‘Every strike brings me closer to the next home run.’ — Babe Ruth
July 30, 2026
Sides go extra innings to approve field upgrades | P. 4
Store opens in Key Largo | P. 14
Heat has coral rescuers ready to respond | P. 21
This Italian-inspired waterfront estate is positioned along 220 ft of pristine Florida Bay frontage. Offering 8,194 SF of living space on 1 acre of bayfront property, a dramatic arrival unfolds beneath soaring 30ft ceilings. An arcaded hallway with a hand-tiled barrel-vaulted ceiling connects interiors featuring Italian finishes, exquisite marble details, five fireplaces, hand-painted ceiling frescoes, and a one-of-a-kind imported tile roof. Florentine quatrefoil windows, Juliette balconies, wrought-iron railings, copper rain gutters, and hand-carved marble corbels enhance the home's architectural character. The floor plan includes four bedrooms, with three guest suites on the main level and a private third-floor primary retreat featuring two fireplaces, an office, tea room, sitting room, custom walk-in closet, private laundry room, spa-inspired bath, and balconies overlooking the living spaces below. Additional spaces include a formal dining room with a hand-painted ceiling fresco, wellness room, sauna, private theater with wet bar, and a billiards lounge with mahogany coffered ceilings and coconut wood flooring. Outside, an infinity-edge pool, sunken gazebo with swim-up seating, putting green, fountains, and tropical landscaping. Deepwater dockage, white-sand beach, and crystal-clear waters provide immediate access to world-renowned fishing, diving, snorkeling and boating.
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Latest campaign finance records show big spending in the Republican primary for Florida governor. As of the latest finance reporting on July 17, more than $5.9 million was spent among the campaigns for Byron Donalds, Jay Collins, James Fishback and Paul Renner. Donalds has spent far more than any other candidate, at $4.8 million.
Home to Coral Shores High School baseball, the Founders Park ballfield will undergo $3.8 million in improvements, including a new playing surface, following approvals by the village council and school board. JOY SMITH/Contributed
JIM
McCARTHY jim@keysweekly.com
An agreement to build a new artificial-turf field at the home of Coral Shores baseball rounded third and headed toward home at a July 27 meeting of the Islamorada Village Council.
A $3.8 million project led by the school district on village property reached home plate when the school board unanimously approved the same agreement at its July 28 meeting.
Approval of a 20-year agreement to construct improvements and allow the baseball program to play and use the field came following years of meetings and community discussions. The project initially included a twostory facility behind home plate for concessions, bathrooms and a pressbox. Questions and concerns over the building led village and school officials to put that on hold.
Disagreements between the governing bodies over the control, insurance, maintenance and other items persisted for some seven months.
The village council and school board member Mindy Conn’s call for a joint meeting finally came to fruition on July 21, when the members convened in Marathon to hash out the differences.
The rare meeting among govern-
ing boards ended with both sides reaching consensus on a new baseball license use agreement. The pact details the rights and obligations of the village and school district related to reconstruction and use of the field.
Young athletes, their families and coaches erupted in cheers and applause when the village council voted 5-0 to approve the agreement.
“At the end of the day, I think the most important thing is the safety of the kids in getting this field right,” councilwoman Anna Richards said. “I’ve been begging for this to be done for over 10 years now. I mean, my own kids have been hurt on that field. It’s in horrible condition and needs to be fixed.”
Officials say the new artificial turf, as well as new dugouts and fencing, will be ready for the Coral Shores High School baseball’s 2027 season.
Former Coral Shores baseball coach Doug Mientkiewicz said he and
the other coaches pushed for a new artificial surface for many years. He noted the difficulty maintaining a grass field in the harsh Keys environment, and how players, including his son, were injured while playing on the surface.
“It’s simple. It’s easy. We lay it down and we don’t have to worry about it,” he said.
Rich Russell, former Coral Shores coach and athletic director, expressed thanks to council members and school board members for getting the agreement to the finish line. He thanked Horton for his leadership to get a joint meeting, Vice Mayor Sharon Mahoney for ensuring the turf on the field would be the safest and environmentally-friendly and Village Manager Ron Saunders for prioritizing the issue going back to his first day in April 2025.
“This project’s more than a baseball field. It’s much more than a playing field. It’s about investing in our children … and strengthening the community that we all love,” he said.
Some village residents had questions over the exact costs associated with maintaining the field. Jamie Engel, who served on the baseball field task force, said it’s been stated that the village’s seven-month maintenance expense will decrease from about $48,000 to $6,000 per year. She said she requested a breakdown of the expense for more than two weeks but received no answer from the village.
“We also need to know whether adding these improvements to the village’s existing insurance program will increase our current premiums,” she said.
Saunders said there won’t be a great deal of cost to the village.
“No water, no pesticides, mowing,” he said. “The school district is the tenant, and they will be picking up the costs of the improvements.”
The construction of the new surface, dugouts and fencing will be led by Keystar Construction.
With the meeting adjourned, school board member Sue Woltanski approached the village council members with a baseball to sign to mark the end to a yearslong endeavor.
Typo was a printer’s error; official ballots are correct & valid
Left: All versions of the sample ballots have the incorrect date of election day, telling Spanish speakers to vote on Nov. 5, 2024. Right: Elections supervisor Sherri Hodies sent the Keys Weekly a copy of the corrections she sent to the printer that states the date needs to be changed in the Spanish section. CONTRIBUTED
MANDY MILES
mandy@keysweekly.com
An incorrect date on the sample ballots that arrived in Monroe County mailboxes told Spanish speakers to vote on Election Day — Nov. 5, 2024, or, more specifically, “5 de noviembre 2024.”
The incorrect date on thousands of sample ballots was a printer’s error. But all dates are correct on the official ballots that will be cast in the Aug. 18 election, Monroe County Supervisor of Elections Sherri Hodies told the Keys Weekly on Monday.
“I heard about it, then I looked at my own mail and couldn’t believe it; I was so angry,” Hodies said on Monday. “I told the printer the date was wrong seven weeks ago. We went through about 11 revisions, and the final proof I approved had the correct dates. I have three Spanish speakers in the office and we all checked the final proof and everything was correct.”
The typo appears in a box titled “Vote Election Day” that gives the date of the August election and a reminder that voters must vote at
their designated polling location in their precinct. The paragraph is repeated directly below in Spanish — except the Spanish version says election day is “5 de noviembre de 2024.”
Hodies provided the Keys Weekly with copies of the correct proof of the sample ballots that she approved, along with a marked-up version of a sample ballot that show Hodies’ comments to the printer about revisions in yellow. One of those comments, next to the incorrect date, points out that it says November 2024 and should say “18 de agosto.”
“After we had all checked the correct version and I approved it, the printer still went back and used the wrong version,” Hodies said, adding that the company handles ballots for elections across the state and the country.
She emphasized that all official ballots have the correct dates, and the incorrect date on the sample ballots was a frustrating error at the printer, not a conspiracy to keep Spanishspeaking voters from casting a ballot on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026.
This is the first major election that Hodies is administering; she was elected in November 2024 and sworn in two months later in January 2025.
At a special meeting on July 20, the board of trustees of the College of the Florida Keys appointed Brittany Snyder to serve as interim president. Snyder previously served as CFK’s executive vice president and chief financial officer.
The appointment followed the board’s decision to end Jonathan Gueverra’s tenure as president.
Snyder has more than 23 years of service at CFK. She began her career in the college’s business office before becoming an adjunct instructor teaching accounting, finance and management courses. She then served as a full-time faculty member, business program chair, dean of arts and sciences, provost and vice president of academic affairs.
In 2021, she was promoted to executive vice president and chief financial officer, a role in which she oversaw the college’s business operations, information technology, strategic planning, accreditation, human resources, facilities and construction and sponsored programs.
She has served as CFK’s accreditation liaison for more than a decade, including leading the college’s recent work to become one of the first in Florida to earn accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission.
“I’ve been part of this college for over 20 years, and I’ve watched our students grow, work hard and go on to build better lives for themselves and their families. That’s what matters, and I am committed to ensuring that our students and community continue to receive the same exceptional education and support they have always received from CFK,” Snyder said.
Brittany Snyder, interim president for the College of the Florida Keys. CFK/Contributed
Snyder is treasurer and a board member of the Key West Chamber of Commerce. She was the liaison to the Young Entrepreneurship Academy, and recipient of the President’s Award in 2022. She is a member of the Upper Keys Business and Professional Women and the Florida Federation of Business and Professional Women. Within the Florida College System, she sits on the steering committee for the Council of Business Affairs and the operations committee of the Risk Management Consortium and previously chaired the Council of Instructional Affairs as its small college representative. She was also selected to participate in the system’s chancellor’s leadership seminar.
Snyder has a doctorate in management and a master’s degree in accounting and financial management from the University of Maryland University College, and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Towson University.
— Contributed
Islamorada, Village of Islands REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
PROFESSIONAL SURFACE REPAIRS & EXTERIOR PAINTING OF ISLAMORADA FIRE STATION 20 RFP 26-09
Bid Submittal Deadline: 3:00 p.m. August 14, 2026
Islamorada, Village of Islands (the “Village”), will receive formal proposals from qualified proposers to provide Professional Surface Repairs and Exterior Painting Services for the Islamorada Fire Station 20.
Scan here or Go to islamorada.fl.us/Bids.aspx?BidID=58 to view and download the bid documents for complete information including the full scope of services, eligibility criteria link to plans and exhibits, and submittal instructions.
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89240 Overseas Hwy Ste 2, Tavernier 305.363.2957
MARATHON WEEKLY 9709 Overseas Hwy Marathon 305.743.0844
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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
WPittsburgh philanthropists fund educational experiences
The Florida State Parks Foundation recently celebrated Coral Reef Awareness Week by announcing a major donation toward the new, state-of-the-art Discovery Center and Aquarium at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo.
The Richard King Mellon Foundation, a Pittsburgh-based organization with nearly 80 years of support for America’s environmental heritage, has committed $250,000 toward educational and interpretive experiences within the park’s new facility.
The Florida State Parks Foundation, the Florida Park Service and a wide variety of community partners broke ground on the Discovery Center and Aquarium in April. The $52 million complex is expected to open with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in 2028.
“John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is home to one of Florida’s rarest, most unique and most precious natural resources — our amazing coral reef,” said Julia Gill Woodward, CEO of the parks foundation. “This transformational contribution from the Richard King Mellon Foundation will help ensure that park visitors will enjoy fresh, cuttingedge experiences that create lasting memories and meaningful connections with this incredible ecosystem.”
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park each year welcomes more than 400,000 visitors who are drawn to the park’s world-class scuba diving, snorkeling, paddling and glassbottom boat tours.
“We are excited that John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park will soon open a state-of-the-art Discovery Center and Aquarium where visitors will learn about the coral reefs that are so important to the balance of this delicate habitat,” said Chuck Hatcher, Florida state parks director.
“The Florida State Parks Foundation has done an outstanding job in partnering with the Richard King Mellon Foundation, and we are thankful for their generous donation as we work toward our shared goals of coral reef preservation and restoration.”
The park’s new Discovery Center and Aquarium will serve as a hub for hands-on environmental education and coral reef restoration.
Seven aquarium tanks holding a total of 43,000 gallons of water will serve as the centerpiece, and additional planned interpretive elements include coral reef exploration displays, a storm simulator to highlight coral reefs’ role in protecting Florida’s coastline, a sensory wall, “creature features” to highlight the abundance of marine wildlife that depend on coral reefs, and a digital microscope.
The park has also partnered with the Mote Marine Laboratory to conduct coral restoration research and propagation activities within the Discovery Center and Aquarium. Scientists have already restored more than 200,000 corals to Florida’s reef, and corals grown in the park’s nurseries will be planted in and around the park’s nautical footprint. — Contributed
hen the Islamorada Foundation completes the project at the recently acquired property in Lower Matecumbe Key at 76800 Overseas Highway, residents and visitors to the space will find expansive green space and shaded structures; tennis, pickleball and bocce ball courts; a golf practice center and half-court basketball court; and ample parking.
While the property purchase cost was $1.6 million, building project cost is estimated at $1.8 million to $1.9 million, including demolition of the former Islamorada Tennis Center buildings and courts as well as raising the ground elevation.
“We saw the property as an opportunity to acquire another 3.5 acres and thwart potential commercial development,” said J.C. Mikula, who founded, and chairs the board of, the foundation. “We saw recreation as use of the property and plans are in place on 2.2 usable acres. The timeframe is 100% fund driven.”
The foundation has a successful track record of green space preservation since being founded in 2010. For 10 years, it managed and improved the property called Southwinds Park, a village-owned property at MM 82.1.
“We put in about $100,000 in infrastructure improvements during our operation of it,” said Mikula. Work included cleaning up the landscaping, adding memorial pavers and a fishing heritage walkway, and doing routine maintenance and upkeep.
“We fulfilled the contractual requirements while it also provided the foundation with a platform to educate people about the mission,” said Kristi Mikula, co-founder and board member. “We hosted events, a weekly farmers market and decorated the many trees with white lights every holiday season.”
The next project was purchasing the property that housed a couple restaurants through the decades but sat vacant for many years at MM 81. In 2018, the 1.39 acre property was acquired for $1.2 million and buildout occurred as funds were donated, including a $1 million donation from Islamorada resident Louella Reese,
The property at 76800 Overseas Highway will be revamped to include expansive green space and shaded structures; tennis, pickleball and bocce ball courts; a golf practice center and half-court basketball court; and ample parking. CONTRIBUTED
which granted naming rights, according to the Mikulas.
“The key point for the property was the connection between the old and new roads as well as the location on Upper Matecumbe Key,” Kristi Mikula said. “Easy access points for future users.”
The Gib Reese Park, named in honor of Reese’s late husband, now houses pay-as-you-play pickleball courts, a children’s playground, green space, native vegetation, picnic and shaded areas and parking.
Joe Jiovenetta, an Islamorada resident and owner of Alma Wealth Management, and his family play pickleball at the park and decided to organize a tournament to raise money for the Islamorada Foundation to go toward park maintenance. The Alma Wealth Open Pickleball Tournament first occurred in May 2024, with the third annual open held earlier this year in March.
Rev. Charles Fisher has a remarkable resume. The new head of Burton Memorial United Methodist Church has been a teacher, principal, tennis coach, basketball coach and even a professional NBA player.
He was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers out of James Madison University in 1983 and played for them for a year before being released. Eventually he found his higher calling.
“The journey has been truly very interesting,” Fisher said during a recent interview at his new office at the church in Tavernier. He said his background in athletics helped mold him into the leader he is today.
“Being always on a team, I knew the importance of motivation, positivity, encouragement and leadership skills,” he said.
Fisher holds several degrees, including a master’s and doctorate in religious education, along with a bachelor’s and master’s in physical education. Yet, he remains humble.
“When I came here, they said ‘Maybe you should have everyone call you Dr. Charles or Dr. Fisher, you’ve earned that,’” Fisher recalled. “I said I’m not big on that, that doesn’t matter,” he continued.
Despite his accomplishments, the pastor is the first to admit he is a work in progress.
“God is still molding me and directing my steps,” he said.
About a month into his new role, Fisher has nothing but praise for his new congregation.
“Amazing. I’m very impressed and just blown away by the leadership here at Burton, the church, and the activities they have here,” he said.
“You have a child development center ministry, food pantry ministry, and the church ministry with the community. It’s just thrilling; it’s a blessing, it truly is a blessing,” he continued.
Fisher wasn’t always a Methodist. He grew up Baptist. A few years ago a friend asked him to deliver a sermon at her Methodist church and he was hooked.
“She said ‘Would you come and preach for me on Mother’s Day?’ And I haven’t left the Methodist church since,” Fisher said with a smile.
Fisher grew up in Cape Charles, Virginia but his career in coaching and teaching took him from coast to coast, from California to South Florida.
He has no idea how long he will serve at Burton Memorial, but he does know what he hopes to achieve.
“What I am hoping to accomplish is to develop spiritual leaders, be a beacon for this community, to build relationships that will want to be a powerhouse for the lord,” said Fisher.
3:
On July 1, Fisher became the new pastor at the 150-member Methodist Church. This church has deep roots in the community and is also known for its community-based generous food pantry and gold seal child development center (CDC).
“All the people that are coming to the food pantry, I want them to see that Burton is a loving church. I want them to come and be a part of the church, same thing with the CDC,” said Fisher.
“I would hope that by building relationships I will make families stronger, know that they are valued and important, I’m just looking to change behaviors while I’m here,” he added.
Fisher is married to Shirelle Washington-Fisher, a nurse practitioner. They are the proud parents of three grown children.
He delivers a sermon every Sunday at 10 a.m. at Burton Memorial United Methodist Church. The church is located at 93001 Overseas Highway in Tavernier.
Afew weeks back I received an email from Brett McCracken in Kansas City. He volunteers for the Dream Factory, an outfit that grants dreams for kids dealing with serious illness. He had a 13-year-old named Isaac whose dream was to go deep sea fishing, and he wanted to know if my boat was the right place for it.
Brett is not a fisherman. He said so up front, then asked me a handful of careful questions about how a day offshore actually works. Not one of them was about how many fish we would catch. Every one was about whether Isaac would be comfortable.
I told him to send the kid down.
Isaac Webb had fished Missouri and Arkansas his whole life. Bass, catfish, crappie. His mom said he had talked about mahi and tuna, and that he would be happy catching anything at all.
He drew Friday, July 24, and of the three days I fished last week, that was the one I would have traded away.
An easterly wave came through with showers and thunderstorms on the front of it. NOAA had the Straits at 3 to 4 feet, occasionally 5, on a short 5-second period. That is not dangerous water for a 42-foot boat. It is miserable water for a kid who has never been out of sight of a boat ramp.
We ran out with his dad Matt and went looking. The Gulf Stream edge was close, about 6 miles southeast of Alligator, so blue water was not the problem. We just could not find fish that wanted to eat.
Isaac got seasick.
Then he kept fishing.
is a fish captain specializing in deep sea charters off Islamorada.
That is the part I keep coming back to. He did not ask to go in. He did not put the rod down and go sit in the cabin, which is exactly what a lot of grown men do on a 5-foot day. He worked through it, stayed on the rail and caught his own mahi. We
came back to the dock with five of them.
Five fish is not a story on a good day in July. On that day, with that sea, it was a real catch.
The week started with an east breeze at 10 to 15 knots and 2 to 3 foot seas on a short 4-second period. That period is the thing to watch in summer. Four seconds between waves is a washing machine. Eight seconds at the same height is a rocking chair. By Saturday, a weak pressure setup parked over us and the ocean went slack.
The Gulf Stream edge tightened all week, from 6 miles southeast of Alligator down to 3, and a single mile off Molasses. You do not need a big boat or a big fuel budget to reach mahi right now.
Water climbed from 88.7 degrees at Vaca Key early to 90.9 by Monday at daybreak. That puts a premium on moving water and makes the flats tough once the sun is up.
Saturday I had a father and son from Cleveland and found half a wooden pallet floating in a weedline in 800 feet. It was loaded, and we caught our limit off that one piece of junk. The fish are stacked under whatever is floating right now. Keep your eyes up and off the electronics.
JILL MIRANDA BAKER
www.keysweekly.com
No matter how many individuals appear in the pages of each edition of Keys Weekly, there are always so many more of our community members who deserve to be recognized. In an effort to shine a spotlight on more of the incredible individuals who live and work in these islands, Keys Weekly is proud to spotlight our Neighbor of the Week feature, dedicated to celebrating a community member with each issue.
Our neighbor of the week is Kimberly Rock, a Key Largo resident who moved to the Keys after Hurricane Irma. Mom to a 10-year-old son James, who attends Key Largo School, she works as a field coordinator and marketing director at Florida Keys Windows, and is a dedicated community volunteer. A board member of the Key Largo Community Preservation Foundation, Rock is actively involved in the planning of the Light Up Key Largo annual event. Also a board member with Save Alligator Lighthouse, she works to raise
money for the lighthouse’s preservation efforts and helps plan the annual Reignite the Light gala. What drew you to the Keys? I grew up visiting the Keys as my mom and stepdad bought a home here years ago. After Irma, I came to help my sister, who lived here at the time. The people here are amazing. Better sense of community than anywhere else I’ve lived.
What led you to be in the occupation you’re in? I was looking for a stable 9-to-5 job that allowed me to put James, then a baby, in day care, and be home nights and weekends. I started at Upper Keys Marine Construction when it was owned by the DeBrules. Dawn taught me so much, I observed everything and loved the planning challenges.
What do you enjoy most about your work? I love being a part of a project from start to finish. Weirdest experience you’ve had in the Keys? I don’t know if I can tell this story. Once we had a package delivered to the office. We didn’t know
who it was for but it came to our address. We opened it to find a sex toy along with some accessories. It became an office joke for the day, unexpectedly landing on everyone’s desk. The next day a guy comes to the office saying he had a package delivered here. The receptionist, oh how she kept a straight face with this guy, I don’t know. We were hysterical in the back. She reboxed the item and gave it back. The next day he returned wanting the accessories. Turns out the guy was homeless living in the woods behind the shopping center.
If you could have dinner with anyone, who would it be? My grandfather. We were very close and he died when I was in high school. I would love to meet with him now that I’m an adult with a son of my own.
If you had a superpower, what would it be? Time travel. I would go back and visit with my dad who was killed in a motorcycle accident. He was always a happy man. My stepfather was killed in the same way. I miss them both.
Favorite Food? I love food. I don’t know if I could pick just one – steak, gnocchi, pizza. Favorite movie? “Titanic” with Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio. I love going to the movies. Favorite book? I love to read when I have the time. I prefer historical fiction, pop economics and some biographies.
What are your hobbies? Right now it is working to rehabilitate a 153-year-old lighthouse. It is a massive undertaking and such a rewarding project. Is there a skill/talent you want to master? I’ve always wanted to learn photography. There are so many aspects to it. Growing up, I loved looking at the photos in National Geographic magazine. What are you most proud of as you look back on your life this far? I’m proud of how I am raising my son.
Do you have any regrets? I’ve learned so much from my mistakes. If not for those experiences and lessons, I wouldn’t be who I am today. What is the biggest daily challenge you face? Balancing time between work, James and community involvement.
JIM McCARTHY jim@keysweekly.com
Eager shoppers lined up outside the new Aldi grocery store in Key Largo the morning of July 23. Store employees and leadership cut the ribbon and welcomed the community in to shop for milk, bread, meat and more.
A gutting of the former Winn-Dixie store began roughly seven months ago as community members awaited the arrival of the discount grocery store. A soft unveiling was held July 22 with the grand opening the next morning.
Vehicles filled the parking lot — a number even parked along U.S. 1 — the morning of July 23 as hundreds of shoppers sought groceries for more affordable prices compared to other stores in the area. Checkout lines reached halfway back into the store. Shoppers exited with a complimentary bag and keychain.
In March 2024, Aldi acquired Southeastern Grocers and its five Winn-Dixie stores in the Florida Keys. A year later, a group of investors, spearheaded by the current CEO and president of Southeastern Grocers and C&S Wholesale Grocers, acquired Southeastern Grocers. The agreement included 170 Winn-Dixie and Harveys stores in southeast states from Aldi.
Aldi was already in the midst of converting some 220 Winn-Dixies and Harveys Supermarket stores, including the one in Key Largo. The conversion process that began in March 2024 is expected to conclude in 2027. Southeastern Grocers will continue to operate the remaining stores identified for conversion. The four other Winn-Dixie stores in the Keys won’t be converted to Aldi.
Aldi is open daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Those shopping at the store should keep a quarter handy since it’s required to unlock a shopping cart.
The store offers curbside pickup and grocery delivery. Learn more at info.aldi.us.
Robert and Shelby Foley of Islamorada are proud to announce the birth of their son, Logan Brooks Foley. Logan was born on July 6, 2026, at 11:27 p.m. at Baptist Hospital of Miami. He weighed 8 pounds, 11 ounces and measured 21.75 inches long. His mother, Shelby Foley, is a registered dental hygienist, and his father, Robert Foley, is a financial professional with Alliance Financial Group. Logan is welcomed with love by his entire family. He is especially blessed to have his grandmother, Kemberly Beaubien, watching over him as his guardian angel. Robert and Shelby are overjoyed to welcome Logan into the world and are excited to begin this new chapter as a family.
Friday, July 31
• “Sit and Sew” from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Key Largo library.
Saturday, Aug.1
• Florida Keys Quilters meeting will be held at 10 a.m. in the Key Largo library.
• Made on Morada group exhibition from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Hale Gallery, 81888 Overseas Highway, Islamorada.
Aug. 4-5
• Just Older Youth Inc. (JOY) activities from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Plantation Key Community Center, 53 High Point Road.
Thursday, Aug. 6
• “Yappy Hour” from 6 to 8 p.m. at Three Waters Resort, Islamorada.
Seeking to submit an event for inclusion on the calendar? Email jim@keysweekly.com.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9
“We plan to keep hosting the tournament. We thought the park is a beautiful enhancement to the Upper and Lower Matecumbe communities,” said Jiovenetta. “We wanted to raise money to assist with the upkeep.”
In 2023, the Megan Edwards Center was constructed to include meeting/event space with kitchen facilities and an affordable housing unit. The center’s name is in honor of Reese’s daughter, who passed away in 2021 from ovarian
The Florida Keys Gator Club is planning a gathering to help Keys students who are preparing to attend the University of Florida for their fall semester.
The event, organized by the University of Florida Alumni Association’s Keys-based affiliate organization, is set for Tuesday, Aug. 4, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., at the Nest, MM 81 in Islamorada.
“We’re inviting new students, current UF students, alumni and their families to come together to make connections, share experiences and welcome the next generation of Gators into the UF family,” said Shirley Wilson, Keys Gator Club president. “We also encourage local high school students and their parents to attend. It’s a great opportunity for prospective Gators
cancer. She and her husband were second homeowners in Islamorada, according to the foundation’s website.
“We want it to be an enhancement for the community and find appropriate uses,” Kristi Mikula said. “Homeowners association meetings, gardening classes, lectures and wedding rehearsals and weddings.”
More information is at islamoradafoundation.org or from J.C. Mikula at 305-407-4637.
to meet recently accepted students, hear about their application experiences, ask questions about college life at UF and learn what it means to be a Gator.”
The club will provide complimentary appetizers and soft drinks. The Nest is offering 10% off all food and beverages from its regular menu.
In addition to Wilson, other Gator Club officers for 2026-27 include president-elect Larry Dalton, treasurer Glenn Latham, secretary Susan Latham and board members Susan Latham, Andy Newman and Paul Turick.
More information is available via email to keysgatorclub@gmail. com or at the club’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ groups/keysgators.
– Contributed
Lorelei Restaurant & Cabana
Bar is welcoming a new management team made up of familiar local faces who are committed to preserving the restaurant’s longstanding tradition while leading it into the future.
Leading the team is general manager Mike Wilkinson, a lifelong Upper Keys resident and Coral Shores High School graduate. With nearly 20 years in the hospitality industry, Wilkinson has spent the past eight years at Lorelei, working his way through nearly every position. A longtime family friend of the Lindback family, he brings extensive operational knowledge and a deep connection to the restaurant and community.
Joining him is Ann Dotson, assistant general manager, who is celebrating 15 years with Lorelei. Originally from Tennessee, Dotson has a background in nonprofit management and is the mother of three. Her years of experience serving guests have made her an invaluable part of the Lorelei family and someone who knows every
aspect of the restaurant.
Rounding out the leadership team is executive chef Patrick Naughton, a born-and-raised Keys Conch and Coral Shores graduate. Naughton has more than 15 years of culinary experience and has spent the past year at Lorelei, where he now leads the kitchen.
While the new leadership looks toward the future, the restaurant continues serving the favorites that have made it a Keys institution. Guests can enjoy house-made conch fritters, the popular blackened snapper reuben, smoked fish dip, the Lorelei Sunset made with the restaurant’s signature vodka, the Key Lime Colada and Lorelei’s traditional or frozen Key lime pie. With live music every night and some of the area’s most memorable sunset views, Lorelei remains a place where locals and visitors celebrate life’s special moments — from first dates and engagements to family vacations and everything in between.
One of the few. Rentable by
— Contributed
A rare opportunity in the Upper Florida Keys — one of only a handful of properties licensed for short-term rental, with stays as short as one night. If you know, you know: this is the license every investor wants and almost no one can get. Financials available to qualified inquiries. Rosie Hathorn 305.794.1622 • rosie@vrnr.com
Friends, I have been through a lot in my five years on this planet. I survived the fur trade. I survived losing toes. I survived my annual veterinary appointments. But nothing, and I mean nothing, could have prepared me for the great enclosure renovation of 2026.
For weeks, my peaceful sanctuary was invaded by men carrying ladders, drills, saws and enough tools to rebuild the Seven Mile Bridge. Every morning I would wake up hoping they had finally gone home, only to discover they had returned with even more equipment and what appeared to be an endless supply of lumber.
Fortunately, the kind folks at Island Villa Construction turned out to be excellent house guests. They worked carefully, respected our routines and somehow managed to completely rebuild our enclosure without any of us deciding to make a break for Publix. This incredible project was made possible thanks to a generous $20,000 grant from the Marion and Richard Graham Foundation, proving
Monce again that some humans make exceptionally good decisions.
Every panel of our original stainless steel welded wire has now been replaced with sleek black-coated welded wire. It’s modern. It’s elegant. It’s a luxury fox resort. Apparently, the black coating isn’t just for aesthetics. My mother says it will stand up to South Florida’s absolutely disrespectful salt air for years and years to come. I must admit, the new fencing photographs beautifully. It really makes my white fur pop. Coral says it makes her look sophisticated. Isla insists she’s the reason the whole place looks good. Business as usual.
Watching humans work is fascinating. They spend hours measuring things, cutting things, replacing things and discussing things. Then my mother walks outside and says, “That looks great!” as though she had anything to do with it. Classic management.
To the Marion and Richard Graham Foundation, thank you for believing that seven formerly exploited foxes deserved a home built to last.
And to everyone at Island Villa Construction, thank you for treating our home with such care, for putting up with my constant supervision, and for pretending not to notice that I inspected every single thing you did. Anywho, that’s all for this week. Until next time, Reef, over and out!
aple is 7 months old and weighs 16 pounds. The rat terrier mix is every bit as sweet as her name. This adorable girl is the perfect combination of playful and affectionate. Maple is fully housebroken and loves spending time with her people. Whether she’s curled up beside you for a cuddle session, playing with her favorite toys or making new doggie friends, Maple is happiest when she’s surrounded by love. Maple gets along wonderfully with other dogs and would make an amazing companion for an active family, couple or individual looking for a loyal best friend. With her loving personality, adorable face and gentle nature, it’s easy to see why everyone who meets her falls in love. If you’re looking for a sweet, devoted companion to add to your family, To apply to adopt Maple, please complete an application at mprescues.org/adoption-application/.
In a recent case, Scott Battle, former owner and manager of Florida Boy Bar and Grill in Layton, pleaded no contest to one count of theft of state funds (sales tax over $100,000), a felony, before County Judge Derek Lewis. The charge stemmed from Battle’s failure to remit hundreds of thousands of dollars in state sales tax collected from customers.
As part of a negotiated plea agreement, County Judge Derek Lewis placed Battle on 30 months of probation. If Battle successfully completes the first 15 months of probation without any violations, his probation may be terminated early pursuant to the terms of the plea agreement. Adjudication will be withheld if, and only if, Battle successfully completes all terms and conditions of his probation. He was also ordered to pay $290 in court costs and $250 in costs of prosecution. Prior to sentencing, Battle paid
more than $400,000 to satisfy the financial obligations arising from the case, including the Florida Department of Revenue’s criminal restitution, interest, investigative costs and the outstanding civil liability associated with the unpaid sales tax. According to the Florida Department of Revenue investigation, Battle collected $455,132.52 in state sales tax from June 2021 through May 2025 but remitted only $166,268.54, leaving $288,863.98 in sales tax that had been collected from customers but not turned over to the State of Florida. Investigators determined that Battle exercised complete control over the business and knowingly used the collected tax funds for business operations rather than sending them to the Department of Revenue as required by law.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney K. Philip Harte following an investigation by the Florida Department of Revenue.
in CFK’s basic law enforcement academy No. 95. CFK/Contributed
The College of the Florida Keys’ Institute for Public Safety recently graduated 15 cadets in its basic law enforcement academy No. 95. The graduation ceremony was held on July 15 at Coral Shores High School.
The 15 cadets successfully completed the 770-hour training program at CFK’s Upper Keys Center. Graduates are eligible to become a Florida law enforcement officer upon passing the state certification exam.
Nine graduates have already passed the exam and two have secured employment including: Misley Quintero, who was pinned by Capt. Spenser Bryan from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, and Kevin Laguardia Perez, pinned by Assistant Chief Armando Aguilar of the City of Miami Police Department.
Jasmine Jefferson, assistant director of the institute, recognized top performing graduates with accolades:
• David Jauregui won the award for leadership.
• Quintero and Rachel Good-
win tied for the academic achievement award.
• Laguardia Perez received the “PIG” award (for pride, integrity, and guts).
• Julio Couvertier-Santiago was awarded “Top Gun” for shooting skills.
• Quintero and Christopher Danet Jr. shared the physical fitness award.
CFK’s law enforcement officer program satisfies the training requirements of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission.
Two upcoming law enforcement training academies at CFK’s Upper Keys Center in Key Largo with a deadline to apply by Nov. 20 are:
• Basic law enforcement academy No. 100, full-time, January to July 2027
• Basic law enforcement academy No. 101, part-time, January to December 2027
More information is at cfk. edu/academics/academic-departments/institute-for-public-safety/. — Contributed
Local law enforcement, military and community partners will host the annual National Night Out event on Tuesday, Aug. 4 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at four locations: Key Largo Community Park, Islamorada’s Founders Park, the Sheriff’s Office Aviation Hangar at the Marathon International Airport and Truman Waterfront Park in Key West.
Each family-friendly event will feature food, refreshments and an opportunity to meet neighbors, members of local law enforcement agencies and firefighters, as well as members of the military from a wide variety of divisions and special teams, and many others who are all involved in public safety in the Keys.
The goal of National Night Out is to bring the community together to discuss how to make neighborhoods cleaner, safer and more secure. Community members can learn how to heighten their crime-prevention awareness. Each event — depending on the area — will feature displays of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office elite units such as the dive team, SWAT and crime scene investigation.
Also attending will be the U.S. Coast Guard, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission,
Florida Highway Patrol, Monroe County Fire Rescue, Monroe County schools, business chambers and others. Participants can view vehicles and equipment used by many of the agencies and pick up valuable information and personal safety paraphernalia.
— Keys Weekly staff report
After serving as a refuge for more than 5,000 corals during Florida’s historic bleaching crisis, the University of South Florida’s Keys Marine Laboratory is prepared for another round of rescues.
As an unusually strong El Niño drives dangerously warm ocean temperatures across the Keys this summer, the organizations that helped save thousands of corals during the worst bleaching event ever recorded on Florida’s coral reef say they’re entering the season better prepared than ever before.
Researchers at the University of South Florida’s Keys Marine Laboratory in Layton and their restoration partners have spent the past three years expanding coral refuge capacity, strengthening emergency response plans and identifying the corals most critical to long-term reef recovery — changes driven by the unprecedented marine heat wave in 2023.
“We know what’s coming,” said Cindy Lewis, who has a doctorate in coral biology and is the director of Keys Marine Laboratory. “And we are all better prepared to face an emergency crisis after our experiences from the 2023 El Niño event.”
During the 2023 crisis, more than 5,000 corals were relocated from offshore nurseries and parent colonies to temperature-controlled seawater systems at KML, which is operated by the Florida Institute of Oceanography. They remained there until ocean temperatures cooled enough to return them safely to the reef.
One lesson stood above the rest: Florida needed more emergency, land-based refuge space.
With funding from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), KML completed
Top: Keys Marine Laboratory completed the construction of a new temperature-controlled seawater system in June, adding 20 more seawater tables to support coral restoration. KML/ Contributed
Inset: During the 2023 bleaching crisis, more than 5,000 corals were relocated from offshore nurseries and parent colonies to temperature-controlled seawater systems at Keys Marine Laboratory.
the construction of a new temperature-controlled seawater system in June 2026, adding 20 more seawater tables to support coral restoration, bringing the total to 80 tables and tanks.
Additional funding from DEP in the latest state budget will support the operation of 28 of these tables at KML. These are specifically designated for reef restoration and rapid emergency response, ensuring corals are safely housed and eventually returned to the reef. Each table is equipped with rain covers and power heads to circulate water, helping rescued corals thrive.
Working with KML, partners including the Florida Aquarium, Coral Restoration Foundation, Reef Renewal USA, Islamorada Conservation and Restoration Education and the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute have identified priority corals, refined rescue protocols and
coordinated how they’ll respond if conditions deteriorate.
“We learned that we simply cannot save them all,” Lewis said. “But we need to ensure that we can preserve a critical mass and diversity of corals to continue restoration efforts. The 2023 event forced us all to reassess and prioritize which corals to ‘rescue.’”
When bleaching occurs, warming water stresses corals into expelling the symbiotic algae living in their tissues, causing them to turn white. Prolonged thermal stress can lead to coral death. With El Niño poised to push sea surface temperatures even higher, the window for intervention could be narrow.
“One of the clearest lessons from the 2023 marine heatwave is that redundancy saves corals,” said Phanor Montoya-Maya, restoration program manager for Coral Restoration Foundation. “When conditions change faster than anyone predicts, having multiple response options, not just one plan, is what keeps restoration efforts resilient. It’s what gives us the best chance to preserve the coral stock needed to restore Florida’s reefs.”
With expanded refuge capacity, coordinated rescue plans and a stronger restoration network already in place, KML and its partners say they’re ready to act quickly if ocean temperatures again threaten one of the nation’s most important marine ecosystems.
“The Keys Marine Laboratory is uniquely positioned to support a coordinated, multiagency response,” said Gil McRae, director of the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute. “This expanded capability will greatly increase the chances that corals that are critically important to long-term restoration goals can be spared widespread mortality from bleaching events.”
“Having additional capacity at Keys Marine Laboratory means more corals can be protected, monitored, and cared for if stressful conditions develop this summer,” said Kylie Smith, co-founder of Islamorada Conservation and Restoration Education. “Investments like this don’t just benefit a single organization; they strengthen the entire restoration community’s ability to safeguard years of restoration progress and respond quickly when our reefs need it most.
— Contributed
Staff from your Monroe County Public Library recommend some of their favorites from the collection.
What: “The Story of Film: An Odyssey” (2011)
Why: Talk about an odyssey – this 15-episode series covers movies and movie-making from its late 19th-century origins to the 2000s. A tagline on the poster says it was “made over six years, on four continents, covering 11 decades and a thousand films” and it shows: If you wish you went to film school, or at least took a good course on film history at some point, this series fits the bill. And it’s got a refreshingly international perspective, so you learn about what people in different places and times have created in this medium, rather than just celebrities, warring moguls, and corporate intrigue. If you need a break from quick clips on social media or people arguing on TV, take a deep dive into film history. Full disclosure: Your to-be-watched list may increase exponentially.
Where: This series is available on Kanopy, the library’s streaming app.
How: You can browse and request DVDs 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.
WHILE OTHERS PLAY POLITICS, DEE DEE GETS THINGS DONE.
RESTORING TRUST AT CITY HALL
Worked to restore trust, strengthen accountability, and reinforce transparency, helping turn the page and making clear that corruption has no place in City Hall.
KEPT KEY WEST FAMILIES SAFE
Led the approval efforts supporting a new fire station and stronger emergency readiness, helping strengthen emergency response and ensuring help gets there faster when families need it most
BROUGHT HIGGS BEACH BACK TO KEY WEST
Led the effort to bring Higgs Beach into Key West hands, securing one of our island’s most treasured public spaces and protecting it for future generations
EXPANDED WORKFORCE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES
Supported partnerships with the Monroe County School District to advance plans for 150 workforce housing units, helping teachers and school employees continue calling Key West home.
I'M PROUD OF WHAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED TOGETH T ER, BUT THERE'S STILL MORE WORK TO DO. EVERY DAY, Y I'M ' FOCUSED ON MAKING KEY WEST AN EVEN BETTER PLACE TO LIVE, E WORK, AND RAISE A FAMILY. Y THANK YOU FOR THE TR T UST YO Y U'VE PLACED IN ME. IT REMAINS THE GREATE T ST HONOR OF MY LIFE TO SERVE AS YO Y UR MAYOR ”
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Election season brings a barrage of campaign signs, social media posts and promises. Somewhere in the middle of that noise is the information that Monroe County voters need to make wise choices in picking the leaders of our community.
That’s why we publish this Decision Guide.
Living in one of the most unusual counties in our country, surrounded by a pristine ecosystem and just-for-here rules that practically require a law degree to sort out, our local governments have a huge pull on the reality of daily life in the Florida Keys.
The leaders we elect in city council, school board, county commission and other races are the ones making crucial choices that shape the future of our islands – especially as our state and nation continue to make monumental changes in the funding and operations of these governments.
As your trusted locally-owned newspaper, it’s not our job to tell you whom to vote for. It IS our responsibility to ensure that voters have accurate information to work with, so that they may make the best choices based on their beliefs and values.
Within these pages, you’ll find plenty of information on nearly every race set to be settled in the Aug. 18 primary, and we prom- ise our election coverage will continue in the Keys Weekly Newspapers through to November’s general election. We encouraged every qualified candidate to participate, and have presented their responses here as fairly as possible.
So take a few minutes to read, take a moment, read it all again, and if you still have questions, ASK. One of many benefits of our close-knit islands is that our candidates are more accessible than just about anywhere else.
And this fall, the greatest service you can give to our community is by showing up at the polls to vote.
An informed electorate is the foundation of a healthy community. We’re honored to do our part.
Sincerely,
Alex Rickert Editor
THE PRIMARIES ARE OPEN TO EVERYONE In 2026, most of the high-profile local races in the Florida Keys will be decided in the Aug. 18 primary election. As several races are No Party Affiliation (NPA) or have candidates from only one political party, these races are open to ALL VOTERS, regardless of party affiliation.
The following questions and answers were taken directly from the Keys Weekly and Greater Marathon Chamber of Commerce’s July 22 candidate forum. Answers were lightly edited for length and clarity, and not all questions are included here. For a full forum recording, scan the QR code:
1. If the property tax referendum passes in November, what services are you going to propose be eliminated? What other revenue sources are available to cover services?
2. How do you believe the recent outcome of the Shands case vs. the city of Marathon will shape the future of takings cases and liability issues pertaining to ROGO in Monroe County?
3. Are you in favor of utilizing funds collected by the Tourist Development Tax for budget shortfalls and other residential services, and do you think it is probable to change the legislation at the state level to permit additional flexibility with TDT spending?
4. Increasing property values led to significant increases in the county’s budget of about $200 million since 2020, as the budget grew from $473 million to $673 million. Do you think there has been a corresponding level of added services and benefits with this increase? Did the residents see a return on their investment over this period?
Monroe County Mayor Michelle Lincoln, first elected to the Board of County Commissioners in 2018, has a new challenger for District 2 in George Lopez, a retired U.S. Navy lieutenant commander who runs electrical equipment distributor PECO International Electric.
1. It has been 30 years since we last had a tax reform in our state, and I think we’re overdue. I look forward to finding a tax reform bill that works. I’m encouraging everyone to attend the community workshops we’re going to be having, because your question needs to be answered by the entire community. We’re all going to have to sit down and look at the budget. We all know that of our ad valorem taxes, 90% right now go for the safety of our community through our law enforcement and our firefighters. If (tax reform) is what our community wants us to do, then as a community we need to work on what we prioritize. We might have to close a library one day, or we might go to four-day workdays.
2. When we were all getting down to the end of our ROGOs, we all realized that we had to figure out the balance and the risk of taking more units, or the risk of lawsuits like the Shands case. The whole time, we met with our constituents and came up with what number of ROGOs we would be comfortable with as a county. We got a consensus of a number that we thought would protect us from lawsuits. The Shands case just came out, stating exactly what our fear was: that we would be liable for takings cases, meaning if we denied a person their right to build a home on the property they owned, our county would be liable for that damage. So we made the right decision.
3. The Tourist Development Tax is a Florida state statute, and to change anything in the Florida state statute usually takes years and a huge effort. I believe that our Tourist Development Tax funds get spread across our county through all of the District Advisory Committees, and they use Tourist Development Tax funds for things like our parks and our beaches, Pigeon Key and the Big Pine Channel. I’m very proud that our county got a one-time $35 million fund from the Tourist Development Council that we were able to spend on workforce housing. But I do not believe that the state of Florida would ever jeopardize our tourism and our tourist funds by taking that money that is supposed to be spent on our businesses and advertisements.
4. I am extremely proud of our county, and I would say yes, because not only did the budget and the value grow, so did our population. We went from 85,000 permanent residents to an everyday functional population of 160,000 because of the tourists that come here. Everyone is on our roads, and we have to maintain 311 miles of county-owned roads. We maintain 36 bridges. We maintain a 120-mile linear county with buildings, with a brand new emergency operations center, with three new helicopters to help protect our our people who live here, and with making sure that we fund our firefighters and our first responders, our sheriff’s department, and all of our staff who make our county the most beautiful place to come to live and to work.
1. There’s no essential services that are going to be cut. If you look at your TRIM notice when you get your tax bill, there’s ad valorem, which is what we’re proposing to cut. The essential services, looking at your TRIM bill, you see the police and fire there, the EMS is there, the libraries are there, public schools are there, and those services are not going to be touched. There are a couple (new) revenue sources. You can actually reallocate the bed tax allocation from the TDC. It’s hard to do, but it’s been done here before. Also, there’s a program that used to be from 1938 to 1954, which is the Visitor Toll Federal Partnership. (Editor note: This program was known as the Overseas Road and Toll District)
2. Since we’re speaking about ROGO, we haven’t passed a level of service study since 2016, and basically we keep modifying the solution or the methodology for doing that. I don’t know much about the Shands case, I’ll be perfectly frank with you. But basically, (ROGO) needs an independent review. We need an independent review with an independent party to come in here and tell us what we need to do to fix it to get the level of service to a passing grade.
3. Absolutely, 100 percent, and the reason why is because out of 4.7 million visitors that came into the state last year, they generated $5.5 billion in revenue. The TDC raked in $472 million of funds, and of that, their operating budget is only $103 million. There’s $330 million floating around somewhere, and it’s probably at the state and other places in the county. And yes, we should work to get that money into the budget to cover the shortfalls. We shouldn’t have knee-jerk reactions of every time there’s a shortfall, let’s raise the taxes 7.7 percent.
4. I think the services have gone down. Based on what I see in the county, everybody’s struggling for money. With regards to the ballooning value, Blaise Ingoglia told me on the phone that the millage rate should go down instead of going up, which it’s going up a percentage and a half. So I would roll back 2.429, which is the current millage rate, to 2.29, and that would bring back 10 million dollars in the budget, and you could do that from one budget hearing to the next. You could get money back to cover the shortfalls – there’s all sorts of ways to do it and keep the services up. I think the services are not adequate compared to the values of the homes and the tax revenue they’re collecting.
The following questions and answers were taken directly from the Keys Weekly and Greater Marathon Chamber of Commerce’s July 22 candidate forum. Answers were lightly edited for length and clarity, and not all questions are included here. For a full forum recording, scan the QR code:
1. What are the current metrics used to evaluate the performance of the superintendent of schools? Does this process need to be improved and if so, what would you do?
2. There is a delicate balance between state financial support for public schools and parental choice in education. Do you believe in re-routing tax dollars to support private education programs or homeschooled students?
3. What changes do you think are necessary at the administration level in regards to the budget?
The School Board District 1 race will see board Vice Chair Darren Horan, a Key West Attorney, vie to maintain his seat against former Monroe County Schools Superintendent Theresa Axford, who retired in 2025 after a 38-year career in the school system. School board members are elected countywide.
1. It’s based on all those factors (Axford listed), but it’s more than that. I evaluate our superintendent on his interaction with the board. I meet with (Superintendent Ed Tierney) more times than I've ever met with our prior superintendent. The reality is that we don't know what he knows. I base his criteria of what he does not just on what happens in the classroom, but how well he manages your capital projects, how much he's looking out for your bottom line, your tax dollars. We've run rampant with what we spend on things, and it's because it's “just the way things are.” Not with this superintendent, and I evaluate him on how much he's doing for you, not just what he's doing in the classroom.
2. I believe that school choice is imperative because it drives innovation. As a school board member, my priority is the public school system. I love the public school system, but we need to have this back-and-forth of who's better. It creates innovation. I respect charter schools because they drive public schools to be better. That's the whole goal of all this – to make sure your kids, no matter if they choose a traditional public school, a charter school, or private school, that they get the best education we can give them.That's the ultimate dream behind all this, and no matter who is creating what.
3. I'm a bottom line kind of guy. If we're going to get squeezed at anything, administration cuts will be made first before we cut a teacher. We have an overabundance of administrators. We can probably get rid of a few and consolidate jobs here and there. But as far as I'm concerned, before we cut a single teacher, an administration job can be cut.
1. We put together a strategic plan in 2022, and it just expired in 2025. It was looking at specific information that had to do with student performance, so the superintendent was evaluated on the FAST test, the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking, and it dealt with reading, math, science, graduation rate, all those kinds of factors. I feel that that was a good evaluation tool, but I think you need some other feedback – something they call a 360 evaluation, where all the people below the superintendent evaluate him or her as well as the school board.
2. I believe in parent choice. So in Florida right now, the dollars follow the student. If a person wants to send their child to the Basilica School in Key West, those dollars follow their children to the Basilica School. It's really important for parents to make choices, and we need to support those choices. I believe that every student belongs to all of us in Monroe County. Our public schools are shining, an A grade this year. Marathon High School went from an 83% graduation rate to 93. That's right along with what the Florida Chamber of Commerce wants to do by 2030.
3. I think that every department needs to undergo a very careful budget review, so when people who are in charge of the departments are told that cuts need to be made, they can make good decisions about who to eliminate. I believe that the teacher is the most important person in terms of delivering services to students. But having principals who are keenly aware of the costs that are occurring in their schools is a real asset at budget time. As superintendent, I really relied on my principals and my department heads to help make those cuts.
You helped wipe out lunch debt with personal funds for students at Key West’s HOB and High School. What is a long-term solution to ensure Monroe County students have access to healthy meals during the school day?
You’ve said that rewriting state statute would be almost an impossible lift. I happen to have someone in my family that's done that – my father. I am not afraid to take on Tallahassee and change the legislature to get our kids fed. Right now, I haven't even tried to raise money, and I've raised $60,000 for our kids. Marathon doesn't have a lunch debt because your principal does a great job to make sure the budget is done well, but it's a million dollars to get kids fed. I can go find 100 businesses right now that will happily cut me a check for $10,000 because they need a tax write-off. I'll figure it out.
You retired earlier this year after working for nearly 40 years in the Monroe County school system. What would you do as a school board member that you couldn't do as a leader inside the school district?
School board members are responsible for the development of policy and governance. As someone who has followed policy for over three decades. I think I would be a good person to write future policy, but also to govern schools and to assist the superintendent in building the greatest school district in Florida. There's some big changes coming based on what the federal government is doing. They're breaking down the Department of Education. They are moving those programs like Title I and ESE to Health and Human Services, so there's going to be changes that we're going to have to deal with as a school district, and I feel prepared to assist with those changes.
The following questions and answers were taken directly from the Keys Weekly and Greater Marathon Chamber of Commerce’s July 22 candidate forum. Answers were lightly edited for length and clarity, and not all questions are included here. For a full forum recording, scan the QR code:
1. What changes do you think are necessary at the administration level in regards to the budget?
2. How do you feel about bringing religion into the public school system? Would you approve of posting the 10 Commandments in the classroom? Should some religions be excluded?
3. Many school board campaign issues revolve around partisan politics. Do you feel like public education would be better served if the school board members were elected based on political party affiliation? Why or why not?
The School Board District 5 race will see current board member Sue Woltanski, a retired pediatrician and public education advocate, face a challenge from newcomer Chelyn Shaw, a 21-year Key Largo resident and current captain, scuba instructor and Sunday school teacher.
1. Our new superintendent made it a point that he was going to make cuts to the administration first, and that was a great message. But I think we're a very unique district. Our administrators wear many different hats, and we're going to need to look carefully at how the responsibilities are doled out, and where we could do some consolidation. I expect he'll have some great ideas for the reorganization of his staff.
2. My goal is to make sure that all students have access to a high-quality, safe public school system, regardless of what their religious beliefs are. Contrary to popular belief, we do have religion in the schools. There's no restrictions on children privately practicing their religion or giving prayer. We have school clubs that are student-driven and student-organized. They do prayer at the flagpole, and they have put on some beautiful memorial services for kids who have been lost. I wouldn't be opposed to the 10 Commandments if the other laws of other religions were equally shown. I don't believe it's the school's decision to say what religion should be excluded.
3. I disagree with the premise of the question, because I think that public schools are a nonpartisan issue. I think that most people in this community, regardless of whether they're Republican or they're Democrat, believe that the best thing this community can have is high-quality public schools. Most people send their kids to those public schools, and the community comes out in tremendous support of those schools. I believe the discussions on the dais should be nonpartisan, and people should be choosing the person who is best served to serve the children of Monroe County, not based on what color hat they wear.
Through the years, there have been questions and concerns about funding for Coral Shores athletic facilities, while other schools have seen significant upgrades. How do you continue to advocate so that upgrades to Upper Keys facilities match those made in the Middle Keys and Key West? Persistence. Coral Shores was up for the redo of the athletic fields before Irma, but when Irma came in and really wrecked the athletic fields at Marathon, the trade was made. And when Tommy Roberts Stadium was found to be unsafe to hold people, then that trade was made again. You probably heard that last night (at a joint School Board-Islamorada Village Council meeting) we did make some tremendous progress on our baseball field. We are moving forward on building the backyard for sports, and I expect it to be as high quality as all of the other facilities.
1. I would never cut educational dollars or dollars that would go toward our teachers. I believe that budget-wise, I understand that the school board does an audit of themselves once a year and always have, but I believe we can do better. I think if we can bring in our CFO of Florida and have him come in and do a DOGE kind of audit, and find out where we have fluff, cut the fluff and move it to where it's benefiting teachers and education.
2. Our country was founded on Judeo-Christian values. I have no issues with posting the 10 Commandments. They've been posted for many years up until the last several years, and all of a sudden there's a problem with it. I would also bring those same values to the seat that I would occupy. There's nothing wrong with integrity, honesty and service to others before self. As far as teaching other religions, I think that that's best done at home. We need to go back and look at our history throughout the founding of our nation to make those decisions regarding religion. Since we are working for Monroe County families and students, they should have a say-so on excluding religions.
3. I would love it if nonpartisan worked, but we're all biased. Everybody is biased because we have experiences, so nonpartisan is a little bit of a myth. Some people hide behind that label, and it might just be better if we come out waving the flag of exactly what we believe and where we stand. When it all comes down to it, we need to sit in the positions of school board members and make sure that every child has the opportunity to receive the best education possible, regardless of politics.
The Heritage Foundation's Phoenix Declaration emphasizes the importance of religion and traditional values as the guiding principles for public education. How do you feel about implementing this plan for Monroe County students? How do you reconcile the document when the constitution suggests a separation of church from state?
I do believe in the Phoenix Declaration and what it stands for. It supports that parents are the ultimate authority in their children's lives, and that education is also the parents' choice. Parents are taxpayers too, so they have a right to choose where their kids go to school. As far as separation of church and state goes, you’ve got to go way back into our documents and look at that. People get that twisted, but separation of church and state was for the benefit of the churches, not for the benefit of the state.
The following questions and answers were taken directly from the Keys Weekly and Greater Marathon Chamber of Commerce’s July 22 candidate forum. Answers were lightly edited for length and clarity, and not all questions are included here. For a full forum recording, scan the QR code:
1. Please explain the science behind the Naled insecticide Mosquito Control is currently using and its effects on other insects, like bees, butterflies and dragonflies.
2. Last season seemed to bring an exceptional amount of mosquitoes to the Keys. Can you explain the contributing factors and what we learned?
3. If the property tax referendum passes in November, what sort of budget cuts can we expect? How can we make up any shortfalls to protect the health and safety of Monroe County residents?
4. What experiences, education or background prepared you for a position on the Mosquito Control Board?
The District 2 race for Mosquito Control Board pits incumbent Phil Goodman, who was appointed to the board in 2011 by then-Gov. Rick Scott and has been its chair since 2016, against newcomer Alex Osborn, a lifelong Lower Keys resident who returned to start an architecture firm after graduating from the University of Miami.
1. Naled is a dibromium product that is very effective for aerial applications for mosquito control for both the Aedes aegypti mosquito and the salt marsh mosquito. If it weren't for being able to use Naled, a lot of people would have difficulty living, because when the mosquitoes are coming in from the Everglades, usually adulticiding is the only mechanism we have. Most of what we do is larviciding, but as a last resort, we use Naled.
2. Two big things. The same things that we're seeing in Key West and the Upper Keys, we're seeing it on the offshore islands. With particularly high tides, we're seeing many many new breeding sites that are very difficult to find. We've introduced LiDAR, which is a detection mapping system that really looks through the canopies. This is going to solve this problem. One of the big problems, though, was in the Everglades. With all the reconstruction, there's a lot more water. For all the good environmental things that it's doing, there's a lot more water, and thousands of acres of land that was dry for 100 years is now wet, producing mosquitoes. The westerly winds last year really exacerbated the movement of those.
3. Right now the only funding source we have in mosquito control is ad valorem taxes. I have been to Tallahassee a lot, seeing why mosquito control was left out of the referendum, because it wasn't considered a severe important criteria for public safety. If it passes, we will probably lose 10 to 15% of our funding next year. There are alternatives – we can raise the millage rate – but what will happen in some of the rural counties? About 26 rural counties in the state may lose all their funding, and if they cut their budgets in one area, it will hurt mosquitoes all over the state.
4. I've been a chemist for many, many years, I was president of a large chemical company. I held a lot of different technical and executive positions in a number of chemical companies – also using pesticides in the agricultural part of the industry, which is where most of these products come from. I’ve traveled to over 100 countries in the world in my business, a lot in Central and South America and in Africa. It was interesting for me years ago to see all these people that were sick from these diseases like yellow fever, dengue fever and malaria, and it became a way of life for them because they had no mosquito control. I didn't realize that years later I would be in a position that I could really help. This has been a passion for me to work with mosquito control.
1. We’ve heard the science behind the pesticide, but I believe that we need to use pesticide less. We are killing beneficial insects that we need – dragonflies and bees. It’s unacceptable collateral damage.
2. We had heavy winds for a very long period of time, and now releasing water out of the Everglades, that's bringing more mosquito larvae and mosquitoes into the Keys. In particular on July 4, we had some helicopters that were out of service. Those items have been either not an issue this year or remedied by the purchase of new helicopters, which brought the fleet up to par. A big component of my platform has been the increased use of traps, which catch 24 hours a day, seven days a week. I think it is something that can help us reduce mosquitoes overall and rely less on those helicopters.
3. I expect that the referendum will pass, so it's something that we have to deal with. I've read some great articles, which were reprinted in numerous publications, where they pointed to mosquito control as being necessary to tourism. An idea that I had is to utilize TDC money in order to make up the shortfalls for mosquito control.
4. I'm a graduate of the University of Miami. I came back to the Keys and started a small architecture firm with my wife. I recently obtained my certified building contractor license. We are constantly working on projects and improving drainage and trying to make them more mosquito-resistant just through design. I've lived down here for 40 years and I’ve been bitten by mosquitoes, every one of them. It's given me a general desire to eradicate mosquitoes.
2% GENERIC
• Administrative (7% taken off the top before other allocations)
• Event related items (35% after administration)
• Advertising related items (65% after administration)
Source: TDC
2% DISTRICTS
• Administrative (3% taken off the top before other allocations)
• Capital improvements/ Brick and mortar (20%)
• Advertising - Around 95% after administrative and capital improvements
• Events - Around 5% after administrative and capital improvements
• Affordable housing
One-time FY 25 $35M
Throughout this campaign cycle, candidates in multiple races have made reference to the use of Tourist Development Tax (TDT) dollars to fund county budget shortfalls and other services, as well as total dollars collected and spent annually by the TDC.
Florida law restricts the use of Tourist Development Tax dollars to the promotion of tourism, capital construction of tourist-related facilities, or beach and shoreline maintenance throughout the Florida Keys Area of Critical State Concern.
According to figures from third-party analysis firm Dean Runyan Associates, total state and local tax revenues generated by all visitor spending in the Keys total $409 million annually. The Tourist Development Tax, which funds the Tourism Development Council, accounts for roughly $61.2 million of this total. The remainder is generated by state and local sales tax, secondary taxes from tourism-supported businesses, and other smaller taxes. These dollars do not pass through the TDC, nor are they made available for use by the TDC.
The TDC’s total proposed budget for 2026-2027 is $112.93 million, combining estimated TDT collections of $61 million with a fund balance of $54.98 million, according to Visit Florida Keys CEO Kara Franker.
Capital funding for projects in the coming year totals $18.5 million, along with another $9.7 million in community reinvestment projects, $4.65 million in event funding, and $210,000 for America 250 events and celebrations.
Changing the allocation of TDT dollars would require a change to state statutes, approved by the Florida Legislature. A $35 million tourist tax surplus from the years surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic was approved as a one-time special carve-out in 2024 for use in workforce housing development. Otherwise, spending restrictions remain in place according to state statute. — Keys Weekly staff report
Commissioner Sam Kaufman challenges incumbent Dee Dee Henriquez
The Key West mayor’s race has divided the “One Human Family” that once defined the Key West community.
The matchup pits incumbent Mayor Danise “Dee Dee” Henriquez, who is seeking her second two-year term, against city commissioner Sam Kaufman, who has represented District 2 for the past 10 years.
Henriquez ran unopposed in 2024 and in nearly every election of her 20+-year career as the county’s elected tax collector. She now faces significant opposition from a capable Kaufman campaign.
The candidates faced off in person on June 26 and July 13 at forums held by the nonprofit voter education group, Hometown Key West. Kaufman had the stage to himself at two recent events. Henriquez missed a July 15 forum held by the Lodging Association of the Florida Keys & Key West, citing an allergic reaction, organizers said. She also missed a July 23 debate sponsored by the League of Women Voters.
The following is a selection of questions posed to the candidates at the July 13 Hometown forum and their answers.
Both of you have lamented the political and personal attacks of this campaign. Please address any allegations to correct the record.
Henriquez
“There have been attacks on me, my family, my children, wishing us death, wishing us cardiac arrest, to up my medication. You name it, it’s been from A to Z. I would like to just talk about the truth and not false narratives. I have never ever experienced something like this in my 30-some years of public service, with this type of ugliness that I have experienced and my family has experienced and it needs to stop.”
Kaufman
“My campaign has not engaged in any negative campaigning. ... There are others in the community that engage in that, but we will not ... There's enough issues to address … raising of taxes ... lack of water quality testing ... we haven't had a strategic plan. We don't need ... negative personal attacks. And ... those text messages about me? ... Look who's funded those. … Follow the money and look at ... the decisions that have been made behind closed doors, which has to stop, because we need a level playing field.“
What concerns you most about the possibility of your opponent winning this election?
Henriquez
“A lot. I am very nervous about my opponent becoming mayor,” Henriquez said before turning to Kaufman, seated beside her. “Yeah, keep looking at me. Because what he will destroy in two years as mayor, it will take years for somebody else to come in and fix. So I am very concerned.”
Kaufman
“Let's bring down the temperature. We all want the best for Key West. ... We can be civil and listen to each other. … People in this community feel abandoned. There's a lot of people who were hurt by what this commission did over the last year. The people of Key West are united behind One Human Family ... but city hall is not and that's the problem.”
Madame Mayor, you ran for mayor unopposed last time. This time you're in a heated contest. What is your proudest accomplishment and highest priority if reelected?
Henriquez
“One of my proudest moments ... is building the relationships with our municipalities, our county, our state and our federal level.
“This year, we were able to bring home $5.5 million from the state, which hasn't been done in almost 10 years. ... I don't know yet what we're going to get at the federal level. So one of my proudest moments is to bring back money back to our city.”
What would you do as mayor to restore trust and transparency in city hall?
Kaufman
“We can start by inviting people to come into city hall ... on every issue. ... We really need to focus on building unity among the commission and we need to provide information to the public with full transparency.
“People have questions about Mallory Square. ... Water quality. Why was the college program terminated? Higgs Beach, where did that come from? There's question after question after question. And we need to be transparent.”
Closing statements
Henriquez
“I am your mayor. I am proud to be your mayor. I want to continue to be your mayor. I have been endorsed by Congressman Carlos Gimenez, Senator Ana Maria Gonzalez, previous city mayor Craig Cates ... South Florida Police Benevolent Association, Key West Firefighters Local 1424 ... and Teamsters Local Union 769. I would like to continue to be your mayor. I want to continue to move our city forward.” (Henriquez was referring to state Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez when listing her endorsements.)
Kaufman
“We're going to recommit to our One Human Family values. ... I have been endorsed by almost 1,000 people who've donated, individuals, not the big money, not the big corporations, because we are committed to ... a level playing field. We're gonna have fairness in city hall. We're gonna bring common sense back to city hall. We're gonna focus on health care ... affordability and ... all the things people care about. But we have to do it together. And I know there's a lot of negativity ... but we have to get past that and unite and move Key West in the best direction it can go.”
Prominent businesses support Sullivan; Massicotte attracts individual residents
The District 5 city commission race is between Chris Massicotte and Greg Sullivan.
Sullivan is a 32-year resident and senior district manager for Waste Management, the city’s trash and recycling contractor. Sullivan is a longtime Rotarian and Chamber of Commerce leader.
When should Key West follow the state, and when should it push back?
Massicotte
“I am also a big proponent of home rule. ... We need to stand up for ourselves … and we should always, always do it respectfully. But regarding SB 1134 (prohibiting public funds from supporting LGBT events), Vice Mayor Lee, the letter he put together was one of the most respectful I have ever seen, just to voice our collective opposition, because it is really going to hurt our tourism industry. ... And the commission couldn’t bring itself to even support that letter. If I was on that dais that day, that vote would have been different.”
Sullivan
“So, the state kind of has us under their thumb. Unfortunately, we go to them for grant money ... and we can’t break the law. ... With the (rainbow) crosswalks ... I would have asked to take a contingent of Key West folks and have a meeting with the governor and explain what Key West is all about, why this is important to us and why we just can’t roll over and say, ‘OK, paint the crosswalk over.’ ... Or maybe have the governor come down here and give him a one-on-one tour of Key West ... convince them they were wrong. But we have to be careful ... when it comes to ... asking for dollars. ... But I believe in good conversation face to face.”
Massicotte was an auditor and a political consultant in Washington, D.C. He chairs Keys Last Stand, an environmental advocacy nonprofit.
The following questions and answers are selected from the July 13 Hometown forum and the July 23 League of Women Voters forum.
Mr. Sullivan, you’re a senior manager at Waste Management, which holds Key West’s trash and recycling contract. … When it comes time to renew and renegotiate, what will you do?
Sullivan
“Our current contract goes for four years and the only thing that will change in the next four years is an annual CPI that’s already approved and in the contract.
“So when that comes up I will obviously recuse myself, but there’s no negotiations to go on. So next year ... whatever the CPI is that will be implemented, but there’ll be no contract changes. So other than myself recusing myself, we’re good to go.”
Mr. Massicotte, you lead Keys Last Stand, an environmental advocacy group. Does that organizational role create a conflict when you vote on development projects or business permits?
Massicotte
“I don’t think that advocating for clean water, responsible development is a conflict. There’s no financial interest in any of that. Last Stand doesn’t profit if we build more, if we don’t build more. “We have ... pay-toplay politics where people, companies that have contracts directly with the city will donate to candidates and then turn around and ... want something for that.
“I’ve taken a pledge to not take any money from any person or business that has a contract with the city, to stay as independent as possible.”
By Mandy Miles
Sarah Compton, Wayne Garcia & Juan Llera have run a respectful race
The three-way race for the District 4 Key West City Commission seat has been marked with respect, affability and cooperation among the three candidates, in contrast with the most heated and hostile mayoral race in recent memory.
The District 4 race features three electoral newcomers — Sarah Compton, Wayne Garcia and Juan Llera — vying for
You’ve made rebuilding public trust central to your campaign. What would do in your first 90 days to demonstrate that things are different?
SARAH COMPTON
“Public participation is my north star, and I’m talking to the public, in detail, about what is happening before the meetings happen and decisions are made. … To me, transparency means finding every single way to bring public participation into the process. Corruption cannot grow or live or do anything whenever public eyes are on it. I also think bringing the information to people where they are, so they don’t have to hunt for it, is so important to being truly transparent.”
What are you hearing the most about while campaigning? What are people telling you?
WAYNE GARCIA
“The No. 1 thing I hear about in District 4 is the seasonal flooding that we have along Flagler Avenue. One of the solutions I’ve heard and offered is to approach the Army Corps of Engineers, with the city engineers, and see if we can come up with a solution. The streets do flood, but the city of Key West sewer department or public works did a great job, believe it or not, this last time. Within two or three hours most of that rainwater was gone. So that’s the number-one thing I hear about in District 4.”
If you’re elected to the city commission, are you prepared to make a decision that’s good for the city but not necessarily good for you?
JUAN LLERA
“Absolutely. … Unfortunately you’re never going to make everyone happy, but we have to work cohesively as a dais and there’s going to be decisions that I
the seat currently occupied by Commissioner Lissette Carey, who is not seeking reelection.
Compton owns a hospitality marketing business and was appointed to the Key West Planning Board by City Commissioner Sam Kaufman. Garcia is a native Conch, a contractor and a woodworking artist, who was appointed to the same Planning Board a year before Compton by Mayor
Dee Dee Henriquez. Juan Llera is a safety and risk management executive at Keys Energy Services, which he joined in 2018 following a 20-year career in the U.S. military and then law enforcement.
“This is the only race that could even possibly lead to a runoff in November. And that only happens if nobody gets 50% plus one vote — not 51%, 50% plus one vote,” Hometown Key West president
Todd German said at the organization’s July 13 candidate forum. German also commended the three candidates in District 4 for their positive campaign. “This is the way campaigns should be. These three are just wonderful.”
The following are excerpts from questions asked and answers given at Hometown’s July 13 forum and the League of Women Voters’ July 23 event.
don’t agree with some of my colleagues on. But if it’s in the best interest of the community and the best interest of our residents; if it’s transparent, and it makes fiscal sense, yes it doesn’t matter what my beliefs are. At that point I will certainly vote for that.”
At a previous forum, a candidate described a business owner losing $150,000 a month waiting on city permitting. As a contractor, what specific permitting change would you encourage the city to make to address this problem?
WAYNE GARCIA
“As a builder, I’ve dealt with the city of Key West building department for 40some years and I’ve seen it all.
“One of the biggest problems with the building department is the availability of qualified people, inspectors, qualified plan reviewers, even getting us a permanent division head, a chief building
official. We have to get that talent into the building department and then have them figure out a way to streamline the building process. There’s no excuse for a permit to take eight months and thousands and thousands of dollars in lost revenue. We can do better than that.”
SARAH COMPTON
“My first priority for my district is to make sure that their voices are heard. One of the biggest things, besides flooding, that I have heard is that they don’t feel connected to their representatives. They don’t understand what’s happening. I want to make sure I am accessible, that I am coming to them rather than them having to hunt me down and we are making a decision as a community.”
JUAN LLERA
“There’s been a political divide on our dais for a while now and we’re not getting a lot of stuff done. Things get pushed to the next meeting. So I would like to get not only my district together and have a meeting, but also work cohesively with the other commissioners on the dais so we can start putting our differences aside and doing what we’re supposed to be doing and what we’re there to do, which is represent the citizens of Key West while maintaining our heritage and our culture.”
WAYNE GARCIA
“My first priority is to get to the meeting on time, but after that it’s to work with the other commissioners in unifying that commission. There’s been some division and we need to get together. We need to make decisions that benefit the citizens of Key West and don’t benefit special interests or that are just for certain people and not for all. So it would be to unify the commission.”
Candidates own very different downtown businesses
Two downtown business owners are running a thus-far respectful race for the District 2 seat being vacated by Commissioner Sam Kaufman, who has to resign to run for mayor.
Mark Rossi is the longtime owner of Rick’s and Durty Harry’s entertainment complex in the 200 block of Duval Street. He served as the District 2 commissioner from 2005 until 2015.
“Mr. Rossi, you served in this seat from 2005 to 2015. Name one thing the city got wrong after you left that you would have prevented.”
“There's many things. I think the city does not keep up on its infrastructure, and preventative maintenance is a very good thing. We need to keep the things that we have working. You've got a sewer plant out there on Fleming Key that's going to need a lot of attention soon..... I don't really want to nitpick the city, but I want to go in there and help the city and make it a better place with common sense. I mean that.”
“The city has recently declined to conduct water quality testing in Key West Harbor. Do you agree?”
Bobi Lore
“I strongly disagree. We need to make decisions based on facts. When we have hard data, it’ll be easier to implement and changes or improvements. We should have been doing it the whole time I’ve lived in Key West. There’s no excuse. I’d make it a top priority.”
Mark Rossi
“Stantec just signed a contract to do it. We did do it on the Atlantic side years ago. I’m for testing the harbor; believe me.”
“When should Key West follow the state? And when should it push back?”
Bobi Lore owns Island House, a 37-room gay resort on Fleming Street.
Both men provide multiple units of employee housing to their staff.
Both men said they would support a change in the city’s historic guidelines to allow property owners to paint eight fence posts in rainbow colors — or any other design. Current rules require fences in Old Town to be white or unpainted.
Mark Rossi
“I voted for the rainbow crosswalks back when they first came up. But the state is the state and you have to listen to them. We have to have a good relationship with Tallahassee. They’re in charge; like it or not.”
Lore
“I’m a strong proponent of home rule, we should stand strong for or against matters that are important to Key West. I’d have pushed back on the city signing a 287(g) agreement (for local police to assist ICE agents with immigration enforcement).”
Summary statements
Rossi
“I’m gonna stick up for the residents,” Rossi told the Keys Weekly. “This town needs someone to come back and help clean things up. I’ve never taken a salary or insurance from the city, and I won’t this time around. I’m gonna fix the streets. I’m gonna work on the hospital contract for our residents and I’m gonna support the military. I want to keep Key West Key West.”
Lore
“I will meet with my constituents regularly and listen to their concerns, learning how I can best serve them. I will not stand for backroom deals or other actions that are not given the transparency of open debate. My inner compass always points toward the common good.”
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What is a Universal Primary Race? When candidates of the same party do not have opposition from a different party to run against in the General election, the winner is elected outright in the Primary, so all voters can participate in that race, regardless of party affiliation. Our 2026 primary includes two universal primary races. There is something for everyone to vote on in this election!
particip
AUGUST 3 - AUGUST 15
8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
MONROE COUNTY’S THREE ELECTION OFFICES:
1. Key West - 5200 College Rd.
2. Marathon - 10015 Overseas Hwy
3. Key Largo - 102050 Overseas Hwy, Ste. 137
ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS:
Big Pine Key - Community Park, 31009 Atlantis Dr.
Plantation Key - NEW LOCATION!! Community Center, 88820 Overseas Hwy
Four hopefuls are running for two seats
By Mandy Miles
Candidates for Key West Utility Board have demonstrated significant knowledge of and enthusiasm for the board’s role.
Three of the four candidates called for meetings to be televised and all are well informed of the utility’s operations, local generation capabilities and efforts to harden infrastructure to storm damage.
The Key West Utility Board oversees Keys Energy Services, which provides electricity to about 30,000 customers, from Key West to the Seven Mile Bridge.
The five-member board meets monthly with little fanfare and almost no controversy. The board’s regular meetings last about 30 minutes and every agenda item has received unanimous approval, according to minutes from the past year.
Members receive about $24,520 a year, $28,000 for the chair, and full health insurance coverage, Keys Energy spokesman Julio Torrado said last year. Four candidates are vying for two of the five seats.
Hotel general manager Jim Marquardt is challenging 22-year incumbent and retired educator Mona Clark for Seat A, which represents Old Town Key West.
Retired engineer Tim Urbanski and business owner Javier Garrido are vying for Seat D, in a race with no incumbent.
The following is a selection of the candidates’ responses to questions at the July 13 Hometown forum.
Ms. Mona Clark, when was the last time the board denied or did not unanimously approve an agenda item? Is that a sign of a rubberstamp board?
Mona Clark
“I've voted in opposition. ... So it's not unanimous for everything. And the public has the right to sit in all meetings. ... Decisions are made individually and not just rubber stamped as some folks would like you to believe. You put thought into it. ... There's a learning curve.”
Do you think utility board meetings should be televised?
Mona Clark
“Meetings are announced well in advance and the public has the opportunity ... to give input .... As far as investing in televising, it would be very costly and we haven't had anyone asking for televising our meetings. So that's a no for me personally.”
Jim Marquardt
“They definitely should be televised. Every public meeting ... should be televised. ... And I might just add, public input is only allowed at the end of the agenda. It's not allowed for any discussion.”
Tim Urbanski
“When members are absent ... Keys Energy uses Teams to broadcast a Zoomtype session. There's no reason they cannot be broadcast.”
Javier Garrido
“The board just approved an expenditure to update AV equipment. Not to speak for them, but I anticipate the meetings will probably go online. ... But I do support having them on TV, internet. ... In this day and age there's no reason we can't.”
Why is it so difficult to get solar power and should that be part of the role of Keys Energy?
Jim Marquardt
“My house is 100% solar. Solar is not cheap … but the technology ... can now be integrated in any construction. Keys Energy should be in the business. I shouldn't have to call … New Jersey. ...I should be able to go to Keys Energy and say I'm interested in doing this in my new construction or reconstruction.”
Name one thing you would do to address rate pressure on working residents and small businesses.
Tim Urbanski
“Rates are set by the state and have been fairly consistent ... all year. ...That cost is also for distribution charges, operation maintenance. ... The FMPA,
where we buy our electricity, has greatly grown solar capability. Solar generation is cheaper in the long run than fossil fuel generation. The rates will be coming down. … If we did some local generation, it would take some of the load off the grid.”
Javier Garrido
I did some research ... about solar and hydroelectric power. The utility company contracts their power and is unable to generate their own. To keep our rates low I’d ... encourage solar individually and for our municipalities, Key West, Monroe County, to pursue into the grid and generate their own power, which will keep our rates lower.”
Mona Clark
“Our attempt on a daily basis is to keep rates affordable. That's difficult. ...We purchase our electricity from FMPA, which is mostly gas, and if we got into solar ... it would be very, very costly to homeowners that can't afford it. ... We offer rebates ... and we have over 700 actual solar customers who actually sell back the electricity they don't use.”
Jim Marquardt
“The 700 solar customers shows there's an interest. Legislation is the key to rates and energy rebates. My solar went on when the different administration was in the White House, so I was able to get 33% of the cost back. That disappeared … so the legislation has to change.”
Closing statements
Mona Clark
“I do believe experience is a good factor. There is a learning curve. ... With my experience — even though folks do talk about term limits — I am running because I believe in our customers and I believe in MY community.”
Jim Marquardt
“I'd really love the opportunity to represent you on the utility board. I have a passion for this as you can see. I just would appreciate your vote on Aug. 18.”
Tim Urbanski
“My first and foremost goal is to represent every customer, employee and Keys Energy properly. ... I don't have any endorsements. ... I do not want any special interest groups, PACs, people with money. ... I don't want any of them backing me because I don't owe anybody anything....”
Javier Garrido
“I’m a longtime resident of the Keys, I have two degrees ... and a master's. I manage four companies. I’m raising my kids here and at the end of the day, vote Javier, I'll keep the lights on.”
Kevin McCarthy vs. David Van Loon
KEVIN MCCARTHY
A longtime resident of the Florida Keys, McCarthy has been an assistant public defender in Monroe County since 2011. He was promoted to chief assistant public defender in 2017 by Public Defender Robert Lockwood.
In his more than 14 years of service, McCarthy has represented clients in thousands of cases, ranging from misdemeanors to the most serious felonies. He is one of a small number of attorneys in Monroe County qualified to serve in death-penalty proceedings.
As chief assistant public defender, he has supervised, mentored and trained dozens of attorneys.
McCarthy is a graduate of Key West High School. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Emory University in Atlanta, and his law degree, cum laude, from the University of Miami School of Law. He practiced civil litigation at a private firm in Miami before returning to Key West in 2011.
McCarthy is an active member of Sunrise Rotary, the Southernmost Hockey League, the Monroe County Bar Association and the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He serves on the board of directors of A Positive Step of Monroe County, assists local schools with their mock trial programs and is a member of the Statewide Death Penalty Advisory Committee and the Florida Public Defenders’ Association.
Since 2015, he has taught criminal justice courses at St. Leo University, helping numerous service members and law enforcement professionals complete their college degrees. He is certified to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court.
“I am deeply honored to seek this position and committed to continuing to serve the people of Monroe County with fairness, integrity and respect for the rule of law,” McCarthy said of his candidacy for county judge.
McCarthy is married to local attorney Tiffany Curry. They are the parents of two children.
For more information, email McCarthyforkeysjudge@gmail. com or call 305-304-6125.
A seat vacated by Judge Mark Wilson, who succeeded retiring Judge Mark Jones as circuit court judge, will be decided at the Aug. 18 primary.
Races for the bench are more strict than other county and state races. According to Florida statute, a judicial office is a nonpartisan office. A candidate for election or retention to the seat is prohibited from campaigning or qualifying for such an office based on party affiliation.
Attorney David Van Loon has lived in Key West since 1996. He moved to the Keys to teach at Key West High School, where he served for four years before pursuing a legal career.
He launched his practice in 2003, and has more than two decades of legal experience serving individuals, families, businesses and institutions throughout South Florida, with a primary focus on Monroe County.
Van Loon said he has deliberately balanced transactional and litigation work, developing a comprehensive understanding of the law from multiple perspectives. He has handled more than 1,000 cases across Monroe, Miami-Dade, Collier, Lee, Hendry, Palm Beach and Brevard counties.
In his transactional practice, Van Loon said, he has helped homeowners buy and sell property, drafted lease agreements and prepared commercial and private loan documents, as well as condominium and homeowners’ association documents. He has also helped individuals form and launch businesses and has guided clients through the purchase and sale of companies. Additionally, Van Loon has represented individuals and families in immigration matters, helping them obtain lawful permanent residency and United States citizenship.
As a litigator, Van Loon has tried cases in county and circuit courts, as well as in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. He has represented clients in more than 500 county court matters and over 400 circuit court cases. At the federal level, he has represented national companies in complex, multimillion-dollar litigation, including FDIC-related matters. He is also certified to appear before the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida.
Van Loon also has practiced before the Third and Sixth District Courts of Appeal, including presenting oral arguments before the Third District Court of Appeal.
“Beyond private practice, I also have extensive quasi-judicial experience,” Van Loon said. “For more than a decade, I have served as special magistrate for the Monroe County Value Adjustment Board, presiding over exemption-related hearings. Over the past year, I have also served as a traffic magistrate for county court civil traffic infractions. I also have been appointed by the court on several occasions to serve as magistrate in real estate disputes, overseeing and managing property pending sale,” he said.
More information is available from Van Loon at 305-697-8404 or dvlforjudge@gmail.com.
Sarah Compton is a small business owner and communi ty advocate who has seen firsthand how our community can improve wh en City Hall listens to residents and is responsive, transparent , and fair. improve ,
Gov. Ron DeSantis’ term as governor is almost up. As a result, a number of candidates who’ve qualified for the upcoming Aug. 18 primary have aspirations to lead the Sunshine State for the next four years. The primary will determine which Republican and Democratic candidates will square off in the November election. The information here is from the candidates’ campaign websites.
Byron Donalds is a representative in the U.S House for Florida’s 19th district. He served in the Florida House from 2016 to 2020. During his time in Tallahassee, Donalds chaired the House Insurance and Banking Subcommittee.
He attended Florida State University and graduated in 2002 with a degree in finance and marketing. His career path has included working in the finance, insurance and banking industries in Southwest Florida. He lives in Naples with his wife and three children.
Donalds’ priorities include making Florida more affordable by cutting property taxes and lowering insurance rates, protecting natural resources and completing Everglades restoration, fighting illegal immigration and expanding economic opportunity by diversifying the economy and attracting new investment in the state.
Learn more at byrondonalds.com.
Primary sees a host of candidates
Jay Collins is a Green Beret who was deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq and South America. He sustained injuries that would lead to the loss of his leg years later. Following the amputation, he requalified as a fully deployable Green Beret and served five more years on active duty.
He was elected to the Florida Senate in 2022 and was tapped by DeSantis in 2025 to be lieutenant governor. He lives in Tampa with his wife and children.
Collins’ priorities include making Florida affordable for working families and senior citizens by driving the costs of taxes and insurance down, supporting law enforcement, finishing Everglades restoration and providing world-class schools that put children first. Learn more at jayforflorida.com.
James Fishback is a fourth-generation Floridian who was born and raised in Davie. Fishback is looking to save the state he fears is being lost. He lives with his wife in the Panhandle.
Fishback’s priorities include stopping data centers, eliminating property taxes for all Florida residents, tackling high homeowner’s association and condominium costs, banning private equity firms from buying single-family homes and supporting law enforcement and small businesses. Learn more at fishback2026.com.
Paul Renner is a veteran naval officer, former assistant state attorney and state legislator who served in the House from 2015 to 2024. He spent two years as House Speaker.
Renner lives in Palm Coast with his wife and kids. He served in Operation Desert Storm during combat operations onboard the USS McInerney (FFG-8) and later during combat operations in Afghanistan in 2011.
Renner’s priorities include cutting property taxes, lowering homeowners’ insurance premiums, stopping public corruption, passing an AI bill of rights to protect children and protecting the health and freedom of Floridians. Learn more at voterenner.com.
Bobby Williams is a third-generation Florida native. His values are rooted in Christian principles, emphasizing love, humility, accountability and service. He rejects lawlessness and embraces conservative ideals that uplift family, personal responsibility and the value of being a blessing to others.
His priorities include protecting Florida’s land and waterways, providing an education that gets students ready for life and fighting against data centers, overdevelopment and illegal immigration. Learn more at bwflgov.com.
David Jolly is a former member of Congress, attorney and television analyst. In addition to his work in Congress and in the private practice of law, he served for nearly a decade as a political analyst on NBC and MSNBC. Jolly lives in Pinellas County with his wife and kids.
Jolly’s priorities include solving the affordability and insurance crisis, adequately funding public schools, investing in clean water and the ocean economy and implementing campaign finance and ethics reform. Learn more at davidjolly.com.
Dotie Joseph serves in the Florida House. She’s the Democratic minority leader pro tempore.
Her priorities include fully funding public schools and restoring teacher pay to competitive levels, expanding Medicaid to cover working Floridians left in the coverage gap and raising the minimum wage for Florida families, especially state employees. Learn more at dotiejoseph.com.
EDUCATION
- Key West High School
- Lynn University (BSBA)
- Thomas M. Cooley Law School (JD)
WORK EXPERIENCE
- Partner: Horan Law, LLLP
- Co-Owner: On Pointe Restaurant Group, LLC
- Horay Restaurant Group, LLC
COMMUNITY SERVICE
- Take Stock in Children (Mentor)
- Board of Directors for the Greater Key West Chamber of Commerce
- Past Chairman of the Key West Military Affairs Committee
- Vice-President of the Southernmost Seminoles Club
- Coach (youth sports)
- School Board District 1 Board Member Vice Chairperson
ENDORSEMENT
- Monroe County IAFF Local 3909
REASON FOR RUNNING FOR SCHOOL BOARD
“I’m running for re-election on behalf of all children in Monroe County Schools.”
Kevin McCarthy is married to Tiffany Curry, and together they are the proud parents of two daughters. A dedicated member of the community, Kevin has built a career rooted in public service, a strong commitment to justice, and a distinguished legal background. Kevin is admitted to practice before all Florida state courts as well as the Supreme Court of the United States. Kevin's experience, integrity, and dedication to serving others provide him with a well-rounded perspective on the challenges facing our judicial system.
Education:
• Key West High School
• Emory University, B.A.
• University of Miami School of Law, J.D. - Cum Laude
Experience:
• 2009-2011 Associate Attorney specializing in Civil Litigation
• 2011-2017 Assistant Public Defender
• 2017 - Present Chief Assistant Public Defender
• 2015 - Present Adjunct Professor, Saint Leo University
Community: Key West Sunrise Rotary: Member Southernmost Hockey Club Board of Directors A Positive Step of Monroe County Board Member VOTE TUESDAY, AUGUST 18 TH •
14,728
14,814
“I am deeply honored to seek this position and committed to continuing to serve the people of Monroe County with fairness, integrity, and respect for the rule of law. I humbly ask for your vote on August 18th.”
Kevin is proudly endorsed by:
FICTITIOUS NAME
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of TOKEN TIDBITS located at 13 N. PELICAN DR, KEY LARGO, FL 33037 intends to register said name with the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida.
By: 3 MINUTE MEDIA LLC
Publish:
July 30, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE
Notice is hereby given that Big Pine Storage, pursuant to the Florida Self Storage Facility Act, Florida Statutes (Section 83.801–83.809), will sell at public sale by competitive online bidding to satisfy the owner’s lien for unpaid rent, fees, and other charges. Sale to be held online at 11:00 AM on August 10, 2026, at storagetreasures.com. Contents of the following unit(s) will be sold: OP11 – James Reynolds, 825 Wright Drive, Lake Worth, FL 33461 – Personal items Property is stored at Big Pine Storage, 30677 Overseas Highway, Big Pine Key, FL 33043. All items are sold as is, where is, and must be removed within 48 hours of purchase.
Publish:
July 30 and August 6, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE
U-HAUL COMPANY OF MIAMI
Notice is hereby given that on August 3rd, 2026, Leonard Richford Jr. Storage Auctioneer, Executive Administrator for U-Haul Company of Miami, Will be offering for sale under the Judicial Lien Process, By Public Auction, the following storage units. The Terms of the sale will be cash only.
U-Haul Company does reserve the right to refuse any bids. The sales will Begin at 8:00 a.m. and continue day by day until all units are sold. The names of whose units will be sold are as follows: Location: 103530 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, FL 33037 Press, Brian 1116 Tabora, Nicholas 1025 Thoman, Catherine 1598 Gonzalez, Gerardo 1612
Publish:
July 23 & 30, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE SOLICITATIONS
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Thursday, August 20, 2026, at 3:00 P.M., the Monroe County Purchasing Office will receive and open sealed responses for the following:
Sale of One (1) County-Owned Unimproved Parcel on Key Largo Monroe County, Florida Parcel Identification Number: 00087310-000100
Minimum Bid Required; $94,000.00
5% Bid Bond Required
Pursuant to F.S. § 50.0211(3) (a), all published competitive solicitation notices can be viewed at: www.floridapublicnotices. com, a searchable Statewide repository for all published legal notices. Requirements for submission and the selection criteria may be requested from the County’s electronic bidding platform at https://monroecountyfl.bonfirehub.com OR www. monroecounty-fl.gov/BonfireBids. The Public Record is available upon request. Monroe County Purchasing Department receives bids via the Bonfire electronic bidding platform. Please do not email, mail or attempt to deliver in person any sealed bids. Emailed/ mailed/physically delivered bids/ proposals/responses WILL NOT be accepted.
The Monroe County Purchasing Department hereby directs that bids be submitted via the Bonfire electronic bidding platform at https://monroecounty-fl. bonfirehub.com, no later than 3:00 P.M. on Thursday, August 20, 2026. There is no cost to the bidder to use the Bonfire platform. Please do not submit your confidential financial information
as part of your proposal. There are separate uploads for each set of documents, including confidential financial information.
All proposals will be made public on the platform after an intended decision or 30 days, whichever is earlier, unless the bids/proposals are rejected in accordance with F.S. 119.071. If your proposal document includes financial information, that information will not be considered confidential and will be available and viewable to the public in accordance with public records law.
The bid opening for this solicitation will be held virtually, via the internet, at 3:00 P.M., on Thursday, August 20, 2026. You may call in by phone or internet using the following: Join Zoom Meeting https://mcbocc.zoom. us/j/4509326156 Meeting ID: 4509326156
One tap mobile:
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Publish:
July 30, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE SOLICITATIONS
South Florida Regional Planning Council is accepting proposals from CPA firms to provide Audit Services for Fiscal Years ending September 30, 2026, 2027, 2028, 2029, and 2030. Bids will be accepted until 5:00 PM on August 26, 2026, via email and one (1) hard copy at 1 Oakwood Boulevard, Suite 250, Hollywood, Florida 33020. Detailed specifications for proposals and schedules can be found at: https:// sfregionalcouncil.org/requestfor-proposal-financial-auditservices-2026/ Publish:
July 30, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE SOLICITATIONS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, at 3:00 P.M., the Monroe County Purchasing Office will receive and open sealed responses for the following: Appliance Repair Service— Countywide Monroe County, Florida Pursuant to F.S. § 50.0211(3) (a), all published competitive solicitation notices can be viewed at: www.floridapublicnotices. com, a searchable Statewide repository for all published legal notices. Requirements for submission and the selection criteria may be requested from the County’s electronic bidding platform at https://monroecountyfl.bonfirehub.com OR www. monroecounty-fl.gov/BonfireBids. The Public Record is available upon request.
Monroe County Purchasing Department receives bids via the Bonfire electronic bidding platform. Please do not email, mail or attempt to deliver in person any sealed bids. Emailed/ mailed/physically delivered bids/ proposals/responses WILL NOT be accepted.
The Monroe County Purchasing Department hereby directs that bids be submitted via the Bonfire electronic bidding platform at https://monroecounty-fl. bonfirehub.com, no later than 3:00P.M. on August 25, 2026. There is no cost to the bidder to use the Bonfire platform.
Please do not submit your confidential financial information as part of your proposal. There are separate uploads for each set of documents, including confidential financial information. All proposals will be made public on the platform after an intended decision or 30 days, whichever is earlier, unless the bids/proposals are rejected in accordance with F.S. 119.071. If your proposal document includes financial information, that information will
not be considered confidential and will be available and viewable to the public in accordance with public records law.
The bid opening for this solicitation will be held virtually, via the internet, at 3:00 P.M., on Tuesday, August 25, 2026. You may call in by phone or internet using the following: Join Zoom Meeting https://mcbocc.zoom. us/j/4509326156
Meeting ID: 4509326156
One tap mobile:
+16465189805,,4509326156# US (New York)
+16699006833,,4509326156# US (San Jose)
Dial by your location:
+1 646 518 9805 US (New York)
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
Publish: July 30, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE SOLICITATIONS
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, at 3:00 P.M., the Monroe County Purchasing Office will receive and open sealed responses for the following:
COMPREHENSIVE BILLING SERVICES FOR FIRE INSPECTION FEES
MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
Pursuant to F.S. § 50.0211(3) (a), all published competitive solicitation notices can be viewed at: www.floridapublicnotices. com, a searchable Statewide repository for all published legal notices. Requirements for submission and the selection criteria may be requested from the County’s electronic bidding platform at https:// monroecounty-fl.bonfirehub.com OR www.monroecounty-fl.gov/ BonfireBids. The Public Record is available upon request. Monroe County Purchasing Department receives proposals via the Bonfire electronic bidding platform. Please do not email, mail or attempt to deliver in person any sealed bids/proposals/responses. Emailed/mailed/physically delivered bids/proposals/ responses WILL NOT be accepted. The Monroe County Purchasing Department hereby directs that proposals be submitted via the Bonfire electronic bidding platform at https://monroecountyfl.bonfirehub.com, before 3:00P.M. on Tuesday, September 1, 2026. There is no cost to the proposer to use the Bonfire platform and questions should be submitted using the Bonfire platform. Otherwise, questions regarding this RFP may be transmitted in writing to Zully Hemeyer c/o Monroe County Fire Rescue, 7280 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050, or Email: Hemeyer-Zully@ monroecounty-fl.gov.
Please do not submit your confidential financial information as part of your proposal. There are separate uploads for each set of documents, including confidential financial information.
All proposals will be made public on the platform after an intended decision or 30 days from unsealing, whichever is earlier, unless the bids/proposals are rejected in accordance with F.S. § 119.071. If your proposal document includes financial information (not uploaded separately), that information will be considered public and viewable to the public in accordance with public records law. In the event of a discrepancy between the bid/ proposal amount on the Proposal Form and the bid/proposal amount entered in Bonfire, the bid/proposal amount listed in the “Proposal Form” provided by Monroe County in the RFP is the amount that will be utilized by the County when considering the bid/ proposal. The County reserves the right to waive any bid/proposal irregularity.
The proposal opening for this solicitation will be held virtually, via the internet, at 3:00 P.M. on Tuesday, September 1, 2026. You may call in by phone or internet using the following: Join Zoom Meeting https://mcbocc.zoom.
us/j/4509326156
Meeting ID: 4509326156
One tap mobile:
+16465189805,,4509326156# US (New York)
+16699006833,,4509326156# US (San Jose)
Dial by your location:
+1 646 518 9805 US (New York)
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
Publish:
July 30, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
PROBATE DIVISION
FILE NO.: 26-CP-000096-M
DIVISION: MARATHON
IN RE: ESTATE OF HELMUT FRIEDRICH ROTH
A/K/A FREDERICH H. ROTH
Deceased.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of Helmut Friedrich Roth a/k/a Frederich H. Roth, deceased, whose date of death was October 8, 2025, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 3117 Overseas Highway, Marathon, Florida 33050. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below.
All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM.
The personal representative has no duty to discover whether any property held at the time of the decedent's death by the decedent or the decedent's surviving spouse is property to which the Florida Uniform Disposition of Community Property Rights at Death Act as described in ss. 732.216-732.228, Florida Statutes, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under s. 732.2211, Florida Statutes. The written demand must be filed with the clerk.
All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE.
ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED.
NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED.
The date of first publication of this notice is July 30, 2026.
Personal Representative: Fred M. Roth
13333 Overseas Highway Marathon, FL 33050
Attorney for Personal Representative: Meghan E. Miller
Attorney
Florida Bar Number: 1003898
Cunningham Miller Rhyne PA 10075 Overseas Hwy PO Box 500938 Marathon, FL 33050
Telephone: (305) 743-9428
Fax: (305) 743-8800
E-Mail: memiller@floridakeyslaw. com
Secondary E-Mail: service@floridakeyslaw.com kobrien@floridakeyslaw.com
Publish: July 30 and August 6, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
PROBATE DIVISION
FILE NO.: 26-CP-000140-K
IN RE: ESTATE OF MAURICE LEWIS Deceased. NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of MAURICE LEWIS, deceased, whose date of death was January 28, 2026, 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 representatives and the personal representatives’ 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 July 30, 2026.
Personal Representatives: Paige Martin Address: 908 N. Wayne Street North Manchester, IN 46962
Abby Tomcsi
Address: 11520 Rossburn Drive Fishers, IN 46037
Attorneys for Personal Representatives: Aaron P. Snellenbarger, Esq. Florida Bar No. 113125
Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP 1 Indiana Square, Suite 3500 Indianapolis, IN 46204
T. 317-713-9453
Email: asnellenbarger@taftlaw. com
John A. Garner, Esq. Florida Bar No. 0569992
Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP 9130 Galleria Court, Suite 101 Naples, FL 34109-4381 T. 239-497-8382
Email: jagarner@taftlaw.com
Publish: July 30 and August 6, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 26-CP-000141-K IN RE: ESTATE OF BARBARA LEWIS Deceased. NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of BARBARA LEWIS, deceased, whose date of death was January 28, 2026, 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 July 30, 2026.
Personal Representative: Jason Grube
Address: 952 West Shore Dr. Culver, IN 46511
Attorneys for Personal Representative:
Aaron P. Snellenbarger, Esq. Florida Bar No. 113125
Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP 1 Indiana Square, Suite 3500 Indianapolis, IN 46204
T. 317-713-9453
Email: asnellenbarger@taftlaw. com
John A. Garner, Esq. Florida Bar No. 0569992
Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP 9130 Galleria Court, Suite 101 Naples, FL 34109-4381
T. 239-497-8382
Email: jagarner@taftlaw.com
Publish:
July 30 and August 6, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
PROBATE DIVISION CASE NUMBER: 26-CP-000033-M
DIVISION: MARATHON IN RE: THE ESTATE OF ROY EDWARD MCADAMS
Deceased.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of ROY EDWARD MCADAMS, deceased, whose date of death was September 16, 2025, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 3117 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below.
All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court WITHIN THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN SECTION 733.702 OF THE FLORIDA PROBATE CODE WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED. The date of first publication of this notice is July 23, 2026.
Persons Giving Notice: Lee Simone Mullis
207 David Lane Marathon, FL 33050
Attorney for Persons Giving Notice: Christopher B. Waldera, P.A. Christopher B. Waldera Florida Bar No: 980810
Attorney for Personal Representative 5800 Overseas Highway, Suite 7 Marathon, Florida 33050 Telephone: (305) 289-2223
Facsimile: (305) 289-2249
Publish: July 23 & 30, 2026
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO. 44-2025-CA-1181-P MARKEY MARINE SERVICE, INC., a Florida corporation, Plaintiff, vs. JOANNE FERNAN, her Estate, her successors-in-interest, and all others in possession or claiming an interest by, under or through her, Defendant.
NOTICE OF ACTION (formal notice by publication) TO:
JOANNE FERNAN, deceased, and all unknown heirs, devisees, grantees, assignees, lienors, creditors, trustees, and all other parties claiming by, through, under, or against JOANNE FERNAN, deceased, whose last known address, residence, and whereabouts are unknown: YOU ARE NOTIFIED that an action to quiet title to the following property in Monroe County, Florida, has been filed against you: A part of Lot 2, according to the Plat recorded in the Public Records of Monroe County, Florida, in Plat Book 1, Page 59, and being more particularly described by metes and bounds, as follows: Commencing at the intersection of the Southeasterly right-ofway line of U.S. Highway No. 1, and the North line of Section 5, Township 62 South, Range 39 East, bear Southwesterly along the Southeasterly right-of-way line of U.S. Highway No. 1 for a distance of 556 feet to the Point of Beginning of the part of Lot 2 hereinafter described: from said Point of Beginning, continue bearing Southwesterly along the Southeasterly rightof-way line of U.S Highway No. 1 for a distance of 22. 98 feet to a point; thence at right angles and Southeasterly for a distance of 150 feet to a point on the Northwesterly right-of-way line of Old State Highway No. 4A; thence at right angles and in a Northeasterly direction along the Northwesterly right-of-way line of Old State Highway No. 4A for a distance of 22. 98 feet to a point; thence at right angles and in a Northwesterly direction for a distance of 150 feet, back to the Point of Beginning. Containing approximately 3,447 sq. ft., more or less. You are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to this action on Plaintiff's attorney, Nicholas W. Mulick, P.A., whose address is 91645 Overseas Hwy, Tavernier, Florida 33070, and file the original with the Clerk of the Circuit Court, Monroe County, Florida, at 88770 Overseas Hwy, Suite 2, Tavernier, Florida 33070, on or before August 10th, 2026. If you fail to do so, a default may be entered against you for the relief demanded in the Complaint. Signed on this 6th day of July 2026.
Kevin Madok, CPA as Clerk of the Court
By: Destiny Johnson as Deputy Clerk Publish: July 9, 16, 23 & 30, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers
AUTOS ALL YEARS! Junk or Used Cars, Vans, Trucks. Runs or Not.$CASH 305-332-0483
Boat Slip &/or Rack For Rent in Marathon at The Boat House, Vaca Key. Call Tony 561-346-6400
PLACE YOUR BOAT SLIP AD HERE! $25/week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-743-0844 or Email Anneke@ keysweekly.com
HIRING: Office Administrator in Marathon. Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), experience with QuickBooks or other accounting software preferred and must have excellent communication skills, both written and verbal. Full time – Mon-Fri. Pay TBD - based on skill. Email: Natalie@cecflk. com
LOOKING FOR EXTRA CASH? Part-time help needed in Marathon & Lower Keys. Must be able to lift 50-70 lbs. Starting pay $22.25/ hour. Pay rate will rise at intervals. 305-743-5555 catlabflkeys@gmail.com
The Housing Authority of the City of Key West now hiring the following positions: Full-time Carpenter, Journeyman Electrician, & Custodian (Marathon). To apply, please contact Human Resources at: greenel@kwha. org or 305-296-5621 ext. 225. Applications are available at the Administrative Office located at 1400 Kennedy Dr., Key West, FL 33040 or online at www.kwha.org - EOE & Drug Free Work Place. This opportunity is covered under Section 3 of the HUD Act of 1968.
HANDYMAN NEEDED needed for small projects at residence in Grassy Key. Must have own tools & transportation. High Pay! Call Bob at 305-395-0478
Specialty Hardware of Marathon - Looking for full time or part time person. Hardware knowledge an absolute must. Must have
knowledge of hardware, plumbing and electrical. Apply in person at 10730 Overseas Hwy. Marathon 1-305-743-3382
Marathon Yacht Club is hiring a part-time dishwasher. Private club, evening shifts Tues-Saturday, 4-8 pm. Pay raise negotiable if you can also help with prep work. Must provide photo ID, social security card or passport, and checking account. Email office@ marathonyachtclub. com or call 305-7436739 to schedule an interview.
Experienced FT Line Cook needed at the Cabana Club, an ocean front private swim club. 10AM - 5PM, Good Pay. Small friendly staff. Apply in person at 425 E. Ocean Dr. Key Colony Beach or call 404-2193359 and ask for Dave.
Serve/Bartend on the ocean! The Cabana Club, an ocean front private swim club is seeking a customer serviceoriented Server/ Bartender. Serve on pool deck, beach and/ or bar lounge. Open year round, 9:30am7pm 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.
Hiring for busy pediatric office in Tavernier. Full-Time Medical AssistantPediatric experience preferred. Must multitask in fastpaced setting. Pay is commensurate with experience. Email resume to: flkeyspeds@gmail.com HIRED!!!
Safety Staff- We are seeking a reliable, dedicated, and responsible Safety Staff member to join our team. Full-time & Part-time availability starting at $18/hr. To apply, call 305-6644860 Ext 1, e-mail: corrine@orlk.org or apply in person at Outdoor Resorts at Long Key, 65821 Overseas Hwy, Long Key HIRED!!!
Marathon Yacht Club is hiring a part-time maintenance person. 12- 15 hours a week.
Must provide photo ID, social security card or passport, and checking account. Email office@ marathonyachtclub. com or call 305-7436739 to schedule an interview HIRED!!!
PLACE YOUR EMPLOYMENT AD HERE. $25/week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-743-0844 or Email Anneke@ keysweekly.com
ANNUAL RENTAL - Key Largo - 3BR/2BA new kitchen, Spacious Doublewide modular on canal w/40’ dock, direct ocean access. Very nice community $3500/ month 786-258-3127
3BR / 3BA fully furnished home for rent in Marathon available Aug-Dec 2026. $3,500/ month. 2BR/2BA also available Aug-Dec 2026. Call 618-559-9143
LONG TERM RENTALS: HUGE EFFICIENCY, 650 SF, partially furnished $1,650/month AND 2 Bedroom unfurnished, all appliances, renovated, for rent in Marathon. On the water, gated property. Section 8 possible. $2,000 month. First/Security Call 305-610-8002
Studio Rental in Marathon, long-term, partially furnished, price includes internet, water, electric gas, garbage, pest, and lawn @ $2,200/mo all in. Call or text 305-433-0515
PLACE YOUR HOUSING FOR RENT AD HERE! $25/week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-743-0844 or Email Anneke@ keysweekly.com
PRIVATE COLLECTOR WANTS Rolex, Dive Watches and Pilot Watches. Old Model Military Clocks & Watches. Call 305-743-4578
TURN YOUR CARDS INTO CASH! Marathon collector buying any and all Pokemon cards & collections. Call 401-256-0645.
PLACE YOUR YARD SALE AD HERE! $25/week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-743-0844 or Email Anneke @keysweekly.com
The Coral Reef Park Company Inc, operating within the world-famous John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo, is seeking enthusiastic, ocean-loving individuals to join our team. If you have a passion for the marine environment and enjoy working in a fast-paced, tropical setting, we want to hear from you!
BOAT CAPTAINS (Full-Time & Part-Time)
Take the helm of our Glass Bottom, Snorkel, or Dive boats. Responsible for safe navigation, crew management, and ensuring an unforgettable guest experience on the water. Working Friday/Saturday or Sunday/ Monday, and USCG License required.
FIRST MATE / DIVE MASTERS
The backbone of our maritime operations. Duties include assisting with vessel docking, passenger boarding, equipment maintenance, and ensuring boat cleanliness. Working Friday/Saturday or Sunday/Monday required. For snorkel boat, PADI certification (or other recognized agency), insurance and membership current required
MARINE TOUR NARRATORS
Be the voice of the reef! We are looking for engaging public speakers to provide educational and safety-focused commentary for our guests. Working Friday/Saturday or Sunday/Monday required, Must have a basic knowledge of coral reefs and marine life and experience speaking in front of audiences.
ADMIN/ACCOUNTS PAYABLE
We are hiring for an Admin/Accounts Payable position. Duties include accounts payable and general of ce duties. Must be pro cient in QuickBooks & Excel.
SEASONAL OPPORTUNITIES
Looking for a summer job? We have seasonal openings for Kayak/ Paddlesports Attendants, Snack Bar Attendants, Gift Shop Clerks, and Reservation Counter Attendants. Perfect for those looking to spend a season in the Florida Keys! Customer service experience required for all roles, experience on the water with customers and safety required for kayak/paddlesports role.
WHY JOIN OUR TEAM?
Competitive Pay: Rates starting from $17–$30/hr+ (depending on position and experience).
Benefits: Health, Dental, and Vision, and Life insurance available for full-time employees.
Perks: Employee discounts and the best "of ce view" in the world. Community: Work with a team dedicated to conservation and outdoor recreation.
HOW TO APPLY
Ready to dive in? Send your resume and detail on the role that you are applying for to coralreefhr2025@gmail.com. You will be contacted if you are selected to move forward with next steps.
The Coral Reef Park Company Inc, at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park Mile Marker 102.5 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, FL 33037 Visit us at: www.pennekamppark.com
Equal Opportunity Employer | Drug-Free Workplace
wants you to join their team!
Full-time. $19/hour to start. EMAIL resume to: TurtleHospital@TurtleHospital.org APPLY in person: 2396 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL
DOLPHIN RESEARCH
is a fun, environmentally friendly non-profit 501(c)(3) organization specializing in education,
and
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
D'Asign Source is seeking the following professionals. Overtime and benefits are available.
Customer-focused sales professional with experience in retail or customer service.
Creativity and interest in home décor a must. Help customers discover pieces that turn everyday spaces into something special.
Specialist
Individual who brings creativity, functionality, and style together in kitchen and bath design. Design kitchens that become the heart of the home.
JOIN A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE NONPROFIT HELPING PEOPLE COPE AND CHANGE FOR 53 YEARS!
We provide Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Treatment Programs to the Florida Keys community while valuing and rewarding our employees.
Behavioral Health Counselor (CAT)
Case Manager (Adult)
Mental Health Technician
Case Manager (Children)
Crisis Counselor
Behavioral Health Counselor (Children)
Behavioral Health Therapist (Children) (FT)
Driver (CDL NOT required) (FT, PT)
Registered Nurse (PT)
Behavioral Health Therapist (Adult, PT)
*Support Worker (Assisted Living) (FT, PT)
*Behavioral Health Technicians (FT, PT)
*No experience required for this position. Will train. A caring heart & helpful hands necessary.
Background and drug screen req. EEOC/DFWP COMPETITIVE PAY! EXCEPTIONAL BENEFITS!!!
Apply at guidancecarecenter.org - Get Involved/ Join our team/Job Opportunities/location/zip
Keys Energy Services, in Key West, Florida, is accepting applications for the following position in its Transmission & Distribution Department:
(High Voltage Substation Electrical Technician)
Starting pay rate for this position, depending on qualifications and experience: $46.38/hr. - $51.94/hr. For more information, including job duties and required qualifications, and to apply for the job, please visit their website at www.KeysEnergy.com. KEYS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. KEYS promotes a Drug-Free Workplace. Certain service members, veterans, the spouses and family members of service members and veterans, receive preference and priority in employment, and are encouraged to apply for positions being filled.
We are now hiring for the following positions:
Mechanic Truck Helpers
CDL Drivers
Applicants must apply in person to be considered.
4290 Overseas Hwy, Marathon
PHYSICIAN PRACTICE OPENINGS
- Medical Assistant, Ortho-Tavernier, $5k Bonus
- Medical Assistant, Primary Care Marathon, $5k Bonus
- Medical Assistant, Cardiology, Upper Keys, $5k Bonus
- Medical Assistant, Ortho, Key West, $5k Bonus
- Radiology Technologist, Ortho Surgical, Key West, $25k Bonus
MIAMI CANCER INSTITUTE KEY WEST
- Director Nursing Services, Operations Support Key West, $5k Bonus
- Medical Assistant, Outpatient Procedures, $5k Bonus
- Patient Access Scheduler, Operations Support Key West, $5k Bonus
- Pool Radiation Therapist
TAVERNIER MARINERS HOSPITAL
- Chaplain, Chaplaincy Spiritual Care, Per Diem
- Clinical Partner, Multispecialty Acute Care Center, $3k Bonus
- Clinical Pharmacist, $5k Bonus
- Customer Service & Membership Coordinator, Mariners Wellness Center
- Exercise Assistant, Mariners Wellness Center, Per Diem
- Exercise Physiologist, Per Diem
- MC Multi-Modality Imaging Tech, CT Scan, $50k Bonus
- Mechanic, FT, 7A-3:30P
- Medical Staff Coordinator, Mariners Hospital, FT
- Multi-Modality Imaging Tech, Echocardiography, Per Diem
- Multi-Modality Imaging Tech, (CT & X Ray), $25k Bonus
- Multi-Modality Imaging Tech 2, (Echo & Vascular w/Ultrasound Preferred), $25k Bonus
- Pharmacy Technician, Mariners Hospital, $4k Bonus
- Pool Clinical Pharmacist, Per Diem
- Pool Group Exercise Instructor, Per Diem
- Pool Medical Technologist
- Registered Nurse, Multispecialty Acute Care, $25k Bonus
- Registered Nurse, ICU, $15k Bonus
- Registered Nurse, Surgery, $15k Bonus
- Supervisor Chef, Dietary
MARATHON FISHERMEN’S COMMUNITY HOSPITAL
- Cook, Dietary, PT
- Multi-Modality Imaging Tech 1, (CT & X Ray), Radiology, $25k Bonus
- Phlebotomist, Laboratory, Per Diem, 7A-3:30P
- Pool Physical Therapist, Per Diem
- Registered Nurse, Emergency Department, Per Diem
- Registered Nurse, Multispecialty Acute Care Center, Various Shifts & Statuses
- Registered Nurse, Surgery, $15k Bonus
- Registered Respiratory Therapist, $25k Bonus
- Registered Respiratory Therapist, PT, $12,500 Bonus
- Security Officer, FT, 7A-7:30P
- Security Officer, Per Diem
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.
*Sign-on bonuses are available only for select full-time positions based on candidate experience.
THEME: HISTORY 101
ACROSS
1. Charlie “Bird” Parker’s sax 5. Mary ____, businesswoman extraordinaire 8. Downloadable smartphone purchase 11. In ____ of 12. Greek salad staple 13. Appraisal 15. Law school prerequisite, acr. 16. “Once ____ a Time in America” 17. Dictum, pl. 18. *____ press, Johannes Gutenberg’s invention
20. “Sittin’ On the Dock of the Bay” singer 21. In need of a muffler 22. Make a choice 23. *Genghis Khan’s ____ Empire 26. Intima, pl.
30. Fertility clinic stock
31. Tranquil
34. Famous Steeler coach, Chuck
35. Twisted cotton thread
37. Key next to spacebar
38. Like a gymnast
39. Naysayer’s favorite prefix
40. Develop, as in story
42. ____-AFTRA
43. Famous fox of fable
45. Like a smell of soil
47. *World’s first 24-hour TV news network, acr.
48. Molten rock
50. Smoke plus fog
52. *First Roman emperor
55. Part of foot, pl.
56. Chowder protein
57. Pelvic parts
59. Are not
60. *Homesteader’s purchase, sing.
61. “____ the good die young”
62. *Pres. during the Cuban Missile Crisis
63. It is
64. Fermented rice brew
DOWN
1. Pledge of Allegiance ending 2. Talk like Daffy
3. Eye drop
4. Day trip
5. Flat-topped military caps
6. Lack of muscle tension
7. Opposite of yin
8. Mushroom spore sacs
9. Benatar and Morita, e.g.
10. Money in Myanmar
12. Pointless
13. Take as one’s own
14. *____ Bull, Lakota’s famous leader
19. Gallows’ rope
22. *World War ____, 1914-18
23. Wisdom tooth, e.g.
24. Sheep-like
25. Highly unpleasant
26. “He’s Just Not That ____ You”
27. Damp
28. Islam’s Supreme Being
29. Lament for the dead
32. Writer Ayn
33. Rudolph’s friend Hermey, e.g.
36. *One of Mount Rushmore presidents
38. *First President in the White House
40. Cremation ashes container
41. Peanut or pea, e.g.
44. Emotional turmoil
46. 2:1 and 3:1, e.g.
48. Defraud
49. Petri dish jellies
50. Feudal lord’s servant
51. Humble and docile
52. Frozen bowl berry
53. Arm bone
54. *The ____ Road, ancient EastWest trade route
55. Pilgrimage to Mecca
58. Pirate’s “yes”
