County moves to limit takings liability
May 22, 2019
The Monroe County Commission has set aside 10 properties, worth more than $1 million, in the past year to keep as open space and guard against future takings lawsuits and could agree to set aside...more
= Denotes Subscription RequiredCounty to delve into islands, security issues
May 22, 2019
The Monroe County Commission is scheduled to vote Wednesday to tweak its land-use regulations to better define an offshore island and bird rookeries, which is designed to better protect...more
Holiday weekend raises concernsfor residents, visitors on waterways
May 22, 2019
With Memorial Day weekend approaching, and Monroe County still topping Florida in boating accidents, authorities are reminding residents and visitors alike to exercise caution when on the waters...more
News
Motorcyclist leads deputies on short, high-speed chase
A Crossville, Tennessee man was arrested on Monday after he led deputies on a short chase through heavy traffic in Marathon. David B. Lawson, 55, was charged with reckless driving, DUI and...more
Florida boy, 9, killed while riding bike to school
May 22, 2019SARASOTA — Authorities say a 9-year-old Florida boy was struck and killed by a truck while riding his bike to school. The Sarasota Herald-Tribune reports that Roman Miller died at a hospital...more
Florida charged with threatening to bomb federal buildings
May 22, 2019PENSACOLA — Authorities say a Florida inmate made several bomb threats that led to evacuations at two federal buildings. An FBI complaint says 24-year-old Noah Stirn faces federal charges of...more
Florida man faces prison time for fake disaster aid claims
May 22, 2019JACKSONVILLE — A Florida man faces up to 20 years in prison for providing false information to the Federal Emergency Management Agency in order to receive disaster assistance. The office of...more
Police ID man killed in road rage case; suspect held in jail
May 22, 2019FORT LAUDERDALE — Authorities say a Florida man is accused of fatally shooting a motorcycle driver during a road rage incident. On Monday, Fort Lauderdale police identified 40-year-old Cerrone...more
Bookings for 05/22/19 All charges are preliminary
Between a ‘rock car’ and a hard place
May 22, 2019An Orlando, Florida man was arrested on Monday after he was spotted driving a stolen vehicle on U.S. 1.Irvin James Lefere, 33, was charged with operating a vehicle without a license, grand theft of a motor vehicle and petit theft.Around 12:03 p.m., Monroe County Sheriff’s Office dispatch notified deputies that a truck traveling southbound near Mile...more
“Mr. Hackley’s diary shows we have the same weather now as we did in 1831.“What did you people do to this island? It was like St. Barts in the ‘70s. Quiet, friendly, no traffic, laid-back paradise. Now it reminds me of Tijuana. I hope you all got rich!”“Abandon bikes problem puzzled me, too. Our bike czar could impress us if he instituted a ‘red-tagging’ program. Create a hotline to report...more
Between a ‘rock car’ and a hard place
May 22, 2019An Orlando, Florida man was arrested on Monday after he was spotted driving a stolen vehicle on U.S. 1.Irvin James Lefere, 33, was charged with operating a vehicle without a license, grand theft of a motor vehicle and petit theft.Around 12:03 p.m., Monroe County Sheriff’s Office dispatch notified deputies that a truck traveling southbound near Mile...more
“Mr. Hackley’s diary shows we have the same weather now as we did in 1831.“What did you people do to this island? It was like St. Barts in the ‘70s. Quiet, friendly, no traffic, laid-back paradise. Now it reminds me of Tijuana. I hope you all got rich!”“Abandon bikes problem puzzled me, too. Our bike czar could impress us if he instituted a ‘red-tagging’ program. Create a hotline to report...more
Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon & Big Pine News
Scuba pioneer receives praise from industry
KEY LARGO — Awards and tributes presented to dive pioneer Dick Rutkowski might outweigh the two large hyperbaric chambers at his Key Largo instructional center for clinical and medical...more
Councilman to seek state house seat
May 22, 2019ISLAMORADA — An Islamorada Village Council member will set his sights on a term in the Florida Legislature.“It’s tough to keep a secret in the Florida Keys,” Jim Mooney said of his planned...more
Elderly man: Feeding cats led to assault
May 22, 2019KEY LARGO — Robert Smith winds his way through the Upper Keys in the middle of the night caring for his feline friends. He has a lot. Over the last seven years, he’s been feeding feral cat...more
Fire board at odds on service level, taxes
May 22, 2019KEY LARGO — Talk of property taxes and levels of service during a recent Key Largo Fire Rescue & Emergency Medical Services District meeting once again devolved into bickering among the...more
Marathon preps for rising seas under ‘Peril of Flood’ law
May 22, 2019MARATHON — The city of Marathon hosted a discussion and review last Thursday of its current policies and regulations for surface water management and flood damage prevention. All of Marathon...more
Editorials
Cheers and Jeers
Cheers: To Gov. Ron DeSantis, who in a surprise move, vetoed a bill that would have prevented cities and counties from passing plastic straw bans, his first veto following the Legislative...more
Dog owners must be responsible, considerate
May 18, 2019We love our dogs. We spoil them, we photograph them, we even enter them in parades. There’s no denying our unadulterated affection for our furry friends. Not only that, but Key West and rest of...more
Cheers and Jeers
May 11, 2019Cheers: To the Key West City Commission and mayor for extending the contract of City Manager Jim Scholl through Oct. 1. With the city’s budget due at that time, it is wise to have a proven...more
New education legislation threatens core values
May 11, 2019Every time I think that the state Legislature has gone too far, they go even further. So, I choose once again — during National Teacher Appreciation Month — to point out the bigger picture...more
What is affordable housing?
May 4, 2019There’s a development taking place to create “workforce housing” where workforce housing already existed. It doesn’t get any cheaper to own your own trailer and pay rent for the small plot of...more
Sports
Monroe County delegation shines at Florida games
It was a highly successful trip for the largest delegation to ever represent Monroe County at Special Olympics Florida 2019 Summer Games at the ESPN Wide World of Sports at Lake Buena...more
5 Brothers, Jolly’s whoosh to top of league after 2 weeks
May 22, 2019After a couple of weeks in the new season for the Key West Men’s Softball League, one team hasn’t played, three have lost all of their games, and 5 Brothers and Jolly’s...more
Poinciana Elementary scoops titles with masses of speed and strength
May 21, 2019It was a sweep for Poinciana Elementary School on Saturday morning at the 46th annual Fifth Grade Track Meet. The boys and girls teams each took first place to capture first place overall at...more
Coffey leads Troopers Bar to first; Sanborn breaks 100-mile course mark
May 21, 2019Ethan Coffey tried to do the Keys 100 Ultramarathon twice before but failed. On Saturday in the 12th annual event, the Knoxville, Tennessee resident tried it again this time with a team of...more
Master Batters win 3rd, challenges top team today
May 21, 2019One of the two new teams that started with a 0-3 record has won three straight to improve to 3-3. Master Batters eked by T&W Chevron Auto Repair to drop them into a second-place tie at 5-3...more
