WWW.KEYSINFONET.COM WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2013 VOLUME 60, NO. 103 G 25 CENTS TOURISM Keys packed for holidays By SEAN KINNEY ent, as hotels and other Lodgings up and down the island chain but from this Thursday asked questions, they posted [email protected] accommodations Keyswide through the new year, “We’re on the door outside a list of are reporting booming busi- reporting strong business for season sold out. In fact, most of us [in restaurants open on Christmas In the tourism-driven ness for the holidays. Marathon] should be sold out.” Eve and Christmas Day. Florida Keys, the week “In our little corner of par- Town. “We’ve got all [11] of cent to Florida Keys Marathon The Key Largo Chamber of Lou Gammell, a longtime between Christmas and New adise here, things are really our rooms rented, all [14] of Airport, general manager and Commerce had more than 380 bartender at the iconic Year’s Day is perhaps the hopping,” said Barbara our rental boats are rented. partner Steve DeRoche said people stop through its Sloppy Joe’s on Duval Street busiest of the year and gives Maddox, co-owner of Porky’s is busy. Definitely this week is busy and 2013 as Overseas Highway location on in Key West, will open the way to the much-anticipated Porky’s Bayside BBQ and everybody seems to be here a whole has been “up every Monday, many asking about bar today. January-through-April season. adjoining Captain Pip’s for the holidays.” single month.” lodging and dining options, “Christmas, typically And from the look of Marina and Hideaway on the At the 40-room Coconut He said that on Tuesday, his according to office staff. In things, this year is no differ- bayside of Marathon’s Old Cay Resort and Marina adja- occupancy was at 84 percent response to the frequently See Holidays, 3A NEW SANTACON RECORD ISLAMORADA Sewer drilling remains halted Thursday to review plans that Theater of Sea, could affect a culvert and village to meet channel that feeds Theater of the Sea’s ponds for dolphins for talks Thursday and sea lions. Tindle “has done quite a By KEVIN WADLOW bit for us,” said Pam Hughes, Senior Staff Writer assistant curator at Theater of [email protected] the Sea. “But the holidays are a really bad time to try to get All has been quiet on the a meeting together.” sewer-drilling front along the Trainers and staff from the Old Highway on Windley Key Islamorada attraction on in the wake of Friday’s protest Monday stood and parked in by Theater of the Sea staff. a planned sewer-drilling Work to drill through the route between the Old coral rock for sewer-pipe Highway and the attraction installation near the marine property at mile marker 84.7. attraction hasn’t resumed Monroe County Sheriff’s since a stop-work order was Office deputies were called issued by Greg Tindle, but no arrests were made. Islamorada’s wastewater pro- Theater of the Sea staff gram manager. say they fear a plan to drill Engineers from primary several feet beneath the salt- contractor Reynolds Water water channel, dug more than Islamorada and for Theater of the Sea plan to meet See Drilling, 3A Photo courtesy NICK DOLL More than 300 people participated in the Dec. 14 SantaCon in Key West. The holiday-themed bar crawl had Santa KEYS FISHING wannabes caroling through Old Town, stopping at the World’s Smallest Bar, 124 Duval St., where 46 Santas and one dog broke the previous record of 42 that fit into the bar. Here, the carolers take in The Porch, a bar at 429 Caroline St. Goliath grouper MIDDLE KEYS being revisited part of that,” Mahood said. Fish’s harvest “If you drive down U.S. 1 Kids surprised with new bikes has been banned in the Keys, you might legal- ly catch a snapper on one side nearly 25 years of a bridge,” he said. “But if Liveaboards, city you take it across the road to By KEVIN WADLOW your car, you may be break- staff combine to Senior Staff Writer ing the law.” distribute 22 [email protected] The two federal councils and the FWC formed the Joint By RYAN McCARTHY The possible future of Council on South Florida [email protected] South Florida fishing rules — Management Issues, which including the latest informa- meets at the Hilton Key Largo. More than 20 Middle tion on Goliath grouper popu- Five council members or Keys children are sporting lations — goes before com- staff members who serve on new wheels today thanks to bined panels of federal and the South Florida committee Marathon city staff mem- state fishery experts conven- also sit on the Goliath bers and Boot Key Harbor ing Jan. 7 to 9 in Key Largo. Grouper Joint Council residents. “This is really interesting Steering Committee, which City Ports Director Sean stuff,” Robert Mahood, holds a meeting during the Cannon said donations from executive director of the fed- Key Largo trip. John Sanchez, employees and liveaboard eral South Atlantic Fishery a former Florida Keys com- boaters raised enough Manage ment Council, said mercial fishing executive, money to buy 22 bicycles as Keynoter photo by RYAN McCARTHY Monday. represents the Gulf Council Christmas gifts. They’re dis- Boot Key Harbor resident Sage Seeley and City of Marathon Marina employees Jenny Board members and staff on both committees. tributed to families in need Meany and Sean Cannon show the 22 bicycles they purchased for local kids. They’re from the Gulf of Mexico “There’s been a lot of based on referrals. financed using donations from harbor residents and city staff members. Fishery Management Council interest, especially from the The effort has become an and the South Atlantic gulf side where they’re see- annual thing since it started Marathon Marina employee The idea grew when $500 to $600 to the cause. Council, along with Florida ing more [Goliath grouper], around eight years ago, Jenny Meany came up with marina staff shared the idea Harbor resident Sage Fish and Wildlife Conserva - in reopening that fishery,” when a harbor resident gave the idea to purchase bicycles. with the rest of their city co- Seely is a fixture on the har- tion Commission scientists Mahood said. a city staffer a tip. “Instead of us giving each workers. It grew even more bor’s Cruisers Net radio and managers, will consider It has been nearly a quarter “Being government other presents, she said when Boot Key harbor live- broadcasts, which share possible ways to streamline of a century since a ban on employees, we were not ‘Let’s buy bikes for the aboards got involved. information with visitors and fishing regulations specifical- legally harvesting a Goliath allowed to take tips. We kids.’ I think we bought “The next thing you know, residents about goings-on at ly for South Florida waters. grouper — then known as a said, ‘What are we going to three or four that year and we’re doing 22 bikes this the marina. “We’ve talked for years jewfish — was enacted in 1990. do with it?’ ” Cannon said. from there it took off,” year,” Cannon said, noting that about trying to coordinate Longtime City of Cannon said. harbor residents contributed See Bikes, 3A regulations in Florida. This is See Regulations, 3A INDEX Printed on 100% Classifieds . .6B recycled newsprint Life for Living . .2B Poveromo’s CONTENTS © 2013 ‘Little Tony’ Business . .5A KEYNOTER PUBLISHING CO. show A convicted killer of Obituaries . .2A One of South Florida’s SunCruz Casinos and biggest fishing seminar Opinion . .4A Miami Subs founder Gus series returns to the Upper Boulis gets life in prison. Sports/Outdoors . .1B Keys in February. Story, 1B Story, 3A Crossword . .4B 7786790 22222 2A Wednesday, December 25, 2013 KeysInfoNet.com Keynoter NEWS BRIEFS MARATHON CRIME FRONT Body found in Lower Keys waters Man sought in A body believed to be that of a Lower Keys man girlfriend’s beating was found in waters off Keynoter Staff ID and Niles Channel Tuesday. money A friend of Charles Key West police on “before Salyers, 68, who lived on his Tuesday were on the lookout locking her boat on the oceanside of the for a 31-year-old man who’s in the bed- channel at Ramrod Key, suspected of beating up his room and reported Salyers and girlfriend of two years. placing a Salyers’ dinghy missing Police were called to the barricade Monday night. The friend couple’s Flagler Avenue in front of told the Monroe County house at 4:48 p.m. Saturday CAMPO the door,” Sheriff’s Office he hadn’t to find the woman on the then leaving for work, seen Salyers since Saturday front porch “hysterical” with according to the report. around 11 a.m. a “black left eye and red When Campo later His 26-foot Silverton marks around her neck,” returned, the woman told liveaboard boat was still in according to a report prepared police, “They got into anoth- the water and his pickup by Officer Isaac Helfner. er argument and as [she] truck was parked on the The suspect, Tony Campo, tried to get away, Campo north end of the Niles was nowhere to be seen. took her crutches; she man- Channel Bridge. The woman told Helfner aged to [crawl] to her neigh- The U.S. Coast Guard that on Friday, Campo bor’s house asking for help.” and Florida Fish and Photo courtesy GOOGLE EARTH choked her and “punched According to records Wildlife Conservation This is the property in question, near Sombrero Beach.