ON THE MOVE YOU’VE GOTMAIL Marathon’s We have deadlines pop-up hospital and tips to send going to airport? 2A out your gifts, 2B VOLUME 64-NO.93 STAY CONNECTED /KEYSINFONET NEWSAll DAY. YOUR WAY. WWW.FLKEYSNEWS.COM FACEBOOK.COM WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 29,2017 50 cents THE FLORIDAKEYS 7786790 22222 ONE FORTHE BOOKS At last, 2017 hurricane season slips into history Florida Keys residents there was afourth U.S. discoverhow potenta landfall when Category 1 major hurricane landfall Hurricane Nate came canbewhen it strikes the ashore in Louisiana” in island chain. early October. This year’s six-month hurricane season saw six BY KEVIN WADLOW major hurricanes, only one [email protected] storm away from the re- cord seven major hurri- GWEN FILOSA Keynoter No one in the Florida canes in the 2005 and Keys must struggle to 1961 seasons. remember the 2017 Atlan- Category 4Irma made WE’VE GOTCHRISTMAS TREES tic hurricane season. Scars landfall in the Lower Keys Eddie Gore(center) helps haul aChristmas tree Tuesdayfor Pete Glass (left) at the Monroe Association slashed by Hurricane Irma on Sept. 10, the annual of ReMARCable Citizens’ annual fundraising sale.The sale is at MARC’sPlantStoreat1400SeminarySt. Sept. 10 remain too fresh. statistical peak for hurri- in KeyWest. The six-month season cane activity in the Atlan- that stirred up the most tic Basin. destructive hurricane to hit With an expanse cov- the Keys in 57 years draws ering 110miles in diame- to aquiet close Thursday. ter, no areas of the Keys IN THE COURTS “We are clear, there’s were left unscathed, al- nothing on the horizon for though Big Pine Key and at least the next five days,” the Lower Keys suffered said Dennis Feltgen from the worst damage. Homes Firefightersues employerof the National Hurricane destroyed are in the high Center in Miami. “But hundreds. we’re always watching. We “Most people now in the never let our guard down.” Florida Keys had never dead workers he tried saving The 2017 season set a experienced what aCate- record with three major- gory 4storm looks like,” hurricane landfalls on the said Marty Senterfitt, KeyLargo first the Key largo Volunteer United States: Harvey in Monroe County’s Emer- responder’s heartstopped Fire Department, did not Texas, Irma in Florida and gency Management direc- forfiveminutes after he hesitate before descend- Maria on Puerto Rico. tor. “In the broadest sense, dashed into amanhole to ing 15 feet into amanhole “It was way up there in we’ve all been able to gain rescue men who on Long Key Roadinthe terms of major hurri- succumbed to noxious Lake SurpriseEstates canes,” Feltgen said. “And SEE STORM SEASON,6A gases.His major physical subdivisionJan. 16 to and mentalwounds linger save what he was told was almost ayear later one man drowning. When he reached the bottom, he quickly realized the BY DAVID GOODHUE situation was different, [email protected] and far worse, than what he anticipated. AKey Largo firefighter Two men were floating who cameclose to death face-down in acouple of trying in vain to save feet of water. Moreno three underground utility turned them over and saw [email protected] workers felled by noxious their faces were gray, KeyLargo Volunteer FireDepartmentfirefighter fumes beneath aneigh- “which [MoreNo] knewto Leonardo Moreno became seriously ill trying to save the borhood street last Jan- be asign of recent lives of utilityworkers trapped in adrainagehole in Key uary is suing those men’s death,” his attorney, Largo on Jan. 16.Heispictured herehelping Florida employers for negligence. Highway Patrol Sgt.PedroReinoso prepareaman Leonardo Moreno, 32, suffering serious medical issues to boardanambulance an eight-year veteran of SEE FIREFIGHTER, 6A on Aug. 5, 2015. KEYWEST Cityleaders hope to raise height limit foraffordable housing plan Proposal is to build 104 units on Stock Island after the proposal to head to- time we don’t get our raising limit from 25 to 40 feet ward the ballot box. ducks in arow, the citizens KATIE ATKINS Keynoter The lone dissenter was pay for it, just as we paid This is typical of the damageinthe LowerKeys caused by approve the charter Commissioner Margaret additional money for the Hurricane Irma. This is on Big Pine Key. BY GWEN FILOSA change at aspecial elec- Romero, who said the building we’re sitting in.” [email protected] tion tentatively set for action makes it appear as Her comments, which March 13,2018. But a6-1 if this project is being included calling the height The city of Key West City Commission sided “fast-tracked,” and cited action premature, drew wants to raise the height with the height limit the lack of specific designs disagreement from Com- Classifieds 5B limit on aStock Island change from 25 to 40 feet for such aproject. missioners Sam Kaufman, Living 1B PrintedoN neighborhood specifically at aNov. 21 meeting Romero said, “We’ve Jimmy Weekley and May- Opinion 5A 100% to build 104 units of affor- The commission must got alot of unanswered or Craig Cates. Puzzles 2B recycled dable workforce housing. approve the proposed questions. We need to get Puzzle newsprint Voters would have to ordinance next week for our ducks in arow. Every SEE HOUSING, 6A answers 2B 305-296-9934 th 305-872-7171 305-743-5800... 305-743-5800 2A KEYNOTER WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 29 2017 Keys News FLKEYSNEWS.COM KN CRIME FRONT Three chargedwith felonydumping in Tavernier Stateofficer reports and Wildlife “Posted in were filed as tive Oct. 27. to make sure where they seeing landscapersunload Conserva- all local illegal “The deadline to put know where to take the tree branches onto tion Com- newspapers dumping for debris on county roads or debris for proper disposal,” cleaned highwaymedian mission and radio commercial U.S. 1has passed” in the said Deputy Becky Herrin near mile marker 92.7. wrote in his stations are purposes, a Tavernier and Key Largo of the Monroe County account of advisories felony. area, Monroe County said Sheriff’s Office. the Saturday that post- Jardi E. in aNov. 21 notice. “FDOT All Monroe County BY KEVIN WADLOW Angel arrests. Gonzalez storm debris Reyes Palma Gon- has told the county and trash-transfer sites now [email protected] Other roadside zalez, 38,of Keys municipalities it has accept storm debris at no piles of trash appeared on pickup has ended,” McKay Key Largo was charged completed picking up de- cost if delivered by resi- Three men reportedly the site after afinal notice noted. “Additionally, there with two counts of illegal bris along U.S. 1. The coun- dents cleaning their own seen unloading tree issued by Monroe County are portable message trail- dumping. Booked on single ty and municipalities can- property. Professional branches onto aU.S. 1 that as of Oct. 28,noaddi- ers in the roadway median counts were Norberto not pick up debris along haulers and landscapers median in Tavernier now tional storm debris could stating: Illegal Dumping is Reyes, 42,ofKey Largo U.S. 1until it works out will be charged. Transfer face felony illegal-dumping be placed on the state aFelony.” and Pedro Cruz Angel, 34, jurisdiction with FDOT in sites are on Blimp Road on charges. highway’s right of way in The three defendants of Homestead. All have order to get reimbursed by Cudjoe Key, at Long Key at The site, at the Burton most county areas outside apparently drove by one of been released from jail FEMA.” mile marker 68 and on Drive intersection at mile of the Lower Keys. the lighted, flashing signs pending court action. Debris is still be collect- North Key Largo at 11100 marker 92.7, previously McKay wrote that he was at mile marker 89 while The Florida Department ed from county roadsides County Road 905. was used as atemporary on routine patrol around headed north from aLower of Transportation, which in the Lower Keys are from debris-storage site but it 12:30 p.m. when he saw Matecumbe Key house oversaw the cleanup of mile marker 16 to marker Kevin Wadlow: “had been completely three men removing with their load of button- debris along U.S. 1, said the 40. 305-440-3206 cleaned and cleared of branches from awork wood tree branches. agency was ending its “If people are still clean- debris,” Officer Michael trailer towed by apickup Since the men were paid emergency waste-hauling ing up their yards or re- McKay of the Florida Fish truck. as landscapers, charges contracts in the Keys effec- moving debris, they need MIDDLE KEYS Golf club’s renovations aredelayed, not canceled Hurricane Irma flooding. But following destroyed Florida Keys Irma’s Sept. 10 landfall, CountryClub’s irrigation that section of the golf system and entirefleet of course was covered in golf carts. thousands of destroyed appliances from all over the city. BY KATIE ATKINS Cleanup efforts continue [email protected] [email protected] there. Both the city and the open were canceled after meeting next week to dis- SEAWARD PROPERTY workforce housing units. Florida Fish and Wildlife Irma’s floods destroyed the cuss that with some of the In the meantime, anoth- Ten single-family resi- Before Hurricane Irma Conservation Commission irrigation system and golfers in the community,” er one of Rosasco’s pro- dential units, aplayground delivered her devastating have leased that part of the wiped out the entire fleet he said. jects under Seaward Prop- and dog park would also go blow to the Florida Keys, a property through March, of golf carts. The pro shop As for the $100 million erties LLC is moving ahead up. $100 million renovation said golf course co-owner is running asale to liq- project that includes an at the Seaward Motel prop- “We have to complete project at Florida Keys Peter Rosasco.