The SMALLEST Parade in the Universe is a fundraiser for MARC, the Monroe Association for ReMARCable Citizens and is an official Fantasy Fest event.  
All floats will be LIVE auctioned off at the end of the Parade.
Please reach out to Becki Balcer with MARC for any questions, [email protected]
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We Want YOU!TO DESIGN AND BUILD A FLOAT FOR THE PARADE!

• Calling all artists, bakers, woodworkers, architects, float builders, craftspeople, knitters, sculptors, inventors, and more! We want you to use your artistic talents to build a tiny float for the 2022 LIVE SMALLEST Parade in the Universe!
• Think outside the (shoe) box and remember the theme: Cult Classics and Cartoon Chaos!

Prizes

• 1st Place is $1000
• 2nd Place $500
• 3rd Place $250

All proceeds go to the MARC House and the wonderful artists who participate in The Smallest Parade in the Universe!
RulesTHIS IS A PG-13 RATED EVENT.  THINK FUN AND FUNNY

• Float dimensions:  No larger than 18 inches long, 18 inches wide or 18 inches high. 

• No means of propulsion needed.  The floats will move down the parade route on a moving track.  They move from right to left, so the right, starboard, “passenger” side of the float is the back and the “driver’s” side faces the audience.
• Lights and animated elements may be added to the float as long as it is done safely and totally within the dimensions. Please place all switches on the back of your entry and include a tech note for parade staff.
• Floats will be carried by parade staff to the conveyor and then to the silent auction or pick-up area.  Make it easy for them by making the floats carry-friendly. Consider weight, loose parts, and wiggly things. Handles are nice.
• Sign your float with your name, its title and the year.
• No open flames, live animals, uncontained liquids, politics, blatant advertising or hazardous materials, please. 

More information and inspiration here: the SMALLEST Parade in the Universe
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Friends, family, colleagues and members of the community were on hand at noon today to witness the swearing in of six newly re-elected city officials.
City Clerk Cheri Smith swore in the newly re-elected Mayor Teri Johnston and re-elected Commissioner Mary Lou Hoover and Sam Kaufman. She also swore in re-elected Utility Board members Mona Clark, Steve Wells and Robert Barrios.
 
In the photo: City Commissioner Mary Lou Hoover, Utility Board member Robert Barrios, Commissioner Sam Kaufman, Utility Board member Mona Clark, Mayor Teri Johnston, and Utility Board member Steve Wells.
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​Maintaining a healthy digestive system, or gut, could be the key to better health. When healthy, the gut absorbs nutrients from food, eliminates waste, communicates with the brain and supports a healthy immune system and nervous system function. If the gut is unhealthy, it can cause digestive diseases which affect 60 - 70 million Americans according to the National Institute of Health.
 
Signs of an unhealthy gut include an upset stomach, sudden weight gain or loss without changes in lifestyle, disrupted sleep and constant fatigue. Without proper work up by a gastroenterologist for an unhealthy gut, many conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and H pylori can go undiagnosed or improperly treated, leaving many to experience chronic symptoms. 
 
Optimal gut health is achieved when the bacteria inside of the gastrointestinal tract, made up of the esophagus, stomach and intestines, work together without causing discomfort.
 
“Gut health is a popular and complex topic that can seem overwhelming,” says Orlando Lopez-Roman, MD, FACG, AGAF, board-certified gastroenterologist with Keys Medical Group Gastroenterology.  “Luckily, maintaining a healthy gut can be easily achieved through simple lifestyle habits.”
 
Dr. Lopez-Roman recommends these lifestyle habits to maintain a healthy gut:
 

• Eat well: Avoid highly processed foods and eat more fruits, vegetables, lean protein and fiber like apples, broccoli, salmon and quinoa. Consuming naturally fermented foods like yogurt and sauerkraut, if tolerated, can help balance gut bacteria.
  
• Limit NSAIDs: Minimize use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) which can damage the lining of the gastrointestinal tract.  
  
• Exercise regularly: Regular exercise can help improve gut health by increasing beneficial microbial species and helping to reduce stress.
  
• Hydrate: Drinking enough water is a simple way to improve gut health and prevent constipation. 
  
• Reduce stress: Try walking, meditating and spending time with loved ones to help reduce stress and decrease inflammation in the gut. 

 
"It is also very important to keep up with recommended screening colonoscopies by a gastroenterologist and to be seen by one if experiencing gastrointestinal issues," said Lopez-Roman. 
 
Lower Keys Medical Center offers a free e-newsletter with a monthly dose of health and wellness inspiration sent directly to your inbox from a trusted medical source. Sign up at https://www.lkmc.com/enewsletter-sign-up. 

​The Florida Keys Council of the Arts is proud to announce that Monroe County artist Victoria Mata has been named the recipient of the prestigious 2022 South Florida Cultural Consortium Visual and Media Artists Award. Victoria (Tory) Mata of Key West, was selected to receive this esteemed, five-county artist fellowship. Tory will receive a monetary award of $15,000 and be included in an exhibition featuring the work of the 2021 - 2022 recipients, that will take place at the Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami with anticipated opening in April of 2023. 
 
Tory Mata grew up in Stoneham, Massachusetts, and received her BA in Fine Arts from Clark University in 2005. Her painted works, though not representational, use the language of landscape and are influenced by these varying terrains and their unique, native colors and forms. Her recent series are minimalist and meditative in tone, with an emphasis on natural materials, textures and processes. Shades of black and white combine to explore the appearance of opposites and the unifying balance between opposing states. Elements that hold symbolic and personal value (notably clay, bone, rust, wood and cotton) come together in varied forms to speak to themes of loss, transformation and impermanence. Works often build in series and multiples, observing the complexity of relationship and the fragmenting of experience.  
 
The Consortium, an alliance of the arts councils of Broward, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe and Palm Beach Counties has conferred the artists with awards at either the $15,000 or $7,500 level. These awards are among the largest such honors accorded by local arts agencies to visual and media artists in the United States. Celebrating 34 years in 2022 (established in 1988), the SFCC has awarded over $4 million in grants to more than 300 artists. In addition to receiving the grant, the artists take part in an exhibition hosted and organized by a visual arts institution in one of the five counties. 
 
The recipients were selected through a two-tier panel process which included the participation of regional and national arts experts. The 2021-2022 regional panel, whose adjudications are based on the evaluation of the artists' work as evidenced by the work samples submitted, included: Juliana Forero, Ph.D, Founder and Chief Curator of Nomad Projects, Adjunct Professor, NSU Florida (Broward); Zoraye Cyrus, SFCC 2021 Recipient (Broward); Melissa Wallen, Director, De la Cruz Collection (Miami-Dade); John McGurk, Director, Sarah Gavlak Gallery (Pam Beach); and Donnamarie Baptiste, Principle, Creative Industry (Miami-Dade). The submissions selected by the regional panel for further consideration were forwarded for final adjudication and selection to the national panel, which was comprised of: Jean Cooney, Director and Chief Curator, Times Square Arts, New York, NY; Toccarra H. Thomas, Director, Joan Mitchell Center, New Orleans, LA; and George Scheer, Executive Director, Contemporary Arts Center, New Orleans, LA. 
 
The South Florida Cultural Consortium Fellowship for Visual and Media Artists is a cooperative project funded in part with the support of the Boards of County Commissioners of Broward, Miami-Dade, Martin and Monroe Counties and the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County.  

​Extraordinary artists, colorful creators, sashayers, strollers, and rollers – it’s time to fill out and submit your 2022 Bud Light Fantasy Fest Parade entry forms and prepare to put your playful genius on display in this year’s “Cult Classics & Cartoon Chaos!” themed moving party down Duval Street, set to take place Saturday, October 29, in Key West, Florida.
 
The world-famous parade is open to entries large and small, from fabulous floats, wild walking groups, bicycle brigades, and even human-powered kinetic machines that entertain tens of thousands of spectators in this premier Fantasy Fest event. Cash prizes totaling $15,000 will be awarded in numerous categories, including “Interpretation of Theme,” “Best in Entertainment,” “Best in Costume,” “Best Walking Group,” “Best Bike,” and more. Entry fees are discounted for Monroe County residents through September 23; final deadline to apply is October 14.
 
Fantasy Fest 2022 is presented in part by the Monroe County Tourist Development Council. For complete information and to fill out an Ambassador volunteer form, visit www.FantasyFest.com/Parade. 

The Florida Small Business Development Center at FIU Business (FSBDC) has been recognized as the Florida SBDC Network Center of the Year for 2022.


In 2021 the FSBDC assisted 2,050 clients, providing over 20,660 consulting hours. FSBDC at FIU consultants also led the state network in access to capital and business launches.
The impact has been widespread:

• 114 businesses launched
• $117 million in capital secured
• $33.3 million in government contracts secured
• $154.1 million in increased revenues
• 429 jobs created
• 5,144 jobs retained

 “It means a great deal for our team to receive statewide recognition from the Florida SBDC Network for our efforts in the community,” said Brian Van Hook, regional director, Florida SBDC at FIU.  “Our team of mission-driven consultants and support staff have increased assistance to businesses in Miami-Dade and Monroe County in recent years. I am extremely proud to see the center’s hard work recognized in such a big way.”  


The award recognizes the regional team for its contribution to the network’s strategic goals, mission and vision; exceeding service and performance expectations; and demonstrating a strong commitment to small business through the network’s values and beliefs.


“They exceeded their performance goals, secured a highly competitive grant, and built meaningful partnerships to expand their footprint in underserved communities and across the Miami-Dade region as a whole,” said Greg Britton, state director of the Florida SBDC Network.


The FSBDC began offering services in Miami-Dade County in 2014 and expanded to Monroe County in October 2018. It provides no-cost consulting and guidance on topics including financial management, business strategy, access to capital and market analysis. The center has 30 business specialists in Miami-Dade and the Keys.
"FSBDC is Florida's leader in working with small entrepreneurial firms,” said William Hardin, dean of FIU Business. “Brian and his team provide high quality consulting and services that allows Miami-Dade to remain competitive in attracting, growing and retaining businesses.”
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The Florida SBDC Network State Office also highlighted that FSBDC secured the $2.5 million SBA Community Navigator grant for Miami-Dade County. The center, which serves as a hub in partnership with six other community organizations, received the only Community Navigator grant in Florida and was one of 51 awards nationwide.

​Call for artists amateurs, students, businesses, and professionals to create for the “2022 Scarecrows in the Forest Art Exhibit and Contest” September 15—November 30, 2022. Registration required through September 10, 2022, with installations by appointment through September 15, 2022. Using natural, recycled, and repurposed materials, each entry eligible for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and Best in show prizes for entries with CASH Prizes. 3 Categories to register:

1. Not-for-Profit
2. School age
3. Business and Professional

​For more information, full details and application contact Misha at Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden 5210 College Road Key West FL 33040 www.keywest.garden / (305) 296-1504

​Awarded songwriter and Garth Brooks’ collaborator Amanda Colleen Williams returns to Key West Theater this fall with A Story of Love through music and poetry.
 
Williams developed the groundbreaking one woman show while taking a break from Music Row publishing houses to homeschool her twins, and won an Artist of the Year Award from Nashville’s independent music community group N.I.M.A.
 
Continuing to workshop the concert at 7695, her Nashville venue, Williams kept close to home during her multi-year battle with breast cancer.
 
Earlier this year at her Key West Valentine’s Day 2022 debut, audiences say Amanda’s Story of Love stole the show: “She was the perfect combination of sass and style.  Best Valentine’s date in our 41 years together,” said one concert goer.
 
“If you’re wondering what was going on in her head during your relationship, this is the show you want to see,” says Williams with a grin.
 
Get your tickets to see Amanda Colleen Williams: A Story of Love at Key West Theater on Friday, November 11, 2022. 
 
Doors open at 6pm and show starts at 7pm.  Tickets are $25 and are available at the Key West Theater box office located at 512 Eaton Street, Key West, Florida 33040 or online at https://thekeywesttheater.com.

​The College of the Florida Keys (CFK) invites the community to CFK Poetics, its annual visiting poets series. This year’s theme is “Culture Unites and Divides.” The first featured poet, award-winner Adrian Matejka, will present a poetry reading on Thursday, September 8 at 6 p.m. in the Tennessee Williams Theatre on the Key West Campus. Poet and poetry professor Tom Hunley will present on October 6, also at 6 p.m. at the same location. They will read some of their works and take questions from the audience. Earlier on their respective presentation days, both poets will participate in craft talks in the College’s Library at 3:30 p.m. All events are free and open to the public. Learn more at CFK.edu/Poetics. 
 
CFK Poetics is a series that aims to develop awareness of and immersion in the humanities landscape by connecting students and the community with poetry on the national level in a way that is immediate to their own experiences. Since 2019, visiting poets have come to CFK or appeared virtually to share their work and have conversations with the student body as well as the community at large. Formerly featured poets include B.H. Fairchild, Chelsea Rathburn, Richard Blanco, and Ross Gay. 
 
Events: Craft Talk- Adrian Matejka Thursday, September 8 at 3:30 p.m.
CFK Library 

Poetry Reading- Adrian Matejka Thursday, September 8 at 6:00 p.m. 
Tennessee Williams Theatre 
 
About Adrian Matejka: 
Adrian Matejka was born in Nuremberg, Germany as part of a military family. He grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana and is a graduate of Indiana University Bloomington and the MFA program at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. 
 
He is the author of The Devil’s Garden (Alice James Books, 2003), which won the New York / New England Award and Mixology (Penguin, 2009), a winner of the 2008 National Poetry Series. His third collection of poems, The Big Smoke (Penguin, 2013), was awarded the 2014 Anisfield-Wolf Book Award. The Big Smoke was also a finalist for the 2013 National Book Award, 2014 Hurston/Wright Legacy Award, and 2014 Pulitzer Prize in poetry. His fourth book, Map to the Stars, was published by Penguin in 2017 and his mixed media project in collaboration with Nicholas Galanin and Kevin Neireiter inspired by Funkadelic, Standing on the Verge & Maggot Brain (Third Man Books) was published in 2021. His most recent collection of poems, Somebody Else Sold the World (Penguin, 2021), was a finalist for the 2022 Rilke Prize. His first graphic novel, Last On His Feet, will be published in 2023 by Liveright. 
 
Craft Talk- Tom Hunley Wednesday, October 6 at 3:30 p.m.
CFK Library 
 
Poetry Reading- Tom Hunley Wednesday, October 6 at 6:00 p.m. 
Tennessee Williams Theatre 
 
About Tom Hunley: 
Tom C. Hunley is the author of seven full-length poetry collections, most recently What Feels Like Love (C&R Press 2021), seven chapbooks, most recently Adjusting to the Lights (winner, 2020 Rattle Chapbook Prize), and two textbooks. With Alexandria Peary, he co-edited Creative Writing Pedagogies for the Twenty-First Century (Southern Illinois University Press, 2015). He directs the Creative Writing MFA program at Western Kentucky University, where he has taught since 2003.  
 
Funding for this program was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.