Saturday, October 27, 2012

20 YEARS AGO

Washington-based Scenic America listed the Overseas Highway as one of the "Ten Most Endangered Scenic Byways."

A Key West doctor told the Monroe County Commission that her patients had become sick from dealing with the county's red tape, and two had died from stress.

Two men were caught by Key Colony police with 375 undersize crawfish and turned over to the Florida Marine Patrol.

50 YEARS AGO

President Kennedy later called this day the worst of the Cuban Missile Crisis. A U-2 was shot down over Cuba and the pilot killed; but Kennedy also received two positive messages from Khrushchev. He accepted the messages and ignored the loss of the U-2, marking the beginning of the end of the crisis.

Key West leased Wickers Field to the Army Corps of Engineers for $1 a year and had a request for a lease of Smathers Beach.

Victor Lang, owner of the Southern Cross Hotel and former city manager, was named interim manager to replace Bazel Crowe, who was leaving in November.

Local motel owners were reporting that most of the tourists did not leave and that newsmen and others arriving due to the blockade meant business was good.