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Associated PressSeptember 6, 2017

Florida residents picked store shelves clean and long lines formed at gas pumps Wednesday as Hurricane Irma, a Category 5 monster with potentially catastrophic winds of 185 mph, steamed toward the Sunshine State and a possible direct hit on the Miami metropolitan area of nearly 6 million people. The most powerful hurricane ever recorded in […]

Staff ReportsJuly 1, 2017

As regulations for transportation network companies go into effect in Florida, Uber is announcing the launch of Key West service beginning midnight Saturday, July 1. Currently, the company operates throughout the rest of the Florida Keys. “I’m thrilled that Uber’s first expansion after the statewide ride-sharing law goes into effect will be in our own […]

Associated PressApril 4, 2017

Dry weather has caused the water level in Lake Okeechobee drop below the minimum range targeted for South Florida’s drinking water supply. The Sun Sentinel reports that if the dry spring becomes a summer drought, water restrictions could follow. On Monday, officials said the lake was at 12.46 feet (3.8 meters) above sea level, which […]

Associated PressJanuary 2, 2017

Officials plan to release lab-reared, bacteria-infected mosquitoes in the Florida Keys in March. The Citizen reports that the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District and the privately owned, Kentucky-based company MosquitoMate are still reviewing locations for the field trial of Wolbachia-treated Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. MosquitoMate founder Stephen Dobson says the Wolbachia inhibits the mosquitoes’ ability to […]

Scott PowersNovember 9, 2016

They love them some medical marijuana in the Florida Keys, and in the college towns of Gainesville and Tallahassee. But then, Floridians seem to like the idea throughout the Sunshine State of making medical marijuana a state constitutional right. Amendment 2, which rolled to a huge victory Tuesday, was approved by at least 60 percent […]

Associated PressApril 18, 2016

A new customs checkpoint is opening at Florida Keys airport in preparation for more traffic involving the island chain and Cuba and other international destinations. According to a statement from the Monroe County Board of Commissioners, the new Customs and Border Protection facility opens April 20 at The Florida Keys Marathon International Airport. The airport […]

Associated PressApril 8, 2016

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Americans don’t know a lot about the Zika virus that is linked to birth defects and creeping steadily closer to the U.S., according to a new poll that found about 4 in 10 say they’ve heard little to nothing about the mosquito-borne threat. Even among people who’ve been following the Zika saga at least a […]

Phil AmmannMarch 7, 2016

When people think of Florida, they picture the Florida Keys with its clear water, warm sand and the quintessential laid-back lifestyle. But, the Keys are much more than that, as it is home to the world’s third-largest barrier reef, a national marine sanctuary, national and state parks, wildlife refuges, state aquatic preserves, and unique marine […]

Associated PressDecember 21, 2015

The military is having a tough time retaining civilian employees at Naval Air Station Key West because of a lack of affordable housing. Leaders at the Navy base say they lose well-qualified employees who simply cannot afford to live in the area known for high-end resorts and vacation homes, The Key West Citizen reported on […]

Staff ReportsDecember 15, 2015

Extreme high tides have turned streets into canal-like swamps in the Florida Keys, with armies of mosquitoes and the stench of stagnating water filling the air, and residents worried rising sea levels will put a damper on property values in the island chain. On Key Largo, a tropical isle famous for snorkeling and fishing, the […]

Tag: florida keys

‘This is a buzz saw’: Florida braces for Hurricane Irma

Uber celebrates new Key West service with free Key Lime pie

Lake Okeechobee water level drops below targeted range

Keys plan field trial for bacteria-infected mosquitoes

Medical marijuana Amendment 2 gets 60 percent in almost every county

U.S. customs prepares for more international flights in Keys

Poll: Some key gaps in Americans’ knowledge about Zika virus

Anitere Flores and Holly Raschein: Legislature must provide money to protect The Florida Keys

Housing costs in Florida Keys prohibitive for base employees

As Florida Keys flood, property worries seep in