Fl o r ida Fl Keiysd3-1konknet.com/public_html/KL/issues/KONKLife2019-06-27.pdf · 6/27/2019 · anatomy, and marine ecosystems. From Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm, they participate

JUNE 27- JULY 3, 2019

Theof

KeyWest 2019TheWinners are Announced on Pages 6 & 7 !

Florida Keys 3-11 • Upper Keys 12-13 • What's Happening 14 • Cover Story 6-7 • Real Estate 26

F L O R I D A K E Y S

2www.konklife.com • JUNE 27-JULY 3, 2019

BY SUSAN MITCHELL

Little Pink Houses of Hope came to Key West this week to give ten fam-

ilies a break from doctor appointments, chemotherapy, radiation and medi-cal bills. Ten families who are in the throws of battling breast cancer took to the waves, paddle boarding, picnicking, and many other activities and attrac-tions Key West has to offer. The organi-zational mission is to empower breast cancer patients and families to live each day to the fullest, with direction, pur-pose and hope for the cancer journey.

Key West resident Jerry Stefan lost his wife to breast cancer and volun-teers in her memory. Stefan said he

wants to give back because he knows what these families are going through as he helped moms, dads and children

balance on paddle boards.Sue Cooper, owner of Lazy Dog,

said seeing the smiles on their faces

makes it all worth while. Cooper has been giving the families a paddle board adventure for the last seven years when the program began in Key West.

“We all come down here thinking we’re helping the families and we leave getting much more than we gave,” said Amy Humphrey, of Burlington, NC,

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Breast cancer patients get a retreat in Key West

Sue Copper of Lazy Dog has been launching Little Pink Houses of Hope families for seven years.

X Continued on page 25


BY PRU SOWERS

KONK LIFE STAFF WRITER

Putting an end to over nine years of

legal wrangling, ex-cuses and surprising last-minute reversals,

Key West City Commissioners beat back the latest attempt to stop con-struction of a proposed new restau-rant in Mallory Square.

Commissioners voted 6-2 at their June 17 meeting to reject a resolution brought by Commissioner Jimmy Weekley that would have thrown out the restaurant plan proposed by Joe Walsh, president of Tropical Soup, which operates five restaurants in Key West, and look for new bidders. Com-

missioners are now expected to ap-prove Walsh’s major development plan that includes a 156-seat restaurant, restores the historic cable huts at the location and builds a small historical museum at their next meeting in July.

If granted, the approval will have been a long time coming, something that both Mayor Teri Johnston and Commission-er Sam Kaufman said was grossly unfair to Walsh, who made multiple changes to the restaurant design to appease the city planning board, the Historic Architec-tural Review Commission (HARC) and even the hotel next door, which currently has a monopoly on waterfront dining on Mallory Square.

“This is just nonsense. This appli-cant [Walsh] has jumped through ev-ery hoop. It’s the city that has withheld

their lease,” Johnston said. “The whole process stinks to high heaven.”

Johnston was referring to last-min-ute decision reversals by city Planning Director Patrick Wright and City Man-ager Jim Scholl. In April of this year, Wright had submitted a recommen-dation to commissioners that Walsh’s major development plan be approved. Scholl listed the resolution on the May 7 commission meeting agenda and had previously signed off on Walsh’s appli-cation to HARC in March 2017. But on May 3, attorneys for next-door Mar-garitaville Key West Resort, which op-erates Bistro 245, the only waterfront restaurant on Mallory Square, sent a letter outlining several objections to the development plan, including the design for a 300-square foot kitchen, too small

for a full-service restaurant. And on May 7, literally minutes before the start of the commission meeting where the plan was going to be voted on, Wright withdrew his approval recommenda-tion and, instead, asked that the plan be sent back to the planning board for consideration.

Scholl and Wright said they were unaware of the small kitchen design, despite the kitchen being downsized in 2017 after both the planning board and HARC said no demolition of the historic cable huts would be allowed. Since Walsh’s plan proposed to build a kitchen in one of those two huts, he had to reduce the size of the kitch-en and move it to the bar area. Food

K E Y N E W S

Mallory Square restaurant gets go-ahead over objections

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j u n e 27 - j u l y 3, 2 0 1 9

Published Weekly

Vol. 9 No. 78

PUBLISHER/EDITOR Guy deBoer

NEWS WRITERSPru Sowers

Terry Schmida

PHOTOGRAPHERSRalph DePalma, Bill Klipp, Guy deBoer

DESIGN Nand K. Pandey, [email protected]

PIXEL WRANGLER JT Thompson

CONTRIBUTORS

Jeff Johnson &Paula Forman Short AnswersIan Brockway

Tropic SprocketsTammy Fox-RoyerFlorida Keys SPCA

Sylvia Bogart Astrologically Yours

Joanna BradyReviewer

INTERNDivya Navani

ADVERTISING Jose DeLaRosa – 585.203.5156

Ashley Williamson – 410.999.4917305.296.1630

Advertising Deadline Every FridayPRINT-READY advertising materials due by

Friday every week for next issue of KONK Life.Ad Dimensions

Horizontal and Vertical: Full, 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 1/8 page, bizcard

Ad Submissions JPG, TIFF, PDF — digital formats only

Send to [email protected]

CIRCULATIONKavon Desilus ASSISTANT

Ben Neff ASSISTANT

KONK Life is published weekly by KONK Communications Network in Key West, Fla. Editorial materials may not be reproduced without written permission from the network.

KONK Communications Network(305) 296-1630 • Key West, Florida

www.konklife.com


Reef Relief’s Coral CampBy Emily Bracher

Reef Relief ’s Coral Camp is a summer program that has brought ocean education to the youth

of the Florida Keys. Coral Camp spans a nine week period with around 260 kids attending over the course of a summer, which is around 25 kids week. At the camp, kids ages 6-12 learn about subjects like oceanography, coral reefs, fish identification/anatomy, and marine ecosystems. From Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm, they participate in different activities, teaching them about the ocean.

Executive Program Director, Mill McCleary and Assistant Program Director, Alex Risius lead these young minds in their excursion throughout the week. McCleary has been in the Keys with Reef Relief for 11 years, his background being in water quality for almost 30 years. Coral camp was the first program he designed when he started. “It started off as 40 kids and it has expanded,” he explains.

Four out of the five days are spent out on the wa-ter. Three of the four are out on a boat, exploring either spongebeds or our local reefs. If the campers are not out on the boat, they are snorkeling at the beach, enjoying a scavenger hunt at the Key West Aquarium, or hearing stories and learning new facts back at Reef Relief. Slogans like ‘protect the reefs’ are displayed through posters made throughout the week and quizzes are taken to test their knowledge on what they’ve learned with their time at camp.

Jack Salce, 11, is one of the many campers. “My fa-vorite thing about camp is just that we get to explore and see the reef. It’s such a privilege and that other kids don’t get to have it. I feel that the reef here is a lot more healthy than the ones in other places. I re-cently went to Puerto Rico and the reef was really suf-fering from hurricane Maria. I just that I love to see the reef, it’s so cool and so amazing to see in front of your eyes,” he explains. He is just one out of the many campers that have been inspired to, “get out and do more things that teach us to save the environment more and how bad plastic is for the environment.”

One unique thing about Coral Camp is that it has many local high school students volunteering their time over the summer to help the camp. Baylie Brew-er, an incoming sophomore, attended the camp when she was younger. When she became too old to partici-pate, she was asked to stay and help out as a volunteer

at the camp. “My favorite thing is that Reef RElief is always there to provide great and interesting informa-tion for tourists and the local community.”, she says.

“It’s almost like the middle school program we do now is an expansion of what coral camp is, more or less,” McCleary states when talking about how the program has become so much more. Along with the summer camp, Reef Relief reaches out to schools all over the county. Dora DiMaria, the education manager at Reef Relief, has reached out to over 7,000 students with information similar to what consists of Coral Camp. “You feel a bit more responsibility when you’re with kids because you really are the ones that can make or break or really affect their future.”, DiMaria states.

Sign ups for Coral Camp next year starting Feb-ruary 1st for spring break and April 1 for summer. These can be found at www.reefrelief.org along with updates on future events. n

Campers and interns pose with excitement while on one of their many boat excursions. Through this program, these young individu-als were given the opportunity to explore Flor-ida’s marine ecosystem.

Campers and interns smile in front of the Reef Relief building in Key West. Here, they enjoy fun activities like fish dissections and stories told by director, Mill McCleary.



Poco Pelo’s Les Steele Now at Gorgeous SalonLes Steele is thrilled to announce that

after 21 years and 1000s of heads he now hangs his shears at Gorgeous Salon at 1448 Kennedy Drive in Luani Pla-za, located next to Dr. Oropeza’s office. There is plenty of free parking and the same on time and high quality services that Les has always offered his clients.

Les happily reports that “it’s the qual-ity of the work you give, not the place. It’s still about the service.”

Les shares that during the 14 years of owning a salon and having many fine employees “it has become harder and more expensive for those stylists to find a place to live here”. This is a common lament among all business owners in Key

West and a problem not easily solved. To book a salon service for men or

women at the new Poco Pelo at Gorgeous Salon please call Les Steele at 305-293-8893 or 305-731-6557. n

Key West, June 20

Key West Mayor Teri Johnston commended Michael Behrend

for his service to the community during Tuesday’s City Commis-sion meeting. Behrend is stepping down from the Citizens Review Board. He served on the police oversight board from 2011 until May of this year.

The commendation is in rec-ognition of his dedication and commitment to increasing police professionalism through account-ability and promoting valued ties between the local community and

the Key West Police Department.Mayor Johnston took the op-

portunity to thank all of the citi-zens who volunteer their valuable time to serve on the City’s advisory boards and commissions. n

Michael Behrend Commended by Mayor

... now atGORGEOUS

SALON!Poco Pelo’s LES STEELEnow hangs his shears

at GORGEOUS SALON andwants to thank all of his loyalclients... and also welcome

new clients to come seehow gorgeous you can look!

• a salon for men + women •salon 305.293.8893 • cell 305.731.6557 • 1448 kennedy drive

Les Steele

Here are all of the2019 WINNERS...

...and the 2nd PlaceRunners-Up too!

Arts & Entertainment

BEST RESORT HOTEL Beachside Marriott

Southernmost Resorts

BEST HOTEL (50+ rooms) Perry HotelThe Marker

BEST GUESTHOUSE/HOTEL(under 50)

The Gardens HotelThe Marquesa Hotel

BEST BAR WITH A PATIO The Gardens Hotel

Turtle Krawls Tower Bar

BEST WATER VIEW BAR The Galleon's Tiki Bar

Louie's Backyard

BEST GAY BAR 801 Bourbon Bar & Cabaret

Aqua

BEST DRAG QUEEN Sushi

Christopher Peterson

BEST BAR FOOD Henry & Eli

Old Town Pub

BEST CRAFT BEERSWaterfront BreweryThe Cork & Stogie

BEST KARAOKE Bobby's Monkey BarTwo Friends Patio Bar

BEST WINE BAR Wino’s @ The La Concha

Grand Vin

BEST LIVE MUSIC BAR The Green Parrot

Smokin’ Tuna

BEST PERFORMINGMUSIC & ARTS Key West Theater

Tennessee Williams Theater

BEST COMMUNITY EVENT Zombie Bike ParadePapio Kinetic Parade

BEST LOCAL ATTRACTION Butterfly & Nature Conservancy

Hemingway Home Museum

BEST ELECTED OFFICIAL Terri JohnstonJimmy Weekley

BEST NEWS RADIO/NEWSPAPER REPORTER

Gwen FilosaPru Sowers

BEST ART GALLERY Wyland Gallery

Gingerbread Square Gallery

Food & Drinks

BEST NEW RESTAURANT Moon Dog Cafe

Henry & Eli

BEST WATER VIEW RESTAURANTL’atitudes

Louie's Back Yard

BEST SEAFOOD RESTAURANTThe Little Pearl

Azur

BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANTLa TrattoriaAntonia's

BEST STEAK RESTAURANTPrime 951

Tavern ‘N Town

BEST DANCE BAR MangoesVirgilio's

BEST SPORTS BAR Jack Flats

The Sand Bar

BEST LOCAL MUSICIAN Dave BootleCaffeine Carl

BEST LOCAL AUTHOR Judy BloomDavid Sloan

BEST RADIO STATION Pirate Radio 96.9FM

US1 Radio 104.1

BEST RADIO PERSONALITY Rude GirlBill Becker

BEST LIVE THEATRE Waterfront PlayhouseThe Red Barn Theatre

BEST MALE ACTOR David Black

Bob Bowersox

BEST FEMALE ACTOR Erin McKenna

Susannah Wells

BEST BURLESQUEPERFORMER (M or F)

Cheeky DerriereErin McKenna

BEST THEATER DIRECTOR Rebecca Tomlinson

Joy Hawkins

BEST STAGE/SET DESIGN Nutcracker Key West

Star Catcher

BEST MEXICAN RESTAURANTChico'sAmigo's

BEST B-B-Q RESTAURANTCharlie Mac's

Smoke on the Water

BEST CHINESE RESTAURANTChina Garden (Old Town)

Noodle House

BEST SUSHI RESTAURANTAmbrosiaOragami

BEST ETHNIC RESTAURANT(Cuban, Peruvian, Thai, Nicaraguan)

El SiboneyThai Island

BEST VEGETARIAN FRIENDLYThe Café

Mayanjali Cafe

BEST FAMILY RESTAURANTRoostica

Outback Steakhouse

BEST FISH TACOSGarbo's Grill

Southernmost Beach Cafe

BEST BURGERSCaroline's

Frita's Bugers

BEST FISH SANDWICHHogfish Bar & GrillB.O.'s Fish Wagon

BEST CONCH FRITTERSSchooner Wharf Bar & Grill

Conch Farm

BEST CUBAN MIX SANDWICHFernandy's Cafe

El Siboney

The 2019

of KeyWest

Coming Wednesday, July 10, KONK LIFE will host it’s“Best of Key West 2019” Awards Celebration!

Our party will feature a disco theme, a dance floor, food & cash bar.With many local celebrities in costume, the evening will be colorfuland fun. Costumes are optional, and ALL are welcome to join in thefestivities as we honor the 2019 winners of KONK LIFE's reader poll.This is the inaugural KONK LIFE “Best of Key West” but it won't be

the last. Come honor the many businesses and individuals thatwere selected as the Best in Key West. Because if you're goingto win an award, shouldn't it be because your are the BEST?

Our reader poll was broken into four categories • Food & Drink• Arts & Entertainment • Shopping & Services • Sports & Recreation

Our polling began at the end of 2018 and just concluded May 31,2019, registering just under 5,000 participants casting votes!

EVERYONE is invited to attend our celebration at The Key WestWoman’s Club on Duval, Wednesday, July 10, from 6 to 9PM.

Donations benefit the Woman's Club in support of their charitable worksin support of children, families and health organizations in Key West.The KONK LIFE family of writers, photographers, graphic designers

- and of course our delivery team - wish to thank the Keys communityfor participating in our readership poll! We look forward to seeing

everyone at the “BEST OF KEY WEST” Celebration!For more information, call (305) 296-1630.

Congratulations to ALL of You... Key Westers have voted you THE BEST!!

BEST HOTEL/RESORTPier House Resort & Spa

Casa Marina Resort

BEST HOTEL BARBeachside Mariott

Cafe Marquesa

Shopping & Services

BEST MEDICAL DOCTORDr. Jack NorrisDr. Elias Gerth

BEST DENTISTDr. Claude HarrisDr. Carlos Guzman

BEST DENTAL HYGEINISTSofranacSzurak

BEST CHIROPRACTORLeto

Oropeza

BEST ACUPUNCTURISTAshley Hoyt

Michel

BEST YOGA STUDIOThe Sanctuary Yoga

Shakti Yoga

BEST YOGA INSTRUCTORSean GuinanTara McCabe

BEST GYM/FITNESS CENTEROld Town Gym24 Hour Gym

BEST PERSONAL TRAINERLeigh Pujado Bobby Kitrick

BEST VETERINARIANLower Keys Veterinary

Dr. Householder, KW Vets & Pets

BEST PHOTOGRAPHERNick DollRob O'Neil

BEST WEDDING PLANNERWeddings To Go Key West

We Got The Keys

BEST HOME CLEANINGLower Keys Cleaning

Anna's Cleaning Service

BEST NON-PROFITFlorida Keys SPCA

Wesley House

BEST LOCAL MUSEUMThe Custom HouseMel Fisher Maritime

BEST DAY SPAOcean Wellness Spa

Amari

BEST MASSAGE THERAPISTErin McKennaMarc Wagner

BEST NAIL SALONThe Pier House Spa

Natural Nails

BEST NAIL TECHNICIANNatural Nails by Romi

Yumi at The Pier House Spa

BEST ESTHETICIANMelissa Arthur

Christine Falcone-Bliel

BEST WAXING SPECIALISTMelissa Arthur Flower Conroy

BEST FLORISTLove In Bloom

Kutchey’s Flowers

BEST PET SUPPLY STOREPet 30

American Dog Outfitters

BEST LANDSCAPING DESIGNMama's

Craig Reynolds

BEST INTERIOR DESIGNERChris ElwellDavid Smith

BEST HOME DECORFast Buck Freddie's

Royal Furniture

BEST MEN’S andWOMEN'S CLOTHING

Assortment, Inc.Tucker's Provisions

BEST ARCHITECTTom Pope

Haven Burkee

BEST GENERAL CONTRACTOROne Call

Mark Smith

BEST ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORCheck Electrical

Nearshore Electrical

BEST AC/HEAT CONTRACTORCurry Refrigeration & A/C

Sub Zero Refrigeration & A/C

BEST PLUMBING CONTRACTORGary's PlumpingHaskins Plumbing

BEST PAINTING CONTRACTORJimmy NathPerry Fergus

BEST CONCRETE CONTRACTORAll Keys

Alex Rodriguez

BEST ROOFING CONTRACTORA+ RoofingMike Garcia

BEST HOME CLEANING SERVICELower Keys Cleaning

Hannah’s

Sports & Recreation

BEST SUNSET CRUISEDanger Charters

Fury Charters

BEST SAILING ECO TOURDanger Charters

ECO Tours

BEST DOLPHIN TOURDolphin Safari

Lazy Dog

BEST PADDLE BOARD& KAYAK TOUR

Lazy DogKey West Adventure

BEST JET SKI TOUR GUIDESBarefoot Billy'sFury Watersports

BEST KWHS BASEBALL ATHLETEBrendan Rooney

BEST KWHS MALESOCCER ATHLETE

Bobby CrissRobert Hogan

BEST KWHS MALESWIMMING ATHLETE

Cruse Sweeney

BEST KWHS FEMALESWIMMING ATHLETE

Francesca Carbone

BEST FEMALE HIGH SCHOOLCROSS COUNTRY ATHLETE

Nicole Matysik

BEST FEMALE HIGH SCHOOLMARCHING BAND MEMBER

Francesca Carbone

BEST HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERScott Shoemaker

Paul Kyla

BEST MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHERDebo Dingler

BEST ELEMENTARY SCHOOLTEACHER

Kimberley Butler

BEST FRIED CHICKENDion's Quick Mart

Sarabeth’s

BEST PIZZASDueto’s Pizza

Clemente’s Pizzeria

BEST KEY LIME PIEKermit's Key Lime Shoppe

Azur

BEST BRUNCHESAzur

Bistro 245

BEST BREAKFASTSHarpoon Harry's

Blue Heaven

BEST SANDWICHESGoldman's Deli

Cole’s Peace

BEST FOOD TRUCKGarbo's GrillSunset Grill

BEST BAKERY(Sweets & Pastries)

Key West CakesOld Town Bakery

BEST ICE CREAMWhit’s at The Courthouse Deli

Flamingo Crossing

BEST COFFEECuban Coffee Queen

Baby's Coffee

BEST CAFÉ CON LECHE5 Brothers

Cuban Coffee Queen

BEST DISTILLERY/BREWERYFirst Flight BreweryWaterfront Brewery

BEST BARTENDERTom LunaRick Dery

BEST MARGARITASPier House at One Duval

Hard Rock Café

BEST MARTINISThe Other Side

La Trotoria

BEST BLOODY MARYSAzur

Latitudes

BEST BURGERS & FRIESPoint 5

Caroline's

BEST LATE-NIGHT EATSGrand Cafe

Point 5



preparation would be done in one or more of his other Key West restau-rants, delivered to Mallory Square and then plated and served to customers.

Scholl said both he and Wright were unaware of the smaller kitchen and suggested Walsh changed the design plan without alerting city officials. But Walsh pointed out that the smaller kitchen design plan was submitted to the city in March 2017. Apparently, no one caught the change.

“So, it slipped through everything, all of these meetings,” asked a dum-founded Kaufman.

“Absolutely,” Scholl replied, adding that when he signed off on the 2017 application to HARC, he didn’t have a “stack of documents” to review before approving the application.

“By the time we were made aware of the plan, it was very late in the process that the kitchen had been removed. In all that time, again, with different plan-ning directors and different city manag-ers, it certainly didn’t come to my atten-tion until before that [May 7] meeting.”

Walsh said the apparent ignorance of the design change was not due to any lack of documentation on his part.

“If it was less than 100 pages, I’d be surprised,” he said about the March 2017 application to HARC that Scholl

signed off on. “The drawings would need to be part of the application in or-der to be able to submit it to HARC.”

Weekley said his objection to the plan was due to all of the changes the design has gone through in the past nine years since Walsh first submitted his plan in response to a request for proposals from the city. The original RFP is no longer in effect, Weekley argued. He also attempted to sway his colleagues by downplaying the effort the city has put into the project by ask-ing city Attorney Shawn Smith how much time and money the city had spent overseeing the restaurant proj-ect. Smith said very little effort and expense was incurred, despite Walsh

appealing the HARC project denial to a special magistrate in 2017. When the magistrate overturned the HARC veto, the city appealed that decision to the 16th Judicial Circuit Court, which up-held the magistrate’s decision.

Mayor Johnston disagreed with Smith’s assessment.

“When we say we haven’t spent any time or money on this, that’s just a misstatement. Not only have we not received $303,000 in rent from this applicant, Mallory Square continues to fall into a state of disrepair,” she said.

Walsh had agreed to make rent pay-ments to the city totaling $303,000 a year or seven percent of his gross sales, whichever was greater. n

Mallory Square... X Continued from page 3




Bahama Village Music Program Student Teachers receive full scholarships to attend Berklee College of Music Summer Program IntensiveTwo Bahama Village Music Pro-

gram student teachers have been selected to attend the Berklee College of Music’s Aspire: Five-Week Music Performance Intensive in Boston this July. Key West High School students Leia Bryan and Mercedes Da Silva, both incoming seniors, have received full-tuition scholarships from the Berklee City Music Network as well as grants from the Richard Crooks and Wayne Hammond Scholarship Funds to help support housing, meal plans, books, and travel expenses.

“Mercedes & Leia have dreamed of attending Berklee and we are so proud

of all the hard work they have done to earn this scholarship,” says Baha-ma Village Music Program Director Katchen Duncan.

To prepare for the Berklee Aspire program, Bryan and Da Silva have attended weekly music theory lessons led by BVMP Board President, Berklee graduate, and world-renowned Blues guitarist Larry Baeder, ensuring they are prepared for the intensive program. In addition to teaching at the commu-nity music program that offers free lessons to children, both students play

Bahama Village Music Program student teachers Mercedes Da Silva (L) and Leia Bryan (R) jam with BVMP Board President Larry Baeder at The Green Parrot.

Essence of Summer Wine DinnerInspired by summer, Chef Rodrigo Alvarez of Tavern N Town and James

Braun of Breakthru Beverage have teamed up to craft a five course wine dinner experience to celebrate this very special time of year.

Wednesday, July 10th @ 7pm

$95 person (+tax/tip)Reservations Are Required Seating Is Limited

(305) 296-8100

Key West Marriott Beachside Hotel | 3841 N Roosevelt Blvd, Key West, FL 33040



Monroe County Social Services will host Alzheimer’s Disease Mental Health ConferenceKey Largo

Monroe County Social Services will be hosting an Alzheimer’s

Disease Initiative mental health con-ference on Friday, June 28 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Murray Nelson Government Center in Key Largo. The focus will be on health issues for patients with Alzheimer’s Disease and their caregivers.

The educational conference is de-signed to provide knowledge, skills, and methods of coping to family caregivers, professionals, and others involved in the care of individuals

with Alzheimer’s Disease and other memory disorders. Topics will in-clude mental health problems in Alz-heimer’s Disease, the mental health of the caregiver, managing problem behaviors, and more.

This conference is sponsored by The University of Miami Health System, in collaboration with the State of Flor-ida Department of Elder Affairs, Alli-ance for Aging, and Monroe County Social Services.

For more information or to pre-reg-ister for the training, contact Lisset Bautista at 305-852-7125 or [email protected]. n

in Key West High School’s Marching, Symphonic, and Jazz Bands.

Bryan, 17, teaches guitar and piano lessons at BVMP and assists with their School of Rock class. She plays guitar, bass, ukulele, drums, piano, trumpet, French horn, and sings, has selected to focus on guitar during the 5-week per-formance program.

Da Silva, 17, began her piano stud-ies at age 5 with Robin Kaplan, joined band in 7th grade and now plays all the saxophones and teaches piano lessons at BVMP. Da Silva will focus on baritone sax during her Berklee studies.

Support for Da Silva and Bryan as well as future Bahama Village Music

Program students selected to attend the prestigious summer program can be made by donating to the Rich-ard Crooks and Wayne Hammond Scholarship Funds or by making your tax-deductible donation to Bahama Village Music Program at their web-site BVMPKW.org (click SEND LEIA & MERCEDES TO BERKLEE), by mail at BVMP, 103 Olivia Street, Key West, FL, 33040, or by calling or stop-ping by their location at the foot of Olivia and Fort Street.

For more information contact BVMP Executive Director Katchen Duncan at [email protected] or (305) 504-7664. n

Bahama Village... X Continued from page 9



8th Annual That’s What She Shot Spearfishing (TWSS) Tournament held June 29The only Florida Keys spearfish-

ing tournament is just around the summer bend with the 8th Annual That’s What She Shot Spearfishing (TWSS) Tournament on Saturday, June 29. One of the only spearfishing tournaments that benefits a non-profit organization, the event invites women, men, and juniors to participate in and the public to party dockside to help raise funds for Womankind, a Key West medical center that offers afford-able healthcare to Keys residents.

“This tournament has grown in ways I never expected it to,” says event Founder and Womankind board member Lea Mo-eller. “It has become a community event,

bringing ocean lovers of all kinds togeth-er for a good cause and a great time.”

The event kicks off on Friday, June 28 at 7pm, with a mandatory captain’s meeting at the new weigh-in station at 6840 Front Street, Stock Island, and fishing to begin the following day (??). Participants must be in line to weigh their grouper, hogfish, and snapper—with bonus points and a prize for the most invasive Lionfish— at 5pm on Saturday June, 29th.

The weigh-in is also a public party for those who want to have fun while making a difference, with all proceeds


Everything on Sale Both Locations 2

0% - 75% Off

U P P E R K E Y S


Florida Department of Emergency Management Tours Monroe County Emergency Operations Center

Florida Emergency Management Di-

rector Jared Moskowitz and Deputy Director Kevin Guthrie made

their first visit to the Monroe County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) today while visiting the Florida Keys.

The State of Florida has been work-ing with Monroe County to fund a new hurricane-rated EOC in Marathon. Cur-rently, the Board of County Commis-sioners’ commission chambers in Mar-athon are transformed to an operations center when an emergency happens.

“An EOC is not just a location, it is a place to safely convene to proper-ly run a crisis,” said Marty Senterfitt,

Monroe County Emergency Manage-ment Director. “Right now, we are just making the best of our temporary area. It lacks the dedicated space, technolo-gy, and equipment needed to run a di-saster response.”

“Hurricane Irma proved that the space was insufficient,” said Senter-fitt. During Hurricane Irma, Monroe County Emergency Management had to evacuate and return after the storm.

Those in attendance included Mon-roe County Assistant County Adminis-trator Kevin Wilson, Project Manage-ment Director Cary Knight, Logistics Section Chief Cynthia Hall, Planning Section Chief Jeff Manning, and Emer-gency Management staff. n Florida Department of Emergency Management Director Jared Moskowitz

meets will Monroe County Assistant Administrator Kevin Wilson, Project Management Cary Knight, and Assistant Attorney Cynthia Hall at the Mar-athon Emergency Operations Center in Marathon. The group discussed the pitfalls of the existing space used to house the operations center during a disaster.

to benefit Womankind. A national-ly-recognized event in the spearfishing industry, the tournament splits free div-ers and tank divers in to two separate categories and awards men and women equally, with participants and sponsors coming from far away as Hawaii.

So far, TWSS has raised over (HOW MUCH) $20,000 to help support the medical center that has provided the community with primary care and high-quality family planning since 2001, with special subsidized support programs for those that need it.

“This event gives back to our com-munity in more way than one,” says Moeller. “TWSS directly benefits an organization that keep our residents healthy and brings us together to pro-

mote the most sustainable fishing in-dustry available to us.”

Registration forms can be found at Thatswhatsheshot.com; the $75 reg-istration fee can be paid prior to the captain’s meeting on June 22. There will be a $10 discount for students and military. Sponsored in part by Saltwater Angler, Fishbusterz, KAP Spearguns, Hatch Spearguns, Divers Direct, Koah, Neritic, FSF, Red Tide Spearfishing, Hypoxia, Seadek, Benthic, Salt Life, Florida Keys Brewery and Keys Weekly.

For event or registration infor-mation, contact [email protected]. To learn more about Wom-ankind, contact 305-294-4004 or visit WomankindKeyWest.com. Woman-kind is located at 1511 Truman Ave-nue, across the street from Bayview Park, and is open Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm. n

8th Annual... X Continued from page 11

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Governor visits Monroe County with Hurricane and Affordable Housing Funding AnnouncementMarathon

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and

Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nunez were in Monroe Coun-

ty today to announce $21 million in Hurricane Irma reimbursements and $140 million for the construction of affordable housing for Hurricane Irma impacted communities. Of the $140 million, $35 million will be set aside for Monroe County.

Monroe County Mayor Sylvia Mur-phy, Commissioners Michelle Coldiron and David Rice, Monroe County Ad-ministrator Roman Gastesi, and other

County and municipality officials were present for the announcement. Com-missioner Coldiron thankedDeSantis,

Nunez, and their staff for their com-mitment to Monroe County. ty officials were present for the announcement.

“The Florida Keys understand how hard it is to balance our tourism with our residents, and the decisions and ac-tions the Governorhas taken has shown that he truly cares about Monroe Coun-ty,” said Coldiron. “He is our partner and we are thankful for his continual support for the Florida Keys.”

Lt. Gov. Nunez recognized the hard work in the aftermath of the hurricane and the resilience of Monroe County. She said the administration is commit-ted to rebuilding better and stronger.

Mayor Murphy also presented Nunez with an Honorary Conch Cer-tificate. She presented DeSantis his certificate during Florida Keys Day in March. n

Florida Governor Ron was in Monroe County to announce $21 million in Hurricane Irma reimbursements and $140 million for the construction of affordable housing for Hurricane Irma impacted communities.

W H A T ' S H A P P E N I N G


Schooner Wharf Bar 202 Williams St., (305) 292-3302SchoonerWharf.comnThursday 06/27MICHAEL McCLOUDnoon - 5pm

COOL DUO Sam Ramos & Chris Case6:45 - midnight

MAGIC OF FRANKEVERHART

9:00 pm - 1am

Friday 06/28MICHAEL McCLOUD & FRIENDS

noon - 5pm

FUEL ON FIRE

6:45 - 11:45pm

MAGIC OF FRANK

EVERHART

9:00 pm - 1am

Saturday 06/29MICHAEL McCLOUD & FRIENDS

noon - 5pm

FUEL ON FIRE

6:45 - 11:45pm

MAGIC OF FRANK

EVERHART

9:00 pm - 1am

Sunday 06/30GARY HEMPSEY

Noon—5:00 p.m.

TOM TAYLOR

6:45—11:00 p.m.

Monday 07/01TONY BALTIMORENoon—5:00 p.m. RAVEN COOPER6:45—11:00 p.m.

MAGIC of FRANKEVERHART9:00 p.m.—1 a.m.

Tuesday 07/02GARY HEMPSEY

noon - 5pm

TOM TAYLOR

6:45pm - 11pm

Wednesday 07/03TONY BALTIMORE

NOON - 5:00 PM

Raven Cooper6:45 - 11:00 pm

The Smokin’ Tuna4 Charles St., (305) 517-6350smokintunasaloon.comn

Thursday 06/27Caffeine Carl & The Buzz 9:00pm

Friday 06/28Caffeine Carl and Friends 9:00pm

Saturday 06/29Caffeine Carl and Friends 9:00pm

Saturday 06/30TBA Saturday 07/01TBA

Saturday 07/02NACE BROTHERS, 9pm

Saturday 07/03NACE BROTHERS, 9pm

Ralph De Palma Photography| 2019 Calendar

the Soul of Key West



The Green Room501 Greene St., 741-7300thegreenroomkeywest.comn

Thursday 06/27Marshal Morlock

4:00pm - 7:00pm

Ken Fairbrother

11:00pm - 3:00am

Friday 06/28Oren Polak

4:00pm - 7:00pm

TBD11:00pm - 3:00am

Saturday 06/29Mike Naughton

4:00pm - 7:00pm

Chris Toler

11:00pm - 3:00am

Sunday 06/30Myles Mancuso

4:00pm - 7:00pm

David Warren

Sun Jun 30th 11:00pm - Jul 3:00am

Monday 07/01Drew Gunning

11:00pm - 3:00am

Tim Hollohan

4:00pm - 7:00pm

Tuesday 07/02SHASTINA

4:00pm - 7:00pm

Chris Toler11:00pm - 3:00am

Wednesday 07/03OREN POLAK

4:00pm - 7:00pm

Whats Happening X Continued from page 14

Myles Mancuso11:00pm - 3:00am

Bottlecap / Blue Room1128 Simonton St., (305) 296-2807bottlecapkeywest.comnThursdays-Fridays 7:30pmProfessional Standup Comedy—doors open 7:30pm.

Blue Room available for private parties

Little Room Jazz Club821 Duval Street, Key West FL 33040littleroomjazzclub.com

n

Thursday 06/27Piano Bar Happy Hour with Coffee Butler 5:30-7:30 Chris Burchard & Company 8-11

Friday 06/28Piano Bar Happy Hour with Larry Smith 5:30-7:30Peter Diamond & Company 8-11

Saturday 06/29Piano Bar Happy Hour with Larry Smith 5:30-7:30Larry Baeder and Terri White 8-11

Sunday 06/30Piano Bar Happy Hour with Larry Smith 5:30-7:30Barry Cuda & The Sharks 8-11

Monday 07/01Sing-A-Long Piano Bar Happy Hour with Malathi 5:30-7:30Larry Smith Jazz Jam 8:30-11:30

Tuesday 07/02Piano Bar Happy Hour with Larry Smith 5:30-7:30Bluesday Tuesday with Larry Baeder 8-11

Wednesday 07/03Piano Bar Happy Hour with Karen Hiens 5:30-7:30The Fabulous Victoria Horne 8-11



305-294-5212www.GourmetNibblesandBaskets.com

917 Frances St. Key West

Gourmet Nibbles & Flowers

Serving You With P

ride!

Key West

On June 29, the Lower Keys League of Women Voters in partnership

with the state league and the Florida Bar Association is sponsoring a free, two-hour Amendment 4 workshop for lawyers and interested volunteers. Lawyers who complete the workshop will receive two CLE credits.

The June 29 workshop runs from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Those wishing to partici-pate should pre-register at https://low-

erkeyslwv.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6328c5ae7f04e7a0ae079fd-b0&id=97b0004403&e=6335ba3d69. There is no charge for the workshop.

The Lower Keys chapter will host voter registration 1 p.m.-4 p.m., im-mediately following the workshop.

The workshop will be held in the city commission chambers, Key West City Hall, 1300 White St.

Voters overwhelmingly supported Amendment 4 in November 2018. That Amendment guaranteed that

people convicted of felonies and who had completed their sentences and fulfilled their obligations would have their voting rights restored.

Since then, the Florida legislature passed (and Gov. Ron DeSantis is ex-pected to sign) enabling legislation SB 7066, which significantly restricts the ability of citizens with past felonies to register to vote.

To assist with the heavy burden cre-ated by SB 7066, the League has craft-ed CLE-approved training for volun-

teer attorneys (and other non-lawyer volunteers) to help persons with felony convictions register to vote.

The workshop is open in lawyers and interested volunteers. Voter regis-tration is open to the public.

For additional details, please con-tact chapter president Marge Holtz, [email protected]. The Low-er Keys League of Women Voters is a non-partisan organization dedicated to fostering an informed, engaged elector-ate and to defending voters’ rights. n

A free, two-hour Amendment 4 workshop for lawyers and interested volunteers



f ine d in ing at the

Monday - Friday Two Course Menu

ONE DUVAL STREET | 305.295.3255 | PIERHOUSE.COM | Reservations Recommended

Pick One Starter and One Entree

+ Half off Desserts$24.00 | 5 to 7PM

*Not valid on holidays

The 2019 Key West ‘Firecracker’ Competition on July 3rd!Because South Florida hasn’t been

hot enough lately.....the 2019 Firecracker Competition will scorch Key West on Wednesday, the 3rd of July, beginning promptly at 7 p.m., at AQUA nightclub, 711 Duval.

Presented by the Key West Mile Markers, last year’s winner, Shirley (a/k/a Elle Taylor), produces, with assistance from Destiny Montgom-ery, Blue Diamond and Jessica De-veraux. Shirley will also host the 2019 festivities.

The evening will also include ap-pearances by former Firecrackers.

The event has always been pure camp but its intent serious. It was July 4, 1987. The Miss South Carolina Pag-eant was about to happen at a posh lo-cal club. Management at a competing club sought something to lure patrons.

This might have been a “men’s bar,” but they still knew the lyrics from the musical “Gypsy:” ‘You gotta get a gim-mick.’ Beers and brainstorming creat-ed the Miss Firecracker Pageant.

There was no beauty on that runway. Hairy chests and faces were paired with rhinestones and high heels. The win-ner was Charlene Sugarbaker (the late

Charlie Powell). After Charlie relocated to Key West — and a few years after the South Carolina pageant folded — he as-sumed the matriarchal mantle, fine-tun-ing the pageant in 1994 into something more refined, to include drag performers who might otherwise never consider do-ing so and benefiting selected non-profit organizations or causes.

Diversity and a greater under-standing of gender neutrality have broadened the scope of Firecracker in recent years. Both men and women

are encouraged to enter, underscoring the embrace of ANYONE courageous enough to take the stage.

Reservations for Firecracker 2019 are not necessary...just a $10 suggest-ed donation at the door gains access to the sizzle.

This year, money generated will equally assist the seven Florida orga-nizations who will benefit from The SMART Ride 16 -- Pridelines, Bro-ward House, Children’s Diagnostic and Treatment Center, Metro Well-ness and Community Centers, Miracle of Love, Inc., Compass Community Center and AH of Monroe County, Inc. -- and the Key West Mile Markers team, who make the 165-mile fund-raising journey teams make from Mi-ami to Key West mid-November.

Registration for TSR 16 (presented by CAN Community Health) is now open. For more information, simply go to http://www.TheSMARTRide.org or access The Mile Markers for SMART Ride on FACEBOOK at http://tinyurl.com/n46jt3r and mes-sage either Co-Captain Karen Frank-Noll or Donald Gene Dotzauer from that page. n

Musician Donavon Returns to Perform Concert

On Saturday, July 27, pro surf-er-turned musician Donavon

Frankenreiter will be back to send out his breezy, laid-back vibes and upbeat lyrics in an early evening performance at historic Fort East Martello, 3501 S. Roosevelt Blvd. The show is part of Key West Art & Historical Society’s “Music at Martello Series,” a program established to promote the arts and foster the Fort as a community venue.

Concertgoers are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets for the “backyard casual” setup that will in-clude food vendors and cash bar. Dis-counted tickets can be purchased in advance for $25 at Kwahs.org/events or at the 6:00pm opening doors for $30. Limited special VIP tickets with cash bar and seating available for $50. Children under 12 are free. Advance ticket purchase kwahs.org/events or for more information, contact Dani Holliday at [email protected] or 305-295-6616 x 114. n


B U S I N E S S K E Y W E S T W H A T ’ S H A P P E N I N G

It’s mango season and the Key West Police Athletic League is celebrating with Mango

Fest 2019 on Saturday, June 29th from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. at Bayview Park.

This annual event features enjoy all things mango: Culinary competitions, mango tast-ings, mango daiquiris, mango trees and much more. There’ll be music, bounce houses, raf-fles, local artisans and a live radio broadcast.

Mango Fest 2019 benefits the Key West PAL. PAL’s efforts are designed to get children involved in sports and in educational programs. It provides a safe place where kids can go af-ter school and on weekends. PAL encourages teamwork and strong self-esteem. Members of the Key West Police Department donate their time and effort to help with an array of pro-grams that include boxing and basketball. PAL supports computer classes after school and provides entertaining and educational camps during the summer and on holidays. n

Key West Police Athletic League celebrating Mango Fest 2019 on June 29th

At the Little Room (821 Duval), all shows at 8pm: on Thursday the 27th

Chris Burchard & Co. (with Gary Riven-son on bass, & skippo on drums), take the Little Room stage with an instrumental trio blend of fusion, great American Songbook, Metheney, & originals.

On Monday, July 1st, Larry Smith hosts his weekly Jazzjam, with skippo on drums, & a plethora of jazzy singers & instrumentalists who are all welcomed to come play.

On Wednesday July 3rd, at 8pm, NYC vo-calist extraordinaire, Victoria Horne, will en-chant & entertain her way thru Great Ameri-can Songbook, jazz & Bossa standards, gospel,

pop, & even some disco!, with Larry on piano & skippo on drums. n

At the Little Room all shows at 8 pm

Burchard, Kripitz, & Rivenson skippo & Larry



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On Friday June 28th, at Blue Heaven, from 6:30pm, that

Melodic Force of Nature, Raven Cooper, will join skippo for music merriment thru the evening din-ing hours. This duo is always a special little entertainment event, showcasing Raven’s vast Amer-icana & global music influenc-es, within the intimate acoustic guitar & percussive duo format. Then at 6:30 pm on Sunday June 30th, skippo will also be drum-ming at the famed Blue Heaven. This time it is a jazz standards quartet with Smilin’ Bob Boyd on keyboards, & plus, two very special out of town luminaries.

Bill Perbetsky is on trumpet from Harrisburg, Pa., & Indy Jon is on uprite bass from the Villages, in central fla. Gonna be a big fun, swinging time.Call 296-8666 for more info. n

Music shows at Blue Heaven on June 28th

At Virgilio’s on New Moon Tuesday July 2nd at 9pm, Skipper’s ‘League

of Crafty Musicians’ proudly presents the Clayton Lopez Motown Soul Revue, featuring our talented city commission-er, Clayton Lopez, on vocals & guitar.

The homegrown band will also in-clude Larry Smith on keyboards, Mina Lopez Martin & Christine Cordone on vocals, skippo on drums, and likely, a guest horn section,….. & even more sur-prise singers!.

Invoking the glorious days of non-stop, chart-topping Motor City hits, from The Four Tops, Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, the Jacksons, etc., this will be an exceptional, fun-filled Tuesday

nite, of dancing/romancing, and nostal-gia. So please join the pre- Independence Day soul music celebration, Tuesday the 2nd, at Virgilio’s, 524 Duval (in back of La Trat restaurant). Call 296-1075 for more details. n

At Virgilio’s on New Moon Tuesday July 2nd


I N T H E K E Y S F L O R I D A K E Y S S P C A

n Rescue Tail

Rabbits, rabbits, and more rabbits!BY TAMMY FOX-ROYERExecutive Director Florida Keys SPCA

Homeless rabbits are not in short supply at the FKSPCA. Right

now we have sixteen bunnies at the Key West campus and in foster homes. For a small community like ours, that’s a lot of rabbits! Rabbits are the third most common animal surrendered, so most rescues and shelters that accept them are filled beyond capacity with unwanted bunnies. We strive to pro-vide quality care for our rabbits while they wait for new homes and work hard to address the underlying caus-es of rabbit homelessness by spaying/neutering each one. Lack of knowledge is one of the key reasons that rabbits eventually lose their homes, when ex-pectations and reality collide, so we provide counseling to anyone interest-ed in adopting.

We do what we can to reduce the number of homeless rabbits. On our

Facebook page, we have a Bunnies and Buddies of the FKSPCA page to share knowledge, raise awareness, and promote adoption of our rabbits. This weekend we will be having our first Rabbit Ramble event on Satur-day, June 22, from 10AM until 2PM at the new Key West campus on Col-lege Road with the hope of increas-ing awareness and knowledge to

improve the lives of local rabbits. We will have adoptable bunnies for Meet and Greets, exhibits and information on care, along with a presentation by Marathon veterinarian Dr. Aundria Del Pino on rabbit health. Supplies, rabbit toys, and other items will be available for sale.

Our goal is to keep rabbits in their homes by providing support and by sharing accurate information to any-one considering a rabbit as a com-panion. Rabbits make great indoor pets when given appropriate care and housing. They are social, playful, and able to be litter-trained once they have been spayed/neutered.

Our rabbits all have their own stories: Ebony and Ivory were seized as babies from their owner who had been prohibited by the court from owning animals due to a his-tory of neglect. Lucky was found in a garbage can and saved by a caring person who kept him until his hor-mone-driven behavior became too much and he was brought to us. Doctor Bean and King Skippy were dumped on Key Haven as teenag-ers and caught by two local sheriff ’s deputies. Tiger Woods was found on the Key West Golf Course. Monroe was dumped on Boca Chica Road, trapped by a caring person, and

brought to us. Snoop and his broth-er were surrendered when their fam-ily moved. Mork and Mindy, along with their four siblings were found as infant babies at a construction site. Thunder Buns was no longer wanted after being caught as a stray in a local housing division.

Our most recent additions were found in a tiny wire cage with some old vegetables and no water in the yard of an abandoned house. Most of the time, rabbits are bought when very young and irresistibly cute, often as pets for children. When the nov-elty wears off and the rabbit grows up, too often the rabbit is no longer wanted and either gets surrendered or dumped. Domestic rabbits lack many of the survival skills that wild rabbits have, so life on the streets is hard and often dangerous.

If you would like to help make our community a kinder safer place for rabbits, consider getting involved by volunteering at the shelter, attend-ing events like the upcoming Rabbit Ramble, and maybe even opening your heart and home to a long-eared companion!

We look forward to seeing you at the Rabbit Ramble this weekend, or please stop by the Key West shelter some time and say hello to the bunnies. n

I N C O M M U N I T Y


Barroso Law, PLLC focuses their practice solely in the area of marital and family law, including dissolution

of marriage, paternity, enforcement/modification

proceedings, alimony, child support, timesharing and parental

responsibility, equitable distribution, LGBT family law and adoption.

Gravity-defying Key Lime Pie Drop set to let go at Key West Lighthouse during Key Lime FestivalKey West Art & Historical Society

helps catapult America’s favorite citrus celebration – the Key Lime Festi-val - into the limelight on Saturday, July 6 from 11:00am-2:00pm with the third annual Key Lime Pie Drop contest and free-entry party at the Key West Light-house, located at 938 Whitehead Street.

Those with a taste for engineering adventures are invited to enter for a chance at fame, fortune, a trophy, and a crisp $100 cash prize. There will be pies and sweet treats from Key West Key Lime Pie Co., SnoCones and other delectable food items from Sweeney’s Weenies, a full bar provided by Great Events, hot tunes by Soundwaves’ DJ Sanaris, a kids’ zone, a chance to win 2 tickets to The Society’s July 27 Donavon Frankenreiter concert at Fort East Martello (donate your Fantasy Fest beads at the MARC House tent!), and loads of limey fun for all ages round out the competition event!

Key Lime Festival producers David Sloan and Marky Pierson have once again partnered with Key West Art & Historical Society to invite Key West’s most creative minds to outsmart grav-ity by finding a way to drop a 5-inch diameter Key lime pie from the top of

the historic lighthouse to the ground without damaging the dessert. Com-petitors must create (in advance) a device or container to protect the pie and deliver it to the targeted area be-low without it exploding on impact or getting tangled in the trees nearby.

The first ceremonial pie-drops at 11:45am, with registered contestants gathering at high noon to begin dropping their pies from the lofty Lighthouse plat-form to the target below. Points will be awarded based on factors such as where and if you land on the target and the condition of the pie when it lands. Addi-tional trophies will be awarded for “Most Creative Design,” “Best Decorated,” and “Best Key Lime Theme.” Costumes are encouraged for contestants and spectators alike. To secure your $10 entry and pie for the contest, register at www.kwahs.org/events. Drop a pie or enjoy the spec-tacle from the ground in your favorite key lime costume— the Key Lime Pie Drop is a perfect day of food, fun, and friends, and an event you don’t want to miss.

Visit www.kwahs.org/events for rules and a full schedule of other events slotted for this year’s fest or call Society Events Coordinator Dani Holliday at 305-295-6616 x 114. n

Rodger Levering, left, of Key West, tosses nine-year-old Zachary Lever-ing’s Key Lime Pie Drop entry off the approximately 86-foot-high obser-vation deck of the approximately 100-foot-tall Key West Lighthouse last year during the 3rd annual Key Lime Pie Drop. This year’s delicious and dizzying drop happens on Saturday, July 6.



As all of Key West languishes under a vibrant orange canopy, the City

Commission has proclaimed June as Royal Poinciana Tree Month.

The proclamation was made in hon-or of not just the island’s flamboyant trees, but in the name of the woman who founded the City’s tree commis-sion in an effort to preserve and en-hance the canopy: The late City Com-missioner Merili McCoy.

These were her favorite trees, re-called her daughter Mimi McCoy Grantham.

“My mother would sit in her favor-ite place at the top of the lighthouse,” said Grantham, “and say that looking out over the island it would look as if it were on fire. Well, the fire is starting to be put out.”

Grantham noted that Royal Poinci-anas – recently named the official tree of Key West by Mayor Emeritus Craig Cates – only live about 40 years. In re-cent years, some property owners have opted to replace the trees with those that don’t drop so many leaves and blossoms.

“Being beautiful is hard work,” Mc-Coy said of the maintenance that some complain the tree requires. “But the

end result is so rewarding.”“The Royal Poinciana tree’s peak

blooming season takes place during

summertime,” notes the proclamation, and “the glorious orange flowers of these trees serve as a major draw to the

island of Key West, attracting artists and tourists while offering beauty to those who live here.” n

City Commission has proclaimed June as Royal Poinciana Tree Month

City Commissioners Gregory Davila, Jimmy Weekley, and Mary Lou Hoover, tree commission member Karen Ludwig-O’Leary, Mayor Teri Johnston, Mimi McCoy Grantham, Commissioners Clayton Lopez, Billy Wardlow and Sam Kaufman.



Key West Weddings and Renewals

Packages starting at $250.Ask about our Bachelorette Spa-rties!

(305) 293-WEDO (9336) www.keywestweddingsandrenewals.com

David Brooks, Ordained Minister

Spec ia l i ze in Beach Weddings

The 2019 David Wolkowsky Teachers of Merit with KWHS Princi-pal Amber Archer Acevedo (far left). Back row: Ebenson Michelin (Career and Technical education), Joanna Gray (Social Studies), Malla Horner (Math), David Wolkowsky’s grandnephew Joseph Lipsky, Christina Kugeares (Advanced placement Science), and Kristen Bowen (English). Front row: Rebecca Provost (Excep-tional Student Education), June Panella-Walsh (Reading), and Teacher of the Year Jessica Wood (Biology). Overall the Commu-nity Foundation awarded $35,000 to the teachers.

Aqua’s Melissa In-gram shows off the beautiful ‘Spirit of Stonewall’ mural designed by Sto-li artist Lisa Maria Thalhammer and painted by KW art-ist Rick Worth on the South Wall of the club.

Rick Lopez, GM of Florida Keys Media, welcomes Reiging Queen of Fantasy Fest Bernadette Restivo to the Key West Business Guild’s 2019 Pride Mixer at the Island House. Photo by Pete Arnow.



Key West Art & Historical Soci-ety’s ArtCamp!, a summer pro-

gram for children aged 6-12, con-tinues at Fort East Martello through August 9 with weekly themed ses-sions designed to get children think-ing, moving, and making. Next up is Art and Design Camp (July 1-5), where campers will create unique works of art using various mediums and prepare their designs for the an-nual Key Lime Pie Drop challenge held Saturday, July 6 from 11:00am-2:00pm at the Key West Lighthouse

Museum and grounds at 938 White-head Street.

Led by Crystal Smith, Jennifer Hernandez, and Daisy Connolly, the students will join Key West’s most creative minds in their attempts to outsmart gravity by creating design solutions that will allow them to drop a Key Lime Pie from the top of the lighthouse to the ground with-out damaging the pie! Campers who wish to participate in the Drop at the event can be registered for free by their guardians at www.kwahs.org/

events and be on site to participate between 12pm – 2pm.

The camp, in operation for more than thirty years, marks Key West Art & Historical Society’s commitment to youth programming and educational initiatives that aim to inspire a great-er sense of place and historical under-standing about our island home.

Still to come are Pirate Camp (July 8-12), Sci-Fi Camp (July 15-19), Wreckers Camp (July 22-26), Mario Sanchez Camp (July 29-August 2), and Adventure Camp (August 5-9). Sessions are led by Rick “Deadeye” Wheelus, Kevin Lisinksi, Crystal Smith, Giancarlo Espinosa, Jenni-fer Hernandez, Stephanie Jenkins,

and Daisy Connolly, talented artists, teachers, and historians with exten-sive experience with children. An-cillary activities and excursions can include field trips to local museums, beaches, parks, and gardens.

ArtCamp! runs from 9:00AM to 4:00PM, Monday – Friday and is $200 per session for Society mem-bers, $225 for nonmembers. Included are all supplies and light snacks. De-tailed descriptions of the ArtCamp! sessions along with registration in-formation can be found at kwahs.org/events or call Kim Livingston at 305-295-6616, extension 106. Regis-tration fills quickly. Sign up now to secure your child’s spot! n

Children can get an edge ahead with gravity-defying Key Lime Pie Drop designs at Key West Art & Historical Society’s Art and Design ArtCamp!

Kids can get a jump-start on crafting Key Lime Pie Drop contest design entries during Key West Art & Historical Society’s Art and Design Art-Camp!, happening July 1-5 at Fort East Martello



Meet Kristen EklundKristen’s knowledge, and expertise enable her to assist her clients with the best mortgage programs the industry has to offer.

Kristen is a local Florida Keys Resident. Find out why Kristen and her team are one of the most successful in Key West. Because when you lead the way, there’s reason….

Meet Kristen Eklund from Coast2coast Mortgage

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CASA MARINA MULTI-FAMILYRENTAL INCOME GENERATING POWERHOUSE!

A legal-duplex, currently con�g-ured as a 3-unit income proper-ty, this 3400SF + residence, located on a 7000 SF + corner lot in the Casa Marina area, currently a�ords Gross Annual Rental Income of nearly $80k, with an opportunity of increas-ing that to $95k with conversion of the one, owner-subsidized unit to ‘market’ pricing.• Two 3BR/1BA units, One Lg.

1BR/1BA unit – all with updat-ed kitchens and baths, sepa-rate laundry facilities, covered and open outdoor spaces, 4-car o�-street parking, tropi-cal landscaping.

• Close to White St. Pier, KW Dog Park, Higgs Beach, and the White St. Arts District.

For showings, please contact Jimmy at 401-439-7021or via email at [email protected]

Jimmy D. Olson REALTORCell: (401) 439-7021

[email protected] Front Street, Suite 101 Key West, FL 33040

Each Office Is Independently Owned and Operated

1203 JOHNSON STREET, KEY WEST, FL $1,499,000

Comedy Key West at BottleCapComedy Key West presents

professional standup come-dian, Devin Seibold.

Devin Siebold performs Thursday and Friday, June 27th and 28th after talented local comics warm up the stage at The BottleCap. Devin has been named 2015 iHeartMe-dia Monster’s in the Morning Comedian of the Year, won the Boston World Series of Com-edy, appeared on Laughs on FOX, won Side Splitters Co-median of the Year 2014, been selected for Comedy Central Up Next, Florida Top 10 Col-lege Picks, and a semi-finalist in Florida’s Funniest Comedian. He has opened for Peter Cetera,

Gilbert Gottfried, Pauly Shore, Nick DiPaolo, Adam Ferrara, Loni Love, Chris D’Elia, Ral-phie May, and many others. He tours nationally and works all the major comedy club brands in the US.

Comedy Key West also hosts a weekly Wednesday Madhouse Show; a fun, local’s showcase that’s different each week! En-joy open mic, standup, sketch comedy, games & more. If in-terested in testing your comedy skills during this relaxed open mic night, contact Joe at Come-dy Key West.

Doors open at 7:30 PM and Showtime is at 8:30. There is a 2-drink minimum in the

showroom. For more informa-tion about the comedians and to purchase tickets visit www.comedykeywest.com. Bottlecap is located at 1128 Simonton Street in Key West. n

Devin Seibold

who directed the retreat. Many of the families have never snorkeled; seen a cor-al reef; or a sunset on the water from a boat, accord-ing to local Little Pink coor-dinator Sharon Dickinson.

Locally the following businesses made this re-treat possible:

Fishbusterz Seafood Mar-ket, Salty Angler, Dions Chicken, Dairy Queen, Key West Cakes, Two Friends, Kilwins, Maetheessens , Just Sand and Water, Bagatelles, Antionios, Blackfin, Martins, Cafe Sole, Azure, Margarita-ville Resort Bistro, Santiagos Bodego, La Te Da, Coca

Cola of the Florida Keys. Ac-tivities: Fort Zachary Taylor, Sunset Water Sports, Fury Water Adventures, Lazy Dog, Key West Garden Club and West Martello, Butter-fly Conservatory, Woman’s Club, Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church as our host.

Little Pink Houses of Hope plans retreat vacations for families dealing with breast cancer in twenty cit-ies across the country. Local residents donate their hous-es or rental cottages and businesses donate cuisine and activities. To volunteer or donate food, housing or activities for the week-long retreat in June 2020, con-tact Sharon Dickinson at [email protected]. n

Breast cancer... X Continued from page 2

KONK LIFE REAL ESTATE • www.konklife.com • JULY 2019

BY TERRY SCHMIDAKONK LIFE REAL ESTATE EDITORPhotos Contributed

Here’s something a lit-tle unusual . . . A cus-

tom-built home on a quiet Key West

lane, where all the delights of this

neighborhood are just a couple of

blocks in any direction. This spacious

two-bedroom, two and one half bath,

Conch-style Greek Revival residence

offers some 1,400 square feet of living

space, on a nearly 2,800 square-foot

lot, in the very heart of Old Town.

Quality built just 20 years ago

with a steel roof, and using treated

lumber and Hardiboard cement sid-

ing the house is located on a shaded,

quiet and picturesque lane, with two

increasingly rare and gated off-street

parking spots included!

It was fully remodeled in 2013 and is

full of convenient, yet elegant touches.

The décor is bright and airy, with the

first floor featuring nine-foot ceilings,

an open-concept living/dining/enter-

taining area, deluxe chef ’s kitchen, and

discretely located half-bathroom. Past

a wall of glass and French doors is the

very private tropical rear yard, with its

sun deck, sparkling (and heated) pool,

and lush and mature landscaping.

The second floor plan was originally

designed with three bedrooms in mind,

but was converted instead into a spa-

cious double master suite with vaulted

ceilings, a “Florida Room” type porch,

off of the master and plenty of storage

space. It could, however, be easily con-

verted back to its original design.

Best of all, this stylish yet comfort-

able property is only half a block from

tourist attractions such as the Heming-

way Home and Key West Lighthouse,

and also all the shopping, restaurants

and theaters – and other exciting di-

versions – of Bahama Village and

nearby Duval Street.

Other remodeling elements in-

cluded in the kitchen are high-quality

maple cabinets, new appliances, and

quartz countertops. In the rest of the

house, porcelain tile floors, central AC,

new water heater, interior and exterior

paint, and a stacked washer and dryer

are also included.

In addition, hurricane windows

or shutters on all openings allow this

home to qualify for all wind credits

and with the most favorable “X” flood

zone location, resulting in very low

insurance costs.

Given its highly desirable location,

solid management of this property

Location, location, location . . .This custom-built residence at 808 Shavers Ln. is where it’s at!

This classic yet contemporary house is located just steps from every-thing Old Town Key West has to offer.

Built just 20 years ago, the home was completely remodeled in 2013.


The home is located on a quiet, shaded lane, and includes two rare off-street parking spots.

Mature landscaping and the heated pool make the back yard the perfect spot to entertain, or relax with a tropical drink.

could bring in an estimated $100,000/year in vacation rental income. The house is priced below its current ap-praisal for a quick sale, (and could be

sold mostly furnished for an easy move.)For a solid investment and/or stylish

pied-a-terre, make a plan today to visit this unique and comfortable residence!

The custom-built home at 808 Shavers Ln. is being offered for just $1,245,000.

For more information, visit listings

agents Janine and Jon Seibert at their office at 211 Simonton St., in Key West, or call 305-433-0552, email [email protected].

Another shot of the living room. Some of the décor is available for purchase from the owners.

The second floor is currently configured as a “double master suite,” but could easily be converted to three bedrooms, as was originally planned.


Jenna

Service You Deserve!

[email protected]

Derek Epperly: 305.923.4833Jenna Blackwell: 305.393.6573

Contact us to view our New Listings!

58 Palm DriveSaddlebunch Key • 3BD/2BA

Great Starter Home! $499,000

1119 Whitehead St. Old Town • 3BD/2BA

Chef’s Kitchen & Island Style$1,495,000

UNDER CONTRACT! 1324 Seminary St. Unit ACongratulations to our Buyers! Recently Sold!

2318 Staples Ave. & 1222 Florida St, Rear

1

See Map

2

See Map

7See Map

6See Map

3

See Map

4


5

Plenty of custom decor touches make this house a perfect blend of old and new.


Featured Home Locations

Key Haven

Stock Island

2

Map # Address #BR/BA Listing Agent Phone Number

1 3152 Northside Drive, Key West ChelleBe Blades, Realty Executives Key West 305-394-4750

2 1000 Eaton Street, Key West FL 33040 Michelle Clauson Kirby, ReMax Keys Connection 305-849-1276

3 808 Shavers Lane 2BR/2.5BAJon Seibert, Century 21 Island Life

Janine Seibert, Century 21 Island Life

305-433-0552

305-433-1911

4 3646 Bahama Drive 3BR/2.5 BAJon Seibert, Century 21 Island Life

Janine Seibert, Century 21 Island Life

305-433-0552

305-433-1911

5 1424 White Street, Key West, FL 33040 4BR/3BA Mike Caron, Keller Williams Key West Compass Realty508-269-8565

305-296-7078

6 58 Palm Drive 3BD/2BADerek Epperly & Jenna BlackwellBerkshire Hathaway HomeServices Knight & Gardner Realty

305-923-4833305-393-6573

7 1119 Whitehead St. 3BD/2BADerek Epperly & Jenna BlackwellBerkshire Hathaway HomeServices Knight & Gardner Realty

305-923-4833305-393-6573

Featured Homes – Viewed by Appointment

9Cudjoe Key

1

3

4

7

86

5


Key West Association of REALTORS®

keywestrealtors.orgPhone (305) 296-8259 Fax (305) 296-2701

Listing Office Selling Office Sold Date List Price Sold Price Street # Street Name Year Built Style Total Beds Wtrfrnt MM

Key West

Coldwell Banker Schmitt Truman & Co. 14/06/19 $999,000 $967,000 1341 19th 1995 Single Fam 4 No 4

Sellstate Island Properties Bascom Grooms Real Estate 11/06/19 $525,900 $505,000 2407 Patterson 1963 Single Fam 3 No 3

Truman & Co. Coastal Collection Real Estate 14/06/19 $789,700 $742,500 3010 Flagler 1958 Single Fam 3 No 3

Truman & Co. BHHS Knight & Gardner Realty 14/06/19 $695,000 $695,000 2318 Staples 1955 Multi-Unit 4 No 3

Coastal Collection Coastal Collection 17/06/19 $425,000 $425,000 3301 Duck Ave, #K 1983 Townhouse 2 No 3

Ocean Sotheby's International Ocean Sotheby's International 12/06/19 $2,599,000 $2,350,000 330 Julia 1900 Multi-Unit 4 No 1

Coldwell Banker Schmitt Keller Williams KW Compass 14/06/19 $2,200,000 $1,985,000 621 Olivia 1938 Single Fam 4 No 1

Keller Williams KW Compass Keller Williams KW Compass 14/06/19 $1,199,000 $1,115,000 216 Fleming 1995 Single Fam 2 No 1

Keller Williams KW Compass Keller Williams KW Compass 14/06/19 $590,000 $590,000 210 Southard St, #2 1991 Condo 1 No 1

Based on information from the KWAR MLS for the period of June 12th, 2019 to June 19th, 2019

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