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KEY LARGO 305.451.5700 make. MARATHON 305.743.4397 home. KEY WEST beautiful. 305.295.6400 keysfurniture.com WWW.KEYSINFONET.COM SATURDAY, JUNE 7, 2014 VOLUME 61, NO. 46 G 25 CENTS CRIME FRONT Massive credit fraud found deal with various banks. $240 worth of gasoline, a small anybody in this town and it No pattern seen Several people, such as amount at Kmart and “a bunch happened to them,” he said. among victims Marathon Boat Yard co- of little convenience stores.” Mothner said he tried to owner Sherry Popham, say “I’ve never carried cash. pin down the charges and in Middle Keys they’ve been victimized sev- Now I’m using cash and I compare them with other vic- eral times. Popham has gone actually got a brand new cred- tims, but it’s difficult. By RYAN McCARTHY through four debit cards in it card to use for my day-to- “I’m a lot more careful [email protected] about two months, while her day charges. That’s the only about the account I use. I husband Bruce has been hit card I use,” Popham said. have to buy a car, so I’m fig- A rash of debit and credit- three times and her 84-year- Real estate agent Josh uring out how to move card fraud is giving many old mother twice. Mothner said he had fraudu- money around and I’m prob- Middle Keys residents a “It’s just pervasive,” she lent chargers on a debit card ably just going to start writ- headache as they try to said. “The last time we got six weeks ago, while his ing checks again,” he said. ensure their accounts aren’t hit, Bruce’s card was hit wife’s card was compro- Monroe County Sheriff’s further compromised. seven minutes after mine.” mised in May and his daugh- Office Sgt. Gene Thompson And the problem appears The majority of Popham’s ter’s twice, in May and again said his agency is attempting fraudulent charges, which this week. to pinpoint the origin of the larger than merely 15 com- Keynoter photo by RYAN McCARTHY promised card numbers and amounted to roughly $2,000, “The amount of fraud I’ve fraudulent charges. Some victims using the same bank, were made in the Naples and heard about in this town is a Marathon Boat Yard co-owner Sherry Popham looks over a as several victims say they Fort Myers area. They included joke. You can talk to almost See Fraud, 2A bank statement outlining fraudulent charges to her debit card. GRADUATION NIGHT MONROE COUNTY SCHOOLS Porter seeks an extension of contract “I think Superintendent’s he’s brought current deal stability,” Martin said. ends July 2015 “He’s hired a great lead- By LARRY KAHN ership team. [email protected] The bus is out of the The head of Monroe PORTER ditch.” Photo by KAREN by McKEON Photo County’s public schools He was referring to work wants a two-year extension Porter has done to get the on his contract, and it looks School District out from like he’ll get it, or an exten- under a budget deficit follow- sion of some kind. ing the 2009 finance scandal Mark Porter, hired from that cost then-Superintendent Minnesota by the School Randy Acevedo his job and Marathon and Coral Shores Board on Aug. 8, 2012, under resulted in Acevedo’s wife high school students a three-year contract for getting eight years in prison celebrate entering the $150,000 annually, wants an for stealing $400,000 from next stage of their lives extension until July 31, 2017. the district. during commencement His current deal expires on Board member John Dick — the only board member ceremonies Wednesday July 31, 2015. Board Chairman Ron not to vote to hire Porter — and Thursday. Marathon Martin put the proposal on the said “he’s made some mis- had 72 students graduate board’s agenda for its meeting takes but I think he’s doing a and Coral Shores had 150. Tuesday, which starts at 3 p.m. good enough of a job. I am Key West High School’s at Marathon High School, 350 graduation was scheduled Sombrero Beach Road. See Porter, 2A for Friday night. There were 258 students expected KEY WEST to graduate. Photo by JOHN DICK Garbo’s Grill vies KEYS COURTS for the best burrito www.FiveThirtyEight.com. Statistician “It’s a little crazy, but we 12 in the running for judgeship Silver runs think it needs to be done,” Silver said in his Thursday by the governor, vets the two children, earned his Jones, married with four the scoring unveiling. Whoever’s picked applicants, then sends its list law degree from the children, has a law degree Silver is an editor of a replaces Audlin of three to six recommenda- University of Miami School from the University of By KEVIN WADLOW stats blog for ESPN and a tions to the governor. of Law. He previously was Florida and previously Senior Staff Writer correspondent for ABC in Circuit Court Gov. Rick Scott will an assistant Monroe County clerked for U.S. District [email protected] News, and a big fan of saber- appoint Audlin’s replace- public defender. Court Judge Lawrence King. metrics, a tool for measuring Keynoter Staff ment. The panel’s deadline G Patrick Flanagan, 31, of G Albert Kelley, 52, of The nationwide Burrito the value of baseball players. to submit its recommenda- Key West is an associate Key West is in private prac- Bracket search was revealed In 2007, he began publish- Twelve people are in the tions is July 14. lawyer with the Smith tice and specializes in litiga- this week and Key West food ing analyses of the 2008 pres- running to replace David Audlin resigned effective Oropeza firm in Key West. tion and contract, entertain- cart Garbo’s Grill’s Value idential election and created Audlin as a judge in Monroe May 9 just two years into his Flanagan, single, is a ment and intellectual-prop- Over Replacement Burrito his website to expand the County Circuit Court. second six-year term, citing graduate of the West Virginia erty law. score put it among 64 con- work. Unlike most commen- That’s how many attor- lack of privacy in his person- University College of Law. Kelley, married, graduat- tenders for the title of tators, he correctly predicted neys applied when the dead- al life. Those who applied to He’s a former assistant ed from the Florida State America’s best burrito. the winner of 49 of the 50 line to do so struck at 5 p.m. replace him: Monroe public defender. University College of Law. “We’re launching a nation- states in the election, missing Wednesday. Now the Keys’ G Christopher Bridger, 32, G Michael Jones, 53, of G Timothy Koenig, 54, of al, 64-restaurant Burrito only Indiana. He also correct- Judicial Nominating of Key West is an assistant Key Largo is an assistant Key West is managing part- Bracket. We’ve convened a ly predicted the winners of all Commission, a 10-member city attorney for the city of state attorney with the ner of the Keonig, Burrito Selection Committee,” 35 Senate races that year. panel comprising Monroe Key West. Broward County State wrote Nate Silver, acclaimed County attorneys appointed Bridger, married with Attorney’s Office. See Judge, 2A statistician and founder of See Burrito, 3A INDEX Printed on 100% Classifieds . .5B recycled newsprint Airport Living . .2B CONTENTS © 2014 expansion Turn the page Business . .7A KEYNOTER PUBLISHING CO. Five companies have bid After 32 years, Marathon’s Obituaries . .2A to build a U.S. Customs librarian is closing the Opinion . .6A and Border Protection port book on her career. Story, 4A Sports/Outdoors . .1B of entry at the Marathon airport. Story, 2A Crossword . .2B 7786790 22222 2A Saturday, June 7, 2014 KeysInfoNet.com Keynoter NEWS BRIEFS ELECTION 2014 Looks like Porter Woman fights cop, is facing felonies 2 file for School Board has the support A 38-year-old Marathon 4 candidates Martin, who is ending his staff all work to deliver a From Porter, 1A sion is the wrong way to go. woman faces numerous four-year term in November first-rate education.” “Porter has been lobbying charges stemming from her now seeking and not seeking re-election. Charron holds a doctor- satisfied with his work. Of School Board members to arrest for drunk boating and Highsmith’s parents ate in education from course, there are areas where extend his contract. The only fighting with a law officer District 1 seat Kerry and Sandy were Columbia University, a I want to see improvement.” reason for that — he has 14 on Thursday. career educators, and his master’s from the New York At Tuesday’s board meet- months to run [on his current A state Fish and Wildlife Keynoter Staff father ended his career as a Institute of Technology and ing, the board will discuss deal] — is to deny the new Conservation Commission deputy Monroe County her bachelor’s from the Porter’s latest job review. He School Board members the officer pulled Shana Valencia Two Key Westers filed superintendent. Bobby State University of New scored an average of 3.25 on ability to decide who they over in Boot Key Harbor this week to run for the Highsmith graduated from York-Albany. a 5-point scale. want as superintendent.” around 8:30 p.m. as he was District 1 seat on the Monroe Key West High School, “Developing advanced lit- “I haven’t made up my Three of the five School patrolling the harbor.