'Key West Cradle' garden art Iinspired by Newton's ... - KONK Network

ROBERT WALKER MEMORIAL GOLF TOURNEY
LARRY BLACKBURN | photographer

m a y 3 0 - j u n e 6
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KONK Life
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CONTRIBUTORS
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Rick Boettger Local News & Opinion
Louis Petrone Key West Lou
Steve Calderwood Wining the Keys
JT Thompson Hot Dish
Scott McCarthy The Gadabout
Kimberley Denney Bitchin’ Paradise
Paul Menta What’s Cookin’
Christina Oxenberg Local Observation
Jenessa Berger Keep Moving
Sylvia Bogart Dear Venus, Astrologically Yours
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K I D S C O R N E R
06
F U N T I M E S
16
O U T B A C K
26
C O L U M N S
07 COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT
09 ASTROLOGICALLY YOURS
21 IN THE ARTS
23 AT THE TROPIC
Life
Vol. 3 No. 22
C
O NTENTS

How was $35 million spent
to build new middle school?
Coastal Construction Group hands over first records
by JOHN GUERRA
NEWS WRITER
As the new Horace O’Bryant Middle
School nears completion — ahead of
deadline and under budget, according to
school officials — an accounting firm
has begun reviewing documents to align
how the $35 million for the school was
spent.
There are no accusations of fraud or
other financial misbehavior, but the U.S.
government loan requires a full review of
purchase orders, payroll records, change
orders, and other paperwork generated
by the project.
Coastal Construction Group this
week handed over the first batch of
construction records to Pribramsky &
Zuelch, ending worries by School Board
member Ed Davidson that the company
hadn’t provided records for review since
the project broke ground about two
years ago. A Coastal Construction
representative would not comment
for this story.
“We have to review all the change
orders and other documents by June 24,
and we haven’t received anything yet,”
4 ww.konklife.com
Davidson told KonkLife last week.
“We have to align all the costs with
the paperwork, and we’re running out
of time.”
Pribramsky’s contract states that his
firm will ensure everything spent is
properly documented by Coastal;
make sure all the work is completed;
determine the final cost of construction;
and review change orders and payroll
records.
Coastal, which has built hotels,
university buildings, public schools,
hospitals, government office buildings
Toasting FKCC’s Hospitality and Tourism Management Initiative
Florida Keys Community College officials joined state and local hospitality industry organization reps to launch
FKCC’s new hospitality and tourism classes, Fall 2013. Back row (left to right): Dr. Jonathan Gueverra, Dawn
Wilson, Ryan Bauer, Jodi Weinhofer, Art Levin, Matt Babich, Matt Trahan, Charlie Bauer. Front row: Lynne Hernandez,
JP Doepkle, Nadene Grossman, Kara Lundgren, Diane Schmidt, Kate Miano, Dr. Frank Wood. Special
scholarships available. INFO FKCC’s Office of Financial Aids, (305) 809-3523 n MORE STORY page 10
and other large projects, has a reason
to build HOB under budget.
According to Pribramsky, the school
district and Coastal share any money
Coastal saves taxpayers, as long as they
or sub-contractors don’t cut corners on
quality or use materials with the wrong
specifications.
The district hired Coastal, which
built Coral Shores High School, to build
HOB. Coastal, in turn, hired electrical,
plumbing and other sub-contractors to
help do the work. The subs bill Coastal;
| Continued on page 25
T o t h e E d i t o r
Love the top of the LaConcha
C alling
all citizens, visitors and
Key West enthusiasts. The most
cherished peak in Key West is under
threat of demolition. The Top of La
Concha hotel, an icon since the ‘20s
and modern-day sunset Mecca, is
scheduled to become a customer
only spa! That’s why I signed a petition
to Richard Klitenick, City Planning
chairman and Jimmy Weekley,
Key West City Commissioner District
I, which says: “We, the citizens
and visitors of Key West, petition the
Key West Planning Board and Key
West City Commission to request
that the Top of the La Concha Hotel
maintain public, open air access and
a bar for visitors and citizens.”
Will you sign this petition?
http://petitions.moveon.org/
sign/key-west-loves-the-top-
1?source=s.em.cp&r_by=7895303
• Phyllis May,
Pmaykeys@bellsouth.net

I N T H E A R T S
KWBG
‘Key West Cradle’ garden art
Iinspired by Newton’s Cradle, Key West High freshman Brendan Shields,
an Anne McKee Youth Scholarship recipient, combined art with science
by a creating a larger-than-life version of Isaac Newton’s model which
demonstrates the transfer of energy. His interactive piece is in Key West
Botanical Garden’s current exhibit, “Art in the Garden.”
Wanting to create outdoor art “that does something,” Brendan
constructed the 6x5-foot frame from wood using bowling balls strung
from cables to showcase the same principles of energy found in the tabletop
version. Brendan was mentored by outdoor sculptor Tim Marshall Curtis.
Brendan is no stranger to the art scene in Key West. He’s a former place
winner in the Monroe County Tropic Cinema film leader project and has
sold his pottery at various Key West events, having learned the craft at
Honest Works.
The 14 year old will be taking his talent West next school year as he
relocates to start his sophomore year at Colorado Rocky Mountain School
in Carbondale, Colo.
INFO
Key West Cradle, (305) 923-1060
n THE ARTS CALENDAR 21
www.konklife.com 5

L O C A L N E W S & O P I N I O N
SWEET & SOUR CONCHS
Ihave found the Key West born-here
“Conchs” to be the friendliest and most
welcoming natives of any community I’ve
moved into in my wide travels around the
world. The first week I was here I met a
McKillup at my Bayview tennis courts
and spent time with Odes and the whole
family in his Key Haven home. More recently,
I’ve been close to the McPhersons,
whom I greatly respect.
I’ve learned that African Americans
can be Conchs, but never “Bubba
Conchs,” who get the most-money and
least-work jobs in our
public sector, kind of
like “made men” in
the Mafia but without
the murders. And my
financial job puts me
in intimate contact
with that aspect of
RICK
B O E T T G E R
C O L U M N I S T
many of their lives.
Also, I have
revered in print their
ability to dominate
local elections, winning almost every contest
pitting a Conch versus a non-Conch
like me. I’d never bother running against
one. Wouldn’t stand a chance. So you get
the idea: I respect my town’s sweet
Conchs.
The problem is the other kind of
Conch, the sour Conch. The paradigm is
one who sold his family homestead here a
dozen years ago and moved up to Ocala,
where many congregate. They realize they
didn’t get enough money for the Old
Town house they thought was old-fashioned
and could never afford to move
back. They resent us newcomers making
these old homes beautiful again and having
so much fun playing on the water and
in our lively little town.
One of these sourpusses has written
a couple of times to the Citizens’ Voice,
recently to complain about Cynthia and
my riding our bikes through the cemetery.
He wants the Frances Street gate locked
again, so only people with the express
purpose of visiting their loved ones can
enter the grounds. He says we are not
“respectful” of his ancestors. Well, let me
start by letting Cynthia weigh in:
“Every time I ride through the cemetery,
I think of my friends at rest there
and sweet memories come back again and
again. They are still so real to me. This is
not just a shortcut; it is a loving exploration.
I think of Bill Ford there, whose
widow Fran is a good friend of mine. I
knew them for 28 years, championing
ecological challenges, learning so much
about horticulture and birds, turtles, all
sorts of things. Fran is still valiantly at it,
bless her heart. And my beloved friend
Susan Solares and her partner Bennie Fernandez
are there, reminding me of their
commitment to the joy of life. Hi, Susie!
Remember the practical jokes and silliness?
Oh, yes. And, of course, the noble
predecessors whose legacies we all live
now — names also memorialized in street
names, public buildings and scholarships
over centuries of Key West history. Being
reminded of these people and so many
more as I ride through the cemetery is one
of my favorite ‘warm fuzzies’ here.”
I’ll add that I always salute the sailor
in the Maine Memorial and say a prayer
for my good friend Benny’s son, who is
serving in the Army.
And the fact is that closing the cemetery
gate broke the law back in 2009. I
had to sue the city to get it reopened, and
I won. The law as written does indeed
allow our cemetery to be used like urban
cemeteries around the world. Rural cemeteries
tend to be only for the relatives of
the deceased. Urban cemeteries have an
eternal heritage of being a commons for
all. Before cities began to build more
parks, people used their cemetery for picnics,
kite-flying and general socialization.
People like the Lightbourns did not
spend thousands of dollars on their
prominent stone so that no one would see
it. They, like me, would love to know they
flicker briefly into existence every time I
ride by and acknowledge their presence.
So, sour Conch, probably calling the
Voice from Ocala, go back to reminiscing
about the good old days when we had
sponge, mollusc-conchs, turtles and a lot
more fish, back when you could take all
you wanted. Let us newbie bicyclists enjoy
our tax-supported cemetery, and let your
sweet-Conch brethren continue to run
our town in peace.
■
6 www.konklife.com
K I D S‘ C O R N E R
C O M M U N I T Y E V E N T
First lionfish derby
O n
Sunday, May 19, the first
annual Lionfish Educational
Event and Derby took
place at Murray Marine. My
brother Evan is in Ms. Loss’
fifth-grade class from Sigsbee
Charter School, and they held
the derby. At the derby, there
was a contest to catch lionfish.
Nine contestants signed up, and
they had to go on their boats to
try to catch as many lionfish as
they could. There were prizes for
the most caught lionfish, the
smallest lionfish and the biggest
lionfish. The most lionfish,
caught by the
Bottle Buddies, was
53cm. The smallest,
caught by Kuleana,
was 9.1cm. The
biggest, caught by
Predator Spearguns,
was 42.6cm. They Morgan
won really neat prizes K I D W E L L
like spear guns, a ham- Kids Korner
mock and a big basket
of hair products and gift certificates.
When the boats got back
to the marina, they were measured,
then the lionfish were
handed over to Kelly with the
Mote Marine Laboratory to dissect
the lionfish. She would hand
them over to Gus who would
filet them.
Once they were cleaned, Gus
would give the lionfish to Doug
and DJ of Bobalu’s Restaurant,
where they would cook the lionfish
so everyone could taste the
delight of lionfish. They cut the
fish into little pieces and made
fish fingers. They also blackened
them. They even deep fried
some of the lionfish whole.
They looked really cool when
they were cooked that way. But
my favorite was the
blackened fish, it was
my first time trying it.
Not only did they just
cook it, the
fifth graders would
carry around a lionfish
in a container and give
interesting facts about
them, including what
was in their stomachs.
It was fun watching
the lionfish get measured.
I had a good time at the
event and hope they do it again
next year.
■

Committee for Responsible
Tourism kick-off
e Committee for Responsible
Tourism announced its kick-off celebration,
launching a campaign to defeat
the upcoming dredging referendum, 6-8
p.m. May 31.
e celebration is at McConnell’s
Irish Pub, a business supporter. Finger
C O M M U N I T Y S P O T L I G H T
food and cash bar along with music and
guest speakers covering the wide range
of topics surrounding the campaign.
Meet like-minded folks dedicated to
preserve the Sanctuary and the cultural
and historical aspects that make Key
West great!
Also, if you would like to have your
business added to the list of business
www.konklife.com 7
supporters, check out the page,
“We Mean Business!”
INFO
Committee for Responsible Tourism
Kick-Off Celebration, 6-8pm Friday,
May 31, at McConnell’s Irish Pub,
900 Duval St.
| Continued on page 22
K E Y B U S I N E S S I N K E Y W E S T

K E Y W E S T L O U
THREE DISGRACES
n L E G A L I T I E S W I T H
Louis Petrone
Our government is dysfunctional. Especially
Congress. I tell you nothing new. We are all
aware. From the multitudinous wrongdoings, I have selected
three stories. Each is an example of the government’s
erroneous ways.
The first involves Major Nidal Hasan. The U.S. Army
officer and psychiatrist who went berserk at Fort Hood
in 2009. The Major was a Muslim.
Major Hasan, for no reason and without provocation,
began shooting up the base. He killed 13 and wounded 30.
Most U.S. Army soldiers. As he was shooting, Major Hasan
was shouting in Muslim, God is Great.
It is now 2013, four years later. Major Hasan is well and
alive. He sits in jail awaiting a trial. The disgrace . . . Major
Hasan is receiving full pay while he waits
trial. $70,000 a year. So far, $278,000.
Two reasons are involved.
First, Major Hasan, who is also an
American citizen, is innocent until proven
guilty. Second, someone in government,
whether Washington or the Army itself, has
labeled the shooting workplace violence.
LOU
P E T R O N E
COLUMNIST
Both situations legally mandate that Major
Hasan continue to be paid.
There are three classifications involved
when our soldiers are killed or wounded.
One is workplace violence. The other two require the incident
be a result of terrorism or combat. Whoever did the classification
decided to call it workplace violence.
Workplace violence carries negative affects beyond Major
Hasan being paid while awaiting trial. The 30 wounded are
not entitled to disability awards if their wounds warrant such.
Nor are they entitled to Purple Hearts.
So Major Hasan sits in a cell doing nothing and gets paid
$70,000 a year. Whereas the injured are not entitled to disability
benefits nor a Purple Heart. All because someone high up
classified the shooting workplace violence rather than one of
the two other classifications.
Why? I am not sure the classification was an accident.
It would be interesting to know who decided to go with the
classification which assisted Major Hasan rather than one
that would have helped those wounded. What behind the
scene forces were at work
The second situation involves Congress and the Affordable
Care Act. The Act is popularly known as
Obamacare. It has been law for approximately three years.
Republicans now control the House of Representatives.
They keep trying to repeal Obamacare. They bring up the
repeal vote with full knowledge it will never see the light
of day in the Democratic-controlled Senate. And, if it did
and was favorably passed, the President would never sign
it into law.
| Continued on page 22
8 www.konklife.com
GET YOUR
WELLNESS
Working out the cramps
It is feeling like summer is here and not
going anywhere anytime soon: heat and
humidity mixed in with constant sweat and
thirst. One thing you may notice as the temp
rises is an increase in leg cramps while sleeping
or during other activities. Everyone’s go-to
method for reducing cramps is eating bananas.
That’s a good one to stick
with, but there are other
methods that help reduce
the risk of that startling
pain that can creep up on
us mid-snooze.
The theory behind the
JENESSA
B E R G E R
C O L U M N I S T
banana is the electrolyte,
potassium, helps regulate
hydration levels and
blood pH levels crucial
in muscle and nerve
function. What some don’t realize is potassium
is not the only electrolyte the body requires.
After exercising or sweating during the day, the
body is looking for magnesium, calcium,
sodium and a couple others. A good way to get
these back into the body is to eat fruits and
veggies. This way you get a balance of fluids
and electrolytes and not dilute the body with
too much water.
A good pre-bed ritual, if subject to night
cramps, is to do light exercise and static
stretching before going to sleep. This alleviates
tightness out of the body before it turns into a
jarring wakeup call in the middle of the night.
Also loose sheets can also give the legs a little
more freedom. This way there isn’t a battle between
tight sheets and foot and leg muscles
looking for a little freedom.
So you’ve done all you can to prevent leg
cramps, but you still find yourself awakened by
one now and then. Get up and put some
weight on it and move around. If the pain is
too excruciating to get out of bed, think about
pulling your toes back to your shin if the
cramp is in your calf. If stretching is out of the
picture, take deep breaths and massage the
spot. Shove your face in a pillow, so your
screams don’t wake up everyone in the house.
Although not totally preventable, there are
certain steps that can help you to avoid them.
Stretching before bed, generally static stretching,
has also been shown to improve sleep.
Take care of your body while awake and
active, and your body will take care of you
during your down time. Exercise, stretch,
replenish with water, and eat lots of veggies
and fruits.
■

D E A R V E N U S
The Week’s
Horoscope
Aries “You must find
comfort in the blank
spaces to know peace and
balance within.” Sometimes
the hardest thing to
do is to not engage. I
would caution you to pick
your battles wisely because
your own stew can
possibly cause you problem
in the future and can
be avoided. Just mind your
own business and leave
them alone.
Taurus Your success in
financial endeavor is very
good at this time and you
can expand along those
lines under some of the
most favorable conditions
making the most of your
insight and sharing the
wealth along the way,
however, do not become
so overly confident that
you gamble on a friendship
or partnership in any
way it is better not to put
others in this position at
all.
Gemini You don’t like
to feel needy or depend on
anyone to take care of you
or ask them to help you.
Perhaps you have used
your very last get out of jail
free card and must begin
to take responsibility for
your own needs or means
of support. What are you
willing to barter to stay
afloat?
Cancer Sometimes difficult
decisions must be
made when the film on
your rose colored glasses
has completely chipped
away and there is no
longer any way that you
can ignore the reality of
the situation then you must
change the way you handle
it by laying down priorities
and taking positive
actions.
| Continued on page 12
A S T R O L O G I C A L L Y Y O U R S
Dear Venus: I was born 4/10/65.
I have a good job, although it does not
challenge me or motivate me toward
anything else. I don’t see myself climbing
any kind of ladder to anywhere with
it. I wonder if I would be happier if I
moved somewhere else. Why do you
think I feel so lost?
Dear Lost in Paradise: Something
happened when the New Year came.
Something died quietly without a name.
Sadness crawled over you in silent pain.
Your dreams shattered and no one to
blame. Now you can’t remember what
they even were, yet you try to pick up
the pieces and remain the same. You go
through the motions of an outwardly
productive life, but a lethal sickness has
entered the brain. There is no laughter
and no tears. You hope the apathy will
just disappear.
The end of a dream, do you remember
what the dream was? Was it even
your dream? There comes a time when
you must begin to understand that
things end as well as begin and there is
nothing wrong with that. It is a part of
life and its growing process.
A cycle has come to an end and you
must find peace within yourself and
make some serious decisions about
where you are headed as well as where
you wish to be if the direction you are
going in is not taking you there. Sometimes
you have to walk away from all
the drama and the people who have created
it and find people who make you
laugh, the ones who treat you the way
you want be treated, inspire you, reflect
| Continued on page 12
ww.konklife.com 9
DEAR VENUS
COLUMNIST
SYLVIA BOGART
Sylviabogart@yahoo.com
Email questions or call for appointment,
(305) 731-6280.

K E Y
EDUCATION
Hospitality, tourism
FKCC announces
new initiative
With the toast of sparkling grape
juice-filled flutes, Florida Keys
Community College President
Dr. Jonathan Gueverra announced
the launch of the college’s Hospitality
and Tourism Management Initiative
to faculty, staff and hospitality
industry members at the Key West
Campus.
Beginning this fall semester, the
college offera three hospitality
courses — Introduction to Hospitality
and Tourism Management, Marketing
for Hospitality and Tourism,
and Food and Beverage Management
— as well as an internship program
designed to train students to enter
or advance within the Keys’ largest
industry.
Gueverra, who began working
with local and state hospitality
industry organizations soon after he
became president last July, credited
them for their integral involvement
in the project.
“This is just the beginning,” he
said. “With the continued support
from the hospitality and tourism
industry, we can build a long-term,
sustainable program that will fill
workforce demands with quality
employees while helping students
to achieve rewarding careers.”
Industry certifications through
the American Hotel and Lodging
Association are integrated into the
course curriculum making classes
valuable to student employer. The
courses can be taken individually or
as part of an Associate in Arts (A.A.)
degree.
“This initiative builds on the
strengths of the courses already in
place — such as accounting and marketing
— and augments with these
new courses specific to the industry
to create something viable for our
students,” said Dr. Frank Wood,
FKCC Business Program Director
and lead developer of the new
courses.
| Continued on page 22
10 www.konklife.com

W I N I N G T H E K E Y S
W I N E A B I T, Y O U L L F E E L B E T T E R
Why I hate wine
Now that I have your
attention . . . today’s
column is pretty much just a stream
of conscious. I really do love wine,
good wine, that is. But there are a
few things that really piss me off.
If we take a quick look at history,
wine has had a tumultuous
past. In the BC days, wine was a
luxury item. Only the cream of the
Greek and Roman cultures got to
drink the good stuff. Then, in the
Middle Ages, wine became a necessity
for the masses. As populations
grew, water supplies became so polluted
they had to drink wine — not
the good stuff, of course. They just
made the forerunner of Carlos
Rossi. Then, in the ‘70s, wine’s life
would change forever when I took a
job at a liquor store and the owner
talked me into learning about wine.
At that time, wine was the third
most popular alcoholic beverage,
after beer and spirits. Well, as I
started espousing the wonders of
wine, everybody started drinking
the shit (it’s all my fault) and today
wine is the most popular buzz.
But with popularity comes more
and more people trying to make
money off it. When I started drinking
the stuff, there were two types
of wine — fine wine and crap wine.
The crap wine was easy to spot. It
came with labels such as Gallo,
Mogan David, Louis Jadot, Almanden,
Paul Masson. Everything else
was pretty much small, artisan production.
As wine became more and
more popular, corporations started
jumping in and buying things up.
Now, corporations are not into
things for their artistic value but
want to make money! And how do
you make more money? You sell
more wine. Increasing production
becomes more important than
making a beautiful product.
There is an old saying, “Great
wines are made in the vineyard,”
but if your goal is to make more
wine, the emphasis switches from
vineyard to laboratory. Winemakers
get replaced with chemists. Trying
ww.konklife.com 11
to make each vintage the best you
can gets replaced with make each
vintage taste like the last one. Consistency
is the corporate marketer’s
mantra. Some even go so far as to
employ flavor scientists whose job is
to construct a flavor you’re going to
want more of.
One of my favorite aspects of
wine is the aftertaste. How pleasant
is it and how long does it last, an
extremely important aspect of fine
wine. But the flavor scientist’s job is
to create a wine that has no aftertaste,
so you’ll want more, immediately!
They don’t want you lingering
over and savoring each little sip.
The other day, I was a bit peckish
and picked up a bag of Jalapeño
Cheddar Cheetos. I put one in my
mouth and got a spicy kick. As soon
as it melted in my mouth, all taste
was gone. Crafty little bastards.
As I said, this a stream of consciousness
column, and here we go
with things that piss me off. Do you
like Santa Margarita Pinot Grigio
and willing to spend $20-$30 a bottle
for it? Well, you’re crazy. They
make over 200,000 cases of this
stuff a year. Robert Parker refuses to
review it. The Wine Spectator quit
reviewing it in ‘06 when they gave
it an 82 point rating — the kiss of
death. I’m not a big fan of Pinot
Grigio, but try something besides
Santa Margarita! Please.
O.K. My next rant is about what
I refer to as soda pop wines. These
are wines such as the Wine Group’s
Cupcake and Flip Flop wines,
| Continued on page 22
STEVE
C A L D E R W O O D
To receive Smokin’ Vines, a listing of all
food and booze events in the Keys, send
name and email to wineslut@me.com

DEAR VENUS
SYLVIA BOGART
| Continued from page 9
back at you what you want to be as well as
where you want to be, challenge you to be
your very best.
Life is too short to be unhappy. Falling
down is a part of life, getting back up and
actively participating is life. We become
what we commit to. The trick is deciding
sometimes we drift without any interest in
anything. It is O.K. for a while, but if it
goes on too long without any real focus or
direction we can drown in it.
Real life does not come with instructions
but with opportunities. If you don’t
catch the ball or get on the bike or take that
trip nothing will happen.
You are the navigator. It is up to you to
map out your own destination. I recommend
playing a game. Design your dream.
Get those passionate juices flowing, build
the fire in your heart and the dream machine
in your mind. Let the spirit roam
free. Be open to all possibilities. See what
happens.
We are all free to do whatever we want.
All we have to do is believe. Remove all
reservations from your thinking and just
relax and allow yourself to play and create
becoming the person you want to be.
“No matter where you go, there you
are.” It all starts here. Realignment is the
key.
Dear Venus: I was born 7/29/1961. I am
having knee surgery. I was just wondering
how you see that turning out for me.
Dear Hopeful: Where there is hope there
is faith and where there is faith there is possibility.
You have really good aspects here as
far as your successful return to good health,
mobility, well being and quick recovery.
There are a couple of cautions. While you
are an optimistic person, it can cause you
pain and long-term discomfort if you jump
the gun because you feel so good and do
not follow through on the full spectrum of
your doctor’s orders. Please do not do this.
Bite the bullet, do the therapy, ALL OF IT,
stay off your feet until you heal completely.
Think about alignment and understand if
you don’t take care of the knee now it will
have a cause and domino affect on the rest
of the body. Ask about restorative methods
like water work or regenerative yoga for the
rest of the body.
■
Sylviabogart@yahoo.com
Email questions or call, (305) 731-6280
A S T R O L O G I C A L L Y Y O U R S
THE 12 SIGNS
| Continued from page 9
Leo Do yourself a favor and watch the movie Titantic
again. You are playing a dangerous game with yourself.
You know the truth as well as the odds of winning
it. A prudent question would be what is it you are trying
to do here? Answer that now before you go over the
waterfalls laughing with the devil.
Virgo The worst part is when you know you are lying
to yourself and you can’t seem to stop yourself from
doing it. Is it that scary to take responsibility for your
own life and decisions? Don’t tell yourself you don’t
want to hurt anyone else. That is the ultimate insult
and a total cop out. How long do you intend to stay on
cruise control with blinders securely in place? We all
fall down sometimes. Get back up now!
Libra Change is inevitable. Fight to keep your limitations
and they will always resurrect themselves in the
most insidious ways and at the most inopportune time.
Every event in your life is there because you have set
up a chain of events that brought them to you by your
refusal to change and grow. Depending upon other
people to provide happiness is the problem.
Scorpio You are having to learn how to handle
power. In doing this you must reinvent yourself, fortunately
or unfortunately as the case may be, some
things, situations, people and places that have been in
your life for some time may have to be let go in order
to do this. Choices must be made and some compromises
accepted. Nothing can remain as it once was.
Saggitarius You do so love a good challenge. So
many opportunities surround you and yet you want
what you think you can’t have. The reality is it is not
something that makes you feel good about yourself, so
why the struggle? Life is supposed to be easy, happy,
flowing, filled with laughter and joy, so why must you
follow resistance?
Capricorn You have come to a place where you are
more willing to be flexible and understanding than you
ever have in your life. You have learned much about
human nature and how it works. You are amazed at
your own insight into things and people. This carries
over into your partnerships. You are finally allowing
yourself to relax and be happy.
Aquarius The decisions you made seven years ago
come up now under evaluation. You can see how they
have affected you and the direction you are headed, if
you do not make some changes in the way you handle
your financial affairs and who controls them. It will do
you no good to be upset or angry over things that are
happening now. Instead utilize that energy in planning
better for your future and taking action to insure it.
Pisces Yes, you have dreams, but unfortunately no
one is listening or offering to help you financially to
make them into a reality. Perhaps there is something to
be learned here, if you pay close attention. It is time
you took a huge pin and burst that bubble you have
been riding around in for so long. Take a good look at
the reality that surrounds you, so you can see not only
what is going on but also the direction you are headed
in the long term if you don’t stop.
■
sylviabogart@yahoo.com, (305) 731-6280
12 www.konklife.com
Power of homemade meals
Marketing can get you to buy
what you don’t need. Foods are
the worst, and it’s never been more confusing
when you have to make something to eat. Do I
buy this because it is known to have super powers?
or take this pill and lose weight? The answer
has always been cook at home or pack a
lunch to know what’s in your food, the truth
about ingredients and benefits.
The old ad you see (below) is from 1894 in
Key West. We are still doing the same thing in
2013. We want to believe anything will help us.
My advice is to trust your instincts and eat and
cook some of the following everyday foods.
Strawberries are in season and have a lot of
Vitamin C and fiber. Blended up make a good
smoothie. Eggs, high in protein, and when you
have them scrambled with wheat toast you feel
more satisfied and don’t need such a big lunch.
Did you know eggs have two antioxidants in
them that help your eyes. So if you are worried
about too much cholesterol from eggs, ride your
bike at some point in the
day and you will burn them
up.
Beans have a lot of iron,
go well as any side dish and
help your body cells stay
healthy which means less
fatigue. Speaking of not
PAUL
M E N T A
EXTREME CHEF
www.keywestfuel.com
NOW WE’RE
COOKIN’
getting sick, have an orange
for a snack. You think you
can find one in Florida?
Have the juice from a fresh
orange rather than from a
jug at the store. Marinate some chicken in O.J.
and have a great dinner with a salad. Green veggies
like spinach and broccoli fight everything
from a hangover to cancer.
Moral of the story: You don’t need a miracle
pill or crazy ad telling you what the cure is. Your
cure is cooking, back to basics. Read some
recipes online or in a book and you will be a
true believer in the power of homemade meals.
■
Eat local and always with a friend!
Aloha

Uva
UVA GOURMET SHOPPE
WINETASTING
LARRY BLACKBURN | photographer
14 www.konklife.com

915 POINT 5 LOUNGE
WINETASTERS
with LARRY BLACKBURN | photographer
ww.konklife.com 15

i n s i d e !
(Clockwise from above)
Hog’s Breath Saloon
The Carter Brothers
Schooner Wharf Bar
Southern Drawl
Smokin’ Tuna
Nick Norman
m a y 3 0 - j u n e 6
16 www.konklife.com

Smokin’ Tuna Saloon
4 Charles St., off the 200 block
Duval Street, (305) 517-6350
n
Thursday
Caffeine Carl & Friends 9:30pm
Friday
Greg and James 6pm
Caffeine Carl & Friends 9:30pm
Saturday
Nick Norman 6pm
Caffeine Carl & Friends 9:30pm
Sunday
Rusty Lemmon 9pm
Monday
Joal Rush 6pm
Nashville based, fresh from the
Key West Songwriters Festival
Caffeine Carl & Friends
9:30pm
F U N T I M E S
Schooner Wharf Bar
Cool Breeze
www.konklife.com 17
Tuesday
Greg and James 6pm
Joal Rush/Nick Norman
9:30pm
Wednesday-Thursday 0606
Rusty Lemmon 6pm
Joal Rush/Nick Norman 9:30pm
Schooner Wharf Bar
202 Williams St., (305) 292-3302
www.schoonerwharf.com
n
Thursday-Friday
Southern Drawl Band
7-11pm Thursday
7-Midnight Friday
Melting pot of country, southern
rock, trop rock/reggae, bluegrass,
Americana. Own brand of music
and high energy performance.
| Continued on page 18
Smokin’ Tuna
Caffeine Carl, left; Joal Rush, right

Schooner Wharf Bar
202 Williams St.,
(305) 292-3302
| Continued from page 17
Started less than two years as a
duo in Knoxville, but now fivepiece
group has become one of
the Southeast premiere bands.
Friday-Saturday
Cool Breeze 7-Midnight
Motown to current rock to Detroit
funk to rhythmic island music.
Sunset Pier
Ocean Key Resort,
Zero Duval St., (305) 296-7701
n
Every Saturday!
Bongo D 12-3pm
Happy Hour, 3-6pm
Tribute to Bob Marley —
Reggae Saturdays
Bongo D and Key West’s best
reggae musicians in tribute to
Bob Marley on the water at
Sunset Pier. Project began as
a one-time show celebrating
ON THE MUSIC SCENE
F U N T I M E S
Ericson Holt and Mike McAdams, Songerwriter’s Festival
with RALPH de PALMA
Sunset Pier
Bongo D
18 www.konklife.com
Marley’s birthday, but the music
was too powerful. Ensemble live
and multi-talented, exchanging
instruments and taking turns
with lead vocals.
facebook.com/reggaekeywest
The Pier House
Wine Gallery Piano Bar,
One Duval, 296-4600
n
Friday-Monday 7pm
Singer/pianist Larry Smith
Jazz, standards, originals,
singers, instrumentalists.
Guests join in at 9pm.
Sunday Showcase 9pm
Singer, songwriter and pianist,
Heather Mia, June 2.
Monday Jazz Jam Night 9pm
Drummer Richard Crooks and
bassist Tim Mc Alpine. Requisite
for visiting musicians. Local instrumentalists/singers
in improv
format.
| Continued on page 19

| Continued from page 18
Hog’s Breath Saloon
400 Front. St., (305) 296-4222
n
Thursday-Sunday
Copper Sky 5:30-9:30pm
Folk, pop, country, blues, originals.
Heather on guitar and vocals,
Dave on bass and vocals.
Uncle Daddy 10pm-2am
Drummer Paul Deakin, one of the
original member of the Mavericks,
and his band Uncle Daddy.
Monday-Sunday 0609
Key West Mafia 5:30-9:30pm
Carter Brothers
10pm-2am
Danny and Tim Carter and the Carter
Brothers Band late-night on outdoor
stage. The Carter Brothers bring an
eclectic sound including rock, folk,
blues, country and bluegrass.
F U N T I M E S
Hog’s Breath Saloon
The Carter Brothers
www.konklife.com 19
Monday-Sunday 0616
Tim Carroll 5:30-9:30pm
John Nemeth 10pm-2am
Monday-Sunday 0623
Tim and Chad 5:30-9:30pm
Agent 86 10pm-2am
Monday-Sunday 0630
The Transients 5:30-9:30pm
Southernmost Cigar
Club/90 Mile Lounge
300 Front St. upstairs,
corner of Front and Whitehead
streets, (305) 509-7780
n
Live blues 7 nights a week!
Thursday-Saturday
Moose and Bulletproof Blues
Band 7:45pm
Every Tuesday
Moose and the Bulletproof Blues
Band 7:45pm
Open Mic Jam Night

MINIMALIST REGATTA GOT YA!
20 www.konklife.com
LARRY BLACKBURN photographer

Florida Keys Council of the
Arts Cultural Calendar:
Send in events by ursday
noon to Florida Keys Council
of the Arts to email address:
calendar@keysarts.com
Thursday, May 30 thru Wednesday, June 5
Key West Happenings
ARTS COUNCIL
Artists in Schools Grant
Online Deadline - Sunday, June 30
The Florida Keys Council of the Arts invites artists and teachers to
apply for the Artists in Schools Grant. The grant funds projects
where collaboration between teaching artists and teachers bring
innovative arts into the classroom for grades pre K-12 at all Monroe
County schools. Application online, keysarts.com
Artist Opportunity
Lemonade Stand Art Studio, 318 Petronia St. Calling All Artists for
consideration in the "small works" exhibition. Entry deadline June
9. Visit website for specifics. Opening show & receptions to be
held Friday-Saturday, June 28-29. lettynowak.com/show
ARTIST RECEPTIONS & EXHIBITIONS
Thursday, May 30
RodStuDa's Photo of the Week Exhibit: Tropic Cinema Lobby
Gallery, 416 Eaton St. tropiccinema.com
Stephen Harlan Exhibit, 10 AM: Wyland Galleries of Key West,
623 Duval St. View his vibrantly-colored digital visions. Artist will
be on hand daily & by appointment. Thru June 2.
wylandgalleries.com
LITERARY
Sunday, June 2
Key West Poetry Guild Meeting, 7 PM: Blue Heaven Restaurant,
729 Thomas St. – upstairs. Open to all interested in poetry.
FESTIVALS & FUNDRAISERS
Wednesday-Sunday, June 5-9
Key West Pride Festival: Various times & venues in Key West,
see website for schedule. pridefestkeywest.com
FILM
Wednesday, June 5
Ibis Bay Dive-In Movie, 7:30 PM: Ibis Bay Beach Resort, 3101 N.
Roosevelt Blvd., Michael Shields, 394-3804.
Wednesday-Thursdays, June 5-6
KW Pride Film Fest 2013, 6 PM: Tropic Cinema, 416 Eaton St.
877-761-3456. Free. Wednesday: “I Am Divine, Thursday: “Deep
South.” tropiccinema.com
MUSIC
Nightly Entertainment - Tavern N' Town, 5 PM Marriot Beachside,
3841 N. Roosevelt Blvd. Featured entertainers: Carmen Rodriguez,
Mike Emerson, Bobby Nesbitt & Rob DiStasi.
Bobby Nesbitt & Skippo — Cabaret Sunset Series, 5 PM
Salute, 1000 Atlantic Blvd. 292-1117. Every Thursday, Great American
Songbook melodies.
Thursdays thru Sundays
In the Cabaret & Jazz in the Gardens, 5:30 PM The Gardens
Hotel, 526 Angela St. 294-2661. Featuring: Michael Robinson,
Jimmy Olson, John Benson. gardenshotel.com
MUSEUMS & MORE
Thursday, May 30
Blue Star Museums Program:Key West Art & Historical Society,
281 Front St. 295-6616, ext. 102.Museums include Custom
House, Key West Lighthouse & Fort East Martello. Free admission
for active military personnel & up to five members of their family.
Thru September 2. kwahs.com
| Continued on page 23
www.konklife.com 21
KONKLifes BIG SAVINGS are here!
Get YOUR
SAVINGS
here!
521 Fleming St.
15% off

WINING
theKEYS
STEVE CALDERWOOD
| Continued from page 11
Yellow Tail — 650,000 cases of this
crap each year — and the biggest offender
of them all - Gallo’s Barefoot
wine. When Barefoot originally
came out with their sparkling
Moscato, they called it Moscato
d’Asti, which happens to be a very
nice wine from the Italian town of
Asti. Well, since none of the grapes
had ever been out of California, this
was a bit of a stretch, so they decided
to change the name. What do
they call it now? How about
Moscato Spumante? Kind of reminds
you of Asti Spumante doesn’t
it? Well, they clarify everything by
calling it Champagne on the label.
My final rant has to do with
emails I get. I subscribe to a number
of wine business news emails
and one particularly caught my eye.
It was from a convenience store marketing
magazine talking to convenience
store owners on how to market
fine wine in their stores (read Circle
K’s)because it’s sooo popular now-adays.
Their recommendation was to
move the wine display to the front
of the store and put the $5 bottles,
the ones that people buy to take
home with them, on the bottom
shelves. Then, the premium wines,
the $10 bottles should be in the
middle. They said that these were
the bottles that wine buyers pick up
if they’re going to a friend’s house
for a dinner party. Then, put the
$15 bottles, the super-premium bottles,
on the top shelf because these
are the bottles they’ll buy for special
events like birthdays.
So, let me just say, if I see you
buying wine in a Circle K; you’re out
of my will. Secondly, if you’re drinking
$5 wine at home, please do it
out of a brown paper bag. Finally, if
you ever come to a dinner party at
my house with a “premium” $10
bottle; I hope you enjoy the gas station
chicken that I’m going to feed
you and if you bring me a $15
“super-premium” for my birthday;
just wait and see what I get you for
yours. MD 20/20 was a very good
year. Rant over.
That’s it for this week, so until
the next time — wine a bit, you’ll
feel better.
n
To receive Smokin’ Vines, a listing of all
food and booze events in the Keys, send
name and email to wineslut@me.com
Poetry Guild Sunday, June 2
Flower Conroy, the most awarded of the younger generation of local
poets, will be featured by the Key West Poetry Guild 7 p.m. Sunday, June 2,
at upstairs Blue Heaven on the corner of Petronia at omas streets.
Originally from South Amboy, N.J., Conroy moved to Key West 12
years ago. She will graduate this August with a Masters of Fine Arts degree
from Fairleigh Dickinson University,
where she is a reader for e Literary Review.
Her chapbook Escape to Nowhere
(Rain Mountain Press) was first runnerup
in the Ronald Wardall Poetry Prize and
her Controlled Burn (forthcoming from
Seven Kitchens Press), was runnerup in
the Robin Becker poetry contest. Her
poems have appeared in literary journals
including American Literary Review.
Conroy is an alumni of the Sewanee
Writers and Bread Loaf Writers conferences
and just received the Galway Kinnell
Scholarship to attend Squaw Valley
Community of Writers conference. A member of Tupelo Press’ 30/30 Project,
she is currently working on a manuscript “Here at the Ends of My
Hands are My Wrists.” She has been a member of Key West Poetry Guild
since 2008.
Nance Boylan moderatea. All welcome to attend.
INFO (305) 393-7844
22 www.konklife.com
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
FIRST STATE BANK
| Continued from page 7
Employee of Quarter
Sonia Barajas, First State Bank of the
Florida Keys Tradewinds branch teller,
was named Employee of the Quarter for
her initiative, work
ethic and positive attitude.
Raised in Key
Largo and Coral
Shores High School
graduate, Barajas
worked for First
State Bank of the
Florida Keys 2007-11 as a part-time
teller for the Key Largo and Tradewinds
Branch Offices. She returned in 2012 to
the Tradewinds Branch as Teller.
■
KWLOU
LOU PETRONE
| Continued from page 8
Congress recently voted on repeal.
Again. For the 37th time in three years.
The same bill. With full knowledge it is
going nowhere. Perhaps a publicity
stunt. Maybe to appease the far right.
Could be an attempt to convince the
American people they are protecting
their interests by constantly beating a
dead horse.
The scenario is outrageous for a
number of reasons. First, it is a waste of
time and money. Once was enough.
That is all it takes. There is a cost involved.
Thus far Congress has spent $1.5
million in conducting 37 votes. At a
time the United States is in desperate
economic straits. The Republicans are
the ones who shout cut, cut,cut, eliminate
wasteful spending. They fail to do
that which they preach.
I have an additional concern —
37 votes on the same thing where one
would have sufficed.There are important
social issues facing the United States.
Like gun control, immigration and tax
reform. These issues are never brought
to the floor for a vote. Crazy.
The third disgrace involves the
great American corporation
Apple and its avoidance of $102 billion
in taxes. All perfectly proper. All legal.
Offshore accounts were used.
Ireland is a glaring example. Apple
has neither buildings nor employees in
Ireland. It merely has a mailing address.
Apple saves $12 billion using this gimmick.
All perfectly proper. All legal.
Apple’s CEO recently appeared before
a Congressional committee on the issue
of tax avoidance. He was open and above
board in his responses. His position a
simple one. The law permits everything
they do. Everything is within the law.
They pay only taxes they are legally required
to pay. Apple’s CEO is correct.
Apple is without sin.
Who is the culprit? The Congress of
the United States. Laws have been passed
ogranting big tax breaks to major corporations.
Congress did the dirty deed and
now is searching for a scapegoat. There
is none, except themselves.
There are two ways we can get out of
this tax avoidance situation. First, cut
out tax loopholes permitting this activity.
Second, pass a law lowering corporate
tax rate. We will lose no money.
Probably take in more revenue. Without
loopholes, corporate America will pay
taxes on ALL income earned. This
should provide more tax income than received
now. It is a win-win situation for
corporate America and the United States.
I have pointed the finger at Congress
and government in general. Our elected
representatives have become beholden to
corporate America. They expect and rely
on substantial contributions to their political
war chests. They enjoy a trip here
and there at corporate America’s expense.
Expensive dinners. And whatever else.
We should expect more from elected
representatives. We deserve more. Congress
must do the right thing. They have
neither the courage nor desire to do so.
KEYNEWS
■
| Continued from page 10
“This can be beneficial to different
people. It’s for young folks just starting
out, but it’s also for folks already in the
field who need extra tools to get to the
next level.”
Upon completion of an A.A., students
eligible to articulate into a bachelor’s
degree program at a four-year
degree-granting institution in Florida.
FKCC is in the final stages of entering
an articulation agreement with Florida
International University, which would
allow FKCC graduates to enter FIU’s
Chaplin School of Hospitality and
Tourism Management as a junior and
apply up to 500 internship hours earned
locally. ■ INFO (305) 809-3523

T R O P I C S P R O C K E T S Key West
Happenings
| Continued from page 21
n I N R E V I E W W I T H
Ian Brockway
Ginger & Rosa
Cult favorite Sally Potter who
directed the confrontational,
David Bowie-like “Orlando” (1992)
offers a story of young obsession in
“Ginger & Rosa.” Ginger and Rosa are
two idealistic teens who latch onto each
other in London in 1962. The two begin
to obsess not only with themselves but
also with the prevalence of nuclear
weapons. The Cuban Missile Crisis hangs
in the distance over London, a formless
but toxic cloud. This gives some interesting
historical tension to a rather tethered
and tame friendship drama. With every
discussion about poetry, romance or hair,
there is an image of a warhead or mushroom
cloud and this apocalyptic garnish
gives the dialogue a punk and iconoclastic
edge.
Sally Potter’s verve with the camera is
in evidence here as it zips about to and
fro, almost touching the skin of these two
smothering soul mates.
Ginger and Rosa spend their time
going to disarmament meetings with
evangelical zeal as the adults look on with
the passivity of human furniture, but
rather than a weakness, this is actually a
philosophic point in the film. As the
grown-ups go through the motions, it is
the young people (or specifically young
girls) who rise to the challenge.
Elle Fanning is sparky and engaging as
the eerie yet volatile Ginger, whose paleness
combined with her almost sudden
catlike motions and animalistic spasms,
transforms her into a maddened Ophelia
for the Greenpeace set. Alice Englert
(from Beautiful Creatures) provides a
good balance in her role as Rosa, who is
driven to taste The Beat definition of free
love.
In content and spirit “Ginger & Rosa”
echo British films like “Submarine”
(2010) and Andrea Arnold’s “Fish Tank”
(2009). These films were semi-comedic
moody studies about young people locked
in various romantic dilemmas only to
become stressed out by pop culture and
parental expectations.
In “Ginger & Rosa” the action moves
along fine with enough one liners and
naturalistic detail (as depicted in predictably
gray rooms and ashen parks).
The only drawback is that the story is
more of a vibration in character than a
drama with frisson, as first bouts of
infatuation tend to be. Be that as it may,
“Ginger and Rosa” still makes a satisfying
addition to the small indie friendshipfilm
canon.
Annette Bening, Oliver Platt and
Timothy Spall all deliver solid outings as
an activist friend and the godfathering
couple to Ginger, respectively.
Although you might want a spot more
of volcanic give and take throughout this
loping tale of trysts, there is enough color
in Elle Fanning’s pale but understandable
manias to make you see red and keep
watching. Ginger is calm and over-spiced
by turns — a Morrissey minion before
her time — and when she states the facts
of nuclear doom, her icy clarity elevates
the narrative well above its soap. Ginger’s
anxiety is a singular element combined
with the added ferrous ferociousness of
all things witchy.
e Iceman
Veteran Indie actor Michael
Shannon gives a wonderfully
visceral and gritty performance in
his portrayal of real life killer Michael
Kuklinski. This is a genuine departure for
Shannon, who is known for playing very
sensitive, introverted characters that are
either passive or schizoid and prone to
martyrdom as in “Take Shelter” (2011).
Although not fully explained in the
film, the real Kuklinski was medically
diagnosed by a prison doctor as having
bipolar, anti-social and paranoid personality
disorders with periods of unstoppable
rage. Moreover he was likely
sociopathic, clearly letting nothing get
The film “The Iceman” begins in the
gray urban landscape of Jersey City circa
1962 with a claustrophobic camera reminiscent
of Scorsese and Brian DePalma.
Shannon in this role is physically frightening.
His head by itself is like the wedge
of an ax. Perversely the film mocks
| Continued on page 25
www.konklife.com 23
MUSEUMS, NATURE & MORE
Saturday, June 1
"Coast" Opening Celebration, 4 PM 6404 Front St., Stock Island.
395-9217. Key West's newest retail & creative outpost will serve
as a specialty shop & a creative colony where locals can rent
workspace, share ideas, hold exhibitions & teach workshops. In
celebration, there will be live music, food & drink. Families encouraged
to bring their children. coastprojects.com
Sunday, June 2
Community Day Free for Locals Key West Art & Historical Society,
281 Front St. 295-6616. Custom House Museum, KW Lighthouse
& Keeper’s Quarters Museum, & Fort East Martello. kwahs.org
KIDS/TEENS SUMMER CLASSES/WORKSHOPS
Registration Begins
Pottery & Painting Summer Camps (Ages 7 & up)
Rubies & Clay with Grace Epperly, 529 Whitehead St.
potterybygrace.com
Ten – 1 week Sessions beginning June 10. website for details.
CoffeeMill Dance Studio's Children's Summer Dance Program
(Ages 3 & up) 916 Pohalski St. Contact:coffeemilldance.com
Classes June 10 thru July 26; Choose from classes in Ballet, Jazz,
Contemporary, Modern, Tap, Streetfunk & Creative Movement.
Art is Cool!, 10 AM The Studios of Key West, 600 White St.
296-0458 Saturdays, June 1-29. Workshops with Christine Fifer,
Michele St. Pierre, Michele Atkinson, Pam Hobbs & Maggie Ruley.
tskw.org
KWAHS Art Camp 2013: Fort East Martello, 3501 S. Roosevelt
Rd. 295-6616. 3 - 1 week sessions in June, 10AM-12:30PM, &
1:30-4PM. Visit website for details & application.
Mel Fisher Museum Kid Exploration 2013 (ages 7-12)
Mel Fisher Museum, 200 Greene St. 294-2633 x 20. mfmm.org
3 - 1 week sessions in June with artists from The Studios of Key
West. June 10-27; Mondays-Thursdays, 9AM-3:30PM
kwahs.org
Camp Bravo! Young Stars (Ages 6-14) Key West High School,
2100 Flagler Ave. Robin Kaplan & Penny Leto. June 10-28; Full or
half-day programs available.keyscommunityschoolofthearts.org
Pottery Summer Camp (Ages 4-9 & 10-16) Key West Pottery,
929 Truman Ave. 900-8303. keywestpottery.com
3 sessions: June 25-28; July 23-26; August 6-9. Ages 4-9 from
10AM-1Pm, Ages 10-16 from 2Pm-5PM.
Calling all artists
e Lemonade Stand Art Studio is extending an invitation to Keys
artists to submit their work for their Juried Small Works Exhibit. Finished
pieces must be under 10 inches in any direction to apply. Photographs,
drawings, painting, sculpture will be considered. Deadline is
June 10. All work submitted will be viewed and judged by a committee
made up of individuals with various art backgrounds from across the
country, including Key West. All selected pieces will be on display at the
Lemonade Stand Art Studio through July 14th with an opening reception
on June 28th. Entries are not limited to Florida or the East Coast region;
please feel free to pass the information along to appropriate candidates.
Entry forms online, www.lettynowak.com/show or at the gallery, 318
Petronia St. Monday–Saturday 10-4 pm.
INFO
Queries, email caroline@lettynowak.com

Ziegler and Raquel Robbins-McCarthy
StayFit members stay fit
C O M M U N I T Y S P O T L I G H T
Tracy Ziegler is May’s Fit Member of the Month.
“Tracy was the perfect choice for Fit Member of the Month
because of her high energy and contagious enthusiasm in the
studio and local Key West events,” said Raquel Robbins-Mc-
Carthy, StayFit Studio owner.
Stay Fit’s award recognizes members who show determination,
consistency and commitment to health.
INFO
www.stayfitstudiokeywest.com
24 ww.konklife.com
Mobile Business Services
Homerun for Lower Keys Youth
First State Bank of the Florida Keys continues its support of
local youth athletics and recreational activities with a donation
to the Big Pine Athletic Association (BPAA).
“We are confident our donation will help the children of our
Lower Keys’ community providing positive programs that teach
the importance of teamwork and discipline,” said Jason O’Brien,
assistant vice president/Summerland Branch manager.
Serving the Lower Keys for 30 years, BPAA is a nonprofit organization
that organizes and provides facilities, insurances, and
equipment for sports teams in the Lower Keys.

TROPICSPROCKETS
IAN BROCKWAY
| Continued from page 23
coming of age young romance films by the soft
spoken tension and danger that lurks within the
animal Kuklinski by candlelight. The infamous
Winona Ryder appears as his date and future
wife Deborah. She is authentic as an empathetic
and caring love, although you might wonder
why she doesn’t have a clue as to Kuklinski’s
dark side. Kuklinski says he works for Disney.
In actuality, he pirates low budget porn films.
While things seem benign, Kuklinski goes
up to a dark New York room to copy porno, a
group of shady men barge in and demand to
take the material. They cut and hit him. That
night, he slips out a back door and slits a
henchman’s throat accompanied by bass chords
reminiscent of John Carpenter. Incredibly, the
murder is undiscovered. And there are other incidences
where Kuklinski kills for sport, merely
because he feels someone is a jerk. Abruptly,
Ray Liotta appears as Roy Demeo, a porn chief
who psychotically offers Kuklinski a job as hit
man, although I use the term “offer” loosely as
Demeo has a gun at his temple.
Kuklinski works his way up the bloody
ladder so to speak in the mode of DePalma’s
“Scarface” brutally murdering those ordered to
dispose of and attending high-end Italian
restaurants with his wife and two daughters.
And they suspect nothing, thinking that he
deals in Wall Street trends.
The most provocative but altogether disturbing
concept in “The Iceman” is Kuklinski
as he manages to channel his murderous rage
and become employable and a success in the
eyes of his family and acquaintances. Seen in
this way he is a kind of antihero, although
(hopefully) no one you would want to emulate.
As the killings become numerous he manages
to upset the obnoxious Demeo. Kuklinski
has to look over his shoulder with his enemies
going after his daughters.
There is a little dash of Bronson-era “Death
Wish” to Ariel Vromen’s direction given Kuklinski’s
anxiety and rage in keeping his family together.
Like “Death Wish,” nearly everyone he
kills is clearly dishonest, unkind or as cruel as
Kuklinski.
At times “The Iceman” apes a horror film.
We watch him ice and hack at limbs with
butcher saws at backroom freezers. Then surprisingly
we see Kuklinski the killer rush to the
hospital like any concerned and grieving parent.
Such is the excellence of Michael Shannon’s
portrayal that outshines the somewhat limited
docudrama narrative. We don’t sympathize with
Richard Kuklinski but at least we recognize his
instability without the crutch of contemporary
artifice.
■
Calling Midsummer artists!
This week’s cover tree fairy Elaney Vestal announces a
call for musicians, actors, painters, card-readers, filmmakers,
poets, dancers, storytellers, jugglers, firebreathers,
stilt-walkers, clowns and fairies, nymphs and
satyrs to co-create the most magical night of summer
— the 7th Midsummer’s Night Dream & Spectacle,
June 22, at Key West Tropical Forest and Botanical
Garden. INFO Call event producer Michael Shields,
(305) 394-3804, keywestupdates.com
KONKLIFE
JOHN GUERRA NEWS WRITER
| Continued from page 4
www.konklife.com 25
C O M M U N I T Y
Coastal bills the district; and the district in turn requests
the money from Bank of America to pay for the work.
Pribramsky went after construction companies and
outside vendors doing business with the Monroe County
School District when he was on the School Board. In fact,
a controversial $218,000 concession stand on HOB property
led to a probe by school board members, as well as a
review of the project by state auditors. State auditors criticized
the district for bad record-keeping and questioned
why school district employees worked for a private contractor
on that project.
Pribramsky has sought to calm Coastal and others
who worry that he is looking for political mileage.
“I was not hired to give my opinion,” Pribramsky told
KonkLife last week. “My job is to make sure all the documentation
is provided by the general contractor, Coastal
Construction Group, in accordance with the contract.”
Though he won’t give his opinion on whether anything
shady is being done, his agreement with the district states
that Pribramsky’s firm will “report any deficiencies” in
documentation for what Coastal Construction spent
on materials and other costs.
Board member John Dick said Pribramsky’s attestation,
as it’s called, will probably save the district money.
“After Coral Shores was finished, we reviewed the work,
and we received more than $1 million in refunds,” he said.
The refunds came from Coastal, which did work it was
not asked to do, Dick said.
The School District also has to find out why Bank
of America, which underwrote the loan, has so far refused
to reimburse the district $909,000. Pribramsky said the
disputed figure could be as high as $1.8 million.
Someone at the district offices may have spent the
money to outfit the school with desks, chairs, office
furniture, electronic blackboards (known as smart boards)
and other furniture for the new school, sources told
KonkLife.
School Board member John Dick said the loan is
dedicated to the construction of the school and associated
costs, not for outfitting the school.
“That money is for construction, only for construction
costs,” he said.
■
Military recognized
In recognition of the long relationship
between Key West and the U.S. service
branches, the Key West Botanical Garden
Society announced all active duty military
personnel and families may enter the
botanical park on Stock Island free of
charge, Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Included are families of the U.S. Army,
Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard,
National Guard and Reserve, U.S. Public
Health Service Commissioned Corps and
NOAA Commissioned Corps.
e Blue Star Museums initiative is a
collaborative effort among the National
Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star families,
Department of Defense and more
than 1,800 museums nationwide. Leadership
support provided by MetLife Foundation
through Blue Star Families. List of
participating sites and ID cards online.
Memorial Day weekend, the works
of local sculptures on display,
ArtGarden 2012.
INFO
www.arts.gov/bluestarmuseums
www.kwbgs.org
■
MARC’s Mike Roth and
KWPD Jean Zeman
LOVE those orchids!
Key West Police Department LOVE
Fund’s Second Annual Orchid Auction at
Square One donated about $3,000 to the
fund through community bidding on orchids
from MARC House. Orchids were
in hand decorated, one-of-a-kind pots.
Established in 2006, LOVE Fund aids
any department member when no other
resources are available in times of extreme
hardship. KWPD LOVE Fund is a federally
recognized charitable organization.

n
June 1
Dolphin Masters
Male, female and junior anglers test skills
against dolphin fish in Key West waters, June
1, during the 12th annual Yamaha Dolphin
Masters Invitational. $13,000 cash purse to the
boat team scoring highest total combined
weight of three dolphin catches. Amount based
on participation by field of 25 boats. Secondand
third-place finishers receive prizes. Conch
Republic Seafood Co., 631 Greene St., Historic
Seaport
tourney headquarters.
Anglers
gather there 6
p.m. May 31 for
final registration,
captains
meeting and
kick-off party.
Saturday’s fishing
begins 7 a.m. Weigh-in 3:30-4:30 p.m. at
Conch Republic Seafood docks followed by 5
p.m. awards party. $750 per boat. No limit on
number of boats that can register.
INFO (305) 304-7674
■ June 8: VFW Fishing Tournament. Familyoriented
event offers cash prizes for dolphin,
wahoo, snapper and grouper. Heaviest dolphin
worth $2,500. (305) 509-7244
■ June 21-23: Key West Gator Club Dolphin
Derby. $5,000 grand prize awaits the boat
team with largest aggregate weight of dolphin
during derby’s two fishing days. Teams allowed
to enter one qualifying fish per day. Event
scholarship fundraiser for area high school
graduates attending University of Florida.
keywest.gatorclub.com/Event
■ June 29: Mercury Marine Ladies Dolphin
Tournament. Key West. Female anglers have
seven ways to win in this challenge that offers
$10,000 in cash and prizes. Awards include a
$3,000 prize for the heaviest single dolphin
and a $2,500 boat prize for the heaviest aggregate
weight of two dolphin. Proceeds benefit
the Jose Wejebe “Spanish Fly” Memorial Foundation.
(305) 296-0364
■ June 29-30: Dolphin & Blackfin Tuna Fun
Fishing Tournament. Marathon. In its 13th
year, this family-friendly competition awards
$700, $500 and $200 to the top three adult
anglers with the heaviest dolphin. Other cash
awards and prizes are slated for junior anglers.
(305)743-5317
O U T B A C K
K E Y H A P P E N I N G S • C O M M U N I T Y
n
June 13-16
Africana Festival
Discover the Afro-Caribbean heritage of
America’s southernmost island city. The Key
West Africana Festival focuses on culture, wellness
and workshops on wellness and healthy
living, film screenings and explorations of the
African and Cuban sites and influences that
helped shape Key West.
7 p.m. registration and reception Thursday,
June 13, at Southernmost House Historic Inn,
1400 Duval St. on the Atlantic Ocean.
10 a.m. Friday, June 14, keynote address
and panel at San Carlos Institute, 516 Duval
St. Founded in 1871 to preserve Cuban culture
and promote Cuba’s freedom from Spanish
rule, the building today is a Cuban heritage
center and museum.
Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, an award-winning
author, television contributor and professor at
Washington D.C.’s Georgetown University, is
to give the keynote speech. Panel moderated by
Dr. James Peterson, media commentator and
director of Africana Studies at Pennsylvania’s
Lehigh University.
In Friday presentations, attendees learn Key
West history and culture and African refugee
cemetery. Afternoon tour explores cemetery
and memorial on Higgs Beach. Historians believe
the graves are Africans who died in 1860
after freed by U.S. Navy from three American
slave ships captured near Cuba. 1,400 Africans
brought to Key West, but 300 died after the
forced ocean crossing.
5:30 p.m. Friday: Mel Fisher Maritime Museum,
200 Greene St., for program, film and
exhibit tour on shipwrecked Henrietta Marie.
Vessel sank 35 miles west of Key West in 1700
after unloading 190 enslaved Africans in Jamaica.
Friday night events include drum and
dance performance and workshop by Afro-
Cuban cultural organization IFE-ILE.
Saturday’s highlights include workshops on
relationship wellness and physical wellness,
presentations, “Soul Food Junkies” film and
discussion with filmmaker Byron Hurt. DJ Self
Born leads late-night musical happening.
VIP prebroadcast screening of “Sunken Stories”
of WPBT2 television series “Changing
Seas,” 8 p.m. Saturday at San Carlos. Program
spotlights Spanish pirate slave ship that sank in
1827 off Upper Florida Keys. Weekend concludes
Sunday with golf outing at 18-hole Key
West Golf Club, 6450 College Road.
INFO keywestafricanfestival.eventbrite.com
26 www.konklife.com
Bosn4 Todd Stoughton, Capt. Scott Smith, Lt.
Dave Black, Det. Matt Haley, Office Nick
Revoredo, Officer Deglys Chavarria, Commander
John Reed. Capt. JR Torres and Officer Michael
Shouldice not shown.
KWPD honorees
Offshore World Championship
Power Boat Races safer
Seven members of the Key West Police Department
were honored by the U.S. Coast Guard for their roles in
assuring that the Offshore World Championship Power
Boat Races were safe. Capt. Aylwyn S. Young, commander
of Coast Guard Sector Key West, awarded Capt.
Scott Smith, Capt. J.R. Torres, Lt. David Black, Detective
Matthew Haley, and Officers Michael Shouldice, Deglys
Chavarria, and Nicholas Revoredo a certificate of merit.
According to the citations, officers recognized for
“meritorious service . . . while planning, support and executing
safety and security operations” for the races.
Commander John Reed and Bosn4 Todd Stoughton
presented the honors at the Key West Police Department.
Six members of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office also
received the recognition for their role in supporting U.S.
Coast Guard efforts.
Sigsbee Charter School gardens
Lori Rittel, registered dietitian with the Monroe
County Health Department, tours the student
vegetable garden on at Sigsbee Charter School in
Key West. Rittel helps develop a community-wide
task force to encourage healthy eating and
routine exercise among Keys’ youth.
INFO
(305) 809-5653 for more information

B I T C H I N ‘ P A R A D I S E
DON’T LET THE SUN SET ON THE TOP!
Ihate corporations. The day I left
my job in corporate America—
and golden handcuffs of subsidized
onsite massages, delicious and fattening
cafeteria meals, incentive
trips to the Bahamas via private jet
— was the best day of my life. I
shook off the shackles and the beta
blockers on the horizon and never
looked back.
Until now, when corporate greed
is back in my face. Our faces. This
time, courtesy of Remington Hotels,
the company that wants to transform
the top of La Concha into a
six-room spa. The top will no longer
be accessible to the little people like
us. No longer will we be able to venture
up for a cocktail at sunset or see
the city alight at night.
The highest point in Key West
will become members only, so to
speak.
I always wondered why the hotel
never made more of their prime
rooftop real estate. Despite the five
crappy, broken pool chairs facing
west, you could always find a crowd
gathered here at sunset and into the
night. All word-of-mouth. There is
ample space to turn this into a
lounge inside, room for chairs and
tables outside. Music. Food. Heavily
marked-up cocktails. This place
could be a gold mine.
But fuck us. If Remington has its
way, a Key West landmark will go
the way of a Flagler train.
There are plenty of spas in town.
But there is only one location we’ll
ever be able to have that unobstructed
view of sunset: The Top
of La Concha.
Rooftop bars have become a big
trend in big cities. I know when I’m
travelling, I’m more inclined to stay
at a place with rooftop access rather
than another hotel equal on every
other level. People are drawn to Key
West not only for the laid-back way
of life, or the weather, but to eat
and drink under the stars.
And even if you don’t care about
this issue one way or another, fight
for your people. It is common
knowledge that Remington is one of
www.konklife.com 27
the lowest-paying corporations in
town. Low morale. High turnover.
Petty actions such as removing free
soda dispensers from the employee
break room due to exorbitant costs
(anyone who has ever worked in the
industry knows that a glass of soda
from one of these dispensers costs
pennies) and replacing it with a
profit-making machine.
Remington is take, take, taking
from Key West. It’s time to stop.
What can you do? On Facebook,
join the Key West Loves the Top
page, where you will get updates on
the efforts of a group of residents
dedicated to saving The Top. You’ll
find access to an online petition
which, in less than a week, has
signatures of nearly 500 outraged
residents. I know you are, too, so
add your name.
The next city planning meeting
will be very important to the future
of this project, and they’ll keep you
posted on dates and what you can
do.
In the meantime, respectfully
voice your concerns to City Clerk
Cheri Smith — csmith@keywest
city.com — or to the Remington
decider, Robert Haiman —
roberthaiman@remingtonhotels.com
There really is power in the pen.
■
Kimberley
Denney
@bitchinparadise
Hit me up, yo:
bitchinparadise@earthlink.net or
www.bitchinparadise.net
Tweeting @bitchinparadise