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Floats, balloons and performers have entertained spectators on Thanksgiving morning for almost a century. Thursday, Nov. 27 marks the 99th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade in Manhattan. It will include 32 balloons, three balloncicles – a balloon and a self-propelled vehicle – 27 floats, 33 clown groups, 11 marching bands, and 26 musical performances.
Happy Thanksgiving from our families to yours. And welcome to the holiday season in Key West.
WANT TO BE A CITY COMMISSIONER? APPLY BY NOV. 28
Officials to appoint interim District 5 lawmaker on Dec. 2
The city of Key West is acting quickly to fill the District 5 city commission seat that Mary Lou Hoover occupied from 2018 until her passing on Nov. 19.
The city commission will appoint an interim commissioner at their Dec. 2 meeting. That person will serve until the Aug. 18 election, when Hoover’s term would have ended. She had already decided not to seek reelection and two candidates — Chris Massicotte and Harry Russell — are running for the District 5 seat.
clerk’s office told the Keys Weekly in response to a Nov. 24 public record request for applications. As of 2:53 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 24, the clerk’s office reported, “We currently do not have any applications. … You can submit a daily request for records or check the city’s website for the updated activity.”
(Due to early holiday print deadlines, applications are likely to have been posted to the city’s website by the time of publication.)
Commissioners Kaufman, Monica Haskell and Donie Lee as well as Mayor Dee Dee Henriquez indicated they were not inclined to appoint one of the declared candidates — Massicotte and Russell — for the seat in the interest of maintaining a level playing field in the race.
Immediately following Hoover’s death, Massicotte urged the commissioners not to appoint him or Russell to the interim post.
What’s the application process?
Applications are being accepted through 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 28. Anyone interested must live in District 5 and must have been a full-time resident of Key West for at least the past year. Applications are available at cityofkeywest-fl.gov. City commissioners and the mayor “are encouraged to conduct applicant interviews, at their discretion, prior to the Dec. 2 commission meeting,” states the resolution that was approved at a Nov. 24 special meeting to finalize the appointment process.
The application asks for three references and asks candidates to list their relevant professional experience, community involvement/volunteer experience, prior public service and why they’re seeking the appointment.
The application also asks, “Do you or any immediate family member have any financial, contractual or organizational interests involving the city of Key West that could present a conflict? If yes, please explain.”
So, who could it be?
Commissioner Sam Kaufman, at the Nov. 24 meeting, said he would like to see former commissioners apply for the interim position, given their experience, particularly with the city’s budget process that takes place in July and August.
“Giving any declared candidate an appointed incumbency would tilt the playing field and raise serious concerns about fairness,” Massicotte said on Nov. 20. “District 5 deserves a process that voters can trust. I am willing to recuse myself from consideration for appointment to this vacancy if the commission also commits that the other declared candidate, Harry Russell, will not be considered. No candidate should get an unfair advantage. The fairest path is to appoint a caretaker who will not run for the seat and will simply serve until the voters decide.”
Russell had a different take. Shortly after the Nov. 24 meeting, Russell told the Keys Weekly — and posted on social media — “I will absolutely be
“All applications received will be added to the Dec. 2 agenda and published on a daily basis,” the city continued on page 6
District 5 is highlighted. Applicants for the interim commissioner position must live in the district. CONTRIBUTED
MANDY MILES mandy@keysweekly.com
Chris Massicotte, left, and Harry Russell are declared candidates for the District 5 commission seat.
2 DECEMBER, 2025 presented by presented Opal Key Resort Ballroom 245 Front Street Hosted by DJ Sanaris
continued from page 4
applying for the appointment and welcome the vetting process. My leadership experience and commitment to service would be an asset to the city of Key West. I have been asking the residents of District 5 since April for the job. I am ready to get to work.”
Massicotte followed that up with a statement urging the commission to “protect the integrity of the process and the trust of District 5 voters.”
“The voters of District 5 do not get to choose this interim commissioner,” Massicotte wrote. “Six people, none of whom will be able to vote in the 2026 District 5 election (as they do not live in the district) will be making this decision. … I immediately said I would not
pursue this because it would give any candidate an unfair advantage. That is not how you earn trust. That is how you damage it.
“During today’s meeting, commissioners Haskell, Kaufman and Lee, along with Mayor Henriquez, publicly stated they do not support appointing either candidate. … These elected leaders deserve credit for taking a principled stand. They recognize that turning this into a political opportunity for any candidate would dishonor the process and commissioner Hoover’s legacy. … Pushing for an unelected incumbency in a moment of community grief is especially troubling.”
So … who else?
Assuming the city commission remains neutral and appoints an interim commissioner who is not running for the same office, who might be on the list?
Former commissioner and watchdog Margaret Romero, who attends nearly all city meetings, told the Keys Weekly on Nov. 24 that she will apply, saying, “I think I’m the most qualified for the position.”
Romero represented District 5 on the commission from 2015 to 2019 and has been a candidate for mayor.
Former city manager Greg Veliz, who is the director of Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority, has also been mentioned.
The Keys Weekly asked Veliz on Nov. 24, “Any truth to the rumors that you’ll apply?”
Veliz replied, “I’ve heard the same rumors. I’m spending Thanksgiving with the kids and grandkids in north Florida. I’m sure we will have some discussions during the holiday. Have a great Thanksgiving.”
There will surely be other applicants. So stay tuned to keysweekly.com and cityofkeywest-fl.gov as the applications are filed and posted online.
FIRED & INDICTED BUILDING OFFICIAL HIT WITH MORE CHARGES
Raj Ramsingh & local plumber indicted for fraud & conspiracy
Permit problems for Ramsingh
The Monroe County State Attorney’s Office announced on Nov. 19 that a grand jury returned an additional indictment charging Raj Ramsingh, Key West’s former chief building official, and George Beys, owner of George’s Plumbing, in connection with an alleged organized fraud scheme exceeding $50,000.
The indictment charges both men with conspiracy to commit organized fraud and organized fraud, both of which are felonies.
The charges stem from Ramsingh and Beys allegedly doing work on a home that exceeded the scope of issued permits and failing to obtain necessary permits and inspections, a source close to the investigation said.
The new indictment brings the total to 18 felony counts of public order crimes for Ramsingh, who is accused of issuing improper building permits to friends and associates, changing permitting records in the city’s software system, issuing permits for his own property renovation at 2827 Harris Ave. and deleting text messages to impede an investigation.
As with any criminal charge, an indictment is a formal accusation and does not constitute a finding of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. Prosecutor Colleen Dunne has said the investigation is ongoing.
The day after his indictment, Beys posted to his company’s Facebook page, stating, “Earlier today I learned of criminal charges filed by a Monroe County grand jury that name me in connection with an investigation also involving former city officials. … I am not guilty of any fraud or wrongdoing. I categorically deny the allegations in the indictment. Because these are active legal matters, I cannot — and will not — comment on the specifics of the investigation or the evidence. I am cooperating with the legal process and am working closely with counsel to clear my name as quickly as possible.”
Raj Ramsingh, the former building official once described in a text message from a coworker as “handing permits out like Halloween candy,” is now on the other side of the city’s permit application process.
In addition to his legal problems, Ramsingh is dealing with the city’s planning department in applying for after-the-fact permits and variances for work he conducted on his own property at 2827 Harris Ave., which involved replacing a small cottage with a 5-bedroom, 5-bath, $1.9 million home.
The city’s planning department, which Ramsingh is accused of bypassing or overruling when he worked for the city, has to decide whether to recommend that the appointed planning board members grant him the needed permits and variances now that the work has been completed and the house is for sale.
Ramsingh’s application to the planning board for after-the-fact variances has been postponed twice. In October, the planning department staff asked for additional time because the site plans and drawings they had received from Ramsingh did not match what had been built at 2827 Harris Ave. At the Nov. 20 planning board meeting, Ramsingh was the one requesting the postponement until the Dec. 18 meeting. Planning board chair Peter Batty told the Keys Weekly that Ramsingh had indicated that the revised and updated site plans and drawings were not yet ready.
The after-the-fact variance is needed because the house that was built on Harris Avenue exceeds the maximum size and amount of ground coverage that is allowed on that lot.
At the October planning board meeting, acting director Jim Singelyn told the board that he can’t make decisions or recommendations with accurate site plans and drawings. Singelyn described a “giant tiki hut” in the backyard that isn’t shown on the drawings. In addition, a door exists where a window is indicated and roof overhangs were built without being included in the plans.
The 2827 Harris Ave. variance will be considered at the Dec. 18 planning board meeting.
Former District 5 city commissioner Margaret Romero. CONTRIBUTED
Former Key West city manager Greg Veliz, who is currently director of the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority.
Raj Ramsingh
MANDY MILES mandy@keysweekly.com
RECOVERY TO RELEASE
Turtle Hospital sends tumor-free Molly back to the sea
Onlookers gathered to celebrate a massive story of rescue and recovery as the Turtle Hospital released loggerhead turtle Molly from Higgs Beach on the morning of Nov. 25.
Molly was rescued in early August off Key West by a local charter boat captain who discovered her weak, anemic and entangled in a stone crab trap line. She was covered in barnacles and suffering from a massive fibropapilloma tumor on her shoulder. The captain contacted the Turtle Hospital, and Molly was transported to the facility via ambulance to begin her critical care.
Upon arrival, the medical team at the Turtle Hospital began intensive treatment. Molly’s regimen
RED BARN’S SEASON OPENS WITH ‘SCROOGE MACBETH’ COMEDY
Molly was released back into the ocean the morning of Nov. 25 at Higgs Beach in Key West as an enthusiastic crowd swallowed the lump of emotion in their throat and bid the sea turtle a safe voyage. ABIGAIL EMERSON/Overseas Media Group
included broad-spectrum antibiotics, fluids, vitamins, a healthy diet of mixed seafood and multiple surgeries to remove her numerous tumors. The colossal tumor on her shoulder weighed in at 10.1 pounds, making Molly the first loggerhead of her size to survive such a large removal surgery, the hospital said.
Molly beat the odds, and videos of her rescue and recovery garnered more than 80 million views on social media. Fans from across the country traveled to visit her during her stay at the hospital.
“Her story has profoundly increased public awareness and love for sea turtles and the challenges they face,” the hospital said in a press release.
For her release, Molly was fitted with a small satellite transmitter tag. The public is able to follow Molly’s journey at sea; the link to track her progress will be posted on the Turtle Hospital website (www. turtlehospital.org) and on their social media platforms. — Keys Weekly staff report
Dickens and Shakespeare combine for holiday laughs
Imagine Charles Dickens runs into William Shakespeare in a London pub late on a snowy Christmas Eve. After five or six pints, they’ve drunkenly forged an idea for a new Christmas play – a little bit Charles, a little bit William, and all of it hilarious.
The Red Barn’s opening show of its 46th season unveils the madness such a collaboration could yield.
“Scrooge Macbeth,” by the award-winning playwright David MacGregor, is a mash-up that keeps audiences in the Christmas spirit for 80 minutes. The show runs Dec. 9 through Jan. 3, with all curtains at 7:30 p.m. There will be no performances on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or New Year’s Eve. There will be a performance on New Year’s Day.
The story centers around a small community theater about to open a holiday production of Shakespeare’s “A Winter’s Tale.” The hope is that the show will save the financially strapped theater. But most of the cast is laid low by food poisoning mere moments before curtain time, leaving the last four actors standing to pull some kind of holiday entertainment
together on the fly for the waiting audience. What they come up with is Shakespeare running headlong into Dickens as they try to combine two tales into a single production – complete with improvised turns on the best-known carols of the season.
“It’s one of the funniest plays I’ve ever been a part of,” said Red Barn managing director Mimi McDonald, who also directs the show. “It has a surprise a minute and takes advantage of the intimacy of the Barn’s space – the audience will feel they’re right in the craziness as part of the show. And I think it capitalizes on the strengths of the Red Barn – we love the offbeat, the off-kilter here, and we’re lucky to have cast some of the great comedic actors Key West has.”
Imagine hearing “I’m Gettin’ Nuttin’ for Christmas” sung from the point of view of Richard III. Or Ebenezer Scrooge showing up on Juliet’s balcony. Or Hamlet going Christmas shopping.
One of the characters – an overthe-top diva – adds a bit of drama by refusing to do the show until he’s allowed to play Othello, who gets pulled into a very odd and lyrical holiday Shakespeare cabaret.
“Scrooge Macbeth” stars Key West’s Dominic Paolillo, Nina Pilar, Mathias Maloff, Cassidy Timms and Gerri Louise Gates.
More information is at redbarntheatre.com or from the box office at 305-296-9911. — Contributed
CAROL
www.keysweekly.com
RYAN STIMERS: WIRE SCULPTURES SPARK SMILES
SOMEONE YOU SHOULD KNOW
Wire sculptor Ryan Stimers, a leading artisan at Key West’s nightly Mallory Square Sunset Celebration, bends and twists shining strands of wire into shapes ranging from pet portraits and blossoms to palm trees, words and subtropical symbols. He also creates keepsakes that commemorate birthdays, anniversaries and other special occasions.
Whatever Stimers crafts with his assured and elegant motions, one thing is certain: It will elicit a smile.
The easygoing artist has been making wire sculptures since he was 12 years old. They proved so popular at craft fairs and other outlets that, despite earning a mechanical engineering degree and spending a brief period in the corporate world, his artistic sideline became his livelihood.
While traveling the world and selling wire sculptures, Stimers kept hearing about Key West’s Sunset Celebration that showcased street artists and performers. After several visits, he made the island his home in 2004.
Today he’s a leading presence at Mallory Square’s colorful nightly gathering, treasurer of the organization that oversees it, and a co-producer of its 2025 Summer Solstice festival. He calls the group behind the Sunset Celebration “some of the most wonderful people on the planet.”
Recently Stimers talked with the Keys Weekly about his art and his life.
Why did you choose Key West as your home? I wanted to give up the idealistic freedom of the road and do things you can’t do when you’re traveling — like join a gym, own board games, and develop friendships that last longer than a few weeks. This was the one place where I could work and make some money, and they would actually give me a permit.
How would you characterize your wire sculptures? My job is to give people little reminders of the things in the world that they love. I want them to fill their houses with little sculptures that bring to mind their favorite things: their doggies, hobbies, vacations. I do a lot of palm trees to remind them of Key West.
How do you want people to react when they see your work? The response I get most is people saying, “Aww, how cute!” But I also enjoy people
saying things like, “This is going to mean a lot to my wife. This is a celebration of our anniversary, and it shows how much I care about her.” My job is to put a message in every sculpture — a message of a joyful thought, or a heartfelt thank-you or a message of love.
Didn’t you do some large Keys historythemed metal gates or panels for the Art in Public Places program? I’m very proud of the panels that line the rotary side entrance of the Waterfront Brewery. I don’t often do things of that size because it’s more labor and less creativity — so even though I think it’s a wonderful project, it’s much more fun to do little ones.
What matters most to you about the Sunset Celebration and encouraging artists and artisans to show their work there? The Sunset Celebration exists so the creativity of the people of Key West can be showcased to our visitors. We’re trying to keep a low barrier to entry so people can create new and fun things — and it lets visitors get in touch with real locals. I like to think we are the creative spirit of old Key West.
Do you also craft sculptures onsite at events? Once or twice a month I’ll drive up to Orlando or Miami to work a fancy party where I make sculptures very fast, similar to a balloon twister. Basically, I bring a creative fun element to parties while still being stylish. Guests bring home sculptures that were personally made for them and are often meaningful, and the memories of the party last for a long time.
What do you like best about what you do? I like that what I do surprises people, and that I get to easily create treasured items for people. I always carry a roll of wire in my pocket; if anybody reading this article sees me out and about, say “hi” and if I have any wire left, I’ll make you something — no charge, just for fun.
What do you enjoy most about living in Key West? Everybody in this town is happy to be here; nobody works this hard to stay here unless they love it. When I’m talking to tourists, if I give them a little energy, they pay it back tenfold with enthusiasm.
When you’re not creating art, what fills your days? I’m the opposite of most people: I do artwork for work and computer programming for fun. But like most artists, I spent almost all my time thinking of new ways to make sculptures. It’s a job and a hobby and a passion all rolled together.
1. With a few deft motions, Ryan Stimers crafts a palm tree out of wire. CAROL TEDESCO/Contributed
2. Ryan Stimers designs his wire sculptures, from flowers to pet portraits, to remind people of things they love.
3. Ryan Stimers presents a boxed wire sculpture to a customer at the Sunset Celebration at Mallory Square.
SHAUGHNESSY
Key West & Cuba’s Museum Quality Regional Art Celebrating Cultural Resilience
CUBAN ART TOUR April 20-24, 2026
Sir Manuel Mendive
The Art of Manuel Mendive’s career spans 60 years. Unlike predecessors in uenced by cubism and surrealism, Mendive draws on Lukumi/Yoruba traditions, weaving religion, nationalism, and memory throughout his paintings, drawings, sculptures, and performances from the 1960s to today. Central to his practice are his seminal series Yoruba Mythology (1960s–70s), Middle Passage, and performances like La Vida (1980s), which testify to his devotion to Afro-Cuban culture and the visual language of religion.
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.
THE STUDIOS OF KEY WEST
HELP US CELEBRATE THE SEASON!
CO LO R F U L F R I DAY S A L E + SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY
15% OFF WORKSHOPS, CONCERTS + IN STORE
“Black” Friday is COLORFUL at The Studios
ALL DAY FRI NOV 28
To kick off the season of giving, we’re rolling out an island-sized deal weekend:
• 15% off all workshops through January
• 15% off Old Town New Folk tickets in the Helmerich Theater
• 15% off regularly-priced merchandise in the Museum Store for members
• 30% off Museum Store clearance merchandise (limited quantities, while they last!)
Use code COLORFUL (all caps) at checkout online, or stop by the store during hours. image: Lothar
ANNUAL HOLIDAY MAKERS MARKET
Small Business Saturday
SAT NOV 29, 10AM–3PM
Free and open to the public
Wander through every floor of our building and discover treasures from local artists and artisans, plus DIY ornament making, live music on the roof, a bake sale to support theater camps with Bravo, and more!
Contemporary art center, steps off Duval Street.
Always free to visit! Open Tue-Sat, 10am-4pm
Speer
REPORT TRACKS UNHEALTHY CONDITIONS IN MILITARY HOUSING
Nationwide survey includes 76 Key West respondents
WYATT SAMUELSON www.keysweekly.com
ANov. 20 report by Change the Air Foundation, a nonprofit group dedicated to addressing poor indoor air quality, reveals that 97% of military housing residents “could list at least one significant and dangerous issue with their military-provided housing.”
The foundation surveyed 3,400 residents of military housing, including 76 from Key West Naval Air Station.
Change the Air Foundation focuses on public education, policy advocacy and small-scale research aimed at addressing the nationwide crisis of poor indoor air quality, especially for military families. The foundation’s 23-page report is called “Unsafe and Unheard: Military Service Members and Their Families Sound Off on Dangerous Living Conditions.” The group developed a questionnaire and fielded an online survey in October, directed at individuals who had currently or previously lived in military housing.
Survey respondents lived in 57 military installations in 30 states and Washington, D.C.
“Mold, mildew or microbial growth were the most commonly cited issues (74%), followed by water damage (54%), temperature or humidity problems (56%), pest infestations (53%), and HVAC failures (51%),” states a press release from Change the Air Foundation.
Seventy-four percent of respondents stated their family’s health was harmed by these housing conditions, with 48% saying a medical provider had confirmed a connection between the two.
“Housing-related health impacts,” the press release states, “were reported most by military families in Florida (84%), Hawaii (83%), and North Carolina (83%), and among those serving in the Marines (85%).”
Change the Air also released a 10-minute documentary called “The Hidden Enemy” detailing the stories of three military families, including the Talarico family, whose members have previously spoken with the
Keys Weekly about their experiences with health issues in their local military housing.
The short documentary focuses on military families and their children from three different military bases. From seizures to pneumonia to brain fog and rage, each family shared the one common similarity: mold.
The documentary argues that the root of these widespread issues in military housing dates back to Congress’ 1996 decision to “get the military out of the real estate business,” which handed over more than 200,000 military homes to 14 private companies.
“Taken together, these findings highlight a military housing system that is struggling to meet the needs of the families it was designed to support,” Brandon Chappo, director of public policy and co-founder of Change the Air Foundation, said in the press release. “With more than 99% of housing now managed by private companies under 50-year contracts, both this survey and ‘The Hidden Enemy’ documentary echo what families have been expressing for years. The serious impacts of these systemic challenges are far-reaching. This is not only a housing concern. It affects readiness, recruitment, health and ultimately our national security.”
Change the Air Foundation also met with more than 60 congressional offices and shared many of their own policy recommendations, including:
• Enforcing mold remediation standards so substandard repairs do not endanger families.
• Banning non-disclosure agreements that silence families and hide accountability.
• Creating a legal carve-out to federal enclave law, to restore the same protections civilian renters already have.
• Requiring independent inspections and oversight to ensure transparency.
The report comes as lawsuits around the country are being filed against private military housing companies, including a mass tort filing by Key West military housing residents against military housing giant Balfour Beatty Communities.
It is unclear what the future holds for these military families across the country, but their experiences and complaints are gaining national momentum. The full report and documentary are at changetheairfoundation.org.
Former residents of Sigsbee Park’s military housing, part of Naval Air Station Key West, were forced to discard furniture after mold was discovered in their homes. CONTRIBUTED
SCHOOL DISTRICT HOOKED BACK ON PHONICS
Superintendent reports clean audit; grad rate needs improvement
FRANK DERFLER
www.keysweekly.com
Monroe County schools are reverting to an old, effective tool in phonics programs, said Heidi Roberts, literacy coordinator for the district.
During a Nov. 18 school board meeting at Coral Shores High School, Roberts described a program called Old School Phonics with New School Impacts. Working with the University of Florida Literacy Institute, the school district is using a structured system to teach phonics in kindergarten through second grade.
“Reading is a learned skill, not a natural one,” she said. “We are teaching 4-year-olds how to read and spell.”
Reading intervention teachers in the district can use the same system in higher grades with students who have reading challenges. Roberts showed videos of young learners sounding out words of four or more syllables. The report included positive testimonials from teachers and students.
Each lesson includes eight activity steps and each instructional activity is delivered over two school days for 30 minutes per day.
The University of Florida program is funded by a donation from the author James Patterson, a longtime resident of Palm Beach. He is known for his support of children’s literacy programs.
Roberts talked about the “pendulum” of education swinging back toward more traditional methods of teaching students how to read. School board member John Dick said he wishes that other areas of the curriculum would go back to the old ways.
More information on early learning came from Sandi Bisceglia of the Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade and Monroe. After reduced state funding in 2025, the coalition is coming back as one of the top legislative priorities for 2026.
There are 38 early learning centers supported by the coalition in the county. Although they take care of young children all day long, the focus in these centers is on learning, not just babysitting. Each center follows a sophisticated curriculum, receives professional support and must pass evaluations and inspections.
More than 1,000 children from ages 1 through 4 are in programs throughout the Keys. Pre-kindergarten programs significantly improve the odds of success in school and high school graduation. More information is at www.elcmdm.org.
Schools Superintendent Ed Tierney told the board that the state auditor general delivered a clean financial audit for the district. The auditor general was specifically asked to examine the accounts of the school lunch programs across the district and reported no discrepancies in those programs. Board member Mindy Conn said it is difficult to keep down the cost of food to the students and families while the costs to the district continue to rise.
The newly approved salary schedule will provide raises for district employees starting on Dec 15..
Tierney delivered his promised 90-day report to the board. He praised the Keys communities and their support for education. He has been busy talking to “more teachers than I can count” along with staff, community and government leaders, and parents. Looking for areas of improvement, Tierney said the district falls below Florida’s average graduation rate, especially among
English-language learners and students with disabilities.
Patrick Lefere, executive director of operations and planning, provided an update on the Reynolds School renovation after receiving comments during a special community meeting. Plans have been changed to improve the façade and make it blend in better with the Key West neighborhood. New design changes added more brick and less stucco. The grounds will have more of a Key West look with different materials and vegetation. The project is ready to start the development of the final construction documents with a planning budget of $11 million.
Conn again called for an overview of the planned three-part move of staff and resources in Key West that includes Reynolds School, Bruce Hall and an administrative building. Tierney suggested a workshop where more details are available and everyone has a voice.
The board approved an allocation for additional design services for the Founders Park baseball field. Coordination with the Village of Islamorada continues, but plans for the renovation of the building on the first-base line have not started. That work won’t happen on the same timeline as the rest of the project.
The board rotated its officers and assignments and elected Dick as chairman. This is his fifth time serving as board chair over a 20-year career on the school board. He does not plan to stand for reelection. Darren Horan will serve a second term as vice chair.
FORMER DEPUTY SENTENCED TO 3 YEARS IN PRISON
Jennifer Ketcham gave then-boyfriend information about narcotics operations
MANDY MILES mandy@keysweekly.com
Aformer sheriff’s deputy who illegally gave her thenboyfriend privileged information about the locations and identities of undercover narcotics officers was sentenced on Nov. 24 to three years prison followed by five years probation.
Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay and Key West Police Chief Sean Brandenburg both testified at the sentencing hearing in Plantation Key. Both law enforcement leaders asked Judge Sharon Hamilton not to grant Ketcham’s request for a “downward departure” from sentencing guidelines.
A downward departure is a legal term for a court imposing a sentence that is less severe than what is recommended by standard sentencing guidelines.
Ketcham’s attorney, Dustin Hunter, had requested 84 days in jail and credit for time served, which would have resulted in no jail or prison time for Ketcham. The attorney argued, and a psychiatrist testified, that Ketcham suffered from post traumatic stress disorder that had contributed to her illegal actions.
Prosecutor Colleen Dunne, of the Monroe County State Attorney’s Office, asked the judge to consider the timeline of Ketcham’s PTSD diagnosis.
“What’s to say that the diagnosis wasn’t caused by her own actions?” Dunne said. “She started seeing a therapist a year after her arrest. I’m not questioning the doctor, but I think the timeline is important. The state would submit that she brought on the condition. She was facing prison for her egregious actions. Who wouldn’t have PTSD? For 14 months, she regularly, on a daily basis, would pass information to an 18-year-old boyfriend. It all demonstrates a profound breach of trust. She was putting the officers she worked with at risk and damaged public confidence in law enforcement. Now she needs to be treated like everyone else.”
The judge apparently agreed.
When handing down the sentence, Judge Hamilton said, “Ms. Ketcham, this gives me no pleasure. You took an oath to protect the citizens and visitors of Monroe County, but your actions did the exact opposite. Your text messages show a complete lack of character.”
At the sentencing, the court also heard from one of Ketcham’s former fellow deputies, Detective Sgt. Jenna Moeller. Ketcham shared Moeller’s photo and location with her then-boyfriend, Ryan Hernandez, while Moeller was working as an undercover narcotics officer.
“I never imagined that a threat to my safety would come from inside my own agency,” Moeller said. “The disclosure of my photo, my identity and my location left me feeling exposed, vulnerable and betrayed.”
Ramsay told the judge, “This is a really difficult situation. It’s shocking to see the image of an undercover officer sent to a drug dealer by another officer. It was shocking to see that tags were run through our database on vehicles to confirm they were undercover narcotics vehicles.”
Ramsay added, “Within days of Ms. Ketcham sharing the image of a confidential informant who was working with law enforcement with her boyfriend, that individual was brutally beaten and had to be airlifted to Miami. Ms. Ketcham was helping her boyfriend, a drug dealer, instead of preventing and deterring crime and getting drugs off our streets. We’ll never know the full extent of the damage that was done.”
Ramsay asked the judge not to grant Ketcham’s request for a downward departure in her sentencing decision.
Brandenburg told the judge about a time that Ketcham apparently tipped off her boyfriend about an impending drug raid on a home on Seidenberg
Avenue in Key West.
“The target left the residence just before our SWAT team arrived, and magically avoided them. Ms. Ketcham was on the phone to the target location, where her boyfriend was, during our approach. Had that subject chosen fight instead of flight, someone could have been seriously hurt or killed. Ms. Ketcham betrayed the trust of the Key West Police Department, all law enforcement and this community.”
Ketcham also took the stand and detailed the sacrifices she had made to attend the police academy at night while working during the day. In that time, her marriage failed.
Ketcham also described traumatic episodes while she was a deputy, including a fatal boat fire and a person who committed suicide while she was on the scene.
Dunne confirmed with Ketcham that the sheriff’s office had provided mental health services to all officers involved, which Ketcham took part in.
“The state I was in is a person I don’t even recognize now,” Ketcham said during her sentencing hearing. “I’m very sorry for all the things that happened and it’s something I’ll have to work through for the rest of my life.”
Once the judge announced the sentence, Ketcham was taken into custody and removed from the courtroom in Plantation Key.
She was sentenced to 37 months prison followed by five years of probation. The judge also permanently revoked her law enforcement license.
Former Monroe County Sheriff’s Office deputy Jennifer Ketcham was sentenced Nov. 24 to three years in prison followed by five years probation. CONTRIBUTED
COFFEE
BRING YOUR PETS, WHETHER PRICKLY, SCALY, FURRY, OR QUACKING, FOR A FUN, FESTIVE PHOTO WITH THE GRINCH IN SUPPORT OF OUR LOCAL SPCA!
DONATIONS ARE APPRECIATED (FOOD, TOYS, BEDDING, CASH, OR CHECK).
PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR PETS ARE LEASHED OR IN CARRIERS FOR A SAFE AND JOYFUL TIME.
LILLY PULITZER GIVES NEW MEANING TO ‘KEY WEST PINKS’
Fashion brand holds runway show at Casa Marina & unveils new hotel suites
It was a November evening in Key West, but the patio at the Casa Marina was drenched in the sunny pastels of a Palm Beach spring.
Lilly Pulitzer unveiled its spring 2026 runway show in Key West, where the brand began.
Founded in 1959, Lilly Pulitzer transformed resort wear into a lifestyle, introducing bold prints designed in Key West and breezy silhouettes that captured the essence of Palm Beach living. Today, Lilly Pulitzer continues to represent color, confidence and a sense of escape.
Returning to the heart of Lilly’s story, the spring/summer 2026 collection is an archival revival, with each print having been reissued from the brand’s vault, reimagined for modern silhouettes and fresh palettes. Key West, the birthplace of Lilly’s original print house, served as both inspiration and backdrop for the collection.
On the evening before the Nov. 19 runway show, Lilly Pulitzer’s granddaughter, Lilly Leas Ferreira, along with actress and author Mariel Hemingway, hosted a dinner in Key West to celebrate the legacy and enduring style of Lilly Pulitzer. Convening cultural figures and creative collaborators, the gathering paid tribute to the brand’s heritage.
“Key West is where our story began, and returning here for spring 2026 combines our legacy rooted in print and place. It’s a celebration of color, creativity and the enduring joy that defines the brand,” said CEO Michelle Kelly.
Following the fashion show that took advantage of the Casa Marina’s promenade that stretches from the historic hotel to the beach, the resort unveiled two of its newly renovated oceanfront suites, each of which is drenched in Lilly Pulitzer.
The two suites feature a complete redesign with hand-painted art and original prints from Lilly’s 1960 archival collection. The suites were designed by Amanda Reynal Interiors. Reservations for the “Stay Like Lilly” suites can be booked starting Dec. 1.
About Lilly Pulitzer
In 1959, Lilly Pulitzer opened a juice stand in Palm Beach. In need of an everyday uniform, she asked her dressmaker for something to camouflage splashes of citrus juice. The result? A comfortable, sleeveless shift dress made of colorful printed cotton.
Since those early days, Lilly designs have been adored for their casual glamour. Her spirit is still reflected today in the brand’s prints and colors.
— Contributed
The fashion brand Lilly Pulitzer presented its spring 2026 collection at a Nov. 19 runway fashion show at the Casa Marina in Key West, where Pulitzer’s prints first came into being. The resort now features two redesigned suites that are drenched in the colors and patterns of Lilly Pulitzer. JENNY LORENZ/Overseas Media Group
AUTHOR CONNECTS KEY WEST TO JFK ASSASSINATION
Sloan trades haunted dolls for world’s most famous murder
For decades, Key West author and historian David L. Sloan has been known for unearthing the island’s strange mysteries, from the truth behind Robert the Doll to the real inventor of Key Lime Pie. His newest discovery has pushed him far beyond haunted dolls and lost recipes into Cold War espionage, organized crime and a Key West baker suspected of assassinating the president of the United States.
Sloan’s new book, “How Key West Killed JFK,” lays out the case in detail, connecting Molina’s Bakery employee Gilberto Policarpo Lopez to guns, violence, Fidel Castro, the Tampa Mafia and a timeline that aligns precisely with President John F. Kennedy’s assassination.
“It still sounds crazy,” Sloan said. “But the documents, the first-hand accounts, the family – it’s all there. I only followed the trail.”
Sloan grew up in Dallas, less than 15 miles from where JFK was shot. As a kid, he bought comic books from the Sun Rexall Drug Store in Richardson, where Marina Oswald had worked, but Sloan’s investigation didn’t start in Dallas. It began here in Key West.
“Bum Farto’s story always fascinated me,” he said, referring to Key West’s legendary fire chief, who went missing in 1976 under mysterious circumstances. “In 2013, Mark Anthony Terrill sent me the FBI files on Bum’s disappearance, which he obtained through a FOIA request, and it started me on this adventure.”
Sloan teamed up with filmmaker Quincy Perkins, and the two followed Farto’s trail out of the country, eventually uncovering what really happened. But what shocked Sloan most wasn’t Bum’s fate, but what was inside those same declassified FBI and CIA files.
Reports include detailed accounts of Jack Ruby running guns through Islamorada, Lee Harvey Oswald fueling his boat at Toppino’s dock on Stock Island, and Oswald and Ruby being together at the Key West Airport. Former Key West mayor Kermit Lewin even claimed Oswald stayed at his hotel.
“The deeper I dug, the more I realized nearly every major player in the assassination
of our president has a direct connection to Key West, including JFK himself,” Sloan said. His book charts the hidden history, revealing how Key West transformed from a cigar city and fishing town into a gangster’s paradise, with numbers runners, drug traffickers and outside forces like Jimmy Hoffa attempting to seize control of local businesses as he bought and developed nearly half the island.
Layered on top of that were the geopolitical tensions of the early 1960s, with Kennedy, the CIA, Fidel Castro, the Soviet Union, Cuban exiles and organized crime engaged in a secret war that positioned Key West at the crossroads of global power.
The most explosive revelations in Sloan’s book center on Gilberto Policarpo Lopez, a Cuban baker long suspected by researchers of being a second shooter based on declassified files and eerie parallels to Lee Harvey Oswald.
Lopez traveled from Tampa to Texas shortly before the assassination, crossed into Mexico just after Kennedy was shot, boarded a plane to Cuba and then disappeared.
Sloan planned a trip to Cuba, hoping to find the accused assassin alive.
As a first step, he reached out to his friend, cold-case researcher Cheryl SanchezSimmons. She connected Sloan with Cookie Machin, the brother of Lopez’s wife at the time of the assassination, Blanche Leon. Machin revealed arguments about Dallas, a duffel bag full of guns and Lopez’s political leanings with details never recorded in government files.
Then Sanchez-Simmons made the discovery that changed everything: Lopez did not stay in Cuba. Though he died in 2021, he had returned to the United States in 1995 and lived openly in Hialeah, somehow avoiding journalists, law enforcement and federal agencies for 26 years.
“The implications of this are unbelievable,” Sloan said.
Sloan located Lopez’s daughter, Lisbette, and over a month of conversations, she filled in the missing decades of her father’s life. Her stories, combined with Machin’s family testimony and the declassified files, provided new evidence that may finally prove a conspiracy.
“Between Cookie Machin and Lisbette, we now know Lopez was in Dallas when the president was assassinated,” Sloan said. “We know about his guns, his violence and his ideology.”
Before Sloan’s work, the only known photo of Lopez showed him wearing sunglasses with most of his face obscured. “How Key West Killed JFK” publishes clear photographs of him for the first time.
“I don’t consider myself a JFK researcher. I know Key West. That’s my field of expertise. And I feel like the island delivered these new revelations to the surface because it’s time,” said Sloan.
“I suspect there are researchers out there who have been investigating JFK far longer than I have, who, when they read this new information, or see the face of Gilberto Lopez for the first time, they might make the connection that solves the crime of the century.”
More information is at phantompress. com.
— Contributed
A book release party for David Sloan’s ‘How Key West Killed JFK’ will be on Wednesday, Dec. 10 at 5 p.m at the Alex Vega Key West Firehouse Museum, 1024 Grinnell St., The event will include an author talk, Q&A and book signing.
Key West author David Sloan recently released his latest book, ‘How Key West Killed JFK,’ that claims to uncover evidence of an island connection to the world’s most famous murder. CONTRIBUTED
MIND ALTERING LUBRICANTS FOR SOCIAL INTERCOURSE CHEERS TO WINNING BEST MARTINI AGAIN IN 2025!!
Event honors legacy of Jimmy Buffett, supports local charities
KEY WEST GARDENS AT WEST MARTELLO TURNS 70 ‘JUST A FEW FRIENDS’ FESTIVAL RAISES $45K
This year’s Just a Few Friends Festival over Labor Day weekend raised $45,000 for local charities, including the Key West High School marching band. The funds will help cover travel, equipment transport and uniform needs for the band’s upcoming trip to Rome, where they have been invited to perform. CONTRIBUTED
The organizers of the Just a Few Friends Festival recently presented checks totaling $45,447 to three local youth organizations. The money was raised from festival attendees who purchased souvenir event badges and participated in themed events throughout Labor Day weekend.
Last year, the inaugural festival raised $34,000. An additional $3,000 was contributed to Reef Relief from the organizers of the Parrots & Margaritas 5K Run/ Walk.
The charitable funds were managed by the nonprofit Community Foundation of the Florida Keys and benefited Reef Relief, the Bahama Village Music Program and the Key West High School Marching Band.
Festival organizers Paul Menta, Jordan Upchurch, Jill Snodgrass and Sean Krikorian expressed gratitude for the community’s support.
“Each year this festival grows, and with it, the positive impact we’re able to make,” said Menta. “We’re honored by the generosity of everyone who joined us. These contributions go right back into the Key West community, helping local kids, students and our marine environment. That’s what this event is all about.”
Reef Relief executive director Mill McCleary said, “We are incredibly grateful to the Just a Few Friends community. These funds allow us to expand handson marine science education, support our summer camps, and engage even more students and volunteers in meaningful environmental work.”
Bahama Village Music Program, led by executive director Kawana Staffney-Ashe, used its festival allocation to expand programming at the Frederick Douglass Community Center, which opened in January. The new recording and teaching studio at the center serves as a creative hub for young musicians to record, mix and develop essential industry skills.
The Key West High School Marching Band under the direction of Gary Hernandez is a new beneficiary. The funds will help support the band’s upcoming performance trip to Rome, where students have been invited to represent Key West on an international stage. Festival proceeds will help cover travel, equipment transport and uniform needs, ensuring every student has the opportunity to participate regardless of financial circumstances.
More information is available from Snodgrass at 305-731-5780. — Contributed
Anniversary celebration set for Dec. 3
On Wednesday, Dec. 3, Key West Gardens at Fort West Martello will celebrate 70 years at its Higgs Beach location as a free-tothe-public botanical garden. The all-volunteer board and gardeners, many of whom lend their talents as master gardeners, invite the community to enjoy holiday lights in the gardens along with food and drinks from Kaya Island Eats. The event also will feature a program detailing the garden’s history, its role in tropical ecosystem preservation and plans to enhance the experience from a historical perspective – beginning with its initial purpose as a fort during the Civil War.
Tickets are $70 per person with proceeds going to support a history installation that will provide l a visual history of the gardens. There will be live music and a silent auction from 5:30 to 8 p.m.
Key West’s Rosi Ware will be the mistress of ceremonies, and guest speakers include Clinton Curry of Historic Tours of America.
“We look forward to sharing this special evening amid the beauty of the gardens and lights in a season meant for gratitude and looking forward,” said Mary Olson, board president of Key West Gardens.
Tickets are available at keystix. com.
— Contributed
The Key West Gardens at Fort West Martello are a sprawling botanical garden inside a Civil War-era fort that overlooks the Atlantic Ocean. MANDY MILES/Keys Weekly
DECEMBER 5TH • 6pm
SCAN FOR TICKETS
The Key West Cooking Show is pleased to host an Evening with Chef Norman Van Aken. A James Beard Award winner, Van Aken is a legend in the Key West culinary scene. Enjoy great conversation and food with one of America’s most acclaimed chefs.
MONDAYS
Trivia Night - 6:30pm - 8:30pm
FREE to Play • Drink Specials • Bar Bites • Great Prizes
TUESDAY - SATURDAY
Dinnertainment - Menu Changes Daily 11 am • 1 pm • 4pm • 7pm Cocktail Classes A Rum Cocktail Adventure: 12 – 1 PM & 2 – 3 PM Key West History Through Craft Cocktails: 5 – 7 PM
Celebrate Thanksgiving
November 27th • 11am & 3pm
Gather your crew and let us take care of the cooking! The Key West Cooking ShowSM is serving a full Thanksgiving dinner!
Enter Your Boat Now ! Part of “Key West Bight Before Christmas Celebration”
LIGHTED BOAT PARADE
BOATLOAD of PRIZES & Free Raffle! 6PM: BVMP House of Pan Steel Band and the Ross Brown Band from 8PM to 12AM
SATURDAY, DEC. 13, 2025 • 8PM
ENTRY: Schooner Wharf Bar, 202 William St. SchoonerWharf.com • 305-292-9520
Come see... The Harbor Walk of Lights thru the Holiday Season • KeyWestChristmas.org
FAUSTO'S CHRISTMAS MENU
TURKEY DINNER
SERVES 8-10 PEOPLE
10-12 lb Oven Roasted Plainville
All-Natural Turkey
1/2 pan Mashed Potatoes
1 qt. Turkey Gravy
1/2 pan Green Bean Amandine
1/2 pan Sweet Potato Casserole
1 pint Cranberry Orange Relish
1/2 pan Traditional Bread Stuffing
$179.99 + tax
Turkey (only) $89.99
Whole Spiral Ham $7.99 per pound
CUBAN PORK DINNER
SERVES 4-6 PEOPLE
1/3 pan pork
1/3 pan yellow rice
1/3 pan black beans
1/3 pan plantains
Cuban bread
$59.99 + tax
SERVES 8-10 PEOPLE
1/2 pan pork
1/2 pan yellow rice
1/2 pan black beans
1/2 pan plantains
Cuban bread
$99.99 + tax
PLACE YOUR ORDER AT THE DELI COUNTER BY SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20. PICK UP ORDERS BY 5PM TUESDAY, DECEMBER 24.
Receive essential info & personal guidance to begin your degree in January! KEY WEST CAMPUS & UPPER KEYS CENTER Wednesday, December 3 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Marathon (2) and Lower Keys and Key West (3) gather with officials from the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys to receive their awards from the 2025 Paradise for Good grants program. CONTRIBUTED
RAINING CHECKS
Community Foundation of the Florida Keys showers nonprofits with nearly $900K in grants
At three community gatherings in Key West, Marathon, and Key Largo last week, the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys (CFFK) awarded a record-breaking $895,721 to 73 nonprofit organizations serving Keys residents. Individual awards ranged from $1,500 to $30,000. This marks the largest total ever distributed through the foundation’s annual In Paradise for Good community grants program.
In 2020, the foundation awarded $144,500 to 27 organizations. Since then, the program has grown each year, fueled by donors.
“This program embodies what it means to be part of a community and particularly to be in the community foundation ecosystem,” said Elizabeth Brown, CFFK’s president and CEO. “The increase in our impact is made possible by a collection of community giving, including from our donor-advised fundholders, our regional advisory councils and our legacy donors who chose to leave a gift to benefit future generations. Together we can make an impact larger than any of us could make on our own.”
This year’s applications revealed a wide range of needs and opportunities across the Keys. Many nonprofits reported reduced federal, state and municipal funding. Others are looking to grow capacity and expand their programs to reach more residents, often through partnering with other organizations.
“We are proud to support the full spectrum of organizations that make the Keys a thriving community — the arts, environmental steward-
ship, youth development, education, food access, animal welfare, cultural heritage and health services,” said Brown. “A community is strongest when all these pieces are healthy and interconnected.”
The diversity of this year’s grantees reflects that vision. Programs funded include everything from coral restoration and youth marine science camps to arts programs for seniors, food access initiatives, housing stability efforts, cultural performance access, animal welfare services and programs that strengthen family wellbeing.
The foundation will open its second-chance grants catalog in the coming weeks for requests that were not funded. Donors will be able to review unfunded proposals and help fill remaining community needs. The catalog will be shared with donors and posted at cffk.org, where anyone can contribute.
The Florida Keys Future Fund is the foundation’s primary funding
source for this grants program. To help increase next year’s grants, longtime supporters William and Pattye Monroe have offered a $120,000 endof-year matching challenge for donations to the Florida Keys Future Fund. Every dollar given will be matched, doubling the impact.
Grants are awarded through a competitive review process led by the foundation’s grants committee. A diverse group of volunteers from all regions of the Keys evaluates applications on their alignment with the foundation’s mission of making the Keys a better place to live now and in the future; demonstrated community need and measurable outcomes; organizational capacity and project readiness; and plans to sustain the project’s effect in the future.
Only IRS-recognized nonprofits and faith-based organizations in good standing may apply. Projects must serve residents of the Florida Keys.
This year’s grants were made possible through contributions from the Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam Fund, Banyan Grove Endowment Fund, Betsey Blades Selig Memorial Endowment Fund, Driftwood Fund, Jim Speake’s Key West Fund, Garlo Keeley Fund, Loreen and Robert Ramey Charitable Fund, Jack M. Paul Fund, Miani Sassy Cat Fund, Ron and Joyce Burd Fund, Shirley Freeman and Harvey Server Environmental Fund, Trapani Family Fund for the Keys, Tunie Hamlen Charitable Fund and the Virgil and Marjory Bumgarner Fund for the Visually Impaired.
Permanent legacy funds contributing included the Baker Viana Performing Arts Endowment, Emily Boyd Lowe Music Endowment Fund, Florence Fox-Loeb Key West Music and Theatre Arts Endowment Fund, Jack Baron Visual Arts Endowment Fund, and the William C. Euler Jr. and Andrew F. Oates Jr. Fund.
This year’s 73 grantees represent a broad crosssection of the organizations that make the Keys a strong and resilient place to live. The full list of grantees appears below.
A Positive Step Inc.
AH of Monroe County Inc.
Anchors Aweigh Club Inc.
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Keys Area Inc.
Burton Memorial United Methodist Church
Christina's Courage Inc.
CoastLove, Inc.
Conch Republic Marine Army Inc.
Coral Restoration Foundation
Crane Point Museum & Nature Center
Diocese Of Southeast Florida Saint Columba
Episcopal Church
Domestic Abuse Shelter
Florida Keys Area Health Education Center
Florida Keys Children's Shelter Inc.
Florida Keys Community Concert Band
Florida Keys Council of the Arts
Florida Keys Healthy Start Coalition
Florida Keys History & Discovery Foundation Inc.
Florida Keys Outreach Coalition
Florida Keys Wild Bird Rehabilitation Center
Good Health Clinic
Growing Hope Foundation
Habitat for Humanity of Key West and the Lower Florida Keys
Habitat for Humanity of the Middle Keys
Habitat for Humanity of the Upper Keys
Hometown Key West
I CARE
Independence Cay
Jose Wejebe Memorial Foundation Inc.
Just Older Youth
Key West Art Center
Key West Preschool Cooperative
Key West Wildlife Center, Inc
Keys Area Interdenominational Resources (KAIR)
Keys Community Church
Keys Community School of the Arts Inc
Keys Health Ready Coalition Inc.
Keys Last Stand
Keys to Be the Change
Kids Come First In the Florida Keys Inc.
Literacy Volunteers of America
Marathon Community Theatre
Marathon Wild Bird Center Inc.
Marathon Yacht Club Educational Foundation
MarineLab/Marine Resources Development
Foundation
Metropolitan Community Church - Cooking with Love
Monroe Assoc for ReMARCable Citizens
Morada Way Arts & Cultural District
Mote Marine Laboratory
Navy League Key West Council
Pigeon Key Foundation
Presents in Paradise
Queer Keys
Red Barn Theatre
Reef Relief
Ruckus Inspires Inc.
Samuel's House Inc
Seacamp Association Inc.
SOS Foundation
South Florida Symphony Orchestra
Special Olympics Florida Monroe County
St Justin Martyr Catholic Parish
St. James Children's Center
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Tennessee Williams Theatre
The Educational Coalition for Monroe County
The Salvation Army
The Studios of Key West
Tropic Cinema
United Way of Collier and the Keys Inc.
Upper Keys Humane Society Inc.
Wesley House Family Services Inc.
Womankind — Contributed
Award recipients from the Upper Keys (1),
Hurricane season is over, but Jamaica still needs help
The Conch Republic’s annual Nov. 30 ceremony of good riddance to hurricane season has special significance this year. While hurricanes spared the U.S. and Key West, Jamaica was devastated by the Category 5 Hurricane Melissa.
This year’s end-of-hurricane-season celebration will include a Jamaica Relief Mission Concert organized by the Conch Republic Military Forces High Command. The event takes place Sunday, Nov. 30 at Truman Waterfront Park from noon to 5 p.m.
The concert and fundraiser will feature live music by local musicians, a silent auction and a collection site for relief supplies. The mission is to raise $10,000 and 30 tons of supplies, including food, medical supplies, tools and more. The schooner Liberty Clipper will deliver the supplies to Jamaica.
The concert and fundraiser takes place from noon to 4 p.m. The annual burning of the hurricane flag takes place at 4:45 p.m. An after-party aboard the historic USCGC Ingham starts at 5 p.m.
College gets $2.3M federal grant for virtual learning, student support
The College of the Florida Keys received $2.3 million in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Education. The five-year award will enable CFK to expand its virtual learning capacity and introduce additional on-campus support services for students.
The grant program is designed to help colleges expand their capacity to serve low-income students by providing funds to improve academic quality, institutional management and fiscal stability.
“This grant will allow the college to make significant investments in student success at CFK,” said Brittany Snyder, CFK executive vice president and chief financial officer. “By expanding our virtual offerings and prioritizing critical needs, more students can access quality higher education and complete their degrees.”
More information is available from advising.services@cfk.edu or at 305-8093196.
Wesley House Holiday Village & BeLighted Bike Ride return Dec. 5
Wesley House Family Services hosts an evening of holiday fun at the Coffee Butler Amphitheater on Friday, Dec. 5, from 5 to 9 p.m with its 5th Annual Wesley House Holiday Village and BeLighted Bike Ride.
The Holiday Village offers more than 20 interactive booths featuring games and crafts, carnival rides, bounce houses, food truck favorites and live entertainment. Get photos with Santa and experience a snowfall.
The BeLighted Bike Ride is the night’s finale. At 8 p.m., riders depart the am-
phitheater for a parade of illuminated bicycles along Whitehead and Duval streets. The ride culminates at the official after-party at Hank’s Hair of the Dog Saloon, 409 Caroline St.
Tickets are on sale now. Admission is $20 per person or four tickets for $70. Children 3 and under are admitted free. Each ticket includes admission to both the Holiday Village and BeLighted Bike Ride, unlimited rides and bounce houses, access to all community booth activities, community performances and a complimentary downloadable photo with Santa. Photos will be available about one week after the event. Food, merchandise and pony rides are available for purchase. More information is at WesleyHouse.org.
Free Christmas concerts performed In 3 locations
The Lower Keys Community Choir and Keys Chamber Orchestra will perform free concerts at three different venues Dec. 9, 10 and 11 at 7:30 p.m.
The Christmas Musical Celebration features holiday music and the joy of the season. The concerts will take place Dec. 9 at Big Pine United Methodist Church; Dec. 10 at Venture Out Christian Church on Cudjoe Key and Dec. 11 at San Pablo Catholic Church in Marathon. The performances are free. A goodwill offering will be collected, but is not required.
Arts council grant applications due by Nov. 30
The Florida Keys Council of the Arts is seeking Monroe County arts & cultural organizations and artists of all genres (visual, music, dance, literary, etc.) to apply for grants by Nov. 30 at 5 p.m.
Grant funding is available for the Artists in Schools program that brings artists into the classroom. Special project grants are also available for specific creative projects.
Applications and specifications are available at keysarts.com. More information is at 305-295-4369 or by email to director@keysarts.com.
Big Pine Community Park hosts 2-day Winter Break Camp
Monroe County Parks and Beaches will host a Winter Break Camp on Monday, Dec. 22, and Tuesday, Dec. 23, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day at Big Pine Key Community Park, 31009 Atlantis Drive. The camp is open to children ages 6 to 12.
The daily rate is $30 per child, and all participants must be fully registered by Dec. 10. The camp will offer a full lineup of fun activities, including arts and crafts, sports and other seasonal projects to keep kids active and engaged during the holiday break.
Application requests and inquiries can be directed to Mike Piekenbrock at 305-394-1173 or pie-mike@monroecounty-fl.gov.
UNITED WAY EXPANDS VOLUNTEER OPTIONS IN KEYS
Locals & visitors can find ways to help at online platform
United Way of Collier and the Keys has expanded its volunteer platform, volunteeruwck.org, to Monroe County, giving local nonprofits and residents a centralized place to connect around community service.
Organizations can create profiles, post volunteer needs, and easily manage sign-ups. Individuals can browse opportunities, register, track their hours and even build a volunteer résumé.
“This platform brings together the heart of our community — residents who want to serve and the organizations that rely on volunteers,” said Tiffani Mensch, president & CEO of United Way of Collier
and the Keys. She said the site “will strengthen volunteerism across the Keys and make it easier than ever for people and agencies to connect.”
The site is open now for both agencies and residents, and several volunteer opportunities are already listed, including United Way’s Keyswide VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program. The platform was also recently used during UWCK’s Feed the Keys food drive.
“Seeing volunteers come together to feed the Keys when food needs are so high was incredible,” said Brandi Horton, United Way board vice chair and volunteer. “I’m excited to see even more opportunities for people to step up and make a difference through this platform.”
More information is available from Alissa Hudak at alissa.hudak@uwcollierkeys. org.
— Contributed
United Way volunteers help with the Star of the Sea food pantry. CONTRIBUTED
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.
The email came while I was out of town, midway through a long road trip. It was sent to the Florida Keys Audubon Society address, which I try to keep tabs on, and it was a long, detailed description from a visitor named Michael McHugh of a bird he’d seen in Key West that he thought might be a golden eagle.
I skimmed the email while I was standing at a gas pump in Delaware or Maryland.
Golden eagle sounds like a pretty fancy bird, like it’s covered in gilt or something, or maybe a prize given out by the Willie Wonka company. But they are mostly brown with some warm orangey highlights around the head, legs and a few other places that give them their name.
They mostly breed in the western half of the United States and above the Canadian border, and come down or across to winter in the eastern half of the U.S. (They also breed all across northern Eurasia.)
I’ve seen a golden eagle before – once, on a back road in south central Oregon. And I took some pretty solid pictures. But it wasn’t a bird I was comfortable trying to identify on the fly from a written description.
They’ve strayed into Florida a few dozen times, but a golden eagle in Key West would be a big deal as, according to eBird, there are no records of one occurring in the Keys before.
I put the phone back in my pocket, with every intention of sitting down and comparing McHugh’s notes with the images in my Sibley. But the road to hell is paved with good intentions, or at least the 2,000-mile-long road I had to drive to get back to Key West was, and I never got it together to suss it out.
I made it back to Key West around 7 p.m. Friday and my wife and I went straight over to a friend’s house to celebrate his recent good fortune. (Congrats on finally escaping the tyranny of the four-hour work week, BNT.)
Saturday morning, a little after 9, at Fort Zachary Taylor, three Key Westers – Ben Edmonds, Bryan Edwards and Mary Houska –caught sight of an eagle soaring up with the turkey vultures. They also saw the eagle get into a small, midair tiff with a local osprey. They got pictures of the bird – good ones – and a little video.
There are really only two species of birds in North America that look remotely like a golden eagle. The first would be the bald eagle, which as an adult has the clean white head and tail that every ’merican is familiar with, but goes through several phases of general brownness in its first four years of life.
The other species it could possibly be confused with is the turkey vulture, if only for size
HAVE YOU SEEN THE EAGLE?
and a tendency to ride thermals. It was pretty clear from the pictures that the bird didn’t have the dihedral that gives the characteristic V-shape to turkey vultures in flight. Also, the bird’s head wasn’t bald. (Bald as in unfeathered, not bald as in white-feathered, which is where the bald eagle’s name comes from.)
Golden eagles also go through a couple years of brownness, but it’s a different brownness than the bald eagle’s, and the orangey patches are usually pretty obvious. The bird in the photo had two distinct white spots on the undersides of its wings, and the tail was clearly demarcated with a brown outer band and a white inner band, defining field marks for a juvenile golden eagle.
Word began to spread online and Mary, who has clued me in to a few other good birds, was nice enough to message me directly.
I made it over to Fort Zach in the late afternoon and parked in the far lot. The first bird I saw was a northern harrier that came across the open field known as the Back 40, slid through a 180-degree turn and started back. A female American kestrel came out of nowhere and feinted toward the harrier, trying to declare the boundaries of some type of territory, though the harrier seemed non-plussed.
I met up with Ellen Westbrook and we stood out in the field, her dog Che standing patiently with us. (Two people riding by on bikes told us what a good looking boy he was.) The harrier made a few more passes and two kestrels called from opposite ends of the field.
I was out of town when the weather changed, and it was incredibly nice to be standing outdoors while the sun was up and have it be pleasant.
At some point we looked up and caught sight of a huge kettle of turkey vultures streaming in from over the water. How far they had ventured out over the water was hard to say, but they kept coming and coming. I’d
guess there were 500 of them, all of which we scoured for eagle-ness, none of which looked like anything other than turkey vultures.
I wasn’t sure if I was going to go back on Sunday, but then Mariah Hryniewich and Luis Gles, friends who have both counted for the Florida Keys Hawkwatch, texted saying they were in Havana at the moment doing some bird work, but would be landing in Miami around 9 and then heading down to look for the eagle.
I met up with them around 1 p.m. and we stood out in the same part of the field. The same northern harrier cruised over the field and along the moat. The same two kestrels klee-kleed from the different ends of the park.
Things got somewhat lively when a great white heron picked a fight with a great egret, and the two swirled around each other in the sky for a few moments, but the heat soon went out of the dispute and they both settled back down into the trees.
The kettle of 500 turkey vultures drifted over the island like a plume of smoke over a moving fire. Vultures flew, joined and left the kettle from every different direction, leaving a lot of birds to keep track of, none of which looked to be golden eagles.
After an hour or so a bird with broad, flat wings came in off the water, flying low over the pines. An eagle. But as it got close, the bird’s white head and tail became obvious, making it one of the rare times a bald eagle was a disappointment.
We spent a few more hours looking, with no luck, and Mariah and Luis went back the next day and with a further lack of luck.
I have a little faith that the golden eagle, a bird this far out of its usual habitat, is going to be seen again. It just means that I’m going to have to pay attention to every turkey vulture I see, hoping it’s not a TV.
There are worse fates.
Alan M. Nieder, MD
Nicholas Smith, MD
Don’t let a high-rate loan gobble up your budget. Refinance with Keys FCU and carve away those extra costs! Lower Rates. Local Service. Real savings to be thankful for.
*Restrictions may apply. Subject to credit approval. NCUA Insured. Membership is open to everyone who lives or works in the Florida Keys.
HELP KEEP KEY WEST BEAUTIFUL
JOIN A 1- HOUR CLEANUP FRIDAY MORNINGS
The Nov. 21 morning cleanup was held at the end of Lazy Way in front of the Marker Resort. In one hour, 88 volunteers, including six from out of town, collected 128 pounds of garbage including a car bumper, six gallons of cigarette butts and 32 pounds of recycling. It was another example of the cleanups being all about the small things. As the city’s Port and Marine department does a great job picking up daily around the area, the volunteers tackled the small items in the rocks and bushes. Special thanks to the Marker for hosting for the second time this year and providing breakfast by the pool for all the volunteers. There is no scheduled cleanup for the Friday after Thanksgiving. Please take this time to walk your neighborhood and pick up what you can. We give thanks to all the volunteers who continue to help keep Key West beautiful. 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
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.
Fink, a 3-month-old
was found as a stray and is now safe in our care. Despite his sad start to life, Fink is playful, curious and ready to explore the world with a family who will give him the comfort and security he needs. He is still very young and will grow quickly, making now the perfect time to welcome him into your home.
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.
Nov. 28: No cleanup the day after Thanksgiving.
Dec. 5: North Roosevelt & 7th Street. Meet in the GFS parking lot. Hosted by Mount Sinai Medical Center.
Dec. 12: Truman Avenue & White Street. Meet in the parking lot of Fausto’s, which is hosting.
Dec. 19: Front & Whitehead streets. Meet in front of the Custom House. Parking vouchers for the Opal Key parking garage will be available. Hosted by the Opal Key Resort.
Dec. 26: No cleanup the day after Christmas.
Pepa is a 10-month-old domestic shorthair cat who is looking for her furever family. She is affectionate, gentle and ready to share her life with someone who will appreciate her sweet nature.
Mila, a 10-month-old Doberman pinscher who came to us through an owner’s surrender. She is young, full of energy and eager to learn and grow with a family who will give her the guidance and affection she deserves. Mila is ready for a fresh start and would thrive in a home where she can be active and loved.
Meet
domestic shorthair kitten who
Meet Louise and Lydia. Louise is a 1-year-old guinea pig and the mama to Lydia, a 4-month-old. These two are bonded and wish to be adopted together. Louise loves to explore her surroundings, munch on treats and spend time with her favorite humans. Lydia likes to follow in her footsteps.
Meet
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
Last Friday, the sun moved into the sign of Sagittarius, ushering in the beginning of the end of the darkest part of the year. During Scorpio season, we sit with heavy emotions and our harder truths, giving them the time, space and respect they deserve. We take accountability for our mistakes and acknowledge our fallibility. As we enter Sagittarius season, however, we are reminded we cannot sit in the darkness all the time. Hope returns because we can see the light in the distance. Sagittarius pushes us forward to new adventures, inspires fresh willpower and pushes us to fight for what we believe in. We are in the season before the solstice, and we are tapping into our resilience. On Thanksgiving this year, Saturn, the planet of authority and boundaries, stations direct in the sign of Pisces. For the past four and a half months, Saturn has been retrograde, encouraging us to question and analyze the institutions that we interact with, to reconsider where our boundaries lie with other people, and to better use the word “No” as a complete sentence. As Saturn stations direct, we can start putting all of these lessons into practice.
Here are your horoscopes for the beginning of Sagittarius season and Saturn turning direct. Read for your rising and sun signs.
SAGITTARIUS
Nov. 22 - Dec. 21
Happy birthday season, Sag, The light of the sun is shining on you, and it is time for you to revel in appreciation for all that you are. This is the season for you to show out. It is time to set your plans into action at home, setting the terms and conditions for what you need to be more authoritative about
your personal, private time. You set your own rules, and they will serve as your foundation.
CAPRICORN
Dec. 22 - Jan. 19
How can you communicate your needs and boundaries more effectively? Being an authority about your own skills requires clear and concise communication, and this sky encourages you to do just that. Invest some time and energy in your peace and quiet, and pay attention to how you fill your own cup. Time spent alone is fruitful for you now, so enjoy the solitude when you can find it.
AQUARIUS
Jan. 20 - Feb. 18
This is your social season, Aquarius. You can clearly see the people who make up your support system, so turn your attention to those folks and give them your attention. Reciprocity with your friends will help you work toward your goals. Getting really solid in your personal values will help you to set achievable financial goals right now, so trim your spending where needed.
PISCES
Feb. 19 - March 20
Self-respect is the name of the game right now. You are the decider for what you need, and setting some personal boundaries will help you feel more secure. Don’t be afraid to say no to things that do not resonate with your identity. Some clarity is coming to you at work, and you are standing out. Accept your accolades and take on a greater role if it is offered.
ARIES
March 21 - April 19
However you practice your personal spirituality, it is time to get serious about it. Give your meditations or prayers or rituals some extra gravity under this sky. Re-commit to your spiritual wisdom practices and set time aside for engaging with them. Your next
adventure is becoming clearer, whether it is a trip abroad or a new course of study. Trust what you see on the horizon.
TAURUS
April 20 - May 20
You are being offered the chance to reconnect with collaborators who bring greater abundance to your life. Be discerning about who you allow to support you, because not everyone has your best interest at heart. You get to choose who you welcome into your social and professional sphere. You can see what you should be investing your time and energy into, so trust your gut.
GEMINI
May 21 - June 20
Who are your important partners, Gemini? This sky encourages you to get clear about whom you consider to be your special confidantes, your ride-or-dies, or your kindred spirits. Honor them by giving them your undivided attention. Also, it is time to put your career goals into practice with a cunning and focused plan. Hone your focus and get to work pursuing your dreams.
CANCER
June 21 - July 22
Trying something new can be really scary, but knowing that can help you to step into an exciting new adventure despite the fear. Being afraid means that you care. Now is the time to face your fear and dive in with gusto. Go for it. You are probably also realizing it is time to set up solid routines and wellness habits to ensure that you are operating at your best.
LEO
July 23 - Aug. 22
You cannot give when you are feeling depleted. Whether you have reached that point or not, it is time to set some boundaries around where you are investing your energy so you can share your resources in a renewable manner.
HOPEFUL BOUNDARYMAKING
Doing this will help you to spend more time doing what you love and nurturing your own creativity. Find your balance in giving and taking.
VIRGO
Aug. 23 - Sept. 22
Shine some light on your home and family by giving them extra attention now. Honor your roots, be with your tribe, and call them in. You may also find that you need to set some healthy boundaries with a partner. Doing so with care can help make your connection even deeper, so don’t be afraid to talk about your needs and set some ground rules.
LIBRA
Sept. 23 - Oct. 23
Pay some extra attention to your everyday world right now. It is so easy to get caught up in the routine of everyday life that you forget to see the everyday magic that surrounds you. Explore your neighborhood and community with fresh eyes to revive your gratitude. It is also a perfect time to engage in some new routines that will stabilize and energize your wellbeing.
SCORPIO
Oct. 23 - Nov. 21
Give your creative pursuits some extra time and attention. Setting up structures and putting boundaries in place that give you the wherewithal to engage in your joyful activities will set you up for success. What you value and how you manage your financial well-being is in the spotlight. Check your budget to make sure that you are honoring your personal needs.
REEL RECS
Staff from your Monroe County Public Library recommend some of their favorites from the collection.
What: “24 Hour Party People” (2002)
Why: What an amazing confluence of director (Michael Winterbottom), lead actor (Steve Coogan) and subject (the Manchester music scene from the late 1970s-early 1990s). Coogan is Tony Wilson, a real guy who makes lightweight feature TV stories about northern England, when he happens to be one of the few people at an early Sex Pistols show. This inspires him to create a record label, Factory Records, and a legendary club, the Hacienda, where he promotes bands like Joy Division (which became New Order) and Happy Mondays. Watching things explode in a good way and then a bad way makes me simultaneously envious of those who witnessed that scene and grateful to have missed the chaos. And it’s got one hell of a soundtrack. Full disclosure: this movie is about sex and drugs and rock ’n roll (and punk and New Wave) – it’s rated R for a reason.
Where: This film is available on Kanopy, the library’s streaming app.
How: You can browse and request DVDs online by logging in to your account at keyslibraries.org. To view our collection of streaming movies and TV, go to kanopy.com/ keyslibraries and set up an account with your library card. If you don’t have a card, you can visit your local branch or register online to get one. Questions? keyslibraries.org/ contact-us.
Recommended by: Nancy Klingener, community affairs manager. See previous Reel Recs at keyslibraries.org/post/reel-recs.
SHELF HELP
Staff from your Monroe County Public Library recommend some of their favorites from the collection.
What: “Water Moon” by Samantha Sotto Yambao
Why: One of my favorite reads this year! A hidden pawnshop lies behind a cozy ramen restaurant in Tokyo. It only reveals itself to people who need it, and deals in regrets rather than items. On her first morning as the pawnshop’s new owner, Hana finds it ransacked and an important acquisition is missing, along with her father. This book is filled with whimsy, lovely writing, and the chapters aren’t too long, which made the flow delightful. Truly, I never wanted this book to end; I always drank it in with a warm cup of tea or hot cocoa and was taken on a magical adventure trying to figure out this mystery. I’m kind of jealous of anyone who gets to read it because I wish I could read it for the first time again. If you are looking for a cozy book that gives Ghibli vibes and also has a touch of mystery, romance, and magic, this just might be it!
Where: You can borrow this in regular and large print, as an e-book and e-audiobook from the Monroe County Public Library.
How: You can request books, including e-books and e-audiobooks, by logging in to your account at keyslibraries.org. If you don’t have a card, you can visit your local branch or register online to get one. Questions? info@keyslibraries.org.
Recommended by: Jessica Penepent, library assistant, Big Pine Key library branch.
See previous recommendations at keyslibraries.org/post/shelf-help.
WHAT’S COOKING, KEY WEST?
Iconic chef (and Santa!) star in pre -holiday weekend
CAROL SHAUGHNESSY www.keysweekly.com
Santa Claus plays a central role in Christmas traditions, but some holiday fans aren’t aware that the mythology surrounding him dates back to a fourth-century Greek bishop. Called Saint Nicholas, he was considered the patron saint of children and was known for his kindness — even supposedly leaving coins in poor children’s shoes as a secret way of helping them.
Age-old lore says Dutch settlers brought tales of his generosity to the United States, and in 1773 the American press gave Saint Nicholas the now-common name of “Santa Claus.” His fame was assured in the early 1800s when Clement Moore penned the poem now dubbed “’Twas The Night Before Christmas,” depicting a red-suited Santa traveling around the world in a sleigh pulled by reindeer to deliver gifts on Christmas Eve.
In the Florida Keys, Santa is sometimes imagined in a sleigh powered by miniature Key deer — or even spotted underwater, where he brings holiday wishes to sea creatures in an island tradition started by an Upper Keys dive shop owner.
During December, “Santa sightings” are common around Key West — for example, he’s typically seen waving to holiday fans from vessels participating in the annual lighted boat parade.
The jolly white-bearded fellow will appear in the Key West Cooking Show’s historic lobby, located upstairs at 291 Front St., on Saturday, Dec. 6 from 1 to 3 p.m. He’ll welcome kids and grownups for photo ops and the opportunity to tell him what holiday gifts they want. Even well-behaved pets can share a moment with Santa to woof or purr their wishes.
Other attractions at the festive event include holiday treats such as cookies and eggnog, and a chance to enjoy a beautifully decorated “Conch house” scene. Key lime pie and seasonal drinks, including the Autumn White Russian and Cider & Maple Stormy, will be available for purchase.
As well as Santa, fine food takes center stage as the Christmas holiday approaches — and no one is known
for finer food than chef Norman Van Aken, widely hailed as the father of New World Cuisine.
The Key West Cooking Show presents an exclusive culinary experience with the internationally acclaimed chef Friday, Dec. 5, where connoisseurs can learn his techniques for preparing an exquisite multi-course meal, and then enjoy the featured dishes with him in an intimate setting.
Renowned as an icon in his profession, Van Aken launched his career in Key West and the island’s culinary influences helped shape his distinctive cuisine. The interactive learn-and-dine event is scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. and seating is limited. Reservations are required; visit https://keystix.com.
LAST CALL
Drink of the month: Autumn White Russian. Featuring a measured sweetness and an energy-inducing kick, this intriguing cocktail blends vodka, vanilla simple syrup, Italian espresso liqueur, traditional espresso and chocolate bitters — with a seasonal splash of non-dairy pumpkin spice creamer.
Helpful bar hack: When crafting a cocktail, it’s vital to achieve the proper balance of flavors. Balancing the components of sweet and sour, as well as strength and dilution from melting ice — and understanding the appropriate proportions of each ingredient — are the keys to a nuanced, quality offering.
Thirsty for more? Visit keywestcookingshow.com or call 305-294COOK.
Guests at the Key West Cooking Show’s ‘Santa sighting’ will be welcomed by holiday helpers like Chrissie Ashworth, left, and Meredith Jolly. KEY WEST COOKING SHOW/ Contributed
Founded by Betty Debnam
Meet the Mountain State
West Virginia, our 35th state, was once a part of Virginia. But when Virginia voted to secede, or leave, the United States in 1863, West Virginia stayed loyal to the Union. It became its own state on June 20, 1863.
About 1.8 million people live in West Virginia. Charleston is the capital, with about 50,000 people.
EARLY HISTORY
Native Americans have lived in the area of West Virginia for thousands of years. Over the centuries, native people were hunters and gatherers, grew corn and other crops, made pottery and built mounds. In 1671, the first Europeans arrived in the region.
NATURAL RESOURCES
West Virginia is known for its natural wonders. It attracts many outdoorloving tourists, especially from eastern cities. It is the only state to rest entirely in the Appalachian Mountains. Mountain biking, hiking, fishing and rock climbing are some favorite activities.
Underground beauty is found in caves such as Seneca Caverns, Smoke Hole Caverns and Lost World Caverns. Organ Cave is the 16th-longest cave in the U.S.
Oil, natural gas, stone and salt are also important resources.
WORKING IN WEST VIRGINIA
The state is the largest producer of coal in the U.S.; the energy from coal powers not only West Virginia but other states. Mining coal has been an important industry for West Virginians for many decades.
People also work in the lumber industry, in agriculture, in health care and manufacturing.
Many world-famous glass studios are in the state, including Blenko in Milton and Fenton Art Glass in Williamstown. The Huntington Museum of Art, the West Virginia Museum of American Glass in Weston and the Oglebay Institute Glass Museum in Wheeling are famous for their exhibits of art glass.
SPORTS
West Virginians are fans of football and basketball teams from West Virginia University and Marshall University. Minor league baseball, hockey and soccer teams also compete in the state.
Words that remind us of West Virginia are hidden in this puzzle. Some words are hidden backward or diagonally, and some letters are used twice. See if you can find:
MINI FACT: Mountain streams draw fishers, who catch catfish, walleye and bass.
WEST VIRGINIANS TO KNOW
• Chuck Yeager is best known for being the first person officially to fly faster than the speed of sound, flying nearly 700 mph in 1947. He became most famous for this feat after author Tom Wolfe wrote about him years later in “The Right Stuff.”
Yeager broke the sound barrier when he was a test pilot for the U.S. Air Force. He had served as a fighter pilot during World War II. He was born in Myra, West Virginia, and grew up in West Hamlin, West Virginia.
• Anna Jarvis helped turn Mother’s Day into a national holiday. She lived in Grafton, West Virginia, and later in Philadelphia. The first national Mother’s Day was celebrated in those two cities in 1908.
• Steve Harvey, a famous comedian and game show host, was born in Welch, West Virginia. His father was a coal miner. Harvey is also an author and has won seven Daytime Emmy Awards. He has hosted a television series for kids called “Little Big Shots.”
RESOURCES
ON THE WEB • bit.ly/3Wuu6OK
AT THE LIBRARY • “Animals of West Virginia!” by Hope Aicher
ECO NOTE
Insects are rapidly disappearing even in places far from farms or cities. A 20-year study of a remote meadow in Colorado found that flying insect numbers have fallen by more than 70%, with hotter summers as the strongest culprit. The discovery adds to mounting evidence that climate change is eroding biodiversity on a global scale, undermining food webs and threatening species that rely on insects for survival. Their decline has farreaching consequences for agriculture and human health.
photo by Anthony
photo by
Valerius
Tygart
photo courtesy Oglebay Institute
photo courtesy Library of Congress
photo by Angela George
The “organ” formation aat Organ Cave in West Virginia.
Blowing glass at the Oglebay Institute Glass Museum.
Chuck Yeager
Anna Jarvis
Steve Harvey
FICTITIOUS NAME
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of Golden Buffalo Sports Grill located at 103360 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, FL 33037 intends to register the said name with the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, FL.
By: Cross Key Holding
Publish: November 27, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE
Florida Keys Council of the Arts Notice of Upcoming Meetings
The Florida Keys Council of the Arts will hold the following meetings via Communications Media Technology using a ZOOM webinar platform. The access points to view the Zoom meetings or for members of the public to provide public input will be:
JOIN ZOOM via the Zoom app and use each meeting ID and password listed. Meetings are open to the public, and all are invited to attend. Questions, or to RSVP, please email Liz Young at director@keysarts.com
Membership Committee
Meeting
December 3, 2025, at 10:00
AM Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom. us/j/ 83426481409?pwd
=bAa02HW6udj7
MpwWXLa4Two7iQ5qHZ.1
Meeting ID: 834 2648 1409
Passcode: 287548
Art In Public Places
Committee Meeting
December 16, 2025, at 4:00
PM Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom. us/j/ 82391660246?pwd
=05fF5N6P7F9sA4
RXSbvwXB4dGJlhJP.1
Meeting ID: 823 9166 0246
Passcode: 264470
Executive Committee Meeting
December 18, 2025, at 3:00
PM Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom. us/j/ 84711045271?pwd
=OtnOOOftvUbiE6
CqB9SnSZNGHtNS7T.1
Meeting ID: 847 1104 5271
Passcode: 882876
Publish: November 27, 2025 The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE ELEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT COURT IN AND FOR MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA
PROBATE DIVISION CASE NO: 2025-000092-CP-02 SECTION: PMH05 IN RE: ESTATE OF JOHN D. DANNELLY, JR Deceased.
__________________/ FORMAL NOTICE TO: PATRICK MICHAEL DANNELLY 555 OCEAN WAY KEY LARGO, FL 33037 YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that a PETITION FOR SUMMARY ADMINISTRATION and a PETITION TO DETERMINE HOMESTEAD STATUS OF REAL PROPERTY have been filed IN THE ELEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT COURT IN AND FOR MIAMIDADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, PROBATE DIVISION. You are required to serve written defenses on the undersigned within 20 days after service of this notice, exclusive of the day of service, and to file the original of the written defenses with the clerk of the above court either before service or immediately thereafter. Failure to serve and file written defenses as required may result in a judgment or order for the relief demanded in the pleading or motion, without further notice.
Dated: October 28, 2025. Respectfully, Carlos Linares, Esq. Florida Bar No. 1051061 Sylvana Rosende, Esq. Florida Bar No. 1025248 ROSENDE PAUL PLLC.
Attorneys for David Sean Dannelly 8200 NW 41st Street, Suite 318 Doral, FL 33166 Phone: (305)701-2099 carlos@rosendepaul.com sylvana@rosendepaul.com
Publish: November 6 , 13, 20 & 27, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.: 2023-CA-747-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 15TH day of December 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: Unit 5824, Week 30, Annual Windward Pointe, a Leasehold Condominium (“Condominium”), according to the Declaration of Condominium thereof recorded in Official Records Book 1803, Page 844, Public Records of Monroe County, Florida, and all exhibits thereto, and any amendments thereof (the “Declaration”). Pursuant to IN REM SUMMARY FINAL JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE AS TO COUNT(S) I, II entered in a case pending in said Court, the 4TH day of November 2025 Style of which is:
WINDWARD POINTE II, LLC, A DELAWARE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY
Plaintiff vs. ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN PARTIES WHO CLAIM AN INTEREST AS SPOUSE, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES, ADMINISTRATORS OR AS OTHER CLAIMANTS, BY, THROUGH, UNDER OR AGAINST MARY ANN AMARAL, DECEASED; BRIAN PARICK AMARAL, AS POTENTIAL HEIR TO MARY ANN AMARAL; AND MARY CLAIRE AUAYANG, AS POTENTIAL HEIR TO MARY ANN AMARAL
Defendant
And the Docket Number of which is Number 2023-CA747-K
WITNESS my hand and the Official Seal of Said Court, this 10TH day of November 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: November 27 and December 4, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.: 2024-CC-688-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 15TH day of December 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: Unit E23, Week 1, Beach House, a Condominium according to the Declaration of Condominium thereof recorded in Official Records Book 1510, Page 225, Public Records of Monroe County, Florida, and all exhibits attached thereto, and any amendments thereof (the “Declaration”).
Pursuant to IN REM SUMMARY FINAL JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE entered in a case pending in said Court, the 9TH day of October 2025 Style of which is: BEACH HOUSE CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION OF KEY WEST, INC., A NONPROFIT CORPORATION UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA
Plaintiff vs. JOAN ELAINE FARINACCI AND ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN PARTIES WHO CLAIM AN INTEREST AS SPOUSE, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES, ADMINISTRATORS OR AS OTHER CLAIMANTS, BY, THROUGH, UNDER OR AGAINST JOAN ELAINE FARINACCI, DECEASED
Defendant
And the Docket Number of which is Number 2024-CC688-K WITNESS my hand and the Official Seal of Said Court, this 31TH 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:
November 27 and December 4, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.: 2024-CC-658-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 15TH day of December 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: Unit E23, Week 46, Beach House, a Condominium according to the Declaration of Condominium thereof recorded in Official Records Book 1510, Page 225, Public Records of Monroe County, Florida, and all exhibits attached thereto, and any amendments thereof (the “Declaration”).
Pursuant to IN REM
SUMMARY FINAL JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE AS TO COUNT(S) II entered in a case
pending in said Court, the 9TH day of October 2025
Style of which is: BEACH HOUSE CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION OF KEY WEST, INC., A NONPROFIT CORPORATION UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA
Plaintiff vs. ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN PARTIES WHO CLAIM AN INTEREST AS SPOUSE, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES, ADMINISTRATORS OR AS OTHER CLAIMANTS, BY, THROUGH, UNDER OR AGAINST JOHNSIE H. HUDSPETH, DECEASED AND DANA SHEPHERD, AS POTENTIAL HEIR TO JOHNSIE H. HUDSPETH
Defendant
And the Docket Number of which is Number 2024-CC658-K WITNESS my hand and the Official Seal of Said Court, this 31TH 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: November 27 and December 4, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT
IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
CASE NO.: 2024-CC-658-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 15TH day of December 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:
Unit C22 Week 48, Beach House, a Condominium according to the Declaration of Condominium thereof recorded in Official Records Book 1510, Page 225, Public Records of Monroe County, Florida, and all exhibits attached thereto, and any amendments thereof (the “Declaration”).
Pursuant to IN REM SUMMARY FINAL JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE AS TO COUNT(S) I entered in a case pending in said Court, the 9TH day of October 2025 Style of which is: BEACH HOUSE CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION OF KEY WEST, INC., A NONPROFIT CORPORATION UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA
Plaintiff vs. ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN PARTIES WHO CLAIM AN INTEREST AS SPOUSE, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES, ADMINISTRATORS OR AS OTHER CLAIMANTS, BY, THROUGH, UNDER OR AGAINST WILLIAM GERSTNER KUESTER, DECEASED; JENNIFER MERTZ, AS POTENTIAL HEIR TO WILLIAM GERSTNER KUESTER; AND JEFFREY KUESTER, AS POTENTIAL HEIR TO WILLIAM GERSTNER KUESTER
Defendant And the Docket Number of which is Number 2024-CC658-K WITNESS my hand and the Official Seal of Said Court, this 31TH 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: November 27 and December 4, 2025 The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.: 2024-CC-569-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 15TH day of December 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: Unit 5813, Week 13, Annual Windward Pointe, a Leasehold Condominium (“Condominium”), according to the Declaration of Condominium thereof recorded in Official Records Book 1803, Page 844, Public Records of Monroe County, Florida, and all exhibits thereto, and any amendments thereof (the “Declaration”). Pursuant to IN REM SUMMARY FINAL JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE entered in a case pending in said Court, the 9TH day of October 2025 Style of which is: WINDWARD POINTE CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION OF KEY WEST, INC., A CORPORATION NOT-FORPROFIT UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA Plaintiff vs. ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN PARTIES WHO CLAIM AN INTEREST AS SPOUSE, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES, ADMINISTRATORS OR AS OTHER CLAIMANTS, BY, THROUGH, UNDER OR AGAINST SHEENA HOULT SHUMATE, DECEASED AND TERRY GALLAGHER, AS POTENTIAL HEIR TO SHEENA HOULT SHUMATE Defendant And the Docket Number of which is Number 2024-CC569-K WITNESS my hand and the Official Seal of Said Court, this 31TH 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: November 27 and December 4, 2025 The Weekly Newspapers
AUTOS ALL YEARS! Junk or Used Cars, Vans, Trucks. Runs or Not.$CASH 305-332-0483
AUTOS FOR SALE
2013 Cadillac ATS, 125k miles, needs tires & A/C, 2 owners, serviced at dealership. Located in Marathon.
$4,000 Contact: yogaforpeacellc@yahoo.com
PLACE YOUR AUTO FOR SALE AD HERE. $25/week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-743-0844 or Email Anneke@ keysweekly.com
BOAT MISC. FOR SALE
Two 425 XTO Yamaha outboard motors for sale. Low hours, excellent condition, professionally maintained. $30,000 for both. Located in Marathon. Call for details 305-747-4227
BOATS FOR SALE
GREAT DEAL: Key Largo 21' Deep V Center Console w/trailer. New 150hp motor & electronics. $15,000 Located in Marathon. 201-696-8906 SOLD !!!
PLACE YOUR BOAT FOR SALE AD HERE. $25/week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-743-0844 or Email Anneke@ keysweekly.com
BOAT SLIP FOR RENT
Boat Slip For Rent in Key Largo - Oceanfront Marina - Up to 46’ x 11.5’ - $20/ft/month. No Liveaboards. 330-219-5313
Dockage up to 60’ Islamorada - Bayside, 50 amp service. Call 860-982-4517
Boat dockage, 29th Street Canal, Marathon. Up to 33' - water & electric. 305-240-3270
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
EMPLOYMENT
NIGHT MONITORFREE Private Room in exchange for overnight availability at our Assisted Living Facility in Marathon. 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 Carolynsparkyslanding@aol.com
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
The Housing Authority of the City of Key West now hiring the following positions: Full-time Carpenter, Electrician & Housing Assistant. To apply, please contact Human Resources at: wrightk@kwha. org or 305-296-5621 ext. 224. Applications are available at the Administrative Office located at 1400 Kennedy Dr., Key West, FL 33040 or online at www.kwha.org - EOE & Drug Free Work Place. This opportunity is covered under Section 3 of the HUD Act of 1968.
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.
Maintenance Manager needed. The Cabana Club, a private membership swim club, is seeking a full time, hands-on Maintenance Manager. Responsibilities include but are not limited to: pool maintenance (training can be provided), general plumbing and electric, light carpentry, opening and cleaning daily, general "handyman skills". Qualified person is organized, works well independently and observes surroundings in need of attention. Great pay plus benefits. Apply in person at 425 E. Ocean Dr. Key Colony Beach or call 404-2193359 and ask for Dave HIRED IN LESS THAN ONE WEEK!!!
PLACE YOUR EMPLOYMENT AD HERE. $25/week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-743-0844 or Email Anneke@ keysweekly.com
PRIVATE COLLECTOR
WANTS Rolex, Dive Watches and Pilot Watches. Old Model Military
Clocks & Watches. Call 305-743-4578
HOUSING FOR RENT
NIGHT MONITORFREE Private Room in exchange for overnight availability at our Assisted Living Facility in Marathon. 5 nights on, 5 nights off 10pm-8am plus weekly stipend, Drug & background screen required. www.westcare. com/join-our-team/
2 Bedroom - All new - AND - StudioFurnished - Available for rent in Marathon. Section 8 ok. Call for pricing. 305-610-8002
PLACE YOUR HOUSING FOR RENT AD HERE. $25/ week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-7430844 or Email: Anneke@ KeysWeekly.com
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 builtin 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 RENTED IN LESS THAN 4 WEEKS!!!
2BR/2BA with outdoor patio for rent in Marathon. $2,100/month F/L/S Taking applications. 305-849-5793 RENTED IN LESS THAN ONE WEEK!!!
PLACE YOUR HOUSING FOR RENT AD HERE. $25/ week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-743-0844 or Email: Anneke@ KeysWeekly.com
VACATION RENTAL
Key West House For Rent - 28 day
Recently renovated. 2 Units:
or 2BR/2.5BA. 1 block to Schooner Wharf @ Historic Seaport. Starting $214/night. Sweet CarolineSeaport.com
SARA’S ESTATE SALE @ CANALFRONT HOME on Big Pine Key @ 29462 Geraldine St.,Fri, Nov. 28 & Sat, Nov. 29 from 9a-1p both days. Lots of standouts in this sale for longtime local: Ryobi tools & lawnmower, MidMod dining table & chairs, Pebble Beach Fostoria orange glasses & Russell Woodward 70’s spun fiberglass outdoor set. Plus outstanding antique rounded glass hutch & 2 craftsman oak dressers. Also, old coins, stained glass, art, kayak, bike, work tables, shelves, books, reclining couch, 4-pc queen bed set, silverplate tableware, pots, plants & bar stools.
Follow the signs, park with consideration. More photos at estatesales. net. (Take Key Deer Blvd to Big Pine Street to Koehns Ave to Geraldine St, follow signs).
First Annual Community Yard SaleSat. Dec. 13 starting at 9am. Behind the Airport in Marathon - start on Porpoise Drive and work your way around!
PLACE YOUR YARD SALE AD HERE. $25/week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-743-0844 or Email Anneke@ keysweekly.com
PLACE YOUR YARD SALE AD HERE. $25/week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-743-0844 or Email Anneke@ keysweekly.com
NOW HIRING FULL TIME POSITIONS
• EXPERIENCED ACCOUNTING/ BOOKKEEPING
• LICENSED (or will train) ACCOUNT PROCESSOR/ACCOUNT MANAGER
Amazing benefits available that include: Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance, Long Term/Short Term Disability, 10+ PAID Holidays PLUS Vacation & Sick Pay, 401K Plan Available, Paid Insurance Licensing/Training, Paid Continuing Education & Bonus Potential (Profit Sharing).
Apply by email Jennifer.Roth@ReganRoth.com
Regan Roth Insurance, 90144 Overseas Highway, Tavernier. Family-owned business that will treat you like family!
Energy Services, in Key West, Florida, is accepting applications for the following position in its Transmission & Distribution Department:
3 yrs or more experience required.
IS HIRING IN
SUBSTATION ELECTRICIAN
(High Voltage Substation Electrical Technician)
THE UPPER KEYS
ACCOUNTING PERSON
Must have experience with Excel. We are willing to train the right candidate.
Send resume to admin@cbtconstruction.com Or call 305-852-3002
NOW HIRING!
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.
Energy Services, in Key West, Florida, is accepting applications for the following position in its Generation Department:
OPERATOR/MAINTAINER
Starting pay rate for this position, depending on qualifications and experience: $40.15/hr - $44.97/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.
All positions 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
DOLPHIN
DRC provides for the well-being of its employees with
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
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
Carrying multiple exclusive retail lines. Plus a selection of unique & carefully curated pre-loved items.
BOUTIQUE HOURS
MONDAY - WEDNESDAY 11- 4
THURSDAY - SATURDAY 11- 6
SUNDAY CLOSED
Voted BEST LOCAL RETAILER by the Key West People’s Choice Awards 2023, 2024 & 2025. And mentioned in Forbes magazine!
Owner Kirby Myers and her associate stylist Amelia Hanley wearing Closet Finds
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)
Behavioral Health Counselor (CAT)
KEY WEST
Case Manager (Adult)
Mental Health Technician (PT)
Behavioral Health Therapist (Children) (PT) Crisis Counselor
MARATHON
Mental Health Technician Care Coordinator (PT)
Driver (CDL not required) (PT)
Driver (CDL required) (FT)
Registered Nurse (FT, PT)
*Support Worker (Assisted Living) (PT)
*Behavioral Health Technicians – 3 shifts (FT, PT)
*Night Monitor (ALF – Free Housing vs. Salary)
*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
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.
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
Key West , Florida with possible occasional travel in the county and outside Salary Range: Commensurate with experience, plus comprehensive benefits including health insurance
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
As General Manager, you will serve as the operational backbone of FIRM, reporting directly to the Board of Directors and collaborating closely with our President on strategic vision.
Strategic Leadership & Operations: Oversee day-to-day operations, including program development, delivery, and evaluation, with a focus on insurance policy research, consumer complaint resolution, and advocacy campaigns.
Financial & Resource Management: Lead budgeting, financial reporting, and resource allocation, including grant procurement and management, fundraising initiatives, and donor stewardship.
Team & Stakeholder Engagement: Cultivate relationships with board members, regulators, industry partners, and community stakeholders to amplify advocacy efforts, such as lobbying for consumer-friendly insurance reforms.
Advocacy & Impact Measurement: Spearhead public awareness campaigns on insurance issues (e.g., rate transparency, claim denials), leveraging data-driven insights to influence legislation and corporate practices. Website and Social Media management.
Risk & Compliance Oversight: Ensure organizational adherence to legal, ethical, and regulatory standards, including data privacy in consumer interactions and risk management for advocacy activities. Serve as a key spokesperson, representing FIRM in media, hearings, and coalitions.
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Public Policy, Non-Profit Management, or a related field; Master's or MBA preferred. 7+ years of progressive leadership experience in non-profit management, with at least 3 years in advocacy, consumer protection, or insurance-related roles.
TO APPLY
HOW
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with interviews starting in late November. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Please submit your resume, a cover letter outlining your vision for leading FIRM’s next phase, and three professional references as a single PDF. Use the subject line: "General Manager Application - [Your Last Name]." E-Mail address: Mel.Montagne@ioausa.com FIRM is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage applications from candidates with lived experience in underserved communities, as well as those from varied backgrounds in insurance, policy, or non-profit sectors.
TO KEY WEST
THE BROKEN HEARTS A TRIBUTE TO TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS NOVEMBER 29
ROBYN SCHALL'S HOLIDAY EXTRAVAGANZA TOUR JANUARY 9, 2026
GABRIEL RUTLEDGE DON’T READ THE COMMENTS TOUR FEBRUARY 15, 2026
FEMMES OF ROCK DECEMBER 10
DAVID NIHILL TAKING TANGENTS TOUR JANUARY 11, 2026
TOMMY EMMANUEL MARCH 22, 2026
ANTHONY RODIA LAUGH TILL IT HURTS TOUR DECEMBER 11
