THERE’S A MYSTERY TO SOLVE
‘MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS’ AT WATERFRONT | P. 16
KEYS CONGRESSMAN WANTS TO HONOR
JIMMY BUFFETT
GIMENEZ PROPOSES
RENAMING KEY WEST POST OFFICE | P. 4
ST. MARY’S POPULAR PASTOR RETIRES
FATHER JOHN BAKER SAYS FINAL MASS AFTER 16 YEARS | P. 6
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According to the Associated Press, there have been 35 major bridge collapses worldwide due to ship or barge collisions. On March 26, a ship container lost power and collided with Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, collapsing and sending vehicles into the water. A search for six construction workers was called off and they were presumed dead on March 27.
There’s a mystery to solve at Waterfront Playhouse, with ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ playing through April 6.
See page 16.
U.S. Rep. Carlos Gimenez wants to rename Key West post office in musician’s honor
U.S. Rep. Carlos Giménez, whose district includes the Florida Keys, this week introduced legislation to rename Key West’s main post office at 400 Whitehead St. the Jimmy Buffett Post Office Building.
“Jimmy Buffett will always be an icon and champion for our beloved Florida Keys,” Gimenez said. “His music, vision and entrepreneurship produced a lasting legacy in our community and introduced the world to the Florida Keys. With songs like ‘Margaritaville’ and ‘Cheeseburger in Paradise,’ Buffett
became an icon to millions of fans and embodied the lifestyle of island escapism. He loved Florida and the Keys and dedicated many efforts to protecting the manatees, supporting the Everglades and safeguarding the island waterways. It is my privilege to represent the Florida Keys in Congress, and I am proud to memorialize this true legend of our
U.S. Rep. Carlos Gimenez, whose district includes the Florida Keys, has proposed a bill in Congress that would honor the legacy of Jimmy Buffett and rename the main Key West post office at 400 Whitehead St. the Jimmy Buffett Post Office Building. FLORIDA KEYS NEWS BUREAU/ Contributed
community and rename Key West’s post office in his honor.”
Original co-sponsors of the bill, all from Florida, include Reps. Neal Dunn, Kat Cammack, Bill Posey, Daniel Webster, Gus Bilirakis, Scott Franklin, Brian Mast, Mario DiazBalar and Maria Elvira Salazar.
— Contributed
An article in the March 21 edition of the Keys Weekly about changes in the real estate industry misattributed a comment to real estate agent Bascom Grooms. His correct statement was, “Sellers will still have the option to pay their listing agent and the buyer’s agent commissions, which is customary. Sellers may elect to just pay their listing agent, but it remains to be seen if this structure will actually be a benefit to a seller.” The Keys Weekly regrets the error.
After 16 years as pastor of The Basilica of St. Mary Star of the Sea, Father John Baker announces his retirement. MANDY MILES/Keys Weekly
“Rousing” isn’t an adjective typically used to describe a Catholic Mass, with its solemn traditions of scripture, sacrament, prayer and hymns. The choir doesn’t clap with rhythmic gusto, and congregants don’t punctuate a booming sermon with encouraging shouts of “Amen” and “preach.”
That being said, each Mass at the Basilica of St. Mary Star of the Sea on March 17 ended with, yes, a rousing standing ovation, prolonged and enthusiastic applause from an appreciative congregation.
It was at these Masses that Father John Baker, the church’s pastor for the past 16 years, announced his impending retirement, prompted, he said, by the early stages of memory decline.
HIs official retirement date was March 25, but Baker will remain in residence at the church rectory on Windsor Lane until June, said longtime Deacon Peter Batty, who has served the parish for more than 25 years.
His replacement will be up to the Archdiocese of Miami, and is not yet known.
“Father wants to stay in Key West beyond that, and I believe we can make that happen,” Batty said, adding one of his favorite memories of his time working alongside the popular priest.
“Father and I were walking back to the church from the school one day, and a little kid pointed at me and asked his friend, ‘Who is that guy?’ The friend pointed at me and said, ‘That’s Father John’s little helper.’ Since 2007, I have been Father John’s ‘little helper.’”
The height disparity between the two men — Batty towers over Baker, as many people do — makes both of them laugh at the irony.
Despite his small stature, Father John Baker, who will turn 70 next year, maintains the deep and resonant voice of the radio man he once was.
Baker spent much of his childhood growing up “everywhere” because his father was in the Air Force. When he retired, the family settled in Rhode Island, where Baker, as an adult, worked as a radio news broadcaster.
He was nearing 30 when he joined the priesthood, having experienced life and career in the secular world.
He served in parishes in Rhode Island, where there’s a large Portuguese population, though he admits to having forgotten much of the language he once knew well enough to say Mass, hear confessions and converse with his parishioners.
“I always took to heart the tenet of the church that states, ‘Everyone is welcome to worship in the house of the Father in the tongue of their mother,’” he said on a recent afternoon while walking the church’s eight acres along Truman Avenue.
Situated as it is at the end of U.S. 1, Baker said, he has worked hard to include all the cultures that call Key West home.
“We have a Haitian Creole prayer group and a Spanish Mass, obviously,” he said. “We’re here to serve, and if we say no to someone, there’s no alternative Catholic church for 33 miles.”
From Rhode Island, he moved to churches in Plantation and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, finally arriving in Key West in January 2007.
“This is the longest I’ve ever lived anywhere,” Baker told the Keys Weekly, pointing out the native landscaping in the rectory’s backyard, and the original paintings by local artists that hang in his office. “People learned that I liked to paint — pastels over acrylic — so I’ve been blessed with some tremendous artwork over the years.”
When he arrived in Key West, the parish was named, simply, St. Mary Star of the Sea.
The basilica designation would come later, after an arduous, years-long accreditation process that had just started when Baker arrived.
In Roman Catholic churches, a basilica is a title of honor given to church buildings that are distinguished either by their antiquity or by their association with a major saint.
“The Basilica of Saint Mary Star of the Sea is granted the privilege of displaying the coat of arms of Vatican City on its facade and the crossed keys of St. Peter on all its furnishings and liturgical appointments,” states the church’s website.
“In completing the petition to be designated a basilica is when I fell in love with this place,” Baker said. “We dug through history and had to separate facts from all the fiction and lore that comes to define so much of Key West.”
Also during his tenure, the parish’s Catholic school grew in enrollment and once again includes a high school, which had closed in the 1980s or ’90s.
Every student at the Basilica School knows Baker by name and approaches him eagerly to tell him of their latest test score, or, in one case, to ask innocently if the white T-shirt and black pants he typically wears was “his uniform.”
“When I think of Fr. John Baker, I think of 1 Corinthians 9, because he is certainly a man who has become ‘all things to all,’” said Robert Wright, principal of the Basilica School. “Meeting people where they are, and to call them to holiness. This is authentic evangelization. As a school administrator, he is everything you could hope for. He truly understands that the youth are not just the future of the Church; they are the Church now. He has been the school’s biggest advocate and you don’t have to look hard to see the fruit of his unwavering support.”
Baker spends loads of time with the students, blessing their pets at the annual Blessing of the Animals, praying before sporting events and following their scholastic achievements.
“This is just an extraordinary place,” he said. “And it’s a place where people take care of each other. I’ve been blessed to have served as pastor for 16 years.”
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The Monroe County Tourism Development Council Board fired its top employee, marketing director Stacey Mitchell, in a unanimous vote on March 26, five months after a county audit questioned her job performance and ethics.
County Mayor Holly Raschein, who sits on the TDC board as an elected official, made the motion during a regular meeting of the TDC board, which is Mitchell’s employer, at the DoubleTree Resort in Key West.
“Our community is craving some accountability,” Raschein said. “This is not personal. We’re a small community, a very close-knit community. Tourism is our No. 1 industry. After a lot of conversations and reflection, I wanted to bring this item forward.”
Mitchell had been on paid suspension since November 2023. She was promoted to the marketing director job in 2017, after 18 years of working as the TDC’s director of sales.
She took over the TDC in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, which devastated parts of the Lower Keys as a massive Category 4 storm.
On Tuesday, George Fernandez was the first TDC board member called to vote during the roll call. He paused for a moment and with a solemn expression said, “Yes.”
The rest of the board, which is largely made up of professionals who work in various tourism industries, followed suit, making an 11-0 vote to fire Mitchell without cause.
Mitchell didn’t appear at the meeting but her attorney Zachary Z. Zermay, of Coral Gables, told the board she is being “thrown under the bus” because she became a political target over TDC funding for Monroe County’s recent 200th anniversary celebration.
“It’s an election year,” Zermay said.
In the audience at the TDC board meeting once again was Monroe County State Attorney Dennis Ward, who since November 2023 said his office is taking a hard look at the TDC. Ward hired the Miami-based Berkowitz Pollack Brant Advisors (BPB) to conduct a forensic audit, which is still pending.
Mitchell’s attorney: Politics is behind the criticism
The ongoing series of critical audits of the TDC’s finances arose out of political payback, according to Zermay, who in a March 22 letter to Limbert-Barrows auditors directed county staff to only speak with him and not Mitchell in the future.
The TDC’s Key West Area District Advisory Council last year denied a request from Commissioner Craig Cates for $150,000 to put on a special drone show for the bicentennial, after the county’s own application for the funding request was late, Zermay said.
Monroe County did eventually receive funding by going over the TDC’s head and getting approval from the county commission. The drone lights display at the Truman Waterfront in Key West took place in March 2023 for the bicentennial, with 250 drones lighting the sky in various celebratory patterns as an alternative to fireworks.
“That may be the pretext for the animosity that we’re getting directed to Ms. Mitchell,” said Zermay, of the Zermay Law Firm, whose Florida Bar profile lists his practice areas as consumer and personal injury law.
Board members on Tuesday did not respond to Zermay’s comments. Instead, they took the advice of Assistant County Attorney Christine Limbert-Barrows.
“It’s not worth debating whether there is cause or not,” Limbert-Barrows told the board before the 11-0 vote removing Mitchell from the top job. “Proceed without cause is my recommendation. That is the path of least resistance.”
Zermay told Keys Weekly after the vote that Mitchell’s firing amounts to wrongful termination.
The county’s scrutiny of the TDC began Oct. 31, 2023, when County Clerk Kevin Madok released an audit criticizing TDC’s financial management, after his office found noncompliance with county policies along with ethical concerns.
“Ms. Mitchell is marketing director of the TDC,” Zermay said. “She’s not the comptroller. There’s a separate constitutional office to deal with this sort of thing.”
Mitchell, as marketing director, was in charge of the TDC, which currently has no chief financial officer or comptroller overseeing the accounting and financial reporting.
Managing the various TDC budgets was Mitchell’s job, along with managing the in-house staff and the outsourced advertising, public relations and website agencies. She was also the primary liaison to the TDC board and five district advisory committees.
The unanimous vote comes a month after the same members stuck up for Mitchell and rejected a motion by Commissioner Cates to fire her, and a week after the Board of County Commissioners expressed frustration that she hadn’t yet met with Cherry Bekaert, the accounting firm they hired last year to review the TDC’s financial management.
“Interviewing Ms. Mitchell is the last interview, then they just need to finalize their report,” County Attorney Bob Shillinger told the BOCC at its regular meeting March 20. “We’re getting to the end of the audit. Time to make decisions is coming near.”
Commissioner Michelle Lincoln asked the county attorney what it would take to end the contract with Visit Florida Keys, the not-for-profit corporation that is the TDC’s executive office.
Shillinger called that move a “nuclear option.”
“I am extremely disappointed that this is the response that Ms. Mitchell is making as a person on
paid leave to not cooperate with the audit that our county is paying for to get clarification,” Lincoln said. “It’s a vote of lack of confidence in Stacey to even remain in this position and be paying her any more. It’s mindboggling.”
“I thought the last two audits were very clear they needed to change directors because of insufficiencies in several places,” Cates said. “We are paying that director I believe $17,000 a month on administrative leave, taxpayers’ money that the TDC funds. If she’s not cooperating, I think it’s time to move forward.”
Commissioner Jim Scholl said, “There’s no excuse for delays. You should be audit ready, you should be inspection ready, you should be investigative ready every day.”
Zermay on Tuesday said Mitchell wasn’t refusing to meet with auditors at all.
“We requested that the auditors go ahead and submit their questions in writing to us,” he said. “They declined to do so. I said, ‘OK, well I’d like to be present with Ms. Mitchell.’ They said that’s not required.”
The auditors weren’t cooperative with the requests, Zermay told the TDC board.
“They were taking the, ‘it’s our way or the highway,’ he said.
The Clerk of Court’s Office has released separate audits of the TDC, NewmanPR and Tinsely Advertising.
Only Tinsley received a favorable review. Auditors ripped NewmanPR – which has had a 40–year business relationship with Monroe County –on multiple business practices they said amounted to “fiscal arrogance.”
Andy Newman, president of the PR firm his father Stuart Newman originally started in Miami in 1946, and his attorney called the clerk’s audit on NewmanPR biased. The audit accused NewmanPR of doublebilling, having put in reimbursement requests for photography services separate from the firm’s monthly fee. But County Attorney Shillinger had previously announced that he found no evidence of double-billing by NewmanPR.
“The clerk’s office is free to have a different view,” Shillinger told the BOCC on Nov. 8, 2023.
One county audit remains in progress. Two Oceans Digital, which handles the TDC website and digital media, is being reviewed.
Scientists hot on the trail of the root cause behind unprecedented sawfish deaths and spinning fish throughout the Florida Keys say they don’t have all the answers yet. But thanks to new information unearthed in a massive collaborative effort over the last three months, they could be on the right path.
An hour-long March 20 live stream conducted by the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust (BTT), one of several organizations on the front lines in combating the strange phenomena, provided arguably the most substantial public update so far, pairing BTT biologist Ross Boucek and vice president Kellie Ralston with Michael Parsons, director of Florida Gulf Coast University’s Vester Field Station, and the University of South Alabama’s Alison Robertson. Other leading collaborators include the Lower Keys Guides Association (LKGA), Florida International University, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
Boucek outlined four “lines of inquiry” that began in January 2024 after reports of spinning fish began in October 2023 and seemed to intensify in December: potential contamination from human-generated sources, such as wastewater effluent or pesticides; evidence of degrading fish health metrics, possibly indicating long-term illnesses or high loads of pathogens or parasites; contaminants stemming from the water column, including red tide; or toxins stemming from the sea floor.
So far, Boucek said, 25 research missions since mid-January including 30 biologists and 12 fishing guides have yielded 150 fish samples, 200 water samples and more than 200 substrate samples, along with more than 200 reports of symptomatic fish – all but two of which originated from inshore waters.
“The reports cover 35 different species from forage fish to game fish, sharks, rays and everything else in between,” he said. “Whatever this is, it does not discriminate based on species size, migratory pathways or behavior.”
Investigators complete a necropsy on a deceased sawfish. In addition to hundreds of reports of spinning fish, FWC has recorded 27 confirmed mortalities of the critically endangered species since late 2023. FWC/Contributed
While some were quick to point to human waste or pesticides as news of the event spread, Boucek said that at the time of the live stream, partners including DEP had yet to identify any elevated levels of human-generated contaminants in Keys waters. Similarly, fish health metrics from assessed samples are normal, and water chemistry parameters including salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH and temperatures show nothing out of the ordinary. FWC scientists have yet to find elevated levels of the algae causing red tide in Florida (Karenia brevis), or the toxins associated with this algae, in the collected water samples, Boucek and Robertson said.
The team’s first lead, Parsons said, came from elevated levels of a family of algae known as Gambierdiscus detected in the water column in areas with affected fish, as well as in the gut contents of some affected animals.
“It’s a benthic species, so seeing it in the water is a little unusual,” said Parsons, who added that abundances of the organisms were “anywhere from five times higher to about 30 times above averages we’ve seen over the past 10 years” near seagrass beds with fish exhibiting the erratic behavior.
“The maximum numbers we saw were below 10,000 cells per liter of water,” Parsons added. In that concentration, he said, the algae won’t trigger
a visible color change in the water, as commonly observed with red tide. “That (number) is a lot for Gambierdiscus, but it’s not a lot in terms of our typical blooming species. So that’s one reason why Gambierdiscus was kind of under the radar here.”
An umbrella term for a genus that includes more than a dozen individual species, Gambierdiscus abundance has historically been linked to recentlyimpacted areas of coral reefs through an increase in ciguatera poisoning. Caused by potent toxins known as ciguatoxin and maitotoxin, both of which can be produced by Gambierdiscus species, the acute illness can include symptoms of diarrhea, vomiting, numbness, dizziness and weakness for those who ingest fish with accumulated toxins.
“The higher-than-normal water temperatures that we saw down in the Keys (last summer) could have perturbed the system in such a way that Gambierdiscus is now at an advantage,” Parsons said. “We’re trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together there and looking for clues at the scene of the crime.”
Ironically, Parsons said, the thing that may have put the harmful algae at such an advantage may also be the thing to eventually suppress it, as Gambierdiscus numbers tend to peak in the fall and winter months before dropping in the heat of the summer.
“The irony here is, did the hot summer cause what we’re seeing now? But
this coming summer may actually suppress the Gambierdiscus population,” Parsons said.
Though reports of affected fish have now spread throughout the Keys, “(the symptoms) have lingered in the central spots for a while,” said Robertson. “That gives us some information that whatever this issue is, it may have been on the bottom.”
So far, toxins produced by Gambierdiscus have been detected in “reef-associated” fish samples and bottom-dwelling algal samples studied by Robertson and her team. Also detected were levels of okidaic acid, a toxin produced by another dinoflagellate that’s more commonly associated with shellfish in northern latitudes, and a few other “novel compounds” still under study. While the presence of these toxins themselves aren’t the “smoking gun” that researchers have been searching for, she said, “we could be looking at the fact that those background levels (of toxins) might make fish more susceptible to whatever is causing the spinning.”
Though seldom mentioned in coverage of the event thus far, spinning fish have been shown to recover in some cases when moved to clean water, supporting the idea that whatever causes the spinning behavior is in the water column and crossing the gills of affected fish, Robertson said. The symptoms reported in these fish, she said, are consistent with neurotoxins produced by algae.
Robertson’s team has been working “seven days a week, 12 to 14 hours a day” to grow neuronal cells and expose them to any possible chemical extracted from Keys water samples, algal samples or fish tissues, searching for evidence of cellular disruption or death.
Both BTT and FWC’s online dashboards to address the abnormal event recommend avoiding eating symptomatic or already-deceased fish, as well as fish harvested from areas where other affected fish are observed. Both say to avoid swimming in areas with dead fish.
Boucek, Parsons and Robertson all stressed that while investigators are following “the strongest lead” while avoiding “cold dead ends” in ongoing research, a definitive cause-and-effect relationship has yet to be established.
“We haven’t solved this,” said Parsons. “(Gambierdiscus) seems to be the most promising lead, so that’s where we’re putting in a lot of effort.”
Upcoming experiments, Parsons and Robertson said, will continue to identify species of Gambierdiscus present in Keys water samples, as well as investigate sediment samples to try
Tand identify biological or chemical markers of past disturbances in the Keys’ marine ecosystem. Expanded sampling through time outside of known affected areas should help in better understanding the spread and boundaries, if any, of the phenomenon. Meanwhile, controlled experiments exposing fish from unaffected regions to Keys water samples or individual toxins will attempt to reproduce the behaviors seen in the wild.
“As we look at these samples, we’re trying to be open-minded about what the cause might be,” Robertson said. “Mike and I have a lot of very focused individuals, and we’re not going to give up.”
urn off the lights. While many on social media have been eager to venture out at night in search of symptomatic fish, “shining a flashlight on a fish that’s seemingly healthy before the light hits it can cause this seemingly erratic behavior.” Boucek said. Avoid shining flashlights in the water, especially in regions known for symptomatic fish.
If the fish are spinning, keep moving. Catch-and-release fishing seems to trigger symptoms in affected fish, Boucek said. If caught fish are spinning after they’re released, move to a new area. Investigators’ initial work has shown that distances of less than a mile can yield vastly different fish behavior.
Make official reports of affected fish or discolored water. While social media posts have helped to spread awareness, if fish are spinning or distressed or anglers see areas of discolored water, researchers need to hear through official channels. Scan the attached QR codes to make an official report through the Lower Keys Guides Association or FWC’s Fish Kill Hotline (800-636-0511). To report sawfish in distress, call 844-472-9347.
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I Peter 3:15 NKJV
Donate to continued research. Initial event response funding provided by NOAA, along with $2 million included as a last-minute addition in Florida’s state budget set to take effect July 1, have aided in funding a continuous research response. Additional donations to fund immediate continuation of research may be made at www.bonefishtarpontrust.org/donate/.
n 18-year-old Upper Keys student is in jail on a half-milliondollar bond after deputies said he threatened to kill a Key West teen in a Snapchat post that prompted a March 12 lockdown at Key West High School.
Isaac Rodney Holmes, 18, a senior standout football player at Coral Shores High School, was arrested March 18 on a felony charge of intimidation, which Florida law defines as sending “written or electronic threats to kill, do bodily injury or conduct a mass shooting or an act of terrorism.”
A week before his arrest, Holmes posted a video on his Snapchat account that tagged a Key West teen with the sentence, “w8 for u gon see cheeto.”
“Cheeto” was the nickname of Garrett Hughes, the 21-year-old Key West man and former KWHS athlete, who was fatally shot behind the former Conch Town bar on North Roosevelt Boulevard in the early hours of Feb. 13, 2023, after the Super Bowl.
It was more than the words in the Snapchat video deputies were concerned about. In the video, Holmes appeared to have a gun concealed in his pants, Monroe County Sheriff’s deputies said.
Holmes said he had a BB gun in his pants during the video, but added that he threw it away because he was afraid Key West students would screenshot the Snapchat video and call the police, according to the arrest warrant.
On March 12, school officials and police feared Holmes, having threatened to kill the 17-year-old Key West student, was headed to KWHS on a bus with a sports team coming from Coral Shores High School for an event.
Locking down the high school at 2100 Flagler Ave. took about 30 police officers along with school staff, “which resulted in a high number of resources due to Holmes making the threat,” the arrest warrant said.
The victim, whom Keys Weekly is not identifying, told deputies he saw the video with the threat on the night of March 11.
Deputies obtained an arrest warrant for Holmes on March 14, two days after the KWHS lockdown.
Key West police spokeswoman Alyson Crean said the lockdown ended with “no reason to believe a suspect was on the scene” at KWHS.
Crean said that at 1:30 p.m. on March 12, police dispatch took a call from a male who said he was sitting in a car in front of KWHS and was going to shoot people. While police were responding to the call, they learned of the social media threat, she said, describing the threats as separate instances.
Crean said the phone call was likely an act of swatting – a hoax call threatening dangerous crimes, made to send a large police presence with SWAT teams to a location. Often, the caller makes it appear as if the call is coming from a victim at the location.
Holmes has had prior trouble
At press time, Holmes remained locked up at the county jail on Stock Island on a $500,000 bond. His arraignment is set for 9 a.m. on April 9 before Monroe County Judge Mark Wilson at the courthouse in Key West.
Holmes is under a no-contact order that forbids him from contacting the juvenile victim in any way, or coming within 500 feet of the victim’s home or Key West High School.
“Holmes has been involved in several altercations at Key West High athletic events,” MCSO’s arrest warrant states, and school officials across the Keys are familiar with him.
This isn’t Holmes’ first brush with law enforcement.
On Oct. 23, 2023, Holmes was arrested on a burglary charge and misdemeanor theft, but the case record is sealed as a juvenile case.
Holmes was charged as a juvenile because he was 17 at the time of the crime, Monroe County State Attorney’s Office spokesman Steve Torrence told Keys Weekly.
The Key West High School Drama Club, a program of Williams Hall, this week announced its annual spring musical, “Head Over Heels High School Edition.” The production stars the talented students of the Drama Club, including Jeremy Zoma (director and musical director), Lauren Thompson (choreographer) and Sushi Productions (costume design).
The production is produced by program director Emily Young Galvan with the club’s school sponsor Rebecca Bertucci, who leads the technical direction.
The Drama Club’s production of “Head Over Heels” takes place on Thursday, April 11, Friday, April 12, and Saturday, April 13 at the Key West High School Auditorium, 2100 Flagler Ave. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the performance begins at
7 p.m. Tickets are available at keystix.com (under the Williams Hall tab).
“Head Over Heels” is set to the music of the iconic 1980s all-female rock band the Go-Go’s, including hit songs, “We Got the Beat,” “Our Lips Are Sealed,” “Vacation” and more. The show follows the escapades of a royal family on an outrageous journey to save their beloved kingdom from extinction, only to discover the key to their realm’s survival lies within each of their own hearts. It is a hilarious and exuberant celebration of love — think Shakespeare meets the GoGo’s — what’s not to love?
Tickets are $22 (general admission) and $18 (student/ teacher w/ID) and are available for purchase at keystix.com.
— Contributed
The Waterfront Playhouse on Mallory Square has begun rehearsals for its production, “Murder on the Orient Express.” A stage adaptation of the Agatha Christie novel was written and adapted by Ken Ludwig and premiered in New Jersey in 2017. Based on the Christie novel that was first published in the United States in February 1934, it was originally published under the name “Murder on the Calais Coach.” “Murder on the Orient Express” is directed by Tom Thayer, designed by Michael Boyer, costumed by Leigh Hooten, lighting design by Kris Hodge and stage managed by Renee Austin.
The plot is full of wild characters. As Poirot puts it, “It was like a painting by Pablo Picasso.” The play opens in Istanbul at the Tokatlian Hotel, where the audience meets Poirot, played by David Black. He runs into his old friend, Bouc (played by Dominic Paolillo), who arranges a trip on the Orient Express, which he owns. Upon boarding the train, one by one, Poirot meets odd characters. As the train departs the station amid snowy conditions, the layers of each passenger peel back.
The passengers are misfits, with their own reasons for being on the train. Outside of Monsieur Bouc and Poirot, passengers include Helen Hubbard, a widow (Glenda Donovan); Mary Debenham, an English governess (Morgan Pierson); Greta Ohlsson, a Swedish missionary (Jessica Miano Kruel); Samuel Ratchett, an American businessman (Mathias Maloff); Ratchett’s secretary/translator Hector MacQueen (Ray West); Natalia Dragomiroff, a Russian princess (Barbara Mundy); the Countess of Hungary Elena Andrenyi (Cassidy Timms); an English colonel by the name of John Arbuthnot (Maloff) and conductor Michel (Karl Stahl).
During the ascent up the mountain on the way to London, the train becomes stuck in the snow. Shortly following the abrupt stop in the late hours of the evening, a murder occurs and Hercule Poirot is on the case.
Tickets may be purchased by calling 305-294-5015 or by visiting waterfrontplayhouse. org.
— Contributed
Pedro Morales also gets a computer and textbook money
Pedro Morales, a Key West High School senior, has received a scholarship through the Dell Scholar Program from the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation.
Morales will receive $20,000 over the course of his four years in college, as well as a Dell computer, $2,000 in textbook credits and personal support to navigate academic, emotional and financial challenges through college.
Morales is one of 500 students to be selected nationally for this program through his grit, potential and ambition to get to college, said his teacher Matt Poffenberger.
The scholarship program is open to students in selective college prep courses approved by the foundation.
Morales is part of the Monroe County School District’s AVID program.
AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) is a class as well as a school-wide method of teaching.
“AVID fosters a safe and open culture with high expectations for teachers and students and collaboration in classrooms,” states the school district website. “In AVID elec-
Key West High School senior Pedro Morales received a $20,000 scholarship from the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, along with a Dell computer and $2,000 textbook credit. CONTRIBUTED
tive classes, students receive additional academic support that will help them succeed in their courses, utilizing organization strategies, study skills, communication, self-advocacy and collaborative strategies. AVID-trained teachers provide specific classroom activities, teaching practices and academic behaviors to improve engagement and success for all students to help them become college and career ready. Each school has a cohort of teachers that have been AVID trained and Key Largo School is an AVID National Demonstration School.”
— Contributed
On March 25, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 3, which restricts those who are 14 and younger from having certain social media accounts.
Abill prohibiting children from accessing certain social media platforms was signed into law by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis during a March 25 press conference in Jacksonville.
The original legislation — passed with overwhelming support from Democrats and Republicans — aimed to restrict those 16 and younger from holding certain social media accounts. DeSantis vetoed that bill on March 1, citing the lack of parental power over allowing their kids on social media and the opportunity for Floridians to remain anonymous online.
A new bill proposed barring those younger than 14 from becoming a social media account holder. Language was also added to allow parents to decide whether their 14- and 15-year-olds can have a social media account. The new measure, House Bill 3, received House and Senate approval on March 6.
Under House Bill 3, social media companies will be forced to delete existing accounts of those who are under 14. Companies failing to comply could be hit with financial penalties up to $50,000 per violation, in addition to attorney fees and court costs. The bill aims to keep minors off social media platforms that allow them to upload or view content from other users, have addictive features like infinite scrolling, and use algorithms that analyze users’ data to select content for them. The bill doesn’t identify any specific social media companies.
DeSantis alluded to the threat of predators using social media to reach kids who are seemingly safe at home.
“You can do everything right, but they know how to manipulate these different platforms. It’s created huge problems,” DeSantis said.
Republican House Speaker Paul Renner said the bill is focused on the addiction associated with social media platforms and how that harms children, not the First Amendment right to speech. Renner said the bill addresses addictive features that give a dopamine hit to keep users online longer.
“Children are not set up to handle the addiction that some of us as adults had to face and step away from,” Renner said during the March 25 press conference.
“Unlike an adult who can make an adult decision and say, ‘I drank too much last night, I need to drink less or stop drinking altogether’ … a child in their brain development doesn’t have the ability to know they’re being sucked into these addictive technologies and to see the harm and step away from that. Because of that, we have to step in and help them.”
The new law, which takes effect Jan. 1, 2025, could face a legal battle. NetChoice, in a March 8 statement, said House Bill 3 is an “unconstitutional law that will protect exactly zero Floridians.” NetChoice is a trade association of online businesses that advocates for free expression and free enterprise on the internet. Association members include X (formerly Twitter), Google, Etsy and Pinterest, to name a few.
“HB 3 is also bad policy because of the data collection on Floridians by online services it will in effect require. This will put their private data at risk of breach,” said Carl Szabo, vice president and general counsel for NetChoice.
Renner said the law will withstand scrutiny in the federal courts on First Amendment grounds because it zeroed in on addictive technology and not content.
Book, music and lyrics by Rob Baumgartner, Jr. and Nathan Dame FRI, SAT & SUN APR 5-7, 8PM
$35, $30 mbrs.
The Papers explores the themes of obsession, manipulation, and the moral implications of pursuing artistic legacy at any cost. A reimagining of Henry James’ classic novella The Aspern Papers set against the backdrop of contemporary Key West.
sponsored by Jane Gardner Interiors
Valerie Perreault
John Black
Charged, abstract artworks that relay energy and motion as a way to connect the self with ancestral energy, featuring the rigor of Gerhard Richter and the perspective of a young Black man in America.
sponsored by Key West Fine Wines
Lynn Retson
MIND ALTERING LUBRICANTS FOR SOCIAL INTERCOURSE
DINNER COCKTAILS MUSIC
MONDAY - SATURDAY | 6P - LATE 524 DUVAL ST. | 305.296.1075
THURSDAY APR. 18, 6P-10P
DURING WALK ON WHITE STONE SOUP GALLERY | 802 WHITE ST
... is a photographer, writer, and semi-professional birdwatcher. He has lived in Key West for more than 25 years and may no longer be employable in the real world. He is also executive director of the Florida Keys Audubon Society.
I’d just watched three or four videos about how to properly tape drop handlebars on a bicycle, which apparently gets really tricky around the brake levers.
I felt I had the technique down in concept, but wanted to take a break before I went and realworld screwed it up on my actual bike, so I spent a few minutes scrolling through Facebook. Mostly it was the usual political jeremiads, as well as memes offered as behavioral correctives, but after 30 or 40 such things, I saw something interesting. There was a post, literally from a minute before, about a pearly-eyed thrasher at the Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden. They’d included a grainy photo.
A pearly-eyed thrasher is common in much of the Caribbean, though not in Cuba and still somewhat rare in the Bahamas, where it has been increasing. The species has never been reported in North America.
Honestly, I’m always a little skeptical when someone reports an amazingly rare bird in the Keys, largely because we get so many visitors unfamiliar with the area, a small number of whom are very determined to see an amazing bird. Not to mention I’d seen broadly similar-looking brown thrashers breeding at the botanical garden a few years ago, and that seemed a lot more likely.
There’s a common dictum in journalism: “If your mother says she loves you, check it out.” I feel this applies to rare birds, too. It’s in everyone’s interest not to take things on faith.
Also, I really didn’t want to put on shoes and socks, get in the damn car and drive all three-and-a-half miles out to Stock Island if I didn’t have to.
The woman who posted about finding the bird was named Emily Guarino. A little Googling let me know that she was a scientist and trainer at the Dolphin Research Center on Grassy Key. Which gave me hope that my skepticism was a bit unwarranted.
The photo she posted was grainy, but even in bad light it was clear the bird wasn’t rufous enough to be a brown thrasher. Also, brown thrashers have saffron yellow eyes. This bird’s eyes were, in fact, pearly white.
I quickly looked up all the other thrasher species that have been seen in North America, and it wasn’t any of those, either.
Guarino had posted the photo on the Facebook page, Florida Rarities and Bird Migration, where members would deconstruct a bad
identification, especially of a mega-rarity, pretty ruthlessly and quickly. Congratulations were being offered all around. Several people were saying they’d expected to see this bird show up in Florida for years now.
On the American Birding Association’s scale of rare birds, a pearly-eyed thrasher was a category 5 out of 6, and 6 was extinct.
I texted a few people, then went to find my shoes and socks.
I met Mark Whiteside in the parking lot and went in. Guarino said the bird had been seen in a gumbo limbo two right turns from the entrance. When we made it to the tree we ran into Matthew Jolley, who’d also seen the post.
We stared into what we thought was the right tree until we were sure it wasn’t in there, then we began to look about a bit. I’m not sure how long it was. Five minutes? Fifteen? Then Jolley said, “There it is,” lifted his camera, and took a few shots while trying to explain to us where it was.
Whiteside and I were both looking in the wrong tree further down the boardwalk, and it hopped down before either of us got a look, but Jolley showed us a really good shot he got of the bird, which didn’t make me feel at all simultaneously jealous, petty and covetous.
Jolley got us on the right tree, though, and a few minutes later the thrasher popped up. It even stayed up long enough for me to get a decent shot myself, before dropping back down into the thicket.
Ellen Westbrook arrived, and we told her how we’d just seen the bird 10 minutes before, and no doubt it would pop up again, though that turned out not to be the case.
I didn’t get to the botanical gardens until an hour after it opened on Monday. The parking lot was already full and I had to park out on the road, as there were already about 40 birders there. I knew some of them, but hadn’t seen them since before the pandemic, and there were a good number of birders I’d never met. Most were from Florida, or from elsewhere and happened to be in Florida when the bird was put up on the ABA’s Rare Bird Alert.
Emily Guarino was also there, birding with Mary Stella, who recently retired from the Dolphin Research Center. So I asked Guarino to sit down on a bench for a few minutes and tell me about finding this amazing bird.
She said she’d come down to Stock Island with her husband Mike Guarino because migration was starting and they wanted to see some warblers. Which they did. And also a lot of gray catbirds eating berries in the gumbo limbo near the entrance. And just out of the corner of her eye, she saw something that looked just a little … different.
“We both got our binoculars on it, and immediately knew this was not a species we’re used to seeing here. And so we watched it for a good long while, just reciting field marks to each other, memorizing them, so we could then ID it in a guide,” Guarino said.
“I knew what it wasn’t. I knew it was thrasher-like, but I knew it wasn’t a brown thrasher. I knew it was about the size of a Bahama mockingbird, but it wasn’t that,” she said.
“We’ve lived here for over 20 years and we knew what it wasn’t. So then it was just a matter of taking in and reciting and memorizing field marks so we would be able to identify it together. We were calling things out to each other, like large pale bill, dull upper parts and white underparts with brown streaking. Things like that so we could confirm what the other person was seeing,” she said.
“It was really useful, in this circumstance, to have two different birders, noting and settling on the same field marks. And then we felt confident,” she said.
The grainy photo she posted was one she’d shot with her iPhone, which to me counts as 10 out of 10 for difficulty.
“It was a good lesson as a birder. Don’t overlook things. Don’t just assume it’s another catbird or something like that,” she said.
Sadly, the pearly-eyed thrasher was not seen again Monday or Tuesday. My guess is it will pop up again, maybe at the botanical garden, maybe somewhere like Fort Zach or Indigenous Park. But that’s just a guess.
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... a professional musician, singer, actor and executive director of the Key West Music Awards, is known to sacrifice his comfort for that of his cat.
On March 18, there was a different kind of buzz at the Key West Theater. There was an unusual collection of well-dressed people milling about, being interviewed by paparazzi and mingling with some of the city’s finest musicians and most recognizable music industry personalities.
It was the night of the Iggys, the Key West Music Awards, or the island’s version of the Grammy Awards, done our way, of course. The event is now in its third year.
The evening began with an introduction by yours truly about what the evening and the awards are all about.
The Iggys’ main purpose is to supply a line of support to children and teens who show musical interest but are in precarious living situations, with the belief that showing children their worth musically can perhaps circumvent a less productive path.
Each year, the award producers choose a different beneficiary for the funds raised at the event. After working with both Sister Season Fund and the Lighthouse Project, this year the proceeds will help the Bahama Village Music Program as it transitions from one building to another.
City commissioner Clayton Lopez took the stage and eloquently thanked all the sponsors and told a bit about his love for the Key West music scene. Then, after a rousing rendition of their song “Key West is the Best” by this year’s Reggae Act of The Year, Reggae Lou and The Kind Buds, the show got down to business.
And business was booming. The night included the presentation of over 20 awards as well as a special Lifetime Appreciation Award for Ellard “Moose” Boles, a local blues legend whose credits include several albums with Lou Reed. His resume also features a long list of famous players, and he has been playing his style of blues in the Keys for 25 years. The very talented Kari Wolf brought the house down singing one of Moose’s original songs, “I Didn’t Know.”
Throughout the night, community personalities, supporters, characters and friends presented local musicians with the trophy known as the Iggy.
The voting process is fairly simple. A public nomination period is held online in which the general public nominates favorites in each category, which each has its own criteria.
After that. the top three nominations in each category are passed on to a panel of seven judges. These judges do not know each other’s identity, nor do they know the number of votes any particular nominee may have received. In other words, if the top two nominees got 300 nominations and the next one in line only received 50, the judges have no idea.
The judges then, on their own, do the job of seeing these acts live or on video, listening to the recordings and deciding which they like best. Some of these judges are musically knowledgeable, meaning they know why one song sounds one way as opposed to another. Yet some of these judges just love music and like what they like for whatever reason.
And some of the judges fall in between.
The evening was interspersed with musical performances by some of Key West’s shining stars. Nina Newton graced the stage along with relative newcomer Justin Angelo. This will not be the last time either of these two performers grace the stage at the Iggys.
Gary Hempsey, a proficient and musically active force in our community, showed why he took home Song of the Year honors — on stage, alone with his guitar, like a troubadour would.
Jess and Jill silenced the crowd with an original song reminiscent of Pink Floyd, the Grateful Dead and a sense of vulnerability. The thunderous applause they received can also be attributed to the great band directed by Jeff Dalton and composed of local players Ross Brown, Hal Howland, Vince Bergamo, Tim Mayer and Jimmy Sweetwater.
“The focus was on making each performer sound the best that they can,” Dalton said, and the band did just that.
The night almost reached the point where it was getting a little long, as award shows often do, except for one thing that can’t really be quantified but can be felt: the feeling of love, family and community that filled that large room. This is a byproduct that no organizer of any event can count on, or introduce themselves. It is a natural organic experience that creates itself and grows as it is realized.
Entertainer of the year: Bria Ansara
Song of the year: Gary Hempsey
Album of the year: Tony Baltimore
Songwriter of the year: Tony Baltimore
Rising Star Award: Collette Campbell
Jazz act of the year: The Cantina Band
Cover act of the year:
The Marshall Morlock Band
Reggae act of the year:
Reggae Lou and the Kind Buds
Rock act of the year: The Durt Bags
Fan of the year: Charles Brumley
Facilitator of the year: Skipper Kripitz
Instrumentalist of the year: Martin Zedlak
Solo act of the year: Ross Brown
Duo act of the year: Jess And Jill
Mentor of the year: Jeff Dalton
Vocalist of the year: Kari Wolf
Blues act of the year:
The Andy Westcott Band
Country act of The year: Homegrown
R&B/Rap act of the year: Tantra Grillo
Supporting artist of the year: Hiram Gazarro
In this business we all work at the same time. On our Island, with our economy, we all work a lot and are happy that we can. It seems, sometimes, we only get together when something is wrong — a benefit for a friend in need, for example. But not this night. We came to show our support for the future of Key West music. We came to celebrate. We came to recognize our colleagues and be recognized by them. To let each other know: we see you and what you’re doing and we are happy you’re doing it here with us. Nights like this bring us together as part of the history of this island, and as part of a community of people who love a few of the same things, a few of the same people, and live very close together.
For more information, and to support the Iggys, visit keywestmusicawards.com.
Taste of Key West celebrates its 29th year of tasteful charity
For primary care, diagnostics, and well-women visits
For an appointment at one of our 2 locations:
305.674.CARE or msmc.com
*Physicianandlocationsubjecttoavailability.
• We are looking for gently used casual, street and business casual wear for teen and young adults. In particular size 2XL and T-shirts in all colors and sizes.
• We also are looking for new underwear and boxers in all sizes.
• We also need gently used sneakers in all sizes.
Project Lighthouse is a youth activities, resources, and drop-in center located in the heart of Key West. The staff help runaway, homeless and at-risk street youth, many of whom have traveled throughout the country, locate appropriate and available services such as food and medical care. Our goal is to encourage each young person to become a welcome, positively contributing member of the community.
PROJECT LIGHTHOUSE
1102 Truman Ave, Key West
Monday - Friday, 12pm to 5pm
Parking is located across from Francis Street on Truman Avenue - great for quick drop-offs!
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MONDAY-SATURDAY 4PM-6PM
ROOSTICA WOOD-FIRE PIZZERIA 5620 MACDONALD AV. KEY WEST | 305.296.4999
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FRESH SEAFOOD, STRONG DRINKS, OUTDOOR DINING WITH WATERFRONT VIEW, AND PLENTY OF LOCAL CHARACTERS.
6810 FRONT ST. | STOCK ISLAND 305-293-4041
CHRIS McNULTY
is an astrologer, wanderer, bartender and advocate for queer justice. He is a loquacious Gemini with a cozy Cancer rising. Find him at hearthandheraldastrology.com
Hold on to your hats and sunglasses because we have officially entered eclipse season. Roughly every six months, the sun, the moon and the Earth line up in just the right proximity to put us through a short series of new moon and full moon eclipses. We just had our full moon eclipse on March 25 and everyone is talking about the upcoming new moon eclipse on April 8, the totality of which will be experienced by folks from Mexico to Maine. During every eclipse season, we experience transformational changes in hyperdrive. It is a concentrated time of transition where nothing is quite what it seems because the lights are obscured. Taking place across the Libra-Aries axis, we are in the very middle of a two-year cycle of eclipses focused on self and others, independence and interdependence, courage and solidarity. These are the themes that are being re-written for us. Think back to the second half of October 2023 to get a glimpse of the lessons that will be coming up for you now. In the midst of this eclipse season, Venus is forming a friendly 60-degree sextile to independent Uranus, showing us that our relationships can support our liberation and that love can set us free.
Here are your horoscopes for the Venus-Uranus sextile. Read for your rising and sun signs.
ARIES
March 21 - April 19
Under this sky, it appears that you either love taking time alone or are entertaining a secret romance. There’s a major love in the hiddenplaces theme. This experience is supporting your financial freedom in some way. Enjoy the time you’re having in your secret place and notice how it is helping you with unconventional money management.
TAURUS
April 20 - May 20
Your friends and comrades are showering their appreciation on you right now, so soak it up. They are encouraging you to be your radical, unique, weird self. Use their admiration to fuel your fire and show everyone what you’re made of. Be free. While you may feel a bit like you’re going off on your own, the only way to form real friendships is by being true to yourself. Trust.
GEMINI
May 21 - June 21
You’ve been finding more and more that you feel liberated when you’re alone. For a sign that loves the social life, appreciating alone time is not the easiest feat. Right now, there is kindness and grace being offered to you at work in a way that supports your independence, particularly the independence you experience when you’re isolated from everyone else. Appreciate the support.
CANCER
June 22 - July 22
Are you just loving learning something new or traveling to places you’ve never been? There’s a “new horizons” theme taking place for you and it seems that you’re really falling in love with the unfamiliar. This experience is helping you to make unexpected friendships and to find freedom from any groups of people that are holding you back. Embrace change right now and seek out fellow adventurers.
LEO
July 23 - Aug. 22
Is there a mission-based project that you are investing in with a group of like-minded people? Or are you enjoying managing some resources that are shared with others? This experience is helping you feel emancipated from the drudgeries of work. Perhaps you are even developing ways to free yourself from the 9-5. You don’t have to do it like everyone else, so see what you come up with.
Aug. 23 - Sept. 22
Whether you are experiencing romance or just feeling love for a significant person in your life, that feeling is offering an adventure that is radically new. The first step is to accept that the feelings are there; then you can leave the familiar behind and see where the wind takes you. Open yourself up to the vistas that await, and let your love for another be the threshold to cross.
Sept. 23 - Oct. 23
Routines are not always rote and humdrum. Settling into a regular routine can help to free your mind so it can focus on other things that genuinely interest you. Right now, you are being asked to love the routines and habits that you’ve developed. When you do so, you will free yourself to participate in the group projects you’ve been hoping to get involved with.
Oct. 24 - Nov. 21
You are on a creative high right now, Scorpio. Artistry is flowing through your veins. Let the muse take over and share your unique vision with all of us. By letting your creativity flow forth, you will also manage to support an unconventional relationship in your life. Perhaps you and your partner find new ways of relating, or perhaps you literally free yourself from the relationship. Trust your muse.
SAGITTARIUS
Nov. 22 - Dec. 21
If home is where the heart is, you better be appreciating your time there. Perhaps you’re reconnecting with family or you’re rearranging your home space. Loving your roots is where it is at. As you sit in the deep appreciation for home and family, you will find that your routines are changing to make space for your shifting priorities. Changing your habits can be really good for the soul.
Capricorn
Dec. 22 - Jan. 19
As you move through your daily business in your local neighborhood, take some time to see how beautiful your familiar surroundings are. Turning your perspective to find the heavens in the wildflowers will spark an unexpected creativity. Independence and freedom are being offered to you in your creative outlets, and your everyday world is the inspiration.
AQUARIUS
Jan. 20 - Feb. 18
Your source of income is creating unexpected changes in your home life, for the better. If you let your passion be your guide for the ways that you make money, the benefits that you garner will be great. You may free yourself from your family’s oversight or you may find a new home that feels liberating. But first, identify what you love when it comes to paying your way,
Pisces
Feb. 19 - March 20
Self-love is, in many respects, the most important love. As RuPaul says, “If you can’t love yourself, how the hell are you gonna love somebody else?” Under this sky, you are being afforded the opportunity to really fall in love with who you are. When you do that, you will find a new freedom in your familiar world. Drop the shackles of despair and appreciate yourself.
The 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 morning of March 22 looked like it was going to be a washout, and the weather deterred some volunteers, but the weather held out for the entire cleanup and 30 volunteers were able to pick up 571 pounds of trash, 12 pounds of recycling and 1.5 gallons of cigarette butts. CONTRIBUTED
H&R Block had a big day. Not only were they the host for the cleanup, but they also were presented with their Adopt-A-Spot sign on 14th Street. Thank you to the business for being the host and for their continued commitment to cleaning their area with staff once a month.
One 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 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.
When you write a book about a local cryptid called the Skunk Ape, stories find you.
The Skunk Ape is Florida’s Bigfoot and a legendary presence in South Florida and the Everglades. Occasionally, it makes an appearance in the Florida Keys, too. My book, “The Florida Keys Skunk Ape Files,” is based on a 1977 event that occurred on Key Largo in July. The sighting garnered local and national attention and scared one family out of the Keys. After a particularly terrifying incident, the police interviewed the wife of the family experiencing the phenomenon. She was awakened at 3 a.m. when she “could hear limbs ‘snapping and breaking’ as if something big was walking through them. Through a gap in the jalousie window, from where I was lying in bed, I saw these bright, colorless eyes. They must have been reflecting the backyard light, like a cat’s would. They were evil-staring. I could see the silhouette of its huge shoulder and head above an 8-foot bush, 30 feet from the bedroom window.”
Deputy Bill Haase from the sheriff’s substation on Plantation Key was the first to respond to the bizarre call. After arriving on the scene and investigating, Haase reported no sign of the creature.
It may have been hiding; it had not disappeared, as Haase was not the only officer who investigated what became a series of sightings. Sgt. Rondoll Chinn of the sheriff’s office and Capt. Jack Gillan from the marine patrol also arrived at the family’s home when the creature was seen again. “There is definitely a problem there,” reported Chinn. “These people are truly scared to death. It’s unlikely that someone is pulling a practical joke because it would require a great deal of effort. If it is a joke, someone’s liable to get hurt.”
Beyond the Key Largo sighting, which occurred in the area of what is today Snappers Restaurant, the book I wrote is primarily fiction. Whether or not you believe in this sort of thing, strange things happen all over the world all the time — they certainly do in the Florida Keys. However, in the last several months, people have told me a few unusual stories. Shared as personal experiences, they smell a little like Skunk Ape events.
One occurred at Jewfish Creek. Two men from Miami were fishing in the creek one day when they observed something large, bipedal and covered in fur come out of the mangroves. They called it la criatura, the creature. When I heard the story, my wife and I were standing in line at a local fish market, waiting to buy some hogfish filets. When it happened, the person who told us was living on a houseboat at a marina on Jewfish Creek.
La criatura reportedly walked through the shallows before stepping back up into the mangroves and out of sight. When more closely examined, reportedly, there were signs that something large had moved through the area — broken branches, for instance, were observed.
Another interesting story I recently heard dates back to the 1990s. The strange and interesting event occurred on Key Largo, too, and not too far from where the Jewfish Creek story is said to have played out. This time, it was night, and inside the stilt house bordering the mangroves between Dusenbury Creek and Blackwater Sound, the family dog was barking. It was not a small dog, not a terrier or a collie, but 135 pounds of riled-up dog. When the owner of the house opened up the back door, two things happened. First, the dog raced out, but quickly had a change of heart and hid beneath the house. The second thing that happened was that the owner was hit with a pungent and overwhelming smell described as extreme body odor and dead fish.
My initial response was what I usually say when the topic of the cryptid’s smell comes up. “If you lived in a swamp, wore a fur coat, and never bathed, you’d smell, too!”
The third story I wanted to share I cannot because I don’t know it. Some time ago, someone left a comment about the Skunk Ape on one of my social media posts. I don’t remember his name or what he was commenting on, but he said that if I ever wrote another Skunk Ape book, he had a story about something that happened in the Lower Keys. I responded immediately because I love so many facets of the local history. I never heard anything else. Maybe, when he reads this, he will reach back out and share his story.
Trust me when I say that I have heard 100 stories about the Skunk Ape, and most come with a punch line about some late night at the Caribbean Club, Brass Monkey or any number of drinking establishments in Key West.
Truthfully, some things I hear are more interesting than others and perhaps more interesting to me than others. The thing is, at least for me, I embrace them all because all of them, the stories about wrecking, sponges, the railroad, Key lime pie or even the Skunk Ape are all threads in this glorious fabric that is Florida Keys history.
Queer Keys & Kirby’s Closet raise $10K with fashion show
The Out of the Closet fashion show and fundraiser took place March 13 on a waterfront runway between Mallory Square and Opal Key Resort.
Fourteen models hit the runway wearing “tropical glam” styles tailored to each by Kirby Myers, owner of Kirby’s Closet boutique, which provided the wardrobes.
Musical performances by Jessica Wachs and the Junior Junkanoos were followed by beats by DJ Sanaris.
The event raised $10,765, which will be used toward “building out our community space for our grand opening on May 17 at 1100 Truman,” said Queer Keys cofounder Chris McNulty. “It will also be used to expand our current programs and services once we open.”
The nonprofit Queer Keys’ mission, its website says, is to “support, educate, empower and celebrate the queer community of the Florida Keys through youth programming, trans and nonbinary health care, and an up-and-coming community center.”
‘I Was on a Boat That Day’ video features Key West
There’s no mistaking the band Old Dominion’s Key West connections — or their affinity for the island, where they packed the Coffee Butler Amphitheater on March 23. The country-rock band from Nashville filmed the video for their hit, “I Was on a Boat That Day,” in
Key West, featuring boats from Fury Watersports and other familiar backdrops.
The band played its popular hits including “One Man Band,” “Break Up With Him” and “Hotel Key,” along with some new tracks, to the delight of the Key West crowd.
The band consists of Matthew Ramsey, Trevor Rosen, Whit Sellers, Geoff Sprung and Brad Tursi.
Mary McLeod
KAREN NEWFIELD
Bethune descended from parents who had once been enslaved. She was born free as the 15th of 17 children in a rustic log cabin in South Carolina. When a teacher in her small country schoolhouse witnesses Mary’s abilities, she helps her obtain a scholarship for higher education. Ultimately Mary establishes a school for girls (later renamed Bethune-Cookman University) in Daytona Beach, Florida. Mary sacrifices her life fighting for civil rights, equality and women. At first glance, Eleanor Roosevelt couldn’t be more different, yet when the two women meet they are instantly two peas in a pod, sharing the same goals and beliefs. Although Eleanor hails from one of the most prominent families in America, she feels an immediate connection to Mary, and their friendship blossoms. Eleanor is on board with Mary’s struggles, and what begins as a whisper in Franklin’s ear becomes a groundbreaking speech for the world to hear. Their agenda places Mary in federal positions, and with Eleanor at her side the world can no longer ignore her pleas. Through decades of disappointments and incredible triumphs, Mary and Eleanor never lose their faith. A powerful and inspiring journey of friendship and history.
First and foremost a reader, she has reviewed hundreds of books on her blog www.readingandeating.com. And, more recently, this new Keys resident has also begun writing.
In 1971 Evelyn and Maggie become friends under the harshest of circumstances. They have been sent to a home in Toronto for unwed “fallen” women. These young ladies are barely out of their teens when they become pregnant, and their distressed families have them spend the months prior to delivery in a horrific home run by the church. Evelyn and Maggie cling to each other during the hardest days of their lives. With no outside contact, the girls are shamefully coerced to repent, put their babies up for adoption and keep this all a secret. In 2017, Angela finds a letter in the antiques shop she manages. Buried deep in a drawer, the tearful saga details a dying mother’s wish to tell her adopted daughter the truth of her birth and reveal what little information she has hidden. Angela, who is struggling through infertility procedures and knows she is adopted, feels deeply for these strangers. She begins researching various names and events and in the process makes a terrifying discovery. Loosely based on actual events, this ugly truth is a difficult but necessary read, especially due to the recent changes taking place with abortion legislation.
In 1836, Margaret Fuller visits philosopher and author Ralph Waldo Emerson. She is welcomed to the family’s home in Concord, Massachusetts. Next door lives the Alcott family (Louisa May is a child) and Henry David Thoreau, a young man who helps around the house. Emerson was anxious to meet this female, unmarried author who was making a name for herself as the best-read person in New England. Margaret’s lifestyle was often criticized, as wives frowned upon their husbands’ dizzying displays of attention to Margaret’s every thought. Expecting a boy, Margaret’s father had decided to raise her as one through education. After his passing, her family struggled, and the pressure was on Margaret to venture out in the world and earn a living. That responsibility, coupled with her love of learning, led her to build a network of friendships with some of the most prestigious people of the time. When Horace Greeley, editor of the New York Tribune, sends Margaret overseas, she becomes the first female news correspondent. This true account reads like a fascinating novel filled with the rich history of a woman who should have been a household name, but never was.
You can watch “She Said,” streaming on Prime Video and Apple TV. This compelling true tale follows two female journalists from the New York Times as they uncover one of the most significant stories for contemporary women. Their revelation dismantles years of abuse and sexual assault in Hollywood, sparking a pivotal shift in American policy.
Meet the Keys’ boys basketball and girls soccer all-stars | PGS. 6,8
4/3
MARCH 28
MARCH 28
Defensively, he is a rock behind the plate and has a rifle arm. He is a joy to coach and I’m anxious to see what his sports future holds for him.”
— Tony Hammon, Coral Shores baseball coach
4/4
Trinity School 4:30 p.m.
4/4 Coral Shores Softball South Homestead 5 p.m.
4/4 Coral Shores Track & Field Key West 3 p.m.
4/4 Coral Shores Tennis Westminster Christian 12:30 p.m.
3-4 errors
Baseball is a game in which the little things make all the difference. Senior Zeke Myers is clearly doing them. Batting in the critical number four spot and described by his coach as a power hitter, Myers’ bat has come alive in clutch moments this season, helping the ’Canes to overcome some of their fiercest competition. Defensively, he is as dependable as it gets; Myers is error-free thus far this season.
“Zeke is a gifted athlete and leader,” said coach Tony Hammon. “As a member of our team council, he provides strong leadership both on and off the field.”
For his contributions to the Hurricane baseball program in both athleticism and leadership, Coral Shores’ Zeke Myers is the Keys Weekly Athlete of the Week.
With spring break providing a short respite from a full slate of games for Keys teams, the Keys Weekly is proud to take a look back and introduce our 2023-24 All-Keys teams in boys basketball and girls soccer. See pages 6 and 8. Photos by Barry Gaukel, Grace Andrew and Doug Finger.
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.
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.
Marathon - Alex Rickert alex@keysweekly.com
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Key West - Mandy Miles mandy@keysweekly.com
The Keys Weekly Sports Wrap is proud to be the only locally-owned publication providing prep sports coverage from Key Largo to Key West. Together with our writers and photographers, we are committed to providing a comprehensive overview of the world of Keys sports with photography that allows our readers to immerse themselves in game action.
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This week on the Keys Weekly Sports Wrap Podcast, Sean and Tracy go over all of the scores and events for the past week. Hear some behind-the-scenes details you won’t catch anywhere else. Additionally, you will get a firsthand account of the Marathon vs. Coral Shores baseball game from March 25 before you read about it. If you want to hear how the latest Battle of the Keys went down, be sure to check out this week’s episode.
Grayden Ross. JOY SMITH/Purely Joyous Photography
Conch baseball took their talent to the west coast over spring break to see how they measured up to some of the highest-rated ball clubs in California. They opened their long-distance series with the Sonora Raiders, who hail from La Habra, just outside the Anaheim city limits. Key West struck first in inning three when Auggy Davila walked, then was advanced when the pitcher balked with Nelson Ong at the plate. Ong then laid down a sacrifice bunt to get Davila to third and Caden Pichardo grounded out, giving Davila the opportunity to cross the plate and give Key West the lead. Sonora tied it up in inning four and from there, it was a defensive battle into extra innings. Anthony Lariz pitched a phenomenal game, lasting 8 innings and striking out 11 batters in the process. But the game would last 10 innings, and Sonora managed to score the walk-off run to end it, 2-1. The Conchs had 5 hits in the loss, with 1 each from Steel Mientkiewicz, Caden Pichardo, Sam Holland, Jacob Burnham and Roman Garcia.
The following day, Key West was paired with the Wolverines of Aliso Niguel High School. The Conchs’ bats were in action, with Garcia leading the way with a pair of doubles. Mientkiewicz and Lariz had two hits each and Holland, Pichardo and Noah Burnham had one each. Key West outhit the Wolverines, but 6 walks, 4 hit batters and 3 errors outweighed the Conchs’ 7 hits en route to an 11-6 loss.
The final game of the trip was against the Tritons of San Clemente. The game was scoreless through 4-1/3 innings until the Tritons broke the game wide open, scoring 5 runs off of 4 hits, a walk and an error to take the lead. Key West answered with 2 runs in the sixth but the Tritons scored 4 more in the final inning to put the game out of reach. Key West registered 6 hits, with 1 each from Holland, who doubled, plus Noah Burnham, Nelson Ong, Davila, Mientkiewicz and Garcia. Jacob Burnham pitched 6 innings, striking out 6 Tritons, and Christian Koppal closed the final inning, striking out 2 in the 11-6 loss. Key West will get some rest before they host the Bandits of ABF Academy Homestead on Friday, March 29.
Coral Shores stayed closer to home over break, traveling as far as Miami to face the 7A Buccaneers of South Dade High School on March 18. The 3A ’Canes struggled offensively, losing 11-0 in 4-1/3 innings. Keller Blackburn had the only hit for Coral Shores, a single in the fifth inning. The Hurricanes had better luck at home on March 21 against the independent Rays of Mater Academy Bay. Grayden Ross started on the mound for the ’Canes, pitching an entire game and striking out a dozen batters, walking 1 and allowing 3 hits. Donovan Thiery was 3-for-4 at the plate with a triple and 2 singles. Ezekiel Myers was also 3-for-4 with a double and a pair of singles. Maykol BonitoRodriguez and Mason Clark accounted for the rest of the Hurricane hits in the 6-0 win.
Marathon took a break last week, returning to action in perhaps its most challenging game of the season. Coral Shores made the short trip to the Middle Keys to play Marathon on March 25 in what would prove to be a pitchers’ duel until the final innings. In a game that went scoreless through the first five frames, just a single run at the top of the sixth inning would eventually give Coral Shores a 1-0 victory. For full game coverage, see the April 4 edition of the Sports Wrap.
Key West’s James Osborne averaged a stellar 17.1 points and 2.3 assists per game for the Conchs, shooting with 49% accuracy and improving with each game he played. Coach Dexter Butler had plenty of praise for his young shooting guard, saying, “James had a phenomenal sophomore campaign this season as he led the way offensively and really took a huge leap forward with his ball handling, passing, and how can I not mention scoring.”
Coral Shores sophomore Donovan Thiery led his team in both scoring, averaging 14.4 points per game, and shooting percentage, with 52% accuracy. The talented guard is deadly all over the court, with the ability to sink a three as easily as he can dunk the ball. His coaches were particularly pleased with his strong performances at key times throughout the season.
Key West finished on top this season with an 11-12 record, including a postseason win against Sunset and sweeps of Marathon and Coral Shores. Though it once was the expectation that the larger-school Conchs defeat their smaller in-county opponents, that has not been the case for several years. However, the late Dexter Butler’s leadership led his young squad in the right direction. Without a single senior on their roster and only one junior in the starting lineup, the Conchs look to grow even stronger in the coming seasons.
Marathon, 7-9, managed to pick up steam as the season wore on. The Fins lost their first two games against Coral Shores as well as both against Key West, yet managed a win in their third go at the Hurricanes. Though Marathon graduates three starters, their bench is young yet experienced, including a pair of middle schoolers who saw significant playing time during the season.
Coral Shores finished 7-13 with two of their wins against neighboring Marathon. The ’Canes will certainly feel the loss of a senior-heavy roster, but have plenty of talented juniors and underclassmen waiting to fill in the spots on the lineup.
Conchs junior Kameron Roberts averaged 9.8 points and nearly 2 assists per game offensively. With 1.4 steals per game, he proved to be a formidable defender as well. “Kameron had another solid season for us – he is always all over the court, making timely shots when we need them and always ready to play,” said coach Dexter Butler. “This will be a huge senior season for him.”
Demarcus Deroche averaged 10.3 points per game with a 64% field goal percentage. His dominance in the paint is illustrated by his 7.6 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game. When Deroche joined the Conchs midseason, head coach Dexter Butler said he “gave us a missing piece to our puzzle,” adding that the freshman is “a special kind of athlete, with the ability to dominate in the paint for the next three years.”
Marathon’s Adrian Cruz scored 322 points this season for a career total of 487. He was credited with 69 assists as well. Described by coach Jim Murphy as “a leader on and off the court,” Cruz finished his 60-game career with the Fins with a standout senior campaign.
Grant added 244 points to make it a career 302 for the Fins in his senior season. In addition to what coach Jim Murphy described as “many game-changing threes in big games,” Grant accumulated 105 rebounds to keep the ball in Marathon’s possession.
Described by the Coral Shores coaching staff as “a consistent tough competitor,” Ayden Lane led the ’Canes in both offensive and defensive rebounds. The junior forward averaged 11 points and 2.4 assists per game, making him an allaround solid player.
Praised by his coaches for his hard-playing style, AJ Johnson was key for the Hurricanes in locking down their opponents on defense. Johnson was second in rebounding for Coral Shores and he used his athleticism and will to win to give his team a spark when it was most needed.
Garcia, a first-year varsity player, stepped up big-time for Marathon, scoring 217 points and earning 27 steals. The only Fin to start all 27 games this season, Garcia was a dependable workhorse for Marathon’s defense.
Though the final records of girls soccer squads throughout the island chain may not be what teams had hoped for, there’s plenty of reason for optimism from Key Largo to Key West.
Key West finished the season 7-8-1 despite the loss of multiple key players due to injury, securing the district runner-up trophy after knocking out the top seed in the semifinals. The Conchs graduate five seniors, but have a deep pool of talent waiting on the roster for a chance to step up next season.
Coral Shores was 3-10-1, with two of those wins and the tie coming from matches against Marathon. The ’Canes graduate a single senior, which meant an enormous amount of playing time for the young roster and tremendous potential for the next few seasons.
Marathon went 2-10-2 on the season, including an 8-0 shutout against International Studies. The Fins will lose three seniors to graduation, but with players who made the varsity roster as middle schoolers, the squad has plenty of potential to gel and become a force in the coming seasons.
MVP
The Lady Conchs’ keeper Teagan Lavin was subjected to a tough schedule this season and still managed to help lead her team to 7 wins. The senior leader shut out the opposition 4 times last season and anchored the Conch defense with a great combination of leadership and patience. Head coach Scott Paul said, “Teagan is a player that is always focused and has top-level keeper skills that she developed over the years.”
Marathon’s Rain Banks ended her seventh year of varsity play for the Fins leading her team in both goals and assists. A captain for the past three seasons, Banks enriched the Dolphins with her leadership and experience. “She is driven and hardworking on and off the field,” said coach Cathy Warner. “She has really good footwork, and controls the ball with grace and ease.”
Kai Redruello is a player with a fantastic final touch with quick instincts to boot. She was looked to as a finisher for the ’Canes for her ability to put the ball into the net from nearly any spot on the field. Despite her talent, the sophomore was selfless in her play, assisting others’ goals as often as she scored her own.
Described as a leader on and off the field for the Conchs, Grace Andrew used the past two seasons honing her skills to become one of Key West’s top players in 2024.
Coach Scott Paul praised her contributions to the team, saying Andrew “continued to be dominant this season, holding down the middle of the field (and) combining physicality, intelligent play and athleticism in her play in the middle of the defense for us.”
After changing positions this season, Key West’s Maeve O’Hearn immediately took to her new role as sweeper, leading her team with a quiet, positive presence.
“Her tenacity along with a very smart field presence helped us develop into a team that could rely on the defense when our offense was not clicking,” said coach Scott Paul. “She was key to the back line working as a unit that continued to grow from last season.”
Jordan MacDonald used her role as a midfielder to set up others to finish, particularly with her skill at taking kicks. The hard-working junior proved to be both talented and selfless on the field. Coach Cathy Warner described MacDonald as “a fantastic complement to the girls around her, always aware of her surroundings, making plays and setting up others to finish.”
Tiny but mighty, Coral Shores’ Saydie Hendrix paired her agility with pure athleticism to steal away opponents’ opportunities and feed the ball upfield to her own team time and again last season. Described as “a force to be reckoned with” by coach Zach Owens, Hendrix was crucial in the Hurricane defense the past two seasons.
Lady Conch Kaitlyn Franco did not miss a beat after a change in position this season. The speedy junior took to her new role as midfielder as if she were born to play there. Coach Scott Paul said of Franco, “Kaitlyn’s skill level with her feet combined with her vision of the field made her a force to be reckoned with in the midfield for us this season.”
With 5 goals and 9 assists last season, Key West’s Maddie Kilduff stepped up when it counted for the Conchs. After the team lost several players to injury, Kilduff filled in and quickly made it apparent that she belonged in the starting lineup. “Maddie’s skills, combined with a high-intensity field presence, increase every year, and she should be absolutely dominant next season for us,” said Conchs coach Scott Paul.
Ali Beth Wilson has the speed and footwork necessary to make her deadly whenever the ball is in her possession. A scoring machine for the Hurricanes, Wilson has another season to go. The swift forward has shown steady improvement, making her senior campaign an exciting one.
Described by coach Cathy Warner as “the wheels and speed” of the Fins’ defense, Perdomo combined her hard work and athleticism to become a key distributor for Marathon. “She was always there to clean up anything that got in the way of the goal,” added Warner.
3 Daniuska Perdomo FRESHMAN | MHS GOALKEEPER
Just a freshman, Perdomo already has two career shutouts to her credit, and the hardworking keeper got better as the season progressed. Coach Cathy Warner praised Perdomo, saying “she has an innate ability to read a field and cut off the play.”
Key West’s Jazzy Dieguez proved to be a multi-talented athlete this season, splitting time as a forward and midfielder for part of the season, then shoring up the Conch defense as the team made its way through the district brackets. Dieguez was described by her coach as “a player who is constantly working on her game, and she put this on display finishing the season with 9 goals and 2 assists to lead the team in scoring.”
2
Conchs head coach Scott Paul summed up Turner’s role for Key West succinctly, saying, “Colbie is on track to being one of the very best defenders in the Keys after completing her sophomore year by taking over the outside defender position the second half of the season. Colbie is fast, physical, and getting to be quite a skillful player on the field.”
Hurricane midfielder Sofia Jans was key in ball distribution for Coral Shores. Described as a team player who will not be outworked, Jans’ quick instincts and ability to put the ball into the net or pass it off to a teammate with a better shot make her an asset all over the field.
Vero Beach braved the high season traffic and torrential downpours to play the southernmost softball team on March 23 in the only game to take place during Monroe County’s spring break.
The visiting Indians took the lead in inning three and held on until the seventh when the Lady Conchs tied it up, sending the game into extra innings. Key West had a chance to win it in inning 8 when Tavyn Gage singled, then advanced on a passed ball, but the Indian defense locked down the rest of the lineup, leaving Gage stranded on second.
In the ninth inning, Brianna Brenner fanned three in a row to end any chance for a Vero Beach rally. Alexandra Rodriguez then
singled to get things going for the Conchs. Vera Rodger made contact next, sending a line drive deep into right field and sending Rodriguez clear to third. Alexa Condella then singled to center field, bringing Rodriguez home with the walk-off to end the game.
Rodriguez went 4-for-5 on the afternoon, while Gage and Scarlet Niles each hit a single and a double. Rodger, Condella, Shylo Sanchez and Monica Bueno accounted for the rest of Key West’s dozen hits. Brenner and Nevaeh Arnold paired up to strike out 12 Vero Beach batters. The 4-5 Conchs will have to wait a week to even up their record; no games are scheduled for any Keys teams due to Miami-Dade and Broward counties being on spring break this week.
FICTITIOUS NAME
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that
Cove
desiring
at 1406
Avenue, Marathon, Florida 33050 intends to register said name with the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida.
By: John Mirabella
Publish:
March 28, 2024
The Weekly Newspapers
FICTITIOUS NAME
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that
the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of The B & G Spot located at 100100 Overseas Highway, Unit 371732, Key Largo, Florida 33037 intends to register said name with the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida.
By: Chicago Meats Philly, LLC
Publish:
March 28, 2024
The Weekly Newspapers NOTICE
Record on December 20, 2022
(Explanatory Statement), to undertake a project known as The Heron Assisted Living Facility Construction and Capital Improvements for the purpose of expanding and enhancing its services at 67 Coco Plum Drive in Marathon, Florida. The Proposed Project includes the demolition of the existing 6,000-square foot Heron Assisted Living Facility structure. In place of the demolished building, one approximately 2,700-square foot group home building and one approximately 2,100-square foot independent housing building are proposed to be constructed at the site. The project's purpose is to replace the aging infrastructure, add two additional beds, and introduce independent living apartments. Estimated total project cost is $9,605,962.20 which includes $1,500,000 from U.S. HUD to support this project.
FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT
1504 has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality. Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures (24 CFR Part 58, Sec. 58.76) and shall be addressed to U.S. HUD, Miami Field Office, Brickell Plaza Federal Building, 909 SE First Avenue, Room 500, Miami, Florida 33131-3028, ATTN:
Dana K. Sibley, Community Planning and Development Representative. Potential objectors should contact U.S. HUD to verify the actual last day of the objection period.
Brian Shea, Planning Director, City of Marathon Certifying Officer
Publish: March 28, 2024
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE SOLICITATIONS
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION
FILE NO.: 24-CP-000139-PK IN RE: ESTATE OF PAUL F. OBRECHT, JR. Deceased. NOTICE TO CREDITORS
All
Unit 28 – Jeremy Vallies
Sale of all goods will be
at 10:00 am at , 97300 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, FL 33037.
Upper Keys Commerce Center reserves the right to accept or reject any and/all bids.
Publish:
March 28 & April 4, 2024
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE
Notice of Seizure that in accordance with Florida Statutes 83.805/83.506, Upper Keys Commerce Center, 97300 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, FL 33037 will sell or otherwise dispose of the personal contents of the following unit to satisfy the delinquent storage lien.
All contents in:
Unit 9 – Tonya Skillman
Sale of all goods will be 4/8/24 at 10:00 am at , 97300 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, FL 33037.
Upper Keys Commerce Center reserves the right to accept or reject any and/all bids.
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March 21 & 28, 2024
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF FINDING OF NO
SIGNFICANT IMPACT AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO
REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS
March 28, 2023
City of Marathon 9805 Overseas Highway Marathon, Florida 33050 (305) 743-0033
These notices shall satisfy two separate but related procedural requirements for activities to be undertaken by the City of Marathon.
REQUEST FOR RELEASE OF
FUNDS
On or about April 13, 2024,
The City of Marathon will authorize Westcare Florida, Inc. to submit a request to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the release of Community Project Funding Grant funds under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (Public Law 117-328) and the Explanatory Statement for Division L of that Act, which was printed in the Senate section of the Congressional
The City of Marathon has determined that the project will have no significant impact on the human environment. Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) is not required. Additional project information is contained in the Environmental Review Record (ERR) on file at the City of Marathon Planning Department, 9805 Overseas Highway, Marathon, Florida 33050 and may be examined or copied weekdays 8:00 A.M to 5:00 P.M.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Any individual, group, or agency may submit written comments on the ERR to the City of Marathon Planning Department, 9805 Overseas Highway, Marathon, Florida 33050. Comments also may be submitted by email to planning@ci.marathon.fl.us.
All comments received by April 12, 2024 (within 15 days following the publication date of this notice) will be considered by the City of Marathon prior to authorizing submission of a request for release of funds. Comments should specify which Notice they are addressing.
The City of Marathon certifies to U.S. HUD that Brian Shea in his capacity as Planning Director consents to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to the environmental review process and that these responsibilities have been satisfied. The State’s approval of the certification satisfies its responsibilities under NEPA and related laws and authorities and allows Westcare Florida, Inc. to use Program funds.
U.S. HUD will accept objections to its release of fund and the City of Marathon’s certification for a period of fifteen days following the anticipated submission date or its actual receipt of the request (whichever is later) only if they are on one of the following bases: (a) the certification was not executed by the Certifying Officer of the City of Marathon (b) the City of Marathon has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding required by U.S. HUD regulations at 24 CFR part 58; (c) the grant recipient or other participants in the development process have committed funds, incurred costs or undertaken activities not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of a release of funds by U.S. HUD; or (d) another Federal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR Part
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Thursday, April 25, 2024, at 3:00 P.M., the Monroe County Purchasing Office will receive and open sealed responses for the following:
Insurance Consulting Services
Monroe County, Florida
Pursuant to F.S. § 50.0211(3) (a), all published competitive solicitation notices can be viewed at: www. floridapublicnotices.com, a searchable Statewide repository for all published legal notices. Requirements for submission and the selection criteria may be requested from the County’s electronic bidding platform at bonfirehub.comhttps://monroecounty-fl. OR www. monroecounty-fl.gov/ BonfireBids. The Public Record is available upon request.
Monroe County Purchasing Department receives bids via the Bonfire electronic bidding platform. Please do not email, mail or attempt to deliver in person any sealed bids. Emailed/mailed/physically delivered bids/proposals/ responses WILL NOT be accepted.
The Monroe County Purchasing Department hereby directs that bids be submitted via the Bonfire electronic bidding platform at bonfirehub.com,https://monroecounty-fl. no later than 3:00P.M. on April 25, 2024. There is no cost to the bidder to use the Bonfire platform. Please do not submit your confidential financial information as part of your proposal. There are separate uploads for each set of documents, including confidential financial information. All proposals will be made public on the platform after an intended decision or 30 days, whichever is earlier, unless the bids/ proposals are rejected in accordance with F.S. 119.071.
If your proposal document includes financial information, that information will not be considered confidential and will be available and viewable to the public in accordance with public records law.
The bid opening for this solicitation will be held virtually, via the internet, at 3:00 P.M., on Thursday, April 25, 2024. You may call in by phone or internet using the following:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://mcbocc.zoom.
us/j/4509326156
Meeting ID: 4509326156
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+16465189805,, 4509326156# US (New York)
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Dial by your location:
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Publish: March 28, 2024
The Weekly Newspapers
The administration of the estate of PAUL F. OBRECHT, JR., deceased, whose date of death was January 26, 2024; is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division; File Number 24-CP-000139-PK, the address of which is 88770 Overseas Highway, Suite 2, Tavernier, FL 33070. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate, including unmatured, contingent or unliquidated claims, and who have been served a copy of this notice, must file their claims with this court WITHIN THE LATER OF THREE (3) MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR THIRTY (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 the decedent’s estate, including unmatured, contingent or unliquidated claims, must file their claims with this court WITHIN THREE (3) MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE.
ALL CLAIMS NOT SO FILED 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: MARCH 28, 2024.
Personal Representative: PAUL F. OBRECHT, III 10525 Stevenson Road Stevenson, MD 21153
Attorney for Personal Representative:
JOHN MICHAEL LYNN, ESQ. Florida Bar No. 0147273
Turner & Lynn, P.A. 7 Barracuda Lane
Key Largo, Florida 33037
Telephone: (305) 367-0911
turnerlynnpa@gmail.com
Publish: March 28 & April 4, 2024
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL
CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
PROBATE DIVISION
CASE NO.: 24-CP-143-K
IN RE: THE ESTATE OF SUSAN RITA HAWXHURST, Deceased.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of SUSAN RITA HAWXHURST, deceased, whose date of death was March 8, 2024, Case: 24-CP-143-K, is pending in the Circuit Court, Probate Division, the address of which is 500 Whitehead Street, Key West, FL 33040. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate, including unmatured, contingent or unliquidated claims, on whom a copy of this notice is served must file their claims with this court WITHIN THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE
ON THEM.
All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate, including unmatured, contingent or unliquidated claims, must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE.
ALL CLAIMS NOT SO FILED WILL BE FOREVER BARRED.
The date of first publication of this Notice is: March 28, 2024.
Personal Representative:
SAMUEL J. KAUFMAN
c/o Samuel J. Kaufman, Esq.
Law Offices of Samuel J. Kaufman, P.A.
3130 Northside Drive
Key West, Florida 33040
Attorney for Personal Representative:
Samuel J. Kaufman, Esq.
Florida Bar No. 0144304
Law Offices of Samuel J. Kaufman, P.A. 3130 Northside Drive
Key West, Florida 33040
Email designation for service: Service.Probate@ samkaufmanlaw.com
Telephone: (305) 292-3926
Fax: (305) 295-7947
Publish: March 28 & April 4, 2024
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
PROBATE DIVISION
FILE NO.: 24-CP-85-M DIVISION: MARATHON
IN RE: ESTATE OF MARTIN RAYMOND WALKER
Deceased.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of Martin Raymond Walker, deceased, whose date of death was February 1, 2024, is pending in the Circuit Court for MONROE County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 3117 Overseas Highway, Marathon, Florida 33050. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below.
All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. 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: March 28, 2024.
Personal Representative: Richard Marcarelli 595 Belair Avenue Merritt Island, Florida 32953
Attorney for Personal
Representative: Robert K. Miller, Esq.
Attorney
Florida Bar Number: 359173
Cunningham Miller Rhyne PA 10075 Overseas Hwy PO Box 500938
Marathon, FL 33050
Telephone: (305) 743-9428
Fax: (305) 743-8800
E-Mail: service@ floridakeyslaw.com
Secondary E-Mail: rmiller@ floridakeyslaw.com
Publish:
March 28 & April 4, 2024
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
PROBATE DIVISION
FILE NO.: 24-CP-23-M
DIVISION: MARATHON
IN RE: ESTATE OF HENRY BERNARD SPITZIG
Deceased.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of Henry Bernard Spitzig, deceased, whose date of death was June 29, 2022, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 3117 Overseas Highway, Marathon, Florida 33050. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below.
All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS
AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM.
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: March 21, 2024.
Personal Representative:
Margaret A. Spitzig 1505 Sombrero Blvd., #203 Marathon, Florida 33050
Attorney for Personal
Representative:
Robert K. Miller, Esq.
Attorney Florida Bar Number: 359173
Cunningham Miller Rhyne PA 10075 Overseas Hwy PO Box 500938
Marathon, FL 33050
Telephone: (305) 743-9428
Fax: (305) 743-8800
E-Mail: service@ floridakeyslaw.com
Secondary E-Mail: rmiller@ floridakeyslaw.com
Publish: March 21 & 28, 2024
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA DIVISION: PROBATE
FILE NO.: 2024-CP-1-M IN RE: ESTATE OF SALLY J. PRINCE Deceased. NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of Sally J. Prince, deceased, whose date of death was October 2, 2023, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 3117 Overseas Highway, Marathon, Florida 33050. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below.
All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court WITHIN
THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM.
All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS
AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE.
ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS
SET FORTH IN SECTION
733.702 OF THE FLORIDA PROBATE CODE WILL BE FOREVER BARRED.
NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED.
The date of first publication of this notice is March 21, 2024.
The date of the second publication of this notice is March 28, 2024.
Personal Representative: Marty Prince 1365 Marlin Drive Marathon, FL 33050 Attorney for Personal
Representative:
Anthony J. Barrows Attorney for Marty Prince Florida Bar Number: 662569
WRIGHT BARROWS PLLC 9711 Overseas Highway Marathon, FL 33050 Telephone: (305) 743-8118
Fax: (305) 489-0307
E-mail: Tony@keysclosings.
com Publish: March 21 & 28, 2024
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT
IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
PROBATE DIVISION
CASE NO: 24-CP-119-P
IN RE: ESTATE OF GEORGE WOOD, Deceased.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of GEORGE WOOD, deceased, whose date of death was 10 July 2023, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 88770 Overseas Highway, Plantation Key, Florida 33070. The names and addresses of the Personal Representatives and the Personal Representatives’ attorney are set forth below.
All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM.
All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS
AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE.
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: March 21, 2024. Co-Personal Representatives: Elizabeth Wood 94381 Overseas Hwy. Tavernier, FL 33070
Jessica Wood
182 Carroll Street Islamorada, FL 33036
Attorney for Co-Personal
Representatives:
Tom Woods, Esq. Florida Bar No.: 0525197
116 Porto Salvo Drive
Islamorada, Florida 33036
Phone: 305.664.2200 Fax 2205
Email: tom@tomwoodslaw.
com
Secondary Email: eserve@ tomwoodslaw.com
Publish:
March 21 & 28, 2024
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
PROBATE DIVISION
FILE NO: 23-CP-000120-P IN RE: ESTATE OF TED JONES, a/k/a Ted Warren Jones, a/k/a Ted W. Jones, Deceased. NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The Administration of the Estate of Ted Jones, deceased, whose date of death was August 5, 2022, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 88770 Overseas Highway, Plantation Key, 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: March 21, 2024.
Personal Representative:
Keith Edward Jones 4197 Baker Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94306
Attorney for Personal Representative:
Cyrus Malhotra, Esq.
Florida Bar No. 0022751
THE MALHOTRA LAW FIRM
P.A.
Attorneys for Petitioner 3903 Northdale Blvd., Suite 100E Tampa, FL 33624
Telephone: (813) 902-2119
Fax Number: (727) 290-4044
Email: filings@ FLprobatesolutions.com
Secondary Email: sandra@ FLprobatesolutions.com
Publish: March 21 & 28, 2024
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 16TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
CASE NO.: 24-DR-194-K
KALAMKAS AKHMETOVA
Wife, and, ANDRE WILLIAM WALTERS
Husband.
NOTICE OF ACTION FOR DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE
TO: ANDRE WILLIAM WALTERS
2213 STAPLES AVENUE
KEY WEST, FL 33040
YOU ARE NOTIFIED that an action has been filed against
you and that you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to it on Kalamkas Akhmetova, whose address is Law Office of Wayne Dapser, 300 Southard Street, Suite 208, Key West, FL 33040 on or before April 6, 2024, and file the original with the clerk of this Court at 500 Whitehead Street, Key West, FL 33040, before service on Petitioner or immediately thereafter. If you fail to do so, a default may be entered against you for the relief demanded in the petition.
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 Notice of Current Address, Florida Family Law Form 12.915.)
Future papers in this lawsuit will be mailed to the address on record at the clerk’s office.
WARNING: Rule 12.285, Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure, requires certain automatic disclosure of documents and information. Failure to comply can result in sanctions, including dismissal or striking of pleadings.
Dated: March 4, 2024
Kevin Madok, CPA Clerk of the Circuit Court Monroe County, Florida
By: Destiny Johnson
Deputy Clerk
Publish: March 7, 14, 21 & 28, 2024
The Weekly Newspapers
AUTOS ALL YEARS!
Junk or Used Cars, Vans, Trucks. Runs or Not.
$CASH 305-332-0483
2008 Precision 165
Sailboat for sale. Length: 16.5’ Beam 7’2” Draft 1’9” Fiberglass w/ two 6’8” berths. Trailer and 1.5 hp Honda outboard. $6,500. Located on Summerland Key. Call Kyle 928-231-0442
Place your BOAT FOR SALE ad here. $25.00/week for up to 5 lines of copy. Call 305-743-0844 today!
BOAT SLIP FOR RENT
Place your BOAT SLIP FOR RENT ad here. $25.00/week for up to 5 lines of copy. Call 305-743-0844 today!
COMMERCIAL SPACE FOR SALE OR LEASE
COMMERCIAL OFFICE/ RETAIL SPACE For Sale or Lease, Middle of Marathon. Excellent Highway Exposure, 1,900 + sq. ft. Available May 1st. Call or text 305-731-6021
Las Marias Medical Center- Hiring bilingual: Front Desk, RN, Medical Assistant & Local Driver. Tavernier, MM 91. 305-780-7730
Aluminum Installer needed in the Upper Keys: (Handy Randin) Install pool cages, hurricane shutters, railing. No exp. needed. Pay rate $17$25/hr depending on experience. 305.394.5929
Joseph Molinaro
CPA, LLC in Tavernier is looking for an Office Manager. Duties include answering phones, client screening, accounts payable and purchasing, accounts receivables, file management and other office duties. Must know Quickbooks desktop and Microsoft suite. Monday – Friday 10-5. Email resume Joe@jmolinaro.cpa
Computer Network Support Specialist.
Marathon, FL. Anlyz, test, troubleshoot, & eval existing netwk systs, such as local area netwks (LAN), wide area netwks (WAN), cloud netwks, servers, & other data comm'ns netwks. Perf netwk maint to ensure netwks operate correctly w/ min interruption. Req 2 yrs exp in job offered. Send resume to: ESHIP Corp, 241 W Seaview Dr, Marathon, FL 33050.
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.
Dolphins Plus Marine Mammal Responder is hiring an overnight Security Guardresponsibilities include but are not limited to observing marine mammals to ensure quality care, the ability to follow written instructions, and follow protocol and procedures as directed. Candidates must be able to lift 50 lbs and must be able to stay awake and alert for a 13.5 hour shift (5:30pm-7am). DPMMR is a drug-free workplace. To apply, please send your resume to andreaw@dpmmr.org.
Marathon Yacht Club is hiring a part-time dishwasher. Private club, friendly atmosphere, flexible afternoon/ evening hours available Tuesday – Sunday. Must provide photo ID and social security card or passport. Call 305-743-6739 to schedule an interview or email office@ marathonyachtclub. com
City of Marathon
Current Job Openings: Administrative Asst. Fire Department and Part-time Custodian/ Maintenance. Full Benefits for full-time positions. 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
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.
DIRECT CARE STAFF/DRIVER (FT/PT)
KEY WEST OFFICE
This position is available at our Adult Day program. Providing direct care service & support to our clients in the day program. This position requires the minimum of high school completion or GED. English language, speaking and writing, proficiency is a must. FL Driver’s license w/clean driving record, pre-employment training online and in person. Ability to pass a Level II background screening and references.
Apply at the MARC office, 1401 Seminary St., Key West, or online at www.marchouse.org.
For more information contact hr@marchouse.org
Phone: 305-294-9526 *32. Come join our family! EOE
The Housing Authority of the City of Key West now hiring the following positions: PT Receptionist, Housing ManagerMiddle Keys, HVAC Maintenance Mechanic, and Maintenance Mechanic (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.
Place your EMPLOYMENT ad here. $25.00/week for up to 5 lines of copy. Call 305-743-0844
HOBBIES/COLLECT PRIVATE COLLECTOR WANTS Rolex, Dive Watches and Pilot Watches. Old Model Military Clocks & Watches. Call 305-743-4578
Place your Hobbies/ Collectibles ad here. $25.00/week for up to 5 lines of copy. Call 305-743-0844.
ANNUAL RENTALKey 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
Place your Housing For Rent ad here. $25.00/ week for up to 5 lines of copy. Call 305-743-0844.
RV LOT FOR RENT
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
SARA’S ESTATE SALE: 7525 Gulfstream Blvd, Marathon | Fri, March 29 & Sat, March 30 9a to 1p both days. PART TWO: MASSIVE ESTATE SALE @ waterfront home featuring outdoor furniture, pots & designer interior. Look for deep, comfy
Telescope armchairs and Highwood adirondak (both of Marine Grade Polymer), patio umbrellas and beautiful glazed pots, sm to lg. Outstanding pieces: two glass-topped dining tables – one coral base, one Bali driftwood; dichroic art glass; and 4-ft wooden fish & coral sculpture. See the beautiful lime-green sectional, electric blue (and electric operated) recliner, and twoperson office furniture. Also: light up makeup mirrors, makeup table and a fully stocked kitchen: Margaritaville blender, pots and pans, dishes, fine china, glasses, a Keurig and adorable coffee center. Please follow the signs and park with consideration. Photos at estatesales.net.
Place your YARD SALE ad here. $25.00/week for up to 5 lines of copy. Call 305-743-0844 today!
Must have customer service experience working in a retail environment and using a point of sale system. Additional duties include restocking, completing purchase orders, daily ordering of basic items in the store, and maintaining a clean appearance in the store. This is an hourly position and compensation is based on experience. Work hours are flexible and we try to maintain a set weekly schedule.
Duties include customer service, helping customers with bait and ice and helping cashiers with restocking. Morning & a ernoon hours available.
Please respond by email (Ma at islamarinama @gmail.com) with any relevant previous experience and at least two references.
Fast paced, busy resort in need of Of ce Help. Must be able to multi-task, stay calm under pressure and have great communication skills. Be dependable, able to work weekends, 3 to 4 days a week, hours til 7pm.
If you want to be part of a great team, please apply!
Send resume to captpips@aol.com or come into the of ce at 1480 Overseas Highway, Marathon to ll out an application.
CAPTAIN PIP’S IS AN AWESOME PLACE TO WORK, WE TREAT OUR EMPLOYEES GREAT. COME JOIN OUR TEAM.
The ideal candidate will possess excellent phone skills and a passion for helping people. The role involves phone call follow-up, scheduling appointments, and utilizing strong computer skills. The hours are up to 30 per week, and the pay rate is $25 per hour. After successful training in Marathon, the role may permit working from home. Call 305-783-3395 to schedule an interview.
Full-Time, Permanent, Salary Commensurate with Experience
Oversees all business operations of Marathon Community Theatre including the Playhouse and Cinema. Ensures the theatre venue is ready for events by adhering to prescribed timelines and requirements and by coordinating with staff, production crews, volunteer committees, and outside vendors. Meet deadlines for grant submittals, compliance reporting, and production needs. Responsible for accounting processes including bank deposits, invoice payment, and budget adherence. Coordinate with the building committee chair to ensure the building is safe and maintenance needs are met.
A candidate should possess:
• Strong management skills with ability to delegate (supervise 4-6 employees and many volunteers)
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Self-Motivation
• Strong working knowledge of common computer applications (Gmail, Google Sheets, GoDaddy, Canva, Excel, Word) and ability to learn unique industry applications (Audience View, Veezi etc.)
• Strong organizational skills
Part-Time, Permanent, 30 hours per week
Reports to the General/Business Manager. Responsible for the day-today custodial maintenance and minor repairs/maintenance of the playhouse and cinema.
To apply for either position:
start. Send resume to: turtlehospital@turtlehospital.org
Email/mail a cover letter and resume to: gm@marathontheater.org
Marathon Community Theatre, 5101 Overseas Highway, Marathon.
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
Preference in the selection of vacant positions will be given to eligible veterans and spouses of veterans. The Key Colony Beach Police Department is an EEO employer, drug-free and nicotine-free workplace.
•
•
•
The
DUI Program is hiring for part time positions. DUI instructors and evaluators - 2 days a week, Bachelors or Masters degree in substance abuse eld required. Bilingual preferred, not required. Of ce located in Marathon. Contact Marcia at 305-704-0117.
PHYSICIAN PRACTICE OPENINGS
- Medical Assistant, Marathon, Orthopedics, Part Time
- Ortho Support Tech, Tavernier, Orthopedics, Part Time
TAVERNIER MARINERS HOSPITAL
- Cook, Per Diem
- Exercise Physiologist, Per Diem
- Medical Technologist, $15k Sign-on Bonus*
- Multi-Modality Imaging Tech, $20k Sign-on Bonus*
- Nuclear Medicine Tech, Per Diem
- Pool Group Exercise Instructor, Per Diem
- Pool Yoga Instructor, Per Diem
- Registered Nurse, Emergency Department, $25k Sign-on Bonus*
- Registered Nurse, Surgery, $15k Sign-on Bonus*
- Registered Respiratory Therapist, Part Time
- Wellness Center Manager
MARATHON FISHERMEN’S COMMUNITY HOSPITAL
- ED Team Coordinator
- Environment Tech, $5k Sign-on Bonus*
- First Cook, $5k Sign-on Bonus*
- Medical Technologist, $15k Sign-on Bonus*
- Multi-Modality Imaging Tech, $20k Sign-on Bonus*
- Patient Experience Advocate
- Radiology Tech, $15k Sign-on Bonus*
- Registered Nurse, Emergency Department, $25k Sign-on Bonus*
- Security Of cer
All
APPLY AND LEARN MORE
careers.baptisthealth.net or call 786-243-8507
KEY WEST
Peer Support Specialist
Prevention Specialist (any location)
(PT)
Behavioral Health Therapist (Adult)
Behavioral Health Counselor (Child)
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)
Visual Communications Coordinator (Full-Time, Permanent) Trainer (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
DOLPHIN RESEARCH CENTER
58901 O/S Hwy - Grassy Key, FL Teaching... Learning... Caring
The
