A diver checks out the 510-foot 'Spiegel Grove' a few days after it was scuttled in 2002. It sits in around 100 feet of water.

Several thousand certified divers visit the Florida Keys annually to dive a string of sunken vessels and artificial reefs between Key Largo and Key West, prompting the extension through Jan. 1, 2014, of what's called the Wreck Trek Passport Program that rewards divers for logging a series of wreck dives.

As in the inaugural program that debuted in 2010, divers are to receive an official Florida Keys Wreck Trek logbook upon reserving a dive trip with one of more than 30 participating dive shops. They can use the logbook to track their dives and retain it as a memento.

Posted - Wednesday, June 19, 2013 11:00 AM EDT

The Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade/Monroe now allows parents to register their children in the state's voluntary prekindergarten program online. Just go to www.elcmdm.org.

Posted - Monday, June 17, 2013 11:00 AM EDT

Only in the Keys by Jana Vandelaar

You’ve all heard the old saying, “When it rains, it pours.”

Posted - Friday, June 14, 2013 12:57 PM EDT

Ric and Cindy McCausland ishow off their costumes for Midsummer's Night Dream, June 22 at the Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden.

KEY WEST

Key West artists, actors, spiritualists and others will celebrate the 7th Annual Midsummer's Night Dream & Spectacle Saturday, June 22.

The setting for this event is the Key West Tropical Forest and Botanical Garden, which benefits from some of the proceeds.

Posted - Saturday, June 15, 2013 11:01 AM EDT

Fort Jefferson, built between 1845 and 1866, was controlled by union forces during the Civil War.

HISTORY

Military history surrounds Key West in the form of four classic red-brick forts. Nearly 150 years ago they loomed above the horizon to protect the United States' strategic southernmost shore.

Today, open as historic sites, gardens or museums, they offer visitors a fascinating glimpse of the island's past.

Posted - Friday, June 14, 2013 11:01 AM EDT

The Studios' mango fashionista Lucy Barker.

KEY WEST

Ever had the hankering to wear dusky rose and pretend you're a mango?

Well, you'll get your chance at the first-ever Mango Madness event hosted by The Studios of Key West June 20.

From 6-9 p.m., the celebration of all things mango - including the giant mango tree in the Studios' backyard - takes place with a culinary contest, a mango fashion stroll and more.

Posted - Friday, June 14, 2013 11:01 AM EDT

Capt. Jon Reynolds of the Drop Back out of the Post Card in at Holiday Isle Marina has been putting plenty of color in his charter clients’ coolers lately. (Contributed photo)

Fathers day weekend is upon us, and I hope every dad has a chance to get out on the water with his family this week to enjoy some great weather and even better fishing.

Posted - Friday, June 14, 2013 01:41 PM EDT

A divers places an image below the area he will clean before attaching the artwork to the wreck. Magnets are used to attach the photographs. (Photo by Tim Grollimund)

Dive Time with Tim Grollimund

One of the great intangible benefits of getting involved in community work is the contacts you make. I have met some very interesting folks so far.

The members of our working group are all accomplished professionals in their respective fields. While we may differ in opinion at times, I believe we all have the same goal of providing valuable recommendations for the sustainable future of the marine sanctuary.

Posted - Thursday, June 06, 2013 06:08 PM EDT

Capt. Bill Hardy helps Islamorada Village Councilman Ted Blackburn hold up his first white marlin caught aboard the Gooseit out of Lower Matecumbe Key. The fish was quickly released unharmed. (Contributed photo)

Fish Tales with Capt. Mike Makowski

Just when you start getting use to light winds and clear days Mother Nature reminds us all that she is always in control. Strong winds and heavy rains were the norm this past week, putting a damper on fishing conditions for some, while others braved the elements finding a mixed bag of action.

Posted - Friday, May 31, 2013 05:08 PM EDT

Caribbean grilled shrimp salad is a great summer refresher.

Caribbean flavors jazz can up a simple supper salad.

Posted - Wednesday, June 05, 2013 12:45 PM EDT

Pulled-pork (left) and lentil tacos are served up with condiments.

When salsa overtook ketchup as America's favorite condiment in the 1990s you had to know that taco night wasn't far behind. Simple, satisfying and inexpensive, hard or soft tacos filled with meat, cheese and a what-have-you of veggies have become a staple for busy families.

Posted - Friday, May 24, 2013 11:00 AM EDT

Summer cocktails (clockwise from top) are trashy red wine sangria, vodka watermelon slushie, pisco sour, and gin and bitter lemon.

The art of the summer cocktail is something I take most seriously because several years ago I realized what surely is obvious to most people. But I can be a bit slow.

Posted - Wednesday, May 22, 2013 10:38 AM EDT

Senior forester Mark Torok (right) of the Florida Forest Service and Joy Klein with the Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources Division measures trees in South Florida for national and state records, including this wild tamarind tree in Homestead. It's the largest of its kind in the country.

If someone told you that Florida has more official big trees than any other U.S. state, you might be dubious. Does Florida have any trees that could compare to the biggest big tree of them all, the General Sherman sequoia in California, which stands 275 feet tall with a girth of 998 inches?

In fact, Florida does have some of the tallest, fattest and broadest trees -- of their species -- in the nation, and many of them are in South Florida.

Posted - Tuesday, April 30, 2013 01:49 PM EDT

It may surprise you to know that your yard is the first line of defense for the Florida’s Keys’ fragile environment.

Posted - Monday, October 13, 2008 11:28 AM EDT

The word “Xeriscape” is derived from a Greek phrase meaning “dry scene.” But Florida Keys gardeners have found that Xeriscaping – particularly the use of plants native to this area – doesn’t mean you have to settle for a stark, desert-like landscape.

Posted - Monday, October 13, 2008 11:31 AM EDT