Good Morning Florida Keys

When I just tried to post the following to goodmorningkeywest.com and goodmorningfloridakeys.com, I could not raise either website. I emailed Capt. Conch of bigpinekey.com about it, because he set up the websites and knows about such stuff as webwites not being accessable. He called rightaway and said it looks to him that the host’s server is down and, if that is so, it will be back up and running soon. We both agree that, whiile it will be a pain in the butt, it will be a lot more interesting if my websites have been hacked, which will give Key West Citizen a chance to write about it. Cheers! ;-)
 
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Received this below from Key West author, Michael Haskins, about his “book-signing” tour for his new novel, CHASIN’ THE WIND. Below it is my reply, and following that are some more startving writer musings.
 
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Hey, I last posted on my blog on June 1, so it’s been just about two months. A busy two months, trust me, with signings and traveling. I have broken the blog into two parts, so you can go to www.chasinthewind.blogspot.com (or to the link on my website, www.michaelhaskins.net) and read the first part. There are photos from the signings on my website, too. I couldn’t get too many on the blog. The second part will be about the individual signings and the people I met.

I hope to hear back from you.

Michael

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Book signing adventure – part one

I’d written my book, in blood it sometimes seemed, but it was all worth it when I received the email from a small publisher informing me that there was a contract in the mail. Ah, I beamed to myself, as I danced around my crowded home-office; the gods had finally smiled on me!

(Photo: Sarah, Bobby, Michael & Linda

at The Mystery Bookstore – Westwood, Calif.)
Little did I know that the hard work hadn’t even begun. My small publisher did nothing to help with book signings, and only a little for getting reviews, so off I went on my own and soon discovered that my excitement wasn’t necessarily shared by the rest of the world.

In July of 2007, I went to Los Angeles and visited bookstores I had haunted for years when I lived there, and soon had six tentative book signings for July ’08. Everyone wanted to see an advanced reading copy. My disappointment was that Barry at Book ‘em in South Pasadena wouldn’t deal with my publisher, so there’d be no signing.

I knew going in that the distributor gave little to no discount on my book, but a store could order directly from the publisher and, using my signing code, receive a forty-percent discount. I thought that was a good deal. Most of the major bookstore chains won’t take the time because their ordering is done from the main office and it creates too much extra paperwork.

So, okay, I had promises from Heidi at Mysteries to Die For, in Thousand Oaks; from Bobby at The Mystery Bookstore in Westwood; from Sandy at Flintridge Bookstore and Café (a store that had just opened); from Christine at Mystery and Imagination in Glendale; Lise from Dutton’s in Brentwood, and, finally from Kris at the Encino Barnes & Nobel.

As soon as I had the ARCs, they went off to the five stores. My first disappointment was when I talked to Christine in Glendale, she said the store was moving away from mysteries and featuring SiFi authors. Popular local mystery authors were an exception.

More bad news came via Internet news. Dutton’s, an old, well-established bookstore I often went to for signings, was closing. Loss of both signings was sad, but Dutton’s closing was heart-rending sadness, but the other four confirmed their commitments to my signings and the dates were set up for the second week of July ’08.

It was another high in my life as a writer and, I assure you, the feeling was worth all the blood I had spilled and money it had cost me.

Oh yeah, I had long ago gone through my publisher’s advance! But that’s a whole other blog!

Fast forward to the end of December ’07, and my daughter Chela’s New Year’s Eve wedding; I arrived in the NYC area a few days early and had my son-in-law Paul Carpino (my daughter Seanan’s husband) drive me around the NY/NJ area to visit all the chain stores at malls and stand alones.

Mostly they were Barnes & Noble and Border bookstores. I left off my press kit with each store’s event coordinator and that included an ARC. I called back in February ’08 and each store declined to do a signing, mostly because I wasn’t a local author. I had thought ‘Key West author signing’ would’ve brought people into the stores, since many of the guests to Key West come from that area. If I were a marketing expert maybe I’d have a regular income.

Friend and fellow writer Megan Abbott suggested I talk to Ian at The Mysterious Bookstore in Manhattan. I called and Ian was very polite and asked me to send an ARC. I did. The Mysterious Bookstore in Manhattan is the holy grail of bookstores. When I called back, Ian said he would order my book, but unless I was able to do a release party around the publication date he couldn’t doing a signing event, but I would be welcomed to sign stock. I jumped at the offer, because having my signed book in The Mysterious Bookstore was something I wouldn’t have even considered, if it hadn’t been for Megan’s email. (Photo: Sally, Dan & Me at The Mysrterious Bookstore).

My schedule and financial situation wouldn’t let me fly to NYC for a weekend at the end of March, but stock signing was more than I had figured on and I was happy.

Check back in a few days I will tell you about the book signings. There are photos on my website: www.michaelhaskins.net.

Posted by Michael Haskins at 10:31 AM 0 comments

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Hi, Michael. Your report reminds me of some of my own adventures in writing, pubishing, etc. Some ups, lots of downs, but the hope seems to remain. With the Internet, maybe now authors can sell books that they could not have sold because their publisher was small, did not have a sales force, or were not committed to spend the money necessary to promote and market all or any of their authors’ books. Maybe your book signings in California and at Mysterious in NY will launch Chasing the Wind. How large was the first run? Is your publisher computerized enough to be able to print to order, if it receives a rush of orders? I pissed off both of my mainstream publishers when I first started writing. I later wondered if it would have made any difference if I had kept my mouth shut. Sometimes I wonder if I will get another chance to test that “theory.” Sloan

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I bought CHASIN’ THE WIND at Key West Island Bookstore on Fleming Street, about six weeks ago, right after one of my local provacateurs told me about it. Michael Haskins apparently knows an underbelly side of Key West that I, perhaps fortunately, perhaps unfortunately, have been spared the acquaintance. But then, perhaps he has been spared the acquaintance of the underbelly side of Key West (and the Keys) that I have made the acquaintance. What can I say, everywere I go, shit happens. And that certainly can be said of this tale of dark intrigue that hatched up out of Michael. Now, it ain’t what you might think. You probably won’t be able to recognize many, or even any, of the characters. My only problem with the plot was the bad guys, not the bad American spy guys, who are straight from the crypt, but the bad Cuban revolutionary guys, just didn’t seem to have good walking around sense. But about all of that no more will I say, lest I spoil the plot.

Sloan Bashinsky

Hometown PAC’s question #1 to all sheriff candidates, followed by three candidates’ replies (the only candidate replies), followed by my own thoughts:
 
Is there a need to establish a Citizen’s Review Board to review public
complaints dealing with the Sheriff’s Department? Why or why not,
and please be specific in formulating your response.

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Bob Peryam Question #1 Response:
 
A CRB is usually created when there is a pervasive public perception
that a law enforcement agency is not properly handling complaints against
the agency. In such cases a CRB can be an important mechanism to reassure
the public that an agency is being held publicly accountable.
 
I believe the Sheriff’s Office has developed a reputation among most
citizens and the media as being extremely open and responsive regarding
complaints and concerns. Our internal investigations have consistently
been handled quickly and appropriately.

The Sheriff’s Office investigates all complaints, whether formal, informal
or anonymous allegations are made. Trained investigators do all
investigations fairly and equitably. They are done in a concise and timely
manner and then go through an intensive review process. Through our office
of public information, we post our annual summaries of complaints and
their resolutions on our website.

I believe the best way to prevent the need for a CRB is for an agency to
conduct timely, professional investigations of complaints and then make
sure the results are easily accessible to the public.

I am not against a citizen review board and the citizens could vote one in
if they felt the need, however, I do not think one is needed at this time.
What I will institute is a citizen advisory board to establish
partnerships in the community to identify issues and solve problems in a
positive constructive manner.
 
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Sandy Downs Question #1 Response:

YES!!!! Since Day #1 of my campaign, I have been calling for a C.R.B.

Citizens pay the salaries of MCSO and have the right to question conduct
of an officer that we have given authority, tasers and guns. These
complaints need outside oversight. The Citizen’s Review Board should be
empowered to investigate the Sheriff, and top staff as well.
 
Currently, Sheriff’s Office Internal Affairs handles all complaints, and
makes all final decisions. Internal Affairs IS the Court System of the
Sheriff’s Office and the Director of Internal Affairs is the “Chief
Judge.” When unfair decisions are made, citizens lose faith in justice
and deputies lose faith in superiors. We can’t afford those losses.
 
“Chief Judge”/Director of Internal Affairs for the past decade or more
is Cindy Peryam. Cindy Peryam is the wife of Captain Bob Peryam,
Sheriff candidate. Her conflict of interest is great, and undeniably
affects the outcomes of her investigations. Neither Cindy nor Bob
disclosed her position during his campaign.
 
Bob Peryam talks of his sparkling record. Cindy Peryam controls what
is in his record. Both have worked at MCSO over 25 years. Obviously
Cindy Peryam would be protective of her husband, those he oversees, and
their long established friends.
 
Of the 100s of citizen complaints I.A./Cindy Peryam receives per month,
approximately 20 are looked into, and the rest cast aside. I have been
inundated with citizens telling me they were treated like adversaries,
ignored, dismissed, told to go elsewhere, and never received any type of
written confirmation their complaint was looked into whatsoever.
This contradicts the very mission of Internal Affairs, is unethical and
unacceptable.
 
The citizens need proof that ALL complaints are legitimately researched,
appropriate action taken, and a record of such made available to the
public. Deputies need assurance that no prejudice is involved in decisions
that are made by Internal Affairs, because the decisions made by Cindy
Peryam effectively determine who is promoted and who is terminated.

She has controlled the ranking of 600 employees for the past 10 years, and
effectively created the entire hierarchy at MCSO, which is why I question
the validity of it. And she has controlled 60,000 citizens ability to be
heard.

We can’t afford for one person to have this kind of control over 600
employees and 60,000 citizens. With a stroke of her pen, she can
dismiss them or us.
 
Sheriff Roth’s decision to put an insider in control of Internal Affairs
damaged the credibility of the entire agency. Morale declined, prejudice
and unfairness followed, and many left the employ of MCSO.
 
If elected Sheriff I will look into those ignored complaints and also the
terminations scripted out of I.A. findings.
 
YES we need a Citizens’ Review Board right now! And we need a new
Internal Affairs Director who has no conflict of interest, who’s only
allegiance to the citizens and the law.
 
Both Peryam’s are eligible to retire, and I believe they should.
 
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Kenneth B. Davis Question #1 Response:

No. When considering a Citizen’s Review Board, a review of the current
structure should be conducted to determine if the following issues are being
addressed:
Are officers being held accountable for misconduct;

Are the records of complaints being kept and used as a vital sources of
information about a department;

Are they used to identify patterns and problem related to policies or
supervision rather than misconduct; and

Is the public’s trust being maintained by listening to all complainant
parties, and letting them know they have been heard?
 
It appears to me these issues are all currently addressed by the current
structure in place within the Sheriff’s Office. Another layer of
administration does not need to be added.
 
As Sheriff, I guarantee I will personally review all complaints and
investigations before they are closed. If any citizen feels the
investigation or results are inadequate, they are free to speak with me
personally.
 
I have made myself accessible to the public during my campaign and will
continue to do so as Sheriff. If, after meeting with me, a citizen still
feels the incident requires further review, the case will be referred to
the FDLE for consideration.

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How could Bob Peryam make his answer and not at least mention that his own wife is head of Internal Affairs? What does that ommission tell us about Bob Peryam and the need for a Citizen’s Review Board? Everything. How could Ken Davis not mention that Bob Peryam’s wife is head of Internal Affairs? What does that ommission tell us about Ken Davis and the need for a Citizen’s Review Board? Everything. If we already had a Citizen’s Review Board, we could have used it to investigate Cindy Peryam being head of Internal Affairs. Diana Kelly could have used a CRB to investigate Bob Peryam’s affair with her daughter. We could have used a CRB to look into the no-bid consulting contract Sheriff Major Mike Rice gave out to his father, David Rice. We could have used a CRB when five Keys teens were kidnapped by sheriff deputies without warrants and taken to and held incommunicado in the adult section of the jail, where no juveniles are suppposed to be held. We could use a CRB whenever we feel the Sheriff’s Office and Internal Affairs are not doing their job correctly. A CRB is made of private citizens, volunteers who have no connection with the law enforcement agency they oversee. A CRB has no power to enforce, but it does have the power to investigate and issue opinions, which function right now is left to private citizens like Sandy Downs. If there had been a CRB, Sandy could have gone there when the Sherrff’s Office launched its terror campaign against her family. If there had been a CRB , Sandy’s son, Preston, might still be alive and she might not even be running for sheriff now. Yeah, we need a CRB, and we definitely do not need in office a sheriff candidate who does not already see the crying need for a CRB that will look over the shoulder of the entire Sheriff Office, including the Sheriff her-himself. 

Sloan Bashinsky

Tom Tuell accused me of megalomania and being malevolent, after I challenged him about not seeming to have any remorse of conscience over a woman who died after being struck by his SUV on US 1 on Big Coppit Key in 2004; and after I said he clearly had no remorse over the bait-and-switch he pulled on Sandy Downs’ letter to the editor, to hurt her sheriff campaign while trying to help Bob Peryam get elected.

During Tom’s and my several day email dialogue, he repeatedly said Sandy is mentally ill, delusional and in need of psychiatric care. He laid the blame for it in the tragic death of her son. He also said Sandy is a conspiracy freak, out of touch with reality, and she had taken me down the rabbit hole with her. He was adamant that he had done nothing wrong over what he did to her letter to the editor, he owed her no public apology on the Citizen’s editorial page, and he seemed very angry that I had said he did owe her such an apology.

I then found myself wondering what had happened after that tragic night on US 1? Did Tom seek out the dead woman’s family? Did he try to get to know them? Did he apologize? Did he mourn the loss with them? Or did his insurance company step in and tell him to stay out of it, let the insurance company’s lawyers handle it? Did the insurance company’s lawyers make it out to be all the bicyclist’s fault? Did her family receive anything at all for her death? Did Tom ever get to tell them he was sorry?

I drove up to the accident scene yesterday. The woman was struck as she left the Circle K property to cross US 1. The intersection is well-lighted. Visibility is good. She would have been plainly visible on or leaving the Circle K property. If it had been me in my SUV that horrible night, I would not have been able to convince myself that I did not contribute to the accident. I would have known that but for me it would not have happened. And it would have torn me to shreds.

Even if she had crossed in front of me without looking both ways, even if she had been drunk, my soul would have been shredded. I would have done everything I could to meet with her family and tell them how sorry I was. I would have leaned on my insurance company to take care of her funeral and pay her family for their loss. If my insurance company had balked, I would have threatened to become the dead woman’s best witness at the trial.

If the case had gone to trial, I would have told the jury that I was responsible, what my insurance company was up to, and what the policy limits were. I would have told them to come back with a damage award they felt was right, even if it exceeded the policy limits. All of which my insurance company would have had to pay, if it had refused to settle for the policy limits and the verdict came back for more.

No way would I be able to live with myself for doing any less. No way. And even then, I would have had a great hole ripped in my soul.

That was a hypothetical. Sandy Downs told me that she actually did this, after she bumped a fellow off his motorcycle at a blind intersection in the Lower Keys. He was stopped. She was trying to stop, going maybe ten miles per hour. He fell over under the motorcycle, but got out from under it and did not seem hurt. He did not have a helmet and was drunk. But he was stopped. It was her fault.When he got a lawyer and started hollering about permanent neck injury, Sandy forced her insurance company to pay the $100,000 policy limit. Then she started hounding the Department of Transportation to do something about that intersection, where, she had learned, quite a few serious injuries had occurred. It scared her to death, thinking that she could have seriously injured or killed that man.

Now back to Sandy’s son, Preston, who was electrocuted in 2004, while being babysat by his stepfather, Nick, who is Tarzan of Tarzan’s Tree Care. It happened after Nick left Preston with his older brother at a jobsite, to go to a store to get some sodas. Preston, who was not working, climbed up a metal ladder, which apparently was set on top of a faulty underground wire, and he was electrocuted. Nick came back to that with the sodas. He probably still feels responsible for Preston’s death, even though he had nothing to do with it.

Now try to imagine what it is like for Tom Tuell every time he has to deal with Sandy, who, hard as it may be to believe, has been accused on the Internet by Bob Peryam supporters and others of being responsible for Preston’s death. Every time Tom sees Sandy, he sees himself and the woman bicyclist. He sees that but for him, she might still be alive. And every time Sandy sees Tom, she thinks of that woman bicyclist, and she wonders if Preston would still be alive if she had not sent him off to be with Nick that day. And there is something else Sandy wonders.

She was terrified for Preston’s safety. She feared sheriff deputies were out to get him. She feared they were going to kill him. She had good reason to fear, because sheriff deputies had arrested 15-year-old Preston without a warrant and hauled him out of his home and taken him to jail and held him incommunicado in the adult section. Later, the State Attorney unsuccessfully tried to make several cases against Preston. Threats were made, even as Sandy fought it tooth and nail and made a lot of people uncomfortable.

The terror campaign began after Sandy reported the prominent Goodman family to the Department of Environmental Protection, for cutting down mangroves on a state-owned island near their and Sandy’s homes on Cudjoe Key. After Mr. Goodman found out that Sandy had filed the complaint, he threatened her. Shortly after that, the terror campaign began. All of this Tom Tuell was told by Sandy, and he did not believe her. He thought she was crazy. Before Preston died.

Imagine how Sandy must wonder if Preston might still be alive, if Tom had believed what she told him about the Goodmans and the terror campaign, and he had written about it. Imagine maybe Tom is wondering that if he had believed Sandy and written about it, maybe Preston would still be alive. Imagine that every time Tom has dealings with Sandy, he is dragged back into all of that. Imagine maybe Tom needs for Sandy to be crazy, because the alternative is unthinkable.

The Citizen’s Board meets today and tomorrow, to interview candidates who are running in primary. Sandy will not be there, because she is non-affiliated and is running in the general election. Three members of the Board are on my email list, have been for quite a while. I hope they and the Board will speak with Tom about what I have written today.

Sloan Bashinsky

Today’s post is about the “editing job” Tom Tuell did on a letter to the editor submitted by Sandy Downs to Key West Citizen about stuff she had experienced with our Supervisor of Elections, Harry Sawyer, and his office. Tom is Editor of the Citizen. What he did with Sandy’s letter caused me to write the Citizen.Sawyer post of a few days ago. Tom replied in an email to me, which initiated a chain of emails between us. In his last email, he wrote that I suffer from megalomania and am malevolent, and I am never to contact him in any way ever again.I collected everything I had in writing about this megalomania and malevolence, and all that led up to it, and put it into a Tom Tuell page at goodmorningkeywest.com and goodmorningfloridakeys.com. I found it ironic that even as Tom sent me his goodbye email, the Citizen featured me in its editorial cartoon as Sloan Quixote, resting on my dragon steed from jousting with the Gang of Three windmill, even as two other windmills loom behind that one. I was told that Tom Tuell has nothing to do with the Citizen’s editorial cartoons, and I’m wondering if the artist who did that one of me, which really made me laugh, will do one about Tom? And one about Harry Sawyer? Sandy’s campaign slogan is “We’ll all play by the same rules.” We really should, don’t you think? Sloan Bashinsky

This morning’s Key West Citizen editorial cartoon contains an interesting likeness of yours truly on his trusty steed, which caused me to laugh. Perhaps I should share what I imagine lies behind it.

At the Key West Chamber of Commerce county commission candidates forum this past week, we were asked different randomly selected questions that we had up to two minutes to answer. The first question asked of me was what did I think were the three greatest dangers facing the Keys?

“The Gang of Three,” I said into the microphone from where I sat at a table beside several other candidates. When Ed Scales, the moderator, asked what I had said?, I made my way to the podium where he was, took his mike and said louder, “The Gang of Three!” Then I went back to my seat and sat down.

Sloan

Here are the questions county commission candidates will have to answer at this Tuesday’s Key Largo Chamber of Commerce candidates forum, Elks Lodge, MM 92 bayside, starting at 6:30 p.m. 

1) What are your thoughts on current and future spending?

We are spending too much, and we need to focus on that right now.

2) What is your view on CommuniKeys?

I just read the CommuniKeys Mission Statement off the Monroe County Website. The intent is good but it looks like fertile ground for a lot of disagreement between individual fiefdoms. And it doesnt’ look to me that it gives protection of the fragile Keys enough priority.

a. How should it be implemented?

I’m not sure it should be implemented. I need to talk to a few people, like our county commissioners, other people I know, to give a more precise answer.

3) Do you think county tax dollars should be allocated in proportion to taxes received by area?

No

a. Why or why not?

As the CommuniKeys Mission Statement says, we are a chain of interconnected islands and communities, and what happens in one link in the chain affects the other links. It looks to me like this is moving in the direction of serious micromanagement at a time when we are struggling just barely to stay afloat. I believe a blunter approach is needed at this time.

4) Other than staff, how would you cut the county’s budget?

There is fat in the sheriff’s budget, excluding Trauma Star, which I discuss in the Trauma Star question below. Too many “assistant” and “administrative” and “executive” positions relative to deputies on the road. Ocean Reef Club substation unnecessary. Only road deputies need take-home cars. All effort should be made to require deputies to live in the Keys, where they work. I think over one-half of our road deputies live on the mainalnd, drive back and forth to work.

For now, I would issue stop-work orders for Key West airport and Nelson Government Center on Key Largo. We need the money for more critical concerns.

I have some thoughts about TDC funds, in the TDC question below.

5) Regarding employee benefits package: What would you change?

I would try not to cut any benefits. I would not add any benefits, because we don’t have the funds.

6) What is your position on TDC taxes for non-tourist related expenditures?

From what I hear, TDC is not getting sufficient grant requests to use funds it has available. From what I hear, TDC gives grants to art projects. I suppose this somehow is related to tourism, in that it makes the Keys more attractive to visitors to have art attractions. However, let me speak to something in particular, which might represent a larger picture.

Currently Tropic Cinema in Key West is receiving a matching grant from TDC, which will allow Tropic to acquire the adjacent space now occupied by Lighthouse Project, a street outreach program to street and runaway children. Lighthouse will have to relocate. Lighthouse has a significant art-based part of its curriculum. Lighthouse is not receiving a TDC art grant. Tropic will use the Lighthouse space to install a new theatre auditorium, which will give it four auditoriums. Tropic is not filling the three auditoriums it now has. Often they are not even ten percent full when a film is showing. Seldom over one-half full. I know this, because I go there often. Additionally, Tropic initially was committed to presenting art films, that is, films that did not make it to mainstream theatres. Recently, it has started bringing in mainstream films that have already run at Regal Cinema in Key West. When I asked about this, I was told they could not operate with only five people in one of their auditoriums watching a film.

I was, frankly, appalled. Appalled that Tropic seemed to be deviating from its mission statement. Appalled that TDC was giving Tropic money, to assist the deviation. Appalled that the TDC money will go to acquire space for and build an auditorium Tropic does not need, based on what I know. Space currently being used by an established outreach program.

I can only wonder if TDC is making similar grants to other situations? I think TDC should remit its excess funds to the county.

7) What is your position on easing the tax burden of business owners and homeowners?

I would not lower taxes in a down economy. Most likely, taxes need to be raised.

Why should we vote for you?

I’m telling everyone to vote for my Democrat opponent, Heather Carruthers. Ours is the District 3 race. The incumbent is Sonny McCoy.

I am urging Key West City to adopt Havana as a sister city, and appoint Sonny as Key West’s ambassador to Havana. We need to open a dialogue with Raul, and get a jump on reestablishing the ties and trade and travel between the two cities. It could make Key West, with its working waterfronts and international airport, and Stock Island, a prime tourist jumping off place to Cuba. Trade with Cuba could solve Key West’s, Stock Island’s and other Keys areas’ working waterfront difficulties. Sonny is known and liked in Havana. He is one-half Cuban. He could help Key West and Stock Island rejuvenate, in the way he once helped Key West rejuvenate Duval Street. Whether anyone in the Keys likes it or not, as Key West goes, so pretty much go the Keys.

9) What do you think your biggest challenge will be?

Getting up each morning.

10) What is your position on TraumaStar?

We need to find a private provider ASAP.

It has been in my thoughts for some months now that Key West’s future lies in looking toward reestablishing ties with Cuba. Before the rift between Cuba and America, Key West and Havana were sister cities. There was a lot of back and forth between them. County Commissioner Sonny McCoy once slalomed non-stop to Havana behind a speed boat. He is still known and liked there. I was told recently that Sonny is one-half Cuban. I have felt for quite a while that he is a hidden treasure in Key West. That he should be Key West’s ambassador to Havana. That as he once was used by Key West to restore and rejuvenate a dead Duval Street, he could restore Key West itself by reconnecting it to Havana and Cuba. Now that Raul Castro has taken over, now that it appears a new and hopefully saner administration will take over the White House, it is time for Cuba and America to bury the hatchet and return to civility and trade. And the best place to launch that dente is from Key West, which historically is Havana’s sister city in America. We have an international airport and the working waterfronts to do it. We are the closest American city to Cuba. It makes sense. It’s doable. And it’s time. And Sonny McCoy is the perfect person to bring it off. Five times mayor of Key West, then Key West’s county commissioner and our county mayor, it’s a no-brainer to make Sonny the Conch Republic’s official ambassador to Havana. Do it now, so a dialogue can begin right away with Havana. In this age, the World Wide Web opens doors, allows unrestricted travel online. Let Key West City set up an official public Cayo Hueso – Cuba website. Create blogs for individual dialogue, galleries for swapping photos. Create a direct link between Key West City and Havana officials, and put Sonny in charge of Key West’s side of it. Both cities need the old ties between them reconnected. It will be a breath of new life for them both.

Sloan Bashinsky

P.S. Here’s a prominent Key West businessman’s reply to a draft of the above:

“I like it Sloan. Makes you wonder, the Government might be able to come hard on individuals who trade with Cuba but what would they do if a whole City defied the prohibition?

“Would certainly bring us national attention and could boost tourism in a time when it certainly needs a boost. Hmmmm..…”

And, it just might solve Key West’s, Stock Island’s and other areas of the Keys’ working waterfront troubles . . .

This morning’s (24 July) Key West Citizen contains part of a letter to the editor about Supervisor of Elections Harry Sawyer, submitted by sheriff candidate Sandra Downs, followed by this: Editorial Note: Substantial portions of Ms. Down’s letter are omitted because they contain potentially libelous and unverifiable claims about Mr. Sawyer.”

The “potentially libelous and unverifiable claims” were along these lines . . .

1) Harry invoked an unpublished regulation, a regulation no candidate knew about, to void about 70 of Sandy’s petitions just before the final qualifying date. Harry also invoked the rule to void a few of Carlos Rojos county commission petitions. The rule invalidated their petitions because they had filled in the date on the petitions, instead of the petition signers filling in the date. This rule is not in any materials Harry gave to candidates when they first announced their candidacy. I told Harry’s staff face-to-face that it was out of line to invoke this rule when no candidate knew about it. I asked to see the other candidates’ petitions, to see if they had violated the rule. I was told I could not see their petitions. Sandy told me that she was told the same thing by Harry and his staff, and that when she called the Florida Elections Commission about it, she was told that it was illegal for Harry not to let her see the other candidates’ petitions, and she was invited to file a complaint against Harry, which she decided not to do. All of this was verifiable by talking with Sandy, me, Harry Sawyer, his staff, and the Florida Elections Commission.

2) Sandy told me several times that some time before Harry Sawyer invoked this unknown rule, she asked Harry about his time as a deputy and detective with the Monroe County Sheriff Office. She said Harry became visibly nervous, said he didn’t remember anything about his time at the Sheriff’s Office. Sandy told me that back then, Harry ran with Rick Roth and Bob Peryam. And that one of Harry’s cases, as a detective, was the Diana Harris case. Diana mysteriously disappeared and there has been no word from her since. All of this was verifiable by speaking with Sandy, Harry and the Monroe County Sheriff Office.

It is just my opinion, but what the Citizen did with Sandy’s letter is the worst sort of journalism. It smacks of cronyism. It is no secret that Tom Tuell, Editor of the Citizen, is close friends with Sheriff Roth, his official spokesperson Becky Herrin, who used to work under Tom at the Citizen, and sheriff candidate Bob Peryam. In my opinion, the Citizen has basically called Sandy a liar in public, and did so intentionally, which itself is libelous. Not that I feel Sandy should file suit over it — I would be very upset with her if she did. Just as I am very upset with Key West Citizen for doing what it did, after recently putting out a front page piece supporting and quoting Harry Sawyer’s sentiments that we should all play nice during this election season, and not go after candidates’ personal character if we cannot prove what we are saying. I cannot help but wonder if Harry and the Citizen are trying to protect Harry and other candidates dear to Harry’s, Tom Tuell’s and the Citizen’s hearts.

I again ask Harry Sawyer, who receives email copies of my posts, to let Sandy and me see all of the other candidates’ petitions, so we can determine if they complied with the rule he invoked against her and Carlow Rojos. And I ask the Citizen to publish this letter in full, as a rebuttal to its Editorial Note to Sandy’s letter. Let Harry sue me, if he wishes. The Citizen is not libel for what I say.

Sloan Bashinsky
626 Josephine Parker Street #102
Key West 33040
(305) 407-4285

Driving in down US 1 toward Key West in a dream earlier this morning, I was directed by my woman passenger to turn right into Key Haven. Simply telling me, “Write about the Navy’s Super Hornet,” might have caused my psyche a little less wear and tear, but that’s not how the angels usually direct me. They like to use puzzles, make me cross. I never did like crossword puzzles, and maybe they are trying to get me over that.

If I’d really been on top of my game yesterday, I might have sensed that I would write about the Super Hornet today. For shortly after meeting Todd German for lunch at Dennis Island Café on Petronia Street in Bahama Village, where we usually break bread, City Manager Jim Scholl and another fellow came in. Jim asked what I was up to, and I laughed, said, “Assassination.” Jim said he hoped he wasn’t going to be assassinated. I laughed, said it was about killing county commissioners and me needing a Kevlar jacket.

I confess, though, that almost every time I see Jim, I remember a county commission meeting early this year, where the Navy put on a dog-and-pony show about the computer-simulated noise studies it had done for the Super Hornet, which was (and still is) driving a lot of Stock Island people on the south side of US 1 nuts. I sensed throughout the meeting that the Navy was lying, and it bothered me that Jim Scholl, who once was the base commander, spoke in the Navy’s favor. The change of the Super Hornet’s approach to the Boca Chica airfield, away from Key Haven to the south side of Stock Island, had occurred around the time Jim was negotiating with the Key West City to be its City Manager. People who have a great deal of influence in Key West live at Key Haven. People like tycoon/developer Ed Swift and developer-attorney David Paul Horan.

Maybe two weeks ago, driving down US 1 toward Key West, I was moved to drive into Key Haven because I had never been in there. I wanted to see what it looked and felt like. It didn’t look or feel like any other part of Stock Island. It didn’t look and feel like a place where someone like County Commissioner Dixie Spehar could afford to live. Nor, perhaps, could anyone else who lives on the south of US 1 side of Stock Island. I remembered when I would see Super Hornets approaching the Navy’s Boca Chica airfield from over Key Haven. I remembered the county commission meeting when the Navy was not exactly on the up and up with the Monroe County Commission.

I remember Commissioner Murhpy saying at that meeting that she had driven to Stock Island and spent a couple of hours under the flight path, and no way could she live with that noise! I remember Commissioner Dixie Spehar saying at that meeting that she had only recently become aware of the noise problem caused by the Super Hornets. I remember having a hard time believing that, because Dixie lived in a houseboat on the south side of Stock Island. To her credit, though, she took the bit and repeatedly asked the base commander to do real-sound studies in the Super Hornet flight path.

To his discredit, the base commander kept offering to do more computer-simulated noise studies. I wanted to walk up to the son of a bitch and punch his lights out. But all I did at that meeting, when my time to speak came, was say the Constitution was involved, equal protection under the law, and Key Haven should not get better treatment than the other side of Stock Island. I remember Diane Burledsen telling the County Commission that the flight path change to the south side of Stock Island was Ed Swift’s doing. I remember former Navy carrier pilot John Hammerstrom beseeching both the Navy and the County Commission to get this mess straightened out, starting with doing a real, instead of a computerized, Super Hornet impact study for Stock Island.

I remember our U.S. Senator Bill Nelson’s later town hall meeting at Old City Hall in Key West. I remember John Hammerstrom and another former Navy carrier pilot, who said he was flying on John McCain’s wing when he was shot down over Vietnam, urging Senator Nelson to do something about the Super Hornet on the south side of Stock Island. I remember Sandy Downs telling Senator Nelson that Ed Swift was behind the approach zone being moved away from Key Haven. I remember feeling that Bill Nelson wasn’t going to do a darn thing about it. I remember wanting to punch his lights out.

We have two Republicans running for the District 1 seat on the County Commission: incumbent Dixie Spehar and Kim Wigington. We also have a Democrat candidate: Bill Estes. All three live on the south side of Stock Island. All three know the havoc the Super Hornet is wreaking on their po’ folks constituency. All three know something fishy happened, which caused the Navy to route the Super Hornets away from Key Haven. So why are they not raising bloody hell about this in their campaigns?

Let me take a guess. Nobody wants to criticize the Navy. It isn’t patriotic. It might cost votes. Well, it won’t cost votes if all three of these county commission candidates come out in one common voice raising bloody hell about the favoritism the Navy is showing to Key Haven. Even if all three don’t do that, at least one of them should. The po’ folks of Stock Island need to feel that a least one of their county commission candidates is going to fight tooth and nail to move the Super Hornet back to where it was originally decided by the Navy was the best approach to the Boca Chica airfield. Best for the Super Hornets, best for the pilots flying them, and best for the Navy.

What could be more unpatriotic than what Ed Swift, David Paul Horan and their ilk did to get the Super Hornet approach shifted away from their homes to the homes of less privileged people? What could be less patriotic than Jim Scholl being involved in that while he was negotiating to be the City Manager of Key West City, which is viewed by many as Ed Swift’s own personal tiny kingdom? What could be less patriotic than county commission candidates, and the County Commission itself, not raising bloody hell about what they know without any doubt was done to the many by the few. I don’t see anything patriotic about it. What I see is treason, basically.

Meanwhile, you might wish to click on the left and center snapshots of local political stalwarts above, to get a clearer picture. Credit photos to a former Key West provocateur now languishing in a beautiful Mexico Pacific coast community.

Sloan Bashinsky

Today is the morning after. The morning after the Big Pine Key candidates forum. A packed house. A real sho’ nuff town hall affair. Moderated by US 1 Radio News Director Bill Becker and Big Pine News/News-Barometer Publisher and Editor Steve Estes.

The District 1 county commission candidates went first. That showed me what chair to take when the District 3 candidates’ time came, so I could speak first. Although I had lost plenty of marbles, I had enough left to understand the element of surprise. The very first thing out of my mouth was I was the wing-nut candidate. The next thing out was two days ago I gave Heather Carruthers my unqualified endorsement. Then I said why. I minced no words. I was not nice. In fact, I was not nice the entire evening. It was the first time I ever really had fun in politics. Sorry you weren’t there.

Afterward, an attractive young woman, young compared to me, came over and told me that it was a really nice thing I did, endorsing Heather. I screwed up and thanked her. There was nothing nice about it. It was necessary. Cold-blooded. I was the hit man, and I executed the two Republican candidates in plain view of maybe 150 witnesses. No way, I told them, could I follow in Ralph Nader’s shoes and put the worst president in American history in office. A president with no Iraq exit strategy, because he never intended to leave Iraq. He intended to stay there and get all of its oil. Yep, I used that analogy to explain why I did not want to split the vote. And then Sonny McCoy came in right behind me and started talking about all the trees he once had planted on Duval Street, and other things that had very little to do with being a county commissioner. It was pitiful. I felt sorry for him. But not sorry enough to be nice.

Somewhere in the answers to the three questions each of us was given, I talked about what it takes to be a county commissioner. I said passing the decision for the Trauma Star to the electorate was a copout. We elect county commissioners to make tough decisions, to be unpopular, even if it gets them voted out of office. I said if you are not willing to be assassinated, you are not tough enough to be a county commissioner. I meant it. I said it was a hell job. I meant it. I said people who actually want to be county commissioners are crazy. I meant it. I was not nice, and it was the first time I ever had fun in politics. And I received a lot of applause. I heard a lot of laughter. Maybe nervous laughter, in some cases. Sometimes people can’t tell for sure if I’m serious or joking. What can I say? As I told them to begin with, I am the wing-nut candidate. Again, sorry you weren’t there. It was a lot of fun.

The funniest part came during the sheriff candidate’s part of the forum. Just after Sandy Downs explained the Asset Recovery Fund for us — cash, cars, boats, houses, etc. seized in drug busts — she said the fund is larger than the sheriff says it is. She said it is doled out by Asset Fund Directors to their pet causes. That wasn’t the funny part. The funny part came when sheriff candidate Bob Peryam followed right behind Sandy, and started out thanking God for the Asset Recovery Fund — but for it his baseball league on Big Pine Key would not exist! There you go, Bob, right out of your own stupid mouth, you proved just what Sandy had said was going on, even as I wondered how many people in the room got it? Even as I wondered how many people in the room were blinded by your clever attempt to cover up your gaffe, by saying some other things the Asset Recovery Fund is used for. All of which sounded nice, but it didn’t erase from my mind that at the very top of your thank-God list, Bob, the Asset Recovery fund is used to fund your baseball league on Big Pine Key.

After the sheriff candidates had finished, Sandy told me that a fellow came over and shook her hand, and said he had refused to sign her petition when she was gathering petitions to get on the ballot, but he would sign it now. He had heard her. He had listened. Sandy is not a bearer of glad tidings. She is not nice. She is a stone killer. She is — sorry Bob, but you brought God into this — a God-trained assassin. She tells the electorate what is really going on in the sheriff’s office. She says what the other sheriff candidates, including Phil Mandina, easily the most qualified sheriff candidate, which Sandy made perfectly clear last night, will not say. Pay very close attention to what Sandy has to say in the coming days. She is the only sheriff candidate who will tell you what you don’t really want to know about the sheriff’s office.

Sandy told us last night that County Commissioner Sylvia Murphy had told her that the Trauma Star needed to be gotten rid of. (Sandy told me afterward that Sylvia said this before the Trauma Star became a hot issue.) Although there was plenty of discussion about the Trauma Star last night, Sylvia did not say how she really felt about it. So Sandy, who never forgets anything, dragged it into the light of day, to help Sylvia live up to her campaign pledge: transparency and truth in office.

Like I said, being a county commissioner is not about winning a popularity contest, it is not about being nice. It is about being one really tough son of a bitch. It is about being willing to be assassinated, at the polls. And in the other way, too.

Sloan Bashinsky