Steven V. Maklansky is the new director of the Boca Raton Museum of Art.

Steven V. Maklansky began his new post as director of the Boca Raton Museum of Art in July. 

Previously, Maklansky was the executive director at the Brevard Art Museum in Melbourne.

Before coming to Florida, he was director of curatorial services for the Louisiana State Museum. He was also assistant director of art and curator of photographs at New Orleans Museum of Art. The New Orleans Times Picayune named his exhibition “Katrina Exposed,” featuring more than 700 photographs of the storm’s aftermath, Best Exhibition of the Year in 2006. 

He has an undergraduate degree from Tulane University, his master’s from New York University and is a graduate of the Getty Foundation’s Museum Leadership Institute. 

By Steve Plunkett

The city and the Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District plan to spend $15,000 in the coming budget year at Ocean Strand, mostly to cut the grass.

It’s the same amount that was set aside in the current fiscal year, which started Oct. 1. So far, only $2,520 has been spent maintaining the grounds at the 15-acre undeveloped site, which straddles State Road A1A between Spanish River and Red Reef parks.

The number is dwarfed by the $1.1 million the district would spend replacing the hammock boardwalk and paying for a science educator at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Red Reef Park and even tinier compared with the $1.9 million budgeted to open and operate eight ball fields at the new Countess de Hoernle Park off Spanish River Boulevard. 

Beach and park commissioners on July 18 tentatively adopted a rollback
rate of $1.01 per $1,000 of taxable value for fiscal 2012, which would generate the same taxes as the current year’s 99 cents per $1,000. A $456 million decline in property values district-wide was partly offset by $261 million in new construction, said Robert Langford, the district’s executive director. The district’s tax base is $19 billion.

The first public hearing on the budget proposal will be 5:15 p.m. on Sept. 12.

Commissioners wondered whether they could save money by mimicking Spanish River Park and closing Red Reef Park on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. But park officials told them closing the park has not saved Boca Raton a substantial sum. There is no need for gate attendants when Spanish River is closed, Recreation Services Director Mickey Gomez said, but seven lifeguards still patrol the beach.

Recreation Superintendent J.D. Varney said that when Spanish River Park is closed, city employees do maintenance work at other facilities that otherwise would be contracted out, saving about $85,000 this year. Also, Red Reef Park has taken in an extra $32,000 in parking fees on days Spanish River was closed, Varney said. 

While no money is budgeted to build a park at Ocean Strand, consultant Curtis + Rogers Design Studio is developing a master plan for the controversial site. Commissioners asked the firm to determine what amenities are available at nearby parks to avoid offering the same attractions. No public hearings on designs have been set.

The site was discussed at beach and park district and city meetings after a developer in late 2009 proposed putting a members-only cabana club on the unused site to augment a luxury hotel planned for downtown. 

Neighbors were shocked to learn Boca Raton’s comprehensive plan labels the parcel residential instead of recreational.

The city is working to amend the comprehensive plan. Meanwhile, a citizens group, Keep Your Boca Beaches Public, has sued to get a special election banning private clubs on public land on the barrier island. The city is appealing.

The beach and park district bought the Ocean Strand property in 1994 for $11.9 million, but never developed it. Ú

By Margie Plunkett

Boca Raton’s city manager will submit his recommended preliminary tax rate to the county after the City Council declined to vote on a tax rate late in July.

City Manager Leif Ahnell recommended a tax rate of $3.15 for $1,000 of a home’s assessed value on a budget that includes a proposed $20 increase in the fire fee. Without the fire services assessment fee increase, the budget would have fallen $1.6 million short.

The recommended rate would mean an annual tax payment of $21 total more to a homeowner with a taxable property value of $300,000 than the $3.08 rollback rate — the rate that would raise the same amount of revenue as last year.  Going to the rollback rate would mean $1 million more to the budget shortfall, Ahnell said. The preliminary tax rate is not yet final: It can be reduced, but cannot be raised.

“I’m not in the least bit interested in raising anyone’s taxes, especially those in harm’s way,” said Mayor Susan Whelchel. “However, I need to know where we can get a million dollars or I need to know what we’re not going to do next year.” She and others also spoke out against dipping into reserves to cover expenses.

While council members said they had not reviewed the budget yet, Ahnell described it as “very plain,” including no new programs, but with rising pension costs as well as rising health costs that will cost employees. There are opportunities to lower costs, but they include significant layoffs of employees, he said.

Faced with unknowns, including whether the town will assess the fire fee and where budget cuts or revenue will be found to bridge the current deficit, council opted to go with no vote.  The panel was divided on whether to submit a higher than anticipated tax rate — and then lower it as allowed by law when more information was available.

Council member Michael Mullaugh proposed a higher rate of $3.31 to start to cover various possibilities, but with the intent of lowering it before budget adoption in October. “I would want to see us have some wiggle room,” he said.

Council member Anthony Majhess’ No.1 choice was a tax rate of $3.25, which would balance the budget without the fire service assessment. Others argued that they didn’t want to put the town’s staff through the unnecessary work of setting up for a higher preliminary tax rate only to make changes come September. 

Council member Connie Scott said she wanted exploration of alternative revenue generation options, such as sale of the executive golf course or annexation.

The budget discussion followed a lively meeting that welcomed both FAU dignitaries, celebrating their first medical school class of 64 students, and the magicJack professional women’s soccer team.           Ú

                                                                 Globalstar's GSP-1700 satellite phone sells for about $499.

By Steve Pike

The saying “Technology is great as long as it works,” couldn’t be more true than in the aftermath of a devastating storm or hurricane. 

How do you spell relief?  T-E-X-T. Indeed, texting might seem the bane of Western civilization to some people, but it could provide valuable information and even save lives in a post-hurricane environment.

The reason is as simple as stocking up on extra supplies during Florida hurricane season. That is, according to Kelly Layne Starling, spokesperson for AT&T’s south and west Florida markets, text messages go through faster than regular phone calls because they don’t take up as many network resources as a regular phone call.

“Texting has become such an important part of people’s lives, this is just one more example,” Starling said.

That includes citizens and emergency workers. The Ocean Ridge Police Department, for example, recently acquired cell phones that use text messaging.

“With text messaging you have a better chance of getting through the storm,” said Ocean Ridge Police Chief Chris Yannuzzi, who has worked through Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne in 2004 and Wilma in 2005. “I wouldn’t endorse any one product (his department uses Verizon), because a lot of it depends on how quickly the towers can be repaired, even temporarily.”

While texting certainly is nothing new to most people, it ranks down on the list of post-storm communications alternatives. According to a Sachs/Mason Dixon poll released this past June, only 8 percent of Americans said they would rely on text messaging in a disaster. The poll, commissioned by Tallahassee-based National Hurricane Survival Initiative, reported more than half of Americans would rely on a cell phone or landline phone to communicate during and after a disaster.

The poll also said that 45 percent of Americans who currently belong to some kind of social network, such as Facebook or Twitter, would use it to communicate post-disaster. That sounds good, but again, one must remember that the electricity and cell towers needed to use the social networks might not be operational for days after a storm.

So what’s the next-best alternative? Although it’s more expensive than a smartphone or cell phone, a satellite phone is an effective way to communicate if all other lines of communication are down. Satellite phones could be particularly effective along the coastal areas of Palm Beach County that don’t have a lot of obstruction from high-rise buildings.

Satellite phones, such as InmarSat’s handheld IsatPhone Pro, can be found for as low as $549. Globalstar’s GSP-1700 satellite phone sells for around $499, but the company says its network currently is operating at only 40 percent capacity. 

The satellite phone of the future could be AT&T’s TerreStar Genus  smartphone — touted as  the world’s first integrated satellite and cellular smartphone.  Selling for as low as $799, service is available in the continental United States, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Hawaii and Alaska.

That’s the good news. The bad news is the TerreStar Genus  smartphone currently is available only to government and business accounts. 

The most interesting form of post-storm communication, however, might be among the oldest. That is, amateur radio — or ham radio, as it is best known. 

Actually, when it comes to local ham radio operators and emergencies, there is nothing amateur about them. Members of the Boca Raton Amateur Radio Association (www.goldcoastrc.com/brara home.htm) help at Red Cross shelters and hospitals.

Each member, according to BRARA President Nelson Winter of Hypoluxo, is trained in Amateur Radio Emergency Service by the Amateur Radio Relay League. ARES members also take courses taught by the Federal Emergency Management Administration, which teaches each one where he or she fits into the federal management system.

“What we do is coordinate with Palm Beach County,” Winter said. “The county is divided into four regions: North, Central, South and West. We have a coordinator who assigns people to various positions within the district.

“Our role is to be the link of communication of last resort.  So when the telephones stop working and communications systems aren’t working, they [shelters and hospitals] can still communicate using an assigned amateur field operator.”

The field operator, Winter said, communicates directly to the county’s Emergency Operations Center. People who have radio scanners can listen in on the communications, but can’t communicate directly with the operator.

“When we get notice, we have all of our equipment ready to go,” Winter said. “We know what we’re supposed to do when we arrive and we know where we’re supposed to fit into the paradigm of the emergency management
system.”                                                    Ú

                                                                            Photo by Tim Stepien

Special Report: Does what's flowing from your tap pass the taste test?

By Steve Plunkett

Town Commissioner Louis DeStefano has a one-word opinion of the water Manalapan’s advanced reverse-osmosis plant produces: “undrinkable.’’

“If you care about your health, you can’t drink this water,’’ DeStefano said, noting he has a personal reverse-osmosis device in his home to re-treat the municipal water and make it more palatable.

Vice Mayor Robert Evans offered a totally opposite review at the commission’s late June workshop.

“I notice a difference between 20 years ago and now,’’ Evans said. “I think our water’s better.’’

Mayor Pro Tem Donald Brennan wondered if the town’s aging pipes contributed to the taste of the water reaching DeStefano’s house, one of the farthest from the water plant on the mainland. 

DeStefano tempered his remarks the following day, saying Manalapan’s water is “safe,’’ but not to his liking. Commissioners routinely drink bottled water at their meetings.

Manalapan and Highland Beach are two coastal communities with their own water plants. Coastal Boca Raton and Delray Beach draw from large municipal plants on the mainland. Smaller towns rely on contracts with nearby municipalities.

Boynton Beach, for instance, charges Ocean Ridge the same as in-city customers under a 1931 agreement that separated the coastal town from what was then the town of Boynton. The city also provides water, at a 25 percent outside-the-city surcharge, to Briny Breezes and the county pocket that Gulf Stream annexed this year. The rest of Gulf Stream gets its water from Delray Beach, redistributed under a complicated fee structure with more than 30 categories, each with four rate tiers.

South Palm Beach pays a 25 percent nonresidential surcharge as well for service from West Palm Beach. The town must also obey once-a-week lawn-watering restrictions West Palm Beach ordered in June to save dwindling water reserves and ward off saltwater intrusion.

Manalapan gives Hypoluxo, on the west side of the Intracoastal Waterway, a relative nonresidential bargain, imposing only a 20 percent surcharge. Hypoluxo customers outnumber town water customers almost 2-to-1.

Highland Beach water is all the product of reverse osmosis, in which brackish water from the 1,200-foot-deep Floridan Aquifer is forced through membranes to remove the salt. Because the town uses no water from the shallower and more drought-sensitive Biscayne Aquifer, it is not subject to lawn-watering restrictions.

Manalapan, on the other hand, gives its customers a blend of roughly 60 percent reverse-osmosis water and 40 percent “fresh water’’ from its Biscayne Aquifer plant, partly to reduce corrosion of water pipes and also to cut the high electric bills of reverse osmosis.

A town having its own water supply is no guarantee of taste or reliability. Highland Beach, for example, had a pipe burst inside its plant on July 5, causing the town to shut its system and connect to Delray Beach’s for 12 hours of repairs. A leaking pipe flange caused a similar disruption for a couple hours July 22.

“We were getting quite a few calls,’’ Public Works Director Jack Lee told Highland Beach commissioners when the pipe burst. “The water that we get from Delray is perfectly safe, it’s potable water. It does have a little yellow tint to it, and that’s because they don’t have a reverse-osmosis water plant like we do.’’

Earlier in that day’s commission meeting, resident Lou Stern also commented on Highland Beach’s water.

“Even though the water and the reports on the water are totally wonderful, most people that I know drink bottled water. They do not like the taste [of municipal water], they do not like the smell,’’ Stern said.      

The costs of water,
by municipality

What coastal residents pay each month for 7,000 gallons of water:

 Manalapan: $48.92 

South Palm Beach: $40.06 from West Palm Beach

Highland Beach: $30.05

Hypoluxo Island/Lantana: $27.15

Gulf Stream annexed pocket: $26.05 from Boynton Beach

Briny Breezes: $26.05 from Boynton Beach

Delray Beach: $24.47

Ocean Ridge: $20.84 from Boynton Beach

Boca Raton: $17.12

Gulf Stream: * Town has more than 30 customer types based on lot size and impervious area, each type has four tiers based on gallons used. Gulf Stream buys water from Delray Beach.

Karen Robinson wears a dress was made for her by the aunt
of the boy she tutored. The pattern was made from the
Vanuatu flag. The walking stick was a gift from teachers
of SE Ambrym in appreciation for the five-day
literacy workshop she ran.  Photo by Tim Stepien

“The tag line said ‘5 percent of our volunteers are 50 plus,’ ” she recalled. “When I saw that I said, ‘bingo.’ Now that is a good reason to retire.”

Robinson, 64, said she loved being a school counselor, especially for the primary grades. But it was time for a change.

“I was able to take my teaching and counseling experience and skills and use them in Vanuatu where I was a teacher trainer in the Peace Corps,” she said. “I developed and facilitated workshops for primary teachers in the area of literacy.” 

She worked with a boy in Vanuatu, a volcanic island chain in the Pacific Ocean, between Fiji and Australia.  

“When I met him as a third-grader he didn’t even know what letter his name began with,” she said. “He never completed a year of school.”  

Now he attends school every day, and the week she left Vanuatu, he called her and said, “Karen, hemi aoraet sapos mi ridim wan buk long yu? (Karen, is it OK if I read a story to you?)”

“I was so excited, because he now thinks of himself as a reader,” she said from her Highland Beach condo. “I am looking forward to seeing him when I return in September.” 

She has memories of her days on the islands, including the time she stayed in a bamboo hut and watched the World Cup on a large TV powered by a generator. 

Robinson, who is divorced, taught in several states before settling in Pennsylvania, where she started her school counseling career.  

“My last assignment was at a school where I got to not only use my counseling skills, but also my dance background,” she said. “I worked closely with the chorus director and choreographed both the winter and spring concerts each year.”

Q. Where did you grow up and go to school? 

A. Rochester, N.Y.  I went to the University of Arizona for two years and then transferred to the University of Michigan, where I earned my bachelor’s and then a master’s in guidance and counseling.

Q. What are some highlights of your professional life?

A. One of my most memorable professional highlights is having worked with a student from the time he was in kindergarten until I left for the Peace Corps.  He is now going into 11th grade.  He was the type of student that drove his teachers nuts and I understood that, but I also developed a relationship with him that was built on trust. And so even after he graduated to middle school and then high school, I continued to meet with him once a week to help him stay organized and complete his work.  I was also able to communicate with many of his teachers, some of whom were then able to see him as an individual, understanding both his positive qualities as well as the challenging behaviors.  He is now one of the top football players, going into 11th grade and doing well in all areas.  When he was in eighth grade, his English teacher discovered his ability to write amazing poetry.  Three of his poems and his picture helped decorate my room during the time I was in Peace Corps. He was and is a constant reminder of how important it is to find the good in each individual, even when it is challenging.

Q. How did you choose to make your home in Highland Beach? 

A. My parents bought here in the ’70s and my sister and I have held on to it.  This is the first time that I have spent more than a couple of weeks at a time here. When I was still a full-time counselor in Pennsylvania, I could only come here during school vacation time.

Q. What is your favorite part about living in Highland Beach?

A. The ocean and the library.

Q. Where are you going next (with the Peace Corps)?

A. I have plans to visit my family and friends in Vanuatu in September.  In October I am traveling to Guanajuato, Mexico, to take a Spanish immersion course.  After that I would like to volunteer again, I’m just not sure where or with which organization;  perhaps the Peace Corps, United Nations or Save the Children. 

Q. What is the last book you read? 

A. The Help, by Kathryn Stockett. I would recommend it. Now I am reading Bel Canto, by Ann Patchett. 

Q. What are your hobbies?

A. Anything that involves movement: dance, yoga, tai chi, swimming and walks on the beach.

Q. What music do you listen to for inspiration? When you want to relax?

A. I really like all types of music, anything I can move to, whether fast or slow. I like to listen to world music, whether from Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean.

Q. Do you have a favorite quote that inspires your decisions? 

A. There are three sayings that I think of when making a decision. The Serenity Prayer: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference. 

Barry Stevens: Don’t push the river. It flows by itself .

Lao Tzu: The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Q. Have you had mentors in your life? Individuals who have inspired your life decisions?

A. I am who I am today because of all my previous experiences and relationships. It is because of this combination of people who have crossed my path and the experiences that I have had that I continue and will continue to make the life decisions that I make. 

What’s next?  Aside from my trip to Vanuatu and Spanish immersion course in Guanajuato, I really don’t know what is next, the unknown can be very unsettling and yet exciting. 

More and more communities are taking action
against owners who allow their dogs to leave
deposits on lawns and walkways. 

By Arden Moore

As a pet behaviorist who travels all over North America to help people better understand why dogs and cats do what they do, the conversation invariably shifts toward what I refer to as the 3 Pet P’s: pee, poop and puke.

Yes, I can arm you with medical and behavior facts and strategies to keep your pet’s body functions humming harmoniously. I know the ins and outs of feline hairballs and can explain the best ways to get a young pup to potty on command. And, yes, I can offer you a mini-chemistry lesson on gobbling up protein molecules found in pet poo by using the right protein enzymatic cleaning product.

But, I remain baffled by why some people choose to ignore, overlook and even justify why they do not dutifully bag their dog’s doo-doo on walks. Well, pet poop perpetrators, your days are numbered. In what seems to be a spinoff of those popular CSI TV shows in which forensic investigators nab the bad guy (or gal) thanks to DNA evidence, multi-dwelling developments are also fighting back against those who refuse to bend down and pick up their dog’s “deposits” on walks. 

Permit me to introduce you to Jim Simpson. He is president of Bio Pet Vet Labs in Knoxville, Tenn. Until recently, his lab gathered blood work for veterinary clinics and confirmed DNA on dogs for professional breeders. But because of the growing incidents of people’s refusing to scoop the poop, his company has unleashed a thriving new division — called PooPrints (www.pooprints.com) — and established an international dog poop DNA database.

Since every dog has his own unique DNA, here’s the new scoop on poop: Rules enforcers can now match the feces with the right Fido. 

You can’t argue with doggy DNA. That’s good news for pet-welcoming condo and apartment property managers who have been waging a losing battle with poop piling up on lawns, sidewalks and even inside elevators.

A pioneer in this poop war is Debbie Logan, property manager at Twin Ponds in Nashua, N.H. A lifelong pet lover who brings her dog, Saphia, to work, Logan spent a year searching for an affordable strategy to nab poop violators at her complex that features 330 units and 250 dogs ranging from chihuahuas to Great Danes.

“We are one of the few places that do not have a breed restriction or a weight limit on dogs and we don’t require a pet deposit,” says Logan. “But in the past couple of years, the poop on our property has been piling up. It was becoming a health hazard.”

A medium-sized dog compiles up to 276 pounds of poop per year, according to Simpson. Logan estimated about 5 percent of her residents with dogs were habitual violators. That equals more than 3,300 pounds of unclaimed poop in one year. 

In addition, poop left lingering packs a health risk. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, dog poop can easily become infected with parasites (such as hookworms, ringworms, tape worms and salmonella), causing serious kidney disorders, intestinal illness, cramps and diarrhea in people who come in contact with it. 

So, her association revised its rules for residents, requiring dog owners to pay a one-time $50 fee to cover the cost of having their dogs’ DNA on file. Surprisingly, only two residents “barked” in protest, but the overwhelming majority applauded the rule.

According to Logan, she has had to contend with only two repeat offenders who tried to blame their children who failed to bag the doo-doo on pet walks. Each paid $100 fines per offense. 

“Our place is now clean and our residents are happy,” proclaims Logan. “We enjoy 100-percent occupancy and even have a waiting list. It’s a shame we had to resort to this, but we had no other choice.”

Matthew Brickman, president of the Village of Abacoa Condo Association in Jupiter, heard about Logan’s success in curbing the poop problem. Starting in August, all residents with dogs at this 450-unit development must pay a one-time fee of $200 to cover the cost of having their dogs’ DNA analyzed and on file. Come Sept. 1, violators of this policy will be subjected to fines of $100 a day up to $1,000.

Brickman, who works as a professional court mediator, said his condo board was running out of viable options.

“We were spending $15,000 to $18,000 a year cleaning up dog messes on our sidewalks, lawns and even in hallways, inside elevators and stairwells,” he said. “We considered banning all pets or spending $1 million on surveillance cameras, but then we heard about this doggy DNA program.”

Brickman is bracing for a vocal protest, but believes the new policy will keep homeowners’ dues from rising and will stave off a viable health threat to residents.

“We’re not condo dictators. We don’t want to have to make these types of rules,” he said. “But when you don’t be responsible for your actions, we do have to step in.”

In this case, I guess it is far better to step in and take action, than to step in it and be forced to rid your shoes of the mess and smell. Your thoughts?  Share them with me by emailing  Arden@fourleggedlife.com.

Arden Moore, Founder of Four Legged Life.com, is an animal behavior consultant, editor, author, professional speaker and certified pet first aid instructor. She shares her home with two dogs, two cats and one overworked vacuum cleaner. Tune in to her Oh Behave! show on PetLifeRadio.com and learn more by visiting www.fourleggedlife.com.

NCCI Holdings employees Lindsay Kaye, Beth Miller and Irania Acevedo Montello and an adoptable pup pose during a Cutest Pet Contest in Boca Raton. The event raised $1,000 for three shelters — The Tri-County Humane Society, the Humane Society of Broward County and Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League. Judges agonized over the photos employees submitted of their pets to find the cutest five critters in each category. Photo provided

Ann Matlack Greene

By Liz Best

BOCA RATON — All of Ann Greene’s friends knew that her favorite color was pink, but this “The Lady in Pink” was also known and loved for her warmth, generosity and gentle demeanor. 

Mrs. Greene, of Boca Raton, died July 14 at Boca Raton Regional Hospital. 

A native of Lake Worth, Mrs. Greene was a charter member of the Debbie Rand Memorial Service League and chaired its very first Charity Ball in 1963. Her old friend and fellow member of the service league, Joan Wargo, remembers it well.

The theme of the ball was “April Showers Polo Ball” and it was held at the Boca Raton Resort and Club. Mrs. Greene brought it all together with her quiet flair for the dramatic.

“When she walked into the room you knew she was there,” said Wargo. “She was very eloquent, very good-looking, a great dramatic … but she was also very, very quiet.”

She and her first husband, the late Robert Matlack, were among the original residents at Royal Palm Yacht and County Club in Boca Raton. Not surprisingly, their home was affectionately known as the “Pink Palace.”

An avid golfer, Mrs. Greene could hit the ball a mile, according to unofficial reports. While the distance might be embellished, Wargo can testify to her friend’s skill on the links.

  “Oh, she was good.”

In addition to Matlack, Mrs. Greene is preceded in death by her husband, Paul Greene. She is survived by a daughter, Terry Warren of Columbus, Ohio.

A funeral service was held on July 19 at Kraeer Funeral Home in Boca Raton. She was interred at Boca Raton Cemetery. 

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations in her memory be made to the Debbie Rand Memorial Service League at Boca Raton Regional Hospital, 800 Meadows Road, Boca Raton, FL 33486.

Cornucopia 04-Y’IV (2004), by Etsuko Tashima

By Greg Stepanich 

The Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens is one of Palm Beach County’s most interesting cultural outposts, and it’s playing host through October to an exhibit that tells us something exceptional about that country’s skill in artistic creation.

More importantly, it tells us something about who is doing the creating.

“Japanese contemporary ceramics are the best and most advanced in the world, at least in my opinion,” said Veljko Dujin, the Morikami’s curator of collections. “The state of ceramics in Japan is really spectacular. You have thousands of really good potters, and among them are hundreds of women who are doing as good a job as the men, if not better.”

Through Oct. 2, the Morikami is hosting Soaring Voices: Recent Ceramics by Women From Japan, a traveling show of 87 works by 25 women, running the gamut from practical to pure flights of imagination.

“It’s all over the map. The exhibit is divided into five sections, and in the first one, you actually see functional objects that you could possibly use,” Dujin said. “And then there are sheer sculptures.”

Dujin said many of the artists featured in the exhibit are well-known at home, and production by female ceramicists is highly sought-after by collectors. Much of this upsurge in work by women artists came starting in the 1950s, after Japan’s economy had finally begun to recover from the devastation of World War II.

Help from the Japanese government, which was interested in preserving the nation’s living cultural heritage, was crucial, he said. So was foreign interest, which had revived as well in the years after the war’s end.  And although women had been part of family pottery-making concerns for generations, it wasn’t until the 1950s that women began to step out on their own as artists in clay.

                                                                  Bible of the White Sand (1989), by Takako Araki

“Several of these artists use very innovative techniques,” Dujin said, which only adds to the breadth of what he called a “first-class exhibit.” Soaring Voices has been on an American tour since August 2009, and travels next to the Harn Museum of Art at the University of Florida in Gainesville.

Soaring Voices is showing at the Morikami along with Catching Air: Kites of Japan, a collection of varied kites from the Morikami’s permanent collection (also through Oct. 2), as well as an exhibit of rabbit-related artwork for 2011, the Year of the Rabbit in the Japanese calendar, which uses the Chinese zodiac.

 The museum in Delray Beach is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Admission is $12 for adults, $11 for seniors and $7 for students. Call 495-0233 or visit www.morikami.org.

The Caldwell Theatre has been exploring the first half of the 20^th century this summer, with the world premiere in July of Michael McKeever’s play Stuff, the true story of the Collyer brothers, privileged New Yorkers who became recluses in the 1920s and died in 1947 in their Harlem mansion, which was filled with more than 100 tons of junk the two men had hoarded over the decades.

This month, the Boca Raton playhouse moves to the next 25 years with a production of Six Years, a play by Sharr White whose five scenes take a look at American history through the device of a marriage, seen first in 1949, and continuing in six-year intervals through 1973. Six Years premiered in March 2006 at the Humana Festival of New American Plays in Louisville, Ky.

Six Years opens with the return of Phil Granger, a World War II veteran, to his Missouri hometown, six years after he left for the war. His wife Meredith and family have not heard from him since 1944, but she has waited for him, and they try to pick up where they left off. The following scenes explore the rise of suburbia, the Kennedy years, the turmoil of the late 1960s, and the return of POWs from the Vietnam War. 

Cast in the show are Margery Lowe as Meredith and Todd Allen Durkin as Phil. Durkin, a Carbonnell Award winner in 2010 for GableStage’s Blasted, is making his debut at the Caldwell. Also in the show, directed by Clive Cholerton, are familiar South Florida acting faces Gregg Weiner, Natasha Sherritt and David Perez-Ribada.

Six Years opens Aug. 10 and runs through Sept. 4 at the Caldwell at 7901 N. Federal Highway in Boca Raton. Shows are 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, with 2 p.m. matinees Wednesday and Sunday. Tickets range from $38-$50, or just $10 for students with ID. Call 241-7432 or visit www.caldwelltheatre.com.

Also this month: Keith Paulson-Thorp’s music series at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Delray Beach  wraps its 2010-11 season on Aug. 21, with a concert by Camerata del Re, the church’s resident Baroque music ensemble. It’s an all-German program featuring 17^th- and 18^th-century music by J.C.F. Fischer, Ernst Eichner, Heinrich Schütz, Samuel Scheidt, Karl Toeschi, Johann Adolf Hasse, Friedrich Wilhelm Rust and Johann Rosenmüller. Tickets for the 4 p.m. concert are $18 and $15. Call 278-6003 or visit www.stpaulsdelray.org.

Greg Stepanich is the editor/founder of the Palm Beach ArtsPaper, available online www.palmbeach artspaper.com. 

Sisters Joan Carusillo (left) and Lorraine Ryan star in a WXEL documentary about Women’s Circles.
Photo by C.B. Hanif

By C.B. Hanif

Our own Women’s Circle’s sisters are about to become TV celebrities.

Yes, in living color. Sister Lorraine Ryan and Sister Joan Carusillo, co-founders of the Boynton Beach nonprofit that serves low-income women, are “starring” in a new documentary with imminent WXEL public-TV air dates. There are possibilities too for Miami-based WPBT public television and the global Catholic Television Network EWTN.

Women’s Circle — A Spiritual Life of Giving, is succinctly described at the Palm Beach County Film and Television Commission website: “30-minute documentary on Women’s Circle, a group of nuns who provide help to the unemployed, uneducated and often underfed of Boynton Beach.”

The feature kicks off with a compelling look at the host city’s history, and “its new vibrancy after years of dormancy.” Soon it segues to a fascinating interview of the sisters by Father John D’Mello, the distinguished parochial vicar of St. Ann’s Church in West Palm Beach.

With him the ladies share their amazing personal and professional stories, such as Sister Lorraine’s 15-year ministry with the poor in India. “We have a very big goal,” she says of her Medical Mission Sisters, “of trying in fact to be the presence of Christ the Healer wherever we are, as well as to bring joy into this world, as Mary did by birthing Jesus.”

The sisters tell of their journey from the duplex shared with the Community Caring Center, to the Women’s Circle’s own 912 SE Fourth St. duplex, thanks largely to farsighted city leaders’ interest-free mortgage. Contrasted with the students gathered around the sole computer in an early computer class is the current roomful of donated computers.

Sister Joan, of the Sisters of Holy Cross, shares success stories such as Haitian-American Marie Desir, who got her start at Women’s Circle, and who despite limited English skills and many trials along the way, is realizing her desire to become a licensed practical nurse, evidenced by her recent scholarship from the Soroptimist Club of Boca Raton. To help impoverished women “help not only themselves and their families, but to raise the level of the community while doing that,” is one of the Women’s Circle’s goals, the Holy Cross sister says.

Filmed in WXEL’s Boynton Beach studios, Women’s Circle — A Spiritual Life of Giving is the kind of local programming of which the station and its viewers would like to see more. It’s also the kind of story that appeals to the Catholic network’s international following, suggesting to others worldwide: “We, too, can do that!”

Masterfully guiding it all is Paul Gionfriddo, a veteran public TV documentary producer who has worked in Hollywood and New York City. His latest project is a musical with students at nearby Toussaint L’Overture High School.

The sisters’ dedication is legend, along with that of the staff and other volunteers. Thus the 2011 Circle of Hope Gala benefit drew 250 to Benvenuto’s Restaurant last February and raised $104,790 for the Women’s Circle. 

As volunteers look forward to another season-highlight gala, Feb. 20, 2012, it’s great to see the good work get broader recognition. Seeing the sisters in the bright studio lights will be more than a big treat for the Women’s Circle beneficiaries and fans. It also will introduce the program to an even bigger audience.

Already, a local newscast of the Women’s Circle’s move to its new digs has become a popular YouTube video. Women’s Circle — A Spiritual Life of Giving not only is must-see TV. It’s a fitting tribute to two ladies, and a ton of volunteers, who avoid the spotlight except to champion the women the Women’s Circle serves.

C.B. Hanif is a writer and inter-religious affairs consultant. Find him at www.inter
faith21.com.

IBM announced its plans to open a plant in Boca Raton
in 1967. Courtesy of the Boca Raton Historical Society

By Mary Jane Fine

Earlier this summer, the Boca Raton Historical Society opened an exhibit showcasing IBM’s Boca Raton years.

Far earlier than that, Glenn Anderson lived and worked them.

Together, the Historical Society and Anderson tell a pretty thorough, and thoroughly compelling, saga. This is IBM’s centennial year, an apt time for Boca Raton to count the ways in which it has felt the company’s significance and clout.

“IBM had a very big influence on this community,” says exhibit curator Susan Gillis, approaching a framed front page of the March 16, 1967, Boca Raton News with its lead headline: IBM to Hire 400 by Year’s End. “In the 1980s, Boca was known as Silicon Beach because [thanks to IBM’s presence] it attracted so many high-tech companies.”

“I don’t think Boca knew what hit ’em,” says Anderson. “It’s an understatement to say IBM made a huge impact on this area. Those first few years, those of us who came in early, it was probably the highlight of our lives: doing challenging work, changing the community.

And change it did. Anderson had been working in the company’s development lab in San Jose, Calif., when he was offered a managerial position at the soon-to-be Boca site — and given 24 hours to accept or not. He hurried to a bookstore and bought a Florida map. Boca Raton wasn’t on it. 

“I had no idea if it was in the Panhandle or near Orlando or what,” he says. “I flew into Miami and rented a car, but I-95 ended at Fort Lauderdale. I drove the rest of the way up Federal Highway. The houses were all boarded up then; the beaches were empty. It was like a ghost town.”

The “small, sleepy town” he encountered in May 1967 woke up quickly once the new workforce began arriving and building homes, enrolling children in school, bringing a sophisticated appetite for good wines and gourmet restaurants, theater and art. 

Soon after his initial visit, he brought his wife, a California native, to Boca to look around.

“When she stopped crying, I took her into Lum’s for a sandwich and a beer,” he says. “On Saturday, we bought a lot. On Sunday, we picked a model. I lined up a mortgage. It was one whirlwind weekend.”

An even bigger whirlwind came with IBM’s technological advances. The Historical Society exhibit chronicles those in framed photos that line a hallway; original packaging saved by an employee; a roomful of computers that track its progression, each one smarter than its predecessor; memorabilia that includes the Charlie Chaplin logo, a nod to his Modern Times film.

Sue and Glenn Anderson came to Boca Raton when IBM
opened its plant in the city in 1967. When the company moved
most of its staff out, the couple stayed. Photo by Jerry Lower.

Boca rode wave
of PC’s success

The firm introduced its pièce de résistance in 1981: the IBM PC, the first pre-assembled personal computer, one that could be lifted from the package and plugged into the wall. “It’s really exciting that it was developed right here in little Boca Raton,” says Susan Gillis. “The glamorous era was the 1980s.”

It was the massive-growth era, as well: IBM boasted more than 10,000 employees in that decade to keep up with the demand for PCs. “You could hardly bring people in fast enough,” Glenn Anderson says.

In 1983, Time’s Jan. 3 cover ran a “first.” It named the computer “Machine of the Year,” the first time an object took the place of the magazine’s “Man of the Year.” 

The accompanying story, however, was a faux-folksy essay by Roger Rosenblatt, rather skeptical in tone: “Ever see one of these before, mister? Yes, you. I’m talking to you, ma’am. Ever work one of these Commodores or Timex Sinclairs or Osborne Is or TRS-80 IIIs? How do you like them Apples? Just a joke, son. Good, clean fun. But you look so skeptical, like you’re from Missouri, and I want to sell you one of these beauties, ’cause you need it and ’cause you want it, no matter what you say.”

Still, PC sales outweighed PC skepticism. During the IBM PC’s initial 18 months, sales were twice the estimated 250,000. “Once, I could never envision having to use a computer,” says Gillis, “but now try to live without one.”

Down(sized) but not out

Ultimately, IBM’s success in Boca led to its downsizing in Boca. In the late 1980s, the company opted to shift its hardware manufacturing to Raleigh, N.C., and its software manufacturing to Austin, Texas. What once was corporate center land now is now to T-Rex, the Boca Corporate Center and Campus just off Yamato Road. 

IBM still maintains a four-story building on Congress Avenue — software development and service-and-sales are the main activities there — says Rick Qualman, vice-president of strategy and business development, but the firm won’t divulge the number of current employees “for policy reasons.” He estimates that some 12,000 IBM retirees still live in Florida.

Many, as they approached retirement age in the late 1980s, were offered buyouts. Anderson, then 59, was one.

“It was a little scary,” he says. “I didn’t know what I was gonna do with myself.” But the severance package was a generous one, and he and his wife decided to remain in Boca. Their daughter and younger son — 4-year-old twins when the family moved to Florida — stayed as well. Their older son, 6 at move time, lives in Colorado. 

He works for IBM.         

IF YOU GO

What: IBM Boca Raton: A Centennial Celebration

Where: Boca Raton Historical Society (Town Hall)

71 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton

When: Mon.-Fri. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., through July 8

How Much: Admission is free

Information: Call 395-6766 or visit www.bocahistory.org

The brown pelican was listed  as a threatened species in 1973. Photo by Jerry Lower.

By Ron Hayes

On June 8, the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission voted unanimously to remove the brown pelican from its list of threatened species for the first time in nearly 40 years.

The stately, shore-dwelling bird — a real coastal star in these parts — was among 16 species recommended for removal from the list, along with the Florida black bear and snowy egret.

But not so fast.

As with all things bureaucratic, the news is good, but not quite that simple.

“No changes will happen right away,” says Dr. Elsa Haubold, leader of the commission’s Threatened Species Management System. “The pelican, along with the 15 others, will remain on the list until we get a management plan in place to prevent them from having to be listed again.”

In other words, the brown pelican is on a list to be taken off the list — as soon as they figure out the best way to keep it from going back on the list.

The fish-eating birds, which can boast a  6- to 7-foot wingspan, were first placed on the state and federal lists in 1973 over concern that the pesticide DDT could thin the shells of nesting eggs, making them more likely to be crushed or broken.

The Federal Fish & Wildlife Service removed the brown pelican from its Florida list in 1985, but the state commission has kept it listed, until now.

“We hadn’t evaluated its status since we put it on the Florida list in the 1970s,” says Haubold. “Now we will be.”

When the new evaluation began in 2007, Haubold’s group considered several factors, including the bird’s rate of decline, the size of its available habitat and the chances that it faced a 10 percent probability of extinction in the next century.

Of 62 species evaluated, none of the 16 removed last month met the criteria.

And now you’re wondering just how many brown pelicans are left?

“Everybody wants the numbers, but that’s a really hard thing to get,” Haubold concedes. “We have a study that says in Florida we had an average of about 9,000 pairs of brown pelicans, 18,000 birds, between 1968 and 2001. But it’s not just about numbers. It’s about population trends, reproduction and how healthy is the population in general. What’s most important for people to know is that we have a new system for conserving threatened species, and it’s going to make a huge difference for them.”

When will the management plan for the brown pelicans be done, and our beloved birds officially removed from the list?  

“We haven’t set a timetable,” says Haubold. “We’re working on 62 plans at once.” 

But the management plan will be comprehensive, she promises, with input from FWC staff, independent scientists, developers and nonprofit stakeholders such as the South Florida Wildlife Care Center in Fort Lauderdale, which saves many of the injured birds rescued along Palm Beach County shores.

“We find it encouraging that the state has determined brown pelicans appear to be rebounding to the extent that they no longer meet the criteria for listing as a threatened species,” said Sherry Schlueter, the nonprofit organization’s executive director. But, she adds, while the FWC is developing its management plan, the average citizen has an ongoing part to play.

Brown pelicans spy fish while flying over the water, then dive to catch them in their throat pouches — the only pelican that uses this feeding technique.

Sometime they swallow more dangerous fare.  

“Floridians can do much to keep this magnificent neighbor safer by acting responsibly about disposal of fishing hooks, monofilament line, plastic trash and other debris,” Schlueter says.

Kenny Brown agrees. The founder of Brown’s Trapping & Wildlife Rescue estimates he’s brought about 300 brown pelicans to the Wildlife Care Center since 2001, when he found one injured at I-95 and Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard.

“It does seem they’re coming back,” says Brown, “but I don’t think they should take anything off the list.

“To me, every animal should be a protected
species.”                                  Ú

The sale of a 6,900-square-foot penthouse at One Thousand Ocean in Boca Raton for $10.4 million is the highest priced condominium purchase in Palm Beach County this year.

It’s also the first penthouse closing (June 2) at the condo since its 2006 launch.

Corcoran Realtor Senada Adzem represented the buyers, a young family from Europe.

With two private terraces totaling 4,000 square feet of outdoor living space, the home comes with 14-foot ceilings, a private cabana, three-car garage and full access to the Boca Raton Resort & Club.

It also comes with “the best view in Boca,” says Adzem. 

The sale of the penthouse, coming on the heels of $38 million in sales over three months, means there are only three penthouses available at the condo located at the mouth of the Boca Raton inlet. 

  — Staff Report

Boca Raton Regional Hospital’s foundation received a $5 million donation from Elaine J. Wold and the family of the late Dr. Keith C. Wold to start the Wold Family Center for Emergency Medicine.

The new program will enhance the hospital’s emergency department with expedited emergency care and an emphasis on clinical excellence, efficiency and privacy, according to Jan Savarick, president of Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation.

Keith Wold was a board member at the hospital for many years. Elaine Wold, his widow, served on hospital support committees. 

By Margie Plunkett

Drivers can lay off the horn on Palmetto Park Road. After nearly a year of construction, the Pedestrian Promenade was completed with a final pressure wash in the last weekend of June.

With the exception of pergolas, the roadway construction was expected to be complete, said Municipal Services Director Bob DiChristopher. 

The $7.2 million Pedestrian Promenade project by Burkhardt Construction Inc. began in September — and had been in planning for years. In an attempt to make downtown more pedestrian friendly, and competitive with neighboring cities, the project widened sidewalks with pavers and improved lighting and landscaping. 

Part of the work had been delayed until the end of tourist season after merchants voiced fears that their business would be heavily impact by road closings during the busiest time of the year.

Intersection closings resumed in May, however, allowing roadways to be raised and pavers to be installed; the final closing was scheduled at Palmetto Park Drive at Mizner Boulevard and Plaza Real South, according to Burkhardt.      Ú

Pat Thomas practices with dance instructor, Ivan Rivera, 22, 
at Fred Astaire dance studio in Boca Raton.  They will be partners
in the Boca Ballroom Battle. Photo by Tim Stepien

By Mary Thurwachter

As the pros at Fred Astaire Dance Studio assessed contestants for this year’s Boca Ballroom Battle, they determined which dance would best suit each contender. For Pat Thomas, they selected the cha-cha, a lively, flirtatious dance full of energy and passion — much like Thomas herself. 

Thomas had never taken a lesson before, although she is no stranger to the dance floor.

“I’ve attended at least 25 hospital balls over the years,” Thomas, a tireless hospital volunteer, said. 

Contestants have already completed five weeks of group lessons and have been paired with a professional dancer as they continue with 15 individual lessons. 

The Boca Ballroom Battle, a Dancing with the Stars-type competition benefiting the George Snow scholarship will be held on Aug. 19 at the Boca Raton Resort and Club.

Thomas has nothing but praise for her Fred Astaire partner, Ivan Rivera, who she says is “an excellent teacher who makes learning fun.” In fact, it’s been so much fun, she may even take more lessons after the competition, regardless of the finish. But make no mistake about it; she is “in it to win it.” 

Besides being fun, Thomas says dancing is really good exercise.

“I’m very energetic anyway, but this has made me feel like getting out walking more and has improved my stamina,” she says.

It didn’t take a lot of coaxing to get her to compete, she says, because the event is for a good cause — the George Snow Scholarship Fund. She knew George Snow and one of his daughters, who was an ER nurse. 

Born in Buffalo, N.Y., Thomas moved to Boca Raton 50 years ago when she was in her early 20s. Boca was a sleepy town back then, she recalls, but then IBM came and everything changed. The town grew up around her.

She cherishes the time she spends with her four children and nine grandchildren, most of whom live nearby. But she always makes time for her other passion — volunteering.

On Tuesday evenings during the season, she volunteers at the emergency room of Boca Raton Regional Hospital. “It’s a kind of concierge service,” she said. “I go into the waiting room to see if someone needs a warm blanket, for example, and make sure everyone has what they need.” 

She has been a volunteer with the Debbie-Rand Memorial Services League, auxiliary to the hospital, since 1983 and was the organization’s president from 1995 to 1997 and again from 2001 to 2005.

Thomas has served on the Hospital Board since 1997 and serves on the Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation Board. In 1999, she was chosen Woman Volunteer of the Year. 

She helped to found Boca Raton’s Promise for Youth and Caring Hearts Auxiliary 10 years ago and was president for four years. 

A recent walk-in-the mall fundraiser she helped organize raised $150,000 for the Louis and Anne Green Memory and Wellness Center at FAU, which offers innovative programs of care to help people with mild and moderate memory loss to maintain their cognitive and social interactive skills. 

Thomas is president of the Wellness Center as well as the Friends of the Conservatory at Lynn University. 

In 2002 she was chosen as a Woman of Distinction by the Boca Raton Soroptimist Organization, in 2003 the Boca Raton Historical Society inducted her into the Walk of Recognition and in 2008 was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award. 

“I have a wonderful circle of friends from my volunteering,” Thomas said. “I appreciate everything, everyday.”                               Ú

By Mary Thurwachter,

In this down economy, where cities are doing everything they can to balance budgets —including Boca Raton’s putting up parking meters in Mizner Park and at the beach — good news continues to come out of South County. 

For starters, there is encouraging news on the real estate front: A 6,900-square-foot penthouse at One Thousand Ocean in Boca Raton sold for $10.4 million. 

That was the highest-priced condo purchase in the county and the first penthouse closing at One Thousand Ocean at the mouth of the Boca Raton Inlet. 

Secondly, the George Snow Scholarship Fund gave out a record $433,000 to 63 Florida students during its annual awards reception at Royal Palm Yacht Club. Besides cash  grants, the Snow Scholarship Fund awarded students a backpack loaded with useful tools, not the least of which is a laptop computer. 

Thirdly, Highland Beach will sparkle with red, white and blue for the Fourth of July for the 20th year in a row, thanks to the hard work and generosity of a local Realtor and her son. Susan Epling started her tradition of flag-planting, she said, to teach her son about patriotism and giving back to the community. 

You can read more about all three of these stories in this month’s Coastal Star. After all, we can all use some uplifting news during these trying times.

And we can all honor the good works and generosity of the people who live here, as we celebrate our freedom to … buy stunning homes, send deserving scholars to college and patriotically adorn the town for the Fourth of July.

— Mary Thurwachter,

Managing Editor

The 42,000-square-foot Boca Raton Library will cost about $8 million to build.
It will be situated two blocks north of the current library. Rendering provided

By Margie Plunkett

Designers of Boca Raton’s new downtown library are going green. 

In fact, they’re seeking silver LEED (Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design) certification for the light-filled and spacious downtown library, whose “Mizneresque” façade was unveiled in June. 

 A silver rating is the third highest rating of four levels in the LEED green building certification system.

Architect PGAL, which is designing the new $8.8 million library, presented the exterior of the building during a public meeting June 21. The plans for the interior were also modified to reflect larger public meeting space and more room for the used-book store made possible by a $250,000 gift from the Friends of the Library. The library is planned for the former Causeway Lumber site, two blocks from the old facility.

The exterior uses elements from the city’s master plan that represent both urban and suburban and also includes towering, asymmetric features and a roof that appears to be sloped. “It has a lot of elements of the pattern book,” said Assistant City Manager Mike Woika, calling the design “Mizneresque.”

The building is a very tall, one-story space that takes advantage of glass and natural lighting, PGAL’s Ian Nestler said. The designer is looking to incorporate sustainable practices including solar-heated water, low-flush toilets, sensors on faucets, high-impact windows and high efficiency lighting and mechanical systems. The building also uses a reclaimed water system for irrigation.

“It’s going to be quite a magnificent space,” Nestler said.

But the new library won’t use solar options for all its energy needs. 

“Our energy is less expensive, it doesn’t pay right now,” Nestler said. “It’s a 17-year-plus payback. We like to recommend those when you have a five-years-or-less payback.”

To install such a system, the city would have to come up with more money now, “which means the library would have to suffer somewhere,” he said.

The exterior includes two book drops, one that allows borrowers to park their car under cover of the entrance and another drive-up location.

Betty Grinnan of the Friends of the Library said that she was happy with how the group’s gift was incorporated into the floor plan. “My only concern is, because of budgetary problems, (the city) will not be forward enough thinking in lighting and windows.”

The designers will look at elements at the old library that they might want to incorporate into the new building. 

One resident at the public meeting asked whether stained glass windows would be moved to the new building. Nestler said the designer would consider them.

 The project is on budget and schedule as well as on track for LEEDs certification, Nestler said.                       Ú

Boca Raton singer Chloe Dolandis joins Ira Sullivan during Sullivan’s
sold-out June 11 concert at the ArtsGarage in Delray Beach’s Pineapple
Grove. Photo by Jerry Lower

By Thom Smith

  Four decades ago, the builders of The Bridge Hotel, just inside Boca Inlet, had ambitious plans that included a casino. Slots, roulette and other games of chance still aren’t legal in hotels, so the present owners have put much of the hotel’s $2 million renovation into entertainment.

In addition to the view, Carmen’s restaurant on the top floor offers a musical supper club for dining and dancing. Wednesdays are set aside for Jazz, Bossa & Blues. For a $10 cover, South Florida’s best singers and musicians perform, while you eat, drink, dance, talk — or listen. Recent acts included the stunning Nicole Henry and Anthony Corrado. 

Latin jazz guitarist Jorge Garcia and Grammy-winning violinist Federico Britos perform July 8, and a week later, it’s two shows for the price of one with sax man Michael Kennedy and pianist-vocalist Hal Roland. 

If anything is harder to find than blues, it’s jazz, but all of a sudden, it’s popped up in Lake Worth, Delray and Boca, in a garage and a hotel skybar. 

Imagine the legendary Ira Sullivan playing in a garage. Well, not actually where the cars park, but in an area with 130 seats  — yes, it’s air-conditioned — in the parking garage by Old School Square. Sullivan’s June 11 show sold out and the sponsoring Creative City Collaborative expects vocalist Dana Paul (July 9), saxmen Ed Calle (July 23) and Turk Mauro (Aug. 13) and Brazilian vocalist Rose Max (Aug. 27) to do the same. Advance tickets are $20, reserved tables for six (with priority up-front seating), $150. 

Boca Raton has installed parking meters at Mizner Park,
but not in the parking garages. Photo by Lauren Loricchio

Notice something new at Mizner Park? The parking meters have arrived. Put in as away to raise city revenues in the middle of a recession, the meters are getting a less-than-enthusiastic welcome.

“Parking meters are an inconvenience, but there’s nothing we can do about it,” said Annie Kim, owner of Love Me.

“It kills business,” said Maria Quezada, who works at Bark Avenue Grooming. “Nobody wants to pay to walk around.” 

Street parking in Mizner Park will cost $1 per hour during the day and $2 an hour between 5 p.m. and midnight. The good news: Parking in the Mizner Park garages is still free. 

One Boca Raton restaurant closes and two more take its place, or so it seems. Taking over the old III Forks spot on East Palmetto Park Road is Philippe Chow — upscale Asian out of New York. 

Chow has made quite a name for himself with his Philippe eateries in New York and Miami Beach. No connection, by the way, to Mr. Chow in New York, except that Philippe worked there for a quarter-century after moving from Hong Kong and they occasionally skirmish over naming rights.

Philippe’s high-profile followers include Oprah Winfrey and Paris Hilton. One of his South Beach investors, former Miami Heat star Alonzo Mourning, also has a stake in the Boca venture.

Another familiar name is that of Philippe Restaurant Group CEO Stratis Morfogen, younger brother of 32 East Executive Chef Nick Morfogen. Some wags already are punning “the Morfogen the better.”

To the Max … Mennan Tekeli made a name for himself years ago as executive chef at Dennis Max’s restaurants. Now he’s back in Boca Raton on Federal Highway, just a few blocks south of Max’s Grille, teaming with Brazilian owner Ferraretto Davila on Ovenella. 

With an ultra-traditional wood-fired oven at the hearth, they incorporate modern design and a modern take on some traditional Italian staples. Entrees range from rigatoni Bolognese tp espresso- and peppercorn-crusted filet mignon, or artisan pizzas heaped with shrimp, scallops and calamari, basil, pesto and tomatoes.

It’s a little flashier, but similar in principle to the fare offered at 2-year-old Pizzeria Oceana in Lantana by another Max protégé, Dak Kerprich. Everything is fresh and, when possible, locally produced. 

Max himself has jumped on the local-produce cart with Max’s Harvest, which opened in early June in Delray Beach. 

Head Football Coach Howard Schnellenberger says construction of Florida Atlantic University’s football stadium is ahead of schedule and under budget. Paying for it just became a little easier, thanks to a gift of  $2 million from Richard and Barbara Schmidt through the Schmidt Family Foundation. They’ll get an acknowledgement on the scoreboard.

The university will kick off its 50th anniversary celebration with a “50 on the 50” fundraising gala in the stadium on Oct. 29. The $250 tickets will go to scholarships.

Although FAU didn’t enroll students until 1964, the Florida Legislature approved it in 1961, so school officials are tying in that year with the stadium’s opening. Alumni are asked to share their experiences at fau.edu/50th.  

Speaking of things Schmidt, the board of the Schmidt Centre for the Arts at Mizner Park, which presents the annual Festival of the Arts BOCA has named Yvonne S. Boice as chair. No stranger to big organizations, Boice has served on the boards of the Palm Beach International Film Festival, the South County YMCA, the county Convention and Visitors Bureau. 

The festival is planned for March 8-17. Boice owns The Shoppes at Village Pointe and Fugazy International Travel.

Steve Weagle’s annual bike ride for the Red Cross is over, but the money’s still coming in. 

“The last figure I heard was $50,000,” the Channel 5 weather anchor said of his 11th annual trek that starts in Sebastian and wraps in Boca. “A last-minute donation of $5,000 put it above 50.”

Weagle modified his tour this year to stop for the first time in Delray Beach at Old School Square and was forced to move his Boca terminus to The Dubliner when ZED451 closed the week before. 

Boosted by favorable winds and temperatures, Weagle and four cycle-mates arrived early enough to refresh with a beer at Bru’s Room before making his 5 o’clock telecast.

A special surprise this year was a visit during Weagle’s stop at CityPlace by American Idol’s Taylor Hicks, a big Red Cross supporter who had helped with tornado relief in Alabama. And after the ride was over, an anonymous bidder put up $1,750 for Weagle’s bike, donated by Stan Kilbas at Wheels of Wellington. 

Thom Smith is a freelance writer. Contact him at ThomSmith@ymail.com.

Jan Norris contributed to this report.