News and Information From the Monroe County Tourist Development Council

TDC Posts New Video as Part of Oil Spill Social Media Campaign.

The Monroe County Tourist Development Council posted another new video Monday as a facet of its Web and social media-based campaign designed to communicate an accurate status of Florida Keys tourism offerings during the Transocean/BP oil spill crisis.

The one-minute-long video shows scenes from Father's Day in the Florida Keys and is now webcasting at www.fla-keys.com as the TDC's Video of the Week, as well as in a special Gulf oil spill section at www.fla-keys.com/oilspill.

It is also available on the TDC's You Tube channel at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F47-UBsx7jA

TDC Director Harold Wheeler again asked for all Keys tourism-related businesses to use their own social media outlets and websites to link to the weekly videos so they become viral.

"This is a tool we have implemented to benefit the entire industry, but it will only work if the industry helps to maximize its awareness," Wheeler said.

June 22, 2010 - Marathon - Blair Shiver: Shiver Report. Council Extends Manager Contract, Awards First Time Homebuyer Loans. | Courtesy of The Weekly Newspapers & Blair Shiver. | Marathon’s newest city manager can finally begin looking for permanent real estate inside city limits.

Tuesday evening, Roger Hernstadt’s six-month performance review was unanimously positive from all five council members during their regularly scheduled meeting at the Monroe County Government Center.

Marathon’s newest city manager can finally begin looking for permanent real estate inside city limits.

Tuesday evening, Roger Hernstadt’s six-month performance review was unanimously positive from all five council members during their regularly scheduled meeting at the Monroe County Government Center.

Councilman Rich Keating, who joined the city’s dais at roughly the same time Hernstadt was hired, gave glowing recommendations for the former Assistant Manager and Chief of Staff for the City of Miami.

“He’s exactly what Marathon’s been looking for, and I believe he is an asset,” Keating commended.

But the council was in a bit of a disagreement over the contract terms, specifically with regards to severance pay.

Councilman Dick Ramsay said he’d not yet have a chance to fully review amendments to the contract prior to the meeting and asked to postpone approving the extension. Mayor Ginger Snead said she preferred to resolve the issue prior to the upcoming budget hearings.

“I don’t want to go into budget negotiations with this contract still up in the air,” Snead said.

Marathon Chamber of Commerce CEO Daniel Samess, Florida Keys Contractors Association President Chris Gratton, Grassy Key resident John Walton and attorney Frank Greenman all spoke very highly of Hernstadt’s proven performance in the first half of this year.

“Roger is the best city manager in Monroe County by a long shot,” Greenman commended. “I’ve seen his incredible institutional data of inventory, and Roger carries for information in his head than most computers could hope.”

Greenman, a former city councilman, explained that one of the city’s original goals was to hire its own professional management staff.

“You’re prevented by the charter of telling employees what to do, thank God,” Greenman continued. “We’d lose employees if that system was changed, and it would look like the Dade County School Board in Hialeah.”

The council finally unanimously agreed to a three-year contract for $130,000 yearly salary and annual reviews with no pay increases.

“Welcome. Buy a house and get moved in,” Mayor Snead requested.

In other business:
• The city council presented nine Marathon families with $10,000 first time homebuyer loans.

Snead explained that the council opted to use monies that have been paid to the city by developers as part of their development agreement to fund loans specifically for affordable housing.

“We decided to use that money for people that maybe wanted to buy a house but didn’t have the funds,” she continued, clarifying that the loans would come from the city’s affordable housing trust fund and not from taxpayer monies.

According to Rick Casey of the Middle Keys Community Land Trust, seven of the nine families to which loans were awarded are currently in the process of buying a home. The two pending families pending loans have until early July to secure both a contract on a house and bank-approved loan.

In order to apply for the affordable housing loan from the city’s trust, attendance at a homebuyer’s seminar was required. It educated attendees step-by-step about the home buying process, and Casey said of the 22 couples that attended the seminar, 16 of them completed application packages.

Number two in the loan lottery were Larry and Holly Smorgala, and she admitted that when she first spoke with Casey regarding the application package, she thought it was a long shot they would be approved.

“I thought there were be hundreds of applications,” she admitted, adding she was pleasantly surprised Tuesday afternoon when she was alerted her family had been approved.

• Dr. Linda Gottwald and the Stand Up for Animals organization, who’s contract with the county to operate the only no-kill animal shelter in the Middle Keys was extended for 90 days for reconsideration and negotiation, received numerous testaments of verbal support from residents and animal care professionals.

Marathon Dog Park activist Mary Stella recounted an incident seven years ago when she watched a man on a boat in Boot Key Harbor kick his dog overboard and proclaim, “Let the dog drown.” SUFA responded after hours to the incident, she continued, reiterating that to take away the physical shelter, coordinator and services SUFA provides would “end up costing the county more money.”

“We know the county is in a tough place budget wise, but I think and hope they can use common sense to negotiate the terms of that contract,” said Vice Mayor Mike Cinque.

• Ramsay reported that Marathon is well on it way to having a port of entry at Boot Key Harbor and the Marathon Airport.

“It’s no guarantee, but I have a high level of confidence we’ll be a port of entry by the end of the year.”

June 23, 2010 - Marathon - Marilyn Tempest: Editor's Notes. IF IT AIN’T BROKE……. For some time now there has been a buzz around town about changing Marathon’s form of government from today’s  “Council-Manager” system to “Strong Mayor-Council.”  Council-Manager is the most prevalent form of city government, especially in smaller municipalities.   The Strong Mayor format is more likely to be seen in larger cities. 

 Currently, we elect 5 equal council members who select a largely ceremonial mayor.   The day to day ops are handled by a city manager.  Optimally this depoliticizes the running of the city; worst case, it slows down government while the manager juggles the unrealistic demands of Council with the constraints of budget and staff.   The “Strong Mayor” is just what it implies.  One of the council members is elected as the mayor, and serves as the “executive” branch.  The other council members serve as the “legislative” branch, and have less impact on the city’s business.   Optimally, this creates a balance and some efficiencies; but worst case, it creates a fiefdom. 

The June 22^nd meeting of the Marathon City Council was an absolute love-in.  The Council awarded $10,000 each to 10 first time home buyers paid out of developer payments; recommended that the county retain SUFA for animal control; reported the Port of Entry project is progressing well; praised the current report from Middle Keys Community Land Trust; and announced that Sombrero Beach Road will be ready for our July 4^th blowout.  There was nary a discouraging word….except for one interesting moment when our “largely ceremonial” mayor stepped up to the plate and displayed some strength.

 Mayor Ginger Snead introduced the manager evaluation agenda item, and  each council member indicated that Mr. Hernstadt’s performance has been excellent.   The mayor suggested a longer contract should be offered to replace the short term agreement  under which Mr. Hernstadt was hired. So far this sounds like part of the love-in, but wait. Not everyone was onboard.  There was some body language, and a little foot dragging.  A long term contract with a generous severance package might make it harder to sell the change to Strong Mayor idea that is favored by one or more current council members.  Requests for delays were heard, but the mayor declared, “I’d really like to do this tonight.”  And there was solid discussion, hard won agreement to specific terms, and it was all good.  We’ll be watching for that contract approval at the next meeting. 

 Haven’t we all lost patience with government when it moves too slowly, gets it all wrong, or simply does nothing?   On the other hand, have we not also seen the government that has a strong leader charging forward at break neck speed, not bothering to consult with anyone else on the path he/she has chosen?   Neither scenario is attractive, but I submit that with a professional city manager and a citizens’ council, a community is less likely to be jerked around.  If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. Congratulations, Mr. Hernstadt, for a job well done.  Marathon is glad you are here, and hopes you’ll bide with us a while.

June 26, 2010 - Florida Keys - John Bartus: What Is She Thinking? | Weekly Columns | Keys Disease | Courtesy of The Weekly Newspapers | A recent news article concerning wastewater funding has really left me in a not-so-warm-and-fuzzy state of mind. Not that any article on the topic is a real feel-good piece, mind you – it’s just that I’m really left wondering what our Congresswoman, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), is thinking. 

Here are the background details of the story that has left me puzzled. Remember back to the waning days of the Bush administration, when the economy faced all-but-certain meltdown? The President and Congress got together and passed a mega-billion-dollar “bailout bill” that used our taxpayer dollars to shore up financial institutions and preserve bonus payments to Wall Street executives. As totally distasteful as it was, we were told that it had to be done to avert global economic collapse. 

In the early days of the new Obama administration, the economy – while perhaps not in danger of total disintegration – remained in a very feeble state. To help grow the economy, the President and Congress got together and passed a mega-billion-dollar “stimulus bill” that used our taxpayer dollars to keep automakers out of bankruptcy court and provide funds to shovel-ready infrastructure projects and create jobs. Once again, we were told that it had to be done to keep the recession from worsening. 

The main difference between the “bailout bill” and the “stimulus bill” is that the latter actually has provided funds for shovel-ready wastewater and stormwater infrastructure projects in the Florida Keys. The City of Marathon, the Key Largo Sewer District, and the City of Key West all have benefitted directly from the $24.5 million in stimulus funds already dedicated to these projects (technically, there is a $1.5 million portion of these funds unspent that Key West will bill for by July 1). The really good news is that there is another $45 million in leftover stimulus funds that the Keys already qualify for and could be put to use right now this year. 

That also means that local residents and businesses will see a reduction in their sewer bills as a direct result of federal funding we all agreed was necessary for these projects.

Well, one of us doesn’t agree any more. Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) has decided to not join our U.S. Senators Bill Nelson and George LeMieux in requesting that additional $45 million for the Keys. You read that correctly: our Congresswoman, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), will not support the request for the additional $45 million to be spent in her district on infrastructure projects we most certainly need. 

What is she thinking? 

In an e-mail to Free Press reporter Robert Silk, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) took credit for securing $35 million in federal funds for Keys wastewater projects. She balked at going after more funds, however, using as an excuse the $1.5 million in “unspent” funds, and urging Keys municipalities to spend it all before requesting more money.

That argument really doesn’t hold water (treated or otherwise). Marathon has already used up all its funding and is still in the middle of its multi-million dollar project. Key Largo billed the Army Corps $2 million more than it received in case other stimulus funding became available. Key West will spend the existing allocation and is currently in the middle of a multi-million dollar stormwater and wastewater upgrade. If it gets to the Keys, thanks to our Senators (and no thanks to Ileana), the additional $45 million will be spent. 

Some suggest that partisan politics is behind what Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) is thinking. Like all House Republicans, Ileana toed the party line and voted against the stimulus bill (she voted for the bank bailout bill). It’s a shame, however, if Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) is abandoning the constituents in her own district just to make a political point. Regardless of the source of those federal funds, people in the Keys need that additional $45 million in stimulus money, at least as much as the banks and insurance companies needed the federal bailout she supported. 

Sometimes – hell, all of the time – people need to come before party in this country. Both of our Senators got that one right. As a former elected official, I worked with Ileana on local issues and have always considered her a friend of the Keys. She’s the only member of Congress I have known personally, and I get no pleasure out of writing this column. After all is said and done, it would have been great to have had Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) join with our Senators in requesting these funds. In the end, maybe we don’t need her this time.

- 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, John plays with Storm Watch this Friday (tonight) at Dockside, and Saturday at the Key Colony Inn. Tuesday, John performs at the Sunset Grille, and Wednesday finds John at Cabana Breezes. Thursday, John plays at Sparky’s Landing. www.johnbartus.com.

July 3, 2010 - Florida Keys - Josie Koler: Harry S. Truman Presidential Park. Courtesy of The Weekly Newspapers & Josie Koler. The 24 acres of oceanfront property on the southwest side of Key West has gone through significant changes in the past 150 years.

The first major development was Fort Zachary Taylor which was built as an army installation in 1845 and then turned into a submarine base just before World War II. After the war, President Harry Truman used a home located on Whitehead Street for rest, poker, and to meet with cabinet members and foreign officials. He called the place “The Little White House” and when he was reelected in 1948, the area was named in his honor.

Recently, Robert Spottswood, president and director of Spottswood Companies, Inc., unveiled with his plans to develop the Truman Annex Waterfront. An area currently defined by two retired military vessels, the Eco-Discovery Center, and Fort Zachary Taylor.

The rest is cement.

The area is home to signature events all islanders eagerly anticipate like the Taste of Key West, and the Offshore World Championship Powerboat Races and the Key West 2010 International Regatta.

Other than that the Eco Discovery Center is juxtaposed against a sea of crumbling concrete splinted by weeds and decades of neglect.

Now the park is charged to one of Key West’s most reputable developers who envision a multi-purpose sports/entertainment/cultural complex projected to grow and sustain the tourism industry for generations to come.

  Spottswood is working with the Monroe County Tourism Development Council, the City of Key West, even a Marathon non-profit to create a $35 million city-owned-and-operated park to be controlled by the public. According to Spottswood Companies, Inc., the cost of the Park as proposed is to be funded by a bond issue, which will be repaid using a portion of the Key West bed tax paid on hotel room stays in Key West.

In Spottswood’s plans include four major components: an amphitheatre, zoological park, a naval and maritime museum designed to attract luxury yachts. A deal has also been struck to bring a Turtle Hospital to Key West.

Ritchie and His Turtles
“We get down there a couple of times a week to pick up turtles, bring turtles back, and a big part of our mission is educating people and seeing people,” say The Turtle Hospital founder Ritchie Moretti. 

Richie Moretti opened The Turtle Hospital in Marathon in 1986. Initially, only those staying at the motel were granted access to the infirmary, but after Hurricane Wilma (2005), Moretti opened the doors to the world, and watched visitors flood into the facility to learn more about the endangered species.

“We run the largest and more spectacular veterinarian turtle hospital in the world,” says Moretti. “We see between 35,000 and 40,000 people every year. People stop in to see the turtles, learn about the turtles, and how we treat the turtles. That’s how we fund The Turtle Hospital. $15 for adults and $7.50 for children.”

The visitors stay at local hotels and eat at the nearby restaurants cementing the Tourism Development Council’s drive to put “heads in beds.”

Mega Yachts = Mega Commerce
“There are more larger boats out there than ever in the 250’ to 300’ class,” Spottswood told the Chamber of Commerce earlier this week. “They’re good customers. Some of these slips will accommodate boats up to 550’ long, the smallest being 50’. This opens up a valuable segment of the cruising population, creating the possibility for a ferry terminal and the tourist revenues will add up. They buy a lot of fuel, and do a lot of shopping.” As a city owned property, Spottswood was very clear in his message that the Truman Annex Marina would not compete with Key West’s private marinas.

At Key West Harbour Yacht Club on the edge of Stock Island, the country’s closest marina to Cuba is hovering at a 50 percent occupancy rate this month.

Owner John Linstrom, who has two other clubs in Naples and Tampa isn’t worried or skeptical of the development of another marina and welcomes the idea of attracting the mega yachts.

“In the near future, the long term travel restrictions to travel to Cuba will be repealed and when that happens there won’t be enough boat slips in the Keys, especially the Lower Keys and Key West to accommodate everyone wanting to get through here. There’s going to be a greater demand then there will be supply and that situation will be permanent.”

According to Spottswood, the marina will provide the city with a funding mechanism without placing a tax burden on residents. The venue will also serve as the fairgrounds and headquarters for the power boat races, the marlin tournament, and the sailing regatta.

Development of the land into a beautiful city-owned park means locals and tourists won’t be trucking through, or riding golf carts across hot, steaming concrete to reach the temporary bleachers set-up for viewing a world-class event.

Key West Mayor Craig Cates, who is looking forward to a day when he can sit in the Truman Annex grandstand with his wife, children, and grandchildren is concerned about funding of the project and the precise involvement of the city.

“I would like to see the project completed at one time. It’s hard to piece everything together. It’s going to be so much money I don’t think they’re going to be able to get the bed tax money from the TDC. I like the idea of them doing the whole project at one time, but there are still a lot of unanswered questions. How much is going to cost the city to manage? What is the income going to be? Is the city going to have to subsidize the marina? What kind of controls will the city have over what goes on? They say the city is going to own the marina. The city is going to control it. But, nothing is in writing,” points out Mayor Cates.

Tourist Development Council Director Harold Wheeler says the development will not be paid for by the bed tax and that a Key West Turtle Museum is impermissible to the funding option, as well as the marina.

“The marina is for mega yachts,” he said, “and those people are going to stay on those yachts. They’re not going to stay in hotels.”

Wheeler did admit those traveling aboard mega yachts would be big spenders, even if they were only staying a day or two.

Meaning the marina would make money, and perhaps some boutiques on Duval Street, but confidence in securing dollars for the community as a whole through transient travelers to Cuba remains unseen.

Regardless, Linstrom implies, the marina will bring in groups of people who otherwise wouldn’t come to Key West, making a deal no one can loose in. He points out now that BP has an oil spill in the Gulf, the mega-yacht community is likely to remain unaffected. “The spill could have an impact on marine traffic and will certainly have a big impact on the fishing, and sports fishing, but not on the mega-yacht industry.”

Concerning Community Concerts
The other component, an amphitheatre, is also a tough investment in these tough times to sell to investors. Just ask Rodger Levering, food and beverage Director for Ocean Key Resort and Spa Sunset Pier. Back in 2007 he and general manager Matt Trahan rolled out an ambitious plan to take Sunset Pier to another level, a soundstage for major musical acts. The concert series has been remarkably successful and a favorite for locals, as for the Pier being packed, and the concerts attracting visitors from the mainland, where there are millions of possible ticketholders, remains questionable. 

“Concerts in Key West is definitely a hard process to get going,” Levering attests. “In order for a concert series to be successful it needs TDC money, it needs something to supplement expenses, the expenses are just too much. Our highest selling show was 1,100 tickets. It’s such a small market. How many people are really going to pay to see music? I don’t know. You have to consider you are going to need TDC money to subsidize the artist’s fees, and an aggressive marketing plan.”

The amphitheatre would be a “permissible expense,” for tourism development dollars, or the bed tax claims Wheeler. 

Norman Bedford, the promoter with SOS productions who helped the Noon Rotary Club bring the reggae sound of The Wailers to the Annex on Saturday, May 22 of this year, confesses concert ticket sales were “somewhat disappointing.” Ticket sales totaled 55 percent of projections.

Bedford, who oversees several markets in the state for a variety of concerts says Key West is hands-down the trickiest and most complex market to operate in.

“The problem is one of simple geography,” he states. “Touring bands need to basically connect the dots, going from one city to another on a daily basis in order to make money while on the road. Most of the time a band will travel for two to three hours to the next gig as it makes its way on a tour. In the case of Key West, you’ve come as far South as you possibly can—there is no ‘next gig’ that lines up logically. To complicate this, the next main market for a show is Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, and many of the bands that route down that low in Florida are simply too expensive to bring to Key West. Even if you sell out, you could possibly lose money.  So as a result, you’ll have bands driving overnight some seven-plus hours to make it down to Key West, driving from their last gig in Tampa or Orlando. Once they play Key West, they have to then turn around and drive back up north through Florida. Many acts just pass on the idea.”

Adding to the frustration are lack of venues outside of local bars, the state of the national economy, and ticket prices in Key West are low compared to the state and other parts of the country.

On the positive side, Key West fans are recognized for being energetic and appreciative of great acts.

Another plus, points out Wheeler, because the grandstand would be open and situated on the water, the operational and maintenance costs would be low to the city. The city would be able to charge all costs to the promoter, ticket sellers, and maintenance people to clean up. Ample parking is another facet needing to be explored. He imagines not everyone will want to walk or bike to the amphitheatre. Other plans Spottswood has for the park include shuttle stops, a small restaurant, entrance at Southard Street, a ferry terminal, an entrance plaza with a fountain, large boardwalk, staging area, vehicular round-a-bout, native landscaping, and jogging trail.

“We need to make the Truman Annex look and feel like a great, open green space to create one of the great parks of the world,” Spottswood said to the Chamber of Commerce crowd, “owned and operated by the City of Key West. We need to enhance the success we’ve already built on and we can extend that to sailboat races and other events. This ensures we keep events here.”

Moretti, who employs ten to 12 professionals in the Middle Keys, is focused on creating new events for families around the world to come and enjoy, if the blueprints becomes a reality and he is given a piece of the land to build a state-of-the-art Key West Turtle Museum.

“All we need is oceanfront property. Ideally, we’d like to have 15,000 to 20,000 square feet between the Eco-Discovery Center and Fort Zacahary Taylor, connecting the beach to the facility. The last time I came with a turtle for a Mote Marine event at the Annex I saw over 1,000 people in one day! We can be more effective if we build something from scratch. Locals love it, visitors love it. People are interested in the environment. We can see more people, educate more people, help more turtles, and do more research. With a cruise ship dock on the other side of the park, we will see a lot more people.”

The funding of the Key West Turtle Hospital is not as much of a concern as the other components of the property; according to Moretti, the hospital will be funded by the federal, state, and county government. He has already been given assurances he will obtain the necessary dollars. Wheeler, who supports the project as a whole, has not supported the original plans to finance the Harry S. Truman Presidential Park with bond money. He has approached Spottswood about applying for capital projects funding. For planning, approval, and construction the timeline on the project is two to three years.

July 4, 2010 - Florida Keys - John Bartus: HEARTBREAKERS FIND THEIR MOJO Petty & Co. deliver timeless, classic album | Weekly Columns | Keys Disease | Courtesy of The Weekly Newspapers |  Remember albums? Those classic discs that contained the newest collections of songs from your favorite artists… you’d grab a bottle of wine and sit for a while to experience the work in its entirety (something that is totally lost on the MP3 generation). Well, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers have delivered us a real album, classic and timeless, and its name is Mojo. 

Mojo kicks off with “Jefferson Jericho Blues,” a rolling jaunt over Highway 61 with the car radio tuned to a blues station out of Chicago. Thomas Jefferson and his mistress Sally are along for the ride. Scott Thurston’s blues harp blends perfectly with Mike Campbell’s and Petty’s guitars; in fact, Thurston’s harp and Campbell’s lead guitar have never sounded better. 

Campbell channels some Hendrix (and a touch of Robby Krieger) on “First Flash of Freedom,” a spacey ride through lyrical gems like, “A fistful of glory, a suitcase of sin/The language you dream in when you count to ten/You go to the edge but you always give in….” Punctuated by Benmont Tench’s Hammond B3 work and some tasty harmony guitar solos, “Flash” invites you to just sit back and enjoy the nearly seven-minute trip. 

“Running Man’s Bible” is not so much a celebration but rather an acknowledgement of lasting through hard times while still maintaining some sense of self and morality, although survival is the ever-overriding concern. Campbell and Tench shine again. 

Seat belts aren’t necessary because time slows way down on “The Trip to Pirate’s Cove.” 

Imagine being a passenger in a car traveling five miles per hour, even as the world outside goes by at light speed. Such is the feeling one gets from the way the vocal echoes in the music slow down the lyrical imagery of a strange trip where “She was a part of my heart, but now she’s just a line on my face.” This is a classic Tom Petty story song. 

“I Should Have Known It” kicks off Mojo’s impressive middle section with a blast of guitars and drums that would have been right at home on Led Zeppelin IV. “Thanks for nothin’/Yeah, thanks a lot/Go ahead, baby/Take all I got,” Petty sneers at the person who done him wrong, resolving, “That’s the last time you’re gonna hurt me.” This is one of my favorites, and it just rocks. 

Blues with a decidedly southern touch comes in the form of “U.S. 41,” a song that one can easily imagine being played on the front porch of a tin-roofed shack somewhere in northern Florida. The old-time feel is enhanced by the effect on Tom’s voice that makes him sound as if he’s being played on an old 78 RPM disc on a Gramophone. 

Robert Cray-style R&B-influenced blues rock is the style of the message song “High in the Morning,” the lyrical successor to The Last DJ’s “When a Kid Goes Bad.” Mike Campbell’s stinging licks punctuate the point that Petty is driving home. 

“Something Good Coming” is another of my favorites on an album of standout songs, a slow-picked guitar number that again features Campbell’s understated yet elegant slide guitar. The song’s message offers up a ray of hope during troubled times, and I know a lot of listeners will relate. 

Many reviewers have already made comparisons of “Good Enough” to Abbey Road-era Beatles. It’s a compliment, as this is one of the best songs the Heartbreakers have ever recorded, certain to be a standout in the band’s recorded legacy. The song’s slow blues explodes with some of the best guitar work Mike Campbell has ever committed to tape (well, disc). “Gods bless this land, God bless this whisky/I can’t trust love, it’s far too risky,” is a great line in an album full of the best lyrics that Petty may have ever written.  

Recorded live in the band’s rehearsal space, Mojo is perhaps the Heartbreakers’ masterwork as a band. Petty’s singing has never sounded better. After 34 years together for the four original members: Petty, Campbell, Tench, and bassist Ron Blair (plus 20 years for Scott Thurston and 15 for drummer Steve Ferrone), this band is firing on all cylinders and has most certainly found its own mojo. Currently on tour (and hopefully continuing to play as many Mojo songs as possible), Petty and the band continue to create and perform at the top of their game. Let’s hope that the Heartbreakers have a few more albums in them, because it sounds like they’re really just cranking into high gear.

* * * * * 

Congratulations are in order to my alma mater, the University of South Carolina. My old school’s baseball team won the College World Series this past week and are the NCAA National Champions. Go Cocks! 

- 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, John plays this Friday (tonight) at Dockside, and Saturday at the Key Colony Inn. Sunday (July 4^th) John plays with Storm Watch at Sombrero Beach. Wednesday finds John at Cabana Breezes, and Thursday, John plays at Sparky’s Landing. www.johnbartus.com

July 9, 2010 - Marathon - L. E. Shaffer: Owner's Prerogative. Since before I declared my candidacy for Marathon City Council, Editor Marilyn Tempest has been in total control over content. There are a few rare times that the owner may take his prerogative to report very sad news notwithstanding any of Dick Ramsay's unfounded complaints.

About the same time in 1997, a very famous cat named Kitty had a stroke and died quickly and painlessly. I was away on business. I was devastated to lose her, as all of my extended family and quite amazingly thousands of Internet admirers and fans. I've been told that it was one of the largest responses to a pet, albeit famous, passing. A few newspapers carried the sad news. She was real to people because I took seriously translating here meows, tail wags, and facial expressions.

"Kitty Talk" was a monthly article from the cats to their worldwide fans. Those fans were saddened with Kitty's passing, but then there was Ebony and later Abby who took over and made "Kitty Talk" even more popular. Ebony stood out as a cat with more personality than all the Marathon City Council candidates put together even including me. Today at 6:45 PM Ebony's kidneys failed and chances of survival were slim. Marathon Veterinary Hospital Dr. Gerry and I made the decision to let her go. I didn't want to let her go. Ebony and I were together since she was four weeks old until today. You cannot understand how devastating this is for me and many others who knew her.

In Ebony's honor "Kitty Talk" that was on hiatus will return with Abby and a new cat member sometime soon. I've been told many times that "Kitty Talk" should come back regardless how important the Journal's local political coverage seemed to me and others. Ebony would want that. No one was a stranger to her. And amazingly there are thousands out there who know her intimately from "Kitty Talk".

So then it is my sad responsibility to report Ebony's sudden passing. I remember the last Ebony thing she did the night before. If you bent over and your back was flat, she loved to get on your back. Don't know why, doesn't matter. She had that unique way of making you feel good about yourself.

I know what comes next because I have been through it before. Thousands of emails, calls, texts, and so on will pile into the Journal. Some newspapers will write of her passing. Yes, for a cat, a pet, but famous nonetheless. I still see her in all her old familiar places. This seems at times too much to bear, but the living must go on. I know the difference and importance between animal and human, yet our animal friends have earned our respect and grief at their passing. Goodbye, Ebony...

She was just a cat born May 6, 1996, died July 8, 2010.

July 9, 2010 - USA - Marilyn Tempest: STOP THE BLEEDING, Editor's Notes.During our lives, we all grapple with disasters of one type or another. I personally use the following disaster mitigation model, which was taught to me by my parents.  It takes a bit of discipline, especially when you are surrounded by chaos and raw emotion.

      “When involved in a train wreck, first STOP the bleeding, then ASSESS and REPAIR the damage.”

Although these 3 steps overlap somewhat, they are executed separately.  Blame is not a factor until after the situation is under control. It’s a distraction, and does nothing to resolve  the problem.   Blame is dealt with later, when cooler heads prevail, and lessons may be learned.

Our country has her share of disasters these days. I hardly know which one to write about.  So maybe I’ll just take on a few of the really big ones: illegal immigration, the oil spill, and the growing national debt.   Everyone agrees these are gorillas, but that seems to be all we agree on.

Illegal immigration is not just an Arizona problem.   It resonates  around the country.  Reduced to simplest terms, we should close the borders;  identify the categories of illegals who remain inside the country; and then define criteria for paths to citizenship, various visas, and deportation. We have military and National Guard assets to bring to the task. There was a serious bi-partisan effort to do this during the Bush administration, but it failed.   There is an attempt to resuscitate similar legislation, and maybe, if it survives election rhetoric, we will get serious about this very serious problem.  Meanwhile, Arizona is being sued for trying to enforce laws already on the books-- our tax dollars at work.  

The oil spill is a disaster of epic proportions, and there does seem to be agreement that we have to put a cork in it. We thought BP knew how to go about it, but they did not. Apparently BP gave little thought to disaster response in their quest for profit.  This has not been bureaucracy’s finest hour either, as we are allowing agencies to strangle rapid emergency measures by denying permits, foreign vessels, barges, berm building, etc.  Have you ever dealt with DEP, Army Corps and permits?  Need I say more?  We have not been successful  plugging the well or containing the spill.  Could we have done better?   Yes.

 We have a cleanup effort going, but it seems disorganized and frustrating.  We had to do something, but when this crisis is over, we will have wasted a lot of time and resources.   One example of waste is the moratorium on deep water drilling.  This is a case of assessing blame too soon.   It has added oil workers to the ranks of the unemployed along with commercial fisherman.  The courts have supported the oil workers, but delayed permits and hastily drafted regulations are closing some of the offshore rigs.  Is this helping the situation?  What is our government thinking? 

On to the phenomenal national debt, which threatens to reduce our standard of living now and for generations to come.   I cannot see that additional spending will lead to financial health.   Businesses and ordinary citizens have had to severely reduce expenses, and government has to do it also.  We all know  this, but governments do not have the “fortitude” to make it happen. Stop borrowing money; then balance the budget; then repair  the high debt damage we have incurred. In this election year, I hope a few candidates well espouse that creed and mean it.  I will vote for them.

Where is the sense of urgency on all these issues?  When did we give up our ability  as states and cities to take action when our livelihoods were threatened?   When did we allow central government to veto  emergency measures for political reasons?  Our ship of state is running aground.   We are pursuing a dangerous course.  This is not about democrats,  republicans, the left or the right.  We are going the way of all great civilizations that fall under their own weight.  Can we reverse it?  Probably not, but we can slow it down and remain the envy of the world for another century or two.  All we need to do is step back from our entitlement mentality, and start preaching the gospel of personal responsibility again.  It will take two generations.  We should start now.    MT     

July 10, 2010 Florida Keys - John Bartus: Remember the Magic Bullet? | Weekly Columns | Keys Disease | Courtesy of The Weekly Newspapers | It was one of the crucial pieces of evidence the Warren Commission used to support the single gunman theory in the Kennedy assassination. The story went like this: “A three-centimeter-long copper-jacketed lead-core 6.5- millimeter rifle bullet fired from the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository passed through President Kennedy’s neck and Texas Governor John Connally’s chest and wrist and embedded itself in the Governor’s thigh. If so, this bullet traversed 15 layers of clothing, 7 layers of skin, and approximately 15 inches of tissue, struck a necktie knot, removed 4 inches of rib, and shattered a radius bone.” (From Wikipedia.) This bullet, in rather pristine condition, was “found” on a gurney in Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas and was used as evidence for the single “magic” bullet theory advanced by Warren Commission staffer (and later, Pennsylvania Senator) Arlen Specter. (He wasn’t really a ballistics expert, but he did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.)

So, why do I bring this up? It’s because our good friends at NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, have managed to shoot their own Magic Bullet. They released a trajectory model and report about the Deepwater Horizon oil spill that stated there was a 61-80% chance that the Keys would be impacted in the coming weeks by “tarballs” or “streamers.” Unfortunately, they didn’t take into account the current conditions in the Gulf of Mexico that are all working to keep the oil away from us. Still, the damage has been done. NOAA has shot a Magic Bullet all right – shot themselves in the foot, while managing to hit our fragile economy right in the heart, all with the same shot.

NOAA’s trajectory model and report, even though based upon flawed and incomplete data, received national attention. It’s of no matter to media outlets that the nearest oil to the Keys is 450 miles away and not heading in this direction – and it’s of no matter to them if they try again to ruin our local economy. We all know how much effort it would take for a media outlet to admit it reported incorrect information and try to rectify its mistake.

Meanwhile, potential Keys visitors now have yet another reason to postpone making their travel plans. Poor Andy Newman, Monroe County’s PR consultant, has had his hands full trying to contain the damage. It’s just one more instance of how the Keys have suffered an incredible amount of bad press from a disaster that hasn’t impacted us at all, except economically.

NOAA’s latest monumental blunder is just one more example of how the federal government, in cooperation with BP, have so screwed up the initial incident and its continuing aftermath. In addition to still not having capped the gusher, skimmers that could have sucked up thousands of barrels from the Gulf are still not being used. BP and the federal government are complicit in their continuing media blackout, preventing disturbing images of oil-soaked sea life and contaminated shorelines from being seen.

This isn’t just conspiratorial rumor- mongering. Newsweek magazine and CNN’s Anderson Cooper have been leading the reporting of media restrictions. The Coast Guard has kept media away from contaminated areas, including a trip by Jean-Michel Cousteau to the barrier islands of Louisiana. Charter fishing captains in the affected areas are being told by BP not to talk to reporters. In May, a CBS News crew was threatened with arrest for attempting to film an oil-covered beach (the CBS video of this has since been deleted from YouTube and can’t be found on the CBS News website). Private aircraft are restricted from flying over areas of the Gulf and shorelines impacted by the oil. BP, the Coast Guard, and local officials are working in concert to keep reporters from seeing or photographing affected areas and dead marine animals. A person with family members working in the area told me that dead animal carcasses are being rounded up by BP and burned so as to avoid image-damaging photos like the ones that came from the Exxon Valdez incident.

On July 1, Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen announced that there is now a restricted “safety zone” that prevents civilians from being within 65 feet of oil spill response efforts. Right now, the restricted area only covers Southeast Louisiana, but the Coast Guard said it will probably be extended into Mississippi, Alabama and – you guessed it – Florida within a few days.

It would be great if the time, money, and effort spent in damage control were actually being used to control the real damage to the Gulf and its shorelines. It would also be great if the government didn’t have its head so far up BP’s posterior and weren’t so complicit in the ongoing cover-up. It would be great if the government would actually do its job and actually clean up the mess that they helped allow to happen. It would be great if the media were actually allowed to report on the real damage that is being done. And it would really be great if the media didn’t report misleading oil spill trajectories based upon false data disseminated by government officials… but who needs a healthy local economy, anyway?

 - 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, John plays this Friday (tonight) at Dockside, and Saturday at the Key Colony Inn. Wednesday finds John at Cabana Breezes, and Thursday, he plays at Sparky’s Landing. www.johnbartus.com

July 16, 2010 - Marathon - Blair Shiver. Shiver Report: Council Continues to Address Derelict Properties. | Courtesy of The Weekly Newspapers & Blair Shiver. | An abandoned trailer on Louisa Street, in close proximity to Grace Jones Daycare Center, came across the city council’s radar Tuesday morning amidst discussions regarding the growing number of derelict properties that dot the Marathon landscape.
 
Vice Mayor Mike Cinque, after hearing Fire Chief William Wagner III explain that local fire rescue crews had used the derelict structure for training exercises, quickly cautioned against the liability for the city.
 
“I can’t believe our own crews did that and left it in such a state,” Cinque reprimanded. “We need to get that taken care of.”
 
Before the conclusion of Tuesday morning’s agenda workshop, two fire rescue vehicles were on site to tape off the structure and restrict access until a council vote could be taken later in the evening to waive normal policy and raze the trailer as soon as possible.
 
The motion came on the heels of continuing discussions about blighted properties along U.S. 1. Eyesores like the former Quay, Longhorn Lodge, and Handley properties have seen little activity in as many years, and the chain link fences that surround them do little for the council and its committee’s efforts to address beautification concerns.
 
George Garrett said he’d been in contact with iStar Financial, the institution that controls funding for the Key Colony Bay Development project adjacent to the Holiday Inn Express on the eastern end of Marathon. iStar, according to Garrett, is currently in the process of obtaining the property through receivership within the court system.
 
“It is clear from my conversations with Mr. Michael Dorsch at iStar Financial that iStar Financial intends to provide sound stewardship for the property in the eyes of the community,” Garrett’s memo to the council stated. “The grounds are not currently in great shape, but weeds from along the front fences have been removed and the Peebles Corporation banner signs have been removed from the front fencing on U.S. Highway 1.”
 
His memo continued that as vagrants may have recently begun inhabiting the property, possibly deteriorating internal conditions would be addressed in August when iStar will be appointed a receiver for the property.
 
Temporary, chain-link fences around both the Quay and Longhorn Lodge (Serenity Cove) properties are currently under investigation by city staff. Garrett reported that concerning the Quay, Planning Department staff plans to contact the owner of the property to request either removal of the existing fence or improvement so it meets standards established by the city’s Land Development Regulations.
 
The owner of the Longhorn Lodge (Serenity Cove) property on the northeast side of Vaca Cut, Garrett explained, has discussed re-initiating its Serenity Cove redevelopment project.
 
Regarding the run-down building at 1470 Overseas Hwy. also known as the Handley’s property, building official Ron Wampler reported to the council that a notice will be issued to the through the Unsafe Structures Board at the end of this month.
 
Councilman Pete Worthington requested the Aloha Motel and Trailer Park adjacent to the Sea Grape and The Wooden Spoon also be added to the list of properties that should be examined and addressed through the code and building departments.
 
In other business:
• Emergency Management Director Lisa Watson reported to council that the city coordinated an oil cleanup response training on July 9. The training, City Manager Roger Hernstadt reported, has been funded to date by BP, so the city has not yet used reserve funds to cover that cost as was initially proposed. To date, Watson said 36 people in Marathon are properly trained for oil cleanup response, 20 are on the list for the next class, and 16 more are in process. If anyone would like to become a member of the City of Marathon's Volunteer Clean-Up Force, please contact Capt. Watson at (305) 743-5266 or email watsonl@ci.marathon.fl.us.

• Luis Gonzalez reported to the council on the Parks and Recreation committee’s latest meetings and events. Gonzalez pledged on behalf of the committee that they planned to become more involved with the bi-weekly meetings. One of the committee’s goals, he pledged, is to try to expand the number of events at the Community Park’s amphitheater for both residents and visitors.
 
“We’re discussing some ideas with a gentleman on the mainland who coordinates such events and hope to have some good ideas in the future,” he told the council.
 
Gonzalez mentioned the committee’s discussion of a digital marquee on U.S. 1 in front of the Community Park to help keep everyone aware of daily activities.

• Council invited residents of Grassy Key to attend a community meeting on Wednesday, July 21 at the Marathon Fire Station to view the Area 7 wastewater plan before construction begins.
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July 18, 2010 - Marathon - Marilyn Tempest. Editor's Notes: WASTEWATER REDUX. Marathon has its own little disaster of sorts, ongoing for 3 long years. We have loads of debris, heavy equipment, dirt piles, trenches, odors, and dust in our homes and lungs. Will we ever have clean air and paved roads again?  At the 7/13 City Council meeting, we heard glowing updates on the Marathon Wastewater Project.  The city reported that areas 4  and 6 are complete, and all areas are on track.  We are below budget and on schedule.  This is very good news, and I sincerely hope for a full recovery someday.

From the onset, the city’s communication to Marathon residents has been outstanding, and the web site  informative. That effort is appreciated, given the degree of difficulty of the task. However, a project this size encounters bumps in the road (no pun intended), and the established algorithms and policies have not handled all situations. Communication from residents to city regarding peripheral issues has not been so easy. The typical response has been to treat requests for change or mitigation as disruptions from the task at hand.  It took angry citizens speaking out at council meetings to get attention. The city finally dealt with the laundromat issue at the 11^th hour, but failed to handle the Keys RV issue, which is headed for costly litigation. Stuff still happens everyday. Consider the following:

Marathon property owners who are not on the wastewater system yet, are denied a new pool by DOH unless an interim aerobic system is installed. Of course, when they do hook up, the interim system must be dismantled.  This is happening while every owner in Marathon, connected or not, is paying for the wastewater system.  Local pool companies desperately need the business, but their hands are tied. After several pleas for help covering a year or more, the city met with DOH.  Aha! There is a variance application for property owners. But there is no guarantee that such applications will be approved.  We will track that first request. The city should track it too.

This next issue just popped up.  I am not sure what caused it, but it certainly had one condo group and their contractor scratching their heads. This condo is in area 4, and was doing their hookup. All was fine until they sought the DEP signoff.  A letter from the city, dated July 13, 2010, arrived saying that  a signed maintenance contract for certain equipment was required prior to hooking up. This was unexpected, and in direct opposition to the  city’s expressed intent to talk about equipment maintenance for condos in the fall when more owners were here. The condo contacted the city and was told that a maintenance agreement was a good thing, but not required at this time. Huh?? 

And about the cost: I received our new bill from FKAA.  I compared it to the model on the city website, and it matched up. FKAA has split the base facility charge into two pieces, but it added up to the $35.97 I expected to see. I thought the flow charge would be similar to the water usage charge.  It was not. The wastewater flow charge was 48% higher than my water usage charge.  I take that to mean that the disposal of the water costs half again the amount it takes to deliver this water to my house.  The total water plus sewer bill increased by 130%.  I asked about this, and was told that the average residence uses 4000 gallons per month and charges were extrapolated from that.  The conservative user such as myself at 2000 gallons per month, will pay somewhat more. So saving water is not necessarily the financial boon it used to be for us.  Don’t you love it when that happens? Nothing can be done, I guess. But incentives to save on wastewater flow costs might be a future goal.

 Marathon was smart to move aggressively forward with wastewater treatment, and take advantage of grants and inexpensive financing. However, the city tends not to listen when the rules need to stretch to accommodate the best interests of Marathon’s businesses and residents. We still have a long way to go, and lots more anomalies will appear.   I would like to think new problems will be handled in a less adversarial way from here on in. We are all in this together, after all.

MT   

July 17, 2010 - Florida Keys - John Bartus: Key Concepts. | Weekly Columns | Keys Disease | Courtesy of The Weekly Newspapers | Life in the Fabulous Florida Keys – there are certain things we take for granted here that just aren’t available anywhere else on the planet. So as we continue to enjoy the sun and fun of summertime surrounded by our pristine and unaffected-by-the-oil-spill-waters (Hear that, BP, NOAA, and the American Media?!?), let’s all pause a minute or two and reflect on why we came here, either as a visitor or a resident (or somewhere in between).
 
As the Weekly’s resident curmudgeon, I’m not much of a “count your blessings” kind of guy. But even a jaded character like myself can now and again look around and see all the good stuff we have. Here’s a short list of some of my favorite Keys things… because in the words of Mike Puto, “Ya gotta love it!”
 
1) Playing music. Yeah, I know, I do this as a job. And I know that it’s not necessarily a Keys thing. But it’s not just a job – playing music is my passion, my life, my raison d'etre. For those who don’t play, I couldn’t even begin to explain what it means to be able to pick up an instrument, sing, and create music out of thin air. Writers with far more talent than I will ever possess have struggled with written descriptions of the essence and importance of music. Here are a few of their thoughts on the subject:
 
“After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music.” – Aldous Huxley
 
“Without music life would be a mistake.” – Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche
 
“Music can change the world because it can change people.” – Bono
 
“If I were to begin life again, I would devote it to music. It is the only cheap and unpunished rapture upon earth.” – Sydney Smith
 
“It is cruel, you know, that music should be so beautiful. It has the beauty of loneliness, of pain: of strength and freedom. The beauty of disappointment and never-satisfied love. The cruel beauty of nature and everlasting beauty of monotony.” – Benjamin Britten
 
“Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.” – Victor Hugo
 
“Writing about music is like dancing about architecture.” – Elvis Costello or Laurie Anderson
 
2) Playing music here. Yeah, I know – it can be quite a sweaty proposition hauling around all the equipment needed to put on a performance this time of year (and reinforces just how much a musician needs a fan). But there is a real upside. The places I play are some of the coolest (in a hip island sense) joints around. Sparky’s Landing, Cabana Breezes, Dockside, and the Sunset Grille are all awesome waterfront locations where I get to perform music harborside or seaside. The views are incredible, the people great, and each location has a well-stocked bar to help us all avoid the perils of dehydration. Alternatively, the Key Colony Inn offers me an indoor respite from summer’s warmth, plus a chance to play my piano material that I don’t get to play in other places. To be able to make my living performing music in a tropical island setting like this is truly a wonderful thing.
           
3) Palm trees and shorelines. Ever since I was a kid growing up in Florida, I’ve loved the fact that we lived close enough to the tropics to have palm trees. At latitudes as southern as ours, we are blessed with the more tropical vegetation like coconut palms.
 
 Nothing says “tropical” as much as these tall graceful trees. Throw in the full spectrum of additional tropical attractions like orchids and banyan trees, and our islands are resplendent with greenery suitable to an island paradise.
 
Put those palm trees on a beach, and we’ve exponentially increased our Island Paradise quotient. Waves lapping on shore… sea breezes blowing through the palms… a sunset and a cool tropical beverage… we don’t have to go far to experience these things. We live here (or are plotting how we one day will). Of course, a shoreline means water, and water means things like boating, fishing, diving, snorkeling… you know, ya really do gotta love it!

* * * * *

Break out the holly and mistletoe – Christmas is once again upon us! Friday, July 23 is Christmas in July at the Brass Monkey, and I’ll be there as your MC along with Freddie Bye and the band, and the usual cast of Monkey characters, to celebrate the holidays. Ho ho ho.
 
- 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, John plays this Friday (tonight) at Dockside with Storm Watch, and Saturday at the Key Colony Inn. Monday, John is at the Sunset Grille, Wednesday finds John at Cabana Breezes, and Thursday, he plays at Sparky’s Landing. www.johnbartus.com.

July 15, 2010 - California - Linda Hall: 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 hypocalcaemia 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 hypocalcaemia 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 hypocalcaemia 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 hypocalcaemia (7.2 cases per month in the country). It did not. Two years later, in 1959, the incidence of infantile hypocalcaemia 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 hypocalcaemia 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.”

July 23, 2010 - Monroe County - Alex Cruz: Ileana Ros-Lehtinen PRESS RELEASE For more information: July 23, 2010 Alex Cruz, Communications Director Office 305-668-5994 or 202-225-3931 Cellular 202-225-8200 or 202-225-4630

Monroe County, Florida - Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a senior member of the Florida Congressional Delegation, issued the following statement upon learning that Monroe County is now eligible for SBA disaster loans.

Statement from Ros-Lehtinen:

"This decision is the correct one by the SBA as the economy of the Florida Keys is dependent on commercial and recreational fishermen, tourism and related businesses. The perception that oil has washed up on Keys beaches has caused much economic harm to area businesses. Many businesses, local leaders, community activists and I have been lobbying for this designation as we have seen firsthand the litany of cancellations from tourists who wrongly believe that oil has affected the beautiful marine areas of the Florida Keys. Also, BP must continue to streamline its claims process and efficiently expedite all legitimate claims. There should be no reason whatsoever to deny these claims."

Ros-Lehtinen had sent several letters to Florida Governor Charlie Crist asking him to request that the US Small Business Administration (SBA) declare the Florida Keys as a disaster area. This would allow affected businesses to file claims for the economic losses they have incurred as a result of the Gulf oil spill.

For more information on how affected businesses can apply for these loans, please visit www.FloridaSBDC.org  or www.sba.gov/

July 24, 2010 - Marathon - Marilyn Tempest Editor's Notes: Tale of Two Cities. Two wrongs don’t make a right. We just got to witness the results of an inter-local negotiation gone bad. Marathon lost half a million in revenue for Fire and EMT, which will sting their budget process, and Key Colony Beach (KCB) signed on with the County for more expensive service, which will test their budget way sooner than they think. Both municipal governments looked unprofessional. It boils down to a matter of trust. The trust is broken and it will take time to build it again.

In days gone by, there were friendly negotiations around a table. The KCB mayor quibbled, the Marathon Council members groaned. There were some back and forth comments, and although a couple Marathon council members felt the city was leaving $$$ on the table, the majority believed shared services were a benefit for all of us. A reasonable contract amount was agreed upon and the tone was cordial. The process was based on property values, and that worked well while property values were level or rising. When property values went south, and costs of fire personnel and equipment soared, this year’s contract renewal became a challenge. Marathon got off on the wrong foot by offering a new contract that was 60% higher than last year’s. Whose idea was that? In my opinion, you just don’t do that to your neighbors. Trust was gone in a nanosecond, and was replaced with anger and bitterness. Subsequent negotiations produced a 17% hike for a five year contract guaranteed at that price. This achieved an accord with Mayor Sutton of KCB, but the populace had been aroused, and would have none of it.

Emotions carried the day. Now we have the worst of both worlds. Marathon will reduce its budget and personnel to accommodate the loss of revenue, and KCB will pay county rates for a lower level of service, and adjust its budget upward to handle it. Life will go on, and services will be provided. Cooler heads will review this a few years down the road, and wonder how on earth politicos from Marathon and Key Colony Beach managed to make such poor financial decisions on behalf of their citizens. C’est la vie.

MT

July 25, 2010 - Florida Keys - John Bartus: Off-Island Preoccupations. | Weekly Columns | Keys Disease | Courtesy of The Weekly Newspapers | Life in the Fabulous Florida Keys – it can certainly foster an island mentality among its residents. Sometimes that’s a bad thing, like when idiot regimes and dictators in faraway places like Iran and North Korea threaten the rest of the world with their abject (but heavily armed) stupidity while we sip cocktails carefree by the shore (wait – maybe that’s not a bad thing). There is, however, a lot that happens off the islands that, while seemingly full of sound and fury, signifies nothing. And that’s where we’re going today!

Screaming headline: Linsday Lohan in Jail! Really, now: who gives a tinker’s dam? And just what is a tinker’s dam? (From the 1877 text Practical Dictionary of Mechanics: “…a wall of dough raised around a place which a plumber desires to flood with a coat of solder. The material can be but once used; being consequently thrown away as worthless.”) Now we know. Perhaps any more news about this spoiled Hollywood drunken druggie who even attorney Robert Shapiro won’t represent should be “consequently thrown away as worthless.”

Speaking of worthless, Mel Gibson is back in the news. When you’re famous, it’s probably not a good idea to be a violent racist anti-Semitic cheating woman-batterer. If he only had alcohol or some substance to blame for the fact that he never could forgive the Jews for killing Jesus… and we all know just how Christ-like Mel Gibson is. Please, someone send him back Down Under, never to be heard from again.

Moving from the pathetically worthless to the incredibly curious: what in the world would possess legendary football coach and commentator Jimmy Johnson to leave the comfort and safety of his Florida Keys home and become a contestant on reality show Survivor in Nicaragua? It’s rumored that Johnson is a big Survivor fan, and that he’s been trying to make the cast for a couple of years. I like The Amazing Race, but it doesn’t mean that I want to rappel down the side of a skyscraper in Singapore and then jet to Beijing just to eat fried scorpions on the street.

Miami Herald columnist Glenn Garvin puts it simply: “I’m betting on Nicaragua.” Garvin continues to offer his insights on the Central American nation from his own personal experience: “I've been writing about Nicaragua for a quarter of a century, and I can tell you it's no country for old men, or young men, or men with all their marbles. It has wars and volcanoes and hurricanes. It has vampire bats, for heaven's sake, not to mention loathsome little microorganisms that would make you throw up if I even told you about them, much less if they got into your gastrointestinal tract. When the first Spanish conquistadores arrived 500 years ago, they nervously sent word home that they had discovered the very mouth of Hell.”

It doesn’t really sound like a friendly place… but then Survivor: Paradise Island doesn’t sound too challenging. (“This week, our contestants will try to find reasonably priced tropical drinks on the beach and then battle it out at the blackjack tables for immunity.”) Still, I hope our readers join with me in wishing Jimmy all the best in Nicaragua – good luck, Godspeed, and come home in one piece.

At least in the celebrity world, forgiveness and reconciliation are in the air. Sandra Bullock and Jesse James may again be an item, and Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston are engaged to be married.

If you said, “Who?” about any of these people, you have my envy and respect.

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Break out the holly and mistletoe – Christmas is tonight! Tonight, Friday, July 23 is Christmas in July at the Brass Monkey, the biggest party of the year! I’ll be there as your MC along with Freddie Bye and the band, and the usual cast of Monkey characters, to celebrate the holidays. If you’re reading this after Friday the 23rd, and you’re disappointed because you missed the biggest party of the year, worry not! The other biggest party of the year is New Year’s in July, Friday July 30 at the Brass Monkey! Happy Holidays!

- 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, John plays this Friday (tonight) at Dockside with Storm Watch, and Saturday at the Key Colony Inn. Monday, John is at the Sunset Grille, Wednesday finds John at Cabana Breezes, and Thursday, he plays at Sparky’s Landing. www.johnbartus.com.

July 28, 2010 - Marathon - Max Sears: Another MaxArt Masterpiece. He is a regular contributor to the Journal. His photography speaks for itself. Max explains, "The winter sunsets and sunrises are best but this Summer Sunset over the Atlantic is right up there!" File size and quality have been reduced to fit the Journal's format. Please enjoy.
 

USCG Hudson replacing a channel marker in Boot Key Harbor. The Hudson was in the anchored in the harbor for 2 nights.

Max Sears

July 29, 2010 - Marathon - Blair Shiver: Ramsay Wants More User-Friendly Council. | Courtesy of The Weekly Newspapers & Blair Shiver. | While lobster mini-season hunters gathered their gear and fishing licenses at local tackle shops, Councilman Dick Ramsay voiced his concerns over the council’s inability to respond to citizens’ comments during council meetings.

“We had a citizen at the July 13 meeting come up to make comments, and I was chomping at the bit to respond,” Ramsay noted, “but then I learned it was the council’s policy not to respond.”

City Clerk Diane Clavier then read Ramsay’s proposed changes to the wording on the council’s agenda section that allows citizens to approach the council during meetings and voice their concerns over current issues.

His suggestion included that “As these comments are not advertised in advance, the Council cannot participate in discussions regarding your comments during the meeting; but we assure you that you are being heard and that appropriate consideration and follow-up will be given.”

Councilman Pete Worthington initially supported Ramsay’s proposal, adding, “It’s been our policy for the last four years that we don’t comment, but I think as elected officials, we should be able to respond to comments. There’ve been many times I’ve been up here listening to people speaking about information that may not be accurate, and we can’t correct them on it.”

Worthington added that he felt people who came to speak before the council might feel slighted by not getting an immediate response to their concerns.

Councilman Rich Keating cautioned against the suggestion, and Vice Mayor Mike Cinque concurred.

“I think people know we bend over backwards to work for the citizens of Marathon,” Cinque suggested. “It can get kind of dicey if an item comes up in the middle of the meeting about which we don’t know ahead of time.”

Ramsay responded that his suggestion stemmed from a council meeting in 2008 during which discussion over a topic on the floor led to the circulation of misinformation.

“It turned into a little bit of a mess,” Ramsay remembered.

Mayor Ginger Snead said she was running for office during the aforementioned meeting, and it did indeed turn into a debate.

“We start looking at our staff, and that puts them in a bad situation when they don’t have the correct information,” she suggested. “Emotions start running high, and when that happens, things we shouldn’t say, get said.”

In other news:

• Ramsay invited John November of the grassroots Citizens, Not Serfs organization to speak regarding the city’s current 37-foot height restriction for buildings.

“I brought this up as a conversation item to get a feel from the council and see if this has support,” Ramsay said. “Personally, I’m against high rises. I think the 37-foot height limit is good for the Florida Keys.”

November went on to enumerate several points in the city’s current Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Regulations that could permit for ambiguity in interpretation with future councils.

“You have an opportunity now to make them clear and more consistent,” he suggested. “I believe you should move forward now to fortify your position.”

Local real estate agent Karen Wilkinson adamantly opposed the suggestion.

“We’ve been incorporated for almost 11 years, and our LDRs are working just fine,” she said firmly, referring to the city’s finance manager Peter Rosasco’s proposed hotel plans that included construction above the established height limit.

“Somebody up here tried to build beyond the height limit,” Wilkinson said waving to city staff seated beside her, “and the town broke wide open!”

Worthington suggested that since the 37-foot height restriction is already in the Comp Plan and LDRs, that the possibility of a future council changing that would be highly unlikely.

Attorney John Herin reiterated that the process of amending the Comp Plan is a lengthy one and would require at least three public hearings. He estimated at least a six-month time line and added changes of that nature could only be made twice a year.

• Ramsay alerted the council of a meeting to be held on Tuesday, August 24 regarding the possible extension of the Marathon Airport runway. As the council’s airport relations liaison, Ramsay said he received a letter from engineers inviting him to attend the meeting that will be open for the public to discuss extending the runway 40 feet to the north.

Though he’d posed several questions to the engineers about the topics to be discussed at the meeting, specifically the noise issue and modification of the existing tree line between the runway and Aviation Boulevard, Ramsay said he had yet to receive a satisfactory response.

Worthington asked City Manager Roger Hernstadt to formally draft a letter to the appropriate airport entities on the council’s behalf, and he gladly obliged.

“Tersely worded letters are my specialty!” Hernstadt affirmed.

• In light of recent concerns with the Overseas Heritage Trail improvements, Ramsay proposed the council volunteer a liaison to the Florida Department of Environmental Protections, the state agency currently overseeing the improvements. Keating volunteered to serve in the position.

July 30, 2010 - Florida Keys - John Bartus: Keys Disease - The King (of the Undersea Jungle) is Dead? Tasty, Too!  | Weekly Columns | Keys Disease | Courtesy of The Weekly Newspapers | As we sit and bask in the afterglow of another lobster mini-season, that special time between it and the opening of regular lobster season, let’s pause for a moment and reflect on all the crawling crustaceans who gave up their lives so that we might have something tasty to dip in drawn butter. Okay. Let’s also hope that the resource was respected (one can always hope) and that things are returning to some semblance of normalcy (well, as normal as one can get in the Keys).

While we’re on the subject of diving, there are a few critical updates some of our visitors may not yet have heard. Perhaps the most critical update involves the dangerous, scary, venomous, and certainly non-native lionfish. (Cue horror music and bloodcurdling scream.) While not from around these parts, the lionfish have adapted quite well to their Keys reef surroundings, and are literally feasting on everything from our colorful tropical fish to juvenile lobster to, well, anything that will fit in its mouth. For those unfamiliar with the lionfish’s appearance, they’re not ugly – they’re a smallish striped fish with long flowing finger-like fins that make them attractive to aquarium keepers. At the end of those long finger-fins are venomous barbs that make the lionfish one of the untouchables of the undersea world. They have no local predators; not even the jewfish (okay, goliath grouper) will touch them. Even more scary, they reproduce faster than rabbits or feral cats, and have taken over other reefs in the Atlantic and Caribbean. It won’t be long before we’re totally overrun and the lionfish evolves lungs and starts stalking land-based prey and eats our pets and… okay, I made that last part up.

When the lionfish first appeared in the Keys, local environmental authorities encouraged divers to report sightings and locations. Well, there have been a lot of sightings of these coral reef carpetbaggers. Now, in a change of tactics (and I am not making this up), authorities are encouraging divers to kill any lionfish they see (at least in areas that aren’t no-take zones). You read correctly: Kill the Lionfish.

One benefit is that, again according to our local authorities, lionfish are pretty tasty with a tender white meat not unlike snapper. Many of you are probably thinking, “How can a venomous fish like the lionfish be good to eat?!” As it was explained to me by an actual speaker at an actual recent Marathon Rotary Club meeting, only the fin barbs are venomous – the lionfish flesh is both safe and tasty!

Particular care must be taken when handling and cleaning the lionfish. There are gloves the fisherman and diver can wear that are impervious to the lionfish barbs; there are also HazMat suits for fumble-fingered fish cleaners with the dropsies. Anyway, cut off the fins, peel the fish, and there be beautiful white fillets for the cutting. So I was told.

Our speaker told us that, one day, we all might find ourselves ordering the fresh-caught local lionfish special in our Keys restaurants. Well, consider this: the lionfish is sort of like a more exotic (and non-scavenger) catfish, and people love catfish. Lionfish sounds at least as appetizing as something called “orange roughy.” The Keys could certainly use a special food fish to attract visitors now that grouper season is closed for several months a year. And for the true thrill-seekers, a lionfish-toss competition could become a tradition at our local watering holes (bring your own helmets and gloves and watch for body shots).

And think of the dollars flowing into the Keys as the TDC and OFF join forces on an ad campaign touting the benefits of “Lionfish: The (Other) Other White Meat.”

* * * * *

If you’re reading this on Friday, July 30th – New Year’s Eve is tonight! Tonight, New Year’s in July at the Brass Monkey, the (other) biggest party of the year! I’ll be there as your MC along with Freddie Bye and the band, and the usual cast of Monkey characters, to ring in the New Year and say goodbye to the old. If you’re reading this after Friday the 30th, and you’re disappointed because you missed the (other) biggest party of the year, worry not! We’ll celebrate President’s Day in August next month at the Brass Monkey! Happy Holidays!

- 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, John plays this Friday (tonight) at the Sunset Grille with Storm Watch, and Saturday at the Key Colony Inn. Thursday finds John performing solo at Sparky’s Landing. www.johnbartus.com.

1. Tooth Fairy is sugared up beyond belief with an actor just ridiculous for the lead role. The hockey player knocking teeth out, debunking the Tooth Fairy with a child, and not good with any children. Still, he dates this hot mom. Everything is right with his world, until he actually becomes the Tooth Fairy. And, of course, the experience changes his world. He actually becomes a nice person. The only redeeming value in this movie is that it is really funny despite itself.
2. The Informant is a movie of many paths. You do not know if this is the fantasy or if this is real. A company executive gets with the FBI to report on illegal activities of his company. He really gets into the part. The FBI agent in charge is continually finding out a bit more of the story to his chagrin. It is funny, except this is based on a true story. Not a bad movie, maybe a bit long.
3. Invictus is the type of inspiring movies that I like. Mandela is president of South Africa. He works hard on uniting his county between blacks and whites. He enlists the aid of the white captain of the countrys rugby team. Mandela asks the athlete to lead the team to win the World Cup. Most believe it to be impossible. You have to watch the movie to see how it turns, but it is really good.
4. The Book of Eli is a gritty look at life after things go terribly wrong on the planet. He treks across the states. He knows where to go. Obstacle after obstacle is overcome through desperation, blood, and violence. Finally, he arrives at his destination, and you will wonder at the ending.
5. The Wolfman takes an old horror story and turns it into a gritty, realistic film. The acting is good. The scenery is natural and what one would expect to create the right atmosphere. The dunking scene was particularly good. This is where the whole movie pivots. The ending is also well done.
6. The Crazies is another take on the classic plot of the living dead, catastrophe, and bad government plotlines. The movie delivers the traditional story in a serious manner with little humor. Maybe, just maybe, others are as tired of bad government characters as I am, stereotypes. Government caused the accident because they are stupid, but smart enough to kill everyone even if uninfected. Frankly, I do not believe any government is that smart or can even take such action. Okay, I am ranting. Notwithstanding all that, it is a good entertaining movie.
7. The Bounty Hunter is fast paced, humorous, and entertaining. The actors worked well together. The back and forth between the two makes the film. Divorced couple are thrown together in the investigation of a suicide that was not a suicide. The good ending completes the movie.
8. Ratatouille by Ricky Shaffer [10] This is about a mouse who stays under a guy's hat. And pulls the guy's hair to move around the kitchen making food. And the guy and mouse become real chefs.

1. Police warn of pop bottle bombs left in yards in York Township - AnnArbor.com.

2. http://cohort11.americanobserver.net/latoyaegwuekwe/multimediafinal.html is very scary.

3. View article... is city's SA 7 Presentation, all about wastewater stormwater area 7 in Grassy Key.

4. http://www.shopherbalife.com/chrisb is a Chris Bull website.

5. Protecting America advocates for catastrophe funds | co-chaired by James Lee Witt and James Loy

6. http://ga3.org/campaign/ProtectingAmerica_7_2010

7. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38363379/ns/us_news/ is California folly.

8. http://www.collinscenter.org/?1bFLAm2010Amendments

9. Click here: Fullscreen Gigapan Viewer: President Barack Obama's Inaugural Address by David Bergman interesting high quality photo).

10. http://www.floridakeysdemocrats.org/2010-democratic-candidates/

11. Click here: Look what they found near the Texas and Mexico border | Before It's News