Kristen Livengood, Public Information Officer for Monroe County, joined Good Morning Keys on Keys Talk 96.9/102.5FM this morning to talk about what’s going on in the county.
Higgs Beach will transfer to the city of Key West today.
Livengood said, “Today, at 4:45 at Higgs beach, we are going to be passing the ceremonial key from Monroe County to the city of Key West, giving them the full rights and responsibilities of the beautiful beach that is within their city limits. So this is going to be a great little event. Mayor Lincoln and Mayor Henriquez will be there, and they’re going to pass the key to each other. We’re also have our parks and beaches director, John Allen, he’ll be passing over his duties to the city of Key West Parks and Rec director. So they have a lot going on. This park is a 16.5 acre ocean front park and includes Reynolds Street pier, the Salute restaurant and the Key West Garden Club at Fort West Martello. So it’s just an absolutely beautiful property down there. Over the years, Monroe County has had to go into Key West, and that’s the only park that we have in Key West. So it takes a lot off of our backs to be able to pass that over to the resources that are already there, of course. Following the fun little ceremony that we’ll be doing at 5:30, Salute is having a musician and everyone’s encouraged to stay and hang out and listen to music and enjoy the beach and this absolutely beautiful weather that we’re having right now.”
A paddle board proclamation for the 250th anniversary of America will happen from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday May 4 at the old wooden bridge marina on Big Pine Key, celebrating National Travel and Tourism week.
Livengood said, “What’s great about this is that funny story is, a couple years ago we celebrated Monroe County’s 200 year anniversary, and that was super fun to plan all of those parties and everything like that. And I just remember thinking in my head like, oh, thank goodness, 50 years from now, and we celebrate Monroe County’s 250th birthday. I should be retired on a beach somewhere. But then we’ve been talking about it now for more than a year that America is celebrating its 250th birthday, and we were very excited when the governor came down a few months ago, and we unveiled the Monroe statue at the west end of the Baia Honda Bridge, which is really cool. And if you drive by, you can kind of see President Monroe waving to all the passers by. We’re going to do the kickoff party on Monday for this paddle board proclamation that’s taking place for the Tourist Development Council’s National Travel and Tourism week. And they had had this plan, but we figured this would be a great way to kick off celebrations that will happen throughout the Keys, throughout our 250th birthday of America.”
The event will include live music and food trucks.
Livengood said, “And then throughout the rest of the year, we’re going to have a lot of parties planned and fun little things. I think one of the most significant and important things that we’re going to be doing is we’re going to be bringing in a semi truck. It is the remember, never forget 911 Memorial, and that’s going to come in November, the week before Thanksgiving, and we’re going to have it in the Upper Keys and the Lower Keys. And we spoke to Ed Tierney, the superintendent, and some of the board, and they are all in. They’re definitely willing to make sure that we get some students over there to see it, and then we’re going to have probably a couple drone shows in the Upper Keys and Lower Keys as well, to get people out to not only visit this great exhibit that we’re going to have in town, but also celebrate America’s 250th birthday. So we’re also asking that any businesses along US 1 for Flag Day decorate and put their flags out, or decorate red, white and blue and things like that for that week. But especially on Flag Day, on, I believe it’s going to be Sunday, June 14, and then on June 27 the city of Key West is hosting a parade, and it’s going to end at the Truman Waterfront with a concert. That’s how the city of Key West will be celebrating the 250th birthday of America too. So just lots and lots of things going on. We’re going to plan on doing it was a real big hit a couple years ago, that sunset celebration that we did on the Old Seven Mile Bridge. So we’re in the planning of doing that again. I hope, I think October, potentially October 10, just in case anybody’s frantically writing down all these exciting things.”