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Sports trivia: What’s the difference between a hawk and a hawkeye?

October 1, 2026

east Event of the Ye r B e ar Th

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5TH ANNUAL FUNDRAISER HELPS WOMANKIND FIGHT BREAST CANCER ON OCT. 14 | P. 16 WHO SHOULD RUN THE HOSPITAL?

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KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 1, 2026

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KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 1, 2026

KEYS

NEWSPAPERS

5450 MacDonald Ave. No.5 Key West, FL 33040 Office: 305.453.6928 www.keysweekly.com Publisher / Britt Myers britt@keysweekly.com Publishing Partner / Jason Koler jason@keysweekly.com Editor / Mandy Miles mandy@keysweekly.com Account Executive Stephanie Mitchell stephanie@keysweekly.com Staff Writers Jim McCarthy jim@keysweekly.com Alex Rickert alex@keysweekly.com Copy Editor / Mike Howie mike@keysweekly.com Production Manager Anneke Patterson anneke@keysweekly.com Executive Administrator Charlotte Hruska char@keysweekly.com Design / Pre-Press Irene de Bruijn irene@keysweekly.com Javier Reyes javier@keysweekly.com Diana Striker www.keysweekly.com Controller Lauren Pope lauren@keysweekly.com Web Master / Travis Cready travis@keysweekly.com Classifieds / Anneke Patterson anneke@keysweekly.com 305.743.0844 Se habla español THE KEY WEST WEEKLY (ISSN 1944-0812) IS PUBLISHED WEEKLY FOR $125 PER YEAR BY WEEKLY NEWSPAPERS, INC., 9709 OVERSEAS HIGHWAY, MARATHON FL 33050. APPLICATION TO MAIL AT PERIODICALS POSTAGE RATES IS PENDING AT FORT LAUDERDALE FL AND ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES. All stories, photos, and graphics are copyrighted materials. Postmaster SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO THE KEYS WEEKLY, 9709 OVERSEAS HIGHWAY MARATHON FL 33050 News Deadline Monday Noon Advertising Deadline Tuesday 2 p.m.

@KeysWeekly @theWeekly

Members of

3.50

When Disney World’s Magic Kingdom opened to eager visitors in 1971, the price for an adult ticket was all but $3.50. Arguably one of the most visited theme parks in the world, the Magic Kingdom in Orlando has come a long way from its early beginnings, with new attractions and advanced technology. Today, the one-day ticket price for those ages 10 and up is $119.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the annual Tats for Ta-Tas fundraiser is set for Wednesday, Oct. 14 from 7 to 10 p.m. at Tattoos & Scars Saloon, 512 Greene St. See page 16. LINDA PIROZEK/Womankind

KEY WEST OFFICIALS TACKLE HEFTY AGENDA

Topics includes AI regulations; a city attorney search and license-plate readers MANDY MILES mandy@keysweekly.com

ey West officials will tackle a hefty agenda at their Thursday, Oct. 1 meeting, discussing everything from a new AI policy, the search for a city attorney and the overall structure of city government. The Oct. 1 meeting will likely be the last regular meeting for commissioner Lissette Carey, who did not seek reelection. She will be succeeded by either Sarah Compton or Wayne Garcia, who are facing off in a Nov. 3 runoff election. The search for an in-house city attorney is among lawmakers’ top priorities. The agenda includes two resolutions that would direct the city manager to “initiate an immediate intensive search for the position of City Attorney,” and would direct the human resources director to “vigorously advertise for the position.” Currently, attorney Mayanne Downs of Orlando has been doing the job of city attorney on a contract basis, an arrangement that commissioners and Downs acknowledge is not ideal and was always intended to be temporary following the indictment and subsequent departure of former city Ron Ramsingh. Officials are likely to hear opposition to a proposal to demolish the historic, but dilapidated diesel plant in Bahama Village. Mayor Sam Kaufman wants the city to pursue potential pilot projects with scientists and businesses interested in sargassum removal and reuse. A recent special meeting fascinated and frustrated officials and residents, given the current laws restricting the removal of the seaweed that has been

Changes are afoot at city hall as Mayor Sam Kaufman and new commissioners take their place and outline their priorities. MANDY MILES/Keys Weekly

inundating beaches every summer and posing health and environmental threats. Several topics of national concern also have made their way to city hall. Officials are expected to discuss a new AI policy for city workers as well as the police department’s use of automatic license-plate readers. “The city recognizes that AI can improve employee productivity, assist with research and analysis, enhance communication, and support the delivery of public services. AI is intended to assist employees in performing their work and does not replace human judgment, professional responsibility, or accountability,” the proposed policy states. It also includes several prohibitions on the use of the technology, stating, “AI shall not be used to make a final employment, disciplinary, enforcement, eligibility, regulatory or other consequential governmental decision

without meaningful human review and appropriate authority. 2. AI shall not be used to generate or distribute intentionally false, deceptive, discriminatory, harassing, offensive or misleading content. 3. AI shall not be used to impersonate another individual or misrepresent the authenticity or source of official City information. 4. AI shall not be used to circumvent City cybersecurity, public-records, procurement, retention, supervisory, or other administrative requirements,” it states. The city manager’s potential separation agreement and negotiations thereof are not mentioned on the agenda, but would likely be included in the city attorney’s report. Commissioner Chris Massicotte has requested a review and discussion of the city’s governmental structure that places the most authority in the city manager to manage daily operations of the city government, and not the mayor and commissioners.

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 1, 2026

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KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 1, 2026

OUR HEALTH IS IN THEIR HANDS; WHAT ARE THEIR PLANS? Hear proposals from potential hospital operators at Oct. 6 meeting MANDY MILES mandy@keysweekly.com

n upcoming decision will affect everyone in Key West and the Lower Keys, and public input is

critical. The board that oversees Key West’s only hospital has received proposals from companies that want to manage Lower Keys Medical Center when the current management agreement ends in 2029. On Oct. 6, the applicants who responded to a Request for Proposals the Lower Florida Keys Hospital District board, whose members are appointed by the governor, will hear proposals from at least three potential hospital operators. The meeting is open to the public and will take place at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 6 at Tennessee Williams Theater. Nearly 30 years ago, the hospital district board voted to lease Lower Keys Medical Center to a for-profit company called Health Management Associates (HMA) that took over management of the hospital. That company was later acquired by Community Health Systems (CHS), which remains the hospital operator today. Their lease agreement ends in April 2029, and CHS officials last year asked the hospital district board to simply renew its lease for another 30 years. But a handful of concerned and committed residents convinced the board to seek proposals from different potential hospital operators who want to run Lower Keys Medical Center rather than be tethered to the same operator for another 30 years. It’s taken more than two years of meetings, multiple consultants, contentious board interactions, a fact-finding committee, a task force and community advocates, but a comprehensive Request for Proposals was issued, and the bids have come in from entities interested in running our hospital. The hospital district board meets at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 6 at Tennessee Williams Theater,

where the applicants will present their proposals to the board and the public. The final decision is still more than a year away, and will involve plenty of public meetings. The board’s consultants will continue to guide the process, evaluate proposals and advise the board on negotiations once an operator is selected. “Public attendance and participation is a vital component of this process,” said Spencer Krenke, a Key West resident and advocate who created the nonprofit Our Hospital Key West (ohkw.org) and was instrumental in urging the board to consider other hospital operators before renewing a 30-year lease. “Unlike the 1999 agreement under which current operator CHS operates Lower Keys Medical Center — which functions primarily as a standard landlord-tenant contract expiring in April 2029 — the new RFP criteria represents a fundamental shift in healthcare oversight,” Krenke said this week. “The hospital district is transitioning its role from a passive landlord to an active guardian of public health by evaluating proposals based on key services and capabilities,” including hospital quality and reputation; healthcare services, capabilities and commitments to the community; local investment and indigent care services. “The formal RFP and its weighted-scoring methodology were approved on July 7 by the hospital district board following a twoplus-year collaboration involving Our Hospital Key West, community supporters, then-city commissioner, now Mayor Sam Kaufman’s hospital task force and the hospital district board’s fact-finding committee,” Krenke said, adding, “While the exact number of submitting operators is currently unconfirmed, current operator Community Health Systems (CHS), Mount Sinai Medical Center and Baptist Health are expected to be among the applicants who will present their proposals at the Oct. 6 meeting. See the full RFP and other relevant documents at OHkw.org.

MAKE TIME FOR A MAMMOGRAM THIS MONTH

Lower Keys Medical Center offers extended hours breast cancer awareness

Annual mammograms are an essential diagnostic tool to identify breast cancer in its early stages, when it’s most treatable. CONTRIBUTED

ctober is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an opportunity to educate communities about the importance of regular screenings and early detection. Mammogram screenings are the best way for women to find breast cancer early, when it is easier to treat and before there are symptoms. Lower Keys Medical Center’s Women’s Imaging Center is scheduling mammography appointments throughout October and the remainder of the year. Appointments may be scheduled Monday through Friday between 7:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday hours will be offered from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 10 and 17 in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. For women of average risk, the American College of Radiology recommends annual mammograms starting at age 40. Different guidelines apply to women at higher risk. For American College of Radiology recommendations, visit acr.org.

“We are encouraging women to start a direct conversation with their healthcare provider,” said Courtney Bonner, a board-certified internal medicine physician at Keys Medical Group Primary Care. “Breast health is not one-size-fits-all. Your age, family history and personal risk factors should be considered.” Appointments are on a firstcome, first-served basis. An order from a physician or qualified healthcare provider is required. All mammogram reports will be sent to the physician or provider, and the patient is responsible for follow-up. Check with your insurance provider to confirm coverage for a screening mammogram. To schedule a mammogram at the Lower Keys Medical Center Women’s Imaging Center, call 305-294-5531, extension 3308. — Contributed

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 1, 2026

WEEK 5 FUND RA ISE R EVEN TS BECOME A ROYAL SPONSOR, DONATE TO THE CANDIDATES DIRECTLY, AND PURCHASE CORONATION TICKETS AT OUR ROYAL KING & QUEEN WEBSITE: WWW.FKSPCA.ORG/DONATE/ROYAL-CAMPAIGN

ALL CANDIDATE FUNDRAISERS EVERY TUESDAY THROUGH 10/13

Royal Aqua Idol

at the American Legion, 6-8pm 803 Emma Street Enjoy the evening as your candidates and Key West's greatest talents all come together for a competitive evening of singing! Cash bar! Event is FREE. WEDNESDAY, 10/14 5-7PM @The Gardens Hotel 526 Angela Street The King and Queen Candidates that raise the most money will win $2500 each towards their campaign. Thanks to sponsor Queen Kate Miano!

FANTASY FEST QUEEN CANDIDATES 2026 Donations & Events

Donations & Events

MARLENE KOLODZIEJ

CARRIE GRAVES

VIBRATOR RACES @ MARY ELLEN'S THURSDAY, 10/8, 6PM, 420 Appelrouth Ln. Join us for a night of delightfully over-the-top silliness unlike anything else! Come for the races, stay for the magic, and help us make some magic for charity! 21+

PAINT AND SIP... YOUR EYES! @ KAYA ISLAND BACKYARD BAR, SUNDAY, 10/4, 5-7PM, 618 Duval St. Ditch the traditional canvas and turn your eyes into a masterpiece! Learn how to level up your beauty game with local glam guru Beatrix Dixie. $20 per ticket.

ROAR & POUR @ THE ROOST SUNDAY, 10/4, 12-5PM, 508 Fleming St. Cold drinks. Hot prizes. Tiny Arms. Huge Hearts. Spend your Sunday with the Roar Squad for raffles, prizes, and plenty of prehistoric fun - with bartenders Paul and Jake donating their cash tips to the campaign!

VIBRATOR RACES @ MARY ELLEN'S THURSDAY, 10/1, 6PM, 420 Applerouth Ln. Join us for a night of delightfully over-the-top silliness unlike anything else! This event is strictly 21 and over. No exceptions. Come for the races, stay for the magic, and help us make some magic for charity!

FANTASY FEST KING CANDIDATES 2026

FRIDAY 10/16

ROYAL CORONATION @The Coffee Butler Amphitheater, 6-9PM 21 Quay Road

Donations & Events

TICKETS ON SALE NOW! ANDREW FORESTELL

COME TO THE CABARET @ THE ROOST THURSDAY, 10/1, 6-9PM @The Roost, 508 Fleming St. Join us for a fabulous evening of fun, entertainment and festivities at The Roost. $25 admission / cash bar

Royal King & Queen Fundraisers are all benefitting the Florida Keys SPCA

www.fkspca.org

CARL J. RIECKE

DINNER IS A DRAG @ MANGOES RESTAURANT SUNDAY 10/4, 5-8PM, 700 Duval St. The Ricky Ricardo Room will be jumping as we enjoy a buffet dinner, dessert and drag show by some of Key West's finest queens. $50 per ticket / cash bar

BARTENDER COMPETITION @ THE WOMAN'S CLUB SATURDAY, 10/3 , 3-5PM, 319 Duval St. ORCHID AUCTION @ BOURBON STREET PUB Get ready for an afternoon of cocktails and fun competiMONDAY 10/5, 6-9PM, 724 Duval St. tion! Watch bartenders go head-to-head in a judged Glorious flower pots painted by local Key West artists competition, while you help determine the People’s Choice (which include a glorious orchid, of course) will be Winner (bartender collecting most tips). $25 admission. auctioned off. Cover charge $10 / cash bar.

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 1, 2026

THE ROOSTERS’ PR REBELLION

KEY WEST BACK IN THE DAY

vant-garde artist Andy Warhol once claimed that, in the future, every human being would achieve 15 minutes of fame. But he never said a word about

roosters. More recent transplants to Key West seem to believe that the free-roaming poultry population, and the near-constant crowing of roosters, is a contemporary issue. They’re wrong. Several decades ago, the island’s roosters were equally prolific — and getting so much publicity that I figured they must have hired a high-powered PR agency. It began with quiet complaints. “The roosters in my neighCAROL SHAUGHNESSY borhood are terrible!” a friend said to me over morning coffee has lived in Key at Pepe’s Café. “Crowing all West for 40-plus night and keeping me awake.” years, witnessing Though I didn’t really and writing about the island’s mind the resident chickens and renegade past, roosters, I nodded understandshipwreck salvage ingly. Certainly they seemed adventures and more visible — and more vocal colorful present— than usual. day characters. So too was the island’s growing anti-poultry faction. Just days before that coffee date, my neighbor, a debonaire grayhaired former Hollywood producer, had arrived at my door to praise my gentle beagle, Captain — because Captain, much to his own surprise, had caught a chicken in my Old Town backyard. “This is for my hero, Captain,” the producer said in his cultured voice, handing me the largest dog bone I had ever seen. “And I’ll give him $5 apiece for any others he captures.” Of course, the increased crowing might have been sparked by a dastardly chicken murder committed by a former city commissioner. The commissioner, who I won’t name here, had been harassing the breed by posting a sign on his fence that read “FREE CHICKENS (Demon Poultry) Catch and Carry.” Then came the murder — an event that startled the entire island. The black-feathered victim, the commissioner asserted, had been inciting the poultry population

in his neighborhood to riot, depriving him and other humans of necessary sleep. So he shot it. According to a high-profile newspaper report, he then ate the luckless bird. Although county officials considered charging him, ultimately no action was taken. It was then that the PR escalated — resulting, I still believe, from a rooster-led retaliatory campaign. First, a regional news magazine featured a 1,500-word article that praised Key West roosters’ flying abilities and vocal virtuosity. It even publicly called the commissioner a chicken murderer. After that, the articles came thick and fast. In a local editorial column, a writer spent 900 words chronicling his losing battle with a formerly friendly chicken. Another piece focused on a rooster owner who enjoyed taking her pet for walks through Key West’s Old Town on a leash — and squatting down in her backyard for a good old-fashioned crowing session with her feathered friend. Eventually, you could hardly open a newspaper without some mention of rooster-related activities. Though it was well before the social media era, the chicken faction’s fame spread far and wide. Supporting my belief that it was driven by a PR agency’s work, poultry came off far better than people in most published accounts — with many pieces depicting supposedly intelligent humans driven to distraction by five-pound KFC rejects. In fact, the birds began to assume an almost mythical aspect as their files of press clippings swelled. With the passage of time, it became clear that the poultry PR campaign had achieved its objective. These days, despite occasional grumblings from Key West newcomers, the local chickens are widely lauded for contributing to the colorful atmosphere of the island.

1. The writer’s gentle beagle, Captain, received an unexpected reward after catching a roaming chicken. 2. Key West’s roosters and chickens, famous for their colorful presence, are even memorialized in art. 3. Noble birds like this rooster almost certainly incited Key West’s poultry PR rebellion. CONTRIBUTED

Visitors squeal in delight when they spot them, pulling out smartphones and snapping photo after photo to post to social media accounts. Cars routinely stop on downtown streets, their drivers waiting patiently as hens lead their chicks across the asphalt. As for me, I’ve come to admire the chickens’ tenacity (and media savvy). And if they should ever need PR assistance again — I’m available.

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 1, 2026

SARAH COMPTON SHOWS UP.

“I answer to one group of people, and it’s you.” Drainage and pumping stations made a priority Getting the information to you BEFORE you have to ask Every vote explained

comptonforcommissioner.com Paid for and approved by Sarah Compton for Key West City Commission, District IV.

EARLY VOTING THROUGH OCTOBER 31.

ELECTION DAY NOVEMBER 3.

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 1, 2026

CELEBRATING 31 YEARS IN KEY WEST! EST. 1995

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Chef Daniel “Dooky” Brown’s Christmas Brown Bag & Toys

FUNDRAISER

Lunch time Sandwich Sale Saturday, October 3rd 12:00 Until Sold Out

$20 EACH William Weech American Legion Post 168 803 Emma Street Key West, FL

“If it don’t fall off the bones, it falls off the bread. Come and try my delicious, tasty ribs! You be the judge!”

THE SONS & DAUGHTERS OF ITALY KEY WEST LODGE 2436 PRESENTS

ITALIAN NIGHT AT THE MOVIES

The First Wednesday of each month. October 7: “Road To The Lemon Grove” 5:30PM Social • 6:15PM Movie Start COMPLIMENTARY TASTE OF ITALY provided by Conchiglia. Plus 50/50 RAFFLE before the movie. ITALIAN WINES will be available for purchase from the TROPIC BAR.

Benefits Our GIOVANNUCCI HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP FUND and LOCAL CHARITIES

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KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 1, 2026

Tourism agency highlights upgrades that help parks, beaches & wildlife

KEYS VISITORS MADE THESE PROJECTS POSSIBLE

hrough the Monroe County Tourism Development Council’s capital grant program, tax dollars paid by visitors are invested in tourism-related places and projects throughout the Florida Keys. The funding, commonly known as the “bed tax,” is generated by overnight stays at hotels and short-term rentals. That means better parks, cleaner beaches, restored historic sites, improved museums and cultural centers, better playgrounds, stronger conservation facilities and even nursery-raised coral planted on our reefs. When visitors stay in the Keys, many of those tourism dollars benefit local residents as well as visitors. A VACATION DOLLAR GOES FURTHER Tourism is a big part of life in the Keys, and its effect goes well beyond hotels, restaurants and attractions. Spending generates $180 million in local taxes from visitors each year – over $60 million in tourist “bed tax” and over $43 million in sales tax. Through TDC capital grants, a portion of the visitor-paid bed tax revenue helps government agencies and nonprofit organizations improve places that support tourism. Many of these improvements would otherwise be paid for through local property taxes. Instead, visitors help fund community benefits while they are here enjoying the destination, and residents save on taxes while still benefiting

from local facility upgrades. For fiscal year 2026, the TDC allocated more than $11 million for capital projects throughout the Keys. The total for fiscal year 2027 will be even higher, thanks to some special allocations. The idea behind all of this is known as destination stewardship. It means welcoming visitors while also taking care of and ensuring the future of the destination they came to experience. Here are some of the ways tourism dollars have been used: Key West At the southern end of the island chain, tourism dollars help support some of Key West’s iconic spots. At Smathers Beach and Higgs Beach, tourist-paid dollars have supported projects including restroom upgrades and regular beach cleaning. Visitors get welcoming waterfront spaces, and locals get to enjoy those same beaches all year long. Key West history gets help as well. The Key West Lighthouse & Keeper’s Quarters received $520,000 for ADA accessibility improvements. East Martello Museum used $1.5 million to restore historic brickwork and window and air-conditioning upgrades. A $500,000 grant to the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum is paying for structural repairs still in process to the building and exhibits, along with waterproofing and heating and cooling systems.

The historic Hellings Curry Museum, which houses the Key West Woman’s Club on Duval Street, received several tourism capital grants, one for over $275,000 for structural renovations. Then there are the places everyone gathers. The Coffee Butler Amphitheater at Truman Waterfront Park, a recent tourism grant recipient of over $600,000, brings people together for concerts, celebrations and community events. It is the kind of space that can become part of a visitor’s favorite vacation memory and a local resident’s favorite Saturday night. A $1 million dollar tourism capital grant is set to pay for the Southernmost Plaza’s Phase I project to revamp and enhance traffic flow, sidewalks and the public park area surrounding Key West’s famous Southernmost Point buoy. Additionally, the TDC recently announced it is awarding Key West a $4.62 million special capital grant for fiscal year 2027 to fund improvements to Mallory Square, home of nightly sunset celebrations. Lower Keys A special tourism capital grant award for the Lower Keys will fund $1 million in improvements to public recreational facilities in the Lower Keys from Big Pine Key through Stock Island so all may enjoy the area’s quiet natural beauty. Wildlife spotting is a favorite pastime for locals and visitors, including the endangered Key deer, birds (especially during migration seasons) and

Tourism funds help protect wildlife and improve public places, such as boat ramps, which benefit residents as well. CONTRIBUTED

dolphin and manatee while kayaking the area’s shallow waterways. Past capital grant enhancements in the Lower Keys include recreational and community facilities at Big Pine Key Community Park, Pine Channel Nature Park and others. LASTING EFFECTS BENEFIT LOCALS Tourism dollars keep moving through the community long after the visitors’ suitcases are unpacked. A visitor enjoys a day at Higgs Beach. A resident enjoys that same beach the next morning. A family explores Keys history at a museum. A local school group can learn from that history, too. Someone visits Dolphin Research Center, the Turtle Hospital or a wild bird facility and leaves with a new appreciation for Keys wildlife. A restored lighthouse continues standing offshore. A coral restoration team gets to work beneath the surface. A neighborhood park gets better. The Florida Keys are not special because of any one beach, reef, museum, park or lighthouse. They are special because all those things come together across a 125-mile island chain filled with natural beauty, colorful history and communities unlike anywhere else. — Contributed

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 1, 2026

SHALLOW WELLS, DEEP CONCERNS

Sanctuary council backs Stock Island investigation while questioning strength of wastewater evidence ALEX RICKERT alex@keysweekly.com

he Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council is calling for state and federal agencies to address concerns that treated wastewater from shallow injection wells on Stock Island is reaching delicate nearshore waters. At its quarterly meeting on Sept. 15 in Marathon, the council unanimously approved a resolution asking the sanctuary, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and other “relevant regulatory agencies” to “expeditiously pursue corrective action” to stop wastewater from privately-owned shallow injection wells operated by KW Resort Utilities Corp. from reaching surface waters. But before approving the resolution, council members spent more than 30 minutes debating the strength of evidence presented by the grassroots environmental advocacy group Friends of the Lower Keys (FOLKs), ultimately changing the document’s language to avoid stating definitively that the utility’s wastewater is reaching the sanctuary. The issue came to the council through its Adaptive Management Working Group, set up to tackle individual issues within the sanctuary on a case-by-case basis. “The FOLKs group in Key West has data that shows that (effluent) is leaching up into the waters of the sanctuary,” working group co-chair Jerry Lorenz told the council as he introduced the resolution. “If indeed these wells are leaching into sanctuary waters, and there are pictures of it, that needs to be addressed and perhaps made into a deeper injection.” FOLKs has pushed the issue as KWRU applied to renew its DEP permit to continue operating its Stock Island wastewater treatment facility and shallow injection wells, which operate similar to other wells in the

Keys to pump treated wastewater to a depth of around 60 to 120 feet. The environmental group says samples collected from visible seabed upwellings within 300 feet of the wells, created as the treated water leaches through the porous ground, contained high concentrations of sucralose, an artificial sweetener commonly used as an indicator of human wastewater. The concentration decreased with distance from the upwelling, FOLKs said. Advisory council members, while generally supportive of the resolution, raised concerns about some of FOLKs’ conclusions. Council chair and Florida Keys Aquarium Encounters owner Ben Daughtry said his review of FOLKs’ material appeared to show a strong concentration of sucralose near the suspected upwellings . But he questioned the group’s use of videos reportedly showing manatees “drinking” contaminated water, characterizing them as more of an emotional tug than solid science. Daughtry noted that FOLKs’ own report showed salinity of roughly 31 parts per thousand where water emerged from a crack in the seabed – a difference of only four parts

per thousand from the surrounding seawater, and not sustainable as a source of drinking water for the mammals. “I felt terrible looking at the videos, saying, ‘Oh my gosh, they shouldn’t be drinking that,’ but I don’t think they are,” Daughtry said. “So I think that’s a little misleading. “I know them, I have them (at Aquarium Encounters) … they’re not drinking 31 parts per thousand.” Still, Daughtry agreed the broader water-quality concern remained. “We’re still likely putting pharmaceuticals in the water, sucralose in the water, things that are not natural in the water” of the sanctuary, he said. DEP aquatic preserve manager and sanctuary liaison Nick Parr also recommended removing the word “scientific” from the resolution’s description of FOLKs’ study, noting the group had yet to produce a peerreviewed study on the exact issue at hand. Daughtry similarly objected to language definitively stating wastewater “is emerging” in sanctuary waters, saying the council could not conclusively make that determination. The council ultimately adopted

softer language stating that FOLKs “has produced evidence that wastewater from KW Resort Utilities Corp.’s shallow disposal wells appears to be emerging in surface waters of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary off Stock Island.” The resolution does not prescribe a specific solution, instead asking regulatory agencies to determine what corrective action is warranted. Council members repeatedly discussed deep-well injection as one potential answer, pointing to similar disputes elsewhere in the Keys. Former Marathon city manager George Garrett described the city’s years-long investigation and litigation surrounding its own shallow injection wells. Marathon eventually agreed to construct a costly but necessary deep injection well in 2023, following a prolonged legal battle with FOLKs that compared Marathon’s discharges to a landmark clean water case in Maui, Hawaii. An earlier case was settled after FOLKs successfully sued the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority to install a deep well at its Cudjoe Regional plant in 2014. In its settlement, Marathon agreed to install the deep injection well by the end of 2028. The new well will pump all of the city’s treated wastewater to a depth of 3,000 feet, and is currently slated to cost more than $70 million. “The test is whether the effluent entering into one of those injection wells is the functional equivalent of a direct discharge to nearshore waters,” Garrett said. “I led the charge to challenge (that conclusion), (but) I’m very happy that we’re going in the direction we are, because I think there’s things coming between PFAS and pharmaceuticals and other things that we’re going to have to remove in the future.” “I think we need to go back to state law and modify state law to simplify that in recognition of Maui,” Garrett said, suggesting lawmakers could ultimately require deep wells rather than forcing utilities and regulators through lengthy and costly testing and litigation. Data collected by Friends of the Lower Keys (FOLKs) appears to show high concentrations of sucralose, an indicator of human wastewater, in waters near shallow injection wells on Stock Island, dropping off with increasing distance. FOLKs/Contributed

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 1, 2026

COACH JIMMY JOHNSON VISITS WITH MCSO Jimmy Johnson knows a thing or two about building a winning team. The coach for the national champion Miami Hurricanes and coach for the Dallas Cowboys, which won back-to-back Super Bowls in 1992 and 1993, Johnson brought his experiences and lessons to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office during a recent visit at the Marathon hangar. Johnson also had the opportunity to see the new Trauma Star helicopters while meeting with Monroe County Fire Rescue leadership. MCSO/Contributed

is your home for Florida Keys Football

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 1, 2026

HELP KEEP KEY WEST OCTOBER CLEANUPS

Rotary’s ‘OktoBREWfest’ Grand Tasting event is set for Oct. 3

Join a one-hour Friday morning cleanup. All events are 8 to 9 a.m. unless otherwise noted. Oct. 2: Flagler Avenue & Government Road. Meet at the new Mount Sinai Care Center, which is hosting. Oct. 9: Virginia & Watson streets. Meet at Unity of the Keys, 1101 Virginia St., which is hosting. Oct. 16: Duval & Eaton streets. Meet next to Berkshire Hathaway, which is hosting. Oct. 23: Garrison Bight Marina area. Meet in the parking lot of Garrison Bight Marina by the dockmaster's office, 1801 N. Roosevelt Boulevard. Hosted by the Sea Dogs. Oct. 30: Duval & Virginia streets. Meet on Virginia Street near Duval Square plaza. Hosted by Reality ONE/Destinations Group.

WHAT’S ON TAP THIS WEEKEND?

The Sept. 25 morning cleanup took place on South Street between Duval and Simonton. In one hour, 80 volunteers ccollected 104 pounds of trash, 18 pounds of recycling and 1.5 gallons of cigarette butts. Special thanks to Southernmost Beach Resort for hosting the volunteers with breakfast and to Tobacco Free Florida for providing information and gifts for the volunteers. The Oct. 2 cleanup will start at Mount Sinai Care Center, 1501 Government Road.

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 305-809-3868 to find out how your business, nonprofit or club can help.

Sunrise Rotary Club’s OktoBREWfest turns South Beach into a German beer garden. The popular grand tasting event is on tap for Oct. 3 at Southernmost Beach Resort, 1319 Duval St. Visit keywestbrewfest.beer for the full schedule. (AI-generated image)

MANDY MILES mandy@keysweekly.com

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on’t worry, you didn’t miss this year’s Key West Brewfest. Events take place Oct. 1-5, with the popular Grand Tasting main event set for Saturday, Oct. 3, from 3 to 8 p.m., at Southernmost Beach Resort. Oh, and it’s now called OktoBREWfest. The Key West Sunrise Rotary Club this year moved its annual, sudsy fundraiser, usually held on Labor Day weekend, to a cooler October calendar page. The new name is a nod to the original Oktoberfest that’s been fortifying thirsty revelers in Munich, Germany for 216 years. And yes, the Key West version will almost certainly feature at least a few men in lederhosen. It will also include more than 60 vendors pouring 225 different beer selections from

craft breweries and other participating beer makers. The Southernmost Beach Café will offer beer hall-inspired food specials and cocktails throughout the festival. And it’s a buzz you can feel good about, as all proceeds benefit Sunrise Rotary’s scholarship fund. So raise a glass this weekend at OktoBREWfest. VIP admission to the tasting event is $125 and begins at 3 p.m., giving VIP guests two hours of early access along with a commemorative poster, stainless steel VIP tasting mug, and Bavarian-style buffet. General admission is $50 and runs from 5 to 8 p.m. Non-drinkers can enjoy the event with a $20 designated-driver ticket that includes admission, soft drinks and a coupon for one food item. The Grand Tasting is for ages 21 and older. Visit keywestbrewfest.com for the full schedule of events. — Contributed

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 1, 2026

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Mabel Poblet , Four Seasons, 2026, from the series Travel Diary, 62” x 47” Photographic Collage on PVC, Hand-Pinned Photograph fragments

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KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 1, 2026

KEY WEST 12-YEAR-OLD THE BREAST A GOLD MEDALIST & PARTY OF THE YEAR IS NOW A MODEL RETURNS Fifth annual Tats for Ta-Tas fundraiser is Oct. 14

ats for Ta-Tas returns Oct. 14, marking its fifth year of bringing the Key West community together in support of Womankind and affordable, personalized health care throughout the Keys during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Last year’s event raised $495,597 for Womankind, making it the most successful Tats for TaTas so far. This year, donations will again be matched by the Barchetta Charitable Fund. The annual fundraiser, hosted by Tattoos & Scars Saloon on Greene Street, has grown from a grassroots idea into one of Key West’s most successful community fundraisers. From 7 to 10 p.m., the 500 block of Greene Street will be filled with local businesses, sponsors, volunteers, vendors, residents and visitors for an evening of fundraising, raffles, auctions and entertainment.

Money raised through Tats for Ta-Tas helps Womankind continue providing affordable care to patients throughout the Keys, including those who are uninsured or underinsured. That support has become increasingly important amid recent losses in public funding and rising health care costs. “We were overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from so many people in our community last year,” said Cali Roberts, Womankind’s executive director. “That generosity was incredibly moving and allowed patients to get the health care they needed despite the many funding cuts we faced.” Tats for Ta-Tas was created five years ago by Maria Gonzalez of Key Lime Bike Tours and Casey Vinall of Tattoos & Scars. What began as a small Wednesday night fundraiser has grown into a muchanticipated local kickoff to season in Key West. “To everyone who gives their time and talents, lends the support of their business, volunteers, sponsors — and simply shows up — thank you,” said Gonzalez. “This event has grown because people care about Womankind and want to be part of something that makes a real difference in our community.” Womankind is a nonprofit medical and wellness center serving patients from Key West through the Middle Keys. With locations in Key West and Marathon, Womankind provides gynecologic and reproductive health care, prenatal care, primary care, breast and cervical cancer screenings, and financial assistance for uninsured patients. More information is at womankindkeywest.org. — Contributed

MANDY MILES

mandy@keysweekly.com

rom gold medalist to runway model, Sailor Tracey is having a heck of a year — and she’s only 12. A sixth grader at The Basilica School, Sailor and her sister, Sloan, just returned from the Special Olympics statewide games in Ocala, where they earned gold medals in a unified swimming relay that pairs a Special Olympics athlete with a partner without intellectual disabilities. Sailor also earned silver and bronze medals in individual swimming events. Sailor has Down syndrome, but it doesn’t define her. Not at all. She’s a fiercely competitive athlete, an avid reader and a talented swimmer. She’s also an advocate for people with Down syndrome, although she didn’t mean to be. It’s just who she is, an example of what’s possible. Every day, Sailor shows what inclusion looks like in the classroom, on the field and in the pool. She has also helped raise more than $150,000 through Ruby’s Rainbow, which provides scholarships to people with Down syndrome who want to attend college, like Sailor. Her compassion, optimism and determination quickly caught the attention of the Global Down Syndrome Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of people with Down syndrome, which is the least-funded genetic condition in the United States, making the foundation’s fundraising and government advocacy efforts crucial. The nonprofit’s annual fashion show, Be Beautiful. Be Yourself, is the single-largest annual fundraiser benefitting people with Down syndrome. The event is designed to highlight the funding disparity in Down syndrome research while emphasizing the abilities of people with Down syndrome. Since 2009, the show has raised an estimated $33 million — and Sailor Tracey will be one of this year’s 21 runway models, young men and women of varying ages, all of whom have Down syndrome. She was chosen from among several hundred applicants. “Sailor is a kind and brave 12-yearold from Key West, Florida, fearlessly pursuing her dreams,” states the bio that appears with her photo on the foundation’s website. “Sailor loves her family deeply and has the superpower of making everyone feel seen and val-

Sailor Tracey, 12, will be a runway model in a fundraising fashion show for Down syndrome research. MANDY MILES/Keys Weekly

Sailor Tracey, left, and her sister, Sloan, right, celebrate their gold medal win in the statewide Special Olympics competition earlier this month in Ocala. CONTRIBUTED

ued. Sailor is thriving in full inclusion where she is a tenacious learner and passionate reader, who loves learning about inspirational women. She is also a highly competitive athlete, competing alongside her typical peers in several sports and dreams of winning gold in swimming at the Special Olympics.” Sailor is awaiting the arrival of three dresses that she and her mom ordered for her runway debut. “I really hope she likes the yellow and blue one, because those are the colors for Down syndrome advocacy,” Tracy said, adding that October is not just for breast cancer awareness. It’s also Down Syndrome Awareness Month. The Be Beautiful, Be Yourself fashion show takes place Nov. 7 in Denver, Colorado, a place the Tracey sisters have never seen, having grown up in Ohio, then Texas and now Key West. Visit bebeautifulbeyourself.org/ for details about the foundation and fashion show. And stay tuned to keysweekly.com for photos of Sailor Tracey’s runway debut on Nov. 7.

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 1, 2026

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UPCOMING EVENTS OPENS OCT 1, 6-8PM ON VIEW OCT 1-29

OCTOBER EXHIBITS

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First Thursday is back! Four new exhibitions at The Studios: Andrew Arocho (pictured) — The Passage Susanna Burque — Residents of The Florida Keys: The Great Southern White Butterfly Jordan Mannix-Lachner — Throughlines: At the Bottom of the Sunbelt

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KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 1, 2026

WATERFRONT PLAYHOUSE PRESENTS ‘HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH’

NAVIGATING A CHANGING NONPROFIT LANDSCAPE

Annual gathering offers ideas and strategies for organizations

Representatives from nonprofit organizations throughout the Florida Keys gather at Faro Blanco Resort in Marathon for the 2026 Florida Keys Nonprofit Day. CONTRIBUTED

Waterfront Playhouse will present ‘Hedwig and the Angry Inch’ Oct. 14-23. CONTRIBUTED

Award-winning musical comes to Key West Oct. 14-23

he Waterfront Playhouse this month brings to the stage “Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” the rock-and-roll musical by John Cameron Mitchell, with music and lyrics by Stephen Trask. “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” runs Oct. 15-23, with a preview performance on Oct. 14, at the Waterfront Playhouse at Mallory Square. First appearing Off-Broadway in 1998, “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” is part rock concert, part comedy, part intimate confession. The show tells the story of Hedwig Robinson, an East German rock singer who has crossed borders, reinvented herself and endured a botched operation in pursuit of love, identity and the elusive “origin of love.”

The score draws on glam rock, punk and classic rock. Beneath the wigs, glitter, guitars and humor lies a story about longing, heartbreak, identity and the search to become whole. “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” won the Obie Award for Best New American Theatre Work and went on to become a cultural phenomenon, inspiring productions around the world and a celebrated 2001 film adaptation directed by Mitchell, who also starred as Hedwig. This season marks the 25th anniversary of the film version. At the center of the production is Phillip Cole White as Hedwig, with Natalie Rankin as Yitzhak, Hedwig’s talented but frustrated partner and bandmate, under the direction of Jeremy Zoma. “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” is a musical you experience — with the volume turned up. More information is at waterfrontplayhouse.org. — Contributed

ore than 135 nonprofit leaders representing nearly 60 organizations throughout the Keys gathered at Faro Blanco Resort in Marathon on Sept. 16 for the 2026 Florida Keys Nonprofit Day, an opportunity for the local nonprofit community to learn, connect and share ideas. Presented by the Florida Keys Funders Alliance — a collaboration of the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys, Ocean Reef Community Foundation and United Way of Collier and the Keys — and sponsored by First State Bank, the event brought nonprofit professionals together for educational sessions focused on strengthening their organizations and navigating the changing nonprofit landscape. Featured speaker Robyn Faucy, CEO and owner of Results 1st and a TEDx speaker, shared strategies to help nonprofits raise more money, increase participant engagement and develop scalable, high-impact programs. Leah McDermott, vice president of policy and programs for Florida Nonprofit

Robyn Faucy, CEO and owner of Results 1st, addresses nonprofit leaders at the 2026 Florida Keys Nonprofit Day.

Alliance, provided a statewide perspective on the challenges, trends and opportunities in the state, including at the state legislative level. The day also provided an opportunity for nonprofit professionals serving communities throughout the island chain to meet, exchange ideas and develop relationships with organizations facing many of the same opportunities and challenges. The Florida Keys Funders Alliance hosts the day annually as part of its ongoing effort to strengthen nonprofit organizations throughout the Keys. — Contributed

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 1, 2026

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KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 1, 2026

FLORIDA KEYS BULL SHARKS DONATES SPORTS EQUIPMENT TO FLORIDA KEYS CHILDREN’S SHELTER

TOURISM DOLLARS FUND 18 NEW MOORING BALLS

A boater ties off to a mooring buoy in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. FKNMS/Contributed

Installation protects Florida Keys reefs

From left, the Florida Keys Children Shelter’s Maile Horn, Katya Andrade, Alison Potter, Anyssa Verdin and Ben Kemmer receive new sports equipment from Sam Steele, president and founder of the Florida Keys Bull Sharks. CONTRIBUTED

he Florida Keys Children’s Shelter recently received $2,000 worth of new sports equipment from the Florida Keys Bull Sharks, made possible through a grant from the Ocean Reef Community Foundation. Sam Steele, president and founder of the Florida Keys Bull Sharks, personally delivered the equipment to the shelter. The donation will provide the young people served by the shelter with new opportunities to stay active, build confidence and experience the teamwork and connection that sports can provide. “Many children who come to the shelter are already involved in athletics or have dreams of becoming athletes,” said Ben Kemmer, president and CEO of the shelter. “This

generous donation will help provide them with the equipment and encouragement they need to pursue those goals.” The Florida Keys Bull Sharks is a registered nonprofit youth sports organization based in the Keys. The organization operates competitive travel baseball teams, including 7U, 8U and 9U divisions, while working to remove financial barriers that may prevent local children from participating in athletics. The Florida Keys Children’s Shelter thanked Steele and the Florida Keys Bull Sharks, as well as the Ocean Reef Community Foundation for providing the funding to the Bull Sharks that made this donation possible. — Contributed

ourism tax dollars are helping protect some of the Florida Keys’ most valuable natural resources, with the installation of 18 new mooring buoy anchors at three popular reef sites within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The Monroe County Tourist Development Council awarded a $90,000 grant to the Marine Preservation Society of the Florida Keys for the project, which added eight new buoy anchors in Marathon at Sombrero Key Reef and six at Coffins Patch near Marathon, along with four at Looe Key Reef in the Lower Keys. The project was completed for $70,000 following a competitive bidding process, with Pearl Beach Construction Company performing the work. The anchors provide the underwater foundation for mooring buoys that allow boaters to secure their vessels without dropping anchors directly onto sensitive coral reef habitat. The system helps reduce damage to corals, seagrass and other marine resources while providing reef-friendly access for residents and visitors. “This project is a great example of what can be accomplished when local partners invest in protecting the natural resources that make the Florida Keys such

a special destination,” said Sara Rankin, volunteer director of the Marine Preservation Society. “The Tourist Development Council’s support helps ensure that visitors and residents can continue to enjoy these reefs while reducing the risk of damage from vessel anchoring.” The highly visible mooring buoys also serve as an on-the-water reminder of the role boaters can play in protecting the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. “Tourism dollars paid by our visitors come back into the Florida Keys in many ways, and this is one both residents and visitors can see and experience firsthand,” said Kara Franker, president and CEO of Visit Florida Keys & Key West. “These mooring anchors help protect the reefs that are so important to our environment, our economy and our way of life, while giving boaters a responsible way to enjoy them. This is exactly the kind of investment that benefits the Florida Keys for the long term.” In fiscal year 2026, over $9.5 million visitor-paid dollars was awarded for tourism-related infrastructure projects. Over the most recent five-year period, visitor-generated tax revenue has supported $5.2 million for coral restoration and the marine sanctuary, in addition to investments in beaches, tourism-related attractions, cultural programs, community events and other projects throughout Monroe County. — Contributed

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 1, 2026 A spotted sandpiper on Boca Chica Beach. MARK HEDDEN/Keys Weekly

he rain only lasted an hour, maybe an hour and a half. Enough time to go home and help reassure the dog that the thunder did not mean the world was ending or that anyone was mad at her, and if she had another Milkbone maybe she’d start to MARK believe that everything was goHEDDEN ing to be okay. Enough time for my shirt to dry. ... is a photographer, writer, and If the rain hadn’t come in semi-professional earlier than expected, I might birdwatcher. He have pulled off seeing 59 bird has lived in Key species in two hours. But 41 speWest for more than 25 years and cies in an hour was pretty good. may no longer Why not just feel satisfied and be employable in appreciate things? the real world. He Because it felt like coming is also executive up short. Like seeing something director of the only halfway through, or maybe Florida Keys Audubon Society. a little more than halfway. And at the rate I was seeing birds earlier, 18 more species should only take another half hour. For some reason I didn’t go straight to Fort Zach. I went to Searstown shopping center, which will always be called Searstown, no matter how much of it they knock down. I was looking for a common myna, my spark bird. Which was dumb. The puddles there were deep enough that my fan belt started to squeak. And the mynas were still hiding from the storm somewhere. I wised up and went to Fort Zach. I pulled into one of the parking lots near Angela Street at Truman Waterfront, scanning the tower at an angle I’m pretty sure permanently damaged my neck. I saw the teardrop shape of a peregrine falcon, the first of the season for me, so it was worth it. It was still raining intermittently when I parked, enough that I left my camera in the car, as it is not waterproof, but brought my trusty Swarovski binoculars with me, as they are. I picked up my second new species of the afternoon, a lone cattle egret, in the area known as the Back 40. Over at the moat, an anhinga was on the expected low branch. Walking along the path I scared an iguana, which leapt into the mangroves and scared a green heron, who flew off voicing his intention to speak with the manager. A merlin, another first falcon of the season, flew by over the bricks of the fort. In the hammock at the far side of the Back 40 I flushed a dark bird, which was probably a chuckwill’s-widow, but didn’t get a good enough look to count it. As I emerged back out into the open, I caught the briefest flash of yellow, but was confident enough to know it was a prairie warbler as they are one of the two warbler species that breed here, and I see that flash all summer. Also, I saw more of the bird a few steps later. On the return through the Back 40 I heard the yips, then caught sight of a small flock of barn swallows chaos-ing around in the wind. At the foot of the berm trail, I saw a northern waterthrush, allowing me to ink in a “heard only” species from the morning.

59 SPECIES OR BUST, CONTINUED

Cardinals are far less common in Key West than up the Keys, but I saw a trio of them — an adult male, a maturing male and a female — in the gumbo limbo tree by the bathroom. In the same gumbo limbo was a black-and-white warbler, then a larger warbler. Correction, a vireo. A yellow-throated vireo, the type of bird you only see once every year or two here. The rarest bird of the day so far. High up in the canopy, higher than you normally expect to see one, was the defamingly named worm-eating warbler. (All warblers eat worms. Why label those guys in such an unflattering way?) In the pines, as I was thinking about getting my car keys out, a pair of American kestrels sported in the breeze, completing the trifecta of falcons you can find in the Keys. In the parking lot, when I had my keys out, there was a small gang of purple martins. As I drove by the tower at Truman Waterfront again I counted six peregrines without needing to slow the car or strain my neck. Gray kingbirds had been everywhere the week prior, but I didn’t see one anywhere until College Road, and I was curious why he was straggling when all the others seem to have left together. I was keeping loose count of new species in my head, but didn’t want to stop and check my notes, and I felt I hadn’t hit the goal yet. Which meant I was going to have to leave the island. It was 4:30 p.m., and every hour seemed to reveal fewer species — a micro version of the lifelong phenomenon that the longer you bird, the harder it is to find something you have not seen before. I took the jug handle of College Road so I could include muscovy duck without having to slow down, then took a detour down Rockland Drive to scan the salt ponds, where I found a young little blue heron nearly sporting its full adult plumage. At a salt pond toward the end of Boca Chica Road, a reddish egret slow-stepped through kneedeep water. When I parked at the end of the road a skinny, piebald, largish dog came up and inquired (with his

eyes) whether I had any snacks, then walked away disappointed. On the barbed wire at the end of the NAS Key West runway sat a common ground dove, thus completing the set of all the breeding doves of the Florida Keys. There was a floating, undulating carpet of sargassum along the shoreline, and the shorebirds were working it pretty heavily. I picked out a western sandpiper from all the surrounding least sandpipers by the dark legs and the ruddiness in the scapulars, then a semipalmated sandpiper by the dark legs and the shape of the bill. In a large puddle on the far side of the runway there was a lone black-bellied plover sans the nominate black belly. Further back, almost at the edge of perception, was a bird I suspected was a yellowlegs, which confirmed itself as a greater yellowlegs when it took off and gave off three notes of its signature call. It used to be possible to walk a few miles farther on the old Boca Chica Road, but a lot of it washed away. Then the Navy put up scary no trespassing signs, and now a fence. I saw what I figured was the last bird of the day, a spotted sandpiper that hopped up from the riprap and bounced his butt a few times. But after I turned around, a small, darkish warbler landed in front of me. I figured it would be the first of thousands of palm warblers I would see this season, but through binoculars the faint bits of yellow in the flank, and then on the rump, made it a yellow-rumped warbler. Doing the math later it was 25 birds for the afternoon, and 66 for the day. I could take out the heard-only, white-eyed vireo from the morning, the great white heron, because it is still officially considered a color morph of the great white heron, and the rooster and the muscovy ducks, as they are domesticated species and just too easy, and I still had 62 species for the day. Goal exceeded. Also, that’s enough goals for a while.

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 1, 2026

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KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 1, 2026

COMING SOON TO KEY WEST For a full lineup scan the QR code

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THE GARCIA PROJECT NOVEMBER 15 KEY WEST THEATER

THE BUENA VISTA ORCHESTRA NOVEMBER 22 KEY WEST THEATER

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KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 1, 2026

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KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 1, 2026

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KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 1, 2026

Beachside and Tavern n Town will be closing on November 1st for renovations. See you again in early 2027!

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 1, 2026

EXCLUSIVE: FANTASY FEST FEATURE

INTERACTIVE ART INSTALLATIONS JOIN THE ISLAND’S PARTY ERIN STOVER

The Studios of Key West spruces up for new season The Studios of Key West, 533 Eaton St., recently installed new floors to give its entrance and Project Gallery an updated look. Check it out on Thursday, Oct. 1 from 6 to 8 p.m. to kick off the new season of First Thursday exhibit openings. The building’s exterior is also getting a fresh paint job and the arts nonprofit introduces a brand new website and online look.

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Editor’s Note: T-minus 23 days until the 2026 Fantasy Fest parade on Saturday, Oct. 24. Join the Keys Weekly each week for exclusive Fantasy Fest features highlighting the people and projects behind the island’s biggest annual party.

here’s always been a connection between the playas of Key West and “the Playa” of the Black Rock Desert. Every year, burners from our island trek out West to experience the art of Burning Man. More recently, Miami developed its own version, Love Burn, offering a mind-bending visual experience much closer to home. This fall, our penultimate week of creativity brings an art collective featured at Love Burn to Key West. Artist Josh Cohen, and his Catskills-based studio PDA Goodwork, will install works outdoors in front of the Mel Fisher Museum and Opal Key. Among PDA’s notable creations slated for installation is the “Musical Icons Pyramid,” a large-scale work that demonstrates the artist’s fascination with movement and interaction. The sculpture, along with other wild creations, aim to bring immersive art and audience participation to Fantasy Fest. The selection of this piece links Key West’s arts culture with the party atmosphere of Fantasy Fest. Our island has always had a unique relationship with art — one that favors individuality, a willingness to look at the world a little differently and color, color, color. The island has long attracted people who appreciate art that breaks the rules and invites a little playfulness. Those ideals fuse in PDA’s large-scale, interactive sculptures. Rather than creating pieces that are meant to remain behind a barrier or be admired from a distance, PDA creates environments that encourage participation and curiosity. Cohen and his team create works that invite people to touch, move, play and become part of the experience — a spirit that seems particularly well suited to Key West. Their large-scale kinetic sculptures combine art, engineering, movement and mechanical crafts-

BRIEFLY

Artist Josh Cohen’s interactive sculpture, ‘Musical Icons Pyramid,’ seen here in Virginia Beach, will make the trip to Key West for Fantasy Fest and will be on display downtown, near Mel FIsher’s Maritime Museum and Opal Key Resort. CONTRIBUTED

manship to create installations that are as much about participation as they are about visual beauty. “Our goal is to provide an interactive artistic experience,” PDA says. “We strive to create something unique, engaging and inspiring.” In a world filled with art that is primarily there to be looked at, the company takes a different approach — create something that can be touched and interacted with, art that begs the viewer to become part of the piece. PDA’s work draws inspiration from some unlikely places, including physics, music and simple mechanics. The result is sculpture that changes as people interact with it, transforming the audience from observers into participants. The installations coming to Key West are designed to encourage curiosity and play. Visitors may find themselves pushing, spinning, touching, exploring or simply watching as other people discover the work. There is no instruction manual and no expected interpretation. The point is simply to experience the art and enjoy. Interactive art often aspires to invite reflection, but PDA isn’t interested in insisting that every piece carry a profound message. “Art doesn’t always need some ‘deep meaning,’” the company says. “We are here to make fun, beautiful art.” That philosophy makes the work particularly accessible — this is artwork for an audience that

doesn’t consider itself to be an “arts audience.” You don’t need to know anything about contemporary art to enjoy them. There is no required interpretation and no right way to experience the work. The invitation is simply to engage. There is not necessarily a single “correct” way to experience an installation. The art changes depending on who is interacting with it and how they choose to engage. It is work that meets people where they are. Expertise not required. In the context of Fantasy Fest, the arrival of PDA’s installations adds another playful element to an already vibrant creative landscape. Our streets and public spaces will soon start to add some color and sparkle, in anticipation of the festival, providing opportunities for unexpected artistic encounters. Visitors will stop to take selfies with wild backdrops and pull scantily clad revelers into photos with their friends. Even when it is called by another name, there will be moments of “interactive art” happening everywhere in Old Town the last week of October. PDA’s sculptures offer yet another reason to stop, explore, take a closer look. With its elaborate, mesmerizing and touch-friendly creations, PDA is bringing a simple invitation to Fantasy Fest: Don’t just look at the art. Touch it. Move it. Play with it. Become part of it.

Sheriff’s office, Key West police arrest 3 for fentanyl Three people were arrested on Sept. 28 for the sale of fentanyl in Key West. Jermaine Lamar Roberts, 46, of Fort Lauderdale; Kelly Jo Krug, 43, of Key West; and Misty Marie Howard, 45, of Big Pine Key, were all charged with fentanyl sales. The three were arrested and booked into jail on Monday as part of a narcotics investigation by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office in which the Key West Police Department also took part. The three were arrested following the sale of 0.3 grams of fentanyl. More arrests or charges may be pending, according to MCSO. Angler catches cocaine while fishing from a kayak An angler in a kayak found about half of a kilogram of suspected cocaine off Sugarloaf Key on Sept. 28 at about 2:15 p.m. The package was turned over to the U.S. Border Patrol. The item was packaged like similar bricks of suspected cocaine found in the Lower Keys recently, according to a press release from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 1, 2026

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KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 1, 2026

MOUNT SINAI ADDS FAMILY PRACTICE TO KEY WEST LOCATIONS Dr. Brian Wagstaff remains in renamed center on Government Road

SHELF HELP Dr. Brian Wagstaff’s practice on Government Road in Key West has joined Mount Sinai Medical Center. A ribbon-cutting to celebrate the change and new name will take place on Monday, Oct. 5 at 5 p.m. MANDY MILES/Keys Weekly

ount Sinai Medical Center has welcomed the Key West family medicine practice of Dr. Brian G. Wagstaff into the health system, keeping care in the same location residents have relied on for more than a decade while adding the diagnostic and specialty resources of Mount Sinai. The office at 1501 Government Road, formerly Key West Urgent Care, becomes Mount Sinai’s fourth location in Key West and fifth in Monroe County. Wagstaff continues to care for his established patients there and is accepting new ones. Since 2015, Wagstaff has been treating families, older adults and local workers out of the same office. His focus on preventive care, geriatrics and wound care serves a county where one in four residents is 65 or older, a higher share than Florida overall. He also provides occupational medicine for area employers, including workers’ compensation injury care, preemployment physicals and DOT examinations. Wagstaff is board certified in family medicine. He earned his medical degree at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, completed his family medicine residency at the University of Maryland and completed a fellowship in academic family medicine at Thomas Jefferson University. “My patients are my neighbors, and most of them I have known for years,” said Wagstaff. “I see them at the grocery store, at the marina,

at choral rehearsal. That is the best part of practicing here. What changes with Mount Sinai Medical Center is the range of care I can offer them close to home.” For patients, the change is what sits behind the exam room. Through its Key West and Marathon locations, Mount Sinai offers advanced diagnostic imaging including CT scans, screening and diagnostic mammograms, X-rays, ultrasounds, bone density testing and EKGs, along with a growing network of specialties including cardiology, urology, vascular care, pulmonology, general surgery, electrophysiology and women’s health. Patients who need specialty care are referred within Mount Sinai rather than starting over somewhere new. “Our priority in the Keys is investing in this community, not competing with it,” said Gino R. Santorio, president and CEO of Mount Sinai Medical Center. “Continuity of care is difficult to build and easy to lose. By welcoming a practice residents already trust, the physician stays, the patients stay and the resources available to both expand considerably.” The addition follows Mount Sinai’s April 2025 opening of a 5,000-square-foot primary care, walk-in, and diagnostic center at 2506 N. Roosevelt Blvd. Mount Sinai now has 33 physicians across its Keys locations, and in 2025 alone it provided $6 million in uncompensated care. In Monroe County, 13.4% of residents under 65 have no health insurance. — Contributed

taff from your Monroe County Public Library recommend some of their favorites from the collection. What: “Wolf Worm” by T. Kingfisher Why: If T. Kingfisher writes it, I will read it. I am obsessed with how Kingfisher renders her narrators’ inner worlds. In “Wolf Worm,” Sonia is an accomplished illustrator, struggling to find consistent and fulfilling work after the death of her father. She leaves a steady but underwhelming job as a teacher, moving to the remote North Carolina woods. She begins illustrating Dr. Halder’s expansive and creepy insect collection for his upcoming publication. Yet there are far more sinister things lurking in the surrounding woods. Sonia is isolated and unsure whom to trust, what is real, and if she will survive. Where: You can borrow this as a print book, e-book, and e-audiobook from the Monroe County Public Library. How: You can request books, including e-books and e-audiobooks, at keyslibraries.org. 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: Riona Campbell, senior branch manager, Key West library branch. See previous recommendations at keyslibraries.org/ post/shelf-help.

REEL RECS

taff from your Monroe County Public Library recommend some of their favorites from the collection. What: “It’s Dorothy!” (2025) Why: In L. Frank Baum’s 1900 book “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” Dorothy Gale is not physically described, except for being 8 or 9 years old. Since then, she has contained multitudes, most indelibly Judy Garland’s portrayal in the 1939 movie. This documentary investigates that role, and Garland’s subsequent importance for the gay community especially, but also many more recent interpretations on page, stage, and screen, from “The Wiz” to “Wicked.” One person describes “The Wizard of Oz” as “the only big pop culture property that’s been around for every generation that’s alive right now” – a really striking way of recognizing its longevity, impact and adaptability. We all have our own relationships with Dorothy and her journey. No single documentary could capture everyone’s, but this film illuminates a lot of them and introduces you to how many others have perceived this story, which is both entirely American and somehow universal at the same time. Where: This film is available on Kanopy, the library’s streaming app. How: You can browse and request DVDs by logging in to your account at keyslibraries.org. To view our collection of streaming movies and TV, go to keyslibraries.org and click on Kanopy to learn how to 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.

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KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 1, 2026

Keys Kids Health Centers, we made a promise: every Welcome Dr. Zuba! At child who walks through our doors will be seen, heard,

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and cared no matter their family's circumstances.

A child's smile is priceless. So is their health. But for too many families, a toothache or a fever brings a quieter fear: what will this cost us? That fear makes parents wait, hope it passes on its own, and sometimes choose between their child's health and the rent or groceries. We've seen it ﬁrsthand, a kindergartner quietly living with a toothache because her parents didn't know where to turn, and couldn't have aﬀorded it if they had. A small cavity left untreated until it became a painful, costly emergency. Never because a parent didn't care. Only because they were afraid of the bill.

Dr. Stanley Zuba has spent nearly thirty years as the pediatrician Keys families trust, caring for children at Florida Keys Pediatric & Adolescent Center in Tavernier since 1997. A Fellow of the American Academy of �ediatrics and board�certiﬁed since 1990, he trained at Cook County Children's Hospital in Chicago and has served as Medical Director of Island Dolphin Care for over 25 years. Dr. Zuba is now joining Keys Kids Health Centers, continuing his commitment to ensuring every child in the Florida Keys has a doctor who knows them.

A Promise of Health Care for Our Kids! So we changed the story. Every child we see is treated at no/low cost to their family, before small problems become painful ones. No forms standing in the way, no bill waiting at the end of the appointment, just a child who gets to keep smiling, and a parent who gets to breathe a little easier.

That's what this promise really protects: not just a child's teeth or health, but their family's peace of mind and future. No family should ever have to choose between their child's health and food on the table. We can't keep this promise alone. It's kept by everyone who believes our kids are worth investing in...every donor, every partner, every person who trusts us with their child's care.

Dr. Lilia Tabassian is excited to join the team at Keys Kids Health Centers, bringing compassionate dental care to children throughout the Florida Keys. A Florida native, she completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Florida and earned her dental degree with honors from the prestigious �arvard School of Dental Medicine, followed by a two-year Advanced Education in �eneral �entistry residency in Nashville, Tennessee. There she developed a passion for public health and for helping young patients feel comfortable and conﬁdent in the dental chair. Dr. Tabassian believes every visit is an opportunity to build trust with a child.

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KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 1, 2026

Barney Waldin cuts through the limestone to create what would become the Marvin D. Adams Waterway. JERRY WILKINSON COLLECTION

SHORTCUT THROUGH KEY LARGO

The Marvin D. Adams Waterway

wo excellent places to see the limestone underbelly of the Florida Keys are Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park and the Marvin D. Adams Waterway. Both are in the Upper Keys; one is easier to reach than the other. At Windley Key, exposed limestone walls standing eight FLORIDA feet tall were left exposed by KEYS quarry operations that went on HISTORY for decades – drive in, park the WITH car and walk right up. As adverBRAD tised, they reveal the fossilized BERTELLI remains of an ancient coral reef. Brad is a local To see different exposed historian, author, limestone walls that tell the speaker and same story from a different Honorary Conch who loves sharing point of view, the waterway the history of the requires a little extra effort: a Florida Keys. boat ride through the middle of Key Largo. The waterway was not naturally formed; technically, it split the largest island in the Florida Keys into two pieces. Key Largo’s size was one reason a plan formed to carve it through the middle of the island. The waterway connects Largo Sound, on the ocean side of the island to Blackwater Sound on the bay side. Its creation took time and vision. Marvin Adams used both to accomplish the feat. Marvin Dow Adams was born in Lamar, Missouri, on Aug. 11, 1898. As a young man, he married Leila Jane Sweeting; they had two children. About 1925, they moved to Miami, where Frank Egbert Sweeting, his father-in-law, liked to vacation and fish. He also made several real estate investments. Sweeting lived in Bloomington, Indiana, and worked at the Beich Company. The firmmade confections, including Katydid Peanut Clusters and, much later, Laffy Taffy, launched in 1971 and introduced as a tie-in to the movie “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” Sweeting introduced the family to Key Largo. In those days, the only way to reach the island was by boat or railroad.

He bought property on the island in 1923 that included a fisherman’s cottage built in 1917, and he retired from the candy business in 1925 to spend more time fishing and developing his South Florida properties. One tract he purchased included the fishing cottage overlooking Largo Sound near what is now MM 103. He subdivided the tract into about 300 lots and named it Anglers Park; F. E. Sweeting developed, owned and operated the project. The real estate office was in Miami; Adams was the sales manager. An advertisement printed in the Aug. 29, 1926, Miami Herald declared: “Key Largo ‘Isle of Dreams’ is destined to become one of the most noteworthy and exclusive residential communities in the Southland. The most charming and desirable spot on Key Largo is Anglers Park.” Adams was more than a sales manager. He had a law degree from the University of Chicago. In 1926, he served as president of the Miami Agency insurance group. In 1933, he was a director at the First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Miami. He served as chairman of the Turnpike Authority in 1953-1954. He was also a direct descendant of John Quincy Adams, the sixth president of the United States. After the death of his father-in-law in 1950, Adams bought land on Key Largo, about 50 acres that included the Sweeting property and the island’s narrowest stretch. At about one-half mile wide, that stretch of the island is now recognized as the Marvin D. Adams Waterway The plan was to create a shortcut. For Key Largo boaters traveling from the oceanside to the bayside, there were two choices: Jewfish Creek and Tavernier Creek. With nearly 20 miles between them, a third option was welcomed. The United States Coast Guard liked the idea, too. Carving an island the size of Key Largo into two pieces was no small task. The project began in the late 1950s and required 18 months of excavating. Mathew “Barney” Waldin did the digging. Much of the work was done with dynamite dropped into holes drilled 32 feet deep, which blew the coral rock into pieces. The sides were cut with a machine designed and created by Waldin

with the help of an investor named Vining. They built something that could, according to a quote from the Miami Herald on May 25, 1976, “cut through coral rock like cheese.” Waldin did not charge Adams for his service; instead, he was given all the coral rock he dug up, which he then sold. There was a lot of coral rock. When he finished carving out the waterway, he left the ends standing so no water could flow through it. Alonzo Cothron took out the ends, opened it to the sounds, and let the water pass through. The average depth of the cut is about 25 feet. The limestone walls, Key Largo’s underbelly, rise about 15 feet from the waterline. It was called the Key Largo Waterway when it opened to boat traffic on Feb. 26, 1961, and not formally dedicated for years. Mayor Harry Harris wrote a resolution to rename it to honor the man responsible for its creation. When it was finally dedicated on Sunday, May 23, 1976, the name was changed to the Marvin D. Adams Waterway. Though Adams died of a heart attack at his home in Coral Gables on Dec. 29, 1977, the family still has roots navigating the Key Largo limestone. Of course, there is the waterway, but also the family home overlooking Largo Sound, where the fisherman’s cottage still stands. The property hasn’t been forgotten and will host a murder mystery dinner fundraiser for an excellent cause: the Good Health Clinic. They have offices in Tavernier and Marathon. Both work to provide health care to the financially struggling, uninsured residents of the Keys. Donations are a prime source of their funding. One annual fundraiser is the Kahuna Challenge. It invites people to donate to keep their doors open. Jaclyn Kelly, broker/owner at Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Destinations and Star Properties Destinations, is working to earn the title of 2026 Big Kahuna. Kelly’s big fundraising event is a murder mystery dinner created with the help of her right and left hands, Samantha Arce and Katie Brennan. To support the Good Health Clinic and learn more about the Kahuna Challenge and how you can participate, visit thegoodhealthclinic.org.

This is a week of difficult but necessary conversations. CHRIS It is time for some radical McNULTY honesty, and just getting the information out will be more is an astrologer, wanderer, barimportant than attempting to tender and say it the “right” way. Meradvocate for cury, the planet of commuqueer justice. He nication and logic, is moving is a loquacious into the watery confessional Gemini with a cozy Cancer of Scorpio. As soon as it enters rising. Find him at this sign, it forms challenghearthandheralding 90-degree squares to astrology.com both Mars and Pluto. While Mercury in Scorpio is like a spy or a detective trying to analyze its way to the ultimate truth, Mars adds a heap of impulsivity and passion and Pluto contributes raw intensity and unconscious impulses. You may be surprised by what you say or what is said to you this week, but remember that conflict can be a fresh start. The goal is to listen for the core facts of what is being said and to background the imperfect or dramatic method of delivery. Also on Saturday, Oct. 3, the planet of love and relationships, Venus, is stationing retrograde, bringing our relationships to the forefront of awareness. Some of the intense conversations and exposed secrets that Mercury brings up will have us reviewing some of our interpersonal connections. Do we need to bring some people closer and create more distance with others? Do we need to make new agreements with loved ones to ensure that our needs are being met? Here are your horoscopes for Mercury in square Mars and Pluto and Venus stationing retrograde. Read for your rising and sun signs. LIBRA Sept. 23 - Oct. 22 You will find your values being tested this week, Libra. An important financial decision or moral dilemma may confront you. Friends will have some very strong opinions and you’ll feel compulsively prodded by your own creativity, but ultimately the best outcome will be an objective assessment of your material well-being. It’s perfectly OK to rearrange some relationships. SCORPIO Oct. 23 - Nov. 21 There is drama at work and at home, and it may seem there is no place of respite at the moment. Under this sky, your best bet is to simply accept what is out of your control and assess what you have at your disposal. What is best for you? How do you know? Your relationship to yourself is front and center, so be sure that you are being a good friend. How can you treat yourself better? SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22 - Dec. 21 We all have a tension between the comfort of our familiar environment and the excitement

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 1, 2026

that comes with exploring new worlds. Do you stay in the Shire or heed the call to adventure? This is a tense conundrum you currently face. The solution is to focus on your solitude and peace. You can experience your peace at home or take it with you on a journey. If you can love yourself in the silence, you already have your answer. CAPRICORN Dec. 22 - Jan. 19 Focus on your friends, Capricorn. Managing money and material goods, whether they’re your own or collectively shared, is a stressful situation at the moment. Determining what’s mine and what’s yours and what’s ours is a bit of a powder keg. Set the balance sheets aside and immerse yourself in friends. Reconnect with the people who have your best interests at heart. AQUARIUS Jan. 20 - Feb. 18 You are locked in conflict with a loved one, Aquarius. It’s unstoppable force meets immovable object territory. It’s all good. Conflicts are growth points. Under this sky, though, the solution is to turn your attention to your work and career. How can you be a better communicator and thought leader at work or in public? If you can improve your relationships with coworkers, that effort will seep back into your more intimate connections. PISCES Feb. 19 - March 20 There are times for quiet reflection, and there are times for getting your hands dirty. There is a powerful tension between your need for psychic rest and inner exploration and your need for completing chores and working hard. That tension can be released by planning your escape. What adventure or journey awaits you? And who in your life helps you to transcend the monotony? Keep those friends close. ARIES March 21 - April 19 How can you better invest your time, talent or treasure in shared purpose? This isn’t a question of values, per se, but a question of logistics. What would be a more effective way to be an influential part of collective struggles? Your friends and your creative outlets are causing some conflict, so let your mind focus on projects that are greater than yourself. Which relationships in your life nurture that awareness? TAURUS April 20 - May 20 It is A-OK to step out of the center from time to time. This week is about focusing on a loved one or an important partner. When work and home are both places of conflict or unease, turn your attention to that person and think of ways

TRUTH IN CONNECTION

that you can show up for them in meaningful ways. You may also be questioning who your important partner is, and it is actually the perfect time for that assessment. GEMINI May 21 - June 20 Work and physical activity have benefits in and of themselves, regardless of the goal or outcome. You may find yourself torn in a “stay or go” conundrum, and this sky encourages you to think about how your physical labor is a healthy outlet. When a decision can’t be made right now, turn your attention to completing other tasks. There is beauty and dignity in the work itself. CANCER June 21 - July 22 In this world, money is both power and a cage. We are taught that there will never be enough, and yet we need it to survive in this societal setup. When money issues become too overwhelming this week, that is when you can set them aside and work on your creative projects. In fact, just planning a creative project will be good medicine. Get clear on what brings you bliss. LEO July 23 - Aug. 22 It looks like you might be locking horns this week, Leo. There is conflict between you and an important person in your life, and that conflict is deep. You may be addressing something that’s been building for some time. Turn your attention to your home and sanctuary. When the tension is too high, organize your house and appreciate your safe place. Who in your life feels like home and how can you acknowledge them more? VIRGO Aug. 23 - Sept. 22 There is so much to get done and your mindbody is begging for rest. If you rest, the list keeps growing. If you focus on getting the work done, your soul is loud with exhaustion. Honestly, the solution is to see your familiar surroundings with fresh eyes. Relearn the world that has become so normalized, and reengage with the people you see every day. Step out of your personal conflict and reintroduce yourself to your community.

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 1, 2026

WHAT’S COOKING? CAROL SHAUGHNESSY www.keysweekly.com

or generations, Key West has been an island of celebrations — from the earliest military ceremonies and dances to 19thcentury multi-family holiday gatherings and the quinceañera parties that marked young Cuban girls’ coming of age. Today, the island city is renowned as a place to mark milestones. Visitors flock to it for destination weddings and honeymoons, guys’ and girls’ adventures, birthday parties, corporate or incentive trips, family reunions, couples’ escapes, anniversary celebrations and much more. Local residents are equally fond of parties and gatherings — holiday gettogethers for employees and friends, fundraising galas for local nonprofits, surprise parties to mark a special occasion. It’s been said that, in fun-loving Key West, locals will throw a party at the drop of a frangipani blossom. What elements are required to make an event successful? Few people know better than Kelly Marshall, general manager of the Key West Cooking Show and veteran of a previous 27-year career with a major national restaurant chain. “No matter how big or small the event, savvy planners should take one major factor into account: the goal is to make the event enjoyable and unforgettable,” said Marshall. “The venue, food and beverage choices, and entertainment must all work together to support that purpose.” A site with a colorful heritage and a story behind it, she said, is far preferable to a bland ballroom or undecorated corporate space. For example, the Key West Cooking Show’s venue at 291 Front St. is a historic 1856 Navy building. Now carefully restored, its décor pays homage to the island’s rich seafaring heritage while suggesting a warm vintage atmosphere. Multiple room options can accommodate from 50 to 250 people. Even more important to an event is the quality and versatility of the food and drink, Marshall said. Options at the Cooking Show include customizable multicourse plated dinner offerings, buffet and chef stations, curated passed appetizers, and standard or premium bar packages. The final piece in an ideal event is the entertainment or interactive

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According to Kelly Marshall, general manager of the Key West Cooking Show, a successful event depends on the uniqueness and quality of the venue, food and beverage choices, and entertainment. KEY WEST COOKING SHOW/Contributed

experience provided. In some places it might be a theatrical sketch, speech honoring notables, fundraising auction, live music or a “roast” of the guest of honor. At the Key West Cooking Show, however, event planners can choose from three immersive experiences that guests are virtually guaranteed to remember. They include a private 75-minute “learn-and-dine” culinary adventure — ideal for wedding rehearsal dinners or corporate groups. “The experience blends quality preparation and island lore, enabling guests to learn cooking techniques while savoring a well-prepared multicourse meal,” said Marshall. In addition, custom cocktail receptions and interactive mixology learning parties are offered for events such as holiday gatherings or welcome mixers. For team-building or lighthearted group or corporate challenges, a guided Key lime pie competition is a tasty bonding experience. Hungry for details? Visit keywestcookingshow.com or call 305-294COOK. LAST BITES Dish of the week: Lemon-marinated garlic shrimp. A highlight on the Key West Cooking Show’s special events menu, this seemingly simple dish features luscious local shrimp enhanced with citrus and garlic flavors. Helpful kitchen hack: After peeling shrimp for a special dish, don’t discard the shells and tails. Instead, freeze them to use later in making a savory homestyle seafood stock.

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KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 1, 2026

VISIT FLORIDA KEYS & KEY WEST NAMES DANNY CUELLAR AS NEW CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER

Global brand leader and storyteller brings more than two decades of creative firepower

rom jetliners to Super Bowls, Daniel “Danny” Cuellar has spent more than two decades turning big Daniel Cuellar ideas into brand experiences that connect people with places, passions and possibilities. Now, he’s bringing that creative firepower to the Florida Keys, with his sights set on helping the destination’s next era of marketing take flight. Visit Florida Keys & Key West has appointed Cuellar as its new chief marketing officer, adding an accomplished global brand strategist and storyteller to its executive leadership team as the destination looks to reimagine how it tells its story to the world. In his new role, Cuellar will lead the destination’s brand and integrated marketing strategy, overseeing everything from campaigns and content to agency partnerships and emerging technology. He will also help shape how Visit Florida Keys & Key West connects with travelers as AI-powered search, generative platforms and trip-planning tools continue to transform the way people discover and plan travel. Cuellar most recently served as vice president of Americas marketing for Qantas Airways, where he helped propel brand awareness. His work included leading the airline’s first bespoke U.S. brand campaign in more than a decade, “Australia in the Sky,” an integrated business-tobusiness and business-to-consumer campaign spanning paid, owned, earned and partner channels. Before Qantas, Cuellar took his creative talents to one of the biggest stages in sports as senior director of global brand and consumer marketing for the National Football League. There, he directed marketing for tentpole events like the Super Bowl, NFL Draft and International Games, with work that included the league’s Emmy-winning Super Bowl LVII campaign. Before joining the NFL, Cuellar spent more than a decade at United

Airlines, leading global advertising, helping launch United Polaris Business Class and building tourism partnerships to support route and destination growth. Earlier roles included Continental Airlines and Burson-Marsteller Public Relations. He earned a bachelor of journalism from the University of Texas at Austin, specializing in public relations with a minor in business foundations. It’s that breadth of experience, paired with Cuellar’s creative instincts and storytelling expertise, that Visit Florida Keys & Key West President and CEO Kara Franker says makes him such a strong fit for the destination. “Danny knows how to take what makes a brand special and turn it into a story people want to be part of,” said Franker. “He brings that rare combination of big-picture thinking and creative instinct, and that’s incredibly exciting for us. I’m looking forward to seeing where Danny, our team and our agency partners take it next.” Among Cuellar’s first major initiatives: Leading the creative development, production and rollout of “Play in Your Own Key,” the destination’s new flagship brand campaign. “Travelers are looking for experiences that feel authentic and personal, and the Florida Keys delivers that in a way few destinations can,” Cuellar said. “Every part of the island chain has its own character and culture, giving us an incredible opportunity to find fresh and unexpected ways to tell its story. And personally, getting to call Key West home, become part of the community and experience more of the Keys myself is a dream come true.” Cuellar will work cross-functionally across the organization and with its agency partners to build demand, find new ways to connect with travelers and push the Florida Keys story forward — all while keeping the distinctive character of the island chain and its communities at the heart of the brand. For more information about the Florida Keys & Key West, visit www. visitfloridakeys.com. — Contributed

TAKE ME HOME? FIND A FRIEND AT THE FLORIDA KEYS SPCA

he 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.

Chewy is a 7-year-old boy with a calm and loyal nature. He is searching for a family dedicated to his wellbeing and health. He does have a heart murmur that is causing him no issues presently. A cardiac evaluation is recommended after adoption to help keep him feeling his best. Despite this, Chewy remains full of love and ready to enjoy life with a family by his side.

Flaco is a 2-year-old domestic shorthair mix with major teenage energy and a heart full of love for his fellow felines. This handsome black-and-white boy has green eyes that match his curious personality. When not keeping an eye on his roommates, he can usually be found napping in a cozy high-up spot where he can relax and supervise.

Sweet Seraphina is still waiting for her furever home. This girl is the last pup from a group of dogs we saved from a hoarding situation back in March. Seraphina has been living with a foster family who has been teaching her that the world isn’t as scary as she once thought. Once she trusts you, she’ll love you deeply. She just needs someone willing to give her that chance.

Meet Lorelai, a 4-year-old grey cat with a gentle spirit. She enjoys soft places to nap and a calm environment where she can feel safe. Lorelai’s small size and sweet nature make her an easy companion.

Meet Viola, an American rabbit with outstanding ears. This medium-sized girl has a gorgeous brown-and-apricot coat and an adorable look that makes her stand out from the crowd. She is ready to find a loving forever home where she can be appreciated for all the charm and personality she has to offer.

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 1, 2026

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KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 1, 2026

CELEBRATE AMERICA 250 ON OLD SEVEN MILE BRIDGE County plans Oct. 10 sunset celebration

In 2023, Monroe County celebrated its 200-year anniversary as a county with a sunset celebration on the Old Seven Mile Bridge. On Oct. 10, the event will take place to commemorate the United States’ 250th anniversary. COUNTY FILE PHOTO

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Attendees watch the sun’s final glow at a 2023 celebration for Monroe County’s anniversary on the Old Seven Mile Bridge. Another event is planned for Oct. 10. ALEX RICKERT/Keys Weekly

onroe County and the Tourist Development Council, along with the city of Marathon, will celebrate America’s 250th anniversary with a special semiquincentennial sunset celebration on Saturday, Oct. 10, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. on the historic Old Seven Mile Bridge.

The Keys Weekly Media Group has an immediate opening for a sales and marketing professional. Salary, benefits, commission and the opportunty to make a difference in your community and work alongside an amazing team. KEYS

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The free event will feature live music and dancing with the Pierce August Band, Caribbeaninspired appetizers prepared by Marathon High School’s culinary team, and a sunset toast featuring Grimal Grove juices. Sunset is at 7:05 p.m. The celebration offers residents and visitors a chance to come together at one of the Florida Keys’ most iconic landmarks while commemorating the nation’s 250th anniversary. No parking will be available at the bridge. Complimentary parking will be available at the parking lot for Pigeon Key’s trolley at the city’s 7 Mile Marina, and van service will be available from the 33rd Street/ Stanley Switlik parking area. Attendees may also walk to the event from Knights Key under the bridge. — Contributed

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 1, 2026

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FUNCTIONALLY CAFFEINATED WELLNESS

THE BODY YOU WANT T

his is a hard truth that a lot of people don’t want to hear. I haven’t always wanted to hear it either, especially as my own body has changed over the years, and I am an exercise physiologist with more than 15 years of experience. The body you want. Whatever that body might be. I am going to talk specifically about “the body” that many of my female clients show me when they first meet with me. It’s usually a picture on their phone. Sometimes it’s even their wallpaper. Sometimes it’s a picture of themselves 20 years ago, and sometimes it’s a fitness model who happens to be 20 years younger than they are. Either way, the message is usually the same: I want to look like this. And here comes the hard part. Aging is happening. There isn’t anything any of us can do to stop it. I don’t care how expensive your moisturizer is, what supplements you take, how perfect your diet is or how many wellness gadgets you’ve managed to squeeze into your morning routine. You are aging. I am aging. We are all aging. But aging and declining are not the same thing. We can do an enormous amount to influence how we age, how well we move, how strong we remain and how independently we are able to live. And if there is one thing I desperately want more people, especially women, to understand, it’s that strength training needs to be part of that plan. There is a reason so many of us in exercise science have started referring to strength training as something pretty darn close to the fountain of youth. We cannot stop the clock, but we can give the body a much better chance of handling what comes with it. Muscle strength, muscle mass, bone health, balance, glucose regulation and the ability to continue doing the everyday things that make you independent are all influenced by resistance training. And before you picture yourself underneath a barbell with six giant plates on it, let’s keep this simple. The American College of Sports Medicine actually released its first major update to its resistance training recommendations in 17 years earlier this year. Researchers looked at data from more than 30,000 people, and one of the biggest takeaways was refreshingly uncomplicated: consistency beats complexity. For the average healthy adult, start with this: strength train all of your major muscle groups at least two days per week. That’s it. That is the foundation. You can use dumbbells, machines, resistance bands or your own body weight. You don’t need a fancy gym. You don’t need an advanced training split. You don’t need to train until you collapse onto the floor questioning every decision you’ve made since breakfast.

UNSPLASH

Now, where you go from there depends on where you’re starting. If you are a true novice, meaning you have never lifted a weight in your life, your first goal isn’t to lift heavy. Your first goal is to learn how to lift. Start with two days per week and focus JENNIFER on basic movement patterns: HARVEY squat, push, pull, hinge, carry ...is a Marathonand core. Pick a manageable based ACSMresistance that allows you certified perto perform roughly 8 to 12 sonal trainer and precision nutrition repetitions with good form. coach who owns One or two sets is plenty and operates while you’re learning. When Highly Motivated that becomes comfortable, Functionally gradually add resistance. Caffeinated LLC. There is absolutely no prize for destroying yourself during your first week. If you’ve been strength training consistently for a while, you’re no longer just trying to establish the habit. Now we need progression. Two to four strength sessions per week can work beautifully depending on your schedule and goals. You can add another set, increase the resistance, use more challenging exercises or split your training across different days. For someone interested in building muscle, ACSM’s updated guidance suggests working toward roughly 10 challenging sets per muscle group across the week. The important part is that your body needs a reason to adapt. If you’ve been curling the same eight-pound dumbbells for three years and could simultaneously answer emails while doing it, we probably need to talk. And then there is advanced. If you have years of consistent strength training behind you, your program can become more specific to

your goals. You may train four or more days per week, use heavier loads, intentionally manage weekly volume and organize training around strength, muscle growth, power or performance. For maximizing strength, ACSM’s current guidance favors heavier loads, around 80% of your one-repetition maximum or greater, typically for two to three sets per exercise. But here’s something I really want people to hear: Advanced does not automatically mean complicated. You do not earn extra health points because your workout requires a spreadsheet, three resistance bands and an exercise you saw someone doing while standing upside down on Instagram. Simple still works. And maybe that’s the part of aging we need to get better at accepting. The goal doesn’t have to be getting the body you had at 25. Maybe the goal is building the strongest version of the body you have now. Because the body you want at 40, 50, 60 or 70 might start looking a little different when you really think about what you want it to do. You want a body that can get your suitcase into the overhead compartment. Get up off the floor without needing assistance. Carry groceries into the house. Climb stairs. Travel. Play with your grandchildren. Recover when you stumble instead of falling. Keep living in your own home. Keep doing the things you love without constantly wondering whether your body can handle them. That body is worth training for. So keep the picture on your phone if it motivates you. Just understand that the real goal isn’t to freeze yourself at whatever age you thought your body looked best. We’re not trying to stop aging. We’re training so aging doesn’t stop us.

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 1, 2026

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KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 1, 2026

Founded by Betty Debnam

HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN

MINI FACT: Statues of Hans Christian Andersen are scattered throughout the world, including Central Park in the U.S.

Photo by Dan Alcantara

Courtesy of Wikipedia

Have you read “The Ugly Duckling,” “The Little Mermaid” or “The Emperor’s New Clothes”? They were written by Hans Christian Andersen. His fairy tales are some of the most popular stories in the world. Even today, 151 years after his death, his stories are being told again and again, in many different Hans Christian Andersen ways. They have been translated into more languages than any other fiction. He wrote 156 stories in all. Some of his stories have been made into movies, plays, ballets, TV shows, video games, board games and card games. Although we think of his fairy tales as being children’s stories, he wrote them for adults as well. Much of his humor and moral messages were intended for grown-ups. EARLY LIFE Andersen’s life was much like a fairy tale. He was born in Odense, Denmark, in 1805. The family was very poor. His mother was a washwoman, his father a shoemaker. When Hans was 11, his father died. To help support the family, Hans worked in a tailor’s shop and later in a tobacco factory.

He left home at the age of 14 to seek his fortune in Copenhagen. He tried to make a living as an artist, an actor, a dancer and a singer. He failed at them all. He was so poor he nearly starved to death. Andersen became friends with a theater director who helped him get a scholarship that enabled him to go back to school. HIS WRITING Andersen began to write plays, novels, poems and travel books. During his life he wrote three different books about his own life. Many of his plays were big hits in Denmark. Some of his poems were turned into songs that Danish kids still sing today. Much to his surprise, it was his fairy tales that made him famous at home and in other countries as well. HIS PERSONALITY Andersen loved the attention given to him by royalty, artists and other authors. He was very ambitious and enjoyed his success. He was sensitive and became upset when someone wrote anything bad about his books. Andersen was often sick and was known as a worrier. Although he traveled a great deal, he often arrived at the station hours before the train was to leave. He carried a rope with him so he could escape out the window if a hotel caught on fire. Andersen was a deeply religious man. Because of his very humble beginnings, he was a thrifty man.

THE FAIRY TALES His first fairy tales were printed one at a time in little pamphlets. Later, collections were put into books. When he was telling stories out loud, Hans Christian Andersen would make paper cutouts filled with scenes from his tales. He cut and folded the paper to create pictures. EARLY TRANSLATION This is how Andersen’s “The Emperor’s New Suit” begins: “Many, many years ago lived an emperor, who thought so much of new clothes that he spent all his money in order to obtain them; his only ambition was to be always well dressed. He did not care for his soldiers, and the theater did not amuse him; the only thing, in fact, he thought anything of was to drive out and show a new suit of clothes. He had a coat for every hour of the day...” HIS LOVES Andersen proposed to several women but was rejected by all of them. When he died in 1875, he was carrying a letter from his first love, a woman he had met more than 40 years before. As he wished, the letter was burned unread. Andersen reminds us of one of his most famous characters, the Ugly Duckling. In spite of his lonely life, he was able to write some of the most magical stories of all time.

RESOURCES ON THE WEB • bit.ly/4vZhory AT THE LIBRARY • “An Illustrated Treasury of Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairy Tales” by Hans Christian Andersen and illustrated by Anastasiya Archipova

FIND IT ARTISTS, DENMARK, DUCKLING, EMPEROR, FACTORY, FAIRY TALE, LITTLE, HANS, MERMAID, ROPE, ROYALTY, SHOP, STORY, SUIT, THEATER, THRIFTY, WRITE.

Words that remind us of Hans Christian Andersen are hidden in this puzzle. Some words are hidden backward or diagonally, and some letters are used twice. See if you can find:

T A F R E T A E H T

R L E R R T I S O D D E P I V G E A U F E M P E X R W E Y E P S B M Y T P O H S

O Y A L T Y T S L Y D Q N M A R K I H R A Y R L Q Y R W K S R O R C W X T Z U Y M S F D Y R O T F I R H T L E L T T I L

U T I U B N S C L Y

E N I I A T J A J Y

G T U H R V F F H E

J E L A T Y R I A F

ECO NOTE The Brazilian Amazon is offering a rare measure of good news. Satellite observations show forest clearing has fallen to its lowest 12-month level since Brazil’s current rapid-monitoring record began in 2014, continuing a decline that has accelerated in recent years. The improvement means fewer trees cut, less habitat destroyed and less pressure on Indigenous lands and protected forests. It also suggests that stronger enforcement and renewed environmental oversight can make a difference in one of the world’s most important ecosystems. The decline offers hope, but the dry season will test whether Brazil can protect against a hotter, fire-prone future under climate change. Adapted with permission from Earthweek.com

KEY WEST WEEKLY / OCTOBER 1, 2026

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The rivalry returns | P.9

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OCTOBER 1, 2026 / KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP/LEGALS & CLASSIFIEDS

THE SCOREBOARD

SEPT. 21 - 26

Team

Sport

Opponent

Date

Result

Coral Shores

Volleyball

South Homestead

9/22

W, 3-1

Marathon

Volleyball

Posnack

9/23

L, 3-1

Coral Shores

Volleyball

Key West

9/24

W, 3-0

Marathon

Volleyball

Horeb Christian

9/24

W, 3-0

Marathon

Football

Babcock Ranch

9/25

W, 41-8

Coral Shores

Football

Oxbridge Academy

9/25

W, 20-14

Key West

Football

True North

9/25

L, 30-17

Coral Shores

Volleyball

Somerset College Prep

9/25

W, 3-0

Key West

Volleyball

LaSalle

9/25

L, 2-1

Key West

Volleyball

St. Brendan

9/25

L, 2-0

Key West

Volleyball

True North

9/26

L, 2-0

THIS WEEK IN KEYS SPORTS

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Andrew

CONNOLLY

Senior, Coral Shores Football

OCT. 1 - 8

Date

School

Sport

Opponent

Start Time

10/1

Marathon

Volleyball

Coral Shores

5:30 p.m.

10/2

Coral Shores

Football

Marathon

7 p.m.

10/2

Key West

Football

North Miami Beach

7 p.m.

10/2

Coral Shores & Marathon

Cross Country

@ Race of the Thoroughbreds

4:45 p.m.

10/2

Marathon

Volleyball

Archimedean

5 p.m.

10/5

Coral Shores

Volleyball

@ Keys Gate

5:30 p.m.

10/5

All Keys Schools

Golf

@ Marathon

1 p.m.

10/6

Key West

Volleyball

Marathon

5:30 p.m.

10/7

Key West & Coral Shores

Swimming

@ Coral Shores

4 p.m.

10/7

All Keys Schools

Golf

@ Ocean Reef

1 p.m.

10/8

Marathon

Volleyball

@ Keys Gate

5:30 p.m.

Andy is a dynamic player with a great work ethic. He is a good football player and an even better person.” – Ed Holly, Hurricane head coach

solo tackles

ON THE COVER

OCTOBER 1

The Keys’ most storied football rivalry will be renewed this weekend under Friday Night Lights, as the Marathon Dolphins travel north to take on the Coral Shores Hurricanes in the 57th Battle of the Keys. See page 9. Photos by Natalie Goodwin and Natalie Danko

Coral Shores senior Andrew Connolly made his presence felt in the Hurricanes’ 29-14 win over Oxbridge Academy. Connolly registered three solo tackles and five assists, including three tackles for loss and a pair of sacks. A dynamic defender with a knack for making big plays when they matter most, Connolly brings more than stats to the Hurricane defense. His love for the game shows in his play, but it’s his willingness to put the team ahead of himself that makes the senior a leader on and off the field. For his impact in a key Coral Shores win, Connolly is the Keys Weekly Athlete of the Week.

assists

Photo by NATALIE GOODWIN/Keys Weekly

tracy mcdonald SPORTS WRITER

fled to the Keys from the frozen mountains of Pennsylvania hours after graduating from college and never looked back. She is a second-generation coach and educator, and has taught in the public school system for over 25 years. She and her husband met at a beginning teacher meeting in 1997 and have three children born and raised in Monroe County. In her free time, McDonald loves flea markets, historical fiction and long runs in the heat.

KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP/LEGALS & CLASSIFIEDS / OCTOBER 1, 2026

The Keys Weekly Sports Wrap is proud to be the only locally-owned publication providing prep sports coverage from Key Largo to Key West. Together with our writers and photographers, we are committed to providing a comprehensive overview of the world of Keys sports with photography that allows our readers to immerse themselves in game action.

Publisher / Jason Koler jason@keysweekly.com

Publishing Partner / Britt Myers britt@keysweekly.com

Managing Editor / Alex Rickert

alex@keysweekly.com

Copy Editor / Mike Howie mike@keysweekly.com

Business Development

Patti Childress patti@keysweekly.com Manuela C. Mobley manuela@keysweekly.com Stephanie Mitchell stephanie@keysweekly.com

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Executive Administrator Charlotte Hruska char@keysweekly.com

Graphic Design

sean mcdonald grew up in Miami and moved to the Keys in 1997. He has spent the last 25 years teaching physical education and coaching virtually every sport for Florida Keys kids ages 4 to 18. If you are reading this and live or lived in the Florida Keys, he has probably taught, coached, or coached against someone you know.

MARKET EDITORS

Marathon - Alex Rickert alex@keysweekly.com

Javier Reyes javier@keysweekly.com

Web Master / Travis Cready travis@keysweekly.com

Classiﬁeds / Anneke Patterson anneke@keysweekly.com 305.743.0844

Se habla español

THE MARATHON WEEKLY (ISSN 1944-0812) IS PUBLISHED WEEKLY FOR $125 PER YEAR BY WEEKLY NEWSPAPERS, INC., 9709 OVERSEAS HIGHWAY, MARATHON FL 33050. APPLICATION TO MAIL AT PERIODICALS POSTAGE RATES IS PENDING AT FORT LAUDERDALE FL AND ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES. All stories, photos, and graphics are copyrighted materials.

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FINAL SPLASH Key West seniors shine against Firebirds in last home meet

he Key West swimming program celebrated its seniors on Sept. 26 at the College of the Florida Keys pool, honoring the Conchs and Lady Conchs making their final home appearance of the season. Seniors Kennedy Morgan and Mary Searcy represented the Lady Conchs, while Santiago Gonzalez, Andres Aguero, William Gjerding, Hugo Blinckmann and Filip Hrabec were honored for the boys. Several made the most of their final races in home waters. Gonzalez swam away with a win in the 100-yard freestyle, touch-

ing in 51.97 seconds, while Blinckmann made his final home 50 free a memorable one, winning a thriller in 23.87, just two hundredths of a second ahead of the runner-up. The two teamed up later with Max Blinckmann and Hrabec to win the 200 freestyle relay in 1:37.29. Hrabec added an individual Senior Night victory of his own, claiming the 100 breaststroke in 1:10.03. Aguero turned in a pair of strong swims, finishing fifth in the 100 butterfly in 1:07.25 and fourth in the 500 freestyle in 6:37. The Lady Conchs had plenty to cel-

OCTOBER 1, 2026 / KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP/LEGALS & CLASSIFIEDS

ebrate as well. Christina Rice swept the sprint freestyle events, winning the 50 in 26.17 seconds and the 100 in 58.18. Amelia Korzen captured the 200 freestyle in 2:23 and later joined Veronica Ter Azaryan, Ashlyn Picco and Rice for a first-place finish in the 200 freestyle relay. Molly Martinez added another individual win for Key West in the 100 backstroke, finishing in 1:19.60, with Searcy making the most of her final home appearance by taking second in 1:22.76. Doral ultimately claimed both team wins, defeating the Lady Conchs 97-71 and the Conchs 105-65. The final home meet may be in the books, but Key West will stay close to home on Oct. 7, joining Coral Shores and Braddock for a tri-meet at Founders Park. The three teams hit the water at 4 p.m. in the final stretch before postseason competition begins. Key West dives into the 2A District 12 Championships Oct. 27, while 1A Coral Shores takes to the water the following morning. 1. The Conchs enjoy a final dip in home waters. 2. Key West seniors make a final splash in their home waters. 3. Haven Andrade races against his opponent in the 100-yard butterfly. 4. Hugo Blinckmann cheers on Andres Aguero in the 500-yard freestyle.

5. Senior Filip Hrabec dives in to his final home breast stroke race. 6. Senior Filip Hrabec breaks his personal best in the 100yard breaststroke as his teammates cheer him on. 7. The boys dive into the 100yard breaststroke. Photos by Rocky Gonet and Jennifer Searcy

KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP/LEGALS & CLASSIFIEDS / OCTOBER 1, 2026

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OCTOBER 1, 2026 / KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP/LEGALS & CLASSIFIEDS

MEET IN THE MIDDLE Burns, Wheatley set the pace as Keys teams converge in Marathon

heridan Hills Christian’s cross country team made a trip south last week looking for speed. The Sharks joined a field dominated by Keys programs hoping their runners could use the area’s fastest athletes to set the pace and push their times. Marathon’s Lucian Burns had a similar idea. Burns hoped the added competition might provide a pace car of sorts at the front of the boys race. Instead, the Dolphin standout found himself with no one to chase but the bike clearing traffic ahead. Burns ran away with the individual title in 16:28, crossing the line a full 45 seconds ahead of the runner-up and fueling Marathon’s first-place finish in the team standings. The Dolphins packed three runners into the top five. Allan Taylor placed fourth overall in 17:35, followed by Tony Bursa in fifth at 18:00. Anthony Vargas (20:02) and Landon Anderson (20:05) finished 10th and 11th, respectively, to round out Marathon’s scoring five. Key West juniors Sawyer Hill and Alejandro Caridad crossed nearly side by side, placing eighth and ninth. Hill finished in 19:41 with Caridad just a quarter of a second behind. Noah Taylor (20:58) and Cruz Matarazzo (21:00) took 16th and 17th, respectively, while Colin Palomino rounded out the Conchs’ scoring five and the race’s top 20 in 21:30. Coral Shores’ top five finished just over two minutes apart, led by Victor Lopez in 12th place. Lopez’s 20:08 was followed by Wyatt Meyers (20:26) in 13th and Will Thies (21:24) in 19th. Dillon Matthews (22:05) and Tyler Cope (22:36) claimed 22nd and 23rd to com1. Violet Jangraw, left, Lynn Noah and Ali Wheatley show off their medals at Marathon’s home meet Sept. 24. 2. Marathon’s Lucian Burns looks strong despite the heat. 3. Key West’s Julian Polak (29) keeps the mood light despite the hot conditions on Sept. 24. Kaleb Blakely keeps him company. 4. Key West’s Ryah Bushey shows that cross country can be fun as she and Matthew Barrett finish the first mile astride. 5. Noah Taylor stays in

plete the Hurricanes’ top five. In the girls competition, Coral Shores’ Ali Wheatley had no shortage of runners to help set her pace. With the boys and girls racing together, the speedy junior had plenty of company around her; it just happened to be male company. Among the girls, Wheatley had no such company near the finish line. Her 20:11 secured the individual win by more than a minute, though Key West ultimately prevailed in the team standings. The Lady Conchs claimed three consecutive spots behind Wheatley, with Lynn Noah (21:24), Violet Jangraw (23:06) and Hazel Matarazzo (23:38) finishing second through fourth. Emma Bradshaw was Key West’s fourth scorer and placed 8th overall in 25:31, while Ryah Bushey (27:59) finished 10th to complete the Lady Conchs’ scoring five. Behind Wheatley, Coral Shores senior Kate King captured sixth place in 24:43, while junior Aria Booton was seventh in 25:12. Catalina Armstrong finished 11th in 29:33, and Ellaina Biondoletti placed 13th in 30:21. Marathon did not have enough high school girls in the varsity 5K to register a team score, with the majority of the Lady Dolphins competing in the middle school race. Rebecca Merryman led Marathon’s varsity runners with a fifth-place finish in 23:47. Teammate Ariella Dworniczak broke into the top 10, placing ninth, while Sofia Rodriguez finished 15th. Key West will take a week away from competition, while Marathon and Coral Shores head to Larry and Penny Thompson Park for the Race of the Thoroughbreds on Oct. 2.

front of a small pack chasing him. 6. Marathon’s Brayden Anderson (42) and Kolton Wright (52) work toward the turnaround at Marathon’s home meet. 7. Lynn Noah looks strong as she cruises to a secondplace finish. 8. Ariella Dworniczak is all smiles at the two-mile mark. 9. Coral Shores senior Kate King smiles for the camera mid-race. 10. Marathon’s Tony Bursa and Allan Taylor draft behind a pair of Sheridan Hills runners.

11. Sawyer Hill (25) and Alejandro Caridad (23) work hard to break the top 10 at Marathon. 12. Key West’s Colin Palomino and Coral Shores’ Victor Lopez help pace Coral Shores’ Ali Wheatley as they race down Sombrero Beach Road. 13. Connor Daniels conserves his energy for the final stretch. 14. Lucian Burns stretches his lead on his home course. TRACY McDONALD/Keys Weekly

KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP/LEGALS & CLASSIFIEDS / OCTOBER 1, 2026

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oth sides are rolling with some momentum ahead of the Keys’ most storied football showdown.

MARATHON The Dolphins of Marathon traveled to Punta Gorda on Sept. 25 to take on the Trailblazers of Babcock. The Fins’ defense came up big on the Blazers’ first drive, then Marathon made a statement with a quick score to take an early lead it would hold for the duration. Marathon had five athletes reach the end zone, beginning with senior Mathew Machado, who broke free for a 38-yard run. With a little more than a minute left in the first quarter, classmate Israel Gonzalez carried the ball 49 yards for a touchdown, followed by his twin brother Jesus, whose 64-yard score sent the Fins into halftime with a 21-0 lead. Junior Mel Val scored back-to-back touchdowns, the first from 33 yards and the second from 23. Then, with the end of the game quickly approaching, freshman Maverick McDonald broke loose for a 46-yard score. McDonald followed that up with an interception on defense to end the Trailblazers’ hopes for another score of their own.

1. Jesus Gonzalez has plenty of room to run after his blockers clear a path. 2. Marathon’s coaching staff addresses the team following the Sept. 25 road win. 3. Senior Ekon Edwards is poised to make his final Battle of the Keys count; Edwards had two solo tackles, seven assists and one tackle for a loss against Oxbridge last week. 4. Mathew Machado (1) and Jesus Gonzalez (2) celebrate Machado’s 38-yard TD run.

Photos by Natalie Goodwin and Stuart Godoy

SETTING THE TABLE Fins, ’Canes earn wins ahead of 57th Battle of the Keys

The Fins racked up 477 total yards. Defensively, McDonald added seven tackles, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a pass defense to his interception. Colton Huff had eight tackles and a fumble recovery, while two of Israel Gonzalez’s six tackles were for a loss. Jeremy Thiboutot added seven tackles and a pass defense, and Ray Lackey, a newcomer to the team, had four tackles, including one for a loss, and a sack. The win, Marathon’s first of the regular season, gives the Fins some momentum as they head into a contest with their closest neighbor and longest-standing rival, Coral Shores.

CORAL SHORES The Hurricanes created plenty of confidence the same night, defeating the ThunderWolves of Oxbridge Academy in Miami, 29-14. Coral Shores amassed 327 yards on 35 carries, scoring twice on the ground and once through the air. Dominik Jimenez rushed three times for 25 yards and hauled in three catches for 48 more, including a touchdown reception from Sterling Keefe. Keefe added 34 yards on the ground. Charles Royal led the Hurricanes’ rushing attack with 109 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. Kevin Williams Jr. added 48 yards and a score on six carries, David Beltran rushed seven times for 42 yards and John Oughton picked up 69 yards on just four attempts. The Hurricane defense made life difficult for the ThunderWolves all night. Senior Andrew Connolly registered three solo tackles and five assists, including three tackles for loss and a pair of sacks. Billy Holly added three

solo tackles and a quarterback pressure, while Ekon Edwards was in on nine tackles, including one for a loss. Jack Brown delivered one of the defense’s biggest performances, finishing with two solo tackles, six assists, three quarterback pressures, two sacks and a safety. “Coming off an emotional win at home, I thought they played well on the road,” head coach Ed Holly said. “We were able to eliminate their big plays.” With both Marathon and Coral Shores coming off victories, attention now turns to the 57th Battle of the Keys. The Dolphins make the short trip north on Friday, Oct. 2 for a 7 p.m. kickoff in Tavernier, where Coral Shores will attempt to extend its sevengame winning streak in the rivalry and Marathon will look to end it. As for Holly’s thoughts on the annual showdown, he kept it simple: “We’re looking forward to it!” KEY WEST For Key West, it was a tale

of two halves Sept. 25 against visiting True North Classical Academy. The Titans got on the board first, but the undeterred Conchs struck back, capitalizing on a recovered fumble to put three points on the board with a field goal. Soon after, Key West took the lead when Roman Van Loon connected with Cain Hughes, then Reef Guyet punched one in from six yards out to give the Conchs a 17-7 lead at the half. The Conchs came out of the locker room with the lead, but their offense hit roadblocks on each possession in the third and fourth quarters. VanLoon was sidelined with an injury early in the second half, and the bad luck kept coming. Three fumbles, a safety, a stalled drive and an interception kept Key West off the scoreboard while the Titans took advantage, piling up 23 unanswered points to come away with a 30-17 win. Despite the score, head coach Johnny Hughes was proud of his team. “We made a couple mistakes that cost us dearly, but the guys put out a great effort,” he said. “It was a physical game. I’m proud of their effort.” Key West hosts North Miami Beach Oct. 2 in a district matchup.

OCTOBER 1, 2026 / KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP/LEGALS & CLASSIFIEDS

Hurricanes chase a record eighth straight as Dolphins look to turn the tide

hen Marathon and Coral Shores meet on Friday, Oct. 2, more than one number will be at stake. The 57th Battle of the Keys gives the Dolphins an opportunity to halt Coral Shores’ seven-game run and gives the Hurricanes a chance to establish the longest winning streak in the rivalry’s storied history. Coral Shores enters the 7 p.m. contest on their home turf holding a 31-25 advantage in a series dating back to 1970, making it the longest-standing rivalry in Keys sports. The Hurricanes have won every meeting since Marathon’s 14-0 victory in 2018, matching the Dolphins’ seven-game streak from 2003 through 2010. An eighth consecutive Coral Shores victory would establish a new series record. The Hurricanes will have history and home field on their side, along with several advantages on paper. Ed Holly’s squad enters the matchup fresh off a 29-14 victory over Oxbridge Academy, a team Sean McDonald’s Dolphins fell to in week 2. The Hurricanes also have the deeper roster, dressing 46 athletes to Marathon’s 26, and their 13 seniors give Coral Shores a significant edge in experience. But Marathon has been making the most of its young roster. Despite having just five seniors and a thinner look on the sidelines, the Dolphin underclassmen have been making waves in recent weeks. If the Fins can stay healthy heading into the matchup, their record may not tell the whole story. Marathon’s single-wing offense is well suited to smaller rosters and undersized athletes, relying on the whole-team approach the Fins have been showing in recent weeks. When each player executes his assignment, the offense can be remarkably difficult to contain. Its punishing ground game can steadily wear down opponents — provided the Fins, many of whom rarely leave the field while playing offense, defense and special teams, don’t wear down first. Despite having just one win on the books, Marathon is averaging more than 25 points per game. The Dolphin arsenal includes seniors Jesus and Israel Gonzalez, twins whose running styles could hardly be more

different. Jesus relies on speed and elusiveness to evade defenders, while Israel is more inclined to lower his shoulder and power through them. Classmate Mathew Machado provides the Fins with a do-it-all option, willing and able to fill whatever role is needed to keep the offense moving. Coral Shores brings a different offensive look to the rivalry. Holly has been airing things out more this season, showing confidence in senior quarterback Sterling Keefe, who has connected with multiple receivers. But the Hurricanes have hardly abandoned the ground game. Coral Shores remains a scrappy, physical team willing to grind out yards and fight through contact, giving its offense balance and multiple ways to move the chains. Few players embody that toughness better than senior David Beltran. Keefe’s favorite target is also a versatile running back with speed and the ability to break free, but Beltran can be just as effective when there is nowhere to run. When opponents do manage to get their hands on him, he often takes them along for the ride, fighting through contact and squeezing extra yards out of seemingly finished plays. That same tenacity runs throughout the Hurricane offense, where backs and blockers have made the running game a formidable complement to Keefe’s increasingly productive passing attack. Both programs also appear to be trending in the right direction as they head toward the annual rivalry game. In the most recent rankings released Sept. 24, Coral Shores stood at No. 386 statewide after climbing 61 spots following its shutout of Glades Day. Marathon was ranked No. 538, moving up 15 spots despite its loss to unbeaten Evangelical Christian the previous week. Both teams have since added wins. And while records, rankings, roster sizes and winning streaks provide plenty to measure heading into the 57th meeting, rivalry games have a way of making the numbers matter a little less once the ball is kicked off.

KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP/LEGALS & CLASSIFIEDS / OCTOBER 1, 2026

THE HOME STRETCH Keys volleyball teams enter ﬁnal week before district play

ith playoffs on the horizon, Monroe County volleyball squads sharpened their game against familiar faces to close out September. Marathon split the week with a win and a loss, rolling to a 6-10 record as teams head into the final week of the regular season. The Lady Fins traveled to Posnack on Sept. 23, where they overpowered the Rams 25-15 in the first set but lost momentum, eventually falling 3-1. The following day, Marathon packed the vans again, this time traveling to Horeb Christian, where they had no problems overcoming the Mustangs in straight sets. Shaina Robinson fired off seven aces and eight kills while Kaya Hughes-Struyf added four aces and eight kills to bring home the win. The Fins remain unbeaten in their 1A District 8 Rural classification. Also unbeaten in their district are the Hurricanes, who continued to dominate their opponents last week. Coral Shores dispatched Somerset South Homestead Sept. 22 in a 3-1 road win that highlighted

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1. Bella Villalba (5) attacks the ball at the net as Key West defenders challenge the play during the match against Coral Shores. 2. Coral Shores and Key West meet at the net before the match to wish each other good luck. 3. Alex Burson (12) uses a forearm pass to control the ball for Coral Shores during the match against Key West. 4. Kerestin Hults (11) rises for an attack at the net as two Coral Shores defenders go up for the block. NATALIE GOODWIN/Keys Weekly

the ’Canes’ multitalented roster. Sophomore Coralyn Frimpter hammered 19 kills and added 10 digs, a block, an ace and a 100% serve percentage. Senior Celene Walker added a dozen kills, 18 digs and a pair of aces while Jillian Thiery added six more kills to the team total of 41. Coach Sam Ovalle had plenty of praise for sophomore Miracle Woods, who he deemed the team’s defensive specialist. “She isn’t afraid to go after the tough balls,” he said. Ovalle also credited his libero, Alex Buirson, for being a game-changer. “Alex plays with heart and gives everything she has for the team,” Ovalle said. Two nights later, Key West made the trip to Tavernier with hopes of avenging an early-season loss to the Hurricanes. But the ’Canes proved their earlier win was no fluke, beating the Conchs in straight sets behind more strong performances from the Coral Shores roster. Frimpter led the way with 13 kills, four digs, an ace and a block. Walker fired off 10 kills, a pair of aces, two assists and 10 digs in the win, while Abby Leigh set things up for the Hurricanes with 21 assists, 21 digs, three aces and a pair of kills. The team’s nine total aces against a talented Key West front highlighted Coral Shores’ strength at the service line. Coral Shores closed out the week on Sept. 26 with another sweep, taking down Somerset College Prep 3-0 to improve to 18-3 heading into the final week of the regular season. After coming up short against Coral Shores, Key West turned to a busy weekend at the Florida Christian tournament. The Conchs opened tournament play on Sept. 25 against Immaculata-LaSalle, battling past the Royal Lions in an opening set that needed extra points to decide before dropping the next two in a 2-1 loss. Key West returned to the court later that evening against St. Brendan, falling to the Sabres 2-1 before closing out tournament play on Sept. 26 with a 2-0 loss to True North Classical Academy. With regular-season schedules winding down, district action begins Oct. 12. Coral Shores and Key West will enter the 3A District 16 bracket, where the two Keys rivals could meet again. Marathon will take a different postseason path, competing in the 1A Rural classification.

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• CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES •

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LEGAL NOTICES

NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE U-HAUL COMPANY OF MIAMI Notice is hereby given that on October 5th, 2026, Leonard Richford Jr. Storage Auctioneer, Executive Administrator for U-Haul Company of Miami, Will be offering for sale under the Judicial Lien Process, By Public Auction, the following storage units. The Terms of the sale will be cash only. U-Haul Company does reserve the right to refuse any bids. The

sales will Begin at 8:00 a.m. and continue day by day until all units are sold. The names of whose units will be sold are as follows: Location: 103530 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, FL 33037 Behrendt, Jessica 1755 McClain, Don 1655 Murgas, Alex 1580 Publish: September 24 and October 1, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers

NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE SOLICITATIONS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, at 3:00 P.M., the Monroe County Purchasing Office will receive and open sealed responses for the following: Latin America (LATAM) Sales Agency Monroe County, Florida Pursuant to F.S. § 50.0211(3) (a), all published competitive

solicitation notices can be viewed at: www.floridapublicnotices. com, a searchable Statewide repository for all published legal notices. Requirements for submission and the selection criteria may be requested from the County’s electronic bidding platform at https://monroecountyfl.bonfirehub.com OR www. monroecounty-fl.gov/BonfireBids. The Public Record is available upon request.

at https://monroecounty-fl. bonfirehub.com, no later than 3:00 P.M. on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. There is no cost to the bidder to use the Bonfire platform. Please do not submit your confidential financial information as part of your proposal. There are separate uploads for each set of documents, including confidential financial information. All proposals will be made public on the platform after an intended

decision or 30 days, whichever is earlier, unless the bids/proposals are rejected in accordance with F.S. 119.071. If your proposal document includes financial information, that information will not be considered confidential and will be available and viewable to the public in accordance with public records law. In the event of a discrepancy between the bid amount on the Proposal Form and the bid amount entered in

ALTERNATIVES PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETING

Card Sound Road Bridge

Project Development and Environment (PD&E) Phase

Financial Project ID: 453765-1-22-01 Efficient Transportation Decision Making (ETDM) Number: 14539 The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) will host an Alternatives Public Information Meeting for the Card Sound Road Bridge PD&E Phase. The project limits extend from south of Milepost 5 to Milepost 6.242 along County Road (C.R) 905A/Card Sound Road in Monroe County. The purpose of this project is to evaluate alternatives that will address the structural degradation and substandard design elements of the existing Card Sound Road Bridge, including improved emergency evacuation/response times, and the need for bicycle/pedestrian facilities. This meeting is an opportunity to provide you with an overview of the proposed alternatives and potential social, environmental, and economic effects, followed by a question-and-answer session. The meeting will be held simultaneously in person and virtually.

Reunión Pública Informativa sobre Alternativas

Puente de Card Sound Road Fase de Desarrollo del Proyecto y Medio Ambiente (PD&E)

ID de Proyecto Financiero: 453765-1-22-01 Número de toma de decisions de transporte eficiente (ETDM): 14539 El Departamento de Transporte de Florida (FDOT) organizará una reunión pública informativa sobre alternativas para la Fase PD&E del Puente de Card Sound Road. Los límites del proyecto se extienden desde el sur del poste de milla 5 hasta el poste de milla 6.242 a lo largo de la Carretera del Condado (C.R.) 905A/Card Sound Road en el condado de Monroe. El propósito de este proyecto es evaluar alternativas que aborden la degradación estructural y los elementos de diseño deficientes del puente de Card Sound Road, así como mejorar los tiempos de evacuación y respuesta de emergencia, y la necesidad de instalaciones para bicicletas/peatones. Esta reunión es una oportunidad para ofrecerle una visión general de las alternativas propuestas y los posibles efectos sociales, ambientales y económicos, seguida de una sesión de preguntas y respuestas. La reunión se llevará a cabo simultáneamente en persona y virtual.

Thursday, October 8, 2026, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Presentation starting at 6 p.m.

Jueves, 8 de octubre, 2026, de 5:30 p.m. a 7:30 p.m. Presentación a partir de las 6 p.m.

Virtual Option: To participate virtually from your computer, tablet, or smartphone, please register using the following link https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/ae4cdee5-5418-4983bb03-f2a5a9ed56d6@4cf2e5a9-7553-47d9-b3c4-b29299a853a9 or scan the QR code provided.

Opción Virtual: Para participar virtualmente desde su computadora, tableta o teléfono inteligente, regístrese utilizando el siguiente enlace https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/ae4cdee5-5418-4983bb03-f2a5a9ed56d6@4cf2e5a9-7553-47d9-b3c4-b29299a853a9 o escanee el código QR proporcionado.

Phone Option: Call in by dialing (689) 223-3081 and enter access code 852 272 578#.

Opción de teléfono: Llame marcando (689) 223-3081 e ingrese el código de acceso 852 272 578 #.

In-person Option: Murray Nelson Government Center, BOCC Room, 102050 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, FL 33037

Opción en persona: Murray Nelson Government Center, BOCC Room, 102050 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, FL 33037 Hampton Inn

Murray Nelson Government Center

Public participation is solicited without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability, or family status. Persons who need special assistance under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 or who need translation services (free of charge) should contact Yulet Fernandez, P.E., at 305-470-5219 or in writing to Florida Department of Transportation, 1000 NW 111 Avenue, Miami, FL 33172 or by email at Yulet.Fernandez@dot.state.fl.us at least seven days prior to the meeting. Your attendance is encouraged and appreciated. If you would like further information about this project, please contact the FDOT Project Manager, Claudia Gutierrez, P.E., at Claudia.Gutierrez@dot.stat.fl.us or 305-470-5268. You may also visit the project website at www.fdotmiamidade.com/CardSoundBridgePDE. The environmental review, consultation, and other actions required by applicable federal environmental laws for this project are being, or have been, carried out by FDOT pursuant to 23 U.S.C. § 327 and a Memorandum of Understanding dated May 26, 2022, and executed by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and FDOT.

Se solicita la participación pública sin distinción de raza, color, origen nacional, edad, sexo, religion, discapacidad, o estado familiar. Las personas que necesiten asistencia especial bajo la Ley de Estadounidenses con Discapacidades del 1990 o que necesiten servicios de traducción (sin cargo) deben comunicarse con Yulet Fernandez, P.E., al 305-470-5201; o por escrito al Departamento de Transporte de la Florida, 1000 NW 111 Avenue, Miami, FL 33172; o por correo electrónico a Yulet.Fernandez@dot.state.fl.us al menos siete días antes de la reunión. Su participación es bienvenida y apreciada. Si desea más información sobre este proyecto, por favor, póngase en contacto con el Gerente de Proyecto del FDOT , Claudia Gutierrez, P.E., a Claudia.Gutierrez@dot.state.fl.us o 305-470-5268 . También puede visitar el sitio web del proyecto al www.fdotmiamidade.com/CardSoundBridgePDE. La revisión ambiental, la consulta y otras acciones requeridas por las leyes ambientales federales aplicables para este proyecto están siendo, o han sido, llevadas a cabo por el FDOT de conformidad con 23 U.S.C. § 327 y un Memorando de Entendimiento de fecha 26 de mayo de 2022, y ejecutado por la Administración Federal de Carreteras (FHWA) y FDOT.

KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP/LEGALS & CLASSIFIEDS / OCTOBER 1, 2026

• CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES • LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

Bonfire, the bid amount listed in the “Proposal Form” provided by Monroe County in the RFP is the amount that will be utilized by the County when considering the bid proposal. The County reserves the right to waive any proposal/bid irregularity. The bid opening for this solicitation will be held virtually, via the internet, at 3:00 P.M., on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. You may call in by phone or internet using the following: Join Zoom Meeting https://mcbocc.zoom. us/j/4509326156 Meeting ID: 4509326156 One tap mobile: +16465189805,,4509326156# US (New York) +16699006833,,4509326156# US (San Jose) Dial by your location: +1 646 518 9805 US (New York) +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) Publish: October 1, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers

Monroe County Purchasing Department receives bids via the Bonfire electronic bidding platform. Please do not email, mail or attempt to deliver in person any sealed bids. Emailed/ mailed/physically delivered bids/ proposals/responses WILL NOT be accepted. The Monroe County Purchasing Department hereby directs that bids be submitted via the Bonfire electronic bidding platform at https://monroecounty-fl. bonfirehub.com, no later than 3:00P.M. on November 4, 2026. There is no cost to the bidder to use the Bonfire platform. Please do not submit your confidential financial information as part of your proposal. There are separate uploads for each set of documents, including confidential financial information. All proposals will be made public on the platform after an intended decision or 30 days, whichever is earlier, unless the bids/proposals are rejected in accordance with F.S. 119.071. If your proposal document includes financial information, that information will not be considered confidential and will be available and viewable to the public in accordance with public records law. The bid opening for this solicitation will be held virtually, via the internet, at 3:00 P.M., on Wednesday, November 4, 2026. You may call in by phone or internet using the following: Join Zoom Meeting https://mcbocc.zoom. us/j/4509326156 Meeting ID: 4509326156 One tap mobile: +16465189805,,4509326156# US (New York) +16699006833,,4509326156# US (San Jose) Dial by your location: +1 646 518 9805 US (New York) +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) Publish: October 1, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 16TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA, PROBATE DIVISION FILE # 26-CP-389-P IN RE: THE ESTATE OF ANNE HARRIS Deceased. NOTICE TO CREDITORS The administration of the estate of, ANNE HARRIS, deceased, whose date of death was 1 February 2025, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 88770 Overseas Highway, Tavernier, Florida 33070. The names and addresses of the Personal Representative and the Personal Representative’s attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent's estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT'S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED. The date of first publication of this notice is October 1, 2026. Personal Representative: Diana Harris 155 Harbor Drive Key Largo, FL 33037

NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE SOLICITATIONS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, at 3:00 P.M., the Monroe County Purchasing Office will receive and open sealed responses for the following: Professional Architectural and Engineering Continuing Services Monroe County, Florida Pursuant to F.S. § 50.0211(3) (a), all published competitive solicitation notices can be viewed at: www.floridapublicnotices. com, a searchable Statewide repository for all published legal notices. Requirements for submission and the selection criteria may be requested from the County’s electronic bidding platform at https://monroecountyfl.bonfirehub.com OR www. monroecounty-fl.gov/BonfireBids. The Public Record is available upon request.

John D. Verghese, M.D.

Keys Plastic Surgery & Dermatology 2901 Overseas Highway, Suite # 2 Marathon, Florida 33050 Dr. John D. Verghese will be retiring and closing his practice, Keys Plastic Surgery & Dermatology, located at 2901 Overseas Highway, Suite # 2, Marathon, Florida 33050, effective October 12th, 2026. Please call the office at 305-289-1975 with any questions. Patient’s medical records will remain with Dr. John D. Verghese. Patients who wish to receive their medical records may contact the office at 305-289-1975. Publish: September 10, 17 & 24 and October 1, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers

LEGAL NOTICES Attorney for Personal Representative: Tom Woods, Esq. Florida Bar No.: 0525197 116 Porto Salvo Drive Islamorada, Florida 33036 Phone 305.664.2200 Fax 2205 Primary Email: tom@ tomwoodslaw.com Secondary Email: eserve@ tomwoodslaw.com Publish: October 1 & 8, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 26-CP-000216-M DIVISION: MARATHON IN RE: ESTATE OF HELEN E. CUNNINGHAM Deceased. NOTICE TO CREDITORS The administration of the estate of Helen E. Cunningham, deceased, whose date of death was December 21, 2024, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 3117 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. The personal representative has no duty to discover whether any property held at the time of the decedent's death by the decedent or the decedent's surviving spouse is property to which the Florida Uniform Disposition of Community Property Rights at Death Act as described in ss. 732.216-732.228, Florida Statutes, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under s. 732.2211, Florida Statutes. The written demand must be filed with the clerk. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED. The date of first publication of this notice is October 1, 2026. Personal Representative: Kathleen B. Conder 7195 Coreopsis Cove Kalamazoo, Michigan 49009 Attorney for Personal Representative: Robert K. Miller Attorney Florida Bar Number: 359173 Cunningham Miller Rhyne PA 10075 Overseas Hwy PO Box 500938 Marathon, FL 33050 Telephone: (305) 743-9428 Fax: (305) 743-8800 E-Mail: rmiller@floridakeyslaw.com Secondary: service@ floridakeyslaw.com Publish: October 1 & 8, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 26-CP-000327-M DIVISION: MARATHON IN RE: ESTATE OF ALEXANDER EVAGELOS TERPOS Deceased. NOTICE TO CREDITORS The administration of the estate of ALEXANDER EVAGELOS TERPOS,

305.743.0844

LEGAL NOTICES

deceased, whose date of death was October 13, 2024, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 3117 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. The personal representative has no duty to discover whether any property held at the time of the decedent's death by the decedent or the decedent's surviving spouse is property to which the Florida Uniform Disposition of Community Property Rights at Death Act as described in ss. 732.216-732.228, Florida Statutes, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under s. 732.2211, Florida Statutes. The written demand must be filed with the clerk. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED. The date of first publication of this notice is October 1, 2026. Personal Representative: Dimitria Nicole Terpos Bailey 154 Guava Avenue Marathon, Florida 33050 Attorney for Personal Representative: Robert K. Miller Attorney Florida Bar Number: 359173 Cunningham Miller Rhyne PA 10075 Overseas Hwy PO Box 500938 Marathon, FL 33050 Telephone: (305) 743-9428 Fax: (305) 743-8800 E-Mail: service@floridakeyslaw. com Secondary:rmiller@floridakeyslaw. com Publish: October 1 & 8, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers

AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. The personal representative has no duty to discover whether any property held at the time of the decedent's death by the decedent or the decedent's surviving spouse is property to which the Florida Uniform Disposition of Community Property Rights at Death Act as described in ss. 732.216-732.228, Florida Statutes, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under s. 732.2211, Florida Statutes. The written demand must be filed with the clerk. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED. The date of first publication of this notice is October 1, 2026. Personal Representative: David K. Campbell 7766 Aviation Blvd Marathon, Florida 33050 Attorney for Personal Representative: Robert K. Miller Attorney Florida Bar Number: 359173 Cunningham Miller Rhyne PA 10075 Overseas Hwy PO Box 500938 Marathon, FL 33050 Telephone: (305) 743-9428 Fax: (305) 743-8800 E-Mail: service@floridakeyslaw. com Secondary:rmiller@floridakeyslaw. com Publish: October 1 & 8, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers

IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED. The date of first publication of this notice is: September 24, 2026. LISA SPELLMAN, Petitioner JOHN P. SEILER, ESQUIRE Attorney for Petitioner, Lisa Spellman Florida Bar Number: 776343 Seiler Sautter Zaden Rimes & Wahlbrink 2850 North Andrews Avenue Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33311 Telephone: (954) 568-7000 E-Mail: jseiler@sszrlaw.com Alternate E-Mail: lsasser@ sszrlaw.com RAYMOND J. POWERS, Petitioner JODY LESLIE, ESQUIRE Attorney for Petitioner, Raymond J. Powers Florida Bar Number: 773174 LESLIE & McLAUGHLIN, LLP 6750 North Andrews Avenue Suite 200-2038 Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33309 Telephone: (954) 779-1772 E-Mail: service@leslie-law.com Alternate E-Mail: lmservice.2400@gmail.com Publish: September 24 and October 1, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 26-CP-000435-M DIVISION: MARATHON IN RE: ESTATE OF ROBERT CARDER CAMPBELL Deceased. NOTICE TO CREDITORS The administration of the estate of Robert Carder Campbell, deceased, whose date of death was May 7, 2026, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 3117 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 26-CP-458-K DIVISION: PROBATE IN RE: ESTATE OF CELESTE M. SCHETTIG Deceased. NOTICE TO CREDITORS The administration of the Estate of CELESTE M. SCHETTIG, deceased, whose date of death was August 6, 2026, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 500 Whitehead Street, Key West, Florida 33040. The names and addresses of the Co-Personal Representatives and the Co-Personal Representatives’ attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. The personal representative has no duty to discover whether any property held at the time of the decedent's death by the decedent or the decedent's surviving spouse is property to which the Florida Uniform Disposition of Community Property Rights at Death Act as described in ss. 732.216-732.228, Florida Statutes, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under s. 732.2211, Florida Statutes. The written demand must be filed with the clerk. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 26-CP-486-K IN RE: ESTATE OF ROBERT LOUIS BRESLIN Deceased. NOTICE TO CREDITORS The administration of the estate of ROBERT LOUIS BRESLIN, deceased, whose date of death was March 31, 2026, is pending in the Circuit Court for MONROE County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 500 Whitehead Street, Key West, FL 33040. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. The personal representative has no duty to discover whether any property held at the time of the decedent's death by the decedent or the decedent's surviving spouse is property to which the Florida Uniform Disposition of Community Property Rights at Death Act as described in ss. 732.216-732.228, Florida Statutes, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under s. 732.2211, Florida Statutes. The written demand must be filed with the clerk. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED. The date of first publication of this notice is: September

OCTOBER 1, 2026 / KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP/LEGALS & CLASSIFIEDS

• CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES • LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

24, 2026. Personal Representative: MICHAEL ALLEN BRESLIN 6667 Stadler Road Monroe, Michigan 48162 Attorney for Personal Representative: JOHN FERRARI, JR. Attorney Florida Bar No. 111132 Ferrari Elder Law 7100 S. Beneva Road Sarasota, Florida 34238 Telephone: (941) 960-1676 Fax: (941) 296-8656 E-mail: johnf@ferrarielderlaw. com Secondary E-mail: pollyb@ ferrarielderlaw.com Publish: September 24 and October 1, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers

September 24 and October 1, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 26-CP-487-K IN RE: ESTATE OF JEAN M. MCGROARTY Deceased. NOTICE TO CREDITORS The administration of the estate of JEAN M. MCGROARTY, deceased, whose date of death was March 25, 2026, is pending in the Circuit Court for MONROE County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 500 Whitehead Street, Key West, FL 33040. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. The personal representative has no duty to discover whether any property held at the time of the decedent's death by the decedent or the decedent's surviving spouse is property to which the Florida Uniform Disposition of Community Property Rights at Death Act as described in ss. 732.216-732.228, Florida Statutes, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under s. 732.2211, Florida Statutes. The written demand must be filed with the clerk. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED. The date of first publication of this notice is: September 24, 2026. Personal Representative: CHERYL ANN AJAX 1930 Glenoak Drive Corpus Christi, Texas 78418 Attorney for Personal Representative: JOHN FERRARI, JR. Attorney Florida Bar No. 111132 Ferrari Elder Law 7100 S. Beneva Road Sarasota, Florida 34238 Telephone: (941) 960-1676 Fax: (941) 296-8656 E-mail: johnf@ferrarielderlaw. com Secondary E-mail: pollyb@ ferrarielderlaw.com Publish:

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA KEY WEST DIVISION IN ADMIRALTY CASE NO.: 4:26-cv-10161LEIBOWITZ IN RE: PETITION OF SPRAY WATER SPORTS, LLC as Owner of a 2025 11’ YAMAHA MOTOR CORPORATION, U.S.A. PERSONAL WATERCRAFT, hull identification YAMA0252G425, and its engines, tackle, apparel and appurtenances, Petitioner, __________________/ NOTICE OF PETITION FOR EXONERATION FROM OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY NOTICE is hereby given that Petitioner, Spray Water Sports, LLC (“Petitioner”), as Owner of a 2025 11' YAMAHA MOTOR CORPORATION, U.S.A. PERSONAL WATERCRAFT, hull identification YAMA0252G425 (the “Vessel”), has filed a Petition claiming the benefit of exoneration from and/or limitation of liability according to law and as provided in Section 30501 et seq. of Title 46, United States Code, Rule F of the Supplemental Rules for Certain Admiralty and Maritime Claims of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, and the statutes supplemental thereto and amendatory thereof, and also contesting liability independently of the limitation of liability claimed in said Petition for any loss, damage or injury occurring on or about May 25, 2025, in navigable waters in the area of Islamorada, Florida as described in the Petition and said Petition also stating the facts and circumstances upon which exoneration from and/or limitation or liability is claimed. All persons or corporations having claims arising out of the events mentioned above and as more particularly described in the Petition must present them as provided in Rule F of the Supplemental Rules for Certain Admiralty and Maritime Claims of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, to the Clerk, United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Key West Division, located at 301 Simonton Street, Room 130, Key West, Florida 33040, and serve on or mail copies thereof to the Petitioner’s attorney, Charles S. Davant, Esquire, Davant Law, P.A., 100 NE 3rdAve, Suite 440, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301, on or before November 13, 2026 or be defaulted. Personal attendance is not required. Any claimant desiring to contest the allegations of the Petition shall file and serve on counsel for Petitioner an Answer to the Petition on or before the aforesaid date unless the Claim includes an Answer so designated or be defaulted. Publish: October 1, 8, 15 & 22, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 16TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.: 26-DR-001080-P TAMARA HELENE ARRINGTON, OBO PCH Petitioner, and In Re: Name Change, Respondent. NOTICE OF ACTION FOR NAME CHANGE FOR MINOR CHILD NAME CHANGE TO: JOHN HOLMES RESPONDENT’S LAST KNOWN ADDRESS: UNKNOWN YOU ARE NOTIFIED that an action for FAMILY CASE - PETITION FOR CHANGE OF NAME (MINOR CHILD) has been filed against you and that you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to it on TAMARA HELENE ARRINGTON, whose address is 1032 GIBRALTAR ROAD, KEY LARGO, FLORIDA 33037 on or

305.743.0844

LEGAL NOTICES

EMPLOYMENT

before OCTOBER 31, 2026, and file the original with the clerk of this Court at Monroe County Clerk of the Circuit Court, 88770 Overseas Hwy, Ste. 2, Plantation Key, FL 33070 before service on Petitioner or immediately thereafter. If you fail to do so, a default may be entered against you for the relief demanded in the petition. Copies of all court documents in this case, including orders, are available at the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s office. You may review these documents upon request. You must keep the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s office notified of your current address. (You may file Designation of Current Mailing and E-Mail Address, Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.915.) Future papers in this lawsuit will be mailed or e-mailed to the address(es) on record at the clerk’s office. WARNING: Rule 12.285, Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure, requires certain automatic disclosure of documents and information. Failure to comply can result in sanctions, including dismissal or striking of pleadings. Dated: August 23, 2026 Kevin Madok, CPA, Clerk Clerk of the Circuit Court Monroe County, Florida By: Katherine Soto Deputy Clerk Publish: October 1, 8, 15 & 22, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.: 26-DR-1043-K JOSEPH COLABELLA, JR., Petitioner, and KYLIE G. HINE, Respondent. NOTICE OF ACTION FOR DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE (NO CHILD OR FINANCIAL SUPPORT) TO: KYLIE B. HINE RESPONDENT’S LAST KNOWN ADDRESS: 7505 SE 28TH STREET, APT. 302, MERCER ISLAND, WA 98040 YOU ARE NOTIFIED that an action for dissolution of marriage has been filed against you and that you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to it on JOSEPH COLABELLA, JR, whose address is 1360 6TH STREET, REAR, KEY WEST, FL 33040 on or before OCTOBER 10, 2026, and file the original with the clerk of this Court at 500 WHITEHEAD STREET, KEY WEST, FL 33040 before service on Petitioner or immediately thereafter. If you fail to do so, a default may be entered against you for the relief demanded in the petition. The action is asking the court to decide how the following real or personal property should be divided: NONE Copies of all court documents in this case, including orders, are available at the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s office. You may review these documents upon request. You must keep the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s office notified of your current address. (You may file Designation of Current Mailing and E-Mail Address, Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.915.) Future papers in this lawsuit will be mailed or e-mailed to the address(es) on record at the clerk’s office. WARNING: Rule 12.285, Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure, requires certain automatic disclosure of documents and information. Failure to comply can result in sanctions, including dismissal or striking of pleadings. Dated: September 10, 2026 Kevin Madok, CPA, Clerk Clerk of the Circuit Court Monroe County, Florida By: Destiny Johnson Deputy Clerk Publish: September 17 & 24 and October 1 & 8, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers

Future papers in this lawsuit will be mailed to the address on record at the clerk’s office. WARNING: Rule 12.285, Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure, requires certain automatic disclosure of documents and information. Failure to comply can result in sanctions, including dismissal or striking of pleadings. Dated: September 8, 2026 KEVFIN MADOK, CPA, Clerk CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT Monroe County, Florida By: Leslie Turner Deputy Clerk Publish: September 10, 17 & 24 and October 1, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers

Marathon Yacht Club is hiring a part-time Bartender and Server. Flexible evening shifts 3:30-9:00 at a private club. Must provide photo ID, social security card or passport, and checking account. Email office@ marathonyachtclub. com or call 305-743-6739 to schedule an interview.

Experienced FT Line Cook needed at the Cabana Club, an ocean front private swim club. 10AM - 5PM, Good Pay. Small friendly staff. Apply in person at 425 E. Ocean Dr. Key Colony Beach or call 404-2193359 and ask for Dave

AUTOS WANTED

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.

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA FAMILY DIVISION CASE NO.: 2026-DR-000345-M IN RE: THE MARRIAGE OF OMAR FLORES RIVES, Petitioner/Husband, and MABEL ARZUAGA PEREZ, Respondent/Wife. NOTICE OF ACTION TO: Mabel Arzuaga Perez Respondent/Wife 7151 Overseas Hwy, Apt. 301 Marathon, FL 33050 YOU ARE NOTIFIED that an action has been filed against you and that you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to it on the petitioner’s attorney, ADA M. BARRETO, P.A., whose address is 782 N.W. 42ND Avenue, Suite 440, Miami, Florida 33126, on or before October 10, 2026, and file the original with the clerk of this Court at the Family Division, 3117 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050, before service on Petitioner’s attorney or immediately thereafter. If you fail to do so, a default may be entered against you for the relief demanded in the petition. Copies of all court documents in this case, including orders, are available at the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s office. You may review these documents upon request. You must keep the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s office notified of your current address. (You may file a Notice of Current Address, Florida Family Law Form 12.915.)

Boat Slip &/or Rack For Rent in Marathon at The Boat House, Vaca Key. Call Tony 561-346-6400

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 16TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.: 26-DR-1056-K MATTHEW R. HOWARD, Petitioner, and JACLYN E. HOWARD, Respondent. NOTICE OF ACTION FOR DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE (NO CHILD OR FINANCIAL SUPPORT) TO: JACLYN E. HOWARD RESPONDENT’S LAST KNOWN ADDRESS: 3910 SOUTH ROOSEVELT BOULEVARD, 203N, KEY WEST, FL 33040 YOU ARE NOTIFIED that an action for dissolution of marriage has been filed against you and that you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to it on MATTHEW HOWARD, whose address is 3910 SOUTH ROOSEVELT BOULEVARD, 203N, KEY WEST, FL 33040 on or before OCTOBER 30, 2026, and file the original with the clerk of this Court at 500 WHITEHEAD STREET, KEY WEST, FL 33040 before service on Petitioner or immediately thereafter. If you fail to do so, a default may be entered against you for the relief demanded in the petition. The action is asking the court to decide how the following real or personal property should be divided: NONE Copies of all court documents in this case, including orders, are available at the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s office. You may review these documents upon request. You must keep the Clerk of the Circuit Court’s office notified of your current address. (You may file Designation of Current Mailing and E-Mail Address, Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.915.) Future papers in this lawsuit will be mailed or e-mailed to the address(es) on record at the clerk’s office. WARNING: Rule 12.285, Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure, requires certain automatic disclosure of documents and information. Failure to comply can result in sanctions, including dismissal or striking of pleadings. Dated: September 22, 2026 Kevin Madok, CPA, Clerk Clerk of the Circuit Court Monroe County, Florida By: Shonta McLeod Deputy Clerk Publish: October 1, 8, 15 & 22, 2026 The Weekly Newspapers

AUTOS ALL YEARS! Junk or Used Cars, Vans, Trucks. Runs or Not.$CASH 305-332-0483 AUTOS FOR SALE

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 BOATS FOR SALE

23' Aquasport dual console boat for sale. In excellent condition, new 200hp Suzuki under 50 hours in excellent condition. Aluminum trailer incl. Located in Summerland Key. $18,000 215-510-6296 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/RACK FOR RENT

PLACE YOUR BOAT SLIP FOR RENT AD HERE! $25/week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 3057 4 3 - 0 8 4 4 or Email Anneke@ keysweekly.com COMMERCIAL SPACE FOR RENT

PRIME COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE ON US 1 available for rent in Marathon. 3,000 SF and 2,000 SF avail. Let's make a deal! Call or text Tony at 860-428-1506 E m a i l : R2tpinc@gmail.com PLACE YOUR AD HERE! $25/week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-743-0844 or Email Anneke@ keysweekly.com

The Housing Authority of the City of Key West now hiring the following positions: Full-time Carpenter, Journeyman Electrician, Grounds Caretaker. To apply, please contact Human Resources at: greenel@kwha. org or 305-296-5621 ext. 225. 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.

Marathon Yacht Club is hiring a Line Cook. 20-30 hours a week at a private club, primarily dinner shifts, Tuesday-Saturday. $24/hr or negotiable based on experience. Must provide photo ID, social security card, and checking account. Email office@ marathonyachtclub. com or call 305-7436739 to schedule an interview. HIRED IN LESS THAN ONE MONTH!!! HIRING: Office Administrator in Marathon. Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), experience with QuickBooks or other accounting software preferred and must have excellent communication skills, both written and verbal. Full time – Mon-Fri. Pay TBD based on skill. Email: Natalie@cecflk.com HIRED!!! Specialty Hardware of Marathon - Looking for full time or part time person. Hardware knowledge an absolute must. Must have knowledge of hardware, plumbing and electrical. Apply in person at 10730 Overseas Hwy. Marathon 1-305-743-3382 HIRED!!! PLACE YOUR EMPLOYMENT AD HERE. $25/week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 3057 4 3 - 0 8 4 4 or Email Anneke@ keysweekly.com HOUSING FOR RENT

SUDOKU SOLUTION

KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP/LEGALS & CLASSIFIEDS / OCTOBER 1, 2026

• CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES • 305.743.0844 • CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES • 305.743.0844 HOUSING FOR RENT

HOUSING FOR RENT

MISC. FOR SALE

YARD SALES

ANNUAL RENTAL - Key Largo - 3BR/2BA new kitchen, Spacious Doublewide modular on canal w/40’ dock, direct ocean access. Very nice community $3500/month 786-258-3127

Studio Rental in Marathon, long-term, partially furnished, price includes internet, water, electric gas, garbage, pest, and lawn @ $1,800/ mo + utilities. Call or text 305-433-0515 RENTED!!!

Cargo Container Storage Units For Sale in Marathon. 20'-50' long, various pricing. Call 305-610-8002

TURN YOUR CARDS INTO CASH! Marathon collector buying any and all Pokemon cards & collections. Call 401-256-0645.

Scooter For Sale excellent condition, 7,541 miles, all service records, individually owned. $400 OBO. Located in Key West. Call Denny 305-294-5568 SOLD IN LESS THAN 2 WEEKS!!!

PLACE YOUR COLLECTIBLES AD HERE! $25/week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-743-0844 or Email Anneke@ keysweekly.com

mirror, barrel back cane armchair & stunning long drop leaf table. The living room set is vintage bamboo (couch, chair, coffee & console tables). Table & kitchen goods range from a Rosle roasting pan to MCM blue glassware to adorbs trivets. Art includes African American originals to New Orleans to Coastal. There is a “Power Hour Preview” on Sat, Oct. 3 from 2-3p of Part 2 of the sale for customers to cash ‘n’ carry. To see the full sale, visit estatesales. net. (Turn off US1 at MM61 Oceanside at Duck Key and follow the signs across 3 bridges. Park with consideration.)

2BR/2BA Single Family Waterfront Home for rent in Marathon. Fully furnished. 70' dock. $4,500/month includes all utilities, internet & TV. Available for 4 months Jan - April. 727-278-1105 3 BR/2 BA home for rent in Key Colony Beach. 75' premium dock. $3,800/ month + utilities. F/L/S 786-229-0228 2 BR available in Marathon for long term rental. On the water, gated property, $2,200/month includes limited electricity. First/Security. Small pets ok for separate fee. Call 305-610-8002

PLACE YOUR HOUSING FOR RENT AD HERE! $25/week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305743-0844 or Email A n n e k e @keysweekly.com HOUSING WANTED TO RENT

HOUSING WANTED TO RENT. Long-term rental at Cobia Point, Marathon. Will pay top dollar. Current Daytona Beach resident. Former Keys resident who wants to return. Please call Jan Burch at 251-978-6267 MISC. FOR SALE

PLACE YOUR MISC. FOR SALE AD HERE! $25/ week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-743-0844 or Email Anneke@ keysweekly.com WANTED TO BUY

PRIVATE COLLECTOR WANTS Rolex, Dive Watches and Pilot Watches. Old Model Military Clocks & W a t c h e s . Call 305-743-4578

NOW HIRING IN ISLAMORADA

BOAT RENTAL STAFF

FLEXIBLE HOURS & COMPETITIVE WAGES Need to have experience driving boats and a working knowledge of the Islamorada area by water. Duties include taking reservations, giving captains lessons and routine boat maintenance. Email Matt at eliteboatrentalsmatt@gmail.com. Please include contact information and any relevant experience.

NOW HIRING IN ISLAMORADA

YARD SALES

SARA’S ESTATE SALE on Duck Key @ 364 E Seaview Drive, Oct. 2-3, 9a to 1p. This is part 1 of GRANDMA’S COASTAL CHIC sale and it’s that good! Standouts for Week 1: solid teak patio dining table & chairs, huge selection of plant pots (from tiny to 30 gallon!) – glazed, unglazed, ceramic & cement! Outdoor decor ranges from glazed and copper spheres to fish art. Super cute guest bedroom set (new queen mattress & frame) featuring wicker sidetable, dresser &

PLACE YOUR YARD SALE AD HERE! $25/ week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-7430844 or Email Anneke@ keysweekly.com

• Take Out Kitchen - Team Members Experience Required • Barback

Full and Part-Time Posiions Available

Apply in-person at 724 Duval Street: Pizza Joe’s or New Orleans House Front Desk. English Speaking required with valid idennﬁcanon. Call 305-293-9800 for more informaaon

Finish Carpenter Experienced finish carpenter needed for high end residential work. Must have own tools and reliable transportation. Attention to detail and dependable work ethic required. Interior and Exterior work. Competitive pay and benefits. Working Project Construction Foreman Competitive pay and benefits.

NOW HIRING! wants you to join their team!

RETAIL GIFT SHOP ASSOCIATE Full-time. $19/hour to start.

EMAIL resume to: TurtleHospital@TurtleHospital.org APPLY in person: 2396 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL

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

MARINA CASHIER

SUBSTATION ELECTRICIAN

Must have customer service experience working in a retail environment and using a point of sale system. Additional duties include restocking, completing purchase orders, daily ordering of basic items in the store, and maintaining a clean appearance in the store. This is an hourly position and compensation is based on experience. Work hours are flexible and we try to maintain a set weekly schedule.

Starting pay rate for this position, depending on qualifications and experience: $48.47/hr. - $54.28/hr.

Please respond by email (Matt at islamarinamatt@gmail.com) with any relevant previous experience and at least two references.

Pool & Landscape Technician Experienced technician needed for pool plumbing, electrical, irrigation, lighting and outdoor audio. Must have strong troubleshooting skills and experience with hand/power tools. Reliable, hardworking and able to perform physical outdoor work. Competitive pay & benefits.

For complete details and to apply, please visit DAsignSource.com/careers

The Bourbon Street Pub Complex is now accepnng applicanons for:

• Security

D’Asign Source is seeking the following professionals. Overtime and benefits are available.

(High Voltage Substation Electrical Technician)

For more information, including job duties and required qualifications, and to apply for the job, please visit their website at www.KeysEnergy.com. KEYS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. KEYS promotes a Drug-Free Workplace. Certain service members, veterans, the spouses and family members of service members and veterans, receive preference and priority in employment, and are encouraged to apply for positions being filled.

SUNSET GRILLE NOW HIRING BARTENDERS WAIT STAFF - HOST/HOSTESS BUS PERSONS Apply in person at

SUNSET GRILLE & RAW BAR 7 Knight’s Key Blvd, Marathon

OCTOBER 1, 2026 / KEYS WEEKLY SPORTS WRAP/LEGALS & CLASSIFIEDS

• CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC && LEGAL NOTICES • • 305.743.0844 • CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC LEGAL NOTICES 305.743.0844 The Guidance/Care Center, Inc. a division of “Uplifting the human spirit since 1973”

THE GUIDANCE/CARE CENTER, Inc.

IS HIRING! JOIN A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE NONPROFIT HELPING PEOPLE COPE AND CHANGE FOR 53 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 Counselor (Child, FT)

KEY WEST Crisis Counselor (PT or FT) *Mental Health Technician (FT)

MARATHON Maintenance Specialist (FT) Driver (CDL NOT required) (FT, PT) Registered Nurse (PT) Behavioral Health Therapist (Adult, PT) Behavioral Health Therapist (Child, FT) *Support Worker (Assisted Living) (FT, PT) *Behavioral Health Technicians (FT, PT) *No experience required for this position. Will train. A caring heart & helpful hands necessary. Background and drug screen req. EEOC/DFWP COMPETITIVE PAY! EXCEPTIONAL BENEFITS!!! Apply at guidancecarecenter.org - Get Involved/ Join our team/Job Opportunities/location/zip

THE GUIDANCE/CARE CENTER, INC. “Uplifting the human spirit since 1973”

IS HIRING for The Heron Assisted Living Facility! Interested in gaining health care experience in a comfortable canal front home? Like giving care & assisting with life skills for 16 residents? Well-rounded team player able to handle a variety of responsibilities? Able to make meals, do paperwork, and hold a clean three yr. driver’s license? Available for PT or FT shifts 8am-4pm, 2pm-10pm Monday-Sunday? If so, you would be a great SUPPORT WORKER! No experience required for this position, we will train. A caring heart and helpful hands are necessary.

We offer flexibility; a minimum 16 hrs. & shift differentials! Background and drug screen req. EEOC/DFWP COMPETITIVE PAY! EXCEPTIONAL BENEFITS!!! Apply at guidancecarecenter.org - Get Involved/ Join our team/Job Opportunities/location/zip

MARATHON GARBAGE SERVICE We are now hiring for the following positions:

Diesel Mechanic Truck Helpers CDL Drivers Applicants must apply in person to be considered. 4290 Overseas Hwy, Marathon

OPENINGS AVAILABLE PHYSICIAN PRACTICE OPENINGS

- Medical Assistant, Ortho-Tavernier, $5k Bonus - Patient Access Associate, Multispecialty Marathon, $5k Bonus - Radiology Technologist, Ortho Surgical, Key West, $25k Bonus

MIAMI CANCER INSTITUTE KEY WEST - Pool Radiation Therapist

A Great Place to Bank, is a Great Place to WORK!

Key West Assistant Maintenance Manager

Islamorada Customer Service Representative

TAVERNIER MARINERS HOSPITAL

- Chaplain, Chaplaincy Spiritual Care, Per Diem - Director of Nursing Services, Intensive Care Unit/Oncology, $20k Bonus - Food Service Worker, Dietary, $5k Bonus - MC Multi-Modality Imaging Tech, MRI, $25k Bonus - Medical Technologist, Per Diem - Multi-Modality Imaging Tech, Echocardiography, Per Diem & FT - Multi-Modality Imaging Tech, (CT & X Ray), $25k Bonus - Multi-Modality Imaging Tech 2, (Echo & Vascular w/Ultrasound Preferred), $25k Bonus - Pharmacy Technician, Mariners Hospital, $7k Bonus - Physical Therapist, Outpatient, $25k Bonus - Pool Group Exercise Instructor, Per Diem - Pool Registered Nurse, Emergency Department, Per Diem - Registered Nurse, ICU, $25k Bonus - Registered Nurse, Surgery, $15k Bonus - Registered Respiratory Therapist 2, $25k Bonus - Supervisor Chef, Dietary

MARATHON FISHERMEN’S COMMUNITY HOSPITAL

- Cook, Dietary, FT - Diet Concierge, Full Time - ED Team Coordinator, PT & FT - Lead First Cook, Dietary, $5k Bonus - MC Multi-Modality Imaging Tech, CT & X Ray, $25k Bonus - MC Multi-Modality Imaging Tech, CT & X Ray, Radiology, $25k Bonus - Manager Food Services, Dietary - Manager Plant Operations, Facility Operations - Medical Assistant, Urology, $5k Bonus - Medical Technologist 2, $20k Bonus - Multi-Modality Imaging Tech 1, (CT & X Ray), Radiology, $25k Bonus - Patient Care/Nursing House Supervisor (MH/FCH), $20k Bonus - Patient Financial Associate, $10k Bonus - Patient Scheduler, Surgery, FT - Pool Physical Therapist, Per Diem - Registered Nurse, Emergency Department, Per Diem - Registered Respiratory Therapist, $25k Bonus - Registered Respiratory Therapist, PT, $12,500 Bonus - Security Officer, FT, 7A-7:30P - Sr Phlebotomist, $10k Bonus All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. *Sign-on bonuses are available only for select full-time positions based on candidate experience.

APPLY AND LEARN MORE careers.baptisthealth.net

Apply Online @ KeysBank.com/Careers

Member FDIC Equal Housing Lender

EOE-M/F/V/D

WHERE LUXURY LIVES

Let Our Connections Become Your Connections

305-664-4966 | 305-451-4078 Islamorada | 81800 Overseas Highway Key Largo | 99900 Overseas Highway

AMERICANCARIBBEANRE.COM

ISLAMORADA

KEY LARGO

115 Villa Bella Dr

52 S Andros Rd

Experience turnkey luxury in the

This concrete home offers a private pool and spa, deep-water

renowned Venetian Shores community with 70' of dockage.

dockage and quick ocean access.

4 BEDS | 4 BATHS

Offered at $4,899,000

Offered at $2,900,000

KEY LARGO

TAVERNIER

202 Atlantic Blvd

Ocean Pointe 4207

Turnkey & furnished pool home

Oceanfront condo sold fully

with bonus guest quarters area is

furnished. Resort-style amenities

warm and inviting.

and great rental opportunities.

3 BEDS | 4 BATHS

2 BED | 2 BATHS

Offered at $2,700,000

Offered at $579,000

Serving the Florida Keys since 1987 — the exclusive Christie's International Real Estate affiliate. AMERICANCARIBBEANRE.COM · FB.COM/AMERICANCARIBBEAN