Key West, FL — Queer Keys and A.H. Monroe have announced a new partnership aimed at strengthening HIV prevention efforts and community support for LGBTQIA+ individuals, starting in Key West with plans to expand throughout the Florida Keys. By uniting resources, expertise, and a shared commitment to health and empowerment, this collaboration will deliver life-enhancing support to LGBTQIA+ youth, seniors, and transgender individuals through targeted resources and expanded programs.
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Creating a Healthier, Safer Community Together Queer Keys, the only LGBTQIA+-specific nonprofit in the Florida Keys, has long been dedicated to supporting, educating, and celebrating the queer community. Now, in partnership with A.H. Monroe—a trusted leader in healthcare and support for individuals affected by HIV—the two organizations are bringing fresh energy and innovation to HIV prevention and outreach efforts designed for the unique needs of the LGBTQIA+ community.

“Through this partnership, we’re creating a pathway for individuals to access not only critical health resources but also a supportive community,” said Scott Pridgen, Executive Director of A.H. Monroe. “It’s a powerful step forward in addressing the specific needs of LGBTQIA+ individuals across the Keys. Our goal is to make these essential services accessible to everyone who needs them, no matter where they are on their journey.”

Innovative HIV Prevention and Education for Youth and Beyond The partnership blends the strengths of Queer Keys and A.H. Monroe to build comprehensive, inclusive HIV prevention and education programs. In Queer Keys’ youth program, new engaging safe sex workshops, facilitated by educators from the Monroe County Health Department, will provide LGBTQIA+ youth with tools, resources, and knowledge, including PrEP education, to help them make informed choices.

“Every member of our community deserves to feel seen and supported,” said Chris McNulty, Executive Director of Queer Keys. “By uniting with A.H. Monroe, we’re creating a foundation where everyone— regardless of age or identity—can access the basic life opportunities needed for stability and the potential to thrive. This partnership brings people together in ways that bolster our resilience and strengthen our connections.”

Dedicated Support for Transgender Wellness For the transgender community, Queer Keys' TransConnect program and A.H. Monroe’s care services will collaborate on essential HIV prevention, testing, and counseling. This partnership means that transgender individuals in the Keys will have compassionate and affirming access to HIV-related health services tailored to their needs.
Creative Condom Distribution to Foster Safer Choices Through their combined efforts, Queer Keys and A.H. Monroe will reimagine the condom distribution program with approachable, engaging packaging and messaging that make safer sex resources accessible. Collaboration with distribution sites and feedback from community members will help create a comfortable, supportive approach to safer sex choices throughout the Keys.

Fostering Connection and Support for LGBTQIA+ Seniors Looking ahead to early 2025, the partnership will launch a program specifically for LGBTQIA+ seniors, providing social support and health resources to enrich lives and foster community connections. This initiative will cultivate a stronger sense of belonging and ensure that LGBTQIA+ seniors have access to resources that meet their unique needs.

Showing Up and Standing Proud in the Keys Queer Keys and A.H. Monroe plan to amplify their message together at events like the Key West PRIDE Fair and Parade, underscoring their joint commitment to health and community support. This partnership goes beyond HIV prevention; it’s about showing up and standing proudly with the LGBTQIA+ community at every step.

Through this dynamic collaboration, Queer Keys and A.H. Monroe aim to make lasting changes in the lives of LGBTQIA+ individuals in the Keys, ensuring they have the knowledge and resources to lead stable and fulfilling lives.

​For additional information, please reach out to the media contacts listed above.

MONROE COUNTY, FL – At Tuesday’s Board of County Commissioners meeting, the board chose Mayor Pro Tem Jim Scholl to serve as Monroe County Mayor and Commissioner Michelle Lincoln to serve as Mayor Pro Tem for the next year. Mayor Scholl has been a commissioner since he was appointed in April 2022, and Mayor Pro Tem Lincoln since elected in November 2018.
 
Mayor Scholl, Mayor Pro Tem Lincoln, and the commissioners recognized outgoing Mayor Holly Merrill Raschein for her mayoral duties for the past year and for leading the County through important conversations like ROGO throughout the year.
 
The mayor’s title is given to the Board of County Commissioners chairperson. The commissioners choose the designee based on a majority vote, usually at the November board meeting. A mayor pro tem is also designated to fill in when the mayor is unavailable. The mayor presides over the Board of County Commissioners meetings and serves as the Monroe County representative at ceremonial occasions. The mayor is also responsible for signing and cosigning documents with the County Clerk.

KEY LARGO, FL – Jacobs Aquatic Center’s competition pool in Key Largo reopened on Saturday after a long-anticipated refurbishment. Monroe County Project Management worked with Parks and Beaches and StandGuard Aquatics, the pool’s operations company, to lower the impact of the closure on the community and patrons of the pool. A TDC grant funded the refurbishment.
 
“This was a real multi-departmental effort that would not have been possible without the cooperation of the Key Largo Volunteer Fire Department, FKAA, StandGuard Aquatics, Monroe County Roads and Bridges, Parks and Beaches, and others,” said Monroe County Senior Project Manager Suzi Rubio. “Thanks to this joint effort, we completed the refurbishment, filled, and opened the pool eight days earlier than anticipated.” 
 
The pool liner refurbishment is the first since Jacobs Aquatic Center opened in 2002. The center is the home of the Orange Bowl Swim Classic, held the first weekend in January each year, and the management company also offers various community-centered programs, including Zumba, water fitness classes, swim lessons, and summer and break camps for children.
 
For more information on the pool, visit https://jacobsaquaticcenter.org/.

MONROE COUNTY, FL – A Monroe County Building Department Unlicensed Contractor Investigator cited an unlicensed asphalt paver and the business owner who hired the company last week. The asphalt company was from New Jersey. Fines could be up to $2,000 for the violations.

“The public needs to know that there are people out there who will try to do work like this, and it is not legal without the proper permits,” said Monroe County Building Official Rick Griffin.
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Monroe County requires all property owners or licensed contractors to pull a permit for things like paving and asphalt. The property owner could also incur additional fines from Code Compliance for unpermitted improvements to the property.
 
If you feel you are being targeted by an unlicensed contractor in unincorporated Monroe County, call 305-289-2516 or email [email protected].
 

KEY WEST, FL, November 14, 2024— The College of the Florida Keys will hold “Fast Track to Spring” events on Wednesday, November 20, 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 path toward their academic and career training goals this spring semester. New student applications are due December 1 and classes begin January 10. New students who participate in “Fast Track to Spring” 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:
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• Sealed official transcripts (college and high school)
• Two forms of proof of Florida residency (such as a Florida driver’s license and Florida vehicle registration)
• Official test scores (SAT, ACT, and/or PERT)

For more information about the opportunities available at CFK, visit the College’s website at cfk.edu or contact Marissa Owens, CFK Manager of Recruitment, at [email protected] or call 305-809-3207.

Join us for the Key West Artisan Market, Leave Your Legacy edition featuring Key West Art & Historical Society November 17, 2024, 10 am to 2 pm at Indigenous Park. Meet KWAHS staff and learn more about the buy a brick initiative. Personalized bricks are the perfect way to celebrate a connection to Key West and to ensure that an individual, business, friend, loved one, or even a pet will be memorialized in history.  Funds from the brick campaign provide for the ongoing costs of safeguarding the Society’s architecturally significant museum building—a beacon of historic preservation and center for community engagement. Bricks are available for purchase for the remainder of the year with a projected installation date of June 2025. Founded in 1949, the Key West Art and Historical Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization tasked with the promotion of the humanities, art, and history of the Florida Keys by educating the public and by collecting, preserving, restoring, and exhibiting significant art, artifacts, and historical properties. 
 
At the Artisan Market enjoy bloody’s, mimosas along with a full bar, coffee, smoothies, natural juices and cut fruit, multiple food trucks and stalls offering eat-here or take-away. Shop a curated outdoor market offering fine crafts, art and jewelry from talented Florida Keys makers. Listen to awesome local musicians of the trop rock variety and meet talented local writers.
 
The market is conveniently located close to the Higgs Beach Dog Park, free West Martello Tower botanical gardens, White Street Pier and of course, the alluring Atlantic ocean across the street at Higgs Beach. Also plan a tour of the Key West Wildlife Center which is located behind the show offers tours by donation The market is 10 am to 2 pm every other Sunday in season, by locals, for locals.
Free entry, free parking. Please BYOB (bring your own bags)
#WhereTheLocalsMeet #SeeAndBeSeen #KWAM
 
Email [email protected] to become a vendor or visit https://bit.ly/KWAMS12

​(Key West, FL). – Florida Keys people know how to bring serious fun to a serious cause, and the recent “Tats for Ta-Tas” Block Party Fundraiser at Tattoos & Scars Saloon on October 16 was no exception. The annual breast health benefit organized by Tattoos & Scars Saloon rallied the community to help raise an impressive $145,000, ensuring Keys women free or affordable access to critical mammograms, screenings, and diagnostic services at Womankind Health Center’s Key West and Marathon locations.
 
Research shows that when breast cancer is detected early and still localized, the 5-year relative survival rate is about 99%. Early detection through annual mammograms also leads to less intensive treatments, reducing the physical and financial burden of the disease.  
 
Unfortunately, many women forgo this annual appointment due to financial or time constraints.  
 
Thanks to Womankind, in collaboration with Zonta Key West,  hundreds of vouchers for mammograms are given out annually, providing that preventative care critical for early breast cancer detection, improved outcomes,  and successful treatment.  
 
“Tats for Tatas not only brings our community together to raise funds for a very important cause, but also reminds women in the most upbeat way possible about scheduling their breast health check-ups, knowing we’ll help cover the costs,” said Womankind Executive Director Cali Roberts.
 
Initiated in 2021 by Scars bar owner Casey Vinall and Key Lime Bike Tours owner Maria Gonzalez,  the signature event is held annually during Breast Cancer Awareness Month and embodies the community’s commitment to fun, fundraising, and support for Womankind’s lifesaving work. The two volunteer their time for months leading up to the three-hour event, coordinating with Womankind staff and collecting generous in-kind donations from community business. 
 
In the last three years, the event has raised nearly $250,000 from donated liquor and merchandise sales, staff tips,  body painting, “motorboat booth” ticket sales,  50/50 raffles, individual donations, and an array of silent auction packages from generous in-kind donations from local businesses including hotels stays at Marquesa Hotel, Southernmost Mansion by the Sea, The Rum Bar, and Marrero Guest House, fishing charters, and spa treatments.
 
“Our team at Womankind can’t thank Casey, Maria,  and everyone who contributed to making this a success enough,” said Roberts.  “Your efforts really do make a huge difference in keeping so many women in our community healthy, and in some cases, alive.”
 
Tax-deductible donations to the Tats for Tatas fund are ongoing and can be made at @tatsfortatas. For more information on Womankind's mission, visit womankindkeywest.com or to schedule an appointment, call Womankind at 305-294-4004.

November 12, 2024 – (KEY WEST, FL).  On Tuesday, November 26, join award-winning screenwriter and Pushcart-nominated author L.L. Kirchner as she examines Florida’s homegrown mafia during her talk entitled, “Florida Hustlers, Blue Bloods, and Dreamers: The Rise of the Sunshine State Mafia.”  During her discussion, based on her recent best-selling book, “Florida Girls,” Kirchner will explore facets of the state’s unique criminal landscape.  The talk takes place from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Tropic Cinema, 416 Eaton Street, and tickets are required.
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While Meyer Lansky, Lucky Luciano, and Al Capone are often associated with organized crime in Florida, the state's homegrown mafia played an equally significant role in shaping its underworld.  Florida's unique criminal landscape even served as the starting point for Joseph Pistone's (aka Donnie Brasco) famous undercover investigation into the Bonanno crime family.  This talk will explore the distinctive historical forces and personalities that defined Florida's criminal underbelly.  Kirchner will shed light on how these elements intertwined to create a uniquely Floridian brand of organized crime, distinct from yet connected to the more widely known syndicates.

“Journalist and author L.L. Kirchner spent years delving into the lives of Florida's larger-than-life figures to write her “Queenpin Chronicles” trilogy,” says Cori Convertito, curator for the Society.  “Her research reveals a complex and fascinating tapestry of characters who molded the Sunshine State's identity, from savvy promotional gurus who built the tourism industry to ruthless gangsters who capitalized on Prohibition and seized control of bolita gambling.  Whether you're intrigued by true crime, passionate about Florida history, or simply curious about the state's shadowy past, this presentation promises to offer new insights.”

Kirchner is an award-winning screenwriter and author whose life and work as an expat in Asia became the basis of two memoirs. Drawing on her eclectic background as a religion editor, dating columnist, and bridal editor, her writing combines humor with her discerning eye, or, as an NPR interviewer said, her work was “like Eat, Pray, Love, but funny.”  Her work has also appeared in “The Washington Post,” “Salon,” and “The Rumpus” among numerous other outlets.

To reserve tickets for the lecture; visit kwahs.org/dss-mafia - $13 for KWAHS members, $17 for non-members.  Support for the lecture series is provided by Aloys & Carol Metty and the John & Marilyn Rintamaki Family Charitable Fund.  For more information, contact Cori Convertito, Ph.D. at 305-295-6616 x507 or [email protected].

Your Museums.  Your Community.  It takes an Island.

November 11, 2024 - The beloved Sugarloaf Showdown Fishing Tournament, centered in the Lower Keys, is back. This year, the tournament will run from November 14-16, 2024, promising a perfect blend of friendly rivalry and community spirit. Now in its 11th year, this annual catch-and-release fishing tournament brings together anglers of all ages and skill levels to the Lower Florida Keys for three days of fishing, fun, family, and philanthropy.

Originally founded to draw anglers to the Florida Keys during the (no-longer) “slower” fall season, the Showdown has blossomed into one of the most anticipated events on the fishing calendar. With a competitive edge that attracts top-tier teams and a first-time waitlist for registration, the tournament still holds true to its roots—offering a playful, family-oriented atmosphere and a sense of community that only a homegrown Keys fishing tournament can provide.

Hosted by the Lower Keys Guides Association (LKGA), anglers in this tournament target bonefish, permit, and barracuda, earning points for successful catch-and-release. Teams can choose to use either fly or spin tackle and will compete for awards in both divisions. Victory goes to those who can score across all three species, but if no team manages to do so, winners will be determined by points accumulated from two species. To make it even more inclusive, the Sugarloaf Showdown will give special recognition to the top youth teams, consisting of anglers aged 12 and under.

Family Ties That Bind
One of the tournament’s most endearing aspects is the multigenerational participation. Nearly 30% of this year’s teams are family duos: guides fishing with their kids, fathers and daughters, sons, or siblings competing together or on opposing teams. A standout story is legendary Captain Pat Bracher and his daughter, Charley, who have been a formidable team for many years. Now 14, Charley has already claimed four overall tournament grand champion victories, as well as three first place wins in the youth division, two second place spin division wins, and a third-place win with her father, highlighting both her skill, her father’s guiding prowess, and the bond they share on the water.
“The Showdown is a special tournament for me,” adds Captain Brandon Cyr, LKGA Vice President and decorated local fishing guide. This year, his angler is his daughter, Erinn. “These two days on the water, with just me and my daughter, are priceless,” he shares. With a solid fishing strategy in place, they have left room to enjoy one of their favorite on-the-water lunch spots. “It’s about the memories, the quality time together, and sharing the profession and sport we love with the people we love.”

Supporting the Keys' Charter Fishing Community
While the tournament is a highlight of the year for many, it also serves a greater purpose. Proceeds from the event, including funds raised through an extensive online auction, benefit the Florida Keys Guides Trust Foundation. This foundation provides crucial financial support to fishing guides facing hardships that prevent them from working, helping to cover essentials until they can return to the water.

“Supporting the Guides Trust Foundation is our way of giving back to an organization that fills a critical gap for many fishing guides who make the Keys a world-class fishing destination,” says Jessyca LaBadie, LKGA Operations Manager and Tournament Director. The online auction, open to the public, features sought-after items such as fishing gear, clothing, art, and more, running throughout the tournament. “Anyone can participate from wherever they are, even if they aren’t able to make it to the tournament this year,” LaBadie adds.

Event Highlights
The Sugarloaf Showdown kicks off Thursday, November 14, with check-in at 4 p.m. at Sugarloaf Marina, followed by a rules meeting and the opening of the Papa’s Pilar Rum Bar. Fishing runs from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday, with all boats required to return by 5:30 p.m. daily. The event wraps up on Saturday evening with an awards celebration and dinner on the picturesque grounds of the Sugarloaf Lodge.

For anglers and fishing enthusiasts, the Sugarloaf Showdown isn’t just a competition—it’s a celebration of the unique fishing culture of the Florida Keys. With opportunities to make lasting memories, compete with family and friends, and contribute to a worthy cause, this year’s Showdown is set to be one for the books.

So, whether you’re participating on the water or supporting from the shore, the Sugarloaf Showdown invites you to join the adventure. And don’t forget to bid in the silent auction—every contribution makes a difference! The online auction is open for viewing and starts accepting bids on November 14 at 4 p.m. You can check out the auction by visiting the tournament’s website at www.SugarloafShowdown.com.
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Event information and registration: sugarloafshowdown.com
More about LKGA: LKGA.org
More about Guides Trust Foundation: guidestrustfoundation.org