​Decorate your digs to win big! The Key West Chamber of Commerce Fantasy Façade contest offers fantastically decorated Key West homes and businesses the opportunity to compete for cash prizes and glory. Think ghoulish and think this year’s “Cult Classics & Cartoon Chaos” Fantasy Fest theme. Final day to enter is Oct. 17; judging is Monday, Oct. 24. Fantasy Fest 2022 is presented in part by the Monroe County Tourist Development Council. For a full calendar of events, schedule updates, and Fantasy Façade registration, visit http://www.fantasyfest.com.
 

​Keys Medical Group welcomes Naomi Andrews, MS, CNM, WHNP-BC.  Andrews is a certified nurse midwife who obtained her Master of Science in Nursing, Midwifery-WHNP at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. She joins Stanley Santiago, MD, MBA, FACOG, and Margo Von Mauw, MSN, APRN, CNM in Keys Medical Group Obstetrics and Gynecology.
 
Andrews provides trauma-informed midwifery care in miscarriage, pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum periods; gynecological care; family planning; patient education and family advocacy; disease prevention; menopause management; breast examination; cervical cancer screening/Pap smear; preventive and introductory adolescent gynecology; contraceptive care management; and women's annual and wellness visits. "I am passionate about providing compassionate and evidence-based care with respect to individual needs and am excited to join this diverse multi-specialty practice, Keys Medical Group," Andrews said. 
 
Appointments may be requested online at KeysMedicalGroup.com or by calling (305 )293-1830. Keys Medical Group Obstetrics and Gynecology is located at 1111 12th Street, Suite 104, in Key West. New patients are welcome and most major insurance plans are accepted.
 
About: Keys Medical Group is a multi-specialty practice of board-certified physicians and providers in Primary Care, General and Interventional Cardiology, Gastroenterology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Orthopedic Surgery/Sports Medicine, Psychiatry and Pulmonology. 
 

Mayor Teri Johnston and the Key West City Commission proclaimed October 21st as Be Like Mike Day in conjunction with United Way of Collier and the Keys’ project honoring the late “Mangrove” Mike Forster.

Forster was a dedicated citizen of the Keys, stepping up and helping the community from one end to the other during disasters. He was a business owner and a former Islamorada counsel member. He was a sitting county commissioner when he passed away.

But Mangrove Mike was much more. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he personally served food to communities up and down the Keys, dishing up hot meals to Key West residents and others in need in Monroe County. In the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, he reached out and provided meals to the people hard hit by the storm.

“Forster worked tirelessly to protect and improve his community in any way he could,” reads the proclamation, “organizing food giveaways, hosting MARC clients for dinner and a dance at Mangrove Mikes, preparing lunches for the Boys and Girls Club for their annual trip to Miami, and through unwavering support for law enforcement and veterans.”

Forster believed strongly in the idea of paying it forward, and United Way’s project focusses on performing random acts of kindness. Kicking off on October 17th, the non-profit is encouraging the community to reach out in a number of ways. Meaningful Monday is a chance to “give back to Keys kids.” The following days include, being kind to the ocean, helping our furry friends, and thanking veterans and law enforcement.
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The final day, October 21st, is Forster’s birthday. On this day United Way and the City of Key West encourage the community to “feed the Keys” by donating non-perishable food items to local food banks.

​Monroe County Administrator Roman Gastesi, Public Information Officer Kristen Livengood, and nine Monroe County Fire Rescue firefighter/paramedics and EMTs traveled to Hurricane Ian-devastated DeSoto County to work in the Emergency Operation Center and the community.
 
The nine firefighter/paramedic and EMTs are Andrea Thompson, Shelby Bosserman, Alex Baguer, Matthew Hill, Elizabeth Jacoby, Andre Castro, John Baird, Angel Chang-del Cuerto, and Morgan Anderson.
 
Gastesi supported DeSoto County Administrator Mandy Hines with lessons learned from Hurricane Irma, Livengood trained the county’s PIO in handling media inquiries and press conferences, and Monroe County Fire Rescue continues to work out of Station 1, supporting the operational and safety needs of the community.
 
Before the storm made landfall, the State’s Public Information liaison reached out to Livengood to see her availability. Gastesi and fire rescue followed closely behind.
 
“Just as the other county’s supported us during Hurricane Irma, we are paying it forward and supporting them now,” Gastesi said. DeSoto sent resources to Monroe County during Hurricane Irma, even though they also took a hit from the storm. “It is an incredible experience to see how other counties do things. It makes us more prepared when we have a storm of that magnitude and sets us up as being good neighbors to our Florida counterparts.”
 

​The Key West Artisan Market was unanimously given the green light by the Key West Commission Thursday to host another great season of shows on Sundays from 10 am to 2 pm in the parking lot at Sonny Mccoy Indigenous Park, 1801 White Street, across from Edward B. Knight Pier at Higgs Beach. The Market is again teaming up with the Key West Wildlife Center, who will be open for free (donation) tours.
 
The Key West Artisan Market, celebrating its 10th season, is a unique open air bazaar filled with artists, authors, chef-made cuisine, craftspeople, performers and fresh produce representing diversity, creativity, ingenuity and locally made products. Participants must live and also create/curate in the Keys in order to qualify. Each show offers a different theme and features one or more local charities. The 2022/2023 season offers 18 dates:  October 23, November 6 & 20, December 4 & 18, January 1, 15 & 29, February 12 & 26, March 5, 12, 19 & 26, April 2, 9, 16 & 23.
 
Key West Artisan Market: Welcome to the Party Edition, Sunday, October 23 from 10 am to 2 pm, kicks off Fantasy Fest week with the first market of the season. In addition to live music, great food, adult beverages, fun costume pieces and beautiful art, the show will feature the Little Pink Houses of Hope program, which promotes breast cancer screening and creates lifetime memory vacations for breast cancer patients & their families.
 
The Market offers free entry and ample free parking. Guests are encouraged to ride bikes and BYOB (bring your own bags).
To become a participant, email [email protected]
 

The Key West Ambassadors Academy graduated its 37th class during this week’s City Commission meeting. They join more than 600 citizens who now have a better insight to the workings of City government. Each class of the Key West Ambassadors Academy has been a special blend of dedicated, involved citizens.
During the City Commission meeting, City Manager Patti McLauchlin congratulated Class 37, noting the dedication it takes to volunteer their time for 12 weeks of delving into the inner workings of city government.
“Great job,” she said. “I want to thank you for your time and interest and all your dedication. I sincerely appreciate it, and you’re going to come back and share with me some of the things we can do to improve the City of Key West.”
Two current city leaders -- Commissioners Clayton Lopez and Sam Kauffman – were elected after finishing this program. Other alumni have served as commissioners as well as sitting on a variety of other City boards.
The Key West Ambassadors Academy was established in 2003 by then City Manager Julio Avael. Class 38 is slated to begin in mid-January. Applications will be available the first week in December.

​It’s time for clever cats and sagacious souls far and wide to put on your thinking caps and submit your Key West Fantasy Fest theme ideas for 2023! The winning theme composer and a guest will find themselves fabulously seated in the 2023 Bud Light Fantasy Fest parade Grand Stand among the parade judges and organizers. (Helpful hint: 2023 marks the 200-year anniversary of establishment of both Monroe County and Key West’s first Naval base, so think Bicentennial!) In the case of duplicate winning submissions, a drawing will determine one winner. Some past year’s Fantasy Fest themes include: “Secrets of the Zodiac Revealed (2001),” “Habitat for Insanity (2010),” and “Time Travel Unravels (2017).” Email submissions to [email protected]; deadline to enter is October 14, 2022. Fantasy Fest is presented in part by the Monroe County Tourist Development Council. For a full calendar of events and schedule updates  visit http://www.fantasyfest.com.
 

​After Commissioner Michelle Coldiron’s office began receiving calls from concerned citizens regarding trash receptacles at bus stops in the Lower Keys, she and her Executive Aide Jen Garcia worked closely with Monroe County Solid Waste Director Cheryl Sullivan and Waste Management District Manager Greg Sullivan to correct the problem.
 
The problem was that the cans were too small and too light, meaning trash was often overflowing from them, or an endangered key deer could easily topple them over to get the goodies inside.
 
The week before Hurricane Ian, the four of them replaced 17 older cans from Big Pine Key through Stock Island with bigger and heavier receptacles, which also proved helpful in the winds produced by the storm.
 
“I have much gratitude to Jen for responding so quickly to the feedback she was receiving from the public,” said Coldiron. “The teamwork between the County and Waste Management continues to be a great partnership for the community.”
 

​Casa Marina Key West hosted First Responder Appreciation Days on October 3-4, 2022. The event included a complimentary luncheon and dinner each day with capacity for 150 attendees at each event. All City of Key West and Monroe County fire, police, and rescue workers were invited to attend and many turned out for the event. Resort management and team members from both Casa Marina and The Reach Key West hosted the event.
 
“It’s important to us to show our first responders our sincere appreciation and thanks for all they do for our community all year long, and especially during a crisis like Hurricane Ian,” said John Trovato, complex managing director. “As the largest employer in Key West, we step forward to offer care and assistance to our community whenever possible, and to recognize the efforts of those who keep us safe.”
 
Casa Marina Key West is located at 1500 Reynolds St., Key West, FL 33040