Key West Weekly 24-0215 by Keys Weekly Newspapers

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February 15, 2024

CREATIVE CURRENTS PROPEL SCULPTOR

LAUREN MCALOON READIES SOLO SHOW AT THE STUDIOS | P. 18

A DIPLOMA & A DEGREE — FOR FREE? CFK ACADEMY COMBINES HIGH SCHOOL & COLLEGE | P. 8

VAYA CON DIOS, CAPT. JOE VANDENBERG SHIPWRECKER JOE WEATHERBY LEAVES BOATLOADS OF MEMORIES | P. 4

KEY WEST WEEKLY / FEBRUARY 15, 2024

KEY WEST | $3,775,000 | LISTING ID: 604115

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Exquisitely restored eyebrow home in Key West's sought-after Meadows neighborhood. This award-winning historic (c.1889) gem has been renovated to the highest standards. Attention has been paid to every detail while maintaining the authentic charm of old Key West. Quiet and private, the beautifully landscaped large corner lot has lush tropical native Keys landscaping, a 30'X10' saltwater pool, and multiple areas for outdoor entertaining. The house has three large bedrooms, each of which can easily fit king-sized beds, a library/den that could be used as a fourth bedroom, and a bonus sleeping loft. The property includes off-street parking in a carport equipped with an electric vehicle charging station. This home, which captures the true magic and romance of Key West, has too many features to mention. It will satisfy the most discerning buyer!

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KEY WEST WEEKLY / FEBRUARY 15, 2024

NUMBER OF THE WEEK KEYS

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5450 MacDonald Ave. No.5 Key West, FL 33040 Office: 305.453.6928 www.keysweekly.com Publisher / Britt Myers britt@keysweekly.com Publishing Partner / Jason Koler jason@keysweekly.com Editor / Mandy Miles mandy@keysweekly.com Digital Editor / Gwen Filosa gwen@keysweekly.com Director of Sales Manuela Carrillo Mobley manuela@keysweekly.com Account Executive Stephanie Mitchell stephanie@keysweekly.com Kiara Bush kiara@overseasmediagroup.com Staff Writers Jim McCarthy jim@keysweekly.com Alex Rickert alex@keysweekly.com Copy Editor / Mike Howie mike@keysweekly.com Production Manager Anneke Patterson anneke@keysweekly.com Executive Administrator Charlotte Hruska char@keysweekly.com Design / Pre-Press Irene de Bruijn irene@keysweekly.com Javier Reyes javier@keysweekly.com Diana Striker www.keysweekly.com Web Master / Travis Cready travis@keysweekly.com Classifieds / Anneke Patterson anneke@keysweekly.com 305.743.0844 Se habla español THE KEY WEST WEEKLY (ISSN 1944-0812) IS PUBLISHED WEEKLY FOR $125 PER YEAR BY WEEKLY NEWSPAPERS, INC., 9709 OVERSEAS HIGHWAY, MARATHON FL 33050. APPLICATION TO MAIL AT PERIODICALS POSTAGE RATES IS PENDING AT FORT LAUDERDALE FL AND ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES. All stories, photos, and graphics are copyrighted materials. Postmaster SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO THE KEYS WEEKLY, 9709 OVERSEAS HIGHWAY, MARATHON FL 33050 News Deadline Monday Noon Advertising Deadline Tuesday 2 p.m.

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Last Sunday’s Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers drew 123.4 million views, making it the most-watched TV program of all time, according to the Wall Street Journal.

ON THE COVER Capt. Joe Weatherby, a local legend known for, among other things, sinking the Vandenberg as one of the world’s largest artificial reefs in May 2009, died Feb. 13, after suffering a stroke last year. See story below. CAROL TEDESCO/Contributed

VAYA CON DIOS, CAPTAIN

Joe Weatherby, Vandenberg shipwrecker, dies at 62 MANDY MILES mandy@keysweekly.com

his story should have been written months ago, when its subject was still alive to read it, and to celebrate the impact he had, the memories he spawned and the boats he sank (intentionally, for the most part). Capt. Joe Weatherby died Feb. 13 in a Miami care facility, several months after suffering a stroke and struggling to recover. He was 62. “Pack a lunch, cupcake.” “Not for nothin’, but…” “We’ve never been closer. We’re gonna sink this thing.” The list of “Joe-isms” could fill an entire newspaper and everyone has their own favorites. His quips will remain forever lodged in the memories of all who knew the boat captain, diver, bartender, scooter driver and shipwrecker. His legacy lies on the ocean floor about seven miles off Key West, where Weatherby worked for more than a decade to “sink the Vandenberg,” as an artificial reef for divers, fishermen and marine habitat. After years of government red tape, permitting, funding struggles, environmental cleanup of the 510-foot former military ship and thousands of setbacks, the Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg sank at 10:24 a.m. on May 27, 2009. A knot closed Weatherby’s throat and he denied the tears of pride that threatened to spill down his cheek that day as he watched the sinking from a nearby boat. (Full disclosure: I dated Joe Weatherby for two years around 2002, while he was still working to sink the ship, and remained friends with him for years after.) The ocean floor is precisely where Weatherby’s legacy should remain, because it’s where his heart and mind resided for so many years. (I would like to think his ashes will end up entombed in the artificial reef.) A native of the South Jersey Shore — Avalon, New Jersey — Weatherby had lived in Key West for about 40

Capt. Joe Weatherby watches the flawless sinking of the Vandenberg as an artificial reef off Key West on May 27, 2009. CAROL TEDESCO/Contributed

years. He worked as a bartender at Half Shell Raw Bar and the former Rumrunners and Hideaway bars on Duval Street. He also worked as a dive and snorkel boat captain and was an avid diver. He also would be the first to tell you, he wasn’t exactly a Boy Scout and the Vandenberg isn’t the only shipwreck he had a hand in sinking, although the details surrounding the mysterious overnight sinking of a tugboat have remained obscured by rum, history and statutes of limitations. Suffice to say, the popular dive spot “Joe’s Tug” also bears Weatherby’s fingerprints and his first name, although he rarely took credit for it, as the former tugboat sank unceremoniously (and less than legally) in the thick of night decades ago. Weatherby leaves behind legions of friends and relatives all over the world – in Florida, New Jersey, New York and Japan, where his brother Marty lives, and where Weatherby once spent time teaching English. All who knew him, including friends who remained close since high school in Jersey and college at the University of Delaware, have their own memories of adventures, misadventures, late nights, early mornings and

more than a few clandestine operations at sea and on land. (There were also more than a few references to the fact that he was once asked to leave Delaware and not return, although it wasn’t clear whether the prohibition applied to the university or to the entire state. “At least it’s a small state; easy to avoid,” Joe would say decades later.) He was a uniquely poor driver of anything except scooters and boats. Martinis were “brain darts” (but were to be consumed enthusiastically until a girlfriend shook her head subtly at the bartender, who would then switch him to vodka/cranberry without Joe noticing. Gummi bears were gold. Reruns of “Law & Order” and “NYPD Blue” never got old. Phone conversations required constant pacing. Chinese takeout was king. Rules were meant to be broken. Joe Weatherby didn’t go down with the ship that helped define him, but his spirit will forever guide the divers who explore it and the creatures that inhibit it for centuries to come. Godspeed, captain. You had a hell of a wild ride.

KEY WEST WEEKLY / FEBRUARY 15, 2024

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KEY WEST WEEKLY / FEBRUARY 15, 2024

STATE ATTORNEY INVESTIGATING AS LATEST AUDIT RIPS NEWMANPR AND TDC Agency to hold special Feb. 20 meeting on latest findings GWEN FILOSA

gwen@keysweekly.com

n 2023, Monroe County’s public relations agency of record, NewmanPR, collected more than $1.9 million from the county. That total comes from an annual fee of $733,688, plus more than $1.1 million in expenses. But a review of Newman PR invoices and its billing practices revealed questionable costs, documentation and reimbursement requests, noncompliance with county policies, invoicing before work was completed and a lack of a procurement process that amount to “fiscal arrogance,” according to an audit released by the Monroe County Clerk of Court Kevin Madok’s office. And the TDC’s problems don’t stop with NewmanPR, the audit report states. The county clerk’s in-house auditors said these issues with NewmanPR stem from the TDC marketing director, Stacey Mitchell, who is mentioned by title, not name, in the audit, “not effectively managing the TDC’s public relations agency of record,” auditors said. Mitchell was suspended with pay in November 2023, and the county hired an outside firm to conduct a full forensic audit of the multimillion-dollar tourism agency, and come up with an action plan for improvements. On top of a lack of oversight by the TDC is “NewmanPR’s apparent willingness to take advantage of the lack of management oversight,” auditors said. The TDC board has scheduled a special meeting for 10 a.m. Feb. 20 in Marathon at the Faro Blanco Resort and Yacht Club to review and discuss the NewmanPR audit. State Attorney’s Office investigating TDC Discussions by county commissioners last November to hire an outside auditing firm to investigate the Florida’ Keys tourism marketing agency and partner agencies, like NewmanPR, led Monroe County

State Attorney Dennis Ward to begin an investigation of his own. Ward said he decided following the meeting that he needed a forensic audit and hired the Miamibased Berkowitz Pollack Brant Advisors (BPB). County Clerk Madok’s office had conducted a preliminary in-house audit — the agency’s first in 20 years — that revealed inconsistencies and questionable billing practices. The auditing firm of BPB’s interdisciplinary practice includes certified public accountants, fraud examiners, financial forensic specialists and computer forensic professionals. The team’s range of services include business valuations and accounting investigations for expert testimony in commercial disputes and corporate and fraud investigations. A forensic audit by BPB and Richard Fechter, associate director of forensic and advisory services, will take three to four months. Fechter has led many financial fraud investigations, including a probe of a $1.3 billion Ponzi scheme. While Ward said he couldn’t say exactly which kind of charges could come as a result of the forensic audit, he told Keys Weekly that he believes there “will be things to bring forward.” “I’m not sure if it’s strictly criminal or civil or a combination of the two,” Ward said. “I won’t know until we get it (the audit) back.” Newman calls county’s report ‘biased’ Andy Newman, president of NewmanPR, told Keys Weekly the clerk’s audit seems biased. “My team and I were stunned and saddened by the improper attacks on our company and the Monroe County Tourist Development Council,” Newman said. “They seemingly reflect a hostile bias which is evident in many of the clerk’s office recommendations.” Newman hired lawyers after the October 2023 audit of the TDC. In a 14-page response to the NewmanPR audit, his attorney says the clerk’s audit is a collection of opinions about the contract and rejects an earlier finding by the county attorney. “The clerk’s opinion is a manifesto revealing the clerk’s disdain for the contract with NewmanPR and the overall operation of the

Monroe County Tourist Development Council/Visit Florida Keys,” wrote Newman’s attorney Russell A. Yagel. For starters, Yagel said the county’s contract with NewmanPR doesn’t require Newman to follow Monroe County purchasing policies for hiring subcontractors. As for double-billing accusations, Yagel said the county’s top lawyer, Bob Shillinger, had already settled that question. At the Nov. 8 meeting of the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners, County Attorney Bob Shillinger said he found no evidence of double billing by NewmanPR. Newman’s photography services, which are the crux of the clerk’s double-billing argument, aren’t included within the scope of the monthly fee Newman gets, Shillinger said. “The clerk is free to have a different view,” Shillinger told the commissioners. The clerk’s audit’s double-billing argument cites Newman’s reimbursement for a hotel room in Key West to cover Hemingway Days. Newman put the room down as public relations work, and then put in for the photography work he did during the event separately. That’s how the contract works, Yagel said, adding it would have cost the county more had Newman hired a photographer to cover the event. A 43-year relationship Originally started by Stuart Newman, NewmanPR has been the Tourist Development Council’s top marketing firm for 43 years and known in legal papers as the TDC’s public relations agency of record. The first contract between Monroe County’s TDC and NewmanPR in the early 1980s called for a total of $500,000 in compensation for advertising promotion, public relations and marketing services. Of the half-million paid, $44,000 was allotted for PR. By 1986, services provided by NewmanPR no longer included advertising but rather focused exclusively on public relations, publicity and press relations with compensation of $100,000, plus reimbursable expenses. Today, NewmanPR is defined in its contract as a “full-service public relations agency for the

Monroe County TDC and county,” Madok’s auditors said. Newman’s work promotes the Florida Keys as a tourist destination, with a goal of keeping the islands in national news cycles. A professional photographer himself, Newman is known for delivering aerial shots of the island chain and write-ups of Keys events, bolstered by a team of professionals, to news outlets across the world. A four-decade tenure with a contractor like NewmanPR has benefits, the county’s auditors said, but that length of a business relationship “also runs the risk of creating a sense of complacency between those executing oversight over a contractor and the contractor themselves.” “We recommend that the BOCC work with the TDC to consider all available options on how best to proceed to fully restore the public’s trust and confidence in the TDC’s business operations,” the audit states. One solution, the auditors said, is for the BOCC to consider ending the county’s current TDC administrative contract with the nonprofit Visit Florida Keys and set up the TDC’s structure as a county department overseen by the county administrator. A company that doesn’t exist Newman’s firm has made requests to be paid for work done by a company he calls Graphics 71. But the firm doesn’t legally exist, which Newman’s firm admitted to the clerk’s office. Newman has said the work would have been subcontracted out anyway. “NewmanPR admitted that any checks that NewmanPR made payable to Graphics 71 were ultimately destroyed because no bank would cash the checks made out to a nonexistent company,” auditors reported. “In other words, NewmanPR used a nonexistent company as a conduit to claim they made payments eligible for reimbursement when, in fact, no payments were made for there to be valid reimbursable expenses.” This is a “minor, frequent oversight by small businesses and easily rectifiable,” Newman’s attorney, Russell A. Yagel, said. Auditors, however, said the fictional company set-up “suggests NewmanPR regularly demonstrated a general disregard for the expenditure of public monies. NewmanPR requested, received, and retained funds for a nonexistent expense.” Upper Keys Editor Jim McCarthy contributed reporting for this story.

KEY WEST WEEKLY / FEBRUARY 15, 2024

KEY WEST WEEKLY / FEBRUARY 15, 2024 MANDY MILES

CFK Academy students gather on the high school’s front steps on the Key West campus of The College of the Florida Keys. CONTRIBUTED

mandy@keysweekly.com

NEW HIGH SCHOOL AT THE COLLEGE WRAPS 1ST SEMESTER Tuition-free CFK Academy to add 12th grade next year

arrna Kunasekaran is a high school freshman whose environmental science project recently advanced to the regional finals. When she walks across the stage at graduation in four years, she’ll receive not only a high school diploma, but also an associate’s degree from the College of the Florida Keys. Kunasekaran is a member of the very first freshman class at the new CFK Academy, a tuitionfree, public charter high school located on the college’s Key West campus. Current enrollment is about 43 students, and will grow next year as this year’s 11th-graders become the first seniors and graduating class. “I went to May Sands Montessori for elementary and middle school, and that was a small school community,” Kunasekaran said. “That’s what I was used to and it helped with my decision to come here instead of going to Key West High School. But I’d say the dual-enrollment path was the main factor. But it’s not mandatory. Students here can choose the regular or honors paths.” Kunasekaran is in the process of taking practice placement tests that will ensure she is prepared to enroll in some college-level classes that will provide her with credits that are transferable to other schools, potentially saving her two years’ worth of college tuition. “This year I was able to send four freshmen into college-level classes here on campus,” said principal Wendy McPherson, who spent nine years as principal of Marathon High School. “They did very well on the placement tests and we were confident they could handle it.” CFK Academy students who enroll in collegelevel courses attend those classes in the college buildings with college professors and college classmates. They then return to the new CFK Academy building on campus for their traditional high school classes. McPherson emphasized that the college students cannot access the CFK Academy building. Security is a top priority and a full-time police officer is present at the school. “Even our traditional high school science classes can reserve time in the college science labs,” McPherson said. “And if there is a class that a student wants to take we make arrangements to make that available through Florida Virtual School, and they’ll take the online class right here in our building. One student this year is taking Cantonese with that method.”

“We also have access to the college’s Tennessee Williams Fine Arts Center,” Kunasekaran said, adding that some teachers have taken their classes on walks around campus, including the college’s dive and environmental studies lagoon. “And we’re planning a pizza party at the college pool later this year.” Although no athletics are offered at the CFK Academy, its students have access to all the extracurricular activities available at Key West High School. “I have a friend who goes to Key West High for an hour a day because she’s in band,” Kunasekaran said. Other CFK Academy students play on the KWHS soccer, track and lacrosse teams. “Transportation is mainly up to the individual families to go back and forth, but I’ve also had coaches pick up student athletes here. I’ve put kids in an Uber to KWHS. We make it work.” She added that the band members and athletes aren’t stigmatized or given any type of “outsider” status because they attend classes at CFK Academy. “Besides, most of the kids all went to grade school and middle school together somewhere, so they already know a bunch of students at KWHS.” CFK Academy focuses on science, technology, engineering and math and career technical education. The curriculum centers on a project-based learning approach that provides students with hands-on engagement in the learning process, states the school’s website at CFK.edu/CFKAcademy. “The state of Florida has provided catalyst funds for charter schools on college campuses so students can save money on their higher education,” college President Jonathan Gueverra said last year when the school was nearing completion. “The goal is to make Florida a place where education is affordable. Parents don’t have to worry about transportation between two schools for dual enrollment. We want to do anything we can to make things more convenient and conducive. The students also get exposure and access to our career, technical and apprenticeship programs.”

CFK Academy teacher Christine Drewel works with students, who are each issued a Chromebook laptop to use for school. CONTRIBUTED

The main hallway at CFK Academy doubles as a study hall center for all students. MANDY MILES/Keys Weekly

There are no entrance exams or tuition required for admission to CFK Academy, but space is limited in each class, so if applications exceed the number of openings, a lottery system will be used to determine enrollment. Applications are due Monday, Feb. 26 and if necessary, a lottery will take place Feb. 29. Visit cfk.edu/cfkacademy for more information.

CFK Academy will host an open house for prospective students Tuesday, Feb. 20 at 5:30 p.m. at the CFK Academy on the College’s Key West Campus. Attendees will learn about the curriculum, tour the school, and meet the principal, teachers, staff and students. Applications for attendance next year are due by Feb. 26.

KEY WEST WEEKLY / FEBRUARY 15, 2024

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KEY WEST WEEKLY / FEBRUARY 15, 2024

MONROE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO LEAVE TOP POST FEB. 23

BURNED POPCORN MISHAP CLOSES TROPIC CINEMA FOR A FEW DAYS Nonprofit was set to reopen days after sprinklers soaked the lobby

GWEN FILOSA gwen@keysweekly.com

oman Gastesi, the Monroe County administrator for 15 years, announced on Feb. 8 that he will retire at 5 p.m. Feb. 23, earlier than county officials had expected. Gastesi has been in the state’s Deferred Retirement Option Program, or “the DROP,” since 2019, so county leaders knew he would be leaving sooner rather than later. But Gastesi’s retirement decision comes at a time when the Board of County Commissioners is grappling with how to respond to Florida state leaders about the Keys’ hurricane evacuation plan – a decision tied to the number of building permits that could be made available. “We’re on the precipice of a major move,” County Mayor Holly Raschein told Keys Weekly on Thursday. “He’s on the administrative side of things, which is a critical component.” At the same time, Keys residents are increasingly concerned about environmental, workforce housing and quality of life issues. Gastesi, though, has left the door open to return to county work, even as a volunteer first. It’s all about timing and state retirement rules, he told Keys Weekly. State law prohibits Gastesi from being employed with Monroe County during the first six months after his retirement date. But he said he’s interested in volunteering during that period and could be rehired later. The BOCC will discuss his options at their Feb. 21 meeting in Key West. The county administrator carries out the day-to-day operations of the BOCC and oversees 26 county departments. At its Feb. 21 meeting in Key West, the BOCC will consider a resolution appointing another

County Administrator Roman Gastesi. CONTRIBUTED

Keys government veteran, Assistant County Administrator Kevin Wilson, to serve as the acting county administrator. Wilson has been with Monroe County since July 2006. Gastesi, who lives in Islamorada, has no plans to leave the community, county spokeswoman Kristen Livengood said in a statement. He does plan to travel this summer, including a trip to Brazil to run a marathon. “I have nothing but respect and friendship for Roman,” Raschein said. “He puts our community first and his passion and commitment to the Keys is second to none.” Gastesi, known as affable and accessible in his role as county administrator, started working for the county in May 2008. “Through Gastesi’s leadership, the county has abolished FEMA’s downstairs insurance inspection program, purchased Rowell’s Waterfront Park in Key Largo, rehabilitated the portion of the Old 7 Mile Bridge connecting Marathon to Pigeon Key, and created the centralized sewer system,” Livengood said. Gastesi also helped establish a canal restoration program, started a sea-level rise adaptation program and implemented a legislative affairs program that has brought in hundreds of millions of dollars to the Keys. He worked to finance major capital projects without tapping local tax money, such as the Key West International Airport expansion and the new emergency operations center in Marathon.

Burned popcorn and thick smoke set off sprinklers at the Tropic Cinema on Feb. 10. The theater closed to dry out for a few days, but is now reopen. CONTRIBUTED

GWEN FILOSA gwen@keysweekly.com

he beloved Tropic Cinema was forced to close temporarily after a burned popcorn mishap last weekend set off the sprinkler system above the concession stand. On Feb. 10, around 6:26 p.m., the popcorn machine inside the Tropic, 416 Eaton St., started to churn out smoke and then enough heat to bring on the sprinklers. At least 100 people who had gathered for the Tropic’s big Olivia de Havilland retrospective in the main theater had to evacuate, one of the nonprofit’s board members said. A smaller group that had booked another theater in the building for a private screening of a Will Ferrell movie also had to immediately leave the premises. No injuries were reported and there was no actual fire, Key West police said. “It was just that the popcorn had sat on the bottom too long,” the Tropic’s executive director Carla Turner told Keys Weekly. “The only thing on fire was a couple of kernels.” But the nonprofit theater was left with a mess from the popcorn drama.

The sprinklers flooded the concession stand and lobby floor. Plumbers were called in the night of the unexpected indoor shower. While the popcorn incident might sound like a scene from a screwball comedy, it was no joke for the Tropic’s staff, board members and visitors anticipating the special look at de Havilland, the screen legend from Hollywood’s “Golden Age,” whose career included roles in “Gone With the Wind,” “Hold Back the Dawn,” “The Adventures of Robin Hood,” “The Snake Pit” and “The Strawberry Blonde.” De Havilland died at age 104 in July 2020, having appeared in 49 films and won two Oscars for her star turns in “To Each His Own” and “The Heiress.” But like many Hollywood stories, the Tropic’s popcorn misadventure has a happy ending. The Tropic was set to reopen Wednesday, Feb. 14, just four days after the sprinkler soaking. The de Havilland movies that were set to play during the retrospective have been rescheduled. The fire department and an electrician inspected the theater and checked out the popcorn machine before the Tropic reopened, just to be sure, Turner said. “It was definitely just popcorn,” she said.

KEY WEST WEEKLY / FEBRUARY 15, 2024

‘I STILL CAN’T BELIEVE YOU’RE GONE’ Prosecutor says March trial date won’t happen

ABC Sale — Attics, Boats & Closets — set for Feb. 24

GWEN FILOSA gwen@keysweekly.com

year ago this week, the small Key West community was shocked by a rare instance of gun violence. A single shot fired left one family grieving and another fighting a first-degree murder case. Garrett Hughes died at Lower Keys Medical Center in the earlymorning hours of Feb. 13, 2023, after being shot in the abdomen outside the now-closed Conch Town Liquor & Lounge, 3340 N. Roosevelt Boulevard hours after the Kansas City Chiefs had defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in last year’s Super Bowl. He was 21, and by all accounts, intoxicated, but minding his own business in the parking lot behind the bar when another local — the man whose family owns the building that housed Conch Town — approached him while he was urinating outside. Hughes was a standout athlete who later coached young kids in football and lacrosse, and part of a new generation of Conchs earning a living on the water by fishing. Everyone seemed to know his family. He is survived by his parents, Lesley Touzalin, and John Hughes and his wife Tiffany. “A year later, and I still can’t believe you’re gone,” John Hughes, the Key West High School football coach, posted on Facebook on Feb. 13, the one-year anniversary of his son’s death. “The holidays, birthdays and the major life events you missed this year hurt like hell,” John Hughes wrote. “But it is the everyday moments where your loss is felt the most! Simply put, I miss my boy!! I love you Garrett, always have and always will.” As always, Key West has stepped up and rallied behind Hughes’s family. Local rapper Mike Stack, a friend of Garrett’s, organized a benefit concert on April 8, 2023, that raised more than $50,000 to start a scholarship fund to honor the 21-year-old. More than 2,000 people attended the concert. Stack and a host of musicians performed. When Stack launched into his “I’m From Key West” island anthem, people crowded to the stage to dance and cheer him on.

ST. PAUL’S EVENT HELPS HAITIAN COMMUNITY

Garrett Hughes. CONTRIBUTED

Stack performed against a backdrop of a giant poster of Garrett Hughes smiling down. He led the crowd into shouting out Garrett’s name in tribute. After the show, Stack said he could feel his friend’s hand on his shoulder the entire time. Shooter fighting the charges Meanwhile, Lloyd Preston Brewer III, 58, from the moment he dialed 911 as Hughes lay shot in the parking lot, admitted he had shot the young man. But his defense is that he felt threatened. Charged with first-degree murder, Brewer remains locked up at the county jail on Stock Island without bond. The latest trial date on the docket, March 18, won’t happen, according to Joe Mansfield, chief assistant state attorney. Depositions of witnesses are ongoing and a motion from Brewer’s defense team to force Judge Mark Wilson off the case remains on appeal, after Wilson denied it. “There’s just more work to be done,” Mansfield told Keys Weekly. “It’s not going to go to trial until later in the year.” Hughes was unarmed and shirtless when he was shot while urinating on the wall of the next-door building after Super Bowl Sunday. In security camera footage, he stands alone facing the wall between two cars. The video shows Brewer walking across the parking lot toward Hughes, interrupting him and then firing a gun. Prosecutors say Brewer carried a concealed weapon into the bar that night and also pointed the gun at one of Hughes’ brothers. Brewer’s next hearing is set for Tuesday, March 5 at the Freeman Justice Center, 302 Fleming St., Key West.

Proceeds from St. Paul’s Church ABC Sale benefit the South Florida Haiti Project and the rural community of Bondeau, Haiti. CONTRIBUTE

A school in Bondeau, Haiti is the recipient of donations from the South Florida Haiti Project. CONTRIBUTED

t. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 401 Duval St., will hold its annual Attics, Boats and Closets sale on Saturday, Feb. 24 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the church. The sale is an opportunity for shoppers to find bargains and spring cleaners to pass along unneeded, unused or gently used items. A church parishioner has offered to match the proceeds of the 2024 ABC Sale up to $10,000, meaning that sale proceeds and any other donations received will yield up to $20,000. Funds raised will benefit the South Florida Haiti Project, which since 2003 has provided development assistance to Bondeau, a small community of 2,500 in rural southwest Haiti. The project focuses on Bondeau’s transformative work in

education, community development, health and sustainability. More information is at southfloridahaitiproject.org Those who wish to help may donate items for sale — home goods, jewelry, books, linens, puzzles, art and boat accessories. The sale will not accept electronics, toys, large furniture or clothes. Drop off donations at the parish hall at the Bahama Street entrance on Wednesdays and Saturdays between 10 a.m. and noon and Feb. 1921 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Volunteers will be available to help unload. Please bring cash for the sale. More information is at stpaulskeywest.org/abc-sale/. For questions, email info@ stpaulskeywest.org. — Contributed

KEY WEST WEEKLY / FEBRUARY 15, 2024

Hanna Koch to launch Keyswide program with state funding

he Monroe County Board of County Commissioners welcomes Hanna Koch as the new Monroe County artificial reefs director. She comes to the post from the Elizabeth Moore International Center for Coral Reef Research and Restoration at Mote Marine Laboratory in Summerland Key. She will start the position on April 1. Koch is leaving her current position as a staff scientist and program manager for the coral reproduction research program to develop the new department that will oversee the creation of an artificial reef program. She holds a doctorate in natural sciences, a master’s in biology, and a bachelor’s in marine science. “Her background in scuba diving, reef reproduction and restoration, grant writing, local stakeholder connections, and teaching appear to be the perfect match of what we are looking for in this new position,” said Monroe County Administrator Roman Gastesi. “Her passion and understanding of our ecologically sensitive marine environment will benefit our residents and visitors who enjoy our waters now and in the future.” Fifty-four people applied for the new position. Koch will have the key responsibilities to develop the framework for the future of the artificial reef program, establish goals and objectives, coordinate the needs of the community, handle public inquiries regarding the program, find sites, monitor grant agreements, and oversee the creation, permitting, maintenance, and monitoring of the sites and any staffing that may be needed, among many other things. In August 2023, Monroe County was awarded $10 million from the state to start an artificial reef program in the Florida Keys. Artificial reefs can help take pressure off of local natural reefs. “This is just the beginning, but we hope to set up a network of habitats from shallow to deep water that will support

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KEY WEST WEEKLY / FEBRUARY 15, 2024

Undaunted by an opponent of a higher rank, Marathon teen Autumn Wolfe secured a victory at her Fight 2 Win showdown in Miami last month. CONTRIBUTED

JIU-JITSU CHAMP DOES IT AGAIN Marathon teen Autumn Wolfe pulls off upset at Fight 2 Win Miami JEN ALEXANDER www.keysweekly.com

arathon teen Autumn Wolfe has done it yet again, setting a new standard of excellence for youth Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) fighters around the world. On Jan. 13, the national title holder pulled off an upset over Khloe Cook at Miami’s Fight 2 Win (F2W) event at La Scala Theater. Described as the “biggest party in grappling,” Fight 2 Win is the original live BJJ event of its kind, hosting fights across the United States that focus on highlighting top local grapplers and creating an experience closer to a Las Vegas boxing match than a traditional BJJ tournament. The January event was Wolfe’s second fight of this nature, with the first win coming in 2021. “On behalf of Fight 2 Win and Flograppling, I’m telling you that I’ve been all over the country and all over the world and I do not know if I’ve seen greater jiu-jitsu by teams and children than I have seen in Miami,” said tournament commentator Dave Bever. “They are the best in the world.” Grappling is a broad term encompassing various wrestling disciplines whose primary objective is to secure victory by compelling the opponent to submit through techniques such as joint locks and chokeholds, rather than employing strikes. The essence of grappling lies in seizing and controlling the opponent's body, particularly emphasizing techniques executed on the ground. While there are numerous styles falling under the grappling umbrella, two of the most prominent ones are no gi Brazilian jiu-jitsu, which omits the traditional gi attire (a kimono), and luta livre, a distinct discipline derived from wrestling. Other grappling styles include catch wrestling and submission wrestling, each characterized by its unique fighting approach, rules and repertoire of holds. Despite their similarities, these disciplines have their own distinct fighting techniques, regula-

Wolfe's victory as a yellow belt over Cook, who held the higher rank of an orange belt, was highly unexpected due to the latter's greater experience and training.

tions and cultural backgrounds. Overall, grappling disciplines provide effective methods for self-defense, sport competition and physical fitness, with practitioners often developing a high level of technical skill, strategic thinking and physical conditioning. Wolfe's victory as a yellow belt over Cook, who held the higher rank of an orange belt, was highly unexpected due to the latter's greater experience and training. The win showcased Wolfe's skill and determination, defying the odds and highlighting her potential in the realm of martial arts. It’s a fitting followup for the teen who last July captured the gold medal for her division at the Pan Kids Jiu-Jitsu Tournament IBJJF Championships. “I’m very excited for another win at Fight 2 Win and to represent the Keys,” Wolfe told the Weekly. “I’ve been working super hard and it’s paid off. Thank you to my coaches Justin Brunet and Yeison Perez, and thank you to the Lord Jesus Christ – without him this wouldn’t be possible.” When asked about his star athlete, coach Justin Brunet of the Big Pine Key-based Keys Fitness and Jiu Jitsu was all smiles. “This kid never stops amazing me. Autumn fought in the first Fight 2 Win (on) an all-women's card in Miami. And last night she had another war on the first all-kids card in Miami,” Brunet said. “She executed her game plan flawlessly. Her plan for the past two weeks was to play guard, sweep, mass mount and get her Ezekiel choke that she loves so much. To see this manifest is surreal. However, this is no surprise. Autumn as well as the rest of the kids in class work very hard (on) every technique she did last night.”

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KEY WEST WEEKLY / FEBRUARY 15, 2024 MANDY MILES mandy@keysweekly.com

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Lauren McAloon’s ‘Vessel Series: I’mmigration’ shows March 7-28 at The Studios

rtist Lauren McAloon’s compositions manage to celebrate our similarities while critiquing contemporary politics and policies. One of the most respected artists in Key West, McAloon’s solo exhibit, “Vessel Series: I’mmigration,” will show March 7-28 at The Studios of Key West, where McAloon worked for 16 years as facilities director, installing hundreds of exhibits. She retired last year to focus on her own work and moved to a larger studio on Stock Island. The results speak for themselves. The longtime sculptor is known for her exquisitely balanced compositions using found materials, wood, metal and ceramics, states The Studios’ website. “Her abstracted shapes of boats are a recurring theme, evoking both the near universality of immigration stories in all of our backgrounds and a scorching critique of the historic and contemporary politics” that have prompted dangerous ocean crossings in desperate pursuit of a different life. The following is excerpted from Mark Hedden’s November 2022 profile of Lauren McAloon in Keys Weekly’s Home & Garden magazine. ARTIST LAUREN MCALOON — THROUGH SPACE & TIME Lauren McAloon’s studio is a proper, busy artist’s space, stuffed with spools of wire, wooden hoops, pipe organ pedals, royal palm fronds, washed up pieces of coral, iron bed frames, ladders, colored glass balls, tree stumps, cigar boxes, barbed wire, string, fan chain pulls, scrap wood, a lone pink ballet slipper, still in its wrapping. What doesn’t fit on a shelf or table gets hung on the wall. There are typically eight or 10 works in progress. Boats and their parts have long been the predominant theme in McAloon’s work. Often her pieces will be a single vessel, usually elongated and narrow, usually combined with sheafs or loops of wire suspending the boats’ hulls over an invisible sea. Her work tends to look simultaneously modern, ancient and timeless.

3 1. Sculptor Lauren McAloon’s work will show at The Studios of Key West March 7-28. 2. Boats and their shapely lines are a recurring theme in McAloon’s work. 3. McAloon’s vessel creations explore the commonalities of immigration. NICK DOLL/Nick Doll Photography

“I find the shape really sexy. Boat shapes, especially working boats, have references to travel and voyages and history. A lot of my work has a historical base to it. Immigration and migration — by choice or not — really pulls at me.” “For me, it’s important that my pieces are visually strong. But there’s also layers and layers of meaning — to me — to most of the pieces,” said McAloon. “I was actually having a drink at a bar in town, and a bunch of people were talking about migrants and stuff like that. A guy started asking me, ‘What’s with the boats, Lauren?’ And I said, ‘OK, everyone here, how did your family get to the U.S.? And it was, well my uncle came – or my great grandfather came – on a boat from Italy. By boat from Poland. By boat from… by boat from… by boat from…” Unless you’re an American Indian or you and/or your family migrated more recently, your people most likely came by boat, McAloon noted. “A lot of people, their history is rooted in someone making a decision to step onto – or being forced to step onto – a boat. To me that’s such a common thread. It’s amazing. Amazing,” she said. McAloon and her late husband Brendan arrived in Key West by car on Christmas Eve in 1990, she thinks. It could have been 1991. The plan was to work in Key West for a few months to earn enough money to head south to the islands. They made it to Full Moon Saloon that first night, spent a week at the hostel for $13 a night, then spent 30 years in the apartment they rented after that first week. (Brendan passed away in 2016.) She ended up running the fish department at the former Waterfront Market for 13 years, a job, she said, that actually prepared her for work at The Studios of Key West. “You had to really display things well for people to see, but it also had to do with texture and color,” McAloon said. “It was the same as putting up exhibitions. You get 120 pieces by 120 different artists, and you want to make it so things relate to each other, whether it’s color or subject matter.” The piece that changed her trajectory was a weathervane — the silhouette of a dancing woman trailed by stars — that she’d created while taking a welding class at Florida Keys Community College (now the College of the Florida Keys). It ended up in Sculpture Key West, an outdoor art show that used to fill Fort Zachary Taylor with sculptures for a few weeks a year. McAloon became one of the stalwarts of the then-annual event. A few years later, her Sculpture Key West installation, “Threshold,” included 48 aeolian flutes – one for each year (at the time) of the United States’ Cuban embargo. There were also a series of steel and iron rudders, salvaged from Cuban chugs, rising up out of the water onto the beach. It’s a work that people who saw it at the time still think about. LAUREN MCALOON’S ‘VESSEL SERIES: I’MMIGRATION’ March 7-28 at The Studios of Key West. A Gallery Talk by McAloon will take place Friday, March 15 at 5 p.m.

KEY WEST WEEKLY / FEBRUARY 15, 2024

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he Keys Weekly family loves animals as much as our friends at the Florida Keys SPCA do, and we’re honored each week to showcase some “furever” friends that are ready, waiting and available for adoption at the organization’s Key West campus. From cats and dogs to Guinea

pigs, hamsters, rabbits, reptiles and birds, the perfect addition to your family is waiting for you. The SPCA’s knowledgeable staff will help with advice and care tips while working to ensure a good fit between each pet and its people. The SPCA’s Golden Paw program also provides special assistance with vet bills and medications for special-needs and older animals that require a little extra TLC. Check these pages each week for just a few of the animals waiting for a home and see them all at fkspca.org.

The Feb. 9 cleanup is another record-breaker for Keep Key West Beautiful and Plogging the Keys. Sixty-five volunteers met at the corner of U.S. 1 and College Road and in one hour collected a record 859 pounds of trash, 29 pounds of recycling and 4.5 gallons of cigarette butts. Special thanks to the Key West Tropical Forest and Botanical Garden, which hosted the event. CONTRIBUTED

ne hour a week makes a huge difference, and volunteers are welcome every Friday and some Saturday mornings, from 8 to 9 a.m., when the Key West Ploggers clean up a designated area of the island. Gloves, pickers, buckets, vests, hand sanitizer and a parking pass are provided to all volunteers. A troubling number of cigarette butts and plastic bags have been included in recent hauls. Please remember your reusable bags when shopping so we can keep the plastic off the streets, parking lots and, most importantly, out of the water. And dispose of cigarette butts in any receptacle rather than the street or sidewalk, as from there, they easily end up in the ocean. The city of Key West and its residents ask everyone to do their part to help keep Key West beautiful. With simple steps like making sure you bag your trash before putting it in your Waste Management trash cans or Dumpsters, and making sure the lids on Dumpsters are closed, will keep a lot of trash from blowing into the streets. Call Waste Management at 305-296-8297 for any furniture items left on the city right of way. Please pick up around your home or apartment complex. Every piece of trash picked up is one less that may end up in the ocean that surrounds and sustains our island community. It is not just the large items you can see easily when you

This is Sammy. He’s a 14-year-old cat who’s looking for his forever lap to curl up and sleep on. Volunteers weigh their haul of trash and recycling at the Feb. 9 cleanup along College Road.

are walking, but the smaller items such as bottle caps and cigarette butts that are collected by the volunteers that make the biggest difference. It takes committed community involvement to keep Key West beautiful and we are making progress with every cleanup event and every spot that’s adopted. Call Dorian Patton at 305-809-3782 to find out how your business, nonprofit or club can help. — Contributed Join a 1-hour Friday morning cleanup from 8 to 9 a.m. Feb. 16: North Roosevelt at Dredgers Key | Meet in the Overseas Market parking lot closest to Denny’s Feb. 23: Northside Drive and 14th Street | Meet in the city parking lot by the baseball fields and next to Wells Fargo Bank on Northside Drive.

Meet Kyara, a beautiful 3-year-old husky who enjoys playing fetch and chewing her favorite toys.

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This week brings with it a CHRIS lot of planetary McNULTY action, but the is an astrologer, main event is wanderer, barthe cosmic lovtender and ers, Mars and advocate for queer justice. He Venus, meetis a loquacious ing up with the Gemini with a Lord of Darkcozy Cancer rising. Find him at ness, Pluto. hearthandherald- The planet that astrology.com oversees primal instincts, unconscious compulsions and shadowy transformations recently moved into the sign of Aquarius. He is sitting right at the threshold of this fixed air sign, welcoming guests into the temple of humanitarianism and forward-thinking with his own Vincent Price-esque greetings. Mars crossed into Aquarius from Capricorn on Tuesday, and Venus will follow in Mars’s footsteps on Friday. Mars the go-getter and Venus the come-hitherer represent star-crossed romance and sensual commingling when they come together in the sky, which they will do next week. However, before they are able to partake in their yearly conjugal visit, they must first greet the underworld master, Pluto. So what can we expect this week? We will be facing the psychological complexities that emerge in our relationships, unearthing our passions and temptations, and weaving deep plans that require dancing and flirting. So put on Meatloaf’s “Bat out of Hell” and get ready for the shrouded revelry. Here are your horoscopes for Mars and Venus conjoining Pluto. Read for your rising and sun signs. AQUARIUS Jan. 20 - Feb. 18 What part of yourself are you afraid of letting out? We are all victims and perpetrators of the cultural conditions that we adhere to, and yet we are also the ones who can break the mold. You are holding something back that is screaming to be released. Are you a nerd with a sexy

minx hiding behind your eyes? Are you an artist that has something deep and dark to say? Let the push and pull of your muse release you from your cocoon. PISCES Feb. 19 - March 20 There are some things that are simply out of our control, no matter how much we try to mold them to our liking. Surrendering to the immense power of the impersonal forces of evolution can be scary at times, but right now you are being asked to fall deeply in love with that process. Let go, and have a conversation with that part of yourself that is trying to hold on. Tango with the forces of fate. ARIES March 21 - April 19 Have you ever been in a shoulderto-shoulder crowd moving in one direction and you simply have no choice but to move with them or get crushed by the momentum? Meditate on that and how it is affecting your life now. How are friends and supporters carrying you toward your goals, perhaps even in invisible ways? Dance with the crowd. TAURUS April 20 - May 20 We tend to consider our work in the world to be a career that brings home a paycheck. And yet, there is always a deeper impact being made, for good or for bad. Ideally, the ripples and waves that emerge from our work are positive and beneficial to people and the planet. Get so caught up in your work – flirt with it – and trust that your impact will transform the world in positive ways. GEMINI May 21 - June 21 Are you having that feeling like a great wide somewhere is calling out to you? Don’t ignore it. A deep, transformative journey is being sparked right now, and there is a

graceful entry point being offered. Follow your raw instincts into lands unseen and ideas unthought. Oh, how your world and your vantage point will change when you become a devotee to your ever-changing context. CANCER June 22 - July 22 If you have been investing your time, energy or money into a project, now is the time for the return to rapidly emerge from the depths. Expect for there to be an abrupt synergy in how your investment return comes to you. If you have not been investing, it is the perfect time to commit to a long game as the conditions are ripe for profitability and impact. Dig into a commitment bigger than yourself. LEO July 23 - Aug. 22 Something that has been bubbling between you and a partner in your life is ready to come to the surface. Depending upon your tact, this can come as a volcanic eruption or as a choreographed ballroom dance. If the more delicate route is your goal, treat the eventual release of this buildup as if you are flirting with your counterpart – and let the truth out bit by bit. VIRGO Aug. 23 - Sept. 22 Practice, practice, practice. The only way for the new routines that you are building into your life to become a part of your daily dance is to practice like you would a ballet. You are being offered a powerful entry point into a new ordering of your life right now, and the best way in is to find a rhythm and find your footing. LIBRA Sept. 23 - Oct. 23 Explosions and wildfires cause massive destruction, and yet the aftermath can lead to entirely new, fertile beginnings for the ecosystem in that area. You have a creative

DANCING IN THE DARK

eruption available to you that will change your life in a similar way. If you have an artistic or creative project that needs to be let out, be prepared for it to radically alter your landscape. SCORPIO Oct. 24 - Nov. 21 You may have been feeling a pressure building at home or with members of your family, and that pressure is ready to be released. Will you let the steam out slowly and methodically, or will you let it explode all at once? Perhaps there is a melody hiding in the release of the pressure and a dance is available to the parties involved. SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22 - Dec. 21 Even in the most peaceful and perfect neighborhoods there are secrets hiding beneath the manicured lawns and behind the closed doors, just waiting to turn over the apple cart. Your community has a major upheaval coming up, and you can probably see the writing on the wall. How will you bring grace to your friends and neighbors during this time? CAPRICORN Dec. 22 - Jan. 19 A nuclear-level shift in your value system is underfoot, Capricorn. This shift is akin to a religious conversion. There may be a singular moment that opens your eyes to a new metaphysical reality, or an incremental change may have been taking place beneath the surface for a long time. Either way, accept the transformation and emerge as a butterfly.

KEY WEST WEEKLY / FEBRUARY 15, 2024 Two young mourning doves on a wire, demanding to be fed by their parent. MARK HEDDEN/Keys Weekly

e ran into our friend Pat Kennedy the other day while waiting for a table at the Hogfish. And because we were all just sitting there, passing the time, she asked me a couple of questions about birds, MARK one of which was something HEDDEN along the lines of, why do some birds seem to have a ... is a photographer, writer, and fondness for certain power semi-professional lines? birdwatcher. He It’s a complicated queshas lived in Key tion, and I gave her some West for more kind of answer, though I than 25 years and may no longer can’t remember exactly what be employable in it was. I know it was probthe real world. He ably too short and likely is also executive lacked detail because it was director of the Florida Keys Audu- right then that they called bon Society. our table. (This is not the time of year you want to risk losing a table in a busy restaurant.) But I’ve been thinking about the question over the last few days, so I figured I might try to answer it properly. For one thing, for better or worse, power lines are part of the landscape now. Arguably they are habitat. I’m pretty sure 20 minutes after the first telegraph line was strung between two poles, a bird came in and landed on it. Most likely a pigeon or a dove. (For brevity, I’m going to use the term power line to encompass anything that stretches between utility poles – phone lines, electrical lines, data lines, etc.) Birds are not purists. They will perch on nearly anything that doesn’t move – church steeples, rooflines, fence tops, parked cars, statues. I was going to say that almost any species will land on a wire, but then I thought about ducks. You never see ducks standing on power lines. Or any web-footed species for that matter. My favorites are white ibis, who have no real cause to stand on a wire, and are not very good at it, but will do it occasionally, wobbling like a tight-rope walker just before a tragedy. Power lines are ubiquitous in the modern landscape. And they are generally safe for birds, unless they manage to somehow become the physical link that closes the circuit between the power line and the ground. It does happen on occasion, electrocuting the bird and knocking out the power for an indeterminate amount of time, as it did when Tom McGuane was speaking during the Key West Film Festival this year. Generally this happens to larger birds that can stand at the edge of a wire and have a wing that can span the distance of an insulator and make contact with the pole. Ospreys, turkey vultures, eagles. The most general advantage of a perch like a power line is its height, reducing the threat from terrestrial predators – cats, raccoons, snakes. It also gives them more options for fleeing if an airborne predator, such as a hawk or falcon, comes after them. You generally see

BIRDS ON WIRES

all the birds facing the same direction – into the wind. It makes it easier to land and requires less energy to get airborne. Pigeons and doves are the most commonly seen on wires. In Key West and the more urbanized areas of the Keys, these are mostly mourning doves and Eurasian collared-doves. Sometimes they congregate in random areas. Sometimes they can be seen congregating in the same areas over repeated days, which usually means someone nearby is feeding them. Flocking behavior has a few purposes. For one, birds can share information, such as the fact that one of them just spotted a feeder being filled. It is also a defense mechanism. A lone bird has a higher chance of getting caught by a predator. Groups often confuse predators by either scattering or flying around together in some orchestrated chaos. There’s also the fact that if you are in a group, and a predator is going to catch someone, there is a solid chance it won’t be you. Mourning doves and Eurasian collareddoves will also occasionally play out their romances on wires, the males bowing and cooing as they approach, the females hopping away when they get near, until they eventually decide to fly off, or decide, heck, why not, and mate. You can also occasionally see young doves harassing their parents, who are sitting on the wire just to get a little peace and quiet. You do see white-crowned pigeons up on the wires, but they tend to be in smaller familial groups instead of flocks. In developed areas northern mockingbirds are often on wires, partly because it is the highest space around, but also because it allows their voice to carry farther when they are singing their fool heads off during mating season. Unlike other birds, they will face any which way, depending on where they are trying to project, or what they are trying to watch. In the summer, gray kingbirds are regularly perched on wires, giving out their throaty whistle at regular, short intervals to attract a

mate and mark their territory. Gray kingbirds are tyrant flycatchers, the tyrant part describing their demeanor, the flycatcher part describing how they feed. Besides the mating and singing, they also make sorties out into the open air to nab flying insects and gulp them down. Neither American kestrels nor broadwinged hawks breed here, but they do winter here and are also seen on wires. Both species are perch hunters, though, and their motivations are different. They will sometimes perch for long periods without moving, waiting for something – a warbler or a mouse or a cardinal – to wander beneath them, so they can fall down upon them to attack. If you drive up (or down) the Keys you might notice a lot of birds on the wires that run parallel to the bridges. In the winter, one of the more common birds you will see, always alone, are belted kingfishers. They hang there for the same reason the broad-wings and the kestrels do – to hunt. But unlike the other two, kingfishers are splash feeders, diving down to feed on fish. They may not dive directly from the wire – usually they will fly out and hover for a few seconds – but from a wire they can monitor what’s going on in the water down below without expending much energy. They can also rest a bit while digesting. You also see a lot of double-crested cormorants on the wires – an exception to my previously stated webbed-foot rule – but they are just usually trying to get out of the water for a while. The only things that rival cormorants for their numbers on the wires next to bridges are the flocks of rock pigeons. They are together because, like the mourning doves and Eurasian collared-doves, they tend to be colonial birds. They are next to the bridges because they nest underneath them. There are probably more things to say about birds on wires in the Keys, but damn, they just called our table. Gotta go.

KEY WEST WEEKLY / FEBRUARY 15, 2024

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A NEW HOME FOR THE CLEANUP CREW Isla Bella Beach Resort partners with Conch Republic Marine Army to pair community with conservation

“M

aking dirty friends in trashy places” is the motto that drives the Conch Republic Marine Army (CRMA), a nonprofit organization aimed at cleanup and restoration of the Florida Keys marine habitats. It's clear that CRMA is passionate about its mission and isn't afraid to tackle even the messiest of challenges to protect the precious marine ecosystems of the Keys. So far, with more than 4,500 volunteers helping on coastal excursions, CRMA has been able to remove 227 tons of debris from the shorelines surrounding the islands. For the last five years, groups of eight to 10 volunteers commit to the sometimes muddy and stinky experiences on a Carolina skiff to clear debris washed up on remote, uninhabited islands in the Lower Keys. Captain Brian Vest, CRMA’s founder and president, has a passion for cleaning up the Keys. After moving to the islands in 2017 and experiencing the wrath of hurricane Irma, Vest created an army of people who came together to restore what Irma took away and to make everyone’s lives better. “This is a lifestyle choice and a calling,” said Vest. “Every day we consider what we can do to make a difference. It’s too easy to look the other way, but I'm on a mission. All the critters of the ocean, birds and mammals call that habitat home. It's our job to give it back to them. We do not back down, nor do we quit. When we see neighbors who need assistance, we help. Unconditionally. When we see a need, we volunteer.” And so the “marine army” was created. Vest and his band of volunteers have led private groups made up of restaurant and bar staff, real estate firms, national youth organizations and resort members on cleanup trips around the islands. Vest’s next mission is to partner with Marathon’s Isla Bella Beach Resort and its staff to bring CRMA’s cleanup efforts to visitors and tourists alike. On Feb. 7, the new 33-foot K3 Henrikson skiff, equipped with a brand new Yamaha engine and fully outfitted for Middle Keys cleanup runs, was christened in front of community members and officials from throughout Marathon and Monroe County at the Knight’s Key resort. In addition to donating a portion of its drink sales and an additional $20,000 contribution last year, the newest addition to CRMA’s fleet was made possible by another whopping $85,000 donation from Isla Bella. The vessel will serve multiple purposes, such as supporting marine research, facilitating clean-up initiatives, or aiding in the monitoring and protection of local ecosystems. There are also future plans to accommodate student groups and collaboration efforts with local schools and Marathon residents eager to join and make a difference. The collaboration between Isla Bella Beach Resort and CRMA demonstrates a strong commitment to both environmental conservation and com-

munity support by showcasing a dedication to sustainability and preservation of the Florida Keys' natural beauty. The investment in the K3 skiff further solidifies Isla Bella's role as a key partner in ongoing conservation efforts. "My goal is to empower CRMA to sustain its crucial work by establishing a post in the marina at Isla Bella while creating meaningful Top: Marathon and Monroe County experiences for our hotel guests,” officials, together with the staff of Isla said Isla Bella general manager Bella, CRMA and the Marathon Chamber Justin Nels. of Commerce, prepare to cut the ribbon In a region as vulnerable to and officially christen CRMA’s new 33-foot environmental threats as the Keys, cleanup vessel. individuals like Nels play a crucial Above: Conch Republic Marine Army volrole in raising awareness, mobilizunteers gather with founder and president ing communities and implementBrian Vest to christen the army’s newest ading practical solutions. dition to its fleet at Isla Bella. ALEX RICKERT/ “Isla Bella’s collaboration with Keys Weekly CRMA reflects a shared vision for a sustainable future where community involvement and environmental conservation go hand in hand,” the resort stated in a press release. Guests and visitors to the resort are welcome to join in on the complimentary excursions, learning about marine life such as turtles, stingrays, manatees and endangered birds as they travel into mangrove ecosystems to remove trash. This education reinforces the connections between human actions and the health of these ecosystems. Each adventure then continues to a sandbar, where guests have the chance to rinse off and delve deeper into the rich history and biodiversity of the Florida Keys. Upon return, the trash collected on each trip is weighed and documented to add to CRMA’s totals. Operating twice per week on Wednesdays and Saturdays, with two sessions available from 9:30 a.m. to noon and 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m., the boat provides flexibility for guests to engage in hands-on conservation work during their stay at the resort. By booking a spot on the cleanup vessel, guests have the unique opportunity to directly assist staff members in removing debris from the surrounding waters, actively contributing to the preservation of the delicate marine ecosystem. "Partnering with Isla Bella is a fantastic opportunity for CRMA," said Vest. “Their support connects us to a wider audience in Marathon and beyond. After Hurricane Irma we've worked tirelessly to remove trash from the Florida Keys, and Isla Bella's collaboration allows us to expand our reach and continue cleaning and preserving our fragile ecosystems." For more information about CRMA and Isla Bella Beach Resort, visit conchrepublicmarinearmy.org and islabellabeachresort.com.

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RUN WITH KEY DEER

5k supports local wildlife

BY WOMEN, ABOUT WOMEN, FOR EVERYONE

Key West NOW presents Women’s Film Fest — 4 Wednesdays in March

A Key deer eyes her surroundings on Big Pine Key. ANDY NEWMAN/Florida Keys News Bureau

JIM McCARTHY jim@keysweekly.com

hances of spotting petite, cute Key deer are high as runners and walkers prepare to trek the picturesque National Key Deer Refuge on Saturday, Feb. 17. Now in its eighth year, the Run with Deer on Big Pine Key is organized by the Florida Keys Wildlife Society, the official friends group for the Keys National Wildlife Refuges, in conjunction with the Southernmost Runners Club. Annually, the 5k run and walk welcomes roughly 250 participants to the Lower Keys, with proceeds supporting programming, projects, cleanups and other initiatives. “We do things for the refuge like purchase webcams and install an electrical system for resident campers who work at the refuge,” said Kathy Rhodes, board chair for the Wildlife Society. Stretching 100 miles, the Key Deer Refuge extends south and west from south Florida. It’s home to more than 20 endangered and threatened plant and animal species like Key deer. The official friends of the National Wildlife Refuges in the Florida Keys was founded in 1997 by 150 local citizens who

were concerned about funding and overall care for the Keys refuges. In 2017, the group celebrated its 20th anniversary and was renamed the Florida Keys Wildlife Society to better define its role and support of wildlife in the Keys. “It’s an all-volunteer organization, and we’re always looking for help to run the nature store and events like this 5k,” Rhodes said. Pre-registration will take place Friday, Feb. 16 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Refuge Nature Center on Big Pine Key. The race welcomes everyone under the age of 9 to those over 70 years old. Participants can also register on the day of the race on Saturday, Feb. 17 between 7 and 7:45 a.m. at Big Pine Community Park, 31009 Atlantis Dr. Runners and walkers will take off from the starting line at 8 a.m. Awards will be given to top male and female runners and walkers, as well as first- and second-place finishers in each age group. A new award will be given to a race participant with the best costume. Organizers encourage all runners and walkers to dress as a Key deer or other wildlife species. Visit runsignup.com/Race/ FL/BigPineKey/RunWithDeer5K for more information.

The Tropic Cinema will host Key West NOW’s Women’s Film Festival each Wednesday in March. KEYS WEEKLY FILE PHOTO

ark your calendars for four films, screening each Wednesday in March at the Tropic Cinema, to celebrate Women’s History Month. All showings begin at 6 p.m. • “I Will Follow” (March 6) is Ava DuVernay’s first film. Released in 2010, this compelling film inspects the age-old work of caretaking and returning to a changed world after the caretaking is done. Universal themes to people everywhere and in particular to a black woman in America in the 21st century, this film links February’s Black History Month and March’s Women’s History Month. • “A New Leaf,” (March 13) is comedienne Elaine May’s hilarious directorial debut in 1971. A broke playboy (Walter Matthau) seeks a rich wife that he can murder. May co-stars as the botanist heiress who fits the bill. • “One Sings, the Other Doesn’t,” (March 20) from French New Wave goddess Agnès Varda, follows two women as they navigate 14 years of ground-breaking change for women. Past years’ fes-

tival goers will remember Varda’s “The Beaches of Agnes” and “Chloe from 5 to 7” and appreciate a third glimpse into this pioneering director’s work. • “I Am A Noise” (March 27) documents Joan Baez’s decadeslong career as a musician and political activist. It’s an inside view of the energetic and thoughtful woman who became an icon of the ’60s folk music world and went on to found Amnesty International, which defends the rights of nonviolent political prisoners. The Key West Chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW) promotes women’s rights to reproductive health care, fairness in education and employment, freedom from violence, justice for LGBTQIA citizens and life without racism. The Tropic Cinema is an awarding-winning, non-profit theater presenting current and classic films of particular interest to the diverse Key West audience. Tickets are available online or at the door. — Contributed

KEY WEST WEEKLY / FEBRUARY 15, 2024

TEACHING THE TAX MEN Jose Wejebe Memorial Foundation gears up for first Spanish Fly Shark Tournament ALEX RICKERT alex@keysweekly.com

he Spanish Fly Shark Tournament, set for April 5-7, is putting the Keys’ apex predators on notice. Approaching 12 years since the loss of legendary fishing icon Jose Wejebe, his daughter Krissy, now the executive director for the Jose Wejebe Memorial Foundation (JWMF) in her father’s honor, knows a “most bull sharks wins” tournament is an interesting choice for the foundation’s first venture into the world of competitive fishing. “Since we started the foundation, everyone’s asked when we’re going to do a tournament,” Krissy told the Weekly. “But whatever we’ve done, we always try to do it 110%. My dad was never a big tournament fisherman … but he did design a made-for-TV shark tournament back in the ’90s and early 2000s called the Madfin.” Wishing to combine her father’s legacy with the JWMF’s mission in an event that avoids oversaturating the competitive market in one of the world’s fishing capitals, the younger Wejebe said her thought process repeatedly led her back to the Keys’ most controversial marine life.

Following NOAA guidelines and keeping a hooked shark’s gills in the water are two of the criteria for scoring points in the Spanish Fly Shark Tournament. CONTRIBUTED Known as the Keys’ most famous ‘tax man,’ bull sharks are the only target species for the inaugural Spanish Fly Shark Tournament. CONTRIBUTED

Debate among biologists, anglers, divers and conservation organizations about the best way to balance the abundance, importance, nuisance and threats of the headline-grabbing predators could fill this entire newspaper. But the undeniable impact of shark depredation (a fancy term for sharks making a convenient meal of already-hooked fish) on recreational and commercial fishermen alike is a hot topic from barstools to board rooms across the Keys and beyond, and one that has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years. Shark depredation has found its way to the ears of federal legislators, too – and on Feb. 5, the U.S. House passed the Supporting the Health of Aquatic Systems through Research, Knowledge and Enhanced Dialogue (SHARKED) Act. The act, which received unanimous House support, directs NOAA to create a task force to study the phenomenon and make appropriate recommendations, presumably leading to increased funding for shark research in the near future. “I started digging into the research aspect on shark stock assessments, specifically in the Florida Keys, and there’s not much out there other than old bycatch reports from long-liners in the past,” Krissy told the Weekly. Wejebe’s hope is that the Spanish Fly Shark Tournament can help play into a growing effort to learn more about the populations of numerous shark species throughout the island chain, several of which are highly migratory. Ultimately, she said, the goal is to use the 2024 tournament as a springboard for future partnerships with universities and other organizations tasked with tagging and assessing shark stocks throughout Florida and beyond. Unlike other shark tournaments that have made headlines in Florida for all the wrong reasons, Wejebe stressed that this strictly catch-and-release tour-

nament will NOT tolerate shark killing in any form. Although FWC regulations permit anglers to legally harvest one bull shark, the only targeted species, per person per day, killing any shark will result in immediate disqualification, and anglers are prohibited from removing the sharks from the water in any form. The tournament will follow NOAA guidelines for shark releases as well as other smaller considerations, including the exclusive use of circle hooks that will eventually fall out of a caught shark’s mouth. All competing captains or boat owners must obtain an Atlantic Highly Migratory Species permit with a shark endorsement from NOAA. The tournament has its eyes on a future place in the shark research puzzle. But as Krissy also admitted, it’s also a chance to make the Keys’ “tax men” think twice before robbing anglers. “Sharks aren’t these vicious creatures like everybody makes them out to be, but they’re going to go after what’s dead, dying or dumb,” Wejebe said. “If we do a different tournament where we can put a little pressure on them, maybe over a period of time we can start to condition them that biting a fish on the end of a line isn’t always a free meal – and we can make shark fishing fun again.” Proceeds from the tournament will go to benefit the foundation, which partners with organizations including Make a Wish, the Outdoor Dream Foundation, the VA Hospital of Miami and Wesley House among others in order to give those facing life-impacting challenges a chance to “leave reality at the dock and live in the moment on the water.” More information, including detailed tournament rules for the Keys-wide tournament, is at keywestsharktournament.com. Learn more about the Jose Wejebe Memorial Foundation at josewejebefoundation.org.

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MODES TO RID KEYS OF MOSQUITOES

Group forms in the 1920s with plans to combat blood-suckers

efore diving into this 20thcentury mosquito story, I need to backtrack. In last week’s 19thcentury mosquito FLORIDA story, I referred to yellow fever KEYS and malaria as HISTORY the same. As one WITH of my readers BRAD thankfully pointed BERTELLI out, I was wrong. Brad is a local According historian, author, to the Cleveland speaker and Clinic: “Yellow Honorary Conch who loves sharing fever is not the same disease as the history of the Florida Keys. malaria, but they have some things in common: They are both spread by mosquitoes. They both cause fever and other flu-like symptoms. They both can cause jaundice, severe sickness and even death. There are also significant differences between malaria and yellow fever, such as: Malaria is caused by a parasite, while yellow fever is caused by a virus. The types of mosquitoes that spread malaria are different from the mosquitoes that spread yellow fever. There is a vaccine to prevent yellow fever but no vaccine to prevent malaria.” In any case, mosquitoes have been a part of living in the Florida Keys since warm-blooded animals have inhabited the island chain. Early pioneers built their homes facing the Atlantic to reap the benefit of the ocean breezes that acted as both a cooling agent and a primitive means of pest control. Fires were burned because the smoke was a pest deterrent. Smudge pots produced thick clouds of dark smoke, which also helped keep the bugs away.

A Mosquito Control DC-3 spraying circa 1970. WRIGHT LANGLEY COLLECTION/ Florida Keys History Center

One natural deterrent to the mosquito population is a small, minnow-looking fish with a big belly called, appropriately enough, a mosquitofish. The local variety is Gambrusia rhizphorae, the mangrove mosquitofish. Mosquitoes can only reproduce where there is access to fresh water. Eggs are often laid after the female dines on a little warm blood. The eggs, referred to as rafts, are either laid in water or areas prone to collecting water after rain. Eggs can stay dormant for months and as long as a year, waiting for the next rain to create an adequate pool for them to hatch. When they do, and the larval form of the mosquito emerges, they are commonly referred to as wrigglers – the larvae spend their infancy wriggling their wormy bodies through the water. Because mosquitoes are attracted to fresh water, one technique used for pest control is to engage the mosquitofish as a biological operative. Mosquitofish are stocked in ponds and rain barrels near a home. When the pests deposit their eggs in the convenient source, the rafts hatch and the wrigglers emerge, to the delight of the mosquitofish. One adult mosquitofish can consume up to 100 wrigglers in a single day. These same practices are employed today. In the 1920s, an anti-mosquito movement was swelling in the Sunshine State. Announced in the April 9, 1926 edition of the Key West Citizen was a meeting of the Florida

Anti-Mosquito Association scheduled for May 5 and 6 in St. Augustine that “should be attended by people from every section of the state, for at this conference it is proposed to launch a highly important movement that will be state-wide in its scope.” The article added, “The aim of this association is the ultimate and complete annihilation of the mosquito from this great state of ours.” They were lofty goals. In 1936, one of the WPA programs in Key West was eradicating mosquitoes from the southernmost city. A June 25, 1936, story in the Key West Citizen described the efforts of “spraying crews” going around the island. At that stage of the game, one note stipulated that it was up to individuals and the community as a whole to eliminate those places where rainwater pooled and the little vampires bred — tin cups, old tires and the like. After all, as stated in the article, “A community continually at the mercy of those pests is considered more or less undesirable from the standpoint of comfort. It is unpopular and leads to depreciated property values.” By 1938, mosquito killing was a little more organized. James H. LeVan, the future head of the United States Public Health Service, traveled to Key West in December to meet with a team of five members of an anti-mosquito unit. In addition to combating the pests by spraying chemicals, the crew removed those little breeding pools created in tin cans and other impromptu reser-

voirs. The crew poked and sprayed around the island until April, when they returned to their home base in Miami. Heavy rains made headlines in the Feb. 24, 1939, edition of the Key West Citizen. “The recent rains in Key West are the cause of the appearance of millions of mosquito larvae (wiggletails) in the pools of water remaining.” The headline was subtitled, “Public Health Force Turns To Marsh Skeeters.” The fear in Key West was that while workers were in Key West oiling pools, spraying, and dumping over those little containers serving as little mosquito incubators, those same measures were not being taken on the other islands. The risk was real, as some species of mosquitoes can fly as far as 40 miles for the chance to sip a little warm blood. By 1940, advertisements for an anti-mosquito campaign began appearing in the local newspapers, and in 1949, a special act of the Florida Legislature created the Monroe County Anti-Mosquito District. Today, the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District employs various techniques for mosquito eradication, including the aerial delivery of pesticides and the deployment of the trucks that sometimes buzz down neighborhood streets, leaving clouds to dissipate behind them. It has been raining recently, and, as a matter of note, I laughed as I wrote that last sentence because, as I did, one of those mosquito-spraying trucks went chugging past the Sioux Street office window.

KEY WEST WEEKLY / FEBRUARY 15, 2024 SAVE THE DATE

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

INCREASING BUILDING ALLOCATIONS FLIES IN THE FACE OF PUBLIC SAFETY John Bartus, in his column dated Jan. 25 in the Weekly, rationalized increasing the allocation of ROGO/BPAS allocations in Marathon beyond the current limits based on the increased liability exposure to the city of Marathon associated with “takings” of buildable lots. While this may be true, what he failed to mention is that increasing the permit allocations is based on changing the time for residents to evacuate the Keys from the current 24 hours to 31 hours, thereby failing to address the concomitant added risk to residents. From a human safety point of view, the science does not support increasing the evacuation time and would, in fact, put more residents at risk. The science is telling us that the incidence of rapid intensification of tropical cyclones is increasing demonstrably in the Atlantic basin (see, for example, Bhatia, K., Baker, A., Yang, W. et al. A potential explanation for the global increase in tropical cyclone rapid intensification. Nat. Commun. 13, 6626 (2022). https:// doi.org/10.1038/s41467-02234321-6). As reported in the Weekly, Jon Rizzo, the warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Key West, gave a presentation to the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners in July 2020 on this subject with specific relevance to the Florida Keys. As he mentioned, the models are not yet able to predict rapid intensification with any certainty. “These storms form literally in our backyard and become a Category 3 in two days,” he said. Furthermore, he mentioned that in some cases, the National Hurricane Center forecasts may not even

be able to identify storms that are likely to rapidly intensify. In a Scientific American article by Martin J. Kernan published June 2023, Mark DeMaria, a former NOAA hurricane forecaster and now senior research scientist at Colorado State University, stated that “current models accurately predict rapid intensification 32% of the time.” Rizzo provided some recent examples of rapid intensification. “Hurricane Dorian in 2019 went from 105 mph to 140 mph in 24 hours,” and “Rita in 2005 went from 70 mph to 175 mph, a tropical storm to a Cat. 5, in a day. And Charley in 2004 went from 110 to 145 mph in 5 hours.” Furthermore, an article from December 2023 in the Yale Climate Connections reminded us that in 2023, Hurricane Otis peak winds increased by 110 mph in 24 hours before it slammed into Mexico. Increasing the evacuation time to 31 hours as suggested has very serious implications if or when a tropical system intensifies similarly before reaching the Keys. For those of us who live here and rely on timely evacuations, this is very concerning. Thus, one could argue that the current state of the science supports the idea of decreasing the evacuation time rather than increasing it. Increasing the ROGO/BPAS permit allocations flies in the face of sound public safety policy. Getting back to the liability issue, increasing the evacuation time will put more residents at risk and seems both foolhardy and, given the increasing evidence of rapidly intensifying storms, fraught with liability issues on its own. Robert Glazer Marathon

Through Feb. 24 • Red Barn Theatre presents ‘POTUS,’ starring an all-female cast. Visit redbarntheatre.com for tickets and information. Saturday, Feb. 17 • The Native Plant Nursery at the Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden will hold its monthly native plant sale from 9 a.m. to noon. Master gardeners will be on site to answer any plant questions. The Speaker Series follows the sale at 1 pm. February’s featured speaker is Karen DeMaria, the city of Key West’s urban forestry manager. Monday, Feb. 19 • Congregation B’Nai Zion, 750 United St., hosts its free-movie Monday with a screening of “Farewell, Mr. Haffman” at 7:30 p.m. The film is an intricate and twist-filled story of a jewelry store owner’s efforts to save his family from the Nazis. Movies are free and open to all. Doors open at 7. Dessert follows the movie. Visit bnaizionkw. com/upcoming-events/. Wednesday, Feb. 21 • The College of the Florida Keys and the Key West Chamber of Commerce will host “Ready, Set, College” to help high school students, parents, mentors and guidance counselors with college applications, decisions, requirements and deadlines. The free workshop is from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in the library on the College’s Key West campus. Sunday, Feb. 25 • Key West Wildlife Center’s annual ‘It’s For The Bird’s’ benefit at West Martello Tower, 1100 Atlantic Blvd. A local favorite, the event features food and drinks, live music, a silent auction, a ‘wine wall,’ raffles and displays about the center’s work with native wildlife. Monday, Feb. 26 • Celebrate Black History Month with a screening of “Amazing Grace,” at Tropic Cinema, 6 p.m. The event is a fundraiser for R.O.S.E. Diversity group. A one-hour community panel discussion on racism will follow. Tickets are $25 and are available at rosediversitygroup.weebly.com or at the Tropic Cinema’s website. They also can be purchased at the door. Call Arida Wright for more information at 305766-4922. • The Friends of the Key West library’s speaker series presents authors Ariel Delgado Dixon and Allegra Hyde at 6 p.m. Their talk will be outdoors in the Palm Garden at the library, 700 Fleming St. Visit friendsofthekeywestlibrary.org/speaker-series/

SHELF HELP

taff from your Monroe County Public Library recommend some of their favorites from the collection. What: “The Song of Achilles” by Madeline Miller Why: If, like me prior to diving into the rabbit hole from which I have just emerged, you are only vaguely familiar with the Greek myth of Achilles and Patroclus, “The Song of Achilles” by Madeline Miller is an excellent place to start. She tells the story from Patroclus’ point of view, from his childhood through his experience in the Trojan War. Not to give any spoilers on this 2,500-plus-year-old tragedy, but the Trojan War does not end well for the lovers. It is a heartwrenching tale of two people bound by fate. As storytelling goes, it is deliciously agonizing; you reach the halfway point in the book just as Achilles and Patroclus arrive at the war front. I listened to the audiobook, so that’s another five full hours of both reader and main characters knowing what awaits them. The anguish is palpable – read it and weep, literally. Where: This is available as a print book, e-book and e-audiobook from the Monroe County Public Library system. How: You can request books online by logging in to your account keyslibraries.org and get e-books and e-audiobooks 24/7 at estuff.keyslibraries.org. If you don’t have a card, you can visit your local branch or register online to get one. Questions? info@ keyslibraries.org Recommended by: Faith Price, branch manager, Big Pine Key Library branch See previous recommendations at keyslibraries.org/shelf-help.

KEY WEST WEEKLY / FEBRUARY 15, 2024

Orthodox Mission in the Keys Relics of the Ancient Christian Church Akathist for All Saints Saturday, February 24, 2024 9:30 am @ St. Francis Episcopal Church 1600 Key Deer Blvd, Big Pine Key Polycarp of Smyrna St. Nicholas Catherine the Great Martyr Ephrem the Syrian John Chrysostom Cyril of Alexandria Innocent of Moscow Tikhon of Moscow Vasily Martysz Nikolai of Zhika John Maximovitch of San Francisco

OrthodoxKeys.org

KEY WEST WEEKLY / FEBRUARY 15, 2024

CAPTAIN JOEL’S FISHIN’ HOLES

YELLOW JACK ATTACK Yellow jack provide a great fight and an even better meal, both raw and cooked. JOEL BRANDENBURG/Contributed

y grandpa John was a full-time charter captain in the Florida Keys and Flamingo from the mid1940s to the mid-1980s. He never saw a yellow jack, much less caught one. Some of the old-timers claim they've seen them in the past on occasion, but most of the ones I’ve talked to agree that yellow jacks showed up in the early ’80s. I've challenged several oldtimers to show me a picture of them or their clients holding up a yellow jack before 1980, and so far nobody has produced one. In fact, I’ve never seen a picture of one before 1990. Today, yellow jacks are showing up all over the Gulf of Mexico and as far north as Massachusetts. Here in the Florida Keys we catch them in deeper water in the heat of the summer months and in shallower water in the cold of the winter months. In the spring and fall they are likely to show up anywhere, but they seem to school in bigger and tighter schools in the middle of summer and winter. FWC and the marine biologists I've spoken with have little information about yellow jack migration patterns or spawning seasons. What’s known is they're a hard-fighting game fish and they taste delicious. FWC fishing regulations call for a daily bag limit of 100 pounds per person.

A new world record yellow jack was caught on Sept. 1, 2021 by Peter Ernst, who caught a 19-pound, 7-ounce yellow jack in Key West. It took three months to get the final verification back and approved by the International Game Fish Association. The previous world record yellow jack was also caught in Key West and weighed in at 13 pounds, 4 ounces on July 12, 1980. In the Keys we have several species of jacks. All are hard-fighting fish regulated by FWC. What they don't have in common other than shape, color and size is taste. The most comparable jack to a yellow jack is the jack crevalle. Jack crevalle have the same or similar size, shape, color and fight as a yellow jack, but they taste bitter and are a bloody and bony fish, where yellow jack filets are beautiful white meat with two small and two large loins after removing the rib cage and blood line from its filet. They’re even suitable for sushi dishes served raw. The greater amberjack is the largest in the jack family and taste just like a lesser amberjack or an almaco jack. In my opinion, they’re a great-tasting fish, but not quite as good as yellow jack. Other jacks, including blue ridge jacks, bar jacks and blue runners, can be decent table fare but are smaller than the other jack species.

Yellow jack typically school when they're feeding, and when you reel in a yellow jack, look for a half dozen others to follow in your hooked fish. We CAPT. JOEL like to pick off the BRANDENBURG followers much like …is a fifth-genera- we do with mahi tion Floridian and fishing, by leaving second-generation the hooked one in fishing captain the water to attract who owns and the others. operates Ana Our favorite Banana Fishbait for yellow jacks ing Company in is a yellow ¼-ounce Marathon. His passions include jig tipped with a full fishing, hunting live shrimp. We've and spending time also caught them with his family. with every bait fish around such as pilchards, pinfish, threadfin, grunts, goggle eyes, ballyhoo, finger mullet and more. We've also caught them on squid and pass crabs. Yellow jacks get "leader shy,” so our favorite line to target them is 17.5-pound mono fluorocarbon. They are so smart it's very hard to catch them on a clear day in clear water. They are best to target on an overcast day in murky water. It's also best to target them on a quarter or half moon when the current is flowing slower. They are difficult to catch in a ripping current. In the summer months we typically catch them in 100-plus feet of water around wrecks such as the Thunderbolt and rock piles such as the 7 Mile rubble pile. In the winter months we find them mostly on the Gulf side in defined channels such as Money Key channel. In the spring and fall we find them on the Gulf and Atlantic sides around shipwrecks and sunken barges. We wish all y’all a safe and productive upcoming fishing and tourist season. To book a charter with Ana Banana, call or text Capt. Joel at 813-267-4401 or Capt. Jojo at 305-879-0564, or visit anabananafishing.com.

KEY WEST WEEKLY / FEBRUARY 15, 2024

‘ON THE ROAD AGAIN,’ WILLIE NELSON RETURNS TO KEY WEST Music legend, 90, packs Coffee Butler Amphitheater

The Florida-friendly landscaping plan promotes ecologically resilient outdoor spaces while deepening their connection to nature. UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IFAS/Contributed

BUILDING SUSTAINABLE GARDENS Start by adopting Florida-friendly landscaping

Willie Nelson and The Family return to Key West’s Coffee Butler Amphitheater on Feb. 12. LARRY BLACKBURN/Keys Weekly

MANDY MILES mandy@keysweekly.com

amas shouldn’t let their babies grow up to be cowboys, but they should never deny those kids a Willie Nelson concert. The legendary singer, songwriter and guitarist, known nearly as much for his marijuana consumption as his music, packed the Coffee Butler Amphitheater on Feb. 12 and played the crowd favorites that span four generations of fans.

With songs like “Whiskey River,” “Blue Eyes Cryin’ in the Rain,” “To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before” and “Pancho and Lefty,” Nelson knows what his crowds like and never fails to deliver. Nelson performed with his longtime band, The Family, which often features one of his sons, Micah Nelson. The rest of the band includes Mickey Raphael, Billy English, Kevin Smith and occasionally Waylon Payne. Still touring and performing at age 90, Willie Nelson may be living proof of marijuana’s healing benefits.

n an age of environmental awareness, the Florida-Friendly landscaping (FFL) program offers practical insights into sustainable landscaping practices. Led by the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension, FFL empowers homeowners, companies, communities and green professionals to cultivate vibrant, ecologically resilient outdoor spaces while deepening their connection to nature. The FFL program is particularly crucial in Monroe County, given its fragile ecosystems susceptible to coastal erosion, habitat fragmentation, invasive species, climate change vulnerabilities, limited freshwater resources and the intricate balance of diverse habitats. The FFL program promotes principles emphasizing water conservation, soil health, biodiversity, and integrated pest management, forming the foundation for landscapes that enhance beauty and contribute to the health of local ecosystems. Florida-friendly landscaping : Right plant, right place: Selecting plants that are well-suited to the local climate, soil and sunlight conditions, ensuring optimal growth and reducing the need for excessive maintenance. Water efficiently: Implementing irrigation systems and watering practices that minimize water waste and promote healthy plant growth without overusing water resources.

Fertilize appropriately: Apply fertilizers in the correct amounts at the right times and use slow-release or organic fertilizers to minimize MARIA nutrient runoff QUERICO and pollution of water bodies. is the University of Florida, IFAS Mulch: AddMonroe County ing a layer of Extension environorganic matemental horticulrial such as wood ture. chips or compost to the soil surface to retain moisture, suppress weed growth, and improve soil health by enhancing nutrient content and microbial activity. Attract wildlife: Incorporating native plants and habitats that attract beneficial insects, birds and other wildlife to the landscape, promoting biodiversity and ecological balance. Manage yard pests responsibly: Employing integrated pest management (IPM) strategies that prioritize non-chemical pest control methods such as biological controls, habitat modification, and mechanical removal, minimizing the use of pesticides and their impact on the environment. Recycle yard waste: Composting yard trimmings, leaves, and other organic waste materials to produce nutrient-rich compost for use in the garden, reducing waste sent to landfills and promoting sustainable gardening practices. Reduce stormwater runoff: Implementing measures such as rain gardens, permeable paving and vegetative buffers to slow down and filter stormwater runoff, reducing soil erosion and pollution of water bodies. Protect the waterfront: Establishing vegetative buffers and erosion control measures along water bodies to prevent soil erosion, filter pollutants and maintain water quality in rivers, lakes and coastal areas.

KEY WEST WEEKLY / FEBRUARY 15, 2024

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Local veterinarian Dr. Douglas Mader, pictured with a baby sea turtle, will discuss the threat of global warming on sea turtles and other species at the College of the Florida Keys on Feb. 22. CONTRIBUTED

he College of the Florida Keys continues its 2024 VIP Series with “Global Warming and Wildlife” on Thursday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. in the Tennessee Williams Fine Arts Center on the Key West campus. Acclaimed local veterinarian and author Dr. Douglas Mader will lead the presentation. Now in its 10th season, the college’s VIP (Views, Ideas and Perspectives) Series invites the community to hear speakers of local, regional and national prominence. The 2024 season includes presentations that focus on timely topics relevant to Keys audiences. Mader will discuss the effect that increasing temperatures have had on wildlife. He will also explore how changes in water, including droughts and floods, contribute to habitat instability. His presentation will focus on sea turtles, which he calls the proverbial “canary in the coal mine” for our oceans, and the recent phenomena of all female hatchling nests, caused by

warmer temperatures in South Florida. Mader is a triple board-certified veterinary specialist with over three decades of experience. He is an internationally acclaimed lecturer and is on the review boards of several scientific journals. Mader has written medical textbooks and numerous scientific publications. His latest book is “The Vet at Noah’s Ark – Stories of Survival from an Inner-City Animal Hospital.” He serves many animals in South Florida through his veterinary practice and by serving as the consulting veterinarian for the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Animal Farm, the Key West Aquarium, Dynasty Marine, the Turtle Hospital, the Everglades Alligator Farm, Zoo Miami and the Theater of the Sea. Tickets are $5 at the door. Admission is free for students at CFK and Monroe County schools. More information is available at 305-296-9081 or cfk.edu/vip. — Contributed

KEY WEST WEEKLY / FEBRUARY 15, 2024

BESTING THE BARRACUDA

JOY BROWN TAYLOR KEYS TO BE THE CHANGE

Utah & Georgia anglers win top spots in Cuda Bowl tournament

WANT TO HELP OUR KEYS COMMUNITY? FIND OUT HOW AT Scott Christian of Milton, Georgia racks up 719 points with this released barracuda to win the fly division of the 2024 Cuda Bowl Tournament in the Lower Keys. FLORIDA KEYS NEW BUREAU/Contributed

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VOLUNTEER OF THE WEEK Brody Skrumbellos, 11, of Davie, wins the junior angler with his dad, Capt. Joe Skrumbellos.

cott Christian of Milton, Georgia, earned 719 points for released barracuda to win the fly division of the 2024 Cuda Bowl Tournament that ended Feb. 10 in the Lower Keys. Guided by Captain Chad Huff of Marathon, he was named the divisional grand champion. Among Christian’s releases was a 133-centimeter (52.36 inches) barracuda that set a new tournament record for the fly division. Russell Campbell of Salt Lake City, Utah, won the Cuda Bowl’s spin division championship, releasing barracuda that earned him 692 points. Guided by Captain Scott Collins of Marathon, he also caught the largest barracuda in the spin division at 130 centimeters (51.18 inches). Anglers receive one point for each centimeter of barracuda released. Scoring in each division is based on the largest three fish per day per angler. John Chinuntdet of Mooresville, North Carolina, took the first runner-up title in the Cuda Bowl’s fly division with 640 points for his releases. He was guided by Captain Justin Rea of Sugarloaf Key.

First runner-up honors in the spin division went to Michael Snoeck of Cape Coral, also with 640 points. Snoeck’s guide was Captain Luke Kelly of Cudjoe Key. Eleven-year-old Brody Skrumbellos earned the title of top junior angler, tallying 579 points while guided by his father, Captain Joe Skrumbellos. Father and son live in Davie. The tournament’s top female angler was Erica Poole of Big Pine Key, who scored 537 points for her barracuda releases. Her guide was Captain Bo Sellers of Summerland Key. Jacob Gravett of Nashville, Tennessee, and Ty Gravett of Warrenton, Virginia, earned the tournament’s Ben Gravett Team Trophy named for their late grandfather. Guided by Captain Doug Kilpatrick of Sugarloaf Key, the duo posted a team total of 1,266 points for the win. The flats challenge drew 65 anglers on 42 boats to compete over two fishing days. — Contributed

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THE BOOK OF JAMES By Valerie Babb LeBron James is a professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers. Nicknamed “King James,” he is one of the greatest players of all time. LeBron is loyal, outspoken and brutally honest. His powerful voice on and off the court stands for justice and equality. Against the backdrop of his life story, Valerie Babb, a professor and author, narrates the evolution of African-American culture. Change occurs, but at a shockingly slow pace. LeBron was the poor Black boy with a 16-yearold mother, and if not for the kindness of neighborhood friends, they would have been living on the street. His mother Gloria never gave up on him. In a society where children slip through the cracks, LeBron stood very tall, and when the community reached out, Gloria made sure to grab every opportunity. LeBron’s business acumen made him one of the wealthiest athletes ever. He places much of his success in the hands of a trusted few he has known since childhood. LeBron advocates for education, KAREN health care and an end NEWFIELD to police brutality. His First and foremost work is not done. This a reader, she has is educational, eyereviewed hunopening and a slam dreds of books dunk. on her blog www. readingandeating. com. And, more recently, this new Keys resident has also begun writing.

TWICE AS HARD By Jasmine Brown Medicine, racism and women. Against all odds, Black women throughout history have managed to become physicians. Women who faced adversity and bigotry found ways to achieve their dreams and contribute to their communities. Each of these women excelled academically while scraping the money together to get to medical school. As if this was not hard enough, once they graduated – often at the top of their class – their residency applications were often rejected simply because they were Black women. Through mentorship, hard work and faith, a precious few succeeded beyond their wildest dreams. Health centers were established in communities that had none, testing and life changing research was founded for sickle cell anemia and healthcare was provided to the poorest of our nation. These women became surgeons, delivered babies, held political and academic positions and most importantly shined as role models for future generations. Fascinating details beginning in the mid-1800s of women who should be in every history book, brought to life by medical student and author Jasmine Brown. Having faced similar roadblocks, Brown highlights the incredible accomplishments of these physicians who changed the world. An uplifting and inspirational book that proves reading can be the best medicine.

CAROLINA BUILT By Kianna Alexander In 1856, Josephine Napoleon Leary was born into slavery in North Carolina. After emancipation she was freed at 9 years old. Intelligent and a hard worker, there is nothing Jo wanted more than to prosper and take care of her family. Josephine married Sweety Leary, and together they built a life in Edenton. She helped her husband run a barber shop, but soon enough Jo’s entrepreneurial spirit convinced her to strike out on her own, unheard of for a woman during these times. Purchasing land was difficult, but Jo successfully created passive income to supplement their monthly bills. That savings allowed her to buy additional property over a few years, which brought their family the financial security she had always craved. Jo never gave up on her belief that women could equally meet the business demands of men. As a Black woman with all the odds against her, Josephine followed her dreams becoming a wife, mother and an accomplished businesswoman. Her largely-forgotten legacy still stands today and her accomplishments for women and the AfricanAmerican community speak for itself. Perseverance, hard work and heaps of faith – Josephine Leary is an inspiration to us all.

#WORTHWATCHING: “The Best of Enemies” on Netflix. Civil rights activist Ann Atwater battles C.P. Ellis, a revered member of the KKK, in 1971 Durham, North Carolina. The community is divided over school segregation and the unlikely friendship of Ann and C.P. is a true tale of inspiration.

KEY WEST WEEKLY / FEBRUARY 15, 2024

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February 15, 2024

SULTANS OF SWING

Looking back on Key West’s biggest bats | P.8

FEBRUARY 15, 2024 / KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP

FEB. 15

THE SCOREBOARD

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK Team

Sport

Opponent

Date

Result

Marathon

Boys Basketball

Everglades Prep

2/5

W, 60-43

Marathon

Girls Basketball

Westminster Christian

2/5

L, 48-31

Key West

Girls Basketball

Gulliver

2/5

L, 55-35

Coral Shores

Girls Basketball

Keys Gate

2/5

W, 48-11

Coral Shores

Boys Basketball

Silver Palms

2/6

L, 66-47

Key West

Boys Basketball

Miami Sunset

2/6

W, 58-38

Marathon

Boys Basketball

Riviera Prep

2/6

L, 101-26

Coral Shores

Boys Tennis

LaSalle

2/6

L, 7-0

Coral Shores

Girls Tennis

LaSalle

2/6

L, 7-0

Coral Shores

Girls Basketball

Somerset South Homestead

2/7

L, 55-19

Key West

Boys Basketball

Gulliver

2/8

L, 72-55

Coral Shores

Boys Tennis

LaSalle

2/8

W, 7-0

Coral Shores

Girls Tennis

LaSalle

2/8

W, 7-0

THIS WEEK IN KEYS SPORTS

FEB. 15

Date

School

Sport

Opponent

Start Time

2/15

Key West & Coral Shores

Wrestling

Districts @ Coral Shores

3:30 p.m.

2/15

Coral Shores

Baseball

Preseason Tourney @ Hialeah

TBD

2/15

Key West

Tennis

Coral Shores

2 p.m.

2/15

Key West

Boys Lacrosse

Miami Country Day 6 p.m.

2/16

Key West

Baseball

Taravella

7:30 p.m.

2/16

Marathon

Baseball

Berean Christian (preseason)

5:30 p.m.

2/16

Key West

Girls Lacrosse

Palmetto

5 p.m.

2/16

Coral Shores

Boys Lacrosse

John Carroll

5 p.m.

2/17

Key West

Baseball

Taravella

7:30 p.m.

2/17

Key West

Boys Lacrosse

John Carroll

2 p.m.

2/17

Key West

Girls Lacrosse

Calvary Christian

4 p.m.

2/20

Marathon

Tennis

Coral Shores

2 p.m.

2/20

Coral Shores

Baseball

ABF Homestead

6:30 p.m.

2/20

Marathon

Softball

@ Colonial Christian

4 p.m.

2/20

Marathon

Baseball

Everglades Prep

4 p.m.

2/21

Coral Shores

Girls Lacrosse

@ Coral Reef High School

4 p.m.

2/21

Key West

Boys Lacrosse

Coral Shores

6 p.m.

2/21

Coral Shores

Boys Weightlifting

Marathon

4:30 p.m.

ON THE COVER Ahead of the Conchs’ 2024 baseball season, Sean McDonald takes a look back through the record books to review the 10 highest single-season batting averages in Key West’s distinguished history on the diamond. See page 8. Photos CONTRIBUTED.

THIS WEEK

JOHNSON

Senior, Coral Shores Basketball/Weightlifting

AJ always puts his team in front of his own agenda.” – Andy Thiery, Coral Shores assistant basketball coach

219 11 lb. weight class winner

points

Coral Shores’ AJ Johnson played his final career prep basketball game on Feb. 6, using his athleticism and determination to tie for the team high of 11 points. After returning from the ’Canes’ quarterfinal playoff loss in Miami, the multitalented senior traveled to Marathon the following day and won his weight class in his next sport, weightlifting, where he is a team captain. Johnson, described by ’Canes basketball coach Andy Thiery as hard-working and never one to complain, was given challenging roles all season and excelled in all of them. “Throughout the season, he was always asked to guard the other team’s big guy,” Thiery explained. “He never complained, never backed down and was always able to compete because of his strength and determination, no matter how much taller the other guy was.” It is not often that an athlete dominates in two entirely different sports from separate seasons in the same calendar week, let alone on two consecutive days. For this and his teamover-self attitude, Coral Shores’ AJ Johnson is the Keys Weekly Athlete of the Week. 219-lb. winner AJ Johnson of Coral Shores in a weightlifting meet against Marathon. TRACY McDONALD/Keys Weekly

KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP / FEBRUARY 15, 2024 SPORTS WRITER

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

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

PODCAST HOST

Publisher / Jason Koler jason@keysweekly.com

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Business Development

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

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Pitchers like senior Nevaeh Arnold will be key cogs for Key West softball as the Lady Conchs march toward another deep postseason run. ELLA HALL/Keys Weekly

THE KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP PODCAST Key West softball coach Jason Garcia & fascinating stats with Judd Wise

his week on the Keys Weekly Sports Wrap Podcast, Sean and Tracy will delve deeper into the sports covered in this week’s print edition. You can also look forward to some early week game results as well as some fun and fascinating statistics from the rich archives of Key West coach and archivist Judd Wise. Softball fans can look forward to special guest Jason Garcia, head coach of the Lady Conchs, who will begin their march toward a third consecutive regional berth this season. Garcia and his team start their season off with a double-header against Westminster Christian on Friday, Feb. 23. The Lady Conchs are ranked fifth in 4A and 39th overall in the state this season coming off back-to-back Final Four appearances.

EP 41 Listen to the Sports Wrap podcast

FEBRUARY 15, 2024 / KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP

FINS OUTLIFT ’CANES IN HOME MEET

Boys weightlifting teams compete in Marathon as ladies prep for states

oral Shores made the short trip to Marathon on Feb. 7 for an early-season weightlifting meet. Marathon won both events 4029 in the teams’ second meetup of the season. Boys weightlifting is scored similarly to the girls teams in that there are two events at each meet. Athletes all participate in the clean and jerk competition, and that score is combined with the bench press for the traditional event and snatch for the Olympic event. All winners last week won both events. Double winners for Coral Shores were Kristers Vutans in the 139-lb. class and AJ Johnson at 219 lbs. For Marathon, Chase Leird (119), Zachary Antonelli (129), Damian Staciewicz (154), Vitalii Konyk (169), Max Childress (183), Tanner Ross (199) and Alex Cruz (238) all won their weight classes in both the traditional and Olympic events. Both schools will compete again on Valentine’s Day in a tri-meet to be held at Gulliver Prep. Their season culminates with districts, beginning at the end of March. All three Keys high schools are sending multiple athletes to the FHSAA Girls Weightlifting State Championships this weekend in Lakeland. If the gentlemen prove to be as talented as the ladies, their state championships will be held at the same location in mid-April.

1. Marathon’s Aiden Richard finishes in third place in the 154-lb. class. 2. 199-lb. runner-up AJ Delgado competes for Coral Shores at a Feb. 7 meet held in Marathon. 3. Marathon’s Damian Stasiewicz, the meet’s winner at 145 lbs., warms up on bench. 4. Kristers Vutnans was one of Coral Shores’ double winners last week. Vutnans competes in the 139-lb. class. 5. Dolphins’ strongman Max Childress won both events in the 183-lb. category. 6. 169-lb. lifter Sebastian Diaz of Coral Shores was second in his weight class. 7. Vitalii Konyk won the 169-lb. division in both categories on Feb. 7. 8. Hurricane athlete Xavier Johnson was second at 183 lbs. Photos by TRACY McDONALD/Keys Weekly

KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP / FEBRUARY 15, 2024

LOCAL SOCCER PLAYERS TO REPRESENT USA IN UPCOMING YOUTH WORLD CUP Rear, from left, Kayla Serota, Farrah Valverde, Aubrey Kilmurray; front, Nevyn Walsh. Kilmurray recently joined the PSG Academy in Miami. Serota, Valverde and Walsh have been with PSG since last year and will represent team USA at the upcoming youth World Cup in Paris, France this May. MARC SEROTA/Contributed

hree local soccer players will don the red, white and blue in the upcoming Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) Academy’s youth World Cup in Paris, France later this spring. Last year, the Upper Keys’ Kayla Serota, Farrah Valverde and Nevyn Walsh were picked to join the PSG Academy, one of the largest youth soccer networks that develops high-potential players. They’ve played in the Florida Keys Soccer Club for several years. All three were recently selected to represent the U.S., playing against some of the best competition from Europe, Asia, Africa and South America from May 11-15. Serota, Valverde and Walsh are among 22 female athletes playing for the U.S. Not only will these girls get the soccer experience with their families by first attending a PSG game at the Parc des Princes stadium, but they’ll also receive international exposure while playing for their country on the soccer field. There will be 60 teams and over 500 players from 20 countries that will enjoy opening ceremonies, as well as a four-day experience that includes a tour of Paris. Another local player joins PSG The Upper Keys’ Aubrey Kilmurray is the fourth local soccer player to join the PSG Academy. She attends Treasure Village Montessori and joins Serota, Valverde and Walsh. — Contributed

FEBRUARY 15, 2024 / KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP

Top: The Key West Conchs boys wrestling team finished its regular season with a second-place finish at the Falcon Invitational. CONTRIBUTED Right: With a runner-up finish by Sheyla Figueira, third-place finishes by Emily Nolasco and Natalie Arguello, and a fourthplace finish by Sunisa Kuhn at districts, four Lady Conchs will wrestle for a regional championship. CONTRIBUTED

FOUR LADY CONCHS HEADED TO REGIONALS Three Conchs, one Hurricane notch wins at Falcon Invitational

n just the second season of girls wrestling at Key West High School, the Conchs proved they are a force to be reckoned with across South Florida. Four Lady Conchs hit the mats at Miami Coral Park Senior High School for the FHSAA District 16 Championships, and all four earned medals and a bid to regionals next weekend at Bayside High. Sheyla Figueira won silver in the 100-lb. class, making her the top wrestler for Key West on Feb. 10. Emily Nolasco (105) and Natalie Arguello (135) both won bronze, and Sunisa Kuhn (155) brought home the fourth-place medal from the event. The undersized team came in seventh out of 18 teams with just four athletes competing. While the Lady Conchs were dominating at districts, Key West and Coral Shores sent their boys to the Falcon Invitational at Jensen Beach. Coral Shores’ Steven DeRobertis was the top grappler for the ’Canes, winning the 106-lb. class and bringing home a first-place medal for his efforts. Sebastian McCoy (113), Sterling Keefe (132) and Devin Smith (138)

each won the runner-up spot in their weight classes. Jacob Ferguson (113) and Kevin Perez (165) won bronze, and Jeremiah Ortiz (132) and Tristan Court (150) took fourth. Andrew Guevara won fifth place in the 150-lb. bracket. Coral Shores scored enough points to place fourth overall at the meet. Key West had a trio of winners last weekend in James Searcy (138), Alfredo Corrales (157) and Ralph Riche (285). Elvis Garcia and Prometheus Delacerda took second and third in the 120-lb. class, respectively. Dostmukhammad Bakhtiyorov (144) and Tristan Yoloyama (215) were the runners-up in their classes. Abram Canet was fourth at 126 and Corey Johnson was fifth at 285. The Conchs’ victories were enough to claim second place overall at the meet, just in time for districts. The Conchs and ’Canes will both vie for the championship Feb. 15 at Coral Shores High School in both teams’ march toward states, held in Kissimmee at the end of the month and running into early March.

KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP / FEBRUARY 15, 2024

LEGENDS OF THE

BAT

Sean McDonald breaks down top batting averages in storied history of Conch baseball

n a town like Key West, baseball isn’t just a game; it’s a way of life. At Key West High School, the diamond is where dreams are made and legends are born. Just to appear on the varsity roster for the Conchs can be a challenging goal, but to stand out on a team of standouts with a storied history of some of the greatest ball players anywhere, it takes a combination of hard work, dedication and athleticism with a healthy dose of luck and a touch of magic. This week, just before the first pitch of the regular season is tossed, we look back at the top hitters whose prowess with the bat made them local legends. Hitters are ranked by batting average during their best season at KWHS.

All photos CONTRIBUTED

KHALIL GREENE (.500): At the top of the list stands Khalil Greene, a natural athlete with a swing so smooth it seemed almost effortless. In the spring of 1998, Greene stepped up to the plate and delivered a season for the ages, boasting an unbelievable batting average of .500 – made more impressive given the top competition Key West faces each season. Greene went on to play for Clemson University, where he was named Collegiate Baseball Player of the Year his senior season. He was then drafted by the San Diego Padres and enjoyed a remarkable career which still brings pride to the Southernmost City.

BEN HARRISON AND PRESTON HERCE (.494): Right beside Greene in the record books is teammate Ben Harrison (above), a powerhouse hitter whose bat matched none but Greene’s. In the same season Khalil broke the legendary Conchs hitting record, Harrison and Greene went stride-for-stride in a march toward the state championships, which Key West secured, no doubt in part due to their pair of deadly hitters. At the end of the season, when the red clay dust settled and Key West was basking in the glory of yet another state title, Harrison’s .494 average earned him the number two spot on the Conchs’ all-time hitters list. He then enjoyed a stellar four-year career as a Gator at the University of Florida and was drafted by the Texas Rangers. The Key West dynasty is not exclusive to the distant past. During the 2022 season, Preston Herce matched Harrison’s numbers, hitting an impressive .494 for Key West. Herce is currently playing collegiate baseball at Pensacola State College, where he is not finished writing his own history just yet.

FEBRUARY 15, 2024 / KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP

JOHN “BOOG” POWELL (.489): The next name on the list does hail from an earlier era. John “Boog” Powell’s .489 average in 1959 gave pitchers across Florida a run for their money. Powell did not just hit often – he hit hard and he hit far, but that’s for another top 10. Often considered the greatest ballplayer to come out of Key West, Powell had a long and successful career in MLB, playing for the Orioles, Indians and Dodgers. He is a two-time World Series champ, four-time All Star and was named the American League MVP in 1970.

RALPHIE HENRIQUEZ (.478): Ralphie Henriquez had an amazing 2005 season with the Conchs, then had a long professional baseball career after being drafted in the second round by the Houston Astros. When he hung up his MLB bat, Henriquez returned home to coach for his alma mater and develop the future hitters who just may surpass his .478 mark one day.

RICHIE PAZO AND DARREN MILLS (.479): These legends of the ’70s and ’90s, respectively, each hit .479 in dominant seasons at bat for the Conchs. Pazo (above) played baseball at University of Miami while Mills started his baseball career at Indian River Community College, finishing at Florida Atlantic.

DEXTER BUTLER (.473): The Conchs’ current head basketball coach and son of a Key West hardwood legend, Dexter Butler was one of the hardest, most consistent hitters Key West ever saw. Butler had a very successful college baseball career as a starter at University of South Florida, also playing one season at Nova Southeastern. He hit .473 in 2004 for Key West, earning the No. 6 spot on the list of historical Conch batters.

JEFF HOLMES (.466): In spot No. 7 is Jeff Holmes, who hit .466 in the 1973 season.

FRANKIE RATCLIFF JR. (.465): Just behind Holmes is Frankie Ratcliff Jr. with a .465 average in 2008.

ONERI DAVID FLEITA, CRAIG LARIZ, AND STEVEN WELLS JR. (.458): Sharing the No. 9 position is a trio of heavy hitters, all batting a substantial .458 for one season each. Oneri David Fleita did it in 1983, Craig Lariz matched him in 1996, and then Steven Wells Jr. (above right) did it in 2014, giving each a place in Key West’s history.

MIGUEL MENENDEZ (.457): In 1994, Miguel Menendez hit .457 to secure the final spot on the list of all-time greats. As a Conch, Menendez helped lead Key West to a state title in 1995. He then went on to the University of Tampa and won an NCAA Division II national title in 1998. He returned to Key West, spending time at the helm as the head baseball coach at Key West High School. He is now the head coach at Tampa Jesuit, where he led his team to a state championship in 2019 and the runner-up spot in 2017. Only time will tell if Menendez is bumped from the top 10, but it is a certainty that a roster of young men will be doing their best to make it into the annals of Conch history this spring.

KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP / FEBRUARY 15, 2024

OUT OF THE RUNNING

Key West loss to Gulliver Prep ends hoops season for all Monroe County teams

ey West’s boys played their quarterfinal district game against the Knights of Miami Sunset on Feb. 6, winning 58-38. DeMarcus Deroche scored the game-high 20 points, with James Osborne adding 19. Kameron Roberts was good for 10 and David Aviles added 9 more to the Conchs’ score. The win last Tuesday gave the Conchs a chance to continue and pitted them against top seed Gulliver Prep on Feb. 8. Key West lost 72-55 in that game, ending its season with a solid 11-12 record on the backs of a young, but now seasoned, team. Key West’s roster did not include a single senior this year, with sophomores a majority of their bench, making for an exciting future for the Conchs.

The Lady Conchs lost their district opener against Gulliver 55-35, closing out their season with a record of 0-16. The young team lists just two seniors on the roster, giving them the off season to continue to grow and develop in the coming months. Marathon’s district seed forced a play-in game on Feb. 5 to see who would earn a spot in the quarterfinals. The Fins upended Everglades Prep 60-43 to earn a shot at a playoff run the following night. Junior Carlos Lezcano led the charge for Marathon with 17 points. Adrian Cruz followed up with 15 and Jack Chapman added 8 in the win. In the quarterfinals, Marathon faced top-ranked Riviera Prep, a school ranked No. 1 in 3A and fourth overall in the state across all divisions. The Bulldogs proved they did not receive their rankings without merit, clobbering the Fins 10126. Marathon finished its season 7-19, and though half the bench will graduate in 2024, many key contributors will be on the roster next season, including several underclassmen and a pair of eighth graders, ensuring a solid program for years to come. The Lady Fins faced Westminster Christian on Feb. 5 in their quarterfinal game. Marathon lost the game 48-31, effectively ending their season with an even 10-10 record. The Dolphins graduate just one senior in Kayesha Christian this year, setting them up for a successful campaign next year.

Top: Though the Lady ’Canes will lose seniors Brooke Mandozzi (3) and Makayla Hahn (1) to graduation, they’ll return a healthy group of sophomores and juniors, including Abby Vogt (24), Jazmyn Blassio (5), and Leah Castellanos (2) in 2024-25. DOUG FINGER/Keys Weekly Facing page: 1. Daysi Williams, right, lines up for the tipoff of Marathon’s quarterfinal game. 2. Williams (32) is on perimeter defense duty. 3. Payton Junker, left, looks for an open teammate. 4. Marathon senior Kayesha Christian (11) locks down a Westminster player on defense. 5. Marathon’s cheerleaders perform at halftime for the Feb. 5 girls quarterfinal game against Westminster Christian.

FEBRUARY 15, 2024 / KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP

3 4

1 The Coral Shores boys basketball team had a familiar foe in its quarterfinal district playoff game Feb. 6. The Hurricanes faced the Stallions of Somerset Silver Palms, an opponent they played a week prior. The ’Canes lost to the Stallions 66-47, but managed to narrow the deficit from their prior matchup by nine points. A trio of Hurricanes scored 11 points each, including Donovan Thiery, Ayden Lane and AJ Johnson. Isaac Rivera added 6 points in the ’Canes’ final game of the season. Coral Shores finished with a 7-13 record, and though the Hurricanes were a senior-heavy team, Thiery and Lane both return to the hardwood next season as well as Noah Myers, who began to shine in the late season, and AJ Putetti, who missed a majority of this season with an injury. The Lady ’Canes were dominant this season, but a 55-19 loss at the hands of Somerset South Homestead ended their hopes for an extended run into the playoffs. Coral Shores won their quarterfinal game against Keys Gate on Feb. 5, 48-11, but their semifinal opponent on Feb. 7 proved too talented to overcome. The ’Canes earned a 13-6 record, and despite losing seniors Makayla Hahn and 1,000-point club member Brooke Mandozzi, they will return a deep bench full of talented juniors for the 2024-25 season.

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THE REGAN ROTH TEAM IS HERE TO PROTECT YOU... YOUR FAMILY, YOUR LIFESTYLE, YOUR HOME!

Family owned and operated since 1958 Tavernier 305.852.3234 | Marathon 305.743.3414 | Email Response@ReganRoth.com

KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP / FEBRUARY 15, 2024

• CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES •

305.743.0844

LEGAL NOTICES

NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE MONROE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE Notice of Sale of Surplus Vehicles The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office will be auctioning off a multiple surplus vehicles via sealed bids. All bids must be received by 10:00am on Wednesday February 28th, 2024. The bids will be opened publicly on Wednesday at 10:30am on February 28th, 2024. A list of vehicles to be sold may be viewed on our website; www.keysso.net/ auction. Vehicle list is subject to change. Bidding instructions and required bid forms are available on the website or can be picked up at the

Sheriff’s Office Headquarters building 1st floor reception, or by contacting: Michael Cabot, MCSO Fleet Manager Phone- (305) 293-7477 Cell- (305) 797-0115 Monroe County Sheriff’s Office 5525 College Road Key West, FL 33040 The Property to be sold is open to the public for inspection at the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, Headquarters building at 5525 College Road, Key West, FL 33040 on the following dates and times below: February 20th, 2024 9:00am – 11:00am February 22nd, 2024 2:00pm – 4:00pm The Sheriff’s Office makes no representation or guarantee

of mechanical condition. All sales are, as is, no warranty. All sales are final. Vehicle List is subject to change. Publish: February 8 & 15, 2024 The Weekly Newspapers

the public, and one or more County Commissioners may be in attendance. ADA ASSISTANCE: If you are a person with a disability who needs special accommodations in order to participate in this proceeding, please contact the Monroe County Administrator’s Office, by phoning (305) 292-4441, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., no later than five (5) calendar days prior to the scheduled meeting. If you are hearing or voice impaired, call “711”. Publish: February 15, 2024 The Weekly Newspapers

accommodations in order to participate in this proceeding, please contact the County Administrator’s Office, by phoning 305-292-4441, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., no later than five (5) calendar days prior to the scheduled meeting; if you are hearing or voice-impaired, call “711”. Publish: February 15, 2024 The Weekly Newspapers

no later than five (5) calendar days prior to the scheduled meeting; if you are hearing or voice-impaired, call “711”. Publish: February 15, 2024 The Weekly Newspapers

Florida 33070. The names and addresses of the Personal Representative and the Personal Representative’s attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME 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: February 15, 2024. Personal Representative: Beverly Crespi 165 Mountain Brook Drive Cheshire, CT 06410 Attorney for Personal Representative: Tom Woods, Esq. Florida Bar No.: 0525197 116 Porto Salvo Drive Islamorada, Florida 33036 Phone: 305.664.2200 Fax 2205 Email: tom@tomwoodslaw. com Publish: February 15 & 22, 2024 The Weekly Newspapers

PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE The Monroe County Tourist Development Council will hold a Special Meeting on Tuesday, February 20, 2024, at 10:00 a.m., at the Faro Blanco Resort & Yacht Club, 1996 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050 to discuss the audit of the Tourist Development Council’s Public Relations Agency. All Tourist Development Council Meetings are open to

INVITATION TO BID (ITB) CITY OF KEY COLONY BEACH ITB 2024-01 CLEAN AND CAMERA APPROXIMATELY 38,000 FEET OF 8-INCH SEWER GRAVITY MAIN LINE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Key Colony Beach, Florida (“City”) hereby requests sealed bids for the following: 1. Clean and camera sewer gravity main line within the City of Key Colony Beach, consisting of one hundred twenty (120) manholes and approximately 38,000 feet of eight (8”) inch width pipe of the City’s main wastewater gravity conveyance line. 2. Debris must be removed, and area cleaned to pre-construction conditions. 3. All bids must be submitted electronically through DemandStar. 4. Successful vendors must provide proper insurance, and each contractor is to submit their bid as indicated in the specifications. 5. Award of Contract: The City Commission will make the final award of the bid or contract. The City reserves the right to reject any or all bids and to waive any informality in bidding. 6. Any questions from any bidders should be directed to City Clerk Silvia Gransee by email to cityclerk@keycolonybeach.net. Answers to questions will be posted electronically by the City on DemandStar. DATE

TIME

ACTION

02-5-2024

3:00PM

Release Solicitation

03-5-2024

4:00PM

Last Day for submission of written questions to the City

03-13-2024 4:00PM

Last day for the City to post answers to questions

03-27-2024 4:00PM

Bid Due

04-08-2024 10:00AM

Bid Opening (Open to Public – 600 W. Ocean Drive, Key Colony Beach, FL 33051)

04-24-2024 4:00PM

Recommendation to Award *Can be posted on or before posted date

05-16-2024 9:30AM

City Commission Meeting (Open to the Public – 600 W. Ocean Drive, Key Colony Beach, FL 33051)

City of Key Colony Beach PO Box 510141, 600 W Ocean Drive, Key Colony Beach, FL, 33051 Contact Silvia Gransee, City Clerk Phone: 305-289-1212 Ext. 2

Mailing Address PO Box 510141 Key Colony Beach, FL 33051

Publish: February 15, 2024. The Weekly Newspapers.

PUBLIC MEETING NOTICEThe District I Advisory Committee (DAC I) of the Monroe County Tourist Development Council will hold a regular meeting on Wednesday, March 13, 2024, at 3:00 p.m., via Communications Media Technology using a Zoom webinar platform. The access points to view the meeting or for members of the public to provide public comment will be: Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom. us/j/85318076405 Meeting ID: 853 1807 6405 One tap mobile +13052241968,, 85318076405# US +13017158592,, 85318076405# US (Washington DC) All District Advisory Committee Meetings of the Tourist Development Council are open to the public and one or more TDC Members and/or County Commissioners may be in attendance. ADA ASSISTANCE: If you are a person with a disability who needs special accommodations in order to participate in this proceeding, please contact the County Administrator’s Office, by phoning 305-292-4441, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., no later than five (5) calendar days prior to the scheduled meeting; if you are hearing or voice-impaired, call “711”. Publish: February 15, 2024 The Weekly Newspapers PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE The District II Advisory Committee (DAC II) of the Monroe County Tourist Development Council will hold a regular meeting on Tuesday, March 12, 2024, at 6:00 p.m., via Communications Media Technology using a Zoom webinar platform. The access points to view the meeting or for members of the public to provide public comment will be: Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom. us/j/84416881055 Meeting ID: 844 1688 1055 One tap mobile +13052241968,, 84416881055# US +13017158592,, 84416881055# US (Washington DC) All District Advisory Committee Meetings of the Tourist Development Council are open to the public and one or more TDC Members and/or County Commissioners may be in attendance. ADA ASSISTANCE: If you are a person with a disability who needs special

PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE The District III Advisory Committee (DAC III) of the Monroe County Tourist Development Council will hold a regular meeting on Wednesday, March 13, 2024, at 9:30 a.m., via Communications Media Technology using a Zoom webinar platform. The access points to view the meeting or for members of the public to provide public comment will be: Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom. us/j/83077826833 Meeting ID: 830 7782 6833 One tap mobile +13052241968,, 83077826833# US +13126266799,, 83077826833# US (Chicago) All District Advisory Committee Meetings of the Tourist Development Council are open to the public and one or more TDC Members and/or County Commissioners may be in attendance. ADA ASSISTANCE: If you are a person with a disability who needs special accommodations in order to participate in this proceeding, please contact the County Administrator’s Office, by phoning 305-292-4441, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., no later than five (5) calendar days prior to the scheduled meeting; if you are hearing or voice-impaired, call “711”. Publish: February 15, 2024 The Weekly Newspapers PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE The District IV Advisory Committee (DAC IV) of the Monroe County Tourist Development Council will hold a regular meeting on Tuesday, March 12, 2024, at 2:00 p.m., via Communications Media Technology using a Zoom webinar platform. The access points to view the meeting or for members of the public to provide public comment will be: Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom. us/j/87323741685 Meeting ID: 873 2374 1685 One tap mobile +13052241968,, 87323741685# US +13017158592,, 87323741685# US (Washington DC) All District Advisory Committee Meetings of the Tourist Development Council are open to the public and one or more TDC Members and/or County Commissioners may be in attendance. ADA ASSISTANCE: If you are a person with a disability who needs special accommodations in order to participate in this proceeding, please contact the County Administrator’s Office, by phoning 305-292-4441, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.,

PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE The District V Advisory Committee (DAC V) of the Monroe County Tourist Development Council will hold a regular meeting on Tuesday, March 12, 2024, at 10:00 a.m., via Communications Media Technology using a Zoom webinar platform. The access points to view the meeting or for members of the public to provide public comment will be: Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom. us/j/86023953822 Meeting ID: 860 2395 3822 One tap mobile +13052241968,, 86023953822# US +16469313860,, 86023953822# US All District Advisory Committee Meetings of the Tourist Development Council are open to the public and one or more TDC Members and/or County Commissioners may be in attendance. ADA ASSISTANCE: If you are a person with a disability who needs special accommodations in order to participate in this proceeding, please contact the County Administrator’s Office, by phoning 305-292-4441, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., no later than five (5) calendar days prior to the scheduled meeting; if you are hearing or voice-impaired, call “711”. Publish: February 15, 2024 The Weekly Newspapers PUBLIC NOTICE OF HEALTHCARE FACILITY CLOSURE On March 5, 2024, DispatchHealth Florida, Inc. will cease operations at 1200 NW Avenue, Suite 101, Doral, FL 33126, affecting certain zip codes in Monroe County. Patients can access their medical records through the patient portal at www.dispatchhealth. com/patientportal, app. chartrequest.com, or by contacting Jodra Lambert at 5223 Northwest 33rd Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309-6302, or calling (786) 900-1979. For current DispatchHealth services in FL, visit www.dispatchhealth. com/locations. Publish: February 1, 8, 15 & 22, 2024 The Weekly Newspapers IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION FILE NUMBER: 24-CP-66-P IN RE: ESTATE OF JEFFREY SCHOCKET, Deceased. NOTICE TO CREDITORS The administration of the estate of JEFFREY SCHOCKET, deceased, whose date of death was 10 January 2024, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 88770 Overseas Highway, Plantation Key,

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA CASE NO.: 4:23-cv-10009-DPG IN ADMIRALTY IN THE MATTER OF THE: Petition Of TWO CONCHS CHARTERS, INC., as Owner of the 2011 Mako 28-foot Center Console Vessel bearing Hull Identification No. BUJ61192F111, Petitioner, ______________________/ NOTICE TO CLAIMANTS OF COMPLAINT FOR EXONERATION FROM OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY Notice is hereby given that Petitioner Two Conchs Charters, Inc., as Owner of the 2011 Mako 28-foot Center Console Vessel bearing Hull Identification No. BUJ61192F111 (“Vessel”) has filed a Petition pursuant to Title 46 U.S.C. §§ 30501 et seq., as amended, for exoneration from or limitation of liability of all claims for any injuries, loss, destruction, or damage arising out of an alleged incident that occurred in Monroe County, Florida, on or about August 8, 2022, as more fully described in the Petition. All persons having such claims must file their respective claims, as provided in Rule F of the Supplemental Rules for Certain Admiralty and Maritime Claims of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, with

FEBRUARY 15, 2024 / KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP

• CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES •

305.743.0844

LEGAL NOTICES

AUTOS WANTED

EMPLOYMENT

HOBBIES/COLLECT.

RV LOT FOR RENT

the Clerk for the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Key West Division, Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr. U.S. Courthouse, 400 North Miami Avenue, Miami, Florida 33128, and serve a copy on counsel of record for Petitioner, Victor J. Pelaez, Esq., Fowler White Burnett, PA, 1395 Brickell Ave., 14th Floor, Miami, Florida 33131, on or before March 15, 2024, or be defaulted. If any Claimant desires to contest either the right to exoneration from or the right to limitation of liability, he or she shall file and serve on counsel for Petitioner an answer to the Petition on or before the aforesaid date, unless his or her claim has included an answer so designated, or else be defaulted. DONE AND ORDERED in Chambers at Miami, Florida, this 17th day of January, 2024. DARRIN P. GAYLES UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE Publish: February 1, 8, 15 & 22, 2024 The Weekly Newspapers

12.915.) Future papers in this lawsuit will be mailed or e-mailed to the addresses on record at the clerk’s office. WARNING: Rule 12.285, Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure, requires certain automatic disclosure of documents and information. Failure to comply can result in sanctions, including dismissal or striking of pleadings. Dated: this 23RD day of January, 2024. Jody Phillips CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT By: Margaret Martin Deputy Clerk Publish: February 1, 8, 15 & 22, 2024 The Weekly Newspapers

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

The Cabana Club, an ocean front private swim club is now hiring for the following positions: Server, $10/hr + tips, 9:30am-7pm, Beach Shop Attendant, $18/ hr, 9:30am-5pm, and Part-time Office Clerk, $18/hr, Thu/Fri/Sat, 9:30am-7pm. Apply in person at 425 E. Ocean Dr. Key Colony Beach or call 404-2193359 and ask for Dave.

The Housing Authority of the City of Key West now hiring the following positions: PT Receptionist, Assistant to Director of Housing, Housing Assistant-Key West, Protective Service Aide, Housing Manager-Middle Keys, HVAC Maintenance Mechanic, and M a i n t e n a n c e M e c h a n i c (Maintenance Worker). To apply, please contact Human Resources at: martinezm@kwha.org or 305-296-5621 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.

P R I V A T E C O L L E C T O R WANTS Rolex, Dive Watches and Pilot Watches. Old Model Military Clocks & Watches. Call 305-743-4578

Large RV Waterfront Lot with Dockage for rent in Marathon. Full hook up. $1950/ month plus utilities. F/L/S 305-731-5042

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE FOURTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR DUVAL COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.: 16-2023-DR-6415 DIVISION: FM-B IN RE: ADOPTION OF HAYDEN MARIE GOLD, Adoptee. NOTICE OF ACTION FOR TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS AND STEPPARENT ADOPTION TO: Brandon T. Saye 978 Gibraltar Road Key Largo, Florida 33037 YOU ARE NOTIFIED that a Joint Petition to Terminate Parental Rights and Adoption by Stepparent has been filed against you and that you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to it on Stephanie GarciaBaker, of Owenby Law, P.A., Petitioner’s attorney whose address is 2301 Park Avenue, Suite 404, Orange Park, Florida 32073, on or before MARCH 8, 2024, and file the original with the clerk of this Court at 501 W. Adams Street, Jacksonville, Florida 32202 before service on Petitioner’s Attorney or immediately thereafter. If you fail to do so, a default may be entered against you for the relief demanded in the petition. The minor child(ren) is identified as follows: Date of Birth: November 26, 2019 Place of Birth: Fernandina Beach, Florida Physical Description of Respondent: Age: 38 Race: Caucasian Hair Color: brown hair Eye Color: hazel Approximate Height: 5’10 Approximate Weight: Copies of all court documents in this case, including orders, are available at the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s office. You may review these documents upon request. You must keep the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s office notified of your current address, (You may file Designation of Current Mailing and E-Mail Address, Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.: 20-DR-722-K DIVISION: FAMILY PAULINA ANDREA JARA GALLEGUILLOS Petitioner, and, MAYKEL RAMOS GARCIA Respondent. NOTICE OF ACTION FOR MODIFICATION OF PARENTLY PLAN TO: MAYKEL RAMOS GARCIA RESPONDENT’S LAST KNOWN ADDRESS: 6639 PENINSULAR AVENUE, KEY WEST, FL 33040 YOU ARE NOTIFIED that an action for modification of parently plan has been filed against you and that you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to it on Paulina Andrea Jara Galleguillos, whose address is 616 Peary Court, Apt. B, Key West, FL 33040 on or before March 1, 2024, and file the original with the clerk of this Court at 530 Whitehead Street, Key West, FL 33040, before service on Petitioner or immediately thereafter. If you fail to do so, a default may be entered against you for the relief demanded in the petition. The action is asking the court to decide how the following real or personal property should be divided: N/A Copies of all court documents in this case, including orders, are available at the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s office. You may review these documents upon request. You must keep the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s office notified of your current address. (You may file Designation of Current Mailing and E-Mail Address, Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.915.) Future papers in this lawsuit will be mailed or e-mailed to the address(es) on record at the clerk’s office. WARNING: Rule 12.285, Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure, requires certain automatic disclosure of documents and information. Failure to comply can result in sanctions, including dismissal or striking of pleadings. Dated: January 25, 2024 Kevin Madok, CPA Clerk of the Circuit Court Monroe County, Florida By: Jaquelyn Fonseca Deputy Clerk Publish: February 1, 8, 15 & 22, 2024 The Weekly Newspapers

BOATS FOR SALE

18' Mako 2003 center console T-top with 2020 Suzuki 140 hp only 30 hrs. 2021 Rocket Trailer Located in Marathon. $27,500 call Mark 305.731.5588 Fly N Fish Sailboat, 1981, 36' diesel, low mileage, one owner. Located in Marathon. $18,000 OBO. 305-709-7234 BOAT SLIP FOR RENT

Dockage for rent in Marathon behind residence. Call for particulars. 305-619-5282 Place your BOAT SLIP FOR RENT ad here. $25.00/week for up to 5 lines of copy. Call 305-743-0844 today! CAMPING SITE

Camping site at marina available in Marathon. $30/day + misc. Free use of dingy & fishing on dock. 305-610-8002 EMPLOYMENT

Hiring: Lead Gutter Installer - EXPERIENCE REQUIRED – valid Driver’s License - must be comfortable with heights - located in Tavernier. To apply, please call or text Jay 305-587-1581. Immediate job opening for parttime Housekeeper in Key Colony Beach. Mostly weekends. Will offer top pay for right person. Call Continental Inn Beachside: Michelle 952-208-2850; Cheryl 305-505-8747

Pigeon Key in Marathon is seeking a Customer Service Rep/ Ramp Attendant. to join our island team. Position includes greeting customers, giving information and taking admissions. Outgoing professionals can contact pigeonkey@aol.com for additional details. City of Marathon Current Job Openings: Administrative Asst. Fire Department and Right of Way Technician. Full Benefits. EOE Please see City website for details www.ci.marathon.fl.us Marathon Auto Air looking for Shop Help - full or part-time. Pay based on experience. Apply in person at 2525 Overseas Highway, Marathon. 305-289-9884 Insurance CSR needed: Fullers Insurance in Key West is looking for a customer service rep. or agent. Hours are 8-5 Mon-Fri. Paid holidays, vacation, and health insurance. Apply in person at 1432 Kennedy Drive, Key West, FL or email resumé to norman@ fullersinsurance.com. Place your EMPLOYMENT ad here. $25.00/week for up to 5 lines of copy. Call 305-743-0844.

Place your EMPLOYMENT ad here. $25.00/week for up to 5 lines of copy. Call 305-743-0844.

HOUSING FOR RENT

ANNUAL RENTAL Key Largo - 2BR/2BA Spacious Doublewide, 1400 sq ft modular on canal w/40’ dock, direct ocean access. Very nice community. $3,500/ month 786-258-3127 Large One Bedroom Suite, Conch House, carpet, tile, appliances, available for rent in Marathon. $2,000/ month furnished, $1600/ month unfurnished includes electric, water, sewer, cable & internet. No Pets. 305-610-8002 Place your Housing For Rent ad here. $25.00/week for up to 5 lines of copy. Call 305-743-0844.

HOBBIES/COLLECT.

RV LOT FOR RENT

Large RV Lot for Rent in Marathon. Full hook up. $1600/ month plus utilities. F/L/S 305-731-5042 Place your RV Lot For Rent ad here. $25.00/week for up to 5 lines of copy. Call 305-743-0844. VACATION RENTAL

Key West House For Rent - 28 day minimum. Recently renovated. 2 Units: 3BR/3BA or 2BR/2.5BA. 1 block to Schooner Wharf @ Historic Seaport. Starting $214/night. Sweet Caroline Seaport.com YARD SALES

Place your YARD SALE ad here. $25.00/ week for up to 5 lines of copy. Call 305-743-0844 today!

FULL-TIME POSITION

POLICE OFFICER The City of Key Colony Beach is accepting applications for a FULL-TIME Police Officer. Applicants must posses a current Florida Certification as a police officer. Applicants will undergo a thorough background investigation, including drug screening, medical, polygraph and a psychological exam. Salary: $60,000. Full Health & Dental Insurance, 457 (b) Participation. Email resume to: Chief of Police at: chief@keycolonybeach.net Or call for additional information: 305-289-1212 ext. 1 EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

YACHT CAPTAIN WANTED

KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP / FEBRUARY 15, 2024

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

The Turtle Hospital in Marathon

Join our team! Full and part-time Educational Program Guides/ Gift Shop Sales. Public speaking & retail sales experience helpful. $18/hour to start. Send resume to: turtlehospital@turtlehospital.org

Part or Full Time 54 ft. yacht located in Key Largo Text response to 404-444-0363 DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM OPERATORS LOCATION: MARATHON

The Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority is looking for Distribution System Operators to perform semi-skilled work, involving the repair and maintenance of FKAA water distribution and transapplicants. Requires a High School, Diploma or GED and valid Florida Driver’s License. Salary: $50,376.48. Excellent benefits and opportunities for advancement. EEO, VPE, ADA, DFW

SUNSET GRILLE IS HIRING

• Bussers • Hosts • Line Cooks • Waitstaff • Bartenders • Dishwashers • Bar Backs Apply in person at Sunset Grille & Raw Bar, 7 Knight’s Key Blvd, Marathon

DUI EVALUATOR/ INSTRUCTOR The Advocate DUI Program is hiring for part time positions. DUI instructors and evaluators - 2 days a week, Bachelors or Masters degree in substance abuse field required. Bilingual preferred, not required. Office located in Marathon. Contact Marcia at 305-704-0117.

WE ARE HIRING!

IS HIRING

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

FULL TIME PROJECT MANAGER

The organization is looking for an experienced, dynamic nonprofit professional to serve as its next Executive Director. The Executive Director is responsible for the overall administration of MARC including programs, facilities, and business operations. The position reports to the Board of Directors, provides direct supervision of the Management Team and is the visible leader of the organization with staff, volunteers, participants, families, other agencies and the community.

IN THE UPPER KEYS

Send resume to: admin@cbtconstruction.com Or call: 305-852-3002

MARC is in Monroe County Florida, the Florida Keys and is a locally operated 501(c) 3 organization providing services to adults with intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, severe autism, spina bifida, Prader-Willi syndrome, Down syndrome, and Phelan-Mc Dermid syndrome.

The Executive Director is guided by the mission of MARC and is responsible for planning, program and fund development and advocacy activities on behalf of persons with developmental disabilities. Excellent business and financial management skills are essential for the position. COME JOIN OUR FAMILY! Apply online at www.marchouse.org. For more information, please contact hr@marchouse.org Phone: 305-294-9526 *32, Fax 305-292-0078 - EOE

NOW HIRING FULL/ PART-TIME HANDYMAN/LANDSCAPING MAINTENANCE POSITION Pay based on experience and work ethic. Call 305-407-3262 or email info@floridakeysaquariumencounters.com 11710 OVERSEAS HWY, MARATHON

WE ARE HIRING! Client Medical Services Manager EXPERIENCED ELECTRICIANS AND HELPERS NEEDED Experience is required. Must have a valid driver’s license. We offer 401K, medical insurance, paid holidays and paid vacation. Positions available in Key West and Marathon. 305-292-3369

Looking for an LPN/RN with solid experience, to work with our clients and staff to meet medical needs. Assist the clients in areas of dental, medical, transportation, liaison between clients, families and support staff. Florida LPN or RN certification. Level II background screening required. Fluent in English, valid Florida drivers’ license w/good driving record, references. Pre-hire on-line training required. Some on call responsibilities. Strong computer skills. Come join our family! EOE Apply at the MARC office, 1401 Seminary St., Key West. Or online at www.marchouse.org. For more information, please contact hr@marchouse.org. Phone: 305-294-9526 *32

The Moorings Village is seeking friendly, self motivated, team players for the position:

MULTI-TASKED OFFICE POSITION Competitive salary and great benefits. Weekends are a must. Job Types: Full-time, Part-time Please email your resume to Lindsey@MooringsVillage.com or call the reception office at 305.664.4708

FEBRUARY 15, 2024 / KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP

• CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC && LEGAL NOTICES • • 305.743.0844 • CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC LEGAL NOTICES 305.743.0844 OPENINGS AVAILABLE

Work with the BEST!

• Health, Dental, Vision & Life Insurance • Tuition Reimbursement

PHYSICIAN PRACTICE OPENINGS - Medical Assistant, Marathon, Orthopedics, Part Time - Ortho Support Tech, Tavernier, Orthopedics, Part Time

• Paid Holidays, Vacation & Sick Time • 401K Employer Match • Quarterly Cash Proﬁt Sharing

TAVERNIER MARINERS HOSPITAL

- MC Multi-Modality Imag Tech, $20k Sign-on Bonus* - Medical Technologist, Part Time - Multi-Modality Imaging Tech, $20k Sign-on Bonus* - Pool Group Exercise Instructor, Per Diem - Pool Physical Therapist, Per Diem - Pool Yoga Instructor, Per Diem - Registered Nurse, Emergency Department, $25k Sign-on Bonus* - Registered Nurse, Intensive Care Unit, $15k Sign-on Bonus*

Voted Best Bank 2014 - 2023

• Fun, Fast-Paced Environment • Great Hours

Key West Customer Service Representative/ Online Banking Information Technology Technician II

MARATHON FISHERMEN’S COMMUNITY HOSPITAL

- ED Team Coordinator - First Cook, $5k Sign-on Bonus* - MC Multi-Modality Imag Tech, $20k Sign-on Bonus* - Medical Technologist, $15k Sign-on Bonus* - Multi-Modality Imaging Tech, $20k Sign-on Bonus* - Patient Care/Nursing House Supervisor, $15k Sign-on Bonus* - Patient Experience Advocate - Registered Nurse, Multispecialty Acute Care Center, $25k Sign-on Bonus* - Registered Nurse, Post Anesthesia Care Unit, $15k Sign-on Bonus* - Security Officer All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. *Sign-on bonuses are available only for select full-time positions based on candidate experience.

APPLY AND LEARN MORE careers.baptisthealth.net or call 786-243-8507

The Guidance/Care Center, Inc. a division of

“Uplifting the human spirit since 1973”

THE GUIDANCE/CARE CENTER, Inc.

IS HIRING!

GCC offers excellent benefits for full-time employment, but we realize some would prefer part-time to enjoy the Florida Keys lifestyle more. All positions can be considered for full or part-time unless notated. Apply at westcare.com and enter your availability.

KEY LARGO

Behavioral Health Counselor (Child)

KEY WEST

Peer Support Specialist Prevention Specialist Advocate (PT) Behavioral Health Therapist (Child, Adult) Behavioral Health Counselor (Child) Case Manager (Adult, Forensic)

MARATHON

Prevention Specialist (any location) Admission Specialist Care Coordinator (PT) Driver (CDL) Behavioral Health Therapist (Child, Adult) RNs/LPNs - 3 shifts (PT/Per Diem) Peer Support Specialist *Support Worker – Assisted Living (PT) *Behavioral Health Technicians 3 shifts (also Per Diem)

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

Diesel Mechanic Truck Helpers CDL Drivers

Upper Keys Full Time Floating Teller Islamorada Full Time Teller Apply Online at KeysBank.com/Careers

Applicants must apply in person to be considered. 4290 Overseas Hwy, Marathon

Member FDIC

DOLPHIN RESEARCH CENTER

IS HIRING! Volunteer Resources Administrative Assistant (Full-Time, Permanent)

Facilities Maintenance Apprentice (Full-Time, Permanent)

Education Program Host (Full-Time, Permanent)

Staff Photographer

(Full-Time, Part-Time, Seasonal)

Media & Marketing Assistant (Full-Time, Permanent)

Benefits include medical, life & disability insurance, 401(k) plan, paid vacation, sick time & holidays. Full job descriptions available at www.dolphins.org/career_opportunities Email cover letter, DRC application & resume to drc-hr@dolphins.org EOE

*No experience required for this position. Will train. A caring heart & helpful hands required.

DOLPHIN RESEARCH CENTER

Background and drug screen req. COMPETITIVE PAY! EXCEPTIONAL BENEFITS!!! Check out all available positions at: www.westcare.com (search by zip code) EEOC/DFWP

Teaching... Learning... Caring

58901 O/S Hwy - Grassy Key, FL

EOE-M/F/V/D

Equal Housing Lender

$$$ OFFICE ASSISTANT $$$

DYNASTY MARINE ASSOCIATES, MARATHON, FL Duties to include invoice and inventory entry, creating and filing paperwork for international shipments, scheduling inspections needed for international shipments, customer communication and tracking, creating and maintaining customer accounts and some customer service. Must be proficient in Microsoft Word, Outlook and Excel. This position requires high attention to detail and the ability to multitask. Competitive compensation plus benefits. Benefits package including vacation, sick days, holidays and 401K PSP retirement plan. Please send cover letter and resume to sales@dynastymarine.net for consideration. No phone calls please. dynastymarine.net

DOLPHIN RESEARCH CENTER HAS A FT/PERMANENT OPENING FOR A FACILITIES MAINTENANCE APPRENTICE Must work well with animals, in order to support Medical & Animal Care & Training departments & participate on Manatee Rescue Team. Must be physically fit, able to lift 75 lbs., possess general “handy-man” skills, have a clean driving record & be diver certified or willing to become certified – knowledge of dive equipment maintenance is a plus. Successful candidate will be responsible, organized, & motivated with excellent team player skills. Benefits include medical insurance, 401(k), vacation & paid holidays. Job description available at www.dolphins.org. Email resume & DRC application to drc-hr@dolphins.org. EOE 58901 O/S HWY - GRASSY KEY, FL TEACHING... LEARNING... CARING

.6875”

Debit 2.125” .3125”

1026

1940 GOOD THRU

0000

10/22

BECOME A MEMBER

3.375”

Take your Conch Pride on the road with a Conch Pride FREE CASH BACK Checking Account! You can help your kids learn to live on a budget while supporting KWHS by using their Conch Pride Debit Card!* *E-statements, e-receipts, a debit card, savings and S15 checking account required. Specific transactions required for each reward level. Restrictions may apply. See us for details. NCUA Insured. See us for details.