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NUMBER OF THE WEEK
A former Miami Heat security officer pleaded guilty in federal court on Aug. 19 for stealing more than 400 jerseys and items from an equipment room and selling them online. According to federal prosecutors, the retired Miami police officer sold 100 stolen items — often below market value — over a three-year period. The remaining 300 jerseys and memorabilia items were recovered by law enforcement.
SUNSHINE STATE WON’T TOLERATE RAINBOWS
Key West ordered to remove pride crosswalks by Sept. 3
MILES mandy@keysweekly.com
The clock is ticking for Key West’s colorful, rainbow crosswalks.
Key West city manager Brian L. Barroso received a letter late on Aug. 15 from the Florida Department of Transportation, demanding that the colorful crosswalks at Duval and Petronia streets be removed by Sept. 3.
“That’s the bad news,” Mayor Dee Dee Henriquez said on Aug. 18. “The good news is, the FDOT has scheduled an administrative hearing for the city at 10 a.m. on Sept. 3 in Orlando, and we intend to fight for our crosswalks. I’ve spoken with the city manager and our interim city attorney and we feel we’re in compliance (with FDOT design guidelines for street markings) with at least two of the four crosswalks at that intersection because we’ve had engineers out there who said they are compliant with FDOT requirements.
“My thing is, we feel two of the four are in compliance. It’s not a state road. The speed limit is only 15 mph and there have been no accidents in that intersection due to the crosswalks,” the mayor said. She added that a city commission meeting is also scheduled for Sept. 3, “otherwise I would certainly be up in Orlando, but our interim city attorney and other city leaders will attend the hearing.”
It is unknown how helpful that hearing will be, given the wording of the Aug. 15 letter from FDOT’s District 6 secretary Daniel Iglesias.
“Many local jurisdictions received
(a prior) memorandum (about noncompliant pavement markings) and immediately began undertaking actions to ensure compliance,” the letter states. “However, the City of Key West has publicly stated it does not intend to comply. … As required by state law, if the pavement markings are not removed by Sept. 3, 2025, the Florida Department of Transportation will remove them by any appropriate method necessary without further notice.
“You are further notified that if the markings are removed by the department, all costs associated with the removal will be assessed against the City of Key West. You may avoid these costs by removing the pavement markings and then notifying the department of compliance immediately.
“Any additional violations by the City of Key West shall be cause for the immediate withholding of state funds.
“You are further notified that you may file a request for an administrative proceeding pursuant to Chapter 120, Florida Statutes as set forth in the enclosed Notice of Administrative Hearing Rights. If you request a hearing, the department has reserved time on Sept. 3, 2025 beginning at 10 a.m. at the Florida Turnpike Enterprise’s offices in Orlando. …
“Please be advised that the hearing will not involve a request for an exception or waiver to permit the nonconforming pavement markings to remain in place. The department has already reviewed the pavement markings at the location mentioned above and determined that the pavement markings will not be allowed.”
City Commissioner Sam Kaufman took exception to the entire letter, but particularly the reference to the administrative hearing.
“I am especially troubled that
The Florida Department of Transportation has ordered Key West to remove its rainbow crosswalks at Petronia and Duval streets by Sept. 3. City officials will seek an exemption at an administrative hearing in Orlando. See page 4. Cover design by TRAVIS CREADY/Keys Weekly
FDOT, in its letter, declared that no waiver or exception would be granted even before the City submitted such a request,” Kaufman told the Keys Weekly. “That kind of pre-determination denies Key West due process. The letter also appears to overstate the state’s ability to withhold funding under Florida law.
“These crosswalks were installed years ago by a licensed contractor who followed FDOT’s own design manual, which has not changed since that time. To now claim they are noncompliant seems inconsistent with the department’s own guidelines,” Kaufman added. “I have urged our city attorney to mount a strong defense at the Sept. 3 administrative hearing, and I believe we should retain specialized legal counsel to handle this matter properly. The city should also explore filing an injunction and a declaratory judgment action, so that the courts — not just the state — can determine whether our crosswalks meet FDOT’s standards.”
City Commissioner Donie Lee said he was disappointed, “but not surprised,” by FDOT’s demand.
“It's unbelievable that with all the important issues that face our state and city, this is what we have to spend so much time and resources on,” Lee said. “We will continue to evaluate all of our options to try and keep the crosswalks that we believe meet FDOT standards.”
Kaufman has long questioned the state’s motives in citing safety concerns to justify the forced removal of “noncompliant pavement markings.”
“If the state can erase our identity here, what’s to stop them from silencing other communities who wish to express their culture or values in their public spaces?” Kaufman said. “This is unfair, it sets a dangerous precedent, and it is not good for any of us.”
He directed the Keys Weekly to a statewide project called Crosswalks to Classrooms in which artists in the Tampa Bay area worked with students at elementary schools and colleges to transform busy crosswalks into works of art.
The Keys Weekly contacted the FDOT District 7 office, which includes the Tampa Bay area, where a staff member said the multiple Crosswalks to Classrooms paintings would have to be removed to comply with the latest state mandate.
MANDY
LARRY BLACKBURN/Keys Weekly
JIMMY BUFFETT’S ‘CRAZY SISTA’ LUCY TO LEAD TRIBUTE
Lucy Buffett joins ‘Just a Few Friends’ Festival on Labor Day Weekend
Lucy Buffett, center front, shown with friends and fans of her late brother Jimmy Buffett during a past Second Line Memorial Walking Parade in Key West, will help lead the 2025 parade scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 31. The event highlights the annual Just a Few Friends celebration that honors Buffett on the island that inspired his signature trop-rock sound. VIRGINIA WARK/Contributed
Restaurateur and author Lucy Buffett, sister of the late singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett, will join his Coral Reefer Band vocalist Nadirah Shakoor and musical friends on Sunday, Aug. 31, to lead a memorial second-line parade on the island that inspired Buffett’s troprock sound.
Staged on Key West’s Duval Street, the march highlights the annual Just a Few Friends celebration of Buffett’s music and the carefree lifestyle he enjoyed in his longtime island home.
The festival is scheduled Aug. 29 through Sept. 1, saluting Buffett while encouraging fans to immerse themselves in the place where he penned his most enduring songs.
Lucy Buffett, known as both LuLu and the “crazy sista” of the Buffett clan, is the owner of three successful “LuLu’s” restaurants and has written books including “Crazy Sista Cooking: Cuisine and Conversation with Lucy Anne Buffett” and “LuLu’s Kitchen: A Taste of the Gulf Coast Good Life.”
On Friday, Aug. 29, at 11 a.m. she will accept a proclamation from Key West city officials designating Jimmy Buffett Day on the island. The proclamation ceremony, open to the public, takes place outside the late singer’s Shrimpboat Sound recording studio in the Key West Historic Seaport.
With Shakoor and trop-rock musician Howard Livingston, Lucy Buffett will lead Sunday’s Second Line Me-
COLLEGE OF THE FLORIDA KEYS MARKS 60 YEARS
Yearlong celebration to highlight 6 decades of higher education
morial Walking Parade that typically draws thousands of her brother’s colorfully dressed “Parrot Head” fans. Participants can expect live music, impromptu singalongs and a joyful tropical tribute.
The parade starts at 5 p.m. in the 100 block of Duval Street, and proceeds along Duval to Truman Waterfront Park for the night’s Party in the Park.
The open-air party features nonstop live music, an appearance by Lucy Buffett, an artisan market and food court, full bars, interactive art exhibitions and selfie stations. Highlighting the entertainment is a performance by Shakoor — former lead singer for the Grammy-nominated group Arrested Development and longtime member of Buffett’s Coral Reefers — and tunes by Livingston and his Mile Marker 24 Band.
Other festival events include walking and trolley tours of Buffett’s favorite places; a Cheeseburger on the Beach contest and Margarita Bar Stroll; concerts by his musical cohorts Will Kimbrough and Roger Bartlett; and a new look at the real-life renegade behind Buffett’s “A Pirate Looks at Forty.”
The events are not affiliated with or endorsed by Jimmy Buffett’s Estate or Margaritaville Enterprises. More information is at justafewfriendskeywest.com.
— Contributed
On Aug. 19, the College of the Florida Keys launched a yearlong celebration of its 60th anniversary with the start of the fall semester. It marks six decades of providing affordable and accessible higher education throughout the Florida Keys.
Under the theme "Infinite Horizons: Pioneering Success Since 1965," the college will host events throughout the academic year, ending in June 2026. The milestone honors the institution's evolution from a junior college serving transfer students to a comprehensive state college offering programs from high school diplomas to bachelor degrees and workforce training across multiple locations from Key West to Key Largo.
"The college has evolved from our humble beginnings. Yet, it remains steadfast and committed to providing life-changing opportunities to students while responding to the dynamic academic, workforce and lifelong learning needs of the Keys," said Jonathan Gueverra, college president and CEO. "Most importantly, we have fostered meaningful relationships with students, alumni, supporters, community stakeholders, and industry partners that have allowed us to build bridges that strengthen our island chain and have global impact."
In August 1965, Monroe Junior College first offered classes at the former Douglass High School in Key West, giving Monroe County residents an opportunity to earn college degrees
without moving to the mainland. Initial enrollment of about 500 students grew to 1,156 by the end of the fall semester, with tuition at $9 per credit hour for Florida residents.
Early course offerings included general education classes for an associate of arts degree, plus programs in business administration, pre-law, preministerial studies, teacher education, scuba diving, pre-dental, pre-medical and police administration, along with noncredit enrichment classes.
As part of the celebration, the college is developing a historical exhibit to debut Nov. 1 during Community Day at the Key West campus library. The exhibit will feature photographs, news stories and artifacts documenting the college's evolution and impact on students and the community. Alumni, employees and community members are invited to contribute photos, memorabilia and personal stories by emailing alumni@cfk.edu
More information is at cfk.edu/60.
Marine engineering program in the 1970s. CONTRIBUTED
College of the Florida Keys, nursing program in the 1960s
Tennessee Williams: The Painter Behind the Playwright
Key West Cooking School
DinnertainmentTM Cooking Classes Tuesday-Saturday: Bar
11 am - Early Lunch Demo Cooking Class
3 pm - Late Lunch Demo Cooking Class 7 pm - Dinner Cooking Demo
“Highly recommend! Very entertaining and the food is excellent. So much flavor. Not only is the food good, but you get recipe cards to take home. A notebook for notes. You get tips on what is being made as well as see them make it! I can’t wait to go back and check out more recipes! Oh and definitely check out the bar.
Denise O.
ICE AGENT ARRESTED FOR DUI WITH KIDS IN THE CAR
Scott Deiseroth mistook Bahia Honda
Bridge for 18Mile Stretch; breath test was twice the legal alcohol limit
An ICE agent from Miami was arrested on the Bahia Honda Bridge on the afternoon of Aug. 13, after a motorist called 911 to report a southbound pickup truck driving erratically on the Seven Mile Bridge and then going south in the northbound lanes after the bridge.
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Col. Chad Scibilia and Deputy Jonathan Lane stopped Scott Deiseroth, 42, on the Bahia Honda Bridge at MM 36.5. Before pulling over the pickup truck, Scibilia “observed the reckless vehicle straddling the middle of the roadway, partially driving southbound in the northbound lane … bouncing between the inside lane and the outside lane, swerving heavily,” states the arrest report.
Once the vehicle was stopped, authorities reported an “overwhelming” odor of alcohol and a driver with glassy eyes, who stumbled when he got out of the vehicle and whose two sons, ages 7 and 9, were in the truck.
Deputies asked Deiseroth where he was coming from, and he said he had driven from Miami to Islamorada and was now on his way back to Miami, the report states.
“I informed Scott he was driving the wrong direction and he informed me that I was wrong,” Lane wrote. “I asked (Deiseroth) where he thinks he is and he began looking around (while sitting on top of the Bahia Honda Bridge) and said, ‘I'm on the Stretch,’ referring to the (18-Mile Stretch) between Key Largo and Florida City.
“I informed Scott he was approximately 70 miles or so away from there and he again informed me that I was wrong,” the report states.
When asked what he had been drinking, Deiseroth reportedly became defensive and said that “he is a federal HSI agent with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, and that he had four drinks,” the report states.
He couldn’t tell the officers what he had consumed, only saying that the bartender had made the drinks.
Deiseroth stumbled when exiting his pickup truck, then failed all roadside sobriety tests after asking the deputies for “professional courtesy” and asking them, “Really? Are we really doing this?" the report states.
He repeatedly resisted arrest and had to be forcibly placed in handcuffs and in the back seat of a patrol car, where he began slamming his head on the Plexiglass partition and screaming Lane’s name.
The children in the pickup truck gave the officers their mother’s number and arrangements were made for deputies to take the kids to Islamorada, where they met with the mother and were handed over to her custody.
Deiseroth’s ICE supervisor was notified of his arrest when he arrived at the jail on Stock Island, where breathalyzer tests revealed a blood-alcohol level of .170 and .174 — more than twice the legal limit of .08 in Florida.
“Due to (Deiseroth’s) level of impairment, he almost crashed multiple times and was unable to care for even himself,” the report states. “He willfully failed to provide both of his children with the care, supervision and services necessary to maintain their physical and mental health.
“He must have known or reasonably should have known that his culpable negligence was likely to cause great bodily harm or death to both of his children. The Department of Children and Families was contacted and Deiseroth’s supervisor with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement was also notified of his arrest.”
Deiseroth faces charges of driving under the influence and child neglect. He has a hearing in front of Judge Mark Wilson on Thursday, Aug. 21 at 9 a.m.
The soul of the Florida Keys: Why fishing families matter more than ever
The Florida Keys are known for their turquoise waters, coral reefs and laid-back charm — but beneath the surface lies a deeper story. It’s the story of the men and women who built this place with salt on their skin and generations of knowledge in their bones: our commercial fishing families.
For over a century, these families have been the heartbeat of our islands. The historic commercial fishing families didn’t just fish — they shaped our economy, our culture and our identity. They taught us how to live with the sea, not just beside it. From the spongers of Key West to the crawfishers of Marathon, their legacy is woven into the fabric of our communities.
But today, that legacy is slipping away.
The truth is hard to ignore: commercial fishing in the Keys is disappearing. Not because we lack demand or dedication, but because the very conditions that allow us to exist are vanishing. Working waterfronts are being replaced by luxury developments. Affordable housing is out of reach for the next generation of fishermen. Gentrification is pushing out the families who’ve sustained this region for decades.
We’re not asking to expand our industry. We’re not seeking to increase our environmental footprint. What we want is simple: to preserve the generational families who continue this tradition with care, skill and respect for the ocean.
We understand the need for balance. We support conservation. We believe in responsible harvesting and gear innovation. But we also believe that the cultural heritage of the Keys must include those who’ve lived by the sea — not just those who vacation beside it.
If we lose our fishing families, we lose more than jobs. We lose the stories, the stewardship and the soul of the Florida Keys.
So we ask our neighbors, our policymakers and our visitors:
Support working waterfront protections.
Demand and choose local seafood.
Teach your children about the people behind the catch.
The future of the Keys should include the voices of those who’ve weathered its storms, hauled its traps and kept its traditions alive.
The tide is changing — but our story isn’t over yet.
Sincerely,
Jerome Young commercial fisherman & executive director of
the Florida Keys Commercial Fishermen's Association
ICE agent Scott Deiseroth was arrested Aug. 13 for DUI and child neglect at MM 36 on the Bahia Honda Bridge. CONTRIBUTED
TRAPPERS IN TROUBLE?
Immigration enforcement, tariffs and imports are leaving Florida Keys lobster fishermen high and dry
By Alex Rickert and Jim McCarthy
In the Florida Keys, immigration enforcement and changing international markets are draining the lifeblood of the island chain’s lobster industry. And locals are sounding the alarm.
For more than four decades, commercial fisherman Bruce Irwin has made his living on Keys waters. Working more than 100 hours per week to provide for his family, at the age of 63, today he said should be enjoying retirement. Instead, he told the Keys Weekly, he’s back on his boats, filling the space of legal, documented immigrants at risk of being detained by immigration enforcement operations.
In early August, a social media post by Customs and Border Protection boasted of an arrest of “4 illegal aliens from Nicaragua” aboard a commercial fishing vessel in Marathon.
“Don’t try it … We are watching!” the post said. “Another win for #BorderSecurity.”
While the post generated a fair show of support, other comments from Keys locals weren’t so inviting.
“Show me an American who can keep up with these guys, I’ll hire you right now, then watch you crash on the first trip,” one comment wrote.
“Safe from what? Hardworking individuals who have no prior (arrests) and have legal work permits?” said another. “Legal working permits are being revoked … and those individuals are now being deported.”
Irwin and other fishermen throughout the Keys say that even if workers are here legally, their documents are no longer worth the paper they’re printed on.
“My crew came here seeking asylum. They checked in and did everything right, got their visas and work permits, which are cleared by the Department of Homeland Security. (The crew) come to work, and we’re all legal,” Irwin said. “They (CBP) will do a little raid, take people off the boats, so they scare them all to where they all want to leave. If you fight it, they just detain you indefinitely.
“It’s the most unfair thing I’ve ever seen in my life.”
Unwilling to send his crew to sea with no assurance they’d return home, Irwin said he’s back on the boat – but there’s no replacing the work he’s lost.
“The labor crisis in the Keys is huge … and we get these people, and
we’re ecstatic – they’re the best people we’ve had in so long,” he said. “But my guys haven’t been on my boat. I don’t want to be responsible for you getting deported. I’m not living with that.
“It’s crippling many small businesses across the nation. If you want to take the undocumented people that never did any paperwork, then fine. But the guys who came here and did it right, why wouldn’t you want them here? One guy told me this is the best his family’s ever been in his life, and he’s so grateful for what he’s accomplished here in the country.”
Captain James “Bucko” Platt tells a similar story of his crew aboard the Melissa Keiko, the boat he owns and operates for his business, Marathon Crab and Lobster Company.
“My normal crew that has worked with me for close to 10 years are from Nicaragua, and they’re work-permitted guys,” he said. “They’ve never been in any trouble. They’re family-oriented, religious, non-violent – not the type of people that I was expecting the federal government to be deporting.”
Down in Key West, Keys Fresh Seafood market owner John Buckheim told the Weekly that on Aug. 18, an attempt to help a boat in need turned into a raid that left the vessel stuck at
his dock.
“I had a shrimp boat pull into my dock yesterday that needed water. Two plain-clothes guys walked up to the back of the boat. They made one signal, and out of nowhere, a fully tactical guy came running out from behind a car and took a guy down and off the boat,” he said. “I was giving him a free slip and free water, just to do what's right. Now, he’s stuck at my dock for the next week in a 100-foot boat.
“He’s burning 75 gallons a day in diesel running the generator to keep his product in his boat frozen, and now it’s a two-man crew. It’s not safe for them to go back out until they find another guy. We just tied up an American business, and clogged up another business.”
On Aug. 18, the Weekly reached out to the offices of U.S. Rep. Carlos Gimenez and U.S. Sens. Rick Scott and Ashley Moody on the recent arrests of commercial fishing crew members by ICE in the Florida Keys. None of the offices responded to questions before press time on Aug. 20.
But a letter by Jerome Young, executive director for the Florida Keys Commercial Fisherman’s Association, to Gimenez’s office regarding the arrests by immigration authorities did
garner a response by Beatriz Viera, his director of community affairs and constituent services.
Viera said recent enforcement actions by ICE are the result of President Trump’s executive order. Signed by the president Jan. 20, the order initially intended to remove illegal immigrants with criminal histories. Among other things, the order also directed the attorney general to prosecute criminal offenses related to anyone illegally entering the U.S.
However, Beatriz said the directive altered prior policies and is being “applied broadly, which is why individuals — even those with work permits — are being detained pending further review of their immigration status.”
“It’s important to know each case is different and not all shall be handled in the same way. Also, having a work permit does not necessarily mean they are admitted by USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) and usually means there is more to discuss on the case,” she said.
Beatriz added they’re seeking clearer guidance from federal agencies to understand the criteria and procedures being used in the apprehensions. The Weekly’s questions, which went unanswered, asked Gimenez, Scott and Moody if they received any clarification on the arrests of individuals, such as the fish crew members in the Keys who had valid work visas.
International market evaporates
Already hard-pressed to protect –or replace – their workforce, the Keys’ commercial lobster fleet has another burden to bear: competing with rockbottom prices of seafood from Caribbean nations, as a changing international landscape cripples the value of their exports.
According to an NBC report, in 2024, Keys fishermen caught nearly 4 million pounds of lobster. In recent years, three quarters of that catch has been exported to China.
The “gold rush,” as one source called it, was made possible in part by a four-year ban on Australian lobster imports to China that began in November 2020, along with a growing taste for the delicacy from the sea and the popularity of lobster during Lunar New Year celebrations.
In search of new lobster sources, the Chinese turned to the U.S., where spiny lobster from the Keys could easily be taken to the mainland and loaded on jumbo jets for export.
Several sources interviewed by the Weekly for this report said the historical “magic number” for the sale of whole lobster is roughly $8 per pound for a Keys commercial boat to make money, with $9 or $10 providing a more comfortable cushion.
Captain James ‘Bucko’ Platt and the crew of the Melissa Keiko head out for an early morning of pulling lobster traps in Marathon. ALEX RICKERT/Keys Weekly
At its peak, lobster prices when exported to China shot well north of $20 per pound, causing some vendors to turn away from more traditional buyers like European cruise lines. Others traded in items like stone crab traps and let other fishing efforts lapse as they capitalized on spiking prices.
But with retaliatory tariffs in response to those imposed by the Trump administration, Australian exports that re-opened in December 2024, and new runways and water systems built to export live product from Cuba, Honduras and Nicaragua, the overseas market isn’t anywhere near what it once was, and buyers who formerly purchased product from the Keys before the Chinese sales have turned their attention elsewhere.
At the same time, thanks to initiatives like the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA) of 2000, many Caribbean countries can continually capitalize on reduced regulations and labor and operating costs while exporting tariff-free seafood to the U.S. It’s a primary reason why, in an island chain that touts its fresh seafood, most of the products sold locally don’t come from Keys waters.
According to NOAA, the U.S. as a whole imports roughly 70% to 85% of its seafood. The fishermen interviewed by the Weekly for this piece say the percent of imported seafood making it to plates in Keys restaurants pushes that upper limit – and they’re calling for truth in advertising when eateries advertise their “fresh catch.”
“Consumers rarely know they’re being served imported lobster and fish, selected not for quality, but cost,” said Young in a press release. “We’re forced to operate within a structurally imbalanced market. We believe that if seafood labeling laws made origin transparent, Americans would choose local – even at a higher price.”
Depending on who you ask, today, imported frozen lobster tails can be purchased for $10 to $18 per pound. Comprising 1/3 of the weight of a whole lobster, that’s about $3 to $6 per pound for whole bugs – a price Irwin said would make most local fishermen “go out of business in very short order” with rising supply costs. Today, he said, a single trap alone costs $75, and just to make it through a season comfortably, he’d need to sell whole lobster for $10 per pound.
He said when he previously owned Marathon-based retailer Brutus Seafood, “it was cheaper for me to buy Caribbean lobster and sell it than it was to take it off my own boat.”
The lack of a domestic lobster market isn’t necessarily a new phenomenon, and U.S. exports to Europe and China have historically made up the difference. But with these markets
According to local fishermen, ‘everything has gone up, except the price of lobster.’ Today, the cost for a single trap can be upwards of $75. ALEX RICKERT/Keys Weekly
drying up, the low-priced Caribbean imports are particularly devastating.
Beyond cries for help for tariffs to level the playing field, local fishermen say it’s time for labeling laws and local retailers to shed light on where customers’ products are coming from.
In a YouTube video titled “Lobster Fisherman Starving at $5 a Pound Ask President For Help,” third-generation Key West fisherman Jorge Blanco said the current landscape isn’t a question of “los(ing) money – we’re going out of business.”
Blanco said he wouldn’t be surprised to see 30% of Key West commercial fishermen leave the industry this year – “and if we get a hurricane, 75%, guaranteed.”
Irwin agreed, adding that heightened trap losses in Key West from recent hurricanes that skirted the Keys have only made matters worse.
“They’re so distraught, they’re ready to sell out and go,” Irwin said. “It’s going to cost some people a lot –maybe their business. If you took out a loan to pay for your business, right now, you’re not gonna make it.”
“I’ve never seen the industry the way it is right now,” agreed Platt. “It used to be that if you worked hard, did everything right, and had a big enough business, you could make a good living, pay your mortgage. Now, it’s pretty much all you can do just to maintain the boat and gear while paying the crew and hope hard work pays off in the end.”
“The only way we fix it is either shut it down completely, give (other countries) a quota, or give them a big tariff,” Blanco added. “The Florida Keys were built on the backs of fishermen, and we’re going extinct.”
COCAINE FOUND NEAR POPULAR SQUARE GROUPER IN ISLAMORADA
Staff from your Monroe County Public Library recommend some of their favorites from the collection.
What: “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” (1992)
Why: There are enough “Dracula” adaptations out there (both official and unofficial) to form their own union. But what makes this version stand out is how stylized it is. Director Francis Ford Coppola leans hard into the lavish grandeur of the production design and the theatrical lighting in the cinematography. To match, the performances here (particularly Gary Oldman’s titular character and Anthony Hopkins’ Van Helsing) are heightened to the point of camp, and that’s not a bad thing. It romanticizes the horror (well, save for Keanu Reeves’ accent), making the whole venture a sweeping and highly entertaining gothic concerto.
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.
See previous Reel Recs at keyslibraries.org/post/reel-recs.
A large black bag with suspected cocaine. A fishing captain discovered it on Aug. 16 near Islamorada Marina, which is home to Square Grouper Restaurant. MCSO/ Contributed
Several bricks of suspected cocaine were discovered not far from the popular restaurant in Islamorada on Aug. 16.
According to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, a fishing captain found a large black bag containing roughly 25 kilograms, or 55 pounds, of cocaine near Islamorada Marina, which is home to Square Grouper Restaurant.
The fishing captain’s large cocaine discovery was turned over to the U.S. Border Patrol.
This isn’t the first time that bricks of cocaine were discovered near the Florida Keys shore or out at sea. On July 31, a mariner found some 23 kilograms of suspected cocaine roughly 5 miles south of Islamorada. The mariner contacted law enforcement to report the discovery. And 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.
— Keys Weekly staff report
CFK REOPENS CERAMICS PROGRAM
College to host open house on Aug. 29 for community
The doors to the ceramics program at the College of the Florida Keys (CFK) will re-open on Friday, Aug. 29 with an open house for students and the community, from 2 to 5 p.m. on the Key West campus. Guests can tour the ceramics studio facilities, register for membership and lessons, enjoy snacks, shop mud-pi pottery items for sale and meet the new artist-in-residence, Dennis Loucks.
The grand re-opening tours of the studio will showcase the hand-building, wheel-throwing and outdoor wood kiln areas. Students and members of the community can register for monthly memberships and continuing education courses at the event.
Loucks joined CFK in July as its new artist-in-residence. He is a ceramic artist and educator with a master’s degree in fine arts from the University of Miami and extensive experience in fine art and teaching. His artistic practice spans traditional wheel throwing to contemporary sculptural work that has been exhibited nationally.
“The community has been so welcoming to me, and I look forward to welcoming them as we fire up the ceramics practice together again,” said Loucks.
More information is at cfk.edu/academics/continuingeducation/, or from Loucks, at: dennis.loucks@cfk.edu or 305-296-9081, ext. 671.
Ceramicist Dennis Loucks with some of his pieces in the studio. CONTRIBUTED
SOMEONE YOU SHOULD MEET
CLINTON CURRY: GUIDED BY HERITAGE AND HEART
CAROL SHAUGHNESSY www.keysweekly.com
Clinton Curry may be the only person on the planet who has both driven Harry Truman’s limousine and played composer Aram Khachaturian’s challenging “Sabre Dance” on the conch shell.
His virtuosity on the fluted mollusk shell is an indicator of Curry’s own history. Descended from settlers who came from the Bahamas’ Green Turtle Cay more than 180 years ago, he represents the seventh generation of his family to live in Key West and the fifth generation born on the island.
As such, he has a deep belief in preserving the regional culture — including seafarers’ centuries-old practice of using the pink-lined conch shell as a shipboard device for signaling and communications.
“Playing the conch shell is a tradition in my family that goes back generations,” said Curry. “My father taught me and my brothers how to play, and his father taught him as well.”
Curry, who has won Key West’s annual Conch Shell Blowing Contest repeatedly as a child and an adult, delights in teaching the unusual musical form to others including his daughter. He has even mastered the unparalleled feat of blowing two shells at once — and has demonstrated his “shell musicianship” on national television shows including ABC’s “Good Morning America” and NBC’s “Today.”
A good-natured man with a warm and frequent smile, Curry is modest about his talent but passionate
about using it to introduce people to the history and traditions of the island.
“The thing I like best about blowing the conch shell is that it helps preserve the culture of Key Westers and folks from this area,” he explained. “I’m all about preserving the heritage of my hometown, and this is just one small piece that I get to contribute to that.”
One of Curry’s long-held goals is to be a positive representative of his family, in the professional as well as the personal sense. Because his family history is so intertwined with Key West’s, serving that goal has been possible throughout most of his career.
Today he’s the Key West director of operations for Historic Tours of America, whose attractions spotlighting the island’s colorful past include the Shipwreck Treasure Museum and the Harry S. Truman Little White House — Florida’s only presidential museum. The Little White House was Truman’s refuge for 11 working vacations during his 1945-53 presidency and has been meticulously restored to its Truman-era appearance.
Curry began working for Historic Tours in 1987, holding positions that included tour guide at the Key West Aquarium and storyteller/general manager at the Shipwreck Treasure Museum. Now, as well as overseeing the company’s operations on the island, he’s the executive director of the nonprofit Key West Harry S. Truman Foundation that helps preserve the Little White House and supports historic and cultural programming.
Clinton Curry, left, with Clifton Truman Daniel, former President Harry Truman’s grandson, beside the historic presidential limousine on the Little White House grounds.
CAROL TEDESCO/TrumanLittleWhiteHouse.org
Conch shell blowing is a family tradition for Clinton Curry, who has mastered the difficult art of blowing two shells at once. CAROL TEDESCO/ Contributed
That’s where Truman’s limousine comes into the picture. Several years ago, the foundation acquired the vintage Lincoln Cosmopolitan stretch limo — one of nine that were staged around the U.S. for Truman’s use when he traveled. During the foundation’s exclusive White Glove Tour for small groups, participants are treated to a ride in the gleaming black vehicle.
Curry himself has been known to act as chauffeur, and enjoys passengers’ responses to riding in the elegant car that carried a president.
“I have been told by guests that riding in the limo was just one of the most magical moments of their trip to the island,” he said, gratification evident in his voice.
Like blowing the conch shell, overseeing the foundation and Historic Tours’ operations allows Curry to indulge one of his greatest passions: opening people’s eyes to the depth and significance of the backstory that helped shape today’s Key West.
“I like to communicate to people that Key West is so much more than the party town many perceive it to be,” he said. “Having studied the history of the Keys, I know that we have had international cultural influences, all of which have a chapter in our rich history.”
When not immersed in history, Curry enjoys traveling with his wife Julie and their daughter Parker. Other favorite pastimes include cycling the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail, kayaking in the backcountry, and simply enjoying waterfront sunrises and sunsets.
He’s also a longtime board member of the Key West Attractions Association and an enthusiastic volunteer for local nonprofits. No matter what specific activities he undertakes, he finds the greatest satisfaction in his family and community.
“I’m blessed to live in a city where multigenerational family members live in proximity,” said Curry, who has spent all but two years of his life in Key West. “The aspect of Keys life that matters most to me is connection within the community.”
KEY WEST AIRPORT LANDS
3RD NEW AIRLINE THIS YEAR
But 1 new entry comes with potential baggage
The Conch Republic’s air service boom continues. Avelo Airlines becomes the island’s third new airline this year and will mark the 24th to fly nonstop to Key West. It’s another win for travelers looking for more nonstop, point-to-point flights avoiding the airport hub hassle of connecting flights.
Avelo is adding nonstop flights from southern Connecticut’s TweedNew Haven Airport beginning Nov. 19. The twice-weekly service on Wednesdays and Saturdays will offer fares starting at $77 one-way. Like Spirit and Allegiant, Avelo is a true à la carte, unbundled low-cost carrier — meaning bags, seat assignments, extra legroom and most frills cost extra.
Its biggest base in New Haven draws travelers from Westchester County, New York, Hartford and across Southern New England. Avelo’s network spans 50 cities in 20 states, Puerto Rico and three international destinations: Jamaica, Mexico and the Dominican Republic. The experience is very much akin to Allegiant, though with fewer buy-on-board frills.
Avelo is distinguished by its industry-leading reliability, ranking No. 1 in on-time performance and achieving the lowest flight cancellation rate in the U.S. airline industry, according to a respected industry data source.
Avelo, pronounced “uh-VEH-loh” (think “yellow” or “Jell-O”), grew quickly since its April 2021 debut, but has faced recent headwinds.
The recently announced closure of its original Burbank, California hub and all West Coast operations freed up aircraft for new destinations like Key West and other new recently announced markets. But that move wasn’t just about expansion — it was also about survival. Avelo has faced financial turbulence in a crowded lowcost airline sector where rising costs and domination by the four major airlines (American, Delta, Southwest and United) are grounding profits for low-cost and low-fare airlines.
Avelo’s arrival comes with baggage Adding to the headwinds is a controversy that’s no stranger to the Southernmost City: deportations.
Avelo signed a long-term contract to operate charter flights for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), with three of its aircraft dedicated to transporting detainees.
In liberal-leaning New Haven, Connecticut (home to Yale University), however, the news landed like a squall. The move sparked protests outside Tweed-New Haven Airport, political condemnation and even a billboard campaign urging travelers to boycott the airline. The airline soon persuaded billboard operator Lamar Advertising to take the signs down. Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal called the ICE contract “a bad mistake.”
Avelo CEO Andrew Levy defended the company’s decision, saying it followed “significant deliberations” and would provide the financial stability needed to expand passenger service and keep more than 1,100 crew members employed. He acknowledges the topic is “sensitive and complicated,” but insists the additional revenue will keep Avelo’s core scheduled passenger service growing.
Spirit to enter under financial clouds
Avelo’s announcement comes
on the heels of Spirit Airline’s July 22 announcement that it would bring a splash of yellow to Key West’s blue skies. Discount carrier Spirit is stepping in to backfill Silver Airways, which shut down in early June with the only nonstop service to Ft. Lauderdale from EYW. The route will run four times a week — Monday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday — before ramping up to daily service on Dec. 18. From Fort Lauderdale, travelers can tap into Spirit’s full network of one-stop connections nationwide and into the Caribbean and Latin America.
The South Florida-based carrier will operate Airbus A320neo family aircraft — becoming the largest regularly scheduled jets to serve Key West. With the island’s short 5,076foot runway, the 182-seat A320 will operate with significant numbers of blocked seats and weight restrictions, given the more marginal runway and demanding weather conditions in warmer months. Spirit now offers a first-class product, enhanced legroom and optional perks such as WiFi — a far cry from its bare-bones past. Its operational reliability, quality reputation and customer experience have made significant strides.
But behind the bright livery is a stormy financial picture. Spirit, which emerged from bankruptcy in March having last made a profit in 2019, is still fighting for altitude. In its postbankruptcy plan, the ultra-low-cost carrier warned that sluggish demand for domestic leisure travel, rising costs and a glut of capacity have left its revenues lagging.
Spirit has been selling assets, trimming its network and even furloughing 270 pilots. In its latest filing on Aug. 11, the airline openly stated “substantial doubt” about its ability to keep flying as a going concern over
the next year if turnaround efforts fall short. The airline is continuing normal flight operations, and announcing additional new markets.
A fresh Breeze in the Keys
The most successful of Key West’s newest entrants took off on June 12. Breeze Airways now offers nonstop service from EYW to Orlando International Airport and Tampa International Airport with Raleigh-Durham service beginning Oct. 3. Breeze also sells tickets to Akron-Canton (CAK) in Ohio via a one-stop, no-plane-change connection.
The airline’s four-times-a-week service to Tampa and Orlando — Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays — has been so well received that Breeze announced the new nonstop from Raleigh-Durham before EYW services began. The new route will operate Mondays and Fridays.
EYW: Full speed ahead despite slowing tourism
With Avelo, Spirit and Breeze all entering the market since the new airport terminal opened in April, Key West International is in the middle of a historic streak that is stimulating growth in new tourism markets. The gleaming terminal has earned mostly positive reviews from travelers and locals alike, built to handle a continued surge in premium leisure traffic.
Even though tourism has shown signs of softening in the Keys this summer, EYW is moving ahead full speed. In 2024, the airport handled 1.5 million passengers — nearly 80% more seat capacity than in 2019 — and with 96% of travelers arriving as visitors, Key West International Airport remains on the ascent with an average of about 190 flights a week during peak season linking the Conch Republic directly to more corners of the U.S. than ever before.
CHRIS SLOAN Special to Keys Weekly
Avelo Airlines will begin service to Key West International Airport on Nov. 19. AVELO AIRLINES/Contributed
... 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.
Awhile ago I wrote a piece for BWD, a national magazine sometimes known as Bird Watchers Digest. The story, which ran in their most recent issue, was about a species called the Cuban finch and was something of a wind-up because, as anyone who used to play in the trivia game I hosted for several years at Mary Ellen’s Bar knows, there is pretty much no such thing as a Cuban finch. It’s a mythical creature, like a unicorn or a midwestern Parrothead that tips well.
There is a long-believed, Conch-based-but-widelydispersed myth in Key West that there are these little finches in Cuba who are sitting there, idly tweeting in the branches of the native trees, when the wind, often a hurricane wind, comes up. The poor creatures are then caught tragically unaware of the wind’s approach, and are blown, tumbling, against their will, across the Florida Straits, all the way to the shores of our fair island. Once they land here, their story becomes either tragic (they starve to death) or heroic (they valiantly find their footing in this new and unfamiliar land).
It’s not that the birds people call Cuban finches aren’t real. It’s that the birds aren’t Cuban finches. Rather, they are one, or sometimes more than one, of the 39 different warbler species that have been recorded in the Keys. They weren’t blown over here by a terrible storm. They were migrating, either south to north in the spring, or north to south in the fall. They tend to be seen more often when a storm passes because, when possible, birds avoid danger by landing when weather gets sketchy.
You may or may not have noticed that I used the weasel words “pretty much” before saying there is no such thing as a Cuban finch. Because it gets a little complicated. In the broader sense, birds generally know how to avoid the effects of storms. But not always. And they do, in fact, occasionally get blown into the Keys by storms. But the Cuban species that end up here (as well as Bahamian and other Caribbean species) are usually individuals or, at most, pairs or small handfuls. In ornithological terms they are called accidentals. But they are not what people are seeing and calling Cuban finches.
For more than a century, the official English names of birds, both general and scientific, have been codified by a group that in modern times is called the North American Classification Committee of the American Ornithologist Society. There is no species of bird in their taxonomic tree called the Cuban finch, and there never has been.
But (heavy sigh) pet bird fanciers do have a bird they call the Cuban finch. Only ornithologists call the species the yellow-faced grassquit. And while the species has been recorded in the United States, there are only a total of eight sightings, three of which are considered to be
CUBAN FINCH: THE BIG LIE
escaped pets. So the birds that Key Westers call Cuban finches are not the same birds that pet bird fanciers call Cuban finches.
Part of the basic ethos of birdwatching is to identify the birds you see by the correct name. Another part is to help educate others, who may be less experienced, about what they are seeing. (It helps if they seem remotely interested.)
A lot of the story I wrote for BWD was about this sense of responsibility, and how important it is to execute that responsibility carefully, to not come off as a know-it-all blowhard. People do not always take kindly to being disabused of long-held beliefs. They do not always like to learn that what felt to them like insider information was actually a narrative that didn’t hold water.
As an example of a time in which I screwed this up, I wrote about an incident with my friend Robert – last name redacted for privacy issues – who is a Conch, and with whom I play a lot of poker. This was years ago, and I can’t remember exactly which year or which hurricane, I just remember it was a Category 1 storm, so not much to worry about. We were playing a game at a friend’s house on Garrison Bight, and when the eye passed over we took a break, and Robert and I went with drinks, most likely Scotch, out onto the porch to take advantage of the respite.
I might have said something about how birds can sometimes get caught in the eye of the storm, and will ride things out in the oasis of calm weather.
Which may have inspired Robert to tell me that he’d had a lot of Cuban finches in his yard lately.
And, well, hurricanes are stressful, we’d had whiskey, and I was probably down to felt, chipswise, in the game. And it is within the realm of possibilities that I may not have given him the most patient answer in the world. And that non-patient answer may have been laced
with profanity and a soupçon of smarty-boots sarcasm.
This incident resulted in two things.
One, any time Robert now sees a bird in his yard – rooster, osprey, turkey vulture, mockingbird – he sends me a blurry iPhone photo of it with the caption, “Look! A Cuban finch!”
And two, now that people in my poker game know that the whole Cuban finch thing bothers me, at social events they have been known to coax people into coming up to me wanting to talk about Cuban finches. Which means I no longer know if someone is messing with me about the whole Cuban finch thing, or if they are sincere.
BWD is a subscription-based magazine, but when the story came out, since he was mentioned, my wife sent him a Xerox of it. We didn’t hear back for a week or two, possibly because the new season of “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” just came out. But the other morning I got a text.
It was a screen cap for the Wikipedia page for the Cuban bullfinch.
“OK. Finally, I read Mark’s Cuban finch article. Hahaha. But, I present to you that there are Cuban finches. They’re called Cuban bullfinches. Here’s a picture. I believe you need to update that article. Cuban finches (are the) big lie no more!” he wrote.
I could have explained about how Old World bullfinches were actually in the finch family, and were called that because they had proportionally big heads. And that the Cuban bullfinch was called that because it was similarly big-headed, but was a New World species, and actually in the tanager family, not the finch family. But that seemed like a lot to text before I finished my coffee.
Instead I snarked back, “Notice how the word ‘bullfinch’ has more letters than the work ‘finch’? That’s because they are different words indicating different things.”
“Semantics!” he wrote.
MARK HEDDEN
WHAT’S COOKING, KEY WEST?
CELEBRATE TEQUILA AND OTHER SPIRITS IN SONG
iquid libations have been paired with songs since honkytonk piano players provided the soundtrack to exploits in Old West saloons. Jazz stylings enlivened 1920 speakeasies, jukeboxes have poured out country tunes in taverns for decades, and today’s live music is an enduring attraction in Key West bars.
Given that, it’s not surprising that a large number of songs about alcohol have topped the charts or become renowned as classics. Although not all varieties of liquor are memorialized in the musical mainstream, many have inspired songwriters’ salutes via lyrics and chords.
There’s UB40’s reggae version of “Red, Red Wine.” The Andrews Sisters offered the calypso-flavored “Rum and Coca Cola” in the 1940s. Country superstar Willie Nelson celebrated whiskey in “Whiskey River” and vodka in “Bloody Mary Morning,” and Rupert Holmes’ “The Piña Colada Song” has a catchy refrain featuring the tropical cocktail.
Tequila too has been commemorated in songs for generations. People still belt out the single-word lyric to the Champs’ 1958 hit “Tequila,” while the Eagles’ 1973 ballad “Tequila Sunrise” gives an innovative twist to the name of the popular cocktail.
No drink-related song, however, is more famous than Jimmy Buffett’s “Margaritaville.” Buffett lived in Key West during some of his most productive years, developing his troprock style and portraying the island’s characters and quirkiness in nowclassic tunes … including his ode to the tequila-based cocktail called the Margarita.
“Margaritaville” is closely identified with Key West, and there’s a Mar-
garita worthy of the singer-songwriter himself on the specialty menu at Bar 1. Located at the Key West Cooking School at 291 Front St., the bar is themed to celebrate the adventurers and writers who — like Buffett — found inspiration in the island city. Bar 1’s air margarita is a refreshing yet intoxicating blend of top-shelf tequila, fresh lime juice and agave syrup. While the song’s lyrics reference “booze in the blender,” the Bar 1 version is vigorously shaken instead of blended. After straining the drink into a glass, it’s topped with head mixologist Brad Rouge’s special Key West Salt Air Foam and garnished with a lime wheel.
This is an ideal time to enjoy Bar 1’s distinctive Margarita, since the Just a Few Friends celebration of Buffett’s music and life is set for Labor Day Weekend. Sip and savor the concoction in the “Caribbean casual” bar, surrounded by angling and literary memorabilia that communicates the essence of the island’s colorful character — just as the lyrics to “Margaritaville” do.
Last Call
Drink of the month: Tequila Sunrise. This simple yet classic cocktail, served in a tall glass over ice, features tequila, orange juice and a small bit of grenadine. Garnished with an orange slice and a maraschino cherry, it has a vivid color that suggests the earlymorning sky. Drop by Bar 1 to learn how to make one!
Helpful bar hack: What’s the best way to clean a blender after using it to make a cocktail? Simply put a drop of dish soap and a cup of water in it, and turn it on to blend for up to two minutes. This is especially helpful after making creamy drinks that can leave a sticky residue.
Thirsty for more? Visit keywestcookingschool.com.
CAROL SHAUGHNESSY
A garnish of fresh fruit — lime for a margarita and orange for a tequila sunrise — adds visual flair to a well-made cocktail. KEY WEST COOKING SCHOOL/Contributed
Brewfest is back for Labor Day Weekend in Key West. Visit keywestbrewfest.beer for a full schedule of events. MANDY MILES/Keys Weekly
BELLY UP FOR BREWFEST 2025
Beers, beach parties fill Labor Day Weekend
Beer pong, belly flops, pool parties and perfectly poured pints can only mean one thing — Brewfest is back, and Labor Day Weekend in Key West is packed with events.
The annual Key West BrewFest is scheduled Thursday through Monday, Aug. 28 through Sept. 1.
Activities on tap include beer-focused dinners, pool parties, pint pairings, belly flop contests, beer pong and the beachfront Key West BrewFest Signature Tasting Event on Saturday, Aug. 30 from 3 to 8 p.m. at Southernmost Beach Cafe.
The event, presented by the Key West Sunrise Rotary Club of the Conch Republic and hosted by the Southernmost Beach Resort, benefits local Rotary scholarships and charitable initiatives.
Featured beers range from offerings such as Fat Tire Ale and Cat 5 Key Lime Lager to local favorites from Florida Keys Brewing Co., Waterfront Brewery, Cayo Hueso Brewing and Islamorada Beer Co. among others.
The festival highlight is the signature tasting event, featuring more than 200 beers from 55 leading, boutique and smallbatch breweries.
While enjoying the evening beside the Atlantic Ocean, attendees can stroll from booth to booth, savoring live music and unlimited samples of beers, lagers and ales.
General admission is $50 per person. Also available are VIP tickets for $100 per person that include early admission to a VIP tasting from 3 to 5 p.m. with passed appetizers from the Southernmost Beach Café.
More information and a full schedule are at keywestbrewfest.beer.
— Contributed
‘YES, I AM A PIRATE’ LECTURE COVERS ‘BUFFETT BACKSTORIES’
Tropic Cinema and Key West Art & Historical Society present author Scott Atwell
Scott Atwell, author of ‘Buffett Backstories,’ explores the real-life inspiration behind Jimmy Buffett’s song, ‘A Pirate Looks at Forty,’ in his upcoming talk, ‘Yes, I am a Pirate,’ at Tropic Cinema on Aug. 29 as part of the Key West Art & Historical Society’s Distinguished Speaker Series. CONTRIBUTED
TThe cover of ‘Buffett Backstories’ by Scott Atwell, who will discuss the book and the real-life ‘pirate’ Phil Clark during a lecture at Tropic Cinema on Aug. 29. SCOTT ATWELL/Contributed
he Key West Art & Historical Society and Just A Few Friends Key West will host an afternoon of storytelling, music history and cultural exploration at Tropic Cinema with a Distinguished Speaker Series lecture titled “Yes, I am a Pirate.”
The event features author and Conch Scott Atwell, who will present his latest work uncovering the real-life inspiration behind one of Jimmy Buffett’s most iconic songs, “A Pirate Looks at Forty.”
Taking place on Friday, Aug. 29, from 2 to 3:30 p.m., the event offers an intimate look into the life of Phil Clark, the enigmatic figure who inspired Buffett’s legendary ballad. While the song conjures a poetic image of a romantic rogue, Atwell’s meticulously researched book, “Buffett Backstories,” reveals a far more complex character — one who transformed from New York socialite to tropical outlaw, leaving a wake of scandal, mystery and reinvention behind him.
“This isn’t just a story about one man,” says Atwell. “It’s a narrative that threads through the very fabric of Key West history and the mythos of Jimmy Buffett’s music.”
Following the lecture, Atwell will be joined on stage for a guest panel discussion, featuring individuals whose lives were directly touched by Clark:
Carol Shaughnessy, writer and one of Clark’s former fiancées, who later became editor of Buffett’s “Coconut Telegraph” newsletter.
Chris Robinson, veteran flats guide and former bartender at the legendary Chart Room, who lived below Jimmy Buffett in the Waddell Street compound.
Flip McCririck, Clark’s first-born son and acclaimed sports photographer, who only recently discovered his father’s connection to Buffett’s legacy.
Atwell will also sell and sign copies of his book.
Tickets to “Yes, I am a Pirate” are $15 per person. More information is at kwahs.org/event/dss-pirate or from Cori Convertito on 305295-6616 x507 or cconvertito@kwahs.org. — Contributed
Larry Baeder Hal Howland
Mark Rose
Joe Dallas
Jeff Dalton
CHRIS McNULTY
is an astrologer, wanderer, bartender and advocate for queer justice. He is a loquacious Gemini with a cozy Cancer rising. Find him at hearthandheraldastrology.com
It is a relatively quiet week astrologically. Leo season is coming to a close, and the sun is moving into the sign of Virgo on Friday, Aug. 22. Virgo season is the time of year when we harvest the bounty that has grown under the extended daylight hours. We store, inventory and organize all that we have nurtured over the summer months so that we can prepare for the long, cold winter ahead. Virgo season is a time for getting our ducks in order, for thinking about the needs of the people we care about, and for planning for a future that is uncertain. Not only is Virgo season starting, but it begins with a completely fresh slate for all of us. This new moon in the very wee hours of Saturday morning, Aug. 23, is about acknowledging where we’ve come from, where we are and where we’re heading. It is about taking stock in this singular moment in our lives and fine-tuning our worlds with a skilled and practical flair. Where do you want to go from here? What are the material steps you need to take in order to get there? What have you already accomplished in your journey? Use this new moon in Virgo to gain clarity on your position in life and take a step in the right direction. Here are your horoscopes for the sun’s ingress into Virgo and the new moon in Virgo. Read for your rising and sun signs.
Leo July 23 - Aug. 22
As Leo season closes, you may feel a sense of nervousness about the future. You may be waiting for the other shoe to drop. Don’t let worry overtake you, however. The new moon is about resetting your value system and turning a chapter in your financial story. What is it that you
truly find value in and how are you implementing that in your life? A new beginning is available to you.
Virgo
Aug. 23 - Sept. 22
We are right on the verge of Virgo season and the celebration of your birthday. Before we dive in, however, you may experience a slight existential crisis. Use this to your advantage to dispel parts of yourself that do not serve your highest good. The new moon in Virgo is all about turning over a new personal leaf. Who do you want to be and how can you birth that person in practical ways?
Libra
Sept. 23 - Oct. 23
There may be a bit of tension in the friend department, Libra, and it may fuel a little bit of anxiety on your part. Don’t let it get the better of you. This new moon is a lesson in your solitude and personal space. Use this fresh start to consider how you use your alone time and whether you use it wisely. How can you find your meditative solace, even if it’s a couple minutes a day?
Scorpio
Oct. 23 - Nov. 21
Work may be a bit stressful at the moment, and it may be creating some tension in your life. You will get through it, and the new moon on the other side is an invitation to really take stock in who populates your support network. Do the people you surround yourself with really have your best interest at heart? If they do, show them your appreciation. If they don’t, reevaluate.
Sagittarius
Nov. 22 - Dec. 21
There are adventures to be had and new things to be learned. However, you can’t do it all at once. You may be feeling a little anxiety about all of the new things you want to do and the lack of time to do them all. Breathe. This new moon is about starting a new career or building a
new personal reputation. While you might not be going on an adventure, you are about to start a whole new chapter.
Capricorn
Dec. 22 - Jan. 19
Other folks might be asking a lot of you or you may feel a bit overextended. Remember that you can only do what your capacity allows. Under this new moon, use this blank slate energy to plan something fresh. Will you go back to school? Will you travel somewhere you’ve never been? Will you get ordained? It’s the novelty we’re looking for, so step onto a fresh path.
Aquarius
Jan. 20 - Feb. 18
An important partnership is probably causing a little bit of stress at the moment, and that is alright. How you show up is the most important thing. This new moon is about new investments of time, money and/or energy. What do you care about and how are you supporting the cause? Find others who share your passion and find out where you fit in.
Pisces
Feb. 19 - March 20
It may feel like you are working extra hard and that there is no exit. An end is in sight, so do not give up just yet. The new moon is offering you a brand new partnership, whether that is romantic, business-oriented or social. Someone is entering your life who will teach you more about yourself and will carry some of the burden. It is easier to carry a weight with another person.
Aries
March 21 - April 19
Your creativity has been under a spotlight lately, and you may be reaching a point where stress is entering the scenario. That’s OK. We cannot be constant creative outputs. This new moon is inviting you to implement some new routines and practices into your life. How can you introduce fresh habits that sup-
SMART BEGINNING
port your well-being? Consistency is maybe not your strong suit, but it can help you streamline your world and invite fresh energy.
Taurus
April 20 - May 20
Home and family have been a major theme, and it seems like there is probably some tension a-brewing. Take responsibility for your part in it, and let the rest go. This new moon is inviting you to start a new creative project, probably something you’ve never tried before. Is it a new medium? A new muse? A new art form altogether? Some of you might even discover an ultimate new creation — a new child.
Gemini
May 21 - June 20
It may feel as though everything is just all too familiar. There may be tension with siblings or in your local neighborhood. Take it all in stride because the new moon is offering you a brand new start in the realm of home and family. Perhaps you will see your parents in a new light, or you will move into a new house. This is a big new beginning, so welcome the fresh air.
Cancer
June 21 - July 22
Money and finances are probably causing a little undue stress at the moment. This shall pass. Under this new moon, you can discover a world that is very familiar with a new perspective. You may discover a new way to communicate, or you may see your familiar surroundings with a fresh appreciation. Use this new moon to find novelty in the familiar, much like Dorothy when she returns to Kansas.
DOES YOUR CHILD QUALIFY FOR FREE SCHOOL MEALS?
Eligibility determined by income & household size
Monroe County schools are determining students’ eligibility for free or reduced-price lunches and breakfast served in Florida Keys schools.
Household size and income criteria will be used to determine eligibility. An application cannot be approved unless it contains complete eligibility information. Once approved, meal benefits are good for an entire year. You need not notify the organization of changes in income and household size.
Applications are being sent to all homes, with a letter to parents or guardians. To apply for free or reduced-price meals, households must complete the application and return it to the school. Additional copies are available at the principal’s office in each school. The information provided on the application will be used for the purpose of determining eligibility and may be verified at any time during the school year. Applications may be submitted at any time during the year.
Households that receive SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) or TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) are required to list on the application only the child’s name, SNAP/TANF case number, and signature of adult household members.
Foster children will receive free benefits regardless of the child’s personal income or the income of the household.
All families are required to complete a student residency questionnaire provided by the school as part of the registration process, regardless of their housing situation.
Students who meet the criteria of homelessness will qualify to receive McKinney Vento services, which include access to free school meals and other services. Those with questions about the form can contact the school’s front office.
Households with children who are considered migrants, homeless or runaway should contact the district/school CHIPS liaison.
For the purpose of determining household size, deployed service
members are considered a part of the household. Families should include the names of the deployed service members on their application. Report only that portion of the deployed service member’s income made available to them or on their behalf to the family. Additionally, a housing allowance that is part of the Military Housing Privatization Initiative is not to be included as income.
All other households must provide the following information listed on the application:
Total household income listed by gross amount received, type of income (e.g., wages, child support, etc.) and how often the income is received by each household member;
Names of all household members –check the “no income” box if applicable; if household member is a child, list school name for each;
Signature of an adult household member certifying the information provided is correct; and
Social security number of the adult signing the application or the word “NONE” for this household member if he or she does not have a social security number.
If a household member becomes unemployed or if the household size changes, the school should be contacted. Children of parents or guardians who become unemployed should also contact the school.
Breakfast meals served at Gerald Adams School and Keys Center school are available at no cost regardless of eligibility.
Any interested person may review a copy of the policy by contacting the school district’s student eligibility coordinator at 305-293-1400 ext. 53356 or foodservice@keysschools.com.
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
— Contributed
UPGRADED CREDIT RATING GOOD FOR SCHOOL DISTRICT
Schools well positioned to meet financial obligations
Moody's Ratings has upgraded its long-term credit ratings for the Monroe County School District. The implications of this move are positive for both the district and taxpayers of Monroe County and it can lead to significant financial benefits and increased investor confidence in the district's ability to manage its finances effectively.
"We are proud to announce this ratings upgrade. It reflects the hard work and diligent efforts of the district when it comes to fiscal management of taxpayer dollars," said Superintendent Edward Tierney. “Serving the students, families and citizens of the county by being fiscally responsible is a high priority and this shows we are meeting that challenge,” he said.
Moody's Ratings is one of the major independent bond rating agencies that assess the creditworthiness of entities like corporations, governments, and school districts.
The issuer and sales tax ratings for MCSD were upgraded from Aa2 to Aa1, reflecting Moody's opinion on the district's overall capacity to meet its financial obligations. Aa1 is a highquality, investment-grade rating indicating a very low credit risk. It is the second-highest rating category, just below Aaa. The "1" modifier further indicates that the district is at the top of the "Aa" category. The Sales Tax rating specifically assesses the creditworthiness of debt secured by sales tax revenues.
The district's COPs rating was upgraded to Aa2 from Aa3. COPs refer to Certificates of Participation, a type of debt instrument often used by school districts. The upgrade to Aa2 signifies that the COPs issued by Monroe County School District are also considered high quality and carry very low credit risk.
The implications of the upgrade include:
• Reduced borrowing costs: A higher credit rating typically translates to lower interest rates when the district borrows money for capital projects, such as school construction or renovations.
• Enhanced investor confidence: The upgrade signals to investors that the district is financially sound and well-managed, potentially attracting a broader investor base.
• Improved financial flexibility: Lower borrowing costs can free up resources for other critical needs within the school district, potentially supporting additional investments in education infrastructure. — Contributed
THE GREAT FLORIDA KEYS ROAD TRIP:
MARATHON
Railroad town’s naming was influenced by a Romantic poet; a structure related to Adderley Town still stands
Marathon began as a railroad town. During the construction of the right of way for the Key West Extension of Henry Flagler’s East Coast Railway, Camp 10 was built between what is today 33rd and 35th Streets, where Stanley Switlik School is located.
Camp 10 grew into a railroad yard and permanent housing for F.E.C. offices and those men employed to keep the construction operating. The complex grew to include the railroad yard, school, hospital, post office, water tower, coaling station, auditor’s office, mess hall, general office, tennis court, the Marathon Hotel and more. It was also where a railroad wye was established. A wye is a triangle of track that enables locomotives to turn around.
By 1908, the railroad had crossed Key Vaca and Hog Key and had reached Knights Key, and the temporary terminus of Flagler’s train. Daily railroad service was operating between the mainland and Knights Key. According to F.E.C. timetables, there were three stops in the area: Vaca, Knights Key and Knights Key Dock.
It was 1908, too, when the name Marathon appeared. The Marathon Station was in the growing complex that grew from Camp 10 near 33rd Street. The big debate among locals is why the name Marathon was chosen. Some say it was because work on the right of way was like a marathon.
If anyone could break through the legend and lore and deliver some truth, it was the late, great historian Dan Gallagher. In his book “Florida’s Great Ocean Railway,” Gallagher revealed that the F.E.C. Railway’s President Joseph R. Parrott credited the Marathon name to American poet Witter Bynner. According to Gallagher, Parrott invited Bynner
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.
down to the Keys to “plot stations for the railroad.”
Bynner chose to rename the Vaca Station, Marathon Station. When asked why he chose the name, Bynner said the inspiration came from a poem by the Romantic poet Lord Byron, who wrote in his poem, “The Isles of Greece,” “The mountains look on Marathon – And Marathon looks on the sea...”
Marathon was not Key Vaca’s only community. Before Camp 10 was pitched, there was a small community a little over a mile up the right of way known as Adderley Town. George Adderley was the namesake. George left the Bahamas and relocated to the Keys circa 1890. He was 20. At some point, he lived on “Matecumbe Key,” which probably indicates Upper Matecumbe Key, where the small farming community of Matecumbe was developing.
In 1896, he married Olivia. George and Olivia moved to Key Vaca in 1902. They settled in a virgin, sub-tropical hammock on the gulf side of the island, where they purchased 32.25 acres for $100. The house he built resembled a typical, rural Bahamian home. It was a rectangular, masonry structure with a hip roof covered in pressed tin. A homemade form of concrete called tabby held the house together. Tabby concrete was created by burning shells, such as conch shells, to extract lime. The lime was mixed with water, sand, ash and crushed shells until the sticky “concrete” paste was formed.
The structure, built circa 1906, was one of five housing the community’s residents, who worked as fishermen, spongers and charcoal makers. When making charcoal, buttonwood was the preferred tree. The late Florida historian Charleon Tebeau described the process: “Great cone-shaped heaps of neatly stacked wood were built up, sometimes
Marathon from the Florida East Coast Railway Company’s Materials Dock looking south about 1910. FLORIDA KEYS HISTORY CENTER/Monroe County Library
containing as much as ten cords for a single burning. This was then covered with grass and sand to make it airtight except for a vent at the top. Enough openings were made around the bottom to fire the wood and burn it so as to drive out the volatile gases and leave charcoal. A cord of wood produced ten bags of charcoal for which there was a ready market.”
Adderley owned a stretch of Key Vaca necessary for the railroad right of way. He sold the strip of land to the F.E.C. with the caveat that a railroad stop at Adderley Town would be created. The railroad made a flag stop. A flag stop is different from a station building with regularly scheduled stops. Flag stops consisted of a platform.
Once a week, if, as the train was roaring across Key Vaca and the engineer saw the flag raised at the Adderley Town platform, he would stop.
Remarkably, one structure related to Adderley Town still stands. Though it has been repaired over the years, George Adderley’s house is still there and represents the oldest structure outside of Key West that is still standing in the Florida Keys. The legacy they unknowingly left behind continues to stand and contribute to the rich history of the Keys. The home is part of the Florida Black History Trail, developed in partnership with the Florida Division of Historical Resources and a group of invested citizens. The pamphlet they produce provides “a microcosm of African American landmarks and legacies.”
The home is located where it was first built, at what is today Crane Point Hammock at 5550 Overseas Highway. In 1992, George’s tabby house of vernacular construction became listed on the National Register of Historic Places. When visiting the site, it is possible to step inside and experience the home and an incredible piece of Florida Keys history on a personal level. There is nothing else like it in the Keys. Crane Point Hammock and the Adderley House are hidden gems in the Keys.
Marathon has a lot more to offer than a little history about a railroad town and an old tabby house. Next week, we will explore more of the heart of the Florida Keys.
VFW Post 3911
We would like to take this chance to say thanks to everyone who patronizes us to help us to continue our mission to help veterans of Monroe County Florida.
IF YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN IN, NOW IS THE TIME.
BREAKFAST
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Carrying multiple exclusive retail lines. Plus a selection of unique & carefully curated pre-loved items.
BOUTIQUE HOURS
TUESDAY - WEDNESDAY 11- 4
THURSDAY - SATURDAY 11- 6
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Voted BEST LOCAL RETAILER by the Key West People’s Choice Awards 2023 & 2024. And mentioned in Forbes magazine!
Founded by Betty Debnam
Happy Labor Day!
For most of us, Labor Day is the last big splash of summer. Kids and families enjoy the long Labor Day weekend before school really gets under way. There are picnics and trips to the beach. There are parades and fireworks and band concerts.
But what is Labor Day? This week, The Mini Page explores the origins of this September holiday.
THE FIRST LABOR DAY
Labor Day was started more than 140 years ago. It was started by workers who were struggling for many of the rights that our workers enjoy today.
Working people wanted to call attention to some of their problems. They also wanted to honor the hard work they did.
The first Labor Day celebration took place in 1882 in New York City. About 10,000 workers took part in a Labor Day parade. Many were members of labor unions. Unions are groups that work for better pay and working conditions.
Later, there was a huge picnic and concert and speeches.
Who started it?
People disagree about who is the “father” of Labor Day. Two men with similar last names are both given credit.
Some say it was Peter J. McGuire. He became the founder of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America.
Others say it was another Irishman by the name of Matthew Maguire, who may have had the idea for a workers’ holiday first.
McGuire proposed that the first Monday in September be set aside for a “general holiday for the laboring classes.” He chose that time because it was halfway between the Fourth of July and Thanksgiving.
President Grover Cleveland made Labor Day a federal holiday in 1894.
MODERN LABOR DAY
Today, along with summer fun, the Labor Day weekend includes college football games, car races, picnics, concerts and fireworks.
Words that remind us of Labor Day are hidden in this puzzle. Some words are hidden backward or diagonally, and some letters are used twice. See if you can find:
What do you want to be when you grow up? You have years to decide, but it’s a good idea to look around today.
Ask questions. Watch what workers do. Read about careers. Work hard to build your skills in school.
We’ve identified a few job categories here. Which ones interest you?
HEALTH CARE
Do you like helping people? Nurses and doctors help people stay healthy. You could also be a researcher, finding cures for diseases.
AGRICULTURE
You could be a farmer, a florist or a scientist who studies crops.
BUSINESS
Are you good with technology? Do numbers and statistics intrigue you?
CONSTRUCTION AND MANUFACTURING
You might become a builder or learn how to make factories more efficient.
PUBLIC SERVICE
Many kids dream of being a police officer or a firefighter. You could also become an emergency medical technician, or EMT.
RESOURCES
On the Web:
• dol.gov/general/laborday/history
At the library:
• “Labor Day” by Meredith Dash
• “A Children’s Guide to Labor Day” by Tex Stanly
An extremely rare snowfall in northern Chile’s Atacama Desert, the driest on Earth, forced the world’s most powerful radio telescope to halt operations. The ALMA facility was placed into “survival mode” to safeguard its delicate instruments when temperatures dropped to 10 degrees Fahrenheit. The Atacama receives less than an inch of rain annually on average, making the storm highly unusual. The desert sees rain only a few times per century, with some areas never having received any reported precipitation.
photo by Shaun Greiner
Members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers union in Peoria, Illinois, march in a Labor Day parade.
Peter J. McGuire Matthew Maguire
Mini Fact: Oregon was the first state to pass a law recognizing Labor Day, in
Keys Medical Center – a commitment recognized with a 4-star rating by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The national ratings provide a clear, reliable way to compare hospitals, helping you choose the hospital that is right for you. Less than 25% of Florida’s hospitals are recognized within the two top tiers, based on patient safety, experience and outcomes.
When it comes to your healthcare, there’s no place like home. LKMC understands the unique needs of our island community and provides high-quality care right here in the Keys.
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
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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)
