Jim McCarthy

2 weeks ago | keysweekly.com | Jim McCarthy

World Ocean Day was a bit more meaningful in Key Largo on June 7, as Reef Environment Education Foundation unveiled a state-of-the-art Ocean Exploration Center to the public. Located next to REEF headquarters at MM 98.3, the ribbon-cutting of a new 4,000-square-foot, two-story facility among staff, local dignitaries and ocean aficionados marked a new era of marine science, conservation and education in the Florida Keys.

2 weeks ago | keysweekly.com | Jim McCarthy

Islamorada lacked procedure when it came to complaints lodged against village council members or charter officers, as witnessed earlier in the year with a former manager’s exit. A recent update to the personnel policy manual, however, added language to incorporate a clear process in times of a substantiated complaint.

2 weeks ago | keysweekly.com | Jim McCarthy

A new contract between the Florida Keys Electric Cooperative and the International Brotherhood of Electric Workers Local 349 provided a modest wage increase in addition to a four-day workweek. On June 2, the new 32-hour, Monday-through-Thursday work schedule went into effect for employees who work at the member-owned, nonprofit electric utility serving the Upper and Middle Keys.

3 weeks ago | keysweekly.com | Jim McCarthy

Various Islamorada advisory committee seats, which sat vacant for several months, were recently filled by village council members. One of the more important groups within the village, the Local Planning Agency, has four returning members and three newcomers. The terms for Cheryl Culberson, James Rhyne and Lorie LaLonde don’t expire until May 2026, while Tony Hammon termed out but received a supermajority vote from council to return to the LPA.

3 weeks ago | keysweekly.com | Jim McCarthy

A May 28 meeting of the Monroe County Planning Commission essentially concluded a three-year process for developers to secure several key approvals needed to bring a Publix supermarket and more than 80 units of workforce housing to Tavernier. Some planning commissioners initially froze when it came time to make a motion on a major conditional use permit for the project by Blackstone Group Tavernier 925 LLC and VC Tavernier LLC.