Limit Voting Rights
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Need A Loan? Call Us ! 305-296-8535 KeysBank.com Ani Brian Kurt Brian Lori Madruga Barroso Lewin Kelly Bailey (305) (305) (305) (305) (305) 308-3210 393-4669 304-4187 393-6446 304-6991 NMLS#: 812674 NMLS#: 812460 NMLS#: 812476 NMLS#: 812475 NMLS#: 812459 Member FDICMember Equal Housing Lender WWW.KEYSNET.COM WEDNESDAY,NOVEMBER 14, 2012 VOLUME 59, NO. 91 ● 25 CENTS POLITICS Suit: Limit Voting Rights Act By LARRY KAHN Section 5 applies to nine Alabama county wants Section 5 grew out of the Justice Supervisor Harry Sawyer [email protected] states, 12 cities and 57 coun- Department nullifying a 2008 said. “That’s the hammer the ties — including Monroe — rule,which governs Keys, stricken Calera (Ala.) City Council Justice Department has on While the U.S. collectively nationwide that in the past election because two years the cities and the states. If points to Florida as the poster have had voting practices U.S. Justice Department or in that have a demonstrated histo- earlier, the county had you don’t get federal pre- child for voting problems, an that discriminated. Monroe federal court. For example, a ry in discrimination,” said Lee changed district boundaries clearance, the elections after Alabama county is looking to and the other four in Florida 2010 referendum that saw Rowland, democracy counsel but didn’t submit them for that are like they never hap- get rid of part of the Voting — Hillsborough, Collier, Keys voters go to a School for the Brennan Center for federal approval. pened. That’s a very elemen- Rights Act of 1964 that Hendry and Hardee — are Board-hired superintendent Justice at the New York That election district pre- tary thing. When you redis- specifically affects the Keys. under Section 5 because even from an elected one had to University School of Law. viously had been 71 percent trict anything, you have to On Friday, the U.S. though the Hispanic popula- pass federal muster. So did “Of the nine states that are black. When redistricted in send it to Justice. If you Supreme Court agreed to tion had increased in those new County Commission dis- fully covered, six passed 2006, the district ended up 23 don’t, they sue.” hear the case of Shelby areas over the years, ballots trict boundaries following the laws that restrict voting in the percent black. Two years Sawyer had his own vot- County vs. Holder, which weren’t printed in Spanish. 2010 census. past two years,” she said. later, the black incumbent ing-rights battles this year, seeks an end to the law’s That’s since changed. “On the most basic level, “These states are continually City Council member in that trying to maintain a 12-day, Section 5, which requires that Any change to voting rules Section 5 was designed — and proving that federal oversight district lost re-election. eight-hours-a-day early-vot- any change to voting proce- in Section 5 jurisdictions has carefully designed — for vot- is entirely correct.” “I call it the hammer,” dures gets federal approval. to receive approval from the ing laws from passing in areas Shelby County vs. Holder Monroe County Elections ● See Voting, 3A WASTEWATER TREATMENT SOLAR ISLAND Sewer money looks to be split receive $50 million from the Marathon and fiscal year 2013 allocation, which would be the second Key Largo each installment of four grants would get $20M totaling $200 million pledged to the Keys for By KEVIN WADLOW sewer construction. Senior Staff Writer The first $50 million [email protected] approved by the Florida Legislature last spring A draft plan to parcel out essentially was split between an expected $50 million in Monroe County and state funding for Florida Islamorada to “jump start” Keys sewer projects next new projects. year would send a combined The county took $30 mil- 80 percent to Marathon and lion toward its $156 million Key Largo. Cudjoe Regional sewer sys- Marathon City Council tem and Islamorada received members were scheduled to $20 million toward its $100 consider the plan, which million municipal waste- would grant Marathon $20 water efforts. million for sewer work, at “The way it was pro- the council’s Tuesday night posed last year, the county meeting. and Islamorada needed to “We are pleased with the jump-start their projects,” approach that is taking Hernstadt said. “Marathon shape,” Marathon City reluctantly agreed to take a Manager Roger Hernstadt back seat with the commit- said before Tuesday’s meet- ment that the matter would ing. be addressed in Year 2.” “This would put us on par State bonds issued as part with Islamorada, which of the Everglades restoration would be a leveling among effort will generate the $200 Photo by ANDY NEWMAN the cities and the Monroe million in local wastewater Technicians with the Marathon-based SALT Services Inc. complete work Monday on a solar array, 105 by 15 feet, to County [wastewater] utili- funding over four years. ties,” Hernstadt said. For decades, most be used to satisfy most of the electrical needs for Pigeon Key. Officials believe the $212,000 investment will be paid The Key Largo sewage from Keys homes back within five years for the island, formerly a camp for Florida East Coast Railway workers. The 5.3-acre island off Wastewater Treatment Marathon is on the National Register of Historic Places. The Tourist Development Council is funding about half the District also is penciled in to ● See Sewers, 2A cost of the solar project. ACC HONORS FOR PATERSON KEY WEST Finally, firehouse review starts and Simonton streets. Anthony started the push for square-foot parking lot. The Plans go to Ultimately, with that build- a new station in 1996. total area is 1.49 acres. Planning Board ing crumbling and moldy, the “We’ve got to get this The city wants six vari- City Commission decided to thing done,” Wardlow said. ances to land development Thursday night refit Glynn Archer “It’s something that’s very regulations including open Elementary School on White important and has been space/landscaping, land- By SEAN KINNEY Street as a city hall, and build delayed enough times that scape buffer, perimeter [email protected] a new fire station on Angela. it’s got to go forward. The requirements and non-habit- With that, the Key West building has been in bad able height limits. Continuously put off to Planning Board on Thursday shape for years. We can’t In the applicable historic accommodate discussion will consider applications for keep postponing it because zoning district, the maxi- regarding a new city hall, the a major development plan it’ll just get worse.” mum allowable height is 25 city of Key West is gearing and variances for the new The current fire station, feet. The existing building up to build a new fire station building. built in 1962, is at Angela was constructed before for- Photo by J.C. RIDLEY/HURRICANESPORTS.COM on Angela Street. Commissioner Billy and Simonton. The new sta- malized land development University of Miami forward Jasmine Paterson, taking the Plans for the new Fire Wardlow, a former fire chief tion would be moved away regulations took effect and is Station No. 2, projected to ball during a regular-season soccer game, has been who has pushed for the new from the roads and toward considered legally noncon- cost $4.8 million, wavered in station since his election to the former site of the forming. named to the Atlantic Coast Conference’s All-Freshman past years as the Key West represent District 3 in 2009, Madeline Bean building. Planning Board members, honors roster. A Coral Shores High graduate, Paterson was City Commission decided says it’s long overdue. He Specifically proposed are with the subsequent concur- a starter and played in Saturday’s Hurricane finale, an whether to rebuild City Hall recalled how then-City a 7,926-square-foot, 35-foot- overtime loss in the NCAA Tournament. Story, 1B and the fire station at Angela Commissioner Jeremy tall fire station and a 40,720- ● See Fire station, 5A INDEX Printed on 100% Classifieds . .7B recycled newsprint Extreme Fishing the Living . .3B CONTENTS © 2012 reaction Florida Keys KEYNOTER PUBLISHING CO. Business . .7A Cops: A Key Wester who The winter has picked up Opinion . .6A apparently killed himself for sailfish and snapper, cited President Obama's and even the dolphin Sports/Outdoors . .1B re-election for his action. catches are good. Story, 8A Captain's column, 2B Crossword . .5B 7786790 22222 2A Wednesday, November 14, 2012 KeysNet.com Keynoter NEWS BRIEFS SCHOOL DISTRICT DEEPWATER HORIZON DISASTER Boating course Deadline nears starts Nov. 26 Who’s next with gavel? U.S. Coast Guard term District 1 member “I think if John wants it for BP money Auxiliary Flotilla 13-03 of Chairman Steve Pribramsky serving again, he’ll get it again,” Big Pine Key is offering a to be chosen once. said Griffiths, who will be It awaits approve terms of a massive boating skills and seaman- Formerly there was a rota- starting his sixth four-year settlement over ramifica- ship class beginning Nov. 26 next Tuesday tion system, but that was term in District 2. “I’m just order from tions from the spill that and running Mondays and shelved around 2009 when going to show up.” stained the Gulf of Mexico. Wednesdays for three weeks By SEAN KINNEY the district was embroiled in Ed Davidson, newly federal judge Spill oil apparently never reached Keys waters from 7 to 9:30 p.m. [email protected] a six-figure financial scandal. elected District 3 board By KEVIN WADLOW The sessions will be held but demand for regional “That got broken years member, will also be Senior Staff Writer at the Habitat for Humanity As it does every ago,” Dick said of the rota- installed.