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It Breaks a Village
KONK REACTOR column
[Published in the KONK Life newspaper on December 6, 2012.]
It Breaks a Village
Hillary’s expression “It takes a village [to raise kids]” is turned on its head in Key West. The (grown) children of the community must work to foster the village itself – especially the oldest neighborhood on the island: Bahama Village. I ashamedly have to admit, though, that our neglect has broken this Village…
The Bahama Village neighborhood dates back to the earliest days of our settlement and once covered the westernmost quarter of the populated island (when New Town was a salt marsh). Many descendents of African/Caribbean settlers ended up in this neighborhood. Over time, (more…)
Crimes and Punishments
KONK REACTOR column
[Published in the KONK Life newspaper on April 5, 2012.]
Crimes and Punishments
Enough with the trivialities (ref my last column). it’s time to get serious. Dead serious…
Dateline Wednesday, March 21, 2012:
Today, former Big Pine Key resident Keith Weitzman stood before Judge Fowler and pleaded guilty to a charge involving his action that killed someone. He had fallen asleep driving on US1 on Cudjoe Key and veered into a car carrying three California men. One didn’t make it. FHP Lt. Kathy McKinney was quoted: “People don’t realize [sleepy driving is] just as dangerous as getting behind the wheel drunk,” His sentence: $500 fine and community service.
Today, in another Key West courtroom, (more…)
In defense of Norma Jean
front page article (submitted as untitled Letter to Editor)
[Published in Key West The Newspaper on March 2, 2012.]
In defense of Norma Jean
There was a glaring error in your front page article “From the Very Beginning, the Real Purpose of the BCCLT was to Provide Norma Jean Sawyer with a Hefty Income”. The glaring error is that her income only came up to the “$90,000 per year” level that you mentioned for a very brief time (less than six months) at the very end of the Bahama Conch Community Land Trust’s run. People seem to assume she has made that much all along, but nothing could be further from the truth.
For well over TEN YEARS Norma worked for a pittance, running the BCCLT out of her bedroom and living in what many Key Westers would consider poverty. (more…)
Crusader Torment
KONK REACTOR column
[Published in the KONK Life newspaper on March 1, 2012.]
Crusader Torment
I didn’t attend the trial of Norma Jean Sawyer but I can state categorically: if she goes to jail, there is no justice in this town.
Back in the 1990s, Norma Jean Sawyer voluntarily took on a task that nobody would step up to. She put her life managing a small mortuary on hold and rededicated it to saving residences in Bahama Village for the families who had owned them for generations. For those families who were being approached by people with briefcases full of cash offering to buy them out (at bottom dollar) if they’d move away. To allow them to become cheaply-renovated gentrified residences for sale to speculators at top dollar. (more…)
Attacks on BCCLT hurting those it serves
David Lybrand guest editorial
[Published on the Key West Citizen Opinions Page on July 27, 2009.]
Attempts to tear down the BCCLT
are only hurting the people it serves
Here’s a Board of Directors executive “Dream Team”:
- President: Cecil Bain, a respected lifelong resident of the community and past teacher of many among us (including the esteemed Commissioner Lopez),
- Vice-President: Claude Halioua, a planning commissioner and respected businessman with many civic contacts,
- Treasurer: Glenwood Lopez, community and church leader (and Clayton’s big brother)
- Acting Secretary (previously President): Bob Kelly, community activist and Key West dynamo.
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Add the rest of the Board (no slouches there) and you get a team that should command a level of respect on par with other local housing-related organizations (e.g., Aids Help, Habitat for Humanity) or other community organization, period. (more…)
‘Keynoter’ editorial was way off the mark
David Lybrand guest editorial
[Published on the KeyNoter newspaper Opinions Page on February 25, 2009.]
‘Keynoter’ editorial was way off the mark
Under the title “TAMPOA’s arrogance hard to believe”, the KeyNoter again shows its contempt for a neighborhood full of good citizens. The editorial puts together a mishmash of falsehoods and distortions to draw the conclusion that this community — that contributes a full 10% of the entire property-tax base to the City of Key West — should be “blown out of the water”. Usually the KeyNoter is slow to participate in such muckraking, but someone there obviously has an axe to grind.
The first error in the editorial is that the gate work at the Truman Annex neighborhood entrance began “without warning”. On the contrary, the job went through the full permitting and compliance process and all work has been fully licensed by the city. There was nothing to hide. (more…)
In Defense of a Neighborhood
Feature article by David Lybrand
[Published in Key West Citizen's Solares Hill on March 14, 2008.]
In Defense of a Neighborhood
Why do some of the people of Key West hold such bad feelings about a single neighborhood within our fair city?
You rarely hear ill words about 1800 Atlantic or Roosevelt Annex or Key West Beach Club, each of which fully walls off a segment of the waterfront from the public. Resorts like the Casa Marina, the Reach, the Hyatt expect you to pay to enjoy their piece of the waterfront, and few complain. But the Truman Annex neighborhood., which only loosely constrains access, is bashed regularly.
Is this an exaggeration? Look at last week’s City Commission meeting comments, read or spoken into the public record. They state that those who live in the Truman Annex neighborhood: (more…)