SPECIAL COMMENTARY: The Ducks Case

Are City Officials Trying to
Poison Jury Pool?

CURRENT COMMISSIONERS HAVE
INHERITED THE DISHONORABLE
LEGACY OF PREVIOUS CITY
COMMISSIONS. BUT NOW THEY
WANT TO TRY TO AVOID PAYING
THE PIPER.

by Dennis Reeves Cooper

The Ducks case is back in
court and, this time, it looks like
city officials are finally going
to have to bite the bullet and
pay up for the dishonorable
actions of the 1995 City Commission—
the commission that
illegally put Duck Tours Seafari
out of business.

In 1994, Duck Tours got
a city occupational license to
conduct harbor tours using
brightly-painted World War II
amphibious vessels. Because
these vessels could also operate
on land, they were also used to
pick up and drop off passengers
around the island. A highlight
of the adventure for the patrons
of Duck Tours was the “splash
down” into the harbor.

But after city officials
received complaints from the
owners of the Conch Tour Trains
and Old Town Trolleys alleging
that the Ducks were infringing
on their exclusive sightseeing
franchise with the city, Key West
officials launched a systematic
conspiracy to put the Ducks out
of business.

Craig Boyd at Cowboy Bill’s

CRAIG BOYD is at
Cowboy Bill’s tonight
and tomorrow night,
Friday and Saturday,
March 13-14, starting at
10. JEFF HARRIS
entertains at 6 on
Friday. SCAREKROW
moves in for a fournight
gig Monday
through Thursday.

Lawyer Goes on Trial Monday

BENTANCOURT CHARGED WITH
BATTERY FOR SECOND TIME IN
THREE YEARS

by Dennis Reeves Cooper

Attorney Maria Bentancourt, 56, goes on trial Monday,
charged with domestic battery. She is accused of striking her
longtime live-in boyfriend, Paul Toppino, in the head with her
hand, after throwing a glass of wine on him.
The incident happened last January 9, near midnight at
the couple’s Catherine Street home. Toppino called the police
and Key West Police Officers Tricia Milliken and Eric Biscup
responded.

According to Milliken’s report, Toppino said that he and
Bentancourt had been out for drinks and had gotten into an
argument, and she had thrown a glass of red wine on him.
“Toppino stated that he and Bentancourt had returned
home where she then struck him on the left side of his head,”
Milliken reported. It was unclear if Bentancourt had hit him with
a closed fist or her open hand.

St. Patrick’s Week at Finnegan’s Wake!

BIG WEEK AT FINNEGAN’S WAKE— The SOLARES HILL STRING BAND, top left, is in the
house tonight, Friday, March 13. 
SUZANNE MOORE, right, entertains on Saturday night.

On St. Patrick’s Day on Tuesday, Finnegan’s will host their traditional street party, featuring the
music of SKRAELING, bottom, all day! Skraeling will also be on stage every night March
19-21.

PAGE ONE COMMENTARY: Violence against Children Ought to Outrage Us at Least As Much As $300 Sunglasses

WHILE WE’RE SCRUTINIZING
SCHOOL BOARD POLICIES, WHY
DON’T WE EXPLORE POLICY
CHANGE THAT COULD PREVENT
VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN?

by Rhonda
Linseman-Saunders

I wish preventing violence
against children impassioned
this community as much
as preventing the squandering
of taxpayer money seems to.

Last month we told you
about an incident involving Rebekah
Mitchell, an instructional
employee at Horace O’Bryant
Middle School (H.O.B). According
to police reports, Ms.
Mitchell, with closed fists, violently
beat a restrained student
on his face and upper body last
November. And she’s still on
the job.

The current school board
policy does permit the firing of an instructional employee for
displaying bad moral character,
but it is apparently about
as effective as the policy that
is designed to prevent district-
issued purchasing card
holders from making personal
purchases with the cards.
Florida state law allows
corporal punishment at school,
but districts can individually
disallow it. The Monroe County
School District does specifically
prohibit corporal punishment
at school, and suggests positive
reinforcement as an alternative.

CW Colt at Hurricane Hole

CW COLT is at
Hurricane Hole, just
across the Cow Key
Channel bridge,
tomorrow evening,
Saturday, March 14, 5
‘til 9.

Don’t miss the First
Annual Seafood &
Arts Festival coming
on March 21!

GUEST COMMENTARY: The No-Insurance Blues

by Lyn Randolph

I was riding my bike home
from work last December 30
and, as I came to the intersection
of Eaton and Simonton, a man
on a bicycle crossed in front of
me, on the wrong side of the
road and against the light. I had
a brief glimpse of him and then
clipped the rear tire of his bike
and was thrown to the ground. I
broke my wrist when I threw it
out to save myself, and vividly
remember my head bouncing
on the pavement.

Stunned and in great pain,
with a visibly broken wrist, I
stumbled over to the sidewalk
next to the church and leaned
against the wall there, my cut
head pouring blood, holding
my damaged wrist with my
other hand. Witnesses shouted
to the man not to leave the scene
and I was told later someone
chased him all the way to
Whitehead.

A bicycle hit and run. If I
had been a car I probably would
have killed him.

Another Party Week at Schooner Wharf

THE ALLIENS are at the Schooner Wharf Bar tonight and
tomorrow night, Friday and Saturday, March 13-14, 7 ‘til midnight.

SKRAELING, the Celtic rock-folk band, will be in the
house Sunday, 7’til 11.

RAVEN & BUBBA play on Tuesday, St.
Partick’s Day, noon ‘til 5, and RAVEN returns with her band.

Parking Enforcement Officer Gets a Ticket

Do you remember the story about City Parking Enforcement
Officer Joseph Auguste who, last December 31, ran his city car into
the rear of a scooter stopped at a red light on Duval Street? The
25-year-old woman riding the scooter was airlifted to a trauma
center in Miami. What happened to Auguste? Last month, he was
finally scheduled to appear before a special traffic board set up
for city employees who drive city cars. The board decided that
he would be ticketed for careless driving. It is unknown who is
paying the $20,000 bill for the woman’s ambulance transport to
the airport, the helicopter transport to Miami, and her medical
expenses at the trauma center.

House & Gardens Tour This Weekend

The 2009 series of House & Garden tours, presented by
the Old Island Restoration Foundation, continues today and
tomorrow, Friday and Saturday, Friday and Saturday, March
13-14. Tour hours are 10am- 4pm. Tickets are $25 and are available
at the Oldest House Museum at 322 Duval Street, as well
as keystix.com. Info: 294-9501 or http://www.oirf.org.