Charlotte Twine
Charlotte Twine fled her New York City corporate publishing life and happily moved to the Keys six years ago. She has written for Travel + Leisure, Allure, and Offshore magazines; Elle.com; and the Florida Keys Free Press. She loves her two elderly Pomeranians, writing stories that uplift and inspire, making children laugh, the color pink, tattoos, Johnny Cash, and her husband. Though not necessarily in that order.
ISLAND PEPPERS ARE THE HOTTEST IN THE BIZ – UPPER KEYS TABLE
At the April 21 Island Gauntlet Challenge pepper-eating contest hosted by Island Peppers Company, the competition got, well, heated. Contestants had to eat 10 peppers, ranging from Tabascos to habaneros to ghost chilis to scorpions to Brain Strains to the notorious Carolina Reaper peppers.
As seen on Island Peppers Company’s...
VAPING – WHY ARE SO MANY KEYS KIDS DOING IT?
The national trend of teens vaping nicotine or marijuana has hit the Keys en masse, officials say. Monroe County children have some of the highest rates of vaping in the state. And many parents are concerned. Students as young as 10 have tried vaping, according to state statistics.
However, when...
PASSOVER COOKBOOK: KEYS JEWISH COMMUNITY’S ‘DELICIOUS’ COMFORT FOOD
Last Sunday, longtime Keys Jewish Community Center members Susan Gordon and Erica Lieberman Garrett attended an organizational meeting for the synagogue. However, with the productive meeting clocking in at three hours and ending just in time for lunch, the friends were hungry. Or to be completely honest: They were...
TAVERNIER EAGLE SCOUT CANDIDATE RALLIES COMMUNITY FOR BIRD CENTER REPAIRS
On March 11, Tavernier resident Keegan Wittke stood with a clipboard and watched as volunteers dismantled an old enclosure at the Florida Keys Wild Bird Center. The group was building a new home for Ruby the broad-winged hawk and Junior the great horned owl.
Keegan looked at his long to-do...
COLONOSCOPY? FINAL WISH OF BELOVED KEYS RESIDENTS WAS FOR MEN & WOMEN TO GET CHECKED OUT
Barry Gibson of Key West is no longer with us. The former Key West city commissioner, sunglasses-store owner and beloved family man died at age 61 on Feb. 22, 2022. Yet he is still sharing a message. He implored his widow, Trish Gibson, to give his deathbed advice—even within...
MCT’S ‘THE OUTSIDER’ HILARIOUSLY SKEWERS POLITICS FROM ALL ANGLES
Last Thursday night, before another rehearsal for Marathon Community Theatre’s latest production, the political comedy “The Outsider,” the cast and crew were hanging out. Their laughter echoed throughout the performance space. Indeed, their repartee is so fast and furious, it’s hard for casual observers to keep up.
“We are making...
BIZ FEATURE: NEW OWNERS AT TAVERNIER CINEMA 5
On March 8, Sean Nekhaila, the new co-owner of the Tavernier Cinema 5, looked on in amusement at moviegoers from behind the food counter. A couple who had just bought tickets to “The Batman” had bought popcorn and were joking around.
“Hey, are you going to give me some of...
ALL SMILES AT HUMANE SOCIETY’S GROUNDBREAKING FOR NEW BUILDING
The rain cleared just in time for Upper Keys Humane Society staff and board members to pose for a photo at the groundbreaking for their facility’s new building. UKHS medical director Michael Claudio said, “I’m thrilled beyond measure and humbled by the response of the community.” The project, which...
‘GREAT RESIGNATION’ HITS SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHICH WRESTLES TO FIND TEACHERS
For the first time in a Monroe County school board meeting, district staff brought up the ‘Great Resignation,’ the nationwide trend of workers in many industries quitting en masse, starting in 2021. And it has hit home in the Keys, with the district unable to fill educator positions in...
LARGER-THAN-LIFE KEY LARGO ANGLER, CONTRACTOR & VOLUNTEER PASSED IN FEBRUARY
Doug Peel was larger than life. A tall man, he would fill up a whole room, his family said. Also, he would never miss an opportunity to bust your chops — or to help you out. The boat captain, angler, contractor and community volunteer just couldn’t sit still. Despite...
ATTORNEY “AL” KELLEY CAMPAIGNING FOR COUNTY JUDGE
Longtime Key West attorney Albert Kelley, who is campaigning for Monroe County court judge, is the kind of guy who is just as happy hunkering down and reading a legal textbook as he is breezing through a John Lennon biography. Between his off-hours activities of writing local legal columns...
TAKE ME HOME: ALEX, A SWEET CAT WHOSE FAMILY GAVE HER UP
Alex is a beautiful and sweet female long-haired cat. She is 5 years old and loves to be petted. Alex gets along with other cats. She was surrendered by her family because they said she started peeing on everything. We took Alex in and saw she had blood in...
