Private Tropical Oasis
This residence is more than just a home; it's a lifestyle defined by serenity, elegance, and the natural beauty of Islamorada. From the moment you pass through the palm-lined gated front entrance, you will notice the manicured tropical beauty of this community as you make your way to the classic architectural gem that will captivate you. Vibrant hues, large sitting porches, and timeless craftsmanship create a warm, inviting ambiance. Inside, open living spaces are bathed in natural light, blending seamlessly with the lush surroundings visible through every window. Step outside and find yourself in your very own tropical sanctuary. Towering palms, old growth trees, vibrant bougainvillea, and lush greenery surround the property, offering privacy and tranquility. Relax by the pool, host unforgettable gatherings on the expansive patio, or simply unwind as the breeze carries the scent of salt air. Nestled within a private club community, this home offers access to a range of world-class amenities, including a marina, sunset point, beach, and community pool. Plus, the vibrant culture and stunning waters of Islamorada are yours to explore from the protected marina. Whether you're seeking a permanent residence or a vacation escape, this property provides the perfect balance of seclusion and connection. From sunrise strolls on pristine beaches to evenings under the stars, every moment here feels like a slice of paradise.
89240 Overseas Hwy. Suite 2
Tavernier, FL 33070
Office: 305.363.2957 www.keysweekly.com
Publisher / Jason Koler jason@keysweekly.com
Publishing Partner / Britt Myers britt@keysweekly.com
Editor / Jim McCarthy jim@keysweekly.com
Business Development Jill Miranda Baker jill@keysweekly.com
Staff Writers
Alex Rickert alex@keysweekly.com
Mandy Miles mandy@keysweekly.com
Copy Editor / Mike Howie mike@keysweekly.com
Production Manager Anneke Patterson anneke@keysweekly.com
Executive Administrator Charlotte Hruska char@keysweekly.com
Design / Pre-Press
Diana Striker www.keysweekly.com
Javier Reyes javier@keysweekly.com
Irene de Bruijn irene@keysweekly.com
Web Master / Travis Cready travis@keysweekly.com
Classifieds / Anneke Patterson anneke@keysweekly.com 305.743.0844
Se habla español THE UPPER KEYS 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.
Postmaster
SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO THE KEYS WEEKLY, 9709 OVERSEAS HIGHWAY, MARATHON FL 33050
News Deadline
Monday Noon
Advertising Deadline
Tuesday 2 p.m.
2,541
The 2025 Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers will see some serious travel. The two teams, which appeared in last year’s Stanley Cup, will travel 2,541 miles — the longest distance ever for a Stanley Cup final. This surpassed the previous record of 2,500 miles set in 2011 between the Vancouver Canucks and Boston Bruins.
Key Largo recently honored the late Enos Mitchell as “the man who helped build Key Largo,” and the first person of color to be fire chief in the community
FILE PHOTO
PUBLIX, WORKFORCE HOUSING PROJECT NEARING REALITY IN TAVERNIER
County planning commission approves major conditional use permit
JIM McCARTHY jim@keysweekly.com
AMay 28 meeting of the Monroe County Planning Commission essentially concluded a three-year process for developers to secure several key approvals needed to bring a Publix supermarket and more than 80 units of workforce housing to Tavernier. Some planning commissioners initially froze when it came time to make a motion on a major conditional use permit for the project by Blackstone Group Tavernier 925 LLC and VC Tavernier LLC. Commissioner George Neugent initially moved to approve the request, but a second wasn’t heard from any of his colleagues. A motion to reconsider the request was approved; it was followed with a second by commissioner Ron Demes on Neugent’s motion. A 4-1 vote followed to approve the major conditional use permit.
Commissioner Eric Anderson, who represents the Upper Keys, was the lone “no” vote.
With the continuance came requests by the planning commission for a better buffer between the back of the grocery store and a nearby apartment, identified as dwelling unit E. Bart Smith, lawyer for the developers, said they’re planning a 12-foot hedge between the structures.
conditions as part of the major conditional use approval.
Members of
A major conditional use permit was requested by the developers to construct a 49,340-square-foot supermarket and liquor store, 86 units of workforce housing and 350 square feet of office space for AH Monroe on property located at MM 92.5, oceanside, in Tavernier. The matter was originally scheduled for a special April 14 meeting in Key Largo, but commissioners decided to continue it to the May 28 meeting in Marathon.
Commissioners also sought more green space and playground equipment for families and individuals expected to be occupying the units, which range from three-bedroom/twobathroom to one-bedroom/one-bathroom. There were also architectural changes to apartments A1 and A2 and improved pedestrian sidewalks, as requested by the planning commission.
Devin Tolpin, the county’s senior director of planning and environmental resources, told planning commissioners the developer’s application for the major conditional use permit was “consistent and compliant with the applicable standards.” She said her staff recommended adding bike racks in front of the residential structures; it was included in a list of more than 20
Another condition outlines income categories for the 86 workforce housing units for occupants who derive 70% of their income from employment in Monroe County. Forty-nine units are deemed moderate income, while 37 are classified low income. Developers will need to prioritize the workforce apartments ahead of the Publix supermarket. At least 43 of the 86 housing units must receive a temporary certificate of occupancy — giving residents the ability to move in — before receiving a certificate of occupancy for the supermarket and liquor store.
In order to obtain a certificate of occupancy for the proposed project, developers must also coordinate with and get approval from the Florida Department of Transportation regarding the driveway location and alignments, as well as turning radius for trucks and potential affects to the FDOT right-ofway.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
A former concrete production facility will be turned into a Publix supermarket, liquor store and 86 units of workforce housing, following several key approvals granted by the county commission and planning commission. FILE PHOTO
ISLAMORADA COUNCIL FILLS COMMITTEE VACANCIES
Appointments come at an important time for the village
JIM McCARTHY jim@keysweekly.com
Various Islamorada advisory committee seats, which sat vacant for several months, were recently filled by village council members.
One of the more important groups within the village, the Local Planning Agency, has four returning members and three newcomers. The terms for Cheryl Culberson, James Rhyne and Lorie LaLonde don’t expire until May 2026, while Tony Hammon termed out but received a supermajority vote from council to return to the LPA. Newcomers to the group include Corie McGraw-Abel, Greg Dully and Roger Young.
Established in 2003, the LPA hears, reviews and provides recommendations to the council on proposed amendments to the village land development regulations, comprehensive plan and changes to the official zoning map. The new group convenes as the village undergoes a comprehensive plan revamp through the Miami firm Able City East.
On May 3, the new LPA gathered at the Founders Park Community Center for their first meeting together. With the appointment of a chair and vice chair also came review and discussion over a program for transfer of development rights (TDRs). The village’s comprehensive plan regulates TDRs from one parcel to another location. Recently, the council tasked staff to look at types of transfers. Per a memo, there have been requests for the transfer of existing building rights to offsite locations where there has been ongoing debate regarding classes of habitat.
As for the village’s Land Acquisition Committee, Dully, the chairman, Kelly Cox, Frank Derfler and Tammie Gurgilio all return to their seats. Other members include Michelle Robinson, Matt Turk, Alan Cockerham, Howie Arnold, Carolyn Ambler and Karyn Allman. The committee is tasked with issuing reports and recommendations to the council concerning the identification and prioritization of land purchases.
A Workforce/Housing Advisory Committee saw a major overhaul after seeing six vacancies, in addition to two members wishing not to be reappointed. Dully returns as well as Paige Presnell, the chair. New to the committee are Joe Babino, Dean Eakin, Scott Goss, Eddie Price, Anna Reckwerdt, Jennifer Roth, Whitney Trentine and Lee Young. The committee researches, analyzes and discusses ideas regarding the inventory and identification of existing workforce housing and affordable housing, while identifying incentives to protect a needed housing supply for the local workforce.
Council members also appointed Babino and Jason Richards as new members to the Near Shore Water Regulation Committee. Hank Pinder and Roger Young were added as new members to the Historical Preservation Commission.
KEYS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE MOVES TO FOUR-DAY WORKWEEKS
Florida Keys Electric Cooperative is now open four days a week.
The nonprofit, memberowned utility service for the Upper and Middle Keys changed its business hours to operate Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. effective June 2. And that means FKEC will be closed on Fridays.
FKEC says it is committed to delivering reliable, safe and affordable electric service to the Upper and Middle Keys — while continuing to provide personalized, hometown service.
Outside of FKEC business hours, emergency operators are available 24/7 at 305-852-2431, and online services are always open. FKEC’s dispatch center and line crews also remain prepared to respond to power outages or any service emergency around the clock.
Concerns or questions about coordinating an inspection, connect/disconnect or other requests can be made by contacting FKEC at 305-852-2431 or member.service@ fkec.com.
The utility asks community contractors and other business
partners to note updates related to FKEC engineering services:
• Engineering hours: All inspections, utility coordination and related requests should be scheduled from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
• Requests outside of standard hours: When possible, FKEC will continue to support emergency needs and requests for inspections or utility work outside of regular office hours. Overtime call-out fees will apply to cover additional staffing and operational costs on Fridays, weekends or holidays.
• Inspection coordination notice: Coordinate all inspection requests at least 24 hours in advance. FKEC may be unable to accommodate requests with less than 24 hours notice, and expedited service charges may apply if fulfilled.
• Plan review timeline: There are no changes to the plan review schedule. The standard turnaround of 10 to 15 business days remains in effect.
More information is at fkec. com/services/new-construction, 305-852-2431 or engineering@ fkec.com.
— Keys Weekly staff report
Freepik
Dearest Friends,
After 28 years of having the honor to serve the Upper and Middle Keys communities, I share bittersweet news that I have sold my practice, Florida Keys Pediatrics & Adolescent Center, to an outstanding Pediatrician Manuel Gomez, M.D., effective on Tuesday, June 3, 2025. Dr Gomez has been working at our office for some time now and is excited to continue our legacy of providing quality pediatric care to our communities' families.
I first came to the Keys in 1997, recruited by then-CEO of Mariners Hospital’s Bob Luse, joining the original Baptist Medical Group. My first office was barely 900 square feet, coincidently located next to renowned OB/GYN specialist Dr. Spencer Kellogg, which lasted for about one year, then we moved to an office at MM 103 (now a bait and tackle shop), where I remained until the opening of the Tassell Medical Arts Building at the beginning of 2002, where the office is today in Suite 209. My life partner, and now husband Eric Anderson, and I took over ownership of the practice in 2004, not knowing the first thing about the business end of practice management! Eric devoted himself into learning all about medical billing and coding, successfully mastered these, continuing for nearly 20 years.
While I have cared for close to 20,000 individual kids and adolescents over the years, those early months in the Keys fostered an immediate love of the Keys community and helped us forge many longtime friendships with so many who soon became like family. Advertising my presence here was crucial to helping get the practice off the ground. To that end, then marketing and public relations manager at Mariners Hospital, Jill Miranda Baker, helped develop the tagline still in use today…Kids Love Dr. Zuba! Initially I was a bit uncomfortable with this, but as time went by I could see it was truly God's gift to me. Kids did seem to love me and I in turn loved them and their families back. Many of these families have now become close friends to Eric and I too!
While on the medical staff of the hospital, I had the honor to serve in leadership roles on the medical staff including being elected Chief of Medicine, Vice Chairperson of the Medical Executive Committee and ultimately I was elected Chief of Mariners Medical Staff, where I served with so many great colleagues over the years.
I also was approved for a faculty position at the University of Miami School of Medicine as an Assistant Professor of Clinical Family Medicine, which afforded me the opportunity to help teach second and third year medical students as they rotated through my office.
In addition to Eric, so many people deserve thanks and recognition for helping to care for our Keys kids by working in the practice: Deanna Norling, Marcia Boswell, Connie Kloesel, Stephanie Kloesel Handte, Stephanie Townsend, Regla “Ray” Vidal, Sandi Fitzgerald, Melanie Dennis, Suellen Freil, as well as fellow pediatricians Armando Mendoza, M.D., Metee Comkornruecha, M.D., and I am especially indebted to Dr. John Weare, M.D., who was my trusted partner and friend for almost eight years. I apologize if I have left anyone out; please know it was not intentional.
A special thank you to the unsung hero in our office, and at Mariners Hospital for that matter, Ms. Kim Sue, our beloved office caretaker who made sure the office was kept clean and was ready to see our kids. When things were tough her daily lunchtime visits, her beautiful smile, and her dedication to her profession and to me helped bring a smile to my face and help get me through the day. Thank you Ms. Kim! I will miss you.
I am also truly grateful and honored for being named Best Medical Professional for three years running (2022-24) in the Keys Weekly Best of Upper Keys People’s Choice Awards.
As I enter the next phase of my life, I can’t help but reflect on how blessed I have been to live in such an idyllic environment for nearly three decades, serving thousands of children from birth to adulthood, including the offspring of so many of my early patients. Living here has provided the ultimate experience of understanding how a small community can actually be just a huge extended family in which we are all there for each other despite our differences in the best and worst of times. Thank you all for allowing Eric and I to be part of such an amazing community.
Eric and I remain living on Plantation Key, where we continue to serve our community and our church family at Coral Isles Church. I will continue serving on the Mosquito Control District Board of Commissioners as the district four representative and also as the current vice chair. Eric will continue on the board for Art in Public Places and as an appointed commissioner on the Monroe County Land Planning Commission. We will continue to travel to parts unknown, meet new people, learn about other cultures, work for equality for all, and try our best to bring comfort and joy to those around us.
“Don't cry because it is over, smile because it happened." - Dr. Seuss
All my love and thanks,
Traffic, quality of living highlighted
During last month’s meeting, residents expressed concerns over traffic in the area and fears of more accidents near the development. Miles Moss, a traffic and safety engineer out of Miami, told planning commissioners about potential traffic safety issues at the site. He was brought in by the Tavernier Community Association, which from the beginning has stated its opposition to the project’s commercial aspect, the Publix and liquor store.
Overall, the location has serious traffic safety issues that other supermarkets in the Keys don’t have, Miles said.
“It will create hazardous conditions resulting in traffic accidents occurring unless a traffic signal light is installed at the site,” he said.
Issues were also raised as to how trucks traveling south on U.S. 1 would reach the entryway, located on the northbound side of the highway. There are also issues over pedestrian and bicyclist safety near the only entrance and exit into the grocery store and apartment complex.
Since the project’s inception, attorney Andy Tobin has taken to the podium during many meetings to address a variety of issues, on behalf of the Tavernier Community Association.
Speaking to planning commissioners on May 28, Tobin again urged them to reduce the grocery store size from 49,000 to 32,000 square feet. By reducing the size, Tobin acknowledged, there’d be a size reduction in the store’s parking lot and more space for residents to live decently in the apartments. Tobin noted that the Publix in Islamorada went from 50,000 to 32,000 square feet.
“If you get Publix to come here and say why can’t you do business … this is the most successful corporation in the state of Florida,” Tobin said. “They make millions and millions of dollars every day. Why can’t they have a 32,000-square-foot building?
“This project is going through. We all know that,” he continued. “We spent over two years going through the process. At the end of the day, what are we left with? We’re left with a horrible place to live. I thought about getting a psychologist to come here and give their expert opinion on how horrible it will be to live there. And I don’t think that’s the legacy you (planning commissioners) want.”
Smith, the developer’s attorney, disagreed with the statements.
“The idea that a newly-constructed apartment that has decent size and decent living conditions is not a good place is patently wrong,” Smith said.
“The fact of the matter is there is a ton of green space. You have access to a grocery store right next door,” Smith continued. “You have sound-proof windows, sound-proof buildings, new construction standards above base flood. This is what everyone’s hoping for so they don’t have to commute from Miami to the Keys.”
Commissioners’ viewpoints vary
Commissioner Rosemary Thomas said she lives around the corner from the Publix in Marathon and hears the trucks beeping at 5 o’clock in the morning. Despite not being “a fan” of the project, Thomas acknowledged the planning commissioner must “go with the law as it exists.”
“And all issues have been met,” she said. “We are in a very difficult position at this time … kind of the doors have been opened and I’m not so sure we can go back.”
Neugent spoke highly of Publix’s work following a hurricane to get back online and stock the shelves for those coming back from an evacuation. He also blamed Tallahassee’s preemption on vacation rentals for factoring into the Florida Keys workforce housing issue.
“If you want to point a finger at some of the things that are going on over the last five, six, seven,10 years, for me, it’s been the preemption of management from county and municipalities to control vacation rentals,” he said. “A lot of housing that was residential either got sold or turned into a vacation rental or a second home.”
Anderson, the lone dissenter, noted that nonresidential structures in Tavernier and larger than 10,000 square feet aren’t surrounded by residential neighborhoods.
“Putting this in a neighborhood with that size of a Publix, I can’t see doing that to the neighborhood. That’s a first as far as I can tell,” Anderson said.
While Demes appreciated the quality of housing being built, he still had concerns with traffic.
Approval marks end to yearslong process
The planning commission’s approval on May 28 was one of the last in a list of items the developers needed to turn a defunct concrete production plant
formerly owned by CEMEX into a grocery store, liquor store and workforce housing units. What started in 2022 as a proposed 64,000-square-foot Publix eventually became something smaller at the request of county commissioners, who heard from many residents who believed the size was way too large for the quiet and quaint Tavernier community. There were also issues among residents and county staff members whether the project was in conflict with the Tavernier Liveable CommuniKeys Master plan, which guides development in a manner that’s consistent with community goals. Under the plan’s community character element, goal three outlines a prohibition on designating new commercial land use districts in order to protect the viability of the U.S. 1 corridor area. It’s something Richard Barreto, current president of the Tavernier Community Association, highlighted during an Aug. 23, 2022 community meeting.
By Feb. 15, 2024, county commissioners voted 4-1 to approve a Tavernier Key Commercial Overlay District, which would allow the developer to build a nonresidential structure beyond the 10,000-squarefoot limit. The commission’s approval came despite county staff recommending denial of the overlay due to its inconsistency with Tavernier’s guide for development, the Liveable CommuniKeys Plan. The county’s planning commission voted 3-2 recommending county commissioners deny the request. By September 2024, developers received approval to reserve 86 of the available 300 units of early evacuation workforce housing units without having to give an equal number of affordable housing units allocations to the county’s administrative relief pool. Last month, the county commission approved a development agreement for the project, while the planning commission said “yes” to a variance relaxing a county regulation of 400 feet in separation between curb cuts on U.S. 1.
Other issues at play
A county-approved Tavernier Key Commercial Overlay District was transmitted to FloridaCommerce for review and final determination. After initially denying the ordinance in a May 16, 2024 final order, FloridaCommerce reversed course on June 26, 2024 by giving its approval.
There was also the reported clearing of mangroves last January after neighbors at MM 92.5 heard sounds of chainsaws and heavy machinery operating on the property. Smith told Keys Weekly by email on Jan. 24 that the property owners leased the front portion of the property to the contractor Michels Pipeline, which is installing new transmission main for the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority. Having successfully installed new lines on Upper Matecumbe and Windley Keys, the contractors are preparing to replace several miles of aged line on Plantation Key as soon as next month.
The contractors entered the site and removed invasive exotics as part of clearing the area to be utilized. Inadvertently, a small portion of disturbed wetlands adjacent to the invasive exotics were affected. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection was contacted regarding the incident. Since the incident, Keys Weekly asked DEP several times what the agency was doing to address the issue. No response was received from DEP.
A rendition of the Publix grocery store in Tavernier. CONTRIBUTED
Islamorada Village of Islands Meeting Schedule June 2025
Unless otherwise noted, meetings are held at the Founders Park Community Center, 87000 Overseas Hwy., Islamorada
Sam
monroetaxcollector.com 305.295.5000
• Property tax bills for the first installment of 2025 were mailed out and are due by June 30. If the first installment is not paid by July 31, then you will be removed from the plan.
• Delinquent tangible taxes for 2024 must be paid by June 30 or a tax warrant will become e ective on July 1.
• Local business tax renewals will be mailed out at the end of June for the 2026 business cycle.
• Specialty license plates and pre-sale vouchers are available for purchase directly through our website.
• As a reminder, online rental platforms (Airbnb, VRBO, etc.) DO NOT remit the 5% tourist development tax to our o ce. It is the homeowner’s responsibility to ensure the tax has been remitted.
• A property that is being rented out for six months or less must have a tourist development tax account.
• All rental properties must also have a local business tax, regardless of how long they are being rented.
LOCAL BUSINESSES ADVERTISE WITH LOCAL FACES
Established in 1950, Sunset Cove Beach Resort o ers a ordable accommodations in a premier location with three acres on the edge of the Florida Bay. Accommodation o erings include waterfront suites, co ages and standard motel rooms, as well as a selection of recreational vehicles (RVs) and campers. Select accommodations allow pets.
The unique property o ers a beach and fishing pier as well as a grand tiki hut, charcoal BBQs, lush gardens, dockage for small boats, and free use of kayaks and stand up paddleboards. Amazing sunset views can be experienced nightly. The beach resort is within walking distance to many restaurants/bars, shops, community events and water adventure activities.
99360 Overseas Hwy., Key Largo 305.451.0705 | SunsetCoverBeachResort.com
LEGENDARY KEY LARGO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & FLORIDA KEYS VISITOR CENTER 305-451-1414 • 1-800-822-1088 events@keylargochamber.org 106000 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, FL 33037 WWW.KEYLARGOCHAMBER.ORG
Dental health providers are concerned, noting its past success
mandy@keysweekly.com
As of July 1, Florida will ban what has been considered one of the greatest public health successes of the 20th century — adding fluoride to drinking water.
On May 15, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law the Florida Farm Bill, which, among other things, removed fluoride from the state’s list of approved water additives.
In signing the law, DeSantis, who has called water fluoridation “forced medication,” made Florida the second state to ban the process that has been credited with reducing cavities and tooth decay, as fluoride strengthens the protective enamel that surrounds primary and permanent teeth.
The Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority, the island chain’s public water company, announced last month that it would follow state law and stop adding fluoride to Keys drinking water.
“The Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority (FKAA) has used fluoride in its drinking water since the 1940s,” the utility said in a prepared statement, “Like other public water treatment and distribution systems across the United States, fluoridation has been a common practice. … Effective July 1, FKAA will no longer be adding any substance to the public water system which does not meet the definition of a water quality additive, including fluoride.
“Both the legislature and the governor have been very clear on this issue and in adherence to Florida law we will no longer be adding fluoride to our water supply,” said FKAA executive director Greg Veliz.
The Florida Keys Area Health Education Center (AHEC), which operates a mobile pediatric dental van
for uninsured and underinsured kids, weighed in on Florida’s fluoride ban.
“At Keys AHEC, we care deeply about the oral health of the children we serve,” said Michael Cunningham, CEO of Keys AHEC. “Without fluoride in the water, we’re concerned we may see more cavities and dental issues — especially in families with limited access to care. We know there are different views on fluoridation, but we also know it’s helped prevent tooth decay for decades. As this change moves forward, we strongly recommend using fluoride toothpaste every day and keeping up with regular dental checkups. We’ll keep following the research and continue doing everything we can to support healthy smiles in our community.”
Key West dentist Lou Spelios also pointed to the past success of water fluoridation in reducing cavities and tooth decay.
“I’m 65 years old and have been a dentist for 37 years, and I know my parents’ generation and my generation had more cavities than more recent generations,” Spelios said. “I really think the fluoridation did have an impact. I may not be able to equate the fewer cavities entirely to water fluoridation, as they also started adding it to toothpaste, but I certainly don’t think it hurt us.”
The National Institutes of Health studied water fluoridation extensively.
“Over the past 60 years, research studies conducted in several countries were remarkably consistent in demonstrating substantial reductions in (tooth decay and cavity) prevalence as a result of water fluoridation,” states a 2018 NIH study that reviewed dozens of studies showing fluoridation led to a 40% to 60%
reduction in tooth decay and cavities in both children’s and adult teeth.
In recent years, though, opponents of fluoridation have cited studies showing that fluoride in high amounts can have adverse health effects. Such concerns led public water facilities to reduce and limit the amount of fluoride that was added to drinking water. Excessive fluoride can harm teeth, discoloring them and making them fragile, while fluoride toxicity can lead to gastrointestinal problems. It occurs
rarely in very young children who accidentally consume fluoride-enriched toothpastes and mouthwash, which are not intended to be swallowed. Like the governor, many of the same opponents of fluoridation also claim it is a form of forced medication and should be an individual choice.
As of July 1, those who have supported water fluoridation urge Florida residents and visitors to ensure they are using fluoride-enriched toothpaste to protect their teeth.
The state of Florida has banned fluoride from being added to public drinking water as of July 1. The Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority, which has added fluoride to Keys drinking water to reduce tooth decay and cavities since the 1940s, will comply with the ban. CONTRIBUTED
MANDY MILES
KEY WEST STABBING SUSPECT ARRESTED
Police say man attacked ex-girlfriend & her coworker, 8 months after prior arrest
MANDY MILES
mandy@keysweekly.com
Eight months ago, Kentrell Freeman was arrested for bringing a baseball bat to his ex-girlfriend’s office and threatening to kill her, despite a domestic violence protective order barring him from the woman’s workplace. A coworker was able to lock the office door before Freeman entered with the bat, court documents state.
On May 28, police say, Freeman returned to the woman’s workplace, this time with a knife. He stabbed his exgirlfriend in the abdomen, and when the same coworker — Joe Clements — again intervened to protect her, Freeman stabbed him twice in the back, according to Key West police reports.
Contributed
The protective order keeping Freeman away from the victim had expired on March 21, according to court records.
The stabbing occurred at the offices of Gary the Carpenter Construction, 800 Simonton St., shortly after 3 p.m. on May 28, police reports state. The female victim, Alexandra Nicole Albury, 36, who shares a son with Freeman, is the company’s office manager, and Clements, 65, handles its computer system.
Witnesses in a neighboring business told police they saw Freeman walking up Petronia Street toward the construction company’s office at the corner of Petronia and Simonton streets.
“According to witnesses … an ex-boyfriend of Victim Albury, later identified as Kentrell Freeman (defendant) came into the office and started a verbal altercation with Victim Albury. The argument became physical, and the defendant stabbed Albury in the abdomen with a knife. Victim Clements intervened in the altercation, and he was stabbed twice in the back,” Officer Scott Standerwick wrote in his report.
When Standerwick arrived, he wrote in a report, witnesses were applying pressure to Clements’ wounds and Albury was applying pressure to her abdomen wound. Albury was flown to a Miami hospital for treatment while Clements was treated at Lower Keys Medical Center, then released.
Albury’s sister posted on social media the morning after the stabbing that Nicole was “stable and doing well.” She thanked the community for their concern and support.
Freeman, however, fled after the stabbing, prompting an overnight manhunt that ended with his arrest in a backyard at Poinciana Plaza housing complex off Duck Avenue around 7:30 the next morning, May 29.
He faces charges of attempted second-degree murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, police reports state.
Freeman is still awaiting trial for the September 2024 baseball bat arrest. He faces charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and violation of a protective order in that case, and has a hearing scheduled for June 16 in front of Judge Mark Jones, according to court records.
Following his September 2024 arrest, Freeman reportedly told police that Albury had angered him by deactivating his cell phone service and telling him she was “going to make his life hell.”
Freeman also told police that he had brought the baseball bat to Albury’s office to drop it off for their son, although he admitted knowing that he was prohibited from that property.
MAN SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR SEXUAL BATTERY ON A COWORKER
Guilty plea comes after victim reported 2020 incident last year
A30-year old man will be spending the next several years behind bars following a guilty plea involving a sexual battery on a coworker in 2020.
Monroe County State Attorney Dennis Ward recently announced Yasiel Reyes was sentenced to seven years in a Florida prison without the possibility of early release by Circuit Judge James Morgan on May 14. In addition, he will be designated as a sexual predator as part of the guilty plea for sexual battery, a second-degree felony, for assaulting a coworker in January 2020.
Reyes, while working at a Dairy Queen in Tavernier, assaulted a coworker at his residence while waiting between shifts at the restaurant, prosecutors said. Although the victim did not report the crime at the time, she came forward in July 2024, prompting an investigation by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit.
As part of the investigation, detectives conducted a controlled phone call between the victim and
Reyes, during which he admitted to the assault and acknowledged the victim was not willing to engage in sexual activity. This key evidence, along with corroborating witness testimony, led to Reyes’ arrest and conviction.
“This young woman is nothing short of heroic,” said State Attorney Dennis Ward. “To come forward after years of silence, to relive her trauma and to stand firmly in her truth — it takes extraordinary strength. Her voice led to justice, and I am deeply proud of her. I also want to thank Detective Hradecky, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, and Assistant State Attorney Trey Evans for their outstanding work and commitment to this case.”
Prosecutors say the case serves as a reminder that justice is possible — even when delayed — and that the Monroe County State Attorney’s Office remains committed to standing with survivors, pursuing accountability, and keeping the community safe.
“Survivors of sexual assault deserve to be heard, believed, and protected,” said Chief Assistant State Attorney Joseph Mansfield. “This young woman didn’t just persist — she demonstrated exceptional clarity and courage. Her testimony, combined with the thorough investigation and assistant state attorney Trey Evans’ skilled prosecution, brought a dangerous offender to justice.”
Mansfield added Reyes has been designated a sexual predator under Florida law — a classification reserved for the most serious sex offenders. This designation requires lifetime registration, strict monitoring and community notification.
— Keys Weekly staff report
Yasiel Reyes. MCSO/Contributed
Kentrell Freeman. CONTRIBUTED
Gary Burchfield, left, hails Joe Clements, right, as a hero after he was stabbed while helping protect a coworker from a knifewielding ex-boyfriend. GARY BURCHFIELD/
Ocean Exploration Center June 7-8, 2025
Join us for a weekend of ocean inspiration and community fun!
Dive in and enjoy:
• Hands-on marine science demos & activities
• Interactive tours of the brand-new Center
• Ocean-themed exhibits & games
• Food, drinks, & festive fun
• World Ocean Day celebrations
98380 Overseas Hwy. Key Largo, FL www.REEF.org/oecgrandopening
‘MAN WHO HELPED BUILD KEY LARGO’ GETS RECOGNITION
County dedicates plaque to Enos Mitchell
FRANK DERFLER www.keysweekly.com
Recognized as “the man who helped build Key Largo,” Enos Mitchell’s contributions to the community are now recognized with a plaque in his honor at Friendship Park.
On the morning of May 28, about 50 people gathered to join the Mitchell family as they unveiled the county’s plaque at the park, located on Hibiscus Drive. The 3-acre park features a playground, baseball diamond, two basketball courts, trees and greenspace and shaded structures. The county purchased the land for the park in 1986.
County commissioners authorized the plaque. Holly Raschein, commissioner for District 5, served as master of ceremonies. She was joined by the son of Enos Mitchell, Upper Keys Rotarian Willie Mitchell.
Island Community Church pastor Tony Hammon described how his father-in-law and Enos Mitchell volunteered for the early Key Largo ambulance corps and volunteer fire department as he asked for a blessing on the event. People from the community took turns relating stories about Enos Mitchell, his contributions to the community, and the personal interactions they and members of their families enjoyed with him. Mitchell died in October 2023 at the age of 93.
Willie Mitchell told a story about how his father would load up a van with local children and take them up to Disney World.
“Those kids couldn’t afford it otherwise. But my dad said once they were in there they were on their own. He wasn’t going to babysit,” Willie said.
Key Largo Fire and EMS Fire Commissioner Frank Conklin related that emergency services in Key Largo once consisted of “friends and family jumping on a truck. Enos and his family knew heavy equipment and we often needed heavy equipment.”
In the 1970s, Enos worked with Harry Davis Jr., who became the first Black Key Largo fire chief. Key Largo Fire and EMS was represented at the dedication by a truck and local firefighters. Islamorada Fire Chief Terry Abel and Islamorada Councilwoman Anna Richards also attended.
Known as “Powder Man,” Mitchell used dynamite to help carve out Adams Cut along with many other canals and boat basins. One member of the audience commented, “Enos told me that he and the crew had to sleep on a barge way out in the bay. They came ashore to do the blasting when the sun was up because the mosquitoes weren’t so bad in the sun. The mosquitoes drove them back out on the barge at dusk.”
Mitchell founded and ran Mitchell Septic Tank Corp., which is still in business, although the activity moved more toward grease traps and other items that need cleaning.
David Dehaas, of Dehaas Consulting and Design said, “I did business with Enos for more than 30 years. He was the nicest man and he ran the best company you could ever work with.”
Tom Hill, who was the owner and manager of Key Largo Fisheries, founded in 1972, described Mitchell as “an awesome man and good friend.” Raschein commented, “There is energy around the idea of naming the entire park after Enos.”
Ara Mitchell, Enos’s wife, said he was a “good man, a good father and the best husband.” Ara joined her family to unveil the large plaque secured to a boulder near the entrance to the park. One man noted, “See how that rock was drilled? I bet Enos blasted it.” He referred to the clear furrow in the side of the rock.
Members of the Mitchell family carry the name Enos out to Enos Mitchell IV. He will not be forgotten.
The Mitchell family unveils the county’s plaque honoring Enos. Family members include Ara Mitchell, her grandson Jeffrey Mitchell, and sons Enos Mitchell III, Enos Mitchell IV, Willie Mitchell, Michael Mitchell and cousin Vera McKinley. CONTRIBUTED
Enos Mitchell during his younger years. CONTRIBUTED
The county’s plaque commends Enos Mitchell for his tireless efforts in making our community a better place.
Family members of the-late Enos Mitchell and community members who knew the influential man gather for a ceremony dedicating a plaque in his honor at Friendship Park in Key Largo on May 28. The ceremony was emceed by County Commissioner Holly Raschein.
Protect Your HEALTH
Early Cancer Screening Saves Lives
The Florida Department of Health in Monroe County encourages all residents to get screened early. Talk to your primary care doctor and ask what preventive cancer screenings are recommended for you.
SCREENING RECOMMENDATIONS
Breast Cancer
Annual mammograms start at age 40.
Consider earlier screening if you have a family history of breast cancer.
Colon Cancer
Begin annual stool-based screening at age 45.
Ask about colonoscopy or stool-based tests.
Cervical Cancer
Annual Pap tests start at age 21. Start co-testing (Pap and HPV) every ve years from ages 30–65.
Skin Cancer
Monthly self-exams start in your 20s. Begin annual full-body exams by age 35, or earlier if you are high-risk.
Prostate Cancer
Talk to your doctor at age 50, or 45 if you’re Black or have a family history of prostate cancer.
ZACK WOLTANSKI www.keysweekly.com
raduating seniors celebrated a triumphant sendoff at Coral Shores on May 30, capping off four years of achievement for one of the most academically and athletically successful classes in the school’s recent history.
Alongside proud families, friends and teachers, the Class of ’25 took the stage at Coral Shores’ gymnasium for an evening ceremony that recognized their individual and collective accomplishments.
1: Grads toss their caps. 2: Coral Shores staff cheer on graduates. 3: Coral Shores Principal Laura Lietaert, left, and outgoing Monroe County Schools Superintendent Theresa Axford. 4: Graduate Laila Jones. 5: Salutatorian Rachel Rusch. 6 Valedictorian Corbin Dean. 7: Graduate Sarina Huerta-Isidor.
PHOTOS by DOUG FINGER/Keys Weekly Full gallery at keysweekly.com.
SENIORS SHOWERED WITH SCHOLARSHIPS
Students crossed the stage to receive scholarships and recognitions from nearly 50 benefactors.
LZACK WOLTANSKI
www.keysweekly.com
ocal seniors and community benefactors alike were recognized for their achievements and generosity at Coral Shores’ Senior Night on May 27 inside the Performing Arts Center.
Beginning with a procession of awarded seniors, the evening continued with an awards ceremony recognizing student-won awards and scholarships, and concluded with an announcement of the class valedictorian and salutatorian.
The event saw $3,418,900 worth of scholarships awarded to highachieving students with notable contributions from colleges, Florida’s Bright Futures Scholarship Program and Take Stock in Children of Florida, and about $450,000 being awarded by community donors.
Beyond recognition for academics, students won awards for athletic achievement and community involvement. Kai Guth, a four-year varsity player for the ’Canes tennis team, was recognized as the Female Athlete of the Year, while A.J. Putteti was awarded Male Athlete of the Year for his contributions to football and baseball.
Connor Dixon, who helped launch Coral Shores’ Special Olympics program and became the youngest coach and school director in Special Olympics history was recognized for having earned the first Silver Knight award to be achieved by a Monroe County student. Brian Hurt received honors from Col. Craig Simmons of the United States Air Force, having been accepted by the highly selective Air Force Academy.
Principal Laura Lietaert announced the class valedictorian, Corbin Dean, and the class salutatorian, Rachel Rusch, closing the evening’s showcase of student accomplishment.
Graduate Samuel Segal. DOUG FINGER/Keys Weekly
Diplomas were handed out by Principal Laura Lietaert and Superintendent Teresa Axford. For both Lietaert and Axford, the 2025 graduation was a particularly meaningful occasion. Much like her graduating class, Lietaert joined the Coral Shores community four years ago. The 2025 class, therefore, is the first she’s worked and grown with from freshman year onward.
“All of you have left a lasting impression on me, your peers and your school,” said Lietaert. “I am blessed to be your principal.”
For Axford, who will soon be retiring from the role of superintendent, the ceremony was “especially poignant.”
“I’m proud to end my tenure alongside such an exceptional class,” Axford said.
This year’s senior class holds an exceptionally high average GPA of 3.63, with well over a dozen of its students graduating summa cum laude, or maintaining GPAs above 4.5. Thirteen of its students were nominated for the prestigious Silver Knight awards, which recognize achievements in community service and academics by South Florida students. Senior Connor Dixon was awarded the first Silver Knight for a Monroe County student, for having launched Coral Shores’ Special Olympics program and becoming the youngest coach and school director in Special Olympics history.
Class salutatorians and valedictorians gave rousing speeches to inspire fellow graduates in the next stages of their lives. In her speech, salutatorian Rachel Rusch touched upon the importance of a healthy balance between relationships and academics.
“In the pursuit of higher achievement I often found myself forgetting what was (truly important),” said Rusch. “Don’t let life rush by.”
Corbin Dean, the class valedictorian, spoke on the subjective nature of success and his own experiences with the fear of failure.
“Success is not a one-size-fits-all classification. Success is about what you find fulfilling,” Dean explained.
Axford’s speech, which provided an overview of student achievements, paralleled his comments. “... But the most meaningful achievement is this: you are all graduates. You’ve completed a journey through late nights, early morning obstacles and breakthroughs, and today you walk on this stage, ready to take on the world.”
The awards ceremony also provided special recognition to seniors planning to join the military. Students received scholarships and awards in excess of $415,000 from the generous support of the community, with a total of about $3.4 million in scholarships overall. The night included a moment of silence, and concluded with the ceremonial tossing of graduation caps. GRADUATES CONTINUED FROM
Coral Shores seniors hold envelopes containing scholarship awards
senior night on May 27 at the high school’s Performing Arts Center. CINDY
A graduation cap with a special message.
BRIEFLY
Group schedules session on basics with Juanita’s Orchids
The Florida Keys Orchid Society will host Juanita’s Orchids at the Key Largo Civic Club on Tuesday, June 10 at 6 p.m. Juanita gets her hands dirty with common-sense orchid care. She will offer plants for sale. Raffles and refreshments will be available. Everyone is welcome to attend.
Free
family coral workshops
This summer, Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium invites families to dive into coral conservation with Explore & Restore: Family Coral Workshop, a free, hands-on experience designed to educate and inspire the next generation of ocean stewards.
Families with children ages 5 and up are encouraged to join Mote’s education and citizen science teams for a morning of fun and learning. Attendees will explore Mote’s coral nurseries, see a live demonstration of coral microfragmentation, and create a coral-themed craft to take home. The workshop includes a behind-the-scenes tour highlighting Mote’s coral research and restoration initiatives.
The workshops will take place on Tuesday, June 17 at the Key Largo coral nursery, located at Reefhouse Resort, and June 28 at the Islamorada coral nursery, located at Bud ‘N Mary’s Marina. All participants, adults and children, must preregister at mote.org/events. One adult must accompany every two minors.
Park master plan workshop scheduled
Islamorada residents are encouraged to attend a Founders Park draft master plan workshop on Tuesday, June 24 at 5:30 p.m. at the Founders Park Community Center.
Residents’ voices were heard through a public survey conducted from Dec. 9, 2024, to Feb. 28, 2025. The study aimed to gather community feedback on Founders Park’s recreation facilities, amenities, future planning, communication and more. This survey and subsequent analysis were designed to assist the village in developing a plan for Founders Park that reflects the community’s needs and desires.
The village is hosting a second public workshop as a part of the
planning process to enhance Founders Park. More information is at islamorada.fl.us.
Birding & Wildlife Trail website redone
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission recently launched a newly redesigned Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail website. To explore the new website and plan your next wildlife adventure, visit floridabirdingtrail.com.
The trail is a longstanding FWC program that connects people to over 500 birding and wildlife watching locations statewide. The redesigned website offers an enhanced, streamlined experience for both residents and visitors to explore Florida’s best birding and wildlife watching opportunities.
A major highlight of the new site is the innovative “Find a Site” map, an interactive location finder that lets users easily discover destinations that match their interests by entering place names, addresses, or selecting desired activities and amenities.
Islamorada man accused of robbery
A 22-year-old Islamorada man was arrested on June 1 for allegedly robbing a rideshare driver in the Upper Keys. The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said Payton Roth was charged with robbery with a firearm and theft.
The sheriff’s office was flagged down near the Venetian Shores neighborhood at 1:14 a.m. by a rideshare driver who said he was robbed at gunpoint by a customer. The man said he was dropping off two men at a home on San Remo Drive when one of them pointed a pistol at him and demanded cash. He had no cash, but the primary suspect — later identified as Roth — took his $300 watch.
Roth was quickly found and taken to jail. There were no serious injuries reported.
Two cited for illegal parrotfish
Middle Keys Marine Deputy Willie Guerra was on patrol at about 2:45 p.m. on May 26 at Long Key Bridge when he saw two Homestead men fishing — Charles Jacob Bowers, 31, and Lance Jacob Bollenberg, 37. Both had a dead parrotfish in their possession, which is a protected species. Each man was given a mandatory notice to appear in court.
MUSEUM GUIDED TOURS SET FOR WORLD OCEANS DAY
Explore the largest collection of diving equipment
The History of Diving Museum will celebrate World Oceans Day on Sunday, June 8, with guided tours included with paid admission at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
These tours will highlight the museum’s exhibits, as well as pioneers in the fields of ocean conservation such as William Beebe, known as the “father of marine biology.”
Those in town for Coralpalooza and the opening of REEF’s new Ocean Exploration Center can also the museum’s newly opened “Celebrating 20 Years!” featured exhibit, which delves into what it took
CORRECTION
to build the world’s largest collection of diving equipment on public display, and how diving has evolved over the past two decades.
The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Those interested in participating in the tours should arrive 10 minutes before the planned tour time. Each guided tour through the exhibits takes about an hour.
The museum is located at MM 83 in Islamorada. The museum has 14 core exhibits plus two annual limited-time featured exhibits as well as a museum store. More information is at divingmuseum.org.
— Contributed
Young museum goers explore the ‘Amazing Diving Machines’ exhibit at the History of Diving Museum in Islamorada. HDM/Contributed
Juanita Contreras
A story in the May 29 edition of the Upper Keys Weekly incorrectly stated Monroe County Emergency Management Director Shannon Weiner’s oldest daughter graduated from the University of Tampa in 1991. She graduated from the university in 2021.
SANCTUARY WELCOMES ISLA
Product of exotic pet trade finds new home in the Keys
the fox arrived at Key Largo’s Pawsitive Beginnings last month. The fox didn’t come from a fur farm; rather, she was surrendered to a Minnesota sanctuary from the exotic pet trade. CONTRIBUTED
Hi friends!
Reef the fox here with your weekly “Reef’s Report.” Well, well, well. Would you look at that? You step away from your weekly column for one second — a brief hiatus, if you will — and suddenly there’s a baby in the house.
REEF THE FOX
Reef is a red fox that was saved from a fur farm. He now lives in Key Largo with his human, Nicole Navarro.
Let me catch you up: On May 21, my mom (you know, the one who feeds me, runs the sanctuary, and makes me pose for photos) took a little road trip from Key Largo to Central Florida. Why? Because someone had the audacity to give her a baby fox. A transporter met her halfway, and just like that, Isla arrived.
Now let’s get this part clear: Isla is not from a fur farm like the rest of us. Nope. This kid is the product of the exotic pet trade. Her parents, along with a random assortment of other animals, were surrendered to a sanctuary in Minnesota. And surprise! One of the foxes was pregnant. Six babies later, the sanctuary reached out to my mom asking if she’d give one a forever home.
Of course she said yes. Because have you seen my mom around fox kits? Weak in the knees. Total mush. So here we are. I’ve been forced into
the role of big brother again, and I did not sign up for this. I mean, I didn’t like her at first. She’s loud. She’s tiny. She climbs things she absolutely should not be climbing. But she’s growing on me. Whatever. Don’t quote me on that.
Now, if you think this is just a feel-good fluff piece, think again. This story comes with a side of outrage. Because here’s the deal: wild animals are not pets. Period. I don’t know what brainiac decided it was a good idea to breed foxes, kinkajous, servals, and who-knows-what-else, and sell them to any yahoo with a credit card and a TikTok account, but I’m here to tell you it’s not.
The U.S. exotic pet trade is a $15 billion industry. That includes both the legal and illegal trafficking of wild animals. And trust me, the animals always pay the price. Most people have no idea how to properly care for a fox, let alone provide a safe, enriched environment for one. We’re not dogs. We’re not cats. We’re wild, complex, emotionally intelligent creatures that belong in sanctuaries or in the wild. Not in someone’s basement or backyard.
So while Isla’s story had a lucky ending, most don’t. That’s why I’m using my platform, yes, my platform, to remind you that the exotic pet trade is not just a quirky niche. It’s dangerous, inhumane and needs more regulation. Until next time, I’ll be mentoring this baby and trying to reclaim my title as the main character around here. Reef, over and out!
ELKS LODGE SUPPORTS STUDENT LUNCHES
Keys Elks Lodge 1872 recently presented Key Largo School with a $4,000 check for the student lunch fund. Pictured left is Tiffany Zepeda, assistant principal; Neil Gill, Elks Lodge board member; Darren País, principal; and Hannah Fisher, assistant principal. CONTRIBUTED
SAVE THE DATE
June 6-7
• Coralpalooza 2025, a dedicated coral restoration and conservation effort. Learn more at coralrestoration. org/coralpalooza.
Sunday, June 8
• Guided tours through the History of Diving Museum at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. to celebrate World Oceans Day. Visit divingmuseum.org to learn more.
Monday, June 9
• Mote Marine Laboratory BleachWatch training at 6 p.m. at Florida Keys History & Discovery Center, Islamorada. Register at mote.org/ bleachwatch.
• Historical Preservation Society of the Upper Keys program welcomes guest speaker, fishing captain Skip Bradeen, at 7 p.m. at Coral Isles Church, Plantation Key.
June 10-11
• JOY Center activities from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Monroe County Plantation Key Community Center, 53 High Point Road, Islamorada.
Tuesday, June 10
• Rolling into Robotics with Sphero, a robot that rolls with a lot of personality, from 3 to 5 p.m. at Key Largo library. For ages 8-16.
• Islamorada Village Council meeting at 5:30 p.m. at Founders Park Community Center.
• REEF Fish & Friends monthly lecture series featuring Ned DeLoach, REEF co-founder, for a presentation at 7 p.m. at campus at 98300 Overseas Highway, Key Largo. Free to all.
Wednesday, June 11
• Free legal help to low-income residents of Monroe County from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Key Largo library. Call 866-686-2760 or preregister at legalservicesmiami.org.
• Chess club from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Key Largo library. For ages 6-11.
• Friends of John Pennekamp State Park hosts Friends Night Out from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Islamorada Brewery & Distillery. $20 registration fee for painting. Register at the Friends website or via the Facebook page.
Thursday, June 12
• Music, Movement and Learning with Patty Shukla at 2 p.m. at Key Largo library.
June 13-14
• Household hazardous-waste collection for Islamorada residents from 9 a.m. to noon at the south entrance to Founders Park, Islamorada.
Friday, June 13
• Birds, beer and bingo at 6 p.m. at Florida Keys Brewing Co. beer garden. Proceeds benefit Florida Keys Wild Bird Rehabilitation Center.
Isla
COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER FOR MEMORIAL DAY CEREMONY
Words are inadequate in describing the love and respect at the Murray Nelson Government Center on Memorial Day. The standing-room-only audience was eager to voice their respect and gratitude to our soldiers killed and missing in action.
Scout Troop 914, under the direction of Debra Swensson, performed spectacularly in their presentation of the colors.
The Florida Keys Community Concert Band performed with precision and delight, receiving standing ovations throughout the ceremony.
Regent Linda Norman and the Daughters of the American Revolution executed their duties meticulously, as they placed a burial flag at the foot of our soldier’s cross. Veterans from across the board came to the podium and shared in a dignified and eloquent manner with the audience their meaning of Memorial Day.
American Legion Post 145’s display at the auditorium entrance was invigorating and inspiring.
The fire and rescue departments, along with all of the first responders assembled at the entrance of our property, while also being present in the auditorium. The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office brought positive energy and support.
The county’s facilities management team, TV/multimedia manager and veteran’s affairs office were flawless, regarding the video preparation and care of the auditorium. The wreaths donated by the Sons and Daughters of Italy and the Key Largo Civic Club lent dignity to our service.
Thank you all for creating such a wonderful event.
John Donnelly, Key Largo
FINDING ‘JOY’ IN MOVEMENT
Trained belly dancer helps launch new class
E.G. MERKEL www.keysweekly.com
Just Older Youth (JOY) Inc. is always looking for new ways to engage with seasoned citizens in the Upper Keys. When instructors come forward to help with teaching classes, the answer is never “No.”
When a belly dance instructor new to the area offers her skills, the answer is, most certainly, “Yes, please!”
Trained by Venezuelan belly dance pioneer Sahar Gamal in 2003, Aziza Daima is teaching JOY members this beautiful art form on Tuesdays from 9 to 9:45 a.m. at the Plantation Key Community Center location and on Zoom. The class recently started, but members are already raving about it.
“I love the belly dance class. The teacher is easy to follow and it is a great workout,” Betsy Rigano said. “I am so glad that it is being offered at JOY. I hope more people come to learn the beautiful art of belly dancing.”
“Aziza is a graceful, patient and excellent teacher who has pursued this art for many years beginning in her native Venezuela,” said Jill Zima-Borski. “She led us in nonstop movements, where we aimed to isolate muscles, and follow the foot, leg, belly, arm and hand movements of our graceful leader. It is a great workout but you’re having too much fun to worry about that.”
the
Constantly perfecting her skills and knowledge, Daima is using the SharQui teaching format that combines authentic belly dance in a cardio fitness routine. Daima said what she loves best about this type of dance is the fact it allows a connection to femininity through a technique that is organic and natural. She believes dance is a great way to create community connections and bring joy.
There is always more joy to be found. Come experience this newest class on Tuesdays starting at 9 a.m. at the center located at 53 High Point Road on Plantation Key in Islamorada. You can find Zoom link information on JOY’s newly revamped website at justolderyouthinc.org.
Trained by Venezuelan belly dance pioneer Sahar Gamal in 2003, Aziza Daima is teaching JOY members this beautiful art form on Tuesday mornings at the Plantation Key Community Center. CONTRIBUTED
Participants join
belly dance class in person and via Zoom.
BEST FOOD TRUCK: THREE YEARS IN A ROW! AUTHENTIC MEXICAN FOOD!
WE'VE GOT THE UPPER KEYS COVERED! THREE LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU!
KEY LARGO, MM 100.4
SUNDAYS-THURSDAYS 9 A.M-8:30 P.M.
FRIDAYS-SATURDAYS 9 A.M.- 9 P.M.
PLANTATION KEY, MM 90 ISLAMORADA, MM 81.8
MONDAYS-THURSDAYS 11 A.M.-8:30 P.M.
FRIDAYS-SATURDAYS 11 A.M.-9 P.M. CLOSED SUNDAYS
Follow us on Facebook & Instagram for updates & specials!
THE GREAT FLORIDA KEYS ROAD TRIP: KEY LARGO
Island once produced fruit; a notable school was also established
It takes 16 miles to drive between Jewfish Creek and Tavernier Creek, the distance the Overseas Highway travels across Key Largo. The largest of the Florida Keys, the island has a wealth of stories to tell, and its farming history is one that shouldn’t be overlooked.
Before the islands were a fishing or vacation destination, the Keys were populated with farming communities. One crop for which they became famous was pineapples. The first to grow the sweet, juicy fruit commercially was a Key West wrecker named Ben Baker – wrecking was the business of salvaging ships, crews, passengers and cargo in peril. Baker was once hailed as the King of the Florida Wreckers.
FLORIDA KEYS HISTORY WITH BRAD BERTELLI
Brad is a local historian, author, speaker and Honorary Conch who loves sharing the history of the Florida Keys.
Benjamin Baker was born on Green Turtle Cay, Abaco, in 1818. He married Catherine S. Albury, a Bahamian born in Eleuthera. Their marriage was fruitful, and delivered 11 children.
After the arrival of their third child, some time between 1847 and 1848, the growing family left the Bahamas, sailed across the Straits of Florida and into the harbor at Key West.
They lived in a two-story house at the corner of Caroline and Whitehead streets. By 1850, Baker had established the Baker Wrecking Company and himself as a Florida wrecker. It was not his only job; he and his sons were pineapple farmers, too. It was the late 1850s when Baker sailed for the Upper Keys and cleared land on Plantation Key and Key Largo. When the fields were ready, Baker left for Havana and purchased as many as 6,000 pineapple slips and suckers to plant on his lands. A firsthand account of his operation, written by Dr. J.B. Holder, appeared in an 1871 edition of Harper’s Weekly: “Plantation Key has considerable good soil; many of the trees here are seventy or eighty feet in height.
Here was a large plantation of cocoa-nut palms, several hundred in number, and a patch of young pineapples. A late paper gives the account of the products of his patch, which have been materially increased since the writer was there. Mr. Baker, the owner, who resides at Key West, is reported to have realized seven thousand dollars this season from his crop of pine-apples. The great drawback is the prevalence of mosquitoes, throughout the whole year, in such swarms that few persons are willing to suffer the annoyance; otherwise these keys would richly reward the cultivator.”
Today, the $7,000 Baker earned from his pineapple fields from that season’s haul would be worth about $150,000. In addition to Baker’s Plantation Key pineapple patch, his Key Largo homestead was located in the area of what is now MM 97.
At the Key Largo site, Baker built a home and operated his wrecking business, at least part-time, from the Key Largo anchorage. According to the 1870 U.S. Census, Baker was recorded as one of 61 people living on Key Largo. It was also the year that the island’s first post office opened. Baker filed the petition, indicating it would serve 17 families. It was not called the Key Largo Post Office but the Cayo Largo Post Office.
Early Spanish charts noted the island as Cayo de Dose Leguas or Key of Twelve Leagues. In William Roberts’ First Discovery and Natural History of Florida (1763), it was identified as “Cayo Largo O Doce Legues.” J.W. Norie, in his Piloting Directions for the Gulf of Florida, the Bahama Banks & Islands (1828), wrote: “Cayo Largo affords no living creature, except raccoons and insects, especially those troublesome ones, mosquitoes and scorpions.”
When driving over Key Largo and down the highway, where a wide median separates the southbound and northbound lanes, you will pass an old school, an old house and the area where, in 1977, sightings of Florida’s favorite cryptid made local headlines.
Near MM 98, the road passes through land once owned by William Dunham and Mary Jane Albury. Like many pioneers who carved out a way of life in the Florida Keys, they left the Bahamas and settled
in Key West. In 1886, the Alburys, along with their three-week-old son William Beauregard, moved up the island chain to the Rock Harbor area of Key Largo. The family farmed pineapples until a blight, and competition from Cuban farmers, took their toll on the Keys’ pineapple industry.
The Alburys replaced their pineapple fields with groves of Key lime trees. In the early 1920s, they donated land from the groves to the Monroe County School District for a new school, the two-room, coral rock Rock Harbor Grammar School – built circa 1924. As you drive past the building, its coral “bones” can still be seen at what is now the Key Largo Moose Lodge (in the median near MM 98).
A little south of the old school is the home base of a local nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting coral reef awareness, the Reef Environmental Education Foundation. Circa 1912, William and Beauregard Albury built the conch-style wooden house. It was one of the first local homes to have screened-in windows. Today, it is the oldest structure on Key Largo standing in its original locale.
At MM 97, on the bayside of the highway, is Baker’s Cay. If the name sounds familiar, it should. The resort, built on land once owned by the man who introduced pineapple farming to the Florida Keys, was named to honor Captain Ben Baker.
Because you never know what you might see in the Florida Keys, back in the summer of 1977, people reported seeing a Skunk Ape in the area of Snapper’s Restaurant near MM 94. What is a Skunk Ape? It’s the Sunshine State’s favorite cryptid, Florida’s version of Bigfoot.
The event lasted two weeks. It wasn’t the only one, either. In fact, just a few weeks ago, I was contacted by someone who wasn’t sure what he saw until he walked past my book, “The Florida Keys Skunk Ape Files,” on display at Robbie’s of Islamorada, and exclaimed to his wife, “That’s it, that’s what I saw!”
Remember to keep your eyes peeled when driving through the Florida Keys; there is a lot to see, and some of it is absolutely breathtaking. More importantly, pay attention to the road; the other people driving might be distracted, too.
The former Rock Harbor Grammar School, Getman Methodist Church at Rock Harbor circa 1950. L.P. ARTMAN JR. COLLECTION/Florida Keys History Center
BRIDGE RUN PROCEEDS SUPPORT FIRE DEPARTMENT
Aportion of the 2024 First State Bank Key Largo Bridge Run proceeds supports local first responders and their families. Recently, Henry Menendez, race director, visited with members of the Key Largo Fire Benevolent Association to present them with a $500 check. ‘We’re incredibly grateful for the generous donation to the Key Largo Firefighters Benevolent Association. Your support means the world to our members and their families,’ the association said. The annual race takes runners and walkers of all ages and abilities over Jewfish Creek Bridge, located at the southern tip of the 18Mile Stretch leading into the Florida Keys. This year’s race will be held Dec. 6. More information is at keylargobridgerun.com. CONTRIBUTED
LADY ANGLER TOURNAMENT NETS 100 OFFSHORE FISH
from
Ttheir
he fish were biting and the lines were flying as lady anglers hauled in 110 offshore fish during the 2025 Ladies Let’s Go Fishing Screamin’ Reels Tournament, held May 16-18 in the waters off Islamorada.
Hosted by the nonprofit Ladies Let’s Go Fishing Foundation, the event is more than just a tournament — it’s an open door for women and families to dive into the world of fishing, designed especially for beginners and those looking to level up their skills.
“Screamin’ Reels welcomes
casual anglers into a fun and supportive tournament where nearly any legal offshore or inshore species is fair game,” said founder Betty Bauman. “It’s perfect for women who’ve never imagined entering a tournament.”
The weekend kicked off at the Tavernier Elks Club with a welcome party and a guest appearance by “Miami Vice” star and fishing aficionado Olivia Brown (a.k.a. Trudy). Out on the water, anglers landed mahi, wahoo, tuna, amberjack and more, and finished the tournament with an awards ceremony at Whale Harbor
Marina in Islamorada.
In the offshore division, firstplace winner Kat Farese of Dania Beach caught a 15.8-pound wahoo on the Marlin Darlin boat. Second place went to Michelle Mobley, of Orlando, who reeled in a 12-pound blackfin tuna on the Sea Horse boat. Tavernier’s Kelly DeNone snagged a 10.8-pound wahoo aboard the Poppa Wahoo.
In the offshore jack division, Cocoa Beach’s Melissa Vickers caught a 30.1-pound amberjack to win first place.
— Contributed
Staff from your Monroe County Public Library recommend some of their favorites from the collection.
What: “Aliens” (1986)
Why: “Aliens” is an atmospheric, action-packed sci-fi adventure that reminds us that they don’t make them like they used to. Ripley, the lead protagonist from “Alien,” is dragged back into the horror she thought she had jettisoned into the depths of space during the previous movie.
This film is an exploration of humanity’s primal fears and animalistic survival dressed as a classic ’80s action flick. The towering shiny black alien that bleeds acid is not the biggest monster in this film. As Ripley aptly puts, “They’re not the ones out here screwing each other over.”
It seems that no matter how far into the future we go, the same old challenges come up when exploitable resources are available and corporations are running the show. Sometimes we have to wrench control into our own hands in order to save each other.
Where: This film is available as a DVD from the Monroe County Public Library.
How: You can browse and request DVDs online by logging in to your account at keyslibraries.org. To view our collection of streaming movies and TV, go to kanopy.com/ keyslibraries and set up an account with your library card. If you don’t have a card, you can visit your local branch or register online to get one. Questions? keyslibraries.org/ contact-us.
Recommended by: Kevin Lacayo, library assistant, Key Largo library branch.
See previous Reel Recs at keyslibraries.org/post/reel-recs.
Anglers
Poppa Wahoo show off
catch during the 2025 Ladies Let’s Go Fishing Screamin’ Reels Tournament. From left, Barbara Socarraz, of Plantation; Anna Tassia Butler of Islamorada; Kelly DeNone of Tavernier; and Key Largo residents Teresa Baker, Barbara Joyce and Kim DenBesten. FLORIDA KEYS NEWS BUREAU/Contributed
MOVIES, SHARKS & MOVIES ABOUT SHARKS
... is a photographer, writer, and semi-professional birdwatcher. He has lived in Key West for more than 25 years and may no longer be employable in the real world. He is also executive director of the Florida Keys Audubon Society.
Key West and the Florida Keys have a bit of a film history – “The Rose Tattoo,” “Criss Cross,” “Operation Petticoat,” “Miami Vice.” Like a lot of Keys history, there are highs and lows. My favorite of these movies may not be well made, but it gives glimpses into the Key West of yore.
For instance, “Cuba Crossing” was a low-budget movie filmed down here. It is also sometimes called “Assignment: Kill Castro” and “Sweet Dirty Tony,” because it was allegedly based on the exploits of Capt. Tony Tarracino. And maybe it was. He appears in the film as a rider on horseback. But the movie was so incoherent it’s hard to say for sure. They shot a lot of scenes at Captain Tony’s Saloon, complete with drag queens, sailors getting cruised in the bathroom, attractive young waitresses and a bar brawl that I’m pretty sure was choreographed by the same people who did the one in “Airplane!,” which also came out in 1980. Also, whenever the main character drives around town, someone says, “Hey, Captain Tony!”
The movie had Robert Vaughn from “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” in it, as well as Michael V. Gazzo, who earned an Oscar nomination for his role in “The Godfather, Part II,” though in this movie he mostly smoked cigars and laughed maniacally at his own jokes to fill up empty parts of the script. What it lacked in plot and direction, it (almost) made up for in yore-ness. There were scenes shot at a bunch of different marinas, at Fort Zachary Taylor before it was a state park, and at the old tower at the old Turtle Kraals. There was a long helicopter tracking shot of a woman driving an era-appropriate pink Thunderbird across the old Bahia Honda bridge. Also there were cameos by Iguana Man (See: “The Key West Picture Show”) and Joy Hawkins (See: Red Barn Theatre).
The 1987 movie ”Russkies,” starring Joaquin (then Leaf) Phoenix, Peter Billingsley (“You’ll shoot your eye out” Ralphie), and, unexpectedly, singer/songwriter/goddess Carole King, looks to have been almost completely shot in Key West, and gives a nice sense of the town midway between the hippie/drug smuggling era and fullblown tourism.
The kids ride their bikes around Sigsbee, Clinton Square Market, Clinton Place (because it’s not a square), the Audubon House, Key West Bight and a lot of trailer parks and backstreets. They also race go-carts at the late-lamented Magic Carpet Golf. There were so many background actors that I was pretty sure I would recognize someone, though I never did.
My wife and I have a multi-decade argument about whether Timothy Dalton was a good James Bond, and whether “License to Kill” was a good James Bond movie. I’m on the not-good side. The movie does have some good Keys parts. Particularly at the beginning, which starts with Bond and CIA agent Felix Leiter jumping onto a plane at the airstrip on Sugarloaf to keep a notorious drug dealer from escaping, peaks with them subduing said notorious drug dealer after they attached his getaway plane to a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter in midair, and ends with Bond and Leiter parachuting down onto Truman Avenue, so Leiter can go into Saint Mary’s and get married.
It also predates the whole vehicle-crashingoff the Seven Mile Bridge thing that would later become such a big deal in “True Lies.” Although, unlike “True Lies,” it didn’t inspire the audience to cheer when Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis were saved, while the Lower Keys got nuked.
I could probably go on for pages about how much I love Tom McGuane’s 1972 movie “92 in the Shade,” based on his second-best Key West novel of the same name. But I am 633 words into a newspaper column, writing about locally filmed movies when I am supposed to be writing about wildlife.
How did I end up here? Well, it’s been raining for days, which makes it hard to go out and look at birds. And my good binoculars are broken. And six to eight other excuses.
Also, because I read something recently about a movie called “Mako: The Jaws of Death,” which came out in 1976. It was an early sharksploitation film riding the coattails of “Jaws,” which came out the year before. No one else I knew had ever heard of it, but IMDB and Wikipedia said it was filmed in Key West. And sharks count as wildlife, even if I don’t know much about them. Looking at the movie poster, I think “Mako” was added to the title so they didn’t get sued.
So I watched it. For research purposes.
It starred a character actor named Richard Jaeckel, who had 194 screen credits between 1943 and 1997. He was nominated for an Academy Award for a role next to Paul Newman in “Sometimes a Great Notion.” He ended his career with a 28-episode run on “Baywatch.” Sadly, he was not given a lot to work with in “Mako: The Jaws of Death.”
The other notable actor was Harold Sakata, known to most people as Odd Job, the bodyguard/assassin who lived to behead people with his steel-brimmed bowler in “Goldfinger.” His character mostly laughed at his own jokes to fill out the script.
“Mako: The Jaws of Death” is essentially the story of a man who isn’t out to kill sharks — twist! — but to protect them. Sometimes he kills sportfishermen who hunt them. He has a necklace given to him by a holy man in the Pacific who made sharks trust him.
He lives on an out island in a shack with a hatch in the floor that he can lift to talk with and feed his shark friends, who are always swimming below. Despite his homicidal tendencies, he is a trusting man. He lends one shark to a sexy “aquanaut” who swims in kind of a Weeki Wachee scenario in a tank with windows above a roadside dive bar, after she is told she either has to swim with a shark or swim naked. He lends another favorite pregnant shark to a scientist who wears a kerchief and a short-sleeved safari jacket. Both of them betray him.
He goes mad during a hurricane and ends up ripping off his necklace and committing suicide by shark. (Sorry if that’s a spoiler. But the movie has been out for 49 years.)
The most impressive thing about the movie is that it was largely filmed with real sharks, not Jaws-esque animatronics. You see them coursing by the reef, sometimes attacking people, sometimes letting Jaeckel’s character hitch a ride hanging onto a dorsal fin.
While it is a movie whose moral is that sharks should not be killed wantonly, there are actual dead sharks being used as props everywhere. Dead sharks hanging on hooks. Dead baby sharks stacked like cordwood. At one point, a live shark is shot in the back of the head with a bang stick, with real blood immediately pluming out as it falls to the bottom like a downed fighter jet.
While most of the scenes did not look particularly Key West-ish – for instance, all the buildings were concrete – it was hard to say definitively that it was not filmed in Key West or the Keys. At least not until I searched through some old Miami newspaper archives from the era. Turns out Wikipedia and IMDB were wrong. It was filmed in Miami and the Bahamas.
I think it’s time to watch “92 in the Shade” again. And maybe “Russkies.”
The 1976 movie ‘Mako: The Jaws of Death’ was filmed in the Bahamas and Miami, not Key West. CONTRIBUTED
MARK HEDDEN
X Receive your bill electronically.
X Pay your bill securely online.
X Enroll in Autopay for more convenience.
X View and track your energy usage data.
X Access your account anytime, anywhere for added security.
X Other features include news releases, Florida Currents magazine, and more.
Access FKEC’s Live Power Outage Map. X Contact us 24/7 to report an issue, or submit a general inquiry.
NEWS OF THE WEIRD
More than 12,000 chicks that had been shipped out from Freedom Ranger Hatchery in Pennsylvania to clients across the country were discovered in early May abandoned in a USPS truck, the Associated Press reported. The turkey, geese, chicken and quail chicks were found at a Camden, Delaware, distribution center. They had been in the truck for three days without food or water, and some had perished. The surviving chicks were delivered to First State Animal Center and SPCA, where a few hundred were adopted out. Executive director John Parana said the agency is struggling financially to take care of the birds.
Adam Dailies
In The Bleachers
Brevity
Adam Smith (1723-1790), economist/philosopher; John Maynard Keynes (1883-1946), economist; Richard Scarry (1919-1994), children's author; Bill Moyers (1934- ), TV journalist/author; Spalding Gray (1941-2004), actor/writer; Ken Follett (1949- ), author; Suze Orman (1951- ), financial adviser/author; Kathleen Kennedy (1953- ), film producer; Kenny G (1956- ), musician; Jeff Garlin (1962- ), actor/comedian; Rick Riordan (1964- ), author; Mark Wahlberg (1971- ), actor; Nick Kroll (1978- ), actor/comedian; Pete Wentz (1979- ), singer-songwriter/musician.
In 1968, U.S. presiden al candidate Robert F. Ke edy was fata y shot by Sirhan Sirhan at the Amba ador Hotel in Los Angeles.
A ording to the Alzheimer’s A ocia on, an es mated 7.2 mi ion Americans ages 65 or older have Alzheimer’s disease in 2025.
“You never get cheered for telling people the situation is not as simple as they think.”
– Ken Follett, "Fall of Giants"
Founded by Betty Debnam
Welcome to Iowa
Mini Fact: Iowa produces more than 2 billion bushels of corn each year.
Our 29th state, Iowa, was admitted to the Union in 1846. The midwestern state is bordered by two major rivers, the Mississippi on the east and the Missouri on the west.
When Europeans arrived in what is now Iowa, Native Americans in the region were farmers, growing corn and other plants on the prairies.
EARLY IOWA
The first explorers in the region were Frenchmen who claimed the land for France. It remained a French territory until 1763, when it was transferred to Spanish ownership. France reclaimed it in 1800, and it was part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803.
WORKING IN IOWA
Farmers grow hogs, corn, soybeans and cattle. The state is the largest supplier of corn in the United States.
Although agriculture was the main source of income for Iowans until the mid-20th century,
manufacturing is the largest part of the economy today. Iowa workers produce heavy machinery, electric equipment and chemicals, along with processed foods.
IOWA IN POLITICS
FAMOUS IOWANS
• Buffalo Bill was a well-known soldier and showman who was born in Iowa in 1846. He performed in cowboy-themed shows around the United States and in Europe in the late 1800s. He was also a rider for the Pony Express and a soldier in the Civil War.
• Caitlin Clark is a professional basketball player with the Indiana Fever. She was born in Des Moines in 2002. Clark was a two-time national player of the year with the Iowa Hawkeyes and a WNBA All-Star in 2024.
• Grant Wood, an American artist who created the painting “American Gothic,” was born in 1891 in Anamosa, Iowa. For his iconic painting, he used his sister, Nan, and his dentist as models.
Iowa’s state capital and largest city is Des Moines (deh-MOYN), with about 850,000 people.
During presidential elections, Iowa proudly hosts the nation’s first caucuses, or meetings to choose presidential candidates.
In the Iowa caucuses, people gather in private homes or public places in January or February. People from different parties meet at different spots. This is different from primaries, where polls are open most of the day.
EDUCATION
With a graduation rate higher than 44 other states, 90% of Iowa’s students graduate from high school. Many go on to the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, Drake University or other institutions.
Words that remind us of Iowa are hidden in this puzzle. Some words are hidden backward, and some letters are used twice. See if you can find:
ARTIST, BUFFALO, BUSHEL, CAUCUS, CLARK, CORN, DES MOINES, FRANCE, GRADUATES, HOGS, IOWA, MISSISSIPPI, MISSOURI, PRAIRIE, PRIMARY, RIVERS, SOYBEANS, SPAIN, WOOD.
Wood’s painting “Fall
On the Web:
• bit.ly/MPIowa • bit.ly/MPharvest
At the library:
• “The Train Rolls on to the County Fair” by Jodi Adams
Galápagos Islands yellow warblers exposed to regular traffic noise have become more aggressive, according to a new study from Britain’s Anglia Ruskin University. Birds living near roads displayed increased physical aggression during simulated territorial intrusions that were accompanied by traffic sounds, while those farther from roads showed less aggression under the same conditions. The warblers also adjusted their songs, lengthening them and raising their minimum frequencies to avoid being drowned out by low-frequency traffic noise.
photo by Shubert Ciencia wikipedia
photo by John Mac
The Iowa flag is patterned after the French flag.
Iowa Caucus Precinct 15 in Ames (2020) During First Alignment
“American Gothic” by Grant Wood
Plowing” shows a farm field in his home state.
A cornfield in central Iowa.
The Mini Page® © 2025 Andrews McMeel Syndication
FICTITIOUS NAME NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of S S POPS Island Tours located at 1515 Sombrero Boulevard, Marathon, Florida 33050, intends to register the said name with the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, FL.
By: Two Conchs Island Tours LLC Publish: June 5, 2025 The Weekly Newspapers
FICTITIOUS NAME NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of The Greeen House located at 925 Duval Street, Key West, Florida
33040, intends to register the said name with the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, FL. By: TGHFL 925 Duval LLC
Publish: June 5, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE
Notice is hereby given that on dates below these vehicles will be sold at public sale on the date listed below at 10AM for monies owed on vehicle repair and storage cost pursuant to Florida Statutes 713.585.
SALE DATE: JULY 28, 2025 SOUTHERN MARINA STOCK ISLAND, 6000 PENINSULAR AVE, KEY WEST, FL 1998 CRS CRSUSN10I798
$8,735.21
OWNER: BRITT BOBALI Southern Marina Stock Island
reserves the right to accept or reject any and/all bids.
Publish: May 29 & June 5, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
PUBLIC MEETINGS NOTICE
Florida Keys Council of the Arts Notice of Upcoming Meetings
The Florida Keys Council of the Arts will hold the following meetings via Communications Media Technology using a ZOOM webinar platform.
The access points to view the Zoom meetings or for members of the public to provide public input will be: JOIN ZOOM via the Zoom app and use each meeting ID and password listed. Meetings are open to the public, and all are invited to attend. Questions, or to RSVP, please email Liz Young at director@keysarts.com
Cultural Umbrella Committee
Meeting
June 10, 2025, at 11:00 AM
The following is an upcoming GMX procurement opportunity:
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ)
GMX PROCUREMENT/CONTRACT NO.: RFQ-25-04
GMX WORK PROGRAM NO.: 11212.011
GMX PROJECT/SERVICE TITLE: PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENT (PD&E) STUDY FOR THE PARTIAL INTERCHANGE AT SR 112 AND NW 37TH AVENUE
For detailed information please visit the Procurement Department website at http://www.gmx-way.com/business/solicitations, or call the Procurement Department at 305-637-3277 for assistance.
Publish: June 5, 2025. The Weekly Newspapers
Stanley Zuba, M.D.
Florida Keys Pediatric & Adolescent Center 91550 Overseas Highway, #209 Tavernier, Florida 33070
Dr. Stanley Zuba will be retiring and will no longer be practicing at Florida Keys Pediatric & Adolescent Center e ective June 3, 2025.
Patients’ medical records will remain at Florida Keys Pediatric & Adolescent Center, 91550 Overseas Highway, #209, Tavernier, Florida 33070 under the custodianship of Dr. Manuel Joaquin Gomez and his sta . Patients wishing to pick up their records may do so starting June 3, 2025.
Publish: June 5, 12, 19 & 26, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
Eastern Time
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 837 2464 2023
Passcode: 649805
Art In Public Places Committee
Meeting
June 17, 2025, at 4:00 PM
Eastern Time
Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 834 5177 1563
Passcode: 326912
Executive Committee Meeting
June 26, 2025, at 4:00 PM
Eastern Time
Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 837 5739 8284
Passcode: 995275
Publish:
June 5, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
PUBLIC HEARINGS NOTICE
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, THAT THE CITY OF KEY COLONY BEACH WILL BE HOLDING PUBLIC HEARINGS ON:
DATE/TIME:
Planning & Zoning Hearing: Wednesday, June 18th, 2025, 9:30 A.M.
City Commission Public Hearing: Thursday, July 17th, 2025, 9:30 A.M.
LOCATION:
City of Key Colony Beach City Hall Auditorium ‘Marble Hall’ 600 W. Ocean Drive, Key Colony Beach, Florida 33051, To hear a Variance Request from Sharon Power, owner of the property located at 150 9th Street, Key Colony Beach, Florida 33051. This meeting will be available via Zoom Meetings. Members of the public who wish to attend virtually may email the City Clerk at keycolonybeach.netcityclerk@ or call 305-289-1212, Ext. 2 for further instructions on attending via Zoom Meetings. The applicant requests a variance to the City of Key Colony Beach Land Development Regulations, Article IV, Sec. 101-26, for the construction of a pool that would encroach in the setback by two (2) feet on the side.
Interested parties may attend the Hearing and be heard with respect to the requested variance.
If any person decides to appeal any decision made by the City Commission of the City of Key Colony Beach with respect to any matter considered at the Variance Hearing, that person will need a record of the proceedings and for such purpose may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based.
If you are unable to attend the Hearings on Wednesday, June 18th, 2025, or Thursday, July 17th, 2025, but wish to comment, please direct correspondence to the City Clerk at P.O. Box 510141, Key Colony Beach, FL 33051, or via email at keycolonybeach.net,cityclerk@and your comments will be entered into the record.
Published: On or before June 8th, 2025
City Clerk, City of Key Colony Beach
Publish: June 5, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF INTENTION TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF COUNTY ORDINANCE
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN that on June 18, 2025, at 9:00 A.M. or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard, at the Murray E. Nelson Government Center, 102050 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, Florida 33037, the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida, intends to consider adopting the following ordinance: AN ORDINANCE OF THE MONROE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AMENDING SECTION 19-4 OF THE MONROE COUNTY CODE PROVIDING FOR REVISED TOLL RATES AND TOLL-BYPLATE RATES; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING
FOR REPEAL OF ALL ORDINANCES INCONSISTENT HEREWITH; PROVIDING FOR INCORPORATION INTO THE MONROE COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. The proposed ordinance may be inspected by the public at the Monroe County website by viewing the agenda packet for the June 18, 2025, meeting, which will be posted beginning on June 12, 2025 at: http://monroecountyfl. iqm2.com/citizens/default. aspx. The ordinance may also be viewed at the Monroe County Attorney’s office at 1111 12th St. Ste. 408 Key West, FL 33040. The public can participate in the June 18, 2025, meeting of the Board of CommissionersCounty of Monroe County, FL by attending in person or via Zoom. The Zoom link can be found in the agenda at http:// monroecountyfl.iqm2.com/ citizens/default.aspx. ADA ASSISTANCE: If you are a person with a disability who needs special accommodations in order to participate in this proceeding, please contact the County Administrator’s Office, by phoning (305) 292-4441, between the hours of 8:30a.m.—5:00p.m., prior to the scheduled meeting; if you are hearing or voice- impaired, call “711”. Live Closed-Captioning is available via our web portal @ http:// monroecountyfl.iqm2.com/ Citizens/Default.aspx for meetings of the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners. Dated at Key West, Florida, this 5th day of June, 2025. KEVIN MADOK, Clerk of the Circuit Court and Ex Officio Clerk of the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida Publish: June 5, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE SOLICITATIONS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Monday, June 30, 2025, at 3:00 P.M., the Monroe County Purchasing Office will receive and open sealed responses for the following: COMPREHENSIVE DISASTER RECOVERY AND GRANT MANAGEMENT CONSULTING SERVICES 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 bonfirehub.comhttps://monroecounty-fl. 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 e m a i l , mail or attempt to deliver in person any sealed bids. Emailed/mailed/physically delivered responsesbids/proposals/ WILL NOT be accepted.
The Monroe County Purchasing Department hereby directs bids be submitted via the Bonfire electronic bidding platform at bonfirehub.com,https://monroecounty-fl. no later than 3:00 P.M. on Monday, June 30, 2025. There is no cost to the bidder to use the Bonfire platform. Please d o n o t 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 Monday, June 30, 2025. 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: June 5, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA KEY WEST DIVISION IN ADMIRALTY CASE NO.: 4:25-cv-10041-DPG IN THE MATTER OF THE COMPLAINT OF REINALDO AQUIT AS OWNER OF A 2022 DEEP IMPACT, REGISTRATION NO. 4O1327056, 39' HIN DIC39928K122, AND OTHER APPURTENANCES, Petitioner, NOTICE TO CLAIMANTS OF PETITION FOR EXONERATION FROM OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
Notice is given that the above named Petitioner, Reinaldo Aquit ("Limitation Petitioner") has filed a Petition/Complaint for Exoneration from or Limitation of Liability, pursuant to 46 U.S.C. § 30501 et seq., ("Limitation Petition") for all claims for any damages or injuries, arising out of, or occurring as a result of an incident on the navigable waters of the United States on or about November 7, 2024, allegedly involving a 2022 Deep Impact, Registration No. DO1327056, 39' HIN DIC39928K122, and Other Appurtenances, as more fully described in the Limitation Petition.
All persons having such claims must file their respective claims, as provided by Supplemental Rule F of the Supplemental Rules for Certain Admiralty and Maritime Claims of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, with the Clerk of Court in writing and must serve a copy thereof on attorneys for Limitation Petitioner on or before July 14, 2025 or be defaulted. Personal attendance is not required.
Any claimant who desires to contest either the right to exoneration from or the right to limitation of liability shall file and serve on attorneys for Limitation Petitioner an answer to the Complaint, on or before the aforesaid date, unless the claim includes an answer, so designated, or be defaulted.
DONE AND ORDERED this 12th day of May, 2025.
DARRIN P. GAYLES
UNITED STATE DISTRICT JUDGE Publish: June 5, 12, 19 & 26, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL
CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION
FILE NO.: 2025-CP-220-P
IN RE: THE ESTATE OF EDITH WINIFRED SHERRILL, Deceased. NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of EDITH WINIFRED SHERRILL, deceased, whose date of death was April 25, 2025, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 88770 Overseas Highway, Suite 2, Plantation Key, FL 33070. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate, on whom a copy of this notice is served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN SECTION 733.702 OF THE FLORIDA PROBATE CODE WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIOD SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT'S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED.
The date of first publication of this Notice is: June 5, 2025.
Personal Representative: Simon Lee Sherrill
100 Ocean Shores Dr. Key Largo, FL 33037
Attorney for Personal Representative:
Urban J. W. Patterson, Esq.
Email: ujwplaw@gmail.com
Secondary Email: ujwplawfirm@yahoo.com
Florida Bar No. 382035
Urban J. W. Patterson, P.A. P. O. Box 783 Islamorada, Florida 33036 Telephone: 3056645065
Publish: June 5 & 12, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION CASE NO.: 25-CP-200-K IN RE: THE ESTATE OF ELSIE P. ROGERS a/k/a ELSIE LEE ROGERS, Deceased. NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of ELSIE P. ROGERS a/k/a ELSIE LEE ROGERS, deceased, whose date of death was January 31, 2025, Case: 25-CP-200-K, is pending in the Circuit Court, 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, including unmatured, contingent or unliquidated claims, on whom a copy of this notice is served must file their claims with this court WITHIN THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate, including unmatured, contingent or unliquidated claims, must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF
THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE.
ALL CLAIMS NOT SO FILED WILL BE FOREVER BARRED.
The date of first publication of this Notice is: June 5, 2025.
Personal Representative:
SHERYL R. SMOAK
c/o Samuel J. Kaufman, Esq.
Law Offices of Samuel J. Kaufman, P.A.
3130 Northside Drive Key West, Florida 33040
Attorney for Personal Representative: Samuel J. Kaufman, Esq. Florida Bar No. 0144304
Law Offices of Samuel J. Kaufman, P.A. 3130 Northside Drive Key West, Florida 33040 Email designation for service: Service.Probate@ samkaufmanlaw.com Telephone: (305) 292-3926 Fax: (305) 295-7947
Publish:
June 5 & 12, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION
FILE NO.: 25-CP-208-K
DIVISION: LOWER KEYS IN RE: ESTATE OF DONNA MAE JACOBSEN Deceased. NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of Donna Mae Jacobsen, deceased, whose date of death was March 10, 2025, is pending in the Circuit Court for MONROE County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 500 Whitehead Street, Key West, FL 33040. The 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.
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 other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE.
ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED.
The date of first publication of this notice is: May 29, 2025.
Personal Representative: Janet Rogers 1507 Watson Blvd. Big Pine Key, Florida 33043
Attorney for Personal Representative:
Richard E. Warner
Attorney Florida Bar Number: 283134
RICHARD E. WARNER, P.A.
12221 Overseas Highway
MARATHON, FL 33050
Telephone: (305) 743-6022
Fax: (305) 743-6216
E-mail: richard@rewarnerlaw. com
Secondary E-Mail: pamela2@ rewarnerlaw.com
Publish:
May 29 & June 5, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 16TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.: 25-DR-527-K VINCENT DUFOUR, Petitioner, and PENNEL GRACE SORIANO SANTORIA QUINTONG, Respondent. NOTICE OF ACTION FOR DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE (NO CHILD OR FINANCIAL SUPPORT) TO: PENNEL GRACE SORIANO SANTORIA QUINTONG RESPONDENT’S LAST KNOWN ADDRESS: 632 WHITEHEAD STREET, KEY WEST, FL 33040
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 Vincent William Dufour, whose address is 2013 Fogarty Avenue, Key West, FL 33040 on or before June 14, 2025, 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: N/A 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: May 9, 2025
Kevin Madok, CPA Clerk of the Circuit Court Monroe County, Florida
By: Destiny Johnson Deputy Clerk
Publish: May 15, 22, 29 and June 5, 2025 The Weekly Newspapers
AUTOS WANTED
AUTOS ALL YEARS! Junk or Used Cars, Vans, Trucks. Runs or Not.$CASH 305-332-0483
AUTOS FOR SALE
2003 Ford Explorer 174k miles, runs great, A/C works. $3,500 OBO. Located in Middle Keys. 305-417-0169
PLACE YOUR AUTO FOR SALE AD HERE. $25/week for up to 5 lines of copy! Pease call 305-743-0844 today!
Boat Dockage for rent in Marathon. Private bay bottom, up to 40' boat, self containing, offshore water, car & dingy parking space provided. 305-610-8002
19’x40’ slip in Marathon, could handle somewhat larger boat with approval from dockmaster. Desirable location in marina, easy in, easy out. Available 1 June 25 thru Oct 25, possibly long term lease. $1,400/ mo. Please contact Vern Rozier, 904 626 5279, or 904 626 8224 and leave call back info. Or email vrrozier@yahoo.com.
EMPLOYMENT
ALL KEYS GUTTER HIRING INSTALLERS $25/$35hr - Holidays Off -BenefitsTavernier. Apply: call or text Jay 305-587-1581
Night Monitor – FREE
Private Room in exchange for overnight availability at our Assisted Living Facility. 5 nights on, 5 nights off 10pm-8am plus weekly stipend, Drug & background screen required. www.westcare. com/join-our-team/
NOW HIRING in Marathon. Front DeskSaturday only from 9am5pm. Call 305-289-6500
Boat rental company in Marathon needs workers –Boat drivers, Truck drivers, Boat cleaners & Boat detailing. Call 305-481-7006
Fantastic part-time Housekeeper position available in Key Colony Beach! Immediate start date. Primarily on weekends, with excellent pay for the right candidate. Reach out to Continental Inn Beachside at Vivian 952-208-2850 or Cheryl 305-505-8747
The Housing Authority of the City of Key West now hiring for the following positions: Resident Care Supervisor with min. 3 yrs. experience of an LPN, Housing Manager-FT-Marathon, Carpenter-FT, Maintenance Mechanic (Maintenance Worker. To apply, please contact Human Resources at: wrightk@kwha.org or 305-296-5621 ext. 224. Applications are available at the Administrative Office located at 1400 Kennedy Dr., Key West, FL 33040 or online at www. kwha.org - EOE & Drug Free Work Place. This opportunity is covered under Section 3 of the HUD Act of 1968.
Serve/Bartend on the ocean! The Cabana Club, an ocean front private swim club is seeking a customer service-oriented Server/Bartender. Serve on pool deck, beach and/ or bar lounge. Open year round, 9:30am7pm daily. Full time/ Part time. Small friendly staff. Above average hourly wage plus tips. Apply in person at 425 E. Ocean Dr. Key Colony Beach or call 404-2193359 and ask for Dave.
HELP WANTED: Two Conchs in Marathon is now hiring a Full Time Retail Sales Person in our Tackle Shop/Marina. Competitive wages. Contact George 305-289-0199 HIRED
PLACE YOUR EMPLOYMENT AD HERE. $25/week for up to 5 lines of copy! Pease call 305 743-0844 today! today.
PRIVATE
COLLECTOR WANTS Rolex, Dive Watches and Pilot Watches. Old Model Military Clocks & Watches. Call 305-743-4578
HOUSING FOR RENT
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT REPORTS TO: CITY CLERK
The City of Key Colony Beach is accepting applications for the Administrative Assistant position. The Administrative Assistant will respond to and resolve administrative inquiries, issue boat trailer parking permits, review and issue annual Business Tax License applications while keeping those records updated, issue Property Management Certificates of Completion, and accurately maintain those records. Additionally, this role involves conducting educational classes and fostering strong relationships with managers, owners, and the city, assisting the Front Desk and other departments, and performing any other necessary tasks.
Qualifications: High school graduate with two years of experience in customer service and administrative support. Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite. Applicants must have strong communication skills, both written and verbal.
Salary: $61,000.00+ Competitive salary based on experience. Exceptional benefits, including participation in the Florida Retirement Fund, are available. Contact City Hall for an application at 305289-1212, opt. 2. Applications are also available at www.keycolonybeach.net; see “City Government” then “Forms”. Open until filled. Equal Opportunity Employer Submit resume and application by mail or in-person to: City of Key Colony Beach City Hall
Attn: City Clerk 600 West Ocean Drive PO Box 510141, Key Colony Beach, FL 33051 Or email cityclerk@keycolonybeach.net
2/2 on the water w/ dockage in Pirates Cove, Key Largo. Fenced & fully furnished. Short and long term available. From $3500/month. Credit check required. 28 day minimum. Call 305-588-6723
1BR/1BA Upstairs adorable condo for rent on 8th Street in Key Colony Beach. $2,300/mo + $150 credit/background check fee. Avail. June 1st. Call 630-330-1610
3BR/3BA fully furnished home for rent in Marathon. Avail July 1. $4,500/mo. 618-559-9143
Studio House with Queen size bed available in Marathon. Furnished, kitchen, dining, newly renovated. No pets. $1,299 + utilities F/L/S 305-610-8002
Room available June 15th. Stock Island near CVS. Traveling nurses, working professionals only. No pets, smokers or drugs. Gated, safe, quiet with parking & a pool. Fully furnished w/private bath, smart TV, washer/ dryer. House and kitchen privileges always with fridge and cabinet space. All included... Monthly rent $1200.00 and Security deposit $1000.00 at move in time. Call 305-797-5600 RENTED IN LESS THAN ONE WEEK!
Key West House For Rent - 28 day minimum. Recently renovated. 2 Units: 3BR/3BA or 2BR/2.5BA. 1 block to Schooner Wharf @ Historic Seaport. Starting $214/night. Sweet CarolineSeaport.com
Key Colony Beach7 night min., 2BR/1BA, max. 3 guests per rental agreement. Starting $175/ night + cleaning fees & taxes. 786-285-9476 fjvillegascpa@gmail.com
YARD SALES
A BIG Treasures & Trash MOVING SALE! Rain or Shine - ALL MUST GO! -
DOLPHIN RESEARCH CENTER is a fun, environmentally friendly non-profit 501(c)(3) Corporation specializing in education, research, and rescue of marine mammals.
We have the following opening available. Scan the QR code to visit the careers page on our website. FACILITIES
APPRENTICE (Full-Time, Permanent)
DRC seeks to provide for the well-being of its employees by offering a competitive total package. DRC currently offers a 401k retirement plan, medical benefits, HSA account, paid holidays, vacation, sick and an employee assistance program. DRC also provides life and disability insurance at no cost to the employee.
COME JOIN THE FAMILY!
Email your resume and a DRC application to drc-hr@dolphins.org. EOE
DOLPHIN RESEARCH CENTER
58901 O/S Hwy - Grassy Key, FL
Teaching... Learning... Caring
WE ARE HIRING!
CLIENT MEDICAL SERVICES ASSISTANT, CNA (FT)
NOW HIRING GENERAL OFFICE HELP
Captain Pip’s & their sister properties are looking to hire for general of ce help. Send resume to captpips@aol.com or come in the of ce to ll out application. 1480 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050
CAPTAIN PIP’S IS AN AWESOME PLACE TO WORK, WE TREAT OUR EMPLOYEES GREAT. COME JOIN OUR TEAM!
HIRING TICKET SALES & CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (FT/PT)
This position is responsible for face-to-face customer service, inbound calls and email inquiries for this tourism company located in Key West, FL. A well-quali ed applicant must be self-motivated, have excellent sales & customer service skills, be computer literate, have sound knowledge of telephone etiquette, ability to maintain con dentiality and must read/write/speak clear English.
For application by email contact Brett@YankeeFreedom.com.
Apply in person at 100 Grinnell Street, Suite 200, Key West, FL 33040
Keys Energy Services, in Key West, Florida, is accepting applications for the following position in its Engineering Department:
ELECTRICAL PROJECT ENGINEER
willing to train the right candidate.
Assisting our clients with dental, medical and transportation appts. Act as liaison between clients, families and support staff. Requires some on-call responsibility. Min. requirement - Florida certification as a Certified Nursing Assistant.*
CLIENT MEDICAL SERVICES MANAGER, RN/LPN (FT)
Responsible for medical administration of prescriptions and over the counter drugs. This nurse will serve as a liaison between the medical services staff, group homes, supported living and ADT staff and the physicians and pharmacy as needed. Coordinate needs and services, supervise the medical services staff by overseeing the implementation of all medical & therapeutic interventions. Coordinate w/other medical staff for on-call duties as required. Must have a current Florida license as an RN or LPN.*
DIRECT CARE STAFF – NIGHTS/WEEKENDS – GROUP HOMES 24/7 (FT)
These positions are available at our Windsor and Von Phister Group Homes. Providing direct-care services and support to our clients in their home. Must be willing to work flexible shifts including overnights. This position requires a minimum of high school completion or GED and 1 year of experience with care giving or 30 hours of college coursework.*
DIRECT CARE STAFF/DRIVER AT ADULT DAY-TRAINING PROGRAM (FT/PT)
This position is available at our Adult Day program. Providing direct care service and support for our clients in the day program. Requires the minimum of high school completion or GED. Prefer experience with caregiving or working with adults with disabilities*
*ALSO REQUIRED FOR ALL POSITIONS: Fluent
driver’s license. EOE
Starting pay rate for this position, depending on qualifications and experience: $136,979/annually$140,815/annually
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.
e Turtle Hospital in Marathon wants you to join their team! EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM GUIDES/GIFT SHOP SALES
Full and part-time. Public speaking and & retail sales experience helpful. $19/hour to start.
Send resume to: turtlehospital@turtlehospital.org
JOIN A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE NONPROFIT HELPING PEOPLE COPE AND CHANGE FOR 52 YEARS!
We provide Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Treatment Programs to the Florida Keys community while valuing and rewarding our employees.
KEY LARGO
Behavioral Health Counselor (Children)
Behavioral Health Therapist (Children)
KEY WEST
Case Manager (Children Forensic, Adult) (FT,PT)
Behavioral Health Therapist (Adult, PT)
Behavioral Health Therapist (Children)
Prevention Specialist
Advocate
MARATHON
Care Coordinator (PT)
Driver (CDL not required) (PT)
RN/Licensed Practical Nurse (FT,PT) Maintenance Specialist
*Behavioral Health Technicians – 3 shifts (FT,PT)
*Support Worker (Assisted Living) (FT,PT)
*Night Monitor (Assisted Living - Free Housing)
*No experience required for this position. Will train. A caring heart & helpful hands necessary.
EEOC/DFWP
COMPETITIVE PAY! EXCEPTIONAL BENEFITS!!!
Apply at guidancecarecenter.org
Search Employment/Portal/Location/zip THE GUIDANCE/CARE CENTER, Inc.
DUI FRONT DESK CLERK & EVALUATOR/INSTRUCTOR
The Advocate Program DUI school is hiring for part time positions.
Front desk: 3 days a week, high school diploma and computer data entry skills required.
DUI instructors and evaluators: 2 days a week, Bachelors or Masters degree in substance abuse eld required.
Of ce located in Marathon. Contact Marcia at 305-704-0117.
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
OPENINGS AVAILABLE
PHYSICIAN PRACTICE OPENINGS
- Advanced Practice Provider (APRN-PA-C)Surgical, Ortho, Tavernier
- Advanced Practice Provider (APRN-PA-C), BHMG Multispecialty - Marathon, $5k Bonus
- Medical Assistant, Primary Care Marathon, $5k Bonus
- Medical Assistant, Upper Keys-Gastro, $5k Bonus
MIAMI CANCER INSTITUTE KEY WEST
- Radiation Therapist, $12k Bonus
- Medical Assistant, Medical Oncology, $5k Bonus
TAVERNIER MARINERS HOSPITAL
- Cook, Dietary
- Radiology Technologist 1, Imaging-MRI, $40k Bonus
- Multi-Modality Imaging Tech 1, (Mammo & X Ray), Radiology, $50k Bonus
- Registered Nurse, Emergency Department, $25k Bonus
- ED Team Coordinator 1, Emergency Department
- MC Multi-Modality Imaging Tech 1, Ultrasound/Vascular with Echo, $50k Bonus
- AC Mechanic-Licensed
- Registered Nurse, ICU
- Cook, Per Diem
- Environmental Tech, $5k Bonus
- Manager Imaging Services
- Pool Medical Technologist
- Pool Registered Nurse, Cardiac Rehab
- Patient Access Associate, Primary Care, $5k Bonus
MARATHON FISHERMEN’S COMMUNITY HOSPITAL
- Multi-Modality Imaging Tech 1, (CT & X Ray), Radiology, $50k Bonus
- Multi-Modality Imaging Tech 1, (Mammo & X Ray) Radiology, $50k Bonus
- Social Work Case Manager, Case Management, $10k Bonus
- Pool Pharmacy Tech 2
- Pool Occupational Therapist
- RRT, Respiratory Therapy
- Sr. Phlebotomist
- Security Officer, FT, Weekends
- Supervisor Patient Access Operations
THEME: FATHER’S DAY
ACROSS
1. Home to Taj Mahal
5. Centum weight, acr.
8. Psychedelic drug, acr.
11. Elephant trainer’s poker
12. *Ned Stark’s youngest daughter
13. Draw out a conclusion
15. Parks of Civil Rights fame
16. Toothy wheel
17. Birth-related
18. *Pinocchio’s father
20. Fortune-telling coffee remnant
21. Religious doctrine
22. D.C. mover and shaker, abbr.
23. Assembled
26. Raidable hotel room amenity
30. Evergreen creeper
31. “Fasten” a shoe (2 words)
34. Nay, to a baby
35. Dryer accumulation, pl.
37. Expose to moisture
38. White heron
39. Sodium hydroxide
40. Same as battle-ax
42. UN labor grp.
43. Like localized disease
45. Crab’s grabber
47. Catcher in the what?
48. Food-borne bacteria
50. Begone!
52. *”Fathers and Sons” author
55. Not expensive
56. Medicinal plant
57. Joie de vivre
59. Batu Khan’s posse
60. *Fils’ father
61. Chicken of the sea
62. *Tarzan’s adoptive dad
63. Before, poetically
64. Big Bang’s original matter
DOWN
1. Financing acronym
2. Hot rum drink
3. *Official flower of Father’s Day
4. Adjusts
5. Minotaur’s island
6. *Kurt Russell’s son of “Thunderbolts” fame
7. Tropical tuber
8. Stringed instrument
9. Slang for heroin
10. Marina ____ Rey, CA
12. “To do” list
13. “____ ____ a high note”
14. *Fictional Mr. _____ who banished children’s nanny to a doghouse
19. Banana refuse, pl.
22. Gladys Knight’s band member
23. *Christopher Robin’s father
A.A. ____
24. Like certain flu
25. Church assembly
26. Speechless
27. Gabriel of Chile
28. Administer ceremonial oil
29. Chopper blade
32. Nile dweller, for short
33. Snake-like reef dweller
36. *Cormac McCarthy’s postapocalyptic father/son novel (2 words)
38. Expatriate
40. Dream in the sky
41. Climactic stage
44. Nearsited one
46. Degrees in right angle
48. Prolific Swiss mathematician
49. Ten million, in India
50. Mercantile establishment
51. This location
52. Cassette contents
53. Twelfth month of Jewish calendar
54. Rooftop contraption
55. Cuban dance step
58. “Platoon” setting, for short