IN PICTURES: NATIONAL NIGHT OUT IN THE UPPER KEYS

National Night Out brings residents and law enforcement together

Traffic enforcement deputy Shaun Lones looks on as a young boy hops onto his motorcycle.

Law enforcement vehicles, fire trucks and local nonprofits took to Key Largo Park and Founders Park in Islamorada for National Night Out on Aug. 2. Sirens blared and emergency lights flipped on as children hopped in the driver seat of sheriff’s vehicles. Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation officers brought some wildlife creatures with them for the families to see. Events featured food, refreshments and an opportunity to meet sheriff’s deputies, FWC officers, Coast Guard members, firefighters and neighbors. The goal of National Night Out is to bring the community together to discuss how we can all make our neighborhoods cleaner, safer and more secure.

Jim McCarthy
Jim McCarthy is one of the many Western New Yorkers who escaped the snow and frigid temperatures for warm living by the water. A former crime & court reporter and city editor for two Western New York newspapers, Jim has been honing his craft since he graduated from St. Bonaventure University in 2014. In his 4-plus years in the Keys, Jim has enjoyed connecting with the community. “One of my college professors would always preach to be curious,” he said. “Behind every person is a story that’s unique to them, and one worth telling. As writers, we are the ones who paint the pictures in the readers minds of the emotions, the struggles and the triumphs.” Jim is past president of the Key Largo Sunset Rotary Club, which is composed of energetic members who serve the community’s youth and older populations. Jim is a sports fanatic who loves to watch football, hockey, mixed martial arts and golf. He also enjoys time with family and his new baby boy, Lucas, who arrived Oct. 4, 2022.