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Distance runners hoping to race the 2025 7 Mile Bridge Run had a taller task than ever this year. Registration for the run, capped each year at 1,500 entrants, sold out in a mere three minutes on runsignup.com on the morning of Jan. 28, setting a new record for the race registration crew.
makeshift memorial and flowers sit outside the
of
a Jan.
7-YEAR-OLD BOY SUCCUMBS TO INJURIES FROM EMMA STREET FIRE
Deadly blaze kills 2 parents & 2 children; 2 injured teens are in stable condition
mandy@keysweekly.com
An apartment fire on Emma Street in Key West the evening of Jan. 23 devastated a local family, killing two parents and one child, 5. Three other children were severely injured and taken to mainland hospitals, where 7-year-old Sadrac Decimy succumbed to his injuries on Jan. 25, bringing the death toll to four.
The fire claimed the lives of Jean Decimy, 41; Evelyne Pierre, 38; Dave Decimy, 5 and Sadrac Decimy, 7. Two older children — Jean Decimy, 14, and Sanaika Decimy, 13 — remain in the hospital being treated for smoke inhalation and burns and were in stable condition as of Jan. 28, according to Key West police.
The state fire marshal is investigating the cause of the tragic blaze that engulfed Unit 6C in Fort Village Apartments, a public housing complex operated by the Key West Housing Authority at Truman Avenue and Emma Street. The investigation could take a few weeks, said City of Key West spokeswoman Alyson Crean.
Reports indicate that the family was upstairs when the fire started, making their escape difficult.
“This is an unimaginable tragedy, and people are still wrapping their heads around it,” Randy Sterling, executive director of the Key West Housing Authority, told the Keys Weekly on Jan. 24 after working all night to ensure that all other residents from the complex’s five other units were safely housed. “This community has and will continue to do what it always does, by coming together to help in times of crisis, be it a fire, a hurricane or anything else.
“My maintenance director, who isn’t from Key West, told me he’s lived in other communities, and has never seen or experienced this type of community response. The mayor and city officials were with me last night with the Red Cross, which stepped right up and set up a sort of response center at the community center across the street to figure out what needed to be done and what people needed. But obviously, this tragedy has devastated a family and the needs will be ongoing.”
Sterling also credited Key West Fire Department for its quick and skilled response, which kept the fire contained to Unit 6C in the concrete block structure that was built in 1942. Fort Village includes a total of 84 units in multiple buildings, according to the housing authority website. There are six units in the building where the fire was located.
“We were able to find housing for everyone last night, because obviously all six units in that building had to be evacuated, but thanks to the fire department’s efforts to contain the blaze, we should be able to get at least four of the other families back in
See
Police tape surrounds Unit 6C at Fort Village Apartments, where flowers and a memorial sign pay tribute to Jean Decimy, 41; Evelyne Pierre, 38; and Dave Decimy, 7, who were killed in a Jan. 23 fire, and to 7-year-old Sadrac Decimy, who succumbed on Jan. 25 to injuries from the fire. Two other children, ages 13 and 14, remain hospitalized in stable condition. MANDY MILES/Keys Weekly
their homes today,” Sterling said, adding that the unit directly next door to 6C will take longer for the residents to return. The housing authority and Red Cross are ensuring they have a place to stay.
Laura Stilley, a relative of the Decimy family, started a GoFundMe page to raise money for “funeral services, child care, clothing, food and other essential needs.” As of Jan. 28, the community had donated over $77,000. To contribute, visit gofundme.com and search “Support for Decimy Family After Tragedy,”or scan the QR code here. Stay tuned to keysweekly.com and to the Keys Weekly’s Facebook page for the latest information about how to help.
MANDY MILES
A fire at Fort Village Apartment at Truman Avenue and Emma Street the evening of Jan. 23 claimed the lives of two parents and two children. Two others injured in the fire were in stable condition as of Jan. 28. LARRY BLACKBURN/Keys Weekly
A
fence
Unit 6C at Fort Village Apartments on Emma Street, where
23 fire claimed the lives of two adults and two children and injured two teenagers.
story below. MANDY MILES/Keys Weekly
GARDEN ART SHOW HIGHLIGHTS LOCAL HISTORY
JAG Gallery presents Ann Lorraine’s paintings of old coffee mill & young dancers
MANDY MILES
mandy@keysweekly.com
Forget the packed art gallery on opening night of a new show, small cups of wine and even smaller small talk. This is a different kind of art show. Much different.
Explore one of Key West’s most hidden and enchanting gardens, where original paintings will hang from between native trees in sundappled spaces as water bubbles from a nearby fish pond.
Local artist Ann Lorraine has partnered with JAG Gallery to host a show of her own most recent paintings in her own Catherine Street garden, the one she and her husband, Bill Lorraine, have lovingly tended for 50 years.
For months, Ann Lorraine sat quietly in the back of the Coffee Mill Dance Studio, in that coollooking corrugated metal building on Pohalski Lane, just off Truman Avenue. She sketched and photographed as instructors taught dozens of dance classes in the 1908 building that was, literally, a coffee mill until the 1950s. Triumph Coffee Mill delivered giant burlap sacks of coffee to Fausto’s Food Palace and other locations.
Ann Lorraine’s painting, ‘Coffee Mill Street Scene,’ is part of a series she created to capture the history of the old Coffee Mill. Contributed
In recent years, the building became home to Coffee Mill Dance Studio, offering classes and performances in ballet, tap, jazz and modern dance. The studio continues today on White Street, but the old coffee mill building was sold, ending an era for Penny Let’s dance studio.
That’s where Lorraine stepped in, wanting to capture the final days of dance in the historic coffee mill.
The results of her observations are a striking mix of acrylic, oil and pastel paintings, each one imbued with the personality of its characters. From the little girls in leotards who whisper out front after class, to the tomboy who stood outside and watched rehearsals through the open window, the new collection pays tribute to the old building, young dancers and a piece of Key West history.
The garden art show will be on display in the Lorraines’ garden, 1028 Catherine St., Feb. 14-16 from 3 to 6 p.m.
The small cups of art show wine will still be available, but this show will also offer Cuban con leches in honor of the old coffee mill.
The event is free and all are welcome. More information is available at JAG Gallery, 1075 Duval Street C23, via email to jaggallerykw@gmail.com or at 305407-6202.
COMMISSIONER TO PROPOSE HOUSING PARTNERSHIP WITH NAVY
Long-term lease of land would let the city rebuild Sigsbee housing
If the U.S. Navy isn’t going to rebuild the 166 apartments it abandoned 20 years ago and demolished in 2021, perhaps the city can lease those 18 acres from the Navy and finally make some housing happen there again.
Commissioner Donie Lee will propose such a partnership at the Feb. 4 city commission meeting when he introduces a resolution that asks the Navy to grant the city a long-term lease for the 18 acres at Sigsbee Park, where the 166 townhome-style residences formerly housed service members and their families — until 2005, when Hurricane Wilma flooded them.
The units then sat abandoned and unlivable until 2021, when the Navy demolished them.
For 20 years, as Key West’s affordable housing crisis intensified, officials have repeatedly asked the Navy to rebuild the Sigsbee housing, as it would enable the military to house more of its own people and reduce the demand and competition for the limited affordable, long-term rentals in Key West and the Lower Keys.
“Navy personnel, and civilians who are employed by the Navy, comprise a substantial segment of the population in Key West that occupy or require long-term workforce housing,” states one of the city’s earlier resolutions asking the Navy to replace its Sigsbee housing. “By providing new and improved housing on base, the inventory of available long-term rentals in the city of Key West may become more readily available to non-military families.”
Commissioner Sam Kaufman in 2016 spearheaded a similar request for the return of the Sigsbee housing units, writing a letter to then-U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo.
Local commanders of Naval Air Station Key West have been unanimous in recognizing the city’s and Navy’s housing challenges, but the decision to rebuild is above their pay grade and requires reams of bureaucratic approvals.
The Navy’s long-term partnership with Balfour Beatty, the private company that manages its military housing worldwide, also complicates housing decisions and action.
“The Navy has options other than Balfour Beatty, when it comes to hous-
from the Navy so housing can be rebuilt. KEYS WEEKLY FILE PHOTO
ing partnerships; that’s what I want to point out,” Lee told the Keys Weekly on Jan. 28. “We’ve had a lease with the Navy for the Outer Mole Pier for decades, so this type of arrangement isn’t unprecedented. This resolution isn’t intended to be adversarial in any way, but I do think there’s a good opportunity for a partnership that would help both the city and the Navy.” And he’s hoping the timing may finally be right for action.
Vice Admiral Scott Gray, commander of the Naval Installations Command, recently sent a contingent of real estate agents and other advisers to Key West to explore the NAS Key West facilities and housing, Lee said. Gray oversees the Navy’s shoreside facilities, including base housing.
If a lease can be reached between the city and the Navy for the 18 acres at Sigsbee, its purpose would be “to provide workforce housing supporting the military on a priority basis, with support to federal/state and local governments and the public on a spaceavailable basis, thereby increasing military mission effectiveness, creating efficiencies in housing support, and economies of scale to provide the lowest possible housing rates while meeting required housing standards,” the resolution states.
In other words, if the Navy and city can partner to rebuild housing on Sigsbee, priority would be given to military personnel, but remaining units would also be available to other government workers and other working residents.
If the proposed resolution passes on Feb. 4, Lee wants copies sent to Gray, as well as U.S. Rep. Carlos Gimenez, Florida’s senators Rick Scott and Ashley Moody and Capt. Beth Regoli, commander of Naval Air Station Key West.
MANDY MILES mandy@keysweekly.com
The U.S. Navy in 2021 demolished 166 units of housing at Sigsbee Park that were damaged by Hurricane Wilma in 2005, then left vacant for 16 years. Key West City Commissioner Donie Lee wants the city to lease the now-empty parcel
Ann Lorraine’s outdoor studio overlooks her lush Catherine Street garden, where JAG Gallery will host a three-day exhibit of her most recent paintings Feb. 14-16. MANDY MILES/Keys Weekly
Shirlee Ezmirly
1927 - 2025
Peacefully and surrounded by her family, Shirlee Ezmirly passed away on Saturday, January 25 at the age of 97 years young.
She will be lovingly remembered by her children, David and Melanie, and by her extended family and friends, including the Key West Rip-Off Rapid Response Team.
Shirlee stayed youthful by walking two miles a day and she credited her vegetarian diet for her energetic nature. She always advised her family: “Take things as they come, and do the best you can with each one.”
Shirlee was born on May 19, 1927 in Providence, Rhode Island. She was the first female occupational therapist in the U.S. Air Force, then joined the U.S. Coast Guard as a civilian, which brought her to Key West in 1981.
Shirlee spent her life working as an activist to help others. She began in her late teens, helping an African-American friend sit in a whites-only restaurant. Here in Key West in the 1980s, she protested outside drug houses with a sign that said “Down with Dope, Up with Hope.” Later, she protested t-shirt shops, which destroyed the charm of Duval Street. She was the inspirational leader of the Key West Rip-Off Rapid Response Team, which brought attention to predatory shops on Duval Street.
A celebration of Shirlee’s life will be held on Saturday, Feb. 1 in her front yard, 532 Fleming Street at 1:30pm. After the service, we will walk her daily route, which greatly contributed to her longevity and happiness. The walk will conclude at her final resting place in the Key West Cemetery. Friends and loved ones are invited to attend and walk with us.
Priscilla Coote – TROPIC WATERS
Artist’s Reception February 8th, 2025 Saturday 5:00-8:00 pm
Florida Keys’ & Cuba’s Finest Regional Art “Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” – Pablo Picasso CUBA ART TOUR – APRIL 22-26, 2025
FEBRUARY CEMETERY TOURS HONOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Scheduled strolls set for Sunday, Feb. 23
The second Cemetery Stroll at the Historic Key West Cemetery this season will take place on Sunday, Feb. 23. During the stroll, small groups of visitors will be escorted to gravesites where interpreters will tell the stories of the deceased in brief monologues. The groups are scheduled for departures at 9:30, 9:50, and 10:10 a.m. Reservations are necessary, and can be made by calling or texting 305-304-1453 or by emailing at hfkf@bellsouth.net.
Among the gravesites to be visited are those of influential residents, many of them African-American, including Frank Adams, Ellen Sanchez, Nelson English, Coffee Butler, Roosevelt Sands, Willie Ward and Willian McKinzie.
The tour will take about 90 minutes. Participants should
wear comfortable shoes and plan to walk over a mile on uneven ground. Bottled water will be provided.
This is an opportunity to learn first-hand about some of the people who have given Key West its significant character. Space is limited. A donation of $20 (cash or check) per person to the Historic Florida Keys Foundation is recommended, with all proceeds devoted to cemetery restoration.
Participants may enter the cemetery by either the main gate at 701 Passover Lane or the Frances Street gate and go to the registration table on Palm Avenue.
An additional stroll featuring other gravesites will take place on March 23.
The cemetery strolls are sponsored by the City of Key West and the Historic Florida Keys Foundation. More information is available from Diane Silvia at 305-304-1453.
— Contributed
CONTRACTORS WHO HIRED ILLEGAL FOREIGN WORKERS SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS
Operation RoomKey targets owners of illegal staffing companies
MANDY MILES mandy@keysweekly.com
Ayears-long federal investigation into illegal staffing companies that brought undocumented foreign workers into the United States and got them jobs at Key West and Florida Keys hotels, bars and restaurants continued this week when two Ukrainian men received lengthy prison sentences.
Oleg Oliynyk and Oleksandr Yurchyk were sentenced to 15 years each for conspiracy to defraud the United States and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
According to court documents, Oliynyk, Yurchyk and others owned and operated a series of laborstaffing companies in South Florida — Paradise Choice, Paradise Choice Cleaning, Tropical City Services and Tropical City Group — from at least April 2008 and August 2021.
“Through these staffing companies, Oliynyk, Yurchyk and co-defendants Oleksandr Morgunov, Mykhaylo Chugay and Volodymyr Ogorodnychuk facilitated the employment of non-resident aliens in the hospitality industry who were not authorized to work in the United States and helped evade the assessment and collection of more than $25 million of federal income and employment taxes,” states a press release from the Department of Justice.
The staffing companies provided illegal foreign workers to multiple hotels and restaurants in Key West and Marathon.
In addition to the prison terms, U.S. District Court Judge Jose E. Martinez ordered Oliynyk and Yurchyk to each serve three years of supervised release, pay $10.8 million in restitution to the United States and to forfeit $11 million.
Oliynyk and Yurchyk are the latest defendants sentenced as part of Operation RoomKey, a
joint criminal investigation led by the U.S. Department of Justice Tax Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, Homeland Security Investigations and IRS Criminal Investigation.
The investigation and resulting indictments began in August 2021 and eventually resulted in a dozen convictions and prison sentences that ranged from two to 24 years.
Co-defendant Chugay was convicted at trial in June 2022, and sentenced to more than 24 years in prison. Co-defendants Morgunov and Ogorodnychuk each pleaded guilty and were sentenced to eight years and four years in prison, respectively.
The investigations related to Operation RoomKey are ongoing. In August 2021, when four of the suspects were federally indicted, their staffing companies — and others that were concerned about similar legal trouble — shut down, leaving hundreds of illegal workers without income and often without their employer-provided housing. Those indictments and the shutdown of staffing agencies also led to crippling labor shortages at Florida Keys hotels and restaurants that rely on the foreign workers. The situation left dozens of Keys hotels without housekeepers, dishwashers and other crucial positions.
A Marathon hotel employee who asked to remain anonymous told the Keys Weekly in August 2021 that when she signed with the labor agency, no one explained U.S. labor laws or asked her for any identification or proof of her eligibility to work in the United States.
Read the Keys Weekly’s story from August 2021 by scanning the QR code here:
Former Key West City Commissioner Carmen Turner tells one of the stories of a Key West character during a prior cemetery stroll. CONTRIBUTED
JUDGE FINDS DANIEL WEISBERGER GUILTY IN STABBING DEATH OF HIS YOUNGER BROTHER
Sentencing set for Feb. 27
JIM McCARTHY jim@keysweekly.com
Seven days of witness and expert testimony in the Daniel Weisberger sibling murder trial culminated in Circuit Judge Mark H. Jones delivering a guilty verdict inside a Key West courtroom on the afternoon of Jan. 23.
Following a few hours of deliberation in the bench trial, Jones found Weisberger guilty of second-degree murder in the stabbing death of his brother, 14-year-old Pascal, inside their Islamorada home during the early morning of May, 7 2020. Weisberger, who was 17 at the time of the attacks, was also found guilty of first-degree attempted murder in the stabbing attack on his dad, Ariel Poholek, shortly after killing Pascal.
The case was originally expected to go to a jury trial in the Upper Keys last fall. Delays, however, forced the case to a new judge and location following Judge Luis Garcia’s retirement last November.
A gallery of family members and staff with the Monroe County State Attorney’s Office were silent as they watched and listened to Jones read the verdict. The charges carry a possible life sentence for Weisberger, who was held at the county jail on Stock Island during the trial. He was transported to the South Florida Evaluation and Treatment Center, where he’s been receiving treatment for several years, following the trial. Daniel will learn of his sentence when he returns to the courtroom on Feb. 27.
State Attorney Dennis Ward declined to comment following the verdict, saying he would comment following the sentence hearing.
Prosecutors say Daniel stabbed his younger brother Pascal to death in a bedroom they shared at their Executive Bay home in Islamorada during the early morning hours of May 7, 2020. Prosecutors say Daniel also attacked his father, Ari Poholek, shortly afterward, stabbing him in the neck and strangling him. Daniel held his father hostage for roughly two hours before eventually fleeing; his father managed to escape and get help from a neighbor.
A massive hunt ensued by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and neighboring agencies in Miami-Dade County. Some 12 hours later, Weisberger was seen running into oncoming traffic on U.S. 1 not far from Executive Bay Club. He was treated and taken to Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami. From there, he was taken to the county jail and eventually placed into Department of Children and Families care so he could obtain the necessary mental health treatment.
Daniel’s defense counsel, Diane Ward and Ed O’Donnell, were seeking a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. They brought several experts to the stand to testify, one being Dr. Pamela Scannell. She saw Daniel on several occasions at the South Florida Evaluation and Treatment Center.
A licensed clinical psychologist specializing in forensic psychology, Scannell believed Daniel was suffering from a psychotic illness, schizophrenia, at the time of the attacks on May 7, 2020.
The defense also called psychiatric expert Dr. Mark Mills, who visited Daniel several times between July 2021 and January 2022. He, too, said Daniel suffered from schizophrenia. The trial also brought to light Daniel’s diagnosis of ADHD, posttraumatic stress disorder and conduct disorder during his younger years.
Ward also recalled a timeline just hours before the attack as Poholek sought help for Daniel. Poholek attempted to contact Daniel’s therapist, expressing grave concern for his deteriorating mental state — he was locking doors and hiding knives. He even began to stab furniture.
There were also verbal and physical altercations between Daniel, Pascal and Poholek hours before the tragedy. Poholek also attempted to call a mobile crisis number. The help Daniel needed didn’t come in time, however, as the attacks began during the morning of May 7, 2020. Ward said Daniel’s situation needed more attention than it was getting from his therapist.
“He was a person coming unglued and needing help,” defense counsel Diane Ward said during closing statements.
Prosecutors Colleen Dunne and Trey Evans, of the Monroe County State Attorney’s Office, refuted the claim that Daniel was psychotic during the stabbings. They pointed to a note Daniel wrote stating his reasons for his attack. Prosecutors also said a message on the back of that note was “apologetic” in nature.
“Someone who doesn’t realize what they did was wrong doesn’t need to ask for forgiveness,” said assistant state attorney Trey Evans during closing statements.
Poholek, who attended the full trial in support of his son, said the state attorney’s office “ensured that we suffered as much additional emotional distress as possible throughout the trial, and even before.” Poholek maintains Daniel
wasn’t in a rational state of mind when he attacked Pascal and himself.
“My family and I are profoundly disappointed by the judge’s decision,” Poholek said in a statement to Keys Weekly. “We, and all who are familiar with both of the boys, including Pascal’s closest friends, know that Daniel greatly loved Pascal and could have never committed the acts he did unless he was in an altered mental state, as I personally experienced him being when the events of that day unfolded.”
Poholek was also critical of the State Attorney’s Office in the way they conducted the case for the past four-and-half years, everything from trying to silence the family through a gag order, orchestrating the change in trial location and having expert witnesses excluded.
“They didn’t just present the facts and let them stand for themselves, they used every legal maneuver and strategy available to undermine Daniel’s defense in order to win the case. That, not the actual truth being known, was their goal.”
Poholek said he hopes Judge Jones takes into account his family’s wishes to focus on mental health treatment as opposed to decades behind bars. A number of letters sent by members of the community who knew Daniel and the family are also urging Jones to spare Daniel more time in jail.
“Daniel indeed had mental health issues which I addressed to the best of my ability,” said Dr. Stan Zuba in a letter to Jones. “I also referred him to several mental health providers. As you are likely aware, mental health services in the Keys are badly lacking.”
Delays were seen in Daniel’s case after the court determined whether he was competent to stand trial. In 2022, the court declared Daniel incompetent to stand trial following a series of mental and neurological evaluations. By July 2023, the South Florida State Hospital filed an evaluation stating Daniel was competent to stand trial.
The scene outside Executive Bay Club on May 7, 2020. KEYS WEEKLY FILE PHOTO
Daniel Weisberger
MARATHON CAPITOL RIOTER GOES FREE AFTER TRUMP PARDONS
Bryan Bishop served less than five of his 45-month sentence
alex@keysweekly.com
AMarathon man who admitted to assaulting law enforcement officers during the Jan. 6, 2021 U.S. Capitol riots was among those to walk free when President Donald Trump issued more than 1,500 pardons to rioters on his first day in office.
Originally arrested in August 2023, Bryan Bishop pleaded guilty in April 2024 to a felony charge of assaulting, resisting or impeding officers after video footage from the Jan. 6 riots captured him spraying a Metropolitan Police Department officer in the face with a chemical irritant before entering the Capitol.
On Sept. 3, Bishop was sentenced to 45 months in prison, along with three years of supervised release and a $2,000 restitution payment by U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly. Following Trump’s pardons, he served less than five months of that sentence.
here at the courthouse in Key West after his August 2023 arrest, Bryan
was among more than 1,500
pardoned by President Donald Trump. KEYS WEEKLY FILE PHOTO
Calling them a “truly unthinkable attempt to erase the facts of that day,” Democratic Sen. Patty Murray introduced a resolution requesting unanimous consent to condemn the pardons, but that resolution was blocked by Senate Republicans on Jan. 28.
SCHOOL BOARD DOES LONG-TERM PLANNING AMID TURMOIL
The Jan. 28 Monroe County School Board meeting was marked by careful studies of longterm plans and literally secondby-second changes to critical funding categories announced by the administration for President Donald Trump.
The long-term plans under consideration included the cost of insuring the buildings, activities and staff of the school system. The school buildings in the county, generally built to category 5 storm standards, are eligible for favorable insurance rates.
be frozen. But the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which manages school lunch funding programs, wasn’t clear if school lunch funding would be limited.
Then, text messages delivered the news that a federal judge ordered a stay of the funding freeze.
A month before Bryan’s plea, his wife Tonya Bishop also pleaded guilty to lesser misdemeanor charges after entering the Capitol during the riots. She was later sentenced to 24 months of probation and $500 in restitution.
A search of the Federal Bureau of Prisons database confirmed Bryan Bishop’s release. Multiple sources confirmed to the Weekly that the Bishops had returned to their boat in Boot Key Harbor, and the couple hold an active mooring reservation with the city of Marathon.
Trump’s day-one pardons were paired with commuted sentences of 14 defendants associated with the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, previously convicted of seditious conspiracy.
“This is a big one,” Trump said of the “full, complete and unconditional” pardons that drew condemnation from Democratic lawmakers and even a few Republicans.
“It is a betrayal of the law enforcement that protected all of us that day and a dangerous endorsement of political violence, telling criminals that you can beat cops within an inch of their lives as long as it’s in service to Donald Trump,” Murray said.
Though Trump had for months promised to grant clemency to many Jan. 6 defendants, some still questioned prior to Inauguration Day whether the pardons would include violent offenders during the riots.
In a Jan. 12 interview with Fox News, Vice President JD Vance stated that those who committed violence on Jan. 6 “obviously shouldn’t be pardoned,” causing backlash from right-wing supporters. Vance quickly walked back his position in a second interview on Jan. 26, seeking to separate the actions of violent rioters from what he called “denied constitutional protections in the prosecutions” for defendants under former Attorney General Merrick Garland.
But what if, the question was raised, there is damage to some buildings that is not fully covered by insurance? Would the Federal Emergency Management Agency look favorably on the district’s insurance plan and provide supplemental disaster funding? And, it was asked, what if there was no FEMA? There was a lengthy but initial discussion of insurance alternatives.
The meeting convened at 5 p.m. That’s exactly the time that a funding freeze went into effect for a broad range of federal benefit programs. The school board staff reported that some salaries and other expenses were on the books by 5 p.m., but the status of federal funds for Head Start and school lunch programs was unclear.
Then, cell phones started to go off. Government agencies were providing clarifications.
The Federal Office of Management and Budget reported that Head Start funds would not
As of press time on Wednesday, the judicial freeze on the presidential freeze was in effect until at least Monday, Feb. 3. A hearing is set for Monday morning as federal agencies are scrambling to assure the public that a large number of “direct benefit” programs, everything from Social Security to Meals on Wheels, Head Start, student loans, SNAP/EBT cards, VA benefits and school lunch were not included in the freeze. It does not seem there will be any direct effect on the school district. Other organizations receiving federal money within the county might come under more scrutiny.
At a workshop earlier in the day, there was discussion about the search for a replacement for Superintendent Theresa Axford, who plans to retire on July 31.
The board has hired consultants to conduct a nationwide search for a replacement and to collect input from the public concerning the expectations for the position. Community forums inviting comments on the search will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 11 at Coral Shores High School; on Wednesday, Feb. 12 at Marathon High School; and on Thursday, Feb. 13 at Key West High School. All the forums will begin at 6 p.m.
ALEX RICKERT
Seen
Bishop
Capitol rioters
FRANK DERFLER www.keysweekly.com
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1626 SIRUGO AVE
This Key West resort-style home sounds like an absolute dream! It combines the perfect blend of luxury, functionality, and tropical charm. With 5 bedrooms, and 3 baths, it's designed for both comfort and elegance. The fact that it's just steps from White Street Pier and the beach makes it an ideal location for those who love coastal living. Some standout features includes an at 7,775 sq ft, there's plenty of space for the lush tropical landscaping and custom amenities like the grilling area, electric gate, and the stunning 20x40 pool with a spillover spa. The heated and chilled pool makes it suitable for year-round enjoyment. Enjoy your own tropical oasis with the daybed swing under the lanai next to a custom water feature is the perfect spot for relaxation. The tiki bar also sounds like a great place to unwind after a swim or a day out exploring Key West. The 12ft elevation and oversized windows let in tons of natural light, making the home feel airy and bright. The 20-foot cathedral ceilings add grandeur to the living areas, and the built-in bookshelves give the space a cozy, welcoming vibe. The high-end kitchen with sleek countertops, stainless steel appliances, and top-notch finishes, the gourmet kitchen is both stylish and functional. This home seems to be a perfect blend of relaxation and luxury with a variety of features to enjoy both inside and out. Separate apartment: The one-bedroom, one-bath apartment is an added bonus—whether for a caretaker or potential extra income, it adds flexibility to the property.
MARK HEDDEN
... 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.
There were five of us in the car – my sister Karen, my brotherin-law Lee, and their friends Kathy and Charles. We’d been up on Big Pine looking at Key deer and gators and whatnot, and were now heading south to get them back to their (small) cruise ship at Mallory Dock. It was windy. Blow-yourhat-off windy. Whitecapson-the-water windy. Pelicans were gliding alongside the bridges, just out of arm’s length if you were standing on the railing, surfing the swells and updrafts caused by the wind hitting the bridges, the birds moving almost as fast as the cars. It’s a phenomenon that makes me giddy every time I see it.
On the Kemp Channel Bridge there was another bird just off to the right. We were doing about 50; it was probably doing 40, so it was a quick look – maybe a second or two –as we overtook it and passed. But it wasn’t a pelican. It was slightly mottled, mostly brown, with a dark, flesh-tearing bill and wings that extended out flat as two ironing boards. Pretty much everyone in the car knew what it was at the same time – a bald eagle.
Bald eagles take four years to grow into their adult plumage, when they have the white tail, as well as the white head that accounts for the “bald” part of their name. This bird had neither of those characteristics. Judging by the amount of pale mottling, I’d guess it was somewhere between its first and second year, though I was driving and felt a strong requirement to keep the car in the lane, so I wasn’t totally sure.
This was only a week or two after Joe Biden had signed a law declaring the bald eagle the official bird of the United States, finishing up paperwork that had been neglected for two-and-a-half centuries and prompting most Americans to say, “What? It wasn’t already?” It was like finding out friends who’d been together for 30 years, and who you thought were married all along, had only recently actually got married so one of them could get health care or a visa or something.
Bald eagles have long been considered the national bird of the United States, symbols of patriotism, freedom and a lot of other notfully-defined concepts.
When the first Europeans landed in North America there were thought to be about 500,000 bald eagles. The first one was described for science by Carl Linnaeus in 1766, though he lived in Sweden and it’s hard to find any record of how he obtained the specimen.
BALD EAGLES AND MAKING IT OFFICIAL
The bird was designated as the national emblem of the United States on June 2, 1782 during the Second Continental Congress, and at about the same time was added to the Great Seal, also known as the official seal of the United States, wearing a shield, clutching an olive branch in one talon, arrows in the other, and holding a waving banner in its bill declaring, “E pluribus unum.”
Official designations don’t always mean love, though. Ben Franklin famously committed a troll for the ages when he facetiously argued against the bald eagle as a symbol for the burgeoning nation because the species had “low moral character” and was “a rank coward.”
Things got a little more hardcore in Alaska, where the species was abundant and considered to prey excessively on salmon stocks and fox farms. In 1917 the Alaska Territorial Authority offered a $.50-a-head bounty on bald eagles, which resulted in payouts for the killing of 120,195 eagles, and an untold number of them that were shot and not recovered. The bounties continued for 35 years, increasing to $2 a head by 1949, three years before the payouts ended due to federal law and Alaska getting close to joining the union.
Over the next two centuries in the lower 48 states, habitat loss, harassment, hunting and pesticides such as DDT caused their populations to crash. In 1940 the National Emblem Act was signed into law, making it illegal to hunt them or to sell them either alive or dead.
It did not stop their decline. By 1963, there were only 487 known nesting pairs of bald eagles in the lower 48. The Endangered Species
Act of 1966, the banning of DDT for agricultural use and captive breeding helped turn things around, and the population began to rebound in the 1980s. In 2007, they were taken off the Endangered Species List. There are currently thought to be a little over 300,000 bald eagles in their natural range. They are one of the great success stories of American conservation.
It is tempting to think that none of the symbolism attached to bald eagles matters to them. I mean, I am quite sure eagles don’t fly around all day, grabbing fish from ponds, raiding garbage dumps, stealing food from other birds, imbued with a sense of emblematic importance. But the symbolism does matter in a very practical sense, because it is fair to wonder how much of a recovery success story they would be if they weren’t considered living representatives of democracy and freedom, however you define those concepts.
I don’t think there are many people in this country who could not identify a bald eagle on sight.
There are a few breeding pairs of them in the Keys. I’d guess between 10 and 20 pairs, but I don’t have any hard data. I see them most regularly driving the 18 Mile Stretch. But I also see them at random times in the Lower Keys –out on the boat, riding through the cemetery, walking around at Fort Zach. Lately I’ve heard reports of one coming into the ponds at the Key West Golf Course on Stock Island.
I like the fact that it is kind of pointless to go out and look for them, but sometimes, even if you haven’t thought about them for a while, one will just pop back up into your life.
An immature bald eagle on a utility pole in Marathon. MARK HEDDEN/Keys Weekly
Our bright and airy space is a treasure trove of fashion forward essentials that embrace the island lifestyle.
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HAPPY HOUR
Art preview Feb 6–20 at The Studios of Key West. No admission fee. William
Doors open: 4:15 PM Auction: 5:00 PM
$30 General Admission
Special Tribute to Anne McKee
Tickets available at the door and at www.mckeefund.org
The first nationally renowned African American writer, known for his poetry and activism. Directed by Frederick Lewis.
Palmerola,
MONTH-LONG STAY ON ISOLATED ISLAND INSPIRES 2 ARTISTS
Special event celebrates Dry Tortugas National Park on Feb. 1
An evening event on Feb. 1 will include an art exhibit, book-signing and expert discussion about Dry Tortugas National Park. IAN WILSON-NAVARRO/Contributed
The Dry Tortugas National Park will be featured at an art exhibit, live demonstration, discussion and book signing on Saturday, Feb. 1 at the Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center.
In partnership with the Key West Art & Historical Society and Florida Humanities, the Eco-Discovery Center at Truman Waterfront will host the event that celebrates the history, ecology and beauty of the remote islands that make up Dry Tortugas National Park, through Ian Wilson-Navarro’s new photography book, “Dry Tortugas: Stronghold of Nature.”
The free event takes place Feb. 1 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. and includes a live gyotaku demonstration, a photography and print exhibit, short presentations by local experts, a moderated discussion with the artists and a book signing.
Wilson-Navarro’s photography book, published by University Press of Florida, chronicles his 2021 artistin-residency on Loggerhead Key, facilitated by the National Park Arts Foundation. He and his friend and fellow artist Austin Armstrong spent a month living at Dry Tortugas National Park with the goal of documenting the ecological treasures the remote location had to offer. Wilson-Navarro, a Florida Keys native, nature photographer and Keys Weekly contributor, captured images of the park above and below the waterline, while Armstrong, also a Florida Keys native, made prints using gyotaku, the traditional Japanese art form of capturing exact representations of fish created by pressing paper onto the skin painted with a thin layer of ink.
A reception with light refreshments and a first look at the joint exhibit will kick off the event before Armstrong delivers a live demonstration of gyotaku in the Eco-Discovery Center’s foyer. Attendees will have the opportunity to make their own gyotaku with simulated fish courtesy of the society’s education department. Local authors and experts who contributed knowledge and experience to Wilson-Navarro’s book will share their insights in short presentations: Nan Klingener of Monroe County Public Library, Cori Convertito of the Key West Art & Historical Society and Curtis Hall of Dry Tortugas National Park.
Convertito then will lead a conversation with Wilson-Navarro and Armstrong that delves into the details of the artist residency program that enabled the pair to live at the Dry Tortugas National Park and record the environment.
Following the discussion, attendees can pick up a copy of “Dry Tortugas,” explore the newlyrenovated Eco-Discovery Center and speak with staff members of Florida Humanities, which co-published the book.
The evening is free and open to all ages. Due to limited seating capacity, registration is required for the short talks and moderated conversation. All other components are open and do not require a ticket. For more information about the event, contact Convertito at 305-295-6616 x507 or cconvertito@ kwahs.org. More information is at kwahs.org/dry-tortugas-book-talk. — Contributed
COUNTY ORDER HALTS VEGETATION CLEARING ON TAVERNIER PROPERTY
NOW OWNED BY DEVELOPMENT GROUP
JIM McCARTHY jim@keysweekly.com
Sounds of heavy machinery and photos showing vegetation clearing on Tavernier property — now owned by a development group planning to construct a grocery store and workforce housing — led Monroe County recently to institute a stop-work order.
On Jan. 21, residents who live next to the commercial property on Orange Blossom Road say they heard the sounds of chainsaws, bulldozers and excavators. Drone footage showed vast vegetation clearing was underway at the back of the property at MM 92.5, oceanside.
Not only were invasive exotics cleared, but footage also showed mangroves were among the vegetation uprooted from the property. A lawyer for the development group said the “inadvertent” clearing of disturbed wetlands was done by a contractor replacing water main in Islamorada for the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority.
A complaint was filed with Monroe County’s code enforcement and planning and environmental resources departments, which led to the posting of a stop-work order. A referral was made to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection regarding the clearing.
“Code Compliance staff and Planning & Environmental Resources staff are working with the property owners to address the issue and find a resolution,” Emily Schemper, senior director of planning and environmental resources, told Keys Weekly on Jan. 24.
The property, formerly owned by Singletary Concrete Products Inc. and CEMEX Construction Materials Florida LLC, was purchased last December by Blackstone Group-Tavernier 925 LLC for $5.7 million. The 19.33 acres on the property consists of 14.5 upland acres and 4.82 acres of mangroves. The development group is seeking to construct a 47,240-square-foot Publix grocery store, 2,100 square-foot liquor store and 86 workforce housing units.
Bart Smith, attorney representing the development group, told Keys Weekly by email on Jan. 24 that the property owners leased the front portion of the property to the contractor Michels Pipeline, which is currently installing new transmission main for the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority. Having successfully installed new lines on Upper Matecumbe and Windley Keys, the contractors are preparing to replace several miles of aged line on Plantation Key as soon as next month.
“The FKAA contractor will be storing aggregate to place for bedding of the pipe, fill from excavation and pipe materials,” Smith told Keys Weekly in an email. “The contractors entered the site and removed invasive exotics as part of clearing the area to be utilized.
“Inadvertently, a small portion of disturbed wetlands adjacent to the invasive exotics were impacted,” Smith continued. “We have contacted
Monroe County placed a stop-work order after learning of vegetation clearing on property owned by Blackstone Group-Tavernier 925 LLC at MM 92.5, oceanside in Tavernier. Invasive exotics and mangroves were among the vegetation removed. CONTRIBUTED
FDEP and are meeting with them this week. We will make this right as we have been upfront about maintaining the wetlands from the beginning of this project. This was an error and while it was not caused by the property owners it will be corrected.”
Monroe County Environmental Resources staff previously verified the location of existing wetlands on site and is confirming the accuracy of the wetland location shown on the owners’ proposed site plan. No final site plan for the property has been approved or issued. The owners’ applications for a conditional use permit and a development agreement are under review.
“This is a very complicated project, and the issue of the illegal clearing was dealt with swiftly by Monroe County’s Code Compliance and Environmental Resources departments,” said Monroe County Commissioner Holly Merrill Raschein, who represents the Tavernier area, in a prepared statement on Jan. 28. “We take illegal clearing very seriously in Monroe County.”
A letter by Andrew Toppino, who’s part of the Blackstone Group, to Monroe County commissioners on Jan. 27, said they were approached by Giannetti Contracting Corporation, a subcontractor to Michaels Pipeline Inc., who was awarded the waterline replacement project. To ensure Giannetti could complete the project efficiently, Toppino said it was essential to secure a location for material laydown and staging.
“This staging area is critical to completing this vital infrastructure project for the Upper Keys in a timely manner,” he said. “We made an agreement with the contractor to utilize the property for construction laydown (temporarily) until we begin construction. The use of this property as a laydown site was formally approved by the FKAA via an approved submittal.”
Toppino added Blackstone Group-Tavernier 925 LLC has consistently maintained its commitment to preserving the disturbed wetlands on-site.
“To clarify, our site plan has always clearly delineated the disturbed wetlands, and we have
never suggested developing any portion of the property within that area,” Toppino wrote.
Toppino said they’re working with Monroe County and Giannetti to ensure that this mistake is corrected through the proper channels.
Last February, county commissioners approved an ordinance for a Tavernier Key Commercial Overlay District (TKCOD) on property located at MM 92.5, oceanside. The vote was 4-1 with County Commissioner Craig Cates expressing opposition after hearing concerns from community residents. The approval gave developers clearance to construct a nonresidential structure beyond a 10,000-square-foot limit on the property.
The ordinance was referred to FloridaCommerce and originally shot down on May 16 due to issues between the developer’s proposal and the TKCOD. In its order, FloridaCommerce stated the ordinance improperly created an overlay district to exempt the subject property from development standards.
But just a month later, on June 26, FloridaCommerce announced a reversal of its decision to deny the county-approved ordinance. The new order stated the TKCOD was indeed consistent with comprehensive plan and development guidelines. Emily Hetherington, FloridaCommerce spokeswoman, said the merits of the application were never in doubt; rather, their questions were solely matters of law.
In December, the county commission approved a measure to let the developers reserve 86 early evacuation workforce housing units for the project. They also approved a resolution to apply the TKCOD to the property at MM 92.5 in Tavernier. Cates was the lone “no” vote on the application of the TKCOD.
Developers must obtain a major conditional use approval to proceed with the project. That matter is taken up by the Monroe County Planning Commission. A development agreement, which would authorize development of 86 workforce housing dwelling units and a 49,900 square-foot nonresidential structure, must also be approved by the county.
JAN. 28 - FEB. 22, 2025
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CHRIS
is an astrologer, wanderer, bartender and advocate for queer justice. He is a loquacious Gemini with a cozy Cancer rising. Find him at hearthandheraldastrology.com
McNULTY Last week, we got a clear image of how Pluto in Aquarius is changing the power dynamics in the world around us as the sun illuminated the planet of intensity. I hope you’ve been tapping into your inperson networks and building your human webs of solidarity rather than succumbing to the increasing power of tech networks and digital interfaces — because Pluto in Aquarius is empowering both modes of connection. This week, Mercury joins Pluto, inviting us to think through this shift with more clarity. Last week, we could see the shift; this week, we can contemplate the shift. How will you strategize and communicate in this new reality? How will you speak truth to power? How will you translate the powerful feelings that are flowing below the surface? These are all perfect questions to sit with this week. We also have a new moon in Aquarius, offering us a fresh start with innovative ideas and new opportunities to connect with people and movements in the margins. Let the new moon reinvigorate your commitment to people who are othered, and let Mercury’s conjunction with Pluto help you think more clearly about power.
Here are your horoscopes for Mercury conjunct Pluto and the new moon in Aquarius. Read for your rising and sun signs.
AQUARIUS
Jan. 20 - Feb. 18
This is a week of deep revelations about your personal power and presence in the world. You’re stepping into a role that feels both exciting and daunting, and you might notice how others respond to the energy you’re carrying. Use your voice to carve out space for
yourself, but don’t forget to listen. Others have insights you can use to fuel your next big move.
PISCES
Feb. 19 - March 20
Quiet reflection is your power move this week. The more you step away from noise and distractions, the clearer your next steps will be. You’re processing emotions that don’t always feel like they’re your own, but that’s part of your gift. Let this week’s energy remind you of how transformative rest and solitude can be when you allow yourself the space to dream big.
ARIES
March 21 - April 19
Your community is the focus right now, and this week invites you to reflect on your role within it. Are you stepping up where you’re needed most, or are you hesitating to share your full self? Vulnerability may feel risky, but it can also be a bridge to deeper connections. Don’t underestimate the power of sharing your story because it could be exactly what someone else needs to hear.
TAURUS
April 20 - May 20
You are navigating a shift in how you approach your goals and responsibilities. This week is an opportunity to clarify what success means to you and how you want to pursue it. Pay attention to the moments that feel most aligned with your values, as they are clues to a path that’s more sustainable and fulfilling. Remember, balance isn’t about doing it all. It’s about doing what matters.
GEMINI
May 21 - June 20
This week offers a spark of inspiration that could reignite your curiosity and sense of adventure. New ideas may feel like they’re pouring in from all directions, but not every one of them needs immediate action. Take time to explore
and refine before you commit. Let your excitement guide you, but also stay grounded. You’ll find a path forward by balancing intense focus and light-hearted play.
CANCER
June 21 - July 22
You’re being called to examine the deeper layers of your relationships, especially in the ways that you share resources of time, energy, or money. This week’s sky asks you to be honest with yourself about what you need and what you’re willing to give. Vulnerability isn’t easy, but it’s the key to unlocking the kind of connection you’re craving. Trust the process because it’s leading you to a stronger foundation.
LEO
July 23 - Aug. 22
An important relationship takes center stage this week, offering you a chance to rethink how you show up for another and what you need in return. You may find yourself drawn to collaborations or partnerships that push you to grow in ways you didn’t anticipate. Embrace the challenge, but don’t lose sight of your own boundaries. You’re the one setting the rules.
VIRGO
Aug. 23 - Sept. 22
This week is about refining your routines and finding a rhythm that supports your well-being. Small changes can have a big impact, so pay attention to the habits that aren’t serving you and the ones that feel nourishing. You’re in a season of recalibration, so don’t be afraid to experiment. The balance you’re seeking is closer than you think, but it starts with prioritizing yourself.
LIBRA
Sept. 23 - Oct. 23
Creativity flows like a fresh spring this week, but it’s not just about what you make – it’s about how you connect with the world through your creations. Whether you’re sharing your talents or sim-
RIDE THE CHANGING CURRENT
ply finding joy in self-expression, this is a time to lean into what lights you up. Let go of perfectionism and embrace the process. What you create now could inspire more people than you realize.
SCORPIO
Oct. 23 - Nov. 21
Your focus turns inward this week as you explore the spaces you call home, both physically and emotionally. This is a time to honor your roots while also considering what kind of foundation you want to build for the future. Transformation often starts from within so don’t shy away from the feelings that arise. They’re guiding you toward a deeper sense of stability and belonging.
SAGITTARIUS
Nov. 22 - Dec. 21
Your words carry extra weight this week, so choose them thoughtfully. Whether you’re engaging in meaningful conversations or expressing yourself through writing or art, this is a powerful time to share your truth. Don’t be afraid to challenge outdated beliefs, including your own. Your perspective is evolving, and what you share now could spark important changes in the world around you.
CAPRICORN
Dec. 22 - Jan. 19
This sky invites you to consider how your resources are supporting the life you want to build. Are you investing in what truly matters, or are you clinging to habits that no longer serve you? This is a chance to redefine your relationship with your own abundance. Focus on what feels sustainable and aligned, and trust that your efforts will pay off in ways you can’t yet imagine.
HELP KEEP KEY WEST CLEAN
JOIN A 1- HOUR CLEANUP FRIDAY MORNINGS
Week four of 2025 saw yet another record-breaking cleanup for Keep Key West Beautiful and Plogging the Keys. On Jan. 24, 91 volunteers met inside the Key West Cemetery and walked all the roads and pathways in the cemetery and around its perimeter. In one hour, they collected 344 pounds of trash, 23 pounds of recycling and 2 gallons of cigarette butts. Special thanks to hosts Diane Silvia and Mary Ann Matter of the Historic Florida Keys Foundation for providing breakfast items after the cleanup. The Jan. 31 cleanup is at First State Bank on the boulevard. The city’s Green Machine trailer will be parked on the side of the building.
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 one-hour Friday morning cleanup. All events are 8 to 9 a.m. unless otherwise noted.
Jan 31: N. Roosevelt Blvd. & Toppino Drive. Meet in the back parking lot of First State Bank. Hosted by First State Bank of the Florida Keys.
Feb. 7: Flagler Avenue at 14th Street. Meet in the parking lot behind the fire-damaged building on Flagler. Hosted by Southernmost Nails & Spa.
Feb. 14: Duval Street and Bahama Street. Meet in the parking lot behind St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Hosted by St. Paul’s.
Feb. 21: Smathers Beach. Meet in the sandy parking lot next to Margaritaville Beach House. This is a special fentanyl awareness event presented by Mona’s Light, Guidance/Care Center, Monroe County Coalition and the health department.
Feb. 28: Eaton and White streets. Meet in the front parking lot of Strunk’s Ace Hardware. 1101 Eaton St. Parking is limited. Hosted by Key West Harry S. Truman Foundation
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.
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.
Cheese Puff is a 2-month-old kitten with a lot of potential. The last of his litter to be adopted, he’s shy and timid, but we are helping him feel more comfortable with people. He was found as a stray, so it makes sense that he’s a little afraid of humans.
Bastet is a 2-year-old tortie with a stumpy tail. She’s sweet, playful and has adjusted to shelter life faster than we could have imagined. She loves to cuddle and gets along well with everyone she meets — both cat and human. Bastet’s outgoing personality makes her a perfect companion for anyone looking for a loving feline friend.
Meet Babbs, our adorable 3-year-old white rabbit with smoky eyes and cute gray paws. Babbs is as awesome as she looks — sweet, playful and full of personality. She loves attention and is always up for a cuddle.
Fiera, an 11-year-old terrier mix
Kia is a gorgeous 4-year-old orange girl with a heart as warm as her fur. She’s been with us for a while now, and we don’t know why — she’s incredibly sweet and affectionate. Kia does have feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), but that doesn’t stop her from living a full and happy life. Cats with FIV can thrive with regular vet care and a loving home.
Meet
with a heart of gold who was surrendered to the shelter due to her owner’s health issues. She’s now searching for a home to spend her golden years. Fiera enjoys cuddles, leisurely walks and being by your side.
FLAGLER’S FAVORITE BRIDGE
THE GREAT FLORIDA KEYS ROAD TRIP
Driving along the Overseas Highway through the Florida Keys, it is easy to have your sense of direction confused. When entering Key Largo and heading down the island chain like birds for the winter, it seems like you should be traveling south. Conversely, leaving the island chain and driving back to the mainland, the natural inclination is to think you are moving north.
A compass will indicate that you are mistaken. The island chain does not fall away from the peninsula in a straight line but a long, sweeping curve. Key Largo, at the top of the highway, roughly aligns with Miami and the east coast. At the other end of the highway, Key West is located west of Fort Myers, a city that borders Florida’s other coast.
The two, Key West and Fort Myers, share an interesting connection. Once upon a time, both were part of a substantially larger Monroe County. When it was established in 1823, the county stretched from the county seat at Key West north to Lake Okeechobee and west to Port Charlotte — about 30 miles north of Fort Myers. In 1885, when Fort Myers, population 349, incorporated, it became the second city in Monroe County to do so. Key West, the first, did it in 1828.
relatively undefined area where the Upper Keys end and the Middle Keys begin.
The conduit used to link the two geographical areas is the Long Key Bridge, of which there are two. There is the bridge accommodating the cars driving back and forth across it today and the one that supported the railroad tracks that delivered Henry Flagler’s train back and forth between Key West and the mainland. Both offer spectacular, unobstructed views. Both versions of the bridge are the second longest of the bridges connecting the island chain to the mainland.
The old railroad bridge is actually called the Long Key Viaduct. MerriamWebster defines a viaduct as “a long elevated roadway usually consisting of a series of short spans supported on arches, piers or columns.” Viaducts were used to build 26 railroad bridges between Lower Matecumbe Key and Key West.
1938, many of the railroad bridges had been widened to accommodate cars and trucks, including the Long Key Viaduct.
For 44 years, Flagler’s favorite bridge supported automobile traffic. In 1982, the old railroad viaduct was retired and replaced by the bridge we drive along today. The old Long Key Viaduct is still open to traffic as part of the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail — foot and bicycle traffic. In the morning, noon and night, fishermen can be seen on the viaduct, standing guard over their poles and waiting for that curious twitch the line does when a fish shows interest in the tasty morsel at the other end.
Getting back to the highway and the discussion about the direction it travels, north and south or east and west, it is the latter. For instance, when the highway rolls away from Long Key in the direction of Key West, it leaves the island’s west end. It does a couple of other things, too, one of which is more concrete than the other. The somewhat abstract thing that occurs when driving away from Long Key is that you enter a
The 2.7-mile-long Long Key Viaduct was built with 215 50-foot arches. One of the most difficult of all the bridges to make, the engineering marvel was Henry Flagler’s favorite. Also, the Long Key Viaduct’s likeness was used to represent the Florida East Coast Railway on its logo for the Key West Extension. It is also used in the logo of the Monroe County Public Library.
The viaduct, completed in 1913, served the needs of the railroad until the arrival of the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane on September 2. While the hurricane destroyed 40 miles of railroad tracks, many of the bridges supporting them withstood the tremendous impacts of the storm. When the second version of the Overseas Highway opened to traffic in
The Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail is a paved path covering more than 90 miles that parallels the Overseas Highway between Key Largo and Key West. Many of the old railroad bridges have been incorporated into the trail. Not all of them — after more than 100 years, some of the old bridges are barely safe for the pelicans, cormorants and seagulls that gather on them.
Both versions of the Long Key Bridge end at Conch Key, the beginning of the Middle Keys. There are two Conch Keys, Conch Key and Little Conch Key. Conch Key, where the bridge ends, is a lot bigger now than it was when Henry Flagler’s train used to roar up and down the tracks. The “real” Conch Key is located on the Gulf side of the highway. The other part of the island, found on the Atlantic side of the highway, did not come into existence until the late 1950s. The dredge-and-fill project was completed by 1959.
In the meantime, there are more islands, bridges, and fill to explore on the Great Florida Keys Road Trip.
In 2025, I’ll be exploring the Overseas Highway, its history, attractions and points I find interesting.
Henry Flagler’s Florida East Coast Railway crosses the Long Key Viaduct. FLORIDA KEYS HISTORY CENTER/Monroe County Library
Brad is a local historian, author, speaker and Honorary Conch who loves sharing the history of the Florida Keys.
FLORIDA KEYS HISTORY WITH BRAD BERTELLI
Boxes of Cookies Available for Purchase
4:30p-7:30p
Girl Scout Cookie &Beer Pairing
Thursday
BOUTIQUE HOURS
MONDAY - WEDNESDAY 11- 4
THURSDAY - SATURDAY 11- 6 SUNDAY 12-4
Voted BEST LOCAL RETAILER by the Key West People’s Choice Awards 2023 & 2024. And mentioned in Forbes magazine!
Jan 30th 12pm to 9pm
Keely is wearing a denim jumpsuit by our exclusive retail line Flying Tomato.
Terrific Teeth
Experts recommend seeing a dentist twice each year.
Do you take good care of your teeth?
Good tooth care is very important for your health. In recent years, more kids are avoiding dental problems, such as tooth decay. Experts say this is because more kids are:
• using toothpaste with fluoride
• brushing properly
• visiting the dentist.
February is National Children’s Dental Health Month. In this issue, The Mini Page takes a good look at teeth.
WHAT IS A CAVITY?
A cavity is a hole, or a space where part of a material has been removed. A cavity in your tooth is a hole in your tooth.
Cavities are caused by bacteria, sugar and plaque (PLAK). Plaque is sticky stuff that builds up on your teeth. You may have noticed it after you eat or when you wake up in the morning.
Dentists can fill cavities, but it’s better not to get them in the first place. It’s not hard to take care of your teeth. Just follow these simple steps:
• Use toothpaste with fluoride. Fluoride is a material that helps harden the protective enamel on your teeth. It can also kill the bacteria that cause cavities.
• Limit your sweets.
• Drink water and milk instead of soda pop, juice or drinks like Kool-Aid. These drinks have a lot of sugar.
TRY ’N’ FIND
BACTERIA, BRUSH, CARE, CAVITY, CEMENTUM, DECAY, DENTAL, DENTIST, ENAMEL, FLOSS, FLUORIDE, GUMLINE, HEALTH, JAWBONE, PLAQUE, PULP, SUGAR, TEETH.
Founded by Betty Debnam
• Brush and floss. Brush at least twice a day, in the morning and at night. Floss at least once a day.
Experts say neglecting your teeth can result in bad nutrition, poor appearance and pain. Untreated tooth decay can make it hard for kids to sleep, eat or pay attention in school.
TOOTH CARE TIPS
It is important to spend two whole minutes brushing your teeth each time — one minute on the top teeth and one minute on the bottom. Keep a timer or clock in the bathroom and time yourself. If you don’t, you may not brush long enough.
Gently brush the fronts, backs and biting surfaces of your teeth. Gently brush your tongue, too. This helps prevent bad breath. Flossing helps get out food particles that may be stuck between your teeth. Pull the floss up and down. Don’t slide it from the front to the back.
Words that remind us of healthy teeth are hidden in this puzzle. Some words are hidden backward or diagonally, and some letters are used twice. See if you can find:
WHAT’S IN A TOOTH?
• Enamel (eh-NA-muhl) is the white outer cover on your teeth. It is the hardest substance in the human body, even harder than bone. Enamel, made of minerals and protein, protects your teeth.
• Dentin is the next layer of the tooth. It is the second-hardest substance in the body. About two-thirds of each tooth is dentin. It is made up of calcium and other minerals and is similar to bone.
• Pulp makes up the inside of the tooth. Blood vessels and nerves live inside the pulp. If the tooth gets infected, this area is what hurts. Pulp is a kind of gel substance.
• Cementum (si-MEN-tum) is a rough substance that attaches the tooth to the jawbone. You can’t see cementum, since it is below the gumline. It’s one of the few substances that actually sticks to teeth.
RESOURCES
On the Web: • bit.ly/MPcavity
• bit.ly/MPdentalcare
At the library:
• “Open Wide: Tooth School Inside” by Laurie Keller
ECO NOTE
A single bottlenose dolphin wandering for the last three years through the Baltic Sea appears to be screaming into the void, desperate to connect with other members of its species. Researchers say they aren’t sure why the marine mammal, dubbed Delle, is making “sounds typically considered communicative,” but they suggest the dolphin may be engaging in “self-talk,” using its cries as a substitute for interactions with other dolphins.
The Mini Page® © 2024 Andrews McMeel Syndication
Mini Fact:
photo by Senior Airman Francis Lalic, courtesy U.S. Air Force
THE SCOREBOARD
Team Sport Date Result
Coral Shores Boys Basketball Goleman 1/21 L, 71-50
Key West Girls Basketball St. Brendan 1/21 L, 54-31
Marathon Boys Basketball Palm Glades Prep 1/21 W, 65-44
Coral Shores Girls Basketball Shelton Academy 1/22 W, 62-16
Marathon Girls Soccer South Homestead 1/22 L, 8-1
Coral Shores Boys Basketball MAST Academy 1/22 W, 61-42
Key West Girls Soccer St. Brendan 1/22 L, 1-0
Coral Shores Boys Soccer Silver Palms 1/22 L, 1-0
Marathon Boys Basketball Goleman 1/23 W, 56-53
Key West Girls Basketball Somerset Prep 1/23 L, 93-22
Coral Shores Girls Soccer Keys Gate 1/23 W, 5-1
Marathon Boys Soccer Archbishop Carroll 1/23 L, 4-0
Key West Boys Soccer TERRA Environmental 1/24 W, 2-1
Key West Girls Basketball Hallandale 1/24 L, 32-30
Marathon Girls Basketball Coral Shores 1/24 W, 43-39
Key West Boys Basketball Hallandale 1/24 L, 65-59
Marathon Boys Basketball Coral Shores 1/24 W, 53-42
THIS WEEK IN KEYS SPORTS
1/30
JAN. 30
1/30 Coral Shores Girls & Boys Basketball @ Ransom Everglades 6 p.m.
1/31 Coral Shores Boys Basketball Lake Worth Christian 5 p.m.
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
ON THE COVER
EVANS
Ella put in a lot of extra work in the offseason and she’s been slowly gathering steam throughout the regular season. She’s hitting big numbers for her weight class, but I know she’s still got some left in the tank.”
— Jessie Schubert, Marathon head coach
At just 125 pounds, Ella Evans is a tiny powerhouse. The junior powerlifter has quietly made gains in the gym with an all-out approach to improving her form and adding plates to her lifts. Last week, Evans brought home two golds at FHSAA’s District 16 1A championships and helped Marathon win the team title. The double district champ was also the top lifter in the traditional event. Her coach emphasized her strong work ethic as well as the intensity she brings to her team. For her strong accomplishments in the gym and willingness to put in the extra hours to improve for herself and team, Marathon’s Ella Evans is the Keys Weekly Athlete of the Week.
THIS WEEK Ella
Junior, Marathon Girls Weightlifting
Photo by BARRY GAUKEL/Keys Weekly
Gold medals at districts
Carlos Lezcano, left, Daeshawn Holmes, Briggs Roberts and the Marathon Dolphins closed out a three-win week with a rivalry victory over Coral Shores on Jan. 24. See page 4. BARRY GAUKEL/ Keys Weekly
fled to the Keys from the frozen mountains of Pennsylvania hours after graduating from college and never looked back. She is a second-generation coach and educator, and has taught in the public school system for over 25 years. She and her husband met at a beginning teacher meeting in 1997 and have three children born and raised in Monroe County. In her free time, McDonald loves flea markets, historical fiction and long runs in the heat.
grew up in Miami and moved to the Keys in 1997. He has spent the last 25 years teaching physical education and coaching virtually every sport for Florida Keys kids ages 4 to 18. If you are reading this and live or lived in the Florida Keys, he has probably taught, coached, or coached against someone you know.
Marathon - Alex Rickert alex@keysweekly.com
Upper Keys - Jim McCarthy jim@keysweekly.com
Key West - Mandy Miles mandy@keysweekly.com
The Keys Weekly Sports Wrap is proud to be the only locally-owned publication providing prep sports coverage from Key Largo to Key West. Together with our writers and photographers, we are committed to providing a comprehensive overview of the world of Keys sports with photography that allows our readers to immerse themselves in game action.
Publisher / Jason Koler jason@keysweekly.com
Publishing Partner / Britt Myers britt@keysweekly.com
Managing Editor / Alex Rickert alex@keysweekly.com
Copy Editor / Mike Howie mike@keysweekly.com
Business Development
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Production Manager Anneke Patterson anneke@keysweekly.com
Executive Administrator Charlotte Hruska char@keysweekly.com
Graphic Design Javier Reyes javier@keysweekly.com
Comptroller Sarah Simcic sarah@keysweekly.com
Web Master / Travis Cready travis@keysweekly.com
Classifieds / Anneke Patterson anneke@keysweekly.com 305.743.0844
Se habla español
THE MARATHON WEEKLY (ISSN 1944-0812) IS PUBLISHED WEEKLY FOR $125 PER YEAR BY WEEKLY NEWSPAPERS, INC., 9709 OVERSEAS HIGHWAY, MARATHON FL 33050. APPLICATION TO MAIL AT PERIODICALS POSTAGE RATES IS PENDING AT FORT LAUDERDALE FL AND ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES.
All stories, photos, and graphics are copyrighted materials.
9709 Overseas Hwy. Marathon, FL 33050 Office: 305.743.0844 www.keysweekly.com
tracy mcdonald
sean mcdonald
FINS CATCH FIRE
Win over Coral Shores makes it three in a row for Marathon
Marathon improved to 8-13 with a three-game at-home win streak last week, starting Jan. 21 against Palm Glades Prep. The freshmen led the charge, with 22 points coming from Jack Chapman, 13 from Taylor Huff and seven from Drew Suarez in the 65-44 win.
On Jan. 23 it was the upperclassmen’s turn. Junior Daeshawn Holmes scored 19 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and had four blocks against the Gators of Goleman. Senior Carlos Lezcano scored 13 and junior Briggs Roberts had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. The game required extra minutes for a decision, and the win went to the Fins, 56-53 in overtime.
The next night, the Dolphins honored their lone senior, Lezcano, with a Senior Night celebration. The opponent, Keys rival Coral Shores, had no intentions of letting the Fins walk away with win number three of the week. The Hurricanes got off to an early lead and continued to press the Fins, who trailed at the half. Then Marathon began to chip away at Coral Shores’ lead, finally gaining the upper hand in quarter three.
Coral Shores closed to within three points in quarter four, but Marathon enjoyed a series of shots that just could not miss and pulled away to a 53-42 win. Chapman had the game-high total of 17, with Holmes scoring 16 and Roberts 15. For the ’Canes, Austin Vogt put up 16 points while Donovan Thiery scored 14 and Ayden Lane added 10.
1. Briggs Roberts sets up the Marathon offense.
2,3. Jack Chapman soars for lay-ins against the Goleman Gators.
4. Briggs Roberts goes for three.
5. Andrew Suarez goes vertical for a jumper against Coral Shores.
6. Daeshawn Holmes meets the teeth of the Hurricane defense.- Drew Suarez gets a shot off prior to drawing a foul.
7. Andrew Suarez walks down a Hurricane defender.
HARDWARE HAUL
Lady lifters make their mark at districts
Strong women across the Keys may feel weighed down this week – in the best possible way.
Marathon and Coral Shores each won a team title in the FHSAA 1A District 16 girls weightlifting championships. Marathon won the traditional event, which combines athletes' total lifted weights in the bench press and clean and jerk lift. Coral Shores was first in Olympic, edging out Marathon by a single point in combining the snatch and clean and jerk lifts. Each school won the runner-up trophy in the event they did not win outright, making the Keys a girls weightlifting stronghold in South Florida.
The Fins and ’Canes traveled to AIE Charter on Jan. 25 for the district meet. Both schools needed some extra room in the school vans for their winners’ hardware on the way home. Coral Shores had two double district champs. Jennille Arias (169 pounds) and Sydney Eysenbach (unlimited) won both the traditional and Olympic events in their weight classes. Teammates Karla Gutierrez (169) and Vanessa Gabriel (unlimited) secured runner-up medals in both events as well.
In traditional lifts, Rachel Rusch is the new district champ at 110 pounds. Her sister Julia was second, then went on to win her own district title in Olympic lifts. At 139 pounds, Julianna Rodriguez claimed the top spot in Olympic lifts and was the runner-up in traditional. Abigail Bergeron did the same at 154. Kali Gomer (129) and Lainey Kerns (199) each brought home a pair of secondplace medals in their weight classes.
Marathon had four dual district champs. Rilynn Richards (119), Ella Evans (129), Justice Lee (183) and Sabrina Schofield (199) each brought home a pair of golds. Ella Dunn (101) was first in Olympic lifts and second in traditional. Ayme Maradiaga (101) edged out Dunn for gold in the traditional event. Ava Merryman (139) and
The Lady Fins’ van was a bit heavier on the way home from the FHSAA 1A District 16 girls weightlifting championships.
Brizni Vargas (154) were first in their classes in traditional lifts. Vargas also claimed silver in Olympic. Other silver medalists from Marathon were Alexia Stip (119) in traditional and Katriya Wright (110) and Tinashay Cunningham (139) in Olympic.
In addition to their dual titles, Evans and Lee were awarded for having the top performances overall for 1A D16. Top Lifter honors are bestowed on the athletes whose performances are mathematically formulated along with their body weight to even the field. Evans won the Top Lifter award in the traditional event while Lee captured the same honor in Olympic. Both athletes are lifting more than their own body weight in the clean and jerk and bench. Lee is the owner of all of the Dolphin school records, and she inches closer to state records with each week.
Lady Conchs Jazzy and Keily Cardona
CONTRIBUTED
In order to move on from districts to regionals, and later from regionals to states, many athletes played the waiting game. Only the champ in each event at each weight moves on automatically. The remaining 19 spots are filled at large with the top-performing lifters in the entire state. It would be a rarity for a second-, thirdand even fourth-place finisher not to advance, and it is not unheard of for places as deep as sixth or seventh to move on.
In addition to the aforementioned athletes, Marathon’s Autumn Wolfe (110), Bella Childress (129), Samantha Schofield (199) and Nivi De La Torre (unlimited) plus Coral Shores’ Mallory Hughes (119), Emily Hurt (119), Leticia Lima (119), Grace Patterson (154) and Karla Gutierrez (169) will join their teammates at regionals.
Key West traveled to Park Vista on Jan. 25 for the 2A competition, where they placed fourth as a team in Olympic lifting and fifth in traditional. The Southernmost City has their own dual district champ in Aaliyah McCloud in the 199-pound category. Althea Olson was the second-place finisher in Olympic lifts at 101. McCloud’s first-place finishes gave her the all-clear for regionals where she will be joined by Olsen, Alexa Condella (154), Jazlyn Lyons (183) and Sophia Nafere (unlimited) at the next level of competition.
The coaches and athletes who made the cut will have a quick turnaround for regionals, slated for all three schools on Saturday, Feb. 1. Key West heads back to Dr. Joaquin Garcia, while Marathon and Coral Shores will meet at Keys Gate for the final step before states. Qualifying state contenders will travel to Lakeland to the RP Funding Center for the FHSAA State Championships Feb. 14 and 15.
The Coral Shores Lady Hurricanes show off their district medals.
Lyons, Althea Olsen, Aaliyah McCloud, Alexa Condella with their district medals.
Melane Estevez exploded for 29 points against Shelton Academy.
DOUG FINGER/Keys Weekly
LADY ’CANES PICK UP STEAM
Underclassmen light up the hoop in Keys rivalry matchup
With district playoffs just days away, the Coral Shores Lady Hurricanes found their rhythm on the court with a pair of victories last week.
The first was a home match Jan. 22 where the ’Canes secured a resounding 62-16 win over Shelton Academy. Melanie Estevez dropped 29 points on Shelton, including four baskets from behind the 3-point line. London Atkis added 11 points, eight rebounds and five blocks in the lopsided win. Anna Barrow scored eight with 10 rebounds and Alex Burson added seven. But their biggest win of the season followed on Jan. 24 when the Hurricanes traveled to Marathon to face the Lady Fins.
Coral Shores spoiled the Dolphins’ Senior Night, leading the entire game by a narrow margin, then hanging on for the win despite a Marathon comeback in the final quarter. Estevez had the hot hand again, sinking 16 points while Atkins added 10. Estevez and Atkins, both freshmen, have made the transition from middle school to varsity play. Marathon’s Shaina Robinson is also making that transition smoothly, but she is still in middle school. The seventh-grader’s trio of three-pointers contributed to her total of 14 points against Coral Shores while teammate Elena Eubank, a senior, had Marathon’s high of 15.
TRACY McDONALD/Keys
1. The Lady Hurricanes’ London Atkins sets up for a free throw. 2. Coral Shores’ Melanie Estevez drives toward the hoop. 3. Marathon’s Shaina Robinson goes for three. 4. Alex Burson (11) looks for an open Hurricane teammate.
Weekly
IN IT
Conchs knock out Wolves for shot at district title
As this paper is rolling off the press, the Key West Conchs are one win away from a district championship.
To begin the playoffs, Key West’s small district and solid ranking sent them directly to the semifinals for a Jan. 24 overtime showdown against Terra Environmental Research Institute. The Conchs entered the match outranked by the Wolves, but managed to pick them off to earn a spot in the FHSAA 4A District Championships against top-ranked Belen Jesuit, scheduled for Jan. 28 (results not available at press time).
In what head coach Nic Farrar called a hard-fought win, Key West took a 1-0 lead in the first half. Emmanuel Innocent sent a beautiful cross toward Sonny Bowden, who sent the ball into the net with a left-footed shot that cruised past the goalie into the bottom corner of the cage.
The Conchs’ DJ Barrett used his head to assist Sonny Bowden’s game-winning goal last week.
Sonny Bowden scored twice for Key West in their district semifinal match.
The Wolves struck back with a goal off of a penalty to even up the game at 1-1 at the end of 80 minutes of regulation play. Key West held their composure and patiently awaited their chance, which came with just three minutes of extra time on the clock. That’s when Sebastian Camargo sent a free kick toward DJ Barrett, who set up a close-range opportunity via a header. Bowden closed in and finished, making it 2-1 Conchs for a win and a chance for a district title.
The 10-3-3 Conchs faced Belen on Tuesday in the championship game, and despite their rankings, a win was well within Key West’s reach.
The Hurricanes used two prior matches as preparation for their FHSAA 3A District 16 quarterfinal game. Ranked sixth, the team faced thirdseeded Somerset Silver Palms, a squad they had lost to 7-0 and 7-1 in the regular season.
“We changed the formation of the team on the field,” said head coach Jorge Bosque, adding that the Hurricanes shifted toward a more defense-heavy style of play.
Bosque’s adjustments were successful, as the ’Canes held off a Somerset score for 33 minutes. At that mark, the Stallions scored with a header that redirected a ball being cleared out for the lone goal of the match.
Despite losing 1-0 and ending the season, Bosque had lots of praise for the team.
“Overall I’m very pleased with the players and the commitment it took for the new formation,” he said. “The team played extremely well considering the field conditions.” Those conditions, including 52-degree temperatures coupled with rain, made Somerset’s brand-new turf field treacherous for a team acclimated to the extreme heat of the Keys and natural grass surfaces. Coral Shores finished the season 8-14.
Marathon’s season also ended in the quarterfinals. The Fins, a District 16 2A participant, played at Archbishop Carroll Jan. 23, losing 4-0 to the Bulldogs. Marathon finished the season with a 3-12-1 record.
JANS’ HAT TRICK PUSHES LADY ’CANES PAST KNIGHTS
Fins, Conchs out of playoff contention; Coral Shores’ season ends in semis
In girls soccer district action last week, Key West and Marathon found themselves at the end of the road with losses in their first match of postseason play. For the Dolphins, that loss came in the form of an 8-1 defeat handed to them by Somerset South Homestead in the quarterfinals of the 2A District 16 playoffs. The Fins prevented a shutout with a goal by seventhgrader Ashley Strama, assisted by sophomore Maeve Merryman. Marathon completed its season at 4-11-1.
For Key West, the small size of District 16’s 4A division sent the Conchs directly into the semifinals, where they lost 1-0 to the Sabres of St. Brendan. Key West finished with a record of 8-10.
One Keys team was able to boast a playoff win this season; Coral Shores took on the Knights of Keys Gate on Jan. 23 and came away with a 5-1 quarterfinal win, boosting the ’Canes into the semifinals. Senior Sofia Jans’ hat trick led the team in scoring, while freshman Bayley Cartineau scored two more in a game dominated by Coral Shores. The 3A Hurricanes’ next opponent was Gulliver Prep in a match scheduled for Jan. 27.
Head coach Zach Owens told the Weekly he had all the faith in the world in his team and was confident that if the Lady ’Canes do what he knows they are capable of, they could come away with the upset and a shot at a district title against the most likely opponent: LaSalle. But District 3A is no joke, and Gulliver is perennially a strong contender.
“We can play with Gulliver. The name intimidates people, but I say let’s just go play the game,” said Owens of the higher-ranked Raiders. “We have a team that can do it.”
The teams have similar records and, against like opponents, both had comparable results this season, making for an exciting semifinal match. Unfortunately, the Raiders proved to be the end of the road for the Lady ’Canes, as their season came to a close with a 5-0 loss.
Sofia Jans, left, and Bayley Catarineau. JIM McCARTHY/Keys Weekly
STATES-BOUND
Lady Conchs will represent Keys in Lakeland
For the second consecutive year, head coach Ariana Corsi and the Lady Conchs competitive cheer squad will make the drive to Lakeland’s RP Funding Center for the FHSAA state tournament.
The Conchs, who compete in the popular small non-tumbling division, were sixth overall in their division at the 1A Region 4 finals. Key West’s division has the most participants, and only the top two places in each region automatically qualify for the state finals. The Lady Conchs’ routine, judged on technical aspects such as difficulty, execution and crowd
Key West’s competition cheer team made the cut to the state finals. MAICEY MALGRAT/Keys Weekly
appeal, scored well enough to advance them to the preliminary competition for another round of scoring prior to the finals.
The at-large bid to states gives the Lady Conchs little time to make any necessary adjustments and polish their routine before the Jan. 31 competition.
“The team hit their mini-pyramid two-man stunt with perfection,” Corsi said, adding that the execution and difficulty of the stunt bolstered the Conchs’ total to help seal their bid. “We will be working on cleaning up our ending pyramid this week as we leave for Lakeland.”
• CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES •
NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE
U-HAUL COMPANY OF MIAMI
Notice is hereby given that on February 10th, 2025, Leonard Richford Jr. Storage Auctioneer, Executive Administrator for U-Haul Company of Miami, Will be offering for sale under the Judicial Lien Process, By Public Auction, the following storage units. The Terms of the sale will be cash only. U-Haul Company does reserve the right to refuse any bids. The sales will Begin at 8:00 a.m. and continue day by day until all units are sold. The names of whose units will be sold are as follows:
LOCATION: 103530 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, FL 33037 Knight, John 0016 Robertson, Jeremy 1162 Bangert, Philip 1670 Cafarella, Deborah 1191
Murgas, Alex 1580 Cox, Michael 1426 Fellhauer, Amy 1023 Trent, Cheryl 1180, 1203 Adkins, Taylor 1561 Chamberlain, Sheila 1167
Publish: January 23 & 30, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE
Please take notice that in accordance with Florida Statute 328.17, Silent Hunter Boat Yard, LLC dba-Marathon Boat Yard claims a possessory lien on the following described vessel:
Owned by Darryl Wayne Hansen, deceased, for unpaid storage fees: a 1981 Formosa 51’ 6” vessel by Formosa Boat Bldg Co., “Dragonfly”, Florida Registration # FL4642RH and HIN #FBB510330481.
Sealed bids will be accepted on February 3, 2025 at Marathon Boat Yard, 2055 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050. Silent Hunter Boat Yard, LLC dba Marathon Boat Yard, reserves the right to reject any and all bids.
Publish: January 23 & 30, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE
Notice of Seizure that in accordance with Florida Statutes 83.805/83.506, Upper Keys Commerce Center, 97300 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, FL 33037 will sell or otherwise dispose of the personal contents of the following unit to satisfy the delinquent storage lien.
All contents in:
Unit 73 – Margaret Edwards
Sale of all goods will be 2/10/25 at 10:00 am at 97300 Overseas Hwy, Key Largo Florida 33037. Upper Keys Commerce Center reserves the right to accept or reject any and all bids.
Publish: January 23 & 30, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE
Notice of Seizure that in accordance with Florida Statues 83.805 / 83.506, Tavernier Mini Storage, 135 Hood Ave., Tavernier, Florida 33070 will sell or otherwise will dispose of the personal contents of the following unit to satisfy the delinquent storage lien.
All Contents in:
Unit D-56 –Robert Entwistle Sale of all goods will be 2/10/25 at 10:00 am at 135 Hood Ave., Tavernier, Florida 33070. Tavernier Mini Storage reserves the right to accept or reject any and all bids.
Publish: January 23 & 30, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 24-CP-000464-K
DIVISION: PROBATE IN RE: ESTATE OF PHILIP TENNEY, Deceased.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of PHILIP TENNEY, deceased, whose date of death was July 14, 2024, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 500 Whitehead Street, Key West, FL 33040. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below.
All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this Court WITHIN THE LATER OF THREE (3) MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR THIRTY (30) DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM.
All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against the decedent’s estate including unmatured, contingent or unliquidated claims, must file their claims with this court WITHIN THREE (3) MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE.
ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN SECTION 733.702 OF THE FLORIDA STATUTES WILL BE FOREVER BARRED.
NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED.
The date of the first publication of this Notice is: January 30, 2025.
Personal Representative:
JED TENNEY
629 William Street Key West, FL 33040
Attorney for Personal Representative:
KARLEEN A. GRANT, ESQUIRE
Fla. Bar No: 324531
Law Offices of Karleen A. Grant
1033 Flagler Avenue Key West, FL 33040
Telephone: (305) 292-4929
Publish: January 30 & February 6, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
PROBATE DIVISION CASE NUMBER: 24-CP00079-M
FLORIDA BAR #980810
IN RE: THE ESTATE OF MURIEL BEAUMONT
Deceased.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of MURIEL BEAUMONT, deceased, whose date of death was July 23, 2023, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 3117 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050.
The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below.
All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court WITHIN THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM.
All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE.
ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN SECTION 733.702 OF THE FLORIDA PROBATE CODE WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED.
The date of first publication of this notice is: January 23, 2025.
Persons Giving Notice: Stephan Beaumont 311 2nd Street Key Colony Beach, Florida 33051
Attorney for Persons Giving Notice:
Christopher B. Waldera, P.A.
Christopher B. Waldera, Esq.
Florida Bar No: 980810
Attorney for Personal Representative 5800 Overseas Highway, Suite 7
Marathon, Florida 33050
Telephone: (305) 289-2223
Facsimile: (305) 289-2249
email: cwaldera@aol.com
Publish: January 23 & 30, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA CIVIL ACTION CASE NO.: 24-CA-000958-K CANDANCE ILENE VALLADARES Individually Plaintiff, vs. Equity Link, INC. A California Incorporated Company NuView IRA, Inc. f/k/a/ Entrust Administration Services, Inc. A Florida Profit Corporation Warren Lloyd Holtzman IRA, MINDY SILVERSTEIN, Individually JOSE MIRANDA, Individually Defendants _____________/
NOTICE OF ACTION FOR PUBLICATION
To: MINDY SILVERSTEIN
Last known address: 16 Spring Street, Pleasantville, New York, 10570-2713
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that an action to Quiet Title and to remove the cloud from title of the real property described as: PART OF LOT 51 ACCORDING TO MCDONALD’S SURVEY OF PART OF STOCK ISLAND RECORDED IN PLAT BOOK 1, PAGE 55 OF MONROE COUNTY PUBLIC RECORDS AND IS MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS:
FROM THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF SAID BLOCK 51, GO WESTERLY ALONG THE NORTH LINE OF THIRD AVENUE A DISTANCE OF 250 FEET TO A POINT; THENCE AT RIGHT ANGLES AND NORTHERLY A DISTANCE OF 200 FEET TO A POINT; WHICH POINT IS THE POINT OF BEGINNING; THENCE CONTINUE NORTHERLY ALONG THE PROLONGATION OF THE PREVIOUSLY DESCRIBED COURSE A DISTANCE OF 70 FEET TO A POINT; THENCE AT RIGHT ANGLES AND WESTERLY A DISTANCE OF 125 FEET TO A POINT; THENCE AT RIGHT ANGLES AND SOUTHERLY A DISTANCE OF 70 FEET; THENCE AT RIGHT ANGLES EASTERLY A DISTANCE OF 125 FEET BACK TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING, OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA with a physical address of: 6430 Sunshine Street, Key West, FL 33040. Folio Number: 00126510-000000 has been filed against you and that you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to it, on Eric J. Sanchez PA, Attorney for Plaintiff, whose address is 4960 SW 72nd Avenue, Suite 206, Miami, FL 33155, (786) 408-9681 on or before March 3, 2025, a date which is within thirty (30) days after the first publication of this Notice in The Keys Weekly and file the original with the Clerk of this Court at Freeman Justice Center, 302 Fleming Street., Key West, FL 33040, either before service on Plaintiff's attorney or immediately thereafter. If you fail to do so, a default and judgment will be entered against you for the relief demanded in the Complaint.
Dated: January 27, 2025
KEVIN MADOK, CPA, Clerk CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT By: Shonta McLeod
Deputy Clerk Publish: January 30, February 6, 13 & 20, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA Case No. 2024-CA-000841-K HEATHER STAPLES, Plaintiff, vs. UNKNOWN HEIRS AND/ OR BENEFICIARIES OF CATHERINE KNOWLES; and the UNKNOWN HEIRS AND/OR BENEFICIARIES OF ROBERT KNOWLES JR.; and the UNKNOWN HEIRS AND/ OR BENEFICIARIES OF MINNIE JUNE KNOWLES; and the UNKNOWN HEIRS AND/OR BENEFICIARIES OF BERNARD “BERNIE” STAPLES, Defendants. ________________/ NOTICE OF ACTION BY PUBLICATION TO THE FOLLOWING DEFENDANTS WHOSE RESIDENCES ARE UNKNOWN: CATHERINE KNOWLES, DECEASED, THE ESTATE OF CATHERINE KNOWLES, DECEASED AND ANY UNKNOWN SPOUSES, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES OR OTHER CLAIMANTS BY AND THROUGH, UNDER OR AGAINST, SAID DEFENDANT ROBERT KNOWLES JR., DECEASED, THE ESTATE OF ROBERT KNOWLES JR., DECEASED AND ANY UNKNOWN SPOUSES, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES OR OTHER CLAIMANTS BY AND THROUGH, UNDER OR AGAINST, SAID DEFENDANT MINNIE JUNE KNOWLES, DECEASED, THE ESTATE OF MINNIE JUNE KNOWLES, DECEASED AND ANY UNKNOWN SPOUSES, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES OR OTHER CLAIMANTS BY AND THROUGH, UNDER OR AGAINST, SAID DEFENDANT BERNARD “BERNIE” STAPLES, DECEASED, THE ESTATE OF BERNARD “BERNIE” STAPLES, DECEASED AND ANY UNKNOWN SPOUSES, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES OR OTHER CLAIMANTS BY AND THROUGH, UNDER OR AGAINST, SAID DEFENDANT
one (41) feet and three (3) inches; thence at right angles in a Southwesterly direction Eighty-nine (89) feet and four (4) inches; thence at right angles in a Northwesterly direction Forty-one (41) feet and three (3) inches; thence at right angles in a Northeasterly direction Eighty-nine (89) feet and four (4)inches to the place of beginning. AND you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to the complaint, upon DAVID BERMAN, ESQ., 1331 N Mills Ave., Orlando, FL 32803, attorney for the Plaintiff, on or before thirty (30) days from the first day of publication herein and file the original with the Clerk of the abovestyled court either before service on Plaintiff’s attorney or immediately thereafter; otherwise a default will be entered against you for the relief demanded in the complaint.
DATED on 01/24/2025. Kevin Madok As Clerk of the Court By: Marissa Lockwood As Deputy Clerk
Publish: January 30 and February 6, 13 & 20, 2025 The Weekly Newspapers
AUTOS WANTED
AUTOS ALL YEARS! Junk or Used Cars, Vans, Trucks. Runs or Not.$CASH 305-332-0483
AUTOS FOR SALE
1964 Ford Galaxy, 427 Big Block, 5-speed, located in Key Largo. PRICE REDUCED!! $45,000 954-445-6647
BOATS FOR SALE
2000 21' Hydra Sport Center Console w/200hp Johnson, trailer, cover, potty, jackets +. Located in Big Pine. Runs well. $7,400. 919-621-0544
GREAT DEAL: Key Largo 21' Deep V Center Console w/trailer. New 150hp motor & electronics. Ready to fish. PRICE REDUCED TO $20,000. Located in Marathon. 201-696-8906
For detailed information please visit the Procurement Department website at www.gmx-way.com/business/solicitations, or call the Procurement Department at 305-637-3277 for assistance.
The above named Defendants are believed to be dead and, if dead, the unknown spouses, heirs, devisees, grantees, assignees, lienors, creditors, trustees, or other claimants, by, through, under or against said Defendants and all parties having or claiming to have any right, title or interest in the property described below.
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED of the institution of the abovestyled quiet title proceedings by the Plaintiff, HEATHER STAPLES, upon the filing of a complaint to quiet title for other relief relative to the following described property: On the Island of Key West and known as W.A. Whitehead's map of the City and Island of Key West, delineated on February 1829, as Tract (3), better described on a diagram of Part of Tract Three, which diagram is duly recorded in Deed Book "N", Page 554, of the Public Records of Monroe County, Florida, as subdivision Eight; Commencing at a point on William's Alley distant from the corner of Olivia Street and said Alley, Eight-two (82) feet and six (6) inches and running thence along said Alley in a Southeasterly direction Forty-
PLACE YOUR CLASSIFIED AD FOR ONLY $25/WEEK FOR UP TO 5 LINES OF COPY. CALL 305-743-0844 TODAY!
EMPLOYMENT
Hiring: Lead Gutter Installer - EXPERIENCE REQUIRED – valid Driver’s License - must be comfortable with heights - located in Tavernier. To apply, please call or text Jay 305-587-1581.
Night Monitor –FREE Private Room in exchange for overnight availability at our Assisted Living Facility. 5 nights on, 5 nights off 10pm-8am plus weekly stipend, Drug & background screen required. www.westcare. com/join-our-team/
Specialty Hardware of Marathon is looking for a full time person, hardware knowledge a must. Apply in person at 10730 Overseas Hwy Marathon. 305-743-3382
Marathon Yacht Club is hiring a part-time line cook. Private club, friendly atmosphere. Flexible lunch/dinner shifts available Tuesday – Sunday. Must provide photo ID, social security card or passport, and checking account. Call 305743-6739 to schedule an interview or email office@ marathonyachtclub.com.
Marathon Yacht Club is hiring part-time 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 305743-6739 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 service-oriented Server/Bartender. Serve on pool deck, beach and/ or bar lounge. Open year round, 9:30am7pm daily. Full time/ Part time. Small friendly staff. Above average hourly wage plus tips. Apply in person at 425 E. Ocean Dr. Key Colony Beach or call 404-2193359 and ask for Dave.
The Housing Authority of the City of Key West now hiring the following positions: Resident Care Supervisor with min. 3 yrs. experience of an LPN, Med Tech, Maintenance Mechanic (Maintenance Worker. To apply, please contact Human Resources at: martinezm@kwha.org or 305-296-5621. Applications are available at the Administrative Office located at 1400 Kennedy Dr., Key West, FL 33040 or online at www. kwha.org - EOE & Drug Free Work Place. This opportunity is covered under Section 3 of the HUD Act of 1968
PLACE YOUR CLASSIFIED AD FOR ONLY $25/ WEEK FOR UP TO 5 LINES OF COPY. CALL 305-743-0844 TODAY
PRIVATE COLLECTOR
WANTS Rolex, Dive Watches and Pilot Watches. Old Model Military Clocks & Watches. Call 305-743-4578
HOUSING FOR RENT
2 BR / 1 BA unfurnished apartment for rent in Key Largo. $1,500/month includes utilities. F/L/S Text: 786-559-5494 Email: apmz57@yahoo.com RENTED IN LESS THAN ONE MONTH!!
PLACE YOUR CLASSIFIED AD FOR ONLY $25/ WEEK FOR UP TO 5 LINES OF COPY. CALL 305-743-0844 TODAY
RV FOR SALE
2018 40’ Phaeton X5H, Factory ordered, 450hp Cummins, Diesel Pusher 10kw w/Onan Generator, 39k miles, 4 Slides, 4 TVs. Loaded with extras. Can be seen by appointment in Marathon, FL. Asking $225,000. Call or text Jerry at 305-664-1286 Email: LC1082@comcast.net SOLD!!!
PLACE YOUR CLASSIFIED AD FOR ONLY $25/ WEEK FOR UP TO 5 LINES OF COPY. CALL 305-743-0844 TODAY
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
FISHING SALE - SAT. FEB. 1, 8AM-1PM, 706 Copa D'Oro, Flamingo Isle, Marathon. Deep drop elec. reels, rods, spin rods & reels, weights, anchors, line, 2 shotguns, yard tools & misc. stuff.
PLACE YOUR YARD SALE AD FOR ONLY $25/WEEK FOR UP TO 5 LINES OF COPY. CALL 305-743-0844 TODAY!
FULL-TIME POSITION ASSISTANT CITY CLERK
Serves as the Assistant to the City Clerk. Provides financial services, including processing accounts payable, revenue collections, and accounts receivables, multiple bank reconciliations, and deposit coding, including funding federal deposits and filing quarterly reports, credit card reconciliations, fixed assets administration, and monthly financial statements. Assistant to the City Clerk to attend Commission & Board meetings and record and transcribe minutes of proceedings.
Salary: $75,000 to $81,000 DOQ
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.
IN HOME SUPPORT LIVE-IN CARETAKER (FT) – Key West
Seeking a full-time, live-in, In-Home Support Coach/Trainer to provide companionship and assist clients with training/support. HSD/GED & 1 yr. exp in a related field. 1 year of college can substitute for experience. Must be able to use a tablet for documentation purposes. The shift for this job is split shift with hours in the morning and the evening. We can be flexible on the hours but must be available to work both days and evenings as needed. *
DIRECT CARE STAFF – NIGHTS/WEEKENDS - GROUP HOMES 24/7 (FT)
This position is available at our Windsor Group Home. Providing direct-care services and support to our clients in their home. Must be willing to work flexible shifts including days, overnights on Thursday. Requires a minimum of high school completion or GED and 1 year of experience with care giving or 30 hours or college coursework. *
SUPPORTED LIVING COACH (FT)
Responsibilities include management of developmentally disabled clients in independent living environments, management of office and in-home support staff. Must be available for some evenings and weekends. Bachelor’s degree in related field or experience working with developmentally disabled clients in lieu of degree. Must have a valid FL driver’s license. Salary commensurate with experience.
GROUP HOME MANAGER – (FT) – Key West
FT administrative, salaried position. Responsible for operations of Group Homes in accordance with State and Fed regulations. Oversight of staff and clients. Bachelor’s degree and Florida DL w/clean driving record req. At least 2 yrs of mgmt and admin experience req, and direct or comparable experience w/same or similar population preferred. Computer skills: moderate to advanced.
*ALSO REQUIRED FOR ALL POSTIONS
Fluent in English language, speaking and writing, proficiency is a must. Level 2 background screening and valid Florida driver’s license. EOE
Benefits include Medical, Dental, and Life Insurance, Paid Vacation, Sick Leave, Holidays, and Retirement.
Qualifications: Business-related Associate Degree; requires a high level of financial/accounting skills; must have excellent knowledge of QuickBooks and Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook; exceptional customer service skills; ability to multitask; ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing; requires a high degree of work ethics; ability to establish and maintain good working relationships with commission, staff, and the public.
Application forms can be found at www.keycolonybeach.net; see “I WANT TO” then “APPLY FOR A JOB.” Equal Opportunity Employer
Submit resume and application by mail or in-person to:
City of Key Colony Beach
Attn.: City Clerk
P.O. Box 510141, Key Colony Beach, FL 33051
Or email Cityclerk@keycolonybeach.net
The City of Key Colony Beach is seeking a full-time Public Works Foreman. The Foreman position is hands-on and works alongside the Public Works crew while assisting the Public Works Department Head in accomplishing department objectives and goals. The foreman is responsible for overseeing and working with a crew of three workers within the Public Works Department, coordinating daily operations, assigning tasks, and ensuring the safe and efficient maintenance and repair of public infrastructure such as roads, right of ways, stormwater systems, parks and facilities.
Salary: $75,000 to $85,000 DOQ
Benefits include Medical, Dental, and Life Insurance, Paid Vacation, Sick Leave, Holidays, and the Florida Retirement System (FRS). Application forms can be found at www.keycolonybeach.net; see “I WANT TO” then “APPLY FOR A JOB.” Equal Opportunity Employer
Submit resume and application by mail or in-person to: City of Key Colony Beach
Attn.: Michael Guarino P.O. Box 510141
Key Colony Beach, FL 33051
Or email Michael.guarino@keycolonybeach.net
Previous
BEACH ATTENDANT
Previous hospitality experience required. Job types: Full-time
THE GUIDANCE/CARE CENTER, Inc. IS HIRING!
JOIN A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE NONPROFIT HELPING PEOPLE COPE AND CHANGE FOR 52 YEARS!
We provide Mental Health and Substance Use Treatment Programs to the Florida Keys community while valuing and rewarding our employees.
KEY LARGO
Lead Certified Recovery Peer Support Specialist Advocate (FT) Front Desk Specialist
Behavioral Health Counselor (Children)
KEY WEST
Case Manager (Adult PT, Child FT)
Behavioral Health Therapist (Children)
MARATHON
Care Coordinator (PT)
Driver – PT (CDL not required)
RN/Licensed Practical Nurse (FT/PT) Advocate (PT)
*Behavioral Health Technicians – 3 shifts (FT/PT)
*Support Worker (Assisted Living, PT)
*Night Monitor (Assisted Living - Free Housing)
*No experience required for this position. Will train. A caring heart & helpful hands necessary.
Background and drug screen req. EEOC/DFWP COMPETITIVE PAY! EXCEPTIONAL BENEFITS!!!
Apply at guidancecarecenter.org
Search Employment/Portal/Location/zip
MARATHON GARBAGE SERVICE
We are now hiring for the following positions:
Diesel Mechanic Truck Helpers
CDL Drivers
Applicants must apply in person to be considered.
4290 Overseas Hwy, Marathon
OPENINGS AVAILABLE
PHYSICIAN PRACTICE OPENINGS
- Medical Assistant 1, Upper Keys Internal Medicine, $5k Bonus
- Physician Assistant 1-Surgical, Ortho, Tavernier, $5k Bonus
- Advanced Practice Provider (APRN-PA-C), BHMG Multispecialty, Marathon, $5k Bonus
- Medical Assistant 2, General Surgery, Upper Keys, $5k Bonus
- Advanced Practice Provider (APRN/PA-C), Surgical, Ortho, Tavernier, $5k Bonus
- Advanced Practice Provider (APRN/PA-C), Multispecialty, Marathon, $5k Bonus
- Manager Physician Practice, Primary Care, Marathon, $5k Bonus
- Patient Access Associate, Multispecialty, Marathon, $1k Bonus
MIAMI CANCER INSTITUTE KEY WEST
- Patient Access Associate 2, Operation Support, $1K Bonus
- Medical Assistant 1, Medical Oncology, $5k Bonus
- Registered Nurse, Chemotherapy Infusion, Fl Keys-MCI, $15k Bonus
- Clinical Pharmacist, $5k Bonus
- Radiation Therapist, $12k Bonus
- Director Physician Practice Operations
TAVERNIER MARINERS HOSPITAL
- Cook, Dietary
- Group Exercise Instructor, Mariners Wellness Center
- Mechanic 3, Facility Operations
- Radiology Technologist 1, Imaging-MRI, $40k Bonus
- Multi-Modality Imaging Tech 1, (Mammo & X Ray), Radiology, $50k Bonus
- Multi-Modality Imaging Tech 1, (X Ray & CT), Radiology, $50k Bonus
- Patient Access Associate 1, Gastro, Tavernier, $1k Bonus
- Customer Service & Membershipe Coord., Wellness Center
- Food Service Worker, $5k Bonus
- Radiology Technologist 1, $40k Bonus
- Registered Nurse, Emergency Department
- Registered Nurse, ICU
MARATHON FISHERMEN’S COMMUNITY HOSPITAL
- Experience Advisor, Patient Experience
- Multi-Modality Imaging Tech 1, (CT & X Ray) Radiology, $50k Bonus
- Radiology Technologist 1, $40k Bonus
- Registered Nurse, $15k Bonus
- Multi-Modality Imaging Tech 1, (Mammo & X Ray) Radiology, $50k Bonus
- Pool RN, Emergency Department
- Medical Technologist 2, Laboratory, $50k Bonus
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.
*Sign-on bonuses are available only for select full-time positions based
APPLY AND LEARN MORE careers.baptisthealth.net
THEME: SUPER BOWL
ACROSS
1. Bungle
5. Cause of a trip?
8. Dao, alt. sp.
11. Between marquess and viscount
12. Super garb?
13. Inlet in Norway
15. Cogito ____ sum
16. Long story
17. Deprived of a limb
18. *Half-time headliner
20. Ice, dark or middle ____
21. *Cindy Crawford wore “____ Dukes” in a Super Bowl ad
22. Flightless bird
23. *Last year’s Super Bowl winners
26. A cheap, run-down motel
30. “____ the fields we go”
31. Merry
34. Actor’s part
35. Expensive
37. Not him
38. Cell phone bill item
39. Civil Rights icon
40. *David Tyree’s ____ Catch
42. Letters of distress
43. What rule follower does
45. Get cozy
47. Greed, biblically-speaking
48. Grieve for the dead
50. Time period
52. *Team with most Super Bowl appearances
55. 3600 seconds, pl.
56. Casino chip
57. Salmon’s output
59. En ____, all together
60. Like Piper of Hamelin
61. Uber alternative
62. ____ Robinson
63. Acronym, abbr.
64. “Come Sail Away” band
DOWN
1. Service charge
2. Songbird
3. Craving
4. Marilyn Monroe, e.g.
5. ____ lazuli
6. Hot
7. 52 cards
8. Hefty volume
9. Greek god of war
10. 1, e.g.
12. Cherry red
13. Post vitriol
14. *Team with no Super Bowl appearances
19. Looney Tunes duck
22. Architectural add-on
23. Meat of coconut
24. Roman king of Judea
25. Like certain whiskey
26. Grow crop
27. Brag
28. Algorithmic language
29. Ganders’ companions
32. Tom Jones’s “____ a Lady” 33. Rolodex abbr. 36. *____ Superdome 38. Wombs 40. Lady lobster 41. Hardened
44. Follows wash
46. Pig sounds
48. Bouncing off the walls
49. Weasel’s aquatic cousin
50. Fly like an eagle
51. Boot-wearing kitty
52. Mama Bear’s husband 53. To perfection (3 words) 54. *Justin Timberlake’s “____ Back,” sung in Super Bowl show 55. Expression of doubt 58.
*Steelers’ number of Super Bowl trophies
Proudly serving Key West to Islamorada as the ONLY locally owned and operated concrete company in the Florida Keys.
Whether you’re building a large commercial building, FDOT bridge, or a customdesigned home, we have concrete mix designs for every project. Thanks to decades of experience, our team can create custom mixes with high-quality additives for specific project needs. We offer the largest variety of materials and operate the only FDOT-certified ready-mix plants in the Florida Keys. Call us for all ready-mix concrete, block, aggregate, rebar and bagged good needs.