PAGE ONE COMMENTARY

More Intrigue In the Case Of the Unpaid Electric Bill

by Dennis Reeves Cooper

We have told you many times in these columns that there are always at least two sides to every story and, sometimes, six. We learned that truth again last week, after we published our commentary about the City of Key West accidentally paying a Mallory Square pizza shop’s electric bill for eight years— and then demanding a $130,000 payback.

Another part of that story, as we reported it, was what appeared to be a questionable multi-tiered lease arrangement on the property that had been cut by City management back in 1999. Larry and Barbara Griffith were able to lease the City-owned Cable House for $1900 a month, plus utilities. That was, apparently, about one-third of the market rate, because they almost immediately were able to sub-let the property to Eddie Jigarjian for $5000 per month, plus utilities. If our math is right, that is something like a $3000-per-month profit!

Well, guess what! We learned this week that what appeared to be just another sweetheart lease of a piece of city-owned property was actually part of a settlement of a long-running lawsuit to compensate the Griffiths for multiple acts of treachery, deceit and, yes, incompetence on the part of City management dating back to 1992.

Watherwax Whimsifies

Fort Zachary Taylor

LOCAL TREASURE RICHARD WATHERWAX WILL COMPLETE HIS VIRTUAL EXHIBIT AT FORT ZACH WITH HELP FROM AN ANNE MCKEE ARTISTS FUND GRANT AN EARLY DRAFT OF THE MAIN CHAMBER

by Rhonda Linseman-Saunders

Local photographic artist Richard Watherwax is one of this year’s recipients of a highly coveted grant from the Anne McKee Artists Fund. And it’s no wonder, considering the qualifying criteria includes history and dedication in the applicant’s area of expertise and a commitment to the cultural community of Key West and the Florida Keys. His is unparalleled.

Watherwax may be best known for his tasteful and tasteless but always artistic nudes. Or perhaps for his famous “Fat Cat Capsizing” which was the number one selling poster in the United States in 1990, and number four in the world that year. The subject was, of course, his cat Willoughby II who ran for Mayor of Key West against Captain Tony Terracino and Tom Sawyer. You may recall that Willoughby earned 37 write-in votes and was blamed by some for skewing the outcome of the race.

KWPD Transfers

Controversial Internal Affairs Investigator

Former Key West Police Internal Affairs Inspector Janeth Del Cid has been transferred to the Criminal Investigations Division (CID). The move came just three weeks after the Key West Citizen Review Board (CRB) rejected one her investigative reports, sending it back to the KWPD with a list of questions board members said had been left unanswered by the original investigation.

But Interim Police Chief Donie Lee told Key West The Newspaper this week that the transfer was simply a “personnel decision which I believe was in the best interest of the department and the community. She has strengths that will better serve us in CID.”

Some members of the CRB say they see the move as part of an effort by Chief Lee to try to strengthen the relationship between his department and the CRB. In fact, Lee has said that he will attend the next CRB meeting on June 16.

Lions, Tigers and Bears!

Here Comes “Lights Up On Kids”

The Waterfront Playhouse announces the return of “Lights Up On Kids,” a comprehensive summer theatre workshop for children ages 7 to 17. The workshop is produced by The Key West Players and made possible through a generous grant from the Dogwood Foundation.

The Players are thrilled to have enlisted Cameron Murray and Daniel Bonnett as co-directors for this three week musical theatre workshop at the Waterfront, which will run July 21 to August 9, 2008. Both Mr. Murray and Mr. Bonnett are well-known for their creation and long-time association with Keys Kids, as well as their work on all of the Key West stages.

The workshop is entitled “Creature Feature,” and will take the participants on a journey through the Broadway musical world of animals, enchanted objects and magical creatures. The spotlight will be on such popular Broadway musicals as The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Cats, Suessical and The Jungle Book.

Reptilian Reality Check

by Rhonda Linseman-Saunders

During any conversation about dreams, it seems the idea of recurring dreams inevitably arises. Many of us have, or have had, a particular dream theme that keeps popping into our REM dramas.

As a kid I dreamed about hiding from an axe murderer in a giant heap of fresh white snow left across the street from my house by the snow plow. He always found me and he always finished the job without first unburying me. He’d just hack away at the snow pile. Luckily by that time I’d always switched from victim to onlooker, thinking about what a terrible shame it was, but mostly thinking that the bright red snow heap looked like a giant cherry snow cone.

Since moving to the Keys, my recurring dream theme has been alligators, or maybe they’re crocodiles; I’m not good at remembering the difference. The dreams had tapered off last year but came back after we found an extremely rare American crocodile across the street in the mangroves (confirmed by FWC biologists through photos). I wrote about it and hoped the crocodile problem would solve the latenight teenager problem at our neighborhood pavilion at the water’s edge. I was kidding, of course, but it wouldn’t have mattered because we never saw the croc again.

Category 5 at Rick’s

& Durty Harry’s

BY POPULAR DEMAND, Category 5 is still at Rick’s and Durty Harry’s. Tonight and tomorrow night, Friday and Saturday, May 23-24, they start at 8:30pm and go ‘til 3 in the morning. Sunday, they start at 9:30 and play ‘til 12:30.

Code Compliance

Will Be Looking for Illegal Signs Today

The City of Key West Code Compliance Division will be conducting an illegal sign sweep today, Friday, May 23. Code Enforcement officers will be specifically targeting signs illegally located on public rights of way. Info: Assistant City Manager Mark Finigan at 809-3877.

Raven & Honeymouth

at Schooner Wharf

RAVEN COOPER and her band, Honeymouth, featuring Bubba Lownotes, will be at Schooner Wharf Bar tonight and tomorrow night, Friday and Saturday, May 23-24, 7 ‘til midnight.

Newsweek Ranks

KWHS among Top 5%

For the second year in a row, Newsweek magazine has ranked Key West High School in the top 5 percent of all U.S. high schools. “Principal John Welsh and all the teachers at Key West High School have put out tremendous effort so our students can compete in the world market,” Superintendent Acevedo said.

Survivors Party Memorial Day

ROBERT ALBURY, Key West’s own King of Soul, will provide the entertainment at the 31st Annual survivors Party on Memorial Day at the Southernmost Beach Cafe, at the Atlantic Ocean end of Duval Street. The party starts at 4pm and rocks ‘til sunset. The event benefits the Sister Season Fund. This fund assists those in the hospitality industry who need help while recovering from illness or personal disaster.