County Backs Off No Name
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Call Us ! 305-296-8535 KeysBank.com Kurt Ani Lori Brian Smith Lewin Madruga Bailey Barroso (305) (305) (305) (305) (305) 942-4821 304-4187 308-3210 304-6991 393-4669 NMLS#: 518207 NMLS#: 812476 NMLS#: 812674 NMLS#: 812459 NMLS#: 812460 Member FDICMember Equal Housing Lender WWW.KEYSNET.COM WEDNESDAY,FEBRUARY 27, 2013 VOLUME 60, NO. 17 ● 25 CENTS NO NAME KEY County backs off No Name By RYAN McCARTHY until the decades-long battle Still no commercial electricity but ious legal and other proceed- “trespass” on county aerial rmccarthy@keynoter.com over commercial power is ings related to No Name Key. easements on No Name. resolved or the county commission slowly loosening grip None will immediately lead ● It voted unanimously to Anyone “dealing in reali- changes its policy. to commercial power on No not appeal a Feb. 6 Third ty” knows commercial elec- In a special County Name and residents from taxpayer dollars in an illogi- Name, but they do loosen the District Court of Appeal rul- tricity is coming to No Name Commission meeting to hooking up to them. Lower cal way defending it?” he screws, so to speak. ing upholding a prior Audlin Key, says Monroe County address the issue Tuesday, Keys utility Keys Energy said. “It’s not our fight. If ● It voted unanimously to decision that the state Public Mayor George Neugent. Neugent described what he Services installed 60-plus they want to fight until hell not appeal Monroe County Service Commission has But that doesn’t mean the believes is a losing battle the poles last July. freezes over, spending their Circuit Court Judge David jurisdiction over electrifying county won’t defend its land- county’s been fighting to pre- “We’re tied up in some- money, that’s their right.” Audlin’s Feb. 21 dismissal of the 1,000-acre island. use plan, which prohibits vent power poles and lines thing going on 20 years. How The commission took five a county claim that power public utilities to the island, from being installed on No long are we going to spend separate votes relating to var- lines run by Keys Energy ● See No Name, 2A VOTING RIGHTS ACT JUST CHILLING OUT Court hears Section 5 case today 2010 Keys referendum that Provision saw voters go to a School for elections Board-hired superintendent from an elected one. covers Monroe It applies to jurisdictions where past voting practices By LARRY KAHN were determined to be dis- lkahn@keynoter.com criminatory. In the Keys, with a large Hispanic popula- Last year, then-Monroe tion, it was applied because County Elections Supervisor in the past, ballots were not Harry Sawyer battled Gov. printed in Spanish. Rick Scott on the national Section 5 covers Monroe stage over how many early- and four other Florida coun- voting days should be allowed ties, as well as some local in the November election. jurisdictions in California, Scott ultimately won — North Carolina, Michigan, eight days instead of New Hampshire, New York Sawyer’s preferred 14 — but and South Dakota. It also that battle and more will be covers all of Texas, heard today by the U.S. Louisiana, Mississippi, Supreme Court. Alabama, Georgia, South Oral arguments before the Carolina, Alaska, Arizona nine justices are scheduled in and Virginia. Keynoter photo by KEVIN WADLOW the case of Shelby County, “Last year we got an Islamorada sisters Elizabeth (left) and Jessica Wood put an Eno Hammock to the test while taking a break from umbrella from Section 5 Ala., vs. Attorney General exploring the Giant Nautical Flea Market, held Saturday and Sunday at Founders Park in Islamorada and staged by Eric Holder, a case in which because it helped Mr. Sawyer Shelby County seeks to have fight and the voters were the Upper Keys Rotary. For more event photos, go to www.KeysNet.com/photos. Section 5 of the Voting heard from,” said Elections Rights Act stricken. Supervisor Joyce Griffin. “If Section 5 requires any we weren’t under Section 5, ENVIRONMENT change to voting procedures to they wouldn’t have been get federal approval — what’s heard from.” called preclearance. That’s Shelby County vs. Holder Dredging plan comes under fire everything from the number of grew out of the Justice early-voting days to changing Department nullifying a 2008 tionists fear the precedent it positive step toward solving a Mother Nature.” election districts to buying Calera (Ala.) City Council If approved, would set. problem that already exists.” A public-information new voting machines. Federal The project remains far The developers own the meeting on the channel proj- ● 200 channels approval was needed for a See Voting, 2A from winning approval. submerged shallow bottom ect, hosted by its backers, may be affected Groups including the County leading to Walkers Island, will be held at 6 p.m. Commission, U.S. Army where they have building Thursday at the Marathon THINKING WARM THOUGHTS By KEVIN WADLOW Corps of Engineers and pos- rights for eight units. Government Center. Senior Staff Writer sibly the Florida Keys “Our economy is the County planning staff rec- kwadlow@keynoter.com National Marine Sanctuary marine environment and that ommended that applicants have yet to agree. environment is deteriorat- hold the session to outline A proposal to restore a “This is not something ing,” said Charlie Causey, an the specifics and history of 700-foot boat channel to a pri- that’s going to stimulate more Islamorada angler and con- the proposal, which would vate development near Duck development,” said Sandra servationist. “If we don’t amend the county’s compre- Key has an endorsement from Walters, a consultant for protect the marine environ- hensive land-use plan to let the Monroe County Planning Little Conch Key ment, we’re toast. Part of Commission but conserva- Development Corp. “This is a that is not tinkering with ● See Dredging, 2A MONROE COUNTY SCHOOLS 3 students charged in school lockdown last Thursday’s lockdown of Airsoft guns look like ed the gun to a second stu- Replica gun Horace O’Bryant Middle genuine bullet-shooting guns dent ... [who] then placed the shuts campus of School in Key West. but fire plastic pellets gun under his shirt.” Another Charged are a 12-year- through either a spring-lock witness called their father middle school old seventh-grader who device or compressed air. who, in turn, called police. brought the airsoft gun to They’re meant to look real That student told Arroyo By SEAN KINNEY school, a 13-year-old eighth- but be non-lethal. she saw the gun and “became skinney@keynoter.com Ted Koelher of Ashland,Wis., sent this along, his son Steven grader from whom he got it In this case, the gun was a afraid,” leading to the call. at a bus stop at Poinciana replica .45-caliber automatic Monroe County State with a snowman sporting a ‘mile 0 Key West’ hat. Ted says Three Key West students Housing, and another 13- handgun. Attorney Catherine Vogel, that in Ashland, it ‘has not been above freezing here in at face a third-degree felony year-old eighth-grader given One witness told Key while declining to discuss least a month.’Today in Ashland, the forecast is for a low of charge of possessing a the gun in the school cafete- West police officer Henry 21 degrees.Today in Marathon, the high is forecast at 77. firearm at school following ria by the 12-year-old. Arroyo that “one male hand- ● See Gun, 3A INDEX Printed on 100% Classifieds . .4B recycled newsprint Money Key Anger on Living . .3B CONTENTS © 2013 woes KEYNOTER PUBLISHING CO. the court Business . .5A The owner of a private A tennis match between island is more than Opinion . .4A Key West and Marathon frustrated with partiers players takes an ugly turn. Sports/Outdoors . .1B who use it and leave trash Story, 1B piles behind. Story, 6A Crossword . .2B 7786790 22222 2A Wednesday, February 27, 2013 KeysNet.com Keynoter NEWS BRIEFS KEY LARGO County slowly Cultural Umbrella taking applications Sewer head gets raise distances itself The Florida Keys Council Blank sought when he resigned — and to give themselves a 27 per- From No Name, 1A the county denied them build- of the Arts is accepting appli- Blank was promoted — in cent raise — increasing ing permits to connect to live cations for an opening on the 12 percent 2011. their per-meeting pay from ● It voted 4-1 to send power poles on the island. Tourist Development Council But the commissioners $300 to $382. They attend County Attorney Bob ● The commission voted District 3 Cultural Umbrella hike in pay balked at her request Jan. no more than three meet- Shillinger to a status confer- 4-1 to continue to defend its committee. 22, saying she deserves a ings a month. ence with the PSC in revocation of a permit The appointee must live By DAVID GOODHUE raise but was asking for too The salary is based on Tallahassee. Neugent was Newton received to hook from the west end of the dgoodhue@keysreporter.com much money. the U.S. Department of the dissenter. up to the power poles. Seven Mile Bridge to the Blank said she would Labor’s Consumer Price The hearing stems from Neugent dissented. Long Key Bridge. The The chief of Key Largo’s have preferred her entire Index, which calculates No Name resident Bob The county had issued the Cultural Umbrella has five wastewater taxing district asking price, but the cost-of-living increases. Reynolds complaint to the permit last year, then revoked members representing the has received a 6.5 percent amount to which the com- The legislation creating the PSC that it, not local courts, it when officials realized five TDC districts.