Florida Keys News

DoD: Furloughs to begin in July

Key West Citizen - Friday, May 24, 2013

Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel made it official this week -- civilian employees who work at Navy and Coast Guard bases in the Florida Keys will take a hit in their pay beginning in July due to the...

Keys water usage has little impact on 'underwater river'

Key West Citizen - Friday, May 24, 2013

A new Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority (FKAA) study has found that Keys residential and business water consumption has little impact on the water source -- the Biscayne Aquifer. The report, released...

Vitas: New homeless shelter is priority

Key West Citizen - Friday, May 24, 2013

The city of Key West has plenty on its plate when it comes to building projects, having racked up nearly $100 million in construction plans in various stages of design. But the plan to recreate the...

Judge: Issue power permits

Key West Citizen - Thursday, May 23, 2013
9 comments

Circuit Court Judge David Audlin issued a "writ of mandamus" Wednesday ordering Monroe County to issue building permits needed to connect No Name Key homes to power lines.

Lefere set to take School Board job

Key West Citizen - Thursday, May 23, 2013
7 comments

The School District's new executive director of Operations and Planning will be Naval Air Station Key West's retiring commander Capt. Patrick A. Lefere -- if Superintendent Mark Porter has his...

Group talks about closing spawning area

Key West Citizen - Thursday, May 23, 2013
2 comments

A Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary committee will discuss closing down fishing in Western Dry Rocks reef when it meets in Marathon today. The Sanctuary's Ecosystem Protection Working Group is working on recommendations for possible sanctuary rule changes. The sanctuary is currently reviewing its management plan and rules.

County official says Key Largo gets more than it pays for

Key West Citizen - Thursday, May 23, 2013

Key Largo residents are getting more county services than they are being taxed for, according to initial documents provided by Monroe County. A small group of influential Key Largo and Tavernier...

Praise handed out to first responders

Key West Citizen - Thursday, May 23, 2013

Paramedics, firefighters and other first responders answer the call of duty every day and regularly save lives, but rarely receive recognition for their work. But Florida Keys paramedics, firefighters and flight nurses and pilots were honored at Lower Keys Medical Center on Wednesday.

Zappulla pleads no contest Tues.

Key West Citizen - Thursday, May 23, 2013

The former finance director of the Key Largo Wastewater Treatment District pleaded no contest Tuesday to one count of third-degree felony offense against a computer user by illegally accessing the district's network.

Hope for best, prepare for worst

Key West Citizen - Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Residents of the Florida Keys and other coastal areas soon will have an additional set of multicolored maps to consult during the approach of a tropical storm or hurricane. Rick Knabb, director of the National Hurricane Center in Miami, spoke Tuesday about the emerging storm surge warning system that will show, in feet, the level of potential flooding.

Yaniz: Key West assisted living deal needs another ballot vote

Key West Citizen - Wednesday, May 22, 2013
9 comments

Come Oct. 1, Key West voters may have a second referendum question on the ballot: Should the island give up 3.3 acres of prime waterfront land to help a nonprofit build a senior housing complex for a buck-a-year land lease?

FKCC has new tourism classes

Key West Citizen - Wednesday, May 22, 2013
1 comment

Beginning this fall, three new courses relating to the biggest industry in the Keys will be on the menu at Florida Keys Community College. On Monday, FKCC administrators announced plans for the...

Monroe seeks mainland shelter

Key West Citizen - Wednesday, May 22, 2013
3 comments

The 2013 storm season is days away and Monroe County officials are looking for a permanent hurricane shelter on mainland Florida for Keys evacuees. Monroe County had a legal agreement with Florida International University in Miami since July 13, 1992, that allowed Keys residents access in the event of a major hurricane, but that changed last year.

Live-aboard still missing in Gulf

Key West Citizen - Wednesday, May 22, 2013

The Monroe County Sheriff's Office has launched a missing persons investigation in the search for a Key West live-aboard boater.

Early voting days return

Key West Citizen - Wednesday, May 22, 2013
5 comments

A battle over the number of early voting days ended Monday with Gov. Rick Scott signing a bill to allow supervisors of elections to restore the early voting days he and the state Legislature cut just...