Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County CEO Kristin Calder (top left) is joined by board members and directors (l-r, front) Nicole Rocco, Ken Spillias, Sharon Hill, Dr. Regine Bataille, Matthew Criscuolo, Debra Ghostine, Bernadette O’Grady, Grace Halabi, (back) Telsula Morgan, Carol Rose, Valrie Martin Buchanan, Lindsay Reinhart, Debbie DeHoog, Janel Williams, Kelly Starling, Maggie Dickenson, Andrew Loewenstein, Caleb Bowser, Laurie Gildan, Alma Horne and Pierre Deltor. Photo provided

At its annual meeting, the Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County announced its 2024-25 officers.
They are: Dr. Regine Bataille, president; Grace Halabi and Sharon Hill, vice presidents; Aurora Arthay, secretary; Caleb Bowser, treasurer; Chris Duke and Laurie Gildan, members-at-large; Matthew Criscuolo, immediate past president; and Debra Ghostine, Len Gray and Bernadette O’Grady, parliamentarians.
Working together as an executive committee, they will support the Literacy Coalition’s adult and family programs, children’s programs and the AmeriCorps program, all aimed at helping clients achieve literacy.
Call 561-279-9103 or visit literacypbc.org.

Trio added to board of Community Foundation
Marti LaTour, Kevin Powers and Kenneth West II began their three-year terms July 1 serving the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties.
The agency facilitates partnerships with donors, organizations and the public with the goal of solving chronic problems and addressing emerging issues.
“We are pleased to welcome three fantastic additions to our board of directors,” Chairman Jeffrey Stoops said. “Marti, Kevin and Ken are wonderful advocates for their respective communities, and each uniquely brings a wealth of experiences in business and philanthropy that will strengthen our work at the Community Foundation now and into the future.”
Call 561-659-6800 or visit yourcommunityfoundation.org

New development director joins ACCF in Delray Beach
Gina Griffin has been named to the key fundraising position of director of development at Achievement Centers for Children & Families in Delray Beach.
Griffin, who has 25-plus years of experience in the charitable community, is a graduate of Leadership Palm Beach County and a member of Executive Women of the Palm Beaches.
“I'm ecstatic to be joining the team at Achievement Centers for Children & Families because of its mission, my early interactions with the organization through the Junior League and the team members I have already gotten a chance to meet,” she said.
Stephanie Seibel, the organization’s CEO, added, “With Gina’s wealth of experience in the nonprofit world, I know she will contribute significantly to the continued success and growth of the organization.”
Call 561-266-0003 or visit achievementcentersfl.org

Truist Foundation awards $55,000 to YMCA
The YMCA of South Palm Beach County received a generous grant that will help more than 950 teens involved in programs and services.
The funds totaling $55,000 came courtesy of the Truist Foundation and are to be shared between the Peter Blum Family YMCA in Boca Raton and the DeVos-Blum Family YMCA in Boynton Beach.
“Investing in our teens is one of the most impactful commitments we can make,” said Bryan Hunt, executive director of the Peter Blum Family YMCA. “At the YMCA, we see firsthand how these programs empower young people to grow into confident, capable leaders.
“By providing a supportive environment and opportunities for personal development, we help teens build the skills and resilience they need to succeed and contribute positively to their communities.”
Call 561-395-9622 or visit ymcaspbc.org

Children’s museum to benefit from bash
The wild, wild West will come alive at the Back to School Country Bash to benefit the Schoolhouse Children’s Museum, a Boynton Beach nonprofit whose programs and exhibits enable children and families to explore, play and learn.
The fundraiser, a signature event for the museum, will saunter into town Sept. 20 at Benvenuto. Proceeds will be used to update the museum’s farm exhibit. Tickets cost $150.
“Curiosity flourishes most in young minds, and wonder is the spark that ignites a lifelong love of learning,” said Miriam Naranjo, museum assistant director. “Our Family Farms exhibit is designed to spark that curiosity by allowing children to explore and experience what life was like for Florida’s early pioneers — through play, imagination, and hands-on learning.”
Call 561-742-6787 or visit schoolhousemuseum.org

‘Toasts, Tastes & Trolleys’ tour returns to Boca Raton
The Boca Raton Historical Society/Schmidt Boca Raton History Museum has announced the return of a much-anticipated event Sept. 27 at The Boca Raton.
The end-of-summer celebration — Toasts, Tastes & Trolleys began in 2012 — offers an immersion into the city’s rich history and vibrant lifestyle. Participants embark on trolleys at the resort and travel to intriguing destinations to enjoy light bites, interesting trivia and special toasts. Tickets cost $150.
“Each stop provides a blend of historical insights and delightful sips, creating a memorable evening for all attendees,” according to a news release. “The evening will conclude at The Boca Raton where guests may enjoy nightcaps at a cash bar.”
Call 561-395-6766 or visit www.bocahistory.org/toasts-tastes-trolleys

Have a ‘ball’ celebrating Boca Raton centennial
Dubbed as the don’t-miss event of the season, the ninth annual Mayors Ball benefiting the Rotary Club Downtown Boca Raton is set for Nov. 16 at Boca West Country Club. The gala will recognize the city’s 100th anniversary in 2025.
Tickets go on sale this month for an affair that attracts hundreds of attendees, including elected officials, dignitaries and corporate leaders.
“Proceeds from last year’s gala helped 17 nonprofits through our Service Above Self grants,” said Jeff Weber, chairman of the club’s fund. “Thousands of lives were touched, and we anticipate an even greater impact from the generous giving of those attending this year’s black-tie event.”
Call 561-289-0436 or visit rotarydowntownbocaraton.org

Send news and notes to Amy Woods at flamywoods@bellsouth.net.

Suzanne Perrotto, owner of Rose’s Daughter in Delray Beach, recommends buying a propane grill or stove for use when the power is out, and stocking up on water and non-perishable foods. Photo provided by Libbyvision

By Jan Norris

Floridians know what this month brings — more storm watches. It’s peak hurricane season, and time to get serious about preparations — if you haven’t already.

While a major storm may not hit, it’s possible that even a blow-by can take out power long enough to cause trouble. But with advance warning, there’s time to prepare.

Local chefs have planned and readied for several storms and emergencies and have tips for people who may be new at this.

First and foremost, use the tracking notices for storms to create a timeline, says Jimmy Everett of Boynton Beach’s Driftwood. Focus on perishables, and shop judiciously.

“Plan on using all your perishables and buying only what you can use for a short time ahead of the storm. The biggest threat is the power goes out afterward,” he said. Expect to be without refrigeration and a freezer.

“My wife is from Puerto Rico,” Everett said. “They get storms all the time that knock out the power. If there’s a storm on the way, you’ll see everybody baking cakes or breads and using up all the perishables. You’ll have baked goods for days.”

If you have capacity to preserve some of the fresh foods by canning or pickling, that’s ideal.

“We keep a few pickle juices on hand,” Everett said. “Just boil them and pour them over the foods.”

Sliced root vegetables such as carrots, as well as cucumbers or cabbage, green beans, okra — all can be pickled, and will last outside refrigeration when done properly. (Use a pickling guide such as the Ball Blue Book for safety.)

Freeze water, or buy ice ahead of time, and fill the freezer to capacity to keep food cold during an outage. “Don’t open it just to check on temperature,” Everett said.

Equipment that should be on everyone’s list is a propane or charcoal grill, or small propane stove that runs on canisters, the same ones sold for camping, said Suzanne Perrotto, owner of Rose’s Daughter and Brulee in Delray Beach.

“Those are wonderful to have anywhere,” she said. “You can cook eggs, soups, stews; if you have a propane grill, you can even bake bread in it by covering it up.”

She also has a “ton” of wood for her outdoor pizza oven.

Water is essential. “I have a lot of bottled water and buckets to catch water if I need to. I remind all our staff to make sure they have plenty of water on hand this time of year. And have food in reserve, too.”

Perrotto sells sourdough starter at The Pantry, an offshoot of Rose’s Daughter. “You can have bread every day if you keep a starter. No refrigerator needed.”

Store-bought tortillas can sub out for bread and they will last for weeks, she said.

Having a store of dry foods to eat or reconstitute with boiling water will go far toward preparing full meals. “Quinoa, rice, and those ramen noodles in a pinch,” Perrotto said.

Adding herbs, spices and flavorings such as bouillon powder or dry soup base will make basic canned foods palatable.

“I have Patriot meals,” she said. These military-style rations last for a year and are found in various forms online or in some sports stores. “I have a 100-hour candle, too.
“I use fresh herbs from my garden, but you can use dried herbs — thyme, basil, rosemary, parsley — to boost flavors,” Perrotto said.
“I do use a lot of Asian spices at home, such as curry powder. Coconut milk, dried mushrooms, a variety of peppers — these can all add flavor. Garlic lasts for a long time.
“Vinegar and oils, you’ll need those, too,” she said.

These help digestion and boost nutrition.

Canned soups, meats, black beans, chickpeas, canned tomatoes and other vegetables can be made into cold salads, soups or stews and provide protein.

Perrotto keeps green juices in reserve, to get nutrition in a glass and move beyond bottled water. She also has “lots of instant coffee and coffee creamer on hand. I can’t live without my coffee.”

When buying canned goods, smaller is better, she says. “Once they’re opened, you’ll need to avoid leftovers or have refrigeration available.”

Proteins may be hardest to obtain, Perrotto said, but “guess you can always eat an iguana. I’m just kidding. But we really have to do something about them.”

More hurricane prep tips
Prepare for a power outage — the most common threat, even after a minor storm — as well as flooding.
To stock:
• Manual can opener
• Matches or grill lighters
• Propane stove and canisters, or tanks for grill
• Ice chests filled with drinks to avoid opening refrigerator
• Foil pans for cooking on grill
• Lantern and batteries for cooking area
• Contractor-strength trash bags — use as small tarp, containers for dry foods, or covering counters stacked with appliances
• Disposable plates and utensils
• Shelf stable dairy products: milk, pudding, cheese
• Shelf stable bacon, cured meats, canned proteins
• Juices and coconut water
• Canned foods — buy small cans so no leftovers

To do:
• Pack up cherished recipes or cookbooks to store with important papers.
• Fill all spaces in the freezer to keep it cold longer.
• Bag up any meltable foods such as ice cream or popsicles.
• Freeze large bottles (gallon and half-gallon) of drinking water and store in top of freezer.
• Use up perishables in a stew, but package in small containers to avoid waste.
• Buy farmer’s eggs, which don’t need immediate refrigeration.

— Jan Norris

Gary Rack’s Farmhouse Kitchen is one of the eateries participating in Downtown Delray Beach Restaurant Month. Its deals include half off prices on the dinner menu and half off drink prices from 3 to 7 p.m. daily in September. Photo provided

Restaurant month in Delray and throughout county
September marks the ninth annual Downtown Delray Beach Restaurant Month. More than 40 restaurants are participating in the discount program that offers special menus or deals through Sept. 30.

In an effort to draw in new diners to their eateries, participants offer special drink pricing at happy hour, a prix fixe dinner or a special event.

Those offering prix fixe menus include Bounce Delray, 50 Ocean, Amar Mediterranean, J&J Seafood Bar and Grill, Costa by OK&M, The Office Delray, The Grove and others.

Cafe deals are served at Jonny’s Deli in Tony’s Market, Kilwin’s Windy City Pizza, The Pantry and Fit Food Express.

Special dinners and events are scheduled at Akira Back and Ramen Lab Eatery. A food tour is on the list, provided by Craft Food Tours.

Restaurants are added to the list with updates daily. For a list of all participating restaurants, prices and menus, go to downtowndelraybeach.com/restaurantmonth.

Flavor South Florida also returns in September and covers more territory. Restaurants in the discount program range from Port St. Lucie to Boca Raton.

Special prix fixe meals are offered for both lunch and dinner at more than 60 restaurants.

This year, staycation deals at local resorts cover both lodging and dining at a discount.

A wide variety of cuisines fall into the program such as Italian and French, as well as sushi bars, steakhouses and plant-based foods.

In Boca, look for menus from the Pavilion Grille, Sushi by Bou, Il Mulino and the Loch Bar.

Boynton Beach’s Driftwood and A’lu Mexican Cuisine are participating. In Delray Beach, Dada and The Wine Room are, too.

Polpo in Manalapan, and Cafe Boulud, Echo, Florie’s, Henry’s Palm Beach, La Goulue and others are offering prix fixe menus.

For a look at menus and an updated list of participating restaurants, visit flavorpb.com/restaurants.

With both programs, it’s a good idea to make reservations.

Jan Norris is a food writer who can be reached at nativefla@gmail.com.

Levoyd ’Catman’ Mitchell, of Delray Beach, holds one of the community felines that he feeds and cares for. Photo provided

By Arden Moore

This column is dedicated to people who help people who help cats. In particular, the spotlight shines on what people have done to transform the living situation for a Delray Beach man named Levoyd Mitchell.

But most people know him as simply Catman.

For years, Catman has gathered bags and cans of donated food to feed about 200 community cats in Delray Beach every day. He pedals to specific feeding spots morning and night. And the felines are waiting for him.

He is quiet-spoken. He prefers talking about cats more than himself. His focus is on helping cats who have been abandoned or born without homes.

“I have always loved animals, and I started feeding these community cats for a number of reasons,” he told me in a recent phone conversation. “Pedaling my bike with bags of food is good exercise and good for my health. And I love when the cats see me, come out and let me pet them.”

He is also a man filled with gratitude. With the help of many, led by Delray Beach Vice Mayor Juli Casale and Jill Merjeski, founder of Jill’s Next Door pet services in Highland Beach, Mitchell is now living in a furnished one-bedroom apartment and pedals a donated e-bike to feed the felines.

“I want to thank all who have donated food for the cats and to those who helped me find a place to live,” he says. “Thank God for them. They saved me because I would be homeless otherwise. I had nowhere to go.”

Organizers were able to fulfill the Amazon wish list 100% for his apartment furnishings.

Merjeski says, “This is a real miracle story. Catman has been fixing and feeding Delray’s community cats on his own accord for years. He is helping control our cat population while caring for legal homeless cats. He has a huge heart.

“This project reflects our community’s compassion and support by transforming his new space into a loving home,” she adds. “I’m honored to belong to a community that truly makes a positive impact on one another.”

Casale met Catman about five years ago, when efforts were underway to start a trap-neuter-vaccinate-return cat program in Delray Beach.

“This kind gentleman has been feeding our community cats every day,” she says. “He is hardworking and quiet. These cats rely on him.”

Casale’s home for the past two decades has always included rescued pets. Currently they are former street cats called Patrick and Peter.

Patrick was found on the streets with no fur due to mange and now sports a fluffy black-and-white long-haired coat. Peter followed Casale to her car for five days in a row. He had no microchip identification, and she estimates he was about 10 when she adopted him.

Catman knows that there are some people who don’t like free-roaming cats.

“Sometimes, people call the police on me because I am feeding cats in an alley, but fortunately, the police know me and what I am doing,” he says. “These community cats take care of lizards and snakes in yards.”

Casale agrees, adding, “With TNVR, these cats serve a service to the community. Community cats are not going away, and we should treat them with care.”

Quotes from Catman fans
Here are just some of the raves on his Facebook page: “The good guy comes out on top for a change. Way to go, Catman.” — Lori Meyers DiBacco
“I am so incredibly grateful to the village that came together to help a man who does so much for our beautiful cats!” — Susan Gilbert
“I’m so happy to see Levoyd in a safe and comfortable home of his own. Well-deserved.” — Sharon Casella
“It’s nice when good things happen to good people.” — Frank Malickson
“Thank you for doing what you do for the cats of Delray.” — Laila Petruzziello

How to help
Ship cat food donations to Levoyd Mitchell, 36 SW 12th Ave., Delray Beach, FL 33444.
See updates on Catman’s crusade at: https://www.facebook.com/lloyd.mitchell.1460.

Arden Moore is an author, speaker and master certified pet first aid instructor. Learn more at www.ardenmoore.com.

Lang Realty and Lang Management associates teamed up in July to do volunteer work at Tri-County Animal Rescue. The volunteers installed sod donated by M.B. Gardening Services LLC to restore the turf for the shelter’s dog runs. They also spent time with new rescues and donated dog supplies. ABOVE (l-r): Noreen Payne, Amy Snook, Talisa Roberts, Jill Levitt and Belkis Tenner. Photo provided

At 104, Marjorie Beall attributes her longevity to a healthy diet, plenty of exercise, and a love of hot tea and murder mysteries. Photo provided

By Jan Engoren

Marjorie Beall, who turned 104 on Aug. 10, is an ideal illustration of aging well and could be the poster child for September’s National Healthy Aging month.
Beall, who has lived in Palm Beach County for 102 years, lived on her own in recent years until she moved into MorseLife Health System, a residential service for seniors in West Palm Beach, last year.

According to the NIH National Institute on Aging and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, healthy aging encompasses a balanced diet and exercise, learning new things, getting seven to nine hours of sleep each night, not smoking, volunteering, staying connected, minimizing stress, perhaps getting a dog and walking it — and signing up for a free virtual memory screening at https://alzfdn.org.

Coming to the “land of sunshine and oranges,” Beall arrived at age 2 with her parents —Thomas and Edith Robinson — and older brother, Colin, by way of Australia, New Zealand and England. They sailed from England to Havana, Cuba, and then boarded Henry Flagler’s ferry to Key West and then his overseas railroad to Palm Beach.

Looking for opportunity beyond the boom-and-bust Florida of the 1920s, the family traveled in an open touring car to Long Beach, California, and Seattle, then returned to Australia and England by ship.

Hearing once more of a land “more fertile than the Nile,” the family returned to Florida, and in 1926 survived the hurricane, even though their wood frame house in Northwood Village was destroyed.

“My father hollered ‘make for the beds!’ while my mother sang ‘Nearer My God to Thee’ as our roof was coming off,” Beall recalls.

The centenarian treasures a yellowed photograph of her at age 2 with Colin, then 6. The two are floating on a rickety handmade boat in a town known as Geerworth, near Belle Glade.

Beall can remember simpler times with no air conditioning, when people swam in the ocean to stay cool and listened to WIOD in Miami — the only local radio station back then.

She grew up on Palm Beach island, where her parents were caretakers in the Frazier mansion, home to socialite and “Poor Little Rich Girl” Brenda Frazier.
Beall, who has three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, graduated from Palm Beach High School in 1938 and landed a job as a typist for $18 a week at a Worth Avenue real estate office.

In 1942 she married James Warner Beall, a U.S. Army Air Corps electronics officer who helped set up the Army Air Base in Boca Raton near the Bath & Tennis Club. The base housed military employees and worked with a top-secret technology known as radar.

Beall herself earned a top-secret military clearance from the U.S. government and was able to work as a secretary for $30 a week at the Boca Raton Club, which was used by the military for housing and classrooms from 1942 to 1944.

After the war, Beall and her husband built a home on a lake in the southern part of West Palm Beach, where she remained until last year. He died in 1979.

During the Korean conflict, with her security clearance still active, Beall went to the Philippines and worked for the government typing secret military communications.
“I’ve been very thankful for all of my life,” she says.

Her only son, James “Jim” Colin Beall, 81, a retired pediatric dentist in South Carolina, says, “My mom was always active and always worked. She became an avid walker and would walk with her companion, Mike Fischer, her former high school sweetheart.”

Involved in Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in West Palm Beach, Beall “loved cruises, reading and swimming and never smoked or drank,” according to her son.
“I credit this for her good health,” he adds, noting that Beall’s own mother lived until the age of 88.

Beall agrees, attributing her longevity to swimming, eating lots of fruits and vegetables, hot tea and a love of murder mysteries.

Her caretaker of three years, Magda Jean Noel, 43, is amazed by Beall’s resilience and positive outlook. 

“I’m so blessed to work with Marjorie,” she says. “It’s an honor.

“She always tells me to eat tomatoes and vegetables and to buy only what I can afford,” she says. “She’s so humble and loves people. You can see and feel it.
“Marjorie has a real heart,” Noel says.

These days, Beall reads and watches TV in her room and joins the other residents for meals in the dining hall. 
“I’m very thankful I’m still here,” Beall says by phone from her room at MorseLife.

Due to Hurricane Debby’s hitting South Carolina in August, her son wasn’t able to attend her 104th birthday party, thrown by the staff.

Does Beall have any birthday wishes? “To keep going a little longer,” she says. “I’ve almost reached the end of the road.”

She recalls traveling the world with her family and husband (“hundreds of thousands of miles”).

“He promised that if I followed him, he would bring me back to Florida for my golden years,” she says. “Palm Beach County has always been where my heart is.
“I’m truly blessed.”

Jan Engoren writes about health and healthy living. Send ideas to jengoren@hotmail.com.

Wazir Muhammad, a principal investigator and professor at Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, received a $701,000 grant from Precess Medical Derivatives. He’ll use the money to personalize radiation therapy for cancer treatment.

Muhammad is leading a three-year project using artificial intelligence. His treatment creates a “digital twin” of each cancer patient to better understand the condition. The digital twin uses observational data to represent a patient’s current state of health and predict future transitions.

Delray Medical Center’s Carolyn Kern, an ortho/spine/oncology patient navigator, has been recognized as a Palm Beach Health Network 2023 Tenet Hero winner.
Tenet Heroes are the health network’s employees who go beyond their everyday duties.

Kern began her career at the hospital in 1996 as a physical therapist and quickly rose to clinical coordinator for orthopedic and spine services. She created educational materials and a video for patients who were considering joint replacement or spine surgery.

Recently, she became the oncology and lung navigator. Her mantra is, “What can I do to help?”

Additionally, Palm Beach Health Network announced a new hire and a promotion. Orthopedic spine surgeon Michael Stark, DO, has joined the network’s Physician Group and will be on staff at its Delray and West Boca medical centers.

Stark recently served as the orthopedic surgery chief resident at Jefferson Health New Jersey, in Stratford.

He earned his doctor of osteopathic medicine degree from Nova Southeastern University, where he was the recipient of a Howard Dunbar Scholarship, presented to the top five students for academic excellence.

He completed his fellowship in spine surgery at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, New York. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the American Osteopathic Academy of Orthopaedics.

His office is at 9970 N. Central Park Blvd., Suite 400-A, Boca Raton, and his phone number is 561-430-4610. 

Derek Collins was recently promoted to Palm Beach Health Network’s chief strategy officer. Previously he was senior director of business planning at Tenet Healthcare’s corporate office. Prior to joining Tenet, he worked at McKinsey & Company and DaVita Kidney Care.

Delray Medical Center received the American Heart Association’s “Get With The Guidelines Stroke Gold Plus” quality achievement award. In addition to following treatment guidelines, Get With The Guidelines participants educate patients to help them manage their health and recovery at home. 

Delray Medical Center also received the American Heart Association’s Target: Stroke Elite Plus award.

To qualify, hospitals must meet criteria that reduce the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with thrombolytic therapy.  

In addition, Delray Medical received the American Heart Association’s Target: Stroke Honor Roll Advanced Therapy award by meeting specific criteria that reduce the time between an eligible patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment to remove the clot causing the stroke.

Delray Medical Center also received the American Heart Association’s Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll award for ensuring that patients with Type 2 diabetes receive the most up-to-date care when hospitalized due to stroke. Delray Medical Center also met guidelines as a Comprehensive Stroke Center, offering a system for rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients admitted to the emergency department.

Delray Medical Center recently treated a patient with the new Nectero Endovascular Aneurysm Stabilization Treatment System.  
The procedure was performed by Dr. Joseph Ricotta, chairman of the vascular surgery program at the hospital, as well as national medical director of vascular surgery and endovascular surgery for Tenet Healthcare. The procedure, a potential treatment for small to mid-sized infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms, can be conducted under local anesthesia, takes under an hour to complete, and leaves no implant behind.  

Delray Medical Center also opened its new kosher hospitality room, designed to support Jewish families visiting loved ones at the hospital by offering access to kosher food and a peaceful space for reflection.

Send health news to Christine Davis at cdavis9797@gmail.com.

The Chabad hopes its new home at 490 E. Palmetto Park Road will be ready in a year. Google maps

By Mary Hladky

After years of searching, Boca Beach Chabad finally has found a new home.

The Chabad in August closed on the purchase of a 30,000-square-foot office building located at 490 E. Palmetto Park Road, immediately west of Silver Palm Park.

That will allow the Chabad to move from its very cramped quarters at 120 NE First Ave., across the street from Sanborn Square.

“We are very excited,” said Rabbi Ruvi New. “Depending on how you calculate it, we really have been looking for a permanent site for close to 20 years. It definitely has been a long road and we definitely have taken the scenic path.
“It is very clear that God had a plan for us in mind and was testing our patience through earlier attempts that we made to lead us to this place at this time.”

New described the new location as “absolutely ideal and perfect,” as it is highly visible and accessible with plenty of parking spaces and near the Intracoastal Waterway.

The building “almost looks like it was meant to be a Jewish center,” he said. “It doesn’t look like an office building.”

The Chabad previously wanted to build a synagogue and Israel museum at 770 E. Palmetto Park Road on the barrier island. But nearby residents objected, saying the project was too large and tall for the location and would overburden streets with traffic. They also challenged a city zoning change that would have allowed synagogue construction.

The result was years of litigation that ended when the Chabad decided to abandon those plans after a promised donation of land was withdrawn.

The lawsuits spurred charges of antisemitism, which the Riviera Beach Civic Association strenuously denied at the time.

The association’s president, Katie Barr MacDougall, said Boca Beachside residents have no reservations about the new location.

“No one on the barrier island has any objection to the desired location west of the bridge,” MacDougall said in an email. “We wish them well.”

About a year ago, congregants heard that they might be able to lease the office building, New said.

That spurred a conversation about buying the property and the owner put it up for auction. The Chabad’s bid of $13 million was accepted in November.

To finance the purchase, the Chabad launched a capital campaign that raised $9 million in three months. A bank loan made up the difference.

“We are very grateful for the outpouring of support from the community,” New said.

Fundraising is continuing so that money is available to pay off the loan and renovate the three-story building. Renovation plans have been submitted to the city for approval.
Rabbi New plans to lease out the third floor and a portion of the ground floor. That will leave 15,000 square feet for the Chabad and synagogue.

If all goes as he hopes, New wants the renovations to be completed by next September in time for High Holy Days.

The religious center will be known as Boca Beach Jewish Center — Chabad.

While the Chabad won’t occupy the entire building, that could change. The number of congregants is growing, with more than 1,000 providing financial support or being engaged in some other way. New anticipates the new space will attract even more.

The growth started before the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas on Israel, but that brutal assault has spurred even more.

“Oct. 7 definitely impacted the Jewish world in many ways,” New said. “There is a greater sense of connectivity to one another and the connection to Israel and the need for us to come together to be unified and strong, to be present and to be proud in the face of all this antisemitism.”

Boca Beach Jewish Center — Chabad “is very much needed,” on the east side of the city, New said. “It will be a hub for Jewish life for every demographic.” P

Hunger Action Month in September offers chances to stay active and slow down hunger in Palm Beach County. It is a nationwide initiative created by Feeding America to raise awareness. Feeding South Florida reports that in South Florida, more than 1.2 million people are food-insecure, with one in nine individuals uncertain where and when they’ll eat their next meal.

Hunger Action Month features myriad activities to encourage South Floridians to stand against hunger, including: 
• Participate in an online auction through Sept. 30.
• Make a cash donation that will be matched by Delta Airlines up to $25,000. 
• Start a food drive collecting non-perishables from your neighbors and friends.
• Volunteer to sort food at one of Feeding South Florida’s warehouses, or help prepare and cook meals for children and seniors at the organization’s Community Kitchen in Boynton Beach. 
• Wear “Go Orange” swag on Sept. 13, Hunger Action Day, and your “Hunger Heroes” T-shirt ($25 at www.feedingsouthflorida.org/ham2024).
• Join the Outrun Hunger 5K Palm Beach County, which takes place at 7:30 a.m. Sept. 21 at Okeeheelee Park, 7715 Forest Hill Blvd., West Palm Beach. Walk or run with a team, with your family, friends or coworkers, or just go it alone to raise awareness and funds. Money raised provides meals for families facing hunger in our community. Registration opens at 6:30 a.m. An awards ceremony takes place at 8:30 a.m. Registration is $25, or $40 with a T-shirt.

For more information on any of these programs or events, visit feedingsouthflorida.org.

Cros Ministries 5K run
Cros Ministries Hustle to End Hunger 5K takes place at 7:30 a.m. Oct. 5 at John Prince Park in Lake Worth Beach. The run/walk also has a virtual option. All of the proceeds support CROS Ministries’ hunger programs. www.crosministries.org/events.

Congregation helps needy
Boca Raton Community Church takes the words of Jesus to heart: “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me. ... Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”

On the fourth Saturday of every month, the church works from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Boca Helping Hands Food Center. The volunteers prepare and distribute between 300 and 350 meals to those in need and clean up afterward.

New volunteers are always welcome. The next event is Sept. 28 at Boca Helping Hands, 1500 NW First Court. Volunteers are asked to park in the lot across the street from the center. Closed-toe shoes with rubber soles are required for safety. Call 561-395-2400 or visit www.bocacommunity.org/detail/?groupID=266.

St. Gregory’s and Haiti
St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church hosts a special dinner and presentation, Journey with Bondeau, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Sept. 28 at the church in Harris Hall, 100 NE Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton. The event is in conjunction with the South Florida Haiti Project. Reservations required at 561-395-8285 or email office@st-gregorys.com

Birthline volunteers sought
Potential Birthline/Lifeline volunteers are invited to an “Interested Volunteer Orientation” from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sept. 9 and 16 at 212 E. Boynton Beach Blvd., Boynton Beach. Register by calling 561-732-0570 or emailing Karen O’Neill at koneill@ccdpb.org.

Help to get out the vote
The Environmental Voter Project needs help identifying non-voting environmentalists so it can send postcards encouraging them to vote. This postcard campaign is sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Boca Raton after the morning services on Sept. 15 and 22 in the Parker Room at 2601 St. Andrews Blvd., Boca Raton. Snacks will be provided. Call 561-482-2001.

Adult Bible discussion
Lori J. Durante will lead a a four-week Bible discussion about Dr. Rosa J. Young’s remarkable history as a pioneer and the Black mother of Lutheranism.

Discussions will be held 9:45-10:45 a.m. on Saturdays in October at Cason Cottage at the Delray Beach Historical Society, 3 NE First St. Parking is available in the rear.

Bring your Bible. To prepare, watch the Dr. Rosa Young feature film produced by Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod at https://vimeo.com/157626572 or go to lcms.org/thefirstrosa.

The program is free, but registration is required. Email Durante at ljdurante@aol.com.

Leadership conference
CityLead Conference 2024 takes place from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 12 at Boca Raton Community Church, 470 NW Fourth Ave., Boca Raton. Participate in multiple leadership sessions and engage in meaningful conversations. Enjoy light refreshments, snacks, coffee and an optional lunch as Pastor Bill Mitchell shares his story of faith. Registration is $35 at www.citylead.com/boca.

Interfaith meeting
The Interfaith Committee for Social Services meets 9-11 a.m. Sept. 12 in the Guild Room at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 188 S. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach.
The Interfaith Committee helps homeless people and provides social services and referrals for clients who need direction. New volunteers and donors are welcome. For more information, visit www.interfaithcommittee.com.

’Jesus Tour’ comes to Boca
PenFlorida Assemblies of God Youth Ministries is bringing the “Jesus Tour South East” to the Church of All Nations, Boca Raton, 1300 NW Fourth Ave., from 7 to 10 p.m. Sept. 21.

This free tour is a catalyst for both local and global youth missions and is designed to rally students and leaders to attend the regional youth conference Nov. 8-9 in Daytona Beach. The target audience for the tour and the conference is sixth grade and up. Everyone is welcome, from large groups to individuals. Tickets start at $80 for the Daytona Beach conference. youth.penflorida.org

St. Gregory’s on beach
St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church will host a sunrise beach eucharist and beach cleanup at 6:30 a.m. Sept. 22 at South Beach Park at State Road A1A and Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton. www.stgregorysepiscopal.org

Send religion news to Janis Fontaine at fontaine423@outlook.com

By Janis Fontaine

On a hot Wednesday in August, more than 200 people gathered in the gym at St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church in Delray Beach to talk about politics. The lively crowd came from other local Catholic churches — St. Jude and St. Joan of Arc in Boca Raton and Holy Name of Jesus in West Palm Beach — to hear the program on Florida’s Amendment 4 hosted by the Respect Life Ministry.

Amendment 4, which will be on the ballot on Nov. 5, is a 49-word amendment that would change the state’s existing abortion law, which bans abortions after the sixth week of pregnancy. Titled “Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion,” it reads: “No law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider. This amendment does not change the Legislature’s constitutional authority to require notification to a parent or guardian before a minor has an abortion.”

Father Dennis Gonzales welcomed the four speakers on the program: Sara Johnson, the statewide grassroots director of the “Vote No on 4” initiative; Dr. Anthony Dardano, medical director at Delray Medical Center; the Rev. Timothy Cusick, academic dean at St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary; and Mary Rodriguez, the former program director for Birthline/Lifeline.

Johnson spoke about her campaign that would be traveling the state pushing its message. Dardano spoke in detail about what happens in the hospital when an abortion happens on its own — what we usually call a miscarriage. Cusick spoke about ethics in medicine. Rodriguez spoke about the rewarding work she did at Birthline, which offers free pregnancy care services to clients who meet basic criteria at five locations in Palm Beach County. A woman coping with an unplanned pregnancy can access counseling regarding adoption and alternatives to pregnancy termination. 

For this panel, any loosening of abortion regulations is in direct contradiction with their goal of a full abortion ban. Guests came to understand what the amendment meant so they could encourage others to vote “No” too.

The amendment will require a 60% “Yes” to pass. In a Florida Atlantic University survey prior to the Aug. 20 primary election, 56% of those responding supported the amendment and 23% of Floridians were undecided. The poll showed only 21% were “solidly opposed.”

A July 30 poll by the University of North Florida said 69% of those surveyed said they’d vote yes compared to only 23% saying no.

The materials distributed at the St. Vincent Ferrer event — at least five tables were covered with pamphlets and printouts, bumper stickers and buttons — were enough to convince some undecided voters to side with the audience and oppose the proposed amendment.

The Catholic Church is fully behind this movement and is investing significant time and money into defeating the amendment. So is Gov. Ron DeSantis. DeSantis told the Tampa Bay Times that passing the amendment would mean the “end of the pro-life movement” in Florida and that he has raised millions to defeat it.

Amendment 4 is sponsored by Floridians Protecting Freedom, which describes itself as “a statewide campaign of allied organizations and concerned citizens working together to protect Floridians’ access to reproductive health care and defend the right to bodily autonomy.”

Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski told the Catholic News Agency that “abortion is not a religious issue, it’s a human rights issue.” And it isn’t a red/blue issue either. FAU reported that Democrats are largely united with 80% in support of the amendment, plus 35% of Republicans. A closer look found 59% of independents, 62% of voters ages 18-49, and 59% of women polled support the amendment. It is also supported by the ACLU of Florida, Planned Parenthood, Florida Women’s Freedom Coalition, Florida Rising and others.

The amendment has been criticized because it fails to define several important terms, which could make it difficult for some pro-choice voters to get on board. What is the definition of “viable”? Who qualifies as a “health care professional”?

Moral questions — such as, is abortion murder? — can provoke soul-searching. The Bible doesn’t say that abortion is or is not a sin. As biblical scholar Melanie A. Howard wrote in 2022: “Christians on both sides of the partisan divide have appealed to any number of texts to assert that their particular brand of politics is biblically backed. However, if they claim the Bible specifically condemns or approves of abortion, they are skewing the textual evidence to fit their position.” (www.religionnews.com/2022/07/25/what-the-bible-actually-says-about-abortion-may-surprise-you/)

U.S. bishops wrote in November about the role of the Catholic Church in American political life, including in debates over the sanctity of life.
“Conscience is a means by which one listens to God and discerns how to act in accordance with the truth," the bishops wrote. "The truth is something we receive, not something we make.”

Janis Fontaine writes about people of faith, their congregations, causes and community events. Contact her at fontaine423@outlook.com 

Angelo Sanders is headed to the School of Music at State University of New York at Fredonia on a full scholarship from Nat King Cole Generation Hope. Photo provided

By Faran Fagen

Music saved his life.

That’s the first thing Angelo Sanders thinks of when asked what playing his oboe has meant to him during his teenage years.

For the 18-year-old recent graduate of FAU High School in Boca Raton, music and the oboe fueled his emotional expression, creativity and purpose to overcome disabilities that could have threatened his musical potential and dreams.

“Without music, I don’t know if I’d be alive,” said Sanders, of Coral Springs. “I was in a dark space a lot of the time and music became my source of joy.”

Raised by a widowed mother on limited income, he suffered debilitating pain and complications of undiagnosed hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, along with anxiety and a sleep disorder that compounded physical and mental health issues.

The genetically based illness was finally identified only two years ago.

Despite that, Sanders earned a 3.83 grade-point average in high school, where he excelled on the oboe and English horn.

His musical exploits, along with his academic prowess, earned him the 2024 Nat and Maria Cole Memorial Scholarship, a full four-year grant sponsored by Nat King Cole Generation Hope, the Palm Beach County-based provider of music education for underserved children and teens.

“As our 2024 scholarship recipient, Angelo Sanders embodies the ideals of Nat King Cole, who cherished the privilege of bringing harmony to people with his music,” said Shanna St. John, executive director of Nat King Cole Generation Hope. “Music always motivated Angelo to keep going, and without a doubt, it always will.”

This fall, Sanders, now on a path to a classical music career, will attend the renowned School of Music at State University of New York at Fredonia, a training ground for the next generation of music professionals.

He aims to become a distinguished, first-chair professional oboist who will perform with leading national orchestras and chamber ensembles, as well as a college professor who will educate and inspire future virtuosos of his instrument.

“Music is my whole life and I hope to help others and do what I enjoy,” he said, adding that he wants to impart his favorite mantra of instruction when he plays — response, pitch, tone. Those are the three most important facets of oboe playing, in that order, he said.

Another way Sanders hopes to give back is through the reeds he uses to play the oboe. According to Sanders, if you don’t have a good reed, you won’t be able to play.

Sanders, who learned to scrimp and save at a young age (he did his own car repairs at age 16 so he had a ride to school), began making his own reeds to save money. Since his sophomore year, Sanders has bought wood and sculpted it with a knife for the desired reed shape.

He hopes to mass produce the woodwind reeds and provide them to young musicians for free.
“I like my reeds to be narrow and soft,” Sanders said. “Not sure why that works best for me, but it does.”

While attending FAU High School, Sanders participated in the school’s Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, Symphony Band, Chamber Winds and Summer Concert Band, and volunteered more than 500 hours of school/music community service.

He also volunteered with Equine-Assisted Therapies of South Florida, preparing and tending to the horses and assisting the instructors.

His main goal is to become a professional oboe player, but as he begins his college journey, as long as it involves music, he knows he’ll be a success.

“I had to do music because I was miserable otherwise,” Sanders said. “When I didn’t know what to do or how to keep going, music gave me a place to belong.”

Dozens of juvenile reef fish seek cover among the rocks off Ocean Ridge.

By John Pacenti

It’s just before low tide at Gulfstream Park on the morning of Aug. 15, and a mere 30 yards from the beach is a snorkeler’s treat. On this day when the shimmering water is like glass, transparent and smooth, juvenile fish gather on rocky outcroppings within the short swim from shore.

Endangered queen conch have come back — and unfortunately so have the poachers. Some visitors have seen lobsters under rocks, and even spear fishermen have shown up to hunt.

This is a relatively recent occurrence, according to Ocean Ridge Mayor Geoff Pugh, who said beach renourishment projects have covered up the patch reef for years at a time. The last renourishment in the vicinity occurred a decade ago.

“It’s almost like it was when I was a kid, that’s how neat it is,” he said. “There’s actually Gorgonian sea fans.”

On one sea fan, Pugh said he counted 34 flamingo tongue cowries with their oblong spotted shells. Pugh said it was his son who told him to get out there and snorkel.
“There’s all kinds of fish and there’s actually real live queen conch shells,” Pugh said.

 A 4-inch-tall sea fan has emerged since the rocks became exposed. Photos by Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

This is not John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in the Florida Keys — or even Phil Foster Park in Riviera Beach — but for the snorkeler seeking serenity and a quick jaunt among sea life, the area from around Ocean Ridge to the County Pocket fits the bill.

A recent outing produced no lobsters but did have a queen conch along with a Crayola-box variety of tiny reef fish, with yellow the predominant color. A school of silvery-blue bar jacks, sergeant majors, porkfish, the zebra markings of high hats along with grunts and wrasse were all visible. 

Imagine jumping into a saltwater aquarium — that is what snorkeling this area is like this summer. Most fish aren’t big — some are super tiny — but are spectacular nonetheless.

Still, this is Florida, and every ray of sunshine has opportunistic savagery trying to shade it. Witnesses saw men taking queen conch from the ocean to eat, Ocean Ridge police confirmed.

Florida law prohibits the commercial and recreational harvesting of queen conch in state waters, a second-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine.

An anonymous posting on Facebook said three men in their 30s or 40s harvested “two beautiful large queen conch.”
“They said they intend to eat them and keep the shells,” the post said.

Ocean Ridge Police Chief Scott McClure said his department received a report of individuals taking three conch on Aug. 10. “Persons had left the area prior to the officer’s arrival,” he said.

Any good news is welcome on the reef front. The last two summers have been brutal on some prominent Florida reefs as record ocean temperatures have bleached out pristine underwater gardens in the Florida Keys and Biscayne Bay.

The civic group Friends of Delray pointed out in its newsletter that Delray Beach is home to several companies positioned to make the city a leader in artificial reef technology.

Capt. Steve Gordon holds a snook caught by Tom Greene in a Palm Beach County inlet.

By Steve Waters

The snook is one of the most sought-after saltwater gamefish in Florida, and there’s no better time to catch one in South Florida than after the season opened on Sept. 1.

The hard-fighting, good-tasting fish are congregated at Palm Beach County beaches, fishing piers and inlets, in the Intracoastal Waterway and at spillways this time of year. They can be caught on live bait and a variety of lures such as jigs and soft-plastic baitfish imitations.

“Swimbaits work great on the beaches and at the spillways,” said Tom Greene of Lighthouse Point, who grew up in Boca Raton, where he started fishing for snook 60 years ago.

In the old days, Greene and his fishing buddies used what he called chicken feather jigs to catch snook at inlets.

Those were replaced by Red Tail Hawk bucktail jigs, which offered more color combinations and are still used today. Lures also have replaced what once were popular baits.
“For 50 years we fished live shrimp,” Greene said. “Now we have fishing lures that look like a shrimp that are better, and they don’t die on you.”

Because snook are so popular, they are intensely managed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Anglers are allowed to keep only one snook per day with a total length of 28 to 32 inches along the Atlantic coast.

The season is closed from June 1 to Aug. 31, which is when snook spawn in Atlantic waters.

The open season is Sept. 1-Dec. 14, then it closes Dec. 15-Jan. 31, when the potential for cold weather can make snook so lethargic that unethical anglers could simply scoop up the fish with a landing net.

The season reopens Feb. 1-May 31. (Visit myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/snook.)

A close-up of a snook caught on a soft plastic jig. Photos by Steve Waters/The Coastal Star

To successfully catch snook in local waters, Greene said it is essential to match the weight of the lure you’re fishing to the depth of the water and the strength of the current.

If the lure is too light, it won’t get down to where the snook are lurking. If the lure is too heavy, it won’t swim naturally in the current and might simply plummet to the bottom.

Greene also said to match the lure’s color to the color of the baitfish that the snook are feeding on. Numerous tackle manufacturers offer swimbaits in colors that look like a croaker, a pilchard, a sardine, a sand perch or a mullet, which are all popular snook live baits in South Florida.

If South Florida has a lot of rain in September, Greene recommended fishing at the Boynton and Lake Worth spillways.

After a heavy rain, fresh water is often released at the spillways that flow into canals that connect to the Intracoastal so that water can eventually flow out the nearest inlet. When the spillways are open, snook will be there waiting for small freshwater fish such as bluegills, shad and shiners to be swept out into the canals.

Another of Greene’s favorite snook spots is in and around inlets starting at the end of the outgoing tide. As the tide starts to come in, it’ll bring baitfish with it, and the snook will gather in an inlet to ambush the bait as it swims past.

The start of the outgoing tide is also good because baitfish are being flushed out of an inlet.

Anglers fishing from boats can drift through an inlet while fishing lures or live bait just off the bottom or they can troll through the inlet with swimming lures such as jointed Rapalas.

Bridges across the Intracoastal Waterway in Palm Beach County can be snook hot spots at the start of the outgoing and incoming tides. The fish will almost always be on the down-current side of the bridges, waiting behind pilings for the tide to carry baitfish to them.

Regardless of the tide and the location, Greene said a prime time to catch a snook is from an hour before daylight to 30 minutes afterwards.

If the tide is changing during that time period, you can almost guarantee yourself a September snook.

Outdoors writer Steve Waters can be reached at steve33324@aol.com.

By Steve Plunkett

While some joggers, bicyclists and people walking along State Road A1A  may want to be able to take a bathroom break at Ocean Strand Park, they're going to have to keep taking care of business elsewhere.

The Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District considered including money in its FY 2025 budget for restrooms at the park, which lies between other plumbing facilities at Spanish River Park and Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, but informally decided at its July 1 board meeting that such an addition wasn't a priority.

During her presentation, the district's executive director, Briann Harms, suggested an ADA accessible restroom trailer could be placed at the park similar to what has been done at Gumbo Limbo. But District Chair Erin Wright said she didn't think bathrooms at Ocean Strand were needed at all and said the park should be kept in as natural of a state as possible.

Also proposed is $6 million for building pickleball courts at Patch Reef Park, $3.5 million to build an accessible playground there, and $14 million to turn North Park­ — formerly known as the Ocean Breeze property — into a “major recreational hub” with new walking trails and bike paths.

The final list of projects will be decided at budget hearings in September.

Tax rate stays the same
Commissioners on July 15 tentatively adopted the same tax rate as this year, $1.08 per $1,000 of taxable value, for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1. That rate would generate $45.3 million in tax revenue, up $3.5 million from the current year, Harms projected.

Under the tentative rate, the owner of a home with a taxable value of $1 million would pay $1,080 in taxes to the Beach and Park District. Property values in the district, which includes residences west of the city limits, rose 8.5% over the previous year. The taxable value of a homesteaded property rose up to 3%.

The rollback rate, which would have brought in the same amount of taxes as the previous year, not counting new construction, was $1.01 per $1,000.

The district will also give the city $2.7 million as its share of Community Redevelopment Agency tax increment funding.

Partly in return, and for the first time, residents of the district who live west of the city limits will get free Boca Raton library cards and will get to pay resident rates at the city’s Tennis Center and Community Center, both in the CRA, starting Oct. 1. They currently pay nonresident rates.

City Manager George Brown assured the City Council on July 23 that the additional users would have a “minimal impact” on city finances and “little to no” impact on rental facilities.

“We would probably, perhaps lose a potential revenue amount of $14,500, which is not significant,” Brown said.

Correction: An earlier online version of this story, as well as the version that appeared in the August 2024 print edition of The Coastal Star, incorrectly reported the status of restrooms proposed for Ocean Strand Park. District commissioners reviewed “proposed projects” including temporary restrooms at their July 1 meeting, but took no action to include them in the district's proposed budget, which will be finalized during September budget hearings.

July 16 marked the first day of heavy equipment and snarled traffic on A1A at the Delray/Highland Beach border. It clears out after 6 p.m. and on weekends. The project will cover all of Highland Beach. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

No sweat! Machines stand in for flag people

By Rich Pollack

As crews on the State Road A1A repaving project head south from Delray Beach, they’re bringing two bright orange devices that replace vest-clad workers spinning octagonal “stop” and “slow” paddles to guide cars through the construction zone.

Complete with large red and yellow traffic lights and a gate arm that drops down across the roadway, the mechanical flaggers are designed to keep traffic flowing smoothly with minimal human intervention and to prevent cars from crashing into one another when traffic is forced into a single lane.

Touted as being safer and more efficient than traditional flagmen, the solar-powered “automated flagger assistance devices” are an important piece of the $8.3 million Florida Department of Transportation’s road project, which is scheduled to continue for more than a year.

Solar-powered arms open on a timed schedule, directing traffic to one lane. Rich Pollack/The Coastal Star

That project, which began on July 10 and will stretch from just south of Linton Boulevard to the Highland Beach border with Boca Raton, includes road resurfacing, the creation of 5-foot bike lanes on either side of A1A and drainage improvements on the swales.

The coastal traffic nightmare is just beginning. Once work is completed on the 3.3-mile stretch, it will soon be followed by a resurfacing project on another portion of Delray Beach’s stretch of A1A and then a similar project on Boca Raton’s portion.

The current project will come with frustrating delays caused by lane closures during weekday hours.

Highland Beach Town Manager Marshall Labadie hopes the mechanical flaggers will ease some of that frustration while saving walkie-talkie flagmen (and flagwomen) from baking in the hot sun.

“In a sense they make for a more controlled traffic environment that drivers are accustomed to,” he said.

For much of the project, the devices will be in Highland Beach and will be the sole red-light signals in town, although this is not the first time they have been used there. Similar automated flaggers were used by FDOT contractors for a short time during a drainage improvement project in fall 2022.

Although the machines aim to keep cars moving, A1A traffic did come to a standstill on July 17 when crews accidentally ruptured a gas line, forcing a complete closure that was fixed within a few hours.

Labadie and FDOT leaders are urging motorists to plan for delays on A1A between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. Labadie acknowledges the frustrations but believes the end result will be a significant improvement for motorists and better drainage along the road.

One area where the improvement will be most noticeable will be at the intersection of A1A and Linton.

Included in the new project is an almost quadrupling of the length of the left-turn lane for northbound cars heading west over the bridge, from 75 feet to 275 feet.

The current turn lane accommodates only about three cars. That will expand to about 11 vehicles once the work at the intersection is complete, meaning that fewer cars will be blocking traffic heading north through the intersection, FDOT representatives say.

Cristina Lewis and Alejandra Lippolis at the Lynn Women’s Health & Wellness Institute. The background is from last year’s fundraising luncheon; this year’s is Oct. 18.

Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Sallie James

Although breast cancer has spared both their families, best friends Cristina Lewis and Alejandra Lippolis wanted to do something to help find a cure.

The two mothers recently combined forces to chair the Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation’s Go Pink Challenge, a year-round initiative to raise money for research and to draw attention to prevention. The challenge culminates with the Go Pink Luncheon on Oct. 18 at The Boca Raton.

“Women who are in the highest age-range risk are between 45 and 55 years old, which is my age range,” said Lewis, who is 44. “I am starting to see a lot of friends being diagnosed, being treated and surviving. It’s hitting close to home.” She said they want to bring attention to the Lynn Women’s Health & Wellness Institute, “where all the funds get funneled.”

For anyone who has had experience with the disease, the words “breast cancer” can evoke paralyzing fear. 

Take the case of Beverly Hills, 90210 star Shannen Doherty, whose death at age 53 on July 13 made national headlines. Doherty was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 and went into remission in 2017. But the cancer recurred with a vengeance in 2020. 

“Cancer does not discriminate. It can affect anyone. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what (kind of cancer) you have, your health can be taken away,” said Lippolis, 47.

Lippolis’ interest in breast cancer prevention and research is a bit of a family affair. Her mother-in-law, Debbie Lindstrom, a Boca Raton philanthropist who has supported the hospital foundation for years, got her involved with the cause in 2011 when Lippolis attended her first Go Pink luncheon.

Lippolis began volunteering and quickly found herself involved in the luncheon committee, the fundraising ball and just about anything else the foundation needed help with. Then she enlisted the help of Lewis, and the two have volunteered together for years.

They agreed to chair the Go Pink Challenge for the next two years. 

The challenge has raised $192,000 this year as of July and more than $3.3 million since its inception in 2008.

The connections between the two women are extensive: Both are Latinas (Cristina’s family hails from Venezuela and Alejandra was born in Chile).

Their husbands, Tim Lewis Jr. and Bill Lippolis, are childhood friends who grew up in Boca. And both women have three children, who are almost the same ages: Cristina and Tim have three sons: Billy, 12; Sebastian, 9; and Brayden, 5. Alejandra and Bill have three daughters: Alessandra, 10; Lily, 8; and Isabella, 5. 

Bill Lippolis is the COO of Wietsma Lippolis, a Boca Raton-based construction, architecture and design company that builds luxury custom homes. Tim Lewis is a professional race car driver in International Motor Sports Association events.

Cristina Lewis is a lifelong Boca Raton resident who attended Florida Atlantic University. She has a background in human resources and has helped hospitals, clinics, private practices and other health care organizations recruit candidates to fill ophthalmic positions. She also serves on the executive board of the Parents’ Association of Pine Crest School in Boca Raton.

Lippolis grew up in Parkland and attended Lynn University, where she majored in fashion marketing. But her heart wasn’t in it and she ended up working for her father, a major distributor for Hewlett Packard in Central and South America. She held the job until she got pregnant with her first child in 2011.

The two families socialize and vacation together and even shared a vacation getaway in Central Florida for a time until their expanding families made it too crowded.

“We have different things we can bring” to the Go Pink Challenge, “so it just works out perfectly,” Lippolis said.

The Go Pink Luncheon is South Florida’s premier breast cancer awareness event; proceeds directly benefit the Christine E. Lynn Women’s Health & Wellness Institute and Eugene M. & Christine E. Lynn Cancer Institute. Call Terrie Mooney at 561-955-6634 for more information.

By Mary Hladky

Beachside residents, who have long pressed the city to improve East Palmetto Park Road between the Intracoastal Waterway and State Road A1A, finally have scored a win.

Boca Raton officials have agreed to install a crosswalk midway between Olive Way and Wavecrest Way equipped with pedestrian-activated flashing yellow lights that are intended to make it safer to cross the road.

The new road features will be added this fall, but will be temporary. That will allow city officials to evaluate how well they are working and make any needed adjustments.

Because that section of the road is owned by the county, the city cannot make unilateral decisions on changes. The temporary status allows the city to move forward while also seeking county approval to make the changes permanent.

The Riviera Civic Association, which represents the Riviera, Por La Mar and Sun and Surf neighborhoods and has pressed for roadway improvements since 2018, supports the city’s crosswalk plan.

“It may not be the perfect solution, but it is a good solution,” said civic association board member Keith Nelson. “Maybe the city could make it better, but for now we are happy to have a crosswalk.”

City staffers have resisted adding crosswalks and a traffic light, concluding in 2022 that they weren’t needed and actually would create safety hazards.

They also said that crosswalks would not change the behavior of pedestrians who now cross the road wherever they want — and noted that in the previous five years, no pedestrians or bicyclists were injured crossing the road and there was only one vehicle and bicyclist collision.

Beachside residents vowed not to concede defeat and found an ally in Boca Raton resident and County Commissioner Marci Woodward, who in 2023 offered the county’s help to improve the road.

Woodward said the county was willing to add a crosswalk and remove parking spaces on the road’s south side so that bicycle lanes could be added.

Soon after, city staffers said they would again consider improvements.

Yet beachside residents aren’t getting all they hoped for.

The city is not heeding their call for a second crosswalk and a traffic light. They also wanted a more ambitious makeover of that section of road that would include wider sidewalks and bicycle lanes.

By Mary Hladky

Boca Raton’s Spanish River Beach is in the running to receive the much-coveted Blue Flag Award that signifies it meets stringent environmental and safety standards.
Spanish River Beach has met initial requirements to become a Blue Flag candidate. The city hopes to know in May whether it has won the award which, coincidently, is when the city will celebrate its 100th birthday.

The award would be a “testament to the high standards and high amount of work that goes into getting that designation,” said Lindsey Roland Nieratka, the city’s sustainability manager.

While the award is well known in many other countries, only two U.S. beaches have won it since the program was expanded to this country three years ago. They are Delray Beach’s municipal beach and Westward Beach in Malibu, California, both honored in 2023. Delray received the award again this year.

Delray Beach’s success spurred Boca Raton to seek the designation, Nieratka said. But rather than being rivals, the two cities are in “neighborly collaboration,” with Delray Beach offering information and guidance. “They’re incredibly helpful,” she said.

Blue Flag, which also recognizes marinas and tourism boats, is administered by the Foundation for Environmental Education, headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, and is one of its five environmental education programs.

In all, 5,121 beaches, marinas and tourism boats in 51 countries have received the award.

Blue Flag USA, operated by the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association, administers the award in the continental United States, Alaska and Hawaii.

The city sought the award for Spanish River Beach because it is Boca’s flagship beach, already meets many of the Blue Flag’s 33 criteria and has substantial areas of ecological habitat, Nieratka said.

If the city wins the award and raises a blue flag that announces its status, visitors won’t see many changes, she said.

But a Blue Flag-required information board will be added that tells visitors about coastal zone ecosystems, wetland areas, unique habitats and sensitive natural areas. It also will show information about the beach’s bathing water quality and the Blue Flag program.

The beach must provide at least five environmental education activities to the public. Nieratka said that will be done in conjunction with the city-operated Gumbo Limbo Nature Center that already offers education programs. Her office also holds educational events throughout the year and can expand those efforts with “more creative ways to engage our visitors.”

The Blue Flag designation will benefit the city by signaling that it has a high-quality beach that is clean, well maintained and safe. International visitors already familiar with Blue Flag will know Spanish River Beach meets the standards they have experienced in other parts of the world, she said.

By Mary Hladky

Boca Raton’s tax rate likely will remain virtually unchanged for the fiscal year that begins on Oct. 1.

The proposed FY 2025 tax rate, presented to the City Council on July 22 by Financial Services Director James Zervis, is essentially the same as the current rate, roughly $3.68 per $1,000 of taxable property value.

Under the proposal, the owner of a home with a taxable value of $450,000 will pay $1,655.19 in ad valorem city taxes.

The annual fire assessment fee for residential properties will remain unchanged at $155. The assessments for commercial and residential properties, which are based on the size of the buildings, also remain the same.

The tax rate will be finalized in September. Council members cannot raise the rate above what was presented, but they do have leeway to lower it.

The city has long prided itself on its low tax rate that has held steady for many years, made possible because Boca Raton has the highest taxable property value of any city in Palm Beach County.

Technically, the proposed tax rate is a lower than last year’s rate, $3.6782 vs. $3.6783 per $1,000 of taxable value, but at a .003% reduction, the amount is negligible.

Although the proposed rate is stable, property owners will see higher tax bills because the city’s average taxable value increased 8.5% this year.

Homeowners whose properties are homesteaded will not feel the brunt of that increase because state law caps the taxable value increase at 3%. Non-homesteaded properties are capped at 10%.

The city also has released information on the proposed FY 2025 general fund budget, showing a $20.9 million increase to $243.5 million. The majority of the increase, $13.5 million, will go toward higher employee salary, benefits and pension costs. Eleven new full-time positions are included in the general fund, including a park ranger, environmental officer and grant specialist.

The fund includes $1.5 million for new programs that City Council members have advocated. These include creating a new traffic, mobility and connectivity division — intended to make getting around easier for drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians — and a public art program.

By John Pacenti

Delray Beach city commissioners positioned staff to begin programming at the Crest Theatre by allocating $118,000 for “rapid activation” of its Creative Arts School, intent on using the building’s classrooms that are ready even if the playhouse is not.

With classes anticipated to start in mid-October, the project will be overseen by Communications Director Gina Carter, who has a master’s degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. The measure was unanimously adopted at the commission’s July 9 meeting.

“We want to reduce the cost and we want to cut down on all the things that slow down the government, like hiring, contracts, all of these things. We want to move along as quickly as possible,” Carter told commissioners at the meeting.

The city will leverage available resources and key staff, such as Carter, her four-member staff, and some Parks and Recreation Department workers. Carter said the challenge is hiring a full-time program administrator at $80,000 annually and five art instructors who will work on a contractual basis. 

Advertisements looking for local talent who could teach art classes at various levels went online July 17.

It’s the latest chapter in the saga of Old School Square, which includes the Crest Theatre, the Cornell Art Museum, the Fieldhouse and the Pavilion. 

The smoke still lingers from the dispute between the city’s movers and shakers from when a commission majority — including then-Mayor Shelly Petrolia — in August 2021 voted to sever the lease of longtime operator Old School Square Center for the Arts, citing alleged financial mismanagement.

The commission eventually turned over the keys of the operation to the Downtown Development Authority, except for the Crest Theatre. The theater itself remains in much disrepair after the former operator pulled out lighting and other equipment on the way out the door — but the building’s classrooms have since been renovated. 

The Boca Raton Museum of Art this year expressed interest in moving its art classes north to the Crest Theatre before withdrawing the proposal.

Carter foresees about 17 classes per term with approximately 20 students each — and the city netting $85,000 a year after paying for the administrator, instructors and supplies.

Commissioner Rob Long — a supporter of the former leaseholder — expressed some misgivings.

“It’s crazy that we’re here. In my opinion, we’re out of choices,” he said. 

He said he had full faith in Carter and her staff but didn’t understand why there was such a rush. The plan seems “frenetic, and dare I say, desperate,” Long said.

By Rich Pollack

Highland Beach agreed to pay Boca Raton $1,000 an hour should it need a backup fire engine and $2,000 an hour should a backup fireboat be needed to supplement the town’s new fire department — but only in an emergency.

The town will also pay Boca Raton $700 an hour per unit for a backup rescue unit, brush truck and command unit in an emergency.

“This collaboration aims to enhance the effectiveness of our emergency response capabilities, ensuring quicker and more comprehensive support to improve the overall safety and well-being of our residents,” Highland Beach Fire Rescue Chief Glenn Joseph wrote in a memo to the Town Commission.

The agreement, which still must be approved by the Boca Raton City Council, came to the Highland Beach Commission last month just short of three months since the town started its own fire department after severing its decades-long relationship with Delray Beach Fire Rescue.

“This is absolutely the right direction to be going in,” Highland Beach Commissioner Evalyn David said.

Efforts to hammer out a similar interlocal agreement with Delray Beach and even Boca Raton had previously failed due to several factors, including Highland Beach Fire Rescue’s unproven track record.

“There was a reluctance on the part of our neighbors, partially because of the politics of our breakup with Delray. But also because there was doubt about our ability to help them,” Town Manager Marshall Labadie said.

While previous discussions included possible mutual or automatic aid agreements, the pact with Boca Raton is strictly a fee-for-service contract, which does not require Highland Beach to provide any services to the much larger Boca Raton Fire Rescue.

But Joseph says he is hoping to strengthen the relationship with the neighboring city and maybe enter into a mutual aid agreement in the future, which could reduce costs.

“They don’t think we have enough resources to reciprocate,” he said.

Both the chief and the town manager say they are working hard to change that perception.

“We’re prepared to prove ourselves,” Labadie said.

Boca Raton Fire Rescue has more than 250 employees and eight fire stations while Highland Beach has just over 30 employees along with two ladder trucks and two rescue vehicles.

Joseph said the agreement with Boca Raton makes sense because both departments have the same medical protocols and same medical director, both have the same number of personnel on a truck and both transport patients to the same hospital.

The fee Boca Raton is charging of $1,000 per hour per truck, he said, is based on personnel costs and on state and national fee schedules.

Should Boca Raton need to run a hazardous materials call in Highland Beach, there would be no charge because there is a Regional Hazmat Response Team agreement between local departments.

Under terms of the proposed one-year agreement with Boca Raton, only Highland Beach’s fire captains or an incident commander can request the city’s assistance. The city then may decline to provide the assistance or determine how much help to provide.

The agreement is also very specific in determining under what circumstances Highland Beach can seek assistance from Boca.

“The town understands and agrees that it shall not seek the city’s assistance pursuant to this agreement in order to supplement or subsidize the town’s normal day-to-day operations or the town’s shortages in staffing and/or equipment,” the agreement states.

The agreement also spells out who will take the reins in the event of a major incident, with the Highland Beach incident commander directing all activities, but Boca Raton employees being under the command of their city leadership on scene.

While Joseph and town commissioners say they are grateful to Boca Raton for the partnership, they are hoping they’ll never need to take advantage of it.

“We’ve got it, we’ll likely never use it, but if we need it, it’s there,” Joseph said.