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$100M
The highest-profile museum theft of the century, thieves who entered the Louvre on Oct. 19 and made away with eight pieces of France’s Crown Jewels were valued at more than $100 million. The jewels remain missing, and the suspects are still at large as of Oct. 22.
FORMER KEY WEST ATTORNEY SUES CITY FOR LEGAL BILLS
Felony-indicted Ron Ramsingh walked with $221K when terminated without cause
mandy@keysweekly.com
When Key West officials terminated the contract of their felony-indicted former city attorney in April, Ron Ramsingh walked away with a $221,000 payout because the commissioners voted to terminate him without cause.
Ron Ramsingh is now taking the city to court, claiming the city is responsible for paying his legal defense bills in the ongoing felony case that charges him official misconduct and obstruction of justice by knowingly and intentionally interfering with the reporting of a felony committed by his brother, the city’s former chief building officials, Rajindhar ‘Raj’ Ramsingh.
Ron Ramsingh filed suit against the city on Oct. 17, claiming breach of contract and asking the court to order the city to pay Ramsingh’s legal defense bills.
Although the legal filing runs 77 pages, most of it is a list of attachments of employment contracts in which the city agrees to indemnify employees and pay for their legal defense for cases that arise out of the course of their normal employment.
Ramsingh’s attorneys quote the paragraph in his contract, and the contracts of prior city attorneys and city managers. Those contracts state the city will indemnify (or protect) those employees for “... action which is related directly or indirectly to the Attorney’s lawful actions in his capacity as City Attorney.”
The key words in those contracts are “lawful actions,” attorney Cynthia
Hall told the city commissioners back in April when they were deciding whether to terminate Ramsingh’s contract with or without cause.
Hall is a former Monroe County attorney, who in April acted as a temporary representative for the city commissioners at the meeting about Ramsingh’s termination, as Ramsingh, for obvious reasons, could not represent the officials.
In his lawsuit, Ramsingh’s attorneys point out that the city already paid three legal bills for Ramsingh totaling $6,175. Those bills stemmed from the original indictments of Ramsingh and were paid without discussion or opposition.
The lawsuit seeks to have those payments continue, but some commissioners aren’t willing to do that unless required by law, particularly given the fact that Ramsingh’s actions as indicted could be proven to have been unlawful and outside the scope of his public duties, and therefore not protected by his contract’s indemnification clause.
Commissioner Monica Haskell’s statement was simple: “I do not think we should pay.”
Commissioner Donie Lee told the Keys Weekly on Oct. 22, “I don’t think the city should pay his legal bills if he was committing unlawful acts, unless we are required by law.”
Commissioner Sam Kaufman said, “I am deeply disappointed to learn of this lawsuit, given everything our community has endured as a result of this unfortunate chapter in City Hall’s history. While I cannot comment on the pending litigation, it’s disheartening to see further strain placed on the city and its residents at a time when we are working hard to restore public trust and accountability.”
A trio of Medusa characters join thousands of costumed revelers in Key West’s annual Zombie Ride on Oct. 19. For more photos, see page 6. LARRY BLACKBURN/Keys Weekly
CITY COMMISSIONER’S ABSENCES COULD LEAD TO REMOVAL
Mary Lou Hoover has missed 3 consecutive regular meetings; only 4 are allowed
mandy@keysweekly.com
AKey West city commissioner could face removal from office if she misses next month’s regular commission meeting.
Health problems have forced District V Commissioner Mary Lou Hoover to miss the past three regular commission meetings — August, September and October. If she misses a fourth, Hoover could be removed from office, according to the city charter.
“No commissioner shall be absent from any regular meeting of the commission without an excuse acceptable to the commission,” the charter states. “Absence from four (4) consecutive regular meetings … shall operate to vacate the seat of the member, unless such absence is excused by the commission by resolution ….” The last regular meeting that Hoover attended was in June. She did participate in some special meetings remotely.
Mayor Dee Dee Henriquez said on Oct. 22 that she has heard from some District V residents who are frustrated that they effectively have been without representation for three months, and that it takes so long to remove an absent commissioner. The mayor said the rule dates back to when the commission met twice a month, so four absences would have only been two months.
“Now that we meet only monthly, I’m looking into getting the attendance requirements changed,” Henriquez said.
Hoover told the Keys Weekly on Oct. 22 that she intends to be at the November meeting. Her second term ends in August 2026.
MANDY MILES
Ron Ramsingh. CONTRIBUTED
Mary Lou Hoover. CONTRIBUTED
MANDY MILES
JOE WOOTEN & CINDY BENSEN ARE KING & QUEEN OF FANTASY FEST
4 contenders raise $353K for Florida Keys SPCA
Key West Fantasy Fest’s new royal court was crowned at a Royal Coronation event at the Coffee Butler Amphitheater on Oct. 17. From left, Duchess Mina Valdez, Queen Cindy Bensen, King Joe Wooten and Duke Floyd Jenkins achieved their titles through fundraising campaigns that raised a total of $353,538 for the Florida Keys SPCA. CAROL TEDESCO/ FantasyFest.com
Hundreds of loyal subjects and members of Fantasy Fest royalty spanning decades celebrated with Key West glitz at the Coffee Butler Amphitheater on Oct. 17 as Joe Wooten and Cindy Bensen were crowned the 2025 King and Queen of Fantasy Fest. Mina Valdez and Floyd Jenkins (aka Pepa Mahogany) were installed as Duchess and Duke to complete this year’s royal court.
Since 1989, Fantasy Fest Royalty have achieved their titles through annual fundraising campaigns that take place over multiple weeks. This year, the four competitors raised a total of $353,538 to benefit the Florida Keys SPCA.
Friday’s coronation marks three years since the Florida Keys SPCA took the reins of the Royal Campaign. In 2022, after decades of organizing the competition and benefitting from its proceeds, AH Monroe Executive Director Scott Pridgen and Fantasy Fest board chair Steve Robbins announced it was time to pass the torch. The Tourist Development Association selected the Florida Keys SPCA to take over as planner, organizer, producer and beneficiary, launching a new era for a competition that has crowned 67 King and Queen pairings and raised more than $5.5 million in 36 years.
KEY WEST BECOMES A ZOMBIE ZONE
Thousands of ‘undead’ on bikes prowl the island
Since then, campaign proceeds have enabled the FKSPCA to purchase a fully equipped mobile vet clinic and dramatically expand community outreach – including spay/neuter services, wellness programs, kids’ clubs, animal behavioral training and a Safe Haven program for pets whose owners are in emergency situations, said FKSPCA executive director Tammy Fox.
The coronation festivities included dinner and a two-hour stage show with performances by the candidates and a roster of special guests, co-hosted by Erin McKenna and Bria Ansara. The evening also included a tribute to the late Christopher Elwell, 2010 Fantasy Fest King, highlighted by the inaugural presentation of the “Christopher Elwell Royal Award” to 2015 Fantasy Fest Queen Jodyrae Campbell.
The newly crowned Royal Court will appear at multiple 2025 Fantasy Fest events and serve as imperial ambassadors until the 2026 competition, and as Emeritus Royalty in perpetuity.
This year’s “Bedtime Stories & Magical Monsters” themed Fantasy Fest features more than 100 events including Goombay Festival, the wildly enchanting Pet Masquerade, the Captain Morgan Masquerade March, and the world famous Deep Eddy Vodka Fantasy Fest Parade.
— Contributed
Key West’s Zombie Bike Ride, a festival of the ‘undead,’ sponsored and organized by We Cycle, was alive and well on Oct. 19, when thousands of participants pedaled from Smathers Beach to Duval Street. LARRY BLACKBURN/Keys Weekly
MANDY MILES mandy@keysweekly.com
The parade of the ‘undead’ is alive and well in Key West, where the Zombie Bike Ride tradition continued on Oct. 19.
Sponsored and organized by We Cycle, the wildly popular event started as usual at East Martello
Museum on South Roosevelt with a zombie-themed festival, featuring food, music and face-painting. Then came the bikes, so many bikes, carrying thousands of friends, families, locals and visitors along Smathers Beach, down Atlantic Boulevard and South Street to the north end of Duval Street, where the parade culminated in a huge zombie street party.
Expert Cancer Care. Right here in Key West.
Baptist Health Cancer Care is now welcoming patients at its newly renovated facility at 3426 North Roosevelt Boulevard, bringing advanced treatment, expert providers and compassionate support to the Lower Keys.
The new center offers chemotherapy, radiation therapy with a state-of-the-art linear accelerator, CT simulation for precise planning, and on-site physicians, all in one convenient, patient-centered location.
Scan the QR code to learn more.
CELEBRATE THE LIFE OF GORDON ROSS
Tribute gathering set for Nov. 10 at
Williams Hall
MANDY MILES
mandy@keysweekly.com
Once you met Gordon Ross, you didn’t forget him. You couldn’t; it was impossible.
He often seemed to be everywhere, all at once, doing everything, from performing on stage to raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for several nonprofit organizations.
Although originally from Ohio, Ross spent more than 50 years as a Key West resident, often performing on stage, but always raising money for local nonprofits.
After losing several friends during the AIDS epidemic, Ross launched the Gordon Ross and Friends variety show to raise money for what was then AIDS Help, Inc. For more than a decade, all performers donated their time and talents to the show, which became an annual highlight and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars.
For 15 years, he worked tirelessly to raise money for MARC, helping to organize its annual pumpkin patch, ice cream social, Christmas tree sale and the Master Chef’s Classic.
“He was the best at telling stories and had an even better spirit,” the business guild posted following his death. “His sassy personality was unmatched and he will be dearly missed. And remember to keep living your best adventures, because that is what Gordon would have wanted.”
West legend Gordon Ross died May 25, but will be honored with a celebration of life on Monday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. at Williams Hall. CONTRIBUTED
Ross died on May 25 from pneumonia, his best friend, Bobby Nesbitt, reported that day on Facebook, ushering in a flood of memories and heartbreak from an island where everyone seemed to know the name Gordon Ross.
“Besides being one of my best friends, he was such an asset and friend to our community,” Nesbitt wrote. “We will all be mourning the loss of this remarkable beautiful man.”
But Gordon Ross would never have wanted the mourning to surpass the memories, and in honor of his joie de vivre, or joy of living, a celebration of his life and legacy has been planned for Monday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. at Williams Hall, 729 Fleming St.
After a short service, those gathered will raise a glass for a toast, tell stories and create even more memories to honor Ross and his contributions to the island community.
WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH THE HOSPITAL?
Board to seek proposals from companies that want to run Lower Keys Medical Center
mandy@keysweekly.com
Things are happening at the Key West hospital, which could be under new management in the next few years. Or the same company could still be running the hospital, but under a revised lease agreement that’s more suited to the community’s medical needs.
The year 2029 brings the end of a 30-year lease under which the Tennessee-based company Community Health Systems, CHS, has operated Lower Keys Medical Center on College Road, its affiliated doctors’ offices as well as its mental health and substance abuse treatment facility at the former dePoo Hospital on Kennedy Drive.
Now, after more than a year, a group of concerned residents has convinced the local hospital district board, whose members are appointed by the governor, to seek proposals from different potential hospital operators who want to run Lower Keys Medical Center rather than simply renew the lease with CHS and be tethered to that company for another 30 years.
Thanks in large part to the efforts of a citizens fact-finding committee, led by residents Peter Batty, John Padget and Spencer Krenke, with involvement from Key West City Commissioner Sam Kaufman, the Lower Florida Keys Hospital District Board agreed to hire consultants from Akerman, LLP to help draft a Request for Proposals and seek responses from companies that are interested in running Key West’s hospital come 2029.
The current hospital operator, CHS, last year pledged to make significant investments in and improvements
to Lower Keys Medical Center, but only if the board renewed its lease immediately, without issuing an RFP or considering proposals from other entities.
At a meeting in March 2024, local“Why are they only willing to put money in when it comes time to renew the lease, when they should’ve been willing to do it for the past four or so years?” local Dr. Michael Klitenick said at a meeting in March 2024.
The early lease renewal didn’t happen and CHS will now be welcome to submit a proposal in response to the RFP that will be issued early next year.
Right now, consultants from Akerman are working with the hospital district board and with the fact-finding committee to begin the process of drafting the RFP, which will set forth what services and technology the hospital operator must offer.
The aging building on College Road is also an issue. A complete renovation or replacement of the facility will likely be needed, and the local hospital board will soon hire an inspector to complete a structural and architectural survey and inspection of the premises that will be included in the RFP.
So, things are happening with the hospital, and potential “suitors” that want to run Lower Keys Medical Center could be responding to an RFP in the next six or so months.
In addition to the current operator, CHS, other health care entities that have expressed preliminary interest include Baptist Health, Mt. Sinai and Tampa General. For updates about the hospital lease process, visit ohkw.org. Our Hospital Key West is an advocacy group created by resident Spencer Krenke.
Key
MANDY MILES
Lower Keys Medical Center on College Road. CONTRIBUTED
BING AND THE CHAINSAW RAMPAGE
KEY WEST BACK IN THE DAY
The guard dog’s name was Bing, and he was a supposedly intimidating German shepherd. Something had gone wrong with his genetics, though, because he was probably the goofiest German shepherd on the planet.
One of his ears flopped down over his furry forehead instead of standing tall. He loved people, hated loud noises and couldn’t successfully guard a mousehole — let alone the Native American jewelry store that was his assigned “territory.”
So one day in 1978, when I was the store’s lone salesperson and two scary-looking guys walked in, I knew Bing would be useless as backup.
CAROL SHAUGHNESSY
has lived in Key West for 40-plus years, witnessing and writing about the island’s renegade past, shipwreck salvage adventures and colorful presentday characters.
Granted, the southwestern-themed store was an unusual business for subtropical Key West. It was owned by a New Jersey man who called himself Geronimo and swore he had been adopted by a New Mexico tribe.
Some of the jewelry was stunning — an inlaid cuff bracelet by master silversmith Charles Loloma, a necklace of breathtaking blue-green turquoise from Nevada’s Carico Lake mine, and numerous pieces crafted by the legendary Begay clan — all gleaming in polished perfection in the glass-topped cases.
The store, however, was shabby. The pago-pago floor covering was dirty and the life-size Navajo figures out front, though beautifully made, were tattered with age.
Bing and I were alone in the store when the two guys came in. The stockier one, with tattoos and shoulder-length curls, wore scruffy jeans and a leather biker vest. The other looked like a pirate, bearded and imposing, with an arrogant gait.
I edged closer to the silent alarm button. Bing wagged his tail and surged forward to be petted.
As it turned out, the dog’s instincts were better than mine — because the two men were customers with money. The biker introduced himself as “Sideways from Scallywag’s Bar,” and showed me a silver skull ring that he wanted replicated in gold with ruby eyes.
1. Though Bing is long gone, this German shepherd’s blissful grin recalls his spirit perfectly. ALYSON CREAN/ Dogs of Key West
2. Located on Southard Street at the entrance to Love Lane, Mad Jack’s vine-draped house was the site of the chainsaw rampage. Photo courtesy of Dale McDonald Collection/Florida Keys History Center
While Sideways prowled the store, the pirate made conversation with me. His deep voice was mesmerizing, and he wasn’t scary after all.
Two afternoons later, I sat with Sideways, Geronimo, Bing and the pirate at Scallywag’s, a biker bar on Duval. As Geronimo and Sideways discussed the skull ring, the pirate and I chatted.
Suddenly a scrawny patron everyone called “Mad Jack” appeared. Bowing, he gave me a rose — apparently purchased from a strolling flower vendor. Despite the glint of lunacy in Jack’s eyes, it was a nice gesture.
Not to be outdone, the pirate marched out the bar’s side door, returned with a sprig of flowers from a nearby bush, and presented it to me.
Somehow we all (including Bing) wound up having dinner at Mad Jack’s house — a beautiful but tumbledown Victorian with vines covering the exterior walls and balcony, and a first-floor room decorated like a bordello.
It was one of those Key West nights when the air was supercharged and practically shimmering, and you knew something wild and unforgettable was about to happen.
It happened the moment an irate neighbor stalked into Mad Jack’s dining room.
Jack leaped up from the dinner table with a yell, grabbed an electric chainsaw that lay on a nearby bookcase (why?) and started its motor. Before anyone could react, Jack began chasing his neighbor around the room, brandishing the saw as it buzzed ferociously.
Eventually the neighbor escaped unscathed; the pirate confiscated the chainsaw, and Jack calmed down. That’s when we discovered Bing was missing.
Twenty minutes later we found our guard dog (whose job title would shortly be changed to “canine companion”) hiding under the couch.
Looking back on that night now, I can’t help but smile. Despite the confusion, and even the chainsaw, it was one of those occasions that helped define the wacky and wonderful Key West life back then — and like other survivors of that era, I wouldn’t trade the memories for anything.
MARK & JOYCE HEELS
KEYS FEDERAL CREDIT UNION TURNS 85
Year-long celebration starts with opening of new building
Elected officials, community leaders and credit union board members celebrate the opening of Keys Federal Credit Union’s new Stock Island branch in the old — and now unrecognizable — Burger King building. BRITT MYERS/Keys Weekly
MANDY MILES
mandy@keysweekly.com
Big things are happening at a local credit union that started small, having launched 85 years ago with $110 in a cigar box.
Keys Federal Credit Union last week started its year-long, 85th anniversary celebration by cutting the ribbon on its brand new Stock Island building. The opening occurred on Oct. 16, which was also International Credit Union Day.
“Opening this new branch isn’t just about growth; it’s about deepening our commitment to the community,” CEO Maggie Sayer told the Keys Weekly. “This project has been years in the making, and being able to celebrate its opening on our 85th anniversary — and on International Credit Union Day — made the moment especially meaningful.”
County commissioners, community leaders and credit union board members celebrated the new branch, which opened in the former and now unrecognizable Burger King building on Stock Island.
Keys Federal Credit Union started 85 years ago, when a group of civil service employees pooled $110. At
the time, there was only one bank in town, and it was for business accounts only. So on Oct. 26, 1940, nine civil service employees gathered together their money to create NavSta Federal Employees Federal Credit Union. Eventually the name was changed to Keys Federal Credit Union, and now it serves over 16,000 clients in six locations: two in Key West, one on Stock Island, one in Big Pine Key, one in Marathon and one in Tavernier.
Its mission remains the same: locals helping locals.
“We love the relationships we’re able to build with our customers,” branch coordinator Desiree Perez said in 2021. “They’re like family.”
Keys FCU offers online banking and mobile banking, free person-toperson payments and financial management apps. “We do everything from personal loans to credit cards to auto loans, RV loans, motorcycle loans and mortgages,” Perez said. “And if we don’t, we try to figure out a way to do it.”
REEL RECS
Staff from your Monroe County Public Library recommend some of their favorites from the collection.
What: “Pride and Prejudice” (1995)
Why: The 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth is a fine reason to revisit this six-episode adaptation of her novel — but do you really need a reason? This is an extremely faithful rendering, with the famous exception of Mr. D’Arcy (Colin Firth) showing up in a wet linen shirt after an impromptu swim just as Lizzie Bennett (Jennifer Ehle) is unexpectedly touring his estate. Throughout, it perfectly captures Austen’s romance, comedy and social commentary. In the 30 years since this series debuted, “Pride and Prejudice” has been made into a movie and a new TV adaption for Netflix with a fantastic cast is in production. I liked the movie and I’m sure the new show will be great. But for me, and I suspect many others, this will remain the iconic screen version and the ultimate comfort view when I’m stuck on the couch.
Where: This series is available on DVD and 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.
17th Annual
MARC Pumpkin Patch
October 6-31 or until all pumpkins are sold 9AM-7PM everyday 1401 Seminary Street
volunteer here
GOOD GOOMBAY VIBES
The New Generation Bahamian Junkanoo group steps off down Catherine Street during the annual Bahama Village Goombay Festival – a long time Key West Fantasy Fest kick-off event that for more than 30 years has celebrated the island’s deep cultural ties to the Bahamas. CAROL TEDESCO/FantasyFest.com
honors Key West’s
start of Key West Fantasy Fest, which continues through
For a full calendar of events visit fantasyfest.com.
KEY WEST’S ‘NO KINGS’ PROTEST SURGES IN SIZE
Oct. 18 rally far surpasses June crowd size
MANDY MILES mandy@keysweekly.com
1,500
Jpart
ust as the nationwide No Kings movement grew in size and participation between the first June protest and the most recent rally on Oct. 18, so, too, did Key West’s No Kings demonstration.
More than 1,500 people showed up at Bayview Park and the surrounding sidewalks to protest what they see as government overreach. Speakers included Kirby Myers, Lisa Kronus and Sommer Gentry, while Anne Brodsky helped organize the local event and led the chants.
“We do not bow and we do not kneel,” Myers said. “Together, let’s rise, shoulder to shoulder, fierce in our unity and unshakeable in our love for democracy.”
On Oct. 18, more than 7 million people took part in more than 2,700 events in all 50 states, Washington, DC and cities worldwide to emphasize that in America, power belongs to the people, states the No Kings website at nokings.org.
“A core principle behind all No
The graphic above shows the locations of more than 2,700 No Kings protests that occurred Oct. 18 in multiple cities in all 50 states, including Key West. NO KINGS.ORG/Contributed
Kings events is a commitment to nonviolent action. We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values and to act lawfully at these events. Weapons of any kind, including those legally permitted, should not be brought to events,” states the website. Key West police reported no incidents of violence during the event.
“...this country… belongs to We the People — the people who care, who show up and who fight for dignity, a life we can afford and real opportunity,” the No Kings states.
The New Generation Bahamian Junkanoo group has long been a part of Key West’s Bahama Village Goombay Festival, an island tradition that for more than 30 years has kicked off Fantasy Fest and celebrated the island’s cultural bond with the Bahamas.
Butler family members, from left, Nichole Flowers, Toni Odum, Charnette Butler and Shanice Lopez, all of Key West, join the New Generation Bahamian Junkanoo Parade, dancing and making music through Bahama Village. The weekend Goombay Festival
Bahamian heritage and marks the
Oct. 26.
More than
people take
in Key West’s No Kings rally on Oct. 18, when more than 7 million people nationwide joined more than 2,700 protests against government overreach. LARRY BLACKBURN/Keys Weekly
SUGARLOAF BAND SHOWCASES YOUNG TALENT
Fall concert features beginners, jazz & concert bands
Sugarloaf Middle School’s Fall Concert held on October 14 was directed by longtime music teacher Joe Dallas. The well-attended event featured a showcase of bands such as Beginning Band, Jazz Band, and Concert Band. The beginners started the concert with such favorites as “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” and “Hot Cross Buns” while the Jazz Band played “Tenor Madness.” The evening ended with the talented crescendo of the Concert Band playing “ The Haunted Mansion,” “Cupid Shuffle,” and finally the “Macarena.” — Contributed
HOMECOMING
MARKS 75 YEARS OF CONCH PRIDE
Whitney Nervilus crowned queen; football team weathers on-field defeat
David Boman. MIRA STAUFFER/Contributed
Reagan Dillard.
Violet Bouchard.
Mason Cabrera, left, and Richard Niels Torrealba.
Sugarloaf band director Joe Dallas.
Key West High School’s 75th Homecoming festivities took place at halftime of the football game on Oct. 17. Whitney Nervilus was crowned the 2025 homecoming queen, and was escorted by Uziel Morales. Before the game, the cheerleaders and band welcomed the school’s 75th football team to the field. Prior to the game, a gathering of former homecoming queens gathered on the field to celebrate 75 years of Conch Pride. JENNIFER SEARCY/Contributed
Live Music Daily
MANDY MILES
drops stuff, breaks things and falls down more than any adult should. She’s married to a saintly — and handy — fisherman, and has been stringing words together in Key West since 1998.
MILES TO GO MY CRIMINAL OBSESSION
Ihave a problem, an addiction, you could say. I watch entirely too much true crime
— Dateline. 48 Hours. 20/20. And that’s just the start of it. There’s “Fatal Destinations,” “The Real Murders on Elm Street,” and a host of similar shows from the UK. (For some reason, the most macabre murders sound even more sinister when described in an English accent.)
The extent of my “hobby” revealed itself the other night in a Walmart parking lot, of all places.
The first thought that occurred to me upon entering the giant superstore up in Melbourne was: “I’m on camera this entire time — out in the parking lot; inside the entrance foyer while greeting the greeter; among the aisles perusing a jacket I didn’t need and a/c filters that I did; and up to the self checkout, where I couldn’t for the life of me find the a/c filter’s bar code. And then back out to my car. Casinos not withstanding, Walmart must have one of the best commercial security systems in the country. Hell, there’s an entire genre of YouTube videos dedicated to the store’s surveillance footage. (Some of which are admittedly hilarious).
So it never ceases to amaze me when a suspected killer treats Walmart as his one-stop homicide shop — and yes, it’s always a man. I’m not saying all killers are male. But
the ones stupid enough to buy an entire murder kit at their local neighborhood Walmart, are men. And they all typically do their suspicious shopping around 2 a.m., apparently thinking no one will see them at that hour. No one but the all-seeing cameras, that is. Oh, and let’s not forget their penchant for paying with a CREDIT CARD.
The Walmart cameras — and later the homicide detectives — watch the suspect literally pre-meditate his crime in high-def.
Gloves, check.
Stocking cap, check. Hammer, check.
Knife, check.
Duct tape, check.
Blue tarp, check.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, these suspects rarely think ahead to consider what happens after the murder, because dammit if they don’t return to the exact same Walmart the next day, this time buying bleach, a bucket and whatever else they think will clean up blood and evade Luminol. No wait, Luminol doesn’t even cross their mind.
So, after leaving Walmart with my a/c filters the other night, I sat in my car in the parking lot and started typing ideas for this column on my phone, still keenly aware that I was STILL on camera, and my car was highly visible with its headlights AND interior lights illuminated.
If only the actual criminals considered such things, the cops may be in a tougher spot. But for now, I suppose it’s a good thing we don’t have many Rhodes scholars whacking their wives for life insurance money.
WHAT’S COOKING, KEY WEST?
Who invented happy hour?
SHAUGHNESSY www.keysweekly.com
The phrase “happy hour” calls to mind a relaxing late-afternoon gathering of friends and colleagues at a favorite bar — a chance to enjoy discounted drinks and appetizers, discuss the day’s happenings and unwind before heading home. Yet most people don’t realize the tradition originally didn’t involve alcohol, or that it has ties to Key West’s past.
The Navy has played a role throughout the island’s 200-year history, and happy hour originated as a period of entertainment and “downtime” for Navy sailors. It typically included boxing matches and other leisure activities to relieve the monotony of shipboard life. Because alcohol was banned on Navy vessels, drinking wasn’t a factor.
In the 1920s, however, when the U.S. government mandated the nationwide Prohibition ban on alcohol, happy hour took on a new meaning. It described the pre-dinner period when patrons snuck into secret watering holes called speakeasies — which flourished in independent, rebellious Key West — to satisfy their thirst for illegal cocktails.
Today’s happy hours are no longer illicit or alcohol-free, and their value-priced cocktails and appetizers draw countless patrons to Key West hotspots.
At the Key West Cooking Show’s Bar 1, upstairs at 291 Front St. in the first permanent brick structure the Navy built on the island, the 4-6 p.m. happy hour features craft cocktails and appetizers connected to local history and traditions.
For example, cocktails include the mojito that honors Key West’s position just 90 miles from Cuba, and the Goombay Smash that recalls the
island’s early Bahamian settlers — in addition to well drinks and select wines and beers.
Among the most popular happy hour appetizers are “Cohiba Cigar” Rolls that salute Key West’s cigar-making heyday, when skilled Cuban artisans produced expertly rolled stogies in local factories. Served in a replica cigar box, the unique dish consists of wonton-wrapped “cigars” containing the meat, cheese and pickles found in traditional Cuban mix sandwiches. The menu’s other taste treats with a Key West connection include sweet flan, beer-steamed ruby red shrimp and locally smoked fish dip.
In addition to Bar 1’s happy hour that takes place Monday through Saturday, similar values on light food and libations are offered during the Key West Cooking Show’s Monday night trivia competition.
Lively and lighthearted, the weekly gathering draws teams eager to test their knowledge of topics such as music, film, sports, history and geography. Questions generally have an offbeat twist designed to baffle even the savviest trivia veterans.
While only one team can win each Monday night, every team can enjoy satisfying, value-priced fare and libations … and there’s nothing “trivial” about that.
LAST CALL
Drink of the Month: Espresso Martini. Frothy and bold, this unique martini combines freshly brewed espresso with vodka, coffee liqueur and vanilla simple syrup. Featured on Bar 1’s happy hour menu, the concoction is garnished with espresso beans. Helpful Bar Hack: What’s the secret to the foam topping that gives espresso martinis their distinctive appearance? Vigorously shake the combined ingredients with ice for 15 to 30 seconds, aerating the espresso to create the creamy foam.
Thirsty for more? Visit keywestcookingshow.com or call 305-294COOK.
CAROL
Monday trivia nights in the Key West Cooking Show’s dining room draw competitive teams eager to earn bragging rights and
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BIG NEWS FROM
AFTER 18 AMAZING YEARS, THAI ISLAND RESTAURANT WILL BE CLOSING ITS DOORS.
We're deeply grateful for your love, loyalty and support over the years- it’s been an honor to share our food and home with you.
Our last day is October 26th, so please come dine with us before we close and help us celebrate nearly 2 decades of great food and great friends...
And after the 26th, we hope to see you at our sister restaurant, MISOHAPPY on Southard Street.
Istopped for drive-thru coffee on the way to Boca Chica, but it was too hot to drink until I was parked. So I sat there in the car at the end of Boca Chica Road like a weirdo, taking tiny sips until it cooled.
... 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.
The first bird of the day, or the first one I noticed outside of the half-dozen white ibis plunging their bills into the roadside grass on Stock Island, was a northern harrier. It was working a pattern on the far side of the green barbed wire that denotes the edge of the air base.
It was working a pattern over the puddles at the end of the runway, flying low and slow in the way that harriers do, no doubt watching and listening for a songbird or shorebird or small mammal to make a wrong move. The bird shot up from behind the fence and above the barricaded part of the road, then swung a small loop, like a skateboarder off a ramp, before dropping back down over the field. It flew behind me and out of sight, disappearing for a minute, then re-emerging over the beach, the bird following the shoreline until it shrunk to a dot.
It repeated this pattern two more times, sans the skateboarder loop, before I finished my coffee and got out of the car.
I had just gotten past the concrete barrier when a man’s voice behind me said not to worry about the dog, he was friendly, but he had just escaped from his mummah. I wasn’t sure what he was talking about until I spotted a teacup yorkie sprinting down the old road, a woman walking a little further behind. When it got close the dog veered towards me, stopped, sniffed my shoes, realized there were no snacks in the offing, and moved on.
One of the great things about Boca Chica Road is there are almost always a good number of birds there. The sargasso that had seemed to overwhelm the place in the summer had thinned to a long strip along the water’s edge, but there were still a good number of shorebirds there. There was a lone ruddy turnstone at first, then a gaggle of properly diminutive least sandpipers, a hexad of long-billed dowitchers, a pair of black-bellied plovers and a willet.
Over the fence my binoculars were drawn to a bright white bird that turned out to be a section of PVC pipe sticking out of the ground, but then there was a reddish egret sally-stepping through one of the ponds, a full dozen black-bellied plovers that leapt into to the air all at once, flew across a different pond and landed together, and a greater yellowlegs looking excessively alert.
NORTHERN HARRIERS AND NOT PICKING FAVORITES
The greater yellowlegs’ seeming alertness, and my good mood, probably derived from two opposite perspectives of the same source: the northern harrier.
The general lowdown on northern harriers is they are the most owl-like of raptors. This is because of a physical characteristic called a facial disk, where they have a flattish face that helps direct sound to their ears, sort of like a parabolic mic. It allows them to listen for the scuttling feat of their prey, to track their most minute and covert movements.
Harriers are also characterized by their long wings and long tail, which give them a light wing load, and allows them to fly very slowly, sometimes to the point of a near standstill, like a cyclist doing a track stand. Just when their prey thinks the danger has passed, they can drop down.
In the breeding season, they largely eat small mammals, primarily voles. The harrier population shrinks and grows with the vole population.
In the winter, and on migration, they rely more heavily on songbirds and shorebirds, such as most of the ones I’d seen that morning. Which would explain why the yellowlegs seemed to be spending more time looking around than down.
Every once in a while, someone will ask me what my favorite bird is. It seems an innocent enough question, but it always leaves me stammering and befuddled, at least internally. Trying to narrow it down to one bird just seems so limiting. Any one bird you name is going to leave you regretting the 20 or 30 or 1,000 birds you didn’t name. Why close down your options?
Thinking about it, outside of my wife, I don’t think I have a favorite anything – song, book, musician, color, car, Spice Girl or senator.
Which isn’t to say I don’t have affinities. And there are certain bird species that almost always have priority access to my attention, that I can never get enough of. Northern harriers are one of them. Any time I see one flying with silent, unhurried assurance across a wide open space, I can’t help but watch them until they disappear.
Walking down Boca Chica Road, I was really hoping to see the harrier flying up the beach, so I kept turning around every few steps to make sure it wasn’t going to silently glide past.
I was almost to the far side of the runway when I saw it where I didn’t expect it, a largeish brown shape on the ground. It was the northern harrier, standing there. It was a young bird, orange-y in the breast.
Birds of prey, when they catch prey, tend to stand on top of it, look around, reach their bill down towards their feet to tear off a few choice bits, then return to looking around while they swallow it, lest some other bird of prey try to steal their food. I thought for a moment that the harrier had finally caught something, but I couldn’t see anything underneath it. And after a minute or two, it never reached down.
Other than when they’ve caught something, you generally don’t see raptors on the ground — not healthy raptors, at least. Harriers are a little different, though. Most of those that migrate come from the more northerly parts of the continent – grasslands and tundra. They actually nest on the ground. Often, there are no trees for miles around.
Maybe it had tried to catch something and missed. Maybe it was just taking a break. But two or three minutes later, it lifted its wings, gave a big flap and flew off away from the fence line.
A young northern harrier seen recently on Boca Chica. MARK HEDDEN/Keys Weekly
MARK HEDDEN
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
The sun has officially entered the sign of Scorpio, and it is the time of year when we peer under the surface of things. What have you been intentionally or unintentionally avoiding that deserves your attention now? How can you notice what stirs in your emotional depths? What will you be for Halloween? Scorpio is the sign of the shadow, and this is the time of year when we can lean into our intuition and our wiles to give some genuine credence to the parts of ourselves and our lives that tend to go overlooked. As the Sun enters Scorpio, it forms a frustrated 90-degree square to Pluto, the planet of intensity and transformation. You may feel a bit obsessed and hyperfocused under this transit, but you can utilize this energy to determine what you can and cannot control, choosing to focus on the things that you can influence. However, this week isn’t ALL intense introspection. At the same time, analytical Mercury is forming a friendly 120-degree trine to joyous Jupiter, encouraging us to engage in bold communication and friendly socializing. So when you finish obsessing, get out there and spend some time with people who fill your cup.
Here are your horoscopes for the Sun square Pluto and Mercury trine Jupiter. Read for your rising and sun signs.
SCORPIO
Oct. 23 - Nov. 21
A very happy birthday season, Scorpio. You may start to realize how you hold some power or sway at home or with family, and it will probably feel somewhat frustrating. However, remember that you only have control over your own reactions. If things feel a bit too intense with family, turn your
attention to sharing stories and engaging in big-picture thinking about life’s big adventures.
SAGITTARIUS
Nov. 22 - Dec. 21
Under this sky, you may experience some intense news or feel overstimulated by things that are usually pretty familiar. Use these moments to find quiet reflection rather than overreaction. In your quiet times, remember the joy you find in collaborating with your professional network on projects with a shared mission. Pay attention to the people who share your longterm vision.
CAPRICORN
Dec. 22 - Jan. 19
Squabbling with friends over money is possible right now, but this energy would be put to better use by constructive debates over your values. Your friends are people you can engage in deep conversations about what is important to you, and it is a perfect time to refine what you find meaningful. As you get social, an important partner will help to keep you joyful and buoyant.
AQUARIUS
Jan. 20 - Feb. 18
Work appears to be ramping up, and it may have you turning on the autopilot. Remember to take time for yourself, and only focus on what you can control. This is a perfect time to think about how wellness practices that make you feel good, like yoga or regular walking, can help you manage the balance between work and personal time. Take joy in routines.
PISCES
Feb. 19 - March 20
There is a powerful tension between a desire to go off and adventure and an impulse to hole up in isolation. This is a great time for planning your next big trip or a new course of study, so take some time to yourself and look into what is out there. Your creative outlet
is bringing you great happiness, and there just might be a way to incorporate that creative endeavor into travel.
ARIES
March 21 - April 19
Your family, whether biological or chosen, is a source of joy right now, and they are helping you to think through ways in which you can wisely invest your time, money or energy into something meaningful. Listen to their input. You may experience some frustration or power struggles with friends and supporters, but listening to understand rather than speaking to be right will take you far.
TAURUS
April 20 - May 20
Your greatest source of contentment in this moment is doing the usual things you enjoy with a person you love. Keeping it simple and connecting over conversation with an important partner is your medicine. Focusing on joyful moments with this person will help you navigate the frustrations or power struggles showing up at work. They will help you see a solution.
GEMINI
May 21 - June 20
You are very busy right now. There is a lot to do and seemingly not enough time to do it, and there is a powerful impulse to run away. However, honing in on what’s important and making a priority list will help to make your work more manageable. Tuning into your moral compass and remembering your core values will help you get through the chores list.
CANCER
June 21 - July 22
Infuse your creative expression with joyful representations of yourself. Sing your favorite songs, paint your portrait, tell your story. You are your own muse right now, so get inspired. When you experience some power struggle or frustration
INTENSITY AND JOY
with people that you are sharing resources with, remember that you are a wellspring of inspiration, and that you have bigger projects to work on.
LEO
July 23 - Aug. 22
Taking time to think about what home and family mean to you will offer you some truly joyous meditations. You don’t even have to go there or talk to them to feel the uplifting energy. Just thinking and talking about your roots is a balm. Be mindful about power struggles with an important partner, and rather than lock horns, listen deeply.
VIRGO
Aug. 23 - Sept. 22
Things may be feeling a bit monotonous right now, and that can be very frustrating. Don’t dig yourself into a hole of distress, however, because this is a perfect time to talk about your routines and habits and get some feedback. Opening up a conversation can release the tension. You have friends and supporters ready to celebrate you, so dive into some joyful socializing.
LIBRA
Sept. 23 - Oct. 23
Your career and public reputation are going through an expansion right now. Lean into that, and think about how you might be able to translate that into some actual income. If you’re feeling frustrated creatively, take some time to let go of what you are trying to create and welcome in something you were not expecting. It’s a time to creatively pivot.
Everyone is Invited to Be Our Guest at WILLIAM WEECH American Legion Post 168 803 Emma Street in Old Town Key West
J AZZ JAMS ! 8:30-11:30pm (Doors: 6pm)
Musicians SIT WITH YOU IN THE AUDIENCE for a Totally IMMERSIVE MUSIC EXPERIENCE!
The JAZZ LOUNGE Features: Larry Smith, Joe Dallas and Skipper Kripitz.
There’s a Full Bar & Food to Order from Olive’s Mediterranean Grill! $5 Cover Starts EVERY MONDAY on November 3
NEW M ONDAY N IGHT
GHOSTS OF INDIAN KEY
Skeleton discoveries date back to 1966
Editor’s note: This is the first in a two-part series.
There is an island in the Upper Keys that is home to a ghost town.
It is not a classic ghost town in the sense that empty structures give the island a haunted vibe. However, while walking along the pathways crisscrossing the island’s limestone bedrock, there are brick and coral rock ruins that hint at the structures that once stood.
What is haunting about Indian Key is its history. If ghosts are real, they would undoubtedly find the island homey. Juan Liguera identified it as Cayuelo de las Matanzas on his 1742 chart –mantanzas is the Spanish word for slaughter. The area’s first comprehensive English chart, drawn by William Gerard De Brahm in 1772, identified the island as Matanca. The 1774 Romans chart called it Matanca, too, but also included an explanation: “This key is called Matanca i.e. Murder from the catastrophe of a French crew said to have amounted to near three hundred men, who were unfortunate enough to fall into the hands of the Coloosas, which savages destroyed them to a man on this spot.”
Beyond a sailor’s secondhand story, the historical record seems to offer no further evidence of the alleged attack. This is not to say that people have not been murdered on the island, because they have. People killed elsewhere have been buried there, too. Now home to Indian Key Historic State Park, one of the island’s unique features is an open grave.
Since 1966, at least two skeletons have been discovered on the island. At least twice, the bones have disappeared. Someone, or more than a single someone, has Indian Key skeletons in their closet. Who the bones once belonged to poses an excellent question. The roughly 11-acre island was a thriving community in the early 1830s, home to as many as 140 people.
One candidate was William Emroy. A Key West Register and Commercial Advertiser story printed on April 9, 1829, read: “On board the boat ‘Saucy Jack,’ Cooley from Key West bound to New River off Key Vacas, at 12 O’clock at night, 22nd ult. Mr. Wm. Emroy fell from the stern of the boat and was drowned. Every exertion was made to save his life, but in vain. The body was taken to Indian Key and decently interred.”
A second possibility is Captain John Whalton, who was in command of the lightship Florida stationed at Turtle Harbor, just off Carysfort Reef. Whalton kept a fruit and vegetable garden on nearby Key Largo – an area known as Garden Cove. On July 25, 1837, Whalton and four of his men came ashore at Garden Cove. Indians were waiting for them. Whalton and one of the crew would not survive the encounter.
Reports indicate that two wreckers, one being William English from the ship Brilliant, approached the Key Largo site, came ashore, and retrieved the bodies. They were taken to Indian Key, where Whalton, according to some sources, was buried. A third possibility is the Wrecker King of Indian Key, Jacob Housman. Though he didn’t die on the island, it is said his body was brought to the island and buried there in May 1841. A tombstone inscribed with an epitaph honoring Housman was placed on the island.
In a letter dated May 30, 1966, Lower Matecumbe resident Terry Starck wrote a letter describing a skeleton he discovered on the island.
“I found the grave as I was walking along the shore and happened to see what seemed to be the part of a human skull lying on the ground. My wife and (I)‘excavated’ it with our hands, being careful not to displace anything. The skeleton was complete but appeared to be somewhat disarranged (One of the legs was out of place, for instance.). There were fragments of what appeared to be wood and some metal pieces in the grave, but the skeleton was the only identifiable item.
The skeleton was only two or three inches beneath the surface. We did not move any of the bones, except the piece of the skull which we had originally seen above the ground. When we left, we replaced as much of the dirt as possible.
I did not get a chance to return for several weeks, and sometime in that interval the grave had been re-excavated and all the skeleton removed. There were several teeth left, which I took. However, that day I was caught in a severe squall, and in trying to get my boat back home, I ripped the pocket containing the teeth and they
fell into the water. Therefore, I am sorry to say, nothing remains of the skeleton, unless the people who dug it up the second time have saved it.
Since we are not positive at all this is Housman’s grave (it seems likely, since the skeleton was so close to the place where the original marker was found.), I am afraid I am not much help. The only concrete information is the picture of the grave site (also enclosed) which I took on my return trip.”
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.
It was not the last skeleton to disappear. After the state purchased the island in 1970, archaeologist Henry Baker was assigned the job of surveying the island. Baker identified evidence of a prehistoric Indian presence on the island. In addition to a small Indian mound containing pottery sherds, buttons and a one-cent piece dated 1819, he uncovered human bones. Baker decided to collect the pottery sherds, buttons and the coin, but left the skeletal remains in situ, or where he had found them. They would not remain long. Upon Baker’s return visit to the island, the bones had been dug up and taken.
It is hard to say how many ghosts call Indian Key home. Emory, Whalton and Housman are certainly contenders. Others have been interred on the island, including six who died during the August 7, 1840, attack during the second escalation of the Seminole War. Those stories, and more, will have to wait until next week.
Skeleton discovered on Indian Key. JERRY WILKINSON COLLECTIONContributed
HELP KEEP KEY WEST BEAUTIFUL
JOIN A 1- HOUR CLEANUP FRIDAY MORNINGS
Oct. 17 morning cleanup was held at the corner of Duval and Eaton streets. In one hour, 58 volunteers collected a total of 257 pounds of trash, 26 pounds of recycling and 2 gallons of cigarette butts. Special thanks to Berkshire Hathaway for hosting the Ploggers with breakfast for all their hard work. We continue the Duval Street clean sweep by meeting at the fire station on Simonton Street on Friday, Oct. 24. CONTRIBUTED
One hour a week makes a huge difference, and volunteers are welcome every Friday and some Saturday mornings, from 8 to 9 a.m., when the Key West Ploggers clean up a designated area of the island.
Gloves, pickers, buckets, vests, hand sanitizer and a parking pass are provided to all volunteers.
A troubling number of cigarette butts and plastic bags have been included in recent hauls. Please remember your reusable bags when shopping so we can keep the plastic off the streets, parking lots and, most importantly, out of the water. And dispose of cigarette butts in any receptacle rather than the street or sidewalk, as from there, they easily end up in the ocean.
The city of Key West and its residents ask everyone to do their part to help keep Key West beautiful. With simple steps like making sure you bag your trash before putting it in your Waste Management trash cans or Dumpsters, and making sure the lids on Dumpsters are closed, will keep a lot of trash from blowing into the streets. Call Waste Management at 305-296-8297 for any furniture items left on the city right of way.
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 specialneeds 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.
Please pick up around your home or apartment complex. Every piece of trash picked up is one less that may end up in the ocean that surrounds and sustains our island community. It is not just the large items you can see easily when you are walking, but the smaller items such as bottle caps and cigarette butts that are collected by the volunteers that make the biggest difference.
It takes committed community involvement to keep Key West beautiful and we are making progress with every cleanup event and every spot that’s adopted. Call Dorian Patton at 305-809-3782 to find out how your business, nonprofit or club can help.
— Contributed
Join a one-hour Friday morning cleanup. All events are 8 to 9 a.m. unless otherwise noted.
Oct. 24: Key West Fire Station on Simonton Street. Meet in the parking lot. Hosted by Kenna Construction & ShineGroup, eXp Realty.
Oct. 31: Duval & Virginia streets. Meet on Virginia Street next to Duval Square. Hosted by Stacy Stahl, Realty One Group Destination.
Gerri and Dante are 2-year-old, small, mixed-breed pup brothers. Dante is a sweet, affectionate and gentle pup that will steal your heart at first glance. Dante may take a little time to warm up to new faces, but once he feels comfortable, his sweet and loving nature shines through. Gerri can be a bit shy at first, but don’t let that fool you-he’s a soft-hearted soul who’s ready to become your new best friend. Like Dante, Gerri is perfectly capable of adapting to a home on his own, but he really comes out of his shell when he’s with his brother. While they would love to stay together, we know that both pups can also flourish on their own. If you can provide one or both of them a loving home, come visit the brothers.
is ready to rule your world.
Frankie, an
are
and
and
find
The
Nyx is a 2-month-old domestic shorthair male kitty. This furry cutie would love to be your shadow and follow you around. He’s playful, sweet and already mastering the art of lap snuggles.
Meet Starr, a 2-month-old domestic shorthair female kitty. She enjoys warm laps, sunbeams and being admired like the star she is. This little lady
Meet
extra-large male rat. Rats
smart, social
clean. He’d love a spacious cage, playtime
to
his forever cheese.
Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy’s new Islamorada bayfront property boasts two pools, a private beach, dockage and a boat ramp. CONTRIBUTED
Dave ‘El Presidente’ Portnoy, right, congratulates Coast to Coast Pizza Company manager Anthony Ludovici-DeBrigida on his shop’s 7.7 score during a Jan. 11, 2023 visit.
BARSTOOL SPORTS’ PORTNOY PURCHASES KEYS PROPERTY FOR A RECORD-SETTING $27.7 MILLION
JIM McCARTHY jim@keysweekly.com
Aluxurious bayfront property on Islamorada’s Lower Matecumbe is now in the hands of the man behind the popular Barstool Sports digital media company and the famous “One Bite Pizza Reviews.”
In early October, Dave “El Presidente” Portnoy closed on the 1.65 acre estate — with two residences totaling 10,228 square feet — for $27.75 million.
Listed by real estate agent Leslie Leopold and broker associate Cheri Tindall, of Ocean Sotheby’s International Realty, the sale is the highest ever recorded in the Florida Keys outside of the private, gated Ocean Reef community in North Key Largo.
Leopold told Keys Weekly that Islamorada continues to attract discerning buyers who value luxury and authenticity.
“Big money tends to stay anonymous here — this is a laid-back island community where everyone blends in, whether you’re a billionaire, a teacher, a boat captain, or a retiree,” Leopold said. “You might find yourself playing pickleball next to any of the above.
“People are drawn to the easygoing lifestyle, the natural beauty, and the sense of privacy the Keys offer. You can enjoy peace and seclusion when you want it, or head out and feel warmly welcomed — but never bothered,” Leopold added.
Portnoy was represented by Nicolas Serhant, real estate agent with Serhant.
The expansive waterfront property was originally listed at $31.2 million. Completed in 2024, Portnoy’s newly-constructed mansion consists of a five-bedroom, five-anda-half bathroom main residence and three-bedroom, four bathroom guest house.
A pie-loving aficionado and critic, Portnoy’s compound includes an Italian brick pizza oven.
Portnoy’s latest property acquisition brings his total luxury real estate portfolio to $95 million in New York, Massachusetts and Florida, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal. He purchased a $14 million waterfront mansion in Miami in 2021 and split significant time between that house and a Nantucket estate, but began posting about mold issues in the Miami property in August 2024.
A Michigan Wolverines and New England Patriots fanatic, Portnoy is certainly no stranger to the Florida Keys. In 2023, Portnoy’s visit to the Keys included stops at several local pizza joints. He gave Marathon’s Coast to Coast Pizza a 7.7 score and praised the “good, quality football pizza that you could never get tired of.”
Portnoy’s review received almost 3 million views across various social media platforms when it debuted online on Jan. 19, 2023. For Coast to Coast, the review led to its highestgrossing sales days since it first opened in the spring of 2022.
Portnoy also paid previous visits to Tavernier’s Krust Pizza, Islamorada’s Enrico’s Pizza, Big Pine Key’s No Name Pub and Key West’s Mr. Z’s.
SHERIFF’S DEPUTY ARRESTED FOR ALLEGED DUI AND CHILD NEGLECT
He began vacationing in the Lower Keys in recent summers, according to social media activity.
A day after the purchase, the media mogul in Portnoy issued his first take on Islamorada — a positive one — during his visit to Bad Boy Burrito. In his Instagram post, he noted a lot of lunch spots were closed that day.
“Thank god for Bad Boy Burrito. Very good fish tacos,” he wrote.
Portnoy is certainly busy these days with his appearances on “The Unnamed Show,” other Barstool Sports shows and his new gig with Fox’s “Big Noon Kickoff” show, which travels to various college campuses throughout the football season. And when he’s not watching his horses race, throwing down some bets or raising money for dogs, Portnoy will surely enjoy what the pet-friendly Islamorada community has to offer from the local cuisine to some picturesque Keys sunsets.
Portnoy is the latest celebrity to purchase a home in the Florida Keys. In June 2024, actress Sydney Sweeney snatched a $13.5 million mansion on Summerland Key. As for sports icons, Islamorada is home to legendary University of Miami and Dallas Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson and Doug Mientkiewicz, 2004 World Series champion with the Boston Red Sox and 2000 Olympics gold medalist with the USA baseball team.
— Alex Rickert contributed to this report
Jesus Abdiel Rojas Burgos. MCSO/Contributed
AMonroe County Sheriff’s Office deputy is facing charges after he was pulled over in the Lower Keys and found to be allegedly driving under the influence with a child in the back seat.
Deputy Jesus Abdiel Rojas Burgos, 30, was off-duty and in a private vehicle when he was stopped by the sheriff’s office on U.S. 1 near MM 22 for speeding at approximately 4:34 a.m. Deputies say there was a young child in the vehicle.
Rojas Burgos was arrested and charged with DUI and child neglect. A friend picked up the child.
“I am committed to the public hearing about significant incidents in the Sheriff’s Office — both positive and negative — from me first,” said Sheriff Rick Ramsay.
Rojas Burgos’ employment status is pending an internal affairs investigation. He was hired on April 10, 2023.
— Keys Weekly staff report
WYLAND ADDS TO THE WALL
ALEX RICKERT alex@keysweekly.com
The creator of one of Marathon’s most beloved murals gave a thank-you to the Middle Keys community as renowned artist and conservationist Wyland returned to his Whaling Wall #87 on Oct. 20.
Pausing, as he always does, for plenty of photo ops, autographs and storytelling with local residents who stopped by to see the master at work, Wyland added a larger-than-life mother and baby manatee to the sub-sea scenery, first painted in 1991. Teaming up again with local muralist Shannon Wiley, the pair later added a protective clear coating donated by Sherwin Williams to the entire wall.
Inspiration for the mural’s new members, he said, came from recent rescues by Dolphin Research Center’s manatee rescue team, which gave a second chance at life to female manatee “Stripes” and her two-day-old calf in May of this year.
In attendance at the paint-slinging session were DRC co-founder Mandy Rodriguez and Turtle Hospital manager Bette Zirkelbach, who together with her staff provided an educational station and opportunities for a meetand-greet with a rehab patient.
Originally set to be covered in plans for beachwear retailer SurfStyle’s redesign of the old Kmart building on Overseas Highway, the mural will now be preserved in full after word of the plans inspired widespread community support for the longstanding art installation.
Taking the facade of its storefront back to the drawing board in a move heartily praised by Marathon residents and officials, the reimagined store-
front now includes the fully-lit Whaling Wall next to companion scenery by the original mural’s co-creator, Guy Harvey. The store helped furnish equipment needed for the mural refresh, Wyland told the Weekly.
“I was super stoked to come back and do the complete restoration for the community,” he said.
According to manager Bruce Blevins, SurfStyle plans to open its doors by the final week of October or first week of November, promising a fully-stocked array of Keys-appropriate apparel, fishing gear and an ice cream and candy bar. Drawing eyes from the front of the store is a much-anticipated Flow Rider attraction – a pool providing a perpetual wave for guests to “surf,” set to stay open well into the evening on most nights.
Wyland poses with his new additions to Whaling Wall #87: a mom and baby manatee, flanked by mangrove roots. ALEX RICKERT/Keys Weekly
Mike Goheen, right, shows a special photo to the famed muralist: a signed photo of himself as a baby, in Wyland’s arms at the Whaling Wall.
Carrying multiple exclusive retail lines. Plus a selection of unique & carefully curated pre-loved items.
BOUTIQUE HOURS
MONDAY - WEDNESDAY 11- 4
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Founded by Betty Debnam
Home on the Range
Mini Fact: Kansas is the fourth-leading state in sunflower production in the U.S.
Sometimes people refer to the center of the United States as “flyover country” because most planes fly over going somewhere else. But our 34th state, Kansas, is home to important history, essential industry and cultural icons.
The Sunflower State was added to the Union on Jan. 29, 1861. The geographical center of the contiguous United States is in Smith County, Kansas.
KANSAS HISTORY
The word “Kansas” comes from an Algonquin word, Akansa, and Kansa, which the Kaw people were sometimes called. Native Americans lived throughout the Plains states, hunting buffalo and living along the great rivers.
The first civilians to settle in Kansas founded the city of Lawrence, where the University of Kansas is today. Many of these people were “free-staters” who supported abolition, or the freeing of enslaved people.
DUST BOWL AND BEYOND
In the 1930s, many people left southwest Kansas after extreme drought (drowt) left farmland and homes destroyed by dust storms.
Later, as World War II began, Wichita and other cities in Kansas became centers for manufacturing aircraft. Aviation is still a big industry in the state.
Nearly 90% of land in Kansas is used for agriculture, where farmers raise cattle, sheep, wheat, sorgum, cotton and hogs.
Kansas’ biggest city is Wichita, in the south central region. The Kansas City Metro area is bigger, but the city straddles the Missouri River and state line. The state capital is Topeka, which lies along the Kansas River.
About 3 million people live in Kansas.
KANSAS CULTURE
Most people know Kansas as the home of Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz.” In addition, Laura Ingalls Wilder’s book “Little House on the Prairie” is set in Kansas.
The oldest operating film theater in the world is in Ottawa, Kansas. The state is home to the University of Kansas and Kansas State University, along with many other public and private colleges.
SPORTS IN KANSAS
Most football and baseball fans in Kansas support the Chiefs and Royals, although the teams play in Missouri. Other professional sports teams include Sporting KC (MLS), the Wichita Thunder (ice hockey) and Missouri’s Kansas City Current (NWSL).
KU’s mascot, the Jayhawk. People who came to Kansas to fight against slavery were called “jayhawkers.”
People in Kansas like to hike, bike, ride horses, follow NASCAR, kayak, fish and hunt.
Words that remind us of Kansas are hidden in this puzzle. Some words are hidden backward or diagonally, and some letters are used twice. See if you can find:
• Aviator Amelia Earhart was born in Atchison, Kansas, in 1897. Earhart hoped to become the first female pilot to fly all the way around the world. But in 1937, as she and her navigator, Fred Noonan, flew from Lae, New Guinea, toward Howland Island in the Pacific Ocean, the plane disappeared. Experts believe the plane ran out of fuel and crashed into the ocean. Earhart’s remains were never found.
• Dwight D. Eisenhower was the 34th president of the United States, serving from 1953 to 1961. He was born in Denison, Texas, but grew up in Abilene, Kansas. During World War II, Eisenhower served as the General of the Army.
• Phog Allen, who was born in 1885, attended the University of Kansas, where he was coached by the inventor of basketball, James Naismith. Allen went on to coach at KU from 1919 to 1956. He is sometimes called the “father of basketball coaching.”
RESOURCES
On the Web:
• bit.ly/MPKansas At the library:
• “Amelia Earhart: The Woman Who Soared Above the Clouds” by Diana Hope
Light pollution is causing birds worldwide to sing for nearly an hour longer each day, according to a report in the journal Science. By analyzing more than 4.4 million dawn and dusk vocalization records from 583 species, scientists found that birds in lighted areas start singing 18 minutes earlier and end 32 minutes later than those in darker habitats. The effect is strongest in species with large eyes, open nests or migratory behavior, and it is most pronounced during breeding season. The extended vocal activity could disrupt birds’ rest cycles and reproduction.
