BEAR IN TOWN

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There is a bear in town. By name only.

Donna and Terri’s family now 3. A dog. Named Bear. A golden retriever. Eight weeks old.

A baby!

Met Bear last night. Enjoyed dinner at Donna and Terri’s with Bear.

Bear arrived the night before. Flew in from Detroit. Spent 11 hours in a cage.  A 3 hour stop over involved.

Cried all night. Can’t blame him. Stripped from his mother and 8 brothers and sisters. A new environment.

Talked with Donna this morning. He cried again all night. Terri does the night shift.

The game plan is to have Bear trained as a guide dog. Terri is blind in one eye and the other is going. The eye problem has nothing to do with the cancer. Terri is in remission and beaming.

The new Key West Amphitheater presently featuring a four day musical festival. Appears a success. Many tourists in town for the concert. When not at the Amphitheater, they are filling the downtown bars known for good music.

Apparent reason for the early morning shooting at Banana Bay Resort coming to light. Drugs. Police found 4 adults, 3 children and the drugs in one room. Lots of drugs. Marijuana, crack and powder cocaine, MDMS, and drug paraphernalia. All wrapped for sale. In a car outside, oxycodone pills.

Frequent Key West visitor Don Teich spends most of his year working in Asia. He and Chris Maxam are to be married in several weeks here in Key West at the Hyatt.

I mentioned Hemingway recently. For some reason, Don was in Spain. Pamplona to be exact. Where the bulls run. He sent me a photo of him running on the street where the bulls run. At night. Don running, no bulls behind him.

Courageous!

Pebble Beach Golf Tournament this weekend. Watched a bit.

What a course! I played it and its sister courses several times. Pebble Beach the most difficult course I ever played. The pros have their work cut out for them this weekend.

What does a husband do if his wife cheats? Leave, shoot the wife, shoot the lover, whatever?

Marital infidelity appears to have been dealt with in a different fashion in 1829 in Key West. A Mexican Naval officer named Charles Hawkins fought a duel with William Allison McRes, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. Four shots fired. One man shot in the wrist, the other in the thigh.

Satisfaction obtained.

Why the duel? Hawkins saw McRes leaving his wife’s bedroom via the window.

Anna wrote to tell me one of the African negros involved in the voodoo killing was apprehended in the Milan railway station. Brought back memories.

About 10 years ago, Anna and I were in the Milan station. I fell down the stairs. Did a number on my arm. An open cut and bleeding.

Anna panicked and rushed me to a drug store in the plaza. She was going to take care of me. Needed bandages, etc.

The bandages, etc. were behind the counter. Anna is yelling for help. The girl was slow. Anna went behind the counter, grabbed what she needed, and wrapped me up.

As I think back, it may have been the first of my falls.

A new mosquito killer is being tested in Miami. The concern dengue fever and ZIKA. The company MosquitoMate.

Male mosquitoes are sterilized in a lab. They are then incapable of impregnating females. The males do not bite, have healthy sex drives, and will mate with females whose eggs then won’t hatch.

Six thousand were dropped on Brewer Park in South Miami thursday. It is expected that over a six month period, a total of six million will be released.

What is good for the goose is good for the gander. And vice versa.

California Assemblywoman Christina Garcia has been active in the local and national #Me Too Movement.

A male staffer said that in 2014 following an Assembly softball game, Christina approached him, squeezed his buttocks, and tried to touch his crotch. He told two friends immediately afterwards.

Both the Assemblywoman and male staffer agree she was drunk. She has no recollection.

The matter is under investigation.

Ian Welsh is an English blogger I recently began reading. His most recent blog concerned gender pay equality. Women should be paid as much as men for doing the same job.

He reported how the British Broadcasting Company was handling the situation. The BBC is the largest public broadcaster in the world. Twenty thousand nine hundred fifty full-time employees. An additional 35, 402 part-time, flexible and fixed contract staff.

Rather than increase women’s salaries, the salaries of men are being decreased. As much as 30 percent. All in an effort to tackle the gender pay crisis.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

 

I PAINTED THE FORDHAM RAM GREEN

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So much to discuss today. Material galore. Don’t think I will be able to cover it all.

Lets begin with my yesterday. So much, I may not get beyond Key West exploits.

My car was filthy. I am not a clean car fanatic. When it gets to the point I cannot stand it, the car gets cleaned.

I drive a 2010 Volkswagen Beetle convertible. Only 38,000 miles. Last time cleaned about a year ago.

Stopped at the car cleaning place on White Street. Fausto’s a bit down the street on the other side. The car was detailed there a year ago. $50. Told the owner to do it again.

Could I have the car back in 2 hours? No problem.

Walked down the block to Blown Away. Haircut time with Lori. She has been cutting my hair close to 20 years. Takes all of 3 minutes. Includes a rinsing afterwards.

I have next to no hair. She never wants to charge me. I always give her $20.

Close to 2 hours remaining till the car would be ready. Decided to have lunch at the new Sandy’s Cafe a couple of doors down.

Sandy’s Cafe recently opened.  Run by the group that ran Sandy’s for 17 years at the corner of White and Virginia. They had a rental dispute with the building’s owner. Moved to the new place where I had lunch.

A major war has erupted. The landlord at the old place opened a Sandy’s at the old place. Both using the same name. Who has the right? A federal court issue. For real. A lawsuit already pending.

The new Sandy’s had a steady crowd. Very attractive. It is a restaurant. Booths, a bar with stools, etc.

I grabbed a handful of local newspapers. Knew I had to kill almost 2 hours before the car would be ready. Enjoyed a cheese toast with tomato and diet coke. Excellent!

Almost fell asleep in the booth. The waiting seemed like forever.

Went for the car.

Oh, so beautiful! The sun sparkling off it. The owner of the establishment showed it to me with pride. He knew he had done a good job.

To be frank, the car looked new inside and out.

The question is whether I can go another year before getting it cleaned/detailed again.

Late in the afternoon, stopped at Don’s Place. A while since my last visit. I needed to talk with Stan. While there, I also briefly chatted with David, Clara, John, Angus, and Michael.

Ran into Don as I was leaving. Looks good, feels good. Told him not to worry. What will be will be. Enjoy! Don is into heart problems. A stent and pacemaker the past several months.

Bocce opened last night. A new season. Just spoke with David. Don’s Place won all 3 games.

From Don’s Place to the Chart Room.

Two women down the bar from me. We began chatting. Turned out one had gone to Fordham. I went to Manhattan. A huge park separated our two schools.

A fun conversation ensued.

She told me Fordham girls used to come to Manhattan looking for boys. We referred to ourselves back then as boys and girls. The Green Leaf Bar down the hill from Manhattan is where they camped. A good place. Where Manhattan students did their drinking..

I laughed. Manhattan was an all boy’s school. We searched for girls. At the girl’s colleges in Westchester County.

Never the twain did meet! I never met a Fordham girl…..till last night.

A collegiate rivalry existed between the schools.

Fordham’s mascot was a ram. Always a real one. Tradition being what it was, a tall statue of a ram was also on the Fordham campus.

As the annual Manhattan/Fordham basketball game approached, the respective schools did evil things to each other.

Green was Manhattan’s school color. The year 1954. The game a few days away. A group of Manhattan men sneaked onto the Fordham campus and painted the ram statue green.

Ho, ho! A big deal! And we didn’t get caught!

Finished the evening at Tavern ‘n Town. Enjoyed the prime rib medium rare. My diet meal.

Stuck at 18 pounds.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

FRUSTRATING EVENING

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Can’t win!

My blog talk radio show was scheduled for last night. For the third consecutive week, a screw up at Blog Talk’s end. Technical difficulties. My  show did not get out.

Pisses me off. Time spent preparing the program. Then nothing to do with it. Most material quickly aged. Cannot be used the following week.

Sloan working on the problem today. Hope if finally gets resolved.

My apologies to all who tried to listen and heard nothing.

One advantage gained last night was that I could watch Trump’s Address to Congress.

I was not impressed. More form than substance. He spoke in a subdued tone and read from a prepared script. Looked Presidential. Does not necessarily make him Presidential.

Substance was lacking. Barking up the wrong tree in many instances. A number of factual errors.

I am not going to waste my time or yours being specific. Whether pro or negative Trump, you picked up on them also.

The Key West City Commission has had its way once again. Yesterday groundbreaking for the Truman Waterfront Amphitheater took place. Completion expected by the end of September.

We shall see. More importantly, what will we see after completion? Will it be used with regularity? Will it cause all kinds of neighborhood problems?  Etc.

I am for an amphitheater. I believe the City Commission has jumped too fast. Much home work yet to be done.

My good friends from Iowa. Tom and Cindy. Two of the greatest people I have had the good fortune to meet in Key West.

Tom and Cindy live in Iowa. Travel frequently.

What follows was motivated by my President John Tyler story yesterday.

Tom e-mailed he and Cindy were visiting Virginia 20 years ago. Visiting Cindy’s sisters and old historical properties.

Went down a back road. The area referred to as Sherwood Forest. Lovely home before them. estate style. No sign signifying whose home.

Tom did not expect to meet Robin Hood. However, he was curious. Went up and looked through a window.

A man came out. What are you doing, who are you, etc.?

Turned out the occupant of the home was President John Tyler’s grandson. Tom says he is still alive today.

Tom is a history buff. All excited to meet Tyler’s grandson. John Tyler lived during George Washington’s time and here he was talking to his grandson.

Crazies pop up all the time. Through all time.

On this day in 1692, the Salem Witch Hunts began. Before a stop was put to the craziness, more than 150 men and women were accused of Satanic practices. Nineteen men and women were executed. Eighteen by hanging and one by crushing.

Nice neighbors!

Would you believe, even a baby was accused of being a witch.

Even worse, the State got involved. Two special courts were set up to hear the witch cases. For a while, every one believed Satan was about.

My evening fixed. Dinner and a movie with friends. The Academy Award winning movie.

Enjoy your day!

SAD DAY IN AMERICAN HISTORY

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President John Kennedy was assassinated this day in 1963. All America cried. It was the end of Camelot.

The excitement and anticipation of his Presidency has never returned.

It seems impossible! The year is rapidly moving to its end. Major holidays ahead.

In two days, Thanksgiving. Christmas one month later.

Key West gets into holidays big time. Especially, Christmas. Two big parades.

The first December 3. Key West’s annual Christmas Parade. More exciting than Macy’s parade. For real!

The parade on Truman. The whole community turns out. The beads of Fantasy Fest are candy for the children. Thrown from the floats.

Robert and Ally go crazy. Waiting to catch as many goodies as they can. They come prepared. Each with a large bag.

The Lighted Boat parade December 10. An experience. Out on the water in a boat decorated like a Christmas tree. Forty or fifty other boats similarly attired. Generally cold. Nothing like being on the open water on a cold December evening. You wear everything! Even long johns if you have them.

The bigger the boat, the more fun. A band. Dancing. Great food. Alcohol.

Nance Frank is Key West personified. She operates an art gallery on Greene Street. Gallery on Greene. Many a local artist has become successful because of her efforts.

The City Commission is dancing around with a parking garage on Greene Street. Nancy wrote a Letter to the Editor which appears in this morning’s KONK Life E-Blast.

Stay away, she says! The 600 block of Greene Street is one of the last vestiges of old Key West. A concrete two or three story parking garage destroys the flavor of the block.

An excellent letter from one who knows best!

I recall building sand castles on the beach with my children. Not a lost art. The children of yesterday the adults of today. Some still build sand castles. Only bigger. Much bigger. Huge!

The Third Annual International Sand Art Competition this week. Wednesday to sunday at the Casa Marina.

Stop by daily and watch the artists work. Beginning friday evening, the sculptures will be lite. Wild!

A premature slap on the back in this morning’s Key West Citizen.

Work was begun a few months ago on the Truman Waterfront Park. After 15 years of screwing around with the project by the City Commission and others.

A major announcement in this morning’s newspaper. First two steps on schedule for the planned December 2017 completion.

A year away!

Guaranteed it will not be on schedule December 2017. Excuses, reasons will be forthcoming. Behind. Over run costs accumulating.

The City Commission is ultimately responsible for the project. History will repeat itself. Behind! Excuses numerous!

Does anyone in government really pay attention to these things?

Podcast time. My blog talk radio show tonight. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine o’clock. Join me for a fast moving thoughtful eye opening half hour. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

Topics include the technological revolution making humans obsolete, people of Flint still without clean drinking water, Maduro continues to screw up in Venezuela, Secret Service having lost or cannot find 11,780 items.

Also, CIA appointee Pompeo a supporter of torture and anti-GMO labeling, Attorney General appointee Jeff Sessions wants to reverse marijuana legalization, Russia withdrawing from UN’s International Criminal Court, and more.

I will not be writing today’s installment re Key West Rotary history. The Key West Rotary and Boy Scouts. Boy Scouts were big nationally and in Key West in the 1930s.

My research not completed. Yesterday busy getting ready for tonight’s podcast.

Tomorrow, Installment 20.

Enjoy your day!

 

 

 

 

ANDREW ON ITS WAY

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It was August 22, 1992. Hurricane Andrew blowing over the Bahamas as a #4. Two days later, it would be over South Florida. Florida City, Homestead and Kendall. Still a #4. some say a #5. Winds reported at 140 miles per hour.

Ninety percent of the communities were destroyed. A U.S. Air Base wiped out.

On my way to Key West three weeks later, drove through Homestead. I had never seen devastation like this. As far as the eye could see in any direction, not a building left standing. Occasionally, one wall.

The scene reminded me of Berlin at the end of World War II.

Hurricanes are part of life in the Keys. I have experienced several. More will come. May we never experience one as bad as Andrew.

Yesterday was column writing time. Every Sunday. Took the afternoon. Researching done the day before.

Title: Teach To The Test Fails. Bush 2’s No child Left Behind Act causing significant problems. Questionable if anything positive resulted therefrom. Examples of the down side will shock you.

The column publishes wednesday.

Last night at the Chart Room was the most valuable I have ever experienced. I learned a lot.

Met Devin. A farmer from Illinois. He owns two properties in Key West. An upscale condominium and a rental property.

Devin and his brother own and operate the farm. Their father before them. Before their father, their grandfather.

I got into Monsanto with him. I have always been under the impression that it was difficult to survive with Monsanto in the picture. He showed me at length how wrong I was. He is happy operating with Monsanto involved.

One of Devin’s crops is soybeans. Soybeans and other things grown find their way to the Far East for ultimate sale.

I live and learn. Forget sometimes there are two sides to a story.

Larry Smith tonight at the Little Room Jazz Club.

The Key West City Commission is seriously considering acquiring the old electric property in Bahama village. Whether to do so is on the ballot for a recommendation vote in November.

Three buildings. Abandoned for 50 years. There are environmental problems. Some resolved, others not. The nots generally not known nor discovered at this time.

Keys Energy will give the property to Key west for nothing. A kicker. Key West has to agree to relieve Keys Energy from any future environmental cleanup. Present numbers set the cleanup of problems known at around $2 million on the high side.

The property is adjacent to Truman Waterfront.

Why Key West is even going to the trouble of a referendum, I do not understand. The building and land are contaminated. As soon as remodeling work begins, further environmental problems will be discovered. Under federal law, the City as owner at the time of cleanup will be responsible. Guaranteed there will be additional environmental problems and they will be in the mullions. It’s the nature of the beast. A former electric company.

The contamination underground could run to the Truman waterfront property.

Nothing for nothing is the saying. The City will be accepting a pig in the poke if it takes title. Beware of those bearing gifts. All that glitters is not gold.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has provided a letter saying no further cleanup required. The City should not buy it. Once a new problem is discovered, cleanup becomes the order of the day.

Only in Key West. A Sheriff’s deputy who works as a correction officer at the county jail has been arrested.

An inmate has been incarcerated since 2013 on cocaine related charges. The deputy offered to help him escape for $400,000. The deal was made. $150,000 to be paid up front. The balance when the guy was out of jail.

The inmate and his lawyer told the authorities. The deputy was set up. When he was paid the $150,000 in the CVS parking lot in Big Pine, he was arrested. Undercover police officers paid him the money.

Enjoy the day!