The Plate: Chicken box with fries
The Place: Troy’s Barbeque, 1920 S. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach; 740-1125 or www.bbqtroys.com.
The Price: $8.59
The Skinny: I always loved the food from Troy’s Barbeque, going back to the days Troy Davis had a takeout stand at Federal Highway and Martin Luther King in Boynton Beach.
His new location, in a former Miami Subs, has indoor seating, all the better for Davis and his family to check on you while you’re dining on the beautifully smoked meats and perfectly cooked sides.
This chicken breast was juicy, with its skin smoked to a burnished mahogany that shimmered with shades of red and brown. A subtle smokiness permeated the meat, and the crinkle-cut fries were crisp and fresh.
I’ve also enjoyed the collards, which were packed with the flavors of the greens and meat used to season the vegetables — these were not al dente as proponents of nouvelle cuisine might do them, but were cooked until tender.
— Scott Simmons

By Noreen Marcus

   A developer sued The Coastal Star alleging libel and then abruptly dropped the lawsuit a month later.

   The suit filed Aug. 30 in Palm Beach Circuit Court by Hudson Holdings and its principal Steven Michael claimed the newspaper defamed  both of them through a false connection to criminal activity. Editor Mary Kate Leming and reporter Jane Smith were named as individual defendants.

   The suit seeking $40 million in actual damages and $20 million in punitive damages was assigned to Judge David French.

   Developer Michael wants to build a 4.4-acre, mixed-use project at Swinton and Atlantic avenues, at the south end of the Old School Square Historic Arts District in Delray Beach.

   The project, known as Midtown Delray Beach, is on hold. The city’s Historic Preservation Board rejected the developer’s site plan and Hudson submitted a revised plan on Sept. 6.

   On Sept. 28 Michael’s lawyer Scott Weires filed a two-paragraph “notice of voluntary dismissal” that doesn’t give a reason for dropping the lawsuit.

   Reached the next day, Michael said, “We just wanted to have accurate reporting and we’re not interested in being in any litigation with the newspaper or anybody. We just wanted honest reporting and we hope in the future that’s what will happen.”

   Robert Rivas, attorney for The Coastal Star, denied that his client published false information. He had planned to file a complaint that Michael’s lawsuit violated Florida's anti-SLAPP law. An illegal “strategic lawsuit against public participation” — or SLAPP suit — is one that aims to silence critics engaged in a democratic process.

   “Hudson Holdings is trying to intimidate and frighten the opposition,” said Rivas, of Sachs Sax Caplan in Tallahassee, before the suit was withdrawn. “The Coastal Star story was accurate and did not link Hudson Holdings to any criminal activity.”

   The crux of the dispute was an Aug. 2 Coastal Star story about Michael’s proposed Midtown project. In addition to reporting on the project’s status, the story included background on Midtown and another Michael project, the Gulfstream Hotel in Lake Worth.

   Under the sub-headline “Midtown ensnared in sober home action,” the story states that “Midtown became entangled with the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office’s Sober Homes Task Force” last fall. It says that brothers Bryan and Patrick Norquist “were arrested on patient-brokering charges” and states that two addresses were listed on the arrest document — “20 S. Swinton Ave., the headquarters for Hudson Holdings, and 48 SE First Ave.”

   The story also had Michael’s response: “Michael said he knew about the sober home on Southeast First Avenue, but denied that any recovery operation was run out of the Hudson Holdings headquarters. He also said he’s losing rental income since the sober home on Southeast First Avenue was forced to close.”

   Michael’s attorney Weires, of Murdoch Weires & Neuman in Boca Raton, disputed Rivas’s SLAPP suit characterization.

   “The main claim is about the association of a developer of a project in Delray Beach and criminal activity in the area,” he said days before dropping the lawsuit. “I can’t imagine why they would be reporting on criminal activity within the same story about a developer’s efforts to gain approval for a beneficial project.”

   The complaint stated that the Delray Beach Preservation Trust is trying to block the Midtown project by winning a National Register of Historic Places designation for the district that includes the project site. The “frustrated” trust enlisted the media “to influence public opinion against Hudson and its Midtown project,” according to the complaint.

   Rivas said Michael couldn’t sue the trust directly so he sued the newspaper, apparently thinking, “Here’s somebody we can SLAPP and the existence of this lawsuit will intimidate everybody.”

   JoAnn Peart, president of the trust, said she doesn’t know enough about the law to comment on whether Michael filed a SLAPP suit. “But I hope that they are not just trying to intimidate preservation groups and the media from covering our point of view because they have certainly used local media almost as advertising for their project.”

   “I think The Coastal Star was acting responsibly in printing all the information about the history of Hudson Holdings because it’s asking for waivers and variances and being allowed to do things you’re not normally allowed to do in historic districts,” Peart said. “It’s important that the public be aware of this.”

By Jane Smith

Boynton Beach staff did an “amazing job with everything associated with Hurricane Irma,” Mayor Steven Grant said.

Because residents had 3 or 4 days warning prior to Irma, some placed sofas and other large items on the street for bulk pickup, along with tree trimmings and palm fronds. City workers couldn’t pick up all of the items before the storm, he said, leading to complaints from those residents after the storm.

As soon as the winds were down to 40 mph or lower, city crews cleared a path through the storm debris to allow Florida Power & Light and its contractors to restore the residents’ power, the mayor said Sept. 21.

On Saturday, Sept. 23, Boynton Beach will have two events to collect supplies for other areas of Florida that were harder hit by Hurricane Irma.

At the Civic Center, the mayor and commissioners will kick-off a five-day supply drive at 10 a.m. They will be joined by Amy Blackman, city recreation superintendent, and Barry Davis, executive director of the DeVos-Blum Family YMCA. Donors may drive up to the Civic Center where YMCA volunteers will unload the items until 3 p.m.

The Red Cross is asking for: bleach, diapers, baby formula, baby wipes and baby shampoo.  Sports and recreation equipment, as well as toys and games, also are needed. All items must be unused.  No cash or checks will be accepted.

The items will be accepted from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and from 9 a.m.  to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday (Sept. 28).

The drop-off locations are: Civic Center, 128 E. Ocean Ave.; DeVos-Blum YMCA, 9600 S. Military Trail; Fire Station #2, 2506 W. Woolbright Road; Fire Station #5, 2080 High Ridge Road; and Police Department, 100 E. Boynton Beach Blvd.

On the evening of Sept.23, from 6 to 10 p.m., the Boynton Beach Arts District, 410 W. Industrial Drive, will host another supply drive for Hurricane Irma survivors in the Keys.

 “We rented a truck and will take the items down on Sunday,” the mayor said.

 At the Art Walk, participants are asked to bring closed footwear, first aid kits, canned goods, sanitary wipes, feminine hygiene products, toothbrushes, toothpaste, towels, soap, buckets and rope.

 The event also features live music, food trucks and vendors.

Boynton Beach streets are lined with hurricane debris.

 Jeff Livergood, the city’s public works director, said it would take between 45 to 60 days to pick up hurricane debris. City crews began clearing the debris on Sept. 12. He estimates a total cost of $2.1 million.

 Residents are asked to separate the vegetation debris from other storm debris, he said. They can bag the leaves, but the bags will be picked up later.

 In addition, the city spent $400,000 cleaning up its parks and golf course, according to Livergood. The city’s five waterfront parks, including Oceanfront Park, opened on Sept. 15, he said.

 City buildings were received $100,000 in damage, Livergood said.

 The hurricane didn’t affect the Town Square plan, said Colin Groff, assistant city manager. Staff is on track to finish analyzing the plan in late October with a presentation the commission can vote on in November, he said.

 Boynton Beach sewage pumping stations lost power during Irma, said Groff, who used to be the city’s utilities director.

 Power went out at between 60 to 70 percent of the 167 stations, he said. The city uses a combination of fixed, portable and diesel generators as backup power, Groff said.

 They had minor spills during the height of the hurricane when winds were above 40 mph, he said. The spills were reported to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

 But unlike Delray Beach, its neighbor to the south, Boynton Beach didn’t ask its water customers to restrict water consumption.

 The city also has the first county FEMA site at its Carolyn Sims Center, 225 NW 12^th Ave.

 Representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Small Business Administration, volunteer groups and other agencies will be available daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. to answer questions about disaster assistance and low-interest loans for homeowners, renters and businesses.

 Citizens also can register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362. The aid comes in the form of grants or low-interest loans for items not covered by insurance.

 Boynton Beach paramedics and police officers worked non-stop during the hurricane.

 Then on Sept. 13, four firefighters/paramedics headed south to Big Pine Key as part of the mutual aid group from Palm Beach County.  They returned on Wednesday (Sept. 20).

 On Sept. 14, six police officers drove west to Collier County, home to Naples and Fort Myers. They patrolled the roads and helped with security at gas stations. They returned on Tuesday (Sept. 19).

Signs of the hurricane damage also appeared at road construction sites.

 The southbound exit ramp at Woolbright Road from Interstate 95 reopened fully Thursday (Sept. 21). On Wednesday, Florida Department of Transportation workers noticed erosion and closed the westbound exit lane from heavy rains and Hurricane Irma.

 The Woolbright Road project is one of five interchange projects that are ongoing.

 Work at Woolbright was supposed to be finished in December, but the bad weather likely will delay the deadline, according to an FDOT spokeswoman.

 The city also saw at least one fatal overdose. A woman fatally overdosed on heroin the night before Irma hit at The Inn.

By Jane Smith                                                                                     

Delray Beach fared okay during Hurricane Irma, said Mayor Cary Glickstein the day after Irma’s tropical storm-force winds damaged trees and downed power lines.

“I’m very pleased with how staff handled the pre-, during and post-storm activities,” he said. “We had no serious injuries.”

The city will thank its employees at a Hurricane Heroes concert this Saturday (Sept. 23) at its Old School Square band shell. The concert, free to employees with their city IDs, starts at 6:30 p.m. Relatives can attend for a nominal charge. Free pizza, ice cream and drinks will be served.

The dune at the city’s beach did its job, said Rob Barron, the dune management consultant.

“It doesn’t look pretty with all the seaweed and salt on it,” he said on Sept. 12, “but in another month, the plants will be thriving.” The seaweed helps to fertilize the plants, he said.

Delray Beach staff started clearing debris at 2 a.m. Sept. 11, just after Irma swept through the city.

“Nearly 75 percent of the city’s major arteries were blocked by storm debris,” Neal deJesus, interim city manager, told commissioners at a special meeting on Sept. 13. Public works, utilities and fire rescue staff worked in the wind and rain to trim trees and help clear a path through the storm debris to allow police and fire-rescue vehicles to respond to emergencies.

The city set up a temporary debris management site on the former Office Depot headquarters on Congress Avenue to save time and money, deJesus said. “If we went to the Palm Beach County site, it would take three times as long,” he said.

FEMA and the state Department of Environmental Management had to approve the site and certify the trucks. The two agencies signed off on Sunday (Sept. 17), he said.

AshBritt Inc. will supply 10 trucks and Thompson Consulting Services will oversee the removal, deJesus said.

The cleanup started on Monday (Sept. 18). It will take several months for the debris to be removed, deJesus said. He asked residents to be patient. He estimates the debris removal cost to be about $10 million, although staff has told him the figure is too low.

FEMA will reimburse the city 75 percent of the cost if debris is separated into six categories: vegetation (tree limbs, palm fronds, etc.), electronics, large appliances, construction (fences and plumbing), household garbage and hazardous waste.

Residents are urged to use clear plastic bags, instead of black or green ones, for leaves and other small landscape waste. Doing so will allow Thompson to make sure the bags contain only vegetation debris.

The sewage pumping stations “were the Achilles heel” of the storm, deJesus said. Of the 129 stations, 100 had both primary and secondary lines. The city had 30 portable generators to power the other 29 stations, he said.

Public works and utilities employees worked non-stop to move the generators from station to station. The city purchased an additional 20 generators to help power the stations.

“They did an awesome job of moving the generators,” Commissioner Shelly Petrolia said the Thursday after Irma. “There was only one small spill.”

The minor spill happened Sept. 14, when 1,000 gallons flowed up through the drain on Lake Ida Road.

Delray Beach staff had to report the spill and cleanup to state regulators.

The city lifted its water use restrictions the next afternoon, Sept. 15, when 90 percent of the stations had power restored.

Commissioners will discuss the hurricane response at their October workshop.

All Delray Beach first responders worked 96 hours straight, deJesus said.

“During the storm, we had two heroic acts,” he said.

One was the rescue of a woman whose roof flew off on the afternoon of Sept. 10 when Irma’s outer bands began to strike Delray Beach.

 She tried calling 911, but she couldn’t get through to the dispatch center. The power and back-up generator were not working at the city’s Emergency Operations Center. The woman who lives on NE Fourth Street wrote a Facebook post that eventually was relayed to Delray Beach Police.

By that time, the winds were over 50 mph, too strong for a police cruiser. But Delray Beach Police have a military surplus tanker that it uses to block streets for festivals. Police used the tanker to rescue the woman, deJesus said.

 Fire-Rescue workers responded to a family whose two-year-old suffered respiratory distress. The child needed breathing treatments every four hours. Because the power was out, the workers stayed with the family to watch them administer the next treatment. They left the family enough oxygen bottles to get through the storm, deJesus said.

During the storm, two police officers were injured, he told city commissioners on Sept. 13. One officer was hurt while trying to get a homeless person off a bridge, deJesus said. The officer slipped on the grating and injured his ankle – either a sprain or a partial tear of the Achilles tendon.

The other officer was driving to work in the early morning hours when it was “pitch black on Jog Road,” de Jesus said. “He hit a tree and lost control and hit another tree,” he said. The officer totaled his car and was taken as a trauma patient to Delray Medical Center. The officer was released later that day.

The city had one overdose fatality after the storm. Two people broke into a boarded-up halfway house near the downtown and they shot up there, deJesus told commissioners.

“One died because the other one waited 30 minutes before calling (911),” he said.

After putting in those hours, first responders volunteered to be part of the mutual aid plan to help other harder hit areas of Florida.

Twenty police officers drove over to Naples/Fort Myers as part of a county convoy that would provide security to that area. They returned Tuesday (Sept. 19).

The city’s Fire Rescue sent an engine and a rescue truck to Marathon. They were told to be self-sufficient for seven days, deJesus said.

“They had to bring their own water and didn’t have power,” he said. “They sent dramatic pictures of the devastation of homes.”

The team returned Wednesday (Sept. 20) as part of the Palm Beach County response.

“We’re blessed to have homes that need power,” deJesus said on Tuesday (Sept. 18) during a commission workshop.

By Rich Pollack

As she raced up the Florida peninsula, Hurricane Irma left a little bit of rubber in her tracks.

 Residents living along the coast in Highland Beach peered out their windows several days after the storm to find dozens, maybe even hundreds, of tires scattered along the beach.

 Distributed with one here and one there, rather than in large groups, the tires appeared almost as if someone had placed them deliberately.

 “I was shocked to see all those tires on the beach,” said resident Lois Haymes.

 Where the tires came from is a bit of a mystery, although one of the more plausible theories is that they broke away from an abandoned artificial reef created in the 1970s off Fort Lauderdale beach. The reef, which included an estimated 700,000 tires, is in the process of being disassembled because it never quite lived up to expectations as a welcoming habitat for marine life and actually resulted in the destruction of natural habitat as loose tires scraped the ocean floor.

 Where some of the tires are going, however, is more certain.

 Clayton Peart, president of Universal Service Corp., which is contracted to clean private beach properties in Highland Beach as well as the Delray public beach, says his teams have scooped up between 40 and 50 tires and taken them to the solid waste transfer station.

 In addition to white-wall tires and regular tires, some covered in barnacles, Peart’s crews also found a set of large truck tires that might have come off a seawall or a boat.

 Although Irma is long gone, it may be a while before all the tires are picked up since it appears that more are being covered by the sand and may vanish from sight until another strong wind blows through.

By Dan Moffett

 Ocean Ridge Police Chief Hal Hutchins estimates that somewhere between 10 to 20 percent of the town’s permanent residents ignored calls to evacuate the island during Hurricane Irma and rode out the storm in their homes.

 That was more than enough people to keep Hutchins’ department busy. The chief said his dispatchers were answering about 400 calls during their 10-hour shifts as Irma blew through, roughly 20 times the usual rate.

 Often the calls were mostly about making a human connection and getting the reassurance that someone was on duty to respond in case the worst happened — which Hutchins and his officers were.

 “Considering how many new residents we had here,” the chief said, “I think we did as well as we could.”

 Hutchins said he drew on nearly four decades of law enforcement experience to help guide the town through the storm.

  He stationed officers and employees in Town Hall the day before Irma hit so they’d be rested, in place and ready to go when the storm arrived. Two of his officers, one from Ohio and another from Connecticut, had never been close to a hurricane before, the chief said, so preparation was especially important for them.

 Hutchins coordinated street patrol strategy with neighboring police departments to ensure access to  bridges was controlled. And after Irma passed and the bridges opened, he made what seemed an unusual request to Boynton Beach officials.

 “It’s something I’ve never done before,” Hutchins said.  “I called Boynton and told them they should come and open their park. People needed a place to go, and I didn’t need them to be driving around. I could corral them in the park.”

 With Boynton’s Oceanfront Park open, residents from both sides of the bridge who had been hunkering down for days had somewhere safe to go to release stress. Though Irma was a pain, the town had no significant incidents of human misbehavior or injury, and property damage was minimal.

  “You fly by the seat of your pants,” Hutchins said. “I was pleased with the way things came out.”

  Hutchins and his department won unanimous praise from the Town Commission during its meeting on Sept. 19, and so did Town Manager Jamie Titcomb.

  “Jamie was always here,” Commissioner Gail Aaskov said. “He was working his butt off the whole time. I think we all appreciate that. I think he did a tremendous job.”

 Chances are that you’ve been busy cleaning up your yard since Hurricane Irma left town. And you have a large pile of palm fronds, tree branches, coconuts and other brown matter at your curb.

But if you want the trees that are left to flourish in the days and years to come, your work doesn’t end with debris removal. How you manage the trees remaining in your yard during the next few days will have long-lasting consequences for their futures.

In case you need guidance on what to do next, The Coastal Star is providing these links to information provided by the University of Florida IFAS Extension program. Now go save your trees.

Assessing Damage and Restoring Trees After a Hurricane

Restoring Trees After a Hurricane

— Deborah S. Hartz-Seeley

 By Sallie James

Boca Raton is on the road to recovery with many city services returning Sept. 13 as City Hall opened again for business. The city’s mandatory curfew has also been lifted.

Although much of the city remains without power, cleanup in the wake of Hurricane Irma is well underway. Trash and recycling pick up are back to their regular schedules and debris removal will begin Friday, Sept. 14.

City officials ask that residents separate the trees and branches from construction debris into separate piles, and keep the debris away from mailboxes and out of the street.

City staff is still trying to determine how much vegetative debris can be collected on Friday and urge residents to be patient.

City libraries re-opened on Sept. 13, while public schools remain closed the rest of this week.

The field house at Sugar Sand Park remains closed, as the facility lost air conditioning late Wednesday.

Florida Power & Light has been working since Tuesday, Sept. 12 to restore power to all areas of Boca Raton, but is unable to provide specifics for a block or neighborhood, according to City Council member Scott Singer.

“Please be patient,” Singer wrote in a news release. “FPL expects all of Southeast Florida to be restored by Sunday.”

Seven Boca Raton police officers were among a convoy of 51 officers from Palm Beach County who left Sept. 14 for Marco Island and Naples to help in the wake of the hurricane. The two cities on Florida’s west coast were among the hardest hit by the epic storm.

“These folks received some of the worst damage from the storm,” according to a post on the Boca Raton Police Department’s Facebook page. “We know what it is like to be impacted by a significant hurricane and we are happy to assist our brothers and sisters in need. Please keep our Palm Beach law enforcement professionals in your thoughts and prayers.”

Although Boca was spared the devastation of the West Coast, its pristine beaches suffered a severe hit. The storm eroded much of the sand placed on the beach as part of a beach renourishment project and will likely cost millions to restore.

Boca Raton’s Coastal Program Manager Jennifer Bistyga said the city’s dunes took a big hit and the beaches were “deflated,” losing height and width. Still, Bistyga said she thinks Boca Raton’s beaches look better after Hurricane Irma than the beaches that weathered Hurricane Sandy up North years ago.

“You can see the sand bar just sitting offshore and I am confident some of the material lost will come back. Similar to Hurricane Sandy, the loss of height on the beach is usually not recovered naturally by wave action, while the beaches will regain some of the width as the waves work the sand back onto the shore,” Bistyga said. “The recent beach renourishment project acted it was supposed to. There were losses, but if we had not had the renourishment project, the beach conditions and the structures adjacent to the beaches would be in much worse shape.”

Singer warned that many traffic signals are still not working around town and reminded motorists to proceed with caution. Drivers should treat intersections where traffic signals are out of service like a four-way stop, meaning everyone must come to a full stop, he said.

Collapsed foliage in a Highland Beach yard. Photo provided

Collapsed foliage in a Highland Beach yard. Photo provided

A palm tree fell into the Intracoastal Waterway in Highland Beach. Photo by Peggy Gossett-Seidman

Palms swayed in the wind Saturday as Hurricane Irma approached Boynton Beach. Here's a view looking east across the Intracoastal Waterway from Harry Woodworth's backyard during one of the gusts. "Many times we could not see even the two boats less than 250 feet away!" Woodworth said. Photo by Harry Woodworth

Damage at Boca Pointe Country Club in Boca Raton following Hurricane Irma. Photo by Stacey Vogel

The beach in Highland Beach is littered following Hurricane Irma. Photo by Rachel Prince

Residents wait as police check IDs at the Highland Beach border following Hurricane Irma. Photo by Rachel Prince

The Publix at Linton Blvd. and Federal Hwy. has roped off their freezer section following Hurricane Irma. Photo by Rachel Prince

Highland Beach palms along A1A were stripped of fronds as Delray Beach Fire Department checks condos on Tuesday. Photo by Peggy Gossett-Seidman

Tree damage at Veterans Park in Delray Beach. Photo by Rachel Prince

Veterans Park in Delray Beach following the storm. Photo by Rachel Prince

Damage to an awning on a house along the Intracoastal Waterway between Delray Beach and Highland beach was caused by Hurricane Irma's winds. Photo by Rachel Prince

A sheet of metal roofing is torn from the porch of a house along the Intracoastal Waterway between Highland Beach and Delray Beach. Photo by Rachel Prince

A palm tree falls near a boat along the Intracoastal Waterway between Delray Beach and Highland Beach. Photo by Rachel Prince

A palm approximately 25-feet tall fell in Mike Smollon's backyard in the County Pocket. He spent the storm hours in Palm Beach Gardens. He didn't know the type of palm and said, "I grew that from a seed that I brought from Arizona over 15 years ago." Photo by Mike Smollon

Abbey Delray senior living community welcomed residents from sister community, Harbour’s Edge during Hurricane Irma. While Abbey Delray didn’t receive any serious damage there was some down tree limbs and debris scattered in the area. Tommy Schuster, a team member from Friendship Village of South Hills, a sister community located in Upper St. Clair, PA., volunteered to assist the hurricane relief efforts. He’s pictured here clearing debris and assisting the team with whatever they needed. Photo provided

A fence is blown down by Hurricane Irma at Sacred Heart Catholic School in Lake Worth. Photo by Milka Santos

A fence is blown down by Hurricane Irma at Sacred Heart Catholic School in Lake Worth. Photo by Milka Santos

The children's garden received damage at Sacred Heart Catholic School in Lake Worth. Photo by Milka Santos

Sacred Heart School sustains damage from Hurricane Irma. Work crews are working to repair damage.

A large ficus tree falls during Hurricane Irma in Boynton Beach. Photo by Troy Giddens

In the neighborhood by forest park elementary grew old Banyan trees. Growing up in Boynton Beach such a tree was my favorite to play in. My friends and I would climb these majestic almost nurturing beings that offered us hours of fun and refuge. As the years and hurricanes have passed I watched these wonders of nature stand fast against the torrential winds and rain until they could stand no more. I'm guessing the old trees became weakened by the years. I mean they had to of been 100 years old or more! This year during hurricane Irma we lost another Majestic giant who lived on 12th and 2nd. Farwell gentle giant,farwell.

— Troy Giddens

These brave linemen from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, drove 1,500 miles in 17 trucks into the storm to restore our electric in Highland Beach. In one day, the 23 guys put an end to our week-long misery of no electric in 91-degree stifling sun. Never mind they are suffering in heavy safety gear in this heat while accustomed to temps in the 30s and 40s Fahrenheit! They slept in their trucks due to no hotels, and also rescued us in Wilma. As always, the friendly and mellow Canadians from Durham High Voltage and owner Steve Dewell never complained. Residents delivered dozens of donuts, sandwiches and cookies to the workmen during their job. Photo by Peggy Gossett-Seidman

A hand-made sign marks the location of a down power line in the County Pocket on Sept. 13. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

A power pole leans across South Island Drive in Ocean Ridge on Sept. 13. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

Ocean Ridge officer Jimmy Pilon directs traffic as FPL and contractors work on power lines at Woolbright Road and A1A on Sept. 14. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

A power pole lays across A1A in front of the Chalfonte Condominiums in Boca Raton due to strong winds from Hurricane Irma. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

Rugs dry on a balcony at Villa d' Este in Gulf Stream on Sept. 13. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

A resident of Place Au Soleil in Gulf Stream shows a friend the tree that fell during Hurricane Irma. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

Joseph, the maintenance director at St. Lucy Catholic Church in Highland Beach, clears trees on church property that were damaged by Hurricane Irma.  Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

Highland Beach sidewalks remained blocked Sept. 14 due to debris and downed trees from  Hurricane Irma.  Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

A tree twisted and cracked in the front yard of a Boca Raton home during the winds of Hurricane Irma. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

A pile of yard debris from Hurricane Irma dwarfs a house on SE Wave Crest Way in Boca Raton. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

Coastal Star editor, Mary Kate Leming, gives a thumbs up after a morning spent clearing her Ocean Ridge yard on Sept. 13. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

Surfers approach Spanish River Park in Boca Raton Sept. 14 in hopes of catching some waves provided by Hurricane Irma. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

Painted coconuts that spell out IRMA sit in front of a residence inside Royal Palm Yacht and Country Club in Boca Raton. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

Photos from the storm: Sept. 11 |Sept. 12 morning; Sept. 12 afternoon | Sept. 13 & 14 | Briny Breezes aerial | Photos from our readers

—Willie Howard

Tall coconut palms at the Gulf Stream Golf Club were shredded during winds from Hurricane Irma. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

Carpets are spread on the lawn to dry at Gulfstream Shores condominium in Gulf Stream. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

Boynton Beach police laugh with Briny Breezes resident Roy Miller on the afternoon of Sept. 12. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

A bicyclist passes fallen palm trees along A1A in Delray Beach. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

Water pushed through a wooden gate in the Marina District of Delray Beach. Jane Smith/The Coastal Star

Hurricane Irma caused damage to the second-story balcony of the Anchorage House in the Delray Beach Marina District. Jane Smith/The Coastal Star

Photos from the storm: Sept. 11 |Sept. 12 morning; Sept. 12 afternoon | Sept. 13 & 14 | Briny Breezes aerial | Photos from our readers

By Mary Thurwachter

Municipal offices were open on Monday and both the Town Council meeting and budget hearing were held  as scheduled. Attendance at both meetings was slim, although all five councilmen were there.

Sept. 13 - Volunteers needed

The Town of Lantana fared very well during Hurricane Irma. However, as many of you may have seen, we have a lot of vegetation debris in our parks, which are currently closed until we can clear it all and deem them safe.

If any of you know anyone who would be interested in volunteering to help clear vegetation from our Town properties, or help get the word out, we would greatly appreciate it!

Thank you,

Nicole A. Dritz

Town Clerk

Town of Lantana | 500 Greynolds Circle, Lantana FL

561-540-5016 | www.lantana.org

Omar Gonzalez clears a limb from the parking lot at the Mayfair House in South Palm Beach. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

The Town of Palm Beach was still enforcing an ID check at their border on Sept. 12. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

A surfer heads to the beach past the broken public beach sign in Lantana. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

Surfers check out the waves at Lantana's Public Beach. The adjacent Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa is expected to reopen on Friday, Sept. 15. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

Employees clean the refrigerated tubs at the Ice Cream Club in Plaza del Mar in Manalapan. The popular ice cream shop planned to open Sept. 12. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

Winds from Hurricane Irma collapsed a fence on Hypoluxo Island. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

Recycling left out during the storm is spread across the neighborhood on Hypoluxo Island. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

A downed tree on Point Manalapan has been partially cleared on Sept. 12. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

A police officer checks on property in the Town of Manalapan. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

/2xeaKDIt0XBDnscbvjAtaeEjWg0dNV5RY7LWHmKd8cxbuZazt4SEBB8k4cfw2eiORpD7OrNr3cCOXvUzbelnh474fOj-zsUj/ZiffestateinManalapan.png" class="align-center" width="718" /">The foliage tunnel through the Ziff estate in Manalapan appears to have weathered the storm with little damage. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

The colors are raised at Ocean Ridge Town Hall on Sept. 12. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star

Photos from the storm: Sept. 11 |Sept. 12 morning; Sept. 12 afternoon | Sept. 13 & 14 | Briny Breezes aerial | Photos from our readers

— Jane Smith

The service providers were operating with limited service due to power outages and limited fuel availability, according to Bennett.

From Boca Raton Police Department:

IMPORTANT UPDATES for the CITY OF BOCA RATON...
City Wide Curfew continues to be in Effect Tonight dusk to dawn.
• The City’s EOC and CIC is still operational and taking your calls, 561-982-4900. Thanks to everyone who called in downed power lines, debris blocking roadways and the down traffic signals.
• Our crews having been working today to assess facilities and clearing the roadways.
Beginning tomorrow (Tuesday) our Sanitation Div. will begin regularly scheduled pick ups for HOUSEHOLD GARBAGE ONLY. Solid Waste Authority is not able to accept debris and recycling at this time. For safety reasons, we ask that you continue to keep your debris collection out of the streets.
• Continuing tonight, there is still a City-wide curfew from dusk to dawn.
• For your safety & the safety of our community, we urge all citizens to be off the roads and in their homes once it gets dark. Our police department will continue to enforce the curfew.
• City Hall and all facilities, including parks, beaches and libraries are closed until further notice. We will update you when we have more information.
• FPL continues to work restore power. Please call 1-800-468-8243 to either put in a ticket or check for updates.
• Above all, please be safe and help one another during this post-storm time.

Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County - HURRICANE IRMA UPDATE 4 Sept. 11, 2017 at 5:15 p.m.

Contact: Willie Puz, Public Affairs and Recycling, 561-640-8914 (o); 561-379-2405 (c)

Garbage collection resumes in PBC; SWA urges residents to separate waste piles

 With the storm now passed, most Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County collection facilities will be open and accepting waste. Garbage collection will resume in unincorporated parts of the county as of 6 a.m. Tuesday (Sept 12).

However, recycling collection and vegetation collection WILL NOT resume as normal. The SWA’s Recovered Materials Processing Facility is without power and cannot process any recyclables that come in. The SWA will advise the public and the haulers when we are able to receive recyclables.

So that means Garbage Only collection until further notice.

The SWA’s transfer stations, the landfill and the waste-to-energy facilities will be open regular business hours tomorrow, Sept. 12. Municipalities are advised to seek the advice of their debris management consultants prior to delivering vegetation/storm debris to the SWA’s facilities, as doing so may complicate FEMA reimbursement.

The SWA is in the process of setting up Temporary Debris Management Sites for the receipt and processing of storm debris for municipalities and debris contractors. These sites are not available to the general public. The SWA will provide regular updates on the status of the opening of these sites.

All residents can help clean up our community by placing their waste and debris in three separate piles at the curb:

1.    Put garbage and recyclables out by 6 a.m. on your regularly scheduled day. These will be picked up first.

2.    Put all vegetation only in a second pile.

3.    And, put all other construction storm debris in a third pile.

Be sure to keep these three piles separate and away from:

•         Fences

•         Mailboxes

•         Power line equipment, poles, transformers, downed electrical wiring

•         Water meters

•         Fire hydrants or

•         Storm drains

(Watch the SWA commercial on separating your waste piles - https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.youtube.com_watch-3Fv-3DidlwGeVYU64&d=DwIF-g&c=JMJxdiofvjJKeebMXBrIn8vDKQGaIrsQQJbzDQHviG0&r=6b9rMWcU-VZUcMHYJ2y1QcUjyDIgbntmkrh1dpgchCg&m=pvmbZZPWsacJrrS7JaEYY0C7vLfT1Ef983qo0MfiKXM&s=Wwe9z4-Gj3mEpMaPglWfX8NiqdIMaw2Gf3vVouLjZN0&e= )

There is no rush for residents to get all their storm debris to the curb. Debris collection vehicles will begin collecting debris later this week and will make multiple passes until all debris is picked up.

The SWA urges all residents to be patient as collection efforts resume. It may be weeks before the first collection of vegetation and construction storm debris reaches everyone.

Visit SWA.org/Hurricane for more information.

NOTE: There will be no reimbursement provided to any individual resident or homeowner association who hires a private contractor to remove and dispose of their vegetation and construction storm-related debris.