Key West Weekly 25-0807

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Se habla español THE KEY WEST WEEKLY (ISSN 1944-0812) IS PUBLISHED WEEKLY FOR $125 PER YEAR BY WEEKLY NEWSPAPERS, INC., 9709 OVERSEAS HIGHWAY, MARATHON FL 33050. APPLICATION TO MAIL AT PERIODICALS POSTAGE RATES IS PENDING AT FORT LAUDERDALE FL AND ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES. All stories, photos, and graphics are copyrighted materials.

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NUMBER OF THE

Aug. 4 marked 235 years of the U.S. Coast Guard. In August 1790, Alexander Hamilton's vision became reality when President George Washington signed the Tariff Act, authorizing 10 revenue cutters to defend a young nation while enforcing tariff laws.

KEY WEST CONSIDERS 4%-7% TAX INCREASE

Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Jenna Moeller enjoys Key West’s National Night Out event on Aug. 5 with her son, Axel, who is almost 3. For photos of the event, see page 20. NICK DOLL/ Nick Doll Photography

mandy@keysweekly.com

The typical tedium of city budget workshops — tax rates, funding formulas and the price of paving projects — got a bit belligerent last month during a backand-forth between the city manager and a commissioner.

A long-simmering tension between commissioner Sam Kaufman and City Manager Brian L. Barroso has become familiar to observers of city meetings. That tension boiled over at the July 22 budget workshop, when Kaufman implied that Barroso had requested a 20% salary increase and that the commission would have to choose between funding the salary increase — from $230,000 to $275,000 — or youth sports programs.

“I’m not sure if the city manager’s contract calls for a mid-year salary increase, but I think, regardless, the best practice would be to have a performance review before any salary increase, especially one as large as this,” Kaufman said during the budget workshop discussion. “Why add to our tax burden or take money away from youth sports leagues to fund the salary increase of the city manager?”

The comments by Kaufman, who had dominated discussions throughout the meeting, occasionally frustrating some of his fellow commissioners, prompted an angry response from Barroso.

“For you to draw a parallel with my salary coming out of youth league funds is inappropriate,” he told Kaufman. “It could come out of any of the things you’ve asked for to be included in the budget. To draw a parallel to youth leagues is unprofessional, sir, and you know what? We’re tired of it. We’re tired of the manner in which you continue to behave. It’s not OK. You create false narratives out there

and it’s not all right. My salary has nothing to do with the youth leagues. You don’t want to increase taxes, but you’re sitting over there telling me to hire people and increase funding for any number of things, and yet you sit there and say you don’t want to increase taxes. So then I ask you where you want the money to come from and you don’t have an answer. So don’t create these false narratives. It’s unfair.”

Kaufman then defended himself, telling Barroso, “There’s nothing unprofessional about asking for a performance review before a salary increase. I respectfully disagree with your comments and would hope you wouldn’t personalize this. It’s not personal for me and to call me out the way that you just did, I would hope that you would consider not doing that in the future. I would very much

appreciate that.”

Barroso had one final response to Kaufman before the discussion returned to the budget.

“So we disagree; that’s clear. But you call me out pretty much every meeting, sir. So treat others how you would like to be treated. You can give me a performance evaluation any time. I’m pretty aware of what yours is going to be of me.”

Barroso later clarified to the Keys Weekly that he had never requested a salary increase, but had, in fact, requested a performance review immediately, as he has been on the job for six months.

Barroso’s contract calls for an initial salary of $215,000 and an increase to $230,000 after six months on the job. The contract also states that he can negotiate for a salary increase after a year. And as the current budget discussions are for fiscal year 2026, nothing would happen until next year and any increase would require commission approval.

Barroso reiterated his frustration with Kaufman’s statements during the Aug. 6 regular city commission meeting.

“I had asked for a six-month performance evaluation and I want your feedback, each of you, to help me understand what I can do,” Barroso told the commission this week. “But just for clarity due to the misinformation being circulated by a particular commissioner, there has been no request for a salary increase. I did not ask for a salary increase and it’s unprofessional for a commissioner to keep repeating that.”

Commissioner Lissette Carey then came to Barroso’s defense, thanking him for requesting the evaluation and pointing out, “I had requested the same thing from the prior city manager but never received it. I think we’re in a better place now than we were before you got here.”

Carey was referring to the prior city manager, Al Childress, whose contentious firing helped set off the firestorm of indictments and investigations into corruption at city hall.

Barroso was not employed by the city at the time any of the accusations occurred and was not even living in Key West. When he was hired as city manager, the city was in the throes of an upheaval that Barroso was tasked with managing.

But what about the budget?

City officials are considering a 4% to 7% property tax increase for the coming fiscal year. The final tax rate will be determined and voted on in September after two public budget hearings.

The tax increase would affect commercial property owners and owners of non-homesteaded residential properties the most. Owners with a homestead exemption would see almost no change in their city tax bill, while non-homesteaded properties valued at $910,000 would see an increase of about $68 per year or $5.70 per month.

MANDY MILES

Key West City Commissioner Sam Kaufman.

Key West City Manager Brian L. Barroso.

MANDY MILES mandy@keysweekly.com

For more than a century, Key West has drawn novelists, poets, playwrights, journalists, essayists and songwriters to its shores. It has served as a creative escape for the likes of Ernest Hemingway, Tennessee Williams, Robert Frost, Annie Dillard, Elizabeth Bishop and more than a dozen Pulitzer Prize winners and Poet Laureates, many of whom called the island home.

Key West has long recognized and celebrated its literary legacy — the Key West Literary Seminar, Hemingway Days, tours of the Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum, restoration of the Elizabeth Bishop House, writers-in-residence programs and Anne McKee Artists Fund grants for local writers.

But that legacy could soon be cemented on the global stage, as Key West was one of only two U.S. cities this year that was invited to apply for the prestigious UNESCO Creative City designation.

UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, is an international agency dedicated to strengthening people’s shared humanity through the promotion of education, science, culture and communication.

In 2004, UNESCO created the Creative Cities Network to empower cities to support each other to innovate and prosper through the arts. Covering eight fields — design, film, music, crafts and folk art, literature, media arts, gastronomy and architecture — the UCCN recognizes cities that use culture and creativity for sustainable progress and growth.

“The 350 cities around the world that currently comprise the network work together towards placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the international level,” states the UNESCO website. “From music to design, literature to gastronomy, each Creative City places creative expression at the heart of its identity and growth. Together, these cities form an international community — collaborating across borders to develop solutions to the

KEY WEST PURSUES GLOBAL RECOGNITION

City hopes to achieve UNESCO Creative City designation

challenges of our time.”

If selected for the designation, Key West will be notified before the end of the year and would join just nine other UNESCO Creative Cities currently in the U.S. The full list includes 350 cities across more than 100 countries.

Current Creative Cities in the U.S. are: Austin for media arts; Detroit for design; Iowa City for literature; Kansas City, Missouri for music; Paducah, Kentucky for crafts and folk art; San Antonio for gastronomy; Santa Fe for crafts and folk art; Seattle for literature and Tucson for gastronomy.

Key West has cleared the first two hurdles in the application process, and during last week’s city budget workshops, Key West’s elected officials emphasized the potential positive impacts of the distinction and were largely committed to allocating up to $150,000 to the program. The UNESCO Creative Cities collaborate globally through cultural exchanges and annual conferences.

New Orleans is the only other city that was invited to apply for the designation this year. While Key West is pursuing the designation for literature, New Orleans is highlighting its musical contributions.

Key West officially submitted its application in March, following successful completion of UNESCO’s technical review, states a press release from the city.

Leading the local application effort is the Old Island Restoration Foundation — Key West’s steward of architectural heritage for 60 years — along with a coalition that includes the mayor and city officials as well as literary, cultural and educational institutions.

Being named a UNESCO Creative City would celebrate Key West’s literary legacy and amplify its cultural and economic influence worldwide.

“Writing is the heartbeat of Key West, shaping both its identity and economy,” Mayor Dee Dee Henriquez said. “From authors to artisans, the literary arts sustain countless livelihoods. Earning a place in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network would elevate Key West’s global profile while strengthening its creative industries.”

UNESCO Committee Chair Nance Frank emphasized the deeper purpose behind the application, saying, “Key West’s literary heritage is not merely a historic footnote. It is a living, breathing force that defines the city’s essence. Our goal is to share its story with the world and further integrate our cultural legacy into an international framework. If Key West is approved in late 2025, the designation will further define its role as a global cultural powerhouse.”

Ernest Hemingway’s home on Whitehead Street is seen in the 1930s, when the author lived in Key West. FLORIDA KEYS HISTORY CENTER/Contributed

around 1970. FLORIDA KEYS HISTORY

Our bright and airy space is a treasure trove of fashion forward essentials that embrace the island lifestyle.

Offering fabulous brands including Farm Rio, Trina Turk, Oliphant & more. Stop by and check out Key West’s go to spot for splurge worthy and on-trend styles.

Dr. Christina Smith DDS is now accepting new patients and is thrilled to be part of the 7-time Bubba Award-winning Doc Guzman’s o ce.

COMMISSIONER SUES TO STOP RECALL EFFORT

Lawsuit asks court to stop ‘illegal’ recall & award Carey financial damages

MANDY MILES mandy@keysweekly.com

AKey West city commissioner facing a recall effort by some voters in her district filed a lawsuit July 30 to stop the process.

The lawsuit names as defendants the City of Key West, city clerk Keri O’Brien, Monroe County Supervisor of Elections Sherri Hodies and Key West resident Jim Strebeck, who is leading the recall effort.

The 24-page lawsuit, filed on behalf of commissioner Lissette Carey, claims the recall process to potentially remove her from office is illegal. It asks the court to halt the effort immediately and award Carey financial relief for attorney fees, court costs and “all other allowable relief.”

The complaint claims the recall petition that was signed by more than 300 voters is legally insufficient because it lacks specificity.

“The grounds (for recall) must be more than ‘beliefs’ or ‘ideas,’ but must instead be charges of specific misdeeds that have a direct relationship to the official’s performance of the duties of office,” the lawsuit states.

The suit also claims the recall committee, led by Strebeck, did not register as a political committee, and that some signers of the petition were lied to about what they were signing.

“Based on the testimony of several individuals that signed the petition, signers were not explicitly informed that they were recalling Commissioner Carey,” the complaint says.

Despite the reference to “several individuals,” the legal complaint includes an affidavit from one voter, Ashley Henriquez, who said she did not have ample time to read the recall petition that she signed. (Ashley Henriquez is not related to Key West Mayor Dee Dee Henriquez, who has a daughter with the same name, said city spokeswoman Alyson Crean.)

“I was never explicitly told that the petition was to recall Commissioner Carey and I was not offered sufficient time to read the petition,” Henriquez stated in an affidavit she signed on July 30, the same day the lawsuit was filed. “Instead, I was told the petition was to voice disapproval of an action that the commission took, which I opposed.”

The first line of the petition includes the title, bold and in all capital letters:

“MUNICIPAL RECALL PETITION OF LISSETTE CAREY, CITY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT IV, KEY WEST.”

The charges against Carey appear on the recall petition as seen below, in boxed-out text with certain sections in bold print.

Lissette Carey should be recalled from the office of District IV City Commissioner for committing misfeasance, malfeasance, incompetence, and neglect of duty as a commissioner.

Lissette Carey’s persistent failures in judgment and responsibility, documented by the final report of the Monroe County Grand Jury, are clear grounds for recall. Jurors reviewed evidence from the State Attorney’s Office and the FBI and heard firsthand witness testimony. We agree with the jurors that Carey’s actions and inactions evidence incompetence and neglect of her duties, oor decision-making, and inability to serve as Commissioner. We also agree Carey lacks the convictions needed to fulfill her official duties. The Grand Jury recommended Carey resign in the interest of the integrity and betterment of the City. Carey has not challenged the Grand Jury’s findings, but has refused to resign. In her official capacity as Commissioner, Carey has distorted facts, misinformed the public, and insulted key community partners, damaging the City’s ability to serve its citizens.

The public trust is further damaged with each day Carey remains in office.

We, Carey’s constituents in District IV, find she wrongfully exercises the power of her office. These transgressions establish grounds for Carey to be RECALLED from office.” (emphasis included in original petition.)

As of last week, more than 300 voters in Key West’s District IV signed the petition to recall Carey, in light of a corruption investigation involving city government, indictments and arrests of three former city officials and a grand jury report that recommended she resign.

Carey has not been criminally charged with any wrongdoing, and has declined to resign, saying at a public meeting last month

Key West City Commissioner Lissette Carey represents District IV.

that she instead would allow the democratic process to play out.

Strebeck on July 23 delivered 327 signed petitions in support of a recall election to the Key West city clerk.

The clerk delivered those petitions the following day to Hodies, who told the Keys Weekly on July 30 that she was in the process of verifying the signatures to ensure the people live in District IV and signed the petition within the 30-day timeframe.

Once those signed petitions are verified, Carey would have five days to offer a defense of the charges in the recall petition. Then, organizers have 60 days to collect petitions from 15%, or about 420, registered District IV voters. Following their validation, a judge will set a date for a special recall election in which voters in that district will cast a yes/no vote about whether Carey should be removed from office.

The lawsuit seeks an expedited hearing, asking a judge to halt the recall effort.

Carey did not reply to a request for comment.

Strebeck told the Keys Weekly on July 31, “I can’t speak on any specifics of the suit because I haven’t had the opportunity to meet with a lawyer and I have not yet been officially served, but I will say that the state Legislature wrote the recall statues because they knew that there has to be a way to remove an official between election cycles. This is part of the democratic process. At the city commission meeting discussing the grand jury report, commissioner Carey said she would respect the democratic process. Instead, she’s suing to stop it. This lawsuit is an attempt to interrupt our lawful right to petition for recall and I expect to win in court if it comes to that.”

City spokeswoman Alyson Crean told the Keys Weekly the city cannot comment on pending litigation.

SHERIFF’S OFFICE

SAYS KEY WEST MAN YELLED RACIAL SLURS, THREW ROCKS AT PEOPLE & CARS ON STOCK ISLAND

Michael Joseph Morrisey. MCSO/Contributed

A43-year-old Key West man was arrested on Aug. 3 for reportedly harassing residents and allegedly resisting and kicking a Monroe County Sheriff’s Office deputy.

According to the sheriff’s office, Michael Joseph Morrisey was charged with battery on a law enforcement officer, obstructing law enforcement, and resisting arrest.

The sheriff’s office was called to the 6400 block of Front Street on Stock Island at 9:42 p.m. regarding a disturbance. Morrisey was reportedly yelling racial slurs at residents as well as throwing rocks at people and vehicles.

The sheriff’s office said he refused lawful orders and pulled away, grabbed, pulled and kicked a deputy attempting to restrain and arrest him. The Key West Police Department assisted in this incident. He was taken to jail, where he continued his combative behavior. There were no serious injuries reported. — Keys Weekly staff report

TWO SNORKELERS DIE; BOAT PROP HITS JUVENILE DURING LOBSTER MINI-SEASON

Abevy of boats with bug catchers took to the Florida Keys waters for the twoday lobster mini-season last week. Overall, no major resource cases were reported by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.

However, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission announced the arrests of three Broward County men who reportedly harvested a large number of lobsters outside the twoday mini-season.

On Aug. 3, FWC officer Jerry Begera and sheriff’s deputy Jason Farr were conducting resource inspections at Indian Key Fill in Islamorada where they saw a man carrying a bucket containing spiny lobster. They approached the man and his group to inspect what they caught. With the group’s consent, officers searched their vehicles and found two coolers containing 53 spiny lobsters, two speared spiny lobsters, one whole stone crab, a stone crab claw, and a speared, undersized mangrove snapper.

Alfredo Gregorio, Ovidio Sales Gregorio and Marcos Hernandez Gregorio, all of Davie, were transported to jail. They were each charged with 37 misdemeanors related to multiple spiny lobster and stone crab violations.

“Our officers work closely with our local law enforcement partners in Monroe County to protect our natural resources,” said Monroe County area Captain Adam Garrison of FWC. “These regulations are in place to ensure those resources are available for many years to come.”

During the lobster mini-season, the

sheriff’s office said most people they checked were in compliance. In total, the sheriff’s office conducted 526 resource checks, issued 16 court citations. These numbers do not include data from other law enforcement agencies, including the Florida Highway Patrol, FWC, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Coast Guard.

The sheriff’s office said there were three significant incidents reported during the two-day season. On July 30, an 82-year-old Palm City man died after he was found unresponsive while snorkeling in the gulf waters roughly 5 miles off MM 60. The sheriff’s office said Clarence Shawver was taken ashore at 10:45 a.m., and then to Fishermen’s Hospital in Marathon, where he was pronounced dead. Foul play is not believed to be a factor in the incident.

On July 31, 61-year-old Raymond Bruce Sasser, of Loxahatchee, died after he was snorkeling in waters near MM 74 in Islamorada. According to the sheriff’s office, Sasser lost consciousness at about 8:30 a.m. He was taken ashore and then to Mariners Hospital in Tavernier, where he was pronounced dead. Foul play is not believed to be a factor in the incident.

The same day, a juvenile was injured by a boat propeller at about 11 a.m. in gulf waters some five miles off Mile Marker 48. The patient reportedly suffered a leg injury and was airlifted to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami. His condition as of Aug. 4 wasn’t known.

— Keys Weekly staff report

FWC officer Jerry Begera and sheriff’s deputy Jason Farr show lobsters caught out of season by three Davie men on Aug. 3. FWC/Contribute

CELEBRATING IN BUSINESS

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SUPERINTENDENT ED TIERNEY INTRODUCES HIMSELF

Dear Monroe County families, staff and community partners,

As we prepare to welcome back our students and educators, I am filled with excitement and pride for the 2025–2026 school year. In just a few short days, our campuses will once again be alive with the energy of learning, collaboration and growth. There is so much to celebrate across the Monroe County School District as we begin this new chapter together.

We are proud to announce that the Monroe County School District has earned an “A” rating from the Florida Department of Education. This distinction reflects significant gains in student performance and is a direct result of our educators’ commitment to data-driven instruction and targeted interventions.

The Class of 2025 achieved an impressive overall GPA of 3.4 and was awarded a total of $13 million in scholarships, demonstrating both academic excellence and strong community support. We are also seeing continued growth in industry certifications earned by our students, thanks to the ongoing support of the Golden Fleece Foundation.

Additionally, the district has been recognized as a NOAA Ocean Guardian District, a prestigious designation that highlights our commitment to environmental stewardship. Through hands-on projects that protect local watersheds and marine ecosystems, our students and staff are fostering a culture of sustainability throughout the Florida Keys.

This summer, our staff worked tirelessly to prepare our schools for the new year. Thanks to the voterapproved operational millage and sales tax referenda, we’ve made significant improvements across our campuses, including classroom painting, HVAC maintenance and replacements, technology upgrades, marquee enhancements, playground resurfacing and athletic field improvements. I want to extend a special thank you to our custodial teams for their exceptional work in creating clean, safe and welcoming environments for our students and staff. We also launched a refreshed district website and a new MCSD District app, both designed to improve accessibility and keep families

informed with real-time updates and resources.

The safety of our students and staff remains our highest priority. In addition to having law enforcement officers on every campus, our staff participated in public safety tours, threat management training and the Florida Association of School Resource Officers Conference to ensure we are fully prepared.

Tools like the TextTips app (powered by CityHost411) and FortifyFL offer anonymous ways to report concerns and help keep our schools secure. We are also proud to be the only district in Florida designated as a “Suicide Prevention Certified District” by the Florida Department of Education. Every campus is supported by a school counselor and a social worker, reinforcing our commitment to youth mental health and well being.

We are proud to report that nearly all teaching positions are filled for the upcoming school year — a testament to our district’s appeal and the hard work of our Human Resources team. We are also grateful to our community partners — United Way, Kids Come First and Glad Tidings Tabernacle — for collecting and distributing school supplies to families in need. Your generosity ensures that every student starts the year equipped for success.

August 13 will mark my very first “first day of school” as superintendent of Monroe County, and I couldn’t be more honored. I look forward to seeing the smiling faces of our students, families and staff as we begin this journey together. As we move forward, I am committed to strengthening our partnerships with local businesses and community leaders, advancing our school safety initiatives and working collaboratively to ensure Monroe County’s public schools remain among the best in the state.

Here’s to a safe, successful, and inspiring school year!

Warm regards, Edward Tierney Superintendent Monroe County School District

e

GRAND TASTING

SOMEONE YOU SHOULD MEET

BILL HOEBEE: IRREVERENT KING OF THE AIRWAVES

CAROL SHAUGHNESSY www.keysweekly.com

Bill Hoebee’s radio career has spanned several decades, and his wildly irreverent “Hoebee in the Afternoon Experiment” program reaches several hundred thousand listeners each weekday. Yet if he hadn’t won a long-ago “Young Comedians” contest, earning prizes that included a radio show internship, he might never have found his on-air calling.

“I loved it,” Hoebee said of his introduction to the radio field. “I could immediately do the weird stuff, fake phone calls, fake commercials, song parodies and things like that.”

After growing up in New Jersey and experiencing the life-changing internship, Hoebee worked in Orlando radio. He arrived in Key West in 1991 to take a job at Florida Keys radio station WAIL 99.5.

“Key West was about as different as it could be from suburban New Jersey, and I made some friends right away,” he recalled. “I just felt like, being a weirdo my whole life, I was amongst my own.”

Though work later took him back to Orlando for a year, he couldn’t resist the pull of Key West. Following his return, he did morning radio for years before launching his snarky but good-hearted “Hoebee in the Afternoon Experiment” in 1998.

Still running 27 years later, the “experiment” proved to be an unqualified success. The show airs for five hours each weekday, broadcast to Keys listeners on WAIL 99.5 and Sun 103.1, and to audiences around the globe on iHeart Radio.

Its format features a blend of classic rock music, offkilter accounts of Florida Keys escapades, and slightly deranged patter on virtually any topic — delivered by Hoebee and a regular cast of cohorts who include Carolyn Guarini, Scottish Joe and “voice guy” Tony Russell.

“I try never to bring in anybody who has any experience in radio or radio school,” Hoebee said. “That’s not us.”

“I mean, we don't try to be professional!” he added, as though scandalized by the concept.

Despite refusing to admit it, the veteran radio personality is a consummate professional. He spends at least four hours preparing for each show, and zealously watches television news and other programs for scripting ideas. He has a comprehensive knowledge of demographics, market statistics and industry trends.

Perhaps equally important, he knows when to ignore trends — for example, when it comes to music selection for the show.

“In rock stations around America, they only play a list of 300 songs,” said Hoebee. “But I change every song they put in the lineup every day, and I take requests — and maybe two other people in America do that.”

Thirteen years ago, he even started a weekend show called “All Requests Saturday” where people from around the world e-mail in requests for him to play. Although he wasn’t sure it would last, it’s still going strong.

Hoebee’s success comes in part from knowing his listeners inside and out. He shares their demographic and age group, understands what they want to hear, and designs his program content to appeal specifically to their tastes.

Bill Hoebee has broadcast the offbeat ‘Hoebee in the Afternoon Experiment’ since 1998, earning a devoted following for his blend of classic rock and sarcastic commentary.

BILL HOEBEE/Contributed

When his busy schedule allows for downtime, Hoebee enjoys listening to live music at local hotspots like the Schooner Wharf. CAROL SHAUGHNESSY/Keys Weekly

“You can tell if something doesn't work and you change it, but I've had to change very little over the years because I grew up with the listeners,” he said. “I feel like I’m one of them.”

The “Hoebee in the Afternoon Experiment” isn’t slick or overproduced; instead, it’s carefully crafted to seem spontaneous and uncontrived.

“I want it to sound like I just winged into the studio and let it rip — like I’m a regular guy who walked off the street into a studio, and was allowed to do a radio show and make people laugh,” Hoebee explained.

His “regular guy” persona and talent for fast-paced sarcastic patter also make him an in-demand host for concerts and festivals, both locally and elsewhere. He has introduced countless shows at the Key West Amphitheater, emcees multiple events during the annual Fantasy Fest celebration, has been a favorite “ringmaster” for spring break contests and many other Key West festivities, and gets calls from promoters around the United States to work their concerts and gigs.

Hoebee will also appear as (what else?) a radio deejay in two upcoming films whose details he can’t yet reveal.

Though he enjoys venturing into other performance realms, his true calling remains the radio field that helped shape his life and brought him a huge and devoted following.

“Everybody's got a choice — they can either listen or turn the dial,” Hoebee said. “For the people that decide to stay there and listen, I want them to know I care about their entertainment … and I put in the work to give them that every day.”

Sgt. Jay Conaty promoted to police lieutenant

Key West Police Chief Sean Brandenburg on Aug. 5 promoted Sgt. Jay T. Conaty to lieutenant. Conaty started with the department as a sponsored cadet in the Law Enforcement Academy in 2016, after having served in the Air Force.

He was promoted to sergeant in 2022 and has served since then in the Special Investigations Unit. Conaty was sworn in at the police department among family and colleagues.

Michael Turner promoted to assistant city manager in Key West Key West recently announced the promotion of Michael Turner to assistant city manager from his prior position as deputy director of community services.

Turner brings over 13 years of experience with city operations

and has worked across multiple departments, including finance, utilities and community services. He is known for his practical approach and steady leadership.

Turner began his city career in 2012 as utility collections manager, where he led key initiatives to move sewer billing to the water bill and shift solid waste and stormwater fees to the property tax roll.

In 2014, he joined the finance department as revenue manager, overseeing all incoming city payments and helping improve internal processes. Since 2015, Turner has played a central role in community services, managing critical divisions, including public facilities, parks and recreation, fleet, public works and the cemetery.

Turner also has experience coordinating city operations before, during and after storms.

Todd Stoughton stepped down from the assistant city manager position in July. He will continue serving the city as intergovernmental and legislative affairs liaison.

City crew installs new lights at pier

Key West’s community services crews this week are installing new lighting on the Edward B. Knight Pier. The lights are replacing those that were recently removed due to deterioration by age and saltwater intrusion.

The new lights will be set on a concrete pedestal and will stand about three feet above the pedestal. They closely resemble the current lighting at the base of the pier that illuminates the Key West AIDS Memorial.

Most of the taller light poles were removed in late June when an inspection showed that the pedestals were a public safety hazard. Decades of storms and weather had damaged the pedestals beyond repair.

COLLEGE HOSTS FIRST-EVER TEDx TALKS IN KEY WEST

Tickets now available for event on Aug. 23

The College of the Florida Keys will host the inaugural TEDxCFK, “Paradise Within: Unlocking Human Potential,” Saturday, Aug. 23 at 2 p.m. in the Tennessee Williams Theater on the Key West campus. Doors will open at 1 p.m. Thirteen speakers will share stories of perseverance, determination and achieving self-transformation through cultivating confidence and happiness from within.

Admission is limited to 100. The ticket price of $100 includes a full-course dinner, admission to the event and a networking hour. A cash bar will be available.

More information is at cfk.edu/tedxcfk or the event’s page at facebook.com/TEDxTheCollegeoftheFloridaKeys25. Tickets can also be purchased directly from keystix.com.

TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TED Talks video and live speakers combine to spark discussion and connection. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event.

TED is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to discovering, debating and spreading ideas that spark conversation, deepen understanding and drive meaningful change. The organization is devoted to curiosity, reason, wonder and the pursuit of knowledge — without an agenda. It welcomes people from every discipline and culture who seek a deeper understanding of the world and connection with others, and we invite everyone to engage with ideas and activate them in your community.

TED began in 1984 as a conference where technology, entertainment and design converged, but today it spans a multitude of worldwide communities and initiatives exploring everything from science and business to education, arts and global issues. — Contributed

CFK GRADUATES BASIC LAW ENFORCEMENT ACADEMY

21 cadets complete training, now take state certification exam

Cadets in CFK’s Basic Law Enforcement Academy 91 stand at attention on the CFK Upper Keys Center in Key Largo. CONTRIBUTED

The College of the Florida Keys’ (CFK) Institute for Public Safety (IPS) held a graduation ceremony for Basic Law Enforcement Academy No. 91 on July 25 at the Coral Shores High School Auditorium. Twenty-one cadets completed the 770-hour training program. Upon passing the state certification exam, each will be eligible to become a Florida law enforcement officer.

Kristi Yates, sponsored by the Homestead Police Department, was sworn in as an officer during the graduation ceremony.

The academy’s leadership award was given to Yates, while Marlon Puebla Ayala was recognized for academic achievement. The “Top Gun” shooting skills award went to Carston Addison and the physical fitness award went to Keith Feazell II. The “PIG” award, which recognizes pride, integrity and guts, went to Kevin Torres-Rosa.

CFK’s law enforcement officer program satisfies the training requirements of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission. CFK is accepting applications for two upcoming training academies:

Basic Law Enforcement Academy 96, at the Upper Keys Center starting in January 2026 and ending in November 2026 – applications are due by Dec. 12.

Basic Law Enforcement Academy 97, at the Key West campus starting in May 2026 and ending in November 2026 –applications are due by April 16, 2026.

More information is at cfk.edu/academics/academic-departments/institute-for-public-safety/. — Contributed

RESTAURANTS SERVE THEIR ‘LOBSTER BEST’ THROUGH AUG. 10

Tasty tails celebrate crustacean season

Longing for the taste of savory, succulent, melt-inyour-mouth lobster without taking the plunge to catch it yourself? Key West has the answer: Lobster Best, a five-day celebration dedicated to the coastal crustacean.

Through Sunday, Aug. 10, select restaurants in Key West will serve their “Lobster Best,” so pick a few and indulge. Then, prepare your palate for a double dose of deliciousness when local chef and rum distiller Paul Menta takes the stage at the Key West Cooking School for two demonstrations on Saturday, Aug. 9.

Spiny lobster tails, crawfish and rock lobster will intersect at the

Lost Kitchen’s Florida Keys Lobster Dinners Aug. 9-10. And closing out the week, Key West’s Artisan Market will host Lobster Best Key West Edition on Sunday, Aug. 10, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Higgs Beach.

Some of the participating restaurants include:

The Boat House, Half Shell Raw Bar, Miso Happy, Hogfish Bar & Grill, The Docks, DJ’s Clam Shack, Kaya Island Eats, Prime Steakhouse, Square Grouper Key West, Lola’s Bistro, Ocean Grill & Bar, A&B Lobster House, Conch Republic Seafood and Seaside Cafe.

More information is at longlivetheconchrepublic.com/keywest-lobster-best.

Luscious lobsters like these await your plate during Lobster Best Key West. The celebration runs Aug. 6-10 and features cooking demonstrations, chef-inspired dinners and an artisan market. FLORIDA KEYS NEWS BUREAU/Contributed

Lobster Best Key West is a five-day celebration of a favorite coastal crustacean.

NATIONAL NIGHT OUT LINKS COPS, KIDS & COMMUNITY

Free family event welcomes sheriff’s office, police, fire & military

MANDY MILES

mandy@keysweekly.com

Fire trucks and face-painting, hamburgers and police horses were a huge hit at Key West’s annual National Night Out event on Aug. 5 at Truman Waterfront Park.

Each year, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office organizes the local part of the nationwide event in four locations throughout the Florida Keys, filling the venues with friendly faces and fun demonstrations.

The Key West event featured the MCSO bomb squad truck, boats and motorcycles, K9 officers, emergency medical workers,the Key West Police Department’s mounted patrol on horseback, Key West fire trucks, military boats and an appearance by MacGruff the crime dog, asking kids to help “take a bite out of crime.”

Volunteers from the MCSO Bureau of Corrections manned the grills, churning out free burgers and dogs all evening, and Farmer Jeanne Selander from the Sheriff’s Animal Farm brought an array of friendly reptiles for kids to hold.

Since 1984, National Night Out has been an annual community-building campaign to promote police and community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie. The event enhances relationships between neighbors and law enforcement and brings police and neighbors together under positive circumstances.

Key West’s National Night Out event takes place at Truman Waterfront Park on Aug. 5, when local law enforcement welcomes kids and the community to a free, familyfriendly gathering featuring fire trucks, boats, police horses and free hamburgers. NICK DOLL/Nick Doll Photography

MARK HEDDEN

... 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.

Ellen Westbrook texted me two photos from over at the Key West Wildlife Center, where she volunteers on the regular. The first was a tiny egg – about the size of one of the bigger peanut M&MS – sitting in one of those small dishes you use to mix spices when cooking. The second was of a trio of chicks in a nest. Ellen had spent the afternoon feeding them mealworms every 15 minutes. There are two types of bird chicks – precocial and altricial. Precocial chicks can generally walk and/or swim within a day or so of being born. They hatch with big eyes and a layer of down. I generally don’t regard birds as cute, but precocial chicks tend to be pretty cute. Think ducklings.

Altricial chicks tend to be born featherless, blind and loud — little pink blobs that can’t do much but scream for food. And for the first several days of their lives that’s all they do — screech and eat. They are essentially giant mouths with small bodies attached. They are also generally what scientists would call ugly, creatures only a parent or a rehabber could love.

The chicks in Ellen’s photo were altricial, with a lot of pink skin but also a good number of dark spiny-looking feather shafts that had just grown in. If you looked for where you thought their eyes should be you would instead find the yellow corners of their mouths.

She sent it with a note saying, “Carolina wren & egg.”

“That’s not here, is it?” I texted back.

“At the Wildlife Center,” she replied.

“Wow. Crazy,” I typed. Then, “And you guys are sure on ID?”

“Peggy is,” Ellen said. “The chicks are so tiny, eyes closed, almost naked.”

Hmmm, I thought, probably out loud. I don’t like to doubt people. Especially someone like Peggy Coontz, who works incredibly hard to save wildlife every day and who knows so much. But something didn’t add up.

Carolina wrens are common all over the eastern seaboard, all the way up to Massachusetts, then west to eastern Kansas and Texas. There is also something of a population in the Yucatan.

But they have never been recorded south of the Seven Mile Bridge in the Keys, and only rarely north of the bridge. They’ve been recorded breeding on the mainland of Florida, and on the north end of Key Largo, but nowhere south.

There is an old, heavily shopworn axiom in journalism: If your mother says she loves you, check it out. And since this column occasionally approaches journalism, I figured I’d follow that guidance.

I texted the photo of the chicks to my friend Julie Zickefoose, a writer, painter and wildlife rehabilitator in Ohio, who’s pretty

A TRIO OF WAYWARD CHICKS

famous in bird world. She has written and illustrated an entire book about baby birds called –wait for it – “Baby Birds,” which I’m pretty sure is the only book out there about them.

I didn’t give her any info. Just a photo and a note asking if she had any opinions on the ID.

She texted me back in minutes. “Eight-dayold Carolina wrens,” she wrote, with two accompanying illustrations from her book – one of what Carolina wrens look like at eight days old, and one of what they look like at nine days old. (Turns out Carolina wrens are the first species she writes about in her book.)

“I’m envious. (Carolina wrens) are sooo cute and cuddly and total fun to raise. Look what’s on my desk right now!” she added.

She sent me a photo of two Alder flycatcher chicks that she was feeding mealworms to, sitting in a nest she’d built herself, because their old nest had been destroyed and the parents abandoned them. The chicks had enough down to begin looking borderline adorable, like undersized Muppets.

If you look up the migratory habits of Carolina wrens on Cornell University’s “Birds of the World” site, the entire entry reads, “Not migratory, but wanders (see Distribution). Movements primarily diurnal.”

It was great to know that Peggy was right. But also, what the hell? Carolina wrens are not shy, receding birds. They call a lot, they jump around, they are gregarious. I could maybe believe that one of them wandered into town and no one noticed. It was so much harder to believe that two of them – a male and a female, who were both inclined to mate with each other – wandered into town.

So I went over to the Key West Wildlife Center to talk to Peggy and get some answers. It turns out a couple had been camping in their RV up around Kissimmee. The RV was a fifth wheel, a type of trailer. The thing that connects a fifth wheel to the pickup truck that

tows it is called a pin box. And in that pin box, while they were camped in Kissimmee, a pair of Carolina wrens built a nest and brooded their chicks, three of which hatched.

The couple were unaware of them, though, and drove from Kissimmee to the Blue Water Key RV Resort in the Saddlebunch Keys – about an eight-hour drive, if they didn’t stop too much.

While the couple was leveling the trailer, and extending the slideout and the awning, they heard a lot of weird, high-pitched noises coming from somewhere in the trailer. After they traced it to the pin box, and realized it was a trio of fledgling birds, they called the folks at Key West Wildlife Center at Indigenous Park on White Street.

“Our staff member Brittany went and scooped them all up and brought these little tiny pink things down. We had no idea what species they were, but clearly from the design of the beak, they’re gonna be insect eaters. So we started them on the basic insect diet right away,” Peggy said. Later, she had puzzled out their species using a guide she had.

The nest in the pin box had fallen apart on the couple’s drive. And when Peggy opened the cage that held the chicks and showed them to me, they were on a green blanket in a plastic tub, all three sleeping. Their skin had grown darker already, and more feathers had sprouted.

Peggy offered them some mealworms, which they gulped down before falling asleep again.

The folks at the Wildlife Center are still working out the details, but the birds won’t be released here. They’ll be taken to the mainland. Peggy said they hope to get them to a rehabber in the Kissimmee area before they fully fledge, so they have some time to adapt before being released.

A rescued Carolina wren chick at the Key West Wildlife Center. MARK HEDDEN/Keys Weekly

MIND ALTERING LUBRICANTS FOR SOCIAL INTERCOURSE

CHEERS TO WINNING BEST MARTINI AGAIN IN 2025!!

GOING OUT ON TOUR

Satellite-tracked rescued turtle ‘Haven’ returns to the sea

Why be in a hurry to go somewhere else when you already live in paradise? A 35-pound green sea turtle named Haven took her time at her release on Aug. 1 at a crowded Sombrero Beach in Marathon while marking her entry as the only rehabilitated juvenile in this year’s Sea Turtle Conservancy’s Tour de Turtles event.

The 8-year-old endangered green sea turtle spent the last six months rehabilitating at the Turtle Hospital after being rescued, wrapped in fishing line and covered in fibropapilloma tumors. Following months of rehab, laser treatment and cancer-fighting eye drops, Haven was declared healthy and ready to return to the sea.

Participants in this “race” are typically nesting female adults that migrate several thousand miles over the course of three months from August to October – proving endurance matters more than speed. The satellite tracking continues for about a year, which is when the transmitters typically fall off. Sea Turtle Conservancy communications coordinator Lexie Beach says that juveniles are “laid back” in comparison.

“We don’t expect them to migrate far distances, so they hang around the Keys and they’re feeding on seagrass, on jellyfish,” she said. “We anticipate Haven will stick close to home and probably just travel maybe a couple hundred miles.”

The turtles are equipped with a small satellite transmitter attached by a special epoxy to the tops of their shells.

“Every time she surfaces, that satellite transmitter will send a ping, and it will update either on the Tour de Turtles website or our STC Sea Turtle Tracker app,” said Beach.

Haven was rehabilitated at the Turtle Hospital, which has released more than 3,000 sea turtles since its founding as Florida’s first licensed turtle rehab facility in 1986 by Richie Moretti.

“We’re especially interested to see how her migration pattern and her behaviors might differ from the wild adult nesting turtles that we’re tracking,” said Beach.

The satellite-monitored journey gives researchers valuable data about the migratory patterns of sea turtles while raising awareness about the threats they face. The public can follow each of the turtle entries and root for their favorite at tourdeturtles.org.

– Contributed

EVERYTHING IS GETTING SMALLER

Everything is getting smaller From candy bars to cell phones, reducing size and increasing profit has always been the trend. Small and user-friendly technology always seems to be equated with the term “new and improved.” The world of music may be, along with science, bicycle seats and communications, at the forefront of shrinking tech.

In the world of music, the effects of shrinking technology are clearly seen. What was once the Grateful Dead’s “Wall Of Sound” — a three-story tall, 100-footwide wall of speakers and amplifiers — has now shrunk down to a system I could transport myself each night to Willy T’s, (insert local sound ordinance joke here). This may be an exaggeration, but not by much. I could play a guitar system in a bar near you that I could also play at Madison Square Garden with a good sound guy. For musicians, the idea that you could get studio-quality effects and sound wherever you are playing has always been intriguing. In the quest for that sound, companies have deliveredsome amazing products, including multi-effect units with more options than they need, and the ability to create sounds never before heard.

One of the biggest goals for musicians is to be able to bring the sounds of older technology into a new era. The sounds that old tech created cannot always be duplicated, mainly because they were the unintended result of faults with the tech: outside noise, faulty chips and diodes; the way the echo on tape degrades

RAY WEST

... a professional musician, singer, actor and executive director of the Key West Music Awards, is known to sacrifice his comfort for that of his cat.

and fades as opposed to the way in which a digital echo remains perfect forever. The sounds these imperfections created when layered together are the sounds we all have heard and come to associate with certain types of music.

The result of this quest for smaller tech is nothing short of amazing. The older technology, while unique, was also often large, cumbersome and not built for the rigors of the road. Where the casing was often heavy and strong, the components themselves were not, making a delicate relationship more difficult when throwing it in the back of the van to get to the gig you’re late for.

In the current market, I can buy a pedal that has all those sounds, and so much more. So many of these pedals now come accompanied by an app. These apps are dizzying with how much control they give you over the endless number of options they can supply.

And yet, there are still many pieces of gear designed to do one single thing. And the extent to which they do them leads to untold feats of creativity in practice rooms the world over. But even that one, single thing they do, when new and improved, comes in a much smaller package these days.

The Jimi Hendrix Fuzz Face by Dunlop is a prime example of the downsizing tech in the world of music. CONTRIBUTED

A young girl watches as Haven prepares to return home. MARK HEDDEN/Florida Keys News Bureau

Haven, a 35-pound green sea turtle, takes her time at her release on Aug. 1 at a crowded Sombrero Beach in Marathon while marking her entry as the only rehabilitated and only juvenile in this year’s Sea Turtle Conservancy Tour de Turtles event. MARK HEDDEN/Florida Keys News Bureau

Those in the Keys know how to take advantage of its beauty. You bike, hike, swim, picnic, and stroll— so joint and muscle pain can really cramp your lifestyle. That’s why Lower Keys Medical Center has invested in expanding orthopedic services right here in Key West, recently adding two experienced orthopedic surgeons to Keys Medical Group.

That means you can access highquality orthopedic care close to home, with easier access to appointments and follow-ups; coordinated care with physical therapy; quicker care if concerns arise; and support from friends and family. We’re always working to Keep Care in the Keys

WHAT’S COOKING, KEY WEST? HISTORIC COOKBOOK CAPTURES TRUE KEY WEST FLAVOR

CAROL SHAUGHNESSY www.keysweekly.com

The book is a treasured artifact, marked with strange stains and faded notations. Its worn cover and tattered pages suggest it’s been handed down for generations, carefully preserved and brought out only for the creation of some special offering.

This isn’t some centuries-old Egyptian relic or volume of medieval secrets; it’s the Key West Woman’s Club Cookbook, published in 1949 and cherished by home chefs ever since.

“The 1949 cookbook, handwritten and with wonderful sketches of that particular time, captures the real history of Key West,” said Marlene Thorn, vice president of the Woman’s Club whose members contributed the recipes and oversaw the book’s creation.

Ed Swift is one of the longtime Key Westers who values an early cookbook as a family keepsake. His copy was inherited from his mother Helen, an island businesswoman who opened a Hallmark card store on Duval Street.

“She had notes in the cookbook — different things that she’d try, adding a little of this and a little of that,” Swift explained. “And when she passed, I cooked out of the cookbook and had my notes.”

The original cookbook featured recipes that include papaya candy, Caribbean chowder, fish curry, guava cake and conch fritters. There’s even “Mrs. Truman’s Pudding,” saluting the wife of President Harry Truman, who spent 11 working vacations on the island during his 1945-53 administration.

“If you’re interested in Key West and Key West cuisine, that cookbook is invaluable,” said Swift. “And if you’ve moved here from someplace else and want to know about the island, you can pretty much trace its roots through the cookbook.”

The cookbook inspired many of the offerings that are demonstrated, taught and savored at the Key West Cooking School, opened this year at 291 Front St. by business partners Swift and Chris Belland. During learn-anddine demonstration classes, participants discover island history through

The latest edition of the Key West Woman’s Club Cookbook combines handwritten content and recipes from the original volume with intriguing new material. KEY WEST COOKING SCHOOL/Contributed

KEY WEST MUSEUM SEEKS LOCAL CULINARY ARTIFACTS

Exhibit to include

vintage cookware, antique kitchen tools & old menus

Tcuisine — along with the secrets to preparing traditional regional dishes. Swift and Thorn, ably assisted by marketing expert Piper Smith, recently spearheaded the publication of a new and updated version of the iconic cookbook. Like the original, the new compilation showcases the local flavors, spirit and cultural heritage.

Edited by Roberta Isleib, who writes the popular Key West Food Critic mystery series as Lucy Burdette, the updated version blends the charm and content of the early volume with new recipes contributed by current Woman’s Club members.

They include the Eleanor Cocktail, contributed by club president Aundrea Wagner in honor of Eleanor Curry Hellings, an 1892-1906 resident of the Duval Street home that has been the organization’s headquarters since 1940.

“It’s really interesting the way that so much of Key West’s history can be told through food,” said Swift. “Key West was an island of Bahamians, people from Cuba, New England, New York, Georgia — and all of that is reflected in the cookbook.”

Last Bites

Dish of the week: Tia’s Flan. Rich, creamy flan is featured in the Key West Woman’s Club Cookbook and also at the Key West Cooking School. National Flan Day is Aug. 21, so make the caramel-flavored custard dessert and serve it chilled and topped with caramelized sugar.

Helpful kitchen hack: What’s the secret to preparing dishes that celebrate Key West’s culture and history with delicious authenticity? Start with recipes from the Key West Woman’s Club Cookbook, available at the cooking school, the Woman’s Club and many other local outlets.

Hungry for more? Visit keywestcookingschool.com.

he Key West Museum of Art & History is asking residents of Key West and Monroe County to dig into their pantries, storage nooks and attics — and share the tools, traditions and family heirlooms that tell the story of how food has shaped island life over the decades.

As part of a new collaboration with Florida Humanities and the Smithsonian Institution’s Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), the museum is preparing an exhibit titled “Food: Celebrating Conch Cuisine,” set to open in late February 2026.

This exhibit is one of the first in a new national initiative, the “Exhibition Starter Kit: Food” program, which empowers local museums to explore regional culinary histories through community participation and storytelling and thanks to a grant from Florida Humanities, and with guidance and resources from the Smithsonian.

Museum curator and historian Cori Convertito is asking residents to lend objects that reflect the unique food culture of the Keys. These items can include vintage kitchen tools, antique cookware, old fishing equipment, family recipe cards, menus from long-gone restaurants, even furniture that once held a place in historic kitchens.

“This is an incredible opportunity to bring the Smithsonian experience to Monroe County while spotlighting the real stories and heritage of our community,” said Convertito. “We’re looking for those tangible pieces of the past — perhaps a hand-cranked milk separator, a weathered Key lime pie tin, bottles from Adams Dairy, or a well-used ice chest — that can help us illustrate the culinary history that has shaped our Conch identity.”

Convertito added that objects such as antique dining furniture, aged silverware sets or long-retired cooking utensils could also provide a

This vintage dual coffee grinder, once used in a traditional Cuban coffee house in Key West, reflects the cultural ties among food, community and heritage in the island’s history. It’s one of many types of artifacts the Key West Museum of Art & History hopes to feature in its 2026 exhibit, ‘FOOD: Celebrating Conch Cuisine. INVALUABLE AUCTION HOUSE/Contributed

compelling window into the everyday lives of past generations.

How to contribute

Residents who own historically significant or meaningful food-related items may share their stories for possible inclusion in the exhibition based on the museum’s curatorial needs.

Contributors should email cconvertito@kwahs.org with the following:

Clear photographs of the item(s), a brief description of the object(s) and information about who in the family used the item(s) and during what time period.

“This is your chance to be part of an important story — to help us preserve and share the flavors, traditions and voices that define life in the Keys,” Convertito said.

More information is at kwahs.org/ exhibit/food/.

— Contributed

BABIES ON BOARD

In the closing weeks of July, calls about baby turtles in distress kept the emergency hotline at Marathon’s Turtle Hospital ringing off the hook.

Over a seven-day period, the hospital fielded calls for 287 tiny hatchlings, all in need of a helping hand after crawling the wrong way when they emerged from their nests on Florida Keys beaches.

A single day yielded four calls for babies that had fallen into three different chlorinated pools.

“It’s one of the highest numbers we’ve ever seen in a short period of time,” Turtle Hospital manager Bette Zirkelbach told the Weekly.

The culprit: artificial light from oceanside homes, disrupting the natural light from the night sky used by freshly-hatched turtles to get themselves to the water and out to the deep blue.

Thankfully, with rescue staff at the ready, the hospital’s success rate this nesting season has topped 75% – that is, more than three quarters of the babies reported made it to some form of successful release. Of the 287, around 100 were released the night of their rescues.

And on Aug. 1, 61 loggerhead

hatchlings – plus two one-year-old juvenile hawksbills and a yearling loggerhead – got an easy ride out to the Gulf Stream, courtesy of the U.S. Coast Guard Station Marathon. Once there, they were safely delivered into patches of sargassum weeds, where they can find shelter and food before eventually returning closer to shore as mature turtles.

Zirkelbach said the mass intake of hatchlings underscores the importance of conscientious development and careful light use, especially during turtle mating season.

“With the increased number of vacation rentals, I don’t feel people are maliciously leaving lights on,” she said. “But I think we need to do better at educating our visitors about turning lights off at night during nesting season. People just don’t have the knowledge.”

Sea turtle nesting season in the Florida Keys runs from April 15 through Oct. 31. During these months, bright, artificial lights can disorient hatchlings. To report turtles in distress, call the Turtle Hospital’s hotline at 305481-7669.

For more information on ways to protect sea turtles with residential lighting, scan the QR code.

Turtle Hospital rehabber Maddie Credi and manager Bette Zirkelbach team up with members of Coast Guard Station Marathon to release 64 rescued turtles more than 10 miles offshore from Marathon. Sixty-one turtles were freshly-hatched loggerhead babies disoriented by artificial light, while three other

HELP KEEP KEY WEST BEAUTIFUL

Forty-one volunteers met on Aug. 1 at Mount Sinai Medical Center at Northside and Trinity drives. In one hour, they collected 184 pounds of trash, 19.5 pounds of recycling and 3 gallons of cigarette butts. Special thanks to Oscar of Mount Sinai Medical Center for providing breakfast for the volunteers and sponsoring Keep Key West Beautiful’s Green Machine. The Aug. 8 cleanup is at the Montessori Children's School next to city hall on United Street. CONTRIBUTED

Join a 1-hour cleanup Friday mornings the volunteers that make the biggest difference.

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.

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

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.

JOIN A ONE-HOUR FRIDAY MORNING CLEANUP. ALL EVENTS ARE 8 TO 9 A.M. UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.

Aug. 8: Varela & United streets. Meet in front of the Montessori Children's School, which is hosting, and park at City Hall.

Saturday, Aug. 9: Donald Avenue, 16th Terrace & Buttonwood Court. Meet at Donald Avenue & 16th Terrace. Hosted by We've Got The Keys, La Te Da & Buttonwood Court Homeowners Association.

Aug. 15: North Roosevelt at the Capitana. Meet in the parking lot of the Capitana Hotel, which is hosting.

Aug. 22: North Roosevelt in New Town. Meet in front of the Laureate Key West Hotel (next to Keys Auto). Hosted by the Laureate Key West

Aug. 29: Greene & Elizabeth streets. Meet in the parking lot by Conch Republic Seafood Co. Hosted by Just a Few Friends, Key West 2025, Reef Relief & Conch Republic Seafood Co.

TAKE ME HOME?

FIND A FRIEND AT THE FLORIDA KEYS SPCA

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.

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.

Paging Dr. McDreamy. This 3-yearold grey and white heartthrob has a Ph.D. in being adorable and a master’s in making people laugh. He will follow you as if he’s got rounds to do.

Meet Crepe, our resident play-hardto-get kitty with a lot of sass. At 3 years old, she’s got a personality as bold as it is lovable. Crepe will paw at the door, begging for you to come in and give her love, but once you do, she’ll pretend you’re not even there.

Meet Leo. This 2-year-old mixed-breed dog may be large in size, but he thinks he’s a lap dog. Leo loves people and is always excited to be around them. Whether it’s snuggling up on the couch or just hanging out, he’s your perfect cuddle buddy. He’s friendly, affectionate and will make a great companion for someone who enjoys having a dog who’s always ready for attention.

Clover is a 2-year-old albino rabbit with a snowy white coat and striking pink eyes. Albino rabbits like Clover have a rare genetic trait that gives them their unique coloring, and she wears it beautifully. Clover is gentle, curious and enjoys quiet company. If you are looking for a mellow and one-of-a-kind companion, Clover might be the perfect fit.

Meet Lynxie. This 6-year-old cutie may be small, but she’s big on love. She’s about the size of a 6-month-old kitten, which just adds to her adorable charm. While she’s a bit shy at first, Lynxie adores people once she feels comfortable. She’s as sweet as can be and will make a loving companion for anyone looking for a gentle, affectionate kitty.

TASTING HISTORY

Iconic island eats and tidbits of a past Florida Keys

FLORIDA KEYS HISTORY WITH BRAD BERTELLI

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

Ientered the workforce at 11. It was in a pet store in 1976. I was paid $1.50 per hour. I didn’t last long in the pet store industry. It didn’t pay well. Also, I would be getting my driver’s license in a few years and needed to save for gas, insurance and a car.

In 1981, I applied for a job as a busboy at a local restaurant chain called the Claim Jumper. Three things that stand out from my days at the Claim Jumper are a tremendous mud pie, the cashew chicken sandwich and long spears of fried zucchini. I still love mud pie and make it from time to time. I make long spears of fried zucchini more frequently. I haven’t thought about cashew chicken in decades. I’m pretty sure the next time I cook up some chicken breasts, I’ll be dicing some up with celery, onion and cashews.

The Claim Jumper, with its oversized mint chocolate chip mud pie, was my first restaurant job; it was not the last. Making tips was so much better than minimum wage. It was 1981 when it dawned on me that I was going to write. I was 16 and a sophomore at Huntington Beach High School. It was a big

year. When my wisdom teeth were pulled, my cheeks swelled up like a chipmunk with a load of nuts, and I was laid up with icepacks instead of heading off to a Friday night drivein movie ritual.

While I was home with icepacks pushed up against my face, the girl I’d been crushing on and Steve, my alleged best friend, were kicking back at the drive-in. Subsequently, they became an item and, heartbroken, I wrote my first poem. Though I gave up poetry decades ago, I’ve been writing daily since, and the restaurant industry has supported the habit that has defined my life.

I turned 60 on June 4. For more than half of those years, I worked as a busser, expediter, server or bartender. Twice I thought I’d left it behind. Twice I’ve gone back. It had not been the plan.

The first time, I had just graduated from the University of Miami with my master of fine arts degree and moved to Plantation Key. That first year, I tried teaching, but it didn’t pay well, and a part-time bartending gig turned into a fulltime stint as a waiter at Islamorada’s now-closed Bentley’s and Lazy Days, where I worked for a decade before the big, unexpected break arrived.

Out of the blue, I was hired to curate the Florida Keys History & Discovery Center. Not everyone is handed the opportunity to go from offering blue cheese, tomato basil or Italian dressing for a dinner salad to creating a museum from scratch. For eight years, I worked to turn blank blue walls into a must-see stop for anyone interested in learning about some excellent local history. On that

note, I’d like to thank Thomas Locklear, who has become a friend, for suggesting to the museum’s board that I might be the right person for the job.

Years later, one of my great pleasures was writing a letter of recommendation on his behalf when Locklear applied for director at the Museum of the Everglades. In any case, the eight years I spent acting as the curator and historian at the museum was, what I thought, the last break. It was not.

For the last two-and-a-half years, I went back to bartending as a means of cobbling together the funds necessary to support my work as a writer and local historian. It is not a coincidence that I got a job at Robbie’s of Islamorada. I was pretty pushy with my barrage of emails and texts highlighting my experience and my love for the property.

It is not the first time I’ve worked on the property. About 20 years ago, I worked at the Kayak Shack renting kayaks, selling souvenirs and giving directions to those paddling out to Indian Key. I had just signed my first book deal for “Snorkeling Florida” with the University Press of Florida and would sometimes work on the manuscript at the shack. Now, they sell more of my books than anyone else in the Keys.

Getting a job at Robbie’s was never just about bartending. It was always about being on the property. Situated on Lower Matecumbe Key, within paddling distance of two amazing state parks, Robbie’s is at the center of some fascinating history and probably the reason I have

been drawn to this property since I moved to Plantation Key in 2001.

Working at the Beach Bar at Robbie’s has kept me close to Indian Key, Lignumvitae Key and the surprising history associated with the property. It has also given me time to figure out a way to bring history to the property.

Guided tours of Indian Key will be added once work on the island’s boat dock is completed. In the meantime, I have stories to tell during an event I’m calling “Tasting History.” Enjoy iconic island eats and unforgettable stories during a one-of-a-kind Florida Keys experience. This tasty, one-hour dive into local history starts with a rumrunner (invented in Islamorada) and ends with a slice of Key lime pie. In between, it’s all about conch, Conch culture and the Conch Republic while you sample two Keys staples, a bowl of conch chowder and two conch fritters. Join me Mondays and Thursdays at 11:30 a.m. or 2:30 p.m. for this intimate, flavor-packed trip through Keys culture and history.

To keep the event intimate, seating is limited to eight. While you are being served, I’ll share some local history, including how the rumrunner was invented, the importance of conch, its role in the island chain’s history, the birth of the Conch Republic and how the sponging industry helped create the Florida Keys dessert, Key lime pie. The cost is $50.

Book your seat and experience local food, history, and culture by visiting www.robbies.com and navigating to the Hungry Tarpon tab, or give me a call at 305-395-9889.

Dive into local history and enjoy a rumrunner, Key lime pie and conch chowder for a ‘Tasting History’ event with Brad Bertelli at Robbie’s in Islamorada. CONTRIBUTED

STEPHEN MIZNER

�� WE’RE HIRING AT THE FLORIDA KEYS SPCA! ��

Love animals? We have multiple full-time positions open at both our Key West and Marathon campuses!

KEY WEST CAMPUS OPENINGS

• Clinic Veterinary Assistant

• Guest Care Associate

• Dog Care Associate

• Kennel Supervisor

MARATHON CAMPUS OPENINGS

• Dog Care Associate

• Event & Volunteer Coordinator

Most roles start at $18/hr and come with great benefits like paid medical insurance, 401(k) match, vacation time, and more!

APPLY TODAY!

• For Key West: email info@fkspca.org

• For Marathon: email tara@fkspca.org

You can also stop by the campus to fill out an application in person.

LEARN MORE AT https://fkspca.org/about-us/employment-opportunities/

NOT THE LOBSTERS WE WERE LOOKING FOR: MARINER FINDS COCAINE BRICKS OFF ISLAMORADA

Packages of cocaine discovered by a mariner off Islamorada on July 31. The 23 kilograms of drugs were handed over to federal authorities MCSO/ Contributed

JIM McCARTHY jim@keysweekly.com

Boats were out in droves throughout the Upper Keys as divers and snorkelers were on the hunt for lobsters during the final day of mini-season on July 31. One mariner, however, found something that didn’t quite resemble a crustacean. According to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, a mariner found some 23 kilograms of suspected cocaine roughly 5 miles south of Islamorada. The mariner contacted law enforcement to report the discovery of drugs with a rough weight of 50 pounds.

The sheriff’s office ended up working with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection to bring the packages to shore. They were then turned over to federal law enforcement.

This certainly isn’t the first time drugs have been found around the Florida Keys. On July 3, a package containing 1.3 kilograms of suspected cocaine was found near MM 79.5 in Islamorada on July 3. The package was turned over to the U.S. Border Patrol.

WHAT IS EATING MY GUMBO LIMBO? FRIEND OR FOE?

Glimbo trees are a beloved staple in Florida Keys landscapes. These native trees are drought-tolerant, fast-growing and provide resources to local wildlife. Their smooth, coppery bark and attractive foliage are eye-catching and recognizable.

Gumbo limbo trees are affectionately nicknamed the “tourist tree” as their bark resembles the skin of sunburned tourists. Before the advent of modern plastics, gumbo limbo wood was often used to carve carousel horses due to its soft and lightweight qualities. This iconic tree is closely associated with island life; you may even have one at home.

Gumbo limbos are relatively pest-resistant, with whiteflies being their most common threat. However, the Monroe County Extension Service has recently become aware of a different type of leaf damage on gumbo limbo trees, called skeletonization.

Skeletonization occurs when the soft tissue of a leaf is eaten away, leaving behind thicker veins and giving the leaf a skeletal appearance. Skeletonization often results in leaf loss. If you’ve noticed that the leaves on your tree look a bit chewed up, you’re not alone.

The culprit is Paectes nana, an inconspicuous native moth species that feeds primarily on gumbo limbo trees. You may be wondering what is causing the sudden increase in herbivory. Several factors could be at play. Most lepidoptera species (moths and butterflies) feed during specific seasons, so the time of year is likely a factor. Weather patterns also contribute to population trends. Periods of drought followed by heavy rainfall often trigger a flush of tender, nutritious new growth, which is especially attractive to hungry herbivores.

According to NOAA, South Florida

is the University of Florida, IFAS County Extension environmental horticulture agent and master gardener volunteer coordinator LIAH CONTINENTINO

experienced an abnormally dry spring, with above-average temperatures. This trend, punctuated by heavy rains in June, may have created opportunities for increased herbivory. The good news is that your gumbo limbo can likely handle the extra nibbling. These trees are well-adapted to periodic herbivory from caterpillars. However, if your tree is already stressed, due to poor planting, transplant shock or disease, it may be more vulnerable. If you are in doubt, contact the Monroe County Extension Environmental Horticulture Agent for guidance. I am happy to assess your trees and determine what actions, if any, should be taken.

If your tree is otherwise healthy, the best approach is to let nature take its course. Moths provide many ecosystem services that bolster the health of our local ecosystem. One of those services is pollination. While it has become common to keep butterflies in mind when landscaping, moths often go unnoticed. In fact, there are only about 800 species of butterflies in North America, compared to over 11,000 species of moths. Supporting moth populations helps our environment; so if you don’t mind a little herbivory, a hands-off approach could be an easy way to support local biodiversity.

More information is at the Monroe County Extension Service at L.continentino@ufl.edu or 305-9989580.

umbo

A gumbo limbo tree. LIAH CONTINENTINO/Monroe County Extension

BOUTIQUE

TUESDAY

THURSDAY

Kirby is wearing the Carina dress by our exclusive retail line Dress the Population

ALEX RICKERT alex@keysweekly.com

OCIVIC DUTY TO THE SEA

Lionfish Invitational trips pair critical science with forward-thinking hunters

ne hundred miles off the coast of Texas, the M/V Fling pulls up to a decommissioned oil rig. Tying off to its towering structure extending hundreds of feet underwater, a team of 32 focused divers descends past schools of sharks and jacks, dispersing across the sunken metal beams brimming with life.

Among those on the line: a pair of ER nurses and a police officer from Dallas, a Florida lawyer, an IT specialist from Colorado – and the Florida Keys’ own “lionfish queen” Rachel Bowman.

The trip is the first of the season for the Lionfish Invitational, a trailblazing partnership meshing investigators from aquariums, universities, Texas Parks and Wildlife and NOAA with “civilian scientists.” (Read: Experienced divers who really, really love the ocean, want to make a difference, and have decent aim with a pole spear.)

For three days, the team navigates their way through the reefs and rigs of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS). Fitting in a laundry list of fish surveys and projects for scientists on board, the rest of the team has one goal: find as many invasive venomous lionfish as possible, and shoot them. (Don’t worry – they have a special permit.)

First detected more than 40 years

ago as their invasion began in Florida, the visually stunning fish are native to the Indo-Pacific region. Their venomous spines pack a mean punch, and they’re a death sentence for millions of juvenile fish as they Hoover up their meals on reef systems.

“When lionfish first invaded the sanctuary in 2011, we were really worried, because we thought they were going to take over the reef,” said FGBNMS superintendent Michelle Johnston. “We knew that we could not host traditional removal efforts like derbies that were being done in Florida – we can't just let untrained people go 100 miles offshore and handle venomous fish and think that people are going to be safe and also follow the rules.

“We thought, what if we bring skilled divers who are good at this, who are good hunters, and make it affordable, and do surveys and see if we're having an impact? It started like that, as a test. We had an overwhelming response, it took off, and it became like a full-time job.”

Enter Bowman, widely regarded as a pioneer and leading expert in commercial lionfish collection from her home base in Marathon.

“Rachel literally harassed me and said ‘I’ve got to be on that boat,’” said Johnston. “She came the second year

we started doing these (trips), and she just ran with it.”

Fast forward a decade, and Bowman is the president of the Lionfish Invitational, now its own 501c3 nonprofit fielding more than 300 applications a summer just to grab a seat on one of four trips on the Fling.

For divers coming from just about anywhere else in the U.S., the experience is, in one participant’s words, like “diving on the moon.”

In the Florida Keys, where a healthy reef could historically see 30 to 40 percent living coral cover, levels have dropped down to just 2%. Rope,

abandoned “ghost traps” and severed anchors litter the bottom, exceedingly accessible at just three miles offshore.

At some dive sites within the Flower Garden Banks, look at the ocean floor, and living coral is all you’ll see.

“If you’re a coral person, the Flower Gardens are 100% on your bucket list,” said Bowman. “It’s one of the healthiest living coral reefs in America, and that’s their Everest.”

“What makes me so happy is people who’ve never seen it,” said Johnston. “When you see out here what a healthy reef system looks like, it changes you. It changes your under-

Thirty-two divers join the crew of the M/V Fling for the June 2025 Lionfish Invitational. CONTRIBUTED

Divemaster Ryan Clement of Castle Rock, Colorado navigates the underwater structure of an oil rig in search of invasive lionfish. MYKA RAYMOND/Crazy Idea Photography

standing of the ocean.

“This is truly what a National Marine Sanctuary should be. It is special. It is worthy of protection. It's worthy of your time, and it's worth you going home and being excited, talking about it and sharing.”

The experience on the 100-foot Fling, operated by Texas Caribbean Charters as one of the only commercial opportunities to dive the Flower Gardens, is “lionfish summer camp on the water,” in both women’s words. Up to four dives per day are separated by healthy two-hour surface intervals, during which the crew of the vessel – most of whom volunteer their time – keep bellies full and minds clear in preparation for the next sub-sea venture.

“The care and service you get from every employee – they make you feel like you’re the only person on the boat,” said Bowman. “You want for nothing, and they are so insanely helpful, and they’re so glad we’re out there doing what we’re doing.”

But the trip is, at its core, a research expedition for the good of the reef, a factor never lost beneath the camaraderie of those on board.

After each dive, harvested fish are individually measured, with fins clipped for genetic and toxin analysis. Science teams on board coordinate their individual needs and objectives for ongoing studies at each dive site, from collections of other invasive fish to water sampling, monitoring of buoy lines and replacements of acoustic tag receivers on the reefs.

“I think it’s one of the most impactful things we do, both researchwise and education-wise,” said Johnston. “To get people to care about a place that is 100 miles offshore that they most likely will never see is a challenge for us. It’s a broad range of people who get exposed to this, take it back to where they’re from, and then it’s like a ripple effect.”

And while much more thorough studies are needed, the eye test says the team’s efforts are making a dent.

In the early years targeting the species, removal efforts, including Lionfish Invitational cruises, could eliminate 300 to 400 fish at a time. In August 2018, that number soared to near 800 on an all-rigs expedition.

But on the first trip of 2025, divers found and removed just 99 fish. That could be a good thing, but it’s too early to make the final call.

“It’s the typical boom and bust of invasive species,” said Johnston. “You’ll have your initial boom, and then it drops off. And so a key question for me is, are we going to have a boom again?”

“It pretty much goes with the rest of the numbers in the rest of the Gulf and Florida,” Bowman added, comparing trips in the Flower Gardens to her commercial harvests from 2016 to 2019.

A lack of natural predators has aided the spread of the spiny fish across the Caribbean and into the Gulf. But now, there are even signs that human hunters may be getting assistance from their natural counterparts.

Recently, a lionfish marked at a Flower Garden Banks reef with an acoustic tag by Texas A&M University investigator Marissa Nuttall pinged at a nearby oil rig – and a special device designed to interact with the stomach acid of a predator if the fish was consumed was triggered.

“My hope is that, with us going out and doing our job, we might not ever have an uptick like this again, which is one less thing the reef system has to worry about,” said Johnston.

“As you decrease the staff of the agencies that conduct this research, people such as myself are obligated to step up and fill that void,” said Bowman. “There is still research to be done. We’re just not going to get paid to do it, but it’s going to still happen.”

More information, including applications for divers who have their Advanced Open Water and Enriched Air certifications, is at lionfishinvitational.com. The nonprofit is always accepting donations, and as Bowman said with a laugh, “You can 100% buy your way onto this boat.” To support research and operations within the FGBNMS, visit marinesanctuary.donorsupport.co/page/FGBNMS.

Get Ahead of Flu Season

As flu season approaches, now is the time to strengthen your immune system. The flu virus can begin circulating as early as October, and taking preventive steps in August can help your body prepare, especially if you ’ re at higher risk

What Works:

Get 7–9 hours of sleep to support immune function

Manage stress through mindfulness, reading, or deep breathing

Stay active! Even 30 minutes of walking a day makes a difference

Wash your hands often to reduce your exposure to germs

Don’t skip preventative care! Get your annual flu shot, stay up to date on COVID-19 and pneumococcal vaccines, and schedule a wellness exam to address health risks early

Finally, incorporate immune-supportive nutrients into your diet like vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc, and probiotics through fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats

Supporting your immune system is less about quick fixes and more about building sustainable, daily habits rooted in science

Schedule an appointment today with one of Mount Sinai’s PCPs in Key West by calling 305 434 9205

Dr Gannon Dudlar is a board-certified emergency medicine physician with extensive experience in emergency departments and urgent care centers He has contributed to protocol development, clinical operations, and pandemic response planning Passionate about health care innovation, his interests include human factors, workflow efficiency, health span optimization, and longevity medicine

Lionfish Invitational president Rachel Bowman measures out a spiny invader in the Flower Garden Banks. CONTRIBUTED

HEMINGWAY LOOK-ALIKE SOCIETY DONATES $35K FOR LOCAL SCHOLARSHIPS

‘Papas’ support 14 College of the Florida Keys students

Fourteen CFK students receive scholarships from the Hemingway Look-Alike Society. CONTRIBUTED

Fourteen students from the College of the Florida Keys (CFK) were awarded scholarships during the Hemingway Look-Alike Contest last week. For 26 years, the “Papas” of the Hemingway Look-Alike Society have been “putting the ‘fun’ in scholarship fundraising” supporting the dreams of over 300 CFK students so far in the hope that their celebration of Hemingway’s spirit leaves a lasting, positive impact on the community.

This year, the festivities kicked off on the stage of Sloppy Joe’s with the Papas awarding $35,000 in scholarships to students attending CFK. Scholarship chair and “Papa 2013” Stephen Terry congratulated the CFK students, each receiving $2,500 to apply toward tuition and fees.

The scholarship is open to degree-seeking students who demonstrate literary talent, are veterans, and/or are pursuing credentials in the fields of nursing, marine science, paramedic services, emergency medicine, law enforcement, or corrections. One scholarship bears the name of Kermit “Shine” Forbes,

SHELF HELP

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

What: “When the Moon Hits Your Eye” by John Scalzi

The 2025 scholarship recipients include:

• Briana Arnold

• Marie C. Brevil

• Eddie Bryant

• Daniel Buitrago

• Nicole J. Cedano

• Ariel Gonzalez

• Shathi Islam

• Angelica Mendaros

• Leandro Macias Montes

• Quynh Nguyen (Hemingway Look-Alike Society “Shine Forbes” Scholarship)

• Angelica Ortiz

• Marvens Surin

• Valerie Thomas

• McKayla White

Hemingway’s sparring partner, and is presented to a CFK-bound graduate of Key West High School.

In addition to awarding scholarships totaling over $250,000, the society has built the largest endowment with the CFK Foundation.

More information is at cfk.edu/ paying-for-college.

— Contributed

Why: For science fiction that is smart, funny, humane and highly entertaining, you can’t do better than John Scalzi. In this book, the moon suddenly, apparently, turns to cheese with all kinds of consequences. We observe these consequences through the viewpoints of scientists and astronauts, billionaires and retirees, with one chapter for each day in this loony lunar cycle punctuated by, of all things, an eclipse. It’s social satire, but not mean-spirited. (OK, maybe it’s a little bit mean about the character who is a kind of Elon Musk/Jeff Bezos mashup, but … ) And in an age when things you couldn’t imagine a few years ago regularly show up in your social media feeds and everyday conversations, is this really so implausible? I first learned about Scalzi from a recommendation in this very column (“Redshirts,” recommended by Big Pine Key branch manager Faith Ambrosini) and I’m so grateful. Even better, he’s got a long backlist so if you also enjoy his work, there’s plenty more on the shelves.

Where: You can borrow this as in regular or large print or as an e-book from the Monroe County Public Library.

How: You can request books, including e-books and e-udiobooks, online by logging in to your account at 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: Nancy Klingener, community affairs manager

See previous recommendations at keyslibraries.org/post-shelf-help.

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

What: “Charade” (1963)

Why: Could there be a better escape right now than heading to Paris in 1963 for a glossy, gorgeous romantic thriller starring a radiant Audrey Hepburn and a mature but still suave Cary Grant? She’s (unhappily) married when they meet, but not for long – and that kicks off the thriller part of the plot, as a group of her husband’s former friends show up looking for a lost treasure they think he stole. The cast includes a real who’s-who of mid-20th century white guys – Walter Matthau, James Coburn and George Kennedy all make appearances. Hepburn outshines them all, glamorous but still approachable as she outwits her pursuers and looks incredibly stylish even when she’s on the run for her life. I could watch this movie over and over. In fact, I have.

Where: This film is available on Kanopy, the Library’s streaming app.

How: You can browse and request DVDs online by logging in to your account at keyslibraries.org. To view our collection of streaming movies and TV, go to kanopy.com/keyslibraries and set up an account with your library card. If you don’t have a card, you can visit your local branch or register online to get one. Questions? keyslibraries.org/contact-us.

Recommended by: Nancy Klingener, community affairs manager. See previous Reel Recs at keyslibraries.org/post/reel-recs.

Recycle Right Every Day.

•

WE WON BEST BREAKFAST & BEST BLOODY MARY THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOTES!

NEW PREMIUM EARLY BIRD SPECIALS (1–4 PM, 7 DAYS/WEEK)

16OZ BONE-IN RIBEYE + SIDE $18

CHURRASCO STEAK + SIDE $18

BIKINI SHRIMP SCAMPI + RICE $18

SHRIMP CAJUN PASTA $18

SHRIMP TRIO $18

T-SHIRT DISCOUNT PROMO:

CUSTOMERS WEARING TWO FRIENDS OR PEPE'S T-SHIRTS AT PEPE’S OR TWO FRIENDS RECEIVE 15% OFF!

TO CELEBRATE WINNING BEST MOJITO WE ARE OFFERING $3.95 MOJITOS ALL SUMMER

EXTENDED HAPPY HOUR AT PEPE’S HAPPY HOUR 1–6 PM (INSTEAD OF 4-6 PM)

In The Bleachers

NEWS OF THE WEIRD

For more than a year, Natasha Lavoie of British Columbia has been receiving phone calls about her missing cat, Torbo, United Press International reported. Problem is, her cat’s name is Mauser and is very much not missing. The mix-up mystery was finally traced to a T-shirt sold by Wisdumb NY, which features a lost cat poster that includes Lavoie’s phone number. Wisdumb NY said the shirt is no longer available and the “use of a real number within the art created was not intentional.” But Lavoie doesn’t want to change her number. “I’ve had my number for 20 years,” she said. “I’ll just keep not answering.”

Adam Dailies

Brevity

Ralph Bunche (1904-1971), activist/Nobel laureate; Garrison Keillor (1942- ), writer/entertainer; Wayne Knight (1955- ), actor; David Duchovny (1960- ), actor; Harold Perrineau (1963- ), actor; Jimmy Wales (1966- ), Wikipedia co-founder; Michael Shannon (1974- ), actor; Charlize Theron (1975- ), actress; Sidney Crosby (1987- ), hockey player; Mike Trout (1991- ), baseball player; Kyler Murray (1997- ), football player; Jalen Hurts (1998- ), football player.

In 1947, Norwegian anthropologist Thor Heyerdahl and his crew of five crashed into a reef at Raroia, near Tahiti, aboard their balsa-wood raft, Kon-Tiki. The 4,300mile, 101-day voyage from Peru was undertaken to prove that prehistoric South Americans could have colonized the Polynesian Islands.

“You get old and you realize there are no answers, just stories.”

Brevity

Nancy Dailies

TODAY’S FACT

TODAY’S QUOTE

TODAY’S BIRTHDAYS

— Garrison Keillor, “Pontoon”

1,350 -- height (in feet) of the wire suspended between the World Trade Center towers and walked by French high-wire artist Philippe Petit on this day in 1974. Petit walked back and forth, sat and even danced on the 131-foot-long wire for 45 minutes before surrendering to police.

In 1789, the U.S. Department of War was established.

In 2007, Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants hit his 756th career home run, surpassing the record set by Hank Aaron.

In 1942, the U.S. 1st Marine Division landed on the island of Guadalcanal, marking the first major American offensive of World War II.

See if you can find the hidden pictures. Then color the picture.

In 1964, Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution in response to reported Vietnamese attacks.

MINI SPY CLASSICS

Mini Spy is taking food to a friend who’s been sick.

Photo courtesy of Jean-Louis Blondeau/Polaris

Kevin Rushforth/Wikipedia

Founded by Betty Debnam

How To Be a Social Helper

Mini Idea: Think about how good it feels for you to receive a smile or a compliment. You can make someone else feel that good!

Are you wondering what school might be like this year? Many kids get a little anxious about the new year beginning.

While it probably won’t take long for you to feel at home, we wanted to pass along some ideas that might help.

WHAT DOES ‘SOCIAL’ MEAN?

When we say someone is social (SO-shul), we mean that he or she gets along with others. They make the right choices. They respond to others’ needs. They are good companions, friends and members of the school community. Sometimes, kids might feel that they don’t fit in or that they don’t belong. We all have social problems at one time or another.

BE A SOCIAL HELPER

That’s where a social helper might step in. These students are aware of the clues when a classmate is in need of a friend, a smile, a pat on the back or a compliment.

By being sensitive to the feelings of others and doing something that helps, kids get a good feeling themselves. True, kids can’t solve all problems, but they can help. It’s the job of teachers, principals and counselors to help, too.

• Responsibility • Hard work

• Self-discipline

• Loyalty

• Caring • Honesty

• Trust • Respect

Kids who are sensitive to others’ feelings also have these traits:

Let’s think about some clues of social problems and what a solution might be.

ON A SCHOOL BUS

Clue: One kid is teasing another kid, who is getting upset at being picked on.

Suggestion for social helpers: Ask the kid being teased to come and sit by you so she can move away from the teaser.

ON THE PLAYGROUND

Clue: A boy is walking around the edge of the playground by himself. He is not taking part in any games.

Suggestion for social helpers: Walk up to the kid with a smile on your face and ask him to join in your group.

IN THE LUNCHROOM

Clue: A girl is sitting at a lunch table. Nobody is sitting on either side of her. She looks like she feels very alone.

Suggestion for social helpers: Go and sit in one of the vacant seats next to her. Talk about something you think she might be interested in. Enjoy lunchtime together.

What other ideas do you have about being a social helper? Share your thoughts with your classmates or your family.

Words that remind us of social helpers are hidden in this puzzle. Some words are hidden backward or diagonally, and some letters are used twice. See if you can find: ALONE, ANXIOUS, APOLOGIZE, CLASSMATE, CLUES, COMPLIMENT, FEELINGS, HELPER, MODEL, OFFER, POSITIVE, ROLE, RULES, SCHOOL, SENSITIVE, SMILE, SOCIAL, TEASE, VOLUNTEER, YEAR.

WHAT DO HELPERS DO?

Students who are social helpers are usually also leaders in the classroom. We call these kids role models. How can you be a leader in your class?

• Volunteer for a class job. Many teachers choose students to do regular chores in the classroom. Tell your teacher you’d like to have a job.

• Offer to help others. Are you really good at math or art? Talk with your teacher about helping other students with subjects that you love.

• Follow the rules when you’re playing a game, and be kind to those who don’t play as well as you.

• Know when to say you’re sorry. If you’ve made a mistake, be willing to apologize and do what’s needed to make it right.

• Be positive. Give a compliment to someone. Smile. Share a joke.

Children who are social helpers might be likely to become teachers, school counselors, health care workers, volunteers or religious leaders.

RESOURCES

On the Web:

• bit.ly/MPclique

At the library:

• “Empathy Is Your Super Power: A Book About Understanding the Feelings of Others” by Cori Bussolari

• “It’s Brave To Be Kind” by Natasha Daniels

ECO NOTE

Sulfur-crested cockatoos in Sydney, Australia, have mastered the ability to operate drinking fountains, using their feet and beaks to twist handles and sip water. Researchers observed the birds with remote cameras, capturing over 500 attempts in 44 days with about 70% of the local flock trying the technique. Scientists believe the cockatoos learned the skill by watching people and each other, turning the activity into both social and playful behaviors. This fountain-opening skill follows a previous urban innovation by the same birds — lifting garbage bin lids.

The Mini Page® © 2025 Andrews McMeel Syndication

NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE

SALE OF SURPLUS VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT

The Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority has surplus vehicles and equipment for sale. These vehicles can be viewed on-line at www.publicsurplus. com, Region: Florida, Agency: Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority. SURPLUS VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT, WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR IN PERSON REVIEW ON THE FOLLOWING DATES AND TIMES

August 7th & 8th

9:00 A.M. – 2:00 P.M.

FKAA Big Coppitt Pump Station

U.S. Hwy. 1 MM 10.5

Oceanside

Bids for vehicles and equipment must be submitted on www. publicsurplus.com, Region: Florida, Agency: Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority. Payments for winning bids must also be processed through this site. No physical bids will be accepted.

Bids are due August 11, 2025 by 4:00pm EST. Any questions should be directed to David Jackson, Purchasing Manager, in writing via email to djackson@ fkaa.com.

The Governing Board of Directors of the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority reserves the right to reject any and all bids, in whole or in part, to waive any irregularities or informalities in any bid, and to award to any party considered to be in the best interest of the Authority The motor vehicles are being sold “as is” with any and all faults. There is no warranty expressed or implied. The Seller disclaims any implied warranty of any type or kind whatsoever, whether originating with the Florida

Keys Aqueduct Authority, the vehicle dealer, or vehicle manufacturer, or of the fitness of the same for any purpose, and the Buyer agrees that the vehicle is being sold “as is.” Gregory W. Veliz, Executive Director Publish: August 7, 2025

The Weekly Newspapers

DISTRICT V ADVISORY COMMITTEE (DAC V) (from Mile Marker 90.940 to the Dade/Monroe County Line and any Mainland portions of Monroe County) of the MONROE COUNTY TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL has an opening for an “At Large” representative - Any resident who is not directly involved in a tourism business and who shall represent the general public and shall live or work within the tax collection district for which they are applying. (The operative word within this description is directly. This word means someone who is not in business, nor whose business or economic activity are dependent upon tourists.)

Any person wishing to participate on the District V Advisory Committee of the Monroe County Tourist Development Council within the district so noted above, may request an application by emailing sydney@fla-keys. com. Completed applications should be emailed to sydney@fla-keys.com or may be sent via U.S. mail to the address below: Department DAC Monroe County Tourist Development Council 1201 White Street, Suite 102 Key West, FL 33040 The deadline for receipt of application at the above address is 5:00 p.m. on Friday,

September 19, 2025. A resume may be attached to the application. Publish: August 7, 2025

The Weekly Newspapers

NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE SOLICITATIONS

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, at 3:00 P.M., the Monroe County Purchasing Office will receive and open sealed responses for the following: Perimeter Fence Maintenance, Repair, and Modification

Key West International Airport 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 bonfirehub.com,https://monroecounty-fl. no later than 3:00P.M. on Wednesday, September 3, 2025. There is no cost to the bidder to use the Bonfire platform. Please do not submit

PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE

The Monroe County Value Adjustment Board will hold its 2025 Organizational Meeting on Friday, August 22, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., at the Marathon Government Center, 2798 Overseas Highway, BOCC Chambers, 2nd floor, Marathon.

The purpose of this meeting is to appoint Special Magistrates pursuant to the provisions of F.S. 194.035, and any other matters that may properly come before the Board.

Any person who anticipates appealing a decision of the VAB should make sure a verbatim record of the proceeding is made (see s. 286.0105, F.S.).

Any person with a disability who needs special accommodations to participate in this proceeding should call 305-295-3950 prior to the scheduled meeting.

Value Adjustment Clerk, Kevin Madok, CPA, Monroe County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller ex-officio to the Value Adjustment Board

Publish: August 7, 2025. The Weekly Newspapers

The Monroe County Tourist Development Council has funding available to governmental entities and non-profit organizations for capital projects for a second round for only District II (from city limits of Key West to west end of Seven Mile Bridge) and District V (from Mile Marker 90.940 to the Dade/Monroe County Line and any portions of mainland Monroe County).

The project/facility must have the primary purpose of promoting tourism and must fall into one of the following categories:

Convention Center, Sports Stadium, Sports Arena, Coliseum, Auditorium, Aquarium, Museum, Zoological Park, Nature Center, Fishing Pier, Beach or Beach Park Facility, Channel, Estuary, or Lagoon, Public Facilities in Accordance with Conditions set forth in the Florida Statutes.

The deadline for receipt of applications is 5:00 p.m. on August 27, 2025, and applications must be downloaded from the County’s Bonfire platform. For more information, please email maxine@fla-keys.com.

July 31 and August 7, 14 & 21, 2025. The Weekly Newspapers

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. In the event of a discrepancy between the bid amount on the Proposal Form and the bid amount entered in Bonfire, the bid amount listed in the “Proposal Form” provided by Monroe County in the RFP is the amount that will be utilized by the County when considering the bid proposal. The County reserves the right to waive any proposal/bid irregularity.

The bid opening for this solicitation will be held virtually, via the internet, at 3:00 P.M., on Wednesday, September 3, 2025. 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:

August 7, 2025

The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA

PROBATE DIVISION

File No. 25-CP-000270-K

Division: Probate IN RE: ESTATE OF JOHN BROWN EVANS, Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The administration of the estate of John Brown Evans, deceased, whose date of death was May 12, 2025, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 500 Whitehead Street, Key West, FL 33040. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative's attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED.  NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT'S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED.

The date of first publication of this notice is July 31, 2025.

Personal Representative:  John Caleb Evans 504 SW South Carolina Dr Stuart, FL 34994

Attorney for Personal Representative:  Aliana M. Payret

Florida Bar No.104377

Robinson Pecaro & Mier, P.A.

201 N. Kentucky Ave., Suite 2 Lakeland, Florida 33801

Telephone: (863) 816-6808

E-Mail Addresses: apayret@ lawdrive.com melinda@lawdrive.com

Publish: July 31 & August 7, 2025 The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCIIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA, IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY CASE NO: 2025-CA-129-K Premier Capital, LLC Plaintiff, Vs Carolyn M. Delgado and William J. Delgado Defendant, NOTICE OF SHERIFF’S SALE NOTICE IS HEREBY given that pursuant to a Writ of Execution issued in the Circuit Court, of Monroe County, Florida, on the 21st day of May, 2025, in the cause wherein Premier Capital, LLC is Plaintiff and Carolyn M. Delgado and William J. Delgado was defendant, being Case No. 2025-CA129-K in said court, I, Richard A. Ramsay, Sheriff of Monroe County, Florida have levied upon all right, title, and interest of the defendant, in and to the following described real property to wit: SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTY:

From the warranty deed that states the following described land, situate, lying and being in Monroe County, Florida to-wit: Legal Description(s) –On the Island of Key West, Monroe County, Florida, and known on William A. Whitehead’s map delineated in February A.D. 1829, as part of Tract 11 but better known as part of Lot 3, Square 9, Tract 11 according to Charles W. Tift’s Map of said Island recorded in Deed Book “L” Page 564, of the Public Records of Monroe County, Florida and being more particularly described by metes and bounds as follows: Commencing at the intersection of the Southwesterly right of way boundary line of Duval Street with the Northwesterly right of way boundary line of United Street and run in a Southwesterly direction along the said right of way boundary line of United Street a distance of 100 feet to the Point of Beginning of the parcel of land herein described, thence at right angles in the Northwesterly direction 84.17 feet to a point; thence at right angles in a Southwesterly direction 26.3 feet to a point; thence at right angles in a Southeasterly direction 84.17 feet to a point in the Northwesterly direction along the said right of way line of United Street a distance of 26.3 feet back to the point of Beginning.

SPECIFIC LOCATION OF REAL

PROPERTY:

421 United Street Key West, Florida 33040

All bidders must have a valid Driver’s License with them and must register with the clerk at location of sale prior to start time of sale. I shall offer this property for sale, at the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Headquarters building located at 5525 College Road Key West, Florida 33040 in the County of Monroe, State of Florida, on the 28th day of August, 2025, at the hour of 10:00 A.M. or as soon thereafter as possible. I will offer for sale all of the said defendant’s right, title, and interest in the aforesaid real property at public auction and will sell the same subject to all taxes, prior liens, encumbrances

and judgments, if any, to the highest and best bidder for CASH IN HAND. The proceeds to be applied as far as may be to the payment of costs and the satisfaction of the above described execution.

Dated at Key West, Monroe County, Florida this 9th day of June, 2025.

Richard A. Ramsay Sheriff of Monroe County, Florida

By: Donald Stullken Deputy Sheriff In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, persons with disabilities needing a special accommodation to participate in this proceeding should contact the Civil Division no later than seven says prior to the proceeding at (305)8093041.

Publish: July 17, 24 & 31 and August 7, 2025

The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 16TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.: 25-DR-805-M RICARDO HERRERA TORRES, Petitioner, and ADIANES GOMEZ, Respondent.

NOTICE OF ACTION FOR DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE (NO CHILD OR FINANCIAL SUPPORT) TO: ADIANES GOMEZ RESPONDENT’S LAST KNOWN ADDRESS: UNKNOWN YOU ARE NOTIFIED that an action for dissolution of marriage has been filed against you and that you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to it on Ricardo Herrera Torres, whose address is 240 Sombrero Beach Road, Apt. D8, Marathon, FL 33050 on or before September 7, 2025, and file the original with the clerk of this Court at 3117 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050 before service on Petitioner or immediately thereafter. If you fail to do so, a default may be entered against you for the relief demanded in the petition. The action is asking the court to decide how the following real or personal property should be divided: NONE Copies of all court documents in this case, including orders, are available at the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s office. You may review these documents upon request. You must keep the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s office notified of your current address. (You may file Designation of Current Mailing and E-Mail Address, Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.915.) Future papers in this lawsuit will be mailed or e-mailed to the address(es) on record at the clerk’s office. WARNING: Rule 12.285, Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure, requires certain automatic disclosure of documents and information. Failure to comply can result in sanctions, including dismissal or striking of pleadings.

Dated: July 29, 2025 Kevin Madok, CPA Clerk of the Circuit Court Monroe County, Florida By: Leslie Rodriguez

Deputy Clerk

Publish: August 7, 14, 21 & 28, 2025

The Weekly Newspapers

AUTOS ALL YEARS! Junk or Used Cars, Vans, Trucks. Runs or Not.$CASH 305-332-0483

AUTOS FOR SALE

2003 Ford Explorer. 174k miles, runs greathave svc. records from 89k miles, A/C works. REDUCED to $3000OBO Bring an offer! Located in Marathon. Call Evan 305-417-0169

PLACE YOUR AUTO FOR SALE AD HERE. $25/ week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-4170871 or email Anneke@ KeysWeekly.com

BOATS FOR SALE

17' Montauk Whaler, 90hp Yamaha-50 hours only, GPS, Depth Finder, Radio, Aluminum Trailer, excellent condition. Located in Marathon. $11,000 OBO 305-849-5793

PLACE YOUR BOAT FOR SALE AD HERE. $25/ week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-4170871 or email Anneke@ KeysWeekly.com

BOAT SLIP FOR RENT

19’x40’ slip in Marathon, could handle somewhat larger boat with approval from dockmaster. Desirable location in marina, easy in, easy out. Available thru Oct 25, possibly long term lease. $1,400/ mo. Please contact Vern Rozier, 904 626 5279, or 904 626 8224 and leave call back info. Or email vrrozier@yahoo.com.

Boat Dockage for rent in Marathon. Private bay bottom, up to 40' boat, self containing, offshore water, car & dingy parking space provided. 305-610-8002

PLACE YOUR BOAT SLIP FOR RENT AD HERE. $25/week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-417-0871 or email Anneke@ KeysWeekly.com

FOR SALE: Charter Boat Business & Equipment for sale. Located in Marathon, Florida. CALL 305-240-3270

Boat rental company in Marathon needs workers – Boat drivers, Truck drivers, Boat cleaners & Boat detailing. Call 305-481-7006

Night Monitor –FREE Private Room in exchange for overnight availability at our Assisted Living Facility. 5 nights on, 5 nights off 10pm-8am plus weekly stipend, Drug & background screen required. www.westcare. com/join-our-team/

Handyman needed for residence in Marathon. Call:305-395-0478 bbrayman@proton.me

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.

PLACE YOUR EMPLOYMENT AD HERE.

$25/week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-4170871 or email Anneke@ KeysWeekly.com

HOBBIES/COLLECT.

PRIVATE COLLECTOR

WANTS Rolex, Dive Watches and Pilot Watches. Old Model Military Clocks & Watches. Call 305-743-4578

HOUSING FOR RENT

UNFURNISHED 2/2 HOUSE FOR RENT ON CANAL, MM27, Ramrod Key, recently refurbished and painted, w/d, utilities paid by owner, $3000/month, security negotiable, fenced yard, available now. Pete 786-649-9833 or pprm1119@aol.com

3BR/3BA fully furnished home for rent in Marathon. Available now. REDUCED to $3,300/mo. 618-559-9143

2BR/1BA house for rent in Marathon. Competely remodeled. All appliances. No pets. $2700/mo incl. electric only. F/L/S Dock available for sep. fee. 305-610-8002

2BR/1BA with outdoor patio for rent in Marathon. $2,100/month F/L/S Taking applications. 305-849-5793

RENTED IN LESS THAN ONE WEEK!!!

Furnished Studio Apt. for rent in Marathon. 1 person only. No smoking. No pets. $1,100/ month incl. water and electric. 305-743-9876 RENTED IN LESS THAN THREE WEEKS!!!

2BR/1BA for rent in Key Colony Beach. 800 sq. ft., fully furnished, across from park, one block from beach. 3 month min. REDUCED to $2750/month + sales & TDT taxes if less than 6 mos.. F/L/S 786-285-9476 fjvillegascpa@ gmail.com PENDING!

PLACE YOUR HOUSING FOR RENT AD HERE. $25/week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-417-0871 or email Anneke@ KeysWeekly.com

RV FOR SALE

2017 Fleetwood Discovery 39F Diesel Pusher For Sale. Only 35k miles. Located in Grassy Key. $135,000 757-477-2450

5th Wheel 27' Forest River Travel Trailer For Sale. Located in Key West. $9,500 OBO 305-848-7070

PLACE YOUR RV FOR SALE AD HERE. $25/ week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-4170871 or email Anneke@ KeysWeekly.com

VACATION RENTAL

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 CarolineSeaport.com

YARD SALES

SARA’S ESTATE SALE @ WATERFRONT MANSION in KCB @ 150 12th Street. Fri, Aug. 8 and Sat, Aug. 9 from 9a-1p both days. Think “Caribbean Plantation” w/ hi-quality bedroom & dining sets, & pops of fun: home theatre seating for 5 & outdoor shuffleboard table that closes for party or opens for play! Ernest Hemingway Collection by Thomasville king bed set (4 pieces) is textured: wood, rattan, pewter & stone. A virtual FOREST of faux and silk plants, 100+pieces, from 12” to 8’ tall. Ashley table, solid wood, seats 8 with console and big hutch, amazing carved detail. Plus 2 more dining sets to seat 4 each. Accent furniture: lounger, armchairs, sm cabinets & benches. Plus faux book boxes, area rugs, bedding sets, throw pillows & like new stove and oven range, kid’s books & our famous dollar table! Follow the signs and park across the street at Sunset Park.

PLACE YOUR YARD SALE AD HERE. $25/ week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-4170871 or email Anneke@ KeysWeekly.com

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

OPERATOR/MAINTAINER

Starting pay rate for this position, depending on qualifications and experience: $40.15/hr - $44.97/hr

For more information, including job duties and required qualifications, and to apply for the job, please visit their website at www.KeysEnergy.com. KEYS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. KEYS promotes a Drug-Free Workplace.

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

NOW HIRING

GENERAL

OFFICE HELP

Captain Pip’s & their sister properties are looking to hire for general of ce help. Send resume to captpips@aol.com or come in the of ce to ll out application. 1480 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050

CAPTAIN PIP’S IS AN AWESOME PLACE TO WORK, WE TREAT OUR EMPLOYEES GREAT. COME JOIN OUR TEAM!

is accepting applications for the following position in its Engineering Department:

ELECTRICAL PROJECT ENGINEER

Starting pay rate for this position, depending on qualifications and experience: $136,979/annually$140,815/annually For more information, including job duties and required qualifications, and to apply for the job, please visit their website at www.KeysEnergy.com. KEYS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. KEYS promotes a Drug-Free Workplace. Certain service members, veterans, the spouses and family members of service members and veterans, receive preference and priority in employment, and are encouraged to apply for positions being filled.

NOW H I RI NG!

wants you to join their team!

RETAIL GIFT SHOP ASSOCIATE

Full-time. $19/hour to start.

EMAIL resume to: TurtleHospital@TurtleHospital.org APPLY in person: 2396 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL

e Turtle Hospital in Marathon

Join our team! Full and part-time Educational Program Guides/ Gift Shop Sales. Public speaking & retail sales experience helpful. $19/hour to start. Send resume to: turtlehospital@turtlehospital.org

DOLPHIN RESEARCH CENTER is a fun, environmentally friendly non-profit 501(c)(3) Corporation specializing in education, research, and rescue of marine mammals.

We have the following opening available. Scan the QR code to visit the careers page on our website.

FACILITIES MAINTENANCE APPRENTICE (Full-Time, Permanent) GUEST SERVICES (Part-Time, Weekend)

DRC seeks to provide for the well-being of its employees by offering a competitive total package. DRC currently offers a 401k retirement plan, medical benefits, HSA account, paid holidays, vacation, sick and an employee assistance program. DRC also provides life and disability insurance at no cost to the employee.

COME JOIN THE FAMILY!

Email your resume and a DRC application to drc-hr@dolphins.org. EOE

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

THE GUIDANCE/CARE CENTER, Inc. IS

HIRING!

JOIN A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE NON-PROFIT HELPING PEOPLE COPE AND CHANGE FOR 52 YEARS!

We provide Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Treatment Programs to the Florida Keys community while valuing and rewarding our employees.

KEY LARGO

Behavioral Health Therapist (CAT)

Behavioral Health Therapist (Children)

KEY WEST

Case Manager (Children, Adult) (FT) Prevention Specialist Advocate

MARATHON

Advocate Care Coordinator (PT)

Driver (CDL not required) (PT)

RN/Licensed Practical Nurse (FT,PT)

*Support Worker (Assisted Living) (PT)

*Behavioral Health Technicians – 3 shifts (FT,PT)

*Night Monitor (Assisted Living - Free Housing)

*No experience required for this position. Will train. A caring heart & helpful hands necessary.

Background and drug screen req. EEOC/DFWP COMPETITIVE PAY! EXCEPTIONAL BENEFITS!!!

Apply at guidancecarecenter.org - Get Involved/ Join our team/Job Opportunities/location/zip

DUI FRONT DESK CLERK & EVALUATOR/INSTRUCTOR

The Advocate Program DUI school is hiring for part time positions.

Front desk: 3 days a week, high school diploma and computer data entry skills required.

DUI instructors and evaluators: 2 days a week, Bachelors or Masters degree in substance abuse eld required.

Of ce located in Marathon. Contact Marcia at 305-704-0117.

MARATHON GARBAGE SERVICE

We

OPENINGS AVAILABLE

PHYSICIAN PRACTICE OPENINGS

- Advanced Practice Provider (APRN-PA-C)Surgical, Ortho, Tavernier

- Medical Assistant, Primary Care Marathon, $5k Bonus

- Medical Assistant, Upper Keys-Gastro, $5k Bonus

- Medical Assistant, LPN, EMT or Paramedic, Primary Care Marathon, $5k Bonus

MIAMI CANCER INSTITUTE KEY WEST

- Radiation Therapist, $12k Bonus

- Pool Advanced Practice Provider (APRN/PA-C), Medical Oncology, Per Diem

TAVERNIER MARINERS HOSPITAL

- Cook, Dietary

- Multi-Modality Imaging Tech 1, (Mammo & X Ray), Radiology, $50k Bonus

- Registered Nurse, Emergency Department

- ED Team Coordinator 1, Emergency Department

- AC Mechanic-Licensed

- Manager Imaging Services

- Pool Medical Technologist

- Pool Registered Nurse, Cardiac Rehab

- Patient Access Associate, $1k Bonus

- Patient Scheduler 2, Radiology, PT

- MC Multi-Modality Imaging Tech, CT Scan, $50k Bonus

- Patient Financial Associate, Patient Access, $1k Bonus

- Registered Nurse, ICU, $15k Bonus

- Registered Nurse, ICU, PT

- Registered Nurse, PACU, Per Diem

MARATHON FISHERMEN’S COMMUNITY HOSPITAL

- Multi-Modality Imaging Tech 1, (CT & X Ray), Radiology, $50k Bonus

- Pool Pharmacy Tech 2

- Pool Occupational Therapist

- Registered Respiratory Therapist, PT, $12,500 Bonus

- Sr. Phlebotomist

- Security Officer, FT

- Patient Financial Associate, $1k Bonus

- ED Team Coordinator, Emergency Department

- Inventory Control Administrator, Keys/Marathon Supply Chain

- MC Multi-Modality Imaging Tech 2, (MRI & X Ray), Radiology, $50k Bonus

- Patient Care Nurse Supervisor, PT, Nights

- Registered Nurse, Oncology, PT

- Registered Nurse, Surgery, $15k Bonus

FACILITY MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR – FULL TIME WITH BENEFITS.

40 hours per week at the Keys Marine Laboratory (KML), Layton, Florida.

KML supports research and academic programs conducted by universities/colleges throughout Florida, the US, and internationally. Duties include all facility maintenance of buildings, grounds, and equipment (e.g. janitorial, preventive, repair).

To apply for this opening visit: Careers@USF and search for Job ID 41130.

MARINA CASHIER

Looking for a friendly, dependable team member who can handle a busy retail environment with a great a itude. Customer service experience and willingness to learn our sales system is ideal. Duties include assisting customers, restocking, placing orders, and keeping the store clean and organized.

This is an hourly position with pay based on experience. Flexible hours with a consistent weekly schedule. Morning and a ernoon shi s available.

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