Categories
2016 October

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

The-Coconut-Telegraph-w-CoconutsSince 2002. Published Tuesdays and Fridays
Letters to the Editor with pictures

deer-green[Screwworm Treatment] Color of the week is green.  We’ll do all deer in green this week, if you see one with green paint, please do not repaint.  We have a new type of “paint” we are testing this week, it’s made for livestock, we are hopeful it will work out. Use caution with this paint, do not get it anywhere on the deer’s eyes, ears, nose or mouth.  Shoot for the body.  Same with yourself, it’s a more oil based paint, and isn’t recommended for skin or faces.  When in doubt, don’t do it until you have a good “shot”.

We finished up Friday and Saturday at Long Beach and Saturday and Sunday at Zone 1 (Port Pine Hts, Pine Hts, and Kohen).  We’ll have the numbers for those as soon as available.

Monday and Tuesday, we’ll focus on Zone 2; the mid-West portion of Big Pine Key.  We’ll have a treatment station set up at the entrance to Eden Pines (corner of Watson and Key deer Blvd), you can pick up all your supplies there from 7 am-10 am, and in the afternoon from 2-4:30 pm.  All materials need to be back at 4:45 so we are out of there prior to surveys being conducted this week on Key deer. (Plus Monday is Halloween and we know what that means in Eden Pines).

We encourage anyone who wants to participate, and is trained to show up, this is a big area. We will make every attempt to get those who attended Saturday’s training class trained in the field this week.  I will be emailing or calling you to set up a time.  If you train with another person who is already trained, you need to let me know who trained you and when for our record keeping purposes.  There will be some opportunities Monday evening.

Veterinarians have treated at least 10 deer who had minor cases of screwworm.  Please call the Key deer hotline (888-404-3922 ext 7) to report any that you see that have the symptoms, open wound, flies, distracted behavior.  Let your neighbors know too.

Johnsons-7.7.16
[Best Small City] Travel industry guide Condé Nast Traveler recently recognized Key West as one of the best small cities in the United States in its 29th annual Readers’ Choice Awards released online last week.
Springers Bar & Grill

martini-tiltFull Bar with Happy Hour Mon – Sat 3pm – 7pm + Sun 1pm – 7pm

Our drafts are in 16oz. chilled glasses, not a tiny plastic cup – That’s something to smile about

NFL Games are on, 14 TV’s, Every Game, Every Sunday, We have A/C

Burgers, Fries & Pizza Pies. Build your own Calzone or Stomboli

Got Beignets? We do. You have to try these little delicious French pastries. Served to order, fresh and warm with dipping sauces.

Thursday is Mexican Day. South of the border specials are freshly made that day.

Friday, we have Fish ‘n Chips – a long running favorite. Homemade beer batter and fried to a golden crisp. That’s how we like it and you will too!

Bahia Honda State Park, Florida Keys Beach, Beaches in the Keys. Link
logo-125hThe cost for insurance coverage changes constantly. Even though we try to be pro-active when it comes to advising our clients of increases, changes and new companies, sometimes we just can’t keep up with the constant variances in today’s ever changing insurance climate.

Before you shop around, give us a chance to see if we can do better. Call us and talk to us about your concerns and we will do our best for you. Call us, we know we need to earn your business to keep your business! Call anyone of us, we all can help you. We at The Johnsons Insurance Agency care about you!
305-289-0213 Marathon office
305-852-9247 Islamorada office
305-872-2888 Big Pine office
linda@johnsonsinsure.com

kevin-madok-10-22-16
[“Customer Service”] Our local CVS Pharmacy needs to learn a little more about friendly customer service. I’ve filled many prescriptions at other CVS stores and never had a problem, but here in BPK there seems to be no joy in serving the customer. Bummer.
noaa-flight-path

 

 

What is NOAA doing? Is this how they make charts? I doubt it, so what are they up to? Check out this picture of the flight path.

Remember all the FKAA boasting and assurances about how the Advanced Wastewater Reclamation Facility (expensive poop plant) in Cudjoe was going to produce water clean enough to drink and save the Cudjoe Regional service area from the pollution of septic tanks?

Already, with operation at only 1/4 of design, ground water monitoring wells at the plant are showing very high fecal coliforms, with some reported as too high to count!
This would be just the “advance treated” water that rises near the plant from the shallow wells. It is reasonable to expect that most of it comes up further away in open water as it follows the underground tunnels. That’s what our tax money bought and that’s why our FKAA bill tripled. Not much can be done about it now. The public was excluded from all the decision making after 2000, and Cudjoe Regional is a total departure from the Master Plan. I guess I just need a new place to lobster–far from the plant.

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Help enhance your well-being. Visit the newly improved AARP site devoted to your health and wellness. Link
coconuts-composit-h

 

We can help with the beer & the beach. Coconuts is just down the street from Bahia Honda State Park and we have your beer. Just use our Drive-through, pick up a sixer and hit the beach. When you & your crew are beached out stop by and get some A/C on you. That’s the Rx for a great Keyzzzz day. Try to remember this my friends: When two roads diverge, take the one that leads to the beach!  ~Coconuts Bar & Liquor Store

[The FTR Files] Last Friday, in another Monroe publication, a Mr. Ralph DePalma wrote a letter to the editor slamming certain members of the current Florida Keys Mosquito Control Board and promoting the candidacy of certain persons now competing for a seat on that Board.  He wrote in support of incumbent candidate Commissioner Steve Smith and others.

Mr. DePalma’s letter made good reading if you are a fan of fiction. But it is redolent with the aroma of sour grapes and mendacity.

While you’re reading what follows please consider that membership on the FKMCB board is voluntary. Those who seek membership should know that it is public service for the sake of public service.  The board meets once a month.

Mr. DePalma had been a long-term employee of Mosquito Control.  He ultimately was placed in charge of that agency’s very small IT department. He played no role in killing mosquitoes, policy making, in personnel matters, or in administering the operation. He was in charge of what is/was a one or two person operation. In terms of Mr. DePalma’s tenure, suffice it to say that he likely was very happy when he retired, that emotion was shared by others at mosquito control.

Over the years Mr. DePalma enjoyed astonishing perks that were voted into place by Commissioner Shaw and incumbent candidate Commissioner Smith.  He owes Shaw and Smith a debt of gratitude.

healthcare-costFKMCB employees enjoyed some fabulous perks. For example, free health care for life! Not just for the employees, but even for the board members.  Allow me to repeat that: free health care for life for board members. Amazing.

In 2010, the makeup of the FKMCB changed. Mr. DePalma complains about that change because it saw the beginning of real fiscal responsibility.  That reality also caused much, much dismay to Mssrs. Shaw and Smith.

Shaw and Smith also took great care to make certain that they too, personally, received free health care for life.   Imagine that–free health care for life?  That was one of the FKMCB benefits that cost you and I millions.  When fiscally responsible commissioners came to the board, those benefits were done away with for new employees. Smith and Shaw fought tooth and claw against it. And fought especially hard to keep their own personal health care for life. In spite of them, the benefit was done away with, and we all saved millions. It’s no surprise that Shaw and Smith voted to keep their lifetime free health care. In fact their votes giving them lifetime health care has resulted in the FKMCB having $14 million in unfunded liability.

The new board’s majority also set about trying to cut the very generous salaries of all elected board members (remember it is a volunteer part time post).  Once again Smith and Shaw fought tooth and claw against it. They voted against this waste of your tax dollars.  Smith and Shaw lost — the board’s salary was cut.  A year or so later, another attempt was made to again cut the board’s salary. Once again Smith and Shaw fought against it even though their part-time, volunteer, public service, post actually pays nearly $20,000 per year. Not too shabby for attending only 12 meetings a year.  Smith and Shaw, true to form, fought against it — this time they prevailed and their salary was not reduced.

diapers-term-limitsSmith and Shaw took very, very good care of Smith and Shaw – at your expense. Mr. Smith has been taking very good care of Mr. Smith for the last 20 years. Now he wants another four.  Geeesh!  Smith is the poster boy for term limits.

Mr. De Palma complained about the soon to be new big Coppitt FKMCB facility.  It’s worth noting that incumbent candidate Smith voted for the new building in its initial modest but perfectly functional configuration.  Then it was to have cost about $1.2 mil.  That sound policy making was short lived. Smith then became the ardent champion of morphing the proposed stand-alone utilitarian structure into an architectural gem of a two-building complex that would have cost you and I about $6.2 million, maybe more.  If Smith had had his way, if his vote had won, the Big Coppit Key Skeeter Taj Mahal would have increased your skeeter tax by about 45%.  I say again, a 45% tax increase. Once again Smith was at the forefront wasting of your dollars.

DePalma claims that the FKMCB now has only about $2 mil in reserves. That is not true. The reality is that the board currently has about $4 mil in reserves and that’s even after paying for the new Big Coppit facility.

The Key Haven field trial of the Oxitec genetic modified mosquito process is nothing new to FKMCB. The process had been approved by every Board since about 2009.  Mr. Smith then, to his credit, had been a supporter of the process and the project.  Indeed, he voted for the project at every turn. Every time the issue came up Smith was a strong supporter. Recently however, he has been bowing to the hysterical howls from the anti-GMM activists.  He appears to be folding, bending and collapsing like a cheap lawn chair.

Certainly Mr. DePalma longs for the good old days.  Those days were very good for him and for the old-line commissioners. Certainly we can understand his debt of gratitude. But trying to claw us back to the days of waste and inefficiency is beyond understanding. Thankfully those not-so-good old days are gone.  They left with the beginnings of a Board that cares more for the people of Monroe than for self-aggrandizement.

DePalma owes Smith, big time. DePalma and Smith are hoping that you are uninformed or have a short memory.  DePalma received that housing allowance.  Smith received that housing allowance. The new faces on the board took that money away from them. Now we know why DePalma is railing against the new responsible fiscal policies of the Board.

Mr. DePalma also wrote that candidate Janet Woods was denied funding by the Monroe Republican Party.  He claimed that was as result of a vendetta against her by the Chairman of the Board.  That is not true.  Janet Woods received $500 from the Monroe Republican Club and $200 funding from the Upper Keys Republican Club.  She may have received additional funding from other Republican clubs, but her campaign reports don’t show it.  She probably did receive funding from the other clubs.  Republicans, like Democrats like to win.

There you have it.  Given what we have learned, perhaps I was too generous in labeling De Palma’s letter as being fiction.  His letter was full of misstatements of fact. Is De Palma a liar? or are those who are informing him intentionally misleading him? or is there some other explanation for his many misstatements of fact? Given that De Palma is no longer a FKMCB employee, you’ll probably wonder who his sources are.  Are they current Board Members and/or candidates for the Board? You’ll decide.

Those are but a few of the reasons why I did not vote for Steve Smith, he is a poster child for term limits. vote pencil checkBut I did vote for Mr. Pinder, and Ms Cranney-Gage. I hope you will join with me.

I also hope that you will vote in favor of the Oxitec field trial.  As this is written the Florida Department of Health is reporting that there are over 1100 reported ZIKA cases in Florida. That number is growing by more than 30 a week. Now there are at least 6 reported cases in our county. Try to imagine the catastrophe that a Zika outbreak would wreak on our community

[ATT Time Warner Merger] In 1982 didn’t they breakup AT&T because it was a monopoly? What has changed that won’t make this merger a monopoly again? Oh, lawyers! Yes, that’s it. They have more lawyers now.
fanci-8-16-16
I don’t want to brag or make anyone jealous, but I can still fit into the socks I wore in high school.
aircraft-noaa

 

[“NOAA plane scouting the Keys”] Here is a screen shot showing the plane doing the laps. It was doing the same thing over Big Pine last week.

All of the pavilion supports at the BPK Community Park need to be replaced. They are taped off for now to restrict access. Maybe something other than untreated wood should be used this time? I have not lived here long but my first thoughts were, How much over budget will this run? and Who’s connected relative will get this contract.
keep-out-restricted-area[Boca Grande Key, Woman Key, and the Marquesas Keys Closed] The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will be closing Boca Grande Key, Woman Key, and the Marquesas Keys in Key West National Wildlife Refuge from November 9-14, 2016.  All beach access will be closed to the public to protect wildlife and critical habitat from disturbance.   These islands are all part of the Federal Wilderness System.  Historically there has been extreme disturbance from boaters at this time of year in these areas and these closures aim to eliminate such impacts.  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service along with partnering agencies will have an increased law enforcement presence at these locations to enforce the temporary closures.  Anyone found violating these closures is subject to criminal prosecution by federal authorities and may be fined up to $5,000 and or six months imprisonment. Link
uke-nite-Key-deerUke Nite Wednesdays 7 pm. Come join the band! No experience necessary. We even have extra ukuleles. Video

The sun rises, the sun falls, the wind blows and the birds sing no matter where you are. These are experiences that unite us all. Something we can all enjoy together.  ~Coconuts Bar & Package Store. Your local down home, everyday bar. Just like the ones your daddy told ya about. Not many of us left. Down Town Pine Key…The “NUT”… <@)}}><

FTR-700x175
[The FTR Files] Last Friday, in another Monroe publication, a Mr. Ralph DePalma wrote a letter to the editor slamming certain members of the current Florida Keys Mosquito Control Board and promoting the candidacy of certain persons now competing for a seat on that Board.  He wrote in support of incumbent Commissioner Steve Smith.

sour-grapesMr. DePalma’s letter made good reading if you are a fan of fiction. But it is redolent with the aroma of sour grapes.

Mr. DePalma had been a long term employee of Mosquito Control.  He ultimately was placed in charge of that agencies very small IT department. He played no role in killing skeeters, policy making, in personnel matters, or in administering the operation. He was in charge of what is/was at most a one or two person operation. In terms of  Mr. DePalma’s performance, suffice it to say that he certainly was very happy when he retired, that emotion was shared by many at mosquito control.

Over the years Mr. DePalma enjoyed astonishing perks that were voted into place by Commissioner Shaw and incumbent Commissioner Smith.  He owes Shaw and Smith a debt of gratitude.

Among those perks are free health care for life.  Allow me to repeat that….free health care for life. Amazing.

Shaw and Smith also took great care to make certain that they too, personally, received that benefit.  Imagine that, free health care for life!  That was one of the FKMCB benefits that cost you and I millions.  When the more conservative commissioners came to the board, those benefits were done away with for new employees. You saved millions. But Shaw and Smith kept their lifetime free health care. In fact it was their votes that gave them the lifetime benefit has resulted in the FKMCB having $14 million in unfunded liability.

graft-bribeSmith and Shaw took very very good care of Smith and Shaw; at your expense. Mr. Smith has been taking very good care of Mr. Smith for the last 20 years. Now he wants another four.  Geeesh!

DePalma claims that the FKMCB now has only about $2 mil in reserves.  I’ll be generous and simply state that he is uninformed. I will not suggest that he is being intentionally misleading.  The reality is that the board currently has about $4 million in reserves and that’s even after paying for the new Big Coppit facility.

It’s worth noting that incumbent Smith voted for the new building in its initial modest but perfectly functional configuration.  Then it was to have cost about $1.2 mil.  That sound policy making was short lived. Smith then  became the ardent champion of morphing the stand alone utilitarian structure into an architectural gem of a two building complex  that would have cost you and I about $6.2 mil., maybe more.  If Smith had had his way, if his vote had won, the Big Coppit Key Skeeter Taj Mahal would have increased your skeeter tax by about 45%.  I say again 45%. Once again Smith was at the forefront of the waste of your dollars.

As a result of the demise of the Skeeter Taj Mahal, millions have been saved, there will be no, -0- , diminution in the efficiency of the mosquito control operation.  And, your tax bill will not be increased by 45%.

The Key Haven field trial of the Oxitec process is nothing new to FKMCB.  It has been approved by every board since about 2009.  Mr. Smith, to his credit, had been a supporter of the process and the project.  Indeed, he voted for the project. Every time the issue came up he was a strong supporter. Recently, bowing to howls from the Anti GMM activists he appears to be folding, bending and collapsing like a cheap lawn chair.

Certainly Mr. DePalma longs for the good old days.  Those days were very good for him and for the old line commissioners. Certainly we can understand his debt of gratitude. But trying to claw us back to the days of waste and inefficiency is beyond understanding. Thankfully those not so good old days are gone.  They left with the beginnings of a board that cares more for the people of Monroe that for self-aggrandizement.

One must wonder how many members of our community will remember, or even knew, that in about 2005 the FKMCB voted in a “housing allowance” for every board member and for every employee. Yep, each employee received $200 bucks a month for “housing allowance.” If you’re now in the workforce, do you receive a “housing allowance?”  Frankly, while the board got a housing allowance, you and every Monroe tax payer got a hosing.

Commissioner Smith was a strong proponent of the allowance, and when the balance of power on the board shifted in 2012, the issue came to light.  The new majority set about to rescind it.  Commissioner Smith vehemently resisted.  l

DePalma owes Smith, big time. DePalma and Smith are hoping that you are uninformed or have a short memory.  DePalma received that housing allowance.  Smith received that housing allowance. The new faces on the board took that money away from him.  Now we know why DePalma is railing against the new tight fiscal policies.

term-limits-meterOur community desperately needs to shuck the tattered vestiges of the bad old days. Those are but a few of the reasons why I did not vote for Steve Smith, he is a poster child for term limits.  But I did vote for Mr. Pinder, and Ms. Cranney-Gage.

I hope you will join with me.  I also hope that you will vote in favor of the Oxitec field trial.  As this is written the Florida Department of Health is reporting that there are over 1100 reported ZIKA cases in Florida. That number is growing by more than 30 a week. Now there are at least 6 reported cases in our county.

[Hates Key Deer] I’m glad they’ve started to consider penning them up to keep the damn pests off the roads. Will they put ‘no screw worm’ signs on the gates?
coconuts-9-25-16
[Grinder Pumps Cause Screwworms] Blowfly traps have been placed from Key West to Key Largo. The only places where the traps have caught blowflies are on the islands that had massive holes drilled in them for grinder pumps. Coincidence? I don’t think so. As a retired law enforcement officer, I’ve never believed in coincidence.
flat-earth-rotatesI watched a flat earth proof video the other day. Not because I think the earth is flat, but because such things exercise your mind and awareness to detect the bull that is fed to us every day. The old hippie mantra was to question authority. Damn right! But don’t stop there, question everything and include the myth busters. While the video was unsuccessful in convincing me of a flat earth, it included unedited NASA video and some-time analyses that clearly exposed some fraud, and included some demonstrations that make you question some of what you learned in school. I wanted to include the link to the flat earth video that I watched, but when I searched YouTube for “flat earth” I was overwhelmed by how many videos support flat earth theory. Pick one and you might entertain yourself with mocking the “proofs” and feel good about how bright you are. On the other hand, you might become a flat earth believer. Either way, you will exercise your mind in logic and probably learn something new. You won’t get that from a TV reality show. It’s all good. Video
[FantasyFest Bummer] My family and I traveled from Mississippi to get to this year’s FantasyFest and spent a lot of money for nothing. This year’s theme should have been, “The Old and Ugly Come Out to Fake It and Smell Bad”. Never again unless FantasyFest goes back to being what it was 20 or more years ago! (Ed: Do you realize you were 20 years younger then and everything was different.)
popcorn-ecpensive

If you see someone buy popcorn, candy, a drink and nachos at the movies–they’re a drug dealer. No other explanation for that sort of disposable income.

Why is there no talk of releasing the GM mosquitoes in the Everglades? Seems they could do more damage to the population up in that area. Oh, that would require the mosquito folks going up there. Never mind.
Isaksen-2.2016
[Eimers’ Death Case] The Justice Department says no violation of civil rights regarding the death of Charles Eimers? Maybe, but did they look at the way the case was handled after he died with cops lying, Vogel hiring an expert to defend them and never contacting witnesses, the City Commission never even expressing an apology, the FDLE not doing a real investigation. What a sham of justice.
pallet

 

 

I made this out of an old coffee table.

[Sewers] The Free Press had a couple of front page articles about sewer woes in Islamorada and Key Largo that are another hint of the future here. If this posts Tuesday, you may still find a copy.

In Key Largo, their mostly vacuum system is getting waterlogged due to infiltration from flooded streets with rain and “king tides”. That’s vacuum, but just like grinder pumps, although the system itself is sealed, water still gets in through the cleanout caps and the gasketed openings into the pits. The service people have to manually reestablish vacuum in the mains. It’s a PIA, but way quicker than pumping out grinder pits and you don’t have to get past anyone’s guard dog. The engineering stupidos at FKAA believed the grinder salesman that there is no infiltration in a grinder pump collection system. Right. About the only difference between a grinder and a vacuum pit are one has a pump that needs electricity and the other just has a vacuum valve. The pits are almost identical and take in storm or tide water in the same places for the same reasons. But the collection system here is not designed to accommodate any but an underestimated sewage flow. So it backs up and/or overflows. Alarm horns will be screaming everywhere.

In Islamorada, the sewer system cost skyrocketed and there is talk of possibly raising sewer rates to cover it. Yes, they are already getting a tripled water bill! Properly and equitably, I think the infrastructure sales tax should cover the cost of making it right. Just like here. The way the ILA between MC and FKAA is written, MC pays for the original installation and everything afterward is paid by FKAA with your personal after-tax dollars. Rockridge FL had so many problems with its grinder pump system that they ripped the whole thing out and replaced with vacuum! Rockridge is only about 400 homes, or about the size of Baypoint. FKAA engineers and their engineer buddy at the County told the BOCC in writing that vacuum was not economically feasible for less than 750 homes in a neighborhood/collection basin. And the BOCC bought that B.S. story without having the information confirmed by a competent engineering consultant. I have seen the BOCC resolution approving a few engineering firms available on call, with a big budget allowance approved to pay the bill. There are small marinas that use vacuum sewer collection, so the 750 connections needed is absurd. There is no excuse for the lack of due diligence that has put us in harm’s way.

Springers-2.2016
[Parrot Poker Crawl] Wednesday, November 2nd from 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Come out and help Key West Parrot Head Club raise money for our local Monroe County Charities. Parrot Poker Crawl – 50/50 – Win 1/2 of all the money collected. $20 to play.

Official Parrot Head Stop Locations: Base Camp: Hard Rock Café, 313 Duval St., #1, Senor Frog, 221 Duval St., #2, Fogarty’s, 227 Duval St., #3, Rick’s American Café, 202 Duval St., #4, Sandbar Sports Grill, 511 Greene St., #5

pumpkin-jack-o-lantern

Ray Villafane is a pumpkin artist from Queens, New York, who has garnered international acclaim and a cult-like following for his jaw-dropping pumpkin carvings. His carvings have been displayed in the President’s quarters at the White House. Video

A woman is suing KFC for $20 million after getting a bucket of chicken she said was half empty. KFC is countersuing her for being a pessimist.  ~Conan O’Brien
att-merger

 

[Merger] Don’t worry folks, this shouldn’t affect your rates or service — much. (well, maybe just a little)

[Plastic Microfibers In Our Water] Researchers have found plastic microfibers in 90% of ocean water samples tested. Marine organisms consume the microfibers but cannot digest them. These microfibers result from washing clothes made from synthetics. Acrylics are the worst, generating more than 700,000 microfibers each. The washer water containing the pollutant goes right through treatment plants and into the waters receiving the effluent. Shallow well or deep, treatment plant effluent injected in the Keys floats to the surface somewhere. A septic tank would retain the fibers, but if the septage is pumped out and trucked to a treatment plant, then the problem is not solved. One place that I lived used to dispose of septage on land, plow injected as sod fertilizer. That should keep it out of the water. I wear 100% cotton clothes, which is another solution. Not “better living through chemistry”. Link
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Politics is the entertainment division of the military industrial complex.  ~Frank Zappa
health-fair9

 

 

You are invited to the 10th Annual Upper Keys Health Fair!  Saturday November 12, 2016. 9:30 AM – 2:30 PM At Key Largo School, Mile Marker 105.

[Yahoo in Decline] Let’s hear more about the Kardashian’s, decapitations, stupid stuff we don’t care about. Can Yahoo really think they’re going to stay alive with their crap-ass news?
mices-balls

 

 

[Mice Balls] Zika virus ravages the testes of male mice, sharply reducing sperm counts and fertility, says a study that raises a new specter about its threat to people. Experiments found testes of infected mice shrank about 90 percent by weight, while their output of useful sperm fell by three-quarters on average, and often more. Now it’s time to find out if Zika causes similar damage in men

[Restaurant Review] I am not one to be hypercritical of restaurants or food, but given some other semi-positive reviews of Billy’s Stone Crab I thought I would give my first impressions.

I ordered the cracked conch basket, fish dip, a mixed drink and a beer (during happy hour): $50 with tip. That’s not my complaint.  The conch was almost as if the chef just sliced a piece off and threw it in the fryer. If he tenderized it he needs to get back to the gym because it was as tough as when it came out of the shell. There was no evidence it was beaten at all. The batter completely came off when I picked it up. A little lesson from a Bahamian chef is in order. The fries were cold, but tasted ok. Bottom line, I can’t recommend the conch. The fish dip was really mayonnaise-heavy. It tasted ok though.

The staff was very friendly, but given that no one was there, I shouldn’t have had to ask more than once for condiments. Overall, though, they were really nice folks.

Every restaurant has a bad day or a bad offering so I am not writing it off yet, but my first impression was not great. A local-type restaurant based on stone crabs we can all go get for free [if we have a boat, traps, and a license] seems like a miss but what do I know. What works in Hollywood (aka New Joisy/ New Yoik south) is not what I would expect to work on Summerland Key, but again, what do I know? The prices seemed high and unless the other offerings are really good I am sorry to say that I am not optimistic for its future. I will certainly give it another try, but I sure do miss the old Wharf of the mid-2000s. Yea I know … living in the past.  ~seubanks@cfl.rr.com

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[Hate] We have people who hate the Key Deer, the Old 7 Mile Bridge, Deer Ed, Signs and any other thing that makes them feel superior. This is a time and nation of haters. Any slip of the tongue is made to look like world war 3 in some haters’ eyes.
an calls out bingo

 

Bingo is back at the Moose Lodge.  Games will be on the 1st and 3rd Monday evenings.  Doors open at 5:30 with the first game starting at 6:00.  Guaranteed pots.  Food and beverages available.  Non-smoking room.  Big Pine Key Moose Lodge is located at 21st. & Wilder Rd. Full Menu > Ongoing Events

[Construction Volunteers] Habitat for Humanity is partnering with William Weech American Legion Post 168 and needs volunteers to assist with efforts to restore the historic building located at 803 Emma Street in Key West. Structural repairs on the building have been completed, and the next step is painting the exterior. A group of Habitat volunteers from the University of Miami recently spent two days at the post doing some initial prep work, and volunteer work days are scheduled for November 4th, 5th, 11th, and 12th to help clean, patch, prime, and paint the exterior.  “We are reaching out to our entire volunteer base, local businesses, military groups, and civic organizations, said Habitat Program Services Director Susan Kent. All skill levels are needed, and we welcome volunteers 16 years of age and older. If you are interested in participating, contact Susan at 305-294-9006 or via email at volunteer@habitatlowerkeys.org
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[Editor is Prostitute]  I was going to go into the many discrepancies of dear Ed’s retort to my, and others’, challenge of said posts. Before I could get outraged “Deer Ed” told us he would, indeed, sell his soul for $19.95 a week. I have a newfound appreciation (I think “respect” is too strong a word) for “Deer Ed”. It is quite refreshing hear someone actually admit that his opinions are for sale. Kudos for his honesty.
fire-reportWe are a fire extinguisher company. We service some restaurants in your district that have non-compliance suppression system in their kitchens. According to Florida Laws under Chapter 633.308 below: “If a system is found to be in violation of this chapter, the manufacturer’s specifications, or the standards of the National Fire Protection Association, a copy shall be forwarded to the state or local authority having jurisdiction within 30 days from the date of service.”

The attachment is a system report for China Garden Restaurants in Island Pine Key that need 12 year Hydrostatic testing. A-Advanced Fire & Safety, Inc. Link

Will the new Old 7 Mile Bridge have those beautiful, over-priced aluminum railings and $10,000 park benches and a toll booth to by tickets, and lots of signs and vendors selling Keys crap?
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[Doesn’t Like Announcer] If I had the money to buy WAIL 99, FM 103, & US1 104, I’d do it just to fire Erica. She has the most of obnoxious radio voice I’ve ever heard an she speaks as if The entire audience is five years old.  ~ becko2128@gmail.com
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[Quit Smoking] Join us for a no cost tobacco cessation class. Free. Link

[Hates Deer] The screwworm fly may prove to be a blessing if it eradicates the Key Deer and allows for the speed limit to increase to 50 mph on Big Pine Key. If the screwy worms eat all the deer can we raise the speed limit and take down all those ugly ass fences & signs on BPK.
fence-rabbit-arbor[Fencing Deer] Federal wildlife refuge managers are preparing to fence off roughly 32 acres of land at its National Key Deer Refuge in northern Big Pine Key and a smaller area on Cudjoe Key. The deer would be enclosed if their number drops below a point in which refuge managers decide is too low and they are endanger of becoming extinct. The enclosure will include four large gates, one on each side, managers said. These gates will remain open indefinitely, allowing the Key deer to pass through their natural habitat as normally as possible. If biologists decide supporting deer within the enclosure is necessary, they will lure a group of deer into the temporary enclosure and then close the gates. A smaller enclosure is also planned on refuge land on Cudjoe Key, allowing the possibility of preserving two separate portions of the Key deer population if it becomes necessary.
Don’t Fence Me In -Gene Autry
[Grant] United Way of the Florida Keys is proud to be one of 22 organizations across Florida to receive Volunteer Florida’s $13,000 “Volunteer Generation Fund” grant.  UWFK will use the funding to engage over 300 skills based volunteers in STEM educational programming, specifically focusing on personal finance and tax preparation, and disaster preparedness services. Link
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