The Blue Paper #88

KWPD AND FDLE, PARTNERS IN CRIME?

By

It’s a hell of a thing when an FDLE Special Agent commits perjury.  A hell of a thing.

Kathy Smith, lead FDLE agent in the Eimers death-in-custody investigation and KWPD’s Chief of Operations at the time of the arrest, appear to be partners in a perjurious plot to obtain a strangely advantageous home loan.

This casts more doubt on FDLE’s “independent” investigation of the death of Charles Eimers. It is especially troubling considering that so much direct evidence including dashcam recordings, Taser video footage, and witness information was allowed to “slip away” and that Eimers’ body was nearly cremated before autopsy; all under Special Agent Kathy Smith’s watch. (more…)

We Are All One Percenters

By Rick Boettger

Today I am going to relate your brief life as a spermatozoa to what I expect will be the lack of a crowd at the Thanksgiving memorial to Charles Eimers. I have an important insight to the nature of your own personal life which I am sure you never thought of, and which you will never forget once I explain it. It will also explain and make us all feel better about the triumphant rise of the New Plutocracy in the good ol’ U.S. of A.  [Don’t know who Charles Eimers was?  Click here]

An unarguable fact is that every person alive on earth has won a lottery about a million times as unlikely as winning the Super-Power-Ball-whatever jackpot. Here are the numbers: of a woman’s one million eggs, only 300 get a shot at ovulating. And these are chased by an average man’s 525 BILLION lifetime sperms. So here is the image of myself I cannot forget: I only exist because I was one of 3/525,000,000,000 of my dad’s sperm to get together with one of 3/300 of my mom’s eggs. (more…)

THE MOVIES REVISITED

By Jerome Grapel

Note: Obviously, this essay was written a number of years ago and the cinematic landscape in Key West has changed, but only slightly. In spite of its age, I find it all still relevant as I hope the reader will.

The inspiration for this essay was a piece I heard on National Public Radio commemorating the classic film The Graduate. I stumbled into the report after it had already begun, so I don’t know exactly what was being commemorated. Perhaps its 25^th anniversary?

Before getting back to The Graduate, let’s examine what is playing at the movies as I write.

The town where I live is possessed of only one movie venue, that being the “Cinema 6”. This means there are six cinematic ways for adolescent minds to ward off boredom. Unfortunately, this is the role modern cinema has been reduced to, pressured into compliance by the omnipotence of the Global Economy. Any movie truly having to do with the human condition is purely coincidental and very rare. For that smattering of nerds with an intellectual formation beyond Notre Dame football, there is a dues paying Film Society, which sporadically accommodates their needs. In other words, not just in my town but in most places, the “Cinema 6” is it.

OK, what’s playing today? (more…)

It’s the Thought That Counts

By Kim Pederson

Most people (and this may be wishful thinking on my part) in the United States are familiar with the acronym SCOTUS. If you aren’t, I will give you a quick hint. It does not refer to a male body part. Rather, it refers to a group that includes male body parts but female ones, too: the Supreme Court of the United States. SCOTUS has been around since 1789, established by Article Three of the US Constitution. The article states that justices for the high and lower courts “shall hold their Offices during Good behavior.” This “good behavior tenure” means they have the job as long as they are “good,” which gets us (me at least) into thorny interpretive waters. During the court’s history, judges have been removed fourteen times, apparently for being naughty, by congressional impeachment. Two of these were for drunkenness, one for graft and corruption, and one for “failure to live in his district,” whatever that means. (more…)

Candlelight Memorial For Charles Eimers Announced

By Events Editor

Gweko Phlocker has organized a Candlelight Memorial to honor Charles Eimers and his family on the one year anniversary of his death [Thanksgiving Day].  The event will begin at 6:00 pm at South Beach [at the foot of Duval Street] where Mr. Eimers died.  Here is a link to the facebook event.

“I don’t want people to forget him. My Girlfriend saw it go down from The Southernmost Point Guest House… So did everyone else there, and on the pier. When I showed up for Thanksgiving Dinner – that was All I heard about…

“Who was the man the cops killed on the beach after their slow speed Chase?”

When I went Live on The X 104.9 Radio that night to do my show, I asked, and reported what I had heard. No one knew nothing, No Police reports on the logs or anything, twelve officers and paramedics there and —Nothing. Seemed Odd.

A week later, it came out, and only The Blue Paper was on the same page….

Now a year later, after a bogus Grand Jury Investigation, I don’t think he should be forgotten.

Salt Island Provisions Celebrates Eric Anfinson Paintings 2015 Calendar Release

By Arts Editor

The new year is looming, and local painter Eric Anfinson knows just how to help people embrace the passing of time.

On Saturday, November 15, the artist’s 5^th annual calendar of paintings will be released at Salt Island Provisions on 830 Fleming Street from 6pm – 9 pm, with a celebration to include refreshments and live music from acoustic singer-songwriter Lance Taylor.

The calendar features thirteen original oil paintings that celebrate Anfinson’s distinct figurative style with Synthetism influences- a post impression painting style based on two-dimensional areas of color, strong lines and symbolism as pioneered by artists like Paul Gaugin and Emile Bernard. (more…)

Walking On Egg Shells…

By John N. Gish Jr.

Dear Editor:

This is my response to the feature story (Nov. 7)  “Charles Eimers Update: Police, Death, and Missing Videotapes” by Arnaud and Naja Girard.

After a cursory reading I’m rather out of breath – such an astonishing codification of events surrounding Key West’s most sickening incident of police violence, which has received national media attention.

After a second scanning I am left with a sense of thankfulness that (1) we have a citizen-authors concerned enough to research and articulate the topic, and that (2) we have a publisher who is willing to challenge Key West’s power base. Without this combo we’re at the mercy of the same sinister and corrupt government styles that thrive in all apathetic societies.  Thank goodness for our First Amendment guarantees of free speech and a free press. (more…)

My Heart Will Be There For All Of You And The Eimers Family

By Peggy Butler

Thanks as always for your great reporting! The Eimers case is still such a sad thing to read about. Such a senseless death at the hands of the KWPD. And to learn the cops deleted a tourist’s video of the murder – no other way to describe it from this layman’s point of view – is very upsetting. I believe the sooner Donie Lee fires the responsible cops, the better. Having known him when I lived there, it is still difficult for me to wrap my head around his condoning this kind of behavior from his officers, and if he doesn’t do something about it, then maybe I have been wrong about him all these years and the city commission should step in and get a new police chief. I hope it doesn’t come to that, because I still want to believe he’s one of the good guys. I hope one day the Eimers family will receive some kind of justice for their father, who only wanted to experience paradise now that he was free to visit Key West. He experienced paradise, all right, and was sent directly to Heaven! I hope you all have the Thanksgiving night candlelight service. I will be unable to drive down for it, but know that my heart will be there with all of you and the Eimers family.

God bless,

Peggy Butler

For Everything There Is A Season

By John N. Gish Jr.

Dear Editor:

While this is my response to Alex Symington’s Nov. 7 column entitled “Big Picture, Small Pond”, I must say the opening of his first sentence arrested me:  “When I write, my inclination is to focus on national or global big picture issues…”  Well, this so triggered my imagination, that I’m only impelled to address our national and/or global “big picture”.

Robinson Jeffers, Walt Whitman and Carl Sandburg, America’s most prophetic poets, all advocate a cyclic world-view: birth, growth, death, decay and rebirth. These cycles happen generationally, seasonally or on a daily basis – if one believes in microcosms… and, I do.

So, why don’t we realize this cyclic reality on a political level?  Why did Thomas Jefferson say in so many word that there should be a revolution in government every 20 years?  That’s a cycle to be sure. (more…)

~~~~~~~~~~

By Blue Paper Entreatment Department

United Way’s ALICE Report: 48% of Keys Households Are Struggling Financially

By United Way of the Florida Keys

More than 14,000 Keys households—48% of the total—are struggling to afford basic needs like food, housing and health care, according to a groundbreaking report released yesterday by United Way of the Florida Keys.

United Ways in six states commissioned Rutgers University to conduct the research for the ALICE report, which stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. The report spotlights a large segment of the population that is working hard—sometimes at two or three jobs—but is still barely able to make ends meet.

“ALICE folks are our child care workers, mechanics, home health aides, store clerks, office assistants and other workers who provide invaluable services we all rely on in our daily lives,” said Margie Smith, President of United Way of the Florida Keys. “But as hard as they are working, all it would take is one emergency–a serious illness, an expensive car repair, a damaging storm—for them to spiral into poverty.” (more…)

Survey Shows Younger Americans Not as “Green” as Older Generations

By The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries

As America Recycles Day approaches, Harris Poll shows young people are less likely to recycle, understand benefits.

While conventional wisdom dictates millennials are more environmentally-conscious than older generations, their attitudes toward recycling begs to differ and suggest they may not be as “green” as we thought. According to a recent survey conducted online in November among over 2,000 U.S. adults by Harris Poll on behalf of the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), younger American adults ages 18-34 are significantly less likely to say they always recycle (33% vs. 48% of those ages 35+).  In addition, younger Americans ages 18-34 are less likely to say that recycling is the socially responsible thing to do (61% vs. 53% of those ages 65+), and that it is critical to reducing energy consumption (36% vs. 46% of those ages 55-64) and will help reduce landfill space (45% vs. 60% of those ages 45+). Younger adults ages 18-34 are also more likely to say they wish they recycled more than any other age group (37% vs. 22% of those age 35+). These are some of the key findings in a national survey released yesterday by the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) in conjunction with America Recycles Day taking place on Saturday, November 15. (more…)

Climate Change From a Mountain Community Perspective…

By Snowriders International

Here in the Keys we are pretty focused on climate change… mostly from a rising sea-level perspective.  Here is a peek into the same issue as seen from the mountaintop…

“This historic joint climate agreement by China and the US, the world’s two largest polluters, is good news for the future of mountains and snow. With climate change leading to increasingly erratic winters, decreasing snowpack, and shorter ski seasons, mountain communities need climate action now.” – Phil Huffeldt, Snowriders International.

Denver, CO  –  On Wednesday night, the U.S. and China announced a groundbreaking agreement to cut greenhouse gas pollution, raising the chances of a possible accord at the international climate summit scheduled for December 2015 in Paris. In response, Philip Huffeldt, the Coordinator of Snowriders International, said the following:

“This historic joint climate agreement by China and the US, the world’s two largest polluters, is good news for the future of mountains and snow. With climate change leading to increasingly erratic winters, decreasing snowpack, and shorter ski seasons, mountain communities need climate action now. (more…)

Study Abroad Opportunities for Monroe County Students

By Take Stock In Children

The Monroe County Education Foundation and The Experiment in International Living invite parents and students to attend a one-hour information session this Monday, November 17^th at 10:15 AM in the Key West High School auditorium.

The Experiment offers unique 3-, 4-, and 5- week theme-based educational summer travel opportunities for high school students in Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas. “The Experiment provides a transformational experience. We are cultivating the next generation of global citizens that are prepared to engage in a rapidly changing world,” said Experiment Executive Director, Dr. Aaron Morehouse. (more…)

City of Key West Sightseeing Franchise Input

By Staff

The Key West City Commission wants to hear your views and ideas regarding the franchise agreements between the city and sightseeing enterprises. These agreements will be reviewed by all commissioners from now until February. The commissioners want to hear from the community. Please click the following link for the online form. Or you can send your comments to 3132 Flagler Ave, Key West, Florida 33040

https://www.keywestcity.com/egov/apps/action/center.egov?view=form;page=1;id=3

 

Key West Chalk Festival Amps up for 3rd Annual Event

By Arts Editor

Registration is now open for Chalk artists and artisan vendors for the 3rd Annual Key West Chalk Festival, presented by the Key West Art in Public Places Board and set for November 19-23 along the Truman Waterfront promenade, adjacent to the USCGC Ingham Museum.

Chalk artists may download a registration form from the AIPP website at artinpublicplaceskw.com. Artists of all mediums interested in participating in a limited Chalk Festival artisan market may email sean@dailyplan-it.com.

Chalkers of all ages and calibers are invited to participate. Registration is free and prizes will be awarded in student and adult categories. (more…)

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