-Lobster, Filet mignon, shrimp, scallops , 1/2 lb of snow crab with side dish
Desert of choice
Price : $129.95
Drinks specials: Danny’s margarita $7.95
Reservations for big parties all day at Two Friends
Reservation for parties of all sizes for lunch and dinner at Two Friends
$1,575,000
It's close enough to the hustle of downtown to bike or golf-cart there, yet far enough away to leave it all behind and unwind. This home's backyard is made for lounging by the pool or relaxing on the back deck to watch your favorite team play on the outdoor TV. Inside, you'll find a kitchen that will excite even the most reluctant chef. Gather around the impressive 96'' x 60'' island as you entertain guests. The property comes with comprehensive protections: a new roof, impact windows, and flood barriers on all doors. There is ample indoor and outdoor storage for all your items, as well as a laundry room. The landscaping is maturing and provides privacy, while the outdoor decks feature low-maintenance engineered wood. Irrigation keeps the front lawn lush, and the HVAC system is four years old. An added bonus is covered parking, with additional street parking available for guests.
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5,195
Per Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, 5,195 green iguanas were removed from the wild in two days. An executive order allowed people to remove the live, cold-stunned reptiles without a permit on Feb. 1-2. A total of 215 green iguanas were dropped off at FWC’s Marathon station. Any iguanas turned in that could not be transferred to permit holders were humanely killed by trained staff.
Artist Peter Vey’s latest paintings will be on exhibit and available for sale at Gallery on Greene, which will host an artist’s opening reception the evening of Feb. 14. See page 24. CONTRIBUTED
CITY BACKS OUT OF PARKING GARAGE PLAN, FOR NOW
Neighbors opposed $6M proposal to add 85 spaces
MANDY MILES
mandy@keysweekly.com
“Never mind.”
Key West city officials have hit the brakes, at least for now, on an unpopular plan to build a new downtown parking garage at Simonton and Angela streets.
“The parking garage is on hold. That’s over. There’s no further discussions to be had,” Mayor Dee Dee Henriquez told the the Keys Weekly on Feb. 9. “The city manager and staff had wanted to present their plan, hear people’s input and take the temperature of the public.”
It had been two weeks since three city executives pitched a $6 million, 85-space parking structure at a Jan. 27 workshop.
($4.2 million for the garage, plus $1.8 million for electric-vehicle charging stations, new public restrooms, new landscaping and bench seating in a courtyard.).
City Manager Brian L. Barroso, engineering director Doug Bradshaw and parking director John Wilkins got plenty of feedback at the workshop, which at times got heated as more than two dozen people objected to the project’s cost, location and impacts on traffic congestion. But attendees were most frustrated by what they saw as the city’s failure to address the frequent flooding in the area before forging ahead with a new, $6 million parking garage, which some worried would impede drainage and exacerbate flooding.
Barroso, Bradshaw and Wilkins repeatedly reminded resi-
dents the meeting was about the new parking structure. They said the flooding would be addressed, but by a different department and through a different series of meetings.
The parking garage proposal never made it to a city commission agenda for discussion or decision. By Feb. 6, Barroso had scrapped the parking garage proposal in response to the public’s opposition. When asked about it at the Feb. 11 city commission meeting, Barroso said his team is working to install an injection well to alleviate the stormwater flooding at that intersection, which has long frustrated neighbors. The parking garage is “paused,” for now, Barroso said.
City officials have paused plans for a parking structure at Angela and Simonton streets. CONTRIBUTED
Key West & Cuba’s Museum Quality Regional Art
Celebrating Cultural Resilience
CUBAN ART TOUR April 20-24, 2026
Artist’s Reception
Saturday, February 14th, 2026, 5-8 pm
A Bold New Voice in American Regionalism
With the muscular rhythm of Abstract Expressionism and the textured lyricism of thick palette strokes, Peter Vey carves his place among the greats of the American Scene. Echoing the legacy of Winslow Homer, Grant Wood, John Steuart Curry, Reginald Marsh, and Thomas Hart Benton, Vey reimagines Regionalism with a contemporary pulse—fresh, fearless, and unmistakably his own.
Celebrate Valentine’s Day in gorgeous styles perfect for sunny days, romantic nights, and everything in between. Stop in and check out all our new arrivals that will have you ready for any occasion.
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Poinciana Porch, 40” x 50”, Oil on Linen
In
808 Carey Lane | Key West | MLS#618388 | 3 bd | 3 ba | 1600 sq ft | $2,750,000
Experience the captivating charm of Key West through this stunning Conch home, a genuine gem steeped in history. Dating back to the late 1800s, this property has undergone meticulous restoration, blending the historical allure of Old Town Key West with modern comforts. Recognized for its outstanding restoration efforts, the home has proudly won the Historic Florida Keys Preservation Award, showcasing the artistry of master craftsmanship and custom woodworking, which re ect the unique character of the Dade County Pine. Step inside to discover a haven of elegance, where high ceilings and stainless-steel appliances harmonize with sophisticated design. The heart of the home, the kitchen, effortlessly combines functionality with style, making it a delightful space for culinary adventures. Adjacent to the kitchen, expansive living areas invite relaxation and connection, seamlessly merging indoor and outdoor living. The spacious bedrooms offer serene retreats, each with its own unique charm and island air. An additional bonus room presents endless possibilities, whether as a guest suite, of ce, or serene reading nook. An exquisite feature of this property is the inviting poolside guest cottage, a perfect sanctuary for visitors or a private escape for family. This charming cottage enhances the home's versatility, ensuring guests enjoy their own serene space while being just steps away from the main house. The layout thoughtfully caters to both privacy and togetherness, ensuring a cozy atmosphere for family and friends. Outside, the property boasts a charming garden oasis, perfect for hosting gatherings or enjoying quiet moments in the sun. The lush tropical landscape embodies the vibrant spirit of Key West, creating a serene backdrop for outdoor living. This Conch home is more than just a residence; it represents a lifestyle steeped in warmth, community, and the essence of island living. In Key West, every day feels like a vacation.
CITY MANAGER ASKED FOR A $50K RAISE, GOT $20K
Commissioners also reject current designs for new welcome sign
mandy@keysweekly.com
Ask for the world; settle for what you can get.
A negotiation tactic as old as commerce itself apparently worked this week for Key West City Manager Brian L. Barroso, whose raise request prompted a social media uproar when the Feb. 11 city commission meeting agenda was published online and showed Barroso asking for a $50,000 raise in salary, a $400 monthly increase to his transportation allowance and an extension that would change his two-year contract to a four-year one that would last until 2029.
The commission on Feb. 11 ultimately voted 4-2 to instead give Barroso a $20,000 bump, bringing his annual base salary from $245,000 to $265,000.
Mayor Dee Dee Henriquez and commissioner Sam Kaufman, who is running against Henriquez in the upcoming mayoral election, both voted against the increase. Commissioner Monica Haskell said she was voting yes in the spirit of compromise.
Commissioner Donie Lee started the salary discussion by outlining the changes he would be willing to accept, including a raise to $265,000 instead of the requested $295,000.
Commissioner Greg Veliz, who was appointed to fulfill the term of the late commissioner Mary Lou Hoover, spoke with a unique perspective, having previously worked as Key West’s city manager. Veliz seemed willing to approve the full $295,000 salary, but the vote never came to that.
Prior to the discussion and vote, several community members spoke out against the amount of the raise and criticized Barroso for including it on the commission’s consent agenda, meaning it would have been approved in bulk with no discussion
unless a commissioner asked that it be pulled and discussed.
In the days prior to the meeting, Chris Massicotte, who is running for Hoover’s commission seat in District 5, told the Keys Weekly, “Elections are coming up in August that could change the makeup of the commission. One of the first things they would have to consider is whether to renew the city manager’s contract. It seems to me they are doing this now to take that decision away from a future commission and make it much more expensive to make any changes to city management at a time when the city’s ability to levy property taxes is uncertain.”
The discussion of the city manager’s salary also highlighted the continuing animosity between Kaufman and Barroso, which required the mayor to step in and referee during a heated exchange at a meeting last year.
This week’s meeting saw Kaufman questioning whether Barroso had begun taking any classes to pursue a certification in public administration, which was part of his initial employment agreement. (Barroso said he has been enrolled in Florida State University’s master’s level public administration program.) It also saw Barroso accusing Kaufman of misleading the public by implying that Barroso had not been responsive to emails from Kaufman.
“To sit there and imply a lack of communication, the lack isn’t coming from me,” Barroso said. “You chose not to respond to me.”
Welcome to Key West?
In other commission news, lawmakers rejected six examples of new granite welcome signs that will be installed at the Triangle entrance to the island. After commissioner Aaron Castillo, a mortician, opined that the proposed granite signs “look like gravestones,” the city will instead seek proposals for sign designs and evaluate those that are submitted.
See keysweekly.com for a full report from the Feb. 11 city commission meeting, which was reconvening at 5 p.m., after press time.
ENCLOSED STORAGE LIMITATION IS NO LONGER IN MONROE COUNTY
The Monroe County Board of County Commissioners voted to eliminate the longstanding 299-square-foot limitation for enclosed storage space below elevated homes in unincorporated Monroe County, as well as the requirement for an inspection at the time of sale.
County code amendments to formalize these changes took effect Feb. 4. Those seeking to construct more than 299 square feet of space under their homes may submit building permit applications now. Applications can be found at monroecounty-fl.gov/permitting.
Under the new changes, downstairs enclosures must still be used only for limited
storage, parking, or access to the building. They cannot be converted into living space under federal floodplain regulations. Property owners seeking permits to expand storage enclosures will continue to be required to sign a recorded non-conversion agreement that documents allowable uses and ensures future buyers have a clear record of permitted improvements.
“This is a major step forward for Monroe County residents,” said Emily Schemper, the county’s growth management director. “Removing the size restriction gives homeowners more flexibility while maintaining compliance with federal flood regulations that protect our community.” — Contributed
FILE PHOTO
MANDY MILES
Key West City Manager Brian L. Barroso
SHRIMP BOOTS, ‘DOG TAGS’ & HALF SHELL HARMONY
KEY WEST BACK IN THE DAY
Before Key West earned its reputation as a must-visit tourism destination, there was a waterfront bar and restaurant that locals made their own — the Half Shell Raw Bar. It came by its “salty” name honestly, as it was located beside the working shrimp docks in a little enclave called Lands End Village at the foot of Margaret Street.
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.
Many of us stopped at the Half Shell regularly for a drink and a plate of fresh-offthe-boat steamed shrimp. The shrimpers who delivered the catch, strutting in their unofficial uniform of well-worn jeans and high white rubber boots, were the kings of the waterfront.
And the queen? For most of Half Shell’s clientele, it was a super-talented singer named Elayne Culpepper.
Elayne discovered the Florida Keys in 1975 and shortly thereafter decided to stay. Her first Keys job was tending bar at the Big Pine Inn. Although she had trained as a dancer and acted in musical theater in her native New Jersey, she had never sung professionally.
That changed one night in 1976 at the old Gold Coast Lounge on Flagler Avenue. Ron Hatfield was playing guitar, and Elayne found herself onstage singing “Silver Threads and Golden Needles.” Shortly after she finished the ballad, Ron asked her to join his band.
Elayne sang with Ron’s Big Coppitt Cowboys for the next five years. Old-time Key West residents (including me) still talk nostalgically about the Cowboys’ gigs at the Half Shell, where her trademarks were “Blue Bayou” and a shining a cappella version of “Colorado.”
I’ll never forget sitting at the bar with my pirate boyfriend, sipping vodka and soda in the heat of the late afternoon, completely mesmerized by her soaring voice as she wove her way through the longing lyrics of “Colorado.”
The song might have been made famous by Linda Ronstadt, but Elayne’s version could stop servers in their tracks and bring sea-hardened shrimpers to tears.
A while later, Elayne moved on to a new life. But the Half Shell remained, an unashamedly funky hangout known for its generous drinks, nononsense atmosphere and fresh seafood.
By the mid-1980s, Jimmy Buffett had opened his original Margaritaville Store just across the Lands End Village parking lot from the bar. I was lucky enough to be part of the store’s startup team, and quite often around noon, I’d stroll over to the Half Shell for an order of smoked fish — my favorite “working lunch” in those days.
You never knew who you might see in the open-air spot, with its picnic tables for diners and its oyster shuckers working at warp speed. Charter fishing captains, commercial fishermen and shrimpers mingled with outlaw writers, thirsty Margaritaville shoppers and a few visitors eager to experience “the real Key West.”
Often a handful of treasure divers were there as well — identifiable by their dark tanned skin, hair bleached nearly white by saltwater and sun,
and centuries-old Spanish coins hanging from cords or chains around their necks. Known as “Key West dog tags,” the coins were badges of honor, tangible trophies the divers earned during their exhaustive search for the sunken 1622 galleons Nuestra Señora de Atocha and Santa Margarita.
Docked not far from the Half Shell was a decrepit replica Spanish galleon dubbed the Golden Doubloon, the headquarters and office of Mel Fisher, the charismatic head of the treasure search. His crews rarely had much money to spend, but they could spin tales of adventure that held listeners spellbound.
Some of them still frequent the Half Shell today. So do I, and other old-timers who enjoy the familiar comfort evoked by its largely unchanged atmosphere. The shrimpers are gone and it’s been decades since Elayne Culpepper sang there, but the memories remain — and they feel good.
CAROL SHAUGHNESSY
Decades ago, scores of shrimp boats dock next to the Half Shell Raw Bar. DALE McDONALD/ Florida Keys History Center
The Half Shell Raw Bar, shown in the 1970s, was a favorite waterfront hangout for Key West locals, shrimpers, treasure hunters and other assorted characters. DON PINDER/Florida Keys History Center
KEY WEST FIRE MARSHAL RETIRES
Jason
Barroso
bolstered fire training program for KWHS students
The city of Key West this week announced the retirement of fire marshal and division chief Jason Barroso after 24 years.
As fire marshal, Jason Barroso — not to be confused with his two brothers, Key West City Manager Brian L. Barroso and Key West fire department division chief Gregory Barroso — led fire safety campaigns, from cooking safety to proper use and disposal of lithium batteries, states a city-issued press release.
“I’ve spent my whole career with him,” said Fire Chief Alan
Averette. “We started on the back of a truck at Station No. 3.”
“Jason is extremely dedicated,” said Averette. “He’s always gone above and beyond, night or day.”
Barroso was a driving force in the fire academy, a program that works with Key West High School students, training them for two years. The academy began as an explorer program nearly 20 years ago, then developed into a full two-year academy that trains future firefighters while they’re attending their final two years of high school. Upon completion, the students have received the equivalent training of a certified firefighter I, which puts them halfway through the training required to become a Key West firefighter. During the fire academy training, students also earn certifications in emergency medical responder and hazmat awareness.
Over the past decade, nearly 200 students have finished the program. Thirteen have gone on to finish full certification and join the Key West Fire Department.
“Jason has been a driving force at the academy,” said Averette. “He was inspiring to the students. His enthusiasm may account for why we have former students as firefighters now.” — Contributed
The brothers Barroso, from left, are Key West City Manager Brian L. Barroso, fire department division chief Gregory Barroso and retiring fire marshal Jason Barroso.
Key West Fire Chief Alan Averette, left, with retiring fire marshal Jason Barroso. CONTRIBUTED
FROM COUNTY TO CAPITOL
ALEX RICKERT alex@keysweekly.com
As the rest of Florida battled a brutal cold snap, government leaders and nonprofit reps from the state’s warmest islands brought the needs and voices of Monroe County to the state capitol for Florida Keys Day 2026 on Feb. 5.
What began 16 years ago as a class project for Leadership Monroe County Class XVII now spills into multiple days jam-packed with meetings with legislators, cabinet officials and regulatory agencies, with some Keys cities sending representatives days before the official “Florida Keys Day” began.
Recognition of the Keys delegation from the House floor by state Rep. Jim Mooney on Feb. 4 preceded a welcome reception hosted by Mooney and state Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez. Mooney again opened the doors of his office to the group the following morning before a nonstop string of legislators, state agency officials and cabinet members took their turn addressing the state’s southernmost county. And of course, a reception with flowing drinks, live music, conch fritters, fried shrimp and mahi, and chocolate-covered Key lime pie awaited all in the Capitol at the end of the day.
Speaking to the Keys group, Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association president and CEO Carol Dover acknowledged the devastating effects of recent immigration enforcement on an already-severe labor shortage in the island chain.
“The (immigrants) who want to work, stay out of jail and provide a service and work in our industry, we need to find some better path for them,”
she said. “We are dying, and you’re not the only county. … If we don’t come up with something, our industry is going to break.”
She floated a potential solution to include work permits, driver’s licenses and specialized identification cards –without voting privileges – for workers who’d been in the U.S. for more than eight years with no criminal records, renewable on an annual basis.
Michael Wickersheim, Citizens Property Insurance legislative & cabinet affairs director, touted a 58% reduction in policies for the state-run agency as new private companies return to Florida, along with steady rates or decreases for the majority of policyholders in 2026. Several from the Keys contingent pressed Wickersheim, along with Office of Insurance Regulation commissioner Michael Yaworksy, on Citizens’ controversial requirement for homeowners to maintain separate flood insurance policies in order to be covered for wind damage.
“We’re the only builder of the affordable homeownership model that we need (in the Keys) so dramatically,” said Habitat for Humanity of the Middle Keys executive director Chris Todd Young. “We build to 180 (miles per hour), we’re 15 feet in the air stilted, and that requirement for flood definitely hurts the affordability of the homes for our owners.”
Rudy Powell, Department of Transportation chief engineer of operations, outlined multiple bridge rehabilitation projects on deck for his department, including a $242 million refurbishment of the Long Key Bridge that will open for bidding in 2029.
A replacement of the Seven Mile Bridge is scheduled for the late 2040s, he said, with smaller rehabilitation projects set for the existing bridge in the late 2020s. Islamorada’s Snake Creek Bridge will also be rehabilitated, but not replaced as a fixed-span bridge as some concept drawings have suggested, he added.
Islamorada Village Manager Ron Saunders asked whether FDOT has any upcoming plans to widen portions of U.S. 1 to four lanes, discussed in various county commission and other government meetings in recent years. Powell said no such plans were in the pipeline.
As property taxes take center stage during the 2026 legislative session, Keys leaders heard support for various proposals from state officials – from chief financial officer Blaise Ingoglia backing systems to shield larger portions of home values from taxation through homestead exemptions, to Miami-based Rep. Juan Carlos Porras’ proposal to eliminate property taxes for residents 65 years and older. Both men said they fully expect at least one proposal to make the ballot for Floridians’ approval this November.
While Ingoglia said his priority was to make homeownership more affordable by discouraging large-scale institutional investors from purchasing single-family homes, participants asked the CFO to consider support that would extend tax rebates or similar relief to homeowners who rent their properties full-time to the Keys’ vital workforce.
They argued Porras’ proposal, meanwhile, could disproportionately
cripple smaller Keys cities with older populations. The problem would only multiply, they said, as even more senior newcomers would flock to Florida seeking property tax breaks.
Mayor Bruce Halle, representing the city of Layton, said his city manages just a $400,000 budget from a population of 210 residents.
“If 50% of our population is over 65, (that proposal) would be a problem,” he said.
And as the Florida Department of Government Efficiency continues to scrutinize local government spending, Ingoglia said he appreciated moves already made by county leaders, including significant layoffs in late 2025.
“By challenging the status quo and making people aware that this is an issue, by us actually looking, we think that we’re changing behavior,” Ingoglia said. “That’s one of the intentions.”
In December, the Florida Administration Commission greenlit a new batch of 900 new building allocations for use throughout Monroe County – 300 in January 2026, with an additional 150 every two years. This year’s Keys Day group could breathe a sigh of relief without the looming threat of takings cases amid dwindling units – but meetings with Gov. Ron DeSantis’ deputy chief of staff Cody Farrill sent a strong message about how the new rights should be used, a critical distinction as Keys governments look to solidify their own plans to distribute the new units.
“All we wanted is for the first (300 units) to be available, and that was our way of meeting in the middle,” Farrill
continued on the next page
said. “We won’t force them to give out all (900) immediately, because that’s not smart growth. … But that first (300) had to have been made available if people wanted them. … I don’t believe you can hold them.”
As the contingent returned to Monroe County, the Keys Weekly followed up with local leaders to learn their biggest “wins” from their days in the capital.
Monroe County
Mayor Michelle Lincoln said a sitdown with FWC Executive Director Roger Young reinforced critical work already underway to preserve Keys waters, from mooring field installations and derelict vessels to support for artificial reefs.
“It’s taken us years, but we are moving that needle, and we have the buy-in by all the agencies, the state and the funding coming together for us to make an environmental impact,” she said.
“We’re down to 81 derelict vessels in the entire county,” Young told county leaders in a scheduled meeting. “People said we couldn’t do that, we questioned why, and we finally got it done. Sometimes you’ve got to break the rules and rewrite them.”
Marathon
Funding for a federally-mandated deep wastewater injection well sat atop Marathon’s wish list, and City Manager George Garrett told the Weekly signs were looking promising for a $5 million special appropriation in the state budget as the first step in a multiyear request.
A meeting with Farrill left city leaders optimistic about modifications to Marathon’s Memorandum of Un-
derstanding with the Florida Department of Commerce, slimming down the types of building permits that must be sent to Tallahassee for an extra 45day review after the city’s own process. If successful, a new MOU would allow for local review of smaller permits like pavers and fencing, while still running new construction by the state.
“This year, the fact that we were able to meet with the governor’s office, and they were so positive about making sure that happened, that was a home run for us,” Garrett said.
Key Colony Beach
Mayor Freddie Foster said his city was able to thank the Department of Environmental Protection for a $2.3 million storm drain improvement project. He called another meeting with the Department of Commerce “extremely enlightening” as Key Colony works toward upgrades in its sewer plant and stormwater management. He thanked both Mooney and Rodriguez for their support of a $1 million appropriation request, potentially used to fund a new motor control center for the sewer plant.
Islamorada
Village Manager Ron Saunders said his contingent teamed up with the Key Largo Wastewater District in reinforcing the need for Department of Commerce funding to improve the Upper Keys’ wastewater systems, in the headlines for several breaks over the past few years. Another session with FDOT discussed improvements to transportation, possibly adding a trolley or bus system to improve congested areas of Islamorada. Saunders said he was also able to deliver the messages personally to Senate president Ben Albritton and president-designate Jim Boyd.
“It was good Tallahassee meetings, but also good talking to people from the Keys up there,” he said. “We’re all in one spot, and it’s rare that happens.”
Key West
Mayor Dee Dee Henriquez was not available for comment by press time.
1. Coral Shores graduates Zoe Myers, left, and Zippy Lesko represent their home county, serving up conch fritters at Florida Keys Day.
2. The 2026 Florida Keys Day delegation gets a photo op with House Speaker Daniel Perez.
3. The College of the Florida Keys’ Tamrah Hill, left, Jonathan Gueverra and Amber Ernst-Leonard serve up a signature Keys dessert: chocolate-covered Key lime pie.
4. Deputy Chief of Staff Cody Farrill, left, reviews a plan for building rights distribution with Monroe County Administrator Christine Hurley.
MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE MOULIN ROUGE
Waterfront Playhouse presents an evening in Paris
Step into velvet, candlelight and bubbles on Sunday, Feb. 22 from 6 to 10 p.m., when the historic Harry S. Truman Little White House is transformed into a Parisian fantasy for “Moulin Rouge – Bal Royale.”
The event will benefit the Christopher Elwell Legacy Fund, ensuring the Waterfront Playhouse will thrive for years.
Guests will be surrounded by life-size Paris street scenes beneath thousands of twinkling lights, where every corner holds a surprise and every moment is filled with music, movement and theatrical magic.
Five stages of performances unfold throughout the evening:
dancers bringing moments from the film to life, pop-up cabaret numbers, dramatic vignettes and interactive encounters.
French cuisine will be available, along with a live auction with offerings that include luxury vacations, high-end art and exclusive Broadway entertainment packages.
Guests are encouraged to dress in Moulin Rouge-inspired attire.
Tickets are limited and cost $222 per person. Scan the QR code for the ticketing link.
KIM GORDON TURNS MUSIC INTO MEALS FOR KIDS
Singer presents Black & Red Masquerade Ball on March 14
Music may feed the soul, but more than 2,000 Keys kids need actual food come summer, when the daily meals they get at school are unavailable.
Key West vocalist Kim Gordon is hosting a musical benefit to make sure no kid spends the summer hungry. The Black & Red Masquerade Ball on Saturday, March 14 will turn Key West Theater into a Venetian carnival. Gordon will perform with an all-star band, including Grammy-winning saxophone player Tim Mayer.
The music and dance party marks the 20th musical fundraising event Gordon has produced in Key West, adding to a total of nearly 60 performances on stages across the island.
A classically trained singer with a three-octave range, Gordon delivers a bell-like soprano one moment and a lusty cabaret style the next. From swing, pop, jazz and standards to R&B, the Black & Red Masquerade Ball will feed the soul — and kids this summer.
The event will include a costume and mask contest, a dance floor and optional VIP seating with champagne and desserts. A sponsorship opportunity would also make the balcony available for a private party of 20 guests featuring catered small plates, champagne, desserts and a private restroom.
All proceeds will fund backpacks filled by the S.O.S. Foundation with meals this summer for kids in need. Last year 74% of all elementary-school children in Key West alone qualified for meal support through school. From Key West through Big Pine Key, more than 2,300 schoolchildren may be hungry or be underfed in the summertime.
“We simply can’t let our local kids go hungry this summer,” Gordon said. “They may get breakfast and lunch at school but
Gordon will perform at her Black & Red Masquerade Ball, a musical benefit to provide meals to needy local kids who struggle with hunger in the summertime. The event takes place March 14 at Key West Theater. CONTRIBUTED have absolutely nothing to eat or poor-quality snacks for dinner. And that kind of hunger amongst our littlest ones shouldn’t exist here in the Keys, where we pride ourselves on helping our neighbors.”
Every $1,000 raised will provide a full week of nutritious dinners and weekend snacks for 75 hungry kids this summer. Each child in need will get a backpack with seven nutritious meals and weekend snacks prepared by the S.O.S. Foundation. Gordon created her afterschool meals program through her nonprofit Music With Heart with input from the Monroe County school board.
The Black and Red Masquerade Ball is produced in partnership with the Key West Woman’s Club. Gordon’s campaigns and philanthropic musical endeavors over the past 22 years have raised funds to fight hunger and homelessness, support cancer patients and rebuild homes.
WARMER WATERS
Cold-stunned Keys turtles rehabbing in Marathon
Nine juvenile green sea turtles are warming up at the Turtle Hospital in Marathon after being spotted in distress in unusually cold Upper Florida Keys waters.
The turtles were found in the Upper Keys on Feb. 4 and 9.
According to Turtle Hospital manager Bette Zirkelbach, all are suffering from “cold stunning,” a hypothermic reaction that occurs when sea turtles are exposed to cold water for a prolonged time.
“Here at the Turtle Hospital, we’re used to receiving cold-stunned turtles from New England, but it’s very rare to get a cold-stunned turtle from the warm waters in the Florida Keys,” she said.
Turtles start feeling effects when water temperatures drop to around 55 degrees, and anything below 50 degrees can become fatal.
Turtle Hospital manager Bette Zirkelbach examines ‘Maria,’ a juvenile green sea turtle that was found cold-stunned off the Upper Florida Keys. The turtle is one of nine juveniles warming up at the hospital after a cold front throughout the Keys brought conditions not seen since 2010.
The turtles are being gradually warmed up and given fluid treatments to help keep them hydrated. Zirkelbach expects additional cold-stunned turtles to be admitted.
“So the good news with cold-stunned turtles, if they’re found early enough, we have good success with treatment,” said Zirkelbach. “Sometimes they get pneumonia as a secondary infection, so we are going to monitor with X-rays and a CT scan, but we have a really good history with being able to warm them up and get them back out.”
Some of the rescued reptiles also have conditions like healed boat-strike injuries and tumors. After their rehabilitation — expected to take anywhere from two weeks to a year, depending upon other medical conditions — the reptiles will be released into the typically warm waters off the Keys.
Tickets are available at thekeywesttheater.com. More information is at cffk.org/ feedourkids and keysmusicwithheart.com. — Contributed
“Once we saw that the (air) temperature in the Florida Keys was going to dip to the low 40s, which is really the lowest temperature in over a decade here, we began watching those water temperatures very closely,” Zirkelbach said.
After being discovered in trouble by members of the public, the juvenile turtles — ranging from 4 to 50 pounds — were rescued and transported to the Middle Keys hospital in the facility’s “turtle ambulance.”
According to the National Weather Service, the last time it got this cold in the Keys was in 2010. The coldest air temperature, the NWS said, was reported at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park at 35 degrees Fahrenheit. Lowest Florida Bay water temperatures ranged from the 40s to the low 50s.
Turtle Hospital employees take shell measurements for nine juvenile green sea turtles that were found coldstunned off the Upper Keys. ANDY NEWMAN/Turtle Hospital
Kim
KEYS STUDENTS HAVE NEW CAREER & TECHNICAL TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
FRANK DERFLER www.keysweekly.com
Monroe County schools are seeing improved graduation rates, more opportunities for career education and the possibility that marching bands and dance teams will get the credit they deserve. These were some of the items highlighted at the Jan. 27 Monroe County School Board meeting.
Leslie Holmes, coordinator of career and technical education (CTE) for the district, reported on new opportunities. According to Holmes, CTE is a fusion of academics and hands-on learning.
Each of the three high schools offers a variety of courses in areas such as engineering, automotive, medical lab, digital video technology, cosmetology, culinary and fashion. Construction education is available at Coral Shores. Key West and Marathon high schools offer courses in fashion. The courses at each school depend on the teachers and space available. The school district is working with the College of the Florida Keys to expand opportunities for education in hospitality, education, medical assistance and nursing.
New areas include an AI-driven training program for 911 dispatchers at Key West High School. Marathon has a new cosmetology and fashion program. The Upper Keys will see a new Pathways to Engineering program available in the middle schools and at Coral Shores next year.
Each high school has a curriculum showcase designed to make students aware of the programs available. The schools do studentinterest surveys to see what students want; results from the survey brought cosmetology back to the curriculum.
In the elementary schools, a new digital tool certification will join other certification programs with cash achievement awards provided by the Golden Fleece Foundation. That foundation, an initiative of John Padget, recognized 639 certifications in the 2025-26 school year.
Coral Shores students practice nail painting during cosmetology class. KEYS WEEKLY FILE PHOTO
Sarah E. Adams, director of instructional resources and advancement, discussed the district’s search for an English language arts curriculum program for grades K-5. The district has two different products under review. Anyone in the community interested in the evaluation can open an account on a service called EdCredible, at edcredible. com, to see the process and results.
Superintendent Ed Tierney reported on the improvement in the district’s graduation rates in different demographic areas. The overall graduation rate hit 91.9% in the 2024-25 school year with a 16.7% gain in English language learners graduating.
Also, the board held a video conference with lobbyist Kate DeLoach in Tallahassee. DeLoach reported on bills working their way through the Legislature. One draft bill would provide state funding for both breakfast and lunch for qualifying students. Another draft bill would give physical education credit to members of high school marching bands.
Board member Dr. Sue Woltanski emphasized the value of adding dance teams to the bill. She pointed out that high school dance teams practice for at least eight hours a week, work at summer camps, attend all games, get a varsity letter but don’t get the physical education credit received by athletic team members.
AQUIFER USED BY KEYS FACES SHORTAGE AMID LACK OF RAINFALL
FKAA maintaining service with help from other sources
JIM McCARTHY jim@keysweekly.com
Alack of rainfall and increased water demand have led the South Florida Water Management District to issue a water shortage warning for the Florida Keys and neighboring counties.
Drought conditions have led to low water levels in the underground Biscayne Aquifer, located in MiamiDade County. The aquifer serves southern Palm Beach, Broward, MiamiDade and Monroe counties. Since last November, Miami-Dade has reported 3.72 inches of rain, about half the normal amount.
The SFWMD says groundwater levels are low at most monitoring stations, and current water levels in several wells are in the lower 10th percentile of historic levels — and lower than water shortages in 2007, 2009 and 2011.
“Without an increase in aquifer recharge, further decline in groundwater levels is anticipated due to water issues. It is important that conservation of groundwater sources from the Biscayne Aquifer within Miami-Dade and Monroe counties be implemented,” reads the SFWMD’s order.
Despite declining water levels in the Biscayne Aquifer, the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority is still pumping the regular 20 million to 22 million gallons per day to consumers throughout the island chain.
Daily, the Florida Keys pumps 17.75 million to 18 million gallons of freshwater from the Biscayne Aquifer. Water produced from the FKAA’s primary supply in the Biscayne Aquifer is treated through a lime softening process.
FKAA also pulls from Floridan Aquifer, a massive and productive underground reservoir of freshwater spanning 100,000 square miles beneath all of Florida and parts of Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina. Greg Veliz, FKAA executive director, said the Floridan Aquifer is more brackish, so the cleaning process is more stringent. Water obtained from the Floridan Aquifer is treated through a low-pressure reverse osmosis system.
In addition, FKAA fired up the new reverse osmosis plant on Stock
Island. Veliz said the facility pumps 2 million gallons a day — with the ability to pump 4 million gallons daily.
“As far as the consumer goes, we are still pumping the same amount of water to the Florida Keys that we were a month ago, six months ago. … We have not changed the amount of water,” Veliz said. “The service is not interrupted or reduced at all.”
If needed, the Floridan and reserve osmosis plant could supply half of the daily freshwater demand for the Florida Keys.
In this instance, Veliz said, FKAA reduced the amount of freshwater pumped from the Biscayne Aquifer to the Florida Keys by one million gallons a day.
“We have to make that up somewhere, so we pulled more from the Floridan, which we’re taking about 2 millions gallons and can take up to 6,” he said. “The extreme measures of drought and water is a critical issue. We’ll continue to run the reverse osmosis 24/7 if we have to.”
The Biscayne Aquifer is mainly recharged by the Everglades. South Florida usually receives 50 to 60 inches of rain annually.
Per the Everglades Foundation and hydrogeologist Anteneh Abiy, “When this water from the Everglades percolates underground, the large pores in the limestone serve as an ‘underground river’ allowing it to travel south and southeast to the coastal regions. This subsurface flow from the Everglades to the aquifer is its main source of recharge.”
Drought conditions aren’t only affecting the Biscayne Aquifer. A water shortage warning was also issued in several counties, like Collier, Glades, Highlands and Lee, which receive freshwater from the Lower Tamiami Aquifer and Indian Prairie Basin. Without significant rainfall, further decline in groundwater and surface water levels is anticipated over the remainder of the dry season, which typically lasts until May.
SFWMD is encouraging residents, visitors and businesses to conserve water and limit irrigation. SFWMD staff will continue to monitor water usage and levels to assess the effectiveness of voluntary conservation measures and will keep the public informed if conditions continue to worsen. If the voluntary conservation efforts are not enough, the SFWMD may declare a water shortage and invoke mandatory water use restrictions in critical areas.
WOMEN TELL TRUE TREASURE TALES ON FEB. 17
Mel Fisher Museum hosts ‘Quest for the Atocha’ panel
Young visitors to Key West’s Mel Fisher Maritime Museum view artifacts in its exhibit that tells the story of the treasure-laden Spanish galleons Nuestra Señora de Atocha and Santa Margarita that shipwrecked off Key West in 1622. The shipwrecks’ recovery and interpretation is the focus of a Feb. 17 presentation at the museum. MEL FISHER MARITIME MUSEUM/Contributed
Five women involved in uncovering, recovering and interpreting two treasureladen Spanish galleons that shipwrecked off Key West in 1622 will share personal stories from their life-altering adventures onTuesday, Feb. 17, at the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum, 200 Greene St.
Titled “The Quest for the Atocha,” the free-admission panel discussion will feature behindthe-scenes insights into events surrounding the search, recovery and documentation of the Nuestra Señora de Atocha and Santa Margarita shipwrecks. Sunk in a 1622 hurricane, the famed galleons were discovered after an epic and unrelenting search led by museum founder Mel Fisher.
Panelists KT Budde-Jones, Judy Gracer, Damien Lin, Greta PhilipsFord and Carol Tedesco will share firsthand accounts and intimate memories drawn from their varied roles — including diver, captain, photographer/videographer, confidential assistant to Fisher, business manager and specialist in Spanish colonial coinage, trade routes and cargoes.
Through their words, listeners can share the camaraderie, exhilaration of discovery, tragedies, triumphs and dedication that characterized the experience. Panelists will also reveal how their involvement in the project affected their lives.
“The Quest for the Atocha” is a highlight of the winter presentation series at the museum, located at 200 Greene St. Set for 6:30 p.m. each Tuesday throughout February, the presentations are led by archaeologists, scholars and experts on shipwrecks and their recovery.
The museum is fully accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, and is a center for the excavation, preservation, research and exhibition of New World maritime artifacts. Its permanent exhibits include a comprehensive contextdriven showcase of artifacts and treasure from the Atocha and Santa Margarita wrecks.
Admission to all presentations is free. Doors open at 6 p.m. but seating is limited, so timely arrival is encouraged. More information is at melfisher.org.
MATTERS
... is president and CEO of the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys.
It doesn’t take millions to make a difference
Welcome to our philanthropy corner. As your Community Foundation of the Florida Keys, we’re thrilled to have this opportunity to regularly share about giving, giving back, and the impact that generosity has right here at home. We’ll see you once a month in the pages of the Keys Weekly.
As our team thought about how to kick off this column, we kept coming back to one core idea we want to lead with: Philanthropy and giving are absolutely vital to our Keys community.
Philanthropy can sound like a big, lofty concept that may not feel attainable or relatable for everyone. But it is. We even consulted Merriam-Webster (yes, an actual dictionary) for the definition of a philanthropist, which is “one who makes an active effort to promote human welfare.” It doesn’t say someone who is exceedingly wealthy or someone who gives so they can have a hospital named after them — although those folks are certainly philanthropic, and we’re thankful for them. Instead, the definition points to someone making an active effort to make the world better. We all have the capacity to be philanthropists, right here and right now.
We often talk about how giving our Keys community is — and it’s true. We show up for one another because it’s part of who we are and part of our unique Keys culture. We really are one human family. Even with all the chaos and challenges that try to divide us these days, we know we are better together.
Our nonprofit partners work every day to make our community vibrant and resilient. And our role as your community foundation is to help make connections —
between donors and nonprofits, between needs and resources. It’s something we do together.
That collective effort made it possible for our foundation to award more than $1 million through our annual grants program to local nonprofits in 2025 for the first time in our history. That support was especially meaningful during a time when many nonprofits were facing funding cuts and uncertainty. Our community relies on nonprofits not only for critical services like food and shelter, but also for caring for our environment and enriching our lives through arts and culture.
In each column, we’ll try to share quick, practical advice.
So here’s this month’s tip: 2026 brings new tax deductions, above the standard deduction level, for charitable giving. These new deductions — $1,000 for single filers and $2,000 for married couples — add a new incentive to give back.
While taxes aren’t usually the reason people choose to give, this change does reward generosity. For many nonprofits, including our own, continued giving at these levels makes a difference — especially when more people choose to do the same.
Please know that philanthropy matters to our community. We hope you’ll include giving — whether of your treasure, talent or time — this year.
Next month, we’ll focus on another important form of philanthropy — volunteerism — having just wrapped up our 26th Unsung Heroes Celebration in Key West.
Finally, this monthly column is a brand-new opportunity for us, and we’d love to hear from you. What are you curious about when it comes to community giving? What stories are you interested in? What feels confusing or out of reach? Reach out anytime at cffk@ cffk.org — we’re here to help.
ELIZABETH BROWN
2026
2026
SATURDAY, FEB. 14
ENTERTAINMENT SCHEDULE
11 A.M. TO 2 P.M. SAILOR RIPLEY
The Soundtrack to Your Wildest Night! Bringing the spirit of free love to life with an electrifying mix of pop punk, emo, country, Latin rock, and the best of ’80s, ’90s, and ’00s rock—like nobody else can.
2P.M. TO 4 P.M. THE ROCK SHOW
The Rock Show is a high-energy tribute show that takes audiences on a thrilling musical journey through the best rock hits of the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Featuring a powerhouse lineup of talented musicians, this show delivers unforgettable performances of iconic anthems from legendary bands like Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, Queen, Aerosmith and more.
4 P.M. TO 6 P.M. START ME UP
Start Me Up! A Tribute to the Rolling Stones is the ultimate tribute to the greatest rock ‘n’ roll band of all time — The Rolling Stones. From the first iconic riff, audiences are transported into a high-energy, electrifying concert experience that captures the look, the sound, the moves, and the legendary spirit of Mick, Keith, and the rest of the band.
6 P.M. TO 8 P.M. ALMIGHTY QUEEN
Get ready for a night of epic rock anthems and unforgettable showmanship as Almighty Queen takes the stage! This powerhouse tribute act brings Queen’s legendary music to life with stunning precision, capturing the sound, spirit, and spectacle that made Freddie Mercury and Queen rock royalty. Almighty Queen isn’t just a tribute—it’s a full-scale celebration of Queen’s timeless legacy. Don’t miss the ultimate rock experience!
SUNDAY, FEB. 15
11 A.M. TO NOON BAHAMA VILLAGE MUSIC PROGRAM
The Bahama Village Music Program has been in operation for 21 years, bringing free musical education and instruction to children aged 6 to 16 in our community. BVMP is more than just an educational institution, the program creates a great sense of community spirit and pride, fosters important mentor relationships between local teenage musicians and their students, encourages parent participation, and enhances student’s self-esteem. Our target community, Bahama Village, is rich in cultural history and community involvement, inspiring our students to become not only better musicians, but also better human beings.
NOON TO 2 P.M. ABRIA
Led by powerful vocals, soaring guitars, and a hard driving rhythm section, Abria is a force to be reckoned with! Lead guitarist and vocalist, Eddy Alarcon brings together a group of outstanding musicians. While continuing to pursue his passion for music, he’s able to work alongside his daughter Bianca, who’s Titanic lead vocals won’t disappoint. Longtime friend and brother firefighter Steve Planas, is the backbone of the rhythm section on thundering drums. Rounding out the rhythm section on the mad bass guitar is Marc Ochoa, bringing depth to our sound with his skill and many years of musical experience.
2 P.M. TO 5 P.M.
A Key West local power trio
a
of
and original
The Morlocks along with some of Key West’s best drummers make up MMB.
MARSHALL MORLOCK
that plays
wide variety
rock hits
music. The band consists of Marshall Morlock, a prolific guitarist and singer raised here in The Keys. Scott Morlock, also known as “Marshall’s Dad” who plays bass, keyboard, and sings simultaneously.
• Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
• Earth To Ocean
Florida Keys National Marine
Sanctuary Foundation
• Keys Patio
The Turtle Hospital
• USCG Aux
• Bath Fitter
Antonioartstudio
• Billy Brown
Campout inc
Blackout Island
• Lei Lotus
Dnac systems llc./ Rusticfish
• May’s Spinners
2025 SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
The Florida Keys Commercial Fishermen’s Association values the importance of continuing education. By furthering your education, you can better identify where you can contribute most effectively to your chosen community. This belief underpins our commitment to providing scholarships to young men and women dedicated to academic success. While education alone does not guarantee success, it opens doors to numerous opportunities, paving the way for a fulfilling and rewarding future.
In the past 20 years, we have awarded more than $105,000 in scholarships to Florida Keys seniors from our Seafood Festival!
Key West
RODGER 750
Florida Keys Commercial Fishermen’s Association
WHO ARE WE?
We are local commercial fisherman from Miami River to Key West. Our members are as diversified and unique as the islands they hail from. Many members are pioneers in the fisheries, and it is not uncommon to find 3rd and 4th generation fishing families.
WHAT DO WE DO?
Our mission has us involved almost daily with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Division of Marine Fisheries Management, Law Enforcement, or the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute.
We participate in biology research projects and advise and help develop rules for current and future commercial fisheries and law enforcement management. For example, we were instrumental in three new rules to protect the stone crab fishery. We worked closely with FWRI biologists to help test and ultimately get final approval on a shorter crab season, increased claw size and escape rings to release by-catch and undersized crabs. These rules further protect the sustainability of the crab fishery.
We additionally take an active role in identifying and securing grants and disaster relief funds as they become available. Our participation and relationships at the federal and state levels allow us to identify this funding and participate in the decisions made with regards to disbursement formulas and eligibility.
Some additional efforts include cooperative scientific research that has helped sustain our fisheries, secure grant funding for special projects and educational programs, and promote environmental responsibility through marine debris clean ups.
Proudly supporting FKCFA & Keys Fishermen since 2004
Keys Fishermen are some of the toughest fishermen in the industry. Throughout hurricanes, fluctuations in the lobster and stone crab seasons, and the ebb and flow of the economy, they always endure. But wouldn’t it be nice to not worry about financial catastrophe if it strikes?
The Raby Family has provided insurance to commercial fishermen in Florida and the Southwest since 1966. We provide comprehensive policies to protect your assets while working on the water.
Beyond Fishing Insurance
We offer insurance coverage not only to fishermen but also to owners of various marine-related businesses. Our services extend to marine construction, ferry operators, charter fishing boats, tug and barge businesses, and more.
Photo from 2025.
PETER VEY PAINTS PLACES WE WANT TO BE
Gallery on Greene presents new exhibit opening Feb. 14
Gallery on Greene’s latest exhibit, “Peter Vey: Laureate of Tropical Light,” celebrates one of the island’s best-known visual storytellers. Opening Feb. 14, the exhibit honors Vey’s decades-long mastery in capturing the joy, color and spirit of the tropics.
Pastel shutters on white wooden houses soften the dazzling afternoon glare of an island. Coconut palms draw the eye upward to the complex patterns and colors at their heart. And wind-swollen sails float above the ever-changing waters under squint-worthy skies.
Vey isn’t just a painter; he’s a traveler, an explorer, a tour guide and a host, taking viewers with him, offering the best views of every place he’s seen. And his paintings share secrets of the places he wants us to know: a spectacular shoreline, a boat in the harbor or a historic home on a hidden lane in Key West. He brings images of legendary Ballast Key, Conch houses, the clouds and waters of the Florida Straits and the exuberance of Key West and the Keys.
“There’s plenty of art that throws you into an introspective tailspin,” Vey has said. “I like to celebrate life. That’s important to me.”
Vey’s work transforms everyday island scenes into compositions that pulse with life. His bold brushwork and saturated palette evoke the rhythm of coastal light, the intimacy of sunlit streets.
Gallery on Greene director Nance Frank said Vey does more than paint the tropics.
“He translates its emotional frequency,” Frank said. “This exhibition is a tribute to his enduring legacy and the way his art continues to shape our sense of place.”
The exhibit will be on view through March 15 at Gallery on Greene, 606 Greene St. A public reception with the artist featuring new works will be held on Feb. 14.
More information is at galleryongreene.com.
— Contributed
90 YEARS & GROWING
Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden took root during Great Depression
The Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden on College Road was established 90 years ago as part of economic recovery efforts during the Great Depression. It endures as the only frost-free tropical forest in the continental United States.
WYATT SAMUELSON www.keysweekly.com
On Feb. 23, the Key West Tropical Forest and Botanical Garden will celebrate its 90th anniversary, having opened during the Great Depression in 1936. The nationally recognized grounds are home to more than 2,000 native plants, with 160 different species grown in the garden’s nursery. The garden, located on College Road, offers a rare natural oasis, with wooden walkways sprawling through the acres, wetlands, ponds and more.
The garden celebrated its ninedecade milestone with a Petals and Pearls gala on Jan. 30, featuring live music, a dinner, an open bar and a silent auction.
But the grass wasn’t always green at the historic garden. First founded in 1936, it was created to help the bankrupt city of Key West generate income through tourism, part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s economic recovery efforts. At its peak, the garden spanned more than 55 acres, but over the years declined to 7.8 acres — an 86% reduction — due to land development tied to local and federal projects.
Still, the effect it cultivated globally continued to grow. The garden holds a Level II accreditation from ArbNet, a global initiative for arboretums, and is listed in the Botanic Gardens Conservation International database. It is the only frost-free botanical garden in the continental United States, meaning the garden can experience year-round growth.
In 2004, it secured a $4.9 million grant from the Communities Trust to buy back seven acres of previously lost land, increasing the garden’s size to a total of 15.2 acres. In 2022, 91% of Key West voters approved the garden’s re-
quest for a 99-year lease with the city, cementing its permanent place within the local community.
In celebrating more than 90 years in Key West, the garden has big plans for the future.
“Without the community, we would not be here. They are what keeps the garden alive and growing,” said executive director Misha McRAE. “Putting on an event like this Petals & Pearls gala is not a small feat. It’s not only a celebration of this milestone in protecting 90 years of Key West history, but also a kickoff to our capital campaign in our effort to build a new visitor education center to support the garden for decades to come.”
The capital campaign, launched on Jan. 30, foresees new facilities such as a visitor center, classrooms and education areas for kids and adults. The goal is to “provide a safe and secure space for generations of visitors.” One hundred percent of funds raised through the gala and donations will go toward the construction of the new center.
Key West Mayor Dee Dee Henriquez attended the gala and issued a proclamation in support of the garden:
“The Key West Botanical Garden is globally recognized for its efforts in environmental protection and is a premier conservation site for native flora and fauna in the region, showcasing more than 565 species of native plants representing the Florida Keys, Cuba, and the Caribbean.
“Therefore, as mayor of Key West, along with the entire Key West City Commission, I do hereby proclaim the year 2026 as the Key West Botanical Garden’s 90th anniversary in the southernmost city in the continental United States. I invite residents and visitors to take part in this celebration by visiting the garden for a tour to experience this amazing U.S. landmark.”
‘Key West Pastel’ by Peter Vey
‘Sailing Club’ by Peter Vey
MANDY MILES/Keys Weekly
MIND ALTERING LUBRICANTS FOR SOCIAL INTERCOURSE
CHEERS TO WINNING BEST MARTINI AGAIN IN 2025!!
SOUL SOULCITY CITY dysfunkshunals
Motown with a Jazz Attitude!
Featuring Clayton Lopez , Larry Smith, Christine Cordone & Skipper Krippitz And always surpise guests such as: Mina Lopez , Bobi Lore, Henry Fuller, Journey Blue Heaven, and Dave Arndt The more the merrier!
Friday, February 20th, 8:30-10:30 pm
Saturday, February 28th, 7:00-10:00 pm Friday, March 6th, 8:30-10:30 pm
803 803 Emma Street Emma Street
american legion post 168 key west cultural center & veterans’ museum suggested donation $5
803 803 Emma Street! Emma Street!
american legion post 168 key west cultural center/veterans’ museum
Live Music Every... Live Music Every...
- Monday - - Monday -
6 – 8 pm, Live Piano Music
Suggested Donation $5
Dinner available for purchase from Olive’s Mediterranean Grill 8:30 pm - 11:30 pm, Larry Smith’s Jazz Jams Featuring: Larry Smith-Piano, Skipper Krippitz-Drums, Joe Dallas-Bass, & many more. Musicians welcome! Creative! High Energy!! Join the Jam!!!
- Wednesday - - Wednesday7 – 10 pm, Ladies Night with Larry Smith
Featuring the best local lady vocalists in Key West.
- Thursday - - Thursday -
6:30 – 9:30 pm, Terri White, Larry Baeder, and Friends! Jazz , Blues, Soul & a little Broadway. Special guests each week
- Saturday - - SaturdayLive Music! For Event Details: Follow us on Facebook www.facebook .com/legionpost168
20% Locals Discount at Yellowfin Bar & Kitchen
All day, every day. All food. All drinks. (even wine, beer and cocktails)
RENOWNED ARTIST MARKS 50 YEARS OF EXPRESSION
D. Arthur Wilson blends realism with whimsy
Wilson Signature Collection, the fine art gallery at 407 Front St., will host wildlife expressionist and “father of Rhupert the ostrich,” at its “50 Years of Fun with D. Arthur Wilson,” celebration on Saturday, Feb. 14 from 1 to 5 p.m.
Wilson began creating art at the age of 3, having been greatly influenced by his father, Warren Wilson, a hobby artist who found time to create while raising seven children. D. Arthur’s artistic talents progressed throughout his school years and his first customer was his geometry teacher, who to this day still has that painting.
Wilson left home at 18 and traveled the country participating in fine art fairs, which quickly led to his art being featured in galleries here and abroad. His fondest memories include being selected as the featured artist for the Denver Center for the Performing Arts in 1984. He was also the commissioned artist for the Denver Zoo poster and numerous appearances and contributions to benefit nonprofits, including the Henry Doorly Zoo, the Cheetah Conservation Fund and Tippi Hedren’s Shambala.
A five-week safari to Africa in 1999 changed his heart forever and a new wave of passion enveloped the artist. Wilson is acknowledged as one of the top wildlife artists in the world with his unique style and execution of pastels on unconventional suede board.
Born within his realist wildlife art, the unsuspecting, whimsical ostrich took an unprecedented shift and the world of Rhupert was launched at Art Expo in New York in 2005, with a message that encourages all simply to “be yourself,” while reminding us all, in the words of Oscar Wilde, “Life is too important to be taken seriously.”
Wilson’s career has been punctuated by some extraordinary projects that have added to his journey, including an invitation to join Bob Ross on his iconic television show as well as several other television projects in development. The thrill was heightened when his creative team pitched the Rhupert movie concept to seven major studios in Hollywood for a major animated feature. Stay tuned.
With his artwork collected in 28 countries and all 50 states, Rhupert has soared to the top of Wilson’s career, and with every new painting has the opportunity to bring joy and levity.
Represented throughout the country at fine art galleries, corporate installations and private collections, Wilson calls Key West home, and Wilson Signature Collection Fine Art Gallery is the signature gallery for his pastel originals, limited editions, bronze sculptures and books, the largest collection in the country.
More information is available at the gallery, 407 D Front St., or at wilsonsignaturecollection.com or 305434-0170.
For 50 years, artist D. Arthur Wilson has spanned the art world between whimsy and wildlife realism and modern culture. CONTRIBUTED
Valentine’s Dinner
SAT, FEB 14 | 5–9 PM
Love is in the air and on the water at Yellowfin. Specials for the evening include fresh-shucked Oysters, tender Beef Wellington, and a slew of decadent desserts.
SCAN TO BOOK YOUR TABLE
Michel Delgado
Tom Pope
Jean Carper
Make it last with Coverly Home Protection warranty, you’ll have 24/7 repair and replacement coverage, with extra savings for Keys Federal members.
Pricing $549 Per Year KFCU Member Pricing $499 Per Year
This includes:
• HVAC systems (heating & cooling)
• Water heater
• Kitchen & laundry appliances
The Best Diet and Other Myths about Nutrition
Leigh Pujado- licensed dietician, nutritionist, and health educator tackles confusion and fads with science-based insights
Leigh will discuss how the internet and social media bombard us with confusing and conflicting nutrition and dietary advice, many of us are left wondering what’s fact and what’s fiction! Gain science-based insights that will empower you to make choices right for you. You’ll learn about the evolution of nutrition advice, where dietary guidance took some wrong turns, and how that launched decades of fad diets. Leigh will include a little biochemistry so that you can understand how the body responds to certain foods to better equip you to choose foods that sustain health.
$5 ADMISSION Free for Monroe County & CFK Students Thank you to our sponsors: David & Annette Curry, First Horizon, and Essential Net Solutions. Thursday - February 19th - 7PM at Tennessee Williams Theatre
Enjoy waterfront dining and our new menu! Loc als join us daily for 20% of f dinner.
*Must present local ID for discount.
Open Daily 5pm - 9pm.
Book your table on Opentable or call 305 295 3255
KEY WEST CULTURAL CENTER & VETERANS MUSEUM co-located at the American Legion Post 168, at 803 Emma St.
L A DI E S’ N I GHT WITH L ARRY S MITH ! Wednesdays at 7pm
February 18th
February 25th
There’s a Full Bar & Food to Order from Olive’s Mediterranean Grill! $5 Cover
Florida Keys Commercial Fishermen’s Assoc. presents the 20th Annual
SATURDAY, FEB. 14
SUNDAY, FEB. 15TH
McKenna Carlson
Mary Spear
Journey Blue Heaven
Annie Redmiles
H... 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.
eavens to Murgatroyd, the light at Fort Zach was gorgeous, a blanket of chromatic bliss saturating everything that wasn’t in shadow. And the shadows were nice, too. Walking along the moat path I felt a strange swelling of elation, as if I should write a goddamn haiku or something, but I reined myself in to the task at hand: getting a good look at a duck.
Ducks, I feel, don’t get taken seriously enough. There are a number of reasons for this. The first one is their name. As the late great Walter Matthau said in the movie version of “The Sunshine Boys,” “Words with ‘k’ in them are funny.” He cited Alka Seltzer, but there are other inherently funny k words: pickle, turkey, cuckoo, keister, kleptocracy. And duck is decidedly a k word.
Then there are all the cartoons – Daffy, Daisy, Disco, Donald, Huey, Scrooge Mc – which generally portray them as emotionally volatile and unserious creatures who, if they wear any sort of human clothing, it is never pants.
Then there is the whole quacking thing, which is self-explanatory in its unseriousifyingness.
The duck I was looking for arguably had a chance at achieving a more serious and dramatic persona, at least to the late 20th/early 21st century mind. Primarily because the bird was a duck, but was not called a duck, but instead a scaup. Specifically a lesser scaup.
I’m not sure where it was picked up, but a lesser scaup was brought into the Key West Wildlife Center several weeks ago. They posted a cute video of it swimming in their rehab tank along with a ring-necked duck.
My friend Ellen Westbrook texted me yesterday that since it had recovered from whatever ailed it, they had released it, along with the ring-necked duck, into the moat at Fort Zach.
If you keep a life list there are rules, and a bird that has been recently released from a rehabilitation center, like the Key West Wildlife Center, might be a little suspect. But I looked it up and according to rule 3.C.i of the American Birding Association’s Recording Rules & Interpretations, a released bird that has been in captivity may not count if it is still under the influence of the captivity. “A bird is considered under the influence of captivity after its release until it regains the activities and movements of a bird that has not been captured.”
THE SCOOP ON SCAUPS
I don’t actually keep a life list, but it’s a good way of framing the question of whether a bird is living a wild life or tame one.
There are two species of scaup in the world, greater and lesser. Together they are considered a superspecies, or a pair of species that are distinct genetically and physiologically, but so closely related they sometimes interbreed.
They are somewhat difficult to tell apart. Mostly it comes down to some subtle aspects of the shape of their heads.
Both are some of the more common duck species in the world. The greater is a circumpolar breeder, meaning they nest in what Karen Carpenter liked to call the top of the world. Lesser scaups don’t venture across the oceans but instead breed in the North American polar region, though their range stretches as far south as California and Colorado. Which makes the lesser scaup our home-continent scaup.
While both species of scaup migrate south for the winter, greater scaup does not look to have been recorded in the Keys. I’ve only seen lesser scaup on occasion, usually on the Key West Golf Course, back when they let us on there for the Christmas Bird Count, meaning I hadn’t seen one since before the pandemic. There was one reported in the Key West Nature Preserve several times in July, which may or may not be the one that went through the rehab.
The name scaup most likely came from the Scots, who historically called mussels, clams and oysters scalps, which mutated into scaups. The name scaup for the bird was a shortening of scaup duck. But the name may have also been derived from the call of the female greater scaup, which maybe kinda sorta sounds like that.
Male lesser scaups make a call that sounds something like a chicken cluck. Unlike in the majority of bird species, the females are more vocal than the males, with a small repertoire of calls, including one that sounds more like a frog, one that sounds more like a dog, and one that sounds like an outright quack, but higher pitched, like a mockingbird imitating a crack. Though these are noises they very rarely make in their wintering habitats.
I wasn’t far down the moat path when I saw some movement. A duck swam out from under the mangroves to the middle of the water, the place of greatest safety. Avoiding humans seemed to me like the first sign of a bird no longer influenced by its captivity.
It had a longish bill, for a duck, a broad uneven white band across the bridge of it, and a dark head, chocolaty, russet, verging on the deepest burgundy. It was reminiscent of the dark velvet curtains of certain Italian restaurants in the 1970s, though in the proper scheme of things the curtains should have been reminiscent of the scaup.
All this made it a female.
She watched me with her amber eye, wary but unpanicked as she paddled slowly along the moat, propelled by her two unseen webfeet, which made it seem more like she was propelled by some kind of mystical force.
I walked along with her at a pace as she moved through the coppery sheen of the water, raising my camera occasionally, trying to get a shot of her through the branches.
That bird knew what she was about. She could be checked off any bird list you like. If you were into that sort of thing.
A lesser scaup seen this week at Fort Zachary Taylor. MARK HEDDEN/Keys Weekly
MARK HEDDEN
For 22 years, Keys Weekly has been the ONLY locally-owned and operated news source covering all of the Keys with our boots on the ground and our butts in the seats at meetings.
Jim McCarthy, Editor
Upper Keys Weekly
305.850.8034
jim@keysweekly.com
Mandy Miles, Editor
Key West Weekly
305.923.6012 mandy@keysweekly.com
Alex Rickert, Editor
Marathon Weekly
401.256.0645
alex@keysweekly.com
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
This week brings some of the most potent astrological weather of 2026. While the most dynamic astrology takes place next week, this week is the staging area. We have two planets changing signs, and that changes the way we experience their core themes. Venus, the planet of beauty and relationships, is moving into Pisces, where she will remain until March 6. Venus is a particularly happy camper in Pisces, so expect relationships to be repaired, spending to flow more freely and artistic inspiration to come readily. When Venus is in Pisces, we all get to appreciate the deep wisdom that comes from the dreamy layers of life and dance in exuberant connection with others. Saturn is also changing signs. The planet of authority, boundaries and time is moving into Aries. This change is the more potent of the two this week, as Saturn will be in Aries for the next two-and-ahalf years, and will be meeting up with Neptune next week for a momentous conjunction. Saturn is particularly grumpy in the sign of Aries, so expect some friction between authorities or leaders, some clashing over boundaries and the experience of time feeling urgent. These themes will not roll out right away, as we have a long time with Saturn in Aries, but we should start to feel the shift. All in all, this week is about loving your neighbors and defending your castles.
Here are your horoscopes for Venus entering Pisces and Saturn entering Aries. Read for your rising and sun signs.
AQUARIUS
Jan. 20 - Feb. 18
How do you value your most important relationships? You are being nudged not only to appreciate your people, but also to communicate that appreciation. Be careful not to overspend under this sky because money is going to come and go rather loosely. Pay attention to your words as you will be developing efficient mastery of your expression in the coming years.
PISCES
Feb. 19 - March 20
In the immortal words of RuPaul, “If you can’t love yourself, how the hell are you gonna love somebody else?” Take these words to heart because the next few weeks are all about falling in love with yourself again. As you revel in your own self-appreciation, though, be mindful about your money flows. Start to set stronger boundaries on how you make and spend your money.
ARIES
March 21 - April 19
We all have to mature some time, and you are entering a period of personal development.
Over the next couple of years, you will be defining yourself as an authority over your own life and stripping away unnecessary weight. This is the beginning of a personal initiation rite into adulthood (regardless of your age). Over the next few weeks, revel in your quiet time and love your solitude.
TAURUS
April 20 - May 20
Surround yourself with people who love you and want you to succeed, Taurus. These folks will be showing up for you in the coming weeks, and your main job is to really soak in your appreciation. In your alone time, start to work on a structure for how you use your time. Your time spent in solitude is where you will be growing into your own authority, so make use of it.
GEMINI
May 21 - June 20
Our work lives are not always toil and drudgery, rather some of our greatest friendships and personal joys can take place in the workplace. The next few weeks will probably be some of the best times you will have at work, so find your silver linings and friendly connections. Begin to think seriously about what you want to achieve and who will help you get there because homing in on your goals will serve you very well in the coming years.
CANCER
June 21 - July 22
Do something different. Anything. Explore a new part of town, open a different genre of book, hop a plane to lands unseen, talk to a stranger. Whatever you decide to do, if it expands your horizons, you will be blessed with love and grace. Just make sure you are breaking out of your cycle. You are entering a period of personal authority in your career, so start to set strong boundaries where they are needed.
LEO
July 23 - Aug. 22
It is time to start getting really purposeful about your explorations and becoming a master of your beliefs. How does the world hang together? Let that be your guiding question for the foreseeable future, and explore the world based on your answer. Over the next few weeks, fall in love with intimacy itself, whether it is one-on-one or being vulnerable in a group. Love itself is supporting you.
VIRGO
Aug. 23 - Sept. 22
The planets are perfectly aligned for your Valentine’s Day, Virgo. Whether you are in a romantic relationship or not, you are being encouraged to appreciate the love you have for a partner in your life. Who deserves your attention? While you are focusing on this important
LOVE AND BOUNDARIES
person, take some time to start cutting out the fat in your investments, whether time or money.
LIBRA
Sept. 23 - Oct. 22
Maturity in your intimate relationships is the name of the game for the next two-and-a-half years, Libra. It is time for you to focus on your partnerships with people who can be serious when necessary. This mirrors your need to be a steady partner for those in your life. Over the next few weeks, find love and appreciation in your daily routines. Tell yourself, “I get to do this,” rather than, “I have to do this.”
SCORPIO
Oct. 23 - Nov. 21
You are entering into a particularly creative few weeks, so let the juices flow. In a way, you’ll want to let yourself experience the child-like joy of pure play and art. The work will be there, but focus on the creative aspects of what you do. Fresh inspiration is yours for the taking. While you are being a creative child, try to be an adult when it comes to your chores.
SAGITTARIUS
Nov. 22 - Dec. 21
Over the next few weeks, spend time sitting in the love and appreciation for your home and family. Love the roof over your head. Call your mom. If chosen family is your root system, all the better. What you put out in your home or for your family will come back to you in spades. Start to get serious about your playtime. Being a creative human requires some discipline, and you have to start somewhere.
CAPRICORN
Dec. 22 - Jan. 19
If it’s familiar, it can be easily forgotten. However, I encourage you to really focus your loving eyes on the more familiar parts of your life. Pay attention to your neighborhood and familiar surroundings and engage with them in gratitude. You will find that the benefits are enormous. Over the next few years, you will be building a foundation and coming to terms with your past. Take baby steps now.
HELP KEEP KEY WEST BEAUTIFUL
JOIN A 1- HOUR CLEANUP FRIDAY MORNINGS
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.
coffee and hot breakfast sandwiches for all the volunteers’ hard work.
One hour a week makes a huge difference, and volunteers are welcome every Friday and some Saturday mornings, from 8 to 9 a.m., when the Key West Ploggers clean up a designated area of the island.
Gloves, pickers, buckets, vests, hand sanitizer and a parking pass are provided to all volunteers.
A troubling number of cigarette butts and plastic bags have been included in recent hauls. Please remember your reusable bags when shopping so we can keep the plastic off the streets, parking lots and, most importantly, out of the water. And dispose of cigarette butts in any receptacle rather than the street or sidewalk, as from there, they easily end up in the ocean.
The city of Key West and its residents ask everyone to do their part to help keep Key West beautiful. With simple steps like making sure you bag your trash before putting it in your Waste Management trash cans or Dumpsters, and making sure the lids on Dumpsters are closed, will keep a lot of trash from blowing into the streets. Call Waste Management at 305-296-8297 for any furniture items left on the city right of way.
Please pick up around your home or apartment complex. Every piece of trash picked up is one less
that may end up in the ocean that surrounds and sustains our island community. It is not just the large items you can see easily when you are walking, but the smaller items such as bottle caps and cigarette butts that are collected by the volunteers that make the biggest difference.
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 from 8 to 9 a.m. unless otherwise noted.
Feb. 13: Front & Caroline streets. Meet at Truman Little White House, which is hosting.
Feb. 20: Smathers Beach. Meet in the parking lot next to Margaritaville Hotel. Special fentanyl awareness event.
Feb. 27: Duval and South streets. Meet in the parking lot between Simonton and Duval on South Street, near Le Mar and Dewey Guesthouses. Hosted by the Southernmost Beach Resort.
The SPCA’s Golden Paw program also provides special assistance with vet bills and medications for special-needs and older animals that require a little extra TLC.
Check these pages each week for just a few of the animals waiting for a home and see them all at fkspca.org.
Chloe is a 7-year-old beagle with an extra-large body and an XXL personality. She’s carrying a little extra fluff. If she were human, she’d joke about joining Weight Watchers with her brother Rex, but she’s working on it with enthusiasm. This beauty is a classic hound through and through. She and Rex would love to be adopted together, as they’ve been a team for a long time.
Hula Hoop is a 2-year-old cat with a personality as fun as his name. This handsome boy doesn’t actually spin in circles, but he will loop around your legs for attention and affection. With his sleek coat and curious nature, he’s the kind of cat who brings a little joy to every room he enters.
Rex is a 10-year-old beagle with a heart as big as his appetite. If he were human, he’d probably be the first to sign up for Weight Watchers, but he’d make it fun. This handsome gentleman is on the larger side, but that just means there’s more of him to love. He’s gentle, loyal, and ready to enjoy his golden years with someone who appreciates a laid-back companion. Rex and his best friend Chloe dream of being adopted together, but they’re also confident enough to navigate life separately if needed.
Reaper is a 3-month-old kitten who’s currently living in a foster home, learning all the important skills that make a kitten grow into a confident, well-adjusted cat. Reaper may be small, but he’s full of curiosity, playfulness and that irresistible kitten charm. Kittens bring endless entertainment into a home, and Reaper is no exception. He’s ready to find a family who will enjoy his silly antics, guide him as he continues to learn, and give him a lifetime of love.
Peeps is a 10-year-old grey cockatiel and the latest feathered friend to join the FKSPCA family. He’s a small, gentle male with a sweet disposition and a curious nature. Cockatiels make wonderful companions. They’re social, expressive, and often form strong bonds with their people.
Ninety-six volunteers showed up for the cold Friday morning cleanup on Feb. 6, meeting in front of Strunk Ace Hardware and spreading out to all the side streets. In one hour, they collected 258 pounds of trash, 67 pounds of recycling and 4 gallons of cigarette butts. Special thanks to Caleb and Calder Sloan’s Awesome Foundation for hosting the event. The foundation provided 6 gallons of hot
TALLAHASSEE MAN ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY CLONING CREDIT CARDS, STEALING MONEY
Daniel Balan.
MCSO/Contributed
An investigation by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office into stolen credit cards in multiple Florida counties led to the arrest of a 46-year-old Tallahassee man on Feb. 6.
The sheriff’s office said Daniel Balan was charged with multiple counts of grand theft and fraudulent use of personal identification information. The arrest came after seven victims told the sheriff’s office last month that their bank accounts had been illegally accessed, resulting in a combined financial loss of $5,203/ The subsequent investigation showed cloned credit/debit cards and compromised PIN numbers were used. Bank security footage was used to identify Balan.
Balan was arrested in Leon County by the sheriff’s office there, following an ATM fraud investigation wherein he was caught in the act of conducting fraudulent withdrawals and in possession of multiple re-encoded gift cards with manipulated PIN numbers. He was dressed in the same distinctive clothing and in possession of the same gear as seen in the security footage in Monroe County, including the same bicycle, helmet, face mask, backpack and wireless earpieces.
The investigation revealed a coordinated scheme involving the use of cloned credit cards, stolen bank information, disguises and deliberate attempts to evade identification across multiple jurisdictions.
Warrants were obtained for Balan’s arrest and he was booked into jail on Feb. 6.
Contributed
BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS SET FOR FEB. 21
Unity of the Keys welcomes all creatures to Indigenous Park
The annual blessing of the animals takes place on Saturday, Feb. 21, from 9 to 10 a.m. at the Key West Wildlife Center parking lot across from the White Street Pier.
Reverend Daybree Thoms of Unity of the Keys will continue this tradition honoring the bond between humans and animals. All well-behaved, leashed or crated animal companions are welcome to come and receive a blessing or their humans can share their photo or name for a blessing in absentia. The event also remembers and blesses beloved pets that have died. Last year’s blessing recipients included mounted police horses, a police K9 officer, dozens of dogs and cats, birds, an iguana and a few rabbits.
Treats and blessing certificates are provided. If you can’t attend in person, email your pet’s name or photo to church@unityofthekeys. org. — Contributed
Last year’s blessing recipients at the Blessing of the Animals included a mounted police horse, plus dozens of dogs, cats, rabbits and more. CONTRIBUTED
WHAT’S COOKING?
From events to cocktails, Key West honors its presidential past
CAROL SHAUGHNESSY www.keysweekly.com
Harry Truman slept in a modest bedroom in Key West that, by day, was warmed by the subtropical sun. Close to his bed was the simple desk where he wrote daily letters to his wife Bess. Downstairs, on an enclosed porch overlooking a broad sweep of lawn, stood his discreetly covered poker table.
Despite being president of the United States during a tumultuous era, Harry Truman could relax in Key West. During his 1945-1952 administration, he spent 175 days on the island — taking brisk morning walks, playing poker, swimming and fishing, and making some of the most important decisions of his presidency.
Truman first visited Key West when his doctor ordered rest and warmth to fight a case of physical exhaustion. Entranced by the island, he quickly adopted the one-time commandant’s quarters on the Key West naval station as his “Little White House.” Today, that structure is beautifully restored and open for tours as Florida’s only presidential museum — and the undeniable epicenter of Key West’s presidential heritage.
That heritage is considerable. While Truman became Key West’s presidential “favorite son,” several other commanders-in-chief spent time on the island. The Little White House has hosted former presidents Taft, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Carter and Clinton — and even the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan during a historic peace conference. In addition, President Trump visited Key West’s Truman Annex Naval Air Station during his first term in office.
Key West’s connection to the nation’s leaders is celebrated annually with a gathering of presidential descendants — including Truman’s oldest grandson, Clifton Truman Daniel — at the Little White House. This year set for Feb. 12-16, its highlights include a forum featuring relatives of former presidents Carter, Ford and Truman; and a one-man stage production with Daniel portraying his grandfather.
Another reminder of Truman’s longstanding influence can be found on the cocktail menu at the Key West Cooking Show’s Bar 1. Located upstairs at 291 Front St., its libations and atmosphere salute the island’s vibrant and colorful history.
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CAROL TEDESCO/Key West Harry S. Truman Foundation
Sitting at the wide bar where the former POTUS would have been comfortable, patrons can toast his memory with the Truman Old Fashioned — combining Old Grand-Dad bourbon whiskey, house-made simple syrup and Angostura bitters — or Harry’s Breakfast (sometimes called Harry’s Heart Starter) that consists of Old Grand-Dad paired with a glass of fresh orange juice.
In addition, many traditional dishes prepared and savored during the Cooking Show’s learn-and-dine experiences date back to the Truman era or earlier. From conch salad to marinated roast pork to Key lime pie, these longtime island favorites might have been served to the president himself in the dining room of his Little White House.
LAST BITES
Dish of the week: Mrs. Truman’s Pudding. Featured in the historic Key West Woman’s Club Cookbook, this “First Lady’s favorite” incorporates chopped apples, pecans and a hint of vanilla among other ingredients. Mixed and baked, the pudding is typically served with plain or whipped cream.
Helpful kitchen hack: What’s the best way to soften butter quickly for use in a recipe? Simply grate cold butter with a cheese grater — and the resultant small “curls” soften like magic. Hungry for more? Visit keywestcookingshow.com or call 305-294COOK.
CFK’S NURSING PROGRAM GETS FINANCIAL BOOST THANKS TO LOWER KEYS MEDICAL CENTER
The College of the Florida Keys is set to strengthen its nursing program and expand support for future nurses with a $100,000 contribution from Lower Keys Medical Center, which unlocked matching funds through the state’s Linking Industry to Nursing Education (LINE) grant.
Through LINE, CFK is working to help address Florida’s critical nursing shortage by supporting nursing faculty, acquiring state-of-the art nursing simulation mannequins and providing student scholarships to eligible students.
Established by the Florida Legislature in 2022, the LINE grant program is a competitive, matching grant that incentivizes partnerships between nursing education programs and healthcare providers to recruit faculty, expand program capacity and graduate job-ready nurses.
“Our strong relationship with the College of the Florida Keys is vital to the development of future clinical leaders in the Lower Keys,” said Drew Bigby, CEO for Lower Keys Medical Center. “This donation helps to continue the education programs offered by the College. We are proud to
have many CFK graduates providing quality care at LKMC and serving our community.”
LKMC, located adjacent to CFK’s Key West campus, has served for decades as the primary clinical training site for CFK nursing students in the Lower Keys. Many graduates transition directly into full-time registered nurse positions at LKMC upon licensure.
“This partnership with Lower Keys Medical Center exemplifies the power of collaboration to address critical workforce needs,” said Jonathan Gueverra, CFK president. “LKMC’s commitment is vital to the pipeline of skilled healthcare professionals who will serve our island community for years to come.
The LINE grant funds will support student enrollment and faculty, while LKMC’s matching contribution will be used to provide scholarships to reduce financial barriers for eligible students in CFK’s associate and bachelor of science in nursing programs. The LKMC scholarship applications are now open at cfk.academicworks.com/opportunities/3555 and are due by March 8.
Former President Jimmy Carter’s grandson, James Earl Carter IV (left), and former President Harry Truman’s grandson, Clifton Truman Daniel, chat in the living room of Key West’s Little White House during a previous presidential descendants’ event.
LAUGHTER IS MEDICINE (AND RIGHT NOW, WE NEED IT)
There’s a reason the phrase “laughter is medicine” has been around for generations. It isn’t just poetic. It’s biological.
We are living in what feels like an era of non-funny. No matter what side of the coin you’re on, the news can be incredibly disheartening. There’s a constant stream of heavy headlines, pressure and uncertainty. Even when we try to tune it out, our bodies still absorb it. We carry it in our shoulders. In our jaws. In our shallow breathing. And as humans, that’s not how we’re meant to live.
We as a species thrive in happy and funny environments. We always have. Our nervous systems evolved around connection, storytelling, play and shared experiences, not endless seriousness.
There’s an old adage: If I wasn’t laughing, I’d be crying. And honestly? I think a lot of us are crying right now. Crying out for more levity, more comic relief, more humor, more lightness in everyday life. Not because laughter ignores reality, but because it helps us survive it.
Laughter doesn’t just feel good emotionally. It creates real, measurable changes inside your body. When you laugh, your brain releases endorphins, your natural feel-good chemicals. These help reduce pain perception and elevate mood. At the same time, stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline begin to drop, allowing your nervous system to shift out of constant alert mode.
According to the Mayo Clinic, laughter can improve oxygen intake and circulation, relax muscles (sometimes for up to 45 minutes afterward), support immune function, help regulate blood pressure and promote cardiovascular health.
In simple terms, laughter tells your body it’s safe to stand down.
It activates your parasympathetic nervous system, the part responsible for rest, digestion, repair and recovery. That’s the same system people try to access through meditation, breath work, cold plunges and yoga. Laughter just happens to be the most natural version – no equipment required.
It also strengthens social bonds. Shared laughter increases oxytocin, often called the “connection hormone,”
JENNIFER HARVEY
...is a Marathonbased ACSMcertified personal trainer and precision nutrition coach who owns and operates Highly Motivated Functionally Caffeinated LLC.
which plays a role in emotional regulation, trust and heart health. That’s why laughing with friends feels different than scrolling alone on your phone. Your body recognizes safety in shared joy.
From a brain perspective, humor lights up multiple regions at once – areas tied to creativity, emotional processing and memory. That stimulation supports neuroplasticity, helping keep your brain flexible and resilient over time. Also, it helps you to remember what you just laughed about (please tell me you laughed at that).
And maybe most important right now? Laughter interrupts rumination. It breaks anxious thought loops. It softens perspective. It reminds your system that not everything is an emergency.
Many of us are living in a lowgrade stress response without realizing it. Our bodies were never designed for sustained seriousness. We weren’t built to carry the weight of the world in our pockets through constant notifications and headlines. We were built for connection.
So, when people say laughter is medicine, what they’re really saying is this: Your body heals and operates better when it feels safe. So, if everything feels a little heavy lately, consider this your reminder. Seek humor. Create levity. Share laughs. Not because life is perfect, but because your nervous system depends on it.
STOCK ISLAND MAN GUILTY OF BEATING GIRLFRIEND TO DEATH
Jury finds that Delmon Washington killed Laticia Alce in July 2022
AKey West jury last week convicted Stock Island resident Delmon Washington, 48, of second-degree murder, ruling that Washington had beaten his girlfriend, Latisha Alce, to death in July 2022.
Judge James Morgan presided over the trial in Key West, and will sentence Washington on March 6 at 3 p.m.
The murder investigation started with a traffic stop the night of July 22, 2022, when Key West Police Officer Andrew Litton stopped Washington’s silver Hyundai for operating with faulty equipment, including a blown tire. Officers noticed Washington was covered in blood and behaving erratically, despite having no visible injuries that would explain the blood on his body and clothing, states a press release from the Monroe County State Attorney’s Office. Washington was arrested on DUIrelated charges and taken to jail while screaming that he was the “governor of death.”
Following Washington’s traffic stop and DUI arrest, 911 dispatchers received a report of a woman covered in blood at a Stock Island apartment. Deputies found Latisha Alce unresponsive with extensive injuries and blood pooled near her head. Despite attempts to resuscitate her, Alce was pronounced dead at the scene. The medical examiner later determined Alce had died from blunt force trauma to the head and neck, and ruled the death a homicide.
The medical examiner testified that the injuries “reflected a sustained and extremely violent assault,” the press release states.
Blood and broken furniture at the apartment were evidence of a violent struggle the night of Alce’s death. Detectives also found video footage showing Washington and Alce arriving at the residence together earlier in the evening. Washington was later seen leaving the apartment alone, discarding multiple items outside, then driving away.
“Sometimes what appears to be a routine traffic stop turns out to be anything but,” said Chief Assistant State Attorney Joseph Mansfield, who commended Key West Police and state law enforcement officials for forensic testing.
Washington will serve every day of his sentence for seconddegree murder with no chance of parole or early release given his status as a prison releasee reoffender. The designation requires longer sentences for anyone convicted of a violent crime within three years of being released from prison. Washington had been released from prison in December 2021. Alce died seven months later, in July 2022.
“Latisha Alce’s life mattered, and she deserved safety, dignity and the chance to live free from violence,” said prosecutor Colleen Dunne, who worked on the case with Mansfield and Assistant State Attorney Trey Evans.
Dunne also thanked the witnesses “who came forward and testified during what was a very emotional trial. Their willingness to share difficult testimony was essential in helping the jury understand the full scope of the violence.”
Delmon Washington.
Founded by Betty Debnam
Citizen Scientists
Last week, The Mini Page learned about the Great Backyard Bird Count, in which people all around the world help scientists learn about the bird population, but this work goes beyond just birds.
Hundreds of thousands of kids and adults are helping to solve the mysteries of Earth and beyond. They are known as citizen scientists. Although these volunteers are not professional scientists, they are making valuable scientific discoveries throughout the world. They are gathering data on thousands of subjects, ranging from monarch butterfly migration to galaxy shapes to water quality to penguin lifestyles.
CITIZEN DETECTIVES
Amateurs have been making important scientific discoveries for thousands of years. Since the late 1800s, professional scientists have been joining forces with these volunteers. The National Audubon Christmas Bird Count organized birders to gather data starting in 1900. It is the longest-running citizen scientist group survey in the world.
The number of citizen scientists has exploded in recent years. Technology, such as the internet, apps, smartphones and GPS, has made it much easier for everyone to join in the hunt for knowledge.
HELPING THE EXPERTS
Citizen scientists usually work closely with scientific experts. Often, professional scientists
need help collecting or analyzing a lot of data over a wide area and over a lot of time.
Doing the actual research is exciting. Many students get their first real experiences in nature through citizen scientist projects.
It is especially important when kids become citizen scientists. The world needs people who have learned how to think creatively and to look for answers that are backed up by tests and research, experts say.
• In an NSF/NOAA project called CoCoRaHS (ko-koRAHS), observers measure precipitation that falls near their homes. When whole communities come together to monitor the precipitation, it gives groups such as the weather service, farmers, insurance companies, water supply managers and outdoor lovers a better idea of patterns. It helps them predict what to prepare for.
• Monarch Watch, based at the University of Kansas, helps monitor monarch butterflies and has started a Waystation Program. It encourages people to plant flowers that monarchs like and milkweed, which the larvae need.
Words that remind us of citizen scientists are hidden in this puzzle. Some words are hidden backward or diagonally, and some letters are used twice. See if you can find:
MINI FACT: Students examine (left) a Mexican butterfly weed, which is in the milkweed family.
• Through the Chicago Botanic Garden’s Budburst, 35,000 citizen scientists are recording information on when plants start changing each season. For example, they record when leaves change color in the fall and when plants begin to flower in the spring.
This helps scientists monitor the effects of temperature changes and rainfall and gather information about climate change.
• In the NOAA LiMPETS* network, middle school, high school and college students monitor national marine sanctuary beaches in California.
Students collect data on rocky intertidal areas and sandy beach areas. Intertidal areas are beach areas that are covered by the sea at high tide and uncovered at low tide. The information helps officials track the health of marine life.
RESOURCES
Students monitor Pacific mole crabs through the LiMPETS sandy beach network. They measure the crabs, check to see if they are male or female and if the females are carrying eggs.
ON THE WEB limpets.org / cocorahs.org budburst.org / monarchwatch.org
ECO NOTE
A handful of galaxy frogs once hidden beneath a single fallen log in India’s Western Ghats mountain range may have vanished forever, not because of natural predators but because people wanted photographs. The tiny, endangered frogs disappeared after visitors overturned logs, trampled vegetation and handled the animals without gloves, actions that can easily kill amphibians that breathe through their skin.
Melanobatrachus indicus is the only species in its family, an ancient line of life that cannot be replaced.
Photo by Davidvraju
Photo by Bruce Leventhal, Forest Lake High School, Forest Lake, Minnesota
A father and son measure rainfall in Concord, North Carolina, as part of CoCoRaHS.
Photo by Henry Reges, courtesy NSF
Photo courtesy Monarch Watch
Two students record observations for Budburst.
Photo by Carlye Calvin, University Center for Atmospheric Research, courtesy Project BudBurst
Photo by
Aelfric
Wolf, courtesy NOAA
BOOK YOURSELF WITH THREE VALENTINE’S READS
A NOVEL LOVE STORY
By Ashley Poston
Elsy finds herself on a road trip to Hudson Valley, New York. The drive has been depressing as she anticipates the long week ahead. After a wrong turn in the pouring rain, Elsy’s green jalopy decides it has had enough. She finds herself stranded, without a mechanic or hotel in sight. Elsy is saved by a grumpy shop owner who has a spare loft above the bookshop, and as an English professor, she cannot resist. The smell of old books and wind chimes calms her nerves as she realizes her savior is quite handsome and this little town could not be more charming. It actually feels strangely familiar. Elsy has landed in Eloraton, which would be fine if it actually existed. As she explores, Elsy realizes the reason she knows her way around is that Eloraton is the fictional town in her favorite romance series. These books carried her through grief the last few years, bringing her comfort and a guaranteed happy ending after Liam left her at the altar. It turns out Elsy’s wrong turn might be exactly what she needs. Sometimes a little bit of magic is the sweetest Valentine’s treat.
First and foremost a reader, she has reviewed hundreds of books on her blog www. readingandeating. com. And, more recently, this new Keys resident has also begun writing.
ORDINARY LOVE
By
Marie Rutkowski Emily and her husband Jack have a beautiful brownstone on the upper east side of Manhattan. With two adorable children, they appear to be the picture-perfect little family. Emily married young, right after college. Now, she finds herself trapped in a home where her husband gaslights, punishes and manipulates her on a daily basis. Convinced that Jack truly loves her and their family unit, Emily ignores all the signs of abuse and makes excuses for Jack’s behavior. Slowly, her friends and family are banished from their lives. Previously a determined literary student at Harvard, Emily never dreamed she would find herself so adrift and painfully lonely. One evening, she attends a fundraiser and runs into her old friend Gen Hall. In their hometown of Washford, Ohio, Emily had helped Gen reach for her stars and escape their geographical limitations. Gen became a college track star and has now earned Olympic gold. She is famous and beautiful and Emily realizes that she never stopped loving her. This magnificent novel is about friendship, family, motherhood and romance. Superbly written, it’s a story about two people who learn to love themselves –and against all odds, allow themselves to be loved.
The Austen Affair
By Madeline Bell
When Tess Bright is booted off her successful teen series, she finds her Hollywood career in a tailspin. After losing her mother, she just cannot get her life back on track. Jane Austen was her mother’s favorite, and these books and movies played on a continuous loop in the background of her childhood. Finally catching a break, Tess is cast as the star of “Northanger Abbey,” and knows she can handle anything Austen. Her co-star Hugh, a stuffy Englishman, doesn’t think Tess is good enough for the part. One day while on set in Hampshire, England, a terrible thunderstorm ensues. The two quarreling stars are struck by lightning (sounds ridiculous, but carry on …) They awaken in a field — in costume — and realize they have traveled to 1815. Carefully tiptoeing to not rewrite history, the couple must make peace with each other to find a way back to the present. Austen, time travel and romance — what’s not to love? I’m a sucker for all three. Adorable, light and genuinely funny, this easy read is a muchneeded respite from the world.
#WORTHWATCHING: “Eternity.” A superb romantic comedy set in the afterlife where souls have one week to choose where they will spend eternity. Joan must decide between her husband and her first love, who has been waiting decades for her to arrive. Can be seen starting Feb. 13 on Apple TV.
KAREN NEWFIELD
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‘EVENING OF GRATITUDE’
Event praises supporters, raises $300,000 for hospital
More than 170 guests attended An Evening of Gratitude, a benefit for Baptist Health Mariners Hospital, on Jan. 24 at the Cheeca Lodge & Spa in Islamorada.
The event, presented by Kathy and Steve Holmes, raised nearly $300,000 as the Baptist Health Foundation celebrated its Giving Society members and other donors to Mariners Hospital in Tavernier. All proceeds from the evening will support overall needs at the hospital.
The event featured a cocktail hour, dinner, live auction, live band and more. Speakers included Joe Natoli, Baptist Health executive vice president and chief administrative officer; Emily Carter, event chair; Bette Brown, Mariners Hospital board chair; Audra Hill, foundation council chair for Mariners Hospital; and Drew Grossman, Mariners Hospital and Fishermen’s Community Hospital CEO.
“Exceptional, compassionate patient care is so important to all of us,” said Brown. “The amazing team at Mariners Hospital works hard to provide the quality of care we all want for our friends, families and community.”
“At Mariners Hospital, we provide care for our community when it’s needed most, and we are dedicated to excellence in every respect,” Grossman added. “Howev-
An Evening of Gratitude, benefiting Baptist Health Mariners Hospital, brought supporters, board members and hospital staff. CONTRIBUTED
er, as a not-for-profit organization, we can’t accomplish it without generous support. Community support has been, and is, an essential part of our culture.”
Presenting sponsors of the event were Kathy and Steve Holmes. The live auction sponsor was Islamorada Pools. Silver sponsors included BankUnited, Everglades Alligator Farm, TD Bank and Roxana Zedan. Bronze sponsors included Barb & Mike Benninger and Family, First State Bank, Elaine and William Gilbert Jr., Pam and Bob Kubic, Maureen and Col. William McDonough, MHK Architecture, Radiology Associates of Florida and Holly Raschein.
Founded in 1962, Baptist Health Mariners Hospital in Tavernier is a 25-bed critical access hospital with medical-surgical and intensive care units as well as orthopedics, cancer care, neurology and advanced imaging resources.
— Contributed
A “Best Bet” in classical concerts by the Miami Herald, South Florida Symphony Orchestra presents Mozart’s exuberant “Haffner” Symphony No. 35 and RimskyKorsakov’s swirling Capriccio espagnol. Plus, not-tobe-missed works by today’s celebrated composers: the Florida premiere of Had to Be by Nathalie Joachim, featuring GRAMMY-nominated cellist Seth Parker Woods, and Carlos Simon’s Four Black American Dances.
BENMONT TENCH
OF TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS
FEB. 13, KEY WEST THEATER
THE DAVE MATTHEWS TRIBUTE BAND
FEB. 25, KEY WEST THEATER
SQUIRREL NUT ZIPPERS
APRIL 2
KEY WEST THEATER
TO KEY WEST
GABRIEL RUTLEDGE
DON’T READ THE COMMENTS TOUR FEB. 15, KEY WEST THEATER
MARTY STUART & HIS FABULOUS SUPERLATIVES
FEB. 19, KEY WEST THEATER
COLIN QUINN
FEBRUARY 27 KEY WEST THEATER
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KEY WEST THEATER
Tournament wrestling heats up | P.8
Marathon Girls Basketball Frostproof 2/2 W, FF
Key West Baseball Preseason @ Jupiter 2/2 W, 5-1
Key West Girls Basketball Miami Northwestern 2/2 52-18
Key West Boys Basketball South Miami 2/3 W, 77-58
Coral Shores Boys Basketball Keys Gate 2/3 L, 48-35
2/18 Coral Shores Boys Lacrosse Westminster Christian 7p.m.
2/18 CSHS & MHS Boys Weightlifting @ Gulliver 3:30 p.m.
2/19 Coral Shores Baseball @ ABF Homestead 6 p.m.
2/19 Key West Softball @ Western 6:30 p.m.
2/19 Marathon Tennis Coral Shores 2 p.m.
Coral Shores wrestlers Gavin Matheis, left, and David Beltran are preparing for fast-approaching district competition with strong tournament action. See page 8. TRACY McDONALD/Keys Weekly
SNIDER
Sophomore, Key West Basketball
Judson has taken on a huge role for us this season. We depend on him for a majority of the ball decisionhandling, making and control of the offense. He has a futurebright for Key West Conchs basketball.”
coach
— Tommy Butler Jr., head Conchs basketball
assists (leads team)
Total points (2nd for the Conchs)
Key West sophomore Judson Snider continues to make his presence felt for the Conchs, not only as the team’s No. 2 man, but as a leader beyond his years. Named a team captain as just a sophomore, Snider’s leadership has translated directly to production on the court. This season, he averaged nearly 10 points per game and has totaled 236 points. Snider leads the team with 72 assists and ranks second in steals with 46. Described as a hard worker and great athlete to coach, Snider’s ability to score, facilitate and defend has made him a steady force for the Conchs. For his quiet leadership and loud presence on the court, Judson Snider is the Keys Weekly Athlete of the Week.
Judson
Photo by MAICEY MALGRAT/Keys Weekly
fled to the Keys from the frozen mountains of Pennsylvania hours after graduating from college and never looked back. She is a second-generation coach and educator, and has taught in the public school system for over 25 years. She and her husband met at a beginning teacher meeting in 1997 and have three children born and raised in Monroe County. In her free time, McDonald loves flea markets, historical fiction and long runs in the heat.
sean mcdonald
grew up in Miami and moved to the Keys in 1997. He has spent the last 25 years teaching physical education and coaching virtually every sport for Florida Keys kids ages 4 to 18. If you are reading this and live or lived in the Florida Keys, he has probably taught, coached, or coached against someone you know.
The Keys Weekly Sports Wrap is proud to be the only locally-owned publication providing prep sports coverage from Key Largo to Key West. Together with our writers and photographers, we are committed to providing a comprehensive overview of the world of Keys sports with photography that allows our readers to immerse themselves in game action.
THE MARATHON WEEKLY (ISSN 1944-0812) IS PUBLISHED WEEKLY FOR $125 PER YEAR BY WEEKLY NEWSPAPERS, INC., 9709 OVERSEAS HIGHWAY, MARATHON FL 33050. APPLICATION TO MAIL AT PERIODICALS POSTAGE RATES IS PENDING AT FORT LAUDERDALE FL AND ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES.
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Office: 305.743.0844 www.keysweekly.com
GREAT EXPECTATIONS
Preseason proves Conch bats and bullpen run deep
Key West’s Kade Maltz is starting this season off with his bat on fire.
MAICEY MALGRAT/Keys Weekly
Year after year, Key West’s baseball players are held to an almost impossible standard. Even with relentless pressure, they continue to deliver season after season. The team shoulders the heavy expectations with a grace no one should expect of a high school roster. This year’s Fighting Conchs look like a crew who can bring home the coveted, record-breaking 12th state championship.
In a preseason series against Jupiter High School, Key West matched the 7A Indians’ velocity, speed and power. In the first game, on Feb. 2, the 4A Conchs battled the Indians to a scoreless tie until the sixth inning, when Key West rallied. Kristian Masters and Nelson Ong singled to put two on with two outs. Kade Maltz had two strikes against him when he connected for a sturdy shot to left field, scoring three runs to break up what had become a pitchers’ duel. The Conchs added a pair of runs in the seventh, and Jupiter got on the board with a sacrifice fly, but the patient performance of the Conchs’ 5-1 win was a beautiful thing for fans all over the Keys.
Starting on the mound was Coral Shores transfer Donovan Thiery, who earned his first win as a Conch with five strikeouts, no hits and no runs during his 2-2/3 innings of work. Maltz and Christian Koppal combined for the remaining innings. Offensively, the team amassed seven hits to the Indians’ two.
The teams returned to action the next day. The Conchs piled on the hits, with Thiery leading the way with three. Auggy Davila went 2-for-3 with a single and double and Roman Garcia had a pair of hits. Tyrone Cervantes, Darreld Tremino, Masters and Maltz each singled once for a total of 11 Conch hits.
Jupiter managed a half-dozen hits, but 11 walks and a hit batter gave them the advantage. Key West tested their bullpen, with five Conchs making an appearance. Davila, Cervantes, Cruz Holmes, Beau Bender and Bennett Logan all saw time on the mound in what would end in an 8-7 loss for Key West.
Preseason action concluded Feb. 7, and the Conchs’ record, now reset, will be tested against ABF Academy Homestead Feb. 13 and ABF Hialeah the following night.
In regular-season play, Marathon opened at Miami Country Day Feb. 9, out-hitting the Spartans 7-1 and winning 12-0. Coral Shores won 2-1 at Terra Environmental that same evening. With both games played shortly before press time, see full recaps in next week’s Sports Wrap
tracy mcdonald
FINAL BUZZER
Prep basketball seasons over for most Keys teams despite strong showings
After district playoff runs by all three Keys boys basketball squads, Key West was the final team standing on Feb. 6, when a pair of playoff wins led them to the FHSAA 4A District 16 championships. Their postseason run began Feb. 3, when the Conchs hosted South Miami in the quarterfinals. Key West dispatched the sixth-seeded Cobras in a 77-55 rout that proved the Conchs deserved the third seed. James Osborne led the scoring drive with 19 points while Judson Snider added 13 and Kyan Gladwell and Jayce Fernandez scored eight each.
The win sent Key West to the semis, where they faced the No. 2 team in District 16, St. Brendan. Osborne had the hot hand again with 33 points and added 10 boards for a postseason double-double. Snider totaled nine points and five steals, Leo Batista scored nine and Zach Levering was good for 10 rebounds in the 63-58 Feb. 4 win.
By upsetting the Sabres, the Conchs had strong momentum heading into the district championship game Feb. 6 against the top-ranked Bulls of Miami Northwestern. Key West used that momentum to put on a show of force, both offensively and defensively, and at the end of the first quarter they led by three. Northwestern chipped away and by the beginning of the fourth quarter, the Bulls held a 46-37 lead. The Conchs, determined to pull off a second upset win in a row, put on an offensive display in the fourth quarter, downing 20 points and narrowing the lead to just three, but ran out of time before they could complete the job in a 60-57 loss.
Osborne had another amazing game, scoring 34 points. Batista, whose sharpshooting from behind the arc struck the fatal blow for the Marathon Dolphins last month, hit four against the Bulls and added a total of 14 points. Snider had five points and rebounds plus six assists and Zach Levering had 10 rebounds and three blocks in the loss.
Key West earned an at-large bid to the FHSAA 4A Region 4 quarterfinals with their ranking despite their district loss. They hit the road to play Stranahan on Saturday, Feb. 14 at 7 p.m.
Marathon’s boys also had a run into district playoff action. The Fins hosted Pahokee in the Rural District 8 quarterfinals on Feb. 3. The Dolphins’ roster only lists eight players on a good night, but Tuesday was fraught with a series of unfortunate events for the Fins. Sixth man Taylor Huff dislocat-
ed a finger during the school day, and then forward Josh Koler rolled an ankle during warmups.
An industrious Jim Murphy scanned the crowd and called up a JV player to add to his options, but would not need to send him into action. The rest of the Fins filled in beautifully, and with only a few brief breaks, the starting five played the entire game, underscoring one of Murphy’s biggest priorities as a former track and cross country coach: conditioning. Marathon won 56-42, fueled by Jack Chapman’s 28 points, six rebounds and eight steals. Briggs Roberts scored 10 while Giorvis Zamora and Andrew Suarez added eight apiece.
For the semis, the Fins made the long trip to Fort Meade, where they lost to the Miners by 24 in December. With Huff and Koler
back in the lineup, things looked hopeful for the Fins.
In a back-and-forth game, Marathon matched Fort Meade well in all areas but one: fouls. Marathon was charged with 15 fouls over the course of the game to Fort Meade’s three. And when points were at stake, the Miners went to the line 21 times, making eight free throws. Marathon shot only two, yielding just one point. The outcome, while far closer than the teams’ first meetup, was a 42-39 loss which ended the season for Marathon. Chapman had 14 points with Zamora and Roberts chipping in seven each. Andrew Suarez sank six points and amassed six more assists – enough to break the Fins’ single-season record, which now stands at 118.
Coral Shores’ boys season ended in a 48-35
loss to Keys Gate in round one of district action. The Hurricanes finished the season with a respectable 9-8 record.
The Lady Conchs’ four-team district negated the need for quarterfinals, pitting them against the top ranked Miami Northwestern for their first postseason contest. The Bulls had a stampede against the Conchs, winning 52-18 to end Key West’s season. The Lady ’Canes had a similar postseason story. The fourteam 3A District 16 started with the semifinals, pitting Coral Shores, ranked fourth, against the third-ranked Cougars of Miami Killian. The Cougars defeated the Hurricanes 72-35 to knock them out of contention.
The Lady Fins did not play a quarterfinal game either, but picked up a W against Frostproof, who opted not to travel to Marathon for their playoff contest. The Dolphins faced Fort Meade in their semifinal matchup. Daysi Williams led the team with 16 and Shaina Robinson added 15 to the score, but it would not be enough to pull off a repeat of last season, during which the underdog Dolphins upset the entire Rural District 8 bracket to win a district championship. The 50-44 loss to the Miners closed out the girls basketball season for Keys teams.
From left: Graham Murphy delivers on a put-back. Marathon’s Andrew Suarez owns the new Marathon record for most assists in a single season with 118.
Andrew Suarez (1) and Graham Murphy (10) on offense.
Photos by Tracy McDonald and Natalie Danko
COURT IS IN SESSION
Prep tennis season opens with intra-county match
High school tennis season opened last week, and Coral Shores and Key West wasted no time hitting the courts. The Hurricanes visited the Southernmost City on Feb. 3 for both teams’ first matches of the season. Key West won both contests, 7-0. The Lady Conchs’ Eva Drozdetskaia won the No. 1 singles match, then teamed up with Hamida Muhsinova, the No. 2 singles winner, to also pick up a win in the doubles No. 1 match. Hiah Apperson and Amina Erik did the same in the No. 3 and No. 4 singles matches and No. 2 doubles match. Avery Batty won the No. 5 singles match for a clean sweep by the Conchs.
The Hurricane boys were not in full force yet, making for pared-down play. Key West’s Wyatt Bartels won the No. 4 singles match and Jack Bridger claimed a win in the No. 5 singles spot. Mason Martel and Hubert Konopka teamed up for a win in the No.1 doubles match. The remainder of the wins came via forfeit.
Tennis season runs through April, with a majority of Keys teams’ matches played against one another.
1. Amina Erik hits a forehand return.
2. Mason Martel launches a powerful serve.
3. Wyatt Bartels volleys with his opponent.
4. Nate Bergh returns the ball.
5. Hurricane sophomore Kaiyenna de Ron hits the ball back to a Conch player.
6. Coral Shores freshman Jillian Thiery jumps into her overhand serve.
7. Jacob Sanchez serves to the Conchs.
MAICEY MALGRAT/Keys Weekly
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Above: A referee raises Autumn Wolfe’s hand in victory at the Lady Eagle Invitational Feb. 7.
Center top: Coral Shores’ Gavin Matheis, left, and David Beltran are preparing for the fast-approaching districts with strong tournament action.
Top right: Coral Shores wrestler Sterling Keefe is a key contributor to the team’s success. Last week, Keefe placed fourth out of dozens of athletes in the 157-pound competition.
Photos by Tracy McDonald and contributed
Local wrestlers make their marks in tournament action
Coral Shores and Key West sent their wrestlers to the Tony Ippolito Memorial Tourney at Brandon High School on Feb. 6 and 7. The Conchs and ’Canes tied for 15th place out of over 40 teams represented.
Allens Alexandre and Michael Guzman reached the podium for Key West. Alexandre finished in third place in the 285-pound competition and Guzman was fourth at 165 pounds.
Bottom: Autumn Wolfe is set to make history this week as Marathon’s first wrestler to compete in the postseason.
MAT MATTERS
Coral Shores had three wrestlers place. Sterling Keefe was fourth at 157
pounds. David Beltran finished in fifth at 175 and Gavin Matheis was sixth at 132.
Boys wrestlers have just over a week before their district tournament. Key West, Coral Shores and Marathon will send their athletes to the Southernmost City for the FHSAA’s 1A District 16 Championships on Feb. 20. Wrestlers who make the cut move on to regionals the following week for a shot at a state championship berth in the first week of March.
Key West and Marathon sent their girls to the Lady Eagle IBT held at George Jenkins High School in Lakeland on Feb. 7. Both schools had athletes place in the 30-team tournament to set the tone for the upcoming district championships.
Maria Holushko of Key West was the runner-up in the 142-pound class. Teammate Yannesie Corrales (170) brought home third place for the Conchs. Both wrestlers finished 2-1 at the tournament. Marathon’s Autumn Wolfe went 3-2 in the 107-pound class, winning fourth place in that division.
All three Keys schools have at least one female wrestler this season and will send representatives to the District 16 championships Feb. 12 at Coral Park Senior High. Regionals are slated for the next week, with states scheduled for the first week of March.
AND THEN THERE WERE NONE
Lady Conchs soccer falls in regionals
Key West’s postseason quest on the soccer field ended Feb. 5 after a regional quarterfinal loss to Somerset Academy in Pembroke Pines. The Lady Conchs earned a spot in the brackets despite losing in districts. Their success within a challenging schedule boosted them in the rankings, keeping them alive in the hunt for a state title.
The Panthers overwhelmed the Conchs, scoring early and often to earn a 7-1 win. A late-match goal from senior striker Madison Kilduff put the Conchs on the board, but it was not enough to overcome a powerful Somerset squad. The loss gave Key West, whose roster is loaded with underclassmen talent, a 10-6-4 record and a lot to look forward to next season.
WE HAVE LIFTOFF
Boys weightlifting begins for Keys strongmen
As girls weightlifting season winds down, the spring season for the boys is just beginning. Feb. 2 was the official start date for regular-season competitions, and the Keys’ two weightlifting teams wasted no time getting their first contest under their weight belts.
Marathon and Gulliver traveled to Coral Shores on Feb. 4 for a tri-meet, and Keys teams won all but one weight class. In team scoring, Coral Shores came through with wins in both the Olympic and traditional events, with Marathon placing second and Gulliver third.
The Hurricanes had double winners in six of the 10 weight classes. Winning in both Olympic and traditional lifts were Nick Brown (119-pound weight class), Jordan Collins (129), Jake Companioni (169), Ekon Edwards (183), Fredy Flores (219) and Mason Aussubel (238). In the 183-pound competition, Ekon Edwards won the Olympic contest while teammate Aaron Lykins was first in traditional. Roger Sandino won the traditional event in the 139-pound class to round out the Hurricane wins.
Marathon’s Connor Malone was the Olympic champ, splitting the 139-pound class with Sandino.
Matthias Martinez-Velez (154) and Max Childress (199) won both the Olympic and traditional contests in their weight categories. Both Childress and Martinez-Velez were state qualifiers last season and have picked up right where they left off. Childress combined a 155-pound snatch lift with 235-pound lifts in both bench and clean and jerk to win the overall top lifter of the event.
Several athletes from both teams are finishing their winter sport seasons and should return to the weight room this week.
Though girls weightlifting season is over for the majority of athletes, four local lifters will head to states on Thursday, Feb. 12. Justice Lee Isom, Ella Evans and Adelle Bainbridge of Marathon and Coral Shores’ Vanessa Gabriel will represent the Keys at the event, held in Lakeland this year.
Five seniors will move on from Key West’s Lady Conchs soccer roster. Pictured, from left, at their Senior Night: Molly McKnight, Colbie Turner, Maddie Kilduff, Lily Andrew and Valerie Roman. JENNIFER SEARCY/Contributed
Photos by Doug Finger and Barry Gaukel
Jake Companioni
Mason Aussubel
Roger Sandino
Matthias Martinez-Velez
Max Childress
FICTITIOUS NAME
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of Key West Vacation Rentals located at 1001 Whitehead St., Key West, FL 33040 intends to register said name with the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida.
By: Key West Vacation Rentals Holdings, LLC
Publish: February 12, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
FICTITIOUS NAME
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of Seven Keys Vacations by Casago located at 1001 Whitehead St., Key West, FL 33040 intends to register said name with the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida.
By: Key West Vacation Rentals Holdings, LLC
Publish: February 12, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
FICTITIOUS NAME NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of 7 Keys Vacations by Casago located at 1001 Whitehead St., Key West, FL 33040 intends to register said name with the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida.
By: Key West Vacation Rentals Holdings, LLC
Publish: February 12, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE
U-HAUL COMPANY OF MIAMI Notice is hereby given that on February 16th, 2026, Leonard Richford Jr. Storage Auctioneer, Executive Administrator for
U-Haul Company of Miami, Will be offering for sale under the Judicial Lien Process, By Public Auction, the following storage units. The Terms of the sale will be cash only.
U-Haul Company does reserve the right to refuse any bids. The sales will Begin at 8:00 a.m. and continue day by day until all units are sold. The names of whose units will be sold are as follows: 103530 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, FL 33037
(DAC V (From Mile Marker 90.940 to the Dade/Monroe County Line and any Mainland portions of Monroe County) of the MONROE COUNTY TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL has an opening for an “At Large” representative - Any resident who is not directly involved in a tourism business and who shall represent the general public and shall live or work within the tax collection district for which they are applying.
(The operative word within this description is directly. This word means someone who is not in business, nor whose business or economic activity are dependent upon tourists.)
Any person wishing to participate on the District V Advisory Committee of the Monroe County Tourist Development Council within the district so noted above, may request an application by emailing sydney@fla-keys.com. Completed applications should be emailed to sydney@fla-keys.com or may be sent via U.S. mail to the address below:
Department DAC Monroe County Tourist
Development Council 1201 White Street, Suite 102 Key West, FL 33040
Deadline for receipt of application at the above address is 5:00 p.m. Friday, March 27, 2026. A resume may be attached to the application.
Publish: February 12, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF INTENTION TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF COUNTY ORDINANCE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN that on February 18, 2026, at 9:00 A.M. or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard, at the Harvey Government Center, 1200 Truman Avenue, 2nd Floor, Key West, Florida, 33040, the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida, intends to consider adopting the following ordinance:
AN ORDINANCE OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA, AMENDING SECTION 2-58 OF THE MONROE COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES, “COUNTY ADMINISTRATION” TO VEST THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR WITH THE AUTHORITY TO GRANT EXEMPTIONS, LASTING IN DURATION OF NO MORE THAN TEN DAYS, TO ANY PROHIBITION AGAINST CONDUCT AT COUNTY FACILITIES, AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE ORDINANCE, THAT ARE SET FORTH IN THE COUNTY CODE FOR ORGANIZED COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE HEALTH, SAFETY, AND WELFARE OF THE COUNTY AND REQUIRING THAT THE ADMINISTRATOR DOCUMENT THE EXEMPTION IN WRITING AND TRANSMIT A COPY OF THAT WRITTEN EXEMPTION TO MEMBERS OF THE BOARD UPON ISSUANCE; CLARIFYING EXISTING LANGUAGE; AND PROVIDING FOR
Effective March 1, 2026, Kristie Santana, APRN, PMHNP-BC, will no longer be practicing at the office of Keys Medical Group - Psychiatry.
Patients may continue to contact the office for an appointment with Angela Halbrook, APRN, PMHNP-BC. Request an appointment via the patient portal, online at KeysMedicalGroup.com or at (305)293-1299.
Patients may also request a copy of their medical records by contacting Keys Medical Group Psychiatry, 1200 Kennedy Drive, Suite 1041, Key West, FL 33040. Phone: 305-293-1299.
Publish:
February 12, 19, 26 & March 5, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers
SEVERABILITY AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
The proposed ordinance may be inspected by the public at the Monroe County website by viewing the agenda packet for the February 18, 2026, meeting, which will be posted beginning on February 10, 2026 at: https://www. monroecounty-fl.gov/695/BOCCMeetings-Agendas. The ordinance may also be viewed at the Monroe County Attorney’s Office at 1111 12th Street, Suite 408, Key West, FL 33040.
The public can participate in the February 18, 2026, meeting of the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, FL by attending in person or via Zoom. The Zoom link can be found in the agenda at: https://mcbocc.zoom. us/j/89204098700, or Live Closed Captioning is available via the MCTV portal at https://cloud.castus.tv/vod/ monroe/video/60832c9dcf67 bb7ac0c21791?page =HOME&type=live.
ADA ASSISTANCE: If you are a person with a disability who needs special accommodations in order to participate in this proceeding, please contact the County Administrator’s Office, by phoning (305) 292-4441, between the hours of 8:30a.m.—5:00p.m., prior to the scheduled meeting; if you are hearing or voice-impaired, call “711”.
Pursuant to Section 286.0105, Florida Statutes, notice is given that if a person decides to appeal any decision made by the Board of County Commissioners with respect to any matter considered at such meetings or hearings, that person will need a record of the proceedings, and for such purpose, that person will need to ensure that a verbatim record is made of the proceedings, which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based.
Dated at Key West, Florida, this 7th day of February, 2026.
KEVIN MADOK, Clerk of the Circuit Court and Ex Officio Clerk of the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida
Publish: February 12, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE SOLICITATIONS
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Thursday, March 12, 2025, at 3:00 P.M., the Monroe County Purchasing Office will receive and open sealed responses for the following:
Key West Lighthouse Giftshop Renovations
Monroe County, Florida
Pursuant to F.S. § 50.0211(3)(a), all published competitive solicitation notices can be viewed at: www. floridapublicnotices.com, a searchable Statewide repository for all published legal notices. Requirements for submission and the selection criteria may be requested from the County’s electronic bidding
platform at https://monroecountyfl.bonfirehub.com OR www. monroecounty-fl.gov/BonfireBids. The Public Record is available upon request.
Monroe County Purchasing Department receives bids via the Bonfire electronic bidding platform. Please do not email, mail or attempt to deliver in person any sealed bids. Emailed/ mailed/physically delivered bids/ proposals/responses WILL NOT be accepted.
The Monroe County Purchasing Department hereby directs that bids be submitted via the Bonfire electronic bidding platform at https://monroecounty-fl. bonfirehub.com, no later than 3:00 P.M. on Thursday, March 12, 2025. There is no cost to the bidder to use the Bonfire platform. Please do not submit your confidential financial information as part of your proposal. There are separate uploads for each set of documents, including confidential financial information. All proposals will be made public on the platform after an intended decision or 30 days, whichever is earlier, unless the bids/proposals are rejected in accordance with F.S. 119.071. If your proposal document includes financial information, that information will not be considered confidential and will be available and viewable to the public in accordance with public records law. In the event of a discrepancy between the bid amount on the Proposal Form and the bid amount entered in Bonfire, the bid amount listed in the “Proposal Form” provided by Monroe County in the RFP is the amount that will be utilized by the County when considering the bid proposal. The County reserves the right to waive any proposal/bid irregularity.
The bid opening for this solicitation will be held virtually, via the internet, at 3:00 P.M., on Thursday, March 12, 2026. You may call in by phone or internet using the following: Join Zoom Meeting https://mcbocc.zoom. us/j/4509326156
Meeting ID: 4509326156
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Publish: February 12. 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 26-CP-000006-PK IN RE: ESTATE OF JAY T. HOLMES
Deceased.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of JAY T. HOLMES, deceased, whose date of death was November 28, 2025; is pending in the Circuit
Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division; File Number 26-CP-000006-PK; the address of which is 88770 Overseas Highway, Suite 2, Plantation Key, FL 33070. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below.
All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate, including unmatured, contingent or unliquidated claims, and who have been served a copy of this notice, must file their claims with this court WITHIN THE LATER OF THREE (3) MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR THIRTY (30) DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons who have claims or demands against the decedent’s estate, including unmatured, contingent or unliquidated claims, must file their claims with this court WITHIN THREE (3) MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT SO FILED WILL BE FOREVER BARRED.
NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED. THE DATE OF FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE IS: FEBRUARY 5, 2026.
Personal Representative: TERESA ANN HOLMES 37 Halfway Rd Key Largo, FL 33037 srateresa@aol.com
Attorney for Personal Representative: JOHN MICHAEL LYNN, ESQ. Florida Bar No. 0147273 Turner & Lynn, P.A. 7 Barracuda Lane Key Largo, Florida 33037 Telephone: (305) 367-0911 turnerlynnpa@gmail.com
Publish: February 5 & 12, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 16TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION CASE NUMBER: 25-CP-000526-P
IN RE: THE ESTATE OF DOUGLAS S. GIFFORD Deceased.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS The estate of DOUGLAS S. GIFFORD, deceased, File Number 25-CP-000526-P, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 88770 Overseas Highway, Suite 1, Tavernier, FL 33070. The name and address of the attorney for the estate and the Personal Representative are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate, including unmatured, contingent or unliquidated claims,
on whom a copy of this notice is served must file their claims with this court WITHIN THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate, including unmatured, contingent or unliquidated claims, must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT SO FILED WILL BE FOREVER BARRED.
The date of first publication of this Notice is February 5, 2026. Personal Representative: Hillary Whelan DAVID A. SILVERSTONE, P.A. Attorney for Personal Representative 2455 Hollywood Blvd., Suite 301 Hollywood, FL 33020 (954) 367-0770
David@dsilverstone.com
By: David A. Silverstone Fla. Bar No. 862096
Publish: February 5 & 12, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA DIVISION: PROBATE CASE NO.: 26-CP-009-M IN RE: ESTATE OF MICHAEL A. NEVIN
Deceased.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of MICHAEL A. NEVIN, deceased, whose date of death was September 16, 2025, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 3117 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court WITHIN THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN SECTION 733.702 OF THE FLORIDA PROBATE CODE WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED. The date of first publication of this notice is February 5, 2026. Personal Representative: JESSE S. NEVIN 5 High Sierra Drive Alamogordo, NM 88310
Attorney for Personal Representative: BRIAN M. CASEY
The administration of the estate of Denison C. A. Tempel, deceased, whose date of death was December 5, 2025, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 500 Whitehead Street, Key West, FL 33040. The name and address of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below.
All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM.
All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against the decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE.
ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN SECTION 733.702 OF THE FLORIDA STATUTES WILL BE FOREVER BARRED.
The personal representative or curator has no duty to discover whether any property held at the time of the decedent's death by the decedent or the decedent's surviving spouse is property to which the Florida Uniform Disposition of Community Property Rights at Death Act as described in ss. 732-216-732.228, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under s. 732.2211.
NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED.
The date of first publication of this notice is February 5, 2026.
Personal Representative: Mabry Binnicker 613 Eaton Street Key West, FL 33040 Attorney for Personal Representative: Hugh J. Morgan, Esq. Florida Bar No. 112362 309 Whitehead Street Key West, FL 33040 Telephone: (305) 296 5676 Email: hughkw123@gmail.com Publish: February 5 & 12, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 16TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA CIVIL DIVISION CASE NO.: CA-K-23 000363 VILLAGE CAPITAL & INVESTMENT LLC, Plaintiff, vs. PAOLA M. LOPEZ MERCADO A/K/A PAOLA MARIA LOPEZ MERCADO; JAN MATTHEW OCASIO GONZALEZ; FLAGLER CENTER III CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION, INC.; UNKNOWN TENANT IN POSSESSION OF THE SUBJECT PROPERTY, Defendants.
NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to an Order or Final Judgment entered in the above styled cause now pending in said court and as required by Florida Statute 45.031(2), KEVIN MADOK, CPA as the Clerk of the Circuit Court shall sell to the highest and best bidder for cash at the, KEY WEST COURTHOUSE (ALL SALES), 500 WHITEHEAD STREET, KEY WEST, FL 33040, 11:00 AM on the 27 day of February, 2026, the following described property as set forth in said Final Judgment, to wit: CONDOMINIUM UNIT 603, FLAGLER CENTER III, A CONDOMINIUM, TOGETHER WITH AN UNDIVIDED INTEREST IN THE COMMON ELEMENTS, ACCORDING TO THE DECLARATION
OF CONDOMINIUM THEREOF, RECORDED IN OFFICIAL RECORDS BOOK 1381, PAGE 239, AS AMENDED FROM TIME TO TIME, OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA. PROPERTY ADDRESS: 3201 FLAGLER AVE UNIT 603, KEY WEST, FL 33040
IF YOU ARE A PERSON CLAIMING A RIGHT TO FUNDS REMAINING AFTER THE SALE, YOU MUST FILE A CLAIM WITH THE CLERK NO LATER THAN THE DATE THAT THE CLERK REPORTS THE FUNDS AS UNCLAIMED. IF YOU FAIL TO FILE A CLAIM, YOU WILL NOT BE ENTITLED TO ANY REMAINING FUNDS. AFTER THE FUNDS ARE REPORTED AS UNCLAIMED, ONLY THE OWNER OF RECORD AS OF THE DATE OF THE LIS PENDENS MAY CLAIM THE SURPLUS. If you are a person with a disability who needs any accommodation in order to participate in a court proceeding or event, you are entitled, at no cost to you, to the provision of certain assistance. Please contact Cheryl Alfonso, 302 Fleming Street, Key West, Florida, 33040, (305) 292-3423, at least 7 days before your scheduled court appearance, or immediately upon receiving this notification if the time before the scheduled appearance is less than 7 days: if you are hearing or voice impaired call 711.
Dated this 29TH day of January, 2026
KEVIN MADOK, CPA Clerk of the Circuit Court By: Shonta McLeod Deputy Clerk
Publish:
February 12 & 19, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT
IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
CASE NO.: 2024-CC-507-K
AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE BY CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT
Notice is hereby given that the undersigned, Kevin Madok, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Monroe County, Florida, will, on the 23RD day of February 2026 at 11 o’clock a.m., at 500 Whitehead Street, Monroe County, in the City of Key West, Florida, offer for sale and sell at public outcry to the highest and best bidder for CASH the Following described property situated in Monroe County, Florida, to wit: Unit 5834, Week 23, Annual Windward Pointe, a Leasehold Condominium (“Condominium”), according to the Declaration of Condominium thereof recorded in Official Records Book 1803, Page 844, Public Records of Monroe County, Florida, and all exhibits thereto, and any amendments thereof (the “Declaration”). Pursuant to IN REM SUMMARY FINAL JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE entered in a case pending in said Court, the 15TH day of January 2026 Style of which is: WINDWARD POINTE CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION OF KEY WEST, INC., A CORPORATION NOT-FOR-PROFIT UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA Plaintiff vs. LINDA JAYNE GARZA; ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN PARTIES WHO CLAIM AN INTEREST AS SPOUSE, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES, ADMINISTRATORS OR AS OTHER CLAIMANTS, BY, THROUGH, UNDER OR AGAINST JOHN MARKOU GARZA, DECEASED; JOSHUA M. GARZA, AS POTENTIAL HEIR TO JOHN MARKOU GARZA; ANTHONY GARZA, AS POTENTIAL HEIR TO JOHN MARKOU GARZA;AND DANIEL ANGELO GARZA, AS POTENTIAL HEIR TO JOHN MARKOU GARZA
Defendant And the Docket Number of which is Number 2024-CC-507-K
WITNESS my hand and the Official Seal of Said Court, this 25TH day of January 2026
KEVIN MADOK
Clerk of the Circuit Court Monroe County, Florida By: Shonta McLeod
Deputy Clerk Florida Statute 45.031: Any person claiming an interest in the surplus from the sale, if any, other than the property owner as of the date of the Lis Pendens must file a claim within 60 days after the sale.
Publish: February 5 & 12, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT
IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
CASE NO.: 2025-CC-74-K
AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE BY CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT Notice is hereby given that the undersigned, Kevin Madok, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Monroe County, Florida, will, on the 23RD day of February 2026 at 11 o’clock a.m., at 500 Whitehead Street, Monroe County, in the City of Key West, Florida, offer for sale and sell at public outcry to the highest and best bidder for CASH the Following described property situated in Monroe County, Florida, to wit: Unit 5124, Week 7, Windward Pointe, a Leasehold Condominium (“Condominium”), according to the Declaration of Condominium thereof recorded in Official Records Book 1803, Page 844, Public Records of Monroe County, Florida, and all exhibits thereto, and any amendments thereof (the “Declaration”).
Pursuant to IN REM SUMMARY FINAL JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE as to Count(s) II entered in a case pending in said Court, the 15TH day of January 2026 Style of which is: WINDWARD POINTE CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION OF KEY WEST, INC., A CORPORATION NOT-FOR-PROFIT UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA Plaintiff vs. DAVID LESZKOWITZ; ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN PARTIES WHO CLAIM AN INTEREST AS SPOUSE, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES, ADMINISTRATORS OR AS OTHER CLAIMANTS, BY, THROUGH, UNDER OR AGAINST MARLY LESZKOWITZ, DECEASED; AND MARINA H. MOLITOR, AS POTENTIAL HEIR TO MARLY LESZKOWITZ
Defendant And the Docket Number of which is Number 2025-CC-74-K
WITNESS my hand and the Official Seal of Said Court, this 25TH day of January 2026 KEVIN MADOK Clerk of the Circuit Court Monroe County, Florida By: Shonta McLeod Deputy Clerk Florida Statute 45.031: Any person claiming an interest in the surplus from the sale, if any, other than the property owner as of the date of the Lis Pendens must file a claim within 60 days after the sale.
Publish: February 5 & 12, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.: 2024-CC-523-K
AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE BY CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT
Notice is hereby given that the undersigned, Kevin Madok, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Monroe County, Florida, will, on the 23RD day of February 2026 at 11 o’clock a.m., at 500 Whitehead Street, Monroe County, in the City of Key West, Florida, offer for sale and sell at public outcry to the highest and best bidder for CASH the Following described property situated in Monroe County, Florida, to wit: Unit 5824, Week 12, Annual Windward Pointe, a Leasehold Condominium (“Condominium”),
according to the Declaration of Condominium thereof recorded in Official Records Book 1803, Page 844, Public Records of Monroe County, Florida, and all exhibits thereto, and any amendments thereof (the “Declaration”).
Pursuant to IN REM SUMMARY
FINAL JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE entered in a case pending in said Court, the 15TH day of January 2026
Style of which is: WINDWARD POINTE CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION OF KEY WEST, INC., A CORPORATION NOT-FOR-PROFIT UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA Plaintiff vs. ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN PARTIES WHO CLAIM AN INTEREST AS SPOUSE, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES, ADMINISTRATORS OR AS OTHER CLAIMANTS, BY, THROUGH, UNDER OR AGAINST ANDREW R. REILLY, DECEASED AND BRANDON REILLY, AS POTENTIAL HEIR TO ANDREW R. REILLY
Defendant And the Docket Number of which is Number 2024-CC-523-K WITNESS my hand and the Official Seal of Said Court, this 25TH day of January 2026
KEVIN MADOK Clerk of the Circuit Court Monroe County, Florida
By: Shonta McLeod
Deputy Clerk Florida Statute 45.031: Any person claiming an interest in the surplus from the sale, if any, other than the property owner as of the date of the Lis Pendens must file a claim within 60 days after the sale.
Publish:
February 5 & 12, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
CASE NO.: 2024-CC-715-K
AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE BY CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT
Notice is hereby given that the undersigned, Kevin Madok, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Monroe County, Florida, will, on the 23RD day of February 2026 at 11 o’clock a.m., at 500 Whitehead Street, Monroe County, in the City of Key West, Florida, offer for sale and sell at public outcry to the highest and best bidder for CASH the Following described property situated in Monroe County, Florida, to wit: Unit E14, Week 9, Beach House, a Condominium according to the Declaration of Condominium thereof recorded in Official Records Book 1510, Page 225, Public Records of Monroe County, Florida, and all exhibits attached thereto, and any amendments thereof (the “Declaration”).
Pursuant to IN REM SUMMARY FINAL JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE entered in a case pending in said Court, the 15TH day of January 2026
Style of which is: BEACH HOUSE CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION OF KEY WEST, INC., A NONPROFIT CORPORATION UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA Plaintiff
vs. ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN PARTIES WHO CLAIM AN INTEREST AS SPOUSE, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES, ADMINISTRATORS OR AS OTHER CLAIMANTS, BY, THROUGH, UNDER OR AGAINST ROBERT DUANE SHAPPEE, DECEASED; AMY SERAFIN, AS POTENTIAL PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ESTATE OF ROBERT D. SHAPPEE; LAURA SIVLERMAN, AS POTENTIAL PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ESTATE OF ROBERT D. SHAPPEE; AND UNKNOWN SUCCESSOR TRUSTEE OF THE ROBERT D. SHAPPEE LIVING TRUST Defendant And the Docket Number of which
is Number 2024-CC-715-K WITNESS my hand and the Official Seal of Said Court, this 25TH day of January 2026
KEVIN MADOK Clerk of the Circuit Court Monroe County, Florida By: Shonta McLeod Deputy Clerk Florida Statute 45.031: Any person claiming an interest in the surplus from the sale, if any, other than the property owner as of the date of the Lis Pendens must file a claim within 60 days after the sale. Publish: February 5 & 12, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.: 2025-CC-122-K AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE BY CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT
Notice is hereby given that the undersigned, Kevin Madok, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Monroe County, Florida, will, on the 23RD day of February 2026 at 11 o’clock a.m., at 500 Whitehead Street, Monroe County, in the City of Key West, Florida, offer for sale and sell at public outcry to the highest and best bidder for CASH the Following described property situated in Monroe County, Florida, to wit: Unit C21, Week 9, Beach House, a Condominium according to the Declaration of Condominium thereof recorded in Official Records Book 1510, Page 225, Public Records of Monroe County, Florida, and all exhibits attached thereto, and any amendments thereof (the “Declaration”). Pursuant to IN REM SUMMARY FINAL JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE entered in a case pending in said Court, the 15TH day of January 2026 Style of which is: BEACH HOUSE CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION OF KEY WEST, INC., A NONPROFIT CORPORATION UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA
Plaintiff vs. ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN PARTIES WHO CLAIM AN INTEREST AS SPOUSE, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES, ADMINISTRATORS OR AS OTHER CLAIMANTS, BY, THROUGH, UNDER OR AGAINST PAUL RICHARD SHERIDAN, DECEASED; KATHLEEN SHERIDAN, AS POTENTIAL HEIR TO PAUL RICHARD SHERIDAN; CHRISTOPHER SHERIDAN, AS POTENTIAL HEIR TO PAUL RICHARD SHERIDAN; AND TIMOTHY SHERIDAN, AS POTENTIAL HEIR TO PAUL RICHARD SHERIDAN
Defendant And the Docket Number of which is Number 2025-CC-122-K WITNESS my hand and the Official Seal of Said Court, this 25TH day of January 2026
KEVIN MADOK
Clerk of the Circuit Court Monroe County, Florida By: Shonta McLeod
Deputy Clerk
Florida Statute 45.031: Any person claiming an interest in the surplus from the sale, if any, other than the property owner as of the date of the Lis Pendens must file a claim within 60 days after the sale.
Publish: February 5 & 12, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR TAX DEED 2025-51
Notice is hereby given that, PRESTIGE WORLDWIDE BBC LLC PRESTIGE WORLDWIDE BBC LLC, holder of the following Certificate(s) has filed said Tax Certificate(s) for a Tax Deed to be issued thereon. The Certificate Number and year of issuance, the description of property, and Name in which it is assessed are as follows:
Certificate No: 2023/621
Date of Issuance: June 01, 2023
Account Number: 1237973
Parcel ID: 00185990-000000
Description of Property: BK 14 LT 14 CUTTHROAT HARBOR ESTATES FIRST ADDN CUDJOE KEY PB5-60 OR388-888 OR493-445
Names in which assessed: JENNIFER L RICHMOND, ZELEZNIK
ROBERT J All of said property being in the County of Monroe, State of Florida. Unless such certificate or certificates shall be redeemed according to law the property described in such certificate or certificates will be sold to the highest bidder on www.monroe. realtaxdeed.com
Sale Date: March 25, 2026 Sale Time: 10:00am.
Dated this February 4th, 2026
KEVIN MADOK, CPA CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT & COMPTROLLER OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
By: Aneta Jodkowska, Deputy Clerk Publish: February 12, 19 & 26 and March 5, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR TAX DEED 2025-52
Notice is hereby given that, PRESTIGE WORLDWIDE BBC LLC PRESTIGE WORLDWIDE BBC LLC, holder of the following Certificate(s) has filed said Tax Certificate(s) for a Tax Deed to be issued thereon. The Certificate Number and year of issuance, the description of property, and Name in which it is assessed are as follows:
Certificate No: 2023/901
Date of Issuance: June 01, 2023
Account Number: 1410985
Parcel ID: 00333641-012800
Description of Property:
DOCK LOT D-23 STIRRUP KEY SUBDIVISION PB7-4 STIRRUP KEY (DOCK AREA A) OR817-2119 OR877-248 OR1018-1548 OR1882103 OR2668-1885 OR2687-413 OR3300-0140
Names in which assessed: BROWN GARY D LIVING TRUST 05/04/2018
All of said property being in the County of Monroe, State of Florida. Unless such certificate or certificates shall be redeemed according to law the property described in such certificate or certificates will be sold to the highest bidder on www.monroe. realtaxdeed.com
Sale Date: March 25, 2026 Sale Time: 10:00am.
Dated this February 6th, 2026 KEVIN MADOK, CPA CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT & COMPTROLLER OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA By: Aneta Jodkowska, Deputy Clerk
Publish: February 12, 19 & 26 and March 5, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR TAX DEED 2025-53
Notice is hereby given that, PRESTIGE WORLDWIDE BBC LLC PRESTIGE WORLDWIDE BBC LLC, holder of the following Certificate(s) has filed said Tax Certificate(s) for a Tax Deed to be issued thereon. The Certificate Number and year of issuance, the description of property, and Name in which it is assessed are as follows:
Certificate No: 2023/622
Date of Issuance: June 01, 2023
Account Number: 1237981
Parcel ID: 00186000-000000
Description of Property: BK 14 LT 15 CUTTHROAT HARBOR ESTATES FIRST ADDN CUDJOE KEY PB5-60 OR385-601 OR769-1672
Names in which assessed: BERNADINE D BRYKOWSKY, BRYKOWSKY FRANK L All of said property being in the County of Monroe, State of Florida. Unless such certificate or certificates shall be redeemed according to law the property described in such certificate or certificates will be sold to the
highest bidder on www.monroe. realtaxdeed.com
Sale Date: March 25, 2026 Sale Time: 10:00am.
Dated this February 4th, 2026
KEVIN MADOK, CPA CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT & COMPTROLLER OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
By: Aneta Jodkowska, Deputy Clerk
Publish:
February 12, 19 & 26 and March 5, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR TAX DEED 2025-54
Notice is hereby given that, PRESTIGE WORLDWIDE BBC LLC PRESTIGE WORLDWIDE BBC LLC, holder of the following Certificate(s) has filed said Tax Certificate(s) for a Tax Deed to be issued thereon. The Certificate Number and year of issuance, the description of property, and Name in which it is assessed are as follows: Certificate No: 2023/284
Description of Property: 27 62 38 ISLAND OF KEY LARGO PB 1-64 PT LOT 1 OR180-528/530 OR1047-1982/1985C OR3035-72
Names in which assessed: U S HOME CORPORATION SOUTH FLORIDA LAND DIVISION All of said property being in the County of Monroe, State of Florida. Unless such certificate or certificates shall be redeemed according to law the property described in such certificate or certificates will be sold to the highest bidder on www.monroe. realtaxdeed.com
Sale Date: March 25, 2026 Sale Time: 10:00am.
Dated this February 4th, 2026 KEVIN MADOK, CPA CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT & COMPTROLLER OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
By: Aneta Jodkowska, Deputy Clerk
Publish:
February 12, 19 & 26 and March 5, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR TAX DEED 2025-55
Notice is hereby given that, FIG 20, LLC FIG 20, LLC FBO SEC PTY, holder of the following Certificate(s) has filed said Tax Certificate(s) for a Tax Deed to be issued thereon. The Certificate Number and year of issuance, the description of property, and Name in which it is assessed are as follows:
Certificate No: 2023/624 Date of Issuance: June 01, 2023 Account Number: 1238074
Parcel ID: 00186090-000000
Description of Property: BK 15 LT 6 CUTTHROAT HARBOR ESTATES FIRST ADDN CUDJOE KEY PB5-60 OR477-583 OR729-436 OR1295-1982 OR1456-1353
Names in which assessed: RICE SYLVIA L, SHARON RICE All of said property being in the County of Monroe, State of Florida. Unless such certificate or certificates shall be redeemed according to law the property described in such certificate or certificates will be sold to the highest bidder on www.monroe. realtaxdeed.com
Sale Date: March 25, 2026 Sale Time: 10:00am.
Dated this February 6th, 2026 KEVIN MADOK, CPA CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT & COMPTROLLER OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA By: Aneta Jodkowska, Deputy Clerk
Publish:
February 12, 19 & 26 and March 5, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR TAX DEED 2025-56
Notice is hereby given that, FIG
LLC
LLC FBO SEC
PTY,
holder of the following
Certificate(s) has filed said Tax Certificate(s) for a Tax Deed to be issued thereon. The Certificate Number and year of issuance, the description of property, and Name in which it is assessed are as follows:
Certificate No: 2023/626
Date of Issuance: June 01, 2023
Account Number: 1238121
Parcel ID: 00186140-000000
Description of Property:
BK 15 LT 11 CUTTHROAT HARBOR
ESTATES FIRST ADDN CUDJOE KEY
PB5-60 CUDJOE KEY OR593-348 OR1378-2014/18
Names in which assessed: PHILLIPS AND TRICE INC
All of said property being in the County of Monroe, State of Florida. Unless such certificate or certificates shall be redeemed according to law the property described in such certificate or certificates will be sold to the highest bidder on www.monroe. realtaxdeed.com
Sale Date: March 25, 2026 Sale Time: 10:00am.
Dated this February 4th, 2026
KEVIN MADOK, CPA CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT & COMPTROLLER OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
By: Aneta Jodkowska, Deputy
Clerk
Publish:
February 12, 19 & 26 and March 5, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR TAX DEED 2025-57
Notice is hereby given that, FIG 20, LLC FIG 20, LLC FBO SEC PTY, holder of the following Certificate(s) has filed said Tax Certificate(s) for a Tax Deed to be issued thereon. The Certificate Number and year of issuance, the description of property, and Name in which it is assessed are as follows:
Certificate No: 2023/623
Date of Issuance: June 01, 2023
Account Number: 1238066
Parcel ID: 00186080-000000
Description of Property: BK 15 LT 5 CUTTHROAT HARBOR ESTATES FIRST ADDN CUDJOE KEY PB5-60 OR477-583 OR729-436 OR1295-1982 OR1456-1353
Names in which assessed: RICE SYLVIA L, SHARON RICE All of said property being in the County of Monroe, State of Florida. Unless such certificate or certificates shall be redeemed according to law the property described in such certificate or certificates will be sold to the highest bidder on www.monroe. realtaxdeed.com
Sale Date: March 25, 2026 Sale Time: 10:00am.
Dated this February 6th, 2026
KEVIN MADOK, CPA CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT & COMPTROLLER OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
By: Aneta Jodkowska, Deputy Clerk
Publish: February 12, 19 & 26 and March 5, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR TAX DEED 2025-58
Notice is hereby given that, FIG 20, LLC FIG 20, LLC FBO SEC PTY, holder of the following Certificate(s) has filed said Tax Certificate(s) for a Tax Deed to be issued thereon. The Certificate Number and year of issuance, the description of property, and Name in which it is assessed are as follows:
Certificate No: 2023/628
Date of Issuance: June 01, 2023
Account Number: 1238147
Parcel ID: 00186160-000000
Description of Property: BK
certificates shall be redeemed according to law the property described in such certificate or certificates will be sold to the highest bidder on www.monroe. realtaxdeed.com
Sale Date: March 25, 2026 Sale Time: 10:00am.
Dated this February 4th, 2026
KEVIN MADOK, CPA CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT & COMPTROLLER OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
By: Aneta
Jodkowska, Deputy Clerk
Publish:
February 12, 19 & 26 and March 5, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR TAX DEED 2025-59
Notice is hereby given that, FIG 20, LLC FIG 20, LLC FBO SEC PTY, holder of the following
Certificate(s) has filed said Tax Certificate(s) for a Tax Deed to be issued thereon. The Certificate Number and year of issuance, the description of property, and Name in which it is assessed are as follows:
Certificate No: 2023/625
Date of Issuance: June 01, 2023
Account Number: 1238082
Parcel ID: 00186100-000000
Description of Property:
BK 15 LT 7 CUTTHROAT HARBOR ESTATES FIRST ADDN CUDJOE KEY PB5-60 OR477-583 OR729-436 OR1295-1982 OR1456-1353
Names in which assessed:
RICE SYLVIA L, SHARON RICE
All of said property being in the County of Monroe, State of Florida. Unless such certificate or certificates shall be redeemed according to law the property described in such certificate or certificates will be sold to the highest bidder on www.monroe. realtaxdeed.com
Sale Date: March 25, 2026 Sale Time: 10:00am.
Dated this February 6th, 2026
KEVIN MADOK, CPA CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT & COMPTROLLER OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
By: Aneta Jodkowska, Deputy Clerk
Publish:
February 12, 19 & 26 and March 5, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR TAX DEED
2025-60
Notice is hereby given that, FIG 20, LLC FIG 20, LLC FBO SEC PTY, holder of the following Certificate(s) has filed said Tax Certificate(s) for a Tax Deed to be issued thereon. The Certificate Number and year of issuance, the description of property, and Name in which it is assessed are as follows:
Certificate No: 2023/627
Date of Issuance: June 01, 2023
Account Number: 1238139
Parcel ID: 00186150-000000
Description of Property: BK 15 LT 12 CUTTHROAT HARBOR ESTATES FIRST ADDN CUDJOE KEY PB5-60 CUDJOE KEY OR593-348 OR1378-2014/18
Names in which assessed:
PHILLIPS AND TRICE INC
All of said property being in the County of Monroe, State of Florida. Unless such certificate or certificates shall be redeemed according to law the property described in such certificate or certificates will be sold to the highest bidder on www.monroe. realtaxdeed.com
Sale Date: March 25, 2026 Sale Time: 10:00am.
Dated this February 4th, 2026
KEVIN MADOK, CPA CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT & COMPTROLLER OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
By: Aneta Jodkowska, Deputy
Clerk
Publish: February 12, 19 & 26 and March 5, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR TAX DEED
2025-61
Notice is hereby given that, FIG 20, LLC FIG 20, LLC FBO SEC PTY, holder of the following
Certificate(s) has filed said Tax Certificate(s) for a Tax Deed to be issued thereon. The Certificate Number and year of issuance, the description of property, and Name in which it is assessed are as follows:
Certificate No: 2023/270
Date of Issuance: June 01, 2023
Account Number: 8627122
Parcel ID: 00086790-016900
Description of Property:
UNIT 169 KEY LARGO KAMPGROUND AND MARINA A CONDOMINIUM OR966-1005
OR1020-126/27 OR1583-1109
OR1583-1110 OR2674-243
OR3060-1531 OR3193-1544
OR3325-1883 OR3329-1211 Along with: Mobile Home: VEHlCLE ID NUMBER: 1TC2B467353064011
TITLE NUMBER:91865923 YEAR 2005
Names in which assessed: FIGUEROA OVEREAS 101551 LLC
All of said property being in the County of Monroe, State of Florida. Unless such certificate or certificates shall be redeemed according to law the property described in such certificate or certificates will be sold to the highest bidder on www.monroe. realtaxdeed.com
Sale Date: March 25, 2026 Sale Time: 10:00am. Dated this February 6th, 2026
KEVIN MADOK, CPA CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT & COMPTROLLER OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
By: Aneta Jodkowska, Deputy Clerk Publish:
February 12, 19 & 26 and March 5, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR TAX DEED
2025-63
Notice is hereby given that, FIG 20, LLC FIG 20, LLC FBO SEC PTY, holder of the following Certificate(s) has filed said Tax Certificate(s) for a Tax Deed to be issued thereon. The Certificate Number and year of issuance, the description of property, and Name in which it is assessed are as follows:
Certificate No: 2023/137
Date of Issuance: June 01, 2023
Account Number: 1055107
Parcel ID: 00054500-000000
Description of Property:
KW PEARLMAN ESTATES PB3-100 LOT 10 BLK 1 OR53-296/97
OR488-705 OR596-29 OR767-255
OR795-1163 OR796-2319/20
OR884-500 OR2244-1571/72L/E
OR2979-699D/C
Names in which assessed:
COLLIE NITA
All of said property being in the County of Monroe, State of Florida. Unless such certificate or certificates shall be redeemed according to law the property described in such certificate or certificates will be sold to the highest bidder on www.monroe. realtaxdeed.com
Sale Date: March 25, 2026 Sale Time: 10:00am.
Dated this February 4th, 2026
KEVIN MADOK, CPA
CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT & COMPTROLLER OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
By: Aneta Jodkowska, Deputy
Clerk
Publish: February 12, 19 & 26 and March 5, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR TAX DEED 2025-65
as follows:
Certificate No: 2023/780
Date of Issuance: June 01, 2023
Account Number: 9104797
Parcel ID: 00286280-000200
Description of Property:
S 15 FT OF LT 30 WHISPERING PINES PLAT 3 PB4-59 BIG PINE KEY
All of said property being in the County of Monroe, State of Florida. Unless such certificate or certificates shall be redeemed according to law the property described in such certificate or certificates will be sold to the highest bidder on www.monroe. realtaxdeed.com
Sale Date: March 25, 2026 Sale Time: 10:00am.
Dated this February 4th, 2026
KEVIN MADOK, CPA CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT & COMPTROLLER OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
By: Aneta Jodkowska, Deputy Clerk
Publish:
February 12, 19 & 26 and March 5, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR TAX DEED 2025-66
Notice is hereby given that, FIG 20, LLC FIG 20, LLC FBO SEC PTY, holder of the following Certificate(s) has filed said Tax Certificate(s) for a Tax Deed to be issued thereon. The Certificate Number and year of issuance, the description of property, and Name in which it is assessed are as follows:
Certificate No: 2023/1411
Date of Issuance: June 01, 2023
Account Number: 9101739
Parcel ID: 00483401-019800
Description of Property: UNIT 198 KEY LARGO OCEAN RESORT CONDOMINIUM OR2611977 OR2924-70
Names in which assessed:
IRIARTE PEDRO E, MARIA T IRIARTE
All of said property being in the County of Monroe, State of Florida. Unless such certificate or certificates shall be redeemed according to law the property described in such certificate or certificates will be sold to the highest bidder on www.monroe. realtaxdeed.com
Sale Date: March 25, 2026 Sale Time: 10:00am.
Dated this February 6th 2026
KEVIN MADOK, CPA CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT & COMPTROLLER OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
By: Aneta Jodkowska, Deputy Clerk
Publish:
February 12, 19 & 26 and March 5, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR TAX DEED 2025-67
Notice is hereby given that, FIG 20, LLC FIG 20, LLC FBO SEC PTY, holder of the following Certificate(s) has filed said Tax Certificate(s) for a Tax Deed to be issued thereon. The Certificate Number and year of issuance, the description of property, and Name in which it is assessed are as follows:
Certificate No: 2023/1419
Date of Issuance: June 01, 2023
Account Number: 1594181
All of said property being in the County of Monroe, State of Florida. Unless such certificate or certificates shall be redeemed according to law the property described in such certificate or certificates will be sold to the highest bidder on www.monroe. realtaxdeed.com
Sale Date: March 25, 2026 Sale Time: 10:00am. Dated this February 4th 2026
KEVIN MADOK, CPA CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT & COMPTROLLER OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
By: Aneta Jodkowska, Deputy
Clerk
Publish:
February 12, 19 & 26 and March 5, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR TAX DEED
2025-68
Notice is hereby given that, FIG 20, LLC FIG 20, LLC FBO SEC PTY, holder of the following Certificate(s) has filed said Tax Certificate(s) for a Tax Deed to be issued thereon. The Certificate Number and year of issuance, the description of property, and Name in which it is assessed are as follows:
All of said property being in the County of Monroe, State of Florida.
Unless such certificate or certificates shall be redeemed according to law the property described in such certificate or certificates will be sold to the highest bidder on www.monroe. realtaxdeed.com
Sale Date: March 25, 2026 Sale Time: 10:00am. Dated this February 4th 2026
KEVIN MADOK, CPA CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT & COMPTROLLER OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA By: Aneta Jodkowska, Deputy Clerk Publish: February 12, 19 & 26 and March 5, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR TAX DEED 2025-69
Notice is hereby given that, FIG 20, LLC FIG 20, LLC FBO SEC PTY, holder of the following Certificate(s) has filed said Tax Certificate(s) for a Tax Deed to be issued thereon. The Certificate Number and year of issuance, the description of property, and Name in which it is assessed are as follows: Certificate No: 2023/1509 Date of Issuance: June 01, 2023
Account Number: 9104855
Parcel ID: 00499821-001000
Description of Property: BOAT SLIP #10 LTS 18-20 BK 10 KEY LARGO OCEAN SHORES ADD PB4-124 OR971-333 OR1021-917 OR1785-1713 OR1785-1714
Names in which assessed: BLEKE JAMES H
Publish: February 12, 19 & 26 and March 5, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR TAX DEED 2025-70
Notice is hereby given that, FIG 20, LLC FIG 20, LLC FBO SEC PTY, holder of the following Certificate(s) has filed said Tax Certificate(s) for a Tax Deed to be issued thereon. The Certificate Number and year of issuance, the description of property, and Name in which it is assessed are as follows:
Certificate No: 2023/1719
Date of Issuance: June 01, 2023
Account Number: 1700975
Parcel ID: 00569511-003424
Description of Property:
PRIVATE DWELLING AC 77-B
ANGELFISH CAY CONDOMINIUM
CHALETS NO 6 OR540-237 OR8121244/45 OR833-2109 OR833-2110
All of said property being in the County of Monroe, State of Florida.
Unless such certificate or certificates shall be redeemed according to law the property described in such certificate or certificates will be sold to the highest bidder on www.monroe. realtaxdeed.com
Sale Date: March 25, 2026 Sale Time: 10:00am.
Dated this February 5th 2026
KEVIN MADOK, CPA CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT & COMPTROLLER OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA By: Aneta Jodkowska, Deputy
Clerk Publish: February 12, 19 & 26 and March 5, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR TAX DEED 2025-71
Notice is hereby given that, KEYS FUNDING LLC-5023, holder of the following Certificate(s) has filed said Tax Certificate(s) for a Tax Deed to be issued thereon. The Certificate Number and year of issuance, the description of property, and Name in which it is assessed are as follows:
Certificate No: 2023/1644
Date of Issuance: June 01, 2023
Account Number: 1669377
Parcel ID: 00545870-000000
Description of Property: BK 3 LT 3 AND 4 WINSTON PARK SUB PB4-104 KEY LARGO OR159265/266 OR161-490 OR407-199200 OR448-224Q OR707-398D/C OR783-1500 OR786-1768
OR801-1073D/C OR802- 351D/C OR811-545 OR925-294 OR998509 OR1105-2378 OR12851387/94(PROB93-20129-CP-10) OR2376-516Q/C OR2376-517D/C Names in which assessed: DREW LAWRENCE V All of said property being in the County of Monroe, State of Florida. Unless such certificate or certificates shall be redeemed according to law the property described in such certificate or certificates will be sold to the highest bidder on www.monroe. realtaxdeed.com
Number and year of issuance, the description of property, and Name in which it is assessed are as follows: Certificate No: 2023/215
Date of Issuance: June 01, 2023
Account Number: 8879016
Parcel ID: 00072081-000265
Description of Property: TOWNHOME UNIT 165 KEY WEST GOLF CLUB DEVELOPMENT
Names in which assessed: PERFECT HORIZON LLC All of said property being in the County of Monroe, State of Florida. Unless such certificate or certificates shall be redeemed according to law the property described in such certificate or certificates will be sold to the highest bidder on www.monroe. realtaxdeed.com
Sale Date: March 25, 2026 Sale Time: 10:00am.
Dated this February 5th 2026 KEVIN MADOK, CPA CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT & COMPTROLLER OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA By: Aneta Jodkowska, Deputy Clerk
Publish: February 12, 19 & 26 and March 5, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR TAX DEED 2025-74
Notice is hereby given that, KEYS FUNDING LLC-6023, holder of the following Certificate(s) has filed said Tax Certificate(s) for a Tax Deed to be issued thereon. The Certificate Number and year of issuance, the description of property, and Name in which it is assessed are as follows: Certificate No: 2023/1413 Date of Issuance: June 01, 2023 Account Number: 9101808
Parcel ID: 00483401-025000
Description of Property: UNIT 250 KEY LARGO OCEAN RESORT CONDOMINIUM OR26111059 Names in which assessed: GONZALEZ NORMA, GONZALEZ SANDRA, GONZALEZ VICTOR, GONZALEZ VICTOR JR All of said property being in the County of Monroe, State of Florida. Unless such certificate or certificates shall be redeemed according to law the property described in such certificate or certificates will be sold to the highest bidder on www.monroe. realtaxdeed.com
Sale Date: March 25, 2026 Sale Time: 10:00am.
Dated this February 5th 2026 KEVIN MADOK, CPA CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT & COMPTROLLER OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA By: Aneta Jodkowska, Deputy Clerk Publish: February 12, 19 & 26 and March 5, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR TAX DEED 2025-75
Unless such certificate or
Notice is hereby given that, FIG 20, LLC FIG 20, LLC FBO SEC PTY, holder of the following Certificate(s) has filed said Tax Certificate(s) for a Tax Deed to be issued thereon. The Certificate Number and year of issuance, the description of property, and Name in which it is assessed are
Parcel ID: 00484570-000000
Description of Property: BK 4 LT 5 REVISED PLAT OF SUNRISE POINT KEY LARGO PB3-11 G62-338/39 OR743-262 OR1589862/63 OR1594-1594 OR15941595 OR2795-666 OR2915-641/42 OR2977-1108
Names in which assessed: PHOENIX HOLDINGS MONROE INC
All of said property being in the County of Monroe, State of Florida. Unless such certificate or certificates shall be redeemed according to law the property described in such certificate or certificates will be sold to the highest bidder on www.monroe. realtaxdeed.com
Sale Date: March 25, 2026 Sale Time: 10:00am.
Dated this February 4th 2026
KEVIN MADOK, CPA CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT & COMPTROLLER OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA By: Aneta Jodkowska, Deputy Clerk
Sale Date: March 25, 2026 Sale Time: 10:00am. Dated this February 5th 2026 KEVIN MADOK, CPA CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT & COMPTROLLER OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA By: Aneta Jodkowska, Deputy Clerk Publish: February 12, 19 & 26 and March 5, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR TAX DEED 2025-73
Notice is hereby given that, KEYS FUNDING LLC-5023, holder of the following Certificate(s) has filed said Tax Certificate(s) for a Tax Deed to be issued thereon. The Certificate
Notice is hereby given that, KEYS FUNDING LLC-6023, holder of the following
Certificate(s) has filed said Tax Certificate(s) for a Tax Deed to be issued thereon. The Certificate Number and year of issuance, the description of property, and Name in which it is assessed are as follows: Certificate No: 2023/295 Date of Issuance: June 01, 2023
Account Number: 1104582
Parcel ID: 00090966-000300
Description of Property: APT NO 4 ROCK HARBOR CONDOMINIUM NO 6 OR778-247
Names in which assessed: TIELEN GISELA B All of said property being in the County of Monroe, State of Florida. Unless such certificate or certificates shall be redeemed according to law the property described in such certificate or certificates will be sold to the
highest bidder on www.monroe. realtaxdeed.com
Sale Date: March 25, 2026 Sale
Time: 10:00am.
Dated this February 5th 2026
KEVIN MADOK, CPA
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR TAX DEED 2025-77
Notice is hereby given that, KEYS FUNDING LLC-2023, holder of the following Certificate(s) has filed said Tax Certificate(s) for a Tax Deed to be issued thereon. The Certificate Number and year of issuance, the description of property, and Name in which it is assessed are as follows:
Certificate No: 2023/1546
Date of Issuance: June 01, 2023
Account Number: 9105033 Parcel ID: 00512020-000100 Description of Property: BK 6 LOT 3 BOWENS ADDN TO RIVIERA VILLAGE KEY LARGO
All of said property being in the County of Monroe, State of Florida. Unless such certificate or certificates shall be redeemed according to law the property described in such certificate or certificates will be sold to the highest bidder on www.monroe. realtaxdeed.com
Sale Date: March 25, 2026 Sale Time: 10:00am.
Dated this February 5th 2026
KEVIN MADOK, CPA
CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT & COMPTROLLER OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA By: Aneta Jodkowska, Deputy Clerk Publish:
February 12, 19 & 26 and March 5, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR TAX DEED 2025-79
Notice is hereby given that, JPL INVESTMENTS CORP , holder of the following Certificate(s) has filed said Tax Certificate(s) for a Tax Deed to be issued thereon. The Certificate Number and year of issuance, the description of property, and Name in which it is assessed are as follows:
Certificate No: 2023/299
Date of Issuance: June 01, 2023 Account Number: 1106402
Parcel ID: 00092240-000306
Description of Property: UNIT 206 SEA GULLS A CONDOMINIUM OR800-643 OR1084-421 OR1084-422 OR1114405 OR1177-185 OR1460-2192 OR1799-1186/87 OR1963-267 OR2468-1096/97 OR3141-0876
Names in which assessed: EASTON JAMES LLC
All of said property being in the County of Monroe, State of Florida. Unless such certificate or certificates shall be redeemed according to law the property described in such certificate or certificates will be sold to the highest bidder on www.monroe. realtaxdeed.com
Sale Date: March 25, 2026 Sale Time: 10:00am.
Dated this February 5th 2026 KEVIN MADOK, CPA CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT & COMPTROLLER OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA By:
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR TAX DEED
2025-86
Notice is hereby given that, KC ENTERPRISE INT LLC, holder of the following
Certificate(s) has filed said Tax Certificate(s) for a Tax Deed to be issued thereon. The Certificate Number and year of issuance, the description of property, and Name in which it is assessed are as follows:
Certificate No: 2018/1017
Date of Issuance: June 01, 2018
Account Number: 1419656
Parcel ID: 00342000-000000
Description of Property:
PUERTA DEL SOL PB3-117 KEY VACA 10 FT RESERVED FOR FLORAL PARK LYING WEST OF EL PASAJE ST OR156-78-80
Names in which assessed: B A R INC
All of said property being in the County of Monroe, State of Florida.
Unless such certificate or certificates shall be redeemed according to law the property described in such certificate or certificates will be sold to the highest bidder on www.monroe. realtaxdeed.com
Sale Date: March 25, 2026 Sale Time: 10:00am.
Dated this February 5th 2026
KEVIN MADOK, CPA CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT & COMPTROLLER OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
By: Aneta Jodkowska, Deputy
Clerk
Publish: February 12, 19 & 26 and March 5, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR TAX DEED 2025-87
Notice is hereby given that, FIG 20, LLC FIG 20, LLC FBO SEC PTY, holder of the following
Certificate(s) has filed said Tax Certificate(s) for a Tax Deed to be issued thereon. The Certificate Number and year of issuance, the description of property, and Name in which it is assessed are as follows:
Certificate No: 2023/737
Date of Issuance: June 01, 2023
Account Number: 1290726
Parcel ID: 00223520-000000
Description of Property:
BK 4 LT 22 THE LADIES ACRE 1ST ADDN LITTLE TORCH KEY PB5-102 OR604-43 OR806-1004 OR9721589 OR3033-1890 OR3060-1546
Names in which assessed: HUGO FREDERICK
All of said property being in the County of Monroe, State of Florida. Unless such certificate or certificates shall be redeemed according to law the property described in such certificate or certificates will be sold to the highest bidder on www.monroe. realtaxdeed.com
Sale Date: March 25, 2026 Sale Time: 10:00am.
Dated this February 5th 2026
KEVIN MADOK, CPA CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT & COMPTROLLER OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
By: Aneta Jodkowska, Deputy
Clerk
Publish: February 12, 19 & 26 and March 5, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR TAX DEED 2025-88
Notice is hereby given that, FIG 20, LLC FIG 20, LLC FBO SEC PTY, holder of the following
Certificate(s) has filed said Tax Certificate(s) for a Tax Deed to be issued thereon. The Certificate Number and year of issuance, the description of property, and Name in which it is assessed are as follows: Certificate No: 2023/770
Date of Issuance: June 01, 2023
Account Number: 1347795
Parcel ID: 00275790-000000
Description of Property: BK 1 LT 14 KINERCHA PB1-74
Names in which assessed: SEVEN EIGHT INVESTMENTS LLC
All of said property being in the County of Monroe, State of Florida. Unless such certificate or certificates shall be redeemed according to law the property described in such certificate or certificates will be sold to the highest bidder on www.monroe. realtaxdeed.com
Sale Date: March 25, 2026 Sale Time: 10:00am.
Dated this February 5th 2026
KEVIN MADOK, CPA CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT & COMPTROLLER OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
By: Aneta Jodkowska, Deputy Clerk
Publish:
February 12, 19 & 26 and March 5, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR TAX DEED
2025-89
Notice is hereby given that, FIG 20, LLC FIG 20, LLC FBO SEC PTY, holder of the following Certificate(s) has filed said Tax Certificate(s) for a Tax Deed to be issued thereon. The Certificate Number and year of issuance, the description of property, and Name in which it is assessed are as follows:
Certificate No: 2023/1508
Date of Issuance: June 01, 2023
Account Number: 9104848
Parcel ID: 00499821-000300
Description of Property:
BOAT SLIP #3 LTS 15-17 BK 9 KEY LARGO OCEAN SHORES ADD
PB4-124 OR985-1195 OR1021-965
OR1134-1079 OR1406-2434
OR1573-105 OR2810-249
Names in which assessed: BAILEY JENNIFER LEE
All of said property being in the County of Monroe, State of Florida. Unless such certificate or certificates shall be redeemed according to law the property described in such certificate or certificates will be sold to the highest bidder on www.monroe. realtaxdeed.com
Sale Date: March 25, 2026 Sale Time: 10:00am.
Dated this February 10th 2026
KEVIN MADOK, CPA CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT & COMPTROLLER OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA By: Aneta Jodkowska, Deputy Clerk Publish: February 12, 19 & 26 and March 5, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers
AUTOS WANTED
AUTOS ALL YEARS! Junk or Used Cars, Vans, Trucks. Runs or Not.$CASH 305-332-0483
BOATS FOR SALE
1996 21' SEA CAT with twin Mercury 60hp motors just serviced. Trailer included. Located in Big Pine Key. $14,000 OBO 513-491-1240
PLACE YOUR BOAT FOR SALE AD HERE. $25/ week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-743-0844 or Email Anneke@ keysweekly.com
BOAT SLIP FOR RENT
Dockage up to 60’ Islamorada - Bayside, 50 amp service. Price flexible. Call 860-982-4517
Boat Dockage/ Storage/ Parking available in Marathon. Gated, private bay bottom, up to 40' boat, self containing, offshore water, car & dingy parking space provided. 305-610-8002
Boat Slip For Rent in Key Largo - Oceanfront Marina - Up to 46’ x 11.5’ - $20/ft/ month. No Liveaboards. 330-219-5313 RENTED IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS!!
PLACE YOUR BOAT SLIP FOR RENT AD HERE. $25/week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-743-0844 or Email Anneke@ keysweekly.com
EMPLOYMENT
Outside Sales RepConstruction Equip Rental Co. Company Car, Cell, salary+ Comm. Bilingual. Apply: keylargo@jmsfl. com or in person at 94775 Overseas Hwy, Key Largo
Assistant ManagerFull-time/we train. Customer service . Equipment rental Co. Apply: keylargo@jmsfl. com or in person at 94775 Overseas Hwy, Key Largo
Captain part-time position available in Key Largo. Ideal for retired person. Captain Sterling's Everglades Tours 305-395-0033
Hiring for busy pediatric office in Tavernier. FullTime Medical Assistant/ RN - Pediatric experience preferred. Must multitask in fast-paced setting. Also hiring Full-Time Front Desk Staff - Experience with insurance verification and EMR required. Strong multitasking skills. Pay is commensurate with experience. Email resume to: flkeyspeds@gmail.com
PART-TIME USCG CAPTAIN – MARATHON. Local captain needed to run owner’s 55’ twin engine trawler while owner fishes. Sunrise–2/3 PM typical. Good opportunity for newer captain to log hours on a larger boat. Pay DOE. Call/Text 970-901-1138
Marathon Moose Lodge hiring PT Kitchen Assistant to work with our Cook & to help with meal service, dishes & cleanup. Tues-Sat 1-7:30pm. Pay based on experience. Please apply in person @ 11601 1st Ave Gulf, Marathon, Fl 33050.
Boat rental company in Marathon looking for help with boat detailing & boat cleaning. Call 305-481-7006
Plaza Grill in Marathon looking for experienced server. Text contact info to 305-431-1109
HIRING: Office Administrator in Marathon. Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), experience with QuickBooks or other accounting software preferred and must have excellent communication skills, both written and verbal. Full time – Mon-Fri. Pay TBD - based on skill. Email: Natalie@cecflk.com
Specialty Hardware of Marathon - Retired? Have hardware knowledge? Want to keep your brain stimulated? Come see us at Specialty - we are looking for a full or part time person. Hardware knowledge a must. Apply in person at 10730 Overseas Hwy. Marathon 1-305-743-3382.
Marathon Yacht Club is hiring a part-time Bartender/Server. Private club, evening shifts available TuesSaturday, bartending experience required. Must provide photo ID, social security card or passport, and checking account. Email office@ marathonyachtclub.com or call 305-743-6739 to schedule an interview.
Marathon Yacht Club is hiring a part-time Maintenance Person. Up to 20 hours a week. Must provide photo ID, social security card or passport, and checking account. Email office@ marathonyachtclub.com or call 305-743-6739 to schedule an interview.
Experienced Fulltime Line Cook needed at the Cabana Club, an ocean front private swim club. 10AM - 5PM, Good Pay. Small friendly staff. Apply in person at 425 E. Ocean Dr. Key Colony Beach or call 404-2193359 and ask for Dave.
Serve/Bartend on the ocean! The Cabana Club, an ocean front private swim club is seeking a customer service-oriented Server/Bartender. Serve on pool deck, beach and/ or bar lounge. Open year round, 9:30am7pm daily. Full time/ Part time. Small friendly staff. Above average hourly wage plus tips. Apply in person at 425 E. Ocean Dr. Key Colony Beach or call 404-2193359 and ask for Dave.
Now Hiring in Key West: Vacation Sales Coordinators. Up to $2,000 Sign-On Bonus. Please contact Brea.RollinsSimms@vacationclub. com for more information
PLACE YOUR EMPLOYMENT AD HERE. $25/week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-743-0844 or Email Anneke@keysweekly.com
The Housing Authority of the City of Key West now hiring the following positions: Grounds Caretaker, Full-time Carpenter, Electrician & Housing Assistant. To apply, please contact Human Resources at: greenel@kwha.org or 305-296-5621 ext. 225. Applications are available at the Administrative Office located at 1400 Kennedy Dr., Key West, FL 33040 or online at www.kwha.org - EOE & Drug Free Work Place. This opportunity is covered under Section 3 of the HUD Act of 1968.
HOBBIES/COLLECT.
PRIVATE COLLECTOR WANTS Rolex, Dive Watches and Pilot Watches. Old Model Military Clocks & Watches. Call 305-743-4578
TURN YOUR CARDS INTO CASH! Marathon collector buying any and all Pokemon cards & collections. Call 401-256-0645.
HOUSE FOR SALE BY OWNERWW
2BR/2BA elevated canalfront home with dockage. 1,550 sq. ft. 1 Avenue F, Marathon, FL $1,759,000 404-503-7500
HOUSING FOR RENT
3/2 Tavernier waterfront & bay views, furnished, 1500 sq.ft. $3,500/ month, no pets, no smoking. 954-728-4699
Key Largo- 6 months+ canal front rental on Blackwater Sound. 40' dockage, 1 BR/1 BA Trailer with 1,000 sq. ft. living area. $2,300/mo. 904-2379090 or 904-338-1207
3 BR/2 BA home for rent in Key Colony Beach. 75' premium dock. $4,000/month + utilities. F/L/S 786-229-0228
3BR/2.5BA unfurn. Townhouse (Sister's Creek) for rent in Marathon. $3,000/mo. 618-559-9143
Furnished Studio AND 2 Bedroom unfurnished, all new for rent in Marathon. On the water, gated property. Section 8 possible. $1,300 - $2,000 month. Call 305-610-8002
PLACE YOUR HOUSING FOR RENT AD HERE. $25/week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-743-0844 or Email Anneke@keysweekly.com
LOTS FOR SALE
Oceanside 2 Lots for Sale in Tavernier. 1 w/active permit, pilings already in place, walk to Harry Harris Park w/boat ramp, etc. 186 Dove Creek Drive, Tavernier. $425,000 Marcia, Realtor 305-303-0238
VACATION RENTAL
Key West House For Rent - 28 day minimum. Recently renovated. 2 Units: 3BR/3BA or 2BR/2.5BA. 1 block to Schooner Wharf @ Historic Seaport. Starting $214/night. Sweet CarolineSeaport.com
YARD SALES
SARA’S SALVAGE & ESTATE SALE @ CANALFRONT HOME on lux Duck Key @ 248 W Seaview Drive,Fri, Feb 13 & Sat, Feb 14 from 9a-1p both days. We’re selling everything and the kitchen sink! The entire house is fitted with impact windows (matching indoor louvered shutters) and sliding doors. Selling electric roll down shutters, ACs, fans, washer/dryer. We have an incredible, large (23 cabinets!) Kraftsmaid kitchen with appliances and granite countertops. We have fishing rods, reels, copper/brass diving helmet and marine bits and bobs plus kayaks, paddleboard, water lily. Selling outdoor furniture, TVs, beds, dressers, books. More photos at estatesales. net. (Turn off US1 at MM 61, follow the signs and park with consideration.)
PLACE YOUR YARD SALE AD HERE. $25/week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-743-0844 or Email Anneke@keysweekly.com
FULL-TIME POSITION PUBLIC WORKS LABORER
The City of Key Colony Beach is seeking a full-time Public Works team member. The position includes completing daily tasks and working on projects, ensuring the safe and ef cient maintenance and repair of public infrastructure such as roads, right of way, stormwater systems, parks, facilities, vehicles and equipment.
Salary: $58,000 to $75,000 DOQ
Bene ts include Medical, Dental, and Life Insurance, Paid Vacation, Sick Leave, Holidays, and the Florida Retirement System (FRS).
Application forms can be found at www.keycolonybeach.net; see “I WANT TO” then “APPLY FOR A JOB.”
Equal Opportunity Employer
Submit resume and application by mail or in-person to: City of Key Colony Beach
Attn.: Michael Guarino
P.O. Box 510141
Key Colony Beach, FL 33051 Or email Michael.guarino@keycolonybeach.net
Keys Energy Services, in Key West, Florida, is accepting applications for the following position in its Transmission & Distribution Department:
SUBSTATION ELECTRICIAN
(High Voltage Substation Electrical Technician)
Starting pay rate for this position, depending on qualifications and experience: $46.38/hr. - $51.94/hr.
For more information, including job duties and required qualifications, and to apply for the job, please visit their website at www.KeysEnergy.com.
KEYS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
KEYS promotes a Drug-Free Workplace.
Certain service members, veterans, the spouses and family members of service members and veterans, receive preference and priority in employment, and are encouraged to apply for positions being filled.
Energy Services, in Key West, Florida, is accepting applications for the following position in its Generation Department:
OPERATOR/MAINTAINER
Starting pay rate for this position, depending on qualifications and experience: $40.15/hr - $44.97/hr
For more information, including job duties and required qualifications, and to apply for the job, please visit their website at www.KeysEnergy.com.
KEYS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. KEYS promotes a Drug-Free Workplace.
Certain service members, veterans, the spouses and family members of service members and veterans, receive preference and priority in employment, and are encouraged to apply for positions being filled.
- Registered Nurse, Multispecialty Acute Care Center,
- Registered Nurse, Surgery,
MARATHON FISHERMEN’S COMMUNITY HOSPITAL
- ED Team Coordinator, PT & FT
NOW HIRING IN ISLAMORADA
D'Asign Source is seeking the following professionals. Overtime and benefits are available.
Home Décor Sales Consultant
Seeking a passionate, customerfocused individual with sales and customer service experience. Creativity and interest in home décor a must. Join our team and help customers bring their spaces to life.
Junior Accountant
Seeking a detail-oriented Junior Accountant with basic accounting knowledge and strong organizational skills. Responsibilities include data entry, reconciliations, and assisting with financial reports. Accounting qualification or relevant experience preferred.
Working Project
Construction Foreman
For complete details and to apply, please visit DAsignSource.com/careers
- Lead Phlebotomist, Laboratory,
- Manager Environmental Services, FT
- Medical Technologist,
- MC Multi-Modality Imaging Tech 2, (MRI & X Ray), Radiology,
- Multi-Modality Imaging Tech 1, (CT & X Ray), Radiology,
- Patient Care Manager (Nurse Manager), Surgery, $20k Bonus
- Patient Financial Associate, $1k Bonus
- Pool Physical Therapist, Per Diem
- Registered Nurse, Emergency Department, Per Diem
- Registered Nurse, Multispecialty Acute Care, Per Diem, 7P-7:30A
- Registered Nurse, Multispecialty Acute Care, Part Time, 7P-7:30A
- Security Officer, Per Diem - Supervisor Supply Chain, FT
MARINA CASHIERS
Must have customer service experience working in a retail environment and using a point of sale system. Additional duties include restocking, completing purchase orders, daily ordering of basic items in the store, and maintaining a clean appearance in the store. This is an hourly position and compensation is based on experience. Work hours are flexible and we try to maintain a set weekly schedule.
DOCKHANDS
Duties include customer service, helping customers with bait and ice and helping cashiers with restocking. Morning & a ernoon hours available.
BOAT RENTAL STAFF
Flexible hours & competitive wages. Need to have experience driving boats and a working knowledge of the Islamorada area by water. Duties include taking reservations, giving captains lessons and routine boat maintenance.
Email Ma at islamarinama @gmail.com Please include contact information and any relevant experience.
