Key West Weekly 26-0528

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Pepe’s Cafe is the Oldest Eatery in the Florida Keys (1909), and the 2nd Oldest in the State of Florida (behind the Columbia in Ybor City 1905). The Kitchen comes in at 4:30am every day to prepare everything fresh-from salad dressing to seafood.

Two Friends is at the site of a Saloon dating back to before the 1886 Fire. Live Music from Key West Icons every damn day. Free 3-hour Parking for Restaurant Patrons next door.

Beloved Patrons, dear friends, and some of the

PEOPLE YOU WILL EVER MEET.

Many Thanks & Lots of

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WHO WILL RUN KEY WEST’S ONLY HOSPITAL IN A FEW YEARS? $5.1B

Board expected to seek proposals in June from health care companies

The local board that’s tasked with protecting the public’s health by ensuring the Lower Keys has a hospital will soon issue a request for proposals (RFP) from health care companies interested in running Lower Keys Medical Center.

A for-profit company called Community Health Systems, or CHS, operates Lower Keys Medical Center as part of a 30-year lease. That agreement ends in 2029 and a group of resident advocates decided two years ago the community should consider other companies rather than simply signing another 30-year lease with CHS.

With urging from the community, the Lower Florida Keys Hospital District board agreed to hire consultants and attorneys specializing in the health care industry to help draft an RFP to seek alternative companies interested in running the Lower Keys’ only hospital.

The district board will likely approve the RFP at its July 7 meeting. Interested companies will then have 90 days to submit proposals that will outline their plans for the community’s hospital, which services they’ll offer, what financial investments they’ll make in the community and how they plan to reduce the number of transfers to a mainland facility three hours away, causing hardship for the patients and their families.

Key West resident Spencer Krenke has worked for three years to persuade the district board members to consider alternative hospital companies.

He told the Keys Weekly that he is thrilled with the latest draft of the request.

“This RFP takes out the subjective ability of board members to choose a hospital company based on their personal preferences, and it forces them

Key West Gallery, 601 Duval St., will exhibit a collection of Salvador Dali’s etchings and graphic drawings that have been curated by Dali’s longtime publicist and his daughter. See page 18. KEY WEST GALLERY/Contributed

into a fiduciary role of selecting an operator that is objectively in the best interest of the community,” Krenke said.

“The RFP uses evaluation criteria and weighted scoring, so the selection of a hospital operator will not be about how anyone feels, but rather a transparent, quantitative methodology.

“I want the most offers from as many companies that are interested,” Krenke said, adding that Mount Sinai and Baptist Health and the current operator, CHS, have expressed interest in submitting a proposal.

“I don’t have a hospital preference, but if, say, Mount Sinai announces that it plans to reinvest 100% of its profits in the community, then that will force Baptist and any others to come up with the best offer they can,” Krenke said.

The district board next meets Tuesday, June 2 at 2:30 p.m. at the Doubletree Grand Key Resort in Key West. Final revisions to the request are expected at that meeting. Then, when board members meet on Tuesday, July 7 at 2:30 p.m. in the same place, they’re expected to approve and issue the RFP for 90 days.

District board gets new member Gov. Ron DeSantis recently removed Nancy Swift from the district board and replaced her with local optometrist Stephen Oppenheimer. Swift had been appointed to complete the term of the late Michael Halpern following his death. Swift said at the May 5 board meeting that she had wanted to be reappointed and remain on the board for her own term. But DeSantis replaced her with Oppenheimer, who said he was unaware that he was replacing Swift.

“Nancy Swift was always 100% in support of an honest, objective, fiduciary process of what’s in the best interest of the community,” Krenke said. “She really asked the hard questions and was an asset to the board and our community.”

DeSantis last month also reappointed real estate agent Stephen Hammond to the district board.

A timeline and details of the hospital lease process are at Our Hospital Key West’s website, ohkw.org, which was created, and is updated, by Krenke.

MANDY MILES mandy@keysweekly.com

Lower Keys Medical Center could have a new company running it when the current lease agreement with Community Health Systems ends in April 2029. Community advocates and board members are preparing to seek proposals from interested companies. CONTRIBUTED

KEY WEST CELEBRATES PRIDE

JUNE 3-7

‘Color the Island’ theme celebrates creativity and acceptance

The popular Key West Pride parade is set for Sunday, June 7 on Duval Street. Visit gaykeywestfl.com/pride for a full schedule. CONTRIBUTED

June ushers in the kaleidoscopic Key West Pride, one of the most popular Pride events in the country. With the 2026 theme “Color the Island: A Celebration of Identity Through Color & Creativity,” Key West will transform into a living work of art filled with music, performances, a street fair, film screenings, pool parties and community connection, culminating in a festive and colorful parade.

“History has taught us that the LGBTQ+ and allied community is strongest when we rise above the forces that try to divide us,” states the Key West Business Guild, which produces Pride. “Progress has never come from standing apart. It has come from standing together, speaking with one voice and lifting each other up in the fight for dignity, equality and love. Unity has always been our power, and together, we are unstoppable.”

The theme for this year’s event,

REINFORCING THE RAINBOW

Under the direction of renowned seamstress Gary Marion, aka Sushi, volunteers gather at the Key West Woman’s Club on May 24 to repair Section 93 of Key West’s sea-to-sea rainbow flag. The 100-foot section took a beating in a windstorm while it flew in Orlando last year. JOHN NOLTE/Contributed

Volunteers repair Key West’s sea-to-sea flag after punishing attacks

MANDY MILES mandy@keysweekly.com

Well, if this isn’t a perfect metaphor for resilience and repair in response to adversity and attacks.

A giant, 100-foot section of Key West’s iconic sea-to-sea rainbow flag, the one that stretched the length of Duval Street in 2003 as the wild idea of the late Gregg McGrady, took a beating last year in a windstorm while it was hanging in Orlando as a memorial to the 49 victims of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting.

cloth,” will commemorate the mass shooting in a gay bar. This year, the cloth will fly for the entire month of June in honor of those lost and those who survived.

Additionally, Section 93’s sister section will travel to Atlanta to fly in solidarity with Orlando during Atlanta’s Pride celebration.

But before Section 93 could return to Orlando this week, there was work to be done. The cloth had been punished, persecuted and torn apart by violent wind and thunderstorms. It was weakened and tattered, but not for long.

“Color the Island,” is a celebration of Key West’s identity, self-expression and creativity in every shade of the rainbow.

At Key West Pride, the island’s laid-back energy combines with its long-standing spirit of openness and acceptance. “Color the Island” invites everyone to express themselves boldly and beautifully. Inspired by the island’s One Human Family philosophy, Key West has grown into one of the most integrated, welcoming and uniquely creative communities in the world — a place where individuality isn’t just accepted, it’s celebrated. Show us your Pride, and we’ll show you how Key West colors the island with love, says the nonprofit Gay Key West.

More information is available from Gay Key West on Facebook and at gaykeywestfl.com/pride. — Contributed

Sewn and assembled in Key West by Gilbert Baker, the creator of the original Pride flag, and thousands of volunteers, the flag, when unfurled in 2003, celebrated the 25th anniversary of the rainbow flag as an LGBTQ symbol as well as celebrating the historic diversity of the southernmost city and its One Human Family motto.

The Gay Lesbian Community Center became responsible for this massive project and its financing. The center’s executive director, Scott Frazier, and directors of the Sea-to-Sea Flag Project, Heather Carruthers and Tom Wheaton, brought the project to fruition.

After it had stretched from sea to sea, the flag was divided into 100-foot sections that were made available to other cities and organizations.

One, Section 93, has been around the world, from the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court in celebration of samesex marriage; to Sydney, Australia’s Pride festivities to Colorado Springs, Rowen County, Kentucky and Orlando, where it has hung every year for the anniversary of the Pulse Nightclub shooting.

This is the 10th year that Section 93, which has become known within the LGBT community as the “sacred

Last weekend, an army of volunteers, led by Gary Marion aka Sushi, gathered at the Key West Woman’s Club. The colors of Section 93 were piled on the floor of the club, while a dozen or so people got to work with patches of fabric and matching embroidery thread.

After a full day of fixes, the flag is fixed.

“Gary, you and your gang of volunteers have made it possible for the flag to fly again this year and spread its message of hope, unity, inclusion and acceptance,” John Nolte, the former partner of McGrady, wrote on Facebook. “Gregg would have been so proud. Again, thank you.”

Mark Ebenhoch, who has taken on the responsibility of Section 93 and its travels, thanked Sushi, the Seam Shoppe, the Key West Woman’s Club and all the volunteers.

In the face of punishing attacks by violent forces, the Key West community came together. They mended the holes and fortified the vulnerabilities. The flag emerged stronger and more meaningful than ever before.

Is this sounding familiar at all? For more information, check out the Sacred Cloth Project on Facebook.

Key West & Cuba’s Museum Quality Regional Art Celebrating Cultural Resilience

Beezy Bogan & Rita MacNelly

For collectors who appreciate art born directly from place, personality, and lived observation, the collaborative sculptures of Rita MacNelly and Beezy Bogan o er something rare: works that capture the unmistakable spirit of Key West with both a ection and irreverence.

Each year, the artists travel from Richmond to immerse themselves in the island’s eccentric rhythms. They photograph the characters who de ne our streets—locals, visitors, drifters, dreamers—and transform them into vibrant, humorous gures crafted from wire, plaster, cloth, and paint. These are not caricatures; they are portraits of personality, distilled into sculptural form.

Their newest series, a collection of dog and people sculptures, extends their long-standing fascination with Key West’s unpredictable cast. By merging human quirks and canine charm, they create gures that feel instantly recognizable to anyone who knows the island. The result is a body of work that is both collectible and culturally resonant—playful on the surface, but grounded in a deep understanding of community and character.

Collectors familiar with their earlier exhibitions—such as the unforgettable “Imelda Marcos Collection of Shoes” and the beloved “Tourists & Townies”—will recognize the same sharp eye and mischievous intelligence. But this new series introduces a fresh layer of narrative complexity and sculptural re nement.

In a market where authenticity and story drive long-term value, MacNelly and Bogan’s work stands out. Each piece is a one-of-a-kind document of Key West life—joyful, idiosyncratic, and unmistakably theirs. For collectors seeking works that embody place, humor, and artistic partnership, this collection o ers a compelling opportunity.

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THE CASE OF THE WOMAN IN BLACK

KEY WEST BACK IN THE DAY

Key West, I’ve always believed, is the kind of all-accepting place that allows people the freedom to decide who they want to be in life — and the support to become that person. But even Key West’s magic couldn’t make me an actress.

Of course I didn’t realize that. After all, my college major was theater. In high school, I had played Mrs. Webb in “Our Town” and the goddess Atalanta in an avantgarde musical.

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.

So on the island that was home to the acclaimed Waterfront Playhouse and the ground-breaking Red Barn Theatre — where worldrenowned playwright and Key West resident Tennessee Williams held court in local bars — surely I could stride confidently across a stage and amaze audiences with my talent.

(Spoiler alert: That didn’t actually happen.)

The year was 1980, when the Tennessee Williams Fine Arts Center opened with the world premiere of the playwright’s “Will Mr. Merriwether Return from Memphis?” Williams himself was personally involved in the staging, giving the play substantial importance in the theatrical world.

While a talented cast rehearsed “Mr. Merriwether,” a drama filled with loneliness and ghosts, I was rehearsing for a less distinguished production. Somehow I had managed to wangle a place in a dinner-theater improv troupe run by creative partners Tim and Bob.

Like most locals back then, the partners almost certainly had last names, but no one knew what they were. This was not unusual for Key West, where using last names was regarded as unnecessary (and in some illicit professions, a serious breach of etiquette).

So Bob was simply “Bob the playwright” and Tim was “Tim the improv guy,” and that was identification enough.

Tim’s wife Nancy acted as our stage manager, though we didn’t actually have a stage. Nor did we have elaborate sets or a defined script. Instead, we improvised our way through a loosely structured scenario written by Bob. Each of us portrayed multiple characters, with sets and costumes suggested by minimalist props and wearable accessories.

The scenario spoofed hard-boiled crime capers that recalled the era of Sam Spade. My primary role was “the Woman in Black,” a slinky femme fatale who wreaked havoc while the detective hero tried to unravel the criminal proceedings.

Our favorite performance venue was a restaurant called Tux, known for its wonderful food and elegant black-and-white tile floor. It stood at the corner of Duval and Fleming streets in a building owned by David Wolkowsky, the visionary who developed the Pier House resort.

Wolkowsky, who I remember walking around town with a ghost-gray Weimaraner, was a cultured gentleman and a great patron of the arts. Renowned for throwing elite parties in his

1. Pier House visionary David Wolkowsky was a great patron of the arts. MONROE COUNTY LIBRARY COLLECTION/Florida Keys History Center

2. Playwright Tennessee Williams (seated) is shown the building plans for the Tennessee Williams Fine Arts Center in this 1979 photo. MONROE COUNTY LIBRARY COLLECTION/Florida Keys History Center

3. The Woman in Black prepares to work her wiles on the detective hero during a 1980 improv production. CAROL SHAUGHNESSY/Contributed

penthouse above Tux, he must have attended the premiere of “Mr. Merriwether.” His interest in the arts didn’t extend to improvisational dinner theater, however, so we never spotted him in our audiences.

Instead, our production attracted the bar and restaurant crowd. Admittedly, the real attraction might have been Tux’s signature shrimp with remoulade sauce, starring on the evening menu and acclaimed as the best shrimp dish in Key West.

It was so good that sometimes, in the midst of the Woman in Black’s vain attempts to seduce the hero, I had to shout my lines above the chatter of patrons praising the sauce.

The Tux experience wasn’t a contributing factor, but eventually it became clear that acting wasn’t my destiny. Yet that didn’t destroy my belief in Key West’s intrinsic ability to help people choose and achieve theirs.

After all, the island has inspired and nurtured talents ranging from artist Mario Sanchez and mystery novelist Tom Corcoran to singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett. And even today, a whole new crop of creatives is benefiting from its magical influence.

CAROL SHAUGHNESSY

Red snapper caught aboard captain Jonathan Reynolds’ Dropback Charters. Originally set for an expanded 39-day season in Atlantic federal waters, anglers were incensed as an injunction from a federal judge halted the recreational harvest one day before it was set to begin. CONTRIBUTED

SEEING RED

Local captains react to last-minute snapper season cancellation

Just one day before the opening of one of Florida’s most anticipated sportfishing seasons, anglers around the state targeting red snapper learned they’d be better off staying at the dock.

For more than a decade, recreational fishermen targeting the prized bright-red fish in Atlantic waters crammed their efforts into tiny seasons, often allowing harvests of four or fewer days as federal officials worked to rebuild a historically overfished population.

NOAA officials have acknowledged that rebuilding stocks are recovering, but not yet restored to target levels. Anglers in recent years have challenged these assessments, questioning continued commercial harvest of the species and arguing red snapper stocks have surpassed the need for such a truncated season.

Earlier in May, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced a massively expanded red snapper season – 39 days in the Atlantic, up from just two in 2025, and 140 days in the Gulf – courtesy of an Exempted Fishing Permit (EFP) granted by NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) on May 1. Through the use of a state reef fish survey and voluntary smartphone app during the expanded season, the

plan was for FWC to collect improved data and inform future decisions on recreational red snapper seasons. Similar EFPs were issued to Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

But on May 21, in response to a lawsuit filed by the Southeastern Fisheries Association (SFA) along with two additional commercial fishing companies and three individual commercial fishermen challenging the EFPs, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia granted a preliminary injunction – canceling the planned season start date just a day later.

“The court found that NMFS had been presented with information indicating that recreational landings under the expanded seasons were likely to exceed the annual catch limit and trigger overfishing, yet NMFS did not address or consider these issues in any meaningful way before issuing the permits,” stated a press release from SFA announcing the injunction.

“The primary driver of high fishing mortality has been recreational dead discards — red snapper killed when anglers fishing for other species bring them up and release them. Because of the high level of ongoing recreational dead discards, very little catch remains available for landings.”

News of the cancellation set off a social media firestorm, with parties from individual anglers and charter

guides to even state-run accounts blasting the federal decision – all while commercial fishing is set to continue unaffected.

“Come and Take It,” read a caption from the MyFWC Florida Fish and Wildlife page, with a Florida state flag placed inside the outline of a red snapper.

“It’s not a good decision,” said DeSantis in a press conference addressing the lawsuit, lamenting that the closure may have tanked holiday weekend plans for Florida tourists. “The commercial fishermen, they don’t want recreational fishermen to go out and fish; they want it all for themselves.”

An immediate pivot by Florida state officials allowed the season to open over Memorial Day weekend in state waters – little comfort to Atlantic anglers, whose best catches largely come farther offshore than the 3-nautical-mile line that falls under Florida’s jurisdiction. A statement on FWC’s website gave a subtle nod to the ongoing fight, saying officers “have been notified of the unpredictable nature of the situation and will ensure boaters are provided education within our jurisdictional waters.”

Islamorada captain Jonathan Reynolds is the president of the conservation group South Atlantic Fishing Environmentalists (SAFE) – a crew that prides itself on a membership of working charter captains and tournament anglers rather than, in the organization’s own words, “armchair activists.” The group advocates for science-based catch limits, resisting regulations that “ignore on-the-water reality,” and educating the next generation of anglers.

Speaking to the Weekly by phone on May 26, he characterized the suit as a strategic plan to turn off what could

have been one of the best data collection opportunities for red snapper in years.

“The entire permitting process goes through all kinds of peer review, and there must be biological reasons and research reasons why it would be passed — data that can’t be collected in any other way,” he said. “We’ve been trying to figure out an annual catch limit that’s sustainable, and test that. The only way to do that is through an EFP.”

Islamorada captain Kit Mobley, SAFE’s vice president, told the Weekly the suit was an extra stab in the back to charter captains around the state as its leader, SFA executive director Bob Zales II, was once “on our side of the dock.”

“(Zales) is a retired charter captain who used his industry knowledge and connections to shut down a season that would have put money in the pockets of active charter captains who are still making boat payments, paying crew and trying to survive,” Mobley said.

While red snapper aren’t a breadand-butter species in the Keys, the closure of the season is devastating for captains in northeast Florida and on the state’s west coast, where just the permit to go fish for the species can run into five figures annually.

Reynolds called the backlash “a moment that needs to be seized” by recreational fishermen – one that could drive charter captains across the state toward more organized and united efforts through organizations like SAFE.

“The way that we feel right now, the intensity and the passion, this is the moment when people are listening,” he said. “This is what Florida has been waiting for, because this is the biggest slap in the face – all the smokescreens have been taken away, and we know who’s really behind this. People have to understand the scale of power they actually have – we could create a fight that would be something to be reckoned with.”

FWC Capt. Adam Garrison confirmed to the Weekly that the red snapper season remains open in state waters (3 nautical miles in the Atlantic, 9 in the Gulf) as of press time, with a two-per-angler limit and 20-inch minimum size as the federal lawsuit plays out. In the same statement announcing the injunction, FWC said it plans to re-establish the red snapper season in federal waters through the EFP once it is unfrozen.

To learn more about SAFE’s Red Snapper Alliance initiative, launched this week in response to the federal suit, visit safefishing.org/red-snapperalliance.

ALEX RICKERT alex@keysweekly.com

TROPIC CINEMA OFFERS KIDS MOVIE SERIES

Beat the heat Wednesdays & Sundays; tickets are $2

Disney’s ‘Bambi’ will kick off Tropic Cinema’s Kids Summer Movie Series with a screening on Sunday, May 31 at 3:30 p.m. Kids’ tickets are $2 and accompanying adults are admitted free. CONTRIBUTED

Tropic Cinema recently announced its summer kids movie series at 416 Eaton St.

This year, the series features some of Disney’s most popular classic animated films, including “Bambi,” “Fantasia” and “The Three Caballeros.” The schedule and showtimes will be posted at tropiccinema.com.

The films will be shown on Wednesdays and Sundays at the posted times. Admission is $2 for children and accompanying adults are admitted for free. The series is underwritten by the Key West Woman’s Club.

“Bambi,” which launched the series on May 27, will be shown again on Sunday, May 31 at 3:30 p.m.

Released in 1942 by Walt Disney Productions, “Bambi” is considered one of Disney’s most treasured animated classics. Based on the book by Felix Salten, the film follows a young deer growing up in the forest alongside his friends Thumper the rabbit and Flower the skunk. Celebrated for its groundbreaking animation, emotional storytelling and beautiful depiction of nature, “Bambi” became one of the most influential animated films in cinema history.

Tickets can be purchased at tropiccinema.com or at the door. Seating is limited and is on a firstcome, first-served basis.

More information is available from Tropic Cinema at 305-5176145 or via email at info@tropiccinema.com.

— Contributed

May 29: Metropolitan Community Church, 1215 Petronia St.

June 5: Lazy Way and Key West Bight area. Meet next to the Wyland Wall at the end of William Street.

June 12: Truman Waterfront Park. Meet at the Eco-Discovery Center.

June 19: No cleanup for Juneteenth.

June 26: Atlantic Boulevard and White Street. Meet at the Key West bocce Courts, 1301 Atlantic Blvd.

The May 22 cleanup took place on US1 at the city line. Thirty-two volunteers spread out on College Road, US 1 along the golf course and Key Haven Road. In one hour the group collected 1,015 pounds of trash, 106 pounds of recycling and 1 gallon of cigarette butts. Thank you to host Michael Krause from Sales Sense breakfast and to Greg Daniels from Latitude 24 Co ee for co ee after the cleanup.

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.

COUNTY KEEPS ITS GENEROUS OVERTIME POLICY

Commissioners revise approval authority; Marathon seeks commercial air service

MANDY MILES mandy@keysweekly.com

County commissioners at their May 20 meeting weren’t overly concerned with the costs of their overtime policy, which is more generous than federal requirements, or the amount of overtime paid to two salaried directors at Key West International Airport in a year.

The massive construction project, significant increases in flights and passengers and federally mandated safety regulations at Key West International Airport qualified as extenuating circumstances, according to the county commissioners and Airports Director Richard Strickland, who spoke at the May 20 commission meeting.

The county’s policy and the overtime paid to two salaried employees had caught the attention of the county clerk’s office. In April, the clerk’s office issued an advisory memo to county leaders, outlining the overall costs of the county’s overtime policy and raising concerns about the two salaried airport employees, who are typically only authorized to receive overtime in extenuating circumstances.

The memo said that under the county’s policy, employees can receive overtime pay even if they don’t physically work more than 40 hours in a week. The county’s policy allows an employee to count paid vacation days, leave time or sick days toward the 40-hour tally even though they didn’t physically work those hours. The policy cost the county $365,000 in 2025, the memo states.

The clerk’s April advisory memo also revealed that a deputy airports director, Luis Ga-

ray, with an annual salary of $162,000, added 57% to his salary in 2025 by receiving $92,000 of overtime pay.

“During the airport construction there was a serious need for extra ramp control to guide planes and other operations around the construction, which resulted in overtime in a lot of areas,” County Administrator Christine Hurley told the Keys Weekly before the county commission meeting. At the meeting, Hurley assured the commissioners that she was aware of the challenges at the airport and had supported Strickland’s decision to authorize and approve overtime for salaried workers.

During the May 20 meeting, elected officials emphasized that they did not believe any policy violations occurred with the airport overtime.

“Richard’s priority was the safety of residents, passengers and equipment,” commissioner Craig Cates said. “We had a policy that allowed him to do this and to approve this overtime. He did nothing wrong. And he and the staff did an amazing job out at the airport during the construction.”

Commissioners ultimately decided not to align the county’s overtime policy with federal requirements that only pay overtime when an employee physically works more than 40 hours in a week.

Officials also decided the county administrator is the only person authorized to approve overtime for salaried employees. Department heads and assistant administrators can no longer approve such overtime. In addition, the commissioners also will now receive a summary of overtime amounts, for salaried and hourly employees, every six months.

“Finally, the county will conduct the recommended investigation into the two airport employees named in the clerk’s advisory letter,” states a press release issued by the county on May 26. “That investigation will examine whether any overtime was claimed erroneously. The results will be reported when the investigation is complete.”

In addition to the airport’s salaried deputy director receiving $92,000 in overtime, the clerk’s office found that the assistant director of airports, Steve Guidry, who was hired in March 2025 with an annual salary of $167,213, received an additional $55,023 in overtime in nine months.

The clerk’s review found that the two employees regularly pre-filled their time cards, meaning they claimed overtime in advance, before knowing they would be needed to work extra hours, or the reasons for it.

Garay and Guidry did not return messages seeking comment.

The proposed policy adjustments — a biennial overtime report and limiting approval of overtime for salaried employees to the county administrator — will be reviewed by an internal county committee, then considered by the commission for adoption, likely at the July meeting.

Commercial flights at Marathon?

Strickland told the commissioners that the Marathon/Florida Keys Airport had received a $1.5 million grant that can be used as an incentive to bring commercial airlines to the Middle Keys airport. The incentive funding will be used to waive landing fees and terminal rents for a commercial airline, Strickland said.

“American Airlines was the carrier that supported our grant application,” he said. “I think we’ll have success. Now, it would be really nice if fuel prices would come down.”

County officials discussed overtime policies and amounts paid to airport workers at their May 20 commission meeting. CONTRIBUTED

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO MADE OUR 2026 CITIZEN POLICE ACADEMY

ANOTHER GREAT SUCCESS!

Thank you to the Sheri ’s O ce command sta , agency members, and our community partners, specifically Key West Cakes, Driftwood Pizza, the city of Marathon, and the Monroe County School District for their sponsorship and support!

The CPA is one way the Sheri ’s O ce builds community partnerships by inviting residents into the agency and learning more about law enforcement in the Florida Keys.

It’s a great way to learn about patrol and jail procedures, tra c stops, crime scene investigations, weapons, about specialty teams such as bomb, dive, SWAT, among many other aspects of the Sheri ’s O ce.

If you are interested in the Citizens Police Academy, keep an eye on our social media pages in December or January for information on how to fill out an application. Or you can always call one of our substations throughout the Keys: www.keysso.net/locations

The academy is free. We hope to see you soon!

Monroe County Sheriff, Rick Ramsay

Cassandra Cassidy RDH Jayme Thomas RDH Maria Montilva RDH

KEYS RESIDENTS GRADUATE SHERIFF’S CITIZENS POLICE ACADEMY

Graduates of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office’s 2026 Citizens Police Academy with sheriff’s command staff during a May 5 ceremony at Marathon High School. MCSO/Contributed

On May 5, Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay, the sheriff’s office command staff and agency members honored 2026 Citizens Police Academy Class No. 11 graduates at Marathon High School.

The academy is one way the sheriff’s office builds community partnerships by inviting residents into the agency to learn more about law enforcement in the Keys.

Graduates spent several hours one night a week for about six

weeks this spring learning about patrol and jail procedures, traffic stops, crime scene investigations, weapons and specialty teams such as bomb, dive, SWAT. The academy is free.

There were three separate academies — one each in the Lower,

Middle, and Upper Keys.

“I want to thank all the members of the sheriff’s office, including our outstanding Training Division, for their dedication to this great program,” said Sheriff Rick Ramsay. “I also want to thank Key West Cakes, Driftwood Pizza, the city of Marathon and the Monroe County School District for their sponsorship and support. We can’t do what we do without those awesome community business and community leaders who support us, day in and day out.”

The sheriff’s social media pages December or January will have information on how to apply for the next session. Interested persons may also call any of the sheriff’s substations throughout the Keys: www. keysso.net/locations.

— Contributed

KEY WEST GALLERY EXHIBITS SALVADOR DALI COLLECTION

Etchings are hand-signed and colored by the surrealist icon

Venus in Furs ‘Leaf Woman’ is an etching by Salvador Dali, now on display and available for purchase at Key West Gallery, 601 Duval St. CONTRIBUTED

Key West Gallery will exhibit a selection of handsigned, hand-colored etchings by the iconic surrealist artist Salvador Dalí. Each piece comes from the Argillet Collection, widely regarded as one of the most definitive and authentic archives of Dalí’s graphic works.

The etchings showcase Dalí’s unmistakable surrealist vision and are hand-colored and personally signed by the artist.

The Argillet Collection represents a historic collaboration between Dalí and his longtime publisher and confidant, Pierre Argillet. It is the most authenticated collection of Dali’s work throughout his career. All artwork is on

view and available for acquisition.

Christine Argillet, the curator of this Dali collection, is the daughter of Pierre Argillet.

She said the exhibit is “a tribute to the work of my father, Pierre Argillet, as an extraordinary publisher of the Dada and Surrealist group. This collection reflects a constant endeavor and a close collaboration with the artists of these two movements, especially Salvador Dali. My goal is to have this collection presented in the finest museums and galleries in the world.”

Key West Gallery is at 601 Duval St. — Contributed

KENNY CHESNEY CARRIES ON IN KEY WEST

Country superstar’s newest video features local people & places

MANDY MILES mandy@keysweekly.com

Kenny Chesney gets it. The real Key West. Not the polished perfection of a vacation paradise. The year-round, untucked, unfiltered and irregular version.

Key West clicked with the country music superstar when he first started kicking around town more than 20 years ago. Back then, he could have some drinks at the Conch Farm without drawing too much attention.

He even owned a home on Caroline Street — until it became an unofficial tourist attraction. But that didn’t diminish his affection.

Chesney didn’t pick Key West; it picked him. This island has a knack for finding the people meant to be here.

Chesney’s newest single, “Carry On,” and its accompanying video proves it.

Shot mostly at Schooner Wharf Bar, which Chesney mentions by name in the lyrics, the video also features one of those other people Key West picked — David Wegman, the longtime Key West artist and local personality. The video also shows concert clips from Chesney’s sold-out stadium shows, contrasted with footage of him effortlessly riding a bike through Old Town and strumming a guitar on the deck of a boat.

Key West may not be the same place it was when Chesney first came down, but it’s still better than anywhere else.

‘Carry On’ lyrics: She was 69, still smokin’ Serving hurricanes since the Schooner’s Wharf opened When she poured me one, I asked the secret She said, “Don’t ever let grass grow up underneath you”

Carry on karaoke, it don’t matter if you can’t

Carry a tune in a bucket anyways

Carry on, who cares what the naysayers say

If it’s Saturday night, get carried away

Carry on, carry on

You can’t carry nothin’ with you, and it won’t be long

‘Til it’s six carrying you home

‘Til then you gotta carry on

Well, it turns out she kissed Elvis

The story she told would make

Penny Lane jealous

And she said, “Hun, my shift’s ending”

Beside a peace sign at the bottom of my ticket

Carry on karaoke, it don’t matter if you can’t

Carry a tune in a bucket anyways

Carry on, who cares what the naysayers say

If it’s Saturday night, get carried away

Carry on, carry on

You can’t carry nothin’ with you, and it won’t be long

‘Til it’s six carrying you home

‘Til then you gotta carry on

Carry on, carry on

If it feels good, do it

If it doesn’t, then don’t…

Yeah man, you gotta carry on

Yeah man, you gotta carry on

Yes ma’am, I’m gonna carry on

Kenny Chesney’s affinity for Key West is evident in the video for his new single, ‘Carry On,’ which features Key West artist David Wegman and was filmed almost entirely at Schooner Wharf Bar. KENNY CHESNEY/TikTok

*Must present local ID for discount.

Enjoy waterfront dining and our new menu! Loc als join us daily for 20% of f dinner. Open Daily 5pm - 9pm.

Book your table on Opentable or call 305 295 3255

Get ready for a culinary takeover where high-end gastronomy meets high-energy execution! Our upcoming “Keller on my Mind” dinner features Chef Keith St. Peter trading his usual routine for a night of pure culinary ambition.

Inspired by the legendary Thomas Keller, Chef Keith is channeling the meticulous, boundary-pushing spirit of The French Laundry and Per Se to craft a brilliant tribute menu.

Expect an evening of whimsical refinement, jaw-dropping precision, and playful twists on classic techniques as he reinterprets iconic flavor profiles with his own signature flair.

MARK HEDDEN

... is a photographer, writer, and semi-professional birdwatcher. He has lived in Key West for more than 25 years and may no longer be employable in the real world. He is also executive director of the Florida Keys Audubon Society.

Damn I love the rivers that run through the Mud Keys. They are just the perfect distillation of the raw beauty of the backcountry, a world simplified down to the elements of water, mangroves and sky. We puttered through them slowly, as the law and any sense of aesthetic appreciation of the universe required, and the world was as peaceful as it gets. The only sounds were the burbling of the outboard, the lap of water against the hull and the occasional slow-speed flyover of one of the Navy jets coming in to land at Boca Chica, though it was amazing how quickly the noise of the jets faded.

There were some storm clouds out there, but nothing too close or too ominous.

I think the only thing better than getting out there and exploring a place like that is getting to show other people how gorgeous it is. And I was with a trio of the resident artists staying and working at The Studios of Key West this month, one of whom was doing a project on mangrove forests, and after she told me, all I could think was “Egads, this woman needs to see the Mud Keys.”

We’d found a pretty nice, out-of-the-way spot, and I was trying to figure out where to throw an anchor when I heard the song.

I don’t have a deep catalog of birds I can identify by call, largely because we don’t have a wide variety of birds that sing in the Keys, but I recognized this one.

It wasn’t the strident referee whistle of the gray kingbird, or the endless, improvised scat of the northern mockingbird. It wasn’t the guttural, staccato syllables of the mangrove cuckoo, or the rising scales of the prairie warbler.

The song was clear and clean and melodic, but also almost punk in its speed and pace.

I remember seeing an interview with one of the Ramones who said the real goal when he was playing a song he’d played for 20 years was to do it faster every time. And it was like that, only melodic, and with less fuzzbox and feedback, and maybe played on some kind of wind instrument lost to history.

The call was that of a new species, the mangrove yellow warbler.

Calling it a new species is probably a little confusing. Mangrove yellow warblers have been singing in the mangrove islands of the Keys as long as there have been mangroves in the Keys. But until last fall they were considered simply the yellow warbler, a species that bred from Ecuador, across the Caribbean, all the way up to Alaska and the Northern Territories.

A NEW SPECIES FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS

Some of the yellow warbler population was migratory, some was not.

Following genetic testing of different populations of the yellow warbler, ornithologists decided they were two separate species – the northern yellow warbler, which is migratory, and the mangrove yellow warbler, which is not.

This simplifies things in some ways and complicates them in others. The newly dubbed mangrove yellow warbler has two subspecies, a primarily mainland-based one called the “mangrove” mangrove yellow warbler, and a primarily Caribbean one called the “golden” mangrove yellow warbler.

The males of the mangrove subspecies are somewhat easy to identify, as they have a rusty red head that contrasts dramatically with the smiley-face yellow that makes up the majority of the plumage that covers their body. The adult males of the golden subspecies – the ones we have here – have the same smiley-face yellow body, but instead of a rusty head, a more discreet and subtle rusty red cap.

Distinguishing the golden subspecies from the northern yellow warbler is nearly impossible for the unpracticed eye. The famed bird artist and identification guru David Sibley has been working out how to do so on his website, but so far it is a slough of subtle distinctions. Structurally, the bill on the “golden” mangrove yellow warbler is ever so slightly more down curved, and the undertail covert feathers slightly shorter. The northern yellow warbler has a slightly sleeker body and slightly longer wings, which aid them in flying the long distances required to migrate.

Plumage-wise, there are slight variations between the first-year birds, the adult females

and the adult males. But it’s complicated.

Sibley made some helpful illustrations with a lot of side-by-side comparisons on his site. And if I had two birds from the different populations standing next to each other and perfectly still, as they were in the illustrations, I might be able to sort out the difference. I’m a relatively solid birder, but in the field this distinction is beyond my level of competence.

Still, there are ways to figure things out beyond field marks.

The bird I was hearing was lurking in the mangroves. I managed to get a few shots of it after I anchored the boat, but I only had the quickest glimpses. No time to get thoughtful or analytical. And the angles were not great to make out the subtle distinctions of the field marks.

But I knew I was right. It was a mangrove yellow warbler.

Northern yellow warblers migrate through the Keys twice a year, and you occasionally see one in the winter.

Mangrove yellow warblers are here yearround. The Keys and the Everglades are the northern part of their range. There are a few places you can see them in the mainline Keys, but they are far more numerous and easy to find in the backcountry.

The reason I could be confident in my ID was, while there may be some stragglers, the migration is pretty much over for the season. Which was a good indicator. But also, the bird was singing. And birds don’t sing for the beauty of the song. They sing to attract a mate and define their territory. Which means this bird bred out there in the Mud Keys. This was his home.

A mangrove yellow warbler seen in the Mud Keys. MARK HEDDEN/Keys Weekly

SOUL SOUL SOU CITY CITY dysfunkshunals

Join The Studios of Key West for weekly rooftop happy hours with a sunset view.

MONDAYS & TUESDAYS, 6-8PM

PLUS THIS WEEK: MANGO

MADNESS MEMBERS’ EXHIBIT

OPEN HOUSE THU JUN 4, 6-8PM

Sip mango margaritas, enjoy live music on the rooftop, and explore over 120 works of art by Florida Keys artists—it’s an evening bursting with color, creativity, and island spirit.

Exhibit on view through July 30, 2026.

Contemporary art center, steps off Duval Street.

Always free to visit! Open Tue-Sun, 10am-4pm

CHRIS McNULTY

is an astrologer, wanderer, bartender and advocate for queer justice. He is a loquacious Gemini with a cozy Cancer rising. Find him at hearthandheraldastrology.com

The sun has officially moved into the sign of Gemini, the time of year when we get curious about the world around us, pay attention to the quality and quantity of information we share and receive, and let our thoughts wander into new territories of reverie. It is the season of fact-finding and fiction-making. Make sure you’re paying attention to which is which. This week is a good time to get serious about relationships, focusing on authenticity over breadth. Who do you consider true connections? With whom can you have difficult conversations, knowing they will still be around on the other side of the dialogue? On Thursday, Venus in Cancer forms a 90-degree square to Saturn in Aries. Think of this as the beautiful lover facing the critical eyes of the strict father. Love can be fun and games, but there are also hard truths that require attention. To work with this transit, acknowledge that all things beautiful require time and testing and try to incorporate that wisdom into your week. We also have a full moon in Sagittarius on Sunday, May 31. What grand belief will you build from the information you gather? How will you integrate the disparate bits of knowledge that you have into a cohesive wisdom? There is a level of faith required just to be alive and to get out of bed in the morning. Use this full moon to realize and nurture your faith, whatever that looks like for you.

Here are your horoscopes for Venus square Saturn and the Sagittarius full moon. Read for your rising and sun signs.

GEMINI

May 21 - June 20

Happy birthday season to all of our brilliant Geminis (myself so humbly included). Supporting yourself does not have to be burdensome. There are ways to survive AND experience love and joy. Taking to heart the hard truths that your friends share with you will only help you to achieve the abundance that you deserve. This full moon, appreciate an important partner in your life.

CANCER

June 21 - July 22

Loving yourself isn’t always easy, but it is absolutely necessary. Don’t shy away from seeing the beauty that you uniquely bring to the world. Feel your oats. That doesn’t mean traipsing around singing your own praises. Under this sky, you are being encouraged to be more restrained at work and in public. Use that as a power source. Under the full moon, get into a new daily routine.

LEO

July 23 - Aug. 22

You’re not known for your quiet repose, Leo, but solitude and reflection are necessary for everyone at times. What peace and love can you find in the quieter moments? What beauty awaits when you’re alone? Show some restraint in any grand adventures that call you away and choose your peace now. Under the full moon, do something creative to light your spark.

VIRGO

Aug. 23 - Sept. 22

Take some time to appreciate all of the people in your life who show you love. You don’t have to do anything per se, just see and acknowledge. One of the best ways to do this is to be clear about your boundaries. Boundaries create relationships. See how you can negotiate your boundaries with those you love now. Under the full moon, come home.

LIBRA

Sept. 23 - Oct. 22

What do you love about the work you do? It doesn’t have to be everything, but it should certainly be something. Turn your focus to the things that you really enjoy and make those bigger in your awareness. An important partner in your life can help you define those things right now if you are struggling on your own. Under this full moon, say what you want to say.

SCORPIO

Oct. 23 - Nov. 21

Pay attention to the adventures that are tugging on your heart strings. Where do you want to go? What do you want to learn? They might just be daydreams right now, and there is a lot of work you need to do — nose-to-thegrindstone sort of thing. But the work you accomplish now can support your dream adventures. Under the full moon, enjoy payday.

SAGITTARIUS

Nov. 22 - Dec. 21

Vulnerability isn’t always easy, and you want to make sure you’re vulnerable with the right people, but it is something that will allow your heart to breathe out right now. You are getting serious about your creative projects at the moment, and the challenge is to make sure that you still can let your hair down with others. Under the full moon, check yourself out, babe.

CAPRICORN

Dec. 22 - Jan. 19

Sometimes, our important life partners are taken for granted. That’s understandable because they get woven into the daily fabric of life. Under this sky, though, look at your partner with fresh eyes and fresh appreciation. There may be

THE HEART’S EDGES

some challenges or hard lessons at home, but your partner can be a soothing presence. Under the full moon, find some quiet and retreat.

AQUARIUS

Jan. 20 - Feb. 18

Every day, we all have stuff we gotta do. Brush the teeth. Make the bed. Eat the food. Clean the clothes. These constant mundane tasks can be met with boredom and frustration. But you can also choose to approach your daily chores and routines with a love that reminds you that you GET to do them. Try that out right now. Under the full moon, be with friends.

PISCES

Feb. 19 - March 20

Follow your bliss, Pisces. That is good advice all the time, but right now in particular, there is a creative love in your heart that is just begging to be released. What do you have to share with the world? Make art for your own joy rather than any monetary hopes. Show some discipline in your spending and be creative instead. Under the full moon, show your face in public.

ARIES

March 21 - April 19

Home is where your heart is right now. Being at home and with family, whatever that looks like for you, is a source of genuine grace. You are being more disciplined with yourself, which might make it hard to calm and regulate yourself at home. Do your best to appreciate your sanctuary when you can. Under this full moon, allow yourself to adventure past the horizon.

TAURUS

April 20 - May 20

While you are finding new forms of discipline in your quiet solitude, you do not need to carry those hard boundaries out into the world with you all the time. Your local environment is a source of love and appreciation right now. Find your siblings, whether blood or chosen, and just sit in the harmony they create. Under this full moon, invest in what you want to grow and receive what you deserve.

KEY WEST REMEMBERS THE FALLEN

Military & civilians honor Memorial Day

Key West honors Memorial Day and the ultimate sacrifice made by so many at ceremonies at the USS Maine military memorial at the city cemetery, and at the Key West Veterans Memorial Garden at Bayview Park. LARRY BLACKBURN/Keys Weekly

MANDY MILES mandy@keysweekly.com

In a military town like Key West, Memorial Day means much more than a Monday holiday.

The Key West chapter of the Navy League held its annual Memorial Day remembrance ceremony at the USS Maine Memorial in the city cemetery on Monday morning.

Captain Colin Thompson, commander of Naval Air Station Key West, spoke at the cemetery, along

ONLY IN KEY WEST: GRADUATES RIDE THE WAVES FOR DIPLOMAS

The Class of 2026 from Somerset Island Prep charter high school continued a sevenyear tradition on May 22 by riding personal watercraft to collect their diplomas from Principal Tom Rompella. A proper ceremony also took place at Ocean Key Resort’s Sunset Pier. LARRY BLACKBURN/Keys Weekly

Somerset Island Prep continues 7-year tradition

with veteran Abe Conn of the Navy League.

Many of the attendees, including bugle player Jim Doepke, then moved from the cemetery to the Key West Veterans Memorial Garden at Bayview Park, where Gold Star widow Sue Burke spoke of the ultimate sacrifice made by her late husband Lt. Cdr. Mark Eller and so many others who gave their lives in service to the ideals of freedom and democracy.

MANDY MILES mandy@keysweekly.com

Somerset Island Prep charter high school held its seventh annual water-based graduation on May 22 off Ocean Key Resort.

Wearing life jackets under their graduation gowns, students throttled personal watercraft into their future and picked up their scrolls from Principal Tom Rompella. A proper ceremony with

class speakers and awards also took place at the resort’s Sunset Pier.

The graduation tradition started during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the Class of 2020 was seeking a safe and socially distant graduation ceremony.

And now, seven years later, good luck telling any subsequent classes they have to sit in an auditorium — and stay dry.

See all Florida Keys graduates and their senior portraits in the Keys Weekly’s annual Graduation Guide at keysweekly.com or by scanning the QR code.

COAST GUARD RESCUES 2 OFF FORT ZACH

Both people were wearing life jackets when kayaks flipped

The U.S. Coast Guard rescued two kayakers on Sunday, May 24 after their kayaks overturned near Fort Zachary Taylor. Both kayakers were brought ashore with no injuries reported. Dispatchers notified Coast Guard Sector Key West watchstanders about a 911 call at about 12:30 p.m. The Station Key West rescue crew arrived about 20 minutes later and found both kayakers. ‘Both kayakers were wearing life jackets, which played a critical role in keeping them safe,’ said Ryan Andzelik, search and rescue mission manager assigned to Coast Guard Sector Key West. ‘We want to remind all mariners to check local weather conditions before heading out on the water. Even short trips can become dangerous if the sea state changes unexpectedly.’ CONTRIBUTED

Joseph Titano,

NURSERY EXPANSION BOOSTS CORAL RESTORATION EFFORTS

JEN ALEXANDER www.keysweekly.com

Plant a Million Corals Foundation triples capacity to help the reef

The race to save the Florida Keys reef tract got a boost on May 24, when ocean advocates, community leaders and concerned residents gathered at Summerland Farms on Summerland Key for the unveiling of the Plant a Million Corals Foundation’s land-based nursery expansion.

“After the brutal heat waves and diseases we’ve seen over the last few years, our local reefs are at a breaking point,” said founder David Vaughan. “This new infrastructure is a game-changer. It allows us to shield these fragile species in a stable, land-based environment, keeping them safe from wild temperature swings and waterborne diseases while prepping them for the wild.”

The afternoon of education and celebration gave way to an evening fundraiser. Supporters gathered down the road at South of the Seven restaurant at Sugarloaf Lodge for a Cocktails for Corals event to scale up local marine conservation efforts.

“Honestly, we were completely bursting at the seams until Environment Next and our wonderful neighbor Ed Crane stepped in,” Vaughan continued. “Ed’s incredible generosity really jumpstarted our new legacy giving program, and that support allowed us to build this massive new 72-tank system. It effectively triples our footprint, and seeing it all set up makes me incredibly proud of what we can achieve when the community rallies behind us.”

With room for an additional 100,000 corals, this infrastructure boost serves as the ultimate launchpad for the organization’s grandest mission yet: pumping 1 million resilient corals into our local waters every year.

“When my dad first started exploring micro-fragmentation, we all knew it could completely change the timeline for saving our reefs,” said Dee Dee Vaughan Smause, Vaughan’s daughter and foundation co-founder. “But seeing this big expansion actually come to life right here at Summerland Farms is just incredible. It means we’re moving past the dreaming phase. We now have the actual space and tools to match the scale of what our oceans are facing, and we get to do it alongside the community we love.”

Attendees at the afternoon event took behind-the-scenes tours of the solar-powered, custom flow-through saltwater systems and watched demonstrations of the groundbreaking coral micro-fragmentation technology. Using special diamond-blade saws, scientists carefully cut massive brain corals into tiny, millimetric pieces.

“It is actually a beautiful biological quirk,” David Vaughan said with a smile. “When we cut the coral, it triggers an automatic, accelerated healing response that essentially tells the organism to grow at warp speed. Those tiny fragments end up growing 25 to 40 times faster than their natural rate. It is incredibly exciting because what would normally take a whole century out in the wild is something we can now accomplish in just one to two years right here in the nursery.”

The evening fundraiser featured live music, food and supporters eager to invest in the Keys’

underwater backyard. Guests sipped on a vibrant signature cocktail that came complete with a fun, glowing light, mirroring the colorful reef life the organization works to protect.

The fundraiser featured a silent auction and measures that enabled guests to sponsor a coral tank.

“Watching our neighbors step up at South of the Seven was incredibly emotional,” said Smause. “When you realize that a single $1,000 donation funds an entire tank of 1,100 micro-fragmented coral pieces, it connects people to the reef in a beautiful way. Tank by tank, the community blew us away. Every sponsored tank and auction bid directly fuels our daily operations to grow heat-tolerant corals, and we cannot thank everyone enough for standing with us in this fight.”

With the new tanks online and a successful fundraiser in the books, the Plant a Million Corals Foundation is positioned to train global practitioners and deploy its specialized equipment worldwide. But for the residents of the Florida Keys, the real victory is happening right here at home, one fast-growing fragment at a time.

More information is at plantamillioncorals.org.

1. A coral restoration technician shows visitors what the foundation does on a daily basis.

2. A rainbow over the foundation’s new greenhouse on Summerland Key welcomes visitors to the May 24 ribbon-cutting event.

3. David Vaughan demonstrates how the Plant a Million Corals Foundation fragments corals to restore the reef. JEN ALEXANDER/Keys Weekly

WHAT’S COOKING, KEY WEST?

Fort Jefferson display enhances culinary experience

CAROL SHAUGHNESSY

www.keysweekly.com

Nearly 70 miles west of Key West, on a small speck of land in the Gulf of Mexico, lies a vast outpost: a Civil War-era fort called Fort Jefferson.

America’s largest and most remote coastal fortress, the structure is the centerpiece of Dry Tortugas National Park — a pristine wilderness area made up of seven tiny coral-andsand islands.

Fort Jefferson’s construction began in 1846 after American leaders realized that fortifying the Tortugas was essential in controlling navigation in the Gulf of Mexico. During the Civil War, it was a Union military prison whose most famous detainee was Dr. Samuel Mudd, convicted of conspiracy in Abraham Lincoln’s assassination.

Visitors to the fort and park often travel on the Yankee Freedom ferry, journeying from Key West deep into the gulf. As the ferry nears the Tortugas, the three-level fort looms up against the sky, its eight-foot-thick walls rising 50 feet high.

Now, however, it’s possible to “preview” the remarkable Fort Jefferson at the 291 Front St. building that’s home to the Key West Cooking Show. Outside the facility’s second-floor entrance stands an 11-foot-diameter scale model of the historic structure. Crafted to replicate Fort Jefferson’s 1870s appearance, it features details including a stalwart lighthouse and strategically placed cannons.

The Fort Jefferson installation, however, is not the only reminder of regional history that awaits attendees at the Key West Cooking Show. The cuisine-based attraction, filled with objects recalling the island’s past, opened almost a year ago to spotlight the local culinary and cultural heritage.

The memorabilia-rich setting is ideal for the facility’s learn-anddine sessions, where participants are taught to make dishes that have been island favorites for generations. Ranging from caldo gallego soup and rich lobster enchilado to luscious flan and meringue-topped Key lime pie, they’re prepared by chef-storytellers who season their cooking tips with intriguing Key West lore.

Objects of interest in the demonstration dining room include large

A meticulously crafted scale model of historic Fort Jefferson, the centerpiece of Dry Tortugas National Park, now stands outside the entrance to the Key West Cooking Show venue. KEY WEST COOKING SHOW/Contributed

sails that cover the skylights, recalling the building’s long-ago incarnation as a military sailmakers’ loft.

The facility’s private dining room, where regular mixology classes combine cocktail tastings and tales of sailors and speakeasies, features replica converted gas lamps and a collection of vintage bottles and the apothecary jars used by early pharmacists.

Viewing the Fort Jefferson model and other items, and learning to make traditional dishes and drinks, provides insights into Key West’s vibrant heritage and contemporary character — surely a combination to savor.

LAST BITES

Dish of the week: Lobster Enchilado. With roots in Cuban and Caribbean cuisine, this bold, zesty dish features lobster nestled in tomato sauce. Ingredients that add to its distinctive taste include yellow onions, bell peppers, diced garlic cloves, seasonings and even pimento-stuffed olives.

Helpful kitchen hack: When steaming or boiling lobster, the cooking process doesn’t stop the moment the lobster is removed from the heat. To avoid “residual overcooking,” leaving the meat tough instead of tender, immediately immerse the lobster in an ice bath for up to 10 minutes.

Hungry for more? Learn to prepare the perfect Key lime pie — and then enjoy a slice! Multiple pie-making classes are offered daily (except Sunday). Visit keywestcookingshow. com or call 305-294-COOK.

A LOVE LETTER TO THE 35- TO 45-YEAR-OLD WHO STILL HAS TIME

JENNIFER HARVEY

...is a Marathonbased ACSMcertified personal trainer and precision nutrition coach who owns and operates Highly Motivated Functionally Caffeinated LLC.

I’m writing this to you specifically, the one who hasn’t had to answer those questions yet. You know the ones. “When did the pain start?”

“How long has it been like this?”

“What were you doing when it happened?” And the answer that haunts me most, the one I hear more than any other: “I literally just got out of bed.”

This is your letter. Consider it a postcard from the future, sent with love and a healthy dose of urgency.

Here’s what’s happening inside your body right now, whether you’re paying attention or not. Beginning around age 35, testosterone levels in men begin declining by 1% to 3% every single year. Women aren’t exempt. Estrogen, which acts as a powerful anti-inflammatory in the body, begins its long farewell during the perimenopause years that often start in the mid- to late 30s. When estrogen levels fall, inflammatory signaling rises, which not only slows healing but can heighten pain sensitivity, making sensations feel sharper and more persistent. Growth hormone, the hormone responsible for tissue repair and collagen production in your tendons and ligaments, declines with age as well, leading to decreased collagen turnover and an increased risk of tendon and ligament injuries.

And muscle. Let’s talk about muscle. Strength loss begins in the fourth decade of life at a rate of about 1% per year, accelerating with each passing decade. By 45, if you’ve been sedentary, you may already be several percentage points behind where you started, and the slope gets steeper from here.

None of this is meant to scare you. It’s meant to wake you up.

Because here is the other side of that science, and this is the part I love most about my job: Exercise opposes the damaging effects of aging by pre-

venting the decline in mitochondrial function, reducing age-related loss of muscle mass and enhancing insulin sensitivity.

Resistance training, in particular, is something of a miracle. In one landmark study, after just six months of resistance exercise training, older adults who had been 59% weaker than younger adults showed significant improvement in strength, and their muscle tissue showed a reversal of age-associated gene expression –essentially restoring a more youthful biological profile.

Exercise didn’t just slow aging. It reversed it at the cellular level.

Now pair that with food. Processed foods drive systemic inflammation. You know the ones — the packaged, shelf-stable kind with an ingredient list that requires a chemistry degree. And inflammation is the accelerant on every fire we’ve been talking about: joint pain, tendon stiffness, hormonal disruption, muscle breakdown. A diet built around real, whole foods does the opposite. It gives your body the raw materials it needs to repair, rebuild and resist the decline that’s otherwise coming for everyone who sits still and eats out of a bag. You are 35 to 45. You are not too young to start, and you are absolutely not too old. You are, in fact, in the most important window of your physical life, the years where the choices you make today will write the story your body tells at 55, 65 and beyond.

I don’t want your story to start with “I literally just got out of bed.”

I want it to start with you, strong, moving and choosing, every single day.

The fountain of youth has been searched for since the beginning of human history. Researchers have looked for it in supplements, in hormones, in pharmaceuticals. You know where they keep finding it? In exercise, a lifestyle intervention with known anti-aging effects, capable of counteracting several of the hallmarks of aging, including cellular senescence and age-associated inflammation. Add real food to that equation, and you aren’t just slowing the clock. You’re rewriting the whole timeline.

With love

(and a little tough love), Your exercise physiologist

MARATHON MAN SENTENCED FOR COCAINE-RELATED DEATH

JJeremiah Johnson will spend four years behind bars

HEALTH DEPT. HELPS PREVENT & TREAT OVERDOSES

June 5 Revive events will provide information & free Narcan treatment

MCSO/Contributed

eremiah Johnson, 45, of Marathon was sentenced on May 14 to four years in state prison followed by four years of probation after pleading no contest to manslaughter by culpable negligence and the sale of cocaine in connection with the 2022 drug-related death of Brandon Marr, 42, also of Marathon.

Monroe County Circuit Judge Derek Lewis adjudicated Johnson guilty and also ordered him to pay $713 in court costs and investigative expenses.

The investigation began on Feb. 14, 2022, when deputies with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office responded to a home in Marathon after Marr was found unresponsive in a bathroom by a friend.

A forensic examination of Marr’s cell phone revealed a series of text messages sent shortly before his death in which he arranged to buy cocaine. Investigators traced the phone number in those communications to Johnson.

The Monroe County Medical Examiner later determined Marr died from mixed drug toxicity involving cocaine and alcohol.

As the investigation continued, detectives uncovered evidence that Johnson was living at a Marathon home operated by Ronald Meyers III, where cocaine sales were being coordinated. Search warrants, witness interviews and forensic examinations of multiple cell phones revealed that Johnson was involved in arranging narcotics transactions on behalf of Meyers.

Meyers has been charged in connection with the same investigation, including manslaughter by culpable negligence, sale of cocaine and unlawful use of a two-way communication device. Those charges remain pending, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

Johnson admitted to investigators that he was living at the residence and that Meyers supplied him with cocaine. Investigators determined Johnson facilitated the cocaine sale to Marr that ultimately resulted in Marr’s death.

“When someone dies from cocaine, our work does not stop with the person who handed over the drugs,” said Joseph Mansfield, chief assistant state attorney. “We follow the evidence to the source and hold accountable the suppliers and dealers who profit from these deadly substances. If you sell cocaine and someone dies as a result, you should expect to be prosecuted and sent to prison.”

The case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney K. Philip Harte.

— Contributed

The Florida Department of Health in Monroe County, in partnership with Guidance/Care Center and Monroe County Coalition, will hold Revive Awareness Day events on Friday, June 5 in multiple locations throughout the Keys.

Residents may stop by any location to receive brief overdose prevention education and pick up free naloxone (Narcan) while supplies last. Visits are designed to be quick and convenient, and no formal presentations will be held. Preregistration is not required.

Naloxone (Narcan) is a medication that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Floridians can find naloxone for their community by calling DOH-Monroe at 305-2937500.

Events will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the following locations

• St. Paul’s Episcopal Church (Bahama Street entrance), 401 Duval St., Key West.

• Fausto’s Food Palace, 522 Fleming St., Key West.

• Winn-Dixie Key West, 2778 Roosevelt Blvd., Key West.

• Winn-Dixie Big Pine Plaza, 251 Key Deer Blvd., Big Pine.

• Winn-Dixie Marathon, 5585 Overseas Hwy., Marathon.

• Winn-Dixie at Tavernier Town Shopping Center, 92100 Overseas Hwy., Tavernier.

Residents who are unable to attend, or who would like to receive additional free Narcan kits, may contact the health department or the Guidance/Care Center for more information. Business owners and managers can request Narcan delivery by emailing DOHMonroe@ flhealth.gov.

Learn how to spot the signs of an overdose, how to use naloxone to reverse the effects of an overdose, and what resources and programs are available to support individuals with substance use disorder.

Signs of an overdose

• Small, constricted “pinpoint” pupils.

• Falling asleep or losing consciousness.

• Slow, weak or stopped breathing.

• Choking or gurgling sounds.

• Cold or clammy skin.

• Discolored skin, especially the lips and nails.

• Limp body.

If you think someone is overdosing

• Call 911 immediately.

• Administer naloxone (Narcan) if available. Lay the person on their side to prevent choking, and try to keep them awake and breathing until emergency assistance arrives.

Narcan is the brand name for naloxone, a medication that can reverse the deadly effects of an opioid overdose if administered promptly. The health department will give away Narcan at events on June 5. CONTRIBUTED

INTO THE TEETH OF THE LAW

On April 25, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) officers arrested Aramis Valdes Chinique, 38, Ernesto Hernandez, 55, and Ernesto Leon Lopez, 37, all of Key West. Each was charged with one felony and three misdemeanor counts related to alleged fishing violations. Officers with FWC and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service were on patrol near Stock Island when they saw a vessel with the three on board with spearguns. They said they were recreationally fishing for the day and had speared five great barracuda, five sheepshead, two mangrove snapper and one dog snapper. The officers

conducted a resource inspection and discovered a hatch containing a concealed cooler with an additional 51 great barracuda. The bag limit for great barracuda in Monroe County is two per person or six per vessel; the slot limit is a 15- to 36-inch fork length, with one fish greater than 36 inches per person or vessel per day. The subjects had 50 great barracuda over the legal limit, 19 of which were greater than the legal size limit, officers said. All three were arrested and taken to jail. More information on Florida’s saltwater fishing regulations is at myfwc.com/fishing.

CONTRIBUTED

TAKE ME HOME?

FIND A FRIEND AT THE FLORIDA KEYS SPCA

The Keys Weekly family loves animals as much as our friends at the Florida Keys SPCA do, and we’re honored each week to showcase some “furever” friends that are ready, waiting and available for adoption at the organization’s Key West campus.

From cats and dogs to Guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits, reptiles and birds, the perfect addition to your family is waiting for you. The SPCA’s knowledgeable staff will help with advice and care tips while working to ensure a good fit between each pet and its people.

The SPCA’s Golden Paw program also provides special assistance with vet bills and medications for special-needs and older animals that require a little extra TLC. Check these pages each week for just a few of the animals waiting for a home and see them all at fkspca.org.

Meet Bo. He’s a sweet senior gentleman looking for a loving home to spend his golden years. This handsome labrador retriever mix has a soft soul and an easygoing personality. One of the happiest moments in Bo’s day is seeing his best friend, Chewy, who’s also available for adoption. At 13, Bo has a lot of love left to give.

Babs is a small and fluffy rabbit who enjoys a calm environment where she can hop around, explore and relax in cozy spots. Curious and gentle, Babs would make a wonderful companion for someone looking to add a little extra charm to their home.

Meet Chewy, a 7-year-old boy with a soft apricot coat and an even softer heart. This lovable pup enjoys quiet companionship and spending time with his friend Bo. His calm and loyal nature makes him a perfect companion for someone looking for a true best friend. He does have a heart murmur, and further cardiac evaluation is recommended after adoption to help keep him feeling his best.

Meet Lavender, a 10-month-old kitty who was once found as a stray and is now ready to find the loving forever home she deserves. As one of the younger cats on our adoption floor, Lavender is full of curiosity and playful energy. She loves exploring her surroundings and curling up inside play tubes. Lavender has a personality that will make her a wonderful companion.

Meet Flaco, a 2-year-old domestic shorthair mix with major teenage energy and a heart full of love for his fellow felines. This handsome black-and-white boy has green eyes that match his curious personality. He currently lives with other cats and when he’s not keeping an eye on his roommates, you can usually find him napping in a cozy high-up spot where he can relax and supervise from above.

Rotary Club of Key West

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Founded by Betty Debnam

BIG SKY COUNTRY

“Montana” comes from the Spanish word for mountain. But only the western half of the state actually has the Rocky Mountains.

The east is made up of wide-open plains, giving our 41st state the nickname “Big Sky Country.” Its northern border is shared with the Canadian provinces Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan. Montana became a state in 1889.

MONTANA HISTORY

Native American tribes including the Crow, the Cheyenne, the Blackfeet and the Salish once lived where Montana is. After the Lewis and Clark Expedition, fur traders moved in, sometimes bringing diseases that killed native peoples.

Most of Montana was part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Fifty years later, gold was discovered at Gold Creek, and soon miners also found silver, copper, lead and coal. More and more settlers arrived, and native people were driven onto reservations.

Montana’s capital is in Helena, but the biggest city in the state is Billings, with about 200,000 in the metro area.

NATURAL MONTANA

Along with the Rocky Mountains, 10 national forests cover about a quarter of the state. The large Missouri River has its start in southwestern Montana. Yellowstone National

Park, famous for its geysers, lies partially in Montana, and Glacier National Park, with beautiful lakes, glaciers and meadows, is in the state.

Montanans enjoy mild summer temperatures but have to endure cold winter weather, with snowfall averaging 30 to 50 inches each year in the bigger cities.

LIVING IN MONTANA

People in the state work in tourism, lumber, mining and farming, raising animals and crops such as wheat and barley.

For fun, Montanans like to hike, downhill and cross-country ski, hunt, ride horses and snowmobile.

MINI FACT: Montana is the fourth-largest state by area and the eighth least populated.

MEET A MONTANA ARTIST

Charles M. Russell (1864-1926) is famous for his paintings and sculptures of cowboys and Indians in the Old West. He also wrote stories about that life.

Russell grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. From the time he was a child, he loved watching the fur trappers, explorers and soldiers who came to St. Louis from the frontier. He dreamed of becoming a cowboy. He was constantly drawing or making small sculptures of animals with wax and clay.

At 16, he went to work on a Montana sheep ranch. He fell in love with the area and stayed in Montana for 46 years.

RESPECTING NATIVE AMERICANS

Russell was as interested in Native American cultures as he was in cowboys. He lived during the summer and winter of 1888 with a band of Blood Indians. He learned their language, stories and customs.

He defended Native American rights even though this was often an unpopular stand. He also fought to preserve the environment of the Great Plains and Montana.

The C.M. Russell Museum is in Great Falls, Montana.

BIG SKY, BISON, BLACKFEET, CHEYENNE, COAL, COPPER, CROW, DIVIDE, FOREST, GEYSER, GOLD, GRIZZLY, HELENA, LEAD, MONTANA, RIVER, RUSSELL, SALISH, SILVER, SNOW, TOURISM.

Montana has the most grizzly bears of any of the lower 48 states. During the 1800s, bison were hunted nearly to extinction, with only about 500 animals left in the United States. In more recent years, about 31,000 wild bison roam in Montana and other areas. It is the national mammal of the United States.

Words that remind us of Montana are hidden in this puzzle. Some words are hidden backward or diagonally, and some letters are used twice. See if you can find:

Russell’s painting A Cree was painted in 1910.

RESOURCES

ON THE WEB • montanakids.com AT THE LIBRARY • “Montana Wildlife: Animals and Mammals” by Billy Grinslott and Kinsey Marie

ECO NOTE

An unusually warm and dry winter in northwestern Wyoming has prompted large numbers of elk to leave the National Elk Refuge weeks earlier than normal. Observers reported that at least 1,600 elk had already migrated toward Grand Teton National Park by early January, with more herds departing through late winter. Little snow cover and abundant forage at higher elevations reduced the need for the animals to remain on the refuge, where 6,000 to 8,000 elk typically winter. There was no supplemental feeding this season because snowpack was so low. The early migration may be another sign of a warming climate reshaping seasonal wildlife patterns.

Photo by Rem Koc

The Continental Divide is an imaginary line running partly through Montana that separates the flow of our continent’s rivers.

Fly fishing is especially popular in Montana.

Photo by Daniel Mayer

Daniel Freshman, Marathon Special Olympics Bocce

Daniel is a great competitor because he has a high level of confidence in his ability as an athlete and he always keeps a positive attitude.”

– Jeff Cox, Marathon High School Special Olympics bocce coach

Marathon High School’s Daniel Mercado brought home two gold medals from the Special Olympics Florida Summer Games this month, delivering a standout performance in bocce competition for the Dolphins.

Mercado earned gold in singles competition and teamed with Unified partner Micah Cox to capture another gold medal in doubles play. The doubles championship came down to the final moments of a decisive match in a best-of-three series after the Marathon pair split the opening two contests with their opponents.

“With the gold medal on the line, Daniel stepped up and threw the ball right to the pallino to secure the victory,” said coach Jeff Cox. “The team fought hard and showed great teamwork and composure throughout the match.”

On the second day of competition, Mercado continued his dominant performance, defeating every opponent he faced in the singles division to secure his second gold medal of the event. Cox noted that Mercado approaches competition with confidence in both his preparation and abilities, a mindset that helps separate him from other competitors.

“Daniel is a great teammate,” said Unified doubles partner Micah Cox, “because he always stays positive and never gives up, even when the games are close,” he said.

For his double gold performance and willingness to put it all on the line for his team, Daniel Mercado is the Keys Weekly Athlete of the Week.

ON THE COVER

CONCRETE MADE TO LAST

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Whether you’re building a large commercial building, FDOT bridge, or a custom-designed home, we have concrete mix designs for every project. Thanks to decades of experience, our team can create custom mixes with high-quality additives for specific project needs. We offer the largest variety of materials and operate the only FDOT-certified ready-mix plants in the Florida Keys. Call us for all ready-mix concrete, block, aggregate, rebar and bagged good needs.

MAY 28

Meet the 2025-26 All-Keys Boys Soccer Team, including stars like Coral Shores’ Alaric Rodriguez, left, Key West’s Loubins Fleuridor and Marathon’s Tariq Simpson. See page 6. Photos by Joy Smith, Tracy McDonald and contributed images

Photo by JOSH KOLER/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.

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.

Publisher / Jason Koler jason@keysweekly.com

Publishing Partner / Britt Myers britt@keysweekly.com

Managing Editor / Alex Rickert alex@keysweekly.com

Copy Editor / Mike Howie mike@keysweekly.com

Business Development Patti Childress patti@keysweekly.com Manuela C. Mobley manuela@keysweekly.com Stephanie Mitchell stephanie@keysweekly.com

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Classifieds / Anneke Patterson anneke@keysweekly.com 305.743.0844

Se habla español 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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2 3

tracy mcdonald

sean mcdonald

MARKET EDITORS

With a trip to the Final Four and a slew of records under their belts, the 17-10 Conchs return their entire pitching staff and all but Shylo Sanchez next season, setting the stage for a very exciting 2027 season.

SO CLOSE

Lady Conchs leave legacy despite Final Four defeat

The Lady Conchs’ magical softball season came to an end May 21 in a heartbreaking 6-5 loss to Lake Wales in the FHSAA 4A semifinal game. Key West led their Final Four contest from the start, pulling away with a 2-0 lead in the first inning, then picking up single runs in the fourth and fifth before the Highlanders were able to put a single run on the board.

The Highlanders scored three in the fifth, ending a 27-inning scoreless streak compiled by the Conchs, a school record and unbelievable accomplishment, given that the majority of that streak was posted against top contenders in the playoffs. But the Conchs held onto the lead until the bottom of the sixth, when Lake Wales tied things up.

The bottom of the seventh led to a pair of singles for the Highlanders, who capitalized on their late-game hitting to score a walk-off run and claim their spot in the state championship game.

Maicee Gage led the team in hitting, with three of the team’s five hits. Lucy Katz and Kaleya Cervantes had the other two. The team drew six walks in the loss, including two from their lone senior Shylo Sanchez, who extended her own school record of 22 this season and 44 in her career with Key West. Sanchez also graces the Conch record book with her bat. She batted .403 this season, making her one of fewer than 20 Key West batters to hit over .400 in a season. She will extend her career at Miami Dade College next year.

The Conch defense committed an uncharacteristic six errors in their semifinal matchup, including one on the final play which allowed the go-ahead run to score. But the team delivered a fantastic performance despite the miscues. Brianna Brenner, whose pitching helped fuel the 27-inning defensive shutout, broke multiple records this season. The junior hurler has compiled 175 strikeouts this spring, though none against Lake Wales in the semifinal game. Brenner also tied the season record for most shutouts in a row (3), most shutouts in a season (9) and most strikeouts in a single game with 16 earlier this season.

Key West’s record-setting season also included 110 walks, 43 doubles and a pair of records from Arianna Garcia. The sophomore infielder is one of a handful of Conch batters to log four hits in a single game and now holds the school record for fewest walks in a season, with just one.

6.

BARRY

1. A Highlanders player stretches to beat a Maicee Gage slide.

2. Lady Conchs pitcher Brianna Brenner (77) throws strikes.

3. Outfielders Lilee Gage (22) and Maicee Gage (24) jog in for some offense.

4. Highlander base runner beats the throw to third, past Key West’s Aaliyah McLeod (9) and Kaleya Cervantes (14).

5. Conch Kaleaya Dickerson (32) survives a pickoff attempt.

The Lake Wales Highlanders erupt after the game’s final out.

GAUKEL/Keys Weekly

MEET THE 2025-2026 ALL- KEYS BOYS SOCCER TEAM

Rivalry wins, tough district battles and postseason challenges shaped winter season

Monroe County’s boys soccer season featured competitive play across three classifications, with each program facing challenging district schedules. Key West finished 9-7-1 in Class 4A District 16, compiling a strong regular season that included two wins over both Marathon and Coral Shores, before falling in the first round of district play. Marathon posted a 5-10 record in Class 2A District 16, highlighted by a pair of victories over Coral Shores, but the Dolphins also exited in the opening round of districts. Coral Shores completed the season at 4-15 in Class 3A, competing hard throughout the year before also being eliminated in the first round of district competition.

Fleuridor capped off a dominant career with 16 goals and three assists this season, finishing with more than 50 career goals for the Conchs. A three-year scoring leader and team captain, he set the tone with relentless effort, constant pressure on defenses and a nonstop motor. His leadership and infectious energy made him the driving force behind his team’s success, leaving a big set of cleats for Key West to fill next season.

Sulak delivered a strong senior season with 11 goals and a team-high eight assists. Known for his versatility, he willingly played any position needed and consistently put the team first, making him a dependable and unselfish playmaker.

Louis made an immediate impact in his first season, tallying six goals and seven assists. He controlled the midfield with confidence, creating scoring opportunities while showing poise beyond his years. Louis possessed a composure needed in high-pressure situations and made big plays at all the right times.

Just a sophomore, Nathan Godlewski stepped into a starting role due to injuries and showed significant improvement throughout the season. Strong in the air, he anchored the defense and added two goals. Godlewski’s consistency was clutch in many big-game situations.

Photos by Joy Smith, Maicey Malgrat and Tracy McDonald

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

9

Tariq Simpson SENIOR | MHS FORWARD

Marathon’s Tariq Simpson was the Dolphins’ most dangerous attacking threat, consistently pressuring defenses with his speed and finishing ability. He played a key role in Marathon’s offensive success. Simpson’s accuracy combined with an extra gear made him a threat every time the ball was in his vicinity.

10

Sebastian Camargo

SENIOR | KWHS FORWARD

Senior forward Sebastian Camargo recorded eight goals and four assists despite playing much of the season out of position and having his year cut short by injury. His willingness to adapt and team-first attitude made him a valuable contributor. Camargo will take his skills to the collegiate level next season.

4 Angel Cardona SENIOR | MHS DEFENDER

A team captain, senior Angel Cardona served as the backbone of Marathon’s defense. His leadership, physical presence and consistency anchored the back line throughout the season.

11 Gio Prieto SENIOR | MHS MIDFIELDER

Junior Gio Prieto, a team captain, was a key distributor in the midfield. His vision, unselfish play and ability to read the field allowed him to consistently create opportunities for teammates.

1 Tiago Rivero SENIOR | MHS GOALKEEPER

Dolphin goaltender Tiago Rivero proved to be a reliable last line of defense, making numerous key saves throughout the season. His shot-stopping ability kept Marathon competitive in close matches and his confidence in the box set the tone for the Fins.

10

Alaric Rodriguez

SENIOR | CSHS LEFT WING

Coral Shores senior Alaric Rodriguez used his speed and attacking ability to keep defenders on edge. Dangerous with the ball, especially in one-on-one situations, his passion for the game and strong finishing made him a constant offensive threat. Rodriguez brought energy to the front.

22

Jaime Cary SENIOR | CSHS DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER

A team captain, Coral Shores’ Jaime Cary brought energy, organization and leadership to the midfield. His tireless work rate and positive attitude helped guide his team, and his return from a stellar cross country season brought a spark to the team’s athleticism.

11

Leddvin Joel Lopez Suazo

SENIOR | CSHS DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER

Hurricane defenseman

Leddvin Lopez Suazo, a team captain, controlled the center of the field with composure and leadership. His ability to organize play and connect teammates made him an essential contributor. Suazo’s ability to control the tempo was crucial for Coral Shores this season.

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MEET THE 2025-2026 ALL-KEYS WRESTLING TEAM

From dynasty to debut, Monroe County wrestling programs deliver

The Keys wrestling season showcased dominance, milestones and first-year breakthroughs across 1A District 16. Key West captured its 17th consecutive Individual Bracketed Tournament (IBT) district championship, led by five local wrestlers who won individual district titles. One Key West athlete also claimed a regional championship, and six wrestlers from the county advanced to the state tournament. Marathon entered the county scene this year with its first-ever wrestling program, marking a promising start for the Dolphins.

Allens

Alexandre turned in one of the most accomplished seasons in program history, finishing with a 37-7 record and capturing a district championship while advancing to the regional finals and ultimately the FHSAA state championship match. His runner-up finish at state placed him among the elite wrestlers in Florida and marked a historic achievement for Key West, as he became just the 14th state finalist in program history and only the third underclassman to reach the finals. Combining strength, skill and relentless work ethic, Alexandre consistently rose to the occasion against top competition, establishing himself as one of Key West’s best.

Alexandre JUNIOR, KEY WEST 285 LBS.

WRESTLER OF THE YEAR

Photos by Tracy McDonald and contributed images

Jacob Ferguson

SENIOR, KEY WEST 126 LBS.

Ferguson went 28-15 and earned district runner-up honors. A three-year wrestler and state qualifier, he developed into a key figure for the Conchs, leaving a lasting impact on the program through both performance and leadership.

Kyle Condella

JUNIOR, KEY WEST 138 LBS.

Condella finished 23-15 and placed as district runnerup, narrowly missing a state tournament berth. He turned in a strong junior season and looks poised to make a deeper postseason run next year.

Michael Guzman

SENIOR, KEY WEST 165 LBS

Guzman capped off a standout season with a 40-14 record, a district championship and a state qualification. His performance this year solidified his place among the top wrestlers in program history.

Donald Kirkpatrick

SOPHOMORE, KEY WEST 113 LBS.

Kirkpatrick posted a 26-20 record and finished as district runner-up. He continues to grow into a strong competitor, putting together an impressive sophomore campaign and positioning himself as a wrestler to watch in the coming seasons.

Nathaniel Tristram

SOPHOMORE, CORAL SHORES 150 LBS.

Tristram went 20-17 and finished as district runner-up while qualifying for regionals. A fierce competitor, his drive and determination make him a tough matchup on the mat.

SOPHOMORE, CORAL SHORES 138 LBS.

Matheis went 39-9, winning a district title, placing third at regionals and finishing seventh at the FHSAA state championships. He became just the third to place at state in program history, showing resilience and the ability to win in tough situations.

SENIOR, CORAL SHORES 120 LBS.

McCoy finished 36-9, earning his second district championship and regional runnerup finish while qualifying for state for the second time. A member of the 100-win club, his dedication and consistency set him apart as a leader.

JUNIOR, CORAL SHORES 144 LBS.

Ortiz posted a 9-5 record, earning district placement and a regional qualification. His work ethic stands out, consistently pushing him to improve and compete at a high level.

Jeremiah Ortiz

Sebastian McCoy

Gavin Matheis

David Beltran

JUNIOR, CORAL SHORES 157 LBS.

Keefe compiled a 28-12 record, finishing as district runner-up, regional champion and state qualifier. As just the second regional champion in school history, his talent and competitive mindset make him one of the program’s top athletes.

Holushko put together a dominant sophomore campaign, finishing 25-6 while earning district and regional runner-up honors and securing a spot in the FHSAA state tournament. Competing against some of the top talent in the state, she proved both consistent and resilient, delivering strong performances throughout the regular season and postseason. Already one of the most accomplished athletes in program history, Holushko continues to raise the standard for Key West girls wrestling.

JUNIOR, CORAL SHORES 175 LBS.

Beltran went 34-6, earning his second district title and qualifying for the state tournament. A quiet leader, he sets the tone through preparation, discipline and consistent performance.

Hayden Starling

8TH GRADE, MARATHON 126 LBS.

Starling finished with a 7-14 record while gaining valuable experience at the varsity level. As a middle school wrestler competing against older opponents, he showed toughness and continued development throughout the season.

In his first season of wrestling, Buttner went 6-10 and earned the team’s Motivator Award. His daily effort and positive attitude helped push teammates to improve, making him an important presence in the program and an exciting athlete to watch as he progresses in the sport

Yanessie Corrales

SENIOR, KEY WEST 170 LBS.

Yu compiled a 25-12 record and placed at every major regular-season tournament. Known for her toughness and physical style, her consistent work ethic sets her apart on the mat.

Corrales went 21-11 and placed at every major regular-season tournament. After beginning wrestling midway through her junior year, she quickly developed into a strong competitor, showing significant growth in a short time.

SOPHOMORE, MARATHON 105 LBS.

Wolfe posted a 15-8 record and placed fourth at districts to qualify for regionals, narrowly missing a state berth. She showed steady improvement throughout the season, using a background in Brazilian jiu jitsu to compete well against strong competition.

Sterling Keefe

Charles Buttner

SOPHOMORE, MARATHON 144 LBS.

Autumn Wolfe

Maria Holushko

SOPHOMORE, KEY WEST 140 LBS.

GIRLS WRESTLER OF THE YEAR

DOUBLE DISTINCTION

Decorated Dolphin, Italian standout sign letters of intent

Two Marathon Dolphins officially took the next step in their athletic careers last week, as seniors Justice Lee Isom and Gabriele Cirina signed to continue competing at the collegiate level.

For the past four years, Marathon High School’s athletic programs have counted on one constant: Wherever there was competition, Justice Lee Isom was usually in the middle of it, leading the way.

Now, the most decorated student-athlete in Florida Keys history is taking her talents to the Division I level, as Lee Isom officially signed to continue her track and field and academic career with the FIU Panthers in Miami.

Lee Isom leaves Marathon High with a résumé few athletes could ever match. A standout in both track and field and weightlifting, Lee captured three state championships in weightlifting and another in track while earning 13 state medals across the two sports. From district, regional and state competition, Lee amassed 30 gold medals during her high school career.

Off the field, Lee Isom also built a legacy through leadership and service. She maintained a 3.871 weighted GPA while compiling over 2,000 community service hours and serving in numerous leadership roles across campus organizations, athletics and community programs.

Marathon throwing coach Helena Bursa said Lee’s impact reached far beyond medals and records. “She has always been one of the hardest working, kindest and most respectful athletes I have coached,” Bursa said. “Justice is hard to replace, but her leadership and work ethic have inspired younger athletes who are motivated to follow her example.”

Weightlifting coach Jessie Schubert described Lee Isom as a oncein-a-generation competitor. “She works harder than anyone I’ve ever coached,” Schubert said. “She has cemented her legacy here at Marathon beyond what anyone thought was possible.”

Athletic director Lance Martin added that Lee Isom’s example will shape future Dolphin athletes for years to come. She plans to pursue a degree in sports recreation and management at FIU.

When Gabriele Cirina arrived at Marathon High from Italy for his senior season, expectations were modest. By the end of the spring, the talented right-handed pitcher and slugger had transformed into one of the most dominant baseball players in the Keys. Last week, Cirina officially signed to continue his baseball and academic career with the Eastern Florida State College Titans.

Despite spending just one season with the Dolphins, Cirina quickly became a centerpiece of Marathon’s lineup and pitching staff. He led the team in batting average (.397), home runs, hits, RBIs, doubles and slugging percentage while also leading the pitching staff in wins and earned run average. His dominance earned him an impressive sweep of postseason honors, including Rural District 8 Player of the Year, Pitcher of the Year and Hitter of the Year.

Born and raised in Ravenna, Italy, Cirina came to Marathon as an exchange student with the dream of playing college baseball in the United States. That dream is now becoming reality.

Marathon coach Joey Gonzalez said Cirina made an impact from the moment he arrived on campus.

“Gabriele brought a competitive edge along with immense talent,” Gonzalez said. “He always tried to bring out the best in not only himself, but also his teammates.”

Martin noted that Cirina’s influence extended far beyond statistics. “Without Gabriele, we would have had a more difficult time having the type of season we did,” Martin said.

Cirina maintained a 3.656 weighted GPA at Marathon and plans to pursue engineering at EFSC.

James Murphy, Justice Lee Isom and Amanda Lee. TRACY McDONALD/Keys Weekly

Coaches Luis Gonzalez, standing, and Joey Gonzalez, Dolphin baseball star Gabriele Cirina and coach Chad O’Rourke.

• CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES •

The Monroe County Tourist Development Council has funding available to governmental entities and non-profit organizations for capital projects.

The project/facility must have the primary purpose of promoting tourism and must fall into one of the following categories: Convention Center, Sports Stadium, Sports Arena, Coliseum, Auditorium, Aquarium, Museum, Zoological Park, Nature Center, Fishing Pier, Beach or Beach Park Facility, Channel, Estuary, or Lagoon, Public Facilities in Accordance with Conditions set forth in the Florida Statutes.

The deadline for receipt of applications is Tuesday, June 30th, 2026, and applications must be downloaded from the County’s Bonfire platform.

For more information, please email grants@fla-keys.com.

Publish: May 7, 14, 21 & 28 and June 4, 11 & 18, 2026. The Weekly Newspapers

NOTICE OF INTENT TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF COUNTY ANNUAL RATE RESOLUTION – TWIN LAKES

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN that on June 10, 2026, at 9:00 A.M., or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard, at the Nelson Government Center, 102050 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, FL 33037, the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida, will hold a public hearing to consider adoption of the following County Resolution: A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA, RELATING TO THE TWIN LAKES AREA IN KEY LARGO WITHIN THE ROADWAY IMPROVEMENT AND SEA LEVEL RISE AND FLOOD MITIGATION PROGRAM; IMPOSING ANNUAL MAINTENANCE ASSESSMENTS FOR PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE MONROE COUNTY ROADWAY IMPROVEMENT MUNICIPAL SERVICE BENEFIT UNIT; APPROVING THE NON-AD VALOREM ASSESSMENT ROLL; PROVIDING FOR COLLECTION OF MAINTENANCE ASSESSMENTS; AND PROVIDING AN ASSESSMENT DATE.

The gure below depicts the Assessment Areas within the Twin Lakes Municipal Service Bene t Unit subject to the assessment:

The Assessments have been adopted to fund ongoing annual maintenance costs for the roadway improvement project, including, but not limited to, the cost of maintenance for pump station equipment and related services. The assessment for each parcel of property will be based upon the number of dwelling units and undeveloped parcels in the Assessment Area. The estimated assessment rate for the Fiscal Year beginning October 1, 2026, is $2,131.00 per dwelling unit or undeveloped parcel. A more speci c description is set forth in the Initial Assessment Resolution adopted by the Board of County Commissioners on May 21, 2025. Copies of the legal documents are available for inspection at the Monroe County Administrator’s O ce, 1100 Simonton St., Suite 2-268, Key West, Florida between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The public can participate in the June 10, 2026, meeting of the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida, by attending in person or via Zoom. The zoom link can be found in the meeting agenda at: https://mcbocc.zoom.us/j/89204098700

Pursuant to Section 286.0105, Florida Statutes, if a person decides to appeal any decision made by the Board with respect to any matter considered at the hearing, such person will need a record of the proceedings and may need to ensure that a verbatim record is made, including the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based.

ADA Assistance: In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, any person needing a special accommodation or an interpreter to participate in this proceeding should contact the County Administrator’s o ce at (305) 292-4441, between the hours of 8:30 A.M. and 5:00 P.M., no later than ve (5) days prior to the date of the hearing. If you are hearing or voice-impaired, call 711. Si necesita esta informacion en español por favor de llame Monroe County at (305) 292-4557.

Dated at Key West, Florida, this 28th day of May, 2026.

KEVIN MADOK, Clerk of the Circuit Court and ex officio Clerk of the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida

LEGAL NOTICES

NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE

Notice is hereby given that Big Pine Storage, pursuant to the Florida Self Storage Facility Act, Florida Statutes (Section 83.801–83.809), will sell at public sale by competitive online bidding to satisfy the owner’s lien for unpaid rent, fees, and other charges. Sale to be held online at 11:00 AM on June 10, 2026, at storagetreasures.com.

Contents of the following unit(s) will be sold: Unit: 425 – Kimble Kenney, 800 35th Ocean, Marathon, FL 33050 –Personal items

Property is stored at Big Pine Storage, 30677 Overseas Highway, Big Pine Key, FL 33043. All items are sold as is, where is, and must be removed within 48 hours of purchase.

Publish: May 28 and June 4, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers

NOTICE OF INTENT TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF COUNTY ORDINANCE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN that on June 10, 2026, at 9:00 A.M. or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard, at the Nelson Government Center, 102050 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, Florida, 33037, 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 THE MONROE COUNTY CODE, BY AMENDING SECTION 11-3 OF THE COUNTY CODE TO UPDATE AND CLARIFY THE CHAIN OF COMMAND THAT THE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR AND OTHER COUNTY STAFF WILL FOLLOW DURING A DECLARED EMERGENCY; TO CHANGE THE NAME OF THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT TO OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT; AND AMEND SECTION 11-4 OF THE CODE TO CLARIFY THAT NOTHING IN ARTICLE I CHAPTER 11 OF THE CODE LIMITS THE AUTHORITY OF THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR; AND PROVIDNG FOR REPEAL OF ALL ORDINANCES INCONSISTENT HEREWITH; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR INCORPORATION INTO THE MONROE COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES AND PROVIDING FOR TRANSMITTAL 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 June 10, 2026, meeting, which will be posted beginning on June 2, 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 June 10, 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”.

LEGAL NOTICES

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 28th day of May, 2026. KEVIN MADOK, Clerk of the Circuit Court and Ex Officio Clerk of the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida

Publish: May 28, 2026

The Weekly Newspapers

NOTICE OF INTENT TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF COUNTY ORDINANCE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN that on June 10, 2026, at 9:00 A.M. or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard, at the Nelson Government Center, 102050 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, Florida, 33037, 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, REPEALING IN ITS ENTIRETY SECTION 18-26 OF THE MONROE COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES, ENTITLED “HIGGS BEACH COUNTY PARK”; AMENDING SECTION 18-27 OF THE MONROE COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES, ENTITLED “RULES OF CONDUCT AND OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES FOR CERTAIN PARKS” TO REPEAL RULES OF CONDUCT AND OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES SPECIFIC TO HIGGS BEACH; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR REPEAL OF ALL ORDINANCES INCONSISTENT HEREWITH; PROVIDING FOR INCORPORATION INTO THE MONROE COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. The proposed ordinance may be inspected by the public at the Monroe County website by viewing the agenda packet for the June 10, 2026, meeting, which will be posted beginning on June 2, 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 June 10, 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/60832c9dcf 67bb7ac0c21791 ?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.

NOTICE OF INTENT TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF COUNTY ORDINANCE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN that on June 10, 2026, at 9:00 A.M. or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard, at the Nelson Government Center, 102050 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, Florida, 33037, the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida, intends to consider adopting the following ordinance: AN ORDINANCE OF THE MONROE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AMENDING

SECTION 19-4 OF THE MONROE COUNTY CODE PROVIDING FOR REVISED TOLL RATES AND TOLLBY-PLATE RATES; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR REPEAL OF ALL ORDINANCES INCONSISTENT HEREWITH; PROVIDING FOR INCORPORATION INTO THE MONROE COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. The proposed ordinance may be inspected by the public at the Monroe County website by viewing the agenda packet for the June 10, 2026, meeting, which will be posted beginning on June 2, 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 June 10, 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/60832c9dcf 67bb7ac0c21791 ?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 23rd day of May, 2026.

KEVIN MADOK, Clerk of the Circuit Court and Ex Officio Clerk of the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida

Publish: May 28, 2026

The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA

PROBATE DIVISION

FILE NO.: 26-CP-180-M

DIVISION: MIDDLE KEYS IN RE: ESTATE OF THOMAS J. DOWDELL III

Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. The personal representative 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, Florida Statutes, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under s. 732.2211, Florida Statutes. The written demand must be filed with the clerk.

ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED. The date of first publication of this notice is May 21, 2026.

Personal Representative: Linda D. Mazzeo 3521 Ridgewood Road Atlanta, Georgia 30327

Attorney for Personal

Representative:

Richard E. Warner

Attorney

Florida Bar Number: 283134

RICHARD E. WARNER, P.A. 12221 Overseas Highway MARATHON, FL 33050 Telephone: (305) 743-6022

Fax: (305) 743-6216

E-mail: richard@rewarnerlaw.com

Secondary E-Mail: pamela2@ rewarnerlaw.com

Publish: May 21 & 28, 2026

The Weekly Newspapers

NOTICE TO CREDITORS IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION FILE NUMBER: 26-CP-000201-M DIVISION: MIDDLE KEYS IN RE: THE ESTATE OF: ROBERT M. REHBOCK Deceased.

The administration of the estate of Robert M. Rehbock, deceased, File Number: 26-CP-000201-M, whose date of death was March 7, 2026 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.

Publish: May 28, 2026. The Weekly Newspapers

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

Dated at Key West, Florida, this 20th day of May, 2026. KEVIN MADOK, Clerk of the Circuit Court and Ex Officio Clerk of the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida

Publish: May 28, 2026

The Weekly Newspapers

The administration of the estate of THOMAS J. DOWDELL III, deceased, whose date of death was April 6, 2026, is pending in the Circuit Court for MONROE County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 3117 Overseas Highway, Marathon, Florida 33050. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below.

All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this

All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's estate, on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served, must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED.

NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIOD SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT'S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED. A 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 sections 732.216732.228, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under section 732.2211.

The date of first publication of this notice is May 21, 2026.

Personal Representative Janet Militello 1029 Broadway San Francisco, CA 94133

Attorney for Personal Representative Sean Langton, Esq. Florida Bar No. 84414

Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP 1905 NW Corporate Blvd., Ste. 310 Boca Raton, FL 33431

Email Address: sean.langton@ nelsonmullins.com

Telephone: (561) 343-6861

Publish:

May 21 & 28, 2026

The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA

CIVIL DIVISION CASE#: 44-2026-CA-452-K

JUDGE: TIMOTHY J. KOENIG

ERIC TEVES AND MICHAEL SCOTT BURAU, Plaintiff, Vs. CONRAD MCKINNEY, deceased, his unknown heirs, devisees, grantees, creditors, and all other parties claiming by, through, under and against the aforesaid parties; and all unknown natural persons, if alive, and if dead or not known to be dead or alive, their several and respective unknown spouses, heirs, devisees, grantees, creditors, or other parties claiming by, through, or under those unknown natural persons; and the several and respective unknown assigns, successors in interest, trustees or any other person claiming by, through, under or against any named defendant; and all claimants, persons or parties, natural or corporate, or whose exact legal status is unknown, claiming under any of the abovenamed or described defendants or parties or claiming to have any right, title or interest in and to the lands hereinafter described, AND ROY HAMLIN, deceased, his unknown heirs, devisees, grantees, creditors, and all other parties claiming by, through, under and against the aforesaid parties; and all unknown natural persons, if alive, and if dead or not known to be dead or alive, their several and respective unknown spouses, heirs, devisees, grantees, creditors, or other parties claiming by, through, or under those unknown natural persons; and the several and respective unknown assigns, successors in interest, trustees or any other person claiming by, through, under or against any named defendant; and all claimants, persons or parties, natural or corporate, or whose exact legal status is unknown, claiming under any of the abovenamed or described defendants or parties or claiming to have any right, title or interest in and to the lands hereinafter described, Defendants.

NOTICE OF ACTION

TO: CONRAD MCKINNEY and ROY HAMLIN, deceased, their unknown heirs, devisees, grantees, creditors, and all other parties claiming by, through, under and against the aforesaid parties; and all unknown natural persons, if alive, and if dead or not known to be dead or alive, their several and respective unknown spouses, heirs, devisees, grantees, creditors, or other parties claiming by, through, or under those unknown natural persons; and the several and respective unknown assigns, successors in interest, trustees or any other person claiming by, through, under or against any named defendant; and all claimants, persons or parties, natural or corporate, or whose exact legal status is unknown,

claiming under any of the abovenamed or described defendants or parties or claiming to have any right, title or interest in and to the lands hereinafter described,| YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that a Complaint has been filed against you by the Plaintiff in the above-style court for the purpose of quieting title to the following described property situate and being in Monroe County, Florida: Parcel 1: On the Island of Key West, and known as Part of Lot Two (2), Square Two (2), Tract Three (3). Recorded in Plat Book 2, Page 47, Public Records, Monroe County, Florida. Commence at a point Ninety-seven (97) feet from the Northeast corner of Olivia Street and Baptist Lane and running thence in a Westerly direction Forty-five (45) feet; thence at right angles in a Northerly direction Seventy-nine (79) feet; thence at right angles in an Easterly direction Forty-five (45) feet; thence at a right angle in a Southerly direction Seventy-nine (79) feet to the point of beginning.

Parcel 2:

A parcel of land on the Island of Key West, and known as Part of Lot Two (2), Square Two (2) Tract Three (3) according to William A. Whitehead’s Map of said Island delineated in February 1829, said parcel being more particularly described by metes and bounds as follows:

Commence at the intersection of the Northwesterly right of way line of Olivia Street with the Southwesterly right of way line of Baptist Lane and run thence Northwesterly along the Southwesterly right of way line of Baptist Lane for a distance of 97.00 feet; thence Southwesterly and at right angles for a distance of 79.00 feet to the Point of Beginning; thence Northwesterly and at right angles for a distance of 45.00 feet; thence Southwesterly and at right angles for a distance of 5.20 feet to an existing chain link fence; thence Southeasterly and at right angles along the said chain link fence for a distance of 45.00 feet; thence Northeasterly and at right angles for a distance of 5.20 feet back to the Point of Beginning, containing 234 square feet, more or less.

YOU ARE REQUIRED to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to it on Richard J. McChesney, Esq., Spottswood, Spottswood, Spottswood, & Sterling, PLLC, Attorney for Plaintiff, whose address is 500 Fleming Street, Key West, FL 33040, on or before the following date: June 8, 2026, and to file the original with the Clerk of the Court either before service on Plaintiff’s attorney or immediately thereafter, otherwise a default will be entered against you for the relief demanded in the Complaint. WITNESS my hand and seal of this Court on 4TH day of May, 2026. Kevin Madok, CPA as Clerk of the Court

By: Shonta McLeod as Deputy Clerk

Publish:

May 7, 14, 21 & 28, 2026

The Weekly Newspapers

AUTOS ALL YEARS!

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

AUTOS FOR SALE

2018 Ford Transit Van For Sale. Only 25k miles. Located in Marathon. $23,000 Call George at 305-783-0886

2001 Dodge Dakota Van For Sale. ONLY 49k miles, 4 seats, mechanically sound, cold A/C, White in color, paint in good condition. Located in Summerland Key. $5,000 OBO 305-394-2777

BOAT MISC. FOR SALE

PRICE DROP! 2 Suzuki 60hp 2013 motors for sale - 4 stroke, low hours, with controls & wiring harnesses. Currently on boat if you want to test run. $6,000 OBO for the pair. $3,400 single motor. Located at MM74. Gary 305393-1415 SOLD IN LESS THAN THREE WEEKS!!!

Safety Staff- We are seeking a reliable, dedicated, and responsible Safety Staff member to join our team. Full-time & Part-time availability starting at $18/hr. To apply, call 305-664-4860 Ext 1, e-mail: aaron@orlk.org or apply in person at Outdoor Resorts at Long Key, 65821 Overseas Hwy, Long Key

Specialty Hardware of Marathon - Looking for full time or part time person. Hardware knowledge an absolute must. Must have knowledge of hardware, plumbing and electrical. Apply in person at 10730 Overseas Hwy. Marathon 1-305-743-3382

Groundskeeper/ Maintenance person, KCB, Sea Isle Condominium, 20 hrs. per week, $27 per hr., apply by e-mail to HardingThomasL@aol.com, text or call 734-476-0531.

Boat rental company in Marathon looking for help with boat detailing & boat cleaning. Call 305-481-7006 HIRED!!!

Hiring for busy pediatric office in Tavernier. FullTime Medical Assistant/ RN - Pediatric experience preferred. Must multitask in fast-paced setting. Pay is commensurate with experience. Email resume to: flkeyspeds@gmail.com HIRED!!!

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 HIRED!!!

PLACE YOUR EMPLOYMENT AD HERE. $25/week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-743-0844 or Email Anneke@keysweekly.com

HOUSING FOR RENT

3BR / 3BA fully furnished home for rent in Marathon. Available June 30. $3,790/month incl. utilities 618-559-9143

2BR/1BA Condo Unit at Schooner Condominium for rent in Marathon. Newly renovated, furnished. Annual lease. $2,800/mo F/L/Security negotiable. 305-431-0577 alicia@ keysrealestate.com

LONG TERM RENTALS: HUGE EFFICIENCY, 650 SF, partially furnished $1,650/ month AND 2 Bedroom unfurnished, all appliances, renovated, for rent in Marathon. On the water, gated property. Section 8 possible. $2,000 month. First/ Security Call 305-610-8002

Used NEPTUNE 4-post BOAT LIFT For Sale. 15,000 lbs.+ Located in Marathon. $800.00 260750-6479 SOLD IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS!!! BOATS

Experienced FT 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.

FOR SALE

22' Mako Center Console Aluminum like new float on trailer, 2001 250hp Yamaha, hull 1979, 2 stroke, runs great, many extras. $10,999 OBO Located at MM74. Gary 305393-1415 or 305-393-4040

21' Mako Center Console Float on Aluminum Trailer, 250 2 stroke Yamaha 2005?, hull 1979, New Transom, $8,999 OBO Located at MM74. Gary 305-3931415 or 305-393-4040

BOATFORSLIP/RACK RENT

Boat Slip &/or Rack For Rent in Marathon at The Boat House, Vaca Key. Call Tony 561-346-6400

EMPLOYMENT

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, 9:30am-7pm daily. Full time/Part time. Small friendly staff. Above average hourly wage plus tips. Apply in person at 425 E. Ocean Dr. Key Colony Beach or call 404-2193359 and ask for Dave.

The Housing Authority of the City of Key West now hiring the following positions: Full-time Carpenter, Electrician, Housing Assistant & Custodian (Marathon). 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.

NOW HIRING FULL-TIME WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT OPERATOR

The City of Key Colony Beach is seeking a quali ed Full-Time Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator to perform skilled technical work in the operation, monitoring, maintenance, and repair of the City’s wastewater treatment facilities and collection systems.

Responsibilities Include:

• Operating and monitoring wastewater treatment equipment and systems

• Performing routine inspections and preventative maintenance

• Monitoring SCADA and telemetry systems

• Collecting samples and performing laboratory testing

• Maintaining operational logs and compliance records

• Responding to emergencies, alarms, and after-hours callouts

• Assisting with pumps, motors, valves, and treatment equipment maintenance

• Ensuring compliance with FDEP, EPA, and OSHA regulations

Minimum Qualifications:

• Able to work independently with limited supervision

• High School Diploma or GED

• Valid Florida Driver's License

• Florida Wastewater Treatment Operator License preferred

• Experience in wastewater treatment operations or utilities maintenance preferred

• Ability to work weekends, holidays, and emergency assignments as needed

Preferred Qualifications:

• SCADA system experience

• Mechanical or electrical maintenance experience

• Knowledge of wastewater collection systems and pumps

• Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) wastewater system experience

• Integrated Surge Anoxic Mix (ISAM) wastewater system experience

• Class C Wastewater Operator License

Benefits Include:

• Florida Retirement System (FRS)

• Health Insurance

• Paid Holidays

• Vacation and Sick Leave

• Based on Quali cations and Licensing

• Attractive Salary Based on Quali cations and Licensing

Submit application and resume to:

City of Key Colony Beach

City Clerk, 600 W. Ocean Drive, Key Colony Beach, FL 33051 or email: cityclerk@keycolonybeach.net

Position open until lled.

EOE/DFWP

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 RENTED!!

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

WANTED TO BUY

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.

YARD SALES

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

wants you to join their team!

RETAIL GIFT SHOP ASSOCIATE

Full-time. $19/hour to start.

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

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.

Equal

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

THE GUIDANCE/CARE CENTER, Inc. IS HIRING!

JOIN A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE NONPROFIT HELPING PEOPLE COPE AND CHANGE FOR 53 YEARS!

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

KEY LARGO

Behavioral Health Counselor (CAT) Case Manager (Adult)

Mental Health Technician

KEY WEST

Case Manager (Children) Crisis Counselor

Behavioral Health Counselor (Children) Prevention Specialist

Behavioral Health Therapist (Children)

MARATHON

Mental Health Technician

Driver (CDL NOT required) (FT, PT)

Registered Nurse (FT, PT)

Behavioral Health Therapist (Adult, PT)

*Support Worker (Assisted Living) (FT)

*Behavioral Health Technicians (FT, PT)

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

Background and drug screen req. EEOC/DFWP

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

OPENINGS AVAILABLE

PHYSICIAN PRACTICE OPENINGS

- Medical Assistant, Ortho-Tavernier, $5k Bonus

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

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

- Medical Assistant, Ortho, Key West, $5k Bonus

- Radiology Technologist, Ortho Surgical, Key West, $25k Bonus

MIAMI CANCER INSTITUTE KEY WEST

- Director Nursing Services, Operations Support Key West, $5k Bonus

- Medical Assistant, Outpatient Procedures, $5k Bonus

- Patient Access Scheduler, Operations Support Key West, $5k Bonus

- Pool Radiation Therapist

TAVERNIER MARINERS HOSPITAL

- Chaplain, Chaplaincy Spiritual Care, Per Diem

- Clinical Partner, Multispecialty Acute Care Center, $3k Bonus

- Clinical Pharmacist, $5k Bonus

- Customer Service & Membership Coordinator, Mariners Wellness Center

- Exercise Assistant, Mariners Wellness Center, Per Diem

- Exercise Physiologist, Per Diem

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

- Mechanic, FT, 7A-3:30P

- Medical Staff Coordinator, Mariners Hospital, FT

- Multi-Modality Imaging Tech, Echocardiography, Per Diem

- Multi-Modality Imaging Tech, (CT & X Ray), $25k Bonus

- Multi-Modality Imaging Tech 2, (Echo & Vascular w/Ultrasound Preferred), $25k Bonus

THEME: MOUNTAINS

ACROSS

1. Ill-considered

5. Mate

8. “I didn’t get the ____”

12. Biblical preposition

13. Down in the dumps

14. Rodgers of NFL fame

15. Proofreader’s mark

16. Get bacon?

D'Asign Source is seeking the following professionals. Overtime and benefits are available.

Home Décor

Sales Consultant

Customer-focused sales professional with experience in retail or customer service. Creativity and interest in home décor a must. Help customers discover pieces that turn everyday spaces into something special.

Kitchen Design Specialist

Individual who brings creativity, functionality, and style together in kitchen and bath design. Design kitchens that become the heart of the home.

Associate

Interior Designer

Detail-oriented and creative individual to assist with residential design projects. Education or experience in Interior Design required. Help bring inspired residential interiors to life.

For complete details and to apply, please visit DAsignSource.com/careers

- Pharmacy Technician, Mariners Hospital, $4k Bonus

- Pool Clinical Pharmacist, Per Diem

- Pool Group Exercise Instructor, Per Diem

- Pool Medical Technologist

- Registered Nurse, Multispecialty Acute Care, $25k Bonus

- Registered Nurse, ICU, $15k Bonus

- Registered Nurse, Surgery, $15k Bonus

- Supervisor Chef, Dietary

MARATHON FISHERMEN’S COMMUNITY HOSPITAL

- Cook, Dietary, PT

- Multi-Modality Imaging Tech 1, (CT & X Ray), Radiology, $25k Bonus

- Phlebotomist, Laboratory, Per Diem, 7A-3:30P

- Pool Physical Therapist, Per Diem

- Registered Nurse, Emergency Department, Per Diem

- Registered Nurse, Multispecialty Acute Care Center, Various Shifts & Statuses

- Registered Nurse, Surgery, $15k Bonus

- Registered Respiratory Therapist, $25k Bonus

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

- Security Officer, FT, 7A-7:30P

- Security Officer, Per Diem

for select full-time positions based on candidate experience. APPLY AND LEARN MORE careers.baptisthealth.net

17. *Any mountain over 3,000 feet, in Scotland

18. *Mount Everest mountain range

20. Research facil.

21. Itsy-bitsy bits

22. Forensic evidence, acr. 23. Relating to sacrum

26. What Cupid did (2 words)

30. Amazement interjection

31. Not victory

34. Eurozone money

35. Whisky measure, pl.

37. Dot-com address

38. Birth-related

39. Auricular

40. Volcanic ash, e.g.

42. Pro baseball’s “Master Melvin”

43. Borat’s swimsuit

45. Cruel treatments

47. It would

48. Munchausen’s title

50. Supernatural life force

52. *Mountain inspiration for a pen name (2 words)

56. You will

57. Icelandic epic

58. Double reed woodwind instrument

59. Like a good singer (2 words)

60. Not quite an adult

61. *Matterhorn site

62. Like a busybody

63. Commercial break contents

64. Coloring substances

DOWN

1. *Mount ____more, South Dakota

2. A in ABS

3. Opposite of stern

4. Balloon filler (2 words)

5. “Vamos a la ____”

6. Saintly glows

7. Carl Zeiss’ product

8. *Tallest mountain from base to peak (2 words)

9. European sea eagles

10. Dead, in France

11. Yoko of music fame

13. #11 Down’s late husband, e.g.

14. Kind of acid

19. Dump truck quantities

22. Email period

23. Bible’s wicked city

24. Blood circulation artery

25. ____ gang

26. Baby powder ingredient

27. Sting Rays and Mustangs

28. Angry

29. Sheds skin, as in snake

32. *World’s most climbed mountain

33. Before, poetically

36. *Denali, 1917-2015

38. British East India Company millionaire

40. Fairy tale’s last word

41. Scottish clan identity

44. *Vesuvius location

46. Take care of cargo

48. Foreshadowed

49. *World’s longest mountain range

50. As opposed to stereo

51. Puffins and guillemots

52. Facebook’s parent company

53. Competently

54. Uh-uh

55. British tax

56. Old-fashioned “far”