Delray Public Beach at Atlantic Avenue has the bluest and clearest water of any beach in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, or North Carolina, according to a recent beach.com analysis of 1,346 beaches.

“Florida’s Atlantic coast, particularly Palm Beach County, is home to the bluest, clearest water and highest-rated experiences in the Southeast,” the site said of its analysis that included using NASA satellite data.

The analysis said Delray Beach’s public beach “has the most optically pristine beach waters in the analysis.” 

However, the city’s beach didn’t make the Top 12 overall for beaches in the Southeast. The top three were in the county — Ocean Reef Park in Riviera Beach came in first; Riviera Beach was second, and John D. MacArthur Beach State Park in North Palm Beach and Carlin Park in Jupiter tied for third.

Delray Public Beach tied for 38th place. Gulfstream Park in the County Pocket was the top-rated South County beach. It tied for 23rd. 

— Larry Barszewski

By Jane Musgrave

Beaches from Linton Boulevard in Delray Beach to just south of the Boynton Inlet in Ocean Ridge will be transformed into construction zones this winter as crews work to replace millions of tons of sand that were washed away in 2022 by Hurricane Nicole.

Beach renourishment crews are to arrive in Delray Beach in December to begin pumping 1.3 million cubic yards of sand on a 2.5-mile stretch between George Bush and Linton boulevards, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Roughly a month later, work will begin in Ocean Ridge. Plans call for 500,000 cubic yards of sand to be placed on a mile of beach from roughly south of Ocean Avenue to Ocean Inlet Park, said a corps spokesperson.

When completed in late April, the beach in Delray Beach will be about 250 feet wider; it will be expanded by about 150 feet in Ocean Ridge.

The estimated $19.1 million project in Delray Beach marks the first time in 12 years that the city’s entire beachfront has been renourished, said Cynthia Buisson, the city’s assistant public works director.

That is something of a record, she said. Historically, the city has been forced to replenish the sand every eight years to protect beachfront property and marine habitat and give beach lovers a place to soak up the sun.

While Buisson credited the city’s efforts to maintain its dunes for the beach’s unexpected longevity, she acknowledged that luck was involved. “The storms haven’t been as bad,” she said.

Hurricane Nicole, which made landfall as a Category 1 storm south of Vero Beach on Nov. 10, 2022, wasn’t particularly memorable for South Florida residents. But its strong on-shore winds produced a storm surge that battered beaches from Miami to Jacksonville, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Originally, the beaches in Delray Beach and Ocean Ridge were to be renourished at the same time. The project in Ocean Ridge was delayed because most of its beachfront is privately owned and releases had to be obtained from property owners.

Bids for the Delray Beach stretch were received in early September and a contract will be awarded by Oct. 6, the corps spokesperson said. The contract for the Ocean Ridge project won’t be awarded until December.

While the corps declined to give a cost estimate, when the same Ocean Ridge stretch was replenished in 2020, it cost about $5 million.

Both projects are being funded with a mix of federal, state, Palm Beach County and municipal sources. Sand will be pumped onto the beaches from an off-shore sandbar. 

With the 2026 sea turtle nesting season looming, crews will have to work quickly. While the original plan called for a 210-day project, the work will have to be finished by April 30 before the height of the roughly eight-month nesting season, the corps spokesperson said. 

The season runs generally from March through October, but turtles are known to appear as early as February. Buisson said the city’s sea turtle monitor will check the beaches daily and relocate any nests that are in harm’s way. 

By John Pacenti

Last year, Delray Beach Mayor Tom Carney spearheaded a rollback of the city’s tax rate. This year, it rolled right back on residents and businesses.

And, as usual — as if this commission knows no other way — there was plenty of drama and gnashing of teeth. 

The budget deliberations had City Manager Terrence Moore playing P.T. Barnum to this circus, taking to the high-wire himself to find a way to erase a $25 million deficit that some commissioners blamed on last year’s rollback. Meanwhile, the mayor played the carny, calling out for cuts and hoping someone would take up his challenge.

Ah, September was a taxing month — literally and figuratively — for Delray Beach. First, Gov. Ron DeSantis made good on his declaration to erase the city’s beloved LGBTQ rainbow intersection, and then there was the circus-like Sept. 15 workshop meeting on the budget.

“Please forgive me for being loquacious. I’m just a little excited,” Moore said at the height of debate at that meeting after taking commissioners down a rabbit-hole soliloquy on the consumer price index.

Tax rate rises

In the end, the commission voted 3-2 to approve a $201.5 million general operating budget at its regular meeting later that day. That is up $15 million from the previous year. The city will use $3.4 million from reserves to shore up revenues for the new 2025-26 budget year that began Oct. 1.

Carney and Commissioner Angela Burns were the no votes.

Commissioners set the city’s combined tax rate at $6.19 for every $1,000 of taxable property value by the same 3-2 vote. That represents a 4.18% increase of the previous rate of $5.94 per $1,000 and breaks the city’s streak of 12 consecutive years with a reduction.

“This is just a correction to ensure we can continue providing essential services,” said Vice Mayor Rob Long, who warned last year that rolling back the tax rate would create a deficit.

The commission’s action last year was in effect a “no new taxes budget” that is seldom adopted because it forces a local government — with the exception of taxes generated from new construction — to live on the same amount of tax dollars despite the inflation and population growth that have occurred.

Burns said that even by raising the tax rate, services were still being cut and the city had to borrow from the reserves. 

“I wasn’t in support of the rollback in the first place. Definitely not. And fear exactly what we’re going through,” she said during the Sept. 15 regular meeting, arguing both against proposed cuts and raising the tax rate. “This is just not a good time, in my opinion, to raise any costs.”

Carney later would tell The Coastal Star that the city should have been more proactive in finding ways to reduce expenses and generate additional revenue. He felt the budget process could have been more thorough in addressing financial challenges.

“We didn’t look for enough cuts, and we certainly didn’t look for enough revenue sources,” he said.

Doing the math

Finance Director Henry Dachowitz said that for an average homeowner with a taxable value of $448,000, the city portion of the tax bill would increase $113 from $2,660 to $2,773.

Homesteaded properties are capped under state law at a maximum 3% increase in any one year, but that is not true for businesses or non-homesteaded residential properties, which are capped at a 10% increase.

To Moore’s exasperation, Carney insisted that he did the math and that the increase to the average property owner would be 11%. “It’s not 11, it’s not 10, it’s not 9,” Moore said during the Sept. 15 workshop.

Moore tried to appease Carney somewhat, offering $501,000 in additional cuts hitting about every department. “Half a million dollars is nothing to sneeze at,” the manager said.

Commissioner Juli Casale was confused, saying that at a previous budget workshop, no additional cuts were discussed. 

The cuts were whittled down to $425,000 after commissioners voiced concerns about cutting such services as power-washing downtown’s sidewalks or providing staff with critical training, such as for the troubled Code Enforcement Division.

“I get really worried when I look at the cuts that we’re dialing back here,” said Commissioner Tom Markert, who, along with Casale, had supported Carney’s push for the rolled-back rate last year. “When I sat in CEO roles, I hated when people came in with budgets like this.”

Casale said there just aren’t a lot of areas to cut. “We have commitments that are not flexible in the city, contractual commitments,” she said. “Ninety percent of our allocated expenses are locked in.”

Commissioners feud

Carney had been on the warpath regarding budget cuts, looking to cut youth services or get private philanthropic groups to start picking up the tab. He criticized the Downtown Development Authority’s tax rate and “lack of transparency” and sent out emails criticizing commissioners.

“Do you think I’m not accountable? Do you think I’m not transparent?” Casale said. “Are you saying that Henry isn’t, or my colleagues aren’t? You’re getting people angry with us in an environment where it’s not good to be getting people angry at your commissioners.” 

At one point, Markert took on Carney, saying he just wasn’t living in reality when he suggested budget cuts.

“Let’s just slash the budgets. We’ll slash the people. We’ll slash all of our programs,” he said at the budget workshop on Sept. 15.

“Our property rates are going to drop like a stone in the city because we don’t attract and do the right things that we’ve been doing for years and years and years.”

At the same meeting, Markert and Carney locked horns again over the mayor’s 11% number. “Can you be the mayor for once?” Markert snapped.

“You’re out of order, I’m the mayor,” Carney said. 

A construction worker walks through routine flooding at 701 S. Ocean Blvd. in Delray Beach. The section of State Road A1A from Linton Boulevard to Casuarina Road is undergoing improvement that will include adding and regrading swales to enhance drainage and lessen flooding. RainDrop, an app that provides precipitation data, reports that coastal Delray Beach received an estimated 16.53 inches of rain during September through the 29th. That was almost double the 8.8 inches recorded in August and more than double the 6.42 inches that fell in July. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

WHAT: Autumn is the main season for king tides, when higher-than-normal tides cause spot flooding along the coast, from the Intracoastal Waterway, and from other inlets and canals.

WHEN: The Palm Beach County Office of Resilience says king tides are expected during high-tide periods on the following days, when there is a potential for flooding:

• Oct. 7-10

• Nov. 4-8

• Dec. 3-6

The county office says the worst period is expected to be Nov. 5-7, when it predicts flooding will occur. 

PREDICTION: “King tides for 2025 are not predicted to reach the moderate flood stage or the major flood stage, but various factors, including storms, may cause higher-than-expected sea levels and flooding,” the county office warns.

— Larry Barszewski

By John Pacenti

A popular Delray Beach Facebook group has been paused after supporters of Charlie Kirk began targeting longtime members, according to the moderator.

Delray Matters was suspended Sept. 11 for at least 30 days by moderator Ingrid Lee. It has more than 2,600 members. 

The Coastal Star wrote in the August edition how social media groups like Delray Matters have become essential for residents to interact with their local governments.

Kirk was shot to death Sept. 10 while speaking on a Utah campus, and two of his followers that day signed up to Delray Matters and started to post about it. 

They were particularly irate that Delray Beach was so focused on trying to save its LGBTQ Pride intersection and not sufficiently mourning Kirk, Lee said.

Longtime members of the group flagged the post because it violated the rule that all posts must center on Delray Beach issues.

Mayor Tom Carney said to connect what happened to Kirk to the issue of Gov. Ron DeSantis ordering the city’s LGBTQ Pride intersection to be painted over is “a very long shot. ...People are trying to connect dots that just are not there.” 

Lee said she created Delray Matters to encourage residents to engage with their local government, but the site was being “hijacked by people who just want to be inflammatory or attack those who don’t fit their agendas.”

While the Christian evangelical community passionately supported Kirk, many Americans opposed his views on women, the LGBTQ community and gun control.

Lee said she tries not to block or censor people, but when they start affecting the community’s ability to communicate, she steps in as the moderator.

“They wanted to post, and they loosely tied it to the intersection, like, ‘Why don’t we talk about this instead?’” Lee said.

When Lee told them all posts needed to be about Delray Beach, it “was like kicking a hornet’s nest.”

She tried to explain to the Kirk supporters that they could talk about him in the comments. “They were like, ‘He’s Christian, I’m Christian, I should be able to talk about him,’” she said.

Then the new members started targeting individual people who had made comments about Kirk that they didn’t like. Lee tried to explain that the comments were opinion, “and it’s a free country.”

The Kirk supporters told Lee that she was “complicit” and “vile.”

The comment from one longtime member about Kirk, that “karma paid him a visit,” particularly got the ire of the activist’s supporters, Lee said. 

“They screenshot both of them, went on to their private page and, like, put out a call for their minions to attack,” Lee said. “They were gonna put it on X and report it to (far-right political activist) Laura Loomer, and that they were gonna ruin this woman’s life.”

Kirk had said some gun deaths were “worth it” if it meant preserving the Second Amendment’s right to bear arms.

This all happened in 24 hours for Lee, who is a private citizen who works a day job. 

Moderating the mayhem became too much when her members were being targeted. 

She suspended the page, saying a “short break” was needed because moderating took way too much energy.

“It was just becoming invasive,” Lee said. “I was facing 60 comments to review, and on top of everything else going on in life, I just didn’t have the bandwidth to handle it.”

She reminded members in a post announcing the suspension, “We can have honest, even passionate conversations, but empathy matters too.” 

Unofficial election results had Maria Zack winning the Republican primary race to challenge Delray Beach Vice Mayor Rob Long, a Democrat, in the Dec. 9 special election to succeed state Rep. Joe Casello, who died in July.

Also slated to be on the ballot is Karen Yeh, who has no party affiliation.

Zack, with 53% of the vote, defeated Bill Reicherter in the Sept. 30 primary, based on the yet-to-be-certified returns. Zack owns and operates Quantum Solutions Software Inc., while Reicherter is a licensed Realtor who lost to Casello in 2022.

— Larry Barszewski

The Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Read for the Record initiative, which directs adults and children through a shared reading experience. Mayors from Palm Beach County municipalities helped kick off the event with a luncheon featuring Marcus Bridgewater — aka Garden Marcus — who is this year’s Read for the Record featured author. The preparations all lead up to Read for the Record Day, Feb. 26.

ABOVE: Bridgewater and Lantana Mayor Karen Lythgoe hold up copies of Bridgewater’s See Marcus Grow, which is the featured book for the celebration. Bridgewater’s works connect gardening with personal growth. Photo provided by Tracey Benson Photography

Mark David Anderson’s second-degree murder trial, scheduled to start Sept. 22, was postponed on Sept. 9 by Palm Beach County Circuit Judge Cymonie Rowe at the request of Anderson’s defense team.

A new trial date wasn’t set, but the trial is likely to be delayed until next year.

Anderson is charged in the September 2023 shooting death of Albert Camentz at Berkshire by the Sea, 126 N. Ocean Blvd., in Delray Beach.

— Larry Barszewski

By Hannah Spence

Last fall, South Palm Beach was set to receive a long-anticipated dune restoration, but the plan was delayed in part because of the difficulty the project had securing a beach access point south of the Lake Worth Beach pier.

The six-week project, which is being managed by the town of Palm Beach, is expected to start Nov. 1.

The Atriums of Palm Beach, a condominium complex at 3400 S. Ocean Blvd., will provide access for the sand that is being trucked in for the dunes that will be constructed on the upper part of the beach.

About 30,000 cubic yards of sand will be brought from a stockpile of sand at Phipps Ocean Park in Palm Beach to the Atriums, where it will be dumped on conveyor belts that will carry it to the beach. Trucks on the beach will then grade the sand.

At a Sept. 8 South Palm Beach Town Council meeting, Kevin Hall, a resident and property manager of Palmsea Condominiums, asked if people should stay off the beach and avoid the trucks. Sara Gutekunst, coastal coordinator for the town of Palm Beach, said that’s not necessary.

“People will continue to have access to the beach while the project is ongoing and can enjoy the beach in areas that are not active construction zones,” said Gutekunst. “The portion of the beach under active construction may be temporarily closed to ensure public safety.”

The cost of the dune construction from Sloans Curve to South Palm Beach was just over $1 million, and an additional cost is expected because of the delays and changes in construction methods.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection awarded a grant of $319,150 for the project. That money is for the construction of dunes as a result of erosion from Hurricanes Ian and Nicole in 2022.

“The beach dune restoration efforts are ongoingly important to maintaining the natural coastal environment in optimal shape and configuration,” said South Palm Beach Town Manager Jamie Titcomb. “Beach quality is important to our local residents as well as seasonal visitors alike, and the overall economic development for our entire region.

“Palm Beach will be managing the operational aspects, and I’m sure to communicate safety protocols and timelines pertinent to beachgoers and residents, which we’ll communicate further through our apps and systems to our residents at appropriate times.” 
 

Familiar faces appointed to planning commission — Incumbent Rosemary Mouring, whose term on Lantana’s planning commission expired, was reappointed for another three-year term at the Sept. 8 Town Council meeting. Mouring has served on the commission since 2012.

Another incumbent, Joseph Farrell, did not seek reappointment. His three-year position will be filled by Annemarie Joyce, a community volunteer who regularly attends council meetings and previously served as an alternate on the commission.

Named as an alternate was Christina Saint Pierre Desautell, who has experience in banking and finance. She also has local roots, having attended Lantana Middle School. Council members said they liked her youth and enthusiasm.

Vape shops in town — Does Lantana have too many vape shops? Some residents think so.

At the Sept. 8 council meeting, Council member Jesse Rivero said a constituent had approached him about the subject and wondered if the number of vape shops could be limited in town, which occupies roughly 2 square miles and has at least a half dozen vape shops, many on Lantana Road.

Town attorney Max Lohman said that could be done, but vape shops already established in town would have to be grandfathered in. 

Mayor Karen Lythgoe said she doesn’t vape anymore but, when she did, she looked at vape shop owners as businessmen filling empty storefronts.

No word on whether the vape shop issue will be discussed at a future meeting.

Feedback sought on skate park — Lantana is conducting a survey to gather community feedback on potential improvements for the Skate Park at Maddock Park. Public input will help the town understand the needs and preferences of the community. To take the survey, go to s.surveyplanet.com/y9a7el71

— Mary Thurwachter

South Palm Beach council members found themselves in an unusual situation this budget year: For the town to go to the state’s “no new taxes” rolled-back rate, they would actually have to raise the town’s property tax rate, not lower it.

They voted to stick with the same rate that the town has had for the past two years, actually going under the rolled-back rate. The difference was almost infinitesimal — $3.40 for every $1,000 of taxable property value vs. the $3.4073 per $1,000 rolled-back rate.

Council members faced this situation because total property values in the town dropped 0.21% this year — a drop attributed to declining values of many of its older condominium units. The town was the only municipality in Palm Beach County to see its taxable value decline this year.

The last time a county municipality faced a drop in its taxable value was 12 years ago. In 2013, values dropped in four municipalities that were still experiencing the lingering effects of the Great Recession of 2008.

Some residents may still see a town tax increase — if the taxable value of their condominium units increased despite the town’s overall drop in values.

Council members approved keeping the property tax rate the same at their Sept. 15 budget meeting.

At the meeting, they also approved a $3.078 million operating budget, which is about $13,000 less than the last budget — a drop of 0.4%. The new tax rate and budget are for the 2026 fiscal year that began Oct. 1.

The town’s separate capital project fund has quintupled, going to $5.4 million as the town prepares to begin construction on a new Town Hall.

In the building fund, Town Manager Jamie Titcomb plans to replace in-house staffing with contract service providers. The fund reduces in-house staffing costs from $71,350 to $15,000, while increasing its budget for contracted services from $87,500 to $137,500. The town’s contracted service providers will pick up the difference in assignment and customer service support under existing agreements.

— Larry Barszewski and Hannah Spence

By Mary Thurwachter

The tax rate in Lantana will remain the same as it has since 2022 — at $3.75 per $1,000 of taxable value.

However, homeowners may pay more in town taxes due to an increase in their taxable property value. The approved tax rate is 6.17% higher than the rolled-back rate of $3.53 per $1,000, which is the rate that would raise the same amount of money as last year except for taxes from new construction.

Anticipated property tax revenues are $7.4 million, an increase of $420,000.

Stephen Kaplan, the town’s finance director, said the proposed tax rate, given a 95% collection rate, will produce about $7.343 million in tax revenues, a 5.6% increase of about $390,000. The taxes will be used to support an $18.8 million town operating budget.

Other budget highlights from the Sept. 8 and 17 budget hearings include:

• A $25,000 increase in metered parking revenues;

• A $63,000 increase in interest income, and

• A $1.6 million decrease related to a one-time grant budgeted in fiscal year 2025.

As for special assessments for garbage collection, property owners will face a 2% increase for curbside pickup and a 1% increase for container pickup.

Town employees can expect a 4% cost-of-living raise and, based on annual evaluations, could receive up to a 5% merit raise. 

Kaplan said health and dental insurance premiums are projected to increase 24% for a total cost of $2.3 million.

By category, 70% of the budget will fund personnel, 25% other operating expenses, and $1.26 million for capital expenses. The town has no debt. 

Some new employee positions are in the works. 

Lantana will spend $42,000 to add a part-time administrative assistant at the Police Department, $91,000 for a youth librarian, and an additional $14,000 to reclassify one water plant operator to lead water plant operator. 

The Development Services Department will add a business development specialist. That person, whose salary remains unfunded, will partner with the town’s liaison from the Chamber of Commerce.

By Hannah Spence

South Palm Beach is hosting two gatherings for town residents — one for fun and another for patriotism.

The first, Fall Fest & Food Trucks, will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. Oct. 18 in the parking lot at Town Hall, 3577 S. Ocean Blvd. 

Residents will enjoy a night of community fun accompanied by live music and food available for purchase from food trucks including Dominick’s Pizza, Twisted Smoke BBQ and Kocoa’s Chocolate and Fondue.

Although Fall Fest has been celebrated in town for years, Ellen Salth said this will be the first time with food trucks. 

“Each event we have in South Palm Beach is amazing and special in its own way,” said Salth, chair of the town’s Community Affairs Advisory Board. “What makes it special are the people. All events bring out neighbors, some we know and some new to us. It is nice for the residents to see they are part of a bigger community beyond their building.”

The second event will honor veterans and take place at 1 p.m. Nov. 10, the day before Veterans Day, at Town Hall.

 “I’m grateful for the support, for the attitude of the town,” said 79-year-old Vice Mayor Monte Berendes, himself a veteran. “This was not the case when I served. I came back to the States on leave and was told not to wear my uniform while traveling. Military personnel were spit on and called all kinds of names.”

Although there was talk of doing a cemetery celebration on Veterans Day in Lake Worth Beach, the Town Council decided to forgo that proposal. Instead, the recognition will take place the day before in the council chambers before the start of the regular monthly council meeting.

The small recognition ceremony will feature inspiring stories from town veterans. Light refreshments will be served. There will be no awards, just a meaningful opportunity to honor and hear directly from people who served in the military. 

By Steve Plunkett

Property owners in Gulf Stream will pay the same town tax rate for fiscal year 2026 that they did in fiscal ’25, ’24 and ’23.

Town commissioners Sept. 24 approved the final rate, $3.67 per $1,000 of taxable value.

The tax rate will generate $6.99 million, up about $550,000 from the current year, Town Manager Greg Dunham said. Property values rose 8.5% to $1.9 billion.

Under the approved tax rate, the owner of a $1 million house would pay $3,672 in town property taxes in addition to county, school and other levies.

The town is entering the eighth year of its 10-year capital improvement plan, and the budget’s big-ticket item remains the road and drainage infrastructure work in the Core area.

Dunham will take $2.45 million from the general fund and $643,549 from the water fund to pay for the construction.

Gulf Stream will also borrow up to $7 million to have enough money to finish the improvement plan, pay for a water connection to Boynton Beach and keep a reserve fund of $4 million.

The town’s consulting engineers will begin drawing plans for rebuilding roads and water mains in the Place Au Soleil neighborhood on the west side of the Intracoastal Waterway. 

OCEAN RIDGE — Thomas Waters Perry III died Sept. 15 at Bethesda Hospital in Boynton Beach, surrounded by his cherished friends and loved ones. He was 73.

Born on May 14, 1952, in Chevy Chase, Maryland, Mr. Perry lived a vibrant life defined by his infectious charisma, love for adventure, and devotion to family.

Raised in Chevy Chase, Tom attended Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, where he formed lifelong friendships and cultivated his passion for sports and the outdoors. His love for the ocean fueled his enthusiasm for surfing, while his talents shone on the slopes as an avid skier and on the field as a fast-pitch softball player.

A devoted football fan and music enthusiast, Mr. Perry found joy in the soulful sounds of rock and roll and blues, which became the soundtrack of his life. His magnetic personality and warm presence drew people in, making every gathering brighter.

Mr. Perry’s professional life began as president of TW Perry Inc., his family’s heating fuel and building supply company. 

Under his leadership, the business flourished, reflecting his dedication and vision. 

Later, he relocated to Florida, where he worked in commercial real estate until his retirement.

In his final years, Mr. Perry found profound peace and strength through a deepened relationship with God, which brought him comfort and serenity.

Mr. Perry’s greatest joy was his family, especially his three beloved grandchildren — Winnifred Perry, William Perry and Thomas W. Perry V — whom he adored. He is survived by his son, Thomas W. Perry IV (Laura), and his grandchildren, who will carry his love and legacy forward. 

His memory will also live on in the hearts of countless friends and community members touched by his warmth.

A memorial service will be held at All Saints Church in Chevy Chase, Maryland, at 1 p.m. Oct. 7, followed by a celebration of life at Columbia Country Club at 2:30 p.m. 

— Submitted by the family

Ocean Ridge Commissioner Carolyn Cassidy revealed a harrowing encounter with a sophisticated phone scammer during the town’s Sept. 8 commission meeting, detailing how a seemingly legitimate caller nearly convinced her to pay a $7,500 fine for an alleged missed federal grand jury summons.

The scammer, posing as a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office representative, claimed Cassidy had failed to appear for a grand jury duty on Aug. 3, despite her insistence that she never signed any summons.

The caller provided intricate details, including a rescheduled court date of Nov. 19 at the federal courthouse in downtown West Palm Beach.

The scam escalated when the caller presented two potential penalties: a $7,500 civic fine payable at a sheriff’s office kiosk, or a criminal penalty involving a potential three-day jail term.

Sensing something was amiss, Cassidy contacted Ocean Ridge Police Chief Scott McClure, who confirmed her suspicions. The chief emphasized that legitimate law enforcement agencies would never solicit money over the phone. The scammers “operate on fear,” McClure said.

— John Pacenti

Ocean Ridge Commissioner Carolyn Cassidy was honored during the Sept. 8 Town Commission meeting, receiving a gold Certificate of Excellence from the Florida League of Cities.

Mayor Geoff Pugh praised Cassidy’s contributions to the town, highlighting her work with the League of Cities. “It’s so important that we have commissioners on our dais here that actually do a lot of work,” Pugh said.

Cassidy said she became engaged with the league shortly after her election in March 2023.

“I started going to the meetings and found out about this workshop, whereby I learned about all these grant opportunities,” Cassidy explained.

Soon, Ocean Ridge hired a lobbyist to seek grants for the town’s water pipe replacement and other projects.

She emphasized the importance of advocating for small towns in Tallahassee and the valuable networking opportunities the league provides.

Pugh went on to praise the entire Town Commission, describing it as potentially “the best or close to the best commission” he has ever sat on.

The award recognizes Cassidy’s dedication to municipal governance and her efforts to represent Ocean Ridge’s interests at the state level.

— John Pacenti

Mathematics professor Angie Su of Boca Raton can see examples of math almost anywhere, such as with this design at Town Center mall. To give one example, she says butterfly wings are a textbook case of bilateral symmetry: If you draw a line down the body, the left and right sides are near mirror images. Artists would use this principle in designing masks and logos, for example. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

Hui Fang Huang “Angie” Su is all about math.

A professor and lead faculty of mathematics education in Nova Southeastern University’s Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice, she’s a teacher, program creator and community advocate. Math often plays a central role in all she does.

Math isn’t a gatekeeper. It’s a toolkit for living — embedded in snacks and songs, workouts and walks, family budgets and bedtime puzzles, said Su, who lives in eastern Boca Raton.

“Whether you’re counting beats in Zumba, estimating a grocery bill, or puzzling out a snack mix, you’re practicing attention, patterning and decision-making. And those are precisely the skills that help us stay sharp, joyful and ready for whatever comes next.”

It’s also a mental workout, she said. “Holding the steps of a problem in your head exercises working memory. Planning an approach, resisting the urge to guess and checking a result builds executive function. 

“Looking for structure — like noticing that 25 × 16 equals 100 × 4 — develops flexible thinking,” she said. “Estimating first and computing second sharpens judgment and error monitoring.”

When Su is not working, she is working out. Aiming for 30,000 steps a day, she starts her day with a walk with her husband, which energizes her. 

“I feel so good from the walk, I just sit down in front of my computer for a meeting or teaching, and in between, if there are classes at the gym that appeal to me, I’ll go to as many as possible. That’s my break. My high is my workout. It’s what I do to get my brain refreshed.” 

She enjoys body work, step aerobics, kick-boxing, yoga and Zumba.

Even her time at the gym has math components. Take Zumba, for example, which she said may not seem like math, but relies on rhythm, counting and patterns. 

“Most routines are built on eight-counts in 4/4 time; at 120 beats per minute, that’s two beats per second, so an eight-count lasts four seconds and a 32-count phrase lasts 16. Change the order of steps and you’ve created a new permutation; mirror a move across the room and you’ve used symmetry. Even work–rest intervals — say, 40 seconds on and 20 off — are ratios. 

“Trackers add data, letting dancers compare heart-rate zones or average steps per song. When students design a 32-count combo and time it, they’re quietly engaging in math: measuring, modeling and creating music with numbers.” 

Exercise, along with being efficient and adopting the motto she credits to her sister, “I choose to be happy,” are all parts of a winning equation that works for her.

“Being cheerful and getting my things done gives me lots of energy. People say to me, ‘Can I have some of that?’”

Her proudest accomplishments, she says, are her four children: Julius, Jonathan, Judith and Jessica. All have earned Ph.D.s from prestigious U.S. universities.

“I think I live a very blessed life,” she said. 

— Christine Davis

Q. Where did you grow up and go to school? How has that influenced you?
A. Washington, D.C., and Queens, New York, and I attended elementary through college in New York. Big-city life taught me to be alert and resilient, while also savoring museums, libraries and cultural events — experiences that fueled my passion for teaching and learning. 

Q. What professions have you worked in? What professional accomplishments are you most proud of?
A. I’m a teacher, professor, program creator and community advocate. I’m proud to have created the award-winning Project MIND — Math Is Not Difficult; to have a neighborhood schoolhouse (a K-12 charter school in Plantation) named in my honor; to be one of only two U.S. honorees in Guinness World Records’ “Positive Change Makers in the World” (2023); to be named among the Heroes and Champions of Florida’s charter school movement; to have served on, then chaired, Florida’s State Council on Homelessness; and to have delivered keynotes at Cambridge and Oxford.

Q. What advice do you have for a young person selecting a career today?
A. Work hard, find a mentor who will also be your champion, and say yes to stretch opportunities. Curiosity and consistency beat perfection.

Q. How did you choose to make your home in eastern Boca Raton?
A. My husband, Dr. Tsung-Chow “Joe” Su, joined the faculty at FAU, and we moved from College Station, Texas. We were fortunate to find a home in a safe, welcoming neighborhood.

Q. What is your favorite part about living in eastern Boca Raton?
A. The beaches, parks and natural beauty — plus many places to enjoy without an admission fee. People are friendly, relaxed and genuinely happy to be here.

Q. What book are you reading now?
A. I just started Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid and recently read Flashlight by Susan Choi.

Q. What music do you listen to when you need inspiration? When you want to relax?
A. Latin music energizes me. For a quick smile, I’ll even ask Alexa to play If You’re Happy and You Know It. To unwind, I like quiet instrumentals.

Q. Do you have a favorite quote that inspires your decisions?
A. “I choose to be happy.” I’m quoting my sister, Dr. Hui-Li Huang. She never lets anything bother her. When I’m a little bit unhappy, I choose her words, and they negate everything that’s happening. As a medical doctor, she has lots of words of wisdom. 

Q. Have you had mentors who inspired your life decisions?
A. Harold Toppel of the Toppel Family Foundation encouraged me to keep developing my teaching talents and provided crucial support. My parents, Dr. Bau-Duan Huang and Chia-Mei Wu, have also been steadfast mentors and cheerleaders.

Q. If your life story were made into a movie, who would play you?
A. Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh — for her grace, grit and ability to bridge cultures while leading with heart.

By John Pacenti

One way to stoke easygoing Ocean Ridge Mayor Geoff Pugh’s ire: abandon or fail to maintain a property. 

It wasn’t exactly the shoot-out at the OK Corral, but Pugh wasn’t buying what a builder was selling at the Sept. 8 commission meeting when the new out-of-town owners of a once-abandoned construction site came looking for mercy to lift $75,000 in fines on the property.

“Why would I listen? We have asked you over and over and over again for years to do something about the property. You didn’t listen to the town, but then you’re coming to us, and we’re supposed to listen? I don’t think so,” Pugh told contractor Stephen Petrucci of Bella Homes.

Petrucci said the reason that the construction site at 113 Island Drive was abandoned was that the town would not allow work on what was then a spec house when the development order expired. 

“I disagree that it was we who stopped your project. You stopped your own project,” Pugh said. “You didn’t run the project good enough.”

Petrucci said the plan was to construct a residence on the property purchased in 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Then the architect died, and the replacement he hired was unresponsive. “It was really a disaster for me,” he said.

Pugh said that the undeveloped property had bedeviled neighbors. “I mean literally, their back porch, their pool was covered in dirt,” the mayor said.

Caught in the crossfire were new owners Charlie and Lisa Dahlem of Louisville, Kentucky. The couple said they have roots in the area and even got married at the Ocean Club on the beach. The couple bought the property in April 2024, contingent on Petrucci’s building their dream home.

Charlie Dahlem is vice president of The Dahlem Company, a commercial real estate company. He presented a slide of the impressive home he plans to build on the property.

“We purchased the land and did not know this cloud was hanging over us, not at all. It was a surprise to us,” he said.

Commissioner Carolyn Cassidy wondered if Petrucci was focused on building his other homes in the town rather than addressing the mess.

Vice Mayor Steve Coz told the Dahlems, “I think you have a problem on your side of the table that doesn’t involve us, so I don’t understand why we’re getting dragged into it.”

Commissioner Dave Hutchins said, “It’s not our job to take care of this.”

That’s when Petrucci tried to shift the blame to the town for not allowing his spec home construction to continue without a development order. 

“You made the town suffer, and those people suffer over there for years — years,” Pugh said. “Some apologies are not acceptable.”

Town Attorney Christy Goddeau said if an owner of a property is involved in a code enforcement proceeding, receives notice and then transfers the property, “you must provide notice to the new owners; otherwise, there is a presumption of fraud under Florida statute.”

The commission voted no to the request to waive the fine, but without prejudice. This would allow the Dahlems to come back before the panel to address the issue if they come to an understanding with Petrucci, Goddeau said.