goes when they wear out?
is the Monroe County recycling coordinator and outreach liaison.
Tires shed material while they’re being used. As tires wear and break down, all sorts of chemicals, microplastics, filling agents, oils, additives and nanoplastics are released into the air, soil and water. All of these particles make up about 2 million metric tons of pollution annually in the United States.
Our weather in the Keys (ultraviolet, hot road surfaces, salt water) can cause tires to wear down even faster. The powdered tire dust on the road is washed into waterways when it rains and then consumed by marine animals. Case studies show these pollutants cause disorientation and even death in aquatic life. These animals are a large part of the Florida Keys ecosystem, economy and diet. We are feeding these toxins to our families.
In a landfill, it takes about 2,000 years for a tire to decompose. Pollution from tire waste is a significant environmental problem.
Mosquito hotel suites
It’s not just tire wear, but old tires sitting around the yard are a pollution problem. A tire’s biggest fan is a breeding mosquito. Mosquitoes love tires. A tire of water sitting in the Florida sun is the perfect breeding environment for our most aggressive habitant, the mosquito.
Mosquitoes lay their eggs in water. Once hatched, a tire provides protection, warmth, water
and even food for mosquito larvae. These pests carry diseases for humans, such as dengue, West Nile, and zika virus. The local marsh mosquito causes heartworms in our loving, four-legged friends.
Let’s roll with It
Until we reach Jetson’s technology, it is unreasonable to say we can live without tires. We need tires. We have tires for our automobiles, bicycles, scooters and golf carts. We can’t avoid tires, but we can handle them better.
To encourage proper tire disposal, Monroe County is partnering with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to host three Earth Day tire amnesty events. Monroe County residents with proof of residency can recycle up to six non-commercial tires (without rims) at no charge. Residents must be able to load the tires into the containers; upon request, assistance can be arranged. The tires will be hauled to American Tire Recycling in Miami, where they will be processed into rubber mesh granules. The granules are repurposed for asphalt or road surfacing, playgrounds, athletic fields and landscape applications.
Protect your health and our beautiful Keys and please look around your yard, garage or under your house for those old tires and bring them to one of Monroe County’s Tire Amnesty Events.
Please be prepared to show proof of residency. Each resident can surrender six noncommercial tires without rims at no charge. If you need assistance loading the tires, please call Monroe County Recycling Coordinator and Outreach Liaison Melody Tuschel at 305509-0325.
Three events will be held at three locations. The dates are Saturdays, April 20, April 27 and May 4 at Cudjoe Transfer Station, MM 21.5, Blimp Road; Long Key Transfer Station, MM 68, Overseas Highway; and Key Largo Transfer Station on County Road 905.
is the University of Florida, IFAS Monroe County Extension environmental horticulture agent
Soil, the bedrock of terrestrial life, is a dynamic blend of minerals, organic matter and living organisms shaped by millennia of geological and ecological processes. Nowhere is this more evident than in the unique landscape of the Florida Keys, where a delicate balance of limestone bedrock and ancient coral reefs gave rise to an ecosystem unlike any other.
The story of Keys soil begins with a chain of limestone islands, remnants of ancient coral reefs in the Upper Keys and sandbars in the Lower Keys. Over eons, sea-level fluctuations exposed these formations, allowing them to fossilize and form the distinctive limestone bedrock that underlies the region. Today, the Keys are underlain by two dominant rock formations: Key Largo limestone, which dominates above Big Pine Key, and Miami Limestone (Miami oolite), which begins in Big Pine and goes down to the Lower Keys.
So, why is there so little soil in the Florida Keys? The answer lies in the region’s relatively young geological history. While the Florida Keys have been forming for over 100,000 years, which may seem like a long time in human terms, it is relatively short in geological terms. In contrast, the nearby Appalachian Mountains, which contribute much of the parent material for Florida’s soils, are more than 480 million years old. This vast difference in geological age accounts for the scarcity of soil in the Florida Keys compared to other regions.
In the Florida Keys, soil is alkaline, with pH levels ranging from 7.2 to 8.4. This alkalinity challenges plant growth, as essential nutrients like iron, manganese, zinc and boron are often deficient. To overcome these deficiencies, gardeners must choose landscape plants suited to the natural pH of their soil. They may need to supplement with chelated iron, such as EDDHA, which is most effective at pH levels above 7.
Furthermore, incorporating compost, a nutrient-rich organic material made from decomposed plant
Always perform a soil test before adjusting the soil pH. Soil pH measures the acidity or alkalinity of the soil. It is expressed on a pH scale, where a value of 7 is considered neutral. Soil with a pH less than 7 is acidic, while soil with a pH greater than 7 is alkaline. UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IFAS/ Contributed
and animal matter, can significantly enhance soil health by increasing its organic content and microbial activity. By carefully selecting plants, incorporating native plants that have evolved to withstand the unique soil pH of the region, and implementing soil amendments, gardeners can overcome the challenges of high pH soils and create vibrant, resilient landscapes in the Florida Keys.
Always test the soil before trying to adjust the pH. No adjustment is needed for home gardens and landscapes if the pH falls between 5.5 and 7.0. Most landscape plants can thrive within this range, except for “acid-loving” plants, which may require special attention. In such cases, it’s best to grow these plants in containers with tailored pH levels. Ultimately, if your plants are thriving, it’s wise to avoid unnecessary pH adjustments that could disrupt the delicate balance of the soil ecosystem.
Soil salinity is another concern in coastal areas like the Florida Keys, where salt accumulation can occur due to coastal flooding, poor-quality irrigation water or excessive fertilizer use. Managing soil salinity requires selecting salt-tolerant plants and implementing proper irrigation practices to prevent salt buildup in the soil.
Understanding the intricacies of Florida Keys soil is essential for successful gardening and landscaping in the region. By recognizing the challenges of alkaline soil and nutrient deficiencies, gardeners can make informed decisions about plant selection and soil management practices. They can unlock their landscapes’ full potential while preserving this unique ecosystem’s delicate balance. For assistance with your soil inquiries in the Florida Keys, contact the Monroe County Extension office at 305-998-9580. We can provide personalized advice and support for your gardening needs.
Tennis stars pick up wins before districts | P.8
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APRIL 18
APRIL 18
She helped us set the pace of the games, coming up huge on the draw. She was instrumental in moving the offense and defense to create opportunities for either herself or others to go to goal.”
— Marisa Giacopuzzi, Lady Conchs lacrosse coach6
10 goals draw controls
When the Lady Conchs started the season, they knew they would have to dig deep to overcome their young and somewhat inexperienced roster. It would take athletes stepping up and leading the charge, and junior Kaitlyn Piloto answered that call. The hard-working athlete has shone when the Conchs most needed a star – most recently in their district quarterfinal game, in which she netted 5 goals to help lead her team into the next round of playoffs.
In total last week, Piloto scored 6 goals, was credited with a pair of assists, and won 10 draw controls. Her play helped the Conchs win against Coral Shores and stay in the game against Westminster Christian, and though the outcome was not what Piloto and her team had hoped for, her strong showing will help set the stage for a deeper run in her senior campaign. For giving her all when her team needed her most, Key West’s Kaitlyn Piloto is the Keys Weekly Athlete of the Week.
With district matches taking place this week, several Keys tennis stars closed their regular seasons on a high note.
From top: Coral Shores’ Johann Smith, Marathon’s Rain Banks, Key West’s Michael Grodzinski and Marathon’s Matthew Delgado. See page 8. Photos by Doug Finger, Barry Gaukel and Mark Hedden.
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.
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.
Marathon - Alex Rickert alex@keysweekly.com
Upper Keys - Jim McCarthy jim@keysweekly.com
Key West - Mandy Miles mandy@keysweekly.com
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.
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With more than 60 strikeouts to his name in 2024 – and counting – Key West senior hurler Anthony Lariz is entrenched at the top of his district leaderboards. KEYS
In this week’s Keys Weekly Sports Wrap Podcast, Sean and Tracy give an early rundown of Monroe County tennis teams’ district performances and spotlight standout baseball and softball athletes who lead their district in various stats. As always, listen in for scores and upcoming games this week as the podcast provides the most comprehensive prep sports coverage in Monroe County. EP 50
Key West baseball spent the end of last week in Cary, North Carolina at the USA Baseball National High School Invitational tournament, playing against the top talent in the country. The Conchs got off to a slow start, losing the first two games of the tournament, but ended strong to head back to the Southernmost City on a two-game win streak.
In game one of the tourney on April 10, Key West played Harvard-Westlake, the third-ranked team in California. The Conchs lost 10-2 despite 2 hits from Steel Mientkiewicz and 1 each from Caden Pichardo, Sam Holland and Roman Garcia. The Conchs gave up an unusual 13 hits and made 3 errors, putting a win against the high-caliber Wolverines out of reach.
The next night, the Conchs faced the No. 1-ranked team in North Carolina, Wesleyan Christian Academy, losing 9-2. The Trojans picked up 3 runs in the first inning and maintained the lead for the duration. Key West played its usual error-free defense, but stagnant bats prevented a win against Wesleyan. Nelson Ong prevented the no-hitter, connecting for a pair of Key West hits and one RBI.
In game three, Key West’s bats woke up with 6 hits against Apex Friendship, including 2 from Pichardo and 1 each from Garcia, Ong, Holland, Mientkiewicz and Anthony Lariz. Jacob Burnham pitched a full game, striking out 7, walking 2 and giving up just 4 hits. The win over the Patriots was punctuated by a thrilling walk-off from Mientkiewicz at the bottom of the seventh inning to give the Conchs the 4-3 victory.
Game four pitted Key West against the Firebirds of Chaparral High, a top-tier team from Scottsdale, Arizona, winning 9-5. Key West was good for 8 hits, 2 each from Garcia, Mientkiewicz and Ong and 1 apiece from Lariz and Auggy Davila. Christian Koppal got the start and Kasey Kasper finished out the final 2-1/3 innings to combine for a total of 5 strikeouts, giving up just 3 hits. Key West will finish its regular season in Florida with four home games, beginning with Westminster Christian on Thursday, April 18.
On April 11, the Fins found their stride against the Bulldogs of Riviera Prep. Gabe Leal and Aidan Gonzalez registered hits for Marathon, but 2 would be enough when added to 5 walks and 2 batters reaching base on Bulldog errors. Ziels pitched an entire game, striking out 9, walking 1 and giving up 3 hits in the 4-0 win.
The following night, Marathon earned a mercyrule win over Mater Bay Academy on the team’s senior night, defeating the Rays 12-2. The Fins took an early lead, scoring 4 in inning one, and never let up. Gabe Leal had 3 hits and 3 RBIs to lead the offensive onslaught. Ziels and Jack Chapman had 2 hits apiece with Thornton, Gonzalez, Tommy Norris and Michael Merryman contributing 1 each. Leal did the heavy lifting on the mound for Marathon, facing 23 of the Rays’ 26 batters. Piscetello took on the final 3 to close out the game.
Marathon started the week off at home against Palmer on April 9. The Fins’ bats were unusually stagnant, amassing just 3 hits, 1 each from Dylan Williams, Dylan Ziels and Roco Piscetello. Ziels had an RBI and Piscetello stole a base, but the Falcons managed to squeak out 4 runs to Marathon’s 1. Mason Thornton lasted 6 innings on the mound, fanning 4 and allowing just 3 hits with no walks. Ziels turned out the lights in the final frame with three up and three down, but 5 errors cost the Fins in the loss.
The Coral Shores Hurricanes traveled to Miami on April 8 to face Brito High School. The ’Canes managed 8 hits, but a 9-run rally from Brito in inning two put the game out of reach early. Campbell Lavoie and AJ Putetti had a pair of hits each, with Putetti adding a stolen base to his stats. Donovan Thiery, Maykol Bonito-Rodriguez, Zeke Myers and Mason Clark accounted for the rest of Coral Shores’ hits. Thiery, Grayden Ross and Riley O’Berry teamed up on the mound to strike out seven batters in 4-½ innings of play before the mercy rule was applied in the 14-3 loss.
A walk-off hit from the Conchs’ Steel Mientkiewicz in the bottom of the seventh inning iced a 4-3 win over Apex Friendship at the National High School Invitational tournament. MARK HEDDEN/Keys Weekly
Atotal of seven South Florida teams descended on Marathon for the Middle Keys Invitational on April 8. Among those teams were all the Monroe County high schools for a Keys-wide showdown in track and field.
Key West took first place in the boys events, scoring 196 total points. Marathon was fourth with 86 points and Coral Shores was fifth with 59.5. The Lady Conchs captured second place, scoring 172 points. Marathon and Coral Shores were fourth and fifth, respectively, earning 94 and 25 points for their teams.
Key West had a slew of top finishers. Shane Lavallee was first in javelin and second in the 200. Lavallee’s 154’11” javelin toss was not only a personal record for him, but second all-time for Key West. Clerf Alexandre was first in triple jump and second in the 100. Jean Louis was first in shot put, beating out a field of 18 athletes. Jeef Dejean took third in the 100 and triple jump and second in the long jump. Anthony Jenner placed third in both the 110 hurdles and discus events. Coming in second were Malachi Telisma in high jump and Ian
Newton in pole vault. Brondson Etienne and Jeremiah Harvey were third in high jump and javelin, respectively.
Marathon’s boys had two first-place finishes in their home meet, both from Jay Marshall. Marshall won the 100and 200-meter races to maintain his status as the fastest in the Keys.
Coral Shores’ boys team had four athletes crack the top three. Xavier Johnson was second in the 110 high hurdles. William Davila and Ethan Marguet took third in the 400-meter and 800-meter runs, respectively, while Ambrose Sanchez captured third in the 400 hurdles.
The Lady Conchs had strong performances across the board. Audrey Smith won the javelin event, while Alyssandra Camargo took first in the 400. Key West’s final first-place finisher was Caylaa Makimaa, who won the two-mile event, then took third in the mile. Dazmine Jenkins used her speed to claim a pair of second places in the 100- and 200-meter races. Anabel Portuondo was second in pole vault, Claire Boysen was second in shot put, and Colleen Barter was third in the high jump event. Kaylee Matas Cabuzuelo was third in
discus and Grace Andrew won a pair of thirds, one in the 100 high hurdles and the other in the 400 hurdles.
Coral Shores sophomore Mira Jones was the only Lady ’Cane to break into the top three. Jones finished the 400-meter race in third place.
Marathon’s Lady Fins had five top-three finishers. Daysi Williams won the high jump, breaking her own school record by clearing 5’1.75”. Williams was also third in the 200-meter race. Justice Lee claimed her third school record, throwing the shot put 33’8.5”. The sophomore sensation won that event as well as the discus. Lee also placed third in javelin. Senior Kayesha Christian capped off the final home meet of her career with style, finishing first in the long jump. Ava Merryman was third in pole vault and Mikkel Ross was third in the 3200-meter race.
Districts for Key West and Coral Shores, both 2A teams, will occur on Wednesday, April 24 at Tropical Park in Miami. Marathon, which competes in the smaller 1A division, will participate in district championships on Wednesday, May 1 at Palmer Trinity School.
8. Marathon sophomore Daysi Williams broke her own high jump record last week. Williams placed fourth at the state meet in ’23 and has improved her mark this season.
9. Hand-painted awards for the Middle Keys meet included team trophies by Finders Keepers Coconuts and individual seashell medals from Marathon head coach Darby Sheehan. CONTRIBUTED
In their final matches prior to districts, Coral Shores traveled to South Dade High School on April 11 to take on the Buccaneers. The boys swept the Bucs 7-0, with wins from Makani Burga, Aidan Althouse, Johann Smith, Erik Moerner and Corden Dean in singles. In doubles action, Althouse and Smith paired up for a win in the first match and Moerner and Dean picked up another win in doubles match number two. South Dade gave the Lady ’Canes a bit more resistance. Kai Redruello won the No. 4 singles match and Macy Cakans won No. 5. Redruello teamed up with Kai Guth to win the second doubles match, but the Buccaneers pulled off four wins to Coral Shores’ three.
Key West and Marathon also played their final regular-season matches on April 11. Marathon’s boys doubled their wins for the season, defeating the Conchs 5-2. Adrien Holdinga, Tanner Snowden and Matt Delgado won their singles matches and Holdinga and Snowden plus Delgado and Carlos Lezcano picked up a pair of doubles wins for the Fins. Key West won a point from Michael Grodzinski in the singles No. 3 match plus a forfeit at the No. 5 spot.
The Lady Conchs were dominant against the Fins, with wins from Amalia Strunk, Juliana Strunk and Violet Jangraw in singles as well as sweeping the doubles matches. Eva Drozdetskaia and Gabriela Aguero won the first doubles match, then the Strunk sisters won the second. Marathon’s lone win came from No. 2 singles player Rain Banks.
Marathon and Coral Shores, both classified in the smaller 1A division, will compete at their district matches on the campus of Miami Dade Community College. 2A Key West will be at Tropical Park in hopes of sending their athletes to the next round of competition. Districts for both divisions were held April 15 and 16 (results not available at press time).
Dolphins softball secured the only win among Keys teams last week as postseason approaches for at least two squads.
The Fins’ Elena Eubank registered 3 hits and 3 RBIs in a 7-2 win over the Carrollton Cyclones on April 10. Sara Robinson had 2 hits while Madelyn Thornton, Maeve Merryman, Shynell McGuire, Eli Roque and Daniela Gonzalez each had a hit. Allison Garcia pitched 7 innings, striking out 6, walking 3 and giving up 4 hits. Eubank had the only hit in a 10-0 loss to the Miami Country Day Spartans on April 9.
Conch softball was tested against tough competition during the Orange Bowl Florida Fastpitch Invitational at Palmetto Bay Park. The Lady Conchs started off with an 11-3 loss to the Westminster Academy Lions on April 12. Key West had 11 hits from eight players, but the Lions racked up 14 to outscore the Conchs. Scarlet Niles, Tavyn Gage and Nina Manresa each had a pair of hits. Niles and Manresa hit doubles. Julene Vega, Alexandra Rodriguez, Shylo Sanchez, Lilee Gage and Alexa Condella accounted for the rest.
Later that day, the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders defeated the Conchs 14-1. Sanchez and Vera Rodger singled for Key West, which had 2 hits against the Raiders.
The next day, Key West played the Riverdale Raiders out of Fort Myers. Down by 4 runs in the fifth inning, the Conchs rallied to come within one of the win, but the Raiders held on for the 5-4 win. Riverdale started the scoring but Key West’s Niles homered to tie the game in the first inning.
In inning 6, Alexandra Rodriguez walked, stole second and scored on a Tavyn Gage line drive to center field. With Gage on base and 2 outs, Julene Vega doubled to score Gage. An error by the Raiders and an intentional walk on Niles loaded the bases. Vega scored on a wild pitch, adding a third run in the inning and sparking hopes for a Key West comeback. The rally, however, ended there with a heartbreaking loss.
Key West faced the Davie Western Wildcats in their final game of the tournament. Ranked third in 7A — a division with Florida’s largest schools — the Wildcats had early trouble getting on the board. Solid pitching by the Conchs’ Chloe Gilday helped keep the game scoreless until the bottom of the third inning, when 3 errors and a double put the Western Wildcats ahead 4-0. Key West accounted for 5 errors in the game, proving to be as unfortunate as it was unusual for the team. Four more Wildcats hits in the fourth inning added 3 runs to the lead, putting the game out of reach for the Conchs. Breanna Breener teamed up with Gilday
6 Scarlet Niles
Key West’s Scarlet Niles homered to tie the game in the first inning against the Riverdale Raiders on April 13.
for 4 strikeouts in the loss. Niles, Rodriguez, Manresa and Monica Bueno each singled for Key West. Coral Shores’ final home game of the season came on April 12 against the Everglades City Gators. The Lady ’Canes came out of the gates with a win in mind, leading 11-8 through the fourth inning. The Gators regrouped, found their stride and gained the forward momentum. By the final inning, Coral Shores was on the losing end of a 26-11 score, but not before enjoying their best offensive showing of the season.
The ’Canes did a fine job getting on base with some solid hitting and careful watching. Chloie Stanley connected for an impressive triple that landed over the center fielder’s head, just shy of the fence, driving in two batters in the process. The Lady ’Canes’ Jenna Mandozzi scored 3 runs. Venessa Cawley, Alex Burson, Chloie Stanley and Grace Maples scored 2 each and Mira Jones crossed the plate one time.
The starting pitcher, Jones, had an impressive showing for the ’Canes. The loss likely ended the season for the Hurricanes, who do not participate in a district. The team, whose roster does not include an upperclassman, gained valuable experience which will continue to pay off in upcoming seasons.
District games will begin for Key West and Marathon later this month. Brackets will be determined after the final rankings report later this week.
Marathon’s Elena Eubank had 3 hits and 3 RBIs in a 7-2 win over the Carrollton Cyclones on April 10.
In postseason lacrosse action, Key West’s boys’ winning record and strength of schedule earned a coveted bye.
Coral Shores played Westminster Christian in the FHSAA 1A District Quarterfinals on April 11.
Key West, ranked third in the district, was scheduled to play second-ranked Ransom Everglades on April 12. The Conchs beat the Raiders on March 9, giving Key West every reason to believe a trip to the district finals was possible. But it would be Ransom which went on to play perennial powerhouse Gulliver in the championship game. Key West lost 10-4, ending their season earlier than they had hoped, but far stronger than the previous year. Noah Collins scored half of the Conchs’ goals. Carter Sessoms and Eddie Moline scored the remainder.
The Hurricanes and Warriors faced off just over one week prior, so coach Chris Carrow and his team knew what to expect. The quarterfinals would be the end of the road for the ’Canes, losing 9-3 to the higher-ranked Warriors -- a deficit three goals smaller than their previous matchup. Lucas Carballo scored 2 goals for the Hurricanes and Yandel
Chaguaseda scored 1. Lucas Hajec was credited with 2 assists and Zane Martinez added 1 assist to his stats.
When the rankings came out and the rosters were populated, Monroe County’s two girls lacrosse teams were pitted against one another, ensuring that at least one team would move on into the semifinals but also ensuring that one team would be eliminated early. The Lady Hurricanes’ season ended April 11 in Key West’s backyard, as the Conchs won 8-4 in a hard-fought battle for a spot in the semis. The game was closer
than the final score indicates. Key West was ahead 2-1 at the end of the first quarter. By halftime, the Conchs kept the advantage with a 3-2 score, and at the end of quarter three, it was 5-4. Key West pulled away in the final quarter and gave themselves some breathing room. Kaitlyn Piloto led the scoring for the Conchs with 5 goals. Ella Bishop netted 2 and Deanna Mercier scored 1.
Ava Brock, Eisley Whitehead and Mercier were each credited with an assist. Goalkeeper Courtney Grabus had 5 saves, a ground ball and 1 caused turnover in the win. Piloto won 7 draw controls and picked up a ground ball and Bishop had one draw control and 4 ground balls. Conchs head coach Marisa Giacopuzzi was pleased with her team’s performance, especially in the fourth quarter in which the Conchs prevented any ’Canes’ scoring.
“We also had some huge turnovers,” she said, also praising individual players for their efforts. “Celeste Loy and Ava Brock fought for the ball back on a ’Canes transition. Deanna Mercier, our center, came up with 3 caused turnovers; Colbie Turner caused turnovers; even goalie Courtney Grabus had an interception. Kaitlyn Piloto was unstoppable all over the field, from dominating the draw to going to goal; she had an incredible game tallying 5 goals.”
Coral Shores did not go down without a fight, though. The Lady ’Canes kept the game within reach until the final quarter. Iona Holmquist scored 2 goals
while Nicole Gray and Shay Stober netted 1 each. Holmquist was credited with picking up an incredible 10 ground balls, while Stober scooped 5. Makayla Hann had 1 interception in the game.
The following night, Key West traveled to Westminster Christian without an opportunity to rest or regroup. They were hoping for a redemption of a loss earlier this season, but that was not in the cards for the Conchs. Turnovers would be the team’s undoing against the Warriors, who beat the Conchs 13-9. There were 15, too many to overcome. Despite the turnovers, Key West managed to find the net nine times in just 11 shots on goal. Brock scored 2 and assisted on another. Mercier netted 3 goals, Maeve O’Hearn scored 2 and Turner had 1. Piloto scored 1 and assisted 2 others.
“Courtney Grabus had an insane game with 22 saves and three ground balls,” Giacopuzzi said. “She saw a lot of action, made some huge patient plays to help keep the ball in our sticks and ran the clock at the end of some quarters. When the ball is in our sticks, we're in control. Problem was, we couldn't keep it in our sticks long enough.”
Despite losing in the semifinals, Giacopuzzi said it wasn't all bad.
“At the end of the day, we had a lot to celebrate, so many individual victories, so many team wins, so much thrown at us this season, and we persevered,” she said.
CITY OF MARATHON CITY COUNCIL NOTICE OF ATTORNEYCLIENT SESSION
IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 286.0118, FLORIDA STATUTES
Notice is hereby given that the City Council consisting of Councilmembers Luis Gonzalez, Lynn Landry, Kenny Matlock, Jeff Smith and Robyn Still, City Manager George Garett, and City Attorney Steve Williams, and Special Legal Counsel (FOLKS) Gary Perko and David Childs will meet at 4:30 pm or as soon as possible thereafter on May 14, 2024 at the Marathon City Hall, 9805 Overseas Highway in an Attorney-Client Session, pursuant to Section 286.011(8), Florida Statutes, to discuss litigation in regard to the following case: Folks-Friends of the Lower Keys, LLC. v. City of Marathon, Florida, Defendant; pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Case No.: 4:22-cv-100002. The session is estimated to last thirty minutes.
Publish: April 18, 2024
The Weekly Newspapers
FICTITIOUS NAME NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of KEYS MYOFASCIAL RELEASE & WELLNESS, located at 306 Sombrero Beach Road, Apt. 2, Monroe County in the City of Marathon, Florida 33050, intends to register the said name with the Division of Corporations of the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida. Dated at Marathon, Florida this 9th day of April, 2024.
By: Deborah D. McGrathPublish:
April 18, 2024
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE SOLICITATIONS
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Tuesday, May 14, 2024, at 3:00 P.M., the Monroe County Purchasing Office will receive and open sealed responses for the following:
Old Marathon Tax Collector Building Seawall Construction Monroe County, Florida Pursuant to F.S. § 50.0211(3) (a), all published competitive solicitation notices can be viewed at: www. floridapublicnotices.com, a searchable Statewide repository for all published legal notices. Requirements for submission and the selection criteria may be requested from the County’s electronic bidding platform at bonfirehub.comhttps://monroecounty-fl. OR www. monroecounty-fl.gov/ BonfireBids. The Public Record is available upon request. Monroe County Purchasing Department receives bids via the Bonfire electronic bidding platform. Please do not email, mail or attempt to deliver in person any sealed bids.
Emailed/mailed/physically delivered bids/proposals/ responses WILL NOT be accepted.
The Monroe County Purchasing Department hereby directs that bids be submitted via the Bonfire electronic bidding platform at https://monroecounty-fl. bonfirehub.com, no later than 3:00P.M. on May 14, 2024. There is no cost to the bidder to use the Bonfire platform. Please do not submit your confidential financial information as part of your proposal. There are separate uploads for each set of documents, including confidential financial information. All proposals will be made public on the platform after an intended decision or 30 days, whichever is earlier, unless the bids/ proposals are rejected in accordance with F.S. 119.071. If your proposal document includes financial information, that information will not be considered confidential and will be available and viewable to the public in accordance with public records law. The bid opening for this solicitation will be held virtually, via the internet, at 3:00 P.M., on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. You may call in by phone or internet using the following:
Join Zoom Meeting https://mcbocc.zoom. us/j/4509326156
Meeting ID: 4509326156
One tap mobile: +16465189805,, 4509326156# US (New York) +16699006833,, 4509326156# US (San Jose)
Dial by your location: +1 646 518 9805 US (New York) +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
Publish: April 18, 2024
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that
on Tuesday, June 4, 2024, at 3:00 P.M., the Monroe County Purchasing Office will receive and open sealed responses for the following:
Engineering Design and Permitting Services for the Winston Waterways Road Elevation and Stormwater Project Monroe County, Florida Pursuant to F.S. § 50.0211(3) (a), all published competitive solicitation notices can be viewed at: www. floridapublicnotices.com, a searchable Statewide repository for all published legal notices. Requirements for submission and the selection criteria may be requested from the County’s electronic bidding platform at https://monroecounty-fl. bonfirehub.com OR www. monroecounty-fl.gov/ BonfireBids. The Public Record is available upon request.
Monroe County Purchasing Department receives bids via the Bonfire electronic bidding platform. Please do not email, mail or attempt to deliver in person any sealed bids. Emailed/mailed/physically delivered bids/proposals/ responses WILL NOT be accepted.
The Monroe County Purchasing Department hereby directs that bids be submitted via the Bonfire electronic bidding platform at https://monroecounty-fl. bonfirehub.com, no later than 3:00P.M. on June 4, 2024. There is no cost to the bidder to use the Bonfire platform. Please do not submit your confidential financial information as part of your proposal. There are separate uploads for each
set of documents, including confidential financial information. All proposals will be made public on the platform after an intended decision or 30 days, whichever is earlier, unless the bids/ proposals are rejected in accordance with F.S. 119.071.
If your proposal document includes financial information, that information will not be considered confidential and will be available and viewable to the public in accordance with public records law. The bid opening for this solicitation will be held virtually, via the internet, at 3:00 P.M., on Tuesday, June 4, 2024. You may call in by phone or internet using the following: Join Zoom Meeting https://mcbocc.zoom. us/j/4509326156
Meeting ID: 4509326156
One tap mobile: +16465189805,, 4509326156# US (New York) +16699006833,, 4509326156# US (San Jose)
Dial by your location: +1 646 518 9805 US (New York) +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) Publish: April 18, 2024
The Weekly Newspapers
Effective April 1, 2024, Karisa Falden, D.O., is no longer practicing with Baptist Health Primary Care at the following location: 5701 Overseas Highway, Suite 17, Marathon, FL 33050.
Patients who wish to receive copies of their medical records may log into our patient portal at myBaptistHealth.net, call 305-434-1400 or fax 305-743-0962 to request a records release. Publish: April 4, 11, 18 & 25, 2024 The Weekly Newspapers
LEGO Construction Company and Department of Management Services cordially invite interested subcontractors to complete and submit sealed bids by 31st May 2024 no later than 3:00 pm for the following project/bid packages: Monroe RSC – Design Fire System and Replace Fire Panel 2796 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050 (MSFM-02102080)
SELECT TRADE BID PACKAGES (see below)
This invitation to bid (ITB) includes the following trades. All contractors certified as SBE, MBE & M/WBE are encouraged to participate in any of these trades.
• Drywall
• Acoustical Ceiling
• Painting
• Fire Alarm
• Fire Protection
• Electrical
• Final Cleaning
• Site Restoration
The bid manual, bid requirements, bid forms, specifications, drawings, and other construction documents will be available by reaching out to Susmitha Kadam at sk@legocc.com or at 305-381-8421 Ext 105.
There will be a non-mandatory Pre-bid conference and site visit on 10th May 2024 at 11:00 am.
All bids must be received no later than 31st May 2024 @ 3:00 pm at LEGO Construction Co office located at 1011 Sunnybrook Road Suite 905, Miami Florida 33136. Bids must be delivered in a sealed envelope clearly marked “Sealed Bid for Monroe RSC – Design Fire System and Replace Fire Panel” along with the name of your firm and the trades covered in your bid.
Subcontractors interested in working with LEGO must obtain prequalification with LEGO prior to bidding. All questions regarding prequalification & the bid process should be directed to Susmitha Kadam at sk@legocc.com.
April 18 & 25 and May 2 & 9, 2024
The Weekly Newspapers
CASE NO.: 24-CP-147-K
IN RE: THE ESTATE OF CHRIS RICHARD WAGNER, Deceased.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of CHRIS RICHARD WAGNER, deceased, whose date of death was July 16, 2023, Case: 24-CP-147-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: April 18, 2024.
Personal Representative: MELISSA BAILEY WAGNER c/o Samuel J. Kaufman, Esq. Law Offices
The administration of the estate of Barbara J. Fehsenfeld, deceased, whose date of death was March 4, 2024, is pending in the Circuit Court for MONROE County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 3117 Overseas Highway, Marathon, Florida 33050. 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: April 18, 2024. Personal Representative: Charles Webber 12033 State Route 164 Lisbon, OH 44432 Attorney for Personal Representative: Richard E. Warner Attorney Florida Bar Number: 283134
743-6022 Fax: (305) 743-6216 E-mail: richard@rewarnerlaw. com Secondary E-Mail: pamela2@ rewarnerlaw.com Publish: April 18 & 25, 2024 The Weekly Newspapers
Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 88770 Overseas Highway, Suite 2, Tavernier, Florida 33070. 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: April 18, 2024.
Personal Representative:
Michael E. Haring 1955 N.W. 108th Lane Coral Springs, Florida 33071
Attorney for Personal Representative:
Richard E. Warner
Attorney
Florida Bar Number: 283134
RICHARD E. WARNER, P.A. 12221 Overseas Highway MARATHON, FL 33050
Telephone: (305) 743-6022
Fax: (305) 743-6216
E-mail: richard@rewarnerlaw. com
Secondary E-Mail: pamela2@ rewarnerlaw.com
Publish: April 18 & 25, 2024
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION
FILE NO.: 24-CP-000138-M
IN RE: ESTATE OF CHARLES T. ESTRELLA
Deceased. NOTICE TO CREDITORS
YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED.
The date of first publication of this notice is: April 18, 2024. Personal Representative: DOROTHY J. ESTRELLA Address: 507 Sherman Street Fall River, MA 02723
The administration of the estate of Philip R. Haring, Jr., deceased, whose date of death was January 15, 2024, is pending in the Circuit Court for MONROE County,
The administration of the estate of CHARLES T. ESTRELLA, deceased, whose date of death was December 22nd, 2023, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is Marathon Courthouse, 3117 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050. 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)
is 88770 Overseas Highway, Ste.2, Plantation Key, Florida 33070. 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.
The administration of the estate of Ilia T. Ocasio, deceased, whose date of death was February 19, 2024, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 88770 Overseas Highway, Suite 2, Tavernier, Florida 33070. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representatives’ 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: April 18, 2024. Personal Representatives:
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 April 11, 2024. Personal Representative: Elizabeth Mcsherry 89 Pine Street South Paris, Maine 04281
Tel: (603) 986-1531
Attorney for Personal Representative: Anwar E. Hadeed, Esq. Florida Bar Number: 1018036
The Florida Probate & Family Law Firm
Samah T. Abukhodeir, Esq. Florida Bar Number: 108015 2600 S. Douglas Rd., Suite 502 Coral Gables, FL 33134
Office Line: (305) 677-5119
Facsimile: (305) 735-6468
Email: Anwar@flpfl.com
eservice@flpfl.com Publish: April 11 & 18, 2024
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION CASE NO.: 24-CP-107-K IN RE: THE ESTATE OF RICHARD H. MCCAUSLAND, Deceased. NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of RICHARD H. MCCAUSLAND deceased, whose date of death was January 30, 2024, Case: 24-CP-107-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
The date of first publication of
Personal Assitant needed for Key Colony Beach couple. Two times/week - driving to doctor appts, handyman projects, gardening, light housekeeping, must be capable of lifting large male if needed and be good with animals. Must have references. Call Christina 954-483-5426
Joseph Molinaro CPA, LLC in Tavernier is looking for an Office Manager. Duties include answering phones, client screening, accounts payable and purchasing, accounts receivables, file management and other office duties. Must know Quickbooks desktop and Microsoft suite. Monday –Friday 10-5. Email resume Joe@jmolinaro.cpa
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.
City of Marathon Current Job Openings: Part-time Custodian/ Maintenance. Full Benefits for full-time positions. EOE Please see City website for details www.ci.marathon.fl.us
Marathon Yacht Club is hiring part-time servers and bartenders. Private club, friendly atmosphere, guaranteed gratuities. Flexible lunch/ dinner shifts available Tuesday – Sunday. Must provide photo ID, social security card or passport, and checking account. Call 305-7436739 to schedule an interview or email office@ marathonyachtclub.com.
Marathon Yacht Club is hiring a full-time line cook. Private club, friendly atmosphere, afternoon/evening hours Tuesday – Sunday. Must provide checking account for direct deposit, photo ID, and social security card or passport. Call 305743-6739 to schedule an interview or email office@ marathonyachtclub.com.
Coast to Coast Pizza Company is looking for full and/or part-time pizza makers and cashiers to join our team. We offer 401K, tip-sharing, and competitive pay. Please call Nicole at 305-4330515 or email nicole@ themoongroupfl.com
The S.S. Wreck and Galley Grill is looking for bartenders, servers, and line cooks. Will train, but should be self-motivated, quick learner, and team player. Salary commensurate with experience and includes 401k. Please call Nicole at 305-4330515, or email nicole@ themoongroupfl.com
Serve/Bartend on the ocean! The Cabana Club, an ocean front private swim club is seeking a customer service-oriented Server/ Bartender. Serve on pool deck, beach and/ or bar lounge. Open year round, 9:30am7pm daily. Full time/ Part time. Small friendly staff. Above average hourly wage plus tips. Apply in person at 425 E. Ocean Dr. Key Colony Beach or call 404-2193359 and ask for Dave.
The Housing Authority of the City of Key West now hiring the following positions: Housing Choice Voucher Asst., PT Receptionist, Housing ManagerMiddle Keys, HVAC Maintenance Mechanic, and Maintenance Mechanic (Maintenance Worker). To apply, please contact Human Resources at: martinezm@kwha.org 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 opportunity is covered under Section 3 of the HUD Act of 1968.
Place your EMPLOYMENT ad here. $25.00/week for up to 5 lines of copy. Call 305-743-0844
Rolex, Dive Watches and Pilot Watches. Old Model Military Clocks & Watches. Call 305-743-4578
ANNUAL RENTALKey Largo - 2BR/2BA Spacious Doublewide, 1400 sq ft modular on canal w/40’ dock, direct ocean access. Very nice community. $3,500/ month 786-258-3127
Venetian Shores home for rent long term. 3BR/2BA on canal. Available now. $4,000/mo. utilities included. 315-405-5202
Long-term rental on Lower Matecumbe. 2BR/1BA Tile floors, W/D, 2nd floor w/wrap around balcony on canal. Private beach access. $3,000/ mo incl. internet & cable. Call Phil 305-898-2077
3 BR/2 BA home for rent in Key Colony Beach. 75' premium dock. $3,800/month + utilities. F/L/S 786-229-0228
2BR/2BA Single Family Waterfront Home for rent in Marathon. Fully furnished. 70' dock. $5,000/month includes all utilities, internet & TV. Available for 3 months - Jan, Feb & March. 727-278-1105
1BR/1BA Apt. for rent in Key West. Unfurn. W/D avail. on property. Parking for one vehicle. $2,500/mo incl. water & sewer. F/L/S Text only 305-294-2561
Key West House For Rent - 28 day
minimum. Recently renovated. 2 Units: 3BR/3BA or 2BR/2.5BA. 1 block to Schooner Wharf @ Historic Seaport. Starting $214/night. Sweet Caroline Seaport.com
Place your YARD SALE ad here. $25.00/week for up to 5 lines of copy. Call 305-743-0844 today!
Membership & Development Coordinator (Full-Time, Permanent)
DRC has a full-time opening for a Membership & Development Coordinator. This newly created position’s primary focus will be to assist the Director of Membership & Development in helping the department (and position) grow in multiple ways. Benefits include medical insurance, 401(k), vacation & paid holidays. Job description available at www.dolphins.org.
Email resume & DRC application to drc-hr@dolphins.org EOE 58901 O/S Hwy - Grassy Key, FL Teaching... Learning... Caring
The Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority is looking for Distribution System Operators to perform semi-skilled work, involving the repair and maintenance of FKAA water distribution and transapplicants. Requires a High School, Diploma or GED and valid Florida Driver’s License. Salary: $50,376.48. Excellent benefits and opportunities for advancement.
MARINA CASHIERS 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.
DOCKHANDS Duties include customer service, helping customers with bait and ice and helping cashiers with restocking. Morning & a ernoon hours available.
Please respond by email (Ma at islamarinama @gmail.com) with any relevant previous experience and at least two references.
Fast paced, busy resort in need of Of ce Help. Must be able to multi-task, stay calm under pressure and have great communication skills. Be dependable, able to work weekends, 3 to 4 days a week, hours til 7pm.
If you want to be part of a great team, please apply! Send resume to captpips@aol.com or come into the of ce at 1480 Overseas Highway, Marathon to ll out an application.
CAPTAIN PIP’S IS AN AWESOME PLACE TO WORK, WE TREAT OUR EMPLOYEES GREAT. COME JOIN OUR TEAM.
The Monroe County Homeless Services Continuum of Care (MC-CoC) is seeking an EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
The position of Executive Director is a full time exempt salaried supervisory position. This position requires a bachelor's degree in public administration, non-profit management, social services or related field - a graduate degree is preferred - and five (5) years of experience in management and supervision. The executive director will work with the Board of Directors to meet the goals and objectives of the agency. Please send resume or contact Steve Torrence by email: eywsteve@icloud.com
The EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR is the key management leader and is responsible for overseeing the administration, educational programs and fundraising for the organization. Other key duties include marketing, community outreach and volunteer management. The position reports directly to the Board of Directors. For more information email info@floridabayforever.org. Learn more about our work at www.floridabayforever.org.
Busy law office on Big Pine Key seeking a highly organized, detail and customer serviceoriented individual, who is computer savvy and can handle a fast-paced environment.
Duties include managing closing files, coordination with Realtors, sellers, buyers and lenders, regularly updating all involved parties. Prior experience a plus. Salary, health insurance, bonuses, overtime pay and 401k.
Email resume to: greg@oropezastonescardenas.com
Join our team! Full and part-time Educational Program Guides/ Gift Shop Sales. Public speaking & retail sales experience helpful. $18/hour to start. Send resume to: turtlehospital@turtlehospital.org
The City of Key Colony Beach is accepting applications for a FULL-TIME Police Officer.
Applicants must posses a current Florida Certification as a police officer. Applicants will undergo a thorough background investigation, including drug screening, medical, polygraph and a psychological exam.
Salary: $60,000.
Full Health & Dental Insurance, 457 (b) Participation.
Email resume to:
Chief of Police at: chief@keycolonybeach.net
Or call for additional information: 305-289-1212 ext. 1
Preference in the selection of vacant positions will be given to eligible veterans and spouses of veterans. The Key Colony Beach Police Department is an EEO employer, drug-free and nicotine-free workplace.
FT administrative, salaried position. The Workshop manager will be responsible for all phases of the operation of the Adult Day Training Program in accordance with The Agency for Persons with Disabilities and Medicaid Waiver minimum standards. This includes the worksites and contracts, personnel, and training programs. The Workshop Manager will maintain a close liaison with the Group Home Managers and Medical Staff in order to maintain program consistency. Bachelor’s degree required and 2 years’ experience in field required. Computer skills: moderate to advanced. FL driver’s license with clean driving record. Pre-employment training online and in person. Ability to pass a Level II background screening and references.
D’Asign Source is seeking the following professionals. Overtime and benefits are available. For full details, please visit: DAsignSource.com/careers
Interior Designer
Apply knowledge & creative skills to projects at our high-end design center. Must possess history of achievement in quality projects and a strong sales background.
Send resume to admin@cbtconstruction.com Or call 305-852-3002
day program. This position requires the minimum of high school completion or GED. English language, speaking and writing, proficiency is a must. FL Driver’s license w/clean driving record, pre-employment training online and in person. Ability to pass a Level II background screening and references.
Plant Store/Nursery Associate (PT/FT)
Position requires a min. of high school completion and 1 yr. exp. Must be knowledgeable in tropical plants and have good social/business skills, above average computer skills (knowledge of POS a plus). Must be able to lift at least 50 pounds. English language, speaking and writing, proficiency is a must. FL driver’s license w/clean driving record, references and background screening required.
Come join our family! EOE
Apply at the MARC office, 1401 Seminary St., Key West. Or online at www.marchouse.org. For more information, please contact hr@marchouse.org. Phone: 305-294-9526 *32
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 eld required. Bilingual preferred, not required. Of ce located in Marathon. Contact Marcia at 305-704-0117.
•
OPENINGS AVAILABLE
PHYSICIAN PRACTICE OPENINGS
- Medical Assistant, Orthopedics, PT
- Patient Access Associate, Orthopedics, $1,000 Bonus, FT
TAVERNIER MARINERS HOSPITAL
- Cook, Per Diem
- Exercise Physiologist, Per Diem
- Manager Wellness Center, FT
- Multi-Modality Imag Tech, $20,000 Bonus, FT & PT
- Nuclear Medicine Tech, Per Diem
- Pool Group Exercise Instructor
- Pool Yoga Instructor
- Registered Nurse, Emergency Department, $25,000 Bonus, FT
- Registered Nurse, Multispecialty Acute Care Center, $25,000 Bonus, FT
- Registered Nurse, Surgery, $15,000 Bonus, FT
MARATHON FISHERMEN’S
COMMUNITY HOSPITAL
- ED Team Coordinator, Emergency Room, Part Time
- ED/Acute Care Tech, Emergency, Room, FT & PT
- Environmental Tech, $5,000 Bonus, FT
- First Cook, $5,000 Bonus, FT
- Multi-Modality Imag Tech, Radiology, $20,000 Bonus, FT
- Mechanic, Facility Operations, FT
- Medical Technologist, Laboratory, $15,000 Bonus, FT, PT and Per Diem
- Patient Experience Advocate, FT
- Radiology Technologist, $15,000 Bonus, FT
- Security Of cer, Security/Safety, FT & Per Diem
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.
*Sign-on bonuses are available only for select full-time positions based on candidate experience.
APPLY AND LEARN MORE
careers.baptisthealth.net or call 786-243-8507
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.
Peer Support Specialist
Advocate (PT)
Behavioral Health Therapist (Adult)
Behavioral Health Counselor (Child)
Case Manager (Adult, Forensic)
Substance Abuse Counselor
MARATHON
Prevention Specialist (any location) Care Coordinator (PT)
Behavioral Health Therapist (Child)
RNs/LPNs - 3 shifts (PT/Per Diem)
Peer Support Specialist
*Support Worker – Assisted Living (PT)
*Behavioral Health Technicians
3 shifts (also Per Diem)
*No experience required for this position. 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
Volunteer Resources
Administrative Assistant (Full-Time, Permanent)
Facilities Maintenance Apprentice (Full-Time, Permanent)
Education Program Host (Full-Time, Permanent)
Staff Photographer
(Full-Time, Part-Time, Seasonal)
Media & Marketing Assistant (Full-Time, Permanent)
Visual Communications Coordinator (Full-Time, Permanent)
Membership & Development Coordinator (Full-Time, Permanent)
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
Customer Service Representative Administrative Assistant
