Boca Helping Hands received 548 boxes of cereal that were donated before the FAU game against Florida International. Donors to the Cereal4All campaign got to see the football action for free. ‘We were so pleased that so many people came out from the community to donate cereal — especially with some rain showers leading up to the game,’ said Greg Hazle, executive director of Boca Helping Hands. ABOVE: Twins Jett and Luke Justin, now 16, started Cereal4All in 2016. Photo provided
Nobu’s signature dishes: black cod and miso soup (above), salmon sashimi (below). Photos provided
By Jan Norris
Some big-name chefs are choosing South Florida — and specifically Palm Beach County — to open outposts.
Last month, the news was all about Nobu coming to Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa. Food lovers recognize Nobu Matsuhisa as among the top chefs internationally, with reservations coveted at his restaurants. His signature is combining his native Japanese cuisine, mostly seafood, with Peruvian ingredients.
It was announced this summer that he’d open his 23rd U.S. restaurant at the Manalapan resort. While Nobu Manalapan debuted in mid-October, the public wasn’t invited. It opened only for those staying at Eau Palm Beach.
Halle Wooten, spokeswoman for the resort, said then, “We are thrilled with the public interest. To provide the best guest experience, we are not taking reservations at this time from outside the resort.”
She indicated it would be “soon” that the restaurant would open to all as the hotel phased in the restaurant. “We encourage everyone to continue checking the website,” she said.
The restaurant takes over the spaces at the resort formerly occupied by Boken, a 12-seat sushi bar, and Stir, the lobby bar.
Eau Palm Beach is revamping some parts of the resort since changing hands this summer. Larry Ellison, the billionaire founder of Oracle software, bought it for $277.4 million in August. The property operated as the Ritz Carlton from the late 1970s, when it was built, then rebranded as Eau Palm Beach in 2013.
Ellison’s affinity for Nobu’s restaurants brought the Japanese master to Manalapan. He has placed Nobu outposts in his other resort properties around the world.
Diners can expect favorite dishes from the Michelin-starred chef’s menus, with an emphasis on seafood. Those include the signature black cod cured in miso, and yellowtail with a chile bite.
Eau Palm Beach’s executive chef Matt Raso will oversee the operations at Nobu.
Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa, 100 S. Ocean Blvd., Manalapan. Phone 561-533-6000; eaupalmbeach.com
New steakhouse in Lake Worth Beach
Another celeb chef made his debut in Lake Worth Beach last month.
Todd English, a Boston-based chef known to Palm Beach County diners for the former Emko in West Palm Beach, opened Lula’s by Todd English, an Italian steakhouse.
The restaurant, in the former Callero’s on Lake Avenue, delayed opening for a week because of Hurricane Helene.
“We wanted to blow away the diners,” English joked.
He chose Lake Worth Beach for his newest restaurant because “I feel like it’s making a big turnaround. You’re going to see a lot of changes. That whole area is growing so fast.”
The name Lula is derived from the arts district downtown, between Lucerne and Lake avenues. English is well versed in the county: His mother is a 30-year resident of Jupiter and he previously opened at the Gardens Mall with Figs, a small plates bistro.
The steakhouse is going to be a good fit, he said. “It’s an Italian steakhouse, traditional but with my twist on it. Not your average twists.”
English dubs it “usual foods in unusual ways.”
He said he likes to begin with foods that diners are familiar with, then add untraditional ingredients.
“I love rabbit meatballs in a white sauce. Everybody loves meatballs. It’s that surprise element.”
A surprise element can be a hard sell, however, among certain diners, making this “one of my biggest challenges,” he said.
But after getting to know diners in Palm Beach County, he is confident about their adventurous palates. “It’s a mix of younger and older, well-traveled crowd who are willing to try things. You’re able to cater to that crowd.”
English will adhere to the movement “of organic, fresh and simple,” but add his stamp to the menu along with some forever favorites.
“We’re going to mix it up: My signature, the tortellini with butternut squash that’s been on my menu since day one,” he said. “Carpaccio, of course.”
He said he’s comfortable in Palm Beach County, and loved his West Palm Beach restaurant at Emko, in particular.
“It closed when Jeff Greene bought the building for a school. But I got to see all my old clientele from the Northeast. It was great. Everybody’s just like me, 20 years older, but still young. Young at heart at least.”
English is also known for his cocktail program and desserts.
“We’re working on limoncello tiramisu. Yeah, Key lime, too — the graham crackers and all that,” he said.
He’ll soon bring in a jazz brunch and supper club as well. “It’s going to be really cool.”
Don’t expect to see English all the time in the restaurant, though it’s still his comfort place, he said.
“I’m not a happy person if I’m not cooking. You’ll see me cooking like crazy. I love to cook. In my house, in my restaurants.”
Lula’s by Todd English, 717 Lake Ave., Lake Worth Beach. Phone 561-660-8796. Dinner only at this time.
NY bagel phenomenon
The opening of H&H Bagels in October caused traffic jams and lines around the block in Boca Raton. Fans of the 52-year-old Manhattan bagel shop started a line at 5 a.m. on opening day.
The popular bagels are made from dough that is kettle-boiled in New York (all about New York water), then shipped to Florida to bake off as fresh.
The store is the first H&H to open outside its flagship city, and Boca Raton was chosen because the CEO, Jay Rushin, has a home there.
The bagels’ fame was helped by mentions in shows set in the city, including Seinfeld and Sex and the City. Fans had bagels shipped in.
Favorites are the NY bacon, egg and cheese; and Nova lox. Standard flavors include sesame seed, jalapeño cheddar, blueberry and “everything.”
Several other H&Hs are planned for Florida, including West Palm Beach, by next year.
H&H Bagels, 2200 Glades Road, Boca Raton. Phone 561-465-3752; hhbagels.com
Amar growing
Amar Bistro has morphed into Amar Kitchen and Bar and moved off Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach to 25 SE Sixth Ave. The larger space, 4,500 square feet, will accommodate bigger parties, and a full bar and outdoor covered seating area boost the number of seats overall.
The menu of favorites remains — hot and cold mezze, grilled meats, kebabs, fresh fish and desserts made in-house. To that, owner Nicolas Kurban will add dishes from his native Lebanese cuisine.
In a statement, he said, “We have loved our first home here on the Avenue, but we’ve outgrown the space for Amar.”
He said he’d always planned for a bar, for happy hours, and the new space will allow for it.
A new cocktail program is set, with notable consultant Eric Hemer designing the bar menus. Signature drinks will highlight Mediterranean flavors. Lebanese wines will also be a part of the beverage program.
Kurban will add a Sunday brunch, scheduled to begin before the holidays. Lunch and special events also are planned.
The former bistro space will change as well, and is scheduled to open in 2025 as Gesto, an artisan pizza shop featuring the wood-burning oven used to make Amar’s pita.
Amar Kitchen and Bar, 25 SE Sixth Ave., Delray Beach. amardelray.com
Old Dixie Seafood closed
A longtime favorite market, Old Dixie Seafood in Boca Raton, has closed.
“We’re retiring — because we’re done,” said Jill Schaedtler, a co-owner with Larry Siemsen. “We’re retirement age.”
They were nudged by the city’s move to place their building under eminent domain, as Old Dixie Highway is being widened.
“It’s coming into the property 30 feet, so they own the parking lot and part of the building,” Schaedtler said.
The whole building will be torn down.
“We probably could have stayed open till they tear it down, but we’re ready to retire,” she said.
Loyal customers, some who have been shopping with them for decades, have “called, emailed and left messages when they heard,” she said.
The seafood market opened Sept. 25, 1996 — Siemsen remembered the date. It’s had the same owners all along, with Schaedtler coming aboard in 2000. Kerry Siemsen, another co-owner, retired in 2022.
“We like to travel,” Schaedtler said, and now have the time off for it.
Jan Norris is a food writer who can be reached at nativefla@gmail.com.
In 2023, Cason United Methodist Church hosted its inaugural Thanksgiving dinner. It brought together more than 100 congregants, the underserved in the community and the Seekers ministry to enjoy donated turkeys and food prepared by the Caring Kitchen. Photo provided
By Janis Fontaine
Pastor David Schmidt is happy to report that Cason United Methodist Church in Delray Beach is holding its Thanksgiving turkey dinner giveaway for the first time since before the pandemic.
The dinners, 22 in all, will go to the forgotten members of the community: the shut-ins and the elderly and families who can’t afford the expense of a turkey plus accoutrements.
Each meal kit contains a fully cooked smoked turkey and side dishes including stuffing, mashed potatoes and green beans prepared by the congregation and community volunteers.
They also throw in a few canned goods for after Thanksgiving. Meals can be picked up or delivered in time for the Nov. 28 holiday.
Pastor David says he and his congregation — the church is also home to the Caring Kitchen — believe the church has a dual purpose: “Feed the soul and the stomach.”
Pastor David stands behind the belief that feeding the hungry is the most fundamental of all God’s mandates. But his actions speak even louder: He smokes the turkeys himself. “It will take me three days to smoke 22 turkeys. My wife gave me a smoker as a gift and I’m putting it to good use.”
(You can even request that your turkey come pre-sliced.)
Everything is donated, he says. The only cost to the church is the packing containers.
The church also hosts a communal dinner that is open to the community. “For people who have no family here, but who like to be with people, it helps take care of the loneliness factor,” Pastor David said.
“Everybody loves Thanksgiving. It’s a reflection of love and civility.”
Shona Castillo, director of the Caring Kitchen, agrees. She says some programs that stalled during the pandemic never came back online, so it’s harder for homeless and food insecure people to find food.
The Caring Kitchen, which is part of CROS Ministries, is housed at Cason and is back to serving meals five days a week, “indoors in air-conditioning,” Castillo said.
For three years, most meals were “take-away” or bag lunches that people ate while sitting on the ground, “but I put my foot down,” Castillo said, so now the Caring Kitchen is probably the only place in Delray serving free congregant meals on a regular basis.
“Working together is our secret sauce,” Castillo said. “Anyone can serve food. We serve love.”
Boca Helping Hands Thanksgiving Box Brigade
Some of our neighbors are struggling to put food on the table. Splurging on a turkey — even though turkey is a great value — isn’t affordable. If you’re feeling especially thankful this year, consider filling a box for a family that isn’t doing as well.
The Boca Helping Hands Thanksgiving Box Brigade program provides its clients with a turkey and a box filled with the ingredients needed to prepare a holiday meal. BHH, a nonprofit that provides food, job training, access to health care and financial assistance to individuals and families to improve their quality of life and build financial stability, hopes to give away 3,800 boxes.
Here’s what you could do — and this is a fun project to teach kids about the cost of food:
Fill a box using the shopping list provided at www.bocahelpinghands.org/box and drop it off at the organization's main facility at 1500 NW First Court, Boca Raton, on or before Nov. 18.
Take photos of your shopping trip and packing your box and tag @BocaHelpingHands on social media to share your Thanksgiving Box Brigade photos with the community.
If you don’t have time to shop, you can donate $29.72 to cover the cost of a box.
Contact Suzan@BocaHelpingHands.org with questions or call 561-417-0913.
Janis Fontaine writes about people of faith, their congregations, causes and community events. Contact her at fontaine423@outlook.com.
The Holly House shop at First Presbyterian Church has its grand opening from 10 a.m. to noon Nov. 1-2. These 3-foot-tall animatronic dolls were donated to the sale. Photo
provided
One of Delray Beach’s most anticipated openings each year is the Holly House Holiday Gift Shoppe at First Presbyterian Church of Delray Beach, 33 Gleason St.
Holly House hosts its grand opening from 10 a.m. to noon Nov. 1-2. After that, Holly House will be open from 10 to noon every Tuesday and Thursday until Dec. 19.
This year, in addition to the handcrafted items that bring so many to the shop, Holly House has two interesting donations for sale. The first is three dolls from Macy’s Christmas window displays from around the 1950s. The private donation will be sold for $50 per doll. Another significant donation came from Marsha Bird’s sister, Marie Bassett in western Kentucky, who donated her bear collection. Dozens of bears are on display, each cuter than the next.
This year’s most adorable pieces may be Savina Pagel’s handmade Raggedy Ann dolls. The gifted seamstress also made a cornflower blue cat and kitten piece. The attention to detail and fine handiwork are extraordinary and so nostalgic.
Some of the ladies who come to the weekly craftmaking sessions aren’t members of the church. They come just to craft and enjoy the fellowship of the other women. Angie Jackson of Boynton Beach, who specializes in wreaths and trees, found out about Holly House when it had a mink stole at the annual rummage sale this year. She started coming to learn new craft skills in April and now it’s part of her routine. Some of her pieces have already sold and she says, “It’s a thrill when somebody loves your work.”
Phyllis Addison has always been a crafter but she comes “because I can always learn new things.” Asuncion Sanfuentes, originally from Chile, says it’s the fellowship that brings her back each week. And Bonnie Snyder of Delray Beach doesn’t craft at all but she has written more than 500 Christmas cards to deployed service members. She says, “I sometimes struggle but then you have to put yourself in their shoes and it makes it worth the time.”
Gail Benson is “a third-generation snowbird” from Poultney, Vermont, who has lived in Delray Beach permanently for 18 years. The former catering business owner has been making Christmas trees out of mussel and oyster shells that are just as pretty close up as they are from a distance.
She gets the larger mussel shells from local restaurants but she picked up the smaller ones on New York’s Rockaway Beach. Her source for oyster shells is City Oyster. She makes five sizes and says the most time-consuming (and tedious) part is cleaning the shells.
The pieces are reasonably priced but Holly House earns a good chunk of change. Including the annual rummage sale money, Holly House gave the church about $35,000 last year, and the church used the money to improve the sound system.
This year, Holly House expects to donate a similar amount. Crafters wanted to see the money go to fix the organ, but they were told the organ can’t be fixed until the air conditioning is repaired — something about our humidity? But this well-run endeavor shows no sign of slowing down, so it’s likely repairs to the organ won’t have to wait long.
“We have such a good team now,” Linda Prior said. “I’m grateful.”
Find more info at www.facebook.com/CleverCrafter
St. Paul’s choir to perform All Souls’ Day Requiem
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church’s chancel choir performs the All-Souls’ Day Requiem, under the direction of David Macfarlane, at 3 p.m. Nov. 3 at the church, 188 S. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach.
A Solemn Requiem Mass honors recently departed members with selections from musical requiem settings by Mozart, Duruflé, Rutter, Fauré, Fedak and Lloyd Webber. Free, but a collection is taken.
University gospel choir coming to Boca church
First United Methodist Church hosts a performance by the Bethune-Cookman University Inspirational Gospel Choir at 1 p.m. Nov. 10 at the church at 425 NE Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton. The free concert takes place in the sanctuary.
Arrive early to attend the 10 a.m. service and a potluck in the Gathering Place, or just attend the concert. Sign up for the potluck at www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A4EA5AD22A6FBC34-52069299-bethune#
Kristallnacht Commemorative Program
The Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County presents a Kristallnacht Commemorative Program that features music composed by people lost during the Holocaust. The program takes place at 1 p.m. Nov. 10 in Zinman Hall, 9901 Donna Klein Blvd., Boca Raton. A Q&A follows the program. The cost to attend is $25 for adults and $18 for students, which benefits Holocaust Education Studies and March of the Living.
Kristallnacht is also known as the Night of Broken Glass — a name that comes from the shards of broken windows of Jewish-owned stores, buildings and synagogues that littered the street after SS paramilitary forces and civilians in Germany destroyed nearly 267 synagogues and damaged more than 7,000 Jewish-owned businesses on Nov. 9-10, 1938. Nearly 100 people died.
KCP donors of $180 or more will receive two tickets and are invited to a reception honoring local Holocaust survivors prior to the program at 11:30 a.m. To register for the annual Kristallnacht Commemorative Program, visit jewishboca.org/events/march-of-the-living-kristallnacht-program or call 561-852-6041 or email mol@bocafed.org.
The Book & Author Luncheon returns
The Adolph & Rose Levis Jewish Community Center kicks off its arts and culture season with the 33rd annual Book & Author Luncheon at 9 a.m. Nov. 12 at Boca West Country Club, 20583 Boca West Drive.
Scheduled to speak are authors Lauren Aliza Green, Adelle Waldman, Samantha Greene Woodruff and Elizabeth Silver. Green is the author of The World After Alice, Waldman of Help Wanted, Woodruff of The Trade Off, and Silver wrote The Majority.
Guests will enjoy coffee, pastries, lunch and valet parking. Tickets are $140 at levisjcc.org/culture or at 561-558-2520.
Comedy trio’s show set for B’nai Torah
Funny Old Broads, a threesome with plenty of stories to tell about the absurdities of “middle age,” stops in Boca Raton at 7 p.m. Nov. 17 at B’nai Torah Congregation, 6261 SW 18th St. This all-female musical troupe was created by and features Caryn Bark, a writer, comedienne, humorist, essayist, novelist and playwright. Tickets are $40, which includes dessert. The evening is hosted by the Women’s League of B’nai Torah Congregation. Register at www.wlbtc.org/comedyshow.
Turkey giveaway part of family fun in Delray
SMG and the city of Delray Beach present the third annual ThanksFeeding Family and Fun Day from 1 to 5 p.m. Nov. 23 at Pompey Park, 1101 NW Second St.
Each low-income family (children must be present) gets one “Thanksgiving Dinner kit” including a frozen turkey, starch, vegetable, and cornbread or rolls. The event will also feature a bounce house, snow cones, balloon art, games, a DJ and facepainting for the kids.
Free but reserve your space at www.eventbrite.com.
Thanksgiving services, etc.
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church: An interfaith Thanksgiving service takes place at 7 p.m. Nov. 19 at the church, 188 S. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach.
The theme is “Caring for our neighbor is our common ground” and the service is for everyone. Speaker is Ezra Krieg, chairman of the Delray Beach Initiative to End Homelessness.
A special collection for the Interfaith Committee is planned. A reception follows. 561-276-4541 or stpaulsdelray.org.
Ascension Catholic Church: A Thanksgiving Mass at 9 a.m. Nov. 28 is planned at the church, 7250 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton. 561-997-5486.
St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church: A 10 a.m. eucharist is planned on Thanksgiving Day at St. Joseph’s, 3300 S. Seacrest Blvd., Boynton Beach. 561-732-3060.
Advent Church Boca: Advent hosts a Thanksgiving potluck feast from 11:45 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. Nov. 17 in the school gym, 300 E. Yamato Road, Boca Raton. Call the church to register at 561-395-3632.
B’nai Torah teens give cookies to caregivers
What do you think of when you think of a caregiver? Not someone 8 years old. But there are young people ages 8 to 19 who provide care for a family member near or in the individual’s home.
To recognize them during National Family Caregiver Awareness Month, a group of teens from Boca Raton’s B’nai Torah Congregation baked and distributed cookies to youth caregivers to show their appreciation.
Summer Faerman, director of the TLC Program at B’nai Torah, launched Cookies for Caregivers as a way for community volunteers to give back in a simple way.
To get involved in this or one of the other opportunities in the Tzedakah, Learning and Chesed program, contact Faerman at 561-392-8566 or visit www.btcboca.org/community/tlc-program.
Clothing needed for homeless people
The Delray Beach Initiative to End Homelessness needs new or gently used clothing items for people who are homeless in our community, especially men’s jeans sizes 30-36. Drop them off at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church parking lot, 404 SW Third St., Delray Beach, from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays or Fridays. www.db0h.org
— Janis Fontaine
By Jan Engoren
It’s one of those things you take for granted, until you lose it.
Eating and swallowing are second nature for most people, but if you’ve had a stroke or suffer from Parkinson’s disease or some other medical conditions, swallowing may have to be relearned.
Swallowing disorders, known as dysphagia, are not uncommon and can happen when the swallow reflex is absent, delayed or weakened.
This can result in excess saliva, drooling, coughing or choking during eating, or more serious conditions such as pneumonia. Some people will have difficulty speaking or will speak hoarsely.
“Take swallowing difficulties seriously,” says Shari Napier, a speech pathologist at Baptist Health City in Boynton Beach. “If food or liquid get into your lungs, infection or pneumonia can follow.”
She says that the same muscles used for talking are used for swallowing. “If you’re having problems with either, see a doctor and ask to see a speech pathologist. This is what we do.”
Swallowing occurs in three stages, starting in the mouth.
After it’s chewed (oral phase), food moves into the throat (pharyngeal phase), where the airway gets closed off to keep food and liquid out. When this doesn’t occur, one may cough or choke.
The third stage is the esophageal phase, where the esophagus opens and closes, sending food to the stomach. Many people suffer acid reflux, or indigestion, when stomach acid backs up into the esophagus.
While exact numbers are unknown, the National Foundation of Swallowing Disorders estimates that 22% of the population over 50 years of age may suffer from a swallowing disorder.
Victor Connor, 70, of Wellington, a financial adviser at Connor Wealth Management in Boynton Beach, is one of them, and he sought treatment from Napier.
He lost the ability to swallow and speak after he was diagnosed with Stage 4 throat cancer in 2015. He also had a spot of cancer removed from his lung.
A lifelong equestrian and an announcer at polo matches, Connor underwent 10 weeks of radiation and 10 weeks of chemotherapy and took another year to regain his strength.
On a feeding tube, Connor knew he had to regain his swallowing abilities to regain his quality of life. Although he says he no longer rides horses, he earned a pilot’s license and bought an RV to tour Florida with his wife.
Connor says he felt lucky to find Napier.
“Shari is a miracle worker,” Connor says. “She helped me regain my life.
“It doesn’t help to stick your head in the sand,” he says. “Find someone who knows what they’re doing and can help you.”
After administering a swallow test on Connor, Napier was able to diagnose his issues (one vocal cord was paralyzed) and created a treatment plan for him.
Among other techniques, Napier taught Connor to eat and swallow more mindfully, to blow into a straw to strengthen his vocal cords, to use a nebulizer to add moisture to his throat and to take smaller bites of food, swallow hard and swallow again.
He spends a few minutes each day on a balance board to strengthen his core muscles.
Connor had scar tissue in his throat from the radiation treatments and found help from Anita Parrondo, a physical therapist with Baptist Health South Florida. She loosened up the scar tissue with therapeutic massage.
Back at work, with two new grandchildren, a good prognosis and hope for the future, Connor says having a positive outlook helped him through his ordeal.
“Attitude is everything,” he says.
Pathologist at work
In the field for 32 years and a voice specialist, Napier has conducted more than 16,000 video swallow tests, where X-rays are used to pinpoint which area is affected and what can be done to ameliorate the condition through diet, exercise or behavior modification.
“We need eyes on the anatomy,” says Napier, who sang with Women of Note, a Sweet Adeline a cappella group, for 15 years. “We need to know what’s working and what’s not working before we can recommend a treatment plan.”
In addition to X-rays, she uses a fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing, in which a diagnostic instrument goes into the nose to assess the swallow function.
Napier says once the problems are diagnosed, she helps clients strengthen the muscles and nerves involved in swallowing. She offers tips on how to help yourself. Those include keeping a food diary to see what triggers the condition.
For reflux, she recommends not eating two to three hours before bedtime and raising the head of the bed 4 to 6 inches.
“Have your ice cream after lunch, not after dinner,” she says.
Swallow twice with solid food and use a little liquid to help wash it down.
If you cough while eating, she recommends avoiding small crumbs and eating solids and liquids separately. For example, for chicken noodle soup, eat the chicken separately from the broth and remember to chew your food well.
Napier says therapies can be extremely successful but depend on the extent of the damage, such as from a stroke, or, if you have Parkinson’s disease, what stage you are in.
Most everyone, she says, can benefit from even one treatment. Exceptions may include patients with multiple sclerosis or ALS.
Napier has worked with singers from American Idol, America’s Got Talent and The Voice on their singing voices. “A lot can be done to help people with dysphagia. Don’t sit with difficulties swallowing or losing your voice,” she says.
“The more people know what speech language pathologists do and what we can do to help, the more we can assist them in leading a better quality of life.”
Jan Engoren writes about health and healthy living. Send column ideas to jengoren@hotmail.com.
Mental health experts with Delray Medical Center and Fair Oaks Pavilion, a 66-bed adult psychiatric unit on the medical center’s campus, are working to improve awareness about suicide prevention.
“Understanding the issues regarding suicide and mental health is an important step in helping ourselves, helping others, and positively reframing the conversation around mental health,” said Jeffrey Lefton, administrative director of Fair Oaks.
Suicide was the 11th-leading cause of death in the United States in 2022: More than 49,000 Americans died by suicide, with 1.6 million suicide attempts that same year.
While there is no one set of signs that people might be considering hurting themselves, Lefton said that at-risk individuals often display certain characteristics.
Risk factors can include a current or past mental health diagnosis, alcohol and/or substance use disorders, feelings of hopelessness, history of trauma or abuse, and life stress such as divorce, bullying or financial crisis. Additionally, exposure to another person’s suicide, access to lethal means and lack of social support can be factors, he explained.
“It is important to pay attention to what people say, how they act, and how they feel. A person considering suicide might talk about killing themselves, being a burden to others, or feeling hopeless,” Lefton said.
“Their behaviors might also signal a risk, especially if it is related to a painful event or loss. Warning signs can include isolation from family and friends, giving away prized possessions, new or increased aggression, and fatigue.”
Those who are considering suicide should not be ashamed to seek help. “Whether you, or someone you know, might have mental health concerns or suicidal ideations, be open and don’t be afraid to speak to someone,” Lefton said. “We all have mental health just as we have physical health, and help is available.”
Phone numbers to get help include 211 in Palm Beach County and 988 for the national Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
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Marcus Neuroscience Institute, part of Baptist Health South Florida at Boca Raton Regional Hospital, participates in the “Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience Model,” an initiative designed to assist in the management of dementia care. The program aims to significantly improve the quality of life for individuals living with dementia and easing the burden on their caregivers. The GUIDE Model focuses on care coordination, support for caregivers, and community integration to help individuals with the disease to remain in their homes for as long as possible.
For more information, call 561-955-4600 or visit https://baptisthealth.net/locations/institutes/brain-and-spine/marcus-neuroscience-institute-boca-raton.
***
Dr. Dennys Reyes, interventional neurologist, and Paola Ramirez, clinical research coordinator, are taking part in the Picasso Trial for stroke victims at Delray Medical Center. Photo provided
Brought about by interventional neurologists Drs. Nils Mueller-Kronast and Dennys Reyes, Delray Medical Center has enrolled a patient in the Picasso Trial, which is in its third phase.
The trial’s goal is to improve management for patients with tandem occlusions, which can occur when a stroke in the brain is accompanied by a narrowing or blockage in the neck artery, limiting blood flow to critical areas.
The findings from the Picasso Trial may affect how stroke patients with tandem occlusions are treated, providing clearer guidance for physicians and better outcomes for patients.
The Picasso Trial compares two distinct treatment approaches: stenting the artery to keep it open or performing angioplasty.
Send health news to Christine Davis at cdavis9797@gmail.com.
At the end of the ribbon-cutting event, a group of pre-K students, including Aiden Reinhardt, got to ring a kid-height bell in the parking lot of the Gulf Stream School’s new Delray Beach campus. The K-8 campus in Gulf Stream has a similar bell.
By Faran Fagen
One by one, 3-year-olds grasped the rope, tugged, and smiled at the resounding ding of the bell to commemorate progress at the new Gulf Stream School campus in Delray Beach.
On Oct. 7, the bell — small like the pre-K students the campus serves — echoed throughout the Gulf Stream community during a ribbon- cutting ceremony to formally celebrate the opening of the new campus.
“Celebrating that tradition on both campuses is a wonderful and memorable way to connect them,” said Head of School Gray Smith, who delivered the keynote speech at the commemoration.
More than 100 parents, faculty, trustees and members of the parents auxiliary attended the event.
Gulf Stream Head of School Gray Smith addresses the crowd at the dedication of the Delray Beach campus.
Also in the photo are (front row, l-r) Robert Meyer, Jacob Fields, London Wizard and longtime teacher Christina Wheat. Behind them are admissions associate Mary Aperavich and managing director Jessica DeHaven. Photos by Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star
One of Smith’s favorite memories and traditions at the original Gulf Stream campus is when the school’s eighth-graders, or “seniors,” ring the “old railroad bell” at the beginning and the end of the school year. Since the new campus came with a similar bell, the 3-year-olds — the new campus’s “seniors” — rang their bell at the ribbon-cutting.
One of the teachers at the event was Christina Wheat, pre-primary division coordinator, Gulf Stream Class of 1990.
“Gulf Stream School has always been part of my life,” said Wheat, who has taught pre-K, kindergarten, Grade 1 and Grade 3 in more than 20 years on staff. “As a student, teacher and parent, this is a special place. The people. The students, parents and faculty are truly amazing. “
Due to the increase in school enrollment, the need for the second campus, at 2515 N. Swinton Ave. in Delray Beach, was great.
As far as school traditions carrying over to the new campus, one of Wheat’s favorite weeks at Gulf Stream School is Spirit Week, which ends with a family picnic. Spirit Week starts with students dressing down in their blue and white, followed by a Western day, neon day and pajama day.
For Smith, in his sixth year at Gulf Stream, his favorite memories include field trips to the Everglades and the Grand Canyon, the annual family picnic, and eighth-grade speeches.
From the head of school’s perspective, he’s grateful to lead a school whose board’s vision is advancing its programs.
“Over 87 years, our board has stewarded GSS to a position of great strength, one capable of acquiring a new campus as part of a long-term strategy to make the GSS experience available to a wider number of children and families,” Smith said.
One of the Delray Beach campus’s chief goals is to create significant improvements to the overall educational program and even to daily operations on the main campus. For example, where the school used to mix 3-year-olds and 4-year-olds, now there’s programs tailored to the developmental needs of children at each age level.
“Having only 4-year-olds in our arrival and dismissal lines on the main campus helps the process move quickly, as they are capable of getting out of and into vehicles much more efficiently than 3-year-olds,” Smith said. “Plus, we run a school bus to and from the DBC that transports close to 30 students from the Lake Ida area; this reduces the number of vehicles on town of Gulf Stream roads and on and off our campus.”
The new campus boasts a remodeled classroom building and upgraded grounds, all reflective of the high standards on the main campus.
In keeping with the Gulf Stream School 2024 theme, “More We, Less Me,” which focuses on camaraderie and teamwork, the middle school children will shuttle to the Delray Beach campus each month to create a memorable keepsake item with the younger students.
“As a parent/teacher I have been able to share and witness this,” Wheat said. “Some of my children’s fondest memories in pre-K were of the 21 big kids coming to read to them or play with them on the playground. This small outreach is one of the aspects that instills in our older and younger students how we work at Gulf Stream to be a family school.”
By Steve Waters
After a cold front sweeps across South Florida in November, savvy anglers know that it’s time to fish for mutton snapper.
That’s when the tasty snappers gather on reefs in shallow water to take advantage of the reduced water clarity caused by the front’s blustery winds. The limited visibility allows the sharp-eyed muttons to aggressively feed on ballyhoo, a baitfish that is plentiful this time of year.
The northwest winds that accompany a cold front create waves that stir up sediment from the bottom, which turns the water milky. That makes the ballyhoo much easier for the muttons to catch.
The first step in catching mutton snapper is to catch ballyhoo to use as bait. The easiest way to locate the baitfish is to drive your boat along the beaches from Boca Inlet to Boynton Inlet and look for ballyhoo jumping out of the water.
When you see “showering” ballyhoo, anchor the boat near a patch reef in 20 feet of water or tie up to a mooring ball on a reef and put a block of frozen menhaden chum in a fine-mesh chum bag.
The chum attracts ballyhoo to the back of your boat. You can catch the baitfish with a spinning rod spooled with 8-pound monofilament line. Tie on a tiny No. 20 gold hook and bait it with an even tinier piece of frozen shrimp, then float it back to the ballyhoo, which pick the offering off the surface. Use a de-hooker to drop the ballyhoo into a livewell so you don’t have to touch them.
With a few dozen baits, you can then look for coral reefs in 10 to 30 feet of water anywhere off Palm Beach County and anchor nearby. Put the same ground menhaden chum that you used for the ballyhoo in a chum bag with larger mesh, and cast out two ballyhoo, one on each side of the boat.
The baits can be hooked on half- or three-quarter-ounce jigs. Chartreuse and pink-and-white are effective colors. Break off the ballyhoo’s bill with an upward snap and run the jig hook through both of the bait’s lips and through the front of its skull to keep the hook in place.
Fish the ballyhoo on 7-foot, 20-pound spinning rods spooled with 20-pound monofilament line and four feet of 30-pound fluorocarbon leader. (The dirty water and light mono allow the use of shorter leaders compared with anglers who use 30-foot leaders for wary muttons.)
Unless you are patient, it’s best to leave the outfits in the rod-holders. Anglers who constantly reel in line, whether a little or a lot at a time, rarely get mutton bites.
Patience also is essential for letting the chum attract the snapper, as long as there is some current. The longer you can sit on a patch reef and wait to get a quality fish or two, the better.
If you can stay about two hours at one patch reef and let the chum get established and have the muttons settle in and come running from all the other nearby patch reefs, you’ll usually catch more fish. If you don’t have current, stick around for 30-40 minutes and if you’re not getting bites, move on to the next patch reef.
While you wait for the muttons to show up, you can fish with some lighter spinning rods baited with strips of ballyhoo and drift back the strips in the chum slick for yellowtail snapper. You can also drop fresh dead shrimp on the bottom to catch porgies, hogfish, grouper and yellowtails.
Outdoors writer Steve Waters can be reached at steve33324@aol.com.
Deborah Hazard-Charnin runs Green Dog Rescue, which finds foster homes for rescue animals. Photo provided
By Arden Moore
Throughout Palm Beach County, countless people share a common mission: to care for cats and dogs in their personal homes until they can be adopted. They call themselves foster pet parents.
They certainly don’t do it for the money. They receive no pay. They volunteer their time and their homes. They do it because, well, they care. They care about homeless animals who need and deserve to land in permanent homes and become viable members of a family unit.
November is the month focused on giving thanks. That’s why I decided to devote this pet column to three people from three nonprofit foster groups. Let’s start by shining a light of gratitude on Vickie Virzi. She is the founder of Blessed Paws Animal Rescue in Lake Worth Beach.
Step into her 3,000-square-foot house and you will be surprised to discover that the living room has no sofas or recliners. You won’t find a dining room table and chairs, either. Instead, floor space is filled with kennels of all sizes to accommodate the dozen-plus dogs she is fostering.
“I am here for these dogs,” says Vickie. “I will foster dogs in need until my legs give out. Our goal is to take sick, neglected, abused and abandoned dogs and get them healthy, socialized and happy.”
Vickie defines a foster parent’s fate as “we don’t get the one dog we want. We get the one dog no one wants, and we call them our heart dogs. For me that was a black pit bull named Chomper who I had for 14 years.”
Deborah Hazard-Charnin runs the Green Dog Rescue based in Boynton Beach. She and her all-volunteer team have continually honed their foster skills and outreach. Recently, her group responded to a dog hoarding case in Oconee County, South Carolina, involving nearly 100 small dogs.
“We were able to arrange for transport for about nine of these dogs,” says Deborah. “We also took in 17 dogs from a hoarding situation in Parkland, recently. These dogs had never been outside. We shaved them, arranged for medical care and I am happy to report that all are doing great in foster homes.”
Deborah wants to make sure adoptions work for the person and the dog, so her group requires potential adopters to complete a three-page application, be willing to have her group contact the person’s veterinarian and landlord, plus provide three references of people who are not relatives.
“During meet-and-greets, I stay usually for an hour or so and am looking for that connection between the dog and the family members,” she says.
Linda Wassner is a lifelong animal advocate and now heads the RU4Me Pet Rescue group based in Boynton Beach. Her nonprofit helps cats and dogs, but Linda fosters kittens and cats. Some fosters are available every weekend at the PetSmart store located at 335 N. Congress Ave.
“We appreciate this PetSmart partnership as we do not have a physical building — all our available animals are in foster homes,” says Linda.
In her home, Linda has four personal cats and is currently fostering 12 felines, including three litters of kittens under 4 months old.
“I am fortunate to have space in my home to isolate the fosters,” she says. “We must wait to vaccinate the kittens until they are at least 6 weeks old. So, as you can guess, my home is never boring. I love to watch these foster kittens grow and then go into good homes. I am happy to say goodbye because I know that means I can then rescue more.”
All three women point out that there are many ways you can support foster groups beyond having cats or dogs in your home. You can help organizations with their social media promotions, agree to take these animals on walks or to veterinary appointments, and help with accepting donations of money and pet products.
“I am thankful for all the people who care,” says Linda. “We have kids in school getting community service hours for fostering as well as seniors in their 70s and 80s who foster. For me, fostering gives me a purpose.”
Looking to volunteer?
If you wish to volunteer your time to be a foster pet parent, provide needed pet supplies or make a monetary donation, here are details about the three nonprofits highlighted in this column:
• Blessed Paws Animal Rescue: Founded in 2017 by Vickie Virzi, this nonprofit is based in Lake Worth Beach. Learn more at www.blessedpawsanimalrescue.com or email blessedpawsanimalrescue@gmail.com.
• Green Dog Rescue: This foster home-based nonprofit was founded 17 years ago and is based in Boynton Beach. Serving as president is Deborah Hazard-Charnin. Learn more at www.greendogrescuefl.org or email adopt@greendogrescuefl.org.
• RU4Me Pet Rescue: This all-volunteer nonprofit pet rescue/foster group is based in Boynton Beach. Heading this group is Linda Wassner of Boynton Beach. Learn more at www.ru4mepetrescue.org or email ru4mepetrescue@yahoo.com.
Arden Moore is an author, speaker and master certified pet first aid instructor. Learn more by visiting www.ardenmoore.com.
The crisp white kitchen with state-of-the-art wood-look porcelain tiles features a large island and dining area, flows into the great room.
With coastal elegance and contemporary finishes, this 3,012-square-foot townhome offers an open floor plan ideal for casual entertaining inside and out, with a screened patio overlooking the courtyard. The gated community’s amenities are abundant: an oceanfront pool, a fully equipped gym with water views, an expansive clubhouse, and a boat dockage is available across street.
The primary suite features a walk-in closet along with the bath’s dual sinks, a separate shower and a separate soaking tub.
There are two more guest suites and a bath upstairs in the residence, as well as a half bath downstairs.
The home has impact resistant/hurricane windows and doors. Features inside include an entry foyer, a ground floor living area, volume ceilings, varied flooring treatments including carpet, tile and wood, and an inside laundry room. The kitchen’s state-of-the-art appliances are organized in an easy galley design.
The kitchen is comfortably situated next to the great room living area, whose walls present a chic shiplap wall designed for TV and storage.
The home has a one-car garage and one designated parking space. All furnishings are negotiable.
An oceanfront pool overlooks the white sand beach.
Offered at $2,400,000. Contact Valerie Coz, 561-386-8011, Douglas Elliman, 900 E. Atlantic Ave., #1, Delray Beach, FL 33483. val.coz@elliman.com
By Mary Hladky
Plans to build a performing arts complex on city-owned land in Mizner Park hit a roadblock on Sept. 23 when Boca Raton City Council members unanimously delayed a key vote for one month so that city staff can hire a consultant to evaluate the project’s feasibility.
Under a 2022 agreement between the city and The Center for Arts and Innovation, the city must approve revised project plans by Oct. 21. If that deadline is missed, the agreement would be terminated unless the city and TCAI agree to an extension.
Council members balked at approving the new plans after city staffers spelled out concerns they have about some of the changes. But staff members said those issues could be worked out over the next two years before the next deadline — this one for final project approval — and recommended that the council allow the project to go forward.
Those changes, made after TCAI selected the renowned architectural firm Renzo Piano Building Workshop last year to design the project, include demolishing the amphitheater and incorporating its function into a main venue, replacing a planned parking garage with underground parking and installing a new type of canopy over a central piazza.
Issues raised by staff included whether the Boca Raton Museum of Art would be adversely affected if the main venue faces west, as now proposed, whether ground conditions allow for the garage to be built underground, and if TCAI should be allowed to build a canopy over an outdoor piazza that provides shade but does not protect from the rain.
Council members had similar concerns and questioned whether they should vote before knowing whether TCAI is meeting its fundraising goals. That report is due this month.
Marc Wigder, who was not elected to office when the council approved the 2022 deal, disagreed with the staff recommendation and proposed hiring a consultant.
City Manager George Brown pushed back, saying city staff had recommended hiring a consultant when the project was first proposed, but the council rejected that.
Deputy Mayor Yvette Drucker also objected, saying the council had nixed the idea because of the high cost.
“I do not want to hold up the process to hire a consultant,” she said. “Staff is comfortable with what has been presented.”
Mayor Scott Singer and Council members Andy Thomson and Fran Nachlas were willing to support Wigder’s proposal even though it was doubtful that a consultant could be hired and provide an analysis in a month.
Brown said that was “unlikely.” Thomson agreed but said a consultant could provide the city with future guidance.
Although the decision stands the chance of imperiling the project, it appeared that both the city and TCAI officials had anticipated some turmoil before the meeting.
Staff presented its report nearly one month before the Oct. 21 deadline, leaving some time for concerns to be addressed. The early report gives both sides time to resolve any issues, TCAI Chair and CEO Andrea Virgin said after the meeting, adding she expected no problems doing so.
“I hear your concerns,” the center’s attorney, Ele Zachariades, told the council. “We are not necessarily opposed to postponement for one month.”
The Renzo Piano design retains the original concepts, which include building flexible performance spaces with no fixed walls so that the various parts of the facility can be used for any imaginable function. Indoor events can be projected onto outside walls so that patrons need not always buy tickets to see a performance.
TCAI officials say maximum audience sizes in the various venues remain the same.
Nonetheless, there are notable changes.
Chief among them is that the amphitheater will be demolished and the types of events now held there can be accommodated in a new main venue, they say.
Instead of facing south as the original plans showed, the main venue now will face west toward the art museum. Fronting it will be a large piazza.
For amphitheater-type events, the theater walls can be opened up so that patrons can use the covered theater space as well as the piazza.
Originally, TCAI officials said they would build a retractable covering over the piazza that would shield the sun and protect from the rain. But the new type of covering now proposed, called tendidos, would not provide rain protection.
Virgin says the change was made because a hard cover canopy is expensive and would not be needed in most cases because if it rains, the theater area is available.
Eliminating a building saves land area and is a more efficient use of space because the amphitheater and main venue rarely would be used at the same time, she said.
The team has opted for underground parking instead of a parking garage to free up space and to improve the project’s appearance.
It also has calculated that the original size of some of the buildings was too large and made trims that reduce the project’s footprint by 33% without reducing audience capacity, Virgin said.
The changes allow the team space to create a linear park along the perimeter of the buildings and to plant 150 trees.
The formerly proposed jewel box theater is now known as the flex cube with seating for 200, and an education and innovation building includes flexible working, startup incubator, co-working and educational spaces.
The Belvedere, a small building that can have as many as 100 seats, will jut up into the sky and offer 360-degree views of the city. A restaurant and lounge are part of the project.
The roofs would have hybrid photovoltaic solar collectors to produce all the electricity and hot water the complex needs.
One segment of the 1.3-mile project would reduce the number of traffic lanes from three to two, allowing for more space for bikes and for a wider sidewalk and landscaping.
Rendering provided
Barriers to protect cyclists may not be possible, but compromise is
By Mary Hladky
The Florida Department of Transportation plans to add bicycle lanes to a 1.3-mile section of Federal Highway in Boca Raton from Camino Real to Northeast Mizner Boulevard, but at least two City Council members aren’t satisfied.
At issue is that the FDOT is proposing buffered bike lanes, with bike and vehicle lanes separated by a 2-foot striped buffer.
The city’s bike advocates have long sought protective barriers instead of buffers to better safeguard cyclists, and Deputy Mayor Yvette Drucker and Council member Fran Nachlas told FDOT officials at a Sept. 9 meeting that they too want barriers.
“A bike lane is not a bike lane if it is not protected. We have been trying to move to that,” Drucker said. “Let’s do it right the first time.”
FDOT officials said they also prefer protected bike lanes. But the relatively narrow width of that section of Federal Highway downtown leaves too little room to build them without substantially increasing the project’s size and cost.
Some sort of middle ground may be found, said Nathan George, the city’s transportation, mobility and connectivity director.
He said city staffers are looking at options such as thick tubular markers and flexible posts often seen in protected bike lanes.
There’s time to find a solution. The FDOT will hold a meeting where the public can weigh in during the first quarter of next year. The road’s new design is scheduled for completion in December 2025, with construction beginning in the winter of 2026.
As it stands now, the state has proposed dividing the project area into three sections.
Between Camino Real and Southeast Mizner Boulevard, three vehicle travel lanes in each direction would be reduced to two to make way for 5-foot bike lanes on both sides of the highway, a wider sidewalk and a landscaped area between the street and sidewalk. Concrete pavers would be placed at intersections.
The section between Southeast Mizner Boulevard and Northeast Second Street would maintain two vehicle lanes in both directions, but the center median would be narrowed and the width of one lane in each direction would be reduced by 1 foot to add 4-foot bike lanes.
The section between Northeast Second Street and Northeast Mizner Boulevard also would maintain two vehicle lanes in both directions with no reduction in width. But the center median would be narrowed to allow for 4-foot bike lanes.
This volunteer effort to clean up the marine environment has taken place annually for 39 years and is supported in more than 100 countries.
ABOVE: Members of the Florida Atlantic University track team pick up trash at Spanish River Park as part of a local ICC effort managed by Gumbo Limbo Nature Center.
BELOW: 4Ocean handed out free bracelets to volunteers and presented this display of what 1 pound of plastic looks like when isolated. It normally charges $24 and up for a bracelet and other environment-related fashion. Each sale helps remove 5 pounds of trash from oceans, rivers and coastlines. Photos by Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star
By Mary Hladky
Boca Raton’s tax rate remained almost unchanged for the fiscal year that began on Oct. 1, marking the 10th year in a row that the rate has remained virtually the same.
The tax rate unanimously approved by the City Council on Sept. 23 was $3.67 per $1,000 of taxable property value.
The owner of a home with a taxable value of $450,000 will pay $1,655 for the city’s portion of the property taxes.
The $155 fire assessment fee for residential properties also is unchanged from last year.
The city has long boasted about its low tax rate, which falls below that of many other Florida cities. For comparison, Delray Beach’s rate is $5.94 per $1,000 of taxable property value, Boynton Beach’s is $7.80 per $1,000 and West Palm Beach’s is $8.19 per $1,000.
The rate is made possible because, at $37.6 billion, Boca Raton has the highest taxable property value of any city in Palm Beach County — more than the total for Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, Highland Beach, Gulf Stream, Ocean Ridge and Lantana combined.
Despite the city’s tax rate, property owners will see higher tax bills because property values increased by 8.5% this year.
Yet most homeowners are shielded from the brunt of higher taxes because state law caps the annual taxable value increase for homesteaded properties at 3%. Non-homesteaded properties are capped at 10%.
The city would have had to lower its millage rate by 6.9% to $3.42 per $1,000 of taxable value to bring in the same amount of tax revenue as the previous year, except for the taxes on new construction.
Council members also approved a total citywide budget of $785.3 million, up from last year’s $663 million. The general fund portion of the budget, which is supported by property taxes and pays for most day-to-day activities, is $245 million, up by nearly $22 million.
The majority of that, or about $14 million, will go to higher salary, benefits and pension costs. Ten new full-time positions will be added, including a police officer, park ranger, environmental officer, grant specialist and construction project manager.
Elsewhere in the budget, money is set aside for an additional 10 positions, mainly for information technology and water and sewer operations.
By Rich Pollack
With the town’s 75th anniversary coming soon, Highland Beach residents and community leaders are putting together plans for a celebration that will kick off in December with a geared-up Mingle & Jingle event and span several months into the new year.
It was in December 1949, back when Harry Truman was in the White House and the baby boom was in full swing, that a handful of residents got together to incorporate the small beachfront community with a lengthy history that included a Native American community and Japanese-American colonies.
As it celebrates the major milestone in its evolution, the town will be remembering the past but also looking forward.
“The 75th anniversary is an opportunity to pay homage to the past, the present and the future,” said Jason Chudnofsky, president of the Highland Beach Police and Fire Foundation, a volunteer organization that will be producing anniversary events. “We’ll be paying respect to the people who made this community what it is today, and we’ll give credit to the people in place who are taking it to the next level.”
Throughout it all, Chudnofsky said, the celebration will focus on community and on bringing residents together in recognition of all that makes Highland Beach “3½ miles of paradise.”
“Togetherness is one of our themes,” he said.
That will be evident during the Mingle & Jingle, an annual event that will be bigger than ever before.
Set for 5 to 8 p.m. Dec. 5, the event will be held in the St. Lucy Catholic Church parking lot. It will feature food and entertainment, a community vendor fair, and an opportunity for residents to meet one-on-one with town leaders and with members of the town’s new fire department, as well as with some of the town’s Police Department team.
The event will have music, free food from food trucks, a laser show, a caricature artist and a balloon artist, as well as hat and shirt giveaways courtesy of the foundation.
With about 1,500 people expected, the town will be increasing transportation, providing more trollies to bring residents to and from the event. The celebration will also highlight the confluence this year of the first night of Hanukkah on Christmas Day.
Chudnofsky said that giving back is also a key theme of this year’s event. With that in mind, there will be a toy drive in which residents can drop off toys at the fire station.
As part of a months-long 75th anniversary celebration, the Highland Beach Library will be offering an exhibit centered on the town’s history, with displays of old photos and newspaper clips.
The library is still looking for Highland Beach memorabilia to include in the exhibit, which will be up during December.
Library Director Lois Albertson said the library team is looking to include interactive opportunities from which residents can learn more about the town history. It is also looking at hosting concerts and a lecture series celebrating that history.
Highland Beach commissioners last month gave final approval to a $28 million budget for fiscal year 2025 that includes leaving the town’s tax rate the same as in the previous tax year.
The overall budget, which includes a general fund budget and separate building fund, as well as water and sewer fund budgets, shows a reduction of about $5 million, down from $33 million in the previous tax year’s budget.
The reduction comes, in large part, because the town no longer must account for construction and startup costs associated with its new Fire Rescue Department, which became operational in May.
The town will maintain a total tax rate of $3.58 per $1,000 of taxable value, including operating and debt service funds, which is the same rate as in the previous two years. The new fiscal year started Oct. 1.
“We are keeping our low tax structure and still getting capital projects done while replenishing reserves,” Town Manager Marshall Labadie said.
— Rich Pollack
The Roots and Wings ribbon-cutting party at the new headquarters in Boca Raton included (l-r, in back) Doug Mithun, Karyn Keil, Ted Hoskinson, Ashley Bacon and Mark Burns, with Aidalyn Magsayo (holding scissors) and Marcia Mithun. Photo provided
By Amy Woods
Roots and Wings, a nonprofit focused on promoting grade-level reading skills as well as excellence in teaching, has named two new board members and hired two new staff members.
Joining the board are Sid Breman, whose expertise is in financial management, and Marcia Mithun, whose expertise is in community leadership. Joining the staff are Karyn Keil and Sherry Zepatos. Keil’s title is director of operations, and Zepatos’ title is volunteer coordinator.
In other news, Roots and Wings, in partnership with the Greater Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce, had a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the organization’s new headquarters on Congress Avenue in Boca Raton. The event featured light refreshments, special giveaways and remarks from Roots and Wings founder Ted Hoskinson.
“I want to sincerely thank all those who helped celebrate our ribbon-cutting and new headquarters, especially the Greater Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce,” Hoskinson said. “We are excited to have this new space to aid in our continued growth across South Florida and expansion into additional classrooms this upcoming school year.”
Hoskinson, a 15-year elementary-school teacher whose charitable group sprouted in 2016, notably has been recognized by the Carl Angus DeSantis Foundation. He received a Catalyst Award along with a check for $40,000.
“Carl was a man of action,” said Jeff Perlman, the foundation’s grants administrator. “To honor that spirit, which led to so much good in the world, we wanted to create an award that recognizes the catalysts in our midst.”
For more information, call 561-404-0455 or visit rootsandwingsinc.org.
Coastal Stewards names 3 new members to boardThe Coastal Stewards, a conservation organization dedicated to studying and protecting marine life and the ecosystem, recently welcomed three fresh faces to its board of trustees: Alan Blumberg, Darren Phillips and Ata Sarajedini.
Blumberg has more than four decades of experience in oceanography while Phillips is a veteran of the yachting industry. Sarajedini is a physics professor at Florida Atlantic University.
“We are thrilled and honored to have such experienced and knowledgeable individuals join our board of trustees,” said John Holloway, president and CEO of The Coastal Stewards. “Their individual commitment to marine conservation and education aligns perfectly with our mission, and we are confident with them on board, our organization will continue to grow and thrive into the future.”
For more information, call 561-310-9921 or visit thecoastalstewards.org.
Entering its 13th year, the Witches of Delray ride has turned into a powerful fundraising event for the Achievement Centers. Photo provided
By Amy Woods
The 13th annual charity bicycle ride organized by the Witches of Delray promises to cast a record-breaking spell upon its beneficiary.
With the event on track to welcome 300 hat-wearing, broom-wielding Wiccans on Oct. 26, it could conjure up $40,000 for the Achievement Centers for Children & Families.
“The funds raised make a huge impact here,” Achievement Centers CEO Stephanie Seibel said. “It allows us to run the programs, pay our teachers, turn the lights on and more.”
ACCF, which serves under-resourced children and families in Delray Beach and the surrounding communities, has received proceeds of more than $183,000 from the ride since 2012.
“I’ve been on the ride with the witches since its inception,” Seibel said. “There were just a handful of us in those early years. People really have been following this event for a long time, and it’s turned into more than just a race.”
A few new components have been added this year to celebrate the much-anticipated unlucky anniversary, including the “Not Your Basic Witch” hat-decorating event that took place Oct. 1. Also, two post-ride brunches have been reserved, at Deck 84 and Tin Roof. Those are in addition to Oct. 9’s Trivia Night and Oct. 18’s Witches Brew — both at Tim Finnegans Irish Pub.
“It has grown to such a huge party,” Andie DeVoe, co-founder of the ride, said of the Witches Brew. “We sell that out every year. Our witches can really dress up for the brew and then have something sporty for their bike.”
The 1½-mile route down Atlantic Avenue will take off at City Hall and fly by the Delray Beach Green Market, the Cornell Art Museum and the Colony Hotel, ending at Old School Square for the presentation of awards.
Awards such as Best Costume, Best Witch Cackle, Best Decorated Broom (Bike) and Best Group Theme will be bestowed as well as the Golden Broom award honoring a longtime local philanthropist.
“It just became this magic event that it is now,” DeVoe said. “To see what we’re doing go back into this community is really part of the magic for all of us.”
The 2024 dance-off concluded triumphantly, marking a record-breaking success for the George Snow Scholarship Fund by bringing in $1.3 million. The dazzling ‘Viva Las Vegas’-themed event supports the fund’s mission of providing scholarships and support services to local students with financial need. The fundraising champions were Matt Williams and Zoe Lanham, the latter of whom set a record at $390,000. ‘I want to thank everyone involved in Boca’s Ballroom Battle,’ scholarship fund President Tim Snow said. ‘The funds raised through this spectacular event are a reflection of the compassion and altruism in our community.’
ABOVE: (l-r) John Clidas, Williams, Gina Harrow, Jacqueline Moroco Maloney, Lanham, Al Goldberg, Alex Price, Sarah Doyle, Sayra Vazquez, Loreta Kriksciukaityte, Jan Clancy and James Brann. Photo provided
The club elected new officers for the term beginning last month and continuing through May 2026. Now in its 86th year as a civic organization, the club is a diverse group of both amateur and skilled gardeners, whose purposes include cultivating and sharing knowledge of gardening and floral arts, and working with others to beautify the community while protecting the environment. Projects include maintaining the bird-friendly habitat at Boynton Hills Neighborhood Garden, Seacrest Boulevard and Northwest Sixth Street, and the Butterfly Garden at the Schoolhouse Children’s Museum, 129 E. Ocean Ave. INSET: (l-r) Sonja Zalutko, corresponding secretary; Bonnie Paton, gardens director; Ingrid Moore, treasurer; Tricia Humphrey, recording secretary; Linda Anderson, president; Pat Inturrisi, second vice president; Lori Wolff, fundraising director; and Toni Cvetko, civic/community projects director. Not pictured: Maria Freed, first vice president. Photo provided
