Page 3 - Outer Mole News Today

High-speed action and high-level competition will keep spectators’ adrenaline pumping at the Race World Offshore Key West World Championships, set for Sunday through Sunday, Nov. 7-14, in the waters surrounding

“What we see now is a City Commission united behind their constituency to carry out the wishes of the voters. There is no limit to what can be accomplished if we can continue this unity.” “A huge, unannounced, police-escorted attempt of a parade through a residential neighborhood after 8 p.m. with music blasting, 15 minutes on non-stop horns, screaming and foul language does not make me want to support your cause.” “Ban golf carts east of White Street on U.S. 1.” �...

While not formally voting on whether to accept a federal grant to rebuild and expand the ship docking pier at Mallory Square, Key West City Commissioners promised to adhere to the cruise ship limits imposed by last November’s referendum. The commission agreed to postpone a vote on the matter until its next meeting, June 2. However, several commissioners were leaning toward accepting the $521,835 grant, which will require the city to add a $174,000 match for its 25% share of the phased cons...

The next salvo in the cruise ship wars in Key West could take place at Wednesday’s city commission meeting. Two opposing resolutions to either accept or reject a federal grant that would help pay to rebuild and expand the T-pier at Mallory Square are on the agenda. The decades-old pier is a small, T-shaped concrete slab extending off the front of Mallory Square that is used for docking visiting ships. It is owned by the city. Normally, accepting federal or state funding for a local infrast...

Key West city commissioners cautiously began to discuss options to potentially control the number of cruise ships visiting the local port at their meeting on Tuesday night. City Attorney Shawn Smith told commissioners there are options if DeSantis signs the bill, but the commission on Tuesday was unwilling to take any formal steps on the cruise ship issue until Gov. Ron DeSantis decides whether to sign a transportation bill that would overturn last November’s city of Key West successful re...

With the stage set for state legislators to begin discussing a proposed bill that would prevent Key West from controlling its own seaport, city officials are beginning to consider what they would do if they could no longer limit cruise ship visits. The original state Senate Bill 426 removing “home rule” for all Florida seaports, instead giving that power to state authorities, recently found a companion bill, House Bill 267, which begins the formal process of committee hearings in prep...