Mary Kate Leming's Posts

City boosts fees, takes on permit services to raise revenue: Delray Beach, Gulf Stream

Posted by Mary Kate Leming on September 3, 2009 at 17:44

By Margie Plunkett Delray Beach commissioners signed on to an agreement to provide building permit and inspection services to Gulf Stream, a deal that could bring in $100,000 in permit fees at a time when municipalities are scouring every nook and cranny for new revenues. The pact still must be reviewed and approved by Gulf Stream, which since 1985 has relied on Palm Beach County for the services. Gulf Stream wouldn’t pay for the services, but Delray Beach would keep all money collected from building fees. Municipalities throughout South Florida, in the final stages of the 2010 budget process, have seen income from property taxes shrink radically following the collapse of the housing market. The drop in property taxes has left gaping holes in budgets that have driven governments to scrutinize finances, searching for opportunities to boost revenue or slash spending. Cutbacks in Palm Beach County pushed Gulf Stream to look for another provider for permitting and inspections, Gulf Stream Clerk Rita Taylor said. The county conducted less and less of the work at the closest offices to Gulf Stream, forcing contractors and the town on an inconvenient trek to Jog Road in West Palm Beach. County cutbacks also claimed the plan reviewer who handled Gulf Stream, she said. Delray Beach staff recommended approval, noting the city had the capacity to take on the work. Gulf Stream is a residential community that’s not built out, with permitting conducted for new single-family homes and additions or renovations to existing home, a staff memo said. Gulf Stream reviews permits before the contractor applies to Delray Beach, looking at zoning, landscaping and architectural issues. The staff estimated the take from permits at about $100,000, based on results over the last two years. In addition to the lure of permitting at Delray Beach’s nearby offices, the city offers Gulf Stream some inspection services the county did not. One example, the county issues permits for fences, but doesn’t inspect them because it’s overloaded, Taylor said, adding, “We would very much like to have that done.” Recreation facility fees Separately, Delray Beach could pull in an additional $46,730 in revenue for the coming fiscal year by changing rental fees for Park and Recreation facilities, a move commissioners also approved at the Aug. 18 meeting. Rental fees were charged for facilities, pavilions and fields, but not always consistently, according to Linda Karch, director of Parks and Recreation. Under the new schedule of rental fees, homeowners and community/civic groups — which were not previously charged for facility use — are charged $30 per meeting. New facility rental fees include, for example, $90 for the first three hours at the “505” Teen Center facility and $20 for additional hours. Skate Park is $100 for the first three hours and $40 per additional hour. Renters who plan to charge admission would pay $250 for the first three hours plus 50 percent of ticket sales. Pavilion fees are increased and made uniform, regardless of the facility’s size, at $50 for four hours and $90 all day, not including tax. Prices previously ranged from $30 to $35 for four hours and $60 to $70 for the day, according to Karch’s memo. Veterans Park Gazebo and Atlantic Dunes Park Pavilion, both popular for weddings, increased to $110 for two hours and to $200 for four hours. Veterans Park previously charged $85 for two hours and $170 for four hours, and Atlantic Dunes, $85 for four hours and $170 all day. New field rental rates are $50 for two hours, compared with $35 previously, and the light fee will be $30 an hour, up from $10. Beach parking fee increase Delray Beach also will raise beach parking permit fees Oct. 1. Annual beach parking permits will increase to $80 plus tax from $60, according to Scott Aronson, Delray Beach parking management specialist.

Town addressing several water issues: Manalapan

Posted by Mary Kate Leming on September 3, 2009 at 17:41

By Margie Plunkett Water was a standout issue at Manalapan’s budget workshop in August, with the $5.4 million utility budget rising $1.3 million over 2008 as a result of recommended improvements to meet fire safety standards. The bulk of the increase was due to capital improvements, including $2.6 million in water main upgrades. In light of the expense, Mayor Tom Gerrard told administrators, water rates should be reviewed quickly for a possible rate increase. But even if the price goes up, he said, Manalapan residents will still have among the least expensive water. Commissioners voiced incredulity at the debt the water utility was creating in a small town and called for it to be operated like a business, noting the water system was a problem they inherited and that hadn’t been sufficiently upgraded in a long, long time. They wondered if joining another town’s system would make water delivery more efficient, although it didn’t appear immediately that was an option. “There’s a lot of mass inefficiency down here as everyone has their own plant,” said Commissioner Tom Thornton. A June report by Mock Roos recommended improvements, including sizing selected water mains to raise water pressure that in some areas of Manalapan and Hypoluxo is too low by fire safety standards. It also recommended adding a booster pump at the water plant and installing more fire hydrants, work that could necessitate increasing water rates for Manalapan residents as well as Hypoluxo, which is served by the water system. The town also would benefit from interconnecting with Boynton Beach’s water supply for emergency purposes. The two towns would have to strike an agreement before an interconnection was possible. About $2 million in the fiscal 2009-10 utility budget carries over from last year to cover the Boynton Beach interconnection, work on the well started in 2008, legal matters related to the well, and water main upgrades. Meanwhile, the water utility runs at capacity in the morning when irrigation is allowed. Town Manager Greg Dunham reported that varied irrigation times would be set to ease the operation.

Great view, great exercise on a stand-up paddleboard

Posted by Mary Kate Leming on September 3, 2009 at 17:36

By Mary Katherine Stump Don’t let the barefoot, strapping 20-somethings with the sideways caps at Nomad Surf and Sport fool you — they’ve got a sport for the non-risk takers on the beach: stand-up paddleboarding. “The great thing about stand-up paddling is that you don’t have to be pro to do it,” says Ryan Heavyside, manager of Nomad Surf Shop. “You can be a young kid all the way to a grandfather and it’s something you can pick up pretty easily.” Similar to a surfboard, but longer and wider, the stand-up paddleboard is made to use in calm water. As long as you have the upper body strength to paddle and the ability to balance yourself, it’s something you’ll be able to pick up in a week, if not a day. “Tourists love it because they can pick it up their first time out on the water,” said Cheryl Peters, manager of East Coast Surf and Sport in Boca. “I do a lot of lessons for the Boca Hotel. The guests love it because they can see the fish. One lady even decided to pay for board rentals instead of day camp for her kids.” The most popular time to get out on the ocean, or the Intracoastal Waterway, is early in the morning before the winds and the mid-afternoon storms kick up. It’s a great way to get your day started and a fun way to spend time with your family. Joey and Emma Coz of Ocean Ridge consider themselves surfers, but have transitioned to stand-up paddle boarding during the summer months because of the smaller waves. “We’ve been doing it since Father’s Day,” says Joey, which was when the teenagers gave their father the family’s first board. The sport provides a good workout and helps to strengthen the abs, lower back, shoulders and arm muscles. It’s a great alternative to the gym, where there’s not much to distract you from the work you’re putting in. On the water it’s easier to forget that you’re exercising, especially when you’re spending time with loved ones, or getting a close-up view of wildlife. “Some people are paddleboarding for weight loss, others are doing it for strength and endurance,” said Peters. “My husband has lost over 30 pounds since he started paddling regularly.” John Parton of Fox Surfboards has been custom manufacturing boards in Lake Worth for 40 years, and in the last two years has started building paddleboards. He says he enjoys paddleboarding “because the standing up is easier than rubbing your ribs raw on a surfboard. And the view is better. It’s like being on a boat — you can look down at the bottom of the ocean and it allows you to see a swell coming far in advance.” Local sales and rentals have picked up during the summer and Peters expects sales will continue to grow during the winter months. Boards range in price from $1,000 to $1,600 and at most locations rentals average $25 for half a day, $40 for the full day. “Let’s face it. Even in the winter in South Florida, the waves aren’t huge. I expect sales are going to continue to go up, especially as folks start shopping for presents during the holidays.” Adds Parton, “It’s not going to be as big as, say, bicycling, but the potential for this sport is great because it is a sport the whole family can do.”

Where to rent or purchase stand-up paddleboards: Nomad Surf Shop 4655 N. Ocean Blvd. Boynton Beach, FL 33435-7362 (561) 272-2882 East Coast Surf and Sport 831 E. Palmetto Park Road Boca Raton, FL 33432 (561) 367-1917 Lani Kai Mana 280 NE Second Ave. Delray Beach, FL 33444 (727) 771-3194 Boca Surf and Sail 3501 N. Federal Highway Boca Raton, FL 33431-5945 (561) 394-8818 John Parton, Fox Custom Surfboards (561) 236-0435

High-volume water users could pay more: Delray Beach, Gulf Stream

Posted by Mary Kate Leming on September 3, 2009 at 17:30

By Margie Plunkett

A proposed water rate restructuring intended to encourage conservation would shift more of the cost onto larger water users, Delray Beach commissioners learned during a workshop presentation in August.
If people use more water, they should pay for it, Commissioner Adam Frankel said.
Barrier island properties in Delray Beach and Gulf Stream — where lots tend to be bigger, have more landscaping and are more heavily irrigated — could be among those who feel the impact, according to Victor Majternyi, deputy director of public utilities.
The proposal would not change the base rate or the capacity charge for residential users. The base rate is $2.94 a month and the capacity charge for a three-quarter-inch meter, $12.78. But it would change the “commodity” charge, or the price of water used. There would be no change for non-residential users.
The proposed commodity charge increases from the existing rates as the volume of water used rises. For instance, users of up to 3,000 gallons currently pay $1.75 for each 1,000 gallons used. Under the proposal, up to 3,000 gallons of use monthly is included in the base charge. And residents who use 4,000 to 12,000 gallons month would pay $1.25 per 1,000 gallons, still lower than the existing fee.
But as usage increases, the price under the proposal exceeds the existing price. By 26,000 gallons, the user under the restructured rate is paying $3.50 per 1,000 gallons, compared with $2.14 under the existing rates. Both schedules top out for 51,000 gallon-plus users, with the proposal at $4.50 per 1,000 gallons compared with $2.65 under the existing rates.
The irrigation rate rises from $1.94 per 1,000 gallons to $2.43 under the proposal.
The proposed price for reclaimed water also rises with usage, but not near as steeply as regular water. Retail users of reclaimed water now pay $1 for 1,000 gallons. The proposal adopts a sliding scale in which users of up to 25,000 gallons pay $1 and up to 50,000 gallons pay $2. Usage over 51,000 is $3 per 1,000 gallons. Wholesale users would still pay 28 cents per 1,000 gallons.
Connection fees for water under the proposal double, and sewer connections increase as well. Water connections now cost $788, but would rise to $1,600 under the proposal. Sewer connections rise from $1,084 to $1,200.
City Manager David Harden said during the workshop he wasn’t satisfied with the connection fees. Richard Hasko, Delray Beach environmental services director, said he would need more time to review them.
The restructuring, scheduled to go before the commission for a preliminary vote Sept. 10, would take effect Oct. 1 if approved.
Mary Kate Leming contributed to this report.

Traffic study shows pedestrians and drivers both careless at crosswalks: Delray Beach

Posted by Mary Kate Leming on September 3, 2009 at 17:30

By Ron Hayes For two days in May, the Florida Department of Transportation monitored both pedestrians and drivers at six crosswalks along State Road A1A here. And they found accidents waiting to happen. Apparently, pedestrians have forgotten their parents’ warnings, and drivers have forgotten just who has the right of way. According to the weekend study, which was conducted on May 9 and 10, at the three crosswalks immediately north and three south of Atlantic Avenue: • Only 23 percent of pedestrians used the crosswalks correctly, pressing the yellow blinking light then waiting for cars to stop before crossing. • Another 69 percent didn't press the light at all, and 8 percent used the light but crossed without looking first for traffic. • And while 71 percent of drivers dutifully stopped for pedestrians at a blinking yellow light, the other 29 percent drove right through it. “Whatever happened to what your parents taught you?” wonders John Overton, the department’s assistant district traffic engineer. “Look left, right, then left again. And when you have drivers ignoring anyone in a crosswalk, that’s a dangerous situation.” To address those dangers, the study recommends installing paddle-shaped warning signs on the road’s centerline, between 20 and 50 feet before each crosswalk. The signs, which have been used successfully in other areas, are marked STATE LAW: STOP TO PEDESTRIAN WITHIN CROSSWALK. Overton said he will install the signs at the first crosswalks north and south of Atlantic Avenue as soon as a supplemental contract is completed and a contractor found. “My plan is to evaluate them the following weekend,” Overton said, “and compare the numbers before and after. The interesting thing about these signs is that they let the drivers know the law when they need to know it, at the point where they need to know it.” The study also recommends that the pedestrian-activated yellow blinkers be equipped with illuminated push buttons that indicate the light is blinking, as well as a system that beeps or in some other way tells the pedestrian that the flashing light is on. This may take longer, Overton said, because the county, which operates the traffic light system, must find a compatible device. He’d like to see one installed at the crosswalk south of Atlantic Avenue, Overton said. “My personal opinion is that some people don’t think the buttons work, so why use them anyway,” he added. “They’re thinking, ‘I’m old enough to look out for myself.’ ” The study was welcomed by Jim Smith, the chairman and co-founder of SAFE (Safety As Floridians Expect), a citizens group that lobbies for traffic improvements along the ocean highway. “I’m very pleased that they conducted the study,” Smith said. “Those in-street signs will make a big difference. I just hope it’s a big enough difference.”

Clean out freezer, stock pantry for heart of hurricane season

Posted by Mary Kate Leming on September 3, 2009 at 17:12

By Jan Norris The dog days of summer inevitably signal hurricane season in earnest. We’ve been lucky so far, but it’s definitely time to get your house ready for a storm, and that includes your kitchen. Now’s the time to clean out the freezer and whittle down the big meats and quantities of fish that you really hate to lose. Cook them up, and then start buying only what you need for a few weeks at a time. Resist “bargain buys” that could leave you out money if the power goes out and you lose the freezer contents. Note that while most homeowner policies cover freezer content loss, unless you have other significant damage, it’s likely not equal to your deductible. A better plan is to start making ice blocks — stock the freezer shelves with well-cleaned milk and juice jugs filled with water. These can be used in coolers after the storm, and provide drinking water as well. You also can buy frozen vegetables without sauce. Plain peas, broccoli, green beans, spinach and carrots will keep once thawed (and kept cold) for a couple of days in the cooler, and provide nutrients missing from fresh vegetables, at least for a few days. They’re pre-cooked and taste OK thawed. Remember: Plain only, no sauce. Before cleaning, take stock of the pantry and don’t forget to photograph everything in your kitchen, opening drawers and doors so you can prove loss in case of flood or wind damage. Have a hurricane “kitchen emergency equipment” kit — a 30-gallon sealable tub is good for this. In it, consider packing these things:

Manual can-opener Bottle opener Large box of matches, sealed in a plastic bag Portable cookstove (or 1-burner electric hot plate) Cans of propane gas Propane-powered camping light. Don’t attempt to cook in the dark. Bottle of waterless hand-sanitizer Trash bags Disposable wipe cloths Liquid dish soap Paper plates, plastic drinkware and plastic serving ware Medium skillet Medium pot that can go on a grill (cast iron is recommended; no thin cookware) Tea kettle Press coffee pot Extension cord, in case you have a power source nearby Charcoal for a grill Have two large coolers on hand For an emergency food stash, here are staples we recommend, and some we recommend that you avoid: Dry cereal — individual servings packed in a cup are a smart choice Instant oatmeal Dried fruits in individual bags (apricots and figs provide much needed calcium and potassium) Canned pudding (good calcium, and it’s a creamy treat) Ready-to-eat soups — potato soup is good cold, as is tomato

Canned beans — choose a variety Tuna, salmon or chicken in foil pouches (better flavor than canned)

Sardines or anchovies, for flavoring other dishes Shelf-stable bacon and smoked fish (for flavor in other dishes) Hard salami, jerky, pepperoni and other commercially hard-cured meats that are stable until opened Salsa Jarred pasta sauce Jars of roasted peppers and sun-dried tomatoes Peanut butter Canned chili, spaghetti and noodle-Os Ground coffee Couscous or angel-hair pasta — these starches require very little water to prepare Ready-to-eat rice in foil packages Flavored flatbreads or bagel chips Jugs of fruit juices and vegetable juices Canned fruits and vegetables (pineapple and oranges are good choices for vitamin C) Bottled vinaigrettes American cheese slices, other processed cheeses (these are all shelf stable) Shelf-stable milk (Parmalat is a brand-name of cow’s milk, but soy, rice and goats’ milk are available ) Individual packets of mayonnaise Infant formula, baby food Extra pet foods Fresh lemons. They’ll last a long while and make plain water much more refreshing- and you can use the rinds to scrub dishes and kill smells in trash cans. Water — at least 1 gallon of water a day per person — one week’s supply minimum. (Remember how hot it is without AC and how much you’ll need to drink.) Be prepared to shop for dry ice if a hurricane watch is issued. Many grocery stores now provide it, but almost all ship stores carry it. Use care in handling and do NOT put it into a freezer that’s working; it will trick the thermostat and cut off the freezer’s compressor. Avoid: potato chips, salty crackers, pretzels, candy, sodas and excess beer and wine. (You need your wits; more people die from accidents after storms than during one). These foods will dehydrate you — a bad move when water is scarce. We won’t kid you — it’s challenging to try to cook a real meal under no-power circumstances, even if you have a gas stove. Lighting is bad, and washing pots and pans is tough, especially if you must boil water to do it. But after a week of grilled hot dogs or peanut butter or tuna sandwiches, you’ll welcome these fast-fix ideas for “real” food: Almost jambalaya: Tear open a pack of ready-to-eat Spanish rice; add some roasted red peppers, hard sausage slices and a can of drained kidney beans. Salad Nicoise: Packet of foil-wrapped tuna filets, broken over a can of sliced potatoes, a can of green beans, some black olives and a few capers. Dress with bottled vinaigrette (a Greek vinaigrette with oregano makes this sing). Asian peanut noodles: Boil angel-hair pasta (add hot water to a pot and let stand, or use Ramen noodles and pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the broth). Add a generous tablespoon of peanut butter, a teaspoon of sesame oil and some dried chives. Add thawed frozen chopped spinach or broccoli (the plain stuff, no sauce). Stir well. Mexican night: Layer broken tortilla chips, canned vegetarian refried beans mixed with a little cumin (or canned chili if you eat meat), canned green chilies and salsa in a square glass dish. This one’s kid-friendly. Crunchy parfait dessert: Layer dark chocolate canned pudding in a fancy glass with crushed chocolate or almond biscotti and canned (drained) dark cherries. Sprinkle cocoa powder on top. Tropical tiramisu: Layer vanilla pudding or canned dulce de leche pudding mixed with frozen whipped topping, with: crushed pineapple, flaked coconut and rum-soaked ladyfingers. Top with a rum-soaked sugar cube, lit with a match, and serve immediately.

Special needs planning for hurricane evacuation

Posted by Mary Kate Leming on September 3, 2009 at 17:03

By Mary Thurwachter People with physical, medical or other disabilities, as well as the elderly, need to plan for their safety during a storm like anyone else. But their needs may call for more detailed planning and entail friends, family, neighbors and health care attendants. “You can go online and sign up if you need help with transportation, or to reserve a bed,” said Manalapan Police Chief Clay Walker. “Our residents are gone during hurricane season and we deal with property managers. We have no one on our list (asking for special needs help).” Occupancy is only 15 percent this time of year. In Gulf Stream, Police Chief Garrett Ward said his department maintains a list of people with special needs. “We check with them to make sure they have arrangements.” But there aren’t many on the list. In Ocean Ridge, Lt. Chris Yannuzzi said his department doesn’t make arrangements for those with special needs other than to tell residents to make plans early. “It’s up to residents to make plans,” he said. If there are evacuations, some shelters will be available for people with special needs. To reserve, call (561) 712-6400. Residents with special needs should assemble a disaster kit with a collection of necessary items ranging from extra batteries for hearing aids and wheelchairs to medicines and medical devices. If they have a service animal, they should keep them on a leash or harness because they may become frightened or disoriented. The American Red Cross pamphlet Disaster Preparedness for People with Disabilities can be found online at www.prepare.org/disabilities/disabilities.htm. An ADA guide for local governments, Making Community Emergency Preparedness and Response Programs Accessible to People with Disabilities, is available at www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/emergencyprep.htm. Hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30.

Effort brings out Old-Florida charm in cottages

Posted by Mary Kate Leming on September 3, 2009 at 17:00

By Christine Davis Cottages are one place where “cute” and “old” are often used in the same sentence. And who knows why? They certainly have their share of ailments and complaints, but they are so darned adorable, we just get out the hammer or call the handyman and remedy the problems.

Key West in Delray Beach Consider this cute, old, Key West-style cottage belonging to Viki and Al O’Donnell on Nassau Street in Delray Beach, although Viki will argue the “old” part. “This is not old,” she said. Originally from Norwalk, Conn., she grew up in a 150-year-old historical home. “If you want old, go to New England.” When she bought her cottage, she surprised herself. “I said I was going to buy a new house when I could afford a home. But,” she sighs, “I like the charm and the warmth of old homes. And, after all, you can remodel.” She painted the exterior lime green with sky blue trim. Every room in the interior is ablaze with splendiferous color, too. And then there are her two patios, her lawn, the gardens and the orchid house — the koi ponds, birdhouses and garden ornaments. Inside features include lots of Dade County pine, a fireplace, black and white tile in the dining room and kitchen, Mexican tile in the living room, and terrazzo in the bedrooms. “I love this property,” she said. “I’m a visual person. Even though the house was painted a mushroom green, I could see it had good bones and potential.” And how does Al feel about it? “Al lived in an apartment in Chicago,” she said. “Whenever something goes wrong, he says, ‘Call the janitor,’ and I’m the janitor.”

The Pink House Farther north on A1A in Gulf Stream, one can see polo cottages on the grounds of the Gulf Stream School, which used to be the site of Gulf Stream Polo Club’s practice field, stables and barn. An especially striking one, the Pink House, offers views of the school’s athletic field. “It’s very pretty,” Anne Gibb said, reminiscing. Gibb worked for the school for more than 32 years, became head mistress in 1990, and retired in 2004. She was the cottage’s first resident after it was moved to the Gulf Stream campus, and she lived in the Pink House for 15 years. “The Pultes (Mark and Noreen) donated the cottage to the school,” she said. “A lot of people were very kind, helped pay for the move, donated a washer and dryer. The school and the school family are dear to my heart.” The cottage was moved from the southeast corner of Banyan Road and A1A to its present location on the school grounds in 1989. “It was very exciting. We all were up watching the move in the middle of the night,” she said. At first, the house was set up on metal grids while the foundation was being built. “One of the children asked me when my house was going to be planted. “The children voted on what color it should be,” she said. “‘Of course, it should be pink,’ said one of the children. And so it stayed pink. It’s always been known as the Pink House.” Built circa 1930s, the cottage is one of a number that were constructed for the polo club’s players, their families and personnel by the Phipps Family’s Bessemer Properties. Henry Pope and Henry Harding are believed to be the architects for the polo homes. The cottage is one of three remaining on school property (the others, however, are not pink), and features several adorable attributes: bay windows, a window seat and hardwood floors. “The Pink House gave me many years of joy and memories that will last forever,” Gibb said.

Shabby chic by the beach Claudia Lewis bought 2 Kenmore Lane, in the “county pocket” just south of Briny Breezes, in 1976. It was built in 1945, she said of her shuttered wood and cement cottage. “I’ve heard that this area was all nursery property, and according to an old title search, it was one of the old properties that started out with the Perrys and the Jennings, families here from days past.” A retired registered nurse, she raised her son, Terry, in this home. “When he was a little boy, he used to go down to the beach and say, ‘This is my beach.’ ” When she first saw it, she thought it would make a good investment. “It was a shacky cottage, a handyman’s special, and now, all my money is tied up in it, but I thought it would be a neat little place for my son to have someday.” Not enough room and staying insured are, of course, challenges, but the home has lots of charm. It’s peaceful and the neighbors are nice, she said. The cottage also provided a side benefit. “I discovered lots of things I didn’t know. I never thought I’d be out in my yard doing construction work,” she said. “I’ve learned how to use cement. I put the tiles in the front, laid the cobblestone path, fixed rotted wood, and have kept my cottage together.” And how did she choose to add plum to her color scheme of yellow, with white and green trim? “I found a paint sale: $1.50 a quart, and they had lots of plum.” A cabinet has been rescued, painted teal, and sits next to the cottage. “My son wanted to know why I hadn’t thrown it out,” she said. “But I need the storage space. I’m doing the shabby-chic thing.”

A ‘cracker house’ on the island On Hypoluxo Island is another cute old cottage owned by Jan Parry, who bought it in 1997. This one is painted two tones of green, with a touch of a color called Sun-Dried Tomato. And, although a “moving experience,” it was not so cute when she first saw it, Parry recalled. “It was just a little old house in a very nice neighborhood,” she said. “I fell in love with Hypoluxo Island, and I could afford this house. I thought I could make it whatever I wanted.” Originally owned by the Lewis family, it was built in 1947, she said. Steve Lewis, who bought it from Babe Thomas and lived in it about 20 years ago, calls Parry’s cottage an “old cracker house.” “It’s the oldest remaining house on the island. It didn’t have air conditioning when we moved in. It had an attic fan, and was definitely an Old Florida-style house. ” The house sat in the middle of a lot that was being divided, and whoever bought one of the lots could either tear the cottage down or move it. “So, I had it dug up and moved,” she said. The original front porch, Parry said, was ugly, so she added a distinctive new porch, reminiscent of Craftsman-style, which gives the cottage lots of character. Parry remodeled the kitchen, added tile floors and built-in cabinetry, and her back yard is large and private. But the home has had its share of challenges. “When I moved in, the house had to be raised to comply with new heights for the flood zone. I had given up my rental, and moved in the day the electric was hooked up. I didn’t realize that the house would be five feet higher. I had to lift my dog to get her in the house, and I had to put some five-gallon drums at the door so that I could get in myself.” The new heights, though, worked perfectly for the movers. “They put the platform into the door, and just moved things in,” she said.

Optimism, skepticism greet record turtle nesting numbers

Posted by Mary Kate Leming on September 3, 2009 at 17:00

By Nirvi Shah More leatherback turtles have made their way onto Palm Beach County beaches this nesting season than in the last five years — to the cautious delight of sea turtle protectors. Early totals show there were at least 457 leatherback nests along the beaches tracked by the county since the season began, said Carly DeMaye, who oversees sea turtle protection for the county. The previous record was 429 nests in 2007. “We hope we will continue seeing an exponential increase in leatherback nesting,” DeMaye said. In 1996, the county recorded just 94 leatherback nests along its coast. She said there is no one reason for the surge. Leatherbacks have been listed as an endangered species for nearly 40 years by the federal government, and the increase in nests could be the culmination of decades of conservation efforts. Or, a new nesting colony may have settled in the area, or more turtles could be making their way here because they find other regions less suitable for laying eggs. But Florida International University Professor John Fletemeyer is more skeptical about whether the increase in sea turtle nests actually means an increase in the sea turtle population. He works at the university's Laboratory for Coastal Research in Fort Lauderdale and monitors about three miles of Palm Beach County’s coastline in Delray Beach. “To be excited about a good year vs. a bad year is kind of overly optimistic,” Fletemeyer said. “In all animal populations, everything is cyclical.” For example he said, the majority of loggerhead turtles nest every two years, and a large group nests every three. “When you see a spike in loggerhead nesting, it’s more likely a convergence of the two- and three-year nesters every six years” than an actual increase in the turtle’s population, he said. Earlier this summer, Fletemeyer said Delray was home to 14 leatherback nests this year so far, 70 loggerhead nests and two green sea turtle nests — increases over last year, although he could not say just how much of an increase. The county’s numbers include beaches in Boca Raton, Juno Beach, Jupiter, Ocean Ridge, Palm Beach and Singer Island. Final numbers that include the entire county coastline won’t be tallied until December. Although sea turtle nesting season stretches from March to October, most leatherbacks would have already laid eggs by now, said Chris Johnson, a biologist at Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach. They typically nest from late February through July. Juno Beach alone has recorded 277 nests so far this year, he said, compared to a previous record of 158. He was more encouraged by the increase than Fletemeyer. “We are excited and encouraged by the uptick in nesting numbers, but leatherbacks face many threats here on the nesting beach and in the open ocean,” Johnson said. Although they are among the largest of the turtles that nest along Florida’s coastline and can easily grow to 2,000 pounds, their size doesn’t make them particularly hardy, DeMaye said. The species has been devasted by commercial fishing and leatherbacks continue to be affected by longline fishing. Leatherbacks don't have a hard shell the way most sea turtles do, she said, because they are designed to dive deeply for food. Their shell of small rubbery plates allows them to dive deep without being affected by the water pressure. While the leatherbacks appear to be increasing their presence in the Atlantic Ocean, Johnson said in the Pacific, the numbers have declined dramatically and he blames commercial fisheries for their decline in that ocean. Along with leatherbacks, loggerheads and green sea turtle nests in Palm Beach County, hawksbill and rare Kemp’s ridley turtles are found offshore. All but loggerheads are endangered species, although there are petitions to push loggerheads from the threatened to endangered designation, said David Anderson, a marine turtle specialist at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton. Their status is under review by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, which labeled them threatened in 1978. Reclassifying the reptile seems especially important now, he said, because loggerheads aren’t having a good nesting season. Loggerheads will continue to nest through August, but their numbers so far are on pace with a record low season set in 2007. Gumbo Limbo, which monitors about five miles of beach at the southern end of the county, typically counts about 500 loggerhead nests each season. So far, they have recorded fewer than 360 so far, which puts them off track to meet last years’ total. “As each day passes it’s going to be tough to catch up,” Anderson said.

Obituary — Barbara Latham Keresey: Delray Beach

Posted by Mary Kate Leming on September 3, 2009 at 16:30

By Ron Hayes

DELRAY BEACH — Several years ago, Barbara Keresey shot a hole-in-one on the ninth hole of the St. Andrew’s Club. She went north for the summer, returned in the fall, and shot a consecutive hole-in-one at the same ninth hole during her first game of the season. On July 26, Mrs. Keresey died peacefully at home, in a bedroom overlooking the scene of her two-in-a-million golfing triumph. She was 89, and had lived at the club since 1994. Golf was only one of Bobbie Keresey’s passions. She was also a skier, a paddle tennis player, a talented artist whose floral acrylics were recently displayed at The Little Club, and an amateur actress whose portrayal of the witch in Hansel and Gretel was an annual tradition at the children’s theater in Montclair, N.J. “She always knew exactly what the appropriate thing was to wear, and to say,” recalls her son, Jim Keresey. “She had a sense of style and color that people appreciated, and she had a smile for everybody.” Mrs. Keresey also founded a Meals On Wheels service to feed the elderly in Montclair, and saw it grow to encompass most of Essex County. “I became one of her delivery boys when I was home for the summer,” her son remembers. Barbara Latham was born in New York City on Dec. 23, 1919, but moved to Montclair when she was 3. A graduate of Montclair High School and Pine Manor College in Wellesley, Mass., she met her future husband, Dick Keresey, at a country club Christmas dance in 1939. The couple were married in 1944, following Mr. Keresey’s service as a PT-boat skipper in the Solomon Islands. “A lady stopped me the other day and said they were an example of what a marriage should be,” Jim Keresey said. “They were totally committed to each other, and when they said for better or worse, they meant it. My father kind of doted on her.” In addition to her husband of 65 years, she is survived by four children, Richard of New York City; James, of Oak Harbor, Wash., Mary, of Denville, N.J., and Barbara, of West Chicago, Ill.; nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Covenant House, 733 Breakers Ave., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304.

Hard-working writer Pratt put Briny on Big Apple map

Posted by Mary Kate Leming on September 3, 2009 at 16:30

See more photos from the Pratt collection By Ron Hayes Seventy-two years ago, you could park a trailer in Briny Breezes for $2.75 a week. You could do your laundry in a reasonably clean clapboard building and cleanse your face in washbowls open to those briny breezes. You could attend to nature’s more private needs in 12 toilets that once served the servants’ quarters of the recently demolished Royal Poinciana Hotel in Palm Beach. And you could purchase ice cream, sandwiches and soft drinks in the Quonset hut community hall. But you couldn’t buy a beer anywhere in the park, lest “rowdyism” erupt. We know all this thanks to that enduring chronicle of urbanity, The New Yorker magazine of March 13, 1937, where “Our Footloose Correspondent” is revealed at the end of the three-page report. Theodore Pratt. Ted Pratt knew about trailers. In October 1936, six months before the New Yorker article was published, he and his wife, Jackie, began building a travel trailer in the Athens, Ohio, workshop of their friend, Arthur Boyles Jr. They finished in December and set off for Florida, where Pratt let the Big Apple know about tiny Briny Breezes. In his day, Theodore Pratt (1901-1969) was one hardworking writer, a columnist for the New York Sun, a journalist and short story writer and the author of more than 30 novels, five of them made into movies. His 1941 Saturday Evening Post article, Land of the Jook, was filmed as Juke Girl, starring Ronald Reagan. In 1964, Pratt’s comic novel, Mr. Limpet, became The Incredible Mr. Limpet starring Don Knotts, 22 years after he wrote it. Now, Pratt is remembered — when he's remembered — only as the author of The Barefoot Mailman, a 1943 novel that fictionalized the adventures of pioneer postman James Hamilton, who carried the mail along the beach from Lake Worth to Miami in the 1890s. The book is part of a Florida trilogy, followed by The Flame Tree (1950) and The Big Bubble (1951), but all are now out of print. After arriving in Florida, Pratt lived in Lake Worth, Boca Raton and Delray Beach, where he died. The Spanish River Boulevard Bridge in Boca Raton is officially the Theodore Pratt Memorial Bridge, but few who drive it daily know that. In other words, Pratt is not the sort of dead writer the people who take dead writers seriously take seriously. “No, and there’s a reason for that,” says Dee Cael. “He was a spotty writer. His research was phenomenal, but he’ll carry you for a couple of pages and then he drops the ball. He loses the momentum. You know you’re reading and you don’t get lost in it.” If Pratt has an official champion today, Cael is it. As the head of special collections and archives at Florida Atlantic University, she is custodian of the Pratt Collection, four file cabinets full of manuscripts, letters, contracts, scrapbooks and the library’s first donation after the university was chartered in 1961. “In the '90s, we decided to shift things around,” she says, “and when we took the drawers out, more papers had fallen behind. He would do a phenomenal amount of writing to make sure he got it right. He really struggled.” Now his writing life lives in The Pratt Room, a humble, 8-by-8-foot office on the second floor of FAU’s Wimberly Library. Here’s the desk he bought from the old Boca Airfield after World War II, and the cracked office chair. Here’s a lampshade adorned with scenes from his novels, a 1946 gift from the cartoonist Herb Roth. The walls are home to original cover art, and here, in two full bookcases, are the books on which that artwork appeared. Hardcover and paperback, they are vintage potboiler fiction of the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s. Lovers of Pompeii, Escape To Eden, Mercy Island, Handsome and Handsome's Seven Women. They say Pratt’s nymphomania novel, The Tormented (1950) was so steamy 34 publishers turned it down before it sold a million copies.

There’s also a copy of Murder Goes In A Trailer, written the same year as the New Yorker article, under his pseudonym, Timothy Brace — which happened to be his cat’s name. The novels’ artwork is modestly sultry, with square-jawed heroes who look like James Bond and heroines with skintight dresses and heaving bosoms. In one scrapbook is a fading black-and-white snapshot of Ted and Jackie Pratt outside their homemade trailer. Pines and palm trees are clearly visible in the background, but is it Briny Breezes? Given the timing of their arrival in Florida, and the New Yorker article, it certainly seems likely, but the site is unidentified. Looking through those scrapbooks one day, Cael found a yellowed newspaper clipping about the 1960 funeral of Zora Neale Hurston, another Florida writer whose reputation had all but vanished before a phenomenal resurgence in the 1970s. Now Hurston is revered, all her books are back in print. She is a classic American writer. But not Pratt. “When they were restoring the old Palm Beach County Courthouse, I got a call asking if there was anything in his papers that would tell us where the original columns went,” Cael remembers. There wasn’t. “It will be years before anyone asks about him,” she says. “But then as soon as I think we can store it all, we get an e-mail or phone call.” Theodore Pratt’s research notes for his Florida trilogy are available online and can be downloaded at http://palmm.fcla.edu/fh/. Click on the Author List and scroll alphabetically to Pratt.

Meet Your Neighbor: Diana Taylor

Posted by Mary Kate Leming on September 3, 2009 at 16:30

Listen to an inspirational interview with Diana Taylor at: http://inspiredbysteve.podbean.com/

Diana Taylor’s multi-media company, Pug at the Beach — which she says is part Dalai Lama and part Jimmy Buffett — offers books, Pug jewelry and apparel, talks and other tools, which can be seen at: www.Pugatthebeach.com

Diana Taylor of Delray Beach writes inspirational stories and mentors people in pursuit of joyful living. She couldn’t do this without the help of playful Pug, her island philosopher dog, who strolls the beach in fashionable surfing shorts while offering snippets of advice to his loyal followers. She and Pug are fairly new residents of Florida. July 2008, Diana moved to Delray Beach while chasing her dreams, the only goal in life worth pursuing, she believes. “When I lived in New Hampshire, I’d drive a hundred miles to get to a beach. I need to live in a place where it is summer everyday.” This has aided her writing. “When I live on the beach, I am creative,” she said. “Most of my really good stories start out with the words, ‘I was on this beach …’ ” But most importantly, it has aided the quality of her life. Was she afraid to start over? “I’m not afraid to start new,” she said. “I’m more afraid to stay in the old where I know exactly what the endless stream of homogenous days blended into one another would look like for the years for the rest of my life.” 10 Questions for Diana Taylor Q. Where did you grow up and go to school? How do you think that has influenced you? A. I grew up on the south shore of Long Island in New York and got my degree from Dowling College, a small, private school on the Connetquot River in Oakdale, N.Y. I lived just 3 miles from the ocean but it wasn’t until I moved to New Hampshire that my love affair with the beach began. On a family vacation to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, I realized fully the magical power of the sea. That year and each year thereafter, driving 900 miles to Cape Hatteras and Ocracoke Island were to shape my work. So I’d have to say that it wasn’t the home of my childhood that influenced me as much as the years I spent in New Hampshire raising my daughters and creating what was to become Pug At The Beach. Q. What is your current occupation? A. I’m a writer but I like to say that I’m also a talisman for people who would like to make their dreams come true but think it’s not possible. I’ve made my own dreams come true and it’s through my work that I teach people they can do the same. Q. What other careers have you had, what were the highlights? A. I’ve been an arts promoter, a stay-at-home mom, and a phlebotomist (a person who takes your blood). Each offered an array of opportunities for personal and professional growth, but it was my time spent as a phlebotomist that truly shaped my work as a writer of inspirational material. I lost that job due to an error on the hospital’s part. They misdiagnosed me with terminal cancer and gave me six months to live. Once the mistake was discovered, I was no longer welcomed there and chose to leave that job. As I watched my hopes of a career in the health care industry fade, my daughter suggested I pursue writing as a career. She said, “Mom, you’re really good. People are motivated to change their lives for the better when they read your work. Take all the Pug adventures that are set on the beach and published them in a book. Throw it out there. If people bite, you’ll know you’re onto something. If not, we figure something else out.” Q. What advice do you have for a young person selecting a career today? A. Don’t fret about work. Gone are the days of careers and jobs lasting 30, 40 years. These days people change careers an average of four to six times throughout their lifetime. You can change your mind about your work at any time. Secondly, do what you love. There’s very little long-term benefit in doing a job you hate. If you were given six months to live, what work would you choose to engage in? And don’t think your dreams can’t come true. I’m here to tell you they can. I now live in a little latitude climate in a house by the sea doing the work I love. That was something I dreamed of and then worked to make it a reality. You can make your dreams come true, too. The key is to never give up! Say that over and over again everyday. Never give up!

Q. Tell us about Pug At The Beach. A. Pug is the name of a small dog who lives on an island. Walking the beach everyday, he learns much about life from the things he discovers and it’s through Pug’s adventures that we ourselves learn how to slow down, calm down, and maintain a positive frame of mind. The creation of Pug, the character, happened one winter in Key West. As I doodled on my sketchpad, a little dog just magically appeared. I decided his name should be Pug. The accompanying stories were a writing exercise gone wild. It started with one simple writing task and evolved into what is now Pug At The Beach. Q. How did you choose to make your home in Delray Beach? A. I was actually choosing between Delray Beach and Stuart. I liked Delray’s close proximity to major transportation. And I love downtown, with the shops along Atlantic Avenue, the historic district, and, of course, I love the beach. I adore the sidewalk on A1A. It’s a hubbub of activity including everything from people doing Tai Chi to the road bike club that rides by every Tuesday night. I’d really like to get a road bike and try that. Q. What is your favorite part about living in Delray? A. Well, if I had to choose only one thing, I’d say it was the beach. It reminds me of Ocracoke Island in North Carolina. With a gorgeous ocean, big, wide beach, and that wide expanse of dunes, it just looks so natural and wild. There is magic in walking down the paths through the dunes to get to the ocean. I do it everyday and I never get tired of it. Q. What music do you listen to when you need inspiration? When you want to relax? A. My tastes in music are vast so it depends on why I need inspiration, whether it’s writing or chilling. Lately I’ve been listening to Bruce Cockburn’s Breakfast In New Orleans. Bach is good for creativity. I love Ruben Gonzalez and that genre of music. And if I need to clean the house, I listen to Dymin, a local singer. Q. Have you had mentors in your life, individuals who have inspired your life decisions? A. I’ve had a number of powerful women in my life who’ve personally guided me through their advice, suggestions or sometimes simply by example. They tend to be businesswomen who’ve made an impact on the lives of others through their work. Then I have mentors like Guy de Maupassant, the 19th-century French writer whose concise writing style I appreciate, or Richard Branson, whose business savvy deserves my respect, or Richard Fineman, the physicist whose discovery of the fatal flaw in the space shuttle Challenger’s O-rings and subsequent explosion came in a roundabout way through his inherent sense of play in his field of science. Q. Who or what makes you laugh? A. I have a new toy poodle. He’s a rescue dog that I got a few months ago. He’s so appreciative and full of life and he’s mastered the art of shooting a racquetball at me by holding it toward the end of his mouth and biting down on it. There’s nothing more delightful as being totally immersed in work only to have a blue ball whiz by me then to look up and see this happy little dog smiling at me while wagging his tail. He rides in the basket on the front of my bicycle as we both discover the back roads and quiet paths of Delray Beach.

Women’s Circle works on literacy with Boynton library help

Posted by Mary Kate Leming on September 3, 2009 at 15:37

By C.B. Hanif Some are shy and simply seeking a better life. Others seek no attention unless it helps them to better help. They are flip sides of the same coin: the served and the servants who can be found most days at The Women’s Circle of Boynton Beach.

“Anywhere in our world where there is poverty, women tend to be impacted even more than men,” said the circle’s coordinator, Sister Lorraine Ryan. “We can’t do everything, so we focus on the women.” The Women’s Circle shares a small house on a barely paved Fourth Avenue with the Community Caring Center. That’s one reason why high on the circle’s wish list is a facility with greater space for classrooms, job searching, coaching and offices. To walk through the cramped quarters is to meet a young woman who is studying to become a pediatrician to serve the area. Or see close to a dozen women squeezed into a small former bedroom for a morning ESOL class that converts to a sewing class in the afternoon. Who are the women? One-third are Creole-speaking, said Sister Lorraine. One-third are African-American. A sixth are Hispanic, another sixth low-income Caucasian.

And the servants? Sister Lorraine is typical. At 19 she joined Medical Mission Sisters, an international religious community focused on medicine. “Healing is our charism,” she said. “Right now the largest membership is from India.” She went there in 1969 and left in 1985. In between she earned a master’s degree in public health from Johns Hopkins University. Back here, she recruited other Medical Mission Sisters. “The perks are mostly in heaven,” she said with a smile. “I did this for five years out of St. Louis, Mo. Covered 185,000 miles in a little red Ford Escort. Even got myself up to Alaska; that was great.” Upon coming to Boynton in 1990 to care for her ailing parents, she got involved in various nonprofit organizations. That helped her even better learn the needs of women who are single parents. She also is a qualified chemical dependency counselor, and did a stint as a schoolhouse nurse. “That taught me a lot, unfortunately, about the violence that still exists in our schools.” Aside from shared space and programs with the Community Caring Center, there are myriad other examples of partnering, such as with Boynton’s library. For example, Sister Lorraine said that more than a year ago, Anne Watts, Boynton’s assistant library director, got a grant related to literacy with which many of the circle’s books were purchased. Watts would meet with the students, take them to the library, give them a tour, get them library cards, let them choose one book they would like purchased to keep, as well as a magazine to receive regularly — and also bring their children with them to get a card, depending on their age, and a book. Such service helps explain why the circle is seeking $100,000 from the Community Redevelopment Authority, with which to purchase and move to a property at 912-914 SE Fourth Street. “It’s comparable to this,” Sister Lorraine said, “but we’d have the whole thing” — 1,200 square feet, rather than the current 620-square-foot portion. “That’s the advantage.” The service advantage is Boynton’s, whose citizens hardly can find a better investment. C.B. Hanif is a freelance writer, editor and media and interreligious affairs consultant. He visits or speaks at synagogues, churches and mosques, seeking folks who are making the Golden Rule real, not just an ideal. Reach him at cbhanif@gmail.com or www.Interfaith21.com.

Obituary — Kathleen A. 'Kay' Cunningham: Ocean Ridge/Boynton Beach

Posted by Mary Kate Leming on September 3, 2009 at 15:30

Kathleen A. ‘Kay’ Cunningham Boynton Beach — 'Kay' Cunningham, formally of Ocean Ridge and Cotuit, Mass., died at home on August 27, after a long illness while being cared for by family and friends. She was born February 23, 1938, in New York City to Joseph and Josephine Mozes. Kay attended New York schools and went on to graduate from Newton High School, Newton, Mass., in 1956. She has resided in Florida since 1989 but leaves many close friends on Cape Cod. Kay was a member of Page Turners Book Club, the Ocean Ridge Garden Club, and P.E.O. Sisterhood Chapter D.W. She was the beloved wife of Robert J. Cunningham for 54 years; mother of Robert W. Cunningham; and grandmother to Robbie and Alexis Cunningham of Tacoma, WA. Kay is survived by a sister, Regina Iacopelli and her husband, Charles of Oceanside, NY and her brother, Lawrence Mozes and his wife, Margaret of Lake Worth. Services were held September 2, at the Boynton Memorial Chapel, 800 West Boynton Beach Boulevard, Boynton Beach. Family-submitted obituary

Obituary — Eugene A. 'Gene' Cericola: Boynton Beach

Posted by Mary Kate Leming on September 3, 2009 at 15:30

Boynton Beach — Eugene A. Cericola, (Gene) died Aug. 27, following a brief illness at the age of 69. A resident of the Boynton Beach area for over twenty years, he was a member of Grace Community Church where he served as a deacon and supervised the Church’s soup kitchen. Mr. Cericola attended Niagara University and was graduated from Brockport State Teachers College of New York, Class of 1960. Mr. Cericola served as the president of The Community Caring Center of Boynton Beach; a community outreach and benevolence association sponsored by the churches and fraternal organizations of the area since 1992 and was involved with several other community organizations. He is survived by his sister Mary Grace Henry, Leesburg, VA; his brother, Alexander Cericola, Boynton Beach; two children, Marc P. Cericola, Sparta, NJ and Michelle A. Kawash of Flemington, NJ; and one grandchild, Michael Patrick Cericola, and a large extended family within the community. Services were celebrated Sept. 1 at Grace Community Church, Boynton Beach with interment following at Boynton Beach Mausoleum and Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Mr. Cericola's memory to Community Caring Center, 145 NE 4th Ave., Boynton Beach, FL 33435 and Grace Community Church 715 S. Federal Hwy. Boynton Beach, FL 33435. Family-submitted obituary

Is yours a tidy cat household?

Posted by Mary Kate Leming on September 3, 2009 at 15:27

By Arden Moore Leave it to a litter company to launch a national campaign to put a positive spin on being catty. The “Tidy Cats Campaign to End Cattiness” has been unleashed to debunk misperceptions and to celebrate millions of people who happily share their homes — and hearts — with cats.

In fact, 71 percent of all domestic cats in the United States live in multiple-cat households. Despite the fact that two or more cats share a common home, unflattering stereotypes still exist about feline ownership. Among Americans polled in a national survey sponsored by Tidy Cats: • 75 percent describe a person with more than one cat as being a homebody. • 69 percent describe people with more than one cat as lonely. • 58 percent regard people with more than one cat as “crazy cat ladies.” A second part of the survey polled non-cat owners. Their responses: • 75 percent of them say multiple cat owners’ homes are smelly. • 85 percent of them report these cat owners’ beds and furniture are fur-covered. • 66 percent of them describe these cat owners’ homes as being cluttered. Talk about being catty! I’ll wager a year’s supply of cat food (and litter) that most cat-occupied homes in south Palm Beach County are clean, tidy and welcoming. “Cats have always been misunderstood and it’s high time to change misperceptions about these amazing animals and the people who share their homes with them,” says Pia Salk, Ph.D., a psychologist, animal welfare advocate and spokesperson for this Tidy Cats campaign. “The reason there are millions of people who have multiple cats is because our feline friends enrich our lives and reward us in countless meaningful ways.” In a poll aimed at people who have more than one cat, the results reveal: • 96 percent view themselves as being caring and loving. • 90 percent see themselves as being generous. • 87 percent see themselves as being well-adjusted and fulfilled. • 87 percent report that their cats do not prevent them from keeping their home clean and odor-free. Nearly a quarter of people with multiple cats surveyed admitted that they would like to eliminate the “crazy cat lady” stereotype and prefer terms such as "cat lover” and "animal lover.” According to Dr. Salk, now is their chance to be heard. Multiple cat households can enter the Tidy Cats Campaign to End Cattiness contest between now and Sept. 11. Cat owners are invited to share their personal stories of how they enjoy more life and less worry at home with their multiple cats. Salk and cat lovers across America will select the winning entry in the national photo/essay contest. The grand prize winner will receive $5,000, a one-year supply of Tidy Cats® Scoop brand cat litter, and the opportunity to be featured in a Tidy Cats Cribs Webisode that will appear on the cat litter brand’s Web site and other social networking sites. For complete contest rules, visit www.tidycats.com. Arden Moore, an animal behavior consultant, editor, author and professional speaker, happily shares her home with two cats, two dogs and one overworked vacuum cleaner. Tune in to her Oh Behave! show on Pet Life Radio.com and contact her at arden@ardenmoore.com.

Bridge tenders have luck of the draw

Posted by Mary Kate Leming on July 30, 2009 at 11:40

By Ron Hayes If you think waiting for the drawbridge to go down takes patience, spare a moment to honor all those dedicated men and women who spend eight hours a day waiting to lower it. And raise it again. And lower it again. And know whom to call when it sticks.

“A lot of people say, ‘I'd like to be a bridge tender,’ ” says Barry Meve, the county’s bridge superintendent, “but they get bored and can’t take it. You can’t leave. You have to bring your lunch.” Twenty drawbridges span the waters of Palm Beach County, and more than a hundred men and women tend them. The money’s not great, but the view can be.

Take the newly renovated tower on the Linton Boulevard Bridge across the Intracoastal Waterway in Delray Beach. Completed in April at a cost of $230,000, the bridge house rises 50 feet above the water and is now adorned with a Key West-style roof and hurricane-proof windows.

On a clear day, Nicholas Evans has the kind of view wealthy condo-dwellers pay millions for. “People think you can come to work and relax, that it’s a cushy job,” says Evans, “but sleeping is not allowed.” In addition to an elaborate control console for operating the bridge’s 130-foot span, Evans’ 15-by-15-foot office has air conditioning, a TV set, refrigerator, microwave oven, jug of spring water, desk and easy chair. And a restroom, one flight down. The TV has a DVD player, but Evans doesn’t use it. “I’m not into movies,” he says. “I like to read.” A retired manager for employee health and safety at a New Jersey medical firm, he passes the quiet time between bridge openings reading the medical mysteries of Robin Cook and Tess Gerritsen. At Linton Boulevard, the bridge is opened on the hour and half-hour. Then Evans puts down his book and begins a strict routine, for which he has received 40 hours of training, plus individual preparation for each of the eight bridges he’s certified to operate. He lowers the safety gates over the road, then the pedestrian gates. He raises the roadway barriers, then unlocks the span. Another knob engages the 75-horsepower motors that lift the north and south spans on a counterweight system similar to a seesaw. He notes the time and vessel on a clipboard. The motor yacht Xanadu passes, and Evans repeats the process in reverse. This may seem to take a half-hour when you’re waiting in a car, but Evans says the average operation lasts only about five minutes. “My biggest fear,” he says, “is a sailboat coming through and you bring the span down too soon on the boat.” Of the area’s 20 drawbridges, eight are operated by the county’s Engineering and Public Works Department, and 12 by a contractor working for the state Department of Transportation, depending on whether the bridge is on a state highway. County bridgetenders earn up to $15 an hour, with a lump-sum cost-of-living raise yearly. Tenders on state-run bridges make $9.50 an hour. So how do you become a bridgetender?

Marty Weingel saw a sign in a window. “I was having dinner with my son,” says Weingel, 80, of Boynton Beach. “We were walking back across the Atlantic Avenue Bridge and I saw a ‘help wanted’ sign in the bridge house window.” For the past four years, Weingel has worked in that same Atlantic Avenue bridge house. Unlike the Linton Boulevard tower, Weingel’s office is at sidewalk level, mere feet from the grated span on which thousands of cars rip by each day. “I don’t even notice the sound anymore,” says Weingel. “I get the paper each morning and it takes me eight hours to read the whole thing and do all the puzzles.” The bridgetender’s biggest worry, of course, is the sort of malfunction that prevents a bridge from opening or, even worse, closing. “Then you have to wait for the electrician, who might be up in Lantana and says he won’t be here for an hour,” says Weingel. “But I’ve only had one malfunction so far, and I’ve never had a boat captain argue with me. Most just say, fine, let me know when you can open it.” Like Evans and Weingel, most bridgetenders tend to be retirees supplementing their pensions and Social Security.

“You can only golf and fish so many times,” says Sam Clark, a former tool-and-dye engineer who tends the Ocean Avenue Bridge in Boynton Beach. But though bridgetending is sedentary and often predictable, Clark says, the job has its unexpected rewards. From his bridge house overlooking the marina at Two George’s restaurant, he sees ospreys and manatees, exotic birds, friendly joggers who always wave, even the occasional Spring Break jumper taking a dare. Once, Clark says, he saw a seal. “It was about five years ago,” he recalls. “Down at the Atlantic Avenue Bridge. I’m sure of it. I saw the face and the whiskers. I know what a seal looks like. I didn’t want to tell my boss because he’d think I was crazy, but then later I read in the paper that they’d spotted one up in West Palm. They get disoriented.” And once a year, at any rate, a bridgetender’s job does explode with real fireworks. “Oh, I’ve got a great view of the Fourth of July from up here,” Clark says. “I can see the Boynton Beach fireworks and the Delray Beach fireworks, all at the same time.”

Editorial: Tap local brains for municipal savings ideas

Posted by Mary Kate Leming on July 30, 2009 at 10:32

Call me crazy. This past month I’ve been attending the annual budget workshops of our coastal towns, and have (almost) enjoyed the experience. I’ve learned a lot about how municipalities operate and how difficult balancing a budget can be in a year with a depressed economy and decreased property values. It will be difficult for any municipality to avoid either tax increases or reduced services — no one will come out unscathed. Different towns have chosen different tactics to find solutions to this year’s budget process and that makes sense considering the unique needs of each community. Still, with next year’s budget process appearing no easier than this one, maybe our communities should explore commonalities that might provide less painful solutions. Two examples come to mind: • Delray Beach has assigned a seven-member community task force to explore ways to cut expenses and generate revenue without slashing services or jobs. This independent board has located nearly $1.6 million in potential revenue. • Other cities are exploring ways to outsource their services to other municipalities. Everything from planning and building services to trash collection to library and public safety services. With our coastal communities sharing so many of the same needs and concerns, wouldn’t it make sense to look at implementing some of these ideas into the 2010 budget process? Wouldn’t our towns benefit from a beach-area citizen advisory board to explore resource sharing and help identify sources of revenue and cost savings? For example, if Ocean Ridge, Briny Breezes, the county pocket, St. Andrews and Gulf Stream agree it’s a priority to have fire-rescue emergency services nearby on the east side of the bridge, an intralocal advisory group could explore the options and help to negotiate the most cost effective way to make this happen. If Briny Breezes should select not to sell its property, this group could work with the town to find funding sources for self-development and/or infrastructure repairs that would benefit residents and the surrounding communities. Our coastal towns already contract with the county, neighboring cities and private contractors for many services: water, sewage, trash collection, police and/or fire rescue services. As a result, our town budgets must consider the increases imposed by the larger governments who are facing even more difficult budget years than our own. I’m not suggesting everyone sit through budget workshops. I’m not THAT crazy. But maybe this year’s budget constraints will raise awareness and prompt people to get involved. If we act now to tap into the local brain trust — and you can’t tell me some of the best and brightest in our country don’t live here — maybe we can find creative solutions to increase our quality of life and save a few taxpayer dollars as we look ahead to 2010. — Mary Kate Leming, editor

Coastal Star wins 3 honors

Posted by Mary Kate Leming on July 30, 2009 at 10:30

The Coastal Star won two first place awards and one second place from the Florida Press Association in its 2008 Weekly Newspaper Contest. The first place awards were given to the staff for Overall Graphic Design and Newspaper Promotion. Artists Margot Snyder, Bonnie Lallky-Seibert, designer Scott Simmons, editor Mary Kate Leming and publisher Jerry Lower shared in those awards. Lallky-Seibert took second for Informational Graphics.

Hypoluxo Island/Manalapan: Tree lovers dig in for better town planting plan

Posted by Mary Kate Leming on July 30, 2009 at 10:30

By Emily J. Minor You’d think planting a tree would be easy. Pick the tree, dig a hole, hook up the garden hose. But Daryl Cheifetz knows better. Cheifetz lives on the southernmost point of Hypoluxo Island in the small enclave of wealth and beauty called Point Manalapan. She’s been there five years now and loves the intimacy of her neighborhood. “It’s quiet. It’s beautiful. It’s serene,” she said. “And the people are fantastic.” But there is something about coming home — driving down the winding, shady road through the Lantana portion of Hypoluxo Island and into her part of town — that bothers her.

“It looks like a landing strip,” she said. “You get to Point Manalapan and your reaction is: ‘What happened to the greenery?” What happened is this: The part of the island just to the north of her — south of the mainland causeway and north of Point Manalapan’s guard gate — is in the town of Lantana. The homes are generally older. There are no sidewalks, so people can plant right up to the road. And Mike Greenstein, Lantana’s director of operations and also a longtime forester, directs a program that allows residents to buy a tree and have it delivered. “I actually go and pick the tree out, because I don’t want them to get a bad tree,” he says. “Half the time, they don’t know what they want. And we tell them.” Hypoluxo Island resident and Realtor Jennifer Spitznagel said they’ve probably planted about 75 trees since the spate of hurricanes. “We had a lot of the old banyan trees that act like sails in the wind,” she said. To the south of her, Cheifetz and the small committee that formed some years ago to keep things looking nice in town started window shopping. “The town doesn’t look good,” she said. “Not only do we not have trees, but the mailboxes are broken and the telephone poles are leaning over.” They did some driving around South Florida — actually, a lot of driving — and came up with a plan that they recently took to the Town Commission. “Why would you not love a tree?” she says. “It’s a tree.” The plan, though, fell flat. The biggest sticking point? Florida Power & Light Co. insists that branches be 30 feet from their lines and the committee had fallen in love with live oaks — those big, beautiful natives that can create a canopy. Cheifetz and the committee wanted the town to change its code to only a 10-foot clearance. She knew her pitch would be an uphill battle, but, Cheifetz said, “you never know.” Now she does. The proposal got a chilly reception from commissioners, who generally agreed oak trees would be too large. Manalapan Zoning Administrator Lisa Petersen said FPL’s 30-foot rule would stand even if they attempted a fight. “I don’t think we’d have any luck with that,” she said. “It’s FP&L.” And Manalapan Vice Mayor Kelly Gottlieb, who also lives on the point, pretty much likes the status quo. Sure, she loves trees. But besides the overhead lines, Gottlieb worries about water lines buried in the swales. And she’s not real keen on the idea of an oak canopy. “I think it would look like we’re going through a tunnel,” she said. Meanwhile, Petersen said the town is trying to come up with some guidelines on what residents could plant. Maybe a geiger tree? Or a silver buttonwood? And Cheifetz just knows the neighborhood will be more green, even if it’s later rather than sooner. “We’re going to reconvene and see what we can propose other than the live oak,” she said. “I’m one of those people that their cup is always half-full. “And there will be trees.”