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Sept. 17, 2026 MONEY TALKS County, school board approve budgets | P.6

HOUSING & HARBOR DRIVE City council talks parking, more building rights | P.4

REMEMBERING MIKE The man whose check started Marathon | P.8

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COLDWELL BANKER SCHMITT CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

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Helping Keys Residents since 2002. The Coldwell Banker Schmitt Charitable Foundation was created in April 2002, and is dedicated to helping Keys’ residents whose critical needs are not being met through other means. The funds are donated to the Foundation through the generous hearts of the Coldwell Banker Schmitt Real Estate agents, staff, associates, business partners, and the public. www.gooddeedsinthekeys.org

MARATHON WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 17, 2026

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9709 Overseas Hwy. Marathon, FL 33050 Oﬃce: 305.743.0844 www.keysweekly.com

Betting is big business, especially during the NFL season. According to the American Gaming Association, bettors will place some $29.5 billion in wagers with domestic sportsbooks this 2026 season, which began Sept. 9. Despite millions of Americans choosing legal, state-regulated sportsbooks to amplify the excitement of the games, “prediction markets” are rapidly expanding backdoor sports betting offerings across the 50 states and Washington, D.C.

This week, the Keys Weekly Newspapers remember Mike Cinque, a beloved businessman and former mayor who became a driving force in the movement to incorporate Marathon. See page 8.

Publisher / Jason Koler jason@keysweekly.com

Publishing Partner / Britt Myers britt@keysweekly.com

Marathon Editor / Alex Rickert alex@keysweekly.com

Staﬀ Writers

Jim McCarthy jim@keysweekly.com Mandy Miles mandy@keysweekly.com

Copy Editor / Mike Howie mike@keysweekly.com

Business Development Patti Childress patti@keysweekly.com

Production Manager

Anneke Patterson anneke@keysweekly.com

Executive Administrator Charlotte Hruska char@keysweekly.com

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Javier Reyes javier@keysweekly.com Irene de Bruijn irene@keysweekly.com Diana Striker keysweekly.com

Controller

Lauren Pope lauren@keysweeky.com

Web Master / Travis Cready travis@keysweekly.com

Classiﬁeds / Anneke Patterson anneke@keysweekly.com 305.743.0844

Se habla español

THE MARATHON WEEKLY (ISSN 1944-0812) IS PUBLISHED WEEKLY FOR $125 PER YEAR BY WEEKLY NEWSPAPERS, INC., 9709 OVERSEAS HIGHWAY, MARATHON FL 33050. APPLICATION TO MAIL AT PERIODICALS POSTAGE RATES IS PENDING AT FORT LAUDERDALE FL AND ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES. All stories, photos, and graphics are copyrighted materials.

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MARATHON PUTS 100 HOUSING UNITS ON HOLD, GIVES BOAT RAMP PARKING A TRIAL RUN Council members want tighter enforcement on Harbor Drive, restrictions on new affordable rights ALEX RICKERT alex@keysweekly.com

ith a headlining city manager contract secured, the Marathon City Council moved on to tackle parking at the Harbor Drive boat ramp and a potential transfer of unused affordable building rights from Key Colony Beach and Layton in the remainder of its Sept. 8 meeting. The boat ramp puzzle Following recent requests from locals to reopen the four spaces at the Harbor Drive ramp, council members debated safeguards to ensure that parked vehicles would stay within the relatively small spaces, preventing collisions or blocked traffic on the busy street. Councilwoman Robyn Still said she’d prefer to see the area converted into a “pocket park” for families in the neighborhood to fish or launch kayaks and paddleboards. Under the current city ordinance, use of the ramp – one of three owned and managed by the city – is restricted to trailers with fewer than three axles, with parking closed during busy holiday weekends, around the start of mini- and regular lobster season, and other high-traffic periods as determined by the city manager. A traffic pattern established by signs takes boaters through the streets behind the neighborhood before forming a soundbound line on Harbor Drive. But former city councilman and Gulfstream Boulevard resident Jeff Smith told the council about his all-too-common Labor Day Weekend experience, in which multiple boats ignoring the traffic pattern blocked the road and ran over parts of private

The city of Marathon will experiment with reopening the parking spaces at its Harbor Drive boat ramp while increasing enforcement of traffic and trailer regulations. ALEX RICKERT/Keys Weekly

property around the ramp without city staff present. Multiple city council members suggested painted lines in front of each parking space to limit the space allowed to any vehicle and trailer, with violators ticketed or towed. “It really doesn’t matter whether we have the parking or not – people are still not going to read the signs, park on the grass and park on the rocks,” said Vice Mayor Debbie Struyf. “ (But) we’ve had a few people from the general area who like to park their trailers there. Let’s at least give them a shot to see if we can’t work this out.” The council informally directed staff to reopen spaces on a trial basis and increase enforcement at the ramp while exploring markings to constrain the parking spaces. Housing units delayed Citing concerns over how they could be distributed in the city once accepted, the council chose to delay an agreement that could pave the way for accepting unused affordable building rights each from the cities of Key Colony Beach and Layton. Resolutions 2026-84 and 2026-

85 proposed an agreement in which Marathon would receive 50 building rights from each of the two smaller Keys cities – portions of a 1,300-unit award in 2018 from then-Gov. Rick Scott to be divided among Monroe County municipalities. Restricted for use in multifamily developments (duplexes or greater), the rights require on-site management and carry a 48-hour early evacuation provision. While Marathon eventually accepted 300 units after a prolonged legal battle that ended in a specialized legislative carve-out, both Key Colony Beach and Layton have yet to accept their 50-unit awards. Planning Director Brian Shea and City Manager Steve Williams told the council that the extra units could serve as a shield against future takings cases, in which the city could be held liable if owners of buildable lots were denied the right to do so. Williams said even with the unique restrictions placed on the rights, they should be enough to fend off a lawsuit. “From a takings case, it doesn’t matter,” he said. “Any use of the parcel is a good enough use. … If we can give you anything, you can’t sue us for lack of use.” But both Struyf and councilman Kenny Matlock said they were concerned about how quickly the rights could be distributed for large multifamily builds in residential areas, or if they would be given in large chunks to owners of existing properties in order for developers to sell off less-restricted building rights already attached to those properties. “I don’t want to see a 50-unit request, and then boom, we’ve got continued on page 30

MARATHON WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 17, 2026

Nate Bartlett, MBA REALTOR® | Broker Associate VP of Sales, Marathon 305-802-NATE(6283) nate@keysnate.com www.keysnate.com

ACTIVE & SOLD LISTINGS

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For more information on the market visit my website © 2025 BHH Affiliates, LLC. An independently owned and operated franchisee of BHH Affiliates, LLC. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices symbol are registered service marks of Columbia Insurance Company, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate.

MARATHON WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 17, 2026

SCHOOL BOARD APPROVES BUDGET, CONSIDERS PAY RAISE FOR SUPERINTENDENT FRANK DERFLER www.keysweekly.com

onroe County School Board members approved a 2026-27 school budget and debated superintendent Ed Tierney’s salary during the Sept. 8 meeting at Marathon High School. The final budget resolution passed by the board without public comment decreased the millage rate to the lowest in 12 years, but spending increased by 3.8% over the past year. The total millage rate will be 2.817, which is 0.13 less than last year, or about $28.17 for every $10,000 of assessed property value. The budget increase, largely going to teacher and staff salaries and benefits, is possible because of an increase in the county’s property tax base. Spending for the upcoming fiscal year is $329.94 million, an increase of $9.29 million over the prior fiscal year. The general fund, which supports the district’s daily operations, totals $179.22 million, representing 54% of the overall budget. The capital projects fund is $72.46 million, 22% of the total expenditure. Discussion during the meeting focused on teacher salaries and fairness. Before the public meeting, the board held a closed collective bargaining session with the United Teachers of Monroe. During the meeting, board chairman John Dick said public school teachers in Monroe County are the highest paid in the state. Citing the cost of housing as a major barrier to recruiting staff, Dick credited the board with paying local teachers an average of $76,905 per year while the state average is $57,900 per year. Only Collier and Sarasota counties pay teachers in the same range and, according to Dick, are expensive places to live. Superintendent Ed Tierney is currently paid $199,500. The average salary for superintendents throughout the state is $210,932. Based on the ratio of executive pay to teacher pay, according to Dick, Tierney’s pay is well below average. A school board meeting in August saw the board members praise Tierney’s performance and leadership.

COUNTY COMMISSION APPROVES $690 MILLION BUDGET JIM McCARTHY

jim@keysweekly.com

onroe County commissioners unanimously approved a $690 million budget for the coming fiscal year, with $18 million more in School board members spending than last year. are considering a pay County officials stressed at the raise for Superinfinal budget hearing in Key West on tendent Ed Tierney, Sept. 14 that the increased spending who currently makes takes into account required pay bumps $199,500. The average for first responders, including road salary for superintenpatrol deputies, EMS and firefighters dents throughout the who are part of collective bargaining state is $210,932. File units. photo “I’m not willing to skimp on possiDick pointed to Martin County, bilities of lives lost because we haven’t including Stuart, as being similar to properly funded public safety,” said Monroe in many ways. The school Commissioner Holly Raschein. “That is superintendent there is paid $250,400 the crux of it (the spending increase), annually. making sure we’re paying men and “We have gone over and above women in law enforcement and fire for the teachers in Monroe County by rescue properly so we can keep them far,” Dick said. “But we looked the here.” other way for the superintendent. For As part of negotiations, unionized his original salary, I’d have gone to Monroe County Fire Rescue members two and a quarter.” will receive a cost-of-living raise of Dick continued to comment on the 8.3%, while unionized Monroe County need to immediately raise the superin- Sheriff’s Office employees will get a tendent’s salary. 10% pay hike. Other board members took Employees of the board of county both sides of the salary question at commissioners, constitutional officers the same time. Board member Sue and nonunionized sheriff’s office emWoltanski pointed out that elected ployees will get a 2.7% cost-of-living superintendents make less than apraise. The total dollar figure associated pointed ones and that makes the aver- with the cost of living adjustments is age number a difficult measurement. $9.4 million. She favored a salary increase over “the County officials say the spending next few years.” plan also includes funding to replace Board member Yvette Mira-Talbott fire trucks, upgrade ambulances and expressed concern that the board had provide needed EMS operational tightened the budget and asked some equipment. There are also various people to take on broader tasks and maintenance projects needed at the that they cut all across the district. Monroe County Detention Center, in“I don’t know this is the right cluding spalling, window, kitchen and time,” she said. plumbing repairs. Board member Mindy Conn called “This budget reflects our unwaverfor negotiations with the teachers’ ing commitment to public safety and union to be completed before dealing core responsibilities that keep our iswith the superintendent’s salary. land communities safe and accessible,” Woltanski noted that there are Monroe County Administrator Chrissome large CEO salaries in the county. tine Hurley stated in a press release. She singled out the village manager “Monroe County continues to meet for Islamorada, as well as the Marathe extraordinary demands of serving thon city manager, as being higher our 84,000 residents, and a functional paid with smaller staffs and budgets population of approximately 160,000, than the school superintendent. that includes our 4 million visitors a Board member Darren Horan asyear.” sured Tierney that he is worth more The approved budget for the 2027 than he is getting, but that the board fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1, also has to find the best way for him to get includes the Monroe County Tourist it. Development Council’s plan to spend At the close of the meeting, the an additional $29 million from the board passed a motion to address the previous year, using non-ad valorem salary question at the next meeting money from its accrued fund balance scheduled for Oct. 6 in Key West. on capital projects, events and adver-

tising in the coming year. The TDC is seeking to spend $115.3 million in the coming fiscal year with revenue from the bed tax. A total of $377.3 million of the budget would fund county operations and the offices of constitutional officers. Spending for capital projects and debt service totals $139.5 million. The remaining $58.3 million in spending goes toward budgeted transfers, reserves and cash balance. County commissioners elected to maintain the same countywide millage rate from last year of 2.6929, or $269 per $100,000 of a property’s assessed value. It would generate $143 million in property tax revenue. The countywide millage rate funds services in unincorporated Monroe and the municipalities. The services include the sheriff’s office, maintenance of corrections facilities, Trauma Star, the offices of constitutional officers and the county health department. There’s a separate millage to fund Keyswide services for county parks and beaches, recreation, as well as the departments for planning and resources and code compliance. The .01756 millage would generate $4.6 million. There’s also a millage to fund road patrol in unincorporated Monroe County. The approved millage of 0.2963 would generate $7.72 million. A separate taxing district for Middle and Lower Keys fire and ambulance service would raise just over $25 million by levying a millage of 2.1538. In total, the county would bring in $180.6 million in property tax revenue to fund the various county operations. John Quinn, county director of management and budget, said a homesteaded property with average taxable value of $665,000 would pay just under $1,800 a year. It’s a yearover-year increase of $51. The tax bill for nonhomesteaded property, which receives no homestead exemption, valued at $1.1 million would be $270 more than last year. As for commercial properties valued at $1.6 million, the tax bill will increase by $400 from the prior year. Key Largo pet store owner Robby Majeska asked county commissioners during a Sept. 9 public hearing why they couldn’t spend the same amount of money compared to last year. He said there are ways for the county to spend less. “Give this new county administrator the opportunity to consolidate positions and join together places,” said the owner of Keys Kritters.

MARATHON WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 17, 2026

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Rotary Youth Exchange gives high school students the immersive opportunity to spend an academic year abroad, live with host families, attend school, and experience another culture.

And local students can do it too. The Rotary Club of Marathon is encouraging freshmen and sophomores to consider applying as outbound exchange students for the 2027-28 school year. Students do not need to speak another language or be the most outgoing person in the room. They simply need to be curious, responsible, willing to grow and brave enough to step outside their comfort zone. Interested students and families are encouraged to reach out to a Marathon Rotarian to learn more. The next Rotary Youth Exchange story could start right here in the Florida Keys.

For more information on what we do and how you can join the “Irresistible Marathon Rotary Club”, visit our website Marathonrotary.org or scan the QR Code.

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This school year, the Rotary Club of Marathon is proud to welcome Gabriela, a Rotary Youth Exchange student from Brazil, who is spending the school year living, learning and becoming part of the Marathon community. She’s already enjoying days on the water, American football, and joining Rotary events, while getting the full Marathon experience and sharing her Brazilian culture with her peers.

OUR WEB CAM IS STREAMING

MARATHON WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 17, 2026

IN REMEMBRANCE: MIKE CINQUE Former mayor called Marathon home for over 50 years When you live in a small community you have to be committed. I think we all have to be committed and connected to everybody. Everyone knows where to find me in the morning and at night. Everyone knows I will go to bat for them. I will fight for citizens’ rights. That is our job. It has been an enjoyment and an honor.” — Mike Cinque, stepping down from the dais as mayor in 2013

In 2010 Mike Cinque was voted Best Elected Official by the residents of Marathon. CONTRIBUTED

JASON KOLER jason@keysweekly.com

arathon and the Middle Keys lost a prominent and beloved figure when Mike Cinque passed away peacefully in his home on Sept. 5. A former city councilman and mayor, Cinque was the epitome of a self-made man who parlayed hard work, ingenuity and perseverance into a life on his own terms – highlighted by contributions to his community and humanity. “He had a special love for Christmas, thoroughbred horse racing, travel and Westerns,” said one of his closest friends, Jim Tashjian. “He also enjoyed gambling and the excitement and camaraderie that came with it.” Tashjian shared the same feelings as all those who came into Cinque’s orbit, adding, “Beyond the things he loved, Mike was someone who genuinely cared about people.” Inspired by the post-apocalyptic novel, “Alas Babylon,” Cinque planned to attend MIT on a math scholarship, but after his father passed he instead hitchhiked from New Jersey to Florida in the early ’70s. He eventually made his way to Marathon, where he worked various side jobs before landing a management position with the Key Colony Motel in his early 20s. There, he came under the tutelage of Matt Kibbler, who soon recognized the entrepreneurial spirit of the

young man and ended up staking him with a year’s salary so he could go out on his own. “Mike has a certain insight into things that most people don't see. He was a good friend and a good counsel too,” said Chris Waldera, one of Cinque’s closest friends. “In my business I have met a lot of intelligent people and he was one of the smartest people I met in my life. He’s leaving a big hole in my heart.” As he began to make his own way, Cinque first ran cable for Telmedia and then purchased his first concrete pumps when he founded Candlelight Construction in the mid-’70s – a moniker referring to unpermitted work performed under the cover of darkness. In 1984, Cinque and his partner Karen Dennis purchased the building at the corner of 35th Street and U.S. 1 and opened the Stuffed Pig. Decades later, the iconic eatery is one Marathon’s oldest restaurants and the scene of countless celebrations, events and political parties – including the site of the infamous “Pig Days.” The event was a mix of everything Cinque loved – livestock racing complete with betting windows, BBQ, friends having a great time, plenty of drinks, lots of stuff for kids, and of course, philanthropy. Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay was at every event and called Cinque his friend for more than 40 years. “He was very loyal and a very good friend, and if he was your friend, he was your friend no matter what. Mike was the type of person the community could count on. He was a good man and I’m gonna miss him.” Cinque could often be found holding court on a semi-secluded concrete table on the restaurant’s patio, sifting through newspapers while sporting a pair of jeans and loosely buttoned collared shirt. He would entertain all sorts of local pundits, business associates and friends as generations of kids

grew up eating at the Pig. Newly elected school board member and former Marathon mayor Luis Gonzalez and his family are Stuffed Pig faithfuls whose kids (now raising their own families in Marathon) grew up attending the Easter egg hunts and pig races. “He would give advice to the younger people,” said Gonzalez. “To invest, do better and build a family foundation. This was an incredible loss for our community.” It was one of those concrete tables that served as the catalyst for the incorporation of Marathon. In September 1996, Cinque placed five of them behind his restaurant. “They said I increased the use of an established business without acquiring a conditional use permit,” he told the Weekly in 2019. Facing a $100 a day fine, Cinque wrote the first check to “Citizens Incorporate Marathon,” and a movement was born. Later, Cinque would serve three consecutive terms on the Marathon City Council, including two years as the mayor. He steered the municipality through numerous challenges, including the installation of the citywide wastewater and stormwater system, and helped establish a new era of economic development for Marathon. After leaving public office, Cinque continued his service as a member of the Marathon Planning Commission. He also continued his philanthropic efforts and was a mentor for young entrepreneurs and political hopefuls. “He was always for landowner rights. He understood more about Marathon law and why we incorporated than anybody. He was a very smart man,” said fellow commissioner and friend Mike Leonard. “That man loved Marathon. That’s the only way you can put it.” A celebration of Mike Cinque’s life will take place on Sunday, Sept. 20 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Stuffed Pig.

While mayor in 2009 Mike kisses one of Marathon’s youngest residents at a ground-breaking event for Habitat for Humanity.

MARATHON WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 17, 2026

COMMERCE CORNER English for All is a nonprofit language education organization dedicated to empowering members of the Florida Keys workforce through accessible English language instruction. By bringing education directly into the workplace, English for All helps employees strengthen the language skills they need to communicate more effectively, improve workplace safety and customer service, thus creating new opportunities for professional advancement. In September, English for All launched its flagship five-week immersive language program for employees of Million Air in Marathon, combining professional hospitality with practical, workplace-focused English education.

RAINING CASH

At the heart of English for All is a simple belief: we can make a difference. By breaking down language barriers and strengthening communication, the organization aims to enhance the personal and professional lives of individuals throughout the Florida Keys while unlocking new economic and social opportunities for the people who help keep our local workforce and community thriving.

Mooney, Rodriguez visit Marathon to commemorate millions in state budget awards

Jerry Baltes 630.460.7805 shine@mppros.com

tate Rep. Jim Mooney and Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez took a tour of Marathon on Sept. 9, showering Middle Keys governments and nonprofits with cash as they celebrated the success of recent legislative appropriations. The representative-sponsored initiatives were among millions of dollars bestowed to the Keys in the most recent state budget, including: • $475,000 for water reclamation facility improvements in Key Colony Beach.

ALEX RICKERT

alex@keysweekly.com

•

$2.5 million for the city of Marathon’s deep wastewater injection well project. • $750,000 for the Florida Keys Habitat for Humanity. • $950,000 to support pediatric health and dental care with Keys AHEC. Total legislative appropriations within Mooney and Rodriguez’s districts totaled more than $63.1 million, according to figures provided to the Keys Weekly, including preserving the annual $20 million Florida Keys Stewardship Act. Photos by ALEX RICKERT/Keys Weekly

MARATHON WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 17, 2026

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Adorable furry faces are waiting for families at the Florida Keys SPCA

Keys Weekly is thrilled each week to showcase some “furever” friends that are ready, waiting and available for their perfect adoption match at the Florida Keys SPCA’s Marathon campus – complete with their best qualities, preferences and turnoffs to ensure the best fit. From cats and dogs to Guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits, reptiles and birds, the perfect addition to your family is waiting for you at one of the SPCA’s two campuses, in Key West and Marathon. 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. See all the animals waiting for a home at fkspca.org. To contact the Marathon campus, call 305-743-4800 or visit 10550 Aviation Blvd. Hurricane fosters needed. With hurricane season upon us, the SPCA needs volunteers and fosters in case of a storm. Over 100 animals would need to be evacuated, so it is crucial they all have homes in place before an impending storm. The SPCA provides everything you need;

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32 BEERS ON TAP all you do is give an animal a safe haven during the storm and return them to the shelter once it’s safe – that is, if you don’t fall in love. For more information on becoming a hurricane foster, visit https://fkspca.org/volunteer/become-a-foster-volunteer/ or call 305-743-4800.

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MARATHON WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 17, 2026

REELING IN HISTORY

Now in its 67th year, Marathon International Bonefish Tournament looks to the future JEN ALEXANDER www.keysweekly.com

n a town built on tides, traditions and tightknit community, few events have as deep a local pedigree as the Marathon International Bonefish Tournament. First held in 1959, it is widely regarded as the oldest running fishing tournament in the Florida Keys. Now heading into its 67th year, organizers are looking for a new wave of anglers, sponsors and local artists to step up and keep that legacy alive. Barbara and Butch Hewlett have been at the heart of the modern tournament for years. Barbara first arrived in Marathon around 2000, starting as an angler before taking over as an organizer. Butch, however, has roots that trace back to the event’s origins. “Butch fished it since he was a junior,” Barbara said. “Back then (in 1959) it was huge. There would be like 180 people in the tournament.” In its early days, the event was a five-day affair held every June. The primary goal was simple: boost the local economy. “It was designed to bring people to the Keys and spend money in the motels and the restaurants,” Butch said. “You had five nights, so every night would be at a different bar or restaurant with appetizers. It was a main event.” As the Keys evolved, the tournament adapted. To avoid conflicting with peak tarpon season, organizers shifted the dates to late September and shortened the schedule. “We moved the tournament to September because all the guides were busy in June and July,” Butch said. “We dropped it down to a three-day tournament, more like a weekend tournament.” The 67th Annual Marathon International Bonefish Tournament will run Sept. 24-27, with registration Thursday, Sept. 24 at 5 p.m. at Marathon Grill and Ale House. While the field has grown smaller over time, the event remains dedicated to release fishing, conservation and community spirit. Those nightly gatherings regularly draw 50 to 60 people, including captains, spouses and local supporters. Much of that crowd comes via the tournament's unique trophy sponsorship program. For $200, local businesses or individuals receive two banquet tickets, a T-shirt and the honor of handing out their sponsored award. “If you sponsor a trophy, you get to come to all the cocktail parties, you get to come to the banquet, you get a T-shirt, and you actually

Known for their speed, awareness and challenging sightfishing experience, bonefish are a prized catch for Florida Keys anglers, and the center of the 67th Marathon International Bonefish Tournament. KEYS WEEKLY FILE PHOTOS

Lindsay Rabito-Leonard, right, and Captain Bill Rabito Sr. present a junior angler with his runner-up trophy in 1967. Bill was a prominent guide throughout many years of the tournament, which began in 1959. CONTRIBUTED

present the trophy to whatever winner you’re sponsoring,” Barbara said. “It’s a lot of fun.” Tournament categories are structured so anglers of all experience levels have a realistic shot at taking home hardware. “People think there’s two guys that are going to win every time,” Barbara said. “But we have awards for the largest bonefish, the biggest permit, Grand Slam awards, whoever traveled the farthest, first-time angler, unguided and a lot of other funky awards. You don’t even need a captain. There are so many categories that anybody can fish it.” Beyond anglers, Barbara is eager to feature Keys creatives by commissioning local artwork for tournament trophies and offering banquet space to showcase their work. “I’m always trying to spotlight local artists,” she said. “Whether it’s metal art or drawings or bonefish paintings. I’ve got a local artist out of

Islamorada this year that’s doing some copper work for me. If there’s an artist out there that has anything related to bonefish that wants to see if it can be a trophy, that would be cool.” For Barbara, who works tirelessly behind the scenes to keep the tradition going, the message to the Middle Keys community is clear. “Wouldn’t it be great to be involved in the oldest running fishing tournament in the Florida Keys?” she said. “Be a part of it! You can be a sponsor, or just come to the banquet and see how it works.” Trophy sponsorships are available for $200, and general donations of $100 or more are welcome. Checks can be made payable to MIBT and mailed to PO Box 500914, Marathon, FL 33050. For tournament entries, sponsorships, or artist inquiries, contact Barbara Hewlett at 305-304-8682 or bbhewlett815@gmail.com. Find tournament information on Facebook under “Marathon Int’l Bonefish/Marathon Tarpon Tournaments.”

Bettye Chaplin competes in the ‘Wet Pants Division’ in a fitting way in 1993. ‘Every time I didn’t catch a fish, I just went deeper and deeper,’ she told the Weekly. The tournament awards trophies of all kinds to give anglers the best chance to bring home hardware. CONTRIBUTED

MARATHON WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 17, 2026

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MARATHON WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 17, 2026

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FWC TO MARK DESIGNATED ANCHORING AREAS New law requires boats to move every 90 days

he Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) began work Sept. 16 to install waterway markers, including signs and buoys, to establish designated anchoring areas within portions of Boot Key, Bahia Honda, Niles Channel, Cow Key Channel, Sigsbee, Garrison Bight Flats and Fleming Key in Monroe County. In 2022, the Florida Legislature approved changes to Section 327.4108, Florida Statutes, which designated Monroe County as an anchoring limitation area and requires each vessel anchored on state waters within the county, within 10 linear nautical miles of a public mooring field or designated anchoring area, to pull anchor and move at least once every 90 days. These statutory changes required the FWC to adopt rules establishing anchoring areas, along with maximum allowable vessel drafts, throughout Monroe County. The installation of signs and buoys will notify boaters of designated anchoring areas, increase visibility of area boundaries and help vessel operators understand where anchoring restrictions apply. Clearly marked designated anchoring areas will also assist FWC law enforcement officers in enforcing applicable regulations and promoting compliance among vessel operators. Construction is expected to be completed by December 2026. A vessel upon the waters of the state and within Monroe County, for which the owner or occupant has established the vessel as a residence in accordance with Section 222.17, Florida Statutes, is exempt from these relocation requirements until at least 60 new moorings are available for public use within 1 mile of the Key West Bight City Dock. The Monroe County government is in the process of securing appropriate permits for the establishment of the Man of War Harbor Mooring Field at Wisteria Island and estimates construction of the mooring field to be completed in spring 2027. The FWC urges boaters to use caution, particularly in narrow waterways, while waterway marker construction is underway. More information is at myfwc.com/boating; select “Waterway Management.” – Contributed

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The College of the Florida Keys does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, age, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), marital status, military status, protected veteran status, genetic information, religion, pregnancy, or disability in its programs, activities, or employment practices. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries and grievances regarding the non-discrimination policies: Civil Rights Compliance Officer: Promise Clark-Kimbio, Manager, Talent Acquisition, Development and Accountability (305) 809-3151 or promise.clarkkimbio@cfk.edu Title IX Coordinator: Jessica Losardo, Director, Office of Advancement (305) 809-3198 or jessica.losardo@cfk.edu Disability Services: Nicole Gerrard, Executive Director, Student Success Services (305) 809-3262 or nicole.gerrard@cfk.edu

MARATHON WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 17, 2026 A male Key deer on No Name Key. AVERETTE/Wikipedia

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onroe County will hold an in-person/hybrid community meeting on Monday, Sept. 21, at 5:30 p.m., at the Marathon Government Center and via Zoom to discuss additional community requests regarding protections for Big Pine Key and No Name Key. The topics to be discussed are based on ideas proposed in comments submitted by a group of community organizations, and include: • Development restrictions carried over from Habitat Conservation Plan/Incident Take Permit (HCP/ITP). • HCP references within the Big Pine/No Name Key Livable CommuniKeys Plan. • HCP references within the Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Code. • Tier Map criteria. • Management and monitoring. The meeting will include public input and broader discussion of potential additional protections and community proposals affecting Big Pine Key and No Name Key. The meeting will provide a forum to consider additional community requests. More information about the HCP/ITC, Livable CommuniKeys Plan, Comprehensive Plan, Land Development Code and Tier Maps is available at monroecounty-fl.gov/planning. The comments submitted by community organizations are at monroecounty-fl.gov/ environmentalresources. Zoom details are on the county calendar at monroecounty-fl.gov/calendar or scan the QR code for the Zoom link for the Sept. 21 meeting at 5:30 p.m. — Contributed

Scan the QR code for Zoom access to the Sep. 21 meeting about environmental protections and development regulations for Big Pine and No Name Keys.

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MARATHON WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 17, 2026

MILES TO GO: JIM SCHOLL TALKS TOMCATS & TOP GUN A Navy F-14 Tomcat launches itself from the deck of an aircraft carrier. CONTRIBUTED

“

You were Goose.” Yep, that was me, the picture of professionalism last week, calling a county commissioner a goose while sitting in his office at the Gato Building. He didn’t throw me out or quietly ask his assistant Sue Burke to call the nice behavioral health folks at dePoo Hospital to come get me. It was Jim Scholl, after all. And before he became a county commissioner in 2022, he did two five-year stints as the Key West city manager. Before that, he’d been Capt. Jim Scholl, commander of Naval Air Station Key West from 2003 to 2006.

Capt. Jim Scholl, commander of Naval Air Station Key West, shortly before his retirement in 2006. TRICE DENNY/ Contributed

And before THAT, he’d been a Navy fighter pilot. (“That’s right, a naval aviator.”) So, yeah, he got the Goose thing — and every other “Top Gun” movie reference that tends to fall from my mouth in any conversation I have with a fighter pilot. “Yeah, I was Goose — MANDY only I’m still here,” Scholl MILES replied wryly, alluding to the drops stuff, breaks movie fate of Lt. Nick “Goose” things and falls Bradshaw, who served as the down more than radar intercept officer (RIO) to any adult should. Lt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell She’s married to a saintly — and in the 1986 blockbuster that I handy — fisherwatched incessantly on VHS in man, and has been middle school. stringing words “I absolutely wanted to be together in Key a pilot, but the vision in my left West since 1998. eye was 20/25, so I ended up being a RIO,” Scholl said. “But I used to say that important people always have a chauffeur, so my pilot was my chauffeur.” As RIO, Scholl was responsible for most aspects of an air combat mission: operating the complex radar system that can track 24 targets miles away, managing navigation systems, tracking enemy targets, aiming and firing weapons, directing the pilot on speed and steering, monitoring fuel levels and more. Scholl retired from the Navy 20 years ago, in 2006. He’d joined in 1979 and was commissioned as an officer at his college graduation from Miami University in Ohio, having completed the Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps. By December 1980, he was at Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach — and learning the F-14 Tomcat, whose retired pilots and RIOs talk wistfully about the aircraft the way other men pine for the sports car or motorcycle they drove before they had kids. Scholl’s no different. His iPad is filled with photos of the F-14 Tomcat, taking off from carriers, flying at sunset and parked on a flight deck. His office at the Gato Building contains a wooden sculpture of the plane and plenty of military memorabilia. “The only plane I flew operationally was the

The Navy’s supersonic, two-seater F-14 Tomcat can reach speeds over Mach 2 — around 1,544 mph at high altitudes. The Navy introduced the Tomcat in 1972 and retired it in 2006. CONTRIBUTED

Naval aviators Jim Scholl, right, and pilot Ray Dufour are in front of an F-14 Tomcat in South Weymouth Marine Corps Air Station in Massachusetts, circa 1983. CONTRIBUTED

F-14 Tomcat,” he said. “It’s the ultimate crew airplane, as a two-seater,” he said. “Because you have to work together.” Scholl would later fly in the Tomcat in Desert Storm against Iraqi forces in 1991. “I spent a total of five years at sea aboard a carrier,” he said. “But my big claim to fame is that I graduated from Top Gun three years before the movie came out.” The job of NAS Key West commander, from 2003 to 2006, were Scholl’s final orders. He retired from the Navy in 2006 — “it was 20 years ago. I retired from the Navy the same year they retired the F-14 Tomcat,” he said. This weekend marks the 20th anniversary of the Tomcat’s retirement, and Scholl is back at NAS Oceana for a 20-year reunion of all aviators who flew in them. “I’m most excited about seeing the boys again,” he said. “We’ve never done one of these reunions before. We’ll all tell sea stories, and those always get better with age. But the truth is, every time I got to climb into the F-14, I felt like a kid with his hand in the cookie jar. I loved it.” Did you hear that? It sounds like...Kenny Loggins? “Revvin’ up your engine / Listen to her howlin’ roar / Metal under tension / Beggin’ you to touch and go. / Highway to the danger zone.”

MARATHON WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 17, 2026

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MARATHON WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 17, 2026

RAISING A GLASS FOR CAITRIN

The lawn at Faro Blanco Resort seemed to pack in the entire population of Marathon on Sept. 12 as friends and family celebrated the life of Caitrin Piscetello. The wife of beloved restaurateur Tony Piscetello and mother of Marathon High School senior Roco Piscetello, Caitrin passed away after a hard-fought battle with cancer at the age of 49 on Aug. 2, surrounded by her family. Welcoming guests from across the country, sister Meaghan Deusner and father Edward Collins shared their fondest memories of the devoted mother, wife, daughter, sister and friend before raising glasses to the sky to toast Caitrin’s legacy. In lieu of flowers, donations from guests supported the Pay it Forward scholarship, managed by local Wendy Bonilla for Marathon High School seniors. ALEX RICKERT/Keys Weekly

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FUNCTIONALLY CAFFEINATED WELLNESS

CONGRATULATIONS. WE DISCOVERED MODERATE EXERCISE.

have had a longstanding issue with cardio equipment. Not the treadmill itself. Not the elliptical. Not even the stair climber, although that thing and I have exchanged some words over the years. It’s the buttons. Fat Burn. Cardio. Weight Loss. Performance. Heart Rate. Interval. For years I have watched people stand in front of a treadmill trying to decide which magical button will finally convince their body to burn some fat. And for years I have wanted to walk over, hit QUICK START and say, “There. I fixed it.” Here’s the thing: Your body burns calories in all of those zones. Your body can use fat for energy in all of those zones. There is not some magical heart rate where your body suddenly opens the doors to the fat storage facility and starts hauling boxes out. So you can imagine my delight when the internet discovered another zone. Zone 2. If you have spent any amount of time in the health and wellness world lately, you have probably heard about Zone 2 cardio. It is being talked about like exercise physiologists recently discovered a secret metabolic portal that has been hiding between walking the dog and running a 5K. We didn’t. Zone 2 training has been around forever. We just gave something humans have been doing for a very long time a number, attached it to a smartwatch and made it sound considerably more complicated. Technically, Zone 2 is generally considered lower intensity aerobic exercise performed just below your first lactate or ventilatory threshold. In normal human language, you are working. Your heart rate is elevated. Your breathing has picked up. But you can sustain the effort for quite a while without questioning every decision that led you to this moment. Depending on your fitness level, that could be a brisk walk, an easy jog, cycling, swimming, rowing, hiking or using an elliptical. The activity itself does not determine whether you are in Zone 2. The intensity does. One person's brisk walk might put them squarely in Zone 2 while another person could walk at that same pace and barely leave Zone 1. And this is where those old “fat burning zone” charts caused so much confusion. At lower and moderate exercise intensities, a greater percentage of the energy your body is using can come from fat. As intensity increases, your body begins relying more heavily on carbohydrates because they can provide energy quickly enough to keep

up with the increased demand. Somehow, “a greater percentage of your energy is coming from fat” turned into “this is the zone where you burn body fat.” Those are not the same thing. You are still using JENNIFER energy at higher intensiHARVEY ties. You are still burning calories. You are still ...is a Marathonusing a combination of based ACSMfuels. And spending your certified perentire workout staring sonal trainer and precision nutrition at the heart rate on the coach who owns treadmill because you are and operates terrified that going three Highly Motivated beats higher will switch Functionally off your fat burning abiliCaffeinated LLC. ties is completely unnecessary. Your metabolism does not operate like a light switch. Now, before anyone thinks I am coming for Zone 2, I actually love Zone 2 training. I just hate what we have done to it. Zone 2 is sustainable. It allows you to accumulate a meaningful amount of aerobic exercise without beating the absolute hell out of your body. Regular aerobic training improves cardiorespiratory fitness and produces adaptations within the cardiovascular system and skeletal muscle, including those famous little cellular power plants everyone suddenly cares deeply about, your mitochondria. It is especially useful if you have spent years believing cardio only counts when you are drenched in sweat, gasping for air and contemplating whether someone should call your emergency contact. You do not have to destroy yourself for exercise to work. But you also don't have to spend the rest of your life in Zone 2. In fact, one of the interesting things about the research surrounding the recent Zone 2 obsession is

that scientists are pushing back on the idea that this particular intensity is somehow the best or only way to improve mitochondrial function, fat oxidation or cardiometabolic health. Higher intensity exercise creates valuable adaptations too. Your body doesn't have one magical zone. It has an incredible ability to adapt to the different things you ask it to do. Some days that might mean a long walk or easy bike ride. Other days it might mean intervals that send your heart rate climbing. Sometimes it means lifting something heavy. Sometimes it means getting off the couch and doing literally anything. Current physical activity guidelines reflect that. Adults can accumulate their aerobic exercise through moderate intensity activity, vigorous activity or a combination of the two, while also strength training at least twice a week. Notice nobody said you must live exclusively in Zone 2. So if you love Zone 2, fantastic. Do Zone 2. Build your aerobic base. Take the long walk. Ride your bike. Get on the elliptical. Enjoy the fact that you can finish a workout without needing to lie on the floor afterward. But occasionally, your heart needs to remember it has Zones 3, 4 and 5. And the next time you climb onto a treadmill and it asks whether you would like Fat Burn, Cardio, Weight Loss, Performance, Hill Climb or whatever other option has been programmed into that tiny judgmental screen, remember that your body is significantly smarter than the buttons in front of you. We didn't discover a secret metabolic zone. We put a sexy name on reasonably challenging aerobic exercise, bought a $500 watch to tell us we were doing it and started talking about mitochondria at dinner parties. Sometimes you really can just hit QUICK START.

UNSPLASH

MARATHON WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 17, 2026

2 3

A MESSAGE OF HOPE

150-pound sea turtle overcomes the odds and returns to the wild on Sept. 11

n Sept. 11, the Florida Keys community celebrated as Hope, a 150-pound adult female loggerhead sea turtle, swam back into her ocean home from Sombrero Beach in Marathon. Local first responders joined the public release. Returning Hope to the wild on 9/11 served as a reminder that healing is possible after devastating loss and that strength can emerge from deep trials. Turtle Hospital general manager Bette Zirkelbach described Hope as “a story of resilience, second chances, and the unbreakable spirit of survival.” Hope was rescued in early June after being found entangled in an anchor line. The line had wrapped tightly around her front flipper, causing critical trauma that required emergency veterinary surgery and amputation to save her life. Following the procedure, Hope faced a difficult road to recovery. She initially refused to eat as she adjusted to her injury. Through specialized care,

fluid treatments and dedicated rehabilitation at the Turtle Hospital, she fought her way back to health, showing an unyielding spirit of survival. “Hope lost her front flipper to the anchor line entanglement. But we have seen successful rehabilitations with turtles. They go out and live their life with three flippers. She's swimming strong. She's able to chase her prey and eat lobster,” Zirkelbach said. Surrounded by cheers, Hope returned to the Atlantic Ocean. The release was dedicated to first responders in gratitude for their daily bravery and for helping the community through its darkest hours and hardest times. “Today on 9/11, we want to honor all those lost on 9/11, but also our first responders,” Zirkelbach said. “We had some local first responders here today, but we are eternally grateful. We will never forget.” Located in Marathon, the Turtle Hospital is the world's first veterinary hospital dedicated solely to the rehabilitation of sea turtles. More information is at turtlehospital.org. — Contributed

1. Turtle Hospital general manager Bette Zirkelbach, left, and a staff member guide Hope, a 150-pound adult female loggerhead sea turtle, into the Atlantic Ocean on Sept. 11 at Sombrero Beach. 2. Turtle Hospital general manager Bette Zirkelbach, center, shares a final moment with Hope as children and other community members gather around to say goodbye. 3. Before Hope’s release, Turtle Hospital staff members, local first responders and community members bow their heads during a moment of silence honoring those lost on Sept. 11, 2001. 4. Hope takes a peek out of her transport tub before returning to the sea. Photos by MARIELA CARE/Florida Keys News Bureau

MARATHON WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 17, 2026

BUCKLE UP, A BABY’S ON BOARD Florida Keys Healthy Start Coalition helps keep infants safe with car seats

From left, Fantasy Fest float builders Valerie Smith, Mina Valdez, Zach Matusicky, Kit Carson Smith and Tim Lorber work on their entry. CAROL TEDESCO/Fantasy Fest

BEHIND THE SPECTACLE

The making of a Fantasy Fest parade ﬂoat The Florida Keys Healthy Start Coalition helps local families acquire and properly install car seats for newborns, infants and toddlers. The nonprofit’s Be a Safety Hero campaign this month seeks donations to help the coalition buy appropriately sized car seats for local families. CONTRIBUTED

n the Florida Keys, the arrival of a new baby can involve unexpected logistical issues. Let’s say a family has prepared for their baby’s arrival and ordered a car seat online. Then the baby arrives early and is ready to leave the hospital — but the car seat is still in transit, and the newborn can’t be sent home without one. Enter the Florida Keys Healthy Start Coalition, which gets the call whenever a new baby needs a safe car seat for their first ride home. Through its Keys to Kids Safety program, the coalition can help make sure the family has an appropriate car seat and knows how to install and use it safely. For another family, the need may come months or years later, when their child has outgrown an infant seat and needs a larger one, but finances are tight. The family contributes what they can — perhaps $40 — toward the new seat, and the coalition helps with the rest, allowing limited household resources to remain available for rent, groceries, utilities, diapers and other necessities. “We never want a parent to have to choose between purchasing the right car seat or safe sleep space for their child and paying their rent, electric bill or buying groceries,” said Arianna Nesbitt, CEO of the Florida Keys Healthy Start Coalition. “Safety shouldn’t depend on a family’s income or whether they can get to a store on the mainland. Our job is not only to help families access the equipment they need, but to give parents

the knowledge and confidence to use it correctly. When we do that, we keep children safer, reduce stress for families and help parents stretch their limited resources.” The coalition’s Keys to Kids Safety program provides child passenger safety education, car seat inspections and installations, access to low-cost car seats, bicycle helmet fittings, safe sleep education and equipment and home safety education. Last fiscal year alone, the coalition properly installed, inspected and provided more than 200 car seats throughout the Florida Keys. But sometimes a family already has all the equipment they need, but lacks the confidence and knowledge to use it properly One first-time family had purchased a car seat and prepared extensively for their baby’s arrival. But when it was time to place their newborn into the seat and drive home, they weren’t confident they were doing it correctly. So they called the coalition. A trained team member met with the family, checked the installation and positioning and taught the parents how to safely secure their newborn. Throughout September, community members and businesses can support the coalition’s Be a Safety Hero campaign by making a financial donation. Scan the QR code or contact the Florida Keys Healthy Start Coalition at 305-293-8424 or info@ keyshealthystart.org. — Contributed

antasy Fest 2026, with its “Musical Icons and Iconic Musicals” theme, kicks off Oct. 16, but for parade float-building groups like the one organized by Mina Valdez, Zach Matusicky, Jessie Matusicky, Kit Carson Smith, Valerie Smith and Tim Lorber, the experience starts weeks and even months earlier. From the first inspiration to the final flourishes, creating a Fantasy Fest parade float is part construction project, part creative collaboration and part wild adventure. Members of their team recently shared insights into their vision and progress: Will you share what you're cooking up for 2026? Yes! We are creating “OzFest Key West: The Emerald Tour.” It's a mash-up. Think “Wizard of Oz” infused with “Blizzard of Ozz.” We lost Ozzy Osbourne this year, so we wanted to honor him as well as throw in some Key West flair. Have you participated in the Fantasy Fest Parade or any other Fantasy Fest events in the past? Pretty much everyone here today has participated in some way. Some of us have helped build floats and/or marched with groups. Mina was Duchess of Fantasy Fest 2025, and Kit owns Angelina’s Pizza on Duval Street, a traditional Fantasy Fest refueling oasis. But we all wanted to do something together, so this year is the first time for us as a group. How many team members do you expect this year? We have 10 people who will be onboard our float and we're expecting about 20 to 40 for our walking crowd. In fact, we are presently recruiting Lollipop Guild Munchkins and flying monkeys. Interested characters can contact Mina at kwfantasyfloat@gmail.com. What did you learn from past parade experiences? Plan. Be organized. Work as a team. Have enough juice in

Sporting bits of a Scarecrow costume from ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ Valerie Smith sets an Ozzy Osbourne-inspired top hat on Kit Carson Smith during a float-building session for the Fantasy Fest parade. CAROL TEDESCO/ Fantasy Fest

the generator. Bring lots of beads and don't get too drunk. Do you have a favorite feature on your float? Valerie: Our tornado is looking pretty sick right now, and it's not even finished. Kit: I like my big-ass chair. Zach: I’m conceptualizing an Emerald City. Jessie: I’m excited to see how in the world we’re going to make it look like I’m floating in a bubble. Mina: And I get to ride on top of a castle this year, so that's going to be great. When did your group start getting ready for the Oct. 24 parade? We had our first meeting one month after Fantasy Fest last year. What kind of music are you playing? Rock and roll. Any budgeting wisdom to share? Do you have a sponsor? We are being sponsored by Kit’s podcast, “Sit With Kit,” so we’re super excited about that. And we’re all contributing to the cost. Do you have any advice for anyone thinking about entering the parade? Just do it. Especially if you're a local, be a part of the parade. You're never going to regret it. The full calendar of events, contests, schedule updates and a mobile app are at fantasyfest.com. — Contributed

MARATHON WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 17, 2026

Keys Kids Health Centers, we made a promise: every Welcome Dr. Zuba! At child who walks through our doors will be seen, heard,

Welcome Dr. Tabassian!

and cared no matter their family's circumstances.

A child's smile is priceless. So is their health. But for too many families, a toothache or a fever brings a quieter fear: what will this cost us? That fear makes parents wait, hope it passes on its own, and sometimes choose between their child's health and the rent or groceries. We've seen it ﬁrsthand, a kindergartner quietly living with a toothache because her parents didn't know where to turn, and couldn't have aﬀorded it if they had. A small cavity left untreated until it became a painful, costly emergency. Never because a parent didn't care. Only because they were afraid of the bill.

Dr. Stanley Zuba has spent nearly thirty years as the pediatrician Keys families trust, caring for children at Florida Keys Pediatric & Adolescent Center in Tavernier since 1997. A Fellow of the American Academy of �ediatrics and board�certiﬁed since 1990, he trained at Cook County Children's Hospital in Chicago and has served as Medical Director of Island Dolphin Care for over 25 years. Dr. Zuba is now joining Keys Kids Health Centers, continuing his commitment to ensuring every child in the Florida Keys has a doctor who knows them.

A Promise of Health Care for Our Kids! So we changed the story. Every child we see is treated at no/low cost to their family, before small problems become painful ones. No forms standing in the way, no bill waiting at the end of the appointment, just a child who gets to keep smiling, and a parent who gets to breathe a little easier.

That's what this promise really protects: not just a child's teeth or health, but their family's peace of mind and future. No family should ever have to choose between their child's health and food on the table. We can't keep this promise alone. It's kept by everyone who believes our kids are worth investing in...every donor, every partner, every person who trusts us with their child's care.

Dr. Lilia Tabassian is excited to join the team at Keys Kids Health Centers, bringing compassionate dental care to children throughout the Florida Keys. A Florida native, she completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Florida and earned her dental degree with honors from the prestigious �arvard School of Dental Medicine, followed by a two-year Advanced Education in �eneral �entistry residency in Nashville, Tennessee. There she developed a passion for public health and for helping young patients feel comfortable and conﬁdent in the dental chair. Dr. Tabassian believes every visit is an opportunity to build trust with a child.

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MARATHON WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 17, 2026

NEVER FORGET Marathon marks 25 years since 9/11 attacks Members of Marathon Fire Rescue Station #14 watch the lowering of the U.S. flag to half-staff.

slightly overcast sky, symbolizing the somber mood of Marathon’s 9/11 remembrance ceremony, quickly turned bright and sunny, matching the messages of hope of a better future that rang from Station #14. Marathon Fire Inspector Mike Card began the ceremony by ordering flags to be flown at half-staff and providing opening remarks, followed by Marathon Fire Rescue Chief Shana Rogers, who spoke of the sacrifices not only of that day in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania, but also of the commitment and dedication to safety and the protection of others by Marathon Fire Rescue. The event also featured Father Oscar Perez of San Pablo Catholic Church offering a prayer of remembrance and three chimes of the bell led by Card, commemorating the attacks of that day 25 years ago. Guest speakers included Marathon City Manager Steve Williams, Marathon Mayor Lynny Del Gaizo, and Monroe County Emergency Management Director Cory Schwisow. In his speech before an estimated 75 people, Williams encapsulated the thoughts of those who have lived through numerous earth-shaking events and tragedies. Watergate. The Challenger disaster. The Gulf War. The global pandemic. While each left a mark on hearts and souls, 9/11 stands out, Williams said. “We are a small town thousands of miles and a quarter-century removed from the greatest tragedy of most of our lives,” Williams said. “I don’t need to explain to everyone my age or above how the world has changed. … It cannot be explained.” “What my generation has to understand is that 9/11 is, to those just born, what Pearl Harbor or Hiroshima was to us. Our job here today is to make sure that history does not fade to black-and-white film.” The city’s new manager talked of lessons learned from the tragedy. “If 9/11 taught us nothing else, it taught us we are and should always be a unified country,” Williams said. “9/11 made the impossible possible.”

Del Gaizo’s speech brought the message of hope home to Marathon. “Here in the city of Marathon, we understand the meaning of community,” the mayor said. “We are a small community, but we have always shown that our strength is not measured by our size. It is measured by how we care for one another. “September 11 reminds us in moments of uncertainty, we have a choice. We can allow fear and division to pull us apart, or we can choose compassion, courage and unity.” Monroe County Emergency Management Director Cory Schwisow, who served in the U.S. Navy for more than 20 years, recalled his time in service and how the events of September 11 shaped his life and the lives of so many others. He noted the similarities between his service during that time and the “call to action” accepted by so many since then. “It means answering the call, even when you don’t know what lies ahead,” Schwisow said. “Because the men and women of our fire departments, law enforcement, EMS and public safety understand the same calling. “They run to the fight, never away from it.” Schwisow reiterated Williams’ call to action. “(Remembrance) requires us to tell this story to the generations who are not yet born or too young to remember,” he said. “It requires us to remember what happened afterward: strangers helping strangers; fire responders (running) toward the danger; military members (standing) ready to defend their country. And for a moment, despite everything that divides us, we stood united.” Members of the Marathon American Legion Post 154 Color Guard presented the colors and offered a 21-gun salute while taps was performed in honor of those lost. As Doug Morgan performed “Amazing Grace” on bagpipes, guests slowly left the ceremony, many wiping away tears. — Contributed

YVONNE MORRISON Castaway Restaurant JEN ALEXANDER www.keysweekly.com

o matter how many individuals appear in the pages of each edition of Keys Weekly, there are always so many more of our community members who deserve to be recognized. In an effort to shine a spotlight on more of the incredible individuals who live and work in these islands, Keys Weekly is proud to present our Neighbor of the Week feature, dedicated to celebrating a community member with each issue. Our neighbor of the week is Yvonne Morrison, who brings a versatile, hands-on background in residential construction, remodeling, property maintenance, estimating and job-site supervision. More recently, she dove into the local restaurant industry, and currently works at Castaway Restaurant. Residing with her beloved pit bull, Luna, Yvonne fully embraces the resourceful, unconventional lifestyle of the Keys and remains deeply proud to call the region home.

How long have you been in the Keys and what brought you here? I got here in 2017, three months before Irma. I wanted to be a scuba instructor. I left and then came back a few times now. What is your favorite thing about living in the Keys? I love that it never snows, the beautiful weather in the winter and the ocean. I love waking up to its beauty. If there was one chore/regular task you could have taken away from you forever, what would it be? Dishes and laundry. Definitely laundry. Putting it away sucks. Oil changes too. What was in the last Temu delivery that arrived at your door? A sports body cam and AI glasses. The body cam was a really cool find for 10 bucks. What is your favorite Keys meal? I would say golden tile fish “Oscar style,” which is blackened with hollandaise sauce. What is something totally ridiculous that a customer has asked you? Is that the Seven Mile Bridge? (referring to the bridge in the back of Castaway). Another one: Is that a walrus? (referring to the manatees in the water). What is the most challenging project you’ve ever worked on? I would say my solar for my RV. Mounting four large panels was especially challenging. I wanted them to be able to move and tilt them and use them for shade. Definitely challenging with all the wiring. If you’re having a rough day, what’s the best way to cheer you up? My dog, Luna. We go to the park or on a walk. She keeps me entertained. What app on your phone do you rely on? Definitely ChatGPT. The whole time I thought it was a girl I was talking to, but when I turned on the speech feature it ended up being a man! I love him now! What’s your favorite smell? What’s your most hated smell? Favorite: lavender. Hated: my dog’s farts! If you were a salad, what type of dressing would you be and why? Hot bacon. Need I say more? What’s a talent you don’t put on your résumé because it sounds fake? I’m a pretty excellent painter. I was actually featured on TV once! Know someone who would be a good “Neighbor of the Week?” Email keysweeklyjen@gmail.com.

MARATHON WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 17, 2026

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MARATHON WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 17, 2026

BRIEFLY

MARATHON PUTS 100 HOUSING UNITS ON HOLD, GIVES BOAT RAMP PARKING A TRIAL RUN another 50 units in a neighborhood,” Matlock said, asking whether the city could impose an extended timeline for distribution or restrict the number of units awarded to any single build. “If a developer requests them, it’s very hard to tell them no if we have them in the pool. … Let’s discuss terms first and make sure we’re all happy before we take on 100 units.” Shea told the council the city has current applications for a total of seven affordable duplexes and a single triplex on file. Returning to the podium for public comment, Smith urged the council to accept the units and distribute them to multibedroom projects, but cautioned against awarding them to existing buildings. “Any new units we get need to be new units,” he said. “We shouldn’t be attaching these to 50- and 60-yearold properties … existing substandard below-flood one-bedroom units … in order to allow developers to profiteer and move them.” He referenced Key Colony Beach as a potential model for satisfying on-site management requirements, suggesting the city could offer a management training program for duplex owners. Real estate agent and city housing coordinator Josh Mothner also encouraged the council to accept the units, but said awarding them all to new builds may be impossible in an island with little vacant space left. “We’re running out of space in town, and I know there’s a desire to do things as single-family units. It's going to be very difficult to do that,” he said. “I do agree that you need to take a look at what’s going to happen on the back side, whether it’s going to benefit somebody. But the fact that it might benefit somebody doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a bad idea.” He added that Marathon has reached a “pivotal point,” in which rents for affordable housing units, calculated based on a percentage of Marathon’s area median income are beginning to exceed market rents throughout the city – negating the basic premise of the affordable program. The council will take up further discussion of the units at its Oct. 13 meeting. For a full meeting recording, scan the QR code.

stopped, fell down and began yelling. He ignored commands to stop and back up multiple times. Bruno then began to tense up and pull away as the sheriff’s office attempted to place him in custody. He was medically cleared at Fishermen’s Hospital and taken to jail.

Anthony Thomas Valiulis. MCSO/Contributed

Former Castaway manager arrested for $23K theft A 29-year-old Janesville, Wisconsin man who formerly worked at a Marathon restaurant was arrested on Sept. 9 for allegedly stealing more than $20,000 from the business. Anthony Thomas Valiulis was charged with grand theft and fraud. A sheriff’s office investigation showed Valiulis falsified financial records while working as an office manager/bookkeeper throughout 2024 and 2025 at Castaway Waterfront Restaurant & Sushi Bar to hide the theft of nightly bank deposits in which he allegedly pocketed a total of $23,228. Warrants were obtained for his arrest and Valiulis was booked into jail. County proclaims September as library card signup month The Monroe County Board of County Commissioners proclaimed September 2026 as library card signup month, recognizing the important role public libraries play in education, opportunity, lifelong learning and preserving the history of the Florida Keys. The Keys are home to South Florida’s oldest public library, with roots dating back to 1892. Libraries provide access to books, technology, early literacy programs, digital resources, jobseeking tools, educational opportunities and other services. The Monroe County Public Library also operates the Florida Keys History Center, which preserves documents and photographs that tell the story of the Keys for future generations. County residents who do not already have a library card are encouraged to sign up at their local branch this month. More information is at keyslibraries.org.

Jessica Melissa Borysiewicz. MCSO/Contributed

Drug sale suspect found in Nebraska A 46-year-old woman wanted for fentanyl and cocaine sales in Marathon was booked into jail on Sept. 13 after being extradited from Nebraska. Jessica Melissa Borysiewicz faces charges including trafficking fentanyl, cocaine possession and sales, fleeing and eluding, battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest among other violations. Sheriff’s office special operations detectives began investigating Borysiewicz in January 2025 for drug sales. She was arrested in June 2025 on drug-related charges, bonded out of jail and reportedly began selling drugs again. Detectives continued their investigation and obtained new warrants for her arrest. The sheriff’s office attempted to arrest her again during a traffic stop on Ramrod Key in February 2026, but she fled and struck a deputy with her vehicle in the process. The deputy did not sustain life-threatening injuries. Borysiewicz eventually ran off, avoiding arrest at that time. Additional warrants were obtained for her arrest stemming from that pursuit. Borysiewicz was arrested by authorities in Scottsbluff County, Nebraska last month. She was extradited to Monroe County and booked into jail here on Sept. 13. Marathon man arrested after e-bike chase An intoxicated 47-year-old Marathon man riding an e-bike who allegedly refused to stop for the sheriff’s office was arrested on Sept. 11 for DUI and threatening to kill an arresting deputy. Scott Matthew Bruno was charged with resisting arrest. The sheriff’s office attempted to stop Bruno for having no rear light on his e-bike and traveling south in the northbound lanes of U.S. 1. He turned onto 20th Street, where he reportedly failed to stop for a traffic stop. He eventually

City of Marathon to host community picnic The city of Marathon will host an “After the Bell” community picnic on Sunday, Sept. 27 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Oceanfront Park tiki. The evening will include free hot dogs, chips and drinks, a cash bar, kids’ games, music and school supply distributions. The event is co-sponsored by the city and Marathon Masonic Lodge 323. Crane Point to host children’s concert series Crane Point will host the Children’s Tour and Concert Series, partnering with classic guitarist Mateo to offer children ages 5 to 11 an opportunity to learn respect for their surroundings while enjoying music designed just for them. This series combines fun and education in nature, featuring a variety of interactive games and hands-on activities. The concert explores the connection between music and nature with songs like "Hummingbird" and "Sunset.” The concert includes duet performances by Mateo's students and a hands-on experience in which children will be able to strum a classical guitar. Mateo has performed 100 children's concerts as an artist-in-residence for Monroe County. The first concert will be held on Oct. 19 at 4 p.m. in the Crane Point amphitheater, with 14 additional dates to be announced. The series is free to attend. Come take a class at the Marathon library The Marathon library has a wide variety of class offerings, ranging from photography to book clubs, robots, virtual reality and more. Scan the QR code here to see the schedule and get involved.

MARATHON WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 17, 2026

THE BEST HAVE BEEN CHOSEN

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MARATHON WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 17, 2026

A burrowing owl seen recently at Fort Zachary Taylor in Key West. MARK HEDDEN/Keys Weekly

don’t believe there are many people on the planet who don’t know what an owl is, and who haven’t known what an owl is since almost before they could speak. Owls are some of the most iconic creatures on the planet, up there with cats, dogs, MARK elephants, horses, whales, tigers HEDDEN and the Keebler elves. You can’t really confuse an ... is a photograowl with anything else. There pher, writer, and semi-professional are two families of owls in their birdwatcher. He order – the Tytonidae, with has lived in Key about 20 living species, and the West for more Strigidae, with about 230 living than 25 years and species. And despite their many may no longer be employable in and varied forms, all would the real world. He be recognizable to nearly any is also executive cognizant human being as owls, director of the Florida Keys Audu- except possibly the Blakiston’s fish owl which, in some bon Society. postures, could be confused with a muppet. It’s the big eyes they all have, the small bills, the flat faces, the vertical postures, the hydrant-like shapes, the cool demeanors. The word owl is deeply ingrained into the human psyche and our understanding of the world, so much so that I don’t think I’ve ever even bothered to wonder where the word “owl” came from, the same way I’ve never wondered where the word “the” came from. Turns out it comes from the Angle-Saxon “ule,” which comes from the Latin “ululo,” which is said to be onomatopoetic. Which I don’t buy. Everyone knows owls say “who” unless they want to show off their education, in which case they say “whom.” When it comes to the burrowing owl, a sometimes denizen of the Florida Keys, their name makes sense, if you can get past the onomatopoeia thing, as they nest in burrows in the ground. It’s a strategy that worked somewhat well for them, at least in heavily developed South Florida, as they survived for a long time in such human-scaped habitats as the Sombrero Key Golf Course. Their numbers decreased with the malls and the highways and the suburbs, but they had strong roots in certain niche habitats. At least until the burrowinvading iguanas came along. The burrowing owl’s Latin name is Athene cunicularia. Athene because the Greek goddess Athena considered owls sacred, and cunicularia, which essentially means miner, because of the whole living in burrows thing. I was thinking about owls, and specifically burrowing owls, because Ellen Westbrook had texted me some photos of one she saw at Fort Zach last Saturday. I went over later that day and walked the same trails, keeping my eyes low, because burrowing owls tend toward the terrestrial. I almost tripped over 30 or so iguanas (actual count), but didn’t see an owl. It would be churlish to feel too hard done by the lack of an owl at Fort Zach. I’ve been lucky enough to see several burrowing owls before, even there. I remember one sighting where I was walking along, in no way thinking about owls, in the field known as the Back 40, when I startled one and it startled me. We stared at each other

DIGGING BURROWING OWLS

for a while. When I took a step toward it the bird angrily stomped his feet on the ground, stomped so cartoonishly that I was laughing when I took a step backward. Still, a man can be wistful about missing out on seeing another owl. Because how many owls are enough owls? Then on Sunday, Ben Edmonds posted a video of a burrowing owl in what looked like the same place Ellen had seen one. I asked if it was at Fort Zach and if he took it on Saturday. He said yes about Fort Zach, but that he’d seen the owl that morning. So I went back. Burrowing owls are kind of the meerkats of the owl world. In their colonies they tend to stand around in the dirt in small clusters, all staring in the same direction, just wantonly inviting anthropomorphism, awe and ahhs. So I had my eyes down again, scanning the grass and the path ahead for the owl, but also trying to make sure I didn’t trip on a root or an iguana tail. Which is why I was caught off guard by the thing that nearly hit me in the head. At first I thought it was a chuck-wills-widow that was going to do a slow zig zag until it found another hiding spot that it liked. But the bird flew fast and direct and landed in a tree at eye level. The burrowing owl. My first thought was that it had been long enough since I’d seen one that I’d forgotten how small they were. This one stood about nine inches. I also forgot how fast they could move their head. This one stared at me for a moment, then checked left, then checked right, then looked 180 degrees behind him, then repeated the cycle at almost random intervals. At one point I’m pretty sure he winked at me,

It occurred to me that BB-8, the round-headed robot from the latter Star Wars movies, might have been modeled on a round-headed bird like a burrowing owl. I took a few steps back and watched for a bit, wondering where the bird might have come from. Burrowing owls seem to have been extirpated from their former strongholds in Marathon, though there is the occasional sighting. They’ve always been rare and considered migrants in the Lower Keys. Burrowing owls range from southern Alberta in Canada almost down to Tierra del Fuego in South America. There are thought to be between 15 and 25 subspecies. There is a Floridian subspecies and a Bahamian subspecies, though some consider them to be the same subspecies, or to use a science-y term, consubspecific. There is also a Cuban subspecies, though they are considered uncommon to rare on the island. There is also the long-shot chance the bird was of the North American subspecies via Texas, or even the Mexican subspecies. In 1935, a group containing an Audubon warden and an ornithologist caught sight of one on Sugarloaf Key and were stumped by the same question, so they did what bird people of the times did. They shot it, then sent the specimen up to another ornithologist in Georgia, who came to the conclusion that the bird was a member of the Florida subspecies. I took enough photos of the Fort Zach bird that I may eventually be able to figure out where it came from. But in the moment all there was to do was wait and watch a little while, and be glad the shotgun era of ornithology is over. And maybe hope the owl winked again.

MARATHON WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 17, 2026

THE CURIOUS CASE OF THE KEY LEMON W hen it comes to buying bags of birdseed, peanuts are a common ingredient. Blue jays love them. Squirrels do, too. While I am not sure what blue jays do when they fly away with peanuts, I have observed some squirrel behavior. FLORIDA Squirrels like to bury them. KEYS Sometimes, when those peanuts HISTORY are buried in the right place, WITH they sprout before the squirBRAD rel remembers where it had BERTELLI stashed them. A green shoot breaks through the surface, rises Brad is a local historian, author, and does the best it can to build speaker and a little plant. Sometimes, the Honorary Conch dimpled brown case holding the who loves sharing nut sticks out of the ground, too, the history of the making it easy to identify the Florida Keys. sprout as a peanut plant. When a squirrel stashed one in a terra cotta planter in the backyard, I watered it. It grew and grew and yielded a small crop of 25 peanuts that looked just like peanuts – some held a single nut and some two. I did plant one or two of the peanuts and harvested one smaller, additional crop. I have planted other, more traditional Keys crops, too. Two years ago, I planted two pineapple crowns. I cut both from pineapples purchased at the Tavernier Winn-Dixie, where I have shopped for more than 25 years. After all this time, these are the first two to have ever taken off. The first pineapple was harvested on July 4, and though small, it was sweet and delicious. The point about the peanut and pineapple is that each produced what was expected: a peanut and a pineapple. In contrast, a tree growing out in the yard has a similar origin but an altogether different story to tell. We moved into our Plantation Key home in 2012. It is a small two-bedroom house with a single bathroom and a front porch that used to be screened in. After moving in, we occasionally found Key limes on the porch. Sometimes it was two or three, and sometimes there would be a small brown paper bag filled with the little yellow fruits. We were anonymously treated to a relatively steady supply of Key limes; it was an amazing welcome to the neighborhood. At first, we didn’t know who was delivering them. “The Key lime fairy stopped by,” we would say to each other. They are brilliant to cook with and lovely when squeezed into a tumbler of rum. Twice, pies were attempted. It didn’t take long to meet the neighbors with the tree. Now, we share most Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners with them. Their Key lime tree had been a prolific producer for more than two decades and, years ago, when it started to decline, I planted some seeds. I walked over to their yard, picked up a handful of ripe limes that had fallen to

BRAD BERTELLI/Contributed

the ground, and brought them home – of course, I had permission. I used two of the limes to make salsa and squeezed them over a bowl of freshly diced tomato, onion and jalapeno. The seeds were collected in the palm of my hand. Nine or 10 of those seeds were planted in small pots filled with soil; that was seven or eight years ago. Not all of them sprouted. Two have grown into trees. One grows in our yard and the other in the neighbor’s yard across the street. They are wildly different trees. The tree growing in their yard is stunted and still not even knee-high. It fruited several years ago; though the limes were small, they were the right color – yellow on the outside and that sublime shade of yellowish green on the inside. The other tree is in our yard; in many regards, it is everything that one is not. After years in various pots, we put the Key lime tree in the ground and it blossomed. Two summers later, the tree is nearly 6 feet tall and is full of branches and leaves. Back in March, it erupted in little white-petaled lime flowers. There were hundreds of the little blooms; their scent permeated that corner of the yard as bees stuck their noses into every bud they could. Some of the flowers’ stamens fattened into tiny green fruits. Some died and fell off. Six months later, nearly 20 limes were weighing down some of the tree’s limbs. They grew into ping-pong-ball-sized fruits, deep green at first, then yellowing beautifully as they ripened.

A few limes have fallen to the ground, have been picked up, and sliced open on the wooden cutting board. The revelation was peculiar, and if I didn’t know exactly where the seed came from that grew into this tree, I’d be skeptical if it were indeed a Key lime. The first curious development that makes me question its Key limeness is that the tree growing in the front yard from the seed of a bona fide Key lime is thornless. The trees on the other side of the street, both the one that dropped the fruit from which these seeds were taken, and the other surviving tree growing from the seeds I planted, had long, sharp thorns growing out of the branches. The second curious development is the fruit. After waiting for years for the tree to bear fruit, what has fallen off the tree is atypical. The fruit’s smell, taste, and color are off. While they look like Key limes on the outside, they lack those distinctive lime hallmarks. When you scratch the skin with a fingernail, they give off a less-than-lime scent. When sliced open, the pulpy flesh inside isn’t that slightly green Key lime color, but lemon yellow. The “limes” smell and taste like lemon, too, and what appears to be the case is that the Key lime tree grown from the seed of a Key lime is producing Key lemons. I’ve shared the fruit with multiple neighbors, and the same report comes back: lemons. It will be interesting to see what happens when I plant some new seeds and see what comes to fruition.

MARATHON WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 17, 2026

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THE WAY OUT IS THROUGH This is a week of deep, powerful, challenging feelings. CHRIS There is an underworldly McNULTY quality to our relationships is an astrologer, this week, as though we are wanderer, barbreaking beneath the surface tender and advocate for queer and getting to the heart of the matter with loved ones. justice. He is a loquacious Gemini The truth is not always easy with a cozy Cancer to swallow, but it can be the rising. Find him at catharsis we need. Venus, the hearthandheraldplanet of beauty and relaastrology.com tionship, is forming a 90-degree square to Pluto, the planet of power and the hidden layer of reality. There is an uncomfortable coming together of beauty and truth, love and power, relationships and the taboo. What has been burbling beneath the surface that needs to erupt this week? How can you express your existential angst in creative and beautiful ways? How can hard truths make the heart grow fonder? Love and power can come together in many different ways, and you get to choose how you show up when they do. Healing is the main theme of another transit taking place this week. Chiron, the minor planet that represents the wounded healer archetype, is retrograding back into Aries, where it will remain until April 2027. This dip will be its final hurrah in Aries. This week, we will become aware of some unfinished business when it comes to our own healing. All in all, don’t shy away from the hard stuff this week. Here are your horoscopes for Venus square Pluto and retrograde Chiron’s ingress into Aries. Read for your rising and sun signs. VIRGO Aug. 23 - Sept. 22 You are putting in the hard work to change the structure of your life, Virgo. You are altering your routines to change course, and that is valiant. You may find that the familiar people and places that you love are not vibing with the life you are trying to create. Just observe now, and see who will make the cut in your new world. Repair connections with those you would want in your zombie apocalypse camp. LIBRA Sept. 23 - Oct. 22 You are powerfully creative right now, Libra. You are at the beginning of a long creative project that will radically transform your life. How will you allow your personal values to change as you give birth to yourself as an artist writ large? How will you sustain yourself and maintain your joy? Sharing vulnerability with an important partner is a good first step.

SCORPIO Oct. 23 - Nov. 21 Home and family have been a source of hardship and transformation lately. However, you now have the chance to really dive deep into a self-love that will get you through any hardship. What parts of yourself can you figuratively burn away and what parts will remain? Your healing comes through committing to habits that serve you, so find a routine that fits the person you want to be. SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22 - Dec. 21 Your familiar world may be feeling a bit uncomfortable lately, as if you’re outgrowing your cocoon. Changing your locale may be on the horizon for you, but for now, notice how your solitude is being affected. It is a great time to be with yourself, practicing self-love in your quiet retreat. Your creative endeavors are your source of personal healing at the moment, so patiently perfect them. CAPRICORN Dec. 22 - Jan. 19 Material needs are fundamental, and when they are not secure they need to be prioritized. Are you finding some instability in finances or basic needs? You have a network of people who love you, and it is times like these that you can really find out who is in your corner. Challenges have a way of shedding light on the real. Love those who show up. Home and family are your healing spring. AQUARIUS Jan. 20 - Feb. 18 “Who am I?” is an existential question that really doesn’t have a final answer because we are all constantly in flux. And yet, you are in a season of change that brings that question front and center. Is your public persona in line with your sense of self? I recommend holding on to the parts of your public self that you love, and experimenting with some change. Your familiar friends and neighbors are safe places for you now. PISCES Feb. 19 - March 20 Your worldview is getting a heavy-duty workout right now, Pisces. With deep, hidden emotional currents stirring when you’re alone, you are being asked to look at how your philosophical beliefs or long-term plans align with your spiritual truth. The pill might be tough but necessary to swallow. Aligning your financial decisions with your core values will help you in the long run.

ARIES March 21 - April 19 You’ve been doing a lot of inner work these past few years, Aries, and you are about to start the finishing touches. How do you stand on your own two feet with pride and self-worth? You know how to answer the question; now you get to figure out how to live it. When it comes to the people in your inner circle, be as picky as you see fit. Not everyone deserves access. TAURUS April 20 - May 20 Being a person in public is not always easy. How can you have an effect while also protecting your peace? Let your relationships be your mirror this week. You might not necessarily like what you see, but you can only have some control over what you know. Make sure you heed the messages from a close ally who wants you to succeed. Alone time is your recharge time. GEMINI May 21 - June 20 Your daily grind is colliding with a massive expansion of your mind, Gemini. You might feel the pinch between your everyday routines, your health and a serious urge to break out of your intellectual bubble. It is an ideal moment to audit your habits and see what is draining your vitality. Leaning on your wider community and trusted networks will provide the exact safety net you need while you recalibrate. CANCER June 21 - July 22 Whether it is romance, creative output or play, you are diving deep into the psychological undercurrents of what brings you joy. Confronting old fears around vulnerability will unlock a massive creative breakthrough. Professionally, old wounds around your public standing or life path may resurface. Take a deep breath, trust your resilience and let your ambition be a healing act. LEO July 23 - Aug. 22 You are navigating a sharp friction point between your private, domestic sanctuary and your one-on-one partnerships. A relationship dynamic might challenge your sense of emotional security or force you to look at power struggles close to home. It’s uncomfortable, but it’s clearing the air. It is time to heal some of your old beliefs so you can see the world anew.

MARATHON WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 17, 2026

NEVER BOUGHT. NEVER SOLD. ALWAYS LOCAL.

CELEBRATING 22 YEARS OF LOCAL MEDIA UPPER KEYS WEEKLY • MARATHON WEEKLY • KEY WEST WEEKLY

MARATHON WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 17, 2026

Founded by Betty Debnam

Male bison, or bulls, weigh up to a ton (2,000 pounds) and may be 6 feet tall. Bison cows, or adult female bison, weigh around 1,100 pounds and are 4 to 5 feet tall. Baby bison are sometimes called “red dogs” because their fur is reddish in color when they’re born. When they’re a few months old, their fur starts to turn dark brown and the typical bison hump begins to grow.

BISON SUBSPECIES There are two subspecies of bison: the plains bison and the wood bison. The wood bison is generally larger.

Photo by U.S. Department of Energy

Have you ever seen real bison? Perhaps you call them buffalo. Most people do. Early settlers called bison “buffalo,” and the name stuck. But North America’s largest land animal is not a member of the Asian or African buffalo family. Bison have bigger heads than buffaloes, and they also have large humps by their shoulders. The Mini Page takes a closer look at bison this week. AMERICAN BISON The American bison is the national mammal of the United States and is a close relative of cattle. There are herds at some national parks and refuges in places like Wyoming, Idaho, Montana and South Dakota. Many Native American reservations and ranches also have herds. Bison can eat tough grasses and can forage, or search, for grass under snow with their large heads. They also eat flowering plants, lichens and woody leaves.

Photo by AditiStargazer

THE GREAT AMERICAN BISON

BISON HERDS Experts say there were about 60 million bison in America when the Europeans first arrived. By the 1880s, the settlers had killed all but about 500. Bison were nearly extinct. However, today there are about 500,000 bison raised as livestock and another 30,000 that live in conservation herds. They are no longer endangered. NATIVE AMERICANS AND BISON Native Americans thought the bison were sacred animals. They hunted the large animals for food, clothing, shelter and fuel. The Plains Native Americans needed the bison to survive. For example, people built tepees and used bison skins to cover the poles. They ate the animals’ meat and used the fat for fuel. NATIONAL BISON DAY In the United States, the first Saturday in November is celebrated as National Bison Day.

OBSERVING BISON The biggest wild free-roaming herd of bison in the world is at Yellowstone National Park. There are almost 5,000 in the Yellowstone herd. About 100 years ago, in the early 1900s, the park had only about 23 of them. People love to view these majestic animals. However, like all wild animals, bison are unpredictable. Although they appear gentle, bison can get upset fast if people get too close. If the animal is moving away from you, watching you carefully or reacting in any way to your presence, you are too close. Bison can run up to 30 mph. A 2,000-pound charging bison is very dangerous. The National Park Service recommends staying at least 100 feet (or two bus lengths) away from them. If you see a bison 100 feet from the road, they suggest observing the bison from the safety of your vehicle. Bison, especially the mothers, are protective of their red dogs, so experts recommend staying at least 100 yards (the length of a football field) away from them.

RESOURCES ON THE WEB • bit.ly/4eHR65u AT THE LIBRARY • “Buddy Bison’s Yellowstone Adventure” by Ilona E. Holland

FIND IT BISON, BROWN, BULL, COW, FORAGE, FUR, GRASS, HERD, LICHENS, MAMMAL, PARKS, PLAINS, POUNDS, PROTECT, RED DOG, REFUGE, SPECIES, TALL, TON, WOOD.

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

O N S K R A P P L E

P O V Q I D R L L E

U W S D N U O P S T O O O T E H L E L F S C O F E A I T I E M E F R I C B T C L D U D N E O O W H B A W S P E G U F E R W F S A M M A M N O F O U B I Z P Q S W K G R A S S V Z K N

T A L L J Q D R Y G

A M P G U B O E K D V L D Q F E L B R D M A G E U G W P F R

ECO NOTE Artificial light from coastal development is disrupting the sleep of coral reef fish, according to a study published in Current Biology. Researchers found that blue-green damselfish exposed to nighttime lighting slept less, became more aggressive, fed at unusual hours and wandered farther from their protective coral shelters. The fish also showed elevated biological markers associated with DNA damage after prolonged exposure. Scientists say roughly 22% of the world’s coastlines and 35% of marine protected areas are already affected by light pollution. Adapted with permission from Earthweek.com

Photo by Matthew Paulson

MINI FACT: Bison are social animals who live in herds. They have dark brown fur, with a beard and longer hair on their heads.

MARATHON WEEKLY / SEPTEMBER 17, 2026

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September 17, 2026

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SEPTEMBER 17, 2026 / KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP/LEGALS & CLASSIFIEDS

THE SCOREBOARD

SEPT. 7 - 12

Team

Sport

Opponent

Date

Result

Coral Shores

Volleyball

Key West

9/9

W, 3-0

Coral Shores

Football

Marco Island Prep

9/10

Canceled

Coral Shores

Volleyball

Silver Palms

9/10

W, 3-1

Marathon

Volleyball

Pinecrest Prep

9/10

L, 3-1

Key West

Football

American Heritage Delray

9/10

L, 26-13

Marathon

Football

Evangelical Christian

9/11

L, 46-14

Marathon

Volleyball

Colonial Christian

9/11

W, 3-0

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Bella

VILLALBA

THIS WEEK IN KEYS SPORTS Date

School

Sport

SEPT. 17 - 24 Opponent

Senior, Coral Shores Volleyball

Start Time

9/18

MHS & KWHS

Cross Country

@ Spanish River

4 p.m.

9/18

Key West

Football

True North

7 p.m.

9/18

Marathon

Football

John Leonard

5 p.m.

9/18

Coral Shores

Football

Glades Day

7 p.m.

9/18

MHS & KWHS

Volleyball

@ FL Gem Tourney TBA

9/19

MHS & KWHS

Volleyball

@ FL Gem Tourney TBA

9/21

Key West

Golf

@ Mater Lakes

1 p.m.

9/22

Coral Shores

Volleyball

@ South Homestead

5:30 p.m.

9/23

All Keys Schools

Golf

@ Ocean Reef

Noon

9/23

Marathon

Volleyball

@ Posnack

4:15 p.m.

9/24

Coral Shores

Volleyball

Key West

5:30 p.m.

9/24

Coral Shores

Swimming

Cutler Bay

4 p.m.

9/24

Marathon

Volleyball

@ Horeb Christian

4 p.m.

9/24

All Keys Schools

Cross Country

@ Marathon

4 p.m.

Bella came out ready to play. She showed determination and heart from start to ﬁnish.” — Sam Ovalle, Hurricane head coach.

4 aces

ON THE COVER

SEPTEMBER 17

The Key West Conchs swim team put on a dominant performance against Westminster Christian on Sept. 12, winning the girls meet 92-78 and the boys side 113-49. JENNIFER SEARCY/Contributed

Coral Shores senior Bella Villalba delivered a pair of solid performances for the Hurricanes last week, contributing on both offense and defense. Against Key West on Sept. 9, Villalba registered two aces and four digs. She followed that performance the next night against Silver Palms with two aces, four kills, an assist, a block and two digs. A senior leader for the Hurricanes, Villalba brings experience, determination and a competitive drive to the court, setting the tone for her teammates with her effort and willingness to contribute wherever she is needed. For her unyielding efforts and team-first attitude, Coral Shores’ Bella Villalba is the Keys Weekly Athlete of the Week.

digs

Photo by NATALIE GOODWIN

tracy mcdonald SPORTS WRITER

fled to the Keys from the frozen mountains of Pennsylvania hours after graduating from college and never looked back. She is a second-generation coach and educator, and has taught in the public school system for over 25 years. She and her husband met at a beginning teacher meeting in 1997 and have three children born and raised in Monroe County. In her free time, McDonald loves flea markets, historical fiction and long runs in the heat.

KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP/LEGALS & CLASSIFIEDS / SEPTEMBER 17, 2026

The Keys Weekly Sports Wrap is proud to be the only locally-owned publication providing prep sports coverage from Key Largo to Key West. Together with our writers and photographers, we are committed to providing a comprehensive overview of the world of Keys sports with photography that allows our readers to immerse themselves in game action.

Publisher / Jason Koler jason@keysweekly.com

Publishing Partner / Britt Myers britt@keysweekly.com

Managing Editor / Alex Rickert alex@keysweekly.com

Copy Editor / Mike Howie mike@keysweekly.com

Business Development

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

Production Manager

Anneke Patterson anneke@keysweekly.com

Executive Administrator Charlotte Hruska char@keysweekly.com

Graphic Design

sean mcdonald grew up in Miami and moved to the Keys in 1997. He has spent the last 25 years teaching physical education and coaching virtually every sport for Florida Keys kids ages 4 to 18. If you are reading this and live or lived in the Florida Keys, he has probably taught, coached, or coached against someone you know.

MARKET EDITORS

Marathon - Alex Rickert alex@keysweekly.com

Javier Reyes javier@keysweekly.com

Web Master / Travis Cready travis@keysweekly.com

Classiﬁeds / Anneke Patterson anneke@keysweekly.com 305.743.0844

Se habla español

Upper Keys - Jim McCarthy jim@keysweekly.com Key West - Mandy Miles mandy@keysweekly.com

9709 Overseas Hwy. Marathon, FL 33050 Oﬃce: 305.743.0844 www.keysweekly.com

SEPTEMBER 17, 2026 / KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP/LEGALS & CLASSIFIEDS

1. The Hurricanes and Conchs demonstrate sportsmanship after their match. 2. Gabriella Pichardo dashes for the ball. 3. Coral Shores celebrates a point against Key West. 4. Coralyn Frimpter (55) sets a wall as Olivia Graham sets the ball for Key West. 5. Key West’s Olivia Revoredo hits the ball over the net as Bella Villalba (6) and Jillian Thiery (2) set up to block. 6. Marathon poses after a straight-set win against Colonial Christian Sept. 11. Photos by Rocky Gonet and contributed images.

Coral Shores defeats Key West, Somerset Silver Palms to remain perfect in 3A District 16

’CANES KEEP ROLLING

he Lady ’Canes volleyball squad blew into the Southernmost City on Sept. 9 and returned home with win No. 12, defeating Key West in straight sets. The Conchs kept the matchup competitive, but Coral Shores prevailed 25-19, 25-20 and 25-17 to secure its second 3A District 16 victory of the season. Coralyn Frimpter led the Hurricanes’ attack with 12 kills and added 10 digs for a double-double. Celene Walker registered nine kills, eight digs, two aces and an assist, while Jillian Thiery contributed four kills and an ace. Abby Leigh directed the offense with 23 assists to go with 11 digs, four aces and three kills. She was perfect from the service line, as was Alex Burson, who finished with 12 digs and three assists. Bella Villalba added two aces and four digs. Though the Conchs could not find the rhythm they displayed at the previous weekend’s tournament, Key West coach Kim Butler credited her players for continuing to battle. “Even though they struggled with their consistency, they did try to fight through it,” Butler said. Miriam McManus did a solid job setting despite difficult passes, while Olivia Graham provided the Conchs with a productive service run. Gabi Pichardo also finished the match with a positive hitting percentage. Coral Shores returned home the following night for another district contest, defeating Somerset Silver Palms 3-1 behind a devastating and balanced offensive attack. Frimpter delivered one of her strongest performances of the season, pounding 19 kills while adding 11 digs, two aces and a block. Walker was equally effective with 17 kills, nine digs and two aces. Together, the two combined for 36 kills. Leigh handed out 34 assists while collecting 11 digs, five kills

and an ace. Burson shored up the back row with 17 digs and added six assists and two aces,Villalba added a pair of aces, four kills, an assist, a block and two digs while Thiery served four aces and contributed two kills. “Our girls took on Somerset Silver Palms and continued to show their fight and determination on the court,” Hurricanes head coach Sam Ovalle said. “I’m proud of the effort they continue to put in and the way they keep working together as a team.” Following the pair of district victories, Coral Shores improved to 13-3 overall and a perfect 3-0 in 3A District 16 play with just under a month remaining in the regular season. Marathon split a pair of matches last week, rebounding from a 3-1 loss to Pinecrest on Sept. 10 with a decisive 3-0 victory over Colonial Christian the following night. Shaina Robinson was the bright spot for the Dolphins against Pinecrest, hammering 20 kills to keep Marathon competitive. She delivered another strong performance against Colonial Christian, registering nine kills and serving six aces to help propel the Fins to the sweep. Marathon also applied plenty of pressure from the service line in the win. Kaya Hughes-Struyf served five aces and Ashley Strama added four. At the net, Bella Childress contributed five kills and a block. “We had a great bounce-back win over Colonial on Friday after not playing our greatest against Pinecrest,” Marathon head coach Kevin Freeman said. “It was good to see how the team reacted after that loss. Hopefully, we can build from there.” Up next, the Conchs and Dolphins travel to Wesley Chapel for the Florida Gem High School Tournament at Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus on Sept. 18 and 19, while Coral Shores stays closer to home for a clash of the ’Canes at Somerset South Homestead.

KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP/LEGALS & CLASSIFIEDS / SEPTEMBER 17, 2026

4 5

1 2

A WEEK OF WHAT-IFS

Penalties and late scores derail comeback bids for Conchs, Fins

ey West traveled to Delray Beach on Sept. 10, where an early deficit and a series of costly penalties ultimately proved too much to overcome in a 26-13 football loss to American Heritage. The Stallions struck for several long pass plays and capitalized on favorable field position to build an 18-0 advantage. A blocked punt presented American Heritage with another short field, allowing the Stallions to begin one possession at the Key West 21-yard line. American Heritage’s quarterback was particularly effective when targeting receivers deep in Conchs territory. “I give that kid credit,” Key West head coach Johnny Hughes said. “He could just put a dot there on the pylon. He was good.” After the difficult start, the Conchs found their footing and began chipping away at the lead. Matthew Oviedo put Key West on the scoreboard with a 4-yard touchdown run, and Chace Gaertner followed with a scoring run of more than 50 yards. The pair of touchdowns pulled Key West within five points, 18-13, by halftime.

Hughes credited his defense with playing well overall, but a handful of untimely mistakes and explosive plays proved costly. The Conchs appeared poised to close the gap further during a promising second-half possession. Key West initially reached the end zone, only to have the touchdown erased by a penalty. The Conchs worked their way back to the Stallions’ 1-yard line, but an offsides call pushed them backward before an additional 15-yard penalty moved them out of the red zone. Key West came away from the possession without points. American Heritage added eight points in the second half to secure the 26-13 victory and deny the Conchs’ comeback attempt. Key West will have little time to recover from Thursday night’s physical contest. A previously postponed matchup with Miami Jackson was rescheduled for Sept. 14, followed by another road game at St. Brendan on Sept. 18. The demanding stretch requires the Conchs to play three games in nine days, with the final two serving as district matchups. “We got out there and practiced Friday and Saturday so we could be ready for Monday,” Hughes said. “It was tough. The

1. Garrett Ruddy (9) and Israel Gonzalez (8) lead Jesus Gonzalez (2) on his run. 2. Mathew Machado outruns an Evangelical Christian defender. 3. Mathew Machado finds open space. 4. Jesus Gonzalez waits for his gap to develop.

SEPTEMBER 17, 2026 / KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP/LEGALS & CLASSIFIEDS WHERE LUXURY LIVES

5. Jesus Gonzalez follows his blockers. 6. Matthew Oviedo, pictured here in an earlier season matchup, got Key West on the scoreboard first last week with a 4-yard touchdown run. SEAN WESTERBAND/Keys Weekly

game was physical, so we were banged up a bit, but we got out there.” Marathon’s annual tribute to the lives lost in the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 led to packed stands and a patriotic display that brought the community together. Miniature American flags — 2,977, one for each life lost a quarter-century ago — lined the stadium. The Dolphins hosted Evangelical Christian of Fort Myers, and the Sentinels quickly put the Dolphins in a difficult position, scoring three times in the opening half and sending Marathon into the break trailing 21-0. Coming into the second half, excited fans saw a display of determination from a Dolphin team unwilling to go quietly. Three consecutive personal fouls against the Sentinels gave Marathon excellent field position, and senior Jesus Gonzalez capitalized with the Dolphins’ first touchdown of the night. The Dolphins defense provided a crucial stop, and sophomore Ben VanderLee kept the momentum on Marathon’s side with an onside-kick recovery. Mathew Machado followed with another Marathon touchdown, putting the Fins suddenly within striking distance of completing the comeback. The Sentinels had other ideas, though, and reclaimed the momentum while adding several late scores to pull away for a 46-14 victory. Despite the loss, the Dolphins found success on the ground, piling up 294 rushing yards on 34 carries for an average of 8.6 yards per attempt. Jesus Gonzalez led the attack with 111 yards on 12 carries. Israel Gonzalez added 60 yards on four attempts, while Machado carried six times for 57 yards. Garrett Ruddy added 25 ground yards, and Aiden Lezcano contributed 31 yards on eight attempts. Jeremy Thiboutot led Marathon defensively with six total tackles. Machado registered four, Jesus Gonzalez added three and Israel Gonzalez delivered one of the defense’s biggest plays with a sack. “We did not play up to our standard Friday night. We made mistakes and didn’t execute consistently enough to win this one,” said Marathon’s head coach, Sean McDonald. “Our players continued to fight and we need to learn from this, improve and get ready for John I. Leonard.” Marathon will have another communitycentered event this week, with the official naming of the Michael H. Puto Stadium, in honor of “Mr. Marathon.” Puto’s lifelong support of the Dolphins will be recognized at halftime of the game, where the Fins host the Lancers of John I. Leonard High School with an early 5 p.m. kickoff. Coral Shores had an unexpected bye week last week after Marco Island Academy opted to stay home. The Manta Rays explained that they did not have enough athletes to complete a game despite a 62-0 win the week prior. The Hurricanes, now rested and hungry for action, face Glades Day at home on Sept. 18 at 7 p.m. Coming soon will be a game both Coral Shores’ head coach Ed Holly and McDonald have circled on their calendars. The Battle of the Keys takes place on Hurricane soil this year and is scheduled for Oct. 2. The ’Canes lead the long-standing series 31-25.

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KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP/LEGALS & CLASSIFIEDS / SEPTEMBER 17, 2026

SEPTEMBER 17, 2026 / KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP/LEGALS & CLASSIFIEDS

SWEEPING SUCCESS

Key West swimmers dominate Westminster Christian

ey West swimmers defended their home waters on Sept. 12, sweeping Westminster Christian in both the boys and girls competitions at the College of the Florida Keys pool. The Lady Conchs won six of the meet’s 11 girls events to defeat Westminster 9278, while the Key West boys combined eight event victories with multiple sweeps of the top three positions to dominate their side, 113-49. Christina Rice led the Key

West girls with victories in both sprint freestyle events. Rice won the 50-yard freestyle in 26.23 seconds before completing the sweep with a 58.05 in the 100 free. Rice, Houze and Korzen joined Molly Martinez to win a pair of relays. The foursome opened the meet with a winning time of 2:13 in the 200 medley relay, then reunited to capture the 200 freestyle relay in 2:02. The Key West boys used depth on their rosters to take control of the meet, sweeping the top three places in four

individual events. Santiago Gonzalez won the 200 freestyle in 2:01 and later led a Conch sweep of the 100 free with a winning time of 54.12 seconds. Hugo Blinckmann placed second in 56.48 seconds, followed by Mason Lark in third at 58.66. Hugo Blinckmann gave Key West another victory in the 50 free, touching the wall in 24.07 seconds. Max Blinckmann finished just behind him in 24.22, and Filip Hrabec completed the sweep in 25.21. Haven Andrade won the 100 butterfly in 1:02.85, fol-

lowed by Andres Aguero in second and Cole Lindley in third. Blake Southgate led another Conch sweep in the 100 backstroke, winning in 1:13.39 ahead of Carson Lindley and Mark Jones. Key West also won all three boys relay events. Southgate, Hrabec, Andrade and Max Blinckmann opened the meet with a 1:57 victory in the 200 medley relay. Hugo and Max Blinckmann then teamed with Hrabec and Gonzalez to win the 200 freestyle relay in 1:38. The Conchs closed the

meet in winning fashion as the Blinckmanns, Lark and Gonzalez completed the 400 freestyle relay in 3:43, more than 15 seconds ahead of Westminster.

Cheered on by their teammates and Key West High School principal Rebecca Palomino, the Conchs tear down the lanes to dispatch Westminster Christian on Sept. 12. JENNIFER SEARCY/Contributed

KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP/LEGALS & CLASSIFIEDS / SEPTEMBER 17, 2026

KING OF THE HILL Wheatley, Burns lead Keys runners with top-ﬁve ﬁnishes at Tropical Park

arathon and Coral Shores traveled to the annual King of the Hill race at Tropical Park in Miami on Sept. 10. Mother Nature did her best to put a damper on the event, but after a round of lightning delays, runners finally toed the line. And while the newly crowned King and Queen did not hail from the Keys, Monroe County had a solid showing with a pair of local athletes placing in the top five. Coral Shores’ Ali Wheatley and Marathon’s Lucian Burns each raced to fourthplace finishes in their respective fields. Wheatley crossed the line in 20:54, while Burns completed the course in 17:14. Burns led the Marathon boys to a seventh-place finish in the 29-team field. Teammate Tony Bursa was next for the Fins, placing 23rd in 18:17. Allan Taylor, Brayden Anderson and Landon Anderson rounded out Marathon’s top five in a race featuring nearly 350 male runners.

Coral Shores finished 12th in the boys team standings. Victor Lopez led the Hurricanes, crossing the line in 19:53 to finish 57th overall. Wyatt Meyers, Will Thies, Tristan Sanchez and Garrett Gomila made up the remainder of Coral Shores’ top five. On the girls side, Wheatley’s fourthplace performance helped Coral Shores to an 11th-place finish among 23 teams. Kate King was the next Hurricane across the line, followed by Aria Booton, Isabelle Jacobs and Tess Hill. Marathon finished 16th in the girls team competition, led by Molly Joly, who turned in a 22-minute race to place 12th overall. Ariella Dworniczak, Rebecca Merryman, June McKnight and Sophia Roberts rounded out the Dolphins’ scoring five. Key West had a break from competition last week, but all three Monroe County programs will kick it back into gear Sept. 18 at South County Regional Park for the Spanish River meet.

Top: Allan Taylor, left, Tony Bursa and Lucian Burns are Marathon’s top runners this season. NATALIE DANKO/Keys Weekly Bottom: Ali Wheatley holds up her fourth place award at the King of the Hill race last week. CONTRIBUTED

SEPTEMBER 17, 2026 / KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP/LEGALS & CLASSIFIEDS

In The Bleachers

Brevity

Adam Dailies

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KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP/LEGALS & CLASSIFIEDS / SEPTEMBER 17, 2026

• CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES • NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE SOLICITATIONS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on October 22, 2026, at 3:00 P.M., the Monroe County Purchasing Office will receive and open sealed responses for the following: Notice of Calling for Bid of Surplus Property, Monroe County, Florida. Pursuant to F.S. § 50.0211(3)(a), all published competitive solicitation notices can be viewed at: www.floridapublicnotices.com, a searchable Statewide repository for all published legal notices. Requirements for submission and the selection criteria may be requested from the County’s electronic bidding platform at https://monroecounty-fl.bonfirehub.com OR www.monroecounty-fl.gov/BonfireBids. The Public Record is available upon request. Monroe County Purchasing Department receives bids via the Bonfire electronic bidding platform. Please do not email, mail or attempt to deliver in person any sealed bids. Emailed/mailed/physically delivered bids/proposals/responses WILL NOT be accepted. The Monroe County Purchasing Department hereby directs that bids be submitted via the Bonfire electronic bidding platform at https://monroecounty-fl.bonfirehub.com, no later than 3:00P.M. on October 22, 2026. There is no cost to the bidder to use the Bonfire platform. Please do not submit your confidential financial information as part of your proposal. There are separate uploads for each set of documents, including confidential financial information. All proposals will be made public on the platform after an intended decision or 30 days, whichever is earlier, unless the bids/proposals are rejected in accordance with F.S. 119.071. If your proposal document includes financial information, that information will not be considered confidential and will be available and viewable to the public in accordance with public records law. The bid opening for this solicitation will be held virtually, via the internet, at 3:00 P.M., on October 22, 2026. You may call in by phone or internet using the following:

305.743.0844

LEGAL NOTICES

FICTITIOUS NAME NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of VERITAS SIGMA ADVISORY located at 902 LA PALMOMA ROAD, KEY LARGO, FL 33037 intends to register said name with the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida. By: AVTM GLOBAL GROUP, LLC Venkatachalam Subramanian, Managing Member Publish: September 17, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers

Petitions must comply with the requirements of Florida Administrative Code, Chapter 28-106 and be filed with (received by) the District Clerk located at District Headquarters, 3301 Gun Club Road, West Palm Beach, FL 33406. Petitions for administrative hearing on the above application must be filed within twenty-one (21) days of publication of this notice or within fourteen (14) days of the District depositing notice of this intent in the mail for those persons to whom the District mails actual notice. Failure to file a petition within this time period shall constitute a waiver of any right(s) such person(s) may have to request an administrative determination (hearing) under Sections 120.569 and 120.57, F.S., concerning the subject permit. Petitions which are not filed in accordance with the above provisions are subject to dismissal. Because the administrative hearing process is designed to formulate final agency action, the filing of a petition means that the District’s final action may be different from the position taken by it in this notice. Persons whose substantial interests will be affected by any such final decision of the District on the application have the right to petition to become a party to the proceedings, in accordance with the requirements set forth above. Publish: September 17, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers

Monroe County, Florida Pursuant to F.S. § 50.0211(3)(a), all published competitive solicitation notices can be viewed at: www.floridapublicnotices. com, a searchable Statewide repository for all published legal notices. Requirements for submission and the selection criteria may be requested from the County’s electronic bidding platform at https://monroecounty-fl.bonfirehub.com OR www.monroecounty-fl.gov/ BonfireBids. The Public Record is available upon request. Monroe County Purchasing Department receives bids via the Bonfire electronic bidding platform. Please do not email, mail or attempt to deliver in person any sealed bids. Emailed/ mailed/physically delivered bids/proposals/responses WILL NOT be accepted. The Monroe County Purchasing Department hereby directs that bids be submitted via the Bonfire electronic bidding platform at https://monroecounty-fl.bonfirehub.com, no later than 3:00 P.M. on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. There is no cost to the bidder to use the Bonfire platform. Please do not submit your confidential financial information as part of your proposal. There are separate uploads for each set of documents, including confidential financial information. All proposals will be made public on the platform after an intended decision or 30 days, whichever is earlier, unless the bids/proposals are rejected in accordance with F.S. 119.071. If your proposal document includes financial information, that information will not be considered confidential and will be available and viewable to the public in accordance with public records law. In the event of a discrepancy between the bid amount on the Proposal Form and the bid amount entered

in Bonfire, the bid amount listed in the “Proposal Form” provided by Monroe County in the RFP is the amount that will be utilized by the County when considering the bid proposal. The County reserves the right to waive any proposal/bid irregularity. The bid opening for this solicitation will be held virtually, via the internet, at 3:00 P.M., on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. You may call in by phone or internet using the following: Join Zoom Meeting https://mcbocc.zoom. us/j/4509326156 Meeting ID: 4509326156 One tap mobile: +16465189805,,4509326156# US (New York) +16699006833,,4509326156# US (San Jose) Dial by your location: +1 646 518 9805 US (New York) +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) Publish: September 17, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers

NOTICE OF FINAL AGENCY ACTION TAKEN BY THE SOUTH FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT Notice is given that Environmental Resource Permit No. 44-116034P, Appl. No. 260203-61260 was issued on August 10, 2026, to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for the construction of a new surface water management system. The project is located at the Johnson Tract on Sugarloaf Key, Monroe County. The application file is available online and can be accessed through the District’s e-Permitting Portal at: https://permitting. sjrwmd.com/nwepermitting/ jsp/Search. do?theAction=PermitNumSearch. If you have any questions or are experiencing difficulty viewing the electronic application, please contact us at (561) 682-2281. A person whose substantial interests are affected by the District permitting decision may petition for an administrative hearing in accordance with Sections 120.569 and 120.57, Florida Statutes, or may choose to pursue mediation as an alternative remedy under Section 120.573, Florida Statutes, and Rules 28-106.111 and 28-106.401-404, Florida Administrative Code.

NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE SOLICITATIONS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at 3:00 P.M., the Monroe County Purchasing Office will receive and open sealed responses for the following: Tourist Development Council Campaign Production and Roll Out

Join Zoom Meeting https://mcbocc.zoom.us/j/4509326156

John D. Verghese, M.D.

Meeting ID: 4509326156

Keys Plastic Surgery & Dermatology 2901 Overseas Highway, Suite # 2 Marathon, Florida 33050

One tap mobile: +16465189805,,4509326156# US (New York) +16699006833,,4509326156# US (San Jose) Dial by your location: +1 646 518 9805 US (New York) +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)

Dr. John D. Verghese will be retiring and closing his practice, Keys Plastic Surgery & Dermatology, located at 2901 Overseas Highway, Suite # 2, Marathon, Florida 33050, effective October 12th, 2026. Please call the office at 305-289-1975 with any questions. Patient’s medical records will remain with Dr. John D. Verghese. Patients who wish to receive their medical records may contact the office at 305-289-1975.

Publish: September 17, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers

Publish: September 10, 17 & 24 and October 1, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers

SUMMONS IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS DISTRICT OF ST. CROIX CASE NUMBER: CV-2025-SX-196 ACTION: DEBT AND FORECLOSURE Association of St. C Condominium Owners Plaintiff vs Joseph Estes, Heather Estes and Vagabond Holdings, LLC Defendant To: Joe Estes Address: 4200 Estate St. John Unit A-201 St C Condominium St. Croix Within the time limited by law (see note below) you are hereby required to appear before this Court and answer to a complaint filed against you in this action. In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment by default will be taken against you as demanded in the complaint. Witness my hand and the seal of this Court this October 9, 2025. Tamara Charles Clerk of the Court By: Kimberly Rolle Tonya C. Saffir, Esq. (Attorney for Plaintiff) NOTE: The defendant, if served personally, is required to file his answer or other defense with the Clerk of the Court, and to serve a copy thereof upon the plaintiff’s attorney within twenty-one (21) days after the service of this summons, excluding the date of the service. The defendant, if served by publication or by personal service outside of the jurisdiction, is required to file his answer or other defense with the Clerk of the Court, and to serve a copy thereof upon the attorney for the plaintiff within thirty (30) days after the completion of the period of publication or personal service outside of the jurisdiction. Publish: September 3, 10, 17 & 24, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers SUMMONS IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS DISTRICT OF ST. CROIX CASE NUMBER: CV-2025-SX-196 ACTION: DEBT AND FORECLOSURE Association of St. C Condominium Owners Plaintiff vs Joseph Estes, Heather Estes and Vagabond Holdings, LLC Defendant To: Vagabond Holdings, LLC Address: 4200 Estate St. John Unit A-201 St C Condominium St. Croix Within the time limited by law (see note below) you are hereby required to appear before this Court and answer to a complaint filed against you in this action. In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment by default will be taken against you as demanded in the complaint. Witness my hand and the seal of this Court this October 9, 2025. Tamara Charles Clerk of the Court By: Kimberly Rolle

SEPTEMBER 17, 2026 / KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP/LEGALS & CLASSIFIEDS

• CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES • 305.743.0844 LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

Tonya C. Saffir, Esq. (Attorney for Plaintiff) NOTE: The defendant, if served personally, is required to file his answer or other defense with the Clerk of the Court, and to serve a copy thereof upon the plaintiff’s attorney within twenty-one (21) days after the service of this summons, excluding the date of the service. The defendant, if served by publication or by personal service outside of the jurisdiction, is required to file his answer or other defense with the Clerk of the Court, and to serve a copy thereof upon the attorney for the plaintiff within thirty (30) days after the completion of the period of publication or personal service outside of the jurisdiction. Publish: September 3, 10, 17 & 24, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers

PROBATE DIVISION CASE NO.: 26-CP-000406-K DIVISION: PROBATE IN RE: ESTATE OF PHILIP TODD GORE, JR. Deceased. NOTICE TO CREDITORS The administration of the Estate of Philip Todd Gore, Jr., deceased, whose date of death was May 15, 2026, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 500 Whitehead Street, Key West, FL 33040. The 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 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 September 17, 2026. Personal Representative: Maryland Reier 5412 Patterson Rd. PO Box 9692 Baldwin, MD 21013 Attorney for Personal Representative: Alexander Gil, Esq. Florida Bar Number: 111507 Alexander Gil, PLLC 2775 Sunny Isles Blvd., Suite 118 North Miami Beach, FL 33160 Telephone: (954) 309-8800 Fax: (954) 676-1099 E-Mail: agil@agilpllc.com

SUMMONS IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS DISTRICT OF ST. CROIX CASE NUMBER: CV-2025-SX-196 ACTION: DEBT AND FORECLOSURE Association of St. C Condominium Owners Plaintiff vs Joseph Estes, Heather Estes and Vagabond Holdings, LLC Defendant To: Heather Estes Address: 4200 Estate St. John Unit A-201 St C Condominium St. Croix Within the time limited by law (see note below) you are hereby required to appear before this Court and answer to a complaint filed against you in this action. In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment by default will be taken against you as demanded in the complaint. Witness my hand and the seal of this Court this October 9, 2025. Tamara Charles Clerk of the Court By: Kimberly Rolle Tonya C. Saffir, Esq. (Attorney for Plaintiff) NOTE: The defendant, if served personally, is required to file his answer or other defense with the Clerk of the Court, and to serve a copy thereof upon the plaintiff’s attorney within twenty-one (21) days after the service of this summons, excluding the date of the service. The defendant, if served by publication or by personal service outside of the jurisdiction, is required to file his answer or other defense with the Clerk of the Court, and to serve a copy thereof upon the attorney for the plaintiff within thirty (30) days after the completion of the period of publication or personal service outside of the jurisdiction. Publish: September 3, 10, 17 & 24, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA

SUDOKU SOLUTION

LEGAL NOTICES Secondary E-Mail: apruitt@ agilpllc.com Publish: September 17 & 24, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.: 26-DR-1043-K JOSEPH COLABELLA, JR., Petitioner, and KYLIE G. HINE, Respondent. NOTICE OF ACTION FOR DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE (NO CHILD OR FINANCIAL SUPPORT) TO: KYLIE B. HINE RESPONDENT’S LAST KNOWN ADDRESS: 7505 SE 28TH STREET, APT. 302, MERCER ISLAND, WA 98040 YOU ARE NOTIFIED that an action for dissolution of marriage has been filed against you and that you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to it on JOSEPH COLABELLA, JR, whose address is 1360 6TH STREET, REAR, KEY WEST, FL 33040 on or before OCTOBER 10, 2026, and file the original with the clerk of this Court at 500 WHITEHEAD STREET, KEY WEST, FL 33040 before service on Petitioner or immediately thereafter. If you fail to do so, a default may be entered against you for the relief demanded in the petition. The action is asking the court to decide how the following real or personal property should be divided: NONE Copies of all court documents in this case, including orders, are available at the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s office. You may review these documents upon request. You must keep the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s office notified of your current address. (You may file Designation of Current Mailing and E-Mail Address, Florida

LEGAL NOTICES

Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.915.) Future papers in this lawsuit will be mailed or e-mailed to the address(es) on record at the clerk’s office. WARNING: Rule 12.285, Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure, requires certain automatic disclosure of documents and information. Failure to comply can result in sanctions, including dismissal or striking of pleadings. Dated: September 10, 2026 Kevin Madok, CPA, Clerk Clerk of the Circuit Court Monroe County, Florida By: Destiny Johnson Deputy Clerk Publish: September 17 & 24 and October 1 & 8, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers

entered against you for the relief demanded in the petition. Copies of all court documents in this case, including orders, are available at the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s office. You may review these documents upon request. You must keep the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s office notified of your current address. (You may file a Notice of Current Address, Florida Family Law Form 12.915.) Future papers in this lawsuit will be mailed to the address on record at the clerk’s office. WARNING: Rule 12.285, Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure, requires certain automatic disclosure of documents and information. Failure to comply can result in sanctions, including dismissal or striking of pleadings. Dated: September 8, 2026 KEVFIN MADOK, CPA, Clerk CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT Monroe County, Florida By: Leslie Turner Deputy Clerk Publish: September 10, 17 & 24 and October 1, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers

been filed against you and that you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to it on ROBERTO LEONARDO DOMINGUEZ SAINZ, whose address is 27962 SNAPPER LANE, SUMMERLAND KEY, FL 33042 on or before SEPTEMBER 25, 2026, and file the original with the clerk of this Court at 500 WHITEHEAD STREET, KEY WEST, FL 33040 before service on Petitioner or immediately thereafter. If you fail to do so, a default may be entered against you for the relief demanded in the petition. The action is asking the court to decide how the following real or personal property should be divided: NONE Copies of all court documents in this case, including orders, are available at the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s office. You may review these documents upon request. You must keep the Clerk of the

Circuit Court’s office notified of your current address. (You may file Designation of Current Mailing and E-Mail Address, Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.915.) Future papers in this lawsuit will be mailed or e-mailed to the address(es) on record at the clerk’s office. WARNING: Rule 12.285, Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure, requires certain automatic disclosure of documents and information. Failure to comply can result in sanctions, including dismissal or striking of pleadings. Dated: August 20, 2026 Kevin Madok, CPA, Clerk Clerk of the Circuit Court Monroe County, Florida By: Sheryl LaTorre Deputy Clerk Publish: August 27 and September 3, 10 & 17, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA FAMILY DIVISION CASE NO.: 2026-DR-000345-M IN RE: THE MARRIAGE OF OMAR FLORES RIVES, Petitioner/Husband, and MABEL ARZUAGA PEREZ, Respondent/Wife. NOTICE OF ACTION TO: Mabel Arzuaga Perez Respondent/Wife 7151 Overseas Hwy, Apt. 301 Marathon, FL 33050 YOU ARE NOTIFIED that an action has been filed against you and that you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to it on the petitioner’s attorney, ADA M. BARRETO, P.A., whose address is 782 N.W. 42ND Avenue, Suite 440, Miami, Florida 33126, on or before October 10, 2026, and file the original with the clerk of this Court at the Family Division, 3117 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050, before service on Petitioner’s attorney or immediately thereafter. If you fail to do so, a default may be

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.: 44-2026-DR-000695A0-01-KW ROBERTO LEONARDO DOMINGUEZ SAINZ, Petitioner, and YANET ANDARCIO RIVERO, Respondent. NOTICE OF ACTION FOR DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE (NO CHILD OR FINANCIAL SUPPORT) TO: YANET ANDARCIO RIVERO RESPONDENT’S LAST KNOWN ADDRESS: 6535 WATERFRONT XING, UNIT 04-210, LAKE WORTH, FL 33467 YOU ARE NOTIFIED that an action for dissolution of marriage has

NOW HIRING IN ISLAMORADA

BOAT RENTAL STAFF

FLEXIBLE HOURS & COMPETITIVE WAGES Need to have experience driving boats and a working knowledge of the Islamorada area by water. Duties include taking reservations, giving captains lessons and routine boat maintenance. Email Matt at eliteboatrentalsmatt@gmail.com. Please include contact information and any relevant experience.

NOW HIRING IN ISLAMORADA

MARINA CASHIER Must have customer service experience working in a retail environment and using a point of sale system. Additional duties include restocking, completing purchase orders, daily ordering of basic items in the store, and maintaining a clean appearance in the store. This is an hourly position and compensation is based on experience. Work hours are flexible and we try to maintain a set weekly schedule. Please respond by email (Matt at islamarinamatt@gmail.com) with any relevant previous experience and at least two references.

The Bourbon Street Pub Complex is now accepnng applicanons for: • Take Out Kitchen - Team Members Experience Required • Security

• Barback

Full and Part-Time Posiions Available

Apply in-person at 724 Duval Street: Pizza Joe’s or New Orleans House Front Desk. English Speaking required with valid idennﬁcanon. Call 305-293-9800 for more informaaon 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: $48.47/hr. - $54.28/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.

WE’RE HIRING

PIZZA MAKERS, PREP & CASHIERS NEW KEY LARGO LOCATION – NOW OPEN: PIZZA MAKERS* PREP & DAYTIME CASHIERS MARATHON: PIZZA MAKERS* *Pizza maker experience is a must. For all positions, applicant must be self-motivated, quick learner and team player. Salary includes 401k match up to 6% and negotiable based on experience. Please call Nicole at 305-433-0515 or email nicole@themoongroupfl.com

KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP/LEGALS & CLASSIFIEDS / SEPTEMBER 17, 2026

• CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES • 305.743.0844 • CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES • 305.743.0844 AUTOS WANTED

EMPLOYMENT

HOUSING FOR RENT

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

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 404-219-3359 and ask for Dave

LONG TERM RENTALS: EFFICIENCY, $1,400/month, 1 Bedroom $1,950/mo, 2 Bedroom $2,200 limited elect. included. Located in Marathon. On the water, gated property. Section 8 possible. First/ Security Call 305-610-8002

The Housing Authority of the City of Key West now hiring the following positions: Full-time Carpenter, Journeyman Electrician, Grounds Caretaker. 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.

PLACE YOUR HOUSING FOR RENT AD HERE! $25/week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-743-0844 or Email Anneke@keysweek ly.com

Marathon Yacht Club is hiring a part-time dishwasher. Private club, evening shifts Tues-Saturday, 4-8 pm. Pay raise negotiable if you can also help with prep work. Must provide photo ID, social security card or passport, and checking account. Email office@marathonyachtclub. com or call 305-743-6739 to schedule an interview. HIRED IN LESS THAN THREE WEEKS!!!

Scooter For Sale - excellent condition, 7,541 miles, all service records, individually owned. $400 OBO. Located in Key West. Call Denny 305-294-5568 SOLD IN LESS THAN 2 WEEKS!!!

AUTOS FOR SALE 2017 CORVETTE STINGRAY for sale. Only 21k miles. Blue in color with removable hard top. $35,0000. Located in Marathon. Call George at 3 0 5 - 7 8 3 - 0 8 8 6 PLACE YOUR AUTO FOR SALE AD HERE! $25/week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305743-0844 or Email Anneke@ k e y s we e k l y. c o m BOAT SLIP/RACK FOR RENT Boat Slip &/or Rack For Rent in Marathon at The Boat House, Vaca Key. Call Tony 561-346-6400 PLACE YOUR BOAT SLIP FOR RENT AD HERE! $25/week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-743-0844 or Email Anneke@keysweek ly.com COMMERCIAL SPACE FOR RENT PRIME COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE ON US 1 available for rent in Marathon. 3,000 SF and 2,000 SF avail. Let's make a deal! Call or text Tony at 860-428-1506 Email: R2tpinc@gmail.com

EMPLOYMENT HIRING: Office Administrator in Marathon. Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), experience with QuickBooks or other accounting software preferred and must have excellent communication skills, both written and verbal. Full time – Mon-Fri. Pay TBD - based on skill. Email: Natalie@cecflk.com Marathon Yacht Club is hiring a Line Cook. 20-30 hours a week at a private club, primarily dinner shifts, Tuesday-Saturday. $24/ hr or negotiable based on experience. Must provide photo ID, social security card, and checking account. Email office@marathonyachtclub. com or call 305-743-6739 to schedule an interview. S.S. Wreck on Grassy Key – looking for management, line cooks, fryers and prep. Salary includes 401k match up to 6% and negotiable based on experience. Please call Nicole at 305-433-0515 Serve/Bartend on the ocean! The Cabana Club, an ocean front private swim club is seeking a customer serviceoriented Server/Bartender. Serve on pool deck, beach and/or bar lounge. Open year round, 9:30am-7pm daily. Full time/Part time. Small friendly staff. Above average hourly wage plus tips. Apply in person at 425 E. Ocean Dr. Key Colony Beach or call 404-2193359 and ask for Dave.

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

HOUSING FOR RENT ANNUAL RENTAL - Key Largo - 3BR/2BA new kitchen, Spacious Doublewide modular on canal w/40’ dock, direct ocean access. Very nice community $3500/month 7 8 6 - 2 5 8 - 3 1 2 7 2BR/2BA Single Family Waterfront Home for rent in Marathon. Fully furnished. 70' dock. $4,500/month includes all utilities, internet & TV. Available for 4 months - Jan - April. 727-278-1105 3 BR/2 BA home for rent in Key Colony Beach. 75' premium dock. $3,800/month + utilities. F/L/S 786-229-0228 Studio Rental in Marathon, long-term, partially furnished, price includes internet, water, electric gas, garbage, pest, and lawn @ $1,800/mo + utilities. Call or text 305-433-0515 RENTED!!!

HOUSING WANTED WANTED TO RENT: Long-term rental at Cobia Point, Marathon. Will pay top dollar. Current Daytona Beach resident. Former Keys resident who wants to return. Call Jan Burch 251-978-6267

MISC. FOR SALE

PLACE YOUR AD HERE! $25/week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-743-0844 or Email Anneke@ k e y s we e k l y. c o m

WANTED TO BUY PRIVATE COLLECTOR WANTS Rolex, Dive Watches and Pilot Watches. Old Model Military Clocks & Watches. Call 3 0 5 - 7 4 3 - 4 5 7 8 TURN YOUR CARDS INTO CASH! Marathon collector buying any and all Pokemon cards & collections. Call 401-256-0645. PLACE YOUR COLLECTIBLES AD HERE! $25/week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-7430844 or Email Anneke@ k e y s we e k l y. c o m

YARD SALES 3 Family Garage Sale: Sat. 9/19 - Sun. 9/20 11am- 5pm. 217 Coral Rd. MM86.8, Ocean off old road. 1936 Colson long frame bicycle w/balloon tires & stand. 50's/60's Harmony baritone ukulele, 50's/60's Harmony arch top tenor guitar, Guitar converted to Cuban tres, Vinyl records, CD's, Art Objects. Stereo Equipment & cabinets, Stereo wire. Leather Couch w/elec. recliners, chairs, ladder, folding tables, folding chairs, lamps. New King sheet sets, King comforter & Shams, towels, Flash lights, old & new glassware, baskets, Americana, new cat things. Wicker Shelf, storage units, towers, office supplies, Lucite flyer racks, new color copy paper $5 ream. & lots more!!! NO EARLY BIRDS! PLACE YOUR YARD SALE AD HERE! $25/week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305743-0844 or Email Anneke@ k e y s we e k l y. c o m

NOW HIRING

Lead Receiver Seeking an experienced Lead Receiver: 2+ years in warehouse receiving and inventory, forklift required. Must be detail-oriented, efficient, and computer literate. Bilingual (Eng/Span) a plus. Competitive pay and benefits. Full-time, non-climate-controlled environment.

Aquarium Encounters is looking for friendly, dependable, and enthusiastic individuals to join our team! Full-time and part-time positions are available. Benefits available for full-time employees. Guest Services • Welcoming guests, providing excellent customer service • Processing admissions and retail transactions • Answering questions about encounters and programs • Assisting with reservations and guest needs • Maintaining clean and organized guest areas • Working cooperatively with other team members Touch Tank Attendants • Answering questions about habitats, encounters and programs • Educating guests about touch-tank animals and proper interaction Level 1 Biologist • Front of house husbandry • Guest interactions which would include educational tours, public feedings and encounters, answering questions about habitats and marine life • Daily husbandry and tank cleaning tasks • Multi tasking • Open Water Cert. or Dive Instructor status is a plus • Affordable employee housing available for full time employees Dive Instructor • Pay: $160 per day • Guaranteed pay, tips plus commission • Affordable employee housing available

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

Call 305-407-3262 or email info@floridakeysaquariumencounters.com 11710 OVERSEAS HWY, MARATHON

D'Asign Source is seeking the following professionals. Overtime and benefits are available. Home Décor Sales Consultant Seeking a 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. Finish Carpenter Experienced finish carpenter needed for high end residential work. Must have own tools and reliable transportation. Attention to detail and dependable work ethic required. Interior and Exterior work. Competitive pay and benefits.

NOW HIRING 81029 CARPENTER/ MASON Maintenance Lower Keys/Bruce Hall, reporting in Key West. Full-time job with benefits, vacation time and holidays.

Apply at keysschools.com or call 305-293-1400 ext. 53458

NOW HIRING 81024 AIR CONDITIONING & REFRIGERATION MECHANIC Upper Keys, reporting in Tavernier. Full-time job with benefits, vacation time and holidays.

Apply at keysschools.com or call 305-293-1400 ext. 53398

NOW HIRING! 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

SUNSET GRILLE NOW HIRING BARTENDERS WAIT STAFF - HOST/HOSTESS BUS PERSONS Apply in person at

SUNSET GRILLE & RAW BAR 7 Knight’s Key Blvd, Marathon

SEPTEMBER 17, 2026 / KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP/LEGALS & CLASSIFIEDS

• CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC && LEGAL NOTICES • • 305.743.0844 • CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC LEGAL NOTICES 305.743.0844 The Guidance/Care Center, Inc. a division of “Uplifting the human spirit since 1973”

THE GUIDANCE/CARE CENTER, Inc.

IS HIRING! JOIN A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE NONPROFIT HELPING PEOPLE COPE AND CHANGE FOR 53 YEARS! We provide Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Treatment Programs to the Florida Keys community while valuing and rewarding our employees.

OPENINGS AVAILABLE

Behavioral Health Counselor (Child, FT) Case Manager (Adult)

KEY WEST

MIAMI CANCER INSTITUTE KEY WEST

Crisis Counselor (PT) *Mental Health Technician (FT)

MARATHON Maintenance Specialist (FT) Driver (CDL NOT required) (FT, PT) Registered Nurse (PT) Behavioral Health Therapist (Adult, PT) *Support Worker (Assisted Living) (FT, PT) *Behavioral Health Technicians (FT, PT) *No experience required for this position. Will train. A caring heart & helpful hands necessary. Background and drug screen req. EEOC/DFWP COMPETITIVE PAY! EXCEPTIONAL BENEFITS!!! Apply at guidancecarecenter.org - Get Involved/ Join our team/Job Opportunities/location/zip

THE GUIDANCE/CARE CENTER, INC. “Uplifting the human spirit since 1973”

IS HIRING for The Heron Assisted Living Facility! Interested in gaining health care experience in a comfortable canal front home? Like giving care & assisting with life skills for 16 residents? Well-rounded team player able to handle a variety of responsibilities? Able to make meals, do paperwork, and hold a clean three yr. driver’s license? Available for PT or FT shifts 8am-4pm, 2pm-10pm Monday-Sunday? If so, you would be a great SUPPORT WORKER! No experience required for this position, we will train. A caring heart and helpful hands are necessary.

We offer flexibility; a minimum 16 hrs. & shift differentials! Background and drug screen req. EEOC/DFWP COMPETITIVE PAY! EXCEPTIONAL BENEFITS!!! Apply at guidancecarecenter.org - Get Involved/ Join our team/Job Opportunities/location/zip

MARATHON GARBAGE SERVICE We are now hiring for the following positions:

Diesel Mechanic Truck Helpers CDL Drivers Applicants must apply in person to be considered. 4290 Overseas Hwy, Marathon

Key West

Full Time Teller Assistant Maintenance Manager

PHYSICIAN PRACTICE OPENINGS

- Medical Assistant, Ortho-Tavernier, $5k Bonus - Patient Access Associate, Multispecialty Marathon, $5k Bonus - Radiology Technologist, Ortho Surgical, Key West, $25k Bonus

KEY LARGO

A Great Place to Bank, is a Great Place to WORK!

- Pool Radiation Therapist

Stock Island

Assistant Branch Operations Manager

Islamorada

Customer Service Representative Assistant Branch Operations Manager

TAVERNIER MARINERS HOSPITAL

- Chaplain, Chaplaincy Spiritual Care, Per Diem - Director of Nursing Services, Intensive Care Unit/Oncology, $20k Bonus - Food Service Worker, Dietary, $5k Bonus - MC Multi-Modality Imaging Tech, MRI, $25k Bonus - Medical Technologist, Per Diem - Multi-Modality Imaging Tech, Echocardiography, Per Diem & FT - Multi-Modality Imaging Tech, (CT & X Ray), $25k Bonus - Multi-Modality Imaging Tech 2, (Echo & Vascular w/Ultrasound Preferred), $25k Bonus - Pharmacy Technician, Mariners Hospital, $7k Bonus - Physical Therapist, Outpatient, $25k Bonus - Pool Group Exercise Instructor, Per Diem - Pool Registered Nurse, Emergency Department, Per Diem - Registered Nurse, ICU, $25k Bonus - Registered Nurse, Surgery, $15k Bonus - Registered Respiratory Therapist 2, $25k Bonus - Supervisor Chef, Dietary

MARATHON FISHERMEN’S COMMUNITY HOSPITAL

- Cook, Dietary, FT - Diet Concierge, Full Time - ED Team Coordinator, PT & FT - Lead First Cook, Dietary, $5k Bonus - MC Multi-Modality Imaging Tech, CT & X Ray, $25k Bonus - MC Multi-Modality Imaging Tech, CT & X Ray, Radiology, $25k Bonus - Manager Food Services, Dietary - Manager Plant Operations, Facility Operations - Medical Assistant, Urology, $5k Bonus - Medical Technologist 2, $20k Bonus - Multi-Modality Imaging Tech 1, (CT & X Ray), Radiology, $25k Bonus - Patient Care/Nursing House Supervisor (MH/FCH), $20k Bonus - Patient Financial Associate, $10k Bonus - Patient Scheduler, Surgery, FT - Pool Physical Therapist, Per Diem - Registered Nurse, Emergency Department, Per Diem - Registered Respiratory Therapist, $25k Bonus - Registered Respiratory Therapist, PT, $12,500 Bonus - Security Officer, FT, 7A-7:30P - Sr Phlebotomist, $10k Bonus All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. *Sign-on bonuses are available only for select full-time positions based on candidate experience.

APPLY AND LEARN MORE careers.baptisthealth.net

Apply Online @ KeysBank.com/Careers

Member FDIC Equal Housing Lender

EOE-M/F/V/D

THE REGAN ROTH TEAM IS HERE TO PROTECT YOU...

YOUR FAMILY, YOUR LIFESTYLE, YOUR HOME!

Family owned and operated since 1958 ADMINISTRATION

Joseph H. Roth III President 28 Years

Lorie Head Office Manager 37 Years

Jennifer Roth Assistant Manager 5 Years

ACCOUNTING

Sara Roth, Agent/ Commercial Lines Assistant Supervisor 3 Years

Maria Bell Receptionist 4 Years

SALES

Linda Griswold Agent/Sales

20 Years

Holly Redding Agent/Sales

24 Years

Aileen Joiner Accounting Manager Automation 20 Years

Sabrina Boozer Accounting <1 Year

COMMERCIAL LINES

Grimi Betancourt Manager/Sales Agent-Marathon

6 Years

Christine Thing Agent/Account Manager 1 Year

Lisa Maguire Supervisor

17 Years

Remorna Pottinger Kyra Gonsalves Ochoa Account Processor 5 Years Account Manager

18 Years

Elizabeth Kubishen Account Processor 5 Years

PERSONAL LINES

Paula Sachs Supervisor

Vianey Diaz Account Manager

Jennifer Paul Account Manager

Kayla Soriano Account Processor

Miriam Garcia Account Processor

Courtney Joiner Account Processor

19 Years

4 Years

23 Years

3 Years

2 Years

< 1 Year

Home, wind and flood. All lines of commercial/business insurance. Boats, autos, golf carts and recreational vehicles

REST ASSURED, WE ARE ALWAYS HERE TO HELP YOU WEATHER ANY STORM! 305.852.3234 90144 Overseas Hwy. Tavernier

305.743.3414 8065 Overseas Hwy. Marathon