After Highland Beach Fire Rescue responded to an accident involving a car and bicyclist, more than eight fire and police officers came to the aid of the cyclist, who was taken to a hospital as a precaution. This was part of a 24-hour shift that began on a recent morning. Photos by Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Rich Pollack

It was the first call of the day and one that many fire departments might have handed off to a hired locksmith.

This, however, is Highland Beach, so when the call came in about a resident’s keys locked in his truck last month, a Highland Beach Fire Rescue crew was there to help out.

A couple of hours later, fire rescue raced to a crash involving a car and a bicycle that could have been worse than it was. Injuries, if any, were minor, although the bicyclist was taken to the hospital to be checked out.

It was, for the firefighter paramedics working that 24-hour shift, a busy day in Highland Beach, one that exceeded averages when all was said and done, but one that was not totally unexpected.

In the first six months since the town launched its fire department in May — the first new fire rescue department in Palm Beach County in more than 30 years — firefighters and paramedics took on 400 calls, all just about as diverse as the ones handled by the team on duty that November day.

That averages out to just more than two calls a day, but that number doesn’t tell the story.

“We’ve had a couple of days where we had nine calls,” Chief Glenn Joseph said. “We could have as many as 15 calls in a day or we could have none. You never know.”

The number of calls per day is about what Joseph and others had expected, but chances are that number will rise as more part-time residents arrive.

In October, for example, the department responded to 84 calls; a month earlier it worked only 48 calls.

Highland Beach personnel respond to a call of keys locked in a truck. From left are driver/engineer Daniel Rush with a flashlight, Capt. Alex Fernandez, driver/engineer T.J. DiGangi and firefighter/paramedic Rodrigo Landeo. They got the keys out without breaking into the truck but the process took a while because they were hampered by the tinted glass.

On the day last month when The Coastal Star spent several hours with the department, firefighter paramedics handled six total calls: the locked car, the crash, a medical call and three fire alarm calls. One of those alarm calls was just before 4 a.m. and was followed by a medical call after a person fell while evacuating the building. Another alarm was just before the end of the shift, a few minutes before 6:30 a.m.

As expected with Highland Beach having a largely retired population, medical calls have amounted to more than half of the total number of calls, with falls accounting for about 35% of all calls.

One particular medical emergency call, Joseph said, involved a resident who went into cardiac arrest in the elevator while paramedics were taking her to the hospital after she complained of not feeling well. She was brought back from having no pulse within a few seconds and was talking by the time she was wheeled into the emergency room.

In the first six months since it began, the department put out four small fires that were quickly contained. Among those was a fire in an air conditioner unit tucked into a closet, with smoke soon filling the resident’s adjacent apartment. There was also a construction accident in which a worker fell two stories, as well as a handful of minor motor vehicle crashes.

The department has built a strong relationship with residents and has developed a reputation within the industry for being a good place to work.

“From the comments we have received from our residents, I think we have exceeded their expectations,” Joseph said. “Without exception, the interactions with the firefighters have been overwhelmingly positive, and I could not be prouder of our responders.”

Firefighter/paramedic Ricardo Robinson concentrates on the use of a bailout device that is securing him to an open window during a training exercise.

The reaction from the firefighter community also appears to be positive.

Recently, more than 60 applicants applied for one firefighter paramedic position that opened up. The department is in the process of filling that position.

“There’s a buzz out there that Highland Beach is great duty and that people of the town are very appreciative,” said Jason Chudnofsky, who chairs the Highland Beach Police and Fire Foundation. It helps fund items for the police and fire departments not covered in the town’s budget.

Chudnofsky saw the department in action when a water pump in his building in the Coronado community broke, flooding the first floor of the garage and making the sprinkler system inoperable. Fire rescue personnel turned the water off and helped people organize and stay safe.

“I am so impressed,” he said. “What impressed me the most is the response time we’re getting. The response time is just fabulous.”

The department’s average response time, which Joseph says is one of the best in the county, is 4 minutes 47 seconds, with the average time from dispatch to when a truck or rescue vehicle leaves the station being less than one minute.

Joseph said that while Highland Beach has the advantage of being geographically small in area, the department has to take into consideration “vertical response time” — how long it takes for responders to reach an apartment in a high-rise building.

Highland Beach Fire Rescue, which took over fire service after town leaders severed a contract with Delray Beach, operates with seven people on a shift, with each shift working one day on and three days off, which is quickly becoming the industry standard.

With the current staffing, the department has been able to run two rescue units simultaneously — frequently when one is transporting a patient to the hospital — and has the ability to put one of the fire trucks into service should a third call come in.

A source of pride for the department is that it has been able to respond to every call and has not needed to call for mutual aid from neighboring departments.

The workers on the recent shift cook their meals at the station. At the stove is driver/engineer T.J. DiGangi, with (l-r) firefighter/paramedics Rodrigo Landeo, Robinson and Kristian Williams.

In addition to responding to calls, Highland Beach Fire Rescue has an active Community Risk Reduction program, which provides fire inspections as well as plan reviews. The department also instituted Community Connect, which allows residents to provide information that could benefit first responders, including about pets in the home or individuals with special health needs.

Town Manager Marshall Labadie said the department is operating on budget, which is about $5.5 million a year — about the same as it last paid Delray Beach for a full year of service — and a number he believes is less than what the town would be paying if it had continued to contract with Delray Beach since costs continued to increase.

“Financially we’re tracking as expected,” he said. “The budget is where we thought it would be.”

The Bel Lido neighborhood in 1963 before homes were built.

More local history stories: Centennial Celebrations!; Boynton Beach: City’s oldest house gets one more chance for a new life; Delray Beach: Cemetery may be fit for national historic recognition

By Rich Pollack

In the beginning, concerns about water and a possible trailer park led to the creation of Highland Beach.

Back in the late 1940s, what is now Highland Beach was just a sparsely populated unincorporated area of Palm Beach County relying on wells for drinking water.

When salt water invaded those wells, the handful of residents sought alternatives, including reaching out to adjacent towns Delray Beach and Boca Raton.

Turned down by both, a small group of residents agreed to build their own water treatment facility. To fund the project, they decided to appeal to state leaders in Tallahassee and begin the incorporation process.

By December 1949, the town of Highland Beach became official, with 21 residents signing on to what was known as “Highland Beach’s Declaration of Independence.”

This month — and for much of the next year — Highland Beach will celebrate its founding 75 years ago with events and a revisiting of the town’s unique history.

Over the past seven and a half decades the town has evolved, from a tiny enclave with just a few homes and apartments for vacationers, to a coastal beach community with a Florida Keys feel, and later to a thriving full-service community with towering high-rises and multimillion-dollar beachfront homes.

Highland Beach manages to maintain a small-town feel, though it is hard to imagine what some of the original founders would think of it today.

Although there is no official history of the town, information available in the Highland Beach Library, pieced together with excerpts from the book The Amazing Story of Highland Beach by Sandy Simon and combined with stories from longtime residents, offer a glimpse of the town’s past.

Among Highland Beach’s 20 or so founding fathers were five men who formed the first Town Commission: Mayor Robert Totterdale, Vice Mayor R.S. Weeks and Commissioners Rudolph Hertwig, H.H. Dubendortt and J. Morrison Smith.

Along with concerns about water quality, this handful of residents also worried that trailer parks — which were springing up nearby — could fill the area if zoning restrictions were not in place.

Within a short time after incorporation, the population had risen to about 125.

The name Highland Beach was selected by town leaders because the land rose 20 to 25 feet above the high tide line, which was higher than dune crests in other nearby beach communities.

In the town’s early years, State Road A1A ran atop the dune, a bit east of where it is now, and wildlife abounded. It was not uncommon to see foxes, even panthers and bobcats, wandering through what was a swampy wilderness.

Land in Highland Beach in the 1940s was going for about $45 a foot, including land on what is now the west side of A1A, which was considered less valuable because it was swamp and mangroves. By the 1950s land values had grown to $125 a foot.

Throughout the late 1950s, the 1960s and 1970s, Highland Beach grew at a relatively modest pace. One of the first high-rise buildings in town was Highland Towers, which was built in 1958 and remains in place today.

Peggy Gossett-Seidman’s parents were early residents and enjoyed fishing.
Photos provided

“Back then, Highland Beach was a sleepy beach town undiscovered by just about everyone,” says longtime resident and now state Rep. Peggy Gossett-Seidman, who came as a vacationer in the 1970s. “It was filled with natural wildlife and you could just disappear.”

Gossett-Seidman remembers A1A being barely paved and recalls an ocean plentiful with sea life.

“It was heaven, just a beach heaven,” she recalls.

By the late 1970s, Highland Beach began a development boom, with condo buildings springing up on either side of A1A.

The old Town Hall in 1975.

The town, which in the mid-1960s had just one employee, grew with its own police department and a functioning Town Hall that would later include a library inside the building and a post office of its own.

As construction continued, crews unearthed reminders of Highland Beach’s past, long before development began.

In the 1980s, workers discovered bones believed to belong to Native Americans who lived on the coast where they fished and lived off the land.

Then in 2003 a worker digging a trench for an underground pipe at the south end of town discovered 22 bones that turned out to be that of a woman and a child about 2 years old.

The bones were believed to be more than 1,000 years old and were part of a well-documented ancient graveyard where more than 170 skeletons were found years earlier.

The beach at the south end of town later became a favorite gathering place for members of the Yamato colony, which was founded by Japanese pineapple farmers. The area near the outcropping that is now known as Yamato Rock became known as a great place for beach parties attended by families and individuals.

Gossett-Seidman says she is pleased that the town has been able to keep its small-town feel over the years.

“Throughout its history, Highland Beach has remained a family-oriented beach town, even with all the changes,” she says. “It’s kept some of its humble beginning.”

The images presented to the city by Terra/Frisbie for the proposed overhaul of the Boca Raton City Hall campus and surrounding area included a community center built into a hill with large sculptures.

By Mary Hladky

Moving into high gear to redevelop 30 city-owned acres around Boca Raton City Hall, City Council members on Nov. 18 gave developers 60 days to submit proposals that would transform the area into a civic center that also includes residential and commercial projects.

Once the council approved a public bidding process, consultant Clarissa Willis, vice president of CBRE, said she would “blast out” the project advertisement the next day to about 25,000 developers worldwide. The council quickly did so.

Ever since the Brightline train station opened in 2022, city leaders have eagerly anticipated that developers would want to redevelop the area around it. But they were slow to establish a framework allowing it to happen.

That changed over the summer as word circulated that at least one developer was about to submit an unsolicited proposal for a public-private partnership to remake the area. It became reality in late October, when two well-known developers submitted proposals that council members found compelling.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: A new multistory City Hall; multiple garden and park spaces; athletic facilities ranging from pickleball to basketball; and residential units ranging from two to 10 stories. Rendering provided

Yet both city staff and CBRE did not want to be limited to those two, and wanted a public bidding process in hopes that more developers would come forward.

They suggested a 90-day timeline, but council members wanted to move more quickly and reasoned that developers already are well aware that the city wants redevelopment and so are likely poised to deliver proposals quickly.

Their deadline to do so is Jan. 9, and the council plans to consider them on Jan. 13 and select one within a few months.

Council members limited the proposal advertisement to a general statement about what the city wants to see, minus specifics, with the intention of allowing developers to be creative and put forth ideas that city leaders may not have considered.

But spurred by Deputy City Manager Andy Lukasik to flesh out their ideas, council members agreed that the Downtown Library, a relatively new building, can stay where it is.

They also voiced support for a city staff proposal to rebuild the outdated police station on city-owned land east of the Spanish River Library, which would free up land for redevelopment. But several said they want a police substation in the downtown.

They also want a new City Hall and Community Center, both old and crumbling, to remain somewhere on site. Council member Fran Nachlas asked that the large banyan trees be preserved.

The two unsolicited proposals were submitted by Coconut Grove-based Terra and Frisbie Group of Palm Beach, and by Related Ross, led by Miami Dolphins owner and Palm Beach resident Stephen Ross, who is stepping down from his New York-based Related Companies to focus on his new company.

The Terra/Frisbie proposal is detailed and includes initial concept renderings by the Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates architectural firm. Related Ross’ entry provides far fewer specifics, instead touting the many projects built by Related Companies.

Both are proposing a public-private partnership, or P3, with the city. While the terms were not spelled out, generally developers assume the cost of building public facilities such as a city hall and community center and, in return, the city leases or sells the remainder of the land for redevelopment.

Terra/Frisbie proposes building a new City Hall, Community Center and a racket sports center that it would pay for. It also calls for 1.16 million square feet of commercial and residential development, including a hotel, along with public parks and plazas.

The project would be built in three phases, with a total of 1,163 residential units, a 130-room hotel, an office building and 3,073 parking spaces in a garage and on surface lots and streets, as well as retail shops and dining. The new City Hall and Community Center would be part of the first phase.

The height of residential buildings would range from two to 10 stories, while the hotel and office building would be seven stories and two garages would be four stories.

The company plans to move quickly, with the entire project completed by July 2028.

Related Ross has a similar but more bare-bones proposal. The company is offering a new “civic center” and recreational facilities, Class A offices, a hotel with event and banquet space, a parking garage, residential and retail and “significant public realm improvements.”

Unlike Terra/Frisbie, it did not include renderings that show where the buildings and green areas would be located. It said its “capital contributions” to the project “will alleviate the city’s capital burden to undertake a public development of municipal improvements of this scale.”

The Hub at Space of Mind educational center in Delray Beach provides a professional-grade kitchen for would-be chefs and food entrepreneurs to learn skills of the trade. Photo provided

By Jan Norris

A new commercial kitchen comes with a plan to train food service workers of the future.

The 1,000-square-foot space, part of the Hub at the alternative school Space of Mind in Delray Beach, is set up to give students and adults a chance to work in hospitality or start a food business, or to use as a catering kitchen.

Its rooms are set up as individual labs used as a creative learning center.

“Along with traditional curriculum, we teach life skills,” said Ali Kaufman, founder of the Space of Mind home-school program.
“We work with families and students who find traditional classroom learning stressful. Our mission is to rethink education and provide experiential learning.”

After beginning with a family coaching company in 2004 and growing it into Space of Mind, Kaufman has added the Hub. With money from the Community Classroom Project — the nonprofit arm of the school to engage the public — a multiuse space was built in a former event space next to the school.

The Hub building was started in 2018, Kaufman said, but “COVID and construction delays sidelined us.”

It opened in 2020, with a number of labs open to students and the public. After-school as well as adult programs include art, music, science, coding and animation, photography, studio recording and more.

The commercial kitchen, Kaufman’s ultimate goal for the school, was completed and certified in April. It serves as a commissary for student meals, and it is where students help produce the Mason Jar Munchies sold at the city green market as an entrepreneurial project. If they come up with an idea for a food product, the teaching chef, Debra Dickinson, can help with it.

Teaching life skills is crucial, Kaufman said. “Kids weren’t developing skills to leave home” in traditional schools, she said. Cutbacks and other issues took away vocational skills education.

“Our mission is to create well-rounded adults,” she said.

Kaufman’s own background includes management with restaurants such as the Cheesecake Factory. She opened several of the chain’s locations, and says that working in hospitality can lead to management careers.

The kitchen also serves as an incubator for outside food entrepreneurs, as well as a classroom for public cooking classes and a catering kitchen for events.

“We have a collaboration with local chefs — Blake Malatesta of the Wine Room, Jimmy Everett of Driftwood in Boynton, Michael Salmon of Flybird, Daniel Diaz at the Ben Hotel,” Kaufman said.

The group meets monthly to discuss the hospitality industry and ways the school’s students can help staff restaurants and kitchens in the area.

“There is a big lack of workforce,” Kaufman said. “We hope we can help train and fill positions to make a positive impact.”

The chefs not only mentor older kids at the school, offering them jobs, but teach public classes or have special dinners, such as a chef’s table to benefit the school.

Classes held at the Hub are taught by Dickinson. Most cost $75 per person.

In December they include:
• 6 p.m. Dec. 6: By the Book. Tackle recipes from the cookbooks of rock and roll music icons.
• 10 a.m. Dec. 15: Buche de Noel. Learn how to create a Buche de Noel and take home the classic cake shaped like a Yule log.
• 6 p.m. Dec. 18: Latkes
• 6 p.m. Dec. 20: Dumplings
• 10 a.m. Dec. 21: Cookies for your cookie exchange.

The kitchen will be formally opened in January with a special event. Kaufman is expecting people who want to ease into owning their own food facilities to take advantage of the space to cater events or test and produce products for market.

She also invites area chefs to ask about staging cooking classes or special dinners.

Costs for kitchen rental vary by class and use; contact the Hub at Space of Mind for more information.

Hub at Space of Mind, 101 NW First Ave., Delray Beach. 561-894-8772; https://findspaceofmind.com/register-for-a-program/.

Usher in the New Year

Looking to ring in 2025 with a party? Here’s a sampling of events at area venues. Reserve now to ensure a seat —  it’s all about reservations on New Year’s Eve.

Crazy Uncle Mike’s (6450 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton; 561-931-2889, crazyunclemikes.com) will host an extravaganza with Guavatron, beginning at 8 p.m. The band from West Palm Beach will jam and perform a special set, “Guavatron Does Daft Punk.” A la carte menus are upscale pub food; a full bar and champagne at midnight are available.

Akira Back, in the Ray Hotel (233 NE Second Ave., Delray Beach; 561-739-1708; akirabackdelray.com) offers a special menu for two seatings New Year’s Eve. Japanese-Korean fusion is highly rated. Reservations ensure entrance to the Rosewater Rooftop Bar with champagne at midnight, Amar Bistro (25 SE Sixth Ave., Delray Beach; 561-865-5653, amardelray.com), which recently expanded in its new location, will showcase its Mediterranean menu and belly dancer entertainment at special late seatings. Champagne at midnight. 

Throw Social (29 SE Second Ave., Delray Beach; 800-561-0755; throwsocial.com) will swing into the New Year with an open bar, breakfast buffet, party favors, live music and a balloon drop at midnight. The party starts at 7 p.m. and goes to 3 a.m. 

Deck 84 (840 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach; 561-665-8484, deck84.com) offers free entry all night to the waterfront deck. Kitchen open till 11 p.m. Live bands, a la carte food items. Free champagne toast at midnight. Walk-ins only until 6 p.m.; dinner reservations 6-10 p.m.

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

By Mary Hladky

More than two years after backing an effort to improve a five-block section of East Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton City Council members are no closer to deciding how to make that happen.

After a consultant presented three options on Nov. 18, council members sidestepped a decision on which they preferred and instead said the matter needs more study.

“This is a dialogue that will continue,” said Mayor Scott Singer.

The first option presented by Alta Planning + Design principal Alia Awwad would not change the number of travel lanes but would eliminate some on-street parking so sidewalks could be widened and more landscaping added. Crosswalks also would be improved.

The second would eliminate one eastbound lane, also to allow wider sidewalks, more landscaping, shade trees and public art.

The third would eliminate one eastbound lane and one westbound lane.

Relaying an idea suggested by city residents, Awwad said the council could consider building a “Sun Line,” an elevated walkway and bikeway above the road’s median similar to New York City’s High Line.

Alta submitted data showing that residents are accurate when they complain that main downtown arteries are unsafe.

From 2018 through 2023, 1,868 crashes occurred in the downtown, with 28% on East Palmetto Park Road, 21% along Federal Highway and 15% on Dixie Highway. Six people died and 466 were injured.

While any of Alta’s proposed changes would make East Palmetto Park Road more attractive, there are trade-offs.

If the road remains as is, travel time between Northwest Second Avenue (Boca Raton Boulevard) to east of the Intracoastal Waterway drawbridge would increase by one minute in 20 years. If one eastbound lane is removed, travel time would increase by slightly less than two minutes.

But removing one lane in each direction would increase travel time by more than nine minutes.

“That is not sustainable,” Singer said.

Furthermore, the changes don’t take into account the fact that East Palmetto Park Road is a hurricane evacuation route. Consideration also has to be given to potential impacts on emergency vehicles.

Former Deputy Mayor Andrea O’Rourke, who for years championed improving East Palmetto Park Road between Federal Highway and Northeast Fifth Avenue, became so exasperated by the lack of progress that, while still on the council in 2022, she formed an ad hoc group of about 15 influential residents — including land use attorney Ele Zachariades and architect Juan Caycedo — to offer their own ideas.

The group is named Workshop 344+, reflecting the 344 acres in the core downtown area. Members did not put forward a specific plan for the street but pressed the city to hire a consultant that would reimagine it. The city hired Alta.

Group members attended the Nov. 18 meeting to speak. But current Deputy Mayor Yvette Drucker made it very clear that she did not want to hear a “rebuttal” from them, in part because they had already met with Alta staff.

After Council member Fran Nachlas, who chairs the Community Redevelopment Agency, said she had invited them, O’Rourke forged ahead, saying, “It’s not rebuttal. It is collaboration.”

She pressed the council to take action to improve walkability, connectivity and placemaking on the street and the rest of downtown.

While the group members do not have a specific proposal for East Palmetto Park Road, they generally favor reconfiguring it to have three lanes, one of which would accommodate emergency vehicles.

Council members did not respond.

“We thought there would be a collaborative conversation,” O’Rourke said after the meeting, “but that didn’t happen.”

The group plans to meet with other city organizations.

Andrea Virgin, chief executive of The Center for Arts and Innovation, listens with (l-r) Brian Hickey, the group’s attorney; Derek Bellin, its development officer; and board member Glenn Kaufman on Nov. 4 as the City Council considers ending a deal to lease land at Mizner Park for a new performing arts center. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

By Mary Hladky

The Center for Arts and Innovation officials have proposed changes to a development agreement with Boca Raton that substantially push back their fundraising deadlines for the Mizner Park project.

City officials were reviewing the proposal, delivered to them on Nov. 25, and did not comment on it before The Coastal Star’s deadline. Mayor Scott Singer and Deputy Mayor

Yvette Drucker also did not respond to a request for comment by deadline.

The proposal comes after TCAI chief executive Andrea Virgin stunned and angered City Council members on Oct. 21 when she told them that her group had fallen far short of meeting city-imposed fundraising requirements. She had not given them a heads-up until shortly before the meeting.

TCAI met its fundraising targets in 2023, but needed to raise a total of $50.8 million by this year. Donations, however, totaled only $32 million.

The revelation imperiled city support for the ambitious cultural arts center planned for Mizner Park. The council could have terminated the 2022 project development agreement and the lease of city land in Mizner Park to TCAI.

But shortly thereafter, the council moved back from the brink, giving TCAI officials until Jan. 7 to come up with a revised fundraising schedule that the city could accept. The council was scheduled to discuss it at a Jan. 13 meeting.

Due to the holidays, council members, who consider the TCAI project as Community Redevelopment Agency commissioners, meet only once before then, on Dec. 9.

It was not clear if they might take this up on Dec. 9, or how they will react to TCAI’s proposal since they had rejected renegotiating the development agreement in October.

“The proposed updates reflect lessons learned over the past two years and present an opportunity to better align the agreement with the needs of the city, the center and the transformative vision we are building together,” Virgin said in a letter that accompanied her proposal.

The development and construction timeline TCAI submitted shows groundbreaking in late 2028 or early 2029. The center would open in 2032, which meets the city’s 2033 deadline.

Virgin had originally aspired to opening it during the city’s 2025 centennial year, but has pushed the date back several times. Last summer, she said opening would be in 2030.

The proposal said that the project’s final design and budget would be in place by August 2026. Council members in October were insistent that they wanted to know the total project cost immediately, but then relented to give Virgin several more months to provide it.

The city and TCAI had agreed to use a cost index that compares the cost of a construction project in a specific city to the national average in order to create an estimate of the minimum TCAI project cost.

This year, the estimate is $101.6 million. But that amount is certain to increase once TCAI provides the city with a firm budget. Until that happens, the total of $50.8 million that TCAI needed to raise this year is 50% of the estimated minimum cost.

Under the proposed framework Virgin submitted, she would have more time to raise money from donors.

She would have to raise 40% of the project’s cost by 2028. When that is achieved, she wants the city to give TCAI a building permit. She would have 100% of the project’s cost by 2032 so that the city would issue a certificate of occupancy.

Responding to complaints by council members and City Manager George Brown that she had withheld information about fundraising shortfalls and had not been transparent, Virgin is proposing to brief city officials annually on her progress. She also said she would provide the city with audited financial statements annually and unaudited statements twice a year.

By Mary Hladky

Boca Raton has terminated its annual holiday boat parade, a staple of city celebrations since 1975.

City officials decided to bring the tradition to an end this year due to a decrease in participation despite increased promotion of the event, said city spokeswoman Ileana Olmsted.

Contributing to the declining interest may have been the 2016 decision by Delray Beach and Boynton Beach to combine their boat parades, while Deerfield Beach and Pompano Beach did the same at least six years ago. As a result, more boaters and attendees were drawn to those events, she said.

The city has received no complaints about the decision, she said.

Last year’s boat parade was canceled and not rescheduled after severe weather warnings were issued for the night of the Dec. 16 event.

Gene Folden, chairman of the city’s Marine Advisory Board, said residents who have learned of the cancellation are disappointed, “but they do understand the number of boats that have participated over the years have been dwindling to some degree.”

Yet the city isn’t skimping on other holiday celebrations, and has even added some this year, including a Holiday Pops concert at the Mizner Park Amphitheater on Dec. 7.

“Merry in Mizner” pop-up events will be held in Mizner Park on Dec. 20 and Dec. 28, and another such event in Sanborn Square on Dec. 12.

A partial list of other major events included the Holiday Tree Lighting and music performances, held on Nov. 23 in Mizner Park; the FAU Tuba Christmas concert on Dec. 1 at the amphitheater; the 52nd annual Holiday Street Parade featuring decorated floats and music on Dec. 4 along Federal Highway; the second annual Deck the House home decorating contest with a Dec. 20 application deadline and winners announced on Dec. 22; and Gumbo Limbo Aglow, with refreshments, crafts and yard games on Dec. 6, 13, 20 and 27 at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center.

These and additional events are listed by the city’s Recreation Services Department on the city’s website.

By Rich Pollack

With construction of the controversial Milani Park no longer in doubt, a spirit of cooperation between Highland Beach and Palm Beach County appears to be gaining traction.

Last month Highland Beach Mayor Natasha Moore and two residents sat down with Palm Beach County Commissioner Marci Woodward and other county leaders to get an idea of an emerging vision for the 5.6-acre park at the south end of town.

They also had a chance to voice concerns and share ideas to a receptive audience.

At the table was the lead architect hired by the county to design the beachside park. Along with members of his firm, he shared thoughts on what the property might look like when completed.

“It’s going to be a very beautiful park with trees and lots of landscaping,” said town resident Maggie Chappelear, whom Woodward invited to the meeting. “Part of the emphasis will be creating parking that doesn’t look like parking.”

Highland Beach residents for decades have resisted efforts to build a park on the property the county acquired from the Milani family more than 35 years ago. Following legal battles and deadline extensions, county commissioners agreed in May to move forward with development.

With that in mind, Moore and other members of the Town Commission are focused on putting the battle to stop the park behind them and are looking at how they can be involved in the process.

“It feels like a reset,” Woodward said of the town’s willingness to work with the county. “Instead of wanting to stop the park, it’s now, how do we get the park we want.”

Moore said some in the community still believe the town should continue its efforts to stop development but that at this point working with the county might be the better path to take.

“We’ve done all that we could possibly have done to stop the park,” she said. “If we continue to be difficult, the county may not take into consideration our preferences in the design of the park.”

The park property straddles State Road A1A. Designing both the east and west sides to be aesthetically pleasing to residents and others is one of the missions given to the architectural firm.

“The design team is doing the best it can to make the park as attractive as it can and to maintain it to high standards,” said County Parks and Recreation Director Jennifer Cirillo.
Hamstringing the design team’s efforts, however, may be the need to comply with a decades-old settlement agreement that followed a lengthy court battle with the town over the park property.

Cirillo said the county will stick to the conditions of that agreement, which will include having a lifeguard at the beach and a staffed gatehouse at the parking lot, but will also look for some flexibility.

“We’ll address the concerns of residents to the degree that we can,” she said.

One of the main concerns of the town leadership and of residents has always been the number of parking spaces on the west side of A1A. While it appears the county is sticking with the agreement, which allows for more than 100 spaces, it is making an effort to make the parking lot as attractive as possible.

Cirillo said the design team is looking at the feasibility of using permeable grass pavers in portions of the parking lot and is focusing on native trees.

Both Cirillo and Moore, who led Highland Beach’s contentious fight against the park, said there was a spirit of cooperation at the meeting.
“The tone was very collaborative,” Cirillo said.

Moore said she was pleased with the county and the design team’s willingness to address town concerns.
“I walked away feeling that they really listened to us,” she said.

Among the town’s issues raised at the meeting, the mayor said, were the number of parking spaces on the west side, excessive traffic, safety of beachgoers around Yamato Rock, and environmental concerns.

During a Town Commission meeting last month, Moore said she believes there is still an opportunity to incorporate the preferences of Highland Beach into the design.
A follow-up meeting with Moore, Chappelear and resident Laura Thurston and the county is scheduled for early next year, with a meeting open to the public likely coming several weeks later.

By Rich Pollack

In a hotly contested race for Florida House District 91, which encompasses all of Highland Beach and Boca Raton as well as unincorporated areas west of the city, incumbent Peggy Gossett-Seidman was able to hold on to her seat, derailing the heavily funded efforts of political newcomer Jay Shooster to serve in Tallahassee.

Republican Gossett-Seidman, who narrowly won the seat two years ago as part of a red wave that swept the county, secured almost 55% of the more than 95,000 votes cast this time in the Nov. 5 election while Shooster, an attorney, received 45%.

Gossett-Seidman attributed her victory to her success in the Capitol during the last two years and to “hard work and knocking on doors.”

“I think voters understood that I was working for them to fulfill the needs of the community,” she said. “Our success was also greatly due to the wide swath of friends and colleagues who know me from having lived here so long.”

Shooster, 34, who lives west of Boca Raton, far outspent Gossett-Seidman, 71, a former Highland Beach town commissioner who worked as a sportswriter and publicist. Shooster raised almost $1.1 million and spent about $953,000, whereas Gossett-Seidman raised just over $338,000 and spent $232,000.

House District 91, once a Democratic stronghold, shifted to the right in 2022 following redistricting that added more conservative-leaning coastal neighborhoods. Democrats, who hoped to take back the seat, make up about 32% of the registered voters in the district, while Republicans account for 35%.

Gossett-Seidman said that once she returns to Tallahassee her focus will be on finishing work on the safe waterways act and on addressing condo recertification and HOA issues. At the same time she plans to address overall homeowner’s insurance issues.

During her campaign Gossett-Seidman touted her success in bringing $10.3 million in state appropriations back to Boca Raton and Highland Beach.

By Rich Pollack

Community leader Jason Chudnofsky will be a new Highland Beach town commissioner in March after no one else filed to run for the town’s one open seat by the Nov. 26 deadline.

Chudnofsky, 81, will fill the commission seat that is currently held by Commissioner Evalyn David, who was term limited from running again. The term of office is three years.

“I’m looking forward to being a commissioner and following in the footsteps of Evalyn David who I have admired for many years,” Chudnofsky said.

A business leader with a background in publishing and trade-show production, Chudnofsky is known internationally for serving as president of the company that ran COMDEX, the leading technology marketplace and then the largest computer trade show in the world. He was simultaneously president of the Sands Convention Center in Las Vegas.

He has also been the chief operating officer for World Publishing Group, a leader in the bargain book business, and has served on the boards of many businesses and industry trade organizations.

Chudnofsky moved to Highland Beach in 2012 as a part-time resident while continuing to run COMDEX. He moved here full-time with his wife, Judy, in 2017. Since then, he has served on the board of his condominium association at the Coronado — where he is president — and has been active in town government.

He currently serves on the town’s planning board and is chairman of the Highland Beach Police and Fire Foundation. He has helped serve as coordinator of the Mingle and Jingle celebration this year and is a frequent member of the community at Town Commission meetings.

“As a member of the commission, I’m planning to continue my focus on safety, health and security for the people of Highland Beach and build on the professionalism of the existing commissioners and town leadership,” he said.

Born and raised in Boston, Chudnofsky holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from Northeastern University. He and his wife have two daughters and several grandchildren.

By Amy Woods

A mojito bar, a cigar roller and a Cuban coffee station will highlight the sixth annual fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Club of Delray Beach.

The theme of this year’s Cocktails for the Club is “Havana Nights,” and organizers of the Dec. 10 party are doing their best to bring the vibes of the island nation to the St. Andrews Club.

“Aside from being a fantastic night with amazing food and entertainment, I think it’s an opportunity for attendees to really feel like they are giving back on a very local level,” said Virginia Kinsey, event co-chairwoman. “I feel so grateful to be such a big part of this — and the Boys & Girls Club in general.”

Kinsey said she and the other event co-chairwomen — Hannah Childs, Laura Compton, Whitney Garner and Jenny Streit — are “upping the ante with regard to the pomp and circumstance” of the end-of-the-year gala.

An elaborate exhibition of photographs taken in Cuba by professional artist James Knill will be on display courtesy of the Amanda James Gallery.
“We do our absolute very best to underwrite and limit the costs so that the maximum amount of money can go back to the Boys & Girls Club,” Kinsey said. “The impact will be exponential for the club.”

An anticipated 200-plus attendees are expected to raise close to $300,000 to help the club with its mission of enabling youths to realize their full potential.

“For me personally, I think the Boys & Girls Club is one of those organizations that desperately needs to be supported in a bigger capacity,” Kinsey said. “A lot of these children need a place to go after school. Sometimes it gets taken for granted that kids always have a safe and supportive environment. The Boys & Girls Club offers those services to the Delray community.

“Our kids need to be actively engaged with other individuals,” she continued. “Where we are slowly losing everybody to technology, for these children to have a club to go to is an absolute imperative.”

If You Go
What: Boys & Girls Club of Delray Beach’s Cocktails for the Club
When: 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 10
Where: St. Andrews Club, 4475 N. Ocean Blvd., Delray Beach
Cost: $195
Information: 561-676-5472 or
bgcpbc.org/event/
6th-annual-cocktails-for-the-club

Billi and Bernie Marcus. Photo provided

An unprecedented $32 million gift from the late co-founder of the Home Depot has been made to the Marcus Neuroscience Institute at Boca Raton Regional Hospital.
One of the last acts of generosity personally directed by Bernie Marcus, who died in November at age 95, the grant from the Marcus Foundation will elevate the institute to a premier destination for neurological care.

“We are incredibly fortunate to be part of a community where individuals like Bernie and Billi Marcus are driven to make such profound impacts,” said Dr. Warren Selman, director and chief medical executive of the institute. “Thanks to their support, we now offer a program that not only rivals but stands alongside the best in the nation.”

The grant comes on the heels of Keeping the Promise ... The Campaign for Boca Raton Regional Hospital, which exceeded its $250 million goal.
“We are forever grateful to Bernie and Billi Marcus for their foresight, relentless spirit, selfless generosity and commitment to their passion to Marcus Neuroscience Institute,” hospital CEO Lincoln Mendez said. “This grant reflects their deep commitment to improving health care and ensuring our hospital remains a leader in medical excellence for years to come.”

For more info, call 561-955-4142 or visit donate.brrh.com.

Scholarship fund honors guidance counselors

At the George Snow Scholarship Fund’s annual High School Counselor Appreciation Breakfast, honors were bestowed upon counselors at the Palm Beach County School District.
The event celebrated the essential role counselors play in guiding students into the next stage of life as they plan for higher education and careers.

“I want our counselors to know that their commitment does not go unnoticed,” said Tim Snow, president of the fund. “Your work shapes futures in profound ways. While you may not always see the immediate results of your efforts, know that your compassionate work will resonate in students’ lives for years to come.”
Scholarship applications for the 2025 academic year now are being accepted.

For more information, call 561-347-6799 or visit scholarship.org.

Boca Helping Hands appoints trio to board

Kathy Adkins, Eric Gebhard and Zach Pechter have joined the leadership at Boca Helping Hands.
Since she moved to Boca Raton in 1994, volunteerism has been a part of Adkins’ life. Her involvement includes Impact 100 Palm Beach County and the Junior League of Boca Raton.

Gebhard served as a vice president for JM Family Enterprises and Bank of America, putting his degrees from the University of Chicago and Virginia Tech to use.
Pechter, who grew up in Boca Raton, is the founder and CEO of Proteris Compliance Solutions. He began volunteering at SOS Children’s Village at an early age.

“We are so pleased to have three outstanding members of our community join the board,” said Gary Peters, Boca Helping Hands’ board president. “I know their extensive knowledge and experience will greatly benefit Boca Helping Hands.”

For more information, call 561-417-0913 or visit bocahelpinghands.org.

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

(l-r) Vanessa Carosella, Joyce DeVita, Karen Sweetapple and Betsy Fletcher. Photo provided

Dozens of guests were dazzled by the grand-opening celebration of ‘Boca Raton 1925-2025: Addison Mizner’s Legacy.’

The exhibit, open to the public through May 30, marks the city’s centennial with a showcase of the visionary work of the architect and his profound influence on the city.

The reception ‘was a wonderful way to launch this milestone exhibition,’ said Mary Csar, executive director of the historical society. ‘As we celebrate Boca Raton’s centennial, this exhibit offers an inspiring look at the past 100 years while setting the stage for an even brighter future.’

(l-r) Maureen Mann, Nikki Stelzer, Terry Fedele, Nancy Brinker and event Co-Chairwomen Khrisna Kellerman and Meryll Bangsil. Photo provided by Kelly O’Brien/Coastal Click Photography

The Junior League of Boca Raton’s 37th annual affair sold out with more than 900 attendees.

Terry Fedele, nominated by Florida Atlantic University’s Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, earned the volunteer award while Nancy Brinker, nominated by the Promise Fund, took home the Lifetime Achievement Award.

A total of 43 women were nominated by nonprofits from across the county. ‘We were thrilled to recognize 43 outstanding volunteers and were so impressed with the award winners and all that they have accomplished,’ Junior League President Nikki Stelzer said.

(l-r) Geiselle Surette, Susan Carriegos, Kathleen Chase, Christina Dernick, Myah Brollini, Heather Thomas and Danielle Tofini. Photo provided

Achievement Centers for Children & Families cast a spell on the general public during its event organized by the Witches of Delray. The witches started out at City Hall, flying down Atlantic Avenue and zipping back to Old School Square. Nearly 300 decked-out women rode. ‘As we marked the 13th anniversary of our witches ride, we were reminded of the incredible community spirit that has made this event so special,’ Achievement Centers CEO Stephanie Seibel said. ‘It’s not just about the costumes and the fun — it’s about coming together to support a cause that has such a meaningful impact.’

(l-r) Margarita Abrishami, Xiomara Ordonez, Genevieve Lancaric, Jeanine Guerrero and Poon Pierce.

Christiane Francois and Monique Sheft.

Michele Weiss and Stephanie Lefes. Photos provided

Les Girls of Palm Beach opened its 53rd season with a festive gathering of members of the international group. The 42 women, who represented 28 countries, welcomed President Rita Sullivan. Martina Covarrubias, past president, will continue to serve as historian. Covarrubias said, ‘I enjoyed being president. The relationships are so important. Everyone is kind and supportive. I feel blessed and will treasure forever these friendships.’

(l-r) Katiana Scruggs (Atkins TLC preschool), Evangelina Hiraldo (Glades Family Education), Cindy Pilloni (PNC Bank), Kristin Calder (Literacy Coalition) and Tania Rogers (WPTV-5). Photo provided

The Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County welcomed classrooms, libraries and communities throughout the county to come together to read the same book on the same day. The goal was to improve awareness about the importance of early literacy and supporting children’s language development. This year’s chosen book was ‘Piper Chen Sings.’ ‘PNC is proud to join the Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County in bringing this event to our community and highlighting the critical importance of early literacy,’ said Cressman Bronson, a regional president for the bank, which sponsored the initiative. ‘Through programs like this, we can help students establish a lifelong love of reading and create a foundation for success in school and life.’

(l-r) Jim and Helen Ballerano, Greg and Michelle Bernardo and Neil Gillman.

(l-r) Peter Austin, Jeanette Austin and Ted Campbell.

Joseph and Karen Sena. Photos provided by Minnerly Media

Her 2nd Chance, a nonprofit social enterprise dedicated to empowering women in recovery, celebrated two significant milestones at its yearly mixer — getting its 100th woman hired and raising $57,000 in support of its mission. Bringing together program participants, board members, volunteers, donors and community supporters, the event shined a spotlight on the progress made in the past year. ‘Our family supports Her 2nd Chance because it meets a need in our community — offering women in recovery the chance to transition into the workforce at their own pace while providing a sense of purpose and belonging,’ benefactor Lynn Lawless said.

Impact 100 Palm Beach County launched its 2024-25 giving year at an affair that drew more than 200 members and guests. Celebrating 14 years of philanthropy, the organization has invested $6.8 million in South County through 112 grants. Of those grants, a total of 65 are $100,000 high-impact grants, and the remaining 47 are merit grants. At the event, the importance of strengthening the community through collective giving was highlighted.
ABOVE: (l-r) Gina Griffin, Susan Lampert, Sarah Ponczek and Julie Peyton.

 (l-r) Sarah Retzer, Jacqui Moroco Maloney, Donya Meade and Ona Steele.

Noreen Payne, LuAnn Warner-Prokos and Ingrid Kennemer. Photos provided

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Delray Beach is all decked out for Christmas services. Photo provided

As they sometimes do, Hanukkah and Christmas fall at the same time this year, as does the annual African American-inspired celebration of Kwanzaa. No matter what you plan to celebrate, we’ve got some of the details for you.

Christmas services
Delray Beach Christmas Eve Candlelight Service: 6 p.m. Dec. 24, Old School Square Amphitheatre. Hosted by the Avenue Church, this candlelit service blends uplifting music and an inspiring sermon. Musical performances begin at 6 p.m. followed by the candlelight ceremony at 6:30.
51 N. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach. delrayoldschoolsquare.com/events

The Journey Church:
Celebrate Christmas Eve from 6 to 7:05 p.m. Dec. 24, by recalling the words the angels spoke when they announced the birth of Jesus: “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.” (Luke 2:10.)

This family-friendly candlelight service offers thanks for the year behind and hope for the year to come. The service is topped off with hot chocolate and caroling. Dress is casual and ugly sweaters are welcomed.
2200 NW Boca Raton Blvd., Boca Raton. www.bocajourney.com or 561-420-0606

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church: St. Paul’s Festival of Lessons and Carols takes place at 3 p.m. Dec. 8. This cherished tradition features St. Paul’s Chancel Choir of eight singers in its most treasured annual performance under the guidance of David Macfarlane.

A Christmas Eve family service is planned from 4 to 5 p.m. Dec. 24. A second service with the choir and musicians is 7-8:30 p.m. A late Christmas Eve service with the choir and musicians is 10-11:30 p.m.

The Christmas Holy Eucharist is at 10 a.m. Dec. 25.
188 S. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach. 561-276-4541 or www.stpaulsdelray.org

Cason United Methodist Church: The Christmas Cantata is at 3 p.m. Dec. 8. A Cookies and Carols Sing-Along will take place at 7 p.m. Dec. 11.
342 N. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach

First Presbyterian Church of Delray Beach: Christmas Eve worship services are 5-6 p.m., 7-8 p.m. and 9:30-10:30 p.m. Dec. 24.
33 Gleason St. 561-276-6338

First United Methodist Church of Boca Raton: Christmas Eve contemporary service is 5-6 p.m. Dec. 24 in the Gathering Place. The Christmas Eve traditional service is 8-9 p.m. in the sanctuary.
625 NE Mizner Blvd. 561-395-1244

Advent Church: Christmas Eve services on Dec. 24 will include Lessons & Carols, a traditional service, at 10 a.m. Family worship is at 4 p.m., with activities to follow. The candlelight service with Praise Band begins at 6 p.m.
300 E. Yamato Road, Boca Raton. 561-395-3632

Hanukkah celebrations
Hanukkah party: 6-8 p.m. Dec. 26 at B’nai Torah Congregation, 6261 SW 18th St., Boca Raton.

Chanukah Celebration with Palm Beach Synagogue: Noon-2 p.m. Dec. 29 at CityPlace, 700 S. Rosemary Ave., West Palm Beach.

Grand Delray Beach Chanukah Festival: 6-8 p.m. Dec. 29 at Old School Square Amphitheatre. Latkes and donuts, fresh pizza by the Gifted Crust, face painting, crafts, games, live music and bounce houses are planned but the focus is the lighting of the ceremonial menorah. The event is hosted by the city of Delray Beach and Chabad East Delray.
51 N Swinton Ave., Delray Beach. delrayoldschoolsquare.com/events

Kwanzaa celebration
Kwanzaa Festival: The Spady Cultural Heritage Museum will host Kwanzaa festivities from 2 to 5 p.m. Dec. 26. An afternoon filled with gift-making workshops, lively music performances, art activities, and engaging storytelling sessions captures the spirit of this cultural, festive community gathering.
170 NW Fifth Ave., Delray Beach. spadymuseum.com/events/kwanzaa

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