​KEY WEST, Florida Keys –  The Native Plant Nursery at the Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden will be holding its monthly native plant sale from 9am to noon Saturday, June 15, 2024.  Master Gardeners will be on site to answer any plant questions and plants that are available for sale are listed on the Garden’s website. 
 
The Nursery has 160 species of native trees, shrubs & vines available including Native & Cuban palms, and vegetable plants.  The total nursery inventory totals more than 2,000 plants which attract birds, butterflies and other pollinators in 1-gallon to 15-gallon pots.  Key West Botanical Garden members receive a 15% discount.  Memberships are available on site.  The Garden is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit corporation and all proceeds directly benefit the Garden’s conservation program.  
 
The Garden is located at 5210 College Road on Stock Island.  For more information call 305-296-1504 or visit www.keywest.garden.

KEY WEST, Fl – JUNE 7, 2024 - Research backs up the long-standing stereotype that men avoid going to the doctor. In fact, recent surveys show that approximately 44 percent of men don’t get an annual physical, and 60 percent of men won’t see a doctor if they suspect something is wrong.
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 “Don’t wait until the ‘check engine’ light flashes to take care of your health. Just like cars, our bodies need routine and preventive maintenance, too,” said Norman “Rocky” Tingle, MD, board-certified family medicine physician with Keys Medical Group. “As fathers, as husbands, as coworkers, as friends, we owe it to the people who care about us that we take care of ourselves – not just when we’re sick.”

Dr. Tingle encourages the men in Key West and the Lower Keys to be proactive about their health this Men’s Health Week, June 10 – 16, and to be on the lookout for common health issues he sees among male patients: 

Heart Disease
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men in the U.S., and more than half of men don’t show symptoms before heart disease becomes fatal, according to the CDC.

Prostate Cancer
One in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. It’s the most common cancer among American men, according to the American Cancer Society.

Urinary Incontinence
Leaking isn’t a female-only problem. According to the Urology Care Foundation, approximately 25 percent of men have dribbling and incontinence problems, too.
 
Low Testosterone
While it’s normal for testosterone levels to decrease over time, it’s becoming more prevalent among younger men. Four out of 10 men have low testosterone by the age of 45, according to the Urology Care Foundation.

Depression
The suicide rate among men is four times higher than among women, according to CDC. And the American Psychological Association reports 30 percent of men have suffered from depression at some point during their lives.

“While you may not feel comfortable discussing health concerns or below-the-belt issues with buddies, it should not be embarrassing to go to the doctor,” added Dr. Tingle. “Intimate and serious health issues can often be addressed and are easier to treat when found early.”

In fact, primary care physicians use screenings that check for conditions before many people experience signs and symptoms of a health problem. Depending on age and family medical history, Dr. Tingle says an annual physical may include:
·       BMI calculation
·       Blood pressure, heart and respiration rates
·       Questions around alcohol and tobacco intake
·       Questions around diet and exercise habits
·       Cholesterol and other blood tests
·       Vaccinations
·       Mental health screening
·       Testicular, hernia and/or prostate exams

This Men’s Health Week, get your annual wellness exam added to the calendar. To find a primary care doctor near you, visit https://www.lkmc.com/find-a-doctor.

The Florida Keys Council of the Arts is seeking Monroe County arts & cultural organizations and artists of all genres (visual, music, dance, literary, etc.) to apply for three grant opportunities. The deadline for Art Builds Community, Artist in Schools and Special Project grants is June 30 at 5pm. Applications are accepted online, and can be found at www.keysarts.com under the grants tab or on the link on the homepage.

Art Builds Community (ABC) grant, is designed to support arts and culture projects that spark conversations, spur social change, generate cultural equity and make our community stronger. Grant funding​ is offered at $5,000, $7,500 and $10,000 for projects that support, build and broaden access to the arts and specifically address civic challenges and community issues through the arts.  Florida Keys artists, arts organizations and civic/community-based organizations are encouraged to form alliances and partnerships to strengthen communities through projects that connect the arts with local issues and opportunities for all people.

Artists in Schools Grant program invites teaching artists in the performing, visual, literary or historical arts into the classroom. Teachers and teaching artists are encouraged to collaborate on creative projects together to enhance the existing curriculum or to teach a new topic integrating the arts. All Monroe County public and private schools, as well as other organizations that serve children ages 5-18, are eligible to be partners for the teaching artist. This application is for the Fall 2024 semester. Artists in Schools grants are up to $2,000 per request.

Special Project Grants are intended for arts organizations or individual artists in Monroe County. The grant is to provide short-term support to vital, creative projects that do not fit into the other grant categories. Special Project funding is limited to once in three years, up to $2,000 per request.

Contact information: Please call the Florida Keys Council of the Arts for suggestions and assistance at 305-295-4369 or by email to [email protected].
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The Florida Keys Council of the Arts is the leading arts and cultural organization in the Florida Keys. As the non-profit local arts agency in Monroe County, it connects audiences from around the world to galleries, theaters, museums, festivals, dance, music and more from Key Largo to Key West. The Council makes grants, supports Art in Public Places, and promotes the destination for its rich and diverse history in art and culture. The Arts Council provides services to visual and performing artists, arts organizations, students and the public, striving to instill a passion for and participation in the arts.

​HOMESTEAD, Fla. – Everglades National Park is seeking public comment on resolving adverse effects from the proposed demolition of two small utility buildings, which are historic resources near the Shark Valley Observation Tower. The public comment period is open through July 5 on the NPS Planning, Environment & Public Comment site (https://parkplanning.nps.gov/watersystems).  
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Under the proposed action, the Shark Valley Tower Pump House and the adjacent Shark Valley Generator Annex would be demolished to make way for potable water and wastewater improvements. The buildings are a contributing part of the National Park Service Mission 66 development in that area. 
 
This project is part of the parkwide Rehabilitation of Parkwide Water and Wastewater Systems, which would address the physical and operational deficiencies of the park’s potable water distribution systems and wastewater collection systems. The Environmental Assessment for the rehabilitation project was previously released for public review and comment in November 2023.  
 
In accordance with National Historic Preservation Act Section 106 regulations (36 CFR 800.6(a)(4)), the public may comment on the adverse effects during the public review period through July 5. The preferred method of providing comments is through the project website at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/watersystems using the “Open for Comment” tab.   
 
Comments may also be submitted in writing to:     
Everglades National Park  
Attn: Superintendent, Shark Valley Utility Buildings Demolition 
40001 State Road 9336  
Homestead, FL 33034   
 
Mailed comments should be postmarked no later than July 5.   
 
Learn more about Everglades National Park online at nps.gov/ever or follow the park on Facebook, X, and Instagram.   

On Tuesday, June 4, Key West Wildlife Center staff, board members, and area dignitaries welcomed guests to a groundbreaking ceremony marking the official launch of construction for the Center’s long-awaited new wildlife rescue and rehabilitation clinic building, an elevated, Category 5 hurricane hardened modular structure that will replace the organization’s old and badly decaying one, situated within the 7-acre Indigenous Park off of White Street near Atlantic Blvd.

For more than 25 years the KWWC has been providing 24-hour emergency rescue services for wildlife in Key West and the lower Keys. Its present clinic building, which serves as the hub and ICU for wildlife care, is an early-version manufactured unit, which according to board president Jennifer Lopes, has significant roof deterioration and other structural issues, along with mechanical systems that over time have become largely inoperable.

“Our new building, which will serve as both a clinic and visitor welcome center, has been designed for our area’s unique climate conditions and will be elevated to meet all newly established FEMA flood levels,” said Lopes. “It will offer a better equipped dedicated treatment area for our patients, with 25% more interior space for patient care, and 40% more exterior space for rehabilitation, along with ample protected space for education and outreach.”
The new clinic building is one of two consequential projects being funded by KWWC’s “Raising the Roof … Building Our Future” capital campaign. The other is renovation of the Center’s recuperation/reconditioning aviary. The capital campaign began in 2021 and now, thanks to a recently awarded 1 to 1 matching grant, is close to successfully meeting its $2.4 million goal.

The Key West Wildlife Center is a 501(C) (3) charitable tax-exempt organization devoted to the rescue and rehabilitation of wild birds. The Center also works closely with other local and regional rescue groups to provide rehabilitation for non-avian species. According to KWWC Executive Director Tom Sweets, some 1,500 native wildlife patients were rescued in 2023 alone.

Located at 1801 White St., KWWC is open from 11:00am to 4:00pm on weekends, and variable hours during the week at present, due to the construction. It is recommended to call in advance on weekdays to confirm open hours. Those interested in supporting the “Raising the Roof … Building Our Future” campaign and/or volunteering at the Center can call 305-292-1008. For more information visit keywestwildlifecenter.org.

The Florida Keys Council of the Arts is accepting letters of interest for two openings on the Cultural Umbrella Committee of the Tourist Development Council. The TDC District 1 (I) appointee must live within the city limits of Key West, and for the TDC District 4 (IV) the appointee must live between the Long Key Bridge and mile marker 90.939.

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 1 seat is currently held by Scott Burau, and the district 4 seat is vacant.

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 cultural events.

To be eligible to serve on the Committee of the Cultural Umbrella, a person must:
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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.
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Persons wishing to be considered may send a letter of interest and brief resume by July 15, 2024 to Elizabeth Young, Executive Director, Florida Keys Council of the Arts, by email to: [email protected] or by mail to: 1100 Simonton Street, Suite #2-263, Key West, Fl. 33040