They’re doing it again! The Miami Marlins are supporting the Key West Police Athletic League by proclaiming the August 27th as Key West Night. During the July meeting, Mayor Teri Johnston and the City Commission proclaimed August 27th as Miami Marlins Day.
The August 27th game pits the Marlins against the Washington Nationals, and it’s the third year in a row that the Marlins have supported PAL with a special Key West Night. Key West residents will receive a special ticket price, and $5 of each ticket will be donated to PAL. At that game, City Manager Al Childress will throw out the first pitch. At half time, a group of Key West kids will join Marlins’ mascot Billy on the field during the seventh inning stretch to sing “Take me Out to the Ballgame.” Vice Mayor Sam Kaufman has worked with Florida Keys Media’s Rick Lopez each year to make this happen, noting that Key West has always been a baseball town. Tickets are available on the Miami Marlins’ website at: https://www.mlb.com/marlins/tickets/specials/key-west PAL’s programs are designed to get children involved in sports and in educational programs. It provides a safe place where kids can go after school and on weekends. It encourages teamwork and strong self-esteem. PAL supports computer classes after school and provides entertaining and educational camps during the summer and on holidays.
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Mayor Teri Johnston and the Key West City Commission have proclaimed July as Recreation and Parks Month.
The declaration dovetails with recognition countrywide by the National Recreation and Park Association as well as the Florida Recreation and Park Association. “Parks and recreation programs enhance our quality of life by contributing to healthy lifestyles, building community, creating economic development, and encouraging environmental stewardship,” reads the proclamation. In addition, they “boost the economy, enhance property values, attract new business, increase tourism, and reduce crime.” Recreation helps build “family unity, strengthens neighborhood involvement, offers opportunity for social interaction, enhances education, develops creativity, and promotes cultural diversity.” The honor was accepted by Tiffany Pellicier, Chairperson of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, and Roger McVeigh, Vice Chair. BIG PINE KEY, FL – Monroe County Commissioner Michelle Lincoln and her aide Jen Garcia visited the culvert installation site on Big Pine Key connecting canals 259 and 263 in the Doctor’s Arm neighborhood on Wednesday. The culvert has already improved water quality by increasing the flushing in the canals allowing a more natural flow of water to the nearshore waters immediately outside the canal mouths. Fish and other wildlife were seen at the site of the once dead-end canals that are now connected underneath the road. The installation was funded in whole by grant money.
Commissioner Mary Lou Hoover and Lissette Carey, FKAA Executive Director and former City Manager Greg Veliz, County Commissioner and former City Manager Jim Scholl, retiring City Manager Patti McLauchlin, Mayor Teri Johnston, Commissioners Clayton Lopez and Billy Wardlow, City Manager Al Childress, and Assistant City Manager Todd Stoughton. Also in attendance via Zoom: Vice Mayor Sam Kaufman. Mayor Teri Johnston and the City Commission, during the July meeting, proclaimed July 19th as Patti McLauchlin Day in honor of the retiring City Manager’s last day. July 19th concludes a 47-year career of public service to the City of Key West by McLauchlin.
She began in 1976 as a dispatcher for the Key West Police Department. She built her skills and knowledge, raised her son, and acquired degrees from the College of the Florida Keys and Barry University. In 1987 she moved into information technology, working her way through the ranks to the department director and moving the City into the 21st Century. “There was no email, no network, no website,” she told the commission. “At that time there was no enterprise software or the capability of broadcasting meetings. We have made many strides in the last 20 years.” In 2019, McLauchlin was promoted to Assistant City Manager, and in 2021 she was selected to serve as City Manager. She is the first woman in the city’s history to serve in each of those roles. The proclamation makes note of McLauchlin’s “‘we can do that positive’ attitude. Through volunteer and professional affiliations Patti continues to share her wealth of knowledge and experience and serves as a role model for the Key West community and government peers.” McLauchlin thanked so many of the people she’s worked with through the years and noted some of the highlights as well as some of the struggles of her watch. “As City Manager I was part of Key West being honored as a Coast Guard City,” she said. “I witnessed Capt. Beth Regoli take command of the Naval Air Station and most recently the commissioning of the USS Lenah Higbee.” On the other hand, she noted, “What a roller coaster ride it’s been. Covid, cruise ships, roads under construction, housing issues, employee shortages. You name it, we were all part of it together.” In addition to the special day, McLauchlin was presented a plaque for her years of service and one for her retirement. Finally, she was honored by the packed commission chambers with a well-earned standing ovation. TANIA STOUGHTON, FLEET BUSINESS MANAGER, NAMED MONROE COUNTY’S EMPLOYEE OF THE FIRST QUARTER 20237/14/2023 MONROE COUNTY, FL – Tania Stoughton, Fleet Management Business Manager, is named Monroe County’s Employee of the First Quarter for 2023 for exceeding job expectations, noteworthy performance, and her positive impact on her co-workers and community. She started with the County in 2001 to 2004 (her husband was military) and returned to the County in 2011.
Stoughton was nominated by co-worker Generator Technician Lyle Tabb, who said her attention to detail and management of vendor contracts sets Monroe County fleet above the others. Fleet operates and manages County garages, vehicles, fuel, and generators, among other things. “We technicians always have information on the front end, proactively, whenever there is a change or an update,” said Tabb. “She is always professional, precise, and if she doesn’t have an answer right away, she follows up quickly.” Her department director Daryl Greenlee echoed Tabb’s sentiments, adding that she is an asset to the team. “As I have been engaged in special projects, I have assigned Tania additional duties to coordinate and expedite countless requests on my behalf,” he said. “She has helped keep all operations cohesive and flowing.” $100 Kick-Starter Scholarships, application fees waived
KEY WEST, FL, July 13, 2023— The College of the Florida Keys will hold “Fast Track to Fall” events on Wednesday, July 26, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., at the Key West Campus and at the Upper Keys Center in Key Largo at to help prospective students quickly get on a pathway toward their academic and career training goals this fall semester. New student applications are due August 6 and classes begin August 18. New students who participate in a Fast Track to Fall session will have their application fee waived, a savings of $30, and receive a $100 Kick-Starter Scholarship. Future students and their families will be able to connect directly with knowledgeable CFK staff to receive information about degree and certificate options as well as financial aid, payment plans, and scholarships. Personalized guidance through the application process will also be available. Prospective students are encouraged to bring the following items, if readily available, to expedite the admissions process:
For more information about the opportunities available at CFK, visit the College’s website at cfk.edu or contact Marissa Owens, CFK Director of Recruitment, at recruiter@cfk.edu or call 305-809-3207. The American Heart Association presents Get With The Guidelines - Stroke Gold Plus award for proven dedication to ensuring all stroke patients have access to best practices and life-saving care KEY WEST, FL, JULY 14, 2023 – Lower Keys Medical Center has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® - Stroke Gold Plus quality achievement award for its commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines, ultimately leading to more lives saved and reduced disability. Stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the U.S. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood and oxygen it needs, so brain cells die. Early stroke detection and treatment are key to improving survival, minimizing disability and accelerating recovery times. Get With The Guidelines puts the expertise of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association to work for hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care is aligned with the latest research- and evidence-based guidelines. Get With The Guidelines - Stroke is an in-hospital program for improving stroke care by promoting consistent adherence to these guidelines, which can minimize the long-term effects of a stroke and even prevent death. “Lower Keys Medical Center is committed to improving patient care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines,” said David Clay, CEO. “Get With The Guidelines makes it easier for our teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, which studies show can help patients recover better. The end goal is to ensure more people in the lower Keys and Key West can experience longer, healthier lives.” Each year, program participants qualify for the award by demonstrating how their organization has committed to providing quality care for stroke patients. In addition to following treatment guidelines, Get With The Guidelines participants also educate patients to help them manage their health and recovery at home. “We are incredibly pleased to recognize Lower Keys Medical Center for its commitment to caring for patients with stroke,” said Steven Messe, M.D., volunteer chairperson of the American Heart Association Stroke System of Care Advisory Group and professor of neurology and director of fellowships of neurology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. “Participation in Get With The Guidelines is associated with improved patient outcomes, fewer readmissions and lower mortality rates – a win for health care systems, families and communities.” About: Lower Keys Medical Center is accredited by The Joint Commission in Hospital and Laboratory Programs, and as a Primary Stroke Center. The hospital is also accredited by the American College of Cardiology as a Chest Pain Center and by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission in Echocardiography. MONROE COUNTY, FL – On Wednesday, July 19, at approximately 11 a.m., Monroe County Attorney Bob Shillinger and County Administrator Roman Gastesi will update the Board of County Commissioners on the County's recent meeting with the Acting FEMA Region IV Administrator Robert Samaam and his staff in Atlanta regarding the County's request to change certain floodplain regulations. The BOCC meeting is hybrid and can be attended in person at the Marathon Government Center or via Zoom at https://mcbocc.zoom.us/j/82032493400. The Atlanta FEMA discussion focused on three issues the County faces with floodplain management: 1) the County's FIRM date (1973 versus 1975), 2) the restriction that limits downstairs enclosures to no more than 299 square feet (299 rule), and 3) the Inspection Upon Transfer of Ownership program. At Wednesday's meeting, the County would like input and suggestions on potential changes from industry professionals and the public since the acting FEMA Region IV Administrator expressed a willingness to consider alternatives to the 299 rule and Inspection Upon Transfer regulations outlined in the remedial plan. "The FEMA administrator did have concerns that the community could backslide into a state of non-compliance similar to what led to the imposition of the remedial plan in the first place," said Shillinger. "We want to ensure we do not jeopardize our community's ability to participate in the NFIP." Currently, 1,913 (16 percent) of 11,796 NFIP-insured properties in unincorporated Monroe County are listed on FEMA's National Violation Tracker. FEMA put unincorporated Monroe County on the remedial plan to maintain its eligibility in the NFIP after a history of non-compliance led to the County being placed on probation and threatened with expulsion from the NFIP. The Board will consider ideas at the meeting and may incorporate them into future negotiations with FEMA and possible code changes. Any actual code changes will be considered at future public hearings held pursuant to State requirements. Monroe County continues to work on resolving the conflicting FIRM dates of 1973 versus 1975 with FEMA staff but has confirmed that it does not affect the pre-/post-FIRM status of a property for NFIP flood insurance purposes. July 10, 2023 - The Key West Police Department and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office are teaming up for another National Night Out family event. On Tuesday, August 1st, from 5:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m., we invite the community to come meet our first responders who keep us all safe. The Lower Keys event will be held at Bayview Park in Key West. Monroe County Sheriff’s Office will also host events at the Aviation Hangar in Marathon, Founder’s Park in Islamorada, and at the Key Largo Community Park.
This national annual event is aimed at increasing awareness about assets and resources in the community. There will be an exciting array of displays and equipment used by police, firefighters, as well as our military and community partners. There will be everything from special teams, fire trucks and boats to dogs, horses and more at this great family event. The kids will love the animals from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Farm! There will also be music, free food and beverages. The Bayview Park National Night Out is a convenient location for residents of all ages to come see what we do and meet your local first responders. It dovetails with events held across the nation, including those hosted by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office in the Upper and Middle Keys. FLORIDA KEYS -- Monroe County Project Management received good news from the Tourist Development Council that it was awarded bricks-and-mortar grant funding for five projects throughout the Florida Keys totaling $2.28 million. The funding includes two Monroe County Parks and Beaches projects for pool refurbishments at Jacobs Aquatic Center in Key Largo and the construction of a bandshell at Big Pine Key Community Park. Project Management also secured funding for restoring the historical brickwork at Fort East Martello in Key West, along with window and air conditioning unit upgrades on the property, and ADA bathroom improvements at the Key West Lighthouse. “The County appreciates the TDC’s District Advisory Council’s support of these projects,” said Project Management Director Cary Knight. “With the grants, these areas will continue to be great assets for the visitors to the Florida Keys, but they are also places our Florida Keys residents love to enjoy as well. It is a win-win situation for everyone.” The TDC bricks-and-mortar grants are funded through a percentage of the bed taxes charged to those who stay in Florida Keys lodging accommodations and can be used by government and nonprofits to make repairs or upgrades to tourism-related infrastructure. |
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