Diagnosis Critical for Keys 4 Choices for Assessment
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CRUISIN’: RECREATION Few changes as F UPPER KEYS school resumes R Page 4 E E Evening paddle offers reprieve from heat PressWednesday, August 19, 2009 ◆ Volume 22, Number 51 ◆ 48 pages FREE Page 17 MONROE: REAL ESTATE Council gets Diagnosis critical for Keys 4 choices for assessment ISLAMORADA — Village Council members will have four new proposals to mull Home sales up, over when they convene prices down Thursday, Aug. 20 to once again consider a critical Page 34 wastewater assessment. The potential assessments, UPPER KEYS: SPORTS brought forward by the admin- istration of Village Manager Ken Fields in response to direction at the Aug. 6 council meeting, range in size from a relatively modest $7 million to a robust $49 million. None of the options would impact properties in north Plantation Key, a decision Players a no-show made by the council after for Canes football it unanimously scrapped a Page 37 proposed $32 million village- wide assessment at that Aug. INSIDE THIS WEEK 6 meeting. Properties in the rest of the village would be Business & Real Estate ..........34-35 Crossword .................................. 18 affected. Faces & Places ...........................27 But the prospect of com- Horoscope .................................. 21 mitting further resources to Keys Cruisin’ ..........................17-32 Mystery Photo ............................20 Contributed photo a system projected to cost Opinion ................................36, 40 As the nation engages in a highly contentious debate over health care reform, unpaid hospital bills each single-family residence Restaurant Row ..........................32 and residents without insurance remain the norm in the Florida Keys. For those who make up the $20,000 or more and lead to Sports & Recreation ..............37-39 uninsured, the situation can lead to a life of uncertainty, where an injury or an illness can break sewer bills of $230 per month Tides .......................................... 39 the bank account. Less obvious is how the proliferation of uninsured residents in the Keys drives up TV Guide ...............................28-29 has engendered vocal and costs for individuals and employers who do pay insurance premiums, and how free care eats away embittered opposition. at the viability of local hospitals. See story on page 3. FULL STORY ON PAGE 10 REMAX Southernmost 297035 “If you are Selling or Buying Port Antigua we can help you from Judy • Large Corner Lot Key Largo to Key West!” • 160 Ft. Of Deep Water Dockage 800.962.0575 Rossignol • New Kitchen with Granite Counters, Wetbar & More! Realtor • Master Suite Has Walk In Closets, 305.393.0523 Fireplace, Library & Patio JRwww.islamoradajudy.com • Priced Right & Is A Need To See! $1,275,000 [email protected] 2 • (uk) August 19, 2009 • Free Press 19, August 297146 LANDSAW EYECARE ALMOST 80% OF WHAT A CHILD LEARNS IN SCHOOL IS PRESENTED VISUALLY Be sure your child has the best possible tools for success. Schedule an appointment at Landsaw Eyecare today for a Total Eyecare Exam which includes an Ocular Health Evaluation and Vision Assessment. We can perfect your vision better than 20/20 with the area’s only High Definition Eye Exam using Marco Technologies. Frame and Lens Packages Starting at $99 Large selection of frames including Designer lines such as: Gucci, Dior, Escada, Givenchy, Daniel Swarovski, Marc Jacobs, Jones New York, Silhouette, Guess. All frames come with an exclusive 2 year warranty. www.LandsawEyecare.com Dr. Harry Landsaw, O.D. 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Correct your vision while you sleep with Care, Eye Health Care, Certified - Caring Overnight Sight Therapeutic Lenses, and Staff, Urgent Care, Laser Vision Correction, Tavernier Towne, MM 91.2 enjoy great vision 24 hours a day, without the Overnight Sight (CRT), Advanced Technology, hassles of glasses and daytime contacts. 305-853-3153 Fashion Eyewear, Sports Eyewear We accept: BC/BS, BC/BS Healthy Kids, Medicaid, Medicare, Vision Service Plan, Vision Care Plan, BeechStreet, Evolutions, and Vision Source Advantage 20/20 Program. 297044 3 UP FRONT • Free Press (uk) Ranks of uninsured put FISH BOWL 2009 19, August • Score Bowling is Keys in critical condition points GREAT with the any night BY ROBERT SILK lead to a life of uncertainty, free care between the Oct. 1 Free Press Staff where an injury or an illness start of its fiscal year and July WHOLE of the could break the bank account. 31, up from $6.9 million dur- week! MONROE COUNTY — As For example, Susan Hankins, ing the same months last year. FAMILY! the nation engages in a highly an uninsured Key Largo bar- That charity care last year contentious debate over health tender, has been out of work contributed to the hospital Winter Leagues Starting September 9th care reform, unpaid hospital since July when she broke losing $2.6 million, money BOWLING AND SPORTFISHING CAPITAL OF THE WORLD bills and residents without her shoulder. Her medical that was absorbed by the non- 664-9357 • FISH BOWL MM 83.2 • ISLAMORADA insurance remain the norm in bills have already surpassed profit Baptist Health system, 297148 the Florida Keys. $3,000, leading local busi- which runs more solvent hos- “This is not just a nation- nesses to organize an Aug. 23 pitals in densely populated al debate. The debate needs fundraiser. Miami-Dade County. to happen here,” said Keith “I had checked many plac- “If this was a stand-alone Douglass, a former county es trying to get insurance. It’s hospital, there probably would PALEN commissioner who also used almost as high as your rent,” be a chance that the hospital to work as director of develop- she said. wouldn’t be here,” CEO Nelson CABINETS, INC. ment for the Monroe County But the anxiety of people Lazo said last week. Rural Health Network. like Hankins, and the resourc- In addition to treating the 305-852-8577 According to a 2007 survey es the community taps into uninsured, Mariners also loses conducted by the state, 20 per- in attempts to help, are only out because some 45 percent cent of Monroe County adults the most visible side of the of its patients are insured are uninsured. havoc that the large base of through Medicare, the high- The data is the most recent uninsured is reaping on the est percentage in the Baptist available, but with the econ- Monroe County health deliv- system, Lazo said. omy in recession, and many ery system. Reimbursements paid by businesses cutting their Less obvious is how the Medicare, as well as Medicaid, employee coverage, real fig- proliferation of Keys residents which insures approximately ures are probably higher, local who end up receiving free care 12 percent of Monroe, are health industry officials say. in emergency rooms drives lower than private insurance “Usually we run about 25 up costs for individuals and plans. percent as far as people who employers who do pay insur- As at health care institutions don’t have insurance,” said Bob ance premiums. Free care also nationwide, it’s people private Eadie, who heads the Monroe eats away at the viability of plans who subsidize everyone County Health Department. local hospitals. else. For those who make up the Mariners Hospital, for exam- uninsured, the situation can ple, provided $9.2 million in See UNINSURED, page 6 SAME LOCATION SINCE 1978 PALEN CABINETS P.O. Box 897, Tavernier, FL 33070 ph: 305-852-8577 • fax: 852-4390 SHOWROOM @ M.M. 87-1/2 PLANTATION KEY 317126 297856 CC# SP-1897 4 • BACK TO SCHOOL (uk) Few surprises at start of school year BY STEVE GIBBS Aug. 24 Society and provides a vol- August 19, 2009 • Free Press 19, August Free Press Staff “We have initiated a hands- untary pre-kindergarten pro- on application approach gram for children who are age UPPER KEYS — Applying to math and science,” said 4 before Sept. 1. math and science to the real Key Largo School Principal Sylvie Turner, who will be world is one of the common Annette Martinson. “Science entering her 14th year as a goals of the new school year, and math are no longer about Montessori teacher, says con- according to the principals of the book, it’s about the appli- tinuity in staffing has strength- the two local public elemen- cation of those skills.” ened the program. tary and middle schools. “What do [math and sci- “All of our teachers are They will be participating in ence] mean and how can experienced and have been a district program known as they be used to solve prob- with the school for years,” she Students Understanding Math lems,” Plantation Key School said. “Penny Tugwell, who and Science, or SUMS, when Principal Vanessa Strickland started with us the first two classes resume on Monday, asked, rhetorically. “We still years, came back last year and do the basic calculations, but STEVE GIBBS/Free Press will return. Our headmistress, I expect students to be able to Key Largo School Principal Annette Martinson has maintained that Jennifer Florez, has close to 20 Interesting apply what they have learned she wants her school to be a fun place. In that vein several KLS years teaching experience.” to real life. staff, including Martinson and final-year Office Manager Christine Classes also begin Monday, Facts Latronico, provided a song and dance for new and returning staff last “If they can verbalize and Aug. 24 and run from 8:30 week in preparation for the first day of school, Monday, Aug. 24. Brought To You write what they have just a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Every Week learned, then they know what Parents and students can they’re doing,” she said. to field a football team was of Community College students. expect a few upgrades at concern to faculty.