Tag: Seen Around Town

In the Middle Keys, there is a very specific send-off for commercial fishermen as they “set” their traps for lobster season. The commercial fishermen gather at Keys Fisheries in Marathon where the fleet is blessed by local clergy and set off at 12:01 a.m. on July 31 under a shower of fireworks. The blessing of the fleet also coincides with the annual renaming of the upstairs bar of Keys Fisheries. Formerly Clawsablaca, the new name is Gills Gone Wild. The post IN PICTURES: BLESSING OF FLEET LAUNCHES LOBSTER SEASON appeared first on Florida Keys Weekly Newspapers. Florida Keys Weekly

Community members met with law enforcement and fire rescue crews for National Night Out at Key Largo Community Park and Founders Park in Islamorada on Aug. 3. Children gravitated to the fire trucks, the U.S. Coast Guard boat and Florida Fish & Wildlife Officers who had a tiny crocodile with them. Adults spoke with Monroe County Sheriff’s deputies who displayed everything from bomb squad equipment to SWAT gear. Refreshments were served by fire rescuers and law enforcement. National Night Out connects the community and first responders in order to bring safer and cleaner neighborhoods. Members...

Helicopters, fire trucks, patrol cars — oh my! On Aug. 3, the Sheriff’s Hangar at Marathon airport was buzzing with activity. Representatives from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, FWC, Marathon Fire Rescue and more were on hand to mingle with the public during the National Night Out, designed to bring first responders and the community together. Everyone was happy to mingle at National Night Out, except maybe this guy, cradled by FWC officer Courtney Carroll. Dr. Charlie Neiditz, XXXVXVXVXVXVXVXV and Carl Bish — all neighbors in Marathon — meet up by chance at National Night Out. These...

Schools Superintendent Theresa Axford and vocational education director Sibba Mira were the   guest speakers at the Key West Business Guild’s Aug. 5 luncheon at the Marriott Beachside Hotel. The school district officials are seeking partnerships within the business community for the school district’s new MOVE — Monroe Occupational and Vocational Experiences — program. The new initiative enables high school students to attend classes in the morning and work in the afternoon. Axford said she noticed last year that many high school students had started working part-time jobs during the...

Somewhere in the Upper Keys (Keys Weekly has been sworn to secrecy), commercial fisherman Jesse Hayes took five female friends for his annual “Ladies Night” outing on the second day of lobster mini-season. The group headed for the flats at sunset (while taking photos, of course) and looked for “bugs” in five different locations. They returned to the dock at 1 a.m. with the full legal limit for the boat: 24 lobsters. Along the way, the boaters reviewed the essentials of bully-netting and how to correctly gauge a lobster’s size — if the lobster shell is no more than three inches, back into the...

Florida Bay Forever staff and board of directors recently celebrated five years of protecting and preserving Florida Bay at their new home at Green Turtle Hammock Nature Preserve in Islamorada. More than 70 residents, members and elected officials joined the organization for an after-hours birthday celebration on July 16.More information is at www.floridabayforever.org. Vivian Morrison holds a Florida Bay Forever license plate, which is now available for purchase, next to Jim Sutton, Florida National Parks Association executive director and Carma Sutton, wife. Joining the five-year celebration...

On July 18, the Marathon Yacht Club hosted a sailing regatta for Keys youth. About 20 kids from teams in Marathon, Key West and the Upper Keys took to the ocean for a series of races in different classes — Flying Scot, Lasers, open BICs, Optimist prams and Sunfish. Sailors of each type of boat competed in three races (except the Scots, who raced four) for the best overall performance. “It was a beautiful day on the water,” said Betsy Lefler, chairperson of the Marathon Yacht Club Educational Foundation, “breezy, with about knots of wind. There’s such great camaraderie among our clubs.” The...