12 days left… then what? COMMUNITY NEWS 11¢ COVID CONCERNS Cases jump locally | P. 4 CLEAR THE PATH Utilities moving for bridge project | P. 22 UNDERWATER A Keys-style ‘I DO’ proposal | P. 30 ADVOCATE FOR RESIDENTS SEE HOW I STAND ON ISSUES BY VISITING THEREALCANDIDATES.COM “I am proud to support Buddy Pinder for Islamorada Village Council, Seat 3.” PAID BY JOSEPH BUDDY PINDER CANDIDATE FOR VILLAGE COUNCIL SEAT 3 — Rich Russell, lifelong Islamorada resident and 42 year educator 2 UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / OCTOBER 22, 2020 UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / OCTOBER 22, 2020 3 CHERYL MEADS THE ETHICAL LEADER NEEDED TO GET ISLAMORADA BACK ON TRACK FIGHT FOR MANAGED GROWTH | RESTORE TRANSPARENCY PROTECT YOUR TAX DOLLARS | DEFEND OUR ENVIRONMENT VOTERS HAVE A CLEAR CHOICE THIS ELECTION TO PUT RESIDENTS BACK IN CONTROL OF OUR VILLAGE AND SAFEGUARD OUR UNIQUE QUALITY OF LIFE. THAT CHOICE IS UNEQUIVOCALLY CHERYL MEADS. THE LEADERS YOU TRUST, TRUST CHERYL MEADS: Councilman-Elect Henry Rosenthal Former Mayor Ken Philipson Former Mayor Bob Johnson Former School Board Member, Captain Ed Davidson Carolyn & Eddie Wightman Tom & Susan Ra anello Dr. Martha Edwards & John Kocol Sandi Bisceglia | Ken Meeks | Sue Miller Tony & Colleen Hammon | John & Tracy Timura Rick Freeburg | Van Cadenhead Political ad, Paid for by Cheryl Meads, Non Partisan, for Islamorada Village Council Seat 2. 4 CORONAVIRUS UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / OCTOBER 22, 2020 NUMBER OF THE WEEK ON THE COVER The Monroe County Supervisor of Elections is report- Nick Britt and Ashlee Hewitt at the ing a 32% turnout for the Nov. 3 election. As of Oct. 20, Christ of the Abyss statue in Key 3,391 have cast early ballots and 15,276 have returned Largo. Britt, a musician who was 32% performing in the Original Key ballots by mail. That is 32% of registered voters in Monroe County. Early voting will continue 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Largo Music Fest last weekend, proposed to Hewitt underwater. 91760 Overseas Hwy. through Oct. 31 and includes two Saturdays and one Sunday. Tavernier, FL 33070 TIFFANY DUONG/Keys Weekly Office: 305.363.2957 www.keysweekly.com social distancing guidelines during the to the Keys, where it was stationed on Publisher pandemic. A mask mandate remains, Stock Island on Oct. 18 and Key Largo Jason Koler EADIE: [email protected] however, upon entering a business or on Oct. 19. Ninety-six people were restaurant in Monroe County. tested the first day and 76 were tested Publishing Partner COVID-19 County Administrator Roman Sunday, according to health officials. Britt Myers Gastesi kicked off the call by using a Of the new cases reported, Eadie [email protected] NUMBERS football reference and asking Eadie said the majority are “seemingly young Editor if the county was “at halftime or not” people,” from those in the service in- Jim McCarthy with the coronavirus pandemic. Eadie dustry to local schools. The new Mon- [email protected] ‘NOT GOING responded by stating that “we are roe County School District COVID-19 Copy Editor about two minutes away from the two- dashboard on Oct. 21 reported 15 Mike Howie THE WAY minute warning for the first half.” positive cases among students, as well [email protected] “Right now, I think the clock has as one teacher and two staff members stopped because we’re under review since the initial return to school. Coral Account Executives WE WANT’ Jenn Weiden to figure out exactly where we stand,” Shores High School reported four [email protected] he said. “There’s an increase in the student cases. Gerald Adams, Stanley Health department county, there’s an increase in the state Switlik and Marathon Junior Senior Staff Writers and there’s an increase in the country. High School each reported two cases Tiffany Duong reports 50-plus new [email protected] That will start to trickle down even among students. One student case more. It’s cold up north. More people was reported at Key West High School, Sara Matthis cases over weekend [email protected] will start to be coming this way. We Plantation Key, Poinciana, Horace JIM McCARTHY need to be as prepared for it as we O’Bryant and Sigsbee Charter School Mandy Miles [email protected] can. — which also had a teacher who tested [email protected] “I don’t think we’ll be back in any positive. One staff member positive here’s a spark of concern lockdown or anything like that,” Eadie report was from Ocean Studies Char- Office/Circulation Manager Charlotte Hruska among Keys leaders over re- continued. “But it’s numbers that keep ter and the other was a non-site-based [email protected] cent COVID-19 numbers, which going up, and we did a good job the staffer. show more than 50 new cases first time around. I think we’re going Hospitalizations at Baptist Health’s Production Manager reportedT locally over the weekend. to have a second time around and I Mariners and Fishermen’s hospitals as Anneke Patterson [email protected] A countywide call among munici- hope we do just as well with it as we of Oct. 20 were two. While Lower Keys palities, health officials and emergency did before.” Medical Center reported five COVID-19 Design / Pre-Press personnel on Oct. 19 assessed the Eadie said the health department hospitalizations, Chief Executive Officer Javier Reyes current state of the pandemic that is “swamped” due to current staffing David Clay said they’re green on sup- [email protected] brought 91 new cases since Oct. 16. A levels and the state pulling resources. plies, staffing and capacity, meaning Irene de Bruijn majority of the cases, 57, come from “We’re scrambling to find contact they’re in good shape. [email protected] Key West. More than 200 new cases tracers. We’ve got over 100 contacts Eadie recommended Keys leaders have been reported in the past 14 we’re trying to keep up with right now,” resume meetings to a virtual setting to Design / Web Master Travis Cready days. he said. “We are a long way from being send a message that the pandemic is [email protected] The Florida Department of Health back to completely normal.” ongoing. The board of county commis- in Monroe County reported the 25th The state sent a mobile testing lab sioners reverted the Oct. 21 to a virtual Classifieds COVID-19-related death in the county 305.743.0844 continued on page 7 on Oct. 19 involving a 90-year-old female with underlying health condi- Se habla español THE UPPER KEYS WEEKLY (ISSN tions. 1944-0812) IS PUBLISHED Bob Eadie, health officer for WEEKLY FOR $125 PER YEAR BY WEEKLY NEWSPAPERS, INC., 9709 Monroe County, said the latest reports OVERSEAS HIGHWAY, MARA- show that numbers are “not going THON FL 33050. APPLICATION the way we want.” Eadie told leaders TO MAIL AT PERIODICALS POST- AGE RATES IS PENDING AT FORT that new cases are developing out of LAUDERDALE FL AND ADDITION- clusters, and actions need to be taken AL MAILING OFFICES. to protect the public. Earlier in the month, Gov. Ron All stories, photos, and graphics are copyrighted DeSantis issued an order that moved materials. Florida into a phase 3 reopening. Restaurants were given the ability to POSTMASTER: return to full capacity indoors. Munici- SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO THE KEYS WEEKLY, 9709 OVERSEAS palities restricting restaurant capaci- HIGHWAY, MARATHON FL 33050. ties further than 50% would need to provide justification to the state in terms of the need for public health and News Deadline Tuesday Noon economic impacts involved. Advertising Deadline In addition, DeSantis’ order Health workers test a motorist during a drive-through testing event in August. Tuesday 2 p.m. removed fines and penalties against those who violated mask ordinances or KEYS WEEKLY FILE PHOTO UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / OCTOBER 22, 2020 5 VO TE EDDIE MARTINEZ FOR MONROE COUNTY COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 3 I have been a resident of the Keys for ten years, married to my wife, Maria, for 28 years, and we have 4 girls. As a life-long Republican, I believe in America and the U.S. Constitution, small business entre- preneurship, less government interference FREE and lower taxes. MY PRIORITIES AS YOUR COUNTY COMMISSIONER ARE TO: Listen to the residents’ concerns. CUSTOM Manage with fiscal responsibility. Protect our environment and quality of life. BANNERS! Promote workforce housing. just pay shipping ($12) REMEMBER VOTE EDDIE 2 Ways to Order: - promotionsguy.com/deal-of-the-month MARTINEZ - email [email protected] Political advertisement paid for and approved by Eddie Martinez for Monroe County Commissioner, District 3. 6 UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / OCTOBER 22, 2020 ELECT PETE BACHELER FOR VILLAGE COUNCIL SEAT 1 EARLY VOTING BEGINS OCTOBER 19 8:30AM TO 5:30 PM. Drop Boxes for returning vote by mail ballots are at all 5 early voting sites. COMMON SENSE FOR AN UNCOMMON COMMUNITY peteforcouncil.com Dedicated to fulfilling the Mission of Islamorada by protecting and supporting our unique natural resources, preserving and improving life in the Village of Islamorada while planning for the future to ensure our quality of life. Paid for by Pete Bacheler Candidate for Village Council Seat 1 UPPER KEYS WEEKLY / OCTOBER 22, 2020 COMMUNITY NEWS 7 from page 4 BRIEFLY EADIE: Lecture explores Osterholt during the “Voices of Lead- underwater world ership: Partnerships and Lessons COVID-19 Thomas Potts, associate director of research with Learned in Preparing for and Manag- Florida International University’s Medina Aquarius ing Cross-Boundary Risks.” The two program. discussed what they have learned NUMBERS Keys History & Discovery Center presents “Under- from working across boundaries to water World of Exploration, Research & Discovery,” build long-term preparedness and ‘NOT GOING a virtual lecture on Wednesday, Oct.