Hurricane Idalia update... plus - Weekly briefing - 29 August 2023

Human-curated Florida Keys news, all in one place. 

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Hurricane Idalia

Idalia intensified to a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico. Frequent updates are being issued by the National Hurricane Center. You should always make decisions based on current official forecasts, not static information or word of mouth. Here are key messages as of Tuesday morning:

FOR THE LATEST AS OF 4:00 A.M. EDT TUESDAY, CLICK HERE. 

BULLETIN
Hurricane Idalia Advisory Number  11
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL       AL102023
400 AM CDT Tue Aug 29 2023

...IDALIA NOW A HURRICANE...
...EXPECTED TO RAPIDLY INTENSIFY INTO AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS MAJOR
HURRICANE BEFORE LANDFALL ON WEDNESDAY..
SUMMARY OF 400 AM CDT...0900 UTC...INFORMATION
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for...
* Lower Florida Keys west of the west end of the Seven Mile Bridge.

Monday

• Keys schools, government offices remain open. Florida Keys schools and government offices will remain open on Tuesday, Aug. 29, but a tropical storm warning remains in place for the Dry Tortugas area and a tropical storm watch for the Lower Florida Keys. (Citizen)
• No evacuation orders. The Keys were under a tropical storm watch on Monday. Impacts may include flash flooding due to rain and storm surge, amplified by king tides happening as the storm passes. 
• Storm briefing. National Weather Service meteorologist Jon Rizzo briefed Keys governments, schools, law enforcement and hospital officials on Tropical Storm Idalia on Monday morning. The hurricane is expected to pass at least 300 miles to the west of Key West. A "messy rain squall" on the east side of the tropical storm will bring an estimated 1 to 3 inches of rain, with the possibility of higher amounts in isolated areas. (Citizen)
• Florida-wide impact. Per the National Weather Service, "there is a danger of life-threatening storm surge inundation along portions of the Florida Gulf Coast where a Storm Surge Warning is in effect, including Tampa Bay and the Big Bend region of  Florida. Inundation of 7 to 11 feet above ground level is expected somewhere between Chassahowitzka and Aucilla River. 

Our Community - Weekly briefing

Jacksonville shooting. A 52-year-old woman who was born and raised in Key West was one of three Black people fatally shot Saturday at a Dollar General Store in Jacksonville, Florida, by a white man on a racist rampage. The shooter killed himself at the scene. (Keys Weekly)

• Unwelcome. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was booed at a vigil for the victims. (NPR)
• White House statement. President Joe Biden said that "white supremacy has no place in America." (whitehouse.gov)

Brown water. Summerland and Cudjoe residents shared photos and water quality concerns for large stretches of Niles and Bow channels. (Citizen)

Court consolidation.

• A plan to consolidate Florida judicial circuits drew widespread concerns. (WFTV)
• Florida’s Supreme Court chief justice convened a committee to hear input. About 50 speakers all told the committee some version of “please don’t do it.” Monroe County State Attorney Dennis Ward opposed the plan. (local10.com)
• Monroe County leaders mobilized in opposition. (Citizen)

Failing grade. The Keys again received a failing grade for the carrying capacity on U.S. 1, which could result in a prohibition on new commercial development. Coupled with the recent FKAA water main line breaks and reduced water pressure into the Florida Keys, Last Stand said that the travel study is another example that the chain of islands has reached its carrying capacity. (Citizen)

• Water rate increase? The City of Key West included a notice in monthly water bills advising rate-payers of a proposed 3% increase in water rates. This follows a reduction in system-wide water pressure necessitated following a series of water main breaks earlier this year. A public hearing will be held at 5:00 p.m. at City Hall on 7 September. (Not yet officially posted)

A FIRM no. Thanks in part to lobbying by Monroe County advocate Fair Insurance Rates in Monroe (FIRM), the state blocked Citizens' latest property insurance rate increase. (Citizen)

Rick Worth recovering. Well-known and widely-appreciated Key West artist Rick Worth was recovering from a 13 August stroke. Locals raised money to help him out. (Keys Weekly)

Drag queen running for House District 120. Michael Travis, who performs as “Erika Rose” in Key West, filed to challenge Republican incumbent, Rep. Jim Mooney in Monroe County’s House District 120. (Florida Politics)

Confiscated. A Florida prison confiscated a copy of the Key West Citizen because in included a feature that "may be used to create coded messages indecipherable by staff.”

Compelling census data. Linda Cunningham gleaned compelling facts about the Keys from U.S. Census data and lamented the trends they revealed. (Key West Island News)

Bee careful. A swarm of angry bees was unleashed after a bad decision by a resident near the Triangle intersection. Nearby hotels were evacuated. (Keys Weekly)

Driveway moments. Mark Hedden wrote about panic-inducing white-crowned pigeons. (Keys Weekly)

Our Eyes

‘Self Portrait’ by Rick Worth. JAG GALLERY/Contributed

Previously in Key West Voices

Capacities Constrained 

• US 1 gets a D. Monroe County issued a press release with draft results of the U.S. 1 arterial travel study. This could mean that the County may limit certain new development. Expect further reporting on this issue this week. (Keys Weekly) 
  
• Not if, but when. Linda Cunningham noted the striking similarities between Lahaina and Key West and that the tragic fire in Hawai'i could be repeated in Key West.  Recent reductions in water pressure by FKAA could adversely affect firefighting, and the Key West Fire Department's Class 1 rating, which may result in higher insurance costs. FKAA's CEO had not yet responded to some critical questions. (Key West Island News)
  
• Cautionary tale. Ahead of Biden's visit to the devastation in Hawai'i, the New York Times questioned government entities' role in disaster preparations. (New York Times) 

Violations. Monroe County reported in a press release that more than 1,900 structures in unincorporated Monroe County may not comply with FEMA standards for downstairs enclosures, and submitted a plan of action to research the structures to determine if violations exist. Insurance rates countywide could be adversely impacted. (Keys Weekly)

Aldi Winns. The German supermarket chain Aldi purchased Winn-Dixie as part of a 400-store deal expected to close in early 2024. The branding of some stores may be retained, but the fate of Keys Winn-Dixie stores has not yet been announced. (New York Times, Miami Herald)

Voter registration. The Monroe County Supervisor of Elections reached out to voters to remind them to check their vote-by-mail (VBM) registration. Previously, a VBM request was good for two federal elections, but under state law passed after the 2020 election, all requests expired in December 2022 and new ones must be made for each election cycle. Visit the supervisor's web site to be sure you can vote by mail next year. (Citizen)

Prothonotary. Mark Hedden taught us about a lovely yellow warbler after seeing a few at the Botanical Garden, including how to pronounce its name. (Keys Weekly)

Special Alert - Possible storm forming - 25 August 2023

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The National Weather Service is tracking a disturbance in the western Caribbean. In its 8:00 p.m. Friday report (ignore map below; click here for the latest report) they said (emphasis added):

1. Northwestern Caribbean Sea and Eastern Gulf of Mexico (AL93):
Shower and thunderstorm activity has increased since yesterday in 
association with an area of low pressure over the northwestern 
Caribbean Sea. Environmental conditions appear conducive for further 
development of this system during the next several days, and a 
tropical depression is likely to form late this weekend or early 
next week while it moves generally northward over the eastern Gulf 
of Mexico. Interests in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, western 
Cuba, and Florida should monitor the progress of this system.
* Formation chance through 48 hours...medium...50 percent.
* Formation chance through 7 days...high...80 percent.

This map is from 8:00 p.m. EDT Friday evening,
and is not current. Click the map to see the most current version. 

Capacities Constrained - Weekly briefing - 22 August 2023

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Our Community

Capacities Constrained 

• US 1 gets a D. Monroe County issued a press release with draft results of the U.S. 1 arterial travel study. This could mean that the County may limit certain new development. Expect further reporting on this issue this week. (Keys Weekly) 
  
• Not if, but when. Linda Cunningham noted the striking similarities between Lahaina and Key West and that the tragic fire in Hawai'i could and likely will be repeated in Key West.  Recent reductions in water pressure by FKAA could adversely affect firefighting, and the Key West Fire Department's Class 1 rating, which may result in higher insurance costs. FKAA's CEO had not yet responded to some critical questions. (Key West Island News)
  
• Cautionary tale. Ahead of Biden's visit to the devastation in Hawai'i, the New York Times questioned government entities' role in disaster preparations. (New York Times) 

Violations. Monroe County reported in a press release that more than 1,900 structures in unincorporated Monroe County may not comply with FEMA standards for downstairs enclosures, and submitted a plan of action to research the structures to determine if violations exist. Insurance rates countywide could be adversely impacted. (Keys Weekly)

Aldi Winns. The German supermarket chain Aldi purchased Winn-Dixie as part of a 400 store deal expected to close in early 2024. The branding of some stores may be retained, but the fate of Winn-Dixie stores has not yet been announced. (New York Times, Miami Herald)

Voter registration. The Monroe County Supervisor of Elections reached out to voters to remind them to check their vote-by-mail (VBM) registration. Previously, a VBM request was good for two federal elections, but under state law passed after the 2020 election, all requests expired in December 2022 and new ones must be made for each election cycle. Visit the supervisor's web site to be sure you can vote by mail next year. (Citizen)

Five storms. As of Monday morning, there were five Atlantic tropical storms being tracked by the National Hurricane Center in Miami, of which three (Emily, Franklin, and Gert) have earned names. At present, none appear to pose a significant threat to the Keys other than some recent gusts. (Please do not rely on KWV for tropical storm information - always get the latest from the National Hurricane Center.) 

Prothonotary. Mark Hedden taught us about a lovely yellow warbler after seeing a few at the Botanical Garden, including how to pronounce its name. (Keys Weekly)

Our Eyes

A migrating prothonotary warbler seen recently at the Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden.
Mark Hedden/Keys Weekly

Previously in Key West Voices

 Arrested developments.

• FBI arrest. A Marathon couple was arrested for alleged participation in the 6 January 2021 riot at the U.S. Capital. (Keys Weekly). The couple was released on $100,000 bonds after appearing before a federal judge in Key West. (Miami Herald, via Seattle Spokesman-Review)
• Road rage. A woman is facing an attempted murder charge and her husband faces a charge of battery following a road rage incident early Saturday. (Citizen)

Pilot rescue on video. Monroe County Sheriff deputies rescued a pilot after his small plane crashed in the water off Sawyer Key near the Lower Keys on Sunday morning. The rescue was captured on video.  (NBC Miami)

Air and water. 

• Dead whale. Bystanders saw the animal struggling in about two to three feet of water around Harry Harris Park, a small oceanfront park in Tavernier. (Florida Keys News) Officials began a necropsy of the whale, the second marine mammal found dead off the Keys in a week. (Citizen) 
• Even more storms? Scientists at NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center upped their prediction for the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season to an above-normal level of activity. (Keys Weekly)
• Records falling. Many Florida locations experienced a record-hot July, and August is off to a sweltering start. Miami, Tampa, Orlando, Daytona Beach and Tallahassee are all experiencing their hottest August on record so far. (Washington Post)
• Artificial reefs. Monroe County and FWC officials met to discuss the next steps after being awarded $10 million from the state to start an artificial reef program in the Florida Keys. (Keys Weekly)
• 'Gnathia jimmybuffetti' A team of scientists, including a group from the University of Miami, named a newly discovered species of isopod after Jimmy Buffet. The article included a brief interview with Buffet about his time in Key West. (Florida Keys News). 

School daze

• Psych out? Psych in? After a reversal from state officials over gender and sexual orientation modules, the AP Psychology course can be taught in Florida public high schools. Monroe County will offer an adapted version of the course. (WUSF) 
• Time out for prep sports. Dwindling numbers of qualified officials and few new recruits resulted in cancellation of some high school games. (Keys Weekly) 
• Anti-woke indoctrination. The state approved videos comparing climate activists to Nazis and portraying solar and wind energy as environmentally ruinous for use in the public school curriculum. (The Guardian) 
• Teacher deficit. The Florida Education Association claimed a significant teacher shortage, with approximately 7,000 teaching vacancies and over 5,000 openings for school support staff statewide. Monroe County Schools is introducing virtual teachers for some high school science courses. (The Capitolist)
• Teacher housing. Monroe Schools' superintendent explained the challenges of housing teachers. (Keys Weekly)
• New paperwork. Parents of Florida school students faced new bureaucracy resulting from DeSantis’s push for “parental rights” in education. There were new laws and regulations restricting classroom instruction on gender and sexuality, and preventing transgender students and staff members from using group bathrooms that match their gender identity. (New York Times)
• Slavery better than being killled, no? The Florida Department of Education approved the use of PragerU Kids’ cartoon videos for children as young as kindergarten age that not only soft-pedal the history of slavery, racism, colonialism and police brutality – they show sympathy for them. In one cartoon video, Columbus asserts that “Slavery is as old as time and has taken place in every corner of the world … Being taken as a slave is better than being killed, no?” (The Guardian)

Law, and order in the court?

• Another suspension. DeSantis suspended the top prosecutor in Orlando, claiming “dereliction of duty” on crime. (The Guardian)
• Florida judicial court consolidation. WFTV Orlando broadcast an overview of proposed consolidation that will be the topic of public comment on 25 August. There is already substantial opposition. (WFTV)
• Labor racketeers sentenced. Operators of several Key West staffing companies were sentenced to prison for tax and immigration-related crimes. (Florida Keys Free Press)
• Square grouper haul. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said she and her family hauled in 70 pounds of cocaine worth over $1.1 million while fishing in the Florida Keys in July. (CBS News)

Conch Town closed. Citing a downturn in business related to the shooting death of 21-year-old Garrett Hughes, owner Nicole Cates said that her business suffered exponentially following the crime. (Citizen)

Workforce housing. Construction of 24 apartments for local law enforcement workers is underway on a once-vacant lot  between the luxury Steam Plant condominiums and the school district’s headquarters. (Keys Weekly)

Barbie World located. Celebrity scientist Neil deGrasse Tyson figured out that Barbie World is actually in the Florida Keys, and the story was picked up in many venues. (Facebook)

• Delighted. Mayor Teri Johnston was delighted with the scientist’s theory. “I think that’s terrific,” Johnston said. “It’s just such a wonderful time to have something quirky and positive and you know, so energetic, out in the world today.” (Florida Keys News)
• Debunked. Our own Ray Warren was amused, but didn't buy it. (Facebook)

Smells like Key West. Linda Cunningham asserted that you’ll never get rid of Eau de Key West, and used AI to illustrate her column. (Key West Island News)

Subtle moves. Mark Hedden tried not to get too riled up about the swallow-tailed kite. (Keys Weekly)

Arrested developments - Weekly briefing - 15 August 2023

Subscribe to Key West Voices for free. See something that should be in Voices? Send us an email with a link.

Our Community

Arrested developments.

• FBI arrest. A Marathon couple was arrested for alleged participation in the 6 January 2021 riot at the U.S. Capital. (Keys Weekly). The couple was released on $100,000 bonds after appearing before a federal judge in Key West. (Miami Herald, via Seattle Spokesman-Review)
• Road rage. A woman is facing an attempted murder charge and her husband faces a charge of battery following a road rage incident early Saturday. (Citizen)

Pilot rescue on video. Monroe County Sheriff deputies rescued a pilot after his small plane crashed in the water off Sawyer Key near the Lower Keys on Sunday morning. The rescue was captured on video.  (NBC Miami)

Air and water. 

• Dead whale. Bystanders saw the animal struggling in about two to three feet of water around Harry Harris Park, a small oceanfront park in Tavernier. (Florida Keys News) Officials began a necropsy of the whale, the second marine mammal found dead off the Keys in a week. (Citizen) 
• Even more storms? Scientists at NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center upped their prediction for the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season to an above-normal level of activity. (Keys Weekly)
• Records falling. Many Florida locations experienced a record-hot July, and August is off to a sweltering start. Miami, Tampa, Orlando, Daytona Beach and Tallahassee are all experiencing their hottest August on record so far. (Washington Post)
• Artificial reefs. Monroe County and FWC officials met to discuss the next steps after being awarded $10 million from the state to start an artificial reef program in the Florida Keys. (Keys Weekly)
• 'Gnathia jimmybuffetti' A team of scientists, including a group from the University of Miami, named a newly discovered species of isopod after Jimmy Buffet. The article included a brief interview with Buffet about his time in Key West. (Florida Keys News). 

School daze

• Psych out? Psych in? After a reversal from state officials over gender and sexual orientation modules, the AP Psychology course can be taught in Florida public high schools. Monroe County will offer an adapted version of the course. (WUSF) 
• Time out for prep sports. Dwindling numbers of qualified officials and few new recruits resulted in cancellation of some high school games. (Keys Weekly) 
• Anti-woke indoctrination. The state approved videos comparing climate activists to Nazis and portraying solar and wind energy as environmentally ruinous for use in the public school curriculum. (The Guardian) 
• Teacher deficit. The Florida Education Association claimed a significant teacher shortage, with approximately 7,000 teaching vacancies and over 5,000 openings for school support staff statewide. Monroe County Schools is introducing virtual teachers for some high school science courses. (The Capitolist)
• Teacher housing. Monroe Schools' superintendent explained the challenges of housing teachers. (Keys Weekly)
• New paperwork. Parents of Florida school students faced new bureaucracy resulting from DeSantis’s push for “parental rights” in education. There were new laws and regulations restricting classroom instruction on gender and sexuality, and preventing transgender students and staff members from using group bathrooms that match their gender identity. (New York Times)
• Slavery better than being killled, no? The Florida Department of Education approved the use of PragerU Kids’ cartoon videos for children as young as kindergarten age that not only soft-pedal the history of slavery, racism, colonialism and police brutality – they show sympathy for them. In one cartoon video, Columbus asserts that “Slavery is as old as time and has taken place in every corner of the world … Being taken as a slave is better than being killed, no?” (The Guardian)

Law, and order in the court?

• Another suspension. DeSantis suspended the top prosecutor in Orlando, claiming “dereliction of duty” on crime. (The Guardian)
• Florida judicial court consolidation. WFTV Orlando broadcast an overview of proposed consolidation that will be the topic of public comment on 25 August. There is already substantial opposition. (WFTV)
• Labor racketeers sentenced. Operators of several Key West staffing companies were sentenced to prison for tax and immigration-related crimes. (Florida Keys Free Press)
• Square grouper haul. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said she and her family hauled in 70 pounds of cocaine worth over $1.1 million while fishing in the Florida Keys in July. (CBS News)

Conch Town closed. Citing a downturn in business related to the shooting death of 21-year-old Garrett Hughes, owner Nicole Cates said that her business suffered exponentially following the crime. (Citizen)

Workforce housing. Construction of 24 apartments for local law enforcement workers is underway on a once-vacant lot  between the luxury Steam Plant condominiums and the school district’s headquarters. (Keys Weekly)

Barbie World located. Celebrity scientist Neil deGrasse Tyson figured out that Barbie World is actually in the Florida Keys, and the story was picked up in many venues. (Facebook)

• Delighted. Mayor Teri Johnston was delighted with the scientist’s theory. “I think that’s terrific,” Johnston said. “It’s just such a wonderful time to have something quirky and positive and you know, so energetic, out in the world today.” (Florida Keys News)
• Debunked. Our own Ray Warren was amused, but didn't buy it. (Facebook)

Smells like Key West. Linda Cunningham asserted that you’ll never get rid of Eau de Key West, and used AI to illustrate her column. (Key West Island News)

Subtle moves. Mark Hedden tried not to get too riled up about the swallow-tailed kite. (Keys Weekly)

Our Eyes

Vincent plays in the clouds at sunset. Lynne Bentley-Kemp

Previously in Key West Voices

(Dis) serving the community. Despite its mission to serve the community Sunbeam Christian School was closed by its pastor with little notice. He fired nine teachers for their refusal to commit to living a "Biblical lifestyle." (Keys Weekly)

• Families panicked. Parents of more than 50 children, from infants to 4-year-olds are scrambling. One parent said, “The new pastor came from Jacksonville a few years ago and has been changing everything, including making the Sunbeam staff tithe." (Keys Weekly)

Labor market trouble in schools and elsewhere

• Wanna work in paradise? Monroe schools want to pay up to $98K to teachers and staff. (Fox 13 News - Tampa)
• Unreal. Monroe schools want to hire 'virtual teachers' to address staffing shortages. Superintendent says it’s a constant struggle to hire staff because of the affordable housing crisis in the Keys. (WLRN)
• School daze. Keys kids head back to school 10 August.
• Guilty plea. Illegal immigrant labor in Florida Keys hotels, restaurants led to an $8.4 million fraud in which labor 'brokers' sent illegal workers to Florida Keys hospitality businesses. (Florida Keys News)
• Losing workers because of new law. Immigration rules start to strain some businesses. (New York Times)

Lofts project in trouble. A significant gap in affordability would make the Lofts project home ownership units out of reach for most income levels. (Keys Weekly)  

Psych out? Maybe. College Board announced that Florida schools should no longer offer AP Psychology. The latest tussle came over a section in the course that addresses gender and sexual orientation. (New York Times)

• Reversal. But the College Board later said that AP Psychology may be allowed after all. (New York Times)

Tax increase sustained. Finance Director asked city commissioners to keep the increased rate the same to help combat increases in personnel costs for the city. (Citizen)

Bike lanes on South Roosevelt? Chris Hamilton argues that it's not too late to add the protected bike lanes that City Commissioners voted for. But City’s Engineering said it would cost the City some money and was too risky because of FDOT deadlines. (Car Free Cities)

Air safety rules waived. Ron DeSantis’ Key West anti-migrant missions raised pilot safety concerns. (NBC News)

Hot water. Florida corals are in hotter water than first thought. (Florida Keys News)

• Coral restoration. Keys marine lab and coral practitioners collaborate to beat the heat. (Keys Weekly)
• Moved further offshore. Given the urgency of the situation, non-profit Reef Renewal received an Army Corps Permit in record time to move the corals to much deeper and cooler water. (Citizen)
• Artificial reefs. Monroe County and the state moved forward with plans to spend an unprecedented $10 million state allocation for artificial reef projects. (Citizen)

Hot air. More scorching heat was forecast for the Keys. The weather service issued a heat advisory Sunday, saying it could feel as hot as 112 degrees. (Florida Keys News)

Two months ahead of schedule. FKAA crews reached the halfway mark on its Islamorada water main replacement project, but traffic impacts aren't expected to lessen until March 2024. (Keys Weekly)

Surviving the Overseas Highway. Linda Cunningham said to stick to the speed limit or the flow of traffic along with other practical advice. (Key West Island News)

She likes them. Nancy Klingener recommended podcasts, video, and most importantly, books. 

It's hard out there. Mark Hedden enlightened us about short-tailed hawks. (Keys Weekly)

 

Doing a (dis)service to the community - Weekly briefing - 8 August 2023

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Our Community

(Dis) serving the community. Despite its mission to serve the community Sunbeam Christian School was closed by its pastor with little notice. He fired nine teachers for their refusal to commit to living a "Biblical lifestyle." (Keys Weekly)

• Families panicked. Parents of more than 50 children, from infants to 4-year-olds are scrambling. One parent said, “The new pastor came from Jacksonville a few years ago and has been changing everything, including making the Sunbeam staff tithe." (Keys Weekly)

Labor market trouble in schools and elsewhere

• Wanna work in paradise? Monroe schools want to pay up to $98K to teachers and staff. (Fox 13 News - Tampa)
• Unreal. Monroe schools want to hire 'virtual teachers' to address staffing shortages. Superintendent says it’s a constant struggle to hire staff because of the affordable housing crisis in the Keys. (WLRN)
• School daze. Keys kids head back to school 10 August.
• Guilty plea. Illegal immigrant labor in Florida Keys hotels, restaurants led to an $8.4 million fraud in which labor 'brokers' sent illegal workers to Florida Keys hospitality businesses. (Florida Keys News)
• Losing workers because of new law. Immigration rules start to strain some businesses. (New York Times)

Lofts project in trouble. A significant gap in affordability would make the Lofts project home ownership units out of reach for most income levels. (Keys Weekly)  

Psych out? Maybe. College Board announced that Florida schools should no longer offer AP Psychology. The latest tussle came over a section in the course that addresses gender and sexual orientation. (New York Times)

• Reversal. But the College Board later said that AP Psychology may be allowed after all. (New York Times)

Tax increase sustained. Finance Director asked city commissioners to keep the increased rate the same to help combat increases in personnel costs for the city. (Citizen)

Bike lanes on South Roosevelt? Chris Hamilton argues that it's not too late to add the protected bike lanes that City Commissioners voted for. But City’s Engineering said it would cost the City some money and was too risky because of FDOT deadlines. (Car Free Cities)

Air safety rules waived. Ron DeSantis’ Key West anti-migrant missions raised pilot safety concerns. (NBC News)

Hot water. Florida corals are in hotter water than first thought. (Florida Keys News)

• Coral restoration. Keys marine lab and coral practitioners collaborate to beat the heat. (Keys Weekly)
• Moved further offshore. Given the urgency of the situation, non-profit Reef Renewal received an Army Corps Permit in record time to move the corals to much deeper and cooler water. (Citizen)
• Artificial reefs. Monroe County and the state moved forward with plans to spend an unprecedented $10 million state allocation for artificial reef projects. (Citizen)

Hot air. More scorching heat was forecast for the Keys. The weather service issued a heat advisory Sunday, saying it could feel as hot as 112 degrees. (Florida Keys News)

Two months ahead of schedule. FKAA crews reached the halfway mark on its Islamorada water main replacement project, but traffic impacts aren't expected to lessen until March 2024. (Keys Weekly)

Surviving the Overseas Highway. Linda Cunningham said to stick to the speed limit or the flow of traffic along with other practical advice. (Key West Island News)

She likes them. Nancy Klingener recommended podcasts, video, and most importantly, books. 

It's hard out there. Mark Hedden enlightened us about short-tailed hawks. (Keys Weekly)

Our Eyes

Key West Colors - CJ Groth

Previously in Key West Voices

Tourism; tourist behaving badly. 

• Get real. Linda Cunningham warned us in Key West Island News that over the past three decades, we’ve moved from being a working town that welcomed visitors to a bucket-list visitor destination that’s undermining the working town that supports those visitors.
• Relentless promotion. The Citizen told us that TDC has launched a new version of its visitor website.
• Ohio Police Chief jailed. The chief of Boston Heights (OH) police was arrested early Friday in Key West after police say he assaulted a homeless man. 
• Square grouper haul. Miami's Local 10 News reported that border patrol officials seized over $1 million worth of cocaine and hashish in the Florida Keys.
• Welcome. Keys Weekly told us how the replacement of Key West’s welcome sign prompted debate by the city commission.

Coral in hot water. Our hopper of links to include here is rife with stories about hot water and peril for our coral.

• A race to salvage imperiled corals. The Washington Post quoted Andrew Baker, of the Coral Reef Futures Lab at the University of Miami “This is definitely the worst bleaching event that Florida has ever seen.” 
• '100% coral mortality' was found at Florida Keys reef due to rising temperatures, according to the Coral Restoration Foundation in USA Today. 
• Iraqi News reported alarm as seawater heats up off Florida Keys. Yes, Iraqi News
• Death of an entire ecosystem? Maybe, but too soon to tell. Keys Weekly
• Hot tub experience. South Florida water temperature hits 101.1°F according to one meteorologist in Common Dreams.  

Sudden closure. In Keys Weekly, Mandy Miles detailed the causes and consequences of the sudden closure of Sunbeam Christian School, "...due to staffing issues.” 

• Police were called. On Facebook, Gwen Filosa spoke with parents affected by the closure, and learned that witnesses said that the Pastor told protestors to leave and that someone had called police.

COVID rising? The Orlando Sentinel warned that COVID is coming back. Although reported testing levels are low, the positivity rate has jumped to 17.4% from 11% a month ago, according to state health data.

Academics flee. The Guardian detailed how Florida universities are hit by brain drain as a result of DeSantis policies. 

Want a Florida Keys job that pays $61,000 to $97,000? Florida Keys News told us how Monroe County Schools face steep challenges in recruiting teachers, and have turned to social media. Yes, the challenges are about affordable housing and other costs of living.   

Officials deeply troubled. Funding issues now threaten to eliminate the 28 home ownership units in The Lofts proposal, along with 98 rental apartments, according to Keys Weekly. 

New area code. WGCU advised its listeners of the new 'overlay' area code 645 in Miami-Dade and the Florida Keys beginning 4 August. 

Politics a drag? Florida Politics said that a Key West drag show performer is challenging a two-term incumbent for his seat in the state House. 

Life used to be simple. John Bartus remembered an earlier time in Keys Weekly.  

Love and laundry. In Keys Weekly, Mandy Miles appreciated the group of volunteers from St. Paul’s Episcopal Church that helps people pay for their laundry. 

House sparrows. Mark Hedden observed that sparrows have a thing for sans serif fonts in his Keys Weekly column.  

Get real - Weekly briefing - 1 August 2023

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Tourism; tourist behaving badly. 

• Get real. Linda Cunningham warned us in Key West Island News that over the past three decades, we’ve moved from being a working town that welcomed visitors to a bucket-list visitor destination that’s undermining the working town that supports those visitors.
• Relentless promotion. The Citizen told us that TDC has launched a new version of its visitor website.
• Ohio Police Chief jailed. The chief of Boston Heights (OH) police was arrested early Friday in Key West after police say he assaulted a homeless man. 
• Square grouper haul. Miami's Local 10 News reported that border patrol officials seized over $1 million worth of cocaine and hashish in the Florida Keys.
• Welcome. Keys Weekly told us how the replacement of Key West’s welcome sign prompted debate by the city commission.

Coral in hot water. Our hopper of links to include here is rife with stories about hot water and peril for our coral.

• A race to salvage imperiled corals. The Washington Post quoted Andrew Baker, of the Coral Reef Futures Lab at the University of Miami “This is definitely the worst bleaching event that Florida has ever seen.” 
• '100% coral mortality' was found at Florida Keys reef due to rising temperatures, according to the Coral Restoration Foundation in USA Today. 
• Iraqi News reported alarm as seawater heats up off Florida Keys. Yes, Iraqi News
• Death of an entire ecosystem? Maybe, but too soon to tell. Keys Weekly
• Hot tub experience. South Florida water temperature hits 101.1°F according to one meteorologist in Common Dreams.  

Sudden closure. In Keys Weekly, Mandy Miles detailed the causes and consequences of the sudden closure of Sunbeam Christian School, "...due to staffing issues.” 

• Police were called. On Facebook, Gwen Filosa spoke with parents affected by the closure, and learned that witnesses said that the Pastor told protestors to leave and that someone had called police.

COVID rising? The Orlando Sentinel warned that COVID is coming back. Although reported testing levels are low, the positivity rate has jumped to 17.4% from 11% a month ago, according to state health data.

Academics flee. The Guardian detailed how Florida universities are hit by brain drain as a result of DeSantis policies. 

Want a Florida Keys job that pays $61,000 to $97,000? Florida Keys News told us how Monroe County Schools face steep challenges in recruiting teachers, and have turned to social media. Yes, the challenges are about affordable housing and other costs of living.   

Officials deeply troubled. Funding issues now threaten to eliminate the 28 home ownership units in The Lofts proposal, along with 98 rental apartments, according to Keys Weekly. 

New area code. WGCU advised its listeners of the new 'overlay' area code 645 in Miami-Dade and the Florida Keys beginning 4 August. 

Politics a drag? Florida Politics said that a Key West drag show performer is challenging a two-term incumbent for his seat in the state House. 

Life used to be simple. John Bartus remembered an earlier time in Keys Weekly.  

Love and laundry. In Keys Weekly, Mandy Miles appreciated the group of volunteers from St. Paul’s Episcopal Church that helps people pay for their laundry. 

House sparrows. Mark Hedden observed that sparrows have a thing for sans serif fonts in his Keys Weekly column.  

Our Eyes

Lynne Bently-Kemp

Bette Zirkelbach / The Turtle Hospital

Previously in Key West Voices

Hog's Breath sold. Keys Weekly confirmed the rumor that Hog's Breath Saloon was sold to giant timeshare operator Westgate Resorts, According to a press release, “Westgate Resorts recognizes the unique cultural significance of the venue and is committed to preserving its authentic spirit while enhancing the overall guest experience.” 

Cruise ships Amerster-damned. The European capital will stop cruise ships from docking in the city center as part of a campaign to curb pollution and reduce the flow of tourists, according to the New York Times and the Washington Post. Apparently, Tallahassee's preemption reach isn't global. 

Still hot. Keys Weekly also confirmed that it's never before been this hot in July. The New York Times reported on our hot water. 

Hunting for a parking space. Chris Hamilton advocated for fewer free downtown parking spaces.  

Too small to count. In Key West Island News, Linda Cunningham called our local entities an ill-fitting patchwork of grudges, laments and “not in my town” ideologies that need to work together. 

Tallahassee went a-courtin'. Mandy Miles fretted in Keys Weekly that Monroe County could lose its local court system.    

Likely unconstitutional. The Citizen reported that a federal judge said that his order blocking a Florida law targeting drag shows doesn’t just apply to the restaurant that brought the lawsuit challenging it but to other venues in the state.

Campaign troubles? The two GOP presidential candidates from Florida each had a bad week. 

• National news outlets, including the New York Times reported that the ‘Leaner-Meaner’ DeSantis campaign faces a reboot and a reckoning. 
• The Washington Post said that DeSantis came under widespread criticism for his defense of the state's latest curriculum contention that enslaved people were able to use slavery as some kind of training program. 
• CNN reported that Trump's classified documents case will go to trial on 24 May next year, the federal judge he appointed decided. Trump wanted to postpone the trial indefinitely until after the election.
• NPR reported on Trump's receiving a letter saying he's a target of DOJ's separate January 6 investigation, a likely precursor to an indictment. Slate detailed the surprise that Trump and his co-conspirators could be charged with trying to deprive voters in the 2020 presidential election of their rights.  

Tour de France. Mark Hedden wrote about birds, but mostly the riders at the Tour de France. 

No August meeting. The next Key West City Commission meeting won't be until 14 September.