Marathon Florida Keys Journal
_{City of Marathon, Florida Keys, Paradise}

Volume 15 | Issue 10 | October 2009
[Endorsements] [In The Keys] [Kitty Talk] [Internet Stuff] [Poetry Corner] [Hockey Puck]
[Twins of the Dark Star] [Subscribe] [The Dull Stuff] [Advertising] [Manges Travelogue]
[Keating Interview] [Marathon 10th Anniversary Vendor Info] [Keys Disease 8.28]
[Bartus Interview] [Michael's Movie Review] [NSWC] [Cinque Interview] [Keys Disease 9.5]
[Council 9.8] [Tax Appeals] [Vitamin D & Swine Flu] [Marathon Candidates MIA]
[Keys Disease 9.12] [Workforce Housing Failure] [KWHS Green Finalists!]
[Campaign Event 9.23] [Election Cheating] [Vasil Interview] [Bird Center Newsletter]
[Council 9.22] [Youth Soccer Month] [Children & Vitamin D] [Keys Disease 9.19]
[Compliance Vs Enforcement] [Vitamin D Levels] [Keys Disease 9.26] [What's Happening!]
[Miscellany] [Finally] [ACRONYMS] [Press Photos] [Events Schedule]
[Subscribe Events Schedule] [View Calendar]

Marathon Florida Keys Journal proudly presents our 15^th year of quality publishing services. We continue to focus on the Florida Keys in paradise. The lead articles are the In The Keys section that offers opinions and even some editorializing. There are also articles concerning the local political beat. We appreciate your visit and patronage. Please enjoy yourself while you are here and come back soon! Please do us a favor and sign up for our monthly reminder of the next upcoming issue of The Marathon Florida Keys Journal. Please click on our subscription link at marathon_journal-subscribe@topica.com. When you get a return email to confirm your choice, sign up at Topica, but bypass all those solicitations. Thank you, one and all!

In The Keys {for current news, see our Daily News Queue}
This section is mostly local politics and the strange stories about Marathon local politics. Marathon Florida Keys Journal is known for its cutting-edge political editorials and general reporting. We also throw in some community stuff along with a number of contributors that could write about anything really. We have reviews, community news, and public notices. Please enjoy.

September 7, 2009 - Marathon - L. E. Shaffer: Marathon City Council Candidate Mike Cinque. Instead of a reporter headshot photo, you will see a photo of the Marathon city council candidate interviewed. This article is about Marathon Mayor Mike Cinque, one of the founding members who made incorporation happen. The interview order is who responded to our calls first. I still have two candidates left. One has confirmed for next week; the other has not called back yet.

Cinque has yet to submit answers to the Marathon Florida Keys Journal infamous 25 questions, but I expect them soon. The link to his responses will be located at Internet address http://marathonjournal.us/journal/elections/09election.htm#Mike_Cinque.

The only way a voter knows the real person behind a candidate is to meet face to face. Candidates are not about what your perception might necessarily tell you. The newspapers, candidate forums, and even campaign advertising does not do the candidate justice.

We had lunch at a place that was new to me. The Wreck Galley & Grill is that piece of paradise located next to Dolphin Research Center out on the eastern side of town. You know, Grassy Key. The lunch was quite good. I especially liked the ice tea drinks served in small pitchers that were larger than your ordinary-sized glass or mug.

While enjoying our lunch, we discussed the short-term and long-term concerns for Marathon. Of course, the wastewater/stormwater project is high on the to-get-completed list. He believes in fiscal responsibility to ensure that high-quality city services stay that way. Mike is big on small businesses and the local economy. His pragmatic approach is refreshing and his biggest asset.

Mike Cinque is a business owner, city activist, and turns out to be a very good mayor. He is straight forward, plainspoken, and gets things done. He has a way about him that helps build consensus to get city projects on their way and to completion. His breadth of experience is important to his success. Mike loves Marathon and the city’s residents. He is big on property rights as long as they do not interfere broadly with the city’s residents.

Mike Cinque is also an original incorporator, former Planning Commission Chairman, and currently an incumbent councilmember. He is also doing well in our Marathon City Council Election Poll at http://marathonjournal.us/journal/index.htm#Poll.

Voters beware. Five of the candidates all have a lot to offer. This election season has drawn a good group of victims. Uh, I mean candidates. You know, campaigns are like two marathons back to back. Anything worthwhile though is worth the hard work.

Mike is the third candidate the Marathon Florida Keys Journal interviewed over lunch. Each candidate will get the same opportunity. Next up is Vice Mayor Don Vasil. I look forward to these interviews and hope they might help the voters make a tough decision come either early voting October 19 through 30 or November 3 the actual Election Day.

September 8, 2009 - John Bartus: Take Me Back To Chicago. | Weekly Columns | Keys Disease | Courtesy of The Weekly Newspapers | You may remember reading one of my earlier columns about the group Chicago’s great “lost” album, The Stone of Sisyphus. Then again, you may not remember that column at all. It really doesn’t matter much in the overall scheme of things; it is, however, an appropriate segue into this week’s ramblings.

I was very surprised to discover recently that Bill Champlin, a 27-year veteran of Chicago, is no longer with the band. Champlin joined Chicago during the recording of their mega-hit album, Chicago 16. His vocals, keyboards, and guitar skills, as well as his songwriting, helped propel the band throughout its second heyday in the 1980s. He sang co-lead vocals with Peter Cetera on one of the band’s biggest hits, “Hard Habit to Break,” and was the featured lead vocalist on other hits like “Look Away” and “You’re Not Alone.”

Apart from the remaining four original members, Champlin had the longest tenure in the group and was a huge part of the sound of the post-Terry Kath/Peter Cetera Chicago. That’s mainly why the announcement of Champlin’s departure came as such a shock—compounded by the fact that it happened in the middle of a tour! Something must have happened for Champlin and Chicago to part ways before a gig commitment was fulfilled.

The official announcement, as put forth by both Champlin and Chicago, says that Bill amicably left Chicago to focus on his own solo career. The official announcement seems to be a whitewash over something perhaps a bit less amicable than officially described. Champlin’s new solo album is complete, and he has no solo tour appearances booked until November. Bill’s wife, Tamara Champlin, was allegedly quoted online as saying that Bill would have never left the group high and dry in the middle of a tour. And yet another unconfirmed rumor has it that Champlin was fired via an e-mail message from the band’s management. If that turns out to be true, how freakin’ cold is that? Imagine yourself on tour with the group you’ve been an integral part of for the better part of 30 years. There’s a short break before the tour resumes. You wake up and check your e-mails in the morning and SURPRISE! You’re fired!

Chicago does have a history of firing musicians… but it’s usually the guitar player who gets the axe (pun intended). Guitarist Donnie Dacus? Fired. Guitarist Chris Pinnick? Fired. Guitarist Dawayne Bailey? Fired. The band also fired original member and drummer Danny Seraphine for allegedly letting his chops go to hell; Seraphine maintains that the rest of the band didn’t want the drummer in a leadership role in the group.

Whatever the reason for Champlin’s departure, it’s something that must have been planned for in advance. Singer/songwriter/keyboardist Lou Pardini has already stepped into Champlin’s spot on the tour, and there’s already a YouTube clip of him on stage with Chicago singing lead vocals their old classic, “Make Me Smile.” His version sounds more like the original Terry Kath vocals than the version Bill has been singing for the past couple of decades.

It will be interesting to see what happens with Chicago. I mentioned earlier that four original band members remain: Robert Lamm (keyboards and vocals), Walter Parazaider (saxophone and flute), Lee Loughnane (trumpet), and Jimmy Pankow (trombone). While these four are still the backbone of Chicago, Parazaider is often replaced by Larry Klimas for what I understand are health reasons. And all original members are well into their 60s by now. Chicago has toured every year for the past 40 years… they have survived the deaths, departures, and firings of many band members… and their music still means a lot to people. How long will they still go on and be able to call themselves Chicago?

Hopefully, there are still several good years ahead of this classic band that, by the way, deserves to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Don’t get me started on that topic again. Anyway, as long as Chicago still plays concerts each year, then the rest of us still aren’t old… yet.

- John Bartus is a singer/songwriter and former Mayor of the City of Marathon. Currently serving on the Board of Directors of the Greater Marathon Chamber of Commerce, Bartus will perform with Storm Watch Friday at Dockside Lounge, Saturday solo at the Key Colony Inn, and Thursday at Sparky’s Landing. www.johnbartus.com.

September 8, 2009 – Marathon – L. E. Shaffer: Marathon City Council held its regular meeting at Marathon Government Center EOC Room. Photos are located at http://MarathonJournal.us/journal/press/.

The council approved the agenda. There is no public input required on consent agenda routine items marked by an asterisk [*].

City Council Items:

*Council approved the minutes.

City Manager’s Items:

City Manager Clyde Burnett addressed several routine and minor items.

Harbor Manager Richard Tanner updated Boot Key Harbor City Marina ongoing improvements. Staff reported progress on the 20 wet slips coming in the future.

Citizens' comments:

None.

Ordinances for Second Public Hearing and Enactment

Continued to next meeting, Ordinance 2009-22 created City Code Section 6-62 titled “Building Permit Completion Deposit.” The ordinance requires that a Refundable Completion Bond payment before issuing a building permit.

Resolutions for Public Hearing and Adoption:

Resolution 2009-121 adopted Stormwater Utility Special Assessment Rate for the Fiscal Year commencing November 1, 2009. The assessment rated doubled to $120. Some residents complained about not getting any value for their payment. John Whalton spoke favorably about the ongoing stormwater system, but questioned the assessment being permanent.

Resolution 2009-122 imposed special assessments for the construction of the Little Venice Service Area wastewater collection and treatment facilities. Resolution approved the assessment roll and provided for assessment collections.

Resolution 2009-123 imposed special assessments for collection and treatment facilities construction. Resolution approved the assessment roll and provided for assessment collections.

Resolutions for Adoption:

*Resolution 2009-124 approved a Monroe county memorandum of understanding to support Fair Insurance Rates in Monroe to reduce the proposed Monroe County windstorm insurance rates.

*Resolution 2009-125 approved Coral Marine Construction, LLC Work Authorization # 2 for $39,000 for installation of City Marina pilings, decking, and railings for marginal docks.

Resolution 2009-126 authorized the purchase of “EZ Dock” floating docks and gangways from Nationwide Distributing, Inc. for the Boot Key Harbor City Marina dinghy docking facility for $128,920.45.

Resolution 2009-127 authorized the local police services contract with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.

Resolution 2009-128 authorized the U.S. Water Services Corporation contract for wastewater treatment plant and collection system operation/maintenance and stormwater facility operation/maintenance.

*Resolution 2009-130 approved the first amendment to the Heart of the Keys Recreation Association, Inc. lease agreement for city facilities located at 810 33rd Street.

*Resolution 2009-131 approved acquisition of easements waiving competitive bidding as sole source procurement.

Resolution 2009-132 approved Globetec Construction LLC contract Change Order No. 11 to extend the completion date for both Services Areas 4 and 6.

Citizens’ Comments:

None.

Council Comments:

Councilwoman Snead asked everyone to participate in the city’s tenth anniversary November 21. Councilman Ramsay spoke to emergency plans concerning the swine flu if a breakout happens here. Vice Mayor Vasil explained that wastewater/stormwater had to be done to satisfy state and federal requirements. Mayor Cinque underscored Vasil’s comments.

September 9, 2009 - Monroe County - Provided by Diane & Fred Colvard: To All Monroe County Property Owners- TAX APPEALS DEADLINE - SEPT. 14! Hi from Diane and Fred at Waterfront Specialists!

We just wanted you to be sure and check your Notice of Proposed Property Tax and Assessment. You should have received it by now and if you haven't you need to call the Key West office (305)292-3420 and be sure to have your Parcel # in hand.

More importantly, review the paperwork you received and make sure that the assessed value is in line with what is happening with the current market. If not, you need to call the Marathon office at 289-2550 and discuss this with the Appraiser's office.

Last week, one of my clients felt the value the tax office had attached was way out of line. He asked for my help and I forwarded him the statistical chart of square foot prices for single family sales closed in last ninety day. He immediately called the Marathon office and within a couple of days, he had a new assessment of 1/4 of the first value he received in the notice. This was done over the phone and the tax appraiser faxed him the revised assessment for his approval plus gave him a record for his files.

There could be a considerable tax savings to you and all it means is a phone call. Since market values are dropping, you might as well take advantage of it and reap some benefits.

Hope everyone is having a great summer. We've had lots of "liquid sunshine" these past few weeks and everything is very lush and green.

Our best ,
Diane and Fred Colvard
http://www.waterfrontspecialists.com/

September 10, 2009 - California - Provided by Linda Hall: Vitamin D and H1N1 Swine Flu.
So far, Swine flu, H1N1, has killed thirty-six children in U.S. and analysis of CDC data indicates Vitamin D deficient children at higher risk of death.

I’m not sure I can do this, watch our children die this winter from what may be a preventable disease, influenza, I’m not sure I’m strong enough. A few minutes ago, the CDC issued a report on Swine flu deaths among children; thirty-six U.S. children dead so far this season and the season hasn’t started yet. The dead children were much more likely to be Vitamin D deficient; but the CDC did not realize they discovered this. However, anyone familiar with the Vitamin D literature will recognize it.

The clue: almost two-thirds of our dead children had epilepsy, cerebral palsy, or other neurodevelopmental conditions like mental retardation. What do we know of these neurological conditions? All are associated with childhood Vitamin D deficiency; I won’t bore you with the references but anyone who has ever cared for these children know it; anyone who has studied these diseases on Medline knows it; anyone who has one of these kids know it; these kids just don’t go in the sun very much. If they do live at home and go outside, parents use sunblock because the child is so vulnerable, never robust. In addition to sunlight deprivation, many of these kids take anticonvulsant drugs, which lower Vitamin D levels.

One more thing, thirty-six dead kids so far this season and the season has not yet started. Over the last 4 years, around 100 American kids have died of the flu during flu season; this year the toll is 36 before the season has started.

Swine Flu Sends More Blacks, Hispanics to Hospital

The above racial differences apply to hospitalization rates for H1N1 in Boston and Chicago. It looks as if Vitamin D is a big factor in H1N1. During the 1918-1919 pandemic, Blacks actually had lower illness rates, not higher, perhaps because they had antibodies from previous H1N1 infection in 1916 and 1917. It worried me to read that the 1918 H1N1 was circulating in the world for several years before it devastated that same world in 1918-1919. The same could be true now, that is, this H1N1 may be relatively benign (only kill 50,000 Americans/year) for several years, infect more Blacks than whites, then erupt into a merciless killer in 2011, when Blacks will be relatively protected because of their higher antibodies from higher infection rates in 2009 and 2010.

This is a periodic newsletter from the Vitamin D Council, a non-profit trying to end the epidemic of vitamin D deficiency. Please reproduce it, post it on Internet sites, and forward it to your friends. Remember, we are a non-profit and rely on your donations to publish our newsletter, maintain our website, and pursue our objectives. Send your tax-deductible contributions to:

September 11, 2009 - Marathon - L. E. Shaffer: Three of Six Marathon Candidates Missing in Action. The Marathon Florida Keys Journal has completed three face-to-face interviews with Marathon City Council Candidates Mayor Mike Cinque http://marathonjournal.us/journal/elections/09election.htm#Mike_Cinque,  Former Mayor John Bartus http://marathonjournal.us/journal/elections/09election.htm#John_Bartus, and newcomer Richard Keating http://marathonjournal.us/journal/elections/09election.htm#Richard_Keating. This interaction corrects those annoying misperceptions that accumulate when you do not take the time to know the candidates in person. Those three did a bang-up job too.

So far, the only candidate to turn in the answers to the Marathon Florida Keys Journal infamous 25 questions is Richard Keating. I expect the others soon. Our three-person endorsement panel will consider these Q&As in trying to determine which two earn the Marathon Florida Keys Journal endorsements. That is going to be difficult, as it is every year. The quality of candidates keeps getting stronger each year. That is a good thing for the City of Marathon.

I tried diligently to conduct face-to-face interviews with the other three. That is Vice Mayor Don Vasil, newcomer Kevin Kenny, and Joan Nelson. I hope that these three candidates arrange to meet me so that they get the attention the other three received.

Vice Mayor Don Vasil has made great strides in becoming one of the better councilmembers. His efforts have addressed the local economy, marina improvements, and tax reductions. He is also a former Planning Commission Vice Chairman, and currently an incumbent councilmember. He is doing well in our Marathon City Council Election Poll at http://marathonjournal.us/journal/index.htm#Poll as well. I still hope that we may be able to talk over lunch. I will buy.

Kevin Kenny is unknown to me. His non-responsiveness is not good for a candidate’s campaign. Good candidates take every opportunity to get their message across. I hope that Kevin will give me a call and an interview over lunch will correct the perception above. So far, Kenny is not doing well in our Marathon City Council Election Poll at http://marathonjournal.us/journal/index.htm#Poll.

Last and certainly not least is Joan Nelson. I am afraid the truth is that local politics has passed her by. I have only seen her a couple of times at city functions this year. Her issues are old and stale. They hold no weight in the current political atmosphere. Still, she runs again. Nelson’s current poll results show that she has lost her supposed base of little people.

I hope that our interviews and the infamous 25 Q&As might help the voters make a tough decision come either early voting October 19 through 30 or November 3 the actual Election Day. Voting is the only way you count in the City of Marathon. Not voting makes the voters’ votes worth more. So vote!

September 12, 2009 - Florida Keys - John Bartus: Six Years and Counting… | Weekly Columns | Keys Disease | Courtesy of The Weekly Newspapers | It is quite hard to believe that this very paper you are reading was originated six years ago over another publication’s inability to get an advertising client’s color correct. I know this to be a fact, because I’m one of the founding partners of The Weekly Newspapers. (In the interest of full disclosure, I am no longer part of the ownership of the Weeklys; the Kolers run the show now and remind me when I’m late with my column each week.)

Since that first issue hit the streets (literally) six years ago, the Weekly has really fulfilled its original mission to be a true community newspaper. We’ve covered community events, spotlighted lots of locals who have made a difference, and put lots of people’s pictures in the paper. Along the way, the Weekly has really become a part of the community it serves, and I feel a bit like a proud parent whose kid has done really well.

Six years ago, the Weekly staff consisted of Ed and Loretta Frost, Julie Johnson (our new salesperson), Joni King, and yours truly. It was Saturday night, the truck had come in with our first run of papers, and it was time to deliver. My wife, Marlene, joined us as we all hopped in cars loaded up with huge bags of bagged newspapers and drove all over Marathon and Key Colony Beach throwing caution to the wind and newspapers to the people. It literally was my first paper route!

Six years later, the Weekly still delivers even more – all the way from Conch Key to the 7 Mile Bridge, and that makes us unique. And in the days of corporate media, the fact that the Weekly is still a locally owned family business makes its success all the more rewarding. (Family is the right word; there’s a new generation of Koler that might one day become a newspaper mogul like his parents!)

There are certain things about being involved in the daily operations of a newspaper for which nothing will ever prepare you. Like deadline day. The stress of getting all the ads done and approved… getting all the articles, columns, and graphic elements together… and finally collecting everything and putting it all together in a program called Quark Xpress. Myself, I’m an Adobe guy. Give me Illustrator and Photoshop, and I’m pretty good. I never could get the hang of Quark, which is why we always had at least one Quark expert around. The reality of living in the Keys even catches up with Quark experts now and again, and I remember one evening when I had to cancel a Friday night gig because our Quark expert was too inebriated to continue laying out the paper.* Fond memories, indeed.

Other days weren’t always as stressful, but there was the constant pressure to get the ads laid out and approved, working on a lot of ads at the same time. Not to mention writing, editing, photo cropping, e-mailing, I was never much of a multi-tasking kind of guy before the Weekly, but I learned more than I ever wanted to about keeping multiple balls in the air. I thanked my lucky stars that we only had one issue a week to publish.

Until, however, we made the decision to expand into Islamorada/Key Largo, Key West, and Homestead/Florida City. Multiple issues, multiple deadlines—looking back, I’m still not sure how we did it. Somehow, we did… and here it is six years later!

Along the way, some good people, names you may remember, have worked for the Weekly: people like Steve Conklin, Jim Epperson, Rianna Perry. Each made his or her own contribution to making the paper just a bit better. It seems like only yesterday when this tall, gangly dude from Ohio showed up at our doorstep, ready to write for food. Today, he and his lovely wife own the joint!

It’s really hard to believe that it’s been six years… 2,192 days (counting the two leap years)… 52,608 hours. And that’s roughly 312 issues of the Weekly that have been delivered since this all began. Anniversaries aren’t just for looking back, however. They’re also about looking forward into the future, setting goals and realizing dreams. Let’s all raise our glasses and toast the Weekly Newspapers—six years old and still growing strong.

- John Bartus is a singer/songwriter and former Mayor of the City of Marathon. Currently serving on the Board of Directors of the Greater Marathon Chamber of Commerce, Bartus will perform with Storm Watch Friday at Dockside Lounge, Saturday solo at the Key Colony Inn, and Wednesday and Thursday at Sparky’s Landing. www.johnbartus.com.

September 15, 2009 - Florida Keys - L. E. Shaffer: Workforce Housing Crisis Just got Worse. The Marathon Florida Keys Journal follows the difficulties of the workforce-housing crisis. We have stated before that the economic downturn masks a worsening problem. Sometimes you win like the new property assessment method for workforce housing. That is valuing the workforce property for its current use instead of the old highest and best use method. Then you lose some. Monroe County and Islamorada have recently taken steps backwards in the workforce housing fight. The links below will be present only for a couple of weeks.

Rick Casey. “The attached is a Resolution [www.MarathonJournal.US/BOCCAgendaItemR5(2pm)Sept09.pdf] from the BOCC which, if advertised and approved would eliminate the building permit fee waivers for affordable housing, including projects with other funding participation from Monroe County. This item is scheduled to 2pm tomorrow and, if approved, will be set for future public hearing.  Please share this with others who may have an interest in affordable housing.”

Relevant documents: www.MarathonJournal.US/071008rvcm_tab06WoodsCorner.pdf and www.MarathonJournal.US/FY-08-09-06-june.pdf. Sue Miller. “At the Islamorada Council meeting of Sept 14, the council voted to assess the 16 Woods Corners property owners for the second year.   

“There are several issues of concern with this assessment.  The initial assessment resolution passed last year provided for annual assessments at $204 per EDU and $531 per connection based on borrowing the capital cost to hook up Woods Corner.  They estimated terms for that "proforma loan" of $125,000 plus loan costs at 5% for 30 years.  Once the funds are actually borrowed, the annual assessments are to pay for the debt incurred in the construction of the wastewater system.  I do not believe the village intends to borrow this $125,000, as it is not reflected in any financial statements as a temporary obligation or in the proposed budget for 2009-2010.  In fact, while Woods Corner is a separate assessment area with a separate assessment process, the funds are not separately accounted for so it is tough to "follow the money."    

“The assessments throughout Islamorada use a methodology that provides that properties will pay based on the number of connections.  Councilman Dave Boerner acknowledged at the Sept 14 meeting that the Woods Corner hook-up was done with just two connections to save the property owners that expense.  But in fact, the assessment charges each of the 16 properties for the connection fee of $531 per year instead of $67 for 1/8 of the collection fee.  While this may not change the $125,000 cost, perhaps that cost was based on the assumption that 16 connections were needed.

“I am so mystified as to how we could expect affordable housing units to pay $735/year (for 30 years at 5% interest) when the neighboring single family homes are paying $447.  And condos sharing connections on North Plantation Key have been paying less than $100.  The funds borrowed to date for the North Plantation Key system are all borrowed at well under 5%, a majority at less than 3%, all for 20 years.  That treatment plant is likely to be worn out before these folks finish paying this extraordinary expense over a 30-year period.  And who knows what they are paying monthly in O&M and additional capital costs there.

“I've attached the Initial Assessment Resolution passed last year.  And the most recent Wastewater monthly statement through June 2009. Page 8 is the Wastewater Fund statement; page 10 lists the loans to date.  Ed. - See the two links above.

“Perhaps the village could provide an explanation as to what the Woods Corner obligation (loan) is.  The assessment resolution passed last year provides that the assessment will be based on the actual debt service payments due on the obligation.”

Sue Miller. “I hope that someone will ask enough questions so that everyone will understand why it cost $125,000 to hook up 16 units that have 2 connections and are located within a couple hundred feet of the wastewater treatment plant.  Everyone else on North Plantation Key paid $1348/EDU and $4328 per connection.  So I can understand charging them $1348 times 16 - that's $21,568.  Two connections at $4328 is $8,656 for a total cost of about $30,000.  Plus administrative costs for setting up a new assessment area, etc.  Even at the full cost if 16 connections the cost would be $91,000 not $125,000.  Could they have charged almost $35,000 in administrative costs and then another $10,000 in loan costs?

"I think the village needs to explain their math.

“When Dave Purdo spoke during the public hearing about the cost being so high, the council told him that it was what the Board of the MKCLT ask for and agreed to.”

Sue Miller reports on Islamorada Wastewater Assessment Resolution Passing 3-2

On September 14 the Village Council of Islamorada passed the wastewater resolution approving a $21,850,000 assessment to provide funding for land acquisition, engineering and for a construction of a collection system for Middle Plantation Key.  The vote was 3-2 with Don Achenberg, Jill Zima-Borski and Deb Gillis voting in favor of the assessment.

Included in the assessment are all vacant lots, condos, homes, and business properties outside the North Plantation Key area.

There were numerous objections voiced at the council meeting by Councilmen Dave Boerner and Michael Reckwerdt and members of the audience who opposed the assessment.

The possibility of having to refund the assessment, after the funds have been spent was unquestionably the primary concern.

1. State law requires that those being assessed must receive benefit.  The benefit doesn't have to come the same year, but it must come within a reasonable period of time, probably no more than 5 years according to the consulting attorney who attended the last council meeting and answered questions about this issue.  According to the attorney, brought in by the village, engineered plans and land for wastewater facilities do not provide any benefit.  Only the ability to hook up to the system would be considered a benefit.  Therefore this assessment appears to force the completion of the entire system by 2014, with or without grant help.  Estimated cost to complete this entire project is $133 million.  After grants already approved, balance yet to be funded is $122 million.  Over $100 million will still be needed in addition to this assessment.   

2. If we don't get more grant funding we will have to pass another $100 million in assessments in the next 4 years to finish the project to provide benefit required to property owners being assessed.  Otherwise property owners not yet served may be entitled to a refund.

3. Councilmen Boerner and Reckwerdt have continued moving forward in phases; doing assessments for those phases as money is available from the state and federal government.  

The assessment proved to be quite unpopular with all but about a dozen in the audience Monday night. 

Objections included

• Tremendous cost.... Double what Marathon is paying per volume.

• Lack of clarity as to what the system will cost property owners in total if there are no additional grants

• Likelihood of no additional grants

• Terrible economic catastrophe to many property owners in the village

• Inequities: vacant lots and single family homes paying more than 3 times what condos are paying, etc.

• A regional treatment plant approach to be used when assessment is approved, presented by the staff just prior to the public hearing.  This approach has not been publicly approved or debated and is in direct conflict to the goals of the comprehensive plan and Islamorada Wastewater Master Plan as they exist today.

• No crossing bridges

• No sewers at the north end of Lower Matecumbe

• Treatment plants on each island

• Re-use as a priority (regional plant on Lower Matecumbe will make significant re-use of treated effluent absolutely impractical.

Package plant owners are in a very confusing situation.  They are being asked to pay for an assessment at the worst possible time for local businesses, perhaps years before they can hook up, maintain their own treatment plants until the village system is ready, and face huge fines if the village sewer isn't done by the state mandated deadline, expected to be 2014. 

Those in the audience who supported the assessment along with the three on the council who voted for it argued:

• We have waited long enough and it is time to move forward.

• Having $21 million to complete all engineering plans and buy all the land needed for the new approach would make us "shovel ready" and would increase our ability to get more grant funding

• This is a great time to get good prices on land and construction prices with a down economy

The three on the council voting for the assessment did acknowledge that this vote is a "leap of faith."

There are 5076 properties being assessed out of the 5760 properties outside the North Plantation Key (NPK) assessment area.  Submerged land (bay bottom) and government owned lands, a total of 263 properties, are not part of the assessment totals.  Your guess is as good as mine about why it appears another 421 properties outside NPK will not be assessed.

Sue Miller

The gutless so and so's that are apparently shoving this thing down our throats need to be removed from office, impeached, voted out or whatever. I have no choice but to put my property up for sale. I just will not be able to pay such an unfair and insane assessment. I am really upset, this is not the America I grew up in...

God help us. I worked and planned all my life for my little house in Paradise and now some idiots are being allowed to take it away from me.

Gary Nichols Sr.

To all, You know, I can’t help but agree with Gary Nichols. I share his feelings.

How in heaven’s name am I supposed to be able to find the money to stay here?  I work like a dog to afford my affordable housing unit that I purchased in May of 2000.  Since the purchase, my monthly mortgage has gone from $869 a month (including taxes and insurance) to nearly $2,000 (including taxes and insurance).  Now add this assessment and I will be over the top. I will also be over the monthly cap that my mortgage, taxes and insurance is supposed to be.  That cap was  imposed on me by The Village when I agreed to purchase an affordable housing unit.  Each year I get interrogated extensively by The Village, asking me for copies of pay stubs and tax returns to “prove” that I am still eligible to live in this house. This is a tactic that I feel you have no right to do, since I was never told that I would have to re-qualify each and every year when I purchased the home.  And now that same Village is going to jack my monthly costs up over my cap with this new assessment.  Hmmm. Wonder how I’ll respond to your next interrogation about my finances?

Hear that sound?  It’s the sound of our neighbors to the north and south of us applauding your decision. Yes, applauding. Seems their properties are now more desirable than ours, thanks to this assessment. Ask any level headed buyer of real estate today and they will tell you that there is no sense in buying a home in the Village with unknown thousands of dollars of assessments looming overhead when you can buy a comparable home in Key Largo or Marathon that has an already decided and finalized assessment. And lower monthly usage costs too.  This assessment not only financially straps the folks who try to stay, it kills the prospects of people who want to sell and move away.

This Village has been a problem and a financial burden to the residents of Islamorada since day one.  I can’t think of one single positive thing that has ever come from it. Can anyone?  Islamorada as we once knew it is dead, but not by its own means. It was murdered at the hands of incompetents who have no clue what they are doing (unless of course it is to their own personal benefit).

This council has slapped the faces of the very people who voted for them and had confidence in them. We put our trust in you. You made such promises to us, only to forget them the very second you were elected. You should be deeply ashamed for what you have done to our town and to our citizens. You should be… but I am guessing you are not.  Sad.

Tracy Larson

Village Victim

September 16, 2009 - Key West - Provided by Alison Higgins: KWHS Class Named Florida Green School Finalists. Congrats to Josh Clearman and the Key West High School Alternative Energy Center for making it to the final round!

September 17, 2009 - Marathon - John Bartus: CAMPAIGN KICKOFF at Keys Fisheries.
JOHN BARTUS CAMPAIGN KICKOFF
Wednesday, September 23 * 6:00 PM
KEYS FISHERIES RESTAURANT
end of 35th St. Gulfside in Marathon 

Hello everyone! 

Just a quick announcement that the Campaign for City Council shifts into high gear this coming Wednesday! I hope to see many of you there at Keys Fisheries starting at 6:00 p.m. If you could forward this e-mail to all your friends, that would be wonderful! 

If you can't attend, don't worry. There will be plenty more opportunities during this campaign for us to get together. If you'd like to volunteer or  help out with a sign location or simply have any questions, just respond to this e-mail, or call me at 731-1177. I'll get back to you as soon as I can. I've also attached a poster that you can easily send or print. 

We're facing major challenges as a community, but I know we can work together and make good things happen for all of us. We need experienced leadership and people who are able to work together to shape the future of Marathon. We can do better than the status quo. That's why I'm running for City Council. 

Unfortunately, campaigns cost money. As these are trying economic times, I don't even like to ask, but... if you can contribute to the campaign, any amount, no matter how small, will help. State law limits contributions to $500.00, and requires I get the name and address of each contributor, as well as their occupation. You can send your check, made out to the John Bartus Campaign, to: 

John Bartus
PO Box 2523
Marathon Shores, FL 33052 

I hope to see you all this Wednesday at Keys Fisheries! And don't forget to Vote John Bartus on November 3rd!

John Bartus
for Marathon City Council
 -- 
Paid Political Advertisement, Paid for and Approved by John Bartus for Marathon City Council Ed. We give coverage like this to all candidates. Therefore, these types of articles are not reportable.

September 18, 2009 - Marathon - L. E. Shaffer: How to Cheat at the Marathon City Council elections and get away with it legally. November 3, 2009 is the date for the Marathon City Council election for two open spots. There are six candidates running. This is an at-large election whereby a plurality wins for the top two spots. Let’s see, a plurality means the “margin gained by election candidate: the number of votes that an election winner gets, or the number exceeding the nearest rival, when no one has more than 50 percent of the total votes cast”. Microsoft® Encarta® 2008. © 1993-2007 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. The city elections used to be the majority vote wins you a spot. That is 50% of the total vote plus one more vote.

I explained all that to inform you, the voter, how to cheat legally. Do you want your candidate to win? Then instead of voting for the top two candidates, you just vote once for your candidate. That essentially makes your one vote more powerful by a factor of two.

Another way to cheat legally is to have as many candidates running as you can. This ensures that the candidates with the most contributions, you know money, are most likely to win. Of course, fringe candidates could win, because all the votes splinter across multiple candidates. That is true if you have a field of good candidates like those that we do now. Just how many votes could each of the six candidates get?

Then some say if you do not vote, you do not count. I thought that for a long time. Now, if a voter does not vote on purpose, then that is a valid vote in my opinion. That is something like voting for none of the above. If you do not vote for any other reason, you are letting others affect your life. Let me assure you that local governments have a great deal of impact on everyone in their jurisdiction.

You can vote early starting October 19 through October 30 at the county building on 63^rd Street. Check with the county elections office at 63^rd Street for where you vote on November 3.  This is a great program. You get to vote at your leisure. However, will the turnout be anywhere near like last November? I doubt it.

Off-year elections that only include local elections rarely draw many voters. Now, if there is a hot-button issue like a referendum for changing election procedures, then you will see many more voters. Considering the city’s maturity, controversial issues are rare. For the most part, the city does quite well meeting residents needs. Each year the newly reconstituted council builds on the other, until you have this boring series of successful councils. This is boring for me because the Journal thrives on controversy.

Former Marathon City Manager Mike Puto, Mr. Marathon (c) 2003 - 2011, 2012 to the rest of us, said, "… People can go down to the elections office now and vote absentee just like early voting. All you do is go to the elections office on 63^rd Street and ask for an absentee ballot, and they will give it to you. You then go into the hallway like early voting and fill out the ballot, put it into the envelope and you are done. Is this America or what!

"What is going to be interesting is to see if the number of people voting will add up in all categories. How many people will actually vote for two? Better yet, vote for three and have their vote not count in that category ..."

OTHER ELECTION STUFF
http://marathonjournal.us/journal/index.htm#Poll 
http://marathonjournal.us/journal/elections/09election.htm

September 19, 2009 - Marathon - L. E. Shaffer: Finally, I Got Vice Mayor Don Vasil at the Cracked Conch Café for the Long-Awaited Interview. When I was not looking for him early this year, we bumped into each other all the time at Publix, the post office, and, of course, at many of the council functions. That is the way it works though.

Of course, the photo on the right is Vice Mayor Don Vasil. Yes, he is wearing one of his famous ties. He is consistent; I give him that.

Cracked Conch Café is located at 4999 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050-2622 and their telephone number is (305) 743-2233. Website http://florida.keys.diningguide.com/data/d100171.htm states, "The Cracked Conch Cafe serves the freshest Florida Keys seafood and farm raised conch. The menu is designed with the customer's schedule in mind, you can have dinner at noon or a light sandwich in the evening."

Okay, this is our long-running series on Marathon's luminaries, specifically city council members and those who are wannabes. I have learned to my chagrin that the only way to know a person is face-to-face interviews. All the hype, gossip, and official stuff leave you with the wrong impression at times. I have encouraged voter and candidate alike to meet each other face to face and do some handshaking, while you listen closely to the various candidates. Even public forums don't paint a complete picture, although they are quite helpful.

Now that I have Vice Mayor Don Vasil interviewed, Kevin Kenny and Joan Nelson still have not arranged for an interview. I have left a number of voice messages and email requests.

The Journal endorsements are an important piece of the election puzzle along with all the other media outlets. A smart voter has to use all these things to make a fair assessment of the candidates. Let's face reality here and say that the issues are about the same as always with resolutions that do not vary far from each other. So the candidate that can do the most good has to be measured against other standards like experience, volunteerism, and a predilection for hard work with little positive feedback.

Of all the current council members and those who want to be one, I think that I have misjudged Vice Mayor Don "The Tie" Vasil the most. You got to ask Don about "The Tie" thing. Anyways, I like Don. He is not afraid to step right out and say what he feels. This last year especially he has performed well, did his homework, and offered marina improvements, economic recovery work, and ardent budget cutting. Ask him about his accomplishments, and he will give you detailed explanations of his work. Ask him where we go from here, and he speaks about fulfilling the vision outlined in Marathon's Master Plan.

Vice Mayor Don Vasil is polished, experienced, and quite the charmer once you get to know him. He works hard at building consensus. He understands that it takes three votes to get anything done. Vasil is not afraid to stand his ground though. He represents his constituency well as evidenced by the few times he has been on the losing side. Even then, he does not give up. A little adjustment there and a tweak here and here he comes back to council to try again. One example is the marina improvement program that he advocates. He compromised and scaled back to ensure that something positive got started.

We have five really great candidates. Four of those stand out a bit above the others. Vice Mayor Don Vasil is one of those four. Our three-person endorsement board will announce our endorsements October 1. As every year, the process just keeps getting harder as the candidate quality continues to get higher. I imagine that even though we can only endorse two; the others will garner very positive remarks.

Unless Kevin Kenny and Joan Nelson answer our repeated requests for an interview, this probably concludes this phase of our election coverage.

OTHER ELECTION STUFF
http://marathonjournal.us/journal/index.htm#Poll 
http://marathonjournal.us/journal/elections/09election.htm

September 21, 2009 - Marathon - Provided by Pete Worthington: Marathon Wild Bird Center's Monthly Newsletter. Welcome to Marathon Wild Bird Center’s newsletter!

City funds spread thinner

The Marathon Wild Bird Center (MWBC) would like to thank each member of the Marathon City Council for a job well done regarding the distribution of funds to not-for-profits for the 2010 fiscal year. The MWBC gave a three-minute presentation, as did all the groups requesting funding. We explained that if the council awarded us city funds, we would use them to help keep our phone lines open and gas in our rescue vehicle--the two most critical factors that help us better serve our community. The number of applicants doubled from last year with almost two dozen not-for-profits submitting applications this summer. The council awarded the Bird Center $2,000.00 toward our efforts. If you can, please take a moment to email a personal thank you to each Marathon City Council member. You can find their email addresses on the city web site at www.marathonflorida.org.

Lazy days of summer

We had a fantastic summer, if not hectic, with so many college interns. In late August, we held a small BBQ for the last of our departing students and made them laugh with our favorite sport! When we’re not sitting in the hammock, we’re playing badminton! It was a hoot to hear all of us bird lovers yell out “Get the birdie, get the birdie”! Full-time intern Rob Qually is off to Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, but will be by for a visit at Thanksgiving and swears he will return for another hot summer filled with gaping baby birds next year. Alan Blake is a student at the University of Cincinnati. He wasn’t keen on returning to what is sure to be a snow-filled winter up north, but takes with him a handful of experiences he has benefited from. We’re also looking forward to a return visit from Alan as his dad, Blitz, lives just around the corner from the Bird Center. And last, but certainly not least, is our own rock of a volunteer Shannon Aument. Shannon has been with us since she was 12 years old! Five years ago, Shannon adopted a sweet cockatiel named Pearl whom, unfortunately, she could not take to her new dorm room at Flagler College, so Pearl came to live with Kelly Grinter, our executive director, and her cockatiel, KC. Kelly’s first cockatiel, Hursey, had inspired Shannon to adopt and bond so well with Pearl. Shannon has said many times that being a volunteer at the MWBC has taught her so much and she is so grateful for the experience. We thank them again, and wish them all good luck in their new ventures!

11^th Annual Florida Keys Birding and Wildlife Festival

It’s hard to believe that we’ve been involved in one way or another with the Florida Keys Birding and Wildlife Festival for 11 years. This year’s festival takes place September 23-27. You can learn all the details by visiting www.keysbirdingfest.org. The opening event is scheduled for Friday evening at the Marathon Garden Club. Keynote speakers this year are Dick Fortune and Sara Lopez, who are both avid bird photographers. This year, we have asked Cudjoe Key volunteer Christina Celano to share some of her beautiful photographs with festival goers. Christina will present her work at the updated theater at the Museums of Crane Point on Saturday, September 26^th at 2:00 p.m. Her presentation is entitled “Birds: Mother Nature’s Jewels” and will focus on birds that are either native or migratory to the Florida Keys and Everglades.

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As you’ll see from the letter that follows, you never know how you might help an injured bird thanks to the efforts of the MWBC. Donations enable us to keep rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing birds—and to help others do the same. You can mail a check small or large to Marathon Wild Bird Center, P. O. Box 501328, Marathon, FL 33050, or visit our web site at www.marathonwildbirdcenter.org to donate online. Because we are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, your donation is tax deductible. Remember: if you ever find a sick or injured bird, please give us a call at 305.743.8382. We answer this line 24 hours a day.

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MWBC web site visitor gets information needed to save a bird

We received the following letter from Sohnja Krivenski-Haggard in Vancouver, who visited our web site in a search for details about a bird she rescued. Sohnja was one of the many people who have gotten helpful information from us. In fact, during the baby season, our web site received between 3,500 and 4,500 hits per month in April through August, and we’ve had a total of nearly 15,000 hits so far this year.

Here’s what Sohnja told us:

All I have to say is thank God for you, and thank you.

I found a baby bird in downtown Vancouver, on the sidewalk. There were people and dogs walking practically over the poor little thing, and there was not a bush or tree, or other birds in sight. Just concrete and busy, rushing people.

I couldn't leave the little guy, because I could not see how he could survive where he was for too much longer. I know about the stage when they are learning to fly and end up on the ground. And for that reason, I have left a lot of baby crows just where they are. But this baby bird was a lot younger than the crow babies appeared to be, plus there was no where there could be a nest in that concrete jungle.

I took him home with me: on two buses followed by a 15-minute walk. I've since read that a lot of babies die in transport, but this little one did okay. He's quite the survivor, I tell you!

It was really late at night by then, so I mixed a bit of wet cat food and water, since it was all that I had on hand, and it sort of made sense. I fed him from an eye dropper. And he took a little.

The next day, when I called our local bird hospital, they told me that I was killing him by feeding him. How could I ignore a poor, defenseless starving animal, and just not feed it even though it’s asking for food with all the strength it has left, and you know that to not feed it. it will surely die. You tell me you could ignore that little bird, and not feed it! Well I definitely could not! The bird hospital also said that if he couldn’t feed himself, the chances of him surviving if we brought him over to them were slim. I was so shocked, and scared for that little creature, and felt so hopeless, and helpless, that I sat down beside him and cried.

Then I thought--forget them! And I jumped on the web to do my own research. The bird hospital’s words just did not sit right with me. My search brought up a few conflicting points of view--from never bring home a wild bird, to if you do, it probably won’t survive because you have to feed it every 15 minutes, to you have to feed it every hour, for all 24 of them (all night, too), to you have to feed them every two hours, and stop at sunset, and start at sunrise. That was the one I found on your site—and it made sense. Finally!

And you were talking from experience. You had actually raised orphans, and they had survived! So I wrote down everything you said about food, and feeding, and then went shopping. The little guy perked up immensely once I got some food into him. And the suggestion of feeding him with tweezers and tapping his beak was brilliant and it worked!

So back to my opening statement: Thank God for you, and Thank You. You gave me a sense of hope where others had convinced me that all was lost and I could do nothing to help remedy the situation. You were the honest voice of experience and reason in a sea of misinformation, fear and doubt. This tiny creature now has a chance thanks to your advice. And I’m just very grateful that you took the time to write up everything on your web site. I bet you have helped so many other people who have been in a similar situation as me, and felt so helpless! So I just wanted to let you know that you are appreciated, and to say THANK YOU from myself, all the other kind-hearted, but at-a-loss-of-how-to-really-help bird-rescuers, and from all the winged friends who thanks to you were eventually able to fly away to start a new life, and to make new winged lives. Keep up the good work! You really do make a difference in the lives of both people and animals. Thank You!

Spread the word

Enjoyed this newsletter? Please forward it to a friend! And don’t forget to visit our web site at www.marathonwildbirdcenter.org for lots more information and photos.

Marathon Wild Bird Center P.O. Box 501328 Marathon, FL 33050 MM 50 at Crane Point Hammock Phone: (305) 743-8382 Fax: (305) 743-8172 Website: www.marathonwildbirdcenter.org

September 22, 2009 – Marathon – L. E. Shaffer: Marathon City Council held its regular meeting at Marathon Government Center EOC Room. Photos are located at http://MarathonJournal.us/journal/press/.

The council approved the agenda. There is no public input required on consent agenda routine items marked by an asterisk [*].

City Council Items:

*Council approved the minutes.

Mayor Mike Cinque presented Cynthia McPherson’s five-year employment anniversary award.

The Mayor presented the Proclamation for Fire Prevention Week to a Fire Department representative.

Mayor Cinque presented the Soccer Month Proclamation Chris Bull and group.

Council approved a permit extension request.

Discussion of Potential Ordinances

The city seeks to amend Ordinance 2008-10 by adding new definitions, creating a way to transfer private EDUs, and implementing other procedural changes.

The city seeks to amend Ordinance 2008-10 by adding new definitions, creating a way to provide assistance to certain businesses that meet the Public Good Criteria, and implementing other procedural changes.

Creating City Code Section 5-22 to limit the chaining or tethering of dogs.

City Manager’s Items:

City Manager Clyde Burnett addressed several routine and minor items.

City Attorney provided the legal monthly report.

Beautification Committee Chair updated the council on their progress. Peter Chapman reported on the new entrance signs for the city. Signs by Renee will do the work of painting. Estimated cost is just under $3,000. Curtis Tookes spoke about stimulus money available for upgrading the Overseas Trail within Marathon.

Council discussed a Monroe County interlocal agreement regarding unlicensed contractors.

City Manager Clyde Burnett announced areas for candidate signs and placement on city property and right of way. He described several areas throughout the city. City Hall has the list.

Citizens' comments:

Sam Hagar spoke about continuing problems with the Aviation Boulevard Boat Ramp. He complained about unauthorized parking next to the ramp. Lance Kyle spoke about the gate by Chappie’s Restaurant that they want removed. Dolly Sadowski asked that city employees be provided flu shots if they want them. Joan Nelson spoke about health issues and the Knight’s Key gate. She spoke about excessive permitting fees. She praised Dick Ramsay’s airport experience.

Resolutions for Adoption:

Resolution 2009-135 approved the final rankings and allocation of market rate and affordable residential dwelling unit applications for the current period.

Resolution 2009-136 approved a new annual services agreement with the Middle Keys Community Land Trust for $16,000. The Land Trust assists the city in providing and preserving workforce housing.

Resolution 2009-137 authorized the Conquest Engineering Group Contract for Avenue K construction for $127, 510.

*Resolution 2009-138 authorized Professional Practice Support, Inc billing services agreement.

*Resolution 2009-139 authorized Professional Emergency Services Inc. one year agreement extension for $27,568.00.

Resolution 2009-140 authorized M.T. Causley agreement concerning supplemental building department services.

Resolution 2009-141 authorized Bishop, Rosasco & Co. agreement for finance director services.

*Resolution 2009-142 approved Urban & Community Forestry Grant Agreement No. 14018.

*Resolution 2009-143 endorses a design variation to highway standards. These variations allows trees to be installed within clear sight triangle of side streets and within the horizontal clearance of the narrowest portions of curbed medians of us highway 1. The resolution authorizes actions necessary to request the variation and execute the FDOT maintenance agreement for the proposed landscaping.

*Resolution 2009-144 approved US Water Services Corporation Change Order No. 2 to extend the contract date to November 30, 2009, for the original amount of $190,965.

*Resolution 2009-145 authorized Loan Agreement WW63702P Amendment 4 to Florida Department of Environmental Protection State Revolving Fund Loan Program that will combine Service Area 4 & 6 wastewater and stormwater projects and loans. The resolution also authorized additional borrowing under this amended loan agreement.

Resolution 2009-146 approved Globetec Construction LLC Change Orders No. 12, 13, 14, & 15 to contract dated August 8, 2007. The original contract was for $28,916,180. The resolution extends the completion date for Services Areas 4 and 6. Change Order No. 15 was removed.

Citizens’ Comments:

Dolly Sadowski spoke to several issues about her wastewater service area.

Council Comments:

Worthington did not bring the swine flu to Marathon. Snead reminded everyone that she holds town meetings at the fire station. She thanked everyone who submitted t-shirt designs for the city’s tenth anniversary celebration. Ramsay spoke to lobster trap thefts severely affecting commercial fishermen. Vasil spoke about the school superintendant reception where a spirit of cooperation now exists between the city and the school district. Cinque talked about wastewater/stormwater problems, but advised patience because the future holds a lot of promise.

September 23, 2009 - Marathon - Chris Bull: City Council Proclaims September Youth Soccer Month. 

MARATHON, FL (September 22, 2009) – The Marathon City Council has proclaimed September as Youth Soccer Month.

Youth Soccer Month is dedicated to increasing awareness of the benefits of playing Youth Soccer in America.  Marathon is proud to support this effort and further the goals of Youth Soccer Month:

1.    Emphasize soccer as the number one youth participation sport in America and a leading contributor to the healthy lifestyle of millions of American families.

2.    Bringing kids and families of all ages and all abilities together for fun, friendship and fitness.

3.    Highlighting the various programs available to children interested in participating in soccer, including recreational and elite soccer programs.

A series of fun filled messages will be communicated throughout Youth Soccer Month to illustrate the essence of youth soccer. Each week during Youth Soccer Month a different message will be the focus of “Celebrating Soccer in America.”  The four messages of Youth Soccer month are:

-          Fitness: The health and fitness (physical, psychological and social) benefits of playing soccer.

-          Fun: Whether recreational or competitive in nature, involvement in soccer is easy, affordable and rewarding.

-          Family: Playing soccer ties families together as schedules, vacations and family time are coordinated.

-          Friendship: The relationships generated through playing soccer extend beyond the field.

Marathon Soccer has joined forces with US Youth Soccer in supporting Youth Soccer Month.  Spreading the benefits and impact soccer has had on millions of Americans is very important to both organizations.  The City of Marathon has over 200 children participating in our soccer programs at the recreational and travel levels and is now the largest youth sport in the City.  Children in Marathon enjoy local AYSO Rec leagues and some have travelled to Europe, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Virginia, North Carolina, Chicago, Atlanta, and all around Florida as a result of soccer opening doors for them to go.

The building and support of the soccer fields at the Marathon Community Park has been a big reason for soccer’s success in Marathon.  Every night you can see kids and adults alike playing organized and pick-up games of soccer all months of the year.  With the field and amenities, tournaments that draw people from all over the state can be held at these nice facilities, providing positive economic impact to the community. 

- more -

Interest in the sport of soccer is at an all time high in the United States, more than 19 million children ages 5-19, are participating in soccer regularly.  In fact, more children are participating in organized soccer than peewee football, youth basketball or Little League baseball.

Recognizing the impact and importance the sport of soccer plays in the day-to-day lives of America’s families, and US Youth Soccer, is vital to the future of the sport.  The nation’s largest youth sport organization is leading Youth Soccer Month, Celebrating Soccer in America this September.

For more information on Youth Soccer Month visit www.YouthSoccerMonth.org.

###

About Youth Soccer Month – The national celebration of Soccer in America.  More than 19 million children ages 5 – 19 regularly participate in soccer in the United States, more than peewee football, youth basketball or Little League baseball.  Recognizing the impact and importance the sport of soccer plays in the day-to-day lives of America’s families, US Youth Soccer is spearheading Youth Soccer Month – Celebrating Soccer in America.

About the United States Youth Soccer Association (US Youth Soccer) – US Youth Soccer - The Game for ALL Kids!^® is the largest youth sports organization in the country and largest member of the United States Soccer Federation, the governing body of soccer in the United States. US Youth Soccer registers more than 3.2 million players annually, ages 5 to 19, and over 900,000 administrators, coaches and volunteers in 55 member state associations. US Youth Soccer programs provide a fun, safe and healthy environment for players at every level of the game.  For more information, visit www.USYouthSoccer.org.

September 24, 2009 - California - Provided by Linda Hall: Children and Vitamin D Deficiency.
American Children Vitamin D Deficient

Most American teenagers are Vitamin D deficient and low levels in teenagers are associated with teenage hypertension, obesity, and metabolic syndrome.

In the above paper, Researchers at Johns Hopkins and the NIH (led by Dr. Jared Reis) looked at 3500 American teenagers and found teenagers with the lowest Vitamin D levels, compared to the highest, were five times more likely to be obese, 2.5 times more likely to be hypertensive, 2.5 times more likely to have elevated blood sugar, and about 4 times more likely to have the metabolic syndrome. Only 25% of the teenagers had levels higher than 26 ng/ml while 25% had levels lower than 15 ng/ml.

What upset me the most about this study was that the authors did not conclude teenage Vitamin D deficiency should be treated; they concluded scientists should be given more money to study the deficient teenagers: “Additional research is necessary . . .” and “evidence from randomized controlled trials is required before Vitamin D supplementation can be recommended . . .” One fourth of American teenagers with levels less than 15 ng/ml, H1N1 already here, and Dr. Reis, the NIH and Johns Hopkins doesn't advise anything should be done but give scientists more money? Email Dr. Reis and tell him what you think: reisjp@nhibi.nih.gov.

58 million American children are Vitamin D deficient; 7.6 million are severely deficient and nobody is doing anything about it.

Dr. Jahi Kumar and colleagues at Albert Einstein School of Medicine looked at more than 6,000 American kids (age one to 21) who were carefully selected to be representative of the average American child. Nine percent of the kids had 25(OH)D levels less than 15 ng/ml and 70% (representing 58 million kids) had levels less than 30 ng/ml. The older the child, the blacker the child, the more TV and video games, the fatter the child, the higher the chance the child is deficient. Tragically, 59% of black teenage girls had levels less than 15 ng/ml.

Children with low levels were more likely to have abnormal blood lipids, high blood pressure, obesity, and abnormally elevate parathyroid hormone levels, all risks for future cardiovascular disease. Only 4% of American children take recommended doses of Vitamin D supplements, surely a failure of U.S. pediatricians.

German and British Children, Vitamin D and Long Ago

From 1955 to 1990, all infants in East Germany received 600,000 IU of Vitamin D every three months for a total of 3,600,000 IU at age 18 months.

With the 400 IU/day recommendation of the American Pediatric Association in mind, I ran across this amazing paper while surfing Medline for Vitamin D. According to this paper, all infants in the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) received dangerously high doses of Vitamin D every three months in their doctor’s office. The policy was in place for 35 years. The first 600,000 IU dose was given at three months and then every three months until the child was 18 months of age. This works out to an average of 6,000 IU per day (actually, for several technical reasons it is not equivalent) for 18 months. The authors collected blood before the dose and then 2 weeks after the quarterly dose to obtain 25(OH)D, 1,25(OH)D, and calcium levels on a total of 43 infants.

Before the first dose, at 3 months of age, the average infant was extremely deficient (median 25(OH)D of 7 ng/ml). Two weeks after the first dose the average 25(OH)D level was 120 ng/ml, the second dose 170 ng/ml, the third dose, 180 ng/ml, the fourth dose, 144 ng/ml, the fifth dose, 110 ng/ml and after the sixth and final dose, 3.6 million total units, at age 18 months, the children had mean levels of 100 ng/ml. That is, by the 15 and 18 month doses, the children were beginning to effectively handle these massive doses.

The highest level recorded in any of the 43 infants was 408 ng/ml at age 9 months, two weeks after the third 600,000 IU dose. Thirty-four percent of the infants had at least one episode of hypercalcemia but only 3 had an elevated serum 1,25(OH)D. The authors reported that “all the infants appeared healthy,” even the infant with a level of 408 ng/ml, that is, no clinical toxicity was noted in any of these infants.

They also reported that “repeated inquires in GDR have failed to identify clinical Vitamin D toxicity as a result of the prophylactic program.” The pediatricians and health officials in the GDR just did not look hard enough for toxicity as such doses will certainly cause clinical toxicity, right? Or maybe such doses only cause asymptomatic hypercalcemia and not clinical toxicity. It would be interesting to look at the infant mortality in East Germany during those years, compared to similar Eastern European countries, as well as current cohorts of German adults who underwent such treatment as an infant.

Two years after Great Britain halved its Vitamin D dose for infants, due to the “Great Vitamin D Panic,” the incidence of infantile hypercalcemia was unchanged.

Fifty years ago, Great Britain laid the foundation for every subsequent U.S. Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) Vitamin D recommendation when England had a fit of hysteria, the “Great Vitamin D Panic.” Professor Bruce Hollis wrote about this scare in some detail in a 2004 paper, and how the British panic affected the American FNB. He also details the role the Williams syndrome played in the “Great Vitamin D Panic.” Williams syndrome is a genetic malformation that causes, among other things, infantile hypersensitivity to Vitamin D, elevated 1,25 levels even without supplemental Vitamin D, and often hypercalcemia in response to supplemental Vitamin D. (In fact, it was by studying the Williams Syndrome that I became more convinced of the relationship of Vitamin D to autism. Kids with the Williams syndrome, the only human disease with greatly elevated serum 1,25 levels around birth, grow up to have an adult personality that is the phenotypic opposite of autism, thus they are an experiment of nature.)

Anyway, in the midst of the panic, Great Britain reduced infant supplementation by one-half in 1957, expecting to see a reduction in infantile hypercalcemia (7.2 cases per month in the country). It did not. Two years later, in 1959, the incidence of infantile hypercalcemia in Great Britain was essentially unchanged (6.8 cases per month.) However, by 1961, the reported incidence was apparently halved to 3 cases per month. The British Paediatric Association concluded “it remains speculative whether the decrease in hypercalcemia by 1961 is a consequence of reduced Vitamin D intake” because it was “not chronologically related to the reduction of Vitamin D intakes introduced in 1957.”

It seems likely that what happened was this. The “Great Vitamin D Panic” began in the early 1950s and British pediatricians began drawing lots of blood calcium levels on their infant patients, fearful they were toxic. They kept drawing frequent blood calcium levels and thus detecting high baseline blood calcium levels until 1960 when the “Great Vitamin D Scare” ebbed and they drew fewer and fewer infantile blood calcium levels. Thus fewer high baseline levels were detected and by 1961 fewer British infants diagnosed with high blood calcium. It was simply due to fewer blood tests ordered for calcium; it had nothing to do with Vitamin D.

Vitamin D and Infant, Children's Health

Low Vitamin D levels associated with increased disease severity in childhood Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE).

Childhood SLE is a tragic disease, one of the autoimmune diseases that have risen to epidemic levels in our children in the last 20 years. Afflicted children develop debilitating kidney, joint, bone, heart, blood, and lung disease; almost all require immunosuppressants (prednisone and hydroxychloroquine) to ward off looming debilitation and death.

Dr. Tracey Wright and colleagues at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center found severe Vitamin D deficiency was five times more common in SLE children than in controls (37% vs. 9%), that a measure of SLE disease severity was 2.5 times higher in SLE children with Vitamin D deficiency, that 78% of SLE children who were prescribed Vitamin D were still severely deficient (that is, their pediatricians were prescribing insignificant amounts of Vitamin D while telling them – correctly in the case of SLE – to avoid the sun), and serum activated vitamin D levels (calcitriol) were significantly lower in SLE kids than healthy controls. (Tragically, the true believers of the Marshall Protocol – and I know no scientists who are – recommend these children get even less Vitamin D.) The authors concluded, “Vitamin D deficiency may be a modifiable risk factor for morbidity in SLE and represents a target for intervention.”

Vitamin D deficient mothers with HIV are more likely to infect their baby.

Dr. Saurabh Mehta and colleagues at Harvard discovered higher Vitamin D levels in HIV infected mothers helped prevent fetal death and HIV transmission to the infant. At 24 months of age, toddlers from low maternal 25(OH)D HIV mothers had a 46% increased risk of acquiring HIV and a 61% increased risk of dying. The authors found an insignificant but disturbing trend for increased infection and mortality in mothers with 25(OH)D levels greater than 70 ng/ml but not enough mothers had such levels to draw any conclusions.

Vitamin D appears to be involved in a rapidly increasing number of infections, from influenza, tuberculosis, bacterial vaginitis, sepsis, the common cold, and now to HIV. When are scientists going to get around to looking at the wintertime killer and crippler of kids, meningitis?

More evidence Vitamin D deficiency is involved in infantile cardiomyopathy.

In the above paper, Dr. Jennifer Brown and colleagues at Children’s National Medical Center reported on four more babies with life threatening cardiomyopathy (when the heart swells up and cannot pump blood effectively). All four babies improved dramatically with Vitamin D treatment including three babies who are now off all cardiac medications (I hope that does not include Vitamin D, which is a crucial cardiac medicine.) and one infant who was taken off the heart transplant list after treatment with Vitamin D.

The problem with the paper was that the authors only looked at infants whose Vitamin D levels were so low that their body could not maintain their blood calcium levels and also had rickets. The authors concluded the cause of the cardiomyopathy in the four infants was low serum calcium. I emailed Dr. Christopher Spurney, the senior author, reminding him that Vitamin D has direct effects on heart muscle cells, above and beyond its effects on calcium, and that he should check Vitamin D levels on all infants with cardiomyopathy and treat those with a low levels, not just rachitic or hypocalcemic infants. He replied that the Children’s National Medical Center is now doing just that.

September 25, 2009 - Middle Keys - John Bartus: Keys Disease Bank at Land Tick Center… | Weekly Columns | Keys Disease | Courtesy of The Weekly Newspapers | I took care of one of my bucket list items last Sunday by (finally, after all these freakin’ years) seeing Bruce Springsteen perform with THE heart-stoppin’, pants-droppin’, hard rockin’, booty shakin’, earth-quakin’, love makin’, Viagra-takin’, history makin’, legendary E STREET BAND!!!

I did see Springsteen once, years ago, without the E Street Band. It was good, but… I had several chances to catch them back in the day, when we were all younger. I had what I thought at the time were more important things to do. Because of stuff like school, final exams, and other silly stuff, I missed them on their tours for the Darkness and River albums. I missed them in 1985 at the Orange Bowl for the Born in the USA tour. And I had missed them on all their recent South Florida appearances since Bruce got the band back together and produced some of their best work.

Sunday, September 13, 2009, was the day that all those years missing the exit to E Street would finally be overcome. The venue: the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise (Broward County). The weather sucked. On our way from the parked car to the arena entrance, a storm rolled right in and soaked us but good, but to no avail. Even the weather gods (Jim Cantore and Al Roker?) couldn’t stop the train headed to the E Street Station.

Needless to say, the concert was phenomenal – three hours of great rock music performed by a band at the top of their game, led by a sixty-year-old who still hadn’t hit 30. This column is not, however, a concert review. It’s more of a venue evaluation of my least favorite indoor arena since the old Hollywood Sportatorium, may it rest in peace.

You may recall that I mentioned that heavy monsoon rains were falling as we were walking toward the BankAtlantic Center. On the mainland, especially during the six months of the rainy season, this is not an uncommon event. So how much covered area does the venue provide to their South Florida patrons? Would you believe almost none?

When we finally got in, herded like faceless dripping cattle to Checkpoint Charlie, the Event Staff security detail was actually yelling to the crowd,” If you are a woman who hasn’t had her purse searched already, please go over here.” It goes without saying that no one from our line left to go voluntarily let a stranger manhandle the contents of her purse. Very effective security, don’t you think?

I had somehow managed to keep the TicketFast® tickets I had printed on my inkjet printer dry and smear free. After they were scanned and we were let in, we set off to find our seats. A “helpful” Event Staffer gave us the shortest directions to our Section, and off we went in the direction we were told. I’m still not sure why I was surprised to find that part of the arena walkway between us and our Section had been roped off, and we were told by another “helpful” Event Staffer that we would have to walk all the way back around to the other side.

At this point, I decided I needed a drink. I headed to the “Absolut Bar” and ordered a drink. “Would you like a single or a double?” What’s the difference? “A single is $12, while a double is only $17!” Seventeen dollars for a drink?!? I retrieved my investment portfolio, sold some shares of stock, and bought a double and a bottled water ($4). The beverage preparer (I can’t call them bartenders) used the small end of the world’s smallest jigger to pour two tiny shots of vodka into my glass. (I was so glad I didn’t order a single.)

I was immediately reminded of the line in Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark” that states, “There’s a joke here somewhere, and it’s on me.” The concert was still an hour and a half away from starting, and the miniature “double” had disappeared. Beer was only $8 (domestic) and $12 (import), and couldn’t be screwed up by a beverage preparer.

I walk up to the concession window and order a Heineken keg can. The beverage preparer said, and I swear I’m not making this up, “Can I see some ID?” Now I’ve been buying beer legally for 30 years. I’m two years shy of the big five-0. I’ve got plenty of gray hair. I haven’t been confused with an underage beer buyer since I was 16. My reaction was to ask her if she was joking. She informed me that it was “arena policy.” (The Absolut Bar I had already put the down payment on must not have gotten the memo.) I pull out my wallet and show the beverage preparer my driver license. She then asks – and I’m still not making this up – like a cop with a bad attitude, she asks for me to take the driver license out of my wallet. As if for some incomprehensible reason I’m trying to pass off a fake ID. I’m steamed like clams.

As I remove the license from its protective sleeve, I notice that while the Bud and Bud Light 16-ounce plastic bottles were freely handed out, the Heineken cans were being emptied into large plastic cups suitable for easy spilling. I asked if I could keep the can and was told that the Heineken keg cans were dangerous and could not be released into the general public. I saved four dollars and had a Bud Light.

Now I realize that the treatment I got is par for the course at concerts and sporting events. But what the Event Staff and their bosses at the arena seem to forget is that the cattle – I mean the people who attend events are customers and patrons, and that providing a good experience to them might ensure the long-term viability of the venue and its anchor sports franchise. Anyone remember the Miami Arena and what happened to it after the teams left? And really – just how much profit does the venue really need to make by charging $17 for a drink? BYOB, baby!

- John Bartus is a singer/songwriter and former Mayor of the City of Marathon. Currently serving on the Board of Directors of the Greater Marathon Chamber of Commerce, Bartus will perform with Storm Watch Friday at Dockside Lounge, Saturday solo at the Key Colony Inn, a Wednesday event at Keys Fisheries, and Thursday at Sparky’s Landing. www.johnbartus.com.

September 26, 2009 - Monroe County - L. E. Shaffer: Code Compliance Vs Code Enforcement. The Marathon Florida Keys Journal has reported during this last year about several new local companies trying to get started in Marathon. They do all kinds of work and provide needed services. They employ local people. They invest a lot of money and sweat into the Marathon economy. These brave startups answered the call to help the local economy. While most people are deeply appreciative, some apparently cannot stand success. Again, Monroe County Code Enforcement has tried to shut down local businesses. They rarely offer help.

There is the central issue. Monroe County Code Enforcement is all about punishing enforcement. Most new companies follow the requested actions, but more often than not these new companies do not even get the courtesy of a call. These new companies go out of their way to follow all the silly rules, even though Monroe County Code Enforcement has no jurisdiction over the City of Marathon mom-and-pop businesses. Still, these startups correct any problem presented to them, even if there is no county jurisdiction within the City of Marathon. The thinking has been that the complaints would go away eventually, as there would not be anything left to complain about.

One reason Marathon incorporated was to change the mindset. You can see that by the name of the department that works with city code, the Marathon Code Compliance Department. They want to help people come into compliance. They go out of their way to do so. Marathon Code Compliance’s last resort is to take a case to the Marathon Code Board. Then this board goes out of its way to get compliance. This different mindset does more good and solves many more problems than the nefarious Monroe County Code Enforcement where the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing.

I am sure these various startup companies will continue to address any substantiated complaint, but the days of playing nice are over. Unfortunately, many have brought their lawyers into play. The Monroe County Code Enforcement will cost taxpayers money over cases not even in their jurisdiction within the City of Marathon. The taxpayers will pay for cases that the county cannot win. There were no attempts to contact any of these companies and give them the fair chance to fix whatever was supposedly wrong. These new companies have even called periodically to ask if they are complying. What else can these businesses do?

Here we are in the last dregs, hopefully, of an economic downturn, and new businesses that help stimulate the local economy are being discouraged instead of encouraged. You cannot have it both ways, Monroe County. Either you help new businesses comply and be successful, or you do the counterintuitive thing and harass good, solid businesses for no reason. I say enough already!

September 27, 2009 - California - Linda Hall: Vitamin D Levels. How do statins work? They dramatically raise vitamin D levels.

Several studies have shown that statins raise 25(OH)D levels but last month the above study showed that Crestor nearly tripled Vitamin D levels, from 14 to 36 ng/ml, in just 8 weeks. I loved what the author concluded, “We have no idea of the mechanism involved.” Nor do I as statins should lower, not increase, vitamin D levels because statins reduce Vitamin D’s precursor, cholesterol. As Dr. Yavuz said, “This is clearly an opportunity for further research.”

These results are simply amazing, from 14 to 36 ng/ml in 8 weeks and the study was conducted in the winter, when levels should fall, not rise. Just think, if the pleiotropic (many effects) statin drugs work by simply raising Vitamin D levels (and statins’ pleitropic effects are certainly not mediated through lowering cholesterol levels), then that is one expensive way to raise Vitamin D levels. However, it is the perfect commentary on the American health care system; that is, in America we use statins to treat Vitamin D deficiency, not Vitamin D.

Widely fluctuating levels of Vitamin D, due to summer sun exposure and winter sunlight deprivation, may be harmful.

Professor Reinhold Vieth of the University of Toronto, has produced evidence that widely fluctuating levels of Vitamin D in patients with low baseline 25(OH)D levels may increase the risk of prostate and pancreatic cancer. At least two prostate cancer studies and two pancreatic cancer studies show that higher baseline 25(OH)D levels at latitudes far from the equator increase, not decrease, the risk of these two malignancies. Vieth produces evidence that this increased risk is related to widely fluctuating levels 25(OH)D in those who rely on summer sun exposure for their Vitamin D.

The latency of the intracellular enzymes that activate and destroy vitamin D explains why Vitamin D should be obtained on a regular basis and not in periodic high doses. When 25(OH)D levels fall abruptly, like in the autumn in countries far from the equator, the enzyme that makes activated Vitamin D inside the cell is still set on low and the enzyme that destroys activated Vitamin D is still set on high and it takes several weeks or even months to fully reset. Vieth believes any supplementation strategy that uses large doses at longer than two month intervals should be avoided. However, high or “Stoss” doses, such as 50,000 IU of D3 every week or two should pose no problem. Vitamin D2, or ergocalciferol (Drisdol) should be avoided as it causes wider 25(OH)D fluctuations than D3 does.

September 28, 2009 - Middle Keys - John Bartus: Keys Disease Fishing for Answers | Weekly Columns | Keys Disease | Courtesy of The Weekly Newspapers | I recently had a chance to attend the Middle Keys public comment session of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council. Also in attendance were representatives from the Organized Fishermen of Florida, the Florida Keys Commercial Fisherman’s Association, and several local fishermen.

It was an interesting meeting, as Fishery Council representatives explained, or attempted to explain, possible upcoming changes in limits and catching practices for different species. Acronyms were as common as dock snapper at feeding time, and all the scientific jargon reminded me a bit of my old days as a marine biology major at the University of South Carolina.

There are some proposed changes that may come down from the federal fishery managers that could have a drastic impact on Keys fishermen, both sport and commercial. New management strategies like annual catch limits were discussed, and fishermen questioned the science behind these new strategies and amounts. It didn’t seem that anyone was impressed by the answers and the “best available” data being put forth.

There was also discussion about the continued use of shorts in attracting lobster to traps, as well as trap practices, species exclusions, and taking a new look at loosening the restrictions on kingfish.

Like I said, it was an interesting meeting. It was quite educational in the sense of realizing all the rules and regulations our local fishermen must obey… also in the sense that these rules and regulations are an ever-moving target.

Regarding the “best available” scientific data issue, it’s obvious that while the fishery managers are making decisions about our local habitat, our real data exists in our waters… and nobody knows more about this than our local fishermen! They’re out on the water every day, and nobody knows the habitat the way they do. In fact, our fishermen are some of our area’s most ardent environmentalists. They have a vested interest in ensuring that our local fishery survives and thrives.

Over my quarter-century here in the Keys, I’ve gotten to know many of our local fishermen, both commercial and sport. They are a hard-working group of people and a key component of our local economy. The recent downward spiral in lobster prices echoes this point rather well. If fishermen aren’t making as many trips or putting out as many traps, then the fuel docks suffer, the marine service industry suffers, the trap supply and maintenance providers suffer. So do our local restaurants and watering holes as well as the bar and wait staff that work there.

It’s an old economic adage that a dollar spent in the Keys circulates seven times. In the scenario above, it’s easy to see that saying as it comes to life in front of our eyes. People like to think of the Keys as a tourist-driven economy, and they often forget that our fishing industry is as large a part of our economy as it is. Maybe it’s not glamorous, and maybe fishermen don’t get as many magazine covers as do pretty beaches and five-star resorts. But our fishing industry built Marathon and the Keys long before our visitors began arriving.

And between low prices, higher costs, the hard work, and the ever-changing regulatory landscape, it’s a wonder that our commercial fishermen are able to survive. And our sport fishermen have to wonder what the new limits and species closures will mean for their businesses.

Former President John F. Kennedy said, “For time and the world do not stand still. Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or the present are certain to miss the future.” What will the future hold for our fishing industry? I’m certain of one thing: there will be a lot of changes still to come. And I’m certain that not all of them will be good for our local fishermen.

- John Bartus is a singer/songwriter and former Mayor of the City of Marathon. Currently serving on the Board of Directors of the Greater Marathon Chamber of Commerce, Bartus will perform with Storm Watch Friday at Dockside Lounge, and Thursday at Sparky’s Landing. www.johnbartus.com.

What's Happening! The City of Marathon city council elections is what is happening. The signs multiply faster than the skeeters who have escaped our well-paid skeeter killers. The forums are coming with all kinds of questions, some germane and most not. There are all the questions and answers from the media that participate. The Key West Citizen wimped out and will not play nicely anymore with endorsements. Yes, endorsements are hard, but voters expect a diverse set of opinions from their various media. Of course, the voter is good. Over the long haul they have done Marathon well. The Marathon Florida Keys Journal is happy for election season. We are all about local politics and stirring up opinion. So let the campaigning begin and may the best two win.

Miscellany: City of Marathon Tenth Anniversary Celebration is coming. The date is November 21, 2009. The location is Marathon's Community Park. Vendors are invited. There will be music. You do not want to miss the annual event. This is the first one but not the last. Not only do we get to party and have a good time, but local businesses will be helped in a slow period. Don't forget Thanksgiving either; that is November 26, 2009. On top of all that excitement is the local elections on November 3, 2009. And if that is not enough fun, November 11th is all about our veterans. Take one or two out to eat, get them drunk, and then drop them off at the Legion. Please.

Finally: Everyone in the Marathon City Council election turned in the answers to the Journal’s 25 questions. Here are the links in the order received:

http://marathonjournal.us/journal/elections/09election.htm#Richard_Keating 
http://marathonjournal.us/journal/elections/09election.htm#Don_Vasil 
http://marathonjournal.us/journal/elections/09election.htm#Mike_Cinque
http://marathonjournal.us/journal/elections/09election.htm#John_Bartus
http://marathonjournal.us/journal/elections/09election.htm#Kevin_Kenny
http://marathonjournal.us/journal/elections/09election.htm#Joanie_Nelson

The Journal Poll is at http://marathonjournal.us/journal/index.htm#Poll

Kitty Talk
These journals are dedicated to Kitty GreyCat's spirit. She is at RainBow Bridge along with her human friends, Leo and Doris. We all loved you, Kitty! Click the cat graphic to visit her Memorial page. Kitty born June 6, 1982. Died July 9, 1997. Please use our email form linked below to make suggestions or offer praise.  The cats have thoughts and meows that are badly interpreted by a human for publication here. So believe what you will, but enjoy nonetheless. All complaints, flames, and the like will end up in the litter box! >^..^<

Ebony: Cats are really good talkers. Wiggle a tail, bat some eyes, and a light paw trap, and your human bean will be in heaven. They will pet you, feed you, catnip, play, more. >^..^<
Abby: I tell human bean when I am excited by vibrating my tail. I tell him get up, get up, feed me yummy nummies by meowing loudly, walking all over him when he in bed. >^..^<
Ebony: That get the human bean up. I like that about Abby. I get yummy nummies too. Of course, Abby has to be mean. She start grooming and then start biting and before long I am growling and hissing all leading to a loud yee owlll. I give all those signals out and you keep doing it. >^..^<
Abby: Human bean get mad at me when I make you growl and hiss. He spritz water at me. Not like that. >^..^<
Ebony: You deserve it though, I purr when you get in trouble. Serves you right, I meow. >^..^<
Abby: Purring is supposed to happy and yappy but not like some dumb dawg. You purr for all the wrong reasons. Facial expression are better ways to talk to human beans and get what you want. >^..^<
Ebony: My facial expressions show my disdain and aggravation with you. I sleep and sleep and then catnap some more. I let my big brain repair itself and improve my memory. I remember you bad long time. >^..^<
Abby: I sleep just as long or longer than you. My mind and memories are catnip grand and good. >^..^<
Ebony: Maybe you should remember to be nice once in a while. I try to meow nicely with you. I even groom you some, but no you got to be mean, and bite and wave paws in the air. I got mad and wave my paws at you. >^..^<
Abby: Not that it matters much, my mad face scare the old fur right off of you entire body. You be hairless and funny looking. Then I see your sad face, droopy tail, and weepy eys. Maybe even a crying meow. >^..^<
Ebony: Abby, we watching television about how cats communicate and get what they want from humans. >^..^<
Abby: Meow, that be why we been meowing about cat talk, facial expressions, and tail movements. I think, Ebony, we finally completed on Kitty Talk all about one subject. Wow. Maybe we do that next month. >^..^<

1. Everyone in the Marathon City Council election turned in the answers to the Journal’s 25 questions. Here are the links in the order received:
   http://marathonjournal.us/journal/elections/09election.htm#Richard_Keating 
   http://marathonjournal.us/journal/elections/09election.htm#Don_Vasil 
   http://marathonjournal.us/journal/elections/09election.htm#Mike_Cinque
   http://marathonjournal.us/journal/elections/09election.htm#John_Bartus
   http://marathonjournal.us/journal/elections/09election.htm#Kevin_Kenny
   http://marathonjournal.us/journal/elections/09election.htm#Joanie_Nelson
   The Journal Poll is at http://marathonjournal.us/journal/index.htm#Poll

2. The Marathon Cruiser’s Net will be collecting promotional material such as menu’s from restaurants, business flyers, coolie cups, pens, key chains, cups, etc. to be included in a welcome package provided to our visitors who arrive via boat.
   View article...

3. http://www.loganmovie.com/ "Welcome! You'll find current movies and times for theatres in Mitchell, Huron, and Dell Rapids, South Dakota on this website. There are dates and times for both current and coming movies at our SD theaters. For over 75 years Logan Luxury Theatres has taken pride in providing the best movie presentation in great surroundings, with exceptional service at reasonable prices. We enjoy hearing from you and want to know what you think about our web site. Please Contact Us with any questions or comments that you may have. See you at the movies!" I got my Grandson Michael a book of movie tickets for him and his dates. Finally, his dad is letting him date!

4. What my South Dakota 10-year-old grandson likes… Link is safe; virus checked. http://www.youtube.com/v/TJj4t5Y7Tp0&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&feature=player_embedded&fs=1

5. Josie Koler, Bureau Chief, Key West, The Weekly Newspapers, www.keysweekly.com, 305 395•8890 Cell, 305 743•0844 Ofc, josie@keysweekly.com. Links from Josie: Birds www.keysbirdingfest.com 

   Ladies Let's Go Fishing  (Entertainment) billfishbetty@hotmail.com, www.ladiesletsgofishing.com 

   Borski/The Angling Co. www.theanglingco.com, www.tborskiart.com 

   Stay Fit Studio Health Expo Video Link URL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dl-sHtK_Zqc

7. THE BIRTH OF A HUMMINGBIRD... Provided by South Dakota Kathy.

   Keep in mind the egg is smaller than a tic tac and a quarter fits the opening of the nest! This is truly amazing. Be sure to click  on NEXT PAGE at the bottom of each page; there are 5 pages in all. A lady found a hummingbird nest and got pictures all the way from the egg to leaving the nest. It took 24 days from birth to flight.  Because you'll probably never in your lifetime see this again, enjoy; and please share. 

   http://community-2.webtv.net/Velpics/HUM/

8. CD Earth cdearth.com, www.CDEarth.com, https://www.cdearth.com/index.php?page=shipping

Poetry Corner
"Only the Music"

May 28, 1995

Sometimes all that is left
Is the music
Grand and wonderful
Thank God for this mood

Chasing away the blues
Over and over again
This soft refrain
Notes playing magically

And all we have
Is the music
Soothing this poor soul
Putting stars into these eyes

These eyes full of tears
Seeing, loving, being loved
Chasing that one song
That one verse

Elusive and precious
Chasing away these blues
Wise and old
This music

And then there is
Only the music
Between heaven and hell
The music, all we have left

© 2009 SIPCO; L. E. Shaffer

Hockey Puck
NHL: The Florida Panthers fell short of the playoffs by one game. There is nothing like it in all of sports, the skating of the Stanley Cup by the winner of the NHL Stanley Cup Finals. Last year’s champions, the Detroit Red Wings, looked to be unbeatable early. Then a funny thing happened for a franchise saved from oblivion by hall-of-famer Mario Lemieux. Can you believe the Pittsburgh Penguins won game seven of the Stanley Cup seven-game series? There were two champions this series. This is one of those times that you wish both teams had won. That was how good this series was.

PGA: Tiger leads BMW Championship and looks good for FEDEX Cup. He won his 71^st tournament moving him back to number one in the FEDEX Cup. Tiger won the BMW setting a course record in the third round. Tiger Woods won the FEDEX Cup at $10,000,000, while Phil Mickelson wins the PGA Championship Tournament. Tiger finished second.

NASCAR Sprint Cup: The top 12 in points participate in the Chase Championship, ten races ending at Homestead, Florida. The Nationwide race at Atlanta, Dale Earnhardt Jr. almost won the race but faded near the end, concerned about fuel. He accepted a good third-place finish. At Atlanta NASCAR Sprint Cup: Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished 17^th and is 21^st in points. Jeff Gordon: 8^th; 2^nd. Mark Martine: 5^th; 10^th. Jimmie Johnson: 36^th; 3^rd. Richmond NASCAR Sprint Cup: Jeff 3^rd place race/2^nd points. Mark 4/6. Jimmie 11/3. Dale Jr. 21/21. At Loudon, NASCAR Sprint Cup race: Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished 35^th and remains 21^st in points. Jeff Gordon: 15/10. Jimmie Johnson: 4/2. Mark Martin not only won the race, but finished 1^st and remains 1^st in points. NASCAR Sprint Cup at Dover, the monster mile, Jeff Gordon finishes 6^th and is 8^th in points. Mark Martin 2^nd; 1^st. Jimmie Johnson 1^st; 2^nd. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 20^th; 22^nd.

IRL: Danica Patrick finished third at the 93^rd Indianapolis 500. Also, at the Indianapolis race, Helio Castroneves won and Sarah Fisher placed 17^th. That was the only exciting thing happening in the IRL series. Boring...

NBA: The Miami Heat lost in the first round of the playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks going to the seventh and final game. We can only hope for next year. First round NBA playoff Celtics beat Bulls four games to three. I was not interested in the other sears, but the NBA finals feature the Los Angeles Lakers and the surprising Orlando Magic.

NFL: Miami Dolphins suffered a second loss this young season at the Indianapolis Colts. Miami Dolphins lost their third game to the San Diego Chargers. Miami Dolphins lost three games, and, yes, that sucks.

LLWS/MLB: The Little League World Series [LLWS] is over. Only one team wins the championship. If you want to watch baseball at its best, then the LLWS is for you. Nowhere else will you see the passion, the fun, and fantastic baseball. These kids want to play and do well so badly that they put all out baseball formats to shame. Yeah, the Florida Marlins are doing their end-of-the-season fade. LLWS Mexico defeated the Texas team in the consolation game. Chula Vista, California, beat the Taiwan team for the championship. This is pure baseball, better than any other.

WTA: Venus and Serena Williams are still playing top-level tennis. The U.S. Open has fined Serena Williams $10,000 for her tirade directed at a line judge at the end of a semifinal loss to Kim Clijsters. View article... Serena and Venus Williams won the US Open doubles championship held in New York.

NCAA Football: Notre Dame lost to Michigan and Ohio State to USC. So much for my teams this year, I need a better team. Ohio State Buckeyes beat Toledo Rockies, while Notre Dame dispatched Michigan State Spartans.

March Madness: Ho hum.

Tour de France: Lance Armstrong finished 3rd, and his string of 7 straight wins is over. There is always next year, if his head does not swell up too big.

Book Three Twins of the Dark Star
Book One Tears from Ao, Book Two The Mountains of Ao and four poetry collections, Pages of Life, Visions of Life, Moments of Life, and The Book of Kalian Mysticism are all inexpensively available at http://RunesofAo.com/aobp/, which is our online bookstore and publishing company. The Runes of Ao project is ongoing. Book Three Twins of the Dark Star novel is a work in progress, but the writing goes slowly because of the success of Marathon Florida Keys Journal. Book Three is taking shape now. Falling Star poetry collection is a work in progress as well. A collaboration with K. Young on a novella called Dragon Embers is now published on the fan site known as Runes of Ao.com. Other dragon artwork is available too. Finally, in collaboration with Kimm Young and Linda Hall, a group novel project is in progress and currently titled Starsongs. We currently are at an impasse. This could go on for years, you know.

 

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