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Recent figures provided by the Monroe County Tax Appraiser show out of 44,049 properties eligible for a homestead property tax exemption, 16,259 currently have one. Monroe County contains 89,581 parcels. Key West claims the largest percentage of homesteaded properties at 39.97%, while Key Colony Beach is the lowest at 18.26%.
The Keys Weekly celebrates Key West dads — and granddads — like Jonathan ‘Dr. G’ Gueverra — for doing the most important job in the world. See page 12. CONTRIBUTED
WHAT DID THE KEY WEST CANDIDATES SAY?
9 hopefuls in 4 city races get 3 minutes with a microphone
MANDY MILES mandy@keysweekly.com
Key West’s leadership will change in the coming months, when voters elect a mayor and three new city commissioners in Districts II, IV and V.
The nine candidates in the four Key West races introduced themselves to voters at Hometown’s June 12 Meet the Candidates event, which also included candidates for county commission, school board, mosquito control, judge, utility board and the U.S. House of Representatives.
In Key West, three of the four nonpartisan races will be decided in the Aug. 18 primary. In District IV, three candidates want to succeed commissioner Lissette Carey, who is not seeking reelection. If none of the three secures more than 50% of the votes, the top two will head to a November runoff.
The comments here are excerpts taken directly from each candidate’s introduction.
(Scan the QR code on this page or visit hometownkeywest.com to watch the full video. See page 19 for the county commission and school board candidates. And stay tuned to Keys Weekly for coverage of the races for judge, utility board, mosquito control and more.)
MAYOR
“We need city hall to change. We need more communication, more accountability. We need a better process for making decisions, whether it's water quality testing, which we haven't had for two years; a strategic plan, which we haven't had in two years; or increased taxes over the last two years, which was not a good decision.
“We need a better commitment to One Human Family. We have to stand together. … We have to stand up for home rule … and we have to have fairness in city hall. We want to have confidence back in our city government.
“We need a new mayor and we need a new city commission.”
“When I took office in 2024, I inherited some of the most difficult challenges our city has faced in recent years. Leadership is not about mak-
ing the easy choice. It is about making the right choice. As mayor, I represent every resident. … My responsibility has always been to do what is best for the entire community even when those decisions are difficult.
“This election is about more than just projects. It's about leadership. It's about choosing someone who has proven they have navigated difficult times, made tough decisions and always put the interests of the entire city first.”
“I was vice mayor for over 11 years. I know how it works. I have proven leadership. I've been a business owner on Duval Street for over 43 years. … I have over 115 employees and I own workforce housing. I know the challenges and I listen.
“I will not raise tax dollars for anyone. I think it's too much right now to be honest. There's a lot of waste.
“I care about this community. I love it. I've been one of the longest business owners on Duval Street. I live and I die and I breathe Key West. Is anything perfect? No, but we will sure try.”
continued on page 6
Sam Kaufman
Dee Dee Henriquez
CITY COMMISSION, DISTRICT II
Mark Rossi
Bobi Lore
“I'm motivated by a sense of urgency that we're at a historical crossroads and we have an opportunity for change.
“I've been in Key West for over 10 years, and I'm a business owner that treats his employees with kindness and respect. I bought a property adjacent to my business and turned that into workforce housing. I'll be a champion for working families that make this island function.
“Key West has always stood for diversity and our One Human Family ethic, where we all can feel welcome. I care about this town with all my heart and I will foster an open and trusting government that works for all of us.”
CITY COMMISSION, DISTRICT IV
Sarah Compton
“When there's an issue, I'll explain not only what I'm supporting, but why.
“People deserve honesty even when the answers aren't easy. People want to know someone is paying attention. That's the kind of commissioner I will be.
“I'll ask hard questions. I'll respect the expertise of our city staff. I'll work with fellow commissioners even when we disagree. I'll keep learning, keep listening, and keep showing up. “This job is about earning trust. Most of us want the same things — solutions to flooding, responsible spending, thriving local businesses. And we want to preserve what makes Key West so special.”
“I’ve spent my whole life here cultivating friendships and experiences to prepare me for this. I want to preserve some of what Key West was and promote what Key West can be.
“Key West means the world to me. By us finding one common thing that we can all work together on to start with, we can unite this city that’s divided.
“I know people from the construction industry to the art community and everywhere in between. One thing I always see in people is their love of this island. We're all Key Westers whether you've been here a month, a year, 50 years. … We can make this island even greater. Let's do that together.”
“My entire life has been public service — the military for over two decades, then 13 years in law enforcement.
“We're in a very unique situation, not only at the local level, at the national level. We need to vote.
“Just like Wayne and Sarah, I want to preserve our values. Certainly we need transparency and leadership. I’ve prepared my entire life for this opportunity — from community college to Harvard Business School in educational leadership programs. So this is a great opportunity to give back to my community.
“As a 10-year-old coming from Cuba, I made a promise to serve this great nation. Thank you for the opportunity.”
CITY COMMISSION, DISTRICT V
Greg Sullivan
“I've been a Rotarian here for 28 years. I believe in giving back.
“I want to see where we can save money to have the highest level of service with the lowest tax rate. I hear chatter about the planning and the building departments, that it’s confusing to navigate. I want to sit down with the city manager, bring the departments together and make them user friendly.
“You should be able to go into city hall, ask questions and leave with answers. I hear that's a problem.
“I also believe Higgs Beach can be a gem for all of us, and I will advocate for free parking for all residents at Higgs Beach.”
Chris Massicotte
“Key West is a wonderful place to live, but it's a government that can do better. I was a political consultant and learned local government matters so much more than Washington or Tallahassee. We need to focus here at home.
“I've been president of Keys Last Stand advocating for clean water, responsible development, protecting what makes Key West special.
“I often come away from commission meetings saying, ‘That doesn't make sense.’ So my campaign slogan is, ‘Make city hall make sense.’
“It feels like we are favoring insiders over everyday residents. The trust has been broken. But we can fix this. We need a change, and I'm going to be there for it.”
Wayne Garcia
Juan Llera
City elections continued
STRANGER THAN FICTION — AND
PROUD
OF IT
KEY WEST BACK IN THE DAY
Recently I saw a Facebook post about the short-lived television series, “Key West,” shot locally several decades ago, and it recalled the island-wide bitch sessions that erupted when the show premiered.
“Key West” portrayed the island as a refuge of last resort, a bastion of the absurd and the home of wildly offbeat residents. Yet according to an expert local review panel (i.e., whoever had a TV back then), the problem wasn’t that the producers drew us as an island of oddities. The problem was that they chose the wrong oddities.
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.
For example, the show’s characters included a former factory worker and aspiring writer who dreamed of becoming the next Hemingway. Okay, fine.
But at the time the series debuted, our local scene included Ben Harrison, a singer/ songwriter who was penning a musical that detailed the lighter side of necrophilia — based on an actual incident that made the island notorious in the 1930s.
Despite his macabre musical-in-progress (which turned out to be fantastic), we all flocked to hear him wherever he was performing. Wouldn’t a fictionalized “Ben” have been a more interesting hero than the show’s literary wannabe?
After arriving in the southernmost city, the hero drove his vehicle into the Atlantic and shot it with a handgun. That seemed extreme — because in the real Key West in those days, anyone bored with their car could just ask local artist Rick Worth to turn it into an “art-o-mobile.”
Rick was famous around town for his vivid mobile murals, each commissioned by the car’s owner. Driving one was a status symbol, and we often spotted cars painted to resemble a roller skate, a toucan, a shark or a colorful coral reef rolling along Key West’s narrow streets.
I’ll never forget holding conversations with Rick outside the old Harris School building on Southard Street, where I was always inspired by his humility and philosophical viewpoint. Why shoot a car when you could have it painted by a Key West legend like Rick?
The cast of “Key West” also included nonhuman characters. Over at the show’s fictional saloon, loosely based on the Turtle Kraals, “patrons” included a live alligator with a pink bow adorning its head.
The real Key West was mercifully free of barroom reptiles, but four-footed residents did include an all-pink standard poodle named Tallulah.
Tallulah, the canine companion of wellknown Key Wester Pat Green, was pink for two very good reasons. When Tallulah accompanied Pat to restaurants and shops, she always got the attention her diva-like nature craved. Plus, when people begged to take photos of the pink poodle, Pat always agreed — “charging” them a small donation for her favorite local charity.
1. Beloved Key West artist Rick Worth, whose early work included drivable ‘art-o-mobiles,’ pauses during a project several years ago. CONTRIBUTED
2. Ben Harrison’s ‘Undying Love’ musical focused on a beyond-the-grave obsession that unfolded on the island in the 1930s. BEN HARRISON/Contributed
3. The fictional bar in the television series “Key West” was loosely based on the Turtle Kraals, pictured here around 1980. DALE MCDONALD COLLECTION/Florida Keys History Center
Believe me, the technicolor reality of Tallulah outclassed a fictional gator.
Then there was the show’s local newspaper, the Key West Meteor, run by a blind Telly Savalas look-alike who delighted in creative torture. Yet the island’s real-life daily newspaper was far more picturesque than its television counterpart.
Key West back then didn’t have a lot of serious crime (though there was a string of bank robberies that involved a pitchfork, sardines and a bicycle “getaway car” respectively), so the paper’s crime report was sometimes a little strange. Actual headlines from the era included “Man robbed while sleeping in planter” and “Women argue over ownership of vibrator.” Even a blind Telly Savalas paled by comparison.
Looking back on “Key West,” its biggest fault wasn’t portraying us as an island of eccentrics. The fault was making up the eccentricities, instead of discovering and fictionalizing the abundant supply on hand.
That might not have attracted viewer buzz like the televised “Key West” did … but it sure would have reduced our island-wide bitch sessions.
CAROL SHAUGHNESSY
Key West & Cuba’s Museum Quality Regional Art Celebrating Cultural Resilience
Mario Sanchez
The Lucky Rooster, 24” x 36”
The Lucky Rooster
“Manungo (Manuel Grand) came from Asturias, Spain via Cuba in 1871 during the 10 years war. He had a bodega (small store) on Catherine and Whitehead and loved to dance and have a good time with everyone in Key West. When he came from Cuba, Manungo (his nickname) brought costumes, grotesque masks with teeth and painted whistles along with the instruments so they could use them for everybody’s entertainment. He really liked the African Ñáñigo, Cuban and Bahamian ceremonies, even though his family had come from Spain.” Mario said “Our family lived next door on Truman between Duval and Whitehead in that row of cigar-makers houses that are still there. One day his daughter, who didn’t like the fact that her father loved to dance and have a good time, waited till he went to work and then threw all of the uniforms and instruments into the trash. My mother Rita saw her and felt bad for Manungo because he was a good man and loved his fun. She waited till his daughter went out shopping and then ran to the trash and salvaged the ‘Ñáñigos’ e ects.”
“In Cuba those costumes, instruments and sacri ces, like the rooster in the hand of the dancer, were used for Santaria ‘Ñáñigos’ (shamanism), but here in Key West we just had them for amusement. This is Manungo’s store on Whitehead. The Ñáñigos costumes came from Africa with the memories of the slaves originally,” Mario continued. “Before television, people had a lot of assemblages. Look at what a good time the people were having back then.”
“In 1921 or 1922, Manungo didn’t celebrate New Year’s Eve with his friends. Nobody did for a whole year because, in front of his store, the KKK caught a WWI veteran, hung him and then dragged him down Whitehead to the Southernmost Point.”
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FOOD & DRINKS
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OUR COMMUNITY
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THE BUSINESSES
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DADS MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Happy Father’s Day to the men with the most important job ever
MANDY MILES mandy@keysweekly.com
In honor of Father’s Day, we asked dozens of Key West dads to share some thoughts — and some habits that have elicited eye-rolls from their adolescent offspring.
I’ve filled an entire column with reasons I rolled my eyes at my dad. He was overprotective. How dare someone spend their entire existence worrying insanely about me while actively thwarting some of my (admittedly ill-advised) plans? I passed my driver’s test, so who was HE to dictate that I still had to pass “his” exam? Was that even legal? What other teenage girl had to learn to change a tire, jump a battery and check her oil before she could hit the road? (OK, fine. They’ve all proven crucial.) And don’t get me started on the double standards that enforced my curfew and ignored my brother’s. Dad’s justification? “Boys have sex; girls have babies.”
Any argument about equality in the family was ignored. “Who told you this family is a democracy? It’s a monarchy and I am king.”
(Remember all this, Mom? I told you we should have had him tested decades ago.)
That said, unlike too many other dads, mine was always there. Always (Often maddeningly so.) Still is.
As I’ve advised my guy friends for years when they whined about dating a “nutjob,” “Find a girl who has a good relationship with her dad. Trust me.”
Happy Father’s Day, Dad. Thanks for being crazy — about me.
What do you do that makes your kids roll their eyes? Tell him to ask his mom.
What lesson do you hope your kids learn from you? Be respectful, work hard!
What’s your most-used phrase? Be safe, and make good choices!
What do you do that makes your kids roll their eyes? My kids roll their eyes at me when I try to be relevant to their age group when talking to their friends. Clearly my GenX time period and coolness does not translate with them. Or so they think!
What lesson do you hope your kids learn from you? My kids played high level AAA and junior hockey so I have always tried to teach them hard work, effort and a great attitude will be critical in their successes now and in the future. So far it has paid off for them.
What’s your most-used phrase? Other than “Don’t be a PIA” or “Ask your Mom,” my most-used phrase has probably been, “It’s better to do something than nothing,” meaning make a full effort to do your best or the right thing when faced with decisions.
BILLY DAVIS
Keep in mind, I’ll be 78 in August, so it’s been awhile since I was in the Daddy role. But here’s what I remember: I have three daughters, ages 57, 52 and 40.
What do you do that makes your kids roll their eyes? None of them were really eye rollers. What lesson do you hope your kids learn from you? The most important lesson I hope I’ve demonstrated for them is a high work ethic. That I’m not a quitter. And at this point in their lives, they all seem to have inherited that quality.
What’s your most-used phrase? There were times when they were growing up when they would do something they knew was off limits for the 100th time. I’d say, “I can’t talk about this now.” Decades later, when my grandson was about 12, my middle daughter was called to his school because my grandson was in trouble. As my grandson was trying to explain his side of the story, she told me she heard herself saying, “I can’t talk about this now.”
What do you do that makes your kids roll their eyes? Wearing my readers over my sunglasses. What lesson do you hope your kids learn from you? Live below your means.
What’s your most-used phrase? Please turn it down!
What do you do that makes your kids roll their eyes? My daughter rolls her eyes when I state the obvious. (Apparently, that is not needed.)
What lesson do you hope your kids learn from you? Treat people well and provide service for others.
What’s your most-used phrase? “It’s better to have and not need, than to need and not have.”
What do you do that makes your kids roll their eyes? OMG, I will give you two answers: 1.) The minute that I
would take out my flip phone, as I was one of the last to migrate to a smartphone. 2.) While eating breakfast, I was like, “Do you think you could use a fork when eating your bacon?” All three immediately exclaimed, “REALLY, DAD.”
What lesson do you hope your kids learn from you? Not to get into the restaurant business. It worked.
What’s your most-used phrase? “Chase your dreams and do what you love.” I was a broken record with them on that one, as the advice was crucial to me.
JIM McCARTHY
What’s the funniest thing your child has ever said or done? He called me “Honey” in public and then told me to hurry up because I was walking too slowly.
What’s one thing you swore you’d never do as a parent that you now do all the time? Negotiate with a tiny terrorist over how many dinosaur nuggets count as dinner.
What lesson do you hope your kids learn from you? Confidence. The kind Lucas has when he’s completely wrong but explains it like a TED Talk.
What do you do that makes your kids roll their eyes? My use of current slang results in instantaneous disapproval.
What lesson do you hope your kids learn from you? How to find and connect with a God of their understanding.
What’s your most-used phrase? More will be revealed.
ANDY FERGUSON
MICHAEL CUNNINGHAM
DEREK EPPERLY
CLINTON CURRY
RODERICK GILL
AL NELSON
JONATHAN GUEVERRA
What do you do that makes your kids roll their eyes? As my children are now adults, they don’t roll their eyes. But they will say, “Daaaddy?” Or one loves to say, “What the hell?!” What lesson do you hope your kids learn from you? Life is a journey, not a destination.
What’s your most-used phrase? There is a reason God gave children to parents and not the other way around.
COREY MALCOM
What do you do that makes your kids roll their eyes? I like to tell deadpan jokes that are often based around obscure subjects. (In my defense, they are darned funny if you get them.) What lesson do you hope your kids learn from you? To be always curious about the world and to explore to find the answers.
What’s your most-used phrase? I don’t really have a go-to phrase, but my son who just graduated from college says I’ve been asking, “Did you get a job yet?” an awful lot lately.
What do you do that makes your kids roll their eyes? Tell Dad jokes! What lesson do you hope your kids learn from you? Be kind, and treat people like you want to be treated.
What’s your most-used phrase? “Mr. Blutarsky, fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life.”
What do you do that makes your kids roll their eyes? Relentlessly tease them. It’s the Conch way. What lesson do you hope your kids learn from you? Try not to choose violence first thing in the morning. What’s your most-used phrase? Chew with your MOUTH CLOSED!
KASHAWN BUTLER
What is your favorite memory of being a dad? Each time the boys were fully potty trained. No more diapers! What lesson do you hope your kids learn from you? Manners and respect will help you navigate this world a lot easier.
What’s the funniest thing your child has ever said or done? Three-yearold: “Daddy, daddy, you talking too much right now. I can’t hear my show.”
JOE MITCHELL
What do you do that makes your kids roll their eyes? My dancing makes him deeply uncomfortable. What lesson do you hope your kids learn from you? Save and travel! What’s your most-used phrase? Be the best Jack you can be.
What do you do that makes your kids roll their eyes? I have a habit of turning just about everything into a life lesson. In fact, I’m currently going over my personal list of the top 30 things my son absolutely must know before he heads off to UF in a couple weeks. My kids don’t always appreciate that even a simple car ride can unexpectedly turn into a TED Talk.
What lesson do you hope your kids learn from you? Integrity is everything. There will be times in life when the easy choice and the right choice are not the same. Have the courage to choose what’s right, even when no one is looking.
What’s your most-used phrase?“You’re responsible for your own happiness.” I’ve always wanted my children to understand that while we can’t control every circumstance in life, we can control how we respond to it.
What do you do that makes your kids roll their eyes? There was no shortage of eye rolls when Dad would drop them off and pick them up at a concert, but they never seemed to have a problem with the backstage access Dad always got for them. (They never got used to Dad’s ability to swing dance either.)
What lesson do you hope your kids learn from you? Be kind. Be generous. Give more than you receive. Have thick skin, but don’t take crap from anyone.
What’s your most-used phrase? “Sounded like a freight train!!!” (You had to be there.)
JORGE QUINTANA
What do you do that makes your kids roll their eyes? I say, “time for bed,” and my kids hear, “Would anyone like a snack?”
What lesson do you hope your kids learn from you? I hope they learn that you don’t have to have everything figured out to keep moving forward. You just show up, work hard and take care of your people.
What’s your most-used phrase? I have a 5- and a 2-year-old, so it’s, “Sit down and finish your food, please.”
BILL LAY
My life changed on Feb. 23, 2001 — for the better. At roughly 8 p.m. that day, my mindset went into DAD MODE, when I saw the joy of my life come into the world. Fast forward to this past Jan. 10, when I gave my little girl away to a great young man, Josh Dais. I had a front row seat to see her grow up and now I have 50-yard-line seats to watch Vianca and Josh begin their own journey. They are ready. You get one ticket to this show, kids. Take advantage of it and live this thing we call LIFE.”
The Key West restaurateur asked his daughter, Vianca, to answer the questions below on his behalf: What do you do that makes your kids roll their eyes? My dad telling the story of how he once gave me a credit card that I could charge things on during a cruise. I bought out a video arcade, and his credit card statement was several inches thick, filled with video arcade charges.
What lesson do you hope your kids learn from you? Take the risks, make mistakes, travel the world. You get one life and live it to the fullest.
What’s been your most-used phrase with your kids? GET EXCITED. BABY! LETS GO!
ABE CONN
MIKE MARRERO
JOHN PICCO
LARRY BLACKBURN
NO CHALLENGE NEEDED
Some leaders unopposed in July qualifying; others head to August and November races
By Alex Rickert and Jim McCarthy
The Florida Keys won’t need to wait until November to learn the names of several key elected leaders. With the close of the qualifying period on June 12, multiple candidates are unopposed in their respective 2026 races, continuing in their posts or succeeding longtime public servants. Other races will be decided this August, when the primary election ballots will see Republican candidates face off without a Democratic challenger in the fall.
UNOPPOSED
Jim Mooneystate representative
He faced opponents in three previous election cycles, but the Republican from Islamorada saw no qualified opponents this year as he secured his fourth term in the Florida House. It’ll mark Mooney’s final two years in the seat due to the term limits. He’s represented the Florida Keys and south Miami-Dade in Tallahassee since 2020. He’ll serve two more years, 2027 and 2028, before departing the House.
“It means a lot,” Mooney said. “It’s been a long six years and I enjoyed every moment. I can easily and proudly stand on my record, both voting and the money I’ve been able to bring back home. I believe people recognize I’ve done a good job.”
David Rice - Monroe County Commission, District 4
Rice went unopposed for the second time in as many elections, continuing his tenure on the county commission that began in 2002. “Thank you to everyone who has offered support and confidence in my ability to continue serving our community,” he told the Weekly. “I remain committed to listening, leading with
integrity and working every day to address the issues that matter most to the residents of District 4 and Monroe County.”
Rice’s district encompasses the majority of Marathon through Plantation Key and Tavernier’s west end. In announcing his candidacy, he listed traffic and transportation issues on U.S. 1 as one of the Keys’ largest unsolved issues.
Luis GonzalezMonroe County School Board, District 4
The former Marathon mayor and current Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority board member will add school board member to his resume, replacing 20-year member and current board chair John Dick.
“While this election was uncontested, I do not take the responsibility you have entrusted to me lightly,” he said in a statement at the close of qualifying. “Serving our students, families, teachers and staff is both a privilege and a commitment I embrace wholeheartedly.”
In a previous interview with the Keys Weekly, Gonzalez vowed to take a close look at district dollars “that aren’t going directly into the classroom. … Things that we want, but we really don’t need. We have to have the funds available to recruit and maintain the best and the brightest (teachers).”
Other uncontested candidates include:
• Bette Brown - Mosquito Control Board, District 5
• Frank Conklin - Key Largo Fire & Emergency Medical Board, Seat 2
• George Mirabella - Key Largo Fire & Emergency Medical Board, Seat 4
• Steven Wells Sr. - Key West Utility Board, Seat B
RACES TO BE DECIDED IN AUGUST
• Michelle Lincoln vs. George Lopez (Republicans) - County Commission, District 2
• Theresa Axford vs. Darren Horan - School Board, District 1
• Chelyn Shaw vs. Sue Woltanski - School Board, District 5
• Phillip L. Goodman vs. Alex Osborn (Republicans) - Mosquito Control Board, District 2
• Dee Dee Henriquez vs. Sam Kaufman - Key West Mayor
• Bobi Lore vs. Mark Rossi - Key West City Commission, District 2
• Sarah Compton, Wayne Garcia & Juan Llera - Key West City Commission, District 4 (If no one secures more than 50% of the votes in August, the top two head to November runoff.)
• Chris Massicotte vs. Greg Sullivan - Key West City Commission, District 5
• Mona Clark vs. Jim Marquardt - Key West Utility Board, Seat A
• Javier Garrido vs. Tim Urbanski - Key West Utility Board, Seat D
SEE YOU IN NOVEMBER…
• Carlos Gimenez vs. Phil Ehr vs. Eddy Rojas - U.S. House, District 28
• Ana Maria Rodriguez vs. Jose Antonio Stoute vs. Ramira Ota, State Senate, District 40
• Kevin McCarthy vs. David Van Loon - County Judge, Group 2
• Freddie Foster, Kirk Diehl and Lynne Benton - Key Colony Beach City Commission
• John E Brooke, Matthew Hardee, Robby Majeska, Anna Moon and Jose Felix Peixoto - Key Largo Wastewater District
• Islamorada Council (official qualifying period is Aug. 4-11. To date, incumbents Don Horton, Anna Richards, Steve Friedman, Deb Gillis and Sharon Mahoney have filed for reelection.)
LOWER KEYS MEDICAL CENTER ELECTS LEADERS
Dr.
Lawrence Blass, general surgeon, is
chief of staff
Lower Keys Medical Center held its annual medical staff leadership election, selecting Dr. Lawrence W. Blass, a general surgeon, as president/chief of staff. The volunteer, one-year leadership position serves as a liaison between hospital administration and medical staff, overseeing the quality of clinical care and physician performance.
Blass, a native of the Florida Keys, is a graduate of University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, where he also completed his residency and served as chief resident. He is board certified by the American Board of Surgery and is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Blass replaces Dr. John Norris.
“We appreciate Dr. Norris and Dr. Blass for their continued service to Lower Keys Medical Center. These are volunteer roles and we are grateful to them and the full medical executive committee for their commitment to our patients, our staff and the community,” said hospital CEO Drew Bigby.
Other members of the medical executive committee for the 2026-2027 term are: Norris, vice president.
Dr. Melanie Youshak, secretary/treasurer.
Dr. David Perry, chief of surgery.
Dr. Ayden Atilla, chief of medicine.
Dr. Stanley Santiago, member at large.
Dr. William Schnapp, member at large.
— Contributed
Mooney
Rice
Gonzalez
CANDIDATES IN COUNTYWIDE RACES MAKE PITCH TO VOTERS
Incumbents & opponents introduce themselves at Hometown event
mandy@keysweekly.com
Don’t let the term “primary” fool you. In the Florida Keys this year, most political races will be decided in the Aug. 18 primary, and one need not be a registered Republican or Democrat to vote in the countywide elections for school board, county commission, mosquito control and judges. (See page 4 for details on the Key West races, and page 28 for a rundown of the uncontested races that were decided on June 12.)
Hometown, a countywide, nonprofit voter education group, drew nearly 200 interested voters to its June 12 Meet the Candidates event at Tennessee Williams Theatre in Key West, where each candidate had three minutes to speak.
Here is a rundown of the countywide races and candidates who attended the Hometown event.
COUNTY COMMISSION, DISTRICT 2
Business owner George Lopez is challenging incumbent County Commissioner Michelle Lincoln for the District 2 seat that Lincoln has held for eight years.
County commissioners and candidates must live in the district they seek to represent, but are elected by all voters in Monroe County, no matter where the voter lives.
“My platform is basically affordability, transparency and accountability,” Lopez told the Hometown audience. “I’ll push for policies that put full-time, permanent residents
first. I support Governor DeSantis’ tax relief proposal.” Lopez criticized plans by the College of the Florida Keys to install a career training center on Big Pine Key’s abandoned prison property that would enable residents to obtain a commercial driving license (CDL) without having to travel to the mainland.
“Why are we putting a CDL on Big Pine Key?” Lopez said. “There’s two on the mainland. Drive three hours and get it.”
Michelle Lincoln
Seeking her third term, Lincoln emphasized the importance of local businesses, their workers and families as the backbone of the community.
“As a county commission, we’ve supported our parks, beaches and libraries so our families have a good quality of life. I am very proud of the work our county commission has done. We had the lowest millage rate in the state last year and we lowered our budget by over $40 million without jeopardizing the services that are so important to our families and residents,” she said, “This is my full-time job. I work every single day and I answer my phone on weekends. You all are my boss and I ask that you hire me for another four years.”
SCHOOL BOARD, DISTRICT 1
All five school board members are elected by all voters in the county.
In District 1, retired superintendent Theresa Axford is challenging incumbent school board member, attorney and Key West native Darren Horan, who is seeking his second term. Axford did not attend the Hometown event due to her granddaughter’s graduation.
Darren
said he believes in Superintendent Ed Tierney. “I want to support him and his vision,” Horan said. “The second reason I’m running is because it only costs a million dollars a year to feed all our kids breakfast and lunch. Our inmates get three square meals a day, but our kids don’t,” he said. “I will figure out a way to make sure our kids are fed at no cost to them and no cost to you.”
SCHOOL BOARD, DISTRICT 5
Chelyn Shaw is challenging incumbent Sue Woltanski for the District 5 school board seat in the Upper Keys.
“I’m running because I believe parents, students, teachers and taxpayers should have a seat at the table, and I don’t feel that they do right now. … My priorities are parents, students, teachers and accountability,” said Shaw, a 22-year Key Largo resident who said she has taught Sunday school and scuba diving for 30 years. She criticized the policy that limits public comments to three minutes per person per topic at school board meetings. “I want to bring accountability and communication back and I want a merit-based pay for teachers,” she said.
“I am a public education advocate and my goal is simple — to ensure every child can attend a safe and highquality public school,” said Woltanski, a retired pediatrician seeking her third and final term on the school board. She echoed Horan’s support of Tierney.
“Our graduation rates are up. Our absenteeism is down and our students now have more access to the arts, field trips, advanced academics and to career and technical programs,” she said. “Our teachers are among the highest paid in the state; our vacancies are low and we’re preparing to break ground on innovative housing for our teachers.”
Woltanski said she’d like to see students “spend more time actively engaged in learning and less time on screens and I think students should spend less time preparing for standardized tests and more time preparing for life.”
Stay tuned to the Keys Weekly in the coming weeks for information about the U.S. House, mosquito control and judicial races.
Horan Horan
Chelyn Shaw
George Lopez
Sue Woltanski
MANDY MILES
YOU’VE NEVER SEEN KEY WEST LIKE THIS
Videographer Chris Sloan captures all of the island
MANDY MILES
mandy@keysweekly.com
Thank you, Chris Sloan. I needed this. We may all need this.
As Key West locals, it’s easy to become jaded and cynical about the island we call home. It’s too hot. It’s too expensive. It was better 20 years ago. Really? So was every other town in every other country, according to anyone who was there 20 years ago.
But when it comes down to it, for most of us, there’s no place we’d rather be. Sometimes we just need a reminder.
Enter Chris Sloan and his TimeFlies in Key West video project. This is truly a feat. Sloan, who divides his time between Key West and Miami, has not just captured, but honored and elevated all of Key West in ways we’ve never seen before.
TimeFlies in Key West is a multi-part video and visual celebration of a 2-by-4-mile island, and it’s available to view, download, share and savor over and over again on YouTube @TimeFlies in Key West.
“This project was supposed to take me a week, and it took five years,” Sloan told the Keys Weekly last week. “It’s really my love letter to Key West and the Florida Keys. The footage isn’t for sale. I want everyone to be able to access and enjoy it. I’m still trying to find a place where it can be screened constantly, live with a giant, interactive map showing the neighborhoods as they appear in the videos.”
TimeFlies in Key West is a striking and upbeat compilation of time-lapse, hyper-lapse and drone footage that documents Key West and the Lower Keys from air, land and sea.
I’ve lived here for nearly 30 years and this is easily the most comprehensive visual exploration of Key West.
If you’ve ever watched, or marched in — or had your company’s golf cart break down in — the city’s beloved holiday parade, you know how long it stretches. Sloan allows you to watch the whole thing, start to finish, every float, in about six minutes. How long do you think it would take to drive every inch of this 2-x-4 island, 32 miles total? You’d have to navigate school zone traffic on Flagler, tour vehicles going 13 mph up a one-way street, road construction and lane closures, e-bikes that are going too fast to pass and too slow to keep up with cars.
Sloan’s video condenses that whole-day trip in, again, six minutes.
The 13-video series breaks the island into its component neighborhoods — Old Town, Downtown & Bahama Village; Duval Street
& Southernmost Point; Lower Duval, Mallory Square, & Clinton Square; Atlantic Beaches, Salt Ponds, Riviera Canal, & Cow Key; Historic Seaport and Surrounding Areas; Casa Marina, South Atlantic Ocean Beaches & Parks; Mid Town & New Town and more.
“I wanted this to become a permanent record of what was happening here and what this place looked like at this moment in time,” said Sloan (no relation to local entrepreneur and author David Sloan). “I was most interested in going where the cameras weren’t usually looking. The places that don’t appear
on brochures and tourism websites, like the inside of Fausto’s Food Palace. History is made here every day, and I became obsessed because so many of these things will be gone. And the time-lapse videography gives it a certain energy and allows me to show six different architectural features of, say, St. Mary’s, but in seven to eight seconds.”
Sloan showed me the video while it was still being edited, and I was glued to his laptop screen, regularly pointing to my own favorite landmarks. “I got married there.” “That’s my old street.” “I dated a guy who worked there,” and so on.
“Everyone comments about their own personal connections to various places that are shown,” Sloan said. “I’ve been to about 50 countries and all 50 states, and I always say that if someone told me I could either have those 50 countries, or everything south of the MiamiDade/Monroe County line, I’d choose the Keys. Every time. Without hesitation.”
TimeFlies in Key West is Key West like you’ve never seen it before.
Check it out on YouTube. Share it with everyone who loves Key West. I promise you’ll be glad you did. Perhaps, like me, during a contentious election, you could use a reminder of what this island represents to all of us.
Scan the QR code to go straight to the free catalog of all TimeFlies in
are
A video project that was supposed to take a week took Chris Sloan five years. CONTRIBUTED
Chris Sloan’s time-lapse videos show Key West like you’ve never seen — and they’re all free to view, share and enjoy on YouTube Key West Pandemic Presentation
Key West videos that
featured on the Visitor Florida Keys website.
KEY WEST FIREHOUSE MUSEUM DISPLAYS
150-YEAR-OLD ICON
The Key West Firehouse Museum will display the massive Sloan Centennial Flag, created in 1876, on July 2-4 to celebrate Independence Day and America’s 250th. CONTRIBUTED the Florida coast during the Civil War. Company C served as the regiment’s Color Company, entrusted with protecting the American flag and regimental colors in battle.
For three days this month, visitors will have a rare opportunity to stand beneath an American flag that has survived nearly 150 years, six generations of one family and a journey from the nation’s Centennial to its 250th anniversary.
The massive Sloan Centennial Flag, created for America’s 100th birthday celebration in 1876, will be on public display at the Alex Vega Key West Firehouse Museum, 1024 Grinnell St., on July 2, 3 and 4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Measuring about 12 by 18 feet, the giant 13-star flag has remained in the Sloan family since the 19th century. It has been passed down from one David L. Sloan to the next for generations, a tradition that continues today with Key West author and firehouse museum board member David L. Sloan IV.
“This flag has witnessed nearly a century and a half of American history,” Sloan said. “Our family has simply been its caretakers.”
The last public display of the flag occurred during the nation’s Bicentennial celebration in 1976, when four generations of David Sloans gathered in Wayne, Pennsylvania, to fly it for a family reunion. Since then, the flag has remained carefully preserved and largely unseen.
The flag’s original owner, David Livingston Sloan (1835-1900), served in Company C of the 47th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. The regiment is sometimes called the “Key West Regiment” because of its lengthy service defending Key West, Fort Taylor and
After the war, David Livingston Sloan settled in Elkton, Maryland, where he was a founder of the Singerly Fire Co. Family records and newspaper accounts indicate the giant flag was later carried in civic parades by firefighters, creating another connection that makes its appearance at the historic firehouse museum especially fitting.
Sloan’s aunt, Karen Sloan Flagg, undertook a detailed investigation into the flag’s origins. Working with experts including Whitney Smith, founder of the Flag Heritage Foundation, and Grace Rogers Cooper, former curator of textiles at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of History and Technology, Flagg compared the flag’s fabric, construction techniques and design to known examples from the period.
Their findings pointed to a flag dating from approximately 18671876, with strong evidence that it was created for celebrations surrounding the nation’s Centennial in 1876. The unusual 13-star design reflected the country’s growing interest in honoring the original colonies during the Centennial era.
Visitors to the museum will not only see the enormous flag itself but also learn stories of the American flag and the people behind it.
The flag will be on display July 2-4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Alex Vega Key West Firehouse Museum, 1024 Grinnell St., Key West. Admission to the museum is free. Donations are accepted.
KEY WEST TO CELEBRATE AMERICA’S 250TH AT TRUMAN WATERFRONT PARK
The City of Key West invites residents and visitors to Truman Waterfront Park on Saturday, June 27 for a free community celebration commemorating the nation’s semiquincentennial (250th) with an evening of music, food, drinks, activities and community.
The event, titled “City of Key West Celebrates America’s 250th,” will take place from 5 to 10 p.m. and is designed as a celebration of the people, traditions, freedoms and shared values that have shaped our nation over the past 250 years. The evening will bring together residents, visitors, military organizations, veterans groups, first responders, civic leaders, local performers and community organizations.
“The 250th anniversary of our nation is an opportunity to reflect on the ideals that unite us as Americans and the community spirit that makes Key West such a special place,” said Mayor DeeDee Henriquez. “Whether your family has been here for generations or you arrived last week, this celebration is for everyone.”
At 6 p.m., a parade will step off from United and Duval streets. The procession will travel down Duval Street, turn left onto Southard Street and end at Truman Waterfront Park, where parade participants will join the main celebration.
Following the parade, an official ceremony will include the presentation of colors, a performance of the national anthem by Kristen McNamara, recognition of military service members, veterans and first responders, and remarks from community leaders.
The evening will then transition into “Salute to America: A Patriotic Music Tribute,” a showcase of local performers whose music reflects the diverse spirit of
Key West and the many traditions that make up the American experience.
With sunset expected shortly after 8:20 p.m., attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets and enjoy an evening of music, community, and celebration against the backdrop of Key West Harbor.
The event will include food vendors and full bar service, a children’s village with inflatables and games, local vendor and community organization booths. Admission is free.
McNamara will perform patriotic favorites and American classics. B-Man & mi-Shell will bring their signature blend of Americana and island influences to the stage. Ry Rivers will share the contemporary country sound that has earned him a following throughout the Keys and beyond. The Durtbags will take the stage at 9 p.m. to close the celebration with Americana, roots rock and crowd favorites.
The evening will be hosted by emcee Michael Stapleford of Magnum Broadcasting. Stapleford and his radio stations, Party 105.7, KeysTalk 96.9/102.5, and Yacht Rock 93.7, have been longtime supporters of community events throughout the Lower Keys.
... 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.
Iwas at Fort Zachary Taylor, hiding in the afternoon shade of the canopy, near the blacksmith’s shop, when I had a clear look at something you don’t see very often – the red belly of a red-bellied woodpecker.
You’d think it was something you would see often, considering it’s the lead part of its name, but no. Partly this is because most often when you see them they are clinging to the bark of a tree and you see their back and their sides, not their underside. Partly this is because when you see something described as red you think of a solid color, and on those rare occasions you do see the red-belly’s belly it doesn’t look so much like feathers that are red so much as white feathers on which someone has thoughtlessly spilled the juice from a maraschino cherry jar.
Most people, when they see a red-belly for the first time, if they haven’t noted the coloring of a lot of other woodpecker species, want to know why it isn’t called the red-headed woodpecker, because the more notable thing about them is both males and females have a glossy red crown, which could also be described as a glossy red mullet. (On the males it runs from the bridge of the beak to the nape of the neck; on the females there is a gap between the bridge patch and the nape patch, coming off a little more like a balding man with a mullet.)
A different species called the red-headed woodpecker has a full-on red cowl of a head. And most of the 26 species of woodpeckers in North America have red on the head. Most of the species in the world do, too.
Birds are less often named for their most prominent feature than they are named for the physical attribute that sets them apart from other closely related species.
I wondered if the red-bellies had ever had another name. Turns out the species has been called the red-bellied wood-pecker since the ornithologist and bird artist Mark Catesby first described the species to science in 1729, though he did put a hyphen in woodpecker.
The name woodpecker, of course, comes from the fact that they are the original headbangers. They make their living by hammering the part of their body that holds their brain into the bark of a tree several thousand times a day. It used to be theorized that the reason woodpeckers did not get brain damage was that their bill and skull functioned like a shock absorber. But if that were the case you would see compression – changes in the distance between, say, the nostril and the eye – when the
HARD
HEADS AND RED BELLIES
bird face-butted a tree. And high-resolution, high-speed videography shows that not to be the case.
Your average woodpecker can strike with a force 20 to 30 times their body weight. Absorbing the impact would diminish all that power. Instead they channel that energy through their body like a hammer via the rigidity of their bones and muscles.
They don’t get brain damage because their brains are smaller and lighter than those of humans and primates, who would definitely get repeatedly concussed if they hit that hard.
Woodpeckers have zygodactyl feet, something I feel compelled to mention any time I write or talk about them because I learned how to both spell and pronounce it, and I went to all that effort. But their zygodactyl feet are also where the base of their power comes from. Two toes point up and two toes point down, allowing them to have a very firm grip on the bark when they strike.
Other physiological attributes include their tail feathers, which are stiff and which they use to push on the tree and curl their body forward with even more force. Their entire musculature is fine-tuned for this, including a set of hip flexors that they activate when they want to strike something extra hard.
The most recent discovery about how woodpeckers do what they do is that they actually time their breathing and give off little grunts, like tennis players, when they strike, granting them even more power.
Of course woodpeckers don’t bang their heads into trees for the fun of it. (If they want to bang their heads into something for fun, they usually go for metal poles or aluminum
siding, things that amplify the sound.) They bang their heads into trees to root out the bugs, grubs and beetles that make up most of their diet. Also to excavate nest holes.
The reason I got to see the belly of the redbelly at Fort Zach was that he was foraging for reddish-green berries in a gumbo limbo tree and was hopping around through a series of thin, somewhat open branches.
I was happy about my small encounter with this woodpecker not only because I didn’t just get to see the belly and even managed to get a few pictures of it, but also because I feel like I don’t see red-bellies as often as I used to. This may be due to the fact that we used to live in a house with a dying mango tree in the yard, and woodpeckers like dying and dead trees best of all, so I saw them almost daily. Now we live in a house with a very healthy mahogany tree, which does not seem to be as attractive to them.
The one thing I think might be contributing to a slight decline in their population here is that they really like to nest in dead palm trees, especially coconut palms. Key West is a much more landscaped place than it used to be, and dead palm trees are generally not part of the plan.
But even if we have a smaller population in Key West than we used to – which again may just be personal perception – it’s not a big deal. Red-bellied woodpeckers, whose range is essentially the eastern half of the U.S., are one of the few songbird species that are increasing in population. They are considered a “species of least concern” by the International Union of Concerned Naturalists. Which doesn’t preclude a little dopamine hit any time you see one.
A red-bellied woodpecker seen at Fort Zachary Taylor State Park. MARK HEDDEN/Keys Weekly
MARK HEDDEN
Cassandra Cassidy RDH Jayme Thomas RDH
Maria Montilva RDH
We would be honored to receive your nomination for BEST INTERNATIONAL RESTAURANT BEST SUSHI
COUNTY EYEING BIG CUTS AS PROPERTY TAX RELIEF HEADS TO NOVEMBER BALLOT
JIM McCARTHY jim@keysweekly.com
Monroe County stands to lose an estimated $27.2 million in revenue by fiscal year 2028-29, if the question of cutting property taxes is approved by voters this November.
If enough Florida voters support the measure, primary homeowners could see more money staying in their wallets once the homestead exemption hits $250,000 by 2028.
Earlier this month, Florida legislators in the House and Senate approved a joint resolution to ask voters whether they support phasing out — and eventually eliminating — property taxes on primary residences. School districts across the state are exempted and will be able to collect taxes on homesteaded properties. But counties, cities and special districts, like mosquito control, are bracing for potentially less revenue as soon as next year’s budget cycle if Florida voters say “yes” later this fall.
In order for the phaseout and elimination to take effect, 60% of votes cast across the state would have to support the measure. From there, the Legislature would have to approve a bill to implement the homestead exemption increase. Legislators in the House and Senate would also need to provide a schedule to fully eliminate property taxes for primary residences.
In addition to raising the exemption on homesteads, from the current $50,000 to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, the joint resolution caps annual assessment increases on nonhomesteaded properties, such as commercial properties, secondary homes and vacation rentals, from 10% to 5%. John Quinn, county finance director, said twothirds of the roughly $27 million in anticipated lost revenue to the county by 2028 would come from the adjusted annual assessment cap on nonhomesteaded properties.
Coming off reductions in staff and services last year, Monroe County officials reignited discussions on more cost-cutting measures amid the potential revenue loss at a June 10 meeting in Key Largo. County Administrator Christine Hurley presented
commissioners with various options, including reductions to the fiscal year 2028 budget for departments, constitutional offices and services that are funded with property tax dollars. Hurley said an analysis would be created to proportion out, based on use of ad valorem, how much each agency or department would need to eliminate from their budget.
Constitutional officers, which include the offices of the state attorney, public defender, tax collector, clerk of the court, property appraiser, as well as the judicial court system and public safety account for 90.2% of the total county property tax levy, Quinn said. The remaining funds go toward county operations.
“You can’t expect to take all that money we’re going to lose from the county’s budget. It has to be distributed evenly,” commissioner Craig Cates said. “We all have to work together to address this.”
Updated fee structures, such as paid parking at public parks, will also be taken into consideration to address the possible loss in ad valorem dollars.
“This is not going to be pretty. None of
us are going to enjoy it,” said commissioner David Rice. “I think the public will not like it any more than we do when they see how it will affect their lives. But we’re going to have to do it.”
And as budget talks for fiscal year 2027 begin next month, county commissioners will mull whether employees should get a cost of living adjustment. Cates said he was against giving a raise this coming budget year given the potential loss of ad valorem revenue the following budget cycle.
“That could save somebody’s job in the future,” Cates said.
Commissioners agreed they’d like to see budget proposals showing either no raise or a cost of living adjustment of 2.7%. County officials said increases for fire rescue and sheriff’s deputies are already spelled out via contracts with the respective unions.
Hurley also presented commissioners with options that include consolidating offices to cut down on utility costs and eliminating all internal and citizen committees not required by state or federal law. The county also can increase the sales tax by a penny to help fund fire protection and rescue services. Raising the sales tax would require voter approval. Tina Boan, assistant county administrator, said emergency and fire rescue rely heavily on property tax revenue.
“We have rising personnel, equipment and facility costs, and there’s an increasing demand for emergency services,” she said. “This would diversify our public safety funding sources. … It captures revenue from visitors and tourists.”
Shortening the work week to four days, or 32 hours, from a five-day, 40-hour work week was also floated during the meeting. Hurley called it an “extreme proposal” for the county as it would likely affect every employee’s salary. Commissioner Holly Raschein said only in a dire situation would she consider it, but she doesn’t feel the county is at that point yet. Rice agreed.
“I don’t think we want to throw it out as a possibility, but I’d like to see it as remote … and certainly wouldn’t intend to go that direction unless we’re at the end of the line and desperate.”
FIREHOUSE MUSEUM CELEBRATES KEY WEST TRADITIONS
Mamey & Mojitos Ice Cream Social set for June 26
The Alex Vega Key West Firehouse Museum invites residents and visitors to an old-fashioned Conch celebration at its annual Mamey & Mojitos Ice Cream Social on Friday, June 26, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Guests will be treated to Key West’s favorite ice cream, made from fruit harvested from the museum’s legendary state champion mamey tree. The tree has grown beside the historic firehouse since 1911, when its seed was reportedly smuggled out of Cuba in a brassiere.
Mojitos made with fresh mint and Key West First Legal Rum will also be served.
A highlight of the evening will be a book signing by Ernesto
“Papo” Vildostegui, celebrating the release of his new memoir, “The Life We Had at the End of the Road,” a nostalgic look at old Key West and the Conch way of life.
Visitors will also have an opportunity to preview the museum’s upcoming America 250 exhibit, featuring a rare Centennial-era American flag with a fascinating Key West connection. Guests can even try their luck at a friendly game of bolita for a chance to win cash prizes.
Admission is free.
The museum is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and sharing the history of Key West’s firefighters and first responders.
— Contributed
SHELF HELP
Staff from your Monroe County Public Library recommend some of their favorites from the collection.
What: “Divine Mortals” by Amanda Helander
Why: This book is a fresh and fun read. Mona is preferred by the gods and has the ability to divine soulmates. She refuses to discover her own soulmate until the king is dying without an heir and she is tasked to name his future queen. Unfortunately, she sees herself, which is the last thing she wants, especially as she’s falling for someone else. Besides the lush fantasy world that is created with a fresh take on magic and the high-stakes game she finds herself in, Mona is the greatest main character. She’s agoraphobic, a wreck and kind of a jerk — the most likeable unlikeable character.
Where: You can borrow this as a print book and e-book from the Monroe County Public Library.
How: You can request books, including e-books and e-audiobooks, by logging in to your account at keyslibraries.org. If you don’t have a card, you can visit your local branch or register online to get one. Questions? keyslibraries.org/contact-us.
Recommended by: Jessica Penepent, library assistant, Big Pine Key library branch
See previous recommendations at keyslibraries.org/ post/shelf-help.
KEY WEST CHAMBER HOLDS CITY CANDIDATE FORUM JUNE 23
Event is free & open to the public; no membership required
The Greater Key West Chamber of Commerce will hold its 2026 candidates forum, on Tuesday, June 23 at 5 p.m. at Tennessee Williams Theatre.
The event provides voters with an opportunity to hear directly from candidates seeking local office, learn where they stand on issues affecting our community and engage in the democratic process before Election Day.
Doors open at 5 p.m. with a meet-and-greet with the candidates in the theater lobby. Attendees will move into the theater at 6 p.m. and the forum will begin at 6:15 p.m.
Michael Stapleford of Keys Talk Radio will moderate the forum that includes candidates for the Key West City Commission races in Districts II, IV and V, as well as the Key West mayor’s race.
“Join us for an evening of civic engagement and community conversation as voters connect with the individuals seeking to represent Key West and Monroe County,” said Kerry Baker, executive director of the Greater Key West Chamber of Commerce. “The chamber is committed to our mission of serving our members and supporting a viable economy for Key West. Strong communities and strong local economies depend on informed and engaged voters. We encourage everyone in our community, especially our business owners, managers, employees and residents, to attend the candidates forum and learn where the candidates stand on the issues.”
More information is available from 305-294-2587.
— Contributed
Stop by The Studios of Key West to view over 120 works of art by local artists or scan to view, shop and vote for your favorite online. Exhibit on view through July 30, 2026.
Contemporary art center, steps off Duval Street. Always free to visit! Open Tue-Sat, 10am-4pm
Elizabeth Bailey
NAVY HONORS KEYS FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
Award recognizes customer service & strong military partnership
Keys Federal Credit Union, which has been honored by the U.S. Navy, celebrated its 85th anniversary and its new Stock Island location in October. Keys Weekly file photo
Naval Air Station Key West recently announced that Keys Federal Credit Union has been selected as the 2025 Department of the Navy Distinguished Small Credit Union of the Year. The award recognizes the credit union’s commitment, services and support to service members and their families.
The formal announcement was made in a memo from the Commander, Navy Installations Command. The award recognizes Keys Federal Credit Union for its service, financial education programs, community partnerships and quality-of-life initiatives.
“Keys Federal Credit Union is an indispensable partner to Naval Air Station Key West,” said Capt. Colin Thompson, commanding officer of NAS Key West. “Their dedication to the financial well-being of our sailors and civilian personnel is a critical component of our mission readiness. This award is a well-deserved recognition of their hard work and we are
incredibly proud of our partnership.”
The credit union’s efforts provide vital resources to NAS Key West personnel, ensuring they have access to the financial tools and education necessary to thrive.
“This recognition is an incredible honor and a testament to the passion and commitment of our entire team,” said Maggie Sayer, president and CEO of Keys Federal Credit Union. “We take great pride in serving the men and women of Naval Air Station Key West and honoring our roots as a credit union founded to support the military community. Supporting those who serve our country and their families remains at the heart of our mission, and we are committed to continuing that legacy.”
The award will be formally presented during the Annual Defense Credit Union Council Conference, scheduled for August in Aventura, Florida.
COLLEGE ASKS LOCAL PROFESSIONALS TO CONSIDER TEACHING
Learn more at a reception and expo on June 24 at the Key West campus
The College of the Florida Keys invites local professionals from the teaching field and across industries to a reception and teaching expo on Wednesday, June 24. CFK’s Keys to Teaching is an expo for subjectmatter experts, seasoned professionals and community leaders interested in sharing their knowledge as full- or part-time faculty.
The event will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the library on CFK’s Key West campus. Guests are invited to attend a reception, meet current faculty, discover teaching opportunities across academic disciplines, career and technical education, continuing education and accelerated skills and credential training. Live teaching demonstrations and campus tours will also be provided.
CFK is actively seeking educators and industry professionals. Keys residents across all backgrounds from business, health care and emergency services to technical trades, government and the arts are welcome. Qualifications for teaching vary by program type, ranging from advanced degrees and industry certifications to years of hands-on experience in a field.
“Teaching at CFK is more than a profession; it’s a commitment to community, innovation and student success,” said Milan Hayward, executive vice president of academic affairs. “Whether you’re exploring
adjunct or full-time opportunities, you’ll find a collaborative, forwardthinking environment where your expertise helps prepare students for personal success and responsible citizenship.”
CFK serves students from Key West to Key Largo and is committed to drawing on the professional talent already living and working throughout Monroe County, including alumni who have gone on to build careers in the community. Depending on academic discipline, program area or course type, teaching opportunities may be scheduled for daytimes Monday through Fridays, evenings and weekends, to meet the needs of CFK’s student body.
More information is at cfk.edu/ teach.
The event is free and open to the public. To register, visit cfk.edu/ events.
College of the Florida Keys faculty and students come from all walks of life from marine science and engineering to English, nursing and construction. CONTRIBUTED
CHRIS McNULTY
is an astrologer, wanderer, bartender and advocate for queer justice. He is a loquacious Gemini with a cozy Cancer rising. Find him at hearthandheraldastrology.com
This week, we are being confronted by our relationship to power. How do power dynamics show up in your life, and how do you navigate them? Whether we encounter power in the form of authority, clout, wealth, strength or cunning, much of our reaction is an unconscious production of our conditioning. However, this week we have the opportunity to bring this relationship to awareness, AND choose what form that relationship takes. Venus, the planet of relationships and allure, is forming a 180-opposition to Pluto, the planet of power and intensity. Expect hidden dynamics to emerge in our relationships, enlightening arguments to take place, financial frustrations to appear or our deepest compulsions in love to surface. Now, Venus is also forming supportive aspects to the other two outer planets at the same time. So, while we may be frustrated by power dynamics we are forced to confront, we can be assured this whole process is ultimately to help us become freer, more vulnerable beings. As love confronts power this week, freedom and sacrifice are available to help us. Perhaps surrender is the greatest way to reclaim your power this week.
Here are your horoscopes for Venus opposite Pluto, sextile Uranus and trine Neptune. Read for your rising and sun signs.
GEMINI
May 21 - June 20
Familiar relationships are reemerging in your life. Perhaps you are reconnecting with siblings, neighbors or past acquaintances in meaningful ways. By choosing not to fall into old patterns, these connections will allow you to reformulate your relationship to power dynamics in new ways. Lean on your close
friends when you need a sounding board and free yourself from old habits.
CANCER
June 21 - July 22
You have an opportunity to solidify what you value in opposition to what society values. You do not have to follow the culture. You will learn more about your own needs when you listen to yourself rather than the prevailing messages that surround you. Let your reputation dissolve a bit and find radical freedom in your quiet times. Now is the time to find the beat of your own drum.
LEO
July 23 - Aug. 22
How do you show yourself the love you deserve, particularly when confronted by the mirror of the other? We have people in our lives who hold us accountable. Rather than shying away from them, how can you face your insecurities and be empowered by your own reflection? Face yourself with love. If you feel a little stuck in the muck, your support network and your faith will lift you up.
VIRGO
Aug. 23 - Sept. 22
It can be hard to find genuine rest when there is always such a long to-do list, but this week is about taking repose despite the ongoing chores. Take your personal time and love the solitude. Looming deadlines be damned. The reputation you’ve built affords you some time away, and the investments you’ve made afford you some time to heal. Now you can reclaim your time.
LIBRA
Sept. 23 - Oct. 22
Social life can sometimes be a distraction from our personal passion projects. Balancing time with friends and loved ones with the time needed to create something is not easy. This week, choose your friends and release yourself from the
demands to create. Find freedom in trying new things and share a moment of vulnerability with a significant partner. Your projects aren’t going anywhere.
SCORPIO
Oct. 23 - Nov. 21
Be a person in public. Get out there and be seen. Home and family are particularly weighty and require some processing, but those issues are not going anywhere. You deserve to enjoy a life of your own in a world that beckons. Free yourself from any financial or emotional debts and find spiritual meaning in your daily grind. This week is about following your heart in the social arena.
SAGITTARIUS
Nov. 22 - Dec. 21
Your familiar life may feel particularly draining, so find love in something new. Our world is always evolving, so you never have to get stuck in the doldrums. Disregard the weight of the familiar for now and throw yourself into a fresh adventure. You have an important person in your life to encourage your freedom and a creative passion to nurture your soul. Rely on those to keep you moving.
CAPRICORN
Dec. 22 - Jan. 19
It is a great time to invest. Put your energy, your emotions, your time or your funds into something you believe in. While meeting your personal needs might be frustrating at the moment, you can still participate in a collective project. Release yourself from musty old habits and find some healing at home. This week is about giving as a form of self-love.
AQUARIUS
Jan. 20 - Feb. 18
Love your partner this week. Whether this person is a lover, a friend or a business partner, now is the time to give them some love and appreciation. You may need to experience a small ego death in order
LOVE CONFRONTS POWER
to put them first, but that is exactly what is needed. This week is about finding freedom in your creativity and immersing yourself in your familiar surroundings, all for the sake of appreciating your other.
PISCES
Feb. 19 - March 20
Approach your daily routines and chores with a fresh, loving embrace. The act of doing something as basic as washing a dish can be an outlet for care and creativity. Be present to the act and you can release some of the weight of your racing mind. Love your capacity for labor. Your home and family are a source of fresh energy right now.
ARIES
March 21 - April 19
Now is the time to throw yourself into those creative projects you’ve been thinking of but haven’t enacted. Your creativity is booming. Let it out. Your creative process will help you confront some of the more difficult, obsessive feelings you’ve been having about friends and socializing. You are healing and your voice is being freed. Throw all of that into your creative outlet.
TAURUS
April 20 - May 20
Home is where your heart is. There is some heaviness at work, but your home is a special cocoon right now. Spending time with family and in your home sanctuary is the balm your heart needs. Spend some money on yourself and pamper yourself. Now is the time for some healing hibernation, so take it and indulge. The world out there will be ready when you are whole.
WHAT’S COOKING, KEY WEST?
Savory edible ‘cigars’ are a Father’s Day treat
CAROL SHAUGHNESSY
www.keysweekly.com
In Japan, kids honor their dads on Father’s Day by giving them handmade beer glasses or homemade sweets, and then sharing a seafood meal. Brazilian fathers and their families mark the day with feasts and all-you-can-eat barbecues, while many German men go on group hikes pulling wagons filled with food and beer. In some countries, traditions also include honoring ancestors and other males important to the family.
Americans typically celebrate Father’s Day by giving items that range from power tools to gaudy neckties. Dads might be encouraged to spend the day fishing or golfing, or grilling favorite foods at a picnic or backyard gathering.
For dads in Key West, there’s a new way to celebrate that complements the traditional holiday activities. After spending quality time with family, they can head to Bar 1 to enjoy a cocktail — and a savory menu offering that’s billed as an edible “cigar.” Bar 1, located in the Key West Cooking Show’s 291 Front St. headquarters, features deep leather couches, rattan chairs, a wide rectangular bar with comfortable stools and a welcoming vibe that makes it a great place for guys to gather. Among the items displayed in the congenial hotspot are historic fishing rods, trophy mounts handed down from Ernest Hemingway’s good friend Charles Thompson, and other items that recall Key West’s adventurous history.
As well as a variety of beers and mixed drinks, there’s a specialty menu of craft cocktails that echo the spirit of adventure. Made and served by skilled mixologists, they include choices like the Hemingway Daiquiri, invented for author and past local resident Hemingway; the satisfyingly strong Illegal Old Fashioned with mescal and two types of bitters; and the rum-based Fly Navy Grog that salutes the long-time military presence on the island.
When hunger strikes, patrons can order from the “Bar Bites” menu. Standouts include locally smoked fish dip with flatbread crackers, beersteamed ruby red shrimp, a hearty hot Cuban beef sandwich, sweet Key lime pie and that intriguing edible “cigar.”
It’s actually called a “Cohiba Cigar Roll,” and it’s a tasty new take on the
Dave Holtz serves a cocktail at Bar 1, whose vibe makes it a comfortable gathering spot for dads on Father’s Day — or whenever they’re craving a break.
Delicious ‘Cohiba Cigar Rolls,’ filled with meat and cheese and served in a replica wooden cigar box, are among the hearty menu items at Bar 1. KEY WEST COOKING SHOW/Contributed
traditional Cuban Mix sandwich of meats and cheeses.
The ingredients are rolled and wrapped in dough to achieve a cigarlike shape, then fried and served in pairs in a replica wooden cigar box — a culinary salute to the cigar-making industry that brought Key West both prosperity and fame in the 1800s. Paired with Key lime aioli and mustard for dipping, the surprising offering is a treat on Father’s Day or any day.
LAST CALL
Drink of the month: The Backyard Bistro. Named for the backyard gatherings that are a Key West tradition, the vodka-based libation is a highlight of Bar 1’s new summer craft cocktail menu. Other ingredients in the refreshing drink include ginger demerara, pineapple and lemon juices, and coconut cream.
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.
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.
Seraphina is a sweet little mixed-breed girl who has been through more than any dog should. She arrived from a hoarding situation scared and unsure, but she’s slowly learning that people can be kind. Seraphina may be a bit shy at first, but with patience and gentle encouragement, she blossoms into a devoted companion.
Meet Roger. Much like his cartoon namesake, this guy is entertaining. With ear flops and round cheeks, he doesn’t get any
Coco is a small brindle beauty with a gentle spirit and a bright future. Like many others, she’s finally learning what it means to be safe, cared for and loved. Every day, Coco grows more confident and curious about the world around her. She deserves a family willing to give her the patience, understanding and love she’s never truly had.
At just 10 weeks old, Kai is a tiny bundle of mischief, energy and fun. This handsome boy is a menace in the best way possible. Whether he’s zooming around the room, pouncing on toys or wrestling with his siblings, Kai is always ready for his next adventure. He’s full of kitten energy and would thrive in a home that appreciates his playful spirit and keeps him entertained.
Ashe is an 11-month-old sweetheart who was found as a kitten in Key West. From the very beginning, she’s shown just how special she is. Ashe is so appreciative of the love and care she receives. Still full of youthful energy, Ashe is playful, curious and always ready to turn an ordinary moment into something fun.
Mixologist
cuter. As an adult rabbit, Roger is past the chaotic baby stage and ready to settle into a home that appreciates his charm.
Outpatient Surgery Centered On You
If you need surgery, you want care that feels personal and calming. At Surgery Center of Key West, you will find outpatient surgical services delivered with the comfort, efficiency and personal attention you expect. The highly skilled and compassionate team of physicians, nurses and staff care for you in a welcoming environment designed around your comfort and safety.
From check-in to recovery, our experienced team helps you get back to feeling your best, faster, so you can return to the island life you love.
Surgery Center of Key West is a collaboration among physicians in the following specialties:
• ENT
• Endoscopy and Colonoscopy Procedures
• General Surgery
• Gynecology
• Ophthalmology
• Orthopedics
931 Toppino Drive, Key West FL 33040
• Pain Management
• Podiatry
• Spinal Surgery
• Urology
Accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care since 2008.
Surgery Center of Key West, LLC, is owned in part by physicians.
William Schnapp, M.D.
The medical staff at Surgery Center of Key West, LLC, is composed of the following independent providers: Lawrence Blass, M.D., Bruce Fariss, M.D., Jackson Flanigan, M.D., Jonathan Gottlieb, M.D., Paul Maurer, M.D., David McDonald, D.D.S., Gon Saman, D.P.M., William Schnapp, M.D., Christina Smith, D.D.S., Rhoda Smith, M.D., Brien Tonkinson, M.D., and Andrew Wolszczak, M.D.
the summer heat with a new or preowned: Auto, Boat, Golf Cart or RV loan and be entered to win for an entire year.*
*Subject to credit approval. Restrictions may apply. Offer open to all new collaterized loans or refinance your collateralized loan from another lender to us from 6/1/2026 to 8/30/2026 for a chance to win a year of payments up to $8,500. Two winners will be randomly selected after promotion ends. NCUA Insured.
Raymond Rodriguez, MD Medical Director, Cardiology
Joan Homan, MD Cardiologist
MEL FISHER’S CREW RECOVERS FIRST ATOCHA SILVER BAR SINCE 1999
1622 Spanish shipwreck is still surrendering its
treasure
Treasure divers with Mel Fisher’s Shipwreck Expeditions recently recovered a 22.5-pound silver bar from the wreck site of the Nuestra Señora de Atocha, marking the first silver bar recovered by the Fisher team from the site since June 1999.
The silver bar was recovered by captain Drake Nicholas and the crew of the salvage vessel Dare while working an active search area on the Atocha wreck site in about 50 feet of water off the Florida Keys. The find is one of the most significant recoveries from the site in decades. Drake personally brought the artifact to the surface.
The recovery comes nearly 404 years after the Spanish galleon sank during a hurricane in September 1622. The vessel was carrying an immense cargo of silver, gold, emeralds, coins, religious artifacts and other valuable goods bound for Spain when it was lost in a hurricane in the waters off the Keys.
“This discovery is a powerful reminder that the Atocha still holds secrets after decades of salvage,” said Gary Randolph, president of Mel Fisher’s Shipwreck Expeditions. “Captain Drake, lead diver Blake Baker, and the crew of the Dare continue the legacy of Mel Fisher’s ‘Today’s the Day’ spirit. Every discovery like this advances our understanding of maritime history while fueling the sense of adventure and exploration that has defined this work in the Florida Keys for generations. The Atocha is not finished telling her story.”
The silver bar remains heavily encrusted after more than four centuries beneath the sea. One visible feature is an assayer’s scoop, a section removed from the top of the bar during the Spanish colonial period to verify that the bar was solid silver throughout and not merely plated on the outside. The artifact will undergo extensive documentation, conservation and authentication procedures that may reveal additional markings and historical details.
The Atocha became one of the most famous shipwrecks in the world when Fisher and his team discovered the vessel’s legendary, $400 million mother lode of treasure in 1985 after a
returns to shore on June 11 with the 22.5-pound silver bar that he found while diving the site of the legendary Atocha shipwreck.
The Dare treasure-hunting vessel returns to Safe Harbor Marina on June 11 carrying a silver bar and the crew that recovered it from about 50 feet of water after 404 years on the ocean floor. MANDY MILES/Keys Weekly
16-year search. That discovery is widely regarded as one of the most significant treasure recoveries in modern history.
Since the discovery, thousands of artifacts have been recovered, while substantial portions of the documented and undocumented cargo remain unrecovered, including silver coins, silver bars, gold artifacts, jewelry and emeralds from Colombia’s Muzo mines.
“This silver bar is a remarkable piece of history in its own right, but it also renews interest in the area where it was found,” Randolph said. “After 27 years without recovering a silver bar from the Atocha site, this discovery reminds us that some of the most exciting chapters of the search may still lie ahead.”
— Contributed
POP IN FOR A FATHER’S DAY POP-UP EDITION OF ARTISAN MARKET
Special event supports MARC House on Sunday, June 21
The Key West Artisan Market will hold a special Father’s Day Pop-Up Edition on Sunday, June 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the parking lot of Sonny McCoy Indigenous Park, 1801 White St., across from White Street Pier. This summer market invites locals and visitors to celebrate dads, grandfathers, stepdads and all father figures while supporting the Monroe Association of Remarkable Citizens (MARC), the featured nonprofit for the event.
The event will feature a scaled-down version of the weekly market, highlighting local creativity, community connections and one-of-a-kind gifts. Shoppers can browse handcrafted artwork, jewelry, tropical home décor candles, body care products and other creations from Florida Keys creators. Food vendors will offer fresh produce, pastries, BBQ, cheese, coffee and juices.
This market highlights MARC, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting adults with developmental disabilities through employment, life-skills training and community engagement. Representatives from MARC will be on site, offering orchids, tropical plants and other nursery items cultivated through programs that provide vocational opportunities for the individuals they serve. Guests can shop for gifts that give back while learning more about the organization’s impact throughout the Florida Keys.
The Father’s Day market offers a chance to support local artists and small businesses during the quieter summer months. Every purchase helps sustain the creative entrepreneurs, makers, growers and nonprofit organizations that make the Florida Keys special.
The Key West Wildlife Center at Indigenous Park will be open for free (donation-based) tours, giving visitors an opportunity to learn about local wildlife rescue and rehabilitation efforts. The pet-friendly market is situated near Higgs Beach Dog Park, the Key West Gardens at West Martello and White Street Pier, steps from the Atlantic Ocean.
The market will continue its summer pop-up series throughout the season:
Saturday, June 27: special Key West 250th Edition, 5 to 10 p.m. at Truman Waterfront Park
Sunday, July 5:Independence Edition, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Higgs Beach
Sunday, Aug. 9:Lobster Fest Edition, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Higgs Beach
Admission and parking are free, and guests are encouraged to ride bikes and BYOB — bring your own shopping bags.
For updates and upcoming editions, find KW Artisan Market on Facebook. For vendor information, email sean@dailyplan-it.net.
Drake Nicholas of Mel Fisher’s Treasures
The special Father’s Day edition of the Key West Artisan Market on Sunday, June 21 at Indigenous Park will include MARC as the featured nonprofit, which will be selling orchids to support their programs that help developmentally disabled adults. CONTRIBUTED
IT’S SHOWTIME FOR THESE NATIVE TREES
is the University of Florida, IFAS County Extension environmental horticulture agent and master gardener volunteer coordinator
If you have been out and about in the Keys recently, you may have noticed one of our native trees putting on quite a show. Every year, from late April through July, the Jamaican dogwood (Piscidia Piscipula) sheds its leaves and replaces them with tight clusters of small, light-pink flowers. It is a beautiful display and a sign that summer is just around the corner.
The Jamaican dogwood tree is a medium- to large-canopy tree native to Mexico, the Caribbean, and the southernmost regions of Florida. It is a deciduous tropical tree, meaning it loses and replaces all of its leaves annually, a fairly uncommon trait for our native trees. It is a fantastic landscaping tree, but is very sensitive to cold. This significantly restricts its North American range; however, here in the Keys, Jamaican dogwood thrives.
Growing up to 40 feet tall, the Jamaican dogwood is an excellent shade tree and would be a wonderful accent tree for a Keys landscape. When not in bloom, the tree boasts attractive foliage and bark. Bark ranges from smooth and grey-green in color to silver and textured as it matures.
The Jamaican dogwood offers many ecological benefits to local wildlife. When in bloom, it is a pollinator magnet, attracting a diverse array of bees, butterflies and even hummingbirds. When flush with foliage, it is a host plant to two native butterflies, the hammock skipper and the cassius blue. The tree also provides essential shelter for birds, squirrels, and other canopy-dwelling critters.
In addition to its ecological benefits, the Jamaican dogwood has a unique ethnobotanical history. In the late 1600s, Sir Hans Sloane, a British physician and naturalist known for his floristic accounts of Caribbean plants, lived in Jamaica, where he made detailed illustrations and observations of local plants. Sloane found the Jamaican dogwood particularly interesting because of its use as a fish poison. Now an illegal practice, extracts from the root bark were added to water in fishing areas to kill or stun fish, making them easier to catch.
This interesting history earned the Jamaican dogwood three names: its scientific name, Piscidia piscipula, which is derived from the Latin words for “fish” and “kill,” and two common names, “fishpoison tree” and “fishfuddle tree.”
The Jamaican dogwood also has ties to shipbuilding, as its wood is both attractive and resistant to decay. Its third common name, “Jamaican dogwood,” stems from its historic use in building “dogs,” defined as “mechanical devices used to grip objects on a seagoing vessel.” Aside from sharing a name, the Jamaican dogwood has no connection to the classic dogwood trees found throughout North America.
Are you interested in growing one of these gorgeous, pollinatorattracting trees with a rich history? The good news is that it’s quite easy, The Jamaican dogwood prefers full sun but tolerates part shade. It grows well in a variety of soil media, including nutrient-poor and high-pH soils. The tree is very drought-tolerant and highly tolerant of windborne salt, making it perfect for our coastal areas. While it tolerates windborne salt, it is less tolerant of saltwater and should not be planted in areas with frequent saltwater inundation. It can be easily grown from seed or by transplanting and is available for purchase at local native nurseries.
For assistance with gardening, landscaping, or pest management, feel free to contact the UF/IFAS Monroe County Extension horticulture agent at continentino-liah@monroecountyfl.gov or 305-998-9580.
Jamaican Dogwood flower. CHRIS RACKLEY/Contributed
One Australian designer is taking ratty clothing to a new level. Rat Oddity Gizzard, known for using taxidermied rats to make unusual creations, recently released a line of clothing they’re calling LingeRAT (pronounced like “lingerie”), Oddity Central reported on May 29. Unfortunately, it’s exactly what it sounds like -- taxidermied rats sewn onto underwear. While the garments aren’t meant to be worn, Rat Oddity Gizzard’s Instagram audience begs to differ, with followers claiming to want to surprise their partners. The lingerie sells for $137 apiece, and yes, they do offer international shipping.
Adam Dailies
In The Bleachers
Brevity
NEWS OF THE WEIRD
In 1983, astronaut Sally Ride became the first American woman in space.
23 — minutes of music per side on the 12-inch, 33 1/3 revolutions-per-minute, long-playing records introduced by Columbia Records on this day in 1948.
“The Muse visits during the act of creation, not before. Don’t wait for her. Start alone.”
E.W. Scripps (1854-1926), publisher; Kay Kyser (1905-1985), bandleader; Sammy Cahn (1913-1993), songwriter; George Mikan (1924-2005), basketball player; Lou Brock (1939-2020), baseball player; Roger Ebert (1942-2013), film critic; Paul McCartney (1942), musician/singer-songwriter; Isabella Rossellini (1952- ), actress/ model; Angela Johnson (1961- ), author; Blake Shelton (1976- ), singer-songwriter. — Roger Ebert
Brevity
Nancy Dailies
Founded by Betty Debnam
America at 250
On July 4, our nation will celebrate its semiquincentennial (SEH-mekwin-sen-TEN-nee-uhl)
— our 250th birthday. On this date in 1776, the Declaration of Independence from British rule was adopted.
In many cities and towns all across the United States, Americans will gather for parades, festivals, concerts and other activities.
Many of these events will be part of America’s Block Party on July 3 and 4. For instance, in New York City’s Times Square, the sparkling New Year’s Eve ball will drop at 11:59 p.m. on July 3. In Los Angeles, a family-friendly concert is scheduled at Memorial Coliseum on July 4. Is your community hosting an America 250 celebration?
What happened 250 years ago?
The Second Continental Congress met on July 2, 1776, in Philadelphia and
voted in favor of independence. Two days later, the Declaration of Independence was adopted unanimously.
The declaration was printed on July 6 in The Pennsylvania Evening Post and was read aloud and published in other cities in the days following.
What’s happening this year?
These are just a few of the projects and events Americans can participate in this year.
• America Gives is a nationwide volunteer opportunity that involves events for everyone. Organizations partnering with America Gives include the Boys and Girls Clubs, Feeding America, Girl Scouts, Habitat for Humanity, Generation Hope, the Salvation Army and many others. Find volunteer ideas here: america250.org/americagives/ways-to-give/
• America’s Field Trip is a contest for kids in grades 3 through 12. Students write an essay or create artwork that answers the question, “What does America mean to you?” You can find more information here: america250.org/fieldtrip/
• Flag Sojourn 250 is carrying the U.S. flag across all 50 states as well as to U.S. territories and military cemeteries overseas. Its last stop will be in Washington, D.C. You can follow the flag’s journey here: nationalflagfoundation.org/ nff-sojourn-250-followthe-flag/
Words that remind us of America’s 250th birthday are hidden in this puzzle. Some words are hidden backward, and some letters are used twice. See if you can find:
During Fourth of July celebrations, we may feel patriotic. But what does that mean? Patriotism is a sense of feeling attached to one’s country and supporting it, even while recognizing where it could be improved. People show patriotism by voting, serving in the military, honoring the flag and other symbols, and working together.
Patriotic songs
Americans often sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” before sporting or other events. Other popular patriotic songs include “America the Beautiful” and “You’re a Grand Old Flag.”
Do you ever sing “This Land Is Your Land”? This song was written in 1940 by Woody Guthrie, a singer and songwriter who was born in 1912. Guthrie became a crusader, or supporter, for people who were “outsiders.” He wrote songs and spoke out against dishonest politicians and businessmen.
During World War II, Guthrie served in the Merchant Marines and the U.S. Army. He never stopped writing and singing. Woody Guthrie
RESOURCES
ON THE WEB
• america250.org
• bit.ly/42zdtEz AT THE LIBRARY
• “Happy Semiquincentennial, America!” by Jay Payleitner
ECO NOTE
For decades, scientists suspected that forests might quietly spark with electricity during storms, but only now has that hidden phenomenon been revealed. Researchers from Penn State have shown that treetops can glow with faint, lightning-like energy, invisible to the human eye yet active in shaping the air around us. These subtle discharges produce chemicals that help cleanse the atmosphere, suggesting that forests do more than just store carbon. In the turbulence of a thunderstorm, trees may be participating in a delicate chemical balancing act that improves the air people breathe.
This 1900 painting by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris shows Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson working on the Declaration of Independence.
Mini Fact: Independence Hall in Philadelphia was originally the Pennsylvania State House.
NOTICE OF HEARING TO REIMPOSE AND PROVIDE FOR COLLECTION OF DUCK KEY SECURITY SERVICES SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS
Notice is hereby given that the County Commission, Monroe County, Florida will conduct a public hearing to consider re-imposing security services assessments for the Fiscal Year beginning October 1, 2026, against certain improved and unimproved properties located within Duck Key, to fund the cost of security services provided to such properties and to authorize collection of such assessments on the tax bill.
The public hearing will be held at 9:00 A.M., on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, at the (Marathon Government Center, 2798 Overseas Highway, Marathon, Florida 33050). The public can also attend the Public Hearing via Communication Media Technology (“CMT”)/Zoom at the following virtual address: https://mcbocc.zoom.us/j/89204098700, for the purpose of contributing/receiving public comment on the proposed assessments.
All affected property owners have a right to appear at the hearing and to file written objections with the County Commission within 20 calendar days of the publication date of this notice. Pursuant to section 286.0105, Florida Statutes, notice is given that if a person decides to appeal any decision made by the County Commission with respect to any matter considered at this 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 made. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, persons needing a special accommodation or an interpreter to participate in this proceeding should contact the County Administrator’s Office, between 8:00 A.M. and 5:30 p.m., at (305) 292-4441, at least 48 hours prior to the date of the hearing. If hearing impaired, dial 711 for assistance.
The annual Duck Key security assessment is based on the number of improved or unimproved lots contained within the Duck Key Security District. The total annual assessment revenue to be collected within Duck Key for the upcoming fiscal year is estimated to be $129,252.00. The annual assessment rates for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2026 remain the same as the current year at $292.00 per improved lot and $28.00 per unimproved lot.
Copies of the legal documentation for the assessment program will be made available upon request, by contacting the County Attorney’s office at (305) 292-3470, Monday through Friday, between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. If you have any questions, please contact the County at (305) 292-3470, Monday through Friday, between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
The assessments will be collected on the ad valorem tax bill to be mailed in November, 2026, as authorized by section 197.3632, Florida Statutes. Failure to pay the assessments will cause a tax certificate to be issued against the property which may result in a loss of title.
The proposed Final Assessment Resolution may be inspected by the public at the Monroe County website by viewing the agenda packet for the July 15, 2026, Monroe County Commission meeting, which will be posted as of July 7, 2026. The meeting agenda may be viewed on the County website at: http://monroecountyfl.iqm2.com/citizens/default.aspx.
The public can participate in the July 15, 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 at the following virtual address: https://mcbocc.zoom.us/j/89204098700.
Dated at Key West, Monroe County, Florida, this 18th day of June, 2026.
KEVIN MADOK, CPA, Clerk of the Circuit Court and ex officio Clerk of the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida
June 18, 2026. The Weekly Newspapers
FICTITIOUS NAME
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of Tate Family Trees located at 29624 Constitution Ave., Big Pine Key, Florida 33043 intends to register said name with the Division of Corporations, Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida.
By: Tate Family Enterprises LLC
Publish: June 18, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE
Notice of Seizure that in accordance with Florida Statues 83.805 / 83.506, Tavernier Mini Storage, 135 Hood Ave., Tavernier, FL 33070 will sell or otherwise will dispose of the personal contents of the following unit to satisfy the delinquent storage lien.
All Contents in:
Unit B-11 – Eliana H Mastrascusa
Sale of all goods will be 6/26/26 at 10:00 am at 135 Hood Ave., Tavernier, FL 33070. Tavernier Mini Storage reserves the right to accept or reject any and all bids.
Publish: June 11 & 18, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
PROBATE DIVISION
FILE NO.: 26-CP-274-M
DIVISION: MIDDLE KEYS IN RE: ESTATE OF LONNIE H. SMALL
Deceased.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the Estate of Lonnie H. Small, deceased, whose date of death was November 24, 2025, is pending in the Circuit Court for MONROE County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 3117 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050. The names and addresses of the personal
LEGAL NOTICES
representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below.
All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. 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 June 18, 2026.
Personal Representative: Lisa Ann Catlett 58048 Morton St. Marathon, Florida 33050 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: June 18 & 25, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
AMENDED NOTICE TO CREDITORS IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION
File No. 25-CP-000514-P IN RE: ESTATE OF CARMA JEAN YELL, Deceased.
The administration of the estate of Carma Jean Yell, deceased, whose date of death was June 24, 2025, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 500 Whitehead St, Key West, FL 33040. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative's attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM.
All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE.
The personal representative has no duty to discover whether any property held at the time of the decedent's death by the decedent
The following is an upcoming GMX procurement opportunity:
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 June 11, 2026. Personal Representative: Mark Allen Hutchings 216 Hibiscus Ave Key Largo, Florida 33037
Attorney for Personal Representative: Andrew Ponnock
Attorney Florida Bar Number: 195420 10100 West Sample Road, 3rd floor Coral Springs, FL 33065
Telephone: (954) 340-4051
Fax: (800) 809-1774
E-Mail: andy@ponnocklaw.com
Publish: June 11 & 18, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION
FILE NO.: 26-CP-000213-P
DIVISION: PROBATE IN RE: ESTATE OF DONALD THOMAS FRANCIS, JR.
Deceased
NOTICE TO CREDITORS The administration of the estate of DONALD THOMAS FRANCIS, JR., deceased, whose date of death was December 23, 2025 is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is Clerk of the Circuit Court, Probate Division, 88770 Overseas Highway, Suite 2, Plantation Key, FL 33070. The names of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are forth below.
For detailed information please visit the Procurement Department website at http://www.gmx-way.com/business/solicitations, or call the Procurement Department at 305-637-3277 for assistance.
Publish: June 18, 2026. The Weekly Newspapers
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
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 SECTION 733.702 OF THE FLORIDA PROBATE CODE WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT'S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED.
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 ss. 732.216-732.228, applies, or may apply,
Publish:
Law Office of Shawn C. Newman, P.A.
710 N.E. 26th Street
Wilton Manors, Florida 33305
Telephone: (954) 563-9160
Fax: (954) 908-7572
E-Mail: Shawn@ShawnNewman. com
EmailService@ShawnNewman. com
Publish: June 11 & 18, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE SIXTEENTH
JUDICIALCIRCUIT
IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION
FILE NO. 26-CP-000112-M
IN RE: ESTATE OF SILAS CHAMBERS COCHRAN, Deceased.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of SILAS CHAMBERS COCHRAN, deceased, whose date of death was March 17, 2025, is pending in the Circuit Court for MONROE County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 3117 OVERSEAS HIGHWAY, MARATHON FL 33050. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below.
All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court 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 ss. 732.216-732.228, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under s. 732.2211. The date of first publication of this notice is: June 11, 2026. Personal Representative: FREDA REESE 1041 Pine Grove Dr. Alpharetta, GA 30009 Attorney for Personal Representative: MATTHEW MCCONNELL, Esq. Florida Bar No. 126161 Dickman Law Firm Post Office Box 111868 Naples, FL 34108
T: 239-434-0840
F: 239-434-0940 matthew@dickmanlawfirm.org
Publish: June 11 & 18, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH
the Following described property situated in Monroe County, Florida, to wit: CONDOMINIUM UNIT 603, FLAGLER CENTER III, A CONDOMINIUM, TOGETHER WITH AN UNDIVIDED INTEREST IN THE COMMON ELEMENTS, ACCORDING TO THE DECLARATION OF CONDOMINIUM THEREOF, RECORDED IN OFFICIAL RECORDS BOOK 1381, PAGE 239, AS AMENDED FROM TIME TO TIME, OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA.
Pursuant to ORDER ON MOTION TO RESET FORECLOSURE SALE
DATE entered in a case pending in said Court, the 19TH day of May 2026
Style of which is: VILLAGE CAPITAL & INVESTMENT
LLC
Plaintiff
vs.
PAOLA M. LOPEZ MERCADO A/K/A
PAOLA MARIA LOPEZ MERCADO; JAN MATTHEW OCASIO GONZALEZ; FLAGLER CENTER III CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION, INC.; UNKNOWN TENANT IN POSSESSION OF THE SUBJECT PROPERTY
Defendant
And the Docket Number of which is Number 2023-CA-363-K
WITNESS my hand and the Official Seal of Said Court, this 22ND day of May 2026
KEVIN MADOK
Clerk of the Circuit Court
Monroe County, Florida
By: Shonta McLeod
Deputy Clerk Florida Statute 45.031: Any person claiming an interest in the surplus from the sale, if any, other than the property owner as of the date of the Lis Pendens must file a claim within 60 days after the sale.
Publish:
a.m.,
Hiring for busy pediatric office in Tavernier. Full-Time Medical AssistantPediatric experience preferred. Must multitask in fastpaced setting. Pay is commensurate with experience. Email resume to: flkeyspeds@gmail.com
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
NO EXPERIENCE
NECESSARY - Concrete Field Testing Technician needed. Full-time. Year round. We train you to go to various job sites and collect samples. Vehicle provided. Must speak English and have clean driving record. Starting pay $20/
The Housing Authority of the City of Key West now hiring the following positions: Full-time Carpenter, Electrician, & 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.
Serve/Bartend on the ocean! The Cabana Club, an ocean front private swim club is seeking a customer service-oriented Server/ Bartender. Serve on pool deck, beach and/ or bar lounge. Open year round, 9:30am7pm daily. Full time/ Part time. Small friendly staff. Above average hourly wage plus tips. Apply in person at 425
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.
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 305-6644860 Ext 1, e-mail: corrine@orlk.org or apply in person at Outdoor Resorts at Long Key, 65821 Overseas Hwy, Long Key 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
HOUSING FOR RENT
ANNUAL RENTALKey Largo - 3BR/2BA new kitchen, Spacious Doublewide modular on canal w/40’ dock, direct ocean access. Very nice community $3500/ month 786-258-3127
3BR / 3BA fully furnishedhome for rent in Marathon. Available June 30. $3,500/ month 618-559-9143
HOUSING FOR RENT
2BR/1BA Condo Unit at Schooner Condominium for rent in Marathon. Newly renovated, furnished. Pet negotiable. Annual lease. $2,900/mo F/L/ Security negotiable. 305-431-0577 alicia@ keysrealestate.com
Studio Rental in Marathon, long-term, partially furnished, price includes internet, water, electric gas, garbage, pest, and lawn @ $2,200/mo all in. Call or text 305-433-0515
SHAWN HUDGINS PLUMBING NOW HIRING
Experienced Plumber Journeyman Track Position
Mon-Fri 7:30am-4:00pm
Responsibilities: Complete service calls. Perform plumbing repairs, maintenance, installation & new plumbing construction. Troubleshoot plumbing systems & equipment.
Requirement: Previous plumbing experience required. Valid Driver’s License. Must speak & understand English and must be authorized to work in the United States. Pay is based on level of experience. Send your resume to: Service@ShawnHudginsPlumbing.com
www.ShawnHudginsPlumbing.com
ce on Big Pine Key seeking a highly organized, detail and customer serviceoriented individual, who is computer savvy and can handle a fast-paced environment.
Duties include managing closing files, coordination with Realtors, sellers, buyers and lenders, regularly updating all involved parties. Prior experience a plus. Salary, health insurance, bonuses, overtime pay and 401k.
Email resume to: greg@oropezastonescardenas.com
WANTED TO BUY
LONG TERM RENTALS: HUGE EFFICIENCY, 650 SF, partially furnished
PLACE YOUR YARD SALE AD HERE! $25/week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-743-0844 or Email Anneke@ keysweekly.com HOUSING FOR RENT
$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
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
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
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
• 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
NOW HIRING
DOCK HAND
We are looking for a Dock Hand with excellent customer service to join our team. You would assist with the daily operations of our marina. Responsibilities include assistance with the daily marina tasks including helping guests arrive and depart from their dock, guiding guests over the radio, navigation, marina amenity cleaning, pressure-washing, assisting guests with golf cart rides and requests, and maintaining the marina. Send resume to captpips@aol.com or come in the of ce to ll out application. 1480 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050
CAPTAIN PIP’S IS AN AWESOME PLACE TO WORK, WE TREAT OUR EMPLOYEES GREAT. COME JOIN OUR TEAM!
NOW H I RI NG!
wants you to join their team!
RETAIL GIFT SHOP ASSOCIATE
Full-time. $19/hour to start.
EMAIL resume to: TurtleHospital@TurtleHospital.org APPLY in person: 2396 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL
DOLPHIN RESEARCH CENTER is a fun, environmentally friendly non-profit 501(c)(3) organization specializing in education, research, and rescue of marine mammals. DRC provides for the well-being of its employees with a competitive package including: a 401k retirement plan, medical benefits, HSA account, paid holidays/vacation/sick days, an employee assistance program, in addition to, life and disability insurance at no cost to the employee. EOE
RESEARCH CENTER 58901 O/S Hwy - Grassy Key, FL
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
THE GUIDANCE/CARE CENTER, Inc. IS HIRING!
JOIN A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE NONPROFIT 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.
Apply at guidancecarecenter.org - Get Involved/ Join our team/Job Opportunities/location/zip
Keys Energy Services, in Key West, Florida, is accepting applications for the following position in its Transmission & Distribution Department:
SUBSTATION ELECTRICIAN
(High Voltage Substation Electrical Technician)
Starting pay rate for this position, depending on qualifications and experience: $46.38/hr. - $51.94/hr. For more information, including job duties and required qualifications, and to apply for the job, please visit their website at www.KeysEnergy.com.
KEYS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
KEYS promotes a Drug-Free Workplace.
Certain service members, veterans, the spouses and family members of service members and veterans, receive preference and priority in employment, and are encouraged to apply for positions being filled.
MARATHON GARBAGE SERVICE
We are now hiring for the following positions:
Diesel Mechanic Truck
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
