News Flash

MONROE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM AWARDED $975,000 GRANT FOR TECHNOLOGY UPGRADES

The Monroe County Public Library system was awarded a record-breaking American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant for $975,469. This is the greatest amount awarded to a Florida library and the highest ever bestowed to Monroe's libraries. The 100 percen...

NEW MAYOR -- DAVID RICE -- AND MAYOR PRO TEM -- CRAIG CATES -- SELECTED FOR MONROE COUNTY

At Wednesday's Board of County Commissioner's meeting, the board chose Mayor Pro Tem David Rice to serve as Monroe County Mayor and Commissioner Craig Cates to serve as Mayor Pro Tem for the next year. Mayor Rice is in his fourth term as commissioner, and...

COMMISSIONER RASCHEIN APPOINTED POLICY LEADER OF TWO FLORIDA ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES COMMITTEES

Monroe County Commissioner Holly Merrill Raschein received a mid-year appointment as a Policy Leader on the Presidential Select Committee on Preemption and on the Water and Environmental Sustainability (WES) Committee.

The Presidential Select Committee on ...

ATTENTION FLOOD-PRONE HOMEOWNERS: LEARN MORE ABOUT FEMA’S FLOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Is your home below the required base flood elevation and at risk of flooding, or has it flooded in the past, and you’ve filed a flood insurance claim with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)? If so, you may be interested in grant funding to elevat...

HIGGS BEACH IN KEY WEST UNDERGOING SHORELINE RESTORATION, BEACH ACCESS WILL BE LIMITED

Monroe County’s Clarence S. Higgs Memorial Beach Park in Key West is undergoing about 570 feet of shoreline restoration expected to begin on Monday, Oct. 11. The project will renourish sand above and below the mean high water line, reestablish s...

FEMA’S FLOOD RISK RATING 2.0 WILL AFFECT MOST FLORIDA KEYS NFIP POLICYHOLDERS

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is implementing and fundamentally changing how it will rate a property’s flood insurance risk and prices with its Flood Risk Rating 2.0 methodology. The new methodology will affect all new National ...

HOLLY RASCHEIN SWORN IN TO FILL DISTRICT 5 'MIKE FORSTER' COUNTY COMMISSION SEAT

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Holly Raschein of Tavernier to fill the District 5 Board of County Commissioners seat. The seat was held by Commissioner Mike Forster, who passed away earlier this month. She was sworn in Sept. 28 by Deputy Clerk Jennifer Belz ...

MONROE COUNTY TO EXPERIENCE SEASONAL KING TIDES THROUGH DECEMBER, TAKE PRECAUTIONS

Monroe County will experience seasonal high king tides through December. King tides are unusually high tides that occur several times a year, usually in the fall, that can cause coastal tidal flooding, especially in low-lying areas. Monroe County is monit...

RICHARD SANDS OF FACILITIES MAINTENANCE NAMED MONROE COUNTY EMPLOYEE OF THE SECOND QUARTER

Richard Sands, a maintenance worker for Facilities Maintenance – Parks & Beaches, was selected for Monroe County's Second Quarter Employee Service Award for his noteworthy performance above and beyond his job expectations. Sands ste...

BIG PINE KEY SWIMMING HOLE AND NATURE CENTER UNDER CONSTRUCTION; MAYOR COLDIRON TOURS PROPERTY

The Big Pine Key Swimming Hole and Nature Center at the Lower Keys Scenic Viewing Area, an extension of the Overseas Heritage Trail, is under construction with an estimated completion date in summer 2022. The area will have 17 parking spaces, bike racks, ...

VETERANS AFFAIRS TO REOPEN MARATHON SATELLITE OFFICE ON 2ND WEDNESDAY OF EACH MONTH

Monroe County Veterans Affairs will reopen the Marathon satellite office on the second Wednesday of each month from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Monroe County Public Library Marathon Branch, 3490 Overseas Highway, Marathon. The first one is on Aug. 11.

There...

REMINDER: STORMS ARE NOT AN EXCUSE TO CLEAR VEGETATION FROM YOUR PROPERTY

A storm or hurricane is not an excuse to clear vegetation, especially native vegetation, like mangroves or gumbo limbo, from your property. Sometimes it is necessary to remove vegetative debris but there are limits as to what can be cleared. Hurricane Irm...

MONROE COUNTY ANNOUNCES MARINA PUMP-OUT OUTFITTING PROGRAM TO HELP LOCAL MARINA OWNERS

The Monroe County Board of County Commissioners approved the Marina Pump-Out Outfitting Program (MPOOP) at today’s regularly scheduled meeting to reduce pollutant discharges from liveaboard vessels by expanding the number and use of sewage pump-out facili...

PARKING FINES ON COUNTY ROADS INCREASE TO $200 TO DETER ILLEGAL PARKING

To deter illegal parking in Monroe County, especially near parks and beaches, the Monroe County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) increased the parking fines on county roads from $20 to $200. The fines are a noncriminal civil penalty. The increase take...