MONROE COUNTY, FL--The Monroe County Board of County Commissioners recognizes its long-term employees for their contributions to the county’s citizens. Below are those celebrating milestones this month.
 
10 Years

• Cheryl Sullivan, Director of Solid Waste

 
5 Years

• Luis Garay, Airports
• Roy Mendez, Trauma Star
• Wayne Porter, Social Services

 
EDDIE CAPOTE OF PARKS AND BEACHES RECOGNIZED FOR 20 YEARS OF SERVICE
 
KEY LARGO, FL--The Monroe County Board of County Commissioners recognized Eddie Capote for his 20 years of dedicated service with Monroe County at Wednesday’s Board of County Commissioners meeting. Capote started as a maintenance worker and became a team leader in the Parks and Beaches department at Key Largo Community Park and Friendship Park.
 
“He does a tremendous job keeping the parks safe and aesthetically pleasing for our community members,” said Parks and Beaches Director John Allen. “Over the years, Eddie has proven to be a valuable asset to the team, always stepping up to help whenever we are in need.”
 
Recently, Capote helped with the Keys Kids Swim program, translating for a little girl who could not speak English well.
 
Mayor Holly Merrill Raschein added, “He warms the community’s heart, and we are very lucky to have him.”

MONROE COUNTY, FL--Monroe County’s Office of Sustainability will host a meeting to gain public input on the Monroe County Natural Resource Adaptation Plan virtually on Tuesday, Sept. 24 at 5 p.m. Monroe County has been planning over the last year to create a new Natural Resources Adaptation Plan that will help shape project priorities to address increasing flooding impacts on the County’s natural resources. 
 
The County is completing the project and will present the data collected, the approach, and the technical evaluations to help prioritize the various natural resources impacted by future flood risk, including sea level rise. The project will also provide example project strategies and potential locations to reduce these impacts in the future. The County received grant funding from the State of Florida for this project.
 
The meeting link can be found on the County website calendar or directly at  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6757369686pwd=Z3k2Rm9QVHRZRkcvbFdzUFNNcXhJZz09&omn=84900854921&from=addon.
 
The County has been updating its Vulnerability Assessment for all its critical assets, but this specific project only focuses on adaptation strategies for natural resources. This plan is one of the first in Florida to specifically focus on addressing flooding impacts on natural resources assets instead of infrastructure. 
 
As an Area of Critical State Concern, this project is important to help determine what is achievable in the future to protect the County’s natural resources and the dependent plant and wildlife species. The project also included a cost-benefit analysis to understand the economic benefits of pursuing natural resource adaptation projects with either County, grant funding, or both.
 
“We are seeking the public’s input to ensure we have included all of the important County natural resources, that we have developed the right priorities, and that we hear from you on the types of adaptation response you would like to see the County pursue,” said Chief Resilience Officer Rhonda Haag.

UPPER KEYS, FL-- The Monroe County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) proclaims September 2024 as National Senior Center Month and recognizes the special contributions of Just Older Youth (JOY) members in the Upper Keys. The group can frequently be found in the lobby of the Murray Nelson Government Center before BOCC meetings playing ukuleles and recently partnered with the County to provide two days of activities at the Plantation Key Community Center to enhance the well-being of the older citizens of our community.
 
The proclamation says that older Americans are significant members of our society, investing their wisdom and experience to help enrich and strengthen our community. The JOY Center has acted as a catalyst for mobilizing the creativity, energy, vitality, and commitment of older residents of the Upper Keys.
 
“The JOY Center has been a community partner in ensuring that our most vulnerable citizens, people aged 50 and older, stay safe and connected in our community,” said Mayor Holly Merrill Raschein. “The JOY Center affirms older persons’ dignity, self-worth, and independence, and we are honored to celebrate you all. We love our seniors and appreciate the advocacy for the seniors in our community.”

​MONROE COUNTY, FL--The Monroe County Board of County Commissioners and Mayor Holly Merrill Raschein officially announce September 2024 as Hunger Action Month. In South Florida, approximately one million individuals face hunger. Since 1981, Feeding South Florida has worked to end hunger in Monroe County by providing the community with immediate access to nutritious food. The organization works closely with Monroe County Social Services to provide drive-through food pantries throughout the year.
 
“Feeding South Florida leads hunger and poverty advocacy efforts in our community while transforming lives through innovative programming and education that provides economic growth and overall well-being,” said Monroe County Mayor Holly Merrill Raschein. “Monroe County is committed to supporting Feeding South Florida and calls upon our community to do the same during this month.”
 
Feeding South Florida’s Director of Health and Wellness Carmen Urrunaga attended the Board of County Commissioners meeting on Wednesday to accept the proclamation. “When we nourish our neighbors, we nourish our entire community, and every action makes a difference,” she said.
 
To donate, volunteer, or see neighborhood food pantries, visit www.feedingsouthflorida.org. 

MONROE COUNTY, FL – Sept. 11 marks the 23rd anniversary of the terrorist attacks against the United States, which claimed the lives of 2,996 people and injured more than 6,000 others at the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon, and United Airlines Flight 93 in Pennsylvania.
 
On Sept. 11, 2001, in addition to law enforcement officers, medical service providers, and other public servants, 343 firefighters made the ultimate sacrifice to help others.
 
“Many of us think about the tragedy and where we were when the planes hit the World Trade Center. I think about the event year-long,” said Monroe County Fire Chief Jim Callahan. “Please let us never forget.”
 
Monroe County Fire Rescue invites the public to any of the Monroe County Fire Rescue stations on Sept. 11 to reflect on the lives lost.

• 9:50 a.m. – Primary apparatus brought out of the station bay.
• 9:59 – (Time of the South Tower WTC collapse), sound apparatus air horn in three sets of five blasts followed by one minute of silence.
• 10:00 to 10:28 – Time for personal remembrance and reflection.
• 10:28 – (Time of the North Tower WTC collapse), sound apparatus air horn in three sets of five blasts followed by one minute of silence.
• 10:29 – Flag raised and then returned to half-mast.
• 10:30 – Return apparatus to station and resume normal duties.

During the remembrance, normal emergency response actions will be observed if needed.
 
Stations are located at:

• Station 8 - Stock Island, 5655 MacDonald Avenue, MM 5
• Station 9 - Big Coppitt, 28 Emerald Drive, MM 10
• Station 10 – Sugarloaf, 17175 Overseas Highway, MM 17
• Station 11 – Cudjoe, 22352 Overseas Highway, MM 20
• Station 13 - Big Pine Key, 390 Key Deer Boulevard, MM 30.5
• Station 17 - Conch Key, 10 S Conch Avenue, MM 63
• Station 18 – Layton, 68260 Overseas Highway, MM 68.5
• Station 22 – Tavernier, 151 Marine Avenue, MM 92

The Florida SBDC Network, the state’s principal provider of business assistance, along with the Florida APEX Accelerator recently announced the recipients of its annual staff awards.
The awards, which were presented at the network’s annual conference August 20 in Ponte Vedra, are the highest recognition bestowed by the network to staff members, partners, and volunteers.   
 
“It’s a privilege to honor this year’s award winners for their remarkable commitment to advancing small businesses across Florida,” said Greg Britton, state director of the Florida SBDC Network. “These individuals work tirelessly to make a difference in the lives of small business owners and their communities. We congratulate this year’s winners and are proud to highlight their inspiring contributions.” 
 
The Florida SBDC Region of the Year Award was presented to the Florida SBDC at University of South Florida for their outstanding work to help small businesses in South Florida. In 2023, the region delivered more than 21,000 hours of assistance to help more than 3,400 clients. As a result, they helped client businesses secure more than $207 million in government contracts, start 179 new businesses, secure more than $60 million in capital and supported more than 4,400 jobs. 
 
The Florida State Star Award was presented to Yolanda Goodloe from the Florida APEX Accelerator at Pinellas County Economic Development. The Florida State Star award is the highest accolade achievable by employees, recognizing extraordinary performers who have made strong contributions to their state network. This year’s award was presented to Goodloe for her contributions to the Florida APEX and SBDC network and her unparalleled dedication, consistently exceeding expectations.
 
The Florida Alan Cowart Pioneer Award was presented to the Florida SBDC at the University of Central Florida for their Reverse Trade Show. The Reverse Trade Show is the marquee event hosted by the UCF team every year and offers an opportunity for active APEX clients, second-stage SBDC clients in government, and small businesses not yet connected to the SBDC to network with government agencies and prime contractors.
 
The Florida Ambassador of the Year Award was presented to Jesus Padilla from the Florida SBDC at Florida International University for his efforts in increasing client engagement, exceeding goals, and his work with the Miami-Dade Community Navigator program. 
 
The State Office Distinguished Service Award was presented to Ann Dziadon, Executive Assistant, for her outstanding involvement and above and beyond work to ensure brand consistency and provide the highest level of service to SBDC clients and staff. 
 
The Florida Rising Star Award was presented to Donna Jarrett from the Florida SBDC at Florida Gulf Coast University. This award, which recognizes employees under the age of 35 with less than five years of service, was given to Donna for her outstanding contributions to the region's annual women's business conference, Women Excelle. 
 
The Florida Team Spirit Award was presented to Steve South from the Florida APEX Accelerator at the University of Central Florida. Steve was honored for his contributions and leadership during the transition from Florida PTAC to Florida APEX Accelerator. 
 
The network presented two Florida Student Project of the Year Awards, which recognize student team projects from an SBDC region that created the most significant experiential learning opportunity for the student(s) while providing SBDC client value. The undergraduate student project winner was the Florida SBDC at UWF / Taste of Pensacola. The graduate student project winner was the Florida SBDC at USF / Dinner Done.  
 
The Florida Resource Partner of the Year Award was presented to FloridaCommerce for their advocacy of Florida’s small businesses and continued support of the Florida SBDC Network.
 
The Florida Volunteer of the Year Award was presented to Mark Szaks, owner of Trust Environmental. Szaks was selected for his outstanding outreach, partnership, and commitment to the Florida SBDC at UNF region and small business community.
 
The network also recognized staff in three categories of lifetime achievement awards. These awards were presented to staff for their outstanding capital access, new business starts, and government contracting impact during their tenure with the network:

Capital Access Lifetime Achievement Awardees:

• Angel Rentas, Florida SBDC at FAU - $100M +
• Roberto Castellon, Florida SBDC at FIU - $100M +
• Dr. Len Eichler, Florida SBDC at UWF - $50M +
• Selma Canas, Florida SBDC at USF - $50 +

 
Laura Subel Government Contracting Lifetime Achievement Awardees:

• Karen Krymski, Florida APEX at USF - $250M +
• Yolanda Goodloe, Florida APEX at Pinellas County Economic Development - $100M +
• Mark Odell, Florida APEX at FGCU - $50M +
• Janette Blanco, Florida SBDC at Hillsborough County - $50M +

 
New Business Starts Lifetime Achievement Awardees: 

• Frederic Bonneau, Florida SBDC at FIU - 300 +
• Elizabeth Goldbach, Florida SBDC at FGCU - 75 +
• Christa Wilson, Florida SBDC at UWF - 75 +
• Jodi Henson, Florida SBDC at UNF - 75 +

 
Regional and Service Year Awards are also presented to exemplary employees for making significant contributions to their respective SBDC regions and for achieving service year milestones. Service Year Awardees:

• Frederic Bonneau, Florida SBDC at FIU - 20 Years
• Marge Cirillo, Florida SBDC at UNF - 15 Years 

 
The Florida SBDC Network wishes to thank its 2024 event sponsors and partners: Florida First Capital Finance Corporation, Florida Power & Light, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Valley Bank, Suncoast Credit Union, Embrace Resorts, Veterans Florida, CareerSource Florida, Florida Business Exchange, Florida Chamber of Commerce, the Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship, Florida Chamber of Commerce, Florida Economic Development Council, Square, South State Bank, FloridaMakes, Florida Trend, Prospera, St. Johns Chamber of Commerce, North Florida Economic Development Partnership, Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer, and Thryv Foundation.  

​Robert the Doll, Key West’s world-renowned haunted historic toy, dares Key West and Stock Island residents and business owners to decorate your digs and enter Fantasy Fest 2024’s “Robert the Doll’s Frightful Façade Contest” for a chance to win cash prizes ranging from $100-$1000, along with everlasting glory.
 
Creep out your crib or businesses façade ghoulishly, roll with this year’s “It’s a 90s NEON Cosmic Carnival!” Fantasy Fest theme, go full-out “Tribute to Robert,” or create a mish-mash of all the above. The choice is yours, with Robert’s permission! Final day to register is Mon. Oct. 14; judging will take place Mon. Oct. 21.
 
And, beginning on Oct. 24, the living public is invited to select a “Community Favorite” by casting a vote. Community voting will be open from Oct. 24-29 with the locations that garner the most votes scoring a special gift package of treats and services. Winners will be announced on Oct. 30.
 
Fantasy Fest 2024 is presented in part by the Monroe County Tourist Development Council and We’ve Got the Keys. “Robert the Doll’s Frightful Façade Contest” is sponsored by Ghost Key West’s Robert the Doll Experience Ghost Tour and Key West Art & Historical Society. Get your competition entry form, plus viewing and voting information, at http://www.fantasyfest.com where you can also download the Fantasy Fest mobile app to view an interactive GPS map of the entries, a complete Fantasy Fest schedule, and more.

​KEY WEST, FL, September 6, 2024—The College of the Florida Keys (CFK) invites the community to attend its CFK Poetics event on September 19 at 5:30 p.m. at the Tennessee Willliams Theatre on the Key West Campus. The annual visiting poets activity will feature a live reading from acclaimed poet Kim Addonizio. She will read some of her work and take questions from the audience. The event is free for all attendees.
 
Kim Addonizio is the author of eight poetry collections, two novels, two story collections, and two books on writing poetry: The Poet’s Companion, with Dorianne Laux, and Ordinary Genius. Her poetry collection Tell Me was a finalist for the National Book Award. She also has two word/music CDs: Swearing, Smoking, Drinking, and Kissing with Susan Browne and My Black Angel, the companion to My Black Angel: Blues Poems and Portraits, a collaboration with woodcut artist Charles D. Jones. Her poetry has been translated into several languages including Spanish, Arabic, Italian, and Hungarian.
 
CFK Poetics is a series that aims to develop awareness of an 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 Key West 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, Barbara Hamby, David Kirby, Adrian Matejka, and Lauren K. Alleyne. Additional information about CFK Poetics can be found on the College’s website at cfk.edu/poetics.
 
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 presentation do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.

​Expanding Educational Opportunities to Create the Next Generation of Reef Stewards Florida Keys — United Way of Collier and the Keys (UWCK) is reminding schools, educators, and organizations that the application deadline for the annual Marine Science Education Grant is fast approaching! Don’t miss out on this opportunity to expand marine science and conservation programs for students in the Florida Keys. Now in its fourth year, UWCK’s five-year commitment aims to provide $180,000 to schools and educational facilities throughout the Keys. In the 2023-2024 cycle, a total of $41,729 was awarded to 17 recipients. “Our kayak cleanup on the Fury was incredible! We cannot thank UWCK enough for such a wonderful experience,” said Amy Harper, a fifth-grade teacher at Poinciana Elementary School. Through the grant, 65 students participated in the kayak cleanup, gaining a deeper understanding of marine conservation. “Seeing the amount of trash, boat rope, and fishing line made them reflect on the long-term effects of careless fishing,” Harper added. The Marine Science Education Grant program is part of UWCK's ongoing mission to create the next generation of reef stewards, in partnership with the United Arab Emirates. Grants of up to $2,500 are available per application for Monroe County School District schools and Monroe County-based marine science nonprofit education centers or organizations. Additionally, up to $500 per application is available for Monroe County licensed childcare facilities and preschools. Grants can cover expenses such as transportation, materials, curriculum, supplies, and more, helping to bring these vital marine science programs to life. Applications are due by September 30th, 2024. For more information on the grant application, visit https://uwcollierkeys.org/mseg/. Pictured: Poinciana Elementary School 5th grade students participating in a kayak cleanup.

​MONROE COUNTY, FL--The Monroe County Board of County Commissioners announced on Wednesday evening plans to hire Christine Hurley as County Administrator, the County’s top leadership position. She is a former Assistant County Administrator and currently Monroe County Land Authority Executive Director. She is expected to start the new position in mid-September.
 
“It’s an honor to be selected as the next County Administrator by the commissioners,” said Hurley. “I look forward to working with our staff to implement board policies and directives, serving our great community, and restoring confidence in our County operations.”
 
Hurley started with the County in 2009 as the Growth Management Division Director. In 2015, she then transitioned to Assistant County Administrator and became the head of the Land Authority in 2021.
 
She holds degrees in Public Administration and Economics and is certified by the American Institute of Certified Planners.
 
She has accomplished notable achievements in her career, including developing a land acquisition methodology leveraging State funding into the County to further preservation, championing affordable housing initiatives after Hurricane Irma swept through the Keys, and working with FEMA to end the decades-long downstairs enclosure pilot program. That program created a pathway for the County to be considered in good standing with FEMA, which opened the door to the Community Rating System securing large discounts to private property owner flood insurance. Before coming to Monroe County, she held similar positions in the City of Fort Myers, Florida, and worked in the private sector as a consultant.    
 
“Ms. Hurley is ready to hit the ground running at a time when strong leadership is required for our County,” said Monroe County Mayor Holly Merrill Raschein. “She knows the issues, our team members, and most importantly, she lives and breathes the Florida Keys.”
 
Kevin Wilson has been Acting County Administrator since February and will return to the Assistant County Administrator role, working side-by-side with Hurley to maintain County services.
 
“We are excited that our Acting County Administrator Kevin Wilson will continue to play a big leadership role, and I am grateful for his dedicated service to our County,” said Raschein.