Florida Keys the Islands Prsrt Std Since 1987 R U.S
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NAVIGATING F FLORIDA KEYS THE ISLANDS PRSRT STD SINCE 1987 R U.S. POSTAGE PAID • Key Largo E PERMIT No. 469 Key Largo, FL • Islamorada 33037 • Marathon E • Big Pine Key WEDNESDAY, DECEMBERPress 16, 2015 • VOLUME 29, N0. 1 • 26 PAGES KEYSNEWS.COM FREE Memory Guinness Bomb threats lane bound Paddleboarder Marathon, Key West high schools Take a trolley ride goes for record. 1B evacuated Monday. 3A through history. 1B Jury convicts former Cay Clubs chief BY ADAM LINHARDT formerly of Tavernier, was Clark also was convicted and financial institutions,” sales agent decades in prison upon his Free Press Staff found guilty and convict- of obstruction of the U.S. U.S. Attorney Wifredo Ferrer Cristal sentencing before Martinez ed of three counts of bank Securities and Exchange said after the verdict was Clark was on Feb. 25 at the federal MIAMI — A federal jury fraud and three counts of Commission while the announced. acquit- courthouse on Simonton on Friday found former Cay making a false statement to SEC was investigating his Clark had previous- ted on all Street in Key West. Clubs president Dave Clark a financial institution in the conduct related to Cay ly avoided conviction in charges Clark has been in feder- al custody for more than guilty of fraud in what the fraudulent sale of Cay Clubs Clubs, according to a U.S. August when a jury dead- and a year. He was arrested in government alleged was Resorts and Marinas rental Department of Justice press locked, prompting U.S. released Clark June 2014 while en route a $300 million vacation units to some 1,400 inves- release. District Judge Jose E. after that to Panama from Roatan, rental Ponzi scheme based tors in the Florida Keys and “We will not stand on the Martinez to declare a mis- same five- Honduras, and his wife was in Monroe County. elsewhere during the height sidelines and allow individ- trial. week trial. Fred Davis Clark Jr., 57, of the real estate boom. uals to defraud investors His wife and Cay Clubs Dave Clark will likely face See CAY CLUBS, page 5A Healthy growth Housing is unaffordable BY TIMOTHY O’HARA ing new to anyone who Free Press Staff has looked recently for an apartment in the Florida MONROE COUNTY — Keys. A red-hot real estate Amanda Scott works six market and growth in illegal days a week between her transient rentals have made two jobs, and she still can’t finding an affordable rental find a new apartment she difficult, if not impossible. can afford in Key West. Purchasing a home is no The monthly $1,700 rent easier, according to Manuel plus utilities she currently Castillo, director of the Key pays is no longer feasible, West housing authority. so she is looking for a new Elected leaders and home, said Scott, who is the housing advocates say the store manager at the Key affordable housing problem West Nature and Butterfly has reached a crisis level. Conservancy and works Monroe County and part-time at Rubies and the cities of Key West, Clay pottery and art gallery. Islamorada and Marathon “I love my place, I just have impaneled affordable can’t afford it,” said Scott, housing committees and who added that she is consulted with experts to thankful that she has two study the issue and come jobs that she loves. “I don’t up with solutions. mind tiny, but I am 38. Why However, the coun- CONTRIBUTED Patient care coordinator Maddie Negria, right, checks the vitals of a patient with the Good Health Clinic’s new equipment, which do I have to live with two or ty and the municipalities three strangers?” was donated by the Ocean Reef Community Foundation. See HOUSING, page 3A Scott’s story is noth- Good Health Clinic touts new services Husband reflects on BY CHARLOTTE TWINE staff structure, streamlin- Free Press Staff ing the application system and installing new medical wife’s passing at home TAVERNIER — The Good equipment. Health Clinic, which is The clinic was founded BY ROBERT CUNNINGHAM the Florida tucked away in a corner of a in 2003 by gynecologist Dr. Free Press Contributor Keys. nondescript office building Sanford Yankow to provide I awoke free medical care for the at 91555 Overseas Highway, that uninsured in the Upper y wife, Christine is easy to drive by and miss. morning Keys. He served as the sole Cunningham, You might even drive by it knowing medical director for over a Mdied at 4:30 a.m. twice. Its quarters are a bit she had decade until he retired to on June 16. After a relatively cramped, with staff having short time, six months, she passed. It CHARLOTTE TWINE/Free Press New Mexico in May 2014. to share narrow office spac- was clear Cunningham Patient care coordinator Karen Haymore, left, takes a call while With his retirement, passed from complications es and desks. she was Executive Director Kate Banick looks on at the Good Health Banick explained, the board due to an abdominal tumor. But looks can be deceiv- Clinic. of the clinic decided to We were fortunately able to gone. The ing. The modest facility make some organization- have her pass not in a hos- presence of life had left her, provides an invaluable “A lot goes on here,” lot of activity.” al changes. There are now pital, but at home. Her final leaving behind an empti- service: free health care to Executive Director Kate And recent activity two weeks were facilitated See CLINIC, page 5A See HOME, page 12A those who can’t afford it. Banick said. “We pack in a includes building a new by the help of Hospice of Business & Real Estate .............10A Crossword ................................11B Opinion .................................... 11A Tides ..........................................9B INDEX Classifieds ...........................12-14B Horoscope ................................11B Sports & Recreation ........8-9B, 11B TV Guide ....................................7B ARE YOU READY? WE ARE FOOTBALL!FOOTBALL! 35 HDTVS, FOOD & DRINK SPECIALS FOR ALL GAMES! VOTED BEST SPORTS BAR COME WATCH THE PROS! IN THE UPPER KEYS WE DO HAVE 3 RINGS! MM104 BAYSIDE • KEY LARGO 305-453-9066 • WWW.JJSBIGCHILL.COM 405316 KEYSNEWS.COM 2A • December 16, 2015 • Florida Keys Free Press UP FRONT County: No to Ragnar, yes to Gastesi BY TIMOTHY O’HARA down giving a permit for Commissioners said last has too many runners and mission approved a four- toration projects designed Free Press Staff a 125-mile running relay week that even a scaled- support vans. The commis- year contract extension to bring more fresh water through the Florida Keys in down Ragnar Relay would sion voted 4-1 against per- for County Administrator into Florida Bay. The natu- KEY LARGO — For a third February, despite the event disrupt too much highway mitting the relay. Roman Gastesi. ral flows have been altered time, the Monroe County organizer’s desperate plea traffic, is planned for the Ragnar CEO Chris County Commissioner to accommodate develop- Commission has shot to allow the race. wrong time of the year and Infurchia pleaded with the Danny Kolhage was the ment and agriculture. commissioners to grant one only commissioner to vote Between the natural last permit for February’s against the contract exten- flow being disrupted and Send the relay, as Ragnar has accept- sion. He unsuccessfully a recent summer drought, gift of from Florida Seafood ed roughly $700,000 in proposed to extend the con- Florida Bay is experiencing FRESH entrant fees from nearly tract by one year. Kolhage, a massive seagrass die-off. Stone Crabs, Florida Lobster, Yellowtail Snapper, Mahi Mahi 6,000 runners. He said his Carruthers and Murphy are Seagrass is critical habitat group agreed to not have all up for re-election and for several species of sport runners on U.S. 1 from a potentially new commis- fish, including bonefish Marathon to Key West. sion should be able to chose and redfish, and commer- “We are willing to change who they want to work with cially-harvested marine life the date or shrink the during their entire term, he such as spiny lobster and event,” Infurchia said. “I’m said. stone crab. just asking for this year to “It has nothing to do with avoid the damage.” the job Roman is doing,” Free senior bus fare However, the commis- Kolhage said. SHIPPING Carruthers contended FRESH SOUPS, SALADS AND SAUCES: sion was unmoved. The commission agreed that Kolhage’s proposal “I think you have done to move forward on waiv- Conch Salad • Snapper Ceviche • Smoked Fish Dip • Lobster Salad, Lobster Bisquee would politicize the issue everything you can,” ing bus fees for seniors 60 Seafood Market Hours: and make it a campaign Mon.-Thur. 7:30-5:30; Fri. & Sat. fromm 7am-7pm 7am-7pm Commissioner David Rice and older. The commission issue. said. “The bridges have agreed to have staff look “It is a political issue,” been burned in this county. into it and then bring it back Kolhage said. “Everything ... I think the opportunity to the board for approval. we do is political.” has passed. This is just too The Keys chapter of the Photos courtesy Pino Photos Carrie Rice said that “if there large of an event and the AARP asked the commis- were three new people, they wrong time of the year.” sion to waive the bus fees 1313 Ocean Bay Drive Key Largo, Fl 33037 would be fools to get rid of 405484 Mayor Heather Carruthers for seniors. 305-451-3782 • www.keylargofisheries.com him.” was the only commissioner The Monroe County Gastesi’s contract expires to vote in favor of allowing Transit buses provide door- in May 2016, and the Monroe the event.