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Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica as a Category 5 storm on Oct. 28. Jamaica has never taken a hit from a Category 5 hurricane. The storm proceeded to Cuba, where evacuations were ordered on Oct. 28 in Santiago de Cuba, the second-most populated province. The storm won’t threaten the continental U.S.
Happy Halloween, Key West. After a week of adult fun at Fantasy Fest, Friday, Oct. 31 is for the kids. See page 12 for safety tips from the Key West Police Department. Cover image is AI-generated
Why waste time with a bunch of words, when photos tell the true story of another Fantasy Fest in Key West?
Tens of thousands of costumed revelers took the theme to heart and brought to life the 2025 theme of “Bedtime Stories and Magical Monsters.” Peter Pan flew above the parade crowd. A pony was transformed into a winged dragon. Dozens of little pigs danced down Duval and, as always, the local favorite Masquerade March reminded us all of Key West’s magic. Now, for the photos…
A selection of photos from the Pet Masquerade, Masquerade March and Deep Eddy Fantasy Fest Parade. Photos by LARRY BLACKBURN & CAROL TEDESCO
The Florida Keys just launched a brand-new website that uses high-tech tools to promote the low-key luxury that defines the island chain. The new site also comes with a more user-friendly web address — visitfloridakeys.com.
As of this week, the uncomplicated visitfloridakeys.com is the Florida Keys’ official tourism website — no more fussy punctuation or abbreviations that were part of the decades-old fla-keys.com.
But visitors will find plenty of familiar images and features on the new website, which still showcases each region of the Florida Keys with activities, lodging options, special events and more.
“We wanted the new site to be different and unique, but not jarringly unfamiliar,” said Jeanne Quinn, the TDC’s senior vice president of partnerships and technology. “We have a lot of great content from the original site, which is still featured on the new site, so there’s still a familiar twinge.”
Embracing AI technology
“Building the new site from the ground up let us focus on AI and digital-first innovation from the start,” said Quinn. “We now have a best-inclass platform that will continue to evolve to keep the Florida Keys and our tourism partners at the forefront of visitors’ minds, however and wherever they are doing their travel planning.”
Perhaps most significantly, the new website is completely optimized for artificial intelligence (AI), which is changing the way people plan their trips, choose their vacation spots, book their hotels and schedule their activities.
“When you think about online search results these days, more and more, you’re getting AI-generated overviews in paragraph form, at the top of the results,” Quinn said. “And as AI changes the way people plan their travel, we had to build the site so it works for both people — with pretty images and engaging descriptions — and for the machines (AI).”
Quinn said the data and information on the site has to be easily accessible and included in specific formats, so an AI chatbot can find whatever a person asks it for. And when a website’s goal is to bring tourists to a destination, then that website has to ensure the destination is discoverable and visible to the AI bots, Quinn said.
That AI optimization was designed throughout the entire website, which now features free, AI-optimized and highly discoverable listings for 2,000 local businesses and organizations — a
HIGH-TECH HOSPITALITY: FLORIDA KEYS UNVEILS NEW TOURISM WEBSITE
significant increase from the 300 or so business listings on the original website, Quinn said.
“Plus, the new Keyswide events calendar is fatter and more robust. We can update the business listings and event information in seconds. And, of course, they’re all AI-optimized to show up in those search results,” Quinn said, adding that the site features its own chat bot.
The “Conch-cierge” is a virtual travel assistant that helps visitors plan their trips. It’s fluent in over 45 languages, and instantly and intuitively helps travelers uncover hidden gems, local insights and the best ways to experience the community, making the Florida Keys more accessible than ever to a global audience.
Webcams: Real views in real time
In addition to videos from special events, beach days and fishing boats featured throughout the site, visitfloridakeys.com also features live webcams streaming unedited footage from nearly 60 locations throughout the island chain. Watch sunrises and sunsets over the water, check out the day’s catch at busy marinas or pick out a pool chair at the hotel before you come down. The webcams offer a front-row seat to island life, streaming 24/7, with more locations being added soon.
Next-generation digital marketing
“The new platform represents a major leap forward in how visitors can plan, explore and experience the Keys, with powerful new tools designed to benefit both travelers and tourism partners,” states a press release from the TDC. The organization worked with MMGY Global to develop the new website, which took seven months and cost about $400,000.
“The new website positions the Keys for the next generation of digital marketing and represents a new standard for how destinations can engage the modern traveler,” said Kara Franker, the TDC’s president and CEO. “The new website is part of our growing focus on artificial intelligence and data innovation. As travel planning shifts from search engines to AI chatbots like ChatGPT, the new site ensures Florida Keys businesses remain discoverable when travelers ask AI where to go. This is because the website acts as the primary source of verified information that AI agents and travel platforms can draw on, helping Keys businesses and experiences remain visible in an AI-powered future.”
Any businesses that want to add/ update their free website listing can email partners@fla-keys.com.
Key West & Cuba’s Museum Quality Regional Art
Celebrating Cultural Resilience
CUBAN ART TOURS
November 10-14, 2025 & April 20-24, 2026
Mabel Poblet Pujol
Invocation, from the Series “Homeland”20’’ x 20’’ x 20’’, Photograph on Plexiglass with Rotative Engine
Mabel Poblet is a Cuban contemporary artist celebrated for her multimedia work that explores memory, identity, and emotional landscapes. A graduate of Cuba’s prestigious Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA), Poblet blends photography, video, sculpture, and kinetic installations to create immersive environments that often re ect on personal and collective histories.
Her signature works feature intricate layers of acetate, mirrors, and light, evoking oceanic depth and psychological introspection. Poblet represented Cuba at the 2017 Venice Biennale and has exhibited internationally in museums & foundations including Paris, The Chanel Foundation Tokyo, Madrid, Washington DC and Key West. Her installations often engage themes of migration, fragmentation, and the tension between visibility and erasure.
She maintains a strong connection to Key West through her residency at The Studios of Key West, where her permanent installation “High Tide” remains a luminous tribute to the sea and memory.
island inspired
An island inspired treasure trove where fashion meets paradise. Nestled into the heart of Key West, we’re your go-to destination for splurge worthy finds and fashion forward essentials. Featuring the latest styles from Farm Rio, Alemais, Oliphant & many more.
Works Available on Approval & Concierge Services from Key West to Key Largo
The Gallery on Greene | 606 Greene Street | Key West, Florida galleryongreene.com | 305-304-2323
OPEN DAILY FROM 10 AM TO 5 PM 624 Whitehead Street | Key West 305.735.4674 | Instagram @floatkeywest
OFF TO THE RACES COMMISSIONER SAM KAUFMAN ENTERS MAYOR’S RACE
Cops clock 5th grade speedsters at Pelicans & Police event
Eager Poinciana Elementary School fifth graders took to the starting line on bikes, roller skates and trusty sneakers the morning of Oct. 28 as Key West police officers clocked their speed with legit radar guns for the quarterly Pelicans and Police school event.
Fifth grade math teacher Sarah Garr created the event six years ago to build lasting and friendly relationships between kids and police officers while also teaching math, career — and early driving — lessons. .
“Chief Sean Brandenburg and I wanted to create an opportunity for our fifth graders — our young leaders — to form a connection with Key West police officers,” said Garr. “Especially nowadays with everything that’s on social media, it’s important to have positive relationships with police officers. Chief Brandenburg has been instrumental in securing funding for the event through the Rotary and Masonic Lodge.”
Every quarter, Garr and Brandenburg host activities for students and police officers, including scavenger hunts and field days, to help kids feel more comfortable and familiar with local law enforcement.
“The day I was sworn in as police chief, my opening statement read, ‘Get to know us before you need us,’” Brandenburg told the Keys Weekly. “I feel like if you know the person you’re helping, it’s a safer encounter for both of us.”
2. Officer K.E. Beerbower hands out free bike helmets.
3. Key West Police use their radar guns to clock students’ top speeds on bikes, roller skates and foot. All speed demons were let off with a warning. WYATT SAMUELSON/ Keys Weekly
As the fifth graders dashed past the uniformed officers for their morning race, their classmates recorded speed times on math worksheets Garr had created, tracking their results to find the mean, mode, median and range — turning the races into a hands-on math lesson.
There was no shortage of energy as students ran friendly races with their peers and even a few teachers. Even Principal Tara Whitehead stepped up to the starting line as kids and parents cheered her on.
After the races, students gathered around the officers, asking all kinds of questions they’d come up with themselves, from “Why did you become a police officer?” to “What’s your favorite piece of gear?” and even “What’s the scariest thing you’ve seen?” The officers were as quick with their answers as the kids were on their feet.
The exchange gave students valuable insight into the world of policing while teaching them how to interact confidently and respectfully with people in positions of authority. The day wrapped up with donuts, “power rings,” as the chief calls them, before everyone headed back to their “stations” for the day.
He’ll face incumbent Dee Dee Henriquez
MANDY MILES
mandy@keysweekly.com
Come August 2026, Key West voters will be asked to choose a mayor and a couple of city commissioners.
Mayor Dee Dee Henriquez, who plans to seek reelection to her second term in August, drew a challenger on Oct. 27, when commissioner and local attorney Sam Kaufman, who has represented District 2 since 2015, filed paperwork to run for mayor.
Key West City Commissioner Sam Kaufman on Oct. 27 filed paperwork to run for mayor in August 2026. CONTRIBUTED
Prior to Kaufman’s announced candidacy, resident Chris McNulty had thrown his hat in the ring in July, but told the Keys Weekly on Oct. 27 that he is withdrawing from the race to support Kaufman. McNulty’s candidacy was borne of frustration with the commission over decisions about immigration enforcement and the rainbow crosswalks.
“Throughout these recent decisions at Key West City Hall, I witnessed Sam Kaufman consistently speaking up for the people of Key West, articulately fighting for our rights and sovereignty as an island community in the face of federal and state overreach,” McNulty said. “I firmly believe commissioner Kaufman is the right person for the job of mayor of Key West.”
In addition to representing District 2 for a decade, Kaufman served as vice mayor under then-mayor Teri Johnston, from 2018 through 2024.
“Key West deserves leadership that listens, unites and works for everyone,” Kaufman said. “Our greatest strength is our people and I intend to bring the community together to face our challenges head-on with fairness, collaboration, and respect.”
He said his campaign will focus on consensus-building, transparency, fiscal responsibility and community participation.
“As a city commissioner and vice mayor, Kaufman has provided steady leadership through some of the city’s
most difficult years, including the COVID-19 pandemic and periods of major hurricane response and recovery, working to keep local government responsible and accessible,” states a campaign press release.
“During the pandemic and hurricane recovery, we learned what true community means,” Kaufman said. “Key West showed compassion, resilience and courage and I will continue to lead with those same values as mayor.”
The press release says Kaufman has also played a role in the ongoing process to select the next operator of the Lower Keys Medical Center, emphasizing transparency, stakeholder input and accountability to ensure the best outcome for local health care.
“Our hospital is at the heart of our community,” Kaufman said. “We must make sure the next operator puts patients first, treats our local health-care professionals with respect, and provides the quality of care our residents deserve.”
“These past 10 years have given me a deep understanding of how our city works and, just as importantly, how it can work better,” Kaufman said. “I believe we can balance growth with preservation, fiscal discipline with compassion and progress with respect for what makes Key West unique.”
Kaufman said his campaign emphasizes unity and participation, building consensus across the community and ensuring that residents’ voices guide the city’s future.
More information is available via email to Sam@KaufmanforKeyWest.com or at kaufmanforkeywest. com.
About Sam Kaufman
Sam Kaufman has been a resident of Key West for 27 years. His community involvement beyond City Hall includes:
• Serving as a mentor for the Take Stock in Children program
• Serving as an executive board member of the Key West Art & Historical Society
• Serving on the board of the Florida Keys SPCA
• Chairing the Florida Keys Outreach Coalition, where he has served for over 25 years helping individuals and families in need of housing, food and recovery services.
1. Key West Police officers join Poinciana fifth graders for the quarterly Pelicans & Police event.
WYATT SAMUELSON www.keysweekly.com
SARAH COMPTON CHALLENGES COMMISSIONER LISSETTE CAREY
Says
campaign will focus on ‘integrity over corruption’
MANDY MILES
mandy@keysweekly.com
Following a failed attempt to recall commissioner Lissette Carey in Key West’s District 4, a longtime resident has entered the race to unseat her.
Monroe County Supervisor of Elections Sherri Hodies had to invalidate the recall petitions because they were not gathered within the timeframe required by the state.
As of Oct. 27, the District 4 seat is up for grabs.
Key West business owner Sarah Compton on Oct. 27 joined the city commission race to represent District IV. She is likely to face incumbent Lissette Carey, who has not confirmed that she will seek reelection. CONTRIBUTED
Local business owner and community advocate Sarah Compton filed paperwork to join the city commission race in District IV “with a campaign built on three simple promises: Brave leadership, honest service and community first.”
“I’m running because I love this island and the people who make it what it is,” Compton said in a campaign press release. “Key West deserves leadership that listens, that tells the truth and remembers who it serves — our neighbors, our workers and our small businesses.”
Compton, who owns a locally based hospitality and marketing agency, has long worked to strengthen connections among local businesses, concierges and cultural organizations. Her career has centered on collaboration, transparency and protecting the character of the island she calls home.
“When we lead with integrity, everything else follows — stronger neighborhoods, fairer policies and a government people can trust again,” she said. “I’m not here to play politics. I’m here to serve this community and to help build the kind of future we can all be proud of.”
Her campaign emphasizes fiscal responsibility, cultural preservation and rebuilding public trust through open, honest communication. She hopes to bring residents together across divides to ensure Key West continues to thrive as a community guided by compassion and fairness.
Compton said her campaign will focus on three key priorities:
• Integrity over corruption: Decisions based on fairness and facts, not favoritism.
• Community over politics: Putting people before power and fostering open communication.
• Future over status quo: Protecting what makes Key West special while planning smart for what’s ahead.
“Key West has always been ‘One Human Family,’” Compton added. “Our job now is to make sure that spirit is reflected in City Hall.”
More information is at comptonforcommissioner.com or at @SC4IV on social media.
Carey did not immediately return a request for comment asking whether she intends to seek reelection.
The District IV race will likely be hotly watched, given the recent attempt to recall Carey, given her involvement in the clandestine plot to oust former city manager Al Childress and a scathing review of her job performance this past spring by a Monroe County grand jury.
Carey recently asked the city to reimburse her for the money she spent fighting the recall attempt, after she had said in a public meeting that she would allow the democratic process to play out.
CHRIS MASSICOTTE ENTERS COMMISSION RACE
Harry Russell also vies for the seat Mary Lou Hoover will vacate
MANDY MILES mandy@keysweekly.com
As national headlines about the 2026 midterm elections start to dominate the news, Key West is strapping in for its own city elections that will take place Aug. 18, 2026. If no candidate in a race receives more than 50% of the vote, that race will head to a runoff election on Nov. 3, 2026.
Community activist Chris Massicotte announces candidacy for the District 5 Key West city commission seat. CONTRIBUTED
In District 5, Commissioner Mary Lou Hoover will not seek reelection due to health problems. But two others are vying for the job.
Community advocate and civic leader Chris Massicotte on Oct. 27 announced his candidacy for the District 5 seat, pledging to restore trust and confidence in local government, rein in wasteful spending and get back to solving the real problems facing residents, states a campaign press release.
“Commissioner Hoover has been a steadfast voice for our city and a true friend to the LGBTQ community,” Massicotte said in a prepared statement. “Her years of service and commitment to equality have left an important mark on Key West, and I wish her comfort and strength as she focuses on her health.”
He added, “While I deeply respect commissioner Hoover, I often disagreed with her on key issues including her vote to fire the city attorney without cause rather than with cause, which allowed him, despite multiple felony indictments, to walk away with an extra $120,000 of taxpayer money. I also disagreed with her vote to side with big developers on the Casa Marina project.”
A graduate of both the Key West Ambassador program and Leadership Monroe County, Massicotte is president of the board of Keys Last Stand and on the board of Fair Insurance Rates for Monroe (FIRM). He said his record of civic engagement has focused on protecting the Keys environment, promoting ethical governance and standing up for the Key West workforce.
Massicotte said he has already saved taxpayers money by urging the city commission to postpone a proposed special election to extend mayoral terms from two years to four years, a move that would have cost the city $75,000.
“I’m a fiscal hawk,” Massicotte said. “I will not tolerate wasteful spending or political pet projects. The taxpayers of Key West deserve better. I intend to work tirelessly to repair the damage that’s already been done and to ensure our city’s finances reflect the priorities of the people, not the priorities of insiders.”
He also reaffirmed his commitment to run an independent campaign free from conflicts of interest.
“I will not accept campaign contributions from any business or individual with current or potential business before the city,” Massicotte said. “Our leaders should answer only to the voters, not to those seeking special treatment or favorable terms.”
Massicotte said his campaign will focus on affordable housing, infrastructure, water quality and preserving the character of the island.
“It’s time to get back to work for the people of Key West,” he said. “That means ethical leadership, fiscal discipline and common-sense decision making that puts residents first.”
Massicotte faces Harry Russell
Months before Massicotte entered the District 5 race and long before Hoover said she wouldn’t run again, longtime educator Harry Russell announced his candidacy back in May.
More information is at chrisforkeywest.com and harryrussellforkeywest.com.
TATS FOR TATAS RAISES $491K TO FIGHT BREAST CANCER KEEP KEY WEST KIDS SAFE ON HALLOWEEN
Police department offers trick-or-treat reminders
The Key West Police Department is ready for Halloween.
The Mounted Unit on horses will be patrolling the New Town neighborhoods where most of the local trickor-treating happens. During this special night for kids, here are a few tips to remember to keep our kids and community safe:
• When little ghosts and goblins take to the streets, the biggest threat they face is motor vehicle traffic — something for parents and drivers to keep in mind. For motorists, extreme caution is the rule for Halloween night. Be prepared for children to run across the street, come out of nowhere, and be oblivious to traffic.
• Children should be accompanied by adults when trick-or-treating. A responsible grownup will be the person with a flashlight, leading the way when there’s a need to cross the street. Reflective tape or reflective costumes make children highly visible and much safer.
• Simply falling down is a leading cause of accidental injury on Halloween, the result of children tripping on their own costumes. Make sure their costume fits well and check that the child can see through any mask he or she might be wearing.
• Older children and teenagers need to be reminded that Halloween trick-or-treating is OK, but vandalism will not be tolerated. Any deliberate act that damages property or causes harm to another person is a crime and police officers will treat it as such.
• In addition to protecting children this Halloween, it is important to protect property as well. Battery-powered lights are a safer alternative to candles inside pumpkins. If you decide to use candles, never leave them unattended, and make sure children are never left unsupervised around them.
The first time I attended the annual Tats for Tatas event — a breast cancer awareness fundraiser hosted by Casey Vinall and Maria Gonzalez of Tattoos & Scars Saloon — I had no idea what I was getting into.
I was still rather new to the Keys and just starting to get used to “island life.” At first, I thought the event was some kind of bingo night. But the moment I stepped into Tattoos & Scars Saloon, I was overtaken by the spectacle of the whole event.
You hear raffle calls every 30 minutes. Showgirls walk around taking pictures with attendees, and everyone is dressed in their “breast” fits for the night.
Heading into my second time attending, I figured I’d have a general idea of how the night would go. I can say without question that I was wrong again.
Once more, I was blown away by the organizers’ effort and the community’s response. This year, the event grew to a block party. Greene Street was closed from Simonton Street to Ann Street. A large tent in the middle of the street was filled with donated silent-auction items. Food spots like Chubbs and Wandering Rooster made sure everyone was well-fed, while Tattoos & Scars set up minibars around the event to keep people “hydrated.”
As I walked into the bar for some hydration of my own, the first thing I noticed was the sheer effort Tattoos & Scars put into setting up the event. Pink ribbon balloons for Breast Cancer Awareness Month covered the ceiling. There was even a “motorboat booth,” where attendees could raspberry away for a good cause and a donation, and a large stage was built into the bar for raffling off special items every 30 minutes.
On the mic for the raffle was Cali Roberts, executive director of Womankind — the nonprofit organization that provides highquality family planning, prenatal and primary care throughout the Keys, and the beneficiary of the night’s fundraising.
Before reading a winning raffle number, Roberts said, “This year, everything you’re doing means so much to us because the government pretty much told us we are not essential, we are not needed, and they’re not supporting us anymore. The health department ended a 25year contract with us this year. Everything raised at this event is what’s going to carry us through the year.”
Each of the fundraiser’s four years has raised more money for Womankind than the previous year. According to an Oct. 25 Facebook post, the Tats for Tatas raised $41,000 in 2022; $69,000 in 2023 and $148,000 in 2024.
“We are in disbelief,” Vinall and Gonzalez posted. “That’s hundreds of women helped … made possible by all of you. Every raffle ticket, every donation, every auction item, every sponsor, every volunteer hour added up to something so powerful. This number represents hope, healing and heart. It represents a community that shows up, gives bi, and proves time and again that together we can and do make a difference.”
As someone who had simply showed up, I felt the energy radiating from everyone around me. One event-goer, Jamie Barr, who was decked out in a signature pink checkered cardigan, wig and glittered mustache, summed it up nicely by saying,, “It’s my first time, and I love it. It’s like Key West in a nutshell. You’ve got people dressed up, everybody’s smiling, having a good time, and plenty of sexual innuendos and jokes. We’re just happy to support a good cause.”
WYATT SAMUELSON www.keysweekly.com
Annual P lant Sale & Art Market
FRIDAY, NOV. 21 & SATURDAY, NOV. 22 10AM - 3PM Fort West Martello at Higgs Beach
PLANT VENDORS
Native and tropical, bromeliads, orchids and orchid supplies
ART VENDORS
Jewerly, ceramics, garden art, quilts
GREAT EVENTS CATERING
DINNER FOR 4 ($160)
Each additional person (+ $40)
Rotisserie style oven roasted carved turkey
Traditional giblet gravy
Roasted green bean casserole with wild mushroom “gravy” & crispy onions
Homemade cranberry orange chutney
Garlic mashed potatoes
Cornbread roasted apple sage stuffing
Homemade potato rolls
ADDITIONAL SIDES
1/2 pan | 6-8 servings ($40 each)
Fuji Apple Salad, butter lettuce, pecan praline, smoked blue cheese, dried cranberries, cider vinaigrette
Garlic herb roasted vegetables with maitre d’butter
Roasted brussel sprouts with bacon, honey and balsamic
Sweet potato hash with chorizo, grilled corn and caramelized onions
White cheddar mac and cheese, parmesan buttered breadcrumbs
PRE DINNER COCKTAIL PARTY
Charcuterie board | 10 people ($175)
assorted meats, cheese and antipasti , traditional accoutrements, crackers, and crostini
Order by Monday, November 24th at 5:00pm
Pick up on Thanksgiving Day | 10am-3pm at 925 Truman Ave (side entrance on Packer Street)
1/2 pan Green Beans with Almonds 1/2 pan Sweet Potato Casserole (contains nuts)
1 pint Cranberry Relish
1/2 pan Traditional Bread Stuffing $ 179.99 + tax
Turkey (only) $ 89.99 Whole Spiral Ham $ 7.99 per pound THANKSGIVING
Please place your order at the deli counter. Orders must be placed by 7pm November 22. Orders must be picked up by 5pm November 26.
Fausto’s will be closed Thanksgiving Day.
EXPERIENCE WILDLIFE & WHIMSY AT WILSON SIGNATURE COLLECTION
Meet the artists who make the work you can’t live without
Fantasy Fest may be over, but the fun and artistry of Key West continues year-round at Wilson Signature Collection art gallery, 407 Front St. Gallery owners Lisa and D. Arthur Wilson, who are the sole artists represented at Wilson Signature Collection, have called Key West home for over 15 years. They’ve been selling their artwork for more than 70 years combined.
Both artists — his realistic wildlife paintings and sculptures and her abstract expressionism — are represented nationally and internationally with collectors in all 50 states and 28 countries.
Lisa Wilson’s blend of acrylics and oils have earned her multiple awards and several corporate placements. Her work is described as “soulful, organic and inspirational.”
“Seeking to live authentically and from the heart is my highest calling,” she said, adding that her artwork represents her deep beliefs.
D. Arthur Wilson is recognized as one of the top 10 wildlife artists in America, with placements throughout the U.S. and the world. His work has been represented by over 50 galleries and has been highlighted by dozens of national zoos and wildlife organizations around the world including Dian Fossey’s the Digit Fund, Dr. Laurie Marker’s Cheetah Conservation Fund, Tippi Hedren’s Shambala Preserve and Snow Leopards.
His paintings and bronze sculptures are available at Wilson Signature Collection. And from his wildlife
art platform, a fresh new character sprang forth and virtually took over his career. Enter Rhupert.
The lovable, wise and yet delightfully clueless photobomber says “Be ourselves because life is too important to be taken seriously.”
Although represented at the Venetian in Las Vegas, Laguna, Santa Rosa Beach and many other fine galleries around the country, Wilson Signature Collection in Key West boasts the largest selection of original and limited editions by the two artists.
Wilson Signature Collection is at 407 Front St., Suite D, Key West.
— Contributed
Lisa Wilson and D. Arthur Wilson are artists and owners of the Wilson Signature Collection art gallery, 407 Front St. CONTRIBUTED
A selection of photos from the Pet Masquerade, Masquerade March and Deep Eddy Fantasy Fest Parade. Photos by LARRY BLACKBURN & CAROL TEDESCO
www.keysweekly.com
JEAN CARPER, THE LIFE - LOVING WOMAN WHO WROTE ‘DEAD’
SOMEONE YOU SHOULD MEET
Jean Carper owns a Pac-Man machine that she calls her newest toy and a pink treadmill she uses for daily exercise. A colorfully painted five-foot-long replica alligator sprawls atop her patio table; a life-sized purple saguaro cactus is just one of the eye-catching pieces in her front-yard “sculpture garden.”
Her latest book explores the enigmas that surround death (the title, “Dead: New Answers to Eternal Questions About the Predicament of Being Dead,” offers a clue to her worldview), yet she’s full of life and revels in its experiences.
A woman of fierce intelligence and probing curiosity, Carper is famed as a medical journalist, authority on health and nutrition, and best-selling author — but that fame hardly seems to affect her, leaving her active mind free to focus on things she considers more important.
Her career credits are profoundly impressive. Carper was CNN’s first medical correspondent when the network launched, and a columnist for the national Sunday magazine USA Weekend for 14 years. She has written 25 books, primarily on nutrition and health subjects, including several that made the New York Times best-seller list.
In both her journalism and books, she displays a talent for making complex, daunting subjects approachable and understandable to readers. Her chapters in “Dead” are brief, written in a vibrant and non-intimidating style, with occasionally offbeat titles like “Should Ghosts Obey the Law?” and “Why Are Poltergeists So Rowdy?”
Not long ago, Carper rediscovered her passion for painting — a practice she enjoyed while growing up but abandoned for decades. Key West’s Harrison Gallery recently debuted a show of her abstracts, alive with vivid colors that seemingly enfold the viewer in energy and light.
Also not long ago, Carper sat down with the Keys Weekly for a lively conversation about “Dead,” her painting, and her enjoyment of Key West.
With your level of success, you could live anywhere. Why did you choose Key West as your home? I first came to Key West on a book tour. My editor and I came to Miami to promote the book, and I had never been here and she had never been here, so we just came down to Key
West. I lived in Washington, D.C., and it was very cold. Everything was better here — and it was warmer. I’ve been here since the early 90s. Key West has always been fun and great.
Your book “Dead” presents information in small and approachable pieces, despite dealing with a very intimidating and serious subject. Why did you format it that way? Well, that was the format
1. Jean Carper’s energy, spirit and unique worldview helped propel her to international success as a journalist and author.
2. Jean Carper’s latest book deals with the weighty subject of death in a non-intimidating way.
3. Jean Carper’s vibrant, upbeat artwork recently debuted during a show at Key West’s Harrison Gallery. CAROL TEDESCO/Contributed
of my brain. All of my books, when I first started, were small sections — small chapters about a big subject. One of the things I really like to do is to take a huge subject like death and sort it out, condense it in my brain, and break it down so I could write it for other people to understand.
How do you want readers to respond to “Dead”? What do you want them to take away from reading it? Probably an exposure to the same kind of curiosity that I had going into it. Nobody really knows anything about death, including myself, because nobody has been there.
Your paintings are so vibrant and uplifting — such a contrast to the weightier topics you explore in your writing. What made you return to painting? It’s a lot more fun than writing! Writing is something that you love after you’ve done it — it’s not like painting, where you can love it while you’re doing it. When I was growing up, I had a grandmother who was a music person and also an oil painter. Growing up, I remember smelling oil paint. It was an influence. And I realized painting is much easier and faster to do than writing a book. If I write a book, it is going to take me a year. A painting might take more like a week, or two days or a day.
How do you balance your writing, your painting, and your other activities? Well, I was always a very energetic person. I just had to keep working on things because otherwise I would get so utterly bored. And one idea brings another idea to another idea.
What do you like most about life in Key West? It’s so easy. I like the people that I meet here — I always have since I first came. It’s a fluid life. You can go from one thing to another; your brain is not set in stone by any means. I love Key West.
CAROL SHAUGHNESSY
STILL DON’T KNOW WHERE TO GO FOR HAPPY HOUR?
WE GOT YOU!
4PM-6:30PM
NOVEMBER 12-16
WWW .KE YW ESTFF. CO M
THE STUDIOS OF KEY WEST
ART EXHIBITS OPEN: THU NOV 6, 6-8PM ON VIEW: NOVEMBER 6-27, 2025
Shelter WILL JACKS
Large-scale, camera-less works that challenge how we define a photograph and invite viewers to look beyond the surface.
sponsored by Island City Tile
Sweet Little Paintings
JACK MCDONALD
Key West native captures favorite foods, places, and objects in a naturalistic style that invites joy, warmth, and nostalgia.
sponsored by Louie’s Backyard
Moving Box Art ALEXIS LYONS
Inspired by life as a military spouse, Lyons turns transient lifestyle into a celebration of resilience, growth, and the healing power of making art. sponsored by Manley deBoer
Under the Skin
MEGGI SIEGERT
With a background in psychology and a painter’s eye for intimacy, Siegert captures quiet mysteries that live just beneath the surface. sponsored by Luna
Contemporary art center, steps off Duval Street. Always free to visit! Open Tue-Sat, 10am-4pm
MARK HEDDEN
... is a photographer, writer, and semi-professional birdwatcher. He has lived in Key West for more than 25 years and may no longer be employable in the real world. He is also executive director of the Florida Keys Audubon Society.
We were moments away from several thousand bikeriding zombies rolling past us and swarming across the island when my friend Rob asked, “Hey, is it true all the turkey vultures we see here are from Ohio?”
For some reason the question threw me. Possibly because I was focused on taking photos of the rolling zombies as they pedaled by, and partly because I wasn’t totally sure of the answer.
I mean, all the turkey vultures we see in the Keys are definitely not from Ohio. But some could be. And I remember hearing something about them being from Ohio when I first moved to the Keys in the early 1990s, before I was into the whole birdwatching thing. Was there any basis to the notion?
Geoff Tomb lives in Key West, but spent many years on the mainland working for the Miami Herald. I seemed to recall him occasionally working the “Oh my God, the turkey vultures are back” beat. So I texted and asked him.
Turns out Geoff did cover the story several times, referring to the yearly story as “an annual winter bright.”
“Something about Cuyahoga,” he texted.
Then he sent me a link from a website called Ohio Traveler about the town of Hinckley, where the turkey vultures are said to return every March 15, and where thousands of people show up to welcome them as harbingers of spring.
It should be noted that a lot of writing about turkey vultures refers to them as buzzards, which, in a taxonomic sense, is wrong. Buzzard is an Old World term for several species of soaring hawks. It was bastardized in North America as a term for vultures, a bastardization enhanced by the character Beaky Buzzard in the old Warner Brothers cartoons.
Rather than getting into a pedantic snit about people using inaccurate terms to describe wildlife, I’m going to take a few breaths, recite my secret mantra, and try to accept the term buzzard as fun slang for vulture, if not an accurate scientific term.
Anyhow, the story from Ohio Traveler states that, “Every March 15, like clockwork, the buzzards return to Hinckley after their winter vacations.”
It attributes this to the Great Hinckley Hunt of 1818, when, on one December day, the locals, deciding the wildlife was the enemy of agriculture, surrounded a 25-acre plot of woods, drove all the wildlife to the middle, and shot everything they could. According to one historical account, “21 bears, 17 wolves, 300 deer and untold numbers of turkeys, foxes and raccoons” were shot.
ARE OUR TURKEY VULTURES FROM OHIO? AN IN - DEPTH REPORT ( SORT OF )
What people didn’t bring home for food was left to freeze, then thaw in the spring.
“When the buzzards arrived in the spring, the feast apparently was so overwhelming that the event was imprinted on the inherent part of their brains because they’ve come back every year since,” the website states.
Which is all a bit of homespun hooey. It’s doubtful a species of birds would return to the same site every year for close to two centuries because their ancestors once had a good meal. Also, modern research shows that turkey vultures won’t eat anything that’s been dead longer than four days. Most likely they come because the rocky bluffs above the nearby lake are perfect nesting sites.
Hinckley Buzzard Day has honored their return on March 15 every year since 1957, drawing up to 5,000 people. There’s a pancake breakfast, people in vulture costumes and an official counter to point out the first returning vulture of the year. The fact that turkey vultures are regularly reported in the park weeks before March 15 shouldn’t get in the way of a good time.
While they arrive in the north every spring, the turkey vultures arrive in Florida every autumn. The Florida Keys Hawkwatch has counted a little over 1,500 so far this year. I’ve also seen a couple posts on Facebook of the “They’re ba-aack” variety with photos of kettles of them in the blue sky. One post said it was now okay to take down your hurricane shutters. (The same lore applies to the klee klee call of the American kestrel. Though in 2005, I both heard the klee klee and saw turkey vultures before Hurricane Wilma hit, so maybe wait until they burn the hurricane flag to take down the shutters.)
They get far more TVs in downtown Miami, where many of them famously perch on the roof of the courthouse.
On Oct. 23, 1979, an Associated Press story contrasted the attitudes of the folks in Hinckley about their return in the spring, which were
mostly pro-vulture, with the attitudes of Miamians in the fall, which were mostly anti-vulture.
They quote Sam Griffith, the building superintendent of the Dade County Courthouse, saying, “To my knowledge, no one ever gave a whoop about them,” and, “They’re an awfully rotten-looking piece of equipment when you view them up close.”
A misunderstood narrative seems to have formed, because after that you see several newspaper columnists writing with solid authority that the turkey vultures in Miami all come from Hinckley, Ohio, although I’m not entirely sure how the linkage between Hinckley’s turkey vultures and Miami’s developed.
A correction came in late January 1980, in a story from United Press International under the no-subtext headline “Dade’s Turkey Vultures Aren’t From Hinckley.” Another headline over the same story was, “Hinckley, Ohio cleared in Miami buzzard woes.”
The story reported on the work of Sheila Gaby, a Miami-based biologist who was researching and writing a doctoral dissertation entitled “Urban Research Utilization by Migrant Turkey Vultures in South Florida.”
Gaby told the wire service that she had tagged about 300 TVs over three years, and “I have never had any evidence that they are from Hinckley.”
“I have received reports of my tagged birds being spotted in southern Ohio, West Virginia, New York, New Jersey and Ontario, but never Hinckley,” she said.
After that there’s something of a fork in the turkey vulture road, with some reporters repeating the Hinckley angle, and some noting Gaby’s research.
So the short answer is, it’s theoretically possible that an individual turkey vulture flew down from Ohio, but it’s definitely not all of them.
Also, maybe be wary about getting your information about wildlife from people who write for newspapers.
A pair of turkey vultures feeding on a fish carcass off Stock Island. MARK HEDDEN/Keys Weekly
FENTANYL TRAFFICKING SENDS KEY WEST MAN TO PRISON
Daniel Coto, 41, gets 3-year sentence; also convicted of
cocaine possession
AKey West man has been sentenced to three years in state prison on each of two felony counts, to be served concurrently, followed by one year of probation, after pleading no contest to trafficking in fentanyl (4 grams or more) and possession of cocaine. The charges stemmed from a March 2023 traffic stop in Key West that uncovered multiple quantities of fentanyl and cocaine hidden throughout the defendant’s vehicle and in his clothing.
Daniel Coto, 41, of Key West, was found guilty by Monroe County Judge Mark Wilson. Upon release, Coto will serve one year of supervised probation with strict conditions, including mandatory participation in Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous meetings three times per week, random urinalysis testing twice per week, and full compliance with treatment and supervision requirements.
Coto was also ordered to pay more than $3,000 in court costs and fees, a $50,000 fine, and his driver’s license was suspended.
The charges arose from a March 5, 2023 traffic stop by Key West Police Officer Samuel Adorno in the 2700 block of North Roosevelt Boulevard after Coto ran a red light near the Overseas Market Plaza. During the stop, K-9 Officer T. Anglin and K-9 Jigsaw conducted a narcotics sniff and alerted to the odor of illegal drugs. A vehicle search revealed multiple substances that field-tested positive for fentanyl and cocaine, concealed in several compartments throughout the vehicle — including the center console and beneath the passenger seat.
Officers also found drug residue inside rolled dollar bills
and cigarettes, and recovered $892 in cash, believed to be proceeds from narcotics sales. Coto was taken into custody at the scene.
Before arriving at the Monroe County Detention Center, Coto admitted to officers that he had hidden additional narcotics in his underwear. A further search recovered two plastic bags containing fentanyl and cocaine concealed in his underwear. Most repeat offenders know that introducing narcotics or other contraband into a jail facility constitutes a major felony under Florida law, punishable by up to five years in state prison and a $5,000 fine, in addition to any other charges the individual might be facing.
“This outcome was made possible by the outstanding work of the Key West Police Department,” said Chief Assistant State Attorney Joseph Mansfield. “Their attention to detail and professionalism—particularly the skillful coordination between patrol and K-9 officers — led to the recovery of dangerous narcotics and the protection of our community. The combination of incarceration, probation and treatment was a fair and balanced resolution that holds Mr. Coto accountable while addressing the substanceabuse issues that often drive criminal behavior.”
Assistant State Attorney Carter Reeves was the lead prosecutor.
— Contributed
WHAT’S COOKING, KEY WEST?
Plan now for
a ‘fail-proof’ Thanksgiving feast
CAROL SHAUGHNESSY www.keysweekly.com
Almost everyone has experienced a Thanksgiving dinner “fail” and can recount the story in vivid detail. Maybe it’s about a deep-fried turkey explosion that required a visit from the fire department, pumpkin pies that slid off a slippery baking sheet and smashed on the floor, a turkey massacred by a “fake chainsaw” carving knife, the family dog’s assault on a “bird” left briefly unattended on the table, or an eccentric aunt’s unwise (and inedible) substitution of snails for oysters in her stuffing recipe.
Television sitcoms have explored the topic too — like the cult-classic episode of “WKRP in Cincinnati” about a radio station’s turkey giveaway that turned into an epic holiday disaster.
Most “fails” aren’t quite so dramatic, but even smaller culinary glitches can unnerve the host and lessen enjoyment of a holiday gathering. To help Keys food-lovers avoid the possibility, the Key West Cooking Show is presenting two “Time to Talk Turkey” demonstration-style classes that feature tips and techniques for preparing the perfect Thanksgiving dinner.
Flavored with fascinating information about holiday history and customs, the two-hour learn-and-dine experiences are set for 7 p.m. on two consecutive Saturdays before Thanksgiving: Nov. 15 and Nov. 22.
Attendees will learn the secrets to preparing time-honored recipes that salute tradition yet incorporate an innovative flair — while discovering intriguing new facts about favorite dishes.
Butternut squash soup, for example, is more than a delicious, nourishing way to start the meal. It also commemorates the winter squashes that were a staple of Native American and colonial cooking some 350 years ago. Cranberries too lent their color and flavor to early American feasts, though they’re now made into sauce or jelly served with roast turkey.
Even apple crisp, an alternative to Thanksgiving’s traditional pumpkin and mince pies, has an interesting history. Its popularity harks back to World War II, when foodstuffs like
Seasonings that bring out Thanksgiving flavors are added to a dish by chef-storyteller Karl Stahl during a Key West Cooking Show learn-and-dine experience. KEY WEST COOKING SHOW/Contributed
butter and pastry ingredients were rationed and in short supply. Fruit-based desserts were often served because they required smaller amounts of the rationed ingredients.
During the Key West Cooking Show’s classes, taking place upstairs at 291 Front St., chef-storytellers will share non-intimidating, easy-to-follow steps that help ensure a flawless holiday meal.
As attendees observe, they can enjoy a pre-Thanksgiving feast featuring the favorite dishes they’re learning to prepare — including perfectly browned turkey, sage stuffing, fluffy mashed potatoes and gravy, the perennially popular green bean casserole and more.
For everyone who doesn’t want to risk a holiday dinner “fail,” or wants to savor a pre-Thanksgiving dinner with visiting friends or family, it’s a culinary experience to be thankful for. Reservations are required; visit keystix.com.
LAST BITES
Dish of the week: Sage stuffing. Bread cubes, sautéed onions and celery, dried sage, poultry seasoning and chicken broth are the primary ingredients in this timeless holiday classic. Beaten eggs and diced carrots round out the recipe, and finely chopped turkey giblets can be added. The nostalgic dish is then baked, with its rich aroma carrying the essence of the holiday.
Helpful kitchen hack: Instead of serving ordinary cranberry sauce with Thanksgiving turkey, give it a sophisticated twist by incorporating sweet cherries and Marsala wine. The resulting sauce features a vibrant color and complex flavor that will make it a new holiday favorite.
Hungry for more? Visit keywestcookingshow.com or call 305-294COOK.
Daniel Coto. MCSO/Contributed
CHRIS McNULTY
is an astrologer, wanderer, bartender and advocate for queer justice. He is a loquacious Gemini with a cozy Cancer rising. Find him at hearthandheraldastrology.com
This week is a week of the mind. The planet Mercury oversees how we think, communicate, socialize and barter. It plays with words and ideas like a conductor elicits symphonies from musicians, orchestrating dialogues and deliberations from wherever it travels through the solar system. This week, Mercury is forming a supportive 120-degree trine to Saturn and Neptune, which are together in the sign of Pisces. This aspect of three planets has us thinking and talking about the way that structures are dissolving all around us, the way that time itself seems to be more elusive and the way that spirituality is being reformed in a changing world. Big ideas, to say the least. But this week we have the opportunity to take a step back and consider how we are organizing our thoughts around these concepts with some objectivity. At the same time, Mercury is forming a 180-degree opposition to Uranus, compelling us to think in ways that may be a bit uncomfortable. Let yourself experiment with new ways of strategizing in our ever-changing world and free yourself from habitual thought processes. It is a great time to reorganize your neural network.
Here are your horoscopes for Mercury trine Neptune-Saturn and opposite Uranus. Read for your rising and sun signs.
SCORPIO
Oct. 23 - Nov. 21
As you start to think about your personal finances and what you value, how you go about sharing your resources with others will have you thinking differently. Can you find freedom in investing your time and resources? At the same time, the way you are restructuring your creative pursuits will inform your
financial decisions. Let some of your creative plans go and choose the ones that support your spirit.
SAGITTARIUS
Nov. 22 - Dec. 21
A partner in your life is encouraging you to be a radically free version of yourself, and it is challenging your self-image. Don’t be afraid to look at yourself in a different light based on their perception. Use this energy to consider how your family has molded you into who you are with appreciation for the joys and sorrows you’ve experienced. Rewrite your personal mythology.
CAPRICORN
Dec. 22 - Jan. 19
What feels familiar to you is going through a drastic change as you discover that your usual structures and stories are shifting. Embrace this shift with quiet reflection, giving yourself time alone to think about what has become all too familiar for you with a fresh perspective. Change up your regular routines to reflect your changing understanding in order to integrate these shifts.
AQUARIUS
Jan. 20 - Feb. 18
Your value system is going through a radical restructuring process. What you once thought of as important is becoming insignificant, and vice versa. The conversations you have with your friends and supportive people are helping you work through these shifts. You may also find that there are new activities or projects that bring you joy that contradict the advice of friends. Don’t be afraid to pursue personal goals that seem controversial to others.
PISCES
Feb. 19 - March 20
As you start focusing your mind on your work and your reputation in the public sphere, expect some significant changes to take place at home. There may be some tension between a mind at work and a liberating energy at home, but let that spark innovation rather than
frustration. The way you communicate in public is helping you reconstitute your personal symbols. You are rebranding.
ARIES
March 21 - April 19
As you experience unexpected changes in your local environment, you are probably thinking about traveling or pursuing new ventures. Think about what would liberate you from the things that have been holding you back and explore new pursuits. Looking into new goals will help you bring awareness to the unconscious, spiritual restructuring you’ve been undergoing.
TAURUS
April 20 - May 20
As you think about how you invest and engage in sharing resources or participating in mission-oriented group work, you are shifting your values. Try totally reformulating your personal budget to reflect your changing values. This process will help you find new systems of support and networking opportunities that will help you achieve your goals.
GEMINI
May 21 - June 20
You are beginning a long period of personal liberation, freeing yourself from the things that hold you back. An important partner in your life will help you to think clearly about these shifts so you can participate fully. Don’t be afraid to restructure your work life to more closely reflect your ideal career goals. That partner of yours is a valuable resource for organizing your thoughts.
CANCER
June 21 - July 22
There are shifts and upheavals taking place in your unconscious, but now you can begin to see what they are and how they affect you. Think about how you need to change your patterns of work and update your routines to integrate these changes below the surface. By
A MIND REDIRECTED
focusing on shifting your habits, you will allow yourself to find different spiritual horizons to pursue.
LEO
July 23 - Aug. 22
Think about what brings creative joy in your life, whether it is creating art or appreciating music or doodling in the margins. Really take time to analyze your happiness. Doing so may bring about an unexpected change in whom you associate with and consider your circle of friends. Invest in your joy by finding people who are working on similar projects and make yourself a member of their “guild.”
VIRGO
Aug. 23 - Sept. 22
As things start to shake up at work, let your mind wander to matters of home and family. Find the connection between the unexpected taking place in your public work and how thoughts of home influence that. The more you organize your thoughts and communicate with your loved ones, the more you will discover that a significant partner in your life is helping you to reformulate your overall worldview.
LIBRA
Sept. 23 - Oct. 23
Look at your familiar surroundings with fresh eyes and fresh thinking, because there are unexpected calls to adventure taking place. Before you impulsively rush off to lands unknown, perhaps the place to start is making major structural changes in your day-to-day routines. Dream about creating your new world within your old world. If that doesn’t seem feasible, adventure is on the table.
TRAGEDIES & DEATHS ON INDIAN KEY
Island witnessed attacks, yellow fever and a destructive storm
Editor’s note: This is the final of a two-part series.
If ghosts are real, they would totally find Indian Key homey.
Without getting into all the backstory I dove into last week, the island gives off a haunted vibe. Not only is it the Keys’ only ghost town, it also has a unique history with absolutely haunting elements.
Assuming they exist, it is hard to say how many ghosts call Indian Key home. As was discussed last week, bodies have been buried on the island. Since 1966, at least two skeletons have been discovered, only to have them taken from the island.
Beyond those sacrilegious actions, tragedies have occurred on the island — especially one on Aug. 7, 1840, when the island was home to the southernmost attack during all three escalations of the Seminole War.
On that August day, Jacob Housman, whose tombstone is still on the island (at least a replica is), was asleep with his wife on the second floor of their home. When the Indians burst through the front door, he could not get to his rifles, so husband and wife, barefoot, fled out the back door, over the fence and raced for the Atlantic shallows.
Their two large dogs, faithful companions, ran with them, barking and barking in the excitement. As the Housmans worked to find safety in the water, their dogs splashed into the
Atlantic after them. Afraid the dogs’ barking would alert the Indians to their location, Jacob made the hard decision and, to quiet them, held their heads beneath the water until they drowned. These days, some people say that it isn’t just human spirits wandering around Indian Key. Some say they have heard dogs barking when there are no dogs present. Perhaps they are Housman’s faithful hounds.
children hid in the shallows under a dock, he was being hunted down and shot in their home.
There have been other deaths and other tragedies over the years. In 1875, after an outbreak of yellow fever hit Key West, it was decided that those infected would be shipped north to Camp Bell, a Navy hospital established on Indian Key. Yellow fever was a killer in the 19th century. In 1875, one of the attending doctors was Thomas Otto, a third-generation physician from a prominent Key West family.
The Otto name is not remembered so much for its medical services in the Florida Keys, but for a doll. The doll was given to Otto’s youngest son in 1904, on the boy’s fourth birthday. Today, that doll is universally recognized as Robert the Doll. In many circles, Robert is considered the most haunted artifact in the Florida Keys. He doesn’t haunt Indian Key, but the fact that the doll can be connected to the island is such a great example of the often-hidden interconnectedness of the island chain. Robert can be visited at Key West’s East Martello Tower Museum.
The last two potential ghosts who might have a reason to haunt the island died as a result of the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane. In the early 20th century, the island was home to a fishing camp operated by Lee Coulter and William Hanlin. Over the Labor Day weekend, Jack Horsely was entertaining 20 friends at the camp when a Coast Guard plane flew low overhead and dropped a message warning of the impending storm. Horsely and his group decided to heed it, left the island and headed for the mainland. Coulter and Hanlin chose to ride it out.
Brad is a local historian, author, speaker and Honorary Conch who loves sharing the history of the Florida Keys.
At the time of the attack, John Motte and his wife lived on the island with their daughter, their newborn child and John’s mother-in-law. When the chaos erupted, they chose to abandon their house and seek refuge in the kitchen building. When the Indians found them inside, a shot was fired that penetrated the thin wood of the door. Mr. Motte was fatally struck. They broke through the door and dragged Mrs. Motte, clutching her baby, outside. She was killed, and her baby was tossed into the Atlantic and drowned. The mother-in-law and older daughter were still hiding inside the structure. When the Indians came back, the daughter was dragged outside and clubbed to death. The lone family member to escape was Mrs. Johnson, the 70-year-old mother-in-law.
If anyone had a reason to haunt Indian Key, it was the Mottes. However, they were not the only family to suffer. Dr. Henry Perrine was killed on Aug. 7 while his family listened. Perrine, Florida, is named for him. While his wife and three
The eye of the Category 5 storm, considered to this day the most powerful hurricane to make a North American landfall, crossed over Lower Matecumbe Key and Long Key. Two days after the Category 5 hurricane devastated the Upper Keys, on Sept. 4, 1935, the following appeared in a story printed in The Miami Herald: “My good, stubborn friends L. F. Coulter and William Hanlin, operators of the Indian Key Fishing Camp, paid a very high price for not leaving with us.”
One of the men was found dead, with a broken back, draped over the side of one of the cisterns still found on the island. The other was dead, too, and had been blown across the bay by the ravages of the storm to Lignumvitae Key.
Those two, and all the others, have good reasons to be attached to Indian Key by some paranormal force that goes beyond the usual things like flesh and bone. These candidates are just some of those on the island’s permanent record. It is by no means a complete list. Undoubtedly, other bodies have come to rest on the island. Whether or not those spirits come out when the sun goes down and drift over the island depends on whether the person telling the story, or you, believes that ghosts are a real phenomenon. One thing we can all agree on is that ghost stories are real. They always have been. They always will be.
The original Housman tombstone on Indian Key. JERRY WILKINSON COLLECTION/Contributed
FLORIDA KEYS HISTORY WITH BRAD BERTELLI
TAKE ME HOME?
FIND A FRIEND AT THE FLORIDA KEYS SPCA
The Keys Weekly family loves animals as much as our friends at the Florida Keys SPCA do, and we’re honored each week to showcase some “furever” friends that are ready, waiting and available for adoption at the organization’s Key West campus.
From cats and dogs to Guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits, reptiles and birds, the perfect addition to your family is waiting for you. The SPCA’s knowledgeable staff will help with advice and care tips while working to ensure a good fit between each pet and its people.
The SPCA’s Golden Paw program also provides special assistance with vet bills and medications for special-needs and older animals that require a little extra TLC. Check these pages each week for just a few of the animals waiting for a home and see them all at fkspca.org.
Rocco. This spirited little terrier mix may be small in size, but he’s big on personality. He’s a bundle of energy and loves to keep you on your toes. If you’re looking for a dog who’s got spunk, a cheeky sense of humor and a heart of gold, Rocco could be your perfect match.
Candy Star is a beautiful small kitty who gets on well with other cats. She is very shy, but becoming comfortable with attention and petting from humans. She will require some time to develop trust, but it will be worth the effort for this Star.
Meet Spritz, who’s nearly 2 and has beautiful markings on his face. He is a great combination of shiny black and white fur with expressive green eyes. At first he might hide until he feels safe, but with patience, understanding — and treats — it shouldn’t take long before he snuggles right into your heart.
Meet Baby Rae. This little lady is only 6 months old. She’s so soft, curious and full of love. With her big brown eyes and friendly personality, Baby Rae will brighten your gloomy days.
Luna. Are you ready to welcome a German shepherd into your life? Luna is a vibrant 3-year-old filled with intelligence, loyalty and curiosity. She thrives in an environment that embraces exercise and mental stimulation. Luna delights in the joy of fetch, the beauty of walks and all activities centered on her.
HELP KEEP KEY WEST BEAUTIFUL
JOIN A 1- HOUR CLEANUP FRIDAY MORNINGS
Volunteers met at the corner of Simonton and Angela streets for the Oct, 24 morning cleanup. They spread out to all the surrounding streets including Duval and Whitehead. In one hour, Ploggers picked up 148 pounds of trash, 44 pounds of recycling and 2.5 gallons of cigarette butts. Special thank yous to Kenna Construction and the ShineGroup for providing the volunteers with breakfast. The Oct. 31 cleanup will be at the corner of Duval and Virginia streets. CONTRIBUTED
One hour a week makes a huge difference, and volunteers are welcome every Friday and some Saturday mornings, from 8 to 9 a.m., when the Key West Ploggers clean up a designated area of the island.
Gloves, pickers, buckets, vests, hand sanitizer and a parking pass are provided to all volunteers.
A troubling number of cigarette butts and plastic bags have been included in recent hauls. Please remember your reusable bags when shopping so we can keep the plastic off the streets, parking lots and, most importantly, out of the water. And dispose of cigarette butts in any receptacle rather than the street or sidewalk, as from there, they easily end up in the ocean.
The city of Key West and its residents ask everyone to do their part to help keep Key West beautiful. With simple steps like making sure you bag your trash before putting it in your Waste Management trash cans or Dumpsters, and making sure the lids on Dumpsters are closed, will keep a lot of trash from blowing into the streets. Call Waste Management at 305-296-8297 for any furniture items left on the city right of way.
Please pick up around your home or apartment complex. Every piece of trash picked up is one less that may end up in the ocean that surrounds and sustains our island community. It is not just the large items you can see easily when you are walking, but the smaller items such as bottle caps and
cigarette butts that are collected by the volunteers that make the biggest difference.
It takes committed community involvement to keep Key West beautiful and we are making progress with every cleanup event and every spot that’s adopted. Call Dorian Patton at 305-809-3782 to find out how your business, nonprofit or club can help.
— Contributed
Join a one-hour Friday morning cleanup. All events are 8 to 9 a.m. unless otherwise noted.
Oct. 31: Duval & Virginia streets. Meet on Virginia Street next to Duval Square. Hosted by Stacy Stahl, Realty One Group Destination.
Saturday, Nov. 1: District IV post-Halloween cleanup. Meet at Staples Avenue & 10th Street behind Grace Lutheran. Hosted by commissioner Lissette Carey.
Nov. 7: Virginia & Watson streets. Meet at Unity of the Keys Spiritual Center, which is hosting. Nov. 14: North Roosevelt at 7th Street. Meet in the parking lot of GFS by Sister Noodle House, which is hosting.
Nov. 21: Lazy Way and Historic Seaport. Meet next to the Wyland Wall at the end of William Street. Hosted by the Marker Resort. Nov. 28: No cleanup the day after Thanksgiving.
Meet
Meet
Live Music Daily
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1 10 AM - 2 PM
CFK KEY WEST CAMPUS
Live entertainment | Children’s activities FREE food & drinks
Academic showcases | Salute to veterans
CFK Historical Exhibit | FREE t-shirts
Food drive for Tuga Shelves food pantry
Please keep your fur buddies at home. No pets allowed.
David & Annette Curry
James Rifkin & Jane Packard
Kellee Reed, DO, FACOEP, FACEP
Christina Kemp Sawyer, MD
ELTON DAN & THE ROCKET BAND
NOVEMBER 12
TO KEY WEST
THE CAROLE KING & JAMES TAYLOR STORY FT. PHOEBE KATIS & DAN CLEWS
NOVEMBER 25
THE GARCIA PROJECT
NOVEMBER 15
CRYSTAL GAYLE NOVEMBER 22
THE BROKEN HEARTS A TRIBUTE TO TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS
NOVEMBER 29
ANTHONY RODIA
LAUGH TILL IT HURTS TOUR
DECEMBER 11
ROBYN SCHALL'S HOLIDAY EXTRAVAGANZA TOUR
JANUARY 9, 2026
FEMMES OF ROCK DECEMBER 10
DAVID NIHILL
TAKING TANGENTS TOUR
JANUARY 11, 2026
REVIEWS FROM MILLIONS OF TRIPADVISOR TRAVELERS PLACE US IN THE TOP 10% WORLDWIDE. PULL
Lykins,Smitharetopsinthedistrict|P.5
Key West Volleyball Mater Lakes Academy 10/22 L, 3-0
Coral Shores Football St. John Neumann 10/24 L, 58-0
Key West Football Miami Jackson 10/24 W, 54-6
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK SMITH
Layne
Senior, Coral Shores Swimming
10/31 Coral Shores Swimming @ Regionals TBA
11/1 Key West Swimming @ Regionals TBA
11/4 Marathon Cross Country @ Districts TBA
11/4 Key West Boys Soccer @ Gulliver 3:30 p.m.
11/4 Marathon Boys Soccer @ Miami Country Day 5 p.m.
11/5 All Keys Teams Girls Weightlifting @ Marathon 4 p.m.
11/5 Marathon Girls Soccer @ Keys Gate 3:30 p.m.
11/5 Coral Shores Girls Soccer Key West 4 p.m.
11/6 Marathon Girls Soccer @ SLAM 3:30 p.m.
11/6 Marathon Boys Soccer SLAM 3:30 p.m.
11/6 KW & CSHS Cross Country @ Districts TBA 11/6 Key West Girls Soccer @ Mater Academy 3:30 p.m.
Layne has always had her eye on the prize.”
– Hurricanes swim coach Kelly Owens
4
2 regional events individual district medals
Coral Shores’ swimming and diving program came home with two gold medals from district competition, courtesy of diver Aaron Lykins, left, and distance swimmer Layne Smith. JIM MCCARTHY/Keys Weekly
For many swimmers, the 500 freestyle event is a bit too grueling. For Coral Shores senior Layne Smith, it’s merely a warmup. The Hurricanes’ golden girl swam away with a district championship last week, and her dedication to the sport gives her an advantage heading into regionals.
“Her year-round training and commitment has led to her success in the pool this season,” said ’Canes coach Kelly Owens. “We are excited to see what she can do at regionals this week.” Smith will compete in four races at regionals with the hope of punching her card to the state event in early November.
Smith’s district championship medal in the 500 free pairs nicely with her silver district medal in the 200 freestyle race. And if competing in the longest race of the day, plus a second individual event, was not enough, Smith will swim a leg on two Hurricane relay events to showcase her prowess in the pool. For her dedication to the sport of swimming and fearsome competitive spirit, Coral Shores’ Layne Smith is the Keys Weekly Athlete of the Week.
Photo by JIM MCCARTHY/Keys Weekly
fled to the Keys from the frozen mountains of Pennsylvania hours after graduating from college and never looked back. She is a second-generation coach and educator, and has taught in the public school system for over 25 years. She and her husband met at a beginning teacher meeting in 1997 and have three children born and raised in Monroe County. In her free time, McDonald loves flea markets, historical fiction and long runs in the heat.
sean mcdonald
grew up in Miami and moved to the Keys in 1997. He has spent the last 25 years teaching physical education and coaching virtually every sport for Florida Keys kids ages 4 to 18. If you are reading this and live or lived in the Florida Keys, he has probably taught, coached, or coached against someone you know.
The Keys Weekly Sports Wrap is proud to be the only locally-owned publication providing prep sports coverage from Key Largo to Key West. Together with our writers and photographers, we are committed to providing a comprehensive overview of the world of Keys sports with photography that allows our readers to immerse themselves in game action.
Se habla español THE MARATHON WEEKLY (ISSN 1944-0812) IS PUBLISHED WEEKLY FOR $125 PER YEAR BY WEEKLY NEWSPAPERS, INC., 9709 OVERSEAS HIGHWAY, MARATHON FL 33050. APPLICATION TO MAIL AT PERIODICALS POSTAGE RATES IS PENDING AT FORT LAUDERDALE FL AND ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES.
KRYTINAL, STELING WIN AT HOME
Prep
golf closes out regular season in Key West
The weather swamped one final match this season for Keys golfers who were forced to miss an Oct. 20 match in Marathon, but athletes managed to squeak in nine holes later in the week. Key West won the final round of the regular season on their home course on Oct. 22, outshooting Marathon 177-180. Jakub Krytinar won the match to give a boost to the Conchs’ team scorecard. Krytinar shot a 40, finishing five above par and giving the sophomore some confidence as he and the rest of the teams head into districts this week. Finishing one stroke behind was Coral Shores’ Scout Oliver, then Key West’s Mason Titensor shot a 42 to claim third place.
Marathon’s Jackson Millard, Emmett Merryman, Luca Picariello and Max Childress finished at 45 in a four-way tie for fourth place. Geo Twyman of Key West, Sawyer Hedrix of Coral Shores and Chad Stolka of Key West completed the top 10.
Marathon - Alex Rickert alex@keysweekly.com
Upper Keys - Jim McCarthy jim@keysweekly.com
Key West - Mandy Miles mandy@keysweekly.com
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The Lady Conchs swept the top spots in their final meet of the regular season. Claudia Steling was first with an eight-stroke lead. The senior shot a 50 to make an undeniable winner on her home course. Lexi Finigan and Mary Alice Davila tied for second, each scoring 58, then Marathon’s Justice Lee Isom and Makenna Haines rounded out the pack.
Golfers participate in their respective district events this week and could advance to regionals next week.
tracy mcdonald
Coral Shores junior Sawyer Hendrix and the rest of Monroe County’s prep golfers head to districts this week. DOUG FINGER/ Keys Weekly
Golfers from Key West, Marathon, Coral Shores and Basilica School take time out for a group photo prior to district matches this week. CONTRIBUTED
LYKINS, SMITH STRIKE GOLD AT DISTRICTS
30 Keys athletes head to regionals
The Coral Shores swimming and diving program swam away with a pair of district champions last week. Aaron Lykins defended his FHSAA 1A District 12 title in the 1-meter diving competition, earning an automatic bid to regionals in the process. Joining Lykins as a district champ is Layne Smith. Smith won silver at districts last season in the 500 freestyle event and took her place at the top of the podium with first place this year.
Smith’s performance in that event ensured a trip to regionals, and the senior distance specialist will need to tap into that stamina to compete in three more events. She also qualified in the 200 freestyle individual race, in which she placed second at districts, as well as the 200 medley and 200 freestyle relay teams.
Joining Smith on relay teams will be Parks Dunn, Larkin Dunn and Sofia Figueredo. The girls placed fourth in the relay events. Figueredo will be busy as well, after qualifying for a pair of individual races. She was third in the 200 individual medley (IM) and fifth in the 100 breaststroke events. Larkin Dunn sprinted to a fourth-place district finish in the 50 freestyle race and Parks Dunn went the distance in the 500 free race, taking eighth place and claiming a spot at regionals.
Sofia Jackson, Mae Turner, Mackenzie Borguss and Stella Hodder teamed up in the 400 freestyle
relay and finished sixth at districts. Their time qualified the team for regionals to round out the girls’ qualifying members.
Joining Lykins on the boys team at regionals will be Mark Porter, Mason Osipov, Jace Jackson and Tony Khioni. The crew placed third in the 200 free relay and fifth in the 400 freestyle relay, qualifying for regionals in both races.
The Conchs will also have plenty of representation at regionals after Key West’s strong performances at the FHSAA 2A Region 4 District 12 Championships. Qualifying for regionals on the girls’ side are three relay teams. All three placed fourth and qualified for the next round of competition. The 200 medley crew of Mary Searcy, Amelia Korzen, Colbie Turner and Aly Camargo started things off. Korzen, Camargo, Molly Martinez and Christina Rice qualified in the 200 freestyle relay. Rice and Martinez then teamed up with Morgan Kennedy and Taylor Thomason in the 400 freestyle relay.
Rice and Camargo also qualified individually in the 50 freestyle event. At districts, Rice placed fourth while Camargo was sixth. Both will represent the Southernmost City at regionals. Rice also earned a lane in the 100 freestyle race with her quick fifth-place finish at districts to make it four events for the freshman. Thomason was ninth in the 200 IM at districts with a time-qualifying
Top: Key West’s Santiago Gonzalez, pictured in a meet earlier this season, will represent the Conchs at regionals in four events.
Jace Jackson will represent the Hurricanes in two relay events this
week at Coral Shores’ regional swim meet.
Sisters Larkin and Parks Dunn are a big piece of Coral Shores’ successful girls swimming program.
regional bid and Korzen’s fifth-place finish in the 100 breaststroke event gave her a third event for regionals.
The Conch boys also qualified for regionals in all three relay events. The 200 medley team of Wesley Farrer, Andres Aguero, Kieran Smith and Hugo Blinckmann placed fourth at districts. Max Blinckmann, John Picco, Jacob Perez and Santiago Gonzalez earned bids to regionals with their thirdplace 400 freestyle relay finish. In the 200 freestyle relay, both Blinckmanns, Gonzalez and Sebastian Camargo placed fifth.
Multiple Conchs also qualified in individual races with quick times in their respective events. Hugo Blinckmann earned lanes in the 50 freestyle and 100 breaststroke races. The multitalented junior placed sixth and ninth in the events at districts. Santiago Gonzalez will also be busy at regionals. Gonzalez was fifth in the 200 free and sixth in the 100 free events. Aguero’s seventhplace 200 IM finish was quick enough to qualify for regionals, as was Kieran Smith’s 10th-place finish in the 100 breaststroke race.
Coral Shores will compete at NSU University School Oct. 31 for its regional event. The Conchs race the following day at Gulliver Prep. Athletes who qualify for states will make the big trip to Ocala the following week.
Photos by Jim McCarthy and Jen Searcy
Jace Jackson
Larkin Dunn
Parks Dunn
FULL RETREAT
Conchs send Generals home reeling from 54-6 loss
Key West used a lopsided first half against the Generals of Miami Jackson to get their bench some valuable experience last week. “The clock was running in the second quarter,” said Key West coach Johnny Hughes. His Conchs pulled ahead by more than 35 points, the differential which determines whether the clock will run normally or stop far less frequently to move along a game with an obvious outcome.
Stepping up prior to the changing of the guard were Key West’s deadliest weapons: Jeff Dejean, Walson Morin and Leo Batista. Dejean rushed for 93 yards on five carries, crossing the goal line three times. Morin picked up 91 yards on seven carries, scoring once on the ground before reeling in a 16yard pass from Roman Van Loon for another TD in the air. Batista, who typically lays the groundwork for the rest of the backfield by delivering devastating blocks, had three carries for 55 yards and one TD.
At the half, Hughes was able to change out his backfield, which produced similar results. Tristan Rodriguez, who impressed Hughes defensively, also earned a pair of carries, one of which was good for a score, and freshman Nick Talpaz accounted for another TD.
Defensively, Hughes said, “Reef Guyet has really come on.” At corner, Guyet has come up with some big pass breakups despite lining up against much taller receivers in many cases. Hughes also pointed out exceptional defensive play from Batista, Kaine Dickerson and Noah Mercer. Mercer broke a 22-year Conch record in the win by racking up an incredible 11th sack this season.
Mercer is not the only Conch doing big things. Morin led Florida’s 3A division in rushing yards last week and is currently second after a second-half rest against Jackson. Morin has 1,249 yards for the Conchs this season, which puts him at No. 12 in the entire state for all divisions. Dejean is 12th in 3A rushing, and ranked 10th last week. Dejean has 847 yards and with a breakout game this week could break into quadruple digits. The pair are first and second in the team’s district.
Coral Shores made a trip to Naples to take on the Celtics of St. John Neumann on Oct. 24. What they faced when they arrived was what head coach Ed Holly described as “the best team I’ve played since 2011.”
Despite seeing athletes across the line of scrimmage who outweighed the Hurricanes by 100 pounds in some cases, Holly was proud of how his team handled the adversity in the 58-0 loss.
“They didn’t quit. They didn’t back down,” he said. “They were chomping at the bit to get in and play.”
Holly had a lot of praise for Casey Konrad, who was pitted against a UM commit. “I was so proud of him. He gave us a tremendous effort all night,” said Holly, adding that Konrad, the ’Canes center, also stepped up to long snap in his final game wearing a Coral Shores jersey. Holly also noted that Kristers Vutnans made big plays on special teams, describing the senior’s four-year transformation for the team as exceptional.
Also earning praise were Will Roberts and Nick Calderon, who played offense, defense and special teams the entire game. Roberts “covered D1 guys on offense, then turned
Walson Morin and Leandro Batista celebrate a touchdown. MAICEY MALGRAT/Keys Weekly
DOUG FINGER/Keys Weekly
around and covered D1 guys on special teams,” said Holly. Calderon, meanwhile, “did not leave the field. He played every single snap of that game.”
Holly went on to describe his seniors as “absolute warriors” for the effort they gave, despite the score differential.
The Hurricanes’ season ended in Naples, as the team’s bye week comes in Week 11 and the Florida Independent Football Conference determines its winner by schedule and not with a playoff bracket.
The Dolphins were off last week, but return to action in what will be their final game on Oct. 31. The Fins will play Pine Crest School in a game scheduled for 1 p.m. to accommodate Pine Crest’s travel. The early kickoff allows Marathon’s student body to attend and cheer on the team. Key West faces University Christian, who will travel from Jacksonville to play four quarters of football in the Southernmost City. The contest is crucial for the Conchs, who are hoping to sway the razor-thin rankings in their favor to garner a home playoff game.
Coral Shores coach Ed Holly praised seniors Casey Konrad, top, Nick Calderon, Will Roberts and Kristers Vutnans this week.
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Countdown to districts underway for Keys runners
TAKING THEIR MARKS
Runners from three local high schools toed the line for the Sugarloaf Trail cross country race on Oct. 21. Marathon’s Antonin Bursa claimed first place with a time of 18:27.
Teammate Allan Taylor was next, finishing in 19 minutes flat; then it was Key West senior Prometheus Delacerda in third, with a time of 19:27. In fourth was Marathon’s Caleb Shelar, followed by a trio of Conchs: Sawyer Hill, Alejandro Caridad and Owen Fisher were fifth through seventh. Victor Balmaceda was first for Basilica School, in eighth place overall, while Colin Palomino and Charlie Delashmit, a pair of Conchs, rounded out the top 10.
In the girls race, Molly Joly was first. The Marathon seventhgrader finished the course in 24:33. Emma Bradshaw, Violet Jangraw and Ryah Bushey of Key West were second through fourth; then Dolphins Mylana Loza, Danaica Bessy and Kayla Skaarup were fifth through seventh. Key West’s Yaretzy Marquez and Brenda Chirino of Marathon completed the field of finishers.
Three days later, the Fins were back in action, this time in Miami. A total of 27 teams participated in the 305 Classic cross country meet at Larry & Penny Thompson Park on Oct. 24. Two of those teams were Marathon and Coral Shores.
The Dolphins pulled off an eighth-place finish despite racing without their top runner. Freshman Lucian Burns is sidelined with a stress fracture, which may affect the remainder of his season. The rest of the team picked up the pace to make up for the missing link to their success this season. Antonin Bursa was first for the Fins, placing fifth overall in 17:51. Caleb Shelar and Allan Taylor each broke the 20-minute barrier, running the race in 19:06 and 19:47, respectively. Anthony Vargas, Thomas Torres and Cameron Coletti rounded out the top five spots for the Dolphins.
Coral Shores finished in the middle of the pack, claiming 14th place with Jamie Cary leading the charge. Cary crossed the line in 19:09, followed by Tristan Sanchez, Garrett Gomila, Tristan Rios and Adrik Gadea.
The Hurricanes, led by sophomore Ali Wheatley, finished fifth of 18 teams in the girls competition. Wheatley was fourth overall, crossing the line in 21:06. Kate King was next for the ’Canes, crossing in
24:03. Olive Welch, Tess Hill and Hayden Teal rounded out the top five spots, all finishing under 27 minutes. Marathon did not bring enough girls to qualify for a team, but Mylana Loza, Danaica Bessy, Ariella Dworniczak and Kayla Skaarup got in some great training prior to districts.
Up next for Keys runners is the Oct. 30 Junior Orange Bowl race in Miami, then it’s off to districts. Marathon runs at Boca Raton’s South County Regional Park on Nov. 4 while Key West and Coral Shores race two days later at Larry & Penny Thompson Park in Miami.
1. Marathon’s Caleb Shelar (bib 46), Allan Taylor (40) and Tony Bursa (3) lead the pack at the Sugarloaf Trail race last week while Conchs coach Keara McGraw leads the runners through the overgrowth.
2. Key West’s Charlie Delashmit picks up the pace after the Sugarloaf Trail turnaround.
3. Key West freshman Kaiden Asencio cruises down Sugarloaf Trail.
4. Conchs Colin Palomino (41) and Emma Bradshaw (50) race for the finish line. Bradshaw was second in the girls race and Palomino was ninth for the boys. CONTRIBUTED
Marathon’s Anthony Vargas. NATALIE DANKO/Keys Weekly
FINISH LINE
Conchs’ season ends with playoff push
Key West volleyball closed out a strong season on Oct. 22 with a loss to the Bears of Mater Lakes in the FHSAA 4A Region 4 quarterfinals. Though the outcome was not what the team hoped for, head coach Kim Butler had nothing but praise for her squad, who earned their spot in the playoff bracket with a strong season full of highcaliber opponents.
“They really showed up and played hard,” said Butler of the Lady Conchs’ play last week. “I was so proud of how they bounced back from the district finals. They battled, showed that they belonged there and can play some really nice volleyball, and the entire team played well.”
While the team played some of its best volleyball of the season, the opponents were formidable. The Bears’ team average serve percentage was over 97%, and the Mater lineup included a pair of hitters who
amassed 27 kills between them.
But Key West had some weapons of their own, which they unleashed against the Bears.
three while
“Gabby Garcia had her best match of the season," said Butler. Garcia had nine kills, three digs and a block and was credited with phenomenal passing in her final match as a Conch. The senior captain ended her prep volleyball career on a high note, as did teammates Tess Wright, Audrey Smith and Adriana Heinrichs, who had four kills apiece. Heinrichs also added a dozen digs to her stats. Journey Lamb amassed 15 digs while Molly McKnight registered 10 assists and eight digs. Dianeza Gonzalez was credited with seven digs.
Key West was the only Monroe County team to advance to regionals this season. Their 16-12 record includes many tournament matches against some of the best competition in the state.
Top: Senior captain Gabby Garcia, left, and senior Tess Wright. MAICEY MALGRAT/Keys Weekly Above: Key West poses after its regional match at Mater Lakes. CONTRIBUTED
EXTRA INNINGS
Baseball programs use fall ball to stay game-ready year-round
Baseball season does not officially open for months, but many athletes across Florida enjoy an extra fall ball season. Travel team players use the extra reps to improve their skills for their official spring high school teams.
“Our fall program is designed to give our young players opportunities to gain experience, get at-bats and log innings,” said Conchball coach Ralphie Henriquez. “We do not keep official stats – the results are not our focus at this stage. Our priority is development, teaching and the growth of each player.”
Henriquez’s 16U Conchball team made the short trip to Marathon on Oct. 21 to play a friendly fall baseball game against the Pro-Form 305 17U squad, whose roster includes players from the Middle Keys, coached in part by Marathon’s Joey Gonzalez.
“These fall games are extremely important for both programs as they give the baseball players from the Middle and Lower Keys the opportunity to compete in a more flexible and informal game setting and work on their craft before the spring high school baseball season,” Gonzalez said.
The matchup saw talent from both squads, especially on the mound. Pro-Form 305’s Dylan Williams and Jack Chapman combined for five innings of work and Conchball’s Tyrone Cervantes threw two scoreless innings.
The fall programs provide more than just extra at-bats; they allow teams to build camaraderie and develop positive relationships among programs, athletes and coaches.
“It was a lot of fun and a great atmosphere, and we look forward to a continued baseball relationship between Pro-Form 305 and Conchball for many off-seasons to come,” said Gonzalez.
LEE ISOM/Keys Weekly
Top: Jack Chapman slides into home base as Conchball’s Carter Wirth covers the plate.
Above: Reef Rella slides into second base safely as Conchball’s Tyrone Cervantes watches.
JUSTICE
LEGAL NOTICES
LEGAL NOTICES
LEGAL NOTICES
NOTICE TO MONROE COUNTY REGISTERED VOTERS
PHOTO & SIGNATURE ID REQUIRED TO VOTE
Sherri Hodies, Supervisor of Elections, would like to inform the voters of the City of Marathon that Florida Statute now requires electors to provide picture and signature identification. Florida Statute requires "each elector, upon entering the polling place, to present a Florida driver's license, a Florida Identification Card, United States Passport, Debit or Credit card, Military ID, Student ID, Retirement Center ID, Neighborhood association ID, Public assistance ID, Veteran health identification card issued by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, License to carry a concealed weapon or firearm issued pursuant to S. 790.06 or Employee identification card issued by any branch, department, agency, or entity of the Federal Government, the state, a county, or a municipality. Electors failing to furnish the required identification will be able vote a provisional ballot.
AVISO A LOS VOTANTES INSCRITOS DE LA CIUDAD DE MARATHON
SE REQUIERE IDENTIFICACIÓN CON FOTOGRAFÍA Y FIRMA PARA VOTAR
La Supervisora Electoral, Sherri Hodies, desea informar a los votantes de la ciudad de Marathon que el Estatuto de Florida ahora exige que los votantes muestren una identificación con fotografía y firma. El Estatuto de Florida exige que "cada votante, al ingresar al lugar de votación, presente una licencia de conducir de Florida, una tarjeta de identificación de Florida, pasaporte de los Estados Unidos, tarjeta de débito o crédito, identificación militar, identificación de estudiante, identificación de centro de retiro, identificación de asociación vecinal, identificación de asistencia pública, tarjeta de identificación de salud para veteranos emitida por el Departamento de Asuntos de Veteranos de los Estados Unidos, licencia para portar un arma oculta o un arma de fuego emitida de conformidad con la s. 790.06 o tarjeta de identificación de empleado emitida por alguna sucursal, departamento, agencia o entidad del gobierno federal, el estado, un condado o un municipio".
Los votantes que no presenten la identificación requerida podrán votar con una boleta provisional.
FICTITIOUS NAME NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of Sunset Sombrero Rentals located at 101 Sombrero Boulevard, Marathon, Florida 33050 intends to register said name with the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida. By: 6741 NE 21st Road, LLC
Publish: October 30, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
FICTITIOUS NAME
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of Salt and Skin Esthetics located at 91495 Overseas Hwy, Suite B, Tavernier Fl 33070 intends to register said name with the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida.
By: FTDFC LLC
Publish: October 30, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE
U-HAUL COMPANY OF MIAMI Notice is hereby given that on November 10th, 2025, Leonard Richford Jr. Storage Auctioneer, Executive Administrator for U-Haul Company of Miami, Will be offering for sale under the Judicial Lien Process, By Public Auction, the following storage units. The Terms of the sale will be cash only. U-Haul Company does reserve the right to refuse any bids. The sales will Begin at 8:00 a.m. and continue day by day until all units are sold. The names of whose units will be sold are as follows: 103530 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, FL 33037 Cox, Michael 1426 Burgin, Leigh 1340
Ison, Malorie 1757
Saviato, Flavia 1344
Murgas, Alex 1580
Publish: October 30 & November 6, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA, IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY
CASE NO: 2025-CA-129-K
Premier Capital, LLC Plaintiff, Vs Carolyn M. Delgado and William J. Delgado Defendant, NOTICE OF SHERIFF’S SALE NOTICE IS HEREBY given that pursuant to a amended Writ of Execution issued in the Circuit Court, of Monroe County, Florida, on the 7th day of October, 2025, in the cause wherein Premier Capital, LLC is Plaintiff and Carolyn M. Delgado and William J. Delgado was defendant, being Case No. 2025-CA-129-K in said court, I, Richard A. Ramsay, Sheriff of Monroe County, Florida have levied upon all right, title, and interest of the defendant, in and to the following described real property to wit: SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTY:
From the warranty deed that states the following described land, situate, lying and being in Monroe County, Florida to-wit:
Legal Description(s) –On the Island of Key West, Monroe County, Florida, and known on William A. Whitehead’s map delineated in February A.D. 1829, as part of Tract 11 but better known as part of Lot 3, Square 9, Tract 11 according to Charles
Diane Clavier, Marathon City Clerk www.ci.marathon.fl.us
W. Tift’s Map of said Island recorded in Deed Book “L” Page 564, of the Public Records of Monroe County, Florida and being more particularly described by metes and bounds as follows: Commencing at the intersection of the Southwesterly right of way boundary line of Duval Street with the Northwesterly right of way boundary line of United Street and run in a Southwesterly direction along the said right of way boundary line of United Street a distance of 100 feet to the Point of Beginning of the parcel of land herein described, thence at right angles in the Northwesterly direction 84.17 feet to a point; thence at right angles in a Southwesterly direction 26.3 feet to a point; thence at right angles in a Southeasterly direction 84.17 feet to a point in the Northwesterly direction along the said right of way line of United Street a distance of 26.3 feet back to the point of Beginning. SPECIFIC LOCATION OF REAL PROPERTY:
421 United Street Key West, Florida 33040
All bidders must have a valid Driver’s License with them and must register with the clerk at location of sale prior to start time of sale. I shall offer this property for sale, at the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Headquarters building located at 5525 College Road Key West, Florida 33040 in the County of Monroe, State of Florida, on the 25th day of November, 2025, at the hour of 10:00 A.M. or as soon thereafter as possible. I will offer for sale all of the said defendant’s right, title, and interest in the aforesaid real property at public auction and will sell the same subject to all taxes,
MONROE COUNTY DELEGATION MEETING
via Zoom (link below)
THURSDAY, NOV. 13th, 2025 at 10 a.m.
MEETING AGENDA
Call to Order, Pledge of Allegiance
Welcome Remarks, Delegate Roll Call, Presenters, Public Comments, Adjournment
If you have any questions or would like to have the link emailed to you, please email: Lee.young@ house.gov or pamela.conway@ house.gov
prior liens, encumbrances and judgments, if any, to the highest and best bidder for cash or cashiers check. The proceeds to be applied as far as may be to the payment of costs and the satisfaction of the above described execution.
Dated at Key West, Monroe County, Florida this 8th day of October, 2025.
Richard A. Ramsay Sheriff of Monroe County, By: Donald Stullken Deputy Sheriff In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, persons with disabilities needing a special accommodation to participate in this proceeding should contact the Civil Division no later than seven says prior to the proceeding at (305)8093041 Publish: October 16, 23 & 30 and November 6, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF INTENTION TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF COUNTY ORDINANCE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN that on November 12, 2025, at 9:00 A.M. or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard, at the Harvey Government Center, 1200 Truman Avenue, 2nd Floor, Key West, Florida, the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida, intends to consider adopting the following ordinance: AN ORDINANCE OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA REPEALING SECTION 4-75, MONROE COUNTY CODE; DIRECTING THE EDITORS OF THE CODE TO INSERT A REFERENCE AT 4-75 DIRECTING READERS TO F.S. 767.10 ET SEQ FOR DANGEROUS DOG PROCEDURES; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; CODIFICATION; AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE The proposed ordinance may be inspected by the public at the Monroe County website by viewing the agenda packet for the November 12, 2025, meeting, which will be posted beginning on November 7, 2025 at: http://monroecountyfl.iqm2. com/citizens/default.aspx. The ordinance may also be viewed at the Monroe County Attorney’s Office at 1111 12th Street, Suite 408, Key West, FL 33040.
The public can participate in the November 12, 2025, meeting of the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, FL by attending in person or via Zoom. The Zoom link can be found in the agenda at http:// monroecountyfl.iqm2.com/ citizens/default.aspx. ADA ASSISTANCE: If you are a person with a disability who needs special accommodations in order to participate in this proceeding, please contact the County Administrator’s Office, by phoning (305) 292-4441, between the hours of 8:30a.m.—5:00p.m., prior to the scheduled meeting; if you are hearing or voiceimpaired, call “711”. Live Closed-Captioning is available via our web portal @ http:// monroecountyfl.iqm2.com/ Citizens/Default.aspx for meetings of the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners.
Dated at Key West, Florida, this 25th day of October, 2025. KEVIN MADOK, Clerk of the Circuit Court and Ex Officio Clerk of the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida Publish: October 30, 2025
• CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES •
NOTICE OF INTENTION TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF COUNTY ORDINANCE
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN that on November 12, 2025, at 9:00 A.M. or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard, at the Harvey Government Center, 1200 Truman Avenue, Key West, Florida, the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida, intends to consider adopting the following ordinance: AN ORDINANCE OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA, AMENDING SECTION 18-7(d) OF THE MONROE COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES, ENTITLED “MONROE COUNTY SCHOOL BREAK CAMP PROGRAM, FEES AND EXPENSES”; PROVIDING THAT CAMP FEES BE SET BY RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR REPEAL OF ALL ORDINANCES INCONSISTENT HEREWITH; PROVIDING FOR INCORPORATION INTO THE MONROE COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
The proposed ordinance may be inspected by the public at the Monroe County website by viewing the agenda packet for the November 12, 2025, meeting, which will be posted beginning on November 7, 2025 at: http://monroecountyfl.iqm2. com/citizens/default.aspx.
The ordinance may also be viewed at the Monroe County Attorney’s office at 1111 12th St. Ste. 408 Key West, FL 33040.
The public can participate in the November 12, 2025, meeting of the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, FL by attending in person or via Zoom. The Zoom link can be found in the agenda at http:// monroecountyfl.iqm2.com/ citizens/default.aspx.
ADA ASSISTANCE: If you are a person with a disability who needs special accommodations in order to participate in this proceeding, please contact the County Administrator’s Office, by phoning (305) 292-4441, between the hours of 8:30a.m.—5:00p.m., prior to the scheduled meeting; if you are hearing or voiceimpaired, call “711”. Live Closed-Captioning is available via our web portal @ http:// monroecountyfl.iqm2.com/ Citizens/Default.aspx for meetings of the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners.
Dated at Key West, Florida, this 25th day of October, 2025.
KEVIN MADOK, Clerk of the Circuit Court and Ex Officio Clerk of the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida Publish: October 30, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTCE OF REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE SOLICITATIONS
Invitation to Bid
LEGO Construction Co. and Florida Department of Management Services (DMS)
cordially invite interested subcontractors to complete and submit sealed bids by 25th November 2025, no later than 12:00 PM, for the following project/bid packages: Marathon Regional Service Center Design and Replace Chiller for the Florida Department of Management Services (MSFM-02405150)
SELECT TRADE BID PACKAGES
All contractors certified as SBE, MBE & M/WBE are encouraged to participate in any trades. This invitation
includes the following trades: TRADES: Mechanical/HVAC
Piles
Electrical
Wooden platform deck
Concrete/CMU
A non-mandatory pre-bid conference followed by a site visit will be held on Thursday, November 6, 2025, at 10:00 AM. The bid opening is scheduled for Tuesday, December 2, 2025, at 10:00 AM. Bid opening will take place at LEGO’s Miami office and will also be accessible online. Interested subcontractors may contact Jithu Sabu Daniel for additional details. The bid manual, bid requirements, bid forms, specifications, drawings, bid opening details, and other construction documents will be available by reaching out to Satya Nethi at snethi@ legocc.com or at 305-3818421 Ext 113. All bids must be received no later than 25th November 2025 @ 12:00 PM at LEGO Construction Co office located at 1011 Sunnybrook Road, Suite 905, Miami, Florida 33136. Bids must be delivered in a sealed envelope clearly marked “Sealed Bid for Marathon Regional Service Center Chiller Replacement project”, along with the name of your firm and the trades covered in your bid. Subcontractors interested in working with LEGO must obtain prequalification with LEGO prior to bidding. All questions regarding prequalification & the bid process should be directed to Satya Nethi at snethi@legocc. com.
Publish: October 30, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE SOLICITATIONS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Thursday, December 11, 2025, at 3:00 P.M., the Monroe County Purchasing Office will receive and open sealed responses for the following: Duck Key Living Shoreline and Breakwater Repair Project Monroe County, Florida Pursuant to F.S. § 50.0211(3) (a), all published competitive solicitation notices can be viewed at: www. floridapublicnotices.com, a searchable Statewide repository for all published legal notices. Requirements for submission and the selection criteria may be requested from the County’s electronic bidding platform at https://monroecounty-fl. bonfirehub.com OR www. monroecounty-fl.gov/ BonfireBids. The Public Record is available upon request.
Monroe County Purchasing Department receives bids via the Bonfire electronic bidding platform. Please do not email, mail or attempt to deliver in person any sealed bids. Emailed/mailed/physically delivered bids/proposals/ responses WILL NOT be accepted.
The Monroe County Purchasing Department hereby directs that bids be submitted via the Bonfire electronic bidding platform at https://monroecounty-fl. bonfirehub.com, no later than 3:00P.M. on December 11, 2025. There is no cost to the bidder to use the Bonfire platform. Please do not submit your confidential financial information as part of your proposal. There are separate uploads for each set of documents, including confidential financial information. All proposals will be made public on the platform after an intended decision or 30 days, whichever is earlier, unless the bids/
proposals are rejected in accordance with F.S. 119.071. If your proposal document includes financial information, that information will not be considered confidential and will be available and viewable to the public in accordance with public records law. The bid opening for this solicitation will be held virtually, via the internet, at 3:00P.M., on Thursday, December 11, 2025. You may call in by phone or internet using the following: Join Zoom Meeting
https://mcbocc.zoom. us/j/4509326156
Meeting ID: 4509326156
One tap mobile:
+16465189805,,4509326156# US (New York)
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US (San Jose)
Dial by your location:
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Publish: October 30, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
PROBATE DIVISION
FILE NO.: 25-CP-476-M
DIVISION: MIDDLE KEYS IN RE: ESTATE OF VERNELLE WILLIAM MELIN
Deceased.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of Vernelle William Melin, deceased, whose date of death was August 18, 2025, is pending in the Circuit Court for MONROE County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 3117 Overseas Highway, Marathon, Florida 33050. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below.
All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM.
All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE.
The personal representative has no duty to discover whether any property held at the time of the decedent's death by the decedent or the decedent's surviving spouse is property to which the Florida Uniform Disposition of Community Property Rights at Death Act as described in ss. 732.216-732.228, Florida Statutes, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under s. 732.2211, Florida Statutes. The written demand must be filed with the clerk.
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 30, 2025.
Personal Representative: Connie Ann Melin 7900 Gulfstream Blvd. 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 30 & November 6, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT, SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
PROBATE DIVISION
CASE NUMBER: 25-CP-436-K
DIVISION: KEY WEST IN RE: ESTATE OF CHRISTOPHER BRADLEY
MARIO
a/k/a CHRISTOPHER B. MARIO, Deceased.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of Christopher Bradley Mario a/k/a Christopher B. Mario, deceased, whose date of death was September 8, 2025, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 500 Whitehead Street, Key West, Florida, 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. The personal representative has no duty to discover whether any property held at the time of the decedent's death by the decedent or the decedent's surviving spouse is property to which the Florida Uniform Disposition of Community Property Rights at Death Act as described in ss. 732.216-732.228, Florida Statutes, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under s. 732.2211, Florida Statutes. The written demand must be filed with the clerk.
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 30, 2025.
Personal Representative: JEREMY KONRAD MARIO
220 N. Serenata Drive, #623
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082
Attorney for Personal
Representative: CHRISTOPHER M. BAUER, ESQ.
Florida Bar Number: 1012136
Fisher, Tousey, Leas & Ball
818 N. A1A, Suite 104
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082
Tel: (904) 356-2600
Email: cmb@fishertousey.com
Publish: October 30 and November 6, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 25-CP-467-P
DIVISION: UPPER KEYS IN RE: ESTATE OF LAURA MARION COCKS Deceased.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of LAURA MARION COCKS, deceased, whose date of death was August 8, 2025, is pending in the Circuit Court for MONROE County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 88770 Overseas Highway, Suite 2, Tavernier, Florida 33070. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM.
The personal representative has no duty to discover whether any property held at the time of the decedent's death by the decedent or the decedent's surviving spouse is property to which the Florida Uniform Disposition of Community Property Rights at Death Act as described in ss. 732.216-732.228, Florida Statutes, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under s. 732.2211, Florida Statutes. 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 23, 2025.
Personal Representative: Robert M. Cocks 1780 SW 10th Street
Boca Raton, Florida 33486
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 23 & 30, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
PROBATE DIVISION
FILE NO.: 25-CP-000449-K
DIVISION: PROBATE
IN RE: ESTATE OF JOHNNY EDWARD O’BRIEN
Deceased
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of JOHNNY EDWARD O’BRIEN, deceased, whose date of death was April 24, 2025 is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is Clerk of the Circuit Court, Probate Division, 530 Whitehead Street, Key West, FL 33040. The names of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are 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 SECTION 733.702 OF THE FLORIDA PROBATE CODE WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT'S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED.
The personal representative or curator has no duty to discover whether any property held at the time of the decedent's death by the decedent or the decedent's surviving spouse is property to which the Florida Uniform Disposition of Community Property Rights at Death Act as described in ss. 732.216732.228, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under s. 732.2211. The date of first publication of this notice is October 23, 2025.
Personal Representative: ALICE K. BATES 27325 Guadaloupe Lane Ramrod Key, FL 33042-5414
Attorney for Personal Representative: SHAWN C. NEWMAN, ESQ. Florida Bar No. 0036302
Law Office of Shawn C. Newman, P.A. 710 N.E. 26th Street Wilton Manors, Florida 33305
Telephone: (954) 563-9160
Fax: (954) 908-7572
E-Mail: Shawn@ ShawnNewman.com
EmailService@ShawNewman. com
Publish: October 23 & 30, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
PROBATE DIVISION CASE NO. 25-CP-470-K
IN RE: ESTATE OF PEDRO MANUEL PEREZ a/k/a PEDRO M. PEREZ
Deceased
NOTICE TO CREDITORS Administration of the above captioned estate is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, the address of which is 500 Whitehead Street, Key West, Florida 33040. The name and address of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are below. All creditors of the deceased and other persons having claims or demands against the deceased’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is served must file their claims with this court WITHIN THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM.
All other creditors of the deceased and persons having claims or demands against the deceased's estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT SO FILED WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIOD SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE
DECEASED'S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED. The personal representative or curator has no duty to discover whether any property held at the time of the decedent's death by the decedent or the decedent's surviving spouse is property to which the Florida Uniform Disposition of Community Property Rights at Death Act as described in F.S. §§732.216 - 732.228 applies or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under F.S. §732.2211.
The date of first publication of this notice is October 23, 2025.
Personal Representative: Dayana M. Perez c/o John R. Lonergan, Esq. Attorney for Personal Representative: John R. Lonergan, Esq. FL Bar No. 933937 15880 Summerlin Road, Suite 300-401 Fort Myers, Florida 33908 (239) 275-8200 john@jrlpa.com
Publish: October 23 & 30, 2025 The Weekly Newspapers IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 25-CP-000463-K Judge Koenig IN RE: ESTATE OF JACQUELINE G. KEEVAN Deceased.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of Jacqueline G. Keevan, deceased, whose date of death was June 11, 2025, and the last four digits of whose social security number are -3777, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 500 Whitehead Street, Key West, Florida 33040. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court WITHIN THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN SECTION 733.702 OF THE FLORIDA PROBATE CODE WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT'S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED.
The personal representative or curator has no duty to discover whether any property held at the time of the decedent's death by the decedent or the decedent's surviving spouse is property to which the Florida Uniform Disposition of Community Property Rights at Death Act as described in ss. 732.216732.228, Florida Statutes, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under s. 732.2211, Florida Statutes. The written demand must filed with the clerk.
The date of first publication of this notice is October 23, 2025.
Attorney for Personal Representative:
Amy C. Kelley, Esq.
Fla. Bar No. 119148
Kelley & Kelley, P.L.
• CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES
700 Plantation Island Dr. S., Suite 206
St. Augustine, FL 32084
Tel: (904) 819-9706
Fax: (904) 819-9707 amy@kelleyandkelley.com sean@kelleyandkelley.com pleadings@kelleyandkelley. com
Personal Representative: Anne Keevan Finch
820 Castile Avenue Coral Gables, Florida 33134
Publish: October 23 & 30, 2025 The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 25-CP-000464-K Judge Koenig IN RE: ESTATE OF CLARENCE J. KEEVAN
Deceased. NOTICE TO CREDITORS
(Summary Administration)
An Order of Summary Administration in the estate of Clarence J. Keevan, deceased, whose date of death was June 25, 2025, and the last four digits of whose social security number are -0911, was entered by the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 500 Whitehead Street, Key West, Florida 33040, on October 13, 2025. The total value of the estate is $16,641, and the names and addresses of the beneficiaries of the estate and their attorney are forth below.
All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court WITHIN THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE.
ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN SECTION 733.702 OF THE FLORIDA PROBATE CODE WILL BE FOREVER BARRED.
NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT'S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED.
The personal representative or curator has no duty to discover whether any property held at the time of the decedent's death by the decedent or the decedent's surviving spouse is property to which the Florida Uniform Disposition of Community Property Rights at Death Act as described in ss. 732.216732.228, Florida Statutes, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under s. 732.2211, Florida Statutes. The written demand must filed with the clerk.
The date of first publication of this notice is October 23, 2025.
Attorney for Beneficiaries:
Amy C. Kelley, Esq. Fla. Bar No. 119148
Kelley & Kelley, P.L. 700 Plantation Island Dr. S., Suite 206
St. Augustine, FL 32084
Tel: (904) 819-9706
Fax: (904) 819-9707
amy@kelleyandkelley.com sean@kelleyandkelley.com pleadings@kelleyandkelley. com
Beneficiaries:
Anne Keevan Finch 820 Castile Avenue
Coral Gables, Florida 33134
Patrick Frank Keevan 7702 Santa Margherita Way Naples, Florida 34109
Publish: October 23 & 30, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY CASE NO. 2012-CA-000363-K NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE
SALE BY CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT
Notice is hereby given that the undersigned, Kevin Madok, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Monroe County, Florida, will, on the 19TH day of November 2025 at 11 o’clock a.m., at 500 Whitehead Street, Monroe County, in the City of Key West, Florida, offer for sale and sell at public outcry to the highest and best bidder for CASH the Following described property situated in Monroe County, Florida, to wit: Property Address: 728 Prado Circle, Key West, FL 33040 LOT 23, BLOCK 2, AMENDED PLAT OF COPPITT SUBDIVISION, (A RESUBDIVISION OF PLAT BOOK 3, AT PAGE 116) LOCATED IN GOVERNMENT LOT 5, SECTION 27, TOWNSHIP 67 S., RANGE 26 E., BIG COPPITT KEY, MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA, AS RECORDED IN PLAT BOOK 4, AT PAGE 50, OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA. Pursuant to ORDER ON PLAINTIFF’S MOTION TO RESCHEDULE FORECLOSURE
SALE entered in a case pending in said Court, the 1ST day of October 2025
Style of which is:
FEDERAL NATIONAL MORTGAGE ASSOCIATION Plaintiff, VS. JOSEPH PATRICK CLEMENTS
A/K/A JOSEPH P. CLEMENTS AND DEBRA LYNN CLEMENTS
A/K/A DEBRA L. CLEMENTS
A/K/A DEBBIE L. CLEMENTS; BRANCH BANKING AND TRUST COMPANY, SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO REPUBLIC BANK; IBERIABANK; UNKNOWN PARTIES IN POSSESSION #1, IF LIVING, AND ALL UNKNOWN PARTIES CLAIMING BY, THROUGH, UNDER AND AGAINST THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANT(S) WHO ARE NOT KNOWN TO BE DEAD OR ALIVE, WHETHER SAID UNKNOWN PARTIES MAY CLAIM AN INTEREST AS SPOUSE, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, OR OTHER CLAIMANTS; UNKNOWN PARTIES IN POSSESSION #2, IF LIVING, AND ALL UNKNOWN PARTIES CLAIMING BY, THROUGH, UNDER AND AGAINST THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANT(S) WHO ARE NOT KNOWN TO BE DEAD OR ALIVE, WHETHER SAID UNKNOWN PARTIES MAY CLAIM AN INTEREST AS SPOUSE, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, OR OTHER CLAIMANTS
And the Docket Number of which is Number 2012-CA000363-K WITNESS my hand and the Official Seal of Said Court, this 6TH day of October 2025
KEVIN MADOK Clerk of the Circuit Court Monroe County, Florida By: Shonta McLeod Deputy Clerk Florida Statute 45.031: Any person claiming an interest in the surplus from the sale, if any, other than the property owner as of the date of the Lis Pendens must file a claim within 60 days after the sale. Publish: October 30 & November 6, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
LEGAL NOTICES
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.: 25-CA-000940-P
WILLIAM L. BAKER, Plaintiff,
v. ERIC SOULAVY, CRISTINA BEHRENS DE SOULAVY, JAVIER CERVERA, AND/OR ASSIGNS, MARINA AT THE REEF, LLC., a Florida limited liability company, ANGLERS CLUB HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC., a Florida corporation, Defendants. ____________________/
NOTICE OF ACTION TO DEFENDANTS, ERIC SOULAVY AND CRISTINA BEHRENS DE SOULAVY, AND ALL OTHERS WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:
YOU ARE NOTIFIED that an action to foreclose a mortgage on the following property in Monroe County, Florida:
Legal Description: Condominium Unit No. 33, of ANGLERS CLUB, a Condominium, according to the Declaration of Condominium thereof, as recorded in Official Records Book 1028, at Page 2375, of the Public Records of Monroe County, Florida, and all amendments thereto, together with its undivided share in the common elements.
a/k/a 50 Clubhouse Road #33, Key Largo, FL 33037 has been filed against you and you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to it on CRAIG B. SHAPIRO, the Plaintiff’s attorney, whose address is 1100 Brickell Bay Dr., Suite 5200, Miami, Florida 33131, on or before 24th day of November, 2025 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 this 17th day of October, 2025.
KEVIN MADOK, CPA Clerk of the Court By: Michelle Fernandez Deputy Clerk Publish: October 23 & 30, 2025 The Weekly Newspapers
AUTOS ALL YEARS! Junk or Used Cars, Vans, Trucks. Runs or Not.$CASH 305-332-0483
BOAT MISC. FOR SALE
2019 P&S 425XTOYams for sale. 1,100 hours. Off the "Let Her Ride". Located in Marathon. $45,000 305-747-4227
GREAT DEAL: Key Largo 21' Deep V Center Console w/trailer. New 150hp motor & electronics. $15,000 Located in Marathon. 201-696-8906
BOAT SLIP FOR RENT
Boat Dockage for rent in Marathon. Private bay bottom, up to 40' boat, self containing, offshore water, car & dingy parking space provided. 305-610-8002
NIGHT MONITORFREE PRvate Room in exchange for overnight availability at our Assisted Living Facility. 5 nights on, 5 nights off 10pm-8am plus weekly stipend, Drug & background screen required. www.westcare. com/join-our-team/
Retail - Tues-Sat 3:00 pm-9:00 pm in Marathon. Must be able to lift large boxes of tee shirts. More hours available if needed. Inside Airstream with AC. Email Carolyn - sparkyslanding@ aol.com
is a fun, environmentally friendly non-profit 501(c)(3) organization specializing in education, research, and rescue of marine mammals.
DRC provides for the well-being of its employees with a competitive package including: a 401k retirement plan, medical benefits, HSA account, paid holidays/vacation/sick days, an employee assistance program, in addition to, life and disability insurance at no cost to the employee. EOE
COME JOIN THE FAMILY!
Email your resume and a DRC application to drc-hr@dolphins.org
DOLPHIN RESEARCH CENTER 58901 O/S Hwy - Grassy Key, FL
CROSSWORD
Serve/Bartend on the ocean! The Cabana Club, an ocean front private swim club is seeking a customer service-oriented Server/ Bartender. Serve on pool deck, beach and/ or bar lounge. Open year round, 9:30am7pm daily. Full time/ Part time. Small friendly staff. Above average hourly wage plus tips. Apply in person at 425 E. Ocean Dr. Key Colony Beach or call 404-2193359 and ask for Dave.
SUNSET GRILLE NOW HIRING
WAIT STAFF - HOST/HOSTESS BUS PERSONS
Apply in person at SUNSET GRILLE & RAW BAR 7 Knight’s Key Blvd, Marathon
Keys Energy Services, in Key West, Florida, is accepting applications for the following position in its Transmission & Distribution Department:
ELECTRICIAN
Starting pay rate for this position, depending on qualifications and experience: $46.38/hr. - $51.94/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.
DOCK HAND
We are looking for a Dock Hand with excellent customer service to join our team. You would assist with the daily operations of our marina. Responsibilities include assistance with the daily marina tasks including helping guests arrive and depart from their dock, guiding guests over the radio, navigation, marina amenity cleaning, pressure-washing, assisting guests with golf cart rides and requests, and maintaining the marina. Send resume to captpips@aol.com or come in the of ce to ll out application. 1480 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050
Handyman needed for residence in Marathon. High Pay! Call: 305-395-0478 bbrayman@proton.me
Boat rental company in Marathon looking for help with boat detailing & boat cleaning. Call 305-481-7006
WANTS Rolex, Dive Watches and Pilot Watches. Old Model Military Clocks & Watches. Call 305-743-4578
HOUSING FOR RENT
Key Largo - like new fully furnished private ground floor studio. Includes utilities, cable TV, internet. rental application required. $1,800/ mo - 786 258 3127
2BR/2BA with outdoor patio for rent in Marathon. $2,100/month F/L/S Taking applications. 305-849-5793
2-3BR/2BA Beautiful home for year-round rental on Duck Key. Furnished, full size W/D, stainless steel appliances & granite countertops. Gorgeous pool with built-in bar stools, waterfall & Jacuzzi, 1 car garage, and covered porch for outdoor dining w/views of the canal. $3,800/ month. Avail. Dec. 1st. Address: 243 W. Seaview Dr, Duck Key, MM 61. Text/call 774-263-8759 Email: dongamache@ comast.net
3 BR/2 BA home for rent in Key Colony Beach. 75' premium dock. $4,000/ month + utilities. F/L/S 786-229-0228
Studio House with Queen size bed available in Marathon. Bedroom/ living room/kitchen all separate rooms. Furnished & appliances, newly renovated. No pets. 305-610-8002
2BR/1BA house for rent in Marathon. Completely remodeled. All appliances. No pets. Dock available for separate fee. 305-610-8002
FREE: Leather L-shaped sectional sofa with two manual working recliners. Off white/tan color. Left side recliner section has worn leather & a tear. All other sections in good condition. 4 separate pieces totall. FREE - Must pick up - located on Duck Key, MM61. Call 305-417-0871.
West House
Old Wooden Bridge Resort & Marina
NOW HIRING
Front Desk Clerk
(Under new management)
Stop in for an application at 1791 Bogie Drive Big Pine Key, FL 33043 305-872-2241
TREASURE HARBOR MARINA IN ISLAMORADA
NOW HIRING Maintenance Person
Apply in person at: Treasure Harbor Marina 200 Treasure Harbor Drive
Email: info@keysboatrental.com Call for more information:
SKILLED HEAVY CIVIL EQUIPMENT OPERATORS
We are hiring Skilled Heavy Civil Equipment Operators. 3 yrs or more experience required. Monday-Friday with overtime possible.
Please apply in person at Charley Toppino & Sons, Inc., 129 Toppino Industrial Drive, Key West. Or contact Cheryl at 305-296-5606 ext 126 or cheryl@charleytoppino.com
EXPERIENCED HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATOR
We are hiring Experienced Heavy Equipment Operators. 1 yr or more experience required. Monday-Friday with overtime possible.
Please apply in person at Charley Toppino & Sons, Inc., 129 Toppino Industrial Drive, Key West. Or contact Cheryl at 305-296-5606 ext 126 or cheryl@charleytoppino.com
Experience preferred. CDL required. Applicant must apply in person at: MARATHON ELECTRIC SIGN & LIGHT 10690 Aviation Boulevard Marathon, Florida 33050
We are hiring Experienced Construction Laborers. 2 yrs or more experience required. Monday-Friday with overtime possible.
Please apply in person at Charley Toppino & Sons, Inc., 129 Toppino Industrial Drive, Key West. Or contact Cheryl at 305-296-5606 ext 126 or cheryl@charleytoppino.com
We are hiring a Heavy Diesel Mechanic with experience working on John Deere, Caterpillar, Kubota, Detroit Diesel, etc. MondayFriday with some overtime available. Please apply at Charley Toppino & Sons, 129 Toppino Industrial Drive, Key West, ask for Cheryl. 305-296-5606 ext 126
ARE CENTER, Inc.
IS HIRING!
JOIN A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE NONPROFIT HELPING PEOPLE COPE AND CHANGE FOR 52 YEARS!
We provide Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Treatment Programs to the Florida Keys community while valuing and rewarding our employees.
KEY LARGO
Behavioral Health Therapist (CAT)
Behavioral Health Therapist (Children)
KEY WEST
Case Manager (Children, Adult) (FT)
Prevention Specialist
Advocate
MARATHON
Advocate Care Coordinator (PT)
Driver (CDL not required) (PT) Driver (CDL required) (FT)
RN/Licensed Practical Nurse (FT, PT)
*Support Worker (Assisted Living) (PT)
*Behavioral Health Technicians – 3 shifts (FT, PT)
*Night Monitor (Assisted Living – Free Housing)
*No experience required for this position. Will train. A caring heart & helpful hands necessary.
Background and drug screen req. EEOC/DFWP COMPETITIVE PAY! EXCEPTIONAL BENEFITS!!! Apply at guidancecarecenter.org - Get Involved/ Join our team/Job Opportunities/location/zip THE
DUI FRONT DESK CLERK & EVALUATOR/INSTRUCTOR
The Advocate Program DUI school is hiring for part time positions.
Front desk: 3 days a week, high school diploma and computer data entry skills required.
DUI instructors and evaluators: 2 days a week, Bachelors or Masters degree in substance abuse eld required.
Of ce located in Marathon. Contact Marcia at 305-704-0117.
MARATHON GARBAGE SERVICE
We are now hiring for the following positions:
Diesel Mechanic Truck Helpers
CDL Drivers
Applicants must apply in person to be considered.
4290 Overseas Hwy, Marathon
OPENINGS AVAILABLE
PHYSICIAN PRACTICE OPENINGS
- Advanced Practice Provider (APRN-PA-C)Surgical, Ortho, Tavernier
- Medical Assistant, Primary Care Marathon, $5k Bonus
- Medical Assistant, Upper Keys-Gastro, $5k Bonus
- Medical Assistant, LPN, EMT or Paramedic, Primary Care Marathon, $5k Bonus
MIAMI CANCER INSTITUTE KEY WEST
- Advanced Practice Provider (APRN/PA-C) Medical Oncology, Per Diem
- Pool Radiation Therapist
- Registered Nurse, Oncology, $15k Bonus
TAVERNIER MARINERS HOSPITAL
- Clinical Pharmacist, $5k Bonus
- Cook, Dietary, $5k Bonus
- MC Multi-Modality Imaging Tech, CT Scan, $50k Bonus
- Multi-Modality Imaging Tech, Echocardiography, Per Diem
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.
*Sign-on bonuses are available only for select full-time positions based on candidate experience. APPLY AND LEARN MORE
ACROSS
1. Eye affliction
5. Nickname
8. Christmas tree variety
11. Not we
12. Use a whetstone 13. Lyric poem
15. New Haven University 16. Unrivaled
17. Buenos follower
18. *Number one pumpkin-growing state
20. Phishing attack
21. Dead to the world
22. Albanian money
23. *”One, two, ____’s coming for you”
26. Harasses
30. Bloodshot
31. System of newsgroups on Internet
34. Muscular strength
35. Not odds
37. Zedong of China
38. Do penitence
39. Form of wrestling
40. Certain Native American dwelling
42. Cleopatra’s cause of death, supposedly
43. *____ O’Rourke of “Poltergeist”
45. *Silver ammo, useful against werewolves, sing.
47. Rooster’s girlfriend
48. Seattle’s ____ Needle
50. Sportscaster Andrews
52. *One of two first ever fun size
candy bars
55. Unbroken mustang
56. In ____ of
57. Lash mark
59. Missouri River tributary
60. Chooses
61. *Rice of “The Vampire Chronicles” fame
62. “____ the fields we go”
63. Turkish title of respect
64. Oxen’s harness
DOWN
1. Hog haven
2. Like certain ice tea
3. Holler
4. Pupil protector
5. Driver’s license sticker
6. Dark
7. #63 Across, pl.
8. Forum, pl.
9. Previously mentioned, acr.
10. Hi-____ monitor
12. Pooh’s repast, pl.
13. Drawing support
14. *Bobby ____ of “Monster Mash” fame
19. River in India
22. Auction batch
23. Like classic TV’s Prince 24. Variety show
25. a.k.a. dropsy
26. *What witch’s familiar says
27. Sandbar
28. Sometimes it’s perfect 29. Hid under a rug
32. Independent chieftain 33. Old horse
36. *What Michael Myers says 38. Without self-control
40. Skin cyst
41. Manual calculator
44. From this time on 46. Wiggle room
48. Kind of wading bird
49. Religious devotion 50. Gaelic 51. Big cat sound
52. No neatnik 53. City in Nevada 54. Did like the Titanic 55. *What ghost says 58. Bruce or Spike
THEME: HALLOWEEN
Proudly serving Key West to Islamorada as the ONLY locally owned and operated concrete company in the Florida Keys.
Whether you’re building a large commercial building, FDOT bridge, or a customdesigned home, we have concrete mix designs for every project. Thanks to decades of experience, our team can create custom mixes with high-quality additives for specific project needs. We offer the largest variety of materials and operate the only FDOT-certified ready-mix plants in the Florida Keys. Call us for all ready-mix concrete, block, aggregate, rebar and bagged good needs.
