•* • I ' • *' • J* ' . - . 1- . , r , .* 1 • . • . ' ' vr? Page 2--ApriI 1989-Solares Hill Ittlfiiiiilliiliiilliilll Don't Head North Without Them! ...footprints 610 Duva! Street Old Town Solares Hill is a community newspaper published monthly by Key West Publications, Inc., 930-C Eaton Street, Key West, FL 33040. I Telephone: (305) 294-3602. Thomas Geyer, President Frank E. Taylor, Vice President Geddy Sveikauskas, Secretary-Treasurer Editor Ann Boese Art Director Marko Fields Sales Manager George Leidal Typesetting Christine Naughton Accounting Patty Anthony Sales Richard Weiner, Renate Perelom, Kim Brock Art Assistant Jean Christoph Editorial Consultant Bud Jacob son © 1989 Key West Publications, Inc. With a little help from our friends EDITORIAL The other day a friend-a catch-release flat's fishing guide—was looking for permit near the Marquesas. Poling silently through the tourquise water, he noticed a styrofoam "peanut" floating by the skiff. What a shame, he thought, repulsed by the pollutant scar on nature's delicate complexion. From out of the blue swam a beautiful young turtle that gobbled up the styrofoam, then disappeared. For anybody who understands cycles and the dependency of one species upon another, that should about sum things up. Writer George Halloran represented Solares Hill at the recent Leadership Conference— an admirable first step toward real iz ing and correcting our problems—sponsored by the Key West. Chamber of Commerce. One of his observations was that some folks longed for a return to the past. In a world oriented for the future, this is not good. Growth in this city has happened so fast that it's pulled the rug out from under its citizens—they feel uncertain and insecure. And what is a town but a reflection of its people? I'm sure everybody would just as soon forget last month's fatal accident at dead man's curve. It was awful, particularly upsetting to a community in which a good portion of citizens are still laid back. Plain and simple, people in the BMW were driving too fast. They pulled the rug out from under themselves. Maybe we need to invite visitors down to Key West on our terms. Maybe we should ask them to slow down, and tell them that we love and respect our town. And our beaches. And our reef. And our i AN OCEANFRONT RESTAURANT DINING Indoors or Under The Stars. cafe- Entertaining Food and Drink. THEAFTERDECK A Transom's Height Above The Water. Cocktails. Enjoy All Of Our Views 11:3OAM-2AM 700 WADDELL • 294-1061 (Vernon & Waddell Oceanfront) streets. And our people. How do we do this? Through signs, educational brochures, tourist brochures with an element of educational sophistication. And most importantly through attitude-that of a community that takes care of its own. We've got a healthy group of articles this month. Amy Fischer, whose been following the city and county's solid waste problem, brings us up to date on our options. Elliot Baron explains the proposed airplane noise reduction ordinance. Elizabeth Smith researches day care in Key West, basing her findings in part on answers to a questionnaire she sent to all our centers. John Leslie strolls through the cemetary and Colin Jameson relays a fascinating comparison of a Williams College expedition to the Keys in 1857 and a followup by students in 1986. We regret that Gordon Lacy will no longer be writing "Gallery Hopping." Surely, Gordon will be contributing to the Art (as he writes it) world in other ways. Solares Hill is structuring a new art department which will begin next month. As always, Vaughan Gibson will be commenting on local culture. April is child abuse prevention and Key Deer protection month. (We applaud Hank Morgenstern's efforts to protect the dwindling Key Deer.) Until next month, Ann Boese This month's cover art, ''Full Moon on Duval Street," is a block print on canvas by John Rankine. His work is exhibited at Is It Art... Designs, 913 Duval Street. 1 ——1 | SUBSCRIBE I onhnnoftiihill ! I C 1 OI ° I "̂ i >> j E 1 o I T3 1 u 1 1 d e l 1 . i*—< 1 h~< 1 *̂H 1 t/1 1 VJ • —(*-• 1 CO 1 1 > DIG • o • 1-4 a u CO 3 CO a> CO CO • >> O) C o £ c2 o ^ | o _ Cs s CO C/l CO ^ ^ r Shop in Our Gift Store where all proceeds support Greenpeace Environmental Campaigns. 612 Duval St- ., , . t.. =296-4442 m somebody,'" said DeFeo, who also runs the Pier House. "Otherwise we will price ourselves out of the market. Maybe there is no place for affordable housing in Key West." It almost seemed like heresy: city movers and shakers admitting in public that we might have to "just say no" to affordable housing! Col. Frank Braden from U.S. Forces Caribbean picked up the theme, questioning how much people would sacrifice to create unlimited affordable housing. "How much do we want on a two-by-four island? And what must we give up to reach this goal? Do we accept 1800 Atlantics, pave the Salt Ponds, put more buildings in Old Town? Do we give up the shrimp docks on Stock Island, change the airport? Do we really want it at all? Just before noon Peter Herrick, new director of the Hotel/Motel Association (the only group besides the chamber allowed multiple representation), found concurrence in his definition of the morning's problem: Housing is affordable when prospective occupants perceive the cost as reasonable in relation to income and aspirations. It was a meager enough product of three hours of wrangling by 35 adults who pride themselves on their problem-solving and leadership abilities. At lunch I sat across from Elstrott. He told me the same problems exist in New Orleans: high volume tourism, high crime rates, high taxes, high prices for real estate and lots of low-income service workers with no place to live. They have no solutions there, either. We EMERALDS / e regrouped after dining and prepared for a triple-header: resolving the issues of crime, taxes and the environment. Right. Elstrott, who had confided earlier that he was used to working with much smaller groups, accepted a change in the agenda. We all agreed that we needed a destination before we could seek a path. Elstrott asked everyone to write their idea of what Key West should be like in 20 years, and then read it aloud. It was the clear consensus of this group that Key West has gone too far too fast and it is time to take our collective foot off the gas. Mike Wolpert of the Jaycees said we M.J. MARCIAL DESIGNER AND JEWELER Emeralds of the world mounted or unmounted, cut or rough from Colombia, Brazil and Zambia Give a Beautiful Gift for Someone Special 718 Duval Street, Key West, Florida 33040 (305)294-2060 Solares Hill-April 1989-Page 5 have to "turn the tide now, so in 20 years we can look back and be proud." - He felt we should diversify from tourism. "We've gone too far towards Miami Beach -- let's regress 10 years," urged Marvin Hovel from the High Noon Lions. Langley wanted to "recapture the 1965 spirit and quality of life," and keep the existing housing stock as residential, not transient. Robert Walker, principal of award-winning Horace O'Bryant school, agreed we should reduce our transient population and push for "a community of owners with a stake in the future and a commitment to quality of life." Walker also wanted a four-year college. Whalton called first for "protection of the environment," then "controlling the growth 730-F Duval St. at Petronia • 4 x 6 Jumbo Prints • Reprints • Englargements To 8 x 12 Quality Photo Finishing At Low Prices Open 7 Days 10 am-7 pm • 296-8027 ,_„___„„_ ™_j I Special Processing j I with this coupon 9 J (110, 126, 135 C-41 Processing Only) 1 Ask about our Photo of the Week Contest & Key Wester Plan $1.00 OFF! Any Regular Priced LP or Cassette. Not Good On Sale Merchandise Limit One Per Customer Offer Expires 5/1/89 T- $2.00 OFF! Any Regular Priced Compact Disc. Not Good On Sale Merchandise Limit One Per Customer "Offer Expires 5/1/89 CDs $4.99 AND UP GREAT SELECTION IMPORT CDs, LPs & 12" SINGLES NEW RELEASES MADONNA STEV/EB MILL! VANILLI DINO • CYNTHIA ' TONE LOG ' BEACHES SOUNDTRACK Open 10 am - 9 pm Daily Fri.-Sat. 10 am - 10 pm Sunday 11 am - 6 pm 924 Kennedy Drive in Key Piaza m$mmmi 296-6655 MUSIC, MOVIES, AND MORE. Page 6-April 1989-Solares Hill of government, nourishing the arts and cottage industry," and finally moving Key West toward "self-sufficiency." Hotel/Motel's Herrick bravely suggested "low-impact tourism," and hoped in 20 years we'd still have a "tolerant, bohemian attitude," plus low crime and excellent hospital care. Horton, by title representing Florida Keys Memorial Hospital but in philosophy still a member of the Hotel/Motel Association wanted to "keep our small town atmosphere." William Seeker, president of Florida Keys Community College, said we should have "Santa Claus for our mayor," and should "set a population cap at 50,000 people." This prompted groans and whispers. Many were in consent that we needed to limit population, but thought Seekers' number far too high. City Commissioner Sally Lewis, speaking for the cultural preservation board, said we are already at 50,000 when you add locals, winter residents and tourists, and pointed out that our police department is already overburdened. She had a long wish list including saving recreation areas, eliminating the drug problem and improving water quality and city services before adding YUHE 'Gate of Dreams' m / p JAPANESE FUTONS A Japanese mattress Japanese Foods • Sushi Stuffs 925 Truman Ave. Park Free at Kyushu 294-7260 any new development. At this point, Peter Anderson bubbled over with amazement. "We're all of one mind," he said. "What have we been fighting about all these years?" He went on to suggest that it had been the developers we fought, and now they were nowhere to be found. Hotel/Motel Association's Herrick bravely suggested "low-impact tourism," and hoped for a tolerant, bohemian attitude. Sheriff Allison DeFoor went a little further. "It doesn't do any good for all of us to agree here, if we let the bozos drive bus," he said. J. he rest of the afternoon passed quickly. Everyone agreed there is too much crime, taxes are too high and we need to protect the environment. After a final hour of platitudes about the environment, the meeting ended and everyone went back to their jobs or their homes. Big John Parks said we had made history. My feeling was we had produced a temporary agreement in a laboratory setting, like a hybrid ear of corn. Yes, we had said, we've overdone development and tourism in Key West. And yes, we had concurred, the quality of life for residents has declined and we need to reverse this trend. But back at our desks, would we base future decisions on today's agreement? Would public expression of thoughts many of us hold in private create a strength in numbers and a climate for change? Or would the pressure of deadlines and profit margins take over, leaving this day's ideals in the dust? More meetings are planned. Maybe they will work, producing a kinder, gentler Key West. But just now, between the rock of spring break and the hard place of spring • taxes, I understand why many locals have left for quieter pastures and why many more may follow if we don't make changes - soon. [sh] rife My childhood dream was to live in a home'.. - that looked out on the open sea .. - Best Bargains Lower Florida Keys! Gorgeous Gulf to Oceanfront Chalet on landscaped acre, 5360,000. New Gulf beach homes from $159,000 to $199,000. large canal home Sugarloaf Shores, $234,000. Canal tots $24,000 and up. Open Gulf frontage $49,000. Oceanfront RV home with lot, close to K.W., $98,000. Lot for your RV, all improvements, $33,500. Lot with attractive manufactured home, close to K.W., $56,000. Canalfront mobile home with lot, $69,900. BETTY M. BROTHERS REAL ESTATE, INC. P.O. BOX 456, U.S. 1 . M.M. 28. 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OLD T O W N Page 8--ApriI 1989-Solares Hill Soiares Hill-April 1989-Page 9 Billy Freeman: A Pre-eminent Politician by Bud Jacob son i n the 20 years he was a county commissioner, William "Billy" Freeman, Jr. was tagged with the nickname "Doctor No." It was hung on him by the first mayor of the county and chairman of the commission, Gerald Saunders. At one of their meetings — then held twice a month in Key West — in a small room off the clerk's office, Saunders got so frustrated with Freeman's constant "no" vote on the budget, or on a road program from Harry Harris, or on Sheriff John Spottswood's budget (never over $390,000 per year) that, standing up and pointing at Freeman, Saunders placed his hand dramatically at his neck and bellowed: "Commissioner Freeman, I have had it up to here with you! You are a fishbone in my throat! You are Dr. No!" It was the only time Saunders ever blew his top. The sobriquet, of course, came from the popular movie of the time and was accepted with good humor by Freeman. From then on, his friends greeted him as "Doctor." In the 1950s when Billy whipped incumbent commissioner Frank Bentley and took a seat on the board, he quickly tailored his political image as "champion of the small guy," fighting the power establishment in Monroe County. It was a sure entrance into u. $5 OFF... $5 OFF... $5 OFF... $5 OFF LL LL & LL LL O •tft o The only 2 p«-soi/( PAEA-SMUHGl ARMCHAIR ADVENTURE IN THE FLORIDA KEYS PROVIDING A RELAXING SCENIC DAY RIDE OR A WET AND WILD DAY RIDE ON YOUR REQUEST. BREATHTAKING SUNSET VIEWS OR TRY A ROMANTIC NIGHT RIDE. OUR LOCATION IS JUST WALKING DISTANCE AWAY FROM ANY POINT IN OLD TOWN KEY WEST. WE ALSO HAVE PICK-UP SERVICE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. 700 FRONT ST. AT A & B MARINA FOR RESERVATIONS CALL * 294-7466 $5 OFF... $5 OFF... $5 OFF... $5 OFF... k n o TI Tl O1 a. 9 Tl T i O Tl Tl t& $5 William "Billy" Freeman, Jr. Photo from Soiares Hill files. the hearts of a lot of people, including the local press. JHL is family background was solid gold Conch, going back well into the Bahamas and filled with all the family names from those years in the 1700s and up. Freemans and Currys and Pinders and Alburys and Parks and Bethels, and many more are OPEN 24 HOURS DAILY SPECIALS Monday-Friday Served from 4:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. Monday: Grilled Liver & Onions Tuesday: Roast Beef Wednesday: Homemade Meatloaf Thursday: All You Can Eat Spaghetti & Meat Balls, Salad & Garlic Bread Friday; 1 lb. B.B.Q. Pork Ribs Saturday: 10 oz. Prime Rib Sunday: Fresh Roasted Carved Turkey LOCATED IN THE ECONOLODGE 3810 N. ROOSEVELT BLVD. 294-7800 You'll Like Our Prices, You'll Love Our Food! names you still find in the Bahamian • directories. In the 24-hour-a-day practice of his politics which he loved so much, Billy became one of the best recognized of the nighttime figures around Key West. He enjoyed good times and plenty of laughs and practical jokes and was able to take a lot of ribbing, too. He was a spender and often talked about one of his favorite grandparents, Jenkins Curry — a dandy and man-about-town who made the night scene in Key West in the 1920s and 30s. Rock and roll "was nothing compared to then," Freeman would say. Billy could figure political angles like a pool shark. He knew every precinct worker in town. In fact, he was related to lots of them. In a short time, he became one of the most influential operators in the county. The power machine, then headed by the late Representative Bernie C. Papy, never bothered to challenge him. Even when they did, it would be a throwaway candidate in there only to keep Billy busy. Billy played a major and critical role in the 1960s when then-County Commissioner Charlie Ramos stepped forward to take on Papy in the wildest and craziest election campaign ever seen in the county and city. Billy worked from one end of the county to the other, along with the key men and women in the Ramos camp. The results came in and Ramos scored an incredible upset victory. Billy rode high in the parade down Duval Street that night. After 20 years on the county commission, weathering all its battles, Billy admitted that no politician was loved by everyone; he'd made some mistakes and he'd made some enemies but politics was his thing. So he headed for a term as state representative. Tallahassee wasn't his kind of town. He missed Key West and its crazy ways. JL hings were shaping up for the sheriffs race and Freeman took on the late Sheriff Bobby Brown. Freeman rode in on a wave of support but soon after he was in office, he demanded lie detector tests from all his deputies. There were two ways to look at that and one of them, bitterly sounded by several of the deputies who quit in anger, was that Billy was "getting rid of his political enemies, that's the reason for it." That was a cool time, for a spell. But Billy, a sturdy politician, survived. He served 12 years, building one of the state's finest departments; his budget topped $12 million a year. If he had a stated political theme, it was said after the deaths of the two most prominent of the county's political leaders -- Papy and Spottswood. Billy reckoned there'd be a "power vacuum, but I'm not in favor of one-man rule. That was why I was always on the opposite side." We'll miss you, Billy. ffl Florida Keys Revisited: wuuams college students trace exploration of their predecessors, 129 years before by Colin G. Jameson A century and a quarter ago, a small band of students from Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts, launched a natural history expedition into Florida, with emphasis on the Florida Keys. These young men were members of the Williams Lyceum of Natural History, a group formed to answer a perceived neglect of the biological sciences in the college curriculum. The 15 intrepid adventurers, equipped with an astonishing arsenal of weapons, set sail from New York on February 19, 1857, on the schooner Dew-Drop. Their faculty mentor, Professor Chadbourne, traveled more sedately by land. Perhaps more wisely as well, for the sea voyage was cold and stormy. Landing at Fernandina on March 10, the party split up, with the professor and one group plumbing the wilds of north Florida, especially the Okefenokee Swamp. The remainder would push on to the balmier clime of the Keys. In 1986, another handful of Williams students, accompanied by two faculty members plus the wife of one and son of the other, retraced the steps of the earlier foray. They found that the area studied had undergone fundamental changes. One major difference was transportation. The schooner Dew-Drop had needed 40 days to reach Key West, battling winter most of the way. In 1986 the same trip by camper, via interstate and Overseas Highway, was shorter. But a side venture to the Dry Tortugas, 68 miles away, was again by sail. Wildlife in 1986 proved to be a remnant of what it had been in the 1850s. In 1857 the myriads of birds were perceived as targets to be gunned mercilessly out of the sky. Specimens were considered inexhaustible. Many species are now classified as endangered. Today, a lone Key deer could galvanize undergraduate biologists with a sense of awe. Attitudes have changed. Having steadied his nerves with "a mouthful of fine cut5" he let drive and brought down a single gannet. But the two parties shared a single mystical experience — the blazing beauty of the sunset. Other than that, their reactions seemed those of two different civilizations. A glimpse of their individual reports illustrates the differences and similarities. 1857 The Dew-Drop, a fishing smack of 95 tons burden, set sail from New York on time but was forced by wintry weather to lie in the lee of Long Island for two days while the winds and seas wound down. The young green mariners spent the time furbishing their extraordinary armament of rifles, fowling pieces, revolvers, Bowie knives and daggers. The Dew-Drop had been specially fitted to crowd people aboard. A double row of berths occupied the sides of the cabin, and a pine table took up half the remaining space. The overhead was so low that nobody could stand erect; every forehead soon displayed bruises. At sea, the weather varied from fair to stormy or more stormy. Off North Carolina, flocks of seabirds were encountered. "Our naturalists, anxious to compare the living specimens around us with the plates in Audubon's Birds, blazed away with the utmost enthusiasm for six hours -- but buckshot from such a distance produced no effect." An inventive youth finally loaded his "ducking-gun" with a triple charge of shot. Having steadied his nerves with "a mouthful of fine cut" (tobacco), he let drive and brought down a solitary gannet. The group reached St. Maiy's River, the northern boundary of Florida, on March 8. During dinner ashore, "a little negro boy brought us an alligator ten inches in length. It was live and pugnacious, savagely biting at everything within reach. We hospitably entertained the little stranger and treated him to a draught of our choicest liquor - under the effects of which he still remains." Half the party having been dropped at Fernandina for upper Florida exploration, the Dew-Drop reached the northern shore of Abaco on March 29. Two days later she emerged "from the white water of the Banks into the deep blue waves of the Gulf Stream... The line which separates the white FINE LEATHER GOODS 404 duvdj street * key:West Olde Island REALTY, INC • Real Estate Sales, Residential, Commercial and Investment • Long-Term and Seasonal Rates • Property Management 525 Simonton Street Key West, Florida 33040 (305) 292-7997 A FULL SERVICE REAL ESTATE BROKERAGE FIRM iQOMETHING OLD OMETHING NEW HMM... CAN'T STOP REMEMBERING THAT FASHION SHOW... . KEY WEST TRADING POST RESORT WEAR TIE-DYED SPECIALTIES - ..... 1014 Truman Ave. • 294-5756 r Page 10--April 1989-Solares Hill water from the blue is as sharply drawn as the line of the horizon." 1986 We find ourselves 129 years later at Ft. Clinch on Amelia Island south of St. Mary's River, following the fortunes of the modern Williams College group. This outfit traveled by camper and used transport equipment for its original purpose -- camping. On their way from the North the explorers slept in tents and made few restaurant stops, most meals being cooked outdoors. Camping and sharing the work was a useful leveler; people got to know each other. General campfire talk particularly impressed one 19-year-old, who wrote "conversation in my experience had rarely had such depth." After a sodden week in the rain the group packed up in the middle of the night and headed south "while literally dripping wet." After another damp day they wound up at Hurricane Lodge in Marathon, where one member reported that he was at last "snug and warm in my sleeping bag on the dry floor." But being from the North, he had the air conditioner running. Next day, in chamber-of-commerce sunshine, the budding scientists confronted their first Keys wildlife — burrowing owls — on the par-three golf course at the airport. Then on to Sunshine Key, which was short on biology but "we learned what an RV is. There were compact RVs, RVs with sunroofs, RVs with supersonic radar devices, RI and VT RVs ~ some even had vegetable gardens, complete with watchdog and sprinkler system. "The entire island had been commercialized, save a small rim of sand around its edge and a marshy area south of US 1. But to our surprise, birds were nearly everywhere. A dense population of pelicans blanketed the marina, lying in wait for the fishermen ... cattle egrets prowled the campsites, with palm warblers dancing in the bushes above them. "The highlight of the day was our first Members of the 1857 Florida expedition gathered on campus for this photograph with specimens they had collected. Professor Chadbourne is shown seated on the box at the left. Note the Spanish moss draped artistically on the New England spruce tree. This is a reproduction of an original photograph from the Williamsiana Collection, taken from a photo album compiled by Richard Halstead Ward, Class of 1858. "not a single tree." After breakfast the group anchored near the town and went ashore to explore. "The city, which numbers about 3,000 inhabitants, is filled with elegant tropical residences ... surrounded by tasteful gardens of blooming oleanders and choice southern plants. Notwithstanding the dryness of the sandy soil, everything appeared green and flourishing, and the beautiful pink blossoms of the favorite rosebay [oleander] were bursting over every fence. "The business portion of the city is inferior in appearance, very little local business being carried on, and the traders depending mostly on the visits of the California steamers, the ships of war, and the spoils of the wrecking business." During this period, of course, the "inferior appearance of the city" had not prevented "the spoils of the wrecking business" from making the town the richest per capita in the country. "A gigantic fortification [Fort Taylor] is nearly completed on a shoal half a mile view of a great white heron. It was standing on the back porch of a trailer. It was so still that we at first mistook it for an ornament like those flamingo garden statues seen so often in Williamstown. "Scampering in the shadows nearby, a single ground dove was searching for food... Here, too, we experienced the first few coconuts of the expedition. The consistency and flavor of the shredded form on candies has always kept me at arms length. But so tasty was it in the natural form that I took great pains in preparing enough for a fruit salad for dessert at supper..." Key West, 1857 It was midnight when Dew-Drop first saw the Key West and Sand Key lights. The latter had been working for only three years; 131 years later, they still are on duty. By four in the morning, the ship had anchored in what was called "the Middle Ground," four miles from shore. The nearest visible land was Key West, which later proved to have stunted vegetation and;' Closed. Jue&A W«t. i j FineDining THE Cocktails in the popular b « \ AT THI SANTA MARIA MOTH (305 |2'J6 5678 _ ' 1401 SIMONSTON ST KLY WIST. FLOHIDA "... the best motel restaurant in town. The Queen's Table," - MY Tim«?s(Jan.31. 1982) v south of the harbor." The fort was originally on an island. The Army commanding officer, a Major Sanders, extended, every courtesy to the students, supplying a pilot and numerous biological specimens. He advised the leaders to concentrate their scientific endeavors on the Dry Tortugas and Bahia Honda. The next day was rainy, a boon to the residents, whose cisterns were nearly empty after a dry five months, but not much help to specimen hunters. Heaps of shells were everywhere, but ones with living creatures inside were scarce. Whatever washed up on the beach during the day was soon scavenged by small boys and invalids from the hospital. When the sun came out, prospectors aboard one of the Dew Drop's boats discovered a pelican rookery. They brought back a basket of eggs and young birds. The bottom of the boat was covered with birds they had shot and with various other marine wonders, chiefly shells. Key West, 1986 The modern expedition had been forewarned that their biological studies would not be much advanced by studying ...the travelers were convinced they saw drug smugglers. Key West itself. The island had grown hundreds of handsome trees -- generations of them - but it had also become citified. The 1986 group was therefore more interested in their forthcoming voyage to Dry Tortugas. They viewed Key West more or less as downtown-trippers. "Key West looked very touristy ... every other shop was selling souvenirs which included everything from shell necklaces to T-shirts. The rest were selling bikinis, bright clothes and scuba gear. "After a delicious seafood meal we split into groups to see the town closer up. From this vantage point it took on a new character." Still dominant were T-shirt shops and the like, but the travelers were convinced they saw drug smugglers. Certainly there were "big fat bouncers, undercover cops, bums that begged and some great rhythm and blues, too. "We walked through tree-lined alleys alight with lanterns posts and one or two solitary musicians." One of the party ascribed importance to Key West for its novelty. "How can you set out to discover and explore without a frontier town, a jumping off point, a last bastion? In this age of professionalism and middle class barbecues, it is heartening to know that there are still places in the U.S. where the white collar John with no hair on his face is still laughed at. "Key West has a huge population of 'alternative' lifestyles. As a local said, 'It's the end of the road. Everyone has a story to tell of bad things gone by in another place.'" Solares Hill-April 1989-Page 11 INNERSALL! ,.. and the armchairs, coffee tables, lamps and rags to go with them, CONTEMPORARY CUSHION-ARM SOFA $588 PONCHO LOVESEAT SLEEPER $365 -•;*' f ""\\: - CLASSIC LAWSON SOFA $660 PRINCESS LOVESEAT SLEEPER $325 EXAGGERATED OVERSTUFFED SOFA $888 THE AFFORDABLE DESIGN CENTER 211 DUVAL STREET 294-8485 Page 12«ApriI 1989-Solares Hill Big Pine and Bahia Honda, 1857 The focus of each expedition was the Dry Tortugas, but there were minor points of biological interest at Key West and its environs. The 19th century group was fortunate enough to employ a man in Key West whom they described as "an experienced wrecker." Whatever his true calling, he proved to be a satisfactory guide to Big Pine and Bahia Honda. They anchored their schooner under the lee of Big Pine, since the experienced wrecker told them it was unwise to risk the reefs and shoals at night. They busied themselves catching "poghees, grunters and catfish. "We found Bahia Honda tenanted only by the Coast Guard tide markers, who lived in a tent on the beach and watched the tide gauge day after day. A more monotonous existence could hardly be imagined. [Some of our party] took the large boat and sailed over to a shoal about a mile distant from the anchorage ... They found here an immense quantity of valuable specimens; sea fans and feathers, corallines, corals of the pebblestone and lichen-like varieties; sponges, polyps, sea urchins and starfish, cuttlefish twisting their snaky folds, crawfish darting away from under the feet of an intruding naturalist, conch shells and tritons. "Two hours had not passed before the boat was loaded with one of the most valuable cargoes it had ever contained and the party was obliged to return to the vessel, leaving a pile of conch shells large enough to fill the boat a second time." Bahia Honda and Big Pine, 1986 At Bahia Honda the '86 explorers, unlike their predecessors, found the shelling poor and blamed it on the tourists. "The large conch shells for which the Keys are famous are very difficult to find." They did sight a Louisiana heron and the "reddish egret," as well as many types of sandpipers and plover running in the shallows. "Cormorants dived and stayed under for a minute at a time." On Big Pine chameleons (anoles) climbed in the trees. A "dwarf Key deer" seemed wholly unafraid. A long morning was spent in searching for a particular variety of cactus. In the afternoon, they hiked through Watson's Hammock. The following day they finally found the cacti. "I think the effort necessary to see them protects them and also makes them more fascinating." The group returned to Big Pine once again. "The alligators of the Alligator Hole hid, probably tired of being discovered. We walked past trees poisonous to the touch, trees imported from the Caribbean, trees of the desert, trees subsisting on seawater and plants sitting in trees." Dry Tortugas, 1857 After their short stay in Key West, with side trip to Bahia Honda, the earlier party set sail for the Dry Tortugas. "The wind was fresh, and we rolled merrily along Integrity. Reliability. Experience. emm Auto • llf e • Home • Business THE, PORTER-ALLEN COMPANY Key Largo 451-1980 Marathon 743-9008 Key West 294-2542 David W. Freeman, C.P.C.U. William A Freeman, Jr. William A Freeman III, C.I.C. INSURANCE SINCE 1891 A PLACE TO EAT? Ask a Local. ARTICHOKES AND SCALLOPS "Bravo! Deserving of a standing ovation." Jan McArt Florida's First Lady of Musical Theatre Emma's The Reach Simonton at the Ocean 294-FISH before the white-tipped waves. We spied the lighthouse and the rising walls of Fort Jefferson about the middle of the afternoon... At four o'clock we anchored under the walls of the fort. The massive foundations encircle the whole island ... promising to become the largest and most impregnable fortification in the world." (The fort became obsolete five years after this was written.) "As soon as the anchor was down, we got the boats into the water and commenced prospecting. One party ... made a very pretty collection of small shells. The other sailed out over the reefs, upon which they saw immense fields of growing coral. The most common was 'antler coral,' from its resemblance to the horns of a stag. Then there were brains coral, pebble corals, flower corals and an endless variety of branching corals... It seemed like sailing over a submerged garden filled with a countless variety of flowering plants and shrubs. "The days were very warm and clear; the evenings were calm and bright. After spending a long laborious day ... we would take the little boats and float around in the silver moonlight, watching the bright stars of the Southern Cross ... The weather was especially propitious to our undertaking ... and the deck was covered with barrels, boxes, kegs and baskets. "It was with great reluctance that we prepared to leave this productive area of scientific investigation. No Pacific coral reef could be richer than these reefs of the Tortugas. During the week there we preserved no less than 12 barrels of marine curiosities. We had, however, received imperative orders to leave Key West on the 10th of April. "Just before departure [from Key West] the usual tranquillity of the harbor was broken by the simultaneous arrival of three ocean steamers, the Isabel from Havana, the Tennessee from San Juan and an iron Solares Hill-April 1989-Page 13 propeller from Philadelphia. The Tennessee had a large number of General Walker's soldiers onboard, returning from the wars in Nicaragua. They were a sorry looking set of men — pale, emaciated, suffering, many of them, from wounds and disease, and destitute of everything but the clothes on their backs. "At an early hour next morning we loosed our sails to a favoring breeze ... it was with no small satisfaction that we viewed the remarkable success which had attended the progress of our cruise." Dry Tortugas, 1986 The group was invited to spend the night aboard ship, so a start could be made at five in the morning, when Key West harbor proved to be "where lay the ships in a depthless jungle of masts." The Flying Horse, the larger and faster Continued on page 46 FINALLY. Pan pizza used to be something you had to go out for. Not anymore. Now you can get the great taste of oven fresh pan pizza delivered. No more battling traffic. No more waiting in restaurants. Because Domino's Pizza® brings pan pizza home. Thick, chewy crust. Generous toppings. Lots of thick, gooey real cheese. And in Domino's Pizza tradition, your pan pizza will be delivered in 30 minutes or less, guaranteed. So call for Domino's Pan Pizza!" and put an end to going out for pan pizza. Finally. 872-4498 Big Pine Key 743-2266 Marathon 852-8855 Plantation Key 451-4951 Key Largo 294-9584 296-7795 Key West Limited delivery area. Our drivers carry less than S20.0O. "198B Domino's Pizza, Inc. THE MOST EXCITING NEW ENVIRONMENT FOR WOMEN/MENS RESORTWEAR IS NOT ON DUVAL ST. 424 296-8288 pouucr/ DRESS1NG DOWN UPSCALE r Page 14--ApriI 1989-SoIares Hilt Solid Waste and the 30-Percent Solution An investigation of the county's trash management options by Amy Fischer In the wake of the final public hearing regarding municipal solid waste disposal in Monroe County, held at Key Colony Beach on March 14, 1989, it is apparent that some of us are still looking for a quick fix splution to our trash problems. After $bcades of "bury it and forget it" or "burn it and forget it" attitudes, we are now faced with a solid waste crisis. It seems inconceivable that Monroe County would continue to entertain ideas of massive incineration, or experiment with some of the "miracle" solutions that alleviate the need for trash separation. In 1987 Monroe County hired Hazen and Sawyer as consultants at a price of $599,000. They were to advise the county in solid waste management planning through the next 30 years. Their report was to be finished December, 1988, but the 'deadline was extended for six months. During the past month Hazen and Sawyer have held public meetings to introduce their plan to Monroe County residents. Their "integrated solid waste and energy conservation program" involves 40-percent recycling combined with waste- to-energy plants. These will process 375 tons of waste per day, with 50 to 100 of those tons being composted. They also plan I M»HTHOjJSF n A H|f tfjjiffiH|i!ji imiiiiS syHlilliK SHS"^^ SOUTHERN ITALIAN DINING DINNER 6-11 9 1 7 DUVAL • KEY WEST 296-7837 Diner's Club and Visa Accepted for a new long-term landfill. By far the most volatile issue at the meetings was the siting of the long-term landfill. Sites under final consideration are Crawl Key, Long Key and Carysford. Citizens living near these sites don't want to acquire a landfill as a neighbor. But if It is encouraging that citizen reaction to recycling was overwhelmingly positive. Monroe County continues to grow, some of them will. And with the current Hazen and Sawyer plan, with its emphasis on incineration, the landfill could be used for both unrecyclable, non-burnable trash as well as fly and bottom ash — some of which routinely exceed hazardous waste specifications. One method of reducing the volume and toxicity of trash destined for the landfill is to aggressively pursue a broadbased recycling program, seeking out new markets for recyclable materials and concentrating time and money in this area. Ernest Hemingway Home mi Museum A Registered National Historical Landmark OPEN DAILY 9:00 A.M. TO 5:00 P.M. 907 WHITEHEAD STREET, KEY WEST, FLA. Take a leisurely four of trie home and gardens of the late Nobel Prize winner, Ernest Hemingway. It was here that Mr. Hemingway wrote For Whom the Bell Tolls, Green Hills of Africa, A Farewell to Arms, The Fifth Column, The Snows of Kilimanjaro, and The Macomber Affair. Mr. Hemingway was the first important writer to dis- cover and make-Key Wast his home. He owned the home from 1931 to 1961. Covers One Acre Including Pool & Guest House Hazen and Sawyer recently mailed a questionnaire to Monroe County residents to help determine attitudes toward trash management. Of the 266 residential and 130 commercial questionnaires distributed, 100 and 63, respectively responded. It is encouraging to note that citizen reaction to recycling was overwhelmingly positive. Over 60 percent of all respondents were in favor of some type of curbside recycling program. Sixty-seven percent of residents and 40 percent of businesses polled stated that recycling would only be a slight inconvenience to them. Only 15 percent of the residents polled felt recycling would be a major inconvenience. Businesses were concerned primarily with added storage and labor needs and possible insect and rodent problems. What about burning? Monroe County operates eight incinerators: three at Key Largo; three at Long Key; and two at Cudjoe Key. When these incinerators reach the end of their useful lives ~ about 1995 — the county has two choices. We can refit them with all new components, or the complete facility needs to be scrapped and we will have to build anew. What's more, existing incinerators do not have the required air pollution control devices; the cost of fitting our incinerators with these FREE . INFORMATION SUMMARY AVAILABLE REAL ESTATE GUESTHOUSES • SMALL INNS BARS & CAFES MOTELS • HOTELS RESTORATION PROJECTS MULTIPLE FAMILY-SEASONAL RENTAL INCOME PROPERTY IN OLD TOWN 3 PRIME LOCATIONS, 14 UNITS In good condition. Tropically landscaped grounds and fully rented units: Asking $250,000 to 5325,000. HISTORIC EUROPEAN HOTEL/RESTAURANT .11 unit hotel complex on 'A acre in downtown Key West. Includes restaurant, pool, apis., parking lot and commercial space. Historic Tax Credits available. POOLS, POOLS AND MORE POOLS Several elegant homes featuring crystal clear swimming pools in tropical private settings. Fully renovated homes throughout the island—Price range S! 99,000 - $495,000. RENOVATION OPPORTUNITIES Two "Old Town" Properties ready for the energetic handyman. 2 story eyebrow structure, off Duval Street location. A Vi story Bahamian style with 100'decp private lot. Asking $129,000 - $180,000. Key Lime Realty, Inc. 507 Whitehead St. • Key West, FL 33040 (305) 296-8516 -i devices is $20 to $25 million. Weighing the Options Several companies, in hopes of eventually managing the county's waste problem, presented the county commissioners with programs which would take our entire waste stream, change it to a useable product, create no residue, and cause no public or environmental hazards. Sound too good to be true? It may be. The First such option was the pyrolysis system, presented by the Recovery Company. This moves the entire waste stream, minus large ferris pieces, through a reaction chamber, which removes the oxygen and heats the material to a high temperature. The by-product is then cooled and stored for sale. By-products include a heavy crude-like oil which could be used in oil refineries or a generating plant; producer gas which would run the pyrolysis system or be sold to other facilities which need gas; and carbon black, a "mixure of glass, red metal, clay, aluminum, silver and gold which can be further refined" or used as a fuel in power plants. The only commitment the Recovery Company requires of the county is a site for their plant and a contract for the waste stream at current tipping fees: $60 per ton. One pyrolysis plant operates in the United States. Its waste stream consists of only tires. Can Monroe County afford to be a guinea pig for this method of trash disposal? What are the environmental evaluations of the crude oil, the producer gas, or the carbon black? Is it really possible to take a waste stream of toxic substances, heat them at high temperatures, and get a by-product with no pollutants? Perhaps 20 years ago, that would have been believable. But we have learned since that there are no easy solutions to waste disposal and toxic contamination. Agripost presented the second "miracle cure" offered for our solid waste problem. This composting process takes all municipal waste except that which is toxic, hazardous, Solares Hill-April 1989-Page 15 or too big to fit into the hammermills. Here toxic and hazardous are defined as wastes classified by the EPA as industrial. But what of normal household products that enter the waste stream every day? What about paints, varnishes, insect sprays, some detergents and plastics? If there is no separation before composting, how can environmental safety standards be maintained? Assuming that municipal waste is non-toxic, this is Agripost's method: The total waste stream is shredded twice to reduce it to a manageable size. It is sprayed with a "special bacterial innoculant," and is then windrowed to begin composting. After about 21 days, the material is sent through another shredder and the large pieces are removed and sent back through the process. The rest is bagged and sold on the market as agrisoil. Agripost promises an environ- mentally safe by-product. The company has not had a plant in operation since 1972, and that was in Jamaica. Twenty years ago the Jamaican NOW OPEN THE Pampered Palate Good Health Restaurant & Take Out OPEN 11 AM-3 PM AND 6 PM - 11 PM (Closed Wednesdays) 1011 TRUMAN AVENUE • KEY WEST 294-1166 LINGERIE BOUTIQUE Springtime - When a Young Man's ' Fancy Turns to Love. ^ \ Buy Something Fancy For. Your Fancy. ? JSk. 1510-B Bertha Street /J' &K (between Flagler & Atlantic Blvd.) '•4k. • ^ Mon-S at 10 am-6 pm 294-6194 ALL YOURS If you want tax-free income, consider Kemper Municipal Bond Fund. It's one of the few tax-free investments left. And depending on your tax bracket it could be one of the investments you need. The dividends you earn are all yours, whether you choose tax-free monthly income or tax-free compounding of reinvested dividends. Kemper Municipal Bond Fund is managed by Kemper Financial Services, Inc., a company with nearly 40 years of investment experience. KEMPER MUNICIPAL BOND FUND Call today to obtain a free prospectus containing more complete information including management fees and expenses. Please read it carefully b efore you invest or send money. Income may be subject to state and local taxes. RAYMOND JAMES •S ASSOCIATES, liNO. Member New York Stock Exchange/SIPC Key West: 294-9575 Perry's Plaza, 3706 H.N. Roosevelt Blvd., Key West Toll Free: 1-800-826-7401 (Florida) Toll Free: 1-800-327-5964 (National) r Page 16--Apri! 1989-SoIares Hill waste stream differed greatly from today's American municipal trash. Agripost has not operated a plant in the United States since the 1950s. Since then, environmental testing has become much more stringent. TRASH: JAMAICA 1972 Is Monroe County going to settle for potentially hazardous "soil" being made from our trash? What of the possibility of heavy rains leaching toxins out of the composting pile? Who will be held liable if it is determined that the final agrisoil causes human health problems or contaminates the environment where it is used? The final alternative to the Hazen and Sawyer plan was the Lundell System, which appears to realize that recycling is a necessary component to waste management. In this method large items would be removed, then the garbage bags spread out. Some high density and PET (two-liter soda bottles) plastics will be removed by hand. Through several mechanical processes, ferrous metals; leaves, grass and wet organic materials; glass; aluminum; and more plastics are removed. The final component of the trash, mostly paper and soft plastic items, would be densified into "energy pellets" which are used as a blend for coal-burning industrial plants. About 15 percent of the solid waste stream, including soft plastics and disposable diapers, is landfilled. Glass is removed with compost items and crushed, screened out, and either landfilled or sold as crushed glass. A company spokesperson indicated that EP Tox Tests on the energy pellets, dioxin and furan emissions have been within EPA requirements. The EPA EP Tox Test (Extraction Procedure Toxicity Test) is used to detect hazardous waste. The test requires samples to be tested in a pH5 acid solution. But there are ways to treat material to help it pass the test. Consequently, the EP Tox Test does not necessarily ensure public and environmental safety. No single method of solid waste disposal may work for Monroe County; we should be hesitant about adopting the Hazen and Sawyer plan as it now exists. The newly appointed Solid Waste Task Force needs to aggressively pursue non-burn alternatives for solid waste disposal, using incineration and landfilling only as a last resort, not as an integral part of Monroe County waste management. TRASH: KEY WEST 1989 Controlling the Flow A simple method of determining how much waste will be generated in the next four years will be to embrace mandated recycling programs 100 percent. Instead of paying lip service to recycling and then planning for high-tech solutions to solid waste, the task force should closely study the pilot programs for recycling which are to be implemented in July. They should follow and interpret the results of these programs before committing to other waste solutions. If participation in the pilot programs in Marathon and Key West is positive, the programs immediately should be expanded, both in the number of citizens involved and in the type of waste being recycled. A commercial pilot program should be implemented as well. The municipal service district and the AVEDAAROMATHERAPY The Ultimate Prescriptive Scalp and Hair Care Treatment John Santiago & Hair People 1201 duval street 294-8413 296-2040 FOR BEAUTIFUL HAIR, SKIN AND NAILS Feel Good b Look Great WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM YOUR FRIENDS Do you have a friend who's a member of The Bodyshop? If so, ask them to sponsor you for membership into The Club or The Reach this month and save $9100! Initiation fee regularly $250.00 — only $159.00 when sponsored by a Bodyshop member. Don't know one of our members? Come take a complimentary aerobics class and moke friends by April 30th! * THE AT THE REACH *offer expires Simonron Street ot rhe Ocean • 296-5000 exf. 686 City of Key West hope to have their recycling programs implemented by July 1, 1989. There is some question with Senate Bill 1192 as to whether the plans need to be formulated by July 1, 1989, or actually implemented. But both the municipal service district and the city would like to begin recycling by July 1,1989. The most obvious recyclables are aluminum, newsprint, and glass: these items are targeted in the pilot programs. In the future, the programs may add plastics (both PET and high density), scrap steel, bimetal products, other paper, and corrugated cardboard. How many items we recycle will depend on how easy it is to find markets for these products. There are rumors of a plastics recycling plant on the drawing board for Florida. This would facilitate recycling soda bottles and milk jugs, since at the present time these high-bulk, low-weight items would have to be shipped out of state. Although the county has been charged with overall implementation of Senate Bill 1192, the City of Key West and Monroe County have an agreement by which they agree to work together on solid waste disposal. The county has hired a recycling coordinator, Connie Grabois, formally of the county planning department, who begins her duties on March 27. Grabois will work with, both the Marathon and Key West pilot programs to determine the most cost effective and efficient manner of curbside pickup. She will also direct public awareness campaigns, and assist participants in programs. Grabois, who was not available for comment on this story, has participated in the planning and development of a similar program in a five-county area before moving to the Keys. We look forward to discussing Monroe County's recycling potential with Grabois. Who Will Try? The Marathon pilot program will include 3,000 to 4,000 households. These will not include condominiums, trailer parks or commercial units. The MSD will choose routes that service the most homes with the least amount of traveling for the trucks. The program aims to acheive a balance of low, middle and high income families. Once a week participants in the program will set out their separated trash. There will also be a weekly pickup for just nonrecyclables. Though participation in the program is voluntary, if enough citizens do not comply, steps will be taken to insure we reach the 30-percent recycling goal mandated by the Florida legislature. Key West plans to test two areas of town in its pilot program. One area is in New Town behind the North Roosevelt strip, where the majority of housing is single family. This will encompass 500 to 1,000 households. The second area is in Old Town. Though the exact routes have not been established, this area will also include 500 to 1,000 households. Again, condominiums, trailers, apartment buildings or commercial units will not be included. Separated trash will be picked up once a week.. Separated trash will be picked up once a week and incorporated into the regular routes. As with Marathon's program, Key West will begin with voluntary participation. If that proves ineffective, the city will consider mandatory recycling. Neither MSD nor Key West has finalized the types of equipment to be used. Bids have been opened at MSD for trucks, crushers and balers. The county is looking at a single container, that mingles the recyclables with newsprint on top. The city is undecided on the choice of container, since in part it depends on the hauler. State grants are available to help counties develop waste-stream-reduction systems. Grants are determined by the number of permanent residents in the county. This is unfair to counties like Monroe, because much our municipal solid waste is generated by transitory residents and tourists. South Florida counties are negotiating to have the grants based on tonnage. Paul Wicks, the county grants writer, is - applying for two grants: one for two hazardous waste storage facilities in the Keys, and one for an oil recycling center. Waste storage facilities would handle hazardous wastes collected from municipal trash, such as paints, sprays, etc. The county would be able to hold hazardous wastes for 90 days, and then contract with a licensed hazardous hauler for removal. Northern Italian Cuisine 615 Duval Street, Key West 294-6565 Dinner from 7 to 11 p.m. We Accept Visa and MC Solares Hill-April 1989-Page 17 Currently the county has no method of dealing with municipal hazardous wastes. There are no recycling options for residents of Big Pine, Summerland, Sugarloaf or any where between Key West and Marathon. Residents of those areas are encouraged to drop their recyclables off at the Stock Island recovery center (the incinerator) or the processing plant in Marathon. By placing recycling igloos in accessible locations in the Lower Keys, the county could increase the recycling program to include these residents, and help reach a goal of 40-percent recycling by 1992. Trucks taking recyclables from Key West could stop at these locations on the way to Marathon. The Naval Station, too, could be included in the recycling program. Currently the Navy contracts with the city to pick up its municipal solid waste. There are many recycling options. But adequate public participation must be achieved through awareness, education and peer and regulatory pressure if we are to reach our mandated 30-percent goal. Then the municipal service district, the City of Key West, and the solid waste task force can develop safe, efficient, cost-effective and non-hazardous disposal for the 70-percent remaining waste stream. We have the chance to develop a comprehensive waste disposal plan for our environmentally sensitive Florida Keys. Let's begin by a concerted, aggressive curbside and drop-off recycling program now.lsFn BASCO CONTEMPORARY STYLES assortment inc. 404 duval streef • key west MAJOU c ATE: R I N G WEDQ1H&S k 234.7125.7.. r Page 18--April 1989-Solares Hill Knee Deep In the Trenches A Working Parent's Guide to Child Care by Elizabeth Smith Twenty-five years ago the notion of large groups of toddlers under the supervision of a "Supermom" seemed like something from the distant future, an episode of the Twilight Zone. Then again, society had yet to experience a New York businesswoman strolling down Fifth Avenue, the protrusion of a six-month fetus covered stylishly by LizClairborm. In the last year, Key Westers have accepted a pregnant Spectrelle on stage, bopping to Motown; and we've applauded Box Office Poison, a locally written play in which a couple brings their little bundle of joy to rehearsals. Key West society is flexible; we create our rules around life, not our lives around rules. Or do we? In this article, writer Elizabeth Smith researches the day care options for people who procreate in paradise. Just where does a working parent stand in Key West? Too often, up against the wall. Between the high cost of island living and the fact that Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) doesn't figure rent costs into its calculations, a job is an absolute must. Arguments about full-time parenting vs. career are, for most, moot. La Crcpcric SPfiffiNCH Indoor/Outdoor Dining in the Heart of Old Town • STEAK • SEAF:OOD •• WINE/BEER 124 DUVAL ST. 294-7677 Open 7 Days Lunch 11:30-2:30 Dinner 6:30-10:00 Closed for Lunch on Sunday French Chef/Owner Statistics indicate that the number of mothers of preschool children who work in Monroe County is slightly above the national average of 50 percent. There are alternatives to leaving baby in one place while mother toils in another. But for most the frantic search for child care is on. In the Key West/Stock Island area, we have the choice of five preschools and nine day care centers available to the general public. A list can be obtained through the Monroe County School Board or found in the Yellow Pages. Friends, other mothers, pediatricians and Health and Rehabilitative Services (HRS) can also be a source of information. WATERFRONT CAMPGROUND & TRAILER PARK IN DOWNTOWN KEY WEST UMP & WALK 10 01D IQWN A1IBAC1I0NS- MOBIU HOME, APARIMEN1 COIIAUt RENIAIS I tNI VAN MOIORHOMti IRAIILRSUES-fUU HOOKUPS. HOI SHOWIRS DUMPSrAllON OLD TOWN BICYCLE RENTALS 223 ELIZABETH ST., (30S) 294-5723 RESERVATIONS WELCOME *"/ Expertly Guided Tours & Shark Feedings Daily $1.00 OFF Adult Admission with coupon #1 Whitehead St. in Mallory Market "The Key West 296-2051 AQUARIUM Illustrations by Jim Sherrington In my visits to day care centers, I witnessed a lot of love and interest in warm and pleasant environments. But I also saw workers smoking cigarettes around children and in kitchen areas. I saw a roomful of unattended children: the care giver was standing outside, monitoring children on trips to the bathroom. I visited a few centers where the director never seemed to be on the premises and one center in which a single caregiver was in charge of a darkened room full of "napping" children. So, when "shopping around" for a day care center for your child, the key words would seem to be: observe and compare. Several factors should be considered: ITALIAN SPECIALTIES SIDEWALK CAFE SELECTION OF BEER & WINE Tues.-Sat. 11 AM to 10 PM Sun.-Mon. 11 AM to 5 PM 628 Duwil Strecr - 296-76% 607 buvai St. OPEN 7 DAYS Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Sat. 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. See Us for Good Grooming Gifts -- Manicure Sets, Mustache Groom Kit, Timex Watches, Blow Dryers, Curling Irons, Make-up Kits by Stagelight, and Electric Razors! # •_,.«• location of the facility, age of child (few day-care centers will take a child below three months; the minimum age for preschool enrollment is two years), your work schedule, and fees. Automatically, the choices can be narrowed down. Some children thrive on the stimulation of a center, while others prefer the individualized attention of a family group. La Leche League leader Janet Griffin offers these suggestions in making the decision: "Look at the individual child and his special needs and match the child care to those needs." All child care involves trade-offs or compromises; each parent has to weigh the options. Day Care Centers Most Key West day care centers and preschools have a waiting list. This includes Wesley House, which is primarily funded by HRS and subsidizes day care according to income. The waiting period for a space at the center averages from three to six months; HRS referrals receive priority. HRS refers victims of abuse or suspected abuse; children whose families have volunteered for HRS supervision; or children whose parent/parents are enrolled in HRS Project Independence — a job-training and skill-development program. Joe Barker, executive director of Wesley House, said HRS referrals have increased 700 percent in one year. A second subsidized center is slated to open on Truman Avenue by May or June. It will accept about 50 children, aged from two to six years. Fees for day care centers other than Wesley House range from $40 to $55 for a Solares Hil l-Apri l 1989-Page 19 full week; most are open from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Costs for a family day care home are comparable. According to state law, day care centers must be licensed by HRS. Church-affiliated centers are exempt if they are registered by a recognized religious organization such as Florida Association of Christian Colleges and Schools. In the Key West area, only one day care center and two preschools have no religious affiliation. These are either church operated — which entails acknowledgement of God as part of their daily program — or their premises are on church-owned property. All church-operated facilities are licensed by HRS except Temple Christian Day Care Center on Stock Island. All preschools are HRS-licensed except Mary Immaculate Star of the Sea School. It is accredited by the Day Care in the Big City The relative isolation and fiscal stress in Monroe County have, thus far, pre-empted us from two day care options gaining in popularity in other areas of the country. On-site day care for working mothers, such as is provided for employees by Cigna Insurance Company of Connecticut would seem to be the best option in terms of convenience and pe;iec of mind. Studies have found significant benefits for employers such as lower job turnover and absenteeism, improved employee attitude toward work and the employer. Some of Monroe County's larger businesses are considering assistance to employees with preschool-aged children. A reimbursement system for day care costs is one option. According to the personnel director of one of our larger hotels, one of the biggest obstacles to on-site day care is the prohibitive cost of liability insurance. BJ. Clawson, Child-Find Specialist for South Monroe County Schools, reports that Key Largo Elementary School has provided an on-site day-care facility for its staff. It is directed by a parents board which plans curriculum and hires caregivers. Clawson expressed the belief that on-site care for a commercial establishment, "given the room and the right instructor, could pay for itself." One of the national chains of "early learning centers" such as Kinder Care, is a second option to hope for. These are at the big-business end of the babysitting market. Centers that have been established around the country can each accommodate over 100 children. The organization may be slick, but the downside of these behemoths may be "production-line child care." Looking For Clothes With Imagination? Clothing That's Different, Exotic Or Handmade? Check Us Out! LIMELIGHT WeVe Moved From Duval Street. Come See Our New Shop At Key Lime Square. STORMBAM EXOTIC ART WEAR, Handmade Leather Bikinis, Custom Leather and Repair Work. #4 Key Lime Square (Off Southard, Between Duval and Simonton) Open - Noon-6 p.m. Mon.-Thurs., Noon-9 p.m., Fri. & Sat. Phone 296-7222 AT THE REDBARN THEATRE Some Things You Need To Know Before The World Ends (A Final Evening With The Illuminati) An Hilarious Farce by Levi Lee and Larry Larson BISECTED OT-mm HAWKINS MARCH 22-APRIL 9 OPENING APRIL 19th Telemachus Clay by Lewis John Carlino DIRECTED BY CAROLE MACCARTEE Wed.-Sun., 8 pm curtain TICKETS $12.50 296-9911 For Reservations 319 DUVAL STREET - REAR r Page 22--April 1989-SoIares Hill Preschools Key West offers five preschools with academic enrichment programs to children older than two. There is Pre-school Co-operative and Montessori. Children must be toilet trained. Grace Lutheran School accepts children older than three, while Mary Immaculate Star of the Sea School and the Pre-school Learning Center enroll students in their fourth year. Although registered as a day care facility, Wesley House follows a "strict educational program that is age appropriate," says Joe Barker. While it may be comforting for working parents to know that their children are receiving intellectual stimulation, a child in preschool often requires additional care for after-school hours and vacations ~ since preschools follow the public school calendar. Both Montessori and Grace Lutheran offer after-hour and year-round day care. The Pre-school Co-operative is considering a year-round schedule also. Presently they are open 9 to 11:30 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Parental your full service pet shop open 7 days a week Select a Friend from the large variety of pets of all types DO DOG & CAT GROOMING 296-6912 Key Plaza 294-3261 Movie Memorabilia Excel lent Selection of Stills Posters, Lobby Cards & Color Photos, Old & New Rock Personality Posters SHOP |U€5T participation, such as working in the classroom on a rotating basis and attending a monthly general meeting, is required. This may present difficulties for those working 9 to 5. For parents with a more flexible schedule, it is an opportunity to share an exciting developmental stage with their children and like-minded adults. Parents own, administer and staff this preschool on a nonprofit basis. Three of the other preschools are also nonprofit, funded mainly by tuitions and fundraising events. Preschool fees are higher than day care. The price range is $100 to $140 per month for morning school and $150 to $210 for a full day. The teachers are, in most cases, better qualified than most. All but one (not including the Preschool Co-op) — Grace Lutheran — require a degree and/or teacher certification for their staff. At the Montessori School a $1000 scholarship is available to previously registered students. Curriculums at the two church operated schools — Grace Lutheran and Mary Immaculate ~ include religious instruction and church attendance. Tuition at Mary Immaculate is slightly less for a child from a Catholic family; both schools require their teachers to profess a belief in God. Grace Lutheran specifies a Christian belief in its hiring requirements. All local preschools, except the co-operative, presently have waiting lists. Outlook for the Future What should we look for in an educational program? B.J. Clawson is an advocate of the "high-scope" approach, in which students and teachers come together in a decision as to how to spend their school day. "The teacher should be a facilitator," adds Clawson. This is similar to Montessori's child-led approach. "The benefit to the child involved in the decision-making process as opposed to rote learning," says Clawson, "is that it is not such a shock for them when they eventually leave high school. They are used to making their own decisions; these formative years are so important." According to Ron Herrin, chairman of Monroe County HRS: "One of the major problems we have in this county is lack of day care." Since the center on Big Coppitt closed last year due to a drop in enrollment, there are no center-based facilities between Stock Island and Big Pine. "We can't keep up with classroom space," complains Clawson. "We outgrow them as soon as we build them. This area needs more subsidized day care. Wesley House shouldn't have a waiting list; there are children in need." See the Ocean from Our Point of View . . . From the kitchen, dining area, living room, master bedroom, gallery, 31-fooc private balcony and even from the double jacuni in the master bath. Oceanfront * Tennis Court • Sauna • Gym » Two pools % f key west beach dub ELEGANT OCEANFRONT CONDOMINIUMS Sales • TAfegkiy, Momhiy, Long Term RenuU beach chfo brokers, inc. ! 500 AJIOTOC B!»d ' & j ttis Fi, '3JOtf •°"105i2?i8i5 3 Solares Hill-April 1989-Page 23 Joe Barker agrees. "We should have a wider variety of day cares," he says. "We need more facilities and stricter licensing of those that exist. We are handing our children over to strangers. We don't know if they are cruel or manipulative. Society needs to see child care as a priority." Clearly Monroe County has a long way to go. Perhaps one answer lies in a pattern created by Bill Ewing, Child Care Director of Pomona, California, Schools. The facilities offered within this system include: • A center that is open seven days a week, year-round; • A "health home" for care of mildly sick children who would be refused admittance to other day care centers; • A center that ofters weekend/evening care; • A nursery for babies of teenage mothers to allow them to resume their studies as soon as possible. The highly trained staff at these centers are paid $25,000 annually, a figure three times the national average for child care workers. Parents are charged on a sliding fee scale according to ability to pay. One mother paid 800 per week for the use of several facilities. How does Ewing manage all this on a relatively small budget? He utilizes a combination of state and local grants and keeps costs to a minimum by utilizing existing buildings such as disused schools. (We have several here in Key West.) His policy is to provide the right environment for the child at a.price that' parents can afford. Ewing bemoans the lack of major funding for quality child care and sees it as an "indictment against the government." He is "convinced that parents have the right to expect decent child care," and he predicts a "child care revolution" before we achieve it. Reef Relief Cleanup to Focus on Reefs & Out-Islands : "Reef Dance" Follows by DeeVon Quirolo Reef Relief will be coordinating a cleanup of local area reefs and nearby Keys on Saturday, April 8. Private and charter boats are invited to participate. All Key West area reefs and the following Keys will be targeted — Christmas Tree Island, Boca Grande, Woman Key and Man Key. Boaters can pick up free garbage bags and data cards at Key West Seaport ~ Club Diamont, at the foot of William Street, on Friday and Saturday. Boaters should bring their trash to the Key West Seaport dock adjacent to the Club Diamont. All fishing line that is collected will be weighed in on Saturday starting at noon. Trash will be received until 5 p.m. Look for the Reef Relief banner marking the weigh-in station. Volunteers will be given a free Reef Relief poster for every two bags of garbage collected and recorded. Pro Photo is the local sponsor of the cleanup. The cleanup will be followed by a "Reef Dance," open to the public, at Club Diamont, starting at 5 p.m. There will be a cash bar, with a portion of the proceeds benefitting Reef Relief. The Survivors will provide live music. Making its debut next month, exclusively in Solares Hilt, a new comic strip ... CONSIDERED THE VAGARIES OF MAN... AND FOUND THEM WANTING. He'll steal your heart, and maybe borrow one of your shoes... Tyrell An American Dog is written and drawn by Marko Fields Save a Greyhound Please help! Did you know that 80 percent of all racing dogs are killed because they aren't fast enough? These beautiful, young and affectionate greyhounds, neutered or spayed, are free to good homes with fenced yards; A warm heart for a cold nose is what we're looking for. Call Paula Johnson at 872-2749 for information. ^.OBSTETRICS.GVNECOLOQV MIDWIFERY Groups'! •<** FLORIDA K E Y S «^R™r^,_,^ , . . Beginning our fourth year with the largest selection of hammocks in the Keys. Yucatan Hammocks starting at $14.95 Zapotec Indian Tapestries •Mexican Masks • Folk Art • Black Oaxacan Pottery • Guatemalan Textiles MON.SAT. 10-5 605 WHITEHEAD ST. 2942627 NOTHING ELSE STACKS We're stacking the deck in your favor. With Super Subs. Try a Super BMT, a Super Club, a Super Combo oryour favorite Subway sub as a Super Sub, and get twice the meat Crammed on fresh baked bread and jammed with free Erin's. Only at Subway. There's nothing-else like it mSUB Sandwiches & Salads 536 Truman Avenue 292-1397 ELLORO UERDE A UNIQUE MEXICAN RESTAURANT Featuring authentic regional dishes from Mexico and the Caribbean Full Liquor Bar Frozen Margaritas Visa / MC Watch for the Grand Opening of Our Newly Expanded Dining Room, with Full Breakfast Menu Open Mon.-Sat. 7 AM - 11 PM (305) 296-7298 404 SOUTHARD ST. KEY WEST, FLORIDA 33040 ;?* • WILD ENCOUNTER Photographer Geri Murphy has documented many subjects underwater, and I'm sure Sandy is one of her favorites. Sandy en- joyed playing with Geri and would often try to flood her mask. This diver -• an insurance agent from Ohio — flew over to the island just to meet Sandy. He used up a tank of air trying to catch him. Finally, when there were just a few breaths of air left, Sandy slowed down and allowed himself to be held. Right after the picture was taken this diver had to ascend 20 feet to the surface to get his next breath. by Chris Adair InJulyofl977, underwater photographer Chris Adair spent several weeks photographing a wild male spotted dolphin off the coast of the island of San Salvador in the Bahamas. Conditions at San Salvador were great. The water was warm and visibility was beyond 125 feet. It was perfect for an underwater photo session of human/wild dolphin interaction. Encounters longer than a few moments are rare and only a few have been photographically documented. Adair has worked on numerous scientific expeditions in the Keys and Bahamas, filming underwater footage of researchers working with sharks, some of which appeared in National Geographic's The Shaxks.His still shots have been published 'in National Geographic's book Ocean Realm and Skin Diver Magazine. Adair took all photos on this page; partner and ironsculptor Keen Stanhouse designed the layout. Adair and Stanhouse own a phototour business that operates from their boat, the Baiji, named after the Baiji River dolphin in China. Both artists exhibit their work year round at Guild Hall Gallery, 614 Duval Street. One afternoon before getting into the water I noticed that the gold ankh I wore around my neck on the last dive was missing. It was not on the boat so I figured it must have fallen off while I was taking closeups of a black coral tree. Sandy was acting funny, slapping his tail on the water's surface, signalling me to get back in and take more photos. Or so I thought. When I entered the water Sandy headed straight down to a patch of white sand near the coral tree. He put his nose to the sand. There lay the ankh and the broken chain. Dolphins are a gentle race. They deserve a place right up there next to if not above us in functional intelligence. The dolphin's smile fits his disposition perfectly. There is not a mean thought to-ward humans in that large brain of theirs. Still humans continuously mistreat dolphins on a global scale. Dolphins are capable of astounding feats. Their sonar method of communication is far superior to our sonar equipment. Their evolution has solved the problem of laminar flow by controlling water turbulence at the skin and reducing drag. They get three times more power from their muscles than does any other species because their muscle cells hold a reservoir of oxygen. Dolphins are curious and able to reason. I believe they also have a sentimental and emotional side. A dolphin will die before doing something he doesn't want to. I like dolphins. People like dolphins. These feelings stretch back thousands of years to a time when religion and mythology blurred together as one. Intrigued by the order of the universe, the Greeks observed everything about them including dolphins. Along the shores of ancient Greece, human/wild dolphin interactions were commonplace. There was great respect and admiration for these elegant- water creatures. Aristotle wrote about dolphins in 350 BC, in The History of Animals. He noticed they I ffr. I I crt p" CO • > • . . Paul Tzimoulis, editor of Skin Diver magazine, touches Sandy for the first time. Paul was at San Salvador Island to teach an underwater photography course. formed strong maternal bonds and showed care for injured companions and friendliness towards humans. Most of what Aristotle wrote, including that dolphins were mammals, has been proven since as true. Between barbarian conquests and misguided religious doctrines that put dolphins on the table to be eaten as fish on Fridays, the close observation of nature was lost. For a while in history all the artistic interpretation of dolphins developed fish fins and large scales, vertical tails and big heads. This defaced version of reality was passed down from person to person until we arrived at the point at which we find ourselves today—back to a close observation of nature. I believe my photographs of Sandy are inherently powerful, that they produce deep feelings of awareness. I experience joy when a moment of vision comes together in a print that I feel right about. I feel fortunate to create underwater portraits that reproduce ray feelings in others. Sandy remained in the waters of San Salvador for about two years, entertaining divers from around the'-w'orTd and leriding insight into an ancient and, in some ways, wiser world. : - * : " - - The waters off Key West are the home of many bo tile nose dolphins. Here, one of them, pings me with his sonar. The sonar that we us* today was largely developed from dolphin research. Underwater cinematographer Al Giddings gives Sandy a hug after an afternoon photo session. Al filmed the un- derwater footage for the movie The Deep. The first com- mercial motion picture to use underwater footage was Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, in 1913. A rendering of a silver coin from Syracuse, 479 UC. It was struck . to commemorate victory over Carthage. ©AH photographs by Chris Adair Sandy enjoyed interacting with divers from all over the world. Each diver reacted to the wild spotted dolphin in his own way, and everyone who experienced Sandy came away with a new insight into these intelligent creatures. Spread throughout our planet's waters are many types of dolphin, both freshwater and saltwater. Sandy belongs to the genus Stenella. The bot- tlenose dolphins that were used in the TV show Flipper belonged to the genus Tursiops. en 13 00 p "X/A/P/Tfj GENTLER £XT£APS To THE //5S. X fiEBD MO/?E LIKELY THE PEOPLE- WHO TO bZHTLER TO THE OH PO/1'T B££>\LLY. TtiE PBOTL6 WHO ELECTED ////Vj vevocT A\ORX6A

1989-04 Solares Hill Newspaper, Vol. 17 No. 4, April 1989

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Florida Keys History Center

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