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A former Miami Heat security officer pleaded guilty in federal court on Aug. 19 for stealing more than 400 jerseys and items from an equipment room and selling them online. According to federal prosecutors, the retired Miami police officer sold 100 stolen items — often below market value — over a three-year period. The remaining 300 jerseys and memorabilia items were recovered by law enforcement.
Members of
Local lobster trappers are sounding the alarm as tariffs, ICE activity and changing international markets choke out a cornerstone Keys industry. See below. ALEX RICKERT/Keys Weekly
TRAPPERS IN TROUBLE?
Immigration enforcement, tariffs and imports are leaving
Florida Keys
lobster fishermen high and dry
detain you indefinitely.
By Alex Rickert and Jim McCarthy
In the Florida Keys, immigration enforcement and changing international markets are draining the lifeblood of the island chain’s lobster industry. And locals are sounding the alarm.
For more than four decades, commercial fisherman Bruce Irwin has made his living on Keys waters. Working more than 100 hours per week to provide for his family, at the age of 63, today he said should be enjoying retirement. Instead, he told the Keys Weekly, he’s back on his boats, filling the space of legal, documented immigrants at risk of being detained by immigration enforcement operations.
In early August, a social media post by Customs and Border Protection boasted of an arrest of “4 illegal aliens from Nicaragua” aboard a commercial fishing vessel in Marathon.
“Don’t try it … We are watching!” the post said. “Another win for #BorderSecurity.”
While the post generated a fair show of support, other comments from Keys locals weren’t so inviting.
“Show me an American who can keep up with these guys, I’ll hire you right now, then watch you crash on the first trip,” one comment wrote.
“Safe from what? Hardworking individuals who have no prior (arrests) and have legal work permits?” said another. “Legal working permits are being revoked … and those individuals are now being deported.”
Irwin and other fishermen throughout the Keys say that even if workers are here legally, their documents are no longer worth the paper they’re printed on.
“My crew came here seeking asylum. They checked in and did everything right, got their visas and work permits, which are cleared by the Department of Homeland Security. (The crew) come to work, and we’re all legal,” Irwin said. “They (CBP) will do a little raid, take people off the boats, so they scare them all to where they all want to leave. If you fight it, they just
“It’s the most unfair thing I’ve ever seen in my life.”
Unwilling to send his crew to sea with no assurance they’d return home, Irwin said he’s back on the boat – but there’s no replacing the work he’s lost.
“The labor crisis in the Keys is huge … and we get these people, and we’re ecstatic – they’re the best people we’ve had in so long,” he said. “But my guys haven’t been on my boat. I don’t want to be responsible for you getting deported. I’m not living with that.
“It’s crippling many small businesses across the nation. If you want to take the undocumented people that never did any paperwork, then fine. But the guys who came here and did it right, why wouldn’t you want them here? One guy told me this is the best his family’s ever been in his life, and he’s so grateful for what he’s accomplished here in the country.”
Captain James “Bucko” Platt tells a similar story of his crew aboard the Melissa Keiko, the boat he owns and operates for his business, Marathon
Captain James ‘Bucko’ Platt and the crew of the Melissa Keiko head out for an early morning of pulling lobster traps in Marathon. ALEX RICKERT/Keys Weekly
Crab and Lobster Company.
“My normal crew that has worked with me for close to 10 years are from Nicaragua, and they’re work-permitted guys,” he said. “They’ve never been in any trouble. They’re family-oriented, religious, non-violent – not the type of people that I was expecting the federal government to be deporting.”
Down in Key West, Keys Fresh Seafood market owner John Buckheim told the Weekly that on Aug. 18, an attempt to help a boat in need turned into a raid that left the vessel stuck at his dock.
“I had a shrimp boat pull into my dock yesterday that needed water. Two plain-clothes guys walked up to the back of the boat. They made one signal, and out of nowhere, a fully tactical guy came running out from behind a car and took a guy down and off the boat,” he said. “I was giving him a free slip and free water, just to do what's right. Now, he’s stuck at my dock for the next week in a 100-foot boat.
continued on page 6
TRAPPERS IN TROUBLE
“He’s burning 75 gallons a day in diesel running the generator to keep his product in his boat frozen, and now it’s a two-man crew. It’s not safe for them to go back out until they find another guy. We just tied up an American business, and clogged up another business.”
On Aug. 18, the Weekly reached out to the offices of U.S. Rep. Carlos Gimenez and U.S. Sens. Rick Scott and Ashley Moody on the recent arrests of commercial fishing crew members by ICE in the Florida Keys. None of the offices responded to questions before press time on Aug. 20.
But a letter by Jerome Young, executive director for the Florida Keys Commercial Fisherman’s Association, to Gimenez’s office regarding the arrests by immigration authorities did garner a response by Beatriz Viera, his director of community affairs and constituent services.
Viera said recent enforcement actions by ICE are the result of President Trump’s executive order. Signed by the president Jan. 20, the order initially intended to remove illegal immigrants with criminal histories. Among other things, the order also directed the attorney general to prosecute criminal offenses related to anyone illegally entering the U.S.
However, Beatriz said the directive altered prior policies and is being “applied broadly, which is why individuals — even those with work permits — are being detained pending further review of their immigration status.”
“It’s important to know each case is different and not all shall be handled in the same way. Also, having a work permit does not necessarily mean they are admitted by USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) and usually means there is more to discuss on the case,” she said.
Beatriz added they’re seeking clearer guidance from federal agencies to understand the criteria and procedures being used in the apprehensions. The Weekly’s questions, which went unanswered, asked Gimenez, Scott and Moody if they received any clarification on the arrests of individuals, such as the fish crew members in the Keys who had valid work visas.
International market evaporates
Already hard-pressed to protect –or replace – their workforce, the Keys’ commercial lobster fleet has another burden to bear: competing with rockbottom prices of seafood from Carib-
bean nations, as a changing international landscape cripples the value of their exports.
According to an NBC report, in 2024, Keys fishermen caught nearly 4 million pounds of lobster. In recent years, three quarters of that catch has been exported to China.
The “gold rush,” as one source called it, was made possible in part by a four-year ban on Australian lobster imports to China that began in November 2020, along with a growing taste for the delicacy from the sea and the popularity of lobster during Lunar New Year celebrations.
In search of new lobster sources, the Chinese turned to the U.S., where spiny lobster from the Keys could easily be taken to the mainland and loaded on jumbo jets for export.
Several sources interviewed by the Weekly for this report said the historical “magic number” for the sale of whole lobster is roughly $8 per pound for a Keys commercial boat to make money, with $9 or $10 providing a more comfortable cushion.
At its peak, lobster prices when exported to China shot well north of $20 per pound, causing some vendors to turn away from more traditional buyers like European cruise lines. Others traded in items like stone crab traps and let other fishing efforts lapse as they capitalized on spiking prices.
But with retaliatory tariffs in response to those imposed by the Trump administration, Australian exports that re-opened in December 2024, and new runways and water systems built to export live product from Cuba, Honduras and Nicaragua, the overseas market isn’t anywhere near what it once was, and buyers who formerly purchased product from the Keys before the Chinese sales have turned their attention elsewhere.
At the same time, thanks to initiatives like the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA) of 2000, many Caribbean countries can continually capitalize on reduced regulations and labor and operating costs while exporting tariff-free seafood to the U.S.
It’s a primary reason why, in an island chain that touts its fresh seafood, most of the products sold locally don’t come from Keys waters.
According to NOAA, the U.S. as a whole imports roughly 70% to 85% of its seafood. The fishermen interviewed by the Weekly for this piece say the percent of imported seafood making it to plates in Keys restaurants pushes that upper limit – and they’re calling for truth in advertising when eateries advertise their “fresh catch.”
“Consumers rarely know they’re being served imported lobster and
fish, selected not for quality, but cost,” said Young in a press release. “We’re forced to operate within a structurally imbalanced market. We believe that if seafood labeling laws made origin transparent, Americans would choose local – even at a higher price.”
Depending on who you ask, today, imported frozen lobster tails can be purchased for $10 to $18 per pound. Comprising 1/3 of the weight of a whole lobster, that’s about $3 to $6 per pound for whole bugs – a price Irwin said would make most local fishermen “go out of business in very short order” with rising supply costs. Today, he said, a single trap alone costs $75, and just to make it through a season comfortably, he’d need to sell whole lobster for $10 per pound.
He said when he previously owned Marathon-based retailer Brutus Seafood, “it was cheaper for me to buy Caribbean lobster and sell it than it was to take it off my own boat.”
The lack of a domestic lobster market isn’t necessarily a new phenomenon, and U.S. exports to Europe and China have historically made up the difference. But with these markets drying up, the low-priced Caribbean imports are particularly devastating.
Beyond cries for help for tariffs to level the playing field, local fishermen say it’s time for labeling laws and local retailers to shed light on where customers’ products are coming from.
In a YouTube video titled “Lobster Fisherman Starving at $5 a Pound Ask President For Help,” third-generation
Key West fisherman Jorge Blanco said the current landscape isn’t a question of “los(ing) money – we’re going out of business.”
Blanco said he wouldn’t be surprised to see 30% of Key West commercial fishermen leave the industry this year – “and if we get a hurricane, 75%, guaranteed.”
Irwin agreed, adding that heightened trap losses in Key West from recent hurricanes that skirted the Keys have only made matters worse.
“They’re so distraught, they’re ready to sell out and go,” Irwin said. “It’s going to cost some people a lot –maybe their business. If you took out a loan to pay for your business, right now, you’re not gonna make it.”
“I’ve never seen the industry the way it is right now,” agreed Platt. “It used to be that if you worked hard, did everything right, and had a big enough business, you could make a good living, pay your mortgage. Now, it’s pretty much all you can do just to maintain the boat and gear while paying the crew and hope hard work pays off in the end.”
“The only way we fix it is either shut it down completely, give (other countries) a quota, or give them a big tariff,” Blanco added. “The Florida Keys were built on the backs of fishermen, and we’re going extinct.”
According to local fishermen, ‘everything has gone up, except the price of lobster.’ Today, the cost for a single trap can be upwards of $75. ALEX RICKERT/Keys Weekly
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YOU PICKED THE PODIUM … NOW PICK THE WINNERS
Best of Marathon voting opens Aug. 21
ALEX RICKERT alex@keysweekly.com
The best ballot in Marathon is here.
Tallying all of our nominations over the last few weeks, we’re now down to three finalists in each category for the 2025 Best of Marathon Awards. A total of 1,405 voters kept keyboards busy submitting 61,531 nominations, and as this paper makes its way to driveways across Marathon, we’re ready to get the voting started and crown our winners.
Voting is live at keysweekly.com/BOM starting Thursday, Aug. 21 at noon and runs until Sunday, Sept. 7 at midnight. Vote once per day per person, and be sure to submit votes in 75% of categories for your ballot to count. For a full list of finalists, see page 35.
Once voting concludes, the Best of Marathon Awards Gala takes place Sept. 20 at the picturesque Hawks Cay Resort. The evening has evolved into one of the most anticipated events in town, and due to demand, tickets are limited and generally not made available to the public. Winners, nominees and dignitaries are invited and additional attendees are selected from a first-come, first-served waiting list. To be added to the wait list, please email patti@keysweekly.com.
No matter how the votes shake out, the Keys Weekly staff extends a sincere congratulations to all of our finalists. Simply being nominated for a Best of Marathon category is an honor in itself – with no multiple-choice ballot to help them in nominations, locals truly go out of their way to write in the people, places and businesses that make Marathon so incredible.
MCSO marine deputy Willie Guerra is recognized for his outstanding public service at the 2023 Best of Marathon Awards. DOUG FINGER/Keys Weekly
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ICE AGENT ARRESTED FOR DUI WITH KIDS IN THE CAR
Scott Deiseroth mistook Bahia Honda Bridge for 18Mile Stretch; breath test was twice the legal alcohol limit
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n ICE agent from Miami was arrested on the Bahia Honda Bridge on the afternoon of Aug. 13, after a motorist called 911 to report a southbound pickup truck driving erratically on the Seven Mile Bridge and then going south in the northbound lanes after the bridge.
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Col. Chad Scibilia and Deputy Jonathan Lane stopped Scott Deiseroth, 42, on the Bahia Honda Bridge at MM 36.5.
Before pulling over the pickup truck, Scibilia “observed the reckless vehicle straddling the middle of the roadway, partially driving southbound in the northbound lane … bouncing between the inside lane and the outside lane, swerving heavily,” states the arrest report.
Once the vehicle was stopped, authorities reported an “overwhelming” odor of alcohol and a driver with glassy eyes, who stumbled when he got out of the vehicle and whose two sons, ages 7 and 9, were in the truck.
Deputies asked Deiseroth where he was coming from, and he said he had driven from Miami to Islamorada and was now on his way back to Miami, the report states.
“I informed Scott he was driving the wrong direction and he informed me that I was wrong,” Lane wrote. “I asked (Deiseroth) where he thinks he is and he began looking around (while sitting on top of the Bahia Honda Bridge) and said, ‘I'm on the Stretch,’ referring to the (18-Mile Stretch) between Key Largo and Florida City.
“I informed Scott he was approximately 70 miles or so away from there and he again informed me that I was wrong,” the report states.
When asked what he had been drinking, Deiseroth reportedly became defensive and said that “he is a federal HSI agent with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, and that he had four drinks,” the report states.
He couldn’t tell the officers what he had consumed, only saying that the bartender had made the drinks.
Deiseroth stumbled when exiting his pickup truck, then failed all roadside sobriety tests after asking the deputies for “professional courtesy” and asking them, “Really? Are we really doing this?" the report states.
He repeatedly resisted arrest and had to be forcibly placed in handcuffs and in the back seat of a patrol car, where he began slamming his head on the Plexiglass partition and screaming Lane’s name.
The children in the pickup truck gave the officers their mother’s number and arrangements were made for deputies to take the kids to Islamorada, where they met with the mother and were handed over to her custody.
Deiseroth’s ICE supervisor was notified of his arrest when he arrived at the jail on Stock Island, where breathalyzer tests revealed a blood-alcohol level of .170 and .174 — more than twice the legal limit of .08 in Florida.
“Due to (Deiseroth’s) level of impairment, he almost crashed multiple times and was unable to care for even himself,” the report states. “He willfully failed to provide both of his children with the care, supervision and services necessary to maintain their physical and mental health.
“He must have known or reasonably should have known that his culpable negligence was likely to cause great bodily harm or death to both of his children. The Department of Children and Families was contacted and Deiseroth’s supervisor with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement was also notified of his arrest.”
Deiseroth faces charges of driving under the influence and child neglect. He has a hearing in front of Judge Mark Wilson on Thursday, Aug. 21 at 9 a.m.
— Weekly staff report
ICE agent Scott Deiseroth was arrested Aug. 13 for DUI and child neglect at MM 36 on the Bahia Honda Bridge. CONTRIBUTED
SUNSHINE STATE WON’T TOLERATE RAINBOWS
The
Key West ordered to remove pride crosswalks by Sept. 3
MANDY MILES
mandy@keysweekly.com
The clock is ticking for Key West’s colorful, rainbow crosswalks.
Key West city manager Brian L. Barroso received a letter late on Aug. 15 from the Florida Department of Transportation, demanding that the colorful crosswalks at Duval and Petronia streets be removed by Sept. 3.
“That’s the bad news,” Mayor Dee Dee Henriquez said on Aug. 18. “The good news is, the FDOT has scheduled an administrative hearing for the city at 10 a.m. on Sept. 3 in Orlando, and we intend to fight for our crosswalks. I’ve spoken with the city manager and our interim city attorney and we feel we’re in compliance (with FDOT design guidelines for street markings) with at least two of the four crosswalks at that intersection because we’ve had engineers out there who said they are compliant with FDOT requirements.
“My thing is, we feel two of the four are in compliance. It’s not a state road. The speed limit is only 15 mph and there have been no accidents in that intersection due to the crosswalks,” the mayor said. She added that a city commission meeting is also scheduled for Sept. 3, “otherwise I would certainly be up
in Orlando, but our interim city attorney and other city leaders will attend the hearing.”
It is unknown how helpful that hearing will be, given the wording of the Aug. 15 letter from FDOT’s District 6 secretary Daniel Iglesias.
“Many local jurisdictions received (a prior) memorandum (about noncompliant pavement markings) and immediately began undertaking actions to ensure compliance,” the letter states. “However, the City of Key West has publicly stated it does not intend to comply. … As required by state law, if the pavement markings are not removed by Sept. 3, 2025, the Florida Department of Transportation will remove them by any appropriate method necessary without further notice.
“You are further notified that if the markings are removed by the department, all costs associated with the removal will be assessed against the City of Key West. You may avoid these costs by removing the pavement markings and then notifying the department of compliance immediately.
“Any additional violations by the City of Key West shall be cause for the immediate withholding of state funds.
“You are further notified that you may file a request for an administrative proceeding pursuant to Chapter 120, Florida Statutes as set forth in the enclosed Notice of Administrative Hearing Rights. If you request a hearing, the department has reserved time on Sept. 3, 2025 beginning at 10 a.m. at the Florida Turnpike Enterprise’s offices in Orlando. …
“Please be advised that the hearing will not involve a request for an exception or waiver to permit the nonconforming pavement markings to remain in place. The department has already reviewed the pavement markings at the location mentioned above and determined that the pavement markings will not be allowed.”
City Commissioner Sam Kaufman took exception to the entire letter, but particularly the reference to the administrative hearing.
“I am especially troubled that FDOT, in its letter, declared that no waiver or exception would be granted even before the City submitted such a request,” Kaufman told the Keys Weekly. “That kind of pre-determination denies Key West due process. The letter also appears to overstate the state’s ability to withhold funding under Florida law.
“These crosswalks were installed years ago by a licensed contractor who followed FDOT’s own design manual, which has not changed since that time. To now claim they are noncompliant seems inconsistent with the department’s own guidelines,” Kaufman added. “I have urged our city attorney to mount a strong defense at the Sept. 3 administrative hearing, and I believe we should retain specialized legal counsel to handle this matter properly. The city should also explore filing an injunction and a declaratory judgment action, so that the courts — not just the state — can determine whether our crosswalks meet FDOT’s standards.”
City Commissioner Donie Lee said he was disappointed, “but not surprised,” by FDOT’s demand.
“It's unbelievable that with all the important issues that face our state and city, this is what we have to spend so much time and resources on,” Lee said. “We will continue to evaluate all of our options to try and keep the crosswalks that we believe meet FDOT standards.”
Kaufman has long questioned the state’s motives in citing safety concerns to justify the forced removal of “non-compliant pavement markings.”
“If the state can erase our identity here, what’s to stop them from silencing other communities who wish to express their culture or values in their public spaces?” Kaufman said. “This is unfair, it sets a dangerous precedent, and it is not good for any of us.”
He directed the Keys Weekly to a statewide project called Crosswalks to Classrooms in which artists in the Tampa Bay area worked with students at elementary schools and colleges to transform busy crosswalks into works of art.
The Keys Weekly contacted the FDOT District 7 office, which includes the Tampa Bay area, where a staff member said the multiple Crosswalks to Classrooms paintings would have to be removed to comply with the latest state mandate.
Florida Department of Transportation has ordered Key West to remove its rainbow crosswalks by Sept. 3, or the state will remove them for the city. Local officials will attend a hearing on Sept. 3 in Orlando to seek an exemption to the ban. LARRY BLACKBURN/Keys Weekly
Disgusted Disney princesses star in Marathon Community Theatre’s 2024 musical ‘Disenchanted.’ The theater’s 2025-26 slate includes three total musicals, two of which have auditions this weekend. ALEX RICKERT/Keys Weekly
ALL ARE WELCOME
Marathon Community Theatre auditions are this weekend
ALEX RICKERT alex@keysweekly.com
One of the most ambitious show seasons in recent memory for the Marathon Community Theatre kicks off this weekend – and directors are welcoming talents of every kind to take their shot on stage at open auditions on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 23 and 24 at 5101 Overseas Highway in Marathon.
Both days will hold a chance to secure roles in “The Wizard of Oz,” “The Odd Couple,” “Little Shop of Horrors” and “Wait Until Dark,” opening in November 2025 and January, February and April 2026, respectively. Reading sessions for all four shows begin at 1 p.m., with singing and dancing auditions beginning at 10 a.m. both days. All cast members are required to attend one reading session, plus one singing/dancing session for “Wizard” and “Little Shop.”
BRANDON MANZER Marathon Bike Works
How long have you been in the Keys and what brought you here? I have been in Marathon for a short two years and that time has flown by. After a 25-year career in another industry, I retired/sold my corporate company to a larger organization. It just so happened my daughter graduated college the same year. So, with my second act it was a perfect time to put down roots in a place I had manifested for years of my life.
What’s your spirit animal? I tap into several different animals, but if I had to choose, I would say a silverback gorilla. My loved ones always tell me that. It’s an ongoing joke for them to take pictures of my hands and how I hold them and put them in our group chat.
If you were a bicycle, which part would you be and why? Great question – maybe a derailleur? This is the part of the bike that changes the gears for the bike. It makes riding easier and more enjoyable. The derailleur is capable of finding that perfect gear for a slow enjoyable ride enabling you to feel like a kid again on your first bike.
“It’s a fun day – come hang out with people who just like to be in the theater, and I guarantee you’ll laugh most of the day,” said MCT president and “Odd Couple” director Linda Schaefer. “I’m excited about ‘Wizard of Oz’ in particular because we’re doing a mixed adult-and-child cast. We’ll have flying monkeys and munchkins who are some of our students at the elementary and middle schools, and high school students can try out for main roles as well.”
More information on auditions is at marathontheater.org/open-auditions and by scanning the QR code. Those interested in backstage or technical roles are encouraged to stop by auditions and speak with production teams about available positions. If you are unable to attend auditions but would still like to be considered for a role, call or text 401-256-0645.
ALEXANDER www.keysweekly.com
No matter how many individuals appear in the pages of each edition of Keys Weekly, there are always so many more of our community members who deserve to be recognized. In an effort to shine a spotlight on more of the incredible individuals who live and work in these islands, Keys Weekly is proud to present our Neighbor of the Week feature, dedicated to celebrating a community member with each issue.
Our Neighbor of the Week is Brandon Manzer, who is the owner of Marathon Bike Works. After selling his businesses and moving to the Keys, he realized that community members and visitors could really use a nice bike shop in the area. He has experience owning bike shops in Michigan and is looking forward to the many ways he can get involved with the Marathon community.
What is your favorite ’90s jam? I love music of all types, but one song? Probably something by Jodeci like “Forever My Lady” or “Come and Talk to Me.”
What is your go-to breakfast food? If it’s every day, then it’s eggs in the morning for me. If I want to spice it up, add a pancake on the side.
What is the funniest thing that’s happened to you recently? The first thing that comes to my mind is my dog, Titan. He’s an extremely loved elderly family member and shop dog. His mind is young, but his body unfortunately doesn’t always cooperate with him. So our family laughs together about things as silly as him doing a “number two” randomly while he’s walking and looking back at it like it surprised him too. We laugh with him, not at him! Love that guy.
What fictional character do you identify most with? The Incredible Hulk. I could connect all the dots for you, but I guess I’ll just say it’s not the muscles and angry beast, although some of that plays. It’s the misunderstood gentle man that even during times of distress he really does do the right thing.
Red, white or blue? Why? Red for sure. When you ask this I think of our flag. I think about my appreciation for the courage, sacrifice, bravery and blood shed by those who fought for us to be able to live like we do.
What is one thing people don’t know about you? I’ve never once tried coffee – not even a sip.
Know someone who would be a good “Neighbor of the Week?” Email keysweeklyjen@gmail.com.
JEN
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For in hope, we are saved. ~ Romans: 8:24 We hope to see you this Sunday!
St. Columba Episcopal Church
451 West 52nd St, Marathon Fl Sundays at 10:00am
GREG ROBINSON FILES FOR MARATHON CITY COUNCIL
Race now includes seven qualified candidates
ALEX RICKERT
alex@keysweekly.com
Aseventh challenger entered the Marathon City Council race this month, with the addition of executive consultant Greg Robinson.
A four-year resident of the city, Robinson told the Weekly he splits time between the Keys and Jacksonville, where his son attends the University of North Florida. He said noticing “general inefficiencies” in the town he and his wife have chosen as their forever home drove him to enter the 2025 election.
“My general background is in being a fixer, an executive consultant,” he said, referencing former stints aiding the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the Connecticut Department of Correction streamline budgets of more than $500 million.
Robinson acknowledged that while Marathon has made a larger investment in affordable housing than surrounding keys, he feels there is more to be done, potentially in the form of housing subsidies for down payment assistance or rental rate relief.
His website, gregformarathon. com, describes a variety of possible public-facing digital dashboards to track items like the progress of workforce housing projects. A proposed “digital transparency dashboard” would provide an “online hub for city information,” allowing residents to easily see where budgeted tax dollars are spent, timelines and updates on infrastructure projects, public safety metrics and complaint and request tracking.
“I did a review of the past 18 months of meeting minutes from the city council, and looking at budgets,” he said. “Certain areas of spending and decision-making don’t necessarily come across as entirely data-driven, which is a value I know I can add. My doctorate is in policy analysis and econometrics, so I know how to dig and do this, but if you don’t live and breathe this, just trying to understand basic decision-making on the part of the city might not make sense.”
A separate “progressive vacation
rental fee proposal” on Robinson’s website would alter current rates to increase or decrease rental fees based on a home’s square footage and waterfront access, framed in relation to a home’s impact on Marathon’s infrastructure and the complexity of required inspections.
“From infrastructure-related issues to workforce housing and tourist impact mitigation, there are just certain areas that I don’t know that we’ve been entirely optimized around,” he said. “I see running and being a part of city council as just one way that I can contribute to the community – hopefully my services and talents would fit right in.”
According to Supervisor of Elections Sherri Hodies’ website, all seven candidates have qualified for the 2025 city council race. The field includes incumbents Lynn Landry, Jeff Smith and Robyn Still, along with Debbie Struyf, Gerrit Hale and David Perry.
A candidate forum sponsored by the Marathon Weekly and Greater Marathon Chamber of Commerce is set for Wednesday, Oct. 1 in the BOCC chambers of the Marathon Government Center. The meeting will be broadcast live and available on demand. Additional candidate questions will be printed in the Marathon Weekly in the weeks preceding the Nov. 4 election.
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Greg Robinson. CONTRIBUTED
A diver from Reef Renewal USA examines a coral 'tree' in the nonprofit's offshore nursery near Key Largo, checking for signs of spawning. FRAZIER NIVENS/Florida Keys News Bureau
SEX AND THE SEA
Timing is everything, especially for baby-making corals
SCOTT ATWELL www.keysweekly.com
Sure, you may keep a meticulous calendar, but even the perfectionists among us cannot rival the punctuality of spawning Acropora palmata. Elkhorn corals have an entry in their August calendar for 10:20 p.m. on the fourth night following a full moon, and last week, to the minute, as practitioners working to rebuild reefs in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary watched in wonder, the corals answered their mating call.
“They’re somehow synchronized to the setting of the sun and the rising of the moon,” said Ken Nedimyer, technical director for Reef Renewal USA. “Who knows? But it’s amazing.”
As one of the pioneers of coral restoration techniques, Nedimyer has seen nearly everything, but he was genuinely giddy over the 2025 spawning that took place under the cover of darkness in Reef Renewal’s Tavernier nursery, where the event had never been seen in the reef-building elkhorn species.
Coral fragments that hang from tree-like structures are usually moved to the reefs or land-based locations before they reach sexual maturity, but a confluence of events this year left hundreds of basketball-sized elkhorn coral in Reef Renewal’s nursery as the calendar turned to spawning season.
“We sent the bigger corals to the University of Miami this year, and in years past we’ve sent some to the Florida Aquarium,” Nedimyer explained. “When they said they couldn't take any more, we said, ‘Well, let's go out and watch them and see if they spawn.’”
On two consecutive nights at exactly 10:20, hundreds of thousands of gametes were re-
leased by the corals, floating into nets that Nedimyer’s team fitted like hoods over the large fragments.
“They’re called bundles,” he said, “and each polyp pops out this bundle that consists of five to 10 eggs, and then in the middle is a packet of sperm. They're hermaphrodites, so they produce both. Some people say the bundles look like Dippin’ Dots, or a little ball of Styrofoam. They float to the top, and they drift around for about half an hour to an hour before they break open, and then the sperm try to find an egg. They're not really self-fertile, so they have to find the egg from a different genotype.”
The sperm and eggs are reproductively viable for only a few hours, so Reef Renewal rushed them to shore and then to the University of Miami, where the mixing and matching took place. A year from now, they may be large enough to return to the Keys as coral fragments, waiting to be part of NOAA’s Mission: Iconic Reef’s restoration program.
“They were grouping selected gametes,” said Katey Lesneski, Mission: Iconic Reefs research and monitoring coordinator, “and then intentionally mixing them with gametes collected at Elbow Reef, one of the few reefs where healthy populations of elkhorn coral still exist. That’s a sure-fire way to create new genetic combinations that may not happen out on the reef naturally.
“A number of the genets in these nurseries are (supposedly) heat-resistant, so continuing those lineages and mixing them with new lineages is another way to ensure continuation of traits, and even potentially providing different beneficial traits.”
Nedimyer believes elkhorn is the only coral that can rebuild the reefs quickly enough to
Practitioners from Reef Renewal USA work during spawning night at their Tavernier nursery on Aug.14. FRAZIER NIVENS/Florida Keys News Bureau
keep pace with sea level rise. While heat waves have decimated the species in recent years, the babies born in last week’s spawning are from parents that have demonstrated a resistance to thermal increases.
“We call it selective breeding, or assisted evolution,” said Nedimyer. “Whatever you want to call it, the only hope these corals have in the 21st century is for us to do these spawning experiments and try to find some winners that we can turn around and then propagate asexually.”
Mission: Iconic Reefs partners Mote Marine Laboratory and Coral Restoration Foundation also captured spawning in their Keys nurseries. Their events featured the smaller staghorn species. Reef Renewal’s elkhorn experiment, as successful as it was serendipitous, opens a new opportunity. Collecting gametes in the nursery setting is a safer and more practical approach to leveraging the spawning season, when the calendar turns to the fourth night after the full moon in August. At exactly 10:20 p.m.
HEROES SALUTE
Sat Aug 30th
Join Hawks Cay Resort for its 17th annual HEROES SALUTE. This special Florida Keys tradition is dedicated to honoring active and retired military, first responders, and frontline healthcare workers. Join us by registering today!
7:OO am | 5K Run/Walk
Show your pride as you run through the islands of Duck Key in your patriotic, military, or first responder gear. Wear it with honor—and let’s see your best!
8am - 10am | Touch-A-Truck sponsored by Firehouse Subs Kids will have a chance to explore firetrucks, police vehicles, and other life-saving equipment up close. Meet the heroes behind the wheels and get a hands-on look at the machines that help keep our community safe.
Resort Guests will enjoy a full day of family-friendly events including a poolside DJ, authentic American BBQ, our Heroes Salute Tribute, and Fireworks. Those who serve can receive up to 30% off our best available rate. Visit www.hawkscay.com for more details.
WATERFRONT RESTAURANT
Enjoy our daily specials like Homemade Soup or Chowder, Fresh Fish Sandwich or One of our Daily Specials while overlooking Florida Bay! Open for Lunch & Dinner Every Day!
RETAIL STORE
Fish, Soups and Chowders & Key Lime Pie!
20 MORE YEARS FOR FORMER MARATHON CHILD SEX ABUSER
Eric Cadogan now faces four decades behind bars after state conviction
This week, State Attorney Dennis Ward announced in a press release that former Marathon resident Eric Edward Cadogan, age 41, has been sentenced to a combined 40 years in prison following federal and state convictions for incest, sexual battery, lewd or lascivious molestation, child neglect and promoting the sexual performance of a child.
Cadogan is currently serving a 20-year federal prison sentence in a separate child exploitation case. Upon completion of that term, he will be transferred to the Florida Department of Corrections to serve a 20-year state prison sentence, to run concurrently across the state counts.
Investigators determined that these criminal activities had been occurring for a significant period of time. During earlier proceedings, state social services intervened, and the Cadogans lost custody of their children due to abuse and neglect.
On Aug. 18, Circuit Judge Mark Jones adjudicated Eric Cadogan guilty and imposed the following sentences:
• Incest (F.S. 826.04) – 5 years in Florida state prison.
• Sexual battery on person under 12 (F.S. 794.011) – 20 years in Florida state prison.
• Lewd or lascivious molestation (F.S. 800.04) – 20 years in Florida state prison.
• Contributing to the delinquency or dependency of a child (F.S. 827.04) –7 counts, 1 year in Florida state prison (each).
• Promoting sexual performance by a child (F.S. 827.071) – 3 counts, 15 years in Florida state prison (each).
• Sexual battery on a helpless person (F.S. 794.011) – 2 counts, 20 years in Florida state prison (each).
• Neglect of a child causing great bodily harm (F.S. 827.03) – 3 counts, 5 years in Florida state prison (each).
Additional conditions imposed include:
• Sexual offender probation upon release.
• Lifetime sexual predator registration.
• Court costs and fines.
This prosecution is directly tied to the case of Kia Lynn Cadogan, age 37, Eric’s wife, who cooperated in the investigation and was sentenced earlier this year to 13 years in Florida state prison followed by 13 years of probation for incest, sexual battery and child neglect.
Despite the reduced sentence based on her cooperation, she will remain on Florida’s sexual predator registry for life — a designation that requires lifetime reporting, monitoring and strict supervision under state law.
“This is one of the most appalling cases ever prosecuted in Monroe County,” said Ward. “Children should never be subjected to this kind of depravity — least of all by their own parents. What Eric and Kia Cadogan did is beyond disgraceful; it is inhuman. Florida has delivered justice, and both will pay with long years in prison. Let it be clear: Anyone who exploits or abuses children in this state will face the harshest consequences the law allows. I also want to thank major crimes Assistant State Attorney Colleen Dunne for her outstanding perseverance and commitment in bringing these cases to justice.”
Chief Assistant State Attorney Joseph Mansfield added: “These cases are tough on everyone involved — investigators, prosecutors and the community at large. But most of all, they are devastating for the victims and their family members, who should never have had to endure such pain. This outcome was possible only because of a strong law enforcement partnership between our office, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and multiple jurisdictions working together.”
Eric Cadogan will be transferred to the Florida Department of Corrections at the completion of his federal sentence.
– Contributed
FUNCTIONALLY CAFFEINATED
THE TRUTH ABOUT LONG-TERM WEIGHT LOSS (AND WHY QUICK FIXES DON’T WORK)
Walk into any gym in January and ask people why they joined. Over 90% will tell you: to lose weight. That stat isn’t just national — it holds true with nearly every client I’ve trained over the years. We live in a country obsessed with weight loss, yet most people are stuck in a cycle of yo-yo dieting, disappointment and confusion. Why? Because the truth about lasting weight loss is much less glamorous than the “quick fix” headlines make it seem.
Here’s how weight loss actually works
At its most basic level, fat loss happens when your body uses more energy (calories) than it takes in. That’s the “calories in, calories out” concept — but it’s not the whole story. The quality of your food, the makeup of your body (muscle vs. fat), your hormones, your sleep and your stress levels all influence how efficiently your body burns fat.
Take two people: One is 50 pounds overweight, and the other has about 20 pounds to lose. The person with more to lose may drop the first 10 to 15 pounds relatively quickly — within 6 to 10 weeks — because of a larger calorie deficit and higher baseline metabolic activity. For the person with less weight to lose, those same 15 pounds could take months longer. That’s not a plateau — it’s physiology.
Why strength training is non-negotiable
If you’re not strength training, you’re missing the foundation of longterm fat loss. Muscle is metabolically active tissue, and burns more calories at rest than fat. So when you build muscle, your body becomes more efficient at burning calories 24/7, not just during your workouts.
Plus, most people lose muscle along with fat if they rely on just cardio and calorie restriction. That’s a fast track to a slower metabolism and weight regain.
Resistance training, whether with weights, machines, or your body weight, preserves and builds muscle while you’re losing fat, setting you up for sustainable success.
Consistency beats intensity
Consistency means showing up for yourself — daily, weekly, monthly — with habits that support your goals. It
...is a Marathonbased ACSMcertified personal trainer and precision nutrition coach who owns and operates Highly Motivated Functionally Caffeinated LLC. Hello@highlymotivatedfc.com
doesn’t mean being perfect. It means making 80% of your meals whole, nutrient-dense foods. It means lifting weights three to four times a week, not just in January. It means walking more, drinking more water and sleeping better. Too many people are stuck in an all-or-nothing mindset. They eat “clean” Monday to Thursday, then binge on alcohol and fried food all weekend. This not only cancels out progress — it creates a cycle of inflammation, cravings and guilt.
Let’s talk about food quality
Yes, calories matter. But the idea that “if it fits your macros” (IIFYM) means you can eat whatever you want as long as you hit your numbers is, frankly, BS. Five hundred calories of fries (yes, I love them too) do not fuel your body the same way as 500 calories of a lean turkey burger with avocado on whole wheat does. One spikes blood sugar, leads to cravings and offers almost no nutrition. The other builds muscle, stabilizes energy and keeps you full.
Processed foods are designed to make you overeat. They’re loaded with sugar, sodium and industrial oils that hijack your brain’s hunger signals. Alcohol is just as bad — seven calories per gram, zero nutrition and it slows your metabolism while impairing judgment around food.
The bottom line
Long-term weight loss isn’t flashy. It’s not a 21-day detox or a new supplement stack. It’s building habits that you can maintain for life. It’s lifting weights, prioritizing protein and whole foods and staying consistent — especially when motivation fades. So yes, weight loss takes time. And no, fries aren’t the enemy — but they’re also not a daily habit if you want real change. Ditch the quick fixes. Do the work. Your future self will thank you.
JENNIFER HARVEY
Eric Cadogan. CONTRIBUTED
KEY WEST AIRPORT LANDS
3RD NEW AIRLINE THIS YEAR
But 1 new entry comes with potential baggage
The Conch Republic’s air service boom continues. Avelo Airlines becomes the island’s third new airline this year and will mark the 24th to fly nonstop to Key West. It’s another win for travelers looking for more nonstop, point-to-point flights avoiding the airport hub hassle of connecting flights.
Avelo is adding nonstop flights from southern Connecticut’s TweedNew Haven Airport beginning Nov. 19. The twice-weekly service on Wednesdays and Saturdays will offer fares starting at $77 one-way. Like Spirit and Allegiant, Avelo is a true à la carte, unbundled low-cost carrier — meaning bags, seat assignments, extra legroom and most frills cost extra.
Its biggest base in New Haven draws travelers from Westchester County, New York, Hartford and across Southern New England. Avelo’s network spans 50 cities in 20 states, Puerto Rico and three international destinations: Jamaica, Mexico and the Dominican Republic. The experience is very much akin to Allegiant, though with fewer buy-on-board frills.
Avelo is distinguished by its industry-leading reliability, ranking No. 1 in on-time performance and achieving the lowest flight cancellation rate in the U.S. airline industry, according to a respected industry data source.
Avelo, pronounced “uh-VEH-loh” (think “yellow” or “Jell-O”), grew quickly since its April 2021 debut, but has faced recent headwinds.
The recently announced closure of its original Burbank, California hub and all West Coast operations freed up aircraft for new destinations like Key West and other new recently announced markets. But that move wasn’t just about expansion — it was also about survival. Avelo has faced financial turbulence in a crowded lowcost airline sector where rising costs and domination by the four major airlines (American, Delta, Southwest and United) are grounding profits for low-cost and low-fare airlines.
Avelo’s arrival comes with baggage Adding to the headwinds is a controversy that’s no stranger to the Southernmost City: deportations.
Avelo signed a long-term contract to operate charter flights for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), with three of its aircraft dedicated to transporting detainees.
In liberal-leaning New Haven, Connecticut (home to Yale University), however, the news landed like a squall. The move sparked protests outside Tweed-New Haven Airport, political condemnation and even a billboard campaign urging travelers to boycott the airline. The airline soon persuaded billboard operator Lamar Advertising to take the signs down. Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal called the ICE contract “a bad mistake.”
Avelo CEO Andrew Levy defended the company’s decision, saying it followed “significant deliberations” and would provide the financial stability needed to expand passenger service and keep more than 1,100 crew members employed. He acknowledges the topic is “sensitive and complicated,” but insists the additional revenue will keep Avelo’s core scheduled passenger service growing.
Spirit to enter under financial clouds
Avelo’s announcement comes
on the heels of Spirit Airline’s July 22 announcement that it would bring a splash of yellow to Key West’s blue skies. Discount carrier Spirit is stepping in to backfill Silver Airways, which shut down in early June with the only nonstop service to Ft. Lauderdale from EYW. The route will run four times a week — Monday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday — before ramping up to daily service on Dec. 18. From Fort Lauderdale, travelers can tap into Spirit’s full network of one-stop connections nationwide and into the Caribbean and Latin America.
The South Florida-based carrier will operate Airbus A320neo family aircraft — becoming the largest regularly scheduled jets to serve Key West. With the island’s short 5,076foot runway, the 182-seat A320 will operate with significant numbers of blocked seats and weight restrictions, given the more marginal runway and demanding weather conditions in warmer months. Spirit now offers a first-class product, enhanced legroom and optional perks such as WiFi — a far cry from its bare-bones past. Its operational reliability, quality reputation and customer experience have made significant strides.
But behind the bright livery is a stormy financial picture. Spirit, which emerged from bankruptcy in March having last made a profit in 2019, is still fighting for altitude. In its postbankruptcy plan, the ultra-low-cost carrier warned that sluggish demand for domestic leisure travel, rising costs and a glut of capacity have left its revenues lagging.
Spirit has been selling assets, trimming its network and even furloughing 270 pilots. In its latest filing on Aug. 11, the airline openly stated “substantial doubt” about its ability to keep flying as a going concern over
the next year if turnaround efforts fall short. The airline is continuing normal flight operations, and announcing additional new markets.
A fresh Breeze in the Keys
The most successful of Key West’s newest entrants took off on June 12. Breeze Airways now offers nonstop service from EYW to Orlando International Airport and Tampa International Airport with Raleigh-Durham service beginning Oct. 3. Breeze also sells tickets to Akron-Canton (CAK) in Ohio via a one-stop, no-plane-change connection.
The airline’s four-times-a-week service to Tampa and Orlando — Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays — has been so well received that Breeze announced the new nonstop from Raleigh-Durham before EYW services began. The new route will operate Mondays and Fridays.
EYW: Full speed ahead despite slowing tourism
With Avelo, Spirit and Breeze all entering the market since the new airport terminal opened in April, Key West International is in the middle of a historic streak that is stimulating growth in new tourism markets. The gleaming terminal has earned mostly positive reviews from travelers and locals alike, built to handle a continued surge in premium leisure traffic.
Even though tourism has shown signs of softening in the Keys this summer, EYW is moving ahead full speed. In 2024, the airport handled 1.5 million passengers — nearly 80% more seat capacity than in 2019 — and with 96% of travelers arriving as visitors, Key West International Airport remains on the ascent with an average of about 190 flights a week during peak season linking the Conch Republic directly to more corners of the U.S. than ever before.
CHRIS SLOAN Special to Keys Weekly
Avelo Airlines will begin service to Key West International Airport on Nov. 19. AVELO AIRLINES/Contributed
SIMBA
11-month-old male terrier mix.
Looking for: My best friend I can be around 24/7.
Turnoffs: Being alone. I want to be with you all the time.
CLEMENTINE
4-month-old male domestic shorthair.
Looking for: Lots of playtime, naps and lots of toys. Turnoffs: Nothing, I’m just a kitty.
Florida Keys SPCA
Keys Weekly is thrilled each week to showcase some “furever” friends that are ready, waiting and available for their perfect adoption “match” at the Florida Keys SPCA’s Marathon campus – complete with their best qualities, preferences and turnoffs to ensure the best fit.
From cats and dogs to Guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits, reptiles and birds, the perfect addition to your family is waiting for you at one of the SPCA’s two campuses, in Key West and Marathon. The SPCA’s knowledgeable staff will help with advice and care tips while working to ensure a good fit between each pet and its people.
See all the animals waiting for a home at fkspca.org. To contact the Marathon campus, call 305-743-4800 or visit 10550 Aviation Blvd.
Hurricane fosters needed. With hurricane season upon us, the SPCA needs volunteers and fosters in case of a storm. Over 100 animals would need to be evacuated, so it is crucial they all have homes in place before an impending storm. The SPCA pro-
1-year-old male domestic shorthair.
Looking for: I’m a lover boy looking for someone to love.
Turnoffs: Not a thing. I’m one laid-back, cool dude.
vides everything you need; all you do is give an animal a safe haven during the storm and return them to the shelter once it’s safe – that is, if you don’t fall in love. More information is at fkspca.org/volunteer/become-a-fostervolunteer/ or 305-743-4800.
BRIEFLY
Keys Democrats shift meeting to Wednesdays
The Keys Democrats host monthly public meetings now on Wednesdays, not Thursdays. The public is invited to attend the monthly meeting of the Keys Democrats on Wednesday, Aug. 27 at 5:30 p.m. at the Marathon Library. The meeting will be a hybrid Zoom and in-person meeting. For more information, contact mid-keys@ keysdems.com.
Islamorada fisherman finds 55 pounds of cocaine
Several bricks of suspected cocaine were discovered not far from the popular Square Grouper in Islamorada on Aug. 16. According to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, a fishing captain found a large black bag containing roughly 25 kilograms, or 55 pounds, of cocaine near Islamorada Marina, which is home to Square Grouper Restaurant. The fishing captain’s large cocaine discovery was turned over to the U.S. Border Patrol. This isn’t the first time that bricks of cocaine were discovered near the Florida Keys shore or out at sea. On July 31, a mariner found some 23 kilograms of suspected cocaine roughly 5 miles south of Islamorada. The mariner contacted law enforcement to report the discovery. And on July 3, a package containing 1.3 kilograms of suspected cocaine was found near MM 79.5 in Islamorada on July 3. The package was turned over to the U.S. Border Patrol.
No sales tax in August on school supplies
Florida’s back-to-school sales tax holiday is giving families a month of savings on essential supplies for the classroom. Through Aug. 31, school supplies costing less than $50 are taxexempt. Also, clothing, footwear and apparel priced $100 or less and learning aids $30 or less are exempt from sales tax. As for personal computers and accessories, items priced less than $1,500 are tax-exempt. More information is at floridarevenue.com/backtoschool.
A 36-year-old Homestead man was given a mandatory notice to appear in court for multiple alleged lobsterrelated violations on Aug. 15. Middle Keys marine deputy Willie Guerra reportedly observed Ricardo Eduardo Infante Parra diving for lobster near the Channel Five Bridge and cited him for possession of seven over-the-limit lobsters and possession of seven undersized lobsters.
MLKAR to offer self-defense class
The Marathon and Lower Keys Association of Realtors will offer a community self-defense and safety class on Sept. 15 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Marathon Government Center at 2798 Overseas Highway. The class is open to all community members, not just Realtors or affiliates. Topics to be covered include basic self-defense techniques, how to stay safe while holding open houses or taking clients on property showings, and how to screen people to detect possible red flags. The class is limited to 80 students, taken on a first-come-first-served basis. The class is taught by MCSO deputies. Students should wear comfortable clothing to be able to practice techniques themselves. To register, scan the QR code.
Come take a class at the Marathon library
The Marathon library has a wide variety of class offerings, ranging from photography to book clubs, robots, virtual reality and more. Scan the QR code here to see the schedule and get involved.
Staff from your Monroe County Public Library recommend some of their favorites from the collection.
What: “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” (1992)
Why: There are enough “Dracula” adaptations out there (both official and unofficial) to form their own union. But what makes this version stand out is how stylized it is. Director Francis Ford Coppola leans hard into the lavish grandeur of the production design and the theatrical lighting in the cinematography. To match, the performances here (particularly Gary Oldman’s titular character and Anthony Hopkins’ Van Helsing) are heightened to the point of camp, and that’s not a bad thing. It romanticizes the horror (well, save for Keanu Reeves’ accent), making the whole venture a sweeping and highly entertaining gothic concerto.
Where: This film is available on Kanopy, the library’s streaming app.
How: You can browse and request DVDs online by logging in to your account at keyslibraries.org. To view our collection of streaming movies and TV, go to kanopy.com/keyslibraries and set up an account with your library card. If you don’t have a card, you can visit your local branch or register online to get one. Questions? keyslibraries. org/contact-us.
See previous Reel Recs at keyslibraries.org/post/reel-recs.
LINDA KOHOUT 1963-2025
Linda Marie Kohout, a beloved wife, dedicated public servant and cherished friend, passed away on July 30. She was 61 years old.
Born on Nov. 13, 1963, Linda dedicated 25 years of her life to serving the community as a sheriff's deputy for Monroe County. Her presence was as huge as her heart was kind. She approached her work and life with a genuine desire to see the best in everyone and a tireless commitment to helping others.
Linda's love for people was a defining characteristic. She was a true friend to all she met, always eager to strike up a conversation and forge a new connection. Her warm spirit and unwavering kindness left a lasting impression on everyone who had the pleasure of knowing her.
Linda is survived by her loving wife, Wendy Frederick-Kohout of Marathon. Her memory will be treasured by her friends, colleagues and all the lives she touched with her generous heart and compassionate spirit.
Homestead man cited for lobster violations
TRAILER REPAIRS & SERVICE
LAST DAY TO REGISTER TO VOTE
The last day to register to vote for the upcoming City of Marathon Election is Monday, October 6, 2025. Anyone who is not a registered voter by this date will not be eligible to vote on Tuesday, November 4, 2025.
ÚLTIMO DÍA PARA INSCRIBIRSE PARA VOTAR
El último día para inscribirse para votar para la próxima Elección de la Ciudad de Marathon es el lunes 6 de octubre del 2025. Toda persona que no sea un votante inscrito para esta fecha no será elegible para votar el martes 4 de noviembre del 2025.
2 bedroom, 2 bath mobile home centrally located in mid Marathon. Large screened porch. 50 X 97lot. Reduced $325,000 MLS# 610518 COZY
3 BD& 2 BA. Backs up to Crane Hammock park giving back yard privacy. Walk in concrete pool. Undivided ownership to a Gulf front park with boat ramp. AC workshop and a storage shed. Enclosed carport Nicely landscaped shaded lot. 9 ft elevation. $799,900
new insulated roof
... is a photographer, writer, and semi-professional birdwatcher. He has lived in Key West for more than 25 years and may no longer be employable in the real world. He is also executive director of the Florida Keys Audubon Society.
Awhile ago I wrote a piece for BWD, a national magazine sometimes known as Bird Watchers Digest. The story, which ran in their most recent issue, was about a species called the Cuban finch and was something of a wind-up because, as anyone who used to play in the trivia game I hosted for several years at Mary Ellen’s Bar knows, there is pretty much no such thing as a Cuban finch. It’s a mythical creature, like a unicorn or a midwestern Parrothead that tips well.
There is a long-believed, Conch-based-but-widelydispersed myth in Key West that there are these little finches in Cuba who are sitting there, idly tweeting in the branches of the native trees, when the wind, often a hurricane wind, comes up. The poor creatures are then caught tragically unaware of the wind’s approach, and are blown, tumbling, against their will, across the Florida Straits, all the way to the shores of our fair island. Once they land here, their story becomes either tragic (they starve to death) or heroic (they valiantly find their footing in this new and unfamiliar land).
It’s not that the birds people call Cuban finches aren’t real. It’s that the birds aren’t Cuban finches. Rather, they are one, or sometimes more than one, of the 39 different warbler species that have been recorded in the Keys. They weren’t blown over here by a terrible storm. They were migrating, either south to north in the spring, or north to south in the fall. They tend to be seen more often when a storm passes because, when possible, birds avoid danger by landing when weather gets sketchy.
You may or may not have noticed that I used the weasel words “pretty much” before saying there is no such thing as a Cuban finch. Because it gets a little complicated. In the broader sense, birds generally know how to avoid the effects of storms. But not always. And they do, in fact, occasionally get blown into the Keys by storms. But the Cuban species that end up here (as well as Bahamian and other Caribbean species) are usually individuals or, at most, pairs or small handfuls. In ornithological terms they are called accidentals. But they are not what people are seeing and calling Cuban finches.
For more than a century, the official English names of birds, both general and scientific, have been codified by a group that in modern times is called the North American Classification Committee of the American Ornithologist Society. There is no species of bird in their taxonomic tree called the Cuban finch, and there never has been.
But (heavy sigh) pet bird fanciers do have a bird they call the Cuban finch. Only ornithologists call the species the yellow-faced grassquit. And while the species has been recorded in the United States, there are only a total of eight sightings, three of which are considered to be
CUBAN FINCH: THE BIG LIE
escaped pets. So the birds that Key Westers call Cuban finches are not the same birds that pet bird fanciers call Cuban finches.
Part of the basic ethos of birdwatching is to identify the birds you see by the correct name. Another part is to help educate others, who may be less experienced, about what they are seeing. (It helps if they seem remotely interested.)
A lot of the story I wrote for BWD was about this sense of responsibility, and how important it is to execute that responsibility carefully, to not come off as a know-it-all blowhard. People do not always take kindly to being disabused of long-held beliefs. They do not always like to learn that what felt to them like insider information was actually a narrative that didn’t hold water.
As an example of a time in which I screwed this up, I wrote about an incident with my friend Robert – last name redacted for privacy issues – who is a Conch, and with whom I play a lot of poker. This was years ago, and I can’t remember exactly which year or which hurricane, I just remember it was a Category 1 storm, so not much to worry about. We were playing a game at a friend’s house on Garrison Bight, and when the eye passed over we took a break, and Robert and I went with drinks, most likely Scotch, out onto the porch to take advantage of the respite.
I might have said something about how birds can sometimes get caught in the eye of the storm, and will ride things out in the oasis of calm weather.
Which may have inspired Robert to tell me that he’d had a lot of Cuban finches in his yard lately.
And, well, hurricanes are stressful, we’d had whiskey, and I was probably down to felt, chipswise, in the game. And it is within the realm of possibilities that I may not have given him the most patient answer in the world. And that non-patient answer may have been laced
with profanity and a soupçon of smarty-boots sarcasm.
This incident resulted in two things.
One, any time Robert now sees a bird in his yard – rooster, osprey, turkey vulture, mockingbird – he sends me a blurry iPhone photo of it with the caption, “Look! A Cuban finch!”
And two, now that people in my poker game know that the whole Cuban finch thing bothers me, at social events they have been known to coax people into coming up to me wanting to talk about Cuban finches. Which means I no longer know if someone is messing with me about the whole Cuban finch thing, or if they are sincere.
BWD is a subscription-based magazine, but when the story came out, since he was mentioned, my wife sent him a Xerox of it. We didn’t hear back for a week or two, possibly because the new season of “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” just came out. But the other morning I got a text.
It was a screen cap for the Wikipedia page for the Cuban bullfinch.
“OK. Finally, I read Mark’s Cuban finch article. Hahaha. But, I present to you that there are Cuban finches. They’re called Cuban bullfinches. Here’s a picture. I believe you need to update that article. Cuban finches (are the) big lie no more!” he wrote.
I could have explained about how Old World bullfinches were actually in the finch family, and were called that because they had proportionally big heads. And that the Cuban bullfinch was called that because it was similarly big-headed, but was a New World species, and actually in the tanager family, not the finch family. But that seemed like a lot to text before I finished my coffee.
Instead I snarked back, “Notice how the word ‘bullfinch’ has more letters than the work ‘finch’? That’s because they are different words indicating different things.”
“Semantics!” he wrote.
MARK HEDDEN
Saturday, August 23rd
Sing/Dance 10am-12pm
Reading 1pm-3pm
Sing/Dance 10am-12pm
Su day, August 2 t
Sunday, August 24th
Sing/Dance 10am-12pm
Sing/Dance 10am-12pm
Reading 1pm-3pm
Reading 1pm-3pm
Having Fun in the Middle Keys
The Food & Drink
Key Lime Pie: Publix, SS Wreck & Galley Grill, Sweet Savannah's of the Fl Keys
Cuban Sandwich: King Seafood Market & Restaurant, La Nina Restaurant, LJ's Café
Fish Sandwich: Brutus Land & Sea, Fish Tales Market & Eatery, Keys Fisheries
Fine Dining: Butterfly Café, Florida Keys Steak and Lobster House, Hideaway Café
International Food: Frank's Grill, La Chapina Restuarant , Takeria La Palapa
Breakfast: The Island Fish Co. Restaurant & Tiki Bar, The Stuffed Pig, Wooden Spoon
Lunch: Brutus Land & Sea, Fish Tales Market & Eatery, Irie Island Eats
BBQ: Irie Island Eats, Pop's BBQ, Porky's Bayside Restaurant and Marina
Cup of Co ee: Mr Bean's Books & Beans, Georgie's Coffee Shop, LJ’s Cafe
Bar: Marathon Grill and Ale House, Dockside Boot Key Harbor, Sparky's Landing Fish n Cocktails
Bartender: Andy Sharf, Cheddar, Rachel Bowman
Server: Brennan Bye @ Fl Keys Steak & Lobster, Jess @ Castaway Waterfront & Sushi Bar, Shawn @ Fish Tales
Happy Hour: Castaway Waterfront Restaurant & Sushi Bar, Florida Keys Steak and Lobster House, Sparky's Landing Fish n Cocktails
Waterfront Dining: Angler & Ale, The Island Fish Co. Restaurant & Tiki Bar, Lazy Days South
Live Music Venue: Dockside Boot Key Harbor, Havana Jacks, Sparky's Landing Fish n Cocktails
Pizza: Coast To Coast Pizza Company, Driftwood Pizza, Pasta, & Subs, Leopoldo La Verace
Bloody Mary: Castaway Waterfront Restaurant & Sushi Bar, The Stuffed Pig, Sparky’s Landing Fish n Cocktails
Margarita: Castaway Waterfront Restaurant & Sushi Bar, Island Fish Company, Sparky's Landing Fish n Cocktails
Late Night Spot: Marathon Grill and Ale House, Brass Monkey, JJ's DogHouse
Dessert Spot: Conch Custard, Fish Tales Market & Eatery, Sweet Savannah's of the Florida Keys
Beer Selection: Bongo's Botanical Beer Garden and Cafe, Herbie's Bar & Chowder House, Marathon Grill and Ale House
Catering: Chef Heather, Clouds in my Coffee Catering/Private Chef/The Table, Irie Island Eats
Taco: Irie Island Eats, La Isla Taco Grill, Takeria La Palapa
Food Truck: Irie Island Eats, Leopoldo La Verace, Pop's BBQ, Takeria La Palapa
Steak: Barracuda Grill, Florida Keys Steak and Lobster House, Plaza Grill Restaurant
Seafood: Castaway Waterfront Restaurant & Sushi Bar, Florida Keys Steak and Lobster House, Keys Fisheries
Sushi: Castaway Waterfront Restaurant & Sushi Bar, Florida Keys Steak and Lobster House, Takara Japanese Restaurant
Conch Fritters: Cracked Conch Cafe, The Island Fish Co. Restaurant & Tiki Bar, Sparky's Landing Fish n Cocktails
Wings: Marathon Grill and Ale House, Driftwood Pizza, Pasta, & Subs, Sparky's Landing Fish n Cocktails
Burger: Burdines Waterfront, Herbie's Bar & Chowder House, Sparky's Landing Fish n Cocktails
Cook your own catch: Castaway Waterfront Restaurant & Sushi Bar, Fish Tales Market & Eatery, Lazy Days South
Overall Restaurant: Castaway Waterfront Restaurant & Sushi Bar, Florida Keys Steak and Lobster House, Sparky's Landing Fish n Cocktails
Educator: Mac Childress, Mary Coleman, Nicole Strama
Thespian/Performing Artist: Dion Watson, Ella Dunn, John Schaefer
Celebrity Pet: Rita, Wazzy, Zeke
Presented by
Sponsored by:
Founded by Betty Debnam
Happy Labor Day!
For most of us, Labor Day is the last big splash of summer. Kids and families enjoy the long Labor Day weekend before school really gets under way. There are picnics and trips to the beach. There are parades and fireworks and band concerts.
But what is Labor Day? This week, The Mini Page explores the origins of this September holiday.
THE FIRST LABOR DAY
Labor Day was started more than 140 years ago. It was started by workers who were struggling for many of the rights that our workers enjoy today.
Working people wanted to call attention to some of their problems. They also wanted to honor the hard work they did.
The first Labor Day celebration took place in 1882 in New York City. About 10,000 workers took part in a Labor Day parade. Many were members of labor unions. Unions are groups that work for better pay and working conditions.
Later, there was a huge picnic and concert and speeches.
Who started it?
People disagree about who is the “father” of Labor Day. Two men with similar last names are both given credit.
Some say it was Peter J. McGuire. He became the founder of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America.
Others say it was another Irishman by the name of Matthew Maguire, who may have had the idea for a workers’ holiday first.
McGuire proposed that the first Monday in September be set aside for a “general holiday for the laboring classes.” He chose that time because it was halfway between the Fourth of July and Thanksgiving.
President Grover Cleveland made Labor Day a federal holiday in 1894.
MODERN LABOR DAY
Today, along with summer fun, the Labor Day weekend includes college football games, car races, picnics, concerts and fireworks.
Words that remind us of Labor Day are hidden in this puzzle. Some words are hidden backward or diagonally, and some letters are used twice. See if you can find:
BE A JOB DETECTIVE
What do you want to be when you grow up? You have years to decide, but it’s a good idea to look around today.
Ask questions. Watch what workers do. Read about careers. Work hard to build your skills in school.
We’ve identified a few job categories here. Which ones interest you?
HEALTH CARE
Do you like helping people? Nurses and doctors help people stay healthy. You could also be a researcher, finding cures for diseases.
AGRICULTURE
You could be a farmer, a florist or a scientist who studies crops.
BUSINESS
Are you good with technology? Do numbers and statistics intrigue you?
CONSTRUCTION AND MANUFACTURING
You might become a builder or learn how to make factories more efficient.
PUBLIC SERVICE
Many kids dream of being a police officer or a firefighter. You could also become an emergency medical technician, or EMT.
RESOURCES
On the Web:
• dol.gov/general/laborday/history
At the library:
• “Labor Day” by Meredith Dash
• “A Children’s Guide to Labor Day” by Tex Stanly
An extremely rare snowfall in northern Chile’s Atacama Desert, the driest on Earth, forced the world’s most powerful radio telescope to halt operations. The ALMA facility was placed into “survival mode” to safeguard its delicate instruments when temperatures dropped to 10 degrees Fahrenheit. The Atacama receives less than an inch of rain annually on average, making the storm highly unusual. The desert sees rain only a few times per century, with some areas never having received any reported precipitation.
photo by Shaun Greiner
Members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers union in Peoria, Illinois, march in
Peter J. McGuire Matthew Maguire
Mini Fact: Oregon was the first state to pass a law recognizing Labor Day, in 1887.
Gridiron gangs ready for Week 1 | P.8
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8/25 Marathon Volleyball @ Florida Christian 5:30 p.m.
8/25 All Schools Golf @ Key West 1 p.m.
8/25 Coral Shores Volleyball South Homestead 5:30 p.m.
8/26 All Schools Golf @ Ocean Reef 1 p.m.
8/27 Coral Shores Cross Country @ Palmer Trinity 5:45 p.m.
8/27 Coral Shores Volleyball Mater Bay Academy 4:30 p.m.
8/27 Marathon Volleyball @ Posnak 4:25 p.m.
8/28 Key West Volleyball Coral Shores 5:30 p.m.
8/28 Marathon Football IMG Blue 7 p.m.
Keys teams knocked the rust off in preseason action this week, and now the Conchs, Hurricanes and Dolphins are ready for their Week 1 opponents. See page 8. Photos by Natalie Danko, Doug Finger and Maicey Malgrat.
– Conchs’ head coach Johnny Hughes
Walson is explosive; he’s a threatscoring every time he touches the ball.”
With a knack for making defenders miss, Key West’s Walson Morin used his speed and elusive moves to rack up over 200 rushing yards for the Conchs last week in their kickoff classic. Morin carried the ball across the goal line twice in that contest.
“He’s definitely something to watch,” said coach Johnny Hughes, who relies on Morin on both sides of the ball plus kickoff return. The stealthy senior has no trouble breaking long runs and is powerful enough to punch it in through traffic, too. For his exceptional performance and stellar athleticism, Key West’s Walson Morin is the Keys Weekly Athlete of the Week.
Photo by MAICEY MALGRAT/Keys
fled to the Keys from the frozen mountains of Pennsylvania hours after graduating from college and never looked back. She is a second-generation coach and educator, and has taught in the public school system for over 25 years. She and her husband met at a beginning teacher meeting in 1997 and have three children born and raised in Monroe County. In her free time, McDonald loves flea markets, historical fiction and long runs in the heat.
sean mcdonald
grew up in Miami and moved to the Keys in 1997. He has spent the last 25 years teaching physical education and coaching virtually every sport for Florida Keys kids ages 4 to 18. If you are reading this and live or lived in the Florida Keys, he has probably taught, coached, or coached against someone you know.
The Keys Weekly Sports Wrap is proud to be the only locally-owned publication providing prep sports coverage from Key Largo to Key West. Together with our writers and photographers, we are committed to providing a comprehensive overview of the world of Keys sports with photography that allows our readers to immerse themselves in game action.
Se habla español THE MARATHON WEEKLY (ISSN 1944-0812) IS PUBLISHED WEEKLY FOR $125 PER YEAR BY WEEKLY NEWSPAPERS, INC., 9709 OVERSEAS HIGHWAY, MARATHON FL 33050. APPLICATION TO MAIL AT PERIODICALS POSTAGE RATES IS PENDING AT FORT LAUDERDALE FL AND ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICES.
ROCKED ’EM LIKE A HURRICANE
After a brief hiatus as head coach, Sam Ovalle is back at the helm for Coral Shores’ volleyball team, and he could not be more excited about the upcoming season.
“Win or lose, this team has great energy and great chemistry,” he said prior to preseason action Aug. 14 in Marathon.
Marathon - Alex Rickert alex@keysweekly.com
Upper Keys - Jim McCarthy jim@keysweekly.com
Key West - Mandy Miles mandy@keysweekly.com
All stories, photos, and graphics are copyrighted materials.
A few minutes later, the Lady ’Canes defeated Key West 25-19 and 25-15, showcasing their teamwork in a collective effort to beat the Conchs. After the game, Ovalle noted the team’s confidence as part of the recipe for success, praising upperclasswomen Celene Walker, Violet Matthews, Shelby Lynn, Ivy Tiedemann and Niveah Howard for immediately stepping up and leading by example. That example was followed by the newest members of the team’s roster and the results were clear: Coral Shores is the team to beat this season when it comes to in-county court action.
The Hurricanes also defeated Marathon in two sets, 25-8 and 25-15. The Lady Fins roster is seven seniors strong, and despite the results of Thursday’s matches, the Dolphins are
tracy mcdonald
Coral Shores dominant in preseason volleyball action
1. Conchs’ outside hitter Audrey Smith reaches for a block against Marathon.
2. The Hurricanes celebrate a crucial point against Key West.
3. Conch setter Adriana Heinrichs (9) sets up a hit for Tess Wright.
4. Coral Shores’ Niveah Howard (2) hits the ball past a wall of Conchs.
5. Middle hitter Niveah Howard clears the net to deliver a pow-
6. Key West libero Journey Lamb (5) watches for the serve in their match against Coral Shores.
7. Marathon libero Mackenzie Budi (1) saves the ball with a big dig.
8. Marathon’s Sara Strama (2) hits as Key West’s Summer Bailey goes up for the block.
TRACY
not despairing. Coach Kelley Cruz is focusing on using the results of last week’s preseason action to reach the team’s goals this year.
“The expectation of the season is to intentionally get better as individuals and as a team,” she said. Cruz hopes to balance hard work and fun with her team to produce results on the court. The Fins will be putting lots of miles on the school vans this year with a grueling road schedule.
“We have a lot of away games this season, so we need our community to come together and support these girls,” said Cruz. “They have worked hard all summer and are ready to play.”
After falling to the Hurricanes, Key West regrouped and defeated Marathon 25-8 and 25-15. Key West’s roster is senior-heavy and includes seven athletes in their final year of high school action, including last year’s Keys Weekly Player of the Year, outside hitter Audrey Smith. Three juniors and a pair of freshmen round out a roster of well-balanced and well-coached athletes.
In last week’s preseason test, the Conchs made it clear that they had all the technical skills and raw athleticism to go far this year. Once they settled in and found their footing, Key West put on a display of hard-hitting offense, and the Conch front has some great vertical ability for blocking.
Not present was Basilica School, which opens the season against Coral Shores on Thursday, Aug. 21. The Mariners were 7-12 last season, their first, and look to improve in year two under the leadership of coach Robert Wright. Basilica School went undefeated at the middle school level in 2021, and this season the core of athletes from that team return to the court as seniors, making for an interesting and exciting in-county series this fall.
Preseason classics ended Aug. 16, clearing the slates of all teams as they head into regulation play. Regular-season action winds down mid-October, when district playoffs begin. Key West, Marathon and Coral Shores will have opportunities to play for FHSAA state titles in their individual classifications. Key West, the largest school in the county, will play at the 4A level. Coral Shores is classified as 3A, while the much smaller Marathon is part of the Rural classification. Basilica School, still in the earlier stages of building a program, has not yet declared itself part of the FHSAA.
erful blow to Key West.
MCDONALD/Keys Weekly
Key West ties beginning of season to past gridiron hero in Ran Carthon Kickoff Classic
HOMETOWN PRIDE
For the second season, Key West honored a hometown hero in its preseason matchup. The contest, now dubbed the Ran Carthon Kickoff Classic, pays homage to one of the Southernmost City’s finest athletes. So just who is the namesake of Key West’s preseason classic?
“Ran was one of the fastest and purest runners I've ever seen,” said former teammate Chaz Jimenez, who currently serves as Key West’s wrestling coach. “It literally looked like he was floating on air when he was in the open field.
Jimenez was part of the magic that paved the way for several Conch records owned by Carthon. Despite being injured for a portion of his senior season, Carthon managed to break numerous Conch records and reached a level on par with Key West great George Mira. Both athletes’ numbers are retired, both had successful collegiate and professional careers, and Carthon’s senior season began with a kickoff classic named after Mira. Now over a quarter century later, it’s Carthon’s game.
After missing the first half of the 1998 season, Carthon returned with a vengeance and made for a memorable game for Jimenez.
“His first game back that season was homecoming,” said Jimenez. The contest was against longtime Key West rival Belen Jesuit, and Carthon set about making history against the Wolverines. “Ran broke off a record-breaking 99-yard run from our own goal line. That 99-yard touchdown run is one of my greatest Conch football memories,” Jimenez said.
That run was just one of Carthon’s school records. He is the only Conch in history to cross the single-game 300-yard mark. The 375-yard feat made for two records – one for most offensive yards in a single game and one for most rushing yards, as he earned every inch of those 375 yards on the ground. Carthon also holds the record (2) for most games with 200-plus rushing yards in a single game. He did it in back-to-back games.
1. Former NFL player and Key West High School alum Ran Carthon gives the team a speech at the end of its preseason game. MAICEY MALGRAT/Keys Weekly
2. Ran Carthon is Key West’s Best All Around Senior in the 1999 Conch yearbook. Carthon shares the honor with Carly Brevaldi. CONTRIBUTED
3. Arandric “Ran” Carthon as he appears in the Key West High School 1999 yearbook.
Key West athletic standout Ran Carthon lifts weight as a high school senior.
His contributions and leadership on the field carried over to every aspect of his life, and Carthon’s positivity is remembered fondly by another former classmate and Monroe County sports personality, Marathon athletic trainer Luis Leal.
“Off the field he was a super chill and down-to-earth guy. Seemed to get along well with everyone and spoke to everyone,” Leal said. “On the field he was a beast, a man amongst boys. You could tell just by watching him play that he was just different. Everyone that watched him play knew that he would be playing at higher levels after high school.”
“Ran was one of the fastest and purest runners I've ever seen. it literally looked like he was floating on air when he was in the open field.”
— Chaz Jimenez, who currently serves as Key West’s wrestling coach.
Leal could not have been more correct in his observations.
After a successful career with the Conchs, Carthon turned his talents to the University of Florida and turned heads there as the leading rusher for the Gators his senior season. His athleticism caught the eyes of numerous professional teams, and Carthon appeared on the Indianapolis Colts and Detroit Lions rosters before hanging up his helmet.
But his retirement from active play did not end his work with the NFL. Carthon worked in the front offices of the Atlanta Falcons, St. Louis Rams and San Francisco 49ers and served as the general manager for the Tennessee Titans for two seasons. Today, you can catch him on CBS as an NFL analyst. His ascent to the highest realms of professional football have not caused him to forget his hometown, and the rebrand of the Conchs’ kickoff classic proves that Key West certainly has not forgotten Carthon, either.
Christine Thing
Linda Griswold
Redding
From left: Ekon Edwards carries the ball in for a Coral Shores TD.
Nick Calderon closes in for a sack.
From left: Josh Johnson connects with power on a Key West kick.
Walson Morin churns out some positive yardage for the Conchs.
Jeff DeJean and Chace Gaertner team up on a tackle.
From left: Marathon's Matthew Delgado (#78) and Matthew Machado (#1) double-team a North Broward Prep defender.
Steven Stotts (#21) runs the ball up the middle.
Senior Steven Stotts celebrates the first touchdown of the year.
Photos by Doug Finger, Maicey Malgrat and Sean Westerband
CLEAN SLATES
All three Keys teams enjoyed home contests on Aug. 15 in their preseason classics. The Key West Conchs and the Coral Shores Hurricanes came out on top, while the Marathon Dolphins floundered. With preseason in the books, all the records are wiped clean as Monroe County’s teams start week one undefeated.
KEY WEST
Lessons learned in preseason games as two Keys teams prevail in kickoff classics
his lineman number in order to play fullback. Stotts scored the team’s lone touchdown last week and amassed 30 yards. Garrett Ruddy and Jesus Gonzalez both had carries at tailback. Gonzalez joins his brother Israel in the backfield, and both have football savvy and lots of athleticism. Ruddy, a sophomore, had never played football until last season, but that doesn’t diminish the expectations for him. “His intensity is great,” said McDonald. “He’s going to do big things for us in the next few seasons.”
Classic, making a statement against the 6A Homestead High School Bron-
In a 35-34 nailbiter, Key West prevailed in the Ran Carthon Kickoff Classic, making a statement against the 6A Homestead High School Broncos. Head coach Johnny Hughes had two goals going into the contest: to remain injury-free and to see how physical his team was. According to Hughes, both goals were met.
“We had a few bumps and bruises, but nothing major,” he said. As for the physical gut check? The Conchs managed to hold their own until the final whistle, despite facing a roster of over 60 Broncos.
“Most of our guys play both sides of the ball,” said Hughes, a fact that makes it far more difficult to compete against large schools.
One of those two-way athletes, senior Walson Morin, ran for a pair of touchdowns. Fellow senior Jeff DeJean had a pair of his own and junior Roman VanLoon, who earned the nod as starting QB, connected with Reef Guyet for a 24-yard touchdown pass. The scoring made it clear that the Conchs have figured out exactly what they need to do and have the finesse to execute.
Also helping them in their win was a lack of turnovers, something that plagued the team at times last season. With that out of the picture, and athletes who are showing out despite double and sometimes triple duties, the season could be something special for Key West.
Up next for the Conchs is Barbara Goleman. Goleman, a 7A school with at least two Division I commits, will test Key West in week one, but Hughes is optimistic.
“If we shore things up and have no turnovers, we should do well,” he said. Kickoff is Friday, Aug. 22 at 7 p.m. at Tommy Roberts Stadium.
MARATHON
Marathon coach Sean McDonald knew it was a gamble to schedule North Broward Prep, but a review of their spring game film eased that decision a bit.
“When they unloaded the bus, it was quite a different team,” said McDonald. But true to Dolphin form, Marathon fought hard from pillar to post.
Also not in the Fins’ favor was the fact that the team had just 10 collective carries in game action among all of their rostered athletes prior to the matchup.
“We graduated our ball carriers (from last season) and we were untested as far as carries go,” said McDonald. “I knew we would have some challenges there, and I knew there would be miscues. That’s what a kickoff classic is for.”
The Dolphins struggled to find their groove, and did not move the ball as much as they had hoped, yet the experience was an important lesson, according to McDonald.
“It was important to get that out of the way,” McDonald said, referring to several Fin fumbles. “Anytime you have a new ball carrier, there’s bound to be a fumble, and it’s better to have this in the preseason than when it counts.”
Marathon coach Sean McDonald knew it was a gamble to schedule colthere’s season it
This season, the Dolphins will continue their single wing offense with new role players. Steven Stotts, the team’s center last season, traded in
lone touchdown last week and amassed 30 yards. Garrett Ruddy and was one of the few players going into last week's game who had experiball game are enough to overcome Pompano Beach, a team which has be-
Playing wingback this season is junior Matthew Machado. Machado was one of the few players going into last week's game who had experience running the ball for the Fins, but his role this season will be far more crucial. McDonald noted Machado’s leadership and tenacity. Christopher Paul will replace Stotts at center, helping to shore up an offensive line that will feature Eduardo Garcia, Aidan Gilday and Matthew Delgado, a trio of seniors with experience holding the line.
Marathon will find out if the lessons learned from their preseason game are enough to overcome Pompano Beach, a team which has become a great rivalry for the Fins.
“We should match up well against Pompano,” said McDonald. “If we play aggressively and ditch the hesitation, we should have a great game.” The Dolphins play at Pompano at 7 p.m. on Aug. 22.
CORAL SHORES
Coral Shores head coach Ed Holly found himself scrambling for a kickoff classic after Miami Coral Park canceled at the last minute. Fortunately for the ’Canes, Miami Southwest had suffered a similar setback and agreed to travel to Tavernier for some preseason action.
“Going into the game, our goal was to find out who we are,” said Holly, whose team graduated a multitude of seniors last season. For the Hurricanes, that goal was achieved quickly. “True to Coral Shores, our identity was being able to run the ball and be physical at the point of attack,” he said.
Coral Shores struck first, with a 9-yard touchdown run from John Oughton in the first quarter. Miami Southwest answered in the beginning of quarter two to tie the game. With moments to go before the half, Ekon Edwards exploded for a 23-yard touchdown run to put the ’Canes ahead 14-7 at the half.
Southwest tied it up again in quarter three, making for an exciting back-and-forth game until Jake Campanioni punched it in for the goahead TD. A missed 2-point conversion made the score 20-14 until the final quarter, when Sterling Keefe ran one in and David Beltran added two to make the final score 28-14.
Edwards exploded for a 23-yard touchdown run to put the ’Canes ahead the the
As with all south Florida teams, with the exception of the Keys, Holly one
As with all south Florida teams, with the exception of the Keys, Holly really did not know what to expect with his most recent opponent. The rule modifications allowing open transferring of athletes from one school to another make knowing exactly what you will face each week a bit of guesswork.
“They had a lot of speed,” Holly said, adding, “They were a good team with good coaching.
“We had a good camp this season. We fought through the heat. We have a good nucleus and we’re excited for what’s in front of us,” he said.
“We had a good camp this season. We fought through the heat. We up. They’ll need that grit as well as the heat conditioning from their camp
The Hurricanes, having met their preseason goal, head into week one with some confidence, knowing they can do what has become Coral Shores’ trademark in recent years: play hard, dig deep and never give up. They’ll need that grit as well as the heat conditioning from their camp against Somerset South Homestead on Thursday, Aug. 21 at Harris Park in what will likely be a scorcher, with kickoff scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
SCHEDULES, SCORES AND SPORTSMANSHIP
County ADs weigh in on the 2025-26 school year
School started for students Aug. 13. But county athletic directors have put in countless hours throughout the summer to fill staff openings, compile paperwork and build schedules. A quick check-in with each school has confirmed that athletics are heading in the right direction Keys-wide.
CORAL SHORES
Coral Shores begins the year with a new athletic offering. Competitive cheerleading, coached by Samantha Rodriguez, will be available as a winter choice.
Another change this winter for the Hurricanes will be the head basketball coach. This season, Jim Best will lead the program. The ’Canes’ cross country teams, led by Lyndie Meyers and Gabe Rodriguez, have been running throughout the summer after building their rosters last year. Both teams are likely to have a fantastic showing this season. Swimming and diving return to the pool this week with lots of talent, and volleyball and football are already in full action.
Head football coach and athletic director Ed Holly is proud of Coral Shores’ student-athletes and, as always, is stressing their roles as future leaders.
“We are showing them how getting good grades and increasing their GPA sets them up for college,” he said. “We are showing them how good grades equal opportunities at the next level.”
MARATHON
New at the helm this fall at Marathon are cross country coaches Helena Bursa and Shannon Wiley. Bursa’s running experience will be crucial for the rebuilding Dolphin teams, and if anyone has what it takes to shape beginning runners into champions, she does. Bursa is the mother of state medalist and 7 Mile Bridge Run champ Vance, and she has finished first in her age group multiple times.
Marathon is also adding a new program this year in the winter: boys and girls wrestling. Dolphins athletic director Lance Martin says the mat is on campus, a coach has been secured, and the students are excited for the new opportunity.
Another area of excitement for the Middle Keys this winter is the girls weightlifting program. All eyes will be on senior Justice Lee, who hopes to defend her back-to-back state titles and add another gold to her vast collection of medals.
BASILICA SCHOOL
Basilica School will return with more athletic offerings in the second year of operations at the high-school level. Athletic director Clark Cascio will oversee five varsity-level programs this year. For the fall, the Mariners will field teams in volleyball, cross country and golf. This winter, boys and girls basketball will return to the courts to join the rest of the Keys schools to compete for county bragging rights.
KEY WEST
It’s business as usual at Key West High School this year. Conch teams are staffed and ready to go for all three seasons of competition. With no new program offerings this year, Key West will focus on continuing the tradition of Conch Pride.
“We are going to be experienced in a lot of our sports this year, where kids have been starting since their freshman year, and that experience should help us make deep runs in many of our programs,” said athletic director Andrew Freeman. “Most of our teams are going to be junior- and senior-led.”
Freeman will likely have his hands full working on transportation, as numerous teams have the capacity to make it deep into playoff territory.
Contributed
Andrew Freeman
KEY WEST
Clark Cascio
BASILICA SCHOOL
Lance Martin
MARATHON
Ed Holly
CORAL SHORES
SPORTS GUIDE
KEYS
• CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES • 305.743.0844
FICTITIOUS NAME NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of Wicked Good located at 1480 Overseas Highway, Marathon, Florida 33050, intends to register the said name with the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, FL.
By: Outta the Blue Marine
Publish: August 21, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
FICTITIOUS NAME NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of Beverly and Stanley Stewart located at 1004 House Avenue, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82007, intends to register the said name with the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, FL.
By: James R. Jones
Publish: August 21, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
LEGAL NOTICE
Pursuant to the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Acts (EPCRA), the South Florida Local Emergency Planning Committee (SoFlaLEPC) announces the availability of the following information: Hazardous Chemical Inventory (Tier 2) Forms, Hazards Analyses for Facilities with Extremely Hazardous Substances, SoFlaLEPC Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Plan, How-to-Comply Information for Hazardous Materials Users, and other public education materials. The SoFlaLEPC serves Miami-Dade, Broward, and Monroe Counties. To obtain information, please contact the SoFlaLEPC Coordinator at (954) 924-3653.
Publish: August 21, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE
Lien Sale
Notice is hereby given that the undersigned intends to sell the personal property described as blow to enforce a lien imposed on said property under the Florida Self Storage Facilities Act Statues (section 83.801-83.809) The undersigned will sell online by competitive bidding on August 29th, 2025, at 10:30am.
446 - Jennifer Davis - Personal Property
OP1 - Holly Tracker-Personal Property OP49, OP74 - Daniel AdlerPersonal Property Will be auctioned online by Storage Treasures via website at storagetreasures.com. All
purchased items are sold as is.
Items are located at Big Pine Storage at 30677 Overseas Highway Big Pine Key, Florida 33043 and must be collected within 72 hours of auction.
Publish:
August 14 & 21, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE
U-HAUL COMPANY OF MIAMI
Notice is hereby given that on September 8th, 2025, Leonard Richford Jr. Storage Auctioneer, Executive Administrator for U-Haul Company of Miami, Will be offering for sale under the Judicial Lien Process, By Public Auction, the following storage units. The Terms of the sale will be cash only. U-Haul Company does reserve the right to refuse any bids. The sales will Begin at 8:00 a.m. and continue day by day until all units are sold. The names of whose units will be sold are as follows: 103530 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, FL 33037 Stutznan, Pam 1207 Valverde, Nathan 1550, 1341
Murgas, Alex 1580
Publish:
August 21 & 28, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE MONROE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
Notice of Sale of Surplus Equipment
The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office will be auctioning off surplus equipment via sealed bids. All bids must be received by 10:00am on Wednesday September 3rd, 2025. The bids will be opened publicly on Wednesday at 10:30am on September 3rd, 2025.
A list of equipment to be sold may be viewed on our website; www.keysso.net/ auction.
Equipment list is subject to change. Bidding instructions and required bid forms are available on the website or can be picked up at the Sheriff’s Office Headquarters building 1st floor reception, or by Michaelcontacting: Cabot, MCSO Fleet Manager Phone- (305) 293-7477
Cell- (305) 797-0115
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office
5525 College Road Key West, FL 33040
The Property to be sold is open to the public for inspection at the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, Headquarters building at 5525 College Road, Key West, FL 33040 on the following dates and times below: August 26th, 2025 8:00am –10:00am August 28th, 2025 2:00pm –4:00pm
The Sheriff’s Office makes no representation or guarantee of mechanical condition.
All sales are, as is, no warranty. All sales are final.
Equipment List is subject to change.
Publish: August 21, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE
QUARTERLY MEETING
NOTICE: LOCAL COORDINATING BOARD FOR THE TRANSPORTATION
DISADVANTAGED
The Monroe County Local Coordinating Board (LCB) will be holding its regularly scheduled quarterly meeting on Friday, September 5, 2025 from 10:00 am – 11:00 am at the Marathon Government Center, Room, 2798 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050. The primary purpose of the Coordinating Board is to provide information and advice to the TransportationCommunityCoordinator on the coordination of services provided to the transportation disadvantaged population of Monroe County, pursuant to Chapter 427.0157, Florida Statutes. Pursuant to the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), any person requiring special accommodations at this meeting due to a disability or physical impairment, and any related questions or inquiries concerning this meeting should be directed to Anjana Morris at the Health Council of South Florida, Inc. at (305) 592-1452 ext. 101 at least 72 hours prior to the date of the meeting.
Publish: August 21, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE
MONROE COUNTY CONTRACTORS EXAMINING BOARD
MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
Notice is Hereby Given To Whom it may concern, that on Tuesday, September 9, 2025 the Monroe County Contractors Examining Board (CEB) will hold a scheduled meeting at the Marathon Government Center, 2798 Overseas Highway, Second Floor, BOCC Room, Marathon, Florida scheduled to commence at 9:30 A.M. This meeting is to hear the following: any person(s) to come before the board; any reports from Monroe County Assistant Attorney; any reports from Monroe County Building Official; any reports from Staff.
The Monroe County Contractors Examining Board (“CEB”) will review Certificate of Competency Trade applications and the Industry Input Section. All public participation in this meeting may be conducted via Communication Media Technology (“CMT”) using Zoom Webinar platform, during the scheduled meeting.
Meeting Agenda and Zoom Webinar information is available 7 days prior to meeting date on the Monroe County Web Calendar and
The Monroe County Tourist Development Council has funding available to governmental entities and non-profit organizations for capital projects for a second round for only District II (from city limits of Key West to west end of Seven Mile Bridge) and District V (from Mile Marker 90.940 to the Dade/Monroe County Line and any portions of mainland Monroe County).
The project/facility must have the primary purpose of promoting tourism and must fall into one of the following categories:
Convention Center, Sports Stadium, Sports Arena, Coliseum, Auditorium, Aquarium, Museum, Zoological Park, Nature Center, Fishing Pier, Beach or Beach Park Facility, Channel, Estuary, or Lagoon, Public Facilities in Accordance with Conditions set forth in the Florida Statutes.
The deadline for receipt of applications is 5:00 p.m. on August 27, 2025, and applications must be downloaded from the County’s Bonfire platform. For more information, please email maxine@fla-keys.com.
July 31 and August 7, 14 & 21, 2025. The Weekly Newspapers
the Contractors Examining Board webpage: monroecounty-fl.govwww.
PURSUANT TO FLORIDA STATUTE SECTION 286.0105, be advised that, if a person decides to appeal the decision made by the Contractors’ Examining Board with respect to any matter considered at today’s hearing, that person will need a record of the proceedings, and that, for such purpose, he or she may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based.
ADA ASSISTANCE: If you are a person with a disability who needs special recommendations in order to participate in this proceeding, please contact the County Administrator's Office, by phoning (305) 292-4441, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., no later than five (5) calendar days prior to the scheduled meeting; if you are hearing or voice impaired, call “711”.
NOTICE: It shall be the responsibility of each Respondent or other person addressing the Board to have an interpreter if the party is not able to understand or speak the English language. Rick Griffin, Building Official/ Board Secretary Jamie Gross, Senior Contractor Licensing Coordinator – CEB Board Monroe County Building Department Publish: August 21, 2025 The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE COUNTY COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA SMALL CLAIMS DIVISION CASE NO.: 25-SC-482-M PLAINTIFF: Fazoli Brothers, Inc. 5409 Overseas Highway, # 310 Marathon, FL 33050 305-849-8063 kissick1@gmail.com VS. DEFENDANTS: Thomas Larson Tony Larson 1111 Sombrero Boulevard Marathon, FL 33050 262-903-8905 tommy@teronomy.com
STATEMENT OF CLAIM
The Plaintiff sues the Defendant for Money owed Plaintiff by Defendant for: Work done, and materials furnished by Plaintiff to Defendant: Additional information to support the cause of action: Work was 100% completed on March 17. 2025 as per the Work Order Agreement dated October 1, 2024. The customer has failed to render the final payment due for the completed contract. The lump-sum agreement included all Plumbing labor, wiring, and equipment necessary to relocate the pool system and bring it into full compliance with current electrical code. Upon performing the contractually-required and legally-mandated electrical upgrades, a latent defect in the customer's pre-existing pool pump was discovered. This defect, which was not the fault of the contractor, made the pump incompatible with the required GFCI safety breaker. Separate from the unpaid balance for the primary contract, additional work hours were then required to diagnose and make the customer's defective equipment operational, for which compensation is also due.
Invoice 1371
$5,000.00
Invoice 1363
$7,219.00
Whereof Plaintiff demands judgment against the Defendant for damages in the
LEGAL NOTICES
amount of $7,999.99, (must be less than $8,000.00) together with court costs, interest and attorney fees if applicable. The undersigned states that he/she is the Plaintiff, that the foregoing is a just and true statement of the amount owing by the above-named Defendant to said Plaintill, exclusive of all setoffs and just grounds for defense. Plaintiff states that the suit initiated by the foregoing Statement of Claim is brought in good faith and with no intention to annoy the above Defendant, and further states that the Defendant is not in the military service of the United States.
Signed: John Kissick
Plaintiff’s Signature State of Florida County of Monroe Sworn to and subscribed before me by means of physical presence, this 25th of June, 2025.
BY: Vicmarie Gonzalez
Notary Public – State of Florida Commission # HH 360945
Expires Feb. 12, 2027
Publish: August 21 & 28, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 25-CP-000327-M IN RE: ESTATE OF DIANNA B. HOWIE, Deceased. NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the Estate of DIANNA B. HOWIE, Deceased, whose date of death was June 16, 2025, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 3117 Overseas Highway, Marathon, Florida 33050. The names and addresses of the Personal Representative and the Personal Representative’s attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court WITHIN THE LATER OF THREE 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 THREE MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. The personal representative or curator has no duty to discover whether any property held at the time of the decedent's death by the decedent or the decedent's surviving spouse is property to which the Florida Uniform Disposition of Community Property Rights at Death Act as described in ss. 732.216732.228, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under s. 732.2211. ALL CLAIMS NOT SO FILED WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIOD SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED.
The date of first publication of this Notice is: August 21, 2025.
Personal Representative: Donna P. Bailey 53 Conway Court Murrells Inlet, South Carolina 29576
Attorney for Personal Representative: R. Wesley Bradshaw BRADSHAW & MOUNTJOY, P.A. 209 Courthouse Square Inverness, Florida 34450
Telephone (352)726-1211
FBN: 977845
Publish: August 21 & 28, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 16TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
UPPER KEYS PROBATE DIVISION CASE NO.: 25-CP-000303-P IN RE: ESTATE OF DONALD S. BRIGHT, Deceased.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of DONALD S. BRIGHT, deceased, whose date of death was February 16, 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.
The personal representative has no duty to discover whether any property held at the time of the decedent's death by the decedent or the decedent's surviving spouse is property to which the Florida Uniform Disposition of Community Property Rights at Death Act as described in ss. 732.216-732.228, Florida Statutes, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under s. 732.2211, Florida Statutes. ALL 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: August 14, 2025.
Personal Representative: Patricia M. Bright 508 W. Wilson Creek Dr. Trent Woods, N.C. 28562 Attorney for Personal Representative: Victoria Miranda, Esq. Florida Bar No. #1015363 HERSHOFF, LUPINO & YAGEL, LLP 88539 Overseas Highway Tavernier, FL 33070 VMiranda@hlylaw.com –Primary kvilchez@hlylaw.comSecondary Publish: August 14 & 21, 2025 The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 25-CP-278-K IN RE: ESTATE OF CELESTE YSABEL RUSSELL Deceased.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The administration of the estate of Celeste Ysabel Russell, deceased, whose date of death was April 6, 2025, is pending in the Circuit
Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 500 Whitehead Street, Key West, Florida 33040. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM.
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 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: August 14, 2025. Personal Representative: Sonja Russell Gates 1213 14th Street, Lot 261 Key West, Florida 33040 Attorney for Personal Representative: Gregory D. Davila, Esq. Florida Bar Number: 886998 Law Office of Gregory D. Davila, P.A. 1111 12th Street, Suite 411 Key West, Florida 33040 Telephone: (305) 293-8554 Fax: (305) 294-9913 E-Mail: E-Filing@ keywestlawoffice.com Secondary E-Mail: gdavila@ keywestlawoffice.com Publish: August 14 & 21, 2025 The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCIIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA, IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY CASE NO: 2025-CA-877-P JUDGE: JAMES MORGAN IN RE: FORFEITURE OF PROPERTY DESCRIBED AS: A 2015 Gray Lexus RX350 SUV, VIN: 2T2ZK1BA7FC194338, FL Tag# NQUJ62, herein “Subject Vehicle” NOTICE OF ACTION TO: Antonio Alvarez, and ALL PARTIES HAVING OR CLAIMING TO HAVE ANY RIGHT, TITLE OR INTEREST IN the Subject Vehicle. YOU ARE NOTIFIED that an action pursuant to the Florida Contraband Forfeiture Act has been filed by Richard A. Ramsay, Sheriff of Monroe County, on August 8, 2025, in Monroe County, Florida, and you are required to serve a copy of your answer asserting any affirmative defenses with the Clerk of this Court and Petitioner's attorney, CHRISTINA CORY, ESQ., at MONROE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, 5525 College Road,
Key West, FL 33040, on or before 30 days after first publication; otherwise a default will be entered against you for the relief demanded in the complaint.
Publish: August 14 & 21, 2025 The Weekly Newspapers
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 16TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT,
IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
CASE NO.: 25-DR-805-M
RICARDO HERRERA TORRES, Petitioner, and ADIANES GOMEZ, Respondent.
NOTICE OF ACTION FOR DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE (NO CHILD OR FINANCIAL SUPPORT)
TO: ADIANES GOMEZ
RESPONDENT’S LAST KNOWN
ADDRESS: UNKNOWN
YOU ARE NOTIFIED that an action for dissolution of marriage has been filed against you and that you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to it on Ricardo Herrera Torres, whose address is 240 Sombrero Beach Road, Apt. D8, Marathon, FL 33050 on or before September 7, 2025, and file the original with the clerk of this Court at 3117 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050 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: July 29, 2025
Kevin Madok, CPA Clerk of the Circuit Court Monroe County, Florida
By: Leslie Rodriguez
Deputy Clerk
Publish:
August 7, 14, 21 & 28, 2025
The Weekly Newspapers
AUTOS WANTED
AUTOS ALL YEARS!
Junk or Used Cars, Vans, Trucks. Runs or Not.$CASH 305-332-0483
AUTOS FOR SALE
2003 Ford Explorer. 174k miles, runs great - have svc. records from 89k miles, A/C works. REDUCED to $3000 - OBO
Bring an offer! Located in Marathon. Call Evan 305-417-0169 SOLD!!!
PLACE YOUR AUTO FOR SALE AD HERE. $25/ week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-4170871 or email Anneke@ KeysWeekly.com
17' Montauk Whaler, 90hp Yamaha-50 hours only, GPS, Depth Finder, Radio, Aluminum Trailer, excellent condition. Located in Marathon. $11,000 OBO 305-849-5793 SOLD IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS!!!
PLACE YOUR BOAT FOR SALE AD HERE. $25/ week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-4170871 or email Anneke@ KeysWeekly.com
BOAT SLIP FOR RENT
Boat Dockage for rent in Marathon. Private bay bottom, up to 40' boat, self containing, offshore water, car & dingy parking space provided. 305-610-8002
PLACE YOUR BOAT SLIP FOR RENT AD HERE. $25/week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-4170871 or email Anneke@ KeysWeekly.com
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY
FOR SALE: Charter Boat Business & Equipment for sale. Located in Marathon, Florida. CALL 305-240-3270
EMPLOYMENT
Night Monitor – FREE Private Room in exchange for overnight availability at our Assisted Living Facility. 5 nights on, 5 nights off 10pm-8am plus weekly stipend, Drug & background screen required. www.westcare. com/join-our-team/
Handyman needed for residence in Marathon. High Pay! Call:305-395-0478 bbrayman@proton.me
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.
PLACE YOUR EMPLOYMENT AD HERE. $25/week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-4170871 or email Anneke@ KeysWeekly.com
HOBBIES/COLLECT.
PRIVATE COLLECTOR
WANTS Rolex, Dive Watches and Pilot Watches. Old Model Military Clocks & Watches. Call 305-743-4578
HOUSING FOR RENT
UNFURNISHED 2/2
HOUSE FOR RENT ON CANAL, MM27, Ramrod Key, recently refurbished and painted, w/d, utilities paid by owner, $3000/month, security negotiable, fenced yard, available now. Pete 786-649-9833 or pprm1119@aol.com
Furnished one bedroom efficiency in Marathon. Quiet neighborhood. 1 person only. $1500 mo. including water/electric. 1 yr lease. 305-481-6735
3 BR/2 BA home for rent in Key Colony Beach. 75' premium dock. $4,000/month + utilities. F/L/S 786-229-0228
3BR/3BA fully furnished home for rent in Marathon. Available now. REDUCED to $3,300/mo. 618-559-9143
2BR/1BA house for rent in Marathon. Completely remodeled. All appliances. No pets. $2700/mo for 2+ ppl.- $2,500/mo if less, incl. electric only. F/L/S Dock available for sep. fee. 305-610-8002
Studio House with Queen size bed available in Marathon. Bedroom/livingroom/ kitchen all sep rooms. Furnished & appliances, newly renovated. No pets. $1,299 + utilities F/L/S 305-610-8002
2BR/1BA with outdoor patio for rent in Marathon. $2,100/month F/L/S Taking applications. 305-849-5793
RENTED IN LESS THAN ONE WEEK!!!
Furnished Studio Apt. for rent in Marathon. 1 person only. No smoking. No pets. $1,100/ month incl. water and electric. 305-743-9876
RENTED IN LESS THAN THREE WEEKS!!!
PLACE YOUR HOUSING FOR RENT AD HERE. $25/week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-417-0871 or email Anneke@ KeysWeekly.com
RV FOR SALE
5th Wheel 27' Forest River Travel Trailer For Sale. Located in Key West. $9,500 OBO 305-848-7070
PLACE YOUR RV FOR SALE AD HERE. $25/ week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-4170871 or email Anneke@ KeysWeekly.com
VACATION RENTAL
Key West House For Rent - 28 day minimum. Recently renovated. 2 Units: 3BR/3BA or 2BR/2.5BA. 1 block to Schooner Wharf @ Historic Seaport. Starting $214/night. Sweet CarolineSeaport. com
YARD SALES
PLACE YOUR YARD SALE AD HERE. $25/ week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-4170871 or email Anneke@ KeysWeekly.com
Keys Energy Services, in Key West, Florida, is accepting applications for the following position in its Generation Department:
OPERATOR/MAINTAINER
Starting pay rate for this position, depending on qualifications and experience: $40.15/hr - $44.97/hr
For more information, including job duties and required qualifications, and to apply for the job, please visit their website at www.KeysEnergy.com. KEYS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. KEYS promotes a Drug-Free Workplace.
Certain service members, veterans, the spouses and family members of service members and veterans, receive preference and priority in employment, and are encouraged to apply for positions being filled.
Keys Energy Services, in Key West, Florida, is accepting applications for the following position in its Engineering Department:
ELECTRICAL PROJECT ENGINEER
Starting pay rate for this position, depending on qualifications and experience: $136,979/annually$140,815/annually
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.
PART-TIME POSITION CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER
The Part-Time Code Enforcement O cer is responsible for enforcing municipal codes and ordinances related to property maintenance, zoning, signage, public nuisances, rentals, and other related regulations. The O cer seeks to obtain compliance with City codes through citations or warning notices while assuring due process to violators. This position involves conducting eld inspections, responding to complaints, and ensuring compliance to maintain the health, safety, and appearance of the community.
Salary: Competitive Salary
Quali cations: High school diplomas or equivalent and a valid Florida drivers license. Prior experience in code enforcement, law enforcement, or a related regulatory eld is desirable but not required. Ability to interpret and apply city codes, ordinances, and regulations; strong communication and con ict resolution skills; ability to work independently and exercise sound judgement; experience using computer software and applications; active position including standing/walking/bending/kneeling/crouching throughout the day in varying climate conditions.
Application forms can be found at www.keycolonybeach.net; see “I WANT TO” then “APPLY FOR A JOB.”
Equal Opportunity Employer
Submit resume and application by mail or in-person to:
FACILITY MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR
– FULL TIME WITH BENEFITS.
40 hours per week at the Keys Marine Laboratory (KML), Layton, Florida.
KML supports research and academic programs conducted by universities/colleges throughout Florida, the US, and internationally. Duties include all facility maintenance of buildings, grounds, and equipment (e.g. janitorial, preventive, repair).
To apply for this opening visit: Careers@USF and search for Job ID 41130.
HIRING IN ISLAMORADA
MARINA CASHIER
Looking for a friendly, dependable team member who can handle a busy retail environment with a great a itude. Customer service experience and willingness to learn our sales system is ideal. Duties include assisting customers, restocking, placing orders, and keeping the store clean and organized.
This is an hourly position with pay based on experience. Flexible hours with a consistent weekly schedule. Morning and a ernoon shi s available.
Please respond by email (Ma at islamarinama @gmail.com) with any relevant previous experience and at least two references.
NOW HIRING
GENERAL OFFICE HELP
Captain Pip’s & their sister properties are looking to hire for general of ce help.
Send resume to captpips@aol.com or come in the of ce to ll out application. 1480 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050
CAPTAIN PIP’S IS AN AWESOME PLACE TO WORK, WE TREAT OUR EMPLOYEES GREAT. COME JOIN OUR TEAM!
NOW HIRING
DOCK HAND
We are looking for a Dock Hand with excellent customer service to join our team. You would assist with the daily operations of our marina. Responsibilities include assistance with the daily marina tasks including helping guests arrive and depart from their dock, guiding guests over the radio, navigation, marina amenity cleaning, pressure-washing, assisting guests with golf cart rides and requests, and maintaining the marina. Send resume to captpips@aol.com or come in the of ce to ll out application. 1480 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050 CAPTAIN PIP’S IS AN AWESOME PLACE TO WORK, WE TREAT OUR EMPLOYEES GREAT. COME JOIN OUR TEAM!
D’Asign Source is seeking the following professionals. Overtime and benefits are available.
Interior Designer
Apply knowledge & creative skills to projects at our high-end design center. Must possess history of achievement in quality projects and a strong sales background.
Warehouse Receiver
Responsible for receiving, inspecting, and processing incoming shipments in a timely and accurate manner. This role ensures that all materials and products are accounted for, properly labeled, and stored in the correct locations. The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, organized, and capable of working in a fast-paced environment.
Project Foreman
For complete details and to apply, please visit:
DAsignSource.com/careers
wants you to join their team!
Full-time. $19/hour to start.
EMAIL resume to: TurtleHospital@TurtleHospital.org APPLY in person: 2396 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL
DOLPHIN RESEARCH CENTER is a fun, environmentally friendly non-profit 501(c)(3) Corporation specializing in education, research, and rescue of marine mammals.
We have the following opening available. Scan the QR code to visit the careers page on our website.
$19/hour to start. Send resume to: turtlehospital@turtlehospital.org
DRC seeks to provide for the well-being of its employees by offering a competitive total package. DRC currently offers a 401k retirement plan, medical benefits, HSA account, paid holidays, vacation, sick and an employee assistance program. DRC also provides life and disability insurance at no cost to the employee.
COME JOIN THE FAMILY!
Email your resume and a DRC application to drc-hr@dolphins.org. EOE
