Marathon Weekly 22-1013

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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.

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16Florida gas prices took an unexpected turn higher last week. After sinking to a 2022 low of $3.17 per gallon on Oct. 5, the state average shot up 16 cents per gallon over the course of four days, in what became the largest weekly increase since June. Florida drivers are now paying an average price of $3.33 per gallon.

CITY COUNCIL ESCALATES 300 UNITS APPEAL, EXPEDITES STORM REPAIRS

Additional ordinances tackle smoking, drinking and fires on city property

In what was far and away the quickest gathering of the past year, the Marathon City Council’s Oct. 11 meeting gave further direction in the city’s ongoing battle to retain its 300 recently revoked affordable housing allocations, pledged help to residents affected by Hurricane Ian and saw the approval of two ordinances dealing with smoking, drinking and recreational fires on city property.

In a stunning opinion from Florida’s Third District Court of Appeal (DCA) handed down on Aug. 3, 300 affordable housing allocations given to the city in 2018 were deemed illegal. With the allocations earmarked as “early evacuation” units, the ruling declared that the designation violated Florida Statute 380.0552(9)(a)2, requiring a “hurricane evacuation clearance time for permanent residents of no more than 24 hours.”

A request for the DCA to re-hear the case was denied on Sept. 20, leaving Marathon with only one option for legal escalation: a petition to the Florida Supreme Court. City attorney Steve Williams informed the council that the Village of Islamorada has also elected to continue with such an appeal. With a unanimous vote, the council elected to pursue the petition while retaining the services of attorney Bart Smith, who has represented the city thus far in appeals of the case through the Department of Administrative Hearings and DCA.

City officials have previously acknowledged, however, that the final appeal is unlikely to resolve the issue, and that a more probable fix for the revoked allocations would come through a legislative change to statutes governing hurricane evacuations in the state’s 2023 legislative session.

In Other News:

• Marathon Mayor John Bartus, with the agreement of the council, announced that permit applications received by the city for legitimate Hurricane Ian repairs will be expedited and issued without the typical review period. Permits will be submitted to the Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) but issued immediately to allow residents to work through hurricane repairs.

“We all know that our relationship with the DEO has been strained. But what I do not want this to impact are people who have legitimate Hurricane Ian repairs for properties and damage they suffered there,” said Bartus. “(City Manager) George (Garrett) has told me that DEO is willing to work with us on Hurricane Ian permit repairs.”

• At its final public hearing, the council unanimously voted to adopt an ordinance prohibiting smoking and alcohol consumption on city property, as well as providing an enforcement mechanism for the offenses. According to the final ordinance, first-time violators would be asked to leave the property, second-time violators would

Jose Wejebe is an absolute legend of the Florida Keys fishing community. 10 years after his passing, his legacy lives on with the new Jose PRO frames launched by Costa Sunglasses. See page 28. CONTRIBUTED

In addition to being eligible for FEMA assistance (see page 7), the City of Marathon has pledged to expedite all hurricane repair permits for residents with property damage from Hurricane Ian. CONTRIBUTED

be issued a trespass warning for all city parks for no more than a year, and third-time violators would be subject to arrest as a trespasser. The city council would be permitted to waive the provisions of the law for specific events on a case-by-case basis.

• At its first reading, the council unanimously approved an ordinance requiring a permit for any recreational fire on city property and allowing the city to apply a penalty for unpermitted fires as a code violation. A recreational fire permit must be received by the fire chief at least 30 days in advance of the intended event date, and fires must be fully supervised until all flames and smoke are extinguished. Permits will not be issued for any beach fires or in potential turtle nesting areas during turtle nesting season.

• Council comments included many thanks for city staff and first responders throughout the course of Hurricane Ian and included a stern address by Bartus addressing “rumors” heard about the city in the months leading up to the Nov. 8 general election. See page 35.

MIKE LEONARD FOR CITY COUNCIL

FOCUSED ON MARATHON'S LOCALS!

• I promise to use my LEADERSHIP skills to Engage and Energize the community to become actively involved in making the decisions that matter.

• I support long term solutions to our housing issues through public/private partnerships creating a Marathon Housing Finance Authority.

• I will bring forth plans to meet financial and infrastructure goals while building reserves.

• I support initiatives that will make the local government more user friendly and accessible to the public.

I pledge to end selective enforcement and have all Code Compliance and Enforcement issues dealt with Fairly and Equally.

FLOOD VICTIMS IN THE KEYS NOW ELIGIBLE FOR FEMA FUNDS

VISIT DISASTERASSISTANCE.GOV TO APPLY FOR HELP

MANDY MILES

the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The county and the city of Key West were immediately eligible for FEMA’s Public Assis tance, which provides funds to help commu nities recover in terms of debris removal and infrastructure repairs.

The Individual Assistance program pro vides federal funding to help homeowners and renters offset the costs of their dam ages and losses in counties that are desig nated under a major disaster declaration.

Monroe County was included in the state’s emergency declaration orders the week of Hurricane Ian, but was not deemed eligible for Individual Assistance until Oct. 11.

Key West Mayor Teri Johnston alerted the Keys Weekly on Oct. 11 that the eli gibility had been approved for Individual Assistance.

“Individual Assistance may help pay for temporary housing, emergency home repairs, uninsured and underinsured shortfalls for personal property losses, medical, dental and funeral expenses caused directly by a declared disaster,” states a description of FEMA assis tance programs provided to the Keys Weekly by Nicole Rapanos, legislative director for U.S. Rep. Carlos Gimenez.

Whenthe floodwaters of Hur ricane Ian receded from Key West by Sept. 30, more than 400 Key West households had to haul their drenched lives and living rooms to the curb. Warped, wooden furni ture, mattresses soaked in saltwater and irreparable appliances still line the streets of several Key West neighborhoods that bore the brunt of Ian’s storm surge.

But as of Oct. 11, flood victims in the Florida Keys are finally eligible for financial assistance from FEMA. Those affected by Hurricane Ian in the Florida Keys can apply for FEMA help at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-3362.

For the first two weeks following Hurri cane Ian, Monroe County was not included in the list of Florida counties eligible for what’s known as Individual Assistance from

Gimenez supported Monroe County’s application for Individual Assistance from the federal government. The congressman visited Key West immediately following Hurricane Ian, on Friday, Sept. 30. He met with officials at Key West’s city hall before touring several flooddamaged neighborhoods. Gimenez confirmed that Key West absolutely had suffered dam age from the storm surge as Ian churned in the Gulf to the west of Key West. He told local officials that he had sent letters to the federal government and to the president on behalf of the Florida Keys.

“From the beginning, I’ve fought hard for the people in Monroe County hit the hardest by Hurricane Ian,” Gimenez said on Oct. 11.

“After weeks of advocacy on behalf of Keys residents from my office, the entire Florida delegation, Governor DeSantis, and our local FEMA officials, today Monroe County is eligible for FEMA’s individual assistance, in addition to the Category A designation for debris removal. This is a huge win for Monroe County as recov ery efforts continue.”

Florida Keys residents are quick to ac knowledge that Key West’s damage does not compare to the devastation wrought on the state’s west coast. But for families with 3 feet of drenched drywall and no usable furniture, the costs can be crippling.

“After weeks of advocacy on behalf of Keys residents from my office, the entire Florida delegation, Governor DeSantis, and our local FEMA officials, today Monroe County is eligible for FEMA’s individual assistance, in addition to the Category A designation for debris removal.”

— U.S. Rep. Carlos Gimenez

POWER MOVES

College of the Florida Keys graduates making an impact in local renewable energy efforts

For so many industries in the Keys, finding and retaining solid, qualified employees is beginning to seem like a near-impossible task.

But when the island chain has an in-house program turning out prepared graduates in a booming field, that burden is significantly lighter. Just ask new SALT Energy employees Megan Roach and Heather Holley.

Both are 2022 graduates of one of the College of the Florida Keys’ newest programs: an associate in science program in engineering technology with a specialization in renewable energy. Funded in part by grants from the National Science Foundation, the program features career training in solar, wind and ocean power technologies. And though all three are certainly valuable divisions, one tends to take precedence in the sunshine of the Keys.

SALT Energy president Chuck Meier, left, and vice president Lisa Kaul, right, are thrilled to have ‘jacks of all trades’ Heather Holley, second from left, and Megan Roach on board. ALEX RICKERT/Keys Weekly

“I call my mom the ‘grandmother of solar’ in New Jersey,” said Holley, describing how her mother started her own business when fewer than 20 solar companies had established themselves in the state. “I just grew up with solar, and then I became more interested in it with a concern for the environment.”

Roach, meanwhile, joined her grandmother in the Keys after making her way through liberal arts, architecture and public health programs at different schools before exploring her interest in renewable energy through CFK.

Praising the guiding influence of Patrick Rice and Vijay Khanal, both women said they were inspired by visits to energy plants across the state before eventually applying for paid internships at the Marathon-based renewable energy company.

As part of the steering committee helping guide the development of CFK’s new program, SALT president Chuck Meier said that seeing locals come through the program as potential hires was of “keen interest” to his team.

“It’s very exciting to us to see that come to fruition, and these are the first two,” he said, describing how the decision to hire both Roach and Holley full-time upon graduation was an easy one after watching them become the company’s jacks of all trades throughout their three-month internships.

“We said, ‘Hey, can we get into design?’ and they were like, ‘Yeah, go for it,’” said Holley. “Then we were like, ‘Can we get on jobs and do (solar panel) installations?’ And they’re like, ‘Yeah, go ahead.’ Now we’re doing sales for a little bit because we want to do that.”

“When they showed up, they were ready to do anything,” said Meier. “The first thing they did in the middle of the summer was jump up on hot roofs and start manhandling panels up and drilling anchors in.”

“They were both eager to learn, quick to learn and flexible,” said SALT vice president Lisa Kaul. “It was kind of a mutual appreciation.”

Even as full-time employees, the pair’s day-to-day responsibilities vary, from office work to visits at potential installation sites – even moving freight on trucks when called upon. For them, the idea of working for a company that caters to providing “energy security” (read: something to keep the lights on if bridges and power lines go down) was one of the key factors in choosing to work for SALT.

And with a proven desire to learn more about all aspects of the industry, the pair said they’re eager to take on as much as the company is willing to give them. Future journeys may take them across south Florida, the Caribbean and the Bahamas as SALT pursues some of its most ambitious projects, some of which are capable of providing more than 90% of the power to small isolated islands.

Just one example: a recent SALT install in Miami provided a Badia Spices warehouse with one of the largest rooftop solar arrays in the state, a 3.2-megawatt system roughly the size of three football fields. For context, that’s roughly 160 times the capacity of the systems used by large homes here in the Keys. More projects are in the works that can’t yet be identified in this newspaper, but should serve as exciting leaps forward for the renewable energy industry.

According to Meier, SALT is proud to serve as a prime success story as CFK continues to build on the successful launch of a new degree program. For companies like his, internships supported by the college could truly hold the key in helping to retain local workforce talent in critical industries.

“We want to be the ones to say, ‘Yeah, the intern program works,’ he said. “It’s a great program. Let’s keep doing more of it.”

PAY IT FORWARD DURING ‘BE LIKE MIKE’ WEEK

BE LIKE MIKE

Honoring a community icon by paying it forward

THIS WEEK’S “BE LIKE MIKE” FEATURES: PHYLLIS MICHAELIS

The inaugural “Be Like Mike” Day in the Florida Keys will be Friday, Oct. 21.

Beloved Monroe County commissioner and restaura teur “Mangrove” Mike Forster was a member of the United Way of Collier and the Keys’ local advisory board at the time of his death from COVID-19. UWCK staff and board members want this day to be a way to honor Forster’s untiring commitment to making life better for Keys residents.

“Residents from Key West to Key Largo knew and loved Mike. This is a way for all of us to continue his spirit of behind-the-scenes small gestures of good will throughout our community. We want to keep his legacy going through this annual event encouraging people to give back however they can,” said Leah Stockton, Keys Area President, United Way of Collier and the Keys.

The community is encouraged to spend the week leading up to Oct. 21 promoting good will and generosity through random acts of kindness, and then sharing their good deeds on social media with the hashtag #BeLikeMike. Monday, Oct. 17, will be all about helping children; Tuesday, October 18, will encourage people to clean the ocean or bay; Wednesday, Oct. 19, will focus on aiding animals; and Thursday, Oct. 20, is designated for thanking first responders, military members, and veterans.

On Friday, Oct. 21, along with partners Burton Memorial Church in Tavernier, Keys Area Interdenominational Resource in Marathon, and Star of the Sea Foundation in Key West, the “Be Like Mike” week will culminate in UWCK collecting non-perishable food to distribute Keyswide. Community members are encouraged to drop off food donations between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. at these loca tions. The donations made in Forster’s name will honor his biggest contribution to our community: feeding the Keys in times of need.

More details are at KeysUnitedWay.org/BeLikeMike/ and on Facebook.

For the month of October, the Keys Weekly Newspa pers are partnering with United Way of Collier and the Keys to remember and honor the life of Mike Forster. A business owner and community advocate, Forster led the effort to feed the Florida Keys in the days following Hurricane Irma and throughout the COVID pandemic. He served on various boards, including the United Way, and went on mis sion trips to Uganda to serve the hundreds of children living in orphanages.

An Islamorada councilman and Monroe County commis sioner, Forster passed away on Sept. 6, 2021 at the age of 61 following a battle with COVID. Forster’s good will and generosity has inspired many Keys residents to carry on the spirit of giving and kindness to the island chain and those in need. In continuing the legacy of Forster, United Way of Collier & the Keys and the Keys Weekly Newspapers are high lighting some of the folks in the island chain that continue to pay it forward to help their neighbors. The community is invited to spend the week leading up to Forster’s birthday, Oct.17-21, to promote good will and generosity through random acts of kindness and sharing to social media and other channels as #BeLikeMike. Visit UWCollierKeys.org/BeLikeMike to learn more about the various ways to get involved.

This retired banker turned super star KAIR volunteer and board mem ber regularly puts in more than her fair share of work to help the organization, frequently topping 60 to 80 hours per week. Add this to her work with the Independence Cay soup kitchen, Relay for Life, and just about any other volunteer opportunity she can get her hands on, Michaelis certainly fits the bill for our Be Like Mike feature. But when Keys Weekly and United Way de cided to feature Phyllis, the first thing we were told is that we’d have to get others to speak about her accomplish ments, as she is blessed with incred ible humility.

“It’s a long time coming that she gets some sort of acknowledgement,” said KAIR director Marjorie Roberts. “She’s brought so much to the table and she just worked tirelessly. No one ever feels like she’s not treating them with great dignity and respect. She’s done it for so many years, so self lessly.”

What inspires you to give back to the community? This is a wonderful community. I have lived here 34 years and cannot imagine living anywhere else. Marathon still has that small town feel where everyone is your neighbor, whether they live down the street, on a boat, or wherever. You just always try to lend a hand if you can be of help.

What’s the most enjoyable part about helping your community and neighbors? The most enjoyable part is if you make a positive difference in someone's life – even if it was just a little bit.

What kind of impact did Mike For ster have on your life or your community? Mike made a huge impact on the community. We need to follow his lead.

Contestants dig in at the annual Stone Crab Eating Contest in Marathon. This year’s event takes place Saturday, Nov. 5. Keys Weekly file photo

GET CRACKIN’

Stone Crab Eating Contest set for Nov. 5

While the Florida Keys stone crab claw harvest season runs from Oct. 15 to May 1, the annual Stone Crab Eating Contest is an undisputed Middle Keys highlight of the season. Set for Saturday, Nov. 5, the munch-a-thon draws enthusiastic amateur eaters and their fans.

Staged at Keys Fisheries Market and Marina, located at 35th Street gulfside in Marathon, the lively competition begins at noon. Entrants must register and be present by 11 a.m. the day of the event.

Contestants compete to crack, clean and chow down 25 stone crab claws in the fastest time.

Although entrants are provided with industrial-strength shell crackers, some choose to employ an effective method that’s popular among Keys locals — smacking the rounded area of the claw’s shell with the back of a large serving spoon or even a simple butter knife.

Prizes such as overnight stays and passes to Keys attractions and eateries will be awarded to the top three finishers as well as top teams.

In the event of a tie, those contestants must face off in a 10-claw competition to determine the winner.

Interested crab consumers are encouraged to register early to ensure a spot at the table. Individual entry fee is $50 and two-person teams can register for $100. Competitors must be at least 18 years old.

Proceeds from the team event benefit a Marathon-based charity.

The Keys are Florida's top supplier of the succulent crustacean, which is considered a renewable resource because of the crabs’ ability to regrow harvested claws. Every year, hundreds of thousands of pounds of stone crab claws are steamed, cracked and served at local markets and restaurants or distributed around the nation.

TREKKING INTO THE FLORIDA KEYS

Runners set to take their mark for annual Key Largo Bridge Run

Motorists traversing U.S. 1 into the Florida Keys capture a breathtaking glimpse of the island life as they pass over Jewfish Creek Bridge in Key Largo. Resorts looking out at the bayside waters where boats come and go sit on one side, while the oceanside brings nothing but pure natural beauty.

It’s an instantaneous breath of relief for vacationers and a continuous “wow” factor for locals coming back home from the mainland. For runners in this year’s Key Largo Bridge Run, the breaths of salt air and the sights from the bridge underneath the morning sun will be one to remember.

Hundreds of runners and walkers from the Keys and beyond will take their mark for the 12th annual First State Bank Key Largo Bridge Run on Saturday, Nov. 12. The 5K event gives participants the chance to run or walk the final part of the 18-Mile Stretch that serves as the gateway to the Keys. The course not only brings picturesque views, but it’s also flat, with one big challenging bridge overlooking Florida Bay and Barnes Sound.

Bridge runners will take to the start line around 7:30 a.m. from the access road leading to Gilbert’s Resort. From there, they’ll set out on the course that takes them onto Jewfish Creek Bridge. Runners will turn around and head back over the bridge and return to the access

road leading to Gilbert’s where they will reunite with friends and family and enjoy music, drinks and food. The race will end around 9:30 a.m.

The organizer of the event, Henry Menendez, of HNO Productions, has been gearing up for the race’s return for many months. The run returned in 2021 after it was canceled in 2020 due to COVID. Menendez said there’s plenty of excitement as runners sign up for this year’s race.

“We continue to strive to promote health and well-being within our community and all over the world,” Menendez said. “In addition, we encourage everyone to take a moment and enjoy the sights from the top of the bridge while admiring one of the most spectacular views of our beautiful island.”

Awards will be presented to the top three male and female finishers, overall masters male and female, as well as to the top three of different age groups. Race T-shirts will be given to the first 500 participants who register. All participants will receive a medal upon completion of their respective race event.

The night before the race, participants are invited to a pasta party dinner at Doc’s Diner, MM 99, bayside. A pre-party is being planned for Nov. 10 as well as a post-party after the race. More details will be released as those plans become finalized.

For more information, visit runsignup.com/Race/FL/KeyLargo/ KeyLargoBridgeRun.

CHASE

1-year-old male rabbit.

Looking for: I recently came back from being fostered for the hurricane and loved having my own person. I just want a family.

Turnoffs: I don’t have many. I’m back at the Marathon campus if you’d like to get to know me!

TAKE ME HOME

Adorable furry faces are waiting for families at the Florida Keys SPCA

Keys Weekly is thrilled each week to showcase some “furever” friends that are ready, waiting and available for their perfect adoption “match” at the Florida Keys SPCA’s Marathon campus – complete with their best qualities, preferences and turnoffs to ensure the best fit.

From cats and dogs to Guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits, reptiles and birds, the perfect addition to your family is waiting for you at one of the SPCA’s two campuses, in Key West and Marathon. 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.

See all the animals waiting for a home at fkspca.org. To contact the Marathon campus, call 305-743-4800 or visit the campus at 10550 Aviation Blvd.

TOFFEE

4-month-old male domestic shorthair.

Looking for: My ideal furrever home would have other cats for me to play, learn and grow with.

Turnoffs: I’m a little shy at first, but my foster mom is helping me grow braver every day.

SASHA

5-year-old female mixed breed.

Looking for: Long walks, places to swim and other dogs to play with.

Turnoffs: Fences. They can’t keep me in!

... is a photogra pher, 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 Audu bon Society.

RIDING OUT THE STORM

Iwas

out at the end of White Street Pier, trying to figure out how to use a GoPro in burst mode, when the feeder bands were hitting. The waves were slamming straight into the end of the pier, as they usually do in heavy weather, and creating volcanic explosions of white foam that people of an adventurous nature like to get blasted by. Everyone out there was getting knocked around – even people just trying to take pictures a few feet back from the full brunt of it – and we were all pretty much blinded by the wind and the salt water. Between the waves hitting all you could hear was laughter.

I didn’t end up getting any great shots, but I got a couple I liked. One was of my friend DJ in a blue tutu ensemble, a small figure about to be subsumed by a massive wall of froth. Another is of DJ and his friend Emma in matching vrksasana/tree poses as the water curls up behind them.

I’d seen a couple laughing gulls and royal terns sliding by overhead, local birds that never seem both ered by much of anything, the kind I’ve seen flying in the worst of storms. But the brown pelican caught my eye as I was leaving. It was out in the zone between the pier and West Martello, which was something of a no-man’s land during the storm. The bird mostly sat there, rocking on the waves, but then would get up occasionally, and fly slowly forward on an upwind reach. And then it would plop down into the water quickly and without warning and from not much of a height. I think it was feeding, but pelicans find their prey by sight, usually from a much greater height, and the water was all whitecaps and churn, so I’m not sure what kind of success it was having, and whether the limited results were worth the heightened risk.

The bird seemed so alone out there in all that chaos, but the shore, a place of greater safety, was just a short, downwind ride away. I hoped it would head that way before the storm got much worse.

Birds generally know how to survive in rough weather. Not always — Hurricane Maria killed off more than half the popula tion of the already critically endangered Puerto Rican parrot — but most of the time. It is thought that most birds just retreat to the interiors of trees and bushes and other places out of the wind. But it is an understudied subject, largely because as severe weather events take place, scientists are generally not out with clipboards collecting data, but instead seeking safety like every one else. New technologies in recent years have provided some insight, though.

Birds, it seems, have two basic strategies for surviving storms: ride it out, or don’t be there.

Avoiding an area is a strategy generally taken up by migrat ing birds. When they feel the atmospheric pressure drop and the winds come, it seems they will often just pause their migration un til the storm passes and weather conditions are favorable again.

Ornithologists at Clemson University published a paper in 2019 using data from GPS transmitters attached with backpacklike harnesses to 32 brown pelicans from multiple colonies.

They tracked them through a series of three hurricanes. They found that the pelicans tended to heavily limit their movements

and take shelter on barrier islands and in estuaries, where wave action is usually diminished.

The folks at the Avian Research and Conservation Institute, based out of Gainesville, found similar results tracking six reddish egrets through Hurricane Irma in 2017 – the birds retreated to sites such as barrier islands and to inland ponds, generally taking shelter in the dense mangrove habitats.

Researchers at the College of William & Mary have had more varied and dramatic results satellite tracking whimbrels – largish shorebirds and long-distance migrants who will often fly thousands of miles nonstop over the ocean. One was tracked flying south from Hudson Bay, then off the Eastern Seaboard, and then directly into the northwest quadrant of a Category 3 storm, disappearing at first, but then reappearing 48 hours later in the Bahamas. Another tracked whimbrel encountered a storm off Nova Scotia and flew within it for 27 hours, surviving winds up to 90 mph before being redeposited on the continent on Cape Cod. A third whimbrel flew into a storm, but did not survive.

It’s been known for a long time that storms will also push birds ahead or along with them. In the aftermath of hurricanes that veered inland, tropical pelagic species such as magnificent frigatebirds and sooty terns have regularly been reported in small numbers as far away from the Caribbean as Wisconsin, Minnesota, Colorado and Ontario.

Sailors at sea during hurricanes have often reported seeing large flocks of birds trapped in the eyes of the storms. But in recent years scientists have witnessed the phenomenon using weather radar. As of yet they can’t detect numbers or species, but the tech nology may eventually get there.

In 2005, Hurricane Wilma, after it was done flooding Key West, went on to entrap a large flock of chimney swifts farther up the Eastern Seaboard, carrying many of them over to Western Europe. The flock was so large that in the years following, the chimney swift population in the province of Quebec was thought to be only half what it was before the storm.

When I got home from the pier the other night, there was a flock of about two dozen mourning doves sitting quietly on the back deck in the lee of our fence. I thought, all right guys, let’s ride this out together. But when I looked out an hour later, they were all gone.

I’m just going to assume they went somewhere safe.

MAKE STRIDES THIS SATURDAY

The

sides of Overseas Highway in Marathon will once again be filled with a sea of pink as the Mak ing Strides Against Breast Cancer walk returns to the Marathon Fire Rescue station at 8900 Overseas Hwy. on Saturday, Oct. 15. Presented by First State Bank in memory of Shana Casey, a former bank employee who passed away after a battle against leukemia in August 2022, the event will begin at 8 a.m. with a short presentation from local musicians and cancer survivors. Following the program, participants will complete a three-mile walking course at their own pace.

“The message that we’re trying to get out is that early detection can save lives,” said event organizer Shayne Mes sina. “All of us on the committee are breast cancer survivors, so that’s really the message.”

Participation in the walk is free, but entrants are encour aged to sign up and make a donation at makingstrideswalk. org/marathonfl. Be sure to wear pink, and feel free to get creative. And while you’re at it, if you’re overdue, make sure you schedule that breast exam or mammogram.

KATHLEEN HENDRICKSON

AT LAW

OF LAW, ESTATE PLANNING

FACTS FROM THE TAX COLLECTOR

Sam Steele OCTOBER

2022 property tax bills

be mailed out October 31.

As of October 1, a 10% penalty has been added to all unpaid local business tax receipts.

All properties that are rented for six months or less MUST have a tourist development tax account.

As a reminder, online platforms (Airbnb, VRBO, etc.) DO NOT remit the 5% tourist development tax to our office. It is the homeowner's responsibility to ensure the tax is remitted.

All rental properties must also pay a local business tax regardless of how long they are being rented.

• The lobby and drive-thru at the Harvey Government Center will be temporarily closed for renovations from 10/12-10/25. All registration and title services will be processed at the Key West Driver License Office in Searstown Shopping Plaza.

• The Big Pine Key location will be open from 9:00-3:00 on the following dates: - Tuesday 10/11-Friday 10/14 - Monday 10/17-Friday 10/21 - Monday 10/24-Thursday 10/27

us on for more important tax information.

BRAD BERTELLI

is an author, speaker, Florida Keys historian and Honorary Conch. His latest book, “Florida Keys History with Brad Bertelli, Volume 1,” shares fasci nating glimpses into the rich and sometimes sur prising histories of the Florida Keys.

FRUITFUL LIFE

Pliny W. Reasoner moved with his family from Illinois to Florida in 1881. He was 17 years old. The Reasoners settled in Mana tee County, and Pliny spent the rest of his life studying the local flora.

For a time, he worked for the U.S. Depart ment of Agriculture, researching Florida’s tropical horticulture.

Reasoner died from yellow fever on Sept. 17, 1888. He was only 25. His written account, “His tory of the Pineapple,” which appeared in the June 26, 1907 edition of The Deland Florida, named Ben Baker as the one he considered the first pineapple farmer in the Florida Keys. Reasoner re ported: “So near as we can learn, the culture of the pineapple in Florida was first begun, at least to any extent, by Mr. Benjamin Baker of Key West, who, about the year 1860, procured slips from Havana and planted out a small patch, as an experiment, on Plantation Key. Between this time and 1870, pineapple growing was attempted successfully on many of the adjoining keys.”

Benjamin Baker was born on Green Turtle Cay, Abacos, in 1818. Family records indicate that while he was an intelligent man, he could not read or write. His father, however, helped him to develop considerable skills. Not only could Ben build a fine schooner by hand, but he had the nautical prowess to be the master at the helm. While Baker was still living on Green Turtle Cay, he married Catherine S. Albury, a Bahamian born on Eleuthera.

It was a fruitful marriage that delivered 11 children. After the third child’s arrival, sometime between 1847 and 1848, the growing family left the Bahamas, sailed across the Straits of Florida and into the harbor at Key West. By 1850, Ben had established the Baker Wrecking Company and himself as a Florida wrecker. The Baker family lived in a two-story house on the corner of Caroline Street and Whitehead Street.

Wrecking was not Baker’s only job. As Pliny Reasoner had written, Baker was also a pineapple farmer. In addi tion to Baker’s Plantation Key pineapple patch, Baker and his sons had cleared land on Key Largo, in the area of what would be identified today as Mile Marker 97. At the Key Largo site, Baker also built a home and operated his wreck ing business, at least part-time, from the Key Largo anchor age. According to the 1870 U.S. census, Captain Ben Baker was recorded as one of the 61 people living on the island.

The year 1870 saw the first official U.S. post office open on Key Largo, and Ben Baker filed the petition. He indicated

that the post office would serve 17 families. It was not called the Key Largo Post Office, but the Cayo Largo Post Office, and Ben Baker served as the postmaster. Mail service was discontinued at Cayo Largo on Oct. 10, 1871. While Baker’s postal endeavor was short-lived, his work as a wrecker and a pineapple farmer was not.

Baker was considered one of the most successful wreck ers to have ever worked on the Florida Reef. During the 1860s and 1870s, he was the “King of the Florida Wreckers.” Between 1862 and 1880, Baker was involved in 41 salvage operations; he was the wreck master 15 times. When asked by family members about how he happened to find so many wrecks, Captain Baker would say, “We wreckers can smell ’em.”

Jefferson B. Browne’s 1912 book, “Key West, The Old and The New” described Captain Baker as “tall, gaunt, shrill-voiced, hook-nosed and hawk-eyed, he was master-wrecker at nearly ev ery wreck upon the Reef.” What Browne did not mention were Baker’s horticultural endeavors. Because Baker was the captain of the 13-ton two-masted schooner Rapid (which he may or may not have built by hand), he was able to forgo hiring a shipping com pany to deliver his pineapples to East Coast markets. He did the job himself.

During some of those pine apple runs from the Keys to New York, Baker witnessed the construc tion of New York’s Brooklyn Bridge (1869-1883) across the East River. When he was back home, in the Keys, and sitting around the dinner table, he sometimes entertained his grandchildren by telling stories about the great suspension bridge. The building of the Brooklyn Bridge might have been one of the stories grandpa Ben told on that night in July 1889, at about 7 p.m., when he began to feel ill. Four hours later, at 71, Captain Ben Baker, King of the Florida Wreckers, was dead for unknown reasons.

Upon passing, his sons broke down a skiff and reas sembled the yellow pine boards into a coffin. They lined the box with brown fabric from a bolt used to make the Baker family’s underwear. The coffin was readied, and the captain’s body was placed inside. After the last nail was pounded into its cover, the coffin was carried out and set aboard the Rap id. The sails were raised but the winds were light, and rather than risk an extended trip to Key West so that he could be buried in the city cemetery, the Baker boys turned the ship around and returned to Key Largo where the captain was buried on the family homestead.

The Key Largo resort Baker’s Cay, at MM 97, is named for Captain Ben Baker.

NOTICE OF VACANCY ON THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR THE RETIREMENT PLAN AND TRUST

Notice is hereby given that the Marathon City Council is soliciting applications from those interested in filling a vacancy on the Marathon Board of Trustees for the Retirement Plan and Trust for the City of Marathon. The term of the at large City Council appointed member will be 2 years. The volunteer membership on the Board is open to qualified electors of the City of Marathon. The Board meets once a quarter or as needed at the Marathon Fire Station or other noticed location. Members will be required to file ethics Form 1. Application forms are available in the office of the City Clerk, or online at www.ci.marathon.fl.us/application. Completed applica tions must be filed with the office of the City Clerk no later than 3:00 pm, November 1, 2022.

We’ve all heard — and seen — how anything goes in Key West during Fantasy Fest. And while some city officials are hellbent on changing the rules to eliminate painted boobs, it hasn’t hap pened yet. Each year brings out some of the best costumes we’ve ever seen — and some of the worst. (Hey guys: A single tube sock is not a costume.)

So as the creative folks put the finishing touches on their hot-glue creations, we figured we’d offer a few ex amples of what NOT to wear during Key West’s Fantasy Fest. We bring you our…

10. Your custom-made Jeffrey Dahmer onesie.

9. The “Booty Inspector” T-shirt that you found extremely funny 20 years ago, back when phrases like “booty inspector” were tolerated.

As it turns out, neither the shirt nor the phrase was ever really funny, except to your cousin Barry, who still thinks his “I groomed for this” T-shirt is the ultimate icebreaker.

FANTASY FEST

8. Jorts (jean shorts) that reveal your hemorrhoid issue. (This is now prohibited … see # 5).

7. Anything that alludes to you being Irish. Because you’re probably not.

6. Any shirt that Robert Keith Packer has worn. Ever. (Google it.)

5. Garments revealing the “scrotum, buttocks, or boobies.” All real terms uttered during recent Key West city commission discussions about nudity at Fantasy Fest.

4. Bleached eyebrows. This needs to stop.

3. Kanye West’s “White Lives Matter” shirt.

2. Anything to do with Westboro Baptist Church.

1. Your vintage #34 Herschel Walker jersey.

SPORTS & MORE

NEW HOMER KING AARON JUDGE SURPASSES SHY ROGER MARIS

... a veteran sports columnist, says the only sport he doesn’t follow is cricket. That leaves plenty of others to fill his time.

Therewere times I thought Aaron Judge would never make it to 62 home runs. Then I heard from a friend who texted that she, a New York Yankees fan, was crying along with Judge’s mother. Yes, Judge had hit 62.

I, too, was happy for Judge’s ac complishment. I was also happy for the kid who caught the ball.

Can you imagine what that ball is worth? A collection company has of fered $2 million for it. That’s incred ible. The last I heard, the kid hadn’t decided what to do with the ball. Maybe he’s waiting for a better offer. I know what I’d do. And it wouldn’t take me long to decide. Just give me the money, and $2 million would be plenty, thank you.

Judge has had a meteoric rise. He was born in Linden, California on April 26, 1992, and was adopted the next day by Patty and Wayne Judge without ever connecting with his natural parents. He also has an older adopted brother, John.

Aaron was a three-sport high school athlete in California and ac cepted the only scholarship offer he received – to Fresno State, where he became a baseball star and was drafted 32nd by the Yankees in 2012. He quickly made his way up through the team’s farm system, playing in 27 games for the Yankees in 2016 and homering in his first Major League game. The next year he was Rookie of the Year and runner-up for Most Valuable Player as he hit 52 home runs for New York. And now, he has become the American League home run champion, surpassing Roger Maris by one.

Years ago, in 1962 probably, I was at a gathering for what was called the Professional Athlete of the Year. It was sponsored by the Hickok Co. in Rochester, New York and along with the Pro Athlete of the Year (Maris), there were several top athletes in attendance.

Yes, I met Maris. I was there as a sports writer for the Rochester Times-Union. He was there because he had hit 61 home runs. It was a different era. Even with his acclaim,

he was rarely interviewed. And, as I discovered, he was very shy.

Also, from what I’ve read, he was not very well liked. As Yankees, Maris, whose father changed the family’s surname from Maras, and Mickey Mantle hit homer after hom er in 1961, in search of Babe Ruth’s record 60. Commissioner Ford Frick said that anyone who broke Ruth’s record would have to do so within 154 games. For the 1961 season, two teams had been added to the American League and the season, which had been 154 games, was extended to 162, which is what it is now.

Maris hit 59 home runs within 154 games, causing many fans to discard him as the record- holder. That group also included Mantle fans. Mantle was racing to 60 along with Maris, but was injured in early September and finished with 54 home runs. Maris, 27, was named the American League’s Most Valu able Player in both 1960 and 1961.

Maris, who had played previ ously for Cleveland and Kansas City, was with New York from 1960 through 1966 and two more sea sons with St. Louis before retiring. He had a career total of 275 home runs.

Maris grew up in North Dakota. As a football player at Bishop Stan ley High in Fargo, in one game, he scored two touchdowns returning a kickoff, two more on a punt and one on a pass interception. The total of five is said to still be a prep record. In 1983, he developed non-Hodg kin’s lymphoma. Two years later, he died at the age of 51.

CROSS COUNTRY COUNTS DOWN TO DISTRICTS

It was a very busy week for Monroe County runners, as teams put on the finishing touches in preparation for districts on Oct. 18 and 20. Despite slow starts to the season and a mid-season swamping – compliments of Hurricane Ian – all three teams have been improving and look to peak just in time for post-season racing.

Marathon hosted a cross country race on Oct. 4 and experienced success on its home course. The Dolphins’ Vance Bursa won the event, crossing the line more than two minutes before second-place finisher Colbin Hill of Key West. Coral Shores runner Robert Temkin came in third place, followed by Dolphins Jakub Bursa, Antonin Bursa and Dillon Shelar. Marathon won the boys race with an average time of 19:16, putting it in a solid position for district competition later this month. Coral Shores edged out Key West for second place, with just one second dividing the two teams’ average times and a one-point difference in their final scores.

The girls race was a bit closer than the boys, with Marathon’s Mikkel Ross outkicking Key West’s Caylaa Makimaa for a six-second margin of victory. Coral Shores runner Kai Guth was a mere tenth of a second behind Makimaa for a thirdplace finish. Marathon won the girls race with an overall average time of 24:15, followed by Key West in second and Coral Shores in third place.

On Oct. 7, Coral Shores and Marathon’s middle school girls traveled to Larry & Penny Thompson Park to run at the 305 Classic. Dolphin girls coach Darby Sheehan was very excited to bring most of her girls to compete in a designated middle school division. Well over half of the Lady Fins are in middle school, and the six Sheehan brought to the 305 Classic made it undeniable that Marathon’s cross country prowess is not going away any time soon, cruising to a team win at the event.

The girls ran the middle school distance of 2.1 miles, and when the results were in, Marathon took four of the race’s top 10 places. Marathon’s Madelyn Thornton won the entire event in 14:37, averaging less than seven minutes per mile. Dolphins Sara Robinson, Maeve Merryman and Rebecca Merryman took third, seventh and 10th place, respectively, with Rilynn Richards and Ryleigh Garcia rounding out Marathon’s finishers.

Sheehan was delighted not only with her team’s performance, but with the opportunity to compete against their age-appropriate peers. “They have run all season in only varsity high school meets and have been biting at the heels of older girls and teams,” she said. “These girls are definitely ones to keep an eye on as they transition into high school. They are going to do big things!”

On the varsity side of the 305 Classic, the Hurricanes went the full 5K distance and posted

some great results. Simon Gutierrez was the top finisher for the ’Canes, running 18:51 and capturing 15th overall in his race. Robert Temkin and Alaric Rodriguez rounded out the top three for Coral Shores. The first Lady Cane to cross the line was Kai Guth in 24:28, followed by Jenna Mandozzi and Kacelyn Hollis.

On Oct. 8, Key West hosted its first home cross country meet since 2017. The Conchs’ home course is the Robert E. Price Memorial Cross Country Course at the Key West Golf Club, named for their longtime coach who mapped out the course more than 15 years ago. In attendance were Key West, Sugarloaf School and Basilica School. Key West’s Colbin Hill was the overall winner in 18:49, followed by fellow Conchs Daniel Roy and Jerven Louis. In fourth place was Sawyer Hill, Colbin’s younger brother, who ran the hilly, grassy 3.1-mile course in 21:59 – not too shabby for a student not yet in high school. Coach Mark Coleman said his team’s conditioning “is all coming together” just in time for districts on Oct. 18.

Finishing first for the girls was Caylaa Makimaa in 22 minutes, nearly a minute faster than she ran earlier in the week on Marathon’s fastpaced flat course. She was followed by Naima Thomas in second and Gianna Marchant in third. Girls coach Keara McGraw was very happy with the performance of her team, noting that they have all improved tremendously this season and are running their best when it is most crucial. She said her girls’ battle cry all week was “48 hills,” a nod to the number of inclines on the tough twoloop course. Hill training is hard to come by in the flat Florida Keys, but McGraw and Coleman have been creative this season, adding bridges and Fort Zach runs to their teams’ repertoire in order to prepare.

RESULTS - MARATHON

HOME MEET, OCT. 4

BOYS

1 Vaclav Bursa MHS 16:20

2 Colbin Hill KW 18:21

3 Robert Temkin CS 19:08

4 Jakub Bursa MHS 19:38

5 Antonin Bursa MHS 19:39

6 Dillon Shelar MHS 19:40

7 Jerven Louis KW 20:23

8 Alaric Rodriguez CS 20:34

9 Jace Jackson CS 20:52

10 Daniel Roy KW 20:57

11 Mason Buxton MHS 21:06

12 Jamie Cary CS 22:23

13 Reed Benning KW 23:06

14 Nathan Shugarman CS 23:13

15 Owen Fisher KW 23:18

16 Dale Bittner KW 23:54

17 Aaron Suprynowicz KW 24:27

18 Allan Taylor MHS 24:48

19 Lochlain James CS 24:53

20 Danny Merryman MHS 25:33

21 Ambrose Sanchez CS 26:24

22 Kellan Bourbeau CS 27:21

23 Enzo Blaco CS 30:14

GIRLS

1 Mikkel Ross MHS 22:44

2 Caylaa Makimaa KW 22:50

3 Kai Guth CS 22:50

4 Ella Dunn MHS 23:48

5 Laira Anaya KW 23:57

6 Rain Banks MHS 24:21

7 Sara Robinson MHS 25:10

8 Ava Merryman MHS 25:14

9 Ailee Briggs MHS 25:18

10 Maeve Merryman MHS 25:20

11 Naima Thomas KW 25:50

12 Rebecca Merryman MHS 26:50

13 Shilo Yeider MHS 27:21

14 Gianna Marchant MHS 27:36

15 Jenna Mandozzi CS 28:57

16 Nicole Merryman MHS 30:35

17 Tinashay Cunningham MHS 30:38

18 Valeria Juarez KW 31:25

19 Kacelyn Hollis CS 31:59

20 Cami Wrinn MHS 33:11

21 Deanna Gumarova-Mercier KW 34:11

22 Jessie Lidell CS 36:34

23 Briana Nodal KW 38:18

24 Zoe Basham KW 41:37

25 Olivia Wilson CS 50:39

Basilica School brought three runners to their future home course. Sawyer Hill was first among the school’s middle school runners, followed by Owen Wright and George Clarke.

The Marathon Middle School girls cross country squad celebrates their team’s first-place finish in the middle school division of the 305 Classic. From left, Ryleigh Garcia, Rilynn Richards, Sara Robinson, Madelyn Thornton, Maeve Merryman, Rebecca Merryman.

Sugarloaf brought more than a dozen runners, led by Gilbert Chase, whose 25:26 time was good for first place in the younger division. Brady Wright and David Temple took second and third. Jillian Callum was the first girl to cross the line for the Sharks in 30:19, followed by Berkely Tripp, Harper Reeves and Hannah Andreas. Coach Alex Smyth was happy to have a solid showing so close to home as his runners prepare for the Junior Orange Bowl race on Friday, Oct. 13 at Larry and Penny Thompson Park. The race will be a 2.1mile course taken on by middle school runners across south Florida.

Team

Marathon

Key

All

THE SCOREBOARD YEMCEL

Coral

Marathon

Coral

Coral

Marathon

THIS WEEK IN KEYS SPORTS

Date School Sport Opponent Start Time

10/13

Coral Shores, Sophomore Quarterback

Sophomore quarterback Yemcel Moreno has been gaining attention on the football field this season for all the right reasons. On Oct. 7, he ran for 93 yards on just six carries for the Hurricanes in the Battle of the Keys, scoring three touchdowns in the ‘Canes big win. Moreno worked his way up the depth chart to become the team’s number one signal caller, earning the role with a fiercely competitive attitude and relentless work ethic. Coach Ed Holly describes Moreno as “unbelievably competitive. He works hard in practice and he pays attention to the little things.” It is the dedication to things like footwork and timing that set him apart in his gameplay, and as Holly puts it, “He’s quickly becoming the leader of the team.” Moreno leads with his actions and does so in a positive manner, which is why he is this week’s Keys Weekly Athlete of the Week.

– Ed Holly, Coral Shores head football coach.

“Yemcel has a great attitude. He gets better every week and thrives on competition.”

FOOTBALL

COUNTRY DAY MARATHON

Dolphins in their half-century rivalry. On Friday, they made

October 7 marked the renewal of one of the Keys’ longest-running sports rivalries when the Marathon High School football team traveled to face Coral Shores in the 53rd “Battle of the Keys.” Prior to kickoff, the ’Canes had a two-game edge over the Dolphins in their half-century rivalry. On Friday, they made it a three-game advantage, beating the Fins soundly 33-6.

The Dolphins came in with everything they had, fooling the cameraman and announcers along with the ’Canes defense en route to a surprise 42-yard touchdown run by Aaron Dolton. The extra-point attempt was no good, a precursor to Marathon’s special teams struggles to come.

Marathon’s defense held strong at first, led by a big Malachi Hawkins sack, and a three-and-out series looked encouraging for the Fins as the first quarter drew to a close. From there on out, though, it would be Hurricane season.

The Dolphins’ offense stalled on their second series, and a miscue on the ensuing punt gave Coral Shores the ball on the 23-yard line. Hurricanes quarterback Yemcel Moreno took full advantage of the field position, driving his team into the red zone and eventually scoring on a 10-yard quarterback keeper. The extra point put the ’Canes ahead early in the second quarter.

A bad snap on the Dolphins’ next punt gave Coral Shores the ball on the 8-yard line. This time, running back Chuck Jacobsen punched it in. Undeterred, Marathon began to move the ball again, but 6’5” Johnny Holly tackled the Fins’ Thomas Eubank behind the line of scrimmage with one minute to go in the half. At that point, the tide seemed to turn for Marathon, with a targeting penalty against the ’Canes giving the Dolphins 15 yards, a first down and a window of opportunity. The window soon closed, however, as Hawkins fumbled the ball, bringing the first half to a close with Coral Shores leading 14-6.

CORAL SHORES CLAIMS 53rd ‘BATTLE OF THE KEYS’

Hurricanes in full force against county rival Marathon

The Hurricanes now boast a 6-1 record for the season and are riding a fivegame win streak during which they have outscored their opponents 174-13.

Marathon regrouped during halftime and came out swinging. An onside kick recovered by Sean Hale gave the Fins the ball and rekindled their hopes, but they failed to capitalize on the possession. Coral Shores took little time to put six second-half points on the scoreboard with Moreno scoring his second touchdown of the night on a 45-yard run. He scored a third on the ’Canes next possession, this time on an 18-yard run.

Refusing to give up, the Fins drove the ball downfield late in the game in an attempt to narrow the deficit. Xavyer Arrington put a stop to the drive, sacking Hawkins on a third down, but the Hurricanes’ big defensive end wasn’t finished yet. Arrington added six points on a scoop-and-score after the ’Canes blocked another Marathon punt.

Both coaches were excited for the matchup, and though every player from both schools left it all on the field, it was clear that Coral Shores was the better team under Friday night lights. The Hurricanes now boast a 6-1 record for the season and are riding a five-game win streak during which they have outscored their opponents 174-13. With an arsenal of underclassmen on the roster, their success is unlikely to fade any time soon. Marathon is now 3-3 and within striking distance of their first winning season in five years.

The Fins will return to Marathon to play Miami Country Day for homecoming on Friday, Oct. 14. Key West will resume competition, playing the 5-0 Wildcats of Estero High School the same night. Coral Shores will have a break this week. The Hurricanes were originally scheduled to play BridgePrep Academy at home on Oct. 14, but after a sound beating by Marathon a few weeks ago, the school’s football team disbanded for the year.

City of Marathon Parks & Rec hosts first ‘Trunk or Treat’

The Marathon Parks and Recreation Department got an early start on Halloween with its first annual Trunk or Treat costume and trunk decorating contest on Oct. 7. From 6 to 8 p.m., more than a dozen organizations put on their best displays and distributed more than 300 bags of candy to children and families at the Marathon Community Park. More than 60 youngsters also took their turns being photographed in the evening’s costume contest, and social media voting throughout the following week decided the winners.

MEET THE CANDIDATE

Seafood

COSTA GOES ‘PRO’ TO HONOR JOSE WEJEBE

FISHING LEGEND’S GUIDING PRINCIPLES ARE ALIVE AND WELL IN THE KEYS

Twelve years after the launch of their frame celebrating a legend of the fishing community gone too soon, one of Costa Sunglasses’ best options for anglers is getting some ultimate upgrades.

In honor of Florida Keys angler Jose Wejebe, Costa launched new Jose PRO sunglasses in its fall 2022 collection. Building from the original Jose frame launched in 2010, the 2022 model includes several upgrades designed to ensure a comfortable experience during prolonged fishing trips – dedicated sweat channels, side shields to block out excess light and fully adjustable nose pads, to name a few.

“What an admirable legacy left behind. You can’t help but be in spired when you think about Jose. You hear it in countless testimo nies of his life,” said John Acosta, Costa’s vice president of market ing. “It’s a privilege to carry on his legacy and to continue honoring the role Jose played in the angling community – breaking barriers and inspiring others to do the same.”

ABIGAIL HADDOCK

www.keysweekly.com

Along with the release of the new sunglasses, Costa released a short film on YouTube titled “Open Waters | Costa Films presents Jose PRO,” which details the massive impact that Jose had on the Florida Keys and the fishing community before his passing in 2012.

“A lot of the younger generation don’t know who he was, because he’s been gone for 10 years now,” said Krissy Wejebe, Jose’s daughter. “But I’m a firm believer that true legends never die. I think Costa doing this, even so long afterwards, is a testament to that.”

Jose Wejebe’s passion for life on the water inspired thousands of fish ers and boaters. Perhaps best known for the ESPN TV shows “Spanish Fly” and “Vida Del Mar,” Jose would travel to learn different fishing techniques and knowledge, and then share this knowledge with fellow fishermen in the Florida Keys community. But he was “not just a fisherman but more of a ‘waterman,’” said Krissy, “because he didn’t just fish. He dove, he did under water photography, he was a dolphin trainer at Miami Seaquarium, he was a tropical fish collector, a kiteboarder, he did everything in our waters.

“I think what really made him dif ferent from other anglers, and some thing that would be amazing to see more of, is that he was a fisherman who got wet. His background in animal training really gave him a leg up in that he understood how these fish be haved on their own. How did they eat? … He would spend the time underwa ter and really watch for those things, and then apply them to fishing.”

Jose also saw the importance of protecting the oceans and conserv ing these resources for the future. “He was always that captain, if he saw a water bottle floating, he’d stop the boat and pick it up,” said Krissy. “What does it take to pass that knowledge to the next generation? It’s up to us to teach our kids how to take care of what we have.”

Jose also made time to work for several different charities, including the Make A Wish Foundation, the Redbone Fishing Tournament and Big Broth ers and Big Sisters. Now, that legacy of charity continues through the nonprofit Jose Wejebe Memorial Foundation, with his daughter as the executive director.

The organization works with individu als served by Make A Wish, the Outdoor Dream Foundation, the VA Hospital of Miami and Wesley House, bringing them out to experience not only the thrill and fun of a day on the water, but also the education that comes from making a connection with nature.

In celebration of the new sunglass frames and Jose’s legacy, Costa an nounced an additional donation to the foundation, further cementing a long standing partnership.

The foundation worked to help the Keys recover from the devastation of Hurricane Irma, cleaning up more than 300,000 pounds of debris, and is cur rently helping to bring relief to victims of Hurricane Ian, with several teams already sent to assess critical needs in the affected communities.

The foundation’s next move is starting an angler mentorship program.

“We’re teaching the next generation of anglers, ‘this is how you fish,’” said Krissy.

“The right way to release a bonefish, using circle hooks versus J hooks, how to rig up ballyhoo … taking all that educa tion from guides who have been doing it for 30 years and passing it down to the next generation.”

Whether it’s for nostalgia, to learn from a legendary fisherman, or to share the show with kids, “Spanish Fly” is now available on several streaming platforms including Amazon Prime, Waypoint TV and Obsession Media. In addition to the Jose PRO sunglasses, Costa also has new Spanish Fly apparel to continue spread ing the legacy of Spanish Fly and Jose’s work. For more on the new frames and the Wejebe family’s charitable work, visit costadelmar.com or josewejebememori alfoundation.org.

Built with upgrades over the original Jose frame launched in 2010, the Jose PRO frame

in Costa’s

collection.

WARREN HAYNES & GOV’T MULE PLAY KEY WEST OCT. 18

The last time Warren Haynes set foot in Key West he was barely 20 years old.

The Asheville, North Carolina native began playing guitar at age 12, and not long after, the music industry began to take notice, with some realizing a rare prodigy was walking among the mortals. By 1980 Haynes began touring with David Allen Coe, who spent various seasons on Big Pine Key, writing music and burnishing his outlaw persona in local bars around the Keys.

During that time Haynes vaguely recalls playing a bar in Key West following a recording session at a local studio with Coe and Gregg Allman. Allman, of course, was at the height of his fame, freshly divorced from Cher and riding the success of the Allman Brothers’ third studio album, “Eat a Peach.”

“I started playing with David as a kid and didn’t really know much about him or his lifestyle,” Haynes said. “But he was living in Big Pine Key and he had a warehouse in Key West. So I came down several times and rehearsed and actually played a free show on the loading docks at his warehouse facing Duval Street. Surprisingly, Gregg Allman sat in with us that day and played a few songs. And that was the first time I ever played with Gregg Allman. I met him prior to that in the recording studio with Dickey Betts, which blew my mind at that time.”

Forty-two years later, Warren Haynes, along with his band Gov’t Mule, will return to Key West for a show on Tuesday, Oct. 18 at the Coffee Butler Amphitheater. But this time he arrives as a Grammy winner and eight-time nominee, spanning stints with Gov’t Mule, The Allman Brothers Band, the Grateful Dead and various solo projects and collaborations with just about every celebrated musician worthy of his artistry — names like Dave Matthews, Carlos Santana, Phil Lesh and countless others.

Today, many acclaimed music critics consider Haynes one of the greatest live music performers to ever hold a guitar, while most consider an opportunity to join Haynes on stage to be a rite of passage. He is a practitioner of the Gibson Les Paul ’58 guitar. Fittingly, many attribute Haynes’ affinity for Gibson guitars to the influence of the late Duane Allman, who alongside names like B.B. King and Elmore James, had a profound impact on him as a teen.

Yet as far as music legends go, Haynes is an enigma. For decades, fans have tried to pigeonhole his style into a single genre, whether it be

rock, blues, bluegrass, jam band or even country. Not long after leaving Coe and joining the Nighthawks, Haynes co-wrote “Two of a Kind, Workin’ on a Full House,” which Garth Brooks released on the album “No Fences” and carried the song to No. 1 on Billboard for nearly five months. However, Haynes is more commonly accepted as an artist blending blues, Southern rock and jam band.

As Key West awaits the arrival of Haynes and Gov’t Mule, the Keys Weekly caught up with Haynes on tour, covering everything from his time with the Allman Brothers to who among the younger generation will be able to carry the torch as the next guitar heroes. Below are some excerpts from our interview.

For the full interview, search “The Florida Keys Weekly Podcast” on any major podcast provider or visit keysweekly.com for the entire recording of our interview.

KW: You play across so many genres from rock, bluegrass and blues, but for those in Key West who might not know about Gov’t Mule, how do you describe the band and your sound as it has progressed over the past three decades?

WH: Let’s start by saying in 1994 Gov’t Mule was started as a side project to the Allman Brothers. Myself and Allen Woody had been a member since 1989 and we decided to do something for fun. We had no idea it would take off and become a major band, but things kind of caught fire and here we are all of these years later. In the beginning our influences were Jimmy Hendrix and Cream and bands that were a power trio. We were a trio and we felt that no one was doing the improvisational rock trio thing and we wanted to bring that back. With each record we brought more of our influences in, like rock, blues, jazz, soul, reggae and even some country. But we take a jazz philosophy to our music, meaning moment by moment creating songs differently on a nightly basis. If you hear a song tonight and then a week from now, it won’t be the same version.

KW: When the best guitarists talk about their influences, names like B.B. King and others are constantly brought up, but your name is commonly referenced in those conversations. To be considered one of the greatest guitarists ever, has

that ever really settled in with you or do you have time to stop and appreciate what that means at this stage of your career?

WH: It’s hard for someone to gauge the way other people feel about their music. I think about the people I grew up listening to and the impact they had on me. And if I can have one 1/1000th of that impact on a young guitar player, that’s incredible. So when I think about my heroes, I spent hundreds of hours studying what they did, and that influence has stayed with me all of my life. It’s an amazing thing to look at young musicians right now and a lot of the music they are listening to and learning from, because many of them are the same we studied as a kid. Which brings us to Government Mule, because there are a lot of 14-yearold kids showing up to our shows and discovering us, but they are also discovering Led Zeppelin or Pink Floyd or Hendrix or the Allman Brothers and that music is having the same impact on them as it did for us because it’s timeless music. So the moral of the story is, we all strive to make timeless music because I think that’s what’s most important. You don’t follow the trends of the day, you try to make music people will like 50 years from now, so you do what’s in your heart.

KW: It’s pretty well documented that you picked up a guitar at age 12 and the rest is history, as they say. But do you remember that actual moment you picked up the guitar and thought ‘I love this. This is what I’m going to do?’

WH: The first time I picked up a guitar at all I was 11 and even then I had thoughts like kids have, but usually six months later you move on as a kid. But for whatever reason it remained enticing to me and I never wanted to stop. I do remember somewhere around 14 acknowledging if I stick with it, I could be good at this and then playing in front of a live crowd, it was immediately addicting and stimulating with no negative side effects. I was immediately hooked. So once I experienced that, I was like, yeah, this is what I want to do, so I started playing bars and clubs at age 14.

For the full interview, listen on any podcast app by searching “Florida Keys Weekly Podcast” or visit keysweekly.com.

LUCAS MATTHEW McCARTHY

Lucas Matthew McCarthy entered the world at 11:38 a.m. on Oct. 4 at Baptist Health South Florida’s hospital in Kendall. He weighed 8.8 pounds and measured 21 inches in length. Parents are Tavernier residents Jim McCarthy, editor of the Upper Keys Weekly, and Brieanne Conway. Older brother is Liam Griffth. Maternal grandparents are Pam Conway and Tom Conway, both of Florida. Paternal grandparents are Kevin and Deborah McCarthy, of Fredonia, New York.

LIONS AND TIGERS AND CONSPIRACY THEORIES, OH MY!

Conspiracy

theories are interesting things. Sometimes, they seem to spring from some tiny kernel of truth that gets amplified and distorted beyond belief. Other times, people just seem to make stuff up out of thin air — incredulous things that can’t possibly be true, but by jiminy, people believe them.

Flat Earthers believe that, contrary to every piece of verifiable evidence there is, the Earth is flat. According to LiveScience.com, “These believers claim that the Earth is a flat disc, and that evidence that it is round — say, pictures taken from space — are an elaborate hoax involving multiple governments.”

One of my favorite conspiracy theories postulates that we really didn’t land on the Moon. No matter the reams of evidence that prove we went, people actually believe that the landings were a hoax, filmed on a Hollywood soundstage. It doesn’t matter that film technology was nowhere near advanced enough to accurately simulate a 1/6 gravity lunar surface with no atmosphere in 1969 — there are people who believe that the entire space program was a conspiracy promulgated by the more than 400,000 NASA engineers and staffers who worked to get us to the Moon.

There are people who believe that the 9/11 attacks on the United States were an inside job, and that thenPresident George W. Bush was in on it. I have the same degree of respect for those folks as I do the QAnon believers, who actually think that Democrats are baby-eating Satanist child-trafficking pedophiles, and that Donald Trump is going to be returned to office in The Big Storm to convict and hang the devil-worshipping cannibals.

If you think that these wacky ideas only show up on national issues, think again. Right here in town, there are some real doozies of strange theories that people actually choose to believe — again, without a shred of evidence.

We have locals who are spreading the rumor that the only reason certain “preferred developers” get permits is that they have given officials and senior staff $50,000 Visa gift cards. While this is eminently laughable, there are those who believe it. The truth is that there are no preferred developers. No one at city hall ever got a Visa gift card, either. Developing property in the Keys is not an easy task. The rules may seem arcane and unfair, but nobody is able to buy their way to the top and get around them.

One of my favorite recent catchphrases is “word on the street.” A re-

is the Mayor of the City of Marathon. He also is a musician who performs around town. For more see johnbartus. com

cent failed Congressional candidate used to post often on social media that the word on the street was that the FBI was waiting to pounce on local municipal officials for all the “corruption” in city hall. Here’s a news flash: not one city official has been hauled off in handcuffs.

Another social media poster keeps suggesting that there is a way to uncover the crimes — “If the City is innocent of wrong-doing [sic], why would a third party forensic audit be a problem?” Sounds like someone’s watching too many episodes of CSI. The city of Marathon does an independent audit every year: “State law requires that all general-purpose local governments publish within nine months of the close of each fiscal year a complete set of financial statements presented in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and audited in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States and Government Auditing Standards by a firm of licensed certified public accountants.” Every year, the city is audited. And every year, the city passes with flying colors. The most recent audit awarded the city a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting – the same as the year before, and the year before that, etc.

The funniest, most recent rumor has it that if a certain candidate is elected to city council, I will be installed as city manager. No one asked me if I want the job (I don’t), and the reality is that our charter doesn’t allow a former council member to get a job with the city until at least one year following their departure from office.

It’s amazing how much abject ignorance and batcrap crazy there is out there right now. Don’t fall for the social media rants and conspiracy theories. Don’t believe every anonymous email. Put your trust in actual facts and real audits. And make informed choices this November.

— Catch John each Monday at Boondocks, Tuesdays and Wednesdays at the Key Colony Inn, and Thursdays at Sparky’s Landing. Find his music anywhere you download or stream your music. www.johnbartus.com

J

COMMERCE CORNER

11400 Overseas Hwy., Suite 105, Marathon 305-209-5166 www.seafarerrealty.com info@seafarerrealty.com

Established in 2022, Seafarer Realty provides residential and commercial real estate services throughout the entire Florida Keys and Miami area. The company strives to serve all of its customers at the highest level in all areas, regardless of price point, and prides itself on its core values of integrity, honesty, transparency, education and cooperation.

All of Seafarer's agents serve the community they live in by being involved in one or more community organizations, ranging from Rotary and United Way to the Guardian Ad Litem program. The company is a Chamber of Commerce executive sponsor and is a member of numerous Realtor commi ees and boards throughout the Keys and Miami.

you feel

city does

DIVING INTO THE ISSUES

Marathon City Council candidates weigh in

In an effort to provide greater familiarity and communication between the nine Marathon City Council candidates and our readers, the Marathon Weekly is proud to continue our candidate Q&A series leading up to the Marathon City Council election on Nov. 8, when four of the candidates will win seats on the council. Per the referendum passed in August’s primary election, the candidate with the fewest votes who still wins a seat will serve a shorter two-year term,

set to expire at the same time as councilman Luis Gon zalez’s. The other three winners will serve three-year terms. This week’s questions and answers are taken from the Oct. 4 candidate forum co-hosted by Keys Weekly and the Marathon Chamber of Commerce. Some answers have been lightly edited for length and grammar. For a full recording of the candidate forum, including candidates for U.S. Congress and State Rep resentative, scan the QR code below.

own

WAYNE QUARBERG

Yes, I think they have done an okay job. Can it be better? Absolutely, es pecially with the vacation rental crisis and some of the stuff that’s going on there. Anything can be improved, but I believe they’re doing an OK job.

KEVIN MACAULAY

I think we can actually improve on what we’ve been doing, frankly, and not just on vacation rentals. I actually live in Boot Key on a boat and I see en forcement issues every day out there that need to be dealt with. Whether there are environmental regulations or derelict sailboats, there are all sorts of issues that the city can and should be doing a better job to regulate. It is their job to do so, and I think they’re falling a little bit short in that area. I would agree that we might need some extra employees to deal with these issues. I think we have seen firsthand that the codes are not being enforced properly.

ROBYN STILL

I think they’ve done a good job. I think there’s room for improvement. There’s room for improvement in anything. I think when you have staffing issues, you definitely need more code en forcement officers. But as a whole, I think they’ve done a good job. I think there is improvement happening in the vacation rental ordinance violations. I just think we need to continue to move forward and stress the importance of enforcing our codes and ordinances.

FULL FORUM RECORDING

of the recorded forum

County TV. MCTV

4,

at 5:30 p.m.,

How do you feel the city of Marathon has done acting as an intermediary between its citizens and issues involving the state government?

Do you believe the city has a responsibility to protect, subsidize or provide workforce housing?

RICHARD TAMBORRINO

To use an expression, the proof is in the pudding. I don’t know that our city has been proactive enough in terms of working with our state representatives and anyone in Tallahassee that could advocate for better options for the residents in Marathon. I think it takes a certain skill set to be an effective negotiator and effective in bringing the people together, and I think there’s clearly an opportunity for us to do a lot more, both from a city employee standpoint, namely the city attorney and city manager, and also from a council standpoint. And then leverag ing the relationships that we have throughout Monroe County, and get ting everyone to be on the same page.

INGRID TYREE

I really believe that we are not reaching out to our Cuban families. They have no idea what’s going on. I’ve been walk ing with a translator and they just do not know because we are not reaching out to them in their language, and they cannot understand what’s going on. So we have part of our city that is not understanding the government issues as they are right now. I believe that if we reach out a little bit harder and bring everybody into the fold that we can have a better result.

LYNN LANDRY

I think sometimes the city has done a fantastic job of that, but obviously there are times when it’s lacking, the DEO situation a prime example. Obvi ously, they thought that the city of Marathon had overstepped its bounds and pulled the MOU. And we’re now having to go back and try to repair that relationship. But according to Repre sentative Mooney, when you’re trying to deal with the whole state of Florida on a Keys issue, sometimes it’s falling on deaf ears.

KENNY MATLOCK

I think we need to help facilitate it. I don’t think it’s the government’s job to provide any housing, to be honest with you. I think we could make it easier on certain people to build, but I don’t think it’s their job to provide. I don’t think that lays on the taxpayers.

MIKE LEONARD

I think that the city needs to enter into a public-private partnership, which I call the Marathon Housing Finance Authority. I have a plan for this, where we’re in a partnership with the city and the private sector. We will be able to build deed-restricted workforce housing and deed-restricted affordable housing.

JEFF SMITH

Yes, the city does have a responsibility to ensure there’s adequate housing stock in this community. We probably missed the boat a bit – the Key West Housing Authority has been wildly suc cessful. They control roughly 20% of the housing stock in Key West, which is why their workforce housing is not nearly as big a problem as Marathon. We have done a good job building units, about 750 on the ground now and if we get the 300 we’ll have about 1,005, representing 15 to 17% of our housing stock that we have.

ARANDAS PLEDGE SUPPORT FOR LANDRY, SMITH

On Oct. 10, real estate developers Mike Aranda Sr. and Mike Aranda Jr. treated friends and community members to an evening meet and greet at the Florida Keys Steak and Lobster House in support of Marathon City Council candidates Jeff Smith and Lynn Landry. For two hours, the candidates enjoyed a meal with Marathon residents as they fielded questions about their respective platforms. Aranda Jr. spoke on his relationship with the pair, one that he applauded as notably professional as he first got to know both through encounters with the city planning commission before developing a personal friendship. Pictured are Aranda Jr., left, Landry, Aranda Sr. and Smith. ALEX RICKERT/Keys Weekly.

A Celebration of Marine Conservation

ocean seminars at Murray Nelson Government Center in Key Largo!

FRIDAY, OCT. 14

2:30 pm: Goliath Grouper: Tales of a giant Florida icon, presented by Dr. Chris Stallings

SATURDAY, OCT. 15

2:30 pm: Wonders of the Ocean: The World Beneath, presented by Dr. Richard 4Smith pm: Cultivating Climate Resilience with Citizen Science, presented by Dr. Andrea Grover

6:30 pm: Solving the Evolutionary Mystery of ClownfishSea Anemone Symbiosis with the Help of Citizen Science, presented by Dr. Ben Titus

here to view talk

speaker

Simple Basic Humanity is Lacking in Extremist Progressives

It’s been all over the news: Gov. Ron DeSantis flew a mere 50 immigrants, out of the 2.5 million who flooded our Southern border last year, to the progressive capital of the United States: Martha’s Vineyard.

Surely marginalized and victimized people would find safe harbor in one of the wealthiest sanctuary locales in the Western world.

But after two days of living up to the signs in their front yards – “In This House We Believe: Black Lives Matter, Women's Rights Are Human Rights, No Human Is Illegal, Science is Real, Love is Love, Kindness is Everything” – Vineyardians were emotionally spent.

Island residents asked the Massachusetts governor for help. He sent 100 National Guardsmen to deport these poor souls to a military base on the mainland.

But according to John Bartus (Op-Ed, Oct. 6), it was Gov. Ron DeSantis who lacked basic humanity because he sent the oppressed to an American Eden. Bartus arrogantly and awkwardly quoted Bible verse to accuse Christians of supporting “the mistreatment of migrants.” Not a Christian thing to do, John.

Monumental illegal immigration is a true catastrophe for America. Fentanyl kills 300 Americans every day, thousands of children are trafficked, criminals and terrorists create havoc and millions of illegal immigrants suck up billions of tax dollars from hardworking Americans.

It’s clear: Extremist progressives lack the simple basic humanity to put the safety and security of their fellow American citizens ahead of illegal immigrants.

IN RESPONSE TO JOHN BARTUS’ OCT. 6 OP-ED

In response to your article about sending illegal immigrants to Martha's Vineyard last month, I totally disagree with you. The reason they were sent there was because they did not have your address.

This is the only country in the world where a person can walk across a border because of misguided politics. I am a four-year, three tours of duty Vietnam vet. I served two of them with my twin brother. I have worked all my life for what I have. I refuse to share it with people that have broken our laws.

If you and your cohorts want them here, then you should take at least four into your home and pay for their housing, food, medical, clothing, cell phones and education. We have vets living on the street! Vets that can not get medical care, can not afford housing. The hardest thing you do is walk across a stage. Any time you want something screwed up, get politicians to handle it.

U

FIND FLOW WITH FAITH

CHRIS M cNULTY

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

Fresh off the heels of Mercury turning direct and slingshotting us into higher octane thinking, we are all collectively getting ready for another retro grade period that only happens every two years. Active and ag gressive Mars is slowing down to turn retrograde on Oct. 30, and it is doing so in a 90-degree square to wa tery, dreamy Neptune. When these planets engage each other, it is time to fight for our highest ideals, find flow with faith in the best outcomes, and use our energy to dream big. If we don’t, we risk spinning our wheels in nauseating frustration. We’re in the beginning of a 7-month journey work ing out these themes.

Here are your Mars-square-Nep tune horoscopes. Read for your rising and sun signs.

LIBRA

Sept. 23 - Oct. 23

What would be your greatest adven ture, Libra? Would it be a trip to a foreign land, a course that expands your mind, or a lofty career path that will take you places you couldn’t have hitherto imagined? Now is the time to start infusing the way you use your labor with greater purpose so as to prepare for your future explora tions. Make your current toils count, because every one of your actions is connected to a greater collective purpose.

SCORPIO

Oct. 24 - Nov. 21

It looks like it is time to consolidate your debts, be they financial or social. We all carry obligations to each other, but it is important to maintain a level of manageable control of your responsibilities. Let your creative pur suits be your guide, because they are what will help you to prioritize what is good for you within the context of

the greater good. Follow your creative dreams to get a handle on your shared investments.

SAGITTARIUS

Nov. 22 - Dec. 21

Relationships are about to get pretty heated, Sag. It’s like love is being tossed in a pressure cooker and your partner in creating the love will either be burned up or made into something hella tasty. This crucible is a space for testing the mettle of your relationship’s staying power. A necessary guide in this process will be really dreaming into what home means for you.

CAPRICORN

Dec. 22 - Jan. 19

Well Cap, you are about to be working A LOT, which you are no stranger to. How does your work feed into your dream of creat ing a community of familiars, though? What is the endgame of all the sweat and toil that you put out there on the daily? Imagine what it would feel like to be in flow with your local environment, because that will infuse your labor with purpose.

AQUARIUS

Jan. 20 - Feb. 18

It is high time to start getting real about what allows you to feel good and inventing something out of it. This could mean throw ing yourself into your creative pursuits, finding a healthy ener getic outlet like dance or theater, or even literally conceiving a child. Follow your passion. While you are seeking this out, let your dream of a well-funded and well-furnished life guide your creative hand. Don’t starve for creative fulfillment.

PISCES

Feb. 19 - March 20

The domestic life can get a bad rap in our get-up-and-go culture, but methinks it is the perfect time for you to be focusing your

energy on your home and family. Who are we without our family connections, whether blood or chosen? Making and protecting home is the reason for all great pursuits. As you will your home into existence, consider who you want to be in your most optimal form. That image will be your beacon.

ARIES

March 21 - April 19

Communication is a key issue for you, Aries. How are you getting your point across? On a deeper level, how are you communicat ing with the living world around you? Communication does not just occur between us humans, but it is the subtle interactions we are having all the time. Pay attention to the messages you are putting out. Be your ideal self when you are alone, and your messaging will follow suit.

TAURUS

April 20 - May 20

Get ready for a serious infusion of energy into building your resources, Taurus. An influx of money, a boon of material sup port, even emotional help are all possibilities. The crux of the matter is determining what you value, and the method for receiv ing is creating an image of your perfect allies. People are ready to help, but you have to have faith first.

GEMINI

May 21 - June 21

Alrighty Gem, it is time to do some serious self-work. What ever you need to do meditate, exercise, eat well, create a man ageable schedule, sleep more now is the time to energize your own well-being. If it all seems too much, think about your work and your reputation. What is your dream for your public persona? Normally I would advise against focusing on what others think, but at this time public opinion is

your fairy godmother.

CANCER

June 22 - July 22

Get your snorkel gear ready be cause it is deep diving time. Your unconscious wellness is just as important as your conscious well ness, if not more so. By defini tion, we cannot see our unconscious, but we can certainly feel it. Pay attention to your reac tions and tune into your dream states – try to tap into your instincts and guide them. What dream adventures would you partake in if you could get out of the rut of your uncon scious cycles?

LEO

July 23 - Aug. 22

Your network of support is seri ously getting activated, and it is up to you to allow your hopes and dreams to be held by other people. Let go of some control and have faith in your friends. However, don’t have blind faith, but intentional faith. What are your ideal investments and what are the ideal entanglements you want to get yourself into? Let those guide your agreements.

VIRGO

Aug. 23 - Sept. 22

Your work life is about to get re ally active, Virgo, and it is a great time to invest your own energy into your career. Are you going to set out on your own, go for a promotion, or move into a different path? Something big is coming, and the best way to make your decisions is to decide how you want your main rela tionship to look. You can focus on a partnership at work or your relationship with a loved one, but let your ideal relationship deter mine how you invest your will at work.

MLKAR gathers hurricane relief items for southwest Florida

The Marathon and Lower Keys Association of Realtors is gathering hurricane relief items to be delivered to disaster areas in southwest Florida by mid-October. Items requested include baby goods, baby formula, hygiene items, cleaning supplies, non-perishable food, batteries, comfort items such as small kids toys and games, and pet food. Please do not donate clothing or bottled water, as these items are handled locally. Donations may be brought to the MLKAR board office in Marathon at 5800 Overseas Hwy. #15, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. If donors need to drop off goods outside these hours, they may be dropped off at Marathon Grill and Ale House or Village Barber Shop. Donors in the Upper Keys can email Wayne Carter at ceo@mlkar.com to arrange a dropoff in Tavernier or pickup in the Upper Keys.

Those interested in making a cash donation may scan the attached QR code. Funds donated will be used to purchase $50 Home Depot gift cards that will be delivered to those affected by Hurricane Ian with the assistance of organizers in the Fort Myers to Port Charlotte area.

Overseas Pub, American Legion team up for hurricane collections

In the wake of Hurricane Ian’s destruction, both Overseas Pub and Grill and Marathon’s American Legion Post 154 will serve as collection points for donated supplies that will eventually be delivered to the Fort Myers, Sanibel and Captiva regions of southwest Florida. Requested items include water, cleaning supplies, non-perishable food and toiletries. For a full list of accepted items, scan the attached QR code. Items collected by the American Legion will be delivered at the direction of the American Legion Department of Florida and will be accepted until further notice as long as a need exists.

Classes galore at the Marathon Library

Friday, Oct. 14: Photography: Get out and take better photos (adults and teens) 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Marathon Fire Rescue truck visits the library (family) 4 p.m.; Adult Special Paint Night, 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15: Easy Yoga: Adaptive yoga for older adults and those with injuries (adults) 10 a.m.; Reading Assistance Education Dogs: Tail Waggin' Tutors (kids) 10:30 a.m.; Virtual Reality, Robots & Games Open Lab, 2:30 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 17: 3D Printing Lab, 10 a.m.; Teen Advisory Group, 3 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18: Fine Art: Discovering the world of acrylics and other mediums (adults/teens) 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.; Mahjong: Game of Tiles 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; Storytime: Stories, songs, crafts and rhymes, 10:30 a.m (ages newborn-5); Paradise Quilters, 1 p.m.; Sketching workshop (teens) 3 p.m.; Dungeons & Dragons (adults) 5 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 19: Easy Yoga (adults) 10 a.m.; Dungeons & Dragons (teens) 3 p.m.; Dungeons & Dragons (adults) 5 p.m.; Banned Books Meetup (adults) 5:30 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 20: Homeschool learning activities, 10:30 a.m.; Computer Tutor: File Management Class. Registration required (adults) noon; Lego Maker Lab (kids) 4 p.m.

Healthy Start Spooky Story Time scheduled for Oct. 19

In celebration of the season, the Florida Keys Healthy Start Coalition will host a “Spooky Story Time” and pumpkin patch field trip on Wednesday, Oct. 19 at 10 a.m. at St. Peter Church’s pumpkin patch, 31300 Overseas Hwy. on Big Pine Key. For a full schedule of Healthy Start Coalition events, visit www.KeysHealthyStart.org/events.

Peanut Butter Challenge donation event runs through end of October

The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences extension is participating in the statewide Peanut Butter Challenge. The challenge will run through Monday, Oct. 31. Extension Services will be collecting unopened jars of peanut butter to help fight hunger. Donors may drop off jars at any of the three main Monroe County facilities: Gato Suite 2-260, Marathon Government Center Suite 400 or Murray Nelson Government Center Suite 244.

All peanut butter donations will be distributed to local food pantries. In addition to the community donations, the Florida Peanut Producers Association (FPPA) and Florida Peanut Federation (FPF) will match the community donation. The matched donated jars will be distributed to counties’ food pantries that have been affected by Hurricane Ian.

Florida Keys Wildlife Society to host plant giveaway and open house

On Saturday, Oct. 15 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Florida Keys National Wildlife Refuge Nature Center located at 30587 Overseas Hwy. will host a native plant giveaway and open house to celebrate the center’s 25th anniversary. Come play plant and wildlife trivia and win free native plants while learning which plants provide food for local and visiting birds. The center will have information about its mission and upcoming events, including volunteer opportunities. Complimentary food and refreshments will be provided by First Horizon Bank. The event is free and open to all.

Sanctuary Advisory Council meeting in Marathon

The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council will meet at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 18 in Marathon. On the agenda are a Restoration Blueprint public engagement update, as well as an update from the South Florida Ecosystem Connectivity Working Group. The agenda will also allow for two hours of public comment, which will serve as the final in-person public comment opportunity for the proposed rule. (If the full time is not needed for public comment, the council will continue with the remainder of the agenda.) An agenda has been posted online at the advisory council webpage.

Make way for MHS homecoming festivities

Marathon High School’s homecoming festivities will take place from Thursday to Saturday, Oct. 13-15. The annual parade will kick things off on Thursday at 1 p.m. as floats process down U.S. 1 from Knight’s Key to Publix. Be advised that one northbound lane of U.S. 1 will be closed for approximately half an hour during the parade. A pep rally Friday afternoon will give way to the anticipated homecoming matchup at 7 p.m. at MHS. The homecoming king and queen will be crowned at halftime ahead of the school’s homecoming dance on Saturday night.

BRENDA PLEU

Brenda (Malcom) Pleu passed away peacefully on Oct. 8, 2022 in Agawam, Massachusetts. Brenda spent her life enjoying the outdoors. She and her husband Walter operated the Quinebaug Cove Campground in Brimfield, Massachusetts for over 15 years. In the autumn, when the campground closed for the season, the family traveled to the Florida Keys for the winter.

Brenda loved the sun and enjoyed her cats and dogs, fishing, searching for seamless glass and playing the organ for Sunday services. Brenda retired from Fisherman’s Hospital in Marathon, Florida where she worked as a ward clerk. In 2002, Brenda relocated to Westfield, Massachusetts to be closer to her family.

Brenda was predeceased by her husband, Walter; her son, Walter (Skippy) Pleu III; and leaves a son, Jefferey Pleu; a daughter, Kellie Pleu; her brothers, Lee Thurston (Cindy) and Anthony Atkins (Peggy); a sister, Lynne Thurston Drogosz (Walter); a granddaughter, Alycia Pleu; and many nieces and nephews.

There are no services planned at this time. Donations may be made in her name to Baystate Hospice, 30 Capital Drive, West Springfield, Massachusetts 01089.

LEGAL NOTICES

PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE

Florida Keys Council of the Arts

Notice of Upcoming Meetings

The Florida Keys Council of the Arts will hold the following meetings via Communications Media Technology using a ZOOM webinar platform. The access points to view the meeting or for members of the public to provide public input will be: JOIN ZOOM via the Zoom app and use each meeting ID and password listed.

Meetings are open to the public, and all are invited to attend. Questions, or to RSVP, please email Liz Young at director@keysarts.com

Art in Public Places Committee

Meeting Oct. 18, 2022 at 12:00 PM Eastern Time

Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 898 6282 3393 Passcode: 266200

Board of Directors Meeting & Membership Committee Meeting

Oct. 20, 2022 at 04:00 PM Eastern Time

Join Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 812 8239 1380 Passcode: 030307

Publish: October 13, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR COMPETITVE SOLICITATIONS

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that

on Monday, October 31, 2022 @ 3 pm, the Key West Harry S. Truman Foundation will receive and open sealed responses for the following: DOWNSPOUT EXTENSIONS

Pursuant to 20.h.sc.900.167.

Invitation to bid, specifications, and digital drawings, can be given upon email request at: rachel.katzenberger@ kwtrumanfoundation.org.

Sealed bids will be received at the office of the: Key West Harry S. Truman Foundation, 201 Front Street, Suite 101, Key West, Florida

LEGAL NOTICES

33040, no later than October 31, 2022, at 3 pm.

Proposed Contract Documents may be examined in person at the office of the Architect: Bender & Associates Architects, P.A., 410 Angela Street, Key West, Florida 33040.

Publish: October 13, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA

COUNTY OF DARLINGTON

IN THE MATTER OF: THE INTERVIVOS TRUST OF HELEN M. STABA (NOW DECEASED)

TO: MARGARET AILEEN STABA, Beneficiary and Daughter of Helen M. Staba

YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED of the death of Helen M. Staba and that your claim as beneficiary should be presented in writing, along with proof of identification, to The Conner Law Firm, ATTN: Michelle Greenawalt, 906 W. Carolina Avenue, Hartsville, SC 29550, by April 6, 2023.

The Conner Law Firm, P.C. 906 W. Carolina Avenue Hartsville, SC 29550

Phone: (843) 332-1678

Fax: (843) 332-1904

Publish: October 6, 13 & 20, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 22-CP-85-M DIVISION: MIDDLE KEYS IN RE: ESTATE OF ELIZABETH G. COTTLE Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The administration of the estate of Elizabeth G. Cottle, deceased, whose date of death was June 13, 2021, is pending in the Circuit Court for MONROE County, Florida, Probate Division,

LEGAL NOTICES

the address of which is 3117 Overseas Highway, Marathon, Florida 33050. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below.

All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM.

All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE.

ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED.

NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED.

The date of first publication of this notice is: October 13, 2022.

Personal Representative: Richard E. Warner 12221 Overseas Highway Marathon, Florida 33050 Attorney for Personal Representative: Richard E. Warner

Attorney Florida Bar Number: 283134

RICHARD E. WARNER, P.A. 12221 Overseas Highway MARATHON, FL 33050

Telephone: (305) 743-6022

Fax: (305) 743-6216 E-mail: richard@rewarnerlaw.com

Secondary E-Mail: pamela2@ rewarnerlaw.com

Publish: October 13 & 20, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

NOTICE OF KEY LARGO FIRE RESCUE AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES DISTRICT MILLAGE ELECTION ON NOVEMBER 8, 2022

On November 8, 2022, the Key Largo Fire Rescue and Emergency Medical Services District will issue a referendum to the voters seeking approval to increase the maximum millage rate in order to cover future costs of provid ing high-quality fire-rescue and emergency medical services to the residents of Key Largo.

The District Board of Commissioners wishes to make clear to Key Largo voters that the Board does not intend to levy annual millage at the maximum rate permitted under the proposed increase and remains committed to its longstanding policy of providing high quality firefight ing, rescue, and emergency medical services in the most cost-effective manner. The District has adopted a five-year operating plan that contem plates a millage rate less than the proposed maximum of 2.00 mills, however also understands the importance of long term planning. The following is the official ballot:

INCREASED MAXIMUM MILLAGE RATE FOR KEY LARGO FIRE RESCUE AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES:

The Key Largo Fire & EMS District may not levy ad valorem taxes exceeding 1.00 mill without voter approval. The District seeks to increase its maximum millage rate to cover future costs of providing high-quality fire-rescue and emergency medical services to the residents of Key Largo.

Shall the maximum millage rate of the District be revised to 2.00 mills, to fund the continued provision of fire rescue and emergency medical services to Key Largo residents?

YES

LEGAL NOTICES

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA

PROBATE DIVISION

FILE NO.: 22-CP-000279-K

IN RE: ESTATE OF STUART C. WOODS Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The administration of the estate of Stuart C. Woods, deceased, whose date of death was July 22, 2022, 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 ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM.

All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE.

ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED.

NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED. The date of first publication of this notice is: October 13, 2022.

Personal Representative: Jeanmarie Woods 910 Watson Street Key West, FL 33040

Attorney for Personal Representative: Tasha K. Dickinson Florida Bar No. 0122836 Day Pitney, LLP 250 Australian Avenue South, Suite 1504 West Palm Beach, Florida 33401 Telephone: (561) 803-3515 E-mail: tdickinson@daypitney. com

Publish: October 13 & 20, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 44-2022-CP-000254A001-KW

IN RE: ESTATE OF BOYD K. HICKMAN Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The administration of the estate of BOYD K. HICKMAN, deceased, whose date of death was April 12, 2022, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 500 Whitehead St., 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 ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM.

All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE.

LEGAL NOTICES

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: October 13, 2022. Signed on this 10th day of October, 2022.

Personal Representative:

THOMAS F. HUDGINS 2800 DAVIS BLVD., STE. 203 NAPLES, FL 34104 Attorney for Personal Representative: THOMAS F. HUDGINS Florida Bar No. 970565 THOMAS F. HUDGINS, PLLC 2800 DAVIS BLVD., STE. 203 NAPLES, FL 34104

Telephone: (239) 263-7660

Email: TED@NAPLESTAX.COM

Secondary Email: SERVICE@ NAPLESTAX.COM Publish: October 13 & 20, 2022 The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.: 2022-DR-626-K DIVISION: FAMILY

IN RE: THE MARRIAGE OF: SLAVENA MOMCHILOVA, Petitioner, and, BRYAN KELEMEN, Respondent.

NOTICE OF ACTION FOR DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE (NO CHILD OR FINANCIAL SUPPORT)

TO: Bryan Kelemen

LAST KNOWN ADDRESS: Unknown

YOU ARE NOTIFIED that an action for dissolution of marriage has been filed against you and that you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to it on Slavena Momchilova, whose address is 607 Eaton Street, Key West, FL 33040 on or before October 31, 2022, and file the original with the clerk of this Court at 500 Whitehead Street, Key West, FL 33040, before service on Petitioner or immediately thereafter. If you fail to do so, a default may be entered against you for the relief demanded in the petition. The action is asking the court to decide how the following real or personal property should be divided: NONE

Copies of all court documents in this case, including orders, are available at the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s office. You may review these documents upon request.

You must keep the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s office notified of your current address. (You may file Designation of Current Mailing and E-Mail Address, Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.915.)

Future papers in this lawsuit will be mailed or e-mailed to the address(es) on record at the clerk’s office.

WARNING: Rule 12.285, Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure, requires certain automatic disclosure of documents and information. Failure to comply can result in sanctions, including dismissal or striking of pleadings. Dated: September 22, 2022 Kevin Madok, CPA Clerk of the Circuit Court Monroe County, Florida

By: Marissa Lockwood

Deputy Clerk Publish: September 29, October 6, 13 & 20, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

LEGAL NOTICES

CAMPBELL, JACK A JENSEN AND RUTH L JENSEN, ANN LOUISE MINI, CHARLOTTE PIRNIA, ANN F MACGOWEN AND SUSAN A MACGOWEN, BARBARA D COMPSON, AMIR ESFANDYARI, JOAN C MANTAS, AND ALL OTHER UNKNOWN PARTIES CLAIMING INTERESTS

BY, THROUGH, UNDER, AND AGAINST THE PARTIES HEREIN NAMED, WHETHER SAID UNKNOWN PARTIES MAY CLAIM AN INTEREST AS SPOUSES, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, OR OTHER CLAIMANTS Defendant(s).

AMENDED NOTICE OF ACTION

TO: Joan C Mantas & Nicolas T. Mantas, the unknown spouses, heirs, devisees, grantees, assignees, lienors, creditors, trustees of Joan C Mantas & Nicolas T. Mantas, and all persons claiming by, through, under or against Joan C Mantas & Nicolas T. Mantas or otherwise claim to have any right title, or interest in any of the properties described in COUNT XIV of the Complaint, and all unknown persons, if alive, and if dead, and if not known to be dead or alive, their unknown spouses, heirs, devisees, grantees, assignees, lienors, creditors, trustees or other persons claiming by, through, under or against any unknown person who is known to be dead or otherwise claim to have any right title, or interest in any of the properties described below.

YOU ARE NOTIFIED that an action to foreclose liens on the following properties in Monroe County, Florida more particularly described as follows:

An undivided 1/260th interest as a tenant in common with other owners in the Resort Facility (1 Time Share Interest), according to the Time-Sharing Plan thereof, recorded in the Official Records Book 942, Page 653 through 723, of the Public Records of Monroe County, Florida (Plan).

Together with the right to occupy, pursuant to Plan, Unit 401, during Unit Week 21. has been filed against you and you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to it on Jonathan J. Coto, the plaintiff’s attorney whose address is Coto Law Firm, P.A. 1390 S. Dixie Highway, Suite 1108, Coral Gables, Florida 33146, on or before November 7, 2022, and file the original with the clerk of this court either before service on the plaintiff’s attorney or immediately thereafter; otherwise a default will be entered against you for the relief demanded in the complaint or petition.

DATED on September 26, 2022

KEVIN MADOK, CPA

As Clerk of the Court By: Shonta McLeod As Deputy Clerk Publish: October 6 & 13, 2022 The Weekly Newspapers

TO: William Stafford, the unknown spouses, heirs, devisees, grantees, assignees, lienors, creditors, trustees of William Stafford, and all persons claiming by, through, under or against William Stafford or otherwise claim to have any right title, or interest in any of the properties described in COUNT I, II, III & IV of the Complaint, and all unknown persons, if alive, and if dead, and if not known to be dead or alive, their unknown spouses, heirs, devisees, grantees, assignees, lienors, creditors, trustees or other persons claiming by, through, under or against any unknown person who is known to be dead or otherwise claim to have any right title, or interest in any of the properties described below.

YOU ARE NOTIFIED that an action to foreclose liens on the following properties in Monroe County, Florida more particularly described as follows:

Condominium Unit 105, Unit Weeks 36 and 37, of THE BANYAN TREE OF KEY WEST, together with an undivided interest in the common elements, according to the Declaration of Condominium thereof, recorded in Official Records Book 872, Page 1654, as amended from time to time, of the Public Records on Monroe County, Florida

An undivided 1/260th interest as a tenant in common with other owners in the Resort Facility (1 Time Share Interest), according to the Time-Sharing Plan thereof, recorded in the Official Records Book 942, Page 653, of the Public Records of Monroe County, Florida (Plan). Together with the right to occupy, pursuant to the Plan, Unit 405, during Unit Week 35.

An Undivided 1/416th interest as a tenant in common with other owners in the Resort Facility (1 Time Share Interest), according to the Time-Sharing Plan thereof, recorded in Official Records Book 988, Pages 1510 through 1580, of the Public records of Monroe County, Florida (Plan). Together with the right to occupy, pursuant to the Plan, Unit 503, during Unit Week 35.

Publish:

2022

ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED.

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY CASE NO. 20-CA-000044-K THE BANYAN TREE OF KEY WEST CONDOMINIUM AND OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION, INC., a Florida CORPORATION, Plaintiff, v. WILLIAM STAFFORD, JEFFREY

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY CASE NO. 20-CA-000044-K THE BANYAN TREE OF KEY WEST CONDOMINIUM AND OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION, INC., a Florida CORPORATION, Plaintiff, v. WILLIAM STAFFORD, JEFFREY CAMPBELL, JACK A JENSEN AND RUTH L JENSEN, ANN LOUISE MINI, CHARLOTTE PIRNIA, ANN F MACGOWEN AND SUSAN A MACGOWEN, BARBARA D COMPSON, AMIR ESFANDYARI, JOAN C MANTAS, AND ALL OTHER UNKNOWN PARTIES CLAIMING INTERESTS BY, THROUGH, UNDER, AND AGAINST THE PARTIES HEREIN NAMED, WHETHER SAID UNKNOWN PARTIES MAY CLAIM AN INTEREST AS SPOUSES, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, OR OTHER CLAIMANTS Defendant(s).

Unit 38 in Condominium Parcel Number 105, of the BANYAN TREE OF KEY WEST CONDOMINIUM, together with an undivided interest in the common elements appurtenant thereto, according the Declaration of Condominium thereof recorded in Official Record Book 872 at page 1654 Public Records of Monroe County, FL, together with any amendments thereto. has been filed against you and you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to it on Jonathan J. Coto, the plaintiff’s attorney whose address is Coto Law Firm, P.A. 1390 S. Dixie Highway, Suite 1108, Coral Gables, Florida 33146, on or before November 7, 2022, and file the original with the clerk of this court either before service on the plaintiff’s attorney or immediately thereafter; otherwise a default will be entered against you for the relief demanded in the complaint or petition.

DATED on September 26, 2022 KEVIN MADOK, CPA As Clerk of the Court

By: Shonta McLeod

As Deputy Clerk

Publish: October 6 & 13, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY

CASE NO. 20-CA-000045-K THE BANYAN TREE OF KEY WEST CONDOMINIUM AND OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION, INC., a Florida CORPORATION, Plaintiff, v. WARFIELD M LEWIS, GARY MONTGOMERY AND DR. L. FOLGER WHICKER, BENJAMIN D BARNETT AND JOHN D BARNETT, SUSAN MACGOWEN AND PAULA T. DOWNS, RUSSELL L KERNS

AND SHARON E KERNS, STEVEN C HINTON, DAVID HOPS AND CHRISTINE HOPS, TIMESHARE TRADE INS, LLC C/O SPENCE WILLIS, RORY N HORTON, JUDITH A BEETERIDGE, MELANIE SCHELL, MEREDITH PEACE, JAMES E BRADY AND JANET T MAASBRADY, KENNETH R GILBERT AND RITA G GORMAN, AMIR ESFANDYARI, AND ALL OTHER UNKNOWN PARTIES CLAIMING

INTERESTS BY, THROUGH, UNDER, AND AGAINST THE PARTIES

HEREIN NAMED, WHETHER SAID UNKNOWN PARTIES MAY CLAIM AN INTEREST AS SPOUSES, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS,TRUSTEES, OR OTHER CLAIMANTS Defendant(s).

NOTICE OF ACTION

TO: Judith A. Betteridge, the unknown spouses, heirs, devisees, grantees, assignees, lienors, creditors, trustees of Judith A. Betteridge, and all persons claiming by, through, under or against Judith A. Betteridge or otherwise claim to have any right title, or interest in any of the properties described in COUNT X of the Complaint, and all unknown persons, if alive, and if dead, and if not known to be dead or alive, their unknown spouses, heirs, devisees, grantees, assignees, lienors, creditors, trustees or other persons claiming by, through, under or against any unknown person who is known to be dead or otherwise claim to have any right title, or interest in any of the properties described below.

YOU ARE NOTIFIED that an action to foreclose liens on the following properties in Monroe County, Florida more particularly described as follows:

An Undivided 1/416th interest of THE BANYAN TREE OF KEY WEST CONDOMINIUMS as a tenant in common with other owners in the Resort Facility (1 Time Share Interest), according to the Time Sharing Plan thereof, recorded in Official Records Book 988, Pages 1510 through 1580, of the Public records of Monroe County, Florida (Plan). Together with the right to occupy, pursuant to the plan, Unit 507, during week 33. has been filed against you and you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to it on Jonathan J. Coto, the plaintiff’s attorney whose address is Coto Law Firm, P.A. 1390 S. Dixie Highway, Suite 1108, Coral Gables, Florida 33146, on or before November 7, 2022, and file the original with the clerk of this court either before service on the plaintiff’s attorney or immediately thereafter; otherwise a default will be entered against you for the relief demanded in the complaint or petition.

DATED on September 26, 2022 KEVIN MADOK, CPA

As Clerk of the Court

By: Shonta McLeod As Deputy Clerk Publish: October 6 & 13, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY CASE NO. 20-CA-000045-K

THE BANYAN TREE OF KEY WEST CONDOMINIUM AND OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION, INC., a Florida CORPORATION, Plaintiff, v. WARFIELD M LEWIS, GARY MONTGOMERY AND DR. L. FOLGER WHICKER, BENJAMIN D BARNETT AND JOHN D BARNETT, SUSAN MACGOWEN AND PAULA T. DOWNS, RUSSELL L KERNS AND SHARON E KERNS, STEVEN C HINTON, DAVID HOPS AND CHRISTINE HOPS, TIMESHARE TRADE INS, LLC C/O SPENCE WILLIS, RORY N HORTON, JUDITH A BEETERIDGE, MELANIE SCHELL, MEREDITH PEACE, JAMES E BRADY AND JANET T MAASBRADY, KENNETH R GILBERT AND RITA G GORMAN, AMIR ESFANDYARI, AND ALL OTHER UNKNOWN PARTIES CLAIMING

INTERESTS BY, THROUGH, UNDER, AND AGAINST THE PARTIES HEREIN NAMED, WHETHER SAID UNKNOWN PARTIES MAY CLAIM AN INTEREST AS SPOUSES, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS,TRUSTEES, OR OTHER CLAIMANTS Defendant(s).

NOTICE OF ACTION

TO: Meredith Peace, the unknown spouses, heirs, devisees, grantees, assignees, lienors, creditors, trustees of Meredith Peace, and all persons claiming by, through, under or against Meredith Peace or otherwise claim to have any right title, or interest in any of the properties described in COUNT XII of the Complaint, and all unknown persons, if alive, and if dead, and if not known to be dead or alive, their unknown spouses, heirs, devisees, grantees, assignees, lienors, creditors, trustees or other persons claiming by, through, under or against any unknown person who is known to be dead or otherwise claim to have any right title, or interest in any of the properties described below.

YOU ARE NOTIFIED that an action to foreclose liens on the following properties in Monroe County, Florida more particularly described as follows:

An Undivided 1/416th interest as a tenant in common with other owners in the Resort Facility (1 Time Share Interest), according to the Time-Sharing Plan thereof, recorded in Official Records Book 988, Pages 1510 through 1580, of the Public records of Monroe County, Florida (Plan). Together with the right to occupy, pursuant to the plan, Unit 503, during week 41. has been filed against you and you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to it on Jonathan J. Coto, the plaintiff’s attorney whose address is Coto Law Firm, P.A. 1390 S. Dixie Highway, Suite 1108, Coral Gables, Florida 33146, on or before November 7, 2022, and file the original with the clerk of this court either before service on the plaintiff’s attorney or immediately thereafter; otherwise a default will be entered against you for the relief demanded in the complaint or petition.

DATED on September 26, 2022 KEVIN MADOK, CPA

As Clerk of the Court

By: Shonta McLeod As Deputy Clerk Publish: October 6 & 13, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY CASE NO. 20-CA-000045-K THE BANYAN TREE OF KEY WEST CONDOMINIUM AND OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION, INC., a Florida CORPORATION, Plaintiff, v.

WARFIELD M LEWIS, GARY MONTGOMERY AND DR. L. FOLGER WHICKER, BENJAMIN D BARNETT AND JOHN D BARNETT, SUSAN MACGOWEN AND PAULA T. DOWNS, RUSSELL L KERNS AND SHARON E KERNS, STEVEN C HINTON, DAVID HOPS AND CHRISTINE HOPS, TIMESHARE TRADE INS, LLC C/O SPENCE WILLIS, RORY N HORTON, JUDITH A BEETERIDGE, MELANIE SCHELL, MEREDITH PEACE, JAMES E BRADY AND JANET T MAASBRADY, KENNETH R GILBERT AND RITA G GORMAN, AMIR ESFANDYARI, AND ALL OTHER UNKNOWN PARTIES CLAIMING INTERESTS BY, THROUGH, UNDER, AND AGAINST THE PARTIES HEREIN NAMED, WHETHER SAID UNKNOWN PARTIES MAY CLAIM AN INTEREST AS SPOUSES, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS,TRUSTEES, OR OTHER CLAIMANTS Defendant(s).

NOTICE OF ACTION TO: Melanie Schell, the unknown spouses, heirs, devisees,

LEGAL NOTICES LEGAL NOTICES

grantees, assignees, lienors, creditors, trustees of Melanie Schell, and all persons claiming by, through, under or against Melanie Schell or otherwise claim to have any right title, or interest in any of the properties described in COUNT XI of the Complaint, and all unknown persons, if alive, and if dead, and if not known to be dead or alive, their unknown spouses, heirs, devisees, grantees, assignees, lienors, creditors, trustees or other persons claiming by, through, under or against any unknown person who is known to be dead or otherwise claim to have any right title, or interest in any of the properties described below.

YOU ARE NOTIFIED that an action to foreclose liens on the following properties in Monroe County, Florida more particularly described as follows: An undivided 1/104th interest as a tenant in common with other owners in the Resort Facility (1 Time Share Interest), according to the Time-Sharing Plan thereof, recorded in Official Records Book 1047, Pages 1785 through 1856, of the Public Records of Monroe County, Florida (Plan). Together with the right to occupy, pursuant to the Plan, Unit 701, during Unit Week 50. has been filed against you and you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to it on Jonathan J. Coto, the plaintiff’s attorney whose address is Coto Law Firm, P.A. 1390 S. Dixie Highway, Suite 1108, Coral Gables, Florida 33146, on or before November 7, 2022, and file the original with the clerk of this court either before service on the plaintiff’s attorney or immediately thereafter; otherwise a default will be entered against you for the relief demanded in the complaint or petition.

DATED on September 26, 2022 KEVIN MADOK, CPA As Clerk of the Court By: Shonta McLeod As Deputy Clerk Publish: October 6 & 13, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY CASE NO. 20-CA-000045-K THE BANYAN TREE OF KEY WEST CONDOMINIUM AND OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION, INC., a Florida CORPORATION, Plaintiff, v. WARFIELD M LEWIS, GARY MONTGOMERY AND DR. L. FOLGER WHICKER, BENJAMIN D BARNETT AND JOHN D BARNETT, SUSAN MACGOWEN AND PAULA T. DOWNS, RUSSELL L KERNS AND SHARON E KERNS, STEVEN C HINTON, DAVID HOPS AND CHRISTINE HOPS, TIMESHARE TRADE INS, LLC C/O SPENCE WILLIS, RORY N HORTON, JUDITH A BEETERIDGE, MELANIE SCHELL, MEREDITH PEACE, JAMES E BRADY AND JANET T MAASBRADY, KENNETH R GILBERT AND RITA G GORMAN, AMIR ESFANDYARI, AND ALL OTHER UNKNOWN PARTIES CLAIMING INTERESTS BY, THROUGH, UNDER, AND AGAINST THE PARTIES HEREIN NAMED, WHETHER SAID UNKNOWN PARTIES MAY CLAIM AN INTEREST AS SPOUSES, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS,TRUSTEES, OR OTHER CLAIMANTS Defendant(s).

AMENDED NOTICE OF ACTION TO: Rory N Horton, the unknown spouses, heirs, devisees, grantees, assignees, lienors, creditors, trustees of Rory N Horton, and all persons claiming by, through, under or against Rory N Horton or otherwise claim to have any right title, or interest in any of the properties described in COUNT IX of the Complaint, and all unknown persons, if alive, and if dead, and if not known to be dead or alive, their unknown spouses, heirs, devisees, grantees, assignees,

lienors, creditors, trustees or other persons claiming by, through, under or against any unknown person who is known to be dead or otherwise claim to have any right title, or interest in any of the properties described below.

YOU ARE NOTIFIED that an action to foreclose liens on the following properties in Monroe County, Florida more particularly described as follows:

An Undivided 1/416th interest as a tenant in common with other owners in the Resort Facility (1 Time Share Interest), according to the Time-Sharing Plan thereof, recorded in Official Records Book 988, Pages 1510 through 1580, of the Public records of Monroe County, Florida (Plan). Together with the right to occupy, pursuant to the plan, Unit 506, during week 34. has been filed against you and you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to it on Jonathan J. Coto, the plaintiff’s attorney whose address is Coto Law Firm, P.A. 1390 S. Dixie Highway, Suite 1108, Coral Gables, Florida 33146, on or before November 7, 2022, and file the original with the clerk of this court either before service on the plaintiff’s attorney or immediately thereafter; otherwise a default will be entered against you for the relief demanded in the complaint or petition.

DATED on September 26, 2022

KEVIN MADOK, CPA

As Clerk of the Court

By: Shonta McLeod

As Deputy Clerk Publish: October 6 & 13, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA

IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY

CASE NO. 20-CA-000045-K THE BANYAN TREE OF KEY WEST CONDOMINIUM AND OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION, INC., a Florida CORPORATION, Plaintiff, v. WARFIELD M LEWIS, GARY MONTGOMERY AND DR. L. FOLGER WHICKER, BENJAMIN D BARNETT AND JOHN D BARNETT, SUSAN MACGOWEN AND PAULA T. DOWNS, RUSSELL L KERNS AND SHARON E KERNS, STEVEN C HINTON, DAVID HOPS AND CHRISTINE HOPS, TIMESHARE TRADE INS, LLC C/O SPENCE WILLIS, RORY N HORTON, JUDITH A BEETERIDGE, MELANIE SCHELL, MEREDITH PEACE, JAMES E BRADY AND JANET T MAASBRADY, KENNETH R GILBERT AND RITA G GORMAN, AMIR ESFANDYARI, AND ALL OTHER UNKNOWN PARTIES CLAIMING INTERESTS BY, THROUGH, UNDER, AND AGAINST THE PARTIES HEREIN NAMED, WHETHER SAID UNKNOWN PARTIES MAY CLAIM AN INTEREST AS SPOUSES, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS,TRUSTEES, OR OTHER CLAIMANTS

Defendant(s).

AMENDED NOTICE OF ACTION

TO: Paula T Downs, the unknown spouses, heirs, devisees, grantees, assignees, lienors, creditors, trustees of Paula T Downs, and all persons claiming by, through, under or against Paula T Downs or otherwise claim to have any right title, or interest in any of the properties described in COUNT IV of the Complaint, and all unknown persons, if alive, and if dead, and if not known to be dead or alive, their unknown spouses, heirs, devisees, grantees, assignees, lienors, creditors, trustees or other persons claiming by, through, under or against any unknown person who is known to be dead or otherwise claim to have any right title, or interest in any of the properties described below.

YOU ARE NOTIFIED that an action to foreclose liens on the following properties in Monroe County, Florida more particularly described as follows:

Condominium Unit No. 508 of Unit Week 24, of BANYAN TREE OF KEY WEST, CONDOMINIUM, together with an undivided interest in common elements, according to the Declaration thereof, as recorded in Official Records Book 988, at Page 1510, of the Public Records of MONROE County, Florida. has been filed against you and you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to it on Jonathan J. Coto, the plaintiff’s attorney whose address is Coto Law Firm, P.A. 1390 S. Dixie Highway, Suite 1108, Coral Gables, Florida 33146, on or before November 7, 2022, and file the original with the clerk of this court either before service on the plaintiff’s attorney or immediately thereafter; otherwise a default will be entered against you for the relief demanded in the complaint or petition.

DATED on September 26, 2022

KEVIN MADOK, CPA

As Clerk of the Court

By: Shonta McLeod

As Deputy Clerk

Publish: October 6 & 13, 2022

The Weekly Newspapers

AUTOS WANTED

ALL YEARS! Junk or Used. Cars - Vans - TrucksRunning or Not. $CASH$ 305-332-0483

BOATS FOR SALE

FOR SALE: 2007 Cobia - 19 ft, with T-top, 115hp Yamaha. No trailer. Located in Marathon. $9,900 Text 305-743-6098

BOAT SLIPS & TRAILER STORAGE

Boat Trailer Spaces Available. $100 per week. Boat dockage available $100 per weeWk. Easy access to the Atlantic and lighthouse. Boat length 32’ or less! Dockage is eighty feet long with good depth for boats. Phone 336-408-8140 or 336-287-3345.

EMPLOYMENT

Dolphins Plus Marine Mammal Responder is hiring an overnight Security Guard- responsibilities include but are not limited to observing marine mammals to ensure quality care, the ability to follow written instructions, and follow protocol and procedures as directed. Candidates must be able to lift 50 lbs and must be able to stay awake and alert for a 13 and a 1/2 hour shift (5:30pm7am). DPMMR is a drug-free workplace. To apply, please send your resume to nancyc@dpmmr.org.

Frank's Grill in Marathon now hiring servers. Evening and daytime. Call Joanna at 305-731-8346

Immediate positions available at the Grassy Key Marina. Under new ownership and looking for smiling faces. Full-time or parttime available. Pay rates are commensurate with experience but we are willing to interview those with no experience who have an interest in working in a marina environment. Please call Randall Glass to schedule an interview at 305-465-1491.

Help Wanted- experienced or will train- full time- benefitsElectrical Work with well established company in business since 1998- Marathon. Email to am.companies@gmail. com or call 305-393-0971.

Marathon Yacht Club is hiring a part-time bartender/ server. $12/hr + Guaranteed tip pool, employee meals, private club & friendly atmosphere. Saturday evenings required, some week nights. Call 305-7436739 to schedule an interview.

Pancho's Fuel Dock in Marathon is looking for a part-time cashier Thu/Fri/Sat. Please call 305-743-2281.

NOW HIRING - Full Time Seafood Packers/Graders. Competitive Wage. Apply in person at Keys Fisheries Fish House, 3390 Gulfview Ave, Marathon. EOE DFWP

CDL Drivers needed. Must have a clean record & drug free. We are offering competitive wages. Please apply in person at Discount Rock & Sand, 10500 Aviation Blvd, Unit 2, Marathon

City of Marathon Current Job Openings: Utilities Maintenance, Recreation Specialist, Right of Way Technician, Parttime Marina Custodian/ Maintenance and Marina Tech/Pump Out Captain. Full Benefits. EOE Please see City website for details www.ci.marathon.fl.us

Come Join Our Family and Have Fun At Work! Hiring: Host, Hostess & Servers - Full &/or parttime. AM & PM Shifts. Apply in person at Castaway Restaurant, end of 15th Street, Oceanside, Marathon or email: lobstercrawl@gmail.com

Immediate openings for experienced plumbers and helpers (with or without experience - we will train the right person). Must have a valid driver's license & clean driving record. Please apply in person at 10700 5th Avenue Gulf, Marathon or email resume to: eerpinc@gmail.com

NOW HIRING: Sweet Savannah's is now hiring for multiple positions: Cashiermust be 16 yrs or older, Fulltime Baker & Part-time Baker's Assistant. Stop by for an application at 8919 Overseas Highway, Marathon or email: info@sweetsavannahs.com

The Housing Authority of the City of Key West now hiring the following positions: Maintenance Mechanic (Maintenance Worker), Med Tech, Protective Service Aide, Resident Activities Coordinator. 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.orgEOE & Drug Free Work Place. This opportunity is covered under Section 3 of the HUD Act of 1968.

Serve/Bartend on the ocean! FT/PT Ocean front private swim club is seeking customer service oriented server/bartender. Serve on pool deck, beach and/or bar lounge. Open year round, 10am-7pm daily. Full time/Part time. Small friendly staff. Above average hourly wage plus tips. Apply in person at 425 E. Ocean Dr. Key Colony Beach or call 404219-3359 and ask for Dave.

Place your Employment ad here! Up to 5 lines of copy for only $25.00/week. Call 305-743-0844 today and find your needed staff!

HOBBIES/COLLECT.

PRIVATE COLLECTOR WANTS Rolex, Dive Watches and Pilot Watches. Old Model Military Clocks & Watches. Call 305-743-4578

HOUSING FOR RENT LONG TERM

Las Brisa - 2BR/2BA Unfurnished, great view, W/D, covered parking. Tennis, Swimming Pool & BBQ on property. Across from Smather’s Beach, Key West. $3,900/month + util. F/L/S Owner/Agent Douglas Miller 305-747-1700

STUDIO APT FOR RENT - Furnished Studio Apt w/ patio, like new, W/D, off street parking. Key West. $2,300/month including util. F/L/S Owner/Agent Douglas Miller 305-747-1700

Key Largo - 2BR/2BA Spacious Doublewide, 1400 sq ft modular on canal w/40’ dock, direct ocean access. Very nice community $3200/month 786-258-3127

For Rent in Marathon. Room with balcony, private entrance, and bathroom. Kitchen and laundry privileges. Utilities included. Ask for Dianna at 305-9239181. $1,200 monthly. First and last req. No pets. RENTED IN LESS THAN ONE WEEK!

HOME FOR SALE

For Sale By Owner. 3BR/2BA Older Conch House - built in 1950 - ground levelMarathon/Grassy Key. By appointment only. No Realtors. $475,000 305-395-0806

MISC. FOR SALE

FOR SALE - Lifesize Bronze Mermaid Table w/ Six Chairs. Must see - located in Marathon. $5,000.00 305-923-9181

FOR SALE

1981 35’ Viking Sport Fisher

Double Decker with Twin Cat 3208’s and a Generator.

Rebuilt in 2021, Stateroom, Head, Shower, Galley with Full Refrigerator, Air Fryer Oven, Freezer, Ice Machine, Air Conditioning. Over $75,000 invested. Transferable Slip in Marathon. Asking $59,000. 970-618-6737

NOW HIRING

PRIVATE ESTATE HOUSEMAN

Islamorada | Full Time | $25.00 +/hr

Must have previous houseman or related experience, valid US DL and SSN. Must be able to pass background checks and be a self-starter who can follow directions

ESTAMOS CONTRATANDO

Tiempo completo, mantenimiento de exterior en casa privada. Localizada en Islamorada, a $25.00+/hr. experiencia previa requerida o similar. Licencia valida en EE.UU. y numero de Seguro social. Capaz de pasar verificacion de antecedents y prueba de droga. Emprendedor motivado capaz de seguir instruciones.

Email resume & references to Lnz777@aol.com or mail to: Resume, c/o Post Net, 88005 Overseas Hwy, Suite 10, Box #162, Islamorada, FL 33036

Marathon.

marketing or related field.

degree and/or equivalent

of

digital assets, such as text, graphics or multimedia

for search engine optimization (SEO) or for display and usability on internet-connected

to: Upper Crust Pizza Inc.

Raisa Carolina Gonzalez, 3740 Overseas Highway

Marathon, Florida

SENIOR ACCOUNTANT

WESLEY HOUSE FAMILY SERVICES is looking for an experienced SENIOR ACCOUNTANT with at least ve years of experience with heavy emphasis on bookkeeping and computer skills in our Key West of ce. Responsibilities include maintaining and reporting on the agency’s grant contracts, payroll, accounts payable and other duties under direct supervision of the Controller. Bachelor’s degree in accounting or business preferred and/or demonstrated experience in the eld. Salary range $55,000-$70,000, commensurate with experience, plus an excellent bene t package. Additional information about the position and the agency can be found at www.wesleyhouse.org. Interested candidates can email resume to HR@wesleyhouse.org. Wesley House Family Services is an equal opportunity employer and drug free workplace.

Keys Energy Services, in Key West, is accepting applications for the following position in its Customer Services Department:

CUSTOMER SERVICES REPRESENTATIVE I

Starting pay rate for this position, depending on qualifications and experience: $19.82/hr. - $22.20/hr.

For more information, including job duties and required qualifications, and to apply for the job, please visit their website at www.KeysEnergy.com.

KEYS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

KEYS promotes a Drug-Free Workplace.

Certain service members, veterans, the spouses and family members of service members and veterans, receive preference and priority in employment, and are encouraged to apply for positions being filled.

Keys Energy Services, in Key West, is accepting applications for the following position in its Fleets & Facilities Section:

APPRENTICE MAINTENANCE PERSON

Starting pay rate for this position, depending on qualifications and experience: $22.48/hr. - $25.17/hr.

For more information, including job duties and required qualifications, and to apply for the job, please visit their website at www.KeysEnergy.com.

KEYS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

KEYS promotes a Drug-Free Workplace.

Certain service members, veterans, the spouses and family members of service members and veterans, receive preference and priority in employment, and are encouraged to apply for positions being filled.

Keys Energy Services, in Key West, is accepting applications for the following position in its Transmission & Distribution Department:

TREE TRIMMER

Starting pay rate for this position, depending on qualifications and experience: $25.04/hr. - $28.04/hr.

For more information, including job duties and required qualifications, and to apply for the job, please visit their website at www.KeysEnergy.com.

KEYS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. KEYS promotes a Drug-Free Workplace.

Certain service members, veterans, the spouses and family members of service members and veterans, receive preference and priority in employment, and are encouraged to apply for positions being filled.

Keys Energy Services, in Key West, is accepting applications for the following position in its Fleets & Facilities Section:

AUTO DIESEL VEHICLE TECHNICIAN

Starting pay rate for this position, depending on qualifications and experience: $27.17/hr. - $30.43/hr.

For more information, including job duties and required qualifications, and to apply for the job, please visit their website at www.KeysEnergy.com.

KEYS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. KEYS promotes a Drug-Free Workplace. Certain service members, veterans, the spouses and family members of service members and veterans, receive preference and priority in employment, and are encouraged to apply for positions being filled.

SUNSET GRILLE IS LOOKING FOR A FRONT OF HOUSE MANAGER

The Front of House Manager plans and directs all day to day restaurant operations. Maintains high standards of food, service, health and safety; ensures the efficient and profitable business performance of the restaurant and the optimal utilization of staff and resources.

• Perform opening and closing duties in accordance with established policies and procedures.

• Oversee and support front of house supervisors

• Oversee overall maintenance of the restaurant and property

• Coordinate restaurant operations to include daily schedules and identifying recruiting needs

• Responsible for ensuring guest satisfaction and quality guest experience

• Maintain employee records

• Oversee training and identify training needs

• Responsible for new hire onboarding and orientation

• Conduct staff meetings when necessary

• Monitor labor and operational costs

• Identify and estimate food and beverage supply requirements/needs and ensure inventory needs are met

• Perform other duties as assigned

Apply in person 7 Knights Key Blvd, Marathon. No phone calls please.

DUI

INSTRUCTOR

OPEN POSITIONS

TAVERNIER MARINERS HOSPITAL

- Cook, $5,000 Bonus

- Environmental Tech, $5,000 Bonus

- Manager Medical Staff

- Medical Technologist, $15,000 Bonus

- Hyperbaric Tech

- Nurse Supervisor

- Monitor Technician, Cardiac Telemetry

- Multi-Modality Imag Tech, $9,000 Bonus

- Patient Experience Advocate, Patient Experience

- Pool Physical Therapist

- Registered Nurse, Emergency Department, $20,000 Bonus

- Registered Nurse, Multispecialty Acute Care Ctr, $20,000 Bonus

- Registered Nurse, Surgery, $20,000 Bonus

- Registered Respiratory Therapist, $15,000 Bonus

MARATHON FISHERMEN’S

COMMUNITY HOSPITAL

- Cook $5,000 Bonus

- Dietitian $5,000 Bonus - ED Team Coordinator

- Floor Technician $5,000 Bonus

- Medical Technologist, $15,000 Bonus - Nurse Supervisor - Multi-Modality Imag Tech, $9,000 Bonus - Patient Experience Advocate - Phlebotomist, $10,000 Bonus - Pool Physical Therapist

- Registered Nurse, Emergency Department, $20,000 Bonus

- Registered Nurse, Multispecialty Acute Care, $20,000 Bonus - Registered Nurse, $20,000 Bonus - Security Of cer - Supervisor Laboratory, $15,000 Bonus - Surgical Technologist

PHYSICIAN PRACTICE - TAVERNIER

- Advance Practice Provider (Physician Assistant)

- Nurse Practitioner

- Physician Practice Patient Rep, $1,000 Bonus - Medical Assistant, $3,000 Bonus

APPLY AND LEARN MORE

WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT OPERATOR

LOCATION: CUDJOE KEY & DUCK KEY

The Turtle Hospital in

EEO, VPE, ADA, DFW

Volunteer

School

Education

Benefits

Education

Full

DOLPHIN RESEARCH CENTER

58901 O/S Hwy

TIME / FULL TIME OPPORTUNITIES

SCHEDULES

TEMPORARY ENGINEER

AGENT

COOK

SERVER

ATTENDANT

SPA TERRE AT OCEAN KEY:

TECHNICIAN

MASSAGE THERAPIST

WE ARE EXCITED TO OFFER

EMPLOYEE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES IN OLD TOWN!

SCAN TO VIEW JOB OPENINGS. APPLY TODAY!

MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Pigeon Key is seeking dedicated professionals seeking to make a positive impact in their community. Those individuals who wish to work on a uniquely beautiful island , while promoting our cultural history and preserving the natural Keys environment are encouraged to apply. Competitive wages based on ability and experience. Applicants will be subject to criminal background check and drug screening.

Positions include: Trolley Operator (CDL licensing course provided for qualified applicant) Tour Guides, Sales Associates, Customer Relations Reps, Maintenance, Rental Associates and more.

Application online at pigeonkey.net - under the Staff icon. Or apply in person at the Pigeon Key Gift Shop, 2010 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL. Questions and completed applications can be emailed to pigeonkey@aol.com

Key Resort and Spa is EOE.

KEY LARGO

KEY WEST

MARATHON

Samess

Alexia

Tewes Mortgage

Brian Tewes

Will

Karen Raspe