A coronavirus pandemic and a dengue outbreak dominated the local headlines for much of the year in the Upper Keys. Aside from that, a tropical storm wreaked havoc on neighborhoods, five new faces entered the Islamorada dais, a coral restoration effort launched and notable construction projects made progress. Here’s some of the notable events the Upper Keys witnessed in 2020.
MURDER SHAKES COMMUNITY; PASCAL’S WAY INSPIRES SERVICE
A fatal stabbing of a young boy rocked the Upper Keys community on May 7. While grieving, local residents rallied to remember 14-year-old Pascal Weisberger through a day of service and with several tributes. The incident took place during the early morning hours at Executive Bay Club in Islamorada, where 17-year-old Daniel Weisberger allegedly stabbed his brother fatally and wounded his father, Ariel Poholek. Following an all-out manhunt, Weisberger was captured close to the scene later in the evening after running into a truck on U.S. 1. He’s been charged with second-degree murder and is being held at the Monroe County Detention Facility on Stock Island. To honor Pascal’s legacy, Treasure Village Montessori principal Kelly Mangel initiated the first Pascal Weisberger Day of Service. Community members cleaned shorelines, donated blood, wrote letters to the eldelry and other things that Pascal, a member of the Boy Scout Troop Pack 912, did to make the world a better place. Another day of service is being planned for February 2021. In addition, the Upper Keys Humane Society named its lobby in honor of Pascal.
ISLAMORADA COUNCIL SEES COMPLETE FLIP
Following their election victories, five new Islamorada council members were sworn in on Nov. 19. Council’s complete change came following the departures of Jim Mooney and Mike Forster, who won their elections for state and county offices. Deb Gillis termed out and Chris Sante elected not to run. Decision makers on the dais now are Buddy Pinder, who’s serving as mayor, Mark Gregg, Peter Bacheler, David Webb and Henry Rosenthal. Hiring a new village manager and dealing with fallout from the coronavirus pandemic are among the top matters council members will address in the new year.
TIDAL FLOODING ISSUES PERSIST
Saltwater filled roads inside Stillwright Point and Twin Lakes communities in Key Largo in mid-September. It’s an all-too-familiar occurrence that residents say isn’t getting any better. While multimillion-dollar projects look to address inundated streets, Monroe County officials proceeded with a short-term solution that saw the installation of 24-inch water-filled barriers. They appeared to work in Twin Lakes, according to resident accounts, but not in Stillwright Point, where pictures showed cars driving through high waters on North Blackwater Lane.
MASSIVE GREAT WHITE PINGED OFF KEY LARGO
The 15-foot, 2,076-pound adult female great white shark, Unama’ki, visited the Key Largo waters on Nov. 5. In early August, she was north in Nova Scotia where scientists from the nonprofit shark research group Ocearch tracked her. Unama’ki, whose name means “Land of the fog” in the language of the indigenous peoples of Nova Scotia, is one of the largest sharks Ocearch has tagged in the North Atlantic Ocean, beaten only by a 16-foot female tagged in 2012.
PARTNERS BRING SCIENCE AND CITIZENS TO SAVE THE REEF
Coral restoration took center stage during World Oceans Day on June 7 in Islamorada, as Key Dives owner Michael Goldberg and Kylie Smith announced the formation of Islamorada Conservation and Restoration Education, or I.CARE. Taking a community-based approach to coral restoration, the organization is partnering with local dive shops and Mote Marine Laboratory to “transform visitors into volunteer divers with a hands-on experience in restoration,” Goldberg said. Divers will take part in coral restoration and monitoring to bring the reef back with their own hands. The land-based nursery at Bud N’ Mary’s Marina will provide the corals.
CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS PROGRESS
The College of the Florida Keys broke ground in late August on its $20-million campus at MM 106 in Key Largo, as programs like nursing and marine environmental technology and apprenticeship opportunities will expand in the Upper Keys. The facility is expected to be ready for students in August 2021. In Islamorada, a topping ceremony on Oct. 23 celebrated the completion of the Plantation Key Courthouse and Detention Center’s roof. The project’s 48,420 square feet was anticipated to take about 30 months to complete. Project managers say it is ahead of schedule, however, and will likely be complete by summer 2021. Costs are around $30 million.
