Key West Mayor Teri Johnston, after an extensive discussion at Thursday’s City Commission meeting, has enacted an emergency directive providing for a curfew in order to avoid a public health emergency during the New Year’s holiday.

The directive reads: “Commencing on Thursday, Dec. 31, 2020 at 10 p.m. and terminating on Sunday, Jan. 3, 2021, at 6:00 a.m., a curfew is hereby imposed for the City of Key West, effective from 10 p.m. each night through 6 a.m. the next morning. All non-essential businesses shall close on or before 10 p.m. each night. Persons shall be in their residences or lodging establishments no later than 10:30 p.m. each night. During the period of such curfew, no person shall make use of any street or sidewalk for any purpose, except police, fire rescue, first responder, medical, health care, media, and utility repair service personnel.”

The curfew will not apply to people returning directly to their homes from work at essential establishments or going directly to work at essential establishments from their homes; people making deliveries from essential establishments; people walking their dogs within 250 feet of their residences; and those traveling to or from any religious service.

Mandy Miles
Mandy Miles drops stuff, breaks things and falls down more than any adult should. An award-winning writer, reporter and columnist, she's been stringing words together in Key West since 1998. "Local news is crucial," she says. "It informs and connects a community. It prompts conversation. It gets people involved, holds people accountable. The Keys Weekly takes its responsibility seriously. Our owners are raising families in Key West & Marathon. Our writers live in the communities we cover - Key West, Marathon & the Upper Keys. We respect our readers. We question our leaders. We believe in the Florida Keys community. And we like to have a good time." Mandy's married to a saintly — and handy — fishing captain, and can't imagine living anywhere else.