Upper Keys Weekly 25-1106

The bayfront one

This solid CBS home tucked away near the end of a private street offers unparalleled privacy and the sought-after allure of the luxury lifestyle. Experience a masterpiece built to incorporate and withstand nature's elements. Upon entering the residence and ascending the stairs, panoramic waterfront views unfold across the entire home through floor-to-ceiling windows. Fluidity in design is the essence of the concept for this home. This home offers five bedrooms, three full bathrooms, and three half bathrooms. The primary suite features floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the bay, two private balconies, an office nook, and a resort-style bathroom. Notable features in the primary suite include a custom walk-in closet, a dual entry rain shower, a stand alone jet tub, and marble tile throughout. Continue up the stairs to access the rooftop terrace where you can enjoy 360 degree sunset views, soak in the hot tub, entertain guests, and serve drinks from the enclosed wet bar! Complete with an elevator accessing each floor up to the third story. Outdoor amenities include an in-ground pool, artificial turf grass, mature landscaping, cabana pool space, a two-car carport, charging station and a pier dock offering deepwater dockage for all your vessels including a 20,000 pound lift and jet ski lift. This location offers unparalleled boating access with close proximity to Adam's Cut & Tavernier Creek for ocean access.

89240 Overseas Hwy. Suite 2 Tavernier, FL 33070

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News Deadline

Monday Noon

Advertising Deadline

Tuesday 2 p.m.

Former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney died on Nov. 4 at the age of 84. Cheney was defense secretary under President George H.W. Bush during Operation Desert Storm. He was then vice president under George W. Bush during the U.S.-led operations against Afghanistan and Iraq.

Rob Dixon practices for the grueling 8-mile Swim for Alligator Lighthouse event in 2023. Dixon is the only swimmer to complete all of the swims solo since the event started in 2013. STEPHEN FRINK/ Contributed

Members of

AND THE PITCH: ARTIFICIAL TURF VERSUS NATURAL GRASS

Debate continues over playing surface at Founders Park ballfield

JIM McCARTHY jim@keysweekly.com

Debate continues over the type of playing surface at the Founders Park ballfield, as some experts weighed in during a recent public meeting in Islamorada.

Monroe County School District officials are backing the use of synthetic turf, a manufactured product using synthetic fibers that mimic the aesthetic look of natural grass, on any future field improvements they undertake, including the field at Founders Park. The district uses the field for the Coral Shores High School baseball program via an agreement with Islamorada, which owns the field. The district is planning to spend more than $5 million on improvements to the field, as well as new amenities like a two-story building behind home plate for a press box, concessions and restroom.

But the village, and ultimately the five council members, will have a say over the improvements, notably whether players will be fielding ground balls and pop flies on natural grass or an artificial surface.

A task force formed several months ago by Village Manager Ron Saunders convened recently to get an update on the latest proposal for ballfield improvements by the school district. Saunders mentioned his effort

to eliminate a new multiuse building — in a bid to reduce project costs — was met with support by school board members. School district officials were originally proposing a 1,950-squarefoot building with a player locker room, restroom and spaces for coaches and umpires attached to a new dugout.

Instead, school district officials will be looking to renovate an existing facility at the end of the first-base line.

In a bid to gain a little more clarity and information on artificial turf, Saunders invited Marco Schiavon, University of Florida assistant professor of environmental horticulture and turfgrass science, and Wes Allen, regional sales manager with Florida AstroTurf to present various aspects.

Schiavon and his team studied artificial turf fields in California and found they were watered just to make them usable during the summer. Schiavon acknowledged a lot of his work and research comes from fields in California, but not a lot of data has been collected on playing surfaces in Florida.

“In South Florida, do I see or believe we’d see the same magnitude seen in California? No, the temperature difference would be reduced because we’re in a high precipitation state. It wouldn’t warm as much; however, I will point out at least here in Fort Lauderdale we had a brutally dry

summer, at least at the beginning,” Schiavon said.

In a study by UF professors, average surface temperatures of natural grass are as much as 70 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than a dormant brown lawn and 100 degrees cooler than a synthetic turf surface. One professor found a synthetic turf field reached 160 degrees.

And while designed to imitate the look of natural grass, the UF professors say, synthetic turf fails to provide any ecosystem benefits. And savings on water are in question as fields are sprayed to cool them in times of intense heat.

Allen said his AstroTurf company installed artificial playing surfaces at places like the University of Florida, Camping World Stadium in Orlando and the athletic fields in Key West, to name a few. He noted artificial turf has evolved similarly to the way iPhones have over the past 10 to 15 years.

In his remarks, Allen said AstroTurf supplied the summer Olympics in France with a zero-emission turf with GT-B series. It’s 11% biobased and reduces reliance on petroleum products. The surface is also durable and improves drainage and player safety, he said.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

SCHOLARS SIGNED

Take Stock in Children inks a record 84 students

Take Stock in Children of Monroe County has accepted 84 new students into its scholarship program, which now serves 382 students across 14 schools in the Florida Keys. This year marks a significant milestone for the program, reflecting a 5% increase in enrollment compared to last year.

The newly-accepted students, ranging from sixth through 10th grade, join a community of learners dedicated to academic success and personal growth. The enrollment includes 176 students from the Lower Keys, 74 from the Middle Keys and 132 from the Upper Keys.

“We are very proud of our new students who have joined our awardwinning mentorship program in Monroe County,” said Chuck Licis-Masson, executive director of Take Stock in Children of Monroe County. “These students will be a part of a 26-year history of providing college scholarships to nearly 1,200 students.”

Take Stock provides Florida Prepaid college scholarships that cover up to 120 tuition credits and local fees at any of the 12 state universities or 28 state colleges. Take Stock students may also apply their scholarship toward a career technical certificate.

“We have a track record of success with nearly 70% of our scholarship recipients earning a college degree or a career certificate,” said Licis-Masson. Monroe County Education Foundation board president Ron Saunders

emphasized the importance of, and his appreciation for, the Take Stock mentors who meet weekly with Take Stock Monroe students.

“We are very appreciative of our volunteer mentors who give time each week to meet with their Take Stock mentee, providing guidance and support that truly makes a difference in their lives,” he said.

This year has seen growth particularly at Coral Shores and Plantation Key schools, which experienced close to a 20% increase in enrollment.

Additionally, Marathon Middle High School reported a 12% rise in student participation. With new applications being considered after Jan. 1, the program anticipates reaching nearly 400 students in the near future.

To accommodate this expected increase in enrollment, Take Stock in Children is seeking additional mentors. Volunteers play a vital role in this program, offering support and guidance that help students navigate their academic journeys and prepare for future success.

The Monroe County Education Foundation congratulated the families and students for their commitment to education and expressed gratitude to the mentors who help make these opportunities possible.

More information is available from Licis-Masson at chuck.licis@monroecountyedfound.com or 305-293-1546. — Contributed

MARK WILSON ANNOUNCES CANDIDACY FOR CIRCUIT JUDGE

Judge seeks to succeed retiring Mark Jones

Monroe County Judge Mark Wilson on Nov. 3 announced his candidacy for Sixteenth Circuit Judge, Group 1. The seat will be open following the retirement of Judge Mark H. Jones, who will conclude his three-decade career on the bench when his current term ends in December 2026.

“Judge Jones has been a pillar of our judicial system for many years, and a stalwart example of professionalism and steady leadership,” Wilson said. “His service as a circuit judge has strengthened our courts and deepened public confidence in the justice system. I intend to continue my judicial service to the citizens of Monroe County by succeeding him in that role.”

Wilson was appointed to the Monroe County Court in 2017 by then-Gov. Rick Scott. He has since been elected without opposition. Before taking the bench, he served for 12 years as a Monroe County assistant state attorney, prosecuting public corruption crimes and other felony offenses.

WIlson also served for many years as the legal adviser to the Monroe County Grand Jury. He spent four years as a Special Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, where he prosecuted federal crimes. Wilson finished his prosecutorial career as chief assistant state attorney.

He is qualified by the Florida Supreme Court to preside over death penalty cases and has handled thousands of criminal and civil matters throughout the Florida Keys in eight years as a county judge.

Wilson has been a law professor at Penn State and Widener

University law schools, a Wyoming state trooper and a U.S. Army paratrooper in the Republic of Panama and at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, with the famed 82nd Airborne Division.

He earned a bachelor’s degree with highest honors from Rutgers University, a law degree magna cum laude from Penn State, and a postgraduate law degree from Yeshiva University.

“I’ve always believed that justice should be firm when it needs to be and compassionate when it ought to be,” said Wilson. “The goal of our justice system is to seek the truth and apply the law fairly to everyone. As a judge, my duty is to ensure the rights of all parties are respected, the laws are faithfully applied, and that the decisions we reach are grounded in justice and reason. I intend to continue this as a circuit judge.”

Wilson said he has been endorsed by Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay, Monroe County State Attorney Dennis Ward and the South Florida Police Benevolent Association.

The election for Circuit Judge, Group 1, takes place Aug. 18, 2026. Jones will retire four months later in December. — Contributed

MAN ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY POSSESSING GOLIATH GROUPER

AMiramar man is facing charges after state wildlife officers say they found him in possession of a goliath grouper at a local RV resort and marina.

On Oct. 17, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commissioner officers Alexander Oravec and Paris Winter responded to a report of an individual walking around Fiesta Key RV Resort and Marina in Layton and carrying a goliath grouper.

Wildlife officers say the man, later identified as 47-year-old Javier Rodriguez, admitted he caught the goliath grouper earlier in the day. He proceeded to lead officers to a freezer inside his rental apartment where the goliath grouper was located.

Officers arrested Rodriguez and took him to the Plantation Key Detention Center for illegally possessing a goliath grouper. Investigation revealed Rodriguez was on federal probation.

Per FWC, harvesting a goliath grouper is prohibited without a permit. Those who capture a goliath

grouper without permit should immediately release the fish alive, unharmed and using proper fish handling techniques.

— Keys Weekly staff report

MAN ARRESTED AFTER HE ALLEGEDLY COMMANDEERS TAXI IN MARATHON

AFlorida City man was arrested by sheriff’s deputies after he reportedly got behind the wheel of a taxi in Marathon and drove it to the Upper Keys.

Deputies say the report of a stolen taxi came in at 11:15 a.m. on Nov. 2 at the 5500 block of the Overseas Highway in Marathon. The taxi’s keys were left inside with the doors unlocked, and that’s when 43-year-old Misael Asaria Bocio allegedly got inside the vehicle and went for a ride.

The taxi was spotted driving erratically by deputies in Islamorada. Deputies stopped the vehicle and later identified the driver as Bocio. He was

Misael Asaria Bocio. MCSO/Contributed

arrested and charged with grand theft auto and driving with a suspended license. The sheriff’s said Bocio is a habitual offender and had just been released from prison on charges of robbery with a firearm, false imprisonment and burglary with assault on an occupant.

— Keys Weekly staff report

Islamorada Village of Islands Meeting Schedule November 2025

Unless otherwise noted, meetings are held at the Founders Park Community Center, 87000 Overseas Hwy., Islamorada

ballfield from January to roughly May. However, a proposed use agreement could give the village use during that period by checking with the school district.

Outside of baseball season, the village would have priority to use the field. The school district, however, could come to village officials and ask for use of the ballfield.

ELECTIONS OFFICE LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE

“We have a USDA-friendly product that is recyclable,” Allen said. “That is a huge thing coming up in the turf industry right now.

“What we’re starting to see in our industry is people want greener turf, more environmentally- friendly turf, safer turf and recyclable turf,” he said.

Typical turf products use polyethylene, but Allen said his company switched to soybean-based backing. And instead of rubber pellets, AstroTurf uses sand and brockfill, or a sustainable, organic infill for artificial turf made from engineered wood particles.

As for water collection, Allen said the AstroTurf product allows water to drain through the artificial turf, through the backing, a pad, sand and stone. He also noted that several fields they installed have collection systems containing pipes that send water to a management facility onsite.

“If you play on turf, you want it to play like a natural field because you want kids who are using that field to use it and to be able to participate the same way they would if it were a grass field,” Allen said.

Sandi Bisceglia, former Plantation Key School principal who lives across the street from the park, wondered how the mahogany trees located next to the field would still get water, if artificial turf were installed on the Founders ballfield. Allen answered that he wasn’t an engineer and didn’t have a hydraulic analysis of the site or dirt. Saunders said it’s a good point to bring to the school district as discussions continue.

The nearly four-hour meeting also dug into license and use agreements between the village and school district for use of the field. The use agreement is tied to the Coral Shores baseball schedule, and gives the team use of the Founders

Ed Davidson, a former school board member, has long stated his opposition to the process in which the planned improvements came to be, as well as the increased use of the field by sports programs other than baseball. He also noted the use and license agreements allow for “dramatic intensification” of use of the ballfield that was never intended in the last 24 years.

Several task force members believed another survey related to the ballfield improvements was necessary to get residents’ thoughts. Jamie Engel proposed a five-question, unbiased survey for residents to answer in a 30-day period. Richard Black proposed that each of the five task force members come up with two questions each, for a total of 10, for the public to answer in a two-week period. Alina Davis liked Black’s idea, but thought it should run for a month.

To date, no new survey has been released related to the ballfield improvements.

In recent months, school board members gave several approvals to the design for the Founders ballfield improvements. Pat Lefere, school district executive director of operations, told members during an October meeting the delivery of construction documents would be the next phase set to take place in March. Approvals from the village council, however, will be needed before any improvements proceed at the Founders Park ballfield.

The Monroe County Supervisor of Elections office on Oct. 6 launched a redesigned website with a new web address: votemonroeflkeys.gov. CONTRIBUTED

Upgrades unveiled in time for Marathon races & new campaigns

MANDY

MILES mandy@keysweekly.com

Are you registered to vote? Are you sure? Did you update your address when you moved last year? Do you know your new polling place?

Want to know who’s running for office — and who’s funding their campaigns?

Is your ballot coming in the mail? (Not if you haven’t renewed your request, as those now expire after every election.)

All this information and more is available on the Monroe County elections website, which has a new look, a new online address — and a new web hosting company.

“We are no longer being hosted by VR Systems,” Supervisor of Elections Sherri Hodies said on Nov. 4, referring to the Tallahassee-based company that, until this year, had hosted 64 out of 67 Florida counties’ elections websites. In 2024, as millions of users visited 64 county websites to check election results, the digital demand overwhelmed the hosting platform, and dozens of counties fielded frantic calls from candidates and voters as online results weren’t updating and websites were crashing, forcing users to find election results elsewhere.

Hodies added that while the website upgrade was her priority, the new web address — votemonroeflkeys.gov — was not.

“The state made a rule years ago that all election websites had to end in .gov,” Hodies said. “But our site had never been updated for that requirement.”

So the former keyselections. org is now votemonroeflkeys.gov. The old address will automatically redirect users to the correct one until March 2027, Hodies said, but encouraged users to update their bookmarks and saved sites.

The new site went live on Oct. 6 and launched “without a hiccup,” she said, hoping for the same smooth operation for Marathon’s city council elections on Nov. 4.

“Those election results for Marathon will be the test,” she said the day before the election. As of 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 5, the Marathon results were posted on the site’s home page.

“Transparency and trust have been folded into this website and into our new social media series, ‘Election Connection’ and ‘Behind the Ballot,’” Hodies writes in a letter to voters on the website’s home page.

of Florida turfgrass scientists. This image shows why occasional weed treatments may still be needed because seeds can settle in surface layers or sneak through edges if not properly sealed. CONTRIBUTED

“So instead of using the same hosting company that everyone does, we spread out the traffic,” Hodies said. “We worked with Iowa Computer Gurus to redesign the website, which took about three months, and it’s hosted by Azure, so we shouldn’t have any freeze-ups or blackouts. And the ones that happened last year weren’t the fault of my predecessor or anyone here.”

“For the first time ever, the Monroe County Supervisor of Elections office is on Facebook and Instagram, and I’ll be launching a monthly newsletter later this month,” she said, adding that people can opt in to receive the newsletter via email on the elections website. Hodies credited the county’s election employees for their experience, knowledge and commitment to ensuring clean and accurate elections in Monroe County.

“I’m surrounded by amazing people, and I’ve been attending training and education sessions around the state,” she said.

A LUMINOUS CAUSE

Reignite the Light Gala raises money for critical lighthouse restoration

jim@keysweekly.com

Standing tall for 150 years, Alligator Reef Lighthouse is more than a structure rising above the Atlantic Ocean.

Named after the U.S. Navy ship Alligator, the lighthouse helped guide the way for mariners. Today, it serves as a symbol of the Islamorada community’s resilience and maritime heritage.

The lighthouse represents the shipwrecks, pirates, pirate hunters, the earliest stories of lighthouse keepers, divers and anglers. The lighthouse and its surrounding turquoise waters have hosted weddings and burials at sea. In June, a former lighthouse keeper’s ashes were spread not far from Alligator Lighthouse. Jeffrery Kime, a U.S. Coast Guard member from 1959 to 1965, spent several months manning the towering, majestic lighthouse roughly 4 nautical miles off Islamorada.

Beneath the lighthouse, the waters and coral reef teem with fish for snorkelers to see up close. From land, it’s one of the more visible lighthouses from the Overseas Highway. And it hosts hundreds of swimmers from various states and countries every September for the Swim to Alligator Lighthouse.

REEL RECS

First lit in 1873, the lighthouse stands guard in honor of Islamorada’s past, present and future. In 2018, the U.S. Coast Guard declared lighthouses in the Florida Keys, including Alligator Lighthouse, weren’t needed anymore. It led the General Services Administration, which preserves government buildings and manages real estate, to seek viable suitors for Alligator Lighthouse, so long as they agreed to preserve the light’s historic features while making it accessible to the public.

By September 2022, the U.S. Department of Interior granted the local nonprofit Friends of the Pool Inc. ownership of the lighthouse with the agreement that it would eventually be restored. It was a new endeavor for Rob Dixon, Larry Herlth and the Friends of the Pool. An all-out push for ownership of the lighthouse was successful; a plan to restore the lighthouse was the next gigantic challenge.

Dixon told Keys Weekly they have phase one restoration plans in the works. That includes restoring the platform, walkway to access the lighthouse and stairway up to the light.

A government shutdown, however, has slowed the progress a bit.

“We submitted permitting paperwork to the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. They were in the process of reviewing our application, but everything’s been shut down for the last month now. We were also in the process of working with the Army Corps of Engineers on an application as well.”

Dixon added they’ve reached out to contractors regarding bids for phase one restoration work.

And while the government shutdown slowed the permit process, the fundraising efforts to restore the lighthouse to its old glory charges

Staff from your Monroe County Public Library recommend some of their favorites from the collection.

ahead. The Reignite the Light Gala is set for Saturday, Nov. 15 beginning at 5 p.m. at Tea Table Key in Islamorada. Guests will enjoy cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and entertainment from 5 to 7 p.m. Following a dinner catered by Green Turtle Inn, attendees will have the opportunity to place bids on trips, jewelry and more during a live auction.

Those who purchase a VIP table will enjoy a private bar while receiving a special goody bag. The evening will also feature raffles, a walking oyster bar and a Cuban coffee bar later in the night.

Jenn Weiden, event organizer, said the gala isn’t possible without the support of businesses including Keys Audio, HNO Productions, Green Turtle, Coral Keys Party Rentals and Island Time Trolley. Weiden also expressed thanks to Victor Ballestas for allowing the gala to be held on Tea Table Key, and all the sponsors that stepped up big time to support the lighthouse’s restoration.

Dixon said all the people he talks to care about the lighthouse and don’t want to see it toppling over.

“It’s our Statue of Liberty out there. We want it to shine and be a part of our history,” he said.

Visit Savealligatorlighthouse.org or Save Alligator Lighthouse on Facebook to grab your tickets.

What: “WarGames” (1983) Why: I dislike and distrust AI, and now I wonder if part of the reason is that I saw this movie at an impressionable age (15). Matthew Broderick stars as a supersmart teen computer nerd a decade before connecting to another computer became common. He thinks he’s sneaked into a new gaming system – but it’s actually the new autonomous missile control system installed by the U.S. armed forces. So when he tells it he’d like to play “global thermonuclear war,” bad things start popping up on giant screens at missile command. With Ally Sheedy as his love interest/partner in trying to avert World War III and Dabney Coleman as the computer system’s director, this is a time capsule that feels uncomfortably prescient. And, not for nothing, it’s the rare ’80s teen movie that is not all about adolescent relationships and bad behavior. If you’d like to see it on the big screen again or for the first time, it’s scheduled to be shown as the free “Movie Under the Stars” on Eaton Street in front of the Tropic Cinema in Key West on Saturday, Nov. 8. Where: This film is available on Kanopy, the library’s streaming app.

How: You can browse and request DVDs online by logging in to your account at keyslibraries.org. To view our collection of streaming movies and TV, go to kanopy.com/keyslibraries and set up an account with your library card. If you don’t have a card, you can visit your local branch or register online to get one. Questions? keyslibraries.org/contact-us. Recommended by: Nancy Klingener, community affairs manager.

See previous Reel Recs at keyslibraries.org/post/reel-recs.

RENOWNED ARTIST UNVEILS ‘RAISING THE FLAG’ AT ARMORY SPEAKEASY

Special tribute to veterans is timely

It is one of the most recognizable photographs from World War II, five Marines and one sailor raising the American flag on Iwo Jima.

“This is the most iconic image ever, in my view, so I wanted to paint it,” said renowned artist Robert Wyland, known to millions of art enthusiasts across the world as simply Wyland.

On Oct. 30, Wyland’s powerful 4by 8-foot acrylic rendition of “Raising the Flag” on Iwo Jima was unveiled at Key Largo’s VFW Post 10211. The post is home to the Armory, a militarythemed speakeasy.

“Wyland’s connection to the military runs deep; his father served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean war,” said the Armory manager Jose Rodriguez. “This art will forever stand as a symbol of gratitude and pride, a reminder that what unites us is stronger than what divides us.”

Before the unveiling, guests were handed flutes of champagne, adorned with military dog tags. Cheers erupted as the black cloth draped over the artwork was removed to reveal the vibrant painting, complete with eye-catching fluo-

rescent colors. Those present raised their glasses to toast the artist and his work. Chants of “Oorah!” – a well-known Marine Corps battle cry –could be heard in the background.

“There’s a feeling in it,” said Wyland. “Great art has a feeling. This one’s pretty great. Not just because I painted it, but the whole idea of it.”

After the unveiling, Monroe County State Attorney Dennis Ward presented Wyland with a coin commemorating the 250th birthday of the Marine Corps, which takes place on Monday, Nov. 10. Ward, a former Marine and commander of VFW Post 10211, commended the artwork, describing it as “a great rendering.”

“I’m glad you guys like it,” Wyland said. “I had so much fun doing it.”

Wyland is best known and celebrated for his colorful aquatic-themed artwork, including famous murals like the “Whaling Wall” at the Key West Historic Seaport depicting sea creatures. Recently, Wyland restored an iconic mural in Marathon, adding a mother and baby manatee to the scenery of the mural, first painted in 1991.

But military-themed art is new to Wyland.

“It means everything to me. I’m just so proud I could add a little bit to this space. Our military are the reason artists like me get to do what we do,” said Wyland.

“It’s priceless too. I don’t even know the value of it,” he said.

“You wouldn’t look at this and think it was a Wyland; I’m very pro military,” said Wyland, whose father was in the Navy and was shot during the Korean War.

“He used to say, ‘Touch here, Wyland, you can feel the metal in my chest,’” he said.

Wyland and the Armory’s owner, Janessa Silvestri, have discussed collaborating on a piece for a few years. To see it come to life just ahead of Veterans Day and the Marine Corps’ milestone anniversary is especially rewarding.

“It’s so special that he did this for us,” said Silvestri. “We’re going to be doing a big bash here for the 250th Marine Corps birthday.”

Mark Birk is the quartermaster for VFW Post 10211. He spent 30 years in the Marine Corps and retired out of the Pentagon.

“It’s amazing,” he said. “It couldn’t be more perfect or more fitting for 250 years of the Marine

Corps. All my friends are going to be jealous now.”

Wyland donated the piece to the VFW Post 10211, home of the Armory, and went on to make another generous offer.

“I’m going to give them all the rights to do whatever they want to do,” said Wyland. “If they want to publish it and sell prints of it and 100 percent of the proceeds can benefit our military,” he added.

Wyland has been painting since he was 4 years old. Now 69, he has no plans to slow down.

To see Wyland’s Raising the Flag, head over to the Armory Speakeasy located at 102255 Overseas Highway.

“This is the original,” said Wyland. “And if you want to see it, you have to come to Key Largo, baby.”

The Marine celebration takes place on Monday, Nov. 10 from 4 p.m. to close at the Armory Speakeasy.

Half of the proceeds of every cocktail sold will be donated back in honor of the Marines. There will be a cake-cutting ceremony commemorating the milestone birthday, along with live toasts and a patriotic atmosphere. The celebration is open to all: veterans, active duty and civilians alike.

Scan for Tickets

Join us for an unforgettable evening as we celebrate the ongoing efforts to Preserve Alligator Reef Lighthouse

NOVEMBER 15, 2025 | COCKTAILS AT 5:00PM Tea Table Key - 79775 Overseas Hwy, Islamorada

Cocktail Attire - White & Silver

Florida Keys FISH REPORT

FROM CLASSROOM TO CATCH

Anglers reel in 150 fish during ladies tournament

1: Betty Trueba shows a 26.75-inch redfish. The Key Largo resident took second place in the inshore division. 2: Key Largo’s Maryann Lemak takes first place in the inshore division with a 30-inch jack crevalle. 3: Offshore division winner Noelle Goulart with a 10.9-pound mahi. CONTRIBUTED

Women from Florida and other areas cast off for adventure and learning at the award-winning “Ladies, Let’s Go Fishing!” Keys University and Fishing Fever Tournament, held Oct. 17-19 at the Elks Lodge in Tavernier. Participants learned from top captains and pros before testing their new skills on the water, where they caught and/ or released 150 fish from seven boats during the friendly tournament.

Winner in the offshore division was Noelle Goulart of Belle Isle, Florida, with a 12.17-pound bonito aboard Kay K IV. She also caught a 10.9-pound mahi.

Inshore, Key Largo’s Maryann Lemak caught and released a 30-inch jack crevalle on the Scales 2 Tales. Second place went to Betty Trueba, of Key Largo, with a 26.75-inch redfish on the Scales 2 Tales. Trueba also had the top tarpon release.

The events kicked off with a meet-andgreet, followed by hands-on education from fishing captains on Oct. 18. The sessions featured basics with Lee Lavery, offshore instruction by Jeanne Towne, conservation insights from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and inshore and fly casting with Rob Modys. Ladies took to the water on Oct. 17 and Oct. 19 for offshore and inshore charters, learning from professional guides while landing a variety of species including blackfin tuna, mahi, yellowtail snapper, bonito, tarpon, snook, redfish, and trout.

“This event is perfect for beginners and intermediate anglers to learn, practice and go fishing,” said Betty Bauman, founder of Ladies, Let’s Go Fishing.

Visit ladiesletsgofishing.com for more information on upcoming fishing events. — Contributed

VISIT WITH CARE

Come to the Keys, but don’t trash them

Ah, the sweet sound of crashing waves, squawking gulls and the soft crunch of a Styrofoam cooler lid being ripped from its base by a light coastal breeze.

Paradise can be a place where your vacation trash comes to retire.

is the Monroe County recycling coordinator and outreach liaison.

Let’s be honest. You’ve probably thought about it and maybe even said it aloud while chucking an empty water bottle into a trash can: “What does it matter? I’m only one person, and it’s my vacation anyway.”

Yes, you are. And you know what? So is every other person who said the same thing right before tossing their unrecycled soda can, plastic bag or fishing line into the nearest mangrove, rock ledge or ocean breeze. When 8 billion of those “I’m only one person” decide their waste doesn’t matter, we get floating islands of garbage, choking sea turtles and more microplastics than plankton in our oceans.

And if a recycling bin isn’t immediately visible, your car has cupholders for eight but seats for five — you could bring your trash with you until you find the proper bin.

Remember when seat belts were annoying? They wrinkled your shirt, pinched your gut and made it hard to reach the radio dial. But we adapted, didn’t we? Now, we instinctively “click it” before reversing out of the driveway. Waste reduction is the same — it starts as a hassle and becomes a habit.

For those on vacation, you’re visiting someone else’s home. This charming seaside island you’re visiting is not a rental car with unlimited miles — it’s an ecosystem teeter-

ing on the edge of collapse. That “inconvenient” broken umbrella you left next to the overflowing trash barrel? It’s now airborne and en route to the nearest dolphin nursery.

And that chum box you crammed half-shut with old tackle is leaking a symphony of stink into the sand, ready to turn your last fishing line into a pelican’s next medical emergency.

Many of us in the Keys rely on tourism to make a living. We want you to come, enjoy, relax and maybe even fall in love with our corner of paradise. But love is a two-way street. It means respecting the place you’re visiting enough to leave it better — or at least not worse — than you found it.

It’s not about shaming. It’s about setting a standard. Locals, businesses and community leaders all share the responsibility of modeling good stewardship. This involves providing access to proper waste and recycling receptacles, educating visitors and setting an example. If you’re a resident reading this, ask yourself: Are you doing everything you can to make waste diversion as normal as buckling your seatbelt?

As the busy season approaches, let’s be clear: We welcome visitors. But we also expect them to treat this place like more than just a backdrop for Instagram photos.

Let’s show them what it means to care for the environment — one water bottle, one fishing line and one trash bin at a time. Because while you may not be alive when the worst of the consequences rolls ashore, your choices today are writing tomorrow’s headlines..

As a resident, take the time to greet visitors and offer some information about the area and the delicate environment. Demonstrate stewardship by picking up trash and choosing reusable shopping bags and water bottles.

And to that, we say: Welcome to paradise. Don’t trash it.

GROUPS TACKLE GHOST TRAP PROBLEM IN THE KEYS

Lurking in the waters off the Florida Keys, a haunting presence is luring marine life to their untimely demise and trapping their spirits in an underwater purgatory.

This isn’t the plot of a new Halloween blockbuster, it’s the unfortunate impact of derelict fishing equipment known commonly as “ghost traps.”

To help tackle the problem, Ocean Aid 360 was awarded $150,000 through the National Fishing Trap Removal, Assessment and Prevention (TRAP) program administered by William & Mary’s Batten School & Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS). Beginning in 2026, they will mobilize commercial fishers alongside dedicated trap data collectors and volunteer coastal residents and local watershed groups to detect and remove derelict spiny lobster and stone crab traps in the Florida Keys. This intervention will include a robust pre- and post-removal monitoring component to measure natural resources and economic benefits related to the removal efforts.

Each year in the United States, commercial fishing traps are lost due to vessel-gear interactions, storms and gear degradation. These ghost traps become inaccessible to fishermen but continue to function, resulting in mortality of both target and non-target species, habitat damage and reduced fishery landings. A 2016 report found that removing just 10% of derelict crab pots and lobster traps could result in an additional $831 million in global landings annually.

This is the second year that Ocean

Aid 360 has received clean up funding through the TRAP program, which is supported by an initial $8 million, four-year grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Marine Debris Program. Their firstyear efforts focused on the removal of marine debris and derelict traps in the Tampa Bay estuary — an area that is critically important for commercial and recreational fishing. These efforts resulted in the removal of 3,478 derelict spiny lobster and stone crab traps. Ocean Aid 360 will now shift focus south to target the Keys.

Data from each TRAP program partner is fed into a national database to evaluate the environmental and economic benefits of the removal efforts and to inform future policies.

“We are thrilled with the initial results from our inaugural TRAP program recipients. Their success is a testament to the impact that locallydesigned solutions can have on global issues,” said Kirk Havens, director of the Batten School & VIMS Center for Coastal Resources Management, which administers the TRAP program under the direction of co-principal investigators professor Donna Bilkovic and associate professor Andrew Scheld. “Our second round of recipients have demonstrated that same creativity, thoughtfulness and local community engagement in their project proposals, and we are proud to support them as they work for the benefit of their communities and marine ecosystems.”

More information is at trapprogram.org.

ANNIE & ROCKY

REMEMBERING JASPER

Jasper arrived at Key Largo’s Pawsitive Beginnings on July 17, 2020 after spending four horrific years on a fur farm. He passed on Nov. 3, having known more time being loved and respected than exploited by the fur trade. CONTRIBUTED

Fox who escaped the fur trade horrors passes away in peace

Hi friends.

Reef the fox here with your weekly “Reef’s Report.” I’ve got my serious paws on the keyboard today because I need to tell you something that’s been hard for all of us here at Pawsitive Beginnings. My brother, my mentor and the calm to my chaos, Jasper, recently crossed the rainbow bridge.

REEF THE FOX

fur farm. He now lives in Key Largo with his human, Nicole Navarro.

Mom says his body just couldn’t keep up anymore. One day he was sunbathing like usual, and the next, his back legs stopped working. He got scared, confused and frustrated because all he wanted was to stand tall like he always did. His favorite vet, Dr. Geraldine Diethelm, dropped everything to rush over, and mom made the hardest but kindest deci-

sion anyone could make. She helped him pass peacefully, right in the yard he loved so much.

The sun was shining on his fur as the breeze moved through the trees, and mom said it was like the universe itself was wrapping him up in light. She refused to let him go out the way he came into this world — trapped and broken. Instead, Jasper left free, loved and surrounded by the people who adored him most.

If you ever met him, you know Jasper had this quiet strength. He didn’t need to brag or boast; he just was. He showed the world that life after trauma isn’t just possible, it can be beautiful. He taught me a lot about patience and grace (even though I still forget both sometimes).

So tonight, when the stars come out, look for the brightest one. That’s Jasper. Running again. Painfree. Probably lying under a fig tree, smiling that gentle Jasper smile.

We’ll keep telling his story, because that’s what he deserves. Until next time, Reef, over and out!

Annie and Rocky are the sweetest of bonded pairs that you will meet. They are both 4 years old and chihuahua mixes. Both have been through a lot and stuck through it together. They must stay together. They love people and other dogs. If you are interested in meeting them, please contact MarrVelous Pet Rescues at 305-453-1315.

SAVE THE DATE

Thursday, Nov. 6

• MarrVelous Pet Rescues’ “Yappy Hour” from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Caribbean Club, Key Largo. Dogs must be vaccinated, leashed and well-socialized.

Friday, Nov. 7

• Corals and Brews at 6 p.m. at Florida Keys Brewing Co., Islamorada. Proceeds support I.CARE and Reef Renewal USA.

• First Friday concert featuring the folk duo Jennings & Keller from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Key Largo library.

Saturday, Nov. 8

• Free guided bird walk at 8:30 a.m. at Green Turtle Hammock Preserve, Islamorada.

• Treasure Village Montessori’s Nautical Nights Around the World Gala at 7 p.m. at Islander Resort, Islamorada. Scan the QR code to learn more.

Monday, Nov. 10

• Islamorada Village Council meeting at 5:30 p.m. at the Founders Park Community Center.

Nov. 11-12

• JOY Center activities from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Plantation Key Community Center, 53 High Point Road.

Wednesday, Nov. 11

• Mark Margolis teaches hydroponic orchid growing at 6 p.m. at the Key Largo Civic Club.

• Presentation by Chad Huff, Florida Keys Mosquito Control public information officer, on 75 years of fighting the bite at 6 p.m. at Islander Resort.

Friday, Nov. 14

• 14th annual Spayghetti and No Balls Gala benefiting MarrVelous Pet Rescues, at 6:30 p.m. at Snook’s Bayside, Key Largo. Learn more at spayghetti.com.

• Beats on the Bay music series welcomes Almighty Queen at 6:30 p.m. at Founders Park Amphitheater. Admission is free.

Saturday, Nov. 15

• Old Highway Run at 7:30 a.m. at Coral Shores High school. Signup at oldhighwayrun.com.

• A Night in White to Reignite the Light fundraiser at 5 p.m. at Tea Table Key, Islamorada.

A PIGEON KEY STORY

FLORIDA

KEYS HISTORY WITH BRAD BERTELLI

Brad is a local historian, author, speaker and Honorary Conch who loves sharing the history of the Florida Keys.

Driving along the Overseas Highway, vehicles roll over islands and past islands. Crossing over the Seven Mile Bridge offers a rare opportunity to pass over an island. Well, it used to.

Railroad piers supporting the Key West Extension of Henry Flagler’s Florida East Coast Railway were erected on Pigeon Key, allowing the train to roar 22 feet above it.

The Jan. 21, 1912, edition of the Indianapolis Sunday Star printed a story mentioning Pigeon Key: “The camps are in charge of a resident or division engineer with the one at Pigeon Key presently the most active. At high tide, Pigeon Key is about two acres in extent and perhaps three acres at low tide. There are four bunkhouses, each designed to hold 64 men; one of them for the foremen, who are housed apart from the laborers. Each has a reading room with good lights. Good mattresses are provided on standard double-decked bunks, with plenty of clean bedclothes; all laundry work being done by the company. Once a week all beds are washed and thoroughly disinfected to keep any parasites from getting a start.”

The following day, Henry Flagler rode his train from the mainland to Key West for the very first time. When the train rambled over Pigeon Key, passengers were given a bird’s eye view of Pigeon Key and the little community calling it home.

The island was surveyed in 1908, and a construction camp was established for railroad workers, including dormitories, a mess hall and a cement warehouse. Tents were also erected to house as many as 400 workers, assigned to build the bridges linking Knights Key to Pigeon Key and Little Duck Key.

While the train reached Key West in 1912, daily railroad service was established through the Upper Keys and the Middle Keys in 1908. Essentially, the railroad was delivered in two parts. The first part ended at a temporary terminus just offshore off Knights Key, the small island at the foot of what is today the Seven Mile Bridge. It took several additional years to complete the section stretching between Knights Key and Key West.

One of the most ambitious railroad projects was bridging the roughly 7-mile gap separating Knights Key and Little Duck Key. The feat was accomplished by constructing a series of bridges to cross the watery span where the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico mix. Four spans were constructed; one of them was not like the others. The Knights Key Bridge, Pigeon Key Bridge, and the Moser Channel Bridge were built on piers like those erected on Pigeon Key. The Pacet Channel Viaduct used formed arches as its support system.

The train chugged over Pigeon Key for 23 years, until Sept. 1, 1935. Sept. 2 brought the Labor Day Hurricane, which destroyed 40 miles of track and officially ended the railroad’s operation. With the railroad finished, the state purchased the right of way. In 1938, when the second version of the Overseas Highway opened, some of Flagler’s abandoned railroad bridges were widened to accommodate automobile traffic, including the four bridges linking Knights Key to Little Duck Key.

When they were incorporated into the highway, the pass became known as the Seven Mile Bridge. It cost a great deal of money to convert them. In 1937, the Public Works Commission approved a $3.6 million loan for the project. To recoup the costs associated with the highway improvements, the new section was established as a toll road. Two toll booths were erected, one near the old automobile ferry landing at Lower Matecumbe Key and one at Big Pine Key. The toll was $1 for drivers and an additional quarter for each passenger. It was not cheap. That $1 price in 1938 would equal almost $22 in 2025.

Included in the purchase of the F.E.C. right of

way was Pigeon Key. The island became the headquarters for the Overseas Road and Toll Bridge District. All of the toll booth money collected was counted at the Pigeon Key headquarters until 1954, when the Overseas Road and Toll Bridge District closed. On April 15, 1954, all tolls were lifted, and the booths were picked up and hauled away. Signs popped up along the side of the road that declared the highway was now the “Florida Freeway.” The communities in the Florida Keys protested the “renaming” of their road. Their voices were heard, the signs removed and the road once again became known as the Overseas Highway.

Eventually, Monroe County was given possession of Pigeon Key where, today, the old wooden railroad buildings stand like a sort of ghost town –but a kind of living ghost town. When the modern Seven Mile Bridge opened in 1982, it skirted the island. However, when driving over it and passing Pigeon Key, you can still look down on the island and see some of the oldest buildings in the Florida Keys outside of Key West.

The Seven Mile Bridge still offers a bird’seye view of the island, but also the old railroad bridges, including the Pacet Channel Viaduct that ends at Little Duck Key. The viaduct is where Fred the Tree resiliently grows. For anyone who doesn’t know Fred’s story, his Australian pine roots, which had dug into the asphalt and concrete sometime after 1982, took hold and grew because, when given the chance, life will fight to survive.

In 1990, Pigeon Key was listed as a National Historic Landmark. Two years later, the Pigeon Key Foundation was formed to “protect the island’s long-standing history from the Henry Flagler era.”

It is still possible to get that same view of Pigeon Key that Henry Flagler saw when he was riding his train. The old bridges stretching between Knights Key and Pigeon Key are still open to pedestrians and bicyclists. You can also ride the tram operated by the Pigeon Key Foundation that goes out to the island. Be prepared: visiting the island can feel a bit like stepping back in time.

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COMMUNITY INVITED TO EXPERIENCE HEALING THROUGH SOUND ON NOV. 15

Rroshi, of Ciao Bella Islamorada, will host a gong healing experience with Frequency House on Saturday, Nov. 15 at Founders Park Amphitheater CONTRIBUTED

An immersive sound healing event is coming to Islamorada, blending art, science and spirituality.

Osiris Santos from Frequency House will join Gilda Rroshi, of Ciao Bella Islamorada to lead a gong sound experience at Islamorada’s Founders Park on Saturday, Nov. 15. It’s designed to promote deep relaxation and energetic renewal.

The gongs are tuned to specific frequencies said to interact with the body at a cellular level, helping participants release tension and restore balance.

“Born from our own healing journeys, we wanted to offer this freely to the community,” said Rroshi. “It’s a chance to feel a sense of

connection and peace — what we like to call Heaven on Earth.”

The session will take place at 5 p.m. at Founders Park amphitheater, located at 87000 Overseas Highway. The event is free and open to people ages 12 and up.

Space is limited, and guests are encouraged to arrive early for a spot close to the gongs. Participants should bring a yoga mat or blanket, a pillow if desired, and wear comfortable clothing. To help create a fully immersive experience, phones are discouraged.

For more information or to RSVP, visit Ciao Bella Islamorada on Facebook.

— Contributed

THREE WATERS RESORT IS NEW HOST FOR ISLAMORADA SAILFISH TOURNAMENT

Three Waters Resort & Marina will host the Islamorada Sailfish Tournament from Dec. 5-7.

Now in its 62nd year, this tournament is the first and most prestigious leg of the Florida Keys Gold Cup Series. This new chapter for the tournament continues its legacy as one of the oldest fishing tournaments in the United States.

Contestants will compete for top honors in pursuit of the prized Atlantic sailfish, a symbol of speed, strength and skill. This year, the tournament will launch a new twoday fishing format and both a pro and non-pro division. The non-pro division is designed for anglers who have not been paid to fish over the past year. The pro division will continue to allow anglers, captains and mates to compete.

Each division will award trophies for the top three places, along with other awards, including top lady angler and top junior angler. The festivities will begin on Friday, Dec. 5 with the competition hosted

Presentation highlights ‘Undersea Neighbors’

The Historical Preservation Society of the Upper Keys monthly program is Monday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. at Coral Isles Church, MM 90 on Plantation Key. The program is “Meet Your Undersea Neighbors,” presented by Chris Rigano, Scuba Schools International master diver, videographer and photographer. He will discuss Upper Keys sharks, rays, barracudas and dolphin from a historical perspective. The presentation is free and open to the public.

County fire chief, sheriff to speak at Tunnels to Towers Monroe County Fire Rescue Chief R.L. Colina and Sheriff Rick Ramsay will speak at the Tunnels to

on Dec. 6-7. Winners will be announced on Dec. 7 followed by an open-air feast at the resort.

The tournament will be held in partnership with the Islamorada Charter Boat Association to raise money toward its mission of supporting those who work continuously to preserve Islamorada fisheries. The tournament is a celebration of camaraderie, conservation and the allure of sportfishing in the Keys.

“As stewards of Islamorada, we are deeply committed to preserving the legacy and future of sportfishing in Islamorada,” said Scott Dawson, Islamorada Resort Collection VP and managing director. “Hosting a Gold Cup Tournament is both an honor and a privilege to support the Islamorada Charter Boat Association and our community of fishing captains.”

Tournament entries are $700. Discounted room packages for participating anglers are available at islamoradasailfishtournament.com.

— Contributed

Towers Foundation 5K on Saturday, Nov. 8, at 8:30 a.m. at the Big Pine Key Community Park. The foundation, created in the wake of Sept. 11, 2001, supports our nation’s fallen and catastrophically injured first responders, military heroes and their families. Nicole Gerrard and Naima Thomas (wife and daughter of the late Monroe County Fire Rescue firefighter Herve Thomas), along with Tunnels to Towers, are hosting the event. Many Monroe County firefighters and sheriff officers will be participating in the event.

To register for the 5K, donate, or volunteer, scan the QR code here or go to www.t2t.org. Email bigpinekeyrun@t2t.org for more information.

MESSAGE SHERIFF FROM THE

I’m happy to announce the Sheri ’s O ce will be returning a total of $5,435,536.17 in excess funds that it did not spend the last fiscal year.

Fiscal responsibility remains one of my priorities and this last fiscal year was no di erent. I will always treat public funds as I would treat my own and continue to be the best financial steward I can be knowing how hard each of you work every day.

Nearly $5 million will be returned to Monroe County and the remaining excess funds returned to the Village of Islamorada, the City of Marathon, and Key West International Airport.

It’s an honor to serve as your Sheri !

Golfers make first-ever regional appearance | P.5

27 - NOV. 1 THIS WEEK IN KEYS SPORTS

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

6 - 13

11/6 Marathon Boys Soccer SLAM 3:30 p.m.

11/6 Key West Girls Soccer @ Mater Academy 3:30 p.m.

11/6 Marathon Girls Soccer @ SLAM 3:30 p.m. 11/7

West

11/7 Coral Shores Boys Soccer Ransom 6:30

11/7 Key West Girls Soccer @ Olympic Heights 2 p.m. 11/8 Coral Shores Swimming & Diving @ States 10 a.m.

11/10 Key West Boys Soccer @ Ferguson 3:30 p.m.

11/10 Coral Shores Boys Soccer @ Archimedean 3 p.m.

11/12 All Keys Teams Girls Weightlifting @ Key West 4 p.m.

11/12

11/12 Coral Shores Boys Soccer Marathon 4 p.m.

11/13 Coral Shores Girls Soccer @ South Dade 3:30 p.m.

11/13 Key West Girls & Boys Soccer @ Silver Palms 4 p.m.

For the first time ever, Coral Shores and Marathon are sending golfers to compete against the best in the region at the FHSAA 1A Region 4 championships. Representing the Keys are Hurricane Scout Oliver and Dolphin Emmett Merryman. See page 5. Photos by Natalie Danko and Doug Finger

GONZALEZ

Junior, Key West Swimming

He has a strong work ethic and encourages others to do the same. It was watchinggreat him swim the race and an awesome way to end the season.”

– Lori Bosco, Conchs head swim coach

1:51.78 new school record in the 200 freestyle

Key West’s Santiago Gonzalez set a goal this season, then quietly went about doing the work to achieve it. The junior freestyle specialist achieved his goals and more at the FHSAA Region 4 2A Championships last week when he broke the school record in the 200 freestyle event. Gonzalez’s 1:51.78 crushed the record set in 2018 by nearly a second, placing him in the Conch record books with another year of eligibility to break it again. At regionals, he also set a personal record in the 100 free race and anchored both the 400- and 200-yard relay teams, setting his team up for success. For his dedication and determination, which led to record-breaking success, Key West’s Santiago Gonzalez is the Key Weekly Athlete of the Week.

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.

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.

Publisher / Jason Koler jason@keysweekly.com

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Managing Editor / Alex Rickert alex@keysweekly.com

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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.

TWO FOR STATES

Lykins, Smith punch their cards for the big show

Swimmers from Coral Shores and Key West high schools traveled to their respective regional competitions last week following successful campaigns at districts. When the final race was complete, two Keys athletes made the cut to the state competition this week. Hurricane seniors Layne Smith and Aaron Lykins earned their spots at the big show, to be held at Ocala’s FAST facility on Nov. 8. Smith, the district champ in the pool’s longest race, the 500 free, swam to a fifth-place finish last week to earn a lane at states. Smith finished seventh in the 200 freestyle race, but did not quite make the cut in that event. She, along with Larkin Dunn, Parks Dunn and Sofia Figueredo, teamed up for a pair of relays that cracked the top 10 at regionals. The team swam to an eighth-place finish in the 200 freestyle relay and 10th place in the 200 medley relay.

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.

Lykins, fresh off his district gold in the 1-meter diving competition, placed fourth at regionals. His score advanced him to the next round of competition, where he is seeded 10th and is well within reach of a state medal.

Key West did not have any state qualifiers this season, but did have some notable performances at regionals. The 400 freestyle relay team of Max Blinckmann, Jacob Perez, John Picco and Santiago Gonzalez finished in 10th place. Gonzalez went on to break Cruse Sweeney’s record in the 200 freestyle individual race, a mark which has stood for seven seasons.

9709 Overseas Hwy. Marathon, FL 33050 Office: 305.743.0844 www.keysweekly.com

Scout Oliver, left, and Emmett Merryman NATALIE DANKO and DOUG FINGER/Keys Weekly

HISTORY IN THE MAKING

Oliver, Merryman make the cut to regionals

For the first time in their respective histories, Coral Shores and Marathon are sending golfers to the FHSAA 1A Region 4 Championships.

After playing 18 holes at Crandon Golf at Key Biscayne on Oct. 28, three Keys golfers landed in the top five overall. Coral Shores freshman Scout Oliver tied for third place. Oliver shot an 81 for the day and moved up a notch after a birdie on the 18th hole. Marathon’s Emmett Merryman and Roco Piscetello both shot 83, tying for fifth place. Merryman moved up the ranks with consistency while Piscetello had birdies on the 12th and 14th holes to boost his score.

In Florida high school golf, the top two teams advance their athletes to the next round, then the remaining golfers are placed in a pool. The top two scores from the pool receive an individual bid to the next round. The only golfers ahead of Oliver were on the rosters of the first-place and runner-up teams, giving him the nod. In Merryman and Piscetello’s case, only one could advance, leaving it up to a tiebreaker.

The district tiebreaker last week first tabulated the back nine holes to determine a winner. After that, Merryman and Piscetello were still deadlocked, as both golfers scored 40. The second level of the tiebreaker counted the scores from the 13th to 18th holes, where Merryman had a two-stroke advantage over Piscetello for the final at-large spot. Neither program has ever sent a golfer past districts, making the event a milestone for both the Hurricanes and Dolphins. And though it was bittersweet for Piscetello, the sophomore has incredible potential, and with continued improvement, has a fantastic chance to punch his own card next season.

Oliver, Merryman and Piscetello were not the only notable performers last week. Dolphin senior Max Childress shot a 91 to take his place in the top 20. Childress finished 16th after 18 holes to end his prep golf career on a high note. Makenna Haines and Justice Lee Isom also landed in the top 20 in the girls competition. The Dolphin duo were 18th and 20th, respectively.

Key West sent its teams to the 2A district competitions on Oct. 27 and 28.

The girls teed off first at Eagle Trace Golf Club in Coral Springs, where senior Claudia Steling finished in 10th place. Her performance was just seven strokes shy of an at-large spot at regionals. The senior leader scored 94 on the afternoon with a birdie on the third hole.

The boys teed off the following morning at Redland Golf and Country Club in Homestead. Geo Twyman had the best scorecard

for the Conchs. The junior turned in a 79, finishing at plus-7 on the day for ninth place. Twyman missed regionals by four strokes, but his performance was highlighted by birdies on the fifth and seventh holes. Jakub Krytinar had a pair of birdies of his own to help land him in the top 20. Krytinar’s 81 was good for 13th place.

Districts marked the end of the season for the Conchs and Monroe County’s girls’ teams. Oliver and Merryman will play at least one more round, with a chance at the big show. Regionals for the pair were at the Park West Palm Nov. 3 (results not available at press time). Should one of them have a stellar round and qualify for states, they play Nov. 14 and 15 at Howey-in-the-Hills Mission Resort + Club.

WE HAVE LIFTOFF

Girls

Oweightlifting season begins

ct. 29 marked opening day for Monroe County weightlifters. The Lady Fins and Conchs traveled to Coral Shores for the first official competition of the season, and the Conchs came home with the win. Key West outscored Marathon and Coral Shores in both the Olympic and traditional events. Marathon was second in Olympic, while Coral Shores finished in the runner-up spot in traditional.

In Florida high school weightlifting, athletes perform three lifts and are divided into 10 weight classes. The traditional event combines an athlete’s lifts in the bench press and clean and jerk, then the clean and jerk is paired with the snatch lift for the Olympic event scor-

ing. Last week’s competition saw double winners in all but one weight class.

Key West’s Althea Olsen had a pair of wins at 101 pounds. Caylee Moore, Camila Linares and Aaliyah McLeod were also double winners at 119, 169 and 199, respectively. Ava Walker won the traditional event at 139 to help boost the Conchs into first place.

Coral Shores had double wins from Emily Hurt in the 101-pound class, and Vanessa Gabriel did the same in the Unlimited category.

Marathon’s Ella Evans claimed first in both events at 129, as did Adelle Bainbridge at 154 and Justice Lee Isom at 183. Tinashay Cunningham won the Olympic event at 139.

Team scoring for weightlifting events awards points for the first four places in regular-season meets, but to determine which athlete had the top performance, a little more math is required. There are several equations used to calculate winners, but Florida uses the Sinclair Coefficient. The Sinclair compares a lifter’s totals in each lift with their individual body weight to determine who is the strongest competitor with their individual sizes factored in.

Last week, the top lifter was Marathon’s Justice Lee Isom, the three-time state champ who won by a large margin in both events. Ella Evans was second and Caylee Moore was third in both categories.

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The Key West Conchs kicked off for what was most likely the last time this season at Tommy Roberts Memorial Stadium on Oct. 30, taking on University Christian School. The Christians, traveling from Jacksonville, are a team loaded with talent, with multiple Division 1 commits on their 57-man roster. Key West, in contrast, carries a 30-man bench, but held its own for three quarters of football despite the difference in team size.

“They are a quality team, there is no question about that,” said Conchs coach Johnny Hughes. “We had a tough time getting outside on our sweeps. Up front, we had some moments.”

AND THEN WAS ONE

Many of those moments came from the hands of the Conchs’ most devastating weapons, seniors Jeff Dejean and Walson Morin. Hughes contends that each is a scoring threat every time they touch the ball. Their athleticism led the change in Key West’s flexbone offense to one that catered more to putting the ball in the hands of Dejean and Morin as much as possible. Those touches led to all three of Key West’s touchdowns last week, two from Morin and the other from Dejean. Morin ran for over 100 yards against the Christians, and Dejean’s carries put him just five yards shy of the 1,000yard mark this season.

The Conchs led 16-15 at the half, but ultimately, the weardown of two- and oftentimes three-way players took its toll. University Christian scored in the second half, recovered an onside kick, then quickly scored again to put the game out of reach for Key West, with the final score 35-22 in favor of the Christians.

Keeping the Conchs in the fight as long as possible were Leo Batista, a senior with a knack for destroying opponents’ offensive schemes at linebacker, and Noah Mercer, whose play on the line is critical. Mercer’s ability to read offenses and muscle his way through to the quarterback has led to a slew of sacks this season.

Dejean will have his shot at the 1,000-yard club next week, as Key West’s record qualifies them for the playoffs. A delicate balance of other teams’ records and the outcomes last week made it extremely unlikely that Key West will have a home game for the playoffs, but they are still in the hunt for a state title. Their

opponent, like the game’s location, is still unclear, but Hughes likes his chances.

“We’ll match up well in the first round,” he said. After that round will come the ultimate test, since a win would probably mean a repeat of the Conchs’ week 7 matchup against the daunting Miami Northwestern Bulls.

In Marathon, the student body was present for a treat on Halloween. Pine Crest asked to play early in the afternoon so they could return to Fort Lauderdale in time for the festivities. The Panthers took an early lead, but the Dolphins were able to punch one in in the first half via a Jesus Gonzalez run.

A third-quarter nine-minute drive stalled on the 3-yard line to make a win this season unlikely for the Fins, but Steven Stotts managed to bully the ball into the end zone late in the game. Elliott Greenmaki’s kicks were good after both TDs to make the score 26-14 in favor of Pine Crest.

The loss spelled the end of the season for the team, which struggled to match up to their opponents but did not show even a hint of giving up.

“I can’t stress how proud I am of these guys,” said coach Sean McDonald. “Their character and tenacity are amazing. We are going to miss our seniors. They were our heart and soul and kept us focused no matter what happened.”

In their final game wearing Dolphin jerseys, the five seniors each stepped up to make an impact. In addition to Stotts’ touchdown, Eduardo Garcia and Matthew Delgado, a pair of linemen, had carries for positive yards.

Aiden Gilday’s penetration on the line sent the Panthers scrambling at times, and Christopher Paul’s play at center was on point, as it was the entire season. Next up for Marathon is a week of rest, then it’s back to the weight room, which McDonald says will drive next season.

“Your wins and losses in the fall often come from the work you put in the winter, spring and summer before,” he said. “We will be putting in the work, no question about it.”

1. Noah Mercer and Jeff DeJean on a tackle.

2. Roman VanLoon runs the ball on a quarterback keeper.

3. Kaine Dickerson looks to reel in a long pass.

4. Walson Morin runs into the end zone for a Conchs touchdown.

5. Leandro Batista takes the ball upfield..

6. Leandro Batista falls into the end zone to score a 2-point conversion.

7. Walson Morin celebrates his touchdown.

8. Jeff DeJean runs into the end zone for a Conchs touchdown.

9. The Dolphins storm the field prior to kickoff on Halloween.

10. Aiden Gilday (66) takes down a Pine Crest player for a touchdown-saving tackle.

11. Charlie Buttner evades a Pine Crest defender.

12. Amelia Perdomo catches some air during the Fins’ halftime routine.

Photos by Justice Lee Isom and Maicey Malgrat.

WHEATLEY RUNS AWAY WITH WIN

Coral Shores sophomore takes first at Junior Orange Bowl meet

Coral Shores and Key West took their marks with over 20 South Florida teams on Oct. 30 at the Junior Orange Bowl Invitational run at Larry & Penny Thompson Park in Miami. The race will serve the teams well, as the course is the same one they will cover this week at their district championships.

Ali Wheatley broke the ribbon in the girls race, finishing in 20:09 for a win in her final contest prior to districts. Wheatley’s performance helped boost the Hurricanes’ team placement to fifth. Behind her were teammates

Kate King, Olive Welch, Aria Booton, Isabelle Jacobs, Tess Hill, Hayden Teal, Catalina Armstrong, Kiri Crockett and Ainsley Golden. King’s 23:27 was a personal record. Jacobs, Golden, Crockett, Booton and Armstrong also PRed at the meet.

Key West’s girls also had success in their final regularseason race. Emma Bradshaw completed the course in 23:54, a PR for the freshman. Violet Jangraw and Isabella Gotuzzo ran season-best races and Ryah Bushey and Yaretzy Marquez both PRed. Coach Keara McGraw attributed the team’s success to great weather and

hard work from her athletes.

In the boys race, Coral Shores finished 10th out of 27 teams. Jamie Cary led the charge, finishing in 18:33, a PR for the junior. Behind him were Alaric Rodriguez, Garret Gomila, Tristan Rios, Tristan Sanchez, Will Thies, Charlie Willis, Christopher Pizer and Eli Smith. Gomila, Thies and Willis all shaved time from their personal bests in the race.

Sawyer Hill was the first Conch to cross the finish line. The sophomore’s 19:05 was a season-best performance.

Senior Prometheus Delacerda was next, followed by Alejandro Caridad, Colin Palomino,

Top: Hurricane Ali Wheatley races to a first-place finish at Larry & Penny Thompson Park.

Below: Coral Shores’ girls cross country team celebrates a fantastic finish to their regular season.

CONTRIBUTED

Charlie Delashmit and Matthew Barret. Caridad ran a season best while Palomino, Delashmit and Barret set new personal records just in time for districts.

Marathon started off the postseason racing at the FHSAA 1A District 8 Championships on Nov. 4 at South County Regional Park (results not available at press time).

Coral Shores and Key West race Nov. 6 at the 2A championships held at Larry & Penny Thompson Park. Teams and individuals with top performances will qualify for regionals the following week.

• CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES •

NOTICE OF MANUAL AUDIT

The City Clerk of Marathon, Diane Clavier, will be conducting a Manual Audit for the upcoming City of Marathon Election.  The drawing of the race and precinct will be held Friday, November 7, 2025,  at 10:30 a.m. in the Supervisor of Elections O ce, 10015 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, Fl.

The Manual Audit of the chosen race and precinct will be held Thursday, November 13, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. in the Marathon Council Chambers, 9805 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, Fl.

AVISO DE AUDITORÍA MANUAL

La secretaria municipal de Marathon, Diane Clavier, llevará a cabo una auditoría manual para las próximas elecciones de la ciudad de Marathon. El sorteo de la contienda electoral y el precinto se realizará el viernes 7 de noviembre de 2025 a las 10:30 a. m. en la Oficina del Supervisor de Elecciones, ubicada en 10015 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, Florida.

La auditoría manual de la contienda electoral y el precinto seleccionados se llevará a cabo el jueves 13 de Noviembre de 2025 a las 10:00 a. m. en la Sala del Consejo de Marathon, ubicada en 9805 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, Florida.

Diane Clavier, Marathon City Clerk www.ci.marathon.fl.us

MONROE COUNTY DELEGATION MEETING

via Zoom (link below)

THURSDAY, NOV. 13th, 2025 at 10 a.m.

MEETING AGENDA

Call to Order, Pledge of Allegiance Welcome Remarks, Delegate Roll Call, Presenters, Public Comments, Adjournment

JOIN ZOOM MEETING

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81229342524?pwd= LLCbPxpaMcqdeuGKt0fqPBbhfyaNNr.1

View meeting insights with Zoom AI Companion https://us06web.zoom.us/launch/edl?muid= b7b39236-b397-43e4-8ed0-d3231b241964

Meeting ID: 812 2934 2524 Passcode: 500812

ONE TAP MOBILE +13052241968,,81229342524#,,,,*500812# US +13092053325,,81229342524#,,,,*500812# US

JOIN INSTRUCTIONS

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If you have any questions or would like to have the link emailed to you, please email: Lee.young@ house.gov or pamela.conway@ house.gov

LEGAL NOTICES

FICTITIOUS NAME

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of Party Central Bakery located at 7901 4th Street North, St. Petersburg, Florida 33702 intends to register said name with the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida. By: Party Central LLC

Publish:

November 6, 2025

The Weekly Newspapers

FICTITIOUS NAME

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of Welp, That’ll Do located at 7005 Shrimp Road, Key West, Florida 33040 intends to register said name with the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida. By: Welp, That’ll Do LLC

Publish:

November 6, 2025

The Weekly Newspapers

FICTITIOUS NAME NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned, desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of Yep, That’ll Do located at 7005 Shrimp Road, Key West, Florida 33040 intends to register said name with the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida. By: Welp, That’ll Do LLC

Publish:

November 6, 2025

The Weekly Newspapers

NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE

U-HAUL COMPANY OF MIAMI

Notice is hereby given that on November 10th, 2025, Leonard Richford Jr. Storage Auctioneer, Executive Administrator for U-Haul Company of Miami, Will be

LEGAL NOTICES

offering for sale under the Judicial Lien Process, By Public Auction, the following storage units. The Terms of the sale will be cash only. U-Haul Company does reserve the right to refuse any bids. The sales will Begin at 8:00 a.m. and continue day by day until all units are sold. The names of whose units will be sold are as follows: 103530 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, FL 33037

Cox, Michael 1426

Burgin, Leigh 1340

Ison, Malorie 1757 Saviato, Flavia 1344 Murgas, Alex 1580 Publish: October 30 & November 6, 2025

The Weekly Newspapers

NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA, IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY CASE NO: 2025-CA-129-K Premier Capital, LLC Plaintiff, Vs Carolyn M. Delgado and William J. Delgado

Defendant, NOTICE OF SHERIFF’S SALE NOTICE IS HEREBY given that pursuant to a amended Writ of Execution issued in the Circuit Court, of Monroe County, Florida, on the 7th day of October, 2025, in the cause wherein Premier Capital, LLC is Plaintiff and Carolyn M. Delgado and William J. Delgado was defendant, being Case No. 2025-CA-129-K in said court, I, Richard A. Ramsay, Sheriff of Monroe County, Florida have levied upon all right, title, and interest of the defendant, in and to the following

LEGAL NOTICES

described real property to wit: SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTY:

From the warranty deed that states the following described land, situate, lying and being in Monroe County, Florida to-wit:

Legal Description(s) –

On the Island of Key West, Monroe County, Florida, and known on William A. Whitehead’s map delineated in February A.D. 1829, as part of Tract 11 but better known as part of Lot 3, Square 9, Tract 11 according to Charles W. Tift’s Map of said Island recorded in Deed Book “L” Page 564, of the Public Records of Monroe County, Florida and being more particularly described by metes and bounds as follows: Commencing at the intersection of the Southwesterly right of way boundary line of Duval Street with the Northwesterly right of way boundary line of United Street and run in a Southwesterly direction along the said right of way boundary line of United Street a distance of 100 feet to the Point of Beginning of the parcel of land herein described, thence at right angles in the Northwesterly direction 84.17 feet to a point; thence at right angles in a Southwesterly direction 26.3 feet to a point; thence at right angles in a Southeasterly direction 84.17 feet to a point in the Northwesterly direction along the said right of way line of United Street a distance of 26.3 feet back to the point of Beginning.

SPECIFIC LOCATION OF REAL PROPERTY:

421 United Street Key West, Florida 33040 All bidders must have a valid Driver’s License with them and must register with the

The following is an upcoming GMX procurement opportunity:

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL RFP

GMX PROCUREMENT/CONTRACT NO.: RFP2602

GMX WORK PROGRAM NO.: 40060001.030

GMX PROJECT/SERVICE TITLE: DESIGN-BUILD SERVICES FOR SYSTEMWIDE BLIND SPOT CAMERAS AND CAMERA LOWERING DEVICE REPLACEMENT

For detailed information please visit the Procurement Department website at http://www.gmx-way.com/business/solicitations, or call the Procurement Department at 305-637-3277 for assistance.

Publish: November 6, 2025. The Weekly Newspapers

The following is an upcoming GMX procurement opportunity:

clerk at location of sale prior to start time of sale. I shall offer this property for sale, at the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Headquarters building located at 5525 College Road Key West, Florida 33040 in the County of Monroe, State of Florida, on the 25th day of November, 2025, at the hour of 10:00 A.M. or as soon thereafter as possible. I will offer for sale all of the said defendant’s right, title, and interest in the aforesaid real property at public auction and will sell the same subject to all taxes, prior liens, encumbrances and judgments, if any, to the highest and best bidder for cash or cashiers check. The proceeds to be applied as far as may be to the payment of costs and the satisfaction of the above described execution.

Dated at Key West, Monroe County, Florida this 8th day of October, 2025.

Richard A. Ramsay Sheriff of Monroe County, By: Donald Stullken Deputy Sheriff In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, persons with disabilities needing a special accommodation to participate in this proceeding should contact the Civil Division no later than seven says prior to the proceeding at (305)8093041 Publish: October 16, 23 & 30 and November 6, 2025

The Weekly Newspapers

PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE

Florida Keys Council of the Arts Notice of Upcoming Meetings

The Florida Keys Council of the Arts will hold the following meetings via Communications Media Technology using a ZOOM webinar platform. The access points to view the Zoom meetings or for members of the public to provide public input will be: JOIN ZOOM via the Zoom app and use each meeting ID and password listed. Meetings are open to the public, and all are invited to attend. Questions, or to RSVP, please email Liz Young at director@keysarts.com

Membership Committee

Meeting

November 6,12,19 & 26, 2025, at 10:00 AM

Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom. us/j/ 83426481409?pwd= bAa02HW6udj7Mpw WXLa4Two7iQ5qHZ.1 Meeting ID: 834 2648 1409 Passcode: 287548

Art In Public Places Committee Meeting November 18, 2025, at 4:00

PM

Join Zoom Meeting

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Meeting ID: 839 9709 1900 Passcode: 318814

Executive Committee Meeting November 21, 2025, at 3:00

PM

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom. us/j/ 87122115032?pwd= OacC0CKXt9RQKGS ivnaAr4HOp0prZV.1 Meeting ID: 871 2211 5032

Passcode: 742952

Publish: November 6, 2025

The Weekly Newspapers

For detailed information please visit the Procurement Department website

Publish: November 6, 2025. The Weekly

CITY OF KEY COLONY BEACH NOTICE OF CODE AMENDMENT HEARING “SECOND/FINAL READING OF ORDINANCE NO.

• CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES •

LEGAL NOTICES

Code of Ordinances.

DATE/TIME: Thursday, November 20th, 2025, 9:30 am

LOCATION: City of Key Colony Beach, Marble Hall, 600 W. Ocean Dr., Key Colony Beach.

The proposed Ordinance to be heard by the City Commission is [ORDINANCE NO. 2025-502], entitled: “AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF KEY COLONY BEACH, FLORIDA; AMENDING CHAPTER 5 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES RELATED TO “BOATS, BOAT TRAILERS, MARINE FACILITIES AND WATERWAYS”, ARTICLE III, “MARINE CONSTRUCTION AND IMPROVEMENTS, DOCKING OF BOATS”, DIVISION 3 “DOCKS, PIERS, AND MOORING EQUIPMENT”, SECTION 5-44 RELATED TO CITY COMMISSION APPROVAL CRITERIA; PROVIDING FOR CODIFICATION; REPEALING ANY INCONSISTENT PROVISIONS; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.”

The Business Impact Statement is available for review on the City of Key Colony Beach’s website at www.keycolonybeach.net and at City Hall at 600 W. Ocean Drive, Key Colony Beach. Interested parties may appear at the meeting and be heard with respect to the proposed ordinance. Copies of the proposed Ordinance are available for inspection at the City Hall of Key Colony Beach. If any person decides to appeal any decision made by the Key Colony Beach City Commission with respect to any matter considered at the Code Amendment Hearing, that person will need a record of the proceeding and for such purpose 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.

If you are unable to attend the Public Hearing on Thursday, November 20th, 2025, but wish to comment, please direct correspondence to the City Clerk, P.O. Box 510141, Key Colony Beach, FL 33051, and your comments will be entered into the record.

To be published: On or before November 10th, 2025 City Clerk City of Key Colony Beach, Florida Publish: November 6, 2025

The Weekly Newspapers

STATE OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION NOTICE OF APPLICATION

The Department of Environmental Protection announces receipt of an application for permit from Pigeon Key Foundation to operate a domestic wastewater treatment facility which would inject 0.00264 MGD of effluent into one (1) Class V underground injection well which discharges to Class G-III groundwater.

The proposed project is located at latitude 21o 42' 14.68" N, longitude 81o 09' 19.16" W on 44900 Overseas Highway, Marathon, Florida 33050 in Monroe County.

The Department has assigned permit file number FLAB07535-001-DW3P to the proposed project.

This application is being processed and is available for public inspection during normal business hours, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except legal holidays, at the Department's Southeast District Office, 3301 Gun Club Road, MSC 7210-1, West Palm Beach, Florida 33406-3007, at phone number (561)681-6600 or https://depedms.dep.state. fl.us:443/ Oculus/servlet/

shell?command=get Entity&[guid=38.1397723 .1]&[profile= Permitting_ Authorization.

Any comments or objections should be filed in writing with the Department at this address. Comments or objections should be submitted as soon as possible to ensure that there is adequate time for them to be considered in the Department's decision on the application.

Publish: November 6, 2025

The Weekly Newspapers

NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE SOLICITATIONS

The Pigeon Key Foundation is requesting proposals from licensed professionals for our bridge foreman home, storm hardening and preservation project. Interested parties should email pigeonkey@ aol.com for details related to proposals with the subject line: “BRIDGE FOREMAN”. Proposals will be accepted for 14 days after publication.

Publish: November 6, 2025

The Weekly Newspapers

NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE SOLICITATIONS

The Pigeon Key Foundation is requesting proposals from licensed professionals for our solar inverter upgrade, storm hardening and preservation project. Interested parties should email pigeonkey@ aol.com for details related to proposals with the subject line: “SOLAR INVERTER”. Proposals will be accepted for 14 days after publication.

Publish: November 6, 2025

The Weekly Newspapers

NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE SOLICITATIONS

The Pigeon Key Foundation is requesting proposals from licensed professionals for our tree wind breaks etc., storm hardening and preservation project. Interested parties should email pigeonkey@ aol.com for details related to proposals with the subject line: “TREE WIND BREAKS ETC.”.

Proposals will be accepted for 14 days after publication.

Publish: November 6, 2025

The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE ELEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT COURT IN AND FOR MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION CASE NO: 2025-000092-CP-02 SECTION: PMH05 IN RE: ESTATE OF JOHN D. DANNELLY, JR Deceased. __________________/ FORMAL NOTICE TO: PATRICK MICHAEL DANNELLY 555 OCEAN WAY KEY LARGO, FL 33037 YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that a PETITION FOR SUMMARY ADMINISTRATION and a PETITION TO DETERMINE HOMESTEAD STATUS OF REAL PROPERTY have been filed IN THE ELEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT COURT IN AND FOR MIAMIDADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, PROBATE DIVISION. You are required to serve written defenses on the undersigned within 20 days after service of this notice, exclusive of the day of service, and to file the original of the written defenses with the clerk of the above court either before service or immediately thereafter. Failure to serve and file written defenses as required may result in a judgment or order for the relief demanded in the pleading or motion, without

further notice.

Dated: October 28, 2025. Respectfully, Carlos Linares, Esq. Florida Bar No. 1051061

Sylvana Rosende, Esq. Florida Bar No. 1025248

ROSENDE PAUL PLLC.

Attorneys for David Sean Dannelly 8200 NW 41st Street, Suite 318 Doral, FL 33166

Phone: (305)701-2099

carlos@rosendepaul.com

sylvana@rosendepaul.com

Publish:

November 6 , 13, 20 & 27, 2025

The Weekly Newspapers

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

PROBATE DIVISION

CASE NO.: 25-CP-000479-K IN RE: ESTATE OF STEPHEN D. PEET, Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The administration of the Estate of Stephen D. Peet, deceased, whose date of death was September 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 is property to which the Florida Uniform Disposition of Community Property Rights at Death Act as described in ss. 732.216-732.228, Florida Statutes, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under s. 732.2211, Florida Statutes. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED.

The date of first publication of this notice is: November 6, 2025.

Personal Representative: Bridget P. Conger

4836 Flower Valley Drive Rockville, MD 20853

Attorney for Personal Representative: Ashton C. Malkin, Esq.

Florida Bar Number: 1030776

ELLIS LAW GROUP, P.L.

4755 Technology Way, Suite 205 Boca Raton, FL 33431

Telephone: (561) 910-7500

Fax: (561) 910-7501

E-Mail: Ashton@ellis-law.com

Secondary: Service@ellis-law. com

Publish:

November 6 & 13, 2025

The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA

PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 2025-CP-465-K IN RE: ESTATE OF PATRICIA ANN HOCKENJOS, Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The administration of the estate of Patricia Ann Hockenjos, deceased, whose date of death was August 26th, 2025, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 500 Whitehead Street, Key West, FL 33040. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM.

All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against the decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN SECTION 733.702 OF THE FLORIDA PROBATE CODE WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED.

The date of first publication of this notice is: November 6, 2025.

Signed on 10/27/2025.

Personal Representative: Nancy Frielinghaus 2105 Parkside Drive Forked River, NJ 08731

Attorney for Personal Representative: James J. Dorl, Esquire Florida Bar No. 618403

JAMES J. DORL, P.A. 5701 Overseas Hwy, Suite 12 Marathon, FL 33050 Telephone: (305) 743-6565 Fax: (305) 743-4143 Email: jjdorl@yahoo.com

Publish: November 6 & 13, 2025

The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA

PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 25-CP-000439-P IN RE: ESTATE OF DOYLE GLENDON BAILEY AKA DOYLE G. BAILEY Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The administration of the estate of Doyle Glendon Bailey aka Doyle G. Bailey, deceased, whose date of death was July 15, 2025, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 88770 Overseas Highway, Suite 2, Tavernier, Florida 33070. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM.

The personal representative has no duty to discover whether any property held at the time of the decedent's death by the decedent or the decedent's surviving spouse is property to which the Florida Uniform Disposition of Community Property Rights at Death Act as described in ss. 732.216-732.228, Florida Statutes, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under s. 732.2211, Florida Statutes. 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: November 6, 2025.

Personal Representative: Barbara Bailey 99 Barberton Road Lake Worth, FL 33467

Attorney for Personal Representative: Karen Levin Alexander, Attorney Florida Bar Number: 372587 KAREN LEVIN ALEXANDER, P.A. 4400 PGA Boulevard, Suite 402 Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410

Telephone: (561) 629-9929

Fax: (561) 629-9930

E-mail: Karen@klalawfl.com

Secondary E-Mail: Cathy@ klalawfl.com

Publish: November 6 & 13, 2025

The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT, SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA

PROBATE DIVISION CASE NO.: 25-CP-000309-M IN RE: ESTATE OF WARREN YOUNG RUSSELL, JR., Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The administration of the estate of WARREN YOUNG RUSSELL, JR., deceased, whose date of death was May 4, 2024, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 3117 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the Decedent and other persons having claims or demands against Decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM.

All other creditors of the Decedent and other persons having claims or demands against Decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. 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 personal representative has no duty to discover whether any property held at the time of Decedent's death by Decedent or Decedent's surviving spouse is property to which the Florida Uniform Disposition of Community Property Rights at Death Act as described in ss. 732.216732.228, Florida Statutes, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under s. 732.2211, Florida Statutes. The date of first publication of this notice is: November 6, 2025.

Personal Representative: JOSEPH NEWELL ADKINS 556 NW Savannah Circ. Lake City, Florida 32055

Attorney for Personal Representative: MORGAN & GETZAN, PLLC

Roberta O. Getzan, Esq. Florida Bar No. 0577200 234 East Duval Street Lake City, Florida 32055 386/755-1977 (office) 386-755-8781 (facsimile) info@morgangetzan.com

Publish: November 6 & 13, 2025

The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA

PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 25-CP-468-K

DIVISION: LOWER KEYS IN RE: ESTATE OF ANGELA A. BLANCHARD Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The administration of the estate of Angela A. Blanchard, deceased, whose date of death was September 28, 2025, is pending in the Circuit Court for MONROE County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 500 Whitehead Street, Key West, Florida 33040. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM.

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

The personal representative has no duty to discover whether any property held at the time of the decedent's death by the decedent or the decedent's surviving spouse is property to which the Florida Uniform Disposition of Community Property Rights at Death Act as described in ss. 732.216-732.228, Florida Statutes, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under s. 732.2211, Florida Statutes. The written demand must be filed with the clerk.

ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED.

The date of first publication of this notice is: November 6, 2025.

Personal Representative: The Coral Gables Trust Company Ivan Shegota, Managing

Director of The Coral Gables Trust Company

255 Alhambra Circle, Suite 333 Coral Gables, FL 33134

Attorney for Personal Representative:

Richard E. Warner

Attorney

Florida Bar Number: 283134

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

Telephone: (305) 743-6022

Fax: (305) 743-6216

E-mail: richard@rewarnerlaw. com

Secondary E-Mail: pamela2@ rewarnerlaw.com

Publish:

November 6 & 13, 2025

The Weekly Newspapers

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

DIVISION: PROBATE FILE NO.: 2025-CP-355-M IN RE: ESTATE OF CHARLES C. CURRIER

Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The administration of the estate of CHARLES C. CURRIER, deceased, whose date of death was February 9, 2025, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 3117 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below.

All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court WITHIN THE LATER OF 3 MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN 3 MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN SECTION 733.702 OF THE FLORIDA PROBATE CODE WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED. The date of first publication of this notice is November 6, 2025.

Personal Representative: KRISTEN BRENNER 359 E. Seaview Drive Duck Key, FL 33050 Attorney for Personal Representative: Anthony J. Barrows Attorney for Personal Representative Florida Bar Number: 662569 WRIGHT BARROWS PLLC 9711 Overseas Highway Marathon, FL 33050 Telephone: (305) 743-8118 Fax: (305) 489-0307 E-mail: Tony@keysclosings. com Publish: November 6 & 13, 2025 The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA PROBATE DIVISION FILE NUMBER: 25-CP-285 DIVISION: KEY WEST IN RE: ESTATE OF JULIE QUARLES Deceased. NOTICE TO CREDITORS The administration of the Estate of JULIE

• CLASSIFIEDS, PUBLIC & LEGAL NOTICES •

deceased, whose date of death was April 30, 2025, is pending in the Circuit Court for MONROE County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 500 Whitehead Street, Key West, Florida 33040. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below.

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

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

The personal representative has no duty to discover whether any property held at the time of the decedent's death by the decedent or the decedent's surviving spouse is property to which the Florida Uniform Disposition of Community Property Rights at Death Act as described in ss. 732.216-732.228, Florida Statutes, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under s. 732.2211, Florida Statutes. The written demand must be filed with the clerk.

ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED.

The date of first publication of this notice is: November 6, 2025.

Personal Representative: BLAINE COOK 414 Angela Street Key West, FL 33040 Attorney for Personal Representative: PAUNECE SCULL Attorney Florida Bar No. 729477 SCULL & SCULL PA 302 Southard Street Suite 105 Key West, FL 33040 Telephone: (305) 407-6897

E-Mail: paunece@scullpa.com

Secondary E-Mail: kader@ scullpa.com

Publish: November 6 & 13, 2025

The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA

PROBATE DIVISION FILE NO.: 25-CP-476-M DIVISION: MIDDLE KEYS IN RE: ESTATE OF VERNELLE WILLIAM MELIN

Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The administration of the estate of Vernelle William Melin, deceased, whose date of death was August 18, 2025, is pending in the Circuit Court for MONROE County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 3117 Overseas Highway, Marathon, Florida 33050. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against decedent’s estate on whom a copy of this notice is required to be served must file their claims with this court ON OR BEFORE THE LATER OF 3

MONTHS AFTER THE TIME OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR 30 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM.

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

The personal representative has no duty to discover whether any property held at the time of the decedent's death by the decedent or the decedent's surviving spouse is property to which the Florida Uniform Disposition of Community Property Rights at Death Act as described in ss. 732.216-732.228, Florida Statutes, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under s. 732.2211, Florida Statutes. The written demand must be filed with the clerk.

ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT’S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED.

The date of first publication of this notice is: October 30, 2025.

Personal Representative: Connie Ann Melin 7900 Gulfstream Blvd. Marathon, Florida 33050

Attorney for Personal Representative: Richard E. Warner

Attorney Florida Bar Number: 283134

RICHARD E. WARNER, P.A. 12221 Overseas Highway MARATHON, FL 33050 Telephone: (305) 743-6022

Fax: (305) 743-6216

E-mail: richard@rewarnerlaw. com

Secondary E-Mail: pamela2@ rewarnerlaw.com

Publish: October 30 & November 6, 2025

The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT, SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA

PROBATE DIVISION CASE NUMBER: 25-CP-436-K

DIVISION: KEY WEST IN RE: ESTATE OF CHRISTOPHER BRADLEY MARIO

a/k/a CHRISTOPHER B. MARIO, Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The administration of the estate of Christopher Bradley Mario a/k/a Christopher B. Mario, deceased, whose date of death was September 8, 2025, is pending in the Circuit Court for Monroe County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 500 Whitehead Street, Key West, Florida, 33040. The names and addresses of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney are set forth below.

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

LEGAL NOTICES

PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE.

The personal representative has no duty to discover whether any property held at the time of the decedent's death by the decedent or the decedent's surviving spouse is property to which the Florida Uniform Disposition of Community Property Rights at Death Act as described in ss. 732.216-732.228, Florida Statutes, applies, or may apply, unless a written demand is made by a creditor as specified under s. 732.2211, Florida Statutes. The written demand must be filed with the clerk.

ALL CLAIMS NOT FILED WITHIN THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH IN FLORIDA STATUTES SECTION 733.702 WILL BE FOREVER BARRED. NOTWITHSTANDING THE TIME PERIODS SET FORTH ABOVE, ANY CLAIM FILED TWO (2) YEARS OR MORE AFTER THE DECEDENT'S DATE OF DEATH IS BARRED.

The date of first publication of this notice is October 30, 2025.

Personal Representative: JEREMY KONRAD MARIO

220 N. Serenata Drive, #623 Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082

Attorney for Personal Representative: CHRISTOPHER M. BAUER, ESQ. Florida Bar Number: 1012136 Fisher, Tousey, Leas & Ball 818 N. A1A, Suite 104 Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082 Tel: (904) 356-2600

Email: cmb@fishertousey.com

Publish:

October 30 and November 6, 2025 The Weekly Newspapers

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MONROE COUNTY CASE NO. 2012-CA-000363-K NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE BY CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT

COURT

Notice is hereby given that the undersigned, Kevin Madok, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Monroe County, Florida, will, on the 19TH day of November 2025 at 11 o’clock a.m., at 500 Whitehead Street, Monroe County, in the City of Key West, Florida, offer for sale and sell at public outcry to the highest and best bidder for CASH the Following described property situated in Monroe County, Florida, to wit:

Property Address: 728 Prado Circle, Key West, FL 33040 LOT 23, BLOCK 2, AMENDED PLAT OF COPPITT SUBDIVISION, (A RESUBDIVISION OF PLAT BOOK 3, AT PAGE 116) LOCATED IN GOVERNMENT LOT 5, SECTION 27, TOWNSHIP 67 S., RANGE 26 E., BIG COPPITT KEY, MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA, AS RECORDED IN PLAT BOOK 4, AT PAGE 50, OF THE PUBLIC RECORDS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA. Pursuant to ORDER ON PLAINTIFF’S MOTION TO RESCHEDULE FORECLOSURE

SALE entered in a case pending in said Court, the 1ST day of October 2025

Style of which is: FEDERAL NATIONAL MORTGAGE ASSOCIATION

Plaintiff, VS. JOSEPH PATRICK CLEMENTS

A/K/A JOSEPH P. CLEMENTS AND DEBRA LYNN CLEMENTS

A/K/A DEBRA L. CLEMENTS

A/K/A DEBBIE L. CLEMENTS; BRANCH BANKING AND TRUST COMPANY, SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO REPUBLIC BANK; IBERIABANK; UNKNOWN PARTIES IN POSSESSION #1, IF LIVING, AND ALL UNKNOWN PARTIES CLAIMING BY, THROUGH, UNDER AND AGAINST THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANT(S) WHO ARE NOT KNOWN TO BE DEAD OR ALIVE, WHETHER SAID

UNKNOWN PARTIES MAY CLAIM AN INTEREST AS SPOUSE, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, OR OTHER CLAIMANTS; UNKNOWN PARTIES IN POSSESSION #2, IF LIVING, AND ALL UNKNOWN PARTIES CLAIMING BY, THROUGH, UNDER AND AGAINST THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANT(S) WHO ARE NOT KNOWN TO BE DEAD OR ALIVE, WHETHER SAID UNKNOWN PARTIES MAY CLAIM AN INTEREST AS SPOUSE, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, OR OTHER CLAIMANTS

And the Docket Number of which is Number 2012-CA000363-K WITNESS my hand and the Official Seal of Said Court, this 6TH day of October 2025 KEVIN MADOK Clerk of the Circuit Court Monroe County, Florida By: Shonta McLeod

Deputy Clerk Florida Statute 45.031: Any person claiming an interest in the surplus from the sale, if any, other than the property owner as of the date of the Lis Pendens must file a claim within 60 days after the sale. Publish: October 30 & November 6, 2025 The Weekly Newspapers

AUTOS WANTED

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

BOAT MISC. FOR SALE

2019 P&S 425XTO Yams for sale. 1,100 hours. Off the "Let Her Ride". Located in Marathon. $35,000 305747-4227

BOATS FOR SALE

GREAT DEAL: Key Largo 21' Deep V Center Console w/ trailer. New 150hp motor & electronics. $15,000 Located in Marathon. 201-696-8906

Boat Dockage for rent in Marathon. Private bay bottom, up to 40' boat, self containing, offshore water, car & dingy parking space provided. 305-610-8002

EMPLOYMENT

The Housing Authority of the City of Key West now hiring the following positions: Full-time Carpenter, Electrician & Housing Assistant. To apply, please contact Human Resources at: wrightk@kwha. org or 305-296-5621 ext. 224. Applications are available at the Administrative Office located at 1400 Kennedy Dr., Key West, FL 33040 or online at www. kwha.org - EOE & Drug Free Work Place. This opportunity is covered under Section 3 of the HUD Act of 1968.

Retail - Tues-Sat 3:00 pm-9:00 pm in Marathon. Must be able to lift large boxes of tee shirts. More hours available if needed. Inside Airstream with AC. Email Carolynsparkyslanding@ aol.com

Boat rental company in Marathon looking for help with boat detailing & boat cleaning. Call 305-481-7006

DUI FRONT DESK CLERK & EVALUATOR/INSTRUCTOR

The Advocate Program DUI school is hiring for part time positions. Front desk: 3 days a week, high school diploma and computer data entry skills required. DUI instructors and evaluators: 2 days a week, Bachelors or Masters degree in substance abuse eld required. Of ce located in Marathon. Contact Marcia at 305-704-0117.

The SS Wreck & Galley Grill (mile marker 59) is looking for a line cooks and prep & dish. Selfmotivated, will train, experience very helpful, quick learner, and team player. Salary includes 401k match up to 6% and negotiable based on experience. Please call Nicole at 305-4330515 or email nicole@ themoongroupfl. com.

Coast To Coast Pizza Company is looking for pizza makers. Self-motivated, experience very helpful, quick learner, and team player. Salary includes 401k match up to 6% and negotiable based on experience. Please call Nicole at 305-4330515 or email nicole@ themoongroupfl. com.

Serve/Bartend on the ocean! The Cabana Club, an ocean front private swim club is seeking a customer serviceoriented Server/ Bartender. Serve on pool deck, beach and/or bar lounge. Open year round, 9:30am-7pm daily. Full time/Part time. Small friendly staff. Above average hourly wage plus tips. Apply in person at 425 E. Ocean Dr. Key Colony Beach or call 404-219-3359 and ask for Dave.

PLACE YOUR EMPLOYMENT AD HERE. $25/week for up to 5 lines of copy! Call 305-743-0844 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

HOUSING FOR RENT

Key Largo - like new fully furnished private ground floor studio. Includes utilities, cable TV, internet. rental application required. $1,800/ mo - 786 258 3127

NIGHT MONITORFREE Private Room in exchange for overnight availability at our Assisted Living Facility in Marathon. 5 nights on, 5 nights off 10pm-8am plus weekly stipend, Drug & background screen required. www.westcare. com/join-our-team/

2-3BR/2BA Beautiful home for year-round rental on Duck Key. Furnished, full size W/D, stainless steel appliances & granite countertops. Gorgeous pool with built-in bar stools, waterfall & Jacuzzi, 1 car garage, and covered porch for outdoor dining w/ views of the canal. $3,800/month. Avail. Dec. 1st. Address: 243 W. Seaview Dr, Duck Key, MM 61. Text/ call 774-263-8759 Email: dongamache@ comast.net

3 BR/2 BA home for rent in Key Colony Beach. 75' premium dock. $4,000/ month + utilities. F/L/S 786-229-0228

Studio House with Queen size bed available in Marathon. Bedroom/ living room/ kitchen all separate rooms. Furnished & appliances, newly renovated. No pets. 305-610-8002

2BR/1BA house for rent in Marathon. Completely remodeled. All appliances. No pets. Dock available for separate fee. 305-610-8002

HOUSING FOR RENT

2BR/2BA with outdoor patio for rent in Marathon. $2,100/month F/L/S Taking applications. 305-849-5793 RENTED IN LESS THAN ONE WEEK!!!

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

MISCELLANEOUS

LAST CHANCE: FREE Leather L-shaped sectional sofa with two manual working recliners. Off white/ tan color. Left side recliner section has worn leather & a tear. All other sections in good condition. 4 separate pieces totall. Must pick up - located on Duck Key, MM61. Call 305-417-0871.

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

VACATION RENTAL

Key West House For Rent - 28 day 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 305-743-0844 or Email Anneke@ keysweekly.com

SEE DOLPHINS PLAY EVERYDAY!

SERVICES STAFF (Full-Time, Permanent)

SERVICES STAFF (Part-Time, Weekend)

DOLPHIN RESEARCH CENTER

is a fun, environmentally friendly non-profit 501(c)(3) organization specializing in education, research, and rescue of marine mammals.

DRC provides for the well-being of its employees with a competitive package including: a 401k retirement plan, medical benefits, HSA account, paid holidays/vacation/sick days, an employee assistance program, in addition to, life and disability insurance at no cost to the employee. EOE

COME JOIN THE FAMILY!

Email your resume and a DRC application to drc-hr@dolphins.org

DOLPHIN RESEARCH CENTER 58901 O/S Hwy - Grassy Key, FL

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

SUBSTATION ELECTRICIAN

Starting pay rate for this position, depending on qualifications and experience: $46.38/hr. - $51.94/hr.

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

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

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

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.

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!

Old Wooden Bridge Resort & Marina

NOW HIRING

Front Desk Clerk

(Under new management)

Stop in for an application at 1791 Bogie Drive Big Pine Key, FL 33043 305-872-2241

TREASURE HARBOR MARINA IN ISLAMORADA

NOW HIRING

Maintenance Person

Apply in person at: Treasure Harbor Marina 200 Treasure Harbor Drive Islamorada Email: info@keysboatrental.com Call for more information: 305-664-9943

NOW HIRING

3 yrs or more experience required.

Experience preferred. CDL required. Applicant must apply in person at: MARATHON ELECTRIC SIGN & LIGHT 10690 Aviation Boulevard Marathon, Florida 33050

1 yr or more experience required.

2 yrs or more experience required.

All positions Monday-Friday with overtime possible.

Please apply in person at Charley Toppino & Sons, Inc. 129 Toppino Industrial Drive, Key West. Or contact Cheryl at 305-296-5606 ext. 126 or cheryl@charleytoppino.com

We are hiring a Heavy Diesel Mechanic with experience working on John Deere, Caterpillar, Kubota, Detroit Diesel, etc. MondayFriday with some overtime available. Please apply at Charley Toppino & Sons, 129 Toppino Industrial Drive, Key West, ask for Cheryl. 305-296-5606 ext 126

FAIR INSURANCE RATES FOR MONROE EMPOWERING CONSUMERS THROUGH EDUCATION, PROTECTION, AND REFORM

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

AND CHANGE FOR 52 YEARS!

We provide Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Treatment Programs to the Florida Keys community while valuing and rewarding our employees.

KEY LARGO

Behavioral Health Therapist (CAT)

Behavioral Health Therapist (Children)

Behavioral Health Counselor (CAT)

KEY WEST

Case Manager (Adult)

Mental Health Technician (PT)

Behavioral Health Therapist (Children) (PT) Crisis Counselor

MARATHON

Mental Health Technician

Care Coordinator (PT)

Driver (CDL not required) (PT)

Driver (CDL required) (FT)

Registered Nurse (FT, PT)

*Support Worker (Assisted Living) (PT)

*Behavioral Health Technicians – 3 shifts (FT, PT)

*Night Monitor (ALF – Free Housing vs. Salary)

*No experience required for this position. Will train. A caring heart & helpful hands necessary. JOIN A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE NONPROFIT

Background and drug screen req. EEOC/DFWP COMPETITIVE PAY! EXCEPTIONAL BENEFITS!!! Apply at guidancecarecenter.org - Get Involved/ Join our team/Job Opportunities/location/zip

DUI FRONT DESK CLERK & EVALUATOR/INSTRUCTOR

The Advocate Program DUI school is hiring for part time positions.

Front desk: 3 days a week, high school diploma and computer data entry skills required.

DUI instructors and evaluators: 2 days a week, Bachelors or Masters degree in substance abuse eld required.

Of ce located in Marathon. Contact Marcia at 305-704-0117.

OPENINGS AVAILABLE

PHYSICIAN PRACTICE OPENINGS

- Advanced Practice Provider (APRN-PA-C)Surgical, Ortho, Tavernier

- Medical Assistant, Primary Care Marathon, $5k Bonus

- Medical Assistant, Upper Keys-Gastro, $5k Bonus

- Medical Assistant, LPN, EMT or Paramedic, Primary Care Marathon, $5k Bonus

MIAMI CANCER INSTITUTE KEY WEST

- Advanced Practice Provider (APRN/PA-C) Medical Oncology, Per Diem

- Pool Radiation Therapist

- Registered Nurse, Oncology, $15k Bonus

TAVERNIER MARINERS HOSPITAL

- Clinical Pharmacist, $5k Bonus

- Cook, Dietary, $5k Bonus

- MC Multi-Modality Imaging Tech, CT Scan, $50k Bonus

- Multi-Modality Imaging Tech, Echocardiography, Per Diem

- Multi-Modality Imaging Tech 1, (Mammo & X Ray), Radiology, $50k Bonus

- Multi-Modality Imaging Tech, MRI, $50k Bonus

- Medical Technologist, Laboratory, $20k Bonus

- Pool Clinical Pharmacist, Per Diem

- Pool Medical Technologist

- Pool Registered Nurse, Cardiac Rehab

- Registered Nurse, Emergency Department

- Registered Nurse, Multispecialty Acute Care Center, PT

MARATHON FISHERMEN’S COMMUNITY HOSPITAL

- Inventory Control Administrator, Keys/Marathon Supply Chain

- MC Multi-Modality Imaging Tech 2, (MRI & X Ray), Radiology, $50k Bonus

- Multi-Modality Imaging Tech 1, (CT & X Ray), Radiology, $50K Bonus

- Patient Care Nurse Supervisor, PT, Nights

- Patient Scheduler 3, Surgery, PT

- Pool Occupational Therapist

- Pool Pharmacy Tech 2

- Registered Nurse, Emergency Department, $15k Bonus

- Registered Nurse, Emergency Department, Per Diem

- Registered Nurse, PACU, $15k Bonus

- Registered Respiratory Therapist, PT, $12,500 Bonus

- RRT 2, Respiratory Therapy, Per Diem

- Security Officer, Per Diem

As

you will serve as the operational backbone of FIRM, reporting directly to the Board of Directors and collaborating closely with our President on strategic vision.

Strategic Leadership & Operations: Oversee day-to-day operations, including program development, delivery, and evaluation, with a focus on insurance policy research, consumer complaint resolution, and advocacy campaigns.

Financial & Resource Management: Lead budgeting, financial reporting, and resource allocation, including grant procurement and management, fundraising initiatives, and donor stewardship.

Team & Stakeholder Engagement: Cultivate relationships with board members, regulators, industry partners, and community stakeholders to amplify advocacy efforts, such as lobbying for consumer-friendly insurance reforms.

Advocacy & Impact Measurement: Spearhead public awareness campaigns on insurance issues (e.g., rate transparency, claim denials), leveraging data-driven insights to influence legislation and corporate practices. Website and Social Media management.

Risk & Compliance Oversight: Ensure organizational adherence to legal, ethical, and regulatory standards, including data privacy in consumer interactions and risk management for advocacy activities. Serve as a key spokesperson, representing FIRM in media, hearings, and coalitions.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Public Policy, Non-Profit Management, or a related field; Master's or MBA preferred. 7+ years of progressive leadership experience in non-profit management, with at least 3 years in advocacy, consumer protection, or insurance-related roles.

TO APPLY

HOW

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with interviews starting in late November. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Please submit your resume, a cover letter outlining your vision for leading FIRM’s next phase, and three professional references as a single PDF. Use the subject line: "General Manager Application - [Your Last Name]." E-Mail address: Mel.Montagne@ioausa.com FIRM is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage applications from candidates with lived experience in underserved communities, as well as those from varied backgrounds in insurance, policy, or non-profit sectors. www.FirmKeys.org