FEBRUARY 13-19, 2020 Red Barn’s “Short Attention Span Theatre” Swirls Audiences into The Twilight Zone! Florida Keys 3-10 • Monroe County News 11-12 • Cover Story 13 • What's Happening 14 • Real Estate 26 Photo: Ralph DePalma • Cover: JT Thompson LETTER TO THE EDITOR City of Key West Minimalizes the Need of WHY? “Place” for Indigenous People By Roger C. Kostmayer bipartisan majority By Dr. Virginia Burgohy Irving and the kind of human being needed to that sustained successfully a communi- of both the House of A create a world of inclusivity, fairness, and ty of people, Bahamian, African Amer- Representatives and the ome local people and some local-mind- respect. icans, Cuban, and Chinese, with diverse US Senate agree that Pres- Sed individuals living in various cities Some of what emerged that mattered backgrounds. The ethos, the spirit of the ident Trump is guilty of in Florida never forgot the moral ecolo- most was the dignity of each human being “place,” nurtured and motivated these impeachment charges of gy that the Fredrick Douglass School and in the community, the family, the school people to aspire for more. Many became which he’s accused. The its teachers, families, Black churches, and and its teachers, and the church. scientists, educators, medical profession- bipartisan majority also is other community entities provided for The locals referred to above comprise als, judges, and lawyers. unequivocal that what the the Key West community. Together they the Frederick Douglass School Black Edu- From 2011 – 2016, District VI’s com- President did was anything provided a system of beliefs and behaviors cators Memorial Project, Inc. Since 2010, missioner Clayton Lopez promised the but “perfect”. that shaped local culture and were con- its members have worked to showcase group help in securing the Frederick If that is true, why was sistently applied in the everyday lives of the history of how a people could come Douglass School Band Room to be used the President not held ac- people of color who grew up in Key West. together, unknowingly and unwittingly, countable in any way, and These beliefs were based on core questions without a deliberate plan of action, and X Continued on page 4 isn’t failure to do so dan- that mattered, what was most important, for over 100 years create a moral ecology gerous? n GET IT TODAY AT YEARS featuring FLOORING by Mohawk: Celebrate with us! WE’RE CELEBRATING STOREWIDE WITH SELECT ITEMS IN EVERY DEPARTMENT Carpet MARKED DOWN TO 35% OFF! New merchandise arriving daily! 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Johnston, who sponsored the motion days, though Johnston added, after the everything in between. S That’s the message before the commissioners, at their reg- meeting that she expected to have a new And while Key West’s current state the City Commission ular monthly meeting, to put a hold law to vote on well before the deadline; of e-vehicle anarchy is most clearly sent out on Feb. 5 to ex- on expansion while staffers examine and likely in time for the next City observed on busy downtown arter- pansion-minded electronic vehicle the industry. “We need to take a break, Commission gathering, on March 19. ies, concern about the issue appears businesses, as well as entrepreneurs step back, and take a look at what kind In effect, growth is being blunted to know no geographic bounds, with looking to cash in on the trend by of community we want to become.” equally for existing businesses and District III Commissioner Billy Ward- setting up shop here. Motivated by a Specifically the City is “Directing their would-be competitors until City low, representing a chunk of New growing chorus of concerned citizens, an Ordinance declaring a minimum Attorney Shawn Smith and the Legal Town, even saying that he “wished he’d the unfolding experiences of larger one hundred and eighty (180) day Department have a chance to set fair co-sponsored” Johnston’s measure. jurisdictions - and their own person- moratorium on the issuance of any rules of the road for all going forward. “My biggest problem is that there al familiarity with the subject - the new permit, license, franchise or sim- During debate, which recalled those are a lot of other cities . that are now vote by the mayor and commissioners ilar authorization related to motor- that took place during the Segway trying to take it back and they’re hav- to slam the brakes on uncontrolled ized and non-motorized commercial craze of the early 21st Century, Com- ing a problem with it,” he said allud- growth in the industry was unani- rental vehicles that make primary use missioners had plenty to say about mous – if tinged with regret, perhaps, of city streets in the operation of their the clogged state of city streets by the X Continued on page 4 that the need had arisen. businesses; Providing for severability; owners of some of the many new e-ve- A Strong Back Float Can Save Your Life! Most drownings can be prevented if we relax on our back! We need to practice the back float every time we swim! www.keys2swim.com 3 www.konklife.com • FEBRUARY 13-19, 2020 f e b r u a r y 13 - 19, 2 0 2 0 FLORIDA KEYS Published Weekly Vol. 10 No. 7 Wesley House Family PUBLISHER/EDITOR Guy deBoer Services offer Foster Care NEWS WRITERS Pru Sowers Terry Schmida Training Classes PHOTOGRAPHERS esley House Family Services is seeking nur- To register or for more information call Megan Ralph DePalma, Bill Klipp, Guy deBoer Wturing families interested in providing a Burgess at 305-809-5020 or e-mail at megan.bur- loving home to children and teens who are in the [email protected]. DESIGN Nand K. Pandey, [email protected] foster care system. Classes begin February 26th Together, Wesley House Family Services and in Key West and are held each Wednesday night prospective foster families can increase the capaci- PIXEL WRANGLER for six weeks, and one Saturday day class. Regis- ty in our communities to provide nurturing caring JT Thompson tration is required. homes to care for the most vulnerable children. n CONTRIBUTORS Jeff Johnson & City of Key West... were, where you came from” is of no importance Paula Forman X Continued from page 2 on this island that your ancestors helped to shape Short Answers Ian Brockway and sustain. Tropic Sprockets as a museum. The building sat “waiting” and the Public art should take its cues from the commu- Tammy Fox-Royer dream of its use for a museum to house the his- nity space that it will inhabit. If nothing more, Florida Keys SPCA tory of the indigenous people grew smaller until at most, the public art for the Frederick Douglass Sylvia Bogart Astrologically Yours there emerged in 2019 a “need” for more access Gym/Community Center should tell the story of Joanna Brady to health care. Through various “negotiations the people of the community it served historically. Reviewer and maneuvers” led by Commissioner Lopez, the At least, it should be a gift to honor the indigenous building is being considered for use by an out-of- people whose properties in Bahama Village are no SUMMER INTERN town health provider. longer theirs and whose history has been used to Emily Bracher This is business as usual, as gentrification over the give it the “flavor” it uses to attract hundreds of ADVERTISING last 50 years in “Bahama Village” has been not just a thousands, if not millions, to the island each year. Ashley Williamson – 410.999.4917 waiting game for properties to be seized. It has been When will all the people matter in Key West? 305.296.1630 a very conscious and deliberate attempt to eliminate Moving forward, when will the next 50+ years of the indigenous people, and to minimize their par- planning for Key West’s development include, too, Advertising Deadline Every Friday PRINT-READY advertising materials due by ticipation in the life of the island in rewarding ways. the well-being of the indigenous people? When Friday every week for next issue of KONK Life. Another move to minimalize the participation will the island become what its slogans maintain Ad Dimensions of the indigenous people is in the current use space – “one Human Family,” and “Onward, Upward, Horizontal and Vertical: at the Frederick Douglass Gym for art in public Forward, Together”? When will the politics of Key Full, 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 1/8 page, bizcard Ad Submissions places, public art displayed that does not engender West regain its moral sense of inclusivity, diversity, JPG, TIFF, PDF — digital formats only the spirit, ethos, and the cultural contributions of and unity, for ALL? Send to [email protected] the indigenous people who lived in Bahama Vil- Dr.