KEY WEST, FL, November 20, 2025— The College of the Florida Keys (CFK) announced its "Fast Track to Spring" event will be offered on Wednesday, December 3 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at both its Key West Campus and Upper Keys Center. Throughout the day, personal appointments are available to help prospective students get registered and access financial resources to support their academic and career training goals.
 
Spring semester classes begin January 9 and 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:

• 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)

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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.

​MONROE COUNTY, FL – Monroe County Parks and Beaches will host a two-day Winter Break Camp on Monday, Dec. 22, and Tuesday, Dec. 23, at Big Pine Key Community Park, 31009 Atlantis Drive on Big Pine Key. The camp runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day and is open to children ages 6 to 12.
 
The daily rate is $30 per child, and all participants must be fully registered by Dec. 10. The camp will offer a full lineup of fun activities, including arts and crafts, sports, and other seasonal projects to keep kids active and engaged during the holiday break.
 
Application requests and inquiries can be directed to Mike Piekenbrock at 305-394-1173 or [email protected]. More information about Monroe County Parks and Beaches programs can be found at ParksAndBeaches.fun.

In what has become a family tradition with the City of Key West, Key West Transit will not be running buses on Thanksgiving Day so that drivers can spend the day with their families. The Lower Keys Shuttle will also be suspended for that one day. Service will resume on normal schedule on Friday.

All City offices will be closed both Thursday and Friday, November 27th and 28tth, in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.

The Bight Before Christmas Lighting of the Key West Bight will be at dusk on Wednesday, November 26th, and the official Tree Lighting Ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. on Monday, November 30th at Bayview Park. Santa will be on hand for his first appearance on the island!

The Key West World AIDS Day Service will be held at the AIDS Memorial, at the foot of White Street and the Edward B. Knight Pier, on December 1st. The candlelight procession will begin at 4:30 p.m. in front of City Hall, with the ceremony at the at the pier at 5 p.m.
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The City of Key West wishes everyone a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

The Florida Keys Council of the Arts is seeking Monroe County arts & cultural organizations and artists of all genres (visual, music, dance, literary, etc.) to apply for two grant opportunities. The deadline for Artist in Schools and Special Project grants is November 30 at 5pm. Applications are accepted online, and can be found at www.keysarts.com under the grants tab or on the link on the homepage.

Artists in Schools Grant program invites teaching artists in the performing, visual, literary or historical arts into the classroom. Teachers and teaching artists are encouraged to collaborate on creative projects together to enhance the existing curriculum or to teach a new topic integrating the arts. All Monroe County public and private schools, as well as other organizations that serve children ages 5-18, are eligible to be partners for the teaching artist. This application is for the Spring 2026 semester. Artists in Schools grants are up to $2,000 per request.

Special Project Grants are intended for arts organizations or individual artists in Monroe County. The grant is to provide short-term support to vital, creative projects that do not fit into the other grant categories. Special Project funding is limited to once in three years, up to $2,000 per request. This funding is to support a project that has a beginning, middle and end.

Contact information: Please call the Florida Keys Council of the Arts for suggestions and assistance at 305-295-4369 or by email to [email protected].
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The Florida Keys Council of the Arts is the leading arts and cultural organization in the Florida Keys. As the non-profit local arts agency in Monroe County, it connects audiences from around the world to galleries, theaters, museums, festivals, dance, music and more from Key Largo to Key West. The Council makes grants, supports Art in Public Places, and promotes the destination for its rich and diverse history in art and culture. The Arts Council provides services to visual and performing artists, arts organizations, students and the public, striving to instill a passion for and participation in the arts.

KEY WEST, FL, November 19, 2025— The College of the Florida Keys (CFK) has been awarded $2,284,000 in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Education under the Title III Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP). This five-year award will enable CFK to significantly expand virtual learning capacity and will introduce additional on-campus support services for students.

Title III SIP is a competitive federal initiative designed to help colleges expand their capacity to serve low-income students by providing funds to improve academic quality, institutional management, and fiscal stability.

“This grant will allow the College to make significant investments in student success at CFK,” said Dr. Brittany Snyder, CFK Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. “By expanding our virtual offerings and prioritizing critical needs, more students can access quality higher education and complete their degrees.”

The funding will support initiatives through 2030, including enhanced technology infrastructure for virtual instruction and the establishment of dedicated student wellness services on campus. These resources will be particularly valuable for CFK’s geographically dispersed student population across the Florida Keys.
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For more information about Student Success Services, please contact: [email protected] or (305) 809-3196.  

​KEY WEST, Florida Keys –  The Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden is seeking sponsors for it’s 90th Anniversary Gala on Friday, January 30, 2026.  Beginning at 6pm, the Gala, “Petals & Pearls” will present an evening of dining and dancing under the stars to the music of Skipper & Friends featuring Channing Lynn and featuring a live auction.
 
In early August of 1934, FERA Director of Beautification J. Gerry Curtis announced plans for a Botanical Garden that would serve as a draw to entice tourists back to the city.   The Great Depression had hit Paradise hard, drying up the winter tourism business as people everywhere no longer had disposable income to spend.  As part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “New Deal” program, plans were developed by landscape architect Ralph Gunn to create the Botanical Garden on fifty acres of land on Stock Island.  The  Garden would receive over 7,000 plants of some 80 different species.  
 
The Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden was officially opened on February 23, 1936 and is one of the oldest continuously operating tourist attractions in the City.
 
For more information contact Brigid at [email protected].     

The Key West Police Department is very grateful for a visit today from the folks at Berkshire Hathaway Home Services, Keys Real Estate Knight and Gardner Realty, and the Edward B. Knight Foundation.

The group generously brought pies and gift cards to thank our Key West first responders.

Will Langley, Principal Broker of Berkshire Hathaway, told the gathered group that they wanted to find an appropriate way to thank the City’s first responders.

“At first we wanted to bring everyone a turkey,” he said, “but carrying over 100 turkeys seems impossible! So we brought gift cards and pies to thank you for all you do for our community.”
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The holiday thank you gifts were also shared by the group with Key West Fire and Rescue, who also thanked them for the generous and thoughtful tribute.

KEY WEST, FL, November 18, 2025— The College of the Florida Keys (CFK) was granted initial accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) on November 6, 2025. CFK earned accredited status after completing the Accelerated Process for Initial Accreditation and demonstrating it meets all HLC foundational requirements, which include eligibility requirements, criteria for accreditation, assumed practices, obligations of membership, and compliance with federal regulations.
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Founded in 1895, HLC is a private nonprofit accrediting agency and the nation’s largest institutional accreditor recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. HLC accredits approximately 1,000 colleges and universities in the United States. Recent Florida legislation allows colleges and universities to pursue accreditation with an accreditor other than the previously required agency, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

CFK is among the first public institutions in Florida to reach this milestone with another institutional accreditor. Since 1968, the College has been accredited by SACSCOC. While CFK is currently accredited by both SACSCOC and HLC, work is underway to make HLC the College’s primary accreditor with the U.S. Department of Education.

“This initial accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission is a significant milestone. It reflects the quality and caliber of our academic and career training programs,” said Dr. Jonathan Gueverra, CFK President and CEO. “HLC’s stamp of approval confirms the dedication of our employees to improving student success every day and demonstrates our ongoing commitment to excellence and continuous improvement for our students and community.”

HLC’s quality standards focus on institutional mission, integrity, ethical conduct, teaching and learning quality, resources and support, evaluation and improvement, and institutional effectiveness in planning and resource management. The commission expects accredited institutions to provide evidence of quality education programs, maintain strong evaluation and improvement practices, and ensure ongoing compliance with standards to promote continuous institutional improvement.

Accreditation is an ongoing relationship. As a member of HLC, CFK will participate in ongoing reviews for compliance with HLC standards and is committed to continuous improvement of its institution, providing high-quality education to students.

“We are always thrilled to welcome new members into the HLC community, and look forward to a partnership that will benefit students and the future of higher education,” said HLC President Barbara Gellman-Danley.

​Grimal Grove invites all local educators to an Educator Open House to explore its one-of-a-kind tropical fruit grove and learn about grant-sponsored student field trips. Attendees will enjoy light appetizers and drinks—featuring Mutiny Island Vodka, crafted from Grimal Grove’s own breadfruit—while touring the historic Big Pine Key site and meeting the team behind its educational programs.

When:
Wednesday, November 19, 2025
4:30 – 6:30 p.m.

Where:
Grimal Grove
258 Cunningham Lane, Big Pine Key, FL

Details:
Educators from across Monroe County are welcome to attend. RSVPs are requested but not required. The event is free and designed to showcase opportunities for schools to partner with Grimal Grove through classroom sponsorships and field trip grants.

RSVP:
Scan the QR code on the flyer or visit www.GrimalGrove.com for more information

During two Friday evenings, December 12 and 19, the annual Holiday Historic Inn Tours offer locals and visitors an enchanting way to experience Key West’s storied architecture and distinctive heritage. Guests can wander through some of the island’s most charming properties, savor light sweet and savory holiday bites, sample festive libations, and soak up the warm tropical holiday spirit in festive company. From 6:00-8:00 p.m., participants enjoy self-guided tours at their own pace, discovering each locale’s seasonal magic.

Participating December 12 destinations are The Gardens Hotel, Island City House, Key West Cooking Show, and the Lighthouse Hotel.

December 19 destinations are the Key West Butterfly Conservatory, Southernmost House, Wicker Guesthouse and The Mermaid & the Alligator.

Advance tickets are recommended and will be available for pick-up beginning at 5:30pm at each evening’s first tour location – The Gardens Hotel on the 12th and Key West Butterfly Conservatory on the 19th. If not sold out in advance, tickets will also be available for walk-up guests the night of each tour at the first destination only.
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Presented by Key West Historic Inns, The Lodging Association of the Florida Keys and Key West, and the Monroe County Tourist Development Council. Tickets can be purchased at www.keystix.com or by calling 305-296-4959.