KEY WEST, Florida Keys – The Lower Keys Fall Migration Mania - Birding and Wildlife Adventure will take place at the Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden on Saturday, September 28th 7:00 am to 11:30pm.
Flock to the historic Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden to witness the natural wonders of the annual fall migration by attending the Lower Keys Fall Migration Mania Birding & Wildlife Adventure. For the 16th year, be a citizen scientist learning as you enjoy species identification guided tours at one of the most iconic bird and butterfly hotspots in the lower Keys. Visit www.keywest.garden for complete details.

Early bird access 7:00 AM. Birding ID and Census tour 7:30 – 9 AM. Butterfly ID and Census tour 10:00 – 11:30 AM. $10 Admission for each tour. Preregistration is suggested and will be available at the door. Garden members are Free.
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The Garden is located at 5210 College Road on Stock Island, Key West, FL. Visit www.keywest.garden for complete details.

KEY WEST, FL – SEPTEMBER 17, 2024 – Lower Keys Medical Center hosted an awards ceremony honoring Irene Joy Pojas, RN, with the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses. The award recognizes nursing professionals for excellence in clinical care and for exceptional compassion.
 
Joy, a registered nurse on the night shift, was nominated by a former patient who noted the exceptional collaboration between Joy and the day shift nurse. Danny Trevor wrote in the nomination, “They worked closely together on my wellness journey. Between the two of them, I believe they saved my life. Joy kept my spirits up and was a great comfort to me through the dark hours. She kept me laughing and reassured me by explaining everything, especially the medications. She left me feeling much better every visit and gave me confidence that all would be well and I was okay.”
 
Joy was presented with a hand-carved Healer’s Touch sculpture, a DAISY certificate and a signature bouquet of daisies. The DAISY Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that was established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, who died in 1999 from complications of an autoimmune disease. His family was inspired to create the Foundation to honor nurses who make a profound difference in the lives of their patients and families.

Key West, FL – The Studios of Key West is thrilled to announce a season of creative brilliance with its Fall 2024 Preseason Classes. Whether you’re looking to hone your skills or embark on a new artistic journey, their lineup is packed with exciting opportunities designed to spark your imagination and invigorate your creative spirit.
 
Dive into the world of television with a one-of-a-kind workshop led by Ernest Gold, a distinguished Peyton Evans Artist in Residence (PEAR), on October 18. With 15 years of experience in both the U.S. and Austrian film industries, Ernest is renowned for his genre-defining work, including the groundbreaking Austrian Amazon series “Beasts Like Us.” In this exclusive session, Ernest will guide you through the entire process of developing your own television series, from initial concept to the final show. Don’t miss this unparalleled opportunity to gain insights from a true visionary in the field.
 
Art lovers can get a jump on their holiday shopping with Maggie Ruley’s “Pet Portraits” workshop, running on October 29-30. This hands-on class will teach you how to capture the unique charm of your furry friends, creating heartfelt portraits that make perfect gifts for the holidays.
 
For those ready to roll up their sleeves and dive into painting, Jack McDonald’s “Painting Bootcamp” returns in November and December. Over four Mondays, Jack will help you master the art of composition and finishing a painting with his signature humor and dedication. This bootcamp promises both fun and fantastic results.
 
Stargazers and science enthusiasts won’t want to miss Larry Halstead’s “Enjoyable Astronomy” class on November 12-13. This evening workshop offers a captivating exploration of the planets and stars, providing tips and tricks for identifying celestial wonders and enjoying the night sky.
 
Travel enthusiasts can transform their globetrotting experiences into compelling stories with Faith Adiele’s (PEAR) “Travel Writing to Save the World” workshop on December 17. Learn how to craft engaging narratives from your travels, turning your adventures into captivating tales that will transport readers across the globe. Named one of Marie Claire magazine’s “Five Women to Learn From,” Adiele chairs the Writing & Literature Program at California College of the Arts and speaks and teaches around the world.
 
The Studios of Key West is also excited to offer additional classes led by other talented PEARs. Explore the fundamentals of linocut printing on fabric with Dakotasky Bowen in “Linocut Printing on Fabric” on November 15, or dive into abstract acrylic painting with Franck Hodelin in “Acrylic Painting (Beginner to Intermediate)” on November 19-20. Plus, young creatives can participate in engaging youth workshops with favorite local instructors, including printmaking with Bria Ansara and poetry writing with B. Lucy Stevens.
 
This fall, The Studios of Key West invites you to explore, create, and shine. Don’t miss out on these incredible opportunities—register today at www.tskw.org and make this season unforgettable!

KEY WEST, FL, September 16, 2024— The College of the Florida Keys (CFK) invites prospective students to learn about its Apprenticeships in Construction Technologies at a virtual information event on Thursday, September 26 at 5:30 p.m. CFK is offering HVAC and Plumbing programs in Key West and the Upper Keys this upcoming Spring semester, which begins January 10. The deadline to apply is November 1.
 
The virtual information session will help prospective students learn about the trade professions, career outlooks, and CFK’s tuition-free “earn while you learn” programs. Attendees will receive a code to waive the $30 application fee. Registration for the event is required. Visit the College’s website at CFK.edu/apprenticeships to learn more and to register. To schedule a personal information session, contact Marissa Owens, CFK Manager of Recruitment, at [email protected] or call 305-809-3207.
 
About CFK’s Apprenticeships in Construction Technologies:
CFK’s Apprenticeships in Construction Technologies offer opportunities to help individuals train and advance in high-wage, high-demand construction careers throughout the Florida Keys. In collaboration with local construction businesses, CFK’s apprenticeship programs provide education and training in all aspects of the respective trades—from conceptual to practical skills. Through the College’s “earn while you learn” model, students are employed and paid full-time with a sponsoring employer that is partnered with CFK. They attend classes, which are tuition-free, while developing their skills through on-the-job training with their sponsor. As apprentice students advance through the program, their progress is rewarded with periodic wage increases.
 
Upon successful program completion, an apprentice will be considered a journey worker and will receive a four-level certification by the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) as well as a nationally recognized Completion of Apprenticeship certificate by the State of Florida.

UPPER KEYS, FL – New toll rates on Card Sound Road will be effective on Oct. 1, 2024. The toll adjustment is following the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index.
 
The following rates will take effect on Oct. 1, 2024:
 
SunPass

1. $2.08 for two-axle vehicles: cars, pickup trucks, or motorcycles
2. $3.96 for three-axles
3. $1.32 per each additional axle

 
Toll-By-Plate

1. $3.12 for two-axle vehicles: cars, pickup trucks, or motorcycles
2. $5.94 for three-axles
3. $1.98 per each additional axle

 
The toll is completely electronic using Toll-By-Plate, SunPass, or another highway pass like E-Pass or EZ-Pass. No cash is accepted at the toll. The toll helps fund road maintenance costs and future repair and replacement of the five bridges along Card Sound Road.
 
Two discount programs are available for drivers with a two-axle vehicle and a good-standing SunPass account.

1. Monthly Discount Program: Drivers do not need to sign up for the monthly discount program and will automatically receive a 40 percent rebate on their SunPass account after any calendar month that 28 or more one-way trips are made through the toll.
2. Annual Pass: The annual pass is for frequent users and allows unlimited travel through the toll. The fee is $520 annually from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2025. The annual pass will be available for purchase in December 2024 and January 2025. Additional details on the annual pass program will be released later this year.

 
For more information on the toll and discount programs, visit www.monroecounty-fl.gov/cardsoundtoll.

The City of Key West seeks proposals for the new Douglass Community Center that will celebrate the vibrant and distinguished history of the Bahamian culture and generations of families who have worked and lived in the Bahama Village neighborhood. The new Center will be home to a spacious main hall, classrooms, recording studio and practice rooms for music students of the Bahama Village Music Program and more. The site of the new building, along with a garden and performance space sits on the land of the original 1870 school house named for the great African-American orator and abolitionist, Frederick Douglass.

The mission for the commissioned public art in the City of Key West is to enhance the character and identity of our island community through the aesthetic of original, site-specific public artworks. Artwork will strive to educate, celebrate and preserve our cultural heritage and diversity to reflect Key West's population.
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 The total budget for this project is $75,000. For more information, and to apply, please visit www.keysarts.com homepage for a link to the PDF application. Please note that all proposals must be submitted on time. Application deadline for RFP is Wednesday, September 25, 2024 by 3:00 pm EST.

Fantasy Fest fans far and wide, the future is in your hands – and heads! Now’s the time to dream up and submit your Key West Fantasy Fest theme ideas for 2025! The winning theme composer and a guest will score 2025 Fantasy Fest Parade Grand Stand seats among the parade’s judges and organizers, and bask in the glory of the world-famous spectacle marching to your theme. Some past year’s Fantasy Fest themes include: “Fantasy Fest B.C. (1988)” “Tinseltown Dreams (1995),” “Secrets of the Zodiac Revealed (2001)” and “Oh…The Games We Play (2018).” Email submissions to [email protected]; deadline to enter is October 4, 2024. Fantasy Fest is presented in part by the Monroe County Tourist Development Council and We’ve Got the Keys. For a full calendar of events, schedule updates, and a handy downloadable mobile APP visit http://www.fantasyfest.com.

​A recent announcement by organizers of Key West’s Fantasy Fest that author and paranormal specialist David Sloan, and Robert, one of the world’s most famous haunted dolls, are to be this year’s Key West Fantasy Fest Parade Grand Marshals has resulted in a flurry of public reaction, from celebratory huzzahs to “oh hell no!” to “I’m wrapping my house in foil right now!”

The wariness expressed by many concerning Robert is on account of the doll’s long and eerie history: Just after the turn of the 20th century, Robert was gifted to a young child named Gene Otto, son of a prominent Key West physician. Created by the Germany-based Steiff Company and standing 41-inches tall—about the same size as an average 4-year-old American boy—the sailor-suited toy soon established a reputation for creating supernatural mischief and mayhem in his families elegant Victorian mansion, and provoking strange behavior in young Gene. The child’s excuse for the bizarre household occurrences and his own naughty behavior: “Robert did it.”

David Sloan is an American publisher, artist, producer, and paranormal specialist recognized as the foremost authority on Robert, and is author of the book, “Robert the Doll,” published in 2014. We caught up with Sloan to learn more about his relationship with Robert and the lore concerning reports of misfortunes said to follow when a visitor takes a photo of Robert without first asking his permission.

Why were you and Robert the Doll selected as 2024 Key West Fantasy Fest parade Grand Marshals?
Robert is a powerful doll. He summoned Vince Neil from Mötley Crüe and Butch Patrick of The Munsters to his haunted living quarters in Key West, so I’m guessing he made this happen too. 
 
You and Robert have a unique bond. Why do you think that is?
I don't think I can take credit for it. Maybe Robert chose me. Maybe that's just how it was meant to be. My great-great-great-grandfather's Union Civil War Regiment helped build the fort where Robert lives but I never knew the connection until a few years ago. What are the chances of that? Perhaps there is a cosmic connection and this isn't our first time around together.
 
You reportedly launched an investigation during the 1990s into a mysterious portal believed to be contained within Robert, and in the course of that investigation “unleashed a curse into the island’s cosmic realm.” Is it true that you are seeking to reverse this curse during the Key West Fantasy Fest Parade?
If everyone along the parade route gets creative with their costumes and turns the celebration “up to 11,” we believe we can open the cosmic portal, transport Key West back to the 90s, and reverse the curse. Such magic is not uncommon in the Florida Keys.
 
Popular lore has it that if a person takes a photo of Robert without first asking his permission, misfortune may follow. How do you think this could impact all the people snapping photos during this year’s Fantasy Fest Parade? Are there any safeguards you’d recommend?
People who report that Robert has cursed them are often those who have been disrespectful to him. I’m talking about sticking out their tongues or giving him the finger. If people are respectful, they have nothing to worry about. If they want to play it extra safe for their own peace of mind, they can certainly ask permission by emailing him via a link at HauntedKeyWest.com. I’ll read those emails to him myself. Those who prefer snail mailing can send letters (and gifts!) to him c/o Fort East Martello Museum, 3501 S. Roosevelt Blvd., Key West, FL 33040.
 
Isn’t it unusual for a non-human to serve as a parade Grand Marshal?
Very unusual but not unprecedented. Kermit the Frog was Grand Marshal in the 1996 Rose Bowl Parade, but he was never reported to have cursed anybody. This is certainly the first time a haunted doll has been the Grand Marshal of a parade.
 
Where does Robert currently reside and can people visit him?
The Key West Art & Historical Society took Robert and his stuffed pet “Leo” into their care in 1994 and ensconced them comfortably in a protective glass case at Fort East Martello Museum, where he is visited by many hundreds of devoted fans each year. For those desiring an after-museum-hours experience, my company Ghost Key West operates nighttime ghost tours and The Robert the Doll Experience there.
 
Do you think Key West will ever be the same after this year’s Fantasy Fest Parade?
It never has been “the same.” It’s always been different. They say “2000-zero zero, party over, oops, out of time.” So this year I’m going to party like it’s 1999.
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The 2024 Key West Fantasy Fest Parade is set to launch in downtown Key West at 7:00pm, Saturday, Oct. 26, beating to the theme, “It’s a 90s Neon Cosmic Carnival!” Fantasy Fest 2024 is presented in part by the Monroe County Tourist Development Council and We’ve Got the Keys. For a full calendar of events, schedule updates, and a downloadable mobile APP visit http://www.fantasyfest.com.

MONROE COUNTY, FL – The Monroe County Board of County Commissioners met this evening to discuss, approve, and finalize the $715.7 million Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) budget. The budget includes the Board of County Commissioners, the constitutional officers, which include the Sheriff, Tax Collector, Property Appraiser, Supervisor of Elections, and Clerk of Court, and other appropriations for the Tourist Development Council, capital projects, and reserves. Each entity has its own independent budget within the total budget.
 
Monroe County Office of Management and Budget Director Tina Boan presented the budget with FY25 estimates of residential real estate trends, taxable property values, sales taxes, and state shared revenues, along with fund balance, reserves, and general fund.
 
With the finalized budget and countywide average property values, a homesteaded residential property owner with an average appraised taxable value of $500,777.90 will see a $2.54 monthly increase for countywide services in their property tax for the FY25 year. Of the total taxable value in Monroe County, 20 percent is from homesteaded properties. Non-homesteaded residential properties (with an average taxable value of $922,891.20) comprise 59 percent of the taxable value. Non-homesteaded properties would see a $17 per month increase. Commercial property and vacant land represent 17 percent and 4 percent of taxable value, respectively.
 
Of the total budget, $156 million is ad valorem (or from property taxes), 70.8 percent of the ad valorem funds public safety (like law enforcement, fire rescue, detention centers, medical examiner, and the health department), and 22.2 percent funds the constitutional officers’ operating costs.
 
“The total ad valorem tax levy funds everything it takes to run this county from personnel, police, fire rescue, electric in county buildings, parks and beach improvements, children, senior and Veterans services, trash collection, and more,” said Assistant County Administrator Kevin Wilson. “The rest of the budget is funded by sales tax, state shared revenues, license and permit fees, fines and forfeitures, and service charges.”
 
Additional FY25 Budget Key Points:

• Countywide millage rate: 2.6929 or $269.29 per $100,000 of value, most likely the lowest in Florida again. This is 1% below the FY24 rate of 2.7191. The FY25 aggregate millage rate is 3.3779, which is 0.8% lower than the FY24 rate.
• Reflects a property value increase with a total taxable value of $46.2 billion, another historical high. Property values have doubled in the past 8 years, a 10.6 percent increase compared to last year.
• Reflects continued investment in roads and bridges, resilience adaptation, facilities, and public safety, including funding for the three new Trauma Star helicopters (spread out over several years), operational costs of the new Emergency Operations Center, funding for 24 firefighters who have been paid through a Safer Grant for the past three years, a new Sugarloaf Fire Station, and a replacement firetruck, ambulance, and the addition of two new fire rescue boats.
• Sixteen notable capital projects with $110 million in total costs have $66 million in grant funding, a testament to staff success in finding grants (OPM) to fund local projects and shows a balanced approach to fostering resilience in Monroe County.
• Funds higher operational costs, such as increases for vendor contracts, fuel, supplies, and materials costs, utility and property insurance costs, and personnel costs, while committing to keeping property taxes low.
• Provides more than $2.2 million in funding for 30 community-based nonprofit organizations.
• 12 full-time vacant staff positions were eliminated from the budget, a savings of $1.3 million.

 
The Monroe County Office of Management and Budget coordinates and develops the budget. The award-winning office continues to work with inflation issues and Hurricane Irma and Ian impacts while providing for the department’s daily operations, program enhancements, capital projects, and infrastructure improvements.
 
For more information about the budgeting process or to view budget details, visit www.monroecounty-fl.gov/budget.