Letters

Editor's Note: Read all about us; we’re writing all about you

Related: The Coastal Star captures top honors nine times in annual competition

Here at The Coastal Star, we think a byline says a lot.

If you’re not familiar with newspaper lingo, a byline is the name at the top of a story telling you who wrote it.

Publisher’s Note: New shareholder comes on board as The Coastal Star looks to its future

We are delighted to share some good news about the future of The Coastal Star.

We’re welcoming Harvey Oyer III as a shareholder in the ownership of our publishing company. Our newspaper has been locally owned and operated since we published our firs

Letter to the Editor: Milani Park makes sense for beach access for all county residents

The Coastal Star recently covered the planned Milani oceanfront park in Highland Beach. I write to emphasize the important right of public access to the shoreline. 

Recent Florida beach events spotlight the issue. 

First, the Florida governor resci

Editor's Note: Soak up the off-season’s best — and by that we don’t mean sweat

This time of year, when I set foot in my backyard, I’m greeted with the most beautiful floral bouquet — a large and magnificent frangipani tree. Fragrant five-petal white flowers adorn the tree. Some fall gracefully to blanket

Editor's Note: Be careful in paradise and you’ll be all right

Riptides at the beach. Strong currents in the inlet. Distractions on State Road A1A.

And, oh yeah, hurricane season has arrived. Can’t you feel them circling, honey?

Be careful out there.

Since A1A is now officially the Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highwa

Letter to the Editor: Many Canadians don’t hate our government — and are happy to visit here

I have been a resident of the Seagate neighborhood for 26 years. My wife, Linda, and I are avid readers of The Coastal Star, which we think does an excellent job of informing us about what is going on in our beautiful coastal communities. It has alw

Editor's Note: How Intracoastal neighbors smoothed troubled waters

With the completion of the Bonefish Cove Restoration project only months away, we look forward to visiting the mangrove islands and oyster reefs in the central Lake Worth Lagoon north of Hypoluxo Island. American avocets, black skimmers and royal te

Letter to the Editor: An out-of-town critique of tunneling in Manalapan

In what logical way does it make any sense to allow one person to inconvenience thousands?

Why would a [Manalapan] homeowner be allowed to tunnel under a public road [State Road A1A] for personal use? Why should thousands of people be inconvenienc

Letter to the Editor: Keep educating residents about the environment

I really enjoyed reading John Pacenti’s article “Reef Madness: City diving deep to restore struggling coral” [April 2025 edition]. I am heartened by the fantastic work of the scientists at the Reef Institute and all the volunteers and supporters in

Publisher's Request: Let us know about mail delivery

Beginning with its May 2025 edition, The Coastal Star is converting all of its delivery to single-family homes, from newspapers in plastic bags thrown in driveways to U.S. Postal Service delivery to mailboxes.

If you live in one of these homes, pleas

Editor's Note: As snowbirds depart, turtles take their place on the beach

Publisher's Note: Same great newspaper, different delivery

The Coastal Star is converting all of its delivery to single-family homes, going from newspapers in plastic bags thrown in driveways to having U.S. Postal Service delivery in mailboxes.

We are doing this to improve service to our readers and adverti

Letter to the Editor: Ticket drivers who don’t stop for pedestrians trying to cross A1A

I’ve lived in Highland Beach for 26 years. In spite of all the new and improved infrastructure put in place to deter it — the latest of which is pedestrian-activated warning lights installed at no small expense — vehicles continue to fly through cro

Letter to the Editor: Crosswalks don’t need sidewalks on both sides of road

I am writing to address a common misconception that has repeatedly stalled progress on much-needed pedestrian safety measures in our community: the notion that crosswalks require sidewalks on both sides of the road. This claim is not only incorrect

Publisher's Note: Brush up on lifesaving skills

Did you ever think you really knew something, something vitally important? Only to find out the things you thought you knew were not only out of date, but also bordered on dead wrong?

I took a basic lifesaving class when I was in college and thought

Editor's Note: Railroad crossing gates: Let’s cover all the lanes

Totally unnecessary, that is, if only you could trust people to use common sense.

But then a fire truck being driven

Letter to the Editor: A reader’s sonnet tribute to the paper and its retired editor

Editor’s note: No one can say our readers aren’t creative, as can be seen in this double tribute to The Coastal Star and retired Editor Mary Kate Leming. It’s to be read all the way across, top to bottom.

— Bob Schwartz
Delray Beach

Letter to the Editor: Ocean Ridge’s A1A crosswalks need blinking lights for pedestrian safety

I am writing to emphasize the urgent need for blinking lights at pedestrian crossings along A1A in Ocean Ridge. This busy stretch of road, with its limited visibility, presents a significant danger to pedestrians.

Whether residents are out walking t

Letter to the Editor: Careless polluters mess up our beautiful beaches

While I can appreciate the artistic and educational value in the recycling of the bottle caps picked up along the beach (Coastal Star, January 2025: Beach walker turns bottle caps into art), it should not escape acknowledgment that these are the res

Editor's Note: So long, farewell, adieu (but not goodbye)

I’m retired. Yep. There I said it.

As of Jan. 1, I turned the editorial reins of this newspaper over to the talented and competent people my husband and I have