Boca Raton has hired Kimley-Horn and Associates, an engineering and planning firm, to develop a Vision Zero action plan for the city.

The City Council previously approved a resolution that designates Boca Raton as a “Vision Zero city” and directed staff to create a plan to achieve that goal.

Vision Zero is a national program aimed at eliminating severe traffic injuries and deaths by making roadways safer, among other things.

The city received a $300,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation last year to create a plan. That will cover most of the $379,270 that the city will pay Kimley-Horn to develop it.
— Mary Hladky

ABOVE: Coastal Stewards staff members Dr. Shelby Loos (left) and Kara Portocarrero prepare to release juvenile green sea turtles that had been treated at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center. Loos, veterinarian and marine life conservation director, holds Terra. Portocarrero, rescue and rehabilitation coordinator, carries Marina. Terra was the first turtle to be rehabbed at Gumbo Limbo since March 2023. Terra arrived April 26 with fishhooks in a flipper and down its esophagus. Loos removed the hooks, and Terra received care to ensure it was eating and recovering before being released July 18. Marina arrived May 28 after being hooked in the mouth and flipper by a fisherman at the Deerfield Beach pier.
BELOW: Spectators record the release.
Photos by Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Mary Hladky

Ever since the Brightline station opened in 2022, Boca Raton’s leaders have eagerly anticipated that developers would want to redevelop the area around it.

For that to happen, the city needed to create land development regulations for the area. But the city was slow to do so, and one developer became tired of waiting and withdrew its plans to build a 13-story luxury apartment project on a city block immediately south of the station.

Now, with word circulating that a developer will soon propose a public-private partnership to redevelop the area, city leaders are scrambling to make up for lost time. Without regulations in place, no project can be built.

Given a shove by anxious City Council members, city officials’ top priority now is to create transit-oriented community regulations for the station area as well as 30 city-owned acres south and west of the station, including land on which the City Hall and Police Department now sit.

The area would be bounded by the station and Downtown Library on the north, West Palmetto Park Road on the south, Dixie Highway on the east and Crawford Boulevard on the west.

City officials also propose creating a master redevelopment plan for the city’s current government campus.

City Manager George Brown termed the overall effort “priority one” in a June 28 memo to the mayor and City Council. “I emphasize this is a significant effort and we must act with urgency.”

City officials are working to select a major consulting firm with planning, engineering and architectural capabilities and expect to have one approved by the council by early October.

If that consultant can’t handle the entire project, the city can hire more that have specific areas of expertise.

The consultant must have significant experience with public-private partnerships, known as P3s. Such partnerships with the private sector are intended to save the city money by sharing redevelopment costs.

The consultant will create a master plan for the government complex and the transit-oriented community, or TOC.

The plan will allow for residential, retail, entertainment, recreation and city functions in the TOC.

The city also is allowing for the possibility that a developer will offer an unsolicited P3 proposal; the consultant would help the city evaluate it.

If the city accepts it, the consultant’s work could be at an end. But the city wants a consultant on board in case no such proposal materializes.

Revamping the government campus is not a new idea. The City Hall and police station are old, crumbling and have needed extensive repairs. The 30 acres also are in need of reimagining.

Consultant Song + Associates submitted two options for a new government hub in 2019. But the projected $200 million price tag stunned council members, who said they wanted to find ways to trim the cost. The start of the pandemic in 2020 brought the project to a halt.

By Mary Hladky

In a move orchestrated by Mayor Scott Singer, longtime City Attorney Diana Grub Frieser will be out of her job on Oct. 31, 10 months before her desired retirement date.

She will be paid for those months she now won’t be working, receiving a total payout of $437,046.

Frieser, hired as city attorney in 1999, was required to step down on Aug. 31, 2025, under terms of Boca Raton’s retirement program, and she had submitted a “separation of employment agreement” for that date.

Singer, however, wanted her out this month on Aug. 31 and asked that the matter be placed on the City Council’s July 23 agenda for a vote.

Eventually Singer asked Frieser at the meeting if she would agree to an Oct. 31 departure. She did, and the council voted 4-1 to go along, with Andy Thomson dissenting.

Singer’s only stated reason was that, since Frieser was due to retire, he wanted to begin a smooth transition to hiring a new city attorney. “I don’t feel it is necessary to talk about details or do anything to reflect on the city attorney’s service,” he said.

Singer offered no rebuke of her job performance and praised her service. “I have enjoyed working with the city attorney for more than a decade now,” he said. “I have great respect for your talents.”

He declined to answer questions from The Coastal Star about specific problems he has with the way she does her job. Frieser declined comment on her speeded-up departure.

The City Council’s discussion created an unseemly spectacle, as members haggled over the most appropriate departure date while Frieser sat next to them on the dais. At one point, Singer sought her advice, with Frieser asking if he actually wanted it. He said he did.

Deputy Mayor Yvette Drucker and Council member Fran Nachlas expressed strong dismay about how the matter was being handled.

“I apologize for what we have put you through,” Drucker told Frieser at the end of the meeting. “I believe you were treated very poorly and unfairly today. Karma is a bitch. I wish you the best.”

While council members did not cite any shortcomings in how Frieser performed her job, there were signs in her June job evaluation that Singer and Thomson saw room for improvement, even as the council gave her a good evaluation consistent with those she had received in the past.

Thomson, a lawyer, said then that he had spoken with Frieser about ways to improve her office.

“You and I have been working through this in the last few months,” he said, adding that it might be possible to report details during the July 23 meeting.
“You have been open-minded to the suggestions I have made,” he said. “I appreciate the openness you have.”

Those suggestions included making the City Attorney’s Office practices consistent with those of other cities in becoming involved in matters at an early stage. He also cited process issues such as how quickly the office handled matters and reported back to city staff and the council, he said after that meeting.

Singer said he had communicated to Frieser “some points of departure this past year,” adding that “some areas of improvement” were needed, particularly with communication on litigation matters.

“We had the unfortunate news of litigation that came up this past year where we got an adverse opinion,” he said.

Singer did not cite the case, but it might have involved one brought by the owner of an undeveloped beachfront parcel.

On Feb. 1, Palm Beach County Circuit Judge Donald Hafele ruled that the city “unlawfully withheld and illegally delayed” turning over 42 documents that were damning to the city.

Hafele said he was not suggesting that the city purposely withheld records and said he had no issue with what he called the city’s “substantial efforts” to produce information.

“However, the court finds that whomever it was, be it the city attorney, be it the clerk, be it the elected officials themselves, that the production (of the records) was late, untimely, led to the filing of this lawsuit and the non-production was prejudicial to the plaintiff and its business pursuits,” he wrote in his 37-page opinion.

The main focus of the council’s discussion on July 23 was the separation agreement.

It was drafted by Frieser and reviewed by another in-house attorney and other city employees. It was essentially identical to the separation agreement she had drafted for former

City Manager Leif Ahnell, who retired on Dec. 31, 2023. At the time, no council member questioned that agreement.

Because Frieser had drafted the document for herself, Thomson said it should be reviewed by an outside, objective lawyer. “I think it is the prudent thing to do to have another set of eyes on it,” he said.

Only Council member Marc Wigder supported that. Others saw no need since it was a very simple document, and closely followed the Ahnell document template.

Nachlas said scrutiny of the document was “unfair” since a similar one had been scrutinized and approved by outside counsel in the past.

Frieser’s salary is $327,591. The separation agreement states that if she left on Aug. 31, she would be entitled to $547,995 in salary and benefits, including her pension, vacation time and sick leave that she would have received had she remained in her position until Aug. 31, 2025. If she leaves on Oct. 31, that will be reduced by about $110,000.

Ahnell, who retired three months earlier than he had to leave under the city’s retirement program, received $143,205.

While those amounts might seem generous, the payout parameters were set in a 2011 City Council resolution that subsequent councils have not revisited.

“If we want to change our practices going forward, we can do that,” Drucker said. “I don’t understand the urgency. I don’t understand why we are not doing what we did with Ahnell.”

None of the council members questioned the payout Frieser would receive.

Singer dismissed Thomson’s request, saying he saw no need for an outside review.

The motion Singer proposed and the council agreed to called for Frieser’s employment to end on Oct. 31 and directed City Manager George Brown to hire an executive search firm to help find her replacement.

“I sincerely regret that anyone might be disturbed or feel there is unfairness there,” Singer said. “I continue to value Ms. Frieser’s service to the city.”

Patrons at the Bounce restaurant and sports bar inside the redesigned Delray Beach Market. Photos by Tim Stepien/
The Coastal Star

As short season and demanding market topple dining spots, new ones arrive

By Jan Norris

Snowbirds returning in the fall will need to update their maps for their favorite dining spots. A plethora of restaurants have closed, moved or have refurbished their concepts.

New ones are opening as well, as a sort of tidal sweep of the dining scene takes place not just in South Palm Beach County, but all around South Florida.

Cabana El Rey thanked its customers after two decades of service on Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach.

Gone are Lionfish, and the decades-old Cabana El Rey on Delray Beach’s Atlantic Avenue. Salt 7, and the recent Delray Market food hall concept are out. In Boca Raton, Fries to Caviar was renamed and scaled back to Phil’s Place, but still couldn’t make it. Meanwhile in Boca Raton, Farmhouse Kitchen’s owner brought back Coal Mine Pizza’smenu to its restaurant, hoping diners who missed the pies will return.

To go with a more approachable flow, Avalon, one of the few white-tablecloth restaurants on the Avenue, will get a makeover of both decor and menu

Several new Asian spots, including Kapow!’s third outpost, in Delray Beach, and the expansion of Alleycat in Boca Raton, are incoming or already open. Upscale Italians are on the way from the Northeast: Gabriella’s Modern Italian from New Jersey is scheduled for a fall opening in Delray Beach.

Opinions differ on the reasons some long-timers have shuttered, or those newer to the area failed.

Lisabet Summa, chef/partner in the Elisabetta’s and Louie Bossi chains by Big Time Restaurant Group, has been involved in the county’s hospitality scene since 1983. She’s watched quite a few restaurants come and go.

She said it’s possible that the latest ones to close, several of which were corporate-owned eateries from the Northeast U.S., might have had too-high expectations in dealing with the South Florida season.

“I figure you have five good months, probably, January to May. Then a couple of transitional months,” said Summa, whose original Elisabetta’s is in Delray Beach. The season starts again in late fall, albeit slowly. But summer is typically very slow, she said.

Restaurant owners make most of their money in season, and squirrel away the profits to tide them over during the dead months. Some put staff on hiatus and abbreviate menus to cut costs.

Lease renewals are a big “aha” moment. Rents are up all over, but particularly on Atlantic Avenue as the Delray Beach downtown has been labeled a hot spot.

The city’s Downtown Development Authority spokeswoman, Melissa Perlman, says the DDA area has 160 restaurants with roughly 18,000 dining seats. It’s a lot of competition.
Chas Prakas, a restaurant real estate broker focusing on the area, says Delray Beach and Boca Raton remain hot entertainment spots.

“It wasn’t a dead area before, but it’s boomed post-COVID. This is the place to be. We had some of our strongest years before COVID. After the shutdown [ended], Palm Beach County just exploded,” he said.

Prakas and his staff have watched Wall Street companies relocating here swell the population as well, bringing diners with big cash to spend, he said. Steakhouses and sushi restaurants and high-end Italian have proliferated.

“There’s still a big influx from the Northeast, Texas and Georgia,” Prakas said. “In the big cities, there’s only a finite amount of property. Not a lot of choices in New York City.”
Bigger corporate owners with good concepts and who are well funded can afford the rents and are moving in.

But, “the small profit margins of restaurants make this a tough business,” he said.

For small owners, the skyrocketing rents, insurance and labor costs are crushing. Some restaurateurs, he said, must move out of Palm Beach County to have a chance. But Prakas says that isn’t always a bad thing. “I personally drive all over the place for good food and good bar programs.”

Gary Rack owns two Farmhouse Kitchens — one in Boca Raton and another on the busy East Atlantic Avenue/Second Street corner in Delray Beach. He sees rents going up as well.

“When I opened my first restaurant nine years ago, I was paying $125 a square foot. Everybody said I was crazy.”

It’s now close to the norm. Lowest base rents average $100 per square foot on Atlantic Avenue, Prakas said. That doesn’t figure in taxes or insurance or other fees.

Rack is staying. He says that the Delray Beach location is busy year-round, a big plus. Outdoor bar seating and bright neon signs make his wrap-around spot visible and with a ready-made vibe.

But in Boca Raton, at Royal Palm Place where dining is slower paced, he’s bringing back house favorites from a former menu, and working to entice diners who used to come in multiple times per week. A static menu gets boring, he said.

“I opened with Coal Mine Pizza, and we’re bringing it back. I won the No. 2 pizza in the worldwide contest in France with my truffle pie,” he said.

Guests have requested it, but it was a nudge from his spouse, Videl, that pushed him to fire up the pizza oven again when he contemplated a new menu.

“She said, ‘Why don’t you just bring back what you started with?’” Rack said.

The restaurant also has a new burrata bar, pizza sandwiches, three new pasta dishes, and more.

Rack’s former chef, Demetrio Zavala, came back two years ago as director of culinary for the restaurant. A whimsical redesign of the bar area spruced things up as well.

“The response has been amazing so far,” Rack said.

Another huge draw is the summer early bird: From 3 to 7 p.m. daily, diners take 50% off most of the menu, including alcohol. The only exceptions are pizza and the burrata bar.

The deal runs through September. Rack is expecting a swell in patronage as word gets around, boosting summer numbers for him. “We’ll take ’em,” he said.

Nicolas Kurban is owner of the Mediterranean Amar on Atlantic Avenue, another small venue, and agrees the seasonal dining crowd makes things tougher here, unlike in bigger cities that have year-round visitors.

But offering something unique and providing a satisfying dining experience can make a difference, he said. “You have to be consistent, with good food and service to back it up. It can’t be for just the season, but all year.”

His is a family-run restaurant, another plus for him, he said. “I’m here, my daughter works for me and my son-in-law. We are part of the community.”

Kurban is bullish on Delray Beach and after contemplating a move for expansion, decided to stay. He’s leased the former Bar 25 space (and former Mellow Mushroom) on Sixth Avenue, and will move Amar by the end of October. The new space will have 175 seats, an increase of 130.

“We’ll have a full bar, something that was missing before. Delray’s a drinking crowd — they love a happy hour, and craft cocktails,” he said. “I’ll get to open for breakfast and lunch, something I’ve always wanted to do.”

Kurban intends to keep the space on the Avenue, however, turning it into Gesto, a “cozy, wood-fired pizzeria,” something he says the street is missing.

Tired concepts with a lot of copycats are one of the reasons for failures, he thinks. “Italian, Mexican and steakhouses are all over,” he said. “I think that’s why Amar is successful.

The visitor from Idaho or New Jersey can get Italian or Mexican, but Lebanese food might not be accessible where they are.”

Another local, however, couldn’t make it. Philipp Hawkins changed the upscale Fries to Caviar bistro in Boca Raton on North Federal Highway into a casual Louisiana-themed restaurant, Phil’s Place. After failing to bring in the diners even on Father’s Day, he wrote on a local food blog that he was closing. “I just can’t afford the place anymore.”

Taking a chance
Several others from out of town are taking a chance.

Chicago chef Jonathan Fox and Michelin-starred restaurateur Takashi Yagihashi have teamed to open Kasumi in Boca Raton’s Waterstone Resort, they hope in September.
It will be a full-service Asian-themed restaurant based on the omotenashi service-focused art of hospitality from Japan. A completely new build-out for the 90-seat restaurant at the resort on the Intracoastal Waterway is underway.

“The ownership wanted to create a destination with Kasumi,” Fox said. He feels the resort and restaurant are the perfect match.

“This particular restaurant is refined but approachable,” he said. Noting the many other Asian restaurants in the market, Fox said this will be a refined experience, though “not fine dining.”

The menu will be structured for sharable food with sushi, raw dishes, and hot and cold appetizers.

The cuisine is authentic, Yagihashi said, and chef-created. “The menu is coming from the kitchen. In most sushi restaurants the chefs do the same things with imported fish, or from Toyosu from Japan. We want to have one more step.”

He plans to work with local fishermen to bring in fresh catches and provide seasonal fish on the menu. “Right from the water,” Yagihashi said.

The traditional items will be mixed with local ingredients, he said, but will “taste like Japan. We mix them with unusual ingredients, say, blood oranges, fennel, hyssop.”

“With the beautiful new dining room, and food-focused plate, it’s going to be an experiential restaurant,” said Manuel Bornia, founder of In House Creative, Kasumi’s management company.

Another Asian restaurant has reformatted and opened with fanfare on East Palmetto Park Road in Boca Raton.

Alleycat, from chefs Eric Baker and David Bouhadana, is now an Izakaya bar with loads of sharable small plates. It is high energy as expected from Baker, creator of the Rebel House, with modern American takes on dishes such as handroll tacos. The nori taco shells are made in-house.

The food covers all bases: brisket noodles, tableside-grilled Wagu beef, unagi and foie gras sushi, and an omakase platter. Vegetarian dishes and more common sushi are on the menu as well.

Tuna Tuesdays are a big hit with the crowd. The chef breaks down a giant fresh tuna as a demo, serving up dishes made from the fresh fish. Reservations are a must for that one. Visit alleycatboca.com.

A worker is busy transforming the former BurgerFi in Delray Beach into Pura Vida, a health food cafe.

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly said the restaurant Avalon is closed. Avalon will be closing for an interior redesign, according to owner Antonio Paganazzi. Currently, it is closed on Monday nights.

Coming and going in Delray Beach
Atlantic Avenue, a premier Palm Beach County dining destination, and its nearby side streets are seeing a gastronomical upheaval. Among the changes:
Pura Vida All Day Cafe, a Miami and NYC favorite for health food aficionados, is building out a space at 6 S. Ocean Blvd. — the old BurgerFi location. Opening early fall.
Boca Raton-based Kapow! Noodle Bar is taking the former Salt 7 space at 32 SE Second Ave. A fall opening is expected.
Geronimo Tequila Bar & Southwest Grill will move into Atlantic Avenue’s Cabana El Rey spot, which closed in July after a 20-year run. The new Southwest concept is from Connecticut. No opening date was set as of late July.
The Standard, an American restaurant and bar in Boca Raton's Mizner Park, opened a Delray Beach sibling at 166 SE Second Ave. in July in the former OG space.
Lefkes Greek opened inside the redesigned Delray Beach Market in July. It joins Bounce Sporting Club, a sports bar/club that has livened up the former food hall that never gained momentum. Owners have split the huge space at 33 SE Third Ave. into five spaces, focusing on “eatertainment,” with clubs and bars to come by 2025, including a 1970s-inspired disco, Good Night John Boy.
Roka Hula is a new modern Asian concept from the True Grit Hospitality Group (Voodoo Bayou, Calaveras Cantina). It’s changing up the former Taverna Opa space on Atlantic Avenue. Plans are to open by the end of the year.
Gabriella’s Modern Italian, a sibling of a New Jersey restaurant, is scheduled to debut in October in Atlantic Crossing.
Early fall, look for Jerk and Lime at Nicole’s House. The family-owned Jamaican fusion restaurant will be at 182 NW Fifth Ave.
Subculture Coffee opened a new location in July at 302 NE Sixth Ave. It has several other locations, including one in Mizner Park.
The Bridge Cafe expanded into a vacant spot next door this summer. It is at 814 E. Atlantic Ave.
Tony’s Market now has Johnny’s Deli inside, serving up sandwiches and more near the Delray Beach Tennis Center on West Atlantic Avenue.

In July, Subculture Coffee opened on northbound Federal Highway in Delray Beach.

Boca West Children’s Foundation leaders (l-r) Arthur Adler, Christina Irving, Pamela Weinroth, Richard Zenker. Photo provided

The 2023-24 fiscal year culminated in $1.7 million in donations from the Boca West Children’s Foundation to its more than 30 charity partners.

The grants will help fund projects ranging from providing cribs and diapers, to early childhood education and after-school care, to tutoring and counseling.

“All of this was made possible due to the hard work and dedication of our board of directors, members of Boca West Country Club and donors in our community,” said Pamela Weinroth, the foundation’s executive director. “We have raised a total of $19 million since the launch of Boca West Children’s Foundation in 2010.”

Added Richard Zenker, the foundation’s chairman, “The funds we grant to our charity partners directly help children and families in need, from providing backpacks with food, to diapers, beds, aftercare, tutoring, summer and sports camps, counseling, college scholarships and so much more.”

For more information, call 561-488-6980 or visit bocawestfoundation.org.

Boca twins’ cereal drive nets 8,000 boxes
Cereal4All, an annual drive organized by 16-year-old twins Jett and Luke Justin, of Boca Raton, will enable Boca Helping Hands to provide more than 8,000 boxes of cereal to its clients. The brothers aimed to gather 4,000 pounds of cereal for Boca Helping Hands and instead ended up with 10,619.

“We created Cereal4All to fight hunger around America’s breakfast tables because millions of American families suffer from food insecurity, which means they can’t always afford enough meals for everyone in their homes,” Luke Justin said. “Those families depend on food banks to help ease their hunger issues. Since breakfast food is one of the least donated items to food banks, that means pantry bags of meals distributed to families in need are often missing breakfast food.”

The drive’s impact has grown beyond Palm Beach County, with student ambassadors expanding its reach through more than 40 schools in Florida, 25 schools in other states and one in Canada.

“The other part of Cereal4All’s mission is to make students more aware of food insecurity in their communities,” Jett Justin said. “The happy connection young people have with cereal makes the sad facts of food insecurity more personal for them. Students can clearly imagine what it means to have an empty bowl.”

For more information about Cereal4All, call 561-289-1378 or visit cereal4all.org. For more information about Boca Helping Hands, call 561-417-0913 or visit bocahelpinghands.org.

JARC Florida names five new members to board
Three members and two honorary members have been added to the leadership of JARC Florida, a Boca Raton-based organization that educates and empowers people with developmental and intellectual disabilities.

Summer Faerman, Harry Posin and Jonathan Greenhut join honorary members Rabbi David Baum and Debra Hallow at JARC Florida.

Faerman is director of the Meryl and Ron Gallatin Tzedakah, Learning and Chesed program at B’nai Torah Congregation in Boca Raton.

Posin is founder and president of Label & Co. home builders.

Greenhut is an entrepreneur who has started multiple businesses in the health, wellness and beauty industries.

For more information, call 561-558-2550 or visit jarcfl.org.

David Waldshan fund expands mission at FAU
When Ben and Liz Waldshan pledged a gift to the Arthur and Emalie Gutterman Family Center for Holocaust and Human Rights Education at Florida Atlantic University, the purpose was to deepen knowledge of the Holocaust and human rights.

The David Waldshan Educational Endowment Fund will amplify the mission of the center by providing learning opportunities to professional educators in South Florida to combat prejudice and indifference.

“The Florida Atlantic Center for Holocaust and Human Rights Education, championing education as our best hope against hatred, is a perfect fit for us to honor my father’s greatest wish — to ensure that atrocities like the Holocaust never happen again,” said Ben Waldshan, noting that the gift was made in memory of David Waldshan, a Holocaust survivor. “In today’s current environment, where anti-semitism is troublingly on the rise, we feel it’s more important than ever to support the center for its hard work and to accelerate its impact.”

David Waldshan died in 2023.

For more information, call 561-297-3000 or visit www.fau.edu/artsandletters/pjhr/chhre.

Special fundraiser will benefit Spady Museum
A Spady Cultural Heritage Museum fundraiser has launched online as part of Give 8/28, a national day of philanthropy organized by the Young, Black & Giving Back Institute.

The museum in Delray Beach will use the funds for the Martin Luther King Jr. Brunch in January.

To donate, visit give828.org/donate/expanding-and-preserving-our-cultural-heritage.

“At a time when our state funding has been eliminated, it is support from our local donors, members, friends, representatives and partners that allow us to continue important work, like educating and empowering our young people and providing cultural and historical information to everyone,” museum director Charlene Farrington said. “Now more than ever, it is important for anyone who supports education, the arts and history to support the programs of the Spady Museum.”

The fundraiser comes as Black-led organizations across the country highlight the fact that they receive 2% of institutional dollars from foundations. Give 8/28 seeks to empower those organizations working in areas such as education and mentoring, health and wellness and more.

The Spady Museum specifically is employing Give 8/28 to make up for $27,244 cut from its operating budget due to the governor’s veto of arts-and-culture grants statewide for fiscal year 2025.

“The funding gap left by the state of Florida means we have to work extra hard and be super creative,” Farrington said. “We welcome the public’s support and invite them to come experience what the Spady has to offer.”

For more information, call 561-279-8883.

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

A benefit for Tri-County Animal Rescue ended up being an enchanting evening under the stars as supporters and their four-legged guests experienced an exquisite meal and live music at the indoor and outdoor affair. Highlights included shopping at pop-up boutiques, photos with pets, and a silent auction.
ABOVE: (l-r) Raul Pupo, Suzi Goldsmith and Nikki Pupo. Photo provided

HomeSafe welcomed 100 golfers (many from the Royal Palm Yacht and Country Club) to work on their short games for a cause that goes a long way. The event — in its second year — raised a record-breaking $100,000 that will go toward preventing abuse and helping thousands of children and families who have endured trauma.

(l-r) Patty Larkin, Logan Shalmi, Fern Schmidt, Jim MacCutcheon, Brooke Qualk and Phil Engman.

(l-r) Jeanette Austin, Jayne Malfitano, Michelle Bernardo and Jori Farrell.

(l-r) Rochelle LeCavalier, Michele Desjardins, Kerrie Milligan and Kristine Miller.

(l-r) Genevieve Murphy, Aileen Farrell, HomeSafe CEO Matt Ladika, Kathleen Long and Lisa Addeo.

Kimberly and Joe Scaggs.

Photos provided by Tracey Benson Photography

By Arden Moore

In 1999, I left the newspaper and book publishing world to cover what’s happening in the pet world.

Back then, no one referred to themselves as pet parents. Cat daddies didn’t exist. The professional pet sitting industry was still in its infancy. Dogs competing in surfing events or celebrating “yappy hours” were unheard of.

You’ve come a long way, doggy and kitty. Today, pets are unapologetically regarded as beloved family members by many of us. This growing love for our four-leggers has unleashed innovative pet services. To find examples, you need to look no further than right here in Palm Beach County.

You may spot a state-of-the-art mobile grooming van parked on your street. Inside, dogs are being treated to a sugar cookie spritz.

The next wedding you attend may include the couple’s well-mannered dog sporting a canine tux and participating in the ceremony.

Or you may notice a French bulldog being escorted onto your plane by a professional pet concierge expert.

Let’s take a closer look at each of these specialized pet services:

A dog is ready to be beautified in a Woofie’s mobile grooming van. Photos provided

Mobile grooming
Amy Addington left the corporate world 20 years ago to cater to dogs. She and Leslie Barron launched Woofie’s, a premium mobile pet service company in Ashburn, Virginia, that offers grooming, pet sitting and dog walking. They eventually franchised, with Woofie’s operating in states across the country. One of the newest is here in Delray Beach, where Amy now resides.

“Back then when we quit our corporate jobs, people thought we were crazy,” Addington says. “But we saw this as a way to elevate the pet profession by offering the convenience of mobile services, including grooming, inside a state-of-the-art mobile van. Our grooming tables feature hydraulic lifts to easily raise and lower a dog.”

In some cases, pet parents get to come inside to witness their shaggy, dirty dogs transform into well-manicured, nice-smelling canines.

Liz Gibbs, who sports an animal science degree from Rutgers and worked for a decade at zoos and dog boarding facilities, is the general manager for the Woofie’s in Delray Beach. Woofie’s has partnered with Pet Vet Connection, a telehealth company that gives clients 24/7 access to veterinarians via video or phone chats.

“With our Pet Vet Connection, any pet under our care — be it for pet sitting or grooming — has 24/7 access to veterinary care,” Gibbs says. “In doing a snout-to-tail inspection on a dog, one of our groomers may find a hot spot or a tick or a lump or bump. Having immediate access to veterinary telehealth services gives our clients that much-needed peace of mind.”

Here comes the dog
These days, dogs, cats and other family pets are being invited to once no-pets-allowed events, like lavish weddings. Recognizing this trend motivated Jill Merjeski, owner of Jill’s

Next Door Dog Walking and Pet Services, to add wedding pet attendant services for her clients.

“We offer different wedding packages, from just doing the pet transport back and forth to the ceremony to getting the pet cleaned, brushed, time to arrive early to sniff and explore the wedding location and working with the wedding photographer to include the pet in the pictures,” Merjeski says.

“And, if they want their pet to stay through the reception, we are there for them and we also offer honeymoon pet care options.”
Merjeski, from Highland Beach, recognizes that everyone is dressed up for the ceremony. Being in charge of the pet ensures that the wedding becomes memorable and free of pet disruptions.

“One of our first pet wedding services was for a couple with a yellow Labrador named Cody,” she says. “I have walked Cody for years, so I knew him, and he knew me. He has a good temperament and wore a bow tie that made everyone’s day at the wedding.”

Word of Jill’s pet wedding services landed her an invitation to be a vendor at a major bridal and wedding expo held in West Palm Beach.

“This new generation getting married is really focusing on their pets as family members, so I see this being a pet service more people will want,” she says.

Matthew Darnall, owner of Totally Pawsome Pet Transport, with a client.

By air, ground or to the vet
Matthew Darnall, who is best known as Matty, is also a pet trend-setter. He spent about 25 years in the hospitality industry, mainly at country clubs and luxury resorts, but his prime passion has been pets. He has become a certified pet first aid/CPR instructor and volunteers about 500 hours a year helping animals at Tri- County Animal Rescue in Boca Raton.

This has led him to pivot his concierge talents to pets by starting the Totally Pawsome Pet Transport company based in Boca Raton. Playing off the feminine term nanny, he offers transport pet services on airplanes, by vehicle for family relocations and even trips to the veterinary clinic and groomers for his pet clients. He refers to his services as Air Manny, Ground Manny and Vet Manny.

“My niche is that I only do solo and VIP trips,” Darnall says. “My motto is safely delivering smiles, one pet at a time.”

He specializes in chaperoning cats and small dog breeds with door-to-door service to and from major airports within the continental United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. On a recent flight he accompanied a senior cat named Meeko, who needs daily thyroid medicine.

Her pet parent was moving from Boca Raton to the Philadelphia area and didn’t want Meeko stressed by the movers and from enduring a three-day car ride to Philly, Darnall says.

“I picked up Meeko from her house a day before the movers arrived.”

Matty also drove a parrot named Simon safely from Coral Springs to the owner’s new home in Orlando.

“I am able to transport beyond dogs and cats to include birds and reptiles,” he says. “I was expecting Simon to say some words on the drive, but he just made some bird noises, and the trip went smoothly for the both of us.”

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

Capt. Tony DiGiulian shows off a nice wahoo caught in local waters.  Photos by Steve Waters/The Coastal Star

By Steve Waters

The days leading up to and following the full moon in August are a prime time to catch wahoo. No one really knows why that is, and anglers really don’t care. They love being able to catch the speedy, often elusive, extremely tasty fish.

This year the full moon is Aug. 19.

Capt. Skip Dana of Deerfield Beach prefers to fish “three to four days before a full moon and then a few days after. The day of the full moon is usually slower, with the best bite at midday.”

Capt. Tony DiGiulian of Fort Lauderdale said that the absolute best times to hook a wahoo can be when the moon rises and sets during those days, as well as when the moon is directly overhead.

Websites provide that information. For example, according to www.timeanddate.com, in Boca Raton the moon sets at 6:34 a.m. Aug. 19, 7:42 a.m. the next day and 8:49 a.m. the day after that.

Tactics for catching wahoo range from trolling high-speed lures, to slow trolling with live bait, to kite-fishing with live bait, which is Dana’s preference.

“You get more bites live-bait fishing than any time of year. I’d rather catch one on live bait than 10 trolling a lure on a planer,” Dana said.

He starts fishing in the morning by putting up two fishing kites, each with three lines. The kites get the baits away from the boat and suspend them at or just below the surface.

Dana also puts out two flat lines with live baits that are allowed to swim wherever they want, along with two lines with sinkers to get those baits down deeper.

“Once the sun is up, I’ll start slow-trolling for them. I’ll go out to 200, 300, 400 feet and put out goggle-eyes, blue runners, speedos, little bullet bonitos. All you’re doing is bumping the motors in and out of gear to keep the lines tight as you move,” Dana said.

DiGiulian said trolling bonito strips and ballyhoo behind removable planers, which are clipped to the line to get a bait 30-50 feet below the surface, is effective for wahoo.

But he added that more and more local anglers have been high-speed trolling for wahoo, as is commonly done in the Bahamas.

“Here, we gear everything down,” he said. “In a center-console, we’ll fish three lines, and instead of 130- or 80-pound outfits, you could go down to a 50- or 30-pound-class outfit with 50-pound braided line. The lower profile you can be with everything — leaders, hook size, swivels — the more bites you get.
“Instead of using big 42-ounce high-speed trolling leads, gear down to 16- and 24-ounce leads. Instead of heavy 400-pound leaders, go down to 100-, 130- or 150-pound leaders at the heaviest.
“And instead of the bigger lures that you use in the Bahamas, use smaller pointy-headed lures or little bullet-headed lures that produce a lot of smoke (bubbles) with 6/0 or 7/0 hooks instead of 9/0 or 10/0 hooks.”

DiGiulian recommended trolling those lures at 11-12 knots instead of 15-17 knots. He puts one line down the middle, 250-300 feet behind the boat. The other two lines, which can be fished out of rod-holders on each gunwale or out of the outriggers, are 140 and 180 feet behind the boat.

Those distances can be adjusted based on how the wahoo react.

He trolls single- or double-hooked bonito strips and ballyhoo at 9-11 knots behind No. 6 and No. 4 planers with monofilament shock cords of at least 100 feet.

The daily bag limit is two wahoo per angler. DiGiulian said wahoo is “arguably my favorite fish to eat,” and the firm, white flesh is versatile.

DiGiulian fillets wahoo instead of steaking the fish because it gives him multiple options: He can eat thin slices sashimi-style with soy sauce and wasabi; sear a loin on all sides in a pan with olive oil, butter and soy sauce; or prepare bigger pieces on the grill — all of which is reason enough to go fishing the week around Aug. 19 for wahoo.

The daily limit per angler is two wahoo.

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

By Jan Engoren

With a recent spate of Florida drownings in the ocean due to rip currents, as well as the June 13 death of an 8-year-old boy who fell off a sea wall and drowned in the Boynton Inlet — what better time to talk about water safety, especially for children.

With the sea and so many backyard pools surrounding us in Florida, keeping kids safe in and near the water is of prime concern.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drownings are the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4 — and Florida leads the country in drowning deaths.

In Palm Beach County, according to the Florida Department of Health, between 2016 and 2019, adults ages 20 to 25 had the highest drowning rate based on population, followed by seniors 75 and older and children ages 1 to 4.

Keri Morrison, 47, and her husband, Roarke, 52, founded the Live Like Jake Foundation to raise awareness about childhood drowning prevention after their son, Jake, drowned in a pool in 2013, just shy of his third birthday.

Since then, the Palm Beach Gardens couple have dedicated their lives to the cause.

“We want to keep people from making the same mistakes we did and to see a day where one more child doesn’t drown,” says Morrison, who notes that Jake would now be 13.

She also has two girls, Josie, 9, and Julia, 10, both of whom she enrolled in Infant Swimming Resource classes before their first birthday.

The Live Like Jake Foundation encourages other parents to do the same and provides financial and emotional support for families who have experienced a drowning. It also offers scholarships for Infant Swimming Resource lessons.

Morrison says children’s drownings can be prevented via the following measures: effective supervision, erecting permanent four-sided pool fences with self-locking gates, alarming doors and windows leading to the pool, enrolling kids in lessons such as from Infant Swimming Resource, and knowing CPR.

The classes teach infants as young as 6 months old techniques such as rolling onto their backs to float, rest and breathe. Toddlers can learn to swim a short distance, rotate onto their backs to float, turn over to continue the sequence until they are rescued or reach the shallow end of the pool.

“All the layers must be in place,” says Morrison, who does not recommend children use flotation devices or puddle jumpers, because she says they provide a false sense of security and kids may over-rely on them.

According to the Drowning Prevention Coalition of Palm Beach County, the No. 1 cause of drowning in both the county and the rest of the country is unsupervised water activity.

“Drownings do not discriminate, and drowning is everyone’s responsibility,” the coalition states on its website.

“Expect the unexpected while engaging in water activities,” says Anna Stewart, manager of the coalition. “Even accomplished swimmers can drown.”

The coalition has a list of prevention recommendations on its website (discover.pbcgov.org/drowningprevention). For adults, they include to not swim alone and to swim in front of a lifeguard.

Stewart also encourages people not to jump right into the water to rescue someone in distress, but to “reach, throw, don’t go.”

Whether you are on a pool deck or in a boat, this means using your body weight as an anchor and throwing a rope or pole into the water for the person to grab.

Libby Moon, associate director of water safety at the YMCA of South Palm Beach County, says “we’re blessed to be surrounded by so many beautiful beaches here in South Florida. But, remember, regardless of age, race, gender, socioeconomic background and swimming capability, a drowning incident can occur.

“First of all, it’s important to know how to swim,” she says.

According to the CDC, almost 40 million adults (15.4%) in the United States do not know how to swim and over half (54.7%) have never taken a swimming lesson, with the rates higher in minority communities.

The CDC also recommends wearing Coast Guard-approved life jackets during water activities, especially boating and swimming.

“Make swimming be your first sport,” and learn how to do it well, Moon says. “It’s a sport and one that will save your life.”

She also emphasizes the importance of knowing how to use CPR when waiting for paramedics to arrive.

She agrees with Morrison about not using floaties or water wings. Further, Moon suggests that kids not wear goggles — because children need to know how to get to safety with or without them — but do wear brightly colored bathing suits so they can easily be spotted.

Water safety is more than just learning to swim.

It’s also important to heed warning signs, such as flags at the beach indicating which areas are safe to swim in, to know if a lifeguard is on duty, and to know about jellyfish or shark alerts, rip currents or other hazardous conditions.

And using alcohol, drugs or even prescription medications during water-related recreation can be a risk factor for drowning deaths.

“We want to be in the water and enjoying it,” Morrison says. “And we want children to be safe and have fun in the water, too.

“Just take these few extra steps of precaution to ensure everyone’s safe and having a good time.”

For more information on the foundation, visit livelikejake.com.

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

Delray Medical Center has opened a new seven-bay Vertical Emergency Room to speed up care for patients with less serious health issues.

In this new emergency room, patients can relax in recliners while being treated.

“We recognized the need for a more patient-centered approach when it comes to providing emergency care for people with less acute health needs,” said Dr. Peter Kaplan, facility medical director and chairman of emergency services at the hospital.

“The Vertical ER enables us to offer more focused and streamlined care to patients who qualify for this approach, with the goal of ensuring they receive the attention they need more quickly and more efficiently,” he said.

Delray Medical Center also has unveiled a renovated EMS lounge, which offers EMS personnel a comfortable space with seats, a TV, free food and other refreshments when they are on the job.

***

Triangulate Labs entered into a licensing agreement with the Mayo Clinic to develop its Skinmap technology, an artificial intelligence-powered photography system that helps dermatologists find and cure skin cancer earlier.

The system uses a mobile device to capture hundreds of high-resolution images of a patient’s skin in less than a minute. From there, its algorithms review each image pixel and matches it to the location on the body, making it possible to create a detailed 3D map of the skin.

Under terms of the deal, the Mayo Clinic will offer guidance to Triangulate Labs and remove barriers to patient access.

Founded in 2022, Triangulate Labs is based at the Research Park at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton.

***

New York University’s Langone Health acquired Florida Cardiology Group in Atlantis.

Dr. Benjamin Saketkhou and Dr. Hedayatollah Zaghi remain with the medical practice, along with key team members.

The group plans to add an interventional cardiologist to the practice. Renamed NYU Langone Cardiology Associates, the practice is at 110 JFK Drive, Suite 110 in Atlantis.

***

Heather Havericak was appointed as chief executive officer of Delray Medical Center. Havericak was previously CEO of the Broward Health Medical Center, which includes the Salah Foundation Children’s Hospital.  

***

Amber Deckard was appointed Caron Treatment Centers’ director of neuropsychological and psychological services. Her expertise supports Caron’s expansion of its brain health program, which includes a neurocognitive assessment for individuals struggling with cognitive, behavioral or emotional dysregulation. Her office is at Caron’s Keele Medical Center, 4575 Linton Blvd., Delray Beach.

***

Harbour’s Edge, a Lifespace Communities senior living facility in Delray Beach, promoted Nicki Anno to assistant executive director. Anno, an expert in health care administration and financial management, joined the organization in March 2023 as administrator.

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

By Brian Biggane

St. Andrews Club in Delray Beach will host the South Florida PGA Links Tour on Aug. 18 in an event for junior golfers ages 6 to 18.

The nine-hole event is designed for children who have never had a tournament experience. The field will consist of 48 players and be broken down into four divisions. Prizes will be awarded to first- and second-place finishers.

“This is for kids who are just getting into golf,” said Haley Dunn, SFPGA director of junior golf. “The atmosphere is based more on having fun and enjoying the game rather than try to shoot the lowest score.

“The kids are competitive, but the goal with this is that the kids are having a great time and enjoying playing golf, so they continue to do it down the line.”

Dunn said St. Andrews reached out to the SFPGA with the goal of promoting junior golf in the area. “This year their schedule permitted them to help us out with an event and it happened to be this one.”

Play will be from the first tee of the par-3 course for all players, with an 8 a.m. start. Free parking will be provided for family members of participants.

Spots were still available as of mid-July. Players must become South Florida PGA members to participate. P

Visit sflpgajr.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/sflpgajr24/event/sflpgajr2480/index.htm

With fewer buyers and sellers, market loses a little sizzle

Related stories: Homes sales fetch high prices despite slowdown in volume after pandemic |Property values increase at slower rate, but still chug along

By Rich Pollack

Snowbirds Stu and Lisa Cantor enjoyed the Highland Beach condo they rented for almost a decade.

So it wasn’t surprising that when the unit in the Boca Highland Beach Club and Marina community became available, they jumped at the opportunity to buy it.

“We really liked where we were and we liked being there,” said Stu Cantor, 71, who still has a home on Long Island in New York. “We had built up friendships and we really wanted to stay.”

The Cantors are among the many luxury condo buyers who still wanted to own along Palm Beach County’s southern coast, where the market is showing signs of slowing as homes in general stay on the market a little longer and the number of months of inventory supply increases.

Despite a tightening market and factors such as higher homeowner association fees and assessments, as well as higher interest rates, condos are still selling — just not as fast — and prices for premier units in high-end buildings often continue to climb, according to local real estate agents.

“People are still coming to Florida,” says Mark Hansen, a real estate agent with Coldwell Banker who specializes in luxury condos in coastal Palm Beach County and who is on the board of the Beach Condo Association of Boca Raton, Highland Beach and Delray Beach.

In Highland Beach, for example, the number of condo and townhome sales over $1 million increased by about 8% during the first five months of 2024 compared to a year earlier, with 27 units sold, according to the Florida Realtors association.

One of the highest-priced condos in Highland Beach was a three-bedroom, 3.5-bath, 2,842-square-foot unit in the Toscana community that sold for $4 million in August 2023, according to Redfin, a Seattle-based real estate firm that tracks sales.

In Boca Raton, 95 condos and townhouses sold in the first five months of this year for over $1 million, an increase of 44% from the same time period last year, according to Florida Realtors.

A 9-bedroom, 8.5-bath condo just shy of 7,500 square feet at Boca Raton’s 1000 South Ocean sold in November for $13.6 million, according to Redfin.

In Delray Beach, condo and townhouse sales seem to have stayed flat, with the number of those over $1 million — 60 units — slipping by just under 5%, Florida Realtors said.

In May, a three-bedroom, three-bath Delray Beach condo with an Intracoastal Waterway view sold for $3.2 million, according to Redfin.

In South Palm Beach two condos sold for over $1 million in the first five months of 2024, down from five during the same period last year.

A 2,800-square-foot condo on the ocean sold in December for just over $3 million.

As the market softens, inventory is slowly increasing but remains tight in part because of uncertainty that is causing sellers to step back.
Hansen said he’s had clients — both buyers and sellers — who have been talking to him for a year and a half but have yet to make a decision on moving.

“They say they decided to stay put,” he said.

The number of baby boomers living in condos is also a factor in keeping the inventory tight.

“Baby boomers are holding tight,” says Marie Caradonna, a luxury waterfront property specialist with Coldwell Banker’s Delray Beach office. “They’re just not selling.”

In some cases, Caradonna says, condo owners are choosing to rent their units out rather than sell, with some rents going anywhere from $7,000 to $12,000 or more a month.
Jackie Feldman, a luxury estate agent with One Sotheby’s International Realty in Boca Raton, says there are three key reasons why inventory is growing.

“Properties are not moving as quickly as they were due to high interest rates, increased assessments and HOA fees, and because it’s an election year,” she said. “I’ve had so many people say they’re going to wait until after the election.”

A change in the economy, Feldman says, has a bigger impact on condo sales than on single-family home sales.

“When the economy is tight, the condo market is the first to slow down because of fees,” she said.

HOA fees and special assessments can keep buyers away, she said.

Dramatically increasing HOA fees as well as recent large assessments coming as a result of rising insurance costs and building recertifications have been a factor in a slowdown of condo sales, real estate agents say.

Assessments and condo fees are driving some condo owners to move to single-family homes, Feldman said, but at the same time there are many single-family home owners buying condos who are not put off by the fees.

“I have people who only want the concierge aspect of a condo,” she said.

While there are estimates that close to 90% of luxury condo sales are cash deals, Feldman says she is seeing more new buyers taking out loans and mortgages, especially on the higher end.

“They want their money working for them,” she said. “They’re getting a better return on their investment.”

While condos throughout Palm Beach County’s southern coast are generally staying on the market longer, some are scooped up within days of being listed.

Then there are some that are sold directly from seller to buyer and never get listed at all.

Recently completely remodeled units in higher-end buildings — those with beach clubs, for example — are at a premium, according to Caradonna.
“They fall off the market quickly,” she said.

Caradonna said she recently sold a condo in Highland Beach’s Coronado for $1.375 million in just two days to a younger couple from the Northeast.

That ninth-floor unit, she said, has a direct ocean view, was completely remodeled and had all the “bells and whistles.”

The seller of that unit actually stayed in the building, buying one of the few condos in Coronado with a double balcony directly from the seller, who moved north without the property being listed.

“It was her dream place,” Caradonna said.

That sale illustrates a scenario that plays out often in high-end condos where an older resident decides to sell in order to be closer to family — or in some cases the resident dies — and the buyer is a baby boomer within the condo building who doesn’t want to leave.

“Direct sales happen because condos are a community where word travels fast,” Feldman said.

Caradonna’s seller wanted to stay in the condo community where she was most comfortable just like the Cantors, the snowbirds who bought the condo in Boca Highland Beach Club and Marina.

“We really like it there,” Stu Cantor said.

Family and friends toast the memory of Jacob Kosowsky during a private celebration of Jacob’s Outlook — the new observation tower within Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton. Photos by Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Steve Plunkett

In a combination outdoor lawn party/celebration of life, the family of Jacob Kosowsky dedicated the opening of Gumbo Limbo Nature Center’s rebuilt observation tower after its dispiriting nine-year absence.

The tower is now called “Jacob’s Outlook” after parents Sharilyn Jones and Stephen Kosowsky donated $250,000 to rebuild it.

“Now a permanent fixture in Boca Raton, it stands as a testament to Jacob’s enduring legacy,” Stephen Kosowsky said at the invitation-only gathering of more than 100 family and friends on June 9.

“Its heights reach towards the sky, reminding us of his aspirations, dreams and limitless potential he carried within him,” Jacob’s father continued, his voice breaking. “Its foundation is solid, much like the values Jacob embodied — integrity, resilience and a deep sense of respect for the environment.”

Looking to the west, the tower gives a panoramic view from 40 feet up of Gumbo Limbo’s mangrove hammock and the Intracoastal Waterway.

The tower gives a bird’s-eye view from 40 feet up of Gumbo Limbo’s mangrove hammock, the Intracoastal Waterway and even glimpses of the Atlantic Ocean. An ADA-compliant, six-level switchback ramp offers a 700-foot stroll to the top. Also an option: five flights of stairs with 71 steps.

A plaque at the top will dedicate the outlook forever:

A vista to inspire the soul from the depths of the ocean to the skies above
In loving memory of Jacob Kosowsky
May you be moved by its beauty and hold it in your hearts

Jacob, then 21 and a junior at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, died in a car accident in 2018. The Boca Raton native and Boca High graduate had grown up spearfishing, boating, snow skiing, playing soccer and climbing the tower, which originally was built before he was born.

Sharilyn Jones and Stephen Kosowsky stand between two photo enlargements of their son, Jacob, before the tower was dedicated with a plaque. Photo provided by City of Boca Raton

“He was an outdoors kid, and that love of nature and sublime adventure stayed with him throughout his life,” his mother told the crowd assembled on the nature center’s grounds. “It is our wish that this tower, Jacob’s Outlook, will be a reminder to each of us to allow that profound understanding to live with deep meaning and harmony.”

Jacob’s sister, Mia, who was a year behind him at Vanderbilt and has since graduated, told everyone that that Sunday was also her birthday.

“Shortly after we knew that this was going to be happening, and my parents were trying to figure out when we were going to be celebrating the opening, I couldn’t think of a better way to share this (day) and share something with my brother,” she said. “So cheers to you, Jake — woo!”

The city’s official ribbon-cutting that opened the tower to the public was June 13.

The path to rebuilding the tower was neither quick nor easy.

Engineers in 2015 declared it and the adjoining boardwalk unsafe, and they were removed. The boardwalk was rebuilt and reopened five years ago.

Around that time, six 40-foot wooden posts for the tower were embedded in concrete, but construction stopped when city officials decided the replacement would have to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The nonprofit Coastal Stewards, then known as the Friends of Gumbo Limbo, proposed building an “inclined elevator.” Kosowsky and Jones pledged the $250,000 in return for naming the tower after Jacob, and Howard and Merele Kosowsky, his grandparents, gifted $100,000. Their extended family and family friends raised almost $208,000 more for the project.

An ADA-compliant, six-level switchback ramp offers a 700-foot stroll to the top. Also an option: five flights of stairs with 71 steps.

City officials later scrapped the elevator plan in favor of the multi-level ramp, which they estimated would cost $1.4 million. They and Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District officials were shocked in early 2022 when they received only one bid — for $2.6 million.

The project was rebid and West Palm Beach-based Walker Design & Construction Co. won the $2.4 million job. The Beach and Park District covered $1.9 million.
Stephen Kosowsky thanked everyone for the generous support.

Stephen Kosowsky admires one of the photos of his son that were on display.

“Our dearest Jacob, you are forever in our hearts. Your spirit soars with every breeze that touches this tower, and your love continues to guide us,” he said. “Though you’re no longer with us in body, your presence is felt in every corner of our lives, and your legacy will forever stand tall, like the tower we dedicate in your honor today.”

Before leading the guests to the viewing platform, Jones told them the event’s signature cocktail — a mix of light, dark and coconut rum with triple sec and pineapple juice — was “a fave of Jake’s.”

“And whatever you have in your hand at this moment, let us all toast to Jake and the big love he has brought here today,” she said.

Related: With new logo, merchandise, centennial hoopla may stretch into 2026

By Mary Hladky

Boca Raton. Boca Ratone. Boca de Ratones.

That isn’t a conjugation of the city’s name, just a sampling of the variations that have appeared over time.

It’s safe to say, the city’s pioneers could have put a spell-check app to good use.

And, with all the different spellings, it should come as no surprise that one incorporation wouldn’t be enough.

The city is preparing to celebrate its centennial next year, the birth of Boca Raton marked by its incorporation as a town in 1925.
But the history books show the city was first incorporated as a town a year earlier, under the name “Boca Ratone.” The Boca Raton Historical Society decided to have some fun with this muddle by holding a “Boca Ratone Family Fun Day” on June 22 to commemorate the first incorporation.

“It’s something most people don’t know about,” society curator Sue Gillis said.

“We wanted to commemorate this earlier incorporation before Addison Mizner ever set foot in town,” Shannon Patron, the society’s director of education, said of the famed architect.

The man who the historical society says was the first settler, surveyor Thomas Moore Rickards, had platted the town as “Boca Raton” in 1896. But the city’s other pioneers don’t seem to have had any allegiance to that spelling.

Gillis counts about 20 different ones, including “Boca Ratton” and “Boca de Ratone.”

And earlier map-makers had problems of their own.

A 1774 map of South Florida shows the original site of “Boca Ratones” on Biscayne Bay. An 1839 map placed the site in two locations at the same time — one on Biscayne Bay and the second at Lake Boca Raton.

The mish-mash of spellings even made its way into the city’s seal — Boca Raton became a city in 1957 — which is emblazoned with an image of a sailing vessel in an inlet, with the name “Boca de Ratones” on a scroll with the 1925 incorporation date.

At the Boca Ratone Day celebration, events included a demonstration that allowed kids to learn how butter was made before Publix did the work for us.

Other activities included a puppet show, dance lessons, trivia sessions and the serving of a birthday cake.

Kids even got a chance to redesign the city’s misguided seal.

Ginger Mentzer, CPA for the Boca Raton Historical Society, teaches the Charleston to kids at the Boca Ratone Family Fun Day on June 22 at the history museum. The whimsical event celebrated the 100th anniversary of Boca’s initial incorporation as ‘Boca Ratone’ before it became Boca Raton in 1925. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

A food tasting with swamp cabbage, coconut canapes and many things mango drew from the historical society’s recipe book The Pioneer Cook In Southeast Florida, by Donald Walter Curl.

“We thought it was good to celebrate our pioneer heritage,” said Mary Csar, the society’s executive director.

There’s yet another misconception to clear up.

Everyone thinks Boca Raton means rat’s mouth. But linguists say it actually means mouse’s mouth.

Unless it means something else entirely.

“Boca de Ratones” or “Boca Ratones” was a navigational term referring to a rocky or jagged inlet, according to the historical society.

It was applied to the current Lake Boca in early maps even though the Boca Inlet did not exist at the time and was carved out later.

By Mary Hladky

As the city continues planning for its 100th birthday celebration in 2025, one thing is clear — this yearlong party won’t be cobbled together on the cheap.

The city has hired a centennial marketing consultant, Boca Raton-based Merit Mile, which will be paid $467,926 for 18 months of work that began on July 1 “to bring a dynamic and creative approach” to the centennial celebration, the city said in announcing the hiring. The company’s work can be extended for an additional six months.

Merit Mile’s responsibilities include creating a website that will be continuously updated with all-things-centennial information and will include a centennial store. It will launch on Dec. 1.

The company will design centennial-themed merchandise featuring the city’s centennial logo that will be available in the online store. The items can be purchased, but there also will be giveaways. The logo was unveiled on the city’s website on June 24.

Merit Mile also will create sponsorship, donation and community partnership packages for people, businesses and organizations that want to support and finance the gala.

“This yearlong, community-wide event is a significant milestone that demands extensive resources and expertise, and we believe Merit Mile is the perfect partner to help us achieve this,” Anne Marie Connolly, the city’s communications and marketing manager, said in the announcement.

A centennial weekend celebration will be held on May 24 and 25. Although the city’s 100th birthday actually falls on May 26, the celebration was moved up so it won’t conflict with Memorial Day.

While most centennial events will take place next year, some already are being held. A June event celebrated the 1924 incorporation of “Boca Ratone,” which was a year before its current incorporation without the “e” at the end.

The city also has partnered with the poetry organization O, Miami to launch “Zip Odes,” which are five-line poems written by residents with the number of words in each line based on their zip code numbers. To try your hand, go to odetoboca.com.

Curated poems honoring the city will be showcased in public art projects.

Mayor Scott Singer, zip code 33496, is among those to whom the muse has spoken. His offering:

Boca Raton is
the greatest city
because of its people
but we can reach our fullest potential, united together
for the next century and beyond.

Museum Director Irvin Lippman says the school ‘is definitely staying in Boca Raton,’ but that the 60-year-old building must be replaced at some point.
Larry Barszewski/The Coastal Star

Related: Summer arrives with no plan for art classes at Crest Theatre

By Mary Hladky

The Boca Raton Museum of Art’s offer this spring to move its art school to Delray Beach alarmed art students, who feared losing a school that they love.

Even though museum Executive Director Irvin Lippman has since withdrawn the proposal he made to Delray Beach officials, students’ anxieties that their school is in jeopardy have not lessened.

Students who spoke with The Coastal Star said they had no idea Lippman intended to approach Delray Beach about operating and managing the Crest Theatre and Center for Creative Arts at Old School Square and had not sought their input.

“Nobody knew this was going on,” including the teachers, said ceramics student Rebecca Vaughan. “I felt like this whole thing was happening and nobody was saying, ‘Wait a minute. You are about to give away Boca’s art school.’”

Donna Winton, who has taken three art classes a week since January, said that when she spoke to other students, “they were in shock,” because they were unaware their school might be moved.

“You find community at the art school,” she said. “You look forward to going to your classes. It is just a really magical place to go and to be. The school is so special. It is a creative hub for students of all ages.”

“It is very important to the community…” said longtime art student Sheryl Satzman. “How is it the Boca Raton art school if it is in Delray?”

The art school offers a wide range of day and evening classes for students of all ages year-round and seven days a week.

Lippman said “it was never the case” that the museum was going to close the art school, and it will continue operating at its current location at 801 W. Palmetto Park Road. “It is definitely staying in Boca Raton,” he said.

There was no intention of keeping anyone in the dark about what was happening, he said.

“The staff at the school certainly knew what the story was,” Lippman said, and “we tried to address this to students.”

If students were unaware of the museum’s interest in Delray Beach, “I am sorry they did not get the message,” Lippman said.

This also was not the museum’s first approach to Delray Beach. Two years ago, officials proposed running the Cornell Art Museum, but fractious Delray Beach politics stymied that.

The most recent overture ran into a roadblock when, among other issues, Mayor Tom Carney wanted to offer a short-term use permit for this summer rather than a long-term lease.

That would have been unworkable for the Boca museum.

But change will be coming in Boca Raton at some point because the 60-year-old art school building is in too poor shape to be renovated, Lippman said.

That point also was made in an April 22 letter to Delray Beach City Manager Terrence Moore that was signed by Lippman and museum Board of Trustees Chair John DesPrez III.

“The Boca Raton Museum of Art has been looking for an alternative space for its Art School, which is currently housed in a 60-year-old building that is nearing the end of its useful life,” the letter said.

Lippman said that museum officials have been in conversation for eight years about how to improve the studio program on the property, and had made plans for a new building about two years ago. The proposed building, however, was too large for the property, and those plans were scrapped, he said.

The museum leadership is now considering again how the building can be replaced on the existing site.

But first, a new design is needed and funds must be raised to build it. “We are not even near a point of talking about a new building,” Lippman said, and a decision is “some years away.”

If the decision is made, museum officials will need to find a temporary location for the school, with possibilities including the Boca Raton Innovation Campus on West Yamato Road immediately west of Interstate 95.

He and DesPrez made the overture to Delray Beach because “we thought that might be a way to reach a larger audience.”

The location is logical, he said, because while half of the museum members live in Boca Raton, the rest live in Delray Beach and nearby towns. “It made perfect sense to have the auxiliary program elsewhere,” Lippman said.

But the art school students see the situation differently.

While they agree that the school is run-down, they think it simply needs renovations that would be less costly than a new building. They disagree that the building needs to be replaced.

They love the school’s location next to the beautiful Old Floresta historic neighborhood and question how many students would attend classes in Delray Beach since many of them live near the current location.

“It is convenient. It is for Boca. It is not for Delray. Delray can make their own facility,” Winton said.

Students fear what will happen next.

“Our concern now is that it is not over. They will look for another way” to move the school, Vaughan said. “I am afraid for its future. It is a matter of what will they do next.”

By Rich Pollack

Highland Beach got a little help from the state in its efforts to ensure its wastewater system is better prepared to function should rising seas lead to flooding.

Last month, Gov. Ron DeSantis approved a $116.5 billion state budget that included $250,000 for an upgrade to the town’s wastewater removal system.

At the same time, the governor shot down a request for $875,000 for a major sewer-pipe-lining project the town has been struggling to get started for years.

Town Manager Marshall Labadie said that despite the governor’s veto, Highland Beach will continue to move forward with the lining project after a preliminary inspection showed weakness in the aging sewage pipes.

Labadie said that the town will continue to seek outside funding for the $3.5 million project and will move forward even if state or federal funding is not available.

The sewer-lining project was approved by voters in March during a special referendum.

State Rep. Peggy Gossett-Seidman, a former Highland Beach town commissioner whose district includes the town and Boca Raton, said she is hoping to help the town find funding for the sewer lining project from the state’s Department of Environmental Protection.

“They have a grant funding program that has money available,” she said.
Gossett-Seidman said she is already in the process of filing paperwork for the grant and has told DEP officials that the project is a priority.

The $250,000 wastewater improvement appropriation that avoided the governor’s veto marks the second time in as many years that funding for improvements to a town sanitary lift station was included in the budget.

Labadie said that two of the town’s lift stations were vulnerable to flooding and needed to be raised to prevent sea water intrusion. Were the sea water to get into the lift stations, he said, the town would likely end up paying to unnecessarily treat the extra water.

The town also will raise electronic components of the lift station to ensure they are not damaged by sea water in the future.

The back-to-back appropriations are the first in the town’s almost 75-year history, and town commissioners and Labadie credit Gossett-Seidman and the town’s lobbying firm, Capital City Partners, for the success.

“Now that we are a full-service community, we’re capitalizing on the opportunities that are available to us,” Labadie said.

Gossett-Seidman said that the two direct appropriations fit well with the overall objective of the appropriations system.

“Appropriations are designed to assist municipalities with their imminent needs so the state doesn’t have to come in and fund even more later,” she said. “They can prevent a bigger disaster later.”

By Rich Pollack

Highland Beach commissioners last month got their first look at a proposed $28 million 2024-25 budget that includes leaving the town’s tax rate the same as in the current year.

The overall proposed 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 current tax year’s budget.

The proposed general fund budget, which includes most of the day-to-day operational expenses, shows a drop of 23%, from $22.8 million to $17.5 million.

That reduction is due, in large part, to the town’s no longer having to account for construction and startup costs associated with its new Fire Rescue Department, which became operational in May.

The proposal also includes a $1 million to $1.5 million reduction in operating the town’s fire department over the estimated cost of continuing to contract with neighboring Delray Beach.

The new budget reflects the town’s intention to put a minimum of about $650,000 back into its reserves, a small repayment of the $4 million taken from reserves to build a new fire station and pay for its startup costs. It also includes an increase in water rates as well as expenses for several capital projects.

The proposed budget calls for the town to 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.

There is a proposed slight increase of $0.185 per $1,000 in the town’s operating tax rate, due largely to the increase in staffing associated with the new fire department. That is offset by a reduction in the town’s debt service tax rate, due to the elimination of its water fund debt and a reduction in its fire service debt.

“We are maintaining our low tax structure and still getting capital projects done while replenishing reserves,” Town Manager Marshall Labadie said.
Labadie said that the budget reflects a five-year plan, the blueprint on which the town has moved forward.
“All of the things we planned and executed on are coming to fruition,” he said.

While the overall tax rate will most likely remain the same — or be lowered — the current budget includes an average proposed water rate increase of about 8% that is based on the town’s five-year forecast. The water fund is budgeted at almost $5 million, while the sewer fund has a budget of about $2.5 million.

One factor enabling the town to maintain its low tax rate is an increase in taxable property value of a preliminary $317.4 million, a 9% increase but less than the 13% increase the previous tax year.

Property tax revenues account for about 76% of the general fund revenues and will increase about 7.7% or just shy of $1 million.

Police and fire protection are the major general fund expenses, with the police department’s proposed budget accounting for about $4.4 million, a jump of 28% from the current year.

The proposed budget includes a fire department expense of about $5.7 million, which is $7.5 million less than this year, when the town had to pay for construction, startup and training of its new department while paying Delray Beach for service from October to May.

Those savings, along with reductions in other areas, will help cover the cost of capital projects and strategic initiatives, including the rehabilitation of the old fire station into a community gathering place.

“We are now a stand-alone, full-service community with a bright future, a strong balance sheet and an unwavering commitment from the Town Commission,” Labadie said.