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KEY WEST — We were somewhere around the intersection of politics and golf cart fraud on North Roosevelt Boulevard when the code enforcement letter kicked in.

Tom Crane — a Tinley Park, Illinois, transplant who showed up in Key West, opened a jeep rental lot at 3424 N. Roosevelt Blvd. and apparently decided the island’s political landscape needed his particular brand of suburban Chicago scorched-earth warfare — has built himself a little media empire surrounded by a moat of bile.

His crown jewel is stopthepython.com, a website so unhinged it should come with a prescription. The entire operation exists to destroy District V City Commission candidate Chris Massicotte, whom Crane has rechristened “Python Christos Massicottus”(sic) — the man’s name Latinized like a species classification, the banner draped over a doctored photo of City Hall with a serpent slithering across the front lawn.

You cannot make this up. But Crane can. And does. Daily. See for yourself by clicking on the image below and be sure to checkout Cucko, err I mean Crane’s fan mail:

He is a featured speaker at the Southernmost Republican Club. His Facebook page is a monument to paranoid political theater — every post tagged to the rafters with Republican clubs, candidate pages and enough hashtags to crash a server.

He champions Mayor Henriquez, District IV candidate Juan Llera, District II candidate Mark Rossi and District V candidate Greg Sullivan — whether they want the public bear-hug of a man who posts memes for a living or not.

The targets of his fork-touched wrath?

Mayoral challenger Sam Kaufman. Massicotte. District IV candidate Sarah Compton, whose personal Instagram posts from a European vacation Crane screen-grabbed and weaponized into a political dossier accusing her of hating America, Christians and the Fourth of July. And District II candidate Bobi Lore.

He occasionally lauds common-sense District IV candidate Wayne Garcia — who likely wouldn’t touch that with a 10-foot paintbrush.

But Massicotte gets the full frontal treatment — the website, the Latin name, the snake imagery. The man devoted an entire domain name to calling a City Commission candidate a reptile.

That takes a special kind of commitment, the kind that happens at DePoo Hospital and comes with a brand-new pair of nonskid brown socks (IYKYK.)

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The Golf Cart Problem

Who ever said God (if you believe in her) doesn’t have a sense of humor?

Because here is the beautiful, rotten irony at the center of this whole den of vipers: While Crane was busy hunting pythons on Facebook, the City of Key West Code Enforcement was hunting him.

On July 9, Code Compliance Officer Alma Montano — after a routine internet investigation, the kind where somebody in a city office Googles your business and finds out you’re advertising services you’re not licensed to provide — dropped a four-count Notice of Code Violation (Case CC2026-02149) on KWJA, Inc., Crane’s corporate entity. Four counts. Like a grand jury return for a man who rents jeeps.

The charges:

Count 1 (Sec. 18-354): Operating golf cart rentals without the required recreational rental vehicle permit. Crane’s business tax receipt covers jeeps. Period. Not golf carts. Not mopeds. Not scooters. Jeeps. And yet there they were, golf carts plastered all over his website, ready to rent, no permit in sight.

Count 2 (Sec. 18-355): No conditional use approval. You want to rent golf carts in Key West? You go before the Planning Board. Crane did not.

Count 3 (Sec. 18-351): Failure to register his rental fleet. Every operator must file serial numbers with the city annually. Crane did not.

Count 4 (Sec. 18-359): No city identification decals on the vehicles.

The penalty: $250 per day per violation. $500 for repeats. Unpaid fines become liens on your property. The kind of math that makes a man reconsider his career as a political blogger; maybe golf carts don’t suck.

Crane’s response, posted to Facebook — because that is where all serious legal disputes are adjudicated in the 21st century (other than Truth Social) — addressed “Mr. Montano.”

He misgendered the code officer. The letter was signed by Alma Montano (alma.montano@cityofkeywest-fl.gov, 786-697-6756). The irony of a Red Hatter — such staunch defenders of one gender identity per person — likely eludes them.

Crane declared his attorneys had reviewed the matter and the planning department had concluded “we have no problem with anything Mr. Crane is doing.”

The city’s four-count violation notice begs to differ.

The Competitor He Is Undercutting

This is not some harmless paperwork snafu. Crane’s unlicensed golf cart operation puts him in direct, unfair competition with legally permitted businesses — businesses that paid for their permits, went before the Planning Board, registered their fleets and stuck the city’s decals on every last cart.

Businesses like HydroThunder of Key West, which has been doing it by the book since 1994 — and which has donated $2,000 to Mayor Henriquez’s campaign across two entities.

Read that again.

The mayor’s self-appointed political hit man, née python hunter, is undercutting one of the mayor’s own big financial supporters by renting golf carts outside the law. I am half-way surprised he didn’t try to say that Python massicottus had learned to use a pen, conquered the English language and slithered into 1300 White St. to fill out a code complaint form.

If this were a novel, the editor would send it back. Too on the nose.

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The Money Behind the Mud

Crane is not the only weapon in the Henriquez arsenal. He is the loudest. But the most dangerous operation runs quieter and carries a much bigger wallet.

Families & Friends for the Keys is a political action committee that has carpet-bombed Key West voters with unsolicited attack texts and glossy four-color mailers savaging Sam Kaufman. The shadowy PAC is chaired by Jack Niles — the former standout Conch jock, auto dealer, devoted Henriquez loyalist and one of KW baseball’s most enthusiastic athletic supporters.

As Above the Fold first reported, Historic Tours of America the multi-state trolley and tour empire owned by Ed Swift and partner Chris Belland, bankrolled the PAC with an opening $10,000 — more than 95 percent of its total receipts at the time.

The money kept coming.

The Spottswood family — likely the Keys’ most entrenched real estate and development dynasty, whose holdings stretch from Fleming Street to the horizon — opened their checkbook for $15k.

Hollywood-based developer Jeffrey Cornfeld who bamboozled another city commission — a longtime ago in a Key West far, far way — dropped another $10,000. Cornfeld is the man behind the Peary Court fiasco — the deal where a previous City Commission handed him $12.5 million to buy the property, he promised affordable housing and 44 new units, and Key West got neither. Now he is bankrolling the effort to keep the status quo alive. Surprised? You shouldn’t be.

Planning Board member Michael Browning serving his third consecutive appointed term on the very board that oversees land use and development in this city, contributed $500.

Marathon realtor Denise Holland Schmitt sent $520 from 50 miles up the road. Stock Island restaurateur Bobby Mongelli (Roostica Wood-Fire Pizzeria; Hogfish Bar & Grill) kicked in a modest $250.

Here is where the numbers get interesting: the PAC has collected more than $36,000 in contributions but reported a grand total of $21.10 in expenditures — an electronic processing fee.

Twenty-one dollars and ten cents.

Meanwhile, pissed off voters are having their phones blow up with inflammatory, libelous texts about Kaufman while their mail boxes overflow with professionally designed four-color glossy mailers.

These things do not write, design, send/print or mail themselves.

Under Florida Statute 106.19, any PAC officer who knowingly fails to report expenditures commits a first-degree misdemeanor — up to a year in jail, a $1,000 fine per count and a civil penalty of three times the unreported spending.

That is not a suggestion. It is not a guideline. It is not a grand jury recommendation.

It is the law.

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The Big Lie

Mayor Henriquez has spent months pushing a public narrative that the negativity in this election is coming from the other side — from Kaufman, from the reform candidates, from the people trying to make a difference and clean up 1300 White St. rather than preserve its rotting furniture.

The facts in evidence tell a different story entirely.

The attack texts that voters could not stop? Niles’ PAC. The mailers? Niles’ PAC. The website dedicated to calling a commission candidate a snake? Crane — a Henriquez supporter running an outlaw golf cart rental operation on a street where the other rental shops actually follow the law.

Kaufman has publicly pledged not to go negative. So have the other candidates.

Henriquez has not disavowed a single text message, a single mailer, a single post from Crane’s digital fever swamp or any of Nile’s dirty baseball.

The silence is the tell.

Tonight, all of the candidates that Crane has been doing the heavy lifting for, have the opportunity before the League of Women Voters and a passionate electorate to do so. In the words of Nancy Reagan in betweeen bottles of amphetamines and a healthy Screwdriver poured with a heavy hand, “Just Say No.”

Oh, except for one. Mayor Henriquez won’t be there tonight, supposedly, because her schedule conflicted with truth, honesty and transparency.

The Juneteenth Question

And then there is this.

Circulating in Key West political circles is a racist Juneteenth screed posted June 19 under the name “Tom Crane” — a stomach-turning rant invoking fried chicken, watermelon, “greens and grits” and calling the federal holiday “dumbas” and “another racist holiday that some dumb f---ing demcrat thought was a great idea.” The post exhorts readers to vote against “any dumbass Democrats” in November.

It cannot be confirmed that this post belongs to the same Tom Crane who operates Key West Adventures at 3424 N. Roosevelt Blvd. But a search of that name on the social media platform returns the post tied to a profile bearing it, and the rhetorical fingerprints — the political tags, the candidate shout-outs, the raw and unapologetic tone — are disturbingly familiar.

If it is the same man — and even if it isn’t, everything that came before is reason enough — the candidates who have accepted his public support have a decision to make. And the clock is ticking.

Voters head to the polls Aug. 18.

At this point, nothing would surprise me. Maybe Python christos massicottus learned how to type with no arms, no hands, no fingers and created a fake FB account just to attack the renegade rental agent.

It is Key Weird, after all.

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If you cover Florida and you are not reading Sunburn, the daily newsletter from Peter Schorsch and the team at FloridaPolitics.com, you are missing the single best morning briefing on politics and policy in the Sunshine State.

Sunburn is the daily dispatch that lobbyists, legislators, journalists and operatives across Florida open before they open anything else. It is a curated, comprehensive read of every story that matters — from Tallahassee to Miami-Dade to the Keys — and it lands in your inbox every morning.

Above the Fold is grateful and honored that Schorsch and his team have been paying attention to what we are doing down here at Mile Zero.

This week, Sunburn picked up our piece on the pending $190 million sale of the iconic Pier House Resort & Spa in Key West, where Above the Fold traced the mystery buyer — Last Mango Owner LLC — through Delaware corporate records, SEC filings and Florida Sunbiz registrations to Sixth Street Partners’ $30 billion TAO fund. That story also traced the resort’s history from David Wolkowsky’s mud-flat vision in 1967 to the Chart Room bar where Jimmy Buffett launched his career. The LLC’s name, we reported, is a deliberate nod to Buffett’s 1985 album “Last Mango in Paris.”

But the Pier House story is not the first time FloridaPolitics.com has amplified Above the Fold’s coverage of Key West and the Florida Keys. Sunburn has picked up our reporting at least seven times since late 2025:

• Dec. 3, 2025: “Harry Russell withdraws from District V Key West Commission race” — Russell’s exit from the race, citing his role as executive director of a local organization.

• Feb. 18, 2026: “Increased federal immigration activity reported across Key West neighborhoods” — Community advocates urging caution after reports of heightened ICE presence in Key West.

• May 7, 2026: “Navy terminates Key West Mole Pier lease after months of growing tension over a lack of cruise revenue repairs” — The U.S. Navy formally ending the city’s lease on the Outer Mole Pier at Naval Air Station Key West.

• May 12, 2026: “Second federal lawsuit in a week filed against City of Key West” The city getting served with its second federal lawsuit in less than a week.

• May 15, 2026: “Navy moves to redefine the future of Key West’s Outer Mole” — The Navy’s Request for Interest seeking future operational concepts for the strategically located deepwater berth.

• July 10, 2026: “PAC attacks Sam Kaufman as shady money enters Key West race” — A political text campaign targeting Kaufman as outside money moved into the Key West municipal election.

For a small, independent Substack covering Key West and the Florida Keys, having your work recognized by the most widely read political news site in the state is meaningful. FloridaPolitics.com is where the people who run Florida go to find out what is happening in Florida. To be part of that conversation is an honor.

Thank you, Peter. Thank you to your entire team.

And thank you, Above the Fold subscribers, both paid and free. We could not be doing this without you.

And we will keep digging.

To subscribe to Sunburn and FloridaPolitics.com — and you should — visit FloridaPolitics.com.

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Paid or free, you are the reason independent local journalism has a pulse in the Florida Keys. What a difference a day — and you — make.

Keep it going. If you haven’t subscribed yet, hit the button below. If you have, share this with one person who cares about what happens in these islands. And if you want to help keep the lights on, the public records flowing, and the stories coming, a paid subscription goes a long way.

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KEY WEST — Seven of eight candidates running for mayor and three City Commission seats have confirmed they will appear at Thursday’s candidate forum hosted by the Lower Keys League of Women Voters — the last scheduled opportunity for voters to hear directly from those seeking to lead Key West.

The one notable absence: incumbent Mayor Danise Henriquez, who will not attend due to what her campaign called a “prior scheduling conflict” — a curious conflict, given the nonpartisan forum has been on the civic calendar for months.

Her challenger, Sam Kaufman, confirmed and will have the mayoral stage to himself.

All candidates in the three contested City Commission races have confirmed:

District 2: Bobi Lore and Mark Rossi

District 4: Sarah Compton, Wayne Garcia and Juan Llera

District 5: Chris Massicotte and Greg Sullivan

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. at the Harvey Government Center, 1200 Truman Ave. The forum begins at 6 p.m. and will air live on MCTV, Comcast Channel 76 and AT&T U-Verse. It can also be found on ROKU (Monroe County Government) and the county’s website.

The event is free and open to the public.

Contrary to false narratives being pushed by the mayor’s supporters, The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan civic organization founded in 1920, shortly before the ratification of the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote.

Originally created to help newly enfranchised women become informed and active participants in democracy, the League has evolved into a nationwide network focused on voter education, election access, government transparency, and encouraging civic participation.

The organization does not endorse candidates or political parties, but it does advocate for public policy positions adopted through member consensus.

Local Leagues often host candidate forums, publish voter guides, monitor government meetings, and provide election information designed to help citizens make informed decisions at the ballot box.

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KEY WEST — The Pier House Resort & Spa, the 142-key oceanfront hotel that anchors the foot of Duval Street, is under contract to sell for $190 million — and corporate records reviewed by Above the Fold reveal the mystery buyer is tied to Sixth Street Partners, a global investment firm managing more than $75 billion.

Braemar Hotels & Resorts disclosed the deal in a July 17 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The seller’s affiliates — Ashford Pier House LP and Ashford TRS Pier House LLC — entered the purchase-and-sale agreement on July 13 with an entity called Last Mango Owner LLC, according to the filing.

Industry outlets including Bisnow and The Real Deal reported the sale but noted it was not immediately clear who controlled the buyer entity.

Above the Fold traced the LLC through Florida Division of Corporations records. Last Mango Owner LLC is a Delaware limited liability company registered in Florida on July 7 — six days before the purchase agreement was signed. Its sole listed member is TAO Finance 1 LLC, headquartered at 2100 McKinney Ave., Suite 1500, Dallas — the same address as Sixth Street Partners’ Dallas office.

“TAO” is the name of Sixth Street’s flagship cross-platform investment fund, which the Wall Street Journal has reported holds roughly $22.5 billion. The firm was co-founded in 2009 by Alan Waxman, the former co-head of Goldman Sachs’ Americas Special Situations Group.

The Pier House would be Sixth Street’s second acquisition from Braemar in two months. In May the firm paid $176 million for the 193-key Park Hyatt Beaver Creek Resort & Spa in Colorado, a deal it announced publicly. Sixth Street has not commented on the Key West transaction.

The $190 million price tag works out to roughly $1.34 million per key — more than double the $93 million, or about $653,000 per key, that Braemar paid for the property in 2014 after a $12 million renovation.

On July 14 — one day after the Pier House agreement — Braemar completed the sale of three other properties, the Ritz-Carlton Sarasota, Hotel Yountville and the Bardessono Hotel and Spa, for approximately $432.7 million combined.

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WOLKOWSKY, THE MAN WHO BUILT THE STAGE

The Pier House exists because David William Wolkowsky — born in Key West on Aug. 25, 1919, to a family whose grandfather had arrived from Russia in 1886 — came home.

Wolkowsky grew up between Key West and Miami, studied architecture at the University of Pennsylvania, served in the merchant marine and spent the 1950s restoring Rittenhouse Square and Society Hill in Philadelphia under the name “David Williams” to avoid antisemitism. Town & Country magazine named him “Man of the Month” in 1955 for his efforts.

When his father, Isaac, died in 1962, Wolkowsky returned to Key West to manage the family’s aging properties.

He found a village, and he decided to rebuild it.

He rescued the condemned bar on Greene Street that had been Ernest Hemingway’s original Sloppy Joe’s — today Captain Tony’s Saloon. He developed Pirate’s Alley and the Original Cigar Factory on lower Duval and Front streets.

In 1963 he purchased the old Cuban Ferry Dock near Mallory Square for $106,000 and helped transform the derelict wharf into the nightly sunset celebration that defines Key West tourism to this day.

In 1967, on a mud flat at the foot of Duval Street, Wolkowsky and architect Yiannis Antonidis built a 50-room motel. Fifty ocean-facing rooms followed quickly. Renee d’Harnoncourt, the former director of New York’s Museum of Modern Art, called it “the most unusual motel design in America.” The Miami Herald called its 1968 opening “the turning point in Key West’s transformation from washed-up military outpost to funky tourist destination.”

The Pier House became a magnet for the famous.

Truman Capote made it his winter home and wrote much of his unfinished novel Answered Prayers there; the book was published posthumously in 1986. Tennessee Williams was a regular. Wolkowsky — who served his guests hot dogs, white wine and potato chips, whether they were beachcombers or British Prime Minister Edward Heath — presided over a salon that mixed Rockefellers, Mellons and Vanderbilts with smugglers, shrimpers and poets.

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THE CHART ROOM AND THE MAKING OF JIMMY BUFFETT

In the fall of 1971, a broke, shaggy-haired singer-songwriter named Jimmy Buffett climbed into a 1947 Packard sedan with Jerry Jeff Walker — the man who wrote “Mr. Bojangles” — and Walker’s girlfriend, Teresa “Murphy” Sadler, and drove from Coconut Grove to Key West.

“I had just come from Nashville, and I didn’t have enough money to get my own apartment,” Buffett told Keys Weekly in 2018.

Their first stop was a converted hotel room at the foot of Duval Street that Wolkowsky had turned into a bar by hauling in a mahogany counter, a few bottles and six barstools. He called it the Chart Room.

Tom Corcoran, a young bartender who had arrived in Key West in 1970, was behind the bar that afternoon.

“I hadn’t seen Murphy or Jerry Jeff for maybe a few months. And they had this sort of struggling young hippie with them,” Corcoran recalled in a 2022 interview with The Miami Herald. “I said to Jimmy, ‘What are you drinking?’ And he kind of got this look in his eyes that said, ‘Well, I wonder who’s paying?’ And I read that and I said, ‘First one’s free. Welcome to Key West.’

So he ordered a Heineken.”

Walker introduced Buffett around and then, as Buffett put it, “kind of left me there.”

It was the start of everything.

After a few days playing downtown, Buffett returned to Miami, but the island pulled him back. He picked up odd jobs and asked Corcoran if he could play the Chart Room in exchange for drinks.

Corcoran agreed.

The audience in that six-stool, three-table room included treasure divers, pot smugglers, local politicians and a murderer’s row of American writers — Hunter S. Thompson, Tom McGuane, Jim Harrison, Jim Croce and Steve Goodman among them.

Buffett, who understood the room, slapped a bumper sticker on his guitar case that read “Support Your Local Sheriff.”

The sheriff became a fan.

“Jimmy knew the power of this play,” Corcoran told Flamingo Magazine.

Politicians got every third drink free. Buffett got an audience that would carry him from bar stools to stadiums.

He met novelist Tom McGuane at the Chart Room; McGuane would marry Buffett’s sister, Laurie. He sublet McGuane’s apartment at 123 Ann Street and became a Key West resident. In the spring of 1972, he met a young woman in a red dress at the Chart Room — Jane Slagsvol, who would become his wife.

Wolkowsky became Buffett’s friend and patron.

“I don’t think David ever paid me there, but he let me sing … and we’d just lay out by the pool,” Buffett told Keys Weekly.

When Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band played their first gig — a dollar-a-ticket show at Logun’s Lobster House on the south end of Duval — “David had a table on the front row, and at the table was Truman Capote, John Malcolm Brinnin, Dotson Rader, and a few other people,” Buffett said.

Wolkowsky sold the Pier House in the late 1970s for $4.6 million.

In 1974 he had purchased Ballast Key, an uninhabited island eight miles off Key West, where he built a house and entertained writers. He donated it to the Nature Conservancy and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In 2018, the Monroe County Commission voted to rename it David Wolkowsky Key. He died on Sept. 23, 2018, at his home in Key West. He was 99.

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THE NAME ON THE DEED

The LLC’s name — Last Mango Owner — is itself a nod to Buffett’s 1985 album “Last Mango in Paris.” The naming choice by a firm that has used locally themed LLCs for its other hotel acquisitions suggests Sixth Street researched the property’s cultural lineage before forming the entity.

It is unclear if the new owners have any plans on turning the iconic 0 Duval St. property into a Margaritaville-themed resort. The players involved have no other apparent ties to the Buffett brand, his estate or family.

The 18-seat Chart Room — full of pictures, memorabilia and, by one account, the occasional undiscovered hot dog — remains open inside the resort. It is the smallest and arguably the most consequential bar in Key West.

The hotel has grown to 142 keys with room rates currently ranging from $280 to $800 or more per night. It sits on prime waterfront property adjacent to Mallory Square, the nightly sunset celebration spot that Wolkowsky also helped develop,

From $4.6 million to $190 million — the property’s value has grown more than 41 times what Wolkowsky received for it in the late 1970s.

Several conditions to closing remain, according to Braemar’s SEC filing, and the company cautioned there is “no assurance that the sale transaction will be completed.”

Sixth Street did not respond to a request for comment.

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BIG PINE KEY — The College of the Florida Keys Board of Trustees rejected a proposal to immediately install a humane wildlife gate at a college-leased property where a small herd of endangered Key deer — including a nursing fawn — has been trapped since at least mid-March, sparking community outrage and raising questions about potential federal Endangered Species Act violations.

At its July 20 meeting in Key Largo, the board declined Save Our Key Deer, President Valerie Preziosi’s offer to install an in-and-out “soft gate” at 450 Key Deer Blvd. at no cost to the college. The gate would have allowed the trapped deer to exit peacefully while restoring access for local deer to the 10.5-acre habitat and a critical water source.

“The board missed an opportunity to do the right thing last night by approving Save Our Key Deer to install the proposed soft wildlife passage immediately,” Preziosi said. “Their unfortunate denial let down the community and also the innocent Key deer.”

Instead, the board will permit Save Our Key Deer to attempt to manually release the trapped deer — a task the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission have previously attempted and failed to accomplish. The college stipulated that no deer from outside the property may enter during the release.

BACKGROUND

Preziosi said neighborhood deer want access to the property, making that condition difficult to meet. She expressed concern she may be unable to lure the nursing fawn off the property, risking the forced separation of mother and fawn, and is urging the college to keep the gate open under security camera surveillance indefinitely if efforts to coax the fawn out prove unsuccessful.

The college has acknowledged sealing the base of the perimeter of its illegally installed fence with rocks, raising serious concerns about ongoing violations under Section 9(a)(1) of the Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. § 1538). The act defines “take” as to “harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or to attempt to engage in any such conduct.”

Keeping the deer penned up in the former prison sight could be considered a “take” under ESA regulations and knowingly taking an endangered species can result in civil penalties of up to $61,982 per violation. Criminal convictions can bring fines up to $200,000 per violation for organizations and risk the loss of facility leases.

The decision drew swift condemnation.

“Shame on that board,” said Michele Birdwell. “It appears that they already had their agenda and weren’t going to listen to anything from the public and the people who live here. It is really just sad that they can get away with this animal cruelty. They need to be held accountable.”

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“These are Federal Violations,” said Mia Shawn, who identified the college, Monroe County and the State of Florida as responsible parties under the ESA. “I will be an Interested Party in Enforcement of these Federal Violations.”

Christine Cook, who attended the meeting, said public comment was held after the board’s vote — an arrangement she called unprecedented in her experience.

“I had the distinct impression that the College added our item with the intention of supporting their termination of the College President,” Cook said. “The promise to put forth a motion for a soft gate to connect the wildlife corridor was not realized. I doubt that it was even a consideration.”

Cook said the college appears to be moving forward with plans for a commercial driver’s license training and tactical site on the Big Pine Key property, noting it continues to pursue an $8 million Economic Development Administration grant with $2 million in matching funds and a separate $2 million HUD grant.

“Imagine 18-wheelers in a residential neighborhood in the National Key Deer Refuge,” Cook said. “Traffic fatalities are the leading cause of death from human-deer interaction.”

The Key deer is an endangered subspecies found only in the Florida Keys and is considered an umbrella species whose protection safeguards the broader biodiversity of the habitat. Monroe County allowed its Habitat Conservation Plan to expire without requesting an Incidental Take Permit for the endangered species.

“If we do not fight and advocate for our environment, it will be destroyed by those who find another type of value in our natural resources,” Cook said.

Gueverra Ousted in 6-0 Vote

At the same meeting, the board voted 6-0 to terminate college President Dr. Jonathan Gueverra effective immediately, saying it had lost confidence in his leadership and accusing him of insubordination. Board member Susan Raffanello was absent.

Gueverra did not attend.

The motion was made by Peter Batty, Jr., chairman and co-founder of Gulf Atlantic Bank and a lifelong Keys resident who attended remotely, and seconded by Andrew Dulcey.

“Clearly Dr. G has lost the confidence of the board,” said DeSantis-appointed trustee and politically active MAGA Republican Michael Downer.

Board Chair Alexandria Suarez said recent evaluations supported the decision. She also said Gueverra was unable to secure state appropriations for the college and refused to explain why his three-year contract was renewed a year early by the previous board. Suarez was selected to hire an attorney to draft the termination letter. Upon receipt, Gueverra will have 15 days to request an administrative hearing.

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BACKGROUND

Gueverra will seek such a hearing, according to his attorney, Wayne LaRue Smith, who spoke during public comment. Smith described the special meeting as faulty in several respects, alleging the board called the meeting in violation of the reasonable notice statute, presented an agenda that lacked specification and failed to notify Gueverra in advance as required by his statutory role as corporate secretary.

The college posted information about the special meeting after 5 p.m. Friday and made available to the public a one-page agenda Monday featuring two items and no backup material.

The board voted unanimously to name CFK Executive Vice President and CFO Brittany Snyder as interim president. Snyder had previously fought efforts to release the trapped deer from the property, which formerly housed a state road prison.

While some community members linked Gueverra’s ouster to the Key deer controversy — negative community response to the CDL workforce project on Big Pine Key was cited as one basis for his termination — the move appears more closely aligned with a pattern of political upheaval at Florida higher education institutions driven by DeSantis-appointed boards.

With the exception of Suarez, who was appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2023, the board’s six remaining trustees were all appointed this year by the governor.

Gueverra, who is of Bahamian descent, is widely regarded as the most impactful president in the college’s history. Similar board-driven shakeups have played out at New College of Florida, Florida Atlantic University and the University of Florida in Gainesville, where DeSantis-appointed trustees have pushed out leaders in what critics characterize as ideologically driven anti-DEI campaigns.

The board’s stated rationale — that Gueverra failed to secure state funding — was directly undercut during public comment by Christina Teasley, who noted that DeSantis himself vetoed the funding the Legislature had appropriated for the college. As his appointees, Teasley said, the board should take that matter up with the governor, not with Gueverra.

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KEY WEST — Six Monroe County restaurants earned perfect marks from state inspectors over the past 30 days, passing their inspections with zero violations, according to data from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.

The spotless reports went to Mary Jane’s Closet (a DPBR-licensed retail store) on Cudjoe Key (July 14); Paul’s Beach Bar & Grill in Islamorada (July 1); Ocean Reef Pizza and Desserts Bliss, both at Ocean Reef in Key Largo (July 1); Cayos A La Carte in Islamorada (June 25); and Clemente’s Wood Fired Trolley Pizzeria in Key West (June 18).

Overall, 43 of the 57 inspections conducted from June 18 through July 14 resulted in a passing grade on the first visit. Fourteen restaurants did not pass.

But the inspection period was not without serious problems. Two establishments received emergency orders — the most serious enforcement action available to state inspectors — and a Key West cafe racked up 24 violations in a single visit.

Riviera Coffee Shop Temporarily Closed

Riviera Coffee Shop at 3100A Flagler Ave. in Key West was temporarily closed July 13 after inspectors discovered the kitchen hand sink had fallen off the wall, leaving employees with no way to properly wash their hands while the restaurant was open and operating.

Inspectors documented 10 violations during the initial visit, including:

• Employees handling and preparing food with no functioning hand sink.

• Water damage to ceilings.

• An expired license.

• A fryer and flat top operating with no hood system.

The restaurant was allowed to reopen the same day after a callback inspection found the establishment had addressed the most critical issues, though six violations remained under extended timelines.

Hungry Tarpon Shut Down in Islamorada

Hungry Tarpon Restaurant at 77522 Overseas Highway in Islamorada — near the popular Robbie’s Marina tourist destination — also received an emergency order June 18 after inspectors found rodent droppings and widespread insect activity.

Among the findings:

• Approximately seven rodent droppings on the kitchen window sill.

• Approximately 12 to 15 rodent droppings on top of the dish machine, which were cleaned off during the inspection.

• Approximately 10 live, small flying insects in the kitchen and prep area above a lift-lid unit on shelving holding takeout containers.

• Approximately six flies in the dry storage area.

• Four dead flies on sheet pans inside the walk-in cooler.

• A dish machine dispensing zero parts per million chlorine sanitizer, rendering it unable to sanitize dishes.

The restaurant passed a callback inspection June 19 with one remaining violation for soiled walls.

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Karlitas Cafe: 24 violations, 11 high priority

Karlitas Cafe at 934 Truman Ave. in Key West logged the most violations of any Monroe County restaurant in the 30-day period, with 24 violations — 11 of them classified as high priority — during a July 13 inspection. An administrative complaint was recommended.

Inspectors observed multiple employees handling food without first washing their hands, a finding flagged as both a repeat violation and the basis for the administrative complaint.

The high-priority violations included:

• An employee put on gloves and began preparing food without first washing hands. (Repeat violation; administrative complaint.)

• An employee emptied food into a trash can, wiped hands on pants, put on new gloves and began preparing food without washing hands.

• An employee touched a trash can, then put on gloves without washing hands. The same employee grabbed a cellphone and continued touching clean equipment without changing gloves or washing hands.

• Raw chicken and raw pork stored over ready-to-eat sauces inside the walk-in cooler.

• Raw pork thawing inside a triple sink at room temperature. (Repeat violation.)

• Raw beef and raw chicken stored in non-food-grade bags inside a reach-in freezer.

• Cooked potatoes held at 50 degrees, cooked chicken wings at 48 degrees and hot dogs at 47 degrees — all in cold holding for three hours inside a walk-in cooler. (Cold holding must be 41 degrees or below.)

• Cooked beef held at 108 degrees on top of a grill for three hours. (The operator reheated the product upon the inspector’s finding.)

• Walk-in cooler ambient temperature measured at 46 degrees.

• Household insect spray stored inside the employee bathroom.

• A can of degreaser stored next to cooking oil under a prep table.

• Equipment stored inside hand sinks, blocking their use. (Repeat violation.)

The cafe passed a callback inspection July 14, though six violations remained.

Punta Morada Cited for 17 violations in Islamorada

Punta Morada at 81001 Overseas Highway, Suite 3, in Islamorada received a warning with 17 violations during a July 9 inspection.

High-priority violations included:

• Raw pork stored over strawberries.

• Raw beef stored over pizza crust and raw beef held at 70 degrees in a cold-holding unit — nearly 30 degrees above the required maximum.

Inspectors also cited the restaurant for operating food preparation equipment outdoors without proper permits, having no written employee health procedures, no proof of employee food safety training and no food manager certification on file.

Islands Pancake House: 15 Violations in Big Pine Key

Islands Pancake House Bar & Grill at 29943 Overseas Highway in Big Pine Key was issued a warning June 23 after inspectors found 15 violations, five of them high priority.

A stop-sale order was issued on multiple food items due to temperature abuse:

• Raw poultry was held at 49 degrees.

• Cooked chicken wings at 50 degrees.

• Mashed potatoes at 48 degrees.

• Pasta at 47 degrees.

• Brisket at 56 degrees during cooling — all well above the required 41-degree maximum for cold holding.

Other high-priority findings included raw beef and raw pork stored in the same tray inside the walk-in cooler, a broken chlorine line on the dish machine that left it unable to properly sanitize, and a can of WD-40 stored alongside food.

Inspectors also found:

• Items stored inside the hand-wash sink.

• The bar hand-wash sink blocked by equipment.

• No proof of state-approved employee food safety training.

• The walk-in cooler and lift-lid salad unit failing to hold temperatures at 41 degrees or below.

• A frozen drink machine nozzle soiled with debris.

Buttonwood Grill: 15 Violations in Key Largo

Buttonwood Grill at 45 Garden Cove Dr. in Key Largo was issued a warning June 19 after inspectors found 15 violations stemming from unauthorized renovations.

Inspectors discovered:

• 3-compartment sink had been removed and reinstalled in the kitchen area.

• Interior wall separating the kitchen from the front counter had been taken down.

• All without the required plan review approval from the state.

The restaurant was ordered to submit plans and a plan review application to the DBPR office in Tallahassee. A follow-up inspection June 22 resulted in a time extension.

DJ’s Clam Shack: 14 Violations on Duval Street

DJ’s Clam Shack at 629 Duval St. in Key West was issued a warning July 13 after inspectors found 14 violations, including six classified as high priority.

Among the findings were:

• Garbage cans being used as containers for breading food

• Clam tags not marked with the last date served.

• Rusty walk-in cooler shelves and food stored on the floor.

The restaurant passed a callback inspection July 14 with seven violations remaining.

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Cafeteria La Guajira Warned in Key Largo

Cafeteria La Guajira at 102970 Overseas Highway in Key Largo was issued a warning June 24 after inspectors found food containers not properly labeled, cut ham held at 45 degrees and sliced tomatoes at 46 degrees in a reach-in cooler — both above the 41-degree cold-holding maximum — and an expired food manager certificate.

Buzzards Roost Grill & Pub Warned in Key Largo

Buzzards Roost Grill & Pub at 21 Garden Cove Dr. in Key Largo was issued a warning June 22 for violations involving kitchen equipment, the salad station reach-in cooler and the walk-in cooler. A follow-up inspection June 23 resulted in time extensions on all three violations.

The Bent Prop Warned on Cudjoe Key

The Bent Prop at 457 Drost Drive on Cudjoe Key was issued a warning June 19. Inspectors found frozen lobster thawing in an outside sink and an employee cutting ready-to-eat onions without wearing gloves. Both violations were corrected on-site during the inspection.

Paradise Cuban Restaurant, Marathon

Paradise Cuban Restaurant at 2603 Overseas Highway in Marathon failed its initial inspection after inspectors found cooked pork, black beans and chicken stored in the walk-in cooler without proper date marking. A callback inspection July 10 found the items had been properly date-labeled, but an administrative complaint was recommended.

La Nina Restaurant, Marathon

La Nina Restaurant at 1571 Overseas Highway in Marathon did not pass its initial inspection. A callback inspection June 23 resulted in an administrative complaint recommendation.

Coast to Coast Pizza Company, Marathon

Coast to Coast Pizza Company at 61 53rd St. Ocean in Marathon was issued a warning July 10.

Lumene’s Food Truck, Key West

Lumene’s Food Truck at 3316 N. Roosevelt Blvd. in Key West received an administrative complaint recommendation June 22 after the operator could not provide proof of food manager certification — a repeat violation.

Notable findings Among Restaurants That Passed

While 43 restaurants passed their initial inspections, several still had significant violation counts.

Cocomelon Blend & Brew, 1075 Duval St., Key West, passed its July 13 inspection with 15 violations, including a hose attached to a faucet at a mop sink eliminating the required air gap, no paper towels at a bathroom hand sink, an expired license, a broken light shield above the stove and food stored on the floor.

Cafe Marquesa, 600 Fleming St., Key West, passed with 11 violations July 13. Among the findings: butter held at 57 degrees and pooled eggs at 63 degrees in cold holding at the kitchen prep area; spoons stored in standing water at 56 degrees; cook line hood filters soiled with grease buildup; no chlorine test kit available for the dish machine; no certified food manager present with four employees on-site during the inspection; and missing oyster tags.

Kennedy Cafe, 924-A Kennedy Dr., Key West, passed with 10 violations July 14, including raw beef stored over cooked sausages in a reach-in cooler, food stored on the floor, standing water inside a reach-in cooler, and an open back door — all flagged as repeat violations.

Key West Poke House, 500 Truman Ave., Suite 1, Key West, passed with eight violations — four of them high priority — on July 13. High-priority findings included raw tuna stored over milk in the walk-in cooler, tobiko stored over pineapple at the front counter, ibuprofen stored on a shelf above food equipment, and boba pearls held at 112 degrees in a prep area. Inspectors also found rice paddles stored in standing water at 81 degrees and a plastic container stored inside a hand sink.

Disciplinary Action

City Hall Cafe in Tavernier was ordered to pay a $160 fine June 23, the only disciplinary action recorded during the period.

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No. 70. Against outlets with five, 10, even 20 times our subscriber count.

That doesn’t happen without you.

Whether you’re a paid subscriber or a free one, you built this. Every open, every share, every forward to a friend who ought to know what’s going on in the Keys — it all counts.

My business model is simple: most of the journalism stays free.

Budget workshops, utility board forums, city commission meetings, public records requests — I sit through all of it so you don’t have to.

That’s not changing.

But free journalism isn’t free to produce.

To my paid subscribers: Thank you. Again. My churn rate is less than 1 percent over the past year, which tells me you’re getting your money’s worth.

That means everything.

To my free subscribers: Thank you for being here and building the audience that makes Above the Fold impossible to ignore. If you’re in a position to go paid, your financial support keeps this operation running — and keeps local accountability journalism alive in the Keys.

We’re punching above our weight.

Let’s keep it that way.

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The Key West City Commission took less than five hours to conclude its budget workshop — originally scheduled for two days.

In the end, commissioners tentatively agreed on a budget set at rollback, meaning that although the budget may increase, resident’s taxes will not as the adopted millage rate would raise the same amount of funding as the previous year.

City Manager Brian Barroso had presented a proposed budget at rollback -1 mill, but several commissioners including Greg Veliz and Donie Lee didn’t agree.

“We can always go down,” said Veliz.

Barroso has until September to don his green eyeshades, roll up his sleeves and sharpen his pencil before attempting to bake in the commission’s recommendations, but a majority of the commission directed him to look into a reduction in force.

Former Police Chief Lee said that he had identified vacancies in both the police and fire departments that would recoup nearly $2 million in savings if left unfilled, and said he believed that Public Works, the city’s largest department, could provide savings as well.

In the end, the city manager proposed a 5% RIF, which would be about 27 employees and could come in the form of eliminating vacant positions, attrition, (not filling retirements or resignations,) layoffs or reorganization or consolidation of departments.

The latter is a very real possibility as Commissioner Kaufman suggested that at least one department had been added (Growth Management) without the required sanction of the Commission.

Commissioners will be awaiting a legal interpretation on the topic of reorganization from Assistant City Attorney Kendal Hayden.

One of the most striking cuts by Barroso was the elimination of the award-winning Key West Rides on-demand transit program. Key West Rides will continue to operate until before the new year, when a counter-rotating fixed loop service will replace it, although only running from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., a reduction in services to residents of two hours per day.

The Duval Loop, a popular downtown route that served not only tourists but members of the workforce utilizing park and ride services remained out of the proposed budget.

Now it will be up to Barroso to find the synergies and adjust the spreadsheets before commissioners revisit the subject after the Aug. 18 election that could radically change the makeup of the dais.

This is an evolving story. Watch this space.

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KEY WEST — There is no relief in sight for hundreds and possibly thousands of pissed off voters in the Southernmost City who are sick and tired of receiving unwanted text messages and slick four-color glossy mailers attacking Commissioner and mayoral candidate Sam Kaufman while attempting to bolster incumbent Mayor Danise Henriquez.

The latest campaign finance filings show Spottswood Companies — one of the most powerful and politically connected family-owned businesses in the Florida Keys — donated $15,000 to Families & Friends for the Keys, the shadowy political action committee controlled by Conch athletic supporter Jack Niles.

It is the largest single donation the PAC has received.

The contribution from Spottswood Companies dwarfs the PAC’s previous largest donation — a $10,000 contribution from Historic Tours of America, owned by Ed Swift and partner Chris Belland — and signals a significant escalation of big-money interests bankrolling the shadow campaign against Kaufman.

WHO ARE THE SPOTTSWOODS?

Spottswood Companies Inc. and its affiliates are a diversified, family-owned organization headquartered at 506 Fleming St. in Key West with investments in real estate, timesharing, marinas, hospitality, construction, broadcasting and banking.

The company traces its roots in Key West to 1836, making it one of the longest-established family enterprises in the Florida Keys.

Founded in 1992 by Robert A. Spottswood, the company has grown into one of the Keys’ largest private employers with more than 300 employees and over 1,000 hotel rooms under management. The company has developed dozens of properties in the Florida Keys with more than 1,000 residential and transient units and over 300,000 square feet of commercial space.

The Spottswood family’s reach extends well beyond real estate. Members hold positions on the South Florida Water Management District, the Citizens Property Insurance Corp. board of governors, the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, the Nature Conservancy, the Fish and Wildlife Foundation of Florida and the board of First State Bank of the Florida Keys. Robert A. Spottswood Jr. was appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis to the South Florida Water Management District board in March 2026.

The family also operates Spottswood, Spottswood, Spottswood & Sterling PLLC, a law firm at 500 Fleming St. that handles real estate and environmental land use law. Mary Spottswood serves as in-house counsel for Spottswood Companies, and Erica Sterling, a partner at the firm, was appointed by DeSantis to the Lower Florida Keys Hospital District Board.

SPOTTSWOOD MANAGEMENT TEAM MEMBERS

The following members of the company’s management team carry the Spottswood name:

Robert A. Spottswood, Executive Chairman

Born in Key West, graduated from Key West High School, the University of Florida and the University of Miami School of Law. Founded Spottswood Companies in 1992 after returning from Miami where he specialized in corporate law and made investments in real estate, banking and broadcasting. Responsible for creating the Hyatt Vacation Club and developing numerous timeshare, hotel and commercial properties. Serves on the board of First State Bank, the Florida Council of 100 and the Citizens Property Insurance Board of Governors. Past chairman of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the American Resort Development Association.

Robert A. Spottswood Jr., President and CEO

Seventh-generation Key West native. Also serves as President of Keystar Inc. and Spottswood Management Inc. Partner at Spottswood, Spottswood, Spottswood & Sterling. Member of the board of First State Bank. Appointed by DeSantis to the South Florida Water Management District board (2026) and is a member of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, the Nature Conservancy and the Fish and Wildlife Foundation of Florida.

John “Jack” M. Spottswood Jr.

Vice President/Director of Spottswood Companies and Executive Chairman of First State Bank. Known as Jack Spottswood. Graduated from Tulane University and Florida State University Law School. Founder and senior partner of Spottswood, Spottswood, Spottswood & Sterling. Former counsel for the Housing Authority of the City of Key West, former Assistant City Attorney, former Vice Chairman of the Key West Redevelopment Agency and a past Commodore of the Key West Yacht Club.

William B. Spottswood

Director of Keystar Inc.. and Director of Spottswood Companies. Of Counsel to the family law firm. Graduated from the University of Florida and Florida State University Law School. Oversaw the development approval process for all Spottswood properties. Former chairman of the Key West Red Cross, the Key West Military Affairs Committee, past Commodore of the Key West Yacht Club and founding member of the Key West Police Athletic League.

William B. Spottswood Jr

Chief Development Officer for Spottswood Hotels Inc. and President of Key West Vacation Company. Native of Key West, graduated from Key West High School and the University of Florida. Attorney with a background in finance and real estate development. Vice President of the Key West Chamber of Commerce board of directors.

SPOTTSWOOD PROPERTIES

According to the company’s website, Spottswood Companies owns all or some interest in the following properties in the Island City and the Florida Keys:

Beachside Resort & Residences

Stock Island Yacht Club & Marina

Coconut Beach Resort

La Concha Hotel

The Grand Maloney

Tavern N Town Restaurant

The Fogarty House

Stock Island Shops

Hyatt Place Marathon

Overseas Market Shopping Plaza

Quiet Storm Key West

Banana Republic Key West Building

Kilwin’s Key West Building

Crazy Shirts Key West Building

Hyatt Windward Pointe Resort

Hyatt Beach House Resort

Hyatt Sunset Harbor Resort

Key West Drug Company Building

Coupon Key

The Bottling Court Retail Center

Faro Blanco Resort & Yacht Club, Marathon

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Marathon (rebranded)

Lighthouse Bar & Grill

General Horseplay Bar

Banyan Grove

THE PAC’S MONEY TRAIL

The $15,000 Spottswood Companies donation brings the PAC’s total war chest to more than $36,000. Previous donors include Historic Tours of America ($10,000), Hollywood-based real estate developer Jeffry Cornfeld ($10,000), Planning Board member Michael Browning ($500), Denise Holland-Schmitt ($520) and Bobby Mongelli ($250).

Cornfeld’s donation carries its own baggage. The developer was behind the Peary Court deal in which a former City Commission handed him $12.5 million to purchase the property with promises to create affordable housing and expand the project by 44 units — promises that never came to fruition.

Despite collecting tens of thousands of dollars, the PAC previously reported only $21.10 in expenditures — a payment to ABETON, an online donation-processing service — even as voters received wave after wave of text messages and glossy mailers. Professional four-color mailers, including design, printing and bulk postage, cost thousands of dollars, and any such expenditures must be disclosed in filings with the Florida Division of Elections.

Under Florida Statute 106.19, any campaign treasurer or PAC officer who knowingly and willfully fails to report expenditures commits a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine per count, plus a civil penalty of three times the amount of unreported spending.Voters head to the polls Aug. 18.

This is an evolving story. Watch this space.

ISLAMORADA, Fla. — The Florida Keys Gator Club is planning a Gator Club Gathering to help Keys students who are preparing to attend the University of Florida for their fall semester.

The event, organized by the University of Florida Alumni Association’s Keys-based affiliate organization, is set for 6–7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 4, at The Nest, mile marker 81 in Islamorada.

“We’re inviting new students, current UF students, alumni and their families to come together to make connections, share experiences and welcome the next generation of Gators into the UF family,” said Shirley Wilson, Keys Gator Club president. “We also encourage local high school students and their parents to attend.

“It’s a great opportunity for prospective Gators to meet recently accepted students, hear about their application experiences, ask questions about college life at UF and learn what it means to be a Gator,” Wilson said.

The Florida Keys Gator Club is to provide complimentary appetizers and soft drinks. The Nest is offering 10% off all food and beverages from its regular menu.

In addition to Wilson, other Gator Club officers for 2026-27 include President-Elect Larry Dalton, Treasurer Glenn Latham, Secretary Susan Latham and board members Susan Latham, Andy Newman and Paul Turick.

For more information, email keysgatorclub@gmail.com or vist the club’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/groups/keysgators.

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KEY WEST, Fla. — Monday is the last day to register to vote or change your party affiliation before the Aug. 18 primary election — and in the Florida Keys, most races on the ballot will be decided that day.

The book-closing deadline is July 20. After that, no new registrations or party changes will take effect in time for the primary.

Florida is a closed primary state, meaning voters can cast ballots only in the primary of the party with which they are registered.

But several Monroe County races this cycle have triggered an important exception: where only one party’s candidates qualified and no opposition-party candidate filed, the primary is open to all registered voters regardless of affiliation.

Every registered voter in Monroe County — Republican, Democrat, independent or third-party — can vote in the following races:

The primary ballot also includes statewide partisan contests for governor, state Cabinet offices, U.S. Senate and congressional and state legislative seats. Only voters registered with a political party may vote in those races.

KEY DATES

• July 20: Voter registration and party-change deadline

• Aug. 3-15: Early voting at the Monroe County Supervisor of Elections office, daily 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Aug. 6: Deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot

• Aug. 18: Primary Election Day, polls open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Voters who have already requested mail ballots should have received them. Completed mail ballots must be returned to the Supervisor of Elections office by 7 p.m. on Election Day.

To check your registration status, visit RegisterToVoteFlorida.gov and select “Am I Already Registered?”

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Yesterday we took a look at Above the Fold’s endorsements for countywide races. Today, we get down to the one contest everybody has been waiting for: The KEYS energy Utility Board.

Just kidding.

This morning we are going to take a look at the races that will define not only the Utility Board and KEYS Energy, but three races that will determine the direction of City Hall for the next four years, and one for mayor that will chart the course for the next two years.

So grab you coffee with Bailey’s or your mimosa.

Without further ado, here we go.

UTILITY BOARD SEAT A

Mona C. Clark vs. Jim Marquardt

I was only partially joking about the Utility Board. Having covered Keys government off and on over a span of three decades, this is the one race that has always sort of slid under the radar.

Frankly, it has always been kind of a dud.

2026 seems a little different.

Incumbent Mona C. Clark has served on the Utility Board since 2004.

It shows.

Clark holds the distinction of being the first elected female Board member in the Utility’s history. By virtue of her 2018 election, she also holds the distinction of being the first Board member elected by all voters within KEYS service area (Key West to the Seven-Mile Bridge). Previously the Utility Board was elected only by residents of the City of Key West. In 2020, she became the first female and first African American to serve as Chair of the Utility Board.

Jim Marquardt is a longtime Key West resident. I first met him in the radio business nearly 30 years ago; today he is the General Manager for The Gardens Hotel and is passionate about alternative energy sources — something that has been sorely lacking on the board.

He recognizes not only the fiduciary responsibility that the board has but also employee safety; he is also in favor of term limits and has no intention of staying around for decades on a board.

In terms of transparency, Marquardt supports not only streaming or broadcasting board meetings publicly (they are not currently) but also allowing public comment throughout the meeting on individual agenda items rather than at the end of meetings.

For those reasons, Jim Marquardt is the right pick for Seat A.

UTILITY BOARD SEAT D

Javier Garrido vs. Tim Urbanski

Both Garrido and Urbanski are competing to replace Vice Chair Robert Barrios, who has served since 2018. Barrios was the first Board member residing outside Key West city limits due to a change in the bylaws.

Tim Urbanski is a Big Pine resident and Army veteran who served in Vietnam in 1968-69. After his return, he worked for the US Navy/DoD as a civilian employee retiring in 2007, continuing his work career in the private sector managing programs in machine vision, digital photography and facility security. He has worked as a mechanic, technician, military and apprentice instructor, supervisor and program manager in the electrical, electronics, communications and computer disciplines with collateral experience in union negotiations, facilities management, asbestos abatement, OSHA inspection and security. His campaign donations have been mainly self-funded, with other grassroots donations from residents of Big Pine and the surrounding areas, totaling $13,407.83.

Garrido, who lives in Big Coppitt, has little if any experience on municipal boards or in the utility space, and the majority of his campaign contributions have come from Ed Swift and companies, relatives or employees affiliated with him, including Fred Varela, Historic Tours of America, Tropical Shell and Gift, totaling $9,676.32. This will become a common thread as we advance through the ballot.

For that reason, Tim Urbanski is the pick to bring new energy to the Utility Board.

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DISTRICT II CITY COMMISSION

Bobi Lore vs. Mark Rossi

This race is a tossup for me. I genuinely like and respect Bobi Lore and Mark Rossi both personally and professionally.

Fundraising wasn’t an issue, as neither accepted money from the “usual suspects.”

Both operate successful, world-class businesses within the City of Key West; Lore operates one of the premier all-men’s guesthouses in the world. Rossi operates one of the most popular bar complexes in the world — competing on a daily basis with iconic watering holes like Sloppy Joe’s and Capt. Tony’s Saloon. I genuinely believe that both have the City’s best interests at heart — albeit I believe they have very different ideas about how to accomplish them.

And the two probably ran the most collegial race out any group of candiates county-wide.

Although I have never agreed with Rossi about his view on cruise ships, if I owned a city block that slung $9 drinks 18 hours a day, I likely would.

But his previous experience on the dais, his relationship with the military (which seems badly needed right now courtesy of a series of blunders by the City Manager) and Mark’s involvement in trying to help establish a world-class hospital in the Lower Keys are too much to ignore.

This was probably the toughest pick of all, but given everything the Southernmost City has been through in the last two years, Mark Rossi should get your vote for District II.

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DISTRICT IV CITY COMMISSION

Sarah Compton vs. Wayne Garcia vs. Juan Llera

This is an interesting race for several reasons.

First, all three are running to replace embattled Bubba Bozo player the (finally) outgoing Lisette Carey. The Grand Jury that uncovered the corruption at 1300 White Street recommended Carey resign from the dais. Instead, she was rewarded by first being named Vice Mayor by Danise Henriquez, only to be demoted to remain in her seat while thumbing her nose at Lady Justice.

This is the only three-way race at 1300 White Street, and could be the only one that ends in a runoff in November.

But I do not believe that it will.

Juan Llera, who clearly was handpicked as a candidate for the Chamber of Commerce and special interests and leaned heavily on his experience in the military and as risk management specialist for KEYS Energy, never really seemed to get out of the gate. He raised a total of $19,832 in campaign contributions from special interests like Arnold’s Towing, Toppino’s Rockland Recycling, The Hemingway House, the Dade County Police Benevolent Association, Waste Management of Florida, Lay Management (La Trattoria and Virgilio’s) and Linda K. Turek (Hank’s Hair of the Dog, Garbo’s, Mac’s Place, The LTK Group). To date, he has only spent $7,583.34.

It almost seems like he is not trying.

Sarah Compton started out strong as one of four members of the Clean Slate (Kaufman, Lore, Compton and Massicotte.) She had multiple small dollar donations with a few notable $1,000 donations including one by world-renowned author, Key West resident and First Amendment advocate Judy Blume.

Compton has been very thoughtful in producing advances keeping the public informed about upcoming issues at Commission meetings, something she will hopefully continue should she be elected.

Honesty and transparency have been at the core of her desire to enter public service — particularly in the wake of the Bubba Bozo indictments by the Grand Jury.

In her P2 campaign filing, however, Compton listed four $1,000 donations from Charles, Carter and Clark Robertson and Kristin Becher of Essex, Conn., along with a $516 donation from Carol Robertson of Old Saybrook, Conn.

Those names may not sound familiar to you, but they should. The Robertson family owns American Cruise Lines. They are the preferred “small ship” alternative to massive cruise ships like those that visit Pier B.

Charles is the CEO, while brothers Carter and Clark are executive vice presidents at the boutique cruise line. Kristin Becher is married to the CEO, and Carol Robertson is mother to the three boys.

Like other special interests mentioned here, political donations appear to be a family affair.

Compton does a significant amount of business through her concierge site Discover Your Key West with American Cruise Lines, while also offering services to other cruise lines that dock at Pier B.

When confronted by supporters of not only her campaign but the City’s One Ship Policy and the optics of accepting donations from cruise ship companies, Compton reportedly told them that if the funding could be replaced, she would return the donations from ACL. She also allegedly told them she would recuse herself if any ACL business came before the City Commission.

But her most recent filing saw no money returned to ACL’s owners and if the candidate can’t agree that the financial strings aren’t a good look, how is it possible to know what she will do should ACL want to dock additional ships at Mallory Square or mega-cruise ship interests come calling at the Outer Mole?

The only person who doesn’t seem to be beholden to special interests in the District IV race is Wayne Garcia. In addition to being a lifelong Key West(er) and well-respected contractor, Garcia has taken a page out of “Walkin” Lawton Chiles’ playbook, wearing out his shoe leather and hitting the pavement, canvassing his district and asking questions — demonstrating that he is willing to work towards concrete solutions whether it involves the major flooding issues in the district, dangerous sidewalks for children and elderly residents or the overgrown canopy and siltation filling in the Riviera Canal.

Garcia is concerned about the quality of life on the rock for not only his family and friends — but all of the residents in District IV.

A treasured Key West artist in the vein of Mario Sanchez, Garcia even hand-painted some of his campaign signs.

For those reasons, Wayne Garcia has earned the chance and privilege of representing everybody in District IV.

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DISTRICT V CITY COMMISSIONER

Chris Massicotte vs. Greg Sullivan

This one is closer than it really should be.

One candidate represents what Last Stand of the Florida Keys embodies and has demonstrated a grassroots effort receiving thousands of dollars of small donations from residents of his district.

The other represents the Chamber of Commerce and other special interests (starting to see a recurring theme here?) like Historic Tours of America, Toppino’s Rockland Recycling, Planning Board member and shadow PAC supporter Michael Browning and Spottswood Management and the Dade County Police Benevolent Association.

Greg Sullivan is the Senior District Manager for Waste Management for Monroe County and is known in Chamber and Rotary circles as the hardest working guy in Key West. He is likely about to be working even harder on Friday, July 24 when Haitian TPS status ends for a significant part of his workforce.

Vote with your conscience in District V, but Chris Massicotte is the right person to represent that neighborhood.

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KEY WEST MAYOR (City-wide)

Danise Henriquez vs. Sam Kaufman

And now, for the Main Event.

It’s the matchup that everyone has been waiting for: Incumbent Danise Henriquez vs. District II City Commissioner Sam Kaufman.

No ropes. No ring. No referee’s call. Just one long walk out of City Hall.

In three decades of following and covering Keys politics, I have never witnessed such a vitriolic campaign cycle — and to be honest it has all one-sided.

Between the shadow PAC Families & Friends for the Keys founded by Conch athletic supporter Jack Niles, to the incumbent mayor’s thirst for accepting $1,000 donations from one special interest after the other — there has never been anything like it in modern Key West politics.

Henriquez has been nuzzling into the cash-rich trough of not only the Chamber of Commerce but special interest after special interest to the tune of $147,617.17 (the ultimate irony being her husband’s jersey number is #17)

Then there are the lies.

The mayor has been making the rounds claiming she got The Lofts at Bahama Village built. False narrative. That would have been the previous administration she is so fond of blaming her administration’s problems on.

Then there was the community center. Hmm… I remember covering the groundbreaking for that… it was started long before her and was — you guessed it — the previous administration.

John Jones Transitional Center? Yeah that was one of her accomplishments, right? Oh wait. I was at the groundbreaking for that as well. Seems that was former Mayor Teri Johnston and Vice Mayor Sam Kaufman; again the previous administration that spearheaded those efforts.

Henriquez might have “opened” them, but last time I checked, ribbon cutting was not an accomplishment unless you are a member of the British Royal Family.

How about some real accomplishments like, let’s say killing water testing. Yep. The mayor cast the deciding vote.

Oh, oh, I know: What about abandoning the LGBTQ+ community and the rainbow crosswalks! Yes. That one definitely tracks!

Entering into a 287(g) agreement that the majority of Key West residents opposed? Let’s unpack that!

And being the sole no-vote against a resolution sponsored by her opponent voicing the Commission’s support for extending TPS protections for Haitian residents who make up a significant portion of Key West’s workforce?

That had to be her proudest moment.

Let’s contrast that with her opponent, Sam Kaufman.

He was Vice Mayor under Teri Johnston in the previous administration.

In addition to all the things the mayor is trying to take credit for that were actually the result of elbow grease of the previous administration she loves to dog, Kaufman has been leading advocacy to secure 166 new workforce housing units at Sigsbee Park while also working to help advance Garden View Apartments, Poinciana permanent supportive housing, and The Lofts rental and homeownership workforce housing units; sponsored the renewal of funding for the Homebuyer Assistance Program; and has consistently advocated for inclusion of affordable housing in major redevelopment projects.

With regard to environmental concerns, he advocated for cleaner water, stronger environmental protections, and thoughtful investments that preserve our island for future generations, including sponsoring the City’s ordinance requiring water quality testing, working to fund an increase in harbor water testing (which the current mayor killed to appease special interests) and sponsoring the creation of the Plastic Free Key West Program.

Kaufman has also worked to improve healthcare for Key West residents by advocating for greater accountability, better services, and long-term planning that puts patients, healthcare workers, and our community first by founding the Commissioner’s Lower Keys Medical Center Task Force; leading the effort resulting in the Hospital District issuing an RFP for future hospital operations; and advocating for improved local healthcare services and accountability.

He has also been instrumental in giving voters and residents a stronger voice in our community by creating the Parks & Recreation Advisory Board; hosting numerous town halls and neighborhood meetings; consistently supporting meaningful public participation and calling for transparency and open government; and encouraging neighborhood input before major redevelopment decisions.

Commissioner Kaufman has also proven to be a responsible steward of taxpayers’ money.

He has voted against property tax increases each year as a Commission member; called for an Independent Auditor; consistently questioned unnecessary spending and long-term debt; and worked to ensure City-owned properties generate fair market value for taxpayers.

In addition, for the past 27 years, he has been involved in the Key West community helping others as a mentor for the Take Stock in Children Program, supporting student success and opportunity. He has served as an Executive Board Member of the Key West Art & Historical Society, helping to preserve and celebrate local culture and also as a Board Member of the Florida Keys SPCA, advocating for animal welfare and humane care.

For 20 years he has served on the board of the Florida Keys Outreach Coalition, helping individuals and families in need of housing, food, and recovery services.

In sum, Mayor Henriquez likes to stand on the shoulders of those that came before her and take credit for their accomplishments.

And if I were Clayton Lopez, Billy Wardlow or Jimmy Weekley, I would probably be just about sick and tired of hearing how everything was our fault right about now.

She has few if any real accomplishments to hang her hat on, unless you count ignoring and thumbing her nose at the recommendations of a Monroe County Grand Jury that signed their names to their report or giving special interests the most bang for the buck.

Those two things?

She is really good at.

At this point — and I know this comes as a shock to those who have been following along over the last year — it is time for a change.

And simply put, Sam Kaufman is the right person to fix all of the issues left behind by the Henriquez administration.

This may not be your perfect ballot, and it was tough to come to these conclusions. But the candidates endorsed here, I believe, are capable of coming together and working for positive change.

And frankly, I don’t care who you vote for as long as you VOTE!

See you at the polls on Aug. 18, 2026.

KEY WEST — If you are one of hundreds of Key West voters pissed off about getting unsolicited text messages bashing Mayor Danise Henriquez’ competition (despite asking them to STOP multiple times) get ready for more — whether you like it or not.

Slick, four-color glossy mailers are headed to your mailbox courtesy of Families & Friends for the Keys.

The PAC founded and chaired by Niles — an ardent supporter of incumbent Mayor Danise Henriquez — is escalating its smear campaign against District II City Commissioner and mayoral challenger Sam Kaufman from texts to professionally produced direct mail, a move that signals significantly more money being pumped into the shady effort to bolster Henriquez’ re-election.

Above the Fold first reported the connection between the Niles-controlled PAC and the derogatory text messages that flooded voters’ phones across the Island City last week.

Our original reporting revealed that Historic Tours of America, owned by Ed Swift and partner Chris Belland, bankrolled the PAC with an initial $10,000 contribution — accounting for more than 95% of its total receipts at the time.

Since then, the donor list has grown.

Campaign finance filings show additional contributions from Hollywood-based real estate developer Jeffery Cornfeld ($10,000), Stock Island restauranteur Bobby Mongelli ($250), Marathon resident Denise Holland-Schmitt ($520) and Planning Board member Michael Browning ($500).

Cornfeld’s five-figure donation raises its own questions. The developer was behind the Peary Court deal in which a former City Commission handed him $12.5 million to purchase the property with promises to create affordable housing and expand the project by 44 units — promises that never came to fruition.

Henriquez has still not disavowed the smear campaign aimed at her opponent — while Kaufman took to social media to assure voters that he was not stooping to that level.

The mailers will also test whether the PAC’s campaign finance reports reflect the actual spending. Despite collecting more than $21,000 in contributions to date, Families & Friends for the Keys has reported only $21.10 in expenditures — a payment to ABETON, an online donation-processing service.

Professional four-color glossy mailers, including design, printing and bulk postage, typically cost thousands of dollars, and any such expenditures must be disclosed in future filings with the Florida Division of Elections.

Under Florida Statute 106.19, any campaign treasurer or PAC officer who knowingly and willfully fails to report expenditures commits a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine per count, plus a civil penalty of three times the amount of the unreported spending.

Voters head to the polls Aug. 18.

This is an evolving story. Watch this space.

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To say the 2026 campaign season has been contentious from the County level on down would be an understatement.

But Above the Fold has been watching the elections unfold and these are my picks in the County-wide contests:

The MAGA-controlled Republican Party of Monroe County has a hard-on for any Republican officials who endorsed Democrat Ron Saunders for Supervisor of Elections in the last cycle.

If the MAGA element from Ocean Reef (or South Miami) has its way, it is not only going to supplant those running for election this year but is also likely to oppose Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay and State Attorney Dennis Ward in the next cycle.

Hopefully by then that fringe element of the party will have lost its stranglehold, so it won’t matter. But it does matter more than ever in this election cycle.

MOSQUITO CONTROL BOARD DISTRICT II

Phil Goodman vs. Alex Osbourne

Osbourne is one of the clique looking to supplant renegade Republicans who dare endorse moderate or conservative Democrats.

Goodman is a longtime member of the district board and the current chairman.

Osbourne’s reason for running, other than trying to take Goodman out, is that he hates mosquitoes. Duh. That was nowhere more evident than the latest Hometown! Candidate Forum. He opposes genetically modified mosquitoes, which are a proven technology that has worked throughout the tropics. He couldn’t answer what the genetic difference is between the Oxitec mosquitoes and the genetically modified flies that have been used to help control and eradicate screwworm.

Based on a proven track record of balancing public health, his knowledge of cutting-edge mosquito control technology, a proven track record as the head bug man and his efforts to negotiate the uncertain funding future because of Tallahassee’s property tax shenanigans, Phil Goodman is the bugman with the right plan.

COUNTY JUDGE

Kevin McCarthy vs. David Van Loon

Public Defender McCarthy has run courtrooms and dockets and helped get the Monroe County Detention Center back up and running, following courtroom experience all the way up to circuit court. He could immediately handle circuit court cases if specially assigned, as is currently the case.

Van Loon has highlighted the majority of cases that could appear before him, including misdemeanors, DUIs and criminal traffic cases. On the civil side, he has handled small claims, civil traffic, landlord-tenant and county litigation cases. In his 22 years of experience, he said he has checked the box on 95% of those matters, with the exception of a DUI defense. He has also served as a magistrate for the Value Adjustment Board and as a traffic magistrate.

Either candidate is eminently qualified, but Kevin McCarthy has the edge, being able to hit the ground running given his experience in both county and circuit court, particularly if the next judge is specially assigned to handle circuit court matters (as is currently the case with Judge Mark Wilson, who will be moving up to replace the retiring Mark Jones at the Circuit level).

MONROE COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT I

Teri Axford vs. Darren Horan

Teri Axford is a veteran school district employee, former principal and former superintendent of schools with 38 years of experience. It is an old Republican trope, but new Superintendent Ed Tierney has been working tirelessly to fix a number of the problems left over from her administration.

Axford falls short in describing the ad hoc method of school front offices informally placing teachers in rental properties. With regard to AI, Axford believes teachers need training that allows them to determine whether students are using it. At the most recent Hometown! candidate forum, she seemed lost, almost adrift. Rather than worrying about the conditions facing students, she seemed more concerned about a strategic plan, which is really the current superintendent’s purview.

She seems almost like somebody who can’t give up being in the big seat.

Darren Horan is running for his second term representing Key West. His belief on AI is that it should be limited to teachers. He also reiterated Tierney’s sentiment that if cuts are going to be made, they will come from the top down.

“Before we let go of a single teacher, we will let go of administrators first.”

His efforts to improve student nutrition at no cost have spanned from Trumbo to Tallahassee. Horan also believes the school district spends too much money on capital expenditures and not enough on the classroom.

Some people just can’t let go and want things to go back to the way they used to be.

Remember when is the lowest form of conversation.

Darren Horan is the voice of the future.

Not the past.

MONROE COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT V

Chelyn Shaw vs. Sue Woltanksi

Chelyn Shaw — a common sense Christian Conservative — wants to bring traditional Common Sense Conservative Judeo-Christian values that our founding fathers based our nation on: Integrity, Honesty and Service to others before self.

But she couldn’t bring herself to admit that those are same basic tenets of nearly every other organized religion today.

Shaw is also in favor of School Choice.

And is a supporter and believer in The Heritage Foundation.

She lost me at School Choice, and I backpedaled faster at the uttering of Heritage Foundation on her website.

Sue Woltanski is the incumbent and believes AI should be limited for students, that they should have real books to read and should have to write essays with pens or pencils in a binder full of notebook paper in front of teachers.

That is why Sue Woltanksi is the right choice for not only District V, but the children and families of Monroe County.

COUNTY COMMISSION DISTRICT II

Michelle Lincoln vs. George Lopez

This one is a no-brainer especially when you look at the challenger.

George Lopez is an angry Red Hatter married to the MAGA Inquistor running the Crusade as chair of the Monroe County Republican Party.

Lopez wants to tout that — although he has no experience on an elected board or commission — he is an international businessman.

Well, we see how that has played out on the national stage.

Michelle Lincoln has a proven track record as a measured Conservative politician and is just the type of commissioner that Monroe County needs, particularly in the uncertain landscape unfolding with regards from “property tax relief” from Tallahassee.

Oh, and she actually lives in Monroe County — which is a big plus.

KEY WEST, Fla. — A single-word reply on Mayor Danise Henriquez’s campaign Facebook page has ignited a firestorm over derogatory text messages targeting voters in the race for Key West Mayor, exposing what may be a smoking-gun link between the mayor’s campaign and the shadowy political action committee behind the smear tactics.

Outrage over the texts — sent to voters across the Island City by businessman Jack Niles and his PAC, Families & Friends for the Keys — reached a fever pitch Saturday morning when residents discovered that Ashley Henriquez McMahan, the mayor’s daughter and ostensible campaign and social media manager, had aledgedly replied “Done” with a checkmark on the mayor’s “Keep Danise ‘Dee Dee’ Henriquez for Key West Mayor” Facebook page to a resident who asked for the unsolicited texts to stop.

The reply suggests the Henriquez campaign was coordinating directly with Niles and his PAC — a potential violation of multiple Florida election statutes that prohibit candidates, their campaigns or their agents from working in concert with political action committees.

As of Saturday morning, Mayor Henriquez has yet to publicly disavow the smear campaign aimed at her opponent, District II City Commissioner Sam Kaufman.

Her challenger, however, took to social media on Thursday, disavowing any knowledge of or involvement with negative tactics surrounding his campaign.

Voters have flooded social media with complaints about the texts, many saying they continued to receive them even after replying “stop” to opt out.

WHAT THE LAW SAYS

The McMahan reply triggers a cascade of potential violations under Florida’s campaign finance statutes.

In fact, the State of Florida publishes a guidebook for not only PACs but also campaigns that painstakingly lays out what they may or may not do based on Florida’s statutes.

Ashley Henriquez McMahan’s one-word confirmation on the campaign’s own social media page — posted by the mayor’s daughter and campaign manager — satisfies at least two of those triggers. McMahan is also a contributor to her campaign.

Once any trigger is met, the PAC’s texting operation is no longer an independent expenditure. That sets off a chain of violations.

Beyond criminal penalties, violators face a civil penalty equal to three times the amount of the illegal expenditure, paid to the state General Revenue Fund. If the PAC spent $10,000 on the texting operation, the civil penalty alone would be $30,000.

Unfortunately, Families & Friends for the Keys has yet to list any expenditures other than for an on-line donation processing service.

Those potentially exposed include Niles personally and as a PAC officer, the PAC itself, Mayor Henriquez as the candidate who benefited from the illegal coordination, and Ashley Henriquez McMahan as the campaign agent who facilitated it.

Under §106.25, the Florida Elections Commission has jurisdiction to investigate. Any person with information of a violation may file a sworn complaint.

The “Done ✓” reply on a public Facebook page by that pages administrator, who is also a campaign manager, and donor constitutes documentary evidence.

This is an evolving story. Watch this space.

There are two Historic Tours of America companies.

There’s the one that competes.

In Washington, D.C., HTA competes. Same in San Diego. Ditto for Boston, San Antonio, St. Augustine and Nashville.

Then there’s the one that calls Key West home.

Only in Key West did it wind up in court defending a franchise system judges ultimately concluded unlawfully restrained competition.

That’s odd.

Because HTA doesn’t need the help.

It’s one of the most successful tourism companies in America.

Not quite Disney, although I suspect there are some delusions of grandeur wafting about 201 Front St.

But very successful, nonetheless.

Yet somehow, every time another entrepreneur tries to sell visitors a different ride around the Southernmost City, the argument eventually ends up in a courtroom.

John Murphy was first with Duck Tour Safaris.

In 1995, Murphy rolled a fleet of World War II DUKWs, better known as Duck boats, into town believing tourists might enjoy seeing Key West from the harbor instead of the streets.

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He wasn’t looking for a government contract, incentives or exclusive rights.

Murphy just wanted to compete.

Instead, all he got was harassment from the city, allegedly at the behest of HTA and its owners Ed Swift and Chris Beland.

And Key West bought itself 14 years of litigation.

Really expensive litigation.

The city said it was regulating traffic.

The courts eventually said something very different.

The words “antitrust” and “monopoly” echoed through the courtroom.

Key West didn’t settle. The taxpayers got the bill.

It was quite the trial.

There were accusations HTA pressured commissioners and then-City Manager Julio Avael to enforce its monopolistic franchise agreement.

Key West Police Department investigators testified under oath they couldn’t find any violations.

Murphy’s drivers testified they were harassed by investigators.

The first verdict totaled $13.5 million.

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The courts later sent the damages back for recalculation.

By the time everyone finally quit fighting in 2009, the city had written an $8 million settlement check and burned through 14 years of legal bills totaling nearly $750,000.

City Commissioner Carmen Turner famously quipped, “I wonder how much of that Ed Swift is willing to cough up?”

Then it was revealed that HTA settled with Murphy for a rumored $800,000 before the city ever faced a jury.

Murphy then sued for attorney fees totaling nearly $650,000.

By the time the checks were cashed, city reserves had dropped to about $4 million.

That’s one expensive traffic study.

The verdict rattled City Hall badly enough to push a young Mark Rossi into politics.

“We might have to sell the historic waterfront to pay for this,” Rossi warned.

People laughed.

Then the city wrote the check.

You’d think that would have cured everybody.

It didn’t.

Next came Robert Eggers.

Eggers says HTA expressed interest in buying his shuttle business. Negotiations collapsed.

HTA launched a similar business, Bone Island Shuttle.

Then City Hall, the police and code enforcement suddenly became very interested in his buses.

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Eggers sued.

But his lawsuit died on the statute of limitations before a jury ever heard it.

What is old is new again.

In recent months, following a vote to extend HTA’s grip on its transportation franchise, the same questions are being raised.

Before commissioners voted on the latest HTA extension, Commissioner Greg Veliz remembered Duck Tours.

Eight million dollars has a way of sticking with you, like a bad toothache.

So do the words “antitrust” and “monopoly.”

Those are the same words now being bandied about at City Hall and in the halls of justice yet again.

Veliz asked part-time City Attorney Mayanne Downs to take another look before the city walked back into the same neighborhood.

The commission voted anyway.

Six to one.

The lone dissent came from Commissioner Sam Kaufman.

He appeared to be the only commissioner unwilling to be cowed by HTA and its owners — still huge donors to candidates sympathetic to their cause.

Once more unto the breach.

And because this is Key West, the story doesn’t stop with trolleys.

Campaign finance reports show Historic Tours recently wrote a $10,000 check to Families & Friends for the Keys, the political action committee chaired by Jack Niles and registered in Tallahassee.

That doesn’t include the tens of thousands of dollars HTA, Swift and members of the Swift family have contributed to incumbent Mayor Danise Henriquez during this election cycle.

There were other donors to the PAC.

Planning Board member Michael Browning, through his company. Denise Holland-Schmitt. Restaurateur Bobby Mongelli. Hollywood developer Jeffry Cornfeld, of Peary Court infamy.

Soon afterward, cell phones across Key West started lighting up with attacks on Kaufman intended to bolster Henriquez.

If social media is any indication, it doesn’t appear to be working.

Want to know who paid for the annoying text messages?

That’s public record.

The text messages are public record, too.

Draw your own conclusions.

Mine is simple.

HTA competes just fine throughout the rest of America.

Only in Key West has it spent three decades at the center of lawsuits over exclusive franchises while tightening its grip on a compliant City Commission.

Duck Tour Safaris.

Eggers Transport.

And now.

Different decade.

Same address.

Same company.

Same old story.

And the City of Key West has lived through it and paid for it before.

Follow the money.

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KEY LARGO, Fla. — The College of the Florida Keys District Board of Trustees will hold a special meeting Monday, July 20, at 6:30 p.m. at the Upper Keys Center in Key Largo to discuss the college’s Big Pine Key property, including the future of trapped Key deer, and the employment contract of President Jonathan “Dr. G” Guevara.

The meeting follows the board’s June 30 vote to retain the Key West law firm Smith-Hawks, P.L., to review Guevara’s employment agreement and determine whether legal grounds exist to terminate his contract.

The seven-member board has undergone a dramatic transformation this year, with six trustees appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis within the past six months. Peter Batty Jr., Robert Broton, Michael Downer and Edward “Eddie” Kertis were appointed in January, while Susan Raffanello and Andrew Dulcey joined the board in June. Chair Alexandria Suarez is the only trustee who served before the board’s 2026 overhaul.

The meeting will be held at the Upper Keys Center, 106040 Overseas Highway in Key Largo.

The agenda will be posted on the College website prior to the meeting.