MONROE COUNTY, FL – The Monroe County Fire Marshal’s Office wants everyone to have a fun and, most importantly, a safe 4th of July week. Please leave fireworks displays to the professionals.
 
“Discharge of fireworks can lead to loss of life and property,” said Monroe County Deputy Fire Chief RL Colina. “Fireworks can burn as hot as 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit, including sparklers, which can cause real damage when not handled properly.”
 
All professional fireworks in unincorporated Monroe County must be permitted through the Monroe County Fire Marshal’s Office. The Fire Marshal’s Office approved the following fireworks displays in unincorporated Monroe County (all times are approximate):
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• July 3 - Big Pine Key Community Park at 9 p.m.
• July 4 - Hawks Cay Resort at Duck Key at 10 p.m.
• July 4 - Bungalows Key Largo Resort at 10 p.m.
• July 4 - Sundowners in Key Largo at 9:45 p.m.
• July 4 - Ocean Reef Club around 9 p.m.

 
There are additional displays in some municipalities.
 
**If you live near fireworks shows, you may want to soothe your pets and keep them indoors.
 
Here are a few ideas provided by the National Fire Prevention Association to get into the patriotic spirit without fireworks:

1. Glow sticks: A safe alternative to a sparkler.

2. Noisemakers: Make your own if you can’t find any.

3. Outdoor movie night: Set up a screen and projector.

4. Make a patriotic craft with the family.

5. Throw a birthday party for the USA, and don’t forget the cake.

For more information on fireworks permitting, please visit www.monroecounty-fl.gov/fireworks. Monroe County also lists other permitted fireworks displays on this page for reference, including for special events like weddings.
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As a reminder, Monroe County government offices will be closed on Tuesday, July 4, and will reopen for regular business on Wednesday morning. 

Leadership Monroe County invites the public to a social reception and Class XXXI program introduction, in Key West, Islamorada, and Key Colony Beach, July 18, 19, and 20, respectively, 5:30-7:30 pm at each locale.

Potential Class XXXI members will have the opportunity to meet LMC alumni and Board members and learn about the 2023-24 sessions, including the scope, mission and benefits of becoming part of this county wide program which supports the building of relationships for constructive alliances among Florida Keys leaders.

The program is aimed at residents who are active in leadership roles in the private sector, government, or nonprofit community. Through a series of one and multi-day sessions over a seven-month period, program topics focus on the county’s primary industries and sectors: tourism and the economy, the environment and natural resources, arts and culture, the law and judiciary, the military, health care and human services, emergency management, our education system and the many facets of government, as well as leadership skill development.

 Leadership Monroe County offers an unparalleled opportunity for community leaders to experience and learn alongside a dedicated, committed group of peers, and through their engagement measurably increase their future impact within the community.

The first public event, July 18, in Key West, hosted by the Key West Woman's Club, benefits the continuing restoration of the Club's historic home, the Hellings Curry Museum. Club members are providing appetizers and desserts.  Beverages, including beer and wine, are available with donations to the Club's building preservation fund.
 
The public is also invited to learn more on July 19 at the Florida Keys Brewing Company in Islamorada and July 20 at the Key Colony Inn, Key Colony Beach.
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Call Program Coordinator Michael Shields at 305-394-3804 or visit leadershipmonroecounty.org for an application and more information.

June 27, 2023 – (KEY WEST, FL).  The Key West Art & Historical Society is pleased to announce the opening of its forthcoming exhibition “Don Pinder: Eyes on the Island”.  This is the first exhibition devoted exclusively to the work created by “Key West Citizen” photographer Don Pinder during his long career in Key West—including many works never before published or shown.  More than 50 black-and-white and color photographs will be displayed taken on assignments documenting Key West history and culture for the newspaper.  The Society welcomes the public to a special reception on July 14 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Key West Museum of Art & History, 281 Front Street, to mark the exhibit opening.

Born and raised during the Great Depression in a house on Petronia Street, Don Pinder joined the U.S. Navy after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.  Suffering from a dislocated shoulder, he returned to Key West on the advice of Navy medical staff, only to quickly join the Marine Corps.  It was during this latter service that he trained as an aerial photographer, capturing compelling images over Okinawa and Borneo during World War II.  This experience led to a job at “The Miami Herald” shortly after the war’s end, but his hometown beckoned.  In 1953, he took a position with the “Key West Citizen” as its staff photographer—a job he proudly held for 35 years.

Key West provided Pinder with a profusion of photograph opportunities—from notable celebrities to the destitute vagabonds—all skillfully captured with his camera.  During his long career he recorded U.S. Presidents Harry S Truman and John F. Kennedy, British Prime Minister Harold MacMillan, theater director Philip Burton, and American playwright Tennessee Williams.  He covered business openings, sports matches, military events, the bi-annual Island Roots Festival, shrimp industry workers, film premiers, and Bahama Village church choirs.

“Eyes on the Island tells Key West’s history on an intimate scale, highlighting stories we may have otherwise missed or people and places that we have forgotten.  The exhibition allows us to reflect on over three decades of history told through the eyes of Don,” says Dr. Cori Convertito, curator and historian for the Key West Museum of Art & History.  “His photographs are essential records of an island that has had an enormous influence on South Florida culture.  His images provide an insider’s view of the community—its business owners, political activists, and creatives, as well as its mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters.”

“Don Pinder: Eyes on the Islands” runs until November 5, 2023, in the Bryan Gallery and is sponsored by the Florida Department of State, Division of Arts & Culture, with additional support provided by The Helmerich Trust.  For more information, call Cori Convertito at 305-295-6616 x 507 or [email protected].  Your Museums.  Your Community.  It Takes an Island.

​Jed Dodds, The Studios of Key West’s Executive Director since 2012, has been selected for the prestigious Leadership Florida program as a member of its 41st Cornerstone Class. Dodds will be among fifty-five Florida leaders aged 40 and over, including corporate CEOs, business owners, educators, elected officials and non-profit executives, participating in a nine-month, multi-city educational program exploring critical issues facing the State of Florida.
 
“Our mission at Leadership Florida is to bring together committed leaders from all over the state to recharge their leadership skills and expand their network,” said Wendy Spencer, president and CEO of Leadership Florida. “Through this powerful community, our class participants are able to find the knowledge and inspiration to take on some of Florida’s biggest challenges.”
 
In his time at The Studios, Dodds has spearheaded the development of its downtown campus, anchored by their iconic flagship building at the corner of Eaton and Simonton. Busy with exhibitions, concerts, plays, classes, a bookstore and rooftop terrace, The Studios is at the center of the island’s cultural life. Just next door, the arts organization is currently completing a $2.5M renovation of the PEAR House, which welcomes artists in residence from around the world to create new work in Key West.

​Locals and visitors alike are invited to join some of their favorite Key West Artisan Market vendors during the dog days of summer at the Southernmost VFW Post 3911 for the exclusive Summer Mini Market.
 
Sunday, June 25 from 10 am to 2 pm guests may purchase fresh produce, cheeses, orchids and plants, breads and dips, Mediterranean cuisine, desserts, locally caught seafood, Rodriguez Cigars, Latitude 24 Coffee and lots of other culinary treats along with local artists, jewelry creators, photographers, candle makers and collection curators for your shopping pleasure.
 
The VFW's air conditioned dining room will be open for a hearty sit down $10 breakfast or brunch with $10 bottomless mimosas and bloody marys. Or stay for lunch or dinner (you don't have to be a member to dine here) with chef Mark serving up lots of fresh made options to tempt your palate. A full bar (inside and out) will offer all your favorite libations at the best prices on the island.
 
Parking is plentiful courtesy of the Gulf Atlantic Bank (corner of 5th and N. Roosevelt) who also offers a convenient walk up ATM. As a courtesy, guests are asked not to park in PetSmart's spots unless making a stop at their store.
 https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipP3ArrmQcJy01K914xkuzgUXTQbpLWdFAAO9k0o
The every other Sunday, 10 am to 2 pm event mirrors the Artisan Market regular season with only 5 more dates including June 25, July 9, July 23, August 6 and August 20. The Key West Artisan Market at Higgs Beach is scheduled to resume November 5.
 
For many additional vendors, be sure to visit the sister show, the Truman Waterfront Farmers Market, every Thursday from 2 pm to 7 pm year-round at the Truman Waterfront Park.
 
Email [email protected] for more information or to become a vendor.

​The Florida Keys Council of the Arts is accepting letters of interest for openings on the Cultural Umbrella Committee of the Tourist Development Council. The TDC District 2 (II) appointee must live from the city limits of Key West to the west end of the Seven Mile Bridge. The TDC District 5 (V) appointee must live from mile marker 90.940 to the Dade/Monroe County line and any mainland portions of Monroe County
 
The committee member serves a three-year term beginning on October 1st. The sitting committee member for that district may re-apply for the position. The District 2 (II) seat is filled by Nancy Bunch, and the District 5 (V) seat is currently held by Mr. Cliff Stutts.
 
The Cultural Umbrella Committee is composed of five persons representing the 5 TDC districts of the Florida Keys and is administered by the Florida Keys Council of the Arts. The committee works with the TDC’s advertising and public relations agencies to promote the Keys as an arts and cultural destination, and makes recommendations for the funding of promoting cultural events.
 
To be eligible to serve on the Committee of the Cultural Umbrella, a person must:
 
1. Currently reside in the Tourist Development Committee District to which appointed for a minimum of two years. (boundaries described above)
 
2. Have demonstrated significant support and advocacy for art and culture or work as an artist (visual, performing, literary, historic).
 
3. Demonstrate an understanding of the prime importance of art and culture to the economy and to the quality of life of Monroe County citizens and guests.
 
4. Receive no income in an administrative capacity from an entity or individual that was awarded Cultural Umbrella event funding in the past fiscal year or that applies in the current year.
 
Persons wishing to be considered may send a letter of interest and brief bio by July 17, 2023
 
to Elizabeth Young, Executive Director, Florida Keys Council of the Arts, by email (preferred) to: [email protected] or mail to: 1100 Simonton Street, Suite #2-263, Key West, Fl. 33040.

The Key West Fire Marshal’s Office would like to remind the community to stay safe this 4th of July.
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Public fireworks displays are not allowed within the boundaries of the City of Key West unless permitted by the Key West Fire Department.

The City Code of Ordinances stipulates that permitted fireworks shall be handled by a state-licensed pyrotechnician.
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Key West has a large number of old wooden structures, and illegal fireworks pose a threat of fire as well as injury.
Fire Marshal Jason Barroso says the main concern “is that everyone remains safe while celebrating this year’s 4th of July holiday.”
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The Rotary Club of Key West will have its annual approved and permitted fireworks display on the 4th of July at the Edward B. Knight Pier, sponsored in part by the City of Key West.

The Monroe County Board of County Commissioners recognizes its long-term employees for their contributions to the citizens of the County. See below those celebrating milestones this month.
25 Years

• Tiffany Stankiewicz – Planning

20 Years

• Belkys Dominguez – Facilities Maintenance
• Maria Dominguez – Facilities Maintenance

10 Years

• Lisa Abreu – Purchasing

The City of Key West wants to remind the community to be sure your coconut trees are free of coconuts.
Though the track of Tropical Storm Brett is uncertain this early in its formation, it’s a strong reminder to have hurricane chores done. Coconuts and even mangoes can become dangerous projectiles in even a mild storm.
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The City wants to remind property owners that trimming coconuts is your responsibility. The City’s Community Services Department is working to ensure that all coconuts on public property are properly trimmed for the safety of the community.