WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2015 VOLUME 28, N PAGES. was acquitted on all charges and released after a fiveweek

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1 NAVIGATING THE ISLANDS SINCE 1987 Key Largo Islamorada Marathon Big Pine Key Press F R E E FLORIDA KEYS PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT No. 469 Key Largo, FL WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2015 VOLUME 28, N PAGES KEYSNEWS.COM FREE New manager Marathon hires CG official to run city. 8A Stranded on the islands Diminutive deer unique to Florida Keys. 1B Paws & Remember Pet cremation service comes to Keys. 12A Another Cay Clubs trial likely BY ADAM LINHARDT SOUTH FLORIDA The government appears poised to retry the former Cay Clubs president on charges of bank fraud as his attorneys are angling to have him released from custody, citing the government s failure to convict him in their first case that ended earlier this month, according to federal court documents. Cay Clubs president Dave Clark, 57, avoided conviction after a jury deadlocked over whether he was guilty of operating what the government alleges was a $300-million vacation rental Ponzi scheme, prompting U.S. District Judge Jose E. Martinez to declare a mistrial. His wife, Cristal Clark, was acquitted on all charges and released after a fiveweek trial. A status hearing has been set for Sept. 18 in which prosecutors are expected to announce they will retry Dave Clark if legal documents posted on the court docket are any indicator. Federal prosecutors do not comment on pending cases, but at the conclusion of the first trial, they suggested to Martinez that a retrial is highly likely. Defense attorney for Dave Clark, Valentin Rodriguez of West Palm Beach, did not return phone messages seeking comment. Rodriguez filed a 19-page motion last Wednesday asking Martinez to release Dave Clark or grant him bail given the alleged weakness of the allegations against him. Without going into detail, suffice it to say that the government wholly failed to prove any bank fraud or other type of fraud in the five week long trial, Rodriguez wrote. Co-defendant Cristal Clark was found not guilty of all charges, and the jury could not reach a verdict on any of the charges against [Dave] Clark. He added that the evid e n c e against his client being prepared by the government for retrial D. Clark is at best, confusing, and certainly not sufficient See TRIAL, page 2A Defining moment Erika fizzles, Fred forms MATECUMBE HISTORICAL TRUST/Contributed Sept. 2 is the 80th anniversary of the Labor Day hurricane of 1935, which killed nearly 500 people in Islamorada and forever changed the small, seaside settlement. The Florida East Coast Railway s Over-Sea Railroad relief train is shown derailed near Islamorada. See story on page 6A. BY BRIAN BOWDEN FLORIDA KEYS Tropical Storm Erika, which was downgraded to a trough of low pressure over the weekend, was more bark than bite for the island chain and its residents. Some prepared for the storm s arrival in the Florida Keys by boarding homes and businesses. Billboard signage along U.S. 1, as well, was rolled up to prepare for the suspected high winds of Erika. But what resulted was just some downpour late Saturday night into early Sunday morning. The National Hurricane Center declared at 9:30 a.m. Saturday that Erika had dissipated and all tropical storm watches and warnings in the Bahamas and Caribbean were being discontinued. No watches or warnings were issued for the Florida Keys or the remainder of Florida, nor were any protective action directives issued by Monroe County Emergency Management. Rainfall from Erika, according to the National Weather Service, through midday Monday reached 3.24 inches in Key Largo, was just under an inch in Islamorda and Marathon, and was 1.11 inches on Big Pine Key. No gale force winds, which range from 39 to 54 mph, were recorded, according to NWS data. By Tuesday it was expected to drop to only a 20 percent chance of rain. The Caribbean islands bore the brunt of the storm See ERIKA, page 3A Elderly dog finds home after 6-year wait When turtles attack! BY BRIAN BOWDEN KEY LARGO Six years may not seem like a long time for most people. But if you re a 12-year-old, partially-blind and deaf dog that was abandoned by her owners in a parking lot and who spent half her life in an animal shelter, it might be. That was the case for Linda, a poodle mix living at the Upper Keys Humane Society, until a recent nationwide Clear the Shelters adoption event yielded her a new home. Karla Perrine, longtime manager of the Upper Keys Humane Society s shelter, said Linda was found discarded and malnourished outside a Homestead Costco by a friend in That good-doer took the dog in for a few days before See DOG, page 5A Linda, a 12-year-old poodle mix, finally found a home with Kellie and Joe Pardo after six years at the Upper Keys Humane Society. BRIAN BOWDEN /Free Press BY TIMOTHY O HARA MIDDLE KEYS Federal fishery managers will not move a loggerhead sea turtle that has attacked three people in and near a canal on Conch Key, but they do plan to post warning signs in the area. Most recently, a mother, who was holding her 2-yearold child, was bitten by the more than 200-pound turtle while standing in 4 feet of water in front of an oceanfront home on Conch Key on Aug. 23. The mother, Kristen Onderdonk of Key West, suffered minor bruising and abrasions to her back but did not require medical treatment, she said. Onderdonk and her family were visiting friends on Conch Key when she was See ATTACK, page 8A INDEX Business & Real Estate... 12A Classifieds B Crossword...9B Horoscope...9B Opinion... 13A Sports & Recreation...6-7, 9B Tides...7B TV Guide...8B MM104 B/S Key Largo Jimmy Johnson s Big Chill Brings The SUNDAY FUNDAY Tradition Home, starting February 22, 2015 & Every Last Sunday of the Month. FREE Pool Admission for Locals with Monroe County ID. Local Food & Drink Specials, Local Discounts & of Course Live Local Music! KEYSNEWS.COM

2 2A September 2, 2015 Florida Keys Free Press UP FRONT State to finalize barracuda rules BY TIMOTHY O HARA SOUTH FLORIDA State fishery managers will give final approval this week to fishing regulations that will set commercial bag limits on barracuda. The vote comes after Florida Keys fishing guides, captains and recreational anglers have been calling for years for commercial limits on what they call one of the most important flats fish. Currently there is no limit on the commercial harvest of barracuda. There is a two-fish-per-day recreational bag limit. In June, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission board gave tentative approval to a 20-fish-per-day commercial limit and a recreational and commercial slot limit of 15 to 36 inches. The new regulations would apply only in Monroe, Collier, Miami- Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Martin counties. The FWC board will give final approval to the new rules on Thursday, Sept. 3, when it meets in Fort Lauderdale. The new rules are supported by the Lower Keys Guides Association, Bonefish & Tarpon Trust and the Snook and Gamefish Foundation. It s a good compromise, said Brett Fitzgerald, executive director of the Snook and Gamefish Foundation. A lot of people have called for more restrictive bag limits, but this will give us a buffer and time to collect more data and then make a more restrictive bag limit if needed. State fishery managers admit they don t have a lot HAVE A STORY IDEA? 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One proposal the groups did not support was allowing the taking of one large trophy barracuda to be used for a wall mount. Based on input received at workshops around the state in July, FWC staff recommended allowing the KEY WEST The Florida Keys will soon have a larger voice in state fishery issues, as Gov. Rick Scott appointed Key West lawyer Robert Spottswood to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The FWC board sets rules and regulations for fishing in state waters and hunting on land. Spottswood s appointment is subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate, which is generally a formality. His term is to begin Sept. 2 and end Jan. 6, Spottswood, chief executive officer for the development company Spottswood Companies Inc., is a sixth-generation Key Wester who grew up fishing the Florida Keys and Caribbean waters. I feel like I have a lot to Trial Continued from page 1A to prove even one charge against [Dave] Clark. harvest of one fish larger than the slot limit. However, after conducting further outreach on the topic, staff concluded the majority of interested stakeholders support the slot limit as originally proposed and would oppose allowing any harvest of barracuda over learn, Spottswood said. I am certainly concerned, but there is a lot to learn. There is lack of representation on the FWC and the [federal fishery management] councils. I believe the FWC is a good commission and it is an honor to be named to it. As I grow older, I have the chance to act on my passions and am able to give back to my community. Also Spottswood, 58, serves as a member of the 3rd District Court of Appeals Judicial Nominating Commission and the Governor s Commission on Healthcare and Hospital Funding. Spottswood received a bachelor s degree from the University of Florida and a law degree from the University of Miami School of Law. I am proud to appoint Robert today and I am confident he will be a valuable member of the Florida Fish Rodriguez suggested that Martinez consider placing Dave Clark under house arrest with GPS monitoring or that he live with relatives in Islamorada as possible alternatives to jail, according to records. Rodriguez argued that given Clark s age, his ties to the community as well as to his family among other reasons making him unlikely to flee the country pending trial. The Clarks have children ages 10, 12 and 18, who are living in Islamorada. Finally, the evidence is what it is, Rodriguez wrote. It will not change. The critical witnesses testified and their evidence will be the same in the second trial. The government could not prove its case, despite four the proposed maximum size, FWC said. Given the magnitude of the perceived decline of barracuda in the region, staff believes the conservation benefits of prohibiting harvest of large, mature fish outweigh the potential negative impacts to charter and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Scott said in a prepared statement. As a sixth-generation Floridian from the Keys, I know Robert cares deeply about our beautiful state and preserving Florida as the fishing capital of the world. Florida Keys Commercial weeks of agonizing testimony. [Dave] Clark operated in good faith at all times, which is an absolute defense. For that reason, this court should look at this case differently, knowing the true facts as presented at the last trial. The government had not responded to Rodriquez s motion as of press time, but it appears likely the issue will be debated at the Sept. 18 hearing in Miami. The couple was charged last year with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and multiple counts of bank fraud for their alleged role in squandering the money of more than 1,400 investors during the height of the real estate boom. Cay Clubs Resorts and Marinas purchased 17 businesses, FWC officials said. You can t kill the big breeders, said Capt. Luke Kelly, board president of the Guides Association. It s the whole reason for the slot limit. You can take a photo of the fish and measure it and they can make a mount from that. Kelly called barracuda the lifeblood of flats fishing during the beginning of the tourist season from November to January. It s the best game in town, Kelly said. Also, the FWC board meetings in Fort Lauderdale on Wednesday and Thursday will be the first for the governor s latest appointment, Key West lawyer Robert Spottswood. Spottswood said he understands the need for tighter regulations on barracuda, as the species is important to backcountry fishermen, especially in the winter months. tohara@keysnews.com Keys attorney named to FWC board BY TIMOTHY O HARA The Largest Tiki Bar in The Keys MM 108 in Key Largo (305) Special Events LABOR DAY WEEKEND ENTERTAINMENT Friday 9/4 7-11pm: Country Night with Southern Drawl Saturday 9/5 1-5pm: Stone Mojo 7-11pm: Mr. Nice Guy Special Saturday Night Show Sunday 9/6 12-5pm: Shane Duncan Band 7-11pm: Mojo Scoundrels Monday 9/7 1-6pm: Rogue Theory Tue & Wed in September 11AM-9 PM Buy One Get One Buy 1 Entree or Sandwich at Regular Price & Receive Another of Equal or Lesser Value for FREE One coupon per table. Must redeem coupon for discount. No takeout or To Go orders. Not valid with other discounts. Promotion ends 9/30/ REPAIRS SALES SERVICE Any Year, Make or Model Jet Ski & Jet Boats Highest Quality Service and best pricing in all the Keys We are your one-stop shop! MM91.6 Bayside 171 Hood Ave. Tavernier, FL Fishermen s Association Executive Director Bill Kelly said he welcomes the idea of having a Keys resident on the FWC board. For years, Keys fishermen have complained about the lack of representation on the FWC and South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico fishery management councils, which has jurisdiction in the waters off the Keys. None of those councils have had a Keys full-time resident on their boards for more than a decade. We are very enthusiastic about Robert s appointment, Kelly said. We commend the governor for recognizing the importance of S o u t h Florida leadership. Anthony McMellon, Owner CALL, TEXT OR (305) jetskishop1@gmail.com Spottswood We really need appropriate representation on these boards and councils. The Florida Keys is the top-grossing commercial port in Florida, generating $135 million a year in direct sales from commercial fishermen. About 85 percent of the commercial spiny lobster harvest and 65 percent of the stone crab claw harvest in the state comes from the Keys, Kelly said. [Fishing] is a big part of our lives and our economy, Spottswwod said. tohara@keysnews.com properties in the Florida Keys, Las Vegas and elsewhere and promised investors a large return after those properties were to be redeveloped as luxury resorts. However, those properties were never renovated. The couple s attorneys have argued that the company s failure was the result not of fraud but of a failing housing market and subsequent recession in Former Cay Clubs sales director Barry J. Graham, 59, and sales agent Ricky Lynn Stokes, 54, both of Fort Myers, were sentenced to five years in prison in April after agreeing to plea deals for their roles in the alleged scheme. alinhardt@keysnews. com WANTED! Used Jet Skis & Jet Boats!

3 Florida Keys Free Press September 2, A UP FRONT AHEC clinics open again MIKE HENTZ/Free Press Senior meteorologist Bill South, left, and warning coordinator meteorologist Jon Rizzo monitor what is left of Erika at the Key West branch of the National Weather Service on Saturday. Erika Continued from page 1A before its collapse. Roseau, Dominica had heavy flooding and mudslides as a result of Erika. Estimated deaths were at least 20, as of Monday, and it left more than 50 people missing on the island. Their prime minister, Roosevelt Skerrit, said he was declaring disaster status for nine local areas. Haiti, as well, had five deaths from the storm. One perished in a suspected landslide while four others died when a truck hit a bus during the storm. On the heels of hurricanes Danny and Erika, a new storm, dubbed Fred, has formed, according to the NWS. It, as of Monday, was situated near the Cape Verde islands off the coast of Africa. Top winds were near 85 mph, making it a Category 1 hurricane. Stable air and cooler water temperatures though, according to the NWS, should weaken Fred as it moves west-northwestward over the Atlantic Ocean throughout the week. The NWS, as of Monday, said it poses no threat to the Florida Keys. It is the sixth system of the hurricane season. bbowden@keysnews. com BY MICHAEL QUIRK MONROE COUNTY When the local school board approved the necessary funding to keep the Area Health Education Center clinics in public schools, there was some concern about just who was able to access the clinics. The clinics began their second year of operation last week, and AHEC chief executive officer Michael Cunningham made it clear who is able to be treated inside. Any child who is registered as a student in Monroe County, and we governor, will see their siblings as well, he said. School staff can be seen as well, but we re not offering service to the general public. We ve seen some parents in the past for things such as pink eye, but they re special occasions. At the July 28 school board meeting, the board voted 3-2 to approve up to $100,000 in funding to AHEC for the school year. John Dick and Bobby Highsmith were the nay votes in the measure, citing concerns that AHEC will need funding again next year. Cunningham said he has recently been working with the Marathon City Council to secure some funding for the Middle Keys clinics and has also been in contact with officials in the state s capital. In our first year, we were fully funded by the state of Florida. Then this year, it was vetoed by the Cunningham said. We re working up in Tallahassee, making sure they understand the needs of the program. The district will provide at least $20,000 to AHEC for this school year, with that money coming from the wellness funds. The organization is raising money from other sources, and the remaining amount of up to $80,000 will be covered by the district using funds from the BP settlement. The total amount paid will not be known until the end of the year when insurance reimbursements are in. Students are not charged deductibles in the clinic, as AHEC looks for state funding, grants and community collections to cover those costs. There are six locations in the county: Sugarloaf School, Marathon High School, Coral Shores High School, Key Largo School, Horace O Bryant School and Key West High School. In addition to school and sports physicals, AHEC services include sick- and well-child visits, diabetes and asthma management, prescriptions, minor injury treatments, vision and hearing tests, smoking cessation and pregnancy tests. mquirk@keysnews.com NEWS TIP? CALL Patio Furniture Sale! Key Largo Island Market at 101 OPEN LABOR DAY Labor Day Weekend Sale Special Hours: Wednesday,Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday & Monday 10am-5pm Patio Furniture 50% OFF Plenty of colors available Open Wednesday-Sunday 10:00AM to 5:00PM Island Marketplace -behind the Dollar Tree MM101 Bayside Labor Day Sale Event Save now on all collections from Stanley Furniture including all Coastal Living Collections. Dream. Design. Build Overseas Highway Marathon, Florida - MM

4 4A September 2, 2015 Florida Keys Free Press key largo news Fire board settles suit with ex-provider BY BRIAN BOWDEN KEY LARGO A longstanding quarrel between the local fire district and its ex-contractor, the Key Largo Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department, Inc. that ultimately turned into a lawsuit looks to be in the rearview as both parties approved a settlement agreement last week. The settlement, according to court documents, will have the Key Largo Fire- EMS District paying the old department two lump sums of $87,500 by Oct. 15. The old department, in exchange, will hand over its land-use rights for the parcel that houses Station 24 and an adjacent utility building as well as a slew of miscellaneous firefighting equipment by the same date. The district, previously, had a contract in place that had it paying $1 a month to the old department to lease the land at mile marker 99, oceanside. The settlement, mediated by retired circuit judge Sandra Taylor, was signed by district Commissioner Kay Cullen and the old department s President Frank Conklin on July 27. Both parties had 30 days to approve it. The district initially cut ties with the old department in early 2013 because of lingering management disputes. The squabble between both parties, according to court documents, arose out of an honest disagreement over provision of fire rescue services and leasehold in real property. The lawsuit, which initially came about last year, arose when the district sued the old department for land-use rights and firefighting equipment as well as property tax funds it received before it lost the service contract. The district, at its board meeting on Aug. 24, approved a resolution agreeing to the settlement. The five-seat board passed it 4-1, with Commissioner Marilyn Beyer as the lone dissenter. What the old department, which operates as a non-profit, was going to do with the $175,000 was unknown. Multiple calls to Conklin for comment went unreturned. bbowden@keysnews. com BIKE HELMET-FITTING CLASS Man convicted of rape CONTRIBUTED A free bike helmet-fitting training class will be offered from 10 a.m. to noon Monday, Sept. 14, at the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park visitor center, mile marker 102.5, oceanside. All certified trainers are eligible to order and distribute 50 free helmets per year through Florida s Pedestrian and Bicycling Safety Resource Center, funded by the Florida Department of Transportation. To become certified to volunteer as a helmet-fitter, call Alison Morales Kerr with the Florida Department of Health in Monroe County at District to take action on senior position, budget BY BRIAN BOWDEN KEY LARGO The sewer district s five-commissioner board was slated Sept. 1 to vote on filling a vacant, top senior position as well as the new fiscal year s budget. The Tuesday meeting took place after press time. The district s General Manager Paul Christian, according to agenda paperwork, is recommending the board approve hiring Charles B. Adams to fill the recently-vacant operations manager position. The spot oversees the running of the multimillion-dollar sewer treatment plant for the district. Adams, according to his resume, has been in the public works and utilities field for almost 30 years. He currently resides in Miller Park, N.C., where he runs his own consulting firm. Fashion Forward Hair skipgue@ymail.com Adams, if approved, would fill the vacancy that came about when the former operations manager, Daniel Saus, abruptly resigned and took a position as Marathon s utilities director. The operations manager position, according to the Florida Water and Pollution Control Operators Association website where the job opening was posted, pays between $90,000 and $105,000. The board was also set to take action on the finalized copy of the district s $28.8 million proposed budget for the new fiscal year which begins on Oct. 1. The budget, if approved as is, would be a jump of more than $5.8 million from its current one. The biggest hike on the new budget would come under capital outlay. The figure would jump Looking for Me? with Skip Gue almost $5 million because, according to Christian, it includes more than $3 million in unfunded district projects. He said if state Mayfield grant funds and other sources don t surface in , the projects would simply be pushed back another year. Christian previously told the Free Press many of the wrinkles in the budget had already been ironed out and he foresaw it garnering approval. The board, ultimately, has until Sept. 31 to approve it. The board s next meeting is scheduled for 4 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8, at its office in the median at mile marker All meetings are open to the public. Current and past agendas can be viewed at klwtd. com. bbowden@keysnews. com BY JOSH GORE KEY LARGO A Homestead man accused of kidnapping a mainland woman, bringing her to the Upper Keys and raping her was convicted Thursday, Aug. 27. Following a four-day trial, a six-person jury found Duglas Hernandez Morel, 34, guilty of kidnapping, sexual battery and driving with his license suspended. Morel could face up to life imprisonment for his conviction. Circuit Judge Luis Garcia had not set a sentencing date as of press time. In court testimony, the victim told deputies that Morel, in February, stopped his black sport utility vehicle several times after kidnapping her in order to force her to have sex. She said they stopped at the Jewfish Creek Bridge roundabout near the Anchorage just after 4 p.m., where she convinced him to let her out so she could take off her pants. At that point, the victim approached two separate men, begging them to call for help. Morel, though, ordered her back into the vehicle by threatening her with a black baseball bat. Assistant State Attorney Demetrios Efstratiou held the bat in front of jurors, which deputies found in his vehicle. The only version of events that are not credible are the two different versions you hear from the defendant, Efstratiou said. This was more than just a joyride down here. As Morel drove his victim south on U.S. 1, the witnesses at the roundabout called 911, which prompted deputies to be on the lookout for a black SUV. Monroe County Sheriff s Deputy Matt Koval spotted the vehicle near mile marker 102 and followed it to the parking lot of the Tradewinds Plaza. Koval testified that he witnessed Morel force the victim s head into his lap. Koval ordered Morel out of the vehicle at gunpoint. At the scene, Morel told deputies he had never had sex with the victim. Following the completion of a rape kit, which found Morel s DNA on the victim, prosecutors say the defendant s story changed. KEY LARGO The Monroe County Planning Commission last week unanimously approved a request to build a 24-unit affordable housing project at mile marker 97.8, oceanside. The Playa Largo resort, currently under construction at mile marker 97.4, bayside, is slated to use the units for employee housing. Affordable housing projects above 20 units must garner planning commission approval. PL Ocean Residence Holdings LLC, the company backing the resort, is also proposing to build 28 single-family homes on the same 4.6-acre parcel of land as the two 12-unit workforce housing buildings. Those units do not require planning commission approval, but do affect the density calculations of the overall project. The Playa Largo property was the former home of the 154-unit American Outdoors Campground. Morel testified in court he had consensual sex with the victim two days prior to the rape. Morel He provided no evidence or witnesses to corroborate that claim. Assistant State Attorney Erika Isidron insisted to jurors that Morel created that story to rationalize the results of the rape kit. This is an unusual case because the evidence is overwhelming, she said. Representing Morel, Assistant Public Defender Jerome Gilhooley argued that prosecutors provided no video evidence of the sexual battery despite the availability of highway, residential and commercial surveillance footage. This was in broad daylight, he said. Gilhooley also sought to undermine Koval s testimony, describing it as not credible. He was just following a narrative, he said. jgore@keysnews.com Planning board approves resort s affordable housing Whether You Live Here All Year Long or Visiting for a Short Time, You Can Trust The Professionals At WHEATON S WHEATON S WHEATON S AMERICAN & FOREIGN CARS, TRUCKS, SUV S, VANS, TRAILERS & RV S OIL CHANGES FULL SERVICE CAR CARE CERTIFIED MECHANICS TIRE SALES AND REPAIRS 24 HOUR TOWING Overseas Highway Key Largo MM101.5 SERVICE CENTER MV10170 Quality Service Since (305) Locally Owned & Operated Since 1976 PEST CONTROL, INC. Crews, though, began clearing the overrun site for the new resort early last year. A shell of the resort is now finished. The resort, according to its website playalargoresort. com, will have 144 rooms, 10 bungalows and a private beach house, among other amenities. It is the first hotel being built in Key Largo in more than 20 years. Construction of the resort is expected to wrap up in December, according to Playa Largo s website. bugging you? 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5 Florida Keys Free Press September 2, A KEY LARGO Largo Sound gunman faces federal charge BY ADAM LINHARDT KEY LARGO A reported suicidal man who shot at Coast Guard crewmen and rammed their response boat several times during a pursuit on the water late last month has been slapped with a federal charge. The Coast Guard Investigative Service has filed a complaint against Key Largo resident Daniel Michael Szabo, 40, in federal court, meaning charges and an indictment could follow after a grand jury reviews the case. That s bad news for Szabo, who was facing third-degree felony fleeing and eluding in Szabo a boat in state court, which is punishable by a maximum of five years in state prison, but that charge will likely be dropped by state prosecutors given Szabo will now likely face decades in federal prison if he is indicted. Szabo is scheduled to be arraigned on Sept. 8. He is being held at Monroe County Detention Center on Stock Island without bail, given the federal charges. More details emerged of the Aug. 21 chase and standoff in a five-page complaint filed by CGIS Special Agent Riley Matsco, which states that Szabo fired seven times at six crewmen aboard a Station Islamorada response boat and rammed them multiple times during the pursuit that started at 9:45 p.m. and ended at 11 p.m. At one point he allegedly yelled at them, You guys the Coast Guard? You re a bunch of water pigs, according to the complaint. During a roughly 30-minute standoff after he crashed his dinghy into mangroves, he also allegedly yelled for the crew to come and get him, If you want me so bad, as well as If you want me, you are going to have to put a bullet right here, he said while pointing at his head. The incident began after witnesses at Jules Undersea Lodge, 51 Shoreland Drive, called 911 to report Szabo was drunk and waving a handgun, according to Monroe County Sheriff s Office reports. He also held the gun to his head, reports state. Arriving Sgt. Sydney Whitehouse called the Coast Guard and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission after watching Szabo leaving the area via the water on a dinghy in Largo Sound, reports state. A chase soon followed. Szabo crashed his dinghy into some mangroves and there was a roughly half-hour standoff between he and the Coast Guard, according to the allegations. Szabo then reportedly got back into his dinghy and fled again, this time ramming the response boat. At one point, Szabo told the Coast Guard to shoot him, reports state. Coast Guard crews pepper-sprayed Szabo and one officer was able to reach down and turn off the dinghy s throttle. Szabo threw the handgun into the water sometime during the second pursuit, reports say. alinhardt@keysnews. com Dog Continued from page 1A handing her over to the shelter in Key Largo. Following that, Linda found an adopter relatively quick. The joy was short-lived, though, as Linda was returned a few months later once her new owner realized the dog was starting to go blind and surgery to correct it would be costly. Fast forward about six years, and along came Joe and Kellie Pardo. The couple, longtime residents of the Keys who reside in Key Largo and own Keys Tropical Windows in Tavernier, first came across Linda when they were making a recent donation at the shelter. We just lost a Jack Russell terrier, Kellie Pardo said. And we both said the next dog we would get was going to be one that no one else wanted. With that simple gesture, Linda found her forever home. Kellie Pardo described Linda s personality, despite her disabilities, as upbeat and playful. And the dog s favorite pastime, she said while laughing, is to eat. This isn t the first adoption for the couple, who have two other dogs named Lola and Bailey. The latter is a rescue himself from a shelter in Cape Coral. Kellie Pardo said the three enjoy each other s company. When asked whether she thought Linda would ever find a home outside the shelter, Perrine chuckled and said never. But she is ecstatic that Linda, who acted as the honorary greeter and guard dog for the shelter, found a new place to call home. The shelter has a no-kill policy for all of its rescues. It currently is home to a handful of mainly cats and a few special-needs dogs at its mile marker location between Tradewinds Plaza and Upper Crust Pizza. Those who are interested in adopting a pet can visit the Upper Keys Humane Society s Facebook page to find out more information. The office, as well, can be reached between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday at The Clear the Shelters one-day event held last month yielded homes for more than 500 South Florida animals and nearly 20,000 nationwide. bbowden@keysnews. com Enjoy Relaxing Oceanfront Dining While Feasting On Exquisite Seafood Dishes Prepared By South Chef Lupe, Alex & Bernardo Located 1/2 mile north of the 7 Mile Bridge Lunch at 11 a.m. Dinner at 4 p.m. Happy Hour ~ 4-6 p.m. (Bar Only) Daily Lunch & Dinner Specials MM Marathon Lazy Days also in Islamorada at MM Reservations Suggested! What are your chances of having a heart attack? To help answer that question, Mariners Hospital offers: Coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) a noninvasive heart imaging study that visualizes plaque buildup narrowing your coronary arteries, which can lead to a heart attack. Calcium scoring checks for evidence of heart disease. Stress test determines the amount of physical stress your heart can manage. 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6 6A September 2, 2015 Florida Keys Free Press islamorada news JERRY WILKINSON/Contributed Above, the Labor Day hurricane of 1935 demolished Caribbee Colony at mile marker Left, bodies litter the ground where several people tried to hold on to train tracks to avoid being swept away in the storm surge. Hurricane was town s defining moment This story originally appeared in the Florida Keys Free Press on Sept. 1, 2010, for the 75th anniversary of the Labor Day hurricane of 1935, the most powerful Category 5 hurricane to make landfall in the United States. Written by then-staff writers Steve Gibbs and Robert Silk, it includes accounts of survivors of the storm that claimed the lives of hundreds of residents and military veterans. The story is being reprinted for the 80th anniversary of the devastating storm. On Sept. 1, 1935 Islamorada was a sleepy agricultural backwater, where life for the few hundred residents revolved around church, fishing and family. Things would change drastically the next day, when the eye of the deadliest hurricane in Florida Keys recorded history roared across Lower Matecumbe Key, obliterating a 10-mile swath of land that extended from Craig Key to the larger settlements on Upper Matecumbe and causing damage for miles beyond. Packing sustained winds that were at least 185 mph, with estimated gusts of up to 250 mph, what has ever since been known as the Labor Day hurricane of 1935 brought a storm surge so high that the sea swallowed the islands whole. The barometric pressure that Monday night was inches, the lowest ever recorded over land in the United States. CONTRIBUTED The Florida Keys Memorial, also known as the hurricane monument, is located on Upper Matecumbe Key. By the time the weather cleared, the storm had scattered its body count of at least 406 from Islamorada across Florida Bay to Flamingo. Bodies of the settlers as well as World War I veterans working on local bridge and road projects were found for years afterward and the exact death count from the storm will never be known. [Editor s note: Some estimates put the death count at 485 or higher.] In the main settlement of what is now Islamorada, where most of the damage was wrought, all but one of the 61 buildings were leveled. Meanwhile, Henry Flagler s railroad, which was completed with so much fanfare just 23 years earlier, was ripped from the ground, never again to connect Key West to the mainland. For those who survived, life would forever be different. It didn t seem the same when we came back Dalton down here, said Alma Dalton, who was 11 when she survived the storm by floating on debris after the home where she and her family had taken shelter was ripped to shreds. The people wasn t here that was here before. There just wasn t anything here. In the aftermath of the storm, Dalton and her family, out of house and home, spent half a year in Coconut Grove. When they returned to Islamorada, they came back to an island transformed. Gone for good were the tomato fields, Key lime groves and agricultural packing houses that had been a central part of the pre-hurricane economy. Commercial agriculture went with the 35 storm, said survivor Norm Parker. He remembers his father, Capt. Edney Parker, farming pineapples and limes before the storm and taking them to the docks where they would be shipped up to the mainland. But the hurricane washed away Matecumbe s thin layer of topsoil, and what was left was spoiled with salt. In the meantime, growing competition from the mainland, where fresh water was more readily available, and from Cuba, where pineapples were cheap, left local farmers with little opportunity to start again. The ongoing Great Depression added to the difficulty in restarting most any enterprise. In need of new sources of income, and with rebuilding under way, many people turned to the trades. The late Bernard Russell, who later founded the Islamorada fire department, became a boat builder and cabinet maker. Dalton s dad, Bertram Pinder, who before the storm was the caretaker for the Matecumbe Club, a getaway for wealthy sportsmen from the northeast, also turned to carpentry. Among other projects, he helped the Richardson family, founders of Vicks Chemicals of Vicks cough drops fame build a vacation home on the present day site of Cheeca Lodge & Spa. Pinder also helped Memphisbased cotton baron J.P. Norfleet build his new waterfront Islamorada getaway, Dalton said. Fowler s Fish Camp, which later became Papa Joe s Restaurant and Marina, was built the year after the storm. So was Whale Harbor, as a fish camp and marina. Dalton said that this small but noticeable influx of lodges and wealthy snowbirds provided her dad with yet another way to replace his farming income. See MOMENT, page 7A Dive boat ownership dispute goes to mediation BY JOSH GORE PLANTATION KEY Whether or not local captain Spencer Slate will get his dive boats back may be determined during a mediation hearing next week. Federal marshals seized three dive boats March 31 that are operated by Slate FLORIDA KEYS DERMATOLOGY until pending litigation regarding rightful ownership of The Lost Continent, Coral Princess VI and Coral Princess I can be resolved. Slate s dive boat operation is still open and has not closed throughout the process. Claiming ownership of the boats is Key Largo Leisure Investments operated by Deborah Yates. The company is represented by John Annesser of the Silver Law Group. The mediation will take place at the Silver Law Group at noon Friday, Sept. 11. The hearing is closed to the public. Coral Gables resident Ellen Leesfield will preside over the mediation. Leesfield owns a mediation firm in South Florida and has previously served as a circuit court judge. Annesser told the Free Press a mediation hearing could result in Slate paying cash to Key Largo Leisure Investments in exchange for the boats, among other possibilities. The lawsuit filed in March alleges that Slate, while an officer of Atlantis Dive Center in Key Largo, used the three boats as collateral in 2005 for a loan to purchase property. A bill of sale remained with the investment company in the event Slate s company defaulted on its loan. Slate s attorney Eric Griffin has been tight-lipped about the case since the seizure saying he doesn t speak to the media. In court documents, Griffin has argued the bill of sale was not legal and ineffective. Annesser, though, has attached a copy of the document in the court file with the intention of using it at mediation. Slate, who has attained a degree of celebrity status as a Florida Keys dive boat captain, has been featured in many TV shows and videos feeding sharks by hand. He is also known for diving in a Santa Claus suit for Monroe County marketing campaigns and hosts an annual underwater Easter egg hunt where he hides eggs for customers to find. Slate s Dive Professionals operates out of the Casa Mar shopping plaza at the Tavernier Creek Bridge. jgore@keysnews.com Javier Flores, M.D. Diplomat American Board of Dermatology Dedicated to the Practice of: General Dermatology Pediatric Dermatology MOHS Surgery on Thursdays Overseas Highway #207 Tavernier, FL Visit our NEW and COOL website: Keysislandgrill.com And Facebook page: facebook.com/islandgrill From quiet get-togethers to Weddings, Holiday parties and Corporate Events, this is where it happens On The Beach at the Island Grill We do CATERING MM 97.5 Oceanside 80E2ndSt St., Key Largo (305) Start me out with a lifelong health and well being plan from the Upper Keys Vet Hospital. It makes sense. Give me the start I need to stay active and happy for years to come. 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7 Florida Keys Free Press September 2, A UPPER KEYS Moment Continued from page 6A People started coming down to fish, she said, and Bertram would take them out for $5 per trip. Parker, too, remembers his father, Edney, guiding during the post-storm period. The Islamorada area became a Mecca for wealthy people, he said. It wasn t just workaday life that was transformed after the Labor Day hurricane. During the pre-storm days, the 270 residents of the Matecumbes built their homes and shops on the edge of the ocean. When they returned, having learned a lesson from the storm, they rebuilt on higher ground. Architecture changed as well. Post-storm construction was typically of strong materials, such as Dade County pine. And the federal government, in conjunction with the American Red Cross, constructed 28 homes of poured cement fortified with steel bars. The homes, which featured 18-inch walls, were given to survivors. Despite the physical and economic changes, the daily rhythms of life in Islamorada returned to FILE PHOTO One of the 28 Red Cross homes built for survivors of the Labor Day hurricane is designated by a historical marker. a semblance of normalcy after the storm. Gone were many loved ones and friends of those who survived. But the social and cultural lives of those who remained still revolved around church, school, home and, of course, the water. Joseph Pinder, Dalton s younger brother, remembers his childhood in Islamorada as a simple time, with Saturdays being spent at PTA bake sales and an evening s entertainment centered around swimming parties at the beach. We used to ride our bikes off the end of the dock and see who could go the farthest, Pinder said. Then we d take them apart and put them back together. It was a good life. It wasn t like it is now. School in Islamorada resumed in 1936 in a new building owned by merchant Eddie Sweeting. Meanwhile, the Matecumbe United Methodist Church, located before the storm on the beach, was one of the first structures rebuilt, said Dalton. It was moved inland to its present location on Upper Matecumbe. Local historian Jerry Wilkinson said churches would maintain their primacy in the fabric of community life for some time. The church in Islamorada was the social center until the 1950s, he said. But other things would be transformed much sooner. Concerned that war was imminent, federal authorities pushed hard to complete the roadway that for the first time would allow vehicles, including military convoys, to drive directly to the naval base at Key West from the mainland. The completed highway was dedicated in the summer of Less than three years later the navy completed a pipeline that brought a reliable source of drinking water to the Florida Keys. In 1942, though early service was only intermittent, Islamorada went on the electric grid for the first time. With World War II now under way, the town was no longer the isolated outback it had been in Islamorada had more or less joined the 20th century. The Labor Day hurricane, however, would remain its seminal historical event. MATECUMBE HISTORICAL TRUST/Contributed The Florida Keys Memorial, also known as the hurricane monument, is unveiled on Nov. 14, 1937, on Upper Matecumbe Key. Labor Day service Monday ISLAMORADA The Matecumbe Historical Trust will hold its annual Labor Day service at the Florida Keys Memorial at 9 a.m. Monday, Sept. 7, in memory of the civilians and veterans who perished in the 1935 hurricane. This year is the 80th anniversary of the Labor Day hurricane making landfall on Sept. 2, The service will include a presentation of colors, followed by guest speakers Islamorada Mayor Mike Forster and state Rep. Holly Raschein, R-Key Largo. The history of the hurricane and monument MATECUMBE HISTORICAL TRUST/ Contributed Fay Marie Parker unveils the Florida Keys Memorial. will be read and a memorial wreath will be placed followed by Taps and a benediction. The ceremony is open to the public. For more information, contact Barbara Edgar at Another Tavernier masseuse arrested in prostitution sting TAVERNIER A second woman was arrested last week in an undercover prostitution investigation into a massage business that began in July, according to the Monroe County Sheriff s Office. Tavernier s Yumei Han, 51, faces a misdemeanor count of prostitution, according to Monroe County Detention Center records. Earlier this month, Guihua Chen, 44, also of Tavernier, was arrested on the same charge. Undercover detectives first went to Oriental Massage, mile marker 91.4, oceanside, on July 14 and both received massages, but reported no criminal acts took place. They each paid two separate women $60 plus a $20 tip for a half-hour massage, according to a sheriff s office press release. Two other women were arrested at that time for misdemeanor failure to have a state massage business license, but not for prostitution. One of the women said she was planning on acquiring the license that month. Neither woman had any arrest history in Monroe County, according to jail records. Neither of those women has been accused of prostitution. Detectives seized $6,359 in cash among other electronics and paperwork from the business. The ensuing investigation led to arrest warrants for two other employees, Han and Chen, whom detectives allege did perform sex acts with customers at the business in exchange for money, according to the Sheriff s Office. Han was released from the Plantation Key jail last Wednesday after posting $7,500 bail. Chen also was previously released on bail after her arrest. Neither of the women arrested has any prior arrest history in Monroe County, according to jail records. Man dies after being pulled from canal KEY LARGO A 68-yearold Key Largo dive captain was pulled from a canal late Monday, Aug. 24, and was later pronounced dead at Mariners Hospital, according to the Monroe County Sheriff s Office. Deputies responded to Sharkey s Pub and Grill, 522 Caribbean Drive, at 11 p.m. after a woman reported hearing someone yelling from the canal between the pub and the Key West Inn, 201 Ocean Drive. The officers spotted the man, later identified as Joseph Ashley Thomas, floating on his back in the water. Thomas, a long-time dive boat captain at Ocean Divers, was not responsive to their attempts to communicate with him. They pulled him close to a boat and paramedics, who had arrived on the scene, removed him from the water. He was taken to Mariners where he was pronounced dead. Patrons of Sharkey s and the bartender told the officers that Thomas had been in the establishment having drinks and food at the bar for several hours prior to his death. Autopsy results are pending. Four arrested for poaching KEY LARGO Four Homestead men face multiple poaching charges after state wildlife officers arrested them Sunday, Aug. 23. with a haul of illegal catch, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Yusdel Acuna Carmenates, 40, Oscar Hernandez Ramos, 41, Javier Hernandez Ramos, 42, and Jaime Socarras- Benito, 48, are all accused of possessing 38 undersized mangrove snapper, 14 wrung lobster tails, four undersized lobster tails, one undersized red grouper and seven undersized yellowtail snapper. They also face a charge of interference with a law enforcement officer. The four men launched out of Homestead and came to Monroe County to fish, said FWC spokesman Bobby Dube. They were all here to poach, Dube said. It was a great case. The men are accused of dumping a mesh bag in the water in Angelfish Creek in north Key Largo when they saw FWC officers, Dube said. Another officer arrived on scene, retrieved the bag and found the aforementioned wildlife, Dube said. All four were taken to the Plantation Key jail. The boat the men were in will not be seized, Dube said, citing its poor condition. TCA meets Thursday TAVERNIER The Tavernier Community Association will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3, at the Tavernier fire station, 151 Marine Ave. Topics will include the appearance of businesses along U.S. 1, the condition of Old Settler s Park, the consideration of moving the Key Largo Fire-EMS District south to Tavernier Creek, a county proposal to raise the building height limit to accommodate greater flood SEPT. 2 WED. DAVIDSON & COLLINS 5:30-10 PM SEPT. 3 THUR. WEBB & DAVIDSON 5:30-10 PM SEPT. 4 FRI. THE DANA COLLINS BAND 6-10 PM SEPT. 5 SAT. Special Entertainment Engagement THE GI-GI KING BAND 6-10 PM SEPT. 6 SUN. COLLINS AND WEBB 5:30-10 PM SEPT. 7 MON. DAFT LIKE JACK 5:30-10 PM SEPT. 8 TUE. DENNIS HOLMES 5:30-10 PM New Breakfast Specials Menu protection and more. TCA is a non-profit organization incorporated in 1998 to serve residents, property owners and business owners between Tavernier Creek and mile marker For more information, contact TCA Vice President John Hammerstrom at or johnhammer@ bellsouth.net. Gueverra to address federation Look for the Mermaid at MM 82 Bayside! Phone: KEY LARGO Jonathan Gueverra, president of Florida Keys Community College, will address the Key Largo Federation of Homeowners Associations at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 9, in the Key Largo Library community room, mile Waterside Dining Breakfast 7 am Lunch & Dinner 11am -10 pm Casual Atmosphere Fresh Seafood World Famous Fishing Guides Private Parties on the Beach NOW Free Wifi Property-Wide Sunset Entertainment EVERY NIGHT Starting at 6pm 7 days a week Happy Hour Specials 7 Days a Week from 4 6 pm marker 101.4, oceanside. Joining Gueverra will be the college s provost, vice president for advancement, director of nursing and director of the institute for public safety. Free refreshments will be available prior to the meeting, which is open to the public. For more information, call Dottie Moses at Bring this AD for 15% OFF Accesories 10% OFF Bicycles *Discounts apply to in stock items only

8 8A September 2, 2015 Florida Keys Free Press marathon news Marathon selects Lindsey as city manager BY JILL ZIMA BORSKI Free Press Contributor MARATHON As expected, Charles Lindsey, a former Marathon-based Coast Guard official, was unanimously selected at the Aug. 25 council meeting to hold the city s top job as manager. Lindsey s familiarity with the city and leadership capabilities convinced the council to have the city attorney negotiate a contract with him, despite a lack of municipal experience. His responses to the council s questions were more general than the specifics described by career city manager Lyndon Bonner, who was the other candidate for the position. Bonner s experience and familiarity with capital projects, affordable housing, staff and organizational development, conflict resolution and even the Boy Scouts, however, left him as the second choice in a field that attracted more than 50 applicants. Lindsey, currently a command master chief responsible for 3,000 U.S. Coast Guard employees in four Pacific Northwest states, said his greatest strengths are the ability to bring people together to accomplish goals and to hold them accountable for their work. When Councilman Richard Keating asked what were two of Marathon s major issues, Lindsey said there were none. He said the city s wastewater operations issues are on their way to being resolved and affordable/workforce housing solutions are in the works. Councilman Bill Kelly, meanwhile, recognized interim manager s Mike Puto service. Puto had agreed to serve Lindsey Marathon for a second time when a gap between a departing manager and a new one left the city without an administrative leader. Vice Mayor Mark Senmartin then led a discussion about the use of the city s 104th Street property for not only the new public works building but affordable housing as well. The maintenance facility currently is going out to bid. Councilman Dan Zieg agreed, saying, We have 1.3 acres there that would support at least 30 units. We could form a public-private partnership. Kelly agreed, adding that due to the lack of affordable housing, Every day, families are leaving the Keys. With Florida International University s commissioned study on the city s workforce and affordable housing set to be presented at the Sept. 22 council meeting, the council agreed to host a 104th Street housing workshop at 6 p.m. Oct. 1 at the fire station. Three requests for conditional-use permits were approved during last week s meeting: a two-story duplex at 86th Street; a weekly, open-air green market at the Elks Lodge property; and the redevelopment by the Singh Company of Knight s Key at mile marker 47 into a resort. An ordinance regulating outdoor burning was problematic and did not pass, partly due to a city attorney saying the wording submitted by citizen petitioners was unenforceable. Karen Farley Dickinson was angered by that finding; however, Senmartin said due to the charter review committee s work and the passage of the revised charter, citizens were entitled to the timely hearing of their submittal after the process of gathering signatures, and thus the hearing was a victory in a way. A state law governs outdoor burning. Turtle case continued BY ADAM LINHARDT MARATHON The case of two Miami men accused of mutilating a protected sea turtle and illegally possessing sharks was continued last Thursday in a Marathon courtroom. David Hernandez Sordo, 47, and Pedro A. Suarez, 58, face charges of third-degree felony possession of a marine sea turtle and third-degree felony possession of over-the-limit sharks. The men allegedly possessed two blacknose sharks and one sharpnose shark. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission rules state that only two sharks are allowed per vessel. Both men face a maximum of 10 years in prison if they are convicted of both charges, said Assistant State Attorney Anna Hubicki. County Judge Ruth Becker scheduled the next court date for Wednesday, Sept. 2, Hubicki said. Depositions or interviews of those involved in the case were still pending last week. The judge also wanted to set another hearing date on a day when the docket was less busy with other matters, Hubicki said. Such continuances in criminal trials for the same reasons are common. The men were stopped by FWC officers at mile marker 54 on U.S. 1 in Marathon after officers noticed the Ford truck pulling a 24-foot Mako boat that was not secured with tie-down straps from the vessel to the trailer. Also, the driver ran a red light at U.S. 1 and Coco Plum Drive, reports state. The officers found three sharks and multiple mackerel inside a cooler, reports state. A tail of a sea turtle was in the bottom of the cooler, which the men said they found floating past their vessel, reports state. Suarez told officers he retrieved the tail with a net and put it in their cooler to use as bait, reports state. All sea turtles in the Florida Keys are protected and listed as endangered. It is a felony to possess any sea turtle or part of a sea turtle. alinhardt@keysnews.com Above, from left, Steve Johnston, Jackson Tobener and Lori and Caitlin Johnston check out a vintage airplane during the The Young Eagles Rally 2015 at the Florida Keys Marathon Airport Aug. 22. Right, Jacob Reed looks on as Adam Gonzales takes control of the flight console at the Florida Keys Marathon Airport Aug. 22. MIKE HENTZ/Free Press YOUNG EAGLES Attack Continued from page 1A attacked. The family had noticed the turtle swimming the day before. When she was attacked, she initially thought she was bitten by a small nurse shark, but her husband saw the turtle when it bit her, she said. I have never heard of such a thing, Onderdonk said. Commercial fisherman Adiel Son was not so lucky. Last October, he jumped in the canal on Conch Key behind a fish house after he dropped his cell phone in the water. The turtle bit him in the buttocks, and when he turned around, the turtle bit his finger, causing him to seek medical help, he said. CONTRIBUTED Kristen Onderdonk s turtle bite mark. He received six stitches. It was scary. It was a big turtle, Son said. Son is not the only fisherman attacked. Matt Schminke has been attacked twice by the turtle. The first time, he was diving for lobsters on some rock piles off the canal when the turtle crept up on him and grabbed his fins and tickle stick with its mouth. Schminke fended off the turtle and swam to shore. Several weeks later, Schminke was cutting rope off a propeller in the canal when the turtle grabbed his foot with its mouth. He had my whole foot in his mouth, Schminke said. He crunched the middle of my foot, but didn t break the skin. I couldn t walk right for a week. The bite pressure of a loggerhead sea turtle is about 400 pounds of force. For reference, the force needed to break open an eastern oyster is approximately 180 pounds of pressure, according to the National Marine Fishery Service. Following the first attacks SHELL WORLD 50% OFF Entire Line of last year, Conch Key-based commercial fisherman Gary Nichols contacted Marathon Turtle Hospital founder Richie Moretti to see if the turtle could be relocated. Moretti then contacted the National Marine Fisheries Service, which sent biologists Bob Hoffaman and Aaron Herndon to the canal. Nichols tried to lure the turtle to the surface by throwing some lobster heads in the water. But the turtle never appeared. The two biologists have since been monitoring the situation. The government does not plan to relocate the turtle because it will most likely return, they said. We have had to relocate turtles more than 100 miles when such things like dredging have occurred and they have returned in a day or two, Hoffaman said. The turtle will come back. Hoffaman and Herndon reminded residents on Conch Key that the loggerhead turtles are listed as threatened on the federal endangered species list. Killing the turtle is illegal and can result in a $25,000 fine and a year in jail, National Marine Fisheries Service spokeswoman Kim Amendola said. I give them a lot of credit for not already taking matters into their own hands, Herndon said. The National Marine Fisheries Service has already started working on signs to place along the canal and on Conch Key warning people about the turtle and telling them not to discard fish and lobster Healthy Air Products IMPROVED scraps in the canal. Hoffaman speculated that fishermen threw lobster heads and scraps in the canal for years and the turtle became habituated and a resident. The turtle has become more aggressive and territorial since lobster fishermen have been shipping the lobsters alive to Asian markets and there are less scraps in the waters, Hoffaman said. However, there are still plenty of recreational fishermen who live along the canal that discard lobsters and fish scraps, Schminke said. There have been reports of the turtle attacking other turtles to keep them away, Hoffaman said. Hoffaman hopes to have the signs in place by the end of the year. tohara@keysnews.com Exposure to air pollutants can be 100 times higher indoors than outdoors. EVERYONE CAN BENEFIT FROM Jewelry Including Already Reduced Items Call us today about: HIGH EFFICIENCY AIR FILTERS UV LIGHT DISINFECTION SYSTEMS HUMIDITY CONTROL MM 97.5 (305) Open daily 9am to 8pm CAC For More Information

9 Florida Keys Free Press September 2, A big pine area news Wildlife officials eye weather before burn BY ADAM LINHARDT MIKE HENTZ/Free Press and Contributed Above, a refuge firefighter uses a water hose to control part of a prescribed burn on Big Pine Key. At left, maps show the three locations where refuge officials hope to conduct burns this summer or fall. BIG PINE KEY Federal wildlife officials are hoping recent thunderstorms and rain left by the remnants of Tropical Storm Erika will give them a firmer prescribed burn date in the National Key Deer Refuge as the summer fire season begins to fizzle out. We re hoping the recent storms provide us with a window, said Interim Key Deer Refuge Wildlife Manager Chris Eggleston, adding that the ground has to reach a specific saturation point for crews to safely perform the controlled burns. By the same token, fire crews want to clear the underbrush that can build up and provide too much fuel, he said. We re trying to control our fuel issues out here and keep things safe, Eggleston said. Refuge officials are planning burns for three locations. Last spring, the Bartram s hairstreak butterfly was placed on the critically endangered list and is facing extinction. The insect depends on healthy pineland croton plants, also called granny-bush, where they lay their eggs. Bartram s hairstreak larvae eat pineland croton leaves as well. The plants are commonly found on Big Pine Key and No Name Key, but are in decline due, in part, to a lack of fires that rejuvenate the pineland forest, according to wildlife officials. The plants do not thrive where there is abundant undergrowth, so wildlife officials are burning, as well as mowing in part, to clear the encroaching vegetation. We re hoping that Erika will bring enough water so that we can burn soon, Eggleston said. People need to have as much warning as possible, however, we don t want to cry wolf either. In other words, wildlife officials don t have any firm burn dates yet, but they are telling the public to keep an eye out for notices as the summer nears an end. The burn season typically runs during the wetter summer months, which historically also brings calmer winds. Prescribed burns done by federal wildlife officials on Big Pine Key became controversial after Sept. 15, 2011, when a 21-acre controlled burn of pine rocklands got out of control. The blaze scorched about 100 acres and forced many residents to evacuate. That led to refuge officials holding a series of public meetings, which included many angry responses from residents who complained that officials had not given enough notice. Others questioned the need to burn at all, but wildlife officials say the practice will continue as habitats are dependent on the burns. Typically, prescribed burns are done when the wind is blowing less than 12 mph at the 20-foot level and the relative humidity is at least 50 percent. A half-inch of rain must fall within a few days of the burn as well. Officials measure the moisture in the soil before burning alinhardt@keysnews. com Federal refuge veteran serving as acting manager BY ROBERT SILK Free Press Contributor BIG PINE KEY Chris Eggleston is now acting manager of the four Keys wildlife refuges following the departure of Nancy Finley early this summer. He is running the Key Deer, Key West, Great White Heron and Crocodile Lake national wildlife refuges until the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service selects a replacement for Finley, a process that Eggleston says will take three months. Eggleston, who served as deputy manager under Finley for 19 months, has applied for the post, but said it is customary for the FWS to bring in wildlife refuge managers from elsewhere because they provide fresh perspectives. It s fairly common for me to be applying for the position, but it s also would be fairly common for me to not get the position, he said. A biologist by trade and a 15-year veteran of the FWS, Eggleston has held federal posts in Hawaii, California, Washington, Missouri and Guam. His most recent position prior to joining the Keys refuges in November 2013 was at the Innoko National Wildlife Refuge in the Alaskan interior. While on Big Pine he has mostly worked in a supervisory role, but has also helped plan and design wildlife surveys, including surveys of threatened butterfly and turtle species. While he is acting manager, Eggleston said he ll emphasize efforts to provide habitat for the endangered Bartram s hairstreak butterfly. The insect depends on healthy pineland croton plants, also called granny-bush, where they lay their eggs. Bartram s hairstreak larvae eat pineland croton leaves as well. But in order to thrive, the croton needs healthy pine rockland habitat. Much of Big Pine s rockland, however, is ill due to fire suppression, which has allowed undergrowth to crowd out plants such as the pineland croton. Too much fire suppression eventually turns pine rocklands into hardwood hammocks. Eggleston said the refuge hopes to conduct prescribed burns on 60 acres over the remainder of the wet season, but because this year has been so unusually dry, there s a chance that conditions will be unsafe for the burns. At this point we re putting it off until the conditions improve, Eggleston said. Other steps he plans to undertake this fall for the benefit of the Bartram s hairstreak include planting and seeding crotons in the pine rockland. CONTRIBUTED Chris Eggleston is now acting manager of the four federal wildlife refuges in the Florida Keys. Eggleston also intends to focus on outreach over the coming few months, he said. Notably, he wants to raise awareness about the harm people cause by feeding Key deer, and about the importance of staying well clear of roosting and nesting birds in the backcountry waters of the refuges. Finley began her new federal post as as an associate national resource director for the National Park Service s office in Omaha, Neb., on July 12. She ran the Keys refuges for 2 ½ years. Boondocks, state reach tentative sewer agreement BY TIMOTHY O HARA RAMROD KEY A popular restaurant won t have to remove 142 seats if the owners submitted a plan to state health department officials by Tuesday, Sept. 1, that calls for the restaurant to install expensive sewage holding tanks. Whether or not Boondocks met the deadline was not known at press time. Department of Health officials cited the restaurant and mini-golf course owners last month for exceeding their allotted amount of seats, which is tied to the amount of sewage their septic tank system can handle, according to a Department of Health notice of violation. The mile marker 27.2 restaurant can only have 65 seats, but health department officials counted 207 seats when they visited the restaurant in May, the violation states. The evaluation shows the addition of a 300-gallon tank and small drainfield, the absence of the required grease interceptor and floor drains redirected into the adjoining onsite wastewater system. These modifications were completed without FDOH approval and permits, the notice states. The estimated daily maximum water flow for the facility with this num- See SEWER, page 11A

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11 Florida Keys Free Press September 2, A IN THE KEYS Habitat for Humanity stores seek helpers BIG PINE KEY The Habitat for Humanity s ReStore and CoConut Closet are always seeking volunteers to process new inventory, arrange displays, check out newly arrived appliances, computers, etc., and greet and wait on ReStore is closed customers. Wednesdays and Sundays, The facility is at Overseas Highway. but open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Stop in and fill out a volunteer application, or call to 4 p.m. other weekdays and 8 a.m. Saturdays. CAROLYN WALKER/Contributed First responders dealt with this fiery car wreck that involved a sheriff s office employee. Sheriff s office employee arrested in fiery DUI crash BY ADAM LINHARDT LOWER KEYS A Monroe County Sheriff s Office evidence clerk was arrested on DUI charges after Florida Highway Patrol troopers say he caused a fiery two-vehicle collision on U.S. 1. The life of Big Pine Key s Carol Lee MacNeil, 64, was likely saved by good Samaritan passersby who stopped to pull her from a 2003 Toyota Camry that caught on fire, according to a report filed by FHP Trooper Gary Dunick. MacNeil was southbound on Big Coppitt Key about 5:30 a.m. Aug. 22 when she struck a 2014 Dodge pickup truck driven by sheriff s clerk Joseph Igancio Silva, 20, that had pulled in front of her, reports say. Silva was attempting to make a left onto Fourth Street from the northbound lane when he Mentors needed FLORIDA KEYS Take Stock in Children, a college scholarship program of the Monroe County Education Foundation, is ready to Sewer Continued from page 9A ber of seats [207] is 8,280 gallons per day, based upon statutory calculations. The current seating capacity significantly exceeds the originally permitted number, and water usage by this number of patrons outstrips the capacity of the existing wastewater system to function properly. Local health department director Bob Eadie and his staff have been working with restaurant owner Lanny Gardner to bring the eatery and mini-golf business into compliance, Eadie and Gardner said. The health department proposed, and the owners seemed to be in agreement, with a plan for the owners to install sewage holding tanks that would have to be pumped out possibly as much as once a week, depending on flow, Eadie said. We have not concluded the settlement agreement, but we have come up with a solution that will settle the issues that are outstanding, Eadie said last week. The solution will not come cheap, according to Greg Sullivan, who oversees Waste Management s operations in the Keys. The pulled in front of MacNeil, Dunick wrote. The Camry struck the Dodge s bed portion with such force that the pickup lost most of its rear end, Dunick said. Passersby pulled MacNeil from the Camry and tended to her on the side of the road until fire crews and paramedics arrived. She was temporarily knocked unconscious by the crash, Dunick said. Silva reportedly got out of the truck on his own and went to the side of the road. Both were taken to Lower Keys Medical Center. Dunick wrote that Silva smelled of alcohol, had bloodshot eyes and slurred speech. Authorities took blood from Silva to determine if he was drunk and what his blood alcohol content was at the time of the crash, which totaled both vehicles. Silva faces charges of accept 55 eligible students, if enough mentors step forward. According to program coordinator Chuck Licis, mentors are not tutors or counselors, but they are restaurant will most likely need a 1,200 gallon tank that will require a couple of thousands of dollars a month to pump out, Sullivan said. Sullivan could not give an exact cost until the tank has been installed and is in use for a couple of weeks, he said. The storage tanks will not be necessary once the Cudjoe Regional Wastewater System treatment plant is opened and processing sewage from that area, Eadie said. The plant has been completed, but the state Department of Environmental Protection has told the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority not to bring the plant online after two local fishermen challenged the DEP s permit to open the plant. The challenge is now the subject of a state Department of Administrative Hearings case. The case will go before a hearing judge in October. Fishermen Mike Laudicina and Don DeMaria do not want the FKAA to use the four shallow injection wells while the deep injection well is designed and being constructed. Shallow wells only pump treated effluent to roughly 120 feet below the surface. Deep injection wells push the treated wastewater 2,000 feet into the boulder zone. Joseph (Joe) M. Parker Joseph (Joe) M. Parker, age 72, passed away at his home in Key Largo, Florida on Friday, August 21, 2015, after battling with cancer. He was born November 25, 1942 in Clarksburg, WV. He graduated from Huntington High School, Huntington WV, after high school he went into the Navy. He worked for National and Pam AM Airlines and Key West TACTS. Later in life he was self-employed in Key Largo. He loved to fish, boat, travel and camp and ride his Harley. Survivors include his wife Dorothy (Dolly) Parker of Key Largo, daughter Molly Smith (Joseph) of Clermont, FL and granddaughter Catherine Mohammed of Miami, FL. There are no services planned at this time. Memorial contributions should be made to the charity of your choice DUI causing bodily injury and DUI causing property damage. Both are misdemeanors. Silva was taken to Monroe County Detention Center on Stock Island and was released the next morning on pre-trial release, meaning he didn t have to post bail, but could in the future if he misses a court date or violates other terms of his release. Silva was hired by the sheriff s office in 2004 as a property clerk at the jail. He is not a certified deputy or corrections officer and doesn t carry a weapon, said sheriff s spokeswoman Becky Herrin. He has no prior disciplinary or Internal Affairs cases, according to department records. He has no prior arrest history in Monroe County, according to jail records. alinhardt@keysnews. com adults who volunteer their time to meet with a student on campus during the school day once a week. For more information, contact Licis at or at chuck. licis@keysschools.com. It was not known at press time if the DEP will wait until the hearing judge rules or allow the plant to open prior to that. Meanwhile, Boondocks owner said last week he intends to take steps to correct his restaurant s problems until the regional system begins operating. I don t want to pollute the environment, Gardner said. We are working on a solution that will put a bandage on this until the problem is fixed permanently with being connected to the central sewer service. This is a problem for many businesses in the and will be until the central sewer system is up and running. tohara@keysnews.com Key Largo Island Market at 101 Indoor Upscale Market Seeks Vendors Ice Cream, Candy, Baker, Lunch/Sandwiches, Caterers, Florist, Grocer Nice Retail - Gallery Space Available Holiday and Season will be here SOON! Air Conditioned Under New Management Call Alice: Open Wednesday - Sunday 10:00AM to 5:00PM Island Marketplace -behind the Dollar Tree MM101 Bayside MUST BE MONROE COUNTY RESIDENT When: Sunday, September 27, 2015 Where: Lorelei MM 82 Time: 9 am till 1pm, weigh-in no later than 1pm. Scales close at 1pm sharp - NO EXCEPTIONS! Age: 10 and under - boys and girls How Much: $0 - For all the FUN you can have! Food & Drink: Free Donuts and Beverages at 7 am thanks to Mangrove Mike Forster. Hot Dogs and Cokes from 11 am courtesy of The Lorelei A Casting Contest will run from 10 am to 2 pm. Awards Ceremony at 2 pm on the beach of Lorelei Division: Age Category: Fishing Derby Shoreline/Bridge/Pier 4 and under 5-7 years of age 8-10 years of age NEW FOR 2015 NO BARRACUDA! For all Rules and more information like us on FACEBOOK YOU MAY PRE-REGISTER BY ING APPLICATION TO mailto:ditournaments@aol.com OR BY MAILING ENTRY FORMS TO: KEYS KIDS FISHING DERBY, P.O. BOX 462, ISLAMORADA, FL or DROP OFF THIS FORM AT TACKLE CENTER OF ISLAMORADA, or the LORELEI. For additional information you may call LORELEI : OR DIANNE HARBAUGH OFFICIAL REGISTRATION FORM - 18TH KEYS KIDS FISHING DERBY 9/27/15 LORELEI MM 82 ISLAMORADA, FL NAME: AGE: DIVISION ONE MUST BE CIRCLED Shoreline Backcountry Offshore ADDRESS: CITY:STATE: ZIP: TEL# DAY: TEL# EVE: RELEASE OF LIABILITY/PHOTO RELEASE As parent or guardian of above named applicant(s), I certify that same has/have my permission to attend and participate in the Keys Kids Fishing Derby, held on the above date at the above location. By signing this form I, the parent/guardian, accept full responsibility and agree not to make claim against or sue Lorelei, the host, the sponsors, any other officials or parties involved in the Derby, and all other participants, for bodily injury, property damage, death, medical and all other financial losses which are sustained by self, above listed participant(s) and any other member of our party arising from involvement in the Keys Kids Fishing Derby. I further hereby grant the sponsor and co-sponsors the unconditional right to use the name, voice, and photographic likeness of above applicant(s) in connection with any of their audio/video productions, articles, or press releases. Signature of Parent or Legal Guardian Date: Keys Kids 18 th Annual FREE! Boat - Backcountry 4 and under 5-7 years of age 8-10 years of age Boat - Offshore 4 and under 5-7 years of age 8-10 years of age Signature of the Angler RUSSELL HUDSON CULLEN, JR. "Sorrow comes in great waves... but it rolls over us, and though it may almost smother us, it passes and we remain" - Henry James. On August 14, 2015 our community sadly lost a prominent local attorney who was an inspiration to the legal community and many other lives he touched. Russell Hudson Cullen, Jr., age 73, was born May 16, 1942, in Washington, D.C. He was the eldest of seven children born to Russell and Anne Cullen. He was preceded in death by his father, Russell H. Cullen, Sr., and two younger brothers, Bill Cullen and Matthew Cullen. He leaves behind his beloved wife, Daryl Cullen, his mother Anne Cullen, and his children Cheryl Nottingham, Michael Lewis, Russell H. Cullen III, Christopher Cullen and step-son Matthew Quann. He is also survived by his sisters Maryanne Roper, Colleen Hammon, Francis Young and brother Patrick Cullen, as well as several grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Russell graduated from Stephen Decatur High School in Ocean City, Maryland in He later earned his Doctorate at the University of Miami and graduated in Over the years Russell lived life on the edge, experiencing a wide range of professions and hobbies. At a young age, he was enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He also worked in sales for Eastern Airlines and obtained his Flight Instructors license, which included training the Jamaican Defense Force. He was a motorcycle policeman in Miami Springs where he suffered a serious accident in a high-speed chase. This led him to attend the University of Miami Law School and graduated with a doctorate in Russell worked as a criminal defense lawyer in Orlando, worked for various law firms throughout Florida. He eventually opened a practice in Key Largo, FL where he practiced family law for a number of years. During this time, he served on the Florida Bar Grievance Committee and volunteered as an Atty Ad Litem. In his spare time Russell went back to school and became and EMT in He followed in his father's footsteps and volunteered for the Key Largo Ambulance Corporation for a number of years. He was an active board member and Pro Bono Attorney for the KLVAC. Russell loved adrenaline rush of skydiving (256 jumps), enjoyed fishing, skiing and travel, including numerous trips to New Zealand and Europe with his wife and step-son. He will be sadly missed by the lives he touched oceans away. Russell will always be remembered by those of us who knew him and loved him. Although we will miss him, his smile, his accidents, his love, we take consolation in the good feelings of our memories and how he could brighten your day with a smile

12 12A September 2, 2015 Florida Keys Free Press business & real estate news Pet crematory service unique to Keys BY BRIAN BOWDEN TAVERNIER A cremation service focusing on deceased animals and their grieving owners opened its doors earlier this year in the Upper Keys. The business, according to operations manager consultant Kevin Champion, is the only one of its kind on the island chain. Paws & Remember of the Florida Keys, located at 171 Hood Ave., suite 4, behind the Florida Keys Electric Cooperative near mile marker 91.6, bayside, services the Florida Keys as well as the southern region of Miami-Dade County. We provide a service to properly honor and remember your pet, Champion told the Free Press last week. It can be an especially tough time for owners. Paws & Remember works with pet owners, through local veterinary clinics, to provide personal care of the animal upon its passing. But Champion said an owner working directly with him is doable as well. A certificate is issued to the pet owner upon cremation, which typically takes two business days. Paws & Remember also provides an option to have the deceased animal s ashes spread at Alligator Reef, a coral area located about 4 nautical miles off the southeast coast of Upper Matecumbe Key. A picture of the spread, Champion said, can be done at the owner s request. Champion said the service can handle domestic animals, including exotics, up to 500 pounds. He has conducted cremations for animals ranging from hamsters and snakes to cats and dogs. Coupled with the cremation service, Paws & Remember offers a variety of personally engraved urns if the owner wishes to keep the pet s ashes. The standard, Champion said, is a cedar rectangular box but many other designs are available. Paws & Remember also has the option of enclosing a small amount of the pet s ashes inside a key chain or necklace. Aside from Champion, who runs the day-today operations of Paws & Remember, local businessman T.J. Hayes is also affiliated with the company. Hayes, who owns Eye Catchers Signs in Islamorada, is listed as part-owner of the business. The other owner, according to its website pawsandremember.com, is Steven Turner. Paws & Remember is a franchise, with 14 of its sister branches located mainly in the Northeast and Midwest U.S. For more information, including turnaround time and pricing, contact Champion at between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. A voic service is available for after-hours. He can also be reached at pawskeys@pawsandremember.com. bbowden@keysnews. com CONTRIBUTED Champion, operations manager consultant of Paws & Remember of the Florida Keys, holds his puppy RJ. Realtors collect school supplies CONTRIBUTED Fishermen s Community Hospital Exemplary Employee recipients Sean Slovik, Elisa Davies and Jessica Thomson. Hospital recognizes exemplary employees MARATHON Sean Slovik, Elisa Davies and Jessica Thomson were named Fishermen s Community Hospital s exemplary employees for the second quarter. The honorees were nominated by their peers and patients for consistently practicing and promoting the hospital s values of professionalism, competency and going above and beyond their duties. Slovik was named Manager of the Quarter. The Marathon resident, who is the director of rehabilitation services, was credited for being professional, thorough and respected by his department and others. The occupational therapist holds a master s degree in natural and health sciences from Barry University in Miami and formerly was employed at Key West Health and Rehabilitation. Prior to that, he worked at Parrish Medical Center in Titusville and spent 13 years as a Merchant Marine after obtaining a bachelor s degree in marine transport from Texas A&M University. Nurse of the Quarter honors went to Davies, a Marathon transplant originally from Michigan. She was praised by her nomi- See EMPLOYEES, page 13A TAVERNIER More than 65 members of the Florida Keys Board of Realtors held a school supply drive to assist United Way s annual Stuff the Bus campaign. The school supply collection was held in conjunction with a sunset cruise hosted by the Florida Keys Board of Realtors for members and friends aboard the Key Largo Princess glass-bottom boat out of Holiday Inn in Key Largo. We enjoy contributing to this worthy cause, and we are proud to be part of United Way s efforts to help ensure that all the Keys kids have the proper supplies to succeed in school, Florida Keys Board of Realtors President Robert White said. Meet the hatchlings! It is nesting season in the Florida Keys and we have dozens of baby turtles! Stop in over the next couple of weeks for the 9 a.m. educational program and baby turtle feeding. Reservations suggested and can be made by calling $ 2 OFF 9 a.m. Educational Program with this ad Valid for 9am program until Sept. 30, 2015 only. CONTRIBUTED From left, Jeannine Cook, FKBR board member; Joel Young, president-elect; and Robert White, president. We are open 365 days a year with educational al programs at the top of every hour Overseas Highway (MM 48.5) Marathon

13 Florida Keys Free Press September 2, A opinion CONTACT US: Florida Keys Free Press Overseas Highway Tavernier, FL Phone: Classified Ads: ext, 210 Editorial/Design Fax: Advertising Website: keysnews.com Managing Editor..... Dan Campbell Staff Writer Josh Gore Staff Writer Brian Bowden Contributing Writer.. Jill Zima Borski Contributing Writer..... Robert Silk Sports Writer Eric Bass Advertising Sales.... Tammy Collins Classified Sales..... Megan Meints Composing Key West Citizen Office Manager..... Vicki Heddings Paul A. Clarin, Publisher INFORMATION: The Florida Keys Free Press is published each Wednesday with a weekly distribution of 18,000 copies serving Big Pine Key to Key Largo. Deadlines: Display Advertising... Thur., 4:30pm Classified Advertising. Thur., 4:30pm Classified Line Ads......Mon., noon Editorial & Photos Friday 5 pm Subscriptions (U.S. only). 3 months $39 6 months $78 12 months $156 Single Issue $3 (For outside U.S., call ) Office Hours: Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. (Voic after hours.) Notice to Advertisers: The Free Press assumes no financial responsibility for typographical errors in advertisements, but, when notified promptly will reprint that part of the advertisement in which the typographical error appears. All advertising in this publication is subject to the approval of the publisher. The Free Press reserves the right to correctly classify, edit or delete any objectionable wording or reject the advertisement in its entirety at any time prior to scheduled publication, in the event it is determined that the advertisement or any part thereof is contrary to its general standard of advertising acceptance. This newspaper is made using renewable wood fiber from sustainably managed forests that are independently certified to meet globally recognized sustainable forest management standards. Free Press is a wholly owned subsidiary of Cooke Communications, 3420 Northside Dr., Key West, FL Cooke Communications Remember the Manatees Celebrate one of the world s most extraordinary animals on International Manatee Day, which also falls on Labor Day this year. An upswing in boating traffic is expected on Florida s waterways during the busy, long weekend, putting manatees at even greater risk. Save the Manatee Club encourages recreational boaters to be prepared to help protect the endangered species by requesting a variety of the club s free public awareness materials. Save the Manatee Club produces and distributes bright cautionary yellow boating banners with the message, Please Slow: Manatees Below. Displaying these popular waterproof banners helps alert other boaters to manatees in the area. Free shoreline property signs, weatherproof boat decals and waterway cards that feature manatee protection tips in English, French, Spanish and German are available, too. The club also produces a family-friendly outdoor sign for high traffic sites to teach the public manatee manners and help curb manatee harassment. The club has received thousands of requests for outreach materials over the years and has provided free signage to dock owners, municipalities and county governments to raise manatee awareness, according to Patrick Rose, Save the Manatee Club s executive director. For decades, the club has led efforts to secure funding for Florida s rescue, rehabilitation and release program. The club also has been able to expand its international efforts from Mexico How many Cubans in yacht club? I would like to respond to the hypocritical letter sent to your publication by none other than the so-called commodore of Cuba s yacht club. Frankly, how many Cubans are allowed in the so-called yacht club? In Cuba, Cubans are not allowed to own any boats except for the most rudimentary row boats and other relics reminiscent of the African Queen. In fact, Cubans need a special permit just to go boating, let alone fishing. The commodore would do well to be more sincere and address the fact that Cubans are not even allowed to return to their country by sea. This means that 25 percent of all the Cubans in Please explain county spending Please explain to the taxpayers of Monroe County how an egress, owned by the state of Florida, to a city of Marathon tourist attraction became the financial responsibility for the taxpayers of Monroe County. The Tourist Development Council advised me that state statues forbid the use of TDC funds for that donation. What taxpayer funds are used to provide ferry service to Pigeon Key, a secondary city of Marathon tourist attraction? It appears that the Pigeon Key Foundation had coerced Marathon residents and Monroe County Commissioners George Neugent and David Rice, along with Commissioner Sylvia Murphy, into misappropriating $9 million of Monroe County taxpayers infrastructure sales tax monies, earmarked for a complete and fully funded sewer system, so that the foundation member will be able to take a morning walk without fear of traffic. and Belize to Senegal, Liberia and Nigeria. It has bought food for orphaned baby manatees and provided all kinds of educational materials to students around the globe. Save the Manatee Club is an award-winning international non-profit conservation organization in operation since 1981 when it was co-founded by singer/songwriter Jimmy Buffett and Bob Graham, former Florida governor and U.S. senator. The club is the recognized worldwide leader in manatee education and conservation efforts. More Manatee Protection Tips for Boaters can be found on the club s website at savethemanatee.org/boatertips. Also download the free Manatee Alert App for iphones and ipads at which notifies boaters when they are approaching manatee speed zones and facilitates the reporting of injured manatees and manatee harassment. Also check out the Club s new animated boating video, Share the Waterway, at youtu.be/rmdspar- PrBg. The free materials listed can be obtained by contacting Save the Manatee Club via at education@savethemanatee.org, by regular mail at 500 N. Maitland Ave., Maitland, Fla , or by calling toll free at JOIN (5646). For more information on manatees, the Adopt-A-Manatee program or to sign up for the club s free e-newsletter, visit the club s website at savethemanatee.org. Janice Nearing, director of public relations, Save the Manatee Club the world who live outside their country cannot return if their foreign passports mention their birthplace, like is the case with American passports. I urge all of those who are celebrating the unilateral normalization of relations between the United States and Cuba to lobby the Cuban dictatorship and have them allow Cubans to return to their country by sea like so many frolicking foreign tourists are allowed to. Once more, if Cuba is deemed a normal country by our present administration, why keep the Cuban Adjustment Act, allowing special treatment to Cubans as a colony of the U.S. in immigration laws? Frank Resillez, Key Largo Now if the city of Marathon residents choose to contribute to that folly, that s their business. However, there s around 3,000 Monroe County taxpayers who are actively being extorted to give up their property so these three commissioners wouldn t have to come up with the $1,600 each for a traffic bearing cover, about $4.8 million that the taxpayers voted to spend. Those same commissioners voted to spend that infrastructure sales tax monies to buy the lids and supply electricity for the taxpayers on Grassy Key, and the turd grinders were put in the rights-ofway with no attempt to extort private property. Why did those three commissioners choose to discriminate against those 3,000 resident taxpayers? So commissioners, explain to the taxpayers. Or, are the three of you north of the Seven Mile Bridge guilty of misappropriating taxpayer funds and possibly Sunshine Law violations? The taxpayers want to know. Eugene E. Nanay Jr., Big Pine Key LETTERS TO DCAMPBELL@KEYSNEWS.COM Of canals and carcasses Throwing fish carcasses in canals is not illegal. It should be, but it isn t. What it is, is pollution. No way, you say. The crabs and small fry eat that stuff up. I see it from my dock. And I always puncture the eyes and swim bladder so they sink to the bottom. I m all about recycling back to nature. Good attitude, but wrong. Let me qualify that. If you were the only person throwing a few small fish heads in your canal, the harm you do would be negligible. But we know that isn t the case. A ride down any residential canal on an August weekend afternoon will have you ducking fish carcasses being flung from filet tables with abandon. What happens is those carcasses drift under docks or tangle in mangrove roots and waft their pungent bouquet of putrefaction throughout the neighborhood. Finally, the stinky carcass sinks to the canal bottom. That may sound like a good thing, but out of sight, and smell, is not the end of the problem. Actually, it s the beginning of the decaying process that will consume the oxygen stored in the water and transforms the canal into a lifeless zone. Really, from just a couple of fish? you say. OK, maybe a bunch of fish. The carcasses are organic matter. As they pile up on the bottom, decomposers bacteria, fungi and microscopic actinomycetes go to work breaking them down. As the number of decomposers increases and multiply, they use large amounts of oxygen in the water. This oxygen depletion will eventually kill off every living thing in the canal except algae, that brown sludge-like stuff moving past your dock. Assuming your canal system has good water circulation, it may be able to withstand the effects of carcass pollution through water exchange. My canal on Ramrod is pretty clean and most of the year I see schools of snapper and parrotfish, the occasional manatee, dolphin and once even a hammerhead shark. Normally, I can see Cassiopeia jellyfish 5 feet down doing their pulsing thing on the bottom. However, come school vacation coupled with lobster sport season and first day of regular lobster season, the canal water quality noticeably declines. The water goes from clear to brown and I can no longer see the bottom. Judging from mangrove roots the underwater visibility is about 2 feet, tops. A brown sludge floats to the surface. I ll admit that for the 13 years I ve lived on this canal it has always come back to pristine condition once the summer onslaught is over. For that I m grateful, but does that mean nature will always heal itself and we can continue to inflict harm on the environment without consequences? I believe with communication we can carcass pollution. The homeowners in a canal neighborhood understand that an unpolluted canal not only helps the environment but it enhances their real estate value. I know of no one who is pro-pollution. Simple steps like educating guests and renters about canal etiquette will go a long way to improved water quality. Perhaps a sign on the filet table of rental properties would reduce the carcass problem. Providing a downstairs bait cooler as a convenient place to store carcasses until it goes out in the trash frozen and odorless might be the solution. Homeowners associations and real estate agents could provide an organized way to inform new owners and especially renters about canal etiquette. Jeff Kelly, Ramrod Key MAIL LETTERS TO FLORIDA KEYS FREE PRESS, ATTN: EDITOR, OVERSEAS HIGHWAY, TAVERNIER, FL LETTERS TO DCAMPBELL@KEYSNEWS.COM BUSINESS & REAL ESTATE Lobster season starts with record harvest BY TIMOTHY O HARA FLORIDA KEYS The harvest of spiny lobster has never been better, but the price being paid is down significantly so far because the Asian market has yet to take off this season, according to local commercial fishermen. The season started earlier this month with trap fishermen catching near record number of lobster, fishermen said. On average, a trap will produce about 10 pounds of lobsters over the course of an eight-month season, with the bulk being harvested in the first couple of months. So far this year, fishermen have been harvesting as much as five pounds a week, commercial fishermen Gary Nichols and George Niles said. ROB O NEAL/Free Press Gabriel Guerrero shows off a pair of freshly-caught lobsters at the Stock Island Lobster Company. It has been good as it s ever been, Niles said. I don t think we will see the prices we have seen in years past. But one bad hurricane could change all that. However, prices have yet to take off. About 80 percent of spiny lobsters from the Keys are shipped to China and other Asian markets, Niles said. It doesn t help that this is a bit of a luxury item and China s stock market has dropped by 17 percent, Niles said. Our guy has shipped a few this week, so it is starting to pick up. Historically, August is a slow month for shipping whole lobster to China and the rest of Asia. In China, August is considered the ghost month, when there are no major festivals or celebrations in which the Chinese people would consume such luxury high-dollar foods as lobster. Many fishermen have not pulled all of their traps, because they are waiting for the foreign markets to improve, Nichols said. In addition, the Chinese economy and stock market has been struggling and it could have an impact on the Keys lobster industry. Some Chinese buyers have gone out of business and one lost $200,000, Nichols said. There has yet to be a Chinese market, Nichols said. Starting in 2010, Keys fishermen began outfitting their vessels with state-of-the-art live wells to hold live lobster before shipping them to the China and other parts of Asia, which require the lobsters whole and live. In 2009, the spiny lobster market crashed with fishermen selling lobsters for as low as $3 a pound. In 2010, the Asian market became hot and the prices increased to more than $10 and now fishermen can receive as much as $19 a pound for live lobster depending on certain times of the year. tohara@keysnews.com Employees Continued from page 12A nators for being professional, dependable, compassionate and for not being afraid to step up and help even if a patient is not her own. Davies started at Fishermen s as a Florida Keys Community College nursing student in 2009 and graduated with an associate s degree in nursing in She became a member of the hospital s medical-surgical staff later that year. Patient account representative Thomson received the Employee of the Quarter award. The Medicare/ Medicaid specialist has been nominated by her peers almost every quarter for being so hardworking and knowledgeable and for being willing to assist co-workers and patients who come into the business office. Thomson began her career at the hospital in the mid-1990s when she worked as a certified nursing assistant. She left for Central Florida around 2001, but returned to the Keys and has worked in the business office since 2011.

14 14A September 2, 2015 Florida Keys Free Press XXX INTRODUCING THE 2015 KEY WEST CITIZEN FREE PRESS INAUGURAL Submit a photo of your favorite pet(s) to be entered into a Reader s Choice vote for inclusion in our 2016 Pet Calendar. Proceeds to benefit Monroe County Schools Newspapers in Education (NIE) & Florida Keys Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). Contest consists of three rounds of voting. Every vote counts toward the total tally of votes throughout the duration of the contest. Each round reduces the number of qualifying entries. Entry Submission, Fees Deadlines $5 per entry. Entry Submission Begins: Thursday, Aug. 8 a.m. Ends: Tuesday, Sept. 5 p.m. Voting Fee Schedule Voting fee is 25 cents per vote. Anyone may cast a vote(s). The Key West Citizen circulation department will tally entry votes weekly and publish updated vote counts up to three times per week. First round of voting: Sept. 16-Oct. 5 at 5 p.m. Top 48 entries move on to round 2 Second round of voting: Oct. 6-Nov. 29 at 5 p.m. Top 24 entries move on to round 3 Third round of voting: Oct. 30-Nov. 20 at 5 p.m. Top 12 entries will be included in 2016 Pet Calendar Rules Regulations Photos submitted in print must be horizontal format, high quality and a minimum size of 4 x6. Electronic photo submissions must be horizontal format, between DPI (dots per inch), high resolution, a minimum size of 4 x6, and must be accompanied by payment and completed entry form. One pet per photo, no people allowed in photos and no faxed photos will be accepted. Entry photos will print same size in paper. Entries can be mailed, hand delivered or ed with entry form and payment. Photos will not be returned. Anyone may enter, however Cooke Communications employees and their immediate family members are not eligible to win. Any discrepancies will be decided by the Key West Citizen staff and will be considered final by all parties. Calendars will be sold for $10 each. Top 12 winners receive 5 free calendars. Majority of proceeds from entry fees, votes fees and calendar sales to benefit Monroe County Schools Newspapers In Education (NIE) Program. Part of proceeds to benefit the Florida Keys SPCA on Stock Island. Mail or hand deliver completed entry form with payment and photo to the Key West Citizen, 3420 Northside Drive, Key West, FL 33040, or submit via to charrell@keysnews.com. Hand delivered submissions will be accepted from Aug. 27 through Sept. 15, 2015, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Official Entry Form Pet Owner Name: Phone Number: Pet s Name: Pet s Birthday: Entry Fee: $5.00 = $ Number of votes cast for above named Pet: x $0.25 = $ Pre-order $10 each: Yes No Quantity: x $10.00 = $ Add above two lines for grand total to be charged paid below = $ Payment (check one): Check MasterCard Visa American Express (AMEX) Credit Card Number: Expiration Date: 3 digit (AMEX; 4 digit) CVV number/card Security Code (located on back of card):

15 pursuits Living Learning Playing Exploring v Novel shows value of history 2B KEYSNEWS.COM FLORIDA KEYS FREE PRESS WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, B Record breaker Marathon freshman sets school record for100 butterfly. 7B Angels of August Many reasons to love summer snapdragons. 3B Island castaways CONTRIBUTED Mote Marine s traveling reef exhibit will be at the Keys History & Discovery Center in Islamorada. Traveling reef exhibit comes to Islamorada A Key deer peers from the woods on No Name Key. Tiny deer unique to Florida Keys BY BRIAN BOWDEN LOWER KEYS How did the diminutive Key deer end up on a smattering of islands dozens of miles out to sea? Climate change, experts say. The Florida peninsula, and its wildlife, has changed significantly over the last 100,000 years. The Florida Keys, specifically, were once a thriving coral reef submerged some 30 feet in the ocean. The planet has gone through extensive stints of glacial and interglacial periods. During the former, a process which spans over thousands of years, water gets trapped in ice and sea levels drop. This, in turn, creates larger masses of land. Fast forward 20,000 years ago when the Earth was in a period known as the Wisconsin Glaciation. Much of the North American continent was covered in ice, and sea levels had fallen 250 to 300 feet below what they re at today. With that, the area known as Florida gradually grew to over twice the size it s at now. So, wildlife, such as plants and animals, colonized the extended habitat. Since that time though, glaciers began to melt and caused sea levels to rise and take back some of the area. Animals, such as deer, took refuge on the high ground of the Keys during this period. That, though, essentially separated them from their relatives on what is now the mainland. The deer which stayed on small islands adapted to their environs, becoming their own subspecies known as the Key deer. These deer are the smallest subspecies of THOMAS YAROCH/Contributed CONTRIBUTED A map showing how the Florida peninsula has changed over the past 100,000 years due to sea level, which also created new areas for wildlife to inhabit. the North American white-tailed deer found throughout the central and eastern regions of the U.S. Glaciers changed the shape of Florida forever, National Key Deer Refuge Park Ranger Kristie Killam said. And the wildlife [including Key deer] was just a part See DEER, page 4B ISLAMORADA The traveling Discovery Reef exhibit is on display at the Keys History & Discovery Center through February. The interactive display developed by Mote Marine Laboratory offers a glimpse into the inner workings of reefs through hands-on educational panels. The exhibit will share the expertise of Mote Marine Laboratory and bring ocean education to our visitors, said Jill Miranda Baker, executive director of the Discovery Center. The fascinating video and 3D displays in Discovery Reef provide an excellent introduction to important ocean environments and marine science concepts. We re proud to bring this innovative exhibit to the Keys History & Discovery Center. The exhibit reveals the forms, survival strategies and the web of relationships between organisms that have evolved in the coral community. Coral reefs cover less than 1 percent of the earth s surface but are home to more than 25 percent of all known marine species. As much as one third of all sea creatures either live or spend much of their lives on reefs. Our mission is to share crucial knowledge of the oceans vital ecosystems with people of all ages, no matter where they live, said Aly Busse, director of education at Mote. By offering traveling exhibits and other education programs that are innovative, entertaining and truly interactive, we hope to encourage lifelong learning, ocean stewardship and conservation throughout the world. Discovery Reef is one of three exhibits that were initially created though grants from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services in Washington, D.C. SeaTrek traveling exhibits are developed by Mote s SeaTrek program, which offers exhibits to museums, libraries and other venues in the U.S. and beyond. The Discovery Center is located at the Islander Resort, mile marker 82, oceanside. It is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. General admission is $12. Admission for seniors is $10 and children ages 13 and under are admitted free. For more information, call or visit keysdiscovery.com. Labor Day weekend tribute salutes heroes DUCK KEY Military, fire rescue, police and medical personnel will be honored with recreational programs as part of the annual Heroes Salute Tribute Weekend set for Friday, Sept. 4, through Sunday, Sept. 6, at Hawks Cay Resort. Highlights of the heroes in action Labor Day weekend event include a family night Friday with food, games and a movie under the stars. Set for 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., the event is free and open to the public. Saturday, an early morning Heroes Salute 5K run/ walk is planned followed by a post-race party, a mini touch-a-truck event, an evening cookout and honorary lighting of the fire pit with a photographic video tribute at sunset to honor fallen heroes and those formerly and currently in action. A participation fee applies for the 5K and cookout events. Register for the 5K at themeruns.com/home/ KEYSNEWS.COM heroes-salute/. Sunday features a barbecue, a live music performance by Keys tropical rock musician Howard Livingston and his Mile Marker 24 Band and a fireworks show. Tickets for the barbecue are available for advance purchase and cover admission to the evening events. Ticket prices are $25.95 for adults, $13 for ages 4 to 12 and free for ages 3 and under. Hawks Cay Resort partners with Firehouse Subs restaurant franchise to donate a portion of proceeds to the chain s primary charity, Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation. Accommodations at several Marathon-area hotels, inns and lodging properties are available during the Labor Day weekend in addition to specially priced guest room rates at Hawks Cay Resort. For more information, visit floridakeysheroes.com. TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL Each year, military, fire rescue, police and medical personnel are honored during the Heroes Salute celebration.

16 2B September 2, 2015 Florida Keys Free Press read see do History made relevant in Blood of the Dragon Tree BY DAVID BECKWITH Free Press Contributor Many educated people have probably read the treatises written in recent years about the de-emphasis on history in schools to make room for other studies deemed more relevant to students in our modern world. This has partially been attributed to historians who have not come to the defense of the subject, teachers who have not developed skills in relating the past to the present and future and to new curriculum designers who have succumbed to a finding that only the present is overwhelmingly relevant to the pupils. The historical novel can combat this disturbing trend. Such books not only bring history to life, but they make it interesting and relate it to today s world. Michael Ritchie s well-researched novel accomplishes all these goals and more. Blood of the Dragon Tree is based on the true story of a slave and later free woman who becomes known as Congo Julia. In 1838 the Yoruba princess Elegua Naladi is abducted, transported by the Spanish to Cárdenas, Cuba, and sold into slavery to be a field hand. Her new master is the widow Señora Juliana Estanoz, owner of a tobacco plantation. Estanoz renames her new slave Julia la Congo. Naladi is befriended by fellow slaves Isabella Christiana and Old Lil. Congo Julia soon proves to be more than a mere field hand. She bonds with Estanoz mentally challenged son, Alejandro, and learns to be a master cigar roller from another slave, who is a leper. The señora baptizes Congo Julia as a Catholic, but other slaves secretly educate her in the rites of Santería. Her antagonist quickly becomes a Haitian slave who practices voodoo. Congo Julia is granted her freedom after Señora Estanoz son is accidentally killed by an out-ofcontrol ox in the tobacco field and the señora decides to return to Spain. Congo Julia marries freedman Niger Santo, and they move into Cárdenas. The couple has a daughter who is mysteriously abducted and never seen again. Eventually the couple emigrates to Key West. And that s all I ll give away. This book makes the past relevant by flashing forward and back again, comparing the Congo Julia saga to expatriate American reporter Mac McKinney and his common-law wife and santera, Caridad Cabrera, and her deafmute daughter Naladi. The book also contains a heavy dose of mysticism and Santería magic. The book also shifts expertly among various points of view, past and present. Some passages, especially those describing the horrors of transporting slaves across the ocean, are revolting and chilling. The passages of life in and around the time of the American Civil War are, in my opinion, probably pretty accurate without going over the top in an attempt to make a social statement. The book was remarkably free of editing goofs (I only found two minor typos). All in all, I think the seven years the author spent researching and writing the book were well spent. As I conclude this review, I can t help but pause and think of Santayana s axiom: Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. Maybe if more books established the past s relevancy to the present, history would not be as ignored by modern educators and the general public as it seems to be. David Beckwith is author of A New Day In The Delta. faces & places ON TAP UNDERWATER WEDDING top 10 bestsellers HARDBACK FICTION 1. Go Set a Watchman 2. All the Light We Cannot See 3. The Girl on the Train 4. Circling the Sun 5. Wind/Pinball: Two Novels 6. The Nightingale 7. The Little Paris Bookshop 8. Kitchens of the Great Midwest 9. Last Bus to Wisdom (Debut) 10. Armada HARDBACK NONFICT. 1. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up 2. Between the World and Me 3. The Wright Brothers 4. Modern Romance 5. Being Mortal 6. Dead Wake 7. Sick in the Head 8. H Is for Hawk 9. The Oregon Trail 10. A Full Life The Indie Bestseller List is produced by the American Booksellers Association and is based on sales in independent bookstores nationwide during the week ended Aug. 22, ROB O NEAL/Free Press Fans of beers and ales can sample more than 150 varieties, including unique microbrews, at the sixth annual Key West BrewFest, set for Wednesday, Sept. 2, through Monday, Sept. 7. The schedule features brew-focused dinners, beer and cigar gatherings, a beer run, pool parties, a tasting festival on the beach and other festivities. For more information, visit keywestbrewfest.com or call FAIRCHILD CHALLENGE CONTRIBUTED Some 24 Upper Keys school teachers gathered Aug. 22 for the kick-off of this year s Upper Keys Fairchild Challenge at The Botanic Gardens at Kona Kai Resort in Key Largo. Teachers learned about this year s environmental challenges, deciding which to incorporate into their lesson plans. Last year 1,200 students and more than 60 teachers participated in this in-school environmental educational program. Winning schools receive cash awards to apply to environmental projects. For more information, call Emily Magnaghi at BOB CARE/Tourist Development Council A Miami couple was married Tuesday, Aug. 25, to help mark the 50th anniversary of the installation of an iconic underwater statue off the Florida Keys. Kimberly Triolet and Jorge Rodriguez wed beside the Christ of the Deep statue, positioned in 25 feet of water, about 5 miles off Key Largo. A notary public used an underwater slate for the vows exchange that was witnessed by friends and other divers aboard a boat from the Amoray Dive Resort in Key Largo. RESCUERS VISIT TURTLE ROB O NEAL/Free Press Marathon Turtle Hospital Manager Bette Zirkelbach, left, reunites Captain Morgan with his rescuers Aug. 23. The Klass and Davis families from Port Charlotte found the 4-year-old green sea turtle tangled in line off Cudjoe Key a day earlier. The reptile was to undergo surgery to remove fibropapilloma tumors before being released in the same area. live entertainment LOCAL BAND AND VOCALIST PERFORMANCES FRIDAY, Sept. 4 Bayside Grille: Luke Sommer Glenn 6 to 10 p.m. Boondocks: Mike Willis and the Boonies 7 to 10 p.m. Caribbean Club: Luke Sommer Glenn 10:30 p.m. to 3 a.m. Gilberts: Southern Drawl 7 to 11 p.m. Holiday Isle Raw Bar: Uncle Rico 5 to 8 p.m., DJ Joey Tracks 8 p.m. to midnight. The Hurricane: The Stoned Krabbs 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Islamorada Fish Company: Kenny Channels 6 to 10 p.m. Jimmy Johnson s Big Chill: Jimmy Ray and Derrick Henning 6 to 10 p.m. Looe Key Tiki Bar: Jade Storm 6:30 to 11 p.m. Lorelei: Dana Collins Band 6 to 10 p.m. Morada Bay: Scott Youngberg noon to 4 p.m. Oceanview Lounge: Allan Truesdell 7 to 11 p.m. Pilot House: Mike & Mike 6 to 10 p.m. Porky s Bayside: Don Irwin 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Snapper s Waterfront Restaurant: Ace Suggs 7 to 10 p.m. Snooks: Liquid Remedy 6 to 10 p.m. Sunset Grille: Simone & The Supercats 6 to 9 p.m. SATURDAY, Sept. 5 Bayside Grille: TBA 6 to 10 p.m. Boondocks: See Friday listing. Caribbean Club: See Friday listing. Denny s Restaurant, Key Largo: Karaoke 8 p.m. to midnight. Dockside Cafe: Fiddle Rock 7:30 to 11 p.m. Fish House Encore: Lee Sharp 7 to 10 p.m. Gilberts: Stone Mojo 1 to 5 p.m., Mr. Nice Guy 7 to 11 p.m. Holiday Isle Floaters Pool: DJ Joey Tracks noon to 5 p.m. Holiday Isle Raw Bar: See Friday listing. The Hurricane: Karen Weber & Funkin Conchs 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Islamorada Fish Company: Dennis Holmes noon to 5 p.m., Kenny Channels 6 to 10 p.m. Jimmy Johnson s Big Chill: TBA 6 to 10 p.m. Looe Key Tiki Bar: Bo Fodor 6:30 to 11 p.m. Lorelei: The Stoned Crabs 6 to 10 p.m. Morada Bay: Reggie Paul noon to 4 p.m. Porky s Bayside: Tommy Tune & Rocketman the Pirate 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Snapper s: See Friday listing. Snooks: Mac Meadows 1:30 to 5 p.m., Band On the Run 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Sunset Grille: See Friday listing. SUNDAY, Sept. 6 Bayside Grille: The Outer Band 6 to 11 p.m. Boondocks: See Friday listing. Caribbean Club: Cat Daddies 5:30 p.m. Dockside Cafe: Jam night 7 to 11 p.m. Fish House Encore: See Saturday listing. Gilberts: The Shane Duncan Band 1 to 6 p.m. Holiday Isle Floaters Pool: DJ Joseph Anthony 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Holiday Isle Raw Bar: Klass I Band 3 to 7 p.m. Islamorada Fish Company: Dennis Holmes noon to 5 p.m., Kenny Channels 6 to 10 p.m. Jimmy Johnson s Big Chill: Stereo Underground 4 to 8 p.m. Looe Key Tiki Bar: Ukelele Jam Band 2 to 6 p.m. Lorelei: Collins & Webb 5:30 to 10 p.m. Morada Bay: Dave Feder noon to 4 p.m. Oceanview Lounge: Gigi King Band 4 to 8 p.m. Porky s Bayside: Tim Dee & Jim Hill 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Snapper s: Frank Carmelitano 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Snooks: Sweetwater Band 1:30 to 5 p.m., Sir Cedric s Steel Drums 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Sunset Grille: Sam the DJ 6 to 9 p.m.

17 Florida Keys Free Press September 2, B IN THE KEYS ROBIN ROBINSON/Contributed Angelonia, or summer snapdragon, surrounds the sun dial in the Butterfly Garden at West Martello in Key West. Snapdragons are the angels of August O, mickle is the powerful grace that lies In herbs, plants, stones and their true qualities: For naught so vile that on the earth doth live But to the earth some special good doth give. - Friar Lawrence in Romeo and Juliet Shakespeare had it right when it comes to the plant world. Plant breeders recently began winning awards for the hybrid versions of Angelonia augustonia, or summer snapdragon. As they became readily available in nurseries, scientists took an interest in the little flower from Mexico. It turns out that they have three times the amount of lupeol, a triterpene (Get used to this word, because you re going to hear it often) found in its roots. It is said to be toxic to cancer cells in mice, but has no effect on normal cells. Indigenous cultures use it as an anti-inflammatory. Researchers have spent the last 15 years studying triterpenes from various plants. More than 25 clinical studies, 20 patents and 10 commercially available products sold around the world recently came from triterpene research. Lupeol is found naturally in white cabbage, mangos, olives, green peppers, strawberries, cucumbers and ginseng. Americans on average eat about 30 mg of lupeol a day. The Mediterranean diet contains about 400 mg a day. It is believed to have immense Have you ever wanted to learn more about being a plant medic? Are you interested in growing tropical fruit trees, native plants, ornamentals or lawns? Do you enjoy helping others? If you answered yes to these questions, then your chance may be just around the corner. A horticulture educational program called Master Gardener is being offered by the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences/ Monroe County Extension Service to provide training for selected home gardeners in the Florida Keys. The master gardener title is given to individuals who receive 60 hours of in-depth horticultural training from the UF/IFAS/Monroe ROBIN ROBINSON/Contributed Individual flowers are like amethyst jewels. anti-inflammatory potential that would affect arthritis, diabetes, heart disease and cholesterol. In an article published by the National Health Institute and written by Mohammad Saleem, his research with rats indicates that lupeol is effective against the worst of the metastasizing cancers: breast, pancreatic, melanoma, lung and leukemia. Not only does angelonia contain this cancer fighter, it is also gorgeous. There are many cultivars in this 30 species plant. Serena and Angel Mist are two favorites. The summer snapdragon is tolerant of heat and drought and likes to dry out between watering. It grows 12 to 18 inches in full sun and produces a never-ending supply of small deep-purple blossoms ascending on upright spikes. Plant breeders developed a variety of flower colors including green, pink, red, orange, yellow and purple-striped. Cutting back the flowers is highly recommended. Cut them often and they will grow back bushier than before. They do not need deadheading. Angelonia are excellent cut flowers and last a week blooming gradually up the stem. The plant is an evergreen forb that never develops a woody stem. Its opposite leaves are long and narrow with a pointed tip. They smell like freshly cut apples. Angelonia can be rooted from stem cuttings. Serena cultivars can be grown from seed. Too much fertilizer will stop it from producing flowers, but grow more green leaves. A highly specialized oil bee that crosses the hairs on the flowers inner corolla and picks up pollen fertilizes this summer snapdragon. Use Angelonia as a container plant on a porch or windowsill. It can be used for edging, as a lower level plant in the garden and for cut flowers. Best of all, it is deer resistant, so it makes for a nice plant for Big Pine and No Name keys. It looks good, but tastes bad. Key West Garden Club Master Gardener Robin Robinson was a columnist at the Chicago Daily News and syndicated with Princeton Features. Her book, Plants of Paradise, can be found on Amazon.com. Selecting a new bumper crop of master gardeners BY KIM GABEL Monroe County Extension Service County Horticulture Extension agent. After training, the master gardener intern agrees to volunteer 75 hours of service during their first year to helping the Monroe County Extension horticulture program. To maintain an active Open til 4am! Couples Welcome! Monroe County master gardener status, interns must volunteer a minimum of 35 hours and receive 10 hours See GARDENERS, page 4B MM The HOTTEST Dancers in the Keys! TOTAL NUDITY Distinctive and Tasteful Florida s Most Beautiful Women Private Table Dances Available Full Liquor & Food Served til Close KEYS HOTTEST HAPPY HOUR Dances Drinks ½ Price Appetizers 4-8pm No Cover BECKY COLLINS/Contributed The giant land crab is mainly terrestrial and makes its home near coastal areas. Welcome to Nature s Corner BY BECKY COLLINS John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park The fabulous Florida Keys are known for being a haven for nature enthusiasts. On most days, you will find residents and visitors outdoors, enjoying the clear blue water and cool ocean breezes. Whether in your own backyard or in one of the 11 award-winning Florida Keys state parks and trails, there are countless natural wonders to uncover. Welcome to Nature s Corner. Brought to you weekly by state park rangers and park volunteers, this column will answer all your burning questions about the natural world in the Florida Keys. Join us here weekly to learn all about the real Florida, where you never know what you will find just around the corner. This week we are going to talk about one elusive crustacean that is seldom seen by most people. What is highly visible is its burrow, which results in many twisted ankles and clumsy stumbles. The animal that digs these holes is none other than the giant land crab or Cardisoma guanhumi. The giant land crab is a native resident of the Florida Keys, South Florida and along the gulf coast to southern Texas. It can also be found in the Caribbean, and Central and South America. This crab is mainly terrestrial and makes his home near coastal areas. In land crab territory you will find holes 5 inches wide and up Island Hammock Pet Hospital and Boarding Villa (305) Overseas Hwy, Key Largo MM98 Oceanside Serving the Upper Keys Monday through Saturday 8:00AM 6:00PM On Call Emergency Service 24 hours per day 365 days per year to 5 feet deep, made in order to intersect with the water table. Even though they live on land, the crabs stay close to their underwater swimming pools to maintain moist gills necessary for breathing. Land crabs are easiest to spot at dusk, when they creep out of their burrows and scavenge their surroundings for bits of food. These omnivorous crabs eat a variety of food, but their favorites are young mangrove leaves, fruit and flowers. Another great time to view land crabs is during the late summer and early fall on the full moon. This is the season when great numbers of egg-laden females will migrate from their burrows to the ocean. In the shallows, female crabs release 300,000 to 700,000 eggs per spawning. These eggs and developing larvae are an important food source for juvenile fish and will spend approximately one month riding on the ocean currents until they settle into new territory. On land, the adult land crabs are an important food item for wading birds and raccoons. Although it is not common practice in the Keys, giant land crabs are edible and there is a season for harvesting them. This season is regulated by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. There has been some concern about land crab populations declining in other places where harvesting is more common and unregulated. If you would like to learn more about land crabs, or see some in the wild, we have 11 fantastic state parks and state trails in the Florida Keys that are home to the giant land crab. Visit us at FloridaStateParks.org to plan your visit to the real Florida. Becky Collins is a park ranger at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. WHAT IS DIFFERENT ABOUT OUR PET HOSPITAL? 1. We practice Preventative Medicine. We prefer to prevent problems today than treat them in the future. 2. We employ a knowledgeable, well trained, tenured and compassionate staff that is dedicated to the happiness and well being of you and your pets. 3. Our boarding facilities are clean, safe, secure and supported by our medical staff. Our KennelCams and KittyCams offer 24 hour virtual visitation from any computer, tablet, smart phone or browser enabled device. 4. Se Habla Español. The Fish House RESTAURANT & SEAFOOD MARKET Dr. Martha Edwards, Dr. Marta Pawluk and Dr. Suzanne Sigel We're closing for vacation & maintenance Tuesday, September 8, Re-opening Friday, October 2 at 4 p.m. Fish House will resume normal business hours, Saturday, October 3. Fish Market: 10 a.m. Lunch: 11:30 a.m. Dinner: 4 p.m. ENCORE WILL BE OPEN DURING THIS TIME! ENCORE WILL BE OPEN DAILY FOR DINNER AT 5 p.m. Live Music Thursdays through Sundays! Indoor and Outdoor Dining Come try Chef Peter's signature Seafood Paella! Reservations Accepted Overseas Hwy. Key Largo Gone Fishin'

18 4B September 2, 2015 Florida Keys Free Press IN THE KEYS at the movies opening this week: The Transporter Refueled (PG-13, Action/Adventure) - Frank Martin, a former special-ops mercenary, is now living a less perilous life or so he thinks transporting classified packages for questionable people. When Frank s father pays him a visit in the south of France, their father-son bonding weekend takes a turn for the worse when Frank is engaged by a cunning femme-fatale, Anna, and her three seductive sidekicks to orchestrate the bank heist of the century. Frank must use his covert expertise to outrun a sinister Russian kingpin, and worse than that, he is thrust into a dangerous game of chess with a team of gorgeous women out for revenge. Kitchen Sink (PG-13, Action/Adventure and Sci-Fi/Fantasy) - A high school-aged vampire, zombie and human form an alliance to save their town from invading aliens. now showing: Max Steel (PG-13, Action/Adventure and Sci-Fi/Fantasy) - This origin story chronicles the adventures of 16-year-old Max McGrath and alien companion Steel, who must harness and combine their new powers to evolve into the superhero Max Steel. Sinister 2, (R, Horror/Suspense) - A protective mother and her 9-year-old twin sons find themselves in a rural house marked for death as the evil spirit of Buhguul continues to spread with frightening intensity. We Are Your Friends (R, Drama and Romance) - An aspiring 23-year-old DJ named Cole spends his days scheming with his childhood friends and his nights working on the one track that will set the world on fire. All of this changes when he meets a charismatic but damaged older DJ named James, who takes him under his wing. Things get complicated, however, when Cole starts falling for James much younger girlfriend, Sophie. Regression (R, Thriller) - Detective Bruce Kenner investigates the case of young Angela, who accuses her father, John Gray, of an unspeakable crime. When John unexpectedly and without recollection admits guilt, renowned psychologist Dr. Raines is brought in to help him relive his memories and what they discover unmasks a horrifying nationwide mystery. Hitman: Agent 47 (R, Action/Adventure and Sci-Fi/Fantasy) - Agent 47, an elite assassin who was genetically engineered, targets a mega-corporation that plans to create an army of killers whose powers surpass even his own. Teaming up with a young woman who may hold the secret to overcoming their powerful enemies, Agent 47 confronts revelations about his own origins and squares off with his deadliest foe. Information courtesy of yahoo.com future releases: IN THE KEYS & SOUTH FLORIDA Fishing show to broadcast from resort Murphy Deer Continued from page 1B of that. The Key deer are smaller in stature than their relatives. The bucks average around 80 pounds while the does average around 60 pounds. Height at the shoulder, for both, is just over 2 feet. The bodies of the Key deer appear stockier as well, with shorter legs and a wider skull. The deer s hair, or pelage, varies between reddish-brown and a gray color. And each, typically, has a distinct black cross patch between its eyes and across its brow. Other characteristics that separate the deer from its mainland relatives include a high saltwater tolerance, low productivity, more solitary habits and weak family bonds, all of which help it survive in an island habitat. In the late 1940s, over-hunting of the deer by both residents and visitors Church opens new worship center PLANTATION KEY The Bluewater faith community is opening a new center and worship facility at mile marker 86.5, bayside. Two grand opening gatherings are planned for 9:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 13. The public is invited. Coffee and refreshments will be served. A buck was recently spotted on the refuge. The morning talk will be What s It All About: Jesus Life 101 and the evening topic is Growing Pains and Mains: Moving through Life in Faith. For more information, visit bluewaterinthekeys. com or facebook.com/bluewaterinthekeys. Book club MARATHON The Marathon Library Book Discussion Club will meet ISLAMORADA Portions of the television show Chevy Florida Insider Fishing Report are to be taped at the Postcard Inn Beach Resort & Marina when host Rick Murphy visits Wednesday, Sept. 2. A live-to-tape production is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. at the mile marker 84 resort. The public is invited to attend, and Murphy says the show will be giving away a number of prizes. The show is to focus on fall fishing and travel to the Florida Keys. Planned segments includes such guests as Capt. Randy Towe, who provides weekly fishing reports from the island chain; Dario Olivera, the executive chef at Amara Cay Resort s Oltremare restaurant; KORRIE EDWARDS/USFWS nearly drove the species to extinction. By the early 1950s, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the population was down to a meager 25. The 9,200-acre refuge, subsequently, was established in 1957 to protect the species. The deer, as of 1967, are now federally protected. Estimates of population size for the Key deer, currently, are around 800. The breeding season for Key deer typically runs from September through at 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 4, in the library conference room to discuss The Perfume Collector by Kathleen Tessaro. Newlywed Grace Monroe doesn t fit anyone s expectations of a successful 1950s London socialite, least of all her own. When she receives an unexpected inheritance from a complete stranger, Madame Eva d Orsey, Grace is drawn to uncover the identity of her mysterious benefactor. and Dick Hagood, executive director of the Morada Way Arts and Culture District. Florida Insider airs Thursday, Friday and Saturday on Fox SunSports, a statewide cable channel. CONTRIBUTED December. Directly preceding this period, which is known as rutting season, bucks sharpen their antlers on trees to challenge other males in hopes of earning the right to breed with a doe. Fawn, then, are born April through June. The refuge for the Key deer, situated about 30 miles north of Key West, is at 179 Key Deer Blvd. on Big Pine Key. For more information on it, including visitation, call or visit fws.gov/nationalkeydeer. bbowden@keysnews. com Weaving through the decades, the story Grace uncovers is that of an extraordinary women who inspired one of Paris s greatest perfumers. Immortalized in three evocative perfumes, Eva d Orsey s history will transform Grace s life forever, forcing her to choose between the woman she is expected to be and the person she really is. Contact Ann Lynch at for details. The Visit dvd releases The Intern mystery PHOTO If you recognize the scene in this week s Free Press Mystery Photo, call , starting at 9 a.m. Wednesday. If you are the first caller with the correct identification, you will receive one free lunch at Sharkey s Pub & Galley Restaurant, 522 Caribbean Drive, in Key Largo. Only one winner per household allowed every 90 days. Please pick up certificate within 30 days. LAST WEEK S PHOTO: Safari Lounge, Lower Matecumbe Key WINNER: No winner Everest PICK OF THE WEEK Mad Max: Fury Road (R, Action/Adventure and Thriller) - The ever stoic Max Rockatansky widower, survivor, nomad tries to merely exist on the fringes of a dangerous world, but manages to again be captured and tortured by its denizens. The catalyst to Max s survival may be a woman called Furiosa who gets sidetracked while on an endless trek to find her childhood home. Gardeners Continued from page 3B of additional horticultural education each year. Master gardeners volunteer duties include answering telephone calls in the extension office, troubleshooting plant problems brought into the office, staffing regional plant clinics, school and other group presentations, and working with various landscape demonstration Premiering Friday, September 4th Pixels(PG13) 7pm & 9pm Nightly 2pm Matinees on Sat. & Sun. Coming Soon: Inside Out (PG) Overseas Hwy. behind Marathon Liquor and Deli Call now to get 33% off 10 AM trips or use code FPKLAM. For 20% off afternoon trips use code FPKL projects. In order to be selected for this crop of master gardener interns, the regional preview sessions will be held at the following locations: Upper Keys Wednesday, Sept. 2, 1 to 3 p.m., Murray E. Nelson Government and Cultural Center, Overseas Highway, Key Largo. Thursday, Sept. 3, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., Gato Building, 1100 Simonton Street, conference room 3, Key West. Middle Keys Friday, Sept. 4, 1 to 3 p.m., Marathon Media Room, Marathon Government Center, 2798 Overseas Highway, Marathon. Each master gardener applicant must attend one of the preview sessions to be considered for the 2015 program. At the preview session, you will learn more about the program, the application process, classroom training and volunteer opportunities. Training will begin Sept. 25 in the EOC meeting room at the Marathon MIKE HENTZ/Free Press A Florida Keys gardener examines Swiss chard in his raised-bed vegetable garden. White Lion Cafe Government Center. It continues each Friday through Nov. 20. Training sessions are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The cost of materials will be approximately $140. Training will include topics such as basic plant science, entomology, plant pathology, soils and fertilizers, growing tropical fruit trees, woody ornamentals, turf management, integrated pest management, vegetable gardening, and diagnosing plant problems. Master gardener training is limited to 24 individuals who have a sincere desire to help others, an aspiration to learn and a personal commitment to volunteer service. The program is open to anyone wishing to attend regardless of race, sex, handicap or national origin. For more information, visit Kim Gabel at the Monroe County Extension Office, 1100 Simonton Street, suite 2-260, Key West; call ; or kgabel@ufl.edu. Kim Gabel is an environmental horticulture agent with the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences/ Monroe County Extension Service. Best Kept Secret in Homestead! Chef-Crafted Food Full Bar Friendly Atmosphere LIVE ENTERTAINMENT WEEKENDS Lunch: Tuesday-Saturday, 11 am-3 pm Dinner: Thursday 6-10 pm and Friday & Saturday, 5pm til the fat lady sings! Closed Sunday & Monday Loryann Swank CUSTOMIZED CORPORATE OR PRIVATE PARTIES! Proprietor 146 NW 7th St., Homestead, FL

19 Florida Keys Free Press September 2, 2015 FOOTBAL Get Check out Tuesday s Citizen or Wednesday s Free Press for the name of our Weekly Winner! Game! IN THE L CONTEST XXX 5B Catch all the action with our interactive weekly football contest. Contest will appear every Tuesday in the Key West Citizen and each Wednesday in the Free Press. We ll pick 16 gridiron contests and list one game under each of the ads below. The reader who submits the entry form with the most correct picks by Thursday deadline will win a weekly prize of $50! The Key West Citizen & Free Press FOOTBALL CONTEST WIN $ 50! Ask About Our Deductable Discounts! rd Street, Stock Island NOBODY Does It Better 1: Key West at University Weekly entries must be received at the Key West Citizen office by 5 p.m. THURSDAY FBC Repair Service Detailed Cleaning Headliner >> WEEK 1 << In event of a tie, winner will be the reader who submits number closest to final combined score of tie breaker game, without going over. Tie-breaker game is indicated each week with an *. Live Entertainment Friday and Saturday, Daily Happy Hour Liv and Drink Specials, Sports Package, NFL OVERSEAS HWY. KEY LARGO : Bethany Cook at Miami Letisia Powell FBC Sales Associate Se Habla Español 211 Simonton Street Key West, FL Cell: Office: Lpowell37@gmail.com FBC 2: Marathon at St. Andrew 10: FAMU at USF 10 Official Entry Overseas Highway MM85.5 Bayside Islamorada, Florida Name: (305) FBC 3: Coral Shores vs. Pope John Paul II FBC 11: New Mexico St. at Florida Address: FBC YOUR HOME FOR FOOTBALL SEASON! Overseas Highway Key Largo, FL : Island Christian vs. Redland Christian FBC! ACKS OR SN STOFP Beverages Ice Snacks And More! STOCK ISLAND CHEVRON TRUMAN & WHITE CHEVRON 5220 US# TRUMAN AVE : Colgate at Navy The First & Last Stop in the Florida Keys : Florida Atlantic at Tulsa The ADVERTISE IN OUR MENU GUIDE WITH FULL MENUS, LOCATER MAP AND CULINARY SPECIALTIES MOBILE PRINT ONLINE CALL (305) EXT : UTEP at Arkansas 13 Seagate Blvd. MM : Wisconsin at Alabama Watch Your Favorite COLLEGE & PRO TEAMS HERE! 522 CARIBBEAN DRIVE, KEY LARGO : Texas St. at Florida St. Keys Style: Denny s: RESTAURANT & BAR Overseas Hwy., Key Largo 10. Holiday Isle/Shula s: 11. The Pet Motel: $ 12. Pilot House: 14: Louisiana Monroe vs. Georgia (305) FBC 13. Sharkey s: 14. The Catch: Coming Soon! 15. Dollar Floor: Overseas Highway, Key Largo, FL (305) : BYU vs. Nebraska 16. The Key West Citizen*: THE INSIDE LOOK AT PEOPLE, PLACES AND EVENTS OF THE FLORIDA KEYS KEYS Style TO ADVERTISE IN THE NEXT ISSUE CALL (305) EXT : Florida International at UCF R AKE E R IEB THE FLORIDA KEYS ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER *T Tiebreaker - Total Score of *Game: WE ARE 1 Bud Light & Miller Light Drafts $ 3 Wells Cooper s Paint & Auto Body: Century-21 Letisia Powell: Smugglers Cove: Tradewinds Liquors: Truman & White Chevron: Gilbert s: The Menu: FBC FBC Phone: Located in Tradewinds Plaza next to Publix in Key Largo MM Overseas Hwy. Key Largo, FL (305) Drop off entry at the Key West Citizen office: 3420 Northside Dr., Key West; or at the Free Press office: Overseas Highway, Tavernier; or mail entry to: The Citizen, P.O. Box 1800, Key West, FL One entry per person. Unnamed or photocopied entries will not be considered. Cooke Communications employees and their families are not eligible. Contestants must be 18 years or older. Entries received after 5 p.m. on Thursday will not be eligible. TO ADVERTISE IN THE NEXT EDITION CALL (305) EXT : Louisville vs. Auburn 50! FOOTBAL L P L AY T O W I N $ REACH OVER 22 THOUSAND POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS DAILY CONTEST

20 6B September 2, 2015 Florida Keys Free Press sports & recreation Stallions escape Fins grips on big plays BY RON COOKE MARATHON Going into the game last Friday night against Somerset Academy, Marathon High School football coach Paul Davis wanted to avoid giving up the big plays that were his team s demise in their preseason classic. But a pair of gigantic plays by the Stallions led to an insurmountable 14-0 second half lead and eventual 20-0 win for Somerset over the Dolphins in their first regular season game. The first half showed good defense by both teams. On the Stallions opening drive, Marathon s Max Elliott came up with an interception after the Somerset receiver bobbled the catch from quarterback James Prado. The pick stopped the Stallions drive with 10:30 left in the first quarter. With 4:35 left in the fist, the Marathon defense came up with a couple of big stops. Thad Goodwin made a possible touchdown-saving tackle and Randy Gimeranes sacked Prado to stop the Somerset drive. Davis said his defense attacked the ball and made things happen. We made three big plays, but some big plays are going to happen, said the second-year coach. I thought they played well. They made a lot of adjustments after that first game. Kyshawn Appolon did a great job at linebacker making plays. I thought the defensive line did a good job, once again. [They] kept putting pressure on the ball. That s something we ve been working on in practice and something we ll get better with as we go. Marathon had a chance to score off its second big defensive play, but Dolphins quarterback Victor Coleman was intercepted to end the drive. With a first and 10 from the Stallions 10, Coleman s intended pass to Elliott was picked off with seven seconds left in the first quarter. KATHY LANCASTER/Contributed Marathon sophomore Roberto Garces (24) slows down Somerset Academy s ball carrier long enough for teammate Randy Gimeranes (40) to make the tackle in the first quarter last Friday. Those plays have been happening to us the last year and a half, Davis said. We get down there and we can t finish. That kind of kills the momentum from a team standpoint. You get there and have to go back on defense. We ve got to learn how to finish. The Dolphins defense once again had Somerset on its heels. With a third and 45 at the Stallions 5-yard line, Prado somehow escaped the Marathon defense on a pass to Brian Livingston who took the ball 95 yards for a touchdown. The extra point put Somerset on top 7-0 with 7:34 left in the third quarter. Marathon pushed Somerset in a hole again with less than 10 minutes left in the game. Facing a third and 39, Prado picked up a first down on his wheels, avoiding Marathon would-be tacklers. From the 11, Prado handed the ball to Livingston who ran it home. The extra point put Marathon down 14-0 with 8:45 minutes left. Somerset finalized the scoring with 5:18 left in the game. Prado connected with Livingston in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown pass. Davis said his team cannot continue to let other teams make the big plays and expect to win games. That s twice in two weeks. We can t keep making those mental mistakes. Right now, I told the guys we made a lot of improvements. We found a new running back in Landon Bish. He will get more carries, Davis said. We ve got to keep doing what we re doing. But, he said, the mistakes have to stop. Last week we had two penalties; this week we had 15. You can t win ball games like that, Davis said. You ve got to stay focused on doing your job. We ve got to start focusing on the little things. Once we start doing that I think we ll be all right. rcooke@keysnews.com Canes struggle on road BY J.W. COOKE MIAMI The road woes continued for the Coral Shores High School football team as the Hurricanes offense was not able to reach the end zone until the final two minutes of the game and rival Imaculata- LaSalle took advantage for a 21-9 victory on the Royal Lions home turf last Friday night. Jack Machesic scored the only touchdown for the Hurricanes, going for 46 yards on the ground. Nick Frisone added 75 rushing yards, Ariel Correa had 63 and Fralon Warren went for 47. Warren was also 4-for- 7 through the air for 103 yards, two of those completions going to Austin Seabolt for 92 yards. But LaSalle took the early lead with a 44-yard touchdown on its opening drive and followed with a methodical second drive that resulted in a 2-yard scoring run for the 14-point advantage at the end of the first quarter. Coral Shores was driving late in the first half, when it turned the ball over at Upper Keys Little League Annual Membership Meeting September 16th at 6:00PM FKEC - 2nd Floor Meeting Room Board Elections will be held the LaSalle 15-yard line. The Royal Lions took advantage with a 73-yard touchdown two plays later and LaSalle held the 21-0 lead into halftime. The Hurricanes defense shut down the Royal Lions in the second half, but the offense could not find many answers. Andy Bautista racked up a safety on a sack in the third quarter, but a fumble cut down a late scoring drive for Coral Shores. The Hurricanes reached pay dirt late on Machesic s 35-yard touchdown run only after the first one from 44 yards away was called back on a holding penalty. After suffering its first loss to LaSalle in the last five matchups, Coral Shores will look to get back on track at home next week against a second-straight Southeastern Football Conference foe, Pope John Paul. jwcooke@keysnews.com Rough opener for Eagles BY ERIC BASS HOLLYWOOD Island Christian School s eightman football team opened its 2015 season with a 28-0 loss to Hollywood Christian last Friday. The Eagles were not able to put any points on the board that would stay as the team had three touchdowns called back due to penalties. One score was negated for an offsides infraction, another for holding and the last for blocking in the back. ICS is starting in its second year of eight-man FIRST SACK Tommy Lancaster (51), a 2015 graduate and former defensive end for the Marathon High School Dolphins, sacks Pima Community College s quarterback recently in Tucson, Arizona. Lancaster starts as defensive end for the Arizona Prep Sports Academy Phoenix. football and has several players with little or no football experience on the field. Jason Harrison, head master at ICS, reintroduced football to the small school in Islamorada last year and is serving as the team s head coach. During the game, each quarter of play was a carbon copy of the next with the Hollywood team scoring one touchdown and converting an extra point. At the same time the Eagles would score but not see any points count. There were, however, some bright spots for the Eagles. David Calderwood recorded 12 solo tackles and pulled in three passes for 56 receiving yards on the night. Jacob Craven added seven solo tackles. Eagles quarterback Justice Craven was 5-for-12 with no interceptions in the passing department and picked up 42 rushing yards. Overall the team played hard and fought to the last minute, Harrison said. We are looking forward to our home game against Redland Christian on Friday. The home opener game is scheduled for 4 p.m. Sept. 4. CONTRIBUTED Visit our NEW Glass Bottom Bar Voted Best Happy Hour in Town 4pm-7pm DAILY! YEARS OF COMFORT. YEARS OF SAVINGS. THE SUMMER S BEST OFFER. There s never been a better time to upgrade to Carrier quality and efficiency. For a limited time, you can claim up to $1,450 in Cool Cash rebates on a new system or receive 60 months financing.* Use these savings to explore the latest in Carrier innovation, including Wi-Fi connectivity, air purification, and ultra-quiet cooling systems with variable-speed technology. Your energy savings will continue long after your rebate! Talk to us, your award winning Carrier factory authorized dealer, about how an Infinity variable-speed cooling system can save your family money for years down the line. 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