MONROE COUNTY PREPARES FOR LODGING ESTABLISHMENTS TO REOPEN AND REMOVAL OF CHECKPOINTS

Monroe County plans to reopen to visitors Monday, June 1 by suspending the checkpoints on U.S. 1 and State Road 905 and allowing lodging establishments to take guests at 50 percent occupancy. 

Monroe County lodging establishments, like hotels, cam...

MONROE COUNTY FOLLOWS GOVERNOR’S DIRECTIVE FOR SALONS, BARBERSHOPS, AND MASSAGE THERAPISTS

Following the Governor’s Executive Order 20-120, Monroe County has issued the first amendment to Monroe County Emergency Directive 20-08 to allow barbershops, hair and nail salons, and massage therapists to reopen for business with strategies in...

COUNTY REMAINS CLOSED TO VISITORS, LODGING CAN TAKE CONDITIONAL RESERVATIONS

The Florida Keys continue to be closed to visitors and do not anticipate opening to non-residents during the month of May, and potentially longer. Monroe County amended Emergency Directive 20-02 to provide Florida Keys lodging businesses (motel, ...

MONROE COUNTY DISCUSSES HOW TO PHASE RELAXING PROTECTIVE MEASURES FOR COVID-19 RECOVERY

Monroe County Emergency Management began designing the draft framework to discuss relaxing the protective measures in the Florida Keys once the threat of COVID-19 begins to ease for Florida Keys residents. Monroe County is not yet in recovery mode, but ha...

MONROE COUNTY CONTINUES CLOSURE TO VISITORS: REMINDERS FOR THOSE ENTERING THE FLORIDA KEYS

Monroe County, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, and the municipalities continue to operate the 24-hour southbound traffic checkpoints at mile marker 112.5 on the 18-Mile Stretch (U.S. 1), and on Card Sound Road (905) to reinforce Monroe County&am...

ADDITIONAL PROTECTIVE MEASURES FOR ESSENTIAL BUSINESSES AND CUSTOMERS

Starting at midnight tonight, Monroe County emergency directive 20-05 mandates all essential businesses deploy strategies to reduce the spread of COVID-19. The mandates include limiting capacity to 50 percent of maximum occupancy and providing hand saniti...

CHECKPOINT UPDATE: CARRY ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION PROVING RESIDENCY & HOMEOWNERSHIP

Due to the presence of counterfeit reentry stickers over the weekend, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office began stopping vehicles with reentry stickers at the checkpoint. More than 200 reentry stickers were confiscated and motorists who had no additi...

APPLICATION AND RENEWAL PERIOD FOR HURRICANE PLACARD BUSINESS REENTRY OPEN THROUGH MAY 31

The application period for Monroe County Emergency Management’s 2020 Business Placard Reentry Program runs through May 31, 2020. Applications are now available at www.monroecountyem.com/placardprogram. The program ensures that personnel who are ...

BUSINESS OCCUPANCY LOAD ASSISTANCE BY MONROE COUNTY FIRE RESCUE FIRE MARSHAL

Monroe County Fire Rescue and the Fire Marshal would like to help with the reopening of Florida Keys businesses that may need assistance in determining their new “Occupancy Load,” under Governor Ron DeSantis’ Executive Order ...

MONROE COUNTY FIRE RESCUE RESPONDS TO STRUCTURE FIRE ON BIG COPPITT KEY

Monroe County Fire Rescue responded to a structure fire at
5:04 a.m. on Big Coppitt Key. Stations 8, 9, and 10 responded to the firewithin minutes of the call. Upon arrival, a single wide mobile home of
approximately 700 sq. ft was partially on fire.

&...

MONROE COUNTY FIREFIGHTERS COMPLETE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS TECHNICIAN COURSE

For the past six weeks, 24 Monroe County Fire Rescue personnel participated in a 160-hour Hazardous Materials Technician Course at Joe London Fire Academy on Grassy Key in order to meet state minimum standards required for those who respond to hazardous m...

PHOENIX AWARD PRESENTED TO MONROE COUNTY FIREFIGHTERS AND TRAUMA STAR CREW BY ‘WIDOW MAKER’ SURVIVOR

It was a joyful Thursday morning when Tad Kimes of Big Coppitt Key was able to meet the Monroe County Firefighters and Trauma Star flight crew who saved his life on July 19, 2019. Kimes presented the emergency responders involved with saving his life the ...

CONGRATS TO THE NEWEST HOT SHOTS - SECOND HOT SHOT CLASS GRADUATES FROM JOE LONDON

DEVELOPMENT OF PROPOSED NEW AND RENEWED RULES FOR 10-YEAR WORK PLAN

The Florida Administration Commission authorized the Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) to initiate rulemaking for a revised Work Plan for Monroe County. DEO is also working on updated Work Plans for Islamorada and Marathon.

The new Work Plan for uni...

MONROE COUNTY TO START ROAD PRESERVATION PROJECT FOR LOWER KEYS COUNTY-OWNED ROADS

In an effort to preserve county roads and prolong pavement life, Monroe County awarded a contract for pavement preservation to Pavement Technology, Inc. at the virtual April Board of County Commissioner’s meeting. The contractor will begin work ...

FLORIDA KEYS REMAIN CLOSED TO VISITORS, COUNTY WILL FOLLOW GOVERNOR’S ORDER

Monroe County remains closed to visitors. The checkpoints at mile marker 112.5 on U.S. 1 and State Road 905 will remain in place and screenings will continue at Key West International and Marathon Florida Keys airports. After detailed discussions with the...

MONROE COUNTY DOES NOT ANTICIPATE REOPENING TO VISITORS IN MAY, PROTECTIONS IN PLACE ARE WORKING

In detailed discussions with the Florida Dept. of Health in Monroe County, it is not anticipated that Monroe County will reopen to visitors in May. Monroe County understands there has been community discussion on opening dates for lodging and attractions,...

COMMISSIONERS ADOPT UNIFIED REGIONAL SEA LEVEL RISE PROJECTIONS FOR FUTURE PLANNING

The Monroe County Board of County Commissioners adopted the updated Unified Regional Sea Level Rise Projections of the Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact and directed staff to utilize the updated projections as the basis for future sea-leve...

MONROE COUNTY LIBRARIES ONLINE HISTORICAL ARCHIVE REACHES 30,000,000 VIEWS

 Yes, that headline says 30 million. A modest 2002 grant started something that grew quite big. Monroe County librarians and volunteers are celebrating (via Zoom, of course) the 30 millionth view of the library’s online historical photo...

KEY WEST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AND MARATHON FLORIDA KEYS AIRPORT TO SCREEN ALL ARRIVING PASSENGERS

Key West International Airport continues to operate, pursuant to and consistent with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Transportation Security Administration. Starting at midnight and until further notice, all arriving passengers regardless of...

UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT WWW.MONROECOUNTYEM.COM/COVID19

The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity has waived several requirements making it easier to qualify for and access unemployment assistance, including the week waiting period and the job search requirements. The actions come as a result of the CARES...

MONROE COUNTY EMERGENCY DIRECTIVE: TOURIST BAN ENFORCEMENT PROTOCOL

The Emergency Directive 20-02 (Tourist Ban) Enforcement Protocol was collaboratively developed by Monroe County and the five municipalities with input from the Tax Collector, the Sheriff, and the State Attorney. Law enforcement officers are not p...

OFFICIALS TO RESTRICT TRAVEL ON FLORIDA KEYS OVERSEAS HIGHWAY (U.S. 1)

Concerned about limiting exposure to coronavirus, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office is coordinating implementation of southbound traffic stops at mile marker 112.5 on the Florida Keys Overseas Highway, and on State Road 905 (Card Sound...

MONROE COUNTY’S BERNSTEIN PARK ON STOCK ISLAND RECEIVES NEW CIRCUIT TRAINING FITNESS COURT

Monroe County Project Management finished the installation of a new fitness court at Bernstein Park on Stock Island. The fitness court is a 40 by 40 square foot park that has the equipment to perform bodyweight circuit resistance workouts for a variety of...