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Herman Melville’s total earnings from the 3,715 copies of “Moby-Dick” that sold during his lifetime. The now-classic novel was first published in London as a three-volume edition titled “The Whale” on Oct. 18, 1851.
Florida International University officials met with federal, state and local representatives to announce Aquarius 2 during a roundtable discussion in Islamorada on Oct. 10. DOUGLAS LANCE/FIU
FIU, TEKMARA PARTNER TO APPLY AI UNDER THE SEA IN THE FLORIDA KEYS
Plans are in the works to construct Aquarius 2
Florida International University and technology start-up Tekmara are teaming up to accelerate the evolution of underwater habitats, combining advanced artificial intelligence (AI), integrated data solutions and marine robotics to protect and conserve the world’s oceans.
The announcement was made last week during a roundtable at FIU Aquarius’ land base facility in Islamorada with several officials, including U.S. Rep. Carlos Gimenez, state Rep. Jim Mooney, County Commissioner Holly Raschein, FIU President Jeanette Nuñez and Todd Kleperis, founder of Tekmara.
FIU Aquarius, the world’s only underwater research laboratory, will host Tekmara’s sensor technology and AI-powered monitoring systems, allowing scientists to move beyond data collection and toward intelligent, real-time environmental monitoring.
FIU Aquarius is located 60 feet below the ocean surface in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. FIU is the lead university research partner for the sanctuary and a leader in ocean research, conservation and resilience. The collaboration with Tekmara is part of the future of Aquarius and underwater research habitats, which includes the development of Aquarius 2, as well as modular habitats that can be deployed all across the world.
“This project brings together two of FIU’s priorities to help grow ocean exploration: environmental research and technology,” said FIU President Jeanette M. Nuñez. “What scientists learn at the Medina Aquarius Program will prove pivotal for the future of Florida’s tourism and economy. FIU will continue to lead the way in marine conservation and research.”
FIU scientists and Tekmara technicians will develop and test autonomous systems, data platforms and AI algorithms in the environment in and around FIU Aquarius. The systems are designed to autonomously detect anomalies like pollution sources or oxygen depletion, learn from the ocean environment and provide realtime solutions. They will largely be powered by solar and marine renewable energy.
As part of this partnership, FIU will be “cutting the cord,” and use wireless data storage and transmission. The result will be a new generation smart lab located on the seafloor, continuously delivering scientific insights that are critical to global marine health and resilience.
A design drawing of the new Aquarius 2 that Florida International University and technology start-up Tekmara will plan to construct in the Florida Keys waters. CONTRIBUTED
U.S. Rep. Carlos Gimenez and FIU President Jeanette Nuñez during a roundtable discussion at FIU’s land base facility in Islamorada on Oct. 10. DOUGLAS LANCE/FIU
Largo to Key
3 or more homes during the Parade of Homes to collect your pigs and enter for a chance to
to our Big Bad Wolf Par ty on Duval Street for the 2025 Deep Eddy Vodka Fantasy Fest Parade!
NOTORIOUS SUNKEN PIRATE SHIP REMOVED
Derelict 65-foot vessel Queen Anne’s Revenge gone from Key Largo waters
Following an extensive investigation, permitting and coordinated removal effort spanning more than three years, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) successfully oversaw the removal of the 65-foot commercial sailing vessel Queen Anne’s Revenge — likely named after Blackbeard’s flagship — from the waters of Key Largo.
The final pieces of the vessel were removed on Oct. 6, by TSI Disaster Recovery, a marine recovery contractor owned and managed by Henry Elmore and Beau Tyson.
The Queen Anne’s Revenge was determined to be derelict on Aug. 3, 2021, by the FWC. The vessel had reportedly been in the Key Largo area for several years and ultimately sank during Hurricane Irma. After the owner failed to remove the vessel, the FWC initiated efforts to have it cleared from the area, which included a public bidding process. The removal contract was awarded to TSI Disaster Recovery.
Obtaining the necessary permits was a lengthy process. Over a twoyear period, TSI worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and
the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary to secure all required authorizations before beginning physical removal in August 2025.
Due to its construction and environmental location, the Queen Anne’s Revenge presented extraordinary challenges. The vessel was built primarily of concrete, featuring 10- to 12-inch-thick walls, steel mesh and 1-inch-diameter rebar throughout. Its 20-foot keel section alone weighed some 24,000 pounds and was buried 9 feet deep in mud.
The hull was reinforced concrete and steel, requiring 70,000 pounds of lift, specialized cutting equipment and weeks of underwater work to remove safely and responsibly. TSI crews spent seven weeks cutting and removing massive concrete and steel sections — some more than 8 inches thick. Work was paused several times to protect manatees entering the site and to minimize disturbance to mangroves growing around the vessel.
An osprey nest once sitting atop the sunken ship was safely removed and reinstalled at the neighboring Gilbert’s Resort & Marina.
Derelict vessels remain a top priority for the FWC’s Boating and Waterways Section, which continues a multiyear statewide initiative to reduce environmental and navigational hazards caused by abandoned and deteriorating boats.
Derelict vessels damage seagrass beds, marine habitats and property, while posing threats to navigation and public safety. Leaving a vessel in a derelict condition is a crime under Florida law.
As of October 2025, Florida has 379 derelict vessels recorded on state
waters, the lowest number in more than a decade.
New legislation effective July 1, 2025, strengthens vessel accountability measures and enhances protections for Florida’s waterways. Additionally, the FWC’s Vessel TurnIn Program has helped owners voluntarily surrender over 200 vessels, preventing them from becoming derelict.
Vessel owners can visit FloridaVTIP.com to learn more about the program.
— Keys Weekly staff report
FRIDAY, OCT. 17
2:00 pm: Pre-seminar social
2:30 pm: Tracking Shark and Ray Sightings Across the Caribbean, presented by Brendan Talwar, Ph.D.
4:00 pm: Participatory Science: A valuable tool for biodiversity research, presented by Corey T. Callaghan, Ph.D.
6:00 pm: Why I Cave Dive When There’s No Fish: An introduction to the world of cave diving, presented by Nat Gibb
SATURDAY, OCT. 18
2:00 pm: Pre-seminar social
2:30 pm: Can Reef Tanks Save Coral? Hobbyists and the future of the healthy ocean, presented by Sam Muka, Ph.D.
3:30-4:00 pm: Oceans Under Glass book signing with Sam Muka More
Scan to view talk summaries and speaker bios
October 30th at 6:30pm
AQUARIUS 2 FROM PAGE 4
“FIU Aquarius has long been a global asset for advancing scientific exploration, research and discovery,” said Mike Heithaus, FIU vice provost of environmental resilience and marine ecologist. “With these new advances, our habitat is becoming more efficient and more equipped to support the amazing work being done by FIU scientists, as well as scientists and industry partners from around the world.”
Knowledge gained from the AI-enabled systems will be incorporated into FIU’s Medina Aquarius program, which is dedicated to research and education on the world’s marine ecosystems. It will help transform onsite training programs for scientists and astronauts who use the habitat’s extreme environment and support the development of new technologies for ocean conservation.
The advanced systems will also support improved safety and security for teams conducting missions in the habitat and for FIU Aquarius itself. Detecting and tracking surface vessels, the systems will help ensure compliance within the protected Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and notify enforcement officials of unauthorized activities.
“FIU is a fantastic partner in the pursuit of making marine protected areas secure,” said Tekmara founder Todd Kleperis. “The potential exists to take what we’re doing here at FIU Aquarius and expand into other parts of the world.”
Thanks to the leadership and support of U.S. Reps. Mario-Diaz Balart and Carlos A. Gimenez, FIU was awarded $1 million from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for the College of Arts, Sciences and Education’s Medina Aquarius Program instrumentation project.
This money will be used to add new oceanographic instrumentation and communications capabilities. The instrumentation will establish a uniquely capable observation system at Aquarius Reef Base and will help scientists understand the conditions that drive the health of the ecological systems of coastal south Florida. The data will be made available in real time online so anyone, anywhere in the world can monitor the conditions of the Florida Reef tract.
— Contributed
VILLAGE EXTENDS CONTRACT WITH STATE LOBBYING FIRM
Gray Robinson adds Kate DeLoach to bolster local advocacy
JIM McCARTHY jim@keysweekly.com
Amajority on the Islamorada Village Council supported a contract extension with the lobbying firm Gray Robinson PA, despite some criticisms regarding broken communication lines over the village’s priorities for lawmakers in Tallahassee in recent years.
Islamorada has contracted with professional state lobbyists since 2013, when Capitol Insight began advocating for the village. Officials say their efforts at the state capital were critical in securing funding through the Florida Keys Stewardship Act, which set aside dollars for nearshore water quality projects like the installation of a wastewater system.
Capitol Insight eventually joined forces with Gray Robinson, a full-service law firm with 15 offices throughout the state. Village council members approved an agreement for professional services with Gray Robinson in September 2016. Contract extensions between the village and the lobbying firm have been approved on multiple occasions, with the most recent one on Oct. 7, by a 4-1 vote of the council.
As part of the agreement, Gray Robinson will look to bolster its advocacy efforts with the addition of Kate DeLoach, Tavernier resident and lobbyist who’s represented various Florida Keys entities in Tallahassee. The Keys native and eighth-generation Conch has been with the Southern Group since 2019. She’s represented clients on issues pertaining to insurance, appropriations, education, economic development and environmental policy.
The addition of DeLoach comes at no expense to the village, Manager
Ron Saunders told council members.
In addition, Saunders said the village will have more interaction with its lobbyists. Previous years have seen broken communication lines due to turnover in village hall.
Ryan Matthews, Gray Robinson lobbyist, said the firm has brought $1 million back to the village for various projects from the previous three legislative sessions.
“Our focus is providing a return on your investment and the investment of taxpayers,” he said.
Councilman Steve Friedman was the lone “no” vote in relation to the contract extension. He said the village should hire a lobbying firm that isn’t associated with Big Sugar and cause a potential conflict of interest. He also said he was disappointed the lobbyists didn’t alert village officials about the effects of Senate Bill 180, which was approved by lawmakers last session. Legislation established a new framework for emergency preparedness, but it also placed significant restrictions on local governments’ ability to regulate development, especially following a declared state of emergency. It led to lawsuits from 25 Florida municipalities against the state claiming it freezes the ability to adopt stronger land-use and development rules for years.
“I think those things a capable lobbying firm such as Gray Robinson could have alerted us to and did not –basically hearing ‘we didn’t know that was of interest to you.’ I think they should be aware of that,” he said.
While voting in favor of the contract extension, Vice Mayor Don Horton had strong words for the lobbying firm over its advocacy for the village. He said he was unimpressed with the results of Florida Keys Day
last February, when lobbyists walked him through the doors of state Rep. Jim Mooney and state Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez at the state Capitol. Horton acknowledged he already has communication lines open with the two legislators.
In addition, Horton said, his efforts to pursue changes to the way modular elevated homes are taxed in the state was met with a “defeatist” response from the lobbying firm. Per state statute, they’re treated as vehicles with an $88 per year registration fee instead of property taxes.
“I feel like I need you to advocate for us,” Horton said to Matthews, who appeared on Zoom.
Mayor Sharon Mahoney said past managers were never really engaged with the lobbying team to relay the village’s priorities for legislators in Tallahassee. But that’s changed with Saunders, a former state representative who served as minority leader in the Florida House for two years.
“I sat on the last council and I will fault the last council, myself as well; I didn’t know we had the ability to talk to him (Matthews),” Mahoney said. “Nobody did. It was just the way it was and it shouldn’t have been that way. We have to own up to shortcomings and mistakes.”
Matthews said previous sessions have been contentious between state and local governments. The 2026 session begins January with discussions likely over eliminating a revenue source for local government operations — property tax.
“(The legislature) got rid of business rent tax last year, and I think the communications services taxes and other revenues are at risk entering the 2026 legislative session,” Matthews added.
1: The lobbying firm Gray Robinson is adding the services of Kate DeLoach, of the Southern Group, to the advocacy efforts for Islamorada. FILE PHOTO 2: Mayor Sharon Mahoney. JIM McCARTHY/Keys Weekly 3: Steve Friedman voted against the lobbying firm.
TAVERNIER MAN TO PRISON AFTER VIOLATING NO-CONTACT ORDER WITH FORMER GIRLFRIEND
ATavernier man who violently dragged his girlfriend more than 1,300 feet down the road with his truck in 2021 was sentenced to 10 years in state prison after violating his probation just days after his release.
According to the Monroe County State Attorney’s Office, Scott David Alan Hedger was originally adjudicated guilty on Sept. 10, 2024, after pleading no contest under a negotiated agreement before County Judge Sharon Hamilton. He was sentenced to 42 months in state prison, followed by eight years of probation. He was also ordered to pay $125,000 in restitution and court costs, with a strict no-contact order with the victim. Hedger was given credit for 1,073 days served in county jail custody — nearly 35 months.
The original case stemmed from a Sept. 14, 2021 domestic-violence incident in Tavernier, where Hedger used
David Alan Hedger. MCSO/Contributed
his white Chevrolet Silverado to drag his girlfriend some 1,300 feet down the road, causing catastrophic injuries that required her to be airlifted to Kendall Regional Hospital. Deputies from the Monroe County Sheriff’s
Office (MCSO) followed a continuous blood trail and scattered belongings stretching from 262 Lincoln Avenue to Broadway and Coconut Row, documenting the full path of the assault. After dragging the woman, Hedger left her on the side of the road, failing to call 911 or give aid, and instead phoned his brother to tell him “there was stuff going on.”
Hedger was released on Feb. 24, 2025, and violated his probation within days by calling and attempting to contact the victim at least 29 times, in direct defiance of the no-contact order, according to the Monroe County State Attorney’s Office. The Florida Department of Corrections Probation Office immediately notified the State Attorney’s Office, and with the assistance of SAO investigator Roy Bogue, a warrant was swiftly issued and Hedger was taken into custody.
On Sept. 26, Circuit Judge James Morgan found Hedger guilty of
violating probation and sentenced him to 10 years in state prison, followed by four years of probation. He remains responsible for $110,000 in restitution, as well as fines and court costs.
“Dragging another human being for more than 1,300 feet across the pavement shows a complete disregard for life itself,” said State Attorney Dennis Ward. “And to turn around and harass the same victim again is beyond comprehension. In Monroe County, we will not tolerate this kind of cruelty or defiance of the court’s orders.”
The original case was investigated by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, and the recent probation-violation case was handled by the Florida Department of Corrections Probation Office with assistance from Bogue. Both prosecutions were handled by Assistant State Attorney Trey Evans. — Keys Weekly staff report
Scott
MARATHON RESIDENTS ARRESTED FOR ALLEGED SHOPLIFTING IN KEY LARGO
Key West woman dies while snorkeling
A 44-year-old Key West woman died after being found unresponsive while snorkeling off Key West at about 12:30 p.m. on Oct. 9.
Jessica Murray was brought ashore by the U.S. Coast Guard and then to Lower Keys Medical Center on Stock Island, where she was pronounced dead.
Foul play is not believed to be a factor. Autopsy results are pending.
Man arrested for reported battery/kidnapping
A 30-year-old Stock Island man was arrested on Oct. 9 after he allegedly battered a woman and refused to
Two Marathon residents were arrested on Oct. 11 for reportedly stealing $400 worth of merchandise from a Key Largo retail store.
The sheriff’s office was called to Bealls at Tradewinds Plaza at about 6 p.m. after an employee reported two suspects were stealing. Deputies said 40-year-old Collazo Rodriguez and 41-year-old Nieskeret Santos Roque, were found to be in possession of multiple stolen items with the retail tags still attached. Items used to defeat anti-theft security devices were also found. Rodriguez and Roque were charged with theft and possession of anti-shoplifting devices. Both suspects were taken to jail. More charges may be pending as the investigation continues.
— Keys Weekly staff report
let her leave his sailboat.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said Robert Laszlo Balogh was charged with kidnapping/false imprisonment, battery and obstructing justice.
The adult female victim told the sheriff’s office she was drinking with Balogh aboard his sailboat that was docked in Safe Harbor Marina the evening of Oct. 7. Balogh reportedly did not allow her to leave the following day, slammed her to the floor, took her cell phone — preventing her from calling 911 — and ultimately zip-tied her hands behind her back. When Balogh left at one point, a witness arrived and freed the victim. Balogh was eventually taken to jail.
SCHOOL DISTRICT PROJECTS ADVANCE
Superintendent reports drop in enrollment
FRANK DERFLER www.keysweekly.com
Updates on two notable projects in Key West and Islamorada and a new contract with the local teachers union were among the topics before the school board on Oct. 7 in Key West.
Patrick Lefere, district executive director of operations and planning, discussed the coordination with the Village of Islamorada over the Founders Park baseball field project and described changes to the plan that eliminated a multiuse building in favor of modifying an existing building at the end of the third base line.
The delivery of construction documents in March will be the next phase. After approval of those documents, a developer will provide a guaranteed maximum price. The current project estimate is about $5.6 million without the cost of modifying the existing locker room building. This is down from an estimate of $6.1 million, because the multiuse building was removed.
If the final project plans are approved by both the school district and the village, construction would start in April.
In response to questions from the board, Lefere described how the planning for the press box and concession stand behind home plate was guided by the desire to keep the existing footprint and trees.
Lefere also presented detailed images of the proposed Reynolds school renovation project. The final design documents will be available to support a request for qualification to contractors in November and construction documents will come near the end of January. The planning budget for this project, which is key to the proposed construction of housing for school staff in Key West, is $11 million.
Board chair Mindy Conn expressed a concern about the one-at-a-time project planning for three building projects in Key West. She cited a reduction in the number of students in Key West and the need to take a strategic look at all the projects underway in Key West.
Lefere discussed the need to move administrative staff in an orderly way. Board member John Dick supported Conn and observed, “All the communication is done by computer. You don’t
need to walk down the hall to get somebody to sign a piece of paper.”
Schools Superintendent Ed Tierney reported that the district has 181 fewer students than last year. Of those, 118 students left the district, and there are 48 fewer students in kindergarten. There has been a drop in the number of English as a second language learners.
“The money In Florida follows the students, so we must continue to be fiscally responsible,” Tierney said.
School board member Sue Woltanski said kindergarten enrollment is down across the state. She wondered if the lower enrollment was due to the school voucher program paying for home schooling. Tierney replied that 52 students in the district claimed school vouchers and the staff is researching grade levels.
Diana Walker, president of the United Teachers of Monroe, thanked the board for the teamwork and open exchange of information during the recent contract negotiations. Later in the meeting, the board voted to approve a contract between the teachers’ union and the district. The agreement, after seven collective bargaining sessions, includes significant improvements in pay, including the highest starting teacher salary in the state of $62,700. The agreements are retroactive to July 1, 2025.
“This achievement is a testament to the professionalism, collaboration and shared commitment to our students that guided the bargaining process,” Tierney said.
In an update on the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority pipeline replacement project, Lefere reported there is a weekly meeting among the project consultants, FDOT, MCSO and the school board. Construction is getting close to Coral Shores and Plantation Key school zones. The major concern will be at the crossing of U.S. 1 and Woods Avenue in the second week of November. He anticipates changes to the PKS dismissal process and the way buses exit PKS during that time. Buses and parent pickup traffic will have to alternate.
“We’re not saying it’s going to be easy. There will be delays. But the significant portion of the delays will be within a three- to five-day period,” Lefere said.
Two parents, Alex Dorisca and Marie Brevil, were recognized under the Great Educational Moments for Students program for their work in organizing, supporting and translating for parents at schools in Key West.
Collazo Rodriguez. MCSO/Contributed
Nieskeret Santos Roque.
BRIEFLY
VOTING BEGINS FOR BEST OF UPPER KEYS
Select your favorites through Nov. 2
JIM McCARTHY jim@keysweekly.com
Following 13 days of online polling, the field of finalists is set for the fourth annual Best of Upper Keys. Voting officially begins at noon on Thursday, Oct. 16.
Nominations opened to the community on Sept. 18. With nominations closing Oct. 5, the top three — and in some instances four, due to ties or close tallies — now seek to grab bragging rights and a beautiful plaque.
Residents from the Keys and people throughout the world nominated their favorites in the food and drink, community and business divisions. Now, they’ll decide who wins in each of 86 categories. The winners will be announced Friday, Nov. 14 at Playa Largo Resort in Key Largo.
“Landing on the ballot is a big deal,” said Keys Weekly publisher Jason Koler. “To be nominated as one of the best in your industry by your community is an accomplishment of its own.”
Finalist voting closes at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 2. During this stage, members of the public can vote once per day. People must vote for 75% of the categories to cast a valid ballot.
Visit keysweekly.com/buk25 or check out the back page of this week’s paper to view the finalists and submit your votes for the best in town. Updates and reminders will be provided at keysweekly.com, in our daily e-blast, Upper Keys Weekly print editions and social media.
In the last two years, more than $60,000 raised from the Best of Upper Keys has supported the Florida Keys Children’s Shelter. With extensive programs to help and counsel children and families in a time of need, the shelter will again be the beneficiary of the Best of Upper Keys.
Tickets to attend the Best of Upper Keys awards ceremony aren’t generally made available to the public due to high demand. Winners, nominees and dignitaries are invited to attend and additional attendees are selected from a firstcome, first-served waiting list. Email manuela@keysweekly.com to be placed on the waiting list.
Event sponsors include HNO Productions, Baptist Health, First Horizon Bank, Going Aire, Ocean Sotheby’s International Realty, Playa Largo Resort & Spa, H&R Block Key Largo and Overseas Media Group.
MANUELA
MOBLEY RETURNS
TO KEYS WEEKLY AS MARKET VP FOR THE UPPER KEYS
Keys Weekly announces the return of Manuela C. Mobley as market vice president, leading marketing and partnerships in the Upper Keys.
Mobley previously served as director of sales for Keys Weekly, where she helped grow the publication’s advertising base and build meaningful relationships with local businesses across the island chain. After her time serving the community with the Key Largo Chamber of Commerce and the Florida Keys Visitor Center, she returns to Keys Weekly with deepened experience, perspective and an even greater appreciation for the people and organizations that make the Keys so special.
“I’m humbled to have the opportunity to return to the company I once called home,” Mobley said. “My time working with local businesses and nonprofit organizations through the Chamber was incredibly rewarding, and I’m grateful for the relationships and insights gained along the way. Now, I’m
excited to put that new perspective to work using all the available resources within Keys Weekly platforms, helping clients grow their efforts through thoughtful, creative marketing strategies.”
Known for her boundless energy and genuine desire to help others succeed, Mobley is passionate about working one-on-one with local businesses — listening, brainstorming and finding solutions that make a difference. With an extensive background in sales, marketing strategy, advertising campaigns and user-friendly website design, she’s ready to collaborate with clients and community partners to reach new heights together.
“If you know me, you know I just want to help,” Mobley said.
“I’m here to work with you, to listen, and to help your business or organization succeed. Keys Weekly has always been more than just local news to me — it’s about connection, creativity and community — and I’m honored to be part of that mission again.”
— Keys Weekly staff report
Manuela Mobley is the new market vice president for the Upper Keys Weekly.
Join us for an unforgettable evening as we celebrate the ongoing efforts to Preserve Alligator Reef Lighthouse NOVEMBER 15, 2025 | COCKTAILS AT 5:00PM Tea Table Key - 79775 Overseas Hwy, Islamorada
Attire -
9
&
APPAREL AND SOUVENIRS: MEN, WOMEN, KID APPAREL T- SHIRTS STARTING AT $14.99 • HATS • SHORTS FISHING PERFORMANCE APPAREL • LOCAL ART SNACKS • DRINKS • SUNSCREEN
TRAFFIC CHANGES SET FOR PLANTATION
KEY COLONY ON HALLOWEEN NIGHT
New flow aims to safeguard trick-or-treaters
Changes to traffic flow in the Plantation Key Colony neighborhood will be in effect on Halloween night, Friday, Oct. 31, in an effort to keep young trick-or-treaters and their families safe.
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said the following changes are scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. and are expected to last until 10 p.m. The purpose of the changes is to reduce congestion in the neighborhood and provide a safe environment for all trick-or-treaters.
All vehicles will remain to the right of all cones. All pedestrians will remain on the left of all cones. All vehicles entering Plantation Key Colony will use Royal Poinciana Boulevard.
At Coconut Palm Boulevard, vehicles will be directed to turn right or left depending on their destination. North Coconut Palm Boulevard will become a one-way street. South Coconut Palm Boulevard will become a one-way street from the intersection of Royal Poinciana Boulevard to the intersection of Bougainvillea Street.
Hibiscus Streets will become one-way streets, allowing turns only onto Royal Poinciana Boulevard toward U.S. 1. Jasmine Streets will become one-way streets, allowing turns only onto Royal Poinciana Boulevard toward U.S. 1.
Bougainvillea Street will become a one-way street between South Coconut Palm Boulevard and Royal Poinciana Boulevard, allowing turns onto Royal Poinciana Boulevard toward U.S. 1.
Royal Poinciana Boulevard will be the only way out of Plantation Key Colony as a one-way street. All vehicles leaving the area will use Royal Poinciana Boulevard only.
A graphic of these traffic changes can be viewed on page 14.
Plantation Key Colony will have residential parking only. Nonresidents will park at Plantation Key School, Coral Shores High School or the Old Road.
The sheriff’s office asks everyone to obey the posted signs and directions for the safety of all participants, and to avoid distractions and use caution while navigating the area.
More information or questions regarding this traffic change can be directed to Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Lissette Quintero at 305-619-0779 or Lquintero@keysso.net.
Keys Weekly staff report
LOCAL FACES
Established in 2009, KeyZ Charters provides boat and eco tours out of Robbie's Marina in Islamorada. Led by Capt. Samantha Zeher, she and her two captains customize boat tours, ecotours, snorkeling excursions, sandbar swims and sunset cruises while sharing with guests their knowledge of the unique Keys environment, wildlife and history. With two 21 foot deck boats, guests can relax in comfort and shade while heading to the best snorkeling spots, including Alligator Lighthouse, or to the sandbar. Capt. Samantha said, "The secret to our success is having fun with our guests, keeping them safe and simply loving what we do!"
In addition to the Key Largo Chamber, KeyZ Charters is a member of the Islamorada Chamber, active with I.CARE and Coastal Conservation Association, and is a qualified NOAA Blue Star operator.
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
FILE PHOTO
BIG KAHUNA CROWNING
Duo raises recordbreaking funds for Good Health Clinic
Hundreds of thousands of dollars raised by community members the past few months will bolster Good Health Clinic’s efforts to provide quality health care to the underinsured and uninsured. For four months, 13 community leaders championed the clinic’s mission by raising money and awareness for health care access throughout the Keys. When all was said and done, Bernice Dionne and Natalie Shea, of Shen Health, were crowned Big Kahuna during an Oct. 11 celebration at Founders Park beach. The duo raised a record-breaking $67,000. Together, the contestants raised more than $200,000.
— Keys Weekly staff report
1: This year’s challenge saw nine Big Kahuna teams and contestants.
2: Bernice Dionne and Natalie Shea raised a record-breaking $67,000 to win the fundraiser challenge for Good Health Clinic.
3: Mary Houston, last year’s Big Kahuna, embraces winners of this year’s Big Kahuna Challenge in Bernice Dionne and Natalie Shea.
4-8: Good Health Clinic’s Big Kahuna reveal coincided with a “Tomorrowland for Health”-themed party at Founders Park beach.
JACKSON GARCIA/Keys Weekly
Florida Keys FISH REPORT
BITES HEAT UP AS FLORIDA BAY COOLS DOWN
Bonefish, permit enjoying the king tides
October is here and it’s time to hit your local pumpkin patch. On the water, temperatures are starting to cool in Florida Bay and the fish aren’t the only ones loving it.
The snook bite has been very productive. We’re seeing top water fly fishing with gurgler and popping patterns. Aggressive surface eats are what it’s all about. It’s a tough choice in the morning between tailing redfish and the top water action.
Redfish have been loving the cool down and seem to be more eager to eat. We’re stalking them in shallow flats looking for that “pumpkin” glow or the quintessential tail, as if it’s waiving at you to come and get them. Don’t forget to
FISH TIP
slot limit for redfish is no less than 18 inches and no more than 27 inches total length.
FISH FACT
breathe before you take your shot at these beautiful fish.
Back in town, the bonefish and permit have been happy with king tides providing more water and places to feed. Current only helps with the bonefish. With temperatures cooling off, we’re seeing these fish further up on flats and in bigger schools.
Fall is my favorite time of year to fish the Everglades National Park. Any guide you talk to will tell you that October is one of their favorite times of year to fish and there is a reason for that. There’s far less pressure on the water, sometimes not seeing another skiff all day. Flats fishing is always fun but there’s some value to the feeling that you have it all to yourself.
specializes in sight fishing, targeting inshore sport fish with fly or spinning tackle, in the Florida Keys.
Snook stocks have rebounded and are currently exceeding FWC’s management goal of 40% spawning potential ratio (SPR) on the Gulf and Atlantic coasts of Florida. SPR is the percent of the total biomass of mature fish in a fished population compared to the number that would exist if the population were not fished.
TREASURE TREAT NIGHT AT HISTORY OF DIVING MUSEUM
Event features exhibits, costumed staff
Treasure Treat Night returns to the History of Diving Museum on Thursday, Oct. 23. HDM/Contributed
The History of Diving Museum in Islamorada will hold its fourth annual Treasure Treat Night on Thursday, Oct. 23 from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
This event includes trick-ortreating through the museum’s haunted exhibits as costumed
staff dole out candy, toys, activities, stickers and fun historic facts. A costume contest with prizes for three winners will take place at 6:15 p.m. A raffle will be held for additional prizes. This event is free to the public, with a $5 suggested donation.
— Contributed
REEF FEST EXPLORES OCEAN CONSERVATION
Diving trips, seminars and dinner during sunset highlight events
REEF Fest features diving, snorkeling and kayaking with local eco-excursion partners. Diving and snorkeling will take place Thursday through Saturday, Oct. 16-19. REEF/Contributed
Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) invites the public to join in a weekend of ocean conservation, citizen science and community engagement during REEF Fest on Oct. 16-19 in Key Largo.
This year’s event brings together free ocean conservation seminars, social gatherings and plenty of opportunities to connect with the marine world. Most REEF Fest events are free to attend, but pre-registration is requested. Visit REEF.org/REEFfest to register and see the full event schedule.
REEF conserves marine environments worldwide. Its mission is to protect biodiversity and ocean life by actively engaging and inspiring the public through citizen science, education, and partnerships with the scientific community.
Ocean seminars
Free educational seminars will be held on Friday, Oct. 17, and Saturday, Oct. 18 at the REEF Ocean Exploration Center in Key Largo. Guest speakers include scientists, underwater photographers and more, including:
• Sam Muka, associate professor, Stevens Institute of Technology, who will highlight how coral reef tanks and hobbyists are influencing coral conservation and scientific understanding.
• Brendan Talwar, postdoctoral scholar, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, who will discuss long-term trends in shark and ray observations and conservation implications.
• Nat Gibb, cave explorer, underwater photographer and videographer, who will share her cave-diving stories, imagery and passion for subterranean exploration.
• Corey T. Callaghan, assistant
professor, University of Florida, who will explain how citizen science and open data streams are transforming ecological research across marine and terrestrial environments.
For full talk summaries and speaker bios, visit REEF.org/REEFfest/ seminars.
Socials and nature tours
An open house at the new REEF Ocean Exploration Center is set from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 16. Attendees can meet the team; light refreshments will be served. It’s free and open to the public.
Following the afternoon seminars on Friday, Oct. 17 will be a happy hour social from 5 to 6 p.m. Free and open to the public, it will include snacks and drinks at the REEF campus.
For the Love of the Sea celebration will take place Saturday, Oct. 18, from 5 to 8:30 p.m. The evening will feature dinner, an open bar with local craft beer, wine and signature cocktails, silent auction and a sunset over the bay. Tickets are $125 per person at REEF.org/REEFfest/registration to purchase tickets.
Diving and snorkeling
REEF Fest is an opportunity to explore the marine environments of the Florida Keys. Attendees can choose from trusted partners offering excursions, including fish survey dives, reef cleanups and coral planting. These trips can be booked directly with dive and snorkel operators. A listing of suggested REEF Fest Experience partners is at www.REEF.org/REEFfest. On the morning of Sunday, Oct. 19, attendees may join in a guided walking tour of a nature trail at John Pennekamp State Park.
KEY LARGO FOUNDATION AIDS PET OWNERS
Women for Paws raises money to care for pets through a series of fundraisers, including a sip-and-paint event in Key
Women for Paws was created to help breast cancer patients care for animals
What began as an opportunity to volunteer with the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation two decades ago evolved into a lifelong mission for part-time Key Largo resident Grace C. Lopez.
“This organization was extra special for me because I learned so much about the patients, the women that went through the treatment,” said Lopez, who eventually served as the first Hispanic board president for the Miami/Fort Lauderdale Susan G. Komen affiliate from 2011 through 2014. During that time, Lopez identified an unfulfilled need for breast cancer patients.
“They had pets, they had dogs, they had cats, they had all kinds of animals and during the treatment they had to either give them up, give them to friends to take care of temporarily or take them to shelters,” Lopez said. “Not only was it a financial situation, it was also psychological; there was a void there when they didn’t have their animals.”
Lopez set out to fill that void and provide financial help for people struggling to care for their pets during difficult times. Fifteen years ago she started the nonprofit Women for Paws. The foundation helps with everything from purchasing pet food, to paying for unexpected vet bills and providing temporary boarding.
“It just so happened that one of our members, who was living with metastatic breast cancer and two young children, one of her dogs, Chuley, got sick,” recalled Rosemary Carrera, founder of 305 Pink Pack.
The South Florida nonprofit that helps breast cancer patients referred the woman to Women for Paws and it gladly paid the unexpected expenses for Chuley, a one-eyed rescue Chihuahua.
Lopez says Women for Paws was able to cover $500 of Chuley’s vet bills. Lopez shared an email received by Chuley’s grateful owner.
“Oh my gosh Grace, I am in tears and you have no idea how much this means to me and my family. I will not forget the help and once I’m back on my feet I will come back to make a donation to your organization,” wrote Geniat Erice. “God Bless you all!”
Sadly, Erice did not survive metastatic breast cancer. She succumbed to the disease two years ago. Lopez feels
fortunate she was able to play a small part in making a terrible situation a little more bearable.
Lopez estimates that over the last 15 years, her foundation has helped 200 pet owners. And it’s not just cancer patients receiving assistance. Over the years, Women for Paws has expanded its mission to support any pet owner in need of help.
“Thank you for Grace; she was a lifesaver, because our pets are like children,” said Lisa Bergstrom. She is disabled and had limited financial means when her cat Luna became ill. She was referred to Women for Paws and was blown away by the nonprofit’s compassion and generosity. “She even came with me to one of the appointments,” recalled Bergstrom, who said Women for Paws paid for all of Luna’s vet bills.
“While my organization is called Women for Paws, I want to make it very clear that it’s not just to help pet owners who are women. It’s anyone who has a pet,” said Lopez.
Lopez uses a community-based approach to fundraising. She’s hosted events at her home, like a recent sipand-paint, with proceeds benefiting Women for Paws. There have been community garage sales, lemonade stands, Halloween dog parades and “pawties” and she’s hoping to put together a benefit pickleball tournament. She even bought the website domain, Pickleball for Paws. Lopez says she receives many referrals for help from Marrvelous Pet Rescue.
Lopez’s background is in managing law firms, but she now devotes most of her time and effort to Women for Paws.
Her past has inspired her to help others. Lopez came to the United States from Cuba when she was 5 and was raised by a single mother who worked two jobs to support her. Lopez did not have a big family growing up; her dog was her best friend.
“I always had a dog companion, that was my safety blanket,” said Lopez.
That upbringing and love of animals motivated her to give back to the community.
“I’ve been fundraising for others my entire life and I’m so proud of it,” said Lopez. “I just love giving back and that’s why it’s so important to me to save a pet’s life for someone else that needs it so desperately.”
More information is at womenforpaws.org.
Grace C. Lopez, pictured here with her rescued dogs, Chloe and Charlie, founded Women for Paws to help breast cancer patients care for their animals. The mission has grown to help anyone in need care for his or her pets. CONTRIBUTED
Largo in August.
Grace C. Lopez and her wife Arianne Plasencia pictured at their first public fundraiser for Women for Paws, held in Miami in 2021.
Grace C. Lopez and Women for Paws host an Island Vibes Pup Pawty fundraiser at the Caribbean Club in July.
A few years ago, Women for Paws helped metastatic breast cancer patient Geniat Erice pay for medical bills for her one-eyed Chihuahua, Chuley.
KELLIE BUTLER FARRELL www.keysweekly.com
BISCEGLIA RECOGNIZED FOR DEDICATION TO LOCAL CHILDREN &
Surrounded by members of the Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade/Monroe, Sandi Bisceglia, center, holds the chairman’s Distinguished Service Award on Oct.
6. CONTRIBUTED
FAMILIES
Sandi Bisceglia, former Plantation Key School principal and current board member of Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade/Monroe, received the coalition chairman’s Distinguished Service Award on Oct. 6 for dedication to children and families in Florida.
Bisceglia has been a member of the board since 2020. With a background in education, she is known for her insightful guidance, commitment to excellence and passion for driving meaningful change. She is a strong advocate for Monroe County early learning programs and the K-12 system.
“By serving as chair of the Monroe Advisory Committee, she ensures
NEW TOUR BOAT BUSINESS LAUNCHES IN ISLAMORADA
Above:
that issues important to Monroe county children, families and providers rise to the top of the ELC’s priority list. Her contributions continue to strengthen our mission and shape the long-term vision of our organization,” said Early Learning Coalition chairman Matthew Bruno.
The coalition’s board is composed of individuals from private sector business organizations and leaders of community organizations. They provide governance for the coalition by creating and directing initiatives that ensure high-quality programming and increase all children’s chances of achieving educational success and becoming productive members of society.
— Contributed
Coral Keys Adventures recently announced the official launch of its new tour boat service out of Whale Harbor Marina, MM 83.4, in the Florida Keys.
With the grand opening held on Aug. 13, the company is already gaining attention for its educational boat tours, featuring snorkeling trips, historical excursions and private charters to some of the area’s iconic locations, including the Alligator Lighthouse and Indian Key.
Founded by longtime Islamorada resident and captain Rebekah Susa, Coral Keys Adventures offers a way for visitors to explore the waters, coral reefs and rich history of the Keys. The tours are designed to provide an experience combining nature, history and adventure.
“We’re passionate about giving people the opportunity to connect with the natural beauty and fascinating history of this region,” said Susa. “Whether you’re snorkeling in crystal-clear waters, learning about the history of Indian Key or simply relaxing on a private boat tour, we aim to make each experience memorable and unique.”
The company’s tours include options for snorkeling, sightseeing, wildlife watching and historical tours. Guests will have the chance to learn about the history of the region, from the famous Alligator Lighthouse to the salvaging stories of Indian Key, while enjoying the stunning scenery of the Florida Keys.
Coral Keys Adventures offers small group tours to ensure a more personal and intimate experience, with the chance to interact with the knowledgeable crew who share a love for the area’s natural wonders. Private charters are also available for those looking for a customized adventure.
More information is at www.coralkeysadventures.com or 305363-8286.
— Contributed
Keys Coral Adventures is founded by local resident and captain Rebekah Susa. CONTRIBUTED
Left: The new tour boat business takes visitors to explore the waters, coral reefs and rich history of the Keys.
INDIAN KEY’S PORT OF ENTRY DESIRES DENIED
Island boasted convenient harbor and stop for sailors
Driving up and down the Florida Keys, millions of people have traveled through Islamorada and over the series of bridges and fills that link Upper Matecumbe to Lower Matecumbe Key. While moving between the two islands, a small, seemingly nondescript island appears in the Atlantic shallows. It is about one mile offshore. The island, shrouded in mangroves, offers an excellent example of judgments made about books simply by the look of their covers.
Bahamian sailors called it Kay Comfort. Located about midway along the Florida Reef, it possessed a naturally occurring deep harbor and maintained a reputation for being relatively mosquito-free. Also, nearby Lower Matecumbe Key was home to a series of fresh-water wells. Some historical accounts considered them to be the most reliable source of fresh water in the Keys.
On a chart created by George Gauld in 1775, the island was identified as Kay Comfort and its modern name, Indian Key. Today, the island is home to Indian Key Historic State Park. A true overlooked gem, there was a time when it was the most important island in the Keys that was not named Key West.
Indian Key faded as a community, and Key West grew to become the wealthiest city, per capita, in the United States. The money flowed onto the island across the decks of the wrecking industry. Had one or two breaks gone this way instead of that, their stories would have likely been quite different.
When Spain transferred ownership of the Florida Territory to the United States through the AdamsOnis Treaty (18191821), there was a great deal more to Florida than just the Sunshine State.
The Florida Territory was composed of East Florida, which included the panhandle and stretched from the Atlantic Ocean to the Suwannee River, and West Florida, which ended at the Mississippi River, the Keys and the Florida Reef.
FLORIDA KEYS HISTORY WITH BRAD BERTELLI
author, speaker and Honorary Conch who loves sharing the history of the Florida Keys.
Before the acquisition, wreckers plying their trade in the Straits of Florida and along the third largest barrier reef system in the world worked on schooners and skiffs flying different flags. Wreckers flying Spanish flags brought any cargos salvaged to Havana. Those under English flags sailed for Nassau.
Change was in the making. Key West was declared a U.S. port of entry on May 7, 1822. The next step was enacting new laws. On July 4, 1823, the first attempt at officially documented U.S. wrecking reform was enacted: “Concerning wreckers and wrecked property: WHEREAS it is necessary that prompt and efficient protection should be given to wreckers and to the owners of wrecked property brought within the limits and jurisdiction of this Territory: Be it enacted by the Governor and Legislative Council
of the Territory of Florida, And it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That whenever wrecked property of any description whatsoever shall arrive, be brought in or landed in any part of this Territory, it shall be the duty of the salvor or salvors, owner or owners, or their representatives, or other persons having charge of the same, to make report of the fact of such arrival to such justice of the peace or notary public as may reside next adjacent to the place of arrival.”
Cargo salvaged from an American interest was to be brought to an American port of entry. In 1823, the territory’s east coast had two: St. Augustine and Key West. There was a time, as Indian Key was establishing itself as a force, when the Territorial Congress received letters requesting that the island be declared a third port of entry. The first letter was sent in 1828 but was ignored. As the Indian Key community continued to grow, additional petitions were sent.
There were legitimate reasons to consider Indian Key a suitable port of entry. It was not just some convenient harbor in times of emergency, but a destination where sailors could stop to stretch their legs, get a warm meal and shoot a game of pool. They could also acquire provisions at one of the two general stores on the island.
The stores at Indian Key were not visited casually, as would be revealed when, on April 23, 1833, it was recorded that, “One store on this island sold in the last 12 months merchandise to the amount of 25 thousand dollars. ¼ part of this sum was purchased by residents of the mainland – the remaining ¾ by inhabitants of the Keys and by vessels
who resort here for supplies.” Adjusting for inflation, $25,000 in 1833 would be worth in the neighborhood of $950,000 in 2025. A second letter requesting that the island become a port of entry was drafted by the “Inhabitants of Indian Key” on July 23, 1833. It was signed not just by residents of Indian Key, but also by “Florida Shippers, Underwriters, Masters of Vessels, and others interested in the commercial and wrecking concerns of the Gulf and Reef of Florida.”
Included in the letter was: “Much the greatest part of Court & Customs House business in this District originates in the disasters that so frequently occur in navigating these seas – and more than three fourths of these accidents take place in the vicinity of Indian Key.”
In addition, it was noted that “the rapid increase of business at and in the vicinity of the Island renders it exceedingly desirable that Indian Key should be made a Port of Entry and a Custom House…”
For the second time, the request was denied. In 1839, a third petition was sent to the Territorial Congress, and, for a third time, the request was denied. Politics were involved. It would have been interesting if the politics behind those making the decision had broken the other way. Because Indian Key was more conveniently located along the Florida Reef than Key West, in many cases, wreckers would not have had to sail as great a distance to register their salvaged cargo. The money that poured into Key West would have been diverted to Indian Key, and the history of both islands would have been recorded in books much differently than they are today.
‘Indian Key, The Wreckers’ Rendezvous’ from ‘Along the Florida Reef’ by Charles Holder, Harper’s New Monthly Magazine, Vol. XLII, 1871. MONROE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY/Florida Keys History Center Collection
Brad is a local historian,
CLEAN MARINAS, CLEAN WATERS
Voluntary
initiative
establishes environmental practices
SHELLY KRUEGER
is the University of Florida, IFAS Monroe County Extension Florida Sea Grant Agent. Shelly is a marine biologist and provides sciencebased education about coastal environments.
Did you know there are around 117 marinas and boatyards in Monroe County? Of those, 28 are certified Clean Marinas.
The most recent designations are Happy Landings Marina, Safe Harbor Marathon and Marlin Bay Resort and Marina. Congratulations to these three new Clean Marinas.
Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) runs the Clean Marina program, a voluntary initiative aimed at helping marinas, boatyards and marine retailers adopt environmental best management practices that go beyond regulatory compliance. The Clean Boating Partnership is a publicprivate collaboration led by FDEP along with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and Florida Sea Grant.
Florida Sea Grant collaborates statewide within the Clean Boating and Clean Marina framework via education, outreach, technical assistance and coordination. The key elements of the Clean Marine Program are to teach marinas and boatyards about practices to protect sensitive habitats, reduce pollution from waste and hazardous materials, manage stormwater, prevent spills and establish emergency preparedness procedures.
To be designated a Clean Marina, a facility must meet all the legal requirements (permits, local/state laws) and implement at least 60% of the voluntary best practices. Certified marinas receive a flag and certificate to display, listing on the FDEP website, and there may be financial incentives available, like reduced insurance fees. For those with state submerged land leases, there’s a 10% discount on lease fees.
Florida Sea Grant employs clean-boating coordinators who actively engage with marinas, boaters and FDEP. They perform site visits and assessments of marina operations, identify opportunities to adopt best practices and advise staff in preparation for Clean Marina certification site visits. The clean-boating coordinator positions and Clean Vessel Act education coordinator are funded through the FDEP through a grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Safe Harbor Marathon recently became a certified Clean Marina. CONTRIBUTED
The Clean Vessel Act offers grants to facilities for the installation, operation and maintenance of pumpouts and dump stations.
OCT. 7 TERROR ATTACK SURVIVOR TO SPEAK
Bariach’s harrowing story will be told in Key Largo
Elinor Bitton Bariach. CONTRIBUTED
Staff at Monroe County Extension can help get you started toward Clean Marina certification. Any marinas or boatyards that are interested in the Clean Marina program can contact Octavio Franco at Octavio.Franco@ufl.edu or email clean.marina.program@dep.state.fl.us. More information is available by scanning the QR code here.
An important criterion of the Clean Marina program is to have a functional sewage waste disposal resource, such as a pumpout, mobile pumpout vessel, or port-a-potty dump station. Florida DEP’s Clean Vessel Act program offers grants for installation, operation and maintenance of pumpouts and dump stations. The grants will cover up to 75% of all eligible expenses.
Once installed, the equipment must be open to the public, listed on the free “Pumpout Nav” app, and facilities can only charge up to $5 per pumpout. Florida Sea Grant’s clean-boating coordinators and Clean Vessel Act education coordinator are available to help with grant applications. More information is at DEP’s CVA webpage at floridadep.gov/rcp/cva. The Monroe County Extension Service is available via email to monroe@ifas.ufl.edu.
Chabad of Key Largo and the Upper Keys is hosting a visit by Elinor Bitton Bariach, a survivor of the Oct. 7, 2023 terrorist attack on Kibbutz Kfar Aza. Her visit will allow attendees to remember the victims, thank God for the return of the hostages and honor the lives forever changed by that tragic day.
On Sunday, Oct. 26, the Key Largo and Upper Keys community will hear Bariach’s firsthand account of survival and loss. For more than 20 hours, Bariach and her family hid in their safe room while terrorists stormed their kibbutz, murdering, burning and kidnapping neighbors and friends. Her story is one of pain and courage, and her testimony aims to ensure that the memories of those who were taken, murdered or held in captivity will never be forgotten.
The event, held at the Murray Nelson Government Center, will provide attendees an opportunity to bear witness, reflect and stand in unity with Israel and all those affected by the Oct. 7 attack.
“We are deeply honored to welcome Elinor to Key Largo and to provide a platform for her to share her heartbreaking yet powerful story,” said Rabbi Yisroel Shur, director of Chabad of Key Largo. “Her visit reminds us of the sacred responsibility to remember the victims, to thank God for the safe return of the hostages, and to stand together in compassion and solidarity.”
This event is free and open to all, but RSVP is required at chabadkeylargo.com/survivor.
— Contributed
Special Olympics athletes deliver for Monroe County
Special Olympics Florida – Monroe County athletes delivered outstanding performances at the 2025 South Region Fall Classic at Nova Southeastern University on Oct. 5, bringing home numerous medals across powerlifting and pickleball events. Representing schools and community programs from Key West to Key Largo, athletes showed determination, strength and sportsmanship on the regional stage.
In powerlifting, Coral Shores High School’s Heyden Michael Fenney captured first place in the male combination lifts with a total lift of 900 pounds. Classmate Gordon Gomila earned first place in the male deadlift, lifting 254 pounds.
Hailing from the Middle Keys, Marathon High School’s Cindy Augustin secured first place in Female Combination 2, lifting 210 pounds of total weight between her bench press and squat. Tony Barrera lifted his way to first place in Male Combination 2 for his weight class, pushing 295 pounds in the same lifts. Luis “Alex” Chavala took first place in Male Combination 2 with 265 pounds (265 total weight), while Angel Pierce and Billy Roberts earned silver medals in their weight classes for the same combination (195 and 200 pounds lifted, respectively).
Monroe County athletes also excelled on the pickleball court, a fastgrowing sport in the region.
Christopher Gregory from Key West High School and Alicia Di Giuseppe from Horace O’Bryant School teamed up to claim first place in Unified Doubles, in which a special needs athlete is partnered with a neurotypical partner. The pairs of Monae Hylor and Reyna Bogins and Laila Jones and Lauren Anderson, all from the College of the Florida Keys, took second and third place in the Unified Doubles matches.
Ray Moreno from the Monroe Association for ReMARCable Citizens (MARC) program shone in individual skills, finishing in second place with 178 points. Kenny Ayers from the MARC program brought home sixth place in individual skills with 133 points.
Youth athletes also stood out, with Abraham Nava-Magdaleno and Evan Dickens from Horace O’Bryant School earning third place in Unified Doubles.
From the Upper Keys, Treasure Village Montessori’s young unified teams demonstrated skill and teamwork. Greyson Mack and Nicolai Mihalciuc
earned first place in Unified Doubles (8–11 year old division). Anthony Mestre and Emmett Willis also claimed first place in their Unified Doubles bracket. Emma Rodriguez and Serenity Magee earned second place in Unified Doubles, and Brody Lint and Greyson Hawthorn also finished with secondplace medals in their division.
“These results reflect the dedication of our athletes, coaches, and families,” said Ruth Coleman, sports training and competition director for Special Olympics Florida – Monroe County. “From record lifts in powerlifting to the teamwork displayed in pickleball, Monroe County athletes continue to inspire our community through inclusion and perseverance.”
The Fall Classic once again highlighted the spirit of Special Olympics, where ability, friendship and determination take center stage. Monroe County will now set its sights on upcoming state competitions, where many of these athletes will continue their quest for gold.
Statewide games for the Fall Classic will take place Nov. 13-16 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex in Orlando, featuring flag football, powerlifting and pickleball. The county expects representation from Key Largo School, Coral Shores High School, Key West High School, Marathon Middle/ High School, Treasure Village Montessori, the MARC program and the College of the Florida Keys, Coleman said.
For more coverage of Special Olympics athletics, see next week’s edition of the Keys Weekly.
— Keys Weekly Staff Report
CFK PARTNERS WITH CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE FOR WORKSHOP Program
helps students navigate application process
The College of the Florida Keys (CFK) is partnering with the Key Largo and Marathon chambers of commerce to help high school students navigate the college application process. The free “Ready, Set, College!” workshops will provide guidance on college applications, essay writing and financial aid for students, families, mentors and guidance counselors.
• KEY LARGO
“Ready, Set, College!” workshop presented by the Key Largo Chamber of Commerce takes place Tuesday, Oct. 21 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the CFK Upper Keys Center auditorium, 106040 Overseas Hwy., Key Largo
• MARATHON
“Ready, Set, College!” workshop presented by the Marathon Chamber of Commerce takes place Wednesday, Oct. 22 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the CFK Middle Keys Center, Room 5204, 350 Sombrero Beach Road, Marathon College faculty will share strategies for crafting admission and scholarship essays.
Parents, mentors and guidance counselors will learn how to evaluate student writing and provide constructive feedback.
The second half of each workshop will cover college financing through federal grants, loans, scholarships and payment plans. CFK financial aid staff will provide hands-on assistance with completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the critical first step for accessing federal and institutional financial aid.
“These workshops represent our continuing commitment to assure that higher education is accessible to every student in the Florida Keys,” said Jonathan Gueverra, CFK president. “Our local chambers of commerce are one of many partners who help us to bring college preparation resources directly to families.” Both events are free and open to all high school students and their supporters. More information is at 305296-9081.
— Contributed
Athletes from Marathon and Coral Shores High School secure a bevy of medals in Special Olympics powerlifting competition.
Monroe County athletes show off their medals from Unified Doubles competition in pickleball. CONTRIBUTED
TIME TO VOTE FOR THE BEST IN TOWN
Plus, REEF Fest celebrates a decade
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.
Hi friends! Reef the fox here with your weekly “Reef’s Report.” Hold on to your coconuts, folks.
It’s the moment we’ve all been pretending not to obsess over is finally here. The nominees for Best of the Upper Keys have been announced, and the competition is hotter than Jason Koler in a speedo.
From best fish sandwich to top real estate agent, the categories are stacked. So what now? It’s in your hands. That’s right, you, the people with strong opinions about where to get the best Bloody Mary on a Sunday at 7 a.m. Vote like the future of the Keys depends on it (because, honestly, the bragging rights do).
Winners will be announced, publicly celebrated and roasted at the Best of the Upper Keys Awards on Nov. 14. Think of it as the Oscars, if the Oscars had more flip-flops, no acceptance speeches, and way more jokes about politicians and boat
Oct. 16-19
• The Key Players presents “War of the Worlds: The Radio Show that Changed the World” and “They Came from Earth” at the Murray Nelson Government & Cultural Center, Key Largo. Tickets $20 online and at the door. Learn more at thekeyplayers.org.
• REEF Fest celebrating marine conservation in Key Largo. Visit reef.org/reeffest for more information.
Thursday, Oct. 16
• Art Walk from 6 to 9 p.m. at Morada Way Arts & Cultural District, Islamorada.
Oct. 17-18
• Casting for Cats backcountry fishing tournament at Islander Resort and Lorelei Restaurant and Cabana Bar. Visit castingforcats.org for more information.
Saturday, Oct. 18
traffic. So cast those votes, rally your fans and prepare for eternal glory, or at least a very shiny plaque and a night you may or may not remember.
While you’re busy voting, don’t miss another major event on the horizon. Dive Into conservation at REEF Fest 2025. Set for Oct. 16-19 in Key Largo at the Reef Environmental Education Foundation, the festival returns for its 10th anniversary, bringing together ocean lovers, scientists, divers and conservationists for a weekend of education, exploration and community.
Highlights include a full schedule of free ocean seminars, a festive open house at the REEF campus and Ocean Exploration Center, and opportunities to get in the water with snorkeling and diving trips throughout the weekend.
Whether you’re a seasoned marine enthusiast or just looking to learn more about the underwater world, REEF Fest offers something for everyone. View the full schedule and register at www.reef.org/reeffest.
Anywho, it’s nice they named an event after me, even though I wasn’t named mascot.
Stay up-to-date with all things fox by visiting our website at pawsitivebeginnings.org.
Until next time, Reef, over and out!
• Witches Paddle at 2 p.m. at Green Turtle Hammock Nature Preserve, Islamorada. Paddle goes to Islamorada Fish Company. Contact emily.rother@islamorada.fl.us for more information.
Tuesday, Oct. 21
• JOY Center activities from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Plantation Key Community Center, 53 High Point Road.
• Florida Bay Forever presents a Seria Films premiere, “Sponge Restoration in the Florida Keys” at 7 p.m. at Safe Harbor Angler House, 80500 Overseas Highway, Islamorada.
Thursday, Oct. 23
• Treasure Treat Night from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the History of Diving Museum, Islamorada. Free Halloween event for the family.
• “The Underwater World of Mangroves” photo exhibit by National Geographic Explorer Gabriela Tejeda from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Hale Gallery, 8188 Overseas Highway, Islamorada.
Friday, Oct. 24
• Owl-O-Ween from 4 to 8 p.m at the Florida Keys Wild Bird Center, 93600 Overseas Highway, Tavernier.
Staff from your Monroe County Public Library recommend some of their favorites from the collection.
What: “This Is Spinal Tap” (1984) Why: Before “The Office,” “Waiting for Guffman” or “Parks and Recreation,” one film set the standard for the mockumentary genre: “This Is Spinal Tap.” Rob Reiner directs – his first time out in that role – and also appears as the director in the film, Marty DiBergi. Reiner is also one of the writers, along with cast/band members Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer. They are known as “one of England’s loudest bands” but as the filmmakers catch them, they are on a downslide into smaller arenas, canceled gigs and objections from their record company to the offensively sexist cover of their new album. And the inevitable tensions when the girlfriend of one of the band members has too many opinions about their direction. The band recently reunited for a sequel. If you didn’t catch that film in the theater – or even if you did – it’s a good time to refresh your acquaintance with the original. And if you’ve never seen it, you’re in for a treat. This film, like Spinal Tap’s amps, goes to 11.
Where: This film is available as a DVD and on Kanopy, the library’s streaming app.
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: Nancy Klingener, community affairs manager.
See previous Reel Recs at keyslibraries.org/post/reel-recs.
Miss Monroe Boutique’s Karla Fernandez, foreground, and Liz Huddleston show off the plaque for Best Boutique in last year’s Best of Upper Keys. FILE PHOTO
CORAL SHORES GRADUATE SHINES ON THE GRIDIRON
Recently, the Dube family attended homecoming at Beloit College in Beloit, Wisconsin for a football game against Knox College from Illinois. Coral Shores 2024 graduate RJ Dube III plays outside linebacker for the Beloit Buccaneers. The Bucs lost 16-14. RJ had 7 tackles and a fumble recovery. Pictured are RJ, left, and his dad Bobby Dube. WENDY DUBE/Contributed
SWIMMING SENSATION LAYNE SMITH RECOGNIZED BY ISLAMORADA OFFICIALS
ACoral Shores swimming sensation was recognized by the Village of Islamorada on Oct. 7 for recently completing a roughly 8-mile swim to Alligator Lighthouse and back. Carolyn Wightman, village Parks & Rec Citizens Advisory Committee chair, presented a certificate of achievement to Hurricanes swimmer Layne Smith for being the first solo swimmer to complete the race on Sept. 13 with a time of 3 hours, 39 minutes and 50 seconds. Layne was accompanied on the swim by her dad, Cale, who was a support kayaker. In one of the most celebrated open water swims in the world, 320 swimmers from 30 states and four countries set out on the course from the shoreline of Amara Cay Resort to the lighthouse and back. JIM McCARTHY/Keys Weekly
Founded by Betty Debnam
Conjure Up a Spooky Party
Mini Fact: Americans buy about 1.3 billion pounds of pumpkins at Halloween!
Halloween trick-or-treating is lots of fun, but this kid-friendly holiday is also a great time to host a party! Talk to your family about how many guests to invite. With your parents’ help, you will want to plan the:
guest list
Your invitations can be made by hand or on a computer. For a fun twist, you might dress in a costume and hand-deliver them!
HAUNT YOUR OWN HOUSE!
As your guests come in, tell them that you are taking them one by one on an eerie adventure.
• Big boxes taped together make an ideal witches’ maze to wander through.
• Music playing too slow or too fast creates a scary mood.
• Make up a group ghost story. Sit in a circle. Everyone adds a sentence to the story as you go around the circle.
WHAT’S THAT?!
• Blindfold your guests and guide them as they walk around a table and describe what icky things they are feeling.
• “Bob” for apples. String a clothesline across a corner of the room and hang apples with string. Each person takes bites of their apple without using their hands. The first one done is the winner.
• Decorate pumpkins. Ask each guest to decorate a small pumpkin using cut paper and markers. Give awards like “scariest” or “fanciest.”
• Play musical chairs. Use spooky music!
• Play pass the orange. Get in a line or circle. Try passing an orange from person to person without touching it with your hands.
• Do a mummy wrap race. Divide into teams. Each team wraps one member with toilet paper like a mummy. The first team to complete their mummy wins.
• Do your best monster moves with a freeze dance. When the music stops, strike your best monster pose. Anyone who’s still moving is out.
Words that remind us of Halloween parties are hidden in this puzzle. Some words are hidden backward or diagonally, and some letters are used twice. See if you can find:
Unscramble these things that you’ll need to have a safe and fun Halloween.
And don’t forget to say “thank you” for each treat!
1. Using aumpke on your face is best. A mask can block your view of traffic and other kids.
2. Your ustmoec should be made of a light color or trimmed with tape that shines in the dark.
3. Your family should look over your estart before you dig in.
4. Carry a lhalftgsih if you’ll be out after dark.
5. Your essoh should be comfortable and easy to walk in.
Your answers
Don’t forget
• Stay in neighborhoods you know.
• Go trick-or-treating with a group.
• Cross the street only at an intersection. Don’t run between parked cars.
• Don’t go into strangers’ homes, even if you’re invited in.
RESOURCES
On the Web:
• bit.ly/4fVPWno
At the library:
• “Plinky Witch and the Happy Haunted House” by Liz Cooper
ECO NOTE
A meteorite that crashed through the roof of a Georgia home on June 26 is estimated to be 4.56 billion years old, making it older than Earth. Researchers at the University of Georgia confirmed the age of the cherry tomato-sized rock using microscopic analysis of 23 grams of fragments recovered from the site in McDonough. The meteorite, part of a group of asteroids believed to have originated from a breakup event 470 million years ago, rattled homes and was widely visible as it fell.
Answers: 1. makeup; 2. costume; 3. treats;
4. flashlight; 5. shoes
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For those looking to rent, options include 2-bedroom/2-bath homes at $3,949/month or 1-bedroom/1-bath affordable units starting at $1,475/month, with rates based on income. Regardless of the choice, residents and guests enjoy access to resort-style amenities typically reserved for luxury stays, including pools, paddleboards, kayaks, a fitness center, and daily activities.
Each home features modern conveniences, including spacious kitchens, in-unit laundry, and private balconies overlooking the Atlantic, blending comfort, convenience, and the laid-back island lifestyle. Sun Outdoors Islamorada provides an accessible and flexible Keys experience, making it easy for visitors and residents to embrace island life on their own terms.
GREEN GAME
Golfers keep the home faceoffs rolling | P.10
6 - 11
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Team Sport Opponent
Basilica Volleyball Key West 10/6 L, 3-0
Key West Volleyball Marathon 10/7 W, 3-0
Coral Shores Volleyball Keys Gate 10/7 W, 3-0
Coral Shores Volleyball Marathon 10/9 W 3-0
Marathon Football Mount Dora Christian Academy 10/10 L, 49-0
Coral Shores Football Archbishop Carroll 10/10 L, 26-0
Key West Football Miami Northwestern 10/11 L, 56-0
WEEK IN KEYS SPORTS OCT. 16 - 23
Date School Sport Opponent Start Time
10/17 Key West Football Lehigh 7 p.m.
10/17 Coral Shores Football ABF Academy 7 p.m.
10/17 Marathon Football LaBelle 7 p.m.
10/18 Key West Swimming Barbara Goleman 11:30 a.m.
10/20 All Keys teams Golf @ Marathon 1 p.m.
10/21 All Keys teams Cross Country @ Sugarloaf Trail TBA
10/22 Key West Swimming Districts @ Belen 4:30 p.m.
10/22 All Keys teams Golf Key West 2 p.m.
HEINRICHS
Senior, Key West Volleyball
She has been playing with a lot of confidence and she is really serving andattacking well. In practice and in matches she has been lighting it up.”
– Kim Butler, Lady Conchs’ head coach
16
kills serving aces This season
Adriana Heinrichs had an outstanding week on the court – and according to head coach Kim Butler, Heinrichs has an outstanding week every week when it comes to motivating her teammates to be the best they can be, too. “She has a great attitude and is always positive,” said Butler of her standout senior. Heinrichs amassed 20 kills last week in matches against Marathon and Basilica. She was credited with 11 digs and picked up a pair of aces as well. Her leadership and encouragement will be crucial in the Conchs’ postseason run this year. For her excellent play on the court paired with inspirational optimism, Adriana Heinrichs is the Keys Weekly Athlete of the Week.
Golfing in the Keys means familiar opponents working to improve their games together, like Coral Shores’ Scout Oliver and Marathon’s Max Childress. See page 10. Photos by Natalie Danko and Doug Finger
Adriana
Photo by MAICEY MALGRAT/Keys
fled to the Keys from the frozen mountains of Pennsylvania hours after graduating from college and never looked back. She is a second-generation coach and educator, and has taught in the public school system for over 25 years. She and her husband met at a beginning teacher meeting in 1997 and have three children born and raised in Monroe County. In her free time, McDonald loves flea markets, historical fiction and long runs in the heat.
sean mcdonald
grew up in Miami and moved to the Keys in 1997. He has spent the last 25 years teaching physical education and coaching virtually every sport for Florida Keys kids ages 4 to 18. If you are reading this and live or lived in the Florida Keys, he has probably taught, coached, or coached against someone you know.
The Keys Weekly Sports Wrap is proud to be the only locally-owned publication providing prep sports coverage from Key Largo to Key West. Together with our writers and photographers, we are committed to providing a comprehensive overview of the world of Keys sports with photography that allows our readers to immerse themselves in game action.
Se habla español THE MARATHON WEEKLY (ISSN 1944-0812) IS PUBLISHED WEEKLY FOR $125 PER YEAR BY WEEKLY NEWSPAPERS, INC., 9709 OVERSEAS HIGHWAY, MARATHON FL 33050. APPLICATION TO MAIL AT PERIODICALS POSTAGE RATES IS PENDING AT FORT LAUDERDALE FL AND ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES.
FEELING THE BURN
Marathon freshman brings the heat to Fast Times meet
Marathon - Alex Rickert alex@keysweekly.com
Upper Keys - Jim McCarthy jim@keysweekly.com
Key West - Mandy Miles mandy@keysweekly.com
All stories, photos, and graphics are copyrighted materials.
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Office: 305.743.0844 www.keysweekly.com
Marathon traveled to Miami on Oct. 8 to participate in the annual Fast Times cross country meet hosted by Miami Country Day at Greynolds Park. Freshman Lucian Burns won the race in 16:55. Sophomore Antonin Bursa was third overall, finishing in 17:51 and senior Caleb Shelar cracked the top 10 with a 19:25. Anthony Vargas and Allan Taylor helped the team capture first place in the team competition. The Fins averaged 18:51 to finish first out of nine teams at the event.
Molly Joly was the first Lady Fin to cross the line. Joly was eighth overall, running the course in 24:15. Mylana Loza was second for Marathon with a 25:38 finish time, and Ariella Dworniczak was the third Fin finisher in 27:51. Kayla Skaarup and Danaica Bessy rounded out the top five for Marathon.
Runners from throughout the county will meet on Oct. 21 on Upper Sugarloaf for a fast-paced race and a great chance to set personal records. Districts will occur the first week of November.
tracy mcdonald
Molly Joly was the first Lady Fin to cross the finish line at the Fast Times cross country meet in Miami on Oct. 8. Freshman Lucian Burns won the boys race at the same event. NATALIE DANKO/Keys Weekly
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CONCHS FASTEST ON THE DRAW IN DUALS
Key West outswims
Coral Shores and others at Founders
Coral Shores swimmers and divers hosted Key West, True North, Braddock and Varela on Oct. 9 for a five-team meet at Founders Park. In dual-meet scoring, Key West outscored the rest of the field in combined scores, with wins against all but Braddock in boys competition, where they were just five points shy of a total sweep. The Lady Conchs outswam all except True North. Coral Shores’ girls logged a win against Braddock.
The Hurricanes started strong with a win in the 200yard medley relay, led by Layne Smith, Parks Dunn, Sofia Figueredo and Larkin Dunn. The same team placed third in the 200 freestyle relay. Figueredo went on to win the 200 individual medley and Smith did the same in the 500 freestyle event. Stella Hodder captured third place in the 100-yard breaststroke.
Aaron Lykins was first in the boys 1-meter diving event. Also notable for the Coral Shores boys was the 200 freestyle relay team of Mark Porter, Jace Jackson, Mason Osipov and Tony Khioni, who came in third in the race.
For Key West, Amelia Korzen won the 100 breaststroke race, then placed third in the 200 individual medley (IM). Mary Searcy was third in the 200 free and 100 backstroke events. Colbie Turner was third in the 100 butterfly event and Christina Rice was third in the 100- and 50-yard freestyle races. Rice also teamed up with Molly Martinez, Morgan Kennedy and Tess Hughes for a third-place finish in the 400 freestyle relay.
Santiago Gonzalez won the individual 200 freestyle event, then captured second in the 100 freestyle event. Jacob Perez went the distance to win the 500 free race, with teammate Haven Andrade in second. The Conchs’ other winner was Hugo Blinckmann, who raced to a first in the 50 free event. Owen Lindley came in third in the same event. Blinckmann and Kieran Smith finished second and third, respectively, in the 100 breaststroke event. In the 200 IM, Andres Aguero was third.
In boys relay events, Key West had multiple respectable finishes. Smith, Blinckmann, Aguero and Wesley Farrer took second in the 200 medley relay, while Gonzalez, Lindley and Max and Hugo Blinckmann swam to a second in the 200 free relay. Max Blinckmann, Perez, Sebastian Camargo and Gonzalez finished second in the 400 free relay and Lindley, Aguero, Johnny Picco and Jackson Way took third in the same relay event.
The meet concluded Coral Shores’ regular season. Key West closes out its regular season against Barbara Goleman Oct. 18 for the annual Senior Day race at the CFK pool before turning attention to districts later in the week. Both teams dive into districts Oct. 22. The Conchs, classified as 2A, compete at Belen in the afternoon. 1A Coral Shores will meet at Belen that same morning with the exception of Lykins, who will compete at the diving event held at St. Andrews School on Oct. 21.
1. A Key West swimmer heads down the lane in a freestyle race.
2. Andres Aguero swims in a freestyle race.
Jace Jackson awaits the start of a race.
A Key West swimmer dives off the starting block.
Aaron Lykins tucks in the 1-meter diving competition.
A Key West swimmer grabs a breath in a butterfly race.
A Coral Shores swimmer enters the pool.
Larkin Dunn takes a breath mid-stroke.
Lane Smith cruises with a big lead in the 500 free race. JACKSON GARCIA/Keys Weekly
1. The Lady Conchs await their district semifinal opponent after earning a bye in the quarters.
2. Marathon’s Daysi Williams and Coral Shores’ Coralyn Frimpter battle it out at the net.
3. Niveah Howard guards the net for Coral Shores.
4. Coralyn Frimpter winds up for a hard hit against Marathon.
Photos by Tracy McDonald and Maicey Malgrat
GO TIME
Apair of wins last week brought the Hurricanes of Coral Shores to a 13-6 regular season record and secured a home match for their quarterfinal district contest. The Hurricanes defeated Keys Gate 3-0 on Oct. 7, led by a hard-hitting front that never quit. Keys Gate managed to take the ’Canes to extra points in the third set, but ultimately, the Knights were outmatched. Celene Walker had 10 kills, Coralyn Frimpter had eight kills and eight aces and Maddie Jordan picked up three aces. Niveah Howard was clutch at the net with six kills and three blocks.
Two nights later, the Hurricanes traveled to Marathon for both teams’ final match of the regular season. Frimpter had eight kills with fellow freshman Jillian Thiery adding seven. Walker and Howard had six kills apiece and Shelby Lynn served up five aces to overpower the Fins.
The Hurricanes earned the No. 4 seed in FHSAA’s 3A District 16 bracket. They hosted Carrollton School, seeded fifth, Oct. 14 in the quarterfinals (results not available at press time). A win would send them to the semifinal match the following night, most likely against top-ranked Gulliver Prep. An upset in that battle would pave the way for a shot at the district championship on Oct. 17.
Teams face stiff competition in volleyball district brackets
The Marathon Dolphins, now 2-13, also earned a home match for their FHSAA 1A Rural district quarterfinal contest. The Fins, ranked fourth in the class, played fifth-ranked Glades Day Oct. 14 (results not available at press time). A win against the Gators would send Marathon to Moore Haven the following day. Moore Haven is the top seed in their grouping, and should Marathon prevail in that matchup, they could play for a district championship Oct. 17.
Key West finished 15-10 on the regular season with the addition of two in-county wins last week. They started with Basilica School on Oct. 6, defeating the Mariners 3-0. The entire Lady Conch lineup was strong against Basilica. Audrey Smith recorded 15 kills and a pair of blocks in the win. Gabby Garcia added nine kills and Tess Wright had six kills and a pair of blocks. Cat Van Staden had two blocks, then picked up three aces, recording a 90% serve percentage to spark the Conch offense. Adriana Heinrichs had 16 digs with Journey Lamb adding 15 more. Molly McKnight recorded 28 assists in the win.
The following night, Key West celebrated their seniors in the final regular-season home match of the year. Coach Kim Butler was very pleased with the play of her most seasoned athletes.
“All did a wonderful job on their last season home match,” she said.
The team’s seven seniors played the entire match for Key West, with Smith leading the way in kills with 10. Garcia added six and Heinrichs recorded three plus a pair of aces. Van Staden had two kills and another four aces. Wright had three kills and three aces and McKnight had four aces and 17 assists. Butler also praised Savannah Ventimiglia for a solid all-around performance in the team’s victory.
Key West’s strength of schedule helped boost their district rankings, giving them the No. 2 seed and a quarterfinal bye. They awaited the winner of an Oct. 13 Miami Northwestern versus Miami Central match for their next opponent. The Conchs played the winner of that match on Oct. 15 at home (results not available at press time). A win there gives them a shot at the 4A District 16 title. The top-ranked team in that pool is St. Brendan, a team Key West narrowly lost to on Sept. 26, making a run at regionals a realistic endeavor. Basilica’s season ended with their Oct. 6 loss to Key West. The team, 8-14 this season, plans to join the FHSAA next year to be eligible for playoffs in 2026.
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1. Coral Shores quarterback Sterling Keefe (16) looks to pass.
2. Coral Shores defender Glade Harrelson (7) puts pressure on the Archbishop quarterback.
3. Coral Shores back John Oughton (19) runs upfield.
4. Coral Shores takes on Archbishop Carroll at home on Oct. 10. Archbishop Carroll went on to win 26-0.
DOUG FINGER/Keys Weekly
BLANK-ET STATEMENT
Keys teams face uphill battles against permissive recruiting rules
For the first time in at least 20 years, Monroe Country’s three football teams failed to score a single point against their respective opponents last weekend – and while there are a handful of weeks in which Keys teams all lose, a triple-blanking is unheard of. If the FHSAA’s open transfer policy remains as it stands, last week’s anomaly may become more commonplace.
In 2016, Florida House Bill 7029 allowed students to transfer to any public school of their choice, and the FHSAA’s bylaws were changed to accommodate the bill. This opened doors for limited roster changes, and in its early stages, student-athletes typically used the legislation to transfer for academic reasons, with a slower shift in dynamics for athletics.
Less than a decade later, transfers for athletics-only purposes are commonplace, with students able to play on teams out of their jurisdiction and even schools they do not physically attend. This has led to “super teams” dominating Florida’s football landscape, making it increasingly difficult for teams like Coral Shores, Marathon and Key West to compete.
“We’re geographically isolated,” said Key West coach Johnny Hughes, whose Conchs faced defending state champion Miami Northwestern last week. “We have who we have. That’s not what we were looking at against Northwestern.”
Hughes said his team looked across the line of scrimmage and saw a “football factory.”
“I wouldn’t call it a football team; they’ve only been together a few months. It was a collection of talent. They were loaded,” he said. Indeed, the
Conchs faced a quarterback who played at Ransom last year, a North Fort Myers transfer committed to Texas who did not even play, and a bevy of similar talent who likely never set foot on campus beyond their practice schedule. “Personnel was a major issue,” said Hughes.
Even when the Conchs had glimmers of greatness last week, the personnel mismatch was evident. “One of their defensive players, a guy committed to FAU, blew his coverage and we got positive yardage,” said Hughes. “The players started to yell to get him out of the game and they replaced him with a guy committed to FIU instead.”
Coaches across Florida are more and more becoming talent scouts, and recruiting has surpassed coaching in the priorities of many programs. To keep their programs stocked with the best talent, coaches must appease their stars to avoid transfers – even mid-season.
“The starting quarterback never came out,” said Hughes, “not even when they were ahead by over 40.”
For Coral Shores, the situation was similar.
“It’s an unfair playing field for sure,” said coach Ed Holly, whose Hurricanes lost 26-0 last week to a stacked Archbishop Carroll. The ’Canes resorted to some unusual playcalling to try to overcome the Bulldogs. Holly praised Sterling Keefe for completing four of seven passes, something completely out of the ordinary for the run-heavy Hurricanes. David Beltran ran eight times for 42 yards, earning each one the hard way, but despite the best trickery in play-calling and grittiest of athletic feats, it was not enough to down the Dogs.
“We know year to year who will be on our rosters,” said Holly, speaking about not just his team, but Marathon and Key West as well.
“All three teams have to do an unbelievable job of developing talent, investing in our futures and doing it the traditional way,” he said. “In bad years, we develop the next group and in good years, we have good records. The teams with the most seniors are usually the most successful, then they go and we start over.”
But the struggle of Coral Shores to develop a group of underclassmen takes years, including teaching fundamentals, building camaraderie and a brotherhood, and building size and strength in the weight room. Mainland schools need only recruit ready-made players to dominate schools unwilling or unable to recruit, and those schools are left with gaping holes on their rosters when the powerhouses pluck away talent developed elsewhere.
And while Holly did not mince his words on open transferring and recruiting, he was also adamant that he would not trade his situation with that of teams that can produce an all-star roster overnight.
“I wouldn’t change what we have,” he said. “Our community is so special because our kids play, come back and volunteer and support us, no matter what. I wouldn’t change it for anything. What is our main goal? It’s to make better fathers, sons, husbands and brothers using football as a tool to do this. Recruiting doesn’t accomplish this.”
Between Key West and Coral Shores, Marathon is also feeling the pain of schools that can fill roster spots with a phone call rather than put
the work in for years. The Dolphins have not won a game this season, and yet the Fins come to practice daily with good attitudes and a willingness to get better and support one another every day, according to coach Sean McDonald.
“Our guys know what we’re facing each week,” he said. “We don’t just develop kids from freshman year, we do it from middle school on. For them to have the patience and tenacity to endure a season like this one and put themselves out there against a team that has obvious advantages we cannot control is a testament to the character of this team.”
Marathon, with just over 400 high school students, consistently plays schools with triple or quadruple their enrollment. They reclassified as 1A Rural last season, a move that pits them against like-rostered schools in the postseason. But to see more evenly-matched contests, the Fins will have to make it to the postseason, and an 0-8 record against larger opponents will not accomplish that.
Now that the floodgates to transferring and recruiting are open, there is likely no closing them, but Keys teams are not the only ones frustrated with competing against super teams. The FHSAA is working to find a happy balance between the obligation to follow the letter of the law as far as school transfers go and the advantages used by some squads.
To do this, the FHSAA added the Florida Invitational Tournament, or FIT, an extra postseason bracket for teams not qualifying for playoffs in the traditional format. The FIT will include 16 teams beyond the 32 qualifying for playoffs now.
But even the addition of FIT will not stop the Wild West of open transfers and unbalance – it merely awards a consolation prize to teams that don’t quite qualify for playoffs.
Next week, Coral Shores faces ABF Academy, a team far more talented than their 2-4 record lets on. Against similar opponents, ABF holds the advantage, but a road trip and the run grind of the Hurricanes could even up those odds. Key West faces 7A Lehigh, an unfamiliar team which, despite a 3-4 record, looks good on film, according to Hughes.
“We need this one,” he said, regarding the Conchs’ hopes of earning home field advantage for round one of the playoffs.
Up next for Marathon is the undefeated Cowboys of LaBelle, a 3A team four hours north. Though the records and rosters are lopsided, the teams both had a desire to rekindle a wellmatched and respected rivalry from the past. For decades, Marathon and LaBelle played one another in the final game of the season, a rivalry that is well-remembered by both sides despite not having the longstanding rivalry game since the mid-’90s.
“It was always a pretty physical and hardfought game,” said LaBelle assistant coach Hal Bennett. He played in some of the final seasons the teams met in what was then referred to as the “end-of-year classic,” when Cowboy players looked forward to traveling to the Keys for a football game.
Bennett described "vivid memories of warming up in the end zone and seeing fiddler crabs
5. Marathon’s Curren Nicolay (2) and a Mount Dora player scramble for possession of an onside kick in sloppy conditions on Oct. 10.
6. Marathon and Mount Dora slip and slide in an attempt to secure possession.
7. Jesus Gonzalez (4) brings down the Mount Dora ball carrier.
8. Eduardo Garcia assists the referee after a collision with a Mount Dora player.
TRACY MCDONALD/Keys Weekly
scurrying away,” adding that some teammates were a bit unnerved that the entire end zone seemed to move due to the crabs.
He quickly named some of Marathon’s roster who made an impression on him and his teammates. He recalled “a small guy on Marathon’s team that was missing his arm from the elbow down, and how much respect they had for how hard and physical he played.”
Another was Dosey Robbins. “You don’t forget 260-pound tailbacks,” Bennett said. "He may not have weighed that much, but he sure looked like he did!”
Marathon coach Andra Garvey confirmed Bennett’s analysis of Robbins – “yes, he was 250” – and identified Derick Jones as the player with the missing arm. Garvey played against LaBelle when he was a middle school student on the varsity team. It was five years before Garvey was named Florida Player of the Year, but he remembered the games against the Cowboys.
Garvey described the Cowboys as matching Marathon in speed at the time, but being bigger in size. He also remembered plenty of cowbell noise from the fans, and something a bit more unusual the Cowboys packed on the bus. LaBelle fired off a cannon to signify a touchdown. “Every time they scored, it went off,” Garvey said.
Bennett assures that there will be no cannon Friday night in Marathon, and despite the lopsided records the teams have this season, both coaching staffs hope to rekindle the yearly game.
Keys golfers met at the prestigious Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo to play nine holes on Oct. 7, where Marathon’s Roco Piscetello and Coral Shores’ Scout Oliver tied for first with 39. Piscetello birdied on hole 17 while Oliver’s consistency helped him outshoot the pack. In third was another tie between Key West’s Geo Twyman and Marathon’s Max Childress. Childress and Twyman, who also birdied on 17, each scored 41.
Key West’s Mason Titensor was next, followed by Marathon’s Emmett Merryman and Coral Shores’ Brock Bynum in a tie for sixth. Jacob Bohnstedt of Coral Shores and Aiden Richard tied for seventh and Luca Picariello and Cullen Coleman-Sayer tied for 10th place. Marathon won the team
From left: Justice Lee
Melanie Estevez
Roco Piscetello
Scout Oliver
Photos by Natalie Danko and Doug Finger
TIES ON THE TEES
Golfers share scores in close matches
competition, with Coral Shores taking second on their home course.
In the girls competition, Coral Shores’ Valerie Gabriel and Marathon’s Justice Lee kept the ties coming. Both golfers turned in score cards with 60 to share first place. Makenna Haines of Marathon was third and Melanie Estevez finished fourth.
Golfers have less than two weeks before district competition begins. This season, 1A Marathon and Coral Shores are slated to play at Crandon Golf Course in Key Biscayne on Oct. 28. Key West, classified as 2A, plays the following day. The boys team will compete at Redland Golf and Country Club while the Lady Conchs will travel to Eagle Trace Golf Club for the start of their postseason play.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA, IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY CASE NO: 2025-CA-129-K Premier Capital, LLC Plaintiff, Vs Carolyn M. Delgado and William J. Delgado
Defendant, NOTICE OF SHERIFF’S SALE NOTICE IS HEREBY given that pursuant to a amended Writ of Execution issued in the Circuit Court, of Monroe County, Florida, on the 7th day of October, 2025, in the cause wherein Premier Capital, LLC is Plaintiff and Carolyn M. Delgado and William J. Delgado was defendant, being Case No.
2025-CA-129-K in said court, I, Richard A. Ramsay, Sheriff of Monroe County, Florida have levied upon all right, title, and interest of the defendant, in and to the following described real property to wit: SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTY:
From the warranty deed that states the following described land, situate, lying and being in Monroe County, Florida
to-wit: Legal Description(s) –On the Island of Key West, Monroe County, Florida, and known on William A. Whitehead’s map delineated in February A.D. 1829, as part of Tract 11 but better known as part of Lot 3, Square 9, Tract 11 according to Charles W. Tift’s Map of said Island recorded in Deed Book “L” Page 564, of the Public
PUBLIC KICK-OFF MEETING
Card Sound Road Bridge
Project Development and Environment (PD&E) Study
Financial Project ID: 453765-1-22-01
Efficient Transportation Decision Making (ETDM) Number: 14539
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) will host a Public Kick-off Meeting for the Card Sound Road Bridge PD&E Study. The limits of this project extend from south of Milepost 5 to Milepost 6.242 along County Road (CR) 905A/Card Sound Road in Monroe County. The purpose of this project is to evaluate alternatives that will address the structural degradation and substandard design elements of the existing Card Sound Road Bridge, including improved emergency evacuation/response times, and the need for bicycle/pedestrian facilities. This meeting is an opportunity to learn about the project, become familiar with the study process, and provide feedback. The meeting will be held simultaneously in person and virtually.
Tuesday, October 28, 2025, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Presentation starting at 6 p.m
Virtual Option: To participate virtually from your computer, tablet, or smartphone, please register using the following link https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/429b4a0b-5375-41e1a547-2ef167b0b223@4cf2e5a9-7553-47d9-b3c4-b29299a853a9 or scan the QR code provided
Phone Option: Call in by dialing (833) 566-1407 and enter access code 891 743 780#
In-person Option: Murray Nelson Government Center, BOCC Room, 102050 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, FL 33037
Public participation is solicited without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability, or family status. Persons who need special assistance under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 or who need translation services (free of charge) should contact Dat Huynh at 305-470-5201 or in writing to Florida Department of Transportation, 1000 NW 111 Avenue, Miami, FL 33172 or by email at Dat.Huynh@dot.state.fl.us at least seven days prior to the meeting. Your attendance is encouraged and appreciated. If you would like further information about this project, please contact the FDOT Project Manager, Claudia Gutierrez, P.E., at 305-470-5268 or by email at Claudia.Gutierrez@dot.state.fl.us. You may also visit the project website at www.SouthFLRoads.com/CardSoundBridgePD&E.html.
The environmental review, consultation, and other actions required by applicable federal environmental laws for this project are being, or have been, carried out by FDOT pursuant to 23 U.S.C. § 327 and a Memorandum of Understanding dated May 26, 2022, and executed by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and FDOT.
Records of Monroe County, Florida and being more particularly described by metes and bounds as follows: Commencing at the intersection of the Southwesterly right of way boundary line of Duval Street with the Northwesterly right of way boundary line of United Street and run in a Southwesterly direction along the said right of way
boundary line of United Street a distance of 100 feet to the Point of Beginning of the parcel of land herein described, thence at right angles in the Northwesterly direction 84.17 feet to a point; thence at right angles in a Southwesterly direction 26.3 feet to a point; thence at right angles in a Southeasterly direction 84.17 feet to a point in the Northwesterly
REUNIÓN PÚBLICA
Card Sound Road Bridge
Estudio de Desarrollo y Medio Ambiente (PD&E) ID de Proyecto Financiero: 453765-1-22-01
Número de toma de decisions de transporte eficiente (ETDM): 14539
El Departamento de Transporte de Florida (FDOT) organizará una reunión pública de lanzamiento para el estudio PD&E del puente de Card Sound Road. Los límites de este proyecto se extienden desde el sur de Milepost 5 hasta Milepost 6.242 a lo largo de County Road (CR) 905A/Card Sound Road en el condado de Monroe. El propósito de este proyecto es evaluar alternativas que aborden la degradación estructural y los elementos de diseño deficientes del puente de Card Sound Road, incluyendo mejores tiempos de evacuación/respuesta de emergencia, y la necesidad de instalaciones para bicicletas/peatones. Esta reunión es una oportunidad para aprender sobre el proyecto, familiarizarse con el proceso de estudio y proporcionar comentarios. La reunión se llevará a cabo simultáneamente en persona y virtual Martes, 28 de octubre, 2025, de 5:30 p.m. a 7:30 p.m. Presentación a partir de las 6 p.m
Opción Virtual: Para participar virtualmente desde su computadora, tableta o teléfono inteligente, regístrese utilizando el siguiente enlace https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/429b4a0b-5375-41e1a547-2ef167b0b223@4cf2e5a9-7553-47d9-b3c4-b29299a853a9 o escanee el código QR proporcionado.
Opción de teléfono: Llame marcando (833) 566-1407 e ingrese el código de acceso 891 743 780#
Opción en persona: Murray Nelson Government Center, BOCC Room, 102050 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, FL 33037
Se solicita la participación pública sin distinción de raza, color, origen nacional, edad, sexo, religion, discapacidad, o estado familiar. Las personas que necesiten asistencia especial bajo la Ley de Estadounidenses con Discapacidades del 1990 o que necesiten servicios de traducción (sin cargo) deben comunicarse con Dat Huynh al 305-470-5201; o por escrito al Departamento de Transporte de la Florida, 1000 NW 111 Avenue, Miami, FL 33172; o por correo electrónico a Dat.Huynh@dot.state.fl.us al menos siete días antes de la reunión
Su participación es bienvenida y apreciada. Si desea más información sobre este proyecto, por favor, póngase en contacto con el Gerente de Proyecto del FDOT , Claudia Gutierrez, PE, al 305-470-5268 o por correo electrónico a Claudia.Gutierrez@dot.state.fl.us. También puede visitar el sitio web del proyecto en www.SouthFLRoads.com/CardSoundBridgePD&E.html
La revisión ambiental, la consulta y otras acciones requeridas por las leyes ambientales federales aplicables para este proyecto están siendo, o han sido, llevadas a cabo por el FDOT de conformidad con 23 U.S.C. § 327 y un Memorando de Entendimiento de fecha 26 de mayo de 2022, y ejecutado por la Administración Federal de Carreteras (FHWA) y FDOT.
Murray Nelson Government Center Hampton Inn
Murray Nelson Government Center
Hampton Inn
• CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES •
I shall offer this property for sale, at the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Headquarters building located at 5525 College Road Key West, Florida 33040 in the County of Monroe, State of Florida, on the 25th day of November, 2025, at the hour of 10:00 A.M. or as soon thereafter as possible. I will offer for sale all of the said defendant’s right, title, and interest in the aforesaid real property at public auction and will sell the same subject to all taxes, prior liens, encumbrances and judgments, if any, to the highest and best bidder for cash or cashiers check. The proceeds to be applied as far as may be to the payment of costs and the satisfaction of the above described execution.
Dated at Key West, Monroe County, Florida this 8th day of October, 2025.
Richard A. Ramsay Sheriff of Monroe County, By: Donald Stullken Deputy Sheriff
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, persons with disabilities needing a special accommodation to participate in this proceeding should contact the Civil Division no later than seven says prior to the proceeding at (305)8093041
Publish: October 16, 23 & 30 and November 6, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
PROBATE DIVISION
FILE NO.: 25-CP-385-K IN RE: ESTATE OF EILEEN M. QUINN
Deceased.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of Eileen M. Quinn, deceased, whose date of death was May 10, 2025, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 500 Whitehead Street, Key West, Florida 33040. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. The personal representative has no duty to discover whether any property held at the time of the decedent's death by the decedent or the decedent's surviving spouse is property to which the Florida Uniform Disposition of Community Property Rights at Death Act as described in ss. 732.216-732.228, Florida Statutes, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under s. 732.2211, Florida Statutes. The written demand must be filed with the clerk. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED.
NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE
DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED.
The date of first publication of this notice is: October 9, 2025.
Personal Representative: John R. Quinn
31279 Avenue G Big Pine Key, Florida 33043
Attorney for Personal Representative: Gregory D. Davila, Esq. Florida Bar Number: 886998
Law Office of Gregory D. Davila, P.A. 1111 12th Street, Suite 411 Key West, Florida 33040
Telephone: (305) 293-8554
Fax: (305) 294-9913
E-Mail: E-Filing@ keywestlawoffice.com
Secondary E-Mail: gdavila@ keywestlawoffice.com
Publish: October 9 & 16, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 25-CP-443-K
DIVISION: LOWER KEYS IN RE: ESTATE OF BRUCE A. BUSH
Deceased.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of Bruce A. Bush, deceased, whose date of death was September 13, 2025, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 500 Whitehead Street, Key West, Florida 33040. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM.
All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE.
The personal representative has no duty to discover whether any property held at the time of the decedent's death by the decedent or the decedent's surviving spouse is property to which the Florida Uniform Disposition of Community Property Rights at Death Act as described in ss. 732.216-732.228, Florida Statutes, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under s. 732.2211, Florida Statutes. The written demand must be filed with the clerk. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED.
The date of first publication of this notice is: October 9, 2025.
Personal Representative: Sara Marie Rehfeld
12211 Valley Drive Goshen, Kentucky 40026
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: October 9 & 16, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.: 2022-CC-315-K NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE BY CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT
Notice is hereby given that the undersigned, Kevin Madok, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Monroe County, Florida, will, on the 28TH day of October 2025 at 11 o’clock a.m., at 500 Whitehead Street, Monroe County, in the City of Key West, Florida, offer for sale and sell at public outcry to the highest and best bidder for CASH the Following described property situated in Monroe County, Florida, to wit: Unit 212, Week 3, Sunset Harbor Resort, a Condominium according to the Declaration of Condominium thereof recorded in Official Records Book 1376, Page 1093, Public Records of Monroe County, Florida, and all exhibits attached thereto, and any amendments thereof (hereafter the “Declaration”). Pursuant to IN REM SUMMARY FINAL JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE entered in a case pending in said Court, the 26TH day of September 2025
Style of which is: SUNSET HARBOR RESORT CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION, INC., A NONPROFIT CORPORATION UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA
Plaintiff vs. ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN PARTIES WHO CLAIM AN INTEREST AS SPOUSE, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES, ADMINISTRATORS OR AS OTHER CLAIMANTS, BY, THROUGH, UNDER OR AGAINST LOIS A BIENLIEN, DECEASED; PATRICIA ANN SHUFELT, AS POTENTIAL HEIR TO LOIS A. BIENLIEN; AND GEORGE WILLIAM SHUFELT, AS POTENTIAL HEIR TO LOIS A. BIENLIEN
Defendant
And the Docket Number of which is Number 2022-CC315-K WITNESS my hand and the Official Seal of Said Court, this 2ND day of October 2025 KEVIN MADOK Clerk of the Circuit Court Monroe County, Florida By: Shonta McLeod Deputy Clerk Florida Statute 45.031: Any person claiming an interest in the surplus from the sale, if any, other than the property owner as of the date of the Lis Pendens must file a claim within 60 days after the sale.
Publish: October 9 & 16, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT
IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
CASE NO.: 2024-CC-42-K
NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE
SALE BY CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT
COURT
Notice is hereby given that the undersigned, Kevin Madok, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Monroe County, Florida, will, on the 28TH day of October 2025 at 11 o’clock a.m., at 500 Whitehead Street, Monroe County, in the City of Key West, Florida, offer for sale and sell at public outcry to the highest and best bidder for
CASH the Following described property situated in Monroe County, Florida, to wit: Unit 5123, Week 3, Windward Pointe, a Leasehold Condominium (“Condominium”), according to the Declaration of Condominium thereof recorded in Official Records Book 1803, Page 844, Public Records of Monroe County, Florida, and all exhibits thereto, and any amendments thereof (the “Declaration”). Pursuant to IN REM SUMMARY FINAL JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE AS TO COUNT(S) VII entered in a case pending in said Court, the 26TH day of September 2025 Style of which is: WINDWARD POINTE CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION OF KEY WEST, INC., A CORPORATION NOT-FORPROFIT UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA Plaintiff vs. MARY KATHERINE BIVINS, INDIVIDUALLY AND AS POTENTIAL HEIR TO WILLIAM SAMUEL BIVINS AND ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN PARTIES WHO CLAIM AN INTEREST AS SPOUSE, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES, ADMINISTRATORS OR AS OTHER CLAIMANTS, BY, THROUGH, UNDER OR AGAINST WILLIAM SAMUEL BIVINS, DECEASED
Defendant
And the Docket Number of which is Number 2024-CC42-K WITNESS my hand and the Official Seal of Said Court, this 2ND day of October 2025 KEVIN MADOK Clerk of the Circuit Court Monroe County, Florida By: Shonta McLeod Deputy Clerk
Florida Statute 45.031: Any person claiming an interest in the surplus from the sale, if any, other than the property owner as of the date of the Lis Pendens must file a claim within 60 days after the sale.
Publish: October 9 & 16, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.: 2024-CC-48-K NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE
SALE
BY CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT Notice is hereby given that the undersigned, Kevin Madok, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Monroe County, Florida, will, on the 28TH day of October 2025 at 11 o’clock a.m., at 500 Whitehead Street, Monroe County, in the City of Key West, Florida, offer for sale and sell at public outcry to the highest and best bidder for CASH the Following described property situated in Monroe County, Florida, to wit: Unit E31, Week 18, Beach House, a Condominium according to the Declaration of Condominium thereof recorded in Official Records Book 1510, Page 225, Public Records of Monroe County, Florida, and all exhibits attached thereto, and any amendments thereof (the “Declaration”). Pursuant to IN REM SUMMARY FINAL JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE AS TO COUNT(S) III entered in a case pending in said Court, the 26TH day of September 2025 Style of which is: BEACH HOUSE CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION OF KEY WEST, INC., A NONPROFIT CORPORATION UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA Plaintiff vs.
JACQUELINE S. BLOOM, INDIVIDUALLY AND AS TRUSTEE OF THE BURT BLOOM FAMILY TRUST; ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN PARTIES WHO CLAIM AN INTEREST AS SPOUSE, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES, ADMINISTRATORS OR AS OTHER CLAIMANTS, BY, THROUGH, UNDER OR AGAINST BURT R. BLOOM, DECEASED; PRASHANT A. MARATHAY, TRUSTEE OF THE MARATHAY LIVING TRUST, DATED AUGUST 21, 2000; LEENA P. MARATHAY, TRUSTEE OF THE MARATHAY LIVING TRUST, DATED AUGUST 21, 2000; AND BROOKE ALYSON BLOOM, AS TRUSTEE OF THE BURT BLOOM FAMILY TRUST Defendant And the Docket Number of which is Number 2024-CC48-K WITNESS my hand and the Official Seal of Said Court, this 2ND day of October 2025 KEVIN MADOK Clerk of the Circuit Court Monroe County, Florida By: Shonta McLeod Deputy Clerk Florida Statute 45.031: Any person claiming an interest in the surplus from the sale, if any, other than the property owner as of the date of the Lis Pendens must file a claim within 60 days after the sale. Publish: October 9 & 16, 2025 The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.: 2024-CC-74-K NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE BY CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT
Notice is hereby given that the undersigned, Kevin Madok, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Monroe County, Florida, will, on the 28TH day of October 2025 at 11 o’clock a.m., at 500 Whitehead Street, Monroe County, in the City of Key West, Florida, offer for sale and sell at public outcry to the highest and best bidder for CASH the Following described property situated in Monroe County, Florida, to wit: Unit 531, Week 36, Sunset Harbor Resort, a Condominium according to the Declaration of Condominium thereof recorded in Official Records Book 1376, Page 1093, Public Records of Monroe County, Florida, and all exhibits attached thereto, and any amendments thereof (hereafter the “Declaration”). Pursuant to IN REM SUMMARY FINAL JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE entered in a case pending in said Court, the 26TH day of September 2025 Style of which is: SUNSET HARBOR RESORT CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION, INC., A NONPROFIT CORPORATION UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA Plaintiff vs. BRISTOL HOSPICE-GEORGIA, LLC, AS HEIR TO WILLIAM CAWLEY CHANDLER; BRENDA RADOSEVICH, AS HEIR TO WILLIAM CAWLEY CHANDLER; SCOTT LOUIS CHANDLER, AS HEIR TO WILLIAM CAWLEY CHANDLER; CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM CHANDLER, AS HEIR TO WILLIAM CAWLEY CHANDLER; AND ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN PARTIES WHO CLAIM AN INTEREST AS SPOUSE, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES, ADMINISTRATORS OR AS OTHER CLAIMANTS, BY,
THROUGH, UNDER OR AGAINST WILLIAM CAWLEY CHANDLER, DECEASED Defendant
And the Docket Number of which is Number 2024-CC74-K
WITNESS my hand and the Official Seal of Said Court, this 2ND day of October 2025
KEVIN MADOK
Clerk of the Circuit Court Monroe County, Florida
By: Shonta McLeod
Deputy Clerk Florida Statute 45.031: Any person claiming an interest in the surplus from the sale, if any, other than the property owner as of the date of the Lis Pendens must file a claim within 60 days after the sale.
Publish: October 9 & 16, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.: 2024-CC-42-K NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE BY CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT
Notice is hereby given that the undersigned, Kevin Madok, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Monroe County, Florida, will, on the 28TH day of October 2025 at 11 o’clock a.m., at 500 Whitehead Street, Monroe County, in the City of Key West, Florida, offer for sale and sell at public outcry to the highest and best bidder for CASH the Following described property situated in Monroe County, Florida, to wit: Unit 5722, Week 17, Annual Windward Pointe, a Leasehold Condominium (“Condominium”), according to the Declaration of Condominium thereof recorded in Official Records Book 1803, Page 844, Public Records of Monroe County, Florida, and all exhibits thereto, and any amendments thereof (the “Declaration”). Pursuant to IN REM SUMMARY FINAL JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE AS TO COUNT(S) III entered in a case pending in said Court, the 26TH day of September 2025 Style of which is: WINDWARD POINTE CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION OF KEY WEST, INC., A CORPORATION NOT-FORPROFIT UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA Plaintiff vs. ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN PARTIES WHO CLAIM AN INTEREST AS SPOUSE, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES, ADMINISTRATORS OR AS OTHER CLAIMANTS, BY, THROUGH, UNDER OR AGAINST TAMORA ANN DENNIS, DECEASED; PAULA DENNIS, AS POTENTIAL HEIR TO TAMORA ANN DENNIS; AND TERRY DENNIS, AS POTENTIAL HEIR TO TAMORA ANN DENNIS Defendant
And the Docket Number of which is Number 2024-CC42-K WITNESS my hand and the Official Seal of Said Court, this 2ND day of October 2025 KEVIN MADOK Clerk of the Circuit Court Monroe County, Florida By: Shonta McLeod Deputy Clerk Florida Statute 45.031: Any person claiming an interest in the surplus from the sale, if any, other than the property owner as of the date of the Lis Pendens must file a claim within 60 days after the sale. Publish: October 9 & 16, 2025 The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.: 2024-CC-272-K NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE BY CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT Notice is hereby given that the undersigned, Kevin Madok, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Monroe County, Florida, will, on the 28TH day of October 2025 at 11 o’clock a.m., at 500 Whitehead Street, Monroe County, in the City of Key West, Florida, offer for sale and sell at public outcry to the highest and best bidder for CASH the Following described property situated in Monroe County, Florida, to wit: Unit 5834, Week 25, Annual Windward Pointe, a Leasehold Condominium (“Condominium”), according to the Declaration of Condominium thereof recorded in Official Records Book 1803, Page 844, Public Records of Monroe County, Florida, and all exhibits thereto, and any amendments thereof (the “Declaration”). Pursuant to IN REM FINAL JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE AFTER DEFAULT AS TO COUNT(S) I, II entered in a case pending in said Court, the 26TH day of September 2025 Style of which is: WINDWARD POINTE II, LLC, A DELAWARE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY Plaintiff vs. KATHLEEN A. WELLINGTON Defendant And the Docket Number of which is Number 2024-CC272-K WITNESS my hand and the Official Seal of Said Court, this 2ND day of October 2025 KEVIN MADOK Clerk of the Circuit Court Monroe County, Florida By: Shonta McLeod Deputy Clerk Florida Statute 45.031: Any person claiming an interest in the surplus from the sale, if any, other than the property owner as of the date of the Lis Pendens must file a claim within 60 days after the sale. Publish: October 9 & 16, 2025 The Weekly Newspapers IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.: 2024-CC-48-K NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE BY CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT Notice is hereby given that the undersigned, Kevin Madok, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Monroe County, Florida, will, on the 28TH day of October 2025 at 11 o’clock a.m., at 500 Whitehead Street, Monroe County, in the City of Key West, Florida, offer for sale and sell at public outcry to the highest and best bidder for CASH the Following described property situated in Monroe County, Florida, to wit: Unit F21, Week 39, Beach House, a Condominium according to the Declaration of Condominium thereof recorded in Official Records Book 1510, Page 225, Public Records of Monroe County, Florida, and all exhibits attached thereto, and any amendments thereof (the “Declaration”).
Pursuant to IN REM SUMMARY FINAL JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE AS TO COUNT(S) II entered in a case pending in said Court, the 26TH day of September 2025 Style of which is: BEACH HOUSE CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION OF KEY WEST, INC., A NONPROFIT CORPORATION UNDER THE
FLORIDA Plaintiff
• CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES •
vs. ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN PARTIES WHO CLAIM AN INTEREST AS SPOUSE, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES, ADMINISTRATORS OR AS OTHER CLAIMANTS, BY, THROUGH, UNDER OR AGAINST KRISTEN ELIZABETH REDDING, DECEASED; ED DAVIS, AS POTENTIAL HEIR TO KRISTEN ELIZABETH REDDING; AND SUSAN DAVIS, AS POTENTIAL HEIR TO KRISTEN ELIZABETH REDDING Defendant
And the Docket Number of which is Number 2024-CC48-K
WITNESS my hand and the Official Seal of Said Court, this 2ND day of October 2025
KEVIN MADOK Clerk of the Circuit Court Monroe County, Florida
By: Shonta McLeod Deputy Clerk Florida Statute 45.031: Any person claiming an interest in the surplus from the sale, if any, other than the property owner as of the date of the Lis Pendens must file a claim within 60 days after the sale.
Publish: October 9 & 16, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT
IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.: 2024-CC-48-K NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE BY CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT Notice is hereby given that the undersigned, Kevin Madok, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Monroe County, Florida, will, on the 28TH day of October 2025 at 11 o’clock a.m., at 500 Whitehead Street, Monroe County, in the City of Key West, Florida, offer for sale and sell at public outcry to the highest and best bidder for CASH the Following described property situated in Monroe County, Florida, to wit: Unit B12, Week 22, Beach House, a Condominium according to the Declaration of Condominium thereof recorded in Official Records Book 1510, Page 225, Public Records of Monroe County, Florida, and all exhibits attached thereto, and any amendments thereof (the “Declaration”).
Pursuant to IN REM SUMMARY FINAL JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE AS TO COUNT(S) I entered in a case pending in said Court, the 26TH day of September 2025 Style of which is: BEACH HOUSE CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION OF KEY WEST, INC., A NONPROFIT CORPORATION UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA Plaintiff vs. ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN PARTIES WHO CLAIM AN INTEREST AS SPOUSE, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES, ADMINISTRATORS OR AS OTHER CLAIMANTS, BY, THROUGH, UNDER OR AGAINST NORMAN CHARLES RICKER, DECEASED
Defendant
And the Docket Number of which is Number 2024-CC48-K WITNESS my hand and the Official Seal of Said Court, this 2ND day of October 2025
KEVIN MADOK Clerk of the Circuit Court Monroe County, Florida By: Shonta McLeod Deputy Clerk
Florida Statute
45.031: Any person claiming an interest in the surplus from the sale, if any, other than the property
owner as of the date of the Lis Pendens must file a claim within 60 days after the sale. Publish: October 9 & 16, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.: 2024-CC-42-K NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE BY CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT
Notice is hereby given that the undersigned, Kevin Madok, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Monroe County, Florida, will, on the 28TH day of October 2025 at 11 o’clock a.m., at 500 Whitehead Street, Monroe County, in the City of Key West, Florida, offer for sale and sell at public outcry to the highest and best bidder for CASH the Following described property situated in Monroe County, Florida, to wit: Unit 5114, Week 9, Windward Pointe, a Leasehold Condominium (“Condominium”), according to the Declaration of Condominium thereof recorded in Official Records Book 1803, Page 844, Public Records of Monroe County, Florida, and all exhibits thereto, and any amendments thereof (the “Declaration”). Pursuant to IN REM SUMMARY FINAL JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE AS TO COUNT(S) II entered in a case pending in said Court, the 26TH day of September 2025 Style of which is: WINDWARD POINTE CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION OF KEY WEST, INC., A CORPORATION NOT-FOR-PROFIT UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA
Plaintiff vs. ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN PARTIES WHO CLAIM AN INTEREST AS SPOUSE, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES, ADMINISTRATORS OR AS OTHER CLAIMANTS, BY, THROUGH, UNDER OR AGAINST MARY-ELLEN ROSENBERRY, DECEASED; AND JOHN MONNES, AS POTENTIAL HEIR TO MARYELLEN ROSENBERRY; JEFF MONNES, AS POTENTIAL HEIR TO MARY-ELLEN ROSENBERRY; AND MELANIE GREELEY, AS POTENTIAL HEIR TO MARYELLEN ROSENBERRY
Defendant
And the Docket Number of which is Number 2024-CC42-K WITNESS my hand and the Official Seal of Said Court, this 2ND day of October 2025
KEVIN MADOK Clerk of the Circuit Court Monroe County, Florida
By: Shonta McLeod Deputy Clerk Florida Statute 45.031: Any person claiming an interest in the surplus from the sale, if any, other than the property owner as of the date of the Lis Pendens must file a claim within 60 days after the sale.
Publish: October 9 & 16, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
CASE NO.: 2024-CC-42-K NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE BY CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT
Notice is hereby given that the undersigned, Kevin Madok, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Monroe County, Florida, will, on the 28TH day of October 2025 at 11 o’clock
a.m., at 500 Whitehead Street, Monroe County, in the City of Key West, Florida, offer for sale
LEGAL NOTICES
and sell at public outcry to the highest and best bidder for CASH the Following described property situated in Monroe County, Florida, to wit: Unit 5411, Week 46, Annual Windward Pointe, a Leasehold Condominium (“Condominium”), according to the Declaration of Condominium thereof recorded in Official Records Book 1803, Page 844, Public Records of Monroe County, Florida, and all exhibits thereto, and any amendments thereof (the “Declaration”).
Pursuant to IN REM SUMMARY FINAL JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE AS TO COUNT(S) VI entered in a case pending in said Court, the 26TH day of September 2025
Style of which is: WINDWARD POINTE CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION OF KEY WEST, INC., A CORPORATION NOT-FOR-PROFIT UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA Plaintiff vs. ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN PARTIES WHO CLAIM AN INTEREST AS SPOUSE, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES, ADMINISTRATORS OR AS OTHER CLAIMANTS, BY, THROUGH, UNDER OR AGAINST MARILYN J. VECCHIO, DECEASED AND DAVID VECCHIO, AS POTENTIAL HEIR TO MARILYN J. VECCHIO
Defendant And the Docket Number of which is Number 2024-CC42-K WITNESS my hand and the Official Seal of Said Court, this 2ND day of October 2025
KEVIN MADOK Clerk of the Circuit Court Monroe County, Florida By: Shonta McLeod Deputy Clerk Florida Statute 45.031: Any person claiming an interest in the surplus from the sale, if any, other than the property owner as of the date of the Lis Pendens must file a claim within 60 days after the sale.
Publish: October 9 & 16, 2025 The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.: 2024-CC-42-K NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE BY CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT Notice is hereby given that the undersigned, Kevin Madok, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Monroe County, Florida, will, on the 28TH day of October 2025 at 11 o’clock a.m., at 500 Whitehead Street, Monroe County, in the City of Key West, Florida, offer for sale and sell at public outcry to the highest and best bidder for CASH the Following described property situated in Monroe County, Florida, to wit: Unit 5714, Week 5, Annual Windward Pointe, a Leasehold Condominium (“Condominium”), according to the Declaration of Condominium thereof recorded in Official Records Book 1803, Page 844, Public Records of Monroe County, Florida, and all exhibits thereto, and any amendments thereof (the “Declaration”).
Pursuant to IN REM SUMMARY FINAL JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE AS TO COUNT(S) V entered in a case pending in said Court, the 26TH day of September 2025 Style of which is: WINDWARD POINTE CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION OF KEY WEST, INC., A CORPORATION NOT-FOR-PROFIT UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA Plaintiff vs.
ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN PARTIES WHO CLAIM AN INTEREST AS SPOUSE, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES, ADMINISTRATORS OR AS OTHER CLAIMANTS, BY, THROUGH, UNDER OR AGAINST MARILYN J. VECCHIO, DECEASED; AND DAVID VECCHIO, AS POTENTIAL HEIR TO MARILYN J. VECCHIO
Defendant And the Docket Number of which is Number 2024-CC42-K
WITNESS my hand and the Official Seal of Said Court, this 2ND day of October 2025 KEVIN MADOK Clerk of the Circuit Court Monroe County, Florida By: Shonta McLeod Deputy Clerk Florida Statute 45.031: Any person claiming an interest in the surplus from the sale, if any, other than the property owner as of the date of the Lis Pendens must file a claim within 60 days after the sale.
Publish: October 9 & 16, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.: 2024-CC-292-K NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE
SALE BY CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT
Notice is hereby given that the undersigned, Kevin Madok, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Monroe County, Florida, will, on the 28TH day of October 2025 at 11 o’clock a.m., at 500 Whitehead Street, Monroe County, in the City of Key West, Florida, offer for sale and sell at public outcry to the highest and best bidder for CASH the Following described property situated in Monroe County, Florida, to wit: Unit 5614, Week 23, Even Year Biennial Windward Pointe, a Leasehold Condominium (“Condominium”), according to the Declaration of Condominium thereof recorded in Official Records Book 1803, Page 844, Public Records of Monroe County, Florida, and all exhibits thereto, and any amendments thereof (the “Declaration”). Pursuant to IN REM SUMMARY FINAL JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE AS TO COUNT(S) I, II entered in a case pending in said Court, the 3RD day of October 2025 Style of which is: WINDWARD POINTE II, LLC, A DELAWARE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY
Plaintiff vs. MANUEL VICENTE GONZALEZ ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN PARTIES WHO CLAIM AN INTEREST AS SPOUSE, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES, ADMINISTRATORS OR AS OTHER CLAIMANTS, BY, THROUGH, UNDER OR AGAINST MARIA CRISTINA GONZALEZ, DECEASED
Defendant
And the Docket Number of which is Number 2024-CC292-K WITNESS my hand and the Official Seal of Said Court, this 3RD day of October 2025
KEVIN MADOK
Clerk of the Circuit Court Monroe County, Florida
By: Shonta McLeod
Deputy Clerk
Florida Statute 45.031: Any person claiming an interest in the surplus from the sale, if any, other than the property owner as of the date of the Lis Pendens must file a claim within 60 days after the sale. Publish: October 9 & 16, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.: 2024-CC-425-K NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE BY CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT Notice is hereby given that the undersigned, Kevin Madok, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Monroe County, Florida, will, on the 28TH day of October 2025 at 11 o’clock a.m., at 500 Whitehead Street, Monroe County, in the City of Key West, Florida, offer for sale and sell at public outcry to the highest and best bidder for CASH the Following described property situated in Monroe County, Florida, to wit: Unit 5822, Week 24, Annual Windward Pointe, a Leasehold Condominium (“Condominium”), according to the Declaration of Condominium thereof recorded in Official Records Book 1803, Page 844, Public Records of Monroe County, Florida, and all exhibits thereto, and any amendments thereof (the “Declaration”). Pursuant to IN REM FINAL JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE
AFTER DEFAULT entering in a case pending in said Court, the 3RD day of October 2025 Style of which is: WINDWARD POINTE II, LLC, A DELAWARE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY
Plaintiff vs. ROSE RAMIREZ
Defendant And the Docket Number of which is Number 2024-CC425-K WITNESS my hand and the Official Seal of Said Court, this 3RD day of October 2025 KEVIN MADOK Clerk of the Circuit Court Monroe County, Florida By: Shonta McLeod Deputy Clerk Florida Statute 45.031: Any person claiming an interest in the surplus from the sale, if any, other than the property owner as of the date of the Lis Pendens must file a claim within 60 days after the sale. Publish: October 9 & 16, 2025 The Weekly Newspapers
AUTOS WANTED
AUTOS ALL YEARS! Junk or Used Cars, Vans, Trucks. Runs or Not.$CASH 305-332-0483
BOATS FOR SALE
GREAT DEAL: Key Largo 21' Deep V Center Console w/trailer. New 150hp motor & electronics. $15,000 Located in Marathon. 201-696-8906
17' Montauk Whaler, 90hp Yamaha-50 hours only, GPS, Depth Finder, Radio, Aluminum Trailer, excellent condition. Located in Marathon. $11,000 OBO 305-849-5793 SOLD IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS!!!
PLACE YOUR BOAT FOR SALE AD HERE. $25/ week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-4170871 or email Anneke@ KeysWeekly.com
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
PLACE YOUR BOAT SLIP FOR RENT AD HERE. $25/ week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-4170871 or email Anneke@ KeysWeekly.com
EMPLOYMENT
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/
Boat rental company in Marathon looking for help with boat detailing & boat cleaning. Call 305-481-7006
The SS Wreck & Galley Grill (mile marker 59) is looking for a fulltime prep and dishwasher person. Self-motivated, will train, experience very helpful, quick learner, and team player. Salary includes 401k match up to 6%. Please call Nicole at 305-4330515 or email nicole@ themoongroupfl.com.
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.
PAVER DAVE INC. is now hiring in the Lower Keys. Must have Driver’s License. Bobcat driver experience helpful. Pay depends on experience. Call 305-304-3966 HIRED IN LESS THAN 4 WEEKS!!!
PLACE YOUR EMPLOYMENT AD HERE. $25/week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-417-0871 or email Anneke@ KeysWeekly.com
HOBBIES/COLLECT PRIVATE
COLLECTOR WANTS Rolex, Dive Watches and Pilot Watches. Old Model Military Clocks & Watches. Call 305-743-4578
HOUSING FOR RENT
Key Largo - like new fully furnished private ground floor studio. Includes utilities, cable TV, internet. rental application required. $1,800/ mo - 786 258 3127
HOUSING FOR RENT VACATION RENTAL
3 BR/2 BA home for rent in Key Colony Beach. 75' premium dock. $4,000/ month + utilities. F/L/S 786-229-0228
2BR/1BA house for rent in Marathon. Completely remodeled. All appliances. No pets. $2700/mo for 2+ ppl.- $2,500/mo if less, incl. electric only. F/L/S Dock available for sep. fee. 305-610-8002
UNFURNISHED 2/2 HOUSE FOR RENT ON CANAL, MM27, Ramrod Key, recently refurbished and painted, w/d, utilities paid by owner, $2,500/month, fenced yard, available now. Pete 786-649-9833 or pprm1119@aol.com RENTED!!!
2BR/1BA with outdoor patio for rent in Marathon. $2,100/month F/L/S Taking applications. 305-849-5793 RENTED IN LESS THAN ONE WEEK!!!
PLACE YOUR HOUSING FOR RENT AD HERE. $25/ week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-4170871 or email Anneke@ KeysWeekly.com
MISCELLANEOUS
FREE: Leather L-shaped sectional sofa with two manual working recliners. Off white/ tan color. Left side recliner section has worn leather & a tear. All other sections in good condition. 4 separate pieces total. FREE - Must pick up - located at MM61 in the Middle Keys. Call 305-417-0871.
Key West House For Rent - 28 day minimum. Recently renovated. 2 Units: 3BR/3BA or 2BR/2.5BA. 1 block to Schooner Wharf @ Historic Seaport. Starting $214/night. Sweet CarolineSeaport.com
YARD SALES
PLACE YOUR YARD SALE AD HERE. $25/week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-417-0871 or Email Anneke@ keysweekly.com
FREE: Leather L-shaped sectional sofa with two manual working recliners. Off white/ tan color. Left side recliner section has worn leather & a tear. All other sections in good condition. 4 separate pieces total. FREE - Must pick up - located at MM61 in the Middle Keys. Call 305-417-0871.
Old Wooden Bridge Resort & Marina
NOW HIRING
Front Desk Clerk
(Under new management)
Stop in for an application at 1791 Bogie Drive Big Pine Key, FL 33043 305-872-2241
NOW HIRING
DOCK HAND
We are looking for a Dock Hand with excellent customer service to join our team. You would assist with the daily operations of our marina. Responsibilities include assistance with the daily marina tasks including helping guests arrive and depart from their dock, guiding guests over the radio, navigation, marina amenity cleaning, pressure-washing, assisting guests with golf cart rides and requests, and maintaining the marina.
Send resume to captpips@aol.com or come in the of ce to ll out application. 1480 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050
TREASURE HARBOR MARINA IN ISLAMORADA
NOW HIRING
Maintenance Person
Apply in person at: Treasure Harbor Marina 200 Treasure Harbor Drive Islamorada
SKILLED HEAVY CIVIL EQUIPMENT OPERATORS
We are hiring Skilled Heavy Civil Equipment Operators. 3 yrs or more experience required. Monday-Friday with overtime possible.
Please apply in person at Charley Toppino & Sons, Inc., 129 Toppino Industrial Drive, Key West. Or contact Cheryl at 305-296-5606 ext 126 or cheryl@charleytoppino.com
EXPERIENCED HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATOR
We are hiring Experienced Heavy Equipment Operators. 1 yr or more experience required. Monday-Friday with overtime possible.
CAPTAIN PIP’S IS AN AWESOME PLACE TO WORK, WE TREAT OUR EMPLOYEES GREAT. COME JOIN OUR TEAM! IMMEDIATE
Join a workforce where innovation and teamwork provide support to the employees, retirees, community and citizens of Monroe County! The Employee Benefits Coordinator handles the eligibility of all participants in the MC BOCC’s health, pharmaceutical, life, dental and visions plans, including enrollment, dependent coverage, terminations, and retirement. Monroe County offers an excellent benefits package and is a member of the Florida Retirement System (FRS). Onsite position in Key West, 40 HPW. Annual salary range: $58,121.73 - $90,088.69, based on experience.
To view job descriptions and apply, visit: www.monroecounty-fl.gov/jobs For questions, contact Human Resources at: Careers@MonroeCounty-FL.gov or 305-292-4554. Deadline – Open until filled. Veteran’s Preference Available; E.O.E.
Email: info@keysboatrental.com Call for more information: 305-664-9943
VOLUNTEER RESOURCES ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT (Full Time, Permanent)
DOLPHIN RESEARCH CENTER is a fun, environmentally friendly non-profit 501(c)(3) organization specializing in education, research, and rescue of marine mammals. DRC provides for the well-being of its employees with a competitive package including: a 401k retirement plan, medical benefits, HSA account, paid holidays/vacation/sick days, an employee assistance program, in addition to, life and disability insurance at no cost to the employee. EOE
JOIN THE FAMILY! Email your resume and a DRC application to drc-hr@dolphins.org
DOLPHIN RESEARCH CENTER
Please apply in person at Charley Toppino & Sons, Inc., 129 Toppino Industrial Drive, Key West. Or contact Cheryl at 305-296-5606 ext 126 or cheryl@charleytoppino.com
We are hiring Experienced Construction Laborers. 2 yrs or more experience required. Monday-Friday with overtime possible.
Please apply in person at Charley Toppino & Sons, Inc., 129 Toppino Industrial Drive, Key West. Or contact Cheryl at 305-296-5606 ext 126 or cheryl@charleytoppino.com
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 Therapist (CAT)
Behavioral Health Therapist (Children)
KEY WEST
Case Manager (Children, Adult) (FT)
Prevention Specialist
Advocate
MARATHON
Advocate Care Coordinator (PT)
Driver (CDL not required) (PT)
Driver (CDL required) (FT)
RN/Licensed Practical Nurse (FT, PT)
*Support Worker (Assisted Living) (PT)
*Behavioral Health Technicians – 3 shifts (FT, PT)
*Night Monitor (Assisted Living – Free Housing)
*No experience required for this position. Will train. A caring heart & helpful hands necessary.
Background and drug screen req. EEOC/DFWP
EXCEPTIONAL BENEFITS!!! Apply at guidancecarecenter.org - Get Involved/ Join our team/Job Opportunities/location/zip 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
- Medical Assistant, Primary Care Marathon, $5k Bonus
- Medical Assistant, LPN, EMT or Paramedic, Primary Care Marathon, $5k Bonus
- Patient Access Associate, Tavernier, $1k Bonus
MIAMI CANCER INSTITUTE KEY WEST
- Advanced Practice Provider (APRN/PA-C) Medical Oncology, Per Diem
- Pool Radiation Therapist
TAVERNIER MARINERS HOSPITAL
- AC Mechanic, Facility Operations
- Clinical Pharmacist, $5k Bonus
- Cook, Dietary, $5k Bonus
- Director of Respiratory Services, Respiratory Therapy, $25k Bonus
- Exercise Physiologist, Mariners Wellness Center, Per Diem
- MC Multi-Modality Imaging Tech, CT Scan, $50k Bonus
- Multi-Modality Imaging Tech, Echocardiography, Per Diem
