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It was a photo finish for American sprinter Noah Lyles, who secured the fastest-man crown following a very narrow victory in the 100-meter final at the Paris Olympics on Aug. 4. The announcer initially thought Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson crossed the white line first. A closer look, however, showed Lyles the winner by just five thousandths of a second.
The Conch Republic Marine Army is mobilizing in Key West to rid the mangroves of trash, and needs to raise about $200,000 to do the job right. See page 14. CONTRIBUTED
KEYS PR CHIEF ANDY NEWMAN CHARGED WITH PERJURY, FALSE STATEMENTS
28 misdemeanor counts relate to declarations about payments to fictitious company
MANDY MILES mandy@keysweekly.com
The Florida Keys’ longtime public relations director, Andy Newman, is facing charges of perjury and making false official statements, the Monroe County State Attorney’s Office announced on Aug. 6.
The charges — 14 counts of perjury and 14 counts of false official statement — are first- and second-degree misdemeanors that stem from a series of audits the county clerk’s office conducted beginning last year of the Monroe County Tourist Development Council and its public relations contract with NewmanPR, which is owned by Andy Newman. In addition, the state attorney’s office said, it issued subpoenas and conducted its “own independent, in-depth forensic audit,” which uncovered what it says was a series of false declarations made by Newman concerning payments allegedly issued to a fictitious company called Graphics 71.
The 14 counts of “perjury when not in an official proceeding,” each classified as a first-degree misdemeanor, “assert that Newman knowingly provided false statements under oath about payments to the nonexistent entity, Graphics 71.”
“Under Florida law, each count of perjury is punishable by up to 364 days in county jail and a $1,000 fine,” the report states.
The charges pertaining to “making false official statements,” each categorized as a second-degree misdemeanor, allege that “Newman
submitted false written certifications to the Clerk of Court’s office, falsely claiming that payments were made to Graphics 71 to mislead public officials.”
Each count of making false official statements carries a potential penalty of up to six months in county jail and a $500 fine.
“Our investigation underscores the seriousness of these offenses,” State Attorney Dennis Ward said. “Integrity and honesty are cornerstones of public service, and we are committed to prosecuting those who engage in deceitful practices that undermine public trust.”
The Keys Weekly has been in contact with Newman, who had just learned of the charges the afternoon of Aug. 6. He was expected to turn himself in to authorities the same day, but declined to comment on the matter at the time on the advice of his attorney, Newman said.
NewmanPR, which was launched by Andy Newman’s father, Stuart Newman, as Stuart Newman & Associates, has handled public relations for the Florida Keys’ tourism interests for more than 40 years. The job has involved marketing the Florida Keys to national and international media outlets by providing video and still news photography of noteworthy events, as well as bringing media to the island chain for such events, including CNN’s annual presence in Key West for New Year’s Eve, worldwide Fantasy Fest coverage and celebrity-studded fishing tournaments.
Though Newman declined to comment Aug. 6 on the charges, he
and his attorney responded to questions about invoices that Newman submitted to Monroe County and that the county paid to the alleged fictitious company known as Graphics 71.
“Our review found that NewmanPR regularly requests to be reimbursed for invoices for a company named Graphics 71,” states the county’s October 2023 audit of the TDC’s financial operations. “We discovered that Graphics 71 is not an entity registered to do business in the State and the business name was not listed as an alias for a registered Florida business. We also could not find business tax payment records … for Graphics 71,” the audit report states. “During FY 22, NewmanPR was reimbursed $14,573 for Graphics 71 invoices and in FY 23 the amount reimbursed was $14,998.
“Using a nonexistent company as a vehicle to double bill the TDC shows a general disregard for the importance of ensuring that the TDC is spending Monroe County’s tourist development tax dollars lawfully and judiciously.”
Andy Newman. CONTRIBUTED
ELECT MARGARET ROMERO SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS
• KEY WEST FIRE FIGHTER LOCAL 1424 UNION
Margaret has the INTEGRITY, HONESTY, TRANSPARENCY and COMPETENCY to be our next Supervisor of Elections.
Mirna and Dennis Ward wholeheartedly support MARGARET ROMERO as the Republican Candidate for MONROE COUNTY SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS!
• JOHN DICK
I, John Dick, endorse Margaret as the best person for SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS. She is a no nonsense person, tells the whole truth, and will not bend the rules for anyone. Her proven honesty, openness, and professional business skills assure that the office will continue to run with integrity and impartiality.
I WILL PROTECT YOUR VOTE … FROM START TO FINISH
• MIRNA AND DENNIS WARD www.chooseromero.com
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PRIORITIES
• Strengthen and retain our teachers and staff
• Increase student achievement by providing the necessary resources to ensure their success
• Make the Career and Technical Education Program a priority. Collaborate with the business community to offer more job training opportunities
• Continue to maintain a safe and secure campus for our students, teachers and staff. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT & LEADERSHIP
• BOARD MEMBER - Wesley House Family Services
• MEMBER - Key West, Lower Keys and Marathon Chamber of Commerce - Upper Keys Business and Professional
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• MENTOR - Take Stock in Children
• PRESIDENT - Rotary Club of Key West
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• FOUNDING MEMBER - Key West Symphony Orchestra
continued from page 4
KEYS PR CHIEF ANDY NEWMAN CHARGED WITH PERJURY, FALSE STATEMENTS
Newman’s response to audit findings
In his written responses to auditors’ follow-up questions, Newman and his attorney denied any double billing or wrongdoing and explained that the Graphics 71 invoices and payments reflected internal financial transfers and payments from NewmanPR to individual photographers and videographers. Newman’s explanation states:
“Graphics 71 was initiated as a separate entity within Stuart Newman Associates to properly document work done outside the scope of work detailed in our client contracts, not only with Monroe County, but others as well.
“Specifically, it focuses on photography, print production and an occasional video production project that would otherwise be done by an outside vendor. It is not commonplace for a PR firm to include photography and production charges within a contract, because it is extremely difficult if not impossible to predict what is going to be required within a budget year.
“We use a number of vendors to do projects and their selection is based on their experience to get the job done as well as their location. … Using those individuals provides us the ability to achieve coverage in major publications, news websites and broadcast platforms around the world….
“My father, the late Stuart G. Newman, came up with the concept to begin Graphics 71 sometime after I joined the company in 1980. My father oversaw the company’s finances up until his death in March 2019. ... I believe Graphics 71 has been in existence for at least 35 years and, as far as Monroe County is concerned, the firm has been billing photo and production charges through Graphics 71 for a long time. (Our accountant) has Quickbooks records that go back to 1996 that show this.
“Originally, Graphics 71 had a separate bank account, but that account was closed several years ago when we changed banks. Stuart Newman, who died in March 2019, did not see a need to incur bank charges for Graphics 71 as it is simply an internal transfer.
“For the past several years, (my accountant) has been processing bills from Graphics 71, as with any other vendor. But the check is not cashed. Our bank will not accept a check payable to Graphics 71, so she destroys checks.
“(The accountant) makes an accounting entry recording the payment to Graphics 71 in a separate income account in our books, which is obviously subject to company income tax and is processed by the company’s accounting firm. The check and deposit offset to $0 in our books. There is no bank transaction. This is why there are no canceled checks to Graphics 71.”
KEYS DEPUTY ALLEGEDLY WARNED BOYFRIEND OF DRUG RAIDS
By Mandy Miles and Alex Rickert
Jennifer Ketcham faces 19 felony charges
AMonroe County Sheriff’s Office deputy will face 19 felony charges after allegedly using police computer systems to help her boyfriend’s drug-dealing activities, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by the Keys Weekly on July 31.
Jennifer Ketcham, 40, allegedly used law enforcement computers, networks, databases and her position as an acting supervisor to warn her boyfriend, Ryan Hernandez, about impending drug raids and of narcotics officers patrolling certain areas of the Lower Keys, including Stock Island and Big Coppitt Key.
An incident report obtained by the Keys Weekly details the investigation of Ketcham and more than a dozen instances of her using her law enforcement credentials to access the Florida Criminal Information Center and National Criminal Information Center (F/NCIC) and Drivers and Vehicle Information Databases (DAVID) to look up information about Hernandez and send database search results to Hernandez regarding other vehicle plates and individuals.
In text messages between Ketcham and another sheriff’s office employee, Ketcham reportedly stated that “(Hernandez) is dealing dope, and I can’t be tied into that.”
The employee alleged that Hernandez was only 17 years old when the pair began their relationship, eventually living together as a couple. However, the arrest report references a Ryan Hernandez with a birth date of 1990, matching the only individual of the same name with seven arrests in the Keys for drug-related offenses over the past 14 years.
In an interview with sheriff’s office investigators, Ketcham reportedly stated that she did not have any “concrete” evidence that Ryan Hernandez is involved in any criminal activity, but that it had been brought to her attention during a previous investigation. She stated that she searched the databases for Hernandez’s name because he believed his license had been suspended.
The report goes on to allege that in addition to conducting numerous database searches to obtain information about drivers’ licenses and license plates, Ketcham advised Hernandez of areas to avoid on Stock Island in 2023 while she was an acting supervisor, who dictated the zones to which to which patrol deputies are assigned.
More than 11,000 pages of text messages allegedly sent between Ketcham and Hernandez, obtained via a search warrant for Hernandez’s phone, show that a contact named “J” warned Hernandez to “stay out of Big Coppitt Key, letting him know that ‘narcs’ are getting ready for a raid” on Sept. 6, 2023. Two days later, text messages from the same contact allegedly warned that a “narc is on Stock Island for a couple of hours.”
In her interview with investigators, Ketcham reportedly stated she had warned deputies to stay away from areas of Stock Island, but “only in a joking manner.”
In another instance, Ketcham reportedly sent Hernandez a Facebook photo of a narcotics officer who was patrolling in a specific area so Hernandez would recognize her.
Numerous other text messages allegedly show Ketcham revealing confidential informants and activities of narcotics officers throughout 2023 and 2024.
Ketcham was hired on June 2, 2021 after graduating from the police academy that is held at the College of the Florida Keys. Ketcham was placed on administrative leave without pay pending an internal affairs investigation. Her bond was set at $1.9 million — $100,000 per felony charge – but was later reduced to $610,000 in an Aug. 5 order from Judge Albert Kelley.
“I am committed to keeping this community informed of significant events that occur in this agency — good and bad,” said Sheriff Rick Ramsay.
At press time, Ketcham remained in custody on a $610,000 bond. Her arraignment is currently set for Thursday, Aug. 22. She is represented by attorney Dustin Hunter of Key West-based law firm Robertson & Hunter.
Keys deputy Jennifer Ketcham faces 19 felony counts for allegedly using her computer to help her boyfriend’s drug-dealing activities, per an arrest affidavit. MCSO/Contributed
OPPOSITION HEARD AT CITIZENS RATE HEARING
FIRM says Monroe profited insurance group by more than $859 million
JIM McCARTHY
jim@keysweekly.com
Premiums paid to Citizens Insurance Property Corporation by Monroe County policyholders resulted in a net profit of more than $859 million between 2003 and 2021.
Mel Montagne, president for Fair Insurance Rates of Monroe (FIRM), told state insurance regulators during an Aug. 1 rate hearing in Tallahassee that 2022 and 2023 were less than active storm seasons in the Keys — and yielding even more profits to Citizens.
Montagne’s statements come as FIRM pushes back against another rate hike for Citizens policyholders in Monroe County. In June, the Citizens’ board of governors unanimously approved an average rate increase of 14% on policies for primary homeowners, condominium unit owners, dwellings and mobile homes statewide.
Citizens is required by law to charge actuarially sound rates that aren’t competitive with the private market, all while complying with a glide path that allows Citizens to increase their rates 1% each year. By 2026, rates could hike to 15% for policyholders who renew.
“As a governmental insurer of last resort, we should never be competing with the private market. And that’s the situation now,” said Citizens CEO Tim Cerio.
Citizens Insurance provides coverage to property owners who are in good faith and can’t obtain a policy through the private market. Officials with Citizens have said the premium rates remain “well below” other private insurance companies providing coverage. During the hearing, Citizens officials acknowledged its rates would need to increase some 53.9% to avoid competing with the private insurance market. A glide path which caps rate increases for Citizens, however, doesn’t allow for such a large hike.
“While there’s been recent improvement, since 2019 Citizens only raised rates 31% while private insurers raised 103%,” Cerio
stated. “We’re just pointing out how far we’ve fallen behind and how competitive we’ve become with the private market.”
Cerio added Citizens Insurance isn’t taking the rate increase lightly, but he noted it’s important for market recovery and pushing policyholders insured through Citizens to other carriers in the state.
In his statements, Montagne expressed the ever-increasing windstorm premiums are especially hitting working families who live in homes built by local Habitat for Humanity organizations in the Florida Keys. Montagne explained their payments are 30% of the household income, at the time of closing, for a period of 30 years. Any increases such as those proposed by Citizens could price families out of these homes, he said.
“This means that Habitat must now make up the difference, which restricts its ability to continue to provide the services that so many families depend upon,” Montagne said.
Some 18,400 personal lines policyholders in Monroe County face a rate increase, which stands to be the second highest in the state. Primary homes are capped at a 14% rate increase, while secondary homes do not have a cap and face even higher rate hikes.
As for condominium owners with wind only or multi-peril policies, their rates increase another 20%, if state regulators approve Citizens’ request.
“FIRM opposes any rate increase for Monroe County because year after year Monroe consistently is near the top of rate increases in spite of the fact that storm history, mitigation methods and building codes simply are not reflected in the models and we have no reasonable degree of competition,” Montagne said.
Joe Walsh, FIRM vice president, told state insurance regulators a healthy Citizens is critical for Monroe County.
“In fact, Citizens was literally created for us,” he said.
Virginia Christy, Florida Office of Insurance Regulation deputy secretary, said the office will review the filing for rate increases as well as testimony provided during the Aug. 1 hearing before making a final decision. If approved, Citizens’ proposed rate increases would take effect Jan. 1.
FORMER FLIGHT NURSE INDICTED FOR STEALING FENTANYL & OTHER NARCOTICS
MANDY MILES mandy@keysweekly.com
She faces 14 felony counts for drug theft, 22 counts of misconduct
Agrand jury on Aug. 2 indicted a former chief flight nurse who worked aboard the county’s Trauma Star life-flight helicopter until her colleagues reported missing narcotics and altered inventory logs. A subsequent audit revealed more than 600 missing vials of Fentanyl and other narcotics.
Lynda J. Rusinowski, the former chief flight nurse for Monroe County Fire Rescue, was indicted Aug. 2 on 14 felony counts of grand theft of controlled substances and 22 counts of official misconduct, according to a report from the Monroe County State Attorney’s Office, which empaneled the grand jury for this case.
“Rusinowski is accused of illegally obtaining and using potent medical-grade narcotics, including Fentanyl, Dilaudid, Versed, Ketamine and Morphine, from Monroe County Fire Rescue. Additionally, she is alleged to have falsified official records to conceal these thefts, marking a serious breach of public trust,” the report states.
The investigation began in 2022, when Monroe County Fire Rescue reported discrepancies in their controlled substance logs. Officials discovered that approximately 16 prefilled morphine syringes were missing. On June 24, 2022, an incident revealed a discrepancy in the morphine inventory following a transfer to the Trauma Star controlled substance storage locker. Investigation and a subsequent audit by the Monroe County Clerk’s office uncovered many false entries in the various controlled substance logs to cover up the thefts.
On July 25, 2022, Rusinowski was confronted by members of
A grand jury on Aug. 2 indicted former chief flight nurse Lynda Rusinowski on 14 felony counts of grand theft of controlled substances and 22 counts of official misconduct. Rusinowski worked for Monroe County Fire Rescue aboard the Trauma Star life-flight helicopter. MCSO/Contributed
Monroe County Fire Rescue with the discrepancies and admitted she was responsible and asked for help. She was then driven to a detox center in West Palm Beach by MCFR Capt. Andrea Thompson. Less than two months later, on Sept. 6, 2022, Rusinowski was arrested on charges related to the theft of the morphine syringes and falsification of the controlled substance logs. This week’s indictment is related to the original investigation and audit as well as additional evidence discovered that brought to light a significant abuse of her position and trust, the state attorney’s report states.
“The theft of highly potent medical-grade narcotics is a grave offense that endangers lives and undermines the integrity of our public institutions. This case represents a significant breach of public trust, and we are committed to ensuring justice is served,” said State Attorney Dennis Ward. If convicted, Rusinowski faces significant penalties, including imprisonment and fines.
CELEBRATING IN BUSINESS
• Congratulations to all the nominees and winners of the 2024 Bubba Awards and thank you for the honor of receiving the award for Best Elected O cial! It is a privilege to serve you!
• The second 2024 property tax installment bills will be mailed on August 31 and are due by September 30.
• Local business tax renewals must be paid by September 30.
• Any property that is being rented for six months or less must have a tourist development tax account.
• All rental properties are required to pay a local business tax regardless of how long they are being rented.
• If you suspect a fraudulent property rental, you may report it on our hotline at 1-855-422-4540.
• Specialty license plates and vouchers may be purchased on our website.
NEED ITEMS FOR BABY?
Clothes, toys, more to be bought, sold
Kids: they grow up so fast — and they outgrow their clothes and toys even faster.
Retired Judge Peary Fowler is coordinating a Lions Club Baby Gear Swap on Sunday, Aug. 11 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Lions Club, 2405 N. Roosevelt Blvd.
A $5 entry fee enables parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles to buy or sell gently used — but still usable — baby clothes for ages 0-24 months, as well as toys, furniture, monitors, mobiles, portable cribs, walkers, strollers and every other item that babies require, but soon outgrow.
Contact Fowler for more information at 305-305-2695 or just show up Sunday, Aug. 11 to buy or sell baby stuff.
I’M A BLAMELESS BOATER
Made you look … now read down below
made the natural career transition from dolphin trainer to newspaper editor after six years at Dolphin Research Center. His passions include running, watersports, and civil disagreements with sharks while spearfishing.
If you’re anything like me, you’ve never made a mistake on the water. …Is what we wish we could all say. But I don’t care if it’s your first time launching a boat (good luck) or you’ve been sailing the high seas since they invented salt water, it’s a lie. We’ve all done something worthy of a social media video with the caption “look at this idiot.” (Side note: For a fantastic collection of these, follow @thequalifiedcaptain on Facebook or Instagram.)
With lobster season underway this week, everyone up and down the Keys is keeping our fingers crossed that the phrases “no dive flag,” “collision,” “prop strike,” or “drunk” stay out of the headlines.
“We’ve had a number of serious incidents in the last few weeks, even when there was a dive flag up,” Sheriff Rick Ramsay reiterated to me on the phone. “And this time of year, even when there’s not a dive flag up, you just need to assume there’s a snorkeler or somebody in the water. Think about it – if that was your family in the water, how close would you want another boat to come?”
While we’re all the best boaters in our own minds, let’s face it – we ALL need reminders during one of the most dangerous times on the water. And before you think I’m preaching, I’ll admit to committing ALL of the mistakes I’m about to talk about at one point, especially when I first moved here.
So this year, I’m sending myself some reminders before heading out to grab some bugs. I hope you’ll spare a few minutes to read these and join me – and offer some gentle reminders to “googans” who might need to hear them.
STAY AWAY. If you see a dive flag up, you need to stay 300 feet away – that’s a football field – while driving the boat (100 feet inside a canal). That means if you’re close enough to hear your fellow captains hurl expletives at you for crowding their prized lobster holes,
the Seven Mile Bridge with no boat in sight during mini-season is a disaster waiting to happen. ALEX RICKERT/Keys Weekly
you’re way too close. If you MUST (and I mean MUST) come within 300 feet, your boat needs to be at idle speed. But let’s be real – there’s usually another way around.
STICK AROUND. There are two parts to the dive flag agreement. Boats have to stay a certain distance away, but that also means snorkelers and divers need to stick with their flags and boats – within 300 feet in open water, or 100 feet in channels and canals, at MOST. It doesn’t matter if the newest honey hole you just found is absolutely loaded – if you’re not even in the same zip code as your dive flag, it’s doing nothing to protect you. Go back and move the boat. And if you’re thinking of diving in high-traffic areas like bridges and channels, think about whether the risk is truly worth it, especially in the first few weeks of the season.
SIZE MATTERS. And this is coming from a guy who’s 5’8”. If you’re flying a dive flag from a boat, it needs to be 20x24 inches. As I learned a few years ago from a very polite officer, that means no, the little dive flag attached to scuba buoys isn’t big enough to work for an entire boat – but you can, and should, use those smaller flags attached to yourself while in the water. And remember: Flags must have a stiffener (that’s that weird little wire across the back) to keep them extended and obvious for the world to see, even if there’s no wind.
FLY HIGH. No, not “that” kind of high. Make sure your dive flag is the highest point on your boat, and anyone driving toward you can see it from any direction. Hanging it off the bottom of your T-top rail doesn’t count, and neither does attaching it to the poles of your bimini top or throwing it in a low-lying rod holder.
Here’s to a lobster season filled with safe days on the water while hitting the bag limit. See you out there.
ALEX RICKERT
A crumpled, broken dive flag under
IT TAKES AN ARMY TO CLEAN AN OCEAN
Post-Irma nonprofit issues challenge to Key West supporters
MANDY MILES
mandy@keysweekly.com
It may take a village to raise a child, but to clean out all 950 miles of mangrove coastline in the Florida Keys and restore the essential ecosystem to what it once was? That takes an army — the Conch Republic Marine Army — and it’s now rallying the troops for battle in Key West and Stock Island.
The nonprofit, grassroots operation launched in Big Pine in 2017 after Hurricane Irma devastated homes and businesses, disassembled roofs and scattered the contents of living rooms and garages into nearby canals and nearshore waters.
Neighbors stepped in and started helping anyone who needed it, donating clothing, furniture and funds to help residents rebuild their lives. After some of the land-based work was well underway, Capt. Brian Vest started looking at the waters that surround the island chain, and the crucial mangroves that line our coastal edges. Both were filled with debris — some deposited by the storm and some unceremoniously, and illegally, dumped by ignorant chuckleheads.
Vest decided to do something in the wake of Hurricane Irma, and he hasn’t stopped for seven years.
In May, Vest was invited to speak at a Key West Rotary lunch.
“Brian told the Rotary crowd that he wanted to set up operations down here in Key West, but his biggest problem was finding a slip for a Conch Republic Marine Army boat,” Rotarian Scott Mayer told the Keys Weekly on April 30. “He said he couldn’t even get a marina to call him back. I started thinking, ‘Holy shit, here’s a guy who has made it his mission to clean the marine environment with volunteers in boats and kayaks. Maybe I could help.’”
Mayer has been friends with Mitch Walsh, general manager of the Perry Marina, for years, since Walsh was a dockhand and dockmaster at the marina, which has 288 slips. Within a month, the three had arranged for the Perry to donate a slip to the Conch Republic Marine Army.
Vest will bring one of the army’s boats — a 27-footer called the K2 — down from Big Pine, temporarily, to the Perry Marina on Stock Island. The army’s other boat operates out of Isla Bella Resort in Marathon, conducting weekly volunteer cleanup trips to the mangroves.
Since 2017, the Conch Republic Marine Army has removed 250 tons of debris and garbage from the mangroves around the Florida Keys. CONTRIBUTED
But getting the slip in place down here was just the beginning. Now the real work begins, Vest told the Keys Weekly on Aug. 6.
“We need to raise about $200,000 to get a permanent boat operating out of Key West and Stock Island. And we need to do it quickly.”
Vest has already surveyed the waters around the area, and has noted refrigerators, couches, TVs, paint cans, appliances, boat parts, gas cans, plastics and lots and lots of rope.
Since 2017, the CRMA has removed 250 tons – yes, TONS – of trash from the mangroves.
“We’ve done 54 miles of shoreline between, say, Big Pine and Marathon, but there’s another 900 miles to go,” he said.
The army of volunteers has removed 2.6 MILLION feet — 492 miles — of rope from the mangroves, or roughly the distance from Key West to Jacksonville.
“We’ve hauled out 94 refrigerators and I’ve already spotted number 95 off Key West,” Vest said.
Saturday cleanup trips will begin in the coming weeks from the Perry Hotel. About 10 people per trip can sign up online or by emailing Vest to book a date. The four-hour trip involves wading into shallow water and hauling out anything that doesn’t belong. A lunch follows, along with a weigh-in of the trash.
“We’ve had 5,000 volunteers help so far, and 1,000 volunteers just this year alone,” he said. “But now we need cash to keep this going in Key West and we don’t have all the time in the world.”
Visit conchrepublicmarinearmy.org for information and donation links, or email Vest at brian@conchrepublicmarinearmy.com.
It takes an army, but Key West has never backed down from a challenge.
FUNDING SCHOOLS
Board approves referendums
During a July 30 meeting, the Monroe County School Board approved two referendums for school funding. Voters will see the two items on their ballots in the November general election.
“The renewal of these funding referendums are crucial to the continued operations of our schools,” said board chair Sue Woltanski. “Without the passage of these referendums, which have been in place for over 20 years, the quality of the education we currently provide to our students will most definitely suffer.”
At a public hearing held during the meeting, board members and Superintendent Theresa Axford discussed the two referendums which voters have supported consistently for more than 20 years. One referendum, known as the half mill, allows the district to move funds from the capital fund to operational funding. This helps pay for teacher salaries, as well as for school resource officers in every school.
The other referendum, known as the half-cent, is a sales tax paying for school building development, repairs and athletic complexes throughout the Keys. Neither referendum requires any additional taxpayer contribution over and above what has been in place for decades.
The board discussed the crucial nature of both areas of funding to the daily operation of the schools and the need to continue funding them at the current level so students will not suffer from funding cuts in the classroom.
“We continue to struggle to attract employees at all levels due to the cost of living here in the Keys. And the costs of operating, including supplies, vendors, the cost of construction and maintenance, are so much higher in our county than elsewhere,” Axford said.
“We are proud of the educational opportunities we are able to provide our students and we don’t want those opportunities to suffer,” she said.
Board members also approved the budget for the 2024-25 school year and a measure to issue tax anticipation notes to cover budgeted items during the first part of the school year, before property taxes are collected.
School budget years start on July 1, but the major source of funding for Florida schools is property tax revenue, which is primarily collected between November and January. Districts have to find funding for those first few months, and many do it through tax anticipation notes.
These can come in two basic forms; as a bank loan which is then repaid when property tax revenue comes in, or in the form of a public offering. In a public offering, the public would purchase bonds for a particular period of time with the school district paying the money back with interest. Current higher interest rates on bank loans makes the public offering a better option this year. — Contributed
POINCIANA ELEMENTARY GETS NEW ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL
Eric Stair is a retired Marine with doctorate
Superintendent Theresa Axford has announced that Eric Stair will be the new assistant principal at Poinciana Elementary for the 2024-2025 school year. He takes the position vacated by Heidi Roberts, who is the new district English/language arts coordinator.
“We are pleased to have Dr. Stair join the Poinciana School A rated team,” said Axford. “His depth of knowledge and experience will be wonderful additions to the school and his enthusiasm for building relationships with students will help him transition quickly into his new role.”
Stair, from Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, enlisted in the Marine Corps after high school and was a crew chief on CH-46E Helicopters. He was honorably discharged from the Marines in 2000 and went on to receive his bachelor’s degree from Bloomsburg University in elementary education with a concentration in mathematics. He
received his master’s degree in educational administration with a principal certification from Cheyney University and his doctorate from Immaculata University.
Stair brings 19 years of experience to the position, including having served as an elementary teacher, mathematics coach, dean of students, principal and district superintendent. His family includes wife Venus, son Noah, and two daughters, Oriana and Sophie. During his spare time, Stair enjoys fishing, sailing, camping, going to the beach and traveling.
— Contributed
Eric Stair will take over this school year as assistant principal of Poinciana Elementary School. CONTRIBUTED
CELEBRATING SAFE COMMUNITIES
Sheriff’s office hosts National Night Out events
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office hosted National Night Out events in the Upper, Middle and Lower Keys on Aug. 6.
The goal of National Night Out is to bring the community together to discuss how everyone can make their neighborhoods cleaner, safer and more secure. Police also provide information and tips on crime prevention.
The free events featured food, refreshments and a great chance
to meet neighbors, local law enforcement officers, firefighters and military personnel. Kids were able to explore fire engines and police cars, while meeting turtles and other animals from the sheriff’s Animal Farm, located at the Stock Island Detention Center.
Each event — depending on the area — featured displays of the Sheriff’s Office elite units such as the Dive Team, SWAT and Crime Scene Investigation, among others. — Contributed
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office hosts National Night Out events throughout the county on Aug. 6. The Key West event was at Bayview Park and featured a collection of local agencies. MARK HEDDEN/Keys Weekly
MESSAGE FROM THE SHERIFF
The 2024 regular lobster season starts Aug. 6, 2024 and now is a great time to remind everyone of some basic safety rules and laws.
Unfortunately, we’ve had some serious boating-related incidents this year in the Florida Keys already. We can curb these incidents if we work together when it comes to diver-down flags and boating practices.
Always display your diver-down flag unobstructed from the highest point of your boat with a sti ener, so it is clearly visible.
And if you’re operating a boat: Do what I do and stay at least a football field away from anchored vessels in open water, even if you don’t see a diver-down flag.
Better safe than sorry!
Follow the regulations seen on this page. Share them with your friends!
Let’s have a safe lobster season!
Monroe County Sheriff, Rick Ramsay
5 BROTHERS, 3 GENERATIONS, COUNTLESS CON LECHES
Family
business a Southard Street staple for nearly 5
decades
ERIN
STOVER www.keysweekly.com
While much of Key West would be unrecognizable to someone who last visited in 1978, there’s one particular corner that remains remarkably — and reassuringly — unchanged.
For 46 years, at Southard and Grinnell streets, 5 Brothers Grocery & Sandwich Shop has nourished its Old Town neighborhood — with Cuban coffee, classic food, convenient groceries and Key West gossip.
That tradition continues today, as the family-owned 5 Brothers is now in the hands of a third generation.
Heriberto Paez and his four brothers opened the business in 1978, their faces still painted on the sign out front. The 1933 building had
lied, determined to keep the island institution as a family affair.
In recent months, Maribel’s daughter (Pepe’s stepdaughter), Francheska Garcia took the helm
“Our focus goes beyond running a successful business. It’s also about uplifting Key West in whatever ways we can, and that will always be a priority for 5 Brothers,” said Daniel Garcia. “We’re committed to engaging with local organizations to help keep our community thriving.”
The community has met the Garcias with an outpouring of love, with some even telling Francheska she makes a cup of coffee as good as her dad’s.
“That (compliment) means everything,” she said.
The transition has been personal as well as professional. The Garcias moved into her childhood home to be closer to the business, and she now watches her kids play in what was her childhood bedroom.
Francheska and Daniel are committed to continuing the traditions that have made 5 Brothers a community staple for three generations. One of the most defining parts of that tradition exists outside its four walls. Each morning, a group
5 Brothers Grocery & Sandwich Shop has kept Key West caffeinated since 1978. MANDY MILES/Keys Weekly
Francheska and Daniel Garcia are the third generation to run the familyowned 5 Brothers. CONTRIBUTED
Francheska Garcia, center, takes the helm of 5 Brothers from her mom and stepdad, Maribel and Pepe Paez. CONTRIBUTED
of carefully curated clothing & accessories that embrace the island lifestyle.
Offering fabulous brands such as Farm Rio, Trina Turk, Oliphant and more, stop by and check out our island inspired collections. OPEN DAILY FROM 10 AM TO 5 PM
Dr. Christopher Forsee, DMD is seamlessly taking the reins from the iconic “Barefoot Dentist,” Dr. Troxel, where the laid-back vibe extends even to the choice of footwear.
Dr. Forsee delivers personalized comprehensive dental care tailored to your needs. Whether it's routine maintenance or advanced procedures, trust Dr. Forsee to rejuvenate your smile with meticulous precision and compassionate care.
County Commissioner Michelle Lincoln presents a plaque to Rita Irwin, honoring her decades of service to the TDC board and Marathon-area District Advisory Council. CONTRIBUTED
A LEGACY OF LEADERSHIP
16 years later, Rita Irwin terms out of
TDC chair role
Veteran Monroe County Tourist Development Council board member and chair Rita Irwin led her final meeting of the TDC on July 30, after 16 years of chairing the volunteer board that administers tourism marketing for the Florida Keys and Key West.
During TDC’s regularly scheduled meeting at the Murray Nelson Government Center in Key Largo, Irwin accepted a plaque from County Commissioner Michelle Lincoln that honored her decades of service to both the TDC board and its Marathon-area district advisory council.
“You have been such an unselfish public servant to the Tourist Development Council, the hospitality industry and this community, forever promoting our beautiful Florida Keys,” Lincoln said to Irwin. “You have just given so much, you’ve been
an excellent role model, and your love for the Florida Keys is completely evident in your everyday walk and talk.”
“Whether in good or challenging times, TDC has done stellar work in helping to sustain the economy of the Florida Keys,” said Irwin, the longtime president and CEO of Dolphin Research Center in the Middle Keys. “The unwavering dedication of other board members, our staff, award-winning agencies and Keys chambers of commerce has been at the core of our success.”
During her tenure as TDC chair, Irwin guided the nine-member board through numerous challenges to the Keys’ tourism-based economy including the Covid-19 pandemic, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, Hurricane Irma and other issues.
— Contributed
CLICK. LIKE. SHARE. SUCCEED.
Overseas Media Group offers social media & digital marketing seminars
Is your social media helping your business succeed?
Are your online marketing efforts engaging and effective? Is your content reaching the right people? Is your website outdated?
Social media and digital marketing are powerful and essential tools for today’s businesses and some strategies work better than others.
The digital marketing team at Overseas Media Group, in partnership with the Greater Marathon Chamber of Commerce, will offer two social media and digital marketing seminars on Tuesday, Aug. 13 and Thursday, Aug. 15 from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Marathon Library.
Professionals who post for a living will share tips, tools and tactics to ensure that a business’s social media and online marketing efforts are reaching the right audience and connecting with current and future
customers. Attendees should bring their laptops for handson help.
Reserve a spot by calling the chamber at 305-743-5417 or emailing erika@floridakeysmarathon.com. The cost is $15 for Marathon chamber members and $30 for nonmembers. Pay online using the QR code or at the door.
Do you have any specific topics that you’d like the presenters to address at the seminar? Let them know in advance at https://tinyurl.com/ yjd8kdw2.
— Contributed
Hover your phone’s camera over the QR code to go to the payments page of the Greater Marathon Chamber of Commerce.
HAPPY HOUR
... 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.
Idrove some equipment up to the Florida Keys Hawkwatch site at Curry Hammock State Park in Marathon the other day. It was officially the first day of the season and my friend Rafael Galvez, director of the project, was there, along with one of the new counters, Adrianna Nelson. It was her first day.
This is the 25th anniversary of the start of the Florida Keys Hawkwatch, which traditionally started in early September. The project’s aim is to monitor the populations of raptors –hawks, falcons, kites, eagles, ospreys, vultures, etc. – that migrate through the Keys. Curry Hammock State Park is a great place to survey from because hawks on their way to the Caribbean and more southerly destinations prefer to fly over land as long as possible, because the shorter the water crossing, the safer the water crossing. Little Crawl Key and its neighbor, Long Point Key, are collectively only about a mile across, meaning you can catch sight of most of the birds that pass by.
Rather than starting in early September, though, this will be the third year the hawkwatch has started in early August. The reason? Swallow-tailed kites, which tend to migrate a month or so earlier than the rest of the raptor world, and whose migratory routes have not been surveyed until now.
I’ve been spending time up at the hawkwatch since its early days, when it was based on the back deck of the bathhouse in the middle of the Curry Hammock campground, which was basically a treeless gravel lot with RV hookups. It is still based on the back deck of the bathhouse in the middle of the Curry Hammock campground, though the back deck is about twice the size it used to be, and the gravel lot is now very full of some healthy looking trees, some of which are as tall, if not taller than, the bathhouse, making it a little more challenging to track the raptors that fly over. (Somehow I manage to be surprised at how high the trees have gotten every year.)
Rafael and Adrianna hadn’t seen many raptors yet – three turkey vultures and three osprey – and they were unlikely to in the coming days, as tropical-whatever-storm-categoryit-was Debby was pushing north and going to be there by the next morning at the latest.
Rafael was going to be there for a few days before he had to drive north and on to some other life tasks, and Adrianna was going to have to run the count by herself for a week or so, until the additional two counters arrived from other field work jobs. But there wasn’t much to worry about. Adrianna was obviously sharp.
RIDIN’ THE STORM OUT
She was the American Birding Association’s Young Birder of the Year in 2020. She was also kind enough to laugh at our jokes.
The only thing I worried about was the boredom she might have to deal with if the raptor numbers were going to be low, though there were other birds to look at. Hundreds of barn swallows and purple martins, a few cliff swallows, and a smattering of early warbler migrants had passed through that day, and would probably be less fickle than the raptors when it came to suitable weather.
While the Florida Keys Hawkwatch is the first project to start surveying migrating swallow-tailed kites that move through South Florida, they are not the only ones to try and track swallow-tails on their migration. The folks at the Avian Research and Conservation Institute (ARCI) based out of Gainesville have been trapping individual swallow-tails and attaching small trackers on them for over a decade.
The most recent tech they are using are GPS trackers made by Cellular Tracking Technologies that record location data, then transmit it via cellular networks whenever they are in contact with them. On Aug. 2 (the day I was at Curry Hammock) ARCI posted a map showing the locations of their baker’s dozen of tagged kites. Most of them were in Florida, but two of them had already crossed over to Mexico, landing in the Quintana Roo area on their way to winter in Brazil.
On Aug. 5, as the storm named Debby was making landfall on the coast of the panhandle, they posted something about the bird named Suwannee 22, who woke on Aug. 3 to “tail winds that should have easily carried her across the Gulf of Mexico to the migrating kites’ traditional waypoint on the Yucatan Peninsula.”
The headline of the post was “Riding the Storm Out,” which is the first REO Speedwagon reference I’ve seen in ornithological circles.
Somewhere around 60 miles north of Cuba she apparently hit heavy winds – the winds of Debby – and couldn’t make any more progress. “Suwannee 22 chose to go with the flow,” ARCI Senior Conservation Scientist Gina Kent wrote.
She rode the winds of the storm northward for 12 hours, coming within 45 miles of the coast of St. Petersburg around 6 p.m. on Aug. 4. From there she spent four hours trying, and failing, to make it to shore.
Kent believes she sought refuge in a different type of shelter.
“Given the time stamps of her subsequent GPS track and Debby’s radar-inscribed path, we are quite certain Suwannee 22 hitched a ride in the developing eye of the storm. It appears that, against all odds, the two simultaneously made landfall in Steinhatchee, a remote outpost in Florida’s Big Bend. By 8 a.m. on Aug. 5, Suwannee 22 was over land in the Big Bend Wildlife Management Area, likely resting after being blown over and through the tree canopy where she sought a strong perch,” Kent wrote.
This was less than 60 miles from where she first had her satellite tracker attached.
After such a harrowing journey, Suwannee 22 will no doubt need to rest up and bulk up before heading south again, but Kent says they will post when she is on the move again. (You can follow their posts on Facebook and their website, arcinst.org.)
Interestingly, the next day Adrianna Nelson sent out a message with a photo on the hawkwatch text string reporting an “insane (swallowtailed kite) tornado” of about 600 birds in a single kettle.
I told her she was kind of overdoing it for her first week. She said to blame the kites.
Barring majorly inclement weather, the counters will be at Curry Hammock every day from now until the end of October. Stop by. You never know what you’ll see.
The path of a swallow-tailed kite named Suwannee 22 is seen during Hurricane Debby. AVIAN RESEARCH AND CONSERVATION INSTITUTE/Contributed
MARK HEDDEN
THE KEYS HAVE SCULPTURES TO SEE
Find Key West pioneers, a large lobster & Jesus beneath the sea
FLORIDA
KEYS HISTORY WITH BRAD BERTELLI
Brad is a local historian, author, speaker and Honorary Conch who loves sharing the history of the Florida Keys.
The Florida Keys started as something other than a refuge for art and artists. It seems safe to say that the island chain has overcome its initial shortcomings.
Writers, poets and painters are no strangers to the Keys; neither is the art they leave behind. The subject came to mind last week because I talked about two prominent local sculptures with Nicole Malanga at South Florida PBS.
Some of the most visible pieces of art decorating the island chain are sculptures. My favorite is the tremendous collection of not-so-hidden brass busts on display in the shadows of Mallory Square. It is called the Key West Memorial Sculpture Garden. Opened in 1997, it celebrates 36 pioneers who affected Key West’s tremendous history, with cast bronze busts and plaques highlighting their contribution to the island’s story.
The Southernmost Point is more of a monument than a sculpture. The concrete buoy painted with red, black, yellow and white stripes screams, “I’m on vacation in Key West!” For that reason, it is the most photographed object in the Florida Keys; the line of people waiting to have their picture taken in front of it forms at the corner of Whitehead and South Streets pretty early in the day and generally extends into the evening.
The second most popular place to stop and take pictures is over 85 miles up the Overseas Highway. Instead of posing with the buoy, people stop to stand in front of Betsy, the world’s largest anatomically correct Caribbean spiny lobster. The unique sculpture stands in the parking lot of the Rain Barrel, an artisan village in Islamorada’s Plantation Key. Marathon artist Richard Blaes took five years to create the 40-foot-long and 30-foot-high piece of art.
Tom Vellanti bought it. Vellanti owned a Plantation Key property known then as Treasure Village. The “village” was a collection of souvenir and artisan shops. The property’s showpiece was an unusual castle-like building. It was built to house Art McKee’s Museum of Sunken Treasure. Recognized as the father of modern treasure hunting, his museum was the first of its kind in the world.
Betsy was purchased and placed in front of Treasure Village so everyone driving up and down the Overseas Highway could see it. A large percentage of the people who saw Betsy pulled over, parked their cars and took a closer look. Some of that group decided to walk around and look at the shops. A percentage of that group opened their pocketbooks and spent some
money, which was one reason Vellanti bought the big lobster and placed it like a roadside attraction.
When Treasure Village closed and transformed into the Treasure Village Montessori School, having a roadside attraction in front of a school did not seem like a good idea. Betsy was removed from the school grounds and placed into storage until she was relocated to her current resting place in the parking lot of The Rain Barrel — on the other side of the highway from the school. There, the sculpture continues to serve as an eye-catcher, drawing people off the road to stop and take a picture … and hopefully do a little shopping.
Another eye-catching sculpture draws a different kind of attention and is also harder to see. The 9-foot-tall Christ with his arms reaching up is a bronze casting of a statue sculpted by the Italian artist Guido Galletti. At least three bronze castings were commissioned. The first is found in the Mediterranean Sea, near Genoa, Italy. The second casting, the Bianca C Memorial Sculpture, overlooks St. George’s Harbor, Grenada. The third bronze casting found its way to the Florida Keys.
Egidio Cressi, co-founder of Cressi, the world’s oldest scuba diving equipment company, sponsored the third casting. When it was completed, Cressi donated the sculpture to the Underwater Society of America. While the society decided where the statue should go, it was stored at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. Florida’s U.S. Sen. Spessard Holland helped to successfully lobby to have the statue placed at the recently established John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park.
The United States’ first underwater park (or mostly underwater) was dedicated as John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park on Dec. 10, 1960. Originally called the Key Largo Coral Reef Preserve, Gov. LeRoy Collins renamed the park Pennekamp to honor one of its most ardent supporters. The park opened to the public in 1963, and an underwater sculpture at an underwater park was clearly seen as an appropriate fit.
When the sculpture arrived at Key Largo, it stood on the park’s shore for nearly two years. Only after the 9-foot-tall statue was fitted with a reinforced concrete base was it taken offshore.
On August 25, 1965, the roughly 20,000-pound sculpture and base were lowered into the clear blue waters at Key Largo Dry Rocks for divers and snorkelers to enjoy. While often referred to as the Christ of the Abyss, when John Pennekamp dedicated the statue on June 29, 1966, its official name was the Christ of the Deep.
Because of where it stands, the statue has become encrusted with purple sea fans and other corals, like a 9-foot-tall artificial reef with its arms open wide. For those curious about the statue and who do not plan on getting their feet wet, a similar statue is located relatively close by. The Justin Martyr Catholic Church commissioned a bronze replica, and in 1991, the statue was installed in front of the church at MM 105.5.
Christ of the Deep at Pennekamp beach 1963-1965. Florida Memory Project/CONTRIBUTED.
TAKE ME HOME?
FIND A FRIEND AT THE FLORIDA KEYS SPCA
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.
Meet Hula Hoop, the delightful 1-yearold tuxedo boy. Shy at first, Hula Hoop warms up quickly and shows his outgoing, playful side.
Introducing Luffy, a charming male cat who adores attention and gets along wonderfully with other cats. He’s playful and affectionate with a loving nature.
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.
Ricotta is our 4-year-old pit bull mix who’s ready to add some flavor to your life with his goofy grin and happy wiggles.
Meet Valentine, our sweet and affectionate rabbit. She joined us in February and has been melting hearts ever since.
Meet Missus, a 3-year-old tortie with a dash of sass. She joined the Key West campus in May and loves
HELP KEEP KEY WEST CLEAN
JOIN A 1- HOUR CLEANUP FRIDAY MORNINGS
The rolling dark clouds on Aug. 2 cut the normally larger group of Ploggers in half, but by start time, the sun was out and in one hour, 17 volunteers collected 88 pounds of trash, 19 pounds of recycling and 2.5 gallons of cigarette butts around North Roosevelt Boulevard. Special thank you to host The Laureate Key West and general manager Mark Vose, who provided the volunteers with breakfast by the pool as a thank-you for their hard work. CONTRIBUTED
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.
— Contributed
Join a Friday morning cleanup each week from 8 to 9 a.m.
Aug. 9: Varela and United streets. Meet in front of the Montessori Children’s School; park at City Hall. Hosted by the Montessori Children’s School.
Aug. 16: White & Eaton streets. Meet in the parking lot at 1111 Eaton St. Hosted by Mike and Dee Hower.
Aug. 23: North Roosevelt & Toppino Drive. Meet in the back of First State Bank. Hosted by First State Bank. Aug. 30: Greene Street to Simonton Beach. Meet in the parking lot by Conch Republic Seafood Co. We will finish at Simonton Beach. Hosted by Just a few Friends, Key West.
napping in her cozy cat bed.
WATER PROJECT COMPLETED AHEAD OF SCHEDULE IN ISLAMORADA
New transmission line going in on Windley Key
Crews recently completed the installation of new 36-inch water main on Upper Matecumbe in Islamorada. DAVID GROSS/Keys Weekly
Water being pumped into the Florida Keys is flowing through nearly 5 miles of new, larger pipe in Islamorada.
On July 29, Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority announced the activation of its new transmission line along U.S. 1 from MM 79.5 to Whale Harbor Channel at MM 84 in Islamorada.
Originally slated for completion in February 2025, this project is now entering its final phases. All 22,152 linear feet of new, 36-inch cathodically protected pipe were installed by crews. The project began in April 2023.
“I want to thank the top-notch crew that has been working since April 2023, 24/7, Monday through Friday, to keep this project moving six months ahead of schedule,” said Greg Veliz, executive director of the FKAA. “This 5-mile stretch of pipe in Islamorada is just one part of the legacy project to replace the entire 130-mile-long transmission main to ensure access to clean drinking water for many years to come.”
With two valves now being open to flow water through the new 36-inch main, the pipeline is activated for operation. Crews are working to wrap up the project with two planned 18-inch connections, master meter connections, restoration landscaping and paving.
The first water main project in the Keys cost about $42 million, with $20 million funded by grants and the balance funded through low-interest loans. The main in Islamorada was one of the most vulnerable sections of pipe. Work to replace the 1.5-mile stretch of main in Windley Key has already begun, and a water transmission project on Plantation Key will begin this fall, FKAA says.
More information on the project is at https://bit.ly/islamoradaproject, on Facebook and Twitter, and from customer service at 833-588-5865 or email community@fkaa.com. After-hours support is available at 305-296-2454. — Keys Weekly staff report
START YOUR TURTLES
Rehab patient joins Tour de Turtles ‘race’
Ajuvenile green sea turtle rehabilitated at the Florida Keys-based Turtle Hospital was fitted with a satellitetracking transmitter and released from a Keys beach on Aug. 2 to join the 17th annual Tour de Turtles, a marathon-like “race” that follows the long-distance migration of sea turtles over three months.
The turtle’s rescuers returned early from an African vacation to witness the release.
The educational outreach program is organized annually by the Sea Turtle Conservancy to raise awareness about sea turtles and threats to their survival.
“Roseleigh” (pronounced Roselee), named by her rescuers after being found floating off Islamorada in March 2024, is swimming to raise awareness about water quality. Roseleigh was treated for a severe case of fibropapillomatosis, a deadly tumor-causing disease that may be linked to pollution in the oceans and nearshore waters.
After a series of successful surgeries and treatment with broadspectrum antibiotics, fluids, vitamins and a healthy diet, Roseleigh is back in good health and swimming strongly.
SHELF HELP
Staff from your Monroe County Public Library recommend some of their favorites from the collection.
What: “Worm: A Cuban-American odyssey” by Edel Rodriguez
Roseleigh’s rescuers, Cindy Wright and her husband Bosley, returned early from vacation to watch the turtle be released.
“We just returned from Africa specifically to see Roseleigh released, and now I’m going to cry,” said Cindy Wright. “This is so amazing — we thought she was going to die when we dashed her to the Turtle Hospital, and to see her now, all recovered, is just amazing.”
Cindy Wright, a University of Maryland journalism professor who splits time between the Florida Keys and the Baltimore region, described the turtle’s condition when found as extremely dire.
“She was in critical condition, bleeding from her right flipper, just covered — the tumors covered her eyes, covered her shoulders — it was so invasive,” she said.
Hundreds of spectators including Wright cheered and applauded when Roseleigh swam away from Marathon’s Sombrero Beach into the Atlantic Ocean.
“Roseleigh being a girl turtle has the capacity to lay hundreds, if not thousands, of eggs and help up the population of the endangered green turtles,” Wright said. “So that makes her even more special, I think.”
Roseleigh’s progress — and that of nine other hard-shell turtles that have been released to participate in the Tour de Turtles — can be monitored online at TourDeTurtles. org through Oct. 31.
The Turtle Hospital in the Florida Keys has been rescuing, rehabilitating and returning sea turtles to the wild for over 35 years.
1. A throng of onlookers surrounds green turtle Roseleigh’s walk to Sombrero Beach with the Turtle Hospital team.
Weekly
2. Freshly fitted with a satellite transmitter, Roseleigh’s movements will be tracked for the Tour de Turtles, a ‘race’ that follows migrating sea turtles for three months.
3. Turtle Hospital manager Bette Zirkelbach, left, and rehabber Taylor Marcialis start Roseleigh on her final trek home.
4. Roseleigh tests her home waters for the first time since March.
Why: Edel Rodriguez is an accomplished illustrator, with covers of magazines like Time, the New Yorker and Der Spiegel in his portfolio. So writing – and illustrating – his memoir in the graphic novel format makes perfect sense. And his story is familiar but entirely individual, too – a childhood in Castro’s Cuba until the family reached the U.S. (via Key West) during the Mariel Boatlift in 1980. The book’s title comes from Fidel Castro’s term for those who wanted to leave the country – and who were not all criminals and patients from mental hospitals, contrary to some portrayals, as Rodriguez’s story makes clear. Rodriguez’s account of his childhood in Castro’s Cuba is wonderful in its detail. Even better is learning how the boatlift played out on the Cuban end. We don’t hear about what the people endured to get onto those boats — detainment camps and government seizure of all their belongings. Rodriguez’s experience is an account of a classic American tale that helped shape our community and our country.
Where: You can get this as a print book from the Monroe County Public Library system.
How: You can request books, including e-books and e-audiobooks, online by logging in to your account at keyslibraries.org. If you don’t have a card, you can visit your local branch or register online to get one. Questions? info@keyslibraries.org
Recommended by: Nancy Klingener, community affairs manager
ALEX RICKERT/Keys
lovin’ our locals
BESTRESORT/HOTEL
By Dr. Kellee Reed
Healthy Aging
BOUTIQUE HOURS
MONDAY - WEDNESDAY 11THURSDAY - SATURDAY 11- 6
Voted BEST LOCAL RETAILER by the Key West People’s Choice Awards 2023 & 2024. And mentioned in Forbes magazine!
& MARINA
Kristen is wearing the pink Baltic dress by our exclusive retail line Celia B.
FUNCTIONALLY CAFFEINATED WELLNESS
UNDERSTANDING AND MANAGING EXERCISE-INDUCED PANIC
...is a Marathonbased ACSMcertified personal trainer and precision nutrition coach who owns and operates Highly Motivated Functionally Caffeinated LLC. Hello@highlymotivatedfc.com
Exercise is often touted as a key component of a healthy lifestyle, promising benefits ranging from improved cardiovascular health to enhanced mental wellbeing. However, for some individuals, the experience of working out can be marred by the sudden onset of symptoms resembling a panic attack. Understanding why this happens, how common it is and how to manage it can help alleviate the distress. Having worked as a personal trainer for over 12 years, I can attest that I have had many clients experience this sudden feeling. With proper management of the symptoms and understanding the reason it was happening, all of them have been able to go on and exercise and either be symptom-free or quickly adapt and overcome the panicky feelings.
When we exercise, our bodies undergo a series of physiological changes to meet the increased demand for energy. One of the most notable changes is an increase in heart rate. As muscles work harder, they require more oxygen and nutrients, which are delivered through the bloodstream. The only way the heart can do this is by both increasing the pumping (higher heart rate) and harder (increased blood pressure) to circulate blood more efficiently, ensuring that working muscles receive the necessary supplies. Simultaneously, the breathing rate increases to facilitate greater oxygen intake and carbon dioxide expulsion.
Here is the clincher — the sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the body’s fight-or-flight response, also becomes activated. This system also causes the release of adrenaline, which heightens alertness and prepares the body for physical exertion. It’s an involuntary response to help protect us, but it can also feel very overwhelming. But don’t worry; it’s manageable.
For some individuals, the physiological changes that accompany exercise can mimic the symptoms of a panic attack. Rapid heart-
beat, shortness of breath and increased adrenaline levels are common in both scenarios. This overlap can create a confusing and distressing experience, especially for those who are prone to anxiety or have a history of panic attacks.
The brain, interpreting these physiological signals, may mistakenly perceive them as indicators of imminent danger, triggering a full-blown panic response. This misinterpretation is often exacerbated by hyperventilation (over-breathing), which can lead to dizziness, lightheadedness and a sense of losing control — all hallmark symptoms of a panic attack.
While there’s no precise statistic on the prevalence of panic attacks during exercise, it’s known to be relatively common, especially among individuals with anxiety disorders. A study published in the Journal of Anxiety Disorders found that individuals with panic disorder are more likely to experience panic attacks during physical activity. Even those without a diagnosed anxiety disorder can occasionally experience these symptoms, particularly if they are new to exercise or pushing their physical limits.
If you find yourself experiencing panic symptoms during exercise, there are several strategies you can use to manage and alleviate the discomfort:
• If you start feeling panicky, reduce the intensity of your workout. Slowing down your pace can help lower your heart rate and decrease the intensity of symptoms.
• Practice deep, slow breathing to counteract hyperventilation. Inhale deeply through your nose, hold for a few seconds,
and exhale slowly through your mouth. This can help stabilize your breathing and reduce dizziness.
• Dehydration can exacerbate feelings of panic and discomfort. Ensure you drink enough water before, during and after exercise.
• If you’re new to exercise, start with lowintensity workouts and gradually increase the intensity as your fitness level improves. This can help your body acclimate to the physiological changes that occur during exercise.
• Techniques such as mindfulness meditation and positive visualization can help reduce anxiety. Focusing on the present moment and visualizing a calm, safe place can distract your mind from panic-inducing thoughts.
• Exercise in a setting where you feel comfortable and safe. Avoid overcrowded or overly stimulating environments, which can increase anxiety.
• If exercise-induced panic attacks are frequent or severe, consider seeking advice from a healthcare professional. They can help identify underlying issues and suggest appropriate treatments.
By recognizing the overlap between physiological responses to exercise and panic symptoms, individuals can take steps to manage their anxiety and continue to enjoy the myriad benefits of physical activity. And remember, you are not alone with this experience; there is nothing wrong with you. If you need more help, please reach out to me, I would love to help you have a more positive exercise experience.
JENNIFER BOLTZ HARVEY
On this day: In In 1974, President Richard Nixon announced on national television that he would resign the presidency the following day.
In The Bleachers
Mary Jacobs, 77, of Newmarket, England, tried to sell her prized collection of bedpans at auction in July, the Suffolk News reported on July 29, but there were no takers. Jacobs said she started collecting bedpans in 1984: “I just wanted to collect something different,” she said. “It snowballed from there.” Now, with 160 unique items, she’s run out of room to store them. The rarest ones are those with odd shapes, she noted. She’s hoping to find a new home for them: “They’re clean, washed and in fantastic condition.”
Adam
Brevity
Nancy
News of the Weird
TODAY’S HISTORY
In 1963, 15 thieves stole close to 2.6 million pounds sterling from a mail train in Britain’s “Great Train Robbery.”
TODAY’S FACT
Thomas Edison received a patent for the mimeograph on this day in 1876.
TODAY’S QUOTE
“We cannot live without the Earth or apart from it, and something is shriveled in a man’s heart when he turns away from it and concerns himself only with the affairs of men.”
— Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, “Cross Creek”
Adam Brevity
Nancy
Founded by Betty Debnam
Get Some Sleep!
Mini Fact: We dream during Rapid Eye Movement, or REM, sleep.
If you haven’t already, you’ll probably be heading back to school soon. Most kids have to make a big adjustment in their schedules when classes begin in the fall. They may have been sleeping in later or staying up later all summer.
This week, as The Mini Page goes back to school, we’re exploring why sleep is so important.
What is sleep?
Sleep is a state, or condition, that mammals and other animals are in on a regular basis. Think of it this way:
When we are awake, our brains are very aware of what is happening around us. You might smell dinner cooking, hear your mom talking, see the dog come inside or feel a rough spot on the sidewalk with your foot, and you probably notice each of these stimuli (STIMyoo-lye).*
But when you are asleep, your brain doesn’t send you messages about those types of stimuli. Even if you are uncomfortable in your bed, your brain may signal you to turn over without waking you up.
Sleep forces
There are three forces that control our sleep:
• Sleep drive. Whether you’re young or old, your body signals you when it needs rest. You might get cranky or hyperactive. Others might find it hard to concentrate or get sleepy and find their eyes falling closed.
• Daylight. Before we had electric lights, people followed the sun’s cycle. They slept during the dark hours and were awake when it was light.
are events that excite our senses. The singular form is stimulus.
• Internal clock. Human beings have a type of clock in our brains that is aligned with daylight. Scientists call this the circadian (sir-KAY-dee-un) rhythm. This internal clock works even when there isn’t any daylight — for instance, when people live underground with no exposure to day and night.
How much sleep do I need?
• Babies up to about 6 months old need to sleep 14 to 16 hours a day! About half of their sleep is REM. Scientists believe that this is because their brains are developing so quickly.
Researchers have discovered that African elephants can communicate with one another by using unique rumbling sounds (names) that are so low in frequency that humans cannot hear them. Biologists say that using a special microphone to monitor the pachyderms, they have been able to detect the matriarch of a large group calling on the group as a whole, as well as individual members of the group, which clearly respond.
• By 3 years old, most toddlers are sleeping between 12 and 13 hours a night. Sleep patterns at this age are much more like older children’s and adults’.
• In elementary school, most children need between nine and 11 hours of sleep every night. Experts say the most common sleep disorder they see in kids is not getting enough sleep.
Counting Zzz’s
How many of these good sleep routines do you practice? Color in the Zzz’s for the ideas you use at home. Leave the balloons uncolored for the ones you need to work on.
• Go to sleep about the same time every night and get up at about the same time in the morning — even on weekends.
• Sleep in a dark room. Light is a signal to our brains that it’s time to get up.
• Train your brain to link your bed only with sleeping. Don’t use your bed for studying, watching TV or playing games.
• Be quiet and calm before bedtime. Turn off your electronic devices and relax with a book by yourself or with a parent.
RESOURCES
On the Web:
• sleepforkids.org/html/cycles.html
• bit.ly/MPsleepy
At the library:
• “Go To Sleep, Anxiety!” by Luna Chi
• “Naomi and the Secrets of Going To Sleep” by Dr. Jonathan Kushnir and Ram Kushnir
Words that remind us of sleep are hidden in this puzzle. Some words are hidden backward or diagonally, and some letters are used twice. See if you can find:
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of Karen’s Beach Bum Designs located at 210 Apache Street, Tavernier, FL 33070 intends to register the said name with the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, FL, USA.
By: Karen Buono
Publish: August 8, 2024
The Weekly Newspapers
PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE
Florida Keys Council of the Arts
Notice of Upcoming Meetings & Workshops
The Florida Keys Council of the Arts will hold the following meetings via Communications Media Technology using a ZOOM webinar platform. The access points to view the Zoom meetings or for members of the public to provide public input will be:
JOIN ZOOM via the Zoom app and use each meeting ID and password listed. Meetings are open to the public, and all are invited to attend. Questions, or to RSVP, please email Liz Young at director@keysarts.com
Membership & Development Committee Meeting
Thursday, August 29, 2024 at 3:30 PM Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 825 8900 4912 Passcode: 624566
Publish: August 8, 2024
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE SOLICITATIONS
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Wednesday, August 28, 2024, at 3:00 P.M., the Monroe County Purchasing Office will receive and open sealed responses for the following: Artificial Reef Materials Deployment to Gulfside Ten (10) Mile Reef Monroe County, Florida Pursuant to F.S. § 50.0211(3) (a), all published competitive solicitation notices can be viewed at: www. floridapublicnotices.com, a searchable Statewide repository for all published legal notices. Requirements for submission and the selection criteria may be requested from the County’s electronic bidding platform at https:// monroecounty-fl.bonfirehub. com OR www.monroecountyfl.gov/BonfireBids. The Public Record is available upon request. All prospective proposers are invited to attend the non-mandatory on-site Pre-Proposal Conference to be held on Monday, August 12, 2024, at 2:00 p.m., 1015-890 Parrish Ave (off 15th Street Ocean), Marathon, FL 33050. Monroe County Purchasing Department receives proposals via the Bonfire electronic bidding platform. Please do not email, mail or attempt to deliver in person any sealed bids/proposals/responses. Emailed/mailed/physically delivered bids/proposals/ responses WILL NOT be accepted. The Monroe County Purchasing Department hereby directs that proposals be submitted via the Bonfire electronic bidding platform at https://monroecounty-fl.
bonfirehub.com, no later than 3:00P.M. on Wednesday, August 28, 2024. There is no cost to the proposer 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 from unsealing, whichever is earlier, unless the bids/proposals are rejected in accordance with F.S. § 119.071. If your proposal document includes financial information, that information will not be considered confidential and will be available and viewable to the public in accordance with public records law. In the event of a discrepancy between the bid/proposal amount on the Proposal Form and the bid/proposal amount entered in Bonfire, the bid/ proposal amount listed in the “Proposal Form” provided by Monroe County in the RFP is the amount that will be utilized by the County when considering the bid/proposal.
The County reserves the right to waive any bid/proposal irregularity.
The proposal opening for this solicitation will be held virtually, via the internet, at 3:00 P.M., on Wednesday, August 28, 2024. You may call in by phone or internet using the following: Join Zoom Meeting https://mcbocc.zoom.
us/j/4509326156
Meeting ID: 4509326156
One tap mobile:
+16465189805,,4509326156# US (New York)
+16699006833,,4509326156# US (San Jose)
Dial by your location:
+1 646 518 9805 US (New York)
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
Publish: August 8, 2024
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT, OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.: 2023-CA-268-M NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE BY CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT
otice is hereby given that the undersigned, Kevin Madok, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Monroe County, Florida, will, on the 20th day of August, 2024 at 11 o’clock a.m., at 500 Whitehead Street, Monroe County, in the City of Key West, Florida, offer for sale and sell at public outcry to the highest and best bidder for CASH the Following described property situated in Monroe County, Florida, to wit: Parcel One: Lot 5 and the southerly 35 Feet of Lot 6, Block 2, Casa Blanca, A Subdivision According to the Plat Thereof, as Recorded in Plat Book 2, Page 86, of The Public Records of Monroe County, Florida, Parcel Two: Lots 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15, Block 58, Crains Subdivision According to the Map or Plat thereof, as recorded in Plat Book 1, Page 51, of The Public Records of Monroe County, Florida Property Address: 329 63rd Court Gulf, Marathon, Florida 33050; and 57468 and 57478 Overseas Highway, Grassy Key, Florida 33050.
Pursuant to ORDER GRANTING PLAINTIFF’S MOTION TO CANCEL AND RESCHEDULE 7/23/24 FORECLOSURE SALE entered in a case pending in said Court, the 23rd day of July 2024 Style of which is: RED MANGROVE HOLDINGS, LLC, A FLORIDA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY Plaintiff, VS. MARATHON DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS, LLC, A FLORIDA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, CEDAR OAK REI, INC., AN IDAHO FOR-PROFIT CORPORATION, MARK RAY GERENGER, PERSONAL GUARANTOR, ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN PARTIES CLAIMING BY, THROUGH, UNDER, AND AGAINST THE HEREIN NAMED INDIVIDUAL DEFENDANT(S)WHO ARE NOT KNOWN TO BE DEAD OR ALIVE, WHETHER SAID UNKNOWN PARTIES MAY CLAIM AN INTEREST AS SPOUSES, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, OR OTHER CLAIMANTS, AND ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN OCCUPANT(S) OR TENANT(S) OF 329 63RD COURT GULF, MARATHON, FLORIDA 33050 AND 57468 AND 57478 OVERSEAS HIGHWAY, GRASSY KEY, FLORIDA 33050, Defendant
And the Docket Number of which is Number 2023-CA268-M WITNESS my hand and the Official Seal of Said Court, this 30TH day of July 2024
KEVIN MADOK, CPA Clerk of the Circuit Court By: Shonta McLeod As Deputy Clerk Florida Statute 45.031: Any person claiming an interest in the surplus from the sale, if any, other than the property owner as of the date of the Lis Pendens must file a claim within sixty (60) days after the sale.
Publish: August 8 & 15, 2024
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY CASE NO. 20-CA-000044-K THE BANYAN TREE OF KEY WEST CONDOMINIUM AND OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION, INC., A FLORIDA CORPORATION, Plaintiff, v. WILLIAM STAFFORD, JEFFREY CAMPBELL, JACK A JENSEN AND RUTH L JENSEN, ANN LOUISE MINI, CHARLOTTE PIRNIA, ANN F MACGOWEN AND SUSAN A MACGOWEN, BARBARA D COMPSON, AMIR ESFANDYARI, JOAN C MANTAS, AND ALL OTHER UNKNOWN PARTIES CLAIMING INTERESTS BY, THROUGH, UNDER, AND AGAINST THE PARTIES HEREIN NAMED, WHETHER SAID UNKNOWN PARTIES MAY CLAIM AN INTEREST AS SPOUSES, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, OR OTHER CLAIMANTS Defendant(s).
NOTICE OF ACTION TO: CHARLOTTE PIRNIA, the unknown spouses, heirs, devisees, grantees, assignees, lienors, creditors, trustees of CHARLOTTE PIRNIA, and all persons claiming by, through, under or against CHARLOTTE PIRNIA or otherwise claim to have any right title, or interest in any of the properties described in COUNT IX of the Complaint, and all unknown persons, if alive, and if dead, and if not known to be dead or alive, their unknown spouses, heirs, devisees, grantees, assignees, lienors, creditors, trustees or other persons claiming by, through, under or against any unknown person who is known to be dead or otherwise claim to have any right title, or interest in any of
the properties described below. YOU ARE NOTIFIED that an action to foreclose liens on the following properties in Monroe County, Florida more particularly described as follows: Unit 802, During Unit Week 38, BANYAN TREE OF KEY WEST A CONDOMINIUM, together with an undivided interest in the common elements, according to the Declaration of Condominium thereof recorded in Official Records Book 1088, Page 1018, as amended from time to time, of the Public Records on Monroe County, Florida. has been filed against you and you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to it on Jonathan J. Coto, the plaintiff’s attorney whose address is Coto Law Firm, P.A. 1390 S. Dixie Highway, Suite 1800, Coral Gables, Florida 33146, on or before September 2, 2024, and file the original with the clerk of this court either before service on the plaintiff’s attorney or immediately thereafter; otherwise a default will be entered against you for the relief demanded in the complaint or petition.
DATED on July 17, 2024
KEVIN MADOK, CPA As Clerk of the Court
By: Shonta McLeod
As Deputy Clerk
Publish: August 1 & 8, 2024
The Weekly Newspapers
SUMMONS SUPERIOR COURT OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS
DIVISION OF ST. THOMAS & ST. JOHN CASE NO.: ST-2023-CV-00219 CLAIM FOR DAMAGES
JURY TRIAL DEMANDED GUARDIAN INSURANCE COMPANY, Plaintiff, v. NICKOLAS EBENBECK CARIBBEAN LEASING & ECO TRANSPORT d/b/a BUDGET RENT-A-CAR, BUSINESS BASIC VI, LLC, and INTERNATIONAL RENTAL & LEASING CORP., Defendants. To: Nikolas Ebenbeck 33701 Clinton Avenue Denham Springs, LA 70706
Within the time limited by law (see note on the next page) you are hereby required to appear before this Court and to answer to the First Amended Complaint filed against you in this action. In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment by default will be taken against you as demanded in the First Amended Complaint for damages.
Witness my hand and the seal of this Court on this 10th day of May, 2024.
TAMARA CHARLES Clerk of the Court
By: Deputy Clerk
BARNES, D’AMOUR & VOGEL P.O. Box 10829
St. Thomas, VI 00801
Tel: (340) 774-8188 / Fax: 7748189
/s/Kevin F. D’Amour
Kevin F. D’Amour, Esq.: VI Bar No. 288
Kdamour@usvilawfirm.com
Attorneys for Plaintiff, Guardian Insurance Company
NOTE: The Defendant, if served personally is required to file his/ her answer or other defense with the Clerk of the Court, and to serve a copy thereof upon the Plaintiff’s attorney within twenty (20) days after service of this summons excluding the date of service If served by publication or by personal service outside of the jurisdiction, the Defendant is required to file his/her answer or other defense with the Clerk of this Court, and to serve a copy thereof upon the attorney for the Plaintiffs within thirty (30) days after the completion of the period of publication or personal service outside of the jurisdiction.
Publish: August 1, 8, 15 & 22, 2024
The Weekly Newspapers
CITATION
Robert E. Hill, Esq.
Nevada Bar No. 8496
THE HILL LAW GROUP 7341 W. Charleston Blvd., Ste. 160 Las Vegas, Nevada 89117
Telephone: (702) 852-1552
Facsimile: (702) 221-1961 admin@myvegaslaw.com
Attorney for Petitioners DISTRICT COURT FAMILY DIVISION
CLARK COUNTY, NEVADA CASE NO. G-24-060256-M and G-24-060256-M2
In the Matter of Guardianship of the Person and Estate of: MAKAYLA ROSE HALE and RYANN MONROE HALE, Proposed Protected Children. CITATION TO APPEAR AND SHOW CAUSE TO:
MAKAYLA ROSE HALE and RYANN MONROE HALE, PROPOSED MINOR PROTECTED PERSONS; ALL KNOWN RELATIVES OF THE MINORS; AND ANY PERSON HAVING THE CARE, CUSTODY, AND CONTROL OF THE MINOR NICOLE HALE, Mother; DEBRA HEDMAN, Paternal Grandparent; JACQUELYN NESBITT, Maternal Grandparent; and DOUBLAS EDWARD KUTNEYGRANDPA KUTNEY, Maternal Grandparent
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that BRAD JACOB HALE and SHAWNA KIM HALE have petitioned the court to be appointed the guardians of the proposed protected persons named above.
The proposed protected persons may be determined to be incapacitated or of limited capacity; and a guardian may be appointed for the proposed protected persons. The rights of the proposed protected persons may be affected as specified in the petition.
The proposed protected persons have the right to appear at the hearing and to oppose the petition.
The proposed protected persons have the right to be represented by an attorney; who may be appointed by the court if the proposed protected persons is unable to retain one.
At any time after the filing for a Petition to Appoint Guardian, the court may appoint: (1) An attorney; (2) A guardian ad litem or an advocate; or (3) an investigator, if found to be appropriate or necessary in the best interest of the proposed protected persons.
DATE AND TIME OF COURT APPEARANCE YOU ARE DIRECTED TO APPEAR AND SHOW CAUSE why a guardian should not be appointed for the proposed protected persons on the: 8th day of August, 2024 at 1:30 p.m., in Courtroom 03A at: The Family Courts and Services Center, 601 N. Pecos Road, Las Vegas, Nevada 89101. DATED this 17th day of April, 2024.
STEVEN D. GRIERSON CLERK OF COURT BY: Shaun Salcedo Deputy Court Clerk
NOTE: The proposed guardian(s) and the proposed protected persons (unless excused by a physician) must appear at the scheduled hearing; all other interested parties do not need to appear unless they wish to oppose the guardianship and enter an objection.
Publish: August 1, 8, 15 & 22, 2024
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
PROBATE DIVISION
FILE NO.: 24-CP-381-P IN RE: ESTATE OF ROBERT MORTON DUNNING, Deceased.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of ROBERT MORTON DUNNING, deceased, whose date of death was June 20,
2024, File Number 24-CP381-P is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is Plantation Key Government Center, 88770 Overseas Highway, Suite 2, Plantation Key, FL 33070. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below.
All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice has been 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 TIME 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 SO FILED WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIOD SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED.
The date of first publication of this notice is: August 8, 2024. Personal Representative: MARY S. DUNNING 81131 Old Highway Islamorada, FL 33036
Attorney for Personal Representative: JOE A. CATARINEAU
Florida Bar Number: 0517291 91750 Overseas Highway Tavernier, FL 33070 Telephone: (305) 852-4833 Publish: August 8 & 15, 2024
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.: 24-DR-385-P DIVISION: FAMILY SA RO MILE, Petitioner, and NANT MARY YIN AYE, Respondent. CORRECTED NOTICE OF ACTION FOR DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE (NO CHILD OR FINANCIAL SUPPORT) TO: NANT MARY YIN AYE RESPONDENT’S LAST KNOWN ADDRESS: NO KNOWN ADDRESS
YOU ARE NOTIFIED that an action for Dissolution of Marriage has been filed against you and that you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to it on Jack Bridges, Counsel for Petitioner, whose address is P.O. Box 1714, Tavernier, FL 33070 on or before September 5, 2024, and file the original with the clerk of this Court at 88770 Overseas Highway, Tavernier, FL 33070, before service on Petitioner or immediately thereafter. If you fail to do so, a default may be entered against you for the relief demanded in the petition.
The action is asking the court to decide how the following real or personal property should be divided: None
Copies of all court documents in this case, including orders, are available at the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s office. You may review these documents upon request. You must keep the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s office notified of your current address. (You may file Designation of Current Mailing and E-Mail Address, Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.915.) Future papers in
this lawsuit will be mailed or e-mailed to the address(es) on record at the clerk’s office. WARNING: Rule 12.285, Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure, requires certain automatic disclosure of documents and information. Failure to comply can result in sanctions, including dismissal or striking of pleadings.
Dated: August 1, 2024 Kevin Madok, CPA Clerk of the Circuit Court Monroe County, Florida By: Jaquelyn Fonseca Deputy Clerk Publish: August 8, 15, 22 & 29, 2024 The Weekly Newspapers IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.: 24-DR-106-P DIVISION: FAMILY WAYNE THOMAS LEAHY Petitioner, and TAMIE LEIGH LEAHY, Respondent. CORRECTED NOTICE OF ACTION FOR DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE (NO CHILD OR FINANCIAL SUPPORT)
TO: TAMIE LEIGH LEAHY RESPONDENT’S LAST KNOWN
ADDRESS: 1508 Delaware Avenue, Apt. 1B, Wilmington, DE 19806 YOU ARE NOTIFIED that an action for Dissolution of Marriage has been filed against you and that you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to it on Jack Bridges, Counsel for Petitioner, whose address is P.O. Box 1714, Tavernier, FL 33070 on or before September 5, 2024, and file the original with the clerk of this Court at 88770 Overseas Highway, Tavernier, FL 33070, before service on Petitioner or immediately thereafter. If you fail to do so, a default may be entered against you for the relief demanded in the petition. The action is asking the court to decide how the following real or personal property should be divided: None Copies of all court documents in this case, including orders, are available at the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s office. You may review these documents upon request. You must keep the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s office notified of your current address. (You may file Designation of Current Mailing and E-Mail Address, Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.915.) Future papers in this lawsuit will be mailed or e-mailed to the address(es) on record at the clerk’s office. WARNING: Rule 12.285, Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure, requires certain automatic disclosure of documents and information. Failure to comply can result in sanctions, including dismissal or striking of pleadings.
Dated: August 1, 2024 Kevin Madok, CPA Clerk of the Circuit Court Monroe County, Florida By: Jaquelyn Fonseca Deputy Clerk
Publish: August 8, 15, 22 & 29, 2024 The Weekly Newspapers
AUTOS ALL YEARS! Junk or Used Cars, Vans, Trucks. Runs or Not.$CASH 305-332-0483
BOATS FOR SALE
Key Largo 21' Deep V Center Console w/trailer. New 150hp motor & electronics. Ready to fish. REDUCED PRICE $25,000 cash. Located in Marathon. 201-696-8906
FREE!! - 2 PONTOON BOATS 24' AND 18' Located in Marathon. Call 305-610-8002
Place your BOAT FOR SALE ad here. $25.00/week for up to 5 lines of copy. Call 305-743-0844
BOAT SLIP FOR RENT
Dock Space available in Marathon. Up to 32' Electric & water available. 305-619-5282
Place your BOAT SLIP FOR RENT ad here. $25.00/week for up to 5 lines of copy. Call 305-743-0844
BOAT / TRAILER STORAGE
Gated storage & parking available in Marathon for boats, trailers & RV's - across from boat ramp - MM 54. $8-$10/ foot. 305-610-8002
Place your STORAGE ad here. $25.00/ week for up to 5 lines of copy. Call 305-743-0844 today.
CAMPING/RV SITE
Camping site/RV site at marina available in Marathon. Monthly/ Daily rates. Free use of dingy & fishing on dock. No Pets. 305-610-8002
Place your CAMPING SITE FOR RENT ad here. $25.00/week for up to 5 lines of copy. Call 305-743-0844
COMMERCIAL SPACE FOR RENT
Commercial office/ medical/retail space for rent/lease available in Marathon. High highway visibility, 2100-3500 sq. ft. Call for more information 305481-3198 or email drice519@aol.com
Place your COMMERCIAL SPACE FOR RENT ad here. $25.00/week for up to 5 lines of copy. Call 305-743-0844 today!
EMPLOYMENT
Marathon: Looking for 2 College Students interested in 2-3 hours of work for 1 day restoring a Trawler Boat. May lead to additional hours. Cleaning, sanding, staining, scraping and painting outside of Boat $30.00 an hour. Contact a Friend and apply together. Call (508) 566-3538
Hiring: Lead Gutter Installer - EXPERIENCE REQUIRED – valid Driver’s Licensemust be comfortable with heights - located in Tavernier. To apply, please call or text Jay 305-587-1581.
Marathon Yacht Club is hiring parttime servers and bartenders. Private club, friendly atmosphere, guaranteed gratuities. Flexible lunch/dinner shifts available Tuesday – Sunday. Must provide photo ID, social security card or passport, and checking account. Call 305-743-6739 to schedule an interview or email office@ marathonyachtclub. com.
Serve/Bartend on the ocean! The Cabana Club, an ocean front private swim club is seeking a customer serviceoriented Server/ Bartender. Serve on pool deck, beach and/or bar lounge. Open year round, 9:30am-7pm daily. Full time/Part time. Small friendly staff. Above average hourly wage plus tips. Apply in person at 425 E. Ocean Dr. Key Colony Beach or call 404-219-3359 and ask for Dave.
The Housing Authority of the City of Key West now hiring the following positions: Med Tech PT/Nights, Housing Choice Voucher Asst., PT Receptionist, Housing Manager-Middle Keys, Maintenance Mechanic (Maintenance Worker, and HVAC Maintenance Mechanic $64.480$72,800/yr. plus benefits. 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
HOUSING FOR RENT
ANNUAL RENTAL - Key Largo2BR/2BA Spacious Doublewide, 1400 sq ft modular on canal w/40’ dock, direct ocean access. Very nice community. $3,500/month 786-258-3127
Available for 1 person. 2 1/2 rooms + 8' X 22' screened porch. All utilities incl. wifi, satellite TV, washer/ dryer. 2nd house from ocean. Off-street parking. Private & quiet. MM 96 Key Largo. $1,850/month F/L/S 305-853-3779
ISLAMORADA: Very Large 2 BR apt. for rent. Furnished or unfurnished. Utilities & cable included. $2,200/month. First/ Security. Available Sept. 1st. Yearly lease. 305-522-2702 Leave message.
Single family, elevated canal-front home for long term rental in Marathon. 3BR/2BA, furnished (optional), wrap around balcony, pool, jacuzzi, 40 ft dock, W/D, storage. Call Maria 305-725-8150
Conch HouseStudio for rent in duplex in Marathon. $960/month + utilities. Newly furnished. Dockage available. No Pets. 305-610-8002
Large One Bedroom Suite, Conch House, carpet, tile, appliances, available for rent in Marathon. $2,000/month furnished, $1,600/ month unfurnished,. All utilities included. F/L/S Section 8 accepted. Dockage available. No Pets. 305-610-8002
Place your HOUSING FOR RENT ad here. $25.00/week for up to 5 lines of copy. Call 305-743-0844
ROOMMATE WANTED
2010 27' Wildcat RV FOR SALE. 5th wheel, 1 slide-out. Located in Key West. $9,000 618-559-9143
Place your RV FOR SALE ad here. $25.00/week for up to 5 lines of copy. Call 305-743-0844
RV SITE FOR RENT
RV site at marina available in Marathon. Monthly/Daily rates. Free use of dingy & fishing on dock. No Pets. 305-610-8002
Place your RV SITE FOR RENT ad here.
$25.00/week for up to 5 lines of copy. Call 305-743-0844
STORAGE AVAILABLE
Place your STORAGE ad here. $25.00/ week for up to 5 lines of copy. Call 305-743-0844 today.
Gated storage & parking available in Marathon for boats, trailers & RV's - across from boat ramp - MM 54. $8-$10/ foot. 305-610-8002
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 CarolineSeaport.com
Place your YARD SALE ad here. $25.00/ week for up to 5 lines of copy. Call 305-743-0844 today.
YOUR CLASSIFIED AD SHOULD BE HERE
CLASSIFIED ADS ARE PUBLISHED FROM KEY LARGO THROUGH KEY WEST FOR ONE LOW PRICE. $25/WEEK FOR UP TO 5 LINES OF COPY. CALL 305743-0844 TODAY!
Stock Island - Seeking nonsmoking professional female/no pets. Fully furnished, W/D + TV. Very nice quiet safe place. Gated. $1250/ month. First/Last Call 305-797-5600 ROOMMATE FOUND IN LESS THAN ONE WEEK!
Place your ROOMMATE WANTED ad here. $25.00/ week for up to 5 lines of copy. Call 305-743-0844
RV FOR SALE
• Dock Master/General Manager
Apply in person at: Treasure Harbor Marina 200 Treasure Harbor Dr., Islamorada Email: info@keysboatrental.com Call for more information: 305-664-9943
Absolute Auction
Tuesday August 13th @ 11AM
201 20th St Ocean, Lot # 8 Marathon, FL 33050 (White Building by the dock)
MASSIVE RESTAURANT EQUIPMENT SALE
Automatic Empanada Dumpling Machine, True Stainless Cooler, True Stainless Freezer, Portable Griddle, Portable Char-Broiler, Sun re 6 Burner Range, MicroMatic Keg Cooler, Southbend Convection Oven, Galvanized Baskets, Insulated Coolers, Metro Racks, Large Quantity of Small Wares, Glass Plates, Dipping Plates, Wine Glasses, Shell Shaped Plates, Platters, Oil & Vinegar Holders, Pepper Mills, Bar Supplies, Coffee Cups, Stainless & Poly-Carbon Inserts, Champagne Glasses & Buckets, PLUS, SO MUCH MORE! Live Bidding In-Person &/or Online @ Proxibid.com/TobyNeverett
DIRECT CARE STAFF AT ADULT DAY TRAINING PROGRAM
This position is available at our Adult Day program. This position provides direct care service and support to our clients in the day program. This position requires the minimum of high school completion or GED. *
DIRECT CARE STAFF GROUP HOMES 24/7 FT/PT
These positions are available at our Group Homes, evening shift. This position provides direct care services and support to our clients in their home. This position requires the minimum of high school completion or GED and 1 year of experience with care giving or 30 hours of college coursework. * *ALSO REQUIRED FOR ALL POSITIONS: Fluent in English language, speaking and writing, proficiency is a must. Level 2 background screening and valid Florida driver’s license. EOE
Come join our family!
FULL-TIME POSITION POLICE OFFICER
The City of Key Colony Beach is accepting applications for a FULL-TIME Police Officer.
Applicants must posses a current Florida Certification as a police officer. Applicants will undergo a thorough background investigation, including drug screening, medical, polygraph and a psychological exam.
Salary: $60,000.
Full Health & Dental Insurance, 457 (b) Participation.
Email resume to:
Chief of Police at: chief@keycolonybeach.net Or call for additional information: 305-289-1212 ext. 1
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.
NOW HIRING IN ISLAMORADA
MARINA CASHIERS
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.
DOCKHANDS
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.
DOLPHIN RESEARCH CENTER IS HIRING
Human Resources Assistant (Part-Time, Permanent)
Dolphin Research Center has an opening for a Human Resources Assistant (Part-Time, Permanent) for immediate consideration.
Duties include: Supporting HR Director on everyday activities for the department, recruitment, record keeping, employee support, etc. Must be an organized team player with excellent computer & communication skills. Prior HR experience will be a benefit. Benefits include: medical insurance, 401(k), paid vacation & holidays & so much more!
KEY LARGO FIRE RESCUE & EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES DISTRICT IS SEEKING AN EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT/CLERK
For a detailed description of the position, please visit klfirerescueems.com
All interested individuals kindly submit your resume with a cover letter to clerk@klfrems.org
DUI EVALUATOR/ INSTRUCTOR
The Advocate DUI Program is hiring for part time positions. DUI instructors and evaluators - 2 days a week, Bachelors or Masters degree in substance abuse eld required. Bilingual preferred, not required. Of ce located in Marathon. Contact Marcia at 305-704-0117.
EXPERIENCED ELECTRICIANS AND HELPERS NEEDED
Experience is required. Must have a valid driver’s license. We offer 401K, medical insurance, paid holidays and paid vacation. Positions available in Key West and Marathon. 305-292-3369
