PAGE ONE COMMENTARY: Developing Stories and Commentaries are Often Published in Pieces

SOMETIMES IT TAKES YEARS TO
FINISH A STORY

by Dennis Reeves Cooper

We have told you before
that many, if not most of the
news stories and commentaries
we publish are “unfinished.”

That’s because there are often
elements of a story that will
happen in the future— like the
release of a report when a police
investigation is closed; like a
decision that must be made by
government officials; like the
outcome of a future election.

So many newspaper stories
must be published in pieces
or chapters over time.

COP RUNS DOWN
PEDESTRIAN

For example, last November,
the local press reported that
a 65-year-old pedestrian had
been run down by a police officer
driving his patrol car. The
pedestrian was crossing Southard
Street at the intersection of
White Street. He was walking
in the crosswalk and he was
walking with the light.

KWPD Participating in National Pill Take-Back Campaign

DEA: ABUSE OF PRESCRIPTION
DRUGS KILLS SEVEN FLORIDIANS
EVERY DAY

More than 120 local government, community, public health
and law enforcement partners have joined the Drug Enforcement
Administration’s Pill Take-Back campaign in Florida. Over 140
sites across the state and 3,500 nationwide will be open on Saturday,
September 25, to collect unused, expired and unwanted
prescription drugs. The service is free and anonymous, no questions
asked.

The Key West Police Department will be participating in this
pill take-back. Anyone who wants to drop off unused, expired
and unwanted prescription drugs can bring them by the Key
West Police Department on Saturday, September 25th between
10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Keys Energy Concentrating on Reliability

As part of ongoing reliability improvements, two projects
have made their way into the City of Key West, and Keys Energy
Services’ (KEYS) customers should take note as they will be seeing
an influx of work occurring throughout the City.

KEYS’ multi-year pole restoration project has worked its
way through the Lower Keys and has now entered Key West.
Thus far, KEYS has replaced 1,700 poles within the Lower Keys
and plans on replacing approximately 500 poles within the City
of Key West by 2011.

In an effort to mitigate road congestion, KEYS will be focusing
on replacing poles on the streets adjacent to North Roosevelt
Boulevard in advance of Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) upgrades prior to continuing
on upgrades through
the rest of the City.

GUEST COMMENTARY | Gardi Answers Boettger: Corporat Republicans? Puhhlease!

NOTE: Matt Gardi ran
against Morgan McPherson for
the Republican nomination for
State Representative. He beat
McPherson in most of the lower
Keys precincts where both candidates
were best known, but
lost district-wide. McPherson,
whose funding came primarily
from out of district, outspent
Gardi more than ten to one, and
enjoyed unprecedented Republican
Party of Florida financial
support during the primary. As
a result, Gardi told the State and
County Republican leaders to
“stick it” and still took home 45
percent of the true Republican
vote in the District.

by Matt Gardi

I am compelled to respond
to Rick Boettger’s recent rants
against the national Republican
party. Why? Well because he
is spot on….of course. Now, I
can hear some of you saying…
what’s that, Matt? But…but,
you’re a Republican! Yes. Yes I
am, and a proud one at that.

I often agree with much
of what Rick says, and he has
my utmost respect when it
comes to being someone who
stands up to the system. I feel
he is dedicated to the cause of
informing the public about the
injustices within the machine.

But as much as I agree on his
points about the Republican
party, we do part ways on one
very fundamental component
of his argument. And while
it is only one component, it is
unfortunately so material that it
actually makes Rick a helpless
culprit in facilitating all that he
is ranting about.

RHONDA: Some guys have all the luck

by Rhonda Linseman-Saunders

My father-in-law, Ben Saunders, turned 80 last
week. Yep, those Saunders from around here. He
married a Russell. Yep, those Russells from around
here. Their family names go back many generations,
to the point at which Key West natives start saying
that, where the last names converge on the family
tree, it was a different family with the same last name
from out of town.

My mother-in-law threw him an 80th birthday
bash, complete with Small Chef at Large catering, in
the back room at the VFW on North Roosevelt. In case
you didn’t know, the back room at the VFW is nonsmoking
and will very comfortably accommodate a
party of 40, plus room for entertainment.

And if there’s nothing else going on before your
scheduled back room event, they’ll let you go in six
hours early to start decorating. The decorations policy
may have changed by now, though, because my 10-
year-old daughter— the decorations manager—
and
I turned the room into an ocean (with paper, glue,
tape, and assorted shimmery and glittery things).

O'BOYLE: Ponzi Lives!

by Hal O'Boyle

Charles Ponzi was a charming, dapper Italian immigrant who became the
world’s most famous investment swindler. At his peak in the summer of
1920, when you could buy a house by mail from Sears for $495 and hire
skilled labor to assemble it for $1 and hour, Ponzi pulled in a million dollars a week with his “postal reply coupon” investment scheme.

Ponzi promised a 50% return on your money in 90 days. He paid out as
promised after just 45 days. Word spread like an e-mail virus. New
investors flocked to his offices at locations from Maine to New Jersey.
He could hardly haul in the money fast enough. In his offices desk
drawers, file cabinets, and closets overflowed with cash daily.

Of course, Ponzi wasn’t investing in postal reply coupons. He was
simply paying early investors with money he took in from later
investors. A diagram of the scheme would show a pyramid shape. Early
investors occupy the top with the swindler at the summit. New investors
form a widening base from which money flows up. The game continues as
long as the base continues to grow. Mr. Ponzi became so famous that
today we call the many variations on his pyramid swindle “Ponzi
schemes.”

Continue reading here.

Concert to Benefit People’s Theater

CHRIS CASE AND KEITH RICKS will play a concert on Saturday night, October 2, to benefit The People’s Theater of Key West. Show starts at 8pm at PTKW’s theater venue “Downstage” located at 3340 N. Roosevelt Blvd. next to Wendy’s.

$10 suggested donation includes one free drink coupon for beer or wine. All proceeds benefit the theater and will be used to further the company’s mission of providing opportunities in community theater to residents and visitors. Info: (305) 294-6813 or visit www.peoplestheaterofkeywest.com.

US 1 Radio Celebrates 30 Years on the Air

What began in 1980 as a small,
start-up station on Big Pine Key
has since grown to be the largest,
most successful radio station in
the Florida Keys . The most recent
Arbitron survey indicates that US
1 Radio is the Keys’ top station,
with nearly double the number
of listeners as the second-ranked
station.

Throughout its 30 years on the
air US 1 Radio has maintained the
only full-time radio news department
in the Keys. News director
Bill Becker joined the staff in 1980,
subsequently expanding the news
programming with the highly acclaimed
“Morning Magazine,” and
the fast-paced “Evening Edition”
with assistant news director Ezra
Marcus.

Becker also produces the annual
“Underwater Music Festival”
— a quirky event that broadcasts
music for divers at Looe Key reef.
Started in 1985 the festival has attracted
national and international
publicity, along with focusing attention
on the need for coral reef
preservation.

Local Woman Honored at White House

Of more than 400 nominees,
a local woman was one of
only nine federal employees to
be honored with Samuel J. Heyman
Service to America Medals
this year. The Washington Post
reported last month that Sandra
K. Brooks was presented with
the prestigious Homeland Security
Medal.

Ms. Brooks is the deputy
director of intelligence and
security for JIATFS (Joint Interagency
Task Force South).

JIATFS is headquartered here
in Key West and functions as
a network of federal agencies.

FKCC Offers Fall “Mini-mester”

Florida Keys Community
College announces the addition
of a “mini-mester” or set
of condensed courses that will
begin October 11.

The mini-mester, comprised
of 12 courses ranging
from English Composition to
Digital Camerawork, provides
another scheduling opportunity
for students to earn credit
toward a degree this fall term.
The courses compact class meeting
time and curriculum in just
eight weeks or less—half of the
standard 16-week semester.

“Mini-mester classes may
be attractive for someone who
missed registration for the fall
term or a student who wants to
get a jump start on the spring
term,” says FKCC Provost Dr.
Randy Charles. “Students can
get one step closer to their educational
goals—before the end
of the year.”

The full mini-mester
schedule can be viewed on
FKCC’s website at http://www.fkcc.
edu. Students can register
online or at any campus location.