KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) — All drivers entering Key West are again being greeted by a large painted sign welcoming them to “Paradise USA.”
Unveiled Tuesday, the sign was stolen last fall after Hurricane Irma hit the Florida Keys.
A Key West Police Department investigation led to the placard being recovered in Fort Myers Beach. No charges were pressed.
Key West’s three Rotary clubs helped underwrite its restoration by a local sign company.
Featuring the image of a Key West sunset over water, the sign also bears a fluted pink-lined conch shell, a symbol of the Florida Keys, and the message, “Welcome to Key West, Paradise USA.”
The original sign, valued at $8,000, was a gift to the city more than a decade ago from the Rotary Club of Key West.
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.