By Mary Hladky

City Council members often disagree on issues, but the debate is usually confined to what policy is in the best interests of Boca Raton and its residents.
So council member Monica Mayotte’s June 9 rebuke of Deputy Mayor Jeremy Rodgers’ advocacy for lifting COVID-19 restrictions in Palm Beach County was a notable departure from the long-standing practice of not criticizing colleagues.
At issue was Rodgers’ activism on social media and in communications with county commissioners in which he pushed for reopening businesses and recreation areas.
Other council members have been more restrained, with Mayotte and Andrea O’Rourke cautioning that reopening should be done carefully to avoid a spike in COVID-19 cases and a rise in hospitalizations.
Rodgers’ actions caused confusion and led others to think he is speaking for the entire council, Mayotte said at a council meeting held before the number of coronavirus cases in the county sharply increased.
“There has been much confusion created by your actions as deputy mayor recently,” she said. “Certainly you have a right to your opinion. But there is no question your personal advocacy has conflicted with the perceived position of this council.
“I, for one, simply have not agreed with your aggressive lobbying to the county and timeline for opening. … People assume you are speaking for the entire council regardless of the number of times you state that your words are your words alone.
“My issue is not personal, Mr. Rodgers,” she concluded. “I consider you my friend.”
Rodgers thanked Mayotte for “voicing your concerns.”
He said he had stressed at a County Commission meeting that “I am speaking on my own behalf,” later adding, “I never said this is what the city of Boca feels.”
“Clearly we disagree on this matter,” he said, adding that he would not back off. “I will continue speaking out on my own behalf and for those who ask me to speak out for them.”
O’Rourke supported Mayotte, noting that Rodgers’ deputy mayor Facebook page shows a photograph of the entire council.
Even if he is speaking for himself, “it does look like a representation of the group,” she said.
“People do get confused. I have had many questions about it.”
Contacted after the council meeting, Rodgers didn’t have much to add to what he said to council members.
“She certainly is entitled to her own opinion,” he said of Mayotte.
Rodgers first raised eyebrows when he led a car caravan from Boca Raton to Delray Beach on April 19 as part of a push by a Hollywood couple to reopen the county. More than 100 people from various cities participated.
Many of the vehicles sported Trump signs and paraphernalia. The South Florida Sun Sentinel reported that those in attendance included supporters of Q-Anon, a far-right conspiracy theory of a secret plot by the “deep state” against President Donald Trump and his supporters.
Rodgers said at the time that he was acting as a private citizen.
In a June letter to county commissioners, Rodgers asked them to hold a special meeting to urge Gov. Ron DeSantis to allow Palm Beach County to ease restrictions under the governor’s Phase 2 reopening plan. He also asked them to allow the resumption of youth activities and the reopening of playgrounds.
He signed the letter as Boca Raton’s deputy mayor.
Many commenters on Rodgers’ Facebook page have thanked him for sharing information on COVID-19 statistics and for his advocacy.
“Thank you for this info devoid of fear mongering and histrionics,” one person said.
But Rodgers also has faced pushback from people worried that reopening would lead to a rise in coronavirus cases.
“Cases out of control according to county health director! And yet all you wanna do is open open open …” said another commenter.

By Mary Hladky

After at least five years of on-again, off-again effort, the City Council has repealed the city’s ordinance regulating signs and replaced it with a new one.
The new sign code, approved unanimously on May 27, is intended to streamline byzantine rules that made getting sign approval difficult and time-consuming.
“What a remarkable improvement to our code,” said architect Doug Mummaw, who often works with downtown commercial landowner Investments Limited. “The aesthetics of our community are now elevated to the highest level. You will soon see signs replaced by high-quality signage.”
“This ordinance will produce much higher quality signs in the city,” said former city Planning and Zoning Board member Glenn Gromann. “Staff did a fantastic job of creating a top-shelf city ordinance.”
One impetus for change was a 2015 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that sign regulations must conform to the First Amendment and cannot be based on the content of words on the sign. That largely limited governments to scrutinizing signs for aesthetics and traffic safety, prompting many across the country to revamp their sign codes.
Beyond that, the old sign code was criticized for being difficult to understand and apply and outdated because it did not account for new types of signs created since the code was adopted.
The sign approval process also was inefficient. The Community Appearance Board reviewed sign approval applications, which dominated its agenda. CAB decisions not to approve signs frequently were appealed to the City Council, which could overrule the CAB.
Under the new sign code, city staff has authority to approve or disapprove proposed signs to speed up the process. The CAB would weigh in only in certain circumstances. Sign variances would be granted by the CAB, rather than the City Council.
The new sign code limits permanent signs to a maximum of three colors, not including black and white, although the CAB could increase the number. For signs listing multiple tenants of a building or shopping center, a maximum of four occupant panels would be allowed, with the CAB allowed to increase the number to six.
The code includes new rules for temporary real estate signs advertising a property for sale, rent or lease.
It also controls election signs, saying that in the 45 days leading up to an election, as many as six signs can be displayed in a homeowner’s yard. It requires the signs to be removed within five days after the election.
A companion ordinance, also approved unanimously, updates rules for subdivision entrance features to ensure they are consistent with the new sign code, and strengthens regulations for flags and flagpoles.

By Steve Plunkett

City Council members gave the go-ahead June 23 to seek bids to build a connected Wildflower/Silver Palm park after staff and their outside consultant trimmed $2.75 million from the plan.
Gone are a small stage and “some other tweaks” at the Wildflower site, at the northwest corner of the Palmetto Park Road bridge over the Intracoastal, city senior planner John Lindgren said.
Removed on the Silver Palm portion of the park just south of Wildflower were a fitness trail with exercise stations, a small storage building and “a few other minor tweaks as well,” Lindgren said.
Also deleted were a third of Silver Palm’s “shade sails.” But consultant Kona Gray of EDSA Inc. assured council members the site still would have “ample” protection from the sun.
“We have the whole area covered,” he said.
Council members were shocked on May 26 to hear the estimated cost of the project had ballooned to $11 million from a budgeted $8.25 million.
“Our hope is that we will be working with a contractor that is going to give us the best value at the lowest cost and not try to give us a number that is right at the top of our budget,” Gray said then.
Council member Andrea O’Rourke was “very disappointed” both with the 33% price boost and the pace of the project.
“You know how every day you get a Facebook memory pops up for you? Coincidentally or ironically, the Facebook memory that came up for me today was that I posted that the sign got put on the property that Wildflower/Silver Palm park is coming. That was one year ago today,” O’Rourke said. “I feel totally disheartened about this.”
Council members decided City Manager Leif Ahnell should cut park features to get the cost back to the budgeted $8.25 million. “We think you can get a very nice project with that money,” Ahnell promised.
The timeline to start construction of Wildflower/Silver Palm is now “January-ish,” Ahnell said at the June 23 meeting. The completion date will depend on which company wins the bid and the schedule it proposes, he said.
Construction of a new sea wall at the Wildflower parcel should begin in October or November and take six months.
Planning for Wildflower began in April 2017 when EDSA held an outreach session with city residents to develop a comprehensive waterfront park plan. Gray presented his firm’s initial ideas to the council in February 2018, held another outreach session in September 2018 and two months later showed the council plans for connecting Silver Palm Park and the Wildflower parcel.
Boca Raton bought the 2.3-acre Wildflower site for $7.5 million in 2009 and spent years negotiating to put a restaurant there. But a voter initiative in November 2017 banned commercial uses of city-owned property along the Intracoastal Waterway.
The combined Wildflower/Silver Palm park will measure 6.4 acres, Lindgren said.

Election: Seat 3 | Seat 5

By Steve Plunkett
Craig Ehrnst will serve a second term as a Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District commissioner, but two colleagues and their challengers will fight it out on the Aug. 18 ballot.
Ehrnst, who has dubbed himself “The Parks Guy” on Facebook, said his passion for the job helped him fend off possible rivals for Seat 1, which he retained unopposed.
“Voters deserve a choice, but it helps to have a passion for our community,” he said. “I am happy to serve my role until the next passionate parks person chooses to take over.”
In the Seat 3 race, amateur golfer and retired teacher Nancy-Jo Feinberg will face District Vice Chair Erin Wright. The Seat 5 contest features three candidates: two-term incumbent Steve Engel, lawyer Eric Pendergraft and insurance agent William “Billy” Vale.
Ehrnst, who turns 56 in July, said his priorities for the next four years are to implement a short-term plan for Ocean Strand and develop a long-term plan, to build an observation tower at the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, to build the planned Boca National Golf Course, and improve communications with the city.
District commissioners meeting on June 15 approved issuing a request for bids to develop the Ocean Strand parcel after increasing the construction budget from $75,000 to $100,000.
Ehrnst, who has a master’s in business administration and is treasurer of a Boca Raton-based corporation, is married and has three children. The district, he said, has a “very unique” role in the community.
“Gumbo Limbo, SABR (the Soccer Association of Boca Raton), Boca Hoops (youth basketball) and others would not exist if not for the volunteers and district support,” he said.

The Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District, governed by a board of five nonpartisan commissioners, will hold an election on Aug. 18 for Seat 3, open to candidates living within Boca Raton, and Seat 5, open to candidates living inside the district but outside city limits. Newly elected commissioners will each serve a four-year term commencing Jan. 5, 2021, and receive $80 for each meeting they attend.

Steven M. Engel (incumbent)

Age: 70

Occupation: Ad sales for the Sun Sentinel

Education: Bachelor’s in business administration from Baruch College in New York City

Marital status: Married, two children, one grandchild

Political/community service experience: Has served as beach and park commissioner for eight years; community service includes the Alzheimer’s Walk, the American Heart Association Walk, beach cleanups, blood drives and coaching Little League

Goals: “I want to protect the park legacy that we have. A lot of people would like to see our parks developed commercially. My No. 1 priority is to prevent that. I would also like to see improvement in our facilities and have them kept up to date. Right now we’re planning the opening of Ocean Strand as a passive park, which should happen later this year. I’d like to see us acquire park property outside the city limits and get the Boca National Golf Course up and running. I’d also like to see us expand the Gumbo Limbo environmental complex. It’s important to maintain our partnerships with local youth and adult sports organizations.”

Website: www.steve4bocabeachesnparks.com.

Eric Pendergraft

Age: 35

Occupation: Attorney

Education: Bachelor’s in political science at the University of Florida; JD at Florida State University College of Law

Marital status: Married, one daughter

Political/community service experience: First time running for public office; has participated in the Glass Leadership Institute program at the Anti-Defamation League and chaired the Palm Beach Bar Association’s South County Bankruptcy Committee

Goals: “I want to put some new blood on the commission. I’ve got a young family and we enjoy the outdoors. We enjoy the parks. Until last March, I spent seven years living at the beach just south of Spanish River Park. I want to see Ocean Strand Park turned into an actual park. Right now it’s just sitting there unused. No one gets to enjoy it, even though the district has owned it for over two decades. Also the park district is committed to overpaying for a replacement golf course on the east side of Boca. I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

Website: www.slp.law/attorneys/eric-s-pendergraft

William “Billy” Vale

Age: 53

Occupation: Insurance agent

Education: Bachelor’s in management from Florida State University, master’s in international business from Nova Southeastern University

Marital status: Married, one son

Political/community service experience: Unsuccessful run for County Commission in 2018; a director with the Boca Del Mar Improvement Association since 2011, overseeing a $1.2 million budget with over 9,000 property owners

Goals: “It’s my aim to acquire and preserve as much of the remaining green space in our district as possible. I also want to increase the level of service throughout our district but within our budget. Fiscal responsibility is key.”

Website: None

— Compiled by Steven J. Smith

The Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District, governed by a board of five nonpartisan commissioners, will hold an election on Aug. 18 for Seat 3, open to candidates living within Boca Raton, and Seat 5, open to candidates living inside the district but outside city limits. Newly elected commissioners will each serve a four-year term commencing Jan. 5, 2021, and receive $80 for each meeting they attend.

Erin A. Wright (incumbent)

Age: 41

Occupation: Small-business owner and project manager for a green consulting firm

Education: Bachelor’s degree in biology from Stetson University, master’s in exercise science from Florida Atlantic University

Marital status: Married, two boys

Political/community service experience: Has served as beach and park commissioner for the last four years; was on Boca Raton’s Green Living Task Force and Green Living Advisory Board

Goals: “When I originally ran four years ago, it was to improve the communication between us and the city. I feel that in the past six months we’ve really been working on that hard. I will continue to do that in my next term and get some projects done such as Ocean Strand Park, working with the city to get that opened for the community. Hopefully the phase one opening will be done by the end of the year.”

Website: www.voteerinwright.com; www.facebook.com/voteerinwright

Nancy-Jo Feinberg

Age: 73

Occupation: Retired social studies teacher at Boca Raton High School

Education: Bachelor’s degree in history and government from Arcadia University outside Philadelphia, master’s in educational leadership from Florida Atlantic University

Marital status: Married, three children

Political/community service experience: First time running for public office; was on the board of governors of the Broken Sound Club. She signed up with Larkin Community Hospital in South Miami to work on contact tracing of the COVID-19 virus.

Goals: “I first got involved in this election when I learned the board wanted to dramatically raise the millage rate to pay for the golf course. I have played golf competitively and can bring some expertise to that discussion. Also, the commission has owned Ocean Strand for 26 years and done nothing with it. They’ve kept people off of it. It was padlocked. Now they’re rushing to open it up as a pedestrian park because two commissioners are being challenged. It’s a prime area for people to enjoy walking along A1A. The board needs some guidance and that’s what I’d like to provide. I’d like to see it developed into a nice place for recreation.”

Website: None

— Compiled by Steven J. Smith

By Janis Fontaine

July 4 is Independence Day.
America’s most significant holiday.
But what is independence? And what is freedom?
As Americans, we talk about freedom as a “right,” something we are entitled to like the air we breathe.
But the truth is, many of us are more confused than ever about what freedom really means. So, we asked our neighbors: “What does freedom mean to you?”
This is what they said.

“What a wonderful time to reflect on freedom while we have been less free than we are used to.
“Being free has never meant we can do as we wish without regard to those around us. The Boy Scouts said it best in their oath. We need to help others, stay physically strong, mentally awake and morally upright.
“Today we are being asked to follow rules that benefit ourselves and others. This is what freedom is all about.”
— John Boden, Highland Beach, a former Marine helicopter pilot who served in Vietnam

“I have always taken my freedom for granted. I thought I was born with that privilege and carried it with patriotic zeal. Now, I have never felt so threatened.
“With an out-of-control pandemic, civil unrest seeking justice and racial equality, justly so, a government with a political agenda to serve their own good, not we who need their guidance, I am shaken.
“I fear for the next generations who inherit our country. How can I assure my grandchildren that all will be fine? They trust me.”
— Barbara Cook of Ocean Ridge, a Garden Club member who was instrumental in putting up the Blue Star Highway monument at the Ocean Ridge Town Hall

“Freedom is ethereal; freedom is existential. Years ago in the midst of a project I had a discussion with some tradesmen. The first was Russian — all he ever knew was living in a totalitarian state. He missed the order of it. He thought we have too much freedom here. The other man was a Polish Muslim. He had been in a concentration camp until the Nazis learned he was a plumber. Then he became forced labor. He never broke my eye contact and the look in his eyes expressed a sadness that this Russian had no idea what freedom means. The plumber, with his look, told me the equivalent of ‘freedom is never having a knee on your neck.’”
— Chris Heffernan, Delray Beach, a financial analyst

Freedom is ‘a layered state of being’ for Charlene Farrington, executive director of the Spady Museum in Delray Beach. Photos by Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

“Each time I ask myself what freedom means, I come up with a different answer. Freedom is a layered state of being, and I have come to the realization that, as a child, I felt like I was free. As an adult, I know that I never have been. I am committed to my own education, and I am trying to influence the future by sharing history with others. In this way, I comfort myself by believing freedom may, one day, be attained by future generations.”

— Charlene Farrington, Delray Beach, executive director of the Spady Museum in Delray Beach and president of the South Florida branch of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History

Freedom means responsibility to John Miller, former chairman of the Historic Preservation Board in Delray Beach.

“Freedom to me means responsibility. When a person or society has the freedom to make choices about how, when, where and what they say, do, live, love, work, play, etc., then those choices can determine how much more or less freedom they will enjoy.
“The fastest way to lose freedoms is to either take them for granted or take advantage to the point where we start to infringe on others’ liberties and opportunities.”
— John Miller, Delray Beach, a former chairman of the city’s Historic Preservation Board

“Freedom is the unique product of liberation and the birth of free will. “It has a unique self-governance quality, an ideal of independence and a vision of living on your own terms, regardless of ethnic background or political affiliation. Freedom is the God-given song of individual self-determination. To peacefully pray, vote, speak, and believe without fear of reprisal.
“Freedom is a blank canvas, without any group infringing on your right to hold the paintbrush. Freedom is a vision of broken chains and turning hope into reality.”

— Cameron Newman, Boca Raton, a soon-to-be junior at Saint Andrew’s School and an advocate for social justice and his Jewish faith

“Freedom is the result of endless sacrifice toward the ideal that we all be treated equally, with honor, integrity and respect. If this idea is not universally applied, then no one will have it in the end. I do not feel free because some Americans do not feel safe or free to live their lives. If you value your freedom, you must honor everyone’s right to it.”

— Ken Horkavy, Palm Beach, who teaches children about social and environmental responsibility through mindfulness and regenerative gardening through the nonprofit Aurora’s Voice and projects like Lake Worth’s Tiger Territory Community Garden

Ballroom Battle contestant Kirsten Stanley shared this photo with Facebook friends of her first in-person practice.

By Amy Woods

The George Snow Scholarship Fund’s 13th annual event will look a little different this year, or at least come to its audience a different way. The Ballroom Battle will be broadcast at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 26 on WPTV-TV, as well as live-streamed from both the station’s and the nonprofit’s websites.
Previously, fans watched the show at the Boca Raton Resort & Club, but in keeping with federal guidelines prohibiting large gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic, the production took an alternative tack. It will take place at the WPTV studios in West Palm Beach.
Organizers of Ballroom Battle hope the televised showdown will resemble — more than it ever has before — Dancing With the Stars, the hit TV series after which it is modeled.
“It is like developing an entirely new event, but we think it will be great for our dancers and our community,” said Debi Feiler, the fund’s vice president of program services.
The evening pits eight local dancers and their professional partners from the Fred Astaire studios in Boca Raton against each other in a quest for the coveted Mirror Ball trophy, which goes to the top male and female fundraisers.
Seven of the dancers have been announced: Steven Bernstein of SBA Communications, Boca Raton attorney Robin Bresky, Dr. Gwenesia S. Collins, from Boca Raton Regional Hospital, William Donnell of NCCI, Tara Lucier of integrated supply chain company Inspirage, Kirsten Stanley of Tammy Fender Holistic Skin Care, and Kyle Stewart of Wells Fargo.
The money raised by the dancers benefits aspiring college students.
For more information, call 561-347-6799 or visit www.ballroombattle.com.

Gift to benefit marine biology program at FAU
Florida Atlantic University has received a $1.125 million gift from the Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation.
The gift will establish the Glenn W. and Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation Marine SEA Scholars Program at the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science’s Marine Science Laboratory at the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton.
“This gift will allow for the next generation of marine scientists to ensure that important work and discovery will continue for generations to come as evolving impacts to the marine ecosystem continue,” said Ata Sarajedini, the college’s dean.
Jeanette Wyneken, director of the laboratory, said the funds are going to bring “amazing opportunities for marine biologists in training to gain hands-on experiences in the science and the communication of science.”
For more information, call 561-297-2676 or visit www.fau.edu.

Impact 100 names winners of grants
Impact 100 Palm Beach County named the nonprofit winners that took home a combined total of $565,000 in high-impact grants.
The five organizations that received $100,000 apiece are CityHouse, Community Greening Corporation, Florida Atlantic University Foundation, GIVT, and Roots and Wings.
Five finalists received $13,000 apiece. They are Boca Helping Hands, Coastal Conservation Association, Compass, Junior Achievement of the Palm Beaches & Treasure Coast, and Spady Cultural Heritage Museum.
“These grantees began the application process for funding nearly a year ago,” President Kathy Adkins said. “Given these uncertain times, we know that receiving these high-impact grants is more critical to our finalists than ever.”
Impact 100 Palm Beach County is a women’s 501(c)(3) dedicated to funding South County initiatives. It consists of members who donate $1,000 annually.
For more information, call 561-336-4623 or visit www.impact100pbc.org.

COVID-19 emergency fund set up to feed families
Achievement Centers for Children and Families, which serves 900 clients annually from three Delray Beach locations, has mobilized its resources in the wake of the coronavirus.
While learning programs are closed for the safety of students and staff members, the organization is helping with such challenges as loss of employment and food security as well as other critical needs.
“We are committed to doing everything we possibly can, in any way we can, to help our children, families, staff and partners,” CEO Stephanie Seibel said, noting that the newly created COVID-19 Emergency Fund is seeking donations. “Also, in our efforts to support the community as a whole, we are partnering with local restaurants and suppliers to provide meals for our families and are offering opportunities for the community to sponsor meals and support local restaurants.”
ACCF has distributed more than 3,500 meals since making the quick pivot from being an after-school center to feeding people in its aid.
“The demand for our services is greater than ever,” Seibel said. “Our partners and supporters have been instrumental in our efforts to serve meals for over 200 families each week all while supporting local restaurants and their employees.”
For more information, call 561-266-0003 or visit www.achievementcentersfl.org/coronavirus.

Lois Pope encourages others to help the food bank. Photo provided

Pope donates $1 million to county Food Bank
Philanthropist Lois Pope of Manalapan has donated $1 million to the Palm Beach County Food Bank to support and expand its Food4OurKids program.
The program, a year-round weekend and summer initiative designed to fill nutritional gaps when children are not in school, now is needed every day.
“No child should ever go hungry, here in Palm Beach County or anywhere else in this country,” Pope said. “Children need food. They need proper nutrition to learn and thrive. But now, during this coronavirus pandemic when they are not in school, they are especially at risk of going hungry. So I invite others — in fact, I urge others — to join me in this vitally important, essential effort.”
For more information, call 561-582-8083 or visit www.life-edu.org.

Mentoring program gets boost from Boynton
The $200 donation that the Boynton Beach City Commission made to the Ferd & Gladys Alpert Jewish Family Service is helping the nonprofit’s Mentoring 4 Kids program prosper.
The program provides same-gender role models for children ages 6 to 14 who live in single-parent homes. Mentors provide friendship, guidance and support and take the youths to a wide range of community activities.
Studies show mentoring decreases school dropout rates, enhances self-esteem and confidence and strengthens relationships with family members, peers and teachers.
For more information, call 561-238-0285 or visit www.mentoring4kids.org.
In other news, the Ferd & Gladys Alpert Jewish Family Service celebrated its inaugural “Road to Resilience” luncheon, which drew a pre-COVID-19 crowd of more than 200 to witness a virtual chat between Dr. Jennifer Ashton in New York and Dr. Elaine Rotenberg, the nonprofit’s clinical director.
Their conversation focused on the need to shine a light on addiction, mental illness and suicide and to debunk myths and remove the stigma attached to behavioral health problems.
All attendees received a complimentary signed copy of Ashton’s book Life After Suicide, which recounts how she and her children picked up the pieces following her husband’s death.
Event proceeds will benefit the service’s annual fund. For more information, call 561-684-1991 or visit www.alpertjfs.org.

Community Foundation leader to retire
After seven years of dedication to the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties, Brad Hurlburt, president and CEO, is retiring.
Hurlburt will stay with the agency through June 2021 to ensure a smooth transition for his successor.
“Brad has done an outstanding job building the organization into an invaluable resource for our community and beyond, and he will certainly be missed,” Chairwoman Sherry Barrat said.
During Hurlburt’s tenure, combined assets have grown to more than $200 million, up from $150 million. The board will engage an executive firm this summer to conduct the search for a new leader.
“This was the opportunity of a lifetime for me, and I will forever treasure partnering with outstanding board members, community leaders, donors and organizations in our community that make a meaningful difference,” he said.
For more info on the foundation, visit www.yourcommunityfoundation.org or call 561-659-6800.

Members of The Coastal Star website at www.thecoastalstar.com submitted photos of their new graduates. Congratulations to them all!

Graduate’s name: Charlotte Yates Rowley

Hometown: Boynton Beach

School: Saint Andrew’s School

Awards and accomplishments: Model UN grades 9-12 (president 11, 12), grades 9-12 varsity tennis, grades 9-12 Pre-Med Club (also was a cofounder), 10-11 Red Key Club

What’s next: Georgetown University

Family in The Coastal Star area:
David and Darlene Rowley

Graduate’s name: Lila Connors

Hometown: Niskayuna, New York

School: Miss Porter’s School

Awards and accomplishments: Lila was Head of School and played varsity lacrosse and basketball. Her basketball team was champion of the New England Founders League.

What’s next: Colgate University

Family in The Coastal Star area: Her grandparents Gordon and Cuppy Kraft

Graduate’s name: Catherine Biagiotti

Hometown: Boca Raton

School: Boca Raton High School

Awards and accomplishments: National Honor Society, Boca High Leadership, and worked at Addison Mizner Elementary School as an after-school counselor and camp counselor all four years of high school

What’s next: University of Central Florida to study communications

Family in The Coastal Star area: Parents, Chrissy and Carl Gibson, and grandparents Gayl and Jim Hackett

Graduate’s name: Giorgina Ritota

Hometown: Ocean Ridge

School: G-Star School of the Arts

Awards and accomplishments: Dance captain for four years during X-Scream; worked special effects makeup for law enforcement disaster simulations

What’s next: Florida Atlantic University

Family in The Coastal Star area: Dr. Ted and Lisa Ritota

Graduate’s name: Charlotte Marie Donelan

Hometown: Delray Beach

School: St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic School

Awards and accomplishments: Historian on the Student Council; member of the National Junior Honor Society; volunteered 175 hours (the most in her class) and was given the Talents To Service award; Principal’s Award for straight A’s all four quarters; St. Genesius Award for Drama; Physical Education Award; girls varsity lacrosse Defensive MVP Award, 2019; varsity volleyball Coach’s Award, 2019; varsity basketball Coach’s Award, 2019; Girls varsity soccer In It To Win It Award, 2020. Charlotte was also chosen to be the lead voice in charge of a “Philanthropy Tank” project in the Glades.

What’s next: She has accepted the Merit Scholarship Award from Saint John Paul II Academy and will begin in the fall.

Family in The Coastal Star area:
Patrick, Alicia and Riley Donelan

Graduate’s name: Rick Garcia

Hometown: Wellington

School: Bowling Green State University graduate school

Awards and accomplishments: M.A. in College Student Personnel; member of Association for Orientation, Transition and Retention in Higher Education

What’s next: Working at University of South Florida as a coordinator for New Student Connections

Family in The Coastal Star area: Zury Garcia

Graduate’s name: Jayden Mazer

Hometown: Delray Beach

School: Eagles Landing Middle School

Awards and accomplishments: Jason Beame Award and Outstanding Academic Achievement

What’s next: Olympic Heights High School

Family in The Coastal Star area:
Tiffany Mazer

Graduate’s name: Jillian Chapman

Hometown: County Pocket

School: Imagine-Chancellor, fifth grade

Awards and accomplishments:
Fifth-grade principal’s list; made soccer and cheer teams for 2020-2021 school year

What’s next: Continue at Imagine- Chancellor. Hopes to be a doctor when she grows up.

Family in The Coastal Star area: Dr. Glenn and Marie Chapman and her brother, Finn.

­— Student bios compiled by Owen Plamann

With restrictions eased, summer camps have been opening. One of them is the Delray Beach Surf Camp. (L-r) Alex Rachlin, 11,
Riley Fitzgerald, 11, Sean Boyle, 10, and Harrison Berney, 13, catch a wave together during a camp session near the shore at Casuarina Road in Delray Beach. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

Given the historic impact of the coronavirus, the 24 students in the class of 2020 may never forget the ceremony honoring their last year at the school.

Gulf Stream School teachers and staff honored graduates with clappers and cowbells. From left are Deborah Handler, Danielle Cooper, Michael Mahady and Megan Bogert.

A car for each student and family provides ample social distancing as a camera beams the June 7 ceremony online.

Aidan Grubman fist-bumps teachers and staff members after receiving his diploma and ringing the school’s bell.

Dr. Gray Smith, the head of school, told the graduating eighth-graders that ‘today’s ceremony is reaching uncharted territory. I hope this is the first, last and only mixed virtual and live graduation ceremony the school and students ever have to endure.’
ABOVE: Board of Trustees President Penny Kosinski, student Tessa Sorenson and Smith.
BELOW: An SUV with a sun roof proved to be the perfect graduation vehicle for Brooke Konrad.

Photos by Rachel S. O’Hara/The Coastal Star

The Addison is encouraging people to wear masks during scaled-down weddings and other parties. Photo provided

By Jan Norris

The dining scene has become a mix of offerings — dine in, takeout, delivery — as the coronavirus pandemic has forced restaurateurs to navigate uncharted waters and follow ever-changing rules.
Jamie Hess, owner of the newest Atlantic Avenue restaurant, End of the Ave, has “pivoted. We’ve adapted,” he said, describing his opening strategies, planned since last fall.
“The day we went for our beer and wine license is the day they shut down everything,” he said. All was delayed or put on hold from early February to June 25 as the restaurant worked to restructure its takeout business and then finally opened in Delray Beach.
Set in a small former surf shop at 1155 E. Atlantic Ave., it’s a spot serving tacos, hot dogs, beer and wine for beachgoers.
A condiment bar that was to offer dozens of toppings is now a behind-the-counter station, with add-ons for the tacos and cooked-in-beer dogs applied by masked and gloved workers.
The restaurant also expanded its offerings, “selling coolers and ice,” Hess said, as a way to make up for slower food traffic now at the beach.
He initiated summer Happy Hour with a BOGO deal of anything on the menu 4-7 p.m. daily and decided to begin catering Taco Tuesday parties or Hot Dog Night for neighborhoods, he said.
Hess also shifted hours, closing at 9 p.m.; the plan to capture a bar crowd later at night was suspended while bars remain closed.

Adjustments made by all
In established restaurants, what was once a social scene of full dining rooms and mingling crowds is now rooms of small tables properly spaced and limited numbers of diners at one seating. Outside seating has been added to many spots, including the Station House in Lantana, which reopened in time for lobster season.
Deep cleaning and sanitizing all surfaces between guests’ arrivals are now the norm at Caffe Luna Rosa in Delray Beach, which has indoor and outdoor seating. Paper menus are used at night and during the day menus are sanitized after each use. Condiments are by request and wiped down between uses.
Ernesto DeBlasi, chef and partner, said masks are worn both in front of house and by kitchen staff. Staffers have their temperatures checked daily. Anyone showing a hint of a symptom is sent to a doctor, and a doctor’s note is required before the worker can return.
DeBlasi takes care of his 93-year-old father, delivering meals and groceries to him each week. He said he is especially conscious of spreading the coronavirus to vulnerable people.
“We take it very seriously,” DeBlasi says, and he is “absolutely worried about the inconsistency” he sees elsewhere, especially downtown. His restaurant is on State Road A1A south of Atlantic Avenue.
“I drive down the avenue after work. I go home late some nights, and the avenue is tightly packed. There’s no social distancing and not that many wearing masks.”
That may change after the Palm Beach County Commission in June made masks mandatory in public settings.
“It’s a double-edged sword,” DeBlasi said. Restaurants want to be busy again, but must also abide by the rules.
“It’s an uncomfortable situation sometimes because different people have different points of view on this whole pandemic.
“But I feel it’s our job if there is a lot of people grouped together in an area especially that aren’t of the same party and they are coming in to dine. We let them know in a nice way that we’re trying to observe the rules that are given to us, and we’re passing them on so we can stay in business and keep giving them the service we’ve been providing them.”
A takeout plan initiated from the start saved the restaurant. “It was slow at first. But after social media kicked in, and I started posting pictures, it really took off,” DeBlasi said.
At one point, he said, 75% or more of his food was takeout. Now, it’s 60/40 with diners coming in outpacing takeout.
Food orders surprised him. Instead of the family-friendly Italian meals he had planned, his customers wanted items off the regular menu — special foods they wouldn’t cook at home.
“I sold a lot of halibut, but the scallops really took off. It was pan-seared diver scallops with cannellini beans, organic spinach and lemon confit,” DeBlasi said. “It’s a $42 dish and we sold a gallon of scallops in just four hours after I posted the picture on our Facebook page.”
DeBlasi discovered that some of his followers online are new customers who had never heard about the beachfront icon. “We’ve been here since 1997 and there are still people in Delray who’ve just found us,” he said. “I’m amazed at that.”
Social media have been a savior for some restaurants in that regard, and Facebook and Instagram have fostered whole clubs of diners locally.
John Brewer, a real estate agent in Delray Beach, helped initiate the Socially Distanced Supper Club, posting special takeout menus for restaurants daily.
“Restaurants have asked us to stay around,” Brewer said. ‘“We need this going forward,’ they told us. We’re trying to find a way to see if there’s a sustainable model for it, whether it’s a membership thing or something like that. Everybody who is volunteering has other jobs.”
The club took off beyond all expectations, expanding into other cities and drawing attention to hundreds of restaurants in the county.
Restaurants use a catering method. They take orders for pickup a few days before delivery. That allows them to control the staff and inventory with no waste, knowing exactly how much food is to be served.
The club helped restaurants reopen, bringing back kitchen staff and others, Brewer said, and enabled some to keep their leases or fend off creditors.
The free program has been especially helpful to smaller restaurants that didn’t have social media savvy or PR groups behind them.
Virtual parties also are part of the shift in dining practices.
At The Addison in Boca Raton, a special occasion restaurant that was booked solid for weddings and parties over the summer, a new way of engaging guests is in place.
Zoe Lanham, Addison vice president, said the business put a focus on smaller wedding parties and events because of social distancing and capacity limits. People are encouraged to use live video to stream events online, especially to include the “grandmas and grandpas” who are more vulnerable to the virus and need to remain in place, she said.
“We’re telling the brides they can still have a lovely small wedding now. As a couple, you’re still getting married. Get married on the regular date you chose, then celebrate your first anniversary as a big celebration.”
The restaurant will even deliver the reception food to grandparents or people with small children who are homebound so they can experience the dinner, too.
The Addison observes social distancing and asks customers to wear masks and have their temperatures taken at the gate to protect the staff, Lanham said. Staffers are checked daily and list anyone they have contacted who might have the virus. They are paid for two weeks if they need to be out, and the restaurant pays for all virus testing.
Servers provide everything tableside. There are no shared bread baskets, no condiments on the table, and no “leaning in” to take orders or fill water glasses. In a way, Lanham said, the Addison is practicing the civilized fine service that gave way to casual restaurants a couple of decades ago.
Servers underwent three sessions of video training while on hiatus. “We had time to focus on things and set up a fictitious dining room, and recorded videos of our guest experiences. Then we set up a remote training day, so all the servers could learn the new protocol,” Lanham said. “It’s all to give our guests an elevated dining experience while maintaining safety and health.”
The restaurant also pitched in to help the community. During its closure, it cooked and delivered meals for Boca Helping Hands. “We provided 700 meals a week for 13 weeks,” Lanham said. “At the end of the day, we have a responsibility to take care of one another.”
In brief: Restaurants coming in with Plan B include The Butcher and The Bar at 510 E. Ocean Ave., Boynton Beach. Eric Anderson, a partner, said plans for an early summer opening were moved to early July. Only the butcher shop is open, serving sandwiches and meats for home cooks. Opening in the same building are Guaca Go, a takeout shop with design-your-own guacamole dishes, and soon, Popo, a South American restaurant. ...
Delray now has Hawkers, an Asian street food shop doing takeout at 640 E. Atlantic.

Diane Schrenzel celebrated her graduation from Wellesley by donning a bikini under her cap and gown. Photo provided

By Rich Pollack

Soon after she and close to 570 other Wellesley College students received their degrees in a Sunday afternoon virtual celebration, part-time Highland Beach resident Diane Schrenzel strolled across State Road A1A to join friends and family in a celebration.
At the beach party overlooking the ocean, Schrenzel had a chance to wear the cap and gown that she would have worn on the prestigious school’s Massachusetts campus had it not been for the COVID-19 pandemic.
Under the gown, however, she dressed for the environment, wearing a brightly colored bikini that helped her blend in with others on the beach.
“Only in Florida would you be able to graduate in a bikini,” she said.
After the cupcakes and macarons were gone, Schrenzel posted pictures on social media and received more than 150 likes.
“I just thought it was fun to wear a bikini under the gown,” she said. “But it was also practical.”
In addition to the accolades she received during the May 31 celebration, Schrenzel — along with some other young Highland Beach residents — is getting recognition from town leaders for reaching an academic milestone.
On its website, the town has listed the names of about 15 graduates, ranging from those who completed kindergarten to those who earned college degrees.
Highland Beach is also displaying a banner in front of Town Hall praising the students, and each will receive a letter of congratulations for the achievement.
Commissioner Peggy Gossett-Seidman, in response to a resident’s request, brought up the idea to have the town do something for graduates in a year when traditional graduations went by the wayside.
The town put out an email call and learned that six residents had received college degrees, two graduated from high school, four from middle school and three from elementary school or kindergarten.
“We had so many more than we expected,” Gossett-Seidman said.
Vice Mayor Greg Babij, whose son and step-daughter have their names on the banner, said he is glad the town is offering the recognition.
“I think the parents are more excited about it than the kids are,” he said. “They’re just happy school is over.”

ABOVE: Michele Peel of Boca Raton says her Tesla is the most fun car she has ever owned. ‘It drives like a dream,’ she says.

BELOW: Peel plugs in her Tesla at work, where she gets free charging.

By Steve Plunkett

It’s not your imagination: You’re more likely to see a Tesla electric vehicle in Boca Raton or on State Road A1A than anywhere else in Palm Beach County.
Despite being Florida’s 23rd-largest city, Boca Raton has the state’s third-highest cluster of Tesla EVs, behind only Miami and Fort Lauderdale, the California-based automaker says. The concentration continues up the barrier island to South Palm Beach and Palm Beach, making a short skip over Ocean Ridge and Manalapan.
“Two years ago we didn’t see a lot of Teslas. Now when we go to Boca we see 50,” said Craig Henne of South Palm Beach, who bought the company’s premium SUV, a white Model X, in 2017.
Tesla boasts on its website (Tesla.com/carbonimpact) that its vehicles have saved a cumulative 3.6 million tons of carbon dioxide from getting into the atmosphere. Until March it also listed the top cities and top ZIP codes where its cars are saving on greenhouse gases.
Its figures showed Teslas in Boca Raton and west Boca saved the equivalent of 35,979,242 pounds of carbon dioxide that vehicles with internal combustion engines would have emitted, or a per-capita average of 386 pounds.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, that’s a significant amount. Greater Boca’s Tesla owners have saved the equivalent emissions of:
• Burning 216 tanker trucks full of gasoline, or
• The CO2 equivalent from burning enough coal to fill a mile-long coal train, or
• The emissions that would be produced from driving the average U.S. gas car far enough to get to the moon and back — 101 times.
Boca Raton also ranks No. 27 on the automaker’s list of the nation’s top 50 cities, ahead of much-larger Phoenix and Denver. Miami is 8, and Fort Lauderdale is 23. Tampa, Orlando and other Florida cities are no-shows.

Boca Raton Deputy Mayor Jeremy Rodgers shows off his Tesla sedan, the Model 3, in Silver Palm Park. He had to wait two years to get the car after he placed the order. Photos by Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

Jeremy Rodgers, the city’s deputy mayor, jumped on the bandwagon for Tesla’s mass-market sedan, the Model 3, as soon as he could, sending his wife and kids to Town Center mall to wait in line and make a down payment on March 31, 2016, the first day reservations were accepted. Almost two years later the company emailed him to say it was ready to accept his order.
“It’s probably the first one in the city,” Rodgers said.
Another Boca Raton resident who owns a Tesla is Michele Peel, past president of the Friends of Gumbo Limbo.
“This is the most fun car I’ve ever had,” Peel said. “It drives like a dream.”
She bought her blue Model S, the automaker’s premium sedan, in 2016 after years of owning a Toyota Prius hybrid, which used electric power, gas or both.
Even though the Prius gave Peel 50 miles per gallon of fuel, “I do not miss going to gas stations one bit,” she said.
The Model S is actually Peel’s second Tesla, she said. The first was a stuffed doll she bought at a museum of Serbian-American engineer and physicist Nikola Tesla, who invented the first alternating-current motor.
Tesla’s list of the top 50 ZIP codes in Florida leads off with Miami’s 33156, followed in second place by 33496 (roughly the northern part of west Boca). Other Boca ZIP codes on the list are 33432 (the eastern part of the city south of Red Reef Park); 33433 (the south-central area of west Boca); 33487 (Highland Beach and the northeast part of the city); and 33431 (the east-central part of Boca Raton).
Other top ZIP codes are 33480 (South Palm Beach and Palm Beach) and 33483 (coastal Delray Beach and Gulf Stream).
Six California cities top the national list, with Atlanta at No. 7, Boca Raton at No. 27, Phoenix at No. 28 and Denver at No. 31. California cities claim 31 of the top 50 spots.
Henne, the South Palm Beach owner, said he is “not a global warming guy.”
“A lot of people think they’re saving the planet,” said Henne, whose previous vehicles include an electric smart car and a Chevrolet Corvette. “I just think it’s such an awesome piece of equipment.”
The best part of owning a Tesla “is we pay nothing to get it charged,” said Henne, who picked up his car two weeks before the manufacturer ended its policy of lifetime free charging. New owners of a Model X or S today get only one year of free charging; Model 3 owners are on their own.
“The car is an absolute rocket,” Henne said. “It’ll do 150 — but not with me behind the wheel.”
Peel, a strategic marketing manager for environmental consultant Geosyntec, gets free charging at work as a tenant at 900 Broken Sound Parkway NW. Other EVs charging at the office building are a BMW, another Model S and two Model 3s, she said.
People know it’s Peel when she drives up, she said. “You don’t see that many bright blue ones.”
In March, Tesla opened a new supercharger station at the Wawa store on Hillsboro Boulevard just west of Interstate 95 in Deerfield Beach. Owners who don’t qualify for free charging pay 26 cents per kWh, a little more than double what they would pay to charge at home.
The company says it will open another supercharger station somewhere in Boca Raton this year, but has not released details on its location or opening date.
A map on its website suggests it will be close to the Town Center showroom.

Top cities for Teslas
(1) Los Angeles
(2) San Jose
(3) San Francisco
(7) Atlanta
(8) Miami
(23) Fort Lauderdale
(27) Boca Raton
(28) Phoenix
(31) Denver

Top area ZIP codes
(2) 33496 Boca Raton
(5) 33432 Boca Raton
(25) 33480 South Palm Beach
(30) 33433 Boca Raton
(36) 33487 Boca Raton
(40) 33431 Boca Raton
(49) 33483 Delray Beach/
Gulf Stream

Tesla’s lowest-price electric vehicle, its Model 3 Standard Range Plus, provides 250 miles of driving range between charges and costs $37,990. Tesla’s luxury Model S sedan, with 402 miles of range, starts at $74,990.

By Linda Haase

The CDC’s prediction of 130,000 deaths in the U.S. from COVID-19 by July 4 is downright depressing. After all, we expected to be celebrating the nation’s independence, not lamenting a historic loss.
The pandemic’s physical toll is well known, but the emotional impact is less publicized.
A Kaiser Family Foundation poll revealed that nearly half of Americans feel the COVID-19 threat is harming their mental health. That number skyrockets to 65% for frontline health care workers and their families and people with income loss.
“The pandemic has had a tremendous impact on mental health and we’re probably only seeing the tip of the iceberg,” explains Marni Feuerman, a Boca Raton licensed psychotherapist. “We’re in a collective trauma that has us all living in fear.”
While grief is an overwhelming symptom, others include anxiety, depression, insomnia, loneliness and substance abuse.
“Struggles that clients may have had prior to the pandemic are now magnified. There are also more complaints around marriage problems, parenting due to kids being home 24/7, and financial worries, particularly among those who have lost their jobs,” says Feuerman, who is also a licensed clinical social worker and licensed marriage and family therapist.
“The biggest impact seems to be hitting those who are middle- to lower-income and those with young children. These are the ones who tend to not have a lot of savings and if they’ve lost their jobs, are experiencing a domino effect from the loss of income and the inability to effectively find new employment. A significant impact has also been for spouses or children in a home with domestic violence. The stress plus being together all the time with the perpetrator has put victims in serious danger.”
Social distancing has added to the tension.
“Being confined to home or not being able to do routine schedules and to have to restrict other normal day to-day activities is incredibly difficult. Social distancing and the lack of contact with others is also deeply affecting people’s mental well-being,” Feuerman says.
Simply put, people are not wired for isolation. 
And, Feuerman notes, the usual support system — friends, family, coworkers and in-person support groups — can’t always assist these days.
But there are other ways you can cope, she says, and it’s important not to wait.
“There are so many compassionate therapists ready to help,” she says, adding that many insurance companies pay for telehealth visits and that crisis phone lines are free.
“I also advise people to limit the news, create a routine even if confined to the home that includes daily exercise, and stay connected to others via calls, texts and videoconferencing. People should search meditation or relaxation apps or those that help with general coping skills. We have the gift of time right now and if there is something you haven’t had the time to do in the past, now is your opportunity.”
Other experts suggest writing down your fears, creating artwork, doing puzzles or playing games, taking an online course, gardening, trying a new recipe and planning virtual events.
She hopes post-pandemic changes will include increased funding for mental health.
“The mental health industry has always needed more funding, but after the pandemic they need it more than ever,” she says. “If there’s any way to better prepare for the mental health fallout, I hope it happens. I anticipate more people with complaints of trauma and perhaps even meeting criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder.” Above all, don’t give up hope, Feuerman implores. “There’s much growth that comes out of hardship."

Where to find help
• Faulk Center for Counseling’s New Connections Zoom support group.
When: 6-7 p.m. Tuesdays
Call: 561-483-5300 for link
• Real Talk, virtual support group for teens sponsored by Palm Beach County Youth Services Department’s Youth and Family Counseling program.
When: 4:30-5:30 p.m. Wednesdays
Call: 561-242-5714 to register
• 211 Helpline provides support, suicide prevention and help locating available resources.
When: 24/7
Call: 211
• Disaster Distress Helpline: crisis counseling for people experiencing emotional distress related to any disaster.
When: 24/7
Call: 800-985-5990
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
When: 24/7
Call: 800-273-8255
• Palm Beach County School District hotline for student mental health
When: 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday
Call: 561-432-6389

Engineer Jonathan Pugh, of Ocean Ridge, worked with Triton Submarines on the dive team that sent Sullivan more than 35,000 feet below the surface. Photos provided by Enrique Alvarez/Caladan Oceanic

By Willie Howard

Ocean Ridge native Jonathan Pugh graduated from the Florida Institute of Technology in May with a degree in ocean engineering and is already part of a team that’s making deep-diving history.
Working for Sebastian-based Triton Submarines, Pugh, 21, became a member of the deep-diving expedition team that in early June sent astronaut/oceanographer Kathy Sullivan more than 35,000 feet below the surface of the Pacific Ocean into the deepest known spot on the planet. Sullivan was the first woman to reach that depth.

Kathy Sullivan emerges from the vehicle Limiting Factor on June 7 following a dive that took her to the deepest known spot on the plant, nearly 7 miles below the surface. At left is Ticer Pfeifer, an engineer with Triton Submarines who acted as swimmer during recovery of the submersible.

According to a New York Times report, Sullivan, 68, descended 35,810 feet (about 6.8 miles) below the surface into the Challenger Deep, the lowest point in the Mariana Trench, on June 7 in the Triton-built deep submergence vehicle Limiting Factor.
Victor Vescovo, an equity investor and explorer who paid for the mission, accompanied Sullivan.
Sullivan became the first American woman to walk in space in 1984 and later served as administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Pugh grew up fishing and diving in Ocean Ridge and is the son of former mayor and pool company owner Geoff Pugh, an avid scuba diver and ocean aficionado.
The Pugh family fished together on most Sundays. As a boy, Jon went snorkeling regularly and earned his scuba diving certification at age 12.
He also enjoyed taking things apart to figure out how they worked.
“To the dismay of my mother, I had everything from rocket engines to 3-D printers and old computer parts laying around, which caused my room to look more like a garage than anything,” Pugh said via email from the expedition’s support ship, Pressure Drop. 
Pugh started working for Triton Submarines as an intern in January, spending days at the company on Mondays and Fridays while completing his engineering degree at the Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne.
After he graduated in May, Triton hired him as a mechanical assembly engineer. Soon thereafter, the company asked Pugh to join the team that supported Vescovo and Sullivan during the Challenger Deep dive.
As one of Triton’s five support crew members, Pugh worked primarily with “lander” operations.
Pugh said landers are rectangular boxes that go into the water before the submarine to carry equipment such as hydrophones, water samplers, lights, cameras and soil samplers.
“They provide crucial data such as density and temperature, which help determine how much weight needs to be attached to the sub,” he explained.
“Working at sea is tough but rewarding work, especially when you’re making history in the process,” Pugh said, noting that he learned about hard work through his father’s pool business.
“I can say without a doubt that tying steel, cleaning pools, and digging ditches for my father when I was younger at Pugh’s Pools has helped instill a work ethic that has helped me immensely.”

The diving support and supply vessel Pressure Drop, shown holding Limiting Factor, sits at the dive site near Guam.

Carl Case, of Boca Raton, adopted Cici, a three-legged corgi mix, from Tri-County Animal Rescue. Photo provided

By Arden Moore

There is a silver lining to this coronavirus that has limited us for months. Cici, Cooper and Daisy know firsthand.
All three — two sporting gray muzzles and one missing a front leg — languished unadopted in area animal shelters. It’s tough to compete with cute puppies and young, healthy dogs.
Today, this trio of tail-waggers is sheltering in place in happy homes, getting lots of treats, cuddle sessions and comfy bedding.
Credit creative strategies by the teams at Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League in West Palm Beach and Tri-County Animal Rescue in Boca Raton for ensuring that high numbers of dogs and cats in their shelters have found temporary and permanent homes during the pandemic.
“We never closed the doors to the public,” says Suzi Goldsmith, Tri-County co-founder and executive director. “We just changed the way we did business. With few exceptions, any dogs we got in during this time got adopted. And, we were able to foster animals with special needs who are older or require medication.”
At Peggy Adams, Executive Director Rich Anderson reports that adoption inquiries have spiked nearly 250% compared to this time last year. He said in the past, the shelter faced a tough task to find homes for hundreds of kittens born each spring. This year, kittens at the shelter have been adopted as soon as they were deemed old and healthy enough.
“The outpouring of support from the community has been amazing,” says Anderson, “to the point we struggled to keep up with inquiries from people asking to become foster volunteers.”
Which brings us back to the tales of Cici, Cooper and Daisy.
Carl Case, of Boca Raton, quickly bonded with three-legged Cici, a 2-year-old corgi mix who had been transferred from a shelter in Miami-Dade. Cici needed amputation surgery at Tri-County on her right front leg, damaged from possibly being struck by a vehicle while she was a stray.
“I told the people at Tri-County that I wanted to adopt a special-needs dog after fostering dogs for a long time,” says Case, who owns a software billing company. “When I met Cici in the parking lot at the shelter, she was a little hesitant as I was wearing gloves and a mask, but now, she is so happy and loving and doing really great with me.”
At age 11, Cooper, a beagle, proved to be the perfect dog for retirees Janice and Vic Romley, of West Palm Beach. The couple were looking for another dog after their last one passed away.
“We really missed having a dog in our lives and told the people at Peggy Adams we were willing to take a large dog or an older dog,” says Janice Romley. “Cooper is a very loving dog and although he is 11, he has a lot of energy. He keeps us on a healthy walking schedule. He has added so much joy to our lives, especially during these challenging and isolating times.”
Divorced and with a college-bound son, Ana Kieckbusch, of Boca Raton, contacted Tri-County about fostering an older dog. The staff told her about Daisy, a 10-year-old terrier mix who had been at the shelter for two years.
“I didn’t want a crazy pup as I work from home and didn’t want a dog who barked a lot,” says Kieckbusch, a marketing strategy consultant. “Daisy had been at Tri-County a long time and was like their beloved mascot. She is low key and has a heart problem, but she takes her pills easily every day. She also has benign tumors on her chest and was chubby when I got her, but she has already lost two pounds.”
Kieckbusch adds, “Holding her and looking at the way she looks at me is the best medicine for loneliness and for any ailment. I am grateful for her.”
Case knows his life has perked up since the arrival of the fun-loving Cici.
“To me, dogs are the most trustworthy beings on the planet,” he says. “If you adopt a dog, it is a big commitment, but definitely well worth it. I love Cici and can’t wait for the time when I can travel the world with her.”

How you can help
Tri-County Animal Rescue and Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League have canceled major fundraising events and community activities since March and are taking a wait-and-see approach to events scheduled for later this year, based on whether the pandemic wanes or accelerates.
“Our biggest fundraiser of the year — the Doggie Kitty Ball on April 5 — was canceled, but we never stopped rescuing during this time, and we are following safety measures to the letter of the law,” says Suzi Goldsmith of Tri-County. “We have a happy place here and welcome people willing to adopt, foster or donate.”
Rich Anderson says that Peggy Adams was able to secure a Paycheck Protection Program loan to pay staff, but worries that the shelter’s major fundraising events — the Young Friends of Peggy Adams gala set for Nov. 28 and the Christmas Ball set for Dec. 3 — may be in jeopardy.
However, he is grateful to supporters. “Our caring donors never forgot about all of the lost, abandoned and injured animals who need our help here every day.”
If you are interested in fostering or adopting pets or donating supplies or money to help these local shelters, contact Peggy Adams Rescue League in West Palm Beach at 561-686-3663 or www.peggyadams.org. Contact Tri-County Animal Rescue in Boca Raton at 561-482-8110 or www.tricountyanimalrescue.com.

Want to visit a friend or family member in the hospital during the COVID-19 outbreak? Check the new rules first, like these for Baptist Health South Florida, which operates Boca Raton Regional Hospital and the Bethesda hospitals in Boynton Beach.
As of June 15, for inpatient units, one adult visitor at a time is allowed from 3–9 p.m. Patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 will not be allowed visitors except under exceptional circumstances.
For labor and delivery and maternity, one partner may stay continuously with a patient.
For outpatient facilities, including emergency department and urgent care centers, one adult visitor may accompany patients at all times.
At physician offices with enough space to accommodate visitors, one adult visitor may accompany a patient.
At the Lynn Cancer Institute at Boca Regional, no visitors will be able to accompany adult patients for the duration of the pandemic. This is to protect immuno-compromised cancer patients and the center’s employees from the risks of COVID-19.
Limited exceptions may allow a single adult visitor for new patients, pediatric patients, adult patients with identified neuro-cognitive impairments, and patients with physical impairments that require special assistance from their caretakers, as determined by their clinical teams.
All visitors must be 18 or older and will be screened for COVID-19 symptoms and exposure. Anyone displaying symptoms or risk of exposure will not be allowed to visit.
Masks are required to be worn at all times, and will be provided upon entry. All visitors will need to follow social distancing guidelines, and waiting rooms and other common areas will be monitored to ensure social distancing. For more information, visit www.baptisthealth.net/coronavirus. ;
 
HCA Healthcare hospitals, which include JFK Medical Center in Atlantis, continue with precautions against spreading COVID-19.
They include limited entrances where screening and temperature checks will be performed; a separate tower for COVID-19 patients; masks that exceed federal guidelines required for all; and limited visitation with social distancing. One visitor (screened negative and wearing a mask) is permitted to accompany each patient during procedures; the hospital also offers virtual visitation. Common areas have been reconfigured to ensure adequate spacing.
 
JFK Medical Center, as well as its north campus and Palms West Hospital, now offers an insurance hotline. For people who need insurance coverage option assistance, call 833-867-8771 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.
 Hotline advisers can discuss eligibility and advocacy services such as continuing on an employer’s existing plan after job loss; applying for coverage through a spouse’s benefit program; resources that may help offset the costs of health insurance; Medicaid resources; and state and federal health insurance exchanges, such as the Affordable Care Act, and how to enroll due to a changing life event.
The hospital network is not representing companies or selling insurance plans, and there is no cost for this service.
 
Tenet Healthcare’s Palm Beach Health Network hospitals, which include Delray Medical Center, have relaxed visitation policies to allow one designated support person to accompany each elective surgery, pediatric and maternity patient. Visitors will be screened for fever, respiratory symptoms or travel to high-risk locations before entering the hospitals, and they are required to wear visitor identification, face masks, and to sanitize their hands.
In mid-June, Delray Medical Center’s Imaging Center at Palm Court resumed its outpatient and diagnostic services with safety standards in place.
“We understand that many of our patients were unable to schedule, or had to postpone their diagnostic appointments due to state orders and social distancing. They can now reschedule these important screenings and tests at our Palm Court location,” said Maggie Gill, chief executive officer of the Palm Beach Health Network and Delray Medical Center. “We are making sure safety protocols are in place for our patients so they can feel safe and confident about getting the care they need.”  
DMC Imaging Center at Palm Court is at 5130 Linton Blvd., Suite I-1, Delray Beach.
 
Delray Medical Center received the Healthgrades 2020 Patient Safety Excellence Award for the third consecutive year.
“It is an honor to be recognized for our commitment to providing safe care, especially at a time when our community needs us most,” Gill said.
“We are seeing cases where people are delaying care for things like strokes and heart attacks, which can lead to life-threatening illnesses, and we want our patients to understand that our hospitals are safe places. We have always cared for patients with infectious diseases, and we are prepared. We have taken the appropriate steps, and we have the supplies needed to ensure appropriate safety standards are in place.”
 
SBA Communications Corp. has rolled out a new wellness program with its exclusive corporate wellness partner, Boca Raton Regional Hospital. The arrangement encompasses services that include on-site and off-site doctor’s appointments, blood pressure checks and blood screenings, mobile mammograms, yoga, meditation and mental health services, nutrition, lectures and other services, many of which are available to SBA’s entire 1,500-person workforce by video.
In other news, SBA made a gift of $1 million to support Boca Raton Regional Hospital’s Keeping the Promise campaign.
 
Sun Capital Partners Foundation Inc., with founders Rodger R. Krouse and Marc J. Leder and their families, donated $1 million to Boca Regional’s Keeping the Promise campaign in May.
“As local residents operating a global business headquartered here for the past 25 years, we and the Sun Capital family truly appreciate the dedication and hard work that frontline health care professionals do every day to keep community residents safe and healthy,” Leder said.

To identify patterns and symptoms of COVID-19, a team of scientists from Florida Atlantic University’s Schmidt College of Medicine launched a study using the Oura ring, a device that tracks body temperature, movement and sleep data. Led by Janet Robishaw, Ph.D., senior associate dean for research and chair of the Department of Biomedical Sciences, the university’s research team is part of the TemPredict global study spearheaded by the University of California, San Francisco.
The Oura ring, which looks like a wedding band, is worn around-the-clock to provide data in real time. The data alerts the user and the researchers of physiological changes.
The FAU research team has taken TemPredict to the next level by incorporating two additional phases: determining if study participants go on to develop acute COVID-19 infections, and to garner an understanding of the prevalence rate. At six and 12 weeks, the researchers will conduct blood tests to identify whether the study participants have developed immune responses to COVID-19. 
Also, the FAU research team members, who have developed a COVID-19 test that uses a saliva sample instead of a sample obtained with a nasal swab, will conduct weekly saliva tests.
Once they’ve gathered the data, they will work with scientists of Machine Perception and Cognitive Robotics Lab in FAU’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science to use artificial intelligence for predictive purposes. They also will be able to correlate their data to the TemPredict study of more than 2,000 health care workers who are caring for COVID-19 patients.
 
Ethan Strikowski, Rylie Lougher and Megan Lougher, students from Park Vista Community High, started a project through their Facebook page, “Feeding our Heroes,” to raise money to purchase food from restaurants to bring to frontline workers caring for COVID-19 patients.
In May they began to deliver lunches from Long Island Bagel and Deli to health care workers at Boca Raton Regional Hospital, and they brought food to workers at JFK Medical Center, purchased from In Good Taste Catering and Gourmet Café and Nature's Corner Café.
 
BeWellPBC, a countywide behavioral health initiative, has launched “Be Well Do Well Mini-Grants,” which will fund creative projects with awards up to $5,000.
Applicants must be Palm Beach County residents or organizations with ideas to build behavioral health support, promote workforce wellness, and/or focus on residents most in need. Applicants are not limited to nonprofit organizations.
Residents of all ages, community groups, religious organizations, for-profit businesses, schools, other educational facilities and local municipalities are eligible to apply through July 11 at bewellpbc.org/dowellgrants.

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

ABOVE: Doug O’Neal and Chris Deen hold a 30-pound bull dolphinfish, or mahi mahi, that Deen caught using a live goggle-eye near a large sargassum mat off Palm Beach in July 2019. Mahi mahi fishing tends to be good during July and August in the waters off Palm Beach County.
BELOW: A small dolphinfish leaps from the water after being hooked east of the Boynton Inlet.
Photos by Willie Howard/The Coastal Star

By Willie Howard

Summer is prime time for South Florida anglers to search the ocean for dolphinfish, better known by their Hawaiian name, mahi mahi, or simply mahi.
Floating mats of sargassum, the tan-colored marine algae that holds small fish and serves as feeding grounds for mahi, often appear along the coast of South Florida during the long, hot days of July and August.
Sargassum mats are floating habitat. They harbor tiny crustaceans and attract small fish such as almaco jacks, triggerfish and filefish, which mahi find tempting.
Many offshore anglers enjoy searching around sargassum mats for mahi, especially in the relatively calm seas of summer. Brightly colored, mahi are easily spotted in the clear Gulf Stream water. They fight hard, jump high and make excellent table fare if handled properly after being caught.
Unlike many other places where mahi reside, they’re often caught relatively close to shore in the waters off South Florida — though runs of 10 miles or more into the Atlantic are not uncommon for anglers searching for mahi during the summer.
Dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus) are renewable resources compared with other ocean fish. They start reproducing at a young age and can grow several pounds a month, which is one reason fisheries regulators allow anglers to keep a generous 10 mahi per person daily. (Minimum size: 20 inches to the fork of the tail.)
Anglers searching for summer mahi can troll along lines of sargassum that form along bands of current, or stop near sargassum mats and pitch out jigs, plugs and chum such as chunks of sardines or squid.
Mahi trolling baits include the classic rigged ballyhoo (often dressed up with a hooded skirt such as an Ilander) and trolling lures such as Billy Bait’s Mag Turbo Whistler or the C&H Rattle Jet.
If you catch a mahi while trolling, consider leaving it behind the boat and casting out jigs or hooks holding chunks of dead sardine or hunks of squid. Other mahi often approach the boat and linger around a hooked fish in the water.
Another popular method for finding mahi is running from one sargassum mat to the next, favoring larger, thicker mats that shelter lots of small fish. Cast out jigs, dead baits (pieces of sardines, ballyhoo or squid) and splash the surface with topwater plugs to attract mahi.
If no fish show up around the weed mat, move on.
Show courtesy to other anglers while fishing for mahi. Don’t invade a spot already occupied by another boat. Wait for the boat to leave or hunt elsewhere.
Similarly, don’t cut in front of a boat that’s trolling.
Keep an eye out for floating objects such as logs, wooden pallets or even buckets. They could be sheltering small fish that attract mahi. Sea birds circling or swooping down to the surface can point the way to mahi, which often push flying fish and small baitfish to the surface where the birds can snatch them.
Once you’ve caught a legal-sized mahi and decided to keep it, ice it well. Try leaving the plug in the fish box or cooler and adding ocean water to create an icy slush. Proper icing will make mahi easier to clean and better at the dinner table.
Any anglers planning offshore fishing trips should leave some type of float plan telling where they’re headed, who is on the boat and when (and where) they’re due back on land. A simple text message to a friend or relative will do.
For safety, boaters headed into the open Atlantic should carry quality life jackets, plenty of drinking water and a ditch bag holding a satellite beacon (an EPIRB) and hand-held VHF radio to use in case of trouble.
Anglers interested in tagging and releasing mahi for research can get started by going to www.dolphintagging.com.

CCA/Florida’s STAR tournament
CCA/Florida is hosting its STAR summer fishing tournament again this year, with big prizes for registered anglers who catch tagged fish and smaller prizes for anglers who submit photos of their catches to benefit fisheries research.
The first tagged dolphinfish caught by a 2020 STAR-registered angler wins $10,000 or a scholarship. A registered angler who catches one of the tournament’s tagged redfish could win a boat.
Participating anglers can win prizes by submitting photos of fish, including redfish, snook, sea trout, grouper, kingfish, dolphinfish or tarpon. Any fish photographed and submitted by registered anglers can be entered in the Power Pole Conservation Division.
To promote conservation, fish can be released after photos are taken.
Anglers are encouraged to collect plastic and garbage from waterways while fishing and to submit photos showing 5-gallon buckets of rubbish (photographed with the 2020 STAR fish measuring device).
Registered anglers who submit photos of collected trash will be entered in a drawing to win prizes, including a three-day trip to Key West to visit the Hemingway Rum Distillery.
The STAR entry fee is $40. Participants download the CCA/Florida STAR smartphone app and must pick up a 2020 STAR measuring device at boating stores such as West Marine in Delray Beach, Marine Connection in West Palm Beach and Tuppen’s Marine & Tackle in Lake Worth Beach.
To register or learn more, visit www.ccaflstar.com or call 844-387-7827.

FWC extends survey of reef fish anglers
The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission is extending its Gulf Reef Fish Survey to the waters of the Atlantic and Monroe County.
As of July 1, recreational anglers who fish on Florida’s east coast for reef fish such as snapper, grouper, amberjack and triggerfish will be required to add a free “reef fish angler” designation to their saltwater fishing licenses.
The designations were not available until July 1, so law enforcement planned to take an educational approach to the requirement at first, FWC spokeswoman Amanda Nalley said.
“We suggest you get it as soon as possible,” Nalley said.
The FWC plans to use the system to improve data collection about recreationally caught reef fish. Every month, a group of reef fish anglers will receive a short survey about their fishing trips in the mail.
Any place that sells fishing licenses can add the reef fish angler designation to a license, including the phone-based system, 888-347-4356, or the online fishing license portal, www.gooutdoorsflorida.com.

Restrictions eased on dive boats, pier anglers
Palm Beach County eased coronavirus-related restrictions slightly on operators of commercial dive boats and on pier fishing.
Effective June 11, county officials amended earlier restrictions to allow dive boats to operate with the same capacity as other recreational commercial boats, meaning they must comply with CDC social distancing guidelines.
Restrooms on commercial recreational boats must post CDC guidelines and offer soap, water and/or hand sanitizer for patrons.
Operators also must mark seating areas with tape to separate passengers by at least 6 feet.
All boaters still must maintain social distancing. Boats still must remain at least 50 feet apart and cannot raft up or engage in other activities that result in gatherings of 10 or more people.
A previous restriction that required dive shops to fill tanks by appointment and deliver tanks curbside has been lifted.
Anglers at fishing piers must stay 6 feet apart under the updated order. A previous order required pier anglers to stay 10 feet apart.
Details on the latest emergency order can be found at www.pbcgov.org.

Coming events
July 11: Second leg of West Palm Beach Fishing Club’s Full Moon Wahoo Tournament Series. (Third leg set for Aug. 1.) Entry fee $60 per boat. Catches must be verified on video. Weigh fish 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. or 6 to 9 p.m. at Sailfish Marina in Palm Beach Shores. Each team must include at least one fishing club member. Entry fee $60. Call 561-309-1397 or register at www.westpalmbeachfishingclub.org.
July 11: Big Dog & Fat Cat KDW Shootout fishing tournament is planned, based at Sailfish Marina in Palm Beach Shores. Captain’s meeting July 10 at Sailfish Marina. Entry fee $200 per boat through July 6 or $250 thereafter. Details: www.bigdogfatcat.org.

Tip of the month
Summer is nesting time for shorebirds and seabirds. They often nest on mangrove islands and other relatively quiet beaches. Boaters and beach-goers can do their part by staying at least 300 feet away from posted nesting areas and trying not to disturb nesting birds, the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission advises.
If birds become agitated or leave their nests, you’re too close. Birds calling loudly or dive bombing are signs that you should back off.

By Charles Elmore 

 An emergency order puts beaches out of bounds for the Fourth of July weekend across Palm Beach County.

  The county's order to close beaches temporarily joins similar decrees in Miami-Dade and Broward counties aimed at avoiding large gatherings during the three-day weekend to slow the spread of COVID-19.

  Palm Beach County mayor Dave Kerner told media outlets it would be "highly irresponsible" to keep beaches open and said the county's priority remains "public health first and foremost."

  Beaches are set to close from 12:01 a.m Friday July 3 until 11:59 p.m. Sunday, July 5, reopening Monday.

  The order applies to "all public, municipal and private beaches," according to a county statement.

  Individual violators face potential civil fines of $25 for a first offense, with subsequent offenses drawing $50 to $100, according to the order.

  Restaurants and retail establishments within beach parks are allowed to remain open if they follow rules on mandatory masks and social distancing, officials said.