Husband pedaling over 3,000 miles to raise money for breast cancer research, support wife
A Minnesota husband is taking a 3,500-mile stretch from Key West to his home in Albany, Minnesota to help find a cure for breast cancer after his wife was diagnosed with the disease. The catch? Heโs doing it on a bike.
Maine to Key West: Jacksonville unicyclist completes 2,400-mile trip on East Coast Greenway
Remember the Jacksonville man who made it his mission to ride down from Wells, Maine, to Key West, Florida โ all on one wheel? It took five months, but on Saturday, Avery Seuter accomplished his 2,400-mile journey to help make the roads safer.
Key West honors Queen Elizabeth at Southernmost Point marker
The Southernmost Point marker in Key West, Florida, a landmark delineating the continental United Statesโ southernmost spot of land, became a memorial to Queen Elizabeth II when city workers installed a British flag and royal purple banner at the much-photographed site beside the Atlantic Ocean.
Florida Senate steams forward on port restrictions for cruise ships
The Senate continued moving forward Wednesday with an effort to overturn a 2020 vote in Key West intended to limit cruise ship operations. The Senate Community Affairs Committee voted 5-3 to approve a bill (SB 426) that had been narrowed to address municipal-run ports in Key West, Pensacola, Panama City and St. Petersburg. Of the municipal-run ports, only Key West has cruise ship operations, though negotiations are underway to bring cruise ships to Panama City. Lobbyist Josh Aubuchon, representing the group Florida Ports for Economic Independence, said the Key West referendum didnโt ban cruise ships. And thereโs jobs because of the businesses that sell to these tourists and entertain these tourists.
USCG: Man rescued from raft off Key West coast without food or water
A 41-year-old man was rescued off a raft without food or water by the U.S. Coast Guard Station Key West. KEY WEST, Fla., โ The U.S. Coast Guard says it rescued a 41-year-old man who was drifting aboard a makeshift raft off the coast of Key West near Fort Zachary Taylor Saturday afternoon. According to USCG, the man had no food, water or radio on the raft. USCG Station Key West says they spotted the man at around 3 p.m. Itโs unclear how he ended up on the raft, or how long he was out at sea in this condition.
Key West wants to ban people from feeding roaming chickens
This Sept. 13, 2017 photo shows chickens in Key West, Fla. Key West is considering a law that would make it illegal to feed the chickens that freely roam the Southernmost City. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)Feral chickens run free in Key West, just one of those things that keep the Southernmost City charmingly weird. Itโs a heated thing on both sides.โThe city's wild chickens donโt need help finding food, Tom Sweets, executive director of the Key West Wildlife Center, told the newspaper. โIโve never seen a skinny chicken in Key West unless itโs sick or injured. Theyโre quite capable of taking care of themselves.โThe wildlife center says it doesn't remove healthy Key West Chickens, but it did take in about 1,500 injured, sick, and orphaned chickens last year.
Hemingway look-alikes urge mask-wearing in Florida Keys
File photo of past winners of the "Papa" Hemingway Look-Alike contest in Key West. KEY WEST, Fla. โ Ernest Hemingway look-alikes are being used by the Florida Keys tourism council to encourage visitors and residents to wear masks to protect against COVID-19. โWe look at Key West as being our adopted town,โ said longtime contest entrant Dusty Rhodes in the video. The look-alikes wear masks over their signature white beards. COVID-19 forced the cancellation of the 40th annual โPapaโ Hemingway Look-Alike Contest at Sloppy Joeโs last July.
75 pounds of cocaine found floating off Florida Keys
A fisherman found the cocaine bricks about 15 miles south of Sugarloaf Key on Wednesday, according to the Monroe County Sheriffโs Office. KEY WEST, Fla. โ Almost 75 pounds of cocaine were found this week floating off the Florida Keys. A fisherman found the cocaine bricks about 15 miles south of Sugarloaf Key on Wednesday, according to the Monroe County Sheriff's Office. Drugs floating off the Florida Keys are nothing new, according to the Miami Herald. In July, more than 50 pounds of cocaine washed up near Grassy Key.
Key West scales back New Yearโs Eve because of coronavirus
KEY WEST, Fla. โ The city of Key West is scaling back its normal New Yearโs Eve celebrations following recent surges in the spread of coronavirus. Key West Mayor Teri Johnston signed an emergency order Friday that sets an island-wide curfew from 10 p.m. to 6 p.m., running Thursday, Dec. 31, through Sunday, Jan. 3. The curfew does not apply to unincorporated Monroe County, which includes the remainder of the Florida Keys, said county mayor Michelle Coldiron. Duval Street typically attracts tens of thousands to celebrate the New Year and watch a giant red shoe with the drag queen inside drop at midnight. Health officials continue to stress that residents and visitors should wear facial coverings, which are mandatory in the Keys, practice social distancing and wash hands frequently.
$5 million grant will help restore Keys coral reef
KEY WEST, Fla. โ A $5 million grant will help restore one of the major coral reefs located in federally protected waters around the Florida Keys. The reef is about seven miles (11 kilometers) southeast of Key West and is part of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration awarded the $5 million through the National Coastal Resilience Fund. In 2019, NOAA announced Mission: Iconic Reefs, a plan to restore nearly much of the Florida Reef Tract. The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary protects 3,800 square miles (6,100 kilometers) of waters surrounding the Florida Keys.
Florida boy, 11, helps with grandparents' rescue at sea
The Miami Herald reported the three were rescued by police, the U.S. Coast Guard and some commercial fishermen on Thursday. The Monroe County Sheriffโs Office says the boy, Avani Perez, called 911 on a cellphone to report that his grandparents were in the water and drifting away. Avani also described how far his grandparents were using football yards as a reference until he couldn't see them. โHe was raised on a boat.โThe Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and U.S. Coast Guard responded and alerted mariners and commercial fishermen in the area. The Coast Guard invited the boy on Friday to give him a gold coin and commend him for his actions.
Hemingwayโs favorite Key West bar set to reopen
KEY WEST, Fla. โ Sloppy Joeโs, the iconic Key West bar that Ernest Hemingway frequented during the 1930s, reopened Thursday after closing six months ago because of the coronavirus pandemic. By noon, the bar had already reached the 50% capacity allowed by law, including three Ernest Hemingway look-alikes. The Duval Street bar has been associated with the legendary author since he lived in Key West during the 1930s. With the noted exception of the Key West Marlin Tournament, most other area festival events were canceled as well. โWith the pandemic, we did the best we could to minimize our costs," Sloppy Joeโs brand manager Donna Edwards said.
Florida couple jailed for refusing to quarantine, police say
MIAMI Two residents of the Florida Keys have been jailed for failing to quarantine after testing positive for the new coronavirus. Jose Interian, 24, and Yohana Gonzalez, 26, are facing charges of violating isolation rules for a quarantine and violating emergency management disaster preparedness rules, according to jail records. They were arrested Wednesday in Key West, officials said. The Miami Herald reports Interian and Gonzalez had been ordered by the health department to quarantine after testing positive for COVID-19, but neighbors said they were ignoring the order. Someone videotaped the couple and gave it to Key West police, according to Greg Veliz, Key West's city manager.
Florida gov chooses side in sunscreen debate: Slather away!
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. When it comes to sunscreen, skin cancer and coral reefs, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has taken the side of sun worshipers who have gotten tacit approval to slather away. The bill was one of 28 signed into law by DeSantis late Monday. But DeSantis sided with health and sunscreen advocates who argued that people's health outweighed the threat to coral reefs. With a stroke of his pen, the governor also repealed Chapter 363 in its entirety from Florida statute on Monday.
Florida takes step to protect coast from rising sea levels
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. Further acknowledging that climate change is a growing concern in his state, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed into law a measure requiring public coastal construction projects to first be reviewed for impacts on the state's fragile seashore because of rising sea levels. But environmentalists have been pushing the governor to act more aggressively in the arena of climate change by supporting alternative energy and reducing the state's reliance on carbon fuels that contribute to climate change. The bipartisan bill DeSantis signed on coastal construction is limited to public projects that rely on state money. Rodriguez has said the measure is another baby step in a political climate that has made it challenging to take quick action on climate change.
Bill to block sunscreen bans, e-verify proposal, parental consent bill now up to DeSantis
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. A controversial proposal intended to block Key West and other local governments from imposing bans on certain types of sunscreen was among 38 bills that landed on Gov. The Republican-dominated Legislature passed the bill (SB 404) in February, but it was not formally sent to DeSantis until Tuesday. E-verify proposalA bill that would require all government employers to use a federal electronic system to check the immigration status of new workers was also sent to DeSantis on Tuesday. Until this spring, years of attempts to pass an E-Verify bill failed in the Republican-led Legislature. The E-Verify bill sent to the governor on Tuesday, however, does not go as far as DeSantis initially wanted.
Sunscreen proposal starts moving in House
Key West is the only city in Florida that has voted for a ban on sunscreens that contain the chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate, which studies have found can contribute to coral bleaching. Roach, R-Fort Myers, argued skin cancer is a threat to people who live and visit Florida and that sunscreen use should be encouraged. The House Health Quality Subcommittee approved the bill. A Senate committee Monday approved a bill (SB 172) that is identical to Roach's measure. That could indicate lawmakers are fast-tracking the proposals ahead of the 2020 legislative session, which starts in January.
Florida lawmakers take aim at sunscreen ban
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - In light of Key West banning the sale of sunscreens that contain chemicals believed to harm coral reefs, Florida lawmakers are fast-tracking proposals that would undo the local regulation. "You have to apply (the chemicals) directly, in an intense matter to the coral reefs over a long period of time in a little, small space. We are talking about a large ocean around the coral reefs here, so the OPPAGA study supports what we are doing right here," Bradley said. While environmental groups support Key West's ban on certain sunscreens, the Florida Chamber of Commerce, the Florida Retail Association and the Florida Society of Dermatology and Surgery supported Bradley's bill. Bradley echoed that sentiment Monday, while also chastising Key West for prohibiting the use of popular sunscreens.
Florida lawmakers take aim at sunscreen bans
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - With the sponsor pointing to concerns about skin cancer, a Senate committee Monday approved a measure that would prevent local governments from banning over-the-counter sales of sunscreen. Key West passed an ordinance that made it illegal to sell sunscreen that contains the ingredients oxybenzone or octinoxate without prescriptions. Lobbyists for the Sierra Club of Florida and the Surfrider Foundation urged senators Monday to be cautious on the issue. Sen. Gary Farmer, a Fort Lauderdale Democrat who voted against the bill, said lawmakers need to find a "balance" to protect reefs and protect people from skin cancer. "This is a tough one because we love our reefs," said Farmer, who added he has had three bouts with skin cancer.
Navy's newest littoral combat ship sails into Mayport
MAYPORT, Fla. - The Navy's newest littoral combat ship sailed into its new home port Wednesday as Naval Station Mayport welcomes the USS Billings. We will have unmanned boats, unmanned helicopters and unmanned submarines." For years after that, the defense department kept saying the long-range plan was to base another carrier at Mayport. While there's still no carrier at Mayport and none of the needed upgrades were completed, DoD has made Mayport a major home port for these Littoral Combat Ships. The Navy expects 14 of these small ships to be based at Mayport.
Orange fireball lights up Florida sky, ignites conspiracies
iStock/KnickohrMIAMI - Conspiracy theorists took to social media in a flurry of excitement Wednesday after a mysterious flying object resembling an orange fireball streaked across the Florida sky. The American Meteor Society reported two dozen sightings from Jacksonville to Key West after midnight and tweeted there's "no real explanation yet." No, we were not invaded last night by Martians but we appreciate the level of confidence you have of us to stop intergalactic invaders. Here are some exclusive videos that were taken by our Deputies and a 911 call from a concerned citizen regarding the sightings last night. The time and location from videos posted on social media made it easy to compare with the orbital data about what debris was slated for reentry around that time.
Orange fireball lights up Florida sky, ignites conspiracies
iStock/KnickohrMIAMI - Conspiracy theorists took to social media in a flurry of excitement Wednesday after a mysterious flying object resembling an orange fireball streaked across the Florida sky. The American Meteor Society reported two dozen sightings from Jacksonville to Key West after midnight and tweeted there's "no real explanation yet." No, we were not invaded last night by Martians but we appreciate the level of confidence you have of us to stop intergalactic invaders. Here are some exclusive videos that were taken by our Deputies and a 911 call from a concerned citizen regarding the sightings last night. The time and location from videos posted on social media made it easy to compare with the orbital data about what debris was slated for reentry around that time.