In the news business, they say “if it bleeds, it leads.” But the Keys Weekly has always been more about telling the stories of the people, businesses and events that make our island chain flat-out awesome. The resilient, caring people of the Florida Keys do their absolute best to do way more right than we do wrong, and this year was no exception. We dare you to read these headlines without cracking a smile – they’re our favorite feel-good stories from 2024.
A1A renamed Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway
It didn’t take long after the passing of music icon Jimmy Buffett in September 2023 for cries to emerge to rename historic State Road A1A as the “A1A Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway.” In 2024, those wishes were granted. Following the passage of a bill in the Florida House of Representatives and Senate, and its signing by Gov. Ron DeSantis, all segments of A1A from Key West to the Florida-Georgia line are now named the “A1A Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway.”
100-year-old Dorothy Bitzer aces Key Colony Beach’s 7 Meter Bridge Run
Dorothy Bitzer, who reached triple digits before her passing in late 2024, had been in a submarine, gone parasailing and walked on the bottom of the ocean, she told the Weekly. But she’d never done a road race, and in her final year, she earned her stripes as the elite athlete of honor in the Key Colony Beach Community Association’s 7 Meter Bridge Run, completing the “seven meters of grueling running” with next to no help. “I’ve done just about everything in my life, but I’ve never done one of these,” she said. “It was a good time to start.”
Fred the Tree goes Hollywood in new ‘Road House’ movie
It’s impossible not to root for an iconic tree growing from a concrete bridge in the middle of the ocean, and when he – yes, he – gets his flowers, the community celebrates. Though the Amazon Prime remake of “Road House” was theoretically set in the Keys, most of the film was actually shot in the Dominican Republic – save for a few shots of iconic Keys bridges, and a great one of Fred the Tree.
Keys deputy who lost leg in accident receives purple heart and massive donation
When 26-year-old deputy Julian Garcia lost his leg after a suspected drunk driver smashed into the back of his patrol car in April, a sea of community supporters and first responders stepped up to look after one of their own. A Keys-wide blood drive was set for May 9 in Garcia’s honor, and at an Aug. 7 meeting of the Islamorada Village Council, Sheriff Rick Ramsay presented Garcia with a Purple Heart ribbon taken from his own uniform. On the same night, Vice Mayor Sharon Mahoney presented Garcia with a check for $60,619 raised in a June community fundraiser.
Overseas raises $127K for cancer patient Mallory Martin in benefit
Overseas Pub and Grill bar manager Andy Sharf’s fundraisers for community members are the stuff of legends in the Middle Keys. So when Mallory Martin, a dear friend and better half of fellow bartender Brian ‘Cheddar’ Geitz, was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer at the age of 30, Sharf pledged to throw his biggest fundraiser ever to give her a helping hand – and he backed it up. “Fight Like Mallory Day” raised more than $127,000 through a combination of donations, raffles, auctions, barbecue dinners and more. And at the Best of Marathon Awards, Sharf earned his overdue award as Marathon’s Philanthropist of the Year.
Conch Republic Marine Army teams up with Isla Bella to clean the Middle Keys
“Making dirty friends in trashy places” is the motto that drives the Conch Republic Marine Army (CRMA), a nonprofit organization aimed at cleanup and restoration of the Florida Keys marine habitats. The mission is simple: Get as many people as possible involved in cleaning up trash from the Keys’ shorelines. As of August, CRMA has removed more than 250 tons of debris and garbage, and the “army” continues to advance, as evidenced by partnerships with local businesses like Marathon’s Isla Bella Beach Resort. Guests and community members can join in on free trips to go on excursions, clean trash and learn about marine life – with a sandbar hangout at the end. In February, CRMA founder and president Brian Vest christened a new 33-foot skiff, made possible by Isla Bella’s donations.
